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Chapter 21

Kol wasn't sure why the baseball game had to be cancelled today but as he walked through the halls of the college, he felt like there was someone there and when he turned, he saw a blonde haired boy.

"Hey Henry." Henry smirked at Kol. "What are you doing out here?"

"I needed some materials for my project." He reminded him and Kol smiled at him. He looked so docile with the way he walked and dressed, Kol hoped that Henry wouldn't be the creeper's next victim.

"Oh sure-that project for my brother's class right? You're doing the designing for the play?"

"Yeah." Henry sighed. "It's a killer-you know that I tried out for the part of the Phantom as well as Raoul?" Kol winced. He knew that his brother was picky with who he picks for certain things and that right there-that really sucked.

"Sorry man-maybe next time?"

"Yeah-maybe next time." With that said, Henry went into the classroom and when he noticed that Kol was gone, he grinned and began to smirk. Oh yes, pretty soon Caroline would be his. He just needs to be patient and wait it out but until then, his next victims will be delicious.

Jesse was just walking when his name was being called and he ran, fearful. He wasn't an idiot-he's read the school's newsletter and newspaper but when he got into the chemistry lab, he felt something sharp plunge into his throat and blood splattered the walls.

Jesse was dead.

Bonnie could smell the blood – it's sweet, enticing smell calling her. She followed it down the hall and stopped outside the chemistry lab where it seemed to be strongest. She opened the door and stepped inside.

"Bon what are you doing?" Caroline asked as she joined Bonnie. Caroline could also smell the abundance of blood. As the motion sensor lights in the chemistry lab came on both girls cried out as they saw the body lying in a pool of blood and blood spattered all over walls and equipment.

"Oh no it's Jesse!" Caroline worried. She began to sob and Bonnie pulled her into her arms.

"Oh the blood Caroline," Bonnie trembled. She was trying to control herself but its smell was permeating her sense of smell in waves and she hadn't had any since this morning.

"Come on let's get you out of here," Caroline worried "I texted Elijah." They turned for the door but their exit was blocked by the arrival of campus security.

"Okay we're going to need both of you ladies to come with us," one of the guards stated. "We have a few questions for you."

"We have a problem," Elijah said as he joined his two brothers in his office. "There's been another attack. This time the victim was murdered – Jesse Eades."

"That was the guy Caroline was dating," Klaus frowned.

"One of," Kol grinned and Klaus glowered at him.

"Bonnie and Caroline discovered the body and are now being detained by campus police for questioning," Elijah continued.

"They're in custody?" Klaus frowned, "how long?"

"They don't have anything on the girls," Kol shrugged, "they didn't do it."

"How long can Bonnie go without blood before her preservation instinct gets the better of her?" Elijah asked.

"We've got to get them out of there Elijah," Kol worried as he finally realized what the real problem was in this situation.

"I've already tried but they are starting to see the correlation between the girls and the victims so they want to be thorough," Elijah said, "but I can get you in for a few minutes."

She had been in this room, alone, for almost two hours now. She didn't know where Caroline was or what was happening. She had given them her statement about finding the body stating that the door had been ajar, the two girls had entered, the lights had come on and they had found him like that. She didn't know what she would do if they decided they wanted her to take a polygraph.

At this point however the officer's prying questions were not foremost in Bonnie's thoughts. She was becoming increasingly fearful for the next person who walked through that door. She was so hungry! What if she couldn't control herself and she murdered someone – in a campus security room no less! She'd expose herself and could endanger all of the others! She just wanted to see Kol so badly right now! Actually at this point she'd settle for anyone that could help her.

"Hurry Elijah, she's losing it in there," Kol worried as he could feel Bonnie's needs and emotions, "she's so afraid and she's starving. If there's anyone else in that room right now their chances aren't good." They arrived at the security office and compelled their way back to the interrogation rooms. Elijah compelled the officer to turn off the video and audio and then admit Kol. Thankfully it was a small staff as Elijah compelled them all to forget that either brother was ever there.

The door opened and Kol found Bonnie huddled in the far corner. She was shaking and her hands were gripping her legs so tightly where they were folded against her chest that she was leaving marks.

"Bonnie"

"Kol!" Bonnie exclaimed as she flew into his arms. He couldn't believe how she had come to rely on him and how she now sought his comfort. Kol wanted to be whatever she needed from him because he now knew the feeling which had taken hold so tightly in his undead heart was love.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Bonnie and held her as she trembled against him. A moment later he felt the moisture of her tears against his neck. Nothing had prepared Kol for what loving his mate would feel like – how all-consuming it would be.

"Okay, it's going to be okay I promise," he whispered tenderly. "You're starving Bonnie; I can feel it. Why did you wait so long?"

"Caroline and I were just about to head back to her apartment. I was looking for her when I smelled the blood and thought I could help. Wait – you don't think I did this do you?"

"No of course," Kol replied immediately, "this one looks like more my style really – though I wouldn't have left all the blood."

"Don't say blood," Bonnie groaned.

"Shh…that's what I'm here for – take what you need," Kol said. Bonnie hesitated a moment and then bit into his neck. He knew she was only feeding but it still meant something to Kol. He had never shared his blood like this before. He closed his eyes and savored the sensation. She drank until he could feel himself growing a little weak and then she stopped. As she lifted her head he reached up and tenderly traced the veins on her face before they receeded.

"I have to go," he sighed, "the quicker I go the quicker we can be done with this mess and I can have you home in my arms." He forced himself to walk to the door.

"Kol," his name from her lips stopped him. "I love you." He flashed back over to her and gathered her in his arms. Then his lips crashed down upon hers and he tried to express all the love and devotion he felt in that kiss.

"I love you Bonnie and I promise it will be okay. I won't let it be otherwise." Then in a flash he was gone.

Caroline was sitting inside of the interrogation room where three security guards were questioning her about her relationship with Jesse.

"How long were you both in a relationship?" She rolled her eyes.

"He'd say ten months but it's actually four months-the first six he was trying to get me to agree to at least one date but I had been seeing someone else."

The man quirked an eyebrow at her and she nodded.

"I was dating two guys at the same time and yes, I know that it sounds bad." He pushed a file over to her.

"Each one of these victims is somehow connected to you." She looked and nodded.

"Amber and I have Drama together and both tried out for the part of Christine. Tommy and I were lab partners in Chemistry."

"What about the previous victims?" he pushed that file over to her and she blinked.

"I have no idea-maybe in freshman year but now, nothing. No classes." She saw one of the classes that the previous victim had and gulped. "But I know-" she saw the door open and relief swept through her. Her saving grace was Klaus who just walked in.

"Caroline Forbes couldn't have done it as she has been with me looking over scripts for other plays" the Original Hybrid said smoothly as he provided her an alibi. When he saw the files with the photographs in them in front of Caroline, he was angrier than she had ever seen him. "And showing her the photographs?" He glared at the man and snarled. "Next time you want to talk to her, call my attorney!"

Taking Caroline out of the room, he whispered, "we were told about what happened to Jesse and knew that you were innocent."

"The victims aren't just connected to me-they're also connected to Elena as a few of them were in her Journalism class as well as her English Lit one."

"So we actually do have two vampire stalkers walking around the campus? That's just lovely." He groaned.

Bonnie was allowed to leave with them and was in Kol's arms the second they cleared the building.

Elena and Rebekah, when they heard that the newest victim was Jesse Eades, stockpiled many cartons of Ben and Jerry alongside cookies, milk and every type of sweet imaginable for Caroline. Though she was dating him and another guy at the same time but was madly in love with Klaus (though she was denying that part) they knew that she needed this girls' night more than the others.

Elijah was worried as she was packing up some clothes, a sleeping bag and a pillow.

"Are you sure that you will be okay?" He asked her in a worried voice. She smiled up and placed a kiss on his lips.

"Pretty sure." She told him and smiled. "If you need to check up on me-just call my cell, okay?" At his nod, she smiled again and called out as she was leaving, "hope you have a great night with the guys!"

He laughed as the door closed. He had almost forgotten that Klaus and Kol wanted to throw some bachelor party for Stefan and had called him

As the girls were all huddled in Caroline's apartment, they had everything out that they would need. Caroline was the one who was picking the movie when she smiled.

"As sad as I am about Jesse dying," she told them. "I'm in the mood for horror and I haven't seen Paranormal Activity 2 in ages!"

Putting the movie in the Blu-Ray player, they began to watch one of their favorite horror movies of all time.

Mark was just pitching the baseball at the net when he heard his name being called. He knew that trouble was coming but as he went to grab the bat, it was gone.

He turned around and as he saw the creeper holding the bat, he screamed.

The girls jumped and screamed as well as Katie killed her sister and brother in law before taking her nephew Hunter away.

"Memo to self-never watch this movie at night!" Bonnie said as she had the shivers running up her arms and legs.

"At least the third one can be considered a prequel!" Rebekah said as she managed to calm down her racing heart.

Elena giggled. "There's bound to be more of these movies coming out in theaters right?" she asked and at their nods, she giggled. "I'm totally going to drag all of you and the men to see it!"

Caroline began to laugh. "Days before the next one comes out we'll end up binge watching them just to get them desensitized to them!"

The creeper grinned until a male voice said, "don't be sloppy."

Turning, he saw his sire was there with a girl from one of the sororities. "What are you going to do with her?"

He grinned. "She's going to be a nice little puppet for me at the moment."

The next afternoon, as the girls were each in the library, Elena was approached by Shelby who handed her an envelope and a blood red rose.

"He wants you to know that you belong to him." Shelby's voice was monotone and before anyone could stop her, she fell over with blood pouring from her wrist.

Caroline and Rebekah were over there to help her as others called the security while Elena opened up the letter and paled.

We'll be together soon

Elena's stomach was twisting and she felt a familiar presence behind her so as she turned to see Elijah, he looked at the note and let out a little growl.

"Such a bold way to give you a note and a flower," Kol observed as the security team arrived as did the paramedics. Once they loaded her up onto the gurney, they didn't see the creeper walk out of the room with a dark smirk on his face.

His sire was being bold-using Shelby like that but he didn't care at all.

Rebekah smiled at the girls as the three decided they were all going to have the same appointment. Each one was in three of the many dressing rooms in her little boutique (it was part of the class that she needs a place for them to try on their clothes). She already had hers done and now it was the girls' turn. She had done a fabulous job with Elena's and had added a special little touch to her dress. As soon as she came out, Rebekah was trying hard not to squeal in delight at how beautiful the brunette looked.

Elena's dress borrowed elements from the 1490s; it was strapless with off the shoulder long sleeves ending with the large bell sleeve of the time. It had a corset back with antique lace covering just the A-line skirt and around the waist there was a sash in a blush color whose long ties went three quarters of the way down the back of the skirt. To add a bit of her own personal touch to it, she made sure that the dress's skirt had a bit of sparkle from the hidden crystals sewn into the antique lace covering it.

"I think that you look beautiful." Rebekah said brightly.

The only thing that Elena did was look bashful as she couldn't see herself in the mirror as Rebekah stood right in front of it. Stepping out of the way, Elena walked up to see herself and just imagined herself in her own fairytale. This was her dress and if she could, one day she'd be married in it. That was how much she loved it.

Caroline and Bonnie each came out in their dresses. Caroline's was a strapless mermaid gown of white silk with a delicately gathered bodice above the empire waist that had an inch and a half diamond belt at the empire waist. The flared part of the skirt was made of delicate chiffon in layer upon layer.

Bonnie's dress was a fit and flare gown in white brocade that fit her like a glove until mid-thigh and then flared into a large ball gown skirt. The flared part of the skirt was all one seamless piece in the front but two tiered in the back. Again, Rebekah decided to make the dress sparkle as she also did add the hidden crystals to it but she had sewn them into the tiers.

"You two look like beautiful visions!" Elena squealed as she smiled at them. "Oh my god! Kol's not gonna be able to keep his eyes off you Bon!"

Bonnie blushed as much as a vampire can.

The sound of Rebekah's phone going off made the blonde who was about to say something groan. Pulling the phone out of her back pocket, she read the text and sent something back. Looking at them, she smiled.

"Kol's worried about Bonnie. I told him that you're doing fine."

Again, Bonnie was trying hard not to be embarrassed but she looked bashful.

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