"Look who's here. Damon Salvatore." Chirped Carol Lockwood on seeing Damon at the bar.

"Well, if you ever need to find me you know where to look." Damon smirked.

"Is everything all right at home? You pulled out of the previous founder's meeting due to personal reasons." Carol said.

"I did?" Damon asked absent-mindedly. She looked at him, surprised. "Yeah, I did." He said. "So, what did I miss?"

"We have got two new members on board the council. They have experience in these sorts of things. You understand what I mean, don't you?" She asked him.

"Of course, I do. So, when do I get to meet them?" He asked.

"I'm going to be meeting them here right now. Would you like to join us?" She told him.

"Sure." He replied.

They sat down and waited for the rest to join them. Damon looked around the grill and saw two people walk through the doors. I haven't seen them before. They might be the new members. He thought to himself. The duo walked themselves over to their table and seated themselves. After all the niceties and introductions, they got down to business.

"3 bodies were found." Carol started. "All drained of blood."

'When did this happen?" Damon asked surprised.

"Yesterday." She said sadly.

"So, what's the problem?" Gabrielle asked.

"We have the founder's party coming up. If there's a vampire or vampires on the loose, I might have to call it off." Carol said, concerned.

"Carry on with the party, Carol. We'll solve the problem." Henry assured her.

"Will you take such a big responsibility on yourselves?" Carol asked.

"Don't worry about us. We'll manage." Gabrielle replied.

"Maybe I can help?" Damon volunteered.

"We like to work alone." Henry retorted.

Rude. Damon thought. "So be it."


Damon slammed the door as he entered his house.

"Rough day?" Stefan asked.

Damon growled.

"What happened?" Stefan lifted his head from the book he was reading.

"Those new council members- rude." Damon poured himself a glass of scotch.

"So I assume you got a taste of your own medicine." Stefan grinned at him.

"Look at you, all funny and filled with humor." Damon said sarcastically.

"Okay. I'm serious. What happened?" Stefan asked.

"3 bodies were found, all drained of blood. Are you back on Ripper mode?" Damon asked.

"No." Stefan said a matter-of-factly.

"Then it must be the Originals. Damn, they're creating trouble for us." Damon said.

"I don't think it was the Originals. After all that's happened, I don't think Klaus wants to draw any attention to himself or his family." Stefan told him. "What if it was some new vampire in town?"

"I don't know, haven't seen any." Damon replied.

"What about the new council members?" Stefan said suspiciously.

"You mean Henry and Gabrielle? You know, come to think of it all these killings started only after they came." Damon said. "Carol told the wrong people to protect the town." He smirked.

"We're not sure, Damon. We could be wrong. Don't do anything stupid." Stefan warned him.

"Don't worry. I'll be on my best behavior." He grinned.


"Hello, Elena." Damon said as Elena opened her door.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked him.

"Relax; I'm here to see Ric." Damon replied.

Elena opened the door wide open and let him in.

"What's he doing here?" Alaric asked, a little irritated.

"Just to discuss a couple of things." Damon replied.

"What do you want?" Alaric asked.

"I want to talk about Henry and Gabrielle. You know them, don't you? The brother with a rude demeanor and the mysterious but hot sister? He asked Alaric.

"Who are they?" asked Elena.

"They're on the council. What about them, Damon?" Alaric first looked at Elena and then at Damon.

"Haven't you noticed that the killings started only after they came to town?" Damon asked him. Alaric nodded. "I suspect them to be Vampires."

"Are you sure?" Alaric asked.

"No, I'm not. But we have to find out because if they are we have to get rid of them." Damon said.

"When are we going to do that?" Alaric asked.

"At the founder's party." Damon said.

"I'm guessing you have a plan." Alaric said.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Damon smiled evilly.


Couple of weeks later, the day of the founder's party finally arrived. Everyone one was there. Including the Originals.

"What's the plan, Damon?" Alaric asked.

"Simple. I'll spike their drinks with Vervain and soon we'll find out the truth." Damon said proudly.

"I hope you know what you're doing. I don't want any trouble." Alaric said.

"Don't worry. It'll be a piece of cake." Damon replied.

Guests started arriving in great numbers. Elena came along with Stefan, Bonnie and Jeremy, Caroline and Tyler. Even Matt came along with a date. At last, Henry came along with Gabrielle. Seeing them, Damon went up to the bar and ordered two drinks. Then, without anyone looking he opened a vial containing vervain and dropped the contents in the two glasses. He called a waiter, gave him the drinks and gestured towards them. The waiter nodded and left.

"Looks like Elijah is enchanted." Rebekah told Kol, pointing towards Elijah.

"Why do you say that?" Kol asked her.

"He's been staring at that one girl ever since she arrived." Rebekah replied, pointing towards Gabrielle as she took her drink.

"She's definitely a looker." Kol remarked.

He walked over to Elijah and said "Ask her to dance."

Elijah rolled his eyes.

"If you don't, I will." Kol smirked.

Elijah glared at him.

"I'll take that as yes." Kol smiled and started walking towards her.

"If you don't mind, can I steal you away from your date for a dance?" Kol tried to charm Gabrielle.

"Of course." She replied, handing her glass to the waiter and walked off with Kol.

"I don't think your date likes me dancing with you." Kol told Gabrielle while glancing at Henry.

"He has no right to be jealous. It's not like I'm his girlfriend." She said with a smile. "I'm his sister."

"Well then he wouldn't mind if I borrow you for this evening." Kol flirted.

"Well he might not mind but I'm not that easy to get." She whispered in his ear as the music stopped. "Thank you for the dance." She thanked him and walked away.

Kol smirked as he went back to his siblings. We'll meet again, love. I assure you that. Hethought to himself.


Damon stared intently at Henry, waiting for Henry to drink. Half of his plan had already failed as Gabrielle gave up her drink before she took a sip.

Henry brought the glass up to his mouth and just as he was about to take a sip, he stopped. Bringing the glass closer to his nose he smelt its contents and let out a low growl. He looked around to see anything suspicious and his eyes wandered on Damon. Immediately, Damon turned his glance elsewhere. After a moment, Damon looked back at Henry only to find him walking away. He followed Henry around the house until Henry went out of the door leading to the garden. With his hand on the door knob, Damon turned it slowly; ready to defend himself if he was attacked. But when the door opened it lead to nothing but endless miles of greenery and no Henry. After a futile search Damon concluded that Henry must have left. Sighing he walked back to the party.

"How did it go?" Alaric saw Damon walking towards him.

"The plan failed- Miserably. Neither one of them drank it." Damon growled.

"So where are they now?" Alaric asked.

"Henry just sort of… disappeared but I guess Gabrielle is still around." Damon replied.

"Well we better keep an eye on her." Alaric suggested.

"You got that right." Damon approved.

Meanwhile-

I've done my part. Now it's your turn.

A text from Henry lit her phone. Gabrielle smiled. Things were ready to go the way they were planned.

"You must be Elena Gilbert." She said, walking up to Elena. "Alaric told me quite a lot about you."

"I've heard of you as well. Ric mentioned about you." Elena smiled.

"Would you like to accompany me outside? I've heard a lot about the Lockwood estate but no one's shown me around." She asked Elena politely.

"Umm…" Elena looked around, desperate to find Damon or Stefan. She wasn't sure if she could trust Gabrielle given all the allegations Damon put on her. She looked at Gabrielle intently, trying to see if there was something about her that would give her away, something that would show that she was a vampire, but there was nothing. "Okay." Elena replied hesitantly.

They went out to the garden and started walking towards the pond. Neither of them said anything. Elena studied Gabrielle from head to toe; there was nothing suspicious about her. Gabrielle was just excitedly looking around the estate. Elena felt that she could let her guard down. Damon always jumps to conclusions. She thought to herself. She let out a low chuckle. They stood by the pond, looking at their reflections.

"When I was young, my mother used to take me and Henry to a pond just like this one. We used to splash into the water and play." Gabrielle smiled, reminiscing of her childhood.

"That's sweet." Elena returned her smile.

"It was." Gabrielle looked at Elena apologetically. Suddenly, Elena felt a sharp pain throbbing in her head. She fell on the ground, writhing in pain. Moments later, Elena lay still on the ground. Silence enveloped the area. The only sounds were those of Elena and Gabrielle breathing.

"I've done what I have to, Henry." Gabrielle muttered under her breath.