Madeline Sage Saltzman, a vampire hunter and adoptive daughter of Alaric Saltzman, did not know what was in store for her when she entered Mystic Falls. Each passing day meant more potential dangers emerging. How will she handle it when she falls in...
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❝𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒.❞︎
─︎ ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑎𝑙 ▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎
"You're trying to get yourself killed?" Madeline exclaimed into her phone. With her new power making an appearance, she hadn't known about Elena's attempt to contact Klaus and hand herself over. "Are you insane?"
"Please, Mads. I can't let all of you die because of me." Elena pleaded as she sat on her bed, not enthusiastic to hear another lecture. The grip on her cell phone tightened.
"Elena, you have people who love you. You would leave so many people behind. Jer needs you. The kid has lost enough already. I will not let him lose a sister. Stefan and Damon need you. I need you." Madeline scolded. If Elena's plan had succeeded, she didn't want to imagine how it would have impacted her circle of friends.
"But I know you'd do the same thing!" Elena countered, running her hand through her hair as if it would relieve all her stress.
"Please do not switch this around. Do you realize all you're doing is giving up? You aren't trying." Madeline urged, struggling to remain polite. Though, her politeness was tossed out a window a long time ago. "Lena, this isn't the solution. You are like a sister to me, and I won't agree to this. Just don't try killing yourself in the meantime?"
"I'll try, Mads." Elena sighed in disappointment.
"I have to go. Love you," Madeline let out, unsure if she would receive a response.
Elena half-smiled. Despite how disheartened she was, she would always see Madeline as a sister. "Love you too."
°︎•︎∙︎☽∙︎•︎°︎
"You want to call Isobel?" Madeline asserted the next day, arms crossed. They stood in the vampire's room. Downstairs, Elena complained to Damon about how no one trusted Elijah. The doppelganger and the ancient vampire had struck a deal, which everyone found incredulous. "Just to find out more about Klaus?"
"Well, I was hoping you'd agree with me. Elijah can't be trusted, and Elena is adamant about their deal." Stefan explained, his voice tender. "She may know something. Something that will give us an advantage."
Madeline paused, thinking about other possible alternatives, her nose crinkling as she thought. Unfortunately, she came up with none. Stefan was right. They knew little about Elijah, and if they believed an Original vampire, it could end badly for everyone.
"As much as I would love to keep her away from us, I will help," Madeline said hesitantly. Seeing her mother again wasn't on her to-do list. "Elena can't be putting all her faith into his bargain. And I still don't believe she has her suicidal tendencies handled."
"Are you sure? You don't have to do this." Stefan said, tentative, and his eyes replenished with concern. "I know how you feel about your mother."
It was a touchy subject, but Madeline excluded the sensations of sorrow trickling in her veins. "It's okay, Stef." Madeline smiled. "If she knows something, we have to figure it out."
"Thank you, Leine." Stefan smiled gratefully. Madeline would never get tired of that weird nickname. It would forever sound wonderful in his voice.
"Just a fair warning. Isobel is not to be trusted, either." Madeline cautioned. Isobel's prior visit had verified that. The mother she knew was gone. Deep down, the hunter never truly got over it. "I'll try to ask my father if he can find any connection."
°︎•︎∙︎☽∙︎•︎°︎
Damon had called the youngest Saltzman, asking for a small favor. He hadn't gone into detail, but the masked pain in his voice was all too explicit.
Without uncertainty, Madeline agreed and scrambled to the Salvatore's home after delivering Stefan Isobel's phone number, wondering what could possibly be the problem. Seemingly, it had something to do with Rose and how her werewolf's bite had worsened, but she still couldn't predict it any further. What she didn't expect was to see a vulnerable Rose in Damon's arms, the two vampires laying in bed and savoring the limited time they had.
"Oh, no," Madeline whispered, haltingly approaching, her olive-green eyes wide and wary as her gut twisted with dread. Rose was asleep and in a dream, which Damon designed specifically for her. If she were to perish, he preferred her to be at peace and joyous, not frightened and suffering.
Sweat dampened her shirt and ran in minor rivulets down her unusually pale skin. Her hair was disheveled as her chest rose up and down steadily. No cure for a werewolf's bite existed, meaning her death was unavoidable. One look from Damon, and she knew what he needed. A stake was fastened in his hand, but he didn't want to perform the drastic action to cease Rose's anguish. Silently, Madeline grabbed the stake from his fist, the weight of it feeling shameful.
"Ready?" Madeline whispered, keeping her hands from trembling. Eyes cultivating unwanted tears, Damon nodded, jaw clenched tightly. Inhaling through her nose and exhaling out through her mouth, Madeline slowly aligned the stake with Rose's heart, preparing to end her misery. Damon had enough burdens in his life, so Madeline was willing to snatch one off his plate.
Shutting her eyes, she jostled the stake into the female vampire's chest, swallowing the remorse and abhorring the minor gasp of pain Rose emitted. The hunter didn't need to open her eyes to know Rose's body was desiccating, now gray, diminishing any indication of life.
"Thank you, Mads," Damon whispered so softly that his lips barely shifted, shattering the silence, which the hunter was grateful for. She opened her eyes and smiled wistfully, moving next to the blue-eyed vampire and hugging him, unable to form a word. Not being one for hugs, Damon was unsure how to react, allowing the hunter to convey him some chunk of comfort.
No words needed to be exchanged to say what they both thought as the writhing darkness glided around the compartment, spiking guilt within them. Rose deserved better.
