I don't own anything.
A/N: Sorry about the long wait. Life just got in the way. I really want to thank my reviewers from last time, thank you all for the kind words. I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter and please review.
Chapter Eleven
"So we're really going to this carnival?" Sovann asked Samil as he peeked into his room at the home they currently using while staying in Mystic Falls. Samil didn't acknowledge him at first, instead he looked over his outfit before meeting Sovann's gaze through the mirror.
"How do I look?"
"Sinister." Sovann cracked with a roll of his eyes while Samil just stared at him not at all amused by his attempt at a joke. "Sorry sir, you look like a regular human out to enjoy an evening at a carnival." Samil smiled then and nodded his head.
"Good. I was hoping you'd say that." Turning around, he looked Sovann over and gave him a nod of approval before checking his watch.
"Are you expecting someone?"
"Klaus." Samil stated simply as he walked out of the room. "He should be here soon, I have something I want to discuss with him." Sovann quickly fell into step beside Samil as they headed downstairs. Just as their feet touched the bottom steps a loud knocked sounded from the front door. "That should be him, could you kindly let him in and take him to the den." Samil asked as he headed off towards the den. Sovann looked after him briefly before making his way to the front door. Pulling it open, he saw Klaus starting there with his group of vampire workers.
"I was summoned by Samil." Klaus stated coolly as he looked down at Sovann.
"I know." He stepped back and invited them inside. Closing the door, he quickly showed them to the den where Samil was sitting down. Klaus crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the man who had killed three of his witches and had stolen Stefan from him all because he wanted to play game with the Bennett witch.
"Why am I here?" he paused as he looked at Samil's face and then paled. "Excuse me, why did you ask me here?"
"I was wondering if you still wanted Stefan back?" Samil asked easily as he leaned back in his seat.
"I already had him once before. Until you decided to take him from me." Klaus replied coolly as he looked at the man. Samil gave him a small smile that quickly but him on edge, he knew answering the question like that would piss the man off but he couldn't stop himself from pointing out the obvious.
"None of that even matters nor does it answer my question. Try to answer my question Klaus, it's a simple one which only requires a simple answer. Yes or no, do you still want Stefan?" Klaus looked him in the eyes and sighed.
"He would fit into my plans quite nicely." Klaus replied, "However, it would be quite difficult to get him now that he's back with his family and friends. I'm quite sure they are on the look out for me and since he's brother is no longer suffering from an ailment that only I can heal. I think it would extremely hard to get him back."
"I suppose you're one to never trust a try." Samil asked as he studied the man before him. "Is that it, if it isn't easy you want no part in it."
"I'm sorry but I just can't help but wonder what strings are attached to all this."
"None really," Samil said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm just giving you permission to try and get Stefan back. I've done what I've wanted. I've gained Bonnie's attention so now you can freely go after Stefan."
"Whose to say you won't use me to get into her good graces. That's what you did last time."
"I give you my word that I won't help them fight you. Besides that's what I want anyway and I never go against myself or my wishes." Klaus continued to study Samil silently. He knew all of this fit into a plan but he wasn't exactly sure how. Samil wasn't to be trusted. No one trusted the devil especially once he showed himself to you. It's foolish to do so. "So by all means try and get Stefan back." Klaus nodded his head. He knew what an order was and Klaus had given him one loud and clear.
"Very well, can I go now."
"Please," Samil said as he stood up. "You know there is a carnival tonight that Bonnie told me about, I'm on my way there as we speak," he paused a moment and placed a heavy hand on Klaus' shoulder. "Maybe I'll see you there or Stefan might see you there. You just do whatever you want." he said easily as he looked at Klaus who merely nodded his head and then walked out of the room with Sovann leading the way. As soon as he heard the front door slam, Samil was surprise to see Sovann rushing back into the room using his vamp speed. "Problem?"
"What are you doing?"
"Handling my business, Sovann. What are you doing questioning me?" he asked coldly. "I know we've been around each for centuries but we aren't so close that I'll overlook the fact that you're questioning me."
"Sorry," Sovann stated immediately. "It's just that all of this is taking me completely off guard. I thought you wanted Stefan-."
"I never cared about Stefan. I wanted an in with Bonnie. I didn't want to remain a stranger to her and I also wanted to gain her trust. Although. . .," he trailed off and shook his head. "Although, I might have to do something much more complex and time consuming in order for my plan to officially work." Sovann narrowed his eyes at that explanation.
"What do you mean?"
"It means I'm gonna have to show Bonnie who truly values her. Which is gonna take some time but I'm willing to play along. After all this is much more fun then tricking everyday people out of their souls. That's a mind-numbing job but this," he paused and shook his head. "This is something worthwhile, something worth savoring."
"Okay so is everything to your liking now?" Bonnie asked as she dusted off her hands and looked at her work. She had decorated the inside of the building where several booths were suppose to be located. Caroline looked around and then back at Bonnie with one raised eyebrow. "What? Isn't this what you wanted?"
"Yeah, sure it is. I'm just wondering how you did it in record time. Not to mention by yourself." Bonnie opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by Damon who was strolling into the room with Elena and Jeremy.
"Isn't it obvious, Bonnie here did some bibbidi-bobbidi-boo."
"You're quoting Cinderella now?" Bonnie asked as she turned and looked at the vampire in question. Damon shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest while meeting his favorite witch's stare head on.
"If the song fits why not use it. Besides let's face it, you know you love it when I'm witty." Bonnie rolled her eyes at that and looked back at Caroline who had a small smile on her face at the description that Damon had used for Bonnie's magic.
"I'll make sure when prom rolls around that I give you a pumpkin. I wanna go there in style and a limo is so average."
"Ha ha! Laugh it up," Bonnie said with a small smile. "So everything's set right."
"Right, all we have to do now is enjoy the festivities," Caroline stated as she rubbed her hands together before bumping Bonnie with her shoulder. "So is your boyfriend coming?" Damon frowned and pointed a finger at Bonnie.
"Whose your boyfriend?"
"Caroline seems to think it's Samil." Bonnie replied with a nervous laugh before shooting a glare at Caroline. "But he's not-."
"Yet." Caroline declared cutting her response off. "But I'm sure he'll just have to do a few more things before he completely wins Bonnie over." Damon rolled his eyes at her statement and looked over at Bonnie.
"I don't think he's good. To put it as plainly as possible I don't like him." Damon declared heatedly as he looked at Bonnie. "I really don't understand why you can't see that." Bonnie sighed and shook her head.
"Samil seems to be the only thing you and Stefan can agree on. He doesn't like him either," she muttered. "Although, I really think you're being overly suspicious."
"Who's being overly suspicious?" They all turned as they saw Stefan walking towards their group. Bonnie watched as his eyes landed on Elena briefly before switching back to Bonnie and then his brother. "What's going on?"
"Caroline thinks that Bonnie is gonna date that Samil guy who owns that new herbal shop." Damon replied as he looked over at his brother. "And I'm hoping she isn't that stupid to trust the guy. He doesn't really seem right to me." Stefan nodded his head and looked over at Bonnie.
"I'm surprised for once I agree with my brother."
"You know I think he wants something from you." Damon stated easily.
"Why's that cause he accused you of using me?" Bonnie asked. "I really don't think Samil's that bad of her person."
"Yeah after all he did help us get Stefan back." Elena said as she came to her friend's defense. "We shouldn't be suspicious of every person that comes to Mystic Falls. Samil really did help us and he protect Bonnie otherwise those witches would have killed her."
"I still don't trust him." Damon and Stefan said in unison while Jeremy just looked between them both in shock for a moment before looking back at Bonnie.
"You have to admit something must be wrong with the man if he has Damon and Stefan agreeing like this, come on you and I both know that isn't natural." He said pointing between the two brothers while looking at Bonnie.
"I guess you're right," Bonnie said cracking a small smile, happy that Jeremy was still talking to her. "So what do you want me to do when he actually shows up? Tell him that I can't talk to him because he made you two agree."
"Something like that." Stefan and Damon replied in unison again before looking at one another, Damon snorted and shook his head while shoving his hands into his ever present leather jacket. "Little Gilbert's right, that is weird," he shook his head and glanced back at Bonnie. "Think about what we said, Bennett."
"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked.
"For a walk. I need some fresh air, plus I don't want me and Stefan talking in unison like that," he made himself shudder and shook his head. "It's just too freaky." With that said, he headed out of the area and disappeared into the arrival crowd. Stefan walked towards Bonnie and placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"We're just looking out for you," he started out calmly, "Look just ask him, tell him to be honest with you and if his answer is okay with you then we'll back off." Bonnie raised an eyebrow at that and Stefan sighed. "Well I think the rest of us will, I don't think anyone can really speak for Damon. He does what he wants." Bonnie nodded her head as she looked over at Stefan.
"Alright I'll ask him when I see him." she replied softly, "Caroline is there anything else you want me to do?" she asked as she turned her attention towards her blonde headed friend.
"Um there are a few things come on." Caroline said as she looked between Stefan and Elena and saw what Bonnie was trying to do. "Jeremy you can come too. We'll gonna need your help as well." Jeremy merely nodded his head and followed behind Bonnie and Caroline as they left Stefan and Elena alone.
"I guess they think we need to talk." Elena said as she looked over towards Stefan who had his arms hanging limply by his side. He met her gaze as she spoke and just shook his head for a brief moment before sighing.
"Yeah, I guess that's what they were doing." He answered weakly as he looked away from her. "I'm gonna just go and-." Stefan nearly jumped back when Elena quickly made her way to him and stood directly in front of him. He had to admit he was surprised by her quickness, reaching out he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her from knocking them over.
"Stefan I'm sorry for everything. You have to know that I love you so much and I can't stand being away from you." She cried as she looked up at him. Staring down into her eyes, Stefan felt his resolve breaking. He slowly moved his hands away from her shoulders and slowly grabbed a hold of her hands and pulled them off his shirt.
"Do you understand what you feel for Damon?" he asked plainly. "I'm not going to put myself out there for you to continue games with me and my brother. I love you but I won't be apart of some craze triangle. . .not again."
"I know. . . I know. That kiss, the way I kissed him, that should have never happened. I thought about what you said and you were right. I could have comforted him any other way but I didn't and that was mistake and I'm so sorry for betraying you." Stefan continued to look down at her silently, he could see her eyes slowly pooling with unshed tears.
"I forgive you Elena but I need this time to myself, if you love me like you say you do then you'll let me have this time." Elena sighed and nodded her head, however Stefan gripping her arm and shoving her threw off a bit. Especially, when she realized he had placed himself right in front of her. Peeking around his shoulder, she gasped as she saw Klaus standing with a small smile on his face while hands where clasped behind his back.
"Really Stefan, you're willing to forgive her even though she betrayed you with your brother," Klaus chuckled and then turned his glaze towards Elena. "Something must be in that blood of yours to make someone act so stupidly."
As soon as Bonnie, Caroline and Jeremy made it outside the room that Stefan and Elena were currently using to talk, they split off and when their separate ways. Caroline headed off towards the other side of the carnival after remembering that she had to open up another room so Elena and Stefan wouldn't be disturbed by random people while they had their little heart to heart. Jeremy just walked off intent on trying to enjoy himself while Bonnie decided to wander around the carnival. She went from booth to booth, meeting several people from her class. She chatted them up a bit and skillfully deflected some of the football players she walked away from the school's top running-back, she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone brushed by her and whispered in her ear. "May aren't you the little charmer." Turning towards the voice, she saw Samil grinning down at her. One glance over his shoulder and she saw Sovann standing off quietly watching them, looking very much like he had been dragged there by his friend.
"Samil, I'm glad you made it." she said with a small smile as she looked up at him, Samil studied her briefly before nodding his head.
"Of course I would make it. How could I turn down an invitation from such a lovely woman. I'm not a fool." he said bluntly as he looked at her. Besides I thought you wanted me to come."
"I did. . .do," she winced at her her slip and met Samil's stare, lifting a hand to her face, she slowly massaged the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry."
"No problem," he said softly. "I hope you don't mind me asking but is something wrong?" Bonnie looked back at him for a moment before briefly nodding her head. "What's wrong, Bonnie? You can tell me." he asked as he took a step closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Why are you hanging around me?" Bonnie asking bluntly, "My friends think you're here for certain reasons, none of which are good by the way, which got me thinking. You've never told me your real age, you're pretty much too good to be true, plus you got Damon and Stefan to agree."
"Let me guess that just doesn't happen." he mumbled as he looked down at her. Bonnie shook her head as she looked at him.
"No it doesn't and usually when it does happen they're right. So Samil what do you want from me?" Once she finished, she took a deep breath and looked up at him and met Samil's gaze. He watched her silently before lifting a hand and rubbing it over his face.
"I want you." he stated bluntly. "That's the whole truth." Bonnie narrowed her eyes at his statement as she felt unease for the first time. Samil laughed at the look on her face and shook his head. "I know it sounds awkward and a bit freaky but I'm putting all my cards on the table since you asked so nicely." Bonnie sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'd like that Samil."
"Good, is there a place where we can talk alone. I don't think this is the type of conversation someone has out in public. Especially considering the history that this town has towards our type." Bonnie looked around briefly and spotted an unoccupied tent.
"Come on we can talk over there."
"Then by all means lead the way," he said before turning back towards Sovann, who was standing by. "Try to find a way to enjoy yourself, Sovann. I know a carnival isn't really your thing but Bonnie and I are gonna be talking over there so don't worry about me." Sovann just nodded his head and watched as Samil quickly caught up with Bonnie.
Bonnie quickly made her way inside the tent and turned around to face Samil as he stepped inside. Placing her hands on her hips, she looked up at him. "You need to tell me the truth about you so I can put my friends at ease. . .so I can put myself at ease."
"Fine," Samil stated easily, "Ask away and I'll answer the questions the best I can."
"What do you want, Samil." Bonnie asked again thinking that since they were alone, he would answer the question a bit more truthfully. Samil raised an eyebrow at that question and pointed over his shoulder.
"I thought we already covered that question, Bonnie. I want you. It's just that simple and I don't know what else to tell you really."
"You have to have an angle," she said easily. "What do you think I do for you?" Samil made a small noise and shook his head in disgust.
"Those so-called friends of yours have certainly messed with your mind," he lazily remarked as he shook his head at her. "So let me get this straight, I come and pay you attention and somehow my reasons for being here and taking an interest in you are seen as. . .sinister."
"They think you might be out to use me or something."
"I have never once asked you to perform any witchcraft for me," Samil stated coolly. "But they have asked you to get me involved with that incident concerning Stefan. If you ask me they're just projecting their wrongdoings onto me. Maybe they just don't want to lose their witch." Bonnie's mouth opened a bit but she quickly closed it and shook her head.
"My friends don't use me."
"You could have fooled me," he paused and shook his head. "No, that's a lie. I could never be fool about something like that. I can see it. You may not show it outwardly but you damn sure think about it," he rocked back on his heels and tapped a finger to the side of his head. "It's that nasty little question that's constantly floating in the back of your mind. It's like a child that picked the petals off a flower one by one while chanting are they or aren't they." Bonnie stared at him in complete shock before shaking her head.
"You're completely off base. That's not it."
"That's it exactly," Samil snapped. "Those so-called friends only take from you over and over again what have they ever given you except nosebleeds. I think they're just upset that you might be gaining a friend outside of their small circle. One who won't stand for them constantly using you as their get out of jail free card," he paused then and lifted a hand to the bridge of his nose and gave it a light massage. "Forgive my tone, I'm just upset." he mumbled softly.
"Samil, you still haven't told me why you want me."
"Is that unbelievable that I would want you," he asked as he looked down at her and caught the stare she was giving. Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "I want you help you, alright. I want to help you, protect you, guide you. When I came to this town, I could feel your struggle and I want to help you with that." Samil replied with a small smile. "You're a good person but you're struggling with that and I want a hand in helping you overcome that struggle."
"That may be half the truth, Samil. Why are you really interested in me?" Samil sighed and placed his hands on his hips and stared down at her. Bonnie sighed and tossed her hands. "I just want the whole truth something I hope you're be able to give to me since you seem to think you're better than my friends. I mean really Samil you still haven't told me your real age yet."
"Fine you want the truth," he looked around nervously before sighing. "Fine I'll tell you the truth. When I told you I never really was into witchcraft that really wasn't true. I'm quite skilled in the fact, hell I'm practically immortal because of my powers," he paused as Bonnie released a shocked gasp. "I didn't tell because I do not want to become a look for your friends. I have a life and I want to live it well. Getting in involved in vampire affairs isn't how you do that. So as for my age, you could say I'm timeless. Hell, I could have been here since the dawn of time, none of that matters though."
"Are you kidding? Yes it does matter."
"No it doesn't, not really. Look at you, you hang around with vampires all the time what does age matter in your circle of friends and as for me wanting you. I do. I want you to join me."
"Join you?"
"Sovann and I are a small group. Both of us are immortal, a couple of immortal friends" he chuckled and shook his head as he looked at her and took in her face of complete and utter shock. "I know that sounds extremely stupid when spoken out loud but that's truly what we are. He's my best friend and we look out for one another. I would like to invite you to join us. The choice is yours, Bonnie."
"You want me to join your Coven?" At her question, Samil laughed and shook his head as he stared at her.
"Coven? No I didn't say anything about a Coven. Do you see me practicing witchcraft with you or by myself," he paused to let that information sink in before continuing. "Believe me if I were doing so you'd know." he said with a small laugh.
"So it's not a Coven-."
"It's a group of friends like I said," he explained cutting in. "Believe me I won't force you to do witchcraft unless that's what you want to do. Choice, has always been one of my favorite things, Bonnie. Free-will is a wonderful thing and unlike your friends I want you to have it. I have no intention on forcing you do anything against your will."
"I don't believe you."
"Then by all means take all the time you need," he replied softly as he looked at her. "I'm not going anywhere, take time to really look at your friends and their actions. Truly evaluate them and see if they should really be granted the title of being your friend. If so then I'll leave you alone but please consider becoming my friend. We'd be great together." he said easily as he looked at her. "I've said all I'm going to say so I think I should be on my way."
"So that's it you're just gonna leave me alone?"
"Yes I am," Samil stated simply. "I believe the saying is absence makes the heart grow fonder. I know you like me Bonnie but you're mainly doing this to appease those friends of yours." he rubbed a hand along the bottom of his jaw. "So I'll make myself scarce but don't worry I'll still be looking out for you." Bonnie smiled at that and raised an eyebrow.
"You mean stalking?"
"No Bonnie. It's like I said I'll be looking out for you," he said with a quick wink. "Now if you're excuse I'll go and try to have fun." He stated as he started walking away from her. "I wouldn't mind leaving you with this, just remember life without me would be completely unbearable so choose wisely. Do you want friends that use you or do you want friends that will treat you better if given the chance. think on that."