Dissipating Darkness [Klaroline]

Chapter 3: Stefan

"Rebekah! Come in here, please."

I see my sister casually stroll out of the kitchen with a wine glass full of blood in her hand.

"Yes, brother? What on earth has you all riled up? Didn't have a good time at the grill with--" Rebekah realizes that I am not alone. Her eyes instantly zero in onto Alaric. She attempts to hide the glass full of blood behind her back.

"Nik! You didn't tell me we were going to be having company tonight. Hello, gentleman."

As I walk by Rebekah, I snag the glass out of her hand and take a long meaningful sip of the vomit-inducing blood. I can't find the will-power to care about how disgustingly empty feeling it is. I need a drink.

After I swallow the blood, I calmly wipe my mouth, then introduce Rebekah.

"Rebekah, meet Damon Salvatore. He is a vampire of my bloodline. Which you've probably deduced all ready. And this is the History teacher. Whom you already know. He knows about vampires. Any other questions?"

Damon raises his finger in the air.

"Uh, yeah. Does me being a part of your bloodline have anything to do with the fact that I knew who you were without knowing who you were? If that makes sense."

I sigh at the complete ignorance of this, compared to myself, amateur vampire.

"Yes, Damon. As you gather, my sister and I are Originals. We turned others, who turned others, who turned others, and so on. So, at the end of your vampire chain, Damon, it's me. I'm the blood that now runs through your cold, dark veins, regardless of who turned you. You are a part of me. That's why you felt your feeling of recognition even before I had introduced myself."

Damon's mouth goes ajar as Alaric smirks at him, then brings his attention back to me.

"Damon and I have had many arguments about the origin of his kind. Cocky ass always says humans are the only inferior species that has to have an origin. I guess us humans aren't that much lower in the universe than he thought," Alaric smiles. "But hey, thanks for inviting us into your home, Klaus." I see Alaric's eyes jump toward the bookshelf that houses books that I've read time and time again. Some of them are over one hundred years old.

"Alaric, if you want to take a look at the books, please, be my guest."

As Alaric heads over to the bookshelf without any extra push needed, I spy my unusually silent sister relaxed against the back wall. Her lips play out the words "Have fun" as she waves and breezes out of the front door. I do not fail to notice that Alaric isn't startled in the least at my sister's abrupt movements. I also notice Damon intensely texting on his phone.

I go to the kitchen and bring out a bottle of Scotch and three glasses. I sit the glasses and bottle on the coffee table and begin to fill each one. Alaric walks over as he is rifling through an old, leather book. I hand him the glass of Scotch, and it takes me a while to figure out that he wants Damon and I to clink our glasses with his.

It seems like the clink of the glasses doesn't even linger in the air before my doorbell is being rung. I sit my glass down and walk toward the door; confused as to who it could be.

I slowly open the door and as I do, a smile creeps onto my face.

"Lovely craftsmanship."

The young vampire, who I have known for about a week now, meets my eye as he sits the young girl's head back onto her shoulders. He has positioned our midnight snacks so that they are sitting side by side on the sofa. He makes quick work of cleaning up any extra blood, and soon we are walking the streets of Chicago again. We walk in a steady silence before I begin to speak what is on my mind.