Chapter XVI
Sullivan stared outside from the third floor window, a frown wrinkling his forehead. "It appears my little witch has found someone to pass the time."
He turned to face Vincent.
"I have had enough of his interference. Bring him to me."
********
Bonnie's breathing finally settled into a regular rhythm. She was dressed in a pair of black track pants and a black tank top borrowed from Meredith. The pants were ridiculously long for her but the top fit snugly.
Damon gently brushed Bonnie's damp curls away from her face. A slight frown wrinkled her forehead. He'd kill whoever had taken such a gentle spirit and turned her into a creature of the night.
A wry smile formed on his lips.
Anyone other than himself, of course.
Although Bonnie had needed his blood to complete the change, she would still have a connection to the one who had abducted her. Until that link was destroyed, she would have two sires and be telepathically linked to both of them. Damon's blood would mute the link but the other would always be present until they were killed, something he planned to carry out fairly soon.
Light tapping at the door brought him out of his reverie.
He moved toward the door quietly and took one last glance at the sleeping red head before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
Jolan waited for him. He held up a hand before she touched the handle, stopping her from entering the room.
Her green eyes filled with tears. "When can I see her?"
His voice was emotionless. "Wait until she's more aware."
A strong presence was vibrating at the edge of his barriers. Even human, Elena had a strange power that demanded recognition. She hovered at the end of the hallway, waiting for him. Her beautiful lapis lazuli eyes held tears and apology. He nodded imperceptivity and walked towards her. Before they descended the stairs together, he paused at the edge of the upper floor and turned back to Jolan who was still facing the door.
"Leave her alone." Although it was said mildly, the threat was obvious in his voice.
Jolan's eyes widened and she followed them silently down the stairs.
Damon kept a small tendril of power flowing to Bonnie, to help her rest and to monitor her thoughts.
He entered a living room filled with depressed humans and two restless vampires.
"Where is Stefan?" he asked.
"He's outside with Leopold," Giovanna informed him. "Your brother seemed very interested in what part you played in turning him. It appears he has never heard of any of us. Any reason why you failed to mention us to him?"
"A few," he said dryly.
She smiled knowingly at him and took a place lounging against the wall.
Damon mind called Stefan, asking him to come inside.
His brother walked in, followed by Leopold. Stefan sat next to Elena on the couch and Damon waited for the others to take their places.
"Tell us what happened," Meredith asked. Damon forced back a snarl of irritation when he realized Alaric was missing. Damned idiot doctor always managed to annoy him.
Damon said nothing, still unwilling to make things easy.
Jolan sighed and filled the silence. She explained Bonnie's sessions with Alaric and her friendship with the young boy, Brent. She explained how Bonnie went missing, where they had found her and finally, explained their appearance at Alaric's home.
"So, what are we dealing with?" Matt said, leaning forward in his chair. As ever, the night in shining armour but Damon couldn't help but like him, despite those damned innocent blue eyes. One didn't have to be a magic user to know that Matt Honeycutt was a young soul.
"Vampire," a hoarse voice called from the doorway. Alaric had just taken a shower in the spare bedroom due to Damon's vehemence to not allow anyone near Bonnie. "With an immense amount of psychic power."
"How do you know?" Matt asked, eyebrow drawn together.
"I was Brent's doctor. This man called Sullivan enjoyed torturing and-"
Mina snorted. "Man. That thing is obviously also wizard of some sort. You can't just invade Bonnie's mind that easily."
"Any vampire can do that to a human," he said roughly.
"You have no idea how powerful our little witch sister is, do you?" Mina said dryly.
"Right now that doesn't matter," Damon's soft voice rippled through the discussion, stopping all conversation. "Right now, Bonnie's own will power will decide when we exact revenge."
Leopold bared his teeth. "If she allows it, then we can use her connection to this Sullivan to find him and destroy him utterly. Heloise deserves that much."
"Heloise?" Meredith asked.
Damon turned to stare at Alaric. "Right now my friend's death rests solely on your shoulders. If you wish to survive the next few days then I propose you do everything in your abilities to find me this Sullivan."
Meredith obviously realized she shouldn't push the issue with Heloise.
"How is Bonnie?" Elena asked suddenly, looking up towards the master bedroom.
"She's sleeping and-"
Damon stopped in mid-sentence. Something else was in the room. Shattering glass from the above floor had him darting up the stairs faster than anyone could see.
The bed was empty and the balcony doors were broken. The curtains billowed out in the night wind.
Betrayal surged through him. It appeared that Sullivan had more hold on Bonnie than Damon had realized.
TBC
Sullivan stared outside from the third floor window, a frown wrinkling his forehead. "It appears my little witch has found someone to pass the time."
He turned to face Vincent.
"I have had enough of his interference. Bring him to me."
********
Bonnie's breathing finally settled into a regular rhythm. She was dressed in a pair of black track pants and a black tank top borrowed from Meredith. The pants were ridiculously long for her but the top fit snugly.
Damon gently brushed Bonnie's damp curls away from her face. A slight frown wrinkled her forehead. He'd kill whoever had taken such a gentle spirit and turned her into a creature of the night.
A wry smile formed on his lips.
Anyone other than himself, of course.
Although Bonnie had needed his blood to complete the change, she would still have a connection to the one who had abducted her. Until that link was destroyed, she would have two sires and be telepathically linked to both of them. Damon's blood would mute the link but the other would always be present until they were killed, something he planned to carry out fairly soon.
Light tapping at the door brought him out of his reverie.
He moved toward the door quietly and took one last glance at the sleeping red head before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
Jolan waited for him. He held up a hand before she touched the handle, stopping her from entering the room.
Her green eyes filled with tears. "When can I see her?"
His voice was emotionless. "Wait until she's more aware."
A strong presence was vibrating at the edge of his barriers. Even human, Elena had a strange power that demanded recognition. She hovered at the end of the hallway, waiting for him. Her beautiful lapis lazuli eyes held tears and apology. He nodded imperceptivity and walked towards her. Before they descended the stairs together, he paused at the edge of the upper floor and turned back to Jolan who was still facing the door.
"Leave her alone." Although it was said mildly, the threat was obvious in his voice.
Jolan's eyes widened and she followed them silently down the stairs.
Damon kept a small tendril of power flowing to Bonnie, to help her rest and to monitor her thoughts.
He entered a living room filled with depressed humans and two restless vampires.
"Where is Stefan?" he asked.
"He's outside with Leopold," Giovanna informed him. "Your brother seemed very interested in what part you played in turning him. It appears he has never heard of any of us. Any reason why you failed to mention us to him?"
"A few," he said dryly.
She smiled knowingly at him and took a place lounging against the wall.
Damon mind called Stefan, asking him to come inside.
His brother walked in, followed by Leopold. Stefan sat next to Elena on the couch and Damon waited for the others to take their places.
"Tell us what happened," Meredith asked. Damon forced back a snarl of irritation when he realized Alaric was missing. Damned idiot doctor always managed to annoy him.
Damon said nothing, still unwilling to make things easy.
Jolan sighed and filled the silence. She explained Bonnie's sessions with Alaric and her friendship with the young boy, Brent. She explained how Bonnie went missing, where they had found her and finally, explained their appearance at Alaric's home.
"So, what are we dealing with?" Matt said, leaning forward in his chair. As ever, the night in shining armour but Damon couldn't help but like him, despite those damned innocent blue eyes. One didn't have to be a magic user to know that Matt Honeycutt was a young soul.
"Vampire," a hoarse voice called from the doorway. Alaric had just taken a shower in the spare bedroom due to Damon's vehemence to not allow anyone near Bonnie. "With an immense amount of psychic power."
"How do you know?" Matt asked, eyebrow drawn together.
"I was Brent's doctor. This man called Sullivan enjoyed torturing and-"
Mina snorted. "Man. That thing is obviously also wizard of some sort. You can't just invade Bonnie's mind that easily."
"Any vampire can do that to a human," he said roughly.
"You have no idea how powerful our little witch sister is, do you?" Mina said dryly.
"Right now that doesn't matter," Damon's soft voice rippled through the discussion, stopping all conversation. "Right now, Bonnie's own will power will decide when we exact revenge."
Leopold bared his teeth. "If she allows it, then we can use her connection to this Sullivan to find him and destroy him utterly. Heloise deserves that much."
"Heloise?" Meredith asked.
Damon turned to stare at Alaric. "Right now my friend's death rests solely on your shoulders. If you wish to survive the next few days then I propose you do everything in your abilities to find me this Sullivan."
Meredith obviously realized she shouldn't push the issue with Heloise.
"How is Bonnie?" Elena asked suddenly, looking up towards the master bedroom.
"She's sleeping and-"
Damon stopped in mid-sentence. Something else was in the room. Shattering glass from the above floor had him darting up the stairs faster than anyone could see.
The bed was empty and the balcony doors were broken. The curtains billowed out in the night wind.
Betrayal surged through him. It appeared that Sullivan had more hold on Bonnie than Damon had realized.
TBC