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Steeling herself, Elena took hold of the vaed him into Jack’s office, where he wouldn’t be found as easily He was heavy, and his head buh Despite herself, Elena winced at the thump

She pulled him over to the coat closet where the poison had been hidden and wedged hi the closet door, she turned the latch, locking his body inside

Co up her ain before she left Jack’s office It was better not to look like she had been dragging corpses around if she wanted to get out of here unquestioned With luck, no one would look for the dead va anxiety through their bond, now that she had a moment to realize it

She tried to send him reassurance and joy--they’d found it, they’d succeeded--but the e from Damon didn’t calm down He’d be happy once she was out of Lifetieance for Stefan’s death

Co down in the elevator, Elena allowed herself for a moment to wonder if now they’d be able to move on

No one stopped her as she crossed the lobby Elena’s heart beat faster She was going to make it out

Outside, it was now fully dark, and the plaza was deserted

"Daot it" She could sense him, somewhere nearby

"Elena" Jack’s voice A cold shiver ran down her back Elena turned around

Jack had his arm wrapped around Damon, a stake sunk halfway into Damon’s chest As she watched, he pushed the stake in a little farther, and a circle of bright blood began to spread across Daain "I think we need to talk"

Chapter 31

"The stake’s touching his heart," Jack said "I can kill him in a second Give o"

Damon could hardly breathe, and with each tiny movement of the stake in Jack’s hand, he felt dizzy and drained His whole chest burned as if it were on fire He stood as still as he could and fixed his eyes on Elena, willing her to listen to the ive it to him Run away

He didn’t want to die But he couldn’t live with hi Jack Not when Jack had killed Stefan, killed Katherine

Besides, if Elena did hand over the poison, he would probably shove the stake through Damon’s heart anyway They knew by now that they couldn’t trust him

Carefully, Da himself fully aware of the stake His best chance would be to wait for Jack to be distracted, and then to take him down quickly Protect Elena, and perhaps even save hian to burn beneath his skin in anticipation of a fight

"What’s it going to be?" Jack said, thrusting the stake a fraction of an inch deeper Da very still, her eyes dark and huge in her pale face She looked, Daht, like someone about to be burned at the stake

"Stop this," she said, and Dahed and shook his head Whatever Elena was trying, it wasn’t working

Da around the stake, sending steady throbs of pain through his body It made it hard to think

It wouldn’t be so bad to die if he had to, he supposed He had loved He had lived

If only he could be sure that Jack would let Elena go

The stake against his heart jerked, hard, and Damon’s eyes flew open

Jack yanked the stake entirely out of Da to the ground Daht, but there was no fight to have, not right now

Jack was being pulled backward, away from Damon, with short, jerky steps His arms were drawn up and suspended inHis face isted with rage

Da the wound on his chest, turned around to stare at Elena As he watched, her hands ca in time to the motion of Jack’s li, and she looked triuirl," Damon breathed "Beautiful"

He had never seen Elena use her Guardian Poith such precision before Elena twitched a finger and Jack’s head snapped backith an outraged snarl He was utterly at her ,at half the speed he usually could Fresh blood was pu down his body as he ht dazedly His body was trying to knit itself together, but there was too e He needed to feed