The sun was gone over the horizon by now, Valerie wandered off and I didnt follow. I had sat down next to Damon, watching Stefans body. Not too long after Valerie left, Kai joined her.
Damon looked over at me and I looked at him. "I'll get Stefans body into the car." He decided.
"No, you go along with. See what they are up to, this was my fault, let me do it."
"Raya," He stood up and stuck out his hand for me, I took it and he brought me up to my feet. "Just follow them. I wont be far behind. Stefan is my brother, my responsibility."
"Right. Your the big brother. But where the hell has that been for the past three years? He had a chance to run, Damon. To run with Valerie and leaving me back home! Instead he got you to waste the only time he had, and now he's dead."
"That is not fair Raya. I left so that you two would stop sacrificing yourselves for me!"
"Maybe I stopped within those three years, but cant you see that Stefan hasn't? Hes dead because of you! I have a stupid mark on my back that-!" I touched my back, I couldn't feel the mark.
"What?" He asked. I felt all around my back, high and low. I felt nothing. No blood, no defined mark. Just a scar in the shape of and 'X' on my shoulder blade.
I took off my shirt and he smiled. "Shut up. Look at my back." I demanded and I turned around, he did. I could feel his cold finger tips on my back as they traced where the mark is. "What's it look like?"
"It looks like someone just drew an X on your back with white chalk. Like a normal scar that's healed."
I slipped my shirt over my head. What the hell did this mean? When Rayna was no longer connected to her sword, or the Phoenix stone, the X would bubble up instead of flatten down like mine had.
"Why are you so worried?"
"Because something bad happened Damon. Something really bad."
His eyes got wide and he nodded once, we both ran over to where Valerie and Kai went.
"What happened?" I asked urgently, Kai turned around with his head hung low.
"They didnt know." Was all he said.
"Didnt know what?" I spat.
"That Stefan was in the stone." Valerie whispered. "The stone is... destroyed, and Stefan along with it."
I turned around towards Damon. "You could've prevented this! This is all of your fault." I yelled at him.
"Stefan is not dead!" He yelled back. "We don't know that."
"Yes we do! We have common sense, Damon! Stefans soul was inside the stone, the stone is now destroyed, and so is Stefan!"
"I see it differently, ok?! If Stefan is really dead, than I'm responsible. Which means I'm going to spend the rest if eternity haunted and doing penance and seeing my own self-loathing-!"
"Self-loathing?! Like I haven't heard that one before, Damon."
"Hes not dead, Raya! He cant be! Please, just try it my way. It's less depressing."
"Damon, I dont want nor do I need false hope."
"Ok, you can all keep being Debbie Downers and mourn someone who is not even dead-"
"Stefan wasnt the only one we lost today Damon! Nora and Mary Louise are dead as well! They sacrificed themselves for something they knew nothing about! And that is better than what I can say for you."
"They never cared about anyone but themselves."
"And of course you'd think that, wouldnt you."
He grimaced and me and stomped. "Look, you can do a locators spell and help me find Rayna, or you don't."
I nodded and started to walk off, Kai followed beside me and Valerie beside him.
"Where the hell are you going?" Damon asked, I turned around and stopped.
"I'm doing what you said, without you." I said then turned around and started walking. "Invisique."
All three of us disappeared.
***
We found Rayna at a payphone, talking to Matt. Valerie held the knife up to Raynas throat.
"Tell us, what do you mean free?"
Rayns shuttered and Kai and I exchanged a look. "I can hear them... all the voices." Valerie spun her around so they were face to face.
"What are you talking about?" She asked upset.
"They're coming from every. When you destroyed the Phoenix stone all the souls escaped, scattered. And I can hear them. Alive. Everyone of them." Rayna said panicked, she looked like she was going crazy.
"You are saying that every single vampire you've killed with that sword is now wandering the earth?" Valerie asked, clearly frustrated. Kai looked at me again and I looked back at him, he gestured to my back and I shrugged.
"I burned all of the original bodies for them. Which means all the stones prisoners are in random corpses. Human, vampire, it doesn't matter. The souls fled and scattershot into thevforat dead piece of flesh they could find." Rayna rambled, shaking.
"We dont give a damn about every old vampire soul! Where did Stefan end up?" Valerie asked pinning Rayna up against the wall, the knife still pressed on her throat.
"He could be anywhere! He could be anyone." Rayna spat, Valerie rammed her head into the wall, knocking Rayna unconscious momentarily.
***
We walked up the front door to Ric and Caroline's place, I was beyond excited to see Ben and the two girls, Lizzie and Josie, except I couldn't hear their little hearts dance around nor could I hear their chatter.
All three of us walked in after Ric opened the door.
"Alaric! So good to see you, look, we need some help." I said letting myself in.
"No, Rae. I cant let you and your buddies bring all of this drama into our lives!" He said following me back into their cluttered house.
"Look, Ric. Can I call you Ric? I'm gonna call you Ric. My son, is currently being watched by your fiance, my son had also bonded with your girls. They are all young, they all have the same supernatural ability, so if anything you'll see me more." I argued.
"Rae, we were safe."
"And you apparently still are, seeing as Caroline and none of the littles are here."
"Whyd you come here?" He asked.
"Because we need help with Stefan." Valerie cut in as she tightened the last chain on Raynas body in the livingroom. "Seeing as his death will impact your household majorly."
"Well what happened to him?"
"He was sent back into the hell stone, then it was destroyed. Which song his soul, along with all the others, backboit into random dead bodies. And we dont know where he is or even where he could be." I said as I walked over to his counter and sat down in a stool, Kai came over and sat on the far side of me. He put his hand on the inside of my upper thigh and laid his head on my shoulder, he was so needy.
"Fine. What do we need to do?" Ric asked, finally giving in.
"Hunt them all down." Rayna cut in, awake.
"No, Stefan us our first priority." Kai mumbled, loud enough to be heard but he was very sleepy, it was cute.
"Trust me, he should be the least of your concern." Rayna grumbled, she saw our continued expressions and scoffed. "You think I spent my whole life chasing rainbows and butterflies in vampire form? That stone, it was made for the worst of the worst. Some of the most evil vampires from the last 200 years have been put into that stone, and now they are all out. Escaped."
I could feel Kais head get heavier as his hand was going limp, I looked over at him and he was falling asleep with his head on my shoulder. A very small smile on his face.
"Hey... love." I whispered so quietly into his ear. I could feel his body wake back up as I whispered softly, he kept his eyes closed. "Maybe you should go to bed." I whispered again, the others were consumed into the news in the TV.
"No... no I'm alright. Just... let me stay... right here." He said as he weakly picked up his head and leaned back onto the chair. He softly pulled my head onto his shoulder and rested his on mine.
"Kai... let's go to bed. I need to pass time to get my mind off Stefan and Ben." I whispered as I lifted my head, he sighed softly and stretched upwards. I stood up and walked over towards Valerie and Ric.
"Ric, do you have a spare room anywhere? Or can we crash at a motel down the road?"
"Umm... yeah, we have a spare upstairs. Down the hall, turn the corner, first room on the right." He directed.
"Your going to bed? What about Stefan?" Valerie asked.
"Val, I love him like Damon does. He is the brother I wished I had, and as much as I want to help, I'm tired. So is Kai, and we both have good reasons to be. Kai has more than likely been reprimanded by Damon for the past few days and I've been running with Stefan ever since that one stabbed me."
"Stefan needs us, Rae."
"Yes, I 100% agree with that. But how am I or Kai going to be ant help if we are falling asleep while standing? It would be nice to just sleep without having to worry, I know I'm new to this problem but it's still something I have to deal with. We will both be available in the morning, after we sleep."
"Fine." She finally agreed, very unwillingly.
I turned around and Kai stood up, I walked towards the stairs and he followed behind me. He grabbed my hand as I continued to walk in front of him on the stairs. When we got upstairs I followed the basic instructions I was given and found a rather small bed, probably a twin. There was a love seat in the corner, I walked over to the chair and sat down as he took his shirt off.
"Why the hell are you over there?" He asked as I kicked off my shoes, putting my feet up on a little ottoman.
"Because this is where in sleeping, why else?"
"Well there is a bed we can both sleep in together, is there not?"
"Yes but it is a very tiny bed, plus we would be very close and I don't know how I feel about our situation."
"What is there to feel? Raya, my love, you and I... unstoppable." He said putting his hand up and moving it like a sign appeared behind it.
"How about just stoppable? Kai, your amazing. You know you are and I know you are, but I'm just not sure about all of this... Damon came back so suddenly."
"Why can't you just pick me?" He asked, he was truly sad. I could hear the exhaust and sorrow in his voice. I looked up at him slowly, he had his head bowed, not looking at me.
"Kai... it's not that easy."
"Why? You lived without him for the past 3 years, and you've been with me for the past 6 months. You've been with me in... in ways I've never even expected to see you in."
"I know... I really do. And I'm happy that we were. You know I feel something for you know Kai, but that doesnt mean I feel less for him. Do I hate him for leaving me to keep me out of danger? Yes, but just because I currently cant stand him doesnt mean I... I'm still not in love with him."
He looked up at me through his eyebrows, he was upset. I sighed and stood up, I sat down next time him in the bed and out my hand on his cheek. "And me..? How do you feel about... me." He asked, very softly, very worried. I sighed as I rubbed his cheek with my thumb.
"Malachai, you are so important to me. In ways I cant even describe. I... like you, I like you way more than I had ever planned. Perhaps... even more than a like." There was a sliver of hope in his eyes as I explained. "But that doesnt mean anything can happen. At least not yet."
"Yet? Dont you think it's my turn?"
"M'love... it's been your turn for the past 6 months. I'd say you two are about even now."
"He had you for a year!"
"Roughly, Kai. I was stuck in 1903 for a while, and then with the heretics. There was a lot going on! So if anything you got more time..." He scoffed. "In some ways more than others." I finished with a smile.
"What can I say? I'm greedy. I want you more than you can imagine." He said grabbing my waist and pushing me underneath him. I couldn't help but giggle as he was on top of me, he held me down sternly with a smile and leaned his face into mine.
His hot breath made me shiver, he put the tip of his nose on mine as he looked between my eyes and lips. Then he kissed me once softly, making his lips just gently touch mine.
When I pulled away I reached up to join our lips together again, he didnt break our reunion.
But I pulled away, gasping for air. A v appeared between his eyebrows as he scowled. "Kai I'm-"
"I know, your sorry. It seems your sorry a lot."
"That is not fair, I dont want to hurt you! I dont want to hurt him either!" I said fairly loud, he placed his long finger over my lips.
"Raya, you arent hurting me yet. I just want you to know that I want you as much as he does. And I fight for what I want. And I wont stop until I get it." I smiled at him, he smiled down at me then rolled onto his side. His body hugged my side uncomfortably.
I moved my back towards him and he instantly grabbed my body, pulling me into his. He grabbed my hip with his hand as we snuggled into each other.
"You amaze me in... every way possible." He whispered in my ear just as I began to drift away.
"Mmm." I hummed with a grin.
"You really do," He said happier. "I can't imagine what my life would've been like if you weren't there. You've always been a good influence on me. I mean you brave and... loving and, from time to time, patient. With you I can be myself." He was calmer, he was genuine with these words.
"I'm not someone a person should act like, Kai." I whispered.
"You are. I mean you have a son."
"That loves you more than me."
"He only spends more time with me because I'm a guy. He will probably like Damon just as much as me." I cringed at the thought of Damon and Ben bonding, he noticed my tension. "You are going to have them spend time together, wont you?"
"They have met." I said bluntly.
"No, Ben saw Damon scowl at him, Damon then continued to ignore him and didnt say a word to anyone in the car until he fell asleep. Then asked questions about him."
"That only seems to back up my reason for the attitude."
"But hes staying in your life, right?"
"Whag happened to the sleepy boy downstairs? Where are all these questions coming from?"
"I'm just trying to find out where I will be in your life. Ben is your focus. I'm just hoping that whoever Ben likes better will be with you for the long run."
"Only time will tell, Kai."
"Indeed." He said softly with one last sigh, then he said nothing. I could feel him fall asleep before I did, I knew Kai wouldnt wake me as I slept so I handed myself off to the quiet side. Falling asleep fastly.