Devil's Angel ° {K.M}[Rewriting]

{051}

Catch Me If You Can
———

"I don't wanna say goodbye 'cause this one means forever. Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far. Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers."
—Benson Boone {In the Stars}
———

05/20/24 - any inconsistencies in the following chapters will soon be fixed. Currently going through and doing a lot of editing.

-

"Nik," she pushed the doors to the bar open, a frown tugging at her lips as her eyes flickered from the new vampires and their compelled human meals, "Must you?" The man sitting at the bar with a Salvatore none-too-please to be in his presence shot her a look of innocence she didn't believe for a moment. "I'm afraid I must. Damon here is incompetent in training the hunter so I was forced to take matters into my own hands." America arched an eyebrow as she approached, eyeing the dazed vampires with distaste. "Yeah, well, Jeremy was raised to see murder as immoral and illegal and teens are about as malleable as they are stubborn."

Her ire simmered low in her gut but it barely threatened to bubble over as the woman was far too drained from the last week or so and the next couple of days. "Don't forget lacking in manners," Klaus commented absently, swirling a glass of whiskey in one hand, "Although, would he fair better if I raided the county jail? I'm sure there is some deplorable human waste waiting for a purpose." Unbidden, she snorted as she was coaxed into the man's arms once she was near enough for him to reach for her. "So what," Damon spoke up, catching both of their attentions, "You offer unprompted but I ask and I'm as good as dead?" 

The complaint was half-hearted but America read the sliver of genuine bewilderment and annoyance in the man's words and expression. Before she could speak up, Klaus intercepted with a warning glint in his eye. "Did you require a list of differences between you and Eleanora or must I give you a demonstration? Such as how fragile you are in comparison." The threat wasn't hidden by any means, the woman frowning slightly as she placed a placating hand on the junction of his neck and shoulder, her thumb ghosting beneath his jaw. "Nik," she interrupted softly, stealing her lover's focus, "Raiding the county jail would only give us more problems.

"The Sheriff would notice and the current mayor is too insufferable to let her ignore it." Damon went to intercept again but America continued before he could. "Just this once," she applied a fraction of pressure to the man's carotid artery, her eyes narrowing with intent, "I'll directly help." Pale eyes with flecks of amber peered up at her, a mix of skepticism and curiosity. The former would have offended her if the consequences of her secrecy weren't still fresh in their minds. "This cure is frankly the last thing you want, love. Why help?" 

The thought alone annoyed her greatly but she was aware on a basic level that even if she didn't lend some assistance, things would transpire with or without her. As she watched the newly-turned vampires abruptly vanish as their compulsion took full hold, it was easy to decide that the mental well-being of Jeremy Gilbert was better protected than shredded for naught. "Jeremy's sixteen," her voice softened to something that resembled the young girl she had once been, "And he's still my baby brother. If the people in his life are intent on grooming him for the worst parts of this life, the least I could do is make it bearable."