"Ugh. It's hideous," I moaned, holding the green dress as far away from me as possible. Realising that I'd just technically insulted Elena. I smiled apologetically. "But, it'll have to do. I can't get back in to my own home. Damon explained that my Nan has taken up residence in the old place, and has to invite me in, and I really want everyone to believe that I'm missing. Thanks again, Elena."
"Are you girls done yet?" Stefan called, knocking on Elena's bedroom door.
"One minute," I replied. Elena pointed out the bathroom, and I rushed in, quickly slipping out of my borrowed clothes and into my borrowed dress. It actually looked pretty good on me, despite the fact that it looked hideous on the hanger. Huh. That's a first.
Stefan was sat on Elena's bed as I exited the bathroom. I giggled slightly as I saw him sat there in a gorgeous suit, accompanied my a black, sequinned mask, which looked like a fashion accessory of a small girl.
"Nice mask," I choked.
Stefan held out his hand. Between his fingers was my own black, sequinned mask. I took it from him, reluctantly. Oh, Hell.
"Thank you," I said sarcastically. "I'm sure it will look lovely."
"Yes. I'm sure it will, too," Damon chirped in. I hadn't realised that he was stood in the doorway. I turned to him and smiled when I realised that he was also dressed in a suit, which happened to be identical to Stefan's. He was also disguised with a black, sequinned mask. However, his was in the shape of a butterfly. I couldn't stifle my laughter.
"Alright, alright," Damon sighed. "Come on. We'd better get going. We have a vampire whore to kill."
"Wait," I stopped them. "We're killing Katherine?"
"Damon," Stefan frowned. "We tried killing her last year, and she got us back by hurting Elena. Do you really want that to happen again?"
"She's not that stupid," Damon grimaced. "She knows that we know what's coming. And, Bonnie's a lot stronger. She can take her on."
"Oh, yeah," Elena spat. "Like how she took on Klaus? That nearly killed her, Damon."
"Who's Klaus?" I butted in.
"That's another story for another time," Damon told me. "And Bonnie knows what she's doing, Elena. So, don't go getting gobby with me. It's only amusing when I'm the one being sarcastic."
"And, anyway," Stefan said calmly, obviously trying to end the argument, "Klaus was much stronger than Katherine. He was an original. Granted, Katherine has been around for about half a millennium, but there's more than one way to kill her." Then he looked at Damon. "This time, don't go shutting her in the tomb. Take a stake and drive it through her heart."
"Can we just go already?" I half-yelled.
"Sure. I'm bored of this conversation, anyway," Damon shrugged, racing me down the stairs and out of the front door. His convertible was waiting outside the house. He hopped into the driver's seat while I sat down in the passenger side. I began to miss my Porsche.
As Damon drove along, I peered into the backseat, which was occupied by a few of the wierd, confetti canon things that Stefan had brought along when he and Damon had rescued me yesterday.
"Damon, what are those?" I asked Damon, reaching back and picking up one of them. I placed it on my lap and examined it.
"One of Alaric Saltzman's wierd, compressed air things," he said. "A bit offensive, if you ask me. But, they do a pretty good job. Old Saltzman hasn't done too bad for himself."
"Mr Saltzman? As in my history teacher, Mr Saltzman?"
"The one and only."
"So, what is he? A vampire hunter."
"You just hit the nail on the head."
"Huh," I breathed. "Alaric's a vampire hunter? You learn something new every day."
"We're here," Damon announced, pulling into the driveway of the large mansion. Several cars were already parked, and there was a growing group of masked people standing by the entrance. I slipped the confetti cannon thing under a sheet in the back of the convertible and grabbed my mask from the bonnet of the car, unenthusiastically tying it over my face.
Damon and I both got out of the car. I waited while Damon bent over the back seat of the car, fiddling with Alaric Saltzman's weapons. It turned out that there was much more than the confetti cannon. I was told to stuff a couple of syringes in my purse, so I did, not bothering to argue. I kind guessed they were vervain.
Stefan and Elena were waiting for us, beside Stefan's vintage, red Porsche. That made me miss my modern, red Porsche even more. Elena was wearing a short, blue dress, accompanied by a pair of heels that I would die for and a mask identical to my own. All four of us walked in together.
Jeremy and Bonnie weren't far ahead. I approached them cautiously, unsure if they knew about me, or even if they knew me at all. But, as it seemed, either Elena or one of the brothers had mentioned me, so I thanked Bonnie for spelling my necklace and kindly said "Hello" to Jeremy. Although I'd never spoken to him before, he seemed fairly cool with me. What a nice guy. I'd have to talk to him again some time.
We all headed inside. Damon and Stefan made an effort to make sure that nobody recognised me. Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy occasionally wondered off; heading over to converse with random people from school.
The evening flowed thoroughly, with no sign of Katherine. I was beginning to wonder if Stefan was actually right. Maybe Katherine didn't plan on showing up here. Or, maybe that's what she wanted us to think. Ugh! I hate mind games! They actually make you think. It's not fair.
As the party went on, there was still no sign of Katherine. I was beginning to get bored, and, by the looks of it, so was Damon. Every now and then I could see his glittery, blue eyes eyeing up some random girl's throat, licking his lips hungry. But, every time I saw him do that, I hit him, and he was soon knocked out of the habit.
It was around eleven o'clock that Stefan tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to face him; my brow furrowed. "What's wrong?" I whispered. "Is she here?"
"She's just showed up, accompanied by what we think is a werewolf. We're keeping Elena out the back, with Jeremy," he replied. "That way they won't cause too much suspicion. While Damon and I distract Katherine, you and Bonnie need to go and see who her friend is. Got it?"
"Got it," I nodded, grabbing Bonnie's arm and leading her away.
"Where are we going?" she hissed, her brown eyes wide.
"To say hi to Katherine's new best friend," I murmured.
Bonnie looked hysterical, but she went with it. It didn't take me long to realise that neither of us knew what Katherine's new friend looked like. Oh, shit. Stefan didn't think that one out very well. Then again, neither did I. Oops.
"We have a problem," I said, pulling Bonnie to a stop and dragging her into the overly-lit dining room.
"And that would be that neither of us know what this guy looks like," Bonnie guessed.
"Well done," I smiled mockingly. "Aren't we a smart one? You've just hit the nail on the head."
"Don't worry," Bonnie sighed, annoyed. "I know a spell that can track down other supernatural beings."
"And what if he's not a supernatural being?" I tried. "Stefan thinks he's a werewolf, but what if he's not the only werewolf in this place?"
"Be quiet," Bonnie growled. "I'm thinking."
I released my grip on Bonnie and folded my arms across my chest, resting all of my weight on my right leg. I was getting extrememely bored, now, and wished that Stefan had been on werewolf watch, and that I had been allowed to 'distract' Katherine. Life just isn't fair.
"You thought of anything yet?" I asked.
Just as Bonnie was about to reply, I felt someone move behind me. As I urgently spun around, I found myself face-to-face with Katherine.
"Tell me where Stefan and Damon are, and nobody get's hurt," she spat. Bonnie began backing out of the room, and I did, too. But Katherine was faster than us, and beat us to the door.
"Where are Stefan and Damon?"
"I don't know," I said, truthfully. "But, if you let us get out of this room unharmed, I'll help you find them. They're around here somewhere."
"We're right here, Katherine," someone drawled from the other side of the room. Not now, Stefan.
"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear," Katherine grinned. "I see that saying is still true. Stefan. Damon. It's been a while. No more than forty-eight hours, I presume? I'm experiencing a wierd sense of deja vu right now, except this time I don't need the moonstone. However, I do need something from the pair of you, and this time, I intend to get it tonight. I would hate to think that last year's events will make another appearance. Do you remember what happened last time, Damon?"
"Don't worry, sweet Katherine," Damon said charmingly. "This time, all four of us have intentions of our own. This time, you well end up dead."