Phantom ❖ Salvatore [2]

EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT
❝ THIS IS GONNA HURT ❞

"OUCH!"

    Elektra whirled around to see that someone's hand was clamped tightly around her wrist—the hand belonged to the last person she wanted to see at the Masquerade party.

    "Elena," she groaned and tried to pry her wrist from Elena's vice grip.

    Elena tightened her grasp in response. "What the hell is going on, Elektra?"

    Elektra sighed, a harsh whoosh of air exhaling through her nose. She was not in the mood to deal with Elena's mothering and obsessive need to pry into her life.

    With defiance, Elektra started to walk away from Elena and received resistance as she expected.

    "Let me go," she huffed, stiletto heels sinking into the soft earth as she continued to try and shake off her sister's hand.

    "No," Elena growled and grabbed Elektra's wrist with both hands.

    Elektra halted, realizing that this game of tug-of-war was not going to get them anywhere. She settled herself back into her shoes and turned to properly look at Elena. She looked extremely out of place amongst the glitz and glam in her long-sleeve baby pink shirt and faded jeans with slight panic in her eyes.

    "Why are you here, Elena?"

    Elena finally slackened her grip on her wrist but did not relinquish it completely.

    "I could ask you the same question."

    Elektra stared directly into Elena's eyes. "You know exactly why I'm here and you know that Katherine and Beatrice have to pay."

    "I can't let you do that, Elektra."

    Elektra smiled bitterly. "Let me? Okay, mom."

    With re-found determination and defiance, she started to pull away from Elena once more.

    Elena immediately retook her jaw-like grip on Elektra's wrist. "Stop fighting me!"

    "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Elektra said without looking back.

    This game of Elektra trudging forward and Elena yanking her back was short-lived when Elena let out a sigh of defeat and released Elektra's wrist.

    Elektra knew that she wouldn't follow her—only because she knew that Katherine was there somewhere pretending to be here, and that everyone had seen Katherine—thinking it was Elena.

    She snuck her way through the Lockwood's mansion seemingly unnoticed. Everyone was too busy drinking and dancing and enjoying the festivities to notice Elektra slinking her way up the stairs. Up the stairs and down the hall toward the room that was supposed to end all their struggles.

✥ ✥ ✥

Caroline Forbes sauntered through the mansion, eyes flittering around anxiously. She told Damon and Stefan that she was not going to chicken out—and she meant it—but she couldn't ignore the blooming dread in the pit of her stomach.