Chapter 10: Death

Outside, the commotion had reached a new high. I could see fire in the town square from the Salvatore porch. I knew Stefan and Damon would be in the middle of it.

The square, however, was too far for me to run. So I raced to the stables to get Starr.

Starr was the only horse left. I learned from the stable boy that the founding families needed as many horses as possible, but Starr had put up too big of a fight so they gave up on her. I stroked her mane to show that I approved of her actions. Then I leaped up onto her (which did hurt), pointed at the fire, and kicked her with my heels.

Starr apparently knew the urgency of the mission for she ran faster than ever before. I felt like I was flying, but I couldn't completely revel in it since my mind was on Stefan and Damon.

In the middle of the square, I saw Johnathan Gilbert holding what looked like a pocketwatch. However, he was holding it like one would hold a compass.

Right now the watch/compass was pointed at Pearl. It looked like they were talking, but then I saw the shock on Johnathan's face.

"I've got another one over here!" he called. I watched as Pearl tried to run away but was inevitably shot by the ruthless humans of Mystic Falls.

As soon as this happened, I saw Pearl's daughter, Annabelle, and Emily in the bushes. Annabelle was about to cry for her mom, but Emily quickly covered the vampire's mouth. I knew it was so they wouldn't catch Annabelle, too.

I ran away from the scene to find myself running into Mayor Lockwood.

"I'm sorry, Mayor," I apologized. Then I knew what to say. "What's going on?"

He paused for a moment, probably wondering if he should tell me or not. Apparently he decided it was okay, and he began to explain.

"There are demons here," he said. "They have infiltrated our town. So now we're dealing with the situation for the greater good." He sighed. "You should stay away. We wouldn't want you to get hurt." Then he left, probably looking for more vampires.

Unsure of what to do, I followed him.

"What do you need, Alexis?"

"Can I stay with you?" I asked. "I think I'll be safer with someone who knows how to deal with vampires."

"You should go home," he insisted.

"To where?" I countered.

He finally gave in. "Fine, but stay close. We're going closer to the woods to find escapees."

We both set off for where Johnathan and Giuseppe were waiting. When we arrived, I saw Katherine in a jail carriage. Her face was pressed up to the bars, and she was looking at me pleadingly. I couldn't look back, so I turned to the older men's conversation.

"What is she doing here?" Johnathan asked.

"I came to help. Katherine has done so much to hurt me, and I want to help kill her and the others," I said. This was a half the truth. Katherine had done many things to damage my heart, but if she was what Stefan wanted, I couldn't let her die, especially not help kill her. That would break him.

So when Stefan came to the men gathered, I knew he and Damon were trying to get her out.

"There's another one, over here!" he shouted. All of the men except for one followed him back the way he came.

Then Damon knocked out the man left. "Get out!" he yelled. I listened to him, hiding in the trees to the left. I saw as Stefan came back to help untie Katherine. They were going as fast as they could, but it wasn't fast enough.

Damon was shot first. I screamed out, but knew it would be bad if I were caught in this bush.

Then they shot Stefan, and my world shattered. I couldn't scream, couldn't move, couldn't do anything. All I knew was that my one love was dead, and he would never be able to touch me or speak to me again. And that I would have to live with my news alone.

The men who had left were now putting Katherine back in her jail carriage. After she was inside, they set off towards Fell's Church, leaving the Salvatore boys' corpses behind.

As soon as there was no one else in sight, I ran to the bodies. I felt bad ignoring Damon, but Stefan was the one I cared about more. I shook him even though I already knew he was dead, and when all attempts failed, I sobbed on top of him.

I looked down at the man I had wanted to share my whole life with, and I all could feel was horror. How could meeting one person change one's life so drastically that the one died? But Katherine hadn't been just any person.

I couldn't see well anymore because of all the tears falling from my eyes. There was some water on Stefan's bloody shirt from the flood coming from my eyes.

I stayed like that for half an hour. There was no noise except for my crying, and no one came looking for me. I put Stefan's head in my lap, stroking his hair, wishing that he was here with me.

Then there was a stirring. I looked at Damon and saw that he was twitching. His eyes slowly opened, as if he was awakening from a deep sleep.

After a few seconds, he jolted up, his head swinging from side to side trying to figure out where he was. Then he noticed me and Stefan.

"What happened? Where am I?" he asked.

"You died," I replied. "So did Stefan. One of the men shot you." I was confused. He had died, right? I had seen him shot. But then how was he alive?

"The blood," he whispered. Then he turned to explain. "I had been drinking Katherine's blood for a while. She was going to turn me. The blood must have still been in my system when I died."

"I don't understand," I said. "So you need to die with blood in your system to turn?" This wasn't good.

"Yeah, but I don't think the transformation is complete yet," he answered.

"What do you have to do to finish it?" I asked with a tone of fear.

"Feed," he gulped. "But this was only to be with Katherine. I don't want it anymore."

"So what happens if you don't feed?"

"I don't know," he said. Now I could tell he was scared. "I just don't know."

Then his body straightened. "Do you think they've killed them yet?" he asked me with hope in his voice.

"I don't see a fire," I replied. "You can go check if you want."

"I'm going," he said with confidence. He stood up. "Stay here. I don't want to risk…well, you know." He couldn't say it.

"Fine, I'll stay," I sighed. Then he was gone.

This was crazy. What was going to happen to Damon? And did Katherine give Stefan blood, too, or was he long gone? As selfish and self-centered as it was, I hoped she did so I would be able to talk to him again.

I heard someone coming towards me and Stefan. I was prepared to make up a story about why I was here for one of the founding family members, but I found that it was Katherine's servant, Emily.

"Hello, Alexis," she said quietly. "Where is Damon?"

"He left to try to save Katherine," I replied.

"So he awakened?" She didn't seem surprised.

"Yep, that's why he's not here." I decided to chat with her since I had nothing else to do. "So how did Katherine tell you what she was?"

"She didn't have to," Emily answered. "I'm a witch."

"There are witches, too? Dang," I said. Then there was a moment of awkward silence. I decided to ask my selfish question. "Did Katherine give Stefan blood?"

"Yes, she compelled him to. I don't think he wanted to." That was my Stefan, I thought. "I don't know if it will be enough to save him, though. It might have passed through his system."

"I'm guessing Damon drank willingly," I said.

"Yes. He truly loves her."

"So why are you here?" I asked.

"I'm here to help them. They don't want that life. I'll tell them what will happen to them if they choose not to complete the transition."

"And what happens?" I inquired, knowing I probably wouldn't like the answer.

"They'll die."

I struggled for breath. "So they'll die either way?" I asked, knowing my eyes were watering again.

"If they decide not to feed, then yes, they will die." She sighed. "I'm so, so sorry."

I couldn't breathe. Emily took Stefan off of my lap. "You should go home," she told me. "You don't want to be involved in this."

"Where is home?" I responded. She didn't answer.

"Will you tell me when they die?" I asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I'll send you a letter because I have to flee. It won't be long until they realize what I am." She picked up Stefan. "I'm taking them to the creek outside the town. Oh, and good luck."

"With…?" I questioned. Then I got it. "Oh. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I set out for the Salvatore house, where hopefully things had died down.