A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the rest…*sighs*

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Brooklyn braced her hands upon her knees and looked away from the carnage in the kitchen. Blood drenched the cabinet counter and fridge then pooled across the floor where John had lain. The paramedics had long since taken his body away leaving the house criss crossed in yellow police tape. That had been hours ago and now the trio were able to slip inside without drawing attention from the authorities.

Alaric pinched his nose from the overwhelming stench of copper and tin while Damon seemed rather unfazed by the carnage.

"What a waste," the vampire sighed. "Perfectly good blood gone to waste."

Brooklyn and Alaric stared incredulously at Damon who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"What?"

The hunter shook her head and darted for the door in a hurried effort for fresh air. They didn't have to worry about Jenna or Elena returning as they would be at the hospital. Alaric spied John's ring and snatched it from the sticky mess. The last thing he wanted was any other blood sucker to get their hands on it.

Brooklyn stood on the porch watching as the cars rolled up and down the street. Her stomach churned as her senses had been saturated with the sickening stench of blood and death. Sure she had been witness to death and slaughter in the past but this…..this was not out of necessity but out of rage. She couldn't think of anyone who would want to paint John's blood across the kitchen like a Picasso. Brooklyn didn't like John as he had threatened to expose her relationship with Damon and Alaric to the Council but murder was never an option on the table.

"Brooklyn," Alaric appeared beside her. The hunter twisted around and smiled at her lover.

"Hey," she was quiet in her greeting. Alaric noticed the dark circles ringing her eyes as thin red lines crossed and webbed around the beautiful hues of slate.

"Brook you don't look so good," he held her face in his hands.

"I've been through worse," she joked.

"You should go home and rest," he gently insisted but the hunter waved his concerns away.

"No," she shook her head and slipped from his hold. "We need to find out who did this to John. Look, I know he wasn't on our Christmas card list but a senseless murder like this ….."

"But you're tired Brook. Look at you- you haven't slept in almost 24 hours."

"Neither have you Ric," Brooklyn argued.

"I know but….." Brooklyn pressed a finger to his lips effectively silencing him. Alaric closed his eyes and kissed the soft digit.

"I can handle my own Ric."

Alaric shook his head at her stubbornness lightly caressed her cheek.

"Alright," he surrendered. "But after we're done here….."

"Only if you and Damon are there," she raised an eyebrow as a smirk crept up her lips.

"Always," he leaned in stealing a quick kiss.

"Well let's head back in," she tugged at Alaric's hand and turned away from the blinding sun for the shelter of the house.

Damon tossed the last of the bloody paper towels away with disgust. Whoever did this either didn't care about wasting perfectly good blood or wanted to send a message. The vampire suspected it was both.

"Damon," Brooklyn entered with Alaric behind her. "Did you find anything?"

"Aside from the blood bath...No," he shook his head. Brooklyn decided to do a sweep of her own. She delicately ran her hand along the counter where John's fingers were discovered and paused. The smooth wood surface was icy cold despite the warmth that spread throughout the rest of the house. Alaric and Damon watched as their hunter's face was etched in deep concentration. Her eyes clouded over as the darkness swept through her body and soul and the stabbing bolts of pain ravished the hunter's body. Her teeth ground against one another as her eyes started to close tight and water from the immense pressure placed upon them.

"Something was here….Something dark…..cold…..evil….."

She wondered if the presence was the blonde haired vampire that haunted her dreams and continued running a hand over the area then focused her attention to the fridge and floor around it. The instant her hand rested upon the slick white surface, her body was locked in the grip of a paralyzing charge. Her breath shortened and turned shallow as the vision filled her mind.

"Katherine," John's filled with shock and horror. Katherine cut his fingers off and shoved him against the fridge. Her eyes dark and ringed with veins as she cruelly smiled.

"Hello John…..Goodbye John…"

The vampire stabbed John over and over letting the blood coat her hands and shirt. John couldn't scream as blood filled his throat creating a faint gurgling sound while he struggled to breathe. Katherine watched with a sick delight as John took his last ragged breath and slid down the fridge, dead before his body hit the floor.

Brooklyn flung back away from the fridge landing hard against the floor. Her hands instinctively shot out bracing her from falling further still.

"Brook!" Alaric dropped and held her up. Brooklyn was dazed but coherent and blinked several times to focus on Alaric's face.

"I saw her Ric…..I saw who killed John," she took a deep breath and stared Damon straight in the face.

"It was Katherine….Katherine's here."

Damon said nothing but turned and walked away.

"Damon wait!" Alaric called after him. Brooklyn felt the anger brewing in the vampire's soul as the sound of the door slamming echoed through the house.

"It's no use Ric," Brooklyn sadly sighed, "Come on let's track him down."

Damon helped himself to another drink and pondered what Katherine's return meant. He was in love with the hunter but deep down had residual feelings for the one who turned him. It still hurt that Katherine had turned her back on him, not once attempting to reach out when she knew where he was. His resentment seethed as the liquor spilled down his throat and chase away the pain- temporarily that is.

"Bitch," he muttered with an acidic hint to his voice.

"Is that how you greet an old friend?" Katherine stood in the doorway. Damon's head shot up and eyes turned as he saw the object of his affections and suffering.

"You never once reached out to me! I loved you Katherine! "

"Well isn't that just touching," she mocked the vampire, "Because I was never in love with you! You were nothing more than a plaything to me Damon. So willing and easy to manipulate! I didn't have to compel you like I did Stefan or any of the others and rather receptive to my womanly charms. Hmmm….Kiss me or kill me….Such a hard decision."

Damon was thoroughly disgusted. Katherine was standing there flaunting how she seduced both brothers and then vanished, not caring what happened to Damon after she was freed.

"Get out!" He growled. "Get out you selfish, manipulative whore!"

Katherine laughed and sauntered down the steps. She was having too much fun tormenting the eldest Salvatore brother.

"Such words coming from you Damon! Once you worshipped me! You coveted the ground I walked on! But now you've stooped to such a low pathetic level! I know about her and him!"

"You stay the Hell away from them!" Damon threatened her. "Don't you even dare!"

"Or you'll do what Damon? You can't always protect them you know."

Damon charged at Katherine but she had anticipated his attack by swinging her fist sending the vampire backwards across the room and crashing into the bookcase. Several books tumbled from their resting place and smacked the vampire on the back and head as if to add insult to injury.

"Did you really think you could take me on Damon? I'm stronger faster and way too powerful for your puny powers."

Katherine leaned and aggressively devoured his mouth within hers. If it was one thing Katherine was good at: It was playing games. Damon fought back but found his will melting under her touch. Skin so soft and cool raced along his while delicate but deadly hands surged under his jacket and shirt. His body responded to her manipulations screaming for release. Damon felt his hands search out the edges of the soft short jacket and tore it from her shoulders in a hungered frenzy. Katherine grinned into his mouth letting him fall deeper into her dark seductive world. Damon's head swam with desire and lust as his fingers slipped the top up and over his former lover. Her soft ample breasts exposed and his for the taking and Damon was but too eager for the touch of her cool flesh against his lips.

Brooklyn and Alaric hurried through the entrance in time to see Katherine half naked and mounted on top of Damon. Katherine snapped her head towards the hunters while flashing a sinister grin as betrayal and hurt shined in the humans' eyes. Brooklyn instantly felt the invisible fist punch her square in the stomach then chest as she stood frozen and unable to speak. Alaric wanted to pummel the vampire then shove stakes in his body letting him suffer and writhe in agony before dousing him in vervain then shoving his sorry ass in the sun!

"Aww did I hurt someone's feelings?" With one hand Katherine fisted Damon's shirt and flung him with ease at the humans. Brooklyn and Alaric didn't have time to react and felt the force of Damon's body crash against them sending them back into the foyer. Brooklyn felt the air knocked from her lungs as Alaric broke free and helped Damon to his feet.

The vampire was slow to react and stumbled to where the alcohol sat. He needed another drink after the brief but violent encounter with Katherine not caring what Alaric or Brooklyn thought.

"What the fuck was that!" Brooklyn angrily demanded. Her body tensed and trembled with confusion, pain while her heart was crushing under the weight of Damon's imminent betrayal.

"Don't Brooklyn," he growled and took another gulp.

"Damon," her fingers curled tighter around his shoulder digging into the vampire's flesh. Tears were welling in her eyes. Alaric was stunned and unable to find his voice through the fog of deceit. He wasn't sure if he could leave without trying to rip the vampire limb from limb first.

"Brooklyn…." His turned deeper into a warning tone.

Brooklyn didn't move and swept around him facing the vampire head on. Damon's eyes expressed shock and anger over her actions.

"Brook please just go….." he begged her in a lighter softer voice.

"No Damon," she shook her head. "I want the truth! Are you still in love with Katherine? Are you? Damn it answer me!"

Damon reached for another drink but Brooklyn smacked the vampire's hand away in a show of defiance and iron will. The vampire snarled at her actions but Brooklyn wasn't afraid.

"You don't scare me Damon."

The hunter's voice stayed cool and reserved but it only served to piss Damon off further.

"Leave!" In a fit a rage he grabbed Brooklyn by the jacket hurling her across the room. She slid across the floor and landed against the massive grandfather clock in the entrance way.

"Brook!" Alaric helped her up but felt how shaken she was by the encounter. Her arms reached around his waist and held onto him tight.

Alaric wanted to step in and belt Damon for what he did but the hunter shook her head.

"You stay the Hell away from her Damon," he coldly warned the vampire, "You stay the Hell away from Brooklyn or I will kill you you son of a bitch."

"Ric let's just go," she didn't hide the heartbreak in her voice and took him by the hand. The hunter didn't want to hear anymore words of venom and hatred spilled as she was drained spiritually, mentally and physically. Alaric cast a look over his shoulder but Damon had his back turned and was wallowing in his self-pity. Damon had better stay away from her- even if he was in love with her but that is if he really was. Alaric snorted with simple disgust and followed Brooklyn out the door.

Alone once again, Damon continued drinking himself into a stupor. Katherine got under his skin though he told himself repeatedly he wouldn't allow for such a thing after the incident in the tomb. Now he had hurt one of the few people who genuinely gave a damn about him! She wouldn't want to talk to him ever again! Damon hollered out in anguish as he launched the glass across the room watching it shatter into pieces as it smashed against the wall.

"Bitch!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Brooklyn cringed at the bruise that was rapidly forming on her shoulder. It was the same spot where she landed after taking her brief but painful flying lesson compliments of Damon. She wanted the truth about Katherine and instead was met with a physical response. But he didn't listen and violently rejected her in fierce display of power and aggression. It didn't help as she and Alaric walked in on Damon and Katherine's little porn scene either.

"Brook," Alaric knocked on the door and stepped in. His eyes went straight to the darkening patch of skin. But it was the darkened expression on her face that troubled him more. Her beautiful eyes started welling with tears at the thought of Damon's brutal rejection. He winced at the bruise then at her pained features. If Damon as so much set foot inside…..

"Come here," Alaric tightly embraced his hunter. His hands carded gently through her hair then placed a kiss atop of her head. "I know….It hurts. But I'm here Brook. I love you."

Brooklyn fought back the tears but failed as the first drops trickled down her cheeks. Alaric turned with an arm draped around her waist and together they sought solace between the sheets. He knew Brooklyn wouldn't give up on Damon. The hunter loved him too much to turn her back on the vampire though his actions wounded her deeply. Alaric felt the hatred rekindling as the sickening vision of Katherine mounted on Damon replayed like a movie reel in his mind. For now it would be best for Damon to steer clear of Brooklyn as Alaric sensed she was capable of a great deal when hurt.

Alaric brushed her hair aside and gently kissed her temple then nestled close as he was lulled to sleep.

Okay lay it on me!