CHAPTER 10 – The Truth Will Set You Free... (but in this case, I don't think so)

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, you guys are the bestest! :D

Sorry it took so long writing this, if you have me on author alert you'll know I wrote a one-shot called "Under the Cover of Darkness," have a read of that, take it as a sorry for not updating "B53X" yet.

WARNING: Scenes involving self harm and a sadistic Katherine

Alaric's still dead but he will be added soon, Jeremy and Anna are still at Alaric's house getting supplies and Stefan is outside somewhere...

Anyways, here it is – chapter 10 of this one-shot turned full story. Enjoy x

Recap:Elena can't stop thinking of Damon after he came up with the name "Delena". Throughout the next day she wants nothing but to see him again. When she does see him she gives in and kisses him, but when Damon says something Elena thinks his feelings are fake and he's just playing her. Hurt, Elena inadvertently crushes his feelings, she realises her mistake straight away when she sees Damon's reaction, but it's too late: Damon's already gone.

Next chapter Elena's in her room crying. Stefan comes and she dumps him. She pours her heart into her diary and falls asleep, leaving her diary open. Damon comes later that night, reads it and writes "I forgive you" in the diary, which Elena finds the next day.

Elena goes to the boarding house the next day, expecting to kiss and make up with Damon, but when she gets there she sees Damon being kidnapped, the man tries to compel her to forget but he doesn't realise she's wearing the necklace. She finds out the kidnappers are working with John Gilbert, and he wants something.

Stefan, Alaric and Elena go to Grayson's (Elena's dad) office to save Damon. On the way they meet Anna who tells them John killed her mum and she's after revenge. The plan doesn't go well though, Elena's unable to invite them in, instead she's dragged inside, Alaric runs after her and gets his neck snapped by none other than Isobel. Katherine walks in and has words with Stefan and Anna then goes back downstairs where Damon and now Elena are being held.

The next chapter, Stefan and Anna come up with a new plan, get Jeremy and get into the building via smashing through the from an adjoining building. Plan seems fine, but Stefan hides the fact that he drank human blood, after being beaten by Isobel, a vampire who's like a century younger than him! (Talk about embarrassing!) John tortures Damon to get information; Katherine comes in and tries sweet talking him to join her. He refuses. Then Elena gets added to the mix, Katherine threatens to kill her and Damon folds, telling her the location of the device.

Katherine now has the device, but does it work? And what the hell does it do?

Five people in a room; Four Vampires and a human; two bound, two watching in glee, and one calling the shots...

Katherine smiled as she caressed the intricate details on the small golden object. "Let the fun begin..."

Katherine's brown eyes were glued to the device, the golden hues reflected back into her eyes as she gazed in wonder.

"Bring her down," Katherine ordered, still mesmerised by the intricate designs on the tiny invention.

Katherine's faithful vampire pet, Rufus left the room immediately, a proud look on his face as trudged away without a word. Even after all these years Katherine still had it; one flutter of her eyelashes and a little girlish giggle still assured her an endless supply of love struck followers just hanging on her every word.

Rufus' heavy footsteps thudded from above as he searched for her, the her in question was revealed to be a girl named Ruby, as Rufus called out her name as if he was playing hide-and-seek; taunting her as he sought her out. It was all a game to him. Katherine and Rufus deserved each other.

After a minute, Rufus returned downstairs along with a small red haired girl with messy curls. She looked barely in her twenties, her pale skin covered in dirt, her clothes ragged and ripped, with very noticeable bite marks across her body.

Katherine tore her eyes away from the device and looked into the frightened eyes of the girl. Damon could smell the fear induced adrenaline oozing off her tiny frame.

The young girl cast her eyes downwards as she took the device from Katherine's hands, trying her best to not touch her cold skin. With her breath shaking and her knees trembling, the Ruby made her way to a small table and set the device down. She hovered a small hand over the object and closed her eyes, beginning an incantation.

"Quondam incendia officina satus," Ruby continued to chant in an ancient language, her voice becoming more confident and stronger with every verse.

The girl's eyes scrunched tighter as she swayed where she stood, her breathing became erratic the chanting louder, until her eyes burst open, gripping the sides of the table and breathing heavily as she steadied herself.

"It's not working," Ruby whispered out of breath.

In a flash Katherine thrust the young witch against the wall, her slim fingers wrung around the small girl's neck. She whimpered as Katherine pressed tighter, slowly crushing her windpipe.

Katherine lowered her down, her hand still wrapped around her skinny neck; she pressed her lips to her ear and spoke menacingly. "You better get it to work, or else it'll be your darling sister I'll go after next! Paige isn't it?"

All the witch could do was gasp, her eyes welling up from the threat. With one last menacing look and a flash of her fangs, Katherine relinquished her tight grip on the girl and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. The oxygen never felt so good in her life.

"There's a piece missing," Ruby choked out, daring not to look up at Katherine.

"Care to explain." Katherine said as she slowly turned to Damon.

Damon let his eyes slip away from the young witch cowering helplessly on all fours and lifted his gaze to Katherine.

Katherine stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for an answer, her heels tapped on the floor impatiently. Damon had hoped his small deception would buy Elena and himself time to either somehow escape or for Stefan to attempt another rescue; obviously his brother was as useless as he always believed. Yet he still had to grasp onto that hope, Damon could never let Katherine activate the device, whatever it did, Damon didn't want to find out.

"Not really." Damon answered, he screwed his eyes and gave Katherine the evil eye, taunting her to attack him; trying to provoke her and defer any intention to cause harm on himself and away from Elena.

Katherine saw right through his attempt.

"What about now?" She smiled as she gripped Elena's neck tight. Katherine had a thing for strangulating her victims before going in for the kill.

"You know, it is pretty difficult to tell the difference..." Katherine mused. She took out a small blade from her pocket and flicked it open. "I think we need a little mark to tell the difference." In a swift movement she grazed the blade agonisingly slow across Elena's cheek. Both Damon and Elena screamed at the same time, Elena's scream overpowering Damon's and piercing through the room.

"That's better." Katherine smiled as she licked the blood mixed with tears from Elena's face.

"Now I see why you keep her," Katherine said as she licked her blood stained fingers. "You taste divine. I could just bottle up your sweet blood and sell it. Maybe I'll keep you as a pet, a portable blood bag," she laughed. "What do you think?" She said, directing her question to Damon.

"I think you should go fuck yourself." Damon spat.

"Damon Salvatore! Whatever happened to the gentleman I used to know?" Katherine gasped in false horror.

"He died."

A smile came across Katherine's lips. "Good, I like you this way. You're like me. I'm so proud," she left the side of Elena and seductively walked to Damon.

"Come with me and I'll spare her life," Katherine spoke gently as she grazed the bloodied knife across his chest.

Damon looked to Elena, he couldn't see her face; all he could see was a curtain of her dead straight hair. He couldn't let her go through any more pain, not if he could stop it. In a split second decision Damon nodded.

"Fine."

Katherine smiled happily and held Damon's face for a prolonged kiss. Damon kissed her back with everything he had, he just hoped it was convincing.

Katherine inserted her tongue into his mouth, dominating and fighting his tongue as she increased pressure on his jaw...their tongues were waging war against each other as Damon feigned a moan. Katherine continued her assault on his lips, slowly increasing pressure on his face until with one final snap she effortlessly broke Damon's jaw.

Damon roared in pain, in a last bit of revenge he bit through the pain and ripped Katherine's lip with his teeth.

Katherine's shriek turned into laughter as her wound began to heal. "You think it would be that easy? " Without hesitation she plunged the knife into his abdomen, her eyes glistening in delight as she twisted it and extracted the blade.

"Hmmmmm," she moaned as she licked the bloodied blade. "Yummy." She smiled up at Damon before she sped to Elena's side.

Elena had her head down, staring at the floor, her cut on her cheek throbbing in pain. She saw Katherine's heels before she saw her face. Blinking back tears Elena inhaled a shaky breath, she had to be strong.

"Bitch", Elena muttered under her breath as she spat at Katherine's shoes.

"Thank you," Katherine smiled, her face turned vampiric as she grabbed Elena's necklace, jerking her head upwards in the process. "And I'd prefer it if you didn't ruin my Jimmy Choo's, you little brat." With one firm tug Katherine ripped the small silver locket from Elena's possession.

Katherine held up the small necklace, "Doesn't this look familiar," she said as she threw the necklace across the room, "Let's see how well our Elena does without it."

"Katherine! Whatever you're gonna do, do it to me!" Damon yelled, his jaw healed. His eyes were wild in anger.

"Trust me Damon, there's nothing I want more than to do than do it...with you," she smirked. "But I need this little bitch out of the way, can't have you fucking me and thinking of her!"

Katherine turned back to Elena and forcibly grabbed her by the chin. "Look at me," she compelled.

Before Elena even had a chance to shut her eyes Elena's eyes suddenly became devoid of any emotion. She was now a blank canvas, ready for Katherine's manipulations.

"Every time Damon lies I want you to slit your pretty little wrist. Understand?"

"I understand." Elena hoarsely replied.

"Elena!" Damon shouted as he once again thought against the restraints.

"Every time I say...wrong answer, you'll be a dear and slit your wrist." Katherine gave a quick glance to Damon and grinned, as she added, "You will feel every slice, you will know exactly what you're doing but you won't be able to stop it."

Elena nodded and Katherine sliced one of the bindings on her arm and placed the small blade into Elena's hand, wrapping her fingers around the handle.

Katherine felt herself feeling excited at the game that was about to take place - an almost truth or dare game, but take away the dare and add pain – a hell of a lot of pain – Katherine's favourite kind.

"You know what to do." Katherine said to Ruby.

"What're you gonna do?" Damon yelled as he watched Ruby make her way to Elena, she placed her hand on her unmarked cheek. She turned to Damon apologetically, before she turned back to Elena and chanted.

As if an earthquake had suddenly begun, the lighting above flickered and the room shook uncontrollably. Damon could feel the tremors running through his body, in surprise he felt his bindings slacken as the brackets loosened from the vibrations. He tugged at the ropes, the vervain piercing his skin in the process, but it was worth it; the brackets had ever so slightly budged from its crevice.

Damon couldn't help but wonder whether the girl had meant for that to happen, either way he was getting out soon.

The room was suddenly filled in a bitter coldness; mist swirled around the room, mimicking Damon's trademark fog. He could see the outline of the witch coming closer to him, she laid her hand on Damon's chest and his eyes widened as the cold air enveloped him and slowly seeped into his skin.

The spell was complete. Damon felt odd. He felt a presence, a weak but very noticeable presence, he looked up and saw Elena staring at him, she smiled weakly at him and a soothing calm washed over his body.

"You and Elena are connected, with every lie, she will die." Katherine said as she gently caressed Elena's cheek, she laughed as she flinched from her touch. "Get ready for a whole lot of pain Elena," she bent down to her ear, "teach you for messing with my boys."

"They were never your boys." Elena retorted through clenched teeth.

All Elena felt was a sharp slap across her face, right over her branded cheek. From the impact of the slap her wound opened again and blood began seeping out. Katherine licked the blood hungrily from her face and skipped to Damon.

She kissed him roughly, moaning as she transferred Elena's blood to his tongue. "Let you have one last taste before she dies, either way, you will tell me where you hid the missing piece."

Damon could taste the fear, the sweetness and the warmth in Elena's blood, but it was different. He could taste a million different flavours all mixing together to form something unique. He had never felt like this before, it had literally taken his breath away.

"Katherine, don't do this." Damon whispered

"You have to be taught a lesson, Damon. You've been a naughty boy."

"All of you leave. " She motioned towards the young witch. "Take her with you, I'll call when her services are required again."

The old vampire, Rufus picked Ruby effortlessly and threw her over his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs; she was too weak to fight back.

...

Isobel had stood and watched as Katherine tormented her daughter. Thankfully she had turned her feelings off, simply watching the scene as if she was watching a TV show. As the scene continued however, she could feel her emotions pushing back to the surface, urging her to do something before it was too late, but what? Could she really betray Katherine to save the daughter she claimed not to love?

Love. An emotion Isobel had repressed for so long suddenly reared its head.

"All of you leave."

Hiding the new feelings she felt towards the girl bound to the chair, Isobel left the room with a new sense of purpose.

John was waiting for her outside, his human emotions of love for his daughter was clear in his pained blue eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it again when Isobel gave him a stern look. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into a small office, not saying a word until she delved in her pocket and retrieved a small device, similar to a compass; she pressed a small button on the top placed it on the desk before looking up to John, finally breaking the silence.

"She can't hear us." Isobel said, motioning to the small device. "One of your ancestor's inventions."

"How did you—" John began.

Isobel's voice for the first time was not emotionless and cold, it was scared and urgent. "It doesn't matter. We need to do something; Elena'll die if we don't do something."

"So now you care about her?"

"She's our daughter John, of course I do," she spat.

"And there I was thinking you'd lost your humanity."

Isobel glared at John.

"What, you want to kill Katherine? I'll hold her while you stake her," he laughed humourlessly.

"No. That's suicide. I just need to get Elena out of this mess somehow, create a diversion maybe, I don't know. " Isobel's eyes were tearing up and she couldn't take it any longer, "Fuck," she exclaimed as she snatched back the device and tucked it back into her pocket.

"Don't worry," Isobel said, pushing back her emotions, they were only clouding her thoughts.

Without another word Isobel left the room, leaving John standing alone and confused.

...

It was now just Elena, Damon and Katherine in the small basement, nothing but the soft breathing of Elena filled the air.

"Can't have everyone jump on Elena once she starts bleeding," Katherine said as she sent everyone away, "which she will... a lot... " she smiled. "Now, where's the device?"

"It's right there," Damon said motioning with his head at the golden device on the table.

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't, please enligh – "

A scream filled the room as Elena sliced her wrist. Katherine smiled up at Damon.

"You're lying," Katherine sang as she tilted her head to the side, "Do you like seeing Elena in pain? Does it turn you on?" Katherine said as she scratched her nails over Damon's abdomen. "You always did like it rough."

Damon hissed in pain.

"Where's the missing piece?"

Silence.

"Wrong answer."

Another scream rang through Damon's eardrums; he took a shaky breath and looked to Elena. "Damon, I...I can't help it," she sobbed, the blade still embedded in her wrist.

"Damon, one last time. Where's the missing piece?"

Silence.

Katherine was losing her patience.

"I'll keep saying wrong answer-" another scream from Elena, " until you tell the truth me the truth, but if you keep giving me the wrong answer-" another scream, "your precious Elena will bleed out right here and I'll make you lick her fucking blood off the floor! Now where's the device!"

"It's in the necklace." Damon roared, his chest heaving. He looked to Elena as she cried, the room was potent with the smell of her blood, her whole left arm covered in red.

"Is it really?"

Damon nodded dejectedly.

"Rufus, send her down." Katherine said calmly.

The witch came in for a second time and went straight for the necklace on the ground.

...

Isobel listened at the door as Katherine spoke to Damon, her heart almost jumped out of her body as she heard Elena's screams, she had a sudden urge to rip Katherine limb from limb but she knew it was useless; Katherine had over a century on her. All she could do was wait and hope an idea would come to her. She had never felt so helpless in all her vampiric life.

As soon as Isobel heard the order to send the witch downstairs, Isobel took her one chance at saving her daughter. She ripped open her wrist and drew some blood, keeping it swirling inside her mouth. In a flash she flew downstairs and went to Elena's side, using the pretence of feeding from Elena to transfer her blood directly into her daughter's bloodstream.

"Now, now, Isobel, you know I don't share my food."

Isobel muttered an apology and left the room, wiping her mouth as she did so. Once out of the view of Katherine she breathed a sigh of relief, surprised Katherine hadn't flipped out; thankfully she was too absorbed in the actions of the small witch to realise the change in teams. John was waiting outside, she gave a short nod and his shoulders relaxed in response.

...

Ruby opened up the locket and a dried up flower fell out along with a small golden pin. Ever so delicately Ruby placed the pin and device next to each other; she whispered a chant and as if by a magnetic pull, the small pin shot into its rightful place within the device. She lifted it up and placed it in the hollow concave of a small wooden box, similar to a musical jewellery box. She closed it and twisted a small key, winding the device until it clicked.

"It's ready." Without needing an order, Ruby left the room.

Katherine turned back to Damon, her fun wasn't over. Now she had the device ready she had no use for the body stealing human known as Elena Gilbert. Katherine always loved to play with her food, so why stop now? A cruel smile fixed onto Katherine face as she turned to Damon.

"Do you love Elena?"

"Yes"

Elena realised through the pain that he hadn't lied, somehow she could feel his love for her. She smiled, her cheek hurt at the expression but she didn't care, all she could think of were those three words: He loves me.

"Wrong answer."

Her smile turned into a grimace as Elena was compelled to slit her wrist yet again. She whimpered in pain, too weak to scream.

"Do you want to...fuck her?"

Damon stayed silent, not sure what to say.

"Wrong answer."

Again, the pain coursed through Elena's veins, she could feel her blood pumping out from her arm. A sudden feeling replaced the pain as she could feel her energy being replenished. She calmed down and she felt her wounds slowly close up, though still covered in blood. Confused as she was, Elena welcomed this new sensation, and wondered whether this was the work of the witch.

Katherine waited for Elena's scream to reside to speak again, she wanted what she said next to have a dramatic edge.

"Do you want to kill her?"

"No," he growled.

"Wrong. Answer," Katherine said slowly.

This time Elena screamed, so loud she thought her lungs would burst, somehow Katherine had made her slice her arm right from the wrist to the joint of her arm.

Damon snapped his head up at her reply.

"I'd never hurt her!" he roared.

Katherine giggled. "You will do what I tell you. Think of the device as compulsion for vampires. Now you'll truly be my puppet, there to cater for my every need and...desire." Katherine bit her lip seductively.

"Enough games. Time for the main show." Katherine said as she made her way to the small box housing the device inside and lifted the lid. She drew out her own blood from her wrist and poured the crimson liquid onto the face of the device.

Crackles emitted from the device as she closed it; the small key started to wind back, creaking with every turn until it clicked to a halt. Dead silence now filled the room. Katherine looked up to Damon.

"Kill Elena Gilbert...Slowly," she ordered, her eyes gleamed in glee and a malicious smile on her lips as she watched Damon's reaction.

As if possessed Damon mustered the strength to free himself from the bindings, he growled as the chains broke free, shattering from the walls. Damon was gone; the body of the devilishly handsome vampire was now inhabited by a savage animal. His eyes were coal black, his breathing erratic, his fangs erect; in a heartbeat he lunged towards Elena, hell-bent in tearing apart the woman he loved.

Tonight Damon will kill his love – his one tie to humanity, and Katherine would relish in the sight. Why do the dirty work when it was oh so fun to sit back and enjoy the show...

:O

Sorry to leave it there but it was getting way too long and I wanna do the next chapter justice. Hope this chapter was okay...

I wanted Elena to be strong in this chapter (well as strong as someone can be when tied up) and not just a helpless victim, did I do okay with that?

Oh yeah, I'm currently writing my first slash VD fic, Stefan/Matt, would you read something like that?

Review if you want Katherine to die! :D

-Kara

PS. For those of you who love Delena hotness - go on my favourite section on my profile and read the M rated fanfic "Alcohol" by writingrox12 I read it the yesterday and it's amazing!