Since it's been so long, I offer you a somewhat longer chapter than usual! Also, I feel like I want to give you guys some more recognition, so I'll do the reviews from the last chapter and some questions that I forgot last time.
Dear author: Thank you so much for your lovely review! It made me so happy, I'm glad you like the story :)
Selene088: Thank you for commenting and adding :) Glad you enjoy it!
ahyeon: Haha XD Thanks for all the reviews :)
Also, to HouseOfWolves12: Yeah, I had some trouble and had to repost that chapter, that might have affected notifications, I don't know... Thank you for your comment, I really want to get back into more scheduled updates, but I'll have to see how that goes :)
And to the guest reviewer, I forgot to reply! The best answer I can give you is that I go by the fact that vampires cannot procreate.
Finally, to everyone else not mentioned that have commented before, and to those who only read – thank you!
Now, without further ado (aside from the disclaimer), enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, only my own characters and plots
''You know they had me sign ownership for their house?''
''Why?'' I asked Elena while reaching for the bag of crisps on the table.
''As a safe house, so I'm the only one who can invite 'people' in,'' she explained and waved her hand, so I tossed her the bag after I was done.
''Oh, right. Yeah, that makes sense.'' Silently, I was wishing that I had sole ownership over our house. That way, not one vampire could get in if I didn't want them to. Not that I knew anyone I'd like to enter. Not even Stefan, to be honest. But I didn't know him too well yet, either.
''Have you seen any more of Elijah?'' Elena asked.
I shook my head. ''Not since the last time, no.''
''Hey, can you un-invite a vampire?'' I asked as the thought popped up in my head.
''I don't think so...'' Elena said. ''Not unless you change the ownership of the place. Like we did.''
''Oh, okay.'' I reached for the bag, grabbed some crips and chewed on them absentmindedly.
''Do you think he'll keep his promise?'' Elena continued.
Shrugging, I wiped my hands on my pants and curled up on the sofa. ''What I know, he has so far.''
''Speaking of the devil...'' Elena looked almost ashamed, as if she felt like she had withheld something. ''He's coming, later.''
''He-'' I paused. ''Okay. Why?''
''To talk about tonight.''
The full moon was tonight. I could feel her nervousness, but I wasn't a mind reader.
''About that... tonight, I mean. How are you feeling?'' I asked her quietly.
Elena sighed, and shrugged, turning her gaze down to the floor. ''I don't know.''
Her nervousness increased when I mentioned it. Maybe I shouldn't have. ''I really wish this didn't have to...'' I stopped myself before I said too much. ''I mean-''
''I'm the key to breaking the curse,'' Elena interrupted. ''Klaus is here because of me. If I don't stop him, then he's gonna hurt people. It's that simple.''
''It's a massive risk, Elena.''
''I know the chance I'm taking.''
''I know,'' I sighed. ''And I understand. I just wish there was something else that we could do.''
''We're going to kill Klaus, and then this will all be over.'' Elena tried to put on a brave face and smiled, but I could tell it wasn't real.
''Elijah,'' I emphasised, ''is going to kill Klaus.''
''He'll keep his word,'' Elena said, almost completely convinced.
I bit my lip. ''He seems to be a man of... honour, I guess, but...'' I sighed. ''Elena, when we talked the other day, he made it perfectly clear that his family means everything to him.''
''Yeah?''
''So, if anything could get him to break his word, it would have something to do with them.''
''But they're lost somewhere,'' Elena insisted.
''I know... it's just something... I mean, I just picked it up.'' I sighed. ''Hey, speaking of family. How has Jenna been?''
I knew she was in the house, probably to stay close to Elena and so that she was safe, for the moment. She greeted me when I came, but then left us alone.
''As can be expected,'' Elena mumbled. ''But she's strong.''
''You all are,'' I said. ''But I guess you kind of have to be...''
Elena made a face. ''Hey, let's try it one last time,'' she changed the subject, going back to what we had been doing for almost an hour before. Her grimace turned into an encouraging smile.
''Okay,'' I agreed. I actually wasn't that tired, even. Elena reached out her hand.
''I'll try projecting?''
Placing my hand over hers, the first victory I could claim was not flinching away. I didn't flinch anymore, but that was only when practising... I guess getting rid of a lifelong habit wasn't going to be that easy.
I felt her skin underneath my fingers, tingling slightly, but I pushed her energy away from my thoughts, and realised a little too late that maybe I should have come up with something beforehand. At a loss of anything else, I thought of a funny picture I'd seen a couple of days ago, and recalled the laughter that had escaped me. For a second, I was so merged that I thought it was me myself laughing, but when I opened my eyes I saw Elena struggling to keep her giggles at bay.
I removed my hand, smiling, and after a short while Elena stopped laughing and looked at me proudly.
''You're getting so good at this, seriously.''
''Come on, it's not like it's a huge improvement,'' I said, but felt a satisfied blush creep up on my cheeks.
''I know it seems small, but it must feel huge, though?''
Biting down on my lip, I thought about it. Sure, I'd made progress, but it wasn't an enormous step forward. I could project for a short while, but I still struggled somewhat with the readings – even though that was going better, too. And that's not even mentioning the distance aspect of the whole thing; being around a happy crowd or anyone bursting out in tears nearby still affected me. I mean, I could still feel Elena's nervousness prickle all over my body.
''It's starting to feel different,'' I admitted.
Elena opened her mouth to answer, but her eyes darted to something behind me, and I guessed what came out wasn't what she originally intended to say.
''Stefan!''
''Hey,'' he walked behind the sofa and placed a hand on Elena's shoulder. ''Hi, Evangeline.''
I greeted him back. ''How are you?''
''Good, I'm good,'' he smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. ''What are you up to?''
''Just practising,'' Elena replied.
''Damon is on his way,'' Stefan informed.
Elena nodded. ''And Elijah should be here any minute.''
Stefan turned his head, tilting it a little as if he was listening to something. ''He's here.''
''Talk about timing,'' I mumbled as Elena got up to answer the door that hadn't rung.
Seconds later, she walked in with Elijah in tow. His eyes swept across the room, and lingered on me before he directed his attention to the others. Elena went to sit down in the sofa next to Stefan.
''Elijah,'' Stefan greeted, and was offered a nod in return. When Damon came sauntering in after a few seconds, he just huffed and then went to stand in a corner.
''Tonight is the full moon. We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse,'' Elijah started speaking, getting right into it.
''Elena said that the sun and moon curse is fake?'' Stefan said, with a frown on his face. Yeah, that had been my reaction. ''That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus.''
''Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline,'' Elijah explained. ''The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting. But if he breaks it... he'll be a true hybrid.'' I shuddered.
''Then why are we letting him break the curse?'' Damon spat. ''We could kill him today. With Bonnie.'' I clenched my fists. Damon's anger was beginning to boil in me.
''Damon,'' Stefan warned him.
''No,'' Elena said determined. ''Bonnie can't use that much power without dying.''
''I'll write her a great eulogy!'' Damon exclaimed in frustration. My knuckles were turning white.
''It's not an option, Damon.''
''Alright, how do we break this curse?'' I asked, trying to lead the conversation onto another path, one that wouldn't end in me bursting out in anger in front of Elijah for no reason.
Elijah's eyes landed on me. ''Well the ritual itself is very straightforward. The ingredients, so to speak, you already know.''
''The moonstone,'' Stefan said.
''A witch will channel the power of the full moon to release the spell that's bound within the stone. After that,'' Elijah drew a breath, ''Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each.''
''And where do I fit into it?'' Elena asked.
''The final part of the ritual.'' We were all so quiet that Elijah's quiet voice seemed loud. Maybe it was the seriousness of it all. ''Klaus must drink the blood of the doppleganger... to the point of your death.''
I looked at Elena. She really was brave. I understood why she was willing to do it – I would have done the same, I think – but hearing her talk about what would happen saddened me.
''And that's were you come in,'' Elena responded.
Elijah pulled out an intricate bottle of some sort from a box he'd brought with him, so that we all could see. ''This is an elixir that I acquired some five hundred years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of... resuscitation.''
''So I'll be dead...''
Damon's head snapped towards Elena, and the rage spiked in me. It took me a second to realise that it was Damon, once again, and not me, feeling those things.
''And then you won't,'' Elijah concluded.
''That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?'' Damon looked at Elena. ''You, you wanna come back to life... what about John's ring?''
''Those rings only work on humans,'' Elijah said. ''A doppleganger is a supernatural occurrence. Odds are, the ring won't work.''
''I'll take those odds over your elixir,'' Damon spat. ''What if it doesn't work, Elena?'' He looked at her almost pleading.
Elena was quiet. Then she said, with a shrug:
''I guess I'll just be dead.''
I felt my nails prod into the palm of my hands when Damon dashed out of the room. We all cared about her, about each other – but Damon had a different approach to everything. I could tell he only wanted her to be safe.
Elena and I exchanged looks. Her mouth twitched as if she was about to cry, but she managed to turn it into a sad smile. She turned her gaze to Elijah. ''Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?''
''Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years. If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is, by tonight...'' Elijah paused. ''He will.''
An eerie silence settled. What Elijah said made complete sense, but this whole conversation had brought about a seriousness we hadn't had before. It was happening. It really was. Tonight.
''Stefan?'' I spoke up, after putting up with Damon's anger prickling my body longer than I wanted to. ''Maybe you should check on Damon.'' I didn't say anything about him still being angry, but Stefan understood anyway. Saying something about that would surely make Elijah suspicious.
When Stefan had disappeared outside, Elena walked over to Elijah, and grabbed the bottle of elixir with a sigh, inspecting it more closely. ''You'd think he'd understand why I'm willing to do this.''
''Why are you?'' Elijah asked.
''All of this is because of me,'' she sighed and spun the ancient bottle in her hands. ''If he isn't stopped, he'll hurt people I love. It's that simple.''
Those words sounded so much like what she had told me earlier. I looked at Elena when she was busy talking to Elijah. She looked extremely composed, despite everything.
''You know there is a possibility this elixir won't work,'' Elijah cautioned. ''I don't want to mislead you.''
''I know the chance I'm taking.''
A sudden noise rang from the hall, followed by a wave of fear and uncertainty. ''Get out!'' a female voice called angrily.
''Jenna, put the crossbow down, okay? It's me.''
When we rushed into the hall we found Jenna and Mr. Saltzman – him with his hands up, and her shakily pointing a dangerous looking crossbow at him.
''Stay away from me,'' Jenna said. Her finger trembled against the trigger.
''What's going on?'' Elena urged.
''It's me Elena, I swear,'' Mr. Saltzman pleaded. ''He let me go. Klaus let me go.''
''Prove it,'' Damon's voice rang from behind me. I glanced back, and found the whole party gathered. Elijah, too.
''Okay, uh...'' he trailed off, thinking. ''The first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in-''
''Okay,'' Jenna cut him off quickly, and lowered the crossbow. ''It's him.''
''Why did he let you go?'' Stefan frowned.
''He wanted me to deliver a message. The sacrifice happens tonight.''
Minutes later, everyone was gathered in the living room. Controlling the pressure from everyone's stress was making every breath heavy, but I tried my best.
''So you don't remember anything that happened?'' Stefan asked from where he was standing next to Elena.
''No,'' Mr. Saltzman – maybe I should start calling him Alaric – said. ''It's like I blacked out, and woke up three days later. Katherine was there.''
''She's under compulsion,'' Stefan explained. ''Damon snuck her some vervain, but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can.''
''Where is Damon?'' Elena asked, and when she did, I realised that I hadn't seen him leave. I still felt him, so I just assumed he was still there.
''I saw him go upstairs,'' Jenna said. Elena got up and left to find him.
''So, what else did I do?'' Alaric asked nervously.
''Well...'' Stefan began.
I listened half-heartedly to the recount of Klaus-Alaric's actions. My focus at the moment was something else. As soon as the conversation had drifted in another direction, Elijah had started to approach me. In the corner of my eye, I saw him take a few slow steps towards me so that we were right beside each other.
''Where will you be tonight?'' Elijah asked quietly, twirling a pen between his fingers. The others were too occupied in their own conversation to take any notice, and we were standing a bit off.
''I don't know,'' I said. ''I'm not really sure what help I would be.''
''That is something you would know better than I.'' He paused for a few seconds before he spoke again. ''There can be... honour in revenge.''
I looked at him. It was like he was trying to explain his actions, again. ''This is like... the ultimate revenge, though. Killing someone.''
''You don't approve,'' he said.
''I don't know,'' I sighed. The frustration and tension emitting from everyone around me was really starting to mess with me, and my concentration. ''I don't know, I just... I'm trying to understand. Everything. I don't know. I'm not making any sense, am I?''
''You're like an open book and impossible to read at the same time,'' he stated.
''And right now?''
''A little bit of both,'' he admitted.
I wanted to get my frustration off my chest, but I couldn't tell him anything. I wanted to leave and get away from everyone's feelings, but I wouldn't do that.
My eyes stopped on his hands. He was still playing with the pen.
''Why do you do that?''
Elijah frowned. ''Do what?''
I nodded towards his hands. ''That. You're always twirling or bouncing things.''
A small smile appeared on his lips. ''I cannot answer that.'' As in, he didn't know. A tick, maybe. But probably not a nervous one.
''Maybe it's some-'' I gasped for breath when fear struck me out of nowhere. I grabbed my chest and squeezed my eyes shut. Blinking them open again, I saw a frown on Elijah's face, probably one of the first, and a worried Stefan.
''Elena,'' I breathed, and Stefan disappeared immediately. I didn't know how I could tell it was her, but somehow, I did. She was scared.
Jenna, terrified of her niece getting hurt, ran after him in human speed with Alaric right after her. I still couldn't quite stand straight.
I could faintly hear noises from the floor above. I felt my forehead crease both by my own emotions as well as someone upstairs. A heavy ache settled in my ribcage, only to suddenly burst into rage and frustration beyond any normal levels. This wasn't just one person, these were the feelings of several.
Elijah had not reacted to the commotion at all, even though I bet he could hear every whisper from up there. When I'd gotten my breathing somewhat under control, I let my eyes travel up from the floor. He was looking at me with great interest.
''What's happening up there?'' I asked him, feeling heavy and numb from whatever was going on. The anger had my blood boiling, and I felt my face getting hot. I felt like punching something. Hopefully it didn't show.
''Your heart rate increased,'' he commented, not answering my question.
''What's going on upstairs?'' I asked him again, ignoring his question.
''Damon fed Elena his blood,'' he said without a hint of emotion in his voice.
''What?'' my voice came out in a strained whisper. Handling their emotions was difficult. ''But if she dies with that in her system-''
''That was his intention.''
''Why would he do that? Why...'' I breathed. ''It sounds like they're fighting?''
''They are.''
''Stefan?'' I asked. Elijah nodded.
''I should go up there,'' I mumbled to myself, beginning to stumble towards the stairs.
''Don't,'' Elijah's voice rang softly from behind me.
''Why?'' I asked, a little irritated. I thought I heard a door shut, but maybe that was just a thud from upstairs.
A sudden sharp stab in my chest had me weak in the knees, and I stumbled to grab hold of the sofa. Someone was really scared.
''Are you alright?'' Elijah moved towards me.
''Could you please tell me what they're doing?'' I winced, feeling my breathing speed up and fighting to control it.
I sat down and leaned back, resting, hoping that would make it easier to cover this up. He had already noticed something, but still.
Elijah kept his eyes on me. ''Just now, Damon pushed a piece of... lamp, perhaps? Into his brother.''
''What?''
''Why are you so worried about them when you're clearly not feeling well?''
''Because,'' I took a deep breath, trying to calm down myself. My muscles had started to twitch from exhaustion and I was trembling enough for Elijah to notice. ''I'll be fine.''
I knew he knew that this had something to do with my powers. He didn't have to say it out loud. It would've been obvious to anyone. Besides, I could see it in his eyes. The more time I spent with him, the easier he was to read. Some parts of him.
''They stopped.''
Elijah could hear that, but to me it was still going on because they were all still in the same emotional states as before. Almost. It wasn't as chaotic.
I closed my eyes, resting.
''Evangeline?'' Opening my eyes again, I found his hand in front of me holding a glass of water.
''Drink,'' he said. I offered him a tired smile.
Grabbing the glass, my fingers brushed against his. That was not my intention. Not at all. My instincts had me looking at him, scared, hoping he hadn't felt anything.
Elijah stared at me strangely. ''What was that?''
Oh no, oh no, no, no...
''Um,'' I gulped, starting to sweat nervously. How on earth was I supposed to cover this up? I sucked at lying. He knew I sucked at lying. I'd told him. How-
All of a sudden, Damon sauntered in and poured himself a glass of whiskey. Hadn't I just projected onto Elijah, I wouldn't be so happy to see him. Elijah was still looking at me, though. Maybe I wasn't saved. Oh no, no, no, no...
Damon turned and looked at us. ''What, I broke up a love fest?''
I just stared at him, while Elijah couldn't seem less impressed. I didn't care about Damon's comment, but I did care that it seemed to have gotten enough of Elijah's attention. For now, at least.
''It sounds like you won't be needing this any more.'' Elijah put the elixir back into its container. ''Feeding her vampire blood rendered it useless.''
Damon downed the whiskey in one swift move. ''We both know that elixir wouldn't have worked anyway.''
''Your problem, Damon,'' Elijah said, his voice stern. ''You talk a good game but you don't actually know anything. She'll never forgive you. And never for a vampire... is a very long time.''
He turned to me. ''Tell Elena I'll be back before nightfall. We'll proceed as planned.''
All I could muster up was a nod.
''Oh, and Evangeline?'' he turned in the doorway to look back at us.
''Yes?''
''Steer clear of the woods.''
Tilting my head, I studied his face curiously. He was frowning slightly. He hadn't let it slide.
''I was planning on it.'' I wanted to add,' thanks for your concern', but I wasn't sure if that was what it was.
When Elijah was gone, I didn't feel relieved. Not at all. No way he was letting that go.
Damon poured himself a second glass. He didn't leave.
''You look angry,'' he smirked.
''Yeah, well,'' I blurted out, the tension getting to me. ''I haven't gotten around to controlling that bit yet.'' I paused, eyeing him with a frown. ''But, now I feel sad.''
Damon pressed his lips into a tight line and glared at me. For a brief moment, I thought he would storm up to me and do something, but he didn't.
''I'm sorry,'' I apologised. ''I don't mean to.''
''Don't beat yourself up over it,'' he muttered.
''None of us want this,'' I said in a low voice.
''God!'' he exclaimed suddenly. ''Can't you do some... hocus pocus crap and make them see sense?''
Somehow people always found it easy – opening up to me. Maybe that was part of what I was. I don't think Damon would talk like this to me otherwise, because we hadn't really spent much time together.
Eyebrows raised, I gave him a quizzical look. ''Hocus pocus?''
''Yeah.''
''I can't do that, Damon. Literally.''
He made a face. ''It was worth a try.''
''Hadn't the elixir been worth a try?'' I asked.
If looks could kill...
''You might trust lover boy, but I don't,'' Damon said through gritted teeth.
''Hey,'' I threw him a glare. ''Sure, he's difficult to read, but my instincts can usually be trusted. I can tell when people lie, and when he told us about that elixir, he wasn't. He said it might not have worked, but what if it did?''
''Yeah, whatever.''
''Isn't there a spell or something then?'' I tried.
''How should I know?'' Damon trailed the edges of his glass, looking far off in his thoughts.
''I don't know – ask Bonnie?''
Damon only hummed in response, apparently disappearing in to his own mind as he poured yet another glass off whiskey. When I realised that he wasn't going to talk to me anymore, I went out to the hallway to go upstairs.
When I found them, Stefan was sitting leaned up against the wall with Elena beside him. Standing next to them was a grim looking Alaric and a flustered Jenna.
''Hey.'' I took a few steps forward, looking at Stefan's bloodstained shirt. ''How... how are you feeling?''
''It's healing,'' he said, his voice strained.
''Has Damon left?'' Alaric asked.
I shook my head. ''He was downstairs just now.''
Alaric left, Jenna in tow. She gave me a strange look when she passed me.
''Elena-''
''He had no right to do that,'' she said bitterly. ''No right.''
''I know,'' I sighed. ''I know. Look, I'm going to go and see if I can meet up with Bonnie, okay?''
''Okay,'' Elena sighed, and squeezed Stefan's hand a little harder.
''It'll be okay,'' I smiled at her sadly. ''I don't know how, but it will.''
It was a bit chilly outside, but the final rays of the afternoon sun warmed a little. Riding my bike home through the woods until I got to the bigger road, it felt like the trees were closing in on me. The darkening sky was ominous. It was happening tonight, and it scared the life out of me. I felt useless at the same time as I just had the most extreme urge to do something. To help.
The only thing I'd come up with was asking Bonnie. There must be some spell, somewhere. I'd felt Elena's fear and sadness. She didn't want that kind of life.
Even if my feelings were my own again, everything inside me seemed to pull in all directions possible, stretching me, my focus, and my energy more than I almost could bear. There was so much I wanted, for so many people. I hated feeling helpless like this. Like tonight was going to happen.
No matter what we did.
I know it sets in the US, but I just couldn't bring myself to write chips, sorry XD
