Dark Heretic (E. St. John)

Chapter 10

It is now June 22nd, Elena's eighteenth birthday. Nick and Caroline are planning her birthday party together, even though Elena doesn't want one. She doesn't want to celebrate her birthday without Stefan. The duo are walking through the square while Caroline talks on the phone with Elena. (Nick told Elena and Jeremy his story, too).

"What are you two doing?" Elena asks accusingly.

"Just shopping for the party you're trying to bail out on," Caroline muses.m

"I never said yes in the first place," Elena replies.

"You were never going to, which is why Nick and I planned it anyway," Caroline replies. "And my mom wants you to call her."

"Did she find something?" Elena asks.

"An animal attach in Memphis," Caroline replies. "It's the third one this week in Tennessee."

"And you're sure it's a vampire?" the birthday girl asks.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that it's Klaus," Caroline says.

"Doesn't mean that it's not," Elena says. "I'll call your mom."

"Call her on her cell," Caroline says.

"Tell her thanks for her help," Elena says.

Caroline says she will see her in a bit and hangs up as Tyler approaches her and Nick.

"Hey, guys," Tyler greets.

"Hey," Nick says. "I gotta go be... somewhere else." He scurries off.

"Nick!" Caroline wails and Tyler laughs.
-/-/-/-/-/-

Nick, Elena, Caroline, and Tyler are all now at the boarding house decorating it for the party tonight.

Elena takes some napkins from Caroline. "I feel like I have to fight Damon every single time we have a lead on Stefan," she says.

"Maybe he doesn't want to find him," Tyler assumes.

"Tyler!" Caroline exclaims in shock.

"What?" Tyler asks. "He's into you, isn't he?"

Nick smirks as he quickly turns away to hang some type of ribbon that Caroline got.

"The only reason Stefan left with Klaus was because he thought it was the only way to save Damon's life," Elena says. "Trust me, Damon wants to find him."

"But you kissed him?" Tyler asks and Caroline gives him a look. "Probably screwed with his head."

"Tyler!" Caroline squeaks.

Elena smiles and she looks down. Nick says absolutely nothing as Elena shares a look with Caroline.

"I'm sorry!" Caroline says to Elena. 

"Don't worry about it," Elena says. "Look, yes, I kissed him; Nick was, he saw it. It was... ab, it was a goodbye kiss. I thought he was gonna die." She releases a sigh.

Tyler shrugs as Elena's phone beeps.

"I missed a call from Bonnie," Elena says. "I'll be right back."

Caroline waits until Elena is out of sight before she turns  to Tyler. "Just because I tell you things doesn't mean you're allowed to know them," she says scoldingly.

"Sorry," Tyler says. "I've gotta run if I'm gonna change and pick up Sophie in time."

"Wait... you're bringing a date?" Caroline asks. "Slutty Sophie is your date?"

"Hey! It's been kinda slow in that department," Tyler says. "And... I'm horny all the time now!"

"And that's my cue," Nick says. "See you two at the party." Nick rushes out.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Nick walks into the party in his usual skinny jeans and a loose fitting pink button down with the first three buttons undone. His hair is messy but he made it that way. Beni and his boyfriend, Lewis, wave at Nick, and he waves back at them and he walks in through the party. He grabs a drink and he watches as Tyler dances dirtily with Sophie Ballard, or as everyone calls her, Slutty Sophie.

He turns and sees Damon and Elena coming downstairs together. He walks over and he pulls her into an embrace, Elena's quick to hug him back.

"I see you're wearing my gift."

The pretty white dress that Elena is wearing is what Nick got her for her birthday.

"It's beautiful, Nick," Elena says. "I couldn't not wear it. Thank you."

Nick shoots her a playful wink. "Happy birthday," he says.

"Thank you," Elena says. "Are you having fun?"

"I just got here," Nick muses. "Let's go drink!" He drags Elena away from Damon and the older vampire rolls his eyes with an amused smirk on his face.

Elena laughs as Nick drags her. He grabs two red cups and gets them some beer in them and passes one to the birthday girl.

"I was eighteen when I became like this," Nick says.

"Wow," Elena says.

"My birthday is in April, and I was turned in December," Nick says.

"Hey, guys!" Caroline walks over to them. "Is this party great or what?" She glares at Nick. "You're late!"

"You're lucky I came," Nick counters and Elena smiles from ear-to-ear.
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Nick goes home after the party and he takes off all of his clothes before sauntering to the bathroom. He turns the human on. Some human bumped into him and spilled their concoction (a mixed drink the human came up with) all over the Dark Heretic.

Nick gets in the shower once the water is the perfect temperature and he relaxes under the hot water and he starts washing himself off.