Laura's POV
The Grill was a delightful cacophony as the Mikaelsons solidified their presence, each of them a radiating beacon of ancient power. Klaus was already charming a local, Rebekah was attempting to flirt with Matt Donovan (a truly pathetic endeavor, but amusing nonetheless), and Elijah… Elijah's gaze kept returning to me, a quiet intensity that spoke volumes. He was pondering my revelation, the hint of a deeper, more primal hunger for Elena's blood. Good. Let him think I was pursuing enlightenment.
My quick snack in the alley had served its purpose, sending Stefan into his usual protective frenzy and Damon into his analytical, slightly annoyed mode. They were distracted, as I intended. It was the perfect opening. My current quarry wasn't Elena, not yet. It was the elusive, ever-surviving serpent of my past.
My senses, sharpened by the fresh blood, picked up a faint, familiar scent amidst the swirling human aromas of the Grill. Not here, but close. Very close. That distinctive perfume, a blend of rose and deceit. Katherine Pierce. She was here. Always lurking, always observing.
I slipped out of the Grill, the crisp night air a welcome relief. My enhanced hearing pinpointed the faint sounds of rustling leaves and hushed whispers from the darkened park across the street. She was there. She always chose the shadows.
I moved with silent speed, a dark blur through the trees. I found her perched on a park bench, observing the Grill with an almost obsessive intensity. She looked exactly as she always had: impeccable, beautiful, and utterly ruthless.
"Well, well, Katherine. Fancy meeting you here," I purred, stepping out of the shadows, making sure my appearance was sudden, unsettling.
She stiffened, her head snapping towards me. Her eyes, usually so calculating, widened for a split second in genuine surprise, before she regained her composure. "Laura. I thought you were long gone. A casualty of the great Mystic Falls purge of '64." Her voice was laced with its usual false sweetness, but I could hear the faint tremor of unease beneath it.
"Did you truly?" I countered, circling her slowly, like a predator with its prey. "Or did you just hope I was? Old habits, Katherine. You always leave a mess and expect others to clean it up. Or disappear into the dust."
Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of the old Katherine in their depths. "What do you want, Laura? I'm busy."
"Oh, I know you are," I said, stopping directly in front of her. "Busy watching Elena, aren't you? Like a dog watching its dinner. The same dinner that you so carelessly created for yourself, then abandoned." My voice dropped, becoming a low, dangerous growl. "You played with those brothers, Katherine. You played with their lives, and in doing so, you dragged me back into this cesspool of a town."
Her composure finally cracked. "I did no such thing! You chose your own path, Laura. You always did. I remember your grand pronouncements about freedom from the 'Mikaelson burden'." The last two words were spat with venom.
"Don't you dare speak their name with such disdain, you petty little survivor," I hissed, my hand snapping out, my fingers closing around her throat. I lifted her effortlessly from the bench, pressing her against a nearby tree. My grip was firm, but not enough to crush her windpipe. Just enough to make my point. She gasped, clawing at my hand, her eyes wide with fear. A delicious sight.
"Now listen to me, Katherine. You are going to do something for me," I compelled, my voice weaving its way into her mind, bypassing her own vampire resistance. Her eyes glazed over for a moment, the struggle visible in their depths, before her will finally bent. "You are going to help me. You are going to distract the Salvatores. All of them. Keep them busy, keep them guessing, keep them wrapped around your little finger, as only you can."
Her features contorted in a mixture of fear and reluctant obedience. "Why? What do you want?"
"That is not your concern," I stated, tightening my grip just enough to make her whimper. "Your concern is to be their shadow, their torment, their obsession. Lead them on wild goose chases, plant false leads, remind them of every old wound. And if you fail… if you even think of double-crossing me, Katherine… I will make you beg for the sun."
I released her, letting her drop unceremoniously to the ground. She coughed, rubbing her throat, her eyes filled with a simmering hatred.
"You won't get away with this, Laura. You can't just waltz back into their lives and try to control me."
"Oh, but I can," I countered, a triumphant smile spreading across my face. "Because unlike you, Katherine, I'm an Original. And I have nothing left to lose. Now, get to work. I believe Damon is currently attempting to charmingly annoy a waitress at the Grill. Go remind him of what true annoyance feels like."
I watched her for a moment, a creature of pure survival, now forced to dance to my tune. It was deeply satisfying. She stood up, brushed off her clothes, and with one last glare, she turned and headed towards the Grill, a new, unwilling puppet in my intricate play.
Damon's POV
The Grill was getting more chaotic by the minute. Klaus was already in full charming mode, and Rebekah was, predictably, making a beeline for Matt. Elijah was still standing by the bar, looking like he was contemplating the meaning of existence, or possibly just wondering if the local bourbon was up to his standards. And Stefan was, as usual, trying to save the world, one worried glance at Elena at a time.
I was enjoying my bourbon, watching the drama unfold, when a familiar scent hit me. Lilies and deceit. Too sweet, too intoxicating. And then, she walked in. Katherine Pierce. Dressed in a sleek black dress, looking like she hadn't aged a day since I last wanted to stake her. My blood ran cold, then hot.
"Well, if it isn't the ghost of my past," I drawled, leaning against the bar, trying to appear nonchalant.
She ignored me, walking straight past, her eyes fixed on something – or someone – else. I frowned. That wasn't like her. She usually loved an audience, loved twisting the knife.
She veered towards Stefan and Elena's table. "Stefan, darling! Elena!" Her voice was dripping with false cheer.
Stefan stiffened, his hand immediately on Elena's arm. "Katherine. What do you want?"
"Just saying hello, my love," she purred, her eyes flicking to Elena, a possessive glint in their depths. "It's been far too long."
I watched, a cold dread settling in. This was too convenient. Too sudden. Katherine always had an agenda. But this felt… orchestrated. A piece on someone else's chessboard. And then it clicked. Laura. That mischievous glint in her eye. Her sudden departure. She had found Katherine. And she had done something.
My gaze swept the room, searching for Laura, but she was nowhere to be seen. A ghost. Just as she'd always been. Except now, she was pulling strings, and Katherine was dancing. This was going to be an even bigger headache than I'd anticipated. Laura wasn't just here for power; she was here to play. And Katherine was her first unwilling pawn.
Stefan's POV
The Grill was becoming unbearable. The Mikaelsons' presence was a constant threat, their ancient power a tangible force. I was focused on Elena, trying to shield her from the inevitable chaos that would follow them. Then, the air shifted, a familiar, unwelcome presence.
"Katherine." My blood ran cold as I saw her approach our table, her eyes fixed on Elena with a possessive glint that made my stomach churn. "What are you doing here?"
"Just saying hello, my love," she purred, her voice dripping with the familiar poison. She looked at Elena, and I saw a flicker of something new in Katherine's eyes—a subtle, almost imperceptible struggle, a flicker of defiance quickly masked by obedience. It was chilling.
Elena looked utterly uncomfortable. "Katherine…"
"Oh, don't look so surprised, darling," Katherine said, a forced smile on her face. "I always manage to find my way back, don't I?" She leaned in, her eyes flicking to mine, then to Elena's. "And some things, and some people, are simply too compelling to resist."
I felt a sudden, sharp prickle of unease. This wasn't the usual Katherine. Her words were her own, but the underlying motivation felt… external. My mind raced back to Laura. Her sudden disappearance. Her mischievous eyes. The way she'd hinted at deeper games.
"What do you want?" I demanded, standing up, putting myself between Katherine and Elena.
Katherine's smile hardened, a touch of genuine annoyance in her eyes, quickly replaced by that strange, compelled sweetness. "Just a little… reminiscing, Stefan. A reminder of old times. And perhaps a warning for new ones." Her gaze flicked around the Grill, searching, as if for an unseen master.
My eyes followed her gaze, scanning the room. I saw Damon, watching us intently from the bar, a knowing look on his face. He saw it too. Laura. She was behind this. My gut twisted. She wasn't just hunting for power; she was hunting for chaos. And Katherine was her chosen weapon.
Laura has truly set the stage for chaos, using Katherine as her puppet. How will the Salvatores react to Katherine's forced return and her subtle, yet clear, new master? And what will Laura's next move be to further her goal of reaching Elena's ultimate power?