Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

110. Hit Me Baby One More Time

"I still can't reach Bonnie," Matt said with a worried tone, as he and Riley drove towards the Grill.

"And Julian's still alive," Riley informed him bitterly. "So your plan to take Damon out didn't actually do you any favors."

"It was Stefan's plan," Matt clarified. "At least someone's trying to deal with our Heretic problem."

Riley rolled her eyes. "Stefan doesn't care about the Heretics, Matt. He has something against Julian – it's personal for him."

"It's personal for all of us," Matt shot back.

"Yeah," Riley agreed softly. "By the way, Bonnie's with Enzo... which is probably why she isn't answering."

Matt screwed up his face in confusion. "Enzo? What the hell is she doing with him?"

"I didn't ask," Riley shrugged, peering at him. "Doesn't hating everyone around you get a bit tiring?"

"We're human," Matt reminded her. "We should be dead. But in spite of these people, we're alive. I'm just trying to keep it that way."

"I get that," Riley said as they pulled up outside the Grill and exited the car. "I'm just saying, not everyone is an enemy. There's a huge difference between trusting a Heretic and trusting the vampires that we've known for years."

"Is there?" Matt asked. "Because I don't see it."

When they walked into the Grill, they found exactly the same scene as the previous evening, in the school. The room was filled with compelled people staring blankly into space, complete with their own personal IV drips.

Straight away, Riley called her sister.

"Hey Care," she said, looking around the spooky room. "We need some help. How fast can you get to the Grill?"

Hearing the urgency in her voice, Caroline immediately dropped what she was doing, making it from Whitmore to the Grill in no time.

"What's with all the IV's?"

"Saline, to keep them hydrated," Matt answered. "Which you'd only need if you were gonna keep them here for a while."

"Which makes no sense," Riley cut in. "Why keep them here?"

Caroline shrugged, bending down to look at one of the compelled people in the face. Their expression didn't change.

"Maybe they're using them as human blood bags?" she offered. "It is thanksgiving soon, after all."

"Well, if that's the plan, they haven't started using them yet," Riley commented. "I looked all over, not one of them has a single bite mark."

"I found these in the trashcan," Matt offered, showing them a bunch of take-out containers. "There's salmon, steak... iron-rich foods. Probably to boost their red blood cell count."

Riley shrugged, trying not to show how disgusted she felt. "Do you think they make them eat it raw? After all, raw blood probably tastes better than cooked." She made a grossed-out face. "They're fattening up the cattle for slaughter."

With that statement, Caroline gagged, slapping a hand over her mouth and looking for the nearest bathroom. However, knowing that she'd never make it, she grabbed the trashcan behind her and threw up into it. Standing up, she avoided their eyes, giving the first excuse she could think of.

"I think I had an expired blood bag last night," she offered by way of explanation. "And then the talk of the food and the iron and the..." she felt a wave of nausea coming on and fought to keep it at bay. "Slaughtered cattle."