Chapter Thirty-Five: Sick
Oceans between us and there's nothing that can change the way I feel
I can still taste the poison of every thought, every breath I wasted here.
Hold on, little girl the end is soon to come.
They don't understand how sick we are of this bottomless pit of lies, behind closed eyes
Someday you'll know the pain. Someday the light will break through
And nothing you tell yourself will save us from the truth
~Evanescence
"A bookstore?" Stefan asked as he and Nilly got out of the car.
"Trust me," she said as Stefan held open the door for her. They stepped inside Reader & Seethe's and walked over to the front counter. There was a man paying for a book, picking his pocket for the exact change. On the other side of the counter sat a very annoyed looking Shellie, her slim fingers tapping on the cover of the book.
"And seventy-five cents," the man said, laying a nickel on the counter. A fake smile came across Shellie's face as she took it from him.
"Why thank you! Have a great day," she said handing the man his book.
"And you too," he replied then he turned and passed Nilly and Stefan. Shellie rolled her eyes as she swung around the counter and came over to them, her summer maxi-dress flowing around her.
"Hello beautiful," she sang,hugging Nilly. When Shellie took in Nilin's expression she stepped back quickly, smile dropping. "Oh, what happened?" she asked.
Nilly bit her lip and then motioned behind her. "Shellie this is Stefan," she introduced them. Stefan, like the gentleman he was, shook her hand bowing his head slightly. Nilly noticed the blush swell to Shellie's cheeks.
"Hi there," she smiled, twirling a piece of hair.
"He's Elena's boyfriend." Nilly continued. The piece of hair stopped twirling.
"Oh, well what do you guys need?" Shellie asked, still a smile on her face.
"Can we go upstairs?" Nilly jerked her chin to the back of the store. Shellie nodded and started for the stairs. Nilly turned around and motioned for Stefan to follow. "Trust me," she told him again. He nodded and trailed behind Nilly as they went up to the second floor.
Once up there Shellie was talking to Magnolia, who was sporting her usual flannel and denim look. She came over and introduced herself to Stefan, then she turned to Nilly. "What happened?" she asked.
"Elena's missing," she answered. "We think a vampire took her, but we don't know where." Nilly said, then she looked behind her to Stefan. His usual brooding eyebrows were pulled together as he stared at the three girls.
Magnolia smiled. "We're not ignorant when it comes to the supernatural things. We know much more than we let on," she laughed.
"We have gifts." Shellie said, lifting her eyebrows.
Nilly couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Stefan's face. "Let's find Elena and then I'll explain everything later," she said, placing her hand on his arm. She looked at Shellie. "Can you help us?
Shellie sat on the floor quickly, crossing her legs. "I can try. Give me a second," she said, her eyes unfocused and pupils dilated. The room went silent, tension stretching across it as they waited. Nilly squeezed her hands into fist, nerves wracking her body. Then Shellie started to speak, her voice was low and strained.
"I see a room, it looks like a motel room. It has that cheap service look to it…" her voice faded. "And Elena, I see her too. God she really does look exactly like you," she continued.
"Focus, Shellie." Magnolia urged. There was silence again as Stefan shifted on his feet. Nilly looked up at him, worry and fear tainting his face. She knew he was trying to keep a clam, expressionless appearance but he was failing at it miserably.
"It's the motel right outside of town, I'm sure of it. That really sketchy one. A girl just opened a door. She has black wavy hair." Shellie said.
Nilly looked back up to Stefan. "Anna?" she asked. He nodded his head once, shifting to the other foot again.
"I can see the room number. B6, I think. She closed the door again." Shellie's swirling eyes focused again. Her pupils returned to normal as she blinked up at them. "Elena's in that motel. I'm sure of it, but that girl and another guy is in there with her. I don't think they're good people."
Nilly and Magnolia helped Shellie off the floor. "Thank you so much." Nilly said, squeezing Shellie's hand.
"No problem," she replied smiling.
"Really Shellie, I owe you for this." Stefan said, coming up next to Nilly.
"God, you really care about Elena, don't you." Magnolia said, her eyes widening. Stefan looked to her, he went to say something but his voice was covered by a loud growl.
They all turned around to see Lee-Roy coming from behind the one sofa. His teeth bared and his fur sticking straight up. Even scarier than that, was the fact that he was staring straight at Stefan. Nilly's eyes widen as the massive dog came closer. Magnolia stood in front of him.
"Friend, Lee-Roy. Friend," she said, hands out. The dog let out a low whine, and went to Magnolia ducking his head for her to pet it. He kept his eyes on Stefan though.
"We should get going." Nilly urged. "You know where the motel she saw is, right?" Stefan nodded, his face still hard with worry.
They rushed down the stairs, Nilly throwing another thank you over her shoulder as they left the store.
Stefan stopped when they got to her car. "I want you to go back to the boarding house, Nilly," he said.
Her eyebrows pulled together. "What? You're joking right?"
"Nilin," he pushed.
"No, no way Stefan. I'm going with you," she said.
He shook his head. "Please, just go back. I need someone there when I get Elena. Please, I can't put you in danger anymore than I have," he urged.
"You weren't worried about putting me in danger last night." Nilin shot at him, her eyes narrowed. "What makes this different?"
"Nilin, you don't realize how sorry I am. I never expected my brother to do something like that, especially to you," he apologized.
Nilin snorted a laugh. "He's Damon, what do you mean you never expected? He's unpredictable, and we both know he's willing to do anything for Katherine. So cut the crap." Nilly told him.
"I'm trying to make it up to you, but to do that I have to keep you safe and alive. Now we can stand here and bicker about this or you can go back to the boarding house and wait for me and Elena." He stopped her, putting both hands on her shoulders. His green eyes were burning. "I understand how much she means to you. You don't realize how much I understand, but you did your part so let me do mine. I'll get her back Nilly, I promise. Elena would never forgive me if I let something happened to you," he said.
Nilly looked down, the emotion in his eyes too much.
"Of course she would, she loves you." Nilly mumbled. She looked back up. "Fine, I'll go back." Nilin said, defeated. "Bring her home please."
Stefan nodded, "I will."
Nilly got in the car and made the painful ride back to the boarding house, while Stefan went the other way to the outer part of town.
Elena was still trapped in the bathroom. She sat arms around her legs in the corner, looking around the room. There was no window, so her only exit was the door. She looked for anything that can be used as a weapon, preferably wood. But the bathroom was barren. Resting her chin on her knees she contemplated how fast she could charge the door. Just as she concluded not very fast the bathroom door swung open.
"She wants to talk to you." Ben said, coming in and pulling Elena off the floor. He prodded her out of the bathroom, pushing her to sit on the bed. Elena looked around, swallowing hard before meeting Anna's eyes.
"Well well, Elena Gilbert." Anna said. "You really are Katherine's double,"she laughed, shaking her head. "You must have the Salvatore brothers reeling." Elena glared at her. She wondered if Anna knew about Nilly, she prayed she didn't. "Oh don't be so cold," she continued. "I mean, me and your brother are practically dating."
"What do you want?" Elena asked, voice deadly.
"Your cooperation, mostly. This doesn't need to get messy, but I won't mind if it does." Anna grinned, walking in front of Elena. "Now, Damon said the tomb could be opened, correct? With Emily's spell book. All I need from you, Elena, is two things; the book and your little witch friend Bonnie."
Elena's eyes widened, not Bonnie. Elena had been informing Bonnie about the whole situation, do to the fact that it was her ancestor's actions that started this and also because she was just as set as Elena was to keeping this town safe. Bonnie knew everything that was going on, but Elena didn't want her any more involved.
"Why do you need her?" Elena asked.
"Because, we need a witch to break the spell and let the vampires out."
"Bonnie's not going to open that tomb." Elena declared.
"Oh, I think she will," Ana smirked.
Elena was getting angry. "Do you really want Katherine out that bad?" she asked.
Anna started to laugh coldly as she looked at Elena and rolled her dark eyes.
"Trust me, no one I know wants to see that girl again. Except Damon, the lovestruck idiot," she laughed.
"Then what is it?" Elena paused. "Or who is it?"
Anna went still, her eyes locking on Elena's. "My mother's in there. Katherine couldn't help herself. She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers. Then when she got caught, so did my mother. I watched Jonathan Gilbert take her away."
Elena looked at Anna, her eyes softening a little. She knew she shouldn't feel any empathy towards this girl, but Elena could relate. She'd do anything to get her mother back too. "I'm sorry." Elena said softly.
Anna was silent for a moment, then she shook her head slightly. "You really mean that, don't you?" she scoffed. "Yeah, I think we'll skip the 'dead mother' bonding so you can serve a better purpose." Anna smiled.
"Which is what?" Elena asked, her voice cold.
"Leverage." Anna raised her sharp eyebrow. "This belong to you?" she asked, holding up Elena's cell phone. Elena went to snatch it out of her hand, just to have Ben pull her back on the bed.
"Ah-ah!" Anna teased, then she held the phone to her ear. Elena's heart sank.
"Hello, Stefan. Long time no talk." Anna grinned as she walked back and forth in front of Elena.
"She's fine. For now. Tell me you have the grimoire and she'll stay fine." Elena watched, stomach turning. Desperately wanting Stefan, right then she just clung to the thought of him.
"You can get it, eh?" Anna said into the phone. "Which means your brother has it. And I have Elena, and my eye on the witch. So, one of you better meet me in the very public Common in 30 minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's going to be to work together." She hung Elena's phone up and tossed it to Ben.
"I'm going out," she said to him. "And keep her buttoned down. Compulsion won't work. Just use violence."
"Right, I got that," he said to her as she left the room. Then he looked at Elena. "Sit, behave."
From what she could tell, the boarding house was empty. The front door was unlocked, which wasn't surprising. Why would two vampires lock their doors and windows at night?
Nilin went in to the house, closing the heavy wooden door with a sigh. This was probably the last place she wanted to be at the moment. It didn't help that she still had vivid memories attached to the boarding house. Her stomach began to feel uneasy.
Nilin didn't know what to do, she wasn't very good at keeping herself busy. Usually she listened to music or wrote to get her mind off things, but as she sat on the bottom step of the large stairwell she realized she couldn't really do either.
She resorted to biting her finger nails down to stubs. When all ten were ragged and sore she shot up from the stairs.
The house was too quiet and still. She paced a rut in the hallway before giving up and walking further down, into the white room. The window was closed now, which made the room and the chandelier darker looking. The piano lid was still propped open and inviting.
Nilly walked towards it slowly, sitting on the bench. She inhaled a deep breath as the pads of her fingers brushed against the white and black keys. The sound vibrating Nilly's rib cage and bouncing through the rooms.
The best feature of this house was this piano. Slowly, Nilin could feel her self sink into the music. The sharp, painful emotions she had been feeling all day got pushed into the background.
She picked up speed, her foot tapping the beat under the piano. Words formed in her head, and the music twisted into a newer, slower song.
"You would say anything, trying anything
To escape your meaningless, your insignificance
Your uncontrollable, we are unlovable
But I don't want you to think that I care
I never would, I never could
Again…"
The words got stuck in her throat as she felt eyes on her from somewhere. She didn't look up from the piano but Nilly knew she was being watched. Then she felt it. Something pulled in her chest, and she knew who was watching her.
She had been wrong about the boarding house being empty.
Her eyes never lifted as she continued to sing.
"Why can't you just love her?
Why be such a monster?
You bully from a distance
Your brain needs some assistance
But I'll still take all the blame
Because you and me are one in the same
And it's driving me mad
It's driving me mad."
Nilly faded her voice out, the piano growing softer as she sang the last verse.
"I'll take back everything I said
I didn't realize I was talking to the living dead."
She continued to play, hoping the feeling in her chest would diminish along with the midnight eyes she knew were watching her. Her fingers got tired though, and she was getting frustrated. She stopped playing, ending on a hard chord, the harsh sound reverberated through the house.
"Can't you just leave me the hell alone? I don't want to talk to you," she said out loud, keeping her head down. "You made it very clear last night what you are after. But you did something that is unforgivable. I'm only human, Damon." Nilly continued, her voice echoing slightly.
"You did that, even knowing everything. Everything I've been through. After all that I told you, you still did that to me. What was I to expect from a vampire, though?" Nilin said, spiting the venomous word out. "You got what you wanted. You have the damn grimoire, and now Elena's missing, Stefan's out looking for her and I'm stuck here." Nilin slammed her fist down on the piano keys, causing an awful noise to echo. She took in a few slow deep breaths before continuing.
"You're old pal Anna took her to make a deal, but I bet you already knew that. She wants that book too." Nilly said, she unclasped her straining fist. "Pour Gilbert girls, right? Both held for ransom in a matter of 24 hours. Let's just hope one of us is saved in the end."
With the last words out, the feeling in her chest vanished. Nilly looked up, the room was empty. She stood up just as the front door slammed closed. She let out a shaky breath and sank back down on the piano bench.
God damn humans. Humans are such weak, insolent creatures with pathetic emotions to go with them. Damon cursed out the very existence of them as he barreled down the side walk.
No matter how hard he tried Damon couldn't get Nilin's voice out of his head. It made his fist clench and his jaw ache. He hated the way she pulled the meager man out of him. Guilt and regret burned in his veins just to be covered up by the anger of his demon.
Human emotions, he was feeling human emotions again because of her. The scraps of morality he had left were starting to claw their way out of him.
Damon tired to suppress it as much as he could. He used that anger to focus on the next task ahead of him. Collateral damage. That's all Nilin was, collateral damage. A shame—but not uncommon— that someone had to get hurt. Did he mean for it to be Nilin? No. Was he going to guilt trip himself because it was her? No.
He had burned bridges with Nilin one way or another, better now then ever. Now he just had to focus on the tomb and opening it.
Anna had left a very obnoxious voicemail on his cell phone on how if he ever hoped to see the tomb open he should meet her in the Common. That's where he was heading when he had heard her walk into the boarding house unexpectedly and clearly distressed.
He had finally left though, and now he was watching from a shadow of a building for Anna.
That's when he spotted her, and the other Gilbert, Jeremy. Hmm, interesting. Damon thought as he watched. They were talking, both smiling like two gooey teenagers. Finally the boy left and Anna sat on one of the benches. She watched Jeremy's back as he walked away and Damon made his move. Using his unnatural speed, he appeared next to Anna.
"Got a hot date or you just nabbing the entire Gilbert family?" he asked, enjoying the twitch of surprise that went through her body. She turned towards him, smiling.
"Party, actually," she said. "Right next to the old cemetery. Isn't that nice of them? Lots of warm bodies for starving vampires."
Damon wasn't amused. "I told you I work alone."
Anna shrugged. "Yeah, so do I. But," she continued. "You're minus a Gilbert and I'm minus a spell book."
He let out a dry laugh. "Not a smart move messing with Elena," Damon informed her.
"Stefan will come after you," he said starting to stand, done with the conversation.
"I know about the other one too, Damon. The one with the weird name."Anna said, causing him to freeze and sulk back down in the bench. "The one you've seemed to have taken a keen interest too. What's her name?" she pondered, putting a sarcastic finger to her chin.
"Nilin," he answered, feeling that human part of him wither with the mention of her.
"That's right," she smiled. "I wonder which one I should kill first when I don't get what I want." Anna got up to leave.
Damon sighed. "When do you want to do this?" he asked reluctantly.
Anna turned around and laughed, "God, it's like 1864 all over again," she sneered. "You Salvatores are truly pathetic." Shaking her head, she looked at him all mocking humor gone. "Tonight. At sundown. Meet me at the church."
And then she turned on her heels and walked away.
Author's Notes:
Hey my fabulous readers! Here is the second part to the chapter. I'm somewhat following the TV series plot line, but I'm somewhat not following the TV series plot line. I would love to know what you guys think, I want to hear whats on those minds of yours. Only way to do that is REVIEW! So tell me what you guys think, thank you so much and see you Friday!
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