𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐀 | 𝐬. 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞

42

The slap echoes through the room and Elena cries out, stumbling away from the girl. Opening her wide, furious eyes, she looks at Athena incredulously, only to find her unwavering glare already on her.

"I'm going to kill you one day, Elena, I promise you that," Athena glares at the girl, her attention wavering only when a stiff knock echoes from the front door. She and Elena both shoot their gazes over to the hallway and Athena quickly turns and heads for the door, a small dagger already appearing in her hand.

Slowly opening the door with her left hand, Athena hides her knife-wielding hand behind the door, her grip slowly becoming slack on the grip when she sees the man standing on the stoop. Swallowing harshly, she swings the door open and drops her arm at her side. "Elijah?"

"Athena Hunt, correct?" Elijah smirks knowingly at her shock. "I think it's time we talk."

──────

"So we're fasting now? We're so pious,"

Stefan rolled his eyes behind his closed eyelids, not moving from his position on the stone slab. He didn't bother to give Katherine a response, but it didn't stop her from continuing to speak.

"How long have you actually gone without blood?" Katherine smirks, wrapping her fingers around the wrought-iron fence. "I know you get desiccation in theory, Stefan, but in reality, it's much worse."

"It can't be much worse than this," He opens his eyes, smiling passive aggressively at Katherine as she stands over him.

"Your heart still beats, struggling to pump whatever blood remains," Katherine trails her fingers down his exposed forearm. "And when it's gone, your veins rub together like sandpaper. It's excruciating,"

Stefan grabs her wandering hand and flings it off of his stomach, glaring up at her as he pushes himself upright. "The pleasure I'll get in watching you suffer is greater than any pain I'll ever feel."

Katherine huffs, smiling slightly at his words. "It's stuffy, and I've been in this dress for days," She smirks down at him, turning her back to him. "You want to help me get out of it?"

Stefan rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Not interested,"

"Oh, come on, Stefan," Katherine rolls her eyes. "Don't be such a grump. We're here together, we may as well make the best out of it."

She slips the black dress over her hips, turning around to face him as the fabric falls to the floor, leaving her in her bra and underwear.

Stefan doesn't respond, he simply lays back down and closes his eyes, making Katherine grit her teeth in irritation. "Come on, you really think they're in a rush to get you out? If Athena is at least half as smart as I was, she's taking the time to really get to know Damon."

Stefan smirks in genuine amusement at Katherine's attempts to rile him up.

"It's happened before, Stefan," Katherine lays a hand on his thigh, trailing her finger back and forth on his denim-clad leg. "A girl you love going for your brother, too."

Katherine leans over him, her hair falling over her face as she lowers her face to his. Right as she begins to purse her lips, Stefan sits up and shoves her away from him, slamming her into the tomb wall.

Katherine grunts at the display of strength that had admittedly taken her for surprise, but she quickly recovers and smirks down at Stefan. "You wanna take over?"

He ignores her antagonizing words and shifts, pressing his arm against her throat to cut her breathing off. Glaring into her brown eyes, he grits his teeth, anger coursing through him. "You don't get it, do you, Katherine? I don't love you anymore."