(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Fifty-Two

Daphne should be reading through the notes she made on the spell for Stefan's spell but she can't concentrate. Her mind is more focused on watching Elena who uses Alaric's punching bag. Elena can tell that Daphne is distracted. But she does appear to have slept. Like there is a weight that has been taken from her shoulders. Like she's unloaded something.

"You want to talk about it?" Elena asks, Daphne hums a little and then frowns, looking at her.

"What?" She voices, Elena gives her a look.

"Whatever it is that's going on with you"

"Nothing to talk about" Daphne offers as she forces her eyes back to her book. Elena hums a little and then shakes her head.

"I was just going to say you seem...better this morning" Elena defends.

"I slept" Daphne offers. "I ate, I even took a shower....." She looks up. "I feel better..." She shrugs a little. The two of them then glance at Alaric as he enters the room, leaving the bathroom. "How are you feeling this morning?" Daphne asks Alaric as she closes her book.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think the ring, however, is running low on batteries" He answers. She hums a little.

"Yeah, that's another reason why Jeremy has to get out of town" Elena comments. "If those rings have a shelf life, he is not protected, neither are you"

"I can take a look through my books on enchantments if you want" Daphne offers Alaric who gives her a look.

"When you get time" He teases. "Considering"

"I can flick through a few books, Ric" She argues. "This is important too"

"And you are going to burn yourself out" He counters. "Just focus on the plateful you already have...." She hums a little and then shrugs before she stands. "I have to go meet the others" She offers. "Elena, I put Caroline's gift in your bag"

"I will make sure she gets it" Elena assures her. Daphne gathers up her books from the desk, followed by her bag before she then aparates away.

..........

At the Old Witch House, Bonnie is casting a spell, and chanting in Latin as she tries to open the locked coffin, the fourth coffin. The mysterious coffin. Bonnie stops chanting and then tries to open the coffin. But it is still locked. She slams her hands on the top of it.

"Why won't you open?!" She snaps a little. Suddenly the coffins disappear. She hears the floorboards squeaking, there's someone else in the house. "Hello? Someone there? Daphne?"

......

Outside, Damon and Stefan are walking up to the house. Damon adjusts his jacket. He barely slept. Worrying about what just has Daphne so scared of dying and being cremated. There has to be something more to it than just that. Why does it matter how she is disposed of? But he knows enough of Daphne to know that she was terrified of it. The concept of being burnt even in death truly scares her. It has to be about whatever these side effects are. He shakes his head. It's not like he has to worry about it too much. It's only going to be an issue if she actually dies. And considering they are trying to do everything to stop everyone from dying he doesn't think that she's going to die any time soon.

"You didn't say anything to Elena about the coffins, right?" Stefan asks his brother who gives him a look.

"No, I said I wouldn't."

"I know what you said" Stefan argues.

"Why are you asking?"

"Because protecting the location of Klaus's family is my number one priority right now. And the fewer people who know, the better" Damon stops walking. Stefan stops too. "What?" Bonnie walks slowly to the staircase; when she turns to walk up the stairs, she sees Damon there. He puts his finger to his lips to quiet her and listens intently. In another room, a hybrid walks out of the house and runs into Daphne as she apparates into the building. She gasps, surprised. That was some bad timing and location too. The hybrid vamps out and lunges for her. But before he can bite her, Damon appears and rips his heart out from behind him. The hybrid's body drops and Damon and Daphne share a look.

"These hybrids, really bringing the neighbourhood down" Damon throws the heart on the ground and then moves to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah" She answers. "I just...I didn't think..." She looks down at the body. She never really thinks about the threat being on the other end of her jumps. It's never been a problem before. But it is now. She has no idea what she is apparating into.

"You're fine, come on" Damon takes her wrist and moves her away from the hybrid's body. "What are you doing here, Red?"

"Bonnie text" She answers. "She said the coffin was locked" She offers as she digs around in her bag. "So I picked up some books on charms and jinx that might work" She keeps rummaging. "Oh, urm, here" She offers as she pulls two little red lollipops out of the bag, holding out one to Damon who takes it. He takes the wrapper off and instantly just shoves it into his mouth. Not even asking what it is. Damon appears surprised by the taste and Daphne smirks a little. "I got some for Caroline for her birthday, and I thought you...and Stefan, might...want to try them" She holds out the second lollipop out for Stefan who glares at it before softening slightly when he realises that it is just a lollipop. He takes it from her and pulls off the wrapper.

"What is it?" Stefan asks as he sniffs at the lollipop. He looks at Daphne surprised. "Is that blood?"

"Yeah, they're blood-flavoured lollipops" She answers and then goes back to her bag. "Vampires are part of our community, we cater for them too" She points out and then finds the books she is looking for. "There are also blood tea cakes and blood marmalade, and I think they even do blood syrups for coffee" Damon raises a surprised eyebrow, but she's been open about her type of witches being okay with vampires. That her magical community is more open to them. That they taught at their schools. They attended as students. They have children with them. That's more than he can say about the other kinds of magical users. It actually makes him wonder how the vampires that are part of the community live.