Clair de Lune - K.M.

c h a p t e r t w e n t y n i n e

Rebekah's party is in full swing by the time I arrive. I pull up the driveway and park among the mass of cars out front as I examine the house. It's beautiful and big, even bigger than the Lockwood mansion. Exactly what you'd expect from a vampire like Rebekah. I know she and Klaus had a falling out so I'm not sure why she decided to move into a house in Mystic Falls when she could could go anywhere. There's nothing keeping her here anymore, no family she's speaking to or friends to hang out with. At least, that's what I thought.

I guess Rebekah has more friends than I realized I think as I make my way across the lawn and through the open front door. Teenagers, most from my school, mill about with drinks in their hands. Loud music bumps from speakers both inside the house and out in the backyard where the overflow from the party has migrated to. I see a crowd of people cheering and standing around what I can only assume to be a keg.

"Stella!" Rebekah says, noticing me standing hesitantly by the door. "Darling, I didn't know you were going to be here!"

"Neither did I," I say, grinning at her slightly slurred words. "My brother and your brother are both being an ass so I decided I needed a drink."

"You're not just now finding out that Nik is an ass, are you?"

"Definitely not," I assure her. "He just pissed me off more than usual today."

"Then you're in the right place," the vampire says, striding forward and drunkenly wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Come, lets find you a drink."

She guides me through the crowded party, past hoards of drunk teenagers, and into the kitchen where bins of ice hold what seems like an infinite mix of beer, seltzers and any other kind of alcohol you could imagine.

"There's a keg out back as well," Rebekah tells me.

"Yeah, I'm not drinking that shit."

"I figured as much," she grins, pulling an expensive bottle of vodka out of the freezer for me instead. Rebekah hands it over and turns around to grab a shot glass but I waste no time, popping open the bottle and drinking directly from the mouth.

The alcohol is smooth as it travels down my throat and even though it's going to take a considerable amount of this bottle to actually feel anything thanks to my supernatural tolerance, I already feel more relaxed with it in my system. Rebekah grins as me and places the shot glass back in the cabinet.

"Careful there, Stella. That bottle costs more than a car."

"And? I'm sure you definitely paid for it, right?" I ask her, taking another swig from the bottle in my hand.

"Touché"

"How'd you get all these people to show up?" I ask her. "I didn't think you had any friends."

Rebekah's smile wavers slightly at my question.

"I figured that if you ply teenagers with free alcohol they'll show up. Turns out I was correct."

"Yeah, but there's no way this many people like you enough to drive all the way out here just for booze. How many did you have to compel?"

Rebekah's smile fades instantly and she turns to glare at me. I can tell that my questions are beginning to go too far but I honestly can't bring myself to care. I simply tilt the bottle in my hand towards her with a grin before bringing it to my lips and taking another swig.

"None," she says in a hard voice.

"It's okay, you can be honest with me. I'm just curious."

"You want me to be honest? I think you're a real bitch. Has anyone ever told you that?"