Heliophobia (Teen Wolf/Vampire Diaries) [2]

33-The Gilbert Device

The Founder's Hall is plunged into darkness. Emergency lights on the floor flare up, illuminating the crowd's panicked faces. People are running and screaming through the Founder's Hall, making their way for the main entrance doors that lead to the parking lot. Already I can hear the faint sound of car engines running.

I spin around to find the source of the people's terror. There—I see him. A tomb vampire draining the life out of an innocent person. We should've known that we didn't get rid of them for good, that the others would mount one last final attack.

They've attacked before--The Mystic Grill and the shop in the center of town, and then again at the rave. But this time it's different. This time, they're out for revenge. Not petty killing for feast, but cold, hard vengeance. And it's our fault. The stakes are higher this time now that our loved ones are here. Mom, and Sheriff Stilinski, Caroline and Jackson. They're innocent people who have no part in this.

Stiles grabs my arms, jarring my thoughts. He pulls me to the ground as shots ring out. We cover our heads until it's over, and then I look up to see Sheriff Stilinski with his gun out, staring in disbelief. I whip my head around. The tomb vampire looks angry, but he casually pulls out the bullet from his arm and tosses it on the ground. He yells out in rage and rushes towards Sheriff Stilinski.

Suddenly a figure jumps in front of the sheriff: Deputy Forbes, gun in hand. She looks determined as she fires off round after round at the vampire. The first set of bullets hit him and he cries out in surprise and slumps to the ground.

Stiles and I exchange a look. Deputy Forbes had to have been shooting with wooden bullets, otherwise she never would've stopped him. She knows. Before we can dwell on it, the screams rise and Stiles pulls me to my feet.

"Scott!" I scream, searching through the dim light for my brother. There's more than one tomb vampire in here. I don't know how many were left, but there has to be a sizable amount if they're mounting an attack like this.

"Stiles!" We turn to see Sheriff Stilinski. "Get out of here. Take Emma and go!" Then he rushes off into the fray.

"Dad!" Stiles starts to go after him, a terrified look on his face, but stops when he loses sight of him in the crowd.

Despite the fear clawing at my own heart, for Sheriff Stilinski's life and our own, I gently take Stiles' hand. "Stiles, we have to go. We have to get my mom out of here." I don't see her anywhere, and I fear the worst.

"Yeah, yeah okay." Stiles says absentmindedly. Then he shakes his head and grabs my hand, pulling me through the crowd.

Every familiar face we pass by makes my heart break. These are innocent people who don't deserve to die—not in a brutal way such as this. Stiles and I surge through the crowd until we make it outside. The frigid air immediately turns my skin to goosebumps, but I don't falter. "Scott!" I call out, but there's no sign of him.

Then—there, I see a familiar face. I grab Stiles hand in mine once more and pull him with me. In a small clearing just behind some cars is Elena. She's crouching over a figure on the ground, Damon next to her.

"Elena!" I call out. She stands, turning around to see me.

"Emma. Thank God."

We reach her and Damon, and I look down at the figure on the ground. It's Stefan. "What happened to him?"

"We found him out here. He—he couldn't resist. The urge was too strong." Elena says quietly. I immediately know what she means.

"Did he kill anybody?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "No. It was Amber, and she's okay." Amber, the missing girl from the pageant. "Someone ran her to the hospital. We need to get Stefan out of here."