Chapter 26

Stefan and I were playing a game.

"Those two guys over there. Both gay, but not a couple. And they both fancy each other, but are in couples with women." I told him. Basically, we'd read the minds of some passer-biers, and then we'd try to get the juiciest life story. You can probably tell it wasn't Stefan's idea, but I'd persuaded him to play, and we were having fun with it too.

"That woman in the red swimsuit on the sun lounger with the blue umbrella to the left of us. Her ambition for the past couple of weeks has been to be the new face of the Special K adverts. Hence the red swimsuit, and attempt at flowing, silky hair." Stefan remarked. I spied the girl he was talking about, and noticed that the hair was a total fail. Even from here, I could see that it was choppy, and the ends needed trimming, and the roots needed retouching as the blonde beneath the botched brunette dye job was resurfacing.

"The couple over there are trying several recommendations from their couple therapist that include going abroad and finding another couple to sleep with to add spice to their relationship. The woman is considering divorce, but the man doesn't want to lose her, and for the sake of their cockapoo, which is a cocker spaniel and poodle cross, they are trying to make the relationship work. Which is why they are here. They're both scouting for a hot couple they could envision sleeping with," I explained, almost in stitches, until the man's eyes fell on me and Stefan. "Oh, dear. Stefan. The man's picked us! He and his wife are walking this way! Act natural, and don't laugh in their faces."

I turned on my stomach, in an attempt to stop myself from laughing, and then I heard them stop just by our feet.

"Hi, I'm Stuart, and this is my wife, Melissa. How are you folks doing today?" Stuart asked us. I turned over to be polite, with a polite smile on my face as well.

"We're okay, but we should be getting back to our parents." I said, standing up, and pulling Stefan up with me.

"How old are you?" Melissa asked us, her face starting to show panic.

"I'm sixteen, he's seventeen."

"Are you brother and sister?" Stuart asked me.

"God no! I'm his girlfriend! No, we're here vacationing with our parents." I said, making myself blush.

"They're just kids, Stu. Let's just leave!" The woman hissed at her husband.

"It was nice meeting you, but I should really take her back." Stefan said, wrapping his arm around my waist and grabbing our towels. I gave them a small wave, but as soon as I turned around and we had walked away a little ways, I was in stitches.

Stefan tried to hush me, but it only made me laugh harder. In the end, I was laughing so hard, Stefan threw me over his shoulder because I couldn't move anymore than two steps without shaking with the force of my giggles.

He carried me to this beach cafe, set me down in a chair, and then waved over a waitress to order two burgers and fries.

"Mmm, human food!" I said, rolling my eyes at my own sarcasm.

"When did you last eat anything?"

"Don't worry, I snacked on Damon." I smiled at his shocked expression. It was priceless.

"Really?" He questioned.

"A taste of his own medicine. I think we have bigger problems. Stranger eyeing us with a lot of hatred in her eyes, my one o'clock." I whispered, looking at this blonde bombshell glaring at Stefan and I.

Count to five, and get up. Lead her out, and then I'll follow behind, and sneak up on her, Stefan sent me mentally. I nodded, counted to five in my head, grabbed my bag, and slipped my sandals on, then walked out, shooting her a smirk so she'd take the bait. I heard her footsteps, if she was a vampire she was a very heavy footed one. I took a short-cut down an alleyway, knowing she'd still follow, and 'accidentally' found myself in a dead end.

"Oh, shoot." I said, turning around. Then there she was.

"Hey, bloodsucker."

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"That's just great! You don't even remember me! Do you remember blowing through Phoenix, Arizona?"

"I've been a lot of places, sweetie." I said, my voice as condescending as I could manage. Her blue eyes narrowed at me in response, her eyebrows bunching together with anger.

"You and your boyfriend, Damon Salvatore, slaughtered a pack of werewolves?" She pressed, spitting the words at me.

"Oh! Are you the sole survivor of that pack?" I grinned, knowing where this was headed.

"No. You missed half of us. I'm just a scout." She smirked at me. I narrowed my eyes, and saw Stefan creep up behind her.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Aria."

"Well, Aria. Have you heard of the phrase, 'Don't shoot the messenger'?" I questioned, waiting until Stefan was close enough.

"Yeah?" She looked confused, until Stefan grabbed her arms, pulling them behind her back and twisting them so she couldn't struggle or break free.

"I believe in killing the messenger. You know why?" I asked her, moving closer to her, intimidating her.

"Why?" She snarled at me.

"It sends a message." I punched a hole through her ribcage, and grabbed her heart, wrenching it out and throwing it away. She fell limp in Stefan's arms, and he wordlessly dropped to the floor. I wiped my hand on her black tank top, cleaning the blood off, before digging into her pockets. I found her driving license, wallet, and a cell phone, which started ringing as soon as I had touched it.

I press the green button, and put it against my ear.

"Aria? Did you find them? Have you found Elena Gilbert? She's our priority, remember? Salvatore isn't important. Just Gilbert." A male voice spoke on the other side of the phone line.

"Aria's a little...dead right now. Sorry for the inconvience, but this is Elena Gilbert, her secretary, speaking. How may I help you?"

"You little bitch. You killed half my pack, and now my daughter?"

"Little Aria was your daughter? Kudos. She's a beauty. Was a beauty," I taunted him, smirking. Stefan watched me the whole time, with a small look of disgust on his face. I ignored him. "Why am I your priority?"

"That's pack business right now, leech."

"Well, your daughter is in Spain. You'll probably need two boxes to take her home in. One for her body and a smaller one for her heart. Shame she had to die, because her daddy was a coward and didn't come to look for me himself."

"You motherfu-"

"Now, now. What's your name, Lassie?"

"Brady Lockwood."

"Lockwood? Are you related to Tyler Lockwood?"

"Yeah. He's been staying with us, since you ran him out of Fell's Church."

"Not my fault, Toto. He decided to be the big, bad wolf, and tried to kill a whole load of people from my town. Including my friends. Something that no one dares to do. Tell Tyler I said hi. I look forward to ripping out his heart, just like I did to your daughter. Bye, Brady." I hung up on him, then picked up the girl's body and placed it gently in a dumpster, along with her heart.

"Why did you kill her?" Stefan asked me.

"Because I'm a vampire, Stefan. And it's who I am. Deal with it." I said.

"You're not that person. The person you are was the one who I was having fun with on the beach."

"Stefan, I'm both of those people. If someone from my past comes and threatens me and my-whatever he is, I'm not letting them walk away to get reinforcements," I said, walking towards him, and looking at him. "I thought you'd accepted that the girl you fell in love with has changed?"

"I have. It's just a lot to get used to."

"Let's go back to Poppy's place. We've got a lot to tell the others. Turns out when we kill one enemy, there's always another to take its place." I sighed.

Life was never going to be simple for me and my friends, was it?

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I'm sorry it's short, and it sucks, but this was demanded, so I couldn't put it off anymore, otherwise I would have been hunted down and murdered. But anyway, enjoy!