III.

Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting
Lock it up and leave?
Walk away now and you're gonna start a war

The National, "Start a War"

o-O-o-O-o

1922

Chicago, Illinois

Sitting stretched out on the bed with his pillow propped behind his back and an ashtray on his chest, Stefan watched the smoke from his cigarette billow into the air. Rebekah lay next to him, her golden hair fanning across the pillow, gleaming in the moonlight coming through the window, but his thoughts weren't on her for once, but on her brother. An odd thrill went through him as he remembered their meeting earlier in the evening. The look in the other vampire's eyes when he'd confronted Rebekah and Stefan had been akin to betrayal and Stefan had found himself feeling guilty without knowing why. He knew Nik's jealousy had really been directed at Rebekah, but, for a brief moment, Stefan had felt like Nik was mad at him.

What makes you worthy of an original like my sister?

What indeed. Stefan was going to prove he was more than worthy of Rebekah. And of Nik himself.

o-O-o-O-o

The days passed and Stefan and Nik were spending almost more time together than either of them spent with Rebekah, drinking and carousing. Nik reminded him of Damon in many ways, but without the recriminations that had destroyed their relationship. He found himself confiding in Nik, telling him of his adventures in the past decade since he'd last seen his brother. Nik was particularly interested in his slaughter of the villagers in Monterey and demanded that Stefan retell the tale again and again. Stefan's memory was hazy of that night, but he made up for it with embellishments, each more outlandish than the last. The only thing he left out was the feeling he'd had ever since that night that someone—or something—was following him.

One evening they were on their way to the club to meet Rebekah, when they found themselves walking behind two curvy and attractive girls. Nik winked at Stefan and then they descended on their prey, convincing them without too much effort to go down the next alley with them.

Stefan pulled "his" girl into his arms, suckling noises a short distance away telling him that Nik had already started. The girl opened her mouth to scream, but Stefan ripped open her throat before the sound could get out, reducing her cries to a gurgling whimper. The scent of her blood filled his senses and he let out a bestial growl as he lapped at the blood gushing from the artery before sealing his mouth over the wound with a voracious growl. Stefan's eyes fell closed as he drank and drank, his mind going blank. Once she was drained, Stefan dropped her body and fell back against the wall, panting for breath as he rubbed the back of his hand against his mouth.

When Stefan opened his eyes, Nik was watching him raptly, his own victim lying dead and forgotten on the ground. Nik's lips were stained with blood and it took all of Stefan's willpower not to grab Nik then and there and lick the drops from his pretty mouth.

"You're dirty," Nik said finally. "So much blood. Just look at you."

Stefan looked down at the front of his shirt, his stomach revolting at the sight of all the blood staining his white vest. He looked away, only to find himself gazing into the dead eyes of his victim. Guilt, an almost foreign feeling to him now, came crashing down on him, suffocating him in its weight and he quickly turned away.

"I have to change," he said. "My place is just around the corner. Tell Rebekah I'll be there soon."

"Oh, she can wait," Nik said, rubbing the blood off his mouth with his handkerchief. "I'll go with you. You haven't shown me your etchings."

Stefan snorted. "I don't have etchings," he said.

Nik grinned. "Never mind. Lead the way, ripper."

When they reached Stefan's small apartment, he told Nik to make himself at home and then went into the bathroom to clean up. He ran the water till it was so hot it steamed up the mirror (better not to look into his own eyes) and then scrubbed the blood off his hands and face till his skin was raw and pink and hurting. He gripped the edge of the sink, pushing down the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Not now!

He started when a knock came at the bathroom door.

"You drown in there?" Nik called through the door.

"Uh, no, almost done!" he called.

"Fine. But it's a bit dry out here? Got any alcohol?"

"Behind the shelf in the kitchen," Stefan said. "It's a hidden door."

He wiped off his face and glanced down at his hands, the pink skin now faded to his normal pale complexion, and he opened the door of the bathroom.

"What's this?" Nik called from the hidden closet.

"What?" Stefan asked.

"The list." Nik stuck his head out of the doorway. "With people's names." He went back into the closet and Stefan entered behind him, his chest tightening. "Liam Grant, that was the bloke from the night we met." Nik grinned. "The one who drank his wife." He turned to meet Stefan's eyes, something very much like adoration shining from his face. "They're your kills, aren't they?"

Stefan wanted to grab Nik and drag him out of the closet and shut the door and never look at the damn list again. Instead, he took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm.

"Yeah," he said finally. "That way I can relive the kills again and again." And never, ever forget what I've done.

"Stefan." Nik said

Nik pounced suddenly, his hands and mouth were on Stefan's naked torso. Stefan raised his fists and wanted to push Nik away, but Nik was shredding the rest of his clothes in his impatience, tossing them aside as if they were paper and Stefan just clung to him, returning the caresses. Then Nik took him against the wall without preparation, pounding into him with odd, desperate cries as Stefan's face was pushed into his little list with every thrust.

Afterward, they both sat together in the closet, smoking a cigarette, their legs just barely touching.

"What about Rebekah?" Stefan asked.

"We just won't tell her, of course," Nik said with a chuckle. He leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of Stefan's mouth. "Speaking of which, she's waiting."

They dressed quickly and then hurried to Gloria's in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. When they reached the club, Nik put his hand on Stefan's arm.

"I have to go take care of something," he said. "Tell my sister I'll be with you presently."

Rebekah was none too pleased when Stefan appeared, but he soon won her over with cajoling and kisses. They were dancing when the shooting started and then everything happened at once. Rebekah ran, dropping her necklace, and when Stefan went to pick it up, Nik stopped him.

"You must forget Rebekah and me," Nik said. "Until I say otherwise, you never knew us, Stefan. Thank you. I had forgotten what it was like to have a brother."

o-O-o-O-o

In April, Lexi found him.