𝟐• 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 | 𝐓𝐕𝐃

SIX

"'Rel, you're not safe. Tripp's men have your name." She raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're here to protect me?" She asked. "Well, just a reminder, I have magic, and I'm a vampire. I don't need your help, but more importantly, I don't need it." Her phone suddenly rang, and she answered it. "Aunt Liz, can you give me a second? I'm trying to swat away a fly." She said, staring at him.

"Actually, sweetie, this can't wait. Do you have any idea where Tripp Cooke might be?"

"No, I have no clue. Why?"

"One of his men just ran me off the road, and they're gonna kill me if they don't get him back." Her eyes widened in horror.

"Okay, Aunt Liz, please, whatever you do, do not tell Caroline this."

!

"Enzo, answer your phone right now!" Aurelia exclaimed, keeping the phone down. She groaned. "I promised that I'd meet up with her today, but I canceled, and of course, this happens."

"Well, don't worry. We're almost there." Stefan said, his eyes on the road.

"Almost there?" She asked. "You said to kill Tripp after two hours. Do you even remember how long ago you set that?" Her phone rang. "Please tell me that Tripp is still alive."

"Tripp is still alive. Surprisingly torture resistant, but still alive." She let out a breath.

"What took you so long to answer the call?"

"My fingers were covered in blood, and the touch screen wouldn't work." She rolled her eyes.

"Just don't kill him. One of his guys took my aunt slash mother figure, so don't touch him until I get Aunt Liz back, okay?"

!

Aurelia walked into the cabin with Stefan. Her eyes moved to see Matt, before looking at Tripp in surprise. "Hello, gorgeous." Enzo said.

"Ugh, dear God, what did you do to him?" She asked, making a disgusted face at the man's state.

"Oh, he's fine. Just a little blood loss." Enzo observed. "I think he may have an iron deficiency problem."

"Knock it off, her aunt's life on the line." Stefan said.

"Hang on." Enzo said, raising his hand to tell them to stop. He looked at Stefan. "Just so I'm clear: All dear 'Lia had to do to get you to treat her with respect was to get over you and stop paying attention to you."

"3 chains? Why?" Aurelia asked in disbelief, gesturing to the number of chains around Tripp. She looked between the two vampires nervously, praying for the conversation to stop. "Who is this guy? An Original Vampire?"

"Well, I didn't restrain him." Stefan defended. Aurelia glared at him.

"No, but you let your sidekick Enzo, who you're all suddenly buddy-buddy with." She added, facing him. "Because that's what the right thing to do? Teaming up with your sworn enemy?"

"Oh." Enzo suddenly said, as if in realization of something. "That's brilliant."

"What are you going on about, huh?" Aurelia asked him.

"Of course, that's why you hate him." He said, making her look back at Stefan, who was looking at Enzo. "That's how you worked her into such a state in Savannah."

"Enzo, don't." The blonde said, licking her lips.

"She hates you because she doesn't hate you at all." Those words left his lips, making her close her eyes as Stefan looked at her in disbelief.