Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Eighteen

Diana leans against a wall in the cell, staring at the wall across from her, she spins her knife in her hand, droplets of blood falling from it with every spin. Damon watches her. She leans up and lets out a breath.

"I'm bored now" Diana admits and tucks her knife away. "So..I'mma go find something fun to do" Damon watches as she leaves humming away to herself. Caroline looks at Damon who glances at her. They share a look, both seeing just how wrong this Diana is.

...........

Elena heads through the ruins looking for the others.

............

Diana steps over the body of the deceased deputy she'd killed earlier just as Elena turns the corner and sees her.

"Diana" Elena snaps. "Don't ever use your powers on me again" Elena scolds Diana as she walks towards her.

"You're welcome" Diana offers and cocks her head. "You could be a little more grateful, you know, I did just save your boyfriends' lives"

"What?" Elena asks her.

"Stefan and Damon" Diana answers.

"We broke up..." Elena argues. "And there is nothing between me and Damon." Diana shoots her a look.

"I'm a mind reader, Elena, don't bother trying to lie to me" Diana scolds and then walks away. "Some birthday this is turning out to be" She states, Elena's eyes widen and she turns to Diana's retreating form.

"Di" She comments, Diana waves over her shoulder and then leaves. "I forgot" Elena whispers sadly.

............

Later, Damon and Stefan are now awake. Damon is feeding on one of the deputies and then he checks on Stefan. Elena is sitting with Stefan. Caroline and Liz are sitting close by.

"You need to drink some deputy blood," Damon tells Stefan.

"No. I'm gonna be fine. It's just gonna take a little bit longer.

"Damon's right you know. If there's ever a time to break your diet..." Caroline starts.

"He said he didn't want it, okay?" Elena stops her, snapping slightly, Caroline's eyes widen a little.

"This is a most unfortunate situation. Two deputies dead and you."

"Three" Elena corrects, Damon looks at her. "There's another in the tunnel..." He sighs and nods before he turns back to Liz.

"What am I gonna do with you?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you? Mom? Mom? Please. Look, I know that we don't get along and that you hate me but I'm your daughter and you'll do this for me, right? Mom, please. He will kill you."

"Then kill me."

"No!"

"I can't take this. Kill me now." Damon bends down to look her in the eyes.

"But you were gonna drag it out so painfully." Damon suddenly grabs her. She stands up quickly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Caroline pleads.

"Damon, don't!"

"Damon, please!"

"Relax guys. No one is killing anybody." Damon looks at Liz. "You're my friend." He then looks at the deputies. "We've got to clean this up."

............

Alaric walks into the Boarding House and steps into the living room where Elena, Caroline, and Damon are gathered. He looks at each of them and then becomes worried, given the looks on all their faces.

"What's going on?" Alaric asks. Caroline and Elena share a look.

"Diana" Elena starts. "There's something very wrong with her"

"Not you too" Alaric complains.

"No, she's right" Caroline defends. "I've never seen her like that before" Alaric frowns a little and looks at Damon.

"She went rogue" Damon answers as he pours them both a drink. "Like...full-on crazy" Alaric frowns at him. "Black eyes crazy"

"Like Eva?" Alaric asks, Elena nods.

"Who's Eva?" Caroline asks.

"Diana's evil twin sister" Elena answers, Caroline's eyes widen.

"You need to tell them," Damon tells Alaric who sighs, he knows that too. So he does. He explains everything Diana told him about her crystal, about Eva, about the darkness inside of her.

.............

Elena stares into the fireplace as she processes what Alaric told them. She had no idea what her own sister was going through. She lets out a breath.

"She was trying to protect you, Elena" Alaric states behind her, she nods a little.

"I know" She agrees. She knows that everything Diana does is for the protection of the people she loves, which includes her. "It's her birthday today" Elena admits, Alaric cocks his head. "I forgot" she looks at him. "I forgot my own sister's birthday...."

"I didn't know" Alaric offers.

"Diana's not really one for talking about herself" She reminds him, he nods. "Or celebrating the day..." Elena whispers, he lets out a breath. "Did you try her cell phone?"

"I've called" Alaric answers. "Left messages..."

"What if she doesn't come back?"

"She will" Alaric assures her. "You're her family..." Elena nods a little and looks at him.

"And she has you" Elena adds, Alaric nods.

................

At the Salvatore Boarding House, Damon hears someone knocking on the door, and he answers it. He finds Jeremy on the other side, appears surprised to see him at his house at all.

"I need to talk to you," Jeremy admits.

"And why do I need to talk to you?" Damon tries to close the door on him. Jeremy pushes it back open.

"Tyler Lockwood has to kill someone to activate his curse. He's not a werewolf yet."

"Wow, fascinating. Not enough." Damon attempts to close the door again, but Jeremy pushes back.

"But Mason Lockwood is and he's looking for a moonstone, a special rock connected to the werewolf legend. That's why he's here."

"A moonstone?"

"And I know where it is," Jeremy admits, Damon frowns at him. 

"And you're bringing me this why?"

"Do I need a reason? Look, I just want to help, okay?"

"What's your sister say about this little discovery?" Damon asks him, Jeremy doesn't answer. "Oh, you haven't told her, have you?"

"Well, Elena doesn't want me getting involved in all this and I would have taken it to Diana but I don't know where she is"

"Join the club" Damon mumbles. Jeremy tries to walk into the house. Damon pushes him out. "And you're a Gilbert and you just can't help yourself. Wow. Your search for life's purpose is as obvious as it is tragic."

"You going to let me in or not?" Damon steps aside. Jeremy walks in and Damon closes the door behind them.

...............

Diana wakes with a gasp and sits up, finds herself in some dingy motel room, she wrinkles her nose and glances around. Her eyes taking in the mess around her. Blood. Bodies. Empty bottles. She smirks to herself. She looks down at her hands and rubs her fingers together, almost playing with the blood there. She hums to herself and stares at her hands.