Ch. 12

1864 A.D. Mystic Falls

I arrived in Mystic Falls on January 1st of 1864 to avoid missing the pivotal events to come. At the same time, I knew that there was still a white oak tree somewhere around here, and I didn't want to alert the Founding Families to my presence.

So I stayed to the shadows and waited patiently, watching as Katherine Pierce arrived with Emily Bennet. I watched as she cavorted with the Salvatore Brothers, leading both along like dogs. I watched as she met with George Lockwood and began plotting to fake her death at the expense of every single other vampire in the town.

The night finally arrived that Katherine found herself brought low by the vervain Stefan's father had dosed him with. The vampires were being rounded up, and I watched as Pearl approached Johnathan Gilbert to ask him what was happening. As he excitedly explained what they were doing and how his invention worked, I blurred into place behind Pearl and watched as he stared at her in horror when his device pointed at her and me.

"Y-you're one of them!" He said, accusing Pearl of being a vampire, which to be fair, she was. But I'd never liked how things had gone down for Pearl, so before she could react, I flashed up behind her and grabbed her, one arm wrapping around her waist and the other curling in her hair to pull her head back and expose her throat.

I grinned viciously at Johnathan Gilbert from behind Pearl's tense body and spoke, "Your little device is pointing at me Gilbert, and for what you and yours have done tonight, I'm taking your beloved as recompense."

With that said, I very clearly vamped out, eyes turning red and fangs coming out before I bite forcibly into Pearl's exposed neck, causing a delightful shriek to come from her throat. Before Johnathan could do anything, I'd fled with her in my arms, leaving the entire vampire hunting party behind quite easily. Of course Anna followed me as I led her into the woods with Pearl struggling in my grasp.

Once I deemed us far enough away, I dropped Pearl against a tree and waited for Anna to arrive. She arrived with less than proper decorum, attempting to slam into me and get me away from her mother. I responded by catching her by the throat with my hand as she came barreling at me, and then tossing her next to her mother.

I waited patiently as both women groaned and got to their feet, Pearl staring at me for several long moments before speaking, "Who are you? You do not live here, and you had no reason to throw yourself into the middle of a vampire hunt to save me me. Where did you even come from?"

I grin at that, even as Anna glares at me, standing by her mother seemingly content to follow Pearl's lead in this, "You may know me as the Master." I'm gratified when I see recognition in both of them at the title, though it's incredulous at best as I continue, "I'm in the area on personal business but I saw your plight and couldn't help intervene. You do know you're a vampire right love? Were you truly going to let them take you so easily when you can move faster than they can track with their eyes? Leave behind this one at the same time?"

Pearl looked embarrassed at me pointing out her lapse, but eventually she clenched her jaw, "While I am thankful for your intervention, I do not need to be scolded by some idiot pretending to be a myth that's several centuries old. I might have had an easier time believing you if you'd claimed you were a Disciple."

My grin slipped from my face and I think my eye even twitched a bit. This was what happened when you made yourself the boogie man I suppose. Nothing to it then, in a flash I was in front of the two of them, my hands once more around their throats as they belatedly reacted and began trying to struggle.

I initiated compulsion with Pearl first and her struggles ceased as she was put under my spell, "Believe this my dear. I am the Master and you will serve me for the next fifty years for saving your life. You will never attack me, you will never plot against me. At the end of fifty years you and your daughter may decide to move on. When I release you, you will make your way south and seek out my people to join with my empire. Do you understand?"

As she confirmed that she understood, I repeated the general gist of the compulsion with Anna, before releasing both of them. There was fear in their eyes now and I could tell they were much more willing to believe the myths that spoke of me than they were before. Gesturing dismissively, I watched as they sped away, confident that they would do as I said.

But they were not the real reason I was here and I quickly moved on, heading for the road where the Salvatore Brothers lay dead, and where Katherine would meet with George Lockwood to flee Mystical Falls. I arrived just as Katherine pulled the Moonstone from her corset and I could her here telling George that if he ever betrayed her, she'd find him and kill him.

Before she could hand over what he wanted, I appeared behind her, casually breaking her neck with one hand and snatching the valuable Moonstone with the other. George took a step back in a mixture of disbelief and fear before his resolve hardening and he clenched his jaw.

"That Moonstone is supposed to be mine. I had a deal with her." I grin at his courage as he gestures at the unconscious vampire at my feet. Looking the Moonstone over I shake my head, "I'm sorry Mr. Lockwood, but this artifact was not hers to give away. It belongs to my family, an heirloom over eight centuries old. I do apologize but it will not be going to you tonight. The woman at my feet stole this long ago and now she must pay for that theft."

I stopped looking at the Moonstone and stared at George Lockwood, my eyes boring into his, "I hope very much that you make the right choice about associating with such trash." I saw the fear in his eyes at those words, smiling grimly as he took another involuntary step back. Still, he had some courage and managed to get out another question, "You smell wrong. Given your speed and strength, I assume you to be a vampire like Katherine. But you do not smell like death as most vampires do. You smell almost alive."

I grin at that and see no harm in dropping some information on the young man, "That would be because I am half werewolf Mr. Lockwood. I am a hybrid if you will, one of two, the only ones of our kind. If ever you need help, search for the werewolves in the far South, past the Mexican Empire. My name is Vali, but I am better known as the Master. I swear this upon my immortal life, that the Lockwood Werewolves will always have an ally in me so long as your family does not actively work against me."

I see him mull this over as I continue, "I know it may be little consolation for not obtaining the Moonstone tonight, but it is the best I can offer. I can also tell you this, in one hundred and forty five years I will break the Curse of the Sun and the Moon. I can assure you that when that curse is broken, vampires will not walk unhindered in the sun."

He blinks at that and at the utter sincerity in my voice and frowns, "Why would you side with the werewolves over the vampires?"

I smile and spread my arms wide, continuing to speak as sincerely as possible. After all, everything I'm saying is the truth, "I can already walk in the sun unhindered. On the other hand, my wolf form has been locked away for several centuries. My path is quite clear wouldn't you say?"

He seems to accept this and the truth of my statements, nodding slowly, "I would yes. Very well Vali. I accept your deal and I will make sure my descendants know that they can call on you."

I grin and begin to reply, "Wonderful, I-" when Katherine suddenly groans, beginning to wake up. With a sigh I kick her in the head hard enough to once more break her neck with a sickening crack. George flinches at the sound as I chuckle and reach down to pick up the limp body at my feet, draping my prize over my shoulder.

"Well Mr. Lockwood, this is where we part ways. You have a good night." I say with feigned courtesy and a wicked grin, before leaving him standing alone in the middle of the road, both Katerina and the Moonstone once more in my possession.

-x-X-x-

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