When Bonnie returns home from Paris, she surprises everyone when she shows up wearing a vial of Kai's blood, making Lucy and Valerie wonder if she will become a vampire. Meanwhile, Kai attends Miss Mystic Falls Pageant to try to trigger something in Damon, but finds himself in a face-off with Stefan. Finally, Bonnie and Kai both find themselves faced with a groundbreaking decision on their future.
Nothing had changed. When Bonnie entered the house through the wooden front door, it opened to the foyer that sparkled with gold highlights and warm wooden décor. She heard voices that carried into the other room. Bonnie followed the voices into the sitting room.
She hesitated at what she saw.
"The ring is gorgeous. Enzo still has a grand taste I see." The animated blonde scooted enthusiastically to the edge of her seat.
"It was certainly a surprise." The hazy brunette stated skeptically.
"What sort of man proposes in a vault cave? It's barbaric." The other blonde raised an eyebrow at the other woman.
The bubbly blonde snorted into her champagne glass. "With that attitude, Stefan will never propose to you. I never expected a centuries-old woman to have such high maintenance."
"Stefan and I are above simple mortal gestures like marriage to define our love."
"So you're saying if he asked you. You'd say no?"
"I didn't say that…"
Bonnie stared into the parlor room, surprised to see Lucy, Valerie, and Caroline sitting around, drinking wine and chatting together. None of them noticed her in the entryway.
She bit her lip as she approached them. "What's this?" Bonnie interrupted, her face bright red.
Lucy gasped out softly and hopped up first. "Bonnie, you're back."
She found herself smiling back at her cousin despite her shock. "Yeah, you ladies have a little gathering?"
Lucy shrugged, her gaze shifting away from Bonnie. "Valerie and I were working on some stuff for the armory, you know the sirens and Cade stuff." She informed her dryly. "Caroline just dropped in."
Bonnie's eyes landed on her ex-best friend.
"I just wanted to see how everyone was doing," Caroline replied, her smile genuine. "Valerie told me you guys got Kai back but lost Stefan and Damon to the devil."
A chill crept up Bonnie's spine. "You came all the way here for that, you could have called."
Caroline leaned back in her seat and shrugged. "I'm also here for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. The school asked me to host it."
Bonnie's hand flexed by her side before making a fist.
"How was Paris?" Lucy asked her, inching closer. "Surprise, Kai let you leave his side."
She rolled her eyes freely and Lucy grinned. "It was amazing. We almost didn't leave our hotel room."
"Please spare us the dirty details with you and Malachai." Valerie all but hissed. "At least tell us you ate all the cheese and drank all the wine."
She nodded and began to think. "Of course, we went out every single night. We visited the Notre Dame Cathedral and Eiffel Tower. It was heaven there, we almost didn't come back."
Lucy's eyebrows rose in amusement. "I don't blame you, I think I want my honeymoon in Paris."
"Ric took me to Bali for our honeymoon. So beautiful and warm," Caroline replied smoothly. "I can get you in touch with our travel agent. She'll give you guys a good deal."
"Sure thing, Caroline." Lucy looked back at Bonnie. "What's that little gem around your neck?"
Bonnie sucked in a breath, startled. "Kai thought it would be edgy if we both wore vials of blood around our necks."
Caroline's bright eyes went wide for a moment as she took in the vial that was hanging around Bonnie's neck. "How very Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton of you two."
Bonnie fought the temptation to roll her eyes.
Lucy shared a dark look with Valerie before turning to Bonnie.
"That is completely morbid," said Lucy, eyebrows arching. "He knows how badly that relationship ended?"
"Jolie is his new celebrity crush. He made me watch Pushing Tin for a week straight." Bonnie smiled fondly at the memory. "He thinks it's symbolic of our relationship."
"Well, I think it's beautiful and fitting," Caroline said lightly, half giggling.
Valerie narrowed her eyes. "Seems like he's hinting at something else," she muttered, shaking her head.
"Well, as long as that hint isn't you turning into a vampire... ever." Lucy shot back, folding her arms across her chest.
A buzzing sound alerted the room, and Caroline moved swiftly to pull out her cell phone. She deflated, stumbling backward so that she could sit on the edge of the couch. "Dammit, why is she still calling me."
"Who?" Valerie asked, leaning back.
"Seline, she wants me to do her a favor."
Bonnie gaped in disbelief. "Your psycho nanny who kidnapped your children is still calling you, asking for favors," she asked, lifting her eyes to Caroline. "What's she asking for?"
Caroline grunted in affirmation. Her hands were nervously twitching. "She wants me to help her take out Sybil. I said no, of course. Not after what she did to my kids. But she wants the tuning fork back."
"Fuck, Caroline," Valerie responded shortly. "You didn't think to mention it earlier when you came here."
"I was," the other blonde started, her voice low... "I came here to ask Stefan for help."
Bonnie felt a surge in her already elevated levels of adrenaline.
Valerie reached over the desk and took the bottle of vodka. "You foolish bint. Stefan is working with the bloody devil now. He can't be trusted anymore."
"Valerie is right, the Salvatores are not our friends," Lucy paused, an emotion Bonnie couldn't pinpoint coloring her cousin's face. "Not while they are working for Cade. And we can't trust either siren sisters, they are looking out for themselves only."
Bonnie licked her lips as she thought of something to say. Maybe she and Kai should have stayed safe in Paris. Did she really return to the whirlwind danger that came with being friends with vampires? But Lucy, her own cousin, was now one of them. Could Bonnie really turn her back on her only living family? Could she really keep putting herself at risk by being friends with Damon and Stefan?
"Tell me everything I missed."
Kai showed up at the armory to be greeted by Matt, Enzo, and his apprentice, Demetrius.
"The tuning fork is actually called the Staff of Arcadius." The nerd boy answered.
Kai sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Okay, something more useful, Doris."
The younger man grimaced yet nodded. "It's Dorian, and Valerie found out that back in 1790, a group of witches had spelled a bell created by a descendant of Matt's bloodline. Somehow Sybil and her sister learned about this when they had traveled through Mystic Falls for souls. Apparently, they were the reason behind the Witch Massacre that happened."
Of course they were. Kai sighed, loudly, in a way that he hoped conveyed an emotion he wouldn't be unnerved about tomorrow morning.
"Anything to help us save Damon and Stefan?"
Enzo looked over at Matt and something, a thought or feeling, flashed across his face. "None, I think I speak for everyone in this room by saying the Salvatores are deadweight and we should give up on this mission."
"Agreed."
"Oh, I'm sure Bonnie and Valerie will go along with that," Kai told them, trying to lighten the mood.
"We are putting them more in danger by trying to save Stefan and Damon." Enzo leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Why are we pushing to help them any longer? They have put us all in grave danger time and time again."
"After everything we've lost, why should we care anymore?"
Kai closed his eyes, partly because he was tired and partly because he was being provoked by all of this. "Because Damon saved Bonnie, we almost lost her because of the huntress curse," Kai told them, voice strained. "Damon went into that vault for Bonnie. I almost died that day, if it wasn't for him…"
Enzo gave him an exasperated look. "Damon is also the reason you got marked by the huntress in the first place and he abandoned you, Stefan, and Bonnie in the process. I say we let Cade have them."
"Agreed."
Kai opened his eyes and glared at them. He was now annoyed with Matt and Enzo's lack of action.
"What about the sirens?"
Matt's right hand stroked the arm of the chair as he responded. "Sybil threatened to kill students at the high school the other day unless Valerie stole a historical artifact for her, only to find out Seline already stole it."
"We have more pressing issues…" Lucy Bennett comes flying in. Her eyes were wild and spine-chilling. "Seline called Caroline asking her for help to steal the tuning fork back."
Kai's shoulders shuddered. He was so tired of the bullshit. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."
Lucy pursed her lips. "Bonnie and Valerie are at the pageant with Caroline."
"I'm going to the pageant to monitor things," Kai said, and tried for nonchalant. "You all need to find Seline. We don't know what she's up to or where Sybil is for that matter."
Enzo, Matt, and Dorian stared at him in surprise, before agreeing to get to work on a lead to find the sirens.
"Can I talk to you, alone?" Lucy inquired innocently.
He was brought out of his thoughts and nodded his head at once.
Lucy walked over to the desk and grabbed the sides of it, leaning down close to him. She gaped at him, but he ignored her gaze, instead he takes a seat at the desk in the middle of the room.
"I saw the little gift you got Bonnie, sort of a weird way to show your affection." She told him, anger in her words.
"Not sure how this is any of your business, Luce," Kai said slowly, staring at her as if she were dumb.
"Bonnie is my family, and the last living Bennett, so I'm making my business." She offered, looking up at him through her eyelashes.
His lips twitched and his eyes darkened, but other than that, his face became blank, as if his emotions had been washed away.
"Bonnie has been trying every day to get her magic back and fails every time. Mystic Fall isn't safe, and I'm not always around to protect her, neither are you."
Lucy must have noticed his worry on his face because she placed a hand on his forearm. "You can't be serious about turning her into a…" she tried again, but he waved her away.
"I'm looking into undoing the spell on Elena. If I can wake her up, Bonnie will have a choice. But it's her choice, not mine or yours."
It would've hurt less if he slapped her across the face.
"I just don't want this to be forced on her. She loves you. She wants to be with you for the rest of her life, for the rest of your life. Which is everlasting, but she'd never take the selfish route. She'd never let her friend die so that she can have her own happiness. She'd rather live a cruel and lonely life than take someone else's choice away."
Kai fidgeted, surprised by her truthful words.
"I'll always give her a choice. No matter what."
It was a long day.
Not even a good 24 hours and Bonnie has had a run-in with Damon, Stefan, and Sybil at the Founder's Hall dressed up for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. Bonnie was already fed up that she had to attend to make sure Caroline didn't do anything stupid like turn on them.
There was an interval in the music where the crowd was all turned towards the orchestra. Bonnie watched as all the girls were dancing outside on the dance floor. Just like old times, Bonnie was just watching. She stood there and watched Damon and Caroline waltz together. Her stomach turned at the sight of them both. Never had she disliked two people so much, and they were supposed to be her friends.
"You're thinking way too loudly."
She almost tumbled into his arms, and he caught her with a slight stumble and a light chuckle. He stroked her back, and she held onto him tight. Closing her eyes, Bonnie breathed him in.
"What are you doing here?"
Kai tried to laugh, but settled for a smile. "Lucy told me what was up, I thought you could use some backup, and it turns out me and Jeremy Gilbert are the same size in suit."
She finally leaned back. Bonnie noticed the suit he wore looked familiar. Nothing weird about your current boyfriend wearing your ex-boyfriend's clothes, right?
"Should I ask why Sybil is here with Stefan and Damon?" he asked simply. Kai let his hand rise and come to rest on the back of her neck. Those calloused fingers brushed against the soft skin and felt a shudder pass through her before his fingers trail up and into her hair.
She rests her head on his shoulder, side pressed against his. "Stirring up drama. Caroline is trying to reason with Damon. Trigger memories of his relationship with Elena."
They're silent for a long while, simply enjoying the air and each other's companionship and the distant music from the orchestra band.
She shifted when the song changed. Looking up at him with a small smile. "Would you like to dance?"
"With you, always."
It was simple and mostly like swaying back and forth and she's pressed close to him, their bodies keeping the gnaw of the crispness at bay.
"You didn't have to come here. I know Enzo and Matt are knee-deep in research with Cade and the sirens. You should have stuck around to help them."
"Not with Sybil lurking around here. I need to make sure nothing happens on my watch." Kai threw over her shoulder.
"Nothing is going to happen to me, and I can protect myself," Bonnie said with a roll of her eyes.
Even when the band switches to a faster tune, they stay in their slow swaying.
Kai shook his head. "Without your magic, you're as good as dead."
"Is that what you think? I'm useless without my magic."
His feet stop moving and he feels suffocated by indecision. "I didn't say that. I'm just saying you can't fight vampires and …"
"I was a huntress." She told him softly, placing a hand on Kai's forearm. "I still remember over fifty ways to kill a vampire. My skills aren't rusty. And when you were off with Sybil and Damon, I've been getting fight lessons from Enzo at the armory. I may not know how to kill a siren but I know how to take out a vampire."
He stares at her, notices how big her eyes are, the glittering green and wide pupils, the subtle scare that trailed above and below her left one and it feels like he's actually seeing her for the first time. "I didn't know…"
"I didn't know what happened to you." She interjected, her eyebrows shooting up. "Or what took you? We all had to be prepared for the worse."
Bonnie opened her mouth to say more, and that's when his impulse won over.
He kissed her.
Her words trailed off to a surprised yelp muffled by his lips. It was innocent and simple, lips pressed together with just a bit of force.
His lips were damp from hers and the cool air made the tingling sensation stronger. "You mean the world to me, Bon. I want to keep you safe and sound. I want you with me forever."
Bonnie frowned, her lower lip trembling. "Well, forever for you is infinite. As long as I'm human, we can't have that. We have now and a few decades and that's it. We can't even have a proper future together."
"We can figure it out."
Bonnie's face was flushed, and she was suddenly strife and sad at the same time. "If you want to be with someone forever, you have to live forever." She smiled up at him, cheeks flushed. "I'm not getting my magic back. So why not be a vampire?"
"What about Elena? I tied your mortality to her."
"What about me and my happiness for a change?" Her eyes flashed with anger. "It's not my fault you let Lily Salvatore get the better of you and tricked you into doing that spell. Why should I suffer for Damon screwing his mother over and her revenge on her own son?"
His disappointment was palpable.
"Abby wanted me to live a full life. This is what I want, Kai. I want to be a vampire. This small town isn't enough for me. I want more out of this life, more than what I've always been given and I think it's time for me to be selfish and take what I deserve."
He leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.
"And here I thought you dropped that nasty little habit of yours," Damon remarked. Kai scoffed, signifying his deep offense.
"It's the only thing that calms me down when my nerves are fried." Kai took another puff of his cigarette.
"How's life with Bonnie Bennett treating you? Are you bored yet?" Damon walked in front of him. "I'm sure Sybil will take you back."
Kai looked at Damon curiously. "Why? Is she sick of Stefan already?"
"Even with his humanity off, Stefan is all work and no fun." He smiled falsely. "He wants us to kill Sybil and focus on working for Cade directly."
"Going from one master to the next." Kai inhaled deeply. "You ever think to just fight harder and break that connection. Come back home to your friends."
"I'm not you, Kai. I have no one else. Stefan is in this mess with me. Elena's in a coffin in New York. Most of my friends want me dead, anyway." Damon lamely supplied.
He shrugged. "Can you blame them?" he asked softly. "You ran off and killed Tyler Lockwood. Instead of fighting off Sybil, you gave in. You tried to kill Bonnie, and now here you are, wrapped around Sybil's finger. Why?"
"I don't know man, I think I love her." Damon sighed in slight defeat. "I've never felt this way before."
Taking another drag, he flicks away the ashes from the tip. "She's a fucking siren, anything you feel for her isn't real." Kai watched as the ashes got tangled in the soft wind that was blowing. "Has she completely altered your mind that you believe you're in love?"
Damon didn't look at him, but responded after a bit. "I have these memories of her. They never feel real. They feel like they are about someone else."
"Elena Gilbert is your life," Kai murmured, drawing his eyebrows together tight. "Being with her made you question everything about your life and your beliefs. She was the one person who's always made you feel most alive since you've been a vampire. She makes you want to be the old human Damon again."
The deep laugh to his left side caused him to raise his hand in an instant, cigarette forgotten.
Damon's eyebrows furrowed, and he tilted his head. "Is that jealousy I detect in your tone?"
Flicking his cigarette butt off into the distance.
He took a deep, shuddering breath as he reflected on his thoughts. "I was. I wanted Bonnie to be as forgiving as Elena." Kai admitted softly. "You're a terrible person and you always make the wrong choices. But no matter what, Elena will always forgive you. She'll never stop loving you, even with everything you've done so far since she's been asleep."
Damon gave him an over the top sneer, "But not Bonnie, she's done with me."
Kai was caught off guard by the sudden seriousness in Damon's voice. "Bonnie would have been done with me if I'd given into Sybil's wishes." His words sounded like a revelation of sorts. "No matter how much she loves me, her morals and principles come first. I used to hate that about her. I wanted her to give into the darkness inside of her. But that's not who she is. She doesn't falter or break easily. She's stronger than any person I've known. That's why I have to fight for her."
Damon took a step away and tucked his hands into the pockets of his pants. They stood facing each other. Then he spoke again.
"You got lucky Kai. You fell for the right girl. Maybe if Bonnie was mine, I would have fought harder to get back to her. Maybe she and I were meant to be, but I blew it. I went after Elena to spite Stefan. I mistreated Bonnie, because it was easier to hate her than to love her."
Kai blinked, almost whiplashes by how apprehensive those words were to his thoughts.
Damon inclined his head towards the Founder's Hall. "Don't make the same mistake I did." he turned on his heel and headed down the corridor.
Once he disappeared from view, Kai's face burned at the thought of Bonnie and Damon together. Now he was left wondering if he made matters worse for himself and Bonnie.
"We need to get everyone out of here," Caroline began, putting an arm around Bonnie. "Damon gave Sybil the Maxwell striker." The Maxwell Striker, one piece of the bell that could kill the sirens.
Bonnie picked Caroline's arm off her shoulder with the same cold reservation she's had all month. Before she could speak, Valerie was marching over to them.
"Please tell me you have some good news?"
Valerie snorted. "Stefan is completely okay with being the devil's servant. There's no talking to him."
Bonnie stared at her, frowning. "For fuck's sake, Val. You need to reach him, while we get all these innocent people out of here."
"Fine, when you see Kai, tell him to deal with Sybil." Valerie whispered through clenched teeth, "I need to talk to Stefan alone."
Bonnie was against it, but she nodded. Kai was capable of taking care of himself, even without the full force of his magic.
Caroline started to lean down to undo the straps on her stilettos, but this was far beyond her current abilities. Bonnie stood and watched as Caroline moved to make an announcement of a gas leak in the kitchen.
Bonnie wondered where Kai wandered off to. Probably taking another one of those smoke breaks. He didn't realize she noticed he's been taking. She just hoped he wasn't with Damon. The last thing she needed was for that bastard to start messing her boyfriend about.
"Everyone is heading out. We should make sure there aren't any stragglers."
Bonnie looked up, the voice sounding awfully somber. Caroline seemed to expect some kind of response, so she merely nodded slowly. She didn't know what to say.
The two walked down the trail to where everyone was parked. Sunlight was filtering through the trees, through the stretched branches, and occasionally, when the wind would blow gently, the leaves would rustle. Bonnie just half-listened to Caroline talk about work and the twins.
"Hey, I'm sorry for how I treated you." Bonnie halted, trying to figure out what was happening. Caroline was apologizing to her. "You were completely right. I've been selfish and ignorant for years. It wasn't just Elena that was a rotten friend, I was as well."
"You weren't all bad." Bonnie signaled one of the wait staff as they got into their vehicle. "You were there for me when Abby got turned into a vampire."
"But I wasn't there for you when she died. I wasn't there when the armory was hunting down your cousin or when you were a huntress. I ran away to have a normal life. I didn't even go to Tyler's memorial. I was an awful friend to everyone."
Bonnie thought she could almost see some worry in her friend's eyes, but she wasn't sure.
"It doesn't have to end like that, Caroline. Matt and I are still here, we're still going." She replied without thinking. "There's always a chance to make things right. Matt has changed a lot these last few months. He's more pleasant, helpful, and supportive. He had to stop pitying himself and really see the world for what it is. To see our lives for what it is."
"He's so grown-up, taking charge, and whatnot." She continued, distress in her voice. "Alaric and I are seeing a marriage counselor. It's really been eye-opening for me. I realize I wasn't putting forth any genuine effort with Alaric."
In spite of the gust of wind and how cold it was, her pace was slow.
Bonnie's eyes narrowed as she contemplated her friend. "You loved Stefan. And you guys had your future mapped out together. It sucks that it all got derailed by Rayna Cruz. All of our lives changed overnight. We all fell in love with people we never really saw ourselves with. That's a part of growing up."
Caroline's expression twisted as if she didn't know what to feel, or what feelings to express. Bonnie watched her take it in and then, after a moment, she was back to herself.
"Alaric is a good man, a fine husband, and an amazing father. I was just blinded by the past that I couldn't see what was in front of me."
Bonnie agreed as she bit her nail. "Trust me, I've been there."
"Are you really thinking about being a vampire?" Caroline's suddenly darkened eyes made Bonnie uneasy.
"What sort of future can me and Kai have if I stay human?" Bonnie glanced towards Caroline out of the corner of her eyes. "My magic never came back, so I'm no longer a witch. Even if I stayed a human, being with Kai means the Bennett line ends with me. So why not be immortal?"
Caroline had been looking around, trying to keep her eyes on the last car driving off, and was taken by surprise at the question.
After a bit of a shocked pause, Caroline stepped forward. "With Damon wrapped around Sybil's finger, you don't have to worry about him fighting you on this. I just hope you know what you're doing." She cleared her throat softly and gave Bonnie a weak smile before strolling off in another direction.
Bonnie had suffered, her parents had suffered and died, and she had lost everything. Bonnie would not lose Kai too. In one choice, one moment, her pride, her hopes, so suddenly clear, crushed, her terror absolute, her future would be sealed.
"Let these girls go."
Stefan laughed, and he tilted his head to the side. "Now, why would I do that? You know I have to kill people for Cade."
"Innocent teenage girls are not evil people. Stefan, don't do this."
Stefan reached for Valerie's hand, but she snatched it back. Betrayal overwhelmed her.
"You were always such a downer, Valerie. Can't believe I chose you over Caroline." Stefan responded, tone sardonic. "Actually I can, Caroline, even more aggravating than you."
Valerie shuddered, feeling the chill despite the heavy coat she wore. "If you're trying to hurt me…"
Stefan pushed back, moving closer to one of the blonde pageant contestants. He leaned into her neck and licked her.
"Not at all. In fact, I'm feeling a bit peckish, feel like having a drink with me…"
Valerie opened her mouth to argue but was cut off.
"Vodux!"
Valerie watched as Stefan stumbled backward into the building beam. Standing before her was Kai.
"How?"
He groaned and stood upright. "I got some magical juice left in me. Get these girls out of here, I'll deal with him." They were still being watched by the public. Several human eyes were watching their moves in fear.
"Be careful."
Kai nodded and watched as Valerie turned on her heels and quickly usher the group of pageant girls out of the Founder's Hall. Not looking back.
Stefan rolled on his back. Now he couldn't hold back the laughter anymore.
"If it isn't big brother Kai to the rescue." Kai glowered darkly, and Stefan smiled brightly. "I got to hand it to you. You're quite consistent. Bonnie's pussy must be that good for you to keep up this act."
"It is, but this isn't an act." Kai continued, his lips curved into a smirk. "I'm not letting you kill innocent people. The second you or Damon spill any innocent human blood. I'll kill you both myself."
Stefan growled and tried to rush him. Kai raised his hand and chanted.
"Phasmatos superous em animi."
The vampire thrashed around wildly, kicked, and even tried to scream, although he wasn't very successful. When he managed to get a glimpse of Kai, the other man was sporting a bloody nose.
"Sybil was right, you really are hurting yourself just to perform basic spells." Stefan grinned widely. "You lower yourself to this for the love of a girl."
"Casser les os."
Stefan's legs snapped, and he doubled over. Still, he was laughing through the pain. Kai was slightly shaky and blood was oozing from his nose, and drops of salty liquid were burning at the back of his eyelids.
Hindered by the sound of laughter that bubbled out of his mouth. "You were once a powerful leader of the Gemini Coven. If only your father could see you now. I bet he'd be so disappointed. He was already ashamed to have you as his son."
"Ossox!"
Kai continued to break the bones in Stefan's body. He was laid out on the floor, still laughing.
"Oss⎯"
"Malachai, stop this. It's killing you." A shrill voice screamed, panicked, from the other side of the courtyard. It was Valerie.
Stefan groaned quietly, rubbing at his shoulders. "The only way you'll be free, is to drop the dead weight. Get rid of Bonnie, come back to Sybil and she'll fix you. Come work for Cade, we could use you."
"Somnus."
Valerie subdued Stefan into a comatose slumber.
"How bad is this getting, Malachai?" She looked at him, uneasy. "Are you…"
A small cry came from Kai's throat, but he was quick to recover. "I don't know. It could be nothing."
"Or it could be life or death." Valerie bellowed, her sharp blue eyes intensely staring at him.
"I'm already dead, Val." Kai hissed, trying to remain calm as he wiped the trickle of blood off his lips and chin. He could taste the iron, the saltiness.
"This could be permanent. If you keep using magic, this could kill you for good."
Kai looked Valerie straight in the eyes and said with loathing, "The spirits are probably punishing me."
"Why do you and Bonnie believe in such foolishness?" Valerie asked, rubbing her forehead.
Kai took a deep breath, so suddenly engulfed in rage, it was hard to swallow everything he'd like to say. "After everything I've done. They are stripping me to nothing. I'm just a vampire these days."
Valerie gnawed on her lip before shaking her head. "There's still one more thing you haven't tried."
His mind was reeling.
"I know, I'm just waiting for the right time."
"No time like the present," Valerie said, determinedly. "With Cade, Sybil and Seline, we need you. Fully charged and ready to fight. I can't do all the witch stuff alone anymore. I'm barely keeping it together."
Kai almost smiled in admiration at the unwavering determination in Valerie. "I'll get on it, I promise."
The trees always look extra imposing at night, especially in Mystic Falls. The thick canopy of leaves obscured the twinkling stars above his head. The radio blaring loudly, some classic 80s pop song that reminded him of Josie and his mother.
Kai turned to face the side street he had parked his car on. His eyes locked on the single streetlight. The night air seemed to only get cooler with each passing breeze.
"Where were you all day, stranger?"
"Got caught up in the Valerie and Stefan show, not sure if those two are ever going to bounce back from this." He shrugged and made another barely legible illusion appear between his hands. "And I tried to talk to Damon, not sure if I got through to him or not."
Bonnie bristled visibly. "You can't fix the Salvatores' problems. They did this to themselves. We have to accept that we might not be able to save them."
Kai cleared his throat softly and said, "We should talk about you being a vampire."
Bonnie's mouth snapped shut. She looked at his earnest face again, this time feeling the urgency in Kai's request.
"Sixty to seventy years isn't enough for me. I know Elena's life is tied to me. I know it's wrong to make this decision by myself." It was all she thought about on their trip to Paris. The decision was killing her.
He sighed heavily and pinned her with his blue eyes. "What if you didn't have to?" Kai grunted and crossed his arms, and he stared at the sky. "What if I can find that loophole for you?"
Bonnie reached up and pushed a curl out of her face, her hand lingering by her ear as she tucked the hair behind it. "You told me only my Grams could do it."
"I'm a Gemini Witch. We might not be as legendary as the Bennett Witches, but there has to be a way." Kai countered smoothly, his stance a little tense. "Just give me some time to fix my magical situation, and I'll try to undo the spell. Then if after everything you still want to be a vampire, I'll turn you. We can be together forever."
Bonnie turned slightly and stepped closer to Kai, within arm's reach. Another step more, and they were nearly breathing in the same breath. "If it doesn't work, if you can't undo the spell."
His eyes darkened a fraction more, and it seemed as though his next breath wouldn't come easily. "Then…"
She stood on tiptoe so that they were at eye level with each other. She placed both hands on his shoulders to stabilize her precarious footing. His lips parted slightly, and hers did as well, almost unconsciously.
"Then, I'll take the cure." Her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry. "I'll go back to being a human, even without the magic," Kai said, his voice sounding somewhat strangled.
Bonnie leaned in and kissed him on impulse. His mouth opened under hers as his arms slid around her waist. Kai responded to her touch, and she could feel that he was genuine. He wasn't restraining himself, but exploring her mouth in much the same way she had explored his.
When he pulled away, Bonnie looked up at him. Her eyes were watery and the composure she was trying to keep was slipping. They were going to be okay. They had to be.