Misunderstandings

AN; Sup. Read the endnotes.

It's actually not been that long since my last chapter, huh. I'm on a roll, lol.

I don't really have much to say this time, so I'll keep it short. Feel free to check out the rest of the series if you want to read about the MC's interdementional cycle of reincarnation, but all installments can be read separately.

As always, y'all be killing it with the support, particularly comments, which are my favorite fuel for writting. You guys are the best. Seriously. 💙

So, without further ado, I give you the next chapter. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

Discord!

https://discord.gg/eTbWC3ByZW

XXXXXXXXXX

"We are in luck," I tell Daemon, bouncing a whimpering Nico on my hip, doing my best to exude calmness despite the exhaustion and distress both I and the sick baby were oozing. "Even with most of my magic locked away, we have the crystal, so I won't need as much magic to open the tomb."

Somehow, both my siblings caught strep, and had spent the last two nights upset and in pain. I could have used magic, and Daemon had offered up his blood, but I don't want to use either unless things start looking dire. I don't know how safe certain spells are for such young kids, especially with how poor my magical control is now that I've noticed I'm cursed. Well, it's not completely uncontrollable, but sometimes I find myself over or under powering spells, likely a result of me subconsciously fighting the seal now that I know it's there, and while I am not too concerned about my ability to fight off enemies, dead and extra dead are both acceptable outcomes in battle, I can't risk the children's safety. Additionally, I don't know if the vampire blood or my spells will completely destroy the illness, meaning that they don't build up antibodies, something I think is essential. I'd rather they just suffer for now if it means that they are safer later on.

"So we can go soon?" Daemon asks, promptly snatching Nico from my jittery hands. I'm already pushing 30 hours without sleep and I'm only coherent because I've turned at least 50% of my blood to coffee.

"Give me back my baby,"I mumble, weakly reaching out, but Daemon easily subverts me by zooming away… at normal human walking speeds, his frown obvious.

"Would you just rest for a bit? There is no need for you to run yourself so damn ragged that you look more like a corpse than me, an actual corpse," he snarks, glaring, even as he uses one hand to shove me into my couch cushions I don't even have the energy to fight him, my knees practically collapsing beneath me. "Thea is out cold, Stefan, Lexi, Jeremy, and Enzo are all taking care of things downstairs, which is more than enough, and I can manage one sick baby. Just fucking sleep, woman."

"I wouldn't put it like that, but, and god, I've never had to say this before, Daemon's right," Stefan states, ducking through the door with a tray, Enzo behind him. "You really do look awful, Nyx."

"That isn't how you're meant to speak to a lady, mate," Enzo smirks, plopping down next to me.

"Kiss ass," Stefan replies flatly with a huff as he sets the tray down, handing me a warm cup of what, from the scent, is hot coco, before he sits next to me, curling an arm around me. "I'll make sure Damon has the kids handled and-" His hand comes up to rest over my forehead. "Damn, yeah, you've caught a fever, too."

I have to stifle a whine. This pathetic, slightly stunted because of malnutrition, weak ass body of mine makes being sick a fucking miserable experiance. I might be down for days since trying a healing spell now could result in accidentally giving myself fucking cancer or something. I won't be able to work, my buisness will suffer, I'll go bankrupt and loose the kids and end up on the fucking streets and-

"Here, take some blood," Stefan says, gently interrupting my spiraling catastrophizing. Oh, that should be okay.

Stefan goes to tear into his own wrist and I quickly stop him, cringing. I hate it when the vampires do that, especially because I didn't need that much freaking blood. Just the memory of the sound of my dear friend's flesh shredding and tendons and muscles crunching makes me cringe. I'm utterly immune to such things from an enemy, but I've never liked my friends being hurt and the sound is always sickening. "Dude, just prick your finger and give me a drop or two."

Stefan snorts, but compiles, slicing his index open on a fang and I take his hand between both of mine, placing his finger into my mouth and sucking. I'm close enough that I see his face got red and internally laugh at his embarrassment. It is admittedly a bit awkward, but unfortunately, a woman sucking a man's finger seems to have dirty connotations regardless of the intent behind it. I still think it's better than him tearing open his freaking wrist, though.

Or at least I did until two seconds later when that's exactly how Elena finds us as she barges into the second floor of my cafe unannounced. "I fucking knew it!"

The girl turns on heel and storms out, door slamming loudly behind her as I watch, wide-eyed with a finger still in my freaking mouth. For a moment, I'm so stunned that it takes a wail from a reawakened Nico, who'd only just fallen asleep in Daemon's arms, to bring me back to reality. Nico wakes Thea up, the five year old only having managed a few hours of rest herself, and I suddenly have to hold back tears from the stress of it all. 

Stephen curses before snatching his finger back and rushing off after his girlfriend. "Well there's no explaining this time," I mutter grimly, pressing the heels of my palms roughly against my eye sockets harder than I should, Enzo quickly coming over to offer a comforting hug. It looks like I had just inadvertently blown up Stephen's relationship. "Fuckery."

"Dom't worry about it. She's been getting suspicious for a while now, so they were already having issues. It's not your fault," Daemon soothes, handing over my toddler, so he could scoop up the five year old.

Too overwhelmed, I keep my lips sealed, dojng my best to force down the burning of my eyes. I press a whimpering Nico to my chest, tipping sideways to lie on my side as I pat his soft hair. I can tell that the blood is already helping me, but I'm still so exhausted that it is all I can do to keep it together. Making a mental note to apologize to Stephen later, I let myself drift off to Daemon's soft voice and Enzo, the absolute sweetheart, rubbing my back.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, is Stefan cheating on Elema with you?" Jeremy abruptly asks me a few days later as he starts his shift.

I sigh. "No."

"You were sucking his finger," he points out, but it isn't accusing. God, I hope he overheard that and Elena isn't just putting me on blast to the general public. It will be a pain if this disrupts business.

"Yeah, but it really wasn't anything sexual. It-" I whisper the next part as I brush past him. "It's a magic thing."

It's not the whole truth, but it's close enough that I don't feel bad about lying to a friend while still being able to maintain the privacy and secret vampirism of my other companions. "Daemon and Stefan know?" Jeremy pauses, eyes going wide. "Wait, are they also-"

"It isn't my place to tell other people secrets, Jeremy, so don't ask, but I promise that Stefan is not cheating on your sister." I do my best to make sure my words aren't clipped, but I'm still freaking exhausted from taking care of the kids who are only just recovering. On top of that, I had received a confused call from Jenna asking what the heck happened and a demanding one from Caroline, who didn't actually think I would canoodle with a taken man, having known me for years back when I babysat her, but Ro is still nosy as hell and had wanted me to spill all the tea. All in all, I am officially over this whole situation. I have way more important shit to deal with than teen drama, no offense to Elena and Stefan.

Maybe I should just put some distance between Stefan and I. I honestly don't think we were crossing boundaries but I'll just lean into my other friendships in order to make things extra clear.… Should I tell him not to work here for now? Not like he needs the money. That was just the cover we used so that we could work on his ripper issues, and he has that somewhat in hand as of late since it's almost been 6 months of near constant training.

Jeremy nods hesitantly, going back to the counter as I zoom about grabbing ingredients for pistachio ice cream. The Midnight Traveler didn't really have a set menu, just things I made more often than others, but mostly, anything you found in the menu or display case each day was a product of my ever changing whims. Things I had made in the past or could make were all in a thick laminated catalog ready for browsing by customers, and if someone wants something specific that I don't currently have ready, I can make it for an added fee. As a result, my regulars were used to having to experiment since they couldn't really have a "usual" order.

For example, Sheriff Forbes is used to receiving some kind of black coffee and breaded pastry, and I just had to make sure it wasn't a danish since she hated those. Jenna was down for anything chocolate and whip cream based. Zack preferred his desserts less sweet and he liked herbal teas. It wasn't a huge issue from a sales perspective since anyone who came to a café based on the idea of a variety of international desserts had inherently adventurous taste buds and we're willing to try new things, especially since they were paying in part for the experience, each seating arrangement representing a different culture's way of dining, like the Japanese table that had floor cushions to sit on and the Arabian sectional couch or the fancy French filigree chairs.

Thankfully, it seemed that despite all the insanity going on lately, my business is still thriving.

"Oh, I'll get her for you, Bonnie," Jeremy's voice comes from up front and I frown, not having sensed the young witch. "Nyx!"

I peek my head around the corner and stare. There was a young woman standing in front of the counter and I wonder if it's Jeremy or I that have lossed their mind since this wasn't fucking Bonnie. She didn't even look like Bonnie, not really. What the fuck?

"Hello, Nyx. Could I have a word?" I narrow my eyes, hearing the way Bonnie's voice is overlapped with another's. Ah, so he can only see Bonnie, while I'm seeing the soul possessing her.

"Of course, Bon Bon. Could you wait out the back door for me? I'll just be a moment and we can have some privacy there."

The women uses Bonnie's head to nod, going easily. As soon as she shuts the door behind her, I turn to Jeremy. "That's not Bonnie. Do not follow me."

"What? WHAT?!" I smack him sharply, shooting him a vicious look. She'd hear if he went about shrieking like that. "Seriously?"

"Do as I bid you, boy," I murmur darkly, accent wavering as I slip into the older part of me, the vicious warrior and protector, as I gather my magic and step out of the cafe, shutting the door behind me. I glance at the woman, who upon closer inspection does look a bit like Bonnie. If I couldn't sense auras, my weak eyes might not have noticed immediately if she were a bit farther away. "Right, so who the hell are you?"

"You saw through me immediately. Well I can't say I'm surprised. They whisper about you on the Ancestral Plane," The spirit says. "My name is Emily Bennett."

"Ah, ha. The witch who sealed the vampires in the tomb, yes? Well, except Katherine," I intone, snapping my fingers in recognition.

Emily startles, clearly taken aback. "Wait, if you know she isn't there, why do you still attempt to open the tomb?" She exclaims.

I shrug. "Two reasons; Daemon needs to see for himself and because they can't be left where they are, assuming they aren't dead."

"Why not? Those beings are cursed!" She demands, and I decide I really don't like Emily Bennett right then and there.

I raise a brow in disdain. "Were not several of those vampires living among humans without killing anyone? It was only Katherine's actions that even brought their existence to light. They didn't deserve to be locked away in the first place, let alone tortured and starved for the last century and a half. I honestly think it's ridiculous that you sentenced so many to a fate worse than death on behalf of Katherine Pierce of all fucking people. Even worse since that woman managed to escape your idea of "saving" her, leaving the rest to suffer the results of her own actions. Although, I do have to admire her ability to survive against all possible odds. I don't know many who would be willing to do everything, to sacrifice anything or anyone, just to see another day the way she does."

"I did what I could!" Emily cries out, aghast by my accusation. "Katherine was my friend and I owed her, but the rest-"

"-didn't deserve your compassion? What, will you claim, you saved them as well? Or that they, unlike your previous Katherine were monsters against nature?" I scoff when I see her flinch. Ah, there are her true colors. She owed Katherine, maybe even adored her, but she was just the exception. Emily doesn't see other vampires as people, whether she admits that to herself or not. This cold bitch makes me seem like a bleeding heart for having the minimum level of empathy towards another sentient creature. "Even if the tomb vampires might technically still be alive, I don't think it would necessarily justify what you did. Nor does the fact that Bonnie is kin to you justify your hijacking of her body. Honestly, I hate self righteous people like you."

She scowls, gathering herself. "I'm warning you, you must not open that tomb! You will unleash 27 vengeful, starving creatures on the town!"

"You dare presume to order me, witch?" I drawl, feeling dangerous, icy wrath bubble into my veins. Here on the cusp of battle, leaning into the part of me that spent centuries fighting and ruling and being a friend and faithful servant to the gods, I'm unwilling to let the slight against my person go unpunished, even though I know there is no way anyone could recognize what stands before them disguised as young, flour dusted. cafe owner. This lowly mortal thinks to command me? Ridiculous. "And who's going to stop me, you?"

She snarls, magic leaping to her fingertips, light blazing a trail through the air between us, and all it takes for me to dodge it is a slight sway to the side as I prowl into her space. I can't afford to get into a full battle since the cafe and its inhabitants are in the danger zone, and I don't want to hurt Bonnie. The best way to finish this quickly is-

"You unnatural abomination! You-" She hurls another spell, and I side step out of range again, unbothered when the spell clips my bicep, slicing it through like butter, blood splattering the ground. I don't mind the sudden pain. I've had far worse, and now I am right where I want. 

Close range, the weakness of most magic users.

In a single, smooth motion, I backhand her, death magic pulsing in my veins. As if a creature like me couldn't do something as simple as exercising a mere ghost. I bare my teeth in a ruthless smile as I hear the parasite scream as she is ripped from the poor, possessed teen's body. I kick out my leg to slow Bonnie's descent to the cold hard ground, my eyes trained on the now transparent, writhing spirit. 

I'm at least 75% sure that part of the reason I was sent to this world in the first place was to make sure that ghosts weren't able to do shit like this in the first place. There are a few of these weird realms that certain souls hang out in after dying when they should instead be going to the fucking Beyond with Death, the primordial force of nature. Instead a couple of dumbasses decided to play god and make fucking alternate dimensions in a poor mimicry of the afterlife, interrupting the natural order and allowing the dead to interfere far more freely with the living than they had any right to do so. Eventually, I was going to have to do something about that.

Ugh. Troublesome.

"You. You will return to sleep in that false rest of yours, in that place you call the Ancestral Plane, never to awaken until you must pass on to True Death. You witches are all a bunch of hypocrites, blabbering on about balance and nature while doing something so outrageous as disrupting the cycle of life and death, and exerting your influence through the blood of your descendants on the living world long after you've gone to the grave. Fucking ridiculous," I reach out using the blessing of Death, gripping her soul tightly just to hear her scream of agony again before pushing my will upon her, watching the translucent woman seemingly go limp, eyes wide with shock and horror before they fall shut, and with a flick of my wrist, she vanishes back to her current plane of residence.

I huff, turning to look at a stirring Bonnie on the ground, her neck still suspended by my raised foot. "Wakey wakey, Bon Bon." I wince as I touch my shoulder feeling the gush of blood. Damn, the bitch got me good. How embarrassing.

"Wha- Nyx?"

"Sup. But, seriously, girly. Get your ass up. I'm bleeding out over here because your crazy ass ancestor decided to body snatch you and my leg is getting tired."

Bonnie dazedly tries getting to her feet just as the back door swings open so forcefully it crashes ti to the wall, revealing a majority pissed off Daemon, an alarmed Stefan, Lexi, and Enzo, and fucking Elena and Jeremy. 

Great, just fucking great. Now the humans are involved.

"Nyx, you're hurt!" Stefan exclaims, and I feel my shoulders start climbing towards my ears. I'm still high off adrenaline from the battle, a very dangerous time to be cornered as the others start to crowd me.

"I've noticed," I reply a bit sharper than I meant to shifting to avoid Enzo at my back. Stefan shouldn't be here, not only because of the whole Elena thing, but as much self-control as he has gained, it still wasn't wise to bleed in front of a ripper. Also, why the fuck was Elena here?

"Bonnie! What happened? Did Nyx do this to you?" Elena cries out.

You got to be fucking kidding me. I feel my tenuous control on my anger fraying dangerously.

"What? Nyx would never!" Jeremy says incredulous, and I'm grateful for the defense, but the blood rushing to my years is starting to be too much.

Logically, I know that Bonnie knocked on her ass and me standing above her does look pretty bad, especially because Elena doesn't have the best impression of me right now, but the more primal part of myself that I haven't yet managed to shove down post battle is snarling at me to bash her face in for the accusation.

I've cut out tongues for offenses like that.

My fingers twitch around my bleeding wound, my breathing coming ragged with the effort of suppressing the urge to unleash violence, and I abruptly make the decision that I need to get away or I'm going to hurt someone. I catch Daemon's eyes as best I can, and I'm not sure what he sees there, but it's enough to have him jumping into action. "Give her space!"

He pulls Stefan and Enzo away, ducking his head until all I can see is icy blue eyes. Quietly, he asks to touch me and when I give a stiff nod, my clenched jaw unable to form words, he scoops me up 

 into his arms easily, speed walking to the fallen log just beyond the tree line, the same place that we had both sat the night my parents came to the café and he plotted murder with me. He quickly removes himself from my person, crouching down in front of me. "Do you need a moment alone, or-"

I nod sharply, swallowing roughly as I shut my eyes. My magic is raging and I need to meditate before shit starts blowing up. Mercifully, Daemon understands, vanishing.

Alright, time to get my mind in order.

XXXXXSTEFANXXXXX

"Daemon?" I ask, worriedly. I've never seen Nyx look like that. Like a wild animal getting ready to fight for her life. And since when were Daemon and her so close? What the hell did I miss that made them go from barely tolerant to trusted friends? I didn't imagine the way she leaned into him even as she pulled away from me… Did Daemon steal my best friend?!

"Right. What the hell happened out here?" Daemon asks, ignoring my unasked questions entirely.

"I- ah. It's nothing. Nyx was just helping me with something," Bonnie stutters.

Elena's eyes go wide before she whispers, clearly not realizing that every vampire can hear her. "Witch things?"

Bonnie nods and Daemon is suddenly dragging me away by my collar, his eyes colder and harder than I've seen in a while, Lexi, and Enzo following along easily. "Why does Elena think Nyx knows anything about witchy things?" I wince, and Daemon curses. "Damnit, Stefan, what did you tell her?

"I told her about me being a vampire," I admit, earning groans from both Lexi and Daemon. The conversation had been hard, and I only barely managed to get her to listen, but it had been a long time coming. Not only because she had walked in on Nyx sucking on my finger, (And what an absolute disaster that was), but because I'd been slipping up more and more the longer we dated. Sometimes I'd just move too quickly, or show a hint of too much strength, and of course, the times I'd make up some bullshit excuse to take off because someone was bleeding. Elena isn't stupid. We'd been together for months now, and she knows I've been keeping secrets. Hell, we've already had fights over it. 

My healing Nyx… had been the unfortunate last straw.

"I didn't mean to out Nyx, but Elena was hammering me with questions. After her initial freak out, she asked why Nyx knew before she did, and then made the assumption that Nyx is a vampire. I told her she isn't, but for some reason she is convinced Nyx is something. I refused to say anything more which is why we're even here. After a day of thinking about it, she wanted to confront Nyx about if she's a danger to Jeremy, and if all we were doing earlier is a blood donation."

"Damn," Daemon grumbles, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, well, she came to demand answers she had no right to. She's more like Katherine than we though," Lexi bites out mockingly and I frown.

"That's not fair, from her perspective-"

"This isn't the time," Daemon cuts in, for once being the voice of reason, and the realization of it makes me do my second double take of the night.

I glance at Nyx, half hidden by trees, curled in on herself, her arm coated in crimson and I swallow roughly. My control is intact, but fuck, does her blood smell unbelievable. Six months ago I would have torn into her already. Even now, if she wasn't one of my closest friends, I might have still gone after her because somehow Nyx's blood smelled even better than normal witches' blood, which is, in turn, already more appetizing than human blood.

I clench my teeth and try to center myself, ignoring the ache in my gums and the burning thirst. That's Nyx. She's a dear friend and we will not be eating her, damnit.

"Stefan, your eyes…" I blink, startling from my thoughts to see Jeremy staring at me bug eyed next to Elena and Bonnie, both of which were gaping,

Abruptly, everything goest to shit.

In a blink I'm slammed into the ground, Daemon, Lexi, and Enzo all forcing me down with enough strength that all the air leaves my lungs.

Elena screams, rushing towards me only to be grabbed by Enzo who forces all three teens away. Lexi's blonde hair fills my vision as I wheeze. "Stefan, you need to regain control."

"I haven't lost it," I grumble frustratedly, to her shock. 'I'm fine. Not gonna hurt her. She's my friend."

"Oh, shit. We thought you lost it. You transformed," Daemon growls, his own black veins and fangs having appeared. He and the other vampires had all transformed a bit in their panic at the prospect of me going into ripper mode, and had failed to keep their red eyes and veins from being on display to the humans feet from us. Or perhaps the scent of Nyx's blood is getting to the, as well?

As if the supernatural speed hadn't been enough of a give away.

I slam my head into the ground. Somehow the day keeps getting worse.

"So… you guys are vampires," Jeremy Gilbert says nonchalantly in the dead silence, his head peeking around Enzo. He looked… wary, but not terrified.

Past my astonishment, I have a moment to wonder why the hell his sister couldn't have taken the news so well instead of running and screaming, forcing me to scare her more because I had to chase her down.

"What? You knew?" Elena blurts, big brown eyes looking at her brother like she's never seen him before.

"That they existed? Yeah, found that out from Nyx a while ago. That we were surrounded by them? No, that I didn't know."

"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" Unexpectedly, it's Bonnie that first looses it, and instantly, everyone is yelling over one another. I move towards Elena, desperately wanting to be near her, to feel her silky skin under my fingertips and smell her sweet perfume instead of the intoxicating blood in the air, but she flinches, and I wonder if she's always going to be scared of me from now on. The thought brings back the memories from when I had told her I was a vampire after she ran from Nyx's loft. 

"Let me go!" She had cried out, desperately trying to pull away, her dark hair swinging in her effort to put space between us, the sight driving daggers into my heart.

"Elena, no, there are things you need to know and understand. Please." I had pleaded with her desperately, and by some miracle, she had calmed enough to let me explain, likely because nothing scary had happened in town, no mysterious deaths or disappearances, just my own secretiveness. But the knowledge of what I am has shattered every bit of faith she had in me to even be a decent person, and I doubt she had believed that nothing was going on between Nyx and I.

Are we over? Was there no hope for us in the first place?

"Enough," A rough yet commanding voice cuts through the chaos. "Everyone, shut the fuck up."

Nyx hadn't bothered to move or even open her eyes, her hand still clenched over her bloody arm, but she did seem a bit better. Daemon seems to agree if the way he relaxes is any indication. Seriously, what is happening between those two?

"Would someone be so kind as to offer a bit of a blood donation? I'm a bit too tired to do it myself," she adds offhandedly, and I automatically move forward, but Daemon beats me to it, blurring to her side and tearing into his own wrist, wrenching gasps from the humans. Nyx just curls her lip in displeasure. "Fuck, I hate that sound."

Daemon laughs, bright and relieved. "Sorry, I forgot, but you do need more than just a finger this time."

I notice Elena perk up, so I know that at least that has been cleared up for her. I shake my head, watching as Nyx drinks from my brother's wrist, brows furrowed and her eyes tired. She's had an even worse few days than me, and part of that is definitely my fault. The thought makes my chest tighten in guilt.

After a moment, the wound on her shoulder heals, flesh knitting back together to the relief and amazement of the youngest of the group. Nyx tilts sideways, resting her head on Daemon's chest as she pulls his wrist away, licking her lips free of blood, long lashes fluttering, before she sighs. For some reason, at this moment, my friend looks very human, as opposed to the ethereal being too wise and powerful for the skin she wears that I occasionally saw peering out at me from behind dark eyes. 

Nyx flicks dark waves over her shoulder. "Right. So, those four are good vampires. If they weren't, I'd have killed them." My eyes widen in incredulity. Clearly, the not-witch had been pushed to far and all her fucks have run out. "I'm an unidentified magic user. Bonnie's a witch who was recently possessed by her bitch of an ancestor. The Gilbert's are the unfortunate humans who've stumbled their way into all of this." She sighs again, leaning even harder into Daemon, who curls an arm around her waist, face still contorted in that weirdly gentle expression. I haven't seen him make that face since I was a child. "Introductions are over, now. If you don't work here, get the fuck out. I'm going to take a nap, so Lexi, Enzo, and Jeremy, could you three-"

"We've got the business, Nyx. No worries," Lexi quickly interrupts.

"Angel, I will bring you something to snack on," Enzo adds and I have to restrain myself from snorting. The man is shooting his shot at every opportunity, and Nyx is either completely oblivious, or utterly uninterested. I almost felt bad for him. Almost being the operative word since Enzo is kind of a prick who clearly thinks he is a better brother to Daemon than I am. (I pointedly ignore the part of me that acknowledges that might be true).

Daemon guides Nyx back towards the door and I find myself holding my breath. She really did smell way too good, even if I didn't find myself straining against my inner beast as much as I thought I would. Elena seems to have gotten herself together as she steps forward. "Nyx, I-"

"I frankly do not care right now," Nyx states bluntly and I wince. It wasn't really in my friend's nature to snap at someone, so she was clearly at her limit, but ouch. I watch Elena's teeth click shut in shock. "We can talk another time. Go home."

Daemon and Nyx disappear inside, Enzo and Lexi following and I feel oddly left out.

"I think- I think I hurt her," Bonnie whispers, her face pale.

I feel my heart break for the clearly horrified witch. "It's not your fault. She said you were possessed."

"Nyx wouldn't blame you for it either," Jeremy adds, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly.

Elena whirls on her brother. "Jeremy, if you knew Nyx had… magic,why are you still working here? And why didn't you tell me?"

Jeremy gives her the flattest look. "Why would I do that? It's not my secret to tell. And it's not like her magic makes her dangerous to me. Or are you gonna stop being friends with Bonnie too?"

Elena gapes for a moment speechless before slumping. "Y-you're right. Sorry, 

I being a hypocrite and an idiot. I just don't like the thought of you in danger."

I rub a hand through my hair, feeling myself slump as well. "Nyx is really good people, one of the best I've ever met. I really doubt she would do anything to deliberately harm you or anyone she considers a friend, but it is true that those who hang around the supernatural aren't able to live a life of peace."

I lock eyes with my maybe ex girlfriend, watching the conflict warring behind those beautiful doe eyes that I found myself falling in love with, eyes that no longer looked anything like Katherine's to me, despite what the others say. Jeremy shrugs. "That's my choice to make, and for all intents and purposes, I think my life has been better with her in it than without."

I watch the words hit Elena, my heart lifting with hope. Jeremy heads inside only to pause in the door. "Oh, and Stefan? Hurt my sister and I will find some way to stake you."

And with that, the younger boy vanishes leaving me with the vague feeling that he's picked up on way more than baking recipes from his enigmatic boss. I glance at the two frightened girls, the last of our party and feel myself soften. "Let's get you two home."

XXXXXXXXXX

AN; This chapter went into an interesting diresction. Also, I'd like to state that this isn't an Elena bashing fic. Actually, while we're on the subject, I don't feel one way or another about her and I don't even think she's being unreasonable. The witches though, by nature, will be antagonistic towards Nyx, especially the dead ones. To be fair though, I feel like nearly every single villain of the entire TVD universe was either a witch, or the result of a witch fucking around with things they shouldn't. Oof, I just realized how true that is lol. Even all the vampires and werewolves are indirectly the result of witches, lol

Anyways, I hope no one decides to shit on Elena too hard. Daemon being sweet is fun, though I'm still not putting him with Nyx at the moment because of votes. And Stefan is still sprung on Elena and sappy, but I don't think that's gonna last. I don't know who I'm gonna stick Stefan with, but I don't really like the idea of him and Elena because it doesn't feel like real love with the doppelgänger bullshit going on. And side ships are still up for debate. I'm still taking imput on all of that so leave a comment.💙