Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Masquerade Ball is underway when Alaric and Diana arrive together. And to be honest, Alaric can't stop looking at Diana. That dress she is wearing is something he's never seen her in before. The black. The gold. The tight nature. Her dresses have always been flowy, like summer and spring and always floral and soft, nothing so...sinful, except from the time they fell out, he remember that little black and white number fondly, she'd looked so beautiful that night, despite the fact they'd put the breaks on their relationship. She lets out a breath and glances at him. They share a look. She wiggles her eyebrows and lifts her stick mounted mask to cover her eyes.

"Let's get this over with" She tells him, he nods a little.

................

Not long after, Katherine and her witch friend, Lucy arrive. They're share a look as they enter the party and then head off in different directions, walking away from one another. Katherine takes a strawberry from a plate and walks into Matt.

"Elena?" Matt asks.

"Matt? You look dashing."

"I thought you said you weren't coming."

..........

Diana stands with Alaric, a specialised shackle around her wrist, another around Alaric's but hidden beneath sleeves.

"She's here" Diana tells Alaric who looks at her.

"How do you know?"

"I can hear her" Diana points to her head and looks around for Katherine.

............

"I couldn't miss it." Katherine tells Matt. "You really are hot in a suit. I would love to just...Okay, here's the deal." She compels him. "Do you know what you have to do?"

"I'm gonna get Tyler Lockwood really drunk. I'm going to start a fight with him and I'm gonna beat him until he snaps."

"And then?"

"I won't stop until he kills me."

"God, you're hot. Now go away."

"Thank you." Matt tells her and then walks away.

..............

Diana frowns a little and then sighs dramatically. Alaric watching her, notes her changing expression.

"What?" Alaric asks her.

"She's compelled Matt" She admits. "He's going to provoke Tyler into a fight...until he kills him..."

"Activating the werewolf curse" Alaric mumbles already pulling out his cell phone to tell the others.

...............

Damon and Stefan are outside. They look around.

"Do you see her?" Damon asks.

"Nope. You're sure you can do this?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, I had the chance to kill her and I hesitated."

"Well that is the fork in the road between you and me my friend. I don't hesitate."

"You spent 145 years loving her, it could happen."

"I won't hesitate." Damon assures Stefan.

"Okay." Stefan offers and then pulls out his phone. "She's here...Diana's already picked up her brainwaves" Damon nods a little. "But she's compelled Matt Donovan" Damon looks at him. "To fight Tyler...." Damon groans.