An Elemental Difference - FIRE - Book 2 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 47 - Ready or not, here we come

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Aella finished washing the glass Rose had used for her blood before she went down for a nap. Aella had helped the vampire shower, Rose's sobs muffled by the powerful shower as Aella washed the blood from her.

Drying her hands, Aella let out a deep breath, taking the time to focus and center herself. Seeing Rose, someone she knew as a strong and powerful woman, be reduced to such a frail being.

Taking a deep breath, Aella left the kitchen and began to walk toward the stairs when she saw a discarded blood bag on the floor. With an annoyed sigh, Aella picked up the bag, cursing Damon for not throwing things away, until she saw another near the entrance to the basement.

Following the blood bags, Aella's hands automatically raised up, ready to incapacitate Rose should she attack. But, as she walked further into the basement, the sound of someone drinking feverishly became louder and louder. When she rounded the corner, Aella saw Rose surrounded by empty blood bags and the vampire's face covered in blood.

Despite the phrase, walking into the lion's den, pulsing at her brain, Aella took a tentative step forward and gently spoke Rose's name, "Rose?"

Like any predator cornered, Rose froze, and before Aella could open her mouth to soothe the vampire, Rose had lunged at Aella, teeth bared. However, Aella was prepared, and her hand pushed forward, propelling Rose away again; this time, the vampire wasn't bested.

As if in a frenzy, Rose attacked again, this time low. She swept Aella off her feet, but Aella used the air to move her backward instead of to the floor as Rose expected. In absolute confusion, Rose looked to where Aella should have been, allowing Aella to quickly shout out, "Phasmatos Somnus."

Rose's body stiffened before she collapsed into a deep sleep on the floor.

As she approached the vampire, Aella brushed herself free of dirt and dust from the basement floor. She nudged Rose gently with the tip of her shoe, and when there was no reaction, Aella sat down on the floor with a groan, "I really need to go to the gym more."

Pulling out her cell phone, Aella dialed Damon's number, grumbling when it went straight to voicemail. "Damon, it's Aella," she firmly recorded for him to listen to. "Rose is getting worse; she needs you. Now."

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

Caroline frowned at the locker before her as she spoke to her best friend on the phone, who seemed to be missing a vampire, "You tied up, Rose?"

"She attacked me," Aella grumbled on the other side of the phone. "I just put her to sleep for a while and then made her a blanket of ropes."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Aella, you better not lose her. If she ruins my first event since-"

"-She won't!" Aella quickly cut her off. Caroline could hear her opening cupboards and closing them. "I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"No heads up!" Caroline exclaimed instantly. "I don't want heads anywhere but perfectly intact on their shoulders." Aella said nothing, and Caroline heard another cupboard door shut, "Are you making yourself a snack?!"

Caroline heard Aella stomp her foot, confirming that Aella was in the kitchen. She could practically hear her best friend shrug, "I'm hungry, and she's having a nap right now. So, I thought, why not? It was Damon's turn for the human food shop, and he's a total snob, only the best of the best. So instead of the cheap stuff, Club Cola, that Stefan thinks we all like, Damon only buys Coca-Cola."

With a roll of her eyes, Caroline turned to return to her event, only to freeze when she saw Matt heading her way. Feeling trapped in a corner, she turned her back on her former boyfriend and hissed into the phone, "You better keep her locked up, Aella. Because if she ruins today because you were snacking and high on Coca-Cola, I ruin you." She snapped the phone shut before Aella could reply. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Matt, jumping back when she saw him directly before her.