Author's note: Welcome back! What a quick follow-up! A few of you complained (:D) about my mean cliffhanger, so I decided to be nice and post the next chapter right away. Can't promise that this ending is any softer, though. ;)
The next few chapters are going to be wild. But that's the price of fluff! :D
It had been such a long time since Elena played the role of the vampire in Vampire and Human that she found herself getting decidedly excited. After their impromptu performance at The Crooning Canary in Richmond earlier that day, she really wanted to go all out. This was going to be more than just a sexy role-playing session – this was going to be art!
She found her sultriest red lipstick, donned her sexiest lingerie, fixed her hair and makeup, and set about creating a character.
Was she going to lure men into her lair via her hypnotic voice like a Siren? No, Bonnie told her that Damon was brainwashed and tormented by a Siren while she was in her magical coma, so he definitely wouldn't like that. She also needed to stay away from anything that even hinted at Katherine Pierce.
Damon had it so much easier this time – Mercutio was already an established character – and a well-fleshed out one at that.
Hmm. What kind of ancient vampire temptress would she be?
Stefan had to talk to Elena – he absolutely had to. He had to make sure that she was okay, and that his brother hadn't compelled her to do anything terrible.
He knew Damon had committed some foul acts in his life, but this was depraved, even for him. He never would have imagined it if he hadn't seen the photographic evidence with his own eyes.
He found her window open, thank God.
There she was, he breathed a sigh of relief. He widened the opening of the window gingerly, so as not to spook her. She must be under so much stress. Was she wearing red lingerie? He didn't even know she owned that. He jumped into the room, landing softly on the floor.
Without turning, Elena began speaking in a pronounced tone that honestly really exaggerated the sultriness, if one had to be honest. "Hello, my sweet, innocent, human Mercutio. I see you've found your way into my lair," she cackled. "Don't bother trying to leave. I've ensnared you." And then she finally turned around, her eyes widening, followed by a horrified scream, her arm darting to the side to throw the first object it found at the intruder – in this case, a stuffed puppy, though she wished she found something heavier – and grabbed a robe to wrap around herself. She wasn't entirely sure of the order, but all those were achieved. "What the hell, Stefan? Learn to knock!" she shouted, tightening the belt on the robe around herself, distinctly annoyed.
Stefan's eyes widened, too, completely unprepared for this reaction. At first, when she started speaking so strangely, he thought maybe her mind had been utterly decimated my compulsion. Poor girl. He'd never actually seen it happen, but he heard stories – or at least some wild rumors. She seemed to be fine now, though. So maybe it came and went?
"Elena, you haven't been answering your phone, and I've been worried," he swallowed thickly. "You haven't been returning my calls, and I thought –"
She sighed, feeling a bit guilty, but the last few days had been tumultuous to say the least. She also had to get rid of him, to avoid what could possibly be one of the most awkward evenings in the history if awkward evenings, especially if Damon was really on his role-playing game, and came in in character, too. "Look, Stefan, I'm sorry. It's been a really busy few days. Why don't we talk about this later? I need to get to bed –"
"You didn't seem like you were going to bed. And who's Mercutio?" he asked suspiciously, again wondering what had been done to make her behave so strangely.
"Romeo's best friend, the prince's cousin, thorn in Tybalt's side," she deadpanned. "I'm sure we'll cover it later this year in lit."
"What's going on with you, Elena? You've been behaving really strangely –"
She was getting annoyed. "You know what's strange, Stefan? Coming in through a girl's bedroom window at night, uninvited, and then giving her the third degree about her so-called behavioral changes," she shot back.
"A girl's window? Elena! You're my girlfriend –"
"Ex-girlfriend," she corrected. "I broke up with you, remember?"
"But ... but why?" he asked, agonized, desperate to understand the sudden change.
He looked so earnest that Elena almost felt sorry for him. How could she tell him that they'd been friends for far longer than in their childish, teenage attempt at a relationship at this point? She took his hands in hers gingerly, hoping she would be able to convince him. "Stefan, you mean so much to me, but we don't bring out the best in each other – at least romantically. I know we were always meant to be friends, and I know we'll excel at it. This was just a phase for both of us, and it had to end – and now it did. Okay?"
He looked devastated, then zeroed in on her clavicle, looking positively enraged. "Elena, where's your necklace?"
She looked confused for a second, grasping at the spot where it usually hung, until she smiled with realization. "Ooh! Bonnie must still have it."
"Why would Bonnie have your vervain necklace?" Stefan narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"She needed it, for a spell," she thought quickly. The actual explanation was considerably stranger.
"Why did you think I was this Mercutio?" Stefan persisted, trying to see if he could trip her up to reveal the compulsion.
Elena's eyes widened. She definitely couldn't tell him the truth. Perhaps a version of the truth? Yes, that would do, she patted herself on the back mentally. She'd become a much better liar as a result of her time being a member of the supernatural. "I wasn't talking to you! I'm rehearsing for a performance."
"Oh really?" he asked dubiously. "Where?"
She gasped, pretending to be affronted. "Just today, Stefan, my troupe and I performed our act at The Crooning Canary in Richmond. We're called The Mystic Players. Go ask them! They'll tell you."
"Since when are you into theatre?"
Since when, indeed? Elena knew that she couldn't exactly tell him that this was very special theatre, but he'd get even more suspicious, at least at this point. She really needed to sell this if it was going to work. "Since I'm a seventeen-year-old girl, Stefan, and at a time in my life when I should be trying new things and expanding my horizons," she spat, growing annoyed with the interrogation. Were things that different when she was in her late teens and did ex-boyfriends always presume they'd be privy to all kinds of private information?
Stefan sighed, unwilling to play this game any longer. "Tell me the truth, Elena. Has Damon been compelling you? I've seen the pictures."
Her eyes widened. Oh, that's right. He did have photographs. "No, he hasn't, Stefan," she told him gently. "I'm sorry – but I promise there's a very good explanation. Now's just not the time to discuss it, so you need to get going, okay?"
"It's okay, Elena," he soothed, taking her in his arms. "You're safe. He can't hurt you anymore."
Elena's mind sorted through possible ways to get rid of him quickly, until she finally registered what he said. She rounded on him, grabbing and pressing him against the wall, like she was the predator of the two, having seemingly forgotten that she was no longer a member of the undead in her rage. "What the hell did you do?"
"Are you going to be okay here for a little bit, Enzo? I need to go speak to my Grams, and there's absolutely no way she'll allow a vampire inside. I'll try to be back as soon as I can," Bonnie soothed.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," he reassured with a smile. This would give him plenty of opportunities to examine the contents of this mobile flat television set with a keyboard attachment that allowed him to … surf the internet? What peculiar wording. He liked it! Although he was a bit puzzled – if this was a foreclosed home, why did all the utilities work?
"Great!" Bonnie beamed, leaning in shyly to press a kiss on his cheek, and then scurried out of the house before he had a chance to reciprocate in any way.
She arrived at home within minutes, grateful that the foreclosed house was so close to her own. Her Grams was waiting by the door, scrutinizing her.
The truth is that Bonnie had suspected that her Grams knew more than she let on since the day she returned. It was the way she looked at the young witch, studying her, that almost made her feel uncomfortable. And now, she seemed positive that Bonnie would arrive at this exact moment. Not angry, not disappointed – just aware.
Bonnie had no idea how to feel about this.
"Hi, Grams," she attempted weakly.
"Hello, dear. Did you have a nice trip?" her Grams asked casually, though it was clear to Bonnie that her words held considerably greater meaning.
Bonnie nodded, unsure how to respond, as she stepped into the house. What was she supposed to do? How would she tell her Grams her tale, without looking positively insane?
"You can stop fretting, child," her grandmother soothed, taking her hands in her own. "I know exactly who you are, and where you've come from. I may even be able to offer some insight on why you're here."
"How?" Bonnie all but squeaked.
"Come along, Bonnie," she gestured into the living room. "We're going to project onto the Astral Plane," she explained, gathering some candles. "Now, I know you've never done this, so it might be a bit disorienting at first, but you'll get the hang of it."
"I didn't do anything!" Stefan shot back. "What's wrong with you? Since when are you so concerned about him?"
"You said 'he can't hurt you anymore.' What the hell does that mean?" Elena persisted, refusing to be deterred.
This was bad. This ran deep. He didn't like what he had to do, but maybe it was the only way to override what was clearly happening to her, to keep her safe. Stefan took her shoulders in his hands, gazing deep into her eyes, allowing his pupils to shift with mental suggestion. "Damon is dangerous, Elena, and you need to stay away from him."
"Oh my God, did you just try to compel me?" she gasped, enraged, then grabbed the bridge of her nose, feeling an impending headache come on. "Look, Stefan, this isn't like you. We don't have time for this, and no matter how many Little Orphan Bambis you create!"
"Now you even sound like him! Did he tell you to say that?"
Elena groaned internally, knowing that if she explained that this was a natural byproduct of spending a lot of time with someone, it would just to confirm his wild theory. "Focus, Stefan. What did you do? Don't make me ask Bonnie to give you an aneurysm, because she will."
"I told you," he sighed. "I didn't do anything. I received some vervain darts, and some photos," he added bitterly, giving her a subtly sad glare. "I didn't mean to use them. I was just sitting outside, looking at them, trying to figure out the strange symbols on them. But then Damon came home, and they just flew out of my hands!" he explained, to Elena's visibly growing horror. "I tried to hold on to one, but then I couldn't maintain my hold, and it hit him in the chest, followed by the others."
"So, you came here, instead of guarding him, and making sure he's okay?" she asked, her growing anxiety threatening to overwhelm her.
"I had to make sure you're okay!"
"So, where is he now?" she breathed, filling with dread.
"I locked him in the cell in the basement until I could figure out what to do with him," Stefan explained.
She was instantly seized by a panic. This was a targeted attack, and he was alone – unconscious. "We're going there. Now!" she commanded, though her voice was a trembling whisper. She ran to grab a tee shirt, converse, and jeans, practically flying out of her house. She should have taken the blood. She had no idea how much time she had left, before she reverted into her teenage form again, forgetting everything.
Forgetting that Damon was in trouble.
They drove in silence, Elena running into the basement as soon as the car stopped.
Her stomach dropped. This couldn't be happening again. Not again. Not again.
The cell was empty. He was gone.
Damon awoke to find himself suspended in a darkened room; his hands locked in manacles held by thick chains. Well, this was certainly familiar. At least they weren't bear traps this time, he reasoned.
His head was pounding. He must have been injected with the motherlode of vervain.
Damon looked around. There looked to be a woman studying him, wearing similar runes on her fingers that he'd seen on Althea. Another witch. Perfect. She kept looking behind her at two mysterious figures. Then he looked down at himself, noticing his shirt was open.
"Look, this is all obviously very kinky, and I can't say I blame you – I mean, look at me – but we should probably start with my safe word," he sassed.
The witch paid him no mind and continued chanting.
"I got it!" he announced excitedly. "How about 'End of Days Rambling Subway Hag'? he asked in mock seriousness. "No? Okay, maybe you'll like this better –"
Before he continued, she removed what looked like a paintbrush from a drawer, and began to draw the very same runes that she had on her hands on Damon's chest, despite never having used any paint. They appeared by magic, and they somehow felt both hot and cool and altogether alive.
"Hey! Hands off the merchandise," he barked hoarsely, a sardonic smirk lining his features. "I don't give it away for free."
One of the figures stepped into the light, looking and sounding appealing like the kind of déjà vu that was forgotten, and spent entirely too long at the back of the 'fridge, and maybe even grew some of its own lifeforms. "Do your friends in Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?"
Ooh, lookie. Another cliffie. Whoopsies. :D
I decided to make both Damon and Elena into role-playing, because it was funny to me to have Stefan walk in on that scene. :D But we also know they're very, erm, adventurous in that respect, so why not? :D
Stefan really does mean well. It's just kind of a weird situation for him. He'll get better.
So, yes, that's Galen Vaughn from S4. But which version? :D I honestly picked him so he could repeat his "do your friends in Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?" line to stir up Damon's recognition. He also seemed a lot less intense than Connor.
I'll genuinely try to have the next chapter out soon!
I hope everyone's enjoying the story. Hugs and love to you darlings, especially my fic advisors (:D), Kriz03, scarlett2112, Florencia7, Wobalo, and Ixilight. :D
Please leave a review so we can discuss, discuss, discuss! Much love to all. :)