"Jeremy!!" A voice yelled through my ears and I groaned, turning over in my bed and putting my pillow over my head. "Mariana!" The voice yelled again, more urgently, making me open my eyes quickly and look around my room.. It was two in the morning... And the voice I was hearing was Elena's. I furrowed my eyebrows and quickly vamped towards my bedroom door and opened it, looking towards Elena's room curiously but the light was off and door was open, indicating she wasn't in there. I looked into Jeremy's room and he wasn't in there either.
"What the hell?" I asked in annoyance before I heard a clatter come from downstairs.
"Jeremy! No, no.. JerâJer!" Elena's sobs came into my ears and I quickly calmed down the stairs, into the hall before stopping the kitchen.
"Eleâ" I started but quickly cut myself off as Elena knelt in front of Jeremy who sat on the floor up against the island counter, with a large gash in his neck. "What theâJeremy?" I asked taken aback in worry before I vamped towards him, noticing a bloody knife beside Elena and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"No, Jer, noâJeremy." Elena whispered sobbing as she looked down at the Gilbert ring that sat on his finger and I slowly shook my head.
"Elena, you need to go to your room." I warned and she looked at me in confusion but I stared at her, no expression on my face.
"Butâ" Elena protested but I quickly cut her off as I picked Jeremy up from the floor.
"Not now, Elena." I warned in a serious tone before I walked Jeremy and I away from her.
~~~
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" Elena asked as she paced the couch behind Jeremy while I sat on the coffee table in front of him as Damon stood beside me.
"Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy?" Damon asked sarcastically from beside me and I narrowed my eyes up at him, making him smirk.
"I should have called Stefan." I pointed out in defeat as I looked back down at Jeremy while Elena continued to pace, shaking her blood stained hands.
"I don't want to talk to him. He's been lying to me, hiding things from me. He compelled Jeremy to forget god knows what, Mariana." Elena argued and I scoffed back at her.
"Elena, you just shoved a knife into our brother's neck. I'm pretty sure that trumps that." I pointed out in anger and Elena rolled her eyes back at me.
"Mariana, right. You should call Stefan." Damon agreed and Elena sighed deeply, looking between us.
"I don't trust him right now, okay?" Elena asked in defeat and I sighed deeply, folding my arms over my chest before the door opened and we all looked towards it.
"Hey." Stefan stayed closing the door behind him and walking towards Elena.
"P.Sâwe called Stefan." I stated shrugging at Elena who sighed at annoyance towards Damon and I who looked at each other in some amusement.
"What happened? Why didn't you call me?" Stefan asked furrowing his eyebrows at Elena as he looked down at Jeremy. Stefan went to hug her but she quickly backed away from him.
"I justâI need to go upstairs to shower. Clean all the blood off of my hands." Elena stated quickly before she walked up the stairs. I sighed at Stefan and shrugged before a gasp broke out and Jeremy sat up from the couch.
"Welcome back. How you feeling?" Stefan asked down at Jeremy who breathed heavily and looked at me in confusion.
"What happened?" Jeremy asked furrowing his eyebrows and I sighed deeply, tilting my head at him in defeat.
"Long story. Buy the E-book." Damon answered sarcastically and I rolled my eyes and looked up at him in annoyance before I engulfed Jeremy in my arms.
~~~
I dropped the bloody rags into the rink as Damon sat in the table and Stefan came into the kitchen. "Where's Jeremy?" Damon asked, getting off of the table as I rinsed our the rags, or tried to.
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit." Stefan answered with a small sigh and I slowly nodded and grabbed a towel from beside the sink and started drying my hands.
"Or maybe he didn't want to stick around a house where his sister just jammed a knife into his neck." Damon countered and I rolled my eyes at him in annoyance as Stefan's phone rang. Stefan pulled it out and rolled his eyes down at it before he sighed.
"It's Klaus." Stefan stated and I rose an eyebrow as Damon smirked and leant against the island counter next to him.
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper. Dance with the Devil." Damon pointed out and Stefan rolled his eyes.
"You know, I'm glad you find this amusing. If he finds out I told either you or Mariana about the cureâhe'll kill all of us." Stefan warned and I rolled my eyes and put the towel back down on the counter next to me.
"He won't kill me. I'm the only family memberâdistant or not, that can actually stand him right now." I replied shrugging and Stefan tilted his head at me as the phone continued ringing. "Quit avoiding him. You're being shady. Shady people get outed." I added in annoyance as I went towards him and he answered finally.
"I don't wanna talk about it." Stefan stated with a small sigh into the phone.
"Well, I can't imagine why. What, with you ruining all of my plans for a hybrid-filled future." Klaus replied in annoyance from the other side and I smirked a bit as Stefan scoffed.
"Well, it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy." Stefan countered and I slowly nodded in agreement as Damon shrugged.
"Well, life is full of ifs, Stefan. Let's extenuate the positives, shall we? The hunter was one of five. We'll find another. It might take centuries but we've got nothing but time, right?" Klaus asked in amusement and I rose an eyebrow at him and grabbed the phone from Stefan.
"Cousin.. You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" I asked, tilting my head at Stefan who narrowed his eyes at me questioningly.
"Ah, Mariana.. Lf course Stefan told you. Which means Damon knows also. Very well.. But not you, if that's what you're worried about. I'm rather more concerned about your sister. Have the hallucinations started yet?" Klaus asked and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked between Damon and Stefan quietly.
"What do you know, Klaus?" I asked, turning away from the brothers as I slowly walked into the living room.
"I'll tell you. Where are you?" Klaus countered and I rose an eyebrow and folded an arm over my chest.
"I'm at my house." I answered and heard him sigh lightly from the other side.
"How convenient. So am I." Klaus replied and I furrowed my eyebrows as a loud knock came from the door. I hung the phone up and tossed it to Stefan who rose an eyebrow at me and went to walk towards the door but I put a hand up to him.
"I'll take care of him. You two stay in here Elena." I warned, gesturing towards Damon and Stefan before I turned away from them and walked towards the door, opening it and walking out onto the porch, closing the door behind me.
"You know, this would be a lot more civilized if you just invited me inside." Klaus suggested as I walked off of the porch and onto the sidewalk leading up to the house.
"I think it's enough that I'm out here talking to you. Don't you agree, cousin?" I countered with a raised eyebrow as I folded my arms over my chest as he followed me off the steps. "What do you know?" I asked with a small, uninterested sigh.
"Well, seeing as how Stefan told you and his brother about the map and the cure, he should have told you that I was the one that killed the original five hunters." Klaus pointed out and I rose an eyebrow at him as he tilted a head at me. "When one kills a hunter, there's a bit of a consequence." He added and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"What kind of consequence?" I asked in confusion and Klaus sighed deeply and gestured towards me.
"Hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires. If you prevent one from fulfilling his destiny, then he'll take you down with him." Klaus replied quietly and I slowly shook my head.
"What do you mean? Connor's dead." I stated, shrugging in confusion and Klaus narrowed his eyes at me slowly.
"I mean, Connor's death wont prevent him from making Elena his final vampire kill." Klaus stated emotionlessly and I felt tension spread through my body. "She'll need to come with me now. I'll lock her up; Keep her away from any sharp, wooden objects." He added with a small smirk and I scoffed.
"She's not going anywhere with you." I protested in annoyance and he rose an eyebrow back at me.
"But if we leave her alone, she'll take her own life before the day is out." Klaus replied and I rolled my eyes and shook my head, looking away from him.
"She's stronger than that." I reassured and looked back at him to see him staring at me skeptically.
"Is she?" Klaus countered and I rose an eyebrow and became quiet as I stared back at him. "Believe me, it's for her own good." He added and I slowly nodded and stepped towards him closely.
"She's my sister.. And she's stronger than that." I stated emotionlessly as Klaus and I stared at each other challengingly.
"Elena!" Stefan's voice said loudly from in the house. I furrowed my eyebrows at Klaus before we both looked towards the front door as it opened and a frustrated and heavy breathing Elena, walked out of the house. Elena looked between Klaus and I before he smirked from beside me and vamped towards her, grabbing her quickly and vamping away. "Elena!" Stefan yelled in confusion as him and Damon stepped outside also, looking around in frustration. I ran my hands through my hair in defeat before I walked up the steps and pushed past the brothers, back into the house.
~~~
"You lost her?" Bonnie asked in annoyance as she stood in the doorway of the dinning room and living room, looking between Stefan, Damon and I expectantly.
"Lost is a strong word. We just technically don't know where she is." Damon countered sarcastically from where he leant against the table.
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about the hunter's curse." I pointed out as I leant against the island counter and Bonnie scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.
"How does Klaus even know about this?" Bonnie asked in annoyance and Damon rolled his eyes.
"How does Klaus know about anything? The guy's like a billion years old." Damon replied and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest.
"He said it was a witch's curse. And the Bennett line is more focused around Mystic Falls than mine is." I stated gesturing at Bonnie who sighed back at me.
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would, but Iâ" Bonnie started, sprawling her hands out on the table in defeat before Damon cut her off.
"But nothing." Damon stated in annoyance as he stood up from against the table. "Wave your magic wand. Hocus Pocus, Be gone, Hunter, Ghostess, whatever." He added and I rolled my eyes at him and looked back at Bonnie who sighed.
"The spirits won't let me do the magic I need to break the curse." Bonnie pointed out and I sighed in defeat and looked away from her. "But I can ask Shane for help. He knows everything about everything." She suggested and I looked between Stefan and Damon who shrugged.
"Great. You two do your thing." Stefan agreed with a small nod before he walked towards the hallway, out of the kitchen and I rose an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?" Damon asked in confusion after his brother as he gave me a questionable look as well.
"To get her back." Stefan answered emotionlessly before he walked fully out of the house and I sighed and looked back at Bonnie.
"Great." I stated in annoyance as Bonnie and Damon exchanged looks before their eyes fell on me again.
~~~
"Why is hot professor guy here again?" I asked quietly as Bonnie and I walked through the high school and into the cafeteria where Shane was talking to a large group of students.
"It's a free exhibit for students who are looking into applying for his class at Whitmore next year." Bonnie answered and I slowly nodded as we watched Shane walking around a rather large rock while pictures of it up close and strange markings appeared on the wall behind him.
"...belonged to a very witch. A witch in fact, Silasâthat was his name, created a spell that would grant him immortality." Shane stated as he gestured to the wall of images behind him that were being projected along the wall and I rose an eyebrow and folded my arms over my chest as Bonnie stood in the middle of the crowd of people, either sitting or standing around him. "Now, legend says that Silas did the spell with the help of a lady witch who loved him, a woman named Qetsiyah. Sadly for Qetsiyah, Silas wanted to give immortality to another woman. So, Qetsiyah killed her and buried Silas alive. Leaving him powerless, immortal and alone." Shane added quietly as he put a hand in his jean pocket. "This might actually be the origin story of hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." He stated in amusement as the images behind him kept changing slowly and the students chuckled a bit.
"You got this?" I asked quietly to Bonnie from beside me as I stared at Shane curiously.
"Yeah. I'll bring him to you and Damon." Bonnie replied reassuringly and I gave a small nod and walked away from the small lesson.
"Now it's said that Silas wants to rise again.. Regain his power. Wreak havoc on the world." Shane stated and I furrowed my eyebrows and stopped walking and looked over my shoulder at him curiously as he looked around the room of students. "Maybe we should be afraid." He added quietly and I watched him emotionless before he gave a deep sigh and looked at the rock sitting on the pedestal beside him. "Or maybe it's just an old rock." Shane suggested and the room erupted in amusement, making me raise an eyebrow and walk out of the cafeteria.
~~~
I walked into Alaric's classroom to see all of the lights off except for the lamp that sat on top of Ric's desk where Damon sat behind, opening one of the bottom drawers. "Anything good?" I asked raising an eyebrow as I went towards him and sat on the side of the desk as he pulled out a bottle of bourbon that was half way full. "That'd be a yes." I added in amusement and he chuckled and opened it. I watched as Damon looked around the room slowly and sighed, raising the bottle up slightly.
"You're missing all the adventure, pal." Damon whispered and I smiled a bit and gave a soft nod in agreement before Damon drank from the bottle. I heard footsteps come into the room behind us and I looked over my shoulder to see Bonnie and Shane come in.
"Shane, these are my friends Damon and Mariana. They're kind of experts on this stuff, too." Bonnie stated as Shane shut the classroom door behind them.
"We audited your class. Very enlightening." Damon stated in some sarcasm as he put the bottle on the desk and gently put his feet on my lap.
"That's right. I remember you two. What are your specialties?" Shane asked, looking between us with a small smile as him and Bonnie stood in front of Damon and I.
"The origin of a species." Damon answered quietly and Shane nodded with a small sigh as he put his hands in his jean pockets.
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction." Shane countered and I tilted a head at him.
"Not that species." I replied emotionlessly and Shane rose an eyebrow at me. "Let's say we're into the monster stuff." I added with a slight shrug as Damon took out a folded piece of paper from his back jean pocket.
"We were kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point. Maybe." Damon stated as he gestured the paper towards Shane who took it and unfolded it, furrowing his eyebrows.
"This is the hunters mark. Where did you get this?" Shane asked, showing Damon, Bonnie and I the picture of Connor's tattoo that Jer drew.
"Came to me in a dream." Damon answered with a small shrug and I smirked a bit as Shane examined the picture again.
"Do you know anything about the hunter's curse?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Shane who chuckled and looked up from the picture, towards me.
"Why? Got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?" Shane asked in amusement and I rose an eyebrow and gave a slight shrug.
"Metaphorically speaking." Damon answered, tilting his head back at Shane as I folded my arms over my chest. Shane looked between Damon, Bonnie and I before he exhaled a breath and looked back down at the picture.
"Legend says that if a hunter is killed by with it hunts, then that person will be cursed to walk the earth and torment them till.." Shane stated, leading off quietly as he stared at the drawing.
"Until?" Bonnie asked, folding her arms over her chest and furrowing her brows at him before Shane looked up at her.
"Until a new hunter's awakened and their legacy's passed on. They're called 'potentials'." Shane answered and I rose an eyebrow and looked down at Damon who tilted his head up at me. I sighed a bit and pulled out my phone from my back pocket, taking Damon feet off of my lap. "Listen, I have a bunch of research on it, why don't I go grab it for you?" He suggested raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, thanks. That'd be great." Bonnie agreed as Damon took the picture back from Shane who quickly walked out of the classroom. Bonnie scoffed and turned fully towards Damon and I. "How are we supposed to find a potential hunter?" She asked in defeat and I slowly nodded, dialing numbers into my phone.
"Yeah, about that.." I replied, putting the phone up to my ear, hearing it ring before the person picked up and I sighed deeply. "Hey, Jer.. I might be in need of your service." I pointed out and watched as Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows at me.
~~~~
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" Bonnie asked in frustration towards Damon and I as she held papers and research on the hunter's mark from where we stood in the cafeteria that was now abandoned.
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversation." Damon answered, putting his hands in his hips and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?" Jeremy asked in confusion as he quickly came into the cafeteria and shut the door behind him.
"We figures out how to help her. You need to kill a vampire." Bonnie stated looking at in before back at Damon and I as Jeremy joined us.
"Oh, great. Give me a stake and I'll kill Damon right now." Jeremy suggested and I sighed in annoyance and Damon furrowed his eyebrows.
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry." Damon replied in annoyance and I folded my arms over my chest at the two.
"Before you do this, you need to understand what you're getting yourself into." I warned as my phone started ringing. I sighed, grabbing it as Bonnie gave me a reassuring nod, looking at Jeremy and explaining indistinctly before I answered my phone. "Don't worry, Stefan. We figured out a way to save Elena." I stated, walking away from Bonnie and Jeremy as Damon followed and listened into the conversation.
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her." Stefan stated grunting and breathing heavily from the other side.
"What? Again?" I asked in annoyance and furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Damon who did the same.
"She's in bad shape. I tried to help her but she attacked me." Stefan pointed out and I sighed in defeat. "Listen, you need to track her down. She'll listen to you. Just tell me what I need to do to end this." He added, breathing heavily and I looked at Damon who nodded in agreement.
~~~
I drove down the highway, about to get onto Wickery bridge before I saw a figure standing beside the edge of the bridge, overlooking the water carefully. I furrowed my eyebrows and stopped my car, parking it and getting out. As I walked slowly closer towards the person, Elena came into view and looked to the side of her, talking indistinctly to herself as no one stood there. "Mommy.." Elena whispered in a shaky voice as she was turned away from me and I furrowed my eyebrows, walking slowly closer towards her. "Mommy, I didn't mean to disappoint you." She added in defeat and I felt myself waver and stop in my tracks as Elena sobbed quickly, staring at the empty space beside her.
"Elena?" I asked quietly from where I stood beside the edge of the bridge across from her. I watched as she quickly turned towards me, catching her breath in her throat.
"Mariana?" Elena replied in confusion and I sighed softly as I noticed the tears on her eyes.. Elena looked back towards who she was talking to before she sighed in defeat and slowly shook her head. "HowâHow did you find me?" Elena asked looking back at me and I gave a small shrug, walking closer towards her.
"It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third times a charm, hmm?" I asked gesturing towards the bridge sarcastically and Elena just stared at me blankly.
"Damon was right, Mariana.. Vampires kill people. And Stefan was right, too.. I can't live with myself." Elena stated emotionlessly as she looked away from me and back towards the water.
"Look at you.. Being all 'glass is half empty'." I stated in some amusement, trying to cheer her up but she didn't respond and I slowly walked closer towards her. "Let's just go talk about this before you do something stupid.. Okay?" I asked quietly, furrowing my eyebrows at her. Elena slowly looked at me before giving a soft nod and looking back over the bridge. I rose an eyebrow at her curiously as she stood still before looking down at her hand, making me furrow my eyebrows at it. "Where's your ring?" I asked as some anxiety rushed over me. Elena didn't answer me and looked away from her hand, making me clench my jaw slightly. "Where's your ring, Elena?" I repeated annoyance towards her again. Elena remained quickly and I followed her gaze towards the trees that stood across from the bridge, where the sun was threatening to peak up from over them. "We need to get you inside." I warned, stepping closer towards Elena who looked at me before turned her head to her side as if someone else was talking to her. "What you're going through is a curse. We know how to break it, we just have to get you inside." I added in annoyance and watched as Elena breathed heavily in decisiveness as she wavered between me and the other person was hallucinating. I looked back towards the trees as the sky turned from a blue to a purple as the sun came closer to coming up. "Dammit, Elena." I stated in annoyance and looked back at her, vamping towards her but she vamped away from me and I turned around as she now stood behind me. Elena stated at me, breathing heavily before she gasped and closed her eyes, making me furrow my eyebrows at her. Elena opened her eyes again and looked around me carefully.
"He's gone.." Elena whispered, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
"It's okay." I reassured her quietly, giving her a small nod before a sizzling sound came into my ears and Elena started groaning as her hand burnt. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked towards the trees across from us to see the sun now fully showing over them. I looked back at Elena quickly as her arm and face started burning also and I watched as her eyes glazed over.
"Mar?" Elena asked me in a shaky voice as worry rushed over her. I clenched my jaw and quickly vamped towards her, grabbing her and throwing both of us off the side of the bridge and into the water below.
~~~
I sat on he end of Elena's bed as she lightly stirred before opening her eyes and staring down at the daylight ring that was placed on her hand again. "Good. You're awake." I said quietly towards her and watched as she furrowed her eyebrows down at her ring.
"Fished it out of the river for you. Little tip: Vampires hate to swim." Damon pointed out from where he sat on her window sill and I smirked towards him and looked back at Elena who sat up in bed.
"How you feeling?" I asked, tilting my head at her and she sighed, running a hand over her forehead gently.
"My head's clear.. I can remember everything.. But not like I lived it, like it was a really bad dream." Elena replied quietly and I stared at her, listening intently. "You saved me." She added staring at me and I sighed, leaning on an arm that sat on the bed.
"Well, that's what I'm supposed to do. Big sister and all. Someone's gotta be responsible around here." I pointed out sarcastically and Elena chuckled, shaking her head at me.
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you.." Elena replied, leading off and grabbing the hand that I was leaning on, making me raise an eyebrow at her. Elena stared at me with thankfulness and care, making me sigh deeply and grab her hand gently.
"Look.. I am about to take a very high and annoying road.. And tell you something." I stated looking at Elena who tilted her head at me curiously. I looked over my shoulder at Damon who stared at me silently before I looked back at Elena. "I know that you think Stefan's been lying to you. Which yeah, he has. But this rough patch that you two are going through, it's not what you think." I stated and watched as Elena furrowed her eyebrows at me. "Everything that he's been doing, he's been doing for you.. And he's probably going to try to kill me for telling you this, butâThere might be a way out of this for you, Elena." I stated emotionlessly and watched as she stared me questionably. "There may be a cure." I added and heard her breath hitch in her throat. Elena stared at me emotionlessly and I took a deep breath and looked over my shoulder at Damon who stared back at me.
-Time Skip-
"What do you mean you're not coming? I don't need to remind you that your Miss Mystic Falls attendance record, totally sucks." I pointed out into the phone as I walked down the back steps of the Lockwood mansion, and towards the small tables that were set up all around the yard. "Besides, you're a founding family member, by definition you have to be here." I added in annoyance and heard Stefan breathing heavily into the phone.
"Elena and I broke up. By definition, I don't need to be anywhere." Stefan countered and I rolled my eyes and sighed a bit.
"Did that sound as depressing to you as it did to me?" I asked in some amusement and Stefan scoffed lightly.
"I'm not depressed. I just want to rip into someone's artery and feed until I can't breath anymore." Stefan replied aggressively and I sighed a bit and walked over to one of the small tables and fixed the bouquet of flowers that sat on it, as well as all of the other tables.
"Well, you can't. As one of your somber sponsors, I can't let that happen. So try and sublimate." I pointed out in reassurance and grabbed one of the red flowers and placed it in a different spot around the bouquet.
"She said she had feelings for Damon." Stefan stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows and became quiet as I listened intently into my phone.
"What?" I asked with a small scoff. "She can't have feeling for Damon.. He's Damon. And I'm, well. Whatever." I added in defeat and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, well, she was right.. Being a vampire really has changed her." Stefan pointed out and I slowly nodded in agreement and sighed in defeat.
"Well.. All the more reason to cure her I guess." I stated quietly and looked to the side of me to see Caroline coming towards me with a clipboard in hand while Elena followed. "Look, I got to.. But remember, sublimating is better than insanity." I added reassuringly and heard Stefan sigh from the phone.
"I'll be fine. Bye." Stefan countered before we both hung up and I gave a small smile to the two, obviously catching the end of the conversation between Stefan and I. I started rearranging the bouquet quietly as the two helped as Caroline put the clipboard down on the small table and cleared her throat.
"Look, im your best friend and I would never pick sides, but are you sure this is what you want?" Caroline asked as Elena took some yellow and red roses from the bouquet, staring at her quietly. "I mean, Stefan is your soul mate." She added and Elena sighed and tilted her head at Caroline in annoyance. "Sorry. I'm picking sides." Care sighed in defeat and Elena shrugged.
"It's not like I don't love Stefan anymore.. But I can't lie that ever since I've turned, my feelings for Damon have gotten more intense." Elena stated and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, I heard. Stefan filled me in on all of the gorey details." I pointed out emotionlessly and Elena furrowed her eyebrows at me and Caroline slowly nodded in agreement.
"He did?" Elena asked in confusion and I tilted my head at her curiously as she looked between Caroline and I. "Is he okay?" She added and Caroline scoffed.
"No, He's heartbroken." Caroline answered and Elena groaned in annoyance, putting down the roses that she pulled from the bouquet.
"Well, what was I supposed to do? Lie to him?" Elena asked in defeat and I scoffed, tilting my head at her.
"No. But you weren't supposed to let Damon weasel his way into your confused newbie vampire heart." I countered and Elena furrowed her eyebrows back at me.
"Well, he did. And that's exactly what I amâconfused. I need to figure out what these feelings actually mean." Elena replied and I stared at her quietly before looking away and feeling anxiety rush over me.
"Excuse me." A familiar voice stated and I looked up to see Professor Shane come towards the three of us as he came down the back steps of the mansion. "I'm a little lost. I'm here to interview contestants." He pointed out and I folded my arms over my chest at him.
"You're professor Shane." Elena stated with a small smile and I exchanged a look with Caroline who also folded her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, that's right. Professor by day. Pageant judge by other day." Shane replied in some amusement and I rose an eyebrow at him as Caroline gave a dry chuckle. "Apart by being absurdly unqualified, I'm supposed to be awarding a scholarship?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows and I slowly nodded.
"Uh, inside by the parlor." I answered and Shane gestured at the entrance to the mansion behind him.
"Right here?" He asked and I nodded in agreement, as did Caroline before he smiled a put his hands on his hips. "All right, I'll just follow the scent of hairspray and world domination." Shane added jokingly before he walked away and I sighed, slowly shaking my head as Elena chuckled.
"He's the one who told Damon how to break the hunter's curse." Elena stated looking at Caroline who sighed and stared after Shane.
"He's also the one that has Bonnie so obsessed with practicing magic that she bailed on magic prep." Caroline pointed out in annoyance and I smirked at her in amusement.
"And now he's judging Miss Mystic Falls? Jack of all trades or extremely creepy?" I asked, shaking my head as I redecorated the bouquet again.
~~~
Caroline and I leant against the upstairs desk in the Lockwood mansion as Elena stood on the other side of Caroline, next to the mirrors. "Blue." The three of us said as we watched April held a red satin and heart shaped dress over her as well as a baby blue crepe over the shoulder dress.
"Really? I feel like it's a little safe." April stated indecisively and I rose an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Caroline and Elena.
"Well, sage is good.. when it comes to the judges." Elena stated and I slowly nodded and folded my arms over my dress, feeling the satin material that I wore from under my arms.
"She's right. Gracie Lockwood has a three-foot skit her year and practically got laughed off the court." Caroline stated as she wore a golden glittered dress that fit her figure and stopped above the knee while Elena wore a black laced dress that did the same.
"She got my vote." A voice stated as we all turned towards Damon who stood in a tux, leaning against the doorway of the study. April stated at his re-election from the mirror she stood in front of, holding the two dresses above her, trying to see which one looked better with her black curly hair and blue eyes.
"Get out, lurker." Caroline stated in annoyance and threw a small piece foot padding at him.
"Ouch." Damon replied sarcastically as it his his shoulder and bounced off. I looked at Elena and noticed how flustered she got in his presence and I felt my heart drop a bit before I looked back at Damon. "Where's Professor Shane?" He added as Caroline walked towards the door.
"Check the judge's table." Caroline replied in annoyance and went to close the door on him but he grabbed it with his hand. Caroline turned towards me and gave me a look of some concern before gesturing at Elena with her eyes and I took a deep breath as I looked back at the door that Damon opened again.
"Red one. Definitely." Damon stated as he looked towards April with a small smile and Caroline folded her arms over her chest.
"We've already agreed the red ones a little bit too showy." Caroline protested as she examined April and Elena took a deep breath and leant against the desk beside me, putting a hand on her hip.
"It's a pageant, that's the whole point." Damon countered in annoyance as he shrugged back at Caroline who rose an eyebrow at him.
"Did you win Miss Mystic Falls last year?" Caroline asked sassily, putting her hands on her hips. "No, I don't think you did." She added in annoyance, shaking her head at him.
"Neither did Elena, and she wore blue." Damon stated gesturing at April and I watched as Elena rose an eyebrow at Damon.
"No one cares what you think." Caroline stated with a small sigh and April rose an eyebrow and shrugged.
"I care." April replied and Damon gestured towards her, making me smile a bit.
"See, April cares. Red, right, girls?" Damon asked looking between Elena and I, and I rose an eyebrow at him before I looked back towards April as she held the red dress over her again.
"The red is pretty." Elena answered in agreement, slowly nodding at the red dress and I furrowed my eyebrows, as did Caroline while Damon slowly nodded.
"My work here is done." Damon shrugged carelessly before he looked at me and gave me a smirk before walking towards the stairs.
"Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to 'safe is good'?" Caroline asked in annoyance towards Elena who stared at the doorway quietly before looking at Caroline, as if coming back to really. Elena looked between Caroline and I before furrowing her eyebrows and thinking it over to herself, making me sigh.
"You know what? Which ever one you want to wear, April. You'll look beautiful." I stated in defeat before I walked out of the room and towards the stairs. "Damon." I stated somewhat urgently as I walked down the top of the stairs as he reached the last bottom ones and looked back at me from over his shoulder, making me stop and stare down at him.
"Still here." He reassured me and I took a deep breath and out a hand on the railing, tilting my head down at him.
"We need to talk." I pointed out quietly and he rose an eyebrow up at me as he fully turned his body in my direction. "Have you talked to Stefan?" I asked, walking slowly down the stairs and he sighed.
"Yeah. He told me about him and Elena breaking up.. I would say that I'm sorry, but I generally don't care." Damon stated sarcastically as I reached the bottom and slowly nodded.
"What did he say?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at him and he shrugged lightly.
"Oh, you know Stefan. The guy just went on and on about it. Wouldn't shut up." Damon answered sarcastically and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest.
"So he didn't tell you why?" I asked, tilting my head at him and Damon sighed, standing in front of me and shrugged.
"Nope. But I'm guessing it has something to do with you acting weird, so why don't you tell me?" Damon asked quietly, looking me over intently and I rose an eyebrow at him. The two of us stared at each other quietly before I took a deep breath and looked away.
"You." I answered emotionlessly and felt Damon staring at me still so I looked back at he stood there, taken aback. "She broke up with Stefan because she has feelings for you." I added quietly and heard Damon sigh in defeat back at me; he opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off.
"Damon Salvatore. Looks like we're traveling the same circuit." A voice stated as he both turned our heads to see Shane standing in a tux from down the hall, with a champagne glass in hand.
"Professor Shane. Just the guy I wanted to see." Damon replied in an uninterested voice as he looked at me in disappointment.
"We'll talk later." I reassured quietly before I gave a small nod and walked away from Damon and past Shane, giving him a small smile as I did.
~~~
I sighed deeply in some annoyance from where I stood in the crowd of people outside of the Lockwood mansion as Caroline took her place in front of the microphone. "Hi, everyone, I'm Caroline Forbes. As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this years Miss Mystic Court!" Caroline stayed in excitement as she held cards in her hand and the audience around me started applauding. I looked towards the steps behind Caroline where the Mystic Court was aligned, waiting to be called down.
"Are we going to talk?" A voice asked from behind me and I took a deep breath and felt my body tense as I clapped before the applause died down.
"Can't it wait?" I asked in some annoyance back at him, ignoring him on purpose since Elena stood across from us, eyes discreetly looking when needed. A small chorus of instrumentals played in the background as Caroline smiled again.
"We begin the procession with Valerie Fell, accompanied by Dylan Clark." Caroline introduced as a girl walked down the stone steps towards her escort who was waiting at the bottom.
"You said we'd talk later. Now is later, Mariana." Damon stated from behind me again and I rolled my eyes as Caroline continued to name more girls.
"Okay, well then I'm changing it to more later. As in, after the party. Like when you sneak into my room unannounced on a somewhat daily basis now." I countered quietly in annoyance and felt Damon smirk from behind me.
"Have you seen Jeremy?" Matt asked with a sigh as he came towards me and I rose an eyebrow as people clapped from around us again.
"He's probably with the escorts." I suggested and looked towards the line of boys waiting at the bottom of the steps, but didn't see him.
"Caroline told me to strangle the escorts. He's not here." Matt pointed out quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows as three escorts now stood. "Did he tell you about his nightmares?" He added and I rose an eyebrow, paging half attention as applause erupted around us again.
"What nightmares?" I asked, taking my eyes away from the escorts to look at him and he sighed.
"The ones where he kills you and Elena." Matt answered and I felt my body grow tense as did Damon from behind me.
"Katherine Wilson, accompanied by Eric Hanson." Caroline introduced in a chirpy voice through the microphone, pulling me away from my thoughts as I looked at the girl go down the steps, leaving April who stood alone now, in her bright red dress that made her look gorgeous.
"I'll find himâbut April's about to be abandoned." I stated in defeat and Matt slowly nodded down at me before yo towards her.
"I got it." Matt reassured as April furrowed her eyebrows at no sign of Jeremy.
"And finallyâwe have a last minute entryâApril Young, escorted by Jeremy Gilbert!" Caroline said awkwardly, noticing Jeremy's absence as applause broke out. April smiled widely before her smile fell and the applause faded as she remained on the steps. Matt walked towards her with a smile on his face and she smiled as Matt held a hand towards her and Caroline applauded again. April smiled down at him in relief and walked down the steps gracefully, connecting her arm around his. I watched as they walked over towards the dance floor that was put out on the lawn where the other members of the court waited. I sighed deeply as a slow paced tempo started, guiding the court into their dance. I took out my phone from my clutch and dialed in Jeremy's number as I moved away from the crowd, feeling Damon follow. "Hey, what's with the last minute escort change? Where is Jeremy?" Caroline asked quietly as she joined Damon and I.
"I'm calling him right now. He's not picking up." I replied in defeat as his dial tone came through and Elena came over also.
"Do the math. Emo teen, open bar. I'm sure he's fine." Damon reassured me as he straightened his tux and I rose an eyebrow back at him in uncertainty.
"Matt said that Jeremy's been having nightmares about killing vampires and he's been hiding it from us." I stated as I looked at Elena who furrowed her eyebrows, as did Caroline and Damon before he gave a small shrug.
"Relax, I'm sure he's fine." Damon replied, looking away from me and I sighed, shaking my head.
"I don't know. I have a bad feeling." Elena replied and I nodded in agreement as Damon sighed.
"If I'm not worried, you shouldn't be worried. Let it go." Damon reassured her and I rose an eyebrow as she looked between Caroline and I. "I'll go look for him." He added looking down at me and I gave a small nod back at him. "We'll talk later." Damon stated narrowing his eyes at me and I sighed as him and Caroline gave each other fake smiles before he walked away.
"Okay, you go home and I'm going to start asking around here." Caroline suggested as she looked between Elena and I.
"Maybe Damon's right. Maybe he grabbed a bottle from the bar and snuck off to the woods." Elena suggested with a shrug and I rose an eyebrow at her.
"No, Damon's never right. Damon is sneaky and manipulative and rudeâbut he's never right. How can you not see that?" Caroline countered with a dry laugh as she put her hands on her hips, making Elena furrow her eyebrows.
"I don't know, but why do I think that you won't hesitate to tell me?" Elena countered in annoyance, tilting her head at Care and I rose an eyebrow at the two.
"Fine. Friend-tervention." Caroline replied someone loudly and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest. "I think your so-called feelings for Damon, are really starting to cloud your judgement and I don't like it. And the thought of you two together really makes me irritated and want to barf before he clearly has feelings for Mariana." Care stated emotionlessly as Klaus came over and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"Easy, love. You're causing a scene." Klaus warned quietly down at Caroline who awkwardly looked around us before back at Elena who looked taken aback.
"Wow. Thank you, Caroline.. For making this already very difficult time so much easier." Elena replied in annoyance before she walked away from us and I sighed in defeat.
"How did I become the bad guy?" Caroline asked in annoyance as Klaus smirked down at her as I sighed, shaking my head and watching Elena leave.
"Let me get you a drink and I'll tell you all about being the bad guy." Klaus reassured her and I rose an eyebrow at the two as Caroline sighed, tilting her head at him while I dialed into my phone again.
~~~
"And now, the moment you've been waiting for.. Caroline, would you do the honors?" Carol asked into the microphone as her, the Mystic Court and Caroline all stood on the stage. Carol moved and Caroline took her stop, holding an envelope while Elena stood beside her, holding the pillow that the tiara for the winner would get.
"This years Miss Mystic Falls is..." Caroline started with a smile as she opened the envelope she held before she smiled more. "April Young!" She added and I applauded loudly as April's face lit up and I smiled up at her from where I stood in the crowd. Caroline grabbed the tiara from the pillow Elena held before moving towards April. I watched Elena as she smiled before her face changed as she looked at something from the crowd in front of her and I furrowed my eyebrows. I followed her gaze and fell on Jeremy who wore his tux and moved quickly through the crowd, towards the Lockwood mansion.
"Jer." I whispered in confusion at him. I watched as he disappeared into the mansion and I sighed, going after him. After walking inside, I rose an eyebrow and went through the parlor and into the study where the escorts dressing room was to see Jeremy sitting in front of a mirror. "Hey, where have you been?" I asked in confusion before stopped in my tracks and noticed he held a stake over his palm before he pulled away and looked up at me. "What are you doing with that?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows down at him and watched as he stood from where he sat. "Put it down." I added emotionlessly, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Connor was right." Jeremy stated and I rose an eyebrow at him curiously. "All I can think about is killing vampires." He added and I slowly shook my head.
"You're nothing like Connor." I protested, tilting my head at him as he stared back at me.
"I want to believe that, and I know I don't want to hurt you.. But everything inside of me is telling me to drive this stake through your heart." Jeremy stated, gesturing at the stake in his hand and I felt tension build itself up inside of me.
"Why would you say that?" I asked quietly, looking between him and the stake slowly as he stared back at me. "It's me, Jeremy." I added in disbelief.
"And you're a vampire." Jeremy countered and I furrowed my eyebrows and scoffed lightly.
"Yeah, but I'm also your sister." I pointed out in annoyance at him and walked closer to him and grabbed the hand that the stake wasn't in. "JerâI would never do anything to hurt you. Neither would Elena." I added reassuringly. I watched Jeremy looked down at his hand before back at me quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows. I looked down at Jeremy's hand and slowly turned it over so I could see his palm that was painted with blood as a wound appeared on it and I felt my lust grow and my eyes shift but I took a deep breath and backed away from him, controlling the hunger.
"No.." Jeremy whispered in defeat and I sighed at him. I watched as Jeremy's face changed into someone I haven't seen before.. So dark and angry before he lunged at me with the stake and I widened my eyes, pushing him back with my hands. I watched as he fell back to the floor hard and groaned, closing his eyes and laying there motionless.
"Jeremy? Jer?" I asked in worry and vamped beside him, kneeling down and shaking him. "Jer, wake up.. Jeremy, please wake up!" I added in concern before he quickly opened his eyes and moved his arm towards me and I groaned as I felt a small stake get plunged into the side of my neck. My breath hitches in my throat as it cut off my airway and Jeremy got up from the floor, stand in hand and knelt in front of me.
"Jeremy!" A voice said and I noticed Matt come into the room, noticing the scene in front of him.
"Get out of here, Matt." Jeremy replied looking at him emotionlessly before back at me with such hatred.
"Jeremy, you don't want to do this, okay? That's your sister." Matt countered, shaking his head down at Jer in disbelief. "It's that stupid mark on your arm." He added in frustration as Jeremy positioned the stake above my heart and narrowed his eyes at me.
"Shut up, Matt!" Jeremy replied looking at him in anger and Matt groaned as Jeremy looked back down at me.
"Jeremy, look at me! I'm human, and I'm telling you not to hurt her." Matt warned steadily towards Jer and I wheezed lightly as I tried to breathe, putting a hand towards my neck. I stared at Jeremy who narrowed his eyes down at me before he was quickly pushed up against the fireplace across from me.
"Get him out of here, Matt!" Stefan stated angrily, pushing Jeremy towards Matt who grabbed him.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Matt stated in annoyance and led Jeremy away from the study quickly as Stefan vamped towards me. I winced as I tried to pull out the stake from my neck before Stefan replaced my hand with his own.
"Let me do it, let me do it, let me do it." Stefan stated in reassurance before he quickly pulled the stake out and I closed my eyes in pain before I felt it leave my skin and I breathed heavily, feeling my airway return to normal as it started to heal. Stefan stared down at me and sighed in relief, grabbing my neck with one hand and I stared at him for a few seconds before I looked away and stood as Stefan sighed, looking away from me in defeat. I quickly walked out of the study and out the front door before I took off my heels and put them in my hands, walking down the steps and into the yard quickly. "Mariana, wait!" Stefan stated coming after me and I shook my head, back at him.
"I have to find Jeremy, this shouldn't be happening to him." I stated in annoyance, not turning to face him and Stefan sighed.
"Mar, wait, it's my fault." Stefan stated and I furrowed my eyebrows as he grabbed my arm and stepped in front of me.
"What are you talking about?" I asked in confusion as he sighed in defeat and looked away from me.
"I'm starting to think that when a hunter kills a vampire, their urge to kill gets stronger." Stefan stated emotionlessly and I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head at him as he looked back at me quietly.
"Tell me that Jeremy hasn't been with you this entire time." I stated emotionlessly and watched as Stefan looked away from me. "Tell me that you haven't been making him kill vampires, Stefan." I added angrily through gritted teeth.
"We need the map to get the cure." Stefan pointed out and I rolled my eyes at him.
"I'm pretty sure that Elena would agree when I say, if getting her humanity back means stripped Jeremy of him, then no. She doesn't need the cure." I stated angrily at him and he scoffed.
"He's the only way to fix all of this." Stefan argued and I furrowed my eyebrows at him as silence surrounded us.
"You mean her." I corrected and watched as he stared at me silently. "The only way to fix Elena." I added emotionlessly and Stefan looked away from me, making me sigh. "You don't have to love her the way that she is, Stefan.. But it's who she is now. The old Elena died when she went off the bridge.. Let her go. It's what she would sayâand want." I stated quietly and Stefan looked at me silently before he looked past me. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked over my shoulder to see Damon and Elena standing together and watching us quietly. I sighed and shook my head before I walked past Stefan and away from all of them.
~~~
Damon opened the Salvatore door as Elena and I stood on the porch, bags in hand. I gave him a small smile and walked in as did Elena before Stefan came from the living room and I rose an eyebrow as I felt the tension grow. "I.. Can't stay at home anymore." Elena stated quietly and Stefan slowly nodded at looked at her before at Damon who held the door open still.
"Pick a room." Stefan stated looking back at Elena who nodded back at him. "I'll crash somewhere else." He added before walking past the three of us and out the door, making me sigh in defeat.
~~
I sat on the couch in the living room as Damon came towards me with two glasses of bourbon in his hand before he handed me one and I scoffed lightly. "Ah, Thanks." I stated, taking it from him and downing it quickly, making him sigh deeply and sit beside me.
"Just being polite.. But why don't I just give you the bottle." Damon replied sarcastically and I rolled my eyes at him.
"My brother wants to kill me." I pointed out in annoyance and he scoffed, shrugging back at me.
"Join the club." Damon replied, raising his glass towards me and I smirked in amusement as he drank from it.
"Jeremy can't live with me. Stefan and I are on the outs because of our different opinions on Elenaâwho apparently is crushing on youâDamon Salvatore. All the while I am here. Stuck in the middle of all the chaos. As if I wasn't already stuck in the middle when I was alive." I stated in annoyance and watched as Damon tilted his head at me. "God, and I thought things were complicated before." I scoffed lightly before I gave a dry laugh and Damon shrugged.
"I thought you did pretty okay for yourself.. Even for being a witch." Damon stated sarcastically and I rolled my eyes at him, making him smirk. "So what happened to talking later?" He added and I rose an eyebrow at him.
"You know what, never mind." I replied with a small shrug, putting my empty glass on the coffee table in front of me.
"Ari." Damon whispered from beside me and I felt my body become tense by the sound of his voice.. The tone of it. I looked at Damon who stared at me quietly as he slowly put his glass on the coffee table also, making me raise an eyebrow.
"There's really nothing to talk about." I reassured quietly and sat back against the couch as he still watched me, not removing his eyes from mine. I saw Damon's eyes flash between mine and my lips, making me sigh and shake my head in annoyance. I sat up towards him and closed the space between us immediately, feeling our lips meet and not want to part. Damon grabbed me with his arm, pulling me closer towards him as I now straddled his waist, deepening the kiss. I pulled away from him and ripped his black button up open before I grabbed his face and kissed him deeply again. Damon grabbed my thighs with his hands, wrapping me around him and standing us up before vamping me against the fire place harshly and I groaned, biting his bottom lip and making him smirk. The two of us pulled away and I traced my fingers over Damon's face gently before I let them linger her on the back of his neck as I stared at his features slowly, taking him in. Damon stared back at me as we both breathed heavily before he vamped us upstairs and into his room and threw me on his bed, making me chuckle as he gently crawled over me. He closed the space between us and kissed up my neck towards my mouth, making me smile from underneath him.