As for the GIF, just imagine Stefan as Valentine and Damon as Augustine. ;)

***

"Looking good, Saphira, you make one sexy vampire," Augustine cackles. My attempt to snap his neck was restricted by my mending bones - it still hurts like hell. I didn't know he could even do that. Damn them and their hidden powers.

I don't have many pet peeves, it's hard to tick me off, but when it's that one thing you hate the most, the impact is like a painful bite in the neck. Sugarcoating is one, repetition of noise is another, and kissing ass, well, that one's the worst.

I remember a man that tried to shower me with fake complements once and he never lived to see the next day. It was getting a little too much. Why bother saying something when you're just trying to get on my good side? So, imagine what I'm thinking when Augustine throws a very irrelevant comment at me.

I prop myself up on my elbows, not minding that I'm only in a lacey bra and underwear. I almost died, I could care less about it. Can't say for the two men staring down at me though, their gazes seem to have wandered from my face.

"It amazes me how insolent you are. I fail to see why you're here." I narrow my eyes. "I will not ask again, Augustine."

He sighs exasperatedly. "I came to be of help," he answers.

I grit my teeth and strain to really show my true emotions about this ordeal. "Whatever possessed you to make you come back here? I've known you for half a century and never did I see you care for anyone but yourself."

His hands curl over the marble counter I am lying on and I just now realize that we are in the kitchen with me suffering on the marble counter. What a convenient place to lie naked in. "You can't do this on your own. Just look at what would have happened if I was not here, both of you would be sleeping with the ancients and Datura would have consumed half of the kingdoms by now."

With his face close, I am able to reach him and I take that moment to grab onto his shirt and pull him down. I can see Valentine's amused look on the corner of my eye. "Don't even pretend that you're not on her side. You've kept her from me all these years."

"I only did that to prevent you from getting in contact with them. There is a time and place for everything."

"We both know that that is a complete lie," I scoff. I sit up and swing my legs over the counter to face Valentine. His eyes hold a deep and intimate look that makes my nerves dance wildly under my skin. He is quite a sight to behold after a suffering.

Augustine growls but I am unfazed by it. His nasty attitude isn't something new o me or anyone for that matter. "I may have lied to you in the past, but this is the truth."

"Truth is hard to come by these days," I mutter. I sigh deeply and drop my shoulders - I'm done, tired and ready to rest.

Valentine glides over to me and places his hands on my bare waist. I shiver but my body automatically pulls closer to his, wanting to be surrounded by his warmth. "You're exhausted," he breathes into my neck. "We'll talk with Augustine later, he'll be here a while. You need to rest."

I give him a confused look and he returns it with a feeble smile. "Augustine's presence is on me, I asked him to come."

With a raise of the brow I protest. His hand sweeps the wild hairs that covered my face and cups my cheek. His actions proved to be loving and close - I want more of it. I want him. "Really? Do you both have to do that with me here?" I hear Augustine whine behind me. I roll my eyes and wished for him to depart.

Valentine chuckles deeply. "Then get out."

I smirk and we wait until Augustine has left the kitchen. This is the most impractical place to be intimate with each other but I don't care at all. His eyes roam my face and lock with my own. I can see excitement whirl in his irises and lust drip from his lips.

"How are you feeling?"

I bite my lip. "Sore, but I'll live, I am half vampire, you know."

"I know, sometimes it just seems like your aren't, like you're almost human," he confesses.

"Humans are an incredible race."

"They also taste incredibly good." He flashes his sharp fangs and chuckles mischievously. He winks and a quick flash of heat courses through my body starting from my core. He couldn't drink from me again, could he? He could die, but what would be more pleasurable than a bite and a little something more?

"Did you miss me?" I tease and place my arms on his shoulders. My legs are on either side of him and he strokes them with his warm hands, arousing me even more. Damn, I haven't done this in a while.

He inches himself closer until our lips are only centimeters apart. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I stare longingly at his lips and I lick my own to light a small fire between our emotions and sexual drive. He pushes himself to kiss me but I turn my head and our lips brush lightly. He growls as an indication of disappointment and I look down at the floor to transition to a different topic.

"When were you planning on telling me that Datura is trying to poison the waters?" I ask to break the awkward silence we were swimming so deeply in.

He blinks once and stays quiet for a moment but seems as if he is adamant about telling me something. Maybe this isn't the time to, because I am completely exhausted, but, I would like to know more about Scarlett, now that I know of Datura's plans. We're playing an endless game of chase.

"I was going to tell you when we were there, but I wasn't sure what control she had over you. With your connection, she could have easily gotten its location from you and used you to enter its premises," he says quietly.

Somehow, I feel depressed at his answer. Regardless of what we do and what we try to prevent, things happen for a reason and it's inevitable. Maybe, Datura is meant to corrupt the stable government and maybe I am meant to be Queen. What will this mean for all of us? Will we have to bow down to one King? Will we start an even bigger war?

"She still plans on having me lead her to the cove," I mutter with a raspy voice. Although nearly impossible, I have an odd feeling that either she or someone like her will intervene when the treaty is renewed.

He shrugs and pushes himself closer to me, letting me feel the small amount of warmth in his chest. "Good, then she'll never get there. Even with her power, she'll be unable to enter."

I pull away from the comfortable position we were in. This war has never been so personal until now, now that I have tasted her hatred and her vanity. "Could she use me to get into the cove? Is that possible?"

He is struck for a moment trying to think of valid explanation. "I'm not an expert in the incantations around it, but she couldn't possibly use another's intentions to enter what is sacred. The ancients would have been smart enough to prevent even that."

"I sure hope that's the case," I mutter under my breath. Even if it's impossible, it feels as if it's going to go down sooner or later. Nothing can be that secure.

"Let's not worry about it now," he softly says. "For now, you need to rest."

I nod and he picks me up into his muscular arms. My head rests perfectly against his chest and neck and I breathe him in slowly. Cologne mixed with his own essence and sweat make the most sensual smell.

Valentine carries me to a bedroom where he lays me so gently in the bed. As a vampire, I seldom feel cold and it never bothered me anyway, but goosebumps manage to riddle my skin as he lays me down. Valentine hovers over me and my heart starts beating fast. I grab his shirt and pull him closer. He looks straight into my eyes and I feel as if he is staring right into my soul.

Stay with me, I whisper in my head. I want him to read my mind, I want him to know why I've been stalling him. He needs to know that I really am not too exhausted to have fun and to have our skins touch. I don't care if I can still feel the repercussions of Datura's onslaught.

I place my hand on his chest and feel a small bump underneath the fabric. I trace its outline before partially unbuttoning his shirt, which causes Valentine to gulp deeply. His warm and soothing fingers are massaging my side, sending shivers up and down my body.

"Why isn't it healing like it should?" I ask, referring to the pale scar on his chest.

"The dagger was special, it was dipped in what we call 'devils tears.' It is the same liquid that was in the bullet Chelsea shot you with, the only thing that can kill a royal vampire. The concoction itself is hard to come by, half of it is the pure and undiluted blood of mermaids and the other half is venom from a royal vampire mingled with dark magic," he explains, just precisely enough that it's clear to understand. "It's hard to survive devil's tears but the dagger didn't quite make it's way to my heart, it did take a few days to heal, though."

I shake my head, the last sentence was the only few words that actually stuck in my mind. "No, I was only gone for a few hours, not days."

His hand makes its way to my neck. "You were gone for four days, we weren't sure you were coming back."

"It can't be, I clearly remember not being there for even an hour, unless Datura slowed down time in the Forrest."

He grits his teeth and shakes his head. There it goes, mood gone. "No, Datura isn't strong enough to alter time. There is only one person that can do that and he's dead - I killed him myself."

"Lucius," I reply dryly and Valentine's body becomes rigid.

He growls angrily. "He's alive, isn't he?"

I didn't want to acknowledge in fear that he might just explode everything around us and reprimand me for not telling him sooner. After much hesitation and self-doubt I give him a definite answer.

Valentine's eyes turn dark and hollow. "Stay here, I need to find Augustine. I'll be back soon."

Augustine? Why him? Had they not sworn to hate each other till the end of time? Is there really value in having him here, other than mending bones and being an absolute pain?

And without another word, I am left to stare at an empty space, as Valentine had transported out of the dark bedroom. I scowl in disappointment and fall back into the bed with a heavy sigh. It's getting harder to think of a day where I don't see Valentine, I'm getting used to having him around.

After fighting to stay awake to wait for him, I soon fall asleep under the heavy sheets, dreaming of nothing but darkness.

***

As I peek out the window, the remainder of sunlight diminishes just below the horizon, letting me know that I've already had a full day of sleep. I've been awake for quite some time - pacing, thinking and ridding myself of my own blood that was caked so thickly in my hair and skin.

Luckily, Augustine was here to mend me or else I wouldn't be breathing. I'm thankful, but that does not mean I forgive him. I don't even know what came over me to actually be with him all those years ago. I'm glad it's over, it all seems like a bad dream now.

Getting these second chances at life is definitely making me rethink about my decision to die. The longer I say alive, the longer I want 5 stay in this world. The longer I stay with Valentine the more I want to keep living, the more I want to be by his side.

I open a window and a small breeze enters the room making my skin shiver in delight. I love the cool wind against my face. My mind is blank, like the sky, as I put decent clothes on to find the two conflicted brothers. I also prepare to run into others in this castle, who knows who else is around, we are at war after all. Everyone who's anyone should be here.

I walk out into the open hallway and cringe at how eeriely silent it is. I was expecting a more vibrant ambiance and people running amuck. I make my way toward the library which is the only path I can remember. Maybe, Vladimir can help me ease my mind about some things. I can also read more about Scarlett and what makes her so secretive.

Sometimes, you don't need to think when you wander in a large space, you just need to let your mind run free, like your feet. I pass a couple of maids and a Butler during my journey through the halls and I come across not one royal.

"Welcome back, Saphira, I was beginning to miss you, darling." Amaryllis glides over to me in a royal blue dress that flows like endless rivers under the midnight sky. I glance down at her feet, which are bare and braving the cold of the marble floor. Once again her stark white hair is in contrast with what she is wearing. She looks more a witch today than the two times I've met her.

"Who didn't miss me?" I joke. Of all the people that I have met throughout my life Amaryllis is the only one that I have connected with the fastest. It could be because she is technically my aunt.

She pulls me in for a hug and my face gets buried in her voluminous wavy hair. "Thank you, Ari," I say softly and begin to take the necklace off to return to her.

"No, no, don't take it off," she halts me suddenly and I stop to ask her. She doesn't allow me to speak but explains instead. "It's yours."

I curl my fingers around it and feel a powerful spell circulate it. She winks at me and links my arm with hers, tugging me to an unknown place in the castle. I feel young and wild - her behavior and attitude is quite contagious. Or she could have caused me to be happy.

"Have you seen Valentine?"

"I knew you would ask me that," she giggles. "I saw him and Augustine in the basement earlier. I've no clue where they are now."

"I thought you knew everything?"

"Almost everything."

We both snicker as we approach a set of large doors with footmen on each side as chaperones. I'm pretty sure footmen should always be serious looking but these are not, they look to be nervous - frightened even. I face one and hold my chin up. "What's going on?" I ask him.

He gulps and breaks an intense stare with the opposite wall to quickly glance down at me. His actions have me rattled and I crane my head to focus on the voices behind the wall.

Low voices.

A fierce and cold growl.

Hissing, then the sound of clattering.

Silence.

I bite my lip hard before kicking the door open. The wood and precious material cracks and bursts but it remains in the air and floats. You can see each shattered fiber as we walk forward.

I walk into the large room and spot two equally strong and equally angry vampires in a dangerous standoff with all objects in the room floating in mid-air

Our presence does not hinder neither their stance or their quarrel, it actually worsens it. I give Ari a confused look and she seems to not be fazed by it, maybe she's just used to it.

"What's happening, Ari?"

"They have powers equivalent to an atomic bomb, I'm pretty sure they're both trying to kill is all."

I take another step forward and call out to them to stop but it was no use. It wasn't until I was within an arms reach that they stop and look at me.

**

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