"Stefan, who was that man in the road?" Elena asked as the three of us sat in her room. Stefan and Elena sat on the bed while I sat on her window seal.
"I don't know.. Do you remember anything else about him beside a black hood?" Stefan asked in confusion and Elena looked at me, trying to see what I remembered.
"I wish. I never really saw his face, just his hoodie.. And these black boots coming towards us." I answered, furrowing my eyebrows at the memory before turning my attention outside of the window.
"I brought some vervain for umâfor you guys and Jenna." Stefan stated grabbing from beside the bed that he had brought with him. "And, umâI made the bracelet for Jeremy, a few extra ones for friends." He stated, opening the box and handing Elena a men's bracelet and a few necklaces as well as the vervain herb and a small vile of liquid. "You can put it in jewelry, or even put it in food or drink. But as long as it's in you or on you, a vampire cannot control you." Stefan informed and I furrowed my eyebrows at it all.
"Wow. So much to remember." Elena stated, sighing down at all the contents he had just given her.
"I know. But, there's another vampire in town, so until we find out who it is and what he wants, we have to be careful." Stefan pointed out in a cautious voice and I slowly nodded towards all of the vervain in agreement. I heard the doorbell ring and I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked out the window and at the front of the house.
"It's just the pizza guy." I stated, seeing a guy in a black hoodie standing on the porch and holding our pizzas.
"Elena, I need the money!" Jeremy yelled from downstairs. I turned to Elena who sighed and grabbed money from her purse before making her way towards the front door. Silence fell over Stefan and I for a moment, making him clear his throat.
"You okay? You haven't said muchâ" Stefan started towards me but I cut him off.
"I haven't said much since you told Elena and I that we were adopted?" I asked in a snappy tone and watched him slowly nod in agreement before he sighed in defeat. "There's not much you can say after you realize something as important at that." I added in a sharp tone before shaking my head and looking back out of the window.
-Time Skip-
"It's so pretty." Caroline stated, smiling down at the vervain necklace I gave her while we walked around the school on our lunch break. "God, it'll go with like, everything." She added in amusement and I chuckled as we walked towards a lunch table. "What's the occasion?" She asked but I shrugged.
"No occasion, just a little friend gift." I pointed out once I sat down and Caroline smirked, sitting across from me.
"Lesbian friend necklace? 'Cause were freaky like that?" She asked, winking at me sexually and I laughed and rolled my eyes.
"Your friendship is important to me." I shrugged in amusement and watched her raise an eyebrow.
"Why are you being so mushy?" Caroline asked as she opened her lunch bag and I sighed, tilting my head.
"Because you've been avoiding me and Elenaâmostly Elenaâand I wanted you to know that whatever is going on with you and Matt, it's okay. From mostly Elena." I added in an informative tone as I added a sheepish smile. Caroline looked at me with an uncomfortable expression as she chuckled dryly.
"I was going to talk to you guys about that, mostly ElenaâI was, but there's not much to say." Caroline pointed out with a shrug shrugging and I rose an eyebrow at her. "I mean, we've hung out a couple of times. That's it, but.." She started, leading off as she thought it over in her head. "I just feel like.. we've peaked as friends." Caroline informed and I slowly nodded, listening to her intently but she quickly sighed in defeat. "This is weird. I shouldn't be talking to you about this." She added nervously. "It's weirdâit's weird, right?" Caroline asked with furrowed brows and I chuckled back at her.
"It's a bit weird, but that's only because I've been friends with you and Matt for years." I pointed out and opened my lunch bag also. "And besides, It doesn't matter what I think or Elena thinks because it's not about us. It's about you and what you and Matt want." I reassured, making Caroline furrow her eyebrows.
"But it's all about Elena." Caroline replied and I rose an eyebrow. "Matt's not over her and we all know it." She added and I tilted my head at her.
"Elena's with Stefan now. Matt understands that. He knows he has to move on and I'm glad that he is choosing to do that with you." I stated with a smile and Caroline sighed back at me in uncertainty. "And so is Elena. I'm positive." I added reassuringly, making Caroline nod slowly and look down at her food.
~~~~
"I can't believe you and Elena are adopted. I never saw that coming." Bonnie stated in shock as she shaking her head from where we sat in The Grill.
"And it gets weirder. On our birth certificates, it lists Miranda and Grayson Gilbert as our birth parents. None of it makes any sense." I informed, shaking my head in defeat as I dipped my fry in ketchup.
"Which is why you should ask Jenna." Bonnie explained but I groaned. "First of all, the Mariana I know wouldn't care if it's good or bad, as long as it's the truth." Bonnie stated, tilting her head at me and I looked away from her in defeat. "And second, you just found out that vampires and witches are real.. So unless your birth parents are aliens, how bad can it be?" She asked with a sarcastic smile. I chuckled a bit and looked down at my phone to see Elena text me, asking where I was.
"Okay, well I have to go to the store. Elena needs help picking out accessories for the dance and her outfit is severely lacking them." I stated with a sigh before getting up from the table and grabbing my bag as well as my jacket.
"Okay, I'll pay the bill." Bonnie reassured with a nod and I smiled at her.
"Thank you, Bon. Bye." I stated before leaving The Grill. I stared down at my phone to see no other text messages from Elena as I walked across the street to my car. My phone started vibrating in my hand and I looked down at it again in confusion before answering the call. "Hello?" I asked, trying to dig out my keys from my bag once I had reached my car.
"Hello, Mariana." A man's voice replied from the other line and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Hey, who's this?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion as I finally pulled out my keys.
"Your sister hit me with her car. I take it the one she was driving to the gift shop was a new one?" The voice asked in a menacing tone and I widened my eyes and quickly looked around in confusion. "You both got away from me.. You won't next time." He warned with a wicked chuckle. My eyes were still wandering around me before they fell on a man in a black hoodie walking towards me from the back alley of The Grill. I shook my head and quickly unlocked my door before getting into my car and starting it before speeding past him.
-Time Skip-
"Why us? What does he want with usâAnd if he does want us dead, why call first?" I asked, shaking my head in annoyance as I paced back and forth in the library of the Boarding house.
"It's because we're predators, Mariana. We hunt, we stalk. It's often as exciting as the kill." Stefan informed from where he sat across from Elena. I scoffed and shook my head at his response before Stefan gave Elena something. "I want you to take this." He stated and I furrowed my eyebrows at it.
"This is Jeremy's pocket watch, how did you get it?" Elena asked as she looked at it in confusion.
"I took it from Damon, who took it from Logan, who must have taken it from you." He answered and Elena opened it. I rose my eyebrow and looked at it from over her shoulder to see that the normal clock was replaced with a compass.. An old model.
"What happened to it?" I asked, looking away from it and at Stefan who tilted his head.
"Well, it's not just a watch, it's a sort of compass.. But it points to vampires." Stefan countered, turning the dial on it before the compass started ticking as it whirred in Elena's hands. The compass ticked lightly, thinking about its direction before it stopped and pointed at Stefan, clicking into place.
"Why did our father have it?" I asked, looking up from the compass and at Stefan.
"Gilbert's were one of the founding families, and back in 1864, they were among those who sought to eradicate the vampires. The compass was used to find us." Stefan answered with a soft nod and Elena rose an eyebrow at him.
"So you knew them?" She asked as I started pacing around the room again.
"Yes.." Stefan answered before clearing his throat. "I want you to keep this, that way you'll know if you're ever in danger." He added reassuringly, running a hand over Elena's cheek gently and I looked back down at the compass in curiousness.
~~~
I walked into the kitchen and put my bag on the table before I grabbed an apple from the kitchen island. I heard footsteps come from behind me to see Jenna dressed like she came out of a 50's movie. "So you're going to the dance?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at her but looking away.
"Alaric asked me to help chaperone." Jenna replied in a perky tone and I slowly nodded and put the apple down as an uncomfortable silence fell over us.
"Why didn't you tell us, Jenna?" I asked, shaking my head in defeat as I turned towards her. She leant back against the table with her arms folded over her chest and she looked away from me.
"Your mom was gonna tell you both eventually.. I never thought I'd have to." Jenna answered, slowly shaking her head at the thought.
"If my mom were here right now and I'd ask, she'd tell me the truth." I pointed out, tilting my head at her and making her slowly sigh and looked back up at me.
"Your dad was about to leave the office one night.. When this girl showed up. She was sixteen, a runaway and about to give birth.. To twins." Jenna informed and I furrowed my eyebrows. "He gave birth to her babies, gave her a place to stay." She added, walking towards me. "A few days later and she disappeared.. and there, you and Elena were." Jenna stated smiling at me as she remembered the memory and I slowly folded my arms over my chest. "Your parents were trying so hard to have a baby but i-it just wasn't happening.. All Miranda ever wanted was to be a mom." Jenna added and I shook my head.
"But why were our parents' names on our birth certificates?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows and she slowly nodded.
"Your Dad was a doctor, Mariana. He took care of it. They didn't want to lose either of you so they kept it quiet. Told as few people as possible, but if anyone ever wanted proof, they had documentation. You and Elena were theirs." Jenna answered with a soft nod and I sighed, shaking my head as I mauled it all over in my brain.
"What else do you know about her? The girl?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows and Jenna shrugged.
"Just her name.. Isobel." Jenna stated and I looked away from her again, still trying to digest everything.
~~~
I sat on my bed, thinking about everything that Jenna had told me. Coming up with questions to further ask her, and even trying to come up with answers on how to explain why our birth mother left.. besides the fact of her being young. I slowly shook my head and got from the bed before walking over to my dresser. I left my hair down and only tied a red bandanna around my head, tying the knot on top. I put on my silver hoops before looking over my outfit in the mirror, smiling at it. "Mariana?" A voice asked and I turned to my bedroom door to see Elena standing there.
"What's up?" I asked as I looked back at my reflection before grabbing the biker gloves from off of my dresser.
"How do I look?" Elena asked, gesturing and smiling at her outfit before doing a spin in front of me.
"You look great, honestly." I pointed out and shaking my head in defeat. "Do you have a bracelet that would match my 50's look?" I asked, looking down at it curiously.
"Greaser?" She asked, looking me over and I smirked, shrugging back at her.
"Naturally." I answered and walked to Elena's room with her. Elena went to her bathroom to straighten a few more pieces of her hair, while I stood at her dresser, trying to find a few bracelets. As I peeked through her jewelry box, deciding which one I wanted, a light fluttering noise started to go off from around me. I rose an eyebrow and looked towards the bathroom. "Elena, what's that noise?" I asked in confusion. I looked over at her bed to grab her phone in case the sound was someone calling.. I went towards it and furrowed my eyebrows down at her phone that sat beside the pocket watch, which was ticking and spinning around vigorously. I felt my body stiffen down at it as Elena came into her room, making me look at her in concern. "Lena." I warned and watched her eyes widen at the watch also before picking it up. I shook my head and quickly grabbed her phone before calling Stefan.
"Stefan's phone. How may I help you, Marianaâ" Damon started but I cut him off.
"Where is he?" I asked in annoyance and shook my head at Elena before we quickly made our way downstairs.
"He's on his way to you and Elena. He left his phone here." Damon pointed out, thinking and I let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god, the compass was spinning. Stefan must be here." I stated and looked at Elena reassuringly before walking into the living room next to me. "Thank you." I added gratefully.
"You're welcome." He replied in a sweet voice and I smiled a bit before hanging up.
"Stefan must have set the compass off." Elena stated with a heavy sigh and I nodded in agreement and turned towards her. I opened my mouth to reply but a dark figure fell from the ceiling from behind her, cutting me off. I widened my eyes at him, recognizing him just before he shifted and jumped at Elena. "Elena!" I yelled out, quickly pushing her out of the way before the man shoved me back angrily and I screamed, hitting the staircase behind me.
"Mariana!" Stefan's voice exclaimed loudly through the house and in an instant he tackled the vampire. The vampire got out of Stefan's hold and vamped through the dining room, into the kitchen, down the hall and out the front door. "Are you okay?" Stefan asked in worry as he held Elena in his arms. I groaned as I stood up from the stairs, only to fall back down as I lost balance. Stefan vamped towards me, catching me before I hit the stairs again and I sighed in relief while he looked me over in concern.
"My leg." I informed, gesturing down at my thigh which was already turning red from the impact.
~~~
"How'd he get in?" Damon asked, slowly walking around the room as Stefan, Elena and I sat in front of him.
"He was invited in." Elena answered emotionlessly. "He posed as a pizza delivery guy last night." She admitted and I scoffed in annoyance.
"And he gets points for that." I added jokingly, making Damon roll his eyes back at me, clearly not in the joking mood.
"Did he say what he wanted?" Damon asked, furrowing his eyebrows and looking between Elena and I curiously.
"No, he was too busy trying to kill us." I countered, narrowing my eyes at him.
"And you have no idea who this was?" Stefan asked, looking up at his brother in uncertainty.
"No." Damon answered, folding his arms over his chest and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't look at me like that, I told you we have company." He added, rolling his eyes.
"You think there's more than one?" I asked, standing up from the chair but my leg gave out from under me, bringing me back down again. Damon vamped towards me, grabbing me and holding me up as he placed his hands around my waist.
"We don't know." Damon replied quietly, looking me over for injuries before his eyes fell on my leg. I watched his face turn cold and I looked down at it also to see it starting to bruise already.
"I fell on it pretty hard when I hit the stairs." I admitted in defeat. Damon shook his head and gently sat me back down on the chair before looking at Stefan.
"Damon.. He was invited in." Stefan warned, making Damon slowly nod in agreement.
"Then we go get him tonight." He pointed out and looked between Elena and I. "You up for it?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow at us.
"What do we have to do?" Elena countered in confusion and Damon looked back at Stefan.
"Let your boyfriend take you to the dance." He replied before looking down at me. "We'll see who shows up." He added with a stern nod.
"That's a bad idea." Stefan protested, shaking his head in disagreement and Damon tilted his head.
"Till we get him, this house isn't safe. For anyone who lives in it." Damon warned, eyeing his brother who was looking at Elena, waiting for an answer. She sighed in uncertainty and looked at me, waiting for my answer and I looked at Damon. "It's worth a shot." He added in reassurance, making me softly sigh.
"I'll do it." I stated with a quick nod and Elena put a hand over Stefan's that he had resting on her thigh.
"We'll be with the two of you.. We'll be safe." Elena reassured with a smile and Stefan slowly nodded in agreement.
"You should drink some bloodâ" Stefan started, looking over at me but Damon quickly cut him off.
"And risk her being killed by this idiot and turning into a vampire? Yeah, not happening." Damon replied defensively and looking down at me again. "We deal with this guy, then I'll give you some blood.. and I won't let you out of my sight until it passes through you." He added sternly, making me slowly nod in agreement.
~~~
I looked around cautiously as the four of us walked into the 50's dance and I held myself tightly, seeing so many people dancing in a crowd. I watched as Stefan and Elena went their separate ways from Damon and I, making me look around even more nervously. "Blend in. I'll be watching you." Damon reassured towards me and I looked at him pleadingly, making him smile a bit. "You'll be fine." He added, nodding down at me. I sighed in defeat and moved forwards slowly, limping somewhat as I walked over to a deserted table. Once at the table, I looked at the crowd around me cautiously before Bonnie and Caroline came over to me.
"Having fun?" I asked in a normal voice and looked over their outfits in approval.
"No. But this took about two hours, so I'm at least staying half of that." Caroline pointed out in annoyance and gestured at her outfit. I chuckled at her as she smiled before Elena joined us also.
"What's Damon doing here?" Bonnie asked in disgust as she saw him talking to Stefan from a few feet from us.
"He wanted to come. I promise, he'll behave." I reassured with a small shrug as I looked away from them and Caroline furrowed her eyebrows.
"So what is thisâlike a foursome now? Gilbert sisters and the Salvatore brothers?" Caroline asked skeptically and I rose my eyebrow at her.
"No, but if I'm gonna be with Stefan, I'm gonna have to learn to tolerate Damon." Elena countered with a sigh. She rose an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to say something and I quickly nodded in agreement.
"It's not like we can kill him." I stated sarcastically and looked back towards the crowd of dancing people.
"Hm, there's a thought." Bonnie countered, sipping on her drink while glaring past me at Damon.
"MmmâI'll help." Caroline added in amusement before they clinked cups of punch, making me roll my eyes.
~~~~
I talked indistinctly to Caroline and Bonnie as the three of us still remained at the table before Damon made his way towards us, smirking at Bonnie. "Hi, Bonnie." Damon greeted but she scoffed. "Wanna dance?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm outta here." Bonnie stated in annoyance and tried to walk away from us but Damon stepped in front of her.
"Please give me another chance." Damon stated in a pleading tone as he look down at her. Bonnie stared back up at him before she shoved past him and I rose an eyebrow.
"Back off, Damon." Care warned angrily towards him before walking after Bonnie quickly. Damon looked at me in defeat and I chuckled, slowly shaking my head.
"Where did they go?" Elena asked as her and Stefan came over to us.
"I don't know." Damon answered, lying through gritted teeth and I watched as the two looked back at him skeptically.
"What'd you say to 'em?" Stefan asked in amusement, making Damon roll his eyes.
"I was perfectly polite." He countered before looking towards Elena. "Elena, would you like to dance?" He asked with a smirk and she smiled up at him.
"I would love to." Elena replied, smiling back and Damon smirked, looking at Stefan in amusement. "May I have this dance?" She asked in amusement towards Stefan. Damon rolled his eyes at her and watched Stefan smile, trying to keep himself from laughing before the two walked away from us again.
"Is it always that gruesome to watch you flirt with girls?" I asked sarcastically as I looked at Damon who scoffed.
"Please. The only girl I flirt with is you." He answered emotionlessly. I furrowed my eyebrows and watched a smirk fall over his face before he walked away from me and into the crowd.
~~~~
I stirred my punch with a spoon slowly out of boredom and looked up to watch couples dance in front of me again. It was pretty much what I was doing to pass the time. Out of nowhere, I see Damon moving across the dance floor with a junior. I rose an eyebrow and watched him pull her towards him before spinning her around to the music. "You really can't take him anywhere, can you?" Elena asked in amusement as she and Stefan came over to me.
"Uh, No." Stefan agreed with a chuckle and I cleared my throat, changing the subject.
"Any sign yet?" I asked, looking at the two in defeat.
"Nope." Elena answered, shaking her head back at me. I nodded in annoyance and looked back at Damon and the girl, practically grinding in front of me and I rolled my eyes. I looked away from the two and scanned the crowd before my eyes fell on a guy in a black hoodie, standing near the back entrance of the gym and away from the crowds. I quickly looked away from him and down at my drink, continuing to stir it.
"Stefan, the back corner." I informed, looking up at him calmly so I didn't cause a scene. I watched Stefan furrow his eyebrows before he quickly looked towards the hooded man.
"Get Damon." He stated in a serious tone. I rose and eyebrow and looked up at the man to see him start to walk out of the dance, making Stefan follow after him. Elena walked away from me quickly and in the direction Damon. I went to walk after her but my phone started to ring, stopping me. I furrowed my eyebrows down at it as I didn't recognize the caller I.D.. and I answered.
"Hello, Mariana." A cruel voice stated and I knew it was the same guy who was at the house earlier tonight. The same one who called me last night. "Here's what you're going to do.. There's an exit door right behind youâYou have five seconds." The voice threatened from the phone. I looked around me, searching for him in the crowd of people before I looked towards the door he was explaining to me.
"No." I stated with a scoff and turned away from it in protest, clenching my jaw in anger.
"Or your brother dies." The man warned emotionlessly and I rose my eyebrow, turning to look at Jeremy who was serving punch across the gym from me. I furrowed my eyebrows and saw the hooded figure appear behind him, feet away and I widened my eyes while he smirked, staring back at me. "I can snap his neck so fast, I bet there's not even a witness.. And you can count on me having enough to time to kill your sister, too." He added and I started looking around for Elena but couldn't find her through the crowd. "Start walking." The vampire warned again and I slowly breathed, turning back to him as he narrowed his eyes.
"Don't you dare touch them." I stated, shaking my head before I slowly walked backwards, towards the exit doors.
"Keep walking. Through the door." The vampire agreed, following after me and I quickly hung up. I reached the doors and started to run as fast as I could, even though my leg was killing me. I turned a corner and looked behind me to see the vampire walking after me, watching me run frantically away from him. I ran down another hall before towards a set of two-way doors and tried to push them open but they were locked from the other side. I groaned in annoyance and turned back down the hall I came from, to see the vampire walking towards me, smirking at me as he saw my struggle. I turned to my left and ran towards the closest door that lead into the cafeteria. I quickly ran across me to another set of two way doors, leading out but they were locked also. I turned around just in time to see the vampire angrily push the cafeteria door open before he vamped in front of me, pushing me against the doors. I widened my eyes and tried to run away from him but he grabbed my hair, pulling me back. I screamed out in pain as he flung me over a table and I landed on the floor across from him. I looked below me and saw pencils that I had knocked down from the table and I clenched my jaw. I picked them up as the vampire flipped the table over before grabbing me and pushing me up against the wall. I widened my eyes as he shifted angrily, threatening to bite into my neck but I plunged one of the pencils into his stomach. He gasped and backed away from me before pulling it out. I plunged another pencil towards his chest but he blocked it with his hand, making the pencil go clean through it. I stabbed my last pencil into his neck, catching him off guard before I pushed him backwards and watched him fall to the floor in front of me. I moved away from him while he tried to get up from but the papers that were under him, kept making him slip. I furrowed my eyebrows as I backed up into a mop and quickly grabbed, breaking it in half. I watched as the vampire got up from the floor and took the pencils from his body before he vamped towards me. I grabbed the broken piece of wood and thrusted it towards him but he grabbed my hand easily. I widened my eyes and breathed heavily as he threw the jagged piece of wood away from him and smirked down at me. He shifted and grabbed me, going to dig his teeth into my neck and I screamed out loudly. The vampire groaned in pain and flew back into the wall away from me, making me furrow my eyebrows. He growled and stood up from the floor quickly, vamping back towards me in both anger and annoyance. He shoved me back and I fell onto the floor harshly. I started to scream out in pain as he grabbed me by my bruised leg and pulled me back towards him. Tears brimmed my eyes as I felt the bones in my leg, threatening to break from his pressure. The vampire grabbed me by my neck now and pulled me towards him while I coughed in his hold, not being able to breathe. Stefan came out of nowhere and pushing the vampire away from me, making him drop me. The vampire growled at him and got up from the floor, narrowing his eyes at Stefan who stood in front of me while Elena moved beside him.
"Hey, dickhead." Damon stated, standing behind the vampire while he held that stick that I had broken. "Nobody wants to kill you. We just want to talk." He added, holding up his hands in defeat. I turned back to the vampire who smirked at Damon before looking at Stefan again. The vampire ran towards Stefan angrily, threatening to grab Elena this time. Damon threw the stick towards Stefan who caught it just in time to plunge it in the vampire's stomach. The vampire gasped and knelt on the floor, hunching over in pain as blood came from his mouth.
"Now you feel like talking?" Stefan asked in annoyance down at him, making Elena furrow her eyebrows at him. Damon vamped over to me and knelt over me, examining my leg carefully.
"He fractured a few bones." Damon informed as he looked over the bruising before his eyes met mine and I chuckled a bit, trying not to let the pain get me but it was sure as hell doing a great job.
"Yeah, that's what it feels like." I stated sarcastically, not being able to move it.
"Screw you." I heard the vampire scoff. Stefan chuckled and quickly pushed the piece of wood deeper into the man's stomach.
"Wrong answer." Stefan pointed out, clenching his jaw in anger as he held onto the piece of wood still. "Why are you doing this?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"Because it's fun." The vampire replied, laughing a bit, which made Stefan push the wood further into him. the vampire gasped for breath as the stake started moving its way towards his lung.
"What do you want with them?" Stefan asked again and the vampire smirked, looking at Elena as she stood in front of him.
"They look like Katherine.." He replied in a vindictive tone and Stefan backed off as the brother's furrowed their eyebrows, exchanging looks.
"You knew Katherine?" Damon asked, standing up from next to me and looking at the vampire in confusion.
"Oh, you thought you were the only ones." The vampire laughed, only to gasp as he breathed heavy and jagged breaths. "You don't even remember me." He added, scoffing at them in disappointment.
"Tell me how to get in the tomb. Hmm?" Damon asked, moving towards the vampire and bending down to look at him.
"No." He replied emotionlessly before Stefan pushed the stake deeper into him and Elena looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "UghâThe grimoire." He groaned loudly, shaking his head in agony.
"Where is it?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows before burying the wood higher, towards the vampire's heart.
"Check the journal. The journalâJonathan Gilbert's journal." The vampire answered loudly as he panted in pain. I furrowed my eyebrows as Damon stood up again and looked towards me again.
"Who else is working with you?" Stefan asked and Damon folded his arms over his chest while the vampire shook his head in protest.
"Who else is there?" Damon added impatiently but the vampire still resisted them.
"No.. You're going to have to kill me." He replied in defeat. Damon sighed in annoyance as him and Stefan exchanged a look before he rolled his eyes and gestured at the vampire. Stefan slowly nodded before pulling the stake from of the vampire's stomach, making him groan while Damon smirked. Stefan clenched his jaw and looked away from the vampire before finally plunged the stake into his heart. Elena gasped and widened her eyes as I heard the vampire gasp from under Stefan before he desiccated, falling to the floor.
"What do weâhow are you going to find the others now?" Elena asked in disbelief as she breathed heavily towards Stefan.
"He had to die." Damon answered in a calm voice before looking back at me.
"Butâ" Elena started in protest before Stefan cut her off.
"Elena." He stated, looking at her in defeat. "He's been invited in." Stefan pointed out and Elena slowly looked back down at the desiccated vampire in front of her.
"He threatened to kill you and Jeremy." I stated quietly from the floor in front of them and groaned, shakily trying to get up. "He had to kill him." I added before Damon came over to me and picked me up in his arms, making me lightly groan in pain. There was the sound of a door closing from somewhere outside the cafeteria. We all looked towards the doors, just as Alaric walked past them and Stefan and Damon exchanged a look.
"Go. I got this." Stefan reassured him and Damon nodded in agreement. He put me into Stefan's arms gently before he walked out of the cafeteria to go distract Alaric.
~~~
I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling quietly before I heard my window open. I looked over at it and furrowed my eyebrows before I sat up quickly, only to wince in pain. I looked down at my leg that was now swollen and fully bruised from the high down to the knee. "That's looks like it hurts." A voice stated and I quickly looked up to see Damon standing in front my bed.
"Well, it doesn't feel entirely great." I informed and he slowly nodded back at me.
"I have something that might help." Damon countered with a smirk before holding up his wrist in some amusement.
"Am I going to get killed in the next twenty-four hours?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he sighed before gently sitting beside me.
"I told you I wouldn't let you out of my sight, didn't I?" He countered gently, looking down at me. I silently stared back, not answering before he bit his wrist and gestured it towards me. I slowly sat up and stared down at the wrist in question before looking back at him and he nodded softly. I looked back down at his wrist and slowly took it before I drank from it hesitantly. I felt the disgusting taste of the liquid seep down my throat and I pulled away and coughed. Damon's wrist healed and he cleaned off any excess blood while looked down at my leg and watched as the bruising and swelling slowly started to disappear until it was back to its regular color. I sighed in relief and looked back at Damon who stared down at me silently before he ran his thumb gently over my bottom lip, removing the remainder of his blood from my mouth. "You okay?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow at me and I laid back down in front of him.
"Is it weird if I say yes?" I asked, looking at him and he shrugged.
"Is it true?" He countered with a raised eyebrow and I looked away from him, thinking about it.
"I should feel more upset or scared or somethingâBut I feel sort of exhilarated." I admitted, sitting up and turning towards him again.
"It's the adrenaline. You'll fall asleep soon enough." Damon reassured, giving me a half smile and I slowly nodded before looking away from him.
"Yeah, I guess.." I agreed before I smiled and looked back at him. "I fought back tonight. It felt good." I stated and watched Damon furrow his eyebrows. "It made me feel like he didn't have all of the power." I pointed out as I shook my head and Damon slowly nodded.
"I wish you didn't have to fight at all." He stated in disappointment and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Anyways, I have news." Damon added, changing the subject and I rose my eyebrow and gave him a small smile.
"Alright?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at the excited look on his face as I listened intently. Damon got up from my bed and moved back over to my window before staring out of it silently.
"..Stefan said that he would help me open the tomb and get Katherineâonly Katherine out." Damon informed with a small smile and I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling myself become silent. Damon turned back towards me, waiting for me to speak and I gave him a fake smile.
"That's great. You deserve to be happy." I informed with a nod but he furrowed his eyebrows back at me, clearly noticing something was off. I slowly got up from my bed before standing on my leg and sighing in relief as I saw that it was perfectly fine now.
"What's on your mind, Ari?" Damon asked, looking over me carefully and I furrowed my eyebrows at the nickname.. He's never called me Ari before. I turned and stared back at him silence, watching as he looked at me with his eyes full of concern, like he was reading me or something.
"Nothing." I answered, shaking my head and giving him another small smile but he didn't change his look. "I'm happy for you." I added, nodding reassuringly at him but he looked away from me and back out the window again.
"Goodnight, Mariana." He stated, looking back at me and I saw that his eyes now held nothing. No concern. No happiness.
"Goodnight, Daâ" I started but he was gone before I could finish. I slowly sighed in defeat and walked over to my window before closing it and locking it behind him.