We were corned from all angles, no matter how you looked at it. I tried to look for an opening, but I knew that the second I moved the Count would try to grab me.

"Why are you so obsessed with me?" I asked Bennett out of frustration. "There's a whole world out there and yet you're so hung up on me. Is it just to punish me?"

"Punish you?" The count repeated while cocking his head to the side. "I love you, Vicky. That's why I'll always come back to you. We were made for each other." He added as he took a step forward.

As my grip on the stake tightened, I tried my best to fight back the fat tears. At this stage I wasn't scared of him pulling me back into the darkness, I was simply tired of it all. It'll never end, it's just a vicious cycle of despair...

"We're never going to be together. Don't you get it!" I angrily protested. I turned the stake around and pointed it towards my own heart. "I'd rather die again than go back to you!"

"VICKY, NO!" The count yelled as he came charging towards me. Just as his fingers brushed through my long silver locks, Nick threw me to the floor behind him. As I looked back, I saw Nick tackle the count to the floor.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" The count bellowed as he socked Nick in the face. However, it wasn't enough to keep Nick down. His resolve was too strong as he pulled the Count back down to the ground.

As I watched the two tackle on the floor, I was suddenly engulfed by a strong pair of arms from behind. "GAH!" I gasped.

"You're going to leave me after you kill him, aren't you?" Stefan asked pitifully. As Stefan nuzzled his face into my neck, anxiety started to creep in once more.

"Well, I won't let you." Stefan declared as he bit into my neck.

I let out a gut-wrenching cry as I tried to free myself of Stefan's hold on me. The pain was too much to bear. I felt every muscle in my body tense up as I curled my fingers and toes in pain.

Once Nick and the Count heard me scream, they both looked towards me in unison. Slowly the realisation dawned on them. The Count's face contorted into that of uncontrollable rage as he threw Nick aside and made his way towards me.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" The Count roared. "I WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN HER!"

Stefan quickly jumped several feet backwards with me still trapped in his arms. "You were too late, to begin with," Stefan said cockily as he brushed back my hair and grazed his fangs against the bite mark. "We've already formed a blood bond."

Count Borovsky widened his eyes in madness. "How dare you..." He spat out in a low voice filled with a threatening aura. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Not if I kill you first!" Nick said as he plunged his stake into Count Borovsky's eye. As the Count doubled over in pain once more, he cupped his eye as he erupted into a howl of pain. With only one eye intact, he looked at Nick, filled with rage he slammed him to the ground.

"NICK!" I cried out as I tried to wiggle my way out of Stefan's arms. As Stefan looked down at me, his face contorted into that of anger.

"It's him, isn't it?" He mumbled in disbelief. "It's always going to be him..."

As I looked towards Stefan, fearing the worst, all I could do was mouth to him to please not do it. But Stefan didn't listen. He simply threw me to the ground and picked Nick up by his neck.

"If you weren't here then Vana would love me!" Stefan cried in anguish.

"STEFAN DON'T DO IT!" I screamed from the top of my lungs. Stefan looked back at me with knitted eyes as he refused to relent.

"You need me to get stronger, right?" Stefan rebuked tauntingly. "Consider your wish granted." As Nick closed his eyes in anticipation, he dropped his hands down to his side as he let it happen.

As I watched Stefan tear into Nick's neck viciously, I felt my whole world shatter. He's gone... and he's never coming back...

As I looked towards the marble floor, several tears fell from my face. I couldn't bear to look at the scene before me for a second longer. Watching Stefan drain Nick of all his blood was too much to bear.

When I heard Nick's lifeless body drop to the floor, I refused to look up at Stefan. He's nothing but a monster!

As I heard several footsteps approach me, I dug my fingers into my lap. "Look, Vana, I'm officially an adult now!" Stefan said cheerily. "That makes you happy, right?"

It should've. But how could I possibly rejoice knowing that Nick was the unlucky sacrifice that helped me complete my mission... I'd rather fail than have him die for me like this.

"Ah, but he's still in the way though, isn't he?" Stefan said in a childish voice. As he turned around to face Count Borovsky who stumbled forward while clutching his eye, Stefan marched towards him.

"This is only a minor setback." Count Borovsky remarked. "It'll heal once I drain you of all your blood!" Count Borovsky yelled as he started to pick up the pace.

"Sorry, but as it stands, I'm a whole lot stronger than you now." Stefan pointed out. As the two were finally standing up close with one another, Stefan grabbed the Count by the face. "After all, I'm just after feeding."

With one swift yank, Stefan decapitated Count Borovsky's head. As Stefan tossed it behind him without care, it slowly rolled towards me. As I felt it brush against my knees, I looked up for the first time.

I was filled with mixed feelings. Bennett was dead for good, but now I was left with arguably an even worse monster.

"You don't need to run away anymore, Vana. You're finally safe now." Stefan said with a smirk.