We'll Go Down In History

Chapter 52

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! 

*****

Lizzie's pov

It's Stefan Salvatore. In the flesh.

I stare at him and his pushed-back hair, his suit and the black shoes he wears.

"You know my name," Stefan points out to my mom.

"Um," my mom says, unable to speak at the shock of seeing her dead husband sitting right in front of her. "I..."

"We heard your drunk friends slurring out your name as they trudged around the club like the imbeciles they are," Hope says in a harsh and cool tone.

"Drunk?" Stefan turns his attention to Hope. "It's Prohibition, sweetheart. Drinking is illegal. You wouldn't be suggesting that I'm a man who breaks the law, would you?"

"I can smell the alcohol on your breath, sweetheart," Hope scoffs. "Run along and leave us alone, won't you?"

I glance at Hope's face, wondering if her response to this situation can be used as clues so that I can figure out who she is. The shock that was visible on her face up until seconds ago, suggests that she knows who Stefan is. At the same time, the whole lax attitude she possesses, the way she scoffs and looks at him in a condescending way, can't help but lead me to think that she sees Stefan as a joke.

Stefan watches Hope for three long seconds, then smiles at the floor, as if he knows something that we don't.

"See, now you've hurt my feelings," he says. He suddenly lifts his eyes up, like he's decided on something.

"Out!" Stefan shouts to no one in particular.

The music around us dies down. People stop dancing, and look our way confusedly.

"Everybody out," Stefan repeats.

Roughly two dozen people begin to move for the door. Their eyes are glazed over, and it doesn't take a genius to realize they've already been compelled to obey. The other people are either unwillingly pushed out the door by the compelled crowd, or begin to leave of their own accord, unsure as to what is happening.

"Not you four," Stefan says to two young men and women who were about to leave.

One of the men and one of the women have been compelled, and the others have not. The compelled humans pull their hesitant dates down towards us, and sit themselves on a couch a few feet away.

"Jeanine, what are you-"

"Shh," the compelled woman tells her husband.

Ignoring the four humans, Stefan looks to me, Hope, and my mom.

"Allow me to formally introduce myself. Stefan Salvatore," he extends his hand forward.

Hope doesn't take it, because apparently, she considers herself to be above the likes of Stefan. My mom is still too much in shock to be able to move.

So I take his hand. Stefan flashes me a devilish grin, causing my stomach to churn.

The 1920s... I've learned about this era in supernatural history class, but not in full detail. I know that the Mikaelsons tore up a few towns here and there, as usual. I also know that these were Ripper Stefan's glory days. My mom never told me much about the 20s, so I have to assume that things were bad for Stefan in this period of time.

Still... This is Stefan Salvatore. I mean, come on! How 'bad' could things have possibly gotten? Stefan's a saint, after all. I'm sure the rumours I've heard about Ripper Stefan are all exaggerations, anyway.