chapter fourteen — a bloodied mess 

Gwyn eyed the Mystic Falls Historical Society Volunteer Day poster with a jaded gaze, disregarding Carol Lockwood's distant voice as she spoke with feigned refinement. The Fell family had donated an awfully generous amount of money for the community to construct a park, therefore the entire vicinity was suffused with families and overwhelming auras. She focused her attention on the smaller details of the area like the faint breeze soaring through the trees or the softness of the exposed earth, even the small splashes from the stream in the distance. Much to her dismay, she strolled beside Stefan Salvatore at a controlled pace.

"Why are we always cleaning up after your moronic brother," She questioned aloud, warily eyeing the moving figure of Mason Lockwood. She was entirely bothered to discover Damon attempted to carelessly kill Mason. So, of course, she had no other choice other than to demolish this incoming dispute. Normally, she wouldn't have cared, but they didn't exactly know what they were dealing with when it included Mason.

Stefan didn't answer as they approached Mason, who seemed displeased with their presence already. "Stefan, right," Mason asked, setting a box down. "The other Salvatore."

"The nice one," Stefan said, his voice neutral. "The one offering an apology."

Mason shook his head. "Not interested." Was all he said, peeved.

Gwyn rolled her eyes. "Look, Damon is an absolute moron. I think we can both agree on that, but if this whole bullshit continues, someone innocent is gonna get hurt. Think of your family and friends here, Mason. I doubt you want any harm brought to them, so let's just stop the alpha male fighting thing and call a truce."

He pointed a finger at her face. "I made that same offer to him. He turned it down. With a knife."

She pushed his hand away from her. "That was a mistake," She said with a tight-lipped smile, "Stefan and I are here to ensure neither of you make any more mistakes."

Mason grabbed his box and stepped away, disinterested. "Tell Damon to watch his back." As he walked away, Stefan latched onto his bicep, preventing him from continuing forward.

"Well, I'm guessing that he only has to worry about that on a full moon. Otherwise, you're not as strong. Am I right? Or you would have killed Damon by now." Mason didn't speak, which only confirmed their theory, but there was evident frustration swirling around in his gaze. "There's one of you. There are three of us. I think you're the one who needs to watch their back."

Mason sighed heavily. "If he comes at me—"

Stefan extended his arm outward in a friendly manner. "He won't." Reluctantly, Mason accepted the gesture before stepping away and turning his back toward them.

Gwyn contained her relieved sigh as she watched him stroll away, but her satisfaction was short-lived as she recognized Damon's presence suddenly appeared beside her and Stefan. "What are you doing?" Damon inquired.

Stefan half-shrugged. "Negotiating peace on your behalf."

Damon smacked his tongue against his teeth disapprovingly. "I don't want peace."

Gwyn finally tore her gaze away from the splashes of the stream in the distance and eyed Damon warily. She wasn't entirely comfortable looking at him for too long so she avoided meeting his eyes as much as possible. "Damon," The sound of his name rolling off her tongue caught him off guard, but he was pleased she was speaking to him. "We don't care." Even if it was to tell him something like that.

"Gwyn, please tell me you don't seriously think a handshake solved our problem."

Gwyn glanced at Mason, wondering if the clutter of people surrounding him was the reason she couldn't get an accurate read from him. She sighed. "Truth be told," She began, eventually meeting his soft gaze. "I think he's going to try and kill us the first chance he gets. All because you stupidly tried to kill him and guess who's going to have to save the day once again?" She rhetorically asked.

Exasperated with the conversation, she continued onward, searching for some task to endure so she could keep her mind occupied and distracted. In the distance, she could see Mason whispering something to Sheriff Forbes. The conversation appeared hushed and distressing to Liz, whose aura was a jumbled mess. Mason glanced around, his eyes locking onto Damon and Stefan before he mumbled one final thing and left Liz alone with her thoughts.

Uneased, Gwyn feigned a bright smile and walked beside Liz. "Hey, Liz," Gwyn knew she wasn't particularly close with the sheriff, but Liz had been somewhat close to her father some years ago. "I saw you talking with Mason and you seemed upset. I just wanted to check if everything was okay."

Liz appeared startled by the observation. "Oh, I was just asking him to help with the clean-up in the woods." Gwyn didn't fail to see the plate in her hand tremble.

With a gentle kindness, Gwyn tilted her head. "That's what we're here for," She said reassuringly. "Does he need any help?"

Liz shook her head quickly. "Oh, no, no. I'm sure he's fine." She avoided Gwyn's gaze.

The witch could feel the overwhelming emotion roll off of her in waves. With furrowed brows, Gwyn narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Liz hesitated. "It's my daughter. We had a moment," With a heavy sigh, she seemed ready to ditch her food and disappear. "Now if you'll excuse me." And without another word, Liz walked away.

Something wasn't right. Gwyn was certain Mason's conversation with Liz prior was the reason for the sheriff's odd behavior. Turning on her heel, she searched the crowd for either Stefan or Damon. Upon spotting them by the lemonade stand, she rushed over. Damon reached over and grabbed the small lemonade cup he was offered from the little girl and raised the rim to his lips, immediately spitting the contents out and nearly fumbling to the concrete ground. Gwyn grabbed his flailing arms and attempted to calm him down. "What's wrong?"

Damon choked and coughed, barely able to speak a single word. "Vervain," He wheezed out, "Vervain." Damon stood and rushed over to the table where free water bottles were neatly laid out. He grabbed one, hurriedly twisting the cap off and downing the water, gargling it before spitting it out. "I'm gonna kill him." Stefan restrained him, forcing him to sit down on a bench. "I'm not listening to any more of your guys' give peace a chance crap. He's dead."

Damon heaved and panted, thrashing around as Stefan attempted to calm him. "I don't like it, but he's making threats. He could expose us. We need to put him down." Stefan explained as he glimpsed around his surroundings, noticing the curious gazes from the townspeople. "Gwyn, you stay here and make sure no one innocent follows us." His voice was hurried, rushed as Damon attempted to ease himself on the wooden bench.

Gwyn and Damon appeared shocked but nodded nonetheless in appalled agreement. Damon's gaze moved behind Stefan's shoulder where Mason was carrying trash cans further into the woods. Without another word, the brothers quickly trailed after him, inconspicuous as they used their enhanced speed. As the crowd and voices disappeared as they walked further and further, the brothers eventually circled around Mason, whose expression was laced with feigned shock. "Don't look so surprised. You knew this was inevitable," Damon seethed. "Go ahead. Run. I'll give you a head start."

But instead of running and disappearing into the foliage, Mason crouched to the floor, and then there were loud bangs which were followed by continuous searing pain. Damon glanced down and there oozing bullet holes etched into his body and all he could see was his brother collapsing onto the floor as Liz appeared from behind some trees with a few officers behind her, a gun in hand. Damon couldn't feel his legs and he fell onto the floor, burning pain flooding his body as he was injected with vervain. Then darkness.

<<>>

Gwyn eyed the pathway with a concentrated gaze, attempting to feel something—anything that indicated they were okay. But she couldn't separate everyone's overwhelming connections. She was frustrated. This was simple, something she was able to perform without needing to think, but here she was struggling to grasp onto the familiar coldness that Stefan and Damon oozed when they were near.

Her concentration was severed as a warm hand latched onto hers. With narrowed eyes, Gwyn trailed the pale arm which revealed Caroline's concerned expression with Elena beside her. "Something isn't right, Gwyn." She could feel the intense distress coursing through Caroline and this was enough to have Gwyn mindlessly follow the two teenagers inside the woods without a single plan.

Gwyn's chest burned as they sprinted through the trees and branches, heavy footsteps echoing through the space. Caroline unexpectedly stopped, circling around as she searched for something that might have given them a clue. "What is it?" Elena breathed.

Caroline's expression worsened. "They've been here," She inhaled, her eyes sparkling as she recognized a familiar scent. She looked down at her feet. A broken branch laid on the dead grass and Caroline kneeled, gently touching a bloodied leaf.

"What are you three doing out here?" Mason's voice rang through the air and Gwyn peered over her shoulder with an ire look swirling in her eyes.

Elena breathed deeply. "Have you seen Stefan?" She asked.

Mason nodded. "Yeah, Elena, I've seen him," His eyes moved onto Gwyn. "I've seen Damon, too." He inched closer and Gwyn could see Caroline stiffen.

"Where are they?"

He continued onward, closer with each step. "You don't need me for that. I'll let your friend here sniff 'em out," His hardened gaze landed on Caroline. "Does your mother know what you are? I'm happy to tell her." The blonde lurched forward but was halted as Mason encircled his arms around Elena's neck. One quick motion and she was dead. "Don't be stupid. Necks snap easily around here."

Caroline, despite being completely hesitant and afraid, curled her firsts and prepared herself. "I can take you."

Elena clawed at his arms but Mason was unfazed. "Wanna bet?"

Gwyn cocked her head. "My bet's on her." As if on cue, Caroline used her speed and lunged at him, safely tossing Elena aside as she pushed Mason onto the bark of the tree, her hand tightly around his neck.

"Told you." Caroline kneed his groin and carelessly threw him onto the floor and forcefully kicked his ribcage. Mason was thrown onto a tree before he collapsed onto the floor with a loud groan. Caroline moved her hair behind her ear with a small smirk on her lips as Mason could barely move. "Come on." Gwyn chuckled, thoroughly impressed, and followed after the duo.

They arrived at demolished ruins when Caroline stopped, listening intently as she eyed the stone staircase that led into darkness. Tears welled in her crystalline eyes. "Caroline," Gwyn asked, glancing down at the staircase. "What's wrong?"

Caroline's voice wavered. "My mom's killing them," Elena appeared horrified and was seconds from lurching into the darkness, but was prevented by Caroline. "I can't. Elena, she's going to find out about me."

Gwyn, with disappointed but understanding eyes, nodded and descended the staircase. She could barely see ahead, but the occasional crevice allowed sunlight to illuminate the pathway. Elena was behind her, her hand trailing the jagged walls. As they opened a rusted gate, it creaked and echoed. As they neared the source of the voices, an officer appeared and Gwyn extended her arm outward, a wave of power expelling from her. The officer was thrown back and they rushed into the entryway. Gwyn's eyes widened as she noticed the pools of blood beneath the brother's unconscious bodies. "Gwyn, Elena?" Liz asked, her eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"

"Gathering for the party," Gwyn said sarcastically, "What does it fucking look like, Liz?"

Suddenly, the gate behind them closed. "Who else is with you?" Liz questioned, her gun raised. They could only see the aftermath of a shadow soaring through the room with the occasional blonde hair. Caroline latched herself onto one of the officers, her fangs burrowing inside his exposed neck. When another officer began unleashing bullets, she used him as a shield before lunging at him, easily knocking him unconscious. Caroline hissed as she appeared from the shadows, eyes crimson red and mouth a bloodied mess.

The horror was evident in the sheriff's expression as her daughter emerged from the shadows, completely transformed into the one thing she despised. Liz struggled to remain to stand and staggered to a small rock to sit down on, attempting to organize her thoughts as Caroline sat across from her, keeping her distance from her mother. As Damon pushed his upper body from the dusty floor, he crawled to where the bleeding officer laid, sinking his teeth into his neck and gathering his strength. Stefan eventually awoke, groaning and hissing in intense pain. His healing process was much slower than Damon's.

Damon managed to crawl to where Stefan was being soothed tenderly by Elena, blood dripping down his chin and onto the dirt-covered floor. "You need to drink some deputy blood," Damon said.

Stefan swallowed the lump in his throat. "Oh, no. I'll be fine," He struggled to say. "It's going to take a little bit longer."

Caroline spoke from the corner of the cellar. "Damon's right," She said softly, the blood around her mouth was a light pink as it dried. "If there's ever a time to break your diet—"

Elena's hand tightened around Stefan's shoulder. "He said he didn't want it, okay?" She said sharply.

Gwyn toyed with the cobwebs that surrounded the cellar doorway, occasionally glancing toward the sheriff with hesitant eyes. "Well, this sucks," Gwyn said, "More bodies to hide and now we've got to deal with her."

Caroline finally looked up at her mother with innocent eyes. "You won't tell anyone, will you?" Liz looked at her daughter with a horrified gaze, disgusted with the spectacle that was in front of her, before turning away. "Mom? Look, I know we don't get along and that you hate me, but I'm your daughter. And you'll do this for me, right?" Liz didn't answer. "Mom, please. They will kill you."

Liz finally acknowledged the words pouring from Caroline's stained mouth. "Then kill me," Her eyes watered. "I can't take this. Kill me now."

Damon limped over to where Liz sat, leaning close. She could smell the copper from his breath. "But you were going to drag it out so painfully." In a blur, he grabbed both arms and pulled her onto her feet. Caroline screamed as Liz let out a shriek, but didn't fight back. The three of them protested and begged. "Relax, no one's killing anybody," He looked into Liz's eyes. "You're my friend."

Gwyn sighed heavily as she pushed herself off the cellar's wall. "Alright, we've gotta clean this shit up."

<<>>

The Salvatore's cellar smelled of dust and deteriorating brick. Liz spoke on the phone, explaining she wasn't going to be absent from work for a few days. Gwyn leaned against the metal door frame with an exhausted look. Transporting and disposing of deceased bodies wasn't necessarily easy. As she ended the call, Liz placed the phone in Damon's palm. "It's not exactly the ritz, but it's secure. I brought you good thread count," The sheriff perched herself onto a rickety chair across the room, eyeing her temporary room with sadness. "And once the vervain's worked its way out of your system, I will compel you to forget everything, and you'll be a free woman."

From behind her, Gwyn noticed the incoming steps from Caroline, who brought a suitcase with her mother's belongings. Liz's eyes welled with tears. "Keep Caroline away from me, please. I don't want to see her." There was disgust laced in her words and Gwyn, for a brief moment, sympathized with Caroline.

Gwyn barricaded the door, purposely blocking Caroline from view. "Believe what you want about vampires, but she's still your daughter," Gwyn said.

The sheriff shook her head firmly. "Not anymore," She said, her voice almost cracking. "My daughter's gone."

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that."

And with that, they both closed the cellar door and allowed Liz to be alone with her thoughts.