Thanks to ZombieSaviour, WearRedTonight and Swurve for reviewing the last chapter. Your comments are always welcome. :) Also thanks to ficklemous - I really enjoyed your detailed feedback as I was a bit nervous about writing Elijah. :)
Unable to access her magic, Bonnie clawed at the werewolf's hands, but he might as well have been made of granite. His eyes, feral yellow, showed no expression as he choked the life out of her. She could do nothing to stop the strength draining from her arms, until eventually she went limp.
Darkness closed in on her like a shroud. The werewolf, the bedroom, everything went away, and a strange sensation engulfed her. She felt as if she were floating in a deep, warm ocean. The current swirled around her, tugging at her feet, her hands, trying to drag her beneath the surface. She fought with everything she had, but her struggles grew weaker and weaker. But just as she was about to slip into the darkness, she felt a crushing weight lift off her chest.
Her senses came rushing back. As Bonnie painfully sucked in a breath, she heard an enraged snarl, then the crash of breaking furniture. Hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her upright, and she felt someone patting her cheek.
"Come on now, love, open your eyes."
Bonnie forced her eyelids open. The first thing she saw was Klaus's clear green gaze, thankfully without a shred of yellow. Over by the far wall, the werewolf lay crumpled in a heap. Whether he was dead or merely unconscious, she didn't much care, but at the sight of him she began to tremble.
Without a word, Klaus folded her into his arms. She let him, unable to think of anything beyond the fact that she was still alive...and how close she'd come to not being so. A few seconds longer and she wouldn't have been able to come back at all. What she needed most right now was to feel safe and, despite everything she knew about him, somehow Klaus was able to give her that. She closed her eyes and let her head fall on his shoulder, allowing the strength of his embrace to soothe her.
"What's going on here?"
Stefan's voice jolted her out of her trance. He stood just inside the room, staring at them. A flush washed over her and she pushed Klaus away. He released her without protest.
"One of the wolves tried to throttle her," Klaus said.
"What!" Stefan said as he lurched forward. She was relieved to see that he looked concerned - proof that his humanity wasn't completely lost. "Bonnie, are you okay?"
She gave him a reassuring nod. "I'm fine, Stefan," she croaked.
Klaus tut-tutted. "I doubt that. Let's have a look at you." He tilted her chin so he could examine her neck. His fingertips barely brushed her skin, but it was enough to make her wince. "You need blood."
Bonnie shook her head, determinedly clamping her mouth shut.
He gave her a severe look. "Those bruises are going to swell up soon."
He wasn't wrong. Already she could feel a growing tightness around her throat and Bonnie knew that very shortly she would be struggling to breathe. But she couldn't handle a repeat of what had happened with Elijah. Not now. Her gaze slid to Stefan.
"Him, then," she said.
His mouth thinned, but Klaus merely nodded. "Very well." He rose and stalked to the unconscious werewolf, easily hauling him over his shoulder. Turning to Stefan, he said, "Bring her down when you're done." Sparing her a brief glance, Klaus left the room.
Stefan came and sat on the bed. He scrutinised her a moment before biting into his wrist and offering it to her. She didn't waste any time, taking his hand in hers and bending to slurp his blood. To her relief, the effect of his blood wasn't nearly as powerful as Elijah's. And this time she was prepared. As Stefan's blood washed through her, she kept her breaths steady, allowing the power of his blood to do its work. Only a few heartbeats later the pain began to fade and when she touched her neck she found that the swelling had gone.
"Are you okay?" Stefan said.
"Sure. Peachy." She studied him much the way he had her. "Are you?"
"I'm fine."
"Sure you are."
Stefan's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
Her stomach was burning. Out of nowhere, the taste of bile filled the back of her throat. She wanted to lash out at someone. Anyone. She scowled at Stefan.
"All this time you've been running around with Klaus, doing God knows what, and you expect me to believe that you're just fine."
"Bonnie-"
"Don't lie to me!"
The dressing table mirror cracked. Startled, she turned to stare at the fractured glass and recognised it for what it was - a physical manifestation of her rage. She was losing control of her magic, not to mention her temper. Mortified, she took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know where that came from."
"You nearly died." Stefan briefly squeezed her arm. "But it's okay. You're safe now."
Bonnie shook her head. "I'll never be safe in this house. If it's not the werewolves, then it's Klaus, or Mrs Gerhardt, or-" She slapped a hand over her mouth, appalled at what had nearly slipped out. But Stefan didn't look at all offended. Or surprised.
"Me," he said.
"Stefan, I didn't mean-"
"It's okay." He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You should keep your guard up. Even with me."
There was an edge to his voice that sent a frisson down her spine. She peered at him.
"Did something happen? With Klaus?"
He shrugged. "We tracked down a werewolf pack in Tennessee."
"And?"
"Klaus tried to turn them."
"What! But he was supposed to wait for me to...to..."
"Well, you know Klaus. Not exactly known for his patience."
Bonnie wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she had to ask. "So...it worked?"
"It seemed to...at first."
"And then?"
Stefan hesitated. "Something went wrong. They died."
"Wait, all of them? How many?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters!"
"There was nothing you could've done, Bonnie," he said, with a bone-deep weariness that reminded her, oddly, of Elijah. "There was nothing I could do."
She touched his hand. "How bad was it?"
Stefan gave her a wry look. "You know Klaus."
"Yeah," she said softly.
His shoulders slumped and for the first time she realised just how hard he was fighting to hold on to his humanity. She wanted to tell him that she'd made contact with Damon, that they weren't in this alone, but she didn't dare. She didn't know who might be listening in and she couldn't be sure what Stefan himself might do with that information.
Instead she said, "Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right? No matter what, I'm still your friend."
He nodded, and his face relaxed, enough that she could see the strain in his eyes. He seemed about to speak when a bemused look crossed his face. "Uh...what are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
Stefan looked down at where her hand was resting on his. She followed his gaze and saw that, without realising it, she had begun stroking his hand with her fingers. His skin felt warm and alive, in a way it never had before. Blushing, she snatched her hand back.
He raised an eyebrow. "Something you wanna tell me?"
"No, no." She gave him a tight smile. "I'm good."
"Uh huh." Stefan eyed her thoughtfully. "You know it goes both ways, right? You can talk to me, too."
"Sure." Bonnie felt the heat in her cheeks deepen. She did consider Stefan a friend, even after Pensacola, but she'd sooner die than have "the sex talk" with him. "I'm okay. Really."
Stefan looked dubious, but he shrugged and rose from the bed. "Okay. Then we should probably head down."
"I guess," Bonnie said, though what she really wanted to do was climb back into bed, pull the covers over her head, and hide for a week. She rubbed her gritty eyes, then got up to fetch a sweatshirt from the closet to pull over her pjs. She slipped on the flats that she usually wore around the house and headed out the door.
Stefan escorted her down to the foyer. As they descended the staircase, she saw Dave fixing the lock on the front door. She could smell the blood in the air even before she spotted the dark red stains spattered across the marble floor.
"What happened here?" she said.
"You'll see," Stefan said as he steered her towards the kitchen. The destruction here was even more obvious. The table where she ate her meals was in pieces and broken glass littered the polished floorboards. Her sense of dread only intensified When Stefan opened the door to the cellar and she heard faint shouts echoing up from the basement.
"Stefan?" she said uncertainly.
"It's okay, Bonnie."
She wasn't entirely convinced, but she started down the steps. As they journeyed along the hallway, she heard the occasional raised voice, though she couldn't make out what was being said. When they passed the dark and silent coffin room, she started to get an inkling of what was going on. Her stomach churned, and if Stefan hadn't been at her back, she might well have turned tail and run back to the bedroom.
When they finally reached the prison room, she stopped in the open doorway, staring at all the new arrivals. The previously empty cells were not so empty anymore. Counting Tom, there were nine werewolves in all, including a couple of women, Bonnie noted with dismay. She sought out Tom, to reassure him that she was still his ally, but his look of betrayal made it clear that he might no longer be hers.
In the centre of it all stood Klaus. He turned to smile at Bonnie as she stood frozen on the threshold.
"There you are." Twirling round the room like a giddy schoolgirl, Klaus took her hand and drew her closer to the steel cages. He seemed oblivious to the death stares aimed his way. "What do you think of my hybrid army? Aren't they magnificent?"
Magnificent wasn't quite the word she would've used. Three of the werewolves lay unconscious, including the man who'd attacked her, and the stench of blood and earth made her eyes water.
"They need medical attention," she said.
Klaus flicked his hand dismissively. "They may look a little worse for wear, but they'll heal soon enough."
"Even him?" She indicated her attacker, but her eyes were on Tom. "The one who tried to kill me."
Tom frowned, and she was relieved to see some of the hostility leave his face.
"Yes, even him."
One of the werewolves, her face covered in blood from a gash on her forehead, rattled the bars. "Hey, bloodbreath! You'd better start running now, cause the second I get outta here I'm gonna rip your head off."
"You see." Walking up to the werewolf's cell, Klaus eyed her with an appreciative grin. "So much spirit. They'll make excellent soldiers."
If looks could kill, Klaus would've been a hole in the ground.
"Maybe you should lay off the enthusiasm," Bonnie hissed.
"Why? Once you work your magic, their loyalty will be cemented. They'll no longer care."
The weight of the werewolves' stares shifted to her. A hole in the ground sounded pretty good right about now. Bonnie swallowed.
"I told you I'm nowhere near able to do that," she said, more for the werewolves' benefit than for Klaus's.
"Well, now you've got a few more test subjects to practice on." He spun to face her. "I see no reason for further delay."
"You mean other than the fact that I have no idea how to do what you want me to do."
"I find that difficult to believe. You have Greta's notes to guide you."
"Yeah, well, those notes led me exactly nowhere."
She wasn't lying. Greta's scribblings contained some vague notions of using the blood link to create a stronger bond between Klaus and his hybrids, but no real practical information. Add in a bunch of obscure references that Bonnie had no way of deciphering and the notes were next to useless.
Klaus was suddenly at her side, looming over her. A flash of yellow in his eyes made her heart stutter.
"Are you saying that Greta deceived me?" he said.
There was utter silence in the room. Even the werewolves seemed to be holding their breaths, though she couldn't tell if they were rooting for or against her. She licked her lips.
"No, that's not what I'm saying."
"Well, either she was lying or you are. Which is it?"
"I'm not lying."
"So it was Greta?"
"I...I don't know. I never even met her. How would I-"
"But you seemed quite certain just a moment ago."
Stefan stepped towards them. "Klaus-"
"Stay out of this." Klaus warned him off with a look, but then stopped to reconsider. "In fact, why don't you make yourself useful and go fetch Mrs Gerhardt. Tell her to bring the first aid kit."
Stefan's brow wrinkled. "But you said-"
"Now, Stefan."
Stefan hesitated, gazing at Bonnie. She didn't want him to leave, but it wasn't like he could stop Klaus from going full-on ripper on her. Stefan would just end up being collateral damage. She gave him a nod, which he returned before he left the room. Once his footsteps had faded, Klaus turned his attention back to her.
"Now, where were we?" he said, with a playful gesture that belied the predatory look in his eyes. "Ah, yes. Do continue, Bonnie, but tread lightly. Greta proved her loyalty to me many times over."
Her mouth went dry. Everything she'd accomplished that day, from making the deal with Elijah to collaborating with Grams, Caroline and Damon, had given her a sense of control. She'd begun to believe that somehow she and her friends would get out of this unscathed. But within a matter of minutes, Klaus had demolished that hope. He'd reminded her, yet again, how vulnerable she was, more vulnerable than even he realised. She couldn't risk using her magic because she had no idea if the witches would allow her to draw upon their power. And if Klaus discovered how weak she really was, he'd have no reason to keep her alive.
She felt helpless, and more alone than ever. A situation not aided by the striped pjs and baggy sweatshirt she was wearing. She didn't think she could look any less badass. Swallowing her pride, she lowered her gaze, ready to concede that she'd been wrong about Greta, ready to say anything that would get her away from Klaus with her limbs still attached.
But as she opened her mouth to speak, Bonnie felt something caress her cheek and a cloud of jasmine enveloped her in a warm embrace. Recognising her grandmother's perfume, she drew a sharp breath. Bonnie knew that this was Grams's way of telling her that she wasn't alone, that she would never be alone. She inhaled the sweet scent, and felt her spirits lift with every lungful. She was taking in more than just a fragrance, she was absorbing her grandmother's love and strength, power that even Klaus couldn't destroy.
He tapped his foot. "I'm waiting."
Brimming with renewed confidence, Bonnie smiled. "You know what? I have no clue what Greta was doing. She chose you over her own family, so I'm guessing that she really did love you. But maybe that was the whole problem. Maybe she was so eager to please you that she told you whatever you wanted to hear, even if it was a lie." She lifted her chin, looking him squarely in the eye. "I don't have that problem."
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and Klaus stepped even closer to her, so close that she could feel the heat of his body.
"You disappoint me, Bonnie."
"Well, I guess I'll just have to live with that." By the murderous look in his eye, Bonnie knew that she was skating awfully close to the edge, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush from almost dying or maybe she was weary of constantly being bullied, but part of her wanted to find out just how far she could push him. With a reckless grin, she added, "Of course, you're free to find another witch to do your bidding, but I'm guessing that you're having a hard time finding anyone who a, wants to help you, and b, has anywhere near the power that I do."
There was no mistaking it this time. Klaus's eyes turned yellow and stayed that way as he glowered at her. She stared back, more exhilarated than afraid, wondering which side of him would win out.
"Hey!"
Bonnie started. Klaus blinked and she watched the yellow bleed out of his eyes. Realising how close he was to her, she took a step back. She felt lightheaded, and only now did she notice how loud her heart was beating. Klaus, too, seemed a bit unsteady on his feet.
Tom slammed the bars of his cell. "Hey, I'm talking to you! How long do you think you can keep us locked up down here?"
Klaus took a moment before he swung round to face the werewolf. "As long as I need to, Tom. But I have faith that it won't be too much longer." He gave her a sharp look. "Will it, Bonnie?"
She was saved from answering by Stefan's return. He strode into the room with a large first aid kit in hand and Mrs Gerhardt in tow. Stopping short, his gaze flitted from Bonnie to Klaus and back again.
"Everything okay here?"
"Of course," Klaus said smoothly. He glanced at the housekeeper. "Mrs Gerhardt, will you see to our guests?"
The vampire sniffed as she surveyed the werewolves, but obediently accepted the medical bag from Stefan. Bonnie looked at Tom, trying to convey her gratitude for his intervention, though she didn't dare risk more than the tiniest of nods. His eyes flickered, but he showed no other reaction.
"Bonnie."
Her chest spasmed, though Klaus had spoken barely above a whisper.
"Yes?" she said, once she'd caught her breath.
"You should get some rest. You have a great deal of work ahead of you."
Bonnie didn't bother to contradict him. She just left. Without a word, Stefan followed her out of the room. She found his silent presence comforting as they retraced their steps to the kitchen, and from there to the empty foyer.
"What'd you say to him?" Stefan said as they crossed the grand entrance hall.
"Nothing good," she mumbled. Bonnie stopped at the base of the stairs and pivoted to face him. She and Stefan exchanged awkward looks. She'd been hoping for an encouraging word or two from him and wondered if he was expecting the same from her. In the end, all she could manage was, "Some night, huh?"
Stefan shrugged. "Nobody died. I think we can count that as a win."
Bonnie let out an involuntary snort. "Sure. Why not?" She sighed. "Problem is, I'm pretty sure Klaus thinks it's a win, too."
"Yeah," he said quietly.
She glanced over her shoulder at the unguarded front door. "Don't suppose you wanna make a run for it?"
His mouth curved up. "I'm game if you are."
"Maybe another time," she said with a weary smile.
Stefan nodded. "Goodnight, Bonnie."
"Night." After a last look at the door, she turned and trudged up the stairs.
Lounging on her couch, Caroline watched Damon pace back and forth, pondering the strangeness of having him wear out the rug in her mind.
"You don't have to hang around, you know," she said, not for the first time.
"I'll wait."
"Since when do you give a crap about Bonnie?"
"Since I've got you and Elena riding me." He threw her a sour look. "And not in a fun way."
She endured another five minutes of pacing and awkward silence before frustration got the better of her.
"Damon-"
"What's the big deal? It's not like you don't have plenty of space in here." Damon cupped his hands around his mouth as if he were yelling into the Grand Canyon. "Helloooo!"
"Yeah, you're hilarious. How does Elena manage to resist you?"
"Who says she does?" Damon said, waggling his eyebrows.
She gave him a pointed look. "Elena."
"Fine. I'll go wait in another room."
The thought of Damon rummaging around in her head sent Caroline leaping to her feet. "No!"
Damon smirked. "Stay, go. Make up your mind, will you?"
She grit her teeth. "Sit down and shut up."
"Whatever you say, blondie," he said as he flopped into an armchair.
"And don't call me that."
"Sorry," he said, sounding anything but, "that you don't get a say in."
She rolled her eyes.
A cloud of mist swirled in from the hallway, coalescing into an oddly insubstantial Sheila Bennet. Caroline rose from the couch, realising with a start that she could see through Bonnie's grandmother.
"Are you okay?" she blurted.
Sheila looked confused. "Of course. And Bonnie's fine. So's Stefan."
"Oh, thank God." Caroline took a few cautious steps closer. She had the feeling that any sudden movement would cause Sheila to dissipate like morning mist. "What happened?"
"She was attacked by a werewolf."
"A werewolf?" Damon got to his feet, his brow furrowed. "You mean Tom?"
"No, they were trying to rescue him."
"They?"
"The werewolves."
Damon let out an exasperated huff. "This isn't twenty questions, Sheila. Just tell us what happened?"
Sheila hesitated, giving Caroline a furtive look that, for no particular reason, made her queasy. Almost reluctantly, Sheila said, "The werewolves went in to rescue their friend. One of them tried to kill Bonnie."
"What?" Caroline said.
"But why would they-" Damon said.
Caroline felt a chill down her back as Damon's expression went from puzzled to homicidal in the blink of an eye. He turned to her with a bright, vicious smile.
"Oh, Caroline?"
"Yeah?" she said warily.
"What exactly did you tell Papa Smurf?"
"Nothing!"
"Really? All those phone calls, all the friendly updates, and you said nothing at all?"
"You know what I mean. I kept it vague, like we agreed."
"Then how the hell did they find him!"
"I don't know!"
Sheila drifted between them. "Settle down, Damon."
"Easy for you to say," he snapped. "You're already dead."
Caroline bristled. "Hey!"
"What? Is it a big secret?" He moved around Sheila in a blur, coming to stand toe to toe with Caroline. "Even you're not blonde enough to believe that the werewolves just happened upon Klaus's mansion."
"You know I would never put Bonnie in danger like that."
"Sure, not on purpose. But we all know you can't keep your mouth shut. A little slip here, a little slip there, that's all it would've taken."
Damon's face hovered tantalisingly within punching distance, but making herself feel better wasn't the priority here. Consciously relaxing her clenched fists, Caroline looked him in the eye.
"It wasn't me," she said.
He threw his hands in the air. "Well, who else could it have been? You're the only one who's been talking to the big bad wolf."
"No, she's not," Sheila said.
Damon's head swivelled round. "Come again?"
"Think about it, Damon. She's not the only one."
"Then who-" He froze.
Sheila shot her a sympathetic look, and in the second before Damon whipped his head back around, Caroline finally got it. Her stomach dropped when she saw the icy rage in Damon's eyes.
"I'm gonna kill him," he said.
"No. You've got it all wrong. Tyler would never..." In desperation, she gave Sheila a pleading look, only to find the older woman fading before her eyes.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Sheila said, "but I can't stay any longer. Without Bonnie, there's nothing to anchor me here."
Keeping his cold gaze on Caroline, Damon said, "That's okay, Sheila. Caroline and I need some one on one time."
"Just remember that I'm watching you," Sheila said just before she vanished entirely.
The tightening of his mouth was the only sign that Damon had heard her. He scowled at Caroline, but she stood her ground. No way was he going to intimidate her in her own damn head.
"Well, you heard it straight from the witch's mouth," he said.
"You can't seriously believe that Tyler had anything to do with the attack on Bonnie."
He shook his head. "I can't believe how naive you are. Don't you get it? He's one of them."
"I don't care. I still trust him more than I trust you."
"Do you? Really?" Damon cocked his head, considering her. He took a step back, surprising her, and turned away from her for a long moment. When he spun back, his anger was gone and he looked more serious than she'd ever seen him. "Look, I get that you don't like me and, in all honesty, I can't blame you for it. But you know me and you know what I am. I don't have any hidden agendas here. I want to kill Klaus, I want to save my brother, and, yeah, I even want to save Bonnie. Can you say the same about Lockwood?"
Her throat tightened. She wanted to defend Tyler, but she couldn't. Sheila Bennet had all but confirmed that he was responsible for the werewolf attack. But she couldn't condemn him either, not without talking to him first.
With a steady gaze, she said, "I think it's time to wake up."
Damon stared back. "I think you're right."
Caroline closed her eyes and pushed herself out of her dreamscape. When she opened her eyes again, she was lying flat on her back looking up at a plaster ceiling. The sound of trucks rumbling past the motel roared in her ears. Turning her head, she saw Damon lying beside her on the bed, his hand wrapped around her wrist. As he began to stir, she jerked her arm free and sat up.
"Caroline?" Elena said, rising from a chair in the corner. "Did you-"
Caroline grabbed her cellphone off the nightstand and blew right past her, suppressing a momentary twinge of guilt. She'd let Damon fill Elena in.
Outside in the parking lot, Caroline stood by the SUV, looking up at the stars for a minute. Leaning against the bonnet, she scrolled through her contacts to get to Tyler's name.
Though it was the middle of the night, he picked up after only three rings.
"Caroline, hey. Is everything ok-"
"What did you tell Sandy?"
There was a brief pause.
"What do you mean?" Tyler said.
"Did you give him Klaus's address in L.A.?"
"Well, yeah. Was it supposed to be a secret, because-"
"And Bonnie? What did you tell him about her?"
"Nothing. I mean, just that she's a witch." A defensive note crept into his voice. "He asked about her, okay. I didn't think there was any harm in-"
"Did you know that one of your wolf buddies was gonna try to kill her?"
"What! No, of course not. Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she's okay. Your friends, on the other hand, not so much. Klaus has them."
"Oh, crap. I have to tell-"
There was an abrupt silence on the other end of the line.
"Sandy?" she said acidly.
"Look, Caroline, it's not what you think. I asked Sandy to get Bonnie out, not take her out!"
"So you're saying he got confused?"
"No, I'm saying this has to be a misunderstanding. Let me talk to Sandy-"
"No! Just...don't." She took a deep breath. "You can't talk to him again."
"Ever?" Tyler let out an incredulous laugh. "You can't ask me to do that."
"I'm not asking!"
After a long moment, Tyler said, "Look, Caroline, I get that you're upset-"
"That's not what this is about. I thought I could trust you."
"You can trust me." His voice changed, revealing the vulnerability that had first attracted her to him. "You don't know what I went through when I left, how hard it was. Jules, Sandy, all of them...they helped me understand what I am, and how to deal with that."
"And that's supposed to make up for nearly getting Bonnie and Stefan killed? I can't believe that you knew they were going in and didn't even warn me."
"I wanted to, but Sandy thought it best if you didn't know."
"And you trusted him over me."
Tyler groaned. "Care, it's not that simple."
"I think it is." She looked up at the blurry stars, blinking back tears. "I'm glad that they helped you, really I am, but I can't take the chance that they'll screw up again. I hate to say it, but you're gonna have to choose: them or us."
She heard his breathing quicken.
"I won't do that," he said.
"Fine. Then I'll do it for you. Don't call me again." She yanked the phone from her ear to end the call.
"Caroline, wait!"
She froze. In spite of what she'd said, she had no desire to cut Tyler off. In fact, if she was honest with herself, she was looking for any excuse not to.
"Caroline?"
She put the phone to her ear. "I'm still here."
He sighed in relief. "If I do it, if I tell Sandy to back off, will you help the werewolves?"
She rolled her eyes. "Gotta say it's not high on my to-do list."
"Well, we can't just leave them there. Who knows what Klaus is gonna do to them."
Caroline bit her lip. "I'll talk to Damon, but I can't promise anything."
"Well, maybe Sandy could-"
"Are you kidding me right now?"
"Caroline-"
"You really didn't hear a word I said, did you?"
"I did, but-"
"Tyler, listen to me. I know you think you owe them, but it's pretty obvious that they don't feel the same way."
"You don't know anything about-"
"Did Sandy tell you he was gonna rescue Bonnie?"
Tyler's silence was all the answer she needed.
Caroline let out a slow breath. "So he lied to you, because the werewolves don't care about anyone but their own. Which means that you're gonna have to pick a side."
His voice, when he spoke, was full of desperation. "Look, I know I made a mistake, okay, but we can still work together on this. All of us."
Caroline's throat ached. She knew that Tyler had the best of intentions, but those good intentions were putting her friends in danger.
"No, we can't," she said softly. "If you don't get that, then I don't know what else to say to you. Goodbye, Tyler."
Without waiting for an answer, she ended the call. And a few seconds later, when her phone started ringing, she switched it off.
The wrinkly parchment looked like one big blur. Not that she was surprised after her near death experience last night. Bonnie had barely slept a wink after all the excitement. The only reason she'd managed to drag herself out of bed was that the library was a haven from the vampires and werewolves that filled the house.
Before the werewolf invasion she'd only ever seen Mrs Gerhardt, Dave and a couple of others. Now there were a bunch of new vampires occupying the mansion. Bonnie couldn't even be certain how many there were, but every time she saw a strange face, she felt an urgent need to cover up her neck. At least in here, nobody bothered her while she was pretending to be hard at work.
A knock came at the door, startling her. She ignored it, hoping whoever it was would go away, but a few seconds later there was another knock. Grudgingly, she called out, "Come in."
The door opened and Klaus stepped inside.
"Oh. You're still here," she said, too weary to conceal her disappointment.
"Where else would I be?" he said as he strolled over to the desk. "This is my home, after all."
"Oh, I don't know. Running around the country turning innocent werewolves?"
Klaus stopped short. "I see Stefan's been telling tales."
"Yeah, he told me all about your wacky hijinks."
"Good," he said briskly. "Because I need to know why they died."
She grimaced. "They met you?"
"Now, Bonnie, you know I had no intention of killing them. I only wanted to turn them."
"Whether they wanted it or not." She sighed. "How am I supposed to know what went wrong? I wasn't even there."
"But you're familiar with the ritual that made me a hybrid." Klaus planted his hands on the desk, leaning down to look her in the eye. "I did everything I was supposed to. I killed a werewolf, a vampire, and the doppelganger. My werewolf side was released, exactly according to plan. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to make more hybrids."
Bonnie lowered her gaze, acutely aware that Klaus didn't know Elena had survived the ritual.
"Bonnie?"
She shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "Like you said, you completed the ritual. I don't know why it's not working."
"Which is why you're going to find out."
"I'm busy," she said flatly. She indicated the books strewn across her desk. "Researching that other assignment you gave me."
Klaus straightened. His gaze moved over the books. "Well, you don't appear to be making much progress on that front. Perhaps a distraction might prove useful."
She grit her teeth. "They're not a distraction; they're people."
"Those 'people' are far from innocent, Bonnie. Need I remind you that they invaded my home."
"Sure. After you dangled the bait in front of their noses." Bonnie folded her arms across her chest. "I had a lot of time to think last night while I was lying awake. That was the whole reason for our sidetrip to Pensacola, wasn't it? You could've taken those werewolves without breaking a sweat, but instead you attacked them, got them all riled up. You wanted them to come after you."
Klaus gave her a smug smile. "I admit I thought it would be more efficient if they came to me."
She snorted. "This is all just a game to you, isn't it?"
"On the contrary, I am deadly serious about my hybrids."
"You don't have any hybrids."
"No, not yet. But that's where you come in."
She stared down at the desk, idly fiddling with a pen. "I already told you I don't know what went wrong."
"You'll figure it out."
"I don't see how-"
"You have nine werewolves at your disposal." Klaus waved his hand expansively. "Experiment."
Bonnie snapped her head up. "What?"
"I said-"
"I heard what you said. When I said 'what?', what I actually meant was: are you out of your frickin mind?"
He raised his eyebrows, looking amused, which infuriated her all the more. She glared at him.
"They're not lab rats," she said.
Klaus eyed her curiously, as if she were some kind of rare and exotic creature. "You really do care about them, don't you? Even after they tried to kill you."
"One of them tried to kill me, and after what happened in Pensacola I can hardly blame them. They probably think I'm your damn sidekick." She saw the sparkle in his eyes and raised a warning finger. "Don't get any ideas."
His mouth twitched. "I wouldn't dream of it." He continued to study her, wearing a calculating look that raised the hair on the back of her neck. At last he said, "But I'm glad to see you have such a forgiving nature, Bonnie."
"Oh?" she said warily. "Why's that?"
"Because it'll make you try that much harder to save the werewolves."
"What are you talking about?"
"You have three days before I turn one of them."
She stared in disbelief. "But they'll die."
"Yes, they will, unless you find a way to help them complete the transition."
"But I-"
"And three days after that, I'll turn another one."
She could hardly breathe. "You can't."
"I can and I will," he said, his expression implacable. "And if you fail with them, perhaps you'll succeed with someone you're more fond of. Tyler Lockwood, perhaps?"
Her stomach clenched. Bonnie dropped her gaze, knowing that, for now, she was beaten.
"Don't you ever get tired of threatening people?" she said bitterly.
"Why would I? When it works so well."
She was suddenly exhausted. The room felt like it was spinning and she wanted nothing more than to lay down and wait for it to stop.
Klaus frowned. "Bonnie, are you all right? You look-"
"I'm tired, Klaus, so if you're all out of threats, maybe you could cut me some slack and just...leave me alone." Bonnie put her head down on her arms, hoping that he'd take the hint. Though she didn't hear the door open, she dared to hope that he'd actually gone. Until...
"I know what you need."
With a groan, she looked up at him. "Does 'leave me alone' mean something else in Klausland?"
"You need a break."
"From you? Definitely."
"Yes, a night on the town."
Bonnie jerked upright. "What?"
"Tomorrow night. I'm taking you out to dinner."
"Uh...no, thank you."
He beamed at her. "It's decided."
"No, really, I'm feeling much better."
"Nonsense. You've been cooped up for far too long. It'll do you good to get out of this house for a few hours."
Momentarily swayed, Bonnie hesitated. Getting out of the mansion and away from all the vampires and werewolves (save one) sounded like heaven. Until she realised that she'd be giving Klaus exactly what he wanted. She opened her mouth to decline, but she had, unfortunately, waited a little too long.
"Tomorrow night, then," Klaus said. "Let's say around seven."
He sped to the door and was gone before she could even utter a protest. She was left staring after him with her mouth hanging open.
Damn it.
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