#bkss2018

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Anything

Happy holidays @kingcobrakai1972​ from @leianaberrie​! Set in an alternate season 7. Season 6 until the finale. The heretics escape and under Lily’s orders, put Elena in a sleeping spell as punishment to Damon before leaving Mystic Falls. Bonnie meets Kai to ask him to help break the spell. She’s willing to do anything he asks.

“Anything?”

Bonnie slants a glance at the man sitting across the table. In the shadows, she can’t read the expression on his face, but his eyes are glinting.

Her fists spams under the table, and she swallows. Hard. “Yes.”

There is a beat. Then another.

“Let’s go.”

She barely has time to snatch up her purse, before Kai’s hand is firm on her elbow, leading her out of the restaurant. She wonders with vague hysteria if the waiter won’t chase them down for not paying the bill, then laughs to herself as she remembered that the owned he restaurant, the entire block, this damn town.

He glances down at her at the laugh, just briefly, and she catches a glimpse of a tight jaw and glinting, glinting eyes, then he’s striding across the parking lot, with her in tow.

She can barely keep up with him, he is walking so fast, that she was forced to either jog along or fall down. She tries to look up at him, read his face, his mood, but all she gets was a glimpse of hard profile. Her heart is pounding, and not just from the fact that she was basically running. Is she ready to do this? Because she has no doubt in her mind what this is. Will be. They have never spoken about it, put into words. But it was always there between them, brooding beneath the surface.  The way he looks at her. The way his magic follows hers whenever she walked into a room. There are times she’s played with certain … scenes… in her head, only to quickly push them back, back down into the box she refuses to open. Pandora. We all know how that story ended.

Well now she has to open that box whether she liked it or not. She needs to. For… for Enzo. That’s right. For Enzo. Damon, too, by proxy.

She wonders if he’s walking this fast because he’s afraid she’ll change her mind.

His car is sleek, a silver capsule cooling its heels in the reserved spot. He maneuvers her into it, and she waits for the few seconds it takes him to walk round to his side – or it should have been a few seconds, but apparently even that is too much for him. He ports into the driver’s seat and she lets out a sharp little gasp.

For the first time, he looks her straight in the eyes. His pupils are completely blown, and she feels her face burn from the intensity of his gaze. He reaches out with his right hand, palm up. “Last chance to back out. Once we leave… No backsies,” he warns, and she chokes back a hysterical laugh.

She nods quickly, wanting to break eye contact, and yet being unable to.

“I need you to say it out loud, Bonnie.”

She puts her hand into his, skin touching skin. A volt seems to shoot up her arm and she gasps. She sees the flash through his eyes. “Let’s do this.” Her voice is surprisingly clearer and stronger than she expected.

A smile breaks across his face. It’s not a nice or kind one. Then he yanks at her hand, and they vanish.

They are in Kai’s house. She knows because she’s been there before, and she recognizes the white walls, and vaulted ceiling, and the motif on the stained glass windows. And it’s a good thing because that’s all she gets a glimpse off before his arms go around her, and lift her on top of — what? the counter? A desk? — his body snug between her thighs, and then he’s kissing her.

Or not kissing as much as consuming her. His hands were firm on her back, surprisingly chaste if you ignored the fact that his arms were around her like iron bars, holding her against him, so that her nipples rubbed tormentingly against his chest with every inch of movement he made and his mouth— His mouth burned against her own. His lips were soft but insistent, soothing and teasing, and when she couldn’t take it anymore and gasped, his tongue slipped in, licking, tasting, sipping her in turn. Her head was spinning, and she was shivering all over, tremors radiating from everywhere her body rubbed against his own.

“Kai…” she managed to moan.

His mouth moved to her jaw, nipped her there and she whimpered.  His hands were still on her back, and she should be grateful for that because it was the only thing holding her up — but she resented the fact that they weren’t on her face, on her breasts, rubbing against her thighs…

Until they were, his left hand holding the back of her head, tugging slightly at her strands so that his mouth could get better access to her throat, his right hand rubbing her knee insistently, adding to the delicious friction between her jeans-clad thighs  and his suit pants, then he whispered something into her skin and she felt the barrier of clothing between them vanish. The cool air hit her naked back, and she felt smooth, hard muscles under her hands, and she cried out.

Bonnie felt him still. His head lifted and an unwanted inch of space suddenly appeared between them.

She blinked open, slowly, confused. “What?”

“Do you want this, Bonnie?”

She sputtered. What?

“This.” His face was so tense that his jaw looked like it could snap. She reached for it, her fingers testing tentatively.

He closed his eyes, his whole body shuddering, and the grabbed her hand. For a moment, she thought he would push her hand away, but instead he held it firmly against his face.

“This, Bonnie. Do you want this?”

“We… we had a deal.”

He swallowed. His eyes were still closed. Then he dropped her hand as if it tainted him, and turned away swiftly.

She had one heart-stopping glimpse of his naked back before he flung his hand at her in a careless gesture, and the room spun.

She was falling backwards, a glimpse of dark wood panels, and earthy upholstery flying past her —- until she landed with a soft thump.

“Bonnie…where…how…?”

She sat up at once, and blinked in alarm at Caroline’s shocked face.  

She was back at Whitmore, in the room she shared with Caroline and Kai was nowhere to be found.

“Caroline?” Bonnie asked weakly. And stupidly, she looked down to see her clothes – but she was back in the same jeans and plain tee-shirt she had been wearing a few hours— or so? What had just happened?

Caroline rushed to her side, confused, worried. “What happened? I thought you were in Portland, meeting Kai?”

“I was… I mean I thought I was…”

“What happened? Is he going to help with Elena?”

Bonnie started talking —- then checked herself. “I… I don’t know. He said…he would but then he…” A well of emotion (confusion, anger, and hurt?) swelled up inside her.  She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know, Care.”

“You told him everything? That Elena’s under the Curse. That Damon will kill you to get her wake up? And he refused to help?”

Bonnie shrugged.

“Bonnie, what happ—?” Caroline took a deep breath. “Okay, we’ll talk about that later. Right now, we have to move.” She started zipping around the room, yanking out a suitcase, stuffing Bonnie’s things into it. “Stefan’s still in Europe, tracking down that his mom. Damon’s locked up in the Salvatore dungeon. But you know Damon…he will break out…he will find you…”

The door opened. Caroline let out a scream and ran forward, fangs bared. “Don’t you dare—” She stopped.

Bonnie stood up at once at the sight of the person walking in.

Kai. Jeans, pullover, dispassionate smirk – looking completely different from the man that had been licking her neck a few minutes ago in another state.

“You’d better be here to help,” Caroline snapped.

Kai gave her a bored look, then shifted to the side. Standing behind him was Elena.

“Hey guys,” she said weakly. Then she fell into Caroline’s and Bonnie’s arms.

Bonnie half-expected him to just port back to Portland, and when she rushed out of the dorm room to see him still walking down the hallway, she was torn between relief and disappointment.

“Hey! Kai!”

She also didn’t expect him to stop, wait for her. He didn’t turn around, but when she caught up with him, he looked down at her.

They had stopped by a window, and she could see his face clearly. For all the difference that made. He was even more unreadable than he had been an hour  ago.

“We had a deal.”

His eyebrows shot up and she felt her face burn.  That was not what she was going to say! An awkward moment passed where she just looked at him, completely unable to talk because she literally couldn’t think past her own embarrassment and the fact that an hour (or so?) ago, their naked bodies had been touching and why had he stopped and what the hell was wrong with her…

“You’re welcome, Bonnie,” he said finally, and started turning.

She grabbed his sleeve, taking care not to touch his skin but she could still feel the warmth radiating from his body. She wanted to walk into it, sink into him.

“I don’t want to owe you,” she said.

“And that’s all you want?” he snarled, turning on her.

She stepped back, shocked. Why was he so angry? “What did I do?” she whispered.

“You…” He laughed harshly, ran his fingers through his hair. “You were actually going to go through with it, weren’t you? Have sex with me” – she flinched – “to save your precious Elena?”

She felt her own anger rising. “You seemed pretty down with it a few…how long ago has it been exactly?”

“I was testing you. To see how far you were willing to go.” She felt her face drain. He sneered. “What would you have done if it was Luke instead of me? Because he sure as hell can’t buy what you were-”

She didn’t know she had slapped him until she saw the red imprint of her hand on his face, felt her own fingers tingle. She took a step back, swallowed back an instinctive apology. “Don’t talk to me like that,” she said shakily.

To her dismay, his face had gone unreadable again. She hated it. At least, with the anger she could see how he felt.

He turned on his heel and walked away.

“Kai! Kai!”

He kept walking, turned the corner. When she chased after him, he was gone.

It was hours later, in the middle of the impromptu party that Caroline had thrown for Elena, while she held a drink in her hand that she barely tasted, and played along with Damon’s (and Stefan’s) pretense that until a few hours ago, her life hadn’t been in mortal danger from either of them— that Bonnie reminded herself of something. She still owed Kai Parker one.

She took a small sip. And smiled.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

for you i would fall from grace.

Happy holidays @scorpio-karma​ from @thetourguidebarbie​! This takes place mid-S4 where Kai succeeded in killing his family and went off to be his evil self and then came back because an old friend told him that a powerful Bennett witch was interested in learning Expression. Shameless PWP, basically. I hope you like it!! Title: Don’t Blame Me, Taylor Swift because IT GIVES ME SUCH BONKAI VIBESSS

“Do you feel that?”

Bonnie took a shaking breath, more aware than she’d ever been of the surge of magic in her fingertips. When she’d made feathers float or given aneurysms the feel of it had always been heat, like holding her hand just above flame. This magic was different, an electric current that seemed to pull at her skin. She nodded, glancing at Kai with uncertainty.

“Close your eyes and push it out.”

She obeyed without thinking about it, her eyes shutting tight and her magic pulling harder before she exhaled, instinctively letting go. Kai was silent, and she blinked, turning to find him and catching the sight of the oak tree that had been just feet away, reduced to a grey skeleton of branches. She looked around, realizing that everything within a few meters away was dry and wilted. The grass sank with a crunch under her feet.

She could feel Nature, with a capital N, scolding her deep in her bones, feel the balance of magic inside her shifting and twisting. She knew that Expression had consequences, had instinctively understood that it was a rush of power that she couldn’t unfeel, but this was a hit she’d never get enough of.

The magic was almost too active to sit beneath her skin, rolling inside of her as though trying to escape. She itched to release it again, to bend it to her limit until it snapped.

He’d promised her power when he’d first managed to get her alone to talk. She remembered the boyish grin on his face as he walked beside her describing all the things he could help her learn, their feet crunching in the snow, wind biting at her cheeks. Even then she could tell that he wasn’t being entirely truthful, that he had motives other than helping her learn Expression because his ‘old friend’ Shane contacted him for a favor. Unfortunately her poker face had never been all that great, and when he noticed that she grew more alert at the mention of learning to protect her friends, he’d pressed down that path more.

And yes, it was definitely true that every piece of common sense she had told her to maybe not partner up with a weird magic-sucking warlock who she barely knew just to learn to rescue Elena from her terrible decision making. But she’d made deals with the devil before, and almost everyone was still alive.

In retrospect, she probably should have listened to every piece of her common sense.

The magic was still licking the inside of her flesh, her body tense as she tried to control it the way he’d been teaching her little by little for months. Now that she’d let herself unleash it once she could tell that keeping it contained would be much harder going forward, especially since Kai seemed to have a penchant for doing his best to make her lose control in every single delicious way.

She could feel his chest press against her back, his thumbs brushing under the hem of her shirt to tug tendrils of magic from her skin. She wished she could pretend the shiver was from the late winter cold. The only time she’d hinted how intensely her body reacted to his touch resulted in him being smug and insufferable for hours, a wide satisfied smile stretching across his face as he watched her with distractingly hungry eyes. She’d done her best to keep her expressions contained since then, to not give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she liked his hands against her skin.

Especially since nothing seemed to turn him on more than the sight of her when she allowed her magic to fill the air around her.

Letting herself let go always made her feel powerful, but Expression seemed to stimulate her differently than traditional magic. She knew that she probably should have felt uncomfortable when he let his eyes slide down her body after they practiced, but it just made her feel wanted. The heat of his gaze always made her breathing grow heavier, her nipples tightening beneath her blouse, her core aching. Her arousal was even more noticeable now that she’d let herself fully feel the effects of her magic, and the scent of him so close when he tugged her fully against him didn’t exactly help.

The tips of his fingers snuck under the waistband of her jeans, and despite the lightness of the touch, she rolled her hips instinctively, hoping to tempt him down an inch or two to her clit.

He knew her body well enough now that he didn’t take the bait. He liked to tease her, to draw out her anticipation for so long that was a writhing mess. It had taken a long time for him to convince her to let him explore her body, especially once she’d found out about how he’d killed his siblings (and that he didn’t regret it one bit), but she couldn’t say she’d do anything differently given a do-over.

She’d basically spent the past few months trying to convince herself that it wasn’t anything but physical need, mostly because she knew it was wrong to feel anything close to actual affection for someone who was such an asshole. He hadn’t grown or gotten better, after all. He likely never would.

But on some level didn’t that just make it even more sinful? Even more satisfying?

“That was so hot,” he breathed before letting the tip of his tongue trace the shell of her ear, his fingernails digging into the skin of her waist, slowly beginning to drain her magic, the sting of it going straight to her clit, making her knees buckle.

There was a snarky comeback lingering in the air for her to take but she couldn’t quite form the words, too distracted by his lips fastening to her neck and sucking gently, teeth scraping along her skin. She could feel him growing hard against her ass as he continued planting lazy kisses up and down her neck and shoulder, and she groaned as he ground against her, pulling his hand out from under her top and cupping her breast through the thick fabric of her coat instead. Bonnie arched into his touch, her eyes closing as Kai tugged the zipper of her jacket down and began to tug at her nipple through the thin fabric of her blouse.

She knew that she should tell him that they should go back to the hotel. The field was deserted for now, but it was near a popular campsite and someone could walk in on them at any moment. She felt herself grow wetter at the idea of being seen with Kai’s hand down the front of her jeans as he ground against her ass, how he’d undoubtedly relish the opportunity to make her moan for him as loudly as possible just to give them a show.

She moaned softly at the thought, her breath catching when she heard Kai chuckle in her ear, his hands hiking her blouse up her stomach for access to her skin before one of them slid under the waistband of her jeans to rub her clit over the fabric of her panties. “Like that?” he asked when she whimpered, her knees buckling.

“More,” she breathed, tipping her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. He hummed against her skin as he obliged, rubbing her clit in tight circles and building her up, grinding the bulge in his jeans against her ass in time with the tight circles his fingertip was making against her clit, the drugging sting of him pulling at her magic only making it hotter.

“I’m so close,” she gasped out, instantly regretting it when he pulled his hands away. “Hey!”

He spun her around to face him, his large hands closed around her wrists. She met his eyes squarely, the fear of what she’d find there having disappeared months before, and she felt the rush of her breath leaving her lungs at how he was looking at her.

It wasn’t love or affection, though she’d seen that in stolen glances at night when he thought she wasn’t paying attention, the knowledge that he’d somehow progressed to a feeling past magic-induced lust something she knew should have made her wary. This was pure want, need. She knew that her magic ached for him, that she always managed to dig a piece of her beneath his skin when they were in close proximity, but he seemed to crave her powers as much as she craved his touch.

She felt cold when he let go of her, backing up a few paces and sinking down onto the dead grass, unfastening his jeans with ean easy flick of his fingers. “I want to watch you ride me,” he said, his voice quiet but easily cutting through the stillness of the air.

Bonnie swallowed, her heart pounding, squeezing her thighs together to try to relieve some of the friction. She could feel his eyes on her body, greedily watching as she unbuttoned her jeans and kicked them off, pulling her shirt over her head a moment and looking up at him as she unfastened her bra. His lips were slightly parted as he watched every movement she made, his hand wrapped around his cock. She licked her lips without thinking, her eyes darting up to meet his as she let her bra fall to the ground.

“You’re beautiful.”

He’d said it more than a few times, muttered it as he bent her over a desk or whispered it in her ear between kisses to her neck as he lazily fucked her between hotel sheets, but it didn’t feel the same. It felt like more, somehow.

She didn’t answer, not wanting to risk acknowledging that there might actually be some connection between them not based on frenzied magical release. She’d think about it later, but for now she was aching, wanted to feel him stretch her, needed his hands and mouth on her as soon as possible.

“Take off your shirt,” she ordered, sinking down to settle herself in his lap, her thighs spread. She felt the rough fabric concealing the zipping of his jeans drag along her pussy and moaned, letting her head fall back as she rolled her hips.

“Look at me,” Kai ordered, the sharp tone making her breath catch. “I want to see you.”

She met his eyes as she sat up on her knees, reaching between them to stroke his cock a few times before sinking down onto it, their foreheads falling together as Kai groaned, Bonnie’s nails digging into his shoulders.

“You feel so good,” he muttered, swearing under his breath as she started to move against him, her breasts crushed against his chest, his hands gripping her hips tightly to keep her at the pace he wanted. He was usually rougher, his thrusts harsh and fast as he spoke to her under his breath, weaving out a million fantasies of all the things he wanted to do to her. He was slower now, more purposeful, her clit pressing against his pelvic bone with every thrust as he groaned her name into her neck.

“Faster,” she breathed, and she heard the rumble in his throat as he chuckled before he pulled back to look at her.

“Later,” he promised, a clear assurance in his tone that he had every intention of following through.

“Stop being so weird,” she complained, trying to roll her hips to make him go faster and huffing when she was thwarted by his strong grip.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re being….soft. Sweet. Stop it.”

He laughed, tugging her down against him as he thrusted, hitting her g-spot and watching raptly as she shuddered. “Sweet on you, maybe.”

“First of all, gross,” she said, trying to keep her words coherent as he began to move faster, enough to make her have to struggle to keep her train of thought but not quite as much as it would take to make her come.

“Gross?” he asked, raising his eyebrows, and she shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Second…it’s just….weird. You’re a psychopath.”

“That’s a little rude,” he teased, and she opened her eyes to see him grinning at her, his eyes darting around her face as though trying to commit every reaction to his cock filling her to memory. She moaned as he found a rhythm that worked, her high building quickly, and she groaned when he stopped abruptly. “I like you, Bonnie.”

“No you don’t,” she argued, her breathing heavy as she tried to re-center herself after he so rudely denied her an orgasm. “You like my magic.”

He seemed to consider her point before shrugging, his hand ghosting along her spine to settle on her ass, squeezing. “I like you,” he repeated. “I know you’ve been trying to pretend that this is only sex, and I’ll admit, it hurts my feelings a little––” she snorted, rolling her eyes, “––but I’m willing to hang around until you figure out that you want me as much as your magic does.”

She scowled. “Just because Expression is basically an aphrodisiac doesn’t mean I like you.”

“No, but you like it when I fuck you. You like spreading your legs for me and coming around me. You like watching me groan your name when you suck my cock, and I doubt anyone has made you scream the way I do when I eat you out. I plan to ruin you for everyone else who tries to touch you, Bonnie Bennett. I want you to remember how I made you feel, to want me to make you come.”

She moaned when he pressed the tip of his finger against her back entrance as he tipped her forward to press her clit against his pelvic bone, making her thighs quiver. “Sure, I’m never going to give you unicorns and rainbows and be a good boy scout, but I don’t think that’s what you want? Is it?”

Her breathing was shaky as he rolled his hips again, pressing his finger just inside of her, though not enough to be uncomfortable. “Is it?” he repeated.

She could feel her high approaching, could feel herself dangling just on the precipice, the anticipation of it complete torture. Unfortunately, Kai didn’t seem to have any interest in letting her tip over the edge until she admitted what they both knew. That she kind of wanted him for more than sex. That she kind of liked him too.

“No,” she breathed, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to move, to find the friction she needed.

“No, what?”

“I want you,” she said after a few seconds of inner debate, satisfied when he reached between them to pinch her clit, making her entire body shake as she came.

She could always take it back later, could say that she blurted it out in the heat of the moment to make him make her come.

She didn’t.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @thefudge from @themist-underground! I read one day that the meaning of Malachai was "messenger of god" or "angel" so I wanted to play around that contradiction. I was also inspired by "Gods and Monsters" by Lana Del Rey, hence the lyrics. I was so excited to be your Secret Santa as I love your Bonkai stories so much as well as your blog. I hope you like my little gift, and I wish you nice holidays.

Angel/Demon AU What if Malachai was a fallen angel and now close to a demon? What he lived on earth in a sort of post-armageddon world where the door of hell is broken and were all sort of monsters is free? Kai is the head of an illicit organization and Bonnie also is dealing with illegal work and that's how they meet at some point. No one is totally good or bad in the situation, the angel and demon lines are kind of blurred, and give a complex story.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @chriswoodfandom from @thoughtsfromaclutteredbrain! I hope you have an amazing Christmas and that this video makes you smile :)

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy Holidays from a Supernatural Purgatory

Happy holidays @fuckitimfangirling​ from @kingcobrakai1972​!

“Do you think people ever get tired of A Christmas Story? Like, actually tired of it. Like, so tired of it they’re contemplating shooting their own eye out, but with a hunting rifle instead of a BB gun.”

Bonnie grits her teeth. Damon has just barely started the movie and Kai already won’t shut up.

The three of them are in Elena’s house this time. It had turned out the Ascendant needed a full month of basking in the light of the Eclipse before it was fully ready for another portal jump, and because of that they’d been static for some time. If someone would’ve told Bonnie months ago that her freedom would depend on a magical witch battery that looked like a can opener, she probably wouldn’t have believed it.

She still isn’t sure what her plan of action is. She knows letting Malachai out isn’t an option, but each and every day Damon looks at her with that pitiful hope in his eyes just makes it harder to justify her need to keep the siphon contained.

She wonders distantly if it’s the right choice— to keep Damon from Elena and her from Jeremy.

Or, if not Jer, her old life. She wonders how the younger Gilbert would even look at her now, knowing what she’s done. Knowing what the darkness in her chest and the aching loneliness had done to her.

Every time she looks at Kai, her stomach tightens and she knows. She knows what he is and there’s this unmistakable driving force pushing every fiber of her being to stop him. To put an end to him.

To chase him to the ends of the Earth and back, as long as it means he never escapes.

“Y’know, Kai,” Damon says with a flourish, pouring himself some more bourbon in his glass on the end table. It looks like he’s using one from Miranda and Grayson’s antique set. “I’m going to shoot your eye out with a hunting rifle and a BB gun if you don’t stop talking.” He gives a sour smile. “In fact, I’ll do you one better. I’ll shoot one eye out with the BB gun and the other with the hunting rifle. Everyone wins.”

Kai sits back in the reclining seat and scoops a handful of popcorn into his mouth, fixing the vampire with an amused gaze. “Your temper’s going to get you in trouble, Damon. What do you think, Bonnie? He looks exactly like the elf that pushes Ralphie down the slide. He’s even got the whole grimace and tacky outfit thing down.”

Damon’s glare is withering, but it typically is. “Very funny, jackass. You’re wearing cut off shorts and a Led Zeppelin top that looks like it came from Good Will.”

“Can you both just stop?” Bonnie interjects, feeling her temper flare and quickly turn to exasperation. “I’d like to at least try and pretend I’m at Elena’s actual house watching A Christmas Story and not stuck in supernatural purgatory with you two.”

“Or— second option— I’ll stop when the magic siphoning weasel stops endlessly yammering on,” Damon argues pettily. He grips the glass in his hand like he’s about to crush it with vampiric strength. “He’s giving me high blood pressure, and vampires don’t get high blood pressure, Bonnie.”

“When he stops talking?” Bonnie asks incredulously. “And when is that? The end of the world as we know it?”

Kai just looks amused in the background. “Damon, you’re sooo dramatic. Wanna know what I think?” he asks, and Damon gives an expression that conveys just how much he clearly does not, in fact, want to know. “I think you’re so used to your own self-absorbed monologue-ing that you’re upset someone else is talking for a change.”  

Bonnie thinks this is a fairly obvious conclusion to draw, but Kai looks smug all the same.

“So, when are we getting the hell out of here and as far away from this idiot as possible?” Damon asks, snatching the remote from Bonnie’s arm rest and switching the TV off in one quick motion. “That witchy battery is done charging tonight, isn’t it?”

“Darren, were you raised in a barn?” Kai asks inquisitively, sitting forward. “We weren’t even halfway through the movie.”

“The Ascendant should be finished charging by tomorrow, yes,” Bonnie replies, ignoring Kai completely. “We’ll be home on Christmas Eve.” Anytime Bonnie thinks about her plans to somehow leave Kai in the prison world, she comes up short when she remembers the harsh, burning feeling of her magic being zapped from her veins. Of his fingers lighting up the surface of her skin.

“Great, and that’s, uh, tomorrow,” Kai says, clearly losing patience. “So, here’s an idea: maybe don’t interrupt the movie. What am I supposed to do instead? Listen to Damon recite his alphabet of favorite moments with Nephew Uncle Zac all up until he chomped down on his pregnant wife like a fruit snack?”

“Can you stop?” Bonnie says in disgust, lip curling at Kai’s choice of vocabulary. “Damon, just turn the damn movie back on.”

The vampire sneers, but complies all the same. He takes a big swig of bourbon. “Don’t have to tell me twice. Anything to drown out the sound of this idiot’s voice.”

The following day, it takes almost an hour of aligning the Ascendant before Kai finally instructs them where to dig.

It takes a few hours longer of Damon chipping away at the earth with the pickaxe before the surface of the ground breaks through and reveals the cave below— the place where the light of the eclipse (according to Kai) is to shine down and activate the Ascendant.

“Looks like I got back just in time,” the siphon says, and she realizes he’s right behind her, pulling his backpack off one arm. He’d left earlier when Damon had started digging— something about needing to gather important materials. Damon shoots over to him in a blur, dropping the pickaxe and seizing the siphon’s bag to peek into its contents.

“Zima,” Damon declares almost boredly. “Grunge. Every Alex Rodriguez rookie card in demand and a...pager? Really?”

Kai grins and makes eye contact with her over Damon’s shoulder (almost sheepishly, Bonnie thinks). “555-Hi-Kai, no way I’m giving those digits up.”

“These were the important supplies you had to get?”

“Look, the future sounds great, alright? I’m super excited about the internet. But 1994 has been my home for most of my life— I’d hate to get homesick. So, let’s just get down there—“

“No,” Bonnie says, and the objection is tumbling out of her mouth before she even realizes it. She’s standing up now, pushing past Damon to reach Kai. “We are not going anywhere until you show me the spell.”

“Ohhh-kay,” he says, shoving his hands dramatically into his pockets and looking straight ahead.

Bonnie feels her annoyance only growing.

“Are we literally not going anywhere?” Damon asks, glare narrowing.

“Fine,” Bonnie murmurs, shifting to look up at him with crossed arms. “If you don’t want to show me the spell then you can do it yourself.”

Kai looks amused at this, meeting her gaze evenly.

“You want my magic,” Bonnie continues, stepping forward. The air between them feels heady with energy. She reaches her arm out, feeling almost naked as she does. “Take it.”

“Uh-oh,” Kai jokes. “She’s being brave.”

“I’m serious, Kai. This was your big threat, wasn’t it? If I don’t do the spell and let us out of here you’ll just take my magic, leave me for dead and do the spell yourself. So go ahead. Take all of it.”

There’s a moment. A brief, split second where Bonnie can feel his warmth and can see, up close, the amused look on his face. She doesn’t think he’ll do it.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he says, and his hands are touching her. There’s a searing hot fire blasting through her nerves, singeing her magic from inside out. She can’t breathe— the feeling of being sucked dry is overwhelming. So painful it almost feels.. pleasurable?

“Bonnie,” Damon cries out in alarm.

“It’s okay,” she grunts, glaring at Kai as she struggles against his touch. “He won’t kill me.”

“Doesn’t look like that from here,” Damon says argumentatively. “Hey, Bonnie,” he chastises again as she lets out a cry of pain.

She feels his hand roaming up her shoulder, yanking her towards him. She writhes against his chest, somehow still raising her head enough to bare her teeth at him through the pain.

He’s grinning. Actually grinning, she thinks— like this is a game.

She guesses maybe it is.

“Woah, hey, guys,” Damon interjects, clearly growing only more panicked. “Stop.”

Kai, grinning, pulls his hands back from her and watches her retract. She’s breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling and her veins singing with residual pain and pleasure.

“He doesn’t know the spell,” she says, tilting her head. “Which means... we don’t need him.” His eyes are still smug. It only fuels her fire.

She does it without thinking— not truly, anyway. It’s an act of desperation. Of passion, in a twisted way. Bonnie can’t remember the last time someone’s gotten under her skin like this, and she certainly wants to scrub the shame of seeing him and knowing she’d actually started off being attracted to someone like him. No— that she still is. The shame burns through her, so she raises one hand. “Motus.”

The pickaxe Damon had been using to dig flies upwards, slinging towards Kai’s chest and embedding itself in his heart. He chokes, his eyes growing only a little wider as he starts to fall.

Something stirs in her chest as he does.

“No, no...Bonnie!”

She stands still, trembling. She can feel her own heart pounding in her chest, and adrenaline like fire floods through her veins.

“Great work, Bonnie,” Damon concedes, patting her shoulder.

“I’m sure there are about a billion people you’d rather be here with.”

“Not exactly.”

It’s maybe the only tender moment she’s ever truly shared with Damon. She’s sure it won’t be the last, since she now has the Ascendant working and has found the truth— Kai had needed her to leave. Bennett blood had always been the key to escaping the Prison World.

She hardly has time to open her mouth and finish the spell when she feels it biting into her gut, throwing her backwards with such force she’s suddenly being slammed against the cavern floor.

Her ribcage feels like its cracking and the biting pain in her gut rears its ugly head more. Blood, blood, blood. It’s an arrow. A crossbow arrow, in her side. The Ascendant has fallen, and Kai is standing at the mouth of the cavern.

“Forgetting someone?” Kai smirks, lowering the crossbow. “Did you really think I hadn’t tried to kill myself before? Because I had. Lots of times.. lots of ways.” He’s loading another bolt into the crossbow, cocking it. He uses it to gesture to the Ascendant. “Grab that and the next arrow goes in her heart.”

Damon stares at him for a long moment. Using his vampiric speed, he rushes over to Bonnie and grabs her, helping hoist her up a little.

“Damon..,” she groans, but he ignores her, pulling the arrow from her gut. He bites his own wrist, poised to feed her vampire blood.

She sees Kai behind him, heading for the Ascendant. “Damon, no,” she panics, gesturing until he looks.

Damon whooshes back over to Kai, slamming him against the cavern wall. Without Damon’s support, Bonnie drops a little, groaning as she hits the floor again. She starts to crawl towards the Ascendant just as she hears Kai shove one of the arrows into Damon’s chest. There’s a sickly splintering sound as he drives it in, and the two are fighting for dominance as Kai manages to semi-stake him with a measly crossbow bolt.

“Bonnie, get out of here,” Damon growls, fighting Kai off of him.

“I’m not gonna make it,” she says, voice trembling. Tears sting her eyes and she hardly manages a smile. “But you are.” She lunges for the Ascendant, fingers grasping the cool metal.

“Motus.” Magic leaving her like an exhale, she watches as the spell sends Kai flying off of Damon. Bonnie twists her hand, pulling it towards her, and the magic follows, yanking Damon towards the light.

She throws the Ascendant and Damon just barely catches it.

“Don’t,” Kai shouts, lunging forward.

The Ascendant is already unfolding, and Damon looks at her in horror. “No,” he says, as he realizes. “No!”

He’s gone. Bonnie knows, as she sees him portal jump, that she’s truly alone now. The last thing she hears is the Ascendant shattering and Kai’s scream of pure fury.

When she finally stirs again, she’s on the Salvatores’ couch. She feels his presence before she even opens her eyes.

“Oh, look who’s awake.” He leans forward, clasping his hands together. “How do you feel?”

“Like you shot me with an arrow,” she says incredulously, holding her side as she sits up. She feels something catch underneath her shirt and lifts it to find a bandage. The wound still hurts, but it seems like the Siphon had doctored it up. She wonders how much time out of his eighteen years in the Prison World had been spent learning medicine.

“Right. Anywho — I have no idea how you managed to shatter the Ascendant into a billion pieces, but we need to put it back together before the eclipse at 12:28. You wanna help?” He grins in spite of himself. “I know you’re a puzzle person.”

“I don’t wanna help,” Bonnie says as she stands. “You’re a psychopath— this place is your prison. I’m not letting you out. Besides, you’d just kill me the minute we get out.” Even as she says it, she wonders if it’s entirely true.

Kai pauses for a moment, purses his lips and then stands up. Every inch he moves closer to her, she can feel it. Sense him, on some magical level— the magic-sucking void for her very own magic well.

“You’ve been through a trauma,” he says, his words like silk. “Your memory is probably a little fuzzy right now, so you might be thinking that your magic will protect you.” He’s standing next to her now, his heat pouring off in waves. She tries to step back, but his hand snakes out and latches onto her wrist, holding her in place.

“But all I have to do is hold your hand and your magic suddenly becomes mine.” His touch quickly becomes biting and the familiar warm sucking feeling cascades through her body.

She leans into him, gasping at the pain. His fingers are shifting from her wrist to her hand, pulling her even closer. He moves his mouth to her ear and Bonnie feels like she might die.

“What was that?” he asks, and it’s so raspy it comes out in a near whisper. His breath tickles her ear, and she can feel almost the entirety of his chest pressed against her. Her blood feels like it’s boiling, and a flush overtakes her that she’s instantly ashamed of. “You’re gonna do the spell to finally get us home?”

She sobs weakly as his fingers tighten. It takes every ounce of her strength to move— to pull away from him and lunge for the ballpoint pen on the table. Stabbing it forcefully into his neck, she lets out a breath of instant relief as the siphon falls, clutching the spurting wound. Her magic stutters and pulses freely within her again, free of his touch.

Bonnie moves towards the Ascendant on the table as if on instinct, seizing the backpack from the chair.

Just before she pushes the entire thing into the bag, she pauses. Would it be too obvious and too futile to just snatch the entire Ascendant and run? She racks her brain for a moment, trying to think of some alternative.

She drops the backpack and scoops a tiny piece of the Ascendant into her jean pocket, and heads for Sheila Bennett's house.

Bonnie doesn't know what she's looking for. A linking spell? A destruction spell of some kind?

She's on her hands and knees in Sheila's bedroom closet, pulling dusty grimoires from the corner and flipping quickly through them. The pages smell old but familiar, and she recognizes some of the passages. The Ascendant piece feels like it's burning a hole in her pocket, but she continues searching anyway. How long until Kai resurrects? Until he finds her?

It’s almost half an hour later when she finds it.

It’s in the oldest book; a fat, black-leathered grimoire with pentacles engraved upon the front.

"A transfer spell," she whispers, laying the book flat. "To move the magic of a spelled object to either the user themselves or a new object entirely." She reads further, skimming to the bottom of the page. The spell seems to require a large pool of magic— a giant burst of it, that can be obtained in a few different ways. Bonnie ponders this. Having only just gotten her magic back recently, she knows there are only so many spells she can feasibly pull off. Even just the first fire spell she’d used to threaten Kai had zapped a lot out of her.

Bonnie stands, closing the book. She knows what she has to do.

It’s the next day, December 25th, before she returns to the boarding house. Before she crosses the Salvatores’ threshold again, she uses the piece of the Ascendant to slice her finger and draw blood. Slipping it back inside of a locket of Sheila's that's hanging around her neck, she closes it tightly and steps inside.

The floorboards creak under her weight. The smell of cooking wafts through the air, making her salivate. As much as she hates to admit it, the siphon is a good cook. What she smells now is no less than a Christmas Day feast.

“Kai?” she calls, reaching the entrance to the den. The Salvatores' living room is decked out in Christmas decor. Red and green string lights cover the archway above her, and a white Christmas tree that looks like it came from Bell's is set up in the corner. There's Christmas music playing in the background as well, but it's all piano instrumental and doesn't have any singing.

"Do you like the, uh, music choice?" Kai asks, and she jumps when she realizes he's standing at the other entrance to the den. "You can thank me later for not playing any of the classics. My sister Jo used to be all about those." He gives an impish grin. "Jingle hop — more like jingle hop to your grave if you hear it one more time, amiright?"

Bonnie gives him a hard look. "What the hell is all of this?"

"Um, what does it look like? Bon, we were just watching a movie about Christmas. It's not like I siphoned your brains out or anything—"

"God, Kai, stop. I mean, why?"

He folds his arms. He's wearing an ugly Christmas sweater with minimalist reindeer heads decorating the front, and she finds herself wondering if it's some kind of joke. "Well, I knew you were going to come back for the Ascendant. I mean, no way in Hell you're planning on staying in here with me, right? It's Christmas in the real world, so. Might as well make the best of it, right?" Just when she thinks he's going to stop, he presses on. Suspicion builds in her gut. "The truth is, Bon...I want to be more like you. I think spending all of this time together has made me realize that."

All of this smells like fresh bullshit to Bonnie, but she only cocks one eyebrow at him. "And I guess your big plan is feeding me Christmas Ham until I forget you murdered half your family, right?"

“Is there a better way to approach this? ‘Cuz I’m all ears, baby. You just don’t strike me as a flowers kinda girl.”

Bonnie winces at the use of 'baby'. It's not even something Jer had ever called her. The idea of a sociopath she'd met in a magical Prison World calling her that with zero romantic history between them makes her screen crawl. "Call me that again and I'll melt your face off," she says coolly.

Kai raises his brows, laughing. "Oooh. I mean, if you're offering. I've always wanted to find out if turning my face into a gushing fountain of blood would still trigger a magical resurrection. Fingers crossed it doesn't." He nods his head toward the kitchen. "C'mon, Bonnie. If you're going to give me the third degree, at least do it over a Christmas feast?"

She gives him a long look before conceding. Her hand coming up to her neck to make sure her locket is safe underneath her shirt, she follows Kai as he enters the kitchen.

Bonnie is salivating as soon as she sees the food. On the island counter, there's a one-pound pork tenderloin coated in brown sugar topping laid out on a cutting board. Next to it are sides of sweet potatoes, stuffing and what looks like garlic-and-bacon green beans.

“Help yourself,” Kai says, gesturing to the two plates he’d left on the counter. “Scout’s honor it’s not poisoned.”

As much as she wants to, Bonnie knows she’s going to lose her window of opportunity if she doesn’t act soon.

“Do you think you’re playing some kind of game? Luring me into a false sense of security by making me food and flirting with me again?” She takes a step toward him. Kai is leaned against the island counter, so he has nowhere to go. He just gives her a surprised look, his brows raising a bit as Bonnie stands not even two inches from him.

She can feel his body heat now. She wonders if she should feel sick for what she’s about to do. She tries to imagine what Jer would think of her now.

Bonnie puts the thought away. No sense in dwelling now. It’s her only way out of here. That’s what she tells herself, anyway.

“Bon?” he asks, seeming genuinely confused. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for this weird sexual tension thing, but — there’s pork tenderloin—“

“Malachai. Stop.”

She closes the distance between their mouths. Fire feels like it’s engulfing her as her lips slide across his. He returns the gesture eagerly, his tongue meeting hers in a caress.

He’s good at kissing, she thinks, and realizes she’s probably lost her mind. She knows she isn’t supposed to enjoy it, but her groin is searing with heat and every new swipe of his tongue makes her want to rip his clothes off. She’s lost, she realizes, as she undoes his fly and rips his shorts off. She’s lost in an unfamiliar tide of desire.

He pulls her own pants off too, and she’s surprised she doesn’t fight him. Kai tries to move for her shirt as well, but she slaps his hand away, fear clenching her chest as she realizes he might see the locket.

He doesn’t seem to notice.

The two of them stumble towards the kitchen table, and Bonnie’s back hits the edge. He lifts her up, hoisting her onto it with ease and laying her flat. She still has her underwear on, so he lowers himself, using his long fingers to pull them slightly off.

Bonnie can feel the cool air on her genitals. She’s so wet that she tries to remember the last time she’d had this kind of reaction just from making out with someone.

“Kai,” she murmurs as he uses his tongue to lick a long strip between her labia. He does it once more but takes his time, lapping at her juices carefully as he works his way up.

The witch lets out a hiss, her hand clenching the table cloth and the decorative Christmas candles a foot away from her roaring to life with flames.

One of his long fingers strokes her, dipping into her wetness and sliding slightly into her opening. Just as he does this, he sucks her clit and she cries out. He rolls his tongue around, making a suckling motion that already starts to push her over the edge. Using two fingers, he fucks them in and out of her. Bonnie is all too aware of how sloppy and wet it sounds— she turns her head in shame, her eyes stinging with unshed tears as the siphon’s tongue rolls over her clit again and again.

Magic trembles through her, rolling across her small frame just as the orgasm does. The locket is searing her skin for a brief moment, and she knows. She has the power to complete the spell.

Kai’s not a fool. At least, not most of the time. Not with matters that don’t involve eating out Bonnie Sheila Bennett on the Salvatores’ dining room table. He’d noticed when the piece of the Ascendant was missing. Had he thought she’d hidden it so he couldn’t escape? Yes. Did he have a plan to get it back from her? Also yes.

But what he hadn’t expected was this.

He’s circling her clit with his tongue, his erection making a tent out of his boxers. He can smell her. Taste her. He’d known the Christmas Feast would be good, but this? This was on another level.

He feels her trembling; hears her cry his name as she starts to orgasm. He uses a finger to play with her opening, adding a second digit to dip in further and fuck her in and out.

Kai is transfixed. Mesmerized. He’s so busy working with his mouth that he doesn’t realize she’s starting to chant.

When he hears the Latin, he knows. Pulling away, he gives her an incredulous look. “What...have you done?” His throat bobs. “Bonnie.”

She sits up. There’s a grin forming on her features, but it’s full of malice. “Your worst fear. Goodbye, Kai. Motus.”

One of the cooking knives he’d left out flies from the edge of counter, lodging itself in the side of his neck. His long fingers grasp at the gushing wound, and he falls.

Bonnie wonders in retrospect if maybe taking the Ascendant would have made more sense. She steps over Kai’s body, the blood flowering out on the Salvatores’ kitchen floor.

He probably would’ve come for her, if she had, though. It would’ve shown a full intention to escape without him.

Little does he know, she’s doing that now anyway.

The Christmas music playing in the background is eerie, echoing throughout the boarding house and following her as she goes.

She returns to the cavern at 12:28 PM on the dot. She can finally leave— leave this Hell. Her own personal Underworld. Or maybe it’s Kai’s. The line had blurred long ago.

As she says the incantation, she can feel magic stirring in her veins. The Ascendant is useless. She is the object of power for the spell, and she can feel it in her bones. The spell feels like it’s swirling around her, and she starts to feel the portal jump.

Bonnie tries to forget that haunted look on his face. She tries to forget that some part of her had even enjoyed it.

At least she’d be home for Christmas.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @makeashadowblr from @brawohania!

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Please submit your gifts by 11:59pm on Monday, December 10th! Use the submit box or email to bonkaisecretsanta@gmail.com. Message @bonkaiqueen with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

[bonkaisecretsanta]

it isn’t the same

Happy holidays @entwinedloop​ from @bonkaiqueen​! A/N: Since you liked love/hate, pining, and possibility for a happy ending, I decided to rework one of my AU’s for you. This is pretty open to interpretation, but I hope you like it. There is a different, but much longer developed version of this coming soon!!

Like a cliche, a scene from one of her music videos, a freaking theatrical entrance, she stumbles back and trips, her heels catching on her dress. Her mouth is wide open in surprise as she falls back onto something solid, but not quite as flat or low as she had expected. It only takes a second for her to realize that she hasn’t landed on the floor, but into a man’s chest. She grasps the only thing keeping her from falling further — his arms — and stands upright.

A ‘thank you’ is on the tip of her tongue. Until she sees who exactly is her savior.

Kai Parker.

She can feel the magic thrumming under her fingertips, wild and controlled all at once. The power that he could so easily take from her. A chill goes down her spine. She lets go of his arms at once.

He looks different. The once almost childish youth to him has disappeared, replaced by grown-out stubble and laugh lines creasing around his eyes. His fingers are still covered in rings. Bonnie notices him twisting the one on his index finger nervously.

He looks at her, opening his mouth and closing it again. Neither of them say a word. In the silence, his face begins to redden and Bonnie swallows. All of a sudden, she is twenty-two and head over heels again. The resentment of it all rises in her throat and she thinks of the past, of pain, of the one night that had changed everything.

"Bonnie, I’m — I — " he says thickly. She can’t let him throw her off guard; he cannot have the upper hand. Before he can finish his sentence, she cuts him off.

“What?” she says flatly.

Kai blinks, taken aback. The surprised look disappears before Bonnie can gauge its meaning. “I’m just getting a drink,” he then replies slowly — meanly, she realizes —and gestures to the bar behind her. “You’re the one who walked right into me.”

This spite has always been his defense mechanism, and if she is honest, it is hers as well. Surprisingly, Bonnie doesn’t mind his harsh tone. It makes the whole thing easier, to channel her emotions into anger instead of any alternative, to release this tension. Release it on him.

He pushes past her and signals the bartender. She knows what he will order before the words pass his lips. “Single whiskey, neat. Thank you.”

Kai turns back to her, drink in hand, and raises an eyebrow. Unable to think of a proper reply, she spits out the first thing that comes to her mind. “No arm candy tonight, then?”

His eyes narrow, fingers tightening around his glass. “What about you?” There’s something about the tilt of his head, the smirk ghosting his lips that sends her blood boiling. “I can’t help but notice that Mikaelson isn’t with you tonight.”

Bonnie’s eyes blaze. “Don’t you dare bring Kol into this.”

“So. Another man who couldn’t meet your standards,” he says, enunciating each word. “Let me guess his fatal error, Bon...did he support you like he should have? Did he care for you? Go the to the ends of the damned world and beyond?”

She can’t bring herself to say anything.

“Were you the one who ended it? Were you the one to back away?” Kai smiles darkly. “Is any of this sounding familiar?”

“It’s—this is none of your business.” Her words tremble with suppressed rage.

He takes a step forward and raises an eyebrow. “Not anymore.” His voice is low and it drips with contempt.

“Fuck you,” she says, but it doesn’t sound quite as hostile as she had hoped it would.

“Wouldn’t you like to,” he snarls, the corners of his mouth turning down.

“You think that you can say shit about me.” Other people are filing in, and every so often, someone glances at the two curiously. She knows this isn’t a good place to have this conversation and she doesn’t meant to raise her voice, but something about Kai Parker ticks her off in the worst way possible. “You don’t know me at all.”

He looks at her, eyes hooded, and simply sets his glass on the counter. Bonnie flinches at the resounding thud. She watches him go, and she can’t shake the feeling that he isn’t done with her yet.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Before the Day is Done

Happy holidays @thenameismaynard from @entwinedloop​! As Kai wandered the wedding hall he realized that somewhere along the way his revenge plan had gone terribly derailed. Happy holidays and New Year :)

Laughter surrounded him. Laughter and humans dressed in slick outfits and flashy dresses. Celebrating. Sticky sweet pop music drew guests to swarm the dance floor like a herd of deer. Something didn’t add up, Kai thought, as he shut out the joyful energy of the room. He looked down and with more than a little relief recognized the lines in his tux. All right, so he had the outfit, but that couldn’t have been the only step he’d done right. Dizziness dragged his vision into a swirl so at least he didn’t doubt he was transitioning. Lily had warned him about that part.

He got held up somehow cause he must’ve missed it. Sissy was already married, twirling with her friends, her stomach curving her dress. How hadn’t she noticed him? How had no one in his family seen him? He wasn’t invisible. He’d already checked it, pushing past a few guests who glanced at him in surprise or downright glared. Their blood roaring in his ears, each person’s blood replacing the last. The thought of drinking them made him nauseous. Each body threw him into a familiar ring of rage. He was here to meet someone but he wasn’t sure who. He had held a knife in his hand earlier but where he’d set it down he couldn’t recall. He twisted his head around to search for it. Bells rang in his ears. One guest’s heavy perfume grabbed his attention, made him want to slam one of the large vases down and spread the glass on the floor under the dancing feet.

He always appreciated a good entrance. For months he had planned his discovery by the two lost visitors to his prison, finally settling on the grocery store. He had spoken in an even tone to tiresome Damon but his excitement nearly burst at the anticipation of hurting him. But here he was walking around, his strength dulled, his thoughts jumbled. Even though he knew exactly what was in store for his family. Complete his transition, end their lives. Even if something in the steps didn’t seem right the final goal was the same.

He felt a warm hand in his.

“Wanna dance?”

He whirled around. Her voice sang in his ears like an electric guitar. The words strung together, and coming from her, he barely understood them. His eyes traveled from her feet to her face. She was dressed in a flowing green gown that fit her figure perfectly. He’d never seen her all dolled up. His pulse quickened and his heart tightened. Where his pain began and ended from her betrayal and his family’s he couldn’t tell. Briefly, he wondered at how his response to her still felt so familiar. Didn’t Lily say–

Forget that. She was holding his hand in hers. Bonnie. He couldn’t say no to her.

The first notes of Pearl Jam’s Sirens started playing.

"I chose this song for you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and it was enough for him to close his eyes. She smelled faintly like strawberries. He shouldn’t trust her. He remembered that. Still he couldn’t say no. Her face was so open and bright. Despite himself, his desolation, his hurt, he ached for it to be real. He moved to narrow the distance between them.

How did this happen? He had planned it perfectly. As she followed his rhythm it started coming back. He’d dropped by the mansion and visited her and her buffoon of a friend. Some guy she’d seemed cozy with. Was he here? He looked around before remembering to look back at the woman in front of him. She glanced away.

She’d never stood this close to him before, let alone reached out and chosen to touch him. He moved closer to her still and she put a hand on his chest, pushing him backwards. Too much for you, he thought, and he smiled down at her as something in her face changed. He had all the time in the world to observe her when she was locked in his prison. Still he didn’t know who she was exactly.

He’d gotten her blood. Even patched her up because what fun would it be if she didn’t get to see the aftermath. He’d gotten Lily’s blood. Blood crushed through his veins. He needed a taste. He needed a taste. He was so dizzy. Insufferable Elena was dancing with Damon. Caroline and Tyler laughing together looking like they were seconds away from joining them.

His dad stood in the corner, laughing with Richard. His twin, a few feet away from them. The second her children got the throne they’d kill him. Or would it be his father? Liv, maybe even Jo? Maybe he shouldn’t kill them in one swoop. Where was the poetry in that? Jo smiled widely at anyone who shared a glance with her. Wouldn’t revenge taste sweeter now that she was so sweepingly happy? He was already a step away from becoming a vampire, though – he couldn’t go back. As he watched his relatives he wondered again how he hadn’t been spotted. But wait, how could it be that they—

"How often did you imagine this?” Bonnie drew back his attention. Her right hand had wandered to his, her left hugging his shoulder. He had to slow down his breathing, still reeling off the vision of his happy family. Maybe he’d failed. Maybe this was death, white light from an incoming train in the tunnel. Wouldn’t that be fitting? Or maybe he was in purgatory and once the song ended she’d slip away and he’d find himself all alone in a barn able only to witness the wedding unfold, forever unable to exact his revenge.

"I’ve been bitten before. But it wouldn’t be the same if it was you.” She arched her eyebrows. “But you don’t want to bite me. Do you?”

"No. I want to kill you,” he said with burning eyes. Or he wanted to save her? He couldn’t remember. “I – but not yet.”

They swayed together and later he’d wished he wasn’t as distracted as he was and not only because he wanted to hurt her.

"You don’t. You want me. For a long time. You never got close.” She pressed her body against him. She was teasing. He hadn’t wanted to see it right away.

"You ever wondered what’d happen if you let me?” he asked.

She shook her head, tried to double back up. He stopped moving but didn’t let her go.

"What do you want?” He trailed his fingers down her arm. “What would you do if you had a chance to do what you wanted?” He pulled her gently to him. “I could give that to you.” The words flowed from his lips before he could stop himself. He didn’t mean them. She deserved the pain she’d caused him. He didn’t want to take them back.

"No. No, you want to destroy,” she said, but let him take her hand back in his as he led her again to dance.

"After I destroy,” he swung her around. “I’ll rebuild.” His eyes surveyed the room around him. “It might not be what you want it to look like. And maybe destruction’s not what you’d choose. But it’s the only way.”

She shook her head. “It’s too late for you.”

"But not for you,” he said.

He didn’t want to stop dancing with her but fury slowly overcame him. She deserted him. She seemed to sense it as she started to fidget in his arms.

"In such a hurry to leave,” he said, hinting to their last meeting. Not that he wanted to show her he cared. Not through words anyway. “I came here to get a job done.”

"What was it?” she asked with innocent eyes.

"Give the rest of the Gemini Coven an excruciating death. Haven’t you been paying attention?” To blow on the house of cards and watch in collapse in beautiful turmoil. “Except now, I also have some other unfinished business.” He tilted his head.

Her eyes widened. Finally, an expression he recognized, that he coveted for lack of other options. Fear.

“Why don’t I want to bite you?” He searched her face. What would be the point, a terrifying response thudded in his head, if he’d just tie his shoelaces to follow her to her next destination.

Her lips curved upwards.

The guests disappeared and silence clouded over them like a fog. Lights overhead shone brightly over him. She stood several feet away. Still in her dress. The material looked so soft. They were standing in a smaller, concrete room. Bars on the windows.

He cried out and dropped to his knees.

"You wove a web but you forgot about me.” She pulled at his hair, forcing him to look at her. “Underestimated me. What will I do with you?” Her eyes sparkled.

"Bonnie,” he said and even he heard desire in his voice. "Why did you dance with me?”

He’d fight it even though a part of him accepted it a long time ago. She’d never be rid of him. They would always do this.

She let go of his hair. "Maybe a part of me was curious.” She stepped back. Suspicion still showed in her face. “Maybe I wanted to play with you just a little more.” He’d only seen that sinister smile a handful of times. Wasn’t that the last smile she gave him in 1903? Volcanoes erupted in his veins but…

"That’s messed up.” He looked her over. “And so hot.”

"You were alone. Used it for self-reflection? No, you didn’t learn anything.”

"You left me to die. And to take all my family’s innocent lives with me,” he added bitterly with raised eyebrows. “The ones you were so hellbent on protecting.”

She said nothing to this, guilt crossing her eyes.

"You can’t control me.” He grabbed her hand. He milked pleasure before his eyes saw bright blue and he cried out in pain and dropped it. He crouched on the ground and pressed his palm against it. A thick zig zag line broke out from his fingers. Bonnie lost her balance and dropped to the floor. In a few steps he was straddling her. He held her hands as she pushed against him.

"I’d never underestimate you. Isn’t that what scares you?” He asked.

She thrashed under him.

“Your magic...” His breathing picked up as she struggled against him. “Can’t I have a little taste?” he asked with a smile.

He pressed her hands against the floor, clasping his fingers through hers. She pushed her hips against him and something flew past his head as he ducked. He lowered himself, hovering over her.

"Is that what you wanted?” he asked.

"You can try, you’ll never get my magic.”

His defiant Bonnie. "I want so much more.” His eyes wandered her face and he couldn’t stop the raspiness in his voice.

She muttered a spell that threw him off her and against the wall. It felt the same, the sharp ache in his back. It didn’t feel any different now that he was transitioning and he hadn’t expected that. After all, Lily had said his senses would be dulled during this time, only to magnify once he became a vampire. But everything he felt felt as real as before.

"You can’t hold me in here forever.” He felt tension in his hands.

"I may not have forever, but you do.” She looked him over. “I’m here because your family wanted to stop you. But I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you afterwards.” She touched her hand down his cheek and he closed his eyes, hating himself.

"Your sister’s day and still she wanted her twin at her wedding. Even if everything else was promised a peaceful celebration.” She shook her head, taking her hands away. “Who should do it?” She stood over him. “You or me?”

He tried to reach out his hand towards her but couldn’t, finding both of them tied tightly behind his back. Locked in a chair. Now if there wasn’t something familiar about this turn of events.

She tilted her head, exposing her neck. He licked his lips and sharp teeth sliced through his gums like they’d always belonged to him. He ignored a doubt that rattled him.

"You’ll get my blood.” She narrowed her eyes. “What you’ve needed for so long. This won’t kill your family.” She searched his face. “I stopped it. I stopped you. And I should thank you for it. It was because you got my blood. So who lost?”

It was in his mouth, pushing its way down his throat, as he still adamantly thought, this isn’t over. Warm liquid, giving him a sense of peace and intense hunger at the same time. It was hers, tying them together. He’d be able to taste the flavor of her in his mouth every day for the rest of his undead life.

"I decided.” She dipped her head and laughed. “If you could console yourself with one thing, it’s that you could rid yourself of me. Right? But that won’t happen.” Her fingers trailed his cheeks, and for a second he swore it was her tied up, looking up at him, two punctured wounds on her neck, only it was him saying those same words to her, his hands caressing her face.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @themist-underground​ from @thefudge​! I’m only a fool for you

Bonkai Angst AU: consists of bonnie and kai trying to make it work despite supernatural obstacles and their own conflicting personalities.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @bonkaicoven​ from @shadowcatgirl09​! I hope you enjoy your gift. Have a merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year!

When she arrived, a young woman was laying in a pool of her own blood, horribly disfigured. Sensing a presence, Bonnie glanced up, her eyes meeting a pair of blue-gray ones. A young man stood over her with a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes.

He tilted his head to the side. "Do I know you from somewhere? You seem real familiar."

Her face was a perfect mask. "Doubt it."

Bonnie was lying, she did know him, she would never forget eyes that soulless in her life or that ever disturbing pull towards him. Her grip on her sword tightened as images of a lanky teenager flashed in front of her eyes.

His smile turned into a toothy grin. "You're a Bennett! Wanna know how I can tell?" He bent down to be at eye level with her. "It's the look of judgement. You all have it."

Bonkai AU: Bonnie Bennett is a cleanser, a person tasked with keeping the balance in the supernatural world. Vampyres, Poltergeists, Weres, you name it she deals with it, for a price. After all, Mystic Falls with its many ley lines, was like a beacon for supernatural creatures. One particular job catches her completely off guard though; it should've been fairly routine: get the details from the client, locate the problem and then cleanse it from this world.

The problem's name was Malachai Parker and she had never encountered anyone like him. He resembled your run-of-the-mill suburban white guy, polite and friendly. He was anything thing but that, first she had never faced a person or creature with the type of power this man held. One simple touch could not only siphon magic but one’s life force as well. Bonnie could see why his coven feared him. Still, she was determined to lock him up or kill him.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @thetourguidebarbie​ from @makeashadowblr!

Upon stepping into the elevator, she shakes the rainwater off her umbrella and shivers. The weatherman predicted Virginia would see a rainy transition into winter, but this is getting ridiculous. If she didn’t know better, she’d think she lived in Seattle or Portland or something. The rain and cold this week has caused her mood to plummet and now that it’s Friday she’d give anything to shake off the ennui.

Bonnie presses the button for her floor and sighs. In her peripheral, she spies a tall figure in a rain splattered hoodie darting towards her, so she hastily jams the “close door” button to no avail. He ducks in between the doors and pushes back his drenched hood. Green eyes remain forward, staring at her reflection in the warped metal, while grey ones squint over and down at her. She tucks her lips between her teeth before throwing a downcast gaze in his direction. 

“What?”

“You know that button doesn’t actually close the door any faster, right?” Her attention goes back to her wonky reflection, but he continues to talk like she gives a happy damn. “It’s, um…It’s for differently abled people. Gives them more time to catch up.”

“You don’t say,” she remarks, tone flat and disinterested.

He chuckles, exhaling through his nose. “What if I’d been in a wheelchair?”

“You’re not.”

“But if I was?”

She plasters on a saccharine grin. “Then I would’ve given you the elevator and just taken the stairs.”

His eyes dart from her pinched face to the glowing button for the seventh floor to the black pointed toe heels strapped to her ankles. “Seven floors in those shoes?” He whistles lightly.

“Still less painful than any time spent with you in a confined space.”

His lips separate in a white toothed smile. “If lying to yourself helps you sleep easy, Bon. If lying helps you sleep...”

For a long moment, they’re quiet listening to the rumble and whine of the elevator shaft. She can feel the burn of his eyes on her again but decides against engaging. He clears his throat. “You look...different.”

Her eyebrows go up but she doesn’t respond. The barrel curls she’d done this morning fell from the humidity and there’s coffee stain on the sleeve of her sweater, which she keeps clenched in her fist or tucked into the arm of her peacoat. Kai faces forward and rubs his cold hands together. “Good. You look good. Hot date tonight?”

“Yup.” She pops the p for emphasis. Thick brows knit together before his arm juts out in front of her and he punches the emergency stop button. Bonnie rolls her eyes and turns to face him. “If you get us stuck in here and I’m late to—“

“Who?”

“...you don’t know him.”

“What’s his name?”

Her nose flares. He can troll the student directory just as easily as she can. It helps her organize her advisor’s schedule come time for class enrollment. She can’t say for sure Kai uses the system with the same good intentions. “Are you jealous?” she teases.

“Always.”

Already at her threshold for his nonsense without having her morning coffee as a buffer, she reaches out to disengage the emergency stop but his hand covers it. “We’ve got appointments this morning. You’re really going to keep my Grams waiting?”

Bonnie has long given up on trying to distance herself from him. They have the same major and are both administrative assistants to advisors of the same program in the same building. On the same floor. The only way she could get her position through work study was if she didn’t work directly under her own grandmother. And since he’s the glorified secretary to Sheila Bennett, he’s unavoidable.

His gaze rakes over her face, long lashes and stubborn mouth and emerald eyes defiantly gazing back at him. Her very presence dares him to do something. Anything. When she’s in hearing distance, he wants to talk to her. If she stands close enough, he itches to touch her. When he spies her weaving through the crowd at yet another frat party with her blonde bestie, he chokes on the urge to follow, drag her into an empty room, and have his way with her. Again.

Conceding, he presses the release button but the lift doesn’t budge. Bonnie’s eyes widen. “You. Moron.”

“I heard they called the fire department to your building this morning. Someone got stuck in the elevator?”

“Not someone. Me...and Kai Parker.”

She’s all the way across campus and yet Bonnie can clearly visualize the way Caroline’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Seriously?”

She spins in her desk chair and glances out her office door. Her advisor is out at a meeting and it’s her lunch break, so she sneaks in the personal phone call while she waits for her food to be delivered. “He punched the emergency brake and the button got stuck.”

The rustling of Caroline’s notebook stops. “Why would he press that button in the first place...Bonnie, did—”

“Nothing happened!” she rushes to clarify, her hushed whisper echoing in the small room. “I only mentioned I had a date tonight and he freaked out.”

“There is no way you have a date and you didn’t tell me,” her best friend deadpans.

“You’re right. I don’t, but he didn’t need to know that. He’s so weirdly possessive for some guy I only hooked up with freshman year. It’s not like he’s ever bothered to ask me out.”

“Well, how long were you two trapped?”

“Like, an hour.”

“An hour? Bonnie Bennett, you were in there with him for an hour and nothing happened?”

“I came very close to killing him if that counts.”

She slips out of her heels and sinks to the carpeted floor, her canvas messenger bag crumpling beside her. “I could strangle you with my bare hands right now.”

Despite the severity of the situation, Kai’s eyes are alight with amusement. “Does your date know you’re into choking? I can play along, but guys on this campus have no imagination.”

“You don’t have any friends, so how would you even know?”

“You and I go to the same parties. Unlike you, I actually talk to people before we make out.”

She shoots him a glare. “I resent the insinuation. I don’t hook up with every guy who hands me a beer.”

“Guess that makes me special.”

She pushes her hair from her forehead, twirling the long, chocolate strands into a ponytail. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but…you were a dare.”

That stops him cold. With his arms folded across his chest, he blinks down at her. He runs his tongue behind his teeth and, instead of letting the sight of the pink muscle drum up old memories, Bonnie focuses on stretching her toes.

“What? I was a freshman living away from home for the first time, my best friend was off again with her on again-off again boyfriend, and we wanted to have fun. And, well, I thought you were cute.”

“Where does the dare come in?”

“When Care and Nik are on the outs, she lives vicariously through my love life.” She shrugs. “Said she was going to lock me out of our dorm if I didn’t at least kiss a guy.”

He huffs and counters, “We didn’t just kiss.”

“Yeah,” she averts her attention back to her curling toes. “Well, there’s a reason I don’t drink beer anymore.”

“You told him about that stupid dare? Bonnie! I wouldn’t have pushed you at him if you hadn’t been staring in the first place.”

“I wasn’t staring, I was—”

“Staring. God, why are you so mean to him?”

She scoffs, a smirk growing wider across her face. “Care, what about Kai Parker makes you think nice girls are his type?”

“You’re not wrong,” a deep voice responds and Bonnie jolts as Kai rounds the corner into her office. She scrambles to hang up on the Forbes girl while he’s ill at ease strolling in with a bag of styrofoam containers. “Caught the delivery guy in the lobby. Told him not to bother with the elevator.”

She snatches the fifteen bucks she has on her desk and crumples the bills in her fist. “After that stunt you pulled this morning, I think you owe me.”

“Yeah, I know.” He’s annoyed because it hadn’t even crossed his mind for her to pay him back and yet that’s what she assumed. Then again he heard enough of her conversation to realize maybe this hot and cold, back and forth thing they have going on isn’t exactly working in his favor.

Kai’s been quiet. Unnervingly so. After she admits their first and only hook-up wasn’t as spontaneous and well-intentioned as he first believed, he shuts down. Drops to the floor with his backpack and scoots to the corner of the elevator. Pushes back the maroon sleeve to pick at a scab on his forearm before leaning his head back against the wall of the lift and closing his eyes.

There’s a compartment under the main panel, which Bonnie opens and picks up a phone from its receiver. Instead of a dial tone, it automatically rings to an automated number. And rings. And rings. A few minutes of this and a handful of attempts later, she gives up on the emergency phone and pulls out her cell. She tries to text or call someone, anyone, but there’s no reception. Is it the metal box they’re trapped in blocking her signal or is this just her shitty luck?

“You’re wasting your time,” Kai says out loud for the first time in a while. His head still rests on the wall, eyes closed, breathing even. And here Bonnie thought he’d fallen asleep. “This is the only elevator in this building. They’ll figure out soon enough that it’s stuck. Save your battery.”

Grudgingly, she tucks her cell between her thighs. “I can’t believe you’re going to make me miss my morning appointments.”

“Bummer.”

She pins him with a glare. At least she tries to if only he’d notice her. “You should feel bad, you know. You got us stuck in here for no good reason.”

“Seemed like a good one at the time.”

“Well, bully for you because there is no date.” Defeat courses through her, so she throws her hands up. “There’s no guy. There’s never been a guy. Your knee jerk display of hyper-masculinity was all for naught.”

In his calm façade, his jaw tightens but that’s the only change in his demeanor.

“Really. You have nothing to say for yourself? You never shut up and now you’re mum?”

“I’m a little hurt actually. I like to lick my wounds in peace.”

She can’t stifle the scoff that erupts. It’s habit with him now. “You’re mad I lied to you about having a date?”

His eyes pop open, shades of an unreadable emotion on his face. He unfolds himself and turns his whole body to face her. Long legs cage in her own short ones, cuffed denim rubbing against dark washed skinny jeans, and he leans forward with elbows on his knees. “Would you have fucked me if your friend hadn’t dared you to?”

Taken aback by his crude phrasing, she grimaces. “She didn’t dare me to have sex with you” is her quiet clarification. Still waiting for a real answer, he sinks his teeth into his bottom lip and raises his eyebrows. “I don’t know. I didn’t go to that party expecting to hook up with anyone.”

“So why me?”

“I told you. I thought you were cute.”

“I was cute enough to kiss, but that’s not all we did. So, what about me was good enough for a cheap fuck?”

“Stop saying it like that!”

“That’s what it was, though. You fucked me. I mean, let’s think about it. You were on top. You just so happened to have a condom in that wallet-”

“Clutch.”

“—of yours. And if I’m remembering it correctly, I came first. So, yeah. You fucked me. You were the subject, I was the object, which is fine. It was pretty great actually. But then you left, which had me feeling cheap. You see how it all ties together?”

“I was embarrassed, okay.”

“By me.”

“By the whole situation! Like, what a college cliché. Hooking up with some random guy at a frat party? Not really a bucket list line item I was trying to check off.”

“And the condom in your clutch?”

Her legs cross inward so she has the leverage to punch him in the shoulder to get him out of her personal space. “What century do you live in? Girls have to protect themselves, too! And if you must know…they were handing them out at freshman orientation at a booth for the health clinic on campus.”

His jaw clenches again and, exasperated by his questioning, she staggers to her feet and jams any button that might get the elevator moving. It does nothing and they go nowhere, so she rounds on Kai, who’s chewing the inside of his cheek.

“You know, you have a lot of nerve. You’re acting like I used you when we both know you enjoyed yourself just as much as I did. We could’ve made out on the couch like literally every other drunk couple. You’re the one who pulled me into that spare room.”

Kai scrambles upright and backs Bonnie into the corner with his massive chest. “So you’re saying I pressured you into it?”

“No!” She groans. “I’m just saying we both wanted it. So, quit blaming me.”

He’s close enough to catch the wet scent of eucalyptus and something like citrus wafting from her warm skin. A shuddering breath rolls through him, one part tempered aggravation and two parts heady attraction to the small, irritating woman. Staring down his nose, he squints at her unwavering stare. Much of her anger has dissipated, a film of an entirely different emotion filling her green eyes. His lips tilt dangerously. “You never came back for seconds.”

“Kai, if you’ve never done anything in your life for anyone else, do this for me: drop dead.” She shoves him away and he stumbles backwards to the other side of the lift, his smirk split open in a wide grin.

Making himself at home, Kai props himself on the other side of her desk and rifles through the styrofoam and paper containers. He helps himself to sticky rice, sesame chicken, and half an egg roll. With a cocked eyebrow, Bonnie watches him expertly twirl the wooden chopsticks between his long fingers. “Hey, remember how a few hours ago you were clinging to me like you never wanted to let go? We should talk about that.”

Steam rises from her mug of coffee and she runs the tip of her finger along the rim muttering, “Let’s not.”

Some time later there’s an ugly sound of metal scraping metal happening behind the closed doors. With incredible force, two firefighters pry the doors open and peer into the lift stuck few feet from the sixth floor. One gets on his hands and knees. “Y’all all right down there?”

“Peachy,” Kai replies while Bonnie gives an emphatic “No!”

The firefighter nods his head and rises to say something to his partner before dropping back to the floor. “We’ve called the company that services all the elevators on campus. Looks like the emergency buttons weren’t meant to be used in emergencies. We’ll get you both outta there and then work on getting this thing moving.”

Bonnie blanches and whispers to Kai, “He wants us to crawl through there?”

“You want us to crawl through there?” he asks the first responders.

“Yeah. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. That lift ain’t going anywhere.”

Bonnie backs against the far corner. “I’ve seen enough movies and tv shows to know you never climb through that.”

“What kind of movies are you watching?”

“The kind that tell me crawling out of an elevator caught between floors is a one-way ticket to getting your middle chopped in half. That kind.”

“Would it make you feel better if I went first?”

At the kind gesture and his soft tone, her eyes widen in surprise. Then they darken. “And leave me with the trauma of your bottom half getting cut off right in front of me?”

“My bottom half is your favorite, remember?” He winks then grabs his backpack and goes for the break between the sixth floor and the ceiling of the elevator. It takes upper body strength Bonnie’s not sure she possesses herself, but he swiftly heaves himself up and out of the lift. Shoving his backpack away, he spins back around and holds his hand out for Bonnie.

She looks up at him as if he’s a lifeline and for once he doesn’t roll his eyes or tease her about getting over the chip on her shoulder. He patiently watches her with his open palm out and waits until she’s ready. Choking back the wave of nausea that threatens to weaken her, she gathers up her heels and umbrella and bag and tosses them up to one of the firefighters. If she hops, maybe she can get her forearms and elbows up to the floor but that’s a big maybe.

“I’m too short,” she whines.

Again, this is the perfect opportunity of Kai to write her off as a scaredy cat and make some snide remark, but he doesn’t. Instead, he scoots until his arms and head hang into the shaft. “Jump up and wrap your arms around my neck.”

Gulping down her anxiety, she clenches her face in concentration and does what he says. They latch onto one another, his hands grasping for purchasing at her waist, her hips, his fingers gripping her belt loops. As he inches her up and out of the shaft, she holds onto him for dear life with eyes clenched shut.

When she feels her stomach slide against the lip of the floor, she swings a leg up. In her panic, she crawls atop Kai, her arms still tight around his neck, face buried in his shoulder, hearts hammering. Like the outdoorsy guy he is, he smells like pine needles and soap and Bonnie could get drunk on the smell. A chuckle rumbles through his chest and she feels it in places she didn’t anticipate.

She finally looks up and finds herself straddling him like an anxious turtle, his warm hands holding her to him by the softness of her hips. There’s a crowd of students gathered to witness their rescue and the firefighters are eyeing each other before they shrug at the young adults and hop down into the elevator.

Bonnie glances down at Kai, who has a shit-eating grin on his lips. “Deja vu, huh?”

They reach for the two fortune cookies that spilled from the bag, but Bonnie’s hand snakes them both back to her, crushing the cookies in the process. He makes a face that reads both now look at what you did and what happened to sharing? Couple that with the look of smug satisfaction that he’s still under her skin and that’s where he likes to be, Bonnie’s two seconds away from kicking him out of her office.

“What do you want? Other than to eat my food.”

“To talk.”

“We did plenty of that earlier. I think I’m set until graduation.”

“God, you give off the distinct impression that you don’t like me, but I know that’s not the case.”

“Mm, no. You were right the first time. I don’t like you.”

“That why you and your gal pal were wondering why I’ve never asked you on a date?” Unabashedly, he pops a piece of orange chicken into his mouth. Heat rises up the sides of Bonnie’s neck. Of all things, he had to hear that?

“I wasn’t wondering why,” she starts. “I was saying you’re mighty possessive for someone who’s never asked.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Bon. I have asked you out.”

Her face scrunches in contemplation. In the three years she’s known Kai, he has never, not once alluded to the possibility of taking her on a date. Except…

Her mouth drops open. “Are we seriously still talking about that night?”

He nods, his expression reading duh! And to that Bonnie throws her head back and laughs. She remembers the moment in crystal clarity because it was captured with her overall embarrassment of the whole party.

He’d handed her a beer. That was all.

Standing in the kitchen of the Alpha Delta Dick house, Bonnie rubbed a hand down her arm. This was her first official frat party and apparently that’s something no sane college coed should pass up. Well, so said Caroline. But it was overwhelming to say the least. Smells and dim rooms interrupted by strobing lights, the bass of the blaring music made her chest hurt. She sipped beer to settle her nerves. Her Grams thought she was studying tonight.

Noting how Bonnie’s gaze lingers on someone across the room, Care’s in her ear and gestured to the guy hunkered over and peering into the fridge. He grabbed a Tupperware container, opened the lid to sniff its contents, and gagged. He tossed it back onto the shelf, and hands pushed Bonnie in his direction. She threw a glare over her shoulder at the blonde but kept moving forward.

He straightened, as if he felt her presence, and looked down at her. “Beer?” she squeaked, holding up her own. It’s down to its dregs, so he gripped a new bottle by its neck, even twisted off the top before handing her a new one. She pursed her lips in thanks and slinked away.

When she got back to her best friend, she felt Caroline’s disappointment radiating off her. She was practically steaming. But to Bonnie’s defense, that was the fifth guy she’d been thrown at. “Coward” was her only response.

“Just because you and Nik are fighting doesn’t mean you can play matchmaker for me.”

“We are not fighting. I’m right and he’s being stubborn. Who cares? I swear, if you don’t at least kiss a guy tonight, I’m locking you out.”

“Care!” Bonnie’s voice shot up a few decibels, and fridge guy turned to look at the pair before going back to his hunt. Bonnie knew she meant business. Former Mystic Falls High School varsity cheerleading captain Caroline Forbes did not bluff. “Fine,” she spat.

Bonnie took a few gulps of the beer, barely stomaching the taste, and huffed marching over to the same guy. By then he was fully aware of any move she made in the small kitchen and closed the fridge door at her approach. With no hesitation, she grabbed him by the sides of his face and pulled him down to her height for a kiss.

It took him half a second to decide yes, he wanted to kiss this strange, crazy girl back, so he did. Pressing her between him and the fridge, he held her by her neck, her pulse racing under his fingertips. Not expecting this reaction, she hiccuped. The guy pulled back to look her in the face like he was seeing it for the first time. “I’m Kai.”

“Bonnie,” she breathed, her eyes on his surprisingly pillowy mouth. Blaming the liquid courage, she raised up on the balls of her feet and captured his lips again.

The rest was a blur. Of drunk partiers and a pleased Caroline as this Kai pulled her by the hand out the kitchen, down the hallway, and up the staircase. Of giggles and locked doors and clothes being shed, his black Star Trek graphic t-shirt and cargo shorts and her too-tight green halter top and skinny jeans. Of hands and kisses and sighs and who is this stranger with his expert hands and tender mouth? Of her quick realization she still had a condom in her silver sequined clutch with her fake ID and debit card.

Bonnie wasn’t a virgin. No, she “lost” it a while ago to the Mayor’s son and even had a boyfriend before she left for college, but this was different. Tyler was a childhood friend and Luka, while he’d just moved to Mystic Falls they took the time to get to know each other. Kai could be a serial killer for all she knew.

Reality hit as she laid on her back beside this guy she just met. When he tossed the spent condom in a nearby wastebasket, a cold wave washed over her and she quickly sat up.

In the dark of some frat guy’s room, she gathered her clothes from the floor and Kai propped himself up on the mattress. Watching her, he tugged his boxers and shorts up his hips while Bonnie tripped over her shoes. “You like movies?”

She’d frowned at the odd question and pulled her top down over her torso. Murmuring something vaguely in the affirmative, she didn’t afford him a last look before fleeing the room without having tied the straps of her halter.

“You asked me if I liked movies, not if I wanted to go see one.”

“I was getting there!”

She rolls her eyes. “Get out of my office.”

“You ran out before I had the chance,” he continues, ignoring her.

“So the past, what, three years of you being an absolute pain in my ass was your way of wearing me down?”

He scrunches his nose and furrows his brows. “What? No. If all of this,” he waves the chopsticks up and down his lanky body, “wasn’t enough to hold your attention in the first place, why try?”

“Oh, my god.” She leans her chest against the desk and jabs her own chopsticks at him. “You’ve never asked me out again because you think I rejected you.”

“That’s definitely a static simplification of it, but okay. Let’s go with that.”

A curious gleam brightens her irises as she gazes up through her eyelashes. “You’re not as mysterious as you seem, Kai Parker.”

“Please, I’m a damned open book. Any chapter, any page, and I even come with an index.”

He finishes his food, musing about how the weather’s supposed to be nice and cool and sunny this weekend, and then proceeds to hop off the edge of her desk. Ignoring her stingy nature, he grabs one of the crushed fortune cookies and peels open the plastic wrapping. Humming at his fortune, he throws the rest of his trash in the bin and he heads for the door.

Frowning, Bonnie deflates. “Kai.”

“Hm?” he responds, his tone unaffected. When he gets to the doorway, he turns, a cracked cookie between his lips, and faces her with a impassive expression.

She gulps against the thickness in her throat. “After all of that, everything that happened this morning, and you’re still not going to ask me out?”

He squints with a faraway look in his eyes and chews as if he’s earnestly contemplating the open invitation. “What century are you living in, Bon? Girls can ask guys out, too, ya know.”

He winks. Spinning on his heels, Kai disappears down the hallway and whistles while he goes.

It’s too early for a headache, but a dull pounding drums against Bonnie’s temples. She swipes up the forgotten strip of paper and reads whatever generic nugget of wisdom Kai left behind.

The winds of change are blowing your way.

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @shadowcatgirl09 from @scorpio-karma!

I planned on finishing this all in one go, but I realized that would be too long and condensed at the same time, so I present to you part one. It’ll be three parts in total. I hope you liked what I have so far, I truly enjoyed writing it.

InFamous Part I. A Flash of Neon and Smoke

Augustine, it was hell, but the place Bonnie called home for the last three years. She didn’t understand why they were transferring her or anyone for that matter—it was one of the most secure facilities in the DUP, Department of Unified Protection. Wherever they were taking her she hoped they had better food—it was the only enjoyable thing she had left and they still managed to ruin that; but it wasn’t like she expected more—what do you expect from a bunch of people who don’t even see you as human? She was already familiar with this, it only got worse when she became a conduit, correction, bioterrorist.  She supposed on some level she deserved it—she had hurt people, good people, but that still didn’t justify turning her into a fucking lab rat.

And what about the others? She was sure they didn’t kill anyone. The guy across from her, Tyler, looked harmless enough and from the few seconds of interaction they were allowed to have back in Augustine, he didn’t seem like a bioterrorist—he just seemed like a scared kid. However, the girl sitting next to her, Katherine, who looked like a bitch she went to high school with, may have pulled some shit back in the day. She had a devious glint in her eye, but she might just be projecting.

She sat back and closed her eyes. This was the most sleep he was probably going to get for the next three years so she might as well enjoy it—before the poking and prodding started again. She was almost asleep imagining he was alive again when she smelled smoke. Alarmed, she opened her eyes and saw Katherine out of her cuffs and about to attack the guard whose back is turned to them.

Bonnie felt a knot in her stomach. Best case scenario they get free; worst case—she preferred not to think about it. It involved lots and lots of pain without even the relief of death in the end. She thought about warning him, maybe they would grant mercy, but she thought better of it, nothing would get them out of this but winning. She took her eyes off what was happening to divert suspicion. Tyler wasn’t getting that message as he tentatively watched Katherine. Bonnie kicked his foot lightly to get him to stop, but it didn’t matter in the end because Katherine had already made her move.

Katherine grabbed the guard from behind and covered his mouth with her hand. With an airtight seal, she invaded his lungs with carbo dioxide filled smoke. He struggled against her trying to move her hand away from him, but she was determined. He slumped against her and as quietly as she could she dropped him to the ground. She turned to Bonnie first holding a bent paperclip in her hand.

“You seem like you’ll be more useful,” she whispered as she worked on unlocking Bonnie’s cuffs. It didn’t take long before Bonnie was free and she moved on to Tyler. “No offense sugar, but you don’t look like you do well under pressure.”

Katherine was still working on Tyler’s cuffs when the guard started to come to. He was about to shout when Bonnie noticed him and shot him with her neon light. The light shot a hole in his chest and the truck hitting the driver side tire blowing their cover. The convoy spun out of control. Right before it flipped, Tyler was free from his cuffs.

Kai ran into Sheila’s classroom slamming the door locking it behind him. Her class had ended an hour ago and she had quite a bit of time before her next class—so to say she was startled was an understatement. When she looked to see who had interrupted her grading papers she calmed down immediately.

“What did you do this time?” She sighed and went back to her task.

“Ah, c’mon Sheilz, do you always have to think the worst of me?”

She peered at him through the top of her glasses. Someone banged on the door moments later and shouted, “POLICE!”

“You were saying.”

“Point taken.” He ran to the back door. “I was never here.”

“You never are,” she said moving on to the next paper.

“You’re a life saver.”

“I thought you were never here.”

“Right.” He exited the classroom and continued his journey around the campus. He blended into the throng of students. After about ten minutes he watched the police leave her classroom and he felt a sense of accomplishment.

Whistling he walked to the cafeteria. They didn’t have the best food, but if he was lucky he could find some pork rinds—they’ll definitely hit the spot after all the running he had to do. They definitely spent way too much time chasing him over a little spray paint. If you ask me I did them a favor that wall was looking a little bland.

When he was sure the police had given up on finding him he made his way back toward Sheila’s classroom. He was a lot quieter when he came in this time.

“Whoo, I really owe you one. That could have ended really bad and then they would have called—”

“Me.” His sister’s angry voice pierced his ears from behind.

“You called her,” he whined to Sheila.

“You’re lucky that’s all I did. I do not appreciate having to lie to the police.”

“Jo,” he squeaks out turning to her. “What brings you all the way over here? Don’t you still have a shift at the hospital?”

“I did until I got a call about my idiot brother. It seems he got himself into some more trouble.”

“Or did he? Because from where I’m standing he just dodged trouble.”

“Oh no, he’s in trouble. Car. Now,” she said sternly.

He rolled his eyes. “You do know I’m a grown man, right? And that you’re not my mother?”

“Do you? Because you don’t act like it.”

He blew out a sigh. Tilting his head toward Sheila. “Bye. Thanks for the lookout.” With a tight-lipped smile, he waved and walked past Jo. “For the record, I don’t need you to play mommy for me, I already had one for that.”  He walked out to his sister’s car leaving her behind.

“Thank you, Sheila, for calling. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“No problem baby, I know he can be a handful.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“But he is right.”

“Huh,” Jo inquires.

“He’s a grown man, and pretty soon you’re going to have to stop acting like his mom and be his sister. His problems are exactly that, his problems.”

“You say that, but how can I just give up on him. Our parents did that enough. I can’t be a disappointment too.”

“I didn’t say give up on him, I just said let him deal with things himself. Babying him isn’t going to help him in the long run.”

She lamented on Sheila’s words for a minute. “Thank you, again,” she said somberly and left.

They quickly left the parking lot and made their way home. The car was silent for a while before Jo finally spoke.

“You have to stop pulling this crap. I know things haven’t been easy, but acting out like a teenager isn’t going to solve anything.”

“That’s easy for you to say you’ve got things figured out.”

She scoffed. “You think I have things figured out? If I had things figured out I wouldn’t be leaving work to bail out my 24-year-old brother.”

“For god’s sake, there was nothing to bail me out from, I escaped.”

“That’s not the point! That attitude’s going to get you arrested or worse. Do you want that?”

“Nothing is going to happen! You’re making a mountain out of a molehill as usual.”

“Of course, it’s always me that’s overreacting. You can never do no wrong. What are you going to do when I’m not there? You’ve burned so many bridges I’m all you have left.”

“JO!”

“WHAT?”

“TRUCK!” Her eyes made their way back to the road and in front of them was a convoy skidding its way on its side toward them. Jo’s reflexes kicked in and she swerved out of the way. The convoy missed their car but they still crashed into trees.

The crash was gruesome and if she was anyone else it would have ended up a lot worse like it did for the guards. The crash took the majority of the DUP out, but she knew more were on their way. Escaped conduits were definitely going to be a high priority.

When she opened her eyes she saw an unfamiliar figure checking her wounds. She had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. When she was conscious enough she swiped he unfamiliar hand away.

“Get away from me,” she shouted. Before the woman could respond Bonnie jumped up and with her powers, she blurred away in a flash of neon. The woman jumped back once she realized what Bonnie really was. Typical, she thought to herself.

She wanted to see how the others were doing, but the sound of sirens in the distance stopped her. She needed to leave now or risk being locked up again. She started backing away from the truck. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but—” She doesn’t finish her sentence before she flashed away again.

Kai was standing at the totaled car. Jo went to see if anyone needed any medical attention after she had thoroughly checked him out. He supposed he could have gone with her, but it’s not like he could really help anyone—he didn’t have a medical degree of any kind. Plus wounded crying panicky people just weren’t his forte—he’d leave that to Jo.

In the distance, he heard a rustling in the trees and then out came a tall brunette woman with doe eyes. He shrugged to himself and thought, not the weirdest thing to come out of the woods. He thought about walking toward her, but thought better of it—he just buried his face into his phone. If she wanted his help she would have to come to him, not the other way around—he didn’t want to give the impression that he could do anything.

The woman stumbles her way over to him walking almost as though she was drunk. “Woo,” she huffed. “That was quite exhaustin’,” she said in an accent that told Kai she wasn’t from around here. He didn’t exactly know where she was from but if he had to guess he’d say Texas which didn’t mean much since that’s where he assumed everyone with a southern accent was from, but at least he tried.

“You lost,” he said apathetically not looking up at her.

“I haven’t got a clue where the hell I am.”

“That sucks.”

“Hey, is that your car? I could really use a ride, and after five minutes of hiking, I’m done. Excising will never be my thing. I got lucky with the genes.”

So she’s a talker.

“Excuse me,” she shouted finally catching on.

“Yeah,” he said starting to get annoyed.

“I asked you for help, the kind thing to do would be to offer it.” There was an edge in her voice.

“I’m not kind and as you can see from my totaled car, I’m not much help either, so take a hike.” He snorted laughing at his own joke.

“Aw, you think you’re funny, I don’t have time for funny.” She grabbed on to his shirt and pulled her into him—she was surprisingly strong for a girl. “Either you help me or—”

“Kai!” A sound he never thought he’d be so happy to hear, but the wood nymph was getting a little more handsy than he was comfortable with.

“Jo?” he shouted looking for her. She was standing right where his woodland friend just came from.

She was about to shout for him again when she saw him and stopped in her tracks. She’s dressed like the girl in the truck. “Kai get away from her,” she shouted.

“Yeah, get away from me,” she whispered leaning closer into him. “You wouldn’t want anything bad to happen.” Her voice sounded almost childlike, and it sent shivers down his spine—not the good kind. He tried to push her away, but she had impossible strength.

“She’s a bioterrorist!” Jo ran towards her brother.

Katherine switched her position subduing him from behind. For the first time in a while, Kai felt fear. He didn’t know what this woman was capable of but she was a hell of a lot stronger than him. She held her hand out to Jo releasing a cloud of smoke in front of her. “Back off cutie pie.”

Jo backed away cautiously, but still determined. “Get away from my brother!”  

“No, because right now he’s the only thing between me and a locked cell.”

“I don’t care.”

“Well, you better because if you don’t help me I will hurt him. We don’t want that now do we?”

“No,” Jo whispered.

“How about you sweetie, you want anything bad to happen to that pretty little face of yours?” He didn’t respond. “You know you’ve been awfully quiet. I don’t like quiet; they tend to always have something up their sleeve.” She squeezed the arm around his neck tighter. “You have anything you want to share with the rest of the class?”

“No,” he wheezed defiantly.

“How ‘bout now?” She raised her hand toward his sister, but instead of smoke, it lit up like a fireplace.

He didn’t know what she was going to do, but he knew it was going to be a lot worse than a little smoke. He used what little leeway he had to get his arm free. He grabbed on to her hand in hopes of at least diverting her aim. The moment his hand latched to hers he felt his entire body burning, right down to his bones. Distantly he hears both her and his sister scream right before everything goes black.

No one has ever thought of me as much more than trailer trash. I suppose they were right. I lived in a mobile home most my life, born to a woman who had so many track marks on her body it was a wonder how she still managed to get high. Never knew my daddy either. I was such a cliché I even ended up pregnant at 15—but don’t let anyone tell you differently, I love my daughter.

Everything I did was for my little girl, Nadia. The robberies, the scams, I even whored myself out a few times—I never made that much which is why it was always the last resort. But it didn’t matter in the end just like everything in life my mama screwed me over.

I knew not to trust her—she was never reliable, but I had a job interview and a steady paycheck was exactly what I needed. She had been doing great, hadn’t been using for a while—or at least she appeared to be. It was only for an hour—how much trouble could she get into for an hour? A lot apparently.

I didn’t get the job and by the time I got home, no one was there. I called and I called and asked around, but they were nowhere to be found.  I went out of my mind looking for them. That’s when it happened—my powers. I’d have been happy if my baby girl wasn’t missing. I had a fire in me so hot I could burn through a whole village.

I went on a rampage, going through her old dealers—none of them had seen her. I finally found her—she was trying to trade my daughter for $20,000. Worst babysitter ever. She even tried to justify it saying we could finally afford to live somewhere better, but I knew what she actually wanted—better drugs. I damn near killed the bitch and would have I didn’t feel this sense of loyalty for her. She was still my mom, no matter what.    

We were on our own after that—that wasn’t different, but now we didn’t have a place to live. I got desperate—took a big bank job with a crew—I always work alone. The job went off without a hitch but when it came time to give everyone their cut—they got stingy. I did most of the work, they were lucky I was even helping them. If I wasn’t getting paid no one was.

I took them out pretty easily and life was pretty blissful until the DUPs caught up to me. They put my daughter in social services and sent me to Augustine. I vowed when the opportunity came I wouldn’t hesitate. I was gonna get out, I was gonna see my baby girl again.

Seven years, seven years locked up, seven years of them testing me, training me, seven years of that sadistic bitch Sybil doing whatever she wanted and finally a golden opportunity arrived. One of them was stupid enough to leave a paperclip—it may not seem like much, but I’ve locked up enough times to know exactly how to use one even with those cuffs that kept you from doing anything including wiping your own ass.

They were transporting us—perfect timing. I usually worked alone but I figured two were better than one and three was better than two. We all had just as much at stake. I let the girl out first, Sparks, she was a quiet one, but in a jam, I knew she’d be the most useful—and boy was she useful. I let out the boy last, Tyler, not your typical comic book nerd, definitely hotter, but just as squeamish.

When the girl caused the crash the only thing that kept us in one piece was him. Whatever the hell it was he did kept us from tumbling all over the place and killed the DUP guards at the same—last time I underestimate him. I would have thanked him but he was the first to leave from all of the debris. The girl was knocked out cold, I would have helped, but I didn’t have time. I made a vow I was gonna get to her and I wasn’t letting anything get in my way.  

The kid was out when Katherine came to. His sister was cradling him in her arms. She felt bad about what she was about to do but right now it was them or survival. She got up and made her way over to them. Squatting, she made eye contact with Jo.  

“Hand me your keys.”

“What did you do to my brother?” she screamed.

“I’m sorry, what did I do? That little freak touched my hand and went digging inside my head and you want to know what I did?”

Jo looked at in confusion. “Don’t call him that!”

“I don’t care, just give me the keys!”

“Why? The car’s totaled.”

“Trust me, I’ve gotten cars in a lot worse condition to work. Keys, now.” She was starting to panic, she could hear the sirens getting closer and if she didn’t get a move on it soon she’d be locked up again.

“I don’t have them they’re in the car.”

“Of course they are.”

She wasted no time running to the dinged-up car. It took a few times for the engine to turn over, but when it did she didn’t even give the car time to warm up before she sped off leaving Jo holding her unconscious brother in the woods.

Bonnie sped away as fast as she could—she wouldn’t get caught again. Guilt may have led to her capture but revenge would keep her out. When she was mid-town she realized where she was. She stopped a moment and took a moment to appreciate that she’d finally made it. Jeremy would be so proud but she hadn’t earned it yet. She had to find him and make it right.

He ruined her life, made her his own personal drug mule end, in the end, got to run the whole drug cartel in the Pacific Northwest. No, he didn’t get away with that. She was going to find him. She knew enough shady people to find him—he wasn’t hidden, had enough people on the police paid off not to need to. But first, she needed to change. Bioterrorist yellow wasn’t her color and definitely not going to get her anything other than caught—again.

They were in the back of a police cruiser making their way over to Sheila’s with three other government vehicles following behind. That bioterrorist had taken off with their keys and only she had a spare. Jo was looking at Kai warily. He balled up his fists in anger—she was looking at him like their family looked at him—like he was dangerous and about to explode, but Jo never did, not until four hours ago when he ignited an almost burnt the whole forest down. Jo, sensitive, understanding Jo, was now looking at him like he was the devil incarnate when he knew just as much as she did.

The DUP showed up not long after that along with a bunch of Portland’s finest men in blue. Jo may have been freaked out but she still loved her brother enough to try and get him to stop whatever he was doing before he got arrested or worse. He stopped right in time because soon after they were approached by Sybil, the head of the DUP and wouldn’t hesitate to take him in if she even suspected he was one of them.

I’m one of them, he thought. He was still wrapping his head around it all. Things like this weren’t really on his radar. He’d read about it, about all of the attacks but he was a bratty teenage boy with his own problems. He’d only known one bioterrorist in his entire life and he hadn’t even hurt anyone before he was rounded up and taken to Augustine. Correction he knew two bioterrorists, but that was obviously before—he hadn’t seen her since he was a kid but apparently they had more in common than he thought. He wondered if she was alright.

They stopped in front of Sheila’s little house in the woods. The officer driving turned to them and asked if it was the right address and they both nodded. The officer and Sybil got out of the car to let them out. Before he could get out of the cruiser Sybil asked him, “Are you sure that’s all you know?”

“Yes, she knocked me out and by the time I woke up she was gone.” He decided to play nice for now until he could figure out what the hell was going on.

“She didn’t say anything to you about she was heading?” She continued to press.

Probably to find her daughter. “No.”

“You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you? Because you know how dangerous bioterrorists are, right?”

“I know how dangerous conduits are. What do you want me to tell you? That before she left she told me all her hopes and dreams. What she thought of you? ‘Cause, I can make some shit up.” He winked.

She tilted her head and smiled—it was not comforting. “Hmm, in my experience the only people who use conduit, are sympathizers or conduits themselves, which are you?”

“Neither,” Jo chimed in. “He’s neither, he’s just my dumb kid brother, who has a problem with authority figures.”

“Is she right? Do you have a problem with me?”

“Anarchy rules,” he said with a sarcastic smile.

“Rebels always say that until there is actually is anarchy—no one can deal with that much chaos.” She stared at him with a challenging smile. He wasn’t going to bite.

“Can I get out now? Unless you’re going to charge me with something or ask me more questions?”

She moved out of his way and held her and out. He took the queue but walked past her with caution. He couldn’t run to Sheila this time, at least without endangering her.

“You know I find it hard to believe that a girl like that subdued you. What are you like six foot? She was quite scrawny and you don’t seem weak by any means.”

“What’s all this ruckus?” Sheila interrupted walking out of her house. “Jo? Kai? What did he do this time?”

“Nothing Sheila. My car got stolen and we’re just here for the spare and a ride if you don’t mind,” Jo answered.

“Of course sweetie.”

Sybil hadn’t looked away from Kai. He felt uncomfortable under her gaze.

“Looks can be deceiving. You of all people should know that.”

“I do which is why I know a liar when I see one. What do you know?” she said sterner this time.

“Nothing! Why are you only drilling me about this Jo was there too? In fact, she probably knows more, she didn’t get knocked out.”

“Because she’s not lying to me, you are. You say you got knocked out, but that’s not a scratch on you, nothing to indicate you were attacked at all. Your sister looks more disheveled than you.”

“So, that’s all you’re basing this on?”

“That and my gut, and my gut is telling me you looked way too nervous when the paramedics were examining you. So I’ll ask again, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing,” he said through gritted teeth.

 She sighed. “I didn’t want it to come to this.”

He screamed falling to the ground in immense pain. He didn’t know what was happening but he knew he wanted it to stop. When he looked down at his leg he saw a bloody shard of concrete sticking out of it. He looked up at Sybil in anger and confusion.

“Yeah, I’m told that hurts.”

“What kind of psychotic bitch—” He was cut off by another shard.

“Don’t call me a bitch.”

“Sadistic bitch!”

“You know I can do this all night.”

“What are you doing to him,” Jo screamed running towards them.

“Restrain her.”

Jo was immediately taken off her track. Sheila tried to help her but another agent grabbed her too.

“Now, Mr. Parker, was it, what do you know?”

“You have to out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to tell you anything after this.”

“I don’t think you understand, you’re going to tell me no matter what, how much pain, well that’s up to you.”

He laughed spitefully. “Go ahead, I guarantee I’ve been through worse.”

“I sincerely doubt that.” Another shard popped out a little too close to his crotch for his liking, but he wasn’t going to break.

Bonnie roamed the streets freely. It was all over the news, Bioterrorist escape, they even got that bitch from high school, Elena Gilbert, on the air to shout propaganda and scare everyone. Apparently she’d been busy since the last time she saw her—enough to be on the news in a state 3000 miles away from her home. She, of course, had been as discreet as possible but even she found it weird that they hadn’t caught her yet, or really looked. They seemed to be rounding up others—poor bastards. She wanted to do something about it but she had a mission of her own.

She strolled through the park sat on the bench and waited. Soon someone would be there to bring her drugs and soon she’d be one more step away from finding that piece of shit. The autumn breeze caused a chill down her spine. She only had a sweatshirt and some torn black tights over shorts to keep her warm. She could have picked out warmer clothes but none of them were her and she hadn’t felt like herself in while.

“Sparks?” She turned her head toward the voice. A man with brownish blonde hair who looked to be about in his thirties was sitting next to her. He was wholesome—that was the only way she could describe him. A park didn’t seem like out of place for him like one of these kids could easily be his.

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“You just look the type.” He looked her up and down leering.

She didn’t look wholesome. With her purple hair and piercings, she looked like trouble. She was the girl parents feared their son would bring home. She knew this, but that didn’t help the sting she felt when he said it.

“How much?”

“50.”

“For a half a gram?” That was way too much for some crystal, coke maybe, but crystal? He had to be lying about the price. He wanted something else.

“That’s going rate around here.”

She snorted. “Even drug prices are inflated.”

“That’s how the market works,” he said matter-of-factly. She just rolled her eyes. “So are you still in the market?”

“Yeah, just give me a little time to scrounge up some more.” Hook.

“No need, I’m sure we can work out a deal.” Line.

“I’m sure we can.” Sinker.

His name was Rick, a nickname, but she didn’t care what for. She didn’t care what she called him just as long as she got what she wanted. If she was good enough he’d give her double of what she asked for—she mentally shuddered. He actually thought that was a genuine gesture.

They took his Mercedes to a hotel. The car was old as hell—but of course, as long as it was Mercedes it was a nice car. He didn’t wait for them to get into the room before his mouth was on her. Part of her felt disgusted, but she’d be kidding herself if she said she hadn’t made out with worse for less. They tumbled their way into the room with him groping her the whole way to the bed.

He threw her on to the duvet. He stood at the end of the bed taking her in. He pulled the plastic Ziploc bag with the meth from his pocket.

“What are you willing to do for this?” he said with a sly smile.

She internally gagged. “Anything,” she said in her most needy voice.

“Undress me.”

Bonnie sauntered over to him first lifting his shirt over his head. Not bad, she thought, not that you’re going to get very far. She undid his belt next making sure to go as slowly as possible never leaving eye contact. She dropped his pants to his ankles and through his briefs she saw the very prominent outline of his dick. Not bad, she thought again. She hesitated when she got to his last clothing item.

“Are you sure you want to be the only naked one?”

“We’ll get to you soon sweetheart.” She shuddered at the nickname he gave her.

She hooked her fingers into his briefs and pulled them down slowly. She knew what he wanted next, but she wasn’t going to give it. She stood up and looked up at him with her most innocent look.

“What do you want next?”

“Strip.”

Unlike with him, she moved a lot faster. When she was down to her undergarments she looked to him for him.

“Spin around for me.” She thought that was weird but complied with the request. She heard him groan when her back was to him. “I got to say, you’re probably the prettiest meth head I’ve ever seen—you have your teeth and all. So forgive me—I want to enjoy this.” He palmed his dick.

She internally gagged again and decided that this had gone on too long. He was officially in a position more vulnerable than her there was no need to continue this. With a flash of neon, she threw him on to the bed. She fumbled through his pants until she found what she was looking for.

“Hey,” he said getting up from his position. A beam of light shot out through her hand burning the pillow near his head.

“Down boy,” she said opening his wallet.

“What the fuck?”

“Alaric Saltzman. Lives at 2223 Fern Ave, sounds like a quaint place which means,” she drifted looking through his wallet for more than a driver’s license.  “Yep, wife and kids to boot. I’m curious, do they know what you do for a living?”

“They know enough.”

“So, no.”

“No.”

“You’re wife doesn’t question when you come home smelling like a halfway house. She has a lot more patience than me.” She looked down at the picture again. They looked like your typical average family, like nothing bad has ever happened to them—wholesome.

“What’s her name?”

“I’m not telling you that.” She fired another warning shot. “You can kill me, but I’m putting them in danger.”

She laughed flipping the picture over. “Your line of work does that for you and your wife’s need to label seems to have done that now. Jenna, how very upper middle class. I wonder what the kids’ names are.” She rifled through his wallet searching for more information. “Charlie, Lisa, and Ryder, how quaint, too bad Daddy’s a lying cheating asshole.”

“Is there a point to this? If you’re gonna rob me, rob me,” he shouted.

“I don’t want to rob you,” she said laughing. “I want you to talk,” she said in a more serious tone sitting down at the edge of the bed.

“And you needed me naked for that?”

“No, but it adds a nice sense of leverage.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Don’t worry about that.” She crawled to him on the bed. “Tell me about your boss.”

“What about him?”

“You know, what he’s like, where he goes, what he does, who he fucks, the basics.”

“Um, well he’s drug dealer obviously, kinda creepy but never rips me off, so I couldn’t give a fuck. I don’t know where he goes just that we always meet at this diner in Tigard. I don’t know much else about him—it’s a ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ arrangement. He doesn’t know enough about me so my family is safe and I don’t know enough about him so his business is safe—quid pro quo.”

“Would you say you’re one of his most trusted dealers?” She climbed on him and straddled his lap.

“I’d say I’m one of many.”

“That’ll do just fine.” She trailed her hand down his face, to his neck, until she rested her hand on his chest. “I’m gonna need you to send him a message.” Her entire body glowed neon pink. Using her finger she seared the skin on his chest while he screamed in pain. She sat back when she was done and admired her work. His chest was still glowing pink, and in beautifully scrawled cursive, the name Jeremy was branded on him.

She lifted herself off of him and walked over to her clothes. Alaric was still writhing in pain. When she was dressed she grabbed his wallet again this time taking a photo of his family and tossing the wallet on the bed reminding him she knew where he lived.

The baggie of crystal was still on the floor and she paused before picking it up and pocketing it.

“Tell your boss I’m looking for him,” she said walking out the door.

“How the fuck am I supposed to do that? I don’t even know your name.”

“Just show him your chest. He’ll know who it is.” She closed the door cutting him off from any more questions.

Kai woke up screaming grabbing ahold of his leg. He was surprised when he felt skin. He looked at his surroundings and realized he was in the hospital.

“Jo,” he shouted hoping she could fill him in on what was going on. When there was no answer he got out of bed shouting her name again. He tried to leave the room but was stopped by the IV in his hand. He was about to pull it out when the door opened.

Wearing a worried expression Jo walked in with a cup of coffee. She stopped in her tracks nearly spilling the coffee in her hand when saw her brother out of his bed.

“Oh my god,” she said rushing to him for a hug.

“Ew, what are you doing?” he said untangling his sister from him.

“What am I doing?” she slapped his arm. “You’ve been a coma for two weeks, I’m happy you’re alive.”

“Two weeks?”

“Yeah, that crazy bitch did a number on you.”

Yeah, I’m told that hurts. Sybil’s voice echoed in his head.

“What the fuck?” he sat back down in his bed.

“We need to talk.” Jo sat in the chair next to his bed. “I need to know how you did it.”

“Did what?”

“You know, got fire to come out of your hands.” He looked at her confused. “Before that crazy bitch and her tactical force showed up right after the car thief left you woke up and you could do what she could. I want to know how?”

“Fuck if I know.” He laid back onto the bed. “Shit, two weeks. How was I out so long?”

“I think you were healing which is good because you seem to be the only one that is.”

It’s especially hard on brittle bones. Kai sat up with a realization. “Wait, where’s Sheila?” he asked panicked.

Jo’s eyes teared up as she spoke, “She’s alive.”

“But?”

“Those things aren’t coming out of her legs. She’ll probably die soon if they don’t, it’s already causing an infection on top of the tissue damage.”

“Why aren’t they coming out?”

“Because they’re cemented to her bone. To remove them surgically would cause more damage than what is already there. The only way for them to come out is the way they went in.”

“That makes no sense, they came out of me.”

“You’re different—you’ve changed. Something happened when you touched that woman. Even your blood has changed, and while it came with a few perks obviously I think we needed to figure out a way to get rid of it—it’s not natural.”

“Fuck, Jo, you’re starting to sound like Dad.”

“Kai this is serious. This isn’t Dad thinking you’re a freak, this is your health we’re talking about.”

“My health? That seems to be in perfect condition.”

“For now. What about later down the line? What about when people like Sybil come around again? I don’t want you to die.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Where’s Sheila?”

Jo opened her mouth about closed it thinking better of it. “She’s in her room.”

“Well, I want to see her if what you say is true, which suck ‘cause I think I found Bonnie.”

“Her granddaughter? How? No one has seen or heard from her in years.”

“Well I didn’t find her per se, but when that chick touched me I was in her head. It’s like I downloaded every memory of hers. Some of them had Bonnie, I think she was on that truck. You went down there, did you see her?”

“Maybe, there was a girl down there, but I didn’t get a good look at her. All I remember was this bright pink light, and then she was gone.”

“That was her, that was Bonnie. She’s a conduit now or always was. I don’t know. It’s been a while.”

“How are you sure it’s her? Like you said, it’s been a while. The last time you saw her she was five.”

“Trust me, it was her. I’d never forget her.”

Jo snorted. “You were pretty sweet on her. You were so sad when she left.”

“Yeah,” he said softly scratching the back of his head.

“Childhood crush aside, I think you should hold off on telling Sheila that. You don’t actually know if it was her, and if it was you don’t know where she is. If she’s really a bioterrorist, a lot has changed since we last saw her.”

“No shit.”

After being cleared with a clean bill of health, Kai checked himself out of the hospital with a signed AMA. Even though he appeared to be perfectly healthy they were worried about some underlying condition. Kai waved them off and went to visit his old family friend.

Jo gently knocked on the door before entering the room. Sheila had a warm smile on her face that widened when she saw Kai. Kai rushed to her examining the damage. Both of her legs were in slings and completely covered in concrete up to the knee.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Shh, for once, this isn’t your fault.”

“But we brought her literally to your doorstep.”

“You didn’t know she’d do this.”

“It’s my fault I could have told her what I knew and she would have left you alone.”

“No, she wouldn’t have. Someone like that, she wouldn’t have stopped no matter what. She’s already turned half the city upside down looking for them. If not then she would have gotten to me eventually like the others.”

“The others? Sounds like someone’s been having fun without me.” He turned to look at Jo.

“She’s enacted a military state. Says it’s the only way to keep us safe, but she’s racked up a body count higher than any bioterrorist in the area, so I don’t exactly know who she’s protecting.”

“Herself,” Sheila shouted. “I’ve been on this earth quite a while and she ain’t unique. She’s just like any other authority figure with too much power. She revels in it. She’s finally in an environment she can thrive causing as much pain and destruction with no consequences.”

“Why isn’t anyone stopping her?”

“Because people are more scared of bioterrorist than they are the DUP.”

“This is all so fucked up. Did she at least by them dinner? In my experience, you need to buy someone dinner if you’re going to screw them that much.”

He sat clenching his fist in anger trying to keep the fire at bay. There were few people in life he cared about, and this bitch had just fucked with two of them. He jumped up out of his seat and stormed out of the hospital room. Jo followed close behind.

“Where are you going?” Jo shouted.

“I’m going to fix this.”

“How?”

“I’m gonna find Bonnie and bring her back to Sheila and then I’m going to find Sybil and make sure she has Grams when I come back.”

“How do you expect to do any of that? That’s not a plan!”

“I’ll figure it out, Jo! I’ve got powers now better not let them go to waste.”

“No,” Jo said grabbing his arm and stopping him. “I’m not letting you put yourself in more danger.”

“It’s not your choice.” He said lowly body now emanating smoke. “I’m not a child or stupid. I know this is dangerous, but I can’t do nothing. Unlike you, there’s nothing I can do here, so I’ve gotta find this bitch and take her power.”

“Take her power? How do you expect to do that?”

“The same way I got this one. I’ve just got to get close enough to her to touch her.”

They stared at each other in a standstill. Both were stubborn and nothing was going to change their minds. Jo broke first pulling him into a hug. “Do me a favor and don’t die.”

“I make no promises.”

To Be Continued

[bonkaisecretsanta]

Happy holidays @frostedgemstones22​ from @thenameismaynard​!

Fanmix & Post Series AU: Kai escapes his prison world, they reconnect a couple of years further down the road.

“You should do like I did,” Kai suggests

Bonnie scoffs. “Like i would ever take any advice coming from you—”

“Rebuild.” he says, soft yet firm, and she’s stunned into silence. “The Bennett name has always been a big part of our world. Carrying it all by yourself is a tough ask. Even for one of the most powerful witches in existence.”

[bonkaisecretsanta]

I May Not Be Your Cup of Tea, but I'll Be Your Glass of Eggnog

Happy holidays @brawohania from @frostedgemstones22!

Bonnie Bennett was single and this was a problem.

She had been free woman, ever since her ex Enzo had left her. Not only had he packed up without many words and texted her about it later, but he’d left her for an woman for sure old enough to be his mother.

Wasn’t the idea that men couldn’t help but trade in for the newer model? Somehow it was more insulting to Bonnie that he had traded in for an older model. The shitty part was she might have married him if he stayed, if he just let this affection die. Bonnie would have hitched herself to an utter asshole.

Okay, so calling him an asshole was sort of mean. He had been a good boyfriend. Not a great one, but a good/okay/decent-enough one. It wasn’t Bonnie’s fault that he preferred women with minivans, elaborate Pinterest boards, and matching workout suits from Juicy Couture instead of bikes, textbooks, and ripped jeans from Urban Outfitters. In the long run, it was probably good she and him had split ways. It still stung, but only when she thought hard about it.

She didn’t dislike being single. This was not the issue at hand. Bonnie wasn’t the type that always needed a boyfriend. She was, more often than not, single. She was confident enough to live and exist alone, or without a romantic partner, and only truly missed Enzo when someone invited her to watch a scary movie or a couple’s date night.

The problem was that, for months now, she’d been getting out of awkward social invitations at her work place by citing a mysterious boyfriend with strange work hours, thus the only time she could see him was conveniently when Susan in HR wanted to grab a beer and talk about feelings.

The hotel that Bonnie worked at was a fine enough place to make enough to cover her rent. On occasion, she got a free room, used for when her grandmother or friends came to visit her at college. She always got 50% off at the restaurant when she was on shift, and who could pass up two bucks for a whole plate of fries? Most nights were quiet, so Bonnie could study uninterrupted while being paid to do so. Her co-workers were all nice people to hold a small conversation with in between taking phone calls or ferrying little bottles of shampoo up to guests rooms, but none of them were friend material, Bonnie had deduced.

She was also one of the few college kids who worked there. Everyone else’s career was here. For Bonnie, it was just a stop along the way to getting her degree in Chemistry. So, while Bonnie very much enjoyed stopping off for a drink, she could drink all these people under the table, without question. She wasn’t entirely ready to show that side of her (the college Bonnie side) to all the people she only knew professionally.

At first, her excuse had been Enzo, and he had been real. But, after he dumped her, Bonnie wasn’t close enough with anyone to tell them about their breakup, and so she just continued using him. Somewhere around three months in, he became an entirely made-up person. He was so much more caring that’s Enzo was. He was funny, he was hard-working, he was someone Bonnie wanted to go home to.

Too bad he didn’t exist.

For most of her time, she didn’t consider this ever would be an issue, until the Holiday Formal. Usually, Bonnie would skip it, except they gave out great employee gifts. There was always a huge raffle. She’d heard through the grapevine that some of the big-ticket items were a flat screen or an Xbox. Bonnie wanted a chance to get those, goshdarnit.

“I really hope your boyfriend can make it,” Desi, one of her coworkers at the front desk, told her when they were counting out the money for the day, “Since, you know, we’ve never met him.”

Bonnie hummed, trying not to let the comment bother her.

“We’ll see, I guess.” She shrugged. “He might not get off work.”

As soon as Bonnie got home, she texted her two childhood best friends; Elena and Caroline. They’d been privy to this whole thing the entire time, both responding mostly with laughter about it.

Elena’s response was reasonable; Just tell them he couldn’t go. He’s got weird enough fake hours at it is

Caroline’s was more whimsical; Know any hot guys that would be willing to cover for a night? ;)

Bonnie was leaning toward Elena’s input, though she did fear the longer she kept this up, the more risk she ran of someone finding out and then she’d really have to find another, less perfect excuse.

It wasn’t for another week until Caroline’s suggestion was thought of in any real capacity.

When she got a call from Enzo, out of the blue, bonnie was too curious not to answer it. She should have just lost his number, but she was a little bit more mature. She hoped that they could at least be civil, like adults.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Bonnie…I, uh, just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be coming back into town.”

Bonnie flipped through her notes absently, “It’s a big enough town, Enzo. Just tell me where to avoid and I will,” she said in a cool tone, “but thanks, I guess.”

There was a pause. “I hear you work at The Cliff Hotel now.”

She’d been applying there at the end of their relationship. It was on her Facebook page, not like he’d sleuthed hard to find that one.

“Yeah?”

“It’s owned by DTN Capitol, you know?”

“So?” Bonnie huffed.

“Lil’s family owns part of that,” Enzo said. There was a beat where Bonnie scrunched her nose. Lil? Who the hell was-oh. Lily. The woman she’d been left for.

“And?” Bonnie felt her throat tighten, just a bit, “I mean, it’s a coincidence. Small world.”

“We’re going to that Holiday party. You know, check on the property. I heard from your GM you’d be there too…with a boyfriend.” The accusation hung in the air.

“If he can get off work,” Bonnie said, but the words felt stupider saying them to Enzo. There was a sort of sad sigh over the phone.

“Bonnie, darling,” he said, like they were still dating or something, “I still follow you on Instagram, Facebook…you’re not dating someone.”

“Just because they’re not obsessed with showing the world us down each other’s throats like you were doesn’t mean he’s fake!” Bonnie snarled, “Look, Enzo, frankly we just spend so much time when we’re together we don’t even think about social media.”

“Bonnie, I didn’t…” He took a deep breath in. “I’m not trying to offend you.”

“Shit job of it. Fucking hell, Enzo, you think just because you dumped me I’d sit around sad? No, I went and found someone better.”

“I…You…” Enzo seemed flustered. He coughed, then collected himself. “I look forward to meeting him, sometime.”

“You will. At the holiday party. I’ll make sure he’s there.”

Then, before Enzo could protest or fight her, she hung up.

And, after, she just stared at her wall.

What had she just done?

Three days before the holiday party and Bonnie had not yet found this fake-real boyfriend yet. Caroline had suggested taking out a Craigslist ad; Bonnie felt weird doing that. Plus, Enzo could find it, if he was determined enough. When Bonnie went through her list of friends, no one seemed to fit the right specifications. Matt had offered himself up, but he was in a relationship, which could be looked into and disproven. Elena had said that, in a pinch, she’d send her brother Jeremy up if Bonnie let him crash at her place for the night, but she saw Jeremy like her own brother, so pretending to be in love with him the whole night was gag-worthy.

No, Bonnie needed to find a single guy that she could believably enjoy spending theme with. So, either someone super hot (even if they were a little dumb) or super smart (even if they weren’t a looker)…but preferably, both. And, someone who-if this occasion came up again-might be willing to step in as her boyfriend who never slept and took strange hours for his job. Like, a booty call…but for a fake boyfriend.

She was even willing to pay them, if that’s what they wanted. Or feed them. This party had free booze, so, theoretically that would entice most.

Bonnie scrolled through her class list, posted onto their discussion board. She’d spent the last hour stalking different guys on Facebook, crossing them out if they had a girlfriend (or boyfriend) or if they seemed like someone Bonnie would never, in a million years, date.

She picked up her mug of Chai tea, grimacing. She really should be studying for her upcoming finals, but somehow reading about the Fatimid Caliphates in Ancient History just wasn’t holding her interesting. She was considering getting another Chai, because she was just getting started and the coffee shop would be getting busy soon, totally zoned out to the world around her.

“You planning a murder or something?”

“What?” Bonnie snapped out of her daze. There was a boy standing right next to her, staring down at her notebook…which had a very long list of boy’s names, most crossed out, some with weird notes next to it.

Yeah, that probably did look shady.

“And, does crossing them out mean they’re not a target or that they are? Or, is it a shit list…because, really, what have I ever done to you?” he continued, practically leaning over the small table to read the list better.

“What?” Bonnie asked again, blinking up. She went to cover the list, but he slapped his hand down on it, stopping her.

“Me, my name. Right there. Malachai Parker. Pretentious name, I know. Or, like my parents named me after a D&D Character. Personally, I always thought it would be a good name of a Warlock. I’m not, duh, I’m just a regular guy who didn’t mean to look at your top secret kill list or something. Point being, I’m not a creep, but like, you’re tuned into seeing your own name on things, you know?”

Bonnie squinted at him. If he’d been on her list, he was in one of her classes. She glanced back down at the names surround him to try to glean which one it was.

“Oh, you,” Bonnie said as realization hit her, “You’re that kid in my History of Science class that always asks those bizarre questions.”

“Look, if the teacher can’t answer what’s the name of that one frog that makes you high when you lick it and also tell me who the hell in history thought that it was a good idea to go around licking amphibians, why are they a professor?” he said, sliding himself down in the seat across from Bonnie without asking. He seemed to just sink into the chair, slinging his book bag on the floor with a clunk.

“Uh, not everyone is a master on Rain Forest fauna. Especially not a teacher who specializes in the Early Middle Ages,” Bonnie said, rolling her eyes.

“Maybe they should be,” Kai said, picking up a wrapped straw between his fingers, twirling it around. He had a to-go coffee cup in his hand, which told Bonnie he was probably on his way out the door, until he’d seen her list.

“Malachai—”

He made a face. “Yuck. Kai. Call me Kai,” he corrected. “You’re Bonnie.”

Bonnie fumbled for a reply. “How did you—”

“Magic,” Kai said with absolute sincerity, glancing up and looking right at her, “Naw. I saw it on the top of your computer,” he said, leaning over her laptop to point to the top right corner of her open Facebook account, “Also, I remember you from when we went around that entire lecture and introduced yourself.”

“Out of 300 people, you remember me?” Bonnie said, unsure how to feel about that.

“Would you like to think that?” He smirked. “Naw, I just happened to be sitting closer to you and were some of the few I didn’t tune out for. So, this list.”

It seemed he wasn’t leaving.

So, in light of this, Bonnie examined him. He was attractive enough, she decided. Slight stubble, broad shoulders, a grin that wavered between a smirk and a real smile. He wore band shirts of groups seemingly exclusively from the 90’s and sneakers messily tied. He had a leather band around his wrist and a couple rings on his fingers that he played with as he talked to her.

He wasn’t an idiot; Bonnie knew this from their class together. He did ask a lot of stupid questions, in the fact they were just totally off topic and really strange, but they were all valid questions, just wrong time and place. From this, she knew he was more of a jokester, someone who liked to waste class time by arguing with the professor about the history of pottery or questions about seashells that made a purple dye. The kid of kid that liked to throw a little chaos into perfectly set up teaching plans and made regret the saying ‘no question is a worthless question’.

The type of boy that might very well find utter enjoyment in being a fake boyfriend for the night, to equally fool her co-workers but also to show up her ex.

Bonnie gave a slightly wicked grin, tilting her head at him.

“You single, Kai?”

Kai agreed nearly immediately. Bonnie wasn’t even through her whole explanation, her whole speech she’d practiced in the mirror if she indeed did find ‘the one’, when he was readily agreeing.

He cited his quick choice on two points; one-that same night, his family was having some sort of get together and he really hated his family, so it was better all around if he had an actual excuse and two-it sounded fun.

After his agreement, came Step Two of the process. That was, that she sat with Kai to determine with certainty that anyone they might meet at the party Kai did not know intimately enough to poke holes in their story. That he wouldn’t run into a good friend that would be like ‘Kai, you don’t have a girlfriend’ or an acquaintance that would frown and say ‘But Kai, I thought you worked at the Library. Those seem like pretty normal hours to me.’

Kai had suggested they move their whole operations to a bar nearby, since this was a relationship they were fabricating. Bonnie hadn’t wanted to make this more than it was, and plus it was like only 6 on a Monday. In the end, they moved to a compromise- a restaurant that served alcohol. Somehow, this felt much more ‘romantic’.

And after Step Two…well, that was it. Bonnie’s Step Three was show up at the event. She’d planned for this to be all very professional. The simplicity of it was what was going to make it work. They’d agree on a couple very easy relationship milestones before they left (how they met, how long they’d been dating- the average questions) and just go to this stupid Holiday Party and Bonnie (god willing) would leave with a TV and Enzo properly ashamed.

Kai, who had tried to order a Zima of all things (god, he was weird) had other plans.

“No one is going to believe it if we just show up with a few loose stories, especially if we don’t spend any time together!” he said.

“Oh, so you’ve done this before?” Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

“I’m the oldest of eight kids. I made it my business to know exactly what sort of relationship my siblings were in with ‘just friends’. Of course, that was going the other way, but I was like a bloodhound. I could cut through not-dating BS immediately. I’m just saying, I’m sure it would work the other way,” he said, and reached across the table to steal one of Bonnie’s fries. His hand brushed hers and she jumped a bit. “Like that! Real couples eat each other’s food and definitely do not jump when they touch. In fact, you should be near feeling me up under the table.”

Bonnie gave a severe glare. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, are you a virgin?”

“Kai!” Bonnie muttered, her whole face red. “No!”

“Then trust me, I’d be saying these things if we’re…sexually active,” he said, raising an eyebrow and grinning.

“That’s it. I reject your application for my fake boyfriend,” Bonnie said dryly.

“Oh, come on! And another thing. You told Eli—”

“—Enzo.”

“—that we just didn’t post on social media. That’s totally not me, my handle is CobraKai1972, by the way, but let’s say it’s true. It’s unreasonable to think we wouldn’t have any pictures of either of us, together or alone, on our phones.”

Bonnie gnawed on her lip. He was making some very good points. “Then what do you suggest?”

“We have, oh…” Kai flipped his wrist over, as though looking at a wrist watch that he did not have, “four days before The Event, with a Capital ‘E’. Let’s meet up, fake some pics, practice actually looking like we enjoy each other’s company…” He trailed off, gesturing across the table. “Ya game?”

“This is a lot of work for a one time thing,” Bonnie commented, but took her phone out and started scrolling to see when she was available in between finals “Uhm, before class I’m free tomorrow, like nine. That good?” When she glanced up because Kai wasn’t speaking (something she’d realized was out of the norm for him) he looked…sheepish?

“One time thing. Wellllllll.” He drew his word out to the point of near annoyance, “So, my fam. The big one, the one I hate? Remember? They’re all in my shit to get a girl, marry her and whatever. To be hitched is like…a thing in my family.”

“You want me to fake marry you?” Bonnie’s voice was much louder than she intended and it brought the attention of quite a few other patrons. Kai didn’t even seen phased. He waved the waitress over to get the check, pulling out his card and shooing Bonnie’s offer of a few bills away.

“Don’t be silly, Bon-Bon. Oh, I like that. Cute nicknames. Totally a dating thing.” Kai reminded her. “Just, seem like you’re the real deal. If we break up, we do, but at least my parents will stop trying to set up awkward blind dates with ‘acceptable’ ladies for a little bit.”

“Okay,” Bonnie narrowed her eyes, “so, what does this entail?”

“Not much. No more than you’re asking of me. There two events my fam does: one I’ve ever so-conveniently getting out of…this Holiday season one. And, blowing them off for a girl is sure to convince them it’s the real shit. Then, what I would expect you to attend is at the Spring Equinox, we do this whole ‘yay, rebirth’ celebration. Usually start up in Portland, but since Portland is not very springy, we go somewhere warm. But, we can talk all about that later.”

Bonnie considered it. She’d be rather hypocritical if she turned this down, wouldn’t she?

“Whaddya say, Bon?” he asked, holding out his hand, “make a deal with the devil?” His voice was teasing, but his eyes were dark in a way that sort of made Bonnie’s heart thump. Then he broke out laughing, and Bonnie thought maybe this was just going to work out fine.

“Sure,” she said, going for his hand. Kai grasped it, and for a second it seemed like he was just going to give it a firm shake. At the last second, however, he lunged across the table and kissed her cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, darling. Nope, nope, don’t like that. Cutey bear? Honey? Hmm, we’ll work on pet names,” he said, rubbing his chin and mumbling to himself as he left, leaving Bonnie frozen in surprise.

“This is Bonnie. I’m not here right now, so leave me a message and a number and I’ll hit you back soon!” Beep.

“Boooooniieeeeee! Rise and shine, honey-bunches-of-love. We have a full morning and possibly even afternoon planned out for us. I sent ya a message of things to bring, but you haven’t responded. Hope you’re not getting cold feet, L-O-L. Yeah, I say L-O-L out loud. I’m cute like that. This is Kai, B-T-dubs.”

Bonnie blearily rolled over, fishing for her phone. She didn’t even look at the very long message until she was somewhat presentable. When she did, Kai had sent her a very long list of specialty themed ‘outfits’ along with locations they’d be hitting up; to take pictures to make it seem like this was a long relationship. Proof.

Despite her slight annoyance and very deep surprise, she had to admit this all seemed well planned.

Kai arrived at her doorstep promptly at 9am, a duffle bag in his hand, his car waiting by the curb.

“This is so crazy it just might work-what are you doing?” Bonnie asked as he brushed past her into the room.

“Yeah, I could get a degree in professional BS-ing if that was a thing,” Kai said absently, glancing around her apartment. It was a modest studio, about what Bonnie could afford. Not a crappy place, but not the Taj Mahal by any means, “We go to my place, unless I meet you at work, then we come here because it’s closer.”

“Excuse me?” Bonnie put her hands on her hips.

“You’ll see what I mean. The schedule dictates we end up there last,” Kai said, holding up his phone. “Or, whatever. I guess if it means that much.”

Bonnie snapped her mouth close. She was getting upset about a non-existent relationship.

“Fine, we can go to yours.”

Kai grabbed Bonnie around her shoulders, snapping a pic,. “Awww, our first fight! Adorable.”

“Are you always this touchy-feely?” Bonnie asked, but didn’t flinch away from his palms this time.

“Absolutely,” he said, rubbing her arms, “Shall we get going?”

They spent the day at various locations over the city, in various outfits. They went to the docks at the local beach and put on sunglasses and bathing suits and shivered in the December air, pretending like they’d spent their summer nights kissing under docks and sipping Mai Tais. They went to a roller rink (Bonnie hadn’t even known there was one on their campus) and wore ‘70s outfits’, per part of Kai’s extensive list. They went and walked in the woods, taking lots of pictures in nature. He apparently had even more locations listed for the next couple days. They were set to take probably about 100 pieces of ‘proof’ to show the world that yes, they were dating.

Of course, Bonnie hadn’t needed it to go this far, but she was glad that if Enzo checked up (and he was self-righteous enough to think he should do so) they’d have ways to prove him wrong.

The ended up at a nice restaurant in fancy clothes after Bonnie’s classes, so they could take some ‘date night’ pics, swapping pertinent information that someone would know about the other. Bonnie described her crazy small Virginia town she’d come from and took Kai through her most important friends; Elena, Caroline, Tyler, and Matt. She talked about how her mother had left her when she was young and her father had always cared about fathering the town more than Bonnie, so she’d basically been raised by her grandmother.

She learned Kai was two years older than her. He talked more about his life currently here than about his family.

“I hate them, remember? I wouldn’t talk much about them,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand when Bonnie inquired about it. The only things that Kai thought it worth it for Bonnie to know was the list of his siblings; names and ages.

Josette, his twin. Luke and Olivia, Bonnie’s age, also twins. Joachim, 18. Theodora, 17. Medea, 15. Prospero, 13.

“God, I feel sorry for your family,” Bonnie tried not to laugh. She really did, “What sort of names are those?”

“You have to remember I was named ‘Malachai’ so clearly dear old pops has been crazy from the start. I’m just eternally lucky that I could shorten my name to something normal-ish. Joachim too…we call him Joey. Theodora’s not bad. Medea either. Prospero, darn kid, has enough problems with puberty as it is without a name that can’t sound normal in any variation. Prosp, Spero, Ros…oh, we’ve tried them all. Correction, I’ve tried them all. I like nicknames.”

“I feel so bad for him, oh,” Bonnie held the phone in her hands, staring at their pictures. A good girlfriend, a serious one, would at least know them all by face. His parents were standing there too, everyone in ridiculous bad Christmas sweaters. This was taken maybe last year. It was hard to imagine that this family could be so awful, when their photo looked so average.

When she inquired to why, Kai’s face shut down a little.

“I wouldn’t even tell that to an actual girlfriend, so, that’s a little off the table,” he said darkly.

“What about a serious fake girlfriend?” she pressed.

“Another day.” Kai forced the smile back onto his face, “Another day.”

Kai insisted on FaceTiming with Elena and Caroline to make sure they were golden on the story.

They’d ended back up at Kai’s place.

And damn, yeah, they probably would stay at his over his.

It was a student apartment, but one of the nice ones. Not over-the-top, but not the gross bachelor pad Bonnie was totally expecting. It was also a one bedroom, which trumped her tiny square footage. And, he was alone. She was alone too, but her walls were paper thin and any theoretical sex they were not having would be heard by her neighbors. Not by Kai’s, she deduced.

His furniture seemed cobbled together, but still newer than Bonnie’s. He had good taste, some of his furniture was even matching. There were hints this was owned by a dude, like the toilet seat up or the abundance of beer in the fridge, but thank god Bonnie’s fake boyfriend seemed to be semi put-together. After Enzo (who was mature, but only because he was five years older than her), she didn’t think that she could even fake-date a slob that hardly remembered what days were what and blew off his classes to smoke weed.

He was studying Business. Bonnie hadn’t asked him, but she saw all his textbooks on the shelf, and no one would willing read those. It was something she tucked away into the ever growing file named ‘Kai Parker’.

That was all just the basics, though. She realized she still had a cash of useless Enzo related information stored away, stuff she could just pick out without thinking about it, the true things that made you really know a person.

She was still learning this about Kai, but being in his apartment gave her more ideas.

He liked jam, specifically raspberry. He didn’t drink coffee, but did drink energy drinks. He had a collection of albums on Vinyl (all 90s, but she thought she might have already known this, if she thought hard about it). While Kai chatted on the phone and her two best friends put him through the ringer- fake boyfriend or not- she perused. Once or twice, she saw Kai look up, but he didn’t seem bothered by her snooping. He’d probably even encourage it.

Bonnie was left with Kai’s phone too, since he was calling Elena and Caroline on hers. He’d given her the passcode, allowing her to search through it at her leisure. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. It was one thing to be invited into his home, but to creep on his phone? Bonnie wasn’t sure. Anything worth knowing Kai would tell her.

She did look back through the first round of pictures they’d taken today. It seemed legit, if someone didn’t know. They looked like a happy couple. It was fun, it was carefree, it was real. She felt something strange about it, like she was looking at some other Bonnie’s love with Kai. A love that was fabricated.

She clicked the phone shut.

All the photos in one clump did cause a though to pop up.

When Kai was finished, she asked.

“Won’t someone notice all of our couple photos were taken conveniently in the three days before the party?” she said.

“Don’t worry about it. I have a computer-savvy nerd friend that can change the days that those were ‘taken’ lickity-split. I will need your phone, however.” He rubbed his chin. He hopped onto the arm of his sofa, legs nearly touching the ground. Bonnie stood next to it. Another thing to know about Kai; he never sat in chairs normally, ever.

“Yeah, not handing that over to you.”

“Bonster,” he said, clutching his heart. “My dear and one true love, it’s like you don’t trust me. I’m mortally wounded.”

“Did I hurt your fake feelings?” Bonnie teased.

“My feelings are very real,” Kai said with a face that could only cause Bonnie to laugh out loud, “but I know how you can fix it.”

“Oh yeah?”

“A kiss, maybe,” he said, leaning in. Bonnie, inches away from his face, thought about it. Then, she playfully shoved him back onto the couch.

“Nice try, Romeo, but no way.”

Night of the holiday party came quicker than Bonnie thought it would. She was ready and armed; 281 pictures of her and Kai with the appropriate times and dates and locations to fool even the most nosy of ex boyfriends and over-controlling parents.

Bonnie fixed her makeup in the mirror running her liquid lipstick in bright Christmas red a couple more times over her lips, until all the lines were perfect. The Christmas Party was usually minorly fancy, in that Bonnie would have worn a dress or a skirt and made more than the average effort for her makeup. This year, since some bigwigs were coming in, the venue and the entirety of it had been amped up to be more of a cocktail event. Plus, even if it hadn’t, Bonnie might have been wearing her velvet red number just to piss Enzo off.

She knew exactly when Kai arrived to pick her up, not only because he left about twelve-thousand texts, but because he buzzed her door about twelve times straight in a row.

She slammed the ‘open’ button on her wall, before doing some last checks in the mirror and making sure to grab her Secret Santa gift before she left. It was for Amy who was one of the barracks and Bonnie usually had no idea what to do for these things, so went with her generic go-to gift; Starbucks gift card.

She opened her door just as Kai was coming out of the elevator and for a second, it was like both of them forgot how to breathe.

They’d worn ‘fancy’ things to one of their mock-dates, meant to represent a nice dinner to celebrate six months of dating. Kai had just packed a button-down shirt with some pressed khakis, and Bonnie had worn something a little more appropriate and less form fitting. She’d half-expected him to show up in this. She had said to dress to the nines, but wouldn’t have been upset had he not.

But, damn.

He looked…expensive, was her first thought. White button-down shirt, perfectly pressed, not a wrinkle in sight. It was unbuttoned just a little, just enough so she could see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. Over top was a suit jacket and a pair of pants, both in black, both meticulously hemmed and fashioned to fit his body like a glove. A nice watch on his wrist. Shoes shining. His hair parted and beard trimmed. He looked like he just stepped out of a fashion magazine for men, not like he was accompanying Bonnie to some dinky work social.

She suddenly felt a little overwhelmed and nervous about the whole night.

“Wow, Bon, you look…amazing…” Kai spoke first, breaking the spell between them. His eyes roved up her figure, and he unconsciously licked his lips. Bonnie tried to collect herself. She turned to lock the door to her apartment, breathing in twice, hard. This was just Kai. Nerdy, weird, Kai who rambled on too much and ate jam straight from the jar with his fingers. Oh, what those fingers might do to her-no! She needed to stop this.

“Me?” Her voice quivered and she took the first steps toward him, “Look at you! You clean up fine,” she said, injecting humor back into this…partnership.

Kai’s face of reverence broke as he helped Bonnie into her coat, “M’lady,” he said, bowing low. The Kai she knew was back. Oh, thank god. The other Kai, the one that had looked at her so hungrily…Bonnie wasn’t sure she could be around that Kai all night.

“Shall we?”

They were using the grand meeting room in the hotel for the location. It was sparkling with tinsel and fake Christmas trees gleaming in silver. The food set out looked more tantalizing than ever before. The room smelled nice, which Bonnie noticed as a difference immediately. Usually, this room sort of smelled like old foot.

They came appropriately about an hour late. Bonnie ran through their most basic cover story as she approached the holiday hall.

They’d been dating nine months. They’d met in class. Their first date was roller skating. They were absolutely serious. Kai worked at a law firm, and often was up at any hours doing annotations and read-through for the senior partners, thus causing his strange work hours. He was two years older.

“We got this, Bonnie Bear.” Kai assured in an overly-teasing voice as they walked to the front. Seconds before they reached the door, Kai slipped his hand into hers.

“You know it, Kai Cupcake.”

The game begun.

Although, it was easy to not think of it as a game all the time. For the first two hours, they did the rounds to meet various co-workers of Bonnie’s as they took advantage of the food and open bar. It felt simple and natural to have Kai’s fingers twined with hers or for his arm to be slung across her shoulders. Once, he even placed a quick kiss to her temple before going off to grab them both a refill on the drinks and Bonnie didn’t jump and spill her plate of food, which was a plus.

Bonnie’s co-works raved over him. He kept his weirdness to a minimum, and without it, he was undeniably charming. Bonnie could see this. His charisma would take him far in his business track. He even seemed to bewitch her general manager, who was a no-nonsense type of burly man, and Bonnie might have even seen her boss…laugh? Smile? Kai was like a god or something, she decided.

Everyone commented how absolutely adorable they were. When Kai used a pet-name on her that seemed utterly unbelievable, they just thought it was the cutest thing. She had a feeling Kai wanted to see how far he could push ridiculous pet-names before the evening was up. If they were in an actual relationship, Bonnie would smack him. Because they were fake-dating, she just looked up with him at big goo-goo eyes and giggled.

At one point, Kai’s hands went a little past her hips and Bonnie just batted her eyes, “Honey, we’re in public,” she murmured, as though this was the norm. Her eyes said ‘put your hand there again and I’ll chop them off’. He might look hot, but Bonnie still held this was a business agreement. Kai seemed to get the message, but the smirk on his face told Bonnie if given the chance, he’d absolutely try it again.

A part of Bonnie wanted to see him try, a smaller part wanted him to actually succeed.

It wasn’t until well into the party they even ran into Enzo.

Bonnie had nearly forgotten what had started this whole crazy thing.

“Oh, shuckums, isn’t that your ex?” Kai noticed him first, calling Bonnie’s attention from the chocolate cookies, over to where Enzo was indeed across the room. He caught sight of them and made a beeline. Kai lowered his voice, leaning in.

“Laugh like I’m saying something dirty. He’s been searching since he came in the door and for the last five minutes, been trying to catch your attention. Let’s just get this over with, right?”

As Enzo approached, Bonnie gasped in a fake way, sending Kai a scandalized look.

“Darling, save that sort of talk for the bedroom tonight!” Bonnie said. Kai bared his teeth, finger trailing up her arm, sending actual shivers down it. At least that sold it.

“It’s hard to, when you’re just so enchanting,” he murmured back. He seemed like he was going in for a kiss and for just a second, Bonnie wasn’t sure what she was going to do until Enzo cleared his throat.

“Oh!” Bonnie pretended to just notice him. “Enzo, wow, it’s been a while,” she greeted him. “I know you said you’d be here, but I completely forgot.”

Kai pulled her next to him by her waist, which made Enzo’s lip twitch.

A woman followed behind who looked good for her age, but from the way that she put her arm on Enzo’s, Bonnie knew who she was.

“You must be Lily. I’m Bonnie…Enzo’s ex.” Bonnie said, reaching her hand out. She could be civil, especially if she was ‘over’ Enzo and totally infatuated with her new beau.

“Nice to meet you. Enzo’s only ever said good things about you,” Lily said, glancing at Enzo uncomfortably. The whole situation was awkward, yes.

Bonnie didn’t think she set out to be a home wrecker. She didn’t want to fault her. She was angry at Enzo, not this girl, or she had been…she hadn’t had time in the past couple days to consider this meeting, not with Kai keeping her busy.

“And who’s this?” Enzo was sizing up Kai.

“Malachai Parker. Friends call me Kai, so you can call me Malachai,” Kai said without missing a beat, “What did Bonnie say your name was? Bento?”

“Lorenzo.”

“That’s a mouthful,” Kai laughed, as though is own name wasn’t hard.

“I didn’t even know Bonnie was dating someone until about a week ago,” Enzo said, “Thought maybe she was…embarrassed.”

“Enzo,” Lily hissed, horrified.

“Oh, no, that’s me. My parents are super strict about who I date and I didn’t want them scaring her off before I knew if it was serious or not,” Kai said quickly, “But expect a lot of pictures of us now because I’m never letting a catch like this go.”

“When did you say you started dating again?”

“Nine months, twelve days and twenty-six hours.”

“First date?”

“Roller rink. Bonnie is so clumsy, god, it just made me love her more. See?” Kai clicked his phone background to show the two of them in their outfits from a couple days ago. Bonnie hadn’t even realized he’d done that. “Look at her, falling all over the place.”

“Have you met any of her other friends?”

“Well, I’ve talked with Caroline and Elena, but our schedules just haven’t matched up yet. Lovely girls, I like ‘em.” Kai answered all of his questions without even blinking.

“They say the same,” Enzo said, then winced, as though he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“You grilled my friends?” Bonnie cut in, furious.

“Well, Bon,” Enzo scratched his neck, “this all did seem to come out of nowhere. I’m just looking out for you.”

His voice was velvety, it reminded her of when they were dating. Too sweet, too concerned. Tears pooled at the back of Bonnie’s eyes. She couldn’t believe the gall of him. What right did he have? He broke her heart!

“I think you lost that right when you left her.” Kai’s voice was cool. He put a protective hand on her shoulder. Bonnie couldn’t help but gleam at the tone, and instinctively backed up into him.

“You seem wonderful, Kai. Can I call you that?” Lily said, nudging Enzo meaningfully.

“You, darling? Of course.” Kai’s face split into an easy-going grin.

The tension edged away, or, most of it.

“More drinks?” Enzo asked, nodding toward the bar.

“I could sure as hell use one,” Bonnie agreed.

Enzo began to lead the way. Kai grabbed Bonnie’s hand, zigzagging through the tables. There was a moment when Enzo stopped suddenly and Bonnie and Kai nearly ran straight into him.

“Oh, would you look at that,” Enzo said. “Mistletoe.”

Bonnie’s head snapped up. He’d lead them right under it.

How dare he? He’d done this on purpose.

From the look in Enzo’s eyes, a small little peck on the cheek wasn’t going to cut it.

Kai turned to her, realizing the same, and placed his hands on either side of her cheeks. There was a beat, a moment when he questioned if this was okay, what he was about to do? Despite all their prepping, they hadn’t thought they’d been forced to make-out.

No one but Enzo would expect this to prove their relationship. And so, they had to.

A part of Bonnie reminded her at least she found him attractive, which actually just sent her into a panic mode more than it reassured her.

She didn’t really have time to truly panic, because Kai had pulled her right up against him (yes, couples got close when they kissed) and one hand slid into the hair at her nape, tangling there, while the other fell down to her shoulders, to keep exactly where he wanted her. Just before his lips touched hers, his hand down by her arm nudged her top of her arm, and she remembered to move herself. She put her arms around his neck, encasing him.

Whether Kai had intended to do a small but intense kiss or had always planned for a ‘make your co-workers uncomfortable’ sort of kiss, Bonnie was unsure. All she knew is that he went with the latter and somehow, she sort of forgot how to breathe.

He went right for tongue. From the very second his lips kissed hers, the tip of his tongue was running along her bottom lip, asking to be let in. Once Bonnie let her lips pout open, immediately, Kai took full advantage of this. He nipped at her bottom lip playfully- no, sexily- because she could feel his fists tighten and try to bring her more against him. His breath was warm and tasted like peppermint and his stubble rubbed against her cheeks in a way that shivered all up and down her body.

Bonnie forgot this was just a show, and felt her hands explore down his back, one hand slipping into his back pocket. She let out a little breathless moan, a wine, when it seemed he might stop for a second. His hand that had been on her shoulder somehow found its way onto her ass, and didn’t she threaten to castrate him if he did that again? Well, she took that back. She took all of it back, because Kai could touch her all she wanted if he moved and loved like this.

Someone coughed outside of their little bubble, and Bonnie realized where she was and who she was with and sprang back. Luckily, pretty much everyone read it as embarrassed. Kai wiped his hand on his lips, his skin coming back smeared with red holiday gloss. He looked far to pleased with himself.

Enzo just looked furious. Bonnie was sure he thought they wouldn’t have done something like that.

“Sorry, sometimes it just comes over you.” Kai said, fishing for a napkin to clean up his face, “You know how it is Renny, right?” he said, looking at Enzo.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Enzo said, pulling Lily toward him, as though he’d almost forgotten where his date was, “But most people act with a little more decorum, I’d say. It looked like you were going to…well, that’s maybe not to say out loud,” he said meaningfully.

“I was just showing my honest to god love,” Kai shrugged, “Oh, it’s almost 10, isn’t it? Time for the lottery, right, Bonster?”

“Hey,” Kai said, as they walked back to her apartment, “Gift Cards to, like, five restaurants isn’t a bad win.”

“It’s not a flat screen, though,” Bonnie pouted a little. “Think Enzo was fooled?” she asked, trying not to think about how Jason — who was an adult and probably owned a flat screen already — had gone home with her prize.

“I think he was about to tear me in half if I touched you again,” Kai barked out, “So yeah, he was fooled.”

“From the way you talk about your family, I think Enzo was the easy one,” Bonnie said, very well aware they’d have to do this again…and, found herself excited. Or, at the very least, not opposed.

“Yeah.” Kai’s face flinched a little, “But hey, we have like three months to have you so prepared you couldn’t possibly mess it up.”

“Thanks.”

“It was supposed to be a compliment,” Kai said. His hand was still in hers. Despite being far, far away from the party, Bonnie made no effort to let it go, “Don’t worry, Bon. If they find out, it’s on me, not on you anyway. But, you’re perfect,” he insisted.

This did make her feel good.

At her door, he nearly just walked away. Then, as though he had won an internal battle, he leaned forward and kissed Bonnie before she could stop him.

“Merry Christmas, Bon,” he said quietly. “I’ll be contacting you about next steps and whatnot later. Drink some eggnog, sing a carol…enjoy your night and your $50 in various restaurant eatery coupons.”

Then, just as strangely as he’d come into her life, he was gone, leaving Bonnie standing in her door.

At least, for the moment. She had no doubt he’d be texting her shortly.

The next morning, Bonnie was woken by a phone number. She entirely expected it to be Kai, though the number was unfamiliar.

“Hello?” she said groggily, rubbing her eyes.

“Ah, yeah, this Bonnie Bennett?” the voice asked, as though reading her name from a sheet of paper in a thick Boston accent.

“This is she,” Bonnie rolled her shoulders, sitting up. It was probably a car warranty scam call or something, because who else would be calling so early in the morning on a weekend?

“I got a package for you down at the door. If you buzz me in, I can deliver it up to you.”

“Uhm, well, I can just come down and get it,” Bonnie wrinkled her nose, throwing on a cardigan.

The man on the other end laughed, “I think you’ll want me to bring it up.”

Highly curious and a little unnerved, Bonnie buzzed him in. It took four minutes from the front door, up the elevator, and to her little apartment door. She opened it wide before the delivery man was even to her area.

He was carrying a large rectangular object, covered in holiday-esque wrapping paper.

“Sign here,” He said, holding out an electronic slip.

“Who sent this?” Bonnie questioned, penning her signature.

“Can’t recall his exact name. Was a weird name, though,” The man scratched his head, “Gotta message for you. It says,” He scrolled onto his phone, “You can open this right away, Bonster. You don’t need to wait until Christmas.” He put it away, shrugging, “Enjoy.”

When he left, Bonnie waited about three second before tearing into the present. Christmas was five days away and once given explicit permission, no way was she waiting.

And, what lay at her feet was an extremely large and brand new flat screen T.V.

A note fluttered to her feet.

Merry Christmas to the sexist and best fake girlfriend a guy could ask for. Enjoy ;) <3 U —Kai

[bonkaisecretsanta]

won’t you please come around (cause I want to spend forever with you)

Happy holidays @bonkaiqueen​ from @fuckitimfangirling​!

I’ve wanted to do a second soulmate AU for a while and I was really excited to receive my prompt - especially bc it gave me some wiggle room to go pretty dark and reinvent the universe a bit. So thank you for providing this delicious prompt and feeding my muse. I'll post parts 2 and 3 before Christmas and I'll be sure to tag you first!

Warnings: Dark. Deals with sleep disorders, and has some creepy sexual vibes bc it relies heavily on parasomnias and nightmare mythology. Mild medical horror. Slight underage, as Bonnie experiences vivid hallucinatory nocturnal emissions as a teen. Canon-typical violence, emotional manipulation and abuse, cat and mouse games. Part 1 is anachronistic and sequential sections without a year change are the same year as the previously noted year. You'll see. Some plot points and characteristics are pulled from the books, others are just an overhaul of some of the show’s mythos.

1987

Kai grunts in aggravation when his bed dips down in the middle of the night, waking him from a deep, dreamless sleep. He recognizes the smell of Josette's cleanser and briefly considers kicking his sister out of his bed - literally - when her hand slips into his and her cracked voice calls his name.

She sounds like she's been crying and Kai can't decide if he wants to deal with her whining now or in the morning. They haven't slept in the same room, let alone the same bed, in years, too old to seek comfort in body heat and nearness. It doesn't help that Kai once sleep-siphoned her to near death in the throes of a nightmare once when they were five and has been ordained no contact ever since.

So this? This is strange and Kai figures he'd rather deal with an weepy Jo now than a weepy and angry Jo during breakfast.

Squeezing her hand back, he sighs and pulls her into a hug. It's too hot to be comfortable, but his sister likes this kind of affectionate shit and she'll probably quit bitching faster if he's nice.

“S'wrong?” he slurs. Jo is quiet for a beat. Irritated, Kai pinches her side to prompt her. Shoving his hand away, Jo sighs.

“I dreamt with my soulmate tonight,” she finally replies, her voice breaking on the word soulmate.

Kai's body tenses, reviewing this information, an amalgamation of feelings striking him. Wonder,  jealousy, suspicion. He shoves them all away, not wanting to deal with them. Jo had come to him in tears, came to him and not Agatha or Joey, which meant she had black sheep info to share.

“They're a mundane, aren't they?” he figures out. “Oooooh, daddy's not gonna be happy.”

“Shut up, I know.” Jo sniffs. She buries her wet face against his neck and Kai sighs, annoyed at the feeling.

“What are you crying about? You're a witch. Block the dreams. We need to focus on preparing for the merge, anyway.”

“Is that what you do?” Jo snaps. “Fuck your soulmate, we're here to be sacrificed?”

Kai pinches her again. She should remember that she sought him out, not the other way around. Her squeamish sensibilities aren't his problem.

But overall? Kai doesn't want to admit his dreams are of the lonely sort.

“Yep!” he says in a cheerful tone. “No use leading someone on if I die in seven years. If you want your soulmate so bad, win the merge. You'll be alive and you'll be leader and what's dear old dad gonna do? Ground you?”

Jo's quiet for a moment.

“Is it really that simple for you? He's my soulmate. Of course I want him, wh-”

“Than fight for him, for fuck’s sake,” Kai growls, suddenly very tired. He pulls away from his twin sister and gives her his back. “Do something instead of crying about it.”

The weight of her glare is heavy on his back, but finally her weight settles behind him. Jo doesn't try to cuddle up again, but Kai knows that, more than anything at the moment, she just didn't want to be alone.

“Good night, Kai,” she murmurs.

Sleep doesn't return easy to Kai; Jo's breathing events out and Kai is left staring at the shadows dancing along his wall. He wonders if his sister had taken heed if his advice, or if she's spending time with her soulmate right now. Kai scowls at wall and tries not to let envy consume him.

“Sweet dreams, sissy,” he finally answers, before letting his eyes drift shut.

1998

If she gets up, she’ll get in trouble. Bonnie knows this because her dad had been extra mad today trying to get her to go sleep.

Bonnie has always been a bad sleeper, he said.

The little girl knows he didn’t mean anything by it, but it still hurts that he had seemed so mad at her. It’s not her fault, really - she tries to sleep, she does. It’s just hard. Her doctor said she was an in-so-man-ee-ack and that if she doesn’t start sleeping on her own soon, they’ll need to put her on medicine. Her dad had reminded her of that tonight, and the idea terrified Bonnie.

Medicine was gross.

Grams had told her to pay him no mind, that her daddy was just stressed from work and there was no reason for Bonnie to take him seriously.

“Just rest up as much you can, baby,” Grams told her. “Maybe you’ll have some sweet dreams you can tell me about in the morning.”

Even still, if she gets up, she’ll get in trouble, so Bonnie lies there, closes her eyes, and tries to go back to sleep.

She must drift off. It feels like she does. But she wakes up again when her body feels jolted, as if she had fallen and she tries to catch herself only to find that she can’t move.

Bonnie’s eyes fly wide open and she looks around her room. Her night light casts a soft, pink glow over the space, but even then the shadows seem more menacing than they ever had. Once more, Bonnie tries to move, to roll over and get comfortable. But the more she tries, the heavier her body feels. Her limbs are leaden and it feels like something is sitting on her chest, a weight so heavy it makes breathing a struggle.

A tear falls from her eye, trails cold down her cheek to soak her pillow. This is so scary. She should have gone to her daddy earlier.

She tries to call out for him, for Grams, but her voice is withered in her throat. She can’t get the air she needs to shout.

True panic is beginning to settle in when the distinct feeling of being very much not. alone. strikes her. Bonnie’s eyes fearfully dart around again. She almost calms before she catches sight of him for the first time.

He’s huddled in her corner, a boy her age curled in the fetal position. He shivers like he’s crying, but when Bonnie’s eyes land on him, his shudders cease. The boy’s head raises and he looks up at her, his face cloaked in darkness.

Having his attention on her is unnerving. Why was he in her room? Who was he? Why Was he crying? Was he okay?

Bonnie had so many questions, but no way to ask them. When the boy suddenly stands up, Bonnie’s already rapid heartbeat is sent into overdrive. The boy takes a step closer to her, his body lengthening as he moves to stand over her prone body, until he is no longer a boy, but a tall, lanky man. The heavy feeling on her chest becomes more distinctive, settling deeper the closer he comes. Her vision spots black from lack of oxygen.

His face remains shadowed, but Bonnie knows the man is watching her watch him. Tears fall more rapidly from her eyes as she wills her body to obedience. Move, she urges her arms. Run, she screams at her legs. Breathe, she commands her lungs. The edges of the room are completely black, her vision solely focused on the man standing besides her bed, wary and waiting for something horrible to happen while she can do nothing to stop it.

The man moves, his large hand palming side of Bonnie's face. It feels like his thumb is brushing away her tears before his hand slides down her face, sliding under her chin and loosely cupping her neck. Bonnie's eyes squeeze shut as the man begins to lean closer: she can't look, he's already so scary. She can't see his face, she won't!

Her only wish is to get away.

Finally, finally, air finds its way into her chest and Bonnie feels her body unlock. Rolling over rapidly, away from the shadowy man, she stands up on the bed, armed with a pillow, ready to strike down her adversary. But alas, ready to fight, the little warrior finds she is alone in her room.

1990

The sound of the knife snapping into place is soothing as Kai opens and closes the switchblade. He can hear Jo prattling on about her about her soulmate through his floorboards, the ventilation carrying her chatter up to him in his new room. This was his first night sleeping in it. His old room was being turned into a nursery and Joshua had told Kai they’d renovate the attic to his liking, make it a sweet space to hang out.

And they did. And it was. His new room is tight.

Kai suspects all the investment was to temper any arguments Kai might have put up, since Kai’s had his old room since he was five and he was very possessive. The attic space was bigger and Joshua had even bought Kai a new TV and gaming system, if only to bribe him into complacency. It’s sequestered far away from his screaming, smelly siblings and the only real downside is that he now has to fight with Joey and Ingrid to shower in the morning instead of just taking turns with Jo on who goes first each morning.

So yeah, overall, Kai’s new digs were pretty sweet.

That’s why he can’t fathom why he hates it.

“He’s so sweet, Maddie,” Jo gushes. “And smart. He wants to be a history professor.”

Perhaps that’s why. He rolls his eyes at his sister's inane chatter.

Kai snorts as Josette continues to coo about her boring soulmate - if Kai was to ever have one, he’d know for damn sure they weren’t going to be so mundane as to pursue teaching history. Kai traces the sharp edge of the knife down his cheek, under the meaty part of his eye, at the junction of his chin and neck. The threat of cold metal is enticing. Almost arousing.

The siphoner almost laughs aloud when his dick twitches against his boxers at the thought of touching himself while bleeding out from a slit neck.

Maybe that’s why Joshua moved his freak son up here. Hide the monster away with all the old furniture and holiday decorations. A strange beast in a hidden cage.

Any potential arousal dies. Kai’s penis falls flaccid again. He drops the knife somewhere on the bed and rolls over onto his side. He listens to Jo’s dull droning and it lulls him under.

His rest is dreamless.

2009

When she collapses into bed, she already knows sleep will evade her, despite the very real exhaustion weighing on her bones.

She longs for rest. At seventeen, she’s far too young to be so disgustingly tired, but sleep has been her elusive mistress for as long as she can remember and the stress of this week has become her daily life. Her eyes drift over to her bedside table, where bottles of sleep aid rested. Melatonin, trazodone, valerian, Ambien, chamomile, lavender - all of the sleep remedies crowded for space to champion away her demons tonight.

Bonnie sinks further into her pillow and ignores the bottles. None of them work anyway. She sighs heavily and closes her eyes.

What a clusterfuck of a week.

It started when Caroline cornered her in the locker room after cheer practice, teary-eyed and unusually uncomposed.

“My soulmate,” she had hiccuped. She said the word with so much guilt - Bonnie didn't understand. “I know...I know who he is.”

The blonde had been dreaming of him for weeks, but it was his proximity in Mystic Falls that finally caused their subconscious minds to come together. As Caroline spouted on about her soulmate dreams it came to Bonnie, in horrific, slow-dawning realization just who her best friend’s soulmate was.

Niklaus Mikaelson.

The unpredictable Original had come to Mystic Falls seeking out the Salvatores, who had returned almost a year ago. Blood to be claimed, Caroline had whispered; the ancient monster wanted revenge for something the Salvatores had done to him. Neither brother would confess their crime until Caroline told them she dreamt about him stalking Elena and plotting her torturous death. The brothers reluctantly admitted to stealing and destroying the bones of the Original's family in the 1920s, as a bid to release Stefan from Klaus’s thrall.

Things became worse once the brutal beast caught wind of his interloper.

Three days after Caroline admits they conflated, the ancient almost kills her. Caroline had been near comatose with dejection since surviving the attempt when her mother hadn't.

Bonnie, for all that she found Klaus to be a monster, could also see where his logic lies. For a creature that spent almost two thousand years living as a depraved lunatic, soulmates are weakness and weakness must be eradicated. She hadn’t bothered to point it out to Caro though - it wasn’t exactly the comforting thought the blonde needed. But he had been right in that Care Bear was his weakness. After her sadness passed, the stubborn blonde’s temper kicked in and she agreed to help Bonnie suss out a way to overpower the ancient. It was through Caroline’s dreams and Bonnie’s craft that they found out about the white oak tree.

So yesterday, Bonnie and Damon - the root cause of this mess - got on a plane and went on a little trip to procure the anti-Original item, adding another day of sleeplessness to Bonnie’s weekly tally.

And school absences. Bonnie sighs. Luckily Grams was (disapprovingly and after grounding her) willing to utilize magic to cover up her playing hooky, although she’s borderline on the verge of having to repeat the year. As far as the school knows, Bonnie has a severe autoimmune disease she’s treating. Luckily, she’s already proven herself a hard-working student and the school’s administration was reluctant to spot their reputation by failing a terminally ill African-American student with good academic standing.

After staring at the walls like a powered down robot, Bonnie shakes herself out of her fog and into action. She’s gritty with sweat and grave dirt, having trampled all over a historic Swedish cemetery with the ever unlikable Damon Salvatore to get the oak stakes, so she thinks a shower is in order to preserve a sense of dignity.

She goes through her routine as the water warms. Once she steps in, a sigh of relief leaves her, the water massaging her aching limbs. It’s a short, but pleasant shower. The hot water soaks her tired body and lavender-scented steam is relaxing enough to make her reconsider popping some form of sleep aid. Wrapping herself and her hair in warm, fluffy towel, Bonnie treks back to her room and flops on back on her bed. Her knees bend over the edge of mattress and her toes graze the carpet. It’s a safe haven, a moment of peace from the rest of the chaos her life is descending into.

She closes her eyes, holding onto the serenity for a moment.

Her eyes fly open when she tries to adjust herself, and finds her limbs locked up.

Ah, Bonnie thinks, one of those nights.

This sleep paralysis is one of the episodes where her body locks her into a tight hold as a desperate bid for rest. It usually happens after a few days of aggressive insomnia - which she’s just had. Combined with the stress of facing off against a family of ancient, almost unkillable vampires, it’s no wonder this is happening. A lifetime of experience and obsessive research allows Bonnie to go into a state of zen, staring at the patterns on her ceiling as she waits for the paralysis to lift. At least this episode happened before she fell asleep and not after she woke up: hypnopompic hallucinations are always worse than the hypnagogic ones.

Time passes slowly, lulling her into dull sense of relaxation. She hears the clock on her wall tick, tick, tick, and then there’s an odd scraping sound in tune with the clock. Here it comes, Bonnie thinks, blinking at the ceiling. She tries to look around, to see any visuals on this hallucination, but nothing seems out of place. There’s a feeling of being crowded, her body simultaneously heavy and weightless. She hears the scraping, like footsteps and then there is a creeping sensation up her legs and Bonnie tries to tense, to move away at least, as test of her own control.

Her body remains unreachable.

The vee between her legs grows slick. Sometime during her micro-nap, she must have moved because she is distinctly aware now of how her towel parts from her body, falling off her form in a wave.

The creeping sensation jumps, like fingertips skittering up her leg. The feeling that there is another presence in the room is so pervasive and perverse that a panic almost overrides her lucidity. It feels like someone is pressing between her legs, a big, bad wolf huffing and puffing at her flexing core. A good breath is hard to come by, her chest heaving slowly as she does her best to catch oxygen and wake the sleeping portion of her mind from the tactile hallucination.

The first lick catches her by surprise. She’s had nocturnal emissions before - she’s seventeen afterall - but never one in the middle of a sleep paralysis episode. So that first, tentative lick? The sensation takes her by surprise.

Eyes squeezing shut, she tries not to let herself fall into panic, not to fall for the trick of the hallucination. Her mind is half-asleep, she tells herself, a powerful thing out of control. Let it pass. Don’t fall victim to the dream. Meditate. Relax.

But the next lick, and the next, those are less tentative. Those are greedy, demanding. Those sensations come with the sounds of a masculine growl, and Bonnie’s already troubled breath stutters as the phantom tongue grows bolder.

It circles her clit, a wet, long, slithering thing, pointed tip teasing before pressing flat against the button like a warm cushion. Opening her eyes again, Bonnie tries to look down, but she is stuck on her back, her field of vision limited by her periphery. All she sees is the ceiling and edges of shadow. The creeping fingertips from before slid up the length of her body, a full hand, warm and big, until it cups a breast, squeezing it to a gentle point and flicking the tender nipple.

The lower motion changes, long and dragging now, like her body is ice cream melting down the cone and the eater doesn’t want to lose a drop of her. It trails the full length of her slit, from the top of her mound to where her ass presses to the mattress, following that path again and again, faster with each pass.

Tension builds in her body. Each lave now ends with a slight suckle on her clitoris, teasing at first, then more insistent. A hungry animal, trying to pull pleasure from her body like milk from a teat. Bonnie’s breath catches again. She’s going to suffocate, under the weight of paralysis and sensation. Once more, she tries to move, to exercise the eroticism and the fear until finally - finally! - her orgasm hits her and unlocks her body like a master key.

Her hands curl into fists, gripping her sheets and her body bows, a moan escaping her. Her cunt throbs, waves of ecstasy radiating outward. The hand on her breast pulls away, and that growling sound is like a chuckle now, bringing Bonnie back to the present with a jolt.

She sits up, eyes wide and searching, seeking out every corner of her room, peering out the window for some frightful, peeking spector. Her towel has fallen completely off and she grips it, pulling it up over her body, feeling very exposed without it.

Bonnie searches and searches, but finds herself utterly alone.

Bonnie looks it up.

Incubus, meaning 'that which lies upon’ is a masculine, shapeshifting demon that takes the form of an attractive man to engage sexually with a sleeping female victim. The word can also be used to mean a cause of distress or worry or, most simply - the oldest meaning - a nightmare.*

It's also the name of an American rock band. Good to know.

1991

“There are three stages of soulmate dream cycles,” Professor Wrotwell states. “Can anyone name them for me?”

Dream Psychology is an interesting course subject, but Wrotwell is a tweedy, soft-spoken man with little charisma - the textbook alone taught him more than the actual teacher. Kai’s gaze drifts lazily around the room and he sees that many of his classmates are zoned out even more than he is. Dr. Wrotwell seems to have come to the same conclusion and looks on the verge of assigning extra work to the zombified student body, so Kai raises his hand.

The professor immediately brightens at seeing his best student participating.

“Yes, Mr. Parker?”

“The first stage is the Solitary Phase, or individual dreaming - usually kids and individuals without soulmates experience this,” Kai explains, managing to keep the personal sting out of his voice. “The second is the Acquisition Phase, where you dream about your soulmate and gain information about them before actually meeting them. The last stage is the Conflation Phase, which occurs just before or after soulmates meet and they begin to dream together. These dreams are lucid and well-remember and most studies show this is the prefered stage for paired soulmates, since it’s easier to address conflicts or explore erotic behaviors in a world only the two of you can access and control.”

Wrotwell beams at him.

“Very good, Mr. Parker!” he turns to address the class. “Now, can anyone else explain common problems that arise in dream psychology?”

There is a beat of silence as the rest of the class registers the direct addressment. Some of Kai’s classmates shift uncomfortably before finally, a girl a few rows in front of and to the left of Kai raises her hand.

“Yes?” Dr. Wrotwell answers her hand.

“Um, I guess the most obvious one is the death of a soulmate. It fractures the shared dreamscape or makes it traumatizing for the surviving soulmate to go there alone. A lot of surviving soulmates develop insomnia.”

“Yes, Miss Williams, that is correct. You touched on another key problem with dream psychology, would you like to expand on it?”

‘Miss Williams’ looked caught off guard and Kai bites back a mean chuckle. He raises his hand and draws back the professor’s attention.

“Mental health disorders, but especially sleep disorders, Dr. Wrotwell. Sometimes, if one soulmate suffers from a sleep disorder, it can cause the Acquisition Phase to become nightmarish and make bonding during the Conflation Phase difficult.”

In the distance, the clock tower begins to chime as Kai finishes his answer and Wrotwell sighs as students rush to pack up and leave.

“A reminder that your papers are due next Tuesday!” the small man calls out. He beams at Kai as the siphoner passes him. “Exemplary as usual, Mr. Parker. If only your classmates would follow your lead.”

“Then I wouldn’t be so exemplary,” Kai charms. Ugh, he thinks. He wonders if his professor would find him so likable if he knew how Kai had fucked his wife - Kai’s calculus II professor - over her office desk yesterday during office hours. Mrs. Doctor Wrotwell was a freak.

Kai wonders if they're soulmates. He wonders if the man before him will dream about his cock soon. He doubts it.

“Nonetheless,” Wrotwell exclaims. Over his shoulder, Kai catches sight of the lingering ‘Miss Williams’ and meets her gaze. She bites her lip and looks down and Kai smirks slightly before turning his attention back to his professor.

“-ents like you are so rare, it would be nice to see academia being held to standard again.”

“I’m flattered, Dr. Wrotwell,” Kai states. “But you’re giving this Nirvana fan way too much credit.” He shakes hands with his professor and backs away before the older man can continue blathering. “Gotta jet, Professor, I have a tough paper due Tuesday that I need to write.”

2010

“Please, Bonnie,” Elena begs and the witch stares past her friends shoulder, irritation tugging at her. “Just hear him out. He’s my soulmate.”

“And?” Bonnie snaps. “That doesn’t redeem him from all the bad shit he’s done to all of us. Besides, it’s not like you don’t have a spare.”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, Bonnie regrets them. Elena looks stricken.

“Lena,” Bonnie starts, tone apologetic, but the other brunette is already pulling away. “Lena, I’m just tired and bitchy, I’m sorry.”

“No,” Elena snips. “You’re right, it doesn’t redeem him. Either of them. But I have to help him. Maybe you’d understand if you had a soulmate.”

Ow, Bonnie thinks, harsh. She takes back her apology.

“Fair,” the Bennett concedes. “I guess I’m not the only one being a bitch today. Since I’m so ignorant, I guess you and your incestuous soulmate drama can find some other witch to use. I’m gone.”

She’s out of her seat, leaving a twenty on the table to cover their untouched meals - she’s not that petty - and out of the door before Elena could get another barb out.

Their fights are rare, but vicious. Typically, it’s Caroline and Elena making jabs at each other with Bonnie playing mediator, but on the occasion Bonnie does join the fray, her bluntness and tendency to go where it hurts causes genuine riffs. It’s why she rarely lets her temper snap on her friends, learning to delve into a well of patience so deep, she wonders sometimes if it’s hers at all.

Bonnie sighs when she pulls to a stop light. She really is just aggressively tired and it was starting to turn her into a harpy.

“Uuuugh, fuck,” she mutters. She hates fighting with her loved ones.

Her friends’ soulmates were really wrecking her life. And each other’s. This catastrophe was just the latest in a long line of the Salvatores versus Klaus drama that the past year has become.

Ever since Elena conflated with, not one, but two soulmates - who were freaking vampire brothers at that - life had gone to shit. Their presence had been the catalyst to waking a pack of sleeping dogs about the town and themselves.

Bonnie’s magic came first. Grams, who long since stopped practicing the craft after bad-things-came-in-threes 1994, dusted off her grimoires and became determined to mentor her granddaughter through the right way to practice Bennett magic. Then, Elena discovered that she was a doppelganger of some fallen angel whose blood created vampires - the first vampire being one Niklaus Mikaelson, who had taken one look at Elena and mockingly called her a pale imitation of his sire. The same Niklaus Mikaelson who followed the Salvatores to Mystic Falls and tore a bloody path through the town to seek his revenge. The same beast that discovered a soulmate in Caroline that he had long thought he’d never have and whose first reaction had been to make sure he never would.

Unintended ripples or not, Bonnie can’t exactly find herself for giving of either of her friends’ soulmates when she pulled a bloody and traumatized Caroline from burning police department. Klaus, for being so unyielding and cruel to the other half of his soul. Stefan and Damon, whose multiple lifetimes of unwarranted stupidity lead to all of this.

(She'll never say it to them, but she also thinks it's gross. Both of her friends conflated with corpses - practical relics. The parts of Bonnie rooted to nature finds it wholly unnatural.)

Over the past few months, there had been serious clashes with Klaus and the Salvatores, and the longer it drew on, the more Bonnie and her friends felt the fallout. Already, Damon was beginning to act like her family’s magic was owed to him and Bonnie’s tired, irritated mind  was on the breaking point of dealing with him and the way he always just...inserted himself into Elena’s life and the lives of everyone connected to her. With a humanity-less Stefan back on a Ripper binge (and Bonnie had been furious to learn about it the first time) and once more in Klaus’s thrall, both he and Elena were beginning to demand too much of Bonnie.

Lost in her thoughts, the witch almost hits the man standing in the middle of the road. She slams her breaks and swerves, narrowly avoiding the reckless pedestrian. Heart pounding, breaths heaving, adrenaline chases away the exhaustion that had her mind a million miles away. Luckily, despite swerving into the opposing lane, there was no incoming traffic.

There was no traffic at all, actually. Which wasn’t...wasn’t right.

Bonnie glances at the rearview mirror and sees that the man had turned to face her car. Cherubic blonde curls and an impish smile are the first things to catch her attention and Bonnie’s thundering heart nearly halts.

She nearly made roadkill of the Original Vampire.

Illogically, hysterically, she almost wishes she had kept driving.

The vampire must see her watching him in the mirror because he wags his finger in a come hither motion. The image of Caroline’s crying face and Liz Forbes’ mangled body come to mind and Bonnie instinctively flicks off the reflection.

Klaus’s impish smile grows into a hideous grin and he is suddenly gone from view.

“Shit,” Bonnie spits, just as his crouching form appears on the hood of her car. Bonnie slams her foot onto the gas pedal without hesitation.

He might be an immortal, but the laws of physics still apply - he starts to roll back, but then his reflexes kick in and he’s punching a hard fist through her windshield to keep his balance. A shrill cry pierces the air as glass sprinkles into her lap, and it takes Bonnie a moment to realize that it’s her screaming. Slamming onto the brakes, she watches as the forces pitch Klaus forward once more, his grip on the windshield taking the sheet glass with him. Now open to the elements of the Original’s attack, Bonnie quickly switches into reverse and begins to drive back.

She manages to cover a few yards before her car to come to an unnatural, screeching halt. Looking forward again, she sees Klaus has snatched her Prius and is holding the front wheels off of the ground. He grins at her again, but it doesn’t cover up the crazed irritation in his eyes. Bonnie lets loose a shuddering breath.

“I just want to talk, love,” he chimes. Her car door opens as she’s staring at her and suddenly Stefan is there, undoing her seatbelt and pulling her, surprisingly gentle, from the car.

As soon as he sets her on her feet and releases her, Bonnie uses magic to snap their necks and she takes off running.

She makes it farther than she expects to.

Almost a mile down the road - thirteen whole minutes longer than she thought she would have - something strikes her head. Bonnie pitches forward, already in a realm of darkness.

She’s lying on a couch. That’s as much as she’s able to infer before panic strikes her. Unconsciousness had been blissful, but lying awake and incapable of movement while knowing she’s not alone instead of hallucinating it is terrifying. Somewhere to her right, she hears glass or ceramic shattering, followed by a low male curse. There’s a heavy weight on her chest, and Bonnie sees a shifting black-furred body there.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

What’s really happening and what’s in her head?

A tear slides down her cheek in to her hair, eyes wide and swinging. She tries to get her limbs to move, but they only tingle. She can barely even breath.

It feels like something malevolent is watching her, assessing her, something far more detrimental to her being than two ancient vampires.

There’s heavy, rapid thuds and Bonnie tries to look, but her body won’t respond.

Something grabs and yanks her forward. Her heart nearly flails from her chest and loud banging resounds. Stefan’s apathetic face appears. Over his shoulder, Bonnie can see Klaus frowning in irritation at an overturned table, holding pieces of a shattered vase in his hands.

And over his shoulder, Bonnie sees him, the tall shadow man. He’s lounging in the corner, taking up far too much space. He’s so tall today, inhumanly so. He wants her fear. She doesn’t need to see his face to know that he’s watching her, grinning, grinning, always grinning, that intentional, mean smile. To know that he’s catching her fear on the air and relishing the taste, like a snake with its forked tongue.

Stefan shakes her.

Bonnie’s eyes pull away from the corner to Stefan and he turns to look at where her gaze had been.

He turns back to her.

“Wake up,” he drawls. “You’re still dreaming, Bon. Nothing’s there.”

She looks back to the corner. It’s empty.

But when her gaze flick at the ripper again, the tall man is there beside him, one heavy hand pressed to Bonnie’s breasts, pushing and making it hard to breathe. His shadowed mouth falls open, ink on midnight and a long, dark wagging tongue stretches towards Bonnie.

Let me taste you again.

She jerks away, limbs unlocked and flings herself into the corner of the couch, curled up into a ball. It doesn’t even register to her to care that she’s awake now and in the presence of two very real threats to her life. Bonnie focuses on breathing, on catching those breaths the tall man had stolen from her.

The more she wakes up, the more he fades. Her dread becomes about the two immortals staring at her, probably enjoying the pathetic vision she makes. Her pride bristles.

“Don’t call me Bon,” she growls, not bothering to raise her head yet. She’s not ready to look.

There’s a palpable drop to the tension in the air. Only then does it occur to her that all the loud banging and shattering was not a part of her hallucinations, but her magic going haywire and lashing out, her conscious and subconscious both trying to protect her from real and imagined dangers. She was as much a threat to the vampires as they were to her and they had been wary. But she’s alive, so they must want something from her.

“I thought we were friends,” came Stefan’s reply.

“We’re not friends. And if we ever were, we’re not anymore. Friends don’t use and abuse each other.”

Finally, she turns to look at them. Stefan is lounging on the couch beside her, arms stretched along the back. Bonnie notices how easily the arm closest to her could snake around and grab her, in spite of his relaxed position.  Klaus is fixing his table, mouth pursed.

“I hope you intend to reimburse me,” he says.

“How much was the vase?” she asks. It’s more curiosity than any real intent.

“Twenty-three thousand six hundred five dollars and twenty-nine cents.”

Bonnie’s eyebrows raise in disbelief at the cost.

“No,” she deadpans. “I don’t.”

The Original frowns at her, before seeming to let it go. He waves a hand.

“It’s fine, I stole it. I want something else anyway.”

1993

There’s a rattling cough that echoes from the room behind him and Kai lets his head tilt back to listen, clutching his gift in his hand. He imagines each one heaves his mother’s shirking body like physical blow. Joshua’s voice come out, soothing in a bitter tone.

Their mother was dying, but Joshua was losing his soulmate. Kai almost pities him.

Paper rustles and Kai assumes their looking through another grimoire, another futile attempt at finding someway to save Lucinda Parker from death.

“Look,” she coos. “They were so cute. Remember when they were born? Strong, healthy twins on our first try. We had such hopes for them. That’s why we named them Josette and Malachai, remember? Our blessing and our message from God, all of our hopes for the coven.”

Joshua hums.

“It was a waste,” Lucinda coughs again. “Our beautiful boy was a devil.”

In the hallway, Kai’s teeth grit and his head rest on the wall now as he stares up at the ceiling. He can still hear her horrified gasps when she found him cuddled up with Jo’s limp body, drained of magic to the point of near-death by her unconscious twin. It was the first time Kai had ever heard the word abomination.

“Cinda, relax,” his dad tries to soothes. “Kai’s doing well now, just rest.”

“He’s not!” His mother's voice us a raspy his. “Don’t let them merge, Josh. The coven...it’s no good for the coven,” the way she says the word coven is odd, but Kai barely registers it over the rush of anger in his ears.

Because his dad was right. He was doing well right now, he was trying so hard, goddammit to keep his worst impulses in check. He was the one who put in the effort to graduate college earlier and come home to help, not Jo. He was the one who devoted himself to magic despite his isolation, not Jo.

Indignation overcomes him and his breaths come faster. He was the one found as many ways as possible to be more family-oriented without breaking the ‘no touching’ rule. He cooked the meals and took over chores for Lucinda, taught Joey how to drive because Joshua was too wrapped up in his dying mate, made sure the littlest runts were always -

Kai’s raging train of thought screeches into a crashing halt.

His parents had so many kids.

It’s not...unusual for witch families to come in large broods, but eight kids was excessive these days, even in coven families. Especially after heirs were already born and healthy and thriving.

Kai sneers thinking on the blonde toddlers. How devious of them, he thinks. His parents were never seeking to conceive a back-up if Kai’s siphoning proved a problem.

They were seeking to conceive replacements.

Another coughing fit strikes Lucinda and Kai looks down at the envelope of pictures in his hands. Christmas was her favorite holiday, so he and Jo arranged family pictures of all of the kids. The one on top was of him and Jo with Lucas and Olivia, the only four to be matching in red sweaters with white reindeer dancing across the chest. It was cute, even to Kai, but as he feels something in him stutter and die. No matter what he did, they’ll never see him beyond his siphoning. Not his family. Not his coven.

“Kai’s an abomination, Josh” Lucinda says desperately. “Don’t let the coven take him.”

Dropping the photos, Kai stalks away, not bothering to hide his retreat.

2010

“No,” Bonnie says, folding her arms. She’s standing now, instincts telling her not be so prone, but with Stefan tinkering around with broken ceramic behind her and the Original Vampire before her, Bonnie only feels marginally safer. Klaus scowls at her response, ready to retort. She wonders why he's come to her with his request and not her Grams - not that Bonnie wanted her grandmother anywhere near the Original Vampire - who was a far better equipped witch.

“And before you continue with your threats, do you even know what you’re asking me to do? Because I don’t.”

The Original Vampire looks truly confused at what her words imply and Bonnie fights the urge to roll her eyes, not wanting the tempestuous man to find a reason to go off.

“I’m barely eighteen,” Bonnie clarifies. “My magic came in barely over a year ago. I’m still learning how to use it, so quite frankly, I have no clue how to go about severing the magic that allows the white oak to kill you.”

She folds her arms and glares at his ear, careful not to hold his gaze. Regular vampires couldn’t compel witches, but Klaus could compel humans and vampires, so she doesn’t want to test his capabilities.

“Even if I did know, I’m not risking the backlash for you,” she states, remembering Caroline’s grief-stricken face and her complete shutdown at her soulmate’s attempt on her life that ended in her mother dying. She has to swallow her fury and disgust.

Klaus scoffs. “What ‘backlash’? There have been countless witches to do my bidding, none of them have ever mentioned a backlash,” he leans forward, voice low. Tempting. He’s trying to seduce her with his next words. “You do this for me and I can reward you immensely. Bring your mother back into your life, open your eyes to the luscious history of your ancestors and the immense power they had - don’t you want to know more about yourself and the blood that runs ripe in your veins.”

Bonnie feels sick at the insinuation, of the many witches used and discarded at this monster’s indiscretion. That he thinks she can be bought so easily, with pretty words and a pretty face. She inhales deeply.

“Probably,” she breathes, deciding to ignore his temptations altogether. “Because you were too busy threatening them to listen to what they had to say. To put it simply: you were born of this realm, a mortal man. The fallen angel or whatever that made you, was not. So while true immortality might have been possible for that creature, it’s impossible for you. Nothing of this realm is meant to last forever; whether it’s one year or one million, everything dies.

“So no, Klaus,” Bonnie finally looks at him. “I’m not risking dying, or losing my magic, or whatever price I have to pay to do a spell out of my league for results that won’t stick anyway.”

Klaus rages and Bonnie flinches back. His reaction is expected, but this is the same man who’s instinctive reaction to obstacles was to subdue, so Bonnie doesn’t know how he’ll react to her refusal. She expects more threats, an intimidation.

What's unexpected is his hand in her chest. So is Stefan yanking her away.

Blood gushes down the front of her clothes, soaking her top down to the top of her jeans in seconds. Bonnie never realized how much blood was in her body. She would think losing so much of it would hurt, but she doesn’t feel much of anything

“No, Klaus,” Stefan snaps, wrapping an arm around as she stumbles. He goes with her as she falls to the floor. “What are you doing? We need her.”

The berserker rage phases out from the Original’s face and Bonnie suddenly recalls that he was a Viking, once upon a time. She can’t catch a breath and this is worse than a paralysis freeze. Her diaphragm has collapsed. Blood pools in her mouth and as Stefan tries to shove life back into her via an open wrist, she knows it’s too late.

She never even got to find out if she had a soulmate.