"We can do this all day, boy," the vampire said to Stefan. Stefan didn't say anything. He didn't feel the need to provoke them in hitting him with vervain again. Stefan felt sick inside and felt dizzy. In need for blood. But these vampires were not going to give it to him.
He got whipped again, and groaned in agony, the vervain burning in his flesh. He gritted his teeth, thinking he just might not take it in any longer. But he thought of Elena, and that gave him strength.
~XX~
"You sure this is the place?" Damon asked Alaric, glancing at him, narrowing his eyes slightly. It had been about two hours from leaving Elena's house, still feeling tense. He didn't know how to confront her. She bought out this side of him that he didn't want to resurface.
"I'm sure," Alaric nodded, looking in the house, and Damon took a deep breath. "You don't believe me."
"Oh, no I believe you. It's just that…I mean could they have picked a better, less creepy place?" Damon shuddered at the forest surroundings, reminding him of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel at the random house in the middle of nowhere at a forest and a lady wanting to eat people. Or in this case, a vampire. A vampire wanting to drink blood from random people.
"A vampire's taste?" Alaric asked, but then stopped, looking slowly at Damon, hoping he did not offend him.
"I like my houses classy and big," Damon pursed his lips, looking at the small house, and twirled around a stake as Alaric got his shot gun with vervain, and his knife and closed the trunk.
"So what's our plan?" Alaric asked. When Damon didn't answer Alaric sighed and shook his head. "You don't have a plan. Oh great."
"I do have a plan, thank you," Damon said, even though Alaric could tell that he didn't.
"Really? What is your plan, exactly?" Alaric asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Go forth and conquer," Damon said, flashing a megawatt smile.
"So basically, go in and knock on their door, asking if we can come and kill them?" Alaric groaned.
"Not a bad plan, huh?" Damon said, nodding his head. "Look, there has to be an owner in there, so all I need to do is go to the front and ask if I can come in. And if they say no-"
"You are not going to kill the owner," Alaric interjected vehemently.
"The owner is probably working with the vampire, so I see no problem," Damon said.
"And what do I do?" Alaric asked.
"Go to the back, because there has to be a back door somewhere and bust in and just kill anyone you see. Hopefully, we'll see who the vampire is," Damon said.
"Just don't die," mumbled Alaric.
"I can't say the same to you," Damon said, as they parted their way.
~XX~
Elena watched as Alaric went from the back door. What are they doing? Did they find the vampire's house? She quickly followed Alaric to the back door of the random house in the forest and silently followed him. He was already in the house. She wanted to see what he was doing, and she didn't want to be alone in the house. She suspected that they figured out where the vampire's house was. And that they were going to raid the house, without, of course, telling her.
She was still wondering about Damon, how he…he hid his feelings. She remembered Stefan telling her that vampires could just shut down their emotions, and making it easier for them, and she wondered if that was what Damon did. And why Damon did it. He did say that they were close. But why did he hate Stefan so much? Stefan didn't hate Damon as much as Damon hated Stefan.
"Who's there?"Alaric asked, turning around. When he saw Elena crouched down his eyes bugged out. "Elena…what-why-how- what are you doing here?"
"I want to help," she said simply. Alaric shook his head.
"Damon is not going to like this," he muttered under his breath. Elena was about to say something, but something else got her attention.
Elena gasped in horror as she saw an old lady on the floor, bleeding to death.
"She's dead," Alaric said flatly, "And that vampire on the other side-you can't see her- she killed the old lady while I killed her." Elena flinched at the sight.
"Where's Damon?" Elena asked.
"He went in the front," Alaric replied, still looking at Elena, not knowing what to do. "Elena, turn back-"
"Oh- what do we have here?" came a voice and they both turned around to see a vampire with black hair and rugged beard with crow like beady eyes.
Alaric made sure Elena was behind him, and took a step back, holding his gun tightly, ready to shoot at any given moment.
"Are you here to retrieve your friend?" the vampire asked, cocking his head.
"Friend?" Alaric asked, confused, surely he didn't mean Damon already got caught…
"Yes, your…Stefan?" the vampire implored.
"Stefan's here?" Elena whispered, but the vampire heard, and his lips twisted to an ugly smile.
"Yes, he is, and he is our captive. Not that you're going to get him or anything," the vampire charged at them, and Alaric pulled the trigger a few times, making the vampire gasp and fall down shortly.
"Elena, get out right now, go to your house and don't come back," Alaric said under his breath.
"Alaric, now I can't. Now that I know that Stefan is here, I have to find him," Elena argued.
"Elena…"Alaric said, clearly not knowing what to do with her. He sighed when Elena crossed her arms and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Fine, you can come along, but for the record, stay close. We'll find Stefan."
"Is he dead?" Elena asked, and Alaric knew who she was talking about; the vampire.
"Yes," Alaric said simply.
Elena took a shaky breath and followed Alaric into the house. "Elena, you look over there and I'll be over here," Alaric instructed. Elena went to the end of the hallway, only to be pulled by someone, a hand covering her mouth, she tried to break free, but the grip was too firm.
"Do. Not. Move," the voice whispered, and Elena immediately relaxed, knowing who it was because she could recognize the voice anywhere. She was self-conscious about the fact that their bodies were so close. She didn't move, nor dared to even breathe.
Abruptly, he let her go.
"Stefan's here," Elena informed him once he let go, turning her body to him.
"Yeah, I know," Damon sighed. "We just need to get him away from all those vampires. I took care of about five." Damon narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here? You need to leave. Like now."
"Aren't you going to save Stefan?" Elena asked him, cocking her head. She still felt weird, after their conversation, and how he left. She hoped that she didn't go too far. And she needed to apologize for intruding his personal life. It wasn't something she would normally do.
"Well, yeah," Damon replied, as if saying, "Duh"
"Then I am coming to help you," Elena said.
"What you need to do is turn around and leave," Damon said, giving her a fake smile.
"I already am here, so I might as well go to Stefan. And I am not leaving him," Elena said, looking at Damon, crossing her arms, daring him to argue.
"And you're okay if you get mauled by a vampire along the way?" Damon asked.
"Anything for Stefan," Elena replied, knowing in her heart that she missed him so much and longed to see him. When she saw Stefan, she reasoned, all the thoughts about Damon would disappear. She wouldn't be confused about him anymore.
Damon seemed to not want to question her, and he just let it go, going to the other end of the hallway, where Alaric was.
"I think that we're clear," Alaric said to Damon. "Maybe Stefan is downstairs." In a flash, Damon vanished, and Elena and Alaric had to take the steps, the old fashioned way, to the basement.
Stefan was there.
"Stefan!" Elena cried, so happy to see him, and half of her was terrified seeing him tied to a chair, his shirt off for some reason, and some whip marks. He looked sickly pale, more than usual. It looked like all the light in him had gone. Damon ripped the strings, and Elena went to hug him, but he fell on his knees, obviously weak.
"Elena…"he moaned, and Alaric helped him up.
"This is weird," Damon commented.
"Not really, I mean like-"Alaric started.
"No, I mean there isn't anyone in here. What about the mastermind behind all this? Where is he? I think he ran away," Damon cut in.
"Oh," Alaric nodded. "You are right. For the time being, let's get Stefan out of here. He looks like he hasn't eaten for a while…"
They went out of the house and walking towards the car when they were surrounded by five other vampires.
"How much does he have?" muttered Damon, cursing, but ready nonetheless. Alaric gently placed Stefan on the ground so he could do some action himself. Elena went down with Stefan, whispering soothing words to him. She didn't want to let go of him. Afraid that she might lose him, he was her comfort, her power…
"What can I do for you, Stefan?" Elena asked.
"Blood," was the only thing he said, and part of Elena's heart dropped. She can only give him her blood. But with his messed up state he was in…
She glanced at Alaric, who didn't seem to hear, and then he eyes wandered to Damon who quickly looked away. He definitely heard, but he didn't say anything. It was as if he was giving her a choice for her to choose: if she was to give him her blood or not.
She hesitated, and told Alaric to give her his knife. He looked as if she was crazy. "No way-"
"Give her the knife," Damon said, without looking at her. Alaric looked from Damon to Elena to the vampires. He hesitated for a second before giving it to her while the vampires attacked just then.
She cringed when she cut her wrist, but she placed it in front of Stefan's mouth. "Drink," she whispered as Damon and Alaric fended off the vampires.
For a second, she thought he wasn't going to.
But he sank his teeth into her flesh.
XXXX
A/N: This chapter fits nicely with the next, so bare with it. Hopefully I didn't make it too boring. REVIEW and thanks you! Your reviews make me smile. If they're good reviews, that is.
