Damon parked the car on Whitmore campus before him, Bonnie, Elena and I got out. "Are you sure that you're okay with this? Us crashing your trip." I stated looking at Bonnie as I shut the passenger door.
"If I could spell either of you out of wanting blood, I would.. But I can't. So better you and Elena learn this now than at Freshman orientation." Bonnie pointed out and I chuckled as we walked across campus.
"Something tells me that college isn't in my future anymore." Elena replied with a small sigh as she looked at Whitmore and Damon rolled his eyes.
"Oh, stop that pity party. If I went to college you can go to college." Damon countered as he stopped and looked over all of the students around us.
"You? Went to college?" Bonnie asked in amusement and he looked at her and shrugged lightly.
"Sure. Plenty of times. I always had a thing for sorority girls." Damon replied in amusement towards me and I rolled my eyes and folded my arms over my chest as Bonnie and Elena scoffed.
"You're disgusting." I stated in slight annoyance and he smirked, slowly nodding as Bonnie, Elena and I walked away from him.
"I know." Damon replied quietly before walking after us and I shook my head in amusement.
~~
"When I say the word 'witch', what pops into your head?" Professor Shane asked the class as he walked slowly in front of the projector that showed an image of a witch stereotyped in olden times. Bonnie, Elena, Damon and I walked into the dark classroom and sat near the back. "Halloween costume? Villain of a fairytale?" He asked, switching images and I rose an eyebrow at an old women wearing a cloak and having a cricked nose and a wart. "Maybe an ex-girlfriend? Well, whatever image it is, it's probably not Tannielle Soso." The professor said, projecting another image of a woman from our time and I rose an eyebrow at him.
"Is that him?" I asked quietly and looking at Bonnie who slowly nodded.
"Yep." Bonnie answered and I slowly nodded, tilting my head towards him.
"He's kind ofâ" Elena started before Bonnie cut her off with a smirk.
"Hot?" Bonnie asked and Damon rose an eyebrow at us from where he sat beside me before he sighed in annoyance.
"I'm a pretty crappy photographer.. But in reality, witches have appeared across every culture in history. They're the architects of the supernatural." The professor stated and I rose an eyebrow as Damon and Elena eyed Bonnie and I closely, making me roll my eyes as Bonnie shrugged. "Responsible for everything that goes bump in the night, from ghosts to vampires, to doppelgänger.." The professor added and Damon scoffed.
"What is this guy, witchipedia?" Damon asked sarcastically and I chuckled lightly, shaking my head as did Elena.
"Shh.. Shut up." Bonnie stated in annoyance towards him and I smirked a bit as the professor walked the floor from below us.
"Now if you're a skeptic, you'd call that a coincidence. But if you're a true believer.." The professor stated as he looked around the film before he shrugged. "You know, there's really isn't such a thing. It scares the crap out of us." He added with a small smile and Elena became silent from beside me.
"What if I'm a ripper?" Elena asked quietly, staring down at the projector and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"You're not a ripper." I argued quietly in annoyance and she rolled her eyes.
"What if I am?" She countered and Damon sighed quietly back at her.
"Well, then pick someone and we'll find out." Damon suggested raising an eyebrow at her. I sighed, shaking my head at him as Elena slowly scanned the room before her eyes landed on a guy chewing a piece of gum and twirling a pen in his hand, half paying attention as he stated at the pen in curiosity. "Stoker guys are no good. They're too paranoid and you don't want the extra buzz." Damon pointed out before he gestured at a girl that was two seats down from the guy. She wore glasses and had her phone in hand while she jotted down notes with her other. "Now, She is fun sized. But too high alert. Geeky girls are suspicious of anyone who's nice to them." He added and I rolled my eyes and elbowed him in his side before I gestured at a blonde two rows above the girl.
"What you want is the little blonde, pretty girl." I stated gesturing my head towards the girl who smiled to herself as she wrote something down in her notebook that sat in her lap. "Self absorbed, easily flattered. You just have to separate her from the pack and make your move." I pointed out quietly and Elena slowly nodded towards her. I looked back towards the professor who was still rambling and I sighed and sat back in my seat.
"Since when did you get so good at picking dinner entrées?" Damon whispered in my ear from next to me and I rose an eyebrow and leant towards him slowly.
"I guess I picked up a few things." I replied quietly into Damon's ear and felt him tense from underneath me and I smirked, drawing away from him again.
~~
Elena, Damon and I walked out of the college as we walked behind the blonde girl, following her slowly while she texted into her phone. "She's young and healthy, she'll heal like a charm, just keep your eye on the ball." Damon stayed towards Elena quietly and I rolled my eyes.
"It's not a game, Damon." I pointed out in annoyance and he sighed back at me.
"Fine. It's not a game. It's a high-stakes dangerous maneuver." Damon countered and I sighed in defeat before I gestured towards Elena.
"Now, go. Just like we practiced, okay? That's all you have to do." I stated reassuringly and she slowly nodded and took a deep breath before she jogged towards the girl while Damon and I stated back, pretending to talk to each other as we listened into Elena and kept an eye out.
-Elena-
I hugged up to the blonde and put a smile on my face. "Hey! You're in my Anthropology class, right?" I asked and watched as she turned towards me and smiled.
"Uh, Yeah. I guess so." The blonde replied and looked back down at her phone.
"I totally spaced and forgot to get the reading list. Do you have it?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at her and she nodded back.
"Sure. Let me check." The blonde replied looking up at me before going back through her phone. I took a deep breath and grabbed her wrist that she held her phone with, making her look up at me in confusion.
"This isn't going to hurt. Just please don't scream." I compelled emotionlessly and looked down at her wrist before I furrowed my eyebrows as a picture of her and a small girl was plastered on her phone screen. "Who's that?" I asked gently and looked back up at the blonde who smiled down at the picture.
"It's my little sister." The blonde replied and I slowly nodded and looked back at the picture before I took a deep breath.
"Get out of here. Go back to class." I compelled again before I watched her slowly walk away from me, doing as told.
-Mariana-
I sighed and walked towards Elena who shook her head in defeat and turned towards me and Damon. "What the hell are you doing?" Damon asked somewhat gently, furrowing his eyebrows down at her.
"IâI just.. I saw the picture, and Iâ" Elena started before Damon cut her off in annoyance.
"Everyone is someone's uncle or father or camp counselor or bible study teacher. Elena, you don't know these people. Why do you care?" Damon asked, shaking his head and gesturing at the students around us before I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest.
"She cares because she's still her, Damon. She still has the same feelings. Sorry if that spoils your master plan to turn her into a super vampire, but that's not why I asked you for your help." I stated, furrowing my eyebrows at him and he sighed in annoyance down at me as Bonnie walked towards us.
"What's going on?" Bonnie asked raising an eyebrow and Damon slowly shook his head and looked at her.
"Nothing. Mariana's just educating me on the importance of feelings." Damon answered sarcastically and I rolled my eyes at him as Elena sighed.
"Did you talk to the professor?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows and Bonnie smiled.
"For a second. He found some stuff of Grams' in his office and he's going to dig it up for me." Bonnie pointed out, tilting her head towards us and I rose an eyebrow. "Oh, uh, this." She added before handing me and flyer and I rose an eyebrow down at it. 'MURDER HOUSE: Come As Your Favorite Victim Or Killer'
"Oh, nice. The answer to all of our problems. A Frat party. Douche central." Damon stated in amusement down at the flyer and I sighed, shaking my head. "Which is why you'll be eating very well tonight." He added rubbing his hands together as he looked down at Elena and I. I scoffed and looked at Elena who gave me an uncertain look while Bonnie looked at him in disbelief. "So what should we go as? Victims or killers?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the three of us in amusement.
~~~
Damon, Elena, Bonnie and I walked into a sorority house and I rose an eyebrow at all of the people in costumes while loud music and fluorescent lights surrounded the house. I smirked and looked as the four of us wore old clothing from the late 1800's before a frat guy came towards us holding a bloody married and dressed as... a frat guy as a glow stick was worn around his neck. "Hey! I'm Frankie, unassuming serial killer." He pointed out gesturing at his clothes as a girl towards towards us and handed us all a bloody marry as well.
"I'm Jack. And these three lovely ladies are the girls I just.. rippered." Damon replied awkwardly, making me chuckle a bit at him as he gestured towards my chest as fake blood dripped from my neck.
"Welcome to The Murder House. Bloody Mary's are free until midnight. Enjoy yourselves." Frankie stated nodding at the four of us before he walked away and Damon smirked, taking off his top hat.
"Well, Hays off to these idiots." Damon stated in amusement before he put it back on and looked towards the stairs. "Look! Professor creepy's here." He added gesturing towards the professor from earlier who laughed and talked with a few students before he noticed us.
"His names professor Shane and he's not creepy." Bonnie argued as she looked at Shane who smiled and gave her a nod. "I'm gonna go talk to him." She pointed out and I rose an eyebrow as Elena took her drink.
"You go do that." Damon replied with a small sigh before she walked up the stairs, away from us. Elena, Damon and I all turned towards the living room where people talked loudly but indistinctly as the music drowned them out. "Inebriated sleazeballs all covered in blood." He stated as we walked through the crowd and I sighed.
"Come on. Pick one." I stated, gesturing my head towards them all. I watched as Elena scanned the crowd slowly, looking over people with fake blood, all laughing amongst themselves. I narrowed my eyes at a guy standing in the corner and talking to a few girls before dropping something in one of the girls' Bloody Mary once she looked away. "I think I found one for you." I pointed out and gestured towards the guy, making Elena raise an eyebrow.
"Roofie guy?" Elena asked and I folded my arms over my chest in agreement before I drank my Bloody Mary.
"Mm-hmm." I answered with a light scoff and Elena slowly nodded.
"Nice choice. Be right back." Elena replied in some amusement and I rose an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Damon as Elena walked towards the guy.
-Elena-
I walked towards the guy, about to go past him before I bumped into his shoulder and gasped, backing up as he furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm sorry." Elena apologized and innocently looked his baseball T-shirt and jeans wearing ass, up and down. "Drink?" She asked, gesturing one of the two bloody Mary's she held, towards him as a peace offering.
"Sure." He replied smiling at her and taking it. Elena smirked towards him and walked away and into another room, making him watch her carefully. "I'll be right back." The guy stated towards the girls he was with before he quickly followed after Elena.
-Elena-
I walked into a deserted room and heard footsteps come in behind me before I turned and saw the roofie guy. "Great party, right?" He asked and I rose an eyebrow at in and out my Bloody Mary on a ledge beside me.
"Yeah!" I agreed with an excited smile. The guy chuckled at me before he quickly leaned towards me before I pushed him back from me and he the wall behind him and rose an eyebrow at me. I smirked and walked closer to him and leant forwards but didn't kiss him. "You're not going to make a sound." I compelled, tilting my head at him. He quietly stared at me and I smirked, shifting into my fangs before I dug them into his neck. I felt the liquid fill my mouth quickly and I closed my eyes and hearted footsteps come in from behind me.
"Remember. The idea is not to kill him." Mariana's voice stated in annoyance from behind me and I dug my teeth further into him. "Elena." I heard her warn emotionlessly but I ignored her.
"Elena, step away from the edge." Damon's voice added in warning as I dug into the guy's neck more and fed on his vein angrily. "Elena!" He stated quietly in an aggressive voice before I pulled away and sighed deeply, feeling my fangs draw back. I gasped deeply, controlling my breathing before I narrowed my eyes at the frat boy.
-Mariana-
"Leave and forget about this." Elena compelled the guy emotionlessly. I rose an eyebrow as the frat guy slowly nodded back at her before he left the room.
"Nice touch." Damon pointed out in amusement as she turned towards us with a smile and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"How do you feel?" I asked, tilting my head and watched as she took a deep breath before her smile widened.
"I feel good." Elena answered and I gave her a smile back before she hugged me tightly, making me chuckle a bit. "I want more." She whispered into my ear and I rose an eyebrow and looked over my shoulder at Damon who shrugged back at me and I smirked a bit.
~~
I laughed, running my hands through my hair as I danced around the dark fluorescent lightened room. I smiled at the guy that danced next to me, pulling me towards him before I put a hand on his shoulder as his grabbed my waist. "Don't scream. You're not going to remember this.. And it isn't going to hurt." I compelled and he watched me carefully before I smiled and felt my fangs extract before I dug them into his neck. I closed my eyes, tasting the blood go down my throat before I pulled away and laughed, shaking my head and danced again, not caring enough to wipe the blood from my mouth. I looked around me as Elena fed on a girl she danced with while Damon made his way drunkenly towards me. I smiled at him as we both danced together and he moved my arms around his neck, pulling me closer. I laughed and put our arms above our heads as we danced around crazily, matching our steps to the dubstep music that blared through the speakers around us. Damon smiled and ran a hand down my face gently and I shook my head, feeling the heat of him combining with the heat around the room. I looked away from him and towards the doorway of the room where Bonnie stood by the stairs, looking over the crowd before her eyes fell on mine. I furrowed my eyebrows at how taken aback she looked before I stepped back away from Damon. I looked at Elena who laughed and smiled happily from where she danced beside the girl she drank from. I quickly grabbed Elena's arm and watched as she furrowed her eyebrows as I led her towards the front door of the house.
"Mariana?" Elena asked in confusion, coming to realization but I didn't answer her as we walked past Bonnie and out into the front yard. I let go of Elena and breathed heavily, running my hands through my hair. "What's going on? Why am I acting like this?" She asked in disbelief at herself as Bonnie came towards us.
"Because you listened to Damon." Bonnie pointed out and I scoffed, shaking my head back at her as Elena breathed heavily.
"I should be here with Stefan.. I should be going through this with Stefan." Elena countered and I furrowed my eyebrows towards her.
"Elena, you can't drink animal blood or from a blood-bag without it coming back up. Case in point, this entire trip." I stated in annoyance, shaking my head at her and Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows back at me.
"You said that you would help her, Mariana. You let her and yourselfâget completely out of control." Bonnie stated, shaking her head towards me.
"We weren't out of control. We were having fun." I argued, furrowing my eyebrows at her and she scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.
"This isn't fun. You were acting like different peopleâ" Bonnie started, walking angrily towards me before a voice cut her off.
"They are different people, Bonnie. They're vampires! We're a predatory species. We enjoy the hunt, the feed, and the kill! And when the guilt gets too bad, we switch off our humanity and we revel in it." Damon stated emotionlessly as he stood behind Bonnie with dry blood covering his chin and shirt as we all looked at him in confusion.
"Is that what you want? Mariana and Elena to be like you?" Bonnie countered, scoffing at him and he rolled his eyes.
"They already are like me." Damon pointed out and Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows at him. "And you know what makes me able to drink my fill and leave someone breathing and not rip their head off like my brother, is that I can revel in it.. I can make it fun." He added in annoyance before he walked past Bonnie, bumping shoulders with her. Damon stated at me quietly as he walked past Elena and I also and I sighed in defeat, watching him before I looked back at Bonnie who stared at me silently.
~~~
Elena and I walked up the steps of our house and I went towards the door, about to open it but Elena stopped me. "Mariana, wait." Elena stated and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at her. She looked at me expectantly and I sighed in annoyance and folded my arms over my chest, turning towards her. "Look, things got a little heated at the party.. And I shouldn't have let that happen. I got carried away." She stayed and I looked away from her as she sighed. "I don't know, I feel like.. I feelâ" Elena started before I cut her off and looked back at her.
"What do you feel, Elena?" I asked emotionlessly, clearly irritated and she sighed, tilting her head and shrugging.
"When you and Damon tell me what a vampire should be, you're right, Mariana. I know you are but I justâI hate that feeling. Because I don't want to beâ" Elena started before I cut her off again and narrowed my eyes.
"You don't want to be like Damon?" I asked and she furrowed her eyebrows, becoming silent. "Like me?" I added emotionless and she sighed deeply, slowly shaking her head. She opened her mouth to speak before the front door opened and we both turned to see Stefan looking between us.
"Hey." Elena stated furrowing her eyebrows at him and he gave her a weak smile, feeling the tension between us.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, clearing my throat and Stefan sighed, walking out onto the porch with us.
"Just hanging out with Jeremy. We had a couple things to talk about." Stefan answered as he put his hands in his jean pockets and I slowly nodded.
"Any news on the hunter?" I asked raising an eyebrow and he sighed, shaking his head back at me.
"No. No, nothing new." Stefan replied and I scoffed, shaking my head in annoyance and looked at Elena.
"Well, then today was a bust." I pointed out and watched as Elena furrowed her eyebrows at me before I looked back at Stefan. "She's all yours." I stated emotionlessly and walked past him, into the house as Elena sighed back at me.
"Marâ" Elena started but cut herself off short as I walked up the stairs, away from her altogether.
-Time Skip-
I opened my bedroom door, going to walk out before Damon walked in, brushing his chest against mine and I rolled my eyes. "Okay.. Gold morning to you, too." I stated sighing at him and watched as he turned towards me.
"Where's Stefan?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows as he put his hands in his pant pockets. "He's not answering his phone and he's not here, which, big deal. We've only got a vampire hunter on the loose." Damon pointed out sarcastically and I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms over my chest.
"Well, do you see the big sign on my chest that says 'Stefan's Girlfriend'?" I asked looking down at it. "Yeah, me either. Weird." I stated in annoyance and looked back up at him as he rolled his eyes.
"What are you two talking about?" Elena asked standing in the doorway and I sighed, turning to look at her.
"Damon thinks Stefan got vamp napped by the hunter." I stated sarcastically, looking back at Damon who narrowed his eyes at me.
"I haven't talk to him yet today." Elena stated furrowing her eyebrows and Damon sighed and walked towards her, holding out a hand.
"Give me your phone. Maybe he's dodging me." Damon stated in annoyance and Elena sighed and grabbed her phone from the purse she held.
"Why would he be dodging you?" Elena countered, tilting her head at him and I sighed, shrugging at the two.
"Maybe because not too long ago, I made the stupid decision of letting you drink from me." Damon answered in annoyance and Elena sighed, looking down at her purse.
"If you need the specific date, I can't tell youâbut I know that it was before you even told Stefan or I, that you couldn't hold down any form of animal or blood-bag liquid." I added, making Elena look up at me and narrow her eyes. I gave her a fake smile and she scoffed, putting her phone in Damon's hand. Damon sighed at both of us and dialed in Stefan's number, waiting for it to ring but instead, it went straight to voicemail.
"Hey, It's Stefan. Leave a message." Stefan inbox stated and I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head at it.
"So either he's dodging both of us.." Damon stated looking at Elena quietly before I sighed in annoyance.
"Or something's wrong." I replied and looked at Elena who furrowed her eyebrows in concern. Damon's phone vibrates and I furrowed my eyebrows as he grabbed it and sighed deeply. He looked between Elena and I before I grabbed the phone and looked down at the text message on the screen.
'Hunter at Grill with hostages. They all die at Sundown. âJeremy'
~~~
"So we each take a different entrance, hit him at the same time." Damon stated, hitting the palm of his hand with his fist as he stood in front of Elena, Tyler and I. Stefan came into the Lockwood house and into the living room before Elena sighed in relief and got up from the couch.
"Stefan." Elena stated going towards him before engulfing him tightly and I rose an eyebrow from where I leant against the wall.
"Where the hell have you been?" Damon asked in annoyance, turning towards his brother.
"Coming up with a plan." Stefan answered holding Elena to him and I tilted my head at him curiously.
"Yeah, we have a plan. Plan is I'm going to rip Connor's heart from his chest and feed it to him." Damon replied in annoyance and I rolled my eyes at him.
"That's not a plan. We need to be careful. Connor has Jeremy and who knows how many other hostages." Stefan warned, pulling away from Elena who furrowed her eyebrows.
"Hence, the open heart surgery." Damon countered in amusement and I sighed at him and pushed myself off of the wall.
"Damon's right. Connor's strong Burke's not going to be able to take all of us." I pointed out furrowing my eyebrows at Stefan.
"I called on the hybrids to help, too." Tyler added from where he stood behind the couch. I watched as Stefan became silence and looked over all of us before Caroline came in.
"My mom put squad cars blocking the streets. They're saying it's a faulty gas main. We're good to go." Caroline stated as she held her phone in her hand and Damon nodded.
"Good, great. No cops, no witnesses. No reason to wait around." Damon stated and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows at all of us before he raised a hand.
"Alright, hold on. You're not all going." Stefan argued and I furrowed my eyebrows at him and folded my arms over my chest.
"He shot me like nine timesâif we're killing him, I want in." Tyler protested angrily towards Stefan as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"He's got Jeremy, we're going." Elena added, gesturing towards her and I, making me nod in agreement.
"Listen, nobody is going anywhere until I figure out what we're walking into." Stefan warned, making Tyler fold his arms over his chest while Damon rose an eyebrow, slowly walking forwards.
"Until you figure it out? Is that where you've been all morning, out buying bossy pants?" Damon asked in annoyance and Stefan sighed looking at all of us.
"This guy's known for setting traps, right? We'd be pretty dumb to walk into one, especially if he has werewolf venom." Stefan pointed out in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Does he?" I asked in confusion and Stefan looked towards Elena quietly before at me.
"He's has it before?" Stefan answered and I sighed, looking away from him as Damon rolled his eyes.
"Fine. If you want to take some time to do recon, you get one hour. But we're going to need some extra help, so where the hell's the wicked witch of the west?" Damon asked looking around all of us in confusion.
"She can't do magic." I replied in annoyance and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Really? Well, call her and tell her Jeremy's life is in danger. Maybe that will bring her out of retirement." Damon countered sarcastically, going to walk away before I shrugged.
"Or maybe I could fill in." I suggested, raising an eyebrow at him before Damon stopped in his tracks and looked back at me from over his shoulder.
"Or not." Damon stated in annoyance, going to walk away again and I narrowed my eyes. I vamped in front of him, making him narrow his eyes down at me as silence fell around us.
"I said that I can do it. What's the point in still having my magic if I can't use it, Damon." I stated quietly and Damon tilted his head at me, staring at me in silence for a moment or two.
"Ari. I said no." Damon replied emotionless and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He walked past me and brushed my shoulder as he did. I scoffed, shaking my head as I watched him walk out of the room before I turned and saw all eyes on me. I sighed in defeat before I walked out of the room also.
~~~
I stood beside the window in Alaric's loft with Elena as we watched Stefan walk away from the Grill across from us while he talked on his phone. "Who is he talking to?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows down at Stefan.
"Bonnie, hopefully." Damon replied from where he dug through the dresser inside of Alaric's bedroom. "Maybe she's decided to make herself useful again." He added coming the kitchen and living room before he spread a map out on the counter.
"What is that?" Elena asked as we walked towards Damon and I rose an eyebrow down at the map.
"It's our way in. Courtesy of Alaric Saltzman's interest in the Mystic Falls Underground Railroad." Damon answered and I slowly folded my arms over my chest.
"The tunnels. Like the ones in the Lockwood cellar." I pointed out and Damon nodded in agreement as he took a picture of the map on his phone before Elena's started ringing. She grabbed it from her purse and answered, putting it on speaker.
"What did you find out?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows and Stefan sighed from the other side.
"Well, I can only make out the voices." Stefan replied and Damon rose an Eugene down at the phone.
"How many hostages?" Damon asked, sprawling his hands out on the counter.
"Three. But Elena, it's Matt.. and April Young." Stefan stated and I sighed deeply and exchanged a worried look with Elena.
"What?" Elena asked in concern while Damon rolled his eyes.
"Those two idiots. They're like danger magnets." Damon pointed out in annoyance and I sighed, shaking my head.
"We have to get them out of there." I warned, looking at Elena who nodded quickly in agreement.
"I just need more time." Stefan countered and I furrowed my eyebrows at him as Damon scoffed lightly.
"The tock's ticking, brother." Damon replied and Stefan sighed in annoyance from the phone.
"You know, I could do without the color commentary." Stefan stated before he hung up quickly and Elena sighed.
"I'm going in these tunnels." I stated quickly looking between Damon and Elena who nodded in agreement before walking towards the door but Damon grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him.
"No, you're not." He protested and I furrowed my eyebrows. "This guy doesn't know that either of you are vampires, let's keep it that way." Damon stated and Elena scoffed, shaking her head back at him.
"Well, maybe that's it. We could offer to trade ourselves in exchange for the hostages." Elena replied and I furrowed my eyebrows as Damon scoffed.
"No! Best case scenario is, now you're a hostage. Worst case scenarioâhe figures you out, kills you on the spot." Damon warned and I sighed at him and pulled my arm away.
"Stop treating me like I can't handle myself. Alaric trained us. Elena's been practicing with Stefan and I'm a witch, Damon. Come on." I argued in annoyance at him, walking towards the door again.
"So what? Now you're going to take on a professional killer?" Damon countered in disbelief and I rolled my eyes and turned back towards him as he vamped towards Alaric's bed and grabbed one of his guns, pointing it towards Elena's head and pretending to shoot. "Bang. Elena's dead before you even have a chance to negotiate." He stated and I narrowed my eyes and waved my hand towards him, tossing the gun away from him. I called towards him and pushed him back onto the bed, straddling his waist before I grabbed one of the stakes from beside us and quickly positioned it over Damon's heart.
"Head shots no good. It has to be the heart, so now you're dead." I pointed out, tilting my head down at him from where I hovered over him. Damon gave me a dry laugh as he stared up at me quietly before I slowly got off of him and threw the stake back on the bed beside him. I walked towards the window and looked out and stared across the street at the Grill.
"Stefan's on his way over. This will all be over soon." Damon reassured as he got up from the bed and Elena scoffed, walking towards me as I looked away from the window.
"Will it? I mean, haven't we already been here once with Jeremy? Isn't this why we sent him to Denver?" Elena asked in defeat and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"Well, we'll get him out of this and we'll send him down to the Bahamas. Maybe he'll find an island girl." Damon joked in amusement and I slowly shook my head back at him as the loft door opened and Stefan came in.
"Did you find the tunnel map?" Stefan asked towards us as he shut the door behind him.
"Yep. Got it." Damon answered, gesturing at his phone that he put in his pocket as he turned and walked towards his brother. "It was in his weapons drawer with seven stakes, a weird MaCGYVER crossbow, and the last remaining vervain in Mystic Falls. So, how about we get this party started?" He added in amusement a bit as he stood in front of Stefan now.
"Not yet. Klaus is sending one of his men. He'll take the front and you and I can take the tunnels." Stefan replied nodding at Damon who furrowed his eyebrows.
"Since when do we team up with Klaus and the lollipop guild?" Damon countered in confusion and Stefan shrugged.
"Well, I already told you, Connor has werewolf venom. We need someone to draw his fire, the hybrids are immune to it, so they're our best bet." Stefan replied and I rose an eyebrow, tilting my head at him.
"Well how are you even sure he has werewolf venomâWhy is Klaus involved, Stefan?" Damon asked scoffing at his brother as Stefan turned away from him and towards the table.
"Oh, stop being paranoid, Damon." Stefan replied as he stood with his back towards Damon.
"Start telling the truth, Stefan." Damon countered in a mimicking voice. "Why is Klaus involved? Did he compel you?" He asked as Stefan slowly turned back towards him and I furrowed my eyebrows at the two.
"I am telling you the truth, this is the best way to get everyone out." Stefan countered in defense and I rolled my eyes as Elena groaned in defeat.
"Okay, what is with you two? We're wasting time!" I warned in anger towards the two as they looked at me.
"You know what, she's right. Screw your plan. I'll kill Connor myself." Damon stated in annoyance towards Stefan. Damon, Elena and I walked towards the door before Stefan vamped towards him and stuck a vervain dart in his back, making me widen my eyes as Damon groaned.
"Stefan!" Elena yelled in confusion towards him as Stefan groaned, slowly dragging an unconscious Damon towards the couch, placing him there.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked Stefan as I paced the floor from behind him while he searched Damon's jacket.
"Damon had the right idea with the tunnels. But I'm not going to go in there if I can't count on him to do it my way." Stefan warned, turning towards Elena and I as he held Damon's phone in his hand.
"If you can't count on him? You just vervained him." Elena pointed out in annoyance, gesturing towards Damon.
"Do you think he cares about April or Matt? He'll get Jeremy out for Mariana but then he'll go right after Connor, no matter who gets hurt." Stefan countered scoffing back at her.
"Then I'm coming with you." Elena stated and I rolled my eyes at her, shaking my head.
"You're not going with him, Elena." I argued and Elena furrowed her eyebrows towards me.
"He needs my help!" Elena protested before Stefan grabbed her quickly by the shoulders.
"What if Connor attacks and you have to defend yourself? And what if you kill him?" Stefan asked emotionlessly, furrowing his eyebrows at her.
"The guilt will wreck you." I agreed quietly and Elena slowly shook her head back at us.
"You don't think that I'm afraid of that?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows as she looked between Stefan and I. "Of course I amâStefan, I am barely holding myself together, if Jeremy gets hurtâ." She warned angrily towards him before he cut her off.
"We'll get Jeremy out, okay? I promise you, ElenaâListen to m, this is the most important thing that I have ever asked you to do." Stefan stayed quietly as he took her face in his hands and she stared at him, breathing heavily with uncertainty. "I just need you to trust me.. Both of you." He added looking towards me and I furrowed my eyebrows. Stefan looked back at Elena who gave a soft nod and he sighed, being her towards him and kissing her gently. Elena sighed and pulled away, opening her mouth in question but Stefan had already camped out the door. Elena furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the door before at me and I sighed, giving a small shrug before I moved towards the window.
~~~
I sat on the coffee table in front of Damon who still lay on the couch while Elena stood beside the window, looking out of it. "It's been almost an hour. Where is he?" Elena asked worriedly and I sighed, shaking my head at her.
"I'm sure everything's fine." I reassured her, putting my hands on her shoulders and turning her away from the window. Elena sighed and ran her hand through her hair before she took out her phone. I looked back down at Damon before I heard a loud boom from outside and I furrowed my eyebrows, turning back towards the window and looked across the street as the front of the Grill's windows shattered from inside of it. Elena looked at me in annoyance as she dialed quickly into her phone. "Or maybe it's not." I pointed out quietly as Elena paced the floor.
"Stefan, call me. There was an explosion at the GrillâI need to know what going on." Elena stated into her phone before a groan came from beside me and I looked down at Damon and rose an eyebrow.
"Damon?" I asked putting a hand in his arm as he somewhat came into consciousness. "DamonâHey, can you get up?" I added in concern as he groaned lightly back.
"Where's Stefan? I'm going to kill him." Damon replied, opening his eyes weakly and slowly sitting up before groaned as the sun shining into the window above us, burnt his face and hand, making him quickly lay back down. "Owww." He stated in annoyance as he held his burnt hand.
"He took your ring? Why would he do that." Elena stated in anger as she came towards us and Damon rolled off of the couch and onto the floor, groaning as he did.
"Because he's playing us." Damon replied crawling slowly across the floor. "All this stalling, getting the hybrids, taking my ring, add it up." He stayed groggily and I furrowed my eyebrows and exchanged a look with Elena.
"He's either made a deal with Klaus or he's compelled." Damon stated, getting up from the floor and leaning against the arm out the couch, away from the sunlight.
"Then we need to get in there." I stated as Elena nodded in agreement and we walked towards the door as Damon groaned.
"No, Mariana, this guy is dangerous!" Damon countered and I clenched my jaw, looking back at him.
"So am I, Damon!" I pointed out out in anger and heard glass break before I looked at the window beside Damon to see it crack. Damon rose an eyebrow at it and looked back at me quietly.
"Then you need to be smart about this. He doesn't know either of you are vampires.. You get as close as you can.. and you kill him." Damon stated, breathing emotionlessly as he looked between Elena and I, making me raise an eyebrow as she clenched her jaw and gave him a short nod.
~~~
Elena and I stood outside of the Grill, clinging towards the side of the building. I put my hair behind my ear and slowly went towards the front entrance to the Grill, listening in. "âI can give you the truth! Just put down the gun and let Jeremy go." Stefan's voice said loudly from inside and I furrowed my eyebrows before Elena quickly walked past me, inside of the Grill. I groaned in annoyance and walked in after her.
"Please!" Elena stated once we came into the Grill before Connor turned towards us, gun in hand as he stood in a gray tank top. "Don't hurt him." She added, putting her hands up in defeat as did I. Connor narrowed his eyes at us before turned towards Jeremy who stood on some sort of movement enforced bomb.
"Come and closed and he's dead." Connor warned angrily, looking between us from over his shoulder and I clenched my jaw as Jeremy looked between Elena and I.
"MarianaâElena, get out of here." Jeremy stated as he breathed heavily and I shook my head, looking at Connor again.
"He's the only family that we have left. Justâjust let him go." I stated furrowing my eyebrows at Connor narrowed his eyes at me before he looked towards the bar, gun still held towards Jer.
"You hear that? Your girls' are watching. I will kill the boy right in front of them!? On the count of there!" Connor warned loudly and aggressively. "One!" He yelled and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked towards the bar with anticipation before towards Elena who had worry written all over her. "Two!" Connor yelled out again and I breathed heavily, looking at Jeremy in defeat before Stefan slowly stood from behind the bar. Connor narrowed his eyes and raised the gun away from Jeremy and towards Stefan before Elena vamped at Connor just as the gun was shot. Jeremy yelled out in agony as the bullet shot into his stomach and I widened my eyes. Stefan vamped towards Jeremy quickly, taking him off of the movement enforced bomb and I widened my eyes and vamped away from it. I growled and waved a hand over one of the Grill tables, standing it on its side, protecting Stefan and Jeremy as the bomb beeped rapidly and blew up.
"Jeremy!?" Elena asked worriedly, looking towards the explosion and away from where she hovered over Connor. She gasped as Connor took her to the ground and I growled angrily, vamping towards him and pulling him off of her. I groaned as Connor and I rolled on the floor before he pinned me and grabbed my hair in his fist. I winced angrily up at him before he pulled out a stake and thrust it towards me. I widened my eyes and quickly pushed on his chest forcefully and watched as he flew away from me and hit the floor hard, groaning loudly once he did. I looked at Elena worriedly before back at Connor only to see he disappeared.. As did Stefan.
"Jeremy.." I whispered and furrowed my eyebrows before Elena and I vamped towards the table I put on its side, to see Jeremy leaning up against it weakly. Elena knelt in front of him and bit her wrist before putting it towards Jeremy's mouth. Jeremy drank her blood before pulling away and breathing heavily, while I sighed in relief and sat in front of him. "How did this happen, Jer. Why did Connor come after you?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at him as Elena looked down at the blood on his work T-shirt before she looked away, controlling her hunger.
"He said I was like him. Because I could see his tattoo." Jeremy replied and I looked at Elena in confusion as she looked back at him.
"His what?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows as well.
"His hunters mark. It's invisible to everyone but me." Jeremy replied and I tilted my head at him as he looked between Elena and I. "Stefan and Damon didn't tell you about it?" He asked and I looked at Elena before we both slowly shook our heads.
"Noâwait, who else knows about this?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows and Jeremy sighed and looked down at his hands that sat in his lap.
"Well, that's the thing.. I don't even know." Jeremy answered before he looked back up at Elena and I. "Apparently I was with Connor all day yesterday, but I can't remember." He pointed out in defeat and I scoffed, shaking my head.
"Someone compelled you." I stated, tilting my head and Jeremy slowly nodded in agreement. Elena stood from where she knelt on the floor before she clenched her jaw down.
"I think I know who." Elena stated emotionlessly before she vamped away from us and I furrowed my eyebrows. I quickly stood and looked around the bar in confusion, trying to see where she went but I couldn't. I looked back down at Jeremy before I got him up and we both walked carefully out of the Grill.
~~~
Damon, Stefan and I walked slowly through the woods as we heard soft crying and grunts from in front of us.. Elena came into my view as she dug through the dirt with a shovel while Connor lay beside her.. A bloody bite mark on his broken neck. I looked back at Elena who dug through the dirt and I looked at Stefan who avoided my eye contact. "Elena." I whispered, looking at her again and she gasped, turning towards us with dried blood covering her bottom lip and chin. I looked at her as she breathed heavily before down at Connor who lay motionless.
"I need to bury him." Elena stated as she stared down at Connor as well.. "I killed him.. I shouldâI should bury him." She added slowly shaking her head before her breathed heaved as she stared digging again. I looked over my shoulder as Damon and Stefan who remained silent before I turned back towards Elena. Stefan walked towards her slowly before he grabbed her gently.
"HeyâHey, come on." Stefan reassured, trying to pull her away from digging but she pushed him back quickly.
"Don't!" Elena warned, putting a finger up towards Stefan and I furrowed my eyebrows. "I heard you talking to him in the tunnels, Stefan.. Making some secret deal with Klaus?" She asked in disappointment and I slowly folded my arms over my chest as I looked between Stefan and Damon, who avoided my eye contact. "You said you were going to protect Jeremy." Elena stated as she looked at Stefan emotionless before I went and stood inside of the grave Elena was making. "Keep me fromâthis." She added in anger, gesturing down at Connor and I looked down at him quietly.
"You said that she could trust you, Stefan. That we could trust you.." I whispered, slowly looking up from Connor and at Stefan, clenching my jaw.
"Mariana, it's complicatedâ" Damon started from where he stood behind Stefan but I quickly cut him off.
"No, it's not complicated, Damon!" I argued and Damon looked at me in defeat while Elena's breaths became jagged from beside me. "You want to know whyâbecause he's dead now." I added angrily, gesturing down at Connor.. Elena looked down at Connor quietly and furrowed her eyebrows, staring at him.
"You told me to kill him.. So I did." Elena whispered her voice shook. She looked up at Damon in defeat as her eyes glazed over and her breath hitched in her throat, finally coming into realization.. "I killedâI killed someone.." Elena stated, thinking it over in her head before she looked at me in defeat and put a hand on her stomach, breathing heavily. "I killed someone." She stated in disbelief, sobbing loudly and I sighed deeply, grabbing her and pulling her towards me tightly.
"Shh." I stated, running her back as he clung onto me. "You're okay." I whispered as I looked between Stefan and Damon, who looked at the ground in defeat. Elena sobbed louder into me and I slowly shook my head. "You're going to be okay." I stated reassuringly, running a hand through her hair. My eyes drifted down at Connor who's eyes were wide opened and stared at me.. I furrowed my eyebrows down at him and averted my eyes and shook my head slowly. "Everything's okay." I whispered again as Elena's breaths starting calming somewhat. I looked back at Connor who lay motionless and I stared at him quietly. "Everything's okay." I repeated emotionlessly.
~~~
I walked into Stefan's room as Damon sat at his desk, reading one of his journals and Stefan came from his bathroom, wearing pants and a white tank top while he dried his hair with a towel. "How is she?" Stefan asked and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest and sitting on the side of the desk Damon was at.
"Angry. Full of guilt. Hasn't said much other than that she wants to be left alone." I answered and Stefan slowly nodded and came towards the desk, putting the towel on the back of a chair.
"Is that my journal?" Stefan asked furrowing his eyes down at Damon who drank from the glass of bourbon he held. Stefan scoffed and grabbed the journal and took it away from his brother.
"Had to go through six locks to get it. Needed something to back up your insanity." Damon replied and sat back in the desk chair while Stefan walked towards a bookshelf and out the journal away. "Did you figure out how to tell Klaus you lost a hunter and a hybrid?" Damon added, putting his feet up on the desk.
"He's on a plane." Stefan stated and I rolled my eyes and slowly nodded in agreement.
"Which means you get to live for another six hours." I pointed out and Stefan sighed in annoyance at me, making me shrug. "Hey, I got your back. You know, when he comes to murder you." I reassured in amusement and looked over my shoulder as Damon smirked at me and drank his bourbon.
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Stefan replied nodding at me as he walked over towards his alcohol table. "Thank for not saying anything to Elena, by the way." He added gesturing towards Damon and I rose an eyebrow and looked over my shoulder at him as Damon avoided eye contact with me.
"Say anything.. about?" I asked looking back at Stefan who looked between Damon and I in realization.
"Nice one, brother." Damon stated in annoyance and I furrowed my eyebrows at the two and stood up.
"What am I missing? Seriously." I stated emotionlessly, looking between the brothers who exchanged a look.
"There's a cure." Stefan stated quietly as he poured himself bourbon and I slowly shook my head as Damon scoffed.
"Alleged cure." Damon replied gesturing at his brother and tilting his head.
"I believe him, Damon. You didn't hear Klaus' story. I believed every word he said." Stefan stated and put a hand in his pocket as he held his glass of bourbon and turned towards Damon who got up from the desk.
"Well, I remain skeptic for now." Damon sighed as he walked towards the alcohol table. "So what's your next move?" He asked not looking at Stefan as he poured more bourbon.
"He said there was a brotherhood of the five. Which means there are other hunters out there, I'm just going to keep looking until I find one." Stefan replied with a small shrug as he looked between Damon and I, making me roll my eyes as I stood from the desk.
"Sure, Stefan. Since you asked, I'd be happy to go on a suicide mission with you for a potential non-existent cure that I have no idea what the hell it actually cures. No problem." I stated in annoyance as I looked between Stefan and Damon who exchanged looks with each other.
"There's a cure to vampirism.. And Connor's tattoo.. Was a map that led to it." Stefan stated, looking down at his glass of bourbon and I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at him emotionless. I looked at Damon who leant against the alcohol table, eyeing me and I slowly looked back at Stefan.
"You want it for Elena." I stated quietly and watched as Stefan looked back up at me and gave a small nod. "And you didn't want Elena to know that she just killed her one chance at being human.. Literally." I added and Stefan looked down again, making me tilt my head at him. "Let me ask you one thing.. Why do you want to cure her?" I asked and Stefan looked back up at me with furrowed brows.
"What kind of question is that?" Stefan countered with a small sigh and I shrugged, leaning back against the desk as him and Damon watched me.
"Legitimate one. Do you want to cure her because she's a vampire and not cut out to be, or you can't love her if she is one?" I asked emotionlessly and watched as Stefan stared at me, pondering it over before he looked down at his glass.
"I'll always love her." Stefan stated quietly and I rose an eyebrow at him. "But she's not supposed to be this person. I don't want her to be." He replied looking back up at me with a small shrug. I slowly nodded before I stood up from the desk again and sighed deeply.
"Well, if I'm going to ride this fairytale to its conclusion, let me be clear about one thing." I stated and Stefan rose an eyebrow and sighed.
"What's that?" He asked quietly and I looked at him emotionlessly from where I stood directly in front of him.
"She's my sister.. So I'm fine with her either way. But if we're doing this.. We're doing it for you." I stated, tilting my head at him quietly. Stefan furrowed his eyebrows at me before he slowly nodded and I gave him a small smile. I looked past him at Damon who stared at me quietly.. Intently. "Well.. I'll see you two tomorrow." I added with a smile before I walked out of the room and towards the stairs.