Author's Notes:

These characters belong me (H, the author) and are not to be reproduced without my permission. If you do so, I will find you and I will destroy you.

These characters have lived an amazing life on RP forums (currently on a JCINK platform called Tempest Harbor, if you're interested in reading more about their lives there), but it's time that they had their own complete story that pulls back to their origins based on the lore from TVD.

Please enjoy each tale – new characters will be introduced in coming chapters. For now, enjoy one of my favorite characters (if not my favorite character of all time), Sebastian Devereux, as his story begins with a deal made with a southern belle that you'll learn more about soon.

R&R is absolutely welcome! Please be constructive in your comments if possible. I'd love more ideas on how to improve!

Ah, the sweet nectar of blood first thing in the morning.

His lips lapped up the heavy, dark fluid as it dripped onto his tongue. It was enough to remind him of a dog hitting up its water dish at dinner time. Not that he cared what he looked like; appearances weren't important at a time like this.

"Um…excuse me? Mr. Devereux? Are you about finished?" The woman's questions were breathy as she watched as Sebastian practically mauled her friend with his fangs.

"Mmhmm. Why? Are you next, Princess?" Sebastian cooed in her direction, his hands running up her leg as he reached around to grab her.

That was when the pounding started. The screaming followed. And Sebastian knew that his time was up. His assistant was going to have him by his balls if he didn't let her into the apartment.

"Jesus Christ, you over slept by two hours and now I have to clean up the mess that you're making?! I hope to God you're giving me the biggest bonus this year, because if you're not, I'm really going to quit this time!"

The petite blonde walked into the room dressed in a full business skirt suit. It was perfect for the managerial attitude that she exuded. Molleigh Lovedahl was a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Sebastian Devereux was one lucky son of a bitch to have her by his side.

"Party is over ladies. I need to steal the man of the hour before he does something you'll both regret." Molleigh flipped on the lights in Sebastian's bedroom, keeping her eyes covered, and tossing him a towel. "Clean your ass up, Sebastian and get rid of Bimbo #1 and Bimbo #2. We have work to do. I'll be set up in the office."

"Hello to you too, Barbie." Sebastian muttered. It didn't take him long to clean up and compel the two women out of his apartment. He was fixing his red tie as he walked into the office and perched on the desk next to Molleigh.

"You have a way with your words, you know." His grin couldn't have been wider. Out of all the people in the world, there was only one little human he could trust. Fuck everyone else. Molleigh had been all he needed since his time in Chicago.

"Listen, doll face, we have a conference call with Microsoft in an hour and a megaton of paperwork to fill out prior to our appearance at the party. Rumor has it that there is going to be a special someone trying waiving her derriere in our faces tonight. I just hope we can snap the right Polaroid and get a huge payout for it."

His business as a public relations specialist hadn't developed out of pure luck. In his two hundred years of life, Sebastian had learned a thing or two. If you wanted to make money, you had to find a way to do it, and exploiting people with their own weaknesses was right up his alley.

"Fine, fine. Give me the first stack. Did you bring any Cheetos with you, Shortstack?" Sebastian finished fastening his cuffs as he spoke.

"That depends. Who's your favorite assistant?"

They walked into the ballroom gracefully. By the skin of their teeth, Molleigh and Sebastian had finished their "to do" list without too much fuss. Molleigh even had time to cat nap on the sofa before Sebastian demanded that she help him perfect his appearance prior to leaving his penthouse estate. Things were shaping up to work in their favor, it seemed.

"Do you have the camera ready?" Sebastian asked as he took a sip of scotch out of the glass he had been offered.

"What do you think?" Molleigh quipped back, adjusting her dress. "Of course it's ready. Although next time, I vote placing it in your crotch so you know how uncomfortable this feels."

Sebastian heard her complaints but chose to ignore them. Their target had to be lurking somewhere around the party.

"Ah ha!" Molleigh cried, pointing toward the center of the ballroom. "There's that bitch. She's going to put those boys away wet, wouldn't you say?" Molleigh's lips twisted into a smile and Sebastian's eyes darted toward where her finger pointed. In the center of the room danced a local celebrity – a daughter of one of the richest businessmen in the state. Sebastian hadn't been able to say no when he'd gotten a tip that she'd been fooling around behind her husband's back. He had a few tricks up his sleeves and so did his assistant.

It was a good thing he was so devastatingly handsome.

"So…shall we start this shit show, or what?" Molleigh laughed after she asked her question, her feet pulling her toward the dance floor. She was moving the boys out of the way quicker than Sebastian could think. He had been right to tell her to wear that pushup bra.

"You removed my face from the photo right?" Sebastian rubbed his hand through his dark hair as he sat in the back of the limo with Molleigh.

"Of course I did. But I didn't get your package out of it. I'm sure everyone on the west coast is going to know what your lower half looks like by noon tomorrow."

Sebastian just shrugged as he relaxed in his seat. Joe was his driver tonight, and he knew Sebastian's routines better than Sebastian did himself. The car was pulling up to the hotel before Sebastian even asked where they were going.

"Well boss, I'm afraid I need to call it quits tonight. I'll be standing in on a meeting with Apple to talk about the meeting with Microsoft at 8am and then I have pole dancing classes in the afternoon."

Sebastian's eyes widened at her admission. "Molleigh, I don't need you to educate me on your personal life. I understand that we're quite close, but talking about your career choice alarms me."

His assistant leaned out the door as he exited the vehicle. "You'd better be careful what you say about it, boss. Next time, I'll show you a move or two if you're lucky!"

Sebastian chuckled and waived his hand as the limo moved away from the curb. Molleigh was something else, wasn't she? He loosened his tie and lingered in the lobby of the hotel for just a moment. Sebastian wasn't quite ready to enjoy another night alone in the penthouse. He'd been banned from the bars in the area due to the high influx of hunters. Molleigh wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let him die on her.

The small hotel bar seemed to be quite empty upon his inspection. With a shrug, he gave himself a mental 'why the hell not?' before he walked into it. The bar stools were relatively unoccupied, so he made that his target rather than a table in the back. He was only staying for a drink or two anyway.

Scotch was his favorite drink, and on the rocks? Even better. It was the only thing that had ever been able to keep the ebb of his humanity from driving him over the edge into a world of insanity. One day, Sebastian knew that it would be turned off completely and he'd throw himself right back into being a blood thirsty animal. Sebastian, although not the most respectable vampire in the world, was not a fan of the carnal version of himself that he became without his humanity. Too many screams lingered in his nightmares from when he was much younger.

He didn't bother striking up a conversation with the bartender. What was the point? They didn't remember their patrons as well as they claimed. He did tip well, however. And just about everyone knew who he was anyway.

"Well, well. Look who we have sittin' here! You're lookin' mighty fine, Sugar!" The smell of her perfume hit his nostrils before he heard her voice. Sebastian's eyes lowered as he placed his glass back up to his lips. This was bound to be a fruitful conversation if he had to guess.

"I was just lookin' for you. Tried to call that assistant of yours, but I think she's rather territorial when it comes to your business. Where have you been keepin' yourself?" Sebastian saw her boobs before he saw her face. It wasn't necessarily a bad view, but it was definitely how the girl the attention of those around her. "I got a job that I need some help with. You think you can do me a favor?"

"I guess that depends. You going to tell me where you've been keeping your sister?"

"Now, that's just not fair, Mr. Devereux. You and I both know that Caroline has repaid her sins. She didn't mean nothin by it – we was just tryin' to make ends meet that month. Especially since Daddy was in the hospital and retiring from the business n' all." He raised an eyebrow at her excuses, especially now that her dialect was turning more southern.

"Drop the act, Lyra. I don't need you to pull all your tricks out of your bag."

Lyra shut her mouth before she started to speak again. She cleared her throat and sat up straight in her chair.

"Fine, Sugar. You know why I'm here. Some asshole put me on a hit list for stealin' something that I didn't steal. Normally, I'd have no problem with it – but goddamn it, I think I have a hit on my head!"

"Hmm. That's curious. And why do you need me?"

"I need to lie low, Sugar. You're the only contact I've got that can keep me under the radar."

Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, turning his gaze away from Lyra as if he wasn't interested.

"Listen here. I know where your ring is. Sure, Caroline was the reason you lost it to begin with, but I can get it back. My daddy didn't let me carry on the family business for nothin'."

She had caught his attention. His ring. His daylight ring. Lyra could get it back for him.

"And your sister. She'll be the one who delivers it to me once you get it."

Lyra gulped at the look on his face. Caroline was going to shit a brick when she found out the deal that Lyra made with the Devil.