Chapter twenty three
Avril and Yvette looked at the house. It didn't look very ominous. It didn't feel precisely ominous. It was just a house after all. They walked around the outside; looking it over, inspecting it for things that Alex had no clue about. But they walked; keeping pace with one another, lock stepped and synchronized in movements, around the house three times in an ever widening spiral before coming to a halt in front of Damon and Alexandra.
"Just the other side of that oak is where we will want to start the circle." Avril said. "It's as far out as I can feel the power emanating. It's where their passive boundary lies."
"They are restless, sister. Can you feel it?" Yvette asked Alexandra who nodded. "Why don't we take the boys inside and begin?"
"We should wait until the sun sets." She said. "Emily Bennett likes to turn off Damon's ring."
"Does she?" Yvette said, black eyes narrowing. "I think that is even more reason to bring him along and put a stop to that nonsense once and for all."
"Gee, didn't know you cared." Damon said, unable to contain the sarcasm.
"I don't. But Alexandra does. Besides, it's a witch who doesn't know her place; she's in my domain now." Yvette said with a smile that reminded Damon for all the world of the Grinch. If a serpent could curl its lips, it would look like Yvette Sauveterre.
Alexandra looked his way, if there was any trepidation she would say no, but he shrugged, and said he was game. "Okay. Let's see how riled up we can get them." She knew the wooden bangles on her sisters wrists were made of Rowan wood. Not that they could cast magic from the other side. Not without a vessel. There was no sign of Bonnie Bennett. But she still looked to make sure she was wearing them before turning to lead the way back to the house.
They entered the house and the atmosphere immediately changed. It was cold outside, as March was giving up its final days, but it was colder still inside the house. The hair on the back of Alexandra's neck tickled and rose as if electrified.
"Stop that." Yvette said and even though spoken quietly, her words echoed through the house. The oppressive feeling lifted.
Damon rubbed his hands on his pants, and kept walking, carefully avoiding patches of sunlight.
"No." Yvette said looking over her shoulder at him. "Walk through it, Vampire." She said in a commanding tone.
"He's not yours to command." Alex said sharply.
"I keep forgetting how possessive you are." Yvette said rolling her eyes."Or is it that you think I'm being rude to your pet."
"Both." Alex answered.
"God you have gone so soft." Yvette said. "I have my reasons. Do as you're told, Damon." She emphasized his name, as though the word Vampire had been what Alex had found bothersome.
Damon frowned but had an idea as to what she wanted. He stepped into the sunlight then quickly through to the other side as he felt the heat scorch his flesh. "See, she's not impressed." But she was there and that was what Yvette had wanted to insure.
"You brought the fetter?" Yvette asked and smiled as her sister produced the simple heart shaped pendant. "Good." Again that smile that gave Damon the cold horrors. She held out her hand and Henry produced a coffin nail and a small hammer. She found the centermost point of the house and drove a nail through the heart into the floor. "That should keep her in place."
Alexandra closed the front door, and hammered a coffin nail above it. "Stay clear of the windows. We'll take care of those." She told Damon. "Find any other openings and cover those."
He nodded and headed down to the basement to take care of those he had seen below. Henry and Avril went through the house hammering nails into window sills and above the fireplaces.
Alexandra and Yvette stood in the center of the house and clasped hands and began to chant in unison, holding the spirits within the house while the exits were locked with coffin nails.
Damon struggled to make it up the stairs under the weight of their combined energies. He was undead and nearly as susceptible to it as the ghosts they were binding in place. He forced himself upright and went to take his place behind Alexandra.
"Okay, so you're looking at getting married in June. As in this June, less than four months away, June." Bonnie said shaking her head "And you haven't even picked out your wedding dress?"
"Yeah I know. I should put it off a little but I have to try. If it doesn't seem to be coming together in a couple months I'll put it off until next year. Maybe Valentine's day since he proposed to me then." Elena said smiling.
"If anyone can put together a June wedding in three months it's us." Caroline said. "I'm an expert at event planning. Maybe that's what I should do… professionally I mean. I have to support myself somehow."
"That sounds like a great idea." Bonnie said sincerely. "I think you'd be great at it." She winced, rubbing at her forehead.
"And you'll love it." Elena said. She frowned then, "Bonnie, are you alright?" She asked worriedly, giving Caroline a knowing glance. It was started.
"I ahm, yeah, I'm okay, Just a little dizzy." She said, shaking her head again, and then straightening. "What's going on?" Bonnie asked looking between the girls. "There is something going on I can feel it. What are they doing at the house?" She started for the door but Caroline moved quickly in the way.
"It's for your own good, Bonnie. You have to believe us. " Elena said, coming up behind her.
"You're a part of it? After everything I have done for you, sacrificed for you, this is how you pay me back?" Bonnie yelled. She concentrated and put her hands up directed at both girls, and her eyes widened. "You know about the Rowan…" Her eyes were wild and manic looking.
She began to chant closing her eyes. The room was filled with a whirlwind. It ripped apart the bridal magazines, sending a flurry of sharp edged paper into the air, whipping faster and faster with Bonnie at the eye of the storm.
Caroline and Elena brought their hands up to protect their eyes. "Bonnie, stop it!" Caroline yelled above the wind. "We're not letting you leave here no matter what. We love you. You have to be free of that place. ."
The whirl wind was a buzz saw of sharp edges now, as it cut through fabric and the seemingly delicate flesh of the two vampires.
Damon didn't wait to be asked; he slid his hands beneath her sweater, resting them on her waist. He stood close behind her allowing her to brace against him, saving even more of her reserves. The connection with her eased the oppressive weight that had threatened to lay him flat to the floor.
He was blown away by the surge of energy that flowed around and through them. The sisters were feeding each other and drawing power from the very spirits they were binding into place. When it was done it was immediately gone and he stumbled backwards.
"Easy baby." Alex said smiling, still vibrating from the surge herself. "Let get out of here. We're only half done." She said.
"You spoil him too much, you know that don't you?" Yvette said laughing as they all walked outside.
"Every chance I get." Alexandra admitted. "Do you think they can keep the witch contained while we do this?" She asked Damon.
"Don't know. If not we'll find out soon enough. " Damon said and nodded to his brother who had just arrived with Matt and a truck load of salt. He clasped Henry on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get this done."
Henry looked to Yvette who nodded. The vampire followed Damon over to the truck.
"Guys, Henry, Henry, Guys." Damon said as he pulled a bag of rock salt from the truck. "They want us to start just the far side of that oak over there. "
"Hi" Matt said to Henry handing him a bag of rock salt, the vampire gave a hint of a brief smile and nodded before taking the bag and going over to the tree to begin spreading the salt.
"Is he okay?" Stefan asked.
"Henry doesn't talk much." Damon said. " Which is to say not at all without express permission from Yvette. He mouthed off once about a hundred years ago. She's not a forgiving girl. So next time someone tells you that I'm a thrall…remember Henry. Until I look like that, butt out." He said pointedly and carried the bag toward the tree. "Let's get a move on, no telling how long they can keep Bonnie out of it."
Jeremy ran for the house. He'd been late getting out of the Grill. With no one else in the house working he couldn't afford to lose his job and he figured that Caroline and Elena could handle Bonnie for a little while longer on their own.
He hurried up the walk and up to the front door. He could hear the sound of rushing wind inside the house and the girls yelling from the kitchen. He dropped his pack and rushed into the room just in time to see one of the dining room chairs crash into the brick wall. It shattered into pieces and the pieces flew toward the girls.
"Bonnie no!" he yelled and dove for his sister, shoving Elena out of the way of the debris. His face was quickly lacerated by the paper as he righted himself and moved toward Bonnie, it carved away pieces of his shirt, cut into his jeans and the flesh beneath. "You have to stop. " He said coming closer still until he held her face in his hands.
"Jeremy?" she said. "Why are they doing this? Why?" She asked breathlessly.
"To save you." He said. His back arched and he gave a strangled cry of pain. Jeremy stumbled back looking at Bonnie in shock before dropping to the ground.
"No!" Bonnie cried. The spells were forgotten and it all seemed to fall to the ground in slow motion, fluttering to a stop as Jeremy curled around himself, a piece of mahogany protruding from his side. "Jeremy!"
Elena moved to her brother's side, shoving Bonnie back away from him. "Jer? Come on, tell me you're wearing the ring, "She said looking over both of his hands.
He shook his head "Ric said it was dangerous… "
"No no no no no. Jeremy no." Elena said gingerly examining the wood. "If I take it out it might kill you." She said and looked around frantically. "Okay … okay." She said and let her fangs grow, biting her wrist. "Drink this… you'll be okay so long as you drink." She moved her wrist over his mouth but he grabbed her arm and shook his head.
"What?" She asked. "Jeremy don't do this to me you have to drink."
"No." He said again and groaned as a spasm rocked his body.
Caroline wasted no time arguing. She called 911 for an ambulance. She had no idea how they were going to explain it but that wasn't the biggest of her concerns.
"I am so sorry, Jeremy. Please oh god Jeremy." Bonnie said moving closer to him once more.
Elena glared at her, and punched her in the face. Her best friend fell to the ground unconscious. "Get her to Stefan's."
Caroline nodded. "I'll get her locked up and meet you at the hospital." She said picking Bonnie up. "I'll get there as soon as I can." She told her.
Elena nodded as she pulled Jeremy's head into her lap. "You can't leave me." She told her brother.
"Gonna happen eventually." He said raggedly. "I don't want to be a vampire. " Jeremy told her. "Don't let anyone give me blood."
"I won't " She said. "I'll take care of you, I promise. " Elena curled around him protectively as he drifted into unconsciousness. "Just don't leave me… don't leave me."
The vampires worked at super human speed to lay the salt line around the perimeter of the house. Alexandra and Yvette walked the line, one on either side each adding something different to the line while Avril knelt at the base of the tree, mixing herbs and resins into a brazier.
As the women rejoined each other, Matt whispered to Stefan "This would be a bad time to quote MacBeth wouldn't it."
Stefan chuckled. "When shall we three meet again-" He added unable to resist. "In thunder, Lightning or in rain."
"When the hurleyburley's done, when the battles lost and won." Matt said grinning at Stefan. "If Mr. Hamilton could hear us now."
"You read? Who knew?" Damon teased back, grinning at the kid.
Matt rolled his eyes, and shook his head, "Dick" he said even as he grinned back at Damon. "Big dumb Jocks still have to pass senior English."
"When you have time I have a project for you. I need some Vervain dug up." Damon said quietly.
"Sure."
"Vervain?" Stefan asked.
"Its surrounding Mom's grave." Damon said. He was surprised Stefan hadn't seen it. He'd been on the property that weekend showing Elena around. He would have thought that would be one of the important places to show her, but then Stefan hadn't known their mother as well as Damon had. He hadn't known her when she'd been strong and vibrant and beautiful. She'd gotten sick the first time just a few years after his birth.
Avril began to chant in earnest and the vampires fell silent. Alexandra and Yvette stood on the opposite sides of her intoning the words of their own rite. Stefan thought the two different types of magic combined sounded like music . He closed his eyes and listened, feeling more than hearing the chords and dissonances as Alexandra and Yvette began to sing around Avril's chant.
He didn't notice that his eyes darkened, flesh paled with visible veins. He didn't feel his teeth elongate or even notice that he had taken a step toward them.
Henry and Damon exchanged a wide eyed glance and each one grabbed Stefan by an arm and pulled him away from the site just as Avril poured the contents of the brazier onto the dense salt line.
Flames spread along the circle quickly, and when the circle was completed they raised high into the air, scorching the branches of the oak until nothing on the inside of the line remained. Then the flames extinguished leaving no sign that there had ever been a line.
"Easy, Brother." Damon said, keeping a hand on Stefan's chest. "No necromancy for you." He told him. "You like the feel too much. Must be all that pesky guilt looking for punishment." There was definitely no inviting Stefan along to play in Alex's necromancer games. He'd wind up addicted from the side lines. Leave it to Stefan to have a reaction of one extreme or the other.
"I'm okay." He said breathing deeply. "I'm okay." Stefan was having a hard time shaking the feeling. It had been intoxicating somewhere between agony and ecstasy and he definitely wanted to feel it again. He frowned as his cell phone went off. "Hello?" He said swallowing hard. "…I'm on my way. … He's going to be okay. …I'll be right there." Stefan said again and hung up. " Jeremy is in the hospital. Apparently Bonnie reacted violently and he took a stake to the side. "
"She gave him blood right?" Damon asked.
Stefan shook his head. "He doesn't want it."
"To hell with what he wants. Feed the kid. He'll survive we'll make sure he doesn't croak in the next 24 hours it'll be fine." Damon said.
"I'll talk to her about it. I'm out of here." Stefan said.
"Yeah, you go, I'll catch up when we're through with clean up here." Damon said and Stefan was gone from sight instantly. "You too." He told Matt.
Stefan arrived shortly after Caroline and found Elena in the surgical waiting room. "Any word?" He asked.
Elena shook her head as she went to him, wrapped her arms around him and cried into his chest. "They say his chances are good if the stake missed his intestines… if he'd been wearing the ring he'd be alright. I can't believe Bonnie hurt him. She tried to kill me and hurt him instead. "
Stefan looked at Caroline.
"Elena knocked her out. I took her to the cell at your place. Figured we could sort it out later. She was crazed, Stefan. I have never seen anyone like that before." Caroline closed her arms around herself as she began to pace. "I think Damon is right about her."
"We'll find out tomorrow. Let's just worry about Jeremy tonight." Stefan said as he gently rocked Elena in his arms.
Caroline nodded looked up as Matt rushed into the room as well. "Damon and Alex are on their way." He said going to take a seat beside Caroline. He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. "He'll be okay."
Caroline wasn't so sure. They had all lost so many people in so short a time that she didn't believe that anyone would simply be okay. She could tell just by looking in Elena's eyes that she felt the same way.
The clock seemed to be moving in slow motion, and it seemed an eternity had passed before Damon and Alexandra arrived. "Any word?" He asked and again Elena shook her head. "When he gets out of surgery I'll make sure he's okay. " He told her.
She shook her head. "He doesn't want that."
"Then I'll make him forget. It will heal him and we'll baby sit him so that we don't have a repeat of what happened to you or Caroline." Damon said earnestly.
"I promised him, Damon. I promised him I wouldn't let anyone give him blood." Elena said beginning to cry again.
"I didn't promise anyone anything, and you can't stop me. Give me a sign that's what you want and I'll do it. You can blame it all on me. I can take it. " She couldn't lose anyone else. She'd fly apart at the seams. It would be hard enough as a human but she didn't have the hang of her vampire emotions yet. It would tear her apart.
She shook her head no. "I promised."
"God, Elena…"
Alex could hear it in Damon's voice, the way that he desperately sought to ease the girl's pain, even knowing it could make him an outcast amongs them. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her. The way her tears seemed to tear at him like vervain and vitriol. He still loved her. She felt someone's eyes on her and looked up. It was Stefan. The sympathy in those green eyes was almost too much to bear.
Alex resisted the urge to reach out and touch Damon as he stood at their side and gently stroked the dark tresses of the girl in his brother's arms. How much further could she claim him after all and not become her sister? He wasn't her possession. He wasn't her territory. He was a man and as always a man in love with someone else. In spite of being her thrall Damon Salvatore was still in love with Elena Gilbert.
This was why she was here. This was why he was desperate to keep the bond. This and nothing more. The question was which would win, her love for her friend or her self-respect and pride?
"I'm going to go get a cup of coffee. Anyone else want one?" She offered, needing to get away from this even if just for a moment.
"Yeah." Matt said, quietly. Coffee sounds good."