'Matt!' Caroline's voice was tinged with panic as she held the phone to her ear while trying to follow the truck in front at a discreet distance. 'Thank God you answered. Where are you?'

'Caroline, hey' Matt's steady voice calmed her instantly. 'I'm at the house. What's up?'

'It's a long story, but I need your help' Caroline ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. Some guy in a truck has just drugged and snatched a vampire right in front of me. So you have any idea who that might be?'

'Uh, yeah' Matt said, uncertainly. 'Yeah, I think I know who that would be.'

'Well, do you have any idea where he may be taking her?'

The truck made a left at the light ahead of her and she had to accelerate as the light turned amber. Her tyres screeched a little on the tarmac as she took the corner a little faster than she'd like.

There was silence on the other end.

'Matt!' Caroline said, desperately. 'Do you know where he is heading?'

'Yeah' he said, slowly. 'Yeah I do.'

'Well can you meet me there?' she took her foot from the accelerator to slow down and drop back a little.

'Car, I don't think you should go there.' Matt said, thinking of Tripp's arsenal and torture devices.

'I don't have a choice Matt' Caroline said, shortly. 'Whoever this guy is, he just took Stefan's vampire ex, and I was supposed to be looking after her. I can't just abandon her now.'

Caroline heard her own words and her anger towards Stefan increased. He had had no problem abandoning Ivy and wasn't even answering his phone again now.

'I know this guy. Why don't you let me take care of it?' Matt frowned. He didn't want Caroline anywhere near Tripp's vampire hideout. Firstly, because he didn't want her caught and subjected to the torture he knew Enzo had been. And secondly, because he was pretty sure Enzo was still there. What would Caroline say when she found out that Matt had known this since yesterday and not said anything to her?

'Too late, it looks like we're already there' Caroline said as the truck's brakelights lit up in front of her. The truck made a right into some sort of driveway and disappeared. Caroline slowed her car at the entrance and turned her lights off. She watched the taillights disappear up a narrow path towards what looked like a farm in the distance.

'Caroline, don't go in there alone' Matt said, gabbing his keys off the side and heading towards the door. 'I'm on my way, wait for me.'

'Get here fast Matt' Caroline said. She ended the call, glanced up the darkened driveway once more. The buildings were in complete darkness and she could no longer see the truck. She looked at her phone, hesitated, then dialed Stefan's number once more. It rang three times then went to voicemail and she pushed the button to hang up angrily and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. 'Stefan Salvatore you are such a dick!'

She opened the car door and closed it softly, murmuring angrily to herself.

'Hey Caroline, will you take care of my girlfriend for me?' she muttered. 'Sure Stefan, I'll look after her for you. Why don't you just leave her with me, it's not like I have any feelings for you that might be hurt or anything' She made her way up the drive, her senses heightened by anger and frustration at Stefan, and fear for Ivy. Whoever this guy was, he had stopped Ivy in seconds with some sort of gun that looked like it shot Vervain. She needed to be careful.

She reached the farmhouse, but there were no lights at all and the whole place was quiet. The main building was in complete darkness. The moon lit the sky behind it, making the whole place look even darker by comparison. She shivered. The place was spooky. She made her way carefully around the side of the house and headed towards what looked to be stables. The sound of a car door slamming shut in the distance made her stop. It had come from the direction of the stables, and she could see lights on now. She set off again, fear for what was happening to Ivy spurring her on.

As she reached the stables, she could see the black van parked on a dirt track outside a large shed. The engine was still running but the back door gaped open. Ivy was not inside. She looked over to the shed. Light spilled out around an ill fitting door and there was a small window, but it was up in what must have been a loft inside; she could see nothing. She crept around the front of the stables and opened the door to the one opposite the barn and ducked inside. Closing it softly she peered across at the barn, unure what to do next. Shadows moved inside the barn and Caroline moved back into the shadows, pressing herself against the wall of the stables. She could hear muffled voices and strained to hear, but she couldn't make out anything clearly. Her mind raced. She wanted to rush over to the shed, yank open the door and rescue Ivy from whatever the hell was going on in there. She knew how frightening it was to be captured as a vampire, the heightened senses made fear so vivid it was painful and all consuming. She looked down at her watch. How long had it been since she'd spoken to Matt? A few minutes, no more. She had no idea how long it would take him to get here from the Lockwood Mansion. Cursing herself for leaving her phone in the car, she leaned out and tried to get another look at the shed.

She thought she could hear another male voice, one that sounded vaguely familiar. Lights flashed and another car appeared. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Matt's SUV pull into the courtyard behind the van, but then she frowned. What was he doing? Was he just going to walk in there?

Both doors opened on Matt's SUV and Caroline saw Matt and Jeremy get out. She opened the stable door and whispered across the courtyard.

'Matt!' she said, as loud as she dared.

Matt looked over in her direction, peering against the gloom. He saw her and raised his hand in warning. She frowned and stopped.

'Tripp, are you here?' Matt called, gesturing to Caroline to go back inside. She frowned in frustration, but turned back into the stables, watching closely.

Movement inside the barn and the door opened, throwing light out into the courtyard. Caroline could see the outline of the man who had grabbed Ivey earlier. It took all of her control not to rush across the courtyard and rip his throat out while he didn't have his vervain gun.

'Matt, is that you?' Tripp called, peering out into the gloom.

'Yeah, it's me' Matt said as he walked over to the barn door. Jeremy followed closely. 'I brought someone to see you. He and I have been talking about him joining the Community Support group.'

'Hey, Jeremy, right?' Tripp stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him, and extending a hand. 'Tripp'

'Yeah, good to meet you, Tripp' Jeremy took his hand and shook it. 'What you up to in there?' he nodded in the direction of the barn.

'Oh, nothing much, just a little project' Tripp said, dismissively. He turned back to Matt and looked at him pointedly, then turned back to Jeremy. 'Look, I'd love to have you on board, but this isn't really a good time to discuss it. Why don't you join us for training tomorrow and we can talk then?'

'Tripp, it's ok' Matt said. 'You can trust Jeremy. He's a hunter himself.'

Tripp looked sharply at Jeremy. Jeremy smiled disarmingly.

'You're a hunter?' he said, skeptically.

'Yep' Jeremy said, 'Had the hunter's mark and everything at one time. Now, why don't you tell me about your 'project' He gestured his head in the direction of the barn once more. Tripp looked at Matt, then back to Jeremy, trying to work out whether or not he could trust them. In the stables, Caroline held her breath.

'Sure' Tripp said. 'Come on in'

He turned back to the barn door and opened it. He stood in the doorway and gestured for Matt and Jeremy to go inside, glancing around the courtyard as they made their way in. Caroline had to duck into the shadows once more, but not before she caught a glimpse inside the barn. What she saw almost made her cry out in shock.

Enzo was chained up inside the barn. He sat, crosslegged on the floor, watching carefully as the three men entered the barn. She couldn't see Ivy. Then the door closed and she exhaled in frustration.

What the hell was going on? Who was this guy and why did he have Enzo? How did he have Enzo? Her mind whirled and she could wait in the barn no longer. She tiptoed out and across the courtyard, pressing herself up against the wall of the barn and straining to hear what was going on inside.

'Well, well, well' Enzo's voice was clear now she was so close. 'Beavis is back and it looks like he brought Butthead. I forget. Which one's which?'

Caroline rolled her eyes in the darkness. Even in his position, Enzo couldn't help himself.

'What's he doing here?' Jeremy asked.

'He's a vampire' Tripp said. 'A knowledgeable vampire. He's going to tell me where all his vampire friends are hiding. He's proving pretty resistant at the moment, but he'll give me what I want sooner or later. And then I'll kill him.'

'This may come as a shock to you boys, but this isn't my first torture party' Enzo said, drily. 'This is positively friendly compared to the last time. You've even brought me some female company.'

Caroline strained to hear a response from Ivy but there was nothing. She must still be knocked out.

'Hey Tripp, why don't we go and talk up at the house?' Matt suggested, his voice on edge.

'What's the matter, Matt? No stomach for this?' Tripp's voice sounded strained and Caroline could hear the sound of something being dragged. 'Hand me that chain would you Jeremy?'

There was the sound of metal being moved; they must have been chaining Ivy up. Caroline shifted impatiently. She wanted this over and done with.

'Yeah, something like that' Matt agreed. 'Vampires just creep me out, that's all. I don't want to be around them.'

'Fair enough' Tripp said. 'Let me just make sure this one is tied up nice and tight. I'll be back to take her for a ride in the sunshine tomorrow.' He huffed and snapped some locks into place.

'Yes, leave her here with me' said Enzo, playfully. 'I'll look after her.'

'Shut up, vamp' Tripp said, his voice nasty. He picked up a sledgehammer that was resting on the wall nearby and swung it heavily at Enzo's head. It connected with a sickening thump, breaking his nose and shattering his facial bones. Matt and Jeremy stared in horror as blood spurted from Enzo's face and he keeled over unconscious. Tripp was staring too, a look of triumph on his face as he rested on the sledgehammer. Matt looked across at Jeremy and a silent agreement passed between them. The best thing to do was to get Tripp out of here and let Caroline get Enzo and the girl out of here.

On the ground, Enzo was already healing and regaining consciousness.

'Well that was a bit uncalled for' he said, mildly, wiping the blood from his face.

Tripp picked up the sledgehammer again and looked like he was going to swing it. Matt walked towards the door, between Enzo and Tripp, kicking Enzo on the way past.

'Shut up vamp' he said, hoping he sounded convincing. Jeremy gestured towards Ivy.

'Who's the girl?' he asked as they headed towards the door.

'I don't know' Tripp admitted, resting the sledgehammer up against the wall again and following them out of the door. He snapped the lights off, plunging the barn into darkness. 'I don't need to know. She's a vampire, and she needs to be gotten rid of. That's all I need to know about her.'

Caroline tiptoed silently around the back of the barn as the three men left the barn. Tripp slid a huge bolt across and secured it with a padlock. The three of them set off in the direction of the farmhouse. Caroline made herself wait until she saw lights go on in the main building, then she made her way silently to the barn door. She ripped the padlock off with ease and opened the door. Enzo looked up as she rushed in.

'Well hello gorgeous' he said, warmly.

'I've come to get you out of this hell hole' she said, pulling apart the chains holding him down.

'Nonsense' he said, airily. 'I'm having a whale of a time.'

'How the hell did you end up here anyway?' she asked. She could see he was weak.

'Oh didn't Stefan tell you?' Enzo asked sarcastically.

'Tell me what?' she asked. She glanced over at Ivy, who was still unconscious. She needed to get them both out of here fast. She pushed up her sleeve and held out her wrist to Enzo's mouth. 'Here, you need to drink. We need to move fast and you're weak.'

He looked up at her and she saw for the first time the fear and sadness in his eyes.

'Bite me Enzo' she urged.

'Darling, I wish I was hearing you say that under different circumstances' he said, winking at her. She thrust her wrist in front of him insistently. They didn't have time for games. He winked at her once more, then bit into her wrist and sucked greedily. She winced, but held steady. He needed this.

'Ok, that's enough' she said after a minute. She withdrew her arm, but Enzo's hand shot out and held her arm firmly. He removed his fangs, and gently kissed the spot where he'd bitten her. It was already healing. He looked up at her.

'Thank you' he said in a low voice.

'Thank me when we're out of here' she said, standing up. 'Help me with her.'

Enzo shook off his chains and stood up, dusting himself off. He followed her over to where Ivy was chained up and began breaking the locks.

'Matt told you I was here?' Enzo asked.

'Matt? No' Caroline replied, puzzled. 'I had no idea you were even here. I came for her. I followed the van.'

'You came to rescue Stefan's ex?' Enzo's face was incredulous. He looked over at her, shaking his head. 'Well, that makes no sense at all.'

Caroline returned the stare.

'It's complicated' she said, pulling her face at him.

Enzo raised his eyebrows but said nothing further. The chains were off. He stood back. Caroline looked at him expectantly.

'What?' he asked.

'Aren't you going to carry her?'

'Me? No, you came to rescue her darling' Enzo replied. 'You can bloody carry her.'

'You are responsible for her being here!' she exclaimed. She rolled her eyes, but she bent and scooped Ivy up, slinging her over her shoulder. Enzo spread his hands wide and shrugged nonchalantly.

'Stefan should look after his women a little better if you ask me' he grinned pointedly at Caroline and she scowled at him.

'Thanks for the help' she said, striding past Enzo towards the door. Voices outside stopped her in her tracks.

Enzo sped past her to the door and peeked out.

'They're coming back' he said. 'We need to leave. Now.'

He opened the door and sped out into the night, leaving Caroline open mouthed. A split second later he reappeared, grabbed Ivy and took Caroline's hand.

'Didn't think I'd leave without you, did you?' he smiled. 'Come on'

They sped off into the night.