Spotlight on Legends by Destiny Blake

They may be called out as vampires, but the real monster-in-the-mirror is a

different beast altogether.....

~A legacy from the grave, legends since birth~

Blurb

Prior to their eighteenth birthdays, eight teenagers are summoned overseas. Upon their arrival in The Cook Islands, they begin Summer Assembly, an initiation for transitioning vampires. They train under one of the oldest vampires known to man—Legend Sinclair, who happens to be their father. 

With mixed feelings and new responsibilities, Legend’s children battle with their decision about duty, honor, and saving the world from a sinister global evacuation plan. Their goal is to stop the immoral Entitled Ones who plan to use genocide to regain full control over the world’s population and its unsuspecting citizens. If the elites are successful, they’ll position themselves with old world titles within the New World Order. And millions will die before their reign of terror begins.

Legend and his family will do whatever necessary to stop the Entitled Ones and shine a light on a corrupt shadow government and its evil propaganda. While Legend’s teenage sons and daughter battle between right and wrong, they also come to terms with giving up what they cherished most—high school friends, their North Carolina homes, and a highly anticipated senior year. 

Their rewards will be great if they can expose the corruption behind a reformed world, but their battles are more complicated than they seem. Legend’s family will face off with the supernatural world and discover there are underlying wicked currents driving the onset of a reformed world. 

Excerpt:

Times Square

New York City

Hours later, Legend left the master suite in his rented penthouse. Captive, Griffin, and Saber had depleted the stored blood and were now sprawled out on the living room furniture, watching the evening news.

“All finished with the sibs?” Griffin asked without averting his eyes.

“They had a lot of questions.”

“Did you tell them you murdered our mothers?” Saber asked coolly.

“Who told you that?” Captive asked, shifting his gaze between brothers.

“They’re resting,” Legend said, refusing to say more. “And we need to focus on what’s important.”

“Our moms aren’t important?” Griffin shook his head. “If you ask me, they had a significant role. Without them, you wouldn’t have a small army of killers at your disposal.”  

“You aren’t killers,” Legend said. “And I don’t want to go over this with you when I’ve just done the same with your sister and brothers.”

“What would you call us?” Captive asked.

“Individuals who care about saving mankind.”

“That was your goal, not ours,” Captive reminded him.

“It’s our duty and a privilege as well. The world has been deceived. We are days away from revealing the truth.”

 “Does your version of the truth have anything to do with this map?” Captive tapped the dining room tabletop. “The US is divided up and has seven districts here.”

“Fields.”

“Fields, districts, areas, call them whatever you want, but there are clear lines of division.” Captive slowly lifted his chin and stared into Legend’s eyes. “And like I said, there are only seven of them.”

“That’s right,” Legend said, acknowledging the growing tension. “Dubbed as Legend’s Fields—only because it has such a nice ring to it—these areas will be divided after a win for us and a loss for the Entitled Ones.” 

“Assuming we’re successful and the Entitled can’t reboot the world with one keystroke.” Captive used his index finger and followed a royal blue line from the Southeast corner of the Pacific Northwest to the Northern tip of Texas. He paused there. “This is called ‘The Rest’ and the other fields have more specific names. Why?”

“When it’s time to declare the fields as governed areas, we’ll position leaders at specific geographical points. Anticipated population count determined how these areas were divided on paper.”

Captive slowly lifted his head once more. “You didn’t answer my question.”         

“The Rest marks territories which are less likely to have an uprising. The area is considered a safe zone but these fields have various entrances to underground tunnels and bunkers which may be accessed at another time.”  

“You say that like there’s really no way to stop the Global Shift.” Griffin turned sideways, propping his arm on the sofa’s back. “Do you expect us to fail?” 

“No.” He didn’t want to discuss the fields. The main reason had more to do with the number of fields and how they would be assigned rather than the actual purpose for them.

“What’s going on, Legend?” Captive butted his hip against the table and crossed his massive arms. In terms of physical strength, Captive was Legend’s equal and he seemingly knew it. “Holding out on us?”

 “As questions arise, I try to answer them.”

 “Then let’s start with the obvious,” Captive said. “There are eight of us.”

 “Be sure you want to ask that next question before you do.” 

Captive glanced at Saber and Griffin. They both shook their heads, but he still considered it before he relented and said, “Let’s talk about the fields then. The largest territory…who gets it?”

“Now you’re looking for a fight.” Legend chuckled. “But you’ll be relieved to know that The Rest goes to Sin.”

“Which means she lives,” Saber pointed out, sneering.

“Why would you give her that much open territory?” Captive asked, opting to ignore Saber’s comment.

Griffin joined them and studied the map. “Looks like you’re giving a lot of power to one person.”

Saber didn’t move from the sunken living area. He never looked their way when he said, “She’s a girl. She’ll be underestimated.”

“It’s not worth the risk. Come here and look.” Captive waited for Saber and then trailed his finger between two locations. “Here.” He jabbed his finger at the next stop. “And here.” He looked up at his brothers. “These are two of the main Entitled-owned bunker locations. They fall within ‘The Rest’ which Legend now says will be managed by Sin. She’ll be covering the most dangerous fields.”

“And like Saber pointed out, she will be underestimated.”

“Surely you aren’t banking on a guess.” He pushed away from the table. “Wait a minute. You don’t think she’ll be underestimated. You think she’ll be ignored altogether.”

 “That too.” Legend smiled. “I know it seems like I’m giving her too many responsibilities, but—”

“It’s not the responsibility she can’t handle. It’s the power,” Saber said sensibly. “With great power comes a steep price. What price will she pay? Have you thought about that?”

“Of course he hasn’t,” Griffin said, running his palms across two large masses. “But if it makes you feel better, my money says you and Captive are on the outer territories.”

“Exactly,” Legend said. “She’ll always have the two of you to call upon in the event of my absence.”

“Why? Are you going somewhere?” Griffin always asked too many questions.

“Not planning on it.” And some of his questions couldn’t be answered.

“Okay then,” Captive said, narrowing his eyes. “Still open for questions?”

“Sure,” Legend said, bracing for those he wouldn’t want to answer.

“Why did you send the others home and keep us here in New York?” 

“Can’t wait to hear this,” Griffin said, picking up a travel itinerary from the table. “And why are we seeing the world while the others are preparing for the first day of school?”

“Answer him,” Captive said, a dangerous edge in his voice. 

Legend didn’t like his tone. “The Entitled Ones may know you’ve been turned earlier than expected. You’ll meet Rogue, the vampire who turned me, and he’ll be able to answer more questions about the Entitled.” 

Griffin seemed distant. “So we’re not going up against the Entitled Ones alone?”

“Yes and no. It’s complicated.”

“It always is, but isn’t.” Saber stalked Legend. “You’re using the others as bait. What if these people show up in Legends? Do you honestly think someone like Diven can protect himself?”

“I wouldn’t worry about Diven,” Griffin said. “He’ll kill them with his poetry or one of his boring monologues.”

Legend laughed. “Diven’s one of a kind for sure.”   

“Do you think this is funny?” Captive asked, his face as red as an apple. “Sin and Diven can’t fight an army of elite forces! And you can’t assume Tole and Gideon can hold their own without us!”             “First, the Entitled Ones would never storm Legends with an army. While they do have armies behind them, most of their troops are in Europe. Secondly, I’m touched that you care for your siblings as much as you do but you’ll find that Sin will soon be able to beat most adversaries by using her gifts and physical strength while Diven will always ‘out-smart’ anyone who approaches them.”

Saber grunted. “That’s debatable.”

“You have that much confidence in Sin?” Griffin asked.

“Don’t you?”

“She’s a thin teenager and a girl for crying out loud!” Captive was enraged.

“She’s tall and slender, yes, but Sin is in better physical shape than any of you. She eats right, exercises four or five hours a day and…”  

“And she has a double-shot of your blood running through her veins,” Captive said, undoubtedly putting two and two together. “She never needed a blood transfusion. Did she?”

“She exercises four or five hours a day?” Saber was clearly impressed. “Damn. Remind me not to call her out in a fight.”

 “Sin doesn’t have friends so she spends her time on health and wellness. When she was turned, we better understood her strong will and overall physical strength. While she was easy to turn, she was the most difficult to bring back. She held on to her humanity longer than any of you.”

“Like the way you danced around the blood transfusion bit,” Captive said.

“Yeah, he’s got twirling on his toes down to a science,” Saber muttered.

“Okay fine. Yes, she has a double-shot of my blood, as you put it. She received those transfusions for nearly ten years.”

“Talk about playing favorites,” Saber said.

“Do they know?” Griffin asked. “I mean shouldn’t you tell them that the Entitled may come for them?”

“Sin will figure it out,” Legend said. “But again, the Entitled won’t show up there with an army. They’ll send scouts who will report back to London’s Council. It would be highly unusual for their scouts to approach any of my children.”

“So now we know why they’re at home. Why are we here?” Griffin asked.

Legend tapped the table. “You won’t find your purpose on that map. Your field positions will come at a later date. For now, we deal with the Council. We’re going to Belgium.”

“Why?” Griffin asked.

“Because he thinks we can get one of those vacated seats,” Captive said, rolling the map. “And the beautiful people landed in Brussels yesterday for a ribbon cutting ceremony at their annual rave. Since they’re all in town, they’ll probably meet.”

“Someone watches Tabloid News at Noon.” Legend was pleased. “And yes, a meeting is scheduled.”

“Why is that seat so important if we’re planning to stop the Global Shift?” Griffin asked. “What aren’t you telling us?” 

Legends is available at all third parties 

Kobo Link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/legends-19

Saturday Scenes from Mystical Christmas--The Vampire Diaries at Kindle Worlds

Excerpt: 

“Ah, there you are.” Klaus greeted her with a warm smile which was almost an oxymoron.

 Klaus represented everything Elena had grown to hate—despair, danger, and that emptiness she felt inside, the lonely existence she’d begun to recognize as life after Stefan. Klaus symbolized darkness, a darkness she might have otherwise accepted if he hadn’t stood so firmly before her as the gatekeeper, the one creature standing in front of Stefan and deliberately keeping them apart.

 “I’ll be right there,” she snapped, tucking her journal under the mattress. 

“I’ll wait with you.” Klaus snatched Elena’s floral garment bag and draped it over his arm. “It would be a real shame if you backed out at the last minute, Elena. You wanted a Christmas wish and your wish was granted.”

 “With certain terms.” 

“Ah yes.” Klaus tilted his head one way or another. “Well I’ve never been one to greet demands with open arms. Besides, we’ll all feel better on neutral ground.”

“And why is that?” Elena had spent the last few days questioning everything and everyone. When she’d asked Klaus to release Stefan for the holidays, she hadn’t thought about the terms and conditions, the possibility of bargaining with the devil. 

“We all play by my rules, Elena. You still won, sweetheart. You wanted Stefan for the holidays. He’s yours.” Klaus approached her with speed and narrowed his eyes as if he planned to compel her.

She quickly dismissed the thought. Klaus didn’t need her under his spell. She was his human blood bank, a walking natural resource for his hybrid nation. Outside of his need for her blood, he had little use for her, which brought her back to another question. “When I asked you to grant Stefan a holiday weekend, why did you agree to a break?” 

“You always surprise me, Elena. More often I’m merely amused by your requests.” He tilted her chin and his head at the same time, looking at her as if he were indeed perplexed. “When you asked for Stefan’s release so you could celebrate Christmas with both Salvatore brothers, I was curious.” 

“Which explains why you’re going with us to Tennessee?” 

He moistened his lips and for a split second, Elena could’ve sworn his mouth was dripping in blood. She cringed as a memory crawled through her head. Her mind’s eyes flickered with newspaper clippings about a rampant killing spree, a murderous binge controlled by Klaus and executed by Stefan.

 “I’ve always loved the mountains.” Klaus grinned. “Besides, holidays are monumental. We can build memories together. Why would I throw away such an opportunity?”

 “You promised to release him while we’re in Tennessee.”

 “And I will,” Klaus assured her. “Once we’re settled in and before the sun goes down.”

 “Is there a ‘but’ in there somewhere?” 

“All right, Elena, you win. I’ll let you in on a little secret.” His demeanor changed then. “You can’t play with fate or run from it, love. Katerina tried and as you saw for yourself, she failed on numerous occasions. She also loved two brothers as you love two brothers.”

 “I never said—” 

Klaus held up his hand. “Let me finish. Damon gives you what you need, what you must have at any cost. Stefan, on the other hand, gives you what you want—the ability to stay committed to your high moral standards. The Stefan you know gives you a normal relationship, an acceptable bond. Your friends like him. Your teachers accept him.”

 “What about the Stefan you know?” 

“The Stefan I know would rip your pretty little neck apart if I so much as compelled him to do so.” 

She swallowed, processing. Klaus wanted to hurt her. He wanted to watch how she interacted with the Salvatore brothers. He would then later use what he learned against her. “You made Stefan into something he’s not.” 

“On the contrary,” Klaus said. “We’re vampires. That makes us hunters or predators by nature. We’re only killers by choice.”

 “Stefan wouldn’t have done any of this if you hadn’t compelled him.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Klaus said. “I can hand an average man a gun, beat him within an inch of his life, and he will not pull the trigger if he isn’t a killer. The survival instinct, some of us have it and some of us don’t, Elena.”

 “That’s a terrible comparison.” 

Klaus shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Besides, Stefan’s weapons are embedded in his gums. No one hands him anything. He takes what he wants.”

 “At one time he wanted me.”

“Yes and we all watched in horror as he became this henpecked vampire following you up and down the local high school’s halls. It was dreadfully painful to observe. Sad, really. At least now Stefan is his own person.” 

Elena inched forward, anger driving each of her steps. “What’s sad is you really believe that.” She mustered up the courage to close the last bit of distance between them. “Now tell me, Klaus. Why are you really here?”

Klaus gripped her shoulders. “Let me remind you, sweetheart. You weren’t supposed to spend Christmas with Stefan. Word travels fast in our circles. From what I hear, you and another Salvatore have more in common. Then again, some might argue—at least those who have witnessed your volatile relationship—you and Damon probably weren’t supposed to spend Christmas together. You aren’t exactly an ideal mistletoe-seeking pair.”

 “So you want to go with us and what…referee?” 

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought of it like that, but sure. Think of me as the middle ground.” 

“Ha! You want Elena to see you as a mediator?” Damon entered the bedroom cautiously. He watched Elena as if he were afraid to take his eyes off her. After her heart fluttered a few extra beats, he grinned—because he likely picked up on the fact—and turned to Klaus. “Well?” 

“How do you want her to see me, Damon?” 

“That’s a no-brainer. As the monster you are.”

http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Diaries-Mystical-Christmas-Novella-ebook/dp/B00PV0C548  

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Spotlight on 2015 Releases: Devil's Deception

While traveling, Liza Cartwright lands in Devil’s Valley and she’s not sure why. Greeted by a witch while trying to rent a room, Eliza is greatly disturbed by what she learns. According to a legend, those who arrive in Devil’s Valley, never leave. Unwilling to accept some crazy myth, Liza goes to Gideon’s Hall looking for the vampire who can change her fate.

Convinced Liza is the mate they’ve awaited, Jake and Nicholas Devil dupe her so she can’t leave Gideon’s Hall until Gideon can meet her. When Gideon sees Liza a few hours later, he’s mesmerized. He soon realizes his attraction is mate lust but since Nicholas is the youngest “Devil” son and they can’t share a mate, he seeks answers by turning to a dangerous witch.

Soon, Liza is inexplicably drawn to Gideon and Jake Devil, but she’s horrified to learn all the ways they’re connected. Inevitably doomed to a fated love thanks to a curse she can’t escape, Liza gives up her traveling dreams for two sexy vampires and a family full of blood drinkers. And she makes it her mission to find out about the witches and their curses so she can do whatever necessary to break them.

Book Excerpt

“Well, well, well,” Matilda drawled, taking a seat at Luke’s and Nicholas’s table. “I didn’t expect to see you two out and about tonight.”

“Matilda,” Nicholas grated out, not making eye contact.

“What’s a young girl like you doing in a place like this?” Luke asked, staring at her like he wanted to bed her.

“I could ask you the same thing, Luke.”

“Clearly, I’m not a little girl.”

“Do you see me toting along my dolls and toys?”

“I do not,” Luke said, nursing his whiskey. “But if you were, those toys would be for adult play." 

“So the insults are already over?” She clucked. “Damn. You’re no fun at all.” But he sure was easy on the eyes.

“We know what kind of fun you like, Matilda,” Nicholas ground out, apparently still bitter. They’d met on a few occasions and each time they’d met, Matilda had thrown around a spell or two.

“Why don’t you tell me, cowboy,” she drawled, flirting with the vampire who’d dared to embarrass her in public. The first time they’d met, he’d told a saloon full of patrons who he thought she was. She reached for him, eager to see how he responded to her now.

Nicholas jerked his arm away. “Don’t touch me.”

Matilda held up her hands. “Excuse me for trying to make up.”

“You can’t excuse what you did to me.”

“He has a point,” Luke said, apparently wise to what had happened.

“What if I make it up to you,” she offered, dragging three fingers up and down her cleavage.

Nicholas looked away. “You couldn’t if you tried.”

“Oh but I could,” she promised, aware of his true reason for being so bitter. Nicholas was a real looker and the whores had thoroughly enjoyed him, but not even half as much as he’d once enjoyed them. That is, until Matilda made sure he’d never find satisfaction with anyone else again.

Nicholas rose to his feet. “I’m leaving. Somebody needs to keep an eye on the cattle.”

“Gideon out tonight?” she asked, grinning as she considered the rumors flying around Devil’s Valley. Apparently the female newcomer had already raked her fingernails down the head Devil’s back or soon would, which was probably the straight of it since Petra had said the woman was a real lady.

“No,” Nicholas bit out, turning his attention to Luke. “You staying or going?”

Luke moistened his lips and stared at Matilda’s. “I’m staying.”

“Suit yourself.” He stomped away without saying goodbye.

Matilda stroked her bottom lip with her middle finger, ogling Luke with nothing more than illicit intentions. “So, tell me, Luke Devil. What are we going to do with our time?”

Before she could turn on the charm, Luke snatched her around the waist and dashed up the pair of stairs leading to the hotel’s rooms. Pausing in the hallway, he pinned her against the wall. “Which room is yours?”

“You tell me.”

“You’re staying here for the night or you wouldn’t be here,” Luke said.

“I am indeed,” she said. She’d rented a room for one purpose, too. She’d hoped the Devils would show up and she could pump one or two of them for information, not literally of course, but since Luke was there and apparently willing, she wasn’t opposed to the idea.

“I’m famished, Matilda,” Luke said in a tight voice. “And unless you want to become my next meal, I suggest you tell me which room you rented.”

Taking a moment to decide whether or not she’d play along, she finally nodded at the room across the hall. “Over there.”

In a matter of seconds, they were behind closed doors. His hand landed against the wall next to her head and she would’ve bet a sack of gold that his next move would’ve been a delivered passionate kiss. Instead, he leered at her as if he couldn’t stand the sight of her. Then, his nostrils flared, his eyes widened, and he undoubtedly knew in that instant what she had always known.

He belonged to her.
She belonged to him.

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Spotlight on 2015 Releases: UNQUENCHABLE

Dear Person, Vampire, Shifter, or Whatever You Are,

First let me point out the obvious. You aren’t supposed to be in my room.

Since you are, you might as well read this:

Life has become chaotic and I don’t know where to turn. I’ve loved and lost so many people. I’m starting to understand how Elena feels. Well maybe not Elena. She has her own unusual way of dealing with death.

Stefan is off trying to find a witch who will bring Bonnie and Damon back from the Other Side. I’m starting to think it’s a hopeless cause.

Only it’s not.

Maybe that’s why I feel so guilty. Maybe that’s why I’m writing this down on paper so if I’m the next to go someone will see this and know where to turn. See, there’s one person—well, I’m not sure if person is the right word here but for the sake of all vampires we’ll call him that—and he may be able to help.

May is a little word with a big meaning where Klaus Mikaelson is concerned. If I didn’t fear letting my real feelings take hold here, maybe I’d just go ahead and call it as I see it.

Klaus can help.

If there’s one “person” who has always been able to save the day when no one else is able to turn things around, it’s Klaus.

See, he’s an original vampire. 

In case you’re reading this and don’t know what that means, pay attention. Klaus and his siblings were the first of their kind. All vampires are linked back to one of the original family members. Klaus is also a hybrid which means he is part vampire and part wolf. Oh and the best part—or worst if you happen to be his enemy—he can’t be killed.

Because of his immortal life, he’s the one person who can bring my friends home. Klaus once promised he would leave Mystic Falls and never return but he will break his promise for me. Not that he needs to break his promise at all. I’m not exactly in Mystic Falls.

Besides, all I need to do is ask and Klaus will be on his way. Unless…

What if he’s moved on? What if everything I believed about him turns out to be a lie? What if he’s found someone special, someone to love? What if he isn’t the one I will always be able to depend upon?

Even as I read over the questions above, I feel the truth. He cares for me in a way I can’t explain. Maybe I’m too young to understand his devotion. According to Stefan, I turn a blind eye to what everyone else can seemingly see. 

One call and he’ll be here.                                                                                     

Why am I so sure? Because Klaus cares for me. In fact, he loves me. Even my friends believe his love is true.

The Salvatore brothers often used me to exploit him. Whenever they needed something from Klaus or wanted someone to distract him, I was their go-to girl.

Now, here I am again. This time, Damon and Stefan aren’t here to guide me. Then again? I don’t need their help. I’ve dealt with Klaus on countless occasions.

I stare at my phone again. It’s right here beside me.

One call. That’s all it will take. 

And I have to make it.

Bonnie is counting on me.  Damon is depending on me, even though he would never admit it.

Poor Damon. He’s probably sitting on the Other Side right now telling Bonnie not to worry, certain Elena or Stefan will save the day. I wonder what he would say if he knew I was planning to turn to Klaus for help.

Well look at that why don’t you…guess my mind is made up.

I’m making the call. Then, I’ll brace for impact.

Caroline

Chapter One

In New Orleans, Klaus couldn’t shake the unsettling surges of angst. The unfamiliar feelings, a mix of disturbances and anticipation, had kept him awake for most of the night. He stood at the double terrace doors overlooking Bourbon Street and tried to pinpoint where the nagging torment had originated.

Below him, the weekend crowd stirred with an abundance of energy. The drunkards took to the street and the midnight hour approached. Debating on whether or not to join the party below, Klaus turned to acknowledge his buzzing phone. He hesitated for a moment but then reminded himself of one pertinent fact. When his veins burned and throbbed, it was generally a reliable sign of things to come, events he actually cared about.

He rushed across the room and snatched his phone, never bothering to look at the caller ID. “Yes?”

 “Klaus. It’s—”

“Caroline,” he breathed her name like a reckless lover might, but he quickly rebounded when Elijah quietly entered the room. “How nice of you to call. Let me guess, you broke a fingernail and it’s somehow my fault?”

She didn’t say anything right away but he heard her light breathing. He could almost picture her smile, the way her lips twitched as they often did when she tried to pretend he hadn’t amused her. As par for the course, he grinned at the image, too. What was it about Caroline that always made him smile?

When she didn’t respond right away, the overwhelming need to devil her a bit drove Klaus to add, “No? Then if this call isn’t related to cosmetic damage or perhaps a need for vintage clothing from the Mikaelson attic, it must certainly have something to do with that annoying breath of stale air.” He sighed in theatrical despair. “So tell me, love, what did the young Benedict Arnold do this time?”

That traitorous Tyler Lockwood had once been the very bane of his existence.

Caroline and Tyler had shared a romantic past. Still, Klaus had recently received the news of Tyler’s and Caroline’s seemingly permanent separation but celebration had turned into despair when she hadn’t reached out to him. Now, here she was on the other end of the phone and he couldn’t help but taunt her.

“This isn’t about Tyler,” Caroline said, a compelling note of seriousness to her voice. “I need your help.”

“But of course you do, love,” Klaus said, matching her tone and immediately blaming his sleepless nights on their undeniable if not seemingly fated connection. “And I’ve been right here awaiting your call.”

*****

At Whitmore College, Caroline clutched the phone with a trembling hand. How long had she waited to hear that raspy yearning in Klaus’s sophisticated voice? How many days, hours really, had passed since she’d felt his arms around her, his lips against her own? Pushing aside the warm and fuzzy feelings, she asked, “Will you help me or not?”

“You haven’t told me what you need, love.” The typical play had begun. Klaus apparently had a very difficult time maintaining any element of seriousness when he dealt with Caroline. More often than not, she found him positively annoying.

“You said you’ve been expecting to hear from me so you know why I’m calling.”

“I have my suspicions, yes, but for the sake of polite conversation, why don’t you tell me?”

“You want me to ask you to come home.”

“That is why you’re calling. Isn’t it, Caroline?”

She thinned her lips and paced. Why did he always do this? Why couldn’t things be simple with them? Why couldn’t they just be friends and leave the bantering to people like...well she couldn’t think of anyone. The more volatile couples had parted ways either by choice or by death.

Even Katherine, Elena’s doppelganger—only they weren’t anything alike—had finally met her demise. With the thought, a flash of memories burst inside her head. She couldn’t help but think of Katherine’s last days and how Klaus had returned from New Orleans to apparently witness her final breath.

Illicit memories danced in front of her mind’s eye. She and Klaus were in the forest behind the Salvatore home. Her back was against a tree. Klaus had just ripped open her shirt and…

“Caroline? Are you still with me, sweetheart?”

“Stop doing that,” she snapped.

“We’ve been on the phone less than a minute and you’re already blaming me for something else.”

“You know what you did. You’re in my head and I don’t have time for this.”

“If I’m in your head, it’s because you want me there. While I’m quite certain to find your thoughts excessively entertaining, I only take credit for things I can see.”

Caroline stopped pacing. Perhaps he was right. Maybe she couldn’t blame him for thoughts about their history. Wasn’t it normal for young women to daydream about past racy encounters?

“Caroline?”

Normal or not, the amusement in Klaus’s voice led her to believe he was behind her daytime fantasies. Not fantasies, she reasoned, but memories. 

“I need you here at Whitmore. Will you help me or not?”

“But you haven’t told me what you need.”

“Klaus, if anyone is ‘in the know’, it’s you.” And it irked her to the ends of the earth and back.

“I’m capable of a lot of things but—”

“You know what? Forget it. I’ll ask Enzo. I should’ve buzzed him in the first place.” Enzo was Damon’s friend or at least she thought they were friends. Then again, they’d probably tried to kill one another, too. Caroline had a challenge ahead of her. Damon had pissed off pretty much everyone he knew and he had killed most of their friends at least once. No one was jumping up and volunteering to bring him back from the Other Side.

“And is Enzo well connected, love?” Klaus’s voice jerked her away from her private thoughts.

“Hello? Enzo probably doesn’t have several hundred years’ worth of enemies trailing him.” 

“Former foes often make the best allies. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Is that a yes?”

“You suspected as much before you dialed my number.” 

Perhaps she should’ve stroked his impossible ego. She hadn’t punched in his number. Oh no. Klaus was on speed dial.

“Klaus?” She sucked in a deep breath. “This is really important. If you don’t have any new friends, do me a favor and start compelling everyone you meet on the street. We may need them.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It is.”

“Tell me something, Caroline,” he said, his thick accent driving her mad. When she dreamt of Klaus, she always imagined his hypnotic voice at her ear. “Are we friends?”

Caroline swallowed. Her mouth dried. She recalled so many memories all at once, a mix of good and bad.  Klaus was complicated. He confused her more than any man on the planet and yet she found herself inexplicably drawn to him. She even trusted him.

She trusted an original, a vampire others considered dangerous—no, deadly—and downright despicable. Shaking off the thought, she released a sigh of true relief. Klaus would soon be on his way and the thought of seeing him again left her skin covered in goosebumps.

“It’s a simple question actually. Are you my friend, Caroline? Can I trust you?”

“Yes, Klaus. You can trust me.”

“Very well then. It’s you and me against the world. We don’t need compulsion or friends. I’ll see you soon, love.”

“But I didn’t tell you what I wanted.”

“As always, you were right. I know why you called and understand what you need. You don’t have to ask. I’ll be there soon.”

Caroline disconnected the call and turned to find a brooding Elena.  She slammed the door behind her and zipped across the room with an enraged vampire’s speed. “What have you done, Caroline?”

“What I should’ve done a long time ago. I called Klaus.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Elena balled her fists as she stomped back and forth across the room. “How could you do this?”

She wasn’t surprised by Elena’s fury. When Klaus first came to Mystic Falls, he’d arrived there with an agenda. He had planned to kill Elena and while she had lived to tell about it, her aunt hadn’t been so lucky.

“Klaus is a monster!”

“And some would’ve said the same about Damon but you fell in love with him anyway.”

“I’m not discussing Damon with you.”

“Forgive me,” Caroline snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m so forgetful these days. You of all people should know how that is. When something is too uncomfortable, you pay Alaric a visit and he erases it from your memory.”

“Klaus is dangerous.”

Caroline wasn’t afraid of Klaus. “What would you have me do, Elena? Hmm? Sit and wait? We don’t have time. There are no guarantees the Other Side will be here later today or even tomorrow. Every minute we waste is a minute we used to let our friends down. Once Damon and Bonnie slip away from us, they’re gone forever.”

Elena stared at her blankly. Tension hung in the air but Elena finally conceded. “You’re right. We have to save Bonnie.”

“And we’ll save Damon.” Caroline would never understand some of Elena’s recent choices, but she hadn’t lost someone she loved more than she loved herself.  “You wanted your memories wiped clean but one of these days, you’ll realize what you’ve done. You’ll go to Alaric and ask him to reverse the compulsion. You’ll want to remember.”

“No.” Elena shook her head. “I’m happy Caroline. Sure I miss Bonnie and everyone we’ve lost, but I’m moving on. Damon isn’t in my future. I rarely see him in my past.”

“Well that’s your problem,” Caroline said.

Elena and Stefan had handled Damon’s death poorly. Stefan had left town. Elena had slipped into some sort of delusional fantasy world right after Damon died. When that didn’t work, she asked Alaric to make her forget.

“From what I remember of Damon, he wouldn’t have been eager to accept Klaus’s help.” Elena frowned. “And Bonnie? Have you forgotten how much Bonnie despised Klaus?”

“Give Klaus the benefit of the doubt. If he helps us, he can right his wrongs.”

“Vampires like Klaus can’t redeem themselves.”

Caroline didn’t believe that. Elena didn’t know the Klaus she knew. 

“What if Bonnie and Damon won’t take his help?”

“Oh come on, Elena! They’re trapped on the Other Side. They would take the devil’s hand if he shoved it right in front of them.”

“I hope you’re right because the devil’s hand is exactly what they’ll have if Klaus reaches out to them.” Elena’s expression softened.  “His help will come at a price, Caroline. You need to ask yourself if you’re ready to pay the devil’s dues because when Klaus is through with you, the debt you’ll owe will be far more than you’re prepared to pay.”  

The Vampire Diaries: UNQUENCHABLE (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Love Bites Back Trilogy Book 1)