Sacrificed

Chapter Seventeen

ELENA AND I WENT back upstairs to wait for the Salvatores. "I need salt," I told her. She blinked at me then led me to the kitchen. She opened a cabinet near the stove and handed me a salt shaker. "I'm gonna need more than this."

She disappeared through a door off to the side and came back with a round container of salt. "Perfect. And a glass? Plastic if they have it."

"Sorry. No plastic." She handed me a tall glass. I thanked her and opened the spout. I poured salt into the glass, until it was two inches from the top. "You might want to stand back. Just in case." I unstrapped the knife from my ankle and plunged it tip first into the salt. Closing my eyes, I held my hands over it and concentrated on cleansing the blade of the magic and pain it absorbed earlier.

My eyes flew open as a low hum filled the air. The glass vibrated on the counter, jumping slightly. The hum became higher pitched. "Go. Out. Now."

We ran into the hall just as the brothers came through the front door. I peered back into the kitchen. "What are you doing?" Damon said from right behind me.

I held up one finger. "Hold on." The glass bounced on the counter and spun in circles. "Back." I pulled everyone away from the kitchen door. A second later there was an explosive pop. A peek through the door revealed salt and glass everywhere. My blade stood on its point and spun on the counter.

Damon looked wide-eyed at the mess in his kitchen. "What the hell was that?"

I walked over to the kitchen counter, using the toe of my shoe to shove glass out of my way as I went. I grasped the handle of the knife and showed it to Damon. "I used magic to lessen the pain when I removed the bullets. The magic had to be dispersed."

"And you did that by making a mess in our kitchen?" Stefan asked as he walked into the room and frowned.

"No. I did that by sticking the blade in a glass full of salt and saying the correct words. The other option involves me absorbing the pain into myself. Wasn't real high on my list of things to do today." I picked up the Sheriff's phone and handed it to Damon. "Here's her phone. She's been searched and locked up."

"Thank you," Damon said quietly. "For everything."

"Sure thing, Salvatore."

"I do have one question for you, though. Happy fun time land?" His lips twitched and his eyes lit with mirth. So glad I could entertain him.

I shrugged as my cheeks heated. "I was trying to make a point. That's all. Got a broom?"

Stefan disappeared into the pantry and came back with the requested item. I began sweeping up the mess. I had almost finished when there was a knock on the door. I stepped out of the kitchen and watched Elena let Caroline in. The girl dragged a large suitcase behind her.

I went back to work while the girls went downstairs. Much sooner than anticipated footsteps pounded back up. Caroline emerged from the basement, her eyes moist. Elena followed behind. She stopped at the top and glanced back down the stairs. "I have Caroline if you need to do something down there."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded as I headed toward the living room.

"Thank you," Elena called before heading back down the steps.

Caroline sat at one end of the couch, her arms crossed in front of her. I sat beside her, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. "What's up, blondie?"

"My mom." Caroline growled in frustration. "I don't know whether to be hurt or furious. She just told Damon she doesn't want to see me because I'm not her daughter."