We`re slowly nearing the end. There will only be a few more chapters. I don`t know how many, yet.
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„No, no, no. These boxes need to be carried out to the backyard. Not in here." Carol Lockwood ordered with an exasperated sigh. Alaric resisted the urge to roll his eyes and picked up the boxes again, wondering for what seemed like the thousandth time how he always got roped into this. He really needed to learn to just say no.
Okay, this time it was all Jenna`s fault. She had enlisted his help with setting up the Masquerade Ball at the Lockwood Mansion and he just hadn`t been able to say no. After all, she was always there when he needed someone to talk to and had been a big help for him over the past few weeks.
Carrying the boxes outside he passed Elena, ignoring the look she sent his way. Four days had gone by since the little incident in Damon´s bedroom and still Elena was looking at him with a mixture of pity and some emotion he couldn`t really identify, whenever they crossed path. Stefan`s facial expression seemed to be set in a permanent frown these days, but according to Damon that was nothing new. Still it was grating on Ric`s nerves. He wasn`t sure however if the secretive smiles Caroline sent his way were all that much better.
Sheriff Forbes had returned home yesterday, freshly compelled after her unwilling stay at the Salvatore boarding house. According to Damon she and Caroline had talked it out, had even made up, but the blonde vampire had still compelled her mother to forget everything that had happened, not really trusting her to keep it secret. Liz thought she had been sick and had therefore stayed home for a few days. It was probably better this way.
Aside from that not much had changed. Ric and Damon hadn`t talked about Caroline`s words, had chosen to ignore them instead. But they kept repeating in the teacher´s head like a mantra. They`re so obviously in love. He couldn`t help but wonder if she was right, but was too afraid to confront Damon about it.
Despite the fact that quite a few people knew about them now, they still kept their relationship private. Elena and Stefan had promised to keep their mouth shut, probably glad that the teacher at least didn`t want to make it public and even Caroline refrained from gossiping so far. Ric was wondering what Damon had said to her. Knowing Damon it had most likely been a threat.
Elena had tried to talk to him about the events of that night once, but Ric had made it clear that he trusted Damon and had asked her to let it go. She might be his pseudo-stepdaughter or whatever and he really appreciated her concern, but he still didn`t want her to meddle in his affairs. After a long talk with Jenna, who had found the whole thing highly amusing, the brunette had complied. Now if only she would stop looking at him like that.
The teacher was startled out of his musings by the arrival of a certain dark haired vampire. "Hey. Didn`t know you got roped into helping, too." Ric greeted him. Damon shrugged in response. "Maybe I`m just here to see you." Alaric could feel his cheeks heat at the statement and hoped Damon wouldn`t notice. The vampire was just joking around after all. Wasn`t he? But Damon`s grin told him he had noticed. Surprisingly enough he didn`t tease Ric about it.
"I just had a little chat with my brother. He had some rather… disturbing news." Alaric frowned, not liking the sound of that. "What news?" he asked, although he wasn`t really sure he even wanted to know. "Katherine's dating Mason Lockwood." Okay, that was a surprise. "What? Are you sure?" He had thought Mason was interested in Jenna. "Obviously witchy had a vision or something. And since I highly doubt that Mason has a secret affair with Elena… Also, like my baby bro pointed out, Mason got into town right after Katherine did. Could be coincidence, but I doubt it."
"But… Katherine and Mason? That´s an unlikely pair, don't you think?" the teacher questioned. "She's got to be using him. Maybe she wants the moonstone as well and is using Mason to get it." Damon mused. Ric nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, maybe. What are we gonna do now?" Damon was about to answer, when Anna and Jeremy walked up to them. "I didn`t get the stone. Tyler gave it to his uncle." the teen said without warning. Well, at least he wasn't beating around the bush.
"Okay, that changes things." Damon said. "We need to find out why he wanted that stone. And we better hurry. If it`s really Katherine who wants the stone there`s a chance he already gave it to her." Ric nodded in agreement. "Wait, what has Katherine to do with all this?" Anna spoke up for the first time. Ric had noticed that she was a rather quiet girl. Not only in class. "She`s dating Mason Lockwood." the teacher explained. Anna looked troubled at the news. "That´s not good. I think she made a deal with George Lockwood back in 1864. Emily said he arranged her escape in exchange for some magical artefact." she let the men know.
"The moonstone?" Jeremy guessed, but the girl only shrugged. "I don`t know. Emily wouldn`t tell me more. But Katherine must have known about the Lockwood curse. She once said that George used the vampires to cover his own tracks. It didn`t make much sense to me back then, but now…" Alaric was rather surprised by how much she knew. But then again, she was a quiet girl and therefore easily overlooked. She had probably heard a lot back then, because people weren`t really paying attention to her.
"Come on, Ric. We`ve got to find that dog." Damon muttered. Ric nodded and told the vampire to lead the way. "Wait, what do you want us to do?" Jeremy stopped them. Damon glanced back at him, his eyebrows shooting up at the teen`s eagerness. "Nothing." Jeremy looked indignant. "We can help you. I`m no kid that has to be protected. I helped you already." he protested. "He`s right, Jeremy. If Katherine is behind all this you don`t want to get involved. Please, just let it go." Anna practically begged. Jeremy hesitated for a second, but then complied with a sigh.
Satisfied that the boy would stay out of their way, Ric and Damon walked towards the house. "He`s got to be here somewhere, right?" Damon asked. "I know I saw him earlier. Not sure if he left, though. I didn't pay all that much attention." Ric admitted. He stopped when Damon suddenly veered off to the right and was about to question the vampire when he spotted Bonnie. "What are you doing?" Ric asked, but the vampire ignored him and headed straight for the witch.
"We need your help. Come on." Without waiting for a reply, Damon her grabbed her arm and pulled her out into the garden. Ric had a very bad feeling about this and hurried to follow them. "What do you want?" Bonnie asked, freeing herself from Damon`s grasp. "I need a favour." Bonnie looked at him like he`d gone mad. "Like that's gonna happen."
"Bonnie, please. I know how you feel about helping Damon, but Katherine is a threat to us all. We really need your help here." Ric chimed in, trying to mediate. "We don`t ask much. All you have to do is touch Mason Lockwood again to see if he gave Katherine the moonstone." Damon explained. The witch frowned. "My visions don't work like that. I get random pictures, maybe a vague feeling. I don't get to ask questions."
"Great. That means we`ll have to do it the hard way." the vampire muttered, turning to Ric. "Think you could lure him away? I can hardly knock him out and carry him off with that many people around." The teacher frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. "Carry him off? What exactly is your plan?" he asked sceptically. "We`ll bring him to the boarding house, chain him down and… question him." Damon stated. "Torture him until he talks, you mean?" Ric guessed, appalled at the idea. "Well, if you wanna put it that way…" Damon didn`t even have the decency to look sheepish. In fact he looked rather smug. Shaking his head in resignation, the teacher declared: "You can`t just torture him."
"And what do you suggest?" Damon wanted to know. "I suggest we ask him." The vampire looked at Ric like he`d lost his mind. "And you seriously think he`s just going to tell us the truth? He`s with Katherine, Ric." Alaric stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest. "I don`t care. He hasn`t done anything to harm us so far. I won`t let you make an enemy." Damon snorted. "He attacked Stefan and vampire Barbie." he reminded. "He said it was an accident. And before you ask, yes I believed him." Ric stated firmly.
"Guess you don`t need me anymore. So I`ll let you talk it out or whatever. Just keep me out of it, okay." Bonnie spoke up again, before turning her back on the two men and walking back inside. Neither paid her much attention. Realizing that Damon wasn`t going to back down anytime soon, Ric tried for a compromise. "Let me talk to him. And if that doesn´t work, we`ll do it your way. Okay?"
For a long moment the vampire just stared at him. Finally he huffed a sigh. "We will talk to him. I won´t leave you alone with a werewolf. And if he`s uncooperative, which he will be, you´ll help me to get answers the hard way." Alaric didn`t like it, but he knew that they really had no other choice here, so he agreed. He only hoped Mason wouldn`t be as uncooperative as Damon thought.
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They found Mason in the parking lot, unloading boxes from a truck. He gave the two men a suspicious look when they strolled up to him. "Hey guys, something wrong?" He tried to play it cool, but even Ric could tell he was nervous. Good, maybe that would make him talk. "We wanted to talk to you. Do you have a minute?" the teacher asked, trying to keep his tone light. No need to get the guy even more alarmed. Still Mason seemed wary. "I guess. Let`s go inside." he offered. Inside, where Carol was supervising lots of volunteers who helped to decorate the house. The werewolf wasn`t stupid.
"Sure, why not. Let`s go inside where we can talk in private." Damon agreed. Mason nodded and led them into the house. They walked down the hall into an office. The werewolf shut the door behind them and sat down on the couch, while Damon and Ric remained standing. "What's Katherine doing in Mystic Falls?" the vampire asked without preamble. Mason`s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly tried to hide his surprise and shrugged. "I don`t know who you`re talking about. Sorry."
Damon´s eyes narrowed. "Don`t play dumb. We know you`re here with her. We also know that you`re looking for a moonstone that can supposedly break a curse and that your nephew gave it to you. What we don`t know is why you want the stone. And why Katherine is here." he said. Mason tensed, but didn`t look ready to back down. "She's here with me. Why do you ask, are you jealous?" he taunted and Ric had to stifle a curse. Baiting Damon. So not a good idea. The vampire gave a humourless laugh. "Yeah, right. I pity any guy who´s dumb enough to fall for that bitch." he spat.
"Maybe she compelled him?" Ric mused aloud. "He´s supernatural, so she can't compel him. No, I'm sure she used her other charms. Katherine's good that way. I fell for it too." Damon muttered darkly, turning back to the werewolf. "Okay, I don`t have time for your little games. I want answers. And I want them now." he demanded. Mason just stared at him and stubbornly kept his mouth shut. Ric decided it was time for an intervention or this might end very nasty. "Mason, I suggest you tell us what we want to know. You said you didn`t want to make enemies. You should stick to that."
His words didn`t have any effect. Giving Ric a look that clearly said "I told you so.", Damon took a menacing step towards the werewolf. "I`m playing it nice right now to humour Ric, but if you`re not cooperating I have other methods to get you to talk. And I would be more than happy to use those. Believe me." he threatened in a low voice. "Why do you want that stone?"
Mason hesitated for a moment. Then he obviously realized that the vampire wasn`t kidding and his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm getting it for Katherine. She's going to use it to lift the curse." he explained. Damon and Ric shared a confused glance. "Of the moon? Why would she help a werewolf break a curse that keeps them from turning whenever they want?" the vampire asked completely puzzled. "Because she loves me and then I wouldn't have to turn anymore." He really seemed to believe that. He sounded so sure. "Katherine doesn't love you. She's using you, you moron." Damon said harshly.
"No, she loves me. She`s the only one who was there for me, when…" Mason trailed off, looking like he`d already said too much. "When what?" Damon asked, taking another step closer, towering over the werewolf threateningly. "When I activated the curse." Mason whispered. "I had gotten into a fight. With a friend. He was drunk and thought I had slept with his girlfriend. I hadn`t. But he wouldn`t believe me, wouldn`t back down, so I pushed him and… he died." His voice sounded broken and Ric found himself actually feeling sorry for the guy. Damon however looked thoughtful.
"You`re friend attacked you? Didn`t back down? Was that unusual for him?" he asked and Ric slowly realized what he was getting at. Mason however frowned, not understanding. "Very. He wasn`t a violent guy usually." The vampire made a tsking sound. "You're really that stupid, aren`t you? A friend attacks you without reason and you never wondered why?" Now the werewolf seemed completely puzzled. "Katherine compelled him. She made him attack you." Ric spoke up. For a moment Mason seemed to ponder that, but then he shook his head vehemently.
"No way! She would never do something like that. She loves me. And I love her." he declared. Damon snorted. "I know you believe that. I've been where you are. I`ve wasted 145 years pining for that bitch. But Katherine will only rip your heart out." The werewolf got up and turned away. "I`ve told you all I know. I suggest you leave now."
"You told us nothing useful." Damon argued. "Where is the stone? Do you still have it? Or did you give it to her already?" Mason didn`t react. Ric was about to say something, when Damon pushed the werewolf forcefully against a wall. Ric flinched at the sound of the impact. One of Damon`s hands went to Mason`s throat, choking him. "Answer my questions." he ordered, his voice dangerously low. Mason struggled, but he was no match for the vampire`s strength. Alaric watched the scene with growing discomfort. This was a side of Damon he didn`t like.
"I`m giving it to her tonight." Mason finally choked out. Damon let go and the werewolf slumped to the ground, coughing and clutching at his throat. "When and where?" Looking up at Damon, Mason shook his head. "I`m done talking. You can kill me, but then you`ll never find the stone." Ric had to admit, his resolve was quite impressive. The vampire however didn`t look impressed at all. He looked pissed, ready to grant Mason`s wish and kill him.
Ric knew he had to do something to stop him. Aside from the fact that Mason didn`t deserve death, it would also cause a lot of commotion and he wasn`t sure if anyone had seen them enter the room with Mason. Acting quickly, he grabbed Damon´s arm and steered him towards the door. "Come on, he won`t tell us more. Just let it go." The vampire allowed Ric to lead him out, but once they were back in the hallway, he pulled out of the teacher`s grasp and stormed away.
Alaric followed him warily. "Great plan. We`ve learned nothing." Damon grumbled as they reached the parking lot. "We learned that he`s in love with Katherine. That he believes her lies and that she wants the stone. And that she doesn`t have it, yet. He wouldn`t have told us more." the teacher argued. "Yes, he would. I would have made him talk, if we had done it my way. But no, you had to go all pacifist on me." Damon spat.
"I can`t let you run around, torturing and killing innocent people." Alaric protested. "Innocent? He`s a fucking werewolf and Katherine`s newest plaything!" the vampire shot back. Ric shook his head sadly. "Don´t be like this, Damon." He hated how broken his voice sounded. Hated seeing this dark side of the vampire. "Like what? Like a vampire? This is what I am, Ric. I`m a killer. It`s my nature. You have no idea how many people I`ve killed. And aside from a handful of exceptions I don`t feel remorse over any of them."
The teacher turned away, not wanting Damon to see how much the words hurt him. What had he been expecting? Damon was a vampire. And it wasn`t like Ric hadn`t known that he had killed many people. He just chose not to think about it usually. Had pushed the thought away and concentrated on the vampire`s good treats. "You do know that I have to kill him before he has the chance to give the moonstone to Katherine, right?" Damon´s icy voice cut through his musings.
With a resigned sigh he turned back to the vampire. "Yes, I know that you believe that. Doesn`t mean I have to like it." Damon´s expression was unreadable. "You don´t have to help me. But don`t try to stop me either." he warned. The teacher nodded. "Fine. Do what you think you have to do. I`ve got a dinner invitation from Jenna anyway." For a second he thought he saw something like hurt flicker over Damon´s face. But it was gone in a second, so he couldn`t be sure. Still he had a bad feeling when the vampire turned and stalked away without another word.