Into The Woods

Chapter Four: Knowing Is Three/Fourths The Battle

Once they're both settled on their blankets near the barrier, I sit down on my own blanket and let out a sigh. "Now that I've given you everything I don't know what else to do with my day. I skipped school already, and if I went in it would eliminate half my excuses as to why I missed in the first place."

Katherine tilts her head, eyeing me. "Have you tried what I told you yet?" That would be a big no, but I didn't wanna do it alone and everyone's been so busy lately...

Stefan tenses up, glaring at Katherine as if she told me to jump off a bridge or something lethal. "What did you tell her?"

Katherine glares back at him. "That's for Reyna to know."

I roll my eyes and turn to Stefan so he can calm down. "It's nothing dangerous, Stefan... at least, I don't think it is..." I don't know whether over-exertion can be a mental thing in this case, but I'd rather try it alone just in case.

Stefan calls my name, snapping me out of my thoughts. His expression and voice softens as he realizes he startled me. "What did she tell you?"

"That I should try to expand my feeling abilities and see if I can do anything else. But I haven't yet... I didn't wanna do it alone."

Katherine grins, sitting up straight and leaning towards me slightly. "We're here now if you wanna try." I let out a small laugh at her eagerness and nod. She lets out a little cheer in her excitement and even Stefan smiles for a second, even though he hates her.

After a second of the three of us staring at each other, Katherine breaks the tension. "Since none of us know what you are, let's start with what we do know... What can you currently do with your powers?"

"I guess I can sense danger... In a simple explanation that's what I can do. It's more of a feeling in my gut though. I get nauseous and sometimes dizzy when something bad is going to happen around me. It doesn't have to be directly affecting me, it just has to be close by."

Katherine stares at me wide eyed as she processes. "That's pretty intense... Have you always been like this?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I was on medication when I was younger because I complained of nausea all the time. It turns out one of my previous teachers was involved in illegal activities and was using the school as a base of operations."

I take a breath, ignoring the looks of concern they throw my way. "When we moved to Mystic Falls a few years ago, I started feeling better most of the time, and I was used to it anyway, so my Aunt took me off the meds."

Stefan nods in understanding, smiling at me. "You've known about things we can't explain since I first got here. Even if it wasn't convenient for us at first."

I snort at a memory from months ago. "Yeah, tell me about it. Imagine randomly getting sick to your stomach when walking around town only to later find out it was Damon eating someone. Not the best bonding moment."

Stefan cringes while Katherine lets out a loud laugh at the mental imagery. I shake my head with a fond smile. "It was a little awkward for a while, but it doesn't super bother me now. I mean, predators need food too. Besides, Vampires are helping with the environmental crisis by keeping the population in check."

"That's a weird way of looking at it, Reyna. You know that, right?" Stefan sends me a concerned look for the second time, but I brush it off with a small wave.

"Eh, pish-posh. When have any of us ever been normal?"

Katherine sobers a little. "She makes a good point, Stef." She turns to me and grins like a shark again, all teeth and predatory glee. "So, what are we gonna do to test your powers?"

I shrug my shoulders. "You wanted to know if I can sense if someone is lying to me, right? How do we do that?"

Katherine thinks about it for a minute before she turns back to me. "How about we just keep telling you things and slipping in subtle lies while you focus on that gut-feeling of yours. You can try to guess what the lie was."

I nod, trying to get what she's saying. "So, you want to play Two Truths and a Lie, basically?"

Katherine tilts her head to the side again. "What's that?"

"Never mind. Let's just do what you said." She nods at my words and I look at Stefan. "Do you wanna try too?"

He shrugs, leaning his shoulders against the wall behind him. "Sure, why not... I used to try on my mother's shoes when I was five, Elena and Katherine are the same in bed, and Damon snores like a freight train."

I didn't get a single inkling as to which one was the lie, but those are funny. I let out a small laugh. "It doesn't matter which the lie was, those were all really fun to imagine."

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Did you feel anything?"

"Nope!" I laugh again for a second before sobering a little and turning to Katherine. "Your turn."

"Stefan and I have slept together since I've been back, Damon is the little spoon," I get a small tingle in the back of my mind when she says this one. " ...and I have–"

I cut her off. "Damon's a big spoon."

She pouts, folding her arms over her chest. "Lucky guess." I smile and pass her another blood bag, which makes her smile and wink at me before she focuses on the blood.

Stefan waves to grab my attention. "What did it feel like?"

I shiver at the memory of what I felt. "Like the hairs on the back of my neck raised... but as if they were inside my skin." I don't know if I ever want to feel it again...

Stefan frowns. "That's... odd."

I scoff, rolling my eyes at his overly-simplified observation of the situation. "Yeah, tell me about it. It's weirder if you're the one feeling it." I glance at my watch and notice that my Aunt will be home soon with dinner. Looking back up at the vampires, I smile sadly. "Look, I've gotta get home, but I'll come back to keep you guys stocked up on whatever you need soon."

Katherine perks up a little. "Can you bring some chocolate next time?"

I nod, gathering my things into my duffel bag. "Yeah, of course. White, dark, or milk?"

She picks up one of the books and starts leafing through it, answering without looking up from it. "Dark."

"I had a feeling." I chuckle and turn to Stefan. "I'll see you soon, alright? And I'll bring you a journal next time I come."

He smiles softly at me, reaching out and taking my hand when I offer it. "Thanks, Reyna."

I step forward and he kisses the top of my head before I step back and pick up my duffel bag. "No problem. What else are best friends for?"

I turn and head for the exit of the ruins, making it back to my car without any problem other than getting stuck by a small thorn bush twice on my way through the woods. I'm just glad it didn't draw much blood. I'd hate to leave my scent near a tomb made to imprison vampires...