Laura's POV
The conversation with Elijah left a peculiar echo in my mind. A rare moment of honesty, a fleeting glimpse of the vulnerability I usually kept buried beneath centuries of stone. It wasn't weakness; it was a strategic reveal. Letting them see a sliver of my true motive – a hunger for ancient knowledge and amplified power, not just Klaus's petty desires – would perhaps make them underestimate my ruthlessness. They'd expect a scholar, not a predator.
As I left the Mikaelsons at the bar, I cast a lingering glance towards Elena's booth. My "other plans" were already forming. The Grill was a hub, a perfect place for whispers and distractions. And if the Salvatores were busy playing family referee, it left the field open for me.
I moved to the dance floor, allowing myself to be swept into the rhythmic pulse of the human music. It was loud, vibrant, a perfect cover. My eyes, however, never stopped scanning. I spotted Alaric Saltzman at the bar, nursing a drink, looking a little too world-weary for a high school history teacher. A potential threat, given his propensity for uncovering supernatural secrets. And then, there was Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's younger brother, looking sullenly at his phone. Easy prey, if I wanted to send a message. But tonight, I sought a different kind of prey.
My gaze settled on a lone, slightly drunk student, leaning against a speaker, laughing a little too loudly at nothing in particular. He wasn't a main character, just another disposable extra in this unfolding drama. Perfect.
I glided towards him, my smile practiced, alluring. "Enjoying yourself?" I murmured, my voice soft, laced with a subtle compulsion.
He blinked, startled, then his eyes widened in admiration. "Yeah, I guess. You're new, right? I'm Todd."
"Laura," I purred, letting my fingers brush his arm. The hunger, ever present, hummed louder. This was merely a snack, a minor indulgence before the main course. "You look like you need a breath of fresh air. Care for a walk?"
His eyes glazed over slightly, his will bending to mine. "Uh, sure. Yeah. A walk sounds good."
I led him out the back door, away from the loud music and watchful eyes. The night air was cool, refreshing after the stuffy interior of the Grill. He stumbled a bit, giggling. So easy. So utterly breakable. I pulled him into a dark alcove beside the dumpsters, pressing him against the wall.
"What… what are we doing?" he mumbled, his voice a little shaky now.
My fangs extended, a pleasurable ache. "Just a little secret, Todd." I savored the scent of his fear, the frantic thrum of his pulse. I leaned in, my lips brushing his ear. "And you'll forget all about it."
I plunged my fangs into his neck, drinking just enough to leave him unconscious and pliable, but not dead. I needed him to wake up, confused and disoriented, another strange event in Mystic Falls. No immediate suspects. Just another mystery for the Salvatores to chew on. I pulled away, wiping my mouth with a practiced grace. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped against the dumpster. Satisfied for the moment, I slipped back into the shadows, a ghost in the night.
Stefan's POV
The Grill was a pressure cooker. Elena was a beacon, attracting everyone. Damon was flirting, as usual, but his eyes were constantly tracking Laura. And then, the Originals. They were a raw, unfiltered force, a reminder of everything we fought to escape.
I saw Elijah talking to Laura earlier, and there was something in her expression, a raw, weary honesty I hadn't expected from her. It was fleeting, gone as soon as Klaus and Rebekah arrived, but it stuck with me. Laura was dangerous, but there was more to her than pure malice.
My gaze drifted to Elena, who was now talking to Matt and Jeremy. I hated that she was here, exposed. The tension in the air was palpable, almost suffocating.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the back alley, followed by a muffled thud. My vampire hearing picked it up instantly.
"Did you hear that?" I asked Damon, who was still at the bar, seemingly oblivious.
Damon's head snapped up, his senses suddenly alert. "Yeah. Sounds like someone had a little too much to drink and met a dumpster." He grinned, but his eyes narrowed. "Or something else entirely."
Before he could finish, I was moving, blurring through the back door. Damon was right behind me. We found the college kid, Todd, slumped against the dumpster, a faint pulse, but drained. The bite marks were unmistakable. Fresh.
"Laura," I whispered, rage simmering. It had to be her. She had been on the dance floor just minutes ago.
Damon examined the bite, a flicker of something grim in his eyes. "Too clean for a rabid dog, brother. And too… precise." He glanced around, sniffing the air. "She's good. Left no trace."
"Why, Damon? Why here? Why now?" My frustration was a bitter taste in my mouth.
"To distract us, Stefan. To show us she means business. Or maybe just because she was bored," Damon said, running a hand through his hair. "She is an Original. And now that her dear siblings are back in town, she's probably feeling particularly playful." He looked at me, a serious expression on his face. "This complicates everything. We need to tell Elena about the Originals, all of them."
Caroline's POV
The bonfire party had been great, but the Grill was where it was really happening. I was with Elena and Bonnie, gossiping and trying to ignore the brooding Salvatores and the ridiculously hot new Mikaelson family. Laura was here too, dancing earlier, and then I saw her talking to some random guy and disappearing out the back. Weird.
"Did you guys hear that?" I asked, as a thud echoed from outside.
Bonnie frowned. "Something's not right. I feel… a disturbance." She looked pale, her witchy senses picking up on something.
Then Stefan and Damon suddenly blurred past us, rushing out the back door. My heart pounded. What was going on?
Elena looked worried. "Stefan?"
A few minutes later, Stefan came back in, his face grim. Damon was right behind him, looking unusually serious. They both headed straight for Elena.
"Elena, we need to talk," Stefan said, his voice urgent, pulling her aside.
My curiosity was through the roof. Bonnie and I exchanged a look. This wasn't normal.
Klaus's POV
The Grill was proving to be a rather fertile ground for observing the local wildlife. My sister, Rebekah, was already eyeing a blonde human boy – Matt Donovan, if I recalled his name. And Elijah was, predictably, deep in conversation with Laura, our long-lost, self-exiled sister. Her sudden declaration about the doppelgänger's ancient power had intrigued me. She was always the clever one, digging deeper than the rest of us.
Then, a sudden, muffled noise from the back. I felt the subtle ripple of vampire speed. Stefan and Damon. Always so dramatic.
"Looks like our local heroes have found a new mystery," I purred to Elijah and Rebekah, watching as the Salvatores rushed out.
"A feeding, perhaps?" Elijah mused, a faint frown on his face. "Laura, perhaps."
"Of course, Laura," Rebekah scoffed. "Always so messy, even when she tries to be subtle."
I chuckled, a dark, amused sound. "Hardly messy, sister. Laura is far too refined for that. A playful demonstration, perhaps. A subtle reminder of her capabilities, now that we've graced this town with our presence." My eyes flickered towards Elena's table. "And a distraction, no doubt. She's laying her claim."
Rebekah scoffed. "She's always been melodramatic. The doppelgänger is ours, Nik."
"We shall see," I said, a mischievous glint in my eye. "Laura has always played her own game. And now that she's revealed a deeper interest in the doppelgänger's power, beyond merely breaking my curse, this becomes even more fascinating. Perhaps we can even use her unique insights."
I watched as Stefan returned, pulling Elena aside, his face etched with grim determination. He was telling her about the attack, about Laura, about us. Good. Let the humans panic. It always made the hunt more exhilarating.
"Come, siblings," I said, rising from my stool, my gaze sweeping the room. "It appears the curtain has risen on our grand performance. And Mystic Falls is about to learn just how much fun an Original family reunion can be." My eyes found Laura's former seat at the bar, then drifted to the back door she had used. She was a ghost, a whisper in the wind. A very dangerous whisper.
This was going to be glorious.
The stakes are rising, and the web of intrigue is tightening. Laura has made her move, and everyone is reacting. What will be Elena's reaction to the truth? And how will Laura's playful mischief escalate now that her family is openly in play?