Chp 9

It has been a little over a decade since Liana 'visited' Mystic Falls and retrieved the Bennett Grimoire and things have settled down. Mostly. David had returned to the group looking defeated and apologized for his behavior. He didn't want to be alone anymore. Which is mostly true. David just let out the part where he wanted Liana gone, and to control the Lost Boys again. Liana saw straight through David, but didn't want the others to feel like she's trying to dictate who can or can't be around her. So, she kept an eye on David, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As the years passed, Liana distanced herself from David with his snide remarks and barely concealed hostility. The others noticed everything and have spoken to David several times. He would just brush it all off as a joke, keep his remarks to himself for a bit, then start the cycle all over again. Finally, Liana and Dwayne had enough and confronted David, telling him to either chill out or move out.

David got the hint and put on the mask of an obedient friend and everything calmed down again. None of the other vampires suspected anything until a few weeks ago when someone from Liana's past showed up at her door.

Mystic Falls 2009

Sheila Bennett shook her head at her granddaughter, her granddaughter's friends, and the vampire, Stefan sitting in her living room. They were trying to convince her to open the Fell's Church tomb so Damon could get Katherine out and leave town. All of them were tired of Damon and his antics.

"The spells we need to get into that tomb have been lost for many years. I'd need to contact our ancestors to see if they know where they are. Until then, keep your brother in line," Sheila spoke to them all but directed that last bit to Stefan. The former Ripper nodded his head and left with his girlfriend to take her home.

Later that night after Sheila's granddaughter, Bonnie, had gone to bed did she contact their ancestors. Sheila was surrounded by candles in her basement concentrating on her connection with her ancestors when Emily's ghost appeared, "I know what it is you seek child. The Grimoire that was in my possession."

Sheila bowed her head in respect, "I do. My granddaughter and I have been dragged into this mess by vampires. I see no other way than to help them so they will leave." Emily looked over her descendant, not wanting to reveal anything but she had seen how desperate the eldest Salvatore was.

"Our Grimoire was originally buried with Giuseppe Salvatore. However, it was retrieved by someone I trusted. I had contacted her so she could keep it safe, away from those who would abuse it," Emily spoke to Sheila calmly. Sheila could tell her ancestor was angry. Emily made a show of exhaling since ghosts don't need to breathe, "Liana Salvatore was Stefan's younger twin sister. She was the only one in the Salvatore bloodline to access her magic after centuries. When Liana was turned by Katherine, her brothers abandoned their sister to rescue Katherine. Liana never lost her magic. She is a Heretic, rare, and very powerful."

Sheila let everything Emily said sink in and decided, "I will not tell Bonnie. But I feel these vampires will not give up." Emily nodded, "I know they won't. The Salvatore brothers are going to be disappointed when they learn Katherine was never in the tomb. She has been free all along." "All this chaos has been for nothing," Sheila was exhausted. Emily gave her descendant a small smile, "Be wary and be safe, my child." Emily vanished when Sheila blew out one of the candles then she retired for the night.

Bonnie learned her grandmother had spoken with Emily, but Sheila was not saying anything. So, Bonnie contacted Emily herself and was told who had the Grimoire. When the young witch was approached by Damon she was reluctant to tell him anything. But he 'convinced' her to tell him. She visited both Salvatores at the Boarding house. Bonnie had never been so scared of the unhinged vampire in her life. When Bonnie mentioned Liana, she was attacked by Damon.

"You're lying! Liana died in 1864!" Damon yelled in Bonnie's face, his vampire visage on full display. He was going to strangle the brat when Stefan pulled him away. Damon poured himself a drink while Stefan made sure Bonnie was okay. "Damon, hear her out," Stefan gave Bonnie some space but stood between her and Damon.

"I'm not lying. Emily told me herself. The Grimoire was taken from your father's grave by your younger sister." Bonnie stated. Stefan was shocked, "What? No, she died. We saw her collapse and with how much blood she lost there was no way she made it." Stefan had missed the first part of Bonnie's explanation to Damon which is why he is shocked and confused.

"It's true. Emily told me she contacted Liana years ago to keep the Grimoire safe. I can try to do a locator spell, then maybe we can get the Grimoire back. It does belong to the Bennett bloodline anyways." Bonnie stood closer to Stefan while looking at Damon.

Later, Bonnie was finishing the locator spell using Stefan's blood. The young witch noticed the blood stopped moving near the coast in California and did not move any further. Her nose started to bleed, "That is as close as I can get. She's somewhere on the coast of California."

Damon scoffed, "Well, that narrows it down." Stefan smacked his brother on the back of the head, "It's a start. Thank you, Bonnie. Are you alright?" Bonnie wiped the blood away and cleaned up the mess from the spell, "I'm fine. Good luck. I'm going home, I'll wait for your call." The witch left the two vampires alone with their thoughts. Both thinking the same but having different feelings; Damon was irritated he had to search such a large area for the Grimoire, and how his little sister had it. While Stefan felt hurt to learn his twin was alive/undead and had not contacted him. Damon got ready to leave for California, telling Stefan to stay and keep watch over everything.

Santa Carla 2009

Dwayne and Liana were out on a date for the first time in a few years. They had been officially together for a few months now and wanted to go out without the rest of the gang tagging along. They had rode on Dwayne's bike to the next town over. Dwayne found a nice little diner that served the best milkshakes. The two of them just sat down when Liana felt her magic alert her of another vampire. Someone older, stronger, and radiated a lot of power. She looked around the diner and briefly made eye contact with the vampire. He smirked at her and gave a little finger wave before returning his attention to his food.

Liana brushed the encounter off and enjoyed her date with Dwayne. They pair didn't notice the vampire keeping an eye on them. He had kept tabs on the Heretic ever since he learned about her from his former best friend in the 1920s'. Learning the young vampire had retained her magic was interesting. He wanted to collect her and keep her close as one of his witches. Being the younger twin of the Ripper of Monterey was a bonus. Remembering his old friend telling him about his twin and the look of regret and guilt that crossed the young vampire's face made Klaus realize Stefan didn't know his twin was not dead and gone.

Klaus waited for them to leave before he called his personal witch and then left to follow them. Once he found where the young Heretic was staying, he vowed to be back for her soon. Possibly having to kill those she surrounds herself with, he'll play it by ear. As he was getting ready to leave, Klaus felt someone approach him, "Can I help you?" Klaus smirked at David, "I believe you can." Klaus and David came up with a plan to get Liana away from the rest of the vampires soon. Klaus had some things to take care of first, but he will be back in a few months.

Damon had got off the phone with Stefan while he was sitting in the parking lot of the Santa Carla Boardwalk. Damon had been searching the Bay area for the past week when Stefan called with a new lead. Bonnie did the locator spell again and with Damon in the general area of the prior spell, gave better results. Bonnie had located Liana in Santa Carla. So, here Damon was, looking around the boardwalk for his little sister, wanting nothing more to get the Grimoire and head home. With his emotions still mostly off, he didn't really care about seeing Liana again.

Damon stopped in his tracks. He truly didn't want to believe his baby sister was here. But there was no mistake, Liana had zoomed past him on the back of a motorcycle. Damon rushed back to his car and followed the bikes, but at a distance. Reaching a dirt driveway, Damon slowed down and pulled up to the property. He could see four bikes parked side-by-side in front of the house.

Hearing a knock on the door, Paul was closest, "Hello, can I help you?" Damon gave the blonde vampire a cocky smirk, "You could let me in." Paul snorted, "I don't think so. Who are you?" Damon was shocked his compulsion didn't work but shook it off, "Name's Damon. I'm looking for somebody." Paul recognized the name but did not show it, "Wait here." He slammed the door in Damon's face and went looking for Liana.

She was in the attic tending to her witch's sanctuary. Liana stopped when she heard Paul come up, she had been so engrossed in what she was doing she didn't hear anything outside of the attic. Paul came and stood by Liana with a grim look on his face, "Damon's at the door." He saw Liana stiffen before she put on her mask of cold indifference and headed downstairs.

Damon turned around from looking out at the yard when the door opened. He tried to give a genuine smile, "Hey, baby sister. Imagine my surprise when I learned you were not dead." Liana just crossed her arms, "What do you want, Damon?" "Can't I just relish in the fact that our little sister is alive?" Damon scoffed. Liana knew better, "No. Why are you here?"

The eldest Salvatore could see she wasn't going to budge, "Okay, fine. A little birdie told me you have a certain book that I need, and I came to get it." "There's the Damon I know. Only caring about yourself. Here I thought you actually wanted to see me, but I should have known better. You're here for the Bennett Grimoire. You're still chasing Katherine. Well, news flash, that bitch was never in the tomb!" Liana sneered at her brother.

Damon tried to attack his sister but he couldn't get past the threshold. Liana had warded the home years ago to keep out uninvited guests. "Katherine is in the tomb! And I'm going to get her out! So, you will give that Grimoire or I'll burn this house to the ground with you all still in it!" Damon threatened. It was only after he took a deep breath did he realize what he said. But he was too stubborn and prideful to apologize. Liana looked to Paul and nodded. He left to retrieve the Grimoire. Liana mentally patted herself on the back for constructing a copy of it for herself.

Liana kept her cold gaze on her brother as she handed him the Grimoire, "I am dead to you. You chose that bitch over me time and time again. You no longer have a sister, and I don't ever want to see you again. Take the damn book and get out of my city!" She shoves the grimoire into Damon's chest then slams the door in his face. Leaving the eldest Salvatore standing on the porch knowing he screwed up.

Once Damon crossed the city limits he called Stefan, "Hey, little brother." Damon was trying to not let what happened get to him. "Did you find Liana?" Stefan questioned over the speaker phone. Damon exhaled, "Yeah." Stefan was impatient, "And?" Damon grew irritated and upset, "And! She never wants to see either of us ever again!" Damon picked up the grimoire and shook it, "But I got the grimoire! It only cost our relationship with our sister."

Stefan, ever the optimistic, "Give her time. Just get back to Mystic Falls so we can open this tomb." Stefan didn't wait for Damon to respond before he ended the call. There was nothing else that could be said at the moment. Both Damon and Stefan were hurt by Liana's declaration. Damon just didn't show it, unlike Stefan.

Liana waited until she heard Damon's car drive away before she lost her mask and broke down. Dwayne was by her side in a flash, holding his girlfriend as she cried. Dwayne looked to Paul and Marko, all three in agreement, they will stay by her side for the rest of eternity.

AN: Short chapter. Next one will be longer. Question: Happy or sad ending?