[𝐈] 𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕹𝖎𝖓𝖊: 𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱𝘆

Chapter Nine
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A Birthday Tragedy

November 1st, 2009
The Salvatore Boarding House lays like an empty tomb, just the gusting of autumn winds flowing through the old windows, giving a slight lift to the curtains that were hanging around the home. Light talking from downstairs alerts me, a feminine voice accompanied by that of a masculine one. Stefan and Elena, most likely, meaning that their romantic whispers weren't any of my business. Turning over, I couldn't shake the feeling of a newer ancient presence in the house, one that didn't belong to either of my siblings. The surrounding aura was strong, judging by its power I'd guess somewhere between 300 to just over half-a-millennia. That meant I was right, Mystic Falls had more vampiric company.

Pulling out a wooden stake, cleanly sharpened, carved to a keen point, from the underside of my desk where it had been strapped in with two used leather boot buckles, I trace my way lightly down the stairs, hoping to evade the threat of another vampire. The intruder is blonde, Stefan seemed to be standing in front of them with an eager smile.
  "Lexi?" I question, dropping the stake to lunge at her, catching her attention as I rope her into a bear-hug.
  "Mari!" she returns, embracing me before pulling away to eye my face.
  "I like the new hair, better than the red." she compliments, trailing her manicured nails gently through my hair. Stefan and I look towards one another, a genuine smile planted simply on his face at the arrival of his best friend.
  "What were you doing with this?" Lexi asks, picking up the stake, suspecting it with a suggesting eye. Inspecting the sculpted weapon in certain interest.
  "Let's just say, being around vampires hasn't been easy as of late."

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  "Speaking of which, where's Damon?" Lexi inquires into the air, distaste evident in her tone as she wonders about. She had been here for a while, the sun arriving shortly after her 
  "Inflicting misery somewhere," I state, entering the room with a new set of jewellery for Lexi to rummage through. It was one of the many things we did over the years, exchanging rings, necklaces and medallions from our distant travels, usually, if we saw something the other might like we'd buy it and wait until we saw each other next. Stefan had kept it safe for me, promising he wouldn't show Lexi any of them until I had returned. Maybe that was where Stefan obtained  Elena's new necklace? From my box of wonders.
  "Hey, are you two gonna be ok here? Alone? I've got some things I gotta take care of." Stefan queries, standing before us both with delicate concern in his eyes.
  "It's not like I can go anywhere, you and Damon are the only ones with these nifty daylight rings. Plus if Mari stays here with me, everything should be fine." she jests, poking at me whilst referencing my usual tricks of getting into immense, life-threatening trouble when it came to being sensible.
  "Hey, Lex. I'm really glad that you came here." my brother admits, a smile adorning his usually brooding features.
  "What are we doing for your birthday? It's not every day a guy turns one-hundred-and-sixty-three years old." I tease, nudging him as he groans at both Lexi and I's antics. It was wonderful to have her back, although she couldn't leave the house, she was welcome nonetheless. It gave me another girl with extensive supernatural knowledge to talk to, bitch about Damon with and converse over the rapid rate of my growing wardrobe.