Chapter 3

Elena winces in pain as Katherine yanks her up by her hair and throws her against a corner. She covers her mouth to stifle a cry as she sees the two figures slumped motionless on the ground.

"You're weak," the vampire observes, shaking her head. "And pathetic. What do they see in you?"

"You're crazy," Elena chokes out.

Katherine looks her up and down. "Then, again, you do have my face." She smiles. "And my body. They do have a weakness for it."

"What do you want?" Elena asks, disgusted. "Why did you come back here?"

Katherine's eyes narrow. "I'm cleaning up a mess. And… other things. You know, Elena, those vampires being out of the tomb was a real inconvenience. It sped things up. And I hate to be hurried." She chuckles. "But I suppose Damon's perseverance could only be denied for so long. His devotion to me is unparalleled… as is Stefan's."

"You compelled him," Elena says, erasing Katherine's smile. "It wasn't real."

The vampire yanks her from the corner and pushes her into the sink, points to their reflection in the window over it.

"Look at yourself!" she seethes, "And then look at me! Just who do you think he sees when he looks at you, when he touches you." Katherine grabs her by the back of the neck. "Face it, Elena. You're nothing but a replacement. A cheap one at that."

Elena tries to elbow herself free. "Go to hell."

"But don't worry," Katherine says with a vicious smirk. "I'm home now."

She laughs one final time and then smashes the human's head against the window, shattering the glass.

Elena slumps to the floor and Katherine walks slowly around the room, as if surveying her prey, pleased at her handywork.

She pulls a cell phone from her pocket and dials. "Come pick up my two pets," Katherine says into it, still circling. "As for John Gilbert…" She regards his corpse. "Burn him."

With that, Katherine clicks her phone shut and grabs her bag from the counter. She walks over to Damon, who is lying face-up on the floor. Katherine kneels beside him.

"Soon…" she says, caressing his temple.

Katherine regards him for a moment, gets up, swings her back over her shoulder, and walks out.