Consumed » Kai Parker

Forty Nine

"Took you long enough."

Arms crossed over her chest, Bonnie looks exasperated as I hurry over to her waiting spot by the buffet table stacked with delicacies.

"I'm sorry, I just had to go over something with Kai. Where's Elena and Liv?"

"Come on." Closing her fingers over mine, Bonnie pulls me along with her through the crowd and I struggle slightly to keep up without stumbling over my heels. "I just texted Elena, she spotted Care and said to head toward the end of the hall, by that big sculpture of some goddess, or whatever."

I crane my neck, trying to gain a clearer view above the hundreds of heads blocking our pathway, and make out beige, smooth edges peeking over several feet away. "That one?"

Bonnie squints in the direction I point in and nods, quickening her pace now. "That's it. I hope they're still there. What were you talking to Kai about, anyway?"

As flashes of our lips connected run through my mind, I have my lie prepared, almost a mechanical action of mine nowadays when it comes to my friends. "I wanted to go over the plan with him one more time. To make sure he doesn't end up doing his own thing because with Kai, that's usually something that might get him killed."

So, not a total lie. Progress there. But watching Bonnie mull over this, I wish desperately to be able to convey my worries to one of my best friends, since Caroline–the only one who truly gets my dilemma–is unavailable. It'd be a relief to confide in Bonnie, about how absolutely terrified I am of something happening to Kai tonight, even after he just reassured me that everything will be smooth sailing and I'd see him later. What I wouldn't give to rant to her right now, and have her assure me with her reasonable voice that I appreciate so much, that Kai's smart and he's gonna be okay and so will the rest of us. Instead, I just let her tug me closer to the sculpture, as she responds.

"Well, his powers aren't exactly lacking," she tells me, glancing over before focusing on pushing through the various party-goers. "So, it's not like he won't have a leg to stand on, if Stefan does attack him. And there's Klaus and Damon. I think it's safe to say that one way or another, they'll manage to get Stefan back with everyone unscathed." She half smiles at me. "Okay?"

Genuinely, I return her smile, grateful for the reassurance even if she doesn't understand the magnitude of my concern for Kai's wellbeing. "Yeah. Okay."

We continue to weave through the crowd, and it fortunately began to thin out a bit the farther we got towards the end of the enormous hall where the magnificent sculpture lay.

It isn't long before we spot the girls, milling around near other guests who had appeared to be more interested in conversation than dancing to the upbeat, old fashioned tune filling the atmosphere. Elena and Liv are in full blown chatter-mode with Caroline–actually, moreso on Elena's end, while Liv is merely standing there, glancing around with discomfort that I know she's tying to keep subtle but the signs are in her stiff posture and wandering eyes.

Finding Caroline emits a rush of simultaneous relief and worry through my body, but I do my best to dwell more on the relief, though that's quite an endeavor. Trying to channel the easygoingness with which Kai accomplishes most tasks, I inhale deeply, square my shoulders, and head alongside Bonnie toward the blonde in the sequined, sapphire dress and white feather boa.

"Just act natural, and make conversation with her, like they're doing," Bonnie whispers to me. "And then, we figure out a way to corner her."

"Gotcha," I say, willing myself to believe that the whole process would be as simple as this reply.