tendencies to lose control
••••
A tale of the wicked begins with my death, a story so far tangled in doom that it's overflowing with curses and here's a curse to start my story off.
A young girl, murdered at the hands of her father, a purpose for power. He drained the life from his daughter so he could gain power but the only power he attained was the curse of Blair Winchester, the curse that will haunt him until his death and infinitely torture him. One that slowly weakens your heart and eats away at you from the inside out.
I wish I could explain more, but,
The stench of fresh blood fills my nostrils, tickling my senses and awakening my thirst, crawling down my throat and painting my insides with rage that leaves my fangs bared and aching with hunger.
The notion of hope withers through my mind that my heart would continue it's steady rhythm of a beat per second to remind me that I am still here, the human in me, but that is, if my heart even existed. Father told me, "your thirst always comes first, don't you ever consider feelings over thirst!" but as I lift the withering form into the air and study the helpless grey eyes and shrill screams, I couldn't help but lower them to the surface of the earth and grasp their shoulders to prevent from escaping, staring deep into their soul.
"You will forget this ever happened, go home and tell your parents that you're safe. Never cross through this side of town again, it doesn't exist to you." I compel the terrified human and sigh softly as I witness them become engulfed by the trees and darkness surrounding myself.
So much for a midnight snack.
I make my way back to the Salvatore school and sneak back into the halls undetected with a proud smirk on my lips when an auburn hair girl blocks my way, seemingly to have appeared out of thin air.
A scoff leaves my throat as I glare down at the shorter girl, "What the hell do you want, Hope?"
Her eyebrow quirks at my tone and she studies the condition of my shoes, which gave away my little late night adventure. "Dr Saltzman made curfew for a reason." She states dryly, crossing her arms over her chest somewhat passive aggressively.
This girl knows nothing about minding her own business. If she didn't stick her snooty nose everywhere, I would try harder to be nice to her but being bitchy came naturally within an alarmed distance. Then again, you could call us friends, to a certain extent.
"And that's why Satan made me so I can break curfew for the kids who are too afraid to do so." I muster a snarky smile and step around her, leaving her speechless and heading for the stairs but a door clicks open and I'm frozen in my tracks.
"Ms. Winchester, a word would be great." I spin on my heels and spot Alaric wrapped in a fluffy robe with equally dumb slippers and a grimace caught between his lips at my judging stare. I almost snort at the sight of seeing my headmaster in a different aspect from his usual work attire.
Swallowing down my childish thoughts, I nod my head and enter the room, taking a seat and propping my feet up on his desk. He passes by and impolitely kicks my feet from their position. Much to my dismay, I plant my feet on the ground and my fingers subconsciously fidget in my lap.
He sits across from me and eyes me for a hot minute. "I get that you come from a relatively violent bloodline and your thirst for human blood is a lot stronger than most vampires at this school but I advise you steer clear of that path. You understand my concerns, don't you?" He calmly says, his face with a deep frown and slight smile. He's afraid I'll become like my father, always hungry for human blood but that will never be the case. I can control my urges and I'm nothing like my father.
I refrain from groaning and bite my tongue, holding back a remark, "Clear as day, sir." I mumble mockingly but no way in hell could I return to drinking animal blood. It didn't sit well with me, if anything, it made me sick to my stomach and regurgitate my insides back up. Would you consider that a good feed for a growing vampire of my age?
"Very well. Now as for your little excursions after curfew, I need them to stop." I stare at the man, perplexed. How does he know that, he has the most stable sleep schedule above anyone in this school and I always make sure he's out like a light before I leave.
"Hope..she informed me."
That bitc-
"She's worried about you and so am I." He adds, trying to make a point. "Sir, all do respect but you don't have to pretend to care about me. I cope just fine by myself." I snap but lack the energy, standing up with his eyes following. I'm already in a terrible mood from skipping out on my late night meal and his scolding session isn't relieving any stress.
"Blair.."
"Goodnight, Dr. Saltzman."
—
"If you weren't such a bitch, maybe dad would pay more attention to me without you sucking up all his time with your damsel in distress act." The snarl belonging to Lizzie Saltzman ruins my slumber and I groan as I slip out of bed, dragging myself to the door and forcing it open.
"Can't you two bond over something sisterly like painting each other's nails!" I exclaim at the pair of arguing twins that fall silent. Lizzie glances at me, her face morphing into a scowl at my presence before she storms off in the opposite direction. While Josie, blushes awkwardly and sends me an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the disturbance, Blair." She mumbles softly and disappears down the hall.
I sigh, feeling sympathy for Josie. She doesn't deserve the pressure of her sister beating down on her and although I didn't want to admit it, Lizzie is quite the bitch, but only sometimes.
Stepping back into my dorm, I peel the shirt off my back and hear a small gasp behind me. I glance in the mirror to find a flustered Hope Mikaelson, cheeks drowning with a deep blush and an awkward tight lipped smile as she turns her head away. "Clothes on, thanks." She mutters.
"We're both girls here, Mikaelson and you're like the annoying relative I thankfully never had." I say to remind her as I continue stripping and change into my uniform which Alaric made an exception for. I can wear anything as long as the school logo is incorporated into it so I slip into almost black slacks, a sweater with the school logo and pull my signature leather jacket over top, straightening out the fabric underneath and patting down the crinkles in my pants.
I was never a skirt kind of girl, I think on the right people they look great, like Lizzie Saltzman for example but me..no, a big no. I look hideous.
"Did you come here to learn stuff about me so you can report back to Dr. Saltzman?"
Hope shifts on my bed and glances at me, a solemn expression on her face. "No, quite the opposite. Dr. Saltzman thinks it will be a good opportunity for you to meet the new werewolf he's planning to recruit. The twins are expected to give him a tour in a couple minutes, you should join them." I scrunch up my nose in disgust at the idea. Did she just ask me to put myself out there and meet someone. Gross that means I have to actually be social.
"Uh, no, I'll pass. Tell Dr. Saltzman I considered it though." I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder, unfortunately Hope doesn't give up so easily.
Her hand clamps around my wrist in a rather gentle way as she cranes her neck to look up at me with pleading eyes. "Please?" I snatch my hand from her grasp, not liking the contact. "Come on, make a good first impression and that's all I ask."
Rolling my eyes at her pouty frown, I push myself against the door and study her. "Why can't you do it?"
Hope sighs, "Because unlike you, I have a job to do and that's finding out whether said werewolf can stay at this school without being a threat." Ignoring her low blow, I frown at the thought.
"And who are you getting answers from?"
"Landon Kirby." A small smile slowly forms and I scowl at her little crush on the human. The only reason I remember Landon Kirby is having to listen to Hope gush about him serving her milkshakes for a week straight. It was dreadful.
"Fine, I'll do it." She giggles and clasps her hands together. "But, you owe me, Mikaelson." Her smile drops.
—
"Everyone gets along with everybody here for the most part." Josie states as she and Lizzie guide the new boy around while I unwilling follow them around.
Rafael Waithe, the werewolf with supreme anger issues and a history of violence. Typical for his kind, I didn't expect any less for a newly transitioned wolf. I aquatinted with him on a friendly level and narrowed my questions down to figure out his character but he seemed very closed off, and that I didn't blame. He'a also painfully dry with responses and certainly isn't my type of person, not by a long shot.
But Lizzie on the other hand, she's my person.
We approach a classroom and I finally pay mind to the ongoing conversation to find Josie pointing at Dorian. "That's our librarian, Mr. Williams." More like supernatural identifier but librarian works too. "He's subbing for our chemistry of magic teacher, who accidentally incinerated himself last week in hellfire." I snicker quietly, remembering the exact moment that bastard teacher bursted into flames.
"Burned all the hair off his body, but didn't leave a scar." Lizzie pipes in, brushing against Rafael with a visible grin. It's no secret she has a crush on him, but I just wish that wasn't the case.
"Now, this language has been carefully crafted over centuries. So, you may think you can play fast and loose with the syllables, but you'd be very wrong about that. Because otherwise, a love charm becomes a what?" Dorian scans the class before he nods at a specific brunette. "Penelope, show us." The witch turns in her seat so the students could watch.
My initial thought is here she goes again, showing off.
"She who shall not be named." Lizzie groans out, sending the witch a glare.
"Talking about her gives her power."
Rafael doesn't follow and frowns, "Who are you talking about?"
"Josie's evil ex." Lizzie spits out, not once removing her glare from the said evil one. I nod in agreement when Rafael looks at me for confirmation.
Penelope glances in our direction and catches Josie's gaze, winking slyly at her "Phesmatos is lucas odoray." My ears perk up at the spell, realising I've heard it on multiple occasions from Hope Mikaelson. She used it to get even with me by stinking out my room because I chopped off a chunk of her hair and she went psycho. But no regrets.
A bright golden hue of light hovers above her hands, but within a few seconds, it explodes and emits a great cloud of smoke. I recoil at the stench as well as the class full of students. "That's right! A stink spell, yes." The man states, while the kids cough and splutter at the smell.
"Come on, we'll show you the turret." Lizzie turns to Rafael, her eyes lingering on his face that makes me uncomfortable. "It's where the seniors go to smoke."
The boy seems mildly amused, "What do they smoke? Eye of newt?" If that's his attempt at a joke, Lizzie should set her sights somewhere else. A boy with a lack in humour is gross and certainly not the way to go.
"Yeah we even fly around on magical broomsticks and wear pointy top hats." I muse, watching Lizzie hide a smile and Rafael causally roll his eyes. Now that's top quality humour.
Josie snickers, looping her arm through mine and smiles in amusement. "Weed." She leans over to whisper to him. Rafael glances at the girl in surprise before he follows Lizzie out of the room shortly after.
"Your sister's heart eyes are showing." I mention to the much more mature twin and she scoffs. "He is what I call her new distraction." She tells me, tugging on my forearm to get me moving.
New distraction..
—
"Don't worry too much about fitting in, everyone goes crazy over the new student, you'll have friends in no time." I drag out, thinking of what to say without being drawn to the game of witchery. "The pack, however, is another story. Jed is an asshole and I suggest you look out for him as fair warning."
"Who is Jed?"
"Pack leader, also known as the alpha." I respond, watching his eyes fill with confusion. This is all new to him and he could barely keep up, how amusing.
"Wait, then what are you?" He asks, a crease in his forehead.
"A blood sucker." I lift my hand to emphasis and flash him my daylight ring that sparkled against the glare of sunlight. Ironically, my mother created it for me the day she revived me from the dead. And more image fitting of the snide woman, she spelled the ring to poison me but thankfully for a saint. Hope Mikaelson stripped the ring from it's crude magic.
His eyes widen in curiosity as he ogles me, "Vampire.." He mumbles under his breath. "I thought they only existed in fictional comic books." I chuckle and before I can answer, Mg plops down beside me and buts in rudely, with Josie following pursuit.
"What about comic books?"
Rafael glances at me, arching his brow but I shake my head, motioning for him not to question it.
"Nothing, nerd."
Mg scoffs at my comment and from the corner of my eye I spot Lizzie coiling a hand around Rafael's bicep and tugging him away from us. A pang of jealousy torches in the pit of my stomach and leaves my throat coated in a bile, sizzling against my tongue that has me grimacing at the pair.
"Giving up dibs on the new guy so quickly?" Mg directs his question to Josie and I frown, turning towards them.
"It's not a competition." Josie states, glare drifting to her sister and the wolf. "Plus, I'm still nursing a wounded soul." She points out, making me hum out.
"Penelope Park." Josie snaps her head at me, her brown eyes doubled in size. As far as I know from Hope's stories, the two girls fight like a couple even after breaking up and the Park girl was crowned 'Josies evil ex' that I agree on one thousand percent. In Hope's words, 'they are perfectly wrong for each other on so many levels'.
"We don't mention her name anymore, remember?"
Mg and I share a look, sniggering nervously, I raise my hands in surrender. "Sorry."
"Do you think he'll go for her?" I sure hope not.
"Probably. They usually do." Josie's eyes meet mine and there's an unreadable expression set on her face. I furrow a brow but don't question it.
"So you're fine with second pick?" I ask the twin, watching wolf boy interact with my girl.
Josie lifts her head, "It doesn't bother me anymore. Lizzie is more outgoing, she isn't afraid to speak her mind and anyone that looks at her can see that. If anything, I'm used to it." She forces her smile and turns to engage in conversation with the younger vampire while I ponder on her words and strain my ears to eavesdrop on the conversation between a blonde haired witch and wolfie.
Anyone that looks at her can see that.
"On the plus side, we're all happy to know that you're single." There's a small pause and I mentally face palm at Lizzie's game or rather the lack of. "Oh god, that was my inside voice. I am so sorry, guys like you make me nervous." I look over at them and spot the panic on her face and the questionable expression on his. Josie wasn't kidding when she said Lizzie isn't afraid to speak her mind.
"Guys like me?"
"You know," she catches my gaze and swallows down a smile, tearing her eyes away. "Hot, angry, damaged."
"Yeah, well, I sort of made a point in my life of, uh, keeping clear of chirpy and needy girls like you." He harshly splutters, rising to his feet and towering over her. "So I guess I'm gonna go find Landon." And just like that, Lizzie is scurrying off the field towards the school block with tears pricking at her eyes and Josie is looking at me for answers.
"I'll go check on her."
"No, let me." I offer my smile and take off after the siphoner.
A couple doors down, the smashing of plates and glass shattering has the entire hall in shock. The piercing scream belonging to Lizzie sharply travels through the thickness of the air and I use my speed to rush into the room, only to be restricted by a knife just centimetres from my face.
Lord please save me.
I gasp breathily and glance at Lizzie who is in tears, her chest heaving and the entire kitchen in bits and pieces. "Winchester, what are you doing in here?" She flicks her hand and the knife drops at my feet, making me sigh in relief I no longer had a jagged edge taunting me.
"I came to check on you."
She freezes for a second and furiously swipes her teary cheeks, sinking back against the counter with a small sniff. "I expected my dad to be the one doing that." She mumbles, blue eyes dropping to the ground. "Besides, I thought you hated me." No, wrong, I love you.
"I don't hate you, Lizzie."
"Your actions say otherwise." So I can hide how I truely feel, yes.
I trudge through the broken glass and other assortments she managed to trash with a simple motion of her two hands, having the shards crumble beneath my shoes and her eyes follow my every step. "Look, I overheard what Rafael said and-"
"I know, and he's right. Who wants a broken girl like me?" I do. I want you, I have always wanted you.
"Lizzie, you're not broken." Her rosy cheeks darken in fury and the tracks from her tears dry in place. I can hear her heartbeat intensify as she grows angry, at someone, at herself.
"Yes I am!" She yells, siphoning magic from the nearby wall and raising her hands, shoving them in my direction with her voice sourced as the primary weapon behind it. I speed out of the way just before a swarm of knives and other sharp objects clash against the wall where I previously stood.
That crazy-
"Lizzie."
My eyes move to Alaric Saltzman standing terrified in the doorway, expression mirroring mine at the wreckage his daughter accumulated from her emotional outburst. Considering I nearly lost my head to a girl I have a moderate crush on, I wasn't exactly thrilled to have experienced it first hand.
"Hi, daddy." Lizzie breathes out, briefly looking in my direction with an apologetic frown.
"Hi, baby."
"I'm still in one piece, thanks for your concern, Dr. Saltzman." I sarcastically chime in, snark ridden on my tongue.
Allow me to rephrase this, tale of the wicked begins with Lizzie Saltzman and I. A wallowing tale of two souls who were merely drawn to each other but not enough to have lingering thoughts. All but one, and that one was me. The fool who had fallen head over heels in love with a girl that will never see me, nor through me, and only beyond me.
Lizzie Saltzman is the wicked in my story, the wicked witch who is inevitably crushing my heart each time her smile isn't directed towards me and every glance we share is nothing but a force of nature.
Lizzie Saltzman is wicked.
But I can't stop loving her.