Can't Tell You What You Wanna Hear

From the Song: Transfer by Collide

Rating: M – Some violence, Language and Lemons :)

Summary: Being a part of the family business is never easy – especially when you are sent to "take care" of a vampire with barely an explanation as to why. When Dawn travels to Mystic Falls to find a certain vamp, things take an unexpected turn in the Boarding House.

A/N: For Dawnld98 – one of my favorite readers! :) I hope you like your story!

Takes place during episode 1x15: A Few Good Men

"Can't tell you what you wanna hear/I've come to get you…there was no transfer I could borrow/I'll take my chances on tomorrow…"

Chapter 1

"Are you sure that's where it is?" Jenny said through the phone.

"Jen, the town is called 'Mystic Falls.'" I said, walking into the city hall building. "If…uh…" I pulled the folded paper out of my back pocket. "Damon Salvatore isn't here, I'm sure another vamp who knows him is."

Jenny sighed. "Alright, Dawn. Good luck."

"Thanks." Putting the paper in my back pocket and my phone in my purse, I walked up to the counter. "Excuse me?"

A woman with short blonde hair in a police uniform looked up at me and smiled. The words "Sherriff Forbes" was written on her badge. The Sherriff Forbes. The woman who has had a vamp in her little "council" and had not even known it. Nice.

I recited the lines I'd practiced in my head. "I am visiting from Ontario and was wondering if there are any places to stay around here."

"Oh, yes," She smiled. "There is Mrs. Flowers' Boarding House up a few blocks, and there's the Salvatore Boarding House, though there's not a lot of people staying there right now."

Salvatore. Bingo.

"Thanks."

"You know, there is a Bachelor Auction tonight around 7 at Mystic Grill if you'd like to come. We could use all the people we can get."

"Okay." I smiled.

She gave me the directions to the house and I headed towards the Salvatore Boarding House and took a deep breath. I was sent by my grandpa's boss to kill Damon Salvatore – the vamp that took away my grandpa's memory after he'd seen the vamp rip his boss's wife apart. Literally. Eesh.

I can't say I've been "trained" to kill vamps. I've only known about this little "family business" for about 5 years – when I turned 14. At 17, they thought it necessary to teach me how to kill a vamp. Now I guess I – along with my high-strung cousin Jenny – am taking over for my grandpa, who's pushing 90 and has no memory on how to kill one of them.

One problem is that I don't know much about vamps. I had to take what little I got from my grandpa's boss and about 3 nights worth of vampire movies and try to figure out what to do. So far, I've done pretty well with staking and burning. But I've only done it 3 times, and the three vamps were either stupid or weak. Apparently, if you feed on animal blood, you become weaker.

After getting lost about 3 times, I finally found the Boarding House. I grabbed my duffel bag of clothes and toiletries and my suitcase of "anti-vampire shit" (as Jenny calls it.) and stepped out of my red carmaro. I looked up the driveway to the open garage and saw some weird old red car (wtf?) and a blue camaro with the top down. I smirked. Good taste in cars, I guess.

I walked up to the front door and almost knocked, then remembered that this was Zack Salvatore's public Boarding House and I set my bag down and opened the door. I picked it back up and walked in. I set my stuff by a table and took a few steps forward, not closing the door behind me. (I'm paranoid.)

Faintly, I heard voices, but I couldn't tell where they came from. (Hey, it's a big house and I'm not a freaking vamp!)

"I have to go and exploit some women in the name of grief." A guy slurred.

I raised an eyebrow.

"TTFN said the tridelt."

O…kaaaay…

I started towards the right and nearly ran into a guy – er, vamp.

"Um…" He looked at me. "Hello…?"

"Stefan!" I blurted. "Oh, uh…" I brushed my brunette hair out of my face. "Aren't you Stefan Salvatore – Zack's…nephew?" And Damon's brother.

"Yes…and you are…?"

"Dawn…" I decided to lie, not sure if he would be able to tell or not. "I called Zack a few months ago. I'm from Canada. I'm visiting."

"Oh." He looked uncomfortable. "Zack…passed away."

"How?"

"He fell down some stairs. Broke his neck."

Riiiight…

"I'm not sure if you want to stay...I…uh…"

"Oh." I tried to look sad and helpless. Vamps love that. "I don't really have… Never mind. I'm sorry."

I started to turn when Stefan said, "Dawn, I can-" His voice cut off. "Damon!"

Before I could turn, I suddenly felt two strong hands grip my shoulders tightly.

I just KNEW this was going to happen…