CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
" vampires "
"Where's Elena?" I asked as I spread out in front of the fire place with a bottle of vodka beside me. "I thought for sure she'd be here scolding you to death for letting her best friend die."
"Elena completely fine, she's probably with Stefan somewhere." Damon said as he sat down beside me. I glanced at him, confused. If I was this upset, then Elena was surely about to set the world on fire. "Bonnie's fine, B. She faked her death - or I mean, she was technically dead. Her heart stopped, but only for long enough to appear dead. She's hiding out with Jeremy."
I sat up so quickly that the bottle fell over and splashed into the fireplace. The flames grew, causing both Damon and I to scoot away from fire place. "If Klaus thinks she's dead, he thinks we have no cards to play. She's our secret weapon."
I slapped his arm, "what the hell!"
"What?" Damon ran his hand over his arm, as if I actually hurt him. "I thought you'd be happy to hear she was alive!"
"I'm ecstatic that she's alive, but I'm pissed that you didn't tell me!" I hit him again, "who was all in on it?"
"Just Bonnie, Jeremy and me." Damon leaned back, holding himself up with the ball of his hands. "We wanted to tell you, but we also needed all reactions to be genuine. Yours, especially. Klaus knows you so he needed to see your reaction, and he would have known if you faked it."
I huffed, knowing I wasn't great at fake crying, but Damon didn't need to know that. "I happen to be a great actress, alright? I can fake cry like that," I snapped, showing how quickly I could cry, though I was lying. "You could have told me."
"But your real reaction wasn't even crying. You just ran out." Damon tilted his head to look at me, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it was for Bonnie's safety."
I only nodded, letting out another sigh. Stefan came down the stairs quickly, "I didn't know you were still home." Damon switched his gaze over to his brother.
"I just woke up," Stefan ran his hand through his hair, "have either of you heard from Elena?"
I shrugged, not having a clue. She's always with Stefan, and when she isn't, she's with Bonnie, or home by herself. I assume with Klaus on the loose she wouldn't go home, and with Bonnie in hiding, she's not with her. "She used to run, maybe she's out running?" I suggested, knowing it's more than likely wrong.
Stefan shrugged, glancing around the room, his eyes landing on the basement door - which was designed to not look like a door, but like the wall. "Did one of you open that?"
Both Damon and I shook our heads as we got to our feet. "I didn't even realize it was open." I said, watching as the brothers made their way to the door and down the stairs. I went at a normal speed where as Stefan and Damon practically sprinted.
"No, she didn't." I heard Damon say as I caught up, anger evident on his face. I didn't know what caused his furrowed brows until I actually looked into the cellar. The Elijah-less room made it obvious that she definitely did.
I tried to hide my smile but covering my mouth with my hand but Damon still caught it. "I assume your as happy as can be."
"I mean not as happy as can be, but pretty damn close." I removed my hand and gave a toothy grin.
Damon groaned as he started for the stairs, "Stefan, call your girlfriend and figure out where the hell she is!"
"Already on it." Stefan pulled his phone out and called Elena. I made my way to the blood-bag filled fridge on the other side of the basement, but listened to the rings of Stefan's phone on the way. Elena answered the call, but before she could say anything Stefan was asking questions. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Elena came back. I ripped open my blood bag to make it easier to drink, waiting for Elena to confirm that Elijah was also fine.
As if Stefan was reading my thoughts he asked, "Where's Elijah?"
"Right here."
"Where?" Stefan asked, making his way up the stairs, "I'm on my way."
"No, Stefan, Elijah and I need some time alone."
Stefan stopped half way up the steps, and I slowly walked up after him. "Listen to me. He can't be trusted. He'll use you to get to Klaus."
"Wrong." I muttered, swallowing the last bit of blood. "Elijah is the most open person I know."
Stefan groaned as he glared at me for a second before returning walk up the rest of the steps. "Blair's right, Stefan. Elijah is a noble man. He lives by a code of honor. I can trust him. He knows that I would be incredibly stupid to betray him again. By removing the dagger, I have proven myself."
I could tell by Elena's tone that she was explaining everything to Elijah as well. "You can't do this alone."
"It's my decision, Stefan. Please respect it. And make sure Damon doesn't do anything stupid. I'll be in touch." Elena hung up. Damon and Stefan were both standing in the hallway, looking confused.
"Did she just hang up on you?" Damon asked in disbelief.
"She did."
"She's lost it." Damon huffed as he sat on the couch. Stefan sat on the couch across from him, and I just stood and watched the two.
"If anyone can get him to help us kill Klaus, it's her." Stefan spoke, and I shook my head.
"He doesn't need convincing to kill Klaus. He fully intends on doing that, he just needs our help to weaken Klaus a little before he kills him." I said, "He just needs to be convinced that we will indeed help him. He needs to be convinced that we're trustworthy despite you guys daggering him."
With the glare from both brothers, I took it as my queue to leave. "Alright, I can tell my input isn't needed here, so i'll be going." Neither Damon or Stefan tried to get me to stay, so I went upstairs to grab my shoes before leaving the boarding house.
"Where have you been?" Jenna asked as I walked through the front door. "I've been trying to call you since last night."
"Yeah, sorry. Hectic night." I shrugged.
Jenna nodded, not expecting an explanation. She leaned closer to me to whisper. "So, Elena and Stefan told me not to go near Ric without explaining why, but he's in the kitchen right now."
"What?!" My attempt at whispering back failed, and came out louder my normal tone. "Why? Why is he here?"
Jenna shrugged as a multiple knocks pounded on the door. She made her way to open it while my eyes stared down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Sorry about Bonbon, Blair. She was stupid to think she could best me." I hear Ric's voice say, his voice no higher than a whisper. I turned back towards the door, not wanting Ric/Klaua see that I'm not really distraught anymore.
Stefan came into the house a second later. He walked in enough to be between Jenna and I. He turned to face Jenna.
"Hey, Jenna. Thank you so much for not going to the Grill." Stefan spoke quickly, ready to get something out.
"Um, Stefan..." Jenna tried, but Stefan stopped her.
"No, listen, I can explain." Jenna's eyes lingered past Stefan's shoulder and over my head. Stefan slowly turned around, basically looking through me to see Ric's body.
"Hi, Stefan. How's it going?"
Klaus made himself at home as he started making dinner. He had a huge kitchen knife in his hand as he chopped vegetables. "You know, I find chopping... calming. The feel of the blade in the hand, maybe."
Jenna, Stefan and I stood opposite Klaus, the island seperating us from the evil body-stealing original. "I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what the hell's going on." Jenna crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned on the table behind us.
"Well, who should to tell her? Stefan, Blair or should I?" Klaus stopped cutting up food and sat the knife on the island - though his hand still rested on it.
"Tell me what?"
Klaus smirked, "do you believe in vampires, Jenna? No?" He let out a short laugh. "Well, who does, right? But believe it or not, they do have a place in our history. And as a history teacher, I find them fascinating."
Jenna's brows furrowed with confusion. "Why are we talking about this?"
"Well, you've been angry with me for keeping secrets, and this is one of my secrets. I'm obsessed with vampires. There. I said it." Klaus laughs again, like he wasn't about to destroy her world.
"Are you joking?"
"Not at all. How about you, Stefan? Are you a fan of vampires? Or you, Blair? What's your take on them?"
"In literature. Bram Stoker. It's dense, but I appreciate it." Stefan played along, whereas I kept quiet. I didn't want to give Klaus anything he wanted.
"Hmm. Did you know that vampires are the oldest creatures of the night? Expect for werewolves, of course."
Jenna let out an annoyed laugh, "werewolves." She spoke out again in disbelief. "Werewolves. Now I know you're joking."
"You know, I've read that there's an Aztec curse on both species that keeps werewolves slaves to the Moon and vampires bound by the Sun. Isn't that right, Stefan? You know, they say these creatures would do anything to have this curse broken and that they wouldn't care who they had to kill to do it."
Jenna's eyes widened out of shock, or confusion, maybe fear. She probably would have taken what Ric said as a threat if it were anyone of than Ric. Of course it wasn't Ric, and it probably was a threat.
Klaus finished making dinner and refused to tell Jenna anything until we all sat down and ate with him. "Oh," Klaus started as if he suddenly remembered what he was talking about. "I know this all sounds crazy, but vampires are real. Would you care for more wine?"
I wished I was allowed to have some, but Jenna shook her head when Klaus offered a glass to me. Klaus stood up to grab the bottle from the island but Jenna was already done with him. "Get out." She said aduptly.
Klaus turned back towards her in confusion, or anger. I couldn't read Klaus' emotion when they were on Ric's face. "Excuse me?"
Jenna stood up to make herself clearer, "I don't know what you're trying to do, or why you're saying these things, but..."
"Jenna..." Klaus tried, but was shot down.
"I said get out!" Stefan stood up as well, and I joined the standing party as I leaned against the wall.
Stefan stared Klaus down. "You heard her."
"I'm afraid I don't want to." Klaus shrugged, "I don't think Blair wants me to go either. She hasn't told me to leave yet."
"If I tell you to go, will you?" I spoke for the first time since I realized Klaus was here.
"Only if you say the magic word." Klaus smirked, getting a scoff in return from Jenna.
"Fine! I'll go!" Jenna was ready to leave the kitchen but Klaus grabbed the knife of the island.
That got my attention, making me loose my relaxed atmosphere. I stopped leaning against the wall and took a few steps so I was between Jenna and Ric. "You're not going anywhere."
Not even a second later, Stefan had Klaus pinned against the wall with the knife to his throat. "Stefan!" Jenna yelled.
"Blair, get Jenna out of here, now!" Stefan yelled back, never taking his eyes off of Klaus. I tried grabbing Jenna's arm but she slid out of my grip easily. I didn't want to force her out so I didn't fight her. I just stayed between her and Klaus.
"You can't kill me, Stefan." Klaus toyed. He wasn't wrong. Ric would die in the process and nobody wanted that.
"Watch me!" Stefan tightened his grip on the knife's handle.
"Stefan, don't!" I yelled, taking a step closer to them, "don't kill him. You think a simple kitchen knife will kill him? All you'll do is kill Ric, alright? Just don't."
Klaus turned his head slightly and smirked at me again, "I knew still liked me, B."
"Don't get confused. I want you dead, more than anything, but I want Ric to live. And unfortunately that means you'll have to live a little longer."
Stefan didn't budge, so Jenna yelled his name again, but he still kept the blade to Klaus' throat. "I may not have a witch protecting me today, but if you kill this body, what's to stop me from choosing Jenna as my next one?"
"Jenna, go." Stefan said sternly, his gaze never leaving Ric's face.
My eyes widened as I watched Stefan's. His veins had appeared, his eyes went red and his fangs replayed his canines. "But you're," Jenna paused, most definitely shocked and scared of the whole situation. "You-"
"I said go!" Stefan finally looked away from Klaus to glance at Jenna, giving her a good view of his full vampire form. Jenna shook her head, fear evident on her face as she grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the house with her.
We only made it as far as the street before Jenna stopped, dropping my arm to look at me. I couldn't figure out exactly what her emotion what. Fear, confusion, and pain all mixed in one, I assumed. "What the hell?!" Tears brimmed her eyes as she stared into mine.
I didn't explain anything to Jenna. I just looked back at her with an apologetic expression as I listened in on the conversation going on inside. "Kill me. Just remind Elena how easy it will be for me to get my revenge if she tries to stop me from breaking this curse." Klaus only said that before some russeling, making me guess that they were fighting. Stefan appeared outside not a minute later.
"Jenna, get in your car and go to the boarding house." I finally break my gaze on her to look at Stefan. "We'll be right behind you. Damon should be there."
Jenna shook her head, "I need to know what just happened in there!" She yelled as she glanced at Stefan and took a step back.
"And we'll explain it all. I promise, okay? I just need to talk to Stefan first." Jenna's eyes widened, as if she was scared of leaving me alone with him. "It's fine, Jenna. Stefan is one of the good ones."
Jenna sighed as she dug into her pocket to pull out her keys then made way to her car. Once she drove away I looked back at Stefan. "Are you dumb?" I yelled, "you showed her your face! She didn't need to see that, not yet! She should have been told by Elena or I that we existed before she seen you change!" I made sure to leave out the word vampire because we were out in the open after all.
Stefan sighed, "I didn't plan on it, Blair! I was angry, and I want him dead! I didn't even know my face changed until I seen your faces."
I ran my hand down my face, "he'll be dead soon enough. I have to go pack some clothes for Jenna and I." I started walking back towards the house, but Stefan's grip on my arm stopped me.
"He's still in there. You're not going back in."
I shook out of his grip as I continued for the door. "He doesn't want me dead, so I'll be fine. Jenna's going to be staying at the boarding house until this whole situation is over and she's going to need some clothes to wear."
"Fine, but I'm going in with you to make sure he doesn't try anything." Stefan gave up easily, following me up the steps and into Jenna's room. After her bag was filled with the essentials, I moved into my room and filled my own bag. I had some clothes at Damon's but I wasn't sure how long we'd be there so I packed almost my full closet. Once Stefan and I went back stairs, Klaus was long gone.
We were in my car on the way back when Stefan called Elena repeatedly until she finally answered, and when he filled her in on what happened, she agreed to meet us at the boarding house to explain things to Jenna.
By the time Stefan and I got to the boarding house, Elena was already there, talking with Jenna. "-you tell me? I'm scared." Jenna was crying, and obviously upset, but Elena attempted to soothe her.
"I know. I know. I know, hey." The way Elena's voice was muffled I could tell she was hugging Jenna. "Hey, I'm sorry. Jenna, I am so, so sorry."
I glance up at Stefan and he has tears in his eyes, and guessing with how foggy he looked, so did I.
A few minutes later, Elena came out of the library, shutting the door behind her. "Is she going to be okay?" I asked, wiping my eyes.
"She's in shock. I tried to tell her as much as I could but I barely scratched the surface." Elena shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I'm so sorry, Elena. I hate this." Stefan spoke, and Elena shook it off, telling him it wasn't anyone's fault but hers. Then she ended her statement by saying she had to get back to Elijah.
"Wait, what? No, no!"
"Stefan, I promised him that I would return. I can't break that promise." Elena explained, and Stefan surprisingly just nodded and let her be.
I grabbed her shoulder, stopping her mid-step. "Tell him I want to talk to him when you're done."
Elena only nodded with a small smile before opening the door to see Damon. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Back to Elijah."
"No." Damon said without hesitation.
Elena groaned as she rolled her eyes, "get out of my way, Dam-." She stopped talking when Damon grabbed her arm.
"If you so much as try and take a step out of this house..." Damon started.
"You're not going to do anything, Damon." I grabbed his hand and pulled it off of Elena. "She's going to go back and you'll let her, because this is her decision."
Damon threw his arms in the air with a groan, "whatever. Sorry for trying to keep her alive!" He yelled before storming off to his room.
Elena left, flashing me another small smile before going. I glanced at Stefan, "I'm going to talk to Caroline. Keep an eye on Jenna.. and Damon."
Stefan nodded, "be careful. I know you don't think Klaus will hurt you but -"
"Will do." With a simple smile I made my way out the open door.
Luckily Caroline was home, and very willing to have girl time. "It's been too long. I know I saw you briefly last night, but we havent really hung out in a while."
I flopped back on Caroline's bed, my arms and legs spread out. Caroline was leaning against her dresser as she let out a small laugh. "What's happening in the life of Blair?"
"Too much. Let's talk about you first." I rolled to my stomach and rested my chin on my hands. "Tyler kissed you a little while ago, right?"
Caroline's happy exterior left in a second as she sighed, "yeah, right before he let his crazy werewolf friends kidnap and torture me, and then left town without a real goodbye. He hasn't even tried to contact me or Matt since he left. Have you talked to him?"
My frown made my cheeks look like a chipmunk's with my hands pushing them up. "No, I've tried calling him a few times but he hasn't answered any of them. How're you and Matt?"
"I told him about vampires that night Maddox tried to kill him. He didn't take it well at all, so I compelled him to forget. He's been kind of distant every since, like his subconscious knows I messed with him. Even when we're together, he looks like he's somewhere else." Caroline came and sat beside me. "I'm scared that I compelled him wrong and he still knows and is scared of me."
"You've compelled people in the past and it's never messed up, so I doubt it's that." I shrugged, "speaking of knowing about vampires, Jenna does now."
"What?!" Caroline wide-eyed me. "That has the potential to be really bad! Like worse than Matt knowing. If Matt ever remembers, he'll probably break up with me, but Jenna could like - leave. She may not want to be your guys' guardian knowing that she's got a vampire as a neice!"
"Thanks, Care. That really helped my stress about it," I let out a small laugh. "She's staying at the boarding house until we clear all this up. Klaus threatened her today, and Stefan almost killed him."
"Oh my god!" Caroline's eyes were still as wide, "is she okay?"
"Psychically, she's fine. I don't think she'll be mentally okay for a while. First she finds out that we've been lying about Isobel's undeadness, and now this? It sucks." I dropped my face to rest in my hands, "did I tell you that Klaus is my ex?"
"Oh my god! What the hell?" Caroline stood up to express that this was much bigger news that Jenna knowing. "When? Why?"
"Back in Chicago, I dated him, lost my v-card to him, then he left. He was my first love, and it freaking sucks that he ended up being a guy who wants to kill my sister." I sat up quickly and pointed at her, "he had no feelings for me! He dated me for months, took my v-card and he didn't even like me! He only stayed with me because of my resembance to Katherine! He told me he loved me, but then confessed to only being with me to see if I knew Katherine or the doppelgänger. I was just a pitstop on the way to Elena."
I could tell that Caroline felt bad for me by the look on her face, "damn. First him then Stefan? I'm sorry, B. At least it's not like that's with Damon."
My anger passed and fear took over, "I'm not so sure it isnt." Caroline's brows furrowed, "he says it's not like that. He says that he's not with me because I look like either of them, but he's too interested in saving Elena.
"Don't get me wrong, I love that he's try to keep her alive, but it doesn't feel like 'i'm saving her because she's my girlfriend's sister and my friend', it feels like 'i'm saving her because i can't lose her.'"
Caroline frowned, "you can't think like that, Blair. Elena is Damon's friend, his only friend, actually. So it's understandable that he's doing everything he can to try and save her."
"But isn't it weird that he's doing more than Stefan? Stefan is freaking madly in love with Elena, but he is stopping when Elena says stop. He's letting her make this her decision. He's not going out of his way to disobey Elena, whereas Damon is." I groaned as I fell back onto my back, "I don't know. I know he likes some part of me or else he would have pushed me away already, but I'm pretty positive that I'm just his pitstop until he gets what he really wants."
Caroline grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug, "he loves you, Blair. Don't question him until he gives you a real reason to."
heres chapter 33, not great, but it is 4000+ words so hopefully that makes up how relatively uneventful it was! haha, anyone else excited for some more blair x elijah scenes? that's why I've been so uninspired to write this bc ive been missing elijah (and tyler) but both are back (or coming back soon) so I'm getting excited again! ALSO, I am graduating high school on June 16th, so (hopefully) more updates more often! ALSO I've gotten into K-pop (or just bts) lately so if any of all know some good bts fics (specificly V or jungkook) drop them below bc im obsessed. anywho, please vote and comment. ilyasm :)) xxx ashelina