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SEVEN:
VICKI

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BRIAR AND SETH BOPPED THEIR HEADS TO THE BEAT, ENJOYING THE LOUD MUSIC THAT DROWNED OUT THE NORMALLY LOUD WORLD, jumping up and down excitedly.

"This is way cooler than La Push's prom!" Seth shouted over the music.

Briar laughed loudly, nodding. "Remember the streamers?"

Seth let out a barking laugh and then he stopped, smile falling. Leaning closer to her, he looked around. "You smell that?"

Briar frowned, nodding. "Like...stale. Is that blood?"

Seth thought for a moment, then pointed, spotting Stefan and Vicki. The pair exchanged a look before walking to the two, who were quickly joined by Elena.

"Oh, hi Briar," Elena gave Stefan a worried look. "Seth."

"Hey, cuz," Briar greeted. "Vicki, you good?"

She smelled dead. Like a vampire dead. Briar wondered why she nor Seth had smelled it on Stefan, but figured that was another situation to deal with later.

"What's going on?" Matt asked, coming over to the group.

"Hey, uh, everything's fine," Stefan diffused.

"I told you to quit bothering me!" Vicki exclaimed, moving away from Stefan.

Stefan's jaw clenched and Briar raised an eyebrow.

"No, Vicki," Elena pled weakly. "Don't do this."

"Matt," Vicki turned to her brother. "He won't leave me alone."

"Oh, for the love..." Briar rolled her eyes. She gave Stefan a look and he shook his head, then nodded to Elena.

Great.

Elena knew.

"You need to back off, man," Matt turned to Stefan angrily.

"Matt," Elena placed a hand on his chest. "It's—it's okay."

"No," Matt argued. "It's not okay." He stepped forward to Stefan. "What the hell is your problem?"

Briar pushed him back, a little more forcefully than Elena, but not enough to harm him.

"Watch it," she snapped, her wolf triggered at the thought of her imprint in danger. Even if Stefan wasn't in any danger with Matt, she didn't like the idea of him in Stefan's face. "Back up, Matt. Stef's done nothing wrong."

"You too?" Matt scoffed. "I thought you guys were cool," he looked between her and Seth. "New kids stick together, huh?"

"Absolutely," Seth spoke up, then sighed, tapping Briar's arm.

"Stefan," Elena voiced, looking around frantically. "She's gone."

Elena rushed off, quickly followed by Seth, and Stefan moved next, but Matt grabbed his arm. Briar grabbed him before Stefan could, holding him against the wall.

"Don't touch him," she glared at Matt. "Vicki's not in danger by anything except her addiction. Let us help her with it and back off."

Briar left him, walking after Stefan as the pair tried to regroup with their friends.

"You told Elena?" She asked as they searched.

"She deserved to know."

"Wasn't your call," Briar glanced at him. "I didn't want her knowing."

"I'm sorry," Stefan sighed. "I like her."

"If she dies," she met Stefan's eye, stopping him from walking. "I'll kill you."

Briar didn't know if that were true. But she knew that if something happened to Elena that was supernaturally related, her brother and Seth would probably kill Damon, and Vicki, and any other vampire that wasn't Stefan.

But he didn't need to know about the imprint bond.

"I won't let that happen," Stefan promised, eyes full of sincerity. He offered a small smile. "I like your costume."

"Don't suck up," she swatted his chest and the pair resumed looking for Elena and Seth or Vicki.

They heard it at the same time. Tyler calling for Vicki.

Exchanging a look, the pair rushed off towards the sound, looking for the newborn vampire.

"Vicki, no!" Briar heard Elena shout, which only fueled her further.

She couldn't shift in public like this, but seeing Elena tossed to the ground by a bloodthirsty vampire made her nearly lose it.

Quickly pushing Elena away, Briar punched Vicki, sending her back a few feet.

"I got her," Seth's voice called out, holding Vicki's arms behind her back. "Vicki, we can get you past this," he tried.

Always trying to diffuse. Always trying to save.

Vicki didn't listen, thrashing against Seth and taking him by surprise when she headbutted him. Letting go of her momentarily, Vicki dashed off, straight towards Stefan and throwing him backwards.

Briar saw red, dashing to her cousin and pulling Vicki's head from her body. She dropped it to the ground, Vicki's body falling next to it.

"Holy shit," Tyler looked at the group in shock. "What...what the hell?"

"Damn, B," Seth sighed.

Elena looked between Vicki's body to Briar, eyes wide. "What...are you?" She asked tearfully. "That's Matt's sister, it's Vicki, I..."

"It's okay," Briar stepped forward, guilt running through her. "I—I'm sorry, I—"

"It's okay," Stefan spoke up, looking around. He placed a hand on Briar's shoulder, smiling sympathetically. "It's okay. Elena..." He looked to Briar, uncertain.

Briar glanced to Tyler. She would tell Elena their secrets but she didn't Tyler Lockwood knowing them too.

"I'll compel him," Stefan offered. At her confused look, he elaborated. "Make him forget."

"You'd do that?"

"Of course," he nodded.

"Seth and I are shapeshifters," Briar explained to Elena, heart pounding as Seth slowly picked up Vicki's body. "We shift into wolves. Think a werewolf, but not controlled by the moon. It's part of our tribe. My brother is one, too."

"But you killed Vicki?" Elena asked, horror on her face. "You ripped her head off. Why — why would you do that?"

"It's complicated," she wasn't ready to tell Stefan's girlfriend — her cousin — about the extent of her connection to Stefan. "We're made to protect humans from vampires, creatures of the night. Vicki was a threat. Stefan's not. I acted impulsively, but the only way I know how."

Elena stepped back, glancing from Briar to Stefan. "That means you both knew," she gasped, tears in her eyes. "You both knew what the other was, and you never told me."

"Elena, I wanted to protect you," Briar tried.

"No," Elena shook her head. "I deserved to know."

"It's not just Briar's secret," Seth spoke up. "I'm gonna take Vicki to the woods. I'll call Jake, he'll know what to do." He looked to Briar. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "See you at home."

"See you."

He was gone a second later, and Briar knew he'd shift and drag Vicki's body when he was far enough from everyone else. Briar glanced down to Vicki's head, fangs out, veins prominent.

"I'm sorry, Elena," she looked back up to her cousin. "I am."

Elena watched her tearfully for a minute, before taking a deep breath and nodding. "Okay," she relented. "I understand." She looked between Stefan and Briar. "But no more lies, okay?"

"Okay," Stefan said immediately.

"Of course," Briar added.

They both knew they were lying.

—

Briar was at the Salvatore house when Stefan arrived, a bag full of peach rings and a bowl of popcorn, sitting on his bed.

"What're you doing here?" He asked, stopping in the doorway.

"I figured you'd need someone," she smiled up at him softly. "I do."

Stefan's smile was sincere when he nodded, walking to the bed and taking off his jacket and shoes.

"I changed," Briar acknowledged. "And I brought clothes. I'll probably sleep here tonight, so I figured I'd get ahead of the game. I thought we could watch scary movies until we crash."

Stefan grinned, lying on the bed next to her. He grabbed a handful of popcorn, stuffing it in his mouth.

"Tonight was terrible."

"The worst," Briar agreed. "I...won't kill you," she admitted. Swallowing her fear, she bit the bullet. "I can't kill you."

"But I'm a vampire?" Stefan asked in confusion, sitting up next to her. "And I'm not very strong with my diet."

"You're my imprint."

Confusion filled Stefan's eyes. "What's that?"

"It's...like a soulmate. It's not romantic in nature, it's just...the other half of something. It's chosen by our ancestors, I'm made to protect you, nurture you, love you. In whatever way you need. Whether it be familial or platonic or friendly or...more. You're important to me, Stefan." She hesitated, then added. "You're the most important person to me, now."

Stefan watched her for a moment, before exhaling deeply.

"I have a best friend," he told her. "And a girlfriend. And a brother."

Briar nodded, tears filling her eyes at the thought of him rejecting her. She couldn't take it. She knew right now, in this moment, staring into his eyes that she couldn't take it.

"I don't have a Briar," he smiled softly. "I don't think I could find you in anyone else if I tried."

"So, it's, okay?" She asked softly.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "Come on," he grabbed his remote and turned on the television, taking another handful of popcorn and lying back. "Let's get our Halloween on."

"Says the vampire."

"To the werewolf."

—

"You want me what?" Briar asked, eating a bowl of cereal, pressed to her ear. "I'm not a vampire babysitter."

"I know," Stefan sighed. "I'm hoping you don't work today. She's great, I promise. My best friend. I'll owe you."

"What do I get?"

Stefan was quiet. "I'll do your chem homework."

"Are you good at chemistry?"

"I've taken it a hundred times."

"Like slept in it or aced every test."

"Fifty-fifty."

"I'll do those odds. Said her name was Lexi?"

"Yeah, and she's, uh..." he laughed. "You'll like her."

"Okay." Briar placed her dish in the sink. "Be there in twenty."

"Thanks, Briar."

"Whatever."

Briar greeted her sleepy brother with a pat on the shoulder. "I'm going to Stefan's," she informed him, smiling when he gave her a thumbs up. "Take Seth to school?"

He shook his head, tossing her his keys. "I'm off today, he can drive your car."

"You're the best, Jake!"

Jacob simply grunted in response; face buried in a cup of coffee.

—

Briar knocked on the Salvatore Boarding House front door, head tilting side to side as a song ran through it. She waited, then entered, shrugging.

"Lexi!" She called out. "I'm Briar. Stef said to come by and keep you company."

A rush of air and then a pretty blonde girl was in front of her. "You must be the werewolf."

"I'm only understanding of the fact that he told you because you're best friends."

"Good."

Lexi smiled. "I'm Lexi," she held out a hand. "You are way too pretty to just be Stefan's friend."

"I could say the same for you," she held out her hand and shook Lexi's.

The smile on Lexi's face had Briar biting her lip to hide her own.

—

yes Lexi and Briar fucked, no i didn't write it and no they won't address it again but now you all know and i know mwuahahaa. i love lexi why wouldn't you bang her??? use your eyes smh. also not SUPER happy with this chapter but i like the stiar content <3. thank y'all sm for readinnngggg