Chapter 17: When a stranger calls


I awoke with a gasp on the hard table. Picking my head up, I rubbed my stiff cheek trying to soothe it. Looking around I noticed, I was in the library.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Outside the window next to me, I could hear loud sounds of something hitting the window. Drops of water pelted down against the window as I flinched back in my seat.

The sun had long disappeared among the dark clouds as trees and plants whipped around wildly against the harsh and strong winds.

It didn't take long for me to notice two things. There was a storm going on and I slept through the evening.

Oh god. I fell asleep.

I was meant to be finishing my research and copying down the journals. Great. So much for focusing on work. Tired, I rubbed my sleepy eyes, trying to get rid of the sleepiness. Slowly, I came to my senses and started scanning my surroundings.

My laptop that I had left running throughout the afternoon was turned off and the journals were now neatly arranged into a pile. Next to it was a post-it note.

'Gone for the day.

Went to get supplies for the storm with everyone else.

Will be back before midnight.'

-Maria

"Am I home alone?" I thought outloud, getting up and picking up my laptop. No answer came. "Hellooo? Robert? Gina? Anyone here?" I called out, walking over to the entrance of the library.

Crack.

I jumped back inside the library at the sound of the thunder. In sudden shock, I clutched my chest and breathed out.

Just thunder. Relax, Ava.

I chastised myself and pulled my cardigan tighter around me. Unknowingly, I scrunched up the post-it note before I remembered. "Wait." I paused in my tracks, stopping in the middle of the hallway leading to the living room.

Carefully, I unscrunched up the post-it note and held it up to the light.

'with everyone else'

Yeah, I was alone.

I sighed and scrunched up the note again and shoved it inside my cardigan's pocket. I mean I might as well get used to it. Shrugging, I clutched my laptop to my chest and almost ran to the living room. I wasn't afraid, I just wanted to go to sleep in my room. I tried to convince myself.

Crack.

Just a little lightning and thunder. God, get a grip. I sprinted up the stairs. The only sound I could hear were the sounds of my hurried footsteps mixed with the barrage of rain and rumbling of thunder outside.

I paused in the threshold of my room as the lights above me started flickering.

Without a second thought, I ran in and closed the door behind me. I stood with my back pressing on the door as I slowly slid down to the floor.

It's okay. It's okay.

Breathing out, I got up and placed my laptop on my desk. The desk was next to the double doors that led to the balcony attached to my room.

From the glass doors, I could barely see the huge garden through the fogged up windows. The rain was still going strong. The pelting of water didn't stop or slow down.

Crack.

Another round of lightning and thunder made me take a few steps back.

I hurriedly pulled the curtains on the doors and walked over to my dressing table. I paused in my motions as the lights above me flickered above me.

Crack.

The lights started flickering even more violently.

Knock. Knock.

I jumped and tried to compose myself. The lights flickered as another round of knocks were heard. "Maria? Is that you?" I called out. Sure Ava. Do that, call out to whatever is in the house. Like that's the smartest thing to do. "Gina?" Idiot.

A crack of thunder came then, followed by a flash of lightning that lit up the whole corridor. I flinched back at the loud crackling of the thunder and lightning as I hurried out of the library and up the stairs.

The manor creaked and moaned as the heavy wind battered its walls. Lights flickered violently like a frantic heartbeat while accompanied by knocks.

Then it all stopped.

I sighed in relief and turned my back for one moment when the lights above me shattered with a bang. In shock, I fell to my knees with my hands over my head.

When I opened my eyes, I was in complete darkness. I swallowed my fear of the dark and cleared my mind, moving to grab a torchlight from my nightstand. I hobbled over to my bed and opened the drawer of the nightstand, taking out the flashlight.

The light flickered on when I flipped the switch on. I sighed again and moved to find some batteries at my desk. Except there was none. With the limited light I had, I scoured my entire room for some batteries before I stopped. Wait. Why was I doing all this when I could just…

I stared at my hands and concentrated, willing it to glow up. Nothing happened. So I tried harder. Again nothing happened. The flashlight started flickering, indicating the battery was low. Great. Just great. Magic wasn't working and the flashlight was going to die on me.

Tired, I shut my eyes for a second whilst turning off the flashlight to save some power so that I could think. I sat down on my bed and carefully tried to think of my next idea.

The library!

The library had some batteries. I jumped to my feet and turned on the flashlight. Forgetting about the earlier incident, I decided to go out of the safety of my room like the total idiot that I am.

Without a second thought, I hurried over to the library and tried to hurry back when I heard it.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

I stopped in the middle of the hallway on the second floor of the manor. Outside, the rain was beating down against the windows like war drums as lightning struck every two minutes.

The banging sound was there again. Against my better judgment, I turned around.

Behind me was a shadow.

There was some distance between me and the shadow so I carefully started to back away. Maybe it was just a trick of my mind. The figure just stood there, watching.

Keeping my eyes on it, I backed off and took at my dagger. But again, it did nothing. It just stood there. I didn't agitate it. I wasn't insane enough to do that. Instead I turned around and tried to get back to my room, unnoticed.

"Ava…" I froze when I heard it. A desperate voice whispered out to me. It sounded familiar.

An unknown feeling bubbled inside of me as my hands started shaking and my eyes started tearing up. I was forgetting something or someone.

"...Ava." It called out again. I swallowed back my fear and threw a glance behind me. The shadow still stood there, unmoving. "Let me in…" I shut my eyes and backed off before turning around.

I started running. I didn't know where I was running. Whether it was my room or outside, I didn't know. I stopped when I heard the ground. I heard the sound of gravel and dirt, not smooth wooden flooring.

Confused, I opened my eyes. My eyes widened as I looked around. I wasn't home anymore. I was outside. The wind whipped around me, cutting into me like blades as rain pelted down hard on me.

Thunder boomed overhead as lightning crackled in sync.

I froze.

There were bright yellow school buses laying around what looked like a parking lot. I knew where I was. I was in school.

"Ava." I heard another familiar voice again.

Turning around, I came face to face with her. Vicki Donovan. Matt's sister. His dead sister.

Her eyes looked lifeless but there was a deceptively bright smile on her face. Her pale skin was gray, cracked and charred. Vicki pushed her behind her back and walked over to me with a smile.

"You forgot about me." She murmured with a crazed look in her dead eyes.

I shook my head desperately as I backed away. "I didn't." I pleaded. For a second, Vicki's body and face flickered. Her dark brunette hair turned darker and her face morphed into someone else's.

My eyes widened as I recognized that face. "Isaac?" I breathed out.

"You forgot about us." They screamed out as lightning struck, causing me to close my eyes. When I opened them, I was back in the halls of the manor. In front of me, Vicki leaned over my body. Her face was back to her own.

"Why? Why did you let us die?" Vicki cried out while Isaac looked at me with cold dead eyes and a face caked with blood.

"I didn't mean to."

She laughed in disbelief. "Liar!" Isaac screamed and dove down to wrap his hands around my neck. Vicki followed him.

Their cold gray hands tightened around my throat as they hovered over my body. "You're so selfish!" She screeched out.

"That's—not true."

"But you are." A small voice whispered and I glanced to the side. Hanna along with Jason and Brook stood together. Their eyes hollow and their skin decomposing. I almost gagged at the sight. "You let us die." They all said in chorus.

Vicki squeezed my neck harder and I started seeing black spots hover in my vision. Then she loosened her grip for a moment, allowing me the breath a little. "When...are you gonna face the fact that people died because of you. Don't deny it." She pressed down on my windpipe, making it harder for me to breathe.

"Face it. You're guilty that I died and became a vampire." Isaac let go and caressed my cheeks, streaking blood across it.

"You're guilty that Jason, Hanna, me and Sheila are dead." Brook screamed out.

"They are all dead." Jason said, looking at me with a hateful glare.

"We are all dead because you were too busy saving yourself and your precious secret. FACE IT!" Isaac hissed at me as I gasped for breath as I thrashed on the wooden floor, only for Vicki to apply more pressure.

I knew deep down, whatever they were saying was right. I only went against my family because I couldn't take the guilt anymore.

My vision began to blur while I desperately tried to claw my way free, scratching her face. It started to peel back in layers. Her skin fell off first, then it was her flesh before she was left in an unfamiliar state of muscle and bones peeking through.

"Why didn't you save us, Ava?" They cried out as bloody tears dripped down what was left of their faces. "Why!"

"I tried...I really tried." I pleaded with teary fogged up eyes. Tears slid down my face and fell on the floor as I tried to reason with Vicki and the others even though I knew she was telling the truth.

"Liar!"


I woke up in cold sweat with a sharp, clutching my throat in fear. Dried tears coated my face. My lungs desperately gasped for air. I could still feel the cold dead hands of Vicki around my throat.

The pain wasn't there but it felt so real. My sheets were drenched in sweat as I threw them off me and turned to look at myself in the dressing table mirror, facing my bed. I looked horrible. Sweat-drenched hair, stuck to my face and neck in a messy way.

Frightened, I dragged myself off the comfort and safety of my bed. I walked over to the dressing table and leaned over the mirror as I pulled at my shirt to get a better look at the damage. But there was none. My skin was smooth and unblemished. There was bruising or marks. I breathed out tiredly and stepped back.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A series of loud incessant knocks made me jump back in fear and clutch my chest in shock. "Miss Ava, it's me. Gina." Gina called out from the other side of the door, making me sigh in relief. I walked over to the door and pulled it open. "Oh you're awake."

"I'm sorry I took a nap." I apologized, running my hands together. "Um, is there anything I can do for you?"

"No. No. It's just there's a storm rolling in." Just as she said this, a rumble of thunder was heard in the distance. "Ah there it is. Anyways. I wanted to check if your balcony door and windows are closed. Is that okay?"

"Sure." I moved out of the way, letting her inside as she moved quickly.

She moved to the balcony first and picked up the rose plants and brought them inside, walking past me to leave them in the hallway. She went back and forth until all the plants in the balcony were in the hallway. I helped her tidy up as I picked up my easel and placed it next to my next.

"That should be everything." She said pulling the double balcony doors closed. I handed her the key and she locked it.

Moving away from the balcony, I climbed my bed to close the window above my bed. Gina came out of the bathroom and gestured to me that the windows were closed. "All the windows and doors are closed?" I asked.

"Should be. The butler and the temporary servants already checked them." She answered with her hands on her hips. "Oh and your uncle got stranded at Duke."

I pursed my lips and nodded. "I figured. You didn't mention Maria." I asked, wondering where the red-headed maid was.

"I guess Mrs Fitzroy didn't tell you—Maria's grandmother fell ill so she went back home for six months." Gina walked over to the door with her hands clasped in front of her, looking outside. "At least she'll miss this god awful weather—you might want to pull the curtains too."

I nodded, turning around to pull the curtains on the balcony door and the windows. "Hmm. I think you, Rob and the others should go home before the storm hits—if I'm correct, it's hours away. Should be enough time to get home."

"And leave you here all alone? We can't do that."

"I think I'm old enough to take care of myself besides your families who will need you during this time." I tried with a smile. Gina looked unconvinced. "Rob's wife's ill. You said so yourself, even if Maria goes to take care of her. It'll be even better for him too. Please."

"Ugh. Fine. But—"

"No parties. No letting strangers in. Don't tell anyone I'm home alone. Stay at home when the storm hits. I know. I know." I leaned back against the balcony door and boredly recited whatever lecture Gina was going to give me..

She shook her head in disbelief but made no further arguments. "I'll go tell the others."

"Tell them to hurry. There's not much time till the storm hits."

"I will." She smiled and walked out of the door. I could barely hear rustling and quiet movements as I assumed Gina announced what I said.

Breathing out, I was about to drag myself to my closet and pick out some new clothes before pushing myself into the shower. I wanted to wash away the nightmare. But, I paused when I heard the familiar ringing of my new phone.

Annoyed, I stomped over to my nightstand and grabbed my phone. The ringing died down and the screen turned black. I sighed in relief and closed my eyes, ready to ignore it and go on with my day when the incessant ringing started again.

"What!?" I all but yelled at the person on the other side.

A moment of silence and some shuffling was heard. "Good Morning, sunshine." Damon's annoying voice greeted me from the other side.

I groaned again. The urge to throw my phone out the window was so strong but I held myself back. If I broke this phone, there was no way my parents would let me get a new one.

"Someone better be dead or dying but knowing you, someone probably is."

"A little harsh, don't ya think."

"Nope. I'm just going off on your current track record." I huffed out. I glared at the ornate clock on the wall opposite the bed as I did so.

"I need your help. A few vampires jumped me."

"Can't say you didn't deserve it but carry on." I threw myself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"They made me enter into a deal I didn't want. Pearl, she's freakishly strong."

"Well, she's older than you, isn't that a given—the older the vampire, the stronger."

"Sometimes I forget how much you really know. Anyways—"

"Planning to stab Pearl and tomb vampires in the back, literally and figuratively. "

"Love it when you just read my mind?"

I sighed. Why does Stefan always tell Damon things I shared with Elena? It was kinda getting annoying. "Did Elena tell you—"

"No. Stefan did. Gotta say, you impress me everyday." I groaned and fell back onto my bed. "Oh. Don't make that sound. I'm complimenting you."

"I don't want it."

"Anyways, I have a plan. I want the tomb vampires out and so do you so I was thinking you and I could work together."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're the only one in this town who's actually honest with me."

"That means we have to work together?" I scrunched up my brows as I wrapped a few strands of my hair around my fingers. Wait. Was I playing with my hair while talking to Damon? No. Not today.

"You did say you wanted the tomb vampires to leave and I want Pearl to give me info on Katherine—come on work with me here."

"And there it is; you're doing this for Katherine, again."

"I'll leave town faster if I have a way to find her."

I rolled my eyes and looked away. He seriously thought I would be one his side in this whole thing. "And in the process piss off twenty-or-something vampires. Sounds fun." I retorted sarcastically. "Do you hear how dumb that sounds? Why would I, of all people, help you?"

Damon laughed. "Because you hate vampires and I just wanna apply a little pressure on Pearl so she'd help me get Katherine back."

"And why would 'I' help you do that?"

"I'd get out of this town a whole lot faster."

"Point taken."

He sighed and took a deep breath. "I promise to get info on Katherine and leave so...please?"

I grabbed my silk dressing gown. I wrapped the rose-colored garment around me tight as I made my way into my closet. This was a stupid arrangement. A nervous feeling took over me.

For some weird reason, I felt kind of empty. I didn't want Damon to be happy or get what he wanted, not after everything he had done for far. But doing this would make him leave, the voice in my head pointed out.

I scowled and rolled my eyes. "Fine but you're helping to take out the rest of the tomb vampires."

"Got it." He repeated.

I sighed again as I moved the hangers around, looking for an outfit. "Y'know even if I do help you, Stefan might not." I said out loud without thinking.

"Remember, Stefan was the one who offered to help me." He added in.

I didn't know Stefan for long but I did know that they had a complicated relationship. I had a feeling that Stefan's help was anything but sincere. It was reluctant at best.

I almost pitied Damon and Stefan.

Keyword 'almost'. Damon was still a killer at the end of the day. One who killed Vicki and Sheila. Was Stefan still being sincere after everything? If so, then he was a saint.

I didn't say anything else. Choosing my next words carefully, I let his words mull in my head. "Hmm. I don't know. You sound too optimistic for someone whose girlfriend is public enemy number one. I'd be a little cautious and untrusting if I were you, especially when it comes to bargaining with someone like Pearl."

Pearl gets nothing out of this. I left that part unsaid, knowing he was gonna pick up on it anyway. A pissed off Damon equalled dead people but Pearl was far older, so more bodies and I'd rather avoid that. Damon had nothing to offer Pearl and the others. They could take what they wanted with or without him.

"Well, you're the one who said I should be more trusting and kinder. So here's me doing both."

I almost laughed, knowing he was only doing this cause Pearl had years against him. "Since when do you listen to anything I have to say?"

"Since I need a friend and maybe something—"

"—Finish that sentence and I will personally put a stake through your heart."

The thought of being romantically involved with a vampire let alone someone like Damon made my skin crawl. I do admit he was attractive but his face was all that was going on for him. He was complicated for someone like me. Someone who just wanted to be left alone.

"Focus on your psychotic girlfriend please."

"Fine. I do mean the part of us being 'friends'. That and you're pretty good at figuring things out."

He wasn't wrong. I hated how he could read me.

"We'll see. Maybe when you become less homicidal." I took out a pair of black jeans and a thin black turtleneck to go with it. "We're done here." I said, trying to hang up as I organized my outfit in front of me.

"Meet me at the boarding house in an hour." He replied before he hung up.

"Gina!" I called out from my room. Footsteps were heard as she ran upstairs. She stood in front of me, ready to listen. "Okay, so it turns out you all don't need to worry at all. I'll be staying over at Elena's.

"Oh that's better. Rob was worried you'd be home alone. I'll go tell the others. Some already went to pack up." I nodded at Gina's reply.

Watching Gina leave, my smile fell apart and I scowled as I re-read the messages. I walked over to my shoe closet and picked up some waterproof combat boots. I also picked up my short burgundy leather trench coat. It should be enough.


I stood next to Elena, playing with my hair, bored out of mind and wondering what I was even doing here. Elena threw me an awkward smile as she wrapped her arms around herself. I watched in silence as Damon boarded up a window that two vampires broke through from.

The loud sound of the hammer hitting the nails almost made my head hurt.

The noise stopped as Damon turned to face us. "I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door, and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night."

"Yeah. And then what? We turn to the rest of that house of vampires and say, "Oops. Sorry?" Stefan retorted.

"At least ten to fifteen vampires in there and you wanna 'bust down the door'? And you made a deal with a tomb vampire. Seriously." I chimed in, gesturing to the broken window to prove my point.

I mean it didn't bother me that Damon was going to be the one breaking. Not one bit. I was not bothered at all. But breaking into a vampire nest was like poking a hornet's nest. It was stupid and dangerous.

Elena nodded at whatever I had just said and stepped forward. "I can't believe you made a deal with her." She said, like this was the first time she met Damon.

"It was more like a helpful exchange of information." Damon replied, uncaring but his eyes were different.

I rolled my eyes, remembering yesterday. "She threatened you and beat you up—you were wearing sunglasses inside." I pointed out with a small smirk.

"Exactly, it's not like I had a choice." He stopped to turn around and stared at me. "You're enjoying this."

"No I would nev—a little. It's funny."

"She's...scary."

"I bet she is, that's why you had no choice but to make a deal with her."

"She's gonna help me get Katherine back." He tried to justify it like anyone wanted Katherine to come back.

"Find it hard to believe that she'll help you—considering both you and Katherine screwed her over back then."

"But this is now and I'll get Katherine back, she said she'll help me."

Elena scowled and rolled her eyes. "Of course she is. Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process." She said in a little snarky tone.

"You don't have to be snarky about it." Damon retorted.

"I woke up this morning to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb. I've earned snarky."

I glanced at Elena from the corner of my eye and let out a laugh. She was kidding right? It was partly her fault. She convinced Sheila to open the tomb.

"How long are you going to blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

"I'm not blaming you, Damon. I've accepted the fact that you're a self-serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities."

"Actually studies have shown that psychopaths have shown they can care. Guess that makes Damon worse." I added in quietly while Elena and I shared a look with a small smirk on our face. I might blame Elena but I would never miss a chance to dunk on Damon. There was an opening and I took the shot.

"Ouch." He pretended like he was hurt but there was grin on his face.

"This isn't very productive. We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires. Yeah? Hmm." Stefan stepped in and stopped the three of us before either of us, most likely me, attacked each other.

Damon rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, not caring about what was said. "Well that's my cue to leave. Elena, I'll wait for you in the car." I waved. "See you later, Stef. Don't let Damon do anything you wouldn't do."


Elena paced around in her bedroom while I sat on the floor, leaned against her bed. My sketchbook was out along with a few pencils. I watched as she walked back and forth ranting about Damon.

I would nod before continuing to sketch. I still had plenty of homework to do from Mrs Saunders.

"Ava, you listening?" Elena stopped pacing to check if I was still there.

I nodded as I looked up and then looked back down again. She carried on, happy with my answer but honestly I wasn't listening at all. I narrowed my eyes down at my work and picked up an eraser.

With my other hand, I tried to artfully smudge some areas to create some shadows while erasing some parts to create places where light was hitting.

When she was done she stood in front of me. She breathed out like she had no worries left and smiled.

"Done?" I asked with a smirk. Elena nodded. "Okay. Then, let me just get back to this."

She rolled her eyes and picked up her pillow. "She won't see this coming." With a mischievous grin on her face, she threw it straight at my face. I dodged it without a care. The pillow landed behind me with a soft thud. She pouted at her failure and started to protest.

"I don't know why you even try. 'Lena." I mumbled sarcastically.

"Not fair, you can read minds. I'm going downstairs to get a snack. Want anything?"

"I'm good." I answered, going back to shade more of the large tree I was sketching. I heard footsteps as Elena disappeared out the door to go downstairs. Jeremy wasn't home, so the room next door was silent. With Elena downstairs, the upstairs of the Gilbert house was silent.

The only sound I could hear was the pitter patter of rain. My eyes started to feel a little drowsy, the more I stared at the tree. Maybe I should've asked Elena for some coffee, I thought. A headache was also starting to form. I leaned my head back on the bed and shut my eyes for a few seconds to rest my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I was outside. Rain poured down on me. I blinked hard trying to focus. The smell of wet gravel and dirt hit me as I finally caught where I was.

Tall trees surrounded me. I took one step forward before a man flashed to stand in front of me. He was wearing all black and had his jacket's hood over his head, protecting him from the rain. I couldn't make out his face at all.

I took another step forward. The gravel and dirt crunched beneath my feet as I walked while the rain pelted down on me, thunder rumbled following a strike of lightning. The man turned around like he had turned me. I froze when I saw him. Stefan stared straight through me. He looked worried.

Turning around to look behind me, my eyes widened. Chills went down my back as a deathly feeling gripped me. There were two vampires behind me. Alarm bells went off in my head as I turned back around to Stefan where another figure stood.

Before I could even attempt to warn him, Stefan turned around. He couldn't even act as the faceless figure stabbed him. Lightning struck blinding me, when I opened my eyes again.

They were gone.

Putting my sketchbook on the floor, I got up and called Stefan. He didn't pick up. So I tried again and again. He didn't pick up once. I feared for the worst. Gnawing my lips, I debated calling Damon next. I mean he's Stefan's brother he would know.

My palms were a little sweaty as I ran out of the room to tell Elena what I saw. I took out my phone to call Damon as a last resort.

Wrapping my arms around me I walked down the stairs. "Hey. It's me, I need to talk to you about Stefan" I greeted as I slowly descended.

"What do you know about Stefan?" He answered.

The phone echoed with another voice in front of me. I looked up and almost lost my footing before he caught me. I stood straight as he slowly let go of me, helping regain balance. I walked past him but not before cutting off the call.

"Where is he?" I asked, looking around.

"I was just gonna ask you." He retorted.

I turned around to give Elena a 'we need to talk look' and gestured to her upstairs. I also gave her another look, a look so familiar to her. She knew it too well. She nodded. "Ava, did you have one of your dreams?" Elena asked, pushing past Damon to stand in front of me. Pursing my lips, I nodded, answering her. She breathed out, a little scared.

"Uh. What did you see?" Damon asked, cutting off Elena.

I spared a glance at Damon. "Stefan was in the woods—"

"He went out to hunt." Damon interjected as Elena started shaking even more.

"It was raining, which is obvious—uh—there were three vampires." The two perked up as Damon's eyes widened and he flashed to stand next to me. He gestured to me to carry on. "They cornered him. Two in front of him. One behind him. The one behind him surprised him, I guess he was trying to get away from there but then—"

"Then what?" Damon interrogated. "What happened?"

"He was stabbed and they took him." I finished in a daze.

Damon growled and let out a frustrated grunt. "We need to have a little chat about your dreams or visions again—in detail."

I rolled my eyes. "I think finding Stefan is our priority right now." He nodded reluctantly and led us out to his car. "Thought you had a deal with the tomb vampires." I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Thought I did too." He sighed and moved to the door. "You two are staying in the car. Don't do anything stupid."

I threw him an incredulous look and then stared at Elena. He shrugged. Come on. I was not the martyr and saint in the making. That was Elena. I rolled my eyes and pushed him out the door, he didn't protest. He just turned around and walked to his car while we followed.

Rain poured down harder as Elena and I waited outside Damon's car. I mean we could've done this inside. "What happened?" Elena asked. Jumping to her feet and dragging me with her as Damon came back.

"They have him. I can't get in." Damon breathed out, a little tired. He took a step forward to stand in the shade of the umbrella.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because the woman who owns the house is compelled to not let me in." Damon answered.

I clicked my fingers and pointed at him. "That's smart." Damon gave me a look. "Sorry." I apologized.

Elena pushed ahead and nodded almost like she had lost her mind. "I can get in."

"No you can't." I stopped her and grabbed her arm, pulling her back before she did something stupid.

"Ava's right, you're not going in there."

"I'm going!" She tried.

"You're not going in there."

"Why are they doing this? What do they want with him?"

"Revenge. They want revenge."

"They were in there for over a hundred years. They're bound to be insane and pissed." I pointed out as Damon took the umbrella from me after being half-drenched already. I guess it wasn't the best idea to give the umbrella to the shortest member of the party.

Elena, in her martyr mode, stepped forward and tried to get her human self involved again. "We gotta do something." She said with more conviction than I ever had and I was not-so human. I wish I had that confidence. Not really.

"I know." Damon answered. He was really tired.

"We can't let them hurt him. We gotta get him out of there."

"I know. Elena, I know. But I don't know how to get him out."

I looked at the two. "I mean I could try."

"Absolutely not." Damon rejected the idea before I could even finish.

"You didn't even let me finish." I gestured to the two to follow me to the car as Damon took the lead. "My uncle or anyone in my family isn't home but there is someone else. Y'know who I'm talking about." I said while Elena got in the back.

Damon held the front passenger seat door open for me. I got in. "Don't say it." He folded the umbrella and handed it to me.

"Come on y'know that's the only option we've got, unless you want me to go in and I, myself, am a last resort option."

He rolled his eyes as he started the car. "Who are you two talking about?" Elena asked from the back as he started the engine.

"Alaric Saltzman." Damon and I said at the same time. I sounded chipper while he sounded annoyed as hell.


The school hallways were empty and so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Elena, Damon and I walked through the halls from the back entrance after I unlocked one of the back doors. Damon gave me a questionable look while I just shrugged.

Did I have to answer all of his or Elena's questions?

No, I didn't.

For the record, I didn't have a habit of having or knowing things that would be important. This time, I only had the keys as part of the student council. I was technically supposed to give them back, back in October but I 'forgot'.

Elena nervously walked through the halls, looking around for a sign of our history teacher while Damon scowled. He did not like the idea at all and neither did Elena. Both for different reasons.

I unfortunately had no choice but to get Mr Saltzman involved. It would be too risky for me to get in, myself. Our light footsteps pounded against the corridor as Damon stopped and his face went blank for a moment before he led us down another corridor.

I didn't have supernatural hearing and neither did Elena. But if I focused just enough, I could hear Mr Saltzman's anxious thoughts. He was still here and I guess Damon was on the right path.

Damon walked ahead without a warning. "Well, don't you look...alive?" He drawled out.

"You can't hurt me." I heard Mr Saltzman reply.

"Oh, I can hurt you, all right."

I came out of the shadowed hallway, making myself known. "But he won't. Will you Damon?" I gave Damon a look to behave and not try and eat the only other available hunter. He was our ticket inside that farmhouse, not his next meal. Mr Saltzman stared at me confused and almost betrayed.

"Mr. Saltzman. We need your help." Elena spoke up behind me, almost begging.

I looked around the corridor and glanced at the three in front of me. "Why don't we take this somewhere more—discrete. Hmm?"

Mr Saltzman nodded and started walking backwards before he walked back into his classroom. Nervously, he fumbled around with the keys as he tried to unlock the door.

I rolled my eyes and almost moved to use my copy of the school keys but I didn't. I wasn't crazy enough to show a member of staff that I had a copy of the school keys. After a short while, Mr Saltzman managed to find the key and unlocked the door.

"Thought you didn't know about vampires." Mr Saltzman commented.

"I thought I could trust her."

I rolled my eyes as Damon laughed in the background and Elena sighed impatiently. "Well, clearly I lied but this isn't about me."

"So you lied?"

"I'm sorry but Ava lies for a living. You shouldn't be surprised." Damon smirked at me.

I let out a laugh of disbelief and rolled my eyes. Pot calling the kettle. "That's adorable coming from you." I retorted.

Damon turned to me and giggled. "So you admit, you think I'm adorable."

"I think—you're adorably insane." I grinned sarcastically.

In front of us, I could hear Mr Saltzman question Elena quietly but not so quiet that I couldn't hear. "What are they doing?" He leaned down to Elena's height and then stood straight like nothing had happened. I could literally see them doing all of this. What was the point of all the faux secrecy?

"I don't know myself. Maybe flirting. I don't know." Elena admitted with a complicated look and a shrug.

"I can hear you guys." I rolled my eyes and clenched my fists.

"You have supernatural hearing?" Mr Saltzman questioned.

"No, she's just freakishly good at hearing." Damon retorted. "She can also read people's minds."

"You can minds?!" Mr Saltzman asked, alarmed.

I ignored him and glared at Damon but I pushed past him to get inside Mr Saltzman's classroom. I heard Damon follow after me after a second. Elena moved to stand in front of his desk while Damon flashed to lean against one of the windows. I stood behind Elena and leaned against a desk.


Lightning flashed as August and Max tried their hardest to navigate through the dark woods. I held onto June and Hanna while Devin kept an eye out for anyone. Rain pelted down on us as we shivered against the cold winds.

"Has anyone seen Jason?" Amanda ran up to us, shaking.

She hugged herself, trying to keep warm while looking around the banks of the lake. She could hardly see anything. She took out her flashlight and aimed it at the lake.

I moved fast and took the flashlight away from her. "Are you insane?" Devin hissed as Max turned to see the commotion. "Are you trying to get his attention?"

August clasped his hands over his mouth, suppressing a scream. "What—" June never finished that sentence as Hanna let out a sob.

"No…Brook…."

Hanna fell to her knees as she cradled the cold wet corpse of her cousin and June's former best friend. Brook's neck was ripped to shreds, her body was coated in blood. Even the water from the lake couldn't wash away all the blood. I didn't even know people could bleed that much.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating the docks. I gasped and clasped a hand over my mouth at the scene in front of me. The fishermen that we saw earlier in the morning were all strewn about. Their bodies ripped apart. Rain pelted down on their bodies, dying the lake red.

A flash of lightning and the rumbling of thunder brought me back to reality. I shook my head and rubbed my forehead, trying to soothe the dull ache in mind. But I knew it wouldn't go away just like that.

That night still haunted me and I don't think I would ever get over it. I switched my attention back onto the room. I watched as Elena clasped her hands nervously as she spoke.

"Stefan's in the house. Damon's a vampire. He can't get in. We need you. I or Ava would go, but…"

"But your lives are valuable." He turned to Mr Saltzman with a smirk. "Yours, on the other hand is…" Thunder rumbled as the tension in the room rose. Things were not looking good.

"Damon." I warned quietly. "Ignore him." I said to my history teacher. "I would go myself but..."

"You're kinda volatile and a wildcard" Damon finished while I nodded. My magic were a work in progress and even if I had more control over them, it didn't mean it would always stay in control.

Elena sucked in a breath. She was reaching her limit. "Stefan told me about your ring." She started again, focusing back on Stefan.

"What about it?" Mr Saltzman questioned, turning the large jewelry in his finger. I narrowed my eyes at the big ugly ring and raised my eyebrows. That ring looked familiar like I had seen it before but I didn't know or remember where.

"They're all working together."

"Unfortunately, yes. We don't have a choice." I said.

"Stay out of my head."

"She can't help it." Damon defended me, much to my surprise. "Now let me recap...You tried to kill me." He started by literally recapping. "I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life. Am I leaving anything out?"

"Yeah. The part where I try and kill you again. Only this time, I don't miss." Mr Saltzman got off his seat and started walking towards Damon. I shook my head.

"Why would I work with Damon?"

"Y'know, as entertaining as it would be seeing a newbie hunter take out an almost two hundred year old vampire, Stefan needs us." I got off the table and walked over to stand between the two men.

Elena jumped to stand next to me and again beg our history teacher for help. "Mr Saltzman. Please. It's Stefan."

"I'm sorry, Elena. But it's not my problem." Mr Saltzman apologized to Elena in a more gentle tone and tried to leave.

"That's a shame. Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife." I swiveled around at Damon's words so fast that I almost got a whiplash.

With my back to Elena and Mr Saltzman, I threw him a look to stop lying. He just gave me a discreet look to play along which I was not comfortable with. Yeah, I was okay with lying about myself but not about someone else's life. There was no way he would buy this.

"You're lying." I heard Mr Saltzman retort. I knew he wouldn't buy it.

"Am I? Why don't you ask her for yourself? Coward. Come on, Ava. Elena?"

Damon grabbed my wrist and started dragging me out with him while Elena lingered in the classroom, ready to beg once more.

"All right!" Mr Saltzman stopped us, right before we were about to leave. "Wait. I'll go." Elena smiled in relief while Damon gave me a look that screamed 'I told you so'. This was gonna bite him in the ass but this wasn't my problem.

Reluctantly, Mr Saltzman got up and took out his bag. He put the bag on the table and beckoned the three of us to come closer. We gathered by the desk while my history teacher turned on the lamp on his desk.

He then took out a bundle of cloth and placed it on the lit surface. Carefully, he wrapped the bundle, revealing a small arsenal of weapons. Impressive for a newbie hunter.

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night." Damon whistled, scanning the laid out weapons.

"I have you to thank for that."

"At least you had a reason." I mumbled under my breath. I still didn't know my reason for all of this or maybe I did. Mr Saltzman gave me a sympathetic look as he crossed his arms and stood straight over his weapons stash.

"What are these?" Elena asked, scanning the range of arson placed on the table.

Alaric looked down with his arms folded. "Tranquilized darts filled with vervain." He answered with a stone face.

I snorted. "These are so 80s." I whistled and picked one of them up. I held one up close to my eyes. "Not bad though." I mumbled.

"Do you have better weapons?" My history teacher asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

I shrugged. "I do." I replied.

"Her family does." Damon corrected. "But she's not gonna share her toys." He added, rolling his eyes.

"I'm technically not even supposed to be here."

"Her family only protects themselves. That's their number one rule." He finished with a small grin. I scowled at him but he ignored me. Vicki's words from my nightmare rang through my head as I tried to shake them off.

Alaric nodded at this. "I understand. Family is important."

"Which is why we need to get mine back." Damon retorted. "Just get me in. I'll get Stefan out."

Elena glanced at Damon, uncertainly. "That's your plan? You're just gonna take them all on yourself?" Even I had to agree, that was a dumb plan but I wasn't about to volunteer myself.

"Well, I'll be a little stealthier than that, hopefully."

I nodded. "Alaric could be the distraction, while you take out the ones guarding Stefan. Just get Stefan out and get out. No need to go all Rambo on them." I tweaked his plan and added my own ideas. Knowing the older Salvatore brother, his version of stealthy was not the dictionary definition of stealthy.

"That's a good plan."

"Better than yours." I replied with a confident smile.

Elena shook her head, listening to us and without us noticing picked up a vervain dart. She only managed to take the dart out of the case before Mr Saltzman tried to protest.

"Whoa. What are you doing?" He asked, gesturing at her to put the weapon down. I stopped picking on Damon and turned to another episode of my childhood best friend trying to get herself killed.

"I'm going with you guys." She replied with a determined look on her face. I was not amused at all by her words.

In fact, I was tired. Elena sweetie, you are an untrained human.

Damon shook his head in protest and took out the dart from her hand like an adult taking away scissors from a child. "No. No. No. No. No way."

"You guys need me!" Elena cried out. "I'll get in. You could distract them, and then I'll get Stefan out."

"We need you to stay safe. No offense 'Lena but you have no way to defend yourself and not to mention you look like the reason they were in the tomb in the first place."

Damon choked and almost burst out laughing. He held it in, grinning, he shook his head. "A little harsh, don't ya think, sunshine?" He remarked. "But Ava's right. You'll get yourself killed. You're not going in there."

"I'm going." Elena tried again.

"So, when you get me in, get out as quickly as you can. I know how to sneak around where they can't hear me. You'll basically just be in the way."

"Damon, now is not the time to be the lone ranger."

Damon made a face and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Fine. Elena, you can drive the getaway car. You're not going in the house." He turned to me. "Remember, you're-"

"The emergency backup. I know." I answered, flicking my ponytail behind my back.

"You can't stop me. It's Stefan we're talking about here. You don't understand."

"Oh, I understand. I understand. He's the reason you live. His love lifts you up where you belong. I get it."

"Can you not joke around for two seconds?

"I can't protect you, Elena. I don't know how many vampires there are in there. That's how long it takes you to get your head ripped off. I have to be able to get in and get out. I can't be distracted with your safety. Or this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walk away from...Including Stefan. I know. I get it. I understand.

Elena turned to look at me. "Ava—"

"I've said my piece. I—uh—agree with Damon. No. Don't give me that look. He has a point. I can at least do something. Even without...y'know. You, unfortunately, can't do much. Look. I get from your point of view, Damon and I are being totally unfair and unreasonable but try to see it from our view." I paused to take a step back and fold my arms.

"Mr Saltzman isn't exactly a professional hunter. No offense." I apologized to my history teacher. "And I might have more skill than him but I don't have much experience and I can't do much against god knows how many vampires—Damon can't look after you and try to get Stefan out. It's a lot even for someone like him."

I grabbed Elena's hands into mine and stared at her, trying hard to make her understand where we were coming from. "So please. Please, just listen to us."

Before Elena could argue even further, Mr Saltzman stepped forward. He tried to diffuse the tension. A break from Elena's tantrum. "If we're gonna go, let's go."

I nodded and tied the belt around my coat. "I have to pick up a few things from the manor. So I'll meet you guys there." Just as I turned around, I met Damon's eyes. "Relax, I'm not running away."

Pulling my hood up, I walked out into the hallway and took a shortcut to the backdoor I used to get in. I got out through there and had no choice but to run back to Elena's in the pouring rain.

Damon was the one who drove us here and I didn't leave my car at school. But at least, Elena's was closer to the school than the manor. I pulled my coat around me tighter and walked to Elena's. It didn't take me long to get hers. The storm was almost setting in but not here quite yet.

I didn't get inside her house, instead I walked over to my car and got in. I started the engine. Making sure to lock the doors and check the backseat, I carefully drove back to my manor. The roads were getting more slippery by the minute as rain droplets shot down with no sign of stopping.

Nearing the manor, I killed the engine right in front of it and took a look at the now dark and empty manor. Everyone was gone. I couldn't hear any thoughts from inside the building. It was perfect, I could grab a quiver of arrows and my bow without being questioned.

Vervain arrows should do, I thought, walking straight to the library where the armory was hidden underneath. I walked straight to the back of the library and removed a few books. Then I gently twisted the old candle holder that used to be used back when the manor was first built.

A soft rumbling echoed through the library as the shelves parted to reveal a set of staircases leading down.

The moment I took a step inside, the candles flickered on. Magic. There was a spell on this place. A work of one of my distant ancestors who married into this family.

I descended down the steps to a brightly lit stone corridor. The corridor was decorated with tapestries and had family portraits from different generations of Fitzroys decorating the walls. But I didn't pay them much attention.

I kept thinking about what type of arrows to pick. I could go for a liquid nitrogen arrow. That could be interesting. I stopped in front of a room, it had a symbol outside depicting a bow. This was the archery equipment room.

With a deep breath, I unlocked the door with a hand scan and got in. The room was different from the corridor. Inside, the walls were light gray metal bricks. There were racks of bows, all displayed around the room.

One the other side, there were several metal barrels. Each barrel was labeled with a symbol depicting what type of arrow was inside.

I could go for flash arrows but that would be too much. For now, vervain arrows would be enough. Against my own decision, I still ended up getting one or two flash arrows. I loaded them into a quiver from one of the racks and slung the quiver over my back after zipping it close.

Walking over to one of the bow racks, I picked up the lightest and smallest compound bow. I pulled at my hood and strapped my dagger to my wrist. Then I threw one last glance at the armory before walking up the stairs. I made sure to put everything the way it was and then I walked out into the storm to meet with the others.


"Thought you weren't gonna show up." Damon greeted me as I parked my car and walked over to the three.

It was an odd combination of people. A vampire over hundred years old, a history teacher cosplaying a vampire hunter, a regular human teenage girl and whatever I was.

"Great." Damon clapped his hands together. "Now that everyone is here."

"Elena's staying here. Right?" I questioned, glancing at my friend who didn't look happy at all.

Damon nodded. "That's the plan. Looks like you came prepared." He pointed at the bow in my hands. "New toy?"

"Let's get on with it." I said, ignoring what he said. Mr Saltzman nodded and with his hands in his pockets, he walked up to the front of the house. Elena had stayed behind in the car, against her protests.

The storm had finally hit as I trudged through the muddy path leading to the back entrance of the farmhouse. Reluctantly, I grabbed onto Damon's arm in case I slipped and fell. My hood was drawn up and the quiver of arrows was still there along with the bow.

I let go, the moment we reached the back of the house. I slipped under the roof and leaned against the wall next to the door, waiting. Damon stood next to me, not really caring about the rain.

Against the loud drumming of the water droplets on the roof, I could faintly hear the voice of a woman. No. It wasn't her voice like her thoughts. She sounded confused and anxious.

I almost gasped but instead I covered my mouth. Then her mind went blank like it was wiped clean. She kept repeating the same phrases again and again. I felt bad for her but there wasn't much I could do right now.

Damon flashed to stand in front of the door just as Mr Saltzman pulled the door open. "—But you're gonna need to invite a friend of mine inside." He said, gesturing to Damon.

"Oh I'm sorry. He's not allowed in." A woman on the other side of the door weakly remarked in a soft cheery tone.

Damon clicked his tongue and gestured to Alaric to get her outside the house. "I know that. You're gonna have to make an exception." My history teacher panted as he grabbed the woman's arms and pulled her closer to him.

"Get her out the house!" Damon barked while the rain pelted down at me.

I closed my eyes and cursed Damon. He was gonna kill her. I pushed myself off the wall next to the house and pulled down my rain-soaked hood, anticipating what Damon would do the moment that woman was out. "Thought I told you t—" I pushed Damon aside and stood in front of Mr Saltzman and the woman.

"You should let him in." I asked sweetly.

Her eyes didn't flicker at all and she shook her head. "No, I can't I—"

"Please." I tried again.

The old lady's eyes flickered to a pale gold as she blankly nodded at my command. As if nothing happened, she plastered her dazed smile back again. "Please come on in." She gestured to Damon inside.

The moment Damon came in, both men stared at me in shock. "Huh. Well, that was easier than my method." Damon commented.

"What? Killing her?" I retorted.

Mr Saltzman stepped between me and the vampire, alarmed. "You were supposed to compel her." He grabbed Damon by the collar and threatened him.

"It doesn't work like that. Damon's younger than most of the vampires here." I interjected while Damon nodded.

The vampire shook my history teacher off and turned to look at me. "Thanks for that." Damon muttered.

"You owe me." I grumbled and turned back to the lady. "Come with me." I commanded with an inviting smile.

This time both men stared at me carefully, inspecting my every action. The sense of urgency was still there but I guess it was more dulled by me. The woman's eyes flickered again to a pale gold and she nodded, following me outside. I

paused in my tracks and pulled my hood up. "You guys gonna stare at me or what?" I questioned. I turned to my history teacher and called out to him in a low voice. "Mr Saltzman, come on. We have to go."

"You heard her." Damon replied and pushed Mr Saltzman out the door.

We both nodded at each other as I grabbed my history teacher and the old lady, dragging them behind me. "Whe—where are we going?" She asked, dazed but now there was a sense of fear creeping into her tone.

"Somewhere safe. Um—" I answered while Mr Saltzman stayed silent.

"Samantha. Samantha Gibbons." She answered, her smile was back.

"Okay. Ms Gibbons. There's a white car on the outskirts of your property—" I handed her a key which she accepted with a dazed look as I pointed in the direction of the car. I didn't look at her but I knew it was working.

"—Take this and drive to the Mystic Grill and stay where people can see you. Do not let anyone in the car or stop for anything. Got it." Her eyes flickered again as she nodded with a smile on her face. "Run." I gave out the final command as she broke out into a run and disappeared in the fog.

Mr Saltzman stared at me in disbelief. "You said vampire compulsion can't be undone easily. What are you?" He interrogated.

"I'd tell you if I knew." I answered with a shrug, going back to the farmhouse. He looked unconvinced but didn't press on. Instead, he ran to grab his weapons. I took shelter near a tall tree while waiting for him. I shut my eyes to take a breather.

When I opened them, the colors around me swirled and shifted. I was plunged into semi-darkness. It took me a while to get adjusted to the dimly lit place from the light showered grill.

I found myself in a hallway.

A long and straight hallway that looked like it was the basement or an abandoned house. Above me, I could hear the wood, creaking rhythmically. Loud music blasted throughout the place.

Carefully, I started walking down the hallway. I had been down here before. I remembered this. The old wooden floor creaked and moaned underneath my light feet just like last time. There was no audible sound of my footsteps.

There shouldn't be. I swallowed and shrinked back when I heard it.

A scream of pain followed by painful groans, grunts and a guttural sound of someone holding back their suffering echoed through the dimly lit hallways. I covered my mouth in fear and tiptoed towards the source of the sounds.

The sounds were coming from the only lit room. Anxiously, I walked towards the light. I blinked as I tried to adjust to the new environment.

I stumbled back and caught myself from falling. In the middle of the room, a man was hung from the ceiling. His wrists were tied with a rope that looked like it was dripping in a weird liquid. I could smell a familiar citrus like-scent.

Vervain.

Next to him, a younger boy sat staked to his seat. Upon closer look, I tried to look at the face of the vampire, I thought it would be all blurred but it wasn't. The two hissed and grunted in pain, trying to break free. The sounds almost made me jump.

The figure hanging from the ceiling looked very familiar. My eyes widened as I recognized him instantly.

It was Stefan. I tried to call out to him but the color around me shifted and swirled

Between the heavy pitter patter of water, I heard my phone go off. Now who would text me right this moment. I dug my phone out of my pocket, remembering to turn it silent before I went in.

I had a new message.

Hesitantly, I opened it and it was from none other than Elena. Oh no. Like I knew she would, she went and gone ahead to be the martyr she wanted to be. Ugh. I did not have time for this. I should be at home, sleeping.

"Elena's gone." Mr Saltzman announced, running up to me.

He carried his weapon's bag with him and it hung off his shoulder as he looked around in the pouring rain. I knew he wouldn't see through the fog and haze. This felt strangely familiar.

It was raining that night too. A voice in my head taunted me.

"Ava?"

I broke through my daze and turned to glance at my history teacher. "Yeah, I know."

"Wha—Are you psychic too?"

"Sorta. But no—" I held up my phone and brought it close to him. "—At least she texted before she went off to do something stupid. How thoughtful." I remarked dryly.

Mr Saltzman looked back at the farmhouse and wiped his eyes to see through the storm. I pulled my hood down and followed his gaze.

"We have to go back for her." He started unloading his weapons and started arming himself. I nodded, unfolding my bow. I brought forward my quiver and unzipped it, taking out a flash arrow. "Wait. Wait. You're not going in."

"Neither are you." I retorted. I had more skill and training than Mr Saltzman, only for him to underestimate me. He stared at me, concerned and determined to keep me behind.

"I've been training since I was eight and you saw what I am capable of. If anything, I'm more equipped to go in than you, Mr Saltzman." I slipped on my leather gloves and carried on getting prepped.

He grabbed my arm and tried to physically stop me from going in. "I'm your teacher and the—"

"Yeah but class is not in session and last I checked you're a rookie hunter who discovered this mess only a few years back. Everything you have picked up is from regular animal hunting so please spare me the lecture." I pulled my arm back from him and glared at him. "Cause if I had the choice, I'd be at home but unfortunately Elena's playing martyr and you wanna play hero. So let's get this done and over with so I can go home." I finished loading up the bow with a flash arrow.


Music blasted from the house loudly as a chill took over me. Well, at least I knew the vampires were still there. Mr Saltzman led me through the back door into the house. The blender that Mr Saltzman had turned on to distract them was still going.

That would be helpful, the rain outside was starting to slow down. Turning around, I walked over to the dishwasher and turned it on while my history teacher looked alarmed.

What?

The noisier it is the harder it'll be for them to detect us.

He didn't comment on it, instead he crept in and craned his neck to look at the game room where all the vampires were congregating according to him.

Breathing in, he only glanced at them and shook his head. His hands were shaking. He clearly had never done something like this before. I sucked in a breath and pulled him into a supply closet and gestured to him to keep quiet.

I knew Damon would do something soon. It wasn't like him to leave things alone.

Loud bangs and knocks echoed through the walls as my history teacher jumped. Taking that as a sign, I pulled him out the closet. Damon was here, just like I predicted. He went out first and held up his cross-bow.

Two vampires were going against Damon, they kept flashing throughout the tiny hall. Mr Saltzman's hands were shaking as he pointed it at the vampire and then Damon.

'Don't.' I mouthed to him, knowing what he was thinking.

This wasn't the time for personal revenge. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to take him out for Sheila and Vicki.

Damon threw one vampire off of him and he went flying while he grabbed the other one and punched him repeatedly while holding him down. The other vampire recovered and tried to take him out from the back.

With shaking hands, Mr Saltzman shot the dart gun straight at the vampire. The vampire down. Damon got up and gave his unlikely friend a nod of thanks. "I'm going after Frederick." He urgently stated before running off, just as I walked out of the shadows.

Mr Saltzman breathed heavily as his hands shook even more. "Relax." I said. I walked over to the knocked out vampire and stabbed him with my dagger. In an instant, he turned to dust. I took it out and slid it back into my wrist.

"What is that?" Mr Saltzman asked, gesturing to the hidden dagger.

"Family heirloom." I answered as a chill went down my back.

I turned to look up and Mr Saltzman mimicked me. His hands shook violently as he tried to reload his dart gun. I walked over to the other side of the hall, trying to find the source of the chill.

When I heard a hiss and grunts.

Mr Saltzman was on the floor as another vampire tried to bite him. I aimed my bow at the vampire and let go of the string. The arrow hit the vampire straight in the back. It slowed it down enough to let Mr Saltzman take out a dart and stab the vampire's neck.

The vampire was out in seconds and Mr Saltzman pushed it off of him and sat back up. He nodded a thanks and I nodded back, taking out another arrow from my quiver.

He got up and clutched his neck in pain. I ran over to the fallen vampire and stabbed him with my dagger for good measure. He turned to dust as I got up, joining Mr Saltzman.

Just as I felt another chill, I pointed the bow as I turned around at the incoming vampire only to find it was Damon. Seeing him, I lowered it. "Frederick's gone." He breathed out, frustrated.

"Let's get out of here." Mr Saltzman breathed out. I nodded, looking around for any other sign of another surprise vampire.

I followed closely behind my teacher and tried to peek at his wound. If it was deep enough, I'd offer to help but then again he had a ring that could bring back to life.

Damon turned around and led us out through the door. "I'm gonna kill him." He ranted.

"Yeah but not today." I said.

I stepped over the broken furniture and ducked down to get through to the front door. Damon opened the door, Mr Saltzman and I followed him out the door.

We stopped on the porch as our gaze found them. Along the property, from every side, there were vampires walking up to our vision.

"How many of those vervain darts do you have left? Damon scanned the crowd and grabbed my hand.

Mr Saltzman looked down and picked up one dart. "One." He breathed out, a little nervously.

"Not gonna be enough."

"How many arrows do you have?" Mr Saltzman asked.

"Five." I answered, swallowing back my fear.

"That's not gonna be enough either." Mr Saltzman added.

"Three vervain ones and two flash ones."

"Still not enough." Damon agreed.

I tried to rack my head for an idea. "Oh I could—"

Damon grabbed my hand and gave me a stern look. "Don't even think about it." He hissed.

"Think about what?" Mr Saltzman asked, not happy about being kept in the dark.

We stared at each other as the vampires outside started walking slowly towards the house. Damon's jaws clenched in anger and his hands tightened around mine, almost hurting me.

"Nothing. Come on." He loosened it slightly and dragged me inside while leading Mr Saltzman in with us.


Mr Saltzman moved the nearest furniture to block the front door and stood back. I could hear the vampires outside pounding at the door. Some, trying to break in through the window.

"So, what you said to get me to do this, about my wife. It was a lie, wasn't it?" He started as the pounding grew louder. I turned to narrow my eyes at the two men. Timing, people. Seriously, there was a horde of vampires and you wanna talk about your dead wife.

"Yep." Damon decided to be honest for once and actually answered.

The two men stood back to back as Mr Saltzman pushed me to the back. They stood in front of me protectively like I couldn't defend myself.

"Stop!" I heard a woman command on the other side and the pounding subsided instantly. "What's going on here?" Then the door opened.

A tall woman stood on the other side. She looked annoyed and angry to say to the least. There was an air of elegance around her that I knew too well. It was similar to my aunt Evelyn

"What did you do? She asked, ignoring us and looking straight at Damon.

Behind her, Anna walked out. She scanned the damage with wide eyes. She looked scared while her mother looked angry. Damon glared at her.

"Me?" He asked in disbelief before walking straight in front of Pearl. "Your merry little band of vampires spent the day torturing my brother."

Pearl's face flushed and she looked a little taken back. "Trust me. The parties responsible for this will be dealt with." She tried to sound diplomatic but there was a tone of insecurity.

"Our little arrangement doesn't work unless you learn to control them."

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Well, it did. If I had a good side...Not a way to get on it." Damon retorted and walked past the two older vampires before he gestured to me to follow him out.

I signaled to my history teacher to follow. He obediently and wordlessly followed us outside. Neither Mr Saltzman nor I commented. I rather not get attention. The tomb vampires never knew of my family's involvement in the tomb plot and I'd like to keep it that way. Without a word, I followed Damon and used Mr Saltzman as a cover to not be seen by Pearl.


I stepped out of the shower as steam rolled out after me. Carefully, wrapping myself in the plush light pink robe, I walked into my room. Instead of going back to Elena's,

I had Damon drop me off at the grill to get my car back and leave Ms Gibbons somewhere safe. I sent her off with a visitor from a nearby town and got back in my car. I felt bad for the poor woman, being compelled to be a blood slave for all those vampires. It was a miracle she had managed to survive this far.

The soft beep of my phone almost made me jump.

Drying my hair with a towel, I walked over to the dressing table and sat down. I opened my phone and smiled. Ms Gibbons was safe. It would take her a while to get back to her senses. She wouldn't remember the vampires but she would remember her old self again.

Needless to say I was proud of myself, I had my powers under control and training had definitely helped. I let out a little laugh as my hands lit up. Scrunching my brows, I concentrated it into a small orb and passed it between my hands. I giggled seeing the light.

I did it.

I saved someone and there were no casualties. I laughed again, throwing the ball at the mirror. It bounced off and came back. This was fun when I wasn't drowsy or bleeding every other second I did this. I clenched my fists and willed the orb to scatter. The orb of light burst into thousands of specks of light.

My hands stopped glowing, returning my room to normal. There was a dull ache in my head that disappeared a minute or two after I changed into my pajamas. I smiled as I threw myself into my bed and held my phone up just as a call came through. Matt's name flashed on the screen of my phone. With a bright smile, I held up the phone to my ears. "Hey Matt." I greeted him blissfully.

"Ava." Matt sobbed on the other end.

Hearing him, I sat up instantly. "Matt. What's going on?" I asked, my face draining of color. A dreadful feeling started to fill me as my stomach gnawed nervously.

"They found her." He breathed out, suppressing another sob. "They found her body." He let out another sob.

The feeling of dread seemed to grow. "Vicki." He gasped out in pain. "They found her—hick—she's dead. Vicki's dead."