12. Postcards From The Edge
Damon laid in the middle of the road, staring up at the dark sky, when a car speeded his way, the person behind the wheel started honking, telling Damon to get out of the way, but Damon ignored him and slowly sat up but didn't move.
"What's the problem?" the panicked driver asked, coming out of his car, thinking there was something wrong with Damon, "You okay, man?".
Damon looked at the stranger, he then held his hand, "You mind giving me a hand?".
The stranger grabbed Damon's hand and helped him stand up, "What are you doing out here?".
Damon sighed, "I don't know" he admitted, "I thought it would make me feel better".
"Okay, should I call someone or--".
"What's your name?" Damon interrupted.
"It's Cooper".
Damon placed his hand on Cooper's shoulder, "Cooper, you ever done something so unspeakably horrific, you couldn't even look at yourself in the mirror? Like it literally makes you ill to see your own reflection?", Damon grabbed Cooper by his shoulders and started compelling him, "Be honest, now".
"I ran over my girlfriend's cat a couple months ago, didn't tell her even though it was an accident" Cooper admitted, "I threw the body in a supermarket dumpster".
"I'm about to break the love of my life's heart and if that wasn't enough, I'm about to break my promise to her, I'm once again walking away from her and our family that we built together" a devasted Damon said, "But you know what? I'd rather her hate me then her die because of me, I'd rather my kids grow up without me, then their lives be put into danger because of me".
Cooper let out a small chuckle, slightly weirded out by Damon, "I think I'm just gonna go" he finally said, but before he could walk away, Damon grabbed him.
"Actually, I could use a ride" Damon compelled, Cooper and Damon then sat in the car and Cooper started driving, "I thought Aria had changed me, I thought she made me a better man, but I was wrong, I was so wrong, it was always gonna end up this way, me destroying her, breaking her heart, in my defense, it's way better then her dying, this world still needs her, but she doesn't need me, that's what my whole tour of duty in phoenix stone taught me that I am permanently damaged goods, you ever feel that way, Cooper?".
"Not really" Cooper replied, shaking his head.
"Well, you're lucky, Coop, I'm gonna kill you now" Damon informed.
Cooper looked at Damon in both shock and fear, "Excuse me?".
"Oh, it's nothing personal" Damon assured, "I'm hungry, you're food, think of it as a stop at a drive-through window, you'll be afraid, I won't care, honestly, I'm losing the love of my life, I'm losing my kids, I can't imagine caring about anyone ever again, not a single, solitary soul".
Before Cooper could react, Damon bit into his neck and started drinking his blood, ignoring his screams, after Cooper was dead, Damon pushed his body out of the car and after getting into the drivers seat, drove away.
***
Aria and Nora sat on the floor of Nora's dorm room, both holding on to different sides of the phoenix stone, a map was placed in between them, with candles spread all around the room.
The two witches sat there with their eyes closed, chanting, trying to locate the huntress, as they were chanting the flame on the candles around them got higher, and suddenly the flames went down, that's when both Aria and Nora both opened their eyes and looked down at the map, that showed the huntress location to be Cincinnati.
"The huntress we all are supposed to be afraid of is in Ohio?" a sceptic Aria asked, "Are you hundred percent sure someone isn't pranking you?".
"It's not a prank, a ruthless killing machine is on her way to hunt us all down" Nora said, as Aria stood up from the floor.
"Yeah, but why will she announce her arrival by sending postcards?" a confused Aria said, hiding the phoenix stone in a panel in the wall, "If I was a vampire hunter, I'd use the element of surprise, if they don't know that I'm coming, then they can't escape me".
"That might work for you, but it's not how it works for Rayna Cruz" Mary Louise informed, barging into the room, "Rayna has a taste for taunting her victims, like a cat nibbling the legs off a spider".
Nora sighed, she stood up and faced her ex-fiance, "What are you doing here?" she asked, Mary Louise handed Nora the post cared she got, it was the same one as Nora with a X on the back of it, "You got one too", Nora handed the postcard over to Aria then turned back to Mary Louise, "And what about Julian?".
"No" Mary Louise informed, "But I said we'd take care of the problem, for all our sakes".
"Yeah well, this vampire huntress that you two are so afraid of, is currently somewhere in Cincinnati, Ohio" Aria informed.
"Let's get going, Nora, sooner she's dead, the better" Mary Louise said.
"Are you serious?" Aria asked, glaring at Mary Louise, "I didn't just do that damn locator spell to practice magic, I'm coming as well".
Mary Louise let out a sarcastic chuckle, "We're good, thanks" she said.
Aria chuckled, "Bold of you to assume I'll ask permission from you of all people" she said, "I don't like you, but your ex-fiance over there is my frenemy so I want to help her, and also my children and god children live here, and the last thing I need right now is a ruthless killing machine coming near them, I need to protect my family, and honestly I don't trust that you have it in you take her down".
"And what makes you think we trust you to take her down?" Mary Louise asked, glaring at Aria.
"I trust her" Nora informed, causing Mary Louise to look at her in shock, "First of all, she actually cares about the well-being of others, unlike you, who only cares about pleasing Julian, and second of all, she's tribrid, she's the most powerful creature, we need her".
"Now that is settled, I'm sitting in the front" Aria said, taking her phone out of her pocket and walking out the room while texting Kol.
My Favorite Tribrid🪄: Going on a road trip to find the huntress, don't worry about me just keep Damon safe.
Koala🐨: How can I not worry about you?! Let me come with you Ri!
My Favorite Tribrid🪄: No can do, this is a girls trip, you are on keeping your best friend safe duty, don't worry I'll be in touch with you the whole time.
Koala🐨: Text me every hour, I need to know your safe.
My Favorite Tribrid🪄: You too, I need to know you and Damon are okay.
Koala🐨: We have a deal then.
My Favorite Tribrid🪄: See you soon, Kol.
Koala🐨: Be safe, Ri.
***
As she was driving, Nora started eating chips, she forwarded the bag towards Aria, who gladly started eating with her, making Mary Louise, who was sitting in the back, glare at the two girls.
"Since when do you eat disgusting garbage food?" Mary Louise asked Nora, making Aria roll her eyes in annoyance, realising this was going to be a long drive.
"Since I stopped caring about getting that exact reaction" Nora replied.
"So here's a question for you two" Aria said, before Mary Louise and Nora could start an argument, "If Rayan Cruz was hunting you guys throughout the 19th century in Europe, how is she still alive? Since she's a hunter, I'm going on a limb and say she can't be a vampire".
"She was spelled to be a vampire huntress by shamans" Nora informed, "They created that sword for her, and imbued her with extraordinary strength, why shouldn't they give her a very long life to go with it?", Nora then looked at Aria, "Hey, do you remember that reading from class last week? You know, the one about those fragments of Native American myths?".
"The everlastings" Aria clarified.
"Ah, the everlastings" Nora remembered.
"Am I meant to be impressed you're study buddies at a second-rate college?" a jealous Mary Louise asked.
"Honestly, I don't care, I don't like you so I don't want to make a impression on you" Aria replied honestly, "And honestly, don't you think it's time you fix your attitude, because if you don't we will love to stop the car and drop you off here and then you can make your own way to the huntress".
Nora chuckled hearing Aria, causing Mary Louise to glare at her.
***
Aria, Nora and Mary Louise walked into the Stillwater State Hospital.
"A mental hospital for the criminally insane" Aria informed, "Perfect place for a huntress to hide".
"She is a deranged serial vampire killer" Mary Louise added, "Maybe karma caught up with her".
Before the trio could enter the patients ward, the receptionist blocked their way, "I'm sorry, I'm gonna need to see some IDs".
"We're authorized personnel, here to see a patient by the name of Rayna Cruz" Nora compelled, "Tell us where to find her".
The receptionist checked her computer, "Rayna Cruz, room 658, north wing" she informed.
Nora nodded and after grabbing some hospital badges, the three girls entered the north wing.
"We should probably form a plan before we go to her" Aria said.
"We do have a plan, we find her, we kill her" Mary Louise informed, "You'll probably just watch".
"Don't be so cavalier" Nora told Mary Louise, "You know what she's capable of?".
"And next time, don't forget who you're talking to" Aria snapped, glaring at Mary Louise, the urge to rip her head off increasing with every second she spent with her.
The three girls finally arrived outside Rayna's room, they looked through the grilled window to see a old woman laying there.
"Okay" a confused Nora said.
"So your vicious, terrifying huntress is an old lady who can't even sit up on her own?" Aria asked.
***
"I'm sorry, what did you say your names were, again?" Rayna asked, as the three vampires stood in her room.
"I'm Aria, she's Nora, that's Mary Louise" Aria introduced once again, "And you are Rayna Cruz, right?".
"Sounds right" Rayna replied.
"And we don't look familiar to you?" Nora asked, gesturing between herself and Mary Louise, who was standing by the door.
"Should you?" a confused Rayna asked.
"Considering you're a murderous, vampire-hunting bitch, who chased us across Europe for decades, yeah, we should look familiar" Mary Louise replied, the pulled out the post card she received from her jacket pocket, "You sent one of these to all of us, ring a bell?".
"I'm afraid I don't know what any of that means" Rayna replied, "You wouldn't happen to have a cookie, would you? They only feed me through a tube these days".
Aria looked at Rayna, she then turned to Nora and grabbing her hand she pulled her out the door.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Nora asked Aria, who nodded her head in response.
"That we should stop stalling and slit her throat?" Mary Louise asked.
"No" Aria replied, "Me and Nora think that this woman can't be the Rayna Cruz you guys are so afraid of, she can't even eat with her own mouth, how the hell is she going to kill a vampire?".
"We don't know that for sure, why should we risk it?" Mary Louise asked.
"We are not killing a old woman" Aria snapped.
Mary Louise looked towards Nora, "Aria's right" Nora said.
"Of course, she is" Mary Louise said, "Aria's right about everything, she's perfect".
"We'll keep looking, she's probably here under another name" Nora said.
"I'll keep looking, you stay here and bat your eyes" Mary Louise snapped, walking away from the duo.
Aria sighed, "You should go help her".
Nora looked at Aria in shock, "Why?" she asked, "She's being surly".
"Which means your plan is working" Aria informed.
"What plan?" Nora asked, pretending to be oblivious as to what Aria was on about.
"Your plan of using me to make your ex-fiance jealous" Aria replied, "Guess what, it's working, so go and help her look for Rayna, and please, keep me out of this, it's tiring being in the middle of you two".
After a moment of hesitation, Nora nodded and walked away from Aria and towards Mary Louise.
***
Aria reentered Rayna's room, a packet of cookie in her hand.
"This cookie was extremely hard to find, for some reason this hospital as no vending machines" Aria informed, "So I had to go outside and get you an oatmeal cookie, hope that's enough".
"What was your name again?" Rayna asked curiously.
"Aria".
"You seem like a nice girl, Aria" Rayna complimented, "What's a nice girl like you doing with two deviant vampires?".
The small smile on Aria's face immediately fell hearing Rayna, "You're her" she realised, "You're actually the huntress".
Rayna chuckled softly, "I don't think you can really call me that anymore" she said, "Now I'm just an old woman in a dingy room, waiting to die".
"How the hell did the mighty huntress that all vampires are so scared of, end up in a place like this?" Aria asked curiously.
"I was careless" Rayna replied, "The drive to kill, the drive instilled upon me by the shamans, it got a little scrambled in my old age, I staked a check-out girl at the supermarket, my mistake", Rayna looked at the cookie Aria had placed by her tied up hand, "Could you help me with the cookie please?".
Aria nodded, she opened the cookie up and walked closer to feed Rayna, when suddenly the huntress grabbed the badge that was hanging around Aria's neck and using it started chocking her, immediately Aria tried to use her magic to get away but to her shock her magic had no effect on Rayna.
"I'm afraid your magic won't work on me" Rayna informed, seeing what Aria was trying to do, "Now untie my hands before I crush your windpipe to dust".
Aria glared at Rayna, suddenly she grabbed her hand that was chocking her, using her vampire strength she pulled it away from her and snapped her wrist, causing Rayna to let out a scream.
"I don't think I properly introduced myself to you, hi, I'm Aria Connor, a tribrid" Aria spat, causing Rayna's eyes to go wide, but before she could say anything, someone entering the room caught both her and Aria's attention, "Enzo?" a confused Aria asked, wondering what he was doing her.
Enzo ignored Aria's questioning look, instead he took out a knife from his pocket and threw it at Rayna, stabbing her right in the neck, he then looked towards a shocked Aria, "You all right?" he asked.
Aria looked at Enzo, "I'm fine, but what the hell are you doing here, Enzo?".
"It's a long story, love" Enzo simply said, but the look on Aria's face was enough to tell him she needed more then that.
***
"I am not taking that as an answer" Aria said, as Enzo looked out Rayna's room and after making sure no one was around, he closed the door to prevent anyone from coming inside, "You have been missing for days, you promised Rebekah you will be there at her baby shower but you never showed up Enzo, you didn't call, or text, do you even realise how worried we were for you?!".
"You were worried about me, that warms my heart" Enzo said, "And trust me, I'll make it up to Rebekah for missing her baby shower".
"Good luck with that, cause she's major pissed at you" Aria informed, "Now tell me where have you been?".
"What, Matt didn't tell you?" Enzo asked, untying Rayna's dead body from all the restraints, "I thought he'd be crowing all over town how he called in some shadowy organisation to hunt me down and cage me up".
"First of all, me and Matt aren't friends we have only talk when someone's dying relationship" Aria clarified, "Second of all, Matt Donovan, a human managed to jump you?".
"Yeap" Enzo replied, "However, it didn't turn out the way he'd expected, now look, we have to get this body out of here before someone notices, so a bit of cloaking would probably be helpful".
"Fine but first I need to find Nora and Mary Louise, just stay here and don't move, I'll be back" Aria said, walking out the room to find the two heretics.
***
After a little bit of looking, Aria had finally managed to locate Nora and Mary Louise and informed then about the old man actually being the huntress.
"Are you all right?" Nora asked, after Aria told her about Rayna attacking her.
"I'm fine, I handled her" Aria assured, "But did you know that magic doesn't work on her?".
"I had no idea, I swear" Nora said.
As the trio arrived at Rayna's room, Aria opened the door and all three of the girls shock, both Rayna and Enzo were not in the room.
"Stupid, stupid Enzo" an angry Aria mumbled, realising Enzo had tricked her.
***
"Have you completely lost it?!" a furious Aria asked, entering the Mikaelson's living room, after Kol informed what Damon has been up to all day, "What the hell were you thinking Damon?! Street fighting with Julian's vampires?! What if you got hurt or worse died, Damon?!".
Damon looked at Aria, "Even if I do die, why do you care?".
Aria looked at Damon in shock, "Are you seriously asking me that?" she asked, "I care because I love you Damon!".
"Then stop" Damon said, "Stop loving me".
"Damon, what the hell are you doing?" a confused Aria asked, it seemed like Damon was hell bent on pushing everyone away from him, "What is going on here? I am so confused, why are you pushing me away from you?".
Damon looked at Aria, the emotionless expression on his face, scaring Aria immensely, "I don't want to be with you anymore" he finally said.
"What?" a shocked Aria whispered, thinking she might have heard Damon wrong.
"You heard me Aria" Damon said, "I no longer want to be with you".
Damon tried to leave the room but Aria blocked his way, "Don't do this" she said, putting her hands on Damon's chest, "Damon, this isn't what you want, it's the phoenix stone, it messed with your head, please don't let it break us, not now, not when we are this close to our happy ending".
Damon looked at Aria's hands that were still on his chest, he then grabbed the hand that had her engagement ring on it and looked at Aria, "The phoenix stone didn't mess with my head Aria, it cleared my head, it showed me the truth, you and I can never be together, we will always end up destroying each other".
"No" Aria cried, "No Damon, we are good for each other, we help keep each other's darkness away, I need you to survive Damon, don't you need me?".
For a moment Damon just stared at Aria, "No" he finally said, "I don't need you".
Before Aria could stop him, Damon took the engagement ring off of her finger and threw it at the fireplace.
"No!" Aria yelled, using her vampire speed to catch the ring right before it went in the fire, in the process she handed up burning her hand but Aria didn't care, all she cared about was saving the thing that represented her and Damon's love.
After saving the ring, Aria turned to face Damon, but he was no longer there, truth was, Damon didn't want to destroy the ring, but he needed to get away from Aria, the longer he stayed near her, the more he wanted to kiss her, feel her, be with her, but he knew he couldn't so he used the ring as a distraction to allow him to leave, which worked.
Aria looked down at the engagement ring Damon tried to destroy, she slid the ring back into her ring finger and then looked towards the door.
"I don't know what's going on in that complicated head of yours Damon Salvatore, but I'm not giving up on us, not now, not ever" Aria whispered, determination to save her and Damon's relationship shown clearly in her eyes.
***
Presenting 7x12 of Cold Hearted!
How was the chapter?
Thoughts on Damon's talk with the stranger?
Thoughts on Aria going with Nora and Mary Louise to find the huntress?
Thoughts on Nora using Aria to make Mary Louise jealous?
Thoughts on Rayna attacking Aria?
Thoughts on Damon telling Aria he doesn't want to be with her but Aria refusing to give up on them?