Mason Lockwood pulled up in car and I watched curiously as Tyler jogged over to his uncle. Mason kept looking nervously at the cellar beside the swimming hole. I easily recognized it as old slave quarters, but I knew there had to be more to that. I needed to get in that cellar.
Mason peeled out of the clearing leaving dirt tracks and almost hit Caroline and Stefan with his car. Now I knew something was up. His weird acrobatic moves in the school parking lot. The way his eyes drifted to the cellar. His strange behavior around vampires.
Caroline smiled at me and I smiled tentatively back. I knew she wanted me to come over and talk, but I couldn't find the courage. My mind kept chanting "vampire!" and I couldn't ignore it try as I might.
I instead focused on my mission: keep the humans relatively safe from their own drunken antics and the supernatural.
And get in that cellar.
I decided my best bet of getting in the cellar was convincing Tyler to take me there.
I was about to approach him, and I was feeling confident in my plan since he couldn't take his eyes off me, when Aimee raced past me and looped her arms around his waist. She was a drunken mess and couldn't stop giggling, but she easily stole Tyler's attention away.
Dammit.
I decided the next best thing was to kill time and wait until nightfall.
Dusk set on the swimming hole and people cleared out. All that was left mingling around was me, Stefan, Caroline, Matt, Tyler, and Aimee. Tyler led Aimee towards the cellar and I was silently cursing myself for not getting to him sooner.
Stefan was on the phone and Caroline disappeared to talk to Matt. I quickly threw my clothes on and haphazardly tied my boots, afraid for Matt's safety.
By the time I was dressed, Matt and Caroline had vanished and Stefan had hung up his phone. "Where are they?" he asked, his eyes wide.
I shook my head and scanned the area again. This is not good.
"I'm going to go left, you go right," Stefan directed and took off after shoving his phone in his back pocket.
I laced my boots up tighter and headed right towards the cellar. I scooted along the outside of the stone wall when I heard Aimee's voice.
"What? Wait. I'm sorry," she mumbled.
I peaked around the corner of the cement fixture that led to the cellar to see Tyler and Aimee. Tyler had his hands hooked in her bikini top strap and was ready to unclasp it. Aimee softly pushed him away.
"What's wrong?" Tyler asked, sitting back on his knees.
"I'm not even sure why I was flirting with you," Aimee admitted. "I like Matt."
"Ouch," Tyler grumbled. I could literally feel the secondhand embarrassment from where I stood.
Aimee apologized again and raced out of the cellar past me. I quickly feared that a vampire, or whatever Mason Lockwood was, would get her and focused on casting a protection spell Bonnie taught me. It was one of the only spells I picked up that wasn't elemental based. When I was content Aimee would be safe, I entered the cellar and sat down across from Tyler.
Tyler looked up at me startled, but then scooted away and hid his face. "Come to laugh at me, Demarco?"
I was suddenly hit with a wave of empathy similar to the one I felt when Tyler lost his dad and Jeremy and I attended the wake. I crawled closer to Tyler, so our knees were touching, but nothing more.
"I didn't come to laugh. I would never laugh about that," I said seriously.
Finding out someone has feelings for your friend hurts like hell. It's one of the lowest blows to your self esteem. I've had crushes upon crushes, but all of them only talked to me to get intel on Caroline. And boys only talked to Caroline to get intel on Elena. The universe was cruel and I wasn't about to tease Tyler when he was so vulnerable like this.
Tyler raised his head slightly. "I should have asked you to come down here instead of Aimee."
I laughed and laughed and my amusement made Tyler crack a smile. "Nice try, Lockwood, but I'm not some booty call."
"Who said I even want you like that, Ginger?"
I smirked and crawled closer to whisper in his ear. I felt his whole body stiffen up and I smiled when I realized my boobs were pressed against his chest. "From what I've heard you have a thing for feisty redheads."
I pulled away and Tyler's whole face was red. I was about to offer another witty comeback when we both heard howling.
Tyler jumped to his feet and grabbed my hand without a second thought and pulled me out of the cellar and up the stairs. When we reached the clearing by the swimming hole I realized Tyler still hadn't released my hand and had intertwined our fingers.
I didn't pull away either. Holding hands with Tyler Lockwood wasn't all that terrible.
He dragged me across the clearing and into the woods and the moment was over. We soon came across Caroline and Stefan arguing.
"Hey!" Tyler hollered. "What are you two doing?"
I don't think Tyler took too nicely to them hanging around his property when he told everyone to clear out.
"What are you doing?" Stefan retorted and narrowed his eyes at Tyler and I's intertwined hands.
I quickly dropped Tyler's hand like it was on fire and backed away. Then a werewolf, something I thought only lived in myth, ran between Tyler and I and pounced on Caroline. I screamed and Stefan threw the werewolf off of Caroline and into a nearby tree.
"No!" Tyler exclaimed and when I saw the expression on his face I knew. I knew what Mason Lockwood was and why the cellar was off limits. Mason was a werewolf: a vampire's sworn enemy.
And another supernatural hazard to this town.
____________________
I avoided Tyler, vampires, and even Bonnie the following day. I couldn't cope. I was starting to trust Tyler and now I felt like that trust was violated even though he didn't do anything to me directly. But when I saw his reaction to the werewolf, all the pieces clicked in my head and I couldn't ignore the fear snaking around my heart.
My magic was on edge the following night after the werewolf sighting and my wrists were raw and red the next day. Today the redness is less pronounced and looks similar to healing burn marks, but still stings and gets irritated from the slightest touch.
Jeremy called after I turned on the faucet in my house's only bathroom. I talked to him while running my wrists under the cold water to soothe them. It was a momentary release.
"Come to the Grill with me?" Jeremy prompted.
I sighed and turned the faucet off. The stinging sensation returned and I bit my lip. I don't know if going out in public with my wrists like this was a good idea. Jeremy knew about my magic, I could never hide something so connected to me from him, but I knew he'd be concerned about the burn marks. I didn't want him to worry about me.
"I can't, Jer."
"We never spend time together anymore," Jeremy mumbled and my heart tugged for my best friend. "I don't want to sound selfish, but you promised to me here for me after what happened and you've been a no show, Rory."
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was a mess. My hair was a red birds nest and my skin was pasty and sweaty. My lips were chapped and dark circles crested my eyes. I looked how I felt, but Jeremy was right. I wasn't the one who overdosed on pills. I needed to stop pitying myself.
"I'll meet you there in a half hour, Jer."
____________________
I raced around my quiet house to get ready. I wore long sleeves even though it wasn't cold out yet. My top was blood red and my jeans were dark and I paired them with my favorite knee-high black lace-up boots. I tamed my birds nest some would call hair and applied makeup to conceal how I felt inside.
I smiled at my reflection in the mirror before turning all the house lights off. I stood in my living room in complete darkness for a beat. I missed my mother and wished she understood me. I can't give up magic. It doesn't work like that. It was given to me and I have to learn how to use it for good. Maybe one day she'll see that.
I walked into the Grill to see Jeremy talking to Tyler. My wrists stung more than before and I fought the urge to run. But then I reminded myself I wasn't a coward and Jeremy was my best friend and just because Mason Lockwood was a werewolf doesn't mean Tyler was one, too.
I took a deep breath and pulled my sleeves down farther. I couldn't risk someone seeing the marks. It would raise too many eyebrows.
"Hey, Jer," I whispered and Jeremy's brown eyes instantly sought out my hazel ones. He could tell something was wrong. I wasn't good at hiding it. Especially from my best friend.
"Gosh I've missed you, Rory." He enveloped me in a hug and I felt all my broken pieces trying to mend themselves back together, but my magic wouldn't allow it.
I winced and pulled away from Jeremy, my wrists throbbing tenfold. I peered over his shoulder at Tyler. I felt my magic retaliate again. It wanted to suck the life out of him, but it was at war with my heart. My empathy for the Lockwood boy was still strong.
"How you been, Demarco?"
I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell him I was a witch and knew what his uncle was. I couldn't tell him I was terrified he was supernatural. For all I knew, he was human.
"Fine," I mumbled.
Jeremy faced Tyler again. "So why are you here, man?"
Tyler grinned and looked over my shoulder. "Distracting myself."
I turned around to see Aimee and her best friend, Sarah. Seeing them made me uncomfortable. I remembered vividly how Aimee turned Tyler down. Why was she crawling back now?
I respected Aimee despite how other people labelled her and had the urge to pull her aside to make sure she's okay. But I didn't listen to my gut. The way Aimee was undressing Tyler with her eyes and vice versa, made me hesitate. It wasn't my place.
"Thanks for the text." Aimee rested her elbows on Tyler's table. Her breasts on full display. "Where to?"
Tyler grinned. "My house. My mom is gone all day. Empty house, fully stocked bar..."
"Margaritas?"
"Sure," Tyler answered easy. "You in?" His gaze drifted to Jeremy. Were they becoming friends?
"Can Rory come?" Jeremy asked.
I felt uncomfortable and unwelcome in this situation. Did Jeremy miss what was happening here? Tyler was having a girl over for him and one for Jeremy. I would be out of place.
Tyler hesitated, but then nodded his head yes. I was about to make an excuse not to go. I did not want to watch my best friend getting hot and heavy. At least that's why I was convincing myself not to go. It wasn't because I'd also be watching Tyler with another girl. Right?
"It will be fun, Demarco. You know how to have fun right?" Tyler teased me.
"Please come, Rory," Jeremy pleaded.
Aimee smiled. "It won't be that bad. Promise."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine."
____________________
Aimee guided my hands around her neck as the music got louder. She'd already had too many drinks and was drunk off her ass. I was slightly tipsy and didn't have the heart to push her away. Sarah was in the corner talking to Jeremy. Tyler was watching Aimee and me over the rim of his glass.
Aimee stepped on my toes and we both became giggling messes. "I think Tyler likes you," she whispered a little too loud.
"Yeah right." I laughed harder and peaked a look at Tyler. His gaze made my flesh burn red hot. He set down his glass and approached Aimee and me.
"Aimee." Her eyes lit up when he said her name and my heart sank, feeling dejected. "Can I dance with Rory?"
Aimee quickly nodded and scurried away to the rolling bar to get further plastered.
Tyler brought my hands to his neck and then let his own fall to my waist. For both of us being tipsy, he was surprisingly being a gentleman. His hands didn't waver from my waist and float to my ass like most guys would. We just slow danced.
My wrists stung the longer they rested on his shoulders. I wanted to feel safe and comfortable in his arms and on some subatomic level I did. But on this level, all I could focus on was my magic creeping closer and closer to the surface and I was terrified I would hurt him.
So I stumbled away.
Tyler stared at me confused for a moment before his face morphed into that of panic.
I was hyperventilating and heaving on the floor. My magic was fighting for control and I couldn't stand upright and pretend everything was okay. The little alcohol in my system was enough to give my magic the upper hand.
My gaze met Tyler's and I realized something. Despite all his faults, I didn't want to hurt him. Nowhere close.
Jeremy rushed to my aid and I pushed up my sleeves. They were on fire and I hoped he would understand. Luckily he did and quickly sheltered me with his body.
"I think Aimee and Sarah should go. Tyler, can you wait outside?" he said. "Rory's having a panic attack and it will be easier to handle with less people."
Tyler got in Jeremy's face. "This is my house and she's not okay. I'm calling an ambulance."
My magic sure didn't like the sound of that. The lights in the house went out.
Aimee and Sarah screamed and ran out of the house, stumbling slightly in their heeled boots. At least they were leaving and had nothing more to remember than my bizarre panic attack and the electricity shorting. Tyler was another story.
My panicked eyes met Jeremy's. I pleaded with him to distract Tyler. To do something. Anything!
Jeremy's features hardened as he turned to face Tyler. "I know what you are."
"Excuse me?" Tyler sounded beyond pissed. We ruined his get together and now Jeremy was accusing him of something.
"You heard me!" Jeremy shouted. The lights flickered and my body contorted sideways as I clutched my hands to my chest. The anger in the room was aggravating my magic. It was only a matter of time before my magic retaliated in ways I couldn't explain to Tyler.
Jeremy marched across the room to his bag and pulled out his sketchbook. He flipped through the pages and displayed them so Tyler could see the images clearly. "I've been drawing wolves a lot lately, Tyler."
"Watch your mouth, Gilbert." Tyler's voice was hard like steel and the gentle boy who slow danced with me like I was made of glass. Like I was something important, was gone.
"You're a werewolf!" Jeremy announced.
My magic sought out the word. It spilled from my veins onto the carpet and crawled towards Tyler and Jeremy agonizingly slow. Run! I wanted to scream the word, but my magic strangled me.
Tyler stormed across the room and grabbed Jeremy by his shirt collar, pulling him into his late father's office and slamming the door.
It was now or never. I used the last of my willpower to call my magic back to my veins and away from the closed door the boys retreated behind. Then I screamed.
The walls vibrated like an earthquake had rocked its foundation and the lights spazzed. My magic fizzled out and I collapsed with my hands cradled against my chest. Tyler came running out with Jeremy on his heels.
"What happened?" Tyler demanded. When he saw me defenseless and exhausted on the floor, his eyes softened. Long forgotten was Jeremy's werewolf accusations.
"Earthquake," I whispered, hoping he believed the lie.
Tyler fell to his knees beside me. "I'm sorry I left, Rory. I got upset and you were having a panic attack and it's no excuse-"
I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He was so worried about me and I wanted to tell him I was worried about him, too. That's why I held off my magic for so long. I didn't want the primal drive within me to kill all supernatural threats to inevitably hurt him.
Because I knew the truth now after Jeremy's outburst. The way Tyler reacted to Jeremy's flippant use of the word werewolf and the drawings scrawled across his sketchbook pages.
Tyler Lockwood was a werewolf and if he or his uncle threatened the humans of my town I would have no choice. No matter how I possibly felt about Tyler, my duty came first. I swore to protect the innocents of Mystic Falls. That hadn't changed.
Not even his soft brown eyes could sway my judgement.