10th Century
“I told you, it was not a good idea to come last night!” I cried, curling up into myself. “Klaus, I warned you, did I not? I told you. I told you. I told you!” I screamed at him, angry more at myself than at him.
“Maria, Love, I know,” he responded in a calm voice although the look on his face showed how broken he was.
“THIS IS MY ENTIRE FAULT! MAYBE, IF I HAD NOT OF TOLD YOU…IF I HAD JUST STUCK TO MY OWN LAND! If I had not have…” I trailed off, my hoarse voice needing a moment of rest from my screaming. “This is all my fault, Niklaus… You would never had lost your brother if I had not have compelled you to come. I AM A MONSTER!”
Niklaus grasped my shoulders and made me look him in the eye. “Maria, you are anything but a monster. You are beautiful and absolutely wonderful. You are the best friend a man could ever ask for, do not think poorly of yourself,” he chided me.
I sniffled a bit and used my sleeve to wipe the snot from my nose. “But it is my fault, Niklaus…and you are paying the price for my sin. Your father should be unleashing his wrath on me. Not you. I am the one who slaughtered young Henrik,” my voice broke on the boy’s name and my sobs began again. “I am nothing but a monster…” I voiced numbly.
Niklaus returned his steady hands on my shoulders and gave me a look of certainty. “I love you,” he declared, headstrongly.
If I had not broken before, I certainly did then. Rage boiled up in me and I could not help but feel almost animalistic yet again, although the third night of the moon had past. “I AM A MONSTER WHOM YOU LOVE! I KILLED YOUR SWEET AND INNOCENT LITTLE BROTHER! WHAT RIGHT DO I HAVE, TO DESERVE SUCH LOVE FROM YOU?” I spat at him. I pushed his hands away from me, which was fairly easy considering.
“Maria?” he questioned, hurt and confused.
“Get out…” I demanded of him but he just stayed there, standing stalk still. “GET OUT!” I screamed, this time having an effect on him. His eyes grew large and he let out an agitated huff before stalking off. I went back to wallow in self-pity when it occurred to me of what I must do.
21st Century
I cut the engine to my 2013 SRT Viper before stepping out. I slid my hand gingerly over my sleek black car and made sure to lock my car. Although it doesn’t prevent much, locking the car does seem to make thieves and burglars work harder. I stopped at the entrance of the restaurant and put the name of it to memory, Mystic Grill. It’s actually less original than it sounds, considering I was in Mystic Falls, Virginia. Back to where it all began for me. For us all.
I walked into the grill and took a seat at a bar stool. The man beside me turned to give me a once over. I, in turn, give him a nasty look. “Don’t look at me like that, Salvatore,” I chide the man.
