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And if you like this story, check out my other one, Shadow Dance (same characters but a lot more sadistic and dark)!

Onward!

Push
Chapter XIV: The Witness

Tell me what you want to hear
Something that were like those years
Sick of all the insincere
I'm gonna give all my secrets away

-One Republic, "Secrets"

I stood over the two sleeping boys, watching their chests rise and fall rhythmically, the moonlight cascading down their peaceful faces and bathing their partially nude bodies with renewal.

Stefan's head was tucked under Damon's chin, his arms folded in and bent slightly. His wavy hair framed his handsome face, casting slight shadows over his eyes and cheeks. The lips of his slightly parted mouth just barely touched the sleep-flushed flesh of Damon's throat.

Damon's slightly tangled thick, dark hair spilled around the pillow. He had one hand resting under his head, and the other lay motionless against one of Stefan's hands. His dark lashes fluttered slightly as his lips parted and he exhaled softly.

Stefan and Damon Salvatore were truly beautiful, and even after all I had done to them, they had managed to maintain an overwhelming aura of innocence. I sighed softly and sat on the edge of the bed, closest to Stefan and touched his warm cheek. He would not awake, for I was compelling them both to sleep deeply.

Sweet Stefan, with his dazzling green eyes and charming smile...how could I have not fallen in love with him? He was young, yes, but he had a wise mind. I hadn't planned to fall in love with him. And the moment I realized it was when he said it to me. He was only meant to be a tool to satisfy my plans and frustration. But when those words fell from his cherry-red lips, without any compelling on my part...my heart had begun to beat madly against my chest and I knew I wanted to be his.

Mischievous Damon, with his full-lipped half-smirk and serious blue eyes, was the complete opposite of his brother. Impatient and naive, I had quickly found myself strongly attracted to him. Despite his constant need to show-off or run his mouth, the twenty-three year still radiated purity. Or...at least he had. More and more lately I had seen it slip beneath the surface, especially when he was competing with Stefan for me.

I loved them both. But I was in love with Stefan, and Damon had become a bit of minor inconvenience, so starved for affection.

I flinched at my own thoughts. I supposed I might be that way, too, if my father beat the hell out of me and constantly analyzed me in accordance to Stefan's actions.

Damon kept the beatings a secret from Stefan, because he knew how much the younger admired their father. But I had seen the bruises on Damon's cheeks, arms, hips, legs...the violence knew no bounds, yet Damon continued to take it like a man. So while I was not in love with him, I admired him, and it did pain me to see him hurt.

I continued to absently graze Stefan's cheek with my thumb. And now, I had awakened them to some serious desires...the lust that they felt for each other, and the undeniable chemistry between them. Part of me felt guilty about it. The way they kissed, touched, and caressed one another...well, that was something strictly forbidden between any pair of siblings. I shuddered.

But there was something about their unbridled lust that kept me coming back for more. Maybe I had corrupted them.

I moved quickly and suddenly I was on Damon's side, the creamy white skin of his neck exposed at the perfect angle. I dropped my hand down to his hair and ran my fingers through it. He unconsciously leaned into my touch. I skimmed my palm down his face, and it came to rest on his jaw line, which was darkened slightly from what looked to be a particularly harsh blow. I sighed and bent down slightly to kiss it.

And then I flashed a self-satisfied smile down at them, swinging my dark hair over my shoulder, absently combing my fingers through it. I fully intended to spend the rest of forever with them, and luckily, they had both been willingly drinking my blood.

No one was going to stop me from being with them, not even Stefan and Damon themselves.

"Katherine kidnapped me," I told Stefan and Elena, my voice coming out hoarse, "and she tortured me. I thought she was going to leave me alone after that...but she didn't. She...she...completely lost it at my defiance to cooperate with her."

Stefan was standing, pacing back and forth, while Elena held my hand. I could barely look either of them in the eyes – Stefan, because I had betrayed him – again – on the deepest level; and Elena, because I left her without an explanation.

Maybe if I hadn't left I wouldn't be in this position in the first place.

"What did she do to you, Damon?" Stefan asked. His green eyes were resting on my face, but I could barely make my way through the smouldering anger I saw there. I didn't know who the anger was for – me, Katherine, or Elena? Maybe all three of us.

"She tortured me until I died, Stefan. Over and over and over again," I ground out, shuddering. Elena tightened her grip on me.

I saw sympathy flash in his eyes. "What are we going to do about Katherine?" Stefan asked, head bowed.

I grit my teeth.

I knew exactly what we were going to do about Katherine.

Nothing.

We were going to go to her and do as she pleased.

Katherine drove the stake in and out of my body several times, until I screamed, blood dripping from my mouth.

"Repeat what I just told you!"

"I'm...I'm going to kidnap Stefan and bring him to you...or...or else you'll do exactly to Elena what you've done to me." Tears stung at the corner of my eyes from both the physical pain and the pain of the act I was about to commit. "I'm going to get Stefan alone and bring him here, and once that's done, Elena will be safe."

Katherine's lips curved into a smile. "Yes."

"Please, Katherine, don't do this. You can do whatever you want to me if you just leave them alone!" I was out of insults and anger, and was being forced to resort to pleading.

"That's the thing, sweet Damon – I don't want you."

I let out an anguished cry as her teeth grazed my neck and she bit hard.

"Damon?" Stefan said softly. He was shaking my shoulder.

I snapped out of my thoughts.

"We won't let her get away with this."

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, nodding.

I'm sorry, Stefan...