Chapter Seventeen

Jack & Jonah

" I won't cry for yesterday, there's an ordinary world somehow I have to find. And as I try to make my way to the ordinary world. I will learn to survive..." ~ Duran Duran

" No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget. No matter how many lies that I live I will never regret. There is a fire inside of this heart in a riot about to explode into flames..." ~ 30 Seconds to Mars

" I believe in nothing. Not the day and not the dark. I believe in nothing. But the beating of our hearts..." ~ 30 Seconds to Mars

"Are you going to tell us what Jonah did?" Sasha asked following me into the study. With Jonah's arrival in Mystic Falls a week ago everyone's been a little on edge.

I think I'm mostly to blame for their emotions, as mine's been a little frayed.

"It's nothing," I repeated for the umpteenth time. I retrieved the book I was after, flicking through the pages. I found what I was looking for, and left the room, Sasha hot on my trail. "Sash," I said stopping in my tracks. "Warn a girl would you?" Sasha said nearly knocking into me. I turned around and gave her I'm-fine smile.

"Water under the bridge," I said with my sickly sweet smile. I didn't buy it for a second, and neither did Sasha. She gave me that knowing look, the one she clearly got from Damon. "What's going on?" Damon asked rounding the corner. He stopped, and gave us his amused smile. "You're doing that thing," he observed Sasha the same knowing look. My sham of smile turned into a genuine smile. "What thing?" Sasha asked taking a step back, giving me some room. "You and Damon have the same look when you know someone is lying," I said with a little chuckle.

"I don't have a look," Sasha said shaking her head.

"You have the look," Damon confirmed with s smile.

"Really?" Sasha asked, intrigued.

"Just like, Damon," I concluded, with a nod and smile.

"Interesting," she mused walking off, our previous conversation topic forgotten.

We watched her round the corner, but not before she called over her shoulder, "I still want to know what happened with Jonah."

"Darn," I said under my breath. "I thought she'd drop it."

"We all want to know what happened with Jonah," Damon said meeting my gaze.

"I don't want to relive the experience. I've had enough of reliving the past," I said walking into our bedroom. Damon followed me closing the door behind him, shutting out the world. I sat down with the book in my hand, and flicked back to the page I wanted to read. Damon sat beside me quietly, peering over my shoulder.

We both read the page in silence. I could sense Damon's questions before he even asked them. "That means Jack is planning on killing me once The Assembly has been over thrown," I said closing the book, putting into my bedside drawer.

"Start from the beginning," Damon said, clenching his fists.

"Get Stefan, Sasha, and Dave," I said without looking at Damon. I needed to share my suspicions. I knew Jack was up to something, and there was something he said a week ago that confirmed my distrust in him. I couldn't believe that I didn't figure it out sooner. But, honestly, I thought Jack to be dead, not plotting on killing me.

It wasn't long before Stefan, Sasha, and Dave walked into the room. Damon closed the door behind them. I was sitting on the bed and Sasha joined me. Damon took the arm chair in the corner, and Stefan and Dave pulled the sofa, that stood on the other side of the room, closer sitting down. Everyone's eyes were on me, seeking answers for this secretive meeting that I've called. "Are we finding out what happened with Jonah?" Sasha asked excitedly, happy that she's finally getting an answer.

"A year or so after I became a Keeper, Jonah showed up at our headquarters. He was a newly turned vampire that Jack took under his wing. Jack treated Jonah like a son. But, Jack disappeared after my parents died, and Vincent became the Leader of the Keepers," I took a breath looking at Damon. "Years after I killed Vincent and ran from the Keepers, Jonah found me. He tried to kill me. That was when I realized just how powerful my skills were to read and manipulate minds and thoughts.

I let Jonah drink enough of my blood, before I bend his will and forced him to leave me and to never come back."

"I thought all Keepers could do that to vampires if the vampire had enough of the Keeper's blood in them?" Stefan asked.

"Yes, but none had as much power as me. That was why Vincent wanted me to control Damon, and ultimately you." Stefan nodded, letting me continue.

"I thought Jonah had pledged his allegiance to Tobias, but now I think he's been doing Jack's bidding all along," I sharing my suspicions. "I believe that Jack never intended for me to become the Leader of the Keeper's. I believe he's using me to win the Keeper's over. Once I take control, I think he has a plan to kill me, and anyone who stands in his way." The room so silent I could hear everyone thinking. We all sat in silence, everyone processing what had just been said.

"You're not meant to survive this war," Stefan said breaking the silence.

"I think that's been Jack's plan all along," I confirmed. "I think Jonah is meant to kill me once I take control. Jack knows that if Jonah kills me, Damon will kill him. So, he then takes the Leader position and no one will question it."

"Son of a bitch," Sasha said angrily.

"How's you figure it out?" Stefan said leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. I noticed that Damon and Dave were very quiet. Dave was still trying to grasp the meaning of all this, and Damon was trying hard not to give into his anger.

"I remember a few weeks ago reading an article that said that there was a Keeper a few years ago creating vampires. I didn't think too much of it, but it started making sense when all these 'friends'," I made air quotes, to get my point across. "Of Jack started showing up. And then when Jonah showed up, I started thinking. I knew the article was somewhere I just needed to find it. That explains why Jack disappeared for so long. He was underground building an army for this exact reason."

Damon suddenly got up and opened the bedroom door. "Everyone out," he snapped. His voice was a bit menacing, and everyone got up without any objection. The three of them scuttled out of the room, and Damon slammed the door shut.

"Okay," I said getting up. I expected Damon to be angry, but this was not what I expected. The vibe I was getting off him was murderous.

Damon looked at me his beast in control. He breathed heavy, trying to control his anger. It took him a minute or so to get control over his emotions. It wasn't until I saw the look of pain in his eyes that I realized what had gotten him so worked up. Without knowing it I let my fears and angst seep into him. Normally I was good at keeping my thoughts and feeling walled up, but I obviously got distracted and let my control slip.

I walked over to where Damon stood and took his hands in mine.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Damon said angrily, taking my face in his hands.

"I know," I replied resting my head against his chest. Damon pulled me closer and leaned his chin on top of my head. "I didn't mean for you to be burdened by my fear," I said into his chest. "Ava," Damon said pulling away, taking hold of my shoulders.

"Don't ever apologize for sharing your thoughts and feelings with me."

"Okay," I nodded standing on the tip my toes, brushing my lips against his. Damon leaned down and kissed me, cupping my face. I wrapped my arms around his neck, melting into him. Damon picked me up and carried me to bed.