At last, the big day arrived—the day Stefan and Damon's plan to drive a stake through Katherine's heart would finally be set in motion.
It all began at the celebration party for the mayor's official continuation in office, inheriting the position from her deceased husband. The event was held at the Lockwood residence, and of course the election had been rigged. The council needed someone in power who supported them.
Bonnie and Caroline arrived together, arms intertwined, radiating beauty. Their dresses fit perfectly, making them even more desirable.
Nik didn't attend. He stayed out of it—first because Bonnie and Caroline didn't want him there. Not out of jealousy anymore, but because both of them had learned how easily they could get pulled into Nik's game.
They had realized that a supernatural political structure truly existed. Bonnie had first been introduced to it by her grandmother. After discovering that Nik had inadvertently become the supernatural "owner" of the city, her grandmother decided to at least educate Bonnie and Nik about the world of the three factions—since that was all she knew.
Bonnie quickly shared that knowledge with Caroline, who was stunned to learn that the supernatural world wasn't about who bit harder, but about a carefully organized structure.
A city with a supernatural owner meant that person decided everything about supernatural events within it. It was that owner's responsibility to act as a mayor for the supernatural and maintain order. Caroline realized she was considered the city's first lady. Bonnie realized she was viewed as the vice-mayor among the supernatural inhabitants.
As far as Bonnie had known, there were only her, Nik, Caroline, Stefan, Damon, and her grandmother. But apparently there was an entire supernatural population in town.
Witches, vampires, werewolves, and other beings trying to live normal lives hidden from human eyes. Most of them weren't warriors like the famous names implied. And the girls decided they needed to establish their authority. Bonnie also wanted to punish the traitor who had been helping Katherine.
"Seriously? They're even here?" Caroline sighed.
Around them, several people glanced at them with admiration among the humans.
"Yes. I had no idea the supernatural population here was this big," Bonnie replied irritably. "And Nik knew and didn't tell us."
"Well, Nik is used to it. He's a real prince," Caroline said, with a slight edge in her voice. "He's used to dealing with all kinds of supernatural beings."
Then they saw Katherine arrive. Bonnie subtly pointed toward an empty room ahead.
Caroline smiled and vanished into the crowd. At the same moment, Katherine noticed Bonnie heading toward the empty room.
She smiled. She knew Bonnie was the witch—and likely the one the brothers would use against her.
Katherine followed Bonnie inside.
"Well, if it isn't the brothers' witch," Katherine said as she approached. "If I end you right now… why are you smiling?"
Katherine froze when she saw Bonnie's expression. There was no fear. No anger.
It was the smile of someone who had already won—and Katherine hated that smile when it wasn't on her own face.
"Look behind you," Bonnie laughed, pointing.
"No…" Katherine breathed as she saw the blonde standing there.
Katherine vanished—and so did Caroline. Bonnie only saw the impact against the wall as Caroline pinned Katherine by the throat, her other hand plunged into Katherine's chest.
"You know, I like your heart so much," Caroline said, moving her hand slightly, pulling and pushing inside Katherine's chest, making her vomit blood. "Tell me… do you like your heart as much as I do?"
"Why are you doing this?" Katherine choked, trembling. "Do you want to humiliate me?"
"Yes," Caroline smiled. "I hate you. I hate your face. I hate your body."
She squeezed Katherine's heart harder, forcing another wave of blood from her mouth.
"Stop… please…" Katherine cried.
Bonnie placed a hand on Caroline's shoulder.
"That's enough. She's not worth it," Bonnie said softly.
She knew Caroline's real issue wasn't Katherine—it was Elena. Bonnie loved them both, but she knew they both had feelings for Nik, and peace between them was impossible.
"Who is the Bennett witch working with you?" Bonnie asked, locking eyes with Katherine. "I'm the only thing stopping my friend from torturing you, so be honest."
"The name is Nadia Petrova," Katherine gasped, coughing blood. "Why?"
Because Caroline tightened her grip on Katherine's heart again.
"You don't sound very convincing… What do you think, Bonnie?" Caroline asked.
Bonnie watched Katherine curl in pain.
"I think I'll have to enter her mind," Bonnie said thoughtfully. "But vampires have the strongest minds in the world. And there's also the demon. It's not safe. We need to weaken her first. Caroline, drink her blood until she's mummified."
Caroline smiled.
She grabbed Katherine's face firmly.
"You had your chance to cooperate."
Katherine tried to respond, but Caroline's hand was still wrapped around her heart.
"Caroline… now," Bonnie said coldly.
Without hesitation, Caroline bit into her neck.
It wasn't theatrical. It was strategic.
Blood flowed hot, and Katherine's body began weakening rapidly. Her movements slowed. Her regeneration faltered. Her skin turned pale like cracked porcelain.
She tried to push Caroline away.
Too weak.
"More," Bonnie murmured.
Caroline obeyed.
When she finally pulled away, Katherine could barely hold herself up. Her heart still beat under Caroline's hand—but now it was erratic and vulnerable.
Bonnie knelt before her.
"Now."
She pressed her forehead to Katherine's.
The world dissolved.
Entering the mind of an ancient vampire wasn't like opening a book. It was like walking through a fortress built over centuries—corridors of echoes, overlapping memories, preserved traumas.
Even weakened, Katherine's mind was immense.
Bonnie felt the pressure immediately.
"Who is the witch?" her voice echoed.
Fragmented images appeared. Faces. Symbols. Conversations cut short. Katherine smiling at someone always in the shadows.
Bonnie pushed deeper.
Resistance surged.
Even drained, Katherine's mind was too organized. Compartments closed. Mental tracks diverting thoughts.
"Focus…" Bonnie whispered.
She found a small door hidden behind recent memories.
She pushed.
Pain exploded in her head—not an attack, but density. Compressed memory.
She almost retreated.
Then she heard it.
A name.
Whispered reflexively.
"Maeve… no...."
Bonnie advanced.
The image clarified—a brunette woman, calculating eyes, features faintly resembling the Bennett line.
Lucy Bennett.
The name echoed fully.
Bonnie tried to pull more.
Where is she?
What's the plan?
How long?
Nothing.
Memories began and ended abruptly. Conversations cut off. Sensations without context.
Like reading a book with pages torn out.
The pressure became unbearable.
Bonnie pulled out sharply, opening her eyes with difficulty.
Caroline still held Katherine, who barely breathed.
"And?" Caroline asked.
"Lucy Bennett."
"That's it?"
Bonnie nodded slowly.
"Her mind is absurd. Six hundred years of secrets don't disappear with a few bites."
She rubbed her temple.
"I tried to go deeper. But the memories just slip away. Like they're protected by her own mental structure."
Bonnie didn't notice the artificial pattern in the gaps. She assumed it was ancient discipline—not interference.
Caroline dropped Katherine to the floor.
"You already know too much…" Katherine whispered weakly.
Caroline smirked and released her heart fully, throwing her down.
"No. We know enough."
Bonnie stood.
Outside, laughter and clinking glasses continued.
A name had been torn from a six-hundred-year-old survivor.
Lucy Bennett.
Bonnie would find out who Lucy was—and teach her a lesson.
"Here," Bonnie said, tossing a blood bag to Katherine. "Go do your part with the saviors."
"That won't sustain me," Katherine said desperately as she drank. "I won't be strong enough to defeat both of them."
"That's the point," Caroline replied lightly. "Go make your witch do something for you."
Katherine finished the blood like borrowed time. Enough to walk. Not enough to win.
"You're too confident," she muttered.
"We're managing resources," Caroline answered.
"Lucy is just repaying a debt. She doesn't work for me," Katherine said.
"Then you should've chosen a better ally," Bonnie replied.
Katherine steadied herself, adjusting her dress.
"Lucy has doubts about me. She could betray me at any moment. And she hates being discovered."
"Then she'll hate next week," Bonnie replied calmly. "It's your bad luck you don't know how to make friends."
Katherine left, recomposing her social smile as if she hadn't been drained to near ruin.
The door closed.
"Did you really only get the name?" Caroline asked.
"Yes. Lucy Bennett. The connection is real. But the memories reorganize like a labyrinth."
"You think it's just because she's old?"
"Six hundred years matter."
Caroline stared out the window at the illuminated garden.
"You're going after Lucy."
"Not tonight. Tonight we let the brothers try their little stake show. After that… I want to talk to her."
"She helped Katherine. That was her choice," Bonnie said.
"And our response?"
"We observe first. Let her think she's still hidden."
A distant scream echoed outside—dramatic, probably rehearsed.
"Looks like the show started," Caroline said.
"Let the spectacle begin," Bonnie replied.
Because that night, whether Katherine survived the stake didn't matter.
What mattered was that a name had been uncovered.
And in the supernatural world, names are never just sounds.
They are invitations to silent war.