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Gwen thought back to the SHIELD files detailing the steps to become a vampire.
Then—
"While you and Grandpa were touring the vault, Aunt Liz mentioned that Caroline was hospitalized recently because of an injury."
"You think..."
Gwen turned to face Hawk. "That's when she was turned?"
Hawk shrugged. "Probably."
He did know exactly how Caroline had become a vampire.
Katherine had turned her. Or more accurately, Katherine had played a major role in Caroline's transformation.
Speaking of which, Katherine was actually a tragic figure.
Even though her name was synonymous with "cunning" and "selfish," what she really wanted was something simple.
To survive.
Unfortunately, even after becoming a vampire, that dream remained out of reach.
Because she'd been marked. The Original vampire Klaus had set his sights on her.
For the past five centuries, to evade Klaus's relentless pursuit, Katherine had worn countless masks, played countless roles. She'd done it so often that even she had forgotten who she'd originally been.
But one thing Katherine had never forgotten.
Survival.
Hawk recalled the story of this female antagonist from The Vampire Diaries—a character no one could truly hate—and shook his head. Then he heard Gwen ask him a question, her tone serious.
"Is there a way to turn her back into a human?"
"Hm."
Hawk snapped back to attention and looked at Gwen with a faint smile. "Gwen, vampires have plenty of flaws, but they also have incredibly long lifespans."
Gwen looked at him calmly. "I've read the files. When an Original vampire dies, every vampire in their bloodline dies with them. And honestly, calling them vampires is misleading—they're basically undead. No heartbeat, no body heat, and they can't even have children. Caroline's only eighteen."
Hawk shook his head.
"Maybe after becoming a vampire, she doesn't want to turn back."
"What?"
"It's easy to go from rags to riches, but hard to go back. Gwen, once you've tasted supernatural power, no one wants to give it up. Not even me."
At first, Hawk might have considered trading his strength for Anya's safety.
But as time passed, that idea had completely vanished.
Once you were strong, you could have whatever you wanted. Why make deals? If someone wouldn't give it to you, you just took it.
Gwen shrugged. "I've experienced that kind of power too—when you let me wear the Cloth. But honestly? It was fine, I guess."
When she'd worn the Andromeda Cloth, she had felt the rush of supernatural strength.
But after the armor dissolved, she hadn't felt any sense of loss. In fact, after Hawk explained the true cost of supernatural power, she'd completely abandoned any desire to pursue it.
Supernatural power? Been there, done that. Not impressed.
Hawk chuckled. "That's because you're wise. You can let it go easily. But do you really think your cousin Caroline would be willing to give up that power?"
Gwen frowned.
"But she's only eighteen."
"Aunt Liz is still pretty young. She could have another kid. Start fresh."
"Oh, screw you!"
Gwen rolled her eyes at Hawk's so-called solution and decided she was done with this conversation. "Fine. Go do whatever you need to do. I'll figure it out myself."
Hawk nodded, going with the flow.
"Alright."
"Come back early!"
"Got it."
Hawk climbed out of bed, kissed Gwen—whose hair he'd just finished brushing—smiled, and then vanished from the room.
The next second, Hawk stood before the mysterious waterfall that gave Mystic Falls its name.
The moment he released his Sixth Sense, it surged outward like a tide, blanketing the surrounding forest, the ground, and even the earth beneath in mere seconds.
He could hear the heartbeats of small animals in the woods, the movement of fish swimming beneath the falls, the flow of magical energy within a nearby stone wall—and beyond that barrier, the woman huddled against the corner, arms wrapped around her knees, radiating fear, fragility, and despair.
The female vampire, Katherine Pierce.
Hawk took a single step. When he reappeared, he was standing inside the tomb that held Katherine Pierce.
Calling it a tomb was generous. It was just a hollowed-out cave in the mountainside, sealed with magic. Any supernatural creature weaker than the one who cast the spell would be trapped inside forever once they entered.
Katherine sat in the darkness, not sleeping—vampires didn't need sleep—just feeling the presence of the Original vampire Klaus drawing ever closer. Fear, vulnerability, and despair radiated from her in waves, filling the enclosed space.
Then—
BOOM.
The entrance to the cave roared to life. Katherine, who had been keeping her head down to hide her weakness from the outside world, snapped her gaze upward. In an instant, the fear, fragility, and despair vanished, replaced by arrogance, playfulness, and a devil-may-care attitude.
The next second—
She saw him. As the cave door opened, a figure appeared before her: a young man with blonde hair, blue eyes, a strong build, and a tailored suit.
Hawk, meanwhile, looked at Katherine—who was now staring at him with that signature irreverent expression—and his lips curved slightly.
"Hello, Miss Pierce."
...
Because of Hawk's interference—and the fact that he'd nearly killed Damon—the group had gathered at the Salvatore boarding house: Stefan, Damon, Elena, the witch Bonnie Bennett, and Caroline, who had rushed over immediately after the estate dinner.
They were discussing what to do about Hawk.
Caroline relayed what she'd learned while subtly probing him at the estate.
There wasn't much to report, honestly.
"He got engaged to my cousin last September."
"They were planning to visit last Christmas."
"But my aunt thought their first Christmas after getting engaged and moving in together should be spent at their own place. So they didn't come."
"This year, they finalized the trip back in September. They agreed to come here, spend time with Grandpa, and celebrate the holidays. After Christmas, they're heading back to New York."
Caroline finished sharing everything she'd learned, then shrugged. "So honestly, I think you guys are overthinking this. He's just here for the holidays."
Damon, sitting off to the side nursing a glass of whiskey, his aura still weak, let out a cold laugh.
"Really? I don't buy it."
"Is it possible you're just annoying?"
"Then why didn't he come after me?"
Damon scoffed.
"He's your cousin's fiancé."
"What about Stefan, then?"
Caroline pointed at Stefan. "Stefan was standing right at the estate entrance. You were the one hiding on the hill. How come he didn't attack Stefan?"
Damon fell silent.
Stefan, seeing the tension rising, quickly changed the subject. He looked at Caroline. "Caroline, do you think he figured out what you are?"
Caroline thought back to the moment she'd walked into the estate and joined the conversation about whether the town had vampires. She remembered the knowing look on Hawk's face as she'd tried to deflect. She frowned.
"I..."
"We should find an opportunity to kill him."
Damon cut in. "Showing up here at this exact time? It's obvious. He's either a werewolf or part of Klaus's advance team."
Stefan looked at his brother, who was practically vibrating with the desire to charge over to Hawk's location and tear him apart. He rubbed his forehead. "Damon, can you not interrupt? We still don't know if Hawk is an enemy, a friend, or just passing through."
Damon laughed bitterly.
With a sharp motion, he ripped open his shirt, revealing his upper body covered in a dense array of red bruises—each one the imprint of a fist. "Look at these injuries and tell me again that he's our friend."
Bonnie, the witch sitting nearby, didn't like Damon either. She looked at him and said flatly, "Maybe he just doesn't like people spying on him in the shadows, so he taught you a lesson. After all, he didn't kill you, did he?"
Damon's gaze turned cold as he stared at Bonnie.
"Say that again."
"..."
Bonnie didn't respond. Instead, she silently cast a migraine hex on him.
Instantly, Damon's eyes cleared. He clutched his head, his expression twisting in pain.
Just as Hawk had said earlier—
Vampires who specialized in physical attacks and had no magical defenses were helpless against a witch's spells.
Elena, watching Damon's agonized expression, quickly turned to her best friend. "Bonnie..."
Bonnie released the spell. "I don't like you, Damon. I never have."
When Stefan had returned to town, everything had been peaceful.
It was only after Damon showed up that supernatural incidents started piling up, one after another.
So—
Frankly speaking, out of everyone in the room, very few people actually liked Damon.
Damon said nothing, just gasped for air as the lingering pain from the spell faded.
Just as Stefan was about to steer the conversation back on track—
Bonnie's expression suddenly shifted. She shot to her feet, as if sensing something incomprehensible, and her gaze turned toward the location where Katherine was sealed.
Elena, seeing her friend's dramatic reaction, exchanged glances with the others before quickly standing and moving to Bonnie's side.
"Bonnie, what's wrong?"
"..."
Bonnie's mind churned. She looked at Elena, her eyes filled with fear and confusion.
"A powerful presence..."
"Unmatched..."
"Vast as the universe..."
"—Just shattered Katherine's seal."
"..."
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