First he goes and gets married and now this? Ian Somerhalder may be leaving The Vampire Diaries after Season 7…

Known by fangirls everywhere as Damon Salvatore, it’s rumored that Somerhalder’s character may be killed off the show entirely, instead of just going into a witchy coma like his girlfriend Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev).

According to the sneak peak promo of the newest episode, Rayna Cruz – the awesome yet terrifying vampire hunter with cat-like reflexes and as many lives – may end up convincing Stefan (Paul Wesley), Damon’s brother, to transfer her dagger’s mark back to its intended target, Damon.

Despite his carefully crafted plan from previous episodes, it’s obvious Stefan can’t keep running from Rayna forever. In theory, maybe, but once Rayna’s final life is used up, and if Stefan isn’t mark-free, his immortal life will be cut short.

The next episode, “Days of Future Past,” will be Stefan’s deciding moment. He will have to choose whether or not he will revert the mark back to Damon, saving his own life but dooming his brother.

Although the rumors of Damon’s death being linked to Ian Somerhalder wanting to pursue other projects like former costar Nina Dobrev are running wild, Somerhalder has yet to comment on them, so nothing is set in stone. We don’t see how he can leave the series just yet, seeing as his character still has his hand in everybody’s pies.

Executive producer Julie Plec confessed she would only stay on with the show if Wesley and Somerhalder keep up their contracts. With this news, the show may become a rapidly sinking ship.

“I finally realised that my destiny on this show, creatively, is tied in to Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley,” Plec told E!News in January. “And I mean that in a really good way. As long as those boys who I now consider my friends want to keep telling the story, then I won’t walk away from telling the story.”

How would you guys feel if Somerhalder had them kill off Damon? Would the show keep running with Stefan, Bonnie, Caroline, Enzo, and Rick?

The Vampire Diaries will be back April 1 and airs Fridays on the CW, and we’ll have to see what Ian Somerhalder’s future on the show holds.