"So Stefan finally found Vicki?" Caroline wondered, gnawing on the curly fries she'd just ordered while scanning the grill for anyone eavesdropping. They came in for a quick bite before they left for the tomb. It was more like she was here for a quick snack. Damon just tagged along, having no choice but to give in to her demands.
"Yes, well, I did hear Stefan's pathetic attempt at teaching her how to hunt bunnies this morning," Damon said, sipping his drink. "She didn't seem to have gotten that far from the house."
"What was she trying to get away from?"
"I think she just needed a break from Stefan." And I can't say I blame her. Nobody wants to listen to Stefan's rant about "how to become a bunny killer 101."
"Speaking of bunnies, how is it different from human blood?" Caroline finally posed the question that had been bugging her since as soon as he had mentioned it a while back.
"Animal blood is insignificant in comparison to human blood." It's not even 10% as beneficial."
"Why? I mean, why is animal blood not as effective?" she asked.
As he stole a few fries from Caroline's plate, he explained, "Animal blood does not provide the same level of nourishment to vampires as human blood does, and vampires who drink animal blood have decreased strength, decreased speed, decreased healing abilities, and a lower tolerance to pain as compared to vampires who feed on human blood."
Caroline uttered, "Oh, I never knew that," before swatting his wandering hands away from her fries once more. "With so many downsides, why does Stefan choose to drink it?"
"Because animal blood is unappealing, physically unsatisfying, and not conducive to maintaining vampiric powers at their peak, most vampires will not even consider drinking it unless they have no other choice," Damon replied grumpily. "Because we feed on blood, we need to be fed on a regular basis, and we can't live without it, and we won't be able to live forever on animal blood."
"What do you mean by out of control?" she asked but received no immediate answer. The waitress suddenly appeared at their table, this time bringing their order and urging them to dig in. "What do you mean by out of control, Damon?" she asked again before sipping her milkshake as soon as the waitress was out of hearing range.
Taking a quick slurp of his drink, he exclaimed, "It means he goes into full killer mode." Human blood is like a drug to him."
"Oh wow, that's a lot to take in," Caroline exhaled deeply before murmuring, "So he's like a more messed up Jasper?"
Damon rolled his eyes at her ability to bring up Twilight in every situation. And, yes, he has already seen the film, which he loathes, by the way. Caroline had made him watch it as a form of punishment for laying in her bed with his shoes on and bloodstaining her favorite blanket. And he despised every second of it.
"I guess I'd have to avoid getting paper cuts in front of him, huh?" Caroline chuckled before exclaiming, "OMG, is that why he looked so constipated when the guy next to him had a nosebleed in class?"
Damon busted out laughing at her comment, drawing the attention of everyone at the grill. "I can't believe that's what you got out of all of this," he went on to say as his laughter grew louder, prompting the waitress to give the couple an annoyed look before taking the order of the couple next to them. "You sure are something, Barbie."
"So I've heard," Caroline smirked.
Stefan entered the grill with Elena right behind him. He was taken aback by the scene in front of him. There he was, Damon, his older brother, looking so carefree, laughing his ass off. He hasn't seen him this happy since their brotherly bond fell apart. But he's the one to blame. He was the one who ended their relationship in order to pursue the girl with the long brown curls. He was the one who had dragged his own brother into a world he dreaded, the same brother who cherished him more than anyone else in the world. His brother, who he loved to bits and pieces, The last time he had seen Damon so happy was when they were humans before Katherine came and recked their lives.
"Is that Damon?" Elena asked, jolting Stefan out of his reverie. "....And Caroline!" She shrieked as her gaze shifted to her blonde friend after taking in Damon's gorgeous smile, which Stefan didn't fail to notice.
"What exactly are they doing here?" Stefan rolled his eyes as Elena questioned him. Elena could be a pain at times.
Stefan snarled, "How would I know Elena?" Elena's eyes widened in disbelief as she heard his irritated tone. "Perhaps they're on a date," he continued, quickly repositioning himself. He'd meant it as a joke, but after looking at them for the second time, he couldn't tell.
"I didn't believe they were serious. And on top of that, Damon is so laid back with her, which I haven't seen until now. What is he up to?" she said in a shaky tone, making Stefan look even more hurt and perplexed at her interest in his older brother. "I think we should-," he said, but Elena didn't seem to be listening because the next thing he saw was her walking toward the pair's table before he could finish his sentence, "-let them be," he signed, having no choice but to follow her.
"Caroline, hey!" Elena said, interrupting the laughing couple who hadn't even noticed the intruders until now. That did not mean a lot to Caroline, but it puzzled Damon because he was always on his A-game when it came to sensing someone's presence, especially if it was a vampire. For crying out loud, this was his brother.
"Oh look, it's the fun police," Damon remarked sarcastically. "Are you here to disrupt our peace?" Caroline chuckled slightly at his wit, but it appeared that the other two did not share the same sentiments.
The brunette rolled her eyes at the gag. Ignoring the presence of the blue-eyed vampire, she returned her gaze to her blonde friend, asking, "What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like, Elena?" Caroline asked, pointing to the food on the table. "I'm constantly growing," she said, giggling slightly and speaking in a sarcastic but friendly tone. "And I always need food to help me grow," she added, her voice raspy.
"I would have asked you both to join us," she said coldly, "but we kind of have somewhere to be."
"Oh, I meant to say, why aren't you at school?" The brunette interrogator was now back on track, unsure of her friend's sudden change in mood. Curious, fidgeting under the spotlight, she continued, "Don't you have school"?
"I could ask you the same question." But since I'm not interested in finding out, I'm going to let it go, "Caroline snarled. She was becoming irritated by the constant questions.
"What are you, her mother?" scoffed Damon, not hiding his contempt from his brother and Elena, who had been watching silently. "And Caroline isn't exactly a model student."
"Um, yes she is"-
"Yes, I am!" exclaimed both girls at the same time. Caroline's scream startled everyone in the room, and Damon rolled his eyes. Everyone who knew the blonde knew she was serious about keeping her GPA up.
"However, since you're already here, could you please do me a favor?" Caroline requested, to which Elena gave a curious nod. "Please give this to Bonnie," she said, handing her a bag that was nearby. "It's her Halloween costume." Elena accepted the bag and threw a questioning glance at the blue-eyed vampire, but he only shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing about it.
With his patience subsiding, Damon declared, "We're out of here," before standing up and grabbing the bag of curly fries Caroline was munching on with his free hand, "You can have the rest of this in the car."
"You're going to let me eat in your car?!? "Wow, what a day to be alive," the blonde joked, causing Damon to groan, but as he looked over to his brother and Elena, who were standing there with their jaws on the floor, Damon noticed a lip curving upward in a frown on his sibling's face, which quickly turned into a brooding look by the time he turned away from them.
"Why yes, Caroline, you are free to finish your snack in my car," he mocked as he pushed out of his seat and grabbed his jacket, leaving the other two stranded with their thoughts. "Come on, Blondie," he said as he opened the door for her to leave.
Stefan locked his gaze on his brother and friend's retreating backs for a split second before returning his gaze to his brunette girlfriend, who had returned his gaze with a curious but lost look in her eyes.
♧♧♧♧♧
"I have got your costume from Caroline. It's all here", Elena announced rushing down the hallway of Mystic Falls High School towards Bonnie, who was standing by her locker, facing the wall. As she hugged her friend, the short brunette smiled. "Thank you," she said, pulling back to look at her friend, who was holding a paper bag with a bunch of costume clothes jammed in it. "But where's Caroline?"
"She was at the grill with Damon before they left to God knows where," The brunette's face was filled with concern as she handed the bag to the dark-skinned beauty.
"Didn't realize they were that serious enough for her to skip school to hang out with him," Bonnie remarked to herself.
Elena sighed before responding plainly, "Me neither," Bonnie could sense her hesitation.
When Bonnie noticed Elena's brow furrowing, she reassured her, "Don't worry Elena, I'm sure Caroline knows what she's doing."
"Yeah, I hope so," she said in a strange tone. She let go of her friend and walked over to her locker, which was right next to Bonnie's.
"But don't you think we should do something?" Elena consulted. "Damon is bad for her. He has trouble written all over him".
"Not really," Bonnie replied, shaking her head, "it's her life, Elena, and we can't tell her how to live it." That's her choice to make".
"Um... okay..." Elena said, unsure.
"A witch?! Seriously?", Bonnie exclaimed when she finally shuffled through the bag and only recognized the assemble to be a stereotypical witch's outfit. "At least it's not a stripper outfit or anything."
Elena defended Caroline, saying, "It's not that bad." "It's a classic witch costume, Bonnie." She chuckled as she looked down at her outfit. "What else would a cosplay witch wear?"
"Well, from your description, it looks more like a skank than an illusion," Bonnie replied sarcastically.
"Oh yeah?" smirked the brunette as she pushed her friend aside to put her belongings in her locker.
"Whatever," Bonnie concluded with a sigh before turning around towards her locker. Hearing a door slam, she looked up, turning to face Bonnie, who was wringing her hands and about to close her locker.
"I have the perfect necklace to pair with it."
♧♧♧♧♧
"So this is where the tomb is?", Caroline asked in wonder. She was sitting in Damon's car, which was parked in front of a burned-out structure that appeared to be designed to resemble a haunted house. Nobody would guess this was once a church. "What kind of tomb is that?" she perplexedly asked.
"It's the tomb of the long-lost dead," Damon joked as he stepped out of the car and continued on his way, trailed by her. "The funny thing is, I don't believe anyone has ever died here." There were no bodies discovered. Instead, there are 27 desiccated vampires," he smirked, as Caroline looked baffled. "Why would they construct a tomb beneath a church in the first place?"
"That I don't know," Damon admitted truthfully.
"Do you think the council knows about this?" As they turned to face a large wooden door with a cross on top, she questioned, and her companion laughed. "What's so funny?"
"They aren't as smart as you give them credit for. Especially when sorcery is involved. " Damon hinted at the last word. Caroline, on the other hand, was completely unaware of what he was implying. "And the witch did an excellent job of concealing it."
"What?" she asked, expecting him to continue, but he remained silent, prompting her to ask again, "Witches are real?!"
Damon chuckled before responding, but he didn't bother to provide a specific response. "And that's a topic for another day. First and foremost, let us stick to the subject at hand. Which is trespassing because you're so eager to check out the location," he finished, opening the door for her.
"Why did I even ask in the first place?" the blonde asked rhetorically as she and her collaborator walked further down the secret pathway in the church. But underneath it all, she was actually questioning whether he was worth all the effort. From what she knew of him, he was a vampire who loved playing mind games. But it was time for her to start learning about the truth so she could protect herself from the demons of their world. She couldn't just exist in this vampire world without uncovering its secrets. If revealing those secrets meant losing her sanity, so be it. At the very least, she wouldn't be in the dark. This was the end of her sheltered existence. To become the woman she was meant to be, she would have to put aside that quiet shell known as Caroline, the High School queen bee.
She couldn't deny how appealing it was to be the only one who knew everything. If she could learn to control her thoughts and think, she could only imagine how well-prepared she would be for the upcoming crusades. Caroline was surprised to discover that it was dark from the inside of the structure as they continued down a dimly lit and long staircase Even though it was bright out. She pushed the thought of the future aside for the time being. Her ally stood in front of her, the only person who could promise her the safe haven she needed in this world, the only person she could trust right now. She had to keep an eye out for him, and that was her entire world right now. That thought jolted her on another level. She felt safer by his side as she knew for sure he could protect her from this darkness.
But if only she knew where she was going, it would have been so much easier.
"I can't see anything. "Have we arrived yet?" Before stumbling for the tenth time, the blonde said. Her shoes were clearly not designed for the expedition they were on. Damon came to a halt and turned around to face her.
"We're nearly there. Look, if you're going to be a hindrance, then it is better for me to-" he started.
"No, that's not -," Caroline spoke again, but her words were cut short when she slumped, about to collapse, leaving Damon no choice but to grab her hand before she fell and injured herself.
"This looks like a Tomb Raider set," Caroline exclaimed as she felt around the corridors, hearing an echo. "It's as if we're in a movie."
"I don't want to burst your bubble, but for all I know, you would be the extra who would get coffee for everyone," she heard Damon remark as he walked forward, standing before what seemed like the entrance to the tomb.
"Well, I'm glad that at least I will be useful for something," Caroline stated with an obvious sour tone but wasn't too offended. He was teasing her, she could tell.
"Do you think your half-girlfriend and the rest of her roommates can hear us?" Caroline asked Damon in hushed tones as she approached him.
Damon chuckled, "They're desiccated Blondie."
"What does that even mean?"
Damon paused and thought for a moment before responding, "When a vampire does not drink blood, their bodies begin to dry out. When this happens, the vampire in question becomes weaker over time, and their skin turns pale as a result, but this is not enough to kill them. Vampires who have been desiccated for a long time look disturbingly similar to mummified bodies"
"Are they like...er....dead?" she wondered, tilting her head.
"After a long period of time, a vampire's body undergoes a process similar to fossilization, and their limbs become immobile unless they are fed." Once a vampire begins to feed again, they return to normal. Their skin color returns to normal, and they regain their strength. So, they're kind of dead, but not at the same time," he deciphered as he watched the blonde's eyes widen.
"Wow! Talk about complicated," she mumbled. She noticed a strange star-like figure carved on the tomb door as she looked around. She moved forward in a trance, puzzling Damon. A current passed through her as soon as she touched the carving. In that millisecond, she felt nothing but random canting, loud screaming, and pain. Flinching in alarm, she stumbled back, landing right into the dark-haired vampire's arms, who looked at her with frowned eyebrows.
He could feel her shiver in his hands, which further vexed him. "What's wrong?"
Caroline fumbled, "No... nothing." She took a deep breath and stood up straight, moving away from Damon's protective embrace. "I guess all the serious talk wore me down."
Damon was well aware that she was lying (even though she was pretty convincing). Something had happened in that short period of time that had left her shaken, but he chose not to press her to tell him the truth.
"Anyway, what do you need to open this chamber of secrets?", she joked. He knew she was trying to make it seem like everything was fine.
"I already have Emily's necklace from the Lockwood mansion, so I only need one more thing."
"Okay... so where is it?" she inquired, looking around the chamber's entrance. She was determined to not let Damon see the fear in her eyes. She had to be tough.
"What?" a puzzled Damon asked, unsure what she was on about.
"Where is Emma....er, Emily's necklace now?"
Damon's eyes widened in shock. As he began patting down his clothes, he realized that he had lost the necklace yet again.
"Shit!".
♧♧♧♧♧
"Stefan, what are you doing here?" Matt asked, dumbfounded, as he opened the door. Vicki had just appeared on the porch after going missing for nearly two and a half days, without even attempting to explain herself. To make matters worse, she appears to be high once more. And now Stefan is here out of nowhere, something wasn't adding up.
"Is Vicki home?" Stefan queried, taking the question as rhetorical, but Matt pushed him in for a better answer.
"She's in the living room right now." Why?"
Stefan politely asked, "Can I see her, please?" Vicki had discovered vampire speed and had escaped the first opportunity she had when he left with Elena to go to the grill. Even though he was hesitant to leave a newly turned vampire alone, he agreed because Elena kept asking him to.
Stefan agreed to meet up after hearing "Please..." and "I need you..... "its importance..." in the span of 30 seconds and now wishes he hadn't because look at the outcome. And, contrary to popular belief, Elena had nothing important to say other than to repeat the same words she had said the day before and to constantly bug him about Damon and Caroline's relationship.
Matt raised his brows in suspicion as he heard the request. Why was Stefan, of all people, interested in his sister? Wasn't he Elena's boyfriend? He had no idea they even knew each other. Stepping away from the door, he looked back at Vicki, who was sitting in a fetal position in the darkest corner of the room, clenching her head.
"Don't let him in. "I don't want him in here," she begged as their gazes locked.
"Did he do something to you?" Matt asked, quickly switching into protective brother mode.
"No, I just don't want him in here," Vicki pleaded, standing up and taking a step forward, hoping this would somehow stop him from coming in. She jumped back to her 'safe' corner at human speed as soon as the sunlight touched her skin.
"Just let me come in so I can explain myself," the green-eyed vampire tried to persuade Matt. All he needed to have was a conversation with Vicki and persuade her to do the right thing and then maybe use some compeltion on Matt if needed (though that was the worst-case scenario).
"Look, I'm not sure what's going on, but I think you should leave right now," Matt said. This was his house, and at the time, all he was worried about was his older sister, who was acting like she was possessed by the devil all of a sudden.
"Matt..." he tried pleading again, but Matt interrupted him in a firm tone before he could finish his sentence.
"Please, now, Stefan".
♧♧♧♧♧
Ah, Halloween. It's probably one of Caroline's favorite holidays. Not only because of the mass amounts of candy that people fill their backpacks and pockets with but also because of the wonderful frights we all get to experience. Whether it's through scary movies, haunted houses, or even creepy séances you have with your friends. And she especially looked forward to their annual Halloween Carnival. She enjoyed all of the candy, pizza, and other fun games at their school carnival. The most fascinating aspect, however, was how everyone dressed; it was always fascinating to see how different and unique everyone was while still adhering to the Halloween theme. She was always curious about how people came up with these unusual ones. They were so inventive, and many of the costumes she would never have thought of herself. Though this year the customs were pretty basic.
So here she was in the exquisite witch's costume that she had thrifted with Jess and Sam, with Bonnie, who was right next to her. Her friend was dressed as a witch, but Bonnie's had been brought from Mystic Falls while hers had been brought from McKinley. She had stopped buying Mystic Fall clothes two years ago because they were too generic.
To say she was distracted would be an understatement. Everything Damon had revealed to her was weighing heavily on her mind. Bonnie too seemed disturbed but Caroline didn't want to pry, so she engaged in small talk with her to keep her mind off the mess that was brewing in Mystic Falls while they both waited for Elena to arrive.
"Cider for the ladies. It's a Lockwood exclusive "Tyler said as he approached the pair, holding two red plastic cups.
"No way. I was hungover until Thanksgiving last year "Bonnie grumbled as she refused the cup Tyler offered her, but Tyler simply shrugged and retracted his hand back towards himself.
"Lightweight," Caroline teased as she enthusiastically grabbed the cup. "I am going to drink until someone is hot enough to make out with."
"Sounds like a plan," Tyler smirked as they both cheered, clinking their cups
♧♧♧♧♧
Vicki was strolling through the halls, which were lit up with jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween décor. She hasn't yet calmed down enough to interact with anyone. She didn't know what to do. She could hear the blood pumping through the veins of the kids who passed by her as she wandered. She wanted to grab one of them and suck the life out of them, and that thought terrified her.
Out of nowhere, she feels a pair of hands yank her by the arm. When she looks to the side, she notices Stefan holding her arm. She was genuinely shocked that she hadn't heard him approach. He shook his head, indicating that she should follow him.
"What are you doing?" she questioned, irritated by the pull. She didn't want to follow him, but she figured trying to flee would be futile. But that didn't stop her from struggling in his grip as he dragged her into a classroom at vampire speed.
"What, you're following me now?" squealed Vicki angrily as she watched the vampire close the door behind her.
"You didn't give me much of a choice, did you?" "He sighed and began pacing, attempting to track down all of the thoughts in his head.
"Let me out of here," the brunette said as she tried to escape, moving towards the door.
"You have no business being here, Vicki. Crowds like this make it even more difficult to maintain control "Stefan forewarned her, flashing ahead of her, blocking her path to the exit.
"I'm fine, thank you." "She shouted back defensively.
"Really?" Stefan asked, not believing her at all.
"Mmm-hmm."
"No headache? Your stomach's not screaming at you? You're not feeling lightheaded or anxious or cranky like if someone looks at you the wrong way you could just rip their head off?", he rattled off a list of symptoms. Vicki just stared at him, hoping that her silence would send the message that she was fine. Her heavy breathing, on the other hand, told a different story. "Would you like to know what that's called?" It's called "hunger," and it's only going to get worse the longer you pretend it's not controlling you."
♧♧♧♧♧
"So you need vervain?" Damon inquired as he sipped his beverage. He had come to the grill in search of the lost necklace, only to discover the town's mayor and his wife having a private conversation about the vampire who was plagiarizing the town, aka HIM.
Damon snooped in as soon as Richard Lockwood left his semi-drunk wife. He'd already met the king and the rook, so now it was time to meet the queen.
"Yes. my husband and I only have left what his parents left him, and Zach had promised that he could supply us with more", Carol revealed, savoring her 5th glass of Martini.
"Well, I talk to him all the time. So why don't I just ask him?", Damon quickly replied.
"Hmm," Carol let out, weighing the pros and cons in her mind.
"Mmm. How much do you need? "I mean, how many people do you think?" he asked, hoping to pique her interest and get her to spill the beans.
"Of course, there are our children." Carol drifted off, suddenly speechless.
"Of course," Damon said, nodding.
Carol continued, "And, um, friends, family, and everyone on the council," seeing that he wasn't satisfied.
"The council?" he asked, playing dumb.
"Zach knows how many there are. But I'm running late. "My husband will not be pleased with me," she said as she gathered her belongings.
"Are you happy with your husband?" Damon asked, smirking and raising his eyebrows.
Carol stated, "You're flirting with me."
"You flirted with me first," Damon said with a grin. He was hinting at when he introduced himself just a few moments ago. If being nice doesn't get him what he wants, being flirtatious will.
"True," Carol agreed with her own smirk.
"Let me escort you to the school. It's not safe out there by yourself. I mean, I've seen ten vampires tonight," he joked, eliciting a chuckle in response.
"Heh. "If only the real ones were as easy to find," she grumbled.
"How's that search going?" he inquired, hoping to invoke some information from the women in front of him.
"Oh, we had the founder's party, and anyone who came in during the day was eliminated as a suspect," Carol explained casually.
"Oh," Damon exclaimed. That was an obvious guess. Blondie was correct; they are the children's equivalent of vampire hunters. "And the rest were just dead ends, so mmm mmm, I gotta go," she winked as she rose from her seat. "Nice to see you again, Damon," she said as she gave him a quick side hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Please keep me updated on your progress with the vervain," she said as she drew away, her gaze fixed on her watch. "I've got a meeting in 20 minutes," she said, turning to face her husband, who was waiting for her outside the door.
"OK, I'll keep you updated," Damon agreed, his disappointment hidden. He was hoping to learn more about their vampire hunt, but he knew better than to push his luck. He knew the mayor would only share information with his wife in private, so he'd have to wait. Damon wiped his brow in disgust as soon as she turned her back, wiping his cheek. He'd just have to be a little more creative in order to get information out of her. He might just have to try flirting with her again.
♧♧♧♧♧
Stefan looked down at his fists, which were clenched. He took a deep breath in, attempting to calm himself. If it wasn't for Matt intervening, he would have been able to drag Vicki home and help her with her new vampire powers, or should he say problems.
Vicki had escaped yet again, and he couldn't even stop her. He was out of places to look for her and was beginning to lose hope. He was about to turn around when he noticed her near the game stalls. He came to a halt and watched her with bated breath. Please be her. Please be her.
He was so sure that it was her. After seeing her walk down the sidewalk, he was certain it was her. But when he came face to face with the individual, his heart sank. It wasn't Vicki.
The green-eyed vampire was frustrated. He had been looking for Vicki for an hour and had managed to miss her every time. He was losing faith that he would be able to find her before she succumbed to her bloodlust and ended up hurting or worse killing someone.
Stefan had lived for 163 years and knew better than to let his emotions get the best of him, but he was losing patience. He wanted to find Vicki and make sure that she was okay, but there was nothing he could do.
"It's going to be okay, Stefan," Elena soothed, trying to calm him down. His frustration was visible as he looked down at her.
"No it's not, is a newly turned vampire in the midst of hundreds of teens. For her, it's like a moving buffet "He howled. She was already acting out, and if he didn't intervene, she was going to hurt someone or herself. He needed to find her and stop her before she could cause any more trouble. But, as much as he wished he could, he knew he couldn't. If only she let him help her.
"It's only a matter of time before she ends up hurting someone"
♧♧♧♧♧
When Damon showed up at the school party. The party was already in full swing, and there were a few tipsy teenagers wandering around. It was held in a large open field, complete with a makeshift stage, and lounge chairs were strewn about. There were also a bunch of food stalls where people were selling snacks and drinks. It was a typical party, with teens having a good time. He looked around the room for his favorite blonde. He was hoping that she would be able to notice and make her way to him. He continued to look around when his eyes halted on a familiar set of curls. Bonnie was serving punch but did not look happy about it. She'd know where Caroline is, wouldn't she?
"So where... where did Caroline run off to?" Damon questioned as he approached the punch bowl. He wasn't exactly sure what he would say if Bonnie told him that she didn't know where Caroline was. He was hoping that she would just tell him.
Bonnie rolled her eyes as her current least favorite person approached her. "Do yourself a favor, Damon, and don't ask me about Caroline," she said, filling a cup with the punch and not looking up from her beverage station. She was about to return her attention to the punch bowl when she heard him again.
"Oh, Bonnie. So loyal," he remarked sarcastically as she returned her gaze to him. He was hoping she'd finally tell him where his Blondie was, but she didn't seem to want to. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"Just stay away from her," Bonnie said firmly and unwaveringly. She turned back to the punch bowl, waiting for him to leave her alone. Perhaps he'll get the hint and leave her alone.
When he saw the crystal around her neck, the one that he had lost, he became serious. He wanted it back. He had searched everywhere for it, but so far he hadn't been able to find it. only to discover it with little Miss Annoying over here. He quickly made his way over to the punch bowl and grabbed her attention.
Damon asked, his voice low and dangerous, "Where did you get that?" as he reached for the crystal. He knew she'd never tell him where she got the crystal, but he had to ask.
Bonnie didn't even think twice about around so that he couldn't reach the necklace. She knew she had to act quickly. If she didn't, he'd take it away from her, which she didn't want. "From a friend," she lied, her voice cold and firm, hoping he'd leave her alone. "Certainly not from Caroline." So, which friend are we talking about?" he asked, his cold blue eyes never leaving her.
Bonnie was taken aback by Damon's trust in Caroline. But she also knew that if she told him the truth, he'd have no reason to suspect Caroline. But she also knew he wouldn't leave it at that. He was going to keep pushing until he got his way. She sighed and averted her gaze from him.
"You know that's mine, don't you?" he asked, his voice mocking but cold.
"Not anymore," she said, her voice slightly trembling. Damon scares her, no matter how casually she tries to act. And she has no idea why because he has done nothing to warrant fear.
"Funny. I'd like it back, please," he said, his voice becoming increasingly louder until it could be heard all around, but luckily for him, no one was paying attention to their interaction.
"I'm not going to give it to you. I'll give it to Caroline, and she can give it to you if she feels like it," Bonnie said, turning back and starting to make more punch. She didn't want this to become a thing, so she had to act quickly. She could see the rage building up in his eyes. She had no choice but to try to end the conversation before it got out of hand.
"Or I could just take it right now," Damon declared as he reached out, grabbing the crystal. But before he could even remove it from Bonnie's neck, the crystal began to burn his hand, turning his skin black and charred. His hand dropped the crystal as he let out a small grunt of pain.
Bonnie moved away from him quickly, her eyes wide with fear. She had no idea what had just occurred, but she knew she didn't want to find out. She turned and ran, oblivious to the fact that her sudden sprint nearly caused the glass punch bowl to collapse.
"What in the world was that?"
♧♧♧♧♧
Caroline looked down at her phone for the tenth time that evening. Bonnie was on sudden punch duty. Leaving her behind (she is being very weird and secretive), Tyler disappeared after sharing a drink with them, in search of someone, not that she cared. So here she was all alone, leaning against a tree, bored out of her mind. She had drunk enough for the night and she was considering making a run for it. The thought of being locked up in a room with these people and their tacky outfits for the entire night was too much for her. But she knew it was only a matter of time before the party began to wind down, and she had volunteered to help clean up like she usually did. It was one way to sober up before going home and facing her cop mom. And it would look good on her Miss Mystic Falls application.
She opened her phone again and looked at the pictures Jess had sent her on their group chat, specifically the group picture. Her friends were all dressed up and appeared to be having a good time. She wished she could be with them instead of here at this dull party. "At least someone is having fun," she sighed as she stared at the picture.
She was about to put her phone away when she heard someone next to her clear their throat. She turned around to see a dazed Adam from the football team staring at her. "How's it going, Caroline?"
She rolled her eyes and turned away, not in the mood for conversation. He was clearly drunk. He, however, grabbed her hand and drew her to him, much to her shock. "How about I show you a good time?"
She tried to pull away in surprise, but he only tightened his grip. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, clutching her phone tighter.
"Oh, come on, we can have some fun," Adam slurred, his eyes fixed on her. "I know just the place" He pulled her in the direction of the party. "I think we should go to the roof."
"Yeah, not interested," Caroline said, jerking her hand away from his grasp. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
She was about to turn and walk away when she felt two strong arms from behind wrap around her waist. "You're not going anywhere." She turned to see the drunken grin on his face and the grip on her waist tightened. Oh, now he had done it.
He had baffled her with that single action. Not only did he manage to grab her, but he also managed to make her drop her phone. The phone hit the ground and the screen cracked, but she didn't stop to pick it up. In one swift motion, she brought her other hand around and elbowed him as hard as she could in the face. He let out a howl of pain and let go of her waist.
She'd never been in a physical fight before, but she'd trained with Alexis enough to know what to expect. She raised her foot and kicked him in the knee as hard as she could, sending him flying a few feet backward. She didn't even give him a chance to catch his breath before kicking him in the groin. He fell to the ground in agony as a result of the impact.
She quickly picked up her phone and regained her composure. "Next time you decide to mess with me, remember who you're messing with," she said, her eyes flashing with rage. I'm not going to be so gentle, "She hissed angrily. With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, not looking back.
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Damon was still standing by the punch, confused by what had just transpired when he noticed the blonde that he was looking for in the first place. She was arguing with someone, and he quickly decided to step in before she got hurt. But then he saw her effortlessly elbow the guy who had grabbed her in the face, causing him to let go while clenching his nose in pain.
Caroline handled the drunk guy with ease, which he found amusing. He could tell she was inexperienced in fighting, but she wasn't new to it. She was well aware of what she was doing. He, on the other hand, had seen and experienced far too much in his life. He understood how to fight and how to win.
She had only taken a few steps when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned to see Damon standing there, a grin on his face. "Blondie's got moves," he said as she raised an eyebrow at him.
"What are you doing here?" asked the blonde, frowning.
"I got bored," he said, looking her over. She was dressed in a dark purple corset that clung to her curves and a matching skirt. And, of course, he couldn't forget the stereotypical witch's hat she chose. He noticed she was wearing black boots that reached her knees and wondered if they were comfortable or just a fashion statement. Her hair was left open and messy, and she wore silver bracelets around her wrists. She wasn't all that different from the other girls he'd met before, but she was unique in some way. Something about her piqued his interest, and he wanted to learn more about her.
"Well, you can go back to your boredom," Caroline said sarcastically.
Damon smirked as he raised his eyebrows at her. He grabbed her wrist as she rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. "What?" she asked as she turned to face him.
"You're going to need an escort," he told her. She scoffed and shook her head, "No thanks," she said as she attempted to walk away once more. He stopped her by grabbing her elbow this time, and Caroline glared at him as she yanked free. She moved closer so that they were almost touching foreheads and looked up at him in defiance. Damon's grin widened as he leaned down, almost touching their noses. They both took in the other's scent before Caroline came to her senses quickly taking a step back confused with what just happened not noticing the disappointment on Damon's face.
Abruptly she uttered, breaking the silence, "Did you find the crystal?" She didn't want this strange tension between them to continue.
"Kinda, it's with your frie-", Damon began to get interrupted by the ring of his phone. He took it from his pocket and examined the screen, recognizing the call in an instant. "Hold on a second," he said as he answered the phone. "Yes, little brother."
"Damon", Stefan voiced from the other end.
"To what do I own this pleasure?" Damon teased.
"We need to find Vicki. She is here at the party. We need to get here before she hurts someone", Stefan said in an urgent tone.
"And why should I do that?" Damon asked, amused.
Stefan sighed, "You do know that this is your mess I am trying to clean up, don't you? he said firmly.
"Is it though Stefan? Because I don't recall asking you to be Vicki's Jedi master and to take her under your wing. It's not my fault she thought you were a terrible teacher and fled", stated the blue-eyed vampire.
Caroline sniggered as she heard the reference. She had been around Damon long enough to know that whenever he said something like that, he was just trying to get a rise out of his brother.
When he received no response, he continued, "And it's kind of ironic, given that you have no control over your vampirism. All it takes is a drop of human blood to send you off the rails ".
Damon could hear Stefan sigh heavily on the other end of the line, "I have no time for this Damon. Are you going to help me or not?", he asked impatiently.
"Yeah sure, whatever. I have nothing better to do anyway "Damon said as he hung up the phone without saying goodbye.
"Let me come," Caroline announced as soon as Damon turned to face her.
"What?" he exclaimed, stunned.
"Let me come along on your search for Vicki," she said firmly, "maybe I can help."
"Vicki is a Vampire Caroline," Damon retorted, "and she could seriously hurt you."
"Not with you in the picture. I know she isn't as strong as you are "Caroline responded confidently.
Damon seemed like he was going to argue some more, but then he just sighed and shrugged. "Alright then," he said, "You can come along if you want, but if anything happens to you..." He trailed off, letting his threat hang in the air between them. Caroline grinned at him as she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the party.
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Caroline seems to have been useful after all. Because it was her detective skills that led them to the back of the school, where all of the school buses were parked, and where they discovered Elena hitting Vicki with a wooden plank. Vicki in response grabs Elena and throws her into a nearby garbage heap.
"ELENA!", Caroline exclaimed, and she tried to rush to her friend before Damon pulled her back.
"Where are you going, Barbie?" he asked, pulling her aside and guiding her behind a bus where they wouldn't be seen.
"We have to help her, Damon," she said, taking his hand in hers. "She is bleeding."
"Vicki is out of control," he said, looking at the scene in front before looking back at the blonde but not moving or letting go of her hand. "She might attack you."
"But Elena.." she said as she looked at Damon with pleading eyes as she took a step toward Elena, but Damon pulled her back by the wrist. He pulled her so close that his breath tickled her ear as he whispered, "Don't worry, Blondie, I think they got it under control."
When she turned around, she saw Stefan push Vicki against the bus, preventing her from attacking Elena again. Caroline knew Damon was right, but she couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving Elena behind with a vampire who wanted to suck the life out of her.
As they went back and forth, Vicki managed to use her vampire speed and escape.
"Go. get inside.", Stefan yelled, breaking the siblings' trance. "Go!" Elena grabs Jeremy, who stumbles back to his feet, and sprints as fast as she can, one hand holding her bleeding injury.
"Where is she?" Caroline found herself wondering as she watched Stefan look for Vicki.
As the blonde observed Stefan's search for Vicki. Vicki knocked Jeremy aside and grabbed Elena as they attempted to return inside. Caroline stood there frozen in shock as Vicki sank her fangs into Elena's neck.
"Ah!!" screamed Elena as Vicki sank her fangs into her jugular and sucked her blood.
Caroline flinched at the sight in front of her, unaware that she was still clutching Damon's palm. As a form of comfort, the blue-eyed vampire tightened his grip on her hand.
Stefan shoved a broken board through Vicki's chest, killing her. The 3 humans watched in horror as he yanked the broken board out of her chest, leaving a bloody trail.
Caroline, who had been watching the scene unfold in horror as Stefan murdered Vicki, suddenly turned around and threw her arms around the dark-haired brunette next to her, sobbing hysterically. He not knowing what to do tried to calm his Blondie by running his hands up and down in a soothing motion.
The blonde felt herself move into the hug, and though it was awkward at first, she eventually settled into it.
Damon didn't know what to make of it. He just knew that he wanted to comfort her-to take her mind off the mess she had witnessed. He drew her close and continued to rub her back, attempting to calm her. "Shhhh," he whispered in her ear. "It'll be alright."
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A/N: So that's it for this chapter. I know that it's been a long time since I have updated. So the thing is that I finally got a new phone but in return ended up losing all my accounts in the process. Finally, I was able to log into my Wattpad account.
I try to update frequently as much as possible, but it will be unlikely since I am in my finals month. Nonetheless, I will try my best.
Also next chapter will be Stefan's birthday which we all know is the day Lexi dies.
And I am kind of at the crossroads. I don't know if I want Lexi to live or die...
What do you think should Lexi live???
BTW, how did you guys like this chapter?
What did you think of Caroline and Damon's tomb visit?
What do you think happened to Caroline?
Do you think the characters are OOC?
Please vote and comment. I love reading all of them 🥰
Until next time 👋🏻
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