"Parker!" McKenna turned around at the sound of her last name on unfamiliar lips. Paisley came flouncing up to her in the hallway of school and she suddenly had to turn on Miss Innocent.
"Hey, Paisley," she replied, turning back to her locker and grabbing the three books she needed for her first three classes. Closing her locker, she turned back to the other girl. "What's up?"
"My brothers are coming to the grill tonight and they want to meet my new friend. Are you working tonight?"
McKenna made a face at being Paisley's friend but covered it quickly with a look of thought. "I should be working tonight, yeah."
"Good. We'll be by about seven for dinner. I'll see you in history and then tonight."
As she flounced away, McKenna pulled out her phone and shot a quick text to Damon and Kol.
Hunters are siblings. Meeting them tonight at the grill at seven.
The two answers came in simultaneously.
Damon: Don't do anything stupid.
Kol: I'll tell Elijah. Do you need back up?
Shaking her head at her friend's concern, she answered.
No, Kol. I don't. Just make sure whatever plan the lot of you have cooked up works.
His next answer came in as quickly as the first. It was a snappy come back so she just read it, pocketed her phone, and went on to class. Tonight was the start of her acting career and she had to do a good job or this entire thing would be botched.
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After arguing with Rebekah in history over the meanings of the concentration camps in German controlled Poland, Czechoslovakia, and all the other countries, McKenna sighed as she closed the door to the staff workroom at the grill. Acting wasn't a big deal with Rebekah. She just didn't like her, even though she was technically with her older brother.
As she changed shirts, she hoped that Paisley would buy this entire thing. The survival of entire Mikaelsen family and the rest of the Salvatores depended on it. It could also mean her life if she too got caught. That wasn't an appetizing thought, especially since she wouldn't be dying because she was old, sick, or had a broken heart. It was because another human would kill her.
"Are you ready?" Matt asked out of the blue.
After much consideration, and a lot of arguing, the decision had been made to let Matt in on the plan. He was the person closest to her during work and he could get involved whereas the others couldn't. It had also been decided that he would be the one to give her a ride home every night this was going on, giving off the illusion they were dating.
She looked at him and thought about it. Sighing, she said, "Not really, but it has to be done."
He nodded. "Yeah, I know it sucks."
"No, you don't. My boyfriend is a thousand year old vampire who is being hunted. If people found out his real age, they'd definitely cite sexual assault and lock him in jail then kill him using odd circumstances. My best friend is his brother and the people I started living with are the only two left in their bloodline. There's no pressure in that."
Matt laughed. "Okay. I get it now. But now we have to pretend that we're dating. So don't be surprised if I grab you or kiss you or whatnot."
She nodded as she was saying, "I'm so glad Elijah's not here."
Boy was she wrong about that. When they walked out into the customer area, hand in hand, Elijah, Kol and Klaus sat at the bar. She would have jerked her hand out of Matt's but he tugged her closer to his side. That movement said not to move from his side and not to do anything stupid. She relaxed enough that her hand went slack and she rested her head on Matt's shoulder.
They got to work immediately. She turned on the charm and worked her way around the customers with her natural ease. A couple of times she felt different pairs of eyes on her. Turns out they were the Mikaelsen brothers. Of course. Kol would definitely be staring because he didn't want her doing this. Elijah didn't as well but he was saving himself from a fight he was sure would ensue should he do anything. (McKenna wasn't going to fight with him because of the agreement they had made and she never went back on her word.) Then Klaus was just watching because he needed entertainment.
"Don't look at them so hard," Matt whispered as he walked by. To make a point, he pressed a kiss to the side of her head and continued on.
She saw Elijah flinch but didn't otherwise move. The door opened and Paisley and two guys came in. As she was walking back to the bar, she sent a quick text to Kol and Matt.
They're here, the two guys and the girl at the door.
Matt caught her gaze from the other side of the room and nodded. Her phone started singing "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw, her father's favorite song. It was a text message from Kol.
We see them. Act like we're regular customers.
She took a deep breath and cleared all her thoughts. This was the moment she had been working for the last three days to get. It also meant that these last two weeks with Elijah, although moving very quickly like Bella and Edward in the Twilight movie, could be ended very quickly if she didn't do this right. Her phone sang again. This time it was Elijah.
No thoughts like that. Focus on what you're doing now.
Shaking her head of any thoughts that could hinder her job, she put her phone in her pocket and refused to look at the men to her left.
Paisley plopped her happy self down on the barstool and was flanked by her brothers. She smiled but that smile faded when she looked at the bartender. "Hey, Parker, what's wrong?"
"I just got in a fight with Matt," McKenna lied. With her eyes downcast, she flicked her gaze to Kol and he got right on letting Matt know what she had just said.
"Who's Matt?" She motioned with her head to the waiter moving around the room. He looked up and shook his head angrily. Paisley turned around with a surprised look on her face. "You're dating the quarterback of our high school team?" McKenna made a face. "Well you must be popular."
"Not many know about us. I'm still the new kid and catching the eye of the star quarterback isn't something that happens all the time. Now, what can I get you and are you going to introduce me to your two gentlemen?"
Paisley laughed. "Sorry. Juicy gossip got the better of me. These are my older brothers Caysen and Brad."
McKenna's eyebrows shot up. "Brad and Paisley? Did your mom have a secret fetish with Brad Paisley in general?"
The older boy, Brad, laughed. "No, I was born before Brad Paisley became famous, as was Paisley. Mom just liked the names so they stuck."
She nodded. "So what can I get you?"
"What's the special?"
Making a face, she sighed. "Matt! What's the special for tonight?"
Matt walked over and put the chalkboard on the wall. "Next time just look at the floor for this."
She cocked her hip with her fist resting on it. "You know what, if you're going to be an ass, I just won't ask you for help anymore."
"Good, don't." He stalked off to finish his job.
"Being the quarterback doesn't mean you get to be a total jerk, Matt!" He waved her off and went back to work. "I want to strangle him sometimes."
"Guys tend to have ulterior motives," Paisley said. "We'll have the special."
McKenna sent the order out, got their drinks, and looked around the grill. People were happy. They were eating, listening to music and playing pool. None of them knew that three vampires were sitting beside three hunters and that she and Matt were pawns in that struggle. Everyone in the room was in danger if a fright broke out.
And to make matters worse, Damon, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie and Caroline walked in. If this night was going to get any worse, it would be now. She took a deep breath and put her smile into overdrive.
"What can I get you?" she asked almost too bubbly.
Damon's mouth quirked. "I'd like bourbon please."
"You drink too much as it is, Damon."
"Well, don't stop me now."
She poured him a drink then looked to the others. "What about you?"
When the various orders came in, she walked back down the bar. Paisley was motioning to her when she pouring.
"What?" she asked.
"The two guys and the blond are vampires," she said.
McKenna put on a surprised face and looked down the bar. "Seriously? How do you know?"
"It's the way they move. Also, the other three down a little ways from them are also vampires," Brad said. He looked her square in the eye. "Paisley said you're thinking about joining us. We could use you to bring down these vampires."
"I don't know. Did she also tell you I'm an artist?"
"So am I," Caysen said. "I sculpt and yet I'm able to stake vampires in the heart."
"You can do that with a pick and a hammer. I can't do that with paint brushes."
"They're made of wood. All they need to be is sharpened then they make great stakes."
Her heart stuttered at the thought. Impaling Elijah and Kol with her paint brushes was not something she wanted to do. It made her sick just thinking about it. She pulled her gaze from the siblings and turned around to hide the sudden pain.
"Hey." It was Caysen who reached forward and touched her. "It's okay. It was hard my first time too."
Playing it up, she said, "I don't want to take a life, especially that of a person I think of as a friend."
"Vampires are not your friends. They pose as that but they aren't. They'll rip your throat out in a heartbeat to feel the rush of your blood pumping through their cold, lifeless veins."
A sob escaped her. She knew what they were, but the thought of Elijah doing that… It was too hard to think about.
"Hey!" Matt came around the bar and framed her face. "What'd you do to her?"
"Nothing. Honestly, we didn't do anything," Paisley said.
Matt cast them a look and then looked back at McKenna. "Are you okay?" She nodded as she blew out a ragged breath. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier."
"It's okay."
"I'll take you home tonight and we'll talk." She nodded again. He smiled tightly then kissed her forehead.
McKenna went back to work, steadily ignoring everyone, especially Elijah since he had a tight look on his face that said he wasn't happy.
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"Ready to go?" Matt asked around eleven thirty. They had closed the grill and cleaned up.
McKenna slid to the floor from the bar stool she had been sitting on. "Yeah. Cue the blood and gore."
"It's all in the plan. You see an attack and call them. You know the drill."
"Yeah, but I don't relish the thought of killing another living creature even if it is partially dead."
They walked outside. As Matt locked the door, McKenna looked out into the night. She enjoyed the peace and quiet as long as no one was dying. Matt came to her side, smiled at her, and then took her hand.
A black shadow jumped out in front of them. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was.
"Kol?" She stopped breathing as she watched her best friend go after her "boyfriend". He grabbed Matt and looked at her, pain in his eyes. "Kol, no!"
He bit Matt hard. The other boy cried out in pain and shook his head when McKenna went to get involved. After a few moments, Kol dropped Matt and looked at her.
"Kenna, I'm so sorry," he said. Then he was gone.
McKenna went to help Matt. He wasn't unconscious which meant Kol had only bit him for affect before taking off. She pulled out her phone and dialed Paisley's number.
"Hey, it's Parker. Matt was attacked by a vampire." She paused and looked at Matt. "I want in."
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"You said you wouldn't involve Kol!"
Elijah looked at McKenna. She was angry at him and she should be. "I had no choice. It was the only way I was going to get you to react the way you needed to."
"So you involve my best friend? That's sick and twisted and you know it!"
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry." She grabbed her jacket and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To Matt's. I have to keep up appearances." She slammed the door on the way out.
When the car couldn't be heard anymore, Klaus stepped out of the foyer. "Are you sure it's safe to let her be away from here?"
"She said so herself. She needs to keep up appearances and I trust the boy will keep her safe." Elijah looked at his brother. "Go to bed, Klaus. Please your woman."
Klaus nodded and went upstairs. Elijah sat down on the settee and stared into the fire, wondering what else he would have to do before they were all safe.