"What's the plan, exactly? You think my parents won't come looking for you? Do you really want to mow down the entire town just to keep this quiet?"

"Well that's really up to Juliet, really. This is all for her."

"What do you want? What is this?"

"You want to be an Alpha, don't you? Have you own little pack, be powerful. This is the first step."

Matt doesn't have any clever quips. The bonds are tighter than he'd like. At least his neck isn't restrained. He can still breathe. He's still here, with his Juliet.

"This is insane. Let them go. Now."

"This is the world we live in. You need control. An anchor."

"I have an anchor. I'm in control. I don't need whatever this is."

He hopes there's a jogger passing by.

Matt screams, shouting anything like "help" that he can muster.

Damon rolls his eyes.

"If you don't shut up, I'll just have to end this. Juliet would make a beautiful corpse."

The screams trail off.

He bites the inside of his cheek, trying not to think.

"Sweet silence. Now, where was I. Ah. Your new anchor. Yeah, that just won't do at all. Your stalker here really isn't sufficient. People are notoriously bad for this sort of thing. You need something better."

"And this is your alternative?"

"One of the alternatives. The death of someone you love. The rage you will feel. It's better. It'll make you stronger."

"I'll kill you."

"You can try. But first. I'm spoilt for choice. So. You get to choose, I'll give you that much. Don't say I never got you anything."

"I love you."

He doesn't look at Zach, or Damon. He only has eyes for Juliet.

She stares at him.

Zach's struggles get more aggressive, but it's pointless.

She looks down at her father and she starts sobbing.

"Well. I never really liked him anyway."

I's easy enough to pretend he's somewhere else, with Juliet.

Matt died when he was ten; everything since then has just been the dreams of a dying boy.

-and Damon uses his claws and rips out Zach's throat.

Juliet screams and tries to move. She can't move, the wolfbane and Enzo and everything stops her from doing anything but scream.

Damon feasts on his flesh and then looks up at her.

"Not really the outcome I was expecting, but I suppose you are my blood." He looks down at Zach. "I've been wanting to do that for a lifetime."