The Supernatural Diaries {Book One}

Haunted: Elena I

"Coffee is our friend. It's the caffeine that circulates and warms our bodies so we're not so cold to the touch," Stefan explained to Vicki as we sat at the dining room table. I listened with rapt attention, as Stefan divulged the secrets of how he's maintained a relatively normal life. However, Vicki seemed to be unimpressed. "What if I wanna drink human blood?" she moped.

Stefan clenched his jaw before loosening up and saying, "Well, you're gonna have to learn to live with that urge and fight it daily." Vicki groaned in annoyance like a petulant child. "Please, don't try to give me the whole 12-step program," she whined. "The school counselor has been down that road, it doesn't work." "It can work. It's your choice, Vicki," Stefan implored.

Vicki scoffed smartly, "So you've never tasted human blood?" "No. Not in a long time," he answered somberly. "How long?" she pressed. "Years and years," he replied. "I'm not proud of my past behavior."

I tilted my head curiously. I knew that Stefan drank human blood once to complete the transition, and from there, I assumed that he just switched over to animals immediately after that. However I never even stopped to think that maybe the hunger he felt was more overwhelming than what I had envisioned.

Vicki huffed dramatically, making me roll my eyes inwardly. "Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. And this daylight thing is a bitch," she complained, getting to her feet. "I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead."

Stefan pointed in the direction of the bathroom and Vicki stomped off, leaving Stefan and me alone. "I'm gonna, uh— I'm gonna get her some more. I'll be quick." Then he disappeared off to go get some more blood for Vicki, as I got up and walked around.

A few moments later, Vicki returned with an annoyed look on her face. "False alarm. My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk, but it's weird," she exhaled, walking back towards the dining room table. She reached for her phone and started typing in someone's phone number, making me raise my brow questioningly. "Who are you calling?" I inquired.

"Jeremy," she said as though it were obvious.

Oh, no.

Squaring my shoulders back, I started towards her carefully, saying, "Vicki, you can't see Jeremy anymore."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, giving me a dirty look. "Oh, don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see." "Even though you could hurt him," I shot back irritably. "I would never hurt Jeremy," she declared.

And oh, my God! She was starting to grate on my nerves. Yet I still tried my best to keep my composure.

"I know you think that, but I can't take that risk," I responded. "You're gonna have to let Jeremy go."

"Oh, really?" she snapped, slamming her phone down on the table, making me jump. "And how long have you been preparing the "you're not good enough" speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing."

Even though she was right, I sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that while she was this riled up. Instead, I opted to diffuse the situation. "Look, all I'm saying is Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this," I detracted. "I mean, Vicki."

"Or what?" Vicki smirked.

I didn't even have time to think of an answer before she grabbed me by the throat and slammed me up against the entryway to the living room. "Let's get what thing straight, you perky little bitch. You had my brother whipped for 15 years, 15 years, and then you dumped him," she snarled. "When I look at you, that is all I see, just so you know. And I'm gonna see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy, because I have some fun new toys to play with, and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. Got it?!" With a flash of her vampire eyes, she released her grasp on my neck and stormed off to another part of the mansion while I sputtered and gasped for breath.

*                              *                              *

Once Stefan came back, I immediately dragged him outside of the house and told him what happened while he was gone, still rubbing my now aching throat. "She threatened me," I gulped. "She's on edge," Stefan shook his head. "Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean, she's uncomfortable in her own skin, and then when you throw in her other issues—"

"How long before it settles?" I interrogated. "Hours, days, weeks?"

"There's no rule book," he asserted.

"Well, how long before you learned how to control it?" I questioned.

He sighed deeply, and I knew I wasn't going to like his answer. "It took me decades to control it, but I didn't have anybody helping me. I had to do it on my own," he confessed. "The thing is... it's hard to resist certain people, especially when you're new, and that applies to new Campbell Hunters as well. That's why Dean has been so... off lately."

His forehead creased, and I couldn't resist the curiosity welling up inside me. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing," he replied dazily. "Anyway, the only thing that separates vampires from Hunters is the thirst for human blood. But even then the main things that connect the two species are their bloodlusts and emotional states."

"Meaning..." I urged.

"It's difficult for a vampire or hunter to separate their feelings. Love, lust, anger, desire— it can all blur into one urge— hunger," Stefan explained.

"I thought Hunters didn't feel that," I started.

"Sometimes a metaphysical hunger can be just as powerful and ravenous as physical hunger," Stefan stated. "It's why Hunters who activate their Curse usually complete the transition within two or three weeks after its activation. It's the same reason why it's so difficult to control a Newborn Vampire. The hunger starts to take over and overrides every other instinct they have save for one."

"And which instinct is that?" I inhaled nervously.

Stefan grimaced. "The instinct to kill."

"Oh, my God!" I gasped. "Wait, so then what does that mean for Dean?"

"Listen to me, I'll take care of Dean. But no matter what, Jeremy cannot see Vicki, not now. She might not be able to resist him, and she could hurt him," the vampire informed.

"Or worse."

"I'm not gonna let anybody get hurt," he vowed.

However, I was done listening. "Listen, I need to get going."

"Elena—"

"Stefan, please. There's only so much I can take," I pleaded. Not giving him time to respond, I turned and walked away to head for my car.