The More Things Change

Thirteen

"Elena?" Stefan stared at the woman Damon cradled in his arms. His mouth was slightly ajar, and his throat bobbed several times before he managed to ask, "I thought you said—"

"She's not supposed to be here." I couldn't understand. I squeezed my flashlight, its beam pointed straight at the dark brown eyes staring back at Damon as she suckled at the blood bag he held at her mouth. "She's not."

"You were wrong." When Damon turned to look over his shoulder at me, his narrowed eyes promised murder. "Or you didn't want me to find her."

I stepped closer to Stefan, even though I knew he wouldn't be able to stop Damon if he was determined to kill me. "I didn't know!"

Fortunately, he seemed more interested in holding Katherine than tearing my heart out. He went back to staring in complete fawning adoration at her. Like a worshipper granted the rapturous honor of viewing their god.

Stefan closed his mouth, jaw jutting as his teeth ground together. "You got what you came for. It's time to leave."

"I couldn't agree more," Damon replied. The blood bag must've been empty.

Damon was about to toss it aside when I cried out, "Don't!"

He paused.

"That's how the others get free. The blood."

"I'm tempted to rip out your throat and feed the rest of them right now," Damon said. His voice was frigid enough to frost the walls.

Stefan moved in front of me. "If she knew Katherine was here, and didn't want her out, why tell you where the grimoire was? Or allow you to get the crystal?"

Damon shrugged.

"I'll take the blood bag." Stefan extended his hand. "You got what you came for, Damon." Stefan's green eyes entreated his brother to listen. "What does the rest of it matter?"

"Damon?"

It was a voice exactly like Elena's. Like mine, now. Which I knew it would be, of course. Katherine was the spitting image of Elena, but for her curly hair. Still, to hear it. To know it was Katherine speaking it.

Fear stabbed an icy hand into my chest and squeezed my heart. I gulped down my breaths, hoping she wouldn't hear me.

"Yes, Katherine," Damon said, reverent and adoring. "I'm here."

"Stefan?"

I'd swear both brothers tensed at the same time. Stefan frowned so deep his forehead had lines. "Katherine."

"You came for me."

"I did," Damon declared as his grip on her tightened. His eyes burned like blue fire.

Stefan's frown somehow managed to dip even lower. "We need to leave," he said, taking my arm. "Now."

That sounded like a good idea. I nodded. "Yeah."

Katherine squinted into the light I held in front of me, still beamed straight into her face. "Have you brought me food?"

I swallowed, taking a step back despite my weak legs. I did not want to meet a ravenously blood thirsty Katherine.

"No," Stefan insisted firmly.

But Katherine had a hand on the wall, was dragging herself upwards.

I shuddered and pressed into Stefan's side. I don't know why. She was centuries older than Stefan, even if he weren't on the bunny diet. It wasn't as if he could protect me.