Elena Gilbert's POV:
I woke up screaming.
Not out loud - I managed to trap it in my throat - but inside my head, the shriek was deafening.
There, on my wrist, was a jaguar.
Not a temporary tattoo or a drawing, but something that looked like it had been branded into my skin while I slept. It was intricate, detailed - a black jaguar with distinct spots, its body curled around my wrist, tail wrapping partially around the underside.
"This isn't happening," I whispered, rubbing at the mark furiously.
I'm not a girl who likes tattoos, I know about them, but find them all ugly, especially since my Dad has also explicitely made his views clear on how much he hates tattoos many times when seeing movies together.
I tried soap first, scrubbing until my skin turned red. The jaguar remained, watching me with unblinking eyes. Next came makeup remover, then hand sanitizer that stung like crazy.
Nothing worked.
The mark stayed, dark and perfect against my skin.
"Elena! Breakfast!" Mom called from downstairs.
Great. Just what I needed - trying to explain a mysterious tattoo to my parents. Dad would go into full doctor mode, and Mom would give me that disappointed look she'd perfected over thirteen years of parenting.
I pulled on a long-sleeved shirt, then thought better of it. Maybe they'd know what this was. Dad was a doctor, after all.
"Morning, honey," Mom said as I entered the kitchen. She was flipping pancakes, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Normal morning, normal Mom. Everything so perfectly normal it made my stomach hurt.
"Mom," I said, my voice shaking slightly as I extended my arm. "I woke up with this on my wrist. I can't get it off."
Mom looked up, her forehead creasing with concern. She examined my outstretched wrist, tilting her head.
"With what, sweetie?"
"This!" I pointed directly at the jaguar.
Mom's expression shifted from concern to confusion. "Elena, there's nothing there."
My heart skipped a beat. "What? No, it's right here!" I traced the outline of the jaguar with my finger. "A jaguar, curled around my wrist."
Dad entered the kitchen, newspaper tucked under his arm. "Morning, family."
"Grayson, look at Elena's wrist," Mom said. "She says there's a mark there."
Dad set down his paper and took my wrist, examining it with clinical precision under the kitchen light.
I watched his face carefully, waiting for recognition. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes - was it fear? - but then he shook his head.
"Your skin looks perfectly normal to me, Elena."
I pulled my arm back, staring at the jaguar that was so clearly visible. "You really can't see it? Either of you?"
They exchanged a glance - the kind parents share when they're worried about their kid but don't want to show it.
"Maybe you're just stressed," Mom suggested gently. "Founder's Day preparations, finals coming up..."
"I'm not hallucinating," I insisted, but even as I said it, doubt crept in.
Could I be imagining this?
"Eat your breakfast," Dad said, returning to his paper. "You'll be late for school."
I picked at my pancakes, appetite gone. Something was very wrong, and my inner compass - what my Dad called it, that feeling I'd had since I was little that warned me about bad situations - was spinning wildly.
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The school hallway buzzed with Monday morning chaos - lockers slamming, voices echoing off metal and linoleum.
I scanned the crowd for Caroline's blonde hair. She was always by the bulletin board before first period, organizing her color-coded planner for the week.
"Hey, have you seen Caroline?" I asked when Bonnie appeared beside me.
"Dunno, maybe she's sick?" Bonnie asked, adjusting her backpack. "Weird though, right? She was totally fine at Founder's Day committee yesterday."
That was definitely strange. Caroline Forbes had perfect attendance - she once came to school with a fever because she didn't want to miss a student council election.
"Maybe I'll call her after school," I said, distracted by the jaguar on my wrist. "Hey, Bonnie... can you see anything here?" I extended my arm.
Bonnie leaned closer, studying my wrist. "Like what?"
"Anything unusual. A mark, maybe?"
She shook her head slowly. "No... should I?"
My stomach sank further. If anyone would see something weird and believe me, it would be Bonnie. Her grandmother was always talking about supernatural stuff, and Bonnie had this weird sixth sense about things.
"Never mind," I mumbled. "Must be the light."
By lunchtime, I'd shown my wrist to five different people.
Matt had looked genuinely concerned about my mental health.
Tyler had rolled his eyes and walked away.
Each time, the result was the same: no one saw what was plainly visible to me.
I sat alone at a corner table, appetite gone, staring at the mark. It seemed to be getting more detailed - I could now see individual spots on the jaguar's coat that definitely weren't there this morning.
"Am I losing my mind?" I whispered to myself.
The bell rang, signaling fifth period - History with Mr. Tanner. I gathered my books and headed to class, keeping my wrist pressed against my side. Maybe if I stopped looking at it, it would disappear.
I reached History early and found Bonnie already at her desk.
"One more try," I said, perching on the edge of her desk. "Please, Bonnie. Look really carefully. It's right here - a jaguar mark, like a tattoo but not a tattoo."
Bonnie leaned in, her forehead wrinkled in concentration. For a second, I thought I saw something flicker in her eyes, but then she winced and rubbed her temple - one of those headaches she'd been getting lately.
"I'm sorry, Elena. There's nothing there," she said, sounding genuinely apologetic.
"But it's RIGHT HERE!" I insisted, pointing at the jaguar that was so clearly visible to me.
"What's right where?"
I hadn't noticed Lucien Winchester enter the classroom. He'd been absent for four days since his dad got sick, and now he was standing right beside us, looking at my outstretched wrist with curiosity.
"When did you get that jaguar mark?" he asked casually.
My head snapped up so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. "You can see it?"
Lucien's eyes widened slightly at my reaction, then darted between me and Bonnie. "Wait, you can't see it?" he asked her.
Bonnie shook her head, looking confused. "There's nothing there."
The relief that flooded through me was so intense I nearly cried.
I wasn't crazy. It was real. Someone else could see it.
"Caroline's absent today," I said quickly, pointing to the empty seat next to mine. "Would you... would you mind sitting with me today?"
I probably sounded desperate, but I didn't care. After a morning of questioning my sanity, finding someone who could see what I saw felt like finding water in a desert.
Lucien glanced at Bonnie, who shrugged. "Sure," he said, sliding his backpack off his shoulder. "If you don't mind, Bonnie?"
"No problem," Bonnie replied, though she gave me a curious look.
As Lucien took the seat next to me, Mr. Tanner walked in and started class. I immediately tore a piece of paper from my notebook and scribbled: "You really can see it? I'm not crazy?"
Lucien wrote back: "It's definitely there. How long have you had it?"
"Just appeared this morning. NOBODY else can see it. Not my parents, not Bonnie, not Matt."
"Has anyone acted strange when you showed them? Like they were pretending not to see it?"
The question caught me off guard. I hadn't considered that possibility.
"Not that I noticed. Why? Do you know what this is?"
"Not sure yet. Need to check something first. Don't show anyone else until we talk."
"Why not? What's going on?"
His last note made my stomach drop: "Some marks are only visible to certain people. Usually for a reason."
I stared at the words, a chill running down my spine. Before I could write back, Mr. Tanner's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Miss Gilbert, perhaps you'd like to share your note-passing with the class?"
I quickly covered the paper with my textbook. "No, sir. Sorry."
"Then I suggest you pay attention. The Civil War wasn't just fought on famous battlefields - some of the most strategic engagements happened right here in Mystic Falls."
I nodded, but my mind was miles away from local history. The moment the bell rang, I grabbed Lucien's arm and practically dragged him from the classroom.
"In here," I said, pulling him into the empty music room and closing the door. "Okay, spill. What do you know about this?" I thrust my wrist toward him.
Lucien ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. "I've seen something similar before. Not exactly the same, but... similar."
"Where?"
"In an old book. The mark looks like it might be connected to Aztec mythology - Tezcatlipoca, specifically."
"Tez-what-lipoca?"
"Tezcatlipoca. The Smoking Mirror. Associated with jaguars, night, and..." he hesitated, "sacrifices."
"Sacrifices?" I repeated, my voice rising.
"Look," Lucien said, his voice calm and measured. "I need to examine it more closely. May I?"
I hesitated, then extended my wrist. "Fine."
Lucien gently took my hand, turning it to examine the mark. The moment his fingers touched my skin, something impossible happened.
A jolt like electricity shot through me.
The world distorted like static.
And Lucien... Lucien wasn't just a boy anymore - he seemed to be made of twilight itself, light and darkness swirling together in perfect balance.
Behind him loomed a tall shadow figure, massive and imposing, with what looked like a helmet and cape.
But that wasn't all. I could see something standing beside me too - a woman who looked strangely familiar, watching me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.
I yanked my hand away with a gasp, and the vision vanished instantly. But something remained - a tangible energy filling the room.
It was overwhelming, like standing too close to a speaker at a concert, feeling the bass vibrate through your entire body.
I took an instinctive step back, my heart racing.
"Elena?" Lucien asked, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"
"I - I'm fine," I stammered, though I was anything but fine. "Just... static electricity or something."
What I'd seen made no sense, but strangely, I wasn't afraid - at least not of Lucien himself, despite seeing that - that thing in his place moments ago.
That gut feeling, my inner compass, was telling me two very clear things: the jaguar mark was bad news, but Lucien and that strange energy around him felt... safe.
Cold, but safe.
"Did you... Did something happen?" Lucien asked carefully, studying my face.
I almost told him about the strange things I saw moments ago, that made me feel even more crazy now than before, but something held me back. "No," I lied. "Just surprised me, that's all."
Lucien didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. "As I was saying, I think this mark might be connected to Aztec mythology. Specifically, a deity called Tezcatlipoca."
"So - I just wake up, and somehow I am marked, with the same mark that some fake ancient god worshipping people used to mark sacrifices? Do you realize how crazy that sounds?"
"Does it sound crazier than a mark only certain people can see?" Lucien countered gently.
I stared at him, unsure how to respond.
"Look, I'm not saying I know all that's happening," he continued. "I need to check some things first." He hesitated for a moment. "Would it be okay if I came by your house later today? I might have some books that could help us figure this out."
The request caught me off guard. "I... I'd have to ask my parents. They're pretty strict about visitors, especially on school nights."
Especially strangers.
"I understand," Lucien nodded. "Just let me know."
"But I still think there's a rational explanation for all of this," I insisted, needing to hold onto something normal.
"There is, it just might not be what people normally think rational." Lucien said, his expression serious.
I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted me.
"Just- until we know for sure, don't show the mark to anyone else. Especially adults in this town."
"Why not?"
"Because if I'm right about what this is, not everyone who can see it will have your best interests at heart."
The warning bell rang, signaling we had two minutes to get to our next classes.
"I have to go," I said, gathering my books. "Chemistry with Mr. Fell."
"Elena," Lucien called as I reached the door. "Be careful, okay?"
I nodded, then hurried to class, my mind spinning with jaguars, ancient gods, and visions that couldn't possibly be real.
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During last period, I caught Mr. Lockwood - who was supposedly visiting to talk about Founder's Day - staring at my wrist from the classroom doorway.
When our eyes met, he smiled gently before he quickly looked away, but I was certain he was looking exactly where the jaguar mark was.
'Did he... Did he see it?' I asked myself.
As I did Lucien's weird, cryptic warning flashed back in my mind: "Don't show the mark to anyone else. Especially adults in this town."
"Not everyone who can see it will have your best interests at heart."
The thought was crazy to me, but... I... I don't know, maybe it is paranoia, but I've never felt good around Mr. Lockwood. It's why I always offer for any group projects with Tyler involved to be at my house.
Tyler himself never protesting, being extremely eager for no one to visit his house for some reason...
I decided to keep my wrist hidden beneath my desk for the rest of class.
When the final bell rang, I gathered my things quickly, wanting nothing more than to get home and research this Tezcatlipoca thing.
As I closed my locker, Tyler Lockwood appeared beside me.
"My dad wants you and your parents to come to dinner tonight," he said without preamble, though I could sense a bit of tension in his voice.
"What? Why?"
Tyler shrugged, trying to make it casual, but it most certainly wasn't. "Something about the Founder's Day planning. Said it was important."
A chill ran down my spine as I remembered Lucien's warning again.
Before I could answer, I spotted Lucien across the hall, subtly shaking his head at me.
"Sorry, can't tonight. Family stuff," I told Tyler quickly.
Tyler's expression was oddly blank for a moment before he shrugged again and walked away.
I made my way to the school exit, trying to look casual while my heart hammered against my ribs.
In the parking lot, I spotted Lucien with two people I assumed were his siblings, a tall guy- Dean, and a beautiful dark-haired woman who had to be Katherine, his older sister who'd recently arrived in town.
Katherine had her hand on Lucien's head, stroking his hair in what should have been a normal gesture between siblings.
But something about it made me uncomfortable.
The way Lucien seemed to stiffen slightly under her touch, the possessive way her fingers lingered.
My inner alarm bells were ringing again - not as loudly as with the jaguar mark, but definitely noticeable.
I watched as Dean said something to Katherine, his expression carefully neutral. But even from a distance, I could sense the tension between them.
Dean was good at hiding it, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at his sister - distrust, maybe even dislike.
Katherine said something that made Lucien look in my direction. When our eyes met, she smiled, before finally the three got into the car with Dean driving away.
Leaving me to wait for my parents to pick me up, while my heart was hammering against my ribs.
What the fuck was going on?
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Yeah... What the fuck indeed is going on?
What do you guys think?
How did Elena get that mark? Why does she have it?
I'm interested in your thoughts.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)