Kindred souls

### Chapter One: Shadows of the past

Eloise Salvatore stood at the edge of the Mystic Falls cemetery, her eyes scanning the rows of headstones that bore witness to centuries of life and death. The breeze whispered through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. Her fingers traced the locket around her neck, a silent reminder of the life she once shared with her twin brother, Stefan. It was a life marked by darkness, a legacy they both inherited and tried desperately to escape.

Born in the mid-19th century to Giuseppe and Lillian Salvatore, Eloise and Stefan had been inseparable since birth. Their bond was unique, forged in the fires of their shared experiences and deepened by the trials they faced together. They were each other's confidants, protectors, and partners in crime. But when they were turned into vampires in 1864, everything changed.

As new vampires, they were cursed with an insatiable hunger for human blood, a craving that became their undoing. The first few years were a blur of blood and carnage, the two siblings becoming legends in their own right. Their reputation as "The Rippahs" spread quickly, leaving a trail of bodies and broken lives in their wake. Eloise, with her striking beauty and ruthless precision, became the stuff of nightmares, while Stefan's charm and brutality earned him a fearsome reputation. They reveled in their new-found power, but the weight of their actions soon began to wear on them.

For Eloise, the guilt was a constant companion. Every scream, every terrified face haunted her dreams. She would often wake up in a cold sweat, the echoes of her victims' pleas ringing in her ears. Stefan tried to comfort her, but he too was battling his own demons. They were trapped in a vicious cycle, unable to control their urges, yet longing for a semblance of humanity.

One night, after a particularly gruesome spree, Eloise made a decision that would change everything. She couldn't continue on this path of destruction. She wanted to be better, to reclaim the humanity she had lost. In the stillness of the night, she confided in Stefan her desire to leave. She wanted to find a way to control her bloodlust, to live without the constant craving for death. Stefan, however, was not ready. He was still consumed by the thrill, the rush of being a predator. He pleaded with her to stay, to fight through it together, but Eloise had made up her mind.

"I can't do this anymore, Stefan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't keep being this monster."

Stefan's eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "You're abandoning me, Eloise. We're supposed to do this together."

She reached out, placing a hand on his cheek. "I love you, Stefan. But I need to find my own way. I need to be better."

With those words, she turned and walked away, the weight of her decision pressing heavily on her heart. She left Stefan and Mystic Falls behind, embarking on a journey to reclaim her soul. It was a painful separation, one that left deep scars on both siblings.

Eloise wandered for years, struggling to suppress her vampiric instincts. She sought out others like her, those who had managed to tame the beast within. It was a long and arduous process, filled with setbacks and moments of despair. But with each passing day, she grew stronger, her resolve unshakable. She learned to feed without killing, to control the bloodlust that had once ruled her life.

Now, standing in the cemetery, Eloise felt a bittersweet sense of peace. She had come a long way from the monster she once was, but the memories of her past still lingered. She knew that one day she would have to face her brother again, to confront the demons they had both battled. But for now, she was content with the knowledge that she had made the right choice, that she had chosen to be better.

The sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the cemetery. Eloise took a deep breath and turned away from the graves, ready to continue her journey. She had faced the darkness within her and emerged stronger. And though the road ahead was still uncertain, she knew that she would never walk it alone.