Marked by midnight

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Mystic fall ball 

Seraphina lay in her room, the silence of the old house thick and suffocating. The house, owned by Celeste's uncle, was tucked away on the edge of town, far enough from prying eyes but close enough to keep tabs on everything that mattered. It was the perfect hideout, a place where no one would think to look for them. But even the comforting isolation couldn't quiet the storm raging inside her.

She stared at the cracked ceiling, tracing its jagged lines with her eyes. Each crevice seemed to match the cracks in her own resolve. Despite their progress in integrating with Mystic Falls High, something felt off—dangerously so. The closer they got to Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and their circle, the more the tension gnawed at Seraphina's nerves.

She hadn't come blind. The stories of the town's supernatural happenings were infamous in the right circles. It was only a matter of asking the right questions and hearing the right whispers to learn about the Salvatore brothers and the doppelgänger, Elena Gilbert, that was how she knew, she should approach them, since they could be of good use to her.

Month ago, when Seraphina had started digging into old curses and supernatural phenomena, she began to hear rumors of a doppelgänger with ties to ancient magic. That led her to the Salvatores—two vampires who had lived in Mystic Falls for over a century, deeply entwined with both Elena and a much darker past involving the Originals. Though it was only a coincidence she met Damon that night, she decided to use the chance to hopefully get closer to break the curse. This is what led Seraphina and Celeste straight to Mystic Falls, into the lives of Elena and her friends.

But what Seraphina hadn't been prepared for was the suffocating pull she felt toward Damon. Their encounter the other day had been brief, but it was enough to shake her in ways she couldn't explain. There was something about him—something dangerous, magnetic, and deeply unsettling. She had faced countless threats in her life, but the raw intensity Damon projected left her feeling exposed, vulnerable.

She rolled over in bed, trying to shake off the thoughts. This wasn't the time to be distracted. Their mission was too important. The curse that had plagued her people for generations couldn't be undone if she lost her focus now. Celeste had made that clear from the start. They needed to stay close to the group, gain their trust, and learn more about the powerful magic that tied them all together. Only then could they hope to break free.

A loud knock at the door pulled Seraphina from her thoughts. Celeste stood in the doorway, her expression calm but firm. "You ready? We need to keep up appearances."

Seraphina nodded, forcing herself out of bed. She dressed quickly, her mind already shifting into the role she needed to play today. High school student. Friendly, approachable, harmless. It felt ridiculous considering the stakes, but it was necessary. Every day brought them closer to what they needed to know, and every encounter with Elena and her friends was another piece of the puzzle.

As they left the house, the early morning sun was just beginning to peek through the trees, casting long shadows across the lawn. Seraphina took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Today was going to be important—she could feel it. They had gotten close yesterday, but something told her that today, they might learn something crucial.

Meanwhile, across town at the Salvatore mansion, Damon's restlessness was palpable. He stood in the living room, his hands clenched into fists as he paced back and forth. Stefan sat in his usual spot, his arms crossed as he watched his brother's agitation with a mixture of amusement and concern.