καταναλωτής
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a/n: I'm kind of sad how much the reviews have dropped. Though I'm still getting a decent amount, it has dropped to half of what it used to be. Keep on reviewing, guys. I've been putting my heart and soul into this, pumping out updates like never before. I hope you like this installment (:
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part eleven
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"Kill you? Mm, no, don't be obvious. I mean, I'm going to kill you anyway, someday. I don't wanna rush it though. I'm saving it up for something special. No, no no no no.
I will burn you."
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"I'm surprised," Katherine mumbles, sifting through the Gilbert's fridge with her black tipped nails. "Does no one in this house drink Orange Juice?" She shakes her head, sending her perfect curls flopping to the other side of her back. "Unless Jeremy's been overdosing on Vitamin D. That would explain the ghostly visits..."
"Orange Juice contains high quantities of Vitamin C, moron," Caroline mutters under her breath. Crossing her legs and sitting up so she is perched on the edge of the couch, Caroline tries not to look at all frightened by the fact that she is under house arrest by one of the most vicious, cold-hearted vampires she has ever known.
Katherine turns, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she stares at the blonde vampire. "I don't remember telling you that you could speak," she says slowly, eyes flicking briefly towards the stairwell.
"I don't remember you telling me not to," Caroline retorts, hiding her arms behind her back so Katherine won't see them shaking.
Smiling, Katherine says, "I admire your spunk. If I hadn't already planned to kill you, you might have made a good minion."
"Please," Caroline snorts, rolling her eyes. "Minions are so last century."
"If you hadn't noticed, I existed last century," Katherine points out. "Now be quiet." She resumes searching for something in the fridge, muttering something about "brought my own vodka" and "could of at least had something to mix it with." At last, she pulls out a bottle of Cranberry Juice. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, she pours a bit of Cranberry Juice and mixes it with vodka, stirring it with her index finger.
"Or what?" Caroline's voice breaks the silence, steely, despite her fear.
Katherine sighs, not even bothering to turn around as she snaps her fingers. Instantly, blinding pain bursts into Caroline's head and a groan leaves her mouth before she can stop it. Agony bounces from one end of her skull to the other, piercing and compressing until she can't take it anymore. Unwilling tears leave her eyes as she moans, "Stop it. Please stop it."
After more than a minute of watching Caroline thrash on the floor, Katherine snaps her fingers again, a smirk on her face. Bending over the sobbing blonde, Katherine says softly, "I have a witch under compulsion and more than a hundred years on you. I suggest you learn some respect."
Through the haze of fading pain and tears, Caroline manages a weak nod.
"Now," Katherine continues, taking another sip of her drink, "where is your phone?"
"Why," Caroline whispers.
"Look at you," Katherine croons, running her fingers gently down the side of the blonde's face and making her shiver. "You think you're so brave, but after enough pain, you'll break." Her hand slides into Caroline's pocket and pulls out her pink-gemmed phone. Katherine's lips trail towards Caroline's ear, hovering just above the sweat-stained skin. "Do you know what it is like to be tortured, to beg for mercy and to hear only laughs in return? After awhile, you don't feel the pain anymore. You start to welcome it." Her fingers dig into Caroline's neck, earning a gurgled gasp. "You welcome the madness, because it is the only happiness you will ever experience again."
"Is that what someone did to you?" Caroline says faintly, looking up at the vengeful brunette with foggy eyes. "Is that why you hurt other people, Katherine? You think it will fix what they did to you."
Katherine's face grows sad for a moment, open, vulnerable. Then a dark wall slams over her features and she snaps her fingers again. Screams fill the room.
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"Your phone is ringing," Damon comments over the hum of the radio. After flying back to the boarding house, they had taken Damon's car just in case. In case of what, Elena doesn't want to know. She doesn't want to think about anyone getting hurt because of her.
Turning the music down, Elena holds the phone up so she can see who is calling.
"It's Caroline," she says, relief creeping into her worried tone. "Maybe Jeremy woke up."
"I seriously doubt it," Damon replies, shrugging with she gives him a look. "I just speak the truth. Last time it took him a few hours."
Elena leans against the window, pressing the phone to her ear. "I'm just glad that he was wearing his ring," she murmers. "I don't know what I would do if he died."
"You'd survive," Damon says simply.
Elena presses her lips together as she answers the phone. "Hey Care. How is he?"
"Well, hello Elena," a familiar voice croons.
"Katherine," Elena spits. Damon's eyes grow wide and starts to move the car over to the side of the road, but Elena shakes her head, gesturing for him to keep going. He complies, giving her phone a furious look that nearly sears the case.
"Brilliant," Katherine comments sarcastically. "You connected the dots."
"What are you doing with Caroline's phone?" Elena snaps.
"Why don't you say hi to Care-bear yourself?" Katherine suggests. There are muffled ends from her end and then the sound of sobbing fills the phone.
"Elena," Caroline whimpers. "She - she's got Jeremy and Bonnie trapped upstairs and she, oh God-"
There is the sound of a slap.
"What the hell did you do to her?" Elena snarls.
"Oh nothing," Katherine murmers, her voice like silk. "I just put her through a few rounds of Witchy Migraines. She's not unconscious...yet."
"You put Bonnie under your compulsion," Elena guesses quickly.
"Smart girl," Katherine praises, laughing. "I knew there was a reason Stefan chose you."
"Please tell me this has nothing to do with Stefan," Elena groans. "Is this really because of that twisted crush you have on him? Because if it is, you have to work that out with Stefan, not take it out on my friends. They did nothing to you."
Damon has turned his eyes as she mentions Stefan and is now staring at her through his peripherals, his expression like storm clouds. Elena touches his right hand, tangling their fingers for just a second.
"You're really that shallow," Katherine hisses. "Life doesn't revolve around relationships, Elena. I thought you would have figured that out by now."
"What is this about then?" Elena asks. "Stop playing games and tell me."
"It's nothing more than a lesson," Katherine coos. "Nothing more than a little game, between you and me, one that will teach you just how priceless life really is. Shall I tell you about the stakes?"
"Go ahead," Elena grunts, pressing a hand against her forehead.
"You have one hour to come to your home and kill me," Katherine says slowly, as if savoring each word. "If you fail to do so, I will kill your brother, Bonnie and Caroline, and trust me when I say I will enjoy dragging it out."
"If I win?" Elena asks, already imagining scenarios in which Stefan, Damon and the few Originals still around town head into her home and tear Katherine to pieces. The blackness in her heart cheers at the thought.
"Then I will be dead," Katherine says, "and you won't have to worry about me anymore. Oh, and Elena? Don't get any ideas about having your bodyguards kill me. I have to die within the hour at your hand, or the ones you love will die."
"But-" Elena cuts off. "I-"
She looks down at her flaking skin, at the blue veins traveling the length of her body, at the way that her eyes fog in and out, how her heart lurches and aches every second. "Why are you doing this Katherine? Do you just want me dead?"
Katherine laughs bitterly. "Why would I want to kill you? No. That wouldn't accomplish anything." There is a long pause in which Elena can hear the vampire breathing. "I want to burn you, Elena."
Elena presses down on the End Call button so hard she nearly cracks the front of her phone. Shuddering, she places the phone in her lip and says quietly, "Did you hear?"
"Everything," Damon says.
"I thought I was supposed to be dead by now," she whispers.
"You were," Damon answers hesitantly, already figuring out where she's going with it. Some part of his heart sinks, while another part of him begins to hope that maybe he has a chance at eternity with the girl that he loves.
"Maybe there's a reason my body is hanging on so long," Elena says, numbness creeping up and capturing her in icy hands. "Maybe I-" she breaks off, taking a deep breath.
"I have to turn, Damon," Elena breathes.
"You don't have to," Damon argues weakly, hope bursting to life within him.
Elena shakes her head. "She's threatening the ones that I love, and I will not sit here and let myself die while they are in trouble. If I have to stake myself later, so be it." Her hand tightens around his. "I'm going to transition."
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Damon pulls the car to a step against the sidewalk by the park, in clear view of the vacant swings and playset. The shops to the left are either boarded up or still closed. The only other person around is a jogger making her way down the other sidewalk across the street.
"Did you have to pick such a public place?" Elena snaps, knowing that the only reason she is lashing out at Damon is because of the overpowering terror building within her. She feels like she's going to throw up. "Someone's going to see."
"Elena," Damon says gently, "it's not even six yet." He points out the clock by the dashboard.
Elena takes a deep breath, watching as the woman bends down to tie her shoelaces. "Is she-"
She can't get the words out. They're stuck in her chest, bundled in with other whirling emotions and the decaying state of her body. Damon nods, taking hold of her hand.
"You still don't have to do this," he says, reaching out to touch her cheek with his free hand.
Elena leans into his palm, grateful for his presence. "I thought you wanted me to live," she says.
"Of course I want you to live," Damon answers, stroking her cheek with the side of his thumb. "But, in the end, it's your decision, Elena. I'm not going to try to change your mind if you really want to die."
Elena nods. "When the time comes," she asks, "will you stake me when I ask you to?"
Damon stares at her for a long time, his face slowly falling into sadness. "Don't ask me to do that," he says.
"Ok," Elena answers, squeezing his hand tightly and glancing back at the jogger, who is finally straightening up. "Damon, I'm scared."
"I was too, when I transitioned," Damon admits. "It's over quickly. Just don't kill her."
Elena looks at his handsome features, trying to imagine the fear on his face as Stefan had guided him towards the bleeding neck of a girl. It only makes him all the more real and human to her. Breathing deeply, Elena opens the passenger door, sliding out. Her feet crunch against leaves as they hit the ground and without thinking any more about what she is about to do, Elena walks quickly across the street and towards the jogger. Her breath curls in the air, the cold stinging her face. It feels refreshing, cleansing almost.
"Excuse me," Elena calls out, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Guilt hits her like a brick as the woman turns around, her face worried and welcoming, no hint of fear there.
"Is everything okay?" The woman asks.
"Yeah," Elena says. Her tongue dries up, the moisture rising to her eyes. Tears bud like dew drops on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, you just reminded me of someone I loved very much."
"Oh," the woman says, sympathy blossoming across her face. Her green eyes twinkle as she takes a step closer. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"
Elena shakes her head, the tears blinding her. I'm not okay, she thinks, her mouth salivating with hunger. I haven't been okay since my parents died, and now here I am, about to kill someone. "I'm sorry," she says again.
"What do you-" the woman begins, eyes widening as Elena lurches towards her, fangs slicing through her gums and piercing into fresh flesh. The woman lets out a gurgle, one that becomes a sigh of enchantment as the endorphins begin to work their magic. Elena feeds slowly, losing herself in the wonderful taste of fresh blood. As she sips, she feels something strengthening within her and the woman in her arms doesn't feel so heavy anymore.
Just don't kill her. Damon's words echo in her mind and with a gasp, Elena forces herself to pull back. Blood is already dripping onto the sidewalk, coating the woman's face and Elena's clothes. Elena begins to shake, feeling the horrible ache under her eyes and in her gums, fighting the consuming hunger within her.
"Elena."
She whirls around, a snarl building in her throat and red glazing her eyes. I have become the monster I never should have wanted in the first place.
"Elena, remember why you're doing this." She looks up, meets concerned blue eyes, like flecks of ice.
Jeremy, lying in a pool of his own blood. Bonnie, forced to hurt those that she loves. Caroline, sobbing on the floor. Stefan. Damon. Damon.
Opening her bloody lips, Elena whispers, "How much time do we have?"
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to be continued
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