Damon stirred awake.

I'd managed to get most of the blood off him and get him onto the bed. He was fucking heavy, even with my strength.

He groaned, squinting against the sunlight that drifted in through his windows. "Odd. Could've sworn I was in a cave."

"You were." His skin was still worryingly gray.

"You rescued me?"

"Of course I did. It was my fault you were down there." I handed him a blood bag.

Damon shifted into a sitting position with difficulty. "I would love to know why."

"I may or may not have disappeared for a few hours. That was their reaction."

"What were you doing?"

"It was more like who was I doing."

His expression soured. "Gross."

"Elijah wasn't very happy about that and he chose to leverage you against me. I decided to do something before he killed you. I'm sorry I took so long."

Damon took a sip and immediately spat it back out. He frowned and then quickly moved to the side of the bed, where he began to wretch violently.

There was so much blood.

As if he were trying to actually hack up an organ. What the hell was happening? How was I supposed to help? "Maybe the blood was bad, I'll go get a different bag."

He could barely nod in between gagging.

I've never seen a vampire react that way.

Oh god, did they do something to him?

I was in the basement and back before his blood hit the floor again. "Here, drink."

Damon grabbed at it blindly and drank like a man dehydrated. Which, he technically was. Just not for water.

He closed his eyes, letting out a breath, and for a moment I thought he was okay.

Then he started throwing up.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"What's wrong?!" Bonnie came careening into the room.

"I don't know!"

Blood stained his sheets and the hardwood below. This was so bad. If Damon couldn't stomach it... he wouldn't get better.

I froze.

Unless that was the point.

Oh god.

It was so fucking obvious.

Damon fell back onto the mattress, chest heaving. "That sucked."

His skin was even grayer, if that were possible. Thick veins crept up his neck from under his shirt.

He was desiccating.

Slowly.

No, no, no, no.

I picked up a chair and hurled it against the wall, watching it shatter with a frustrated scream.

"Woah, woah, Incredible Hulk." Damon rasped. "Don't break my shit."

Bonnie's eyes were wide, she'd put Damon's bed between us, as if that'd make a bit of difference if I actually wanted to get to her.

"You told me that you were a test. Whatever this is, is a safeguard against me saving you." Of fucking course. "And I'm willing to bet they're waiting for me to come crawling back in order to stop it."

"Doesn't seem like you have much of a choice."

"Hence the anger." I ran my hands through my hair. "God, I feel so stupid. They were already ten steps ahead." Maybe they weren't anticipating me sending the squad underground, but they knew I'd eventually try to help Damon.

"If you go, would you be able to get out?" Damon shifted as best he could, but I imagine he wouldn't be able to move very soon.

"I still know Elena's location. I have leverage. The problem is if they do a head dive. I won't be able to stop them from getting to that information," I eyed Bonnie. "At least, not by myself."

"What can I do?"

"There's a spell. Witches have been using it for centuries to keep vampires out of their thoughts, including compulsion." It's the reason why witches couldn't be compelled. Said spell got passed down every generation and since it needed magic to feed off of, it was usually exclusive to witches. "If you would..." I held out my hand. "It's not a permanent fix, as your magic will fade with time, but it'll do in a pinch."

She crossed her arms. "What guarantee do I have that you won't give it up to save Stefan or Damon?"

"If I don't go, Damon will be subjected to a painful desiccation until whomever compelled him deems fit." If it were Nik, it would never fade. Not unless he released him. We wouldn't have the luxury of a dagger loophole. "Help me help your friends."

Bonnie glanced at Damon and sighed. "Fine."