Jasmine cried out in pain and pushed Alethea away from her, finally tired for the day. They had gone through her most recent adventures up until her trip to Georgia with Damon and Elena. Manipulating each memory of her feeding, blacking out at any point, to where she either walked away from the temptation or restrained herself. Jasmine was exhausted and her entire body was in pain, but she knew this wouldn't be the end as long as she believed that her bloodlust is the reason for her loved ones' destruction.

"We can't stop. This is deeper than some rekindled bloodlust, Jasmine. If we stop now—"

"Enough. I can't think with all this pain and you clearly need a break." Alethea rolled her eyes but nodded. Going into people's minds and physically altering their memories was an exhausting thing. "We both need to cool down before we set our own selves on fire. And I know just the thing."

Alethea stood from her spot and followed Jasmine towards her room, "what do you have in mind?"

Jasmine searched her closet as she spoke to Alethea, "I received a text from the Lockwood kid this morning, he said he was having a party at a swimming hole—pool, I don't know. Either way he said to bring a bikini and quote 'any hot friends' I might have." She looked over her shoulder to glance at Alethea with a smirk, "and well, you're the only company I have, so you'll do."

"Gee, thanks."

The siphoner let out a laugh and tossed her a bathing suit, "I'm assuming you didn't bring any clothing, so here, I think this suits you. Really brings out the color of your hair."

They both got dressed accordingly then slinging a loose cover up on. Jasmine noticed Alethea watching her hands, specifically her wrist. A thin braided leather bracelet was on it and Alethea remembered seeing it from decades ago.

"You still have it."

Immediately knowing what she was talking about, Jasmine gave her a curt nod, "I've never taken it off... not once since he put it on me. I probably never will."

"You're still hung up on him." It was a question, but Aletheasaid it more as a confirmation.

Growing frustrated, Jasmine violently threw her dirty clothes into the hamper and turned to face her, "of course, I am. A love like that... I can't just forget about him. You made sure I couldn't move on when I actually had the chance."

"You still blame—"

"The blame is yours! I was happy, Alethea! I was finally moving on and accepting that I may never see Kol again but once I found that happiness, you wasted no time in ripping it away from me, did you? I trusted you, you were my friend—scratch that, you were the closest thing to a sister that I had and you ruined it! So, don't you dare come to me as if you didn't betray me in the worst possible way. You knew what you were doing, you even admitted it, so tell me... how can you stand there and have the audacity to ask if I still blamed you?"

Alethea stood there with her gaze on the floor, refusing to meet Jasmine's eyes. She knew what she had done, she knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help it. She was jealous and not in her right of mind, it seemed like the only explanation. But that wouldn't help her case, so she kept that to herself as Jasmine continued to wait for an answer.

Jasmine scoffed when she didn't get a response. She didn't think she ever would, so she decided to let it go... for now. She grabbed her sunglasses and walked towards the bedroom door, "we're going on foot, so hurry along."

----

As they walked down the path towards the forest, Jasmine was greeted by many townspeople, already so fond of the girl, but there was one group who looked at her with such hatred that was immediately replaced with a smile that it left Jasmine wondering if she had just imagined it. She just shook her head lightly as she and Alethea walked passed them.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Jasmine huffed as Alethea turned around, a smile plastered on her face, "yes?"

The man who called out to her held a thin braided leather bracelet in his hand, outstretching it towards her, "I think your friend dropped this."

Jasmine turned around looked at it, confused, and then glanced at her wrist. The bracelet was gone. Already highly suspicious of them, Jasmine narrowed her eyes and walked to retrieve it, "thank you, sir. How foolish of me to easily lose something so precious to me, huh?" She smiled at the bracelet as she clasped it on her wrist. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed the group beginning to disperse.

Snapping her fingers, Jasmine entrapped them in place and mockingly nodded "wait, that's right. I do execute caution when it comes to my prized possessions." She saw them raise their heads and watch her with dull glares as she raised her own head to meet their blonde leader's eyes, "for example, I enchanted this bracelet so that it would never slip off. I couldn't risk losing it. The only way it could come off is with a releasing spell."

Alethea looked on edge when she caught on and looked at the witches in front of her. If they were there with ill intentions, Alethea was sure that Jasmine wouldn't be able to take them all on considering there was only one of her and at least ten of them.

The man cleared his throat as he smiled at Jasmine, "you're a witch, too."

"Obviously, considering I trapped you all in place," the blonde man looked down at his feet, trying to get them to move—he couldn't—and then looked up to smile at Jasmine. "Who are you and what do you want?"

The man raised his hands in surrender before declining his head slightly, "my apologies, I just simply wanted to grab your attention. You are quite beautiful and my friends didn't think I'd have the courage to even say hello to you." The man shot a look to his company, demanding them to play along. He grinned bashfully as his friends let out sounds of agreement and a few chortles. "I just wanted to introduce myself, I'm sorry if I offended you in any way."

Jasmine stared at him, not feeling entirely confident that he was telling the truth, but she let it go with a roll of her eyes, "next time just say hello instead of having to resort to damaging her things." She waved her hand dismissively, releasing them, before she turned back around to continue onto her path, "now, if you excuse us, we have somewhere we much rather be. Good day."

"My name's Francis, by the way." He called out to her causing Alethea and her to stop. "I hope to see you around."

Smirking, she turned her head to stare at him, "you better hope you don't." With that she turned on her heels and stalked away, resuming her path with Alethea striding to keep pace.

The man kept a smile on his face until they were out of sight and hearing. He clenched his fist and tightened his jaw, staring at the place she once stood. She was so close to him, literally a hand away. He could have done it there, finally getting rid of her, but he knew he himself could not be the one to destroy her. That's something she had to do on her own.

"Sir? Did you get it?"

Rolling his eyes, he opened his hand and looked at the small strand of hair, "of course I got it. Now, we'll know where she is at all times."