Chapter One

Last night was the 14th night.

For the past few days, she had been having the strangest dreams about Kai Parker and Lily Salvatore. They started ever since she left Kai in the 1903 prison world. Was it guilt? No, it couldn't be.

However, Damon finally told her that Kai was the one who made her rescue from the 1994 hell possible. Bonnie furrowed her brows. She had been shocked at first-a sociopath risking his life for somebody else? But Damon had no reason to lie about this, so she accepted the fact that Kai really was trying to change. She doesn't know if him sacrificing his life would be enough for her to forgive him and not trap him into another prison world, but it would have been nice to know about his efforts back when it mattered.

Bonnie mentally contemplated these scenarios while she was making her way down to the cellar, along with Matt.

"It's a good idea, right?" Her friend's voice pulled her out of her trance all of a sudden, as if she were drowning and just got pulled to the surface. Bonnie blinked a few times as she was met with Matt's icy blue eyes.

"Sorry, what?"

Matt looked back at Bonnie with concern etched on his face.

"I was saying that once we move Lily to another location, you will be safe." Matt gripped his hunting tool tighter. "Not that you aren't safe right now, but you can finally sleep well after all those nightmares."

Bonnie genuinely smiled at her childhood friend. "Yeah, you're right." She could see how worried Matt was, and thought herself lucky to have such a devoted friend.

They descended the stairs which led to the basement where they kept the dangerous ripper. Bonnie again seemed lost in thought when she heard Lily speak from her cellar.

"We were expecting you." Lily had an enigmatic smile on her face which could only mean trouble.

"Who's we?"

Bonnie was about to pinch herself in order to make sure this was not another nightmare when she was suddenly pushed against the wall by an invisible force. She tried to move her head to the side in mindless concern over Matt's wellbeing, only to see him laying flat on his back, the hunting tool discarded beside him on the floor.

She let out a weak whimper as the force keeping her in a chokehold revealed itself. Now, ringed fingers were circled around her neck, and she jutted her chin as the one holding her was none other than Kai Parker. If the strong hold he had on her hasn't been enough of a warning, his sadistic smile plastered onto his face and his threatening aura sure was.

"Hello, Bonster." He was now palming her neck. "Glad to see you're alive and well." His voice drips with sarcasm. "Although, I'm not sure for how long." Kai tilts his head as if he's thinking long and hard about her own lifespan.

Bonnie holds his wrist with both her hands in a weak attempt to get him off. She could feel her magic slowly draining. A burning sensation piercing through her body makes her want to scream, but she holds her tongue. He was siphoning her magic.

"H-How did you get out?" She manages to ask him even though her thoughts become jumbled together and nothing makes sense anymore.

"Ah-ah, the question you should be asking is WHY did I get out." He raises his index finger in a dramatic way for emphasis.

Bonnie exhales, exasperated.

"Let me guess." She tries to get a deep breath what with him choking her. "To give us all an excruciating death? Isn't that getting kinda old?" She fidgets in his hold as she narrows her green eyes.

"You know me so well." He smiles. "However, the excruciating death is gonna have to wait. First, I have.." He licks his lips and looks up trying to look as if he's in deep thought. "..other ideas in mind." Kai presses his lips into a thin line as he looks back at Bonnie.

"Do it now!" Lily interrupts them. Kai tears his gaze off Bonnie for a moment to look at the older vampire. Lily had her face pressed to the bars holding her hostage, baring her teeth in exasperation.

"We were kinda having a moment, so if you-"

"Motus!" Bonnie whisper-shouted. She waited for something to happen, but it never did.

Kai turned to look at her as if in slow motion. She could see a hint of twisted disappointment in his cobalt eyes. Crap, she thought. Of course she was already drained of magic. Siphons were a hassle.

"What did I tell you? Do it now!" Lily commanded with more urgency in her voice. Kai bore his eyes onto Bonnie's as if debating something in his head, only him knowing exactly what.

She wasn't sure what Lily was referring to, but she sure as hell didn't want to find out. However, since her magic was depleted for the moment, she had to rely on something else right now. On words.

"Wait!"

"I'm waiting." Kai said, looking amused, his tone sounding anything but. She wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his face.

"I'm..I'm sorry, alright?" She wanted to make the apology sound sincere but instead it came out as if she were the one who was expecting apologies. She tried to soften her voice. "I shouldn't have left you there. I was a fool listening to Damon an-"

Her speech was cut off by laughter. Kai was practically doubling over himself from it.

"Sorry." He wiped a fake tear with his thumb after a moment. "Go on." Kai grinned again and tried to contain his laughter.

"I'm serious Kai." Bonnie frowned. "I really am sorry for what I did."

Kai turned serious in an instant, his grip tightening around her frail neck.

"Oh, yeah? And what exactly made you have this change of heart?" He gritted through his teeth, dangerously close to her, his breath fanning onto her face.

"Damon." She gasped for air. "Damon told me..about you risking your life for me on my birthday." Bonnie shut her eyes.

He loosened his grip before tightening it again.

"So that's it, huh?" He bared his teeth at her. "Me trying to make amends wasn't enough for you to give me a chance, but a few words from Damon and I'm all forgiven, right?" His eyes became slits.

"I still haven't forgiven you" Bonnie opened her eyes again. "But with the knowledge I have now, I could give you a chance." She let go of his wrist. "And you could give me another one too!"

"Stop reasoning with her, Kai! Do it now!" Lily shouted, starting to lose her patience.

Kai ignored Lily's pleas, and Bonnie could see the throbbing veins in his neck which meant that Kai was close to snapping.

"I came here...because I want to kill the rest of my coven. Because I want to make you suffer." He talked slowly and carefully, as if he was reasoning with himself.

"Don't do it Kai! That won't make you happier in the long run." Bonnie shook her head while she tried to step back, only to be met with the wall. Kai clenched his jaw and the grey of his eyes couldn't be seen anymore, only darkness.

"I get that you are fond of the young warlock, but stop trying to convince him." Lily's cool voice cut in.

"Me? Fond of him? I think you got it all wrong." Bonnie snapped back at Damon's mom.

"Then what about that dream you had last night?" Lily tilted her head in a polite manner, seeming genuinely confused.

Kai looked at Bonnie with curiosity, tilting his head as well. Bonnie wanted to shook her head in denial but suddenly remembered all about her dream. Kai spooning her, catching her in the hallway, making weird remarks about her.

"That..you made me have that vision!" Bonnie spat at her.

"Oh, no. I only meant to scare you a little by planting a vision in your head, indeed. But the young warlock appearing was your own doing. I was quite shocked to see him." Lily smiled innocently.

Kai stared between the two women before looking at Bonnie with interest. "What is all this about?" He smirked, although his eyes were still a menacing black. Bonnie tried to avoid his piercing stare.

"Kai, what are you waiting for?" Lily's urgency made Kai squeeze the witch's neck harder.

"If Luke's humanity is still inside of you..." Bonnie trailed off, not knowing how to convince him anymore. She was convinced this was the end for her, convinced this man would take her life, just as he planned ever since she had left him behind.

Kai raised the hand that didn't hold her down. She was a fool thinking Kai would spare her. However, when Kai released her neck and made a weird gesture with his hand, nothing happened to her. Instead, she heard a thud and looked in horror as Lily was laying motionless on the ground.

"She wouldn't stop talking." Kai smirked playfully. "Now, tell me all about that dream."

Bonnie massaged her neck while she looked Kai in the eyes. She was ready to throw a spell at him any moment now, since he stopped siphoning her. She wouldn't need to if it seemed like he would behave, but it seemed like Kai didn't spare her out of the goodness in his heart. He still looked at her with malice and so Bonnie couldn't let her guard down. Kai was like a cat playing with its prey before finally killing it, so she had to be prepared for whatever game this psychopath had in mind for her.

After what seemed like the longest stare down ever, her phone started ringing in her jeans' pocket. A second later, she was pinned again against the wall by Kai.

"Answer it." It seemed like a dare.

Bonnie looked at him warily and slowly took her phone out. She never broke eye contact with Kai as she brought the cellphone to her right ear. She didn't even bother to check the caller id.

"Hello?"

"Bonnie." It was Damon.

"Damon. What is it?" She kept a calm tone while Kai watched her like a hawk.

"We need you here. We have a problem."

"Shocker." Kai commented in a snarky manner since he could hear everything Damon was saying. Bonnie rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation.

"What happened?"

After a moment of silence, Damon spoke again.

"Katherine happened."