"You're a vampire?" I asked, a little breathless.
She nodded.
"Oh, okay," I said. I turned to Damon. "Anything else I should know about? Elena turning into a mermaid, Jeremey turning into a werewolf?"
"No, but everybody's downstairs waiting to see you, Jeremy especially," he said.
"Then why aren't they up here?" I asked. I had been lying in my bed for about two hours, dozing in and out of sleep, and no one came to visit me.
"I told them they couldn't see you yet, because you had to rest," he said.
"But, I'm fine, and you and Caroline are visiting me," I said, confused.
"I don't actually care if they come visit you," he said. "I just wanted to annoy them."
"Of course," I said. Trust Damon to do that.
"How are you Marni?" Caroline asked.
"I'm fine," I said, though my body ached. "What about you? How's being a vampire going for you?"
"It was a little scary at first, but Stefan's helping me," she said.
"Is he making you eat bunnies?" I asked.
"Yes," she said, glaring a little. "Human blood tastes so much better,"
"You're so missing out," Damon said.
Caroline glared at him.
"How are you feeling?" Damon asked me.
"Sore, but hey, I'll live."
I sat up and slowly swung my legs around and placed them on the ground. I stood slowly and grabbed the bedside table for support. Damon was at my side in a flash.
"You okay?" he asked, concern filling his voice.
"I'm fine," I said, holding on to his shoulder. "I just have to get used to it."
I slowly walked forward, and stetched my legs.
I walked downstairs, Damon and Caroline behind me ready to catch me if I fell.
I found Jeremy, Lexi, Stefan and Elena sitting in the parlour.
"Hey guys," I said.
"Marni!"
Jeremy got up and came over to me, hugging me tightly but carefully.
"Are you okay? I was so worried about you," he said.
"I'm fine," I said, hugging him back.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes," I said, trying to reassure him. "I'm fine, just a little sore."
"I swear to god I will kill that stupid little bitch," I heard Lexi mutter.
I laughed.
"Where's Anna and Pearl?" I asked.
"Anna's helping Pearl move into a house just outside of town," Stefan said.
"They're moving out?" Damon asked, hope filling his voice.
"Pearl is, but Anna's still living here," Stefan replied.
"Get my hopes up why don't you,." Damon said, glaring at the wall. "Do you remember the good old days when only three people lived in this house?"
Lexi poked her tounge out at Damon.
I felt a buzz in my pocket.
I checked my phone. I had a new message from Shadow.
Meet me at the end of Old Fell road ASAP. Make sure the others stay there, especially Damon, if they come it'll get to complicated. Something seriously bad is going on.
Okay, I'll be there in soon. I replied,.
Old Fell road was a back road, on the outskirts of Mystic Falls and was surrounded by forrests.
It would probably take an hour to get there on foot, so looks like I'm going by car.
"Stefan, can I borrow your car?" I asked.
"What? Why?" he asked.
"Just getting some fresh air, you know, time to think," I lied. "And I find driving soothing."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Jeremy asked.
"No thanks, I just need some time to myself, but I'll be back later," I said, giving him a big smile. I turned to Stefan. "But I really need your car,"
"Are you sure you want to go out right now? Katherine's still out there," he said.
"Stefan, honestly, I'll be fine," I said.
"Okay, but be careful," he said.
"I will be," I said.
Stefan pulled his keys out of his pocket and threw them to me.
I caught them and headed for the door.
"I'll be back soon," I said.
I closed the door and looked up at the sky. It was cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain.
A cold breeze whipped my hair around my face and I got goosebumps. And that's when I realised I forgot to put shoes on.
Not wanting to make myself look like an idiot to the others, I walked around the house until I was standing underneath my window. I flexed my hands and I shot up in the air. My window was already open and I climbed through, careful so I didn't stretch any of my wounds.
I put on some knee high black flat suede boots over my skinnies, pulled on my leather jacket, and put on my black slouchy beanie, so I wouldn't freeze to death.
I jumped back out of my window and landed softly, trying not to put much impact on my legs.
I walked to the garage and walked in. Stefan's Nissan Skyline and Damon's Camaro where side by side, facing the garage door.
I saw something move in the reflection of the Nissans window. Damon was standing right behind me.
"Hi Damon."
I had gotten used to Damon appearing out of no where over the years.
I turned and faced him.
"What's up?" I asked.
"What are you really doing?" he asked, suspicion in his eyes.
"Going for a drive to get fresh air and have some time to think," I said, repeating the same lie I had told the others. I knew it was a lost cause though, Damon could almost always tell when I was lying.
"See, I don't believe you," he said. "So again, what are you really doing?"
I glared at him.
"None of your business," I said.
"What are you hiding?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "I just have some things to do, and when I get back I'll tell everyone what's going on."
"Why can't you tell us now?" he asked.
"Because I don't know what's going on," I said, frustrated. "That's what I'm doing now."
"I'm coming with you," he said.
"No, you're not," I said. "You're going to stay here, I'm going to go do what I have to do and that's that, got it?"
With out waiting for a reply, I hopped in Stefan's car and started it.
I looked in the rear view mirror and saw Damon glaring at me.
I grinned back.
I sped out onto the driveway, then pulled out on the road. After making sure nothing was coming either way, I floored it. It had been a while since I had driven, and it felt good to do it again.
I sped through the town, keeping well above the speed limit, attracting stares. I reached Old Fell road and sped down it, pulling the car to a stop when I saw shadow.
I got out and walked over to him.
"What's up?" I asked.
"We have a really bad problem," he said, dead serious.
"Did Stefan make the bunnies extinct?" I asked, keeping a straight face.
He glared at me.
"No wait, I bet he made the squirrals extinct," I said.
"This is serious Marni," he said.
"I know, those poor sweet innoccent bunnies," I said, hanging my head.
"Marni, this is- whoa, what the hell happened to you?"
He grabbed my chin and tilted to the left. I was guessing that he noticed the burn on my cheek.
"Got burned by witch hazel," I said. "It'll clear up soon though, burns from the actual plant it's self don't last long, it's the oil of witch hazel that's deadly,"
He seemed to be staring at my neck. He reached out and pulled the side of my jacket away then lightly brushed his fingers over the place where I had had a nail shoved through my collar bone.
I jerked back, pain searing through me.
"What happened to you?" he whispered.
"The other night, after you left, we were attacked by a few of the vampires that had been in the room," I said. "I was knocked out, and when I woke up, I found myself litterally nailed to a chair, unable to escape, and it was all because Katherine wanted a reason for Stefan and Damon to come see her."
"Katherine's back?" he asked.
I nodded.
"She then decided to torture me some more, by pressing witch hazel against my skin," I continued, "But Damon and Stefan rescued me,"
Shadow's face seemed paler than usual.
"I should've stayed," he said quietly. "Then none of this would've happened."
"It probably would've," I said. "Damon was there, and they still managed to get me,"
"But I would've been able to protect you," he said.
"Look, it doesn't matter, it's over now," I said. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine now,"
He looked at me. "You are not fine Marni,"
"I am," I said defensively.
"No, you're not," he said. "I'm not just talking about physically, I mean mentally too. It would've caused some trauma, and you flinch at the lightest of touches on your wounds,"
"Well, I better start acting like I'm fine, because I've been telling everybody that," I said.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I don't want them to worry about me," I said. "We have enough problems as it is, and me not being 'fine' can't be one of them. And speaking of problems, why did you drag me all the way out here?"
He seemed to remember something.
"Right," he said. "Follow me,"
He started walking through the the trees and I tailed after him.
"We have a very bad problem on our hands," he said.
Raindrops started to fall and I shoved my hands in my pockets.
Shadow stuck his hand out and stopped me from going any further.
We had reached the edge of a clearing. In the middle of that clearing was a cottage like house.
"In that house are twenty of the vampires that escaped from the tomb. They have been compelling the owner there," he said.
"The vampires are here?" I asked.
He nodded. "Marni, give me your hands,"
"Why?" I asked.
"I'm going to give you my vampiric senses," he said.
"What?"
"It mean you will have the sight, hearing, smell and speed of a vampire," he said.
"You can do that?" I asked.
He nodded.
Eager, I grabbed his hands. I felt a wierd sensation course through me, and then suddenly, everything changed. My vision became clearer, I could smell the wild flowers that were growing in the clearing, and even better, I could here everything. I could hear cars that weren't anywhere near here, I could hear animals, scurrying to get out of the rain.
"This is amazing," I said.
"Yes, but listen carefully," Shadow said. "What can you hear?"
I could hear birds chirping, and I could hear people talking.
"We will attack from all angles of the house," I heard a voice say. "They won't be expecting it so we have the upper hand. They will have five vampires on their side, Damon and Stefan, our main focus, Lexi and Anna, friends of the brothers, they have been around for a while so don't underestemate their abilities, and Caroline. Caroline was turned a couple of days ago by Beth-Anne, so she should be easy to take out. They have a witch, Bonnie, and Shadow, half vampire half warlock. From what I've been told, the other vampires that went with Katherine Pierce attacked the Salvatore's the other night, and kidnapped the witch Marni and Katherine tortured her, leaving her severely injured. Marni is like family to Damon and Stefan, and they care about her a lot. So we go for her, and hope that Stefan and Damon get distracted enough so that we can kill them. Leave no one alive. We attack tomorrow at sun down."
I stared at Shadow.
"This is really bad," I said. "We have to tell the others."
He nodded.
Using my new awesomely cool vampire speed, I ran back to the car, Shadow right behind me.
When I reached the car I turned to Shadow.
"You coming with?" I asked.
He nodded again.
As soon as we were in the car, I floored it, driving faster than usual.
I pulled onto my street and sharply turned, sliding onto my driveway.
I parked the car and jumped out. I burst through the door, and started looking for everyone.
"Guys?" I called out. "We have a really bad problem!"
Damon, Stefan, Lexi and Caroline appeared first, then Jeremy and Elena.
"What's wrong?" Stefan asked.
"The tomb vampires are planning to attack us," I said. "Tomorrow."