Veins of Desire

15. What's The Use Denying Meant To Be

"You trapped her in the house?" Stefan asks the next day as Damon comes to visit him at the tomb, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

No doubt Elena's not happy about that. At all.

"It's for the best," Damon replies. "Trust me. Elena is on a martyr tear that rivals your greatest hits. You should be glad the witch and I are even getting along. I brought you this." He holds up the bag he's brought with him. "Care package: candles, lanterns and...lunch."

He opens the bag and pulls out a bottle filled with blood to show him. Human blood, most likely.

"Thanks," Stefan says, effortlessly catching the bag as Damon throws it over to him through the anti-vampire barrier. He doesn't exactly fancy the thought of purely sustaining himself on human blood, but it's better than slowly and painfully desiccating.

"You two are surprisingly calm, considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess with his little plan."

Both Salvatores snap their heads in the direction of the stairs leading out of the tomb, only to find Katherine leaning against the wall, watching them with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"I've been dead before," Damon states. "I got over it. What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be fleeing town, seeing as little Miss Hearing Implants is going to drag Klaus here soon? You know, the guy that you've been running from for the last five centuries."

Katherine scoffs dismissively. "And leave my sister behind? Never. Do you have any idea how long it took me to find her again?"

"Yeah, right. Your 'sister'," Damon retorts, face distorting into a grimace. "You don't actually expect us to believe that nonsense about reincarnation both you and Eleonora are spouting, right? If such a thing really existed, don't you think Stef and I would know?"

The doppelganger crosses her arms over her chest. "You mean, just how you knew all about werewolves before I brought Mason back into town and in right in front of your noses?" She shakes her head in feigned disappointment. "Really, boys, you think you're oh so knowledgeable, but the truth is you don't know anything at all. If I were you, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the existence of something just because you've never heard about it before. The bar isn't set very high on that. In fact, it's barely even scratching the basement ceiling."

Stefan can clearly tell that Damon gets more and more irritated by her triumphant smirks and digs. A few more of those and he's going to explode.

"Once we deal with this moonstone, we'll figure a way to get you out," Damon, promises him, turning away from the doppelganger.

Stefan forces a faint smile on his face as he looks at his older brother. "Don't worry about me. Just make sure Elena's safe."

Damon nods at him in silent confirmation and the turns around and leaves.

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Eleonora can barely conceal her nervosity anymore as she stands in front of the huge window in Slater's apartment, staring out at the vast skyline of Richmond. She has no idea how long exactly it will take Nik to come here. This Cody Webber guy never mentioned the Original's current location. Every second could be the moment he walks in through the double doors leading into the apartment.

Is he even going to remember her? It's been almost ninety years and Elijah told her last night that his brother has never mentioned Alice to him. Not with a single word. Is he even going to believe her when she tells him that she is the reincarnation of his late soulmate?