The Gilbert Twins

Chapter Eleven: Lost Girls Part I

Elena narrowed her eyes towards Stefan's direction. "What are you?"

"You know." Stefan said calmly.

"No, I don't." Elena responded tightly, refusing to face him. "I'll ask again, what are you?"

It took a second for Stefan to respond before he said. "Vampire."

It took a minute for Elena to register the comment and when she did it sounded unbelievable even to her own ears. "I have to go."

Stefan flashed in front of her, quickly. There was panic in his eyes. "Please don't. Let me explain."

"How did you-"her voice trailed off as she shook her head. How could she have been so stupid? "All those animal attacks, did you cause them?"

Stefan shook his head desperately. "No, of course not. That was Damon. That is not how I chose to survive by hunting innocent people." He grasped her arm. "Please let me explain. Elena, you can't tell anyone. Do you understand?"

"Let me go, Stefan." Elena said stiffly. "I can't promise you anything. I need to go."

"Wait, Elena. All I'm asking you is for a chance to explain. Please." He pleaded. "One chance."

Elena hesitated at the doorway before she said. "One chance. But no one else is getting involved. We'll meet wherever you want to."

Stefan looked uncomfortable. "Actually, I think you should bring Holly."

"Why?"

"Trust me." Stefan said before closing the door. "I'm not the only one hiding secrets."

Damon let out a low groan of desperation as he looked over at Vicki-his snack from last night that he had brought home, passed out on the floor. He looked at the window, crap there was still sun out and he without a daylight ring. Damn Stefan.

Vicki let out a low, confused groan. She was half naked and there was blood pouring from her neck. "What the hell happened?"

"Don't get blood on the couch."

Vicki simply slumped in her seat.

Damon rolled his blue eyes. "I think I choose the wrong girl." He bit into his wrist and forced Vicki to drink the ruby colored liquid. "Drink up. There's a good girl."

"You have to be kidding me, a vampire?" Surprisingly, Holly didn't sound as surprise later that afternoon. She, Elena, and Stefan drove in Stefan's car towards some unknown location in the woods. Elena had insisted that she come with them and at the precise moment Stefan told Holly that he was a vampire. "Like with fangs and blood and stuff?"

Stefan suppressed a smile. "Yes, with fangs and stuff. You don't seem so surprise."

Holly opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it. "I've heard worse."

"I doubt it." Stefan stopped in front of the ruins of a white house. "Here we are. Get out."

Holly frowned as she looked at the ruins of the house. "What are we doing in the middle of nowhere?"

Stefan give her a patient smile. "This didn't used to be nowhere. This used to be my home. I was born here."

Elena gaped. "How much-"

"I've been seventeen years old since 1864."

The color drained from both Elena and Holly's faces. "You've been alive for 146 years?" Holly asked.

Stefan nodded as he looked back at the house with sadness, the three of them began walking towards the house. "This is where Damon and I meet Katherine for the first time. She was a vampire and the one who turned us. Damon made you and Holly believe that we knew Katherine recently, but we haven't seen her for 146 years. She died in the tragic fire, I told you about Elena-except she and a couple of other dozen vampires were burned to death. Katherine was beautiful, but she was also selfish and manipulative. She managed to pin Damon and I against each other." Stefan pulled out Damon's ring from his pocket.