Vampire Diaries Blood Brothers

~Chapter Fifty One~

I ran out of the Grill and into the night, my hair flailing behind me as Stefan called after me, stuck between his hurt, tearful girlfriend and shocked, grieving brother. I hurtled down the street, the familiar faces of our town exchanging whispers as I tore past, bumping the occasional shoulder as the glaring lamp posts flew by with the rest of the world.
   I sped around the corner, barely paying attention to where I was going when I collided with a tall, strange man wearing a hoodie. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me down a darkened side street before pinning me against the cold, brick wall. I screamed, fighting his firm grasp when he muffled my cries for help by clamping his hand over my mouth. He pushed me harder against the wall, leaning close so our faces were inches apart. I struggled against him, trying to wriggle out from my spot between him and the wall, but he was too strong. Vampire strong. 
   "Shhh," he taunted, holding a finger up to his lips. Tears rolled down my cheeks as he leaned closer, his crimson-stained teeth visible in the light of the moon. "I'm not here to hurt you, only to deliver a message," he hissed, lowering his hand. "Stop looking."
   I furrowed my eyebrows, a million thoughts racing through my mind, but the only word I could muster was, "what?" I felt the air being drained from my lungs as he pressed me harder against the brick, the ragged edge scraping my skin as I slumped against the wall unable to move, unable to breathe.
   "Isobel doesn't want to know you," he growled, tightening his hand around my throat. "She doesn't want you and she doesn't want to see you."
   I spluttered, the corners of my vision darkening as I gasped for air, choking on the saliva stuck in my burning throat. He squeezed slightly, holding me there for a second longer before letting me drop to the ground. I coughed, my fingers resting against my neck as I swallowed as much air as I could. The man stepped back, snarling before kicking my arm out from under me. I dropped closer to the ground, the damp concrete grazing the side of my face as I managed to catch myself before slamming my head against the sidewalk. 
   "I mean it," he gnarred. "Stop looking for Isobel." And then he was gone. Just like that. Blended with the shadows of the night.
   My hands trembled as I struggled to stand, using the wall he'd shoved me against for support as I regained a shaky balance. I stumbled onto the main street, falling into a lamp post when Alaric appeared by my side, grabbing a hold of my arm to steady me. "Alaric?" I croaked. "What are you doing here?" I asked raspily, wondering how much of the last minute he'd seen.
   "I was on my way to school," he replied, looking me over with concern as he led me to a nearby park bench. "I saw a vampire run from here so I came to check it out," he explained, revealing a small wooden stake fastened to the inside of his jacket. "Are you OK? Where's Stefan?"
   "With Damon," I spat, gritting my teeth, tears pricking my eyes as I stared down the desolate street at the bright lights coming from the Grill. 
   "I take it you know," Alaric murmured softly.
   "And I'm guessing you do too," I coughed. "For the record, I only found out a few minutes ago," I added. "I probably would've asked you about her if I'd known sooner."
   "Yeah," he stifled a chuckle. "Probably." He nudged me lightly, fiddling with his invincibility ring as he failed to meet my eyes. "What happened? Who was that?"
   I stared over Alaric's shoulder, scanning the shadows for any sign of the vampire who'd told me to stop looking for Isobel. "There was a man - a vampire. I was upset by what happened with..." I shook my head, unable to speak his name. "I didn't even see him," I breathed in regret. "He almost choked me, anything to make me listen."
   "What'd he say?" Alaric queried, desperate to know if my frightening encounter had anything to do with his deceased wife. 
   I lifted my head, noting the tears brimming in his eyes. "Alaric," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "Your wife - Isobel - she's alive."

~~~

Dear Diary,
   It's been a while since I last wrote. There's just been so much going on, as usual, I guess. It's hard to know where to begin, but I'm going to try. Firstly, Jenna went behind my back and looked into my birth parents. I was upset at first, but I'm glad she did. There are way too many unanswered questions so it's nice to solve another mystery, even if it's heartbreaking. She didn't find anything on my birth father, but she managed to find my birth mother's best friend from high school. 
   Without telling anyone I went to see her, Trudie Peterson was her name. Looking back I realize how stupid that was, but I'm OK and I can't change the past (things would be a lot different if I could). I found out my birth mother's name is Isobel Flemming and Trudie showed me some pictures of her in high school. She was beautiful. I also found out that Isobel married Alaric right out of high school. Crazy, I know, but it gets worse. Isobel cheated on him with some dangerous man who no one seems to know the identity of and went o my Uncle John. He took her to Grayson and Miranda Gilbert and that's how Elena and I became Gilberts. 
   But wait, there's more! Isobel went back to Alaric, but she was killed shortly after. Not by my scary father, but by Damon. I found that out tonight when he started taunting Alaric about feeding on her. But then something strange happened. Naturally, I was upset by finding out that Damon killed my mother and is the reason I will never get the chance to meet her. I ran from the Grill but this guy - a vampire - attacked me. He didn't kill me, but he came with a message. He said that I should stop looking for Isobel because she doesn't want to know me.
   Isobel's alive, I know it. But if she's alive, it means Damon didn't just kill her. He turned her into a vampire. It hurts that she doesn't want to know me, like a lot, and that along with her message would probably be enough to make any normal person give up their search, but I'm not normal. I have a vampire boyfriend, a witch best friend, and a vampire hunter for a step-dad. And my search has only just begun.