If only | Damon Salvatore

036. A WITCH BURIAL GROUND

Chapter thirty six

"A witch burial ground."

The next morning, Beatrix got dressed and packed a bag with two cloaks—one for herself and one for Bonnie. As she made her way to the front door, her grandmother stopped her.

"Beatrix," Winifred called out.

Beatrix turned back. "Yeah?"

"I just want you to be careful," her grandmother warned solemnly. "If you and Bonnie are going to do this together, it might divide the local covens. Those who side with us will choose you, and those who side with the Bennetts will choose Bonnie."

Beatrix nodded in understanding. "I know. That's why I tried to tell Bonnie not to involve herself, but she refused to let me do this alone."

Cassandra walked out from the kitchen, offering a supportive look. "Be careful."

"I will," Beatrix promised before turning around and walking out the door.

Her feet froze on the driveway when she saw Bonnie waiting for her. Bonnie wasn't alone; Damon and Jeremy were standing right beside his car.

"No," Beatrix stated flatly.

Bonnie let out a heavy sigh, turning to the vampire. "I told you so."

Damon scoffed, gesturing toward the passenger doors. "Just get in the car."

"I'd rather poke my eyes out," Beatrix retorted.

Jeremy chuckled, crossing his arms. "She's not going to get in, Damon."

Damon huffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Fine! I'm sorry for killing your boyfriend. And for barbecuing him."

Beatrix's eyes went wide with pure horror. "You what?"

Bonnie and Jeremy snapped their heads toward Damon, their eyes equally wide with shock. Damon waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, come on! He's fine. Just a little charred."

Beatrix let out an angry huff, trying to process the disgust. "Whatever. Jeremy, you sit up front with him. I'm sitting in the back with Bonnie."

"Already on it," Jeremy agreed quickly, climbing into the front passenger seat to keep the peace.

The four of them drove in tense silence to the Martins' apartment. Damon opened the door first, testing the threshold. He casually waved his hand through the open doorway, finding no magical barrier blocking his entry.

He stepped inside. "Yep. Everybody's dead," he announced callously.

Beatrix, Bonnie, and Jeremy followed him into the apartment, looking around the quiet space.

"We should pack up the grimoires," Bonnie noted softly, looking at the shelves of spellbooks. "They spent years collecting them. I want to make sure they're kept safe."

"If you want, we can store them at my house," Beatrix offered. "We have tons of room upstairs for them. I'll text my mom and grams to come over and pack them up properly."

"Good idea," Bonnie agreed.

Damon leaned down between the two young witches, pointing toward Luka's charred, lifeless form on the floor. "You know, we could just grab another match and finish cremating him right here."

"Don't be disrespectful," Bonnie scolded him.

Beatrix sent the quick text to her mother and grandmother before looking up at the vampire. "Disrespectful? Him? That'll be hard, because it seems to be a core part of his personality," she countered.