[*Chapter Forty-Four*]

Darcy's talisman is above!

Music - Who You Are - Jessie J

WARNING: beware of the trauma ahead. The author holds no responsibility for the anxiety and stress that the content may cause.

It was approaching nighttime now, and Darcy had to squint her eyes to see through the increasing darkness. The very minimal lights did not help her cause. Her heels left the car parking lot, meeting the soft manicured lawn, her long inky hair looked like a rippling lake, swaying left and right as her head whipped in different directions. A slim hand slithered down to her thigh, fingers caressing along the wooden stakes, calmed down her racing heart. She prayed. She caught Stefan in time. However, the decades he's been without human blood sent her blood pressure rising again.

In the distance, past the long wall of canopy trees, Darcy could make out two black shapes, her pace sped up, the sky a blur of the stars as she leapt towards them. Her gut knew it was Stefan and Amber. She wouldn't let Stefan do this to himself, sliding down that dark, gloomy slippery slope. Not again.

"Stefan!"

Stefan's downcast head whipped up at the sound of her voice, his attention switching away from Amber, who stood in front of him with a snap. "You shouldn't be here."

"Well, unfortunately for you, I am," Darcy said, her eyes roaming over Amber for any blood or wounds. Her blood froze, seeing the two incisions along her neck. She felt her walls hardening as she turned her intense stare to Stefan, her steps lessening as she closed the distance between them.

"I don't hurt people. I don't do that. I'm the good brother," Stefan said, turning his back on Amber, his voice and startling gaze on The Protectress, pleas for her to understand the war brewing inside him.

"Then let Amber go. You can fight this, and we'll fight this together. Let her go and come with me," Darcy said, extending her hand.

"Do you want to hurt me?" Amber asked from behind them.

"Why would you say that? I'm trying to give you a getaway from having you drained of your blood," Darcy exclaimed, whirling around on Amber.

"I don't want to hurt you. I want to kill you. I want to rip into your skin, and I want to feed on your blood," Stefan answered as he walked behind Darcy and pushed her hair aside. He lowered his head, brushing his lips along the column of her throat. "Under your skin, pulsating, floating, your carotid artery right here," his fangs skimmed the skin between Darcy's neck and shoulder, causing Darcy to shiver from the sensation.

"If you puncher it just right, you can control the blood flow. It takes practice, but it doesn't have to make a mess, and you don't have to waste any."

"What's stopping you?" Amber asked, trembling in fear.

"The urge is too much temptation for me not to give in," Stefan stepped around Darcy and cupped her face, his back to Amber. "But If I do this, If I give in, there's no going back, and I lose my Darcy."

"Then don't. You're a good person, Stefan. You don't want to hurt Amber," Darcy soothed, lifting her hands to his cheeks, caressing the black veins under the surface of his skin. "You can fight this. Let her go. She's just an innocent girl."

"I just want one taste. All I need is just one more taste," he said before speeding away from her and over to Amber, his fangs elongated.

"One taste?" Amber whimpered as Stefan bit into her neck.

Stefan ripped his fangs out, treading back. "I can't do this!"

"No, Stefan!" Darcy exclaimed, pushing Amber behind her. She turned to the girl and gripped her shoulders. "Run! Someone's coming for help. Keep running in the direction back to the house, and don't stop until you come across Damon Salvatore. Go!"

She paid no mind as Amber did as she was told. Instead, shifting to Stefan, her stare straying to the blood smeared across his lips and chin. Her heart broke seeing the distress covering his face. "Oh, Stef. It's okay."

"It's not okay. I need more!" Stefan shouted. He turned away from her and gripped onto the strands of his hair. "I can't do this," he finished in a whisper.

"Yes, you can. Find it in yourself to fight," Darcy skirted around him, halting his steps. Her stare was unwavering against his. She held his face in her hands. "It's okay not to be okay. Sometimes we're not perfect, and that's okay; perfection is not real. Feel my warmth and listen to my voice, focus on the sound, and feel, and draw in a deep breath... That's it. You're doing great... Now breathe out for me. "

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" Stefan asked, leaning his forehead on hers.

Smiling softly, she wiped the blood from his mouth. "I'll never be afraid of you, and just like I'll never be ashamed of you. We all mistakes, and we just have to find it in ourselves to rectify and not repeat them."

"You should. I could kill you," he whispered, clinging onto her frame. "Why doesn't your blood make me not want to drain you? It's refreshing and frustrating. I want to plunge my fangs into your neck and suck you dry. I bet you would taste delicious."

"What's stopping you? Why don't we find out if I taste sweet or sour?" Darcy cooed, looking over Stefan's shoulder and seeing Damon and Elena stepping through the trees, Bonnie following them.

"Stefan!" Elena yelled. Stefan's head snapped up. His grip slacked from Darcy as he backed away, features screwing up in confusion.

Damon sped over to them, looking over Darcy for any injuries. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing she was fine and pushed her behind him. He approached his brother, hands raised to show he wouldn't hurt him. "Stefan, come on, get in control. It's okay, come on. Breathe through it."

Damon steps closer to Stefan, but Stefan deflects him by grabbing and throwing him into a tree. Darcy creeps nearer, rounding the rear of the ravenous vampire, sliding out the compressed vervain stake just as he heard her steps and whirled around. The stake punctured his stomach before his arms enclosed around her.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," she whispered, her gentle gaze tracing his pain-filled features as he dropped to his knees, agonised screams spilling from his mouth as the vervain burned his insides. Darcy stepped away as she saw him clamber to his feet and rip out the stake, tossing it aside. Anger replacing his pain, black veins crawled under the skin, the white of his eyes turned red, teeth extending as he was about to advance on her.

Darcy gasped when Damon sped over, shoving her out of the way, knocking the air out of her lungs as her back met the ground. "You may be my brother, but I won't allow you to hurt her."

"Stefan! Stop it!" Elena yells, attempting to move closer, but Bonnie blocks her path.

"Stop now, or I'll fry your brains out here and now," Bonnie warned, hands pushed out, her warning hanging in the air.

Stefan halted, pain and remorse painting his face. The guilt ate at his conscious for he knew what he would have done if Damon had not prevented it.

"It's okay," Darcy reassured them, stepping around Damon and closer to Stefan. Her steps continued until her shoes met his. Comforting arms wrapped around him and brought him into her hold, one hand wrapping around his lower back, the other stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. "I don't care about me. If I get hurt, so be it. As long as you're safe, that's all that matters."

"I'm sorry," she said as she felt something cold and slim placed into her hand at Stefan's neck.

Clenching her hand into a fist, she closed her eyes and kept whispering soothing words before stabbing the needle into the junction of his neck, fingers pressing down on the plunger, allowing the vervain to flow into his bloodstream.

"Why?" Stefan croaked before a snap echoed through the night as Damon snapped Stefan's neck, his arms wrapping around his brother and throwing him over his shoulder before he could slump to the ground.

Damon gazed at the Huntress, his eyes softening at her grieved expression. "Don't feel guilty, Darcy. Deep down in his warped mind, he knows what we're doing is the right thing."

Darcy exhaled and looked away, unable to look at Stefan any longer. "I know, and I just hate seeing him in pain, and he doesn't deserve this torment."

"He knows our hearts are in the right place," Damon said, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. "I'm gonna take him back to the house now before he wakes up, and it's not gonna be pretty."

"It's okay. I'm ready. I'll meet you back in a bit. I need to head home and get some stuff," Darcy said before turning and walking away, heading to the car park.

"We can take my car. I'll drive you both home," A hand clasped around hers, slim fingers sliding between hers. Darcy looked to the side, meeting Bonnie's sympathetic face. "You know he's right; you did the right thing. I thought I would have to fry Stefan's brain if Damon hadn't pushed you away."

"I know. But that doesn't make any of this right."

"What have you done to Stefan!" Elena cried, running over to them.

"I stopped what would have ended up in more bloodshed. We're lucky he didn't kill Amber tonight," Darcy stated.

"But look what you did! Look at Stefan!" Elena exclaimed, tears streaming down her neck.

"I did what was our plan all the long," Darcy muttered, too tired to deal with her shit.

"What? You planned this?" Elena asked in disbelief. "Was that what all the secrets have been about?"

"Yes. Damon and I knew what could have happened tonight. Be thankful we came prepared."

*•*•*•*•*

Bonnie dropped the two girls at their home. Darcy pulled the Bennett girl into a hug and whispered her appreciation before jumping out of the car and running up the porch steps. Her feet pounded up the stairs in her haste to get into her bedroom, Elena's much softer footfalls following behind her.

Kicking off the heels and stripping out of her dress, Darcy left them on the floor before shuffling along to her closet and changing into her usual all-black attire. She then fetched extra clothes since she didn't know how long she would be staying with the Salvatores.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked from the doorway, watching as the Huntress hauled out her duffle bag and a wooden box, dropping them on her bed.

"Preparing myself for a long few nights with our dear friend, Stefan," Darcy mumbled, opening the wooden box, displaying wrapped vervain plants, several tubes of the liquid form, beaded bracelets, and needles.

"And you need all this for what?" Elena asked again, stepping inside her room, moving closer to inspect the items.

"I don't know if Stefan told you much about his ripper days, but let's just say the Stefan who will greet us won't be his usual self."

"So, what, you're gonna overdose him with vervain?"

"Yes, vervain will weaken Stefan enough to make him delirious. Damon will explain more later. Go and some clothes if you're coming too," Darcy ordered, placing the box into the bag and zipping it.

She heard Elena's feet patter across the floor, signalling her exit, giving Darcy the chance to allow the silence to wash over her. Closing her eyes, the raven-haired woman took in a deep breath as the memories of the night attacked her perception. Darcy knows she did the right thing, but that didn't stop the guilt from eating away at her soul. She did not mind if she got hurt; all that mattered was making sure Stefan was safe. Yet, Darcy still felt like she was a failure. Maybe if she arrived sooner or never granted Elena her dance, Amber would not have been bitten.

So, in John's terms, Darcy is a failure. And she will take the remark with her to her grave.

Opening her eyes, Darcy went into action, pulling on her leather jacket, collecting her car keys from her dresser, and then hurrying to her bed and lifting the duffle bag onto her shoulder. Just as she cut across the room and went to turn the light off before closing the door, a flash of red caught her attention.

Darcy's head whipped to the side; she froze as her eyes rested on her vanity table, where she kept her cosmetics and perfumes. Further to the back, hanging mockingly on the jewellery box, was... her necklace... Her very necklace that Stefan had thrown into the fire, the one she watched as the glass shattered in flames and the red crimson encased in the gem splattered along the tiled walls. The very one that now sat there perfectly intact.

"Impossible," she whispered, eyes blown open in shock. Her feet felt like bricks as she moved mindlessly over to the vanity table. She didn't think as she dropped her bag on the floor, snatched the necklace into her grasp, and jumped onto her bed. Brandishing the gem under the light, Darcy squinted her eyes and let out a gasp.

Not a scratch or blemish was in sight. Hell, there wasn't even a crack, which there should have been. Hanging the necklace off her fingers, she shook it and watched as the chain swing in circles. Darcy could see the red liquid still firmly encased in the glass rippling under the bright light.

"Well, fuck me sideways and slap my face," she let out a chuckle of disbelief and jumped off the bed. With the talisman still in her hand, she snatched up the bag before speed walking out of her bedroom and crashing into Elena's across the hallway, the door slamming into the wall.

"What the hell?" Elena gasped, the shirt she was pulling on stuck to her head. She wrestled with it until her head surfed free, tugging on the material until her arms fit through the short sleeves.

"No time to ask, let me try something," Darcy said, rushing over to her and placing the red globe onto Elena's arm.

"Ow! What the hell?" Elena yelped, jerking her arm away. "It burnt me!" she cried, slapping her hand on the red mark where the necklace had burnt her.

Darcy's mouth dropped open, her gaze fastened to the talisman. "It still has magic... How is that possible?"

"What I'd like to know is how it burnt me," Elena gasped, still rubbing her arm.

"No time to ask. Just move your ass. We're leaving," Darcy stated, slipping the talisman over her neck and rushing out of the room and down the stairs.

Wrenching her car door open, she threw the bag in the back and slotted the keys into the ignition and revved the engine. She waited until Elena sat in the passenger seat before reversing out of the driveway, not waiting until Elena had her seatbelt on or the door shut.

"Oh my god, Darcy, are you trying to kill us!" Elena exclaimed, gripping onto the 'oh shit handle' as Darcy floored the gas and sped down the deserted streets, not stopping until she skidded to a stop in the Salvatore's driveway. Leaving the engine running, Darcy kicked the door out and jumped out, jogging over to the front door.

"Wait! The car's still running!" Elena yelled and huffed when the woman ignored her and barged her way into the house.

Darcy ran down the hallway and entered the Parlour. She froze, seeing Damon crouched in front of the fire, about to set it alight.

"Do you not know how to knock?" Damon asked, looking over her shoulder. He paused, seeing her blank face.

"I'll say this once... Move," Darcy commanded before storming over to him.

"What... Why?" Damon asked, confused as he stood to his feet and turned around to face her, his back to the fire. "What's happening... Ow!" he exclaimed when Darcy set down the talisman on his waving hand before pushing him aside and dropping to her knees.

"Fuck!" Damon cursed, gripping his scorching hand just as Elena ran into the room. "Will someone tell what the hell is going on?"

"I said move!" Darcy shouted before rifling through the wood and coal. "It's not here!" She said, standing up and twisting to the two other occupants in the room. "How is that possible?"

Elena collapsed onto the sofa, panting. "I don't know Darcy's gone mental."

"What's not possible?" Damon asked, watching as the burn on his hand healed.

"This," Darcy said, holding the necklace out to Damon. "After Stefan had thrown it into your fire, we thought that would be the end.... Gone, poof, yadda, yadda, yadda. Except I go home and what do you know? The little fucker sits in my room. Heck, if it could, it would've waved at me too. I don't know how anything of this is possible... But I think it's...."

Damon's jaw drops, eyes widening as he steps away from the cursed object, that and because he doesn't want to be paralysed or burnt again. He swallows, his stare hooked on the red globe. "Indestructible," he mumbles.

"So, you're saying it can't be destroyed?" Elena asked, worry painting her face. "What the hell is it?"

"That's the question we should be asking," Darcy said, nodding her head at Elena. "Or has anyone noticed what's inside it?"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, confused.

Darcy turned to Damon and beckoned him closer to her. She shook her head when the vampire backed up. "I'm not going to burn you, and I was testing if it still contained magic.

Damon eyed her warily as his feet shuffled over to her. His vision narrowed as he latched on the dark glass of the globe.

"Tell me... Do you see what I see?" Darcy said, shaking the chain.

Damon's eyeballs tracked the movement, and because his sight was more advanced than humans, he easily caught the rippling effect. "Something's inside it."

"Hmm, you got that right," Darcy mumbled as she locked gazes with the vampire. "Would you believe me if I said it contains blood?"

Damon and Elena looked at her strangely, the Gilbert girl had moved closer, so she was standing in close range. She went to touch the talisman but then remembered it had burnt her. "Blood?" She questioned dubiously.

"Are you sure it's not the glass and the light reflecting against it?" Elena continued. "From here, the glass looks a dark red."

Darcy nodded and settled the necklace under her shirt. "I thought that too... until I saw Stefan throwing it in the fire. However, as it shattered, red liquid splashed upon the tiled wall.... Look," she paused, moving over the fire and pointing to the marble tiles, displaying the now dried crimson liquid from the morning's incident.

Damon wet his finger, placed it on a red trail, and brought it to his mouth. He sucked on the tip and hummed, eyes widening in delight and curiosity. "Yep, defiantly blood. Who's ever it's is sure tasty... and not human."

"Not human?" Darcy questions sceptically, brows drawing uptight. She began pacing around the room with her. Hands hooked at the base of her back like a soldier, and her head bowed, tracking the movement of her feet as they travelled across the floorboards. "So many unanswered questions."

"I would say vampire blood—a variety of different tastes. We have a distinctive taste in comparison to a human," Damon explained.

Darcy lifted her head, looking over at Damon and Elena as she continued to walk. She doesn't know why but keeping her limbs moving helps her think more clearly. "But how does that fit in with it all? Why vampire blood and not human?"

"Why anything? It's all very confusing. Not only is it a talisman, but it's also protected by magic, which only a Witch could do. A which who we don't know and control Darcy without them being physically present," Damon shrugged before walking over to his drink collection and pouring himself a drink. He shook the bottle of Bourban at Darcy, silently asking if she wanted one too. Seeing her nod her head, he flowed a second drink and slid it to the edge of the table, watching as the ebony head walked over to him and picked up the tumbler, taking a sip with a blissful sigh.

Damon hid his smile as he lifted the glass to his lips and gulped down the contents. He found Darcy's little mannerisms charismatic and endearing.

Darcy placed her empty glass back on the table and sighed, her hand cupping her chin as she thought of the many possibilities. She lifted her head when the light bulb in her head flashed. "So let's say the talisman burns people who are not me. That forms a connection to me... why? And as Damon said, only a Witch is responsible... But who? And what's with the blood? What's the cause of it all?"

Damon hummed, shifting his dark head to the side, analysing the Protectress. She's definitely a human; he could hear her heart pumping and the blood flowing through her veins. A which would be needed to cast a protection charm to the talisman, they usually do that if they want to protect a cause or in their case...

"It all leads to you," Damon paused, eyeing the two women. "The talisman is protecting Darcy... From what and by who, we won't know until the answers are revealed."

Darcy threw up her arms, face reddening with frustration. "Well, that's just fucking great. What are we supposed to do now? Just sit and around and wait?"

"Yep. Sit and wait," Damon confirmed.

*•*•*•*•*

Did y'all survive? 👀

Let me know your thoughts and theories! I'd love to hear them.

Unfortunately, the following few chapters ending series one will be a slight wait until they are published. I need time to make sure everything runs smoothly and connects. But do be reassured, Isobel, Founders Day, along with an epilogue and the prologue of series two, will be up within two+ weeks.

Regarding the talisman, please refer to the chapter named 'a thousand years ago' part of the answer is revealed there 😉