Bonnie had gone for a Grimoire, and coming back into the room, she caught the last of Stefan's conversation. He must have been speaking with Damon. It was the only possibility. "What did he say?" She questioned.
Stefan turned with a forced smile. "He's heading back this way unless you tell us differently."
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "I found a new spell. It's a bit more specific than the other locator spell." Definitely a good thing if Elena was anywhere in or near a city. "Just need something of Elena's. And you're in luck," she continued, holding up a pair of earrings. "I borrowed these from her last week."
Setting them down in a ceramic bowl, Bonnie motioned for Stefan to take a seat while she set down her other supplies on the coffee table. Two white pillar candles were set to either side, Bonnie lighting them before she knelt in front of the table. Eyes slid shut as she began murmuring the incantation, barely audible. As the spell took hold, the candle flames soared, racing skyward.
Bonnie's eyes shot open, not seeing her home, but some far-off place. "I see her," she intoned. Eyes narrowed as she tried to divine something of use. "She's in a car, with Kol… I can't see anything else. It's dark. No road signs…" She blinked and the candles flickered back to normal, the spell breaking. "I'm sorry Stefan." She sighed softly, brow creased in worry. "I can't find anything else right now. Once they stop, maybe." They would have to, sooner or later.
Stefan nodded, still concerned, but wanting to reassure Bonnie at the same time. "I know you're doing everything you can," he assured her. And he couldn't fault her for that. Even if every muscle in his body was screaming that they needed to find Elena that moment before anything could happen to her. Kol was an unknown in the equation. Who knew what he was capable of. Though, given the rest of his family, Stefan would classify it as 'not good'.
Sensing the disappointment, even if he were too nice a guy to say anything, Bonnie pushed herself up, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Come on. I'll make up some tea. We'll try again in a little while. And I'll call Caroline. If she finds out before we can tell her, there will be hell to pay." It was a feeble joke, but Stefan offered a tight smile.
"Tea," he agreed, almost mechanically. "I'll text Caroline." Though he didn't know what help she would be, Bonnie was right. Fiercely protective of her friends, Caroline deserved to know, too. Slipping his phone out with a sigh, Stefan stood, texting as he followed Bonnie to the kitchen.
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They'd been driving all night and, though Damon would have preferred to keep going, he thought the sleeping teen next to him might need food and a bathroom break at some point. And what better time than a much-needed gas stop. Roaring into the station, Damon braked suddenly, jerking Jeremy awake.
"What?" He questioned blearily. Blinking a few times, it took him a minute to take everything in and remember what exactly had happened last night. Then his attention turned to Damon, smirking in the driver's seat. "Dick."
"We need gas," Damon answered, nonplussed. "And you might want to get food now. We won't be stopping again." Not for a few hours at least. Not until more gas was needed.
Nodding, Jeremy unbuckled the seat belt, opening the door before he slid out.
"Get me a coffee," Damon called out. There wasn't a response. Jeremy's shoulders hunched slightly as he walked away. Teenagers. Moody things, the lot of them. Though Damon was feeling a bit moody himself that morning.
Sliding out of his own seat, Damon set up the pump to continue automatically, then stepped away, sliding his cell phone out. Selecting his brother's name, Damon waited impatiently for the call to be answered. Blue eyes scanning the area, it was all he could do not to sigh once Stefan finally deigned to answer the phone.
"Any news?" Damon questioned.
"Bonnie's getting ready to try again," Stefan answered, looking over at the girl in question. She nodded in return. Her face was determined, eager to prove his faith in her wasn't misplaced.
"The last time we checked they were still on the move, we think heading east, but tough to tell. Bonnie was just getting glimpses of road signs."
Damon grunted. At least they were getting something. And they had to stop at some point, right? "Let me know when you have something. Hopefully they wouldn't overshoot or head in opposite directions. A noise of assent.
"How's Jeremy?"
"Baby Gilbert slept most of the night," Damon answered, looking over his shoulder to check on the teen, visible within the gas station, picking out an armful of junk food and some drinks. "Which means he'll be bright-tailed and bushy-eyed and full of questions today." The thought was a complete and utter joy. Really it was the last thing he needed.
"Put yourself in his position," Stefan advised patiently.
The comment made Damon snort. He'd been in Jeremy's place. Relatively speaking at least. He'd watched Elena be put in danger more times than he cared to remember. And, for all the fighting that went on between them, imagining the situations reversed and Stefan in Elena's place brought up the brotherly protective instinct in Damon. The difference being that Damon had strength enough to fight back whereas Jeremy was all but utterly powerless.
His eyes softened somewhat. He wouldn't needle the boy pointlessly. But Jer had to understand that he wasn't the only one concerned about Elena. Damon would do whatever it took to ensure her safe return. Now was not the time to muse on such matters, though. Having paid for his snacks, Jeremy was heading back to the car once more.
"Keep in touch," Damon advised before hanging up.
Moving back to the car himself, Damon shook the pump handle, jostling loose any final drops of fuel before hanging it back up again. Then, screwing the tank cap back into place, he looked over the roof of the car at Jeremy. Gaze was questioning, and something Damon didn't want to waste time on.
"Get in," he ordered, waiting until Jeremy was in the seat and door closed before the car roared to life again.
"Nothing yet," Damon advised tersely. "Bonnie's trying to track them, but they were still on the move last she could tell."
It was something. A tiny tidbit to keep Jeremy somewhat in the loop. And he nodded, in acknowledgement. Kol would pay.
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Elena sighed softly, shifting positions. Even as she did, though, a slight frown crossed her features, brow furrowing. This didn't feel like her bed. And, though she was pressed up against another body, it wasn't anyone familiar. The cologne tickling her nose was definitely not Stefan's. Nor Damon's, for that matter.
The memories came rushing back to her in a flood. With a sharp inhalation, Elena's eyes shot open. She was pressed against Kol, her head against his chest, his arm wound protectively around her shoulder. She didn't remember stopping which meant one of two things. Either he'd carried her in to whatever hotel room they were currently in, or he'd compelled her. She dearly hoped it was the former of the two. The thought of compulsion sent a shudder down her spine. If the fact that she was still fully clothed was any indication, though, nothing untoward had gone on the previous night.
Lifting her head cautiously, Elena studied the room. It could be a chain hotel in any number of cities. Gaze shifted back to Kol. He hadn't shown any indication that he'd even noticed her movement, still completely relaxed and ostensibly asleep. Slowly inching out of his embrace, Elena froze as his arm resisted a moment. She half expected to look up and see dangerous eyes looking up at her. But the moment passed, his arm shifting to squeeze a pillow to himself in replacement for the warm body lost.
Heart was pounding as Elena slid the last few inches off the bed. Rather than turn her back on the sleeping vampire, she ever so carefully backed to the door. She had to turn slightly to fumble with the lock and chain, wincing at the noise. But Kol didn't seem to be stirring, even as she kept glancing back to him. Could he really be such a hearty sleeper?
Elena wouldn't question it too much. Every moment spent worrying was a delay she couldn't afford. With a deep breath, and a final glance back to the still-sleeping Kol, Elena's hand settled on the door handle, twisting it.
The door opened barely an inch before a hand came down on either side of her, slamming it shut once more and keeping Elena pinned between Kol and the door. Hands clenched into fists, her forehead rested against the door for a moment in defeat.
"Going somewhere, darling?" The voice was calm. "Didn't we have a discussion about not running away? Just yesterday, too." Tongue clucked disapprovingly. "I expected more from you, dear."
"I wasn't running," Elena pointed out. Though her tone was even, her heart thudded rather loudly.
"Yes, very good," he returned. "You've learned the power of the correct phrasing." He was being facetious. She turned to face him then, eyes defiant, though a hint of fear was evident as well. And unease. She hadn't realized just how close he was, but facing him, there was barely two inches between them.
He had to smile as the realization dawned. Elena Gilbert was like an open book; so easy to read.
"What now?" She questioned defiantly. "Break my legs? Wasn't that one of your threats?" Though she'd put on a brave face, Elena couldn't help flinching as his hand rose, gently brushing a stray strand of hair back behind her ear.
"Do you want me to?" Kol questioned in return. "Honestly, Elena, I know you're a bit of a martyr, but there has to be some semblance of self-preservation hidden deep within you. Human nature." One of the fun things for a vampire's predatory impulses.
He leaned in, closer still, one hand on her neck, dark eyes locked on her doe-like gaze. "Consider this your final warning, pet. And if you're not concerned about your own welfare, or that of your friends, perhaps I should present a more immediate threat for you to focus on. The next time you try anything without my express permission, I start killing."
Hand gripped her upper arm, tight enough to bruise, leading her to the window. Curtains were thrust open, Elena wincing at the sudden brightness, though Kol didn't react at all. "I won't make any distinction, Elena," he promised. "Entire families dead because you were too stubborn for your own good." Though they'd been standing side by side, Kol turned to face her then.
"Of course I could save myself a lot of trouble, remove that dear necklace of yours and compel you to be a good girl…"
"No." The answer was decisive. "No compulsion. I'll behave. You have my word. You don't need to hurt anyone." Though he would anyway, she was certain.
Kol flashed a smile in response. "Lovely." He released her arm finally, moving to flop back down on the one king-sized bed.
"Don't pout. You were so charming last night. Snuggling so sweetly up against me…" He did enjoy needling her so. "Order breakfast for two, please. Whatever you think I'd like."
Her teeth gritted. "I don't think I can order blood for you."
"Are you offering, Elena?" He chuckled as she huffed. The answer was a very definite 'no', though she didn't bother responding, settling for a glare in return. "Pancakes," Kol requested. "And coffee, please and thank you."
The meal ordered, Elena choosing a simple coffee and some cereal, Kol patted the bed next to him invitingly. "Relax Elena. There's no need to continue the pacing. It only serves to make me jumpy."
Kol didn't wait for a response, reaching for the remote. Some reality show blared to life, Kol staring fascinated at the screen. "It's rather like exploring another world," he confided. "So much changed while I was daggered. Somethings for the better," he let a smug eye trail over Elena. Women's fashions being at the top of the list.
"Somethings, though," he gestured to the television once again. "I simply do not get. Why should I care about any of these people? They bring no value to society."
"They're not supposed to," Elena answered tersely, taking a seat a the bottom of the bed. It makes you feel superior. Not as stupid as the people showcased on the shows."
His gaze shifted from the television to the back of Elena's head. "Yes," He mused. It made a certain amount of sense. And how perceptive of Elena to divine that. Perhaps she wasn't quite the moron his sister made her out to be. Nowhere near a challenge for any of the Original family. But he could see why she intrigued the Salvatores and even Elijah.
She must have felt his eyes on her, for after a few moments, Elena was turning slightly. Gaze confused, still pouting at the entire situation, his teasing. But it was questioning, as well, wondering what he was thinking. Lips parted as she started to say something, but a knock at the door interrupted her.
"Breakfast is served. Elena, love, let him in, will you? And remember – no funny business."