The Salvatore Heir

The Truth

I walk into the school and I see girls crowding around Evie. She curls up into a ball as one of them kicks her in the stomach. Blinded by anger, I run toward them. "Get away from her." I shove one of them and I collect Evie into my arms. "If you ever touch her again, you'll regret it." She's healing slowly, and I take her into a handicap restroom. I rest her on the floor, but she coughs and blood comes out. "Evie. Are you okay?" She breaks down in tears. "Ricky..." She curls up in my arms and just cries. "Why haven't you compelled them? Or told someone?"

"I am not a coward." My face goes grave. "No. You aren't. Stay here." I walk out and the girls crowd the restroom.

"Get out of our way."

"No. Why do you want to hurt her?" She shoots me an evil grin. "Because it's fun." The hallways have all cleared out so I flip positions and she's against the door, my hand wrapped around her throat. "P-Please-"

"Go ahead. Beg for your life. That doesn't change the fact that you're a stone cold bitch and you always will be, Victoria." A guy turns down the hall. "Where is she?"

"Who?" I ask.

"Evie. Where'd you take her?"

"After these little sluts beat the crap out of her, I finally got to her."

"Who are you?"

"I'm her cousin, Ricky. Who are you?"

"I'm her boyfriend, Christian." I look at him, and he's staring back at me. I look Victoria directly in the eye. "You will never come near Evie again. If you even glimpse at her face, you'll stab yourself. Do you understand?"

"I understand." I compel the others then they go to class. "I guess they're finally compelled." I roll my eyes. "Evie told you."

"She turned me." I groan. "Great, just another issue." I head into the bathroom where she's against the wall now. "Ricky, what the hell did you do?"

"I compelled them to stab themselves if they even look at you."

"Holy hell. What's gotten into you?"

"Evie, we aren't six anymore. We both had to grow up." She gulps then looks at Christian.

"Are you alright?" He asks. "I'm okay."

"You can go to class. I got this."

"No, she's my girlfriend, I can handle this." I turn and shoot him the iciest glare I can muster. "Get. Out. I am her family." He walks out after muttering something about me being a dick under his breath.

"Ricky, why are you here?" She questions. I sit down next to her. "He's not who you think he is." She rolls her eyes. "Klaus has protected me for the last 8 years of my life, Ricky." I start laughing and she looks over at me. "What are you laughing about?" I turn toward her.

"Did Klaus happen to mention that he's going to sacrifice you on your sixteenth birthday to get Tatia Petrova back?"

"Who the hell is she?"

"Someone that you don't want to meet. Evie, I know you better than anyone. You're a natural born skeptic of anyone who's not your real family."

"He is my family."

"He is using you. Don't be so naive. That's what your Dad said yesterday."

"That I'm naive?" She shoots me a cold glare. "You don't get it, do you? We came here to bring you home, and obviously you're under his compulsion if you think for a second that your last name is not Salvatore, because that is who you are."

"Oh yeah? Prove it! Take me to my parents! Call them!" I take out my phone and dial his number.

"Hey Uncle Damon."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, we need some proof because obviously my word isn't enough for your stubborn ass daughter."

"Put it on speaker."

"Okay." I put it on speaker. "Hello?" I hear a sharp intake of breath. "Evie?" Tears pool in her eyes. "Daddy?"

"It's me, baby." I hear shuffling. "Evie, you have to listen very carefully," he says. "Under no circumstances will you tell Klaus or anyone that we're here. He will kill us. And I want you to suggest a masquerade ball for your birthday. That's the only way we can get in. It's by invitatation only, right?"

"Yeah."

"We need 10 invitations. Give them to Ricky. You have to trust us and go along with everything, okay?"

"Dad, I'm not going to leave here without someone."

"Who?"

"My boyfriend, Christian." He sighs. "Ricky, I know you can hear me. It's your job to get them both out without Klaus noticing." Evie starts thinking.

"Dad, we have to be really careful about this. You don't have to sneak Christian and I out from under just Klaus' nose. There are going to be hybrids there... A lot of them." I hear him mutter some profanity under his breath. "Thanks for letting us know. Don't worry. We'll figure out a way to get you out." My head shoots up. "I think I just thought of one. Evie can switch dresses and masks. If they can't recognize her, then they can't stop her from leaving."

"Good plan. Evie, go shopping after school. Leave one dress with Ricky, okay?"

"Okay." There's more shuffling. "Evie?" A tear slips down her cheek. "Mom?" I hear a sob from the other end of the line. "Hi baby. How are you?"

"I want to go home."

"You will, honey. We promise you. We'll get you and Christian home. We have to go now, okay? We'll see you next week."

"Okay." I hang up and put the phone back into my jacket pocket.

"All these years... They've been home?"

"No. We were all scouring the world for you." His phone rings. "Hello?"

"Hey Ricky... Umm... I'm outside Mystic High..."

"You're WHERE?!? Who are you with?"

"Uhh..."

"Sam, you better answer me."

"Your sister..."

"FARAH?!? Damn it Sam! Come inside the building!" He pulls me up. "Time for a little family reunion." We walk out when someone walks in. "What the hell were you thinking?!? You look almost exactly like your Mother, do you just think Klaus would've overlooked that?!?"

"Ricky!" I look over at Evie. "Who is that?" I step out of the way, and she sees her brother. "Evie?" A tear slips down her cheek. "Sam?" He runs at her and hugs her. I pick Farah up, and we start talking, about what I have no idea.

But it's good to feel like she's my family again.