I buried my head in Damon's shoulder, refusing to look at my father, who was struggling to contain the werewolf inside of him under the weight of two shirtless men who'd inevitably been compelled by Klaus. Stefan squeezed my hand encouragingly, and Damon smoothed by hair against the back of my head.
"Make it stop," I whimpered, almost choking on my words. "Please, Damon. Make it stop."
"It'll be okay," he murmured. "It'll all be over in a minute. Bonnie's speeding up the transformation. He'll be gone in a minute. He'll go to a better place. Just hold on for a minute or so."
"He won't feel anything," Stefan assured me. "He'll die painlessly. Tearing out the heart is the most painless way. I promise."
Stefan's words actually made an impact on me. Keeping my arms stiff by my side, I lifted up my head and stared at my father through the fringe hanging over my eyes. Klaus was approaching him slowly, as if he was trying to make each step forward count for something. I moved my eyes back to my father.
He looked completely agonised. I just wanted to jump in there and sacrifice myself. My father didn't know what he was getting himself into. If I was only his real daughter. Then I could give myself to Klaus instead of watching someone I love die like this...
Bonnie eased the circle of flames as Klaus grew closer and closer to the mess of a werewolf writing on the floor. The shirtless men backed away as if this whole routine had been planned all along.
I rested my eyes on Bonnie. She was focused, her gaze hard on where the action was most dominant. Though determination lingered in the chocolate brown, the fear, the worry and the regret all shone through. That was when I finally got it into my head that Bonnie wasn't choosing to do this. She was simply being forced.
In a regular situation, that would have been fine with me. Forcing someone to do something is the easiest way to get it done. However, I'd grown rather fond of Bonnie over the past few weeks, and hated to see her having to do something completely out of her nature. It sickened me to the bones. And I wasn't going to stand for it. If only I could find a way to distract Klaus and give Bonnie enough time to get out of here...
"I know what you're thinking," Damon breathed. "And it won't work. Even if you think up a perfect little plan in that mind of yours, I won't let you go through with it. Bonnie knew what she was getting herself into when she came out here this evening. She could have just stayed tucked up in bed where the big bad hybrid can't get her. But, no. She came out here and got herself caught up in some voodoo ritual shit. Don't bother. Don't risk your life just to save her conscience."
"You make a very valid point," I replied. "Despite the fact I disagree with you. Someone like Bonnie doesn't deserve to have this on their conscience forever. It's wrong."
"But, you risking your life won't for anything for her conscience. If you try and distract Klaus so Bonnie can get away, Klaus will kill you. Then Bonnie will have that on her conscience."
I growled under by breath. "Please, be quiet. You're not helping my situation."
"I never intended to help your situation, love."
I kept my eyes tight on Klaus as he crouched down on the grass, one arm extended towards the man uncontrollably shifting between human and werewolf. I gulped as the hand reached into the man's chest and tore out his heart.
And then it was over. Just like that. Dad was dead.
I held back the tears, determined to do Damon proud. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I started crying right here, right now? That's right. I would be a humane one. That was most definitely not what I wanted.
"You can cry, you know," he said under long breaths. "I won't mind. Neither will Stefan. We both know how you feel. You can't hide the fact that you haven't turned off your humanity, He brought you up. He's loved you for seventeen years. You can't help but love him back. Believe me, I've been in your position before."
I giggled slightly, drying my eyes. "You've cried before? That's hard to believe. The great, tough, superior Damon Salvatore has cried? Wow."
Damon chuckled half-heartedly. "Yes, I've cried. There. I admitted it. Now, go on and blub on my shoulder. Just don't ruin the shirt. It's new."
I studied his black cotton shirt, trying my best to pick out a special reason why he didn't want me to ruin it. But, then again, Damon's wardrobe was full of black shirts. They were just about the only thing that he wore. Black was his signature yet totally instinctual colour.
"You can dispose of the body," Klaus called over to us. "I'm sure you'll want to bury it or something. Mind you, it's not in the prettiest of states. Don't you agree?"
I growled, but Damon rested a hand on my shoulder, insisting that I don't make a move that I'll regret later. I just nodded.
"Yes," I choked. "Thank you."
"Don't worry, love," Klaus teased. "It was my pleasure."
He walked back over to Bonnie - with undeniable swagger in every single bloody step, might I add - and stepped up onto the little alter he'd created for himself. He raised his arm and held it out over the stone bowl and squeezed out the blood from my father's heart. Bonnie cringed back, but didn't make any threatening moves. She was being careful. Just as I was. She'd do anything for her friends, but was wise enough to stop before she was killed. Although, I had no doubt that Bonnie would willingly die to save a friend. The only thing that was stopping her now was that she knew this wasn't the right time and place to do so.
I knew what was coming next. It was Caroline's turn. She was going to die next. Now, this I could handle. That was for sure.
I looked over at Elena. Her eyes were tearing up as she said her farewells to Caroline. Then I turned to Bonnie. She too was crying. My eyes pricked. I hissed at myself.
I was notgoing to get upset by the death of Caroline Forbes. It wasn't aloud. I was to enjoy every single moment of it, as if it were the last thing I would ever see. I'd been looking forward to the death of this bitch for so long, and I couldn't chicken out when the time came. I had to do this. If not for myself, then for the long line of people with something against her.
"No!" a male voice half-screamed. "Care, don't do it. Please. Don't let him do this to you!"
"Well, well," Klaus rolled his eyes as I turned to look behind me. Tyler slammed the door of a 4x4 and started marching over towards us, his eyes fuming, Klaus clicked his tongue. "Come on, mate. What happened to the whole sire thing between us. Don't you love me anymore? Don't you feel a loyalty towards me anymore?"
"I'd do anything for you," Tyler admitted, drawing up behind me and resting his hands on my waist. What was with the intimacy? Ah, well. When Tyler Lockwood's the man touching you, you've got to be grateful. So, instead of protesting, I let him continue.
"But that loyalty ends when my girlfriend is brought into this. Why her, Klaus? If you wanted Elena to do this so badly, then you should have gone right out of town and grabbed random vampires and werewolves off the street. Not Caroline. And what's the deal with Lizzie's father, huh? What the fuck has she done to you? What the fuck has her father done to you? Did you know that he was her father? Is this just one of your ways of antagony? You bastard. If you do this, then I'm no longer bound to you. You've already killed one innocent supernatural tonight, in your attempt to make things better for yourself. Don't even think about killing another. Especially when they've done nothing but suffer because of your ever move. If you go through with this, then I'll get my good friend Elijah to compel me against your every command. We're all in touch with Elijah. He's back at the house, waiting for the verdict. Originals can compel other vampires, right? Well, you'll be regretting your actions when I'm plotting to hunt down a white oak stake and drive it through your heart. Are you clear, or do I have to dumb anything down for you?"
I felt something for Tyler. It wasn't a phsyical attraction, or a sexual attraction. In fact, it wasn't any kind of attraction. It was something you'd feel for the jock who just stood up for you against the guy bullying you, or something you'd feel for the man who just stopped you from getting knocked over by a car coming your way. It was a feeling that couldn't be described. All I knew was that I would forever be in debt to Tyler. That was for sure.
"Are you threatening me?" Klaus laughed, halfway between the stone alter and the ring of fire surrounding Caroline, who looked seriously pissed off. "Are you seriously threatening me? You know, I could just come right over and tear out your brave little heart. Then you wouldn't be so tough, after all. But, because you were my first successful hybrid, I feel that your life should be spared; don't you think? You're extremely lucky that you've been loyal to me, Tyler, or else I would have killed you by now. Understood? Don't push your luck any further."
"Whatever," Tyler shrugged. "Kill me. I won't give a damn. You made me into a monster when I became your science experiment. Did I want to be a monster? No. Okay, so maybe I can change whenever I want to, but that doesn't stop me from being two kinds of a hunter all wrapped into one. You're just a damn bastard. Guys like you should just go and screw yourselves."
Damon clapped Tyler's back, a smile playing on his lips as he tried to look sincere.
"Tyler, buddy," he said out of the corner of his mouth. "You're seriously pushing your luck here. If you continue your back chat, Klaus won't hesitate before snapping your pretty little neck or tearing out that damn heart of yours. Get it? I don't want you dead. The only person here that wants you dead is Klaus. And, believe me; if he wants you dead, you be dead."
"I get it," Tyler replied, frustrated. "But that won't stop me from voicing my opinion, and doing something about the crimes going down because of that bastard over there. For months I've been bound to Klaus by this God forsaken sire thing. You really think that's what I've wanted? I've stood by and watch hundreds of innocent people get harmed, but the thing binding me to Klaus is getting in the way of me turning on him. It's not something I can help. And now that he's brought my girlfriend into it, some serious shit needs to go down between Klaus and me. Elijah offered to compel me to forget Klaus and move on months ago, when he was first woken by Stefan, but I just couldn't do that to the person that created me; the person that I used to love. You all know I became a cocky twat when I became a hybrid. It's because I was bound to Klaus. I felt like I could never repay him for the amazing thing he turned me into. Well, that loyalty card has now expired, and Klaus never got to get his money's worth."
"Are you ladies done gossiping?" Klaus mocked. "I'm bored. Can I kill bimbo over here, or do you need to have another little conversation before actually paying attention? I'm happy to wait a couple more minutes if you're planning to kill me or something, but just remember that I have people on my side. People who'll be happy to kill every single one of you once I'm dead. Is that clear? Don't bother. Save your breath. What a waste of valuable time."
"Nobody asked for your opinion," I called over to him, clearing my throat as I did so. Klaus cocked an eyebrow at me, smiling with amusement.
"Yes, ma'am," he obeyed sarcastically. "Anyway, Miss Jameson, who asked for your opinion?"
"I never said that anyone asked for it. I just feel that my opinion should be heard wherever my boyfriend is concerned. Okay?"
"Please," Damon drawled. "Continue with your ritual thing. I can't wait for the next instalment of 'Psycho Hybrid Strikes Again'."
Tyler tightened the hold he had on me. I winced slightly, but didn't moan.
"Ready?" Klaus asked, bored. We all nodded, though most of us did so reluctantly.
All eyes were on nobody but Klaus as he approached Caroline, who was lying on the floor, willing to get this over and done with. I was surprised. I would have thought that someone as dramatic as Caroline would have loved to make a scene out of this whole incident. It turned out I was wrong. She just surrendered graciously.
Klaus straddled her. I tried to stifle laughter at the sight of the pair of them, linked together in a rather sexual position. I could feel Tyler's eyes on the back of my head, glaring at me while trying to contain his anger. I shuffled from his arms, instead moving along to stand in front of Damon. He put his arms around my waist, and I leaned back against his body, gaining his physical support.
Bonnie began to whimper as Klaus drew a wooden stake from his pocket. Elena was sat on the floor, fiddling with the strands of grass. Stefan still had hold of my hand, his arm stretching across Tyler's chest so that he could keep hold of me. Damon was enjoying the whole scene. I knew for a fact that he'd wanted Caroline dead long ago, but nobody had allowed him to kill her. Personally, killing Caroline was doing the world a favour. I'm sure there were a long line of people willing to agree with me on that one.
I closed my eyes.
"Want me to give you a running commentary," Damon offered. I nodded.
"Okay, well, Klaus has lowered the stake over Caroline's heart. Caroline's being a drama queen, letting her eyes drift shut and, well, you get the picture. Klaus is lowering the stake - I should have known he wouldn't do this half-heartedly. He should go on Broadway. I think they'd appreciate his pathetic acting skills. Anyway, Klaus is raising the stake behind his head, and-"
As a wave of gasps rippled through the atmosphere, I guessed Caroline was dead. Yet there was no screaming or shouting. Just a silence that I longed to be filled with threats and protests and sobbing and the general stuff that happens at a funeral, only intensified.
I dared to open one eye, curious as to why nobody had scolded Klaus yet.
My mouth dropped open.
"What. The. Hell?"