TVD: The Siphoner

The Mystic Grill buzzed with chatter, warm lighting reflecting off half-empty glasses. Everyone was there—Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, Tyler, and Aiken—except Stefan, still out somewhere. Conversation drifted between trivial jokes and half-serious complaints until the door opened.

Jeremy walked in, looking tense.

"Hey," he said, straight to the point. "Has anyone seen Vicky?"

Tyler rolled his eyes and snapped, "You're her shadow—you tell us."

Jeremy's jaw tightened. "I can't find her anywhere."

"She's probably having fun with someone else." Tyler leaned back, his smirk widening. "Sorry, pill boucher, she replaced you."

Elena furrowed her brow. "Why 'pill boucher'?"

"Ask him," Tyler said, the grin stretching wider.

Jeremy turned sharply toward Tyler, his voice sharp. "Wanna finish things now?"

Elena's expression changed instantly—disappointment painted across her face in classic older-sister mode. "You're drug-dealing?"

Jeremy didn't answer. He just looked at her, eyes shadowed with annoyance, as if her concern was a nuisance.

"She'll never be with," Tyler taunted.

Jeremy scoffed. "She already did. Again. Again. And again."

"Yeah, sure." Tyler snorted, annoyed.

Caroline's eyes widened in real-time gossip processing. "Wait—wait. You had sex with Vicky Donovan?" Then she tilted her head. "No. Vicky Donovan had sex with you?"

"Impossible," Tyler said flatly.

Jeremy gave a pointed look. "And I didn't even have to force her."

Matt's expression darkened like a thundercloud. His voice came low and hot. "What the hell is he talking about, Tyler?"

"Nothing. Ignore him. He's an idiot," Tyler shot back quickly, tension lacing his tone now.

"Alright—enough," Matt interrupted. "Let's look for my sister."

Everyone nodded, finally unified by something.

"We'll check the bathrooms," Bonnie said, still arm-locked with Aiken.

"I'll take the square," Matt said immediately, already moving.

"I'm coming with you," Jeremy added, but before he could take a full step, Elena grabbed his arm.

"No, no, no. You come with me," she said firmly, dragging him off for the inevitable big-sister scolding.

Bonnie started toward the bathrooms with Aiken, but paused when he tugged gently on her arm.

"Bonnie," Aiken said softly, "I think we should split up."

She looked at him, puzzled. "Why?"

"To cover more ground, yeah... but also," his voice lowered, "truth is, I have a bad feeling."

"A bad feeling?" she repeated, watching his face.

He nodded. "It happens to me sometimes… same way it happens to you."

Bonnie's heart fluttered—then clenched. Another thing they had in common. Another link. Tragedy. Sensitivity. The unseen.

"Okay then," she said quietly, leaned up, and kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck."

"You too."

Aiken gave her a reassuring smile before stepping outside, the cold air of the square greeting him like a whisper. He hadn't lied—he did feel something. Something was wrong. He had mentioned it to Bonnie not just to relate, but to prepare her. When her powers awakened fully and her grandmother began teaching her, she'd know—about him. About what he really was.

And when that happened, she'd either accept him...

Or run.

So he had to open the door slowly. Carefully.

Before it slammed in his face.

...

As Aiken stepped into the town square, his eyes immediately found Matt—pacing, worried—and just a few feet away, Stefan. They were talking urgently.

Stefan... Aiken thought, narrowing his eyes. If Vicky's gone, odds are she's been taken by the same vampire who attacked the other night. She was just working the Grill minutes ago. Unless she ran off to do drugs in a back alley… this is the most likely option.

Before he could approach, Stefan suddenly turned from Matt without a word and started walking away—fast.

He's following something, Aiken realized, keeping his distance as he followed. Sound? Movement? His vampiric senses are probably picking something up.

Stefan's pace quickened, weaving through the empty side streets until he abruptly stopped and looked up.

Aiken's eyes followed—and widened instantly.

High above, on the rooftop, Vicky Donovan dangled at the edge of the building, held with casual cruelty by a man with messy black hair and a lean but powerful build. He looked to be in his early twenties, clad in dark clothing with a smug, dangerous confidence radiating from every movement.

His eyes—icy and calculating—met Stefan's.

Is he… that vampire? Aiken thought grimly.

Stefan blurred into motion, vanishing from sight as he used his vampiric speed to appear on the rooftop.

That's so useful, Aiken noted with dry annoyance as he broke into a run toward the building and started climbing the old fire escape.

...

On the rooftop…

"Not bad…" the black-haired vampire said, holding Vicky with one hand and covering her mouth with the other. "Did you eat any rabbit?"

"Let her go," Stefan said, voice cold.

"Seriously?" The man laughed, releasing Vicky's mouth and dangling her even closer to the edge. "Okay."

He shifted like he was about to drop her, fingers relaxing.

"No. No, no, no!" Stefan snapped.

With a chuckle, the man yanked her back and tossed her to the ground.

"Relax," the vampire said, folding his arms. "I don't need her dead. But maybe… you do."

Stefan didn't answer. His stance tightened.

The man stepped closer, peering at Vicky on the rooftop. "What attacked you the other night?"

Vicky hesitated, trembling. "I… I don't know… an animal?"

"You sure?" His voice dropped, hypnotic, coaxing. "Think about it. Think very carefully."

Vicky's brows furrowed. She winced. Something was shifting behind her eyes—memories surfacing.

"Who attacked you the other night?" he asked again.

This time, her eyes lit up in horror. "A vampire…"

"Who did this to you?"

"It was you!" she suddenly screamed, pointing at him.

"Wrong," the vampire said flatly.

"Don't do it…" Stefan warned.

"It was Stefan—"

His voice cut off in a scream of agony as a searing pain ripped through his skull.

"ARGHHHH!" He dropped to his knees, clutching his head, just as Vicky slipped from his grip and fell hard onto the rooftop.

The vampire hissed, lifting his head to search for the source of the pain.

The vampire narrowed his eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

Stefan turned sharply and blinked in recognition. "Aiken!"

To be continued...

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Also, I appreciate all the suggestions you guys have given me, I've decided to use some of them. I just liked them too much to not do it.