Stefan POV

I sighed as I exited the crowded boarding house. It wasn't that there was actually a lot of bodies there. It was just I'm used to it being only me and Damon. And Alaric when he feels like company, which is most of the time.

Sam and Dean are pretty okay for hunters, but I can't help but still feel uneasy around them. Castiel obviously makes my brother happy so I'm more than okay with the Angel. I guess I'm just not used to living people being inside the boarding house. Trying to ignore the smell of Alaric's blood was hard enough. But now multiply that by four? I needed to get out of there.

I glance around as I walk towards the woods. Dean's black Impala, which he calls "baby", is sitting in the drive way next to Damon's blue Camaro. I smile a bit and shake my head.

Is it just an older brother thing to be irrationally in love with their cars? I let out a soft chuckle and continue on my way to the woods.

Damon has been helping me get control of my thirst and back on the human stuff for the past month but I miss the hunt. Even if it's just hunting a bunny, I need to feel like the predator again and not the prey. I guess James just has that affect wherever he goes.

I knew I should have set that psycho on fire back when he first revealed himself to be a threat.

I reach the edge of the woods and glance around again. The trees are the bright green that only happens in the summer and the sky is light blue with not a cloud in sight. But something has felt off since this morning. I push it to the back of my mind and start running as fast as I can into the woods.

Trees blur past and there are sharp sounds of sticks breaking and crisp leaves crackling as my feet hit the ground with each step. I keep running until I catch wind of a deer. I stop upwind of it and watch it carefully. I didn't approach it in the quietest way but it still yet to notice my presence. It's young and clearly a bit lost.

I crouch down and prepare to leap on it when the loud snapping of a stick cause both me and Bambi to whip our heads around. I hear the deer flee as I'm shoved onto my back on the ground.

My head hits a rock and it takes a moment for me to regain my bearings. When my eyes are focused once again, I see short dark hair and pale grey eyes lurking above me. I let out a warning growl and the figure above me chuckles harshly.

"Why, Stefan, you shouldn't be in the woods alone. After all, you've always ended up being the prey in the end." A soft voice filled with sarcasm chides.

I growl even louder and try fighting my way up. He shoves me back to the ground with ease and lets out a chilling laugh. He's straddling me and has a hand pushing me into the ground by my throat.

"Really, James? I seem to remember you begging me not to tear you limb from limb you pathetic cowar-" my venom filled rant is cut short when he lifts me off the ground by my neck and slams me back down.

"Now now, Stefan. The past is the past." James whispers inches in front of my face. "This is the present. And right now, I want what's mine without you and that feathered sap getting in my way." He purrs out and flashes his flawless teeth at me. I growl and start fighting against him again.

"Damon is not yours! And you'll never even get close to capturing him again." I spit out and claw at the hand around my throat.

He chuckles then hums as though he's thinking something through.

"I seem to remember that you can make Damon Salvatore do anything you want and go wherever you want if you take advantage of his one weakness." He says and grins darkly.

"His one weakness? Please. Damon doesn't have any weakne-" I stop short when I realize what he's referring to.

James grins wickedly and laughs.

"Everyone has a weakness. Damon's just happens to be his little baby brother."

I feel sick as I realize I just provided James with what he needs to control my brother.

"You're an idiot. Damon wouldn't risk himself for me. This is just going to be a waste of your time." I lie.

If Damon's past actions show what he's willing to do for me, then James has exactly what he wants. And it's checkmate.

"You've always been a horrible liar, Stefan. Oh well. You don't need to lie for what I have planned for us in the next couple of days" he grins maliciously. I fill a twinge of fear. But not for myself. I've had worse than James could ever do. I'm just afraid Damon will give into James to protect me.

James looks at me like he just read my mind. Suddenly I'm up off the ground and thrown against a tree. One of the branches impales me through my abdomen and I clench my mouth shut to hold back a shout of pain. The branch breaks and I fall to my knees on the ground.

I hear James slowly pacing towards me. I force myself up and try to run past him toward the boarding house. He catches me easily and shoves me back against the tree. He grabs the branch and twists it sharply. I cry out and claw at his jacket. He laughs and whispers in my ear as I fall forward so I'm leaning on him.

"Checkmate"