WARNING: This chapter is the darkest in this whole story so far due to mention of abuse, violence and some language. I do not own The Vampire Diaries

The first thing she was aware of was the feel of cool metal biting into her wrists, the second was that her head hurt. She forced her eyes to open, only to wince at the motion. She raised her gaze to her wrists to find that she was shackled to a wall in what appeared to be the cellar of the Salvatore's Boarding House. This of course posed the question of exactly how she'd managed to find herself in such a situation.

"Hello?" she called but there was no reply. She weakly tried to pull herself free but the cuffs only dug deeper into her wrists. She tried with magic but that had no effect either. She leaned her head back on the wall and reached out, hoping to connect to Damon or even Stefan but the room was blocking her signal, making it difficult. "Can anyone hear me?" she yelled, blocking out the way her headache intensified at the noise.

Vaguely she heard a holler of pain and recognized it as Damon's. Had Klaus returned? She felt herself grow faint as the possibility of that sunk in and she worked at freeing herself again but had no luck. After several minutes, she heard the door leading to the cellar open and she lifted her head to see Stefan entering and looking at her with amusement and she scowled.

"Did you do this?" she demanded.

"Nope, wasn't me."

"Whatever, just help me," she grunted but he just smiled and walked back out again. "Seriously?" She let out a scream of frustration. When she heard another set of footsteps, she readied herself to lash out magically at the annoying vampire only to see that it wasn't Stefan that was heading toward her but Damon.

"What the heck happened?" she asked and turned her head as he tore the shackles from the wall, then caught her before she could hit the stone floor.

"Mason."

"Who?"

"Mason, the filthy werewolf mutt I killed a while back. Apparently his ghost is still a bit vengeful," he muttered and broke the cuffs around her wrists. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think so." She leaned on him as she tested her balance and let him wrap an arm around her to steady her until she was sure that she wouldn't face plant into the floor. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy," he ground out. "I'll take you home, I have to go figure out what the deal is with the people I kill paying surprise visits."

"I'll be fine, Damon. Your brother though, he's toast."

"He came down here?"

"Pft. Yeah, then laughed and walked away, the jerk."

"Lets just focus on getting you home and then I'll check in with you later. If Bonnie screwed up, she'll need your witchy powers to help," he said and she nodded.

Damon guided her out to her car and waited until he was sure she'd be alright driving before climbing into his own and heading into town to track down Bonnie. He found both her and Caroline in town and passed on the message then drove off.

Ryssa walked into her house and locked the door behind her, then went upstairs to grab the pain medicine Elijah had given her before when her head hurt. When it rained, it poured, she mused tiredly. Not only had the bonfire been useless and she was still no closer to having either the Original or her daughter back, but she'd been attacked and woken up shackled to a very uncomfortable wall. She ran her hands through her hair as she reached her room and let out a heavy breath.

"Hey sweet pea," drawled a voice that made her blood turn to ice and she whirled to see none other than her own father staring at her. He smiled but it was a grotesque one that brought back nothing but painful memories of horrible nights.

"No…" she whispered and backed away slowly. "You can't be here…"

"What's the matter sweetheart? Not so sure of yourself without your precious vampire at your back?" he taunted, stalking closer. "You know it was him that killed me, don't you?"

"Killed…you're a ghost?"

Her father looked down at himself and reached her with two strides, swinging his hand out to collide with the jaw and she fell with a cry of pain. "Not at the moment," he smiled.

"Did you really think that you could get away from me, you little freak?" He hissed as he advanced on her and bent down to grip her hair and pulled her head back. He smashed his mouth onto hers and she whimpered and tried to get away but he slammed her head back down on the floor and delivered a swift kick to her abdomen.

"I can't believe that you thought someone could actually love you," he sneered, kicking her twice more and she feebly tried to cover her head with her arms. "You're nothing but a worthless little bitch," he went on, grabbing her arm and breaking it easily and she howled in agony.

"Thought you got lucky when that big deal vampire Original decided to step in," he picked her up and threw her at a small end table, shattering it. "You weren't even a good enough daughter to make your mother step in, what makes you think anyone else cared?"

"You're lying!"

"Why? Because of Trent?" He jerked her up by her arm and dragged her out onto the landing and held her over the edge and her eyes widened in fear. "Trust me, that little brat's got his coming too." He shoved her down the stairs and watched as the wooden railings broke as she hit them. He took his time going back down, relishing in the sight of her broken and bloody form at the foot of the stairs and was thrown back by an invisible force, hitting the wall.

Ryssa moaned and tried to clear her head, but her vision was getting fuzzier from the extent of her injuries. She had precious few seconds before he would be back on her, even more furious because she'd used her powers against him.

Suddenly a hand was gripping her throat and she was being pinned to the door and she clawed at his hand, fighting to breathe. "You are nothing," he said softly into her ear and she cringed when he kissed along her jaw. She concentrated her power on hurling him away and the pressure on her windpipe was momentarily gone.

Her victory was short lived however when he was on her again, aiming more kicks at her midsection. She could barely breathe, her lungs ached with each inhalation and she heard the rattle as she forced breaths out. Once more he brought her back up to the top of the stairs and she turned her head to look at him.

"Please stop," she pleaded but he ignored her, only instead of sending her for another trip down the stairs, he pushed her into a chair and tied ropes around her wrists and ankles. She could only stare helplessly as he left the room and returned with all of her kitchen knives, her eyes widening in horror. Her father was going to kill her.


Bonnie frowned when there was no answer on Ryssa's cell phone and looked at Caroline with a shrug. "She's not answering."

"Well we need to do something, we can't afford to wait."

Bonnie nodded and grabbed her bag but found it open already and everything on the floor, including her grimoire. She was about to grab it but a wind blew it open to a page and she shared a glance with the blonde vampire.

"Did your grimoire just…"

"I think so." Bonnie picked up the book and looked at the open page, reading it.

"What is it? Witch cookie recipe?"

"It's a manifestation spell. To reveal veiled matter."

"What's that?"

"Ghosts."


Head lolling forward, Ryssa opened her eyes to see that her father had one of her sharper steak knives in his hand and his smile twisted when he saw that she was awake.

"Hello sleepy head," he crooned.

"Why are you doing this?" she mumbled.

"Someone has to teach you your place, silly girl." She bit down on her cheek as he slid the knife along her exposed forearm, drawing blood. "I can't have you thinking that you're some hot shot witch now. What kind of father would I be if I didn't discipline my child?"

"You're a monster," she spat at him and his gaze turned almost inhuman in its cruelty.

"You're one to talk," he answered. "Running around with vampires, bedding them!" He drew the blade across her stomach in one long shallow slice and she almost lost consciousness from the effort not to cry out. "You're the abomination for letting one of them between your legs," he continued.

"Better than having you between them," she retorted and was rewarded with another harsh slap across the face as her jaw disconnected with the impact.

"Maybe I should just remind you of your place in another way," he sang softly into her ear and she squirmed at the feel of his breath on her.

"You call me an abomination? What does that make you, you pedophile!"

"Silence, little Ryssa or I will make sure that your pretty mouth will never speak again," he purred. This time when the blade cut into her skin, she couldn't stop the scream that came out.


Meanwhile in the abandoned witch house, Caroline lit candles and was about to ask if there was anything else she needed to do but stopped as the witch began chanting the spell. There was a gust of wind and she looked around nervously.

"Bonnie, I don't like this. Bonnie…" the blonde uttered. Her eyes widened as a hand grabbed Bonnie's and she recognized the witch's grandmother. "Is that…"

"Grams," the witch breathed in shock. "I can't believe you're here!" she told the woman, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"We don't have time for tears, child." The woman smiled at Caroline, "nice to see you again, Caroline."

"Hi, miss Shiela."

"A fine mess you made, honey," The woman said to her granddaughter. "The witches told you there'd be consequences to bringing Jeremy back and you did it anyway."

"I love him Grams…I couldn't let him go."

"I understand but you cracked open the door to the other side. There's an old witch over here and she took advantage of it. She took advantage of you, honey. When you sent Vicki Donovan away, she wedged the door wide open. Gave a free pass to anyone with unfinished business."

"How do you know this?"

"Witches are still gossips, darling. Even on the other side. Who do you think makes all the rules?"

"What does she want?"

"That's Original vampire business, not yours." Her expression turned firm as she looked down on her granddaughter. "I'm here to help you fix the unbalance in nature. You need to close that door, it's your duty for opening it."


At last her father seemed to be tired of the knives and just watched as she struggled to stay awake and not give into the darkness that was trying to swallow her whole. Her body was one big sore, she was almost positive she had at least a few cracked ribs, if they weren't actually broken. Not to mention that her body was riddled with cuts, some shallow and some deep. Her blood was staining the carpet but none of this had any effect on her captor. If anything, she realized with a sick feeling, he appeared to find it arousing.

Knowing what was coming next, she futilely tried to reason and plead with him as he undid her bonds and she used the last of her strength to push him aside and make a run for the door but he caught her around the knees. She yelped as she lost her balance and couldn't prevent him from turning her over and held down her wrists with one hand while working at his pants with the other.

Ryssa felt her mind shut down and her body go limp as he gripped her hair and brought her head down harshly on the floor. She'd slipped back into one of her nightmares, she reassured herself. It would be over soon, all she had to do was keep still and then he'd leave her alone and she could sleep. Her last thought was of Elijah, and she felt a tear trek its way down her cheek to the floor at the realization that he wouldn't be there to come to her rescue, just like he hadn't been years ago.


Bonnie and Caroline searched the Salvatore's for the necklace and the witch frowned at the heavy feeling that something was wrong somewhere. She glanced down at her phone and tried to call Ryssa but got no answer and she stared at it.

"Bonnie? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Ryssa was supposed to be helping me today but she's not answering my calls."

"Try Damon, he's her buddy now."

"Yeah," Bonnie dialed the vampire, biting her lip.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Have you seen Ryssa today?"

"This morning, I told her to go home. She was with me when Mason attacked. He chained her to the cellar wall. Why?"

"I'm sure it's nothing."

"Bonnie…"

"Did you tell her that I needed her help on the ghost problem?" Bonnie shifted her concerned gaze to meet Caroline's.

"Of course. Wait, she never got with you?"

"No, she's not answering my calls either."

Damon tensed and looked at Alaric who was beginning to look worried as well. "Find the necklace and keep trying. I'm in the middle of something but if she doesn't get back to you, let me know."

Bonnie put her phone back into her pocket after he disconnected and she and Caroline renewed their search for the necklace. It rang again a few minutes later but the caller ID read Jeremy and Caroline snatched the phone away and snapped at him about Anna and the necklace.

Their search ended when Jeremy talked to Caroline and promised to meet them at the witch house, only to stop when they noticed Mrs. Lockwood's car against a tree with tomb vampires around it. Caroline jumped out to help and Bonnie continued alone, intent on ending the ghost problem for good.

When Jeremy finally arrived, she said nothing, just took the necklace from him and threw it into the fireplace and cast her spell. Grams rejoined her, taking the young witch's hand and adding her combined power and they watched it melt in the flames.


Ryssa gazed up at the ceiling, waiting for her father's next blow that never came and she released a shaky and painful breath and let her eyes fall shut, happy for the first time to be alone in her own home. Whatever had caused his ghost to break through to see her had stopped. Her father's ghost was no more, and she idly wondered if she would see him soon anyway.


In the Lockwood cellar, Damon waited for Rick to tell him what lay in the cave that he couldn't get into impatiently. It was when he heard the whisper in his mind that made him stop in his tracks.

"Damon…"

Ryssa. He bolted for the entrance, not even hearing the hunter calling to him and blurred to her house as fast as he could manage. As soon as he got within half a mile of the house, he smelled the blood and broke the door down, shouting her name but the house was silent. His gaze drank in the sight of the broken stair rail and the blood pooled on the floor and he took the stairs two at a time, following the scent of where the blood was the strongest.

Damon threw open the first bedroom door he came to and sank to his knees beside her prone body, cradling her head on his lap and searching for a pulse. He listened hard for her heartbeat, ignoring the state of her injuries and the blind rage they stirred in him.

"Come on sunshine, stay with me," he muttered and bit into his wrist and pressed it to her lips but she didn't respond. "Ryssa, don't leave me. You're one of the only friends I have right now. Don't you dare die."

He almost wanted to weep with relief when her eyes fluttered open and fixed on his, and he waited until she was sure she recognized him. "Drink Ryssa, it'll make you feel better," he urged and he felt her drinking the blood from his wrist. He had to reopen the wound twice because it closed and she was so weak but when her heart started beating stronger and the blood stopped coming from her, he pulled away.

"Damon?" she mumbled. "How did you—"

"That's not important. Come on, I'm taking you home with me." Damon put his arms under her and she groaned as the movement jarred her fractured ribs. She closed her eyes and let herself surrender to his care as he rushed her back to the Boarding House and into a bedroom, gently laying her on the bed.

The vampire perched on the bed beside her and called Rick over, then started to pace. His blood could heal the cuts but she might have internal injuries, and he knew nothing about those. He wanted to rip someone's head off, or demand to know who'd hurt her but she was in no shape to talk so all he could do was pace and fume.

"What happened to her?" asked Rebekah, eying the girl who was huddled on the bed. She'd been drawn by the scent of blood and was surprised to see the witch she'd spoken to just the night before, barely alive.

"Beaten within an inch of her life from what I can tell," he growled. The blonde Original walked closer to the bed to examine Ryssa more closely. She lifted one of the girl's arms lightly and he noticed the numerous cuts on her body and the bruises on her legs. "Took you long enough," he snapped at Rick as he came toward them.

"Do you know what happened?"

Damon shook his head no and crossed his arms and watched as Rick approached Ryssa cautiously and felt his anger growing when she shrank away with a whimper. Strangely this action didn't happen when Rebekah tried to talk to her and he watched Ryssa's eyes dart around until they landed on him. The torment he saw in them tore at his unbeating heart.

Rick backed away from the bed slowly to stand next to Damon and he lowered his voice. "I can't tell the extent of the damage if she won't let me near her. How much blood did you give her?"

"Enough to keep her heart pumping. Why?"

"Good. That means some of it will heal. The best thing I can suggest is to sedate her until morning and then see if she'll talk about it."

"Fine. Do it." he muttered. The hunter nodded and withdrew a syringe and kept it out of sight of the terrified girl and Damon stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Let me."

Rick placed the sedative in the vampire's hand and both he and Rebekah retreated to the doorway as Damon went to her as slowly as possible. She calmed when he approached her and he almost thought he saw her smile as he held her to him. Her head rested on his chest and he injected her with the medicine quickly then eased her head back onto the pillow as she fell into a deep sleep.