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Chapter 40 - A Moment of Introspection

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Peace!

[Blood Diary Entry]

I was alone after Lexi left.

Oddly enough, she did manage to help me, as I feel a little more grounded now.

Stefan is lucky to have a friend like her…

I sigh out loud, running my fingers through my raven-colored hair.

"I won't forget this, Lexi…" I spoke to myself in a hushed tone. "I'll repay this favor, even if I have to kill Damon to keep you alive. I'll do just that. I promise."

I cross my legs and return to watching Chicago's nightlife.

It was oddly peaceful, in its own chaotic way.

People walked by, hand in hand; they laughed together and shared their own life stories with friends, lovers, and family.

I basked in this normalcy. Enjoying the cold night air.

I looked up to the sky, a sky without stars. My eyes glowed a soft, vibrant red, and my gaze peered over the dust and pollution, and stars finally shone, as was their birthright.

I admired the shining sky, wondering how one could stand for having lost such beauty.

It reminded me of Veythra, Sol'Vahr's home. A beautiful planet I'd like to visit if possible.

At that thought, a smile made its way onto my face.

Finally, I can feel the distinction between me and him.

It's not a gone and done kind of situation, but it is a beginning. As I feel it is getting easier for me to organize and distinguish the memories inside my blood from the ones in my brain and soul.

My thoughts moved back to Rebekah and my mother. I wondered how they were doing, and part of me wanted to get up and go to them.

But I don't think that is a good move.

Chicago holds a lot of meaning to her, and if she and I are apart, it'll give her time and space to organize her own thoughts. Much like I did just now.

This city was the last place she was in before Niklaus, her own brother, betrayed her and put her into a sort of forced coma. It was here that she met Stefan and got attracted by him—although the one she met wasn't quite Stefan, as it was more of the Ripper inside him. And this was also the place where her father's latest attempt to put down Niklaus almost had her caught in the crossfire.

I don't quite think Mikael is unjustified in his hunt for his wife's bastard son, but I also think he may have gone too far at times. And if I am not mistaken, this cost him dearly, as he should be a desiccated mummy in some crypt in the middle of nowhere, just waiting for someone to wake him.

Just thinking about Rebekah's whole familial drama makes my head spin in circles…

And the worst part?

I'll have to be the one to fix that whole mess.

After all, it is only right that I repay her for her kindness. There is also the whole vow thing, so I'd have to do it either way. Even if she doesn't choose to be with me in any romantic capacity, we are still bound to one another for eternity, and if I don't fix things, her family will just be a pain in the ass for eons.

Bah! Why did I get myself into this?

There's also the other vampiric and werewolf lineages Rebekah spoke about. And I am fairly certain I recognize some of them, even if superficially.

This world is a mess.

An interesting mess, but a mess all the same.

All of this smells of opportunity… If I knew how to take advantage of it, not only would I grow stronger, but I would also be able to finally rid myself of these annoying locks.

But I have to establish a bottom line in all of this. And that is, while I may seek new sources of power, I can't under any circumstances taint what I am. As that may have unforeseen consequences.

I can't think of hybridization under any hypothesis. But I also don't think that would be too big a problem, since I quite like being a vampire, and throwing a werewolf into the mix would only be detrimental to me.

Vampire superiority all the way!

I chuckle to myself.

My thoughts ran back to my encounter with that mysterious entity.

What was it actually? And who was it talking about?

So many questions, so few answers…

At that moment, I felt an echo through the vow.

I felt Rebekah's irritation, her anger, and the violence boiling underneath.

"Huh?!" I gasped in surprise.

This wasn't supposed to happen, though? The vow is meant to bring us back to one another if separated and make it easier for us to be emotionally honest with each other. But I shouldn't be feeling her emotions… Either something went wrong with the vow, or there is more to Rebekah than meets the eye.

I discarded the first option immediately. If something went wrong with the vow, both she and I would've been subjected to immense agony.

Sighing, I decided to put these thoughts at the back of my mind for now.

I got up from the bench, cracked my neck, and popped my knuckles.

Let's go and see what is bothering the blonde Original. And if it is bad enough, I'll just get rid of it.

But just as suddenly as it came, the irritation and anger settled down, vanishing entirely. Leaving me entirely confused.

Then I came to a reasonable conclusion…

Rebekah is bipolar.

I nodded my head wisely and decided to settle down again.

There isn't much of anything that can hurt her after all, and I trust she'll keep Mom safe.

I sat back down on the bench.

But the moment I did so, everyone else who was in the park got up.

Their eyes were vacant and empty.

They all immediately started moving rather robotically, all of them leaving the park simultaneously.

My breath caught up. The atmosphere became oppressive, like it was waiting for something, or rather someone.

Street lamps flickered, and all of the pigeons flew away.

In the distance, a man approached.

He dressed in a long black coat, underneath it he wore no shirt, and chose to have his chest bare. Dark pants and an elegant pair of social shoes completed his style. A necklace made of the fangs of several predators hangs from his neck. He had a long and messy beard, with longer and messier hair. Though that didn't tarnish his elegance and poise. His eyes glowed a soft red, similar to mine, but also entirely different.

He stopped a few meters away from me.

The air seemed to tremble in anticipation, and the sheer pressure the man emitted.

"So you're the one…"

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