An Elemental Difference - FIRE - Book 2 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 48 - I don't want the killer stick

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

When Damon's phone rang, Liz's name on the screen, it wasn't hard to know where Rose had gone.

When they pulled up to the school, Aella shrunk in her seat with a whimper, "Caroline's going to kill me."

"She has to get in line," Damon hissed, tensely getting out of his car and walking over to Liz. He and the Sheriff talked for a while before Damon returned to the vehicle; he opened the trunk to retrieve something before he returned to the driver's seat.

"So?" Aella immediately asked as soon as he sat down.

"It was Rose," Damon emotionlessly replied. Eyes fixed on the body that lay on the ground. "Liz is going to search the east side of the school; we're on the west."

Aella nodded and began to get out when Damon's hand stopped her, "Here." He handed her a stake with one hand, the other holding a second.

Aella froze, eyes focused on the stake for a second before she tossed it back to him in disgust, "I don't want the killer stick. We can do this without killing Rose."

Damon's nostrils flared, his grip on the two stakes so firm that Aella could hear a faint cracking as he told her, "Rose has already killed one person; she has to die."

While Aella knew Damon hated emotions full stop, even she was taken aback by his matter-of-fact tone. Slowly she took the stakes from him, noticing he didn't fight her as she softly replied, "Not this way, Damon. Rose doesn't deserve for it to end this way."

Damon shot her a piercing stare as he exited the car, his final words, "On your head be it."

FORBES RESIDENCE

Tyler walked up to Caroline, who sat on the steps leading up to her home. "Hey," he greeted her, sitting next to her. "Thanks for meeting me."

With an amused smile, Caroline motioned to her house, "I didn't have to go far."

Tyler smiled with her before he cleared his throat, "We need to talk."

"That sounds serious," Caroline chuckled lightly before she saw the look on Tyler's face, and she sat up. "What about?"

"You need to stop helping me," Tyler told her straight.

Caroline frowned, "What? Why?" She turned towards him more, "You said I helped."

Tyler agreed with her, "And you did." His lips turned up briefly in the corner, "But not at the cost of you dying."

"Where is this coming from, Tyler?" Caroline asked, confused. "Is this because of Rose?"

Tyler scoffed, "How can it not be?!" He shook his head firmly, "No more; we can't risk it."

Caroline groaned and punished Tyler in the arm, taking satisfaction from his grunt of pain, "Why is it so hard for you to let someone else help you?"

Tyler immediately denied the accusation, "That's not it."

"Yeah, it is, Tyler." Caroline pushed; she'd had enough of them dancing around this subject. "It's like you don't want anyone to care about you, and I'm sorry I care. I care, Tyler, so forgive me if I overstepped my boundaries by actually giving I-"

Tyler closed the distance and, with his lips, ended Caroline talking any more. When he pulled back, Caroline's eyes softly met his for a second before he closed the gap again and kissed her more gently.

Suddenly, Caroline pulled back, face flustered, "You can't do that."

"I'm sorry," Tyler began. "It's-"