— — — — — —
"Alright, time we head back too." Jack said once Caroline disappeared inside her house. He turned to Sarah.
"Should we take Elena's car?" Sarah glanced at the vehicle parked nearby.
"Nope, we're running. You've completed your transition—you should already have vampire speed. The run will help you get used to your new body." Jack explained.
"Don't hold back. Push yourself, run home as fast as you can. I'll keep up."
Sarah nodded. "Okay." She started off at a jog, then picked up speed, moving faster and faster. No matter how quick she went, Jack stayed comfortably behind her.
When they reached Jack's house, Sarah pulled out her key and tried the door. She turned it easily but, to her surprise, couldn't cross the threshold.
"That's weird… I can't get in."
"Come on in, Sarah. I'll explain a few things about being a vampire." Jack walked inside and called over his shoulder.
"I tried before—you saw me, I couldn't." She hovered at the doorway.
"I just invited you. You're fine now." He waved her in, already sinking into the couch. She tested it and, this time, stepped across without resistance, settling on the sofa across from him.
"First lesson." Jack began. "What just happened? Vampires can't enter a home uninvited if the owner's still alive. That's why you couldn't step inside earlier. Second, sunlight. You can't be out during the day, and even indoors you'll need to watch out for direct sunlight."
Sarah shifted uncomfortably. "Jack… can I have some more? After that run, I feel hungrier than before."
"Don't worry, that's normal. Running burned through energy—you're craving blood to make up for it." He rolled up his sleeve and offered her his arm.
She latched on gratefully, drinking deeply.
"You shouldn't be around crowds just yet." Jack continued. "The hunger gets worse when there are too many people around. Harder to control."
Sarah murmured something in reply, still drinking.
"Look, it's not all bad. You're immortal now—faster, stronger, frozen in your prime. You'll never grow old. Honestly, for a lot of women, that's tempting in its own way." He added lightly, trying to distract her from the gnawing hunger.
"Alright, that's enough for now. You've got to learn control. Otherwise, if you ever bite a normal human, you'll drain them dry before you realize it." He gently touched her head, urging her to stop.
"I'll try my best," Sarah said softly, pulling back.
Jack wiped the blood from his arm with a tissue. "Sarah… I owe you an apology. You're only caught up in all of this because of me, and it's my fault you became a vampire. I won't restrict your freedom—you can go where you want, as long as you keep control. Just… don't become like Damon. Don't lose your humanity.... Or I'll have to kill you."
"I won't. I promise."
"Good. Get some rest. Stefan will come tomorrow and explain things in more detail. Oh, and before bed, close the curtains. You don't want sunlight hitting your bed in the morning."
"Alright. Goodnight." Sarah smiled faintly and went to her room.
Jack went upstairs, but when he sat on his bed, he just stared blankly ahead. Caroline had been his first love—across two lifetimes. To say he wasn't heartbroken was a lie.
But the truth was, he'd always been passive when it came to relationships. Even in this life, Caroline had been the one to take the first step, and she'd also been the one to end it.
He didn't know how to win her back, not when he couldn't solve the problem of immortality for her. His thoughts spiraled until exhaustion took him, and he fell asleep fully clothed.
The next morning, a knock roused him.
"Jack, breakfast is ready," Sarah called from the hallway.
"Yeah, coming." He blinked at himself—still in yesterday's clothes—before getting up to wash.
Downstairs, the table was set with a full breakfast.
"Morning, Sarah."
"Morning." She smiled a little, then added playfully, "Mind if I have something extra?"
"...." He sat, rolled up his sleeve again, and motioned her over. He hated doing it, but responsibility and guilt left him no choice
Sarah's face lit up like a kid being handed candy. She practically skipped over and sat beside him.
"Go ahead." Jack chuckled, amused at how cheerful she looked, then offered his arm. Watching her, he realized—despite everything—she was barely out of college. It made sense some things she did felt almost childlike.
She bit in, and he simply turned his head, eating breakfast with his free hand.
Halfway through the meal, a knock sounded at the door. Sarah didn't even react, too absorbed.
"You're going to drink me dry at this rate." Jack tapped her head lightly until she let go.
"Oh. Right." She pouted, but leaned back.
"I'll get it. The sun might hit you by the door." Jack stood and opened it to find Stefan.
"You're early. Come in. Had breakfast yet?"
"I have." Stefan followed him inside.
"Alright, grab a seat. I'm almost done." Jack sat back down, extended his arm without ceremony, and Sarah resumed feeding while he finished the last of his meal.
Afterward, Stefan explained the basics of vampire powers to Sarah, emphasizing how important it was to follow his example and survive on animal blood.
Jack frowned. "Stefan, I don't see vampires as monsters. You were human once too. If Sarah can control herself, I think it's fine for her to rely on a human blood bag. Honestly, I think it's a better fit for what vampires are."
He said it pointedly. Stefan's own hunger had flared earlier when Sarah fed, and Jack had noticed. Forcing constant denial seemed dangerous. If Sarah learned control now, maybe she wouldn't have to live like that.
Stefan thought it over, then let it go. With Jack around, Sarah's chances of losing control were slim—and unlike him, she didn't seem cursed with bloodlust.
Later, when Stefan left, Jack turned to Sarah. "Tonight, let's hit the Halloween party. One, it'll be good practice to see how well you control yourself around crowds. Two, we can test your compulsion. We can prevent people from taking drugs or other bad deeds."
Sarah tilted her head. "Alright… but what about costumes? It's a masquerade, you know."
Jack froze. "Uh… I hadn't really thought about that. Any ideas? I've never been to one of these before."
.
.
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