Between Elijah and Dana, Kol wasn't sure who was more pathetic at times. Elijah, acting so noble all the time, and Dana acting so tame and timid in the company of his elder brother. Kol had watched the two chat the other day, before he interrupted to inform his dearest, older brother that there was no way Dana would have taken not being a vampire.
He could see it in her eyes.
Asides from that, she had told him once before. It had been one of those rare moments when they weren't nearly at each other's throats, tossing threats each other's way, or provoking each other. They had been sitting out behind the Mikaelson manor, and Dana had confessed to him in a low voice that she had always wanted to become a vampire. At least, she had at an early age.
Then she had left.
Kol found she was a curious girl. Sticking her nose in places they didn't need to be stuck. During those moments she would ask him about his life. What he had done besides kill and wreak havoc. Granted, he refused to answer most of her questions. Denied her the right to know anything about him.
He didn't want Dana getting too close.
Although he was willing to admit (only to himself, not anyone else) that she had, perhaps, gotten closer than most. At least, Kol hadn't killed her yet so that had to count for something.
Maybe that was why he found himself wandering into the Grill that afternoon, as it was a usual spot for Dana. True, she was often there to visit that human boy, which he really didn't understand why she bothered keeping him around. Really, it bothered Kol just a little to see her still holding on to a human as she did, almost as if she were attempting to hold on to that last shred of humanity she retained.
However, and much to his surprise, Dana was nowhere to be found.
He settled for sliding onto a barstool at the bar, ordering a drink for himself while listening around the place. There was an elderly couple chatting about old memories, a few teenagers laughing and being too loud, and even two girls gossiping about him which only made him smirk, thinking that they might make a good snack.
Another voice caught his attention though.
"She's staying at Stacey's house," the voice murmured, and Kol found he vaguely recognized it.
"Why Stacey's?" the other male voice questioned.
"Because she thinks she's safe there at the old hag's house. Then again, our dear old grandmother is just as much of a traitor that Dana is," the voice that Kol was sure belonged to Daniel Chasseur, mused.
That was interesting bit of information. Just as much of a traitor as Dana, huh? Kol mused as he swirled the alcoholic drink before pressing his lips to the rim, tilting it backwards. What exactly had Stacey Quinby done to scorn the Chasseur family anyway?
"We'll move in tonight…"
Kol narrowed his eyes at the few words spoken by the eldest of the Chasseur siblings, Zach he believed. Move in tonight? Move in where exactly? Kol wasn't keen on the idea that the Chasseur family were possibly considering hurting his plaything. No, he wouldn't allow that to happen at all.
Later that afternoon Dana was lounging about in the living room, switching between chatting with Matt, who had taken over the loveseat, or staring at the television. Matt had decided it would be a good time for the two of them to hang out away from the Grill instead of her always invading during his break.
She had been okay with that, invited him to her house, and introduced him to her grandmother. Stacey had welcomed Matt with open arms, even offering him a cup of tea, something she never even offered Dana.
Granted, she understood her grandmothers reasoning behind the lack of tea sharing.
"Your grandmother's really nice," Matt noted when Stacey had disappeared back into the kitchen after telling the two teens she was making cookies.
"She can be when she's not nagging," Dana replied, cutting her eyes towards the kitchen where she could hear her grandmother shuffling around. The smell of chocolate chips cookies invaded the young vampires senses, the scent just as enticing as it had been the few other times she'd been around freshly baked cookies.
"So, tell me about your family," Matt suddenly said, cutting his eyes at Dana.
She blinked at him. Then at the television. Then back at him.
"Well. What do you wanna know?"
"What about your brothers and sister? What're they like?"
Dana moved, pulling her legs close to her chest with a smile. "Well, I'm not really sure anymore. Daniel used to be really sick…and unlike me he wanted to be a hunter. Zach's a really loyal guy-he's the oldest-and always keeps his promises. As for Val…" Dana chuckled then at the thought of her younger sister, "She's really compassionate. Not really cut out for being a hunter, and our parents never forced her into it. So she grows vervain or other plants that are dangerous to some supernaturals."
"So your sister never killed a supernatural?"
Dana shook her head. "No…and James and Lauren keep her as far away from it as they can. She's allergic," Dana cleared her throat, "to vervain that is."
"Really?" Matt's blue eyes were wide at the idea of someone being allergic to vervain. "Wow."
Dana had never really considered it possible. Not until the day Val had tried ingesting vervain laced coca cola. The moment she had broken out in large welts and she her throat had closed up and prevented her from breathing, her parents had whisked her away to the hospital. She had to wear gloves, a face mask (that she hated), and even goggles when tending to the vervain plants her family kept growing.
"What about your family?" Dana questioned, interested in his family perhaps even more than he was hers.
Matt blinked. As if she were surprised she was even bothered enough to ask. "My mom left with her boyfriend. My older sister Vicki was turned into a vampire though and killed later."
Dana watched Matt carefully as he told her this. She heard his heart race a little when he mentioned his sister, Vicki. A look flashed through his eyes, but before she could say anything else about it, he shook his head and shot her an easy smile.
"So, what about your high school experience?"
They easily switched subjects. It was a quick transition. The two were exchanging stories, Matt about his high school times, and Dana about her times hunting. Laughter occasionally filled the living room at shared incidents, funny ones of course. Matt discussed the relationship he'd had with Elena.
Dana loved getting to know Matt better. He was so utterly human and relatively accepting of the supernaturals that surrounded him. Despite the fact that he did try his best to keep out of their matters, he admitted he found himself often drug into situations in order to help protect his friends.
Not that he minded helping his friends. He just wished life were a little more normal.
As Dana and Matt continually chatted, she paid little attention to her surroundings. She was so busy paying attention to her human friend that she didn't hear the clattering of a pan falling to the floor in the kitchen. Just like she didn't hear the sound of footsteps, the door creaking open.
But before Dana or Matt could even comprehend what was going on, several things happens at once.
1. There was someone banging on her front door. Rather furious by the way she could hear the door creaking under the pressure put behind their fists.
2. Someone had a gun held to Matt and Dana's head.
3. Dana was pretty sure that she had also just been drugged with vervain by the way the substance was burning through her veins.
It rendered her useless. Useless to help Matt who was being tied up by her auburn haired older brother. Whoever had her was in the process of binding her wrists with vervain soaked ropes, burning into the flesh of her skin. The world spun around her when they jerked her up, towards the kitchen.
In the midst of being tugged into the kitchen and thrown onto the floor against the wall, she barely caught the angry shouts of a familiar voice.
She opened her mouth, as if to respond, but before she could there was a rag being stuffed and tied around it. The worst part wasn't the vervain searing into her mouth, but the fact that her brother Daniel seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
It was supposed to be Elena's 'break'. She had spent the day over at the Salvatore boarding house, chatting away and trying to come up with a solution to what appeared to be their latest problem. The Mikaelson's.
Sadly, there had been little she could come up with. Yet.
However, as she opened the door to her house, calling out a cautious, "Jeremy?" she could tell that someone wasn't quite right here.
"So you're the doppleganger?"
Elena's dark eyes shot over only to find a figure, a man, standing by the stairwell.
"Who are you?"
The man didn't answer. Instead he pushed forward, and before Elena knew what was going on he had swung someone at her head, perhaps his fist or maybe a club, and she was crumpling to the floor.
When Caroline woke up, she was no longer in her home.
Instead she was in a kitchen. One with tacky orange wallpaper and overwhelming smelling of chocolate chip cookies. Not only that, but her mouth, her wrists, and everything seemed to be on fire.
Or maybe that was just the vervain.
She blinked a few times, her vision still blurred. But once it finally cleared she found that she wasn't alone. Elena sat in a corner, tied up and sitting beside an equally tied Stefan. Then there was Dana sitting just a few feet away from Caroline. Much like her, this girl was blonde, only a much darker shade.
Caroline glanced out into what appeared to be a living room. In there a blonde man was pacing back and forth, listening as the brunette witch Bonnie had pointed out talked to him in a low, calming voice.
He spun and snapped at her. Harsh. Unforgiving. His hand raised as if to hit her. Her eyes narrowed and he suddenly doubled over in pain.
"What's going on?" Caroline finally asked.
Dana winced. "The hunters," she spat out.
Caroline's eyes traveled to the two in the living room, suddenly curious and perhaps even a little frightened about what was entailed in the following hours to come.
A/N~ Thanks to those who reviewed/faved/followed! Please review :)
