Chapter Ten

"That's sort of awesome," I said, jerking Bonnie from her thoughts. She looked at me, confusion touching her features.

"What is?" she asked.

"I think the flames feel your emotions," I told her. We were in a dining room, candles scattered across the room in a display that would be beautiful once the sun had set. Every one of them was alight, a low flame that looked just on the edge of dwindling though they didn't go out. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she said, but I knew her well enough to read the lie. As if reading my thoughts, she sighed. "Stefan has a brother…but, you knew that."

"I hate that you can read me that well," I muttered. "I saw him last night." The flames flared, a spark of interest in them. "Stefan came by, wanting to speak to Grams. I wanted to know what this blasted tomb was and asked him. He didn't answer, that's when I felt that the answers would be at the Salvatore Boarding House. But when I got there, the only thing I could feel was this radiance of danger. That was when I knew how bad an idea going out at night alone was and went back home."

"I felt the danger too," said Bonnie. "Stefan was cold and of death, but this was something else. This was the darkest void. Cold." She shivered and so did the flames. "I don't like him. I don't like him being in Mystic Falls. But I especially don't like him with Caroline," the last was said with an amount of anger, the flames growing stronger and brighter.

"What did he do to Caroline?" I asked. My mind already running a mile a minute, imaginings of all the horrible things a vampire could subject to a young woman.

"Nothing. As far as I can tell. But I don't think it would be above someone that cold to play her."

I felt a shiver. The Damon Salvatore I knew would not be above that. "What do you propose we do?"

"I have to tell her I'm a witch," said Bonnie. "Tell her about vampires and that Damon is one too. But I'm afraid she won't listen, that she'll dismiss everything I tell her as a joke."

"You can just show her."

"That's what I've been considering," said Bonnie. "But this thought keeps entering into my mind. This is Caroline, and as much as I love her she can't keep a secret. What if she lets something like this out? What if the council finds out?"

"Then they'll face three witches," I told her. I took a seat across her, taking her hand in mine. "I don't think we have much to worry about with regard to the council. It takes a lot to put down a witch, and included in that is experience."

Bonnie shook her head. "I sometimes wish I could be brave like you."

I snorted. "That's just a façade," I told her. "One that's slowly chipping away as I lose control." The words were said with more feeling in them than I knew the reason. There was too much happening that I wasn't a part of. Plans were being made to tackle a threat that was after me and my sister and yet I wasn't being consulted. I didn't like that. I wanted to be in the know, able to protect myself and those around me as efficiently as possible.

The door opened, breaking my revelry, Tyler behind it.

"Micah," he said. "Good. I've been looking for you."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Little Gilbert is drunk and about to make a scene," he said. "I couldn't find Elena so you're the only one I think he'll listen to."

I let out a sigh. "You're okay?" Bonnie nodded. I stood. "Right," I said to Tyler. "Lead the way." We moved through the house, bypassing the softly conversing guests and moving to the second floor. "Please don't tell me we're going to your room," I said in whisper, "because that would be a little awkward."

"It won't be awkward if you don't kiss me again," said Tyler. Were my skin a few shades lighter I'm sure I would have been red at his words. Memories filled in: night, some party in the woods, me drunk, Tyler drunk, my sister and Elena having gone for some privacy with their respective boyfriends, and me reading the cues wrong and leaning forward.

"That happened," I said burying my face in my hands. "You think you've effectively repressed a memory until a guy brings to your forethoughts," I muttered.

A door opened, revealing a large drawing room beyond. I entered, my eyes scanning the room looking for drunk Jeremy only to find, "Hello, Micah," she said and I stilled, fear overcoming me, my heart starting to beat fervently in its attempts to climb out my throat; my breaths coming in short and rapid pants, the darkness at the edges of my vision beginning to drawn in closer.

No. No! "NO!" Anger. I found it and I directed it forward, pinpointing it into the mess I knew would be her brain. The girl's hands flew to her head, an expression of pain written across her features but not a sound came from her lips.

Why? I tried think that would mean losing focus. I grasped through my memories for another source of anger to fuel the spell but it was hard as my mind chose to focus on other things, like why there wasn't a surprised reaction nor comment from Tyler.

I lost the spell as I turned, losing all thought process as I saw the knife at Tyler's throat. A knife he was holding. Compulsion.

"Motus," I said, flicking a hand back and aiming particularly for his arm. It didn't work, Tyler flew back, heading for the door only to be caught by a smaller much stronger figure. She deposited him slowly on the ground and was gone before I could direct my anger towards her.

"Before you give me a headache I should warn you that I have Jeremy," she said. My anger faded and the fear was back. "Knew that would work," I heard her say just at the edge of my vision. She was moving, making sure I wouldn't look directly at her. "Now. The first thing you're going to do is stay quiet. One word from you and I kill someone you love. Quite the selection too. There's your father. He would be the easiest to get to, working in such a crowded environment and all. There're a lot of people I could compel to kill him."

I felt my stomach lurch.

"Then there's your grandmother. She would be much harder to kill but not impossible. I've been watching her most of all. She's as light as witches can get. Staying away from the darker practices which means her Protection spells won't long lasting. One, maybe two uses before the run out? Two bullets, I wager, and she'd be done."

My stomach lurched further and I felt food I'd eaten weeks ago roll and twist, bubbling and with every second rising higher, moving towards my throat.

"Bonnie's the hardest in my opinion. Friends with Elena Gilbert will make it tricky. Stefan is always watching the pair. But I can work around that too given time. After all I'm under his nose and he has no idea, do he?"

It hit. Quiet. That's why she'd caught Tyler, she wanted to make as little noise as possible. I didn't even think. "Stefan, she's here!" the words came out rushed but I hoped that the message would be received.

The girl sighed. "Remember this," the girl said. "All of this could have been avoided. Tyler kill yourself," she said.

I turned, my hand moving and flicking outwards. The words hadn't left my lips but still Tyler moved, flung back and hitting the wall with such force that the knife was knocked out of his fingers. He landed on the ground and immediately scurried for the knife, another flick and this time I had him in my grasp. I could feel him fighting for motion but I kept my mind firmly on him, my focus almost collapsed when the door opened and Damon stood on the other side.

"Well this is a sight," he said. "Hello, little witch."

"Where is she?" Stefan asked having just appeared behind his brother.

"Where's who?"

"I can't focus on this while talking to you two," I said. Why could he fight me? Was it the compulsion? Or the latent magic waiting to be activated? I lost him and he landed on the ground. He tried to scramble for the knife but Stefan was faster. The vampire took Tyler by the shoulders and looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Stop," he said but nothing happened. "Stop," he tried again, this time with more force behind the words. Still it wasn't effective.

"Let me," said Damon as he strut forward. "Stop moving and stand still," he said and Tyler did as he was told. A look was shared between the brothers, ending with a particular scowl directed at Damon.

Not that I cared. I was moving, my fingers moving across my phone and calling my father. I could hear Stefan speaking in my periphery but I didn't care. I told my dad to get home, that there was a chance that his workmates might be compelled and that nowhere was safe, before he could say anything else I hung up and was calling Grams.

I moved down the stairs three at a time, wildly dodging guests as I headed for the drawing room Bonnie and I had been speaking in. Grams didn't answer and Bonnie wasn't in the room I'd left her in. I tried again, searching through the crowd for my sister. Grams didn't pick up again. I tried a third time but there was a pit forming in my stomach.

What the fuck had I done?

A wave of relief washed over me as I spotted her speaking to Elena and Catherine, only for another bout of worry to take its place at the memory that she'd taken Jeremy and Grams still hadn't picked up her phone.

"Bonnie," I said. "We need to go."

"What's going on?" she asked and I could see curiosity and immediately worry on both Elena and Caroline. "It's her isn't it?" Bonnie said.

I gave her a nod. "We have to find Grams."

"Do I need to call my mom?" Caroline asked her tone tinged with confusion.

"No," it wasn't me that spoke but Damon. "Be a good dear and mingle," he said again. "Don't think about this conversation." Caroline walked away. It was at the edge of my mind, but I noticed the displeasure in Bonnie's features it was overcast by worry though. I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Put on a face," he said. "You're in public, you panicking will help no one."

For the first time I noticed that people were looking our way, murmuring lightly, no doubting about us. I took a breath. Grams is a witch. She can take care of herself, I thought, letting the words become a mantra in my head.

"Let's go," said Damon. "I'll take you where you need to be."

The push was strong, compelling me to move, not that I fought it. We made our way through the crowd. Bonnie at my side as I frantically tried to call Grams again and Elena not too far from Damon. Stefan wasn't with us? Was he searching for her? The answer to that seemed less important than finding out if my grandmother was okay.

"Why are you helping us?" Bonnie asked the moment we were outside.

"It'll come to me, I'm sure," said Damon and I could feel by his tone that he was smirking. I felt a shiver pass through me.

Sixth time and still Grams didn't pick up the phone. I tried to console myself with thoughts that she might be busy, as proven with the gathering she'd had to go to last night. But this felt thin. The girl had done something to her no doubt, taking out the strongest player on the board so the game would be much easier.

Jeremy too was a prospect, my mind added. If she wanted to throw you off, make you liable to comply the next time the two of you met, then that would be the most powerful blow. I mentally shook my head. No. Grams would be the most effective. The girl would be showing me that if she could get at an aged witch, then an amateur was not something that could stand against her.

"Pick up. Pick up. Pick up," I muttered under my breath as I heard the ringing. Let her have been lying, then I could focus on Grams and not feel guilty about Jeremy.

"You called far quicker than I would have guessed," were the words spoken when the phone was picked up. "But then again I'm sure you're trying to cover all your bases." We'd stopped I noticed.

"What's going on?" I heard Elena asked only to receive a motion to stay quiet from Damon.

"Is that Elena?" the girl asked. There was a slight chuckle. "From her tone I gather you haven't told her you got her brother in danger did you?" I felt a pang of hurt at her words. This was my fault. Anything that happened, anyone that got hurt, their pain and lives would be on me. "I guessed not," she said. "Here's the deal. I need to breathe for a bit. Stefan is making that particularly hard with the way he keeps pointing the council my way. I want him out of town. I don't care how you do it, but I want it to happen. The next target will be your father. You have two days. I'll be watching."

She dropped the line.