CHAPTER THIRTY ONE    /    ACT TWO

Deadly Encounters

                             Angelina and Damon watched from afar as Mason Lockwood exited the estate, waiting for the Bennett witch to make her move. After they captured the werewolf, they weren't entirely sure what they would do after that but they knew they had to take each step into the situation carefully. They didn't know everything, and they didn't know the extent to Katherine's plan and how it was executed. But luckily with a witch on their side, for the most part, there was a higher chance they would come out on top.

The vampires stood by one another as they watched Bonnie make her move in leading the amber haired wolf into their trap. She stood by a loading truck, pretending to ask for help with moving a large round wooden table in hopes Mason would come over and offer help, and it didn't take long until he fell right into her trap.

Suddenly, using the same spell she used against the others, she inflicted the werewolf with an incredible pain coursing throughout his brain. She watched as she dropped to his knees and exhaled, stopping the spell.

Without warning, Damon took Angelina by her wrist once the coast was clear and Mason was restrained. The two from their hiding spot and the Salvatore kicked the werewolf in the face, knocking him out.

"What are we gonna do with him now?" Bonnie's brown eyes continuously glancing over her shoulder, her eyebrows creasing fearfully.

"One step at a time please.." Angelina moaned with a roll of her eyes, grabbing Mason by the arm and dragging him into the trunk of Damon's car. "Get in the car!" Damon and Bonnie followed her instructions without question as the doppelgänger shut the trunk closed. She hauled herself into the car with the two and they drove off back to the boarding house to move into the next phase of their plan.

                             "Here's his bag, as requested." Bonnie tossed the werewolf's belongings to the side as Angelina set him in a chair in the middle of the library in front of the fireplace.

"Grab that corner," Damon handed the corner of a beige old tarp to Bonnie, shuffling it over the rug and under Mason.

"Why're we doing this?" The witch inquired.

"Because I don't wanna stain the carpet."

"I knew you were gonna say something like that."

The vampire grunted. "You're judging again."

Angelina dug through Mason's duffle bag when she found long, rusty, metal chains. "Woah.." Her eyebrows furrowed, the two shifting their head in their direction.

"Looks like this guy's used to being tied up." The Salvatore made a remark as Angelina wrapped the chains around Mason's wrists and ankles. The Bennett witch held her hands around his head, closing her eyed as she concentrated and blocked out all distractions.

"What're you doing?" The Petrova pondered, tightening the chains. 

"You're looking for a moonstone, I am trying to help you find it."

"Oh, good, yeah!" Damon towered behind her, inching closer. "Find out if he gave it to Katherine.. find out where she is.. and find out what they're gonna do with it once they get it."

"It's somewhere small, dark.." Bonnie  spoke up as her concentration faltered ever so slightly. The chains pulled against his arms painfully making the werewolf grunt and groan. "There's water.."

"Like a body of water?" Angelina glanced back at her.

Bonnie shook her head. "No, like a well? That can't be right.. yeah, it's a well."

"Why would it be in a well?" The raven haired vampire pondered deeply.

"I told you, I only get what I get." She removed her haids from the side of his head.

Suddenly, Mason abruptly gripped the witches arm subconsciously. Bonnie yelped and yanked away from his grasp with the help of Angelina.

"That's it, that's all I got!" Startled, the witch sped away from the werewolf's hold, clutching her arm as she hurriedly exited the room.

"Thanks for the help Bon." Angelina called out to her. Bonnie glanced from across the room, giving her a small smirk in return before leaving the library altogether. Angelina returned her focus to the werewolf, placing her hands on her hips. "Nap times over, wolf boy." She remarked. When he failed to respond, she rolled her eyes before throwing a punch across his face.

Mason groaned in response, his head lolling towards her as she grabbed his hair roughly by the roots. Angelina tightened her hold as she raised him up to face her.

"Sleep well?" She sneered, releasing her grip on his scalp.

"Let me go!" He shouted once he gained enough conciseness to notice the chains around his arms and ankles. The brunette ignored him and shifted her head to behind her where Damon lit a fire, squatted down whilst sticking a metal rod in between the flames as he watched it grow hotter.

"Someone's feisty." He commented, watching him struggle against the bonds keeping him secured. Eventually, he fought so hard to the point where his chair knocked over on it's back until he was on the floor. The vampire rose from the ground and handed the hot rod to Angelina, a smile forming across her lips.

She took it and approached Mason cautiously as she pointed it towards his chest, using the metal bar to slice and pierce through his skin. As soon as the sharp blade made contact with his chest, he released a blood curdling scream.

"You better enjoy that now because it's nothing compared to what's coming next." Angelina bent down slowly, a manic smile growing across her face as he writhed in agony beneath her.

"I was afraid he was gonna be some Beastmaster with no affinity for pain." The Salvatore shrugged, tilting his head to the side.

"Nah.." She replied nonchalantly. "Werewolf's are weaking than vampires when they haven't turned into monstrous dogs."

"Oh, is that why he beat on you during your round of arm wrestling?"

"Shut up."

"Oh, but he heals quickly." Damon frowned, forwarding the attention back to the wolf as he noticed the already cleared wound on his chest. "Not good."

"Guess we'll have to keep applying pain." Lifting Mason up by the chair, Angelina gritted her teeth before dragging her feet back to the fireplace to heat up the rod once more. "So.. about my sister.." She went on.

"What's going on between you two? I mean, is it like a serious thing or just a casual fling?" She joked. The wolf remained quiet, gasped for breath as pools of sweat traveled down his forehead. "I mean, Katherine's never been good with long term relationships so I'm naturally curious."

"We have all day." Damon placed his hand on his shoulder with a devilish smirk.

The brunette returned to the wolf once the rod was hot enough, waiting for a response but once again he refused to speak. Swiftly, she lodged it into his stomach, causing him to cry out and squirm in agony. She removed the blade from his stomach, watching him catch his breath with a deep sigh as she shook her head.

"When did you two meet?" Damon questioned. "She seduce you and tell you she loved you? You're supernatural, so she can't compel you. I'm sure she used her other charms."

"Classic Katherine." The Pierce nodded, rolling her eyes. At the top of the short staircase, her eyes noticed a certain Gilbert boy entering the room with a cardboard box in her arms.

"Jeremy?" Her eyebrows furrowed. 

"Thought I told you to leave." Damon gave him a snide remark, rolling his eyes.

"I found something in Ric's box of stuff.." The Gilbert shifted his head away from the tortured and bruised body, attempting to focus elsewhere.

"Ooh.." The two vampires wandered over to him, leaving behind the wolf.

Jeremy opened the box and grabbed the first item he saw, which was a lavender plant, gentle, yet rugged. "Um.. I did a search on my phone. It's a plant. Aconitum vulparia." He explained as he gave it to Angelina. "Grows in the, uh.. mountainous areas of the northern hemisphere. Commonly known as acnoite, blue rocket, and wolfsbane."

"What else did you read?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

"Every source says something different. One myth says it causes lycanthropy, which sounds bogus. Another one says that it protects people. And another one says, well, it's toxic."

"I'm guessing toxic."

"Ooh, like vervain for werewolves." Angelina's umber eyes glimmered as she stared down at the plant. "It's pretty, might keep this in my room."

Before either boys could respond, she returned to Mason, who continued to groan in agony and force himself free. She dangled the wolfbane in front of his face tauntingly. "What's my sisters plan?"

Mason remained quiet as usual which annoyed her even further. She let out a deep sigh. "Could've avoided this.." Slowly, she dragged the wolfsbane across his cheek. His cries intensified once more. Angelina backed off, observing quietly as he continued screaming in agony.

Damon stood behind his friend, taking the wolfsbane from her hands to use for himself. "Why is she here?"

"She's here with me!" Finally, Mason snapped. "Why do you ask? You jealous?"

The brunette smirked, side eyeing Damon as she watched the conversation unfold. His glare towards the wolf soon shifted into a grin as he returned his remark with sarcasm. "How rude of me! You know, I just realized I didn't offer you anything to eat."

Pushing the wolfsbane to the the Lockwood's mouth, Damon shoved the plant down his throat forcefully. The boy choked upon swallowing it, struggling and trying desperately to spit out the plants content.

Jeremy tried his best to look away, wincing every time Mason's screams grew louder. Unlike the vampire's, he was far from used to witnessing such an intimate display of violence so openly and he couldn't help but feel disgusted and nauseous at the gruesome scene before him.

"What do you want with the moonstone?" Damon continued to interrogate.

"Screw you!" Mason spat back.

"Wrong answer." The vampire responded smoothly, getting ready to shove the wolfsbane back down his throat before the Gilbert boy intervened.

"If he was gonna say anything, he would've already!"

"Taking your eyes now." Damon ignored his pleas.

"The well!" The Lockwood shook his head away from him, giving him the answers he desired. "You can find it there."

"I know where it is. I wanna know what it does and why you want it."

Angelina jaw clenched as she watched the interrogation unfold, her arms crossed. From what she had gathered by Mason's overall character and the way he carried himself, she knew her sister wasn't dumb enough to tell him the full story behind the moonstone. After all, the last reason she would've ever teamed up with him would be because she loved the werewolf.

She wouldn't be dumb enough to expose her plans which would lead Klaus further to her.

"I'm getting it for Katherine."

"Why?"

"She's gonna use it to lift the curse."

The doppelgängers body stiffed as the words fell out of his mouth, a shiver running down her spine as the feeling of dread washed over her.

Maybe she was dumb enough.

"Of the moon?" Angelina interjected, attempting to remain as calm as possible.

"Why would a vampire help a werewolf break a curse that keeps them from turning when they want?" The Salvatore rolled his eyes.

"So I wouldn't have to turn anymore." He answered.

"Why?"

"Because she loves me!"

Damon's frowned eventually faded into a sly smile as the boy shouted with confidence. "Now I get it," He chuckled lowly. "You're just stupid!"

"Katherine doesn't love anyone but herself." Angelina stepped closer. "If anything, she's using you."

"I'm done talking." Mason state firmly, shaking his head.

"And we're done listening." She responded with a frustrated sigh. "Jeremy, it's time for you to go."

"I'm staying." He stated stubbornly.

"I said go, Jer."

"Just help Tyler." Mason turned his head towards him. "Don't let this happen to him."

"Ang.." Jeremy eyed at him with pity.

"Jeremy, I'm not Jenna. I'm not gonna argue with you. Leave." She emphasized each word, watching his face crumble as he retreated from the loft in defeat, his head turning back towards Mason with every step.

Her attention switched back to the wolf, eyeing him from head to toe as she titled her head slowly. "Y'know I get it. I really do. You were played, it's easy to get yourself wrapped up in Katherine's mess."

"I love her." He uttered with a pained expression.

"Of course you do. Who wouldn't?" She shrugged with a wicked smile. "I mean, I do too. She pulls at your heart for centuries, and then when she get's tired of you, she rips it out."

She moved forward, holding his chin tightly between her fingers, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Let me save you the pain."

In the blink of an eye, Angelina forced her way through his chest, her hand around his beating heart. She studied his eyes, watching him realize the moment it was over. With a yank of her wrist, she pulled his heart free from his chest, sighing as the life left his body.

Sighing deeply, she let the heart roll to the floor as she turned towards Damon. "Well.. that's that. Could you hand me a towel?"

                             Mason's lifeless body layed neatly wrapped up in a tarp and the two vampires let out a sigh of relief.

"Werewolves aren't immortal, right?" The younger vampire scrunched his nose. "This tarp won't randomly start shaking in the middle of the night, will it?"

Angelina rolled her eyes in annoyance as she wiped her hands clean. "No, idiot."

Suddenly, soft footsteps entered the room, interrupting them. Her eyes met Stefan's and a smile tugged on the corner of his lips. She smiled back, though it quickly disappeared as her eye caught the moonstone in the palm of his hand. Her heart skipped as he waved it in the air, though she also felt relieved.

The stone was pearlish and about the same size and shape as a bar of soap. It radiated a faint glow despite how old it was.

"You got it!" She grinned widely. She rushed over to Stefan and he handed the stone to her to admire.

"All this for that?" His brother rolled his eyes.

"Yup." He replied in a low, tired voice. "I see you've exercised your usual restraint."

"Not me this time, that was all Ang." He gestured to the woman in question. Stefan glanced in her direction, a blank yet distasteful expression resting on his face. The brunette shoved the stone in her pocket with care and smiled at the two, pretending to have been paying attention.

"I have to get home." She announced after the silence became awkward again. "It's been an awfully long day and I'd like some rest."

"What about the moonstone?" Damon asked.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it safe with me." She assured as she headed for the door. "See ya later." 

                             The door to the Gilbert residence creaked open slowly and she peered inside the house. From the hallway, she could see Alaric, Elena, Jeremy, and Jenna in the kitchen.

She let out a deep sigh as she felt relieved to feel safe in the comfort of her own home and a soft smile crept upon her face. Shutting the door behind her, she began to enter the kitchen, leaning against the wide door frame.

Everyone besides Jenna, who was too occupied conversing with someone on the phone, noticed her sudden presence, a hint of confusion hitting them. "Where have you been all day? I saw you at the Lockwood's house and then you disappeared." Alaric asked.

"I was with Damon.. and Mason." She responded after a short silence.

"Mason?" The eldest Gilbert's eyebrows drew together. "Why?"

"..Well, we wanted answers out of him. Let's just say, we got them." Angelina further entered the kitchen. "We won't have to worry about him anymore."

Jeremy glanced at her, though he refused to utter a word. His lips pursed together as he let out a deep sigh out of defeat.

"So he's the one who told you were the moonstone was?" Elena quizzed. "At the well? That's where Bonnie, Caroline, Stefan, and I found it."

Letting out a soft "Oh", The Petrova's eyes drew elsewhere as she bit her lip. It wasn't that she was jealous of the fact that Stefan was with Elena. Well, maybe she was a little bit. But she simply felt a bit odd.

Neither Angelina or Stefan had yet to tell anyone besides Caroline and Damon that they were together, and while she wasn't so convinced they should, she wanted Elena to know simply to ensure she was aware.

But the last thing she needed right now was to add more drama to their already stressful ordeal.

Her anxious thoughts were quickly disrupted by a certain redhead who was rushing over to her, handing her the phone. "It's for you, Ang." Without another word she gave the phone to the brunette, catching her by surpise.

Hesitantly, she held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She spoke into the phone.

"Hello, Annelise." Katherine's velvety voice resonated within her ears. Almost immediately, her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat.

"Katherine." The name echoed throughout all of their heads and a frightened expression bestowed upon their faces. She ran a hand through her hair as she backed out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"I really didn't think you had it in you." Katherine remarked, almost mockingly. "Killing Mason? I'm appalled you could even do it. Though I have to give it to you.. torturing information about the moonstone out of him and then killing him? It must've sucked when you realize your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend spent the day retrieving it with him."

Angelina's fist tightened at her words and her eyes shut tightly.

"I will always know, Annelise. I will always be one step ahead of you. When are you gonna figure that out?"

"What do you want?" Clutching the phone tighter, she asked with an icy tone, her eyes reopened and her gaze focused intensely on the ground.

"Do you know how easy it was to get inside of your house?" Katherine chuckled humorously, ignoring her question. "To replace Aunt Jenna's vervain perfume? To convince her to stop drinking her special tea? And unlike you, Jenna actually listens to me."

"What are you trying to do?" Angelina pushed further, though she refused to answer.

"Quite frankly, I find it sweet how she's been so kind to welcome you into her home, feed you, clothe you. The sweet little family you never had. Unfortunately for you, good things don't last that long. Especially when you go against me. So when I suggested the world would be a much better if she were to just-"

A lump formed in her throat and slowly her head turned to the kitchen. Her head dropped as she watched Jenna hold a knife in the air, the blade facing her. Before she could react, the redhead plunged the blade into her chest.

"Jenna, no!" Dropping the phone, Angelina and the others raced across the room in a panic, reaching Jenna only a few moments after she fell to the floor unconscious.

Her heart began to race wildly as blood poured from her aunt's chest and onto the floor.

"I'll call an ambulance!" Alaric yelled in a panicked tone, rushing to the phone.

Angelina knelt next to her aunt's fallen body and began desperately trying to stanch the wound. Her hands trembled in panic. Her heart raced faster and faster with each second and her breathe became short.

Slowly, she came to the faint realization that no matter what she did her sister would remain a step ahead of her and retaliate against her. Finding the moonstone and torturing the answers out of a werewolf wasn't enough. No more games, no more leverage, none of it She needed to put an end to it, finally.

AUTHORS NOTE
i'm sorry this took so incredibly long but i think this is actually my favorite chapter and i lowkey think i did really well with it.

the next chapter is the masquerade episode and i'm so excited to write it because angelina slaps damon in that chapter and it'll be the chapter right before we start getting into the klaus stuff because elijah will be in the chapter after the masquerade one 😋😋