Chapter V
"Alaric! Let me in you prick!" Jolan shouted at the top of her lungs, ignoring the unimpressed looks she was receiving from passers-by. She pounded on the door, not willing to give up again and let him wallow in self-pity. At least not while Bonnie was still missing. She could sense him in the room, fearful of what she might do to him.
She felt a powerful presence behind her, not human. She slowly turned and stared at a woman a few years older than her. Their eyes met and the woman nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Need a hand?" The woman had an uncommon accent. It sounded European. "Do you know this Alaric, well?
"I wish I didn't," Jolan muttered. She didn't know how to phrase the next question that came to mind.
The woman smiled at her, flashing sharp teeth. She took a step closer and lowered her voice. "I am Giovanna Mezzanine. Your power fills the hallway with an elemental taste witch."
Jolan didn't know what to say. She wished Mina there instead of in geography class. She mind-called to her friend, feeling Mina jerk aware and take head of her call. Mina would silently gather her things and come to her aid. She opened her mouth to say something to the woman when a crash came from the room.
Giovanna stepped forward and easily snapped the lock off the door. Alaric's unshaven face appeared before them. He held a videotape in his right hand. A cabinet was overturned and its contents strewn across the floor. Jolan raised her hand and used her power to hold Alaric's mind imprisoned so he couldn't harm the tape. His eyes glazed over and he stared up at her, obviously deep in her power.
Giovanna snatched the tape and stared at it. Jolan felt the woman's power surge and release in a wave that could only be communication. The two women stared at each other, obviously unsure what to think of each other's presences. Mina appeared in the doorway and closed the door behind her. She moved cautiously around Giovanna and bent down in front of Alaric.
"Let him go, Jolan. I'll do what I can to keep him silent." Mina smiled maliciously, and then raised her eyes to look at Giovanna. "We have no quarrel with you vampire, but this is personal."
Jolan stared up at the woman who was eyeing them with amusement. She released her hold on Alaric who blinked rapidly, trying to refocus on his surroundings. He tried to move but noticed Mina glaring at him. He sighed in defeat.
"I don't think her mind tricks will work to keep me silent, dear," Giovanna said.
Mina held up her hand and bright flames erupted in her palm. She bounced the fireball up and down, watching Giovanna stare at her. The vampire nodded and reached for an overturned plastic chair. She obviously had no intensions of leaving. "I'm expecting someone," the vampire said simply.
"Who?" Mina asked warily.
"Damon Salvatore," A male voice said frighteningly close to Jolan's left ear.
She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. Both human girls eyed him with appreciation but no active interest. Giovanna frowned, obviously noticing that they didn't react to his presence as they should.
Jolan now understood what had drawn Bonnie into this predicament. Remembering their vow, she felt a stab of longing for her missing friend. She rubbed the cut on her palm.
A chocking sound was coming from the floor. Alaric stared up at the new arrival with fear written plainly across his face. "Oh, shit."
"Alaric! Let me in you prick!" Jolan shouted at the top of her lungs, ignoring the unimpressed looks she was receiving from passers-by. She pounded on the door, not willing to give up again and let him wallow in self-pity. At least not while Bonnie was still missing. She could sense him in the room, fearful of what she might do to him.
She felt a powerful presence behind her, not human. She slowly turned and stared at a woman a few years older than her. Their eyes met and the woman nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Need a hand?" The woman had an uncommon accent. It sounded European. "Do you know this Alaric, well?
"I wish I didn't," Jolan muttered. She didn't know how to phrase the next question that came to mind.
The woman smiled at her, flashing sharp teeth. She took a step closer and lowered her voice. "I am Giovanna Mezzanine. Your power fills the hallway with an elemental taste witch."
Jolan didn't know what to say. She wished Mina there instead of in geography class. She mind-called to her friend, feeling Mina jerk aware and take head of her call. Mina would silently gather her things and come to her aid. She opened her mouth to say something to the woman when a crash came from the room.
Giovanna stepped forward and easily snapped the lock off the door. Alaric's unshaven face appeared before them. He held a videotape in his right hand. A cabinet was overturned and its contents strewn across the floor. Jolan raised her hand and used her power to hold Alaric's mind imprisoned so he couldn't harm the tape. His eyes glazed over and he stared up at her, obviously deep in her power.
Giovanna snatched the tape and stared at it. Jolan felt the woman's power surge and release in a wave that could only be communication. The two women stared at each other, obviously unsure what to think of each other's presences. Mina appeared in the doorway and closed the door behind her. She moved cautiously around Giovanna and bent down in front of Alaric.
"Let him go, Jolan. I'll do what I can to keep him silent." Mina smiled maliciously, and then raised her eyes to look at Giovanna. "We have no quarrel with you vampire, but this is personal."
Jolan stared up at the woman who was eyeing them with amusement. She released her hold on Alaric who blinked rapidly, trying to refocus on his surroundings. He tried to move but noticed Mina glaring at him. He sighed in defeat.
"I don't think her mind tricks will work to keep me silent, dear," Giovanna said.
Mina held up her hand and bright flames erupted in her palm. She bounced the fireball up and down, watching Giovanna stare at her. The vampire nodded and reached for an overturned plastic chair. She obviously had no intensions of leaving. "I'm expecting someone," the vampire said simply.
"Who?" Mina asked warily.
"Damon Salvatore," A male voice said frighteningly close to Jolan's left ear.
She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. Both human girls eyed him with appreciation but no active interest. Giovanna frowned, obviously noticing that they didn't react to his presence as they should.
Jolan now understood what had drawn Bonnie into this predicament. Remembering their vow, she felt a stab of longing for her missing friend. She rubbed the cut on her palm.
A chocking sound was coming from the floor. Alaric stared up at the new arrival with fear written plainly across his face. "Oh, shit."