A/N: It's time for a chapter update! Thank you for sticking around for this long.
As always, I would appreciate reviews. But I detest flaming. So please don't.
I don't own The Vampire Diaries. All characters (except for Grace) are owned by author L.J. Smith.
Happy reading xx
FED TO THE WOLVES
"Throw me to the wolves and I'll return leading the pack."
The resigned, weary expression on Elena's face indicated very quickly to me that she had been expecting a visit from Damon about this John guy. Probably the very second he came back to Mystic Falls, or so Damon explained to me on the car ride over to the Gilbert House. I was going to chew him out about the numerous deaths he had caused the night before, but decided to hold my tongue instead.
"Where's John?" Damon demanded of Elena the very second she opened the front door. Elena made a face at him due to the rude way he had asked the question, and stepped aside so that he, Henrik and I could come into the house.
"He's not here, he left. I don't know where he went. He just blew in, announced to Jenna that he's my dad, and then took off." Elena told us both, and I raised an eyebrow.
"So I take it he's not in the running to become Father of the Year then?" I deadpanned. Elena ignored me, focusing upon Damon instead. She looked and sounded pretty peeved, and I didn't blame her.
"That's cold." Henrik stated. I was not entirely sure if he was referring to what John Gilbert had done, or the reaction Elena had to what I said.
"That's public knowledge now?" Damon didn't look entirely fazed about that.
"Apparently?" Elena looked surprised by Damon's reaction to this. So the knowledge that her supposed uncle was in fact her biological father was apparently yesterday's news to him. Go figure. But a little warning probably would've been preferred.
"Are you okay?" Damon asked, sympathetically. Elena shrugged as she takes a seat on one of the couches in the living room and gestures for us to do the same.
"Yeah, I'm good. Jenna's head's spinning, but I'm okay." She admitted.
"Did he say what we was doing here?" I asked Elena, who shook her head at the question; also looking a little unnerved by the situation as I did.
"No, he didn't. But Stefan thinks that he's telling the truth about wanting to help me." Elena told us both. Damon raised an eyebrow.
"Do you believe him?"
Elena snorted. "Not for a second."
"Me neither." Damon added. Elena looked at both of us a little helplessly.
"What are we going to do?" She asks. Damon immediately got to his feet.
"Kill him." He responded simply, and Elena, Henrik and I looked at him, not amused as Damon makes an attempt to leave.
"Damon…" Elena sighed with frustration.
"Can we be serious, please?" I agreed with Elena for once. Clearly, this John person was bad news if Elena and Damon were having this sort of reaction towards him. It probably makes me glad that I haven't met him, and I hoped that I wouldn't meet him anytime soon. Damon turned and looked at us with a martyred expression.
"Oh, come on. I'm joking." He insisted, then faltered when Elena and I just looked at him with 'try again' expressions on our faces. "Okay, maybe I'm a little serious about that."
"Damon!" Elena sounded appalled, and I rolled my eyes at his immaturity. There was only so much I was willing to overlook because I knew that he was grieving Rose's death. Damon looked irritated.
"I'm not gonna hurt him, Elena. I'm a good guy now, remember?" Damon reminded us.
"So why does it sound like it's a hardship for you?" I asked him pointedly. Elena nodded in agreement.
"I agree. What does that mean?" Elena looked wary. Damon flashed me a warning look which I stubbornly returned.
"I'm gonna have a civil conversation with your father." Damon promised Elena, before he turns and heads for the door. "Let's go, Grace!" He calls out to me, and I huffed and got to my feet to follow him out.
"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Elena announces, snatching up her own purse, keys, etc. and following quickly.
Elena told us she last learned that John was headed for the Grill. So that's where we headed, and part of me hoped that Damon wasn't about to cause a riot. It was clear that he was not in the right mind frame to start and finish a potential brawl between himself and Elena's father. We walked into the Grill and almost immediately zeroed in on Jenna and Alaric who were sitting in a booth, eating their lunch. Jenna looked like she was in the middle of a rant, judging by the painfully polite expression on Alaric's face.
"I can't believe it." Jenna was saying as we closed in on the booth, trying to gather as much information as we could before they spotted us, or Damon did something unfortunate like jump in prematurely with his usual blunt fashion. "Elena is my sister's husband's brother's daughter, and her mother is my boyfriend's deceased wife." Elena winced visibly from where she was standing between Damon and me. "You can't make this stuff up." Jenna exclaimed, looking hurt and resentful that this information had been kept from her all these years.
"It's definitely a little overwhelming." Alaric agreed, attempting to calm down his angry girlfriend.
"I can't believe that they kept it a secret. How is it even possible to keep a secret like that?" She wondered. The main doors opened behind us, and in strolled a dirty blonde haired man in his late 30s, early 40s. By the fact that Elena visibly bristled; smart money would indicate that this guy was John Gilbert. Her biological father made a deliberate beeline for the lunching couple and takes a pew.
Jenna immediately recoils.
"Hey you two. Do you think I can join you?" John asks them absently.
"Do you have to?" Jenna replies with false sweetness in her tone. John looked at Jenna in annoyance, which only deepened the second he clapped eyes on our motley crew standing awkwardly at the main entrance. Damon immediately starts to head over to them.
"I guess I don't have to, but I might as well." John explained before laying on the charm the second Damon and Elena approached the booth. Henrik and I lingered behind a little, just observing for now. "Look who's here." John greeted them. Elena stops Damon momentarily before he could open his mouth to respond to John's greeting. Clearly this was not going to be a barrel of laughs.
"We just need answers. Please don't do anything stupid." Elena urges him. Damon glances over at John calculatingly, much to Elena's chagrin and my uneasiness.
"Yeah, but stupid is so much more fun." Damon protested. Elena frowned at him, obviously not in the mood for him to be a jackass. Henrik and I stared at the both of them like they had gone completely mad. What was so wrong about this guy that they would be playing up like this?
"Damon, I mean it. All I'm asking is you try to keep it together. Be the better man." Elena urged once again. Now this was a switch; normally Elena would save that sort of speech for the person Damon was going to be talking to, not the other way round. He sighed exasperatedly.
"Okay then." He promises, before we join the booth. "John, buddy." Damon greets John like they were old friends they hadn't seen in years. "How have you been?" Damon enquires, looking like it pained him to ask the question. John offers him a small, but wary smile in response.
"I've been alright, Damon. It's good to see you." He looks over his shoulder and notices me, standing there observing the conversation. "Elena, you haven't introduced me to your friend." John gets up from his seat and reaches out for my hand to shake. "John Gilbert. Nice to meet you, Miss...?" I withdrew my hand from my jacket pocket and reluctantly take John's pumping it twice before releasing.
"Williams. Grace Williams." I responded. "Charmed, I'm sure." I added, before sliding into the booth next to Damon who took my hand underneath the table and squeezed once in what I assumed was meant to be a comforting gesture. The Grill's staff were handing out candles to commemorate the victims of Damon's overnight rampage, and everybody at the table took one and lit it. Damon decided to start his interrogation.
"So John. Rumour has it that you know a lot, and won't say anything." Damon stated casually. John throws Elena an annoyed look before answering Damon's statement.
"How do I know you can be trusted, Damon?" John retorted. "Originals can compel vampires. And, according to Stefan, that's why Katherine's still in the tomb, because an Original has compelled her to stay there." John pointed out. I bristled, then calmed when Damon laid a hand on my thigh which I immediately pushed off despite how much comfort it brought me.
"I'm sure my brother has his reasons for compelling Katerina, Mr. Gilbert." I said, sternly, grabbing John's attention. "And trust goes both ways, sir. By the stories I've heard both Damon and Elena tell me about you, there is little to be trusted about you also." I reminded him. John frowned at me.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Miss Williams, but I'm pretty sure I just heard you say that Elijah Mikaelson was your brother?"
I nodded. "You heard correctly." John looked sceptical.
"But you're not an Original. You're lying." He insisted.
"You are correct, I'm not an Original; but I will become a member of that family soon enough." I insisted, smirking, earning alarm from John.
"You're engaged to one of them?" John breathed, quickly putting two and two together. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Not relevant to this topic. Elijah is not a fool nor is he a moron. I assure you, compelling Katerina to stay in that tomb will be beneficial for all of us." I stated firmly.
"And it's only because of all the vervain left in her system." Damon added. "Stefan and I, on the other hand, are chock full." If John's eyes could get any wider, I swear that his eyeballs would've fallen right from his head.
"You guys are drinking vervain?"
Damon shrugged dismissively. "It's an acquired taste." He admitted, before his ice blue eyes darted down to his recently sown up fingers. That was when it occurred to me who John was, and I looked at Elena in surprise. She gave me a smug little smile and a nod, confirming my suspicions. "I don't see that magic little ring on your stitched finger, so if you know something about Klaus, you better start talking, or I will kill you in your sleep." Damon threatened. John instantly recovered from his shock and a superior little sneer appeared on his face.
"It that any way to convince me that you and I are on the same side? First, I need to know that I can trust you, Damon that I can count on you." John rises to his feet and gets out of the booth. "Then we'll talk." He straightens up his suit before leaving the Grill. I turned to an annoyed Damon and a visibly deflated Elena, before gathering up my purse.
"That was fun. I need some air, excuse me." I said, before sliding out of the booth and making a beeline for the main entrance. Henrik following close behind.
"Calm down, Grace." Henrik warned me. I drew in a couple of deep breaths the second I met fresh air and leaned against the black fence that surrounded the outdoor dining area of the restaurant.
"Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into?" I jumped when John came from out of nowhere and approached me. He had a concerned look on his face, in addition to the superior one he had when he left. I scowled at him.
"You need to be more specific, sir. I have no idea what the hell you're going on about." I told him. John offered me a disarming smile.
"Marrying into a family like the Mikaelson's. Is that wise?" John elaborated.
"Is it your business?" I retorted. Henrik looked angry as well that his family was being besmirched. The smile disappeared.
"It is when it concerns who my daughter associates herself with." John stated, getting into my personal space. I assumed it was an attempt to intimidate me. I looked at him sharply.
"Maintain your distance, sir." I warned him in a low voice. "And as for whether or not my decision of marrying into the Mikaelson Family is wise, I would consider it a tremendous honour. Considering, I've known the family for nearly a thousand years. I been well informed about their reputation." I told him, relishing in the astonishment on John's face.
"A thousand years? That's not possible, it's obvious that you're human." John stammered.
"I agree, it's not possible. Had I not been reincarnated from the girl they knew." John paled further. "I have all her memories. Or will when I reunite with all five of them." I explained.
John instantly got hostile.
"You stay away from Elena." He threatened me. I withdrew my dagger and brandished it at him, narrowing my eyes. John eyed the weapon cautiously.
"Now, that would be a little bit difficult; considering that I'm one of the few people trying to save her arse in any way we can." I informed him.
John looked appalled. "You would go against Klaus?"
"I never said anything about going up against him. When the time comes, and it will, I won't be a part of it." I told him, already getting bored. "Now I suggest you start getting useful, and quickly. I am the only thing standing between Damon taking matters into his own hands and forcing you to spill what you know about Niklaus. At least be thankful for that." I sheathed my dagger and resumed leaning against the fence. John eyed me cautiously before turning on his heel and disappearing into the shadows.
A few seconds later, Caroline immerged from the Grill, fumbling around in her purse for her car keys. I straightened up from my perch and jogged over to the bubbly blonde.
"Hey, Caroline!" I called out to her. She turned and looked at me before a warm smile appeared.
"Oh, hey Grace. What are you doing here tonight?" Caroline asked, walking over to me and fiddling with her keys.
"Gathering information from John Gilbert with Damon and Elena." I responded, gesturing to the Grill. Caroline wrinkled her nose, showing her displeasure about that and I grinned. "Yeah, it's a bit like that. That's why I came out here, needed some fresh air so I didn't king-hit the bastard." I told her. "You headed home?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm dying for a shower. This day has kinda sucked." Caroline confessed. I smiled sympathetically at her.
"Sorry to hear that." I stated. "Well, I won't keep you. Talk with you soon, okay?" I asked, hopefully.
"Absolutely. Bye." Caroline waved before turning and heading for the parking lot, which thankfully was within eyeshot. Not that Caroline needed protection as she was a vampire; but it didn't stop me from looking out for her to make sure she got to her car safely. I figured once she was in her car and on her way, I'd go back into the Grill and prepare myself to referee an inevitable fight breaking out between Elena and Damon.
"Are you sure you're not concerned that that John guy won't do something to you because you're associated with our family?" Henrik questioned me, worriedly. I laughed lightly, still maintaining eye contact on Caroline, who was currently in conversation with Matt Donovan.
"I can take care of myself, Henrik. Don't you worry." I reassured him. "Besides, it's not as though Damon or even Elijah won't back me up if things get out of hand." I added, then frowned when I noticed a commotion going on where Caroline was.
"What is it?" Henrik asked.
I didn't respond, instead I unsheathed my dagger and moved as silently as I could towards the parking lot, ready to back up Caroline if needed. My eyes bristled when I realised that Jules was interrogating Caroline about Tyler Lockwood. I couldn't help but roll my eyes; was this mongrel still searching for him? My blonde friend opened her car door and moved to get in when Jules intercepted.
"I know you're lying." She informed Caroline who scowled at the werewolf.
"Really? How? Is that one of your little wolf tricks?" Caroline questioned, sarcastically. I inched closer, this was about to go south rapidly.
"Actually, it is." Jules elaborated, pulling something out of her back pocket. I saw red.
"Well, I have a trick too." Caroline informed Jules before vamping out and turning to face the bitch. Unfortunately she is hit in the face with vervain spray, causing Caroline to scream in pain.
"HEY!" I snarled. Jules turns to me in astonishment as I swing at her with a roundhouse kick, knocking her off to the side. "That's not fighting fair." I informed her, before turning to Caroline. "Are you alright, sweetie?" I asked her with concern.
"I think so. Look out!" She warned me, and I turned in time to see another werewolf standing there and I slashed at him with my wolfsbane laced dagger, nicking him in the ribs; which smoked slightly at the touch. However, he recovered quickly and shot Caroline point blank in the head. She crumpled to the ground, and I snarled in anger and turned to kick their arse when something hard slammed into the side of my head, knocking me out.
I woke up trapped in a cage, in what looked like a cramped looking RV, sporting yet another thudding headache. I groaned in pain.
"This is starting to get old." I muttered underneath my breath, as I turn my head and immediately see Caroline lying opposite me with a gruesome bullet entry wound on her forehead.
"Grace! Are you alright?" My head snaps towards Henrik who was squatting beside the cage, looking as frustrated and helpless as he always did whenever I was in caught up in situations like this.
"Just peachy. I so enjoy these ridiculous damsel-in-distress situations." I drawled sarcastically, as I sit up and crawl over to my friend's side; letting out a relieved breath when she stirs and sits up shakily. "Caroline, are you okay?"
"No, I'm not." She grumbles and starts digging the bullet out, screaming only a little in the process, before dropping it.
"Right, stupid question." I mumbled, sheepishly. "Let's get out of here." I start searching for the lock and attempt to free us, but Caroline suddenly clutches at my arm and pulls me behind her, shielding me from Jules' friend who suddenly appears with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"I see you got the bullet out." He indicates to the already healed over wound on Caroline's forehead. "That was nasty." He commented, and I cautiously groped around for my phone which I concealed in secret location specifically for situations like this. But it was clear that either this werewolf was not too bright, or too focused upon Caroline to notice what I was doing. "I've got lots of wooden bullets, other toys." Caroline's eyes widened in fear, and I stiffened; deciding to forget about the phone momentarily to help defend Caroline. The idiot aims a gun at Caroline. "It's gonna be a long night, sweet pea." He tells her before shooting her in the chest. She screams in pain.
"You son-of-a-bitch!" I shouted and hurled one of my daggers at him, successfully burying it in his thigh. He abandons Caroline and me in favour of groping frantically at the dagger. I desperately start searching for the lock, but before I could unlock it, Jules appears and grabs my hand, and with a crafty smirk snaps my wrist like kindling. I nearly pass out from the pain, but it doesn't stop me from falling sideways to the floor; my back facing the open doorway.
"GRACE!" hollers both Caroline and Henrik, Jules shoots Caroline again before reaching for her pocket and pulling free a phone, which I recognised as Caroline's and hits speed dial.
"Hey. Is everything okay?" Both Caroline and I recognise Stefan's voice coming from Caroline's pilfered phone, which was on speed dial. I didn't need to glance over my shoulder to know that Jules was grinning from ear to ear, believing that she had won.
"That depends. How badly do you want to keep her and her friend alive?" Jules wonders. There was silence for several seconds, plenty of time for me to grab my phone and quickly text Elijah.
SOS...
Then I paused. I had absolutely no idea where the hell Caroline and I were being held captive, so I decided reluctantly to wait a little longer. Jules was bound to reveal our location sooner or later to Stefan, if she intended on bringing him over here.
"Who is this?" Stefan eventually asked.
"Ask your brother. Where's Tyler?" Jules demanded.
"Jules? Where's Caroline?"
Jules made an impatient noise underneath her breath. "You made a mistake, Stefan. I'm gonna give you a chance to fix it." Jules stated, matter-of-factly. I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the pain and impatiently waiting for Jules to drop a hint of our whereabouts already!
"Where is she?" Stefan's angry voice demanded. Jules looked over at Caroline and me, thoughtfully. Her partner somehow managed to pull free my wolfsbane laced dagger and was now crouched down beside me, holding it over me threateningly.
"Right here. Want proof?" Jules walks into the RV and talks to her partner. "He needs proof." The bastard shoots Caroline in the arm, causing her to scream, and returns the favour to me by jamming my dagger into my upper thigh.
I screamed bloody murder.
"Oh, my God! Grace!" Caroline squeals fearfully at me, then flinches when she smells my blood. Stefan had to have heard that. I turned my head weakly towards Caroline, who seemed to be struggling.
"Hold your breath, Caroline." I instructed her, weakly. She nodded frantically and draws in a deep breath; desperately trying to keep her bloodthirst at bay. The male werewolf grinned at his achievement and hopped out of the RV.
"What's happening?" Caroline and I hear Tyler over the line.
"Hurt them again, and you're dead." Stefan threatens them with a low, cold voice. Henrik looked ready to launch himself at both werewolves and I was impressed and proud of the progress he was making with his fear of werewolves. Jules scoffs, unimpressed with Stefan's threat.
"I hurt them again, and they're dead." Jules corrects him. "Bring Tyler to me, the clearing by Wickery Falls." I brighten in triumph and finish my text message to Elijah:
SOS Wickery Falls. Hurry bleeding out… - G. I hit send just as Jules finishes her ransom call. "You have 20 minutes until they die." Jules hangs up and I tuck my phone back into my pocket as Caroline attempts make me stay awake.
"Oh God, Grace. Stay awake!" She begs, tears streaming down her face and smearing her mascara.
"So, how many vampires are there in this town anyway?" Jules' partner questions Caroline, before spraying her with vervain when she doesn't respond. She screams again. I attempt to sit up.
"Leave her alone, you bastard!" I snarl. Werewolf-boy gets into my face.
"Or you'll what?" He taunts me before squirting Caroline again. Caroline makes a desperate attempt to free us both by kicking at the bars of the cage we're trapped in.
"Why are you doing this to us!? Why are you doing this? Why?" She shrieks at him with fury. He shrugs.
"You're a vampire. Why not?" He uses a blowgun to shoot wooden darts into her neck. "Your friend Grace on the other hand, is just collateral damage." He shoots her again. I raise my head and painfully swivel around to face him, as I wrap my uninjured arm around Caroline's shoulders.
"I didn't give you permission to use my name." I inform him. He raises a mocking eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" He taunts us.
"Let us out!" Caroline shrieks. His response is to shoot more wooden darts at her, and then at me for good measure. I bit down hard on my bottom lip to stop myself from giving him the satisfaction of knowing he had hurt me again.
"Excuse me? What was that?" He repeats himself. Caroline kicks and screams again, and I suddenly feel light-headed. Caroline stops shouting and immediately focuses on me, freaking out and trying to stop my excessive bleeding. The werewolf humphed smugly before leaving the RV to join Jules outside.
"Get it out of your system?" She asks him, unamused.
"No, I'm just getting started." He responded, darkly. Jules sighed exasperatedly.
"Brady, let's be smart about this. I just want the boy. It's our duty to help him, it's who we are." Jules reminded the newly named Brady.
"You want to talk duty and honor? These are vampires. They cross one of us, they cross all of us. That's who we are." He reminds Jules. I couldn't help it, I started laughing; albeit weakly. This draws their attention. "Something funny? Did I miss something funny about all this?" Brady growls at me.
"You're so screwed." I told them, still laughing and causing Caroline and Henrik to look at me like I had finally lost my mind.
"Do tell us, sweets. Why are we screwed?" Brady demands. I sat up with some assistance from Caroline.
"Have you heard of someone called Klaus?" I asked them, interestedly.
"Who hasn't heard of him?"
"Well, I hope you've said your prayers, because if you get out of this unscathed; he'll hunt you down and skin you alive." I told them.
"And why would he do that?" Brady asked, although he had paled a little at this threat.
"Because I'm his better half. Do the math." I suggested, before slumping against Caroline.
"Grace, stay with me!" Caroline urged, frantically. "Oh, shit! Let us out!" She begged, but Brady and Jules ignored her.
I woke up when Caroline started shaking me excitedly, and Henrik whispered into my ear.
"Grace, wake up!" Henrik urged. I groaned and sat up supported by Caroline, enough to see Jules facing Stefan and Tyler who have just walked out of the woods.
"Where's Caroline and Grace?" Stefan demanded.
"Locked up tight." Jules answered, shifting her weight from one leg to the other.
"Let them go, and I'll release Tyler." Stefan promises her. "It doesn't have to get any messier than it already has. I'm not your enemy, Jules." He insisted. Jules snorted.
"It's a little late to be waving the white flag, don't you think?" She pointed out. Stefan pressed on with his negotiation, with a doubtful Tyler standing beside him looking nervous.
"You need to leave town. No one else has to get hurt." Stefan stated. Jules bristled, instantly.
"I'm not leaving without Tyler." She insisted. Stefan glances at Tyler who stubbornly avoids eye contact with him.
"Tyler is free to make his own decisions, as soon as you release Caroline and Grace." Stefan promised. Just then Damon steps out of the woods, casually eying Jules with a hateful glare.
"My brother the peacemaker. Since Stefan got here before me, I'm gonna let him try it his way before I resort to my way, which is a little bloodier." Damon suddenly freezes and sniffs the air, before he stiffens when he realises what he is smelling: my blood.
"Where are they?!" He demanded, almost frantically. Stefan looks at his brother with alarm, as does Tyler.
"Damon, what's wrong?" Stefan demanded.
"It's Grace! She's bleeding out, and wherever she is she's trapped with Caroline." Both Stefan and Tyler react with fear.
"Oh, shit!" Tyler swore.
"Give them to us!" Stefan demands, urgently. Jules doesn't react.
"Let go of Tyler." She counters. Damon snarled angrily, and I grin weakly; touched that even in his grief he was still protective of me.
"Give us the girls, now! Without a full moon it's not an even fight and you know it. We will take you." Damon pointed out, bluntly.
"I'm not so sure about that, tough guy." Jules whistles, and the rest of the pack walk out from their hiding places; each holding weapons, including stakes, cross-bows and a flame thrower. Both Caroline and I paled.
"Well, shit. They've got everything but the kitchen sink." Henrik blurted out. Jules is incredibly smug, particularly with Brady standing beside her, looking cocky as all hell.
"Let's try this again. Give us Tyler." Jules orders them. Damon immediately turns towards Tyler.
"You heard her. Go. Get over there." He tells him. I wished I could laugh.
Where are you, Elijah…
I groaned. Tyler immediately walks over to Jules without a second thought. Brady steps forward to address the Brothers.
"So which one of you killed Mason?" He demands. Damon raised a hand into the air.
"Uh, that'd be me." He confessed, not at all concerned. Brady turns to his pack.
"Boys, make sure that one suffers." Brady requests, pointing at Damon, who looks at Stefan.
"We can take them." He reassures his brother. Stefan looks a little doubtful.
"I don't know about that."
Damon sighed. "Well then…" He charges over to Jules whom I assumed flipped up onto the RV. Tyler rushes into the RV and comes face to face with Caroline and me.
"Tyler there's a latch on the door, and I can't get to it." Caroline instructs, using one hand to point while supporting my limp body with the other. I hear Tyler hesitate. "Tyler?" Caroline questions him, but he still doesn't budge. "Tyler, please! Grace is going to die if we don't do something! Tyler?" Caroline yells.
Tyler takes one look at me before finally acting and opening the cage. Caroline guides me out first, but Jules grabs me and throws me out of the RV and grabs Caroline, pushing her face first against the RV and putting a gun to her back. I landed hard on the leafy ground and my broken wrist, jostling the knife handle and causing a wave of nausea to rise. I manage to hold on and glance over to see Tyler not moving to help Caroline. Damon was about to be staked by Brady, when all the werewolves except for Tyler start screaming in pain and covering their ears. Each one of them fall to their knees.
"What's happening?" Caroline demanded as she raced over to my side.
"What the hell is going on?" Tyler echoes. Suddenly an unfamiliar pair of feet approaches Caroline and me, and I glance up to see an older, smartly dressed African-American man with glasses standing there with his hands held out and muttering something underneath his breath.
"That's Jonas. One of Elijah's witches." Henrik tells me, relieved. I smile weakly. Damon and Stefan get up off the ground. Jones scans the four of us with a stern, no nonsense expression on his face. He takes one look at me, and his eyes narrow. Clearly, this was going to get back to Elijah.
"Elijah made a promise to Elena. I'm here to see it's upheld. You need to go. Get out of here. Now!" Jonas instructs Damon, Stefan and Caroline. They nodded.
"Damon! Stefan! Quickly, it's bad!" Caroline indicates towards my still heavily bleeding leg and my now eggplant purple wrist. Without a word, Damon vamp-speeds over and carefully picks me up before all three of them speed off through the woods.
"Damon… it hurts…" I whimpered.
"I know, sweetheart. We'll take care of it." Damon mutters to me, using soothing tones.
"Henrik…?" I mumbled.
"I'm here, Grace." He sounded so angry. Damon must've heard me because he tightened his grip slightly and kissed my temple. We make it back to the Boarding House in record time.
"Stefan, get a sling!" Damon orders Stefan, who doesn't hesitate and disappears through the house. Damon and Caroline head straight upstairs to Damon's bedroom, where he gently deposits me onto the bed and accesses the damage. The most obvious injury to deal with first was the dagger still sticking into my leg. "Caroline, you're gonna have to hold Grace down." Damon instructs her, and the next thing I know is Caroline grabbing both my hands – wincing and apologising profusely when she remembers my broken wrist - and holding them down at my sides. "This is gonna hurt, Grace. I'm sorry." Damon apologises. "On three. Ready?" Without warning, Damon pulls the dagger sharply out of my leg and I scream out in agony before finally passing out.
I woke up feeling no pain whatsoever, and a pleasant warmth was blanketing me. My cheek was resting against something warm and slightly hard, and somebody's fingers were carding themselves through my hair. I smiled, feeling comfortable and safe, and proceeded to fall back asleep when there was a loud knock from close by. I flinched, and the person playing with my hair muttered a curse underneath their breath before gently lifting up my head and gently placing it down on what I now realised was one of the red couches in the Boarding House. They placed a kiss on top of my head and I heard footsteps retreating towards the knocking noise.
"What do you want?" My eyes slowly opened when I recognised Damon's curt voice. The visitor didn't immediately respond, and I wondered why.
"You're very pale. Has something happened?" The unwanted visitor was John Gilbert. I groaned softly and attempted to smother myself with the couch cushion. I licked my chapped lips and frowned at the familiar taste of something sweet and metallic, and realised that Damon had fed me his blood again. Clearly, he had learned his lesson from the last time when I had been injured.
"If you're just here to discuss my health, then you can just fuck off right now." Damon stated, then probably started closing the front door, if the sound of flesh smacking against wood gave any indication.
"We didn't finish our conversation." John got straight to the point.
"I'll bite." Damon eventually said, before I suddenly heard footsteps approaching.
"What's happened here?" John asks, sounding slightly concerned, and a little too close for my liking as I jumped in fright at his loud voice.
"Never you mind. Just get to the point." Damon growled protectively and I flinched when he suddenly, and without warning picked me up. "Shush, sweetheart. Just go back to sleep." Damon whispered into my ear as he repositions me on his lap. I nodded tiredly and lay my head into his neck as he cuddles me close. I smiled at the possessive hold. The sound of couch springs squeaking, told me that John had also taken a seat on the opposite couch.
"I've been thinking. Personal feelings aside Damon, I think you and Stefan will do all you can to protect Elena." John stated the obvious.
"I agree with that statement." Damon replied.
"So I come bearing gifts." I opened my eyes a fraction when John places something metallic down on the antique coffee table in front of us. It turned out to be a folded cloth, which when unwrapped revealed a silver dagger and a jar full of ash.
What the actual fuck is that? And why am I getting a bad feeling about this?
"What is that?" Damon wanted to know.
"This is how you kill an Original." John responded, and I immediately reacted to that, snapping open my eyes and glancing down at the dagger in horror. Damon shushed me and glared at John, who looked shocked at my reaction.
"It's alright, baby. Relax." Damon murmured to me. I nodded, but didn't feel like relaxing when I knew for a fact that there was something lying on the coffee table in front of me, that was capable of eliminating members of my family. "Don't keep us in suspense, John." Damon stated, impatiently. John nodded.
"In this vial is ash from a white oak tree that dates back to the genesis of the Originals." John explained, and I could only stare in horror. "The dagger must be dipped into the ash, and then plunged into their heart." I started shaking my head in protest.
"You are not using that thing on my family. No fear." I protested.
"It won't kill them, Grace." I jerked my head towards Henrik, who was sitting beside Damon and looking at the dagger like it had done him a personal wrong. "I've seen these before." He told me reluctantly. "It'll only put them into a death-like state because of the ash." He told me. I didn't care if it possesses the ability to make them as high as kites, nobody was going to be plunging that into Elijah. John hands Damon the dagger, frowning at both him and my reaction.
"How do you know all this, John?" Damon sounded suspicious. This helped me relax a little.
"Isobel." John responded. "She's very good at finding out things." Then he smirked knowingly at Damon. "But, of course, you know that."
Damon didn't react to this. "Where is Isobel?"
"Let's just say if she accomplishes what she's attempting, Klaus will never set foot in Mystic Falls." Like hell; it wasn't just Elena that this all concerned. I actually wanted Niklaus to return to the place we were both born and raised in over a thousand years ago so we could reunite. Damon tightened his grip around my waist. "Where Elena's concerned, you and I are on the same side. And Miss Williams too, I suppose." John indicated towards me. I glowered at him, still fighting sleep. John gets to his feet and leaves without another word.
"Please, Damon. Don't use that on Elijah. He doesn't deserve this." I urged him, groggily. Damon didn't respond, except to rise to his feet, burden and all, and ascend the staircase to his bedroom. "Please." I begged him. Damon still doesn't reply as he pulls back his duvet and gently tucks me into it.
"Go back to sleep, Grace. You're still healing." Damon responds, kissing my brow and leaving the room. I feel frustrated, and helpless tears slip from my eyes. Something vibrates on the guest nightstand and I turn my head to see my phone sitting innocently on it. I wrestle my way over to it and pick it up. It's a text message from Elijah responding to the one I sent him:
Grace, I realise that you are probably asleep at present; but the second you receive this text message, respond immediately. – E.
I hastily typed back a response.
Thank you, Elijah for sending your witch. This is the second time I've ever felt truly scared. – G.
I hit send. I could feel my eyelids threatening to snap shut. My phone buzzes.
You're welcome, dearest. I'm just relieved that you're safe. It seems to me that your friend has learned his lesson from the last incident. – E.
I sent one more text.
He did. He's been extremely attentive all night. I need to rest, I'm still recovering from the ordeal. Godnatt, Elijah. – G. (Goodnight, Elijah).
Immediately my phone buzzes.
Pleasant dreams, Grace. – E.
I woke up again for the third and final time that night, to the sound of splashing water. Frowning, I sat up in Damon's bed and, without thinking, leaned over to locate the source of the splashing. My eyes widened and I felt my face heat up when I realised that it was Damon having a bubble bath. Cursing, I immediately lay back down and rolled over to bury my face into Damon's guest pillow.
Jesus… I hope he didn't see me. I thought frantically.
The sound of water gurgling down the drain was heard, and I forced myself to relax and go back to sleep; which wasn't too hard. I yawned, and snuggled down into the softness of the mattress and froze when heavy footfalls were heard on the polished floorboards. The bed dipped a little before Damon (hopefully fully dressed) lay down beside me and closed his eyes. I cracked open mine and looked at him with annoyance.
"Damon, what's going on?" I demanded tiredly. His response was to roll over and fling his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him.
"Nothing. Go back to sleep." Damon replied, still holding me like his personal giant teddy bear. I normally would've protested, but his presence was oddly comforting and I soon found myself falling back to sleep. Or so I thought. "I need a distraction." Damon suddenly spoke up, and I realised he was fessing up to why he was so moody and now so attentive to making sure I was comfortable after being injured.
It was bizarre.
"I can help you, Damon. Whenever you need me, you can just call and I'll be there. I won't abandon you." I whispered back. Damon hummed in response before moving so that his mouth was right near my ear. A warm shiver shot down my spine when his warm breath tickled the peach fuzz on my ears.
"You see, the only thing is, I have a problem I need help with. It's really messing with my mind." Damon explained, as though he hadn't heard my promise. Or rather, had chosen not to hear my promise. I waited for him to continue, having an inkling that I knew what he was going to say, and it made me very worried and very uncomfortable.
"Oh? What is it?" I reluctantly asked.
"I'm in love with a woman I can never have." Damon confessed.
Shit.
"That sucks. Why can't you have her?" I played along, hoping my voice didn't give away the anxiety I was suddenly experiencing. "Is there another man involved?" I asked, tentatively. Damon tightened his grip around my waist, and I let out a surprised 'eep'.
"Yeah, but that's not the point." He insisted. "The point is, I'm in love with her, and that drives me crazy. I'm not in control."
Damon, you have no idea who you're dealing with. Back down, please!
"You don't trust yourself around her?" I guessed.
"No, I don't. But I'm tired of lying to myself. So I'm going to fight for her against this man." My eyes widened with fear. "May the best man win." Damon whispered before kissing my cheek. "Sweet dreams, Grace." Then Damon released me and rolled over to the opposite end of the bed, and falling asleep. I suddenly found it hard to breathe. I opened my eyes and locked them on a stunned Henrik who also looked at a loss about what I could do to stop this from happening.
"This is bad." Henrik stated.
Oh, God. Help me…
A/N: Damon has thrown down the gauntlet, and Klaus hasn't even shown up in Mystic Falls yet. What's gonna happen next?
Please review :)