A/N: Bad me, how dare I start another story when I have so many that are unfinished. Well I wanted to take a pause from the Bamon train I've been on to try to show some love for Stefonnie. I know I have Wide Awake that needs to be updated, but my muse for that has just ran off to get married in Vegas or something. This was a story idea I put out on Tumblr about Ripper!Stefan/Dark Bonnie. This story takes place after 4x10 where Elena lets the whole world know exactly why she gave up the cookies to Damon and Stefan's reaction afterward. And you know me strong language and sexual situations ahead, just fair warning. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: These characters are the creative property of LJ Smith and The CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I didn't sleep with Damon because of the sire bond. I slept with Damon because I'm in love with him."

Those words, her words kept playing through his mind in one continuous, torturous loop that mocked him from the moment he first heard them, to the time he ran through the halls to get away from Werewolf Tyler, to the point he walked away with what strength and dignity he had left from Elena who pursued him to talk. What the fuck else was there left to say? Stefan didn't want to hear it. He didn't need a recap of her night with his brother. Knowing the two of them had sex was bad enough, but knowing he couldn't exactly pin that on the sire bond, Stefan felt he had no cards left to play.

It was over. Whatever tiny shred of hope that he could get back the girl he fell in love with had been blown to kingdom come with Elena's confession, her declaration he should say. And she hadn't exactly spilled the beans remorsefully; she said it almost braggingly, which probably hurt more than anything. Elena was proud of the fact that she slept with Damon because she was following her "feelings" and Elena's feelings were always right and justified.

Rip his heart out. How many times? In how many ways? And they ALL involved his brother.

No! Stefan's mind roared as he scrubbed his hands roughly down his face and through his hair. He wasn't going to put himself through this. He had been right when he and Elena stood on Wickery Bridge that he lost her the minute he walked away, left with Klaus all to save his stupid brother's life. He came back to Mystic Falls, had his life turned upside down, made a royal mess of everything, hurt and damaged the people he thought he cared about, and he did it all in the name of love.

Why? What had been the stupid fucking point?

He didn't have anything to show for it but pain. The kind of endless pain that made it impossible to sit still, to think rationally and carry on with life as if nothing were remiss. For so long Stefan walked the fine line between being decent and being a bastard because he didn't want to hurt anyone, yet people had no problems hurting him.

Maybe he was being a bit melodramatic, but whatever.

I think I make him sad...he looks at me like I'm a project...something to fix...like a broken toy...and I can't be with someone like that...

Rage bubbled and dissipated and came rushing back to the surface only for his humanity to temper it, make excuses for why it wouldn't be a wise decision to rip into some throats and spill a little blood right now.

And Damon? Ha, Stefan's mind turned sharply to think of his brother. Stefan was not an idiot. He had been right when he stood in front of Damon and told him not to pretend that hearing the news about his breakup with Elena wasn't the happiest day of his life. Damon had no scruples, Stefan was well aware of that, but for once maybe he hoped his brother might actually put his feelings first, and not try to screw him over.

Welp, he did some screwing all right.

He makes me feel...free...its unpredictable...

Dropping his weight into one of the chairs facing the fireplace, Stefan leaned back and focused his eyes on the ceiling. What was he supposed to do now? Continue to exhaust all possible leads to find the stupid cure, force it down Elena's throat, and make her really decide if her feelings for Damon were genuine?

Stefan didn't know about anyone else but that route just wasn't appealing at all. Even if Elena was being led by the nose by the sire bond, and her feelings for Damon were just extreme fondness, Stefan could never take her back. There would be no erasing the fact that she had spread her legs—willingly—for his brother. She kissed him, did other things that were permanently etched in Stefan's brains, and no amount of Tide was going to remove that stain. There was no going back and no starting over. He was done being hurt by a teenager, by his brother. He was done being hurt—period.

Besides feelings made him weak, emotion kept him complacent, and in line. In bondage, and Stefan was screaming for his freedom. Maybe this was taking the easy way out, but it would be much better than walking through life feeling…well…like Damon.

Stefan chuckled drily.

A tear annoyingly ran from the corner of his eye and down his cheek. Stefan didn't even bother to wipe it off because he wanted to remember this moment. Remember his last conscious thought as a vampire who was actively involved in keeping several humans alive because they had become something of a family to him. He wanted to remember all the times Caroline made him laugh, or Bonnie impressed him with her magic, or Jeremy stood up to him or his brother in regards to his sister. He wanted to remember just for this second that he actually cared whether or not Damon lived, that he actually loved his brother. He wanted to remember how Elena used to make him feel when her feelings for him had been pure and reciprocated.

Rebekah wouldn't do him one by erasing the last two years of his life away, but Stefan had an alternative to not feeling pain or emotion anymore. If he didn't care who was bedding who, going through life wouldn't feel like being run through with a hot poker. There was but so much pretending that everything was okay that Stefan was willing to do, and right now he was officially done.

Done with everything.

For two years he bled for that bitch, bled for that bastard, and as far as he was concerned, they could have each other. Damon took his best friend away from him, now his girl. And Stefan knew his ledger wasn't without blood. He had taken just as much from Damon and now in his mind they were even.

Stefan blinked slowly, listened to the soft beat of his heart, and then he just shut it off. It fell heavily like a guillotine blade beheading him, cutting him completely off. It happened so instantaneously he didn't even have time to change his mind. One minute the hurt, pain, the anger and long suffering coiled inside like a parasite, and the next there was nothing but a void, a humming noise in which no other sound followed thereafter.

Stefan looked around the living room, at the furnishings, before pushing himself to his feet. He licked his canine and grinned.

There were several dangerous things about vampires. They were built for speed, inhuman strength, had an incurable lust for blood, could eradicate human free will. Atticus Shane already knew that about vampires, had written several books and papers on the subject and in his honest opinion they were merely the muscle in the supernatural hierarchy of things.

The real talent lied in witches. They were the ones who made all the rules and all supernatural entities. They were the ones who decided at the drop of a dime on whether you lived to see another day, or if you would be reduced to nothingness.

He dodged a real big bullet the other night. If he hadn't taught Bonnie how to practice expression without fear or limits or boundaries, she wouldn't have been able to perform that protection spell which ultimately saved his life. Oh, sure he might feel a little bad that he duped Bonnie into tying his life with another person, and having that person literally take the fall, but he needed to remain alive and Bonnie would need him to make sure she stayed alive if they had any hope to reach Silas.

Naturally he couldn't expose why she was so important to everything. All Shane wanted Bonnie to be concerned with was keeping Jeremy safe, and keeping herself stable. He'd worry about all the rest. With the Mikaelsons hopefully thinking he's dead that should squelch any future attempts on his life.

It had been such a trip to come face to face with the Original vampire family, although Shane wouldn't say they were the first of their kind, just the first on what had yet to become American soil. Shane wasn't in the business of bursting bubbles, and so long as Klaus, Rebekah, and Kol thought they were something special they'd be too distracted on one upping each other, and not on what he was really after.

Unfortunately, Shane had no choice but to tell Kol enough of his plans that he probably sent the Original off on a tangent to tie up any perceived loose ends that led to Silas' resurrection. He saw it, it may have been fleeting, but Shane saw the disbelief flicker in Kol's eyes when he mentioned raising Silas who could raise the dead.

Kol knew something, and whatever that something was Shane figured he had to get to Silas before the Original put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and ruined everything.

He couldn't afford to have anything happen to Bonnie. That's why he was now searching through all the file drawers in his office looking for the protection charm he smuggled back from Scotland. He had already given Bonnie one token—the necklace worn by Qetsiyah—but she would need something else to make sure a vampire wouldn't come sneaking up behind her to snap her neck or drain her dry.

"Yes," Shane hissed when he found it and then suddenly he was violently turned around and thrust into the metal file cabinets jostling the items on top, which a few crashed to the floor. Heart beating erratically, Shane ordered himself to calm down. It was only, "Stefan Salvatore…to what do I owe this visit?"

Stefan tilted his head to the side. "You and I are going to have a little talk, Professor."

Shane attempted to smile but there was something disconcerting about Stefan. He hadn't spent much time in this particular vampire's company. He had had more lengthy discussions with the elder Salvatore who made him just a touch uneasy, but not so much. Damon might have prided himself on being unflappable and unhinged, but Shane had learned enough to discover what his Achilles Heel was. One of them was currently tightening his hands in the lapels of his jacket.

"Talk about what?" Shane asked steadily.

"The cure of course," Stefan replied nonchalantly. "Have a seat."

Before Shane could object or make up some excuse for why now was not a good time, he found his body being hurled across the room where his shoulder made contact with the hard floor underneath. Groaning and coughing because the wind had been knocked out of him, Shane didn't have a chance to right himself before he was jacked to his feet and subsequently slammed into his chair. Stefan moved around him like a whirlwind and by the time he stopped, Shane looked down at his bound hands and feet.

"This is a bit much don't you think?" Shane chuckled nervously. "I don't suffer from ADHD," he squirmed in the chair to test the strength of the binds. Yep, he wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. And the more he moved, the more the ropes sawed into his flesh causing him to wince against the pain.

Stefan casually took a seat on the edge of the Professor's desk. "Where's the cure?"

"Like I'm going to tell you that. You're wasting your time if you think you can intimidate me to give up my leverage. I can't be compelled either so don't bother."

"Well that's unfortunate…for you," Stefan said coldly.

Shane looked at him—closely—and noticed that Stefan's eyes were soulless. It didn't take him long to figure things out. Stefan wasn't here to get MapQuest directions to the cure; he was here to kill him.

Stefan eyed Shane and smirked to himself. He could tell the man was using everything within him not to soil his shorts but to come off as cool, calm, and collected, but he was failing.

"Why don't we get started," Stefan said and produced a pair of wire cutters. "Now I'm going to ask you a series of questions and based on how you answer, meaning if I believe you or not, you get to keep a finger. If I don't like your answer, meaning I think you're lying to me, you lose a finger and I'll even let you pick which one. If I run out of fingers to cut off, I go for your toes, and if I run out of toes then I start hacking off other appendages. Hopefully things won't come to that, Professor, do you mind if I call you Shane?" Stefan paused and looked at the tied up man in the chair.

Shane gulped reflexively but said nothing.

Stefan shrugged, unaffected and continued, "I'm sure you're probably thinking that I won't really resort to dismembering you to get what I'm after. So I feel a little demonstration is in order just so you know I'm not fucking around. A lot of people talk a good game, Shane, but I'm not one of those people. I do what I say."

Stefan walked over to the helpless professor who tried not to flail around, but it was impossible especially when his eyes landed on the wire cutters that were slowly inching their way towards his left pinky.

"Wait!" Shane cried out.

"Shush," Stefan crooned. "You'll only make it worse if you keep moving."

"Stop this! You don't have to do this to get information out of me! But I doubt I know anymore than what you've probably already pieced together."

Stefan peered down at Shane for a moment—contemplating. "What do you think I already know?"

Shane attempted to breathe evenly through his nostrils. He was beginning to sweat underneath his clothes and his mouth was going dry, but he'd be damned to start squealing like a girl.

"You know about the cure, and you know I'm the one who may know where it is. You have a hunter…Jeremy and you know he's the map."

"Keep going."

Shane wouldn't say anymore than that. No matter what happened to him, what Stefan did to him he wouldn't give up Bonnie's role in all this. Since she's the only one to actually be able to raise Silas and get the cure, keeping her safe and alive was tantamount. Silas would bring him back because he served him, died for his cause. No matter what, Shane vowed to himself he wouldn't talk.

He looked up into Stefan's flat bluish-green eyes in a face void of emotion. "Do whatever you want to me. You kill me you get nothing."

Stefan tucked his lips in and raised his eyebrows. He circled Shane until he stood behind him and braced his hands on the man's shoulders. He squeezed, not enough to break bone but enough to cause Shane to hiss out in pain.

"Well, I hate to tell you this," Stefan leaned down to speak directly into Shane's ear, "but that's kind of the point. Without you no one gets anything. Nothing. And that's the beauty of everything. No one gets what they fucking want!" Pause. "Shall we begin?"

"No, wait!"

Snip.

Shane hollered as he watched the tip of his pinky fall, bounce, and roll on the floor.

Bonnie still couldn't believe it. She almost killed someone while protecting someone. It was a very unusual situation to be in because the person or "people" she was always trying to take down were supernatural, but another human being…blew her mind. Brought her up short. Bonnie could berate herself for not asking more questions about expression, how it originated, its true purpose. If a witch in essence had to "sneak" around the spirits in order to do spells that meant it was something bad, right? Sure it may have freed her from drawing on the power of her ancestors, but it didn't mean it was any less natural, right?

Shane said or tried to reassure her it wasn't black magic. So if it wasn't black magic what exactly was it? She knew now it came with a price and that price unfortunately meant human sacrifice.

Shaking her head, Bonnie just couldn't figure it out. She knew she could make things happen and not feel crushing guilt in wondering how Grams was being punished because she disobeyed a direct order. Bonnie felt stronger, spells came to her more easily, and she didn't have to worry about overexerting herself or having dreaded nosebleeds or losing consciousness. But again at what price?

After using expression Bonnie always felt high, buoyant like there was too much air in her body, and it became a task to remain on the ground. But there was more to it than that. Some days she felt so restless and empty that the feeling wouldn't dissipate until she dabbled in a few spells or drank some of the tea Shane had given her. If that was a side effect of practicing expression she'd take it over feeling like she had one foot in the grave any day.

However, Bonnie felt like she was changing. There was no one she could share this with because, as usual, everyone was busy with their own drama. Caroline constantly had to keep Klaus away with a stick, Jeremy was being manufactured into a real-life action figure to grow the hunter's mark, and Elena well she as off having sire-bond sex with Damon or whatever.

Clearing her throat, Bonnie got out of her Prius and walked up the short flight of stairs to the house April Young was staying in.

Ringing the doorbell, Bonnie waited patiently for someone to answer the door. A few seconds later someone did. Luckily it was April who looked immediately apprehensive and afraid.

Bonnie hadn't been on the receiving end of someone being afraid of her. She hate to say it, but it kind of gave her a bit of a kick. She mentally shook her head. That's the wrong emotion to be feeling at a time like this.

"Hi, April," Bonnie said softly.

"Hey," the young girl replied succinctly. "What are…what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see how you were doing and to apologize again. I had no idea that the spell I was doing would affect you."

"Well then maybe you shouldn't be practicing something you're not a hundred percent sure about," April said in a rush and then looked down at her bare feet, her cheeks turning pink.

Bonnie inhaled a deep breath and straightened her spine. April might have had a point but she better watch her tone. Bonnie snapped at herself. What was going on with her today?

"How are you feeling?" Bonnie mustered on.

"I'm a little tired and sore, but other than that, I'm fine."

Bonnie nodded feeling now was a good time to leave. "Well, I don't want to keep you, just wanted to stop by. Again, I'm sorry."

April said nothing, only looked at a point over Bonnie's shoulder.

"See you," Bonnie said and backed away. She had reached the last step before April said her name. Bonnie turned and looked back up at the girl.

April stepped out on the porch. "Am I…am I tied to Shane forever? If something else bad happens to him…will it happen to me, too?"

Bonnie shook her head. "It was a one-time thing that will never happen again. I know where I went wrong, April so you're not in any danger."

April nodded and then quickly retreated back into the safe confines of her house. Bonnie, however, remained stationary for a moment. She hoped what she said to April Young was the truth. But there was only one way to find out. She needed to go have another talk with Shane.

Wiping his fingers clean of blood, Stefan Salvatore whistled and then dropped the filthy rag on the floor, looked around the office one final time before slipping out.

He had forgotten how exhausting torture could be. Not only was he tired but he was ravenously hungry. Stefan could have fed on Shane, but then that would have been expected and he was all about doing the opposite of what was expected of him.

Walking out into the blinding sun, Stefan slipped on a pair of expensive shades and made his way back to the center of Whitmore College. Only a handful of students were loitering around the quad this early on a Wednesday morning, unfortunately. So pickings were slim, until he saw a brunette and a blonde headed towards him. Stefan slapped a smile on his face and removed the shades so the girls would have an unobstructed view of his preternaturally handsome face.

He saw their eyes light up with interest the second he took off the shades. Some days the hunt was too easy. Prey fell into his lap seamlessly, but since he was so damn hungry he could chase someone else later. Right now he had more important business to take care of.

"Ladies," Stefan greeted the minute he was in reaching distance of the co-eds. They both giggled and flipped their long hair over their dainty shoulders.

"Hi," the brunette said in a deceptively sultry voice that definitely tickled Stefan's eardrums. He could tell already that she would be delicious.

The blonde, not wanting to be outdone, actually laid a hand on his arm, "I don't think I've seen you on campus before. I'm Melanie and this is my best friend Madison."

"Melanie," Stefan kissed her hand and watched as she blushed profusely. "And Madison," he didn't leave the brunette out. "M&M just happens to be my favorite candy."

The girls giggled again.

He stared intently into both of their eyes. "Listen is there some place we could all go, hang out for a while, get to know each other better?" Stefan asked.

The girls looked one part conflicted and the other part thrilled. Thrilled won over conflicted.

Melanie took Stefan by the arm, "Well we were on our way to class, but I'm sure we can just email our teacher for the notes."

"Yeah," Madison seconded and took Stefan's other arm. "I'm feeling a bit feverish."

"Oh, me too," Melanie was quick to agree.

"Well, I'm a Pre-Med major," Stefan lied. "I should probably check your pulse."

"Okay," Madison and Melanie spoke in unison and led Stefan back to their dorm room.

Once locked inside Stefan found himself pushed up against the door and his mouth being attacked. His pants came off, shirts took flight, bras and panties too, and before he knew it, he was on a twin sized bed eating out Melanie while Madison put her deep throat technique to good use.

Stefan pulled away from the pink snatch he had been drinking from and looked up at Melanie. "Take her place. I want to eat her now."

Melanie pouted but then tapped Madison on the shoulder and motioned with her finger to switch places. Madison grinned maddeningly as she climbed up Stefan's body more than ready to have his tongue artfully spell the longest word in the English language against her clit.

But Stefan had another type of eating in mind. He stopped Madison from moving any higher up his chest. He brushed her hair aside, felt his fangs lengthen, his eyes blur red, and then he bit down into her sensitive flesh.

Madison cried out and tried to fight, but Stefan was drinking her like a dehydrated man who just found an oasis in the desert. She was dead within seconds.

Disengaging his fangs, he pushed her off his body and didn't flinch when she made a horrifying thud on the floor. Melanie who was too busy spit shining his pole didn't even notice.

"I'm still hungry," Stefan muttered gutturally. He grabbed Melanie by the hair and pulled her off him. She gave a yelp of surprise and a cry of pain, and then within seconds she too was silent.

Stefan licked his fingers clean. He had been right…they were delicious.

To be continued.

A/N: For the first chapter I didn't want to go into too much detail on what Stefan did to Shane, and what he may have learned. And things with Bonnie will be subtle at first but I do have something awesome in mind planned, and it'll have more to do with expression and less to do with finding the cure. And I apologize there was no Stefonnie interaction, just trying to set the stage, so trust it is coming. Let me know what you guys think. I'll say this will be totally different from A Kiss Goodnight where Stefan was mostly just horny and hungry all the time. This Stefan, my attempt is to make him dark, and a guy who has a plan. I hope I can pull this off. But thank you in advance for reading! Love you! And if you want more, just say the word and really let me know what you think.