The Vampire Diaries: Trinity

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Catch Me If You Can

Caroline enters her house and closes the door when her phone rings. She pulls it out of her pocket and answers without checking to see who's calling. "Yeah?"

"Finally, someone actually picks up their phone."

"Trinity!" Caroline fails to keep the surprise out of her voice. "What's up?" she asks, trying to sound casual.

"I was hoping you'd tell me. It seems like everyone is going to great lengths to ignore me."

"What? No, no one is ignoring you; things have just been a bit busy."

"I thought with the hunter gone that things would've cooled down by now."

"Everything's fine." Caroline walks through the house, heading to her bedroom. "Don't worry. Just focus on finding your partners, or council members."

"So nothing's going on?"

"Nothing."

Trinity sighs over the phone. "Caroline, even on the phone, you're a really bad liar." Caroline walks into her bedroom and is greeted by the sight of Trinity, who hangs up and puts her phone away. "And you're worse in person. So why don't you tell me what the hell is going on?"

Caroline stares at her in shock.

Jeremy looks around the bar in disgust and shakes his head. "No way. I'm not doing this."

Klaus looks at him. "What makes you think you have a choice?"

"You have to kill vampires to complete the hunter's mark. Mark equals cure." Damon tells him. "You're in a bar full of almost vampires, so get your hunt on."

"Screw you. You said I wouldn't have to kill any innocent people."

"Jeremy, they're not people."

"Enough!" The hybrid interrupts them. "Have at it, or else."

"I don't take orders from you, dick." Jeremy drops a stake. "Hunters can't be compelled."

Klaus laughs and walks up to him with a look of menace in his eyes. "You're right. I can't compel you. But if your conscience is getting in the way, then allow me to make this easy for you. Because, I can compel them." They look at the vampires in transition; a few compelled humans are feeding them their blood. "I'm gonna give you a two-minute head start. Then I'm gonna send every vampire in here after you. You kill them, or they kill your friend...Matt."

"Wait a second!" Matt argues, surprised at the turn.

Damon shakes his head. "No, no. You turn them, he kills them. That was the deal, Klaus."

He smirks. "I'm taking artistic license."

"You know he can't take them all on at the same time."

"With you as his coach, he'll be fine. It's Matt I'm worried about."

Seeing that the situation will not be changed, Damon turns to the humans. "Ah...Jeremy, go get the weapons out of the car. I'll be right behind you." He runs out of the bar. "Both of you." Matt follows after his friend.

"If I hear an engine start, I'll kill Matt myself!" Klaus shouts after them.

The newly turned vampires begin to stand.

In the woods, Jeremy kneels to the ground, holding a piece of fabric to his friend's neck. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need a second." Matt pants.

"We don't have a second. They can smell your blood. We need to go." At the sound of movement, Jeremey swiftly stands and spins around, holding up his bow.