Laura's POV
The aftermath of my little 'reunion' with Katherine at the Grill was playing out beautifully. Stefan was a coiled spring of anxiety, Damon was radiating an amused frustration, and Katherine was, by all accounts, doing exactly as I commanded: orbiting the Salvatores like a particularly venomous fly, distracting them with her mere presence and well-placed barbs. It was delightful.
My next step, however, required finesse. I needed a daylight ring. While I was an Original, centuries of daylight walking had taught me its tiresome limitations. The constant burn, even if minor, was a nuisance. And besides, appearing like every other vampire in town would only aid my deceptive play. And who better to provide such a trinket than Mystic Falls' resident witch?
I found Bonnie Bennett after school the next day, walking alone towards her car, her head bent in thought. Her aura pulsed with a raw, untapped power that made my ancient senses sing. She was truly formidable, a true descendant of the Salem witches. And utterly vulnerable to my kind.
"Bonnie," I called out, my voice soft, almost a melodic whisper.
She jumped, startled, turning to face me. "Laura? Oh, hey." Her eyes, usually so guarded, held a flicker of something close to fear. She felt my true nature, I knew. She was simply trying to comprehend it.
"I apologize if I startled you," I said, offering a charming, disarming smile. "I've been meaning to speak with you. I've noticed… a unique energy about you, Bonnie. A profound connection to something ancient. You're a witch, aren't you?"
Her eyes widened, defensive. "How do you know that?"
"I have a knack for sensing things," I lied smoothly. "Centuries of observation, you see. And I've always admired the Bennett line. Such strength. Such potential." I paused, letting my words sink in. "Which is precisely why I need your help."
Her brow furrowed. "My help with what?"
I stepped closer, my voice dropping, imbued with a subtle, yet undeniable compulsion. "I require a daylight ring, Bonnie. A simple piece of jewelry, enchanted to protect me from the sun. Your family has a long and storied history of creating such charms for those who… require them." My eyes held hers, unwavering. "You will make one for me. Without question, without resistance. And you will not speak of this to anyone. Not to Elena, not to Caroline, not to the Salvatores. No one."
Bonnie's eyes glazed over for a moment, her body stiffening. The struggle was palpable. Her magic flared, a desperate attempt to ward off my influence, but it was like a candle against a bonfire. She was strong, yes, but I was an Original. Her resistance, while admirable, was futile against my ancient will.
Finally, her shoulders slumped, and her eyes, though still troubled, held a dull obedience. "Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What… what do you need?"
A genuine, triumphant smile spread across my face. "Excellent. Just the materials. A lapis lazuli stone, a simple silver band. You know the rest. Have it ready for me by tomorrow night. And Bonnie? Make it beautiful. I appreciate craftsmanship."
I patted her arm gently, a patronizing gesture of false camaraderie. "Thank you, Bonnie. You've been a great help. You'll forget our little chat, won't you? Just remember you feel a sudden, inexplicable urge to craft a beautiful ring for yourself. Something… protective."
I walked away, leaving her standing there, her mind already beginning to rewrite the encounter. A wicked, mischievous laugh bubbled in my chest. Oh, this was going to be fun.
Bonnie's POV
I was walking to my car after school, still feeling off from the general tension in town. The Mikaelsons' arrival had amped up the supernatural energy, and my magic was buzzing constantly. It was exhausting.
"Bonnie," a voice called out, soft and melodic, making me jump. It was Laura. The new girl. I'd felt something weird about her since she arrived, something ancient and powerful, like nothing I'd ever encountered.
"Laura? Oh, hey," I said, trying to sound normal, but my gut clenched.
She came closer, and I felt that familiar, heavy aura of power around her. It pressed in on me, making my own magic feel small and contained. "I apologize if I startled you," she said, her smile charming, but her eyes… they were too old, too knowing. "I've been meaning to speak with you. I've noticed… a unique energy about you, Bonnie. A profound connection to something ancient. You're a witch, aren't you?"
My heart pounded. How did she know? I tried to hide it. "How do you know that?"
"I have a knack for sensing things," she said, stepping closer. "Centuries of observation, you see. And I've always admired the Bennett line. Such strength. Such potential. Which is precisely why I need your help."
My blood ran cold. "My help with what?"
Her voice dropped, and suddenly, it was in my head, not just my ears. It wasn't loud, but it was undeniable, a subtle force pressing down on my mind. I require a daylight ring, Bonnie. A simple piece of jewelry, enchanted to protect me from the sun. Your family has a long and storied history of creating such charms for those who… require them. You will make one for me. Without question, without resistance. And you will not speak of this to anyone. Not to Elena, not to Caroline, not to the Salvatores. No one.
I fought it. I tried to push back, to scream, to lash out with my magic. But it was like trying to stop a tidal wave with my bare hands. Her power was immense, crushing. It seeped into my mind, bending my will, twisting my thoughts. Desperation bubbled up. This wasn't like Stefan or Damon. This was an entirely different level of vampire.
My shoulders slumped. My magic, usually so eager to fight, felt suppressed, muzzled. "Okay," I whispered, the word tasting like ash. "What… what do you need?"
"Excellent. Just the materials. A lapis lazuli stone, a simple silver band. You know the rest. Have it ready for me by tomorrow night. And Bonnie? Make it beautiful. I appreciate craftsmanship."
She patted my arm, a false, sickening gesture. "Thank you, Bonnie. You've been a great help. You'll forget our little chat, won't you? Just remember you feel a sudden, inexplicable urge to craft a beautiful ring for yourself. Something… protective."
She walked away, and I stood there, shivering, my mind a swirling mess. A daylight ring. For myself. Something protective. The words repeated in my head, a strange, new thought. It felt like my own idea, but… it didn't. There was a nagging feeling, like a forgotten dream, that something had just happened, something terrible. But I couldn't grasp it. I just knew I needed to make a ring. A protective one. And it had to be beautiful.
Damon's POV
Katherine was proving to be an even bigger headache than usual. She'd spent the entire day at the Grill, fluttering around Stefan and Elena, making passive-aggressive comments, and generally just being… Katherine. It was a classic move, but the sheer tenacity and lack of her usual cunning purpose behind it made me suspicious. She was being a puppet, and I knew who held the strings. Laura.
I watched her from across the Grill, nursing my bourbon. She seemed… off. Like she was going through the motions. And then, I saw her glance around furtively, almost like she was looking for a sign from someone. My eyes followed her gaze, scanning the crowd. No Laura. She was probably enjoying the show from the shadows.
"She's unusually committed to this particular charade," Elijah remarked, suddenly appearing beside me. He had a way of doing that.
"Indeed," I said, not looking at him. "Almost like someone compelled her to be here."
Elijah's brow arched subtly. "A compelling thought. But who would possess such power, and such… inclination, to control Katerina in such a manner?" His gaze held mine, a silent question.
"I think we both know the answer to that, don't we, Elijah?" I countered, taking a long swig of my drink. "Our long-lost sister has a flair for the dramatic. And for vengeance."
"Vengeance?" he mused. "Or perhaps, merely a playful manipulation. She always did enjoy a well-orchestrated scheme. And she's certainly distracting Stefan from our other concerns." His eyes drifted to where Klaus was now laughing loudly with some humans.
"Which concerns, exactly?" I prompted, though I knew what he meant. Elena.
Elijah simply offered a knowing look. "The very same that have always drawn us, Damon. The doppelgänger."
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Matt: "Dude, you gotta come to the school. Bonnie's acting super weird. She's talking to herself about making a ring or something. Looks totally out of it."
My eyes narrowed. Bonnie. The witch. And Laura. A daylight ring. Damn it.
"Well, speaking of distractions, it seems our dear Laura is expanding her operations," I said, showing Elijah the text. "Bonnie Bennett. The witch. Laura wants a daylight ring. She just compelled Bonnie to make her one."
Elijah's eyes widened, a flicker of genuine surprise and concern. "Compelling a Bennett witch… that is a bold move. And quite revealing of her intent. She truly wishes to blend in, to become part of the fabric of this town, while maintaining her power."
"Or she just wants to be able to walk around during the day while she works on her 'deeper understanding' of Elena's blood," I growled, pushing off the bar. "She's playing us, Elijah. All of us."
"Perhaps," Elijah conceded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But then, that is what Mikaelsons do best, isn't it? Play games."
I rolled my eyes. "Some of us prefer less… ancient forms of entertainment. I'm going to the school. See what she did to Bonnie."
Jeremy's POV
I was trying to study at the library, but it was impossible with all the drama. Elena was freaking out about Katherine being back, and Bonnie was acting super weird. I'd just seen her talking to herself, almost, outside the school. She looked totally zoned out.
I walked over to her. "Bonnie? Are you okay?"
She jumped, looking disoriented. "Jeremy! Oh. Yeah. Just… thinking. I suddenly have this really strong urge to make a ring. A special ring. For… protection." Her voice sounded off, a little distant.
"Protection from what?" I asked, confused.
She frowned, like she couldn't quite remember. "I don't know. Just… a feeling. I need lapis lazuli. And silver. I have to go get them." She turned, almost walking into a wall, before correcting herself and heading towards her car with a strange, determined focus.
I just watched her, completely freaked out. What the hell was going on with Bonnie? First Katherine, then the new Mikaelson family, now Bonnie acting like a zombie. This town was officially cursed.
Laura's mischievous streak is in full swing, and Bonnie is now her unwilling artisan. How will the Salvatores and Originals react to this new development, and what further plans does Laura have for her daylight-enabled chaos?