The Original Witch

Chapter 58

Fred and I rush back inside, worried for our friends and family. From inside, I can hear Ron ask, "Who the bloody hell are you?"

A voice I recognize questions, "Where is Alexia?"

My feet quicken up as we burst into the living room, and I am surprised to see a familiar face in front of me. Stefan Salvatore stands tall before the eight of us and finally smiles when his eyes settle on my figure. 

Confusion swirls inside of me, wondering how someone who is a vampire got here without a witch's help.

Wondering why, and especially how he is here, I step forward to ask, "Stefan, what are you doing here?"

The corner of his lips tug upwards, "Nice to see you too, Alexia." I stand still in a defensive stance, feeling like something isn't right. I raise my eyebrows, awaiting a response to my question that he has yet to answer. "I think there is some business that concerns you."

His words stop there, so I try and piece together the conversation, "Well I'm happy that Niklaus has let you live your life, but we are in the midst of dark times here. I need answers because of this, although I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing."

At first, Stefan nods his head, something very in character of him. Then, his demeanor changes as he starts chuckling in an odd manner, something very out of place for a Stefan with his humanity switch turned on. 

Feeling uncertain, I cross my arms of my chest protectively as I gaze around the room to see everyone completely lost with what is happening. 

Through his laughs, he asks, "You really think that Stefan Salvatore is concerned about you? Because you slept with his brother?"

I feel Fred's eyes on me immediately when he hears this, and I pretend not to notice. My mind starts thinking about how Stefan just referred to himself in third person, only furthering my thoughts that something is wrong. 

Stefan continues, "No one cares that much about you, Alexia. You are still so naive."

Fred stands forward to defend me, "I care about her, as do all of us." Everyone pipes in to agree with Fred, making me softly smile at my friends being there for me. 

"You can't really care for someone you barely know. You've only scratched the surface with this one, I would know." 

I narrow my eyes at Stefan as I evenly retort, "We barely talked when I was in Mystic Falls, so you know nothing about me." 

Stefan starts cackling, radiating something truly evil, "But you see, I've been learning all about you for over a thousand years. I know you better than you know yourself."

My gaze hardens at his words, offended by his statement about him knowing me better than I know myself. It isn't until I look past that and realize what he said before about learning about me for a thousand years.

My entire body grows stiff with fear coursing through my veins as if it were blood. "Silas." My voice comes out shaky, remembering that Silas can appear as anyone. 

A smirk appears on 'Stefan's' face as he exclaims, "Correct! I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner all things considered." I quirk my eyebrow up at the last part, wondering what he means by all things considered. 

Slowly, things start making sense, like how he was able to appear here at Shell Cottage. I find some courage as I make a demand. "Show me your real face." As he chuckles again, I look at everyone with a concerned look evident on my face and warn them, "Get back, Silas is an extremely dangerous immortal being who is even older than me."

Heeding my advice, everyone in the room backs up slightly, except for Fred who stands confidently to the right of me and slightly behind. 

Silas' voice fills the room, "This is my real face." I widen my eyes at this, not realizing that there must be another doppleganger line out there existing of Stefan, or well Silas, look a likes.