The room was on fire. Literally.
I honestly couldn't tell you how things escalated so fast. Smoke thickened the air, making it harder to see, harder to breathe. Humans screamed and shoved each other trying to escape — at least the ones who weren't already dead on the floor.
"One hell of a date, am I right?" Kol said from my right, grinning like a maniac. His white shirt was stained with blood, same as his lips. Kol Mikaelson was in his natural habitat — chaos, blood, and human screams. And damn it, he still looked freakishly dashing.
"I've had worse ones," I replied, scanning the room for exits. Staring at the vampire pirate would have to wait — I had no intention of dying by fire.
"So you admit this is a date?" Kol asked, turning to me quickly, grin softening just a little.
I stared back at him without answering. … Damn it. I had kind of admitted that, hadn't I?
I hate losing. I'm just going to pretend I didn't say anything. I'm petty like that.
"Oh, how about we get the heck out of the house on fire?" Caroline snapped, hands on her hips like the mom friend she was. (Caroline was all for Kennett, but now was not the time!)
"I quite agree with blondie here," Enzo said, face drenched in blood. Decades of thirst plus a room full of Augustine assholes made him look like a kid in a candy shop — the bloody version.
"Indeed," Elijah said, brushing ashes off his suit with regal annoyance. "Our best plan is to leave the house and hunt down the survivors."
"There's no exit. Everything is on bloody fire," Enzo said, checking the doors.
"Good thing we have an ice witch to fight off the hot flames," Kol said, turning toward me dramatically.
Was I the only one who remembered ice melts in fire?
"Fine," I sighed. Of course I was getting us out. Town witch does the impossible again — why the hell not? "This, however, does not mean this is a date."
I turned toward the nearest burning door and raised my hands. I closed my eyes and focused. I'd never done this before, but there's a first time for everything. And since I was the only non‑vampire here, I was the one most likely to die.
I focused on my heartbeat. On the water in the air. On freezing it.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Every time I froze the water, the fire melted it. The flames devoured the moisture faster than I could pull it together.
"Come on, Bonnie, you got this!" Caroline called out.
"And do it quickly, Maze," Enzo added, ripping out another heart.
"You're impossible, witch — do the impossible," Kol whispered near my ear.
I focused on cold. On winter. On December mornings. On snow. On ice cream on hot days. On cold seawater. On bare feet on stone floors. I let the memory of cold drown out the heat around me.
I am Bonnie freaking Bennett.
And in case anyone doubted it — I am fucking epic.
With a scream, I released everything inside me.
Some puny fire wasn't going to kill me.
2 Days Earlier
After History class with Riklaus, I decided to put my plan into action. Klaus was here, and tonight he'd terrorize the dance like the dramatic bitch he was. Meanwhile, it was the perfect time to steal Kol's corpse, trade it for Elijah's help, and rescue Enzo.
I hadn't forgotten him. I'd given him hope — I wasn't going to leave him.
I sat on my living room floor and used blinking to find Lorenzo St. John. In a blink, I was in Augustine's labs.
Enzo sat slumped against the wall of his cell, head down. Resting or giving up — hard to tell.
I focused on my throat, projecting my voice.
"Enzo."
His head snapped up.
"It's Maze," I said. "I'm projecting. You know — the witch who cursed that doctor jerk with eternal torment."
"Why can't I see you?" he asked, looking around.
"I'm too far away. Whatever. I'm coming to rescue you."
"What?" he sputtered. "If they can catch a vampire, a witch would be easy."
"Chill. I have a plan. It involves theft, a deal or two, and an Original."
"An Original what?"
"An OG vampire. One of the first. Thousand years old. Immune to wood. Keep up."
He blinked. "How are you going to do it?"
"That's why I'm here. I need intel."
"Two days from now," Enzo said. "A masked party. Augustine members don't want to be recognized. They'll bring me out to show me off."
"Wouldn't it be easier to get you from here?" I asked. "A party is messy."
"You don't want easy," I said, studying him. "You want revenge."
He smirked. "Are you going to deny me this?"
"Who am I to deny cries of vengeance?" I laughed. "You'll owe me for this. Forever."
"With pleasure."
I blinked back home — and crashed onto the floor. I really needed to work on landings.
A party, huh? Caroline would love this.
3 Hours Ago — In Elijah's Car
"Can you stop staring at me?" I snapped. "It's Edward Cullen weird."
"I've been staring at you for weeks," Kol said smugly. "Not my fault you couldn't see me."
Caroline snickered in the front seat. I glared. She smirked. Just wait until Klaus starts stalking you, sister.
"What's the plan?" Elijah asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kol said. "We go in, kill everyone, leave."
"Actually, no," I said. "Most of the partygoers are from the South. Elijah, drive to the highway exit."
"What are you up to, little witch?" Kol asked.
"The best way to crash a party is to get an invitation."
"A snack before the party," Kol said. "Darling, I like the way you think."
Elijah parked. I blinked ahead to scout. Two cars. Masquerade outfits. Perfect.
I crouched and froze the entire road.
The cars hit the ice, skidded, flipped, crashed.
Caroline gaped. Elijah looked bored. Kol looked delighted.
"Bonnie, Jesus fuck!" Caroline yelled.
I shrugged and walked toward the wreckage. Murdery tendencies? Maybe. But these were Nazi‑wannabe vampire torturers. I wasn't losing sleep.
Kol followed. The first couple was dead. I grabbed the woman's purse and found the invitation.
"You can have the other couple," I told Kol.
"Bonnie lass, I love the way you foreplay," he said, winking before flashing to the second car.
"Don't forget the invitation, dumbass!" I yelled.
Caroline sighed. "I knew this day would come. Years of telling you not to tell me your crimes so I'd have plausible deniability… and here I am. At least you killed neo‑Nazi vampire haters."
"You should be proud," I said. "My first actual murder — and I did it for a party invitation."
Kol returned, wiping blood from his lips, invitation in hand.
"So," he said, "shall we?"
We got back in the car.
Time to rescue Enzo from the Hydra‑wannabes.
What could possibly go wrong?
Whitmore College
I handed out talismans - they would allow the vampires to enter a house without a formal invitation for a day.
"Where did you get these?" Elijah asked.
"Super duper trooper ancestors," I said. "Don't ask questions."
Kol smirked. "Twenty‑four hours is plenty of time to break in a bed."
I groaned. Caroline cackled. Elijah sighed.
Caroline dragged Elijah toward the entrance. "We'll go first. Don't take too long, you two."
I glared at her. She winked. Payback for Klaroline shipping — fair.
"Well," I said to Kol, "there goes my plan of Elijah being my date."
Kol clutched his chest dramatically. "Bonnie lass, that hurts. Elijah is a bore. I'm much more fun."
"Right. Instead I have you — creepy ghost stalker. Did you watch me in the shower too?"
He grinned. "Once or twice. In my defense, I fully support you doing the same. Elijah has good hair, but I have good everything."
A normal teenager would've staked him. I just smirked back.
"Well…" I said, looking him up and down. "I guess I'll astrally project into your shower sometime. Maybe peek at Elijah next. Compare the goods."
Kol stepped closer, eyes darkening. "You're playing with fire, darling."
"Good thing I control ice," I said sweetly.
He bit his lip. I threw my hair over my shoulder and put on my mask.
"Not the time," I said. "We have a murder party to crash."
Kol put on his mask and whispered, "Role‑playing? I'll be your pirate if you're my bar wench."
I glared — but the door opened.
Time to play our roles.
Time to rescue Enzo.
This was going to be a walk in the park.
I really should've known I'd jinxed myself.