Chapter 16
The Manor was now full of townspeople milling about and chatting while they waited for the evening to begin. Gwen was finding it difficult to weave her way through the crowd. She needed to get upstairs where the contestants were doing their hair and makeup. Mrs. Lockwood would lose it if she didn't get these particular behind the scenes photos. She finally managed to slip past a red-faced couple and on to the first step of the spiral staircase. Sighing with relief, she made her way up to the contestant rooms.
Thankfully, all six girls were still in the main room when she arrived. Gwen adjusted the camera settings and got to work, careful to avoid drawing her subject's attention. She couldn't have them looking at the camera or paying any attention to her; that would ruin the photo. Most of them were too busy to register her presence anyway as they and their mothers — and a few stylists — fussed over stray hairs and too heavy eyeshadow. She was mindful to miss moments of contestants snapping at their helpers, as well. Mrs. Lockwood wasn't looking for a behind-the-scenes look that honest. She took a photo of Jenna curling and Elena's hair, but found she was a second too late when checking the preview. What had looked like a fun moment between aunt and niece had turn sad by time the photo was complete. Maybe she would delete that one later.
"You better delete any and all unflattering photos of me," Caroline said, startling Gwen.
Collecting herself, she smiled. "Don't worry, there will only be perfect photos of the perfect pageant per Mrs. Lockwood's orders."
Caroline grimaced playfully. "Driving you crazy, huh?"
Gwen nodded.
"Tyler tried to warn you," Caroline teased. "But it'll be worth it, right?"
She nodded again, adjusting the white balance setting. Gwen heard Caroline sigh and looked up to see her friend gazing sadly at Jenna and Elena.
"Stop it, Care," Gwen said. "You've done more than every girl here to meet the expectations of being Miss Mystic Falls. Even if the judges feel sympathetic for her, it doesn't erase the fact that she hasn't meet any of the community involvement requirements. You're a shoe-in."
She smiled in thanks, though it was more sad than reassured, and turned back to her own makeup mirror.
"Where's your mom?" Gwen asked, realizing she hadn't seen Sheriff Forbes at all.
Caroline laughed mirthlessly. "This is so not her thing. Besides, I'm pretty good at doing all of this myself, and Bonnie's stopping by for a final check."
"Bonnie's back?" Gwen asked, forgetting about her camera and job for a minute. "When did that happen?"
"Just yesterday," Caroline said airily, focused on touching up a few mascara smudges. "She came back after lunch. I guess that's why you missed her."
"Did she say why she came back?"
"Uh, because she lives here?" Caroline said, throwing Gwen a confused look.
"Right," she said. Caroline didn't know about witches and vampires. She wouldn't know if Bonnie had returned with a plan for revenge. Mrs. Lockwood entered the room, ending her thoughts on the matter. She would have to worry about Bonnie later. "I, um, I better go. Good luck!"
Gwen was pulled aside by Carol on her way out of the room; she wanted to check on the images so far. As she clicked through the photos of the girls doing their makeup and hair, Mrs. Lockwood nodded her head as her lips formed a pleased smile .
"These are perfect," she said, handing the camera back to Gwen. Smiling, Gwen mumbled a quiet 'thank you'. She was relieved. Earlier, she'd seen Mrs. Lockwood almost reduce one of the wait staff to tears for an improperly set table. "We'll be starting in about fifteen minutes. Go ahead and go outside. I want you to get some photos of the guests and throughout the dance."
Nodding, Gwen set off for the backyard, which had been transformed into a courtyard with a dance floor. More guests had arrived while she had been upstairs, making navigating the main floor even more difficult. It didn't help that she seemed to be invisible to all of the guests. It was frustrating; she knew they could see the bulky camera and bag. She was very tempted to accidentally swing her bag into the next person who refused to hear her 'excuse me'. It was only her fear over Mrs. Lockwood's reaction that kept her from doing so.
A waiter carrying a tray of drinks stepped backward into her path, causing her to step awkwardly to the side in order to avoid a collision. Though she was successful in missing the waiter and his tray, Gwen had inadvertently stumbled into the side of another guest.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, hoping a quick apology would defuse any anger from the person.
"Don't worry, my drink was in my other hand," said a congenial voice. "Hey, don't I know you?"
Gwen finally looked at the man, startled by the question. He was a little taller than her, and had thin light brown hair and blue eyes, and a slight build. He was older, probably in his thirties. She didn't recognize him. In fact, she was pretty sure she'd never seen him. Still there was something about him that made her uneasy. Maybe it was the weasel-like aspect of his face.
"Sorry, I don't —"
"Yes, I've seen you around with Elena and Jeremy. They're my niece and nephew. I'm John Gilbert," he explained, talking over her. "I don't think I've met you before, though."
"Oh, right," Gwen said, remembering they had mentioned him visiting — and that neither were really enjoying it. "And no, we haven't. I moved here a few months ago with my uncle. He's a teacher at the school."
"Mr. Saltzman?" John asked, brow creased.
"Yes," she said, slowly.
"I didn't realize he had a niece."
His eyes narrowed at Gwen, but she couldn't tell what he might be thinking. She felt as though she was being interrogated. She took a step back, putting distance between them.
"Well, uh, he does," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Setting up a photoshoot, John?" Damon asked as he appeared next to Gwen, placing a hand on her back. "You know, I'm not sure even she has the skills to take a decent photo of you."
John's lips twitched into a thin line before muttering 'Damon' between gritted teeth. Damon gave a curt nod in response.
"I was simply introducing myself to Elena and Jeremy's friend. I was a bit surprised to find out she's the niece of Alaric Saltzman."
Gwen's feeling of unease grew. Why did her connection to Ric matter so much? She knew from Elena that John and Jenna had briefly dated years ago, but didn't think this was a jealousy thing. Though she'd heard of crazier things, she thought as she glanced toward Damon, who was now staring at John with narrowed eyes and a calculating expression.
Clearing her throat, Gwen said, "If you'll excuse me, I have go set up outside."
"Bye, John," Damon said, his tone almost taunting.
He followed Gwen outside. His hand remained on her back the whole time, practically steering her. When their path was clear of on-comers, she chanced a glance at him and was surprised to see him scowling.
"What's wrong?" she asked, walking to the far side of the dance floor.
"Too many things," he muttered. "What did John say to you?"
"Nothing. He was weird about Ric being my uncle for some reason," she said. "Kind of weird."
Damon raised an eyebrow as if he didn't believe it either. "Considering he knows a whole lot about me, Stefan, and Ric, I'd say that is weird."
Gwen, who had been using a chair as work station while she changed out her memory cards, paused and looked up at him. "You mean he knows that you're a …?"
"Yep, and he has a ring like your uncle so I can't kill him." Damon's frown deepened as his eyes scanned the Lockwood's backyard. Turning back to her, he asked, "Have you seen Stefan?"
She shook her head, straightening up with the camera strap secure around her neck. "No. Why? Is he one of things that's wrong?"
She was half-joking. Gwen had noticed Stefan's sporadic attendance in school over the last few weeks, but he'd been back every day since Monday and Elena swore he was fine. Still, she had sensed something was off about him.
"Of course not," he said with an easy smile. "I need to remind him of a few … behavior expectations. Just text me if you see him, all right?"
Looking around the crowded backyard, Gwen bit her bottom lip. Something was up, and it couldn't be good if Damon was actually worried.
"Don't worry yourself, Baby Witch," Damon said, noticing her unease. "You'll get frown lines."
She rolled her eyes, not appreciating his newest nickname for her. Gwen turned her attention back to the camera, needing to reset to the natural light before the dance started. Sighing, she said, "Yeah, fine. I'll text you if I see him."
"Thank you. And Gwen?"
"Hmm?"
"Save me a dance?"
Gwen's finger slipped from the camera dial. Tucking a piece of hair back, she quipped, "Sorry, the help isn't allowed to fraternize with the guests."
Damon leaned down slightly, so that she could feel his breath graze her cheek. "Since when do I follow the rules?"
She turned her head just enough to catch his smirk before he stepped away and disappeared into the crowd. Shaking her head, Gwen fought back a smile as she moved into a better position to take the photos. She swore his moods could give her whiplash with how quickly they changed.
Ric, who was across the dance floor and standing with Jenna, spotted her and waved. She returned the gesture, making a mental note to meet up with them later. Gwen took a few pictures of the crowd to ensure everything was calibrated properly. And it didn't hurt to get a few shots of the regular attendees to mix in with the pageant contestants. They could all be used tell a story.
The band played softly in the background, awaiting a signal from Mrs. Lockwood's assistant. Gwen made sure to pay attention to them as she photographed the guests. She caught a sweet moment between Jeremy and a girl she didn't recognize as they laughed about something. Sadly, not everything she saw through the lens was as nice as that. Gwen felt for the poor waitresses who were subjected to every half-drunk male's flirting. She felt exceptionally bad for the redhead behind the bar who Tyler was trying to charm. The music changed before she could decide if taking the photo and accidentally leaving it for his mother to find was worth it. She refocused her lens on the dance floor, ready for the first couple to emerge.
As in rehearsal, Tine Fell emerged first with her escort. But that's where the expected events ended. Next came, Heather Swan — one of 'diversity' cases meant to prove the pageant was for all Mystic Falls girls and not only those from the founding families — and then Caroline, Elena, and Blair Fell. Amber and Stefan were missing from the lineup, and Damon was filling in for his brother. Gwen tried to ignore a sudden cold pang in her stomach as the dancers turned to face each other, focusing instead on framing the couples in a way that they were all visible in a single shot.
It was her own fault. She knew better. She knew what he was and what he was after. A part of her had even suspected his affection's had transferred from Katherine to Elena, especially after how desperately he had pleaded with her to sit out of Stefan's rescue. Gwen had buried her suspicions, not wanting to think about them. Just as she'd done with her stupid crush. Damon had gone from a mysterious and flirty stranger to a complicated but wanted constant in her life. She hated that she'd been inexplicably drawn to him since their first meeting. It was embarrassing given that he'd intended to kill her; and she'd been ashamed when the feelings persisted even when he'd attempted to kill Ric. Nothing seemed horrible enough to destroy those feelings. Every time she'd convince herself to let them go, he'd do something unexpectedly fun or caring that erased all of that mental persuasion. Then, she'd allowed herself to hope that he would see her as something besides a helpful witch.
Seeing how he looked at Elena now, Gwen knew that would never happen. Even though something was clearly wrong with Stefan, all of Damon's attention was on Elena. It really was as if there was no one else in the world.
Well good, she thought, ignoring the lump that had formed in her throat. Maybe this is what she needed to see so she could finally move on.
Still, she'd never been so happy to hear a song end as she was in that night.
Hours later, the sun had set and Gwen had easily taken a thousand photos. With her battery near dead and her memory cards full, she packed up her camera and was about to go search for Mrs. Lockwood when she saw the woman emerge from the crowd, check in hand. She shook her head, impressed by Carol's timing. For a moment, she wondered what it would be like if Mrs. Lockwood was Mayor Lockwood instead of her husband. Sheriff Forbes would likely get more support than what she currently had; and any affairs or flirting Mrs. Lockwood engaged would be far more discreet than those of her husband, who had the gall to flirt with any pretty single woman he ran into whenever he was at The Grill. At least Tyler came by it naturally, she supposed.
"There you are," she said briskly, coming to a stop in front of Gwen. "How'd you do?"
"Good, you will have more behind the scenes photos and candids than you'll ever need."
Mrs. Lockwood nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Great. Well, here is your check. I'll stop by The Grill during your shift on Monday to pick up the flash drive, as discussed."
Gwen took the check, sliding it inside her camera bag. "I'll be there. Congratulations on a successful event."
Her smile grew wider, enjoying the compliment. "Thank you. I'd better go, we're announcing the winner soon. Enjoy the rest of the party."
Gwen thanked her and set off to find Ric while Mrs. Lockwood made her way back to the manor. All she wanted to do was go home, but Caroline would never forgive her if she left early. Besides, Ric was driving her, Jenna, and Elena home. She was stuck here for at least another half hour. But she didn't have to keep her camera the whole time. Plus without the sun, the early spring day had turned into a late winter night. She needed to get her coat from the car.
"All done?" Ric asked as she approached the small table he and Jenna were still sitting. Jenna flashed her a smile, which she returned. Gwen was happy her uncle and Jenna had been able to get past all the drama that had come with the Isobel reveal.
"Yeah. Can I get the keys? I want to drop this stuff before the big announcement," she said, hiking up the strap of her bag as it had started slipping from her should. Ric dug into his suit jacket's pockets, searching for them. A moment later, he found them in his left pocket. He started to hand the keys to her, but paused before dropping them into her outstretched hand. "What?"
"Are you ok? You seem… I don't know, sad maybe," Ric said, his concerned eyes searching her face for a clue as to what might be bothering her.
Gwen shrugged. "I'm fine. Tired and ready to burn these shoes, but fine."
Ric frowned; clearly unsure if he should believe her or just let it go. He looked as if he was about to say something, but Gwen caught Jenna's subtle squeeze of Ric's shoulder. Closing his mouth, Ric dropped the keys into her palm.
"All right," he said, fighting the instinct to question her. He knew tired; this wasn't tired. "Hurry back, I think we're finding out who the our new Miss Mystic Falls is soon."
She nodded and mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Jenna when Ric's back was turned. A great thing about Jenna is that she still remembered what it was like to be a teenage girl, which was especially helpful when Gwen really didn't want to talk about something.
The walk to the SUV seemed to take forever. The circular drive was full of cars, as was the long gravel road that led to the house. From overhearing the staff, she knew the overflow had spilled out onto the main road. It was definitely a safety hazard, but she supposed that parking violations could be overlooked when you were a founding family and the mayor hosting an important town event. By the time she reached the SUV, she'd nearly fallen three times. It turns out that heels and a gravel road were extremely dangerous, especially to one's ankles.
With a sigh, she threw open the backdoor and tossed in her bag. As planned, Ric had left her blue plaid peacoat on the backseat. Though it was cold from sitting in the car all this time, Gwen was thankful for the warmth it was already providing. The night had turned out to be much cooler than she'd expected. Gwen closed the door, making sure to double-click the fob so all of the doors locked. Errand done, her only option was to return to the manor — or so she thought.
Gwen had maybe taken ten steps toward the manor when a terrified scream came from the forest.
Biting her lip, she turned toward the woods that lined the gravel drive. The smart thing to do would be to go for help, she thought. The scream had sounded as if it had come from a girl. Could it have been Amber, the missing contestant? Her gut was telling to go get help; that it was stupid to even think of going to help the person in trouble. But she couldn't make herself move toward the manor. Instead, a second scream sent her heading quickly toward the trees.
The road to the Lockwood Manor was on a steep hill that made it almost level with the middle of the trunk of the trees that ran parallel to it. Gwen may not have been a total klutz, but she was not skilled enough to make it down the hill or navigate the dark forest in heels. Trying to not think about how much running on the rough terrain would hurt her bare feet, Gwen kicked off her shoes into a messy heap on the road and sprinted into the trees.
The leaves that coated the ground did little to protect her feet from the rocks and twigs underneath them. Gwen didn't let herself stop though; only wincing whenever she stepped on a particularly sharp object. Her next few shifts at The Grill were going to suck. Surprisingly, she didn't have to go far to locate the source of the scream. However, she quickly found herself wishing she'd gone for help.
The screams had come from Amber. It was the reason for them that Gwen couldn't believe: Stefan was feeding on her. Even in the limited light, she could see the blood flowing down Amber's neck and Stefan's chin.
"Stefan!" She gasped, struggling to breathe. "Stefan, stop!"
Stefan jerked away from the girl, staring at her in surprise. His shock quickly turned to panic and guilt. She briefly thought about texting Damon, but knew there wasn't time. She needed to try to calm him or to get him to let Amber go.
"I-I didn't mean…" he stuttered.
"I know," Gwen said gently, raising her hands so the palms faced him. She didn't want him to think she was planning to attack him. She took a careful step forward. "It's ok. Amber's going to be fine."
"No… there's no going back…"
Gwen was close enough now that she could see the distortion of his faced: his fangs, the prominent veins, black eyes. For the first time, she saw the true monster he could be. She had to fight the instinct to run. Amber needed her help.
"It's not too late, Stefan," she said, taking another step forward. She was within an arm's reach now. "Compel Amber to forget and let her go. I'll take you back to the boarding house. We'll figure it out, ok?"
Stefan shook his head, but his grip on Amber loosened. Gwen took a final step toward him, placing a hand on his arm. He met her gaze with fear and confusion.
"Let her go," she whispered.
He nodded and turned back to Amber, who had been unnervingly quiet throughout this whole exchange. Stefan must have already had her compelled. A shiver ran through Gwen that had nothing to do with the cool night air.
"You're going to forget all of this," he started, staring intensely into the other girl's blank eyes. "You were nervous. You went for a walk and got attacked by animal. That's all you remember. Got it?"
"I was attacked by animal," Amber repeated faintly, sounding as if she'd been drugged.
"Go," Stefan commanded, releasing her.
Numbly, Amber stumbled her way back toward the road. Gwen worried that she may have lost too much and might not make it back. She couldn't leave Stefan alone, though. He was too unstable.
"Ok," she sighed. "Good, that's good. Let's go back to your car. We'll go to boarding house and call Damon, ok? Stefan?"
He'd closed his eyes and was shaking his head. If it was possible, he looked even more tormented than he had when she'd caught him feeding on Amber. Another chill ran through her — a warning. It hit her that she was alone with an extremely on-edge vampire who was desperate to feed. He could kill her before she even started a spell. With a heavy, sinking feeling, she began to slightly regret going after Amber.
"Stefan," she said again, hoping to get him focused on going home instead of feeding. "Stefan, just breathe. It's going to be all right."
"I'm sorry," he said; his words a mix of a cry and a whisper. His hand shot out and grabbed her forearm. In less than a second, he'd pulled so close that she was flush against him. "I'm sorry. I can't stop."
"Stefan, don't," she said, voice rising in pitch. Futilely, she fought his grip, but he barely noticed her actions. "Stefan, please!"
"I'm sorry."
Gwen kept fighting even when she felt the sharp pain of his fangs sink into her neck. Too panicked to try a spell, she hit his chest with her free hand and tried to wriggle away from him as he drank her blood. The pain was like nothing she'd ever felt. It was almost as if her neck was on fire. Gwen would have been embarrassed at the whimper from the increased as Stefan repositioned and deepened his bite. Slowly, the fight left her and she began to feel faint. As her vision faded, she thought of her mom. Suddenly, giving up didn't seem so bad. In fact, she was unexpectedly calm as she slid into the darknesses.
AN: Thank you Wordspin, mercury30, and Alymariet for your recent reviews, and for continuing to stick with this story.
