First Look: Janina Gavankar Joins The Vampire Diaries

Mystic Falls gets an infusion of fresh blood when The Vampire Diaries premieres on Oct. 3. Among the newbies: Tessa (True Blood's Janina Gavankar), whom executive producer Caroline Dries describes as "a beautiful and exotic self-assured woman who comes to town to rekindle an old flame."

Could she be burning for Stefan? Or is it Silas, who has assumed the younger Salvatore brother's form? Whoever it is, "Tessa has a definite flair for fun, but she has a tendency to hold a grudge," Dries warns. "You don't want to cross her."

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