Elijah slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He was in his bed, but he had no memory of how he got there. Then, the events of the previous night came flooding back — Benjamin snapping his neck.
Elijah's hand instinctively went to his neck, but there was no pain. He looked up to see Georgina sitting beside his bed, a look of relief washing over her face.
"Finally, you're awake," she said, smiling.
Elijah gave her a weak smile and asked, "How did I get here?"
Georgina replied, "Esther and I carried you. I've been watching over you all night. Esther told me You'd wake up?"
Elijah chuckled. "She was right. I'm not dead."
Georgina's eyes were wide with amazement. "But I saw your neck got snapped."
Elijah shrugged. "That doesn't kill us. We're vampires, Georgina. We don't die from a broken neck. It takes a stake through the heart or our heart being ripped out to kill us."
Georgina looked stunned, but also a little terrified. Elijah threw off the covers and checked to see if he was still dressed. Satisfied that he was, he stood up.
Georgina frowned. "Don't you need to rest?"
Elijah smiled. "I'm fine, Georgina. Vampires are ten times stronger and better than humans in every way. We don't need rest like humans do." Georgina looked skeptical, but Elijah just chuckled and said, "You'll get used to it."
As they walked out of the bedroom, Elijah said, "By the way, you're the one who needs to rest. You've been awake all night."
Georgina shook her head. "I'm fine."
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "You're not fine. You're exhausted."
Georgina insisted, "I'm okay."
Elijah chuckled and let it drop.
As they made their way downstairs, Georgina couldn't help but stare at the grandeur of the house. "This place is incredible," she breathed.
Elijah smiled, "I'm glad you like it."
He led her into the wine cellar, where he poured himself a full glass of Johnnie Walker whiskey. Georgina watched in surprise as he gulped it down.
"Why the whiskey?" she asked, frowning.
Elijah smiled wryly. "It quenches the hunger for blood."
Georgina took a step back, her eyes widening in alarm. Annie walked into the room, a disapproving look on her face.
"Don't be scared, Georgina," Annie said, rolling her eyes. "Elijah wouldn't feast on you. He's been so concerned with human life and protecting humans that he only takes blood bags."
Annie opened the fridge, revealing rows of blood bags. She scowled. "I hate that we have to keep these things in the house."
Elijah shot Annie a warning look, but Georgina just looked confused. "Blood bags?" she repeated.
Elijah nodded. "It's how I survive. I don't harm humans, Georgina. I promise."
Georgina turned to Annie and asked, "Are you also a vampire?"
Annie nodded with pride, a smile spreading across her face. "Proud to be an original vampire."
Georgina's eyes widened. "Original vampire?"
Elijah chimed in, "Yes, the first vampires to walk the earth."
Georgina's jaw dropped, and she was lost for words. She remembered hearing tales of vampires and their centuries-long existence. "How long have you all been… existing?" Georgina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elijah took a deep breath before responding, "We've been vampires for over 1,500 years. I'm 1,517 years old, to be exact."
Georgina's eyes darted to Annie, who smiled and said, "I'm 1,515 years old."
Georgina felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She was speechless.
Annie turned to Elijah and asked, "Why did I miss the memo that you fought Big Bro last night?"
Elijah didn't respond, instead pouring himself another whiskey and gulping it down.
Georgina picked up on the tension and asked, "Was that your older brother?"
Elijah nodded. "Yes, Benjamin. He's the eldest of us."
Georgina's eyes widened in surprise. "But why is your brother fighting you all? Aren't you supposed to be family?"
Esther emerged from the shadows, her voice sending a chill down Georgina's spine. "Most families are messed up, especially ours. Ever since we became vampires, things have been… complicated. And right now, we're more messed up than ever."
Georgina's eyes were wide with confusion. "But… you just said that was your brother, and now you're saying it wasn't?"
Esther's expression was grim. "That wasn't Benjamin. At least, not the Benjamin we knew."
Esther's expression turned somber. "Benjamin has turned off his humanity. There must have been a reason for him to do that."
Annie nodded in agreement. "A reason we can't know, since we last heard from him 30 years ago."
Georgina felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information. She was struggling to keep up.
Esther walked over to the fridge, grabbed a blood bag, and drank from it. Georgina watched, fascinated, and remembered a tale she heard, "I heard that vampires couldn't walk in daylight."
Annie seemed to sense her curiosity. "We have daylight rings, courtesy of a friendly witch," she explained, showing Georgina her ring. Georgina caught a glimpse of the ring Elijah was wearing and noticed that it looked ancient.
That reminded her of the wristband Elijah had given her. "What's the story behind the wristband you gave me?" she asked.
Elijah's eyes softened. "It was my mother's precious wristband. I had it modified to include vervain as protection for you."
Georgina's eyes widened. "Vervain? What's that?"
Elijah explained, "It's a herb created by witches to protect against vampires. It can hurt us, and it also prevents us from compelling humans. I gave it to you so you'd be protected from getting compelled by vampires like Benjamin."
Esther's eyes locked onto Georgina's. "I hope our secrets are safe with you."
Georgina nodded solemnly. "I promise I won't tell anyone anything, not even my friends."
Just then, Georgina's phone rang. She checked the screen and saw that it was her mom. "Excuse me," she said, getting up to answer the call.
She walked out of the wine cellar and into the living room, unaware that the vampires could still hear her conversation.
"Hey, Mom," Georgina said, trying to sound casual. "I'm sorry I didn't come home last night. Elijah was sick, and I had to stay over to help him. He didn't have anyone else to take care of him."
Her mom's voice was worried on the other end of the line. "Okay, sweetie. Just be careful, and come home soon, okay?"
Georgina promised her mom she would be home soon and ended the call. When she turned around, she saw the entire vampire family standing behind her.
Annie raised an eyebrow. "Thought you'd out us."
Georgina smiled. "You should trust me. I promised I wouldn't say anything."
Esther's expression was serious. "We haven't compelled you to forget everything you've seen or heard since last night because you're a close friend of Elijah's. He wouldn't want that for you."
Georgina's eyes met Elijah's, and she mouthed a silent "thank you." Elijah smiled and nodded.
"I'll take you home," he said, offering her his arm.
Georgina looked around at the vampire family, a mix of gratitude and wariness on her face. "Thank you… for not killing me or compelling me," she said, her voice sincere.
Annie smiled, and Esther nodded in acknowledgment. "You're welcome, Georgina," Annie said. "Just remember, our secret is safe with you."
Georgina nodded and then followed Elijah out of the house. As they walked, the silence between them was comfortable, but Georgina's mind was racing with questions and thoughts about the vampire world she had stumbled into.
Benjamin strode into the store, his eyes scanning the shelves until he found the alcohol section. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and twisted off the cap, downing a long swig without hesitation.
The storekeeper, watching from behind the counter, raised an eyebrow. He made a mental note to ask Benjamin to pay for the drink when he came to check out.
Bonnie standing nearby, witnessed Benjamin's reckless drinking and frowned. "Easy there," she said, trying to sound friendly.
Benjamin's gaze snapped towards her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her appearance. He noticed she was pretty, but his expression didn't change.
Bonnie smiled warmly. "Hi, I'm Bonnie."
"Ben," Benjamin replied curtly.
Bonnie's smile faltered for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "Ben, like Benjamin?" she asked.
Benjamin nodded, his expression still neutral.
Bonnie tried again, asking, "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new in town?"
Benjamin shrugged. "Yeah, I just got here a few days ago."
Bonnie continued, "Oh, now I see why you don't know about Mr. Bill Bar. It's a much better place to get any type of drink and drown away your sorrows."
Benjamin smiled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Thanks for the tip," he said, his voice low and smooth.
He turned to leave, but the storekeeper called out, "Hey, you forgot to pay for that drink!"
Benjamin ignored him and walked out of the store. Bonnie turned to the storekeeper and said, "Don't bother, I'll take care of it."
She paid for her purchases, as well as the drink Benjamin had taken, and then walked out of the store. To her surprise, Benjamin was still standing outside, waiting for her.
"Benjamin, got anywhere you're going?" Bonnie asked, falling into step beside him.
Benjamin turned to her, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "No," he said, his voice low and hypnotic. "You'll drive me to your place, welcome me in, and treat me like a guest. I need a home to crash in."
Bonnie's eyes glazed over, and she nodded obediently. "Of course," she said, her voice flat and robotic.
Without another word, she led Benjamin to her car and drove off, completely under his control.
Days have passed and Bonnie had grown feelings for Benjamin, but not because she was still under his compulsion. She had genuinely fallen for him, and they had spent countless days together, exploring their connection. They had made out, shared laughter, and even had deep conversations.
Occasionally, Benjamin would compel Bonnie to bring home meals for him, which would often involve bringing back townspeople for him to feed. Afterward, he would compel both Bonnie and the townspeople to forget the encounter.
As Bonnie walked into school with Georgina, she couldn't help but blush and smile when talking about the mysterious man in her life. "He's just so handsome and charming," Bonnie gushed. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."
Georgina beamed with happiness for her friend. "I'm so glad you've found someone you love," she said. "And who loves you back."
Bonnie's smile faltered for a moment, and she looked around nervously as if checking to make sure no one was listening. But she didn't mention Benjamin's name, and Georgina didn't press her for details.
Georgina asked, "Hope you'll stick with this one, huh?"
Bonnie's smile returned, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
Georgina beamed with excitement. "Bonnie, you should invite him to hang out with us sometime! We could meet him and get to know him better."
Bonnie paused, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know what? I never thought of that. But yeah, I'd love to invite him to hang out with us."
Georgina grinned. "That would be so nice! I'm sure we'd all get along great."
Elijah, who had been watching the exchange, walked over to join them. "What's got you two so excited this morning?" he asked a hint of amusement in his voice.
Bonnie smiled slyly. "I had a great night… in bed," she said, her tone suggestive.
Georgina laughed. "Bonnie's finally in love!" she exclaimed.
Bonnie bounced away, looking joyful. "See you in class!" she called out.
Elijah turned to Georgina, a concerned expression on his face. "Don't you think something's off about Bonnie?" he asked, his voice low.
Georgina shook her head. "No, she's just happy. That's all."
Elijah didn't push the issue, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. He noticed that Bonnie was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a high-necked collar, which seemed unusual for the warm weather.
He decided not to mention it to Georgina, and instead, took her hand. "Let's get to class," he said, smiling.
Together, they walked into school, Elijah's eyes scanning the crowds for any sign of trouble.
Benjamin walked confidently into Wilder's compound, his eyes fixed on the front door. He knocked and waited for a response.
Annie answered the door, trying to conceal the blood bag she was drinking from. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in Benjamin's appearance. "Ben! It's so good to see you," she exclaimed, a hint of joy in her voice. "I heard you were in town."
Benjamin's smile was fake, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Who owns this house?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
Annie's smile faltered, but she replied without hesitation, "We do."
Benjamin didn't wait for her to say another word. He sped inside, throwing Annie to the floor. Annie struggled to get up, shocked and confused. "What's wrong with you, Ben?" she asked, but Benjamin didn't give her a chance to finish.
He attacked her again, his vampire strength overwhelming Annie. She tried to defend herself, but Benjamin was too powerful. Just when it seemed like he was about to deliver the final blow, Annie made a quick and tricky attack. But Benjamin was ready for her, and he pierced his hands into her chest, grasping her heart.
Annie froze, her eyes wide with fear. Benjamin's voice was cold and menacing. "Any more movement and I'll pluck out your heart."
Annie's eyes were wide with fear as she apologized, "Ben, what's wrong with you? What do you want from us?"
Benjamin's voice was cold and menacing. "I want you all dead."
Annie's face contorted in shock and horror. She thought of ways to escape, but Benjamin's grip was too strong. She was trapped.
Just as all hope seemed lost, Esther sped into the room, a stake made of vervain-tipped wood in her hand. She plunged it into Benjamin's back, and he let out a pained roar as he released Annie.
Annie moved away, her chest beginning to heal from the wound. Benjamin removed the stake, his eyes blazing with fury. "I've learned how to endure pain," he snarled.
Esther stood tall, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you doing this, Benjamin?" she demanded.
Benjamin's smile was twisted and cruel. "For the love of family," he said and launched himself at Esther.
Annie watched in horror as Benjamin beat Esther brutally, his strength overwhelming. She tried to intervene, but Benjamin was too powerful. He defeated both Annie and Esther, breaking their bones and leaving them helpless on the floor.
As Benjamin stood over them, his chest heaving with exertion, he repeated his twisted mantra: "For the love of family."