Titanic [STEFAN SALVATORE]

Chapter Seven

HE woke to the sound of footsteps on the hallway. He opened his eyes and saw Margaret beside him, for a moment he watched her chest fall and rise slowly. Her eyes were closed, her face appeared serene. And he wondered if that's how he looked when he slept, so peaceful, so contempt. The footsteps stopped by his suite. And soon, the pounding started.

Margaret opened her eyes as Stefan opened the door. He smiled slightly at the officer. "May I help you?"

"Stefan Salvatore, please come with us." The officer said. And this time, Stefan realized he wasn't alone but with others from the crew. The hallways weren't clear either, it was filled with people who had heard the noise and had come out to see what it was about.

He looked at Margaret, as she got up from the bed and didn't try to say anything on his defense. Easily, he could escape the shackles that were being tied around his hands. But he couldn't compel everyone in the hall simultaneously and he also didn't feel like chasing those that ran away. He let himself be shackled and be taken down the hall.

He made a small mental plan. Once he was alone with the officer, he would compel him and safely escape. But for now, he was going to play along at what appeared to be Thomas' petty plan. He turned once as he walked and saw Margaret standing by his now closed suite door, her expression was cold, set in stone and he got the odd feeling she'd done this to him.

Margaret on the other hand, waited for Stefan to disappear completely from view before going to her suite. She got a new change of clothes and took a bath. Half an hour or so, she stopped by the cafe and found both her mother and Thomas there. There didn't seem to be that many guests as yesterday, as unbelievably they had heard about the murders and decided to stay locked safely in their suites.

Margaret ordered a big breakfast and sat. Thomas was the first to speak. "I feel at peace at last."

"He is going to escape," her mother said. She no longer wondered about her husband and instead seemed to piece everything together by herself. Margaret thought that was a possibility too, he could play one of his mind games, which as he had told her yesterday was called compulsion and be freed.

"I do think that's a possibility too. He calls it compulsion, he plants thoughts and commands in the minds of others. He has them do as he pleases. But it's done through eye contact and maybe even his voice...if Stefan can't be heard or seen then perhaps he won't escape," she thought out loud.

"Where exactly would you keep him?" Thomas asked.

"A vault and he would have to be chained in order not to escape," Margaret explained. Even as she said those words, she wondered if it was too much. Did Stefan deserve all of this? She arrived at the conclusion that yes, he did.

Thomas stood up. "I will speak to the officer."

"No, why don't we go together? In a few minutes?" She asked him. Thomas took a seat back and Margaret chewed her food, trying to find some flavor in it. She'd been hungry yesterday but today her appetite was gone.

And still, she took a few bites knowing she'd need her strength if Stefan were to escape. Though, it seemed unlikely he would. A few moments later, Margaret and Thomas excused themselves from the table and made their way out to the hall. Not knowing her way to where they were keeping Stefan or where the officer was, Margaret let Thomas lead her.

He lead her through many corridors, many of which Margaret hadn't seen yet. She thought about it, the magnitude of the ship and all of the lives it carried. Yes, it was indestructible. But so man claimed, until something came and wrecked them leaving nothing but shattered pieces behind. She told herself she would never travel, at least not by ship as long as she lived.