Our Demons {Kai Parker Book 1}

chapter forty-four: In Which She Confronts the Liars

They felt that something was wrong the moment she entered the room. 

Ria promised herself to remain calm despite the betrayal. She knew to show any emotion regarding Kai Parker would feed their biases.

She was a child, she was confused, this wasn't good for her, she didn't know any better, she should trust them-- Damon was very vocal about this and Elena's silence supported these arguments.

Stefan gave her a reassuring nod and stood with crossed arms in the corner of the room.

"Glad to see you've returned from your casual outing."

"Emphasis on casual" Stefan retaliated with a hardened stare towards Damon. He may not want Ria chasing after Kai but that didn't excuse everyone of lying to her.

"I'm not here to banter Damon. There's a problem- something that I should have dealt with. But I found out you tried taking care of it with some help."

Elena's throat ran dry as Kai's face flashed in her mind. She looked to Bonnie who shook her head, both denying the possibility that Ria could have found out what they did to the Siphoner.

Elena, Bonnie, and Damon were the only ones who knew what they did, and none of them were careless enough to tell her.

Damon clicked his tongue, "That doesn't sound like me. I wouldn't try, I'd do. And I wouldn't need help either."He shrugged showing his indifference and laziness, "You'll have to be more specific."

"Well, tell me if this sounds familiar; A certain siphoner from the Gemini Coven is back in the Prison World."

Damon gasped in a sarcastic tone, "Now, I wonder who could have done that?"

"Damon," Stefan warned with an angry glare. His brother matched his stare with hate pooling in his eyes, both determined to protect their friends and neither one willing to step down.

Ria laughed humourlessly, shaking her head in disbelief. "I've met cruel people Damon, but you are an entirely different breed."

"Better cruel than clueless," he snapped back, his icy stare defending himself. "I don't understand how you live with yourself, Emmers. How you can look in the mirror and not be disgusted by who you are."

"Damon,"

"No Elena," he turned to her and stopped her protesting. "She needs to hear this, get off that damn high horse. He's a murderer. He's obsessed with winning. He doesn't care about other people- their lives are worthless to him. He didn't change back then and he hasn't changed now. He deserves worse than prison, he deserves death."

"You don't get to make that decision," Ria growled out. "Not you, of all people. But then again, I'm not surprised, you'd kill a friend to make a point. You'd kill an unborn child in spite. You'd kill your own brother if it meant you got to live."

"Watch it Emmers, I might just kill you."

"See, I don't see what makes you qualified to call judgement. You've killed just as many, if not, more people than Kai. You've betrayed people, made them bleed and cry, if this is about what people deserve then Damon you aren't any better than Kai. Why do you get leniency?"

The room grew quiet.

Damon opened his mouth to retaliate but nothing came out, even Stefan turned to the ground in shame. Elena closed her eyes, knowing well that her Salvatore boyfriend had a history marked deep in violence and hate.

Ria turned to her cousin and forced her to face the lies she tried so hard to hide. "It's what he needs. That's what you told me, remember Elena? It's what he needs. It's what will help him heal. But I saw him, and he wasn't healing. He was dying. Tell me, why do I have to see the man I love- loved, in pain and crying and helpless and lost and dying, but you sit back with a glass of Bourbon, content that the man you love is safe, beside you and breathing? I poured my heart out to you. But you used me in that state of vulnerability."