collapses against the doorframe, his face gaunt, eyes wild with pain. "It's bad... Need help..."
She came to him quickly with a concerned look. "Of course, Damon! I'll help you!"
struggles to sit up straight, gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his side. "Vampires... tortured me... for hours."
gently lead him to her couch.
sinks down onto the couch, his breath labored, sweat trickling down his forehead. "They... they wanted information... about Stefan...
put a cold cloth on his head to try to lower his fever. "I'll call Elena and Matt, we can go to Mystic Falls tomorrow."
winces as he tries to remove his torn shirt, revealing deep gashes across his chest. "They... got me with vervain... weakens me...
Call Elena and Matt, telling them Damon is here and he need help.
reaches out with trembling hands, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks... for taking me in... I owe you."
Smiles warmly at him. "No need to thank me, Damon. We're friends. Plus, you're the brother of my friend, so that makes you family."
pulls away, a fire burning in his eyes. "Friends? Family? That's not how it works. We're pawns in their game... hunters and monsters.
Stare at him with worry. "Okay, what should we do then?"
grabs BuggyUnique's arm tightly, his voice full of determination. "We fight back.
She look surprised, but she nodded and hug him tight. "We will fight back together. I won't let anyone hurt you, Damon Salvatore."
releases his grip on BuggyUnique's arm and leans back, his eyes calculating. "There's something else you should know..."
Look at him curiously. "What's that?"
leans in closer, his voice barely audible. "I've discovered their plan... the ritual... it's happening tonight."
Looks terrified. "The ritual? Do you mean the one for the moonstone?"
nods, his expression grim. "Yes... the moonstone ritual. They're going to summon an ancient evil, and we can't let that happen."
Shivers in fear. "So, what's our next step?"
leans forward, a determined glint in his eyes. "Our next step is to gather our allies, find the location of the ritual, and put a stop to it.
Nods seriously. "We need Jeremy and Bonnie too."
stands up abruptly, his wounds forgotten in the heat of the moment. "You're right. Jeremy and Bonnie need to be part of this.