Chapter 13: There Goes the Neighborhood

They could hear the werewolves screaming out in the halls from inside of the apartment and Elena prayed that none of the residents were stupid enough to investigate. If the cops were called, they'd have a good five to eight minutes, at least, to take down the two attackers and clear out before the police ever showed. With super speed and extra werewolves on their side, that wouldn't be a problem. But if one of these so-called 'Alphas' used a civilian as a human shield or hostage, this wasn't going to end so pretty. Thankfully, the wolves were hyper-focused on their targets and came bursting into the room mere seconds later.

Although strangers, the new alliance seemed to be thinking as one as the vampires split, each taking an Alpha alongside a werewolf. Scott and Damon threw everything they had at the large, bald Alpha, and he gave it right back. Damon kept it simple, just as he said. He aimed straight for the beast's heart, coming at the wolf from all sides. The Alpha was nowhere near as fast as Damon, but brute strength made up for it as he beat the vampire back with his fists, and once, his skull. Damon got in his own blows, shoving a broken piece of the coffee table Scott had just been tossed onto through the Alpha's stomach. Damon had just pierced the werewolf's leg, when he caught the vampire by the back of the neck and tossed him straight through the far window without so much as a pulled muscle.

Derek and Elena were holding the woman back from the bedroom door, but that was about all. The Alpha's speed nearly matched the vampire's and she moved with this ferocious ease that was unsettling. Derek launched a grenade at her face, knowing the explosion would still wound him. She twisted, kicking the wolfsbane to where it exploded harmlessly in the corner and moved to face the vampire.

"Katherine Pierce?"

Elena's round kick fell flat as the she-wolf backed away, drinking in the sight of the woman.

"I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn't place it. I've heard about you. Deucalion will be very pleased to - see - you again."

"I'm not -"

Elena didn't get a chance to finish as the woman charged the other advancing werewolf, who had been taking advantage of her distraction. Just as Derek was reaching her, a body came flying across the room, crashing into his. The two younger wolves tumbled together to the floor, Derek howling as his bare bandaged back hit the wall and then the floor The woman seized the opportunity and offered Derek the side of her foot across his face.

"Patience, sweetheart. It's not your turn yet." She turned toward Elena. "We came here for them. But Deucalion will want you too."

"I'm not Ka-"

Elena hadn't seen Damon being sent through the window and therefore didn't realize that their second attacker was now free of opponents and targeting her back. The words choked in her throat as the thick splinter of wood went soaring through her chest.

"A bit close to the heart, Ennis," the woman purred.

Elena was too dazed to turn and defend herself from the second stabbing, this time the pine piercing through her right shoulder.

"Better?" The man laughed.

"Please, I'm no-"

The man's hands were on her neck and twisting just as Derek and Scott were both pushing themselves upright. The vampire's body slumped to the ground in a heap and Scott almost screamed. He had no idea who this girl was that had tried to help them and now she was dead.

"Always hated beggars," the woman scoffed. "We have one already. Just grab the boy and the girl. I'll take her."

The beast of a man made a run for the bedroom and Derek and Scott both leaped into action. The woman swung around, catching Derek by the arm and sending him back into the wall, his burns and throat screaming.

"Oh, Derek. It'd be so easy to do it now. But then, where's the fun in that, huh?"

She bent down, ripping one of the pieces of wood free from Elena's body and rushed toward the Alpha. He dodged and landed an elbow to her side, but wasn't quick enough to block her backswing. The wood dug through his leg as she twisted, sending one last kick to his head. His head was still spinning as his body sank to the floorboards when she turned around and helped their other attacker make quick work of Scott. The kid landed in a heap next to Derek again, where he didn't move.

The woman dragged the dead girl off the floor and slung the body over her shoulder before marching toward the bedroom where the fight could already be heard. Derek reached behind him, gripping the wood and ripping it out with a growl. Stumbling, the Alpha pulled himself up and across the room, nearly falling through the bedroom doorway.

A panting and purplish Isaac was draped over the side of the bed, while Jackson was pulling himself up in the corner, favoring his left leg but still taking a protective stance in front of the crouching doctor. Erica's unconscious and burned form was splayed out on the carpet, four red gashes painting her chest and shrapnel sticking out from her shoulder and neck. And Boyd - Boyd was gone.

Derek rushed to the window, finding an empty fire escape. He was already shouting at Isaac and Jackson to check on Erica as he lifted himself up to leap through.

"Elena!"

The Alpha turned as the vampire suddenly appeared behind him.

"Where is she?" Damon grabbed the Alpha by the throat.

"She's gone."

Both creatures turned toward the doorway as Scott limped through the threshold.

"They took her?" Damon dropped Derek and advanced on Scott.

"No, yes," Scott shook his head, staring only at the floor. "She's - gone. They killed her."

Damon's eyes rounded and he took a staggering step backward.

"I'm sorry, it -"

"You bet you're gonna be sorry," Damon rushed the werewolf, pinning the boy to the wall.

"I'm gonna kill every last one of you mangy mutts."

"Please, there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry. It happened so fast. He just snapped her neck and -"

"He what ?"

"He - he - snapped her neck."

Damon dropped the kid, patting his cheek a few times.

"It's your lucky day, junior. I'm not gonna kill you - yet. How you doin', Doc?"

"I'm okay." Meredith nodded as Jackson helped her to stand then moved toward Erica.

"Good. Only got room for one damsel at a time. Patch up the dogs, would ya? Gonna need them."

"For what?" Scott eyed his previous attacker.

"I don't have the time to get some witchy locator spell action going on, so I'm going to need your noses to track down those soon-to-be-dead girlfriend snatchers."

"You're going to go after them?" Scott moved away from the wall and the man.

"Isn't that what you were about to do?" Damon wiggled a finger at Derek. "Go off alone on a heroic, suicidal mission to get your boy back? I noticed you were one pup short."

"Derek," Scott stepped toward him, "you can't go alone."

"He's not," Damon gestured toward himself. "Were you not just paying attention?"

"You're going after them," Scott repeated, "even though - she - your - she's dead? What? You want revenge? Getting yourself killed won't bring her back."

"Oh, nothing will bring her back," Damon waved a hand. "There was this cure , but that's a whole other story. No, Elena's been dead for a long time, now. Not as long as me, of course."

Each of the werewolves moved back from him at that.

"Oh, you really are pups if you don't know about my kind."

"I should've recognized the stench," Derek rolled his eyes, "the speed -"

"The dashing good looks?"

"What the hell are you?" Jackson questioned, standing and letting Meredith take his place next to Erica.

Damon turned to face all of them, letting his eyes bleed to red and his veins come alive.

"Hey, kids, meet your first vampire."

A/N: Ugh. Elena's in trouble - again. But of course! How else was I going to get Damon to stay? Otherwise, they'd leave and this would be an awfully short story. What did you guys think of finally getting some action? A lot of this story is friendships building, relationships, planning, etc etc etc. Sorry, but fight scenes aren't my forte. Of course, there will be more though!