Chapter twenty-night : Power over me
After my decision to stay as far away from Felix as possible, I knew I had to put an action plan in place. And I was already beginning to dread my own thoughts.
I lowered my viewfinder down my side with a deep sigh before taking a careful look around me. I was not about to be had like the last time and I had fully decided to defend myself on my own. I was tired of being the little Mila that the vampires or any other being supernatural who liked to take in hostage.
I was not weak and I was sure to let them know. So that's why I had my bow again. I had also searched my father's old business despite my deep sorrow. All that to be able to apprehend the next part of my plan. If I wanted to play in an equal foot with the vampires then I had to make myself strong.
I had started with simple jogging, then had accumulated archery sessions and finally, I was inspired by the few darts of Alaric for myself. It may have been completely unrealistic to want to try my luck against a multitude of vampires, all more demonic than the others, but I was apparently a member of the supernatural community. I did not know what or who but I was going to find out who I was, and once I had all the cards in hand, I would put my plan into action. Which began to find Katherine, no matter where she was hiding.
So with this idea in mind, I put my belongings in my gym bag lying on the earthy floor of the forest before slinging it on my shoulder. I ventured confidently through the woods, glancing constantly at my guards. Thanks to Damon Salvatore for making me paranoid and soon locate my SUV. I drove all the way back home uncomfortably gesturing on my seat to the accumulation of sweat in my clothes before parking in our driveway in relief.
I had not heard from Felix, let alone from Tyler. I did not know what was going on with these two but I was hoping that if they did not call me then it was because they were safe. At least, for the moment.
I had looped my afternoon with Katherine and something told me that our recent find on werewolves did not add up. It must have been bound to the older vampire. In other words, we were in bigger problems than I imagined.
I passed the door openly ignoring Elena's descent across the stairs and grazed her before climbing in my turn. I could easily feel her sparkling brown eyes traveling between my huge gym bag and my back but I was just speeding up and down the stairs before I stepped into our hallway passing Jeremy without even a look. The latter tried to interrupt me but I huddled into my room before running to my closet to hide my bag. It was not the moment for Elena or anyone to get a glimpse into my personal artillery. Not to mention that she would all tell Stefan and I was certainly not ready to face the vampire. Not when he could so easily read through me.
Once I was sure that my stack of old cartons was protecting my bag in plain sight, I began to undress while heading to the shared bathroom and let the water flow while waiting to finish.
I stopped for a moment in front of our mirror, tying my long curls in a loose bun before releasing a deep breath.
Who am I trying to deceive? I was barely able to shoot a good punch for a human being, so a vampire? It was hardly lost.
I shook my head quickly before quickly entering the water in a desperate need to release all this accumulated pressure.
I spent a special time washing off all the dirt and sweat particles from my body before finally wrapping a fluffy white towel around my body under construction. I took off my long curls in my back before tightening my towel while returning to my room just to make a sudden stop at the sight of my twin brother sitting on my bed.
"How did you come in?" I exclaimed in shock and surprise before glancing nervously at my closet still closed.
''How did I get in? Is that all? "Repeated my brother looking suspicious for some reason before suddenly blowing a breath as he hastened to close the door to my room before turning to me in the commotion. ''I have to talk to you about something. But you must promise to stay calm and don't stop me, all right?"
I immediately frowned in suspicion before giving a flat and bored look at my towel still around my wet body to show my point.'' We really must do this now?''
"It's important, Mila!" Jeremy jerked at once clearly impatient and I rolled my eyes open before finally resolving myself awkwardly settling on the edge of my bed, surprising my twin by my resilience. "Wait, that it? You going to listen to me?''
'' Jer! ''
"Okay, alright, fine!" He hastily resumed in a hurry before taking a seat by my side. "I spoke with Tyler. I know, you had forbidden me to approach him but you must hear what I learned first. Tyler must kill someone to trigger the curse."
I remained frozen for a moment, clearly speechless before focusing my attention on my twin. I certainly did not expect that but thinking about it was obvious. Lycanthropy was a curse and if it did not really stick with the faithful bite of a full moon night, it was just as bad as, if not more than, fiction. But how could a person as sweet, funny and nice as Felix end up killing someone? It was beyond me, how was I supposed to prevent him from doing such an act? Since when was my life reduced to death and grief?
I stood up in my train of thought, leaving Jer staring at me in utter bewilderment before turning to him, alarmed."What else do you know?"
"Mason, he's looking for a stone. A moonstone. "Jeremy informed me again, letting me magnify my frown in the reflection.
"What is it for?" I asked in apprehension as I reported my bluish orb to my twin.
"It's directly related to the legend of the werewolves."
It made me look less directly at my twin in pure reflection. "And it was Tyler who told you all that?"
"Yes."My twin nodded before narrowing his lips making me frown on him in suspicion.
''Jer ... ''
"Sarah fell down the stairs."Jer dropped roughly, making my eyes widen in horror, automatically jumping to the most horrible conclusion.
Jeremy seemed to realize this and stood up suddenly, raising his hands in front of him to try to reassure me. "She's fine. I swear she's fine but after that, Tyler was completely freaked out and he told me how close you two were."
I gauged my twin brother in mistrust since his last sentence left a hint and he was quick to demand answers. "Why didn't you tell us anything? You knew what he was. You knew he needed a trigger."
''I didn't know what it was.'' I defended at once, taking a sharp look at Jeremy.
I sighed heavily at this before tightening my towel near my body feeling a slight chill before sitting down next to Jer. The latter hastened to grab my hand to shake it in his own and I stared at our bound hands a long time before placing my head on his built shoulder.
These simple peaceful moments I missed terribly. I would like things to be as before. When our parents were still alive and when we knew nothing about the supernatural. It was certainly the best years of my life. Now, now, all were questions of subterfuges and life and death.
Now everything was ephemeral.
That was why we could not dwell on little moments like this anymore. By as a war zone was set up outside. I abruptly untied my hand from Jeremy's, calling out to him before heading without a word towards my dresser.
I pulled the first drawer open and searched through while addressing my twin in a cold, unmoved tone."Who else did you talk to?"
"Uh ... no one else."Jeremy clearly resumed with my change of attitude. "Mila, what's happening to you? First, the disappearances, then the intensive training and now the detached behavior.''
I paused in my research, feeling terribly sorry for my brother before looking at a fixed point over my shoulder. "When you have the advantage, you can't say it on every rooftop."
I was hoping this was enough to make Jeremy understand my idea as I supported his confused look before grabbing random clothes before locking myself in the bathroom. I now had information that the others did not have and the information I also had at Katherine was enough to give me an overview. I still had to find the vampire.
I changed quickly without really bothering to check my appearance before going back to my empty room. I wrinkled my lips in guilt for a brief moment before remembering that it was necessary. I walked to my desk and pulled out the first drawer looking for my phone just to pause at the sight of my registration form. My urge to leave was still strong, if not more eager now, but I had to deal with all these pest problems first.
Despite all, I could never go on with my life if I knew that the vampires had suddenly taken control of Mystic Falls. It was where I grew up and where I had most of my memories with my family together. I could not give it up. Neither now, nor ever. So with a deep, heavy sigh, I grabbed my phone and pushed the drawer closed before grabbing my leather jacket.
I looked at my closet on my way to my door before quickly closing behind me as Aunt Jenna emerged into our parents' room.
"Hey, Mil." She noticed my outfit and frowned slightly in questioning."You're going somewhere?"
"Yeah, uh ... I need to go to the library ..." I looked up at the ceiling looking for a credible lie and tried as best I could to control my nervous tick.''... for an essay. Yeah, an essay. ''
"An essay?'' She asked dubitatively before crossing her arms over her chest with a raised eyebrow. What classes?"
I restrained myself from grimacing at her investigation and narrowed my lips as I crossed my fingers behind my back."Uh ... literature. Yeah, literature. You know ... Shakespeare and all that. So ... I have to go. Bye, Aunt Jenna. "
"Huh-"
I did not wait for her to finish as I abruptly descended the stairs by pulling on my leather jacket before pulling the open front door to cross the porch. I drove straight for my car before looking immediately into my glove box for a map hotel and breakfast points of the city.
Alaric POV
He entered the Salvatore mansion now familiar with an Isobel search box just to pause at Jeremy's sight. " What are you doing here?"
"I'm helping Damon. I told him about the moonstone.'' Jeremy immediately resumed crossing his arms while Alaric immediately set his box down, giving him a disapproving look.
"Elena knows you're here?'' He asked in Damon's direction, receiving a grimace from the latter, evoking an expression of Alaric's disapproval. "And Mila? "
Jeremy paused at Mila's mention as did Damon, who looked at him expectantly before frowning at the suspicious brown. "Now, why are you silent?"
"I-uh ... Mila is acting oddly lately.'' He confessed, letting the two men share a long-intrigued look. "She ... well, she already knew that Tyler was a werewolf and that he had to trigger the curse. "
Damon immediately wrinkled his lips in annoyance before signing Rick with his empty glass of Whiskey. "I knew this little brat was hiding something."
"That's not all.'' Jeremy intervened, alerting the two men more. "She has become super weird. Like ... in war mode. She trains every morning. And when I told her about the moonstone, she told me I had to talk about it to no one else. That advantage was the key against the enemy or something like that."
"Where is Mila now?'' Alaric asked at once in a bad feeling.
Jeremy narrowed his lips again before looking in between the two man, shrugging his shoulders in ignorance.
Mila POV
It was the sixth guest house I was visiting. Honestly, I was seriously beginning to despair. I let a long sigh as I cut the engine by staring at the large old building before biting the inside of my cheek in uncertainty. I knew that going after Katherine was not my smartest plan but I needed an answer. I had to figure out how to protect Felix and Tyler from this damn world.
With this idea in mind, I opened the door of my SUV before going down by leaning on my seat. As for the last six houses, I retrieved a stake from my passenger seat and hid it in the waistband of my pants before slamming the door.
I turned my attention to the front of the big building before releasing a heavy breath. I chewed the inside of my cheek in anticipation before accelerating the pace towards the entrance of the big building. I pushed open the swinging door, looking around the wide, typical living room of a guest house, before spotting a woman behind a desk.
"Welcome. I'm Mrs. Flowers."Introduced the woman with a broad smile making me smile in my turn." What can I do for you?"
"In fact, I was hoping you could help me.'' I said, retrieving my phone from the pocket of my jeans before looking for a picture of Elena on the day of the founders."I'm looking for my sister. Maybe you saw her?"
I handed my phone to the woman before feeling a surge of hope at the sight of her broad smile." Oh yes. Miss. Pierce? She's renting a room here."
Personally, I found that much too easy. My intestines told me that a vampire the size of Katherine would have better protected her back but I could never really place the grounds of the brunette.
I picked up my phone before deciding to try my luck further."Can you tell me which room she lives in?"
"She has no problem, I hope?"
I immediately shook my head with a forced smile before thanking her as she told me her room number as well as the stairs. I turned at once releasing a weak inspiration before taking the stairs in the nervousness. I climbed up and left my hand on the ramp before stopping at the beginning of a long corridor flanked by doors. I would be arched my jaw bringing my hand to the stake in my pants belt before taking a step forward.
I felt my breath and my heart speeding up as I passed several rooms until I reached Katherine's. I was already preparing for everything that could happen behind this door and finally raised my fist to hit. I took a new inspiration in indecision before letting my body act on its own. I took a step back at once as the voice so similar to my sister sounded before displaying an expression annoyed at the sight of the vampire taking a break at my appearance.
"Well, well, well, if it's not a pleasant surprise. "
"Enough with the games, Katherine.'' I snapped between my teeth, giving an even wider smile to the brunette.
Her mischievous gaze descended to the stake in my hand before she raised her head pretentiously."I could consider sharing my plan with you."
"Yes?"
"If you leave this stake outside of course."
I narrowed my eyes on the brunette knowing she was lying before rolling my eyes as I handed her the stake in the surrender. The vampire seemed surprised at first but she soon replaced her expression with a broad smug smile as she took the stake opening me more the door.
I passed her by watching her movements carefully before crossing my arms over my chest while watching her room.
I immediately caught an eyebrow at the sight of the unmade bed before glancing at the vampire over my shoulder as she closed the door behind us."You will excuse me for the disorder. I had ... a guest. "
"Ew!'' I winced at her implication before immediately flipping back in impatience."Kay, I'm tired of it. I want to know. What do you plan to do with the moonstone and why Mason?"
Katherine stiffened at the importance of my knowledge before she began to advance dangerously on me. " What do you know?"
"A lot.'' I answered boldly, trying to contain my fear inside before biting a fiery return. "And I'd like to use it to make a deal. "
The vampire stopped in surprise before arching an eyebrow, straightening with interest. " A deal? With me?"
I nodded confidently, humming the beautiful brunette so much like my older sister. She circled me to take two glasses from a tray before serving one with a carafe leaving little to the imagination and another with wine almost as red as the blood in Katherine's glass.
"Where is the catch?'' She asked, handing me the glass of wine with a broad smile.
I went from the glass to her creepy expression before checking my jaw." I'm sixteen."
"If you want to do business, you have to behave as such."
I rolled my eyes knowing she would not drop and immediately took the glass around it."I need to know what you're cooking to help you. I want you out of the town as soon as possible."
"Hm ... you? You will help me?'' She asked a little suspicious even though the broad smile on her lips betrayed her excitement at the prospect. "Always altruistic to what I see. "
"I have people I want to protect. "
"Elena? Jeremy? Or Stefan?"
"None of the three.'' I replied, sharply intriguing the vampire as I took a sip of my glass grimacing at the sour taste."It's none of your business. "
"Well!'' She sighed dramatically before settling on the vanity seat."What tells me it's not a trap? "
"You are the one who told me to learn to watch for myself, right?'' I replied evasively before straightening my chin with attitude. "Make a deal with you, it's me acting for myself for the good of all."
Katherine gauged me with a wide, proud smile that made me want to vomit before she sipped on her glass of blood."And what are you going to do for your little friends? "
"I want you out of this city. That's all that matters to me."
"It could be dangerous for you. You will betray a lot of people.'' Katherine reminded me, letting me nod firmly to each of her tired statements."It'll probably have collateral damage. Maybe even wounded."
Finally, she stopped in front of me, letting me plunge my icy eyes into her brown dances with anticipation. "We have a deal? "
"I will enjoy every minute.'' Katherine immediately accepted with the biggest imaginable devil's smile.
