Return To Mystic Falls

Slater

She stands in the study as if she belongs there, staring at the deep red curtains pulled across the windows. I should have known she had something to do with this. Rose has been trying to find a way out of her death sentence from the day she signed it. Her being here means nothing good. Stefan, Damon and I have enough to worry about without her problems added on top.

"Ugh, you're still lurking around?" I question, taking a drink from my coffee mug as Rose turns around. "I was hoping when Elijah came back to life he'd kill you."

Rose frowns, crossing her arms over her chest, "Vampires don't just come back to life after you stake them."

Letting out a laugh, I begin circling around the female vampire, "Oh Rose, poor, poor Rose. You should have ditched Trevor when they gave you a chance." I stop in front of Rose, holding her gaze. "The others will find you and now you don't even have the doppelganger to give them. Your life really does just keep getting shittier and shittier." Finishing off my coffee, I set the cup down on the desk, beginning to circle around my prey once again, "You know, I could just put you out of your misery. It'd be better for everyone."

Before Rose can reply, Stefan enters the study followed closely by Damon. I wonder if the brothers were listening in, waiting for just the right moment to intervene. Their excellent timing makes me think that's the case. Both brothers take in the scene; Rose trying to make herself as small a possible, me mid-circle, the vampiristic instincts beginning to take over. "I see you two have met."

Damon strides across the room, wrapping an arm protectively around my waist, "And something tells me this isn't the first time."

The vampire standing to my left scowls, a hand going to her hip as she regains some of her confidence. Rose obviously believes that I won't kill her with Damon and Stefan around. "I've had the distinct displeasure."

"Maybe don't fall in love with such shitty men and fewer people would want you dead," I shoot back with a shrug.

"At least I didn't spend the last 300 years riding the coat tails of the Originals."

I see red, lunging at Rose. A wall of flesh blocks my path, grabbing me by the arms. I struggle for a second before giving up. Stefan isn't a part of this and doesn't deserve to be hurt in my attempts at putting Rose in her place. The brunette vampire has no idea what she's talking about. I ran the same as she did. My story just happened to be one that the Originals believed.

Damon takes me from his brother, arms wrapping around me as his chin rest on my shoulder. "I wouldn't antagonize her. You've not proven you're worth yet."

"So give me a chance to prove to you that I'm worth keeping around. I know who's after Elena. She needs to be warned."

"And I suppose you're the one to do it, huh?" I demand of Rose from my spot on the couch. "That would be a fantastic idea. Bring Elena here to listen to her kidnapper tell her that she's in danger. Face it, Rose, you aren't actually useful. You never were and you never will be."

Stefan turns to me, frustration creasing his smooth skin, temporarily making him look closer to his actual age, "Diana, stop! I get the whole chip on your shoulder thing most of the time, but this is just getting ridiculous. This is Elena we're talking about here. She's already been taken once. I'm not risking someone stronger coming in and doing the same thing. I'm going to call her."

"You're making a huge mistake, Stefan. She'll say anything to try and prove her worth," I answer, rolling my eyes as Damon's younger brother walks out of the room, cell phone already lifted to his ear.

Elena arrives twenty minutes later, eager to hear what Rose has to say. Why Stefan is even entertaining the idea of gathering information from her, I can't figure out. Maybe it's a ploy to keep the woman from running off. I suppose it's safer to have her here than wandering around out where anyone could find her. Still, Rose hardly knows what's going on. She's been out of the loop for years, running from a threat that quickly lost interest in its prey.