So the vampire who disappeared from the scene of the crime was… *drum rolls* Elijah, my favorite Original (My favorite character on the show, actually). Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Miscommunication

Elijah stood, well concealed in the shadows across the street. He hadn't meant to humiliate the girl by disappearing. But then, he hadn't expected her to try and save him either. It amused and puzzled him. Then Sheriff Forbes had berated the poor girl, causing her to stalk away in fury and shame. Perhaps he'd have a chance to make it up to her somehow…

Blaze indeed felt furious. She'd been feeling so aggressive lately. Perhaps it was all the vampires. Or maybe, a tiny voice said in her mind, you're still sad about your dad dying. "Ugh, ridiculous," Blaze denied to herself. It had to be the vampires. It had to be.

The next morning Tyler was walking out to his car to go to school when he heard a soft cry. He promptly dropped his bag, following the sound. Then he smelled it. Blood. Tyler raced ahead to find the source when he spotted a familiar face sobbing against a tree.

"Blaze?"

She had a deep gash in her calf, and tears streamed from her face into the black trench coat she wore.

"Oh my gosh, Blaze." Tyler ran to her side to see how badly she was hurt.

"Tyler," Blaze whispered hoarsely.

"I guess this is a bad time to say it's great to see you," Tyler tried to lighten the mood. "I mean, what the hell happened? What are you doing out here?"

"Tyler," she cried as he grabbed her arm to help her to her feet. "Tyler, I'm so sorry."

"What?" Tyler started to ask, but then he felt a sharp pain lance into his heart.

Real tears streamed down her face as she pulled the vervain syringe from his chest and replaced it with a stake also coated in the lethal herb. But it had to be done¸ she reasoned, and Blaze quickly wrapped the resilient vampire in vervain ropes.

School hadn't started yet when Matt spotted Elena and Caroline chatting outside, but he still felt pretty overwhelmed at the whole vampire/hunter situation. But he decided to go over and say hi anyway. "Hey, what's up guys?"

"Oh hey, Matt. Elena and I were just discussing what we found out about Blaze and the vamp hunter last night." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"You guys heard about that, huh?" Matt was surprised they were acting so calm.

"It's ridiculous if you ask me." Caroline pursed her lips. "And where on earth is Tyler? He should be here by now."

Matt couldn't believe his ears. "Ridiculous? It's more than ridiculous, Care, it's dangerous for you guys."

"Oh please. Connor may be dangerous, but Blaze? I don't think so."

"Well she had me fooled. And Rebekah."

"Rebekah?" Elena suddenly tuned in.

"Yeah, didn't she tell you guys that Blaze, you know… staked her?"

"WHAT?" Caroline practically screamed.

"Matt, we didn't see Rebekah yesterday," Elena gaped. "Blaze told Stefan that Connor drove off with her in his truck."

"What?" Matt had clearly underestimated her. "Blaze and Connor are working together. She's a vampire hunter."

"Shoot." Caroline's hand rested anxiously over her mouth. "Tyler's not answering his phone."

"Go," Elena peered at her friend. "Matt and I will cover for you."

Caroline hesitated for a moment, taking a quick breath before vanishing from sight.

Man, he's heavy. Blaze admittedly struggled as she carried Tyler, but she managed to make to her truck in pretty good time. She had just dumped him in the back seat when she felt an eerily familiar breeze.

She opted for a syringe instead of a stake, deftly sliding it from her coat before turning around to face the blond vampire.

"We trusted you," Caroline fumed loudly. "Matt trusted you."

"You're all the reason my father's dead," Blaze countered sharply. "I'm only after vengeance."

"Well, that's too bad," Caroline glared, "Because you messed with the wrong vampires."

Blaze leapt out of the way as the blond vampire charged, denting the truck. Then, flipping around, she stabbed Caroline in the spine with a vervain syringe.

Caroline screamed in paralyzed agony and soon lost consciousness. Blaze flipped her over on her back, and pulled out a stake to finish the job. But just as she lifted her arm to strike, a voice rang out behind the trees.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Blaze turned to see a blond man with a British accent emerge into the clearing. Oh great, Another Original. "Why does it matter? What is she to you?" Blaze challenged.

"Let me be clear," Klaus smirked serenely, "If you kill Caroline, I'll be forced to remove your insides."

It was the creepy smile that did it, and Blaze slowly lowered the stake. "What about Tyler?"

Klaus considered his options and sighed. "By all means, take the hybrid. He's of no use to me." It was a faultless opportunity for him to both save the girl and remove the opposition.

Blaze stood up carefully, gripping at the sleeve of her coat as she climbed into the truck, but the intimidating Original ignored her, lifting Caroline into his arms and disappearing into the woods.

Half an hour later Blaze met with Connor on the edge of town.

"That was faster than I expected." Connor lifted Tyler's paralyzed but conscious figure from the truck.

"A vampire I didn't recognize called him a hybrid. What do you think that means?"

Connor's gazed at her meaningfully. "It means we're dealing with a vampire-werewolf hybrid."

Blaze suddenly felt the rug pulled out from under her. "Wait, you knew what Tyler was and didn't bother to tell me?"

"You handled it. Move on." Connor tilted his head, as if to challenge her.

"What? If you know something, you need to tell me. We're a team…" Blaze spat.

"No, I'm a hunter. You're just a kid who got lucky."

Blaze's jaw dropped. Of all the unbelievable, condescending idiots… "You may have the knowhow, but I've got the edge. Mark my words, you'll need me again before this is all over."

She sent one last apologetic glance toward Tyler and fled in sadness and crazed frustration.

Her house was close by, and Blaze quickly ran in and opened the closet. She pulled a delicately crafted stake from her family cache of weapons. It was her father's, but it had never been used. Until now.

Blaze couldn't think straight. Her father's death, Connor's rejection of her and his appalling underestimation of her abilities, vampires on every corner… it was all wearing down on her. She didn't care who she ran into next. If they were a vampire, she was going to stake them.

Elijah watched carefully as the Harris girl left her house and stalked furiously up the street. She appeared shaken and unhinged, and his curiosity was admittedly piqued.

Blaze had gone a few blocks when she heard soft footsteps from behind. She quickened her pace and turned abruptly into an alleyway. In the blink of an eye Stefan Salvatore stood before her.

"Where's Tyler and Caroline?" He pinned her chest with his arm, and gazed at her threateningly. Apparently he was still upset about being lied to…

"Go to hell." Blaze spat right in his face.

"If either of them are dead I will kill you, Blaze."

Stefan didn't consider for a second that Blaze was the one doing all the staking. He'd just assumed that she was Connor's helper, so he wasn't expecting the stake that slipped down from Blaze's hand into her sleeve.

She stabbed him in the gut and twisted a knob at the top. The knob jettisoned vervain throughout several apertures of the stake, causing Stefan to stumble back and gasp in pain.

"I didn't kill you, because you were so nice to me yesterday. And I didn't kill Tyler or Caroline either," Blaze glowered at the semi-conscious vampire. "Connor has Tyler, and some British guy took Caroline before I could stake her. But, rest assured, I will avenge my father's death, so I wouldn't stick around if I were you."

Blaze syringed the woozy Stefan, and he blacked out instantly. Then she cursed to herself. She'd wanted to kill a vampire, but not Stefan. If it had been Damon, well, that would have ended much differently, or maybe that vampire who'd embarrassed her the night before.

But a tiny voice in her head whispered, No. Not him.

Blaze shook her head, trying to rid herself of the irrational thought, but something about that vampire in a suit had caused her to try and save him. Something stirred within her… and she didn't like it.

Elijah raised an eyebrow as Blaze ran from the alley. He never would have expected his rescuer to be a vampire hunter. He gazed at her in amusement as she disappeared out of sight. He'd have to keep an eye on that one.

So… Stefan got staked, but not in the heart. Phew! And good thing Klaus showed up to save Caroline. I don't know if I'm going to delve into Klaroline interactions at all, or if I should just leave it to the imagination. Lol. Anyway, there's still one Original Blaze hasn't encountered yet. He'll be showing up in the next couple chapters. Please Review! Thanks!

-Viola