Thanks kpmindc, Jade, and deenew! I hope you know how much more fun you're making this!
Jade: I'm glad you're on board with the simplicity of the "I love yous" - to me it fit them perfectly, too. :)
I'm really not sure how "bad" this chapter is. I had to come back again and again to try and fix it, because I wasn't satisfied for the longest time, and I hope it's okay now.
...
The small group of people had come to a stop and dismounted their horses.
Enzo could hear them talk among themselves, low voices that were hard to understand. Still, he was almost certain he'd heard one of them mention horse tracks. He clenched his jaw. Stupid snow. The weather really wasn't good for anything. They had probably left a perfect trail of hoof prints, making it easy for anyone to follow them. It was a surprise, then, that no one had caught up with them until now.
He knew that they had Damon to thank for that, at least in part, though he was reluctant to admit it after what the man had pulled. Still, Enzo wanted to believe he'd always had his best friend's - Bonnie's - interests at heart, and he couldn't fault him for that.
But he didn't have time to think more about that, for right then, a tall pasty man with almost translucent looking white hair - probably their leader - pointed toward where Enzo and Bonnie were hiding.
With a sigh, Enzo stepped out into the open, bracing himself. He had no idea what orders they might have gotten. Though at least he was pretty certain they were told not to kill him on sight.
The translucent man and his followers visibly started, and Enzo saw them draw their weapons. Most of them merely had small daggers, but the tall guy was brandishing a sword. Without his Eternal weapon, Enzo wouldn't be much of a threat to them. Part of him had secretly hoped there'd be an Eternal among them, someone to steal a bandage from, maybe even the weapon.
He'd have to go with trying to be friendly, then.
"You're approaching Silveren territory," Pasty was informing him, and Enzo couldn't suppress a smirk.
"I know," he simply said, standing up straight, making sure he was eye level with the soldier. He stared at the man, and the man stared right back.
"There's tracks from two horses."
Enzo rolled his eyes. "So?"
"Who are you traveling with?"
"None of your concern." Enzo was playing now. He knew that the man probably knew who he was now. There was a flicker in his eyes, and he could tell that the others in the group were all on edge, waiting for something. But he wasn't going to spare them the awkwardness of calling him out.
He saw a nervous tick make Pasty's lip move awkwardly before the man finally hissed, "Don't make this difficult. You're St. John, aren't you? Where have you been?"
"The council should know what my mission was. I'm not gonna divulge it to you."
There were advantages to being the commander's son. They all feared the man just as much as he did, and they would never question him.
"Be that as it may. You are to come with us now. The council want you back. The commander wants you back."
"Lovely. One could almost think they care about me," Enzo quipped and earned himself another glare.
"They are just worried you turned traitor on us. They'll want to question you - especially now that I can't see your weapon on you…"
Enzo raised his eyebrows, then shrugged. He couldn't argue there. The lack of a weapon was rather obvious, of course.
"The second horse?" Another man, much younger, shorter, and with dark hair, had stepped closer, eyeing Enzo warily. Something about him seemed… off. The way he carried himself, the way he held his dagger. Something about his face. Enzo squinted at him.
"It's mine," Bonnie's voice suddenly piped up behind him, and he fought the urge to whirl around and glare at her. What the hell?!
They'd have found out soon enough, anyway. Better just get it over with. Show some good will...
"And who are you?" The troop of soldiers were wary, suspicious. Pasty held up a hand to keep them from moving.
Enzo slowly stepped slightly in front of Bonnie, holding a protective arm in front of her.
"She's with me," he said, "that's all you need to know."
Should we go with them for a bit? Pretend we are willing to do what they want? he heard Bonnie's voice in his head and wanted to shake his head, but stopped himself.
No, he communicated, we can't risk it. I'll have to…
He felt her press herself against his arm ever so slightly, felt her worry, her rising panic, when suddenly, she gasped audibly, catching herself a little too late.
What.
That man… the one by their… leader? I've seen him before. At school. He's just a year or two older than me. Tyler Lockwood.
A Golden. Enzo's features darkened. If Bonnie knew him, it could only mean that. He was a Golden, he was surely a Bonded, and he had infiltrated their army. Enzo's jaw muscles worked as he clenched and unclenched his teeth, trying to think.
We can use this.
No. Bonnie sounded pleading. They'd torture him, wouldn't they? Kill him?
Probably.
He's… one of mine. I can't…
Enzo sighed. He hated the infiltrators with a passion. They had lost many good soldiers because of them, had lost fights. They were like traitors, only worse, because they had never actually been on the Silveren side.
Of course he had always hated the freaking war to begin with and thus anyone who made the number of casualties even higher.
And he was also bonded to a Golden himself now, so what did that make him?
(Not just bonded, either. He was in love, hopelessly, stupidly, dangerously in love.)
He raised his chin, still hearing Bonnie's worried pleas in his head. Then he addressed the translucent guy once more. "You'll have to let us go on our way-"
"I can't do that."
"I'm sure Lockwood here," the kid flinched slightly at hearing his name, surely shocked that Enzo knew it, "will be able to confirm that I have matters to attend that can't wait. Direct orders from the commander, in fact."
"You're just using your… special connection to the commander," the man swallowed at his words, "to your advantage. We have orders, too, and no one mentioned that you'd have a mission still to attend to."
Enzo stared him down. "Well, be my guest, then. Bring me directly in front of the council. But don't be surprised if they won't thank you for your service." He extended both hands, wrist to wrist, as if offering himself up to be cuffed.
Enzo…
Relax, love. He's not gonna do it. And if he tries after all, I'll just… take care of him.
Take care of him?!
But he didn't have to explain the obvious to her. Thankfully, pasty - who still hadn't even introduced himself, Enzo noticed - backed away a little, if undoubtedly annoyed, and shook his head.
"Fine," he allowed. "Lockwood?"
"Uh, he's… right. Sir. Sorry, I was not at liberty to discuss this before meeting with the Eternal directly, Sir. In fact, I'll… need to have word with him in private. If I may?"
Pasty looked positively exasperated. With a huff, he motioned for his soldier to do as he had been ordered, and Lockwood quickly walked a few steps to the side with both Enzo and Bonnie.
Enzo smirked at him, almost feeling sorry for the Golden Bonded. Almost. He'd given the kid a chance, so there was no need for sympathy.
"Bonnie, right?" Lockwood quietly said now, shooting Enzo an alarmed glance. "Is he…"
"Let us go, Tyler, or you'll all die," she said firmly, and her tone made Enzo slightly proud of her.
"What… what's going on? They told me you had escaped together… my partner was there when it happened.
Something dawned on Enzo then. "Donovan?!" he said, half still in disbelief, but the man's surprised look answered it for him. "Well, fuck me," it escaped him, and he shook his head, exchanging a glance with Bonnie.
They were still screwed, then. Lockwood had probably already informed dear Mattie about their current location. They really needed to get going.
"Are you on their side now, Bonnie?" Tyler cocked his head, scrutinizing her, "I'm confused. Is he forcing you? What's going on here?"
"We are on nobody's side anymore," Bonnie whispered, and Enzo knew it was true. It was them against everyone now, there were no sides anymore other than their own.
"But-"
"We don't have time. Did you already communicate our whereabouts to the Sergeant?" she asked, absently clutching Enzo's arm, and he found himself staring at her hand in wonder. He really wasn't alone anymore…
"I…," Tyler faltered, looking unhappy and put on the spot.
Enzo closed his eyes briefly. This was all rather unfortunate, a mess that couldn't be resolved unless he…
"They'll find out who you are," he told the Golden soldier. "You should try and flee as soon as you get the chance. Until then, make sure they believe the story we just made up. If not-"
Suddenly, the kid pulled out a small revolver, aiming it straight at Enzo, who squinted disappointedly at the other man.
"I'm sorry, but I have my orders, I can't let you go."
Should have just ratted him out…
Enzo. She sounded so disapproving even in his head that he had to smile to himself. Of course that only agitated the soldier in front of him more.
"Is this a joke to you?!"
Bonnie tried to shove herself between the two men, Enzo glaring at her angrily as she did. But when he tried to stop her, Tyler waved his firearm around so dangerously close to Bonnie that he froze.
"Leave her out of this."
"If she survives, I'll bring her home."
"You won't survive shooting me, not with these guys over there waiting…"
"I have my orders. Letting an Eternal go is worse than a little collateral damage. If it means she and I will have to die, so be it."
Enzo rolled his eyes. "You can't be serious."
Tyler glared at him. "I'm sorry, Bonnie," he muttered.
It all happened so quickly that, for a moment, Enzo wasn't sure it was real. The translucent guy had seemingly finally caught on to the fact that things were going awry under his watch. As he was calling out to Lockwood, the kid suddenly pulled the trigger. Enzo was still right in front of him, not even trying to move so as not to put Bonnie in harm's way, when she suddenly flew right in front of him, and he heard a horrible noise as a bullet tore through her body, making her spread her arms out in shock as the force threw her back and she slumped down, right into his arms.
No.
…
The next few minutes were nothing but a blur. Bonnie in his arms, Enzo felt the shock of the situation assault him in a strange surge. His brain was numb.
Lockwood stared at him, wide-eyed, panicked.
It was as if all noises had accumulated in the loud shot, and only silence was left.
Enzo blinked, his sluggish mind trying to tell him something. Bonnie needed help. He looked down and saw blood seep through her coat. No no no.
He wanted to lay her down gently, but then the reality of their situation finally came back into focus as the forgotten soldiers resurfaced at the periphery of Enzo's vision, mouths open. Yelling?
He was breathing too fast. The world wasn't moving right.
"Freeze! I said fucking freeze!"
A switch was flipped and suddenly Enzo found himself staring from Lockwood to the soldiers, then back. The Golden had his firearm pointed at him, hand shaky and unsteady. He was saying something, but not to Enzo.
Then there was another loud bang - and Enzo ducked down just in time, laying Bonnie on the ground, steadying himself with one arm to shield her. The kid would shoot again. There was no escaping this anymore. No peaceful solution. It was all going to have to end there.
With a sudden jump, Enzo returned into a standing position, then whirled around, lashing out with one outstretched leg to kick at the most imminent opponent and made Tyler fall.
He heard the other soldiers now, though what they were saying was still unintelligible to him, as if he had forgotten how to speak their language.
He rushed over to the kid, a look of regret on his face as he pressed down on the startled Golden's face, then twisting his head to the side quickly, crushing his windpipe, snapping his neck with a force that was almost inhuman.
"The hell are you doing, St. John?! We should have questioned the man! He's one of those!" Pasty was in his face, not an inch away. The man didn't know what was coming to him. What was happening.
Until it was too late.
No witnesses. No one could know about this. About them. About her... He needed to keep her safe.
And so he did.
It was over so quickly, the ground under his feet a bloody mess when he was finished, and he took a shuddering breath as he saw the carnage.
He was a monster. Had always been. But even that didn't matter right now, because Bonnie was still lying on the cold snow, bleeding, and he needed to save her.
She was all that mattered anymore.
...
When Bonnie opened her eyes, it was hazy all around her and she wasn't sure whether it was from fog or from something her brain was doing.
She felt foggy all over, and she was in pain. A moan escaped her unbidden as she tried sitting up, to no avail.
Slowly, she realized that she was moving. She felt the horse's muscles move under her, felt blankets surrounding her, felt a horrible pain in her side. She grimaced, gingerly trying to reach the spot with her shaky hand.
And then she remembered. Tyler Lockwood, that kid from school, had tried to shoot Enzo and had shot her instead. She clenched her teeth, hard, moaning again. Then suddenly, her horse stopped and she heard footsteps approach.
Enzo's drawn and exhausted face appeared in front of her and as he tried to smile at her his arms slowly came around her and pulled her off the horse. She yelled out in pain, feeling a sob rise in her throat, and she couldn't help it, tears were starting to roll.
"It hurts," she muttered.
"I know, love. I'm sorry, I'll do what I can…"
She felt so stupid. This was surely nothing compared to what he'd had to endure. She knew it wasn't. She'd shared some of his pain before, but somehow, this was still different.
Because it's yours.
She sniffed, clinging to him as he lowered her to the ground. Only now did she realize that they were not outside anymore, but in something that looked like a shed. Straw was lying on the ground, and it smelled distinctly like animals, though she couldn't see any.
"Old farm burnt down. Looks like the people just up and left after that. Took their cattle." Enzo gave her a look, distraught and weary, and she felt strangely guilty.
"I'm… sorry if I made a mess of this," she whispered. Even speaking was a strain making the pulsing pain in her side worse and she flinched.
He shook his head at her, smiling a small smile. "You saved me again, Bonnie Bennett. You are a marvelous woman. I really don't deserve you…"
She touched his face, her fingertips barely grazing his cool skin before gravity and exhaustion made her drop her arm back down by her side.
"I'll have to check on your wound again, I'm afraid."
She swallowed, then grimaced. "That doesn't sound like much fun."
His smile was still just a lingering curl around the corners of his mouth, but his eyes lit up a little more, and she saw sympathy in there, and love.
And something darker…
She hissed as he carefully went about his work, gently opening her coat, pulling her shirt up. "How bad is it?" she whispered, though she didn't actually want to know.
"Not great. But you'll live."
"You need to work on your bedside manners," she informed him and heard him give a half chuckle. "You know, 'not great' is not a great start..." She winked, but grimaced as another shot of pain pierced her side.
"I'm sorry, love." He stopped briefly to give her a moment, then continued. "Well, on the plus side, I got the projectile out when you were still… unconscious. So, the worst is over."
Her breath hitched as he took off the last strip of whatever dressings he'd put on her injury and her eyes rolled back as she fought to stay conscious. She felt his hand on her forehead, a soothing touch, and she managed to take a shuddering breath.
"Almost done, love. Wish I could take on some of your pain, like you did for me…"
She could hear it in his voice, how upset he was, feeling inadequate. He thought he was weak.
"You're not weak, Enzo," she muttered, trying to look at him, though she had trouble focusing.
He grimaced. "Read my mind again there, huh?" he said, trying to sound chipper.
She wiggled her eyebrows at him briefly, but her smile wasn't long lasting. It's okay. Really. I know why you can't. That isn't weakness, Lorenzo St. John. That's strength. I don't even know how you're functioning with that pain in you. Because I sure as hell can't even get up right now.
He grinned at her, then sobered quickly. "We'll need to get you to an actual doctor."
"Didn't you take care of the bullet? I'm sure-"
Enzo shook his head, not letting her finish. "You'll need antibiotics," he told her, and she pressed her lips together, upset and frustrated. Why did that stupid Tyler Lockwood have to shoot? He had robbed them of the chance to resolve the situation peacefully. Hed ruined so much, and the worst part was that she felt responsible, like it was her fault, too.
Now, how were they ever going to get antibiotics unless they went to a place with a hospital. With people… Bonnie shivered involuntarily. It was them against everyone. They couldn't trust anyone. They couldn't go to a hospital.
"And where can we get those?" she asked, sounding way too defeated even for her own ears, and Enzo gave her a sad smile.
"We'll figure something out, love. Let's make sure your wound is taken care off, and then I'll make my way-"
"Please don't leave me," she interjected, suddenly panicking. She didn't want to be alone. Not now.
Not ever again.
"I'll be right here," he said, touching her forehead gently, indicating her mind, "and I'll be quick. There should be a small town not too far-"
"How far?" She hated how needy she sounded. How needy she felt.
"Half a day maybe?"
He'd be gone a whole day then. A whole day alone in a freaking barn, injured and in pain. What if anyone found her? What if the troop they had encountered did?
Suddenly, she realized that they probably wouldn't. She hadn't been conscious for their escape. She didn't know what had happened. How they'd made it out. But it couldn't have been good. She was pretty sure the Silveren wouldn't just have let them leave…
She locked her gaze on Enzo's, communicating her jumbled thoughts rather than trying to put them into words. It was too difficult. She was too scared of the truth, though she needed to know. For his sake.
She couldn't let him carry that burden alone.
They're gone, aren't they?
Enzo clenched his jaw, looking away. They won't come after us…
She didn't have the heart to ask more, but he must have felt her distraught sadness for him because he amended, "I'm a soldier, love. It's… not pretty…"
Six against one. Unarmed. He wasn't just a soldier...
"I'm sorry," she muttered, but he shook his head again.
"I'm just sorry that I can't be here for you - here with you now, though I know you'll be fine. You are strong, Bonnie Bennett. Do you even have any idea how hot that is?"
She had to chuckle, though it hurt and she stopped quickly. "Right," she panted, "I'm sure especially right now, what with my pathetic whining and the blood stains on my clothes and my probably atrocious looking bird's nest of hair." She rolled her eyes, but Enzo was still smiling, this time with a little more meaning behind it, and a little more suggestiveness. He gently stroked her hair, then cupped her cheek, bending down to kiss her so softly that it was almost just a breath against her lips.
"You are beautiful, Bonnie Bennett. I knew it when I first heard you. There's something in your voice. A compassion…," he paused, "You will always be beautiful, because it's coming from within."
The atmosphere in their small shelter was strangely charged, and Bonnie licked her lips, unsure of what to say or think. Then she watched as Enzo's face broke into a somewhat mischievous looking grin and he said, "But before you'll accuse me of implying that that means your outside is indeed looking too disheveled," she gave him a light playful slap, "I'll add that you are gorgeous, your hair is not a bird's nest at all, though there's no denying the blood stains-"
"I love you, Lorenzo St. John," she suddenly blurted, interrupting him, and they both fell silent, just staring at each other for a long time, before Enzo leaned down once more, and whispered into her ear,
"I love you."