After I left the bar I made my way to the sheriffs office on my bike. It was a medium size white building, most likely built when the town was founded. I walked inside and was greeted by several sets of eyes. Desks were scattered around the room with working deputies sitting at them in swivel chairs. After a moment they stopped staring and turned back to their work only giving sideways glances. The deputy closest to me stood up and addressed himself,

"What can I help you with today, ma'am?" He asked politely, yet sternly. I frowned a little at the "ma'am".

"I have a meeting with the sheriff." I said shortly. He looked a little skeptical but I showed the inside of my jacket and he turned pale. Inside my plumb colored jacket was an elastic strap, which held a smooth wooden stake.

"Mmmm, yeah. So if you would just show me to her office…" I said with a smirk. He pointed, wide eyed, to a door on the other side of the wall. "Thank you kindly." I said and made my way to the office.

I stood in front of the door, which was made of distorted glass on a wooden frame and read "E. Forbes, Sheriff." I gave a light nock and waited for a reply. Moments later a woman with short blond hair, wearing a uniform with a gold star pin, answered the door. I held my hand out to her and she took it.

"You must be the sheriff, I'm Amelia Gilbert." I introduced myself with a warm smile and a tightly gripped handshake. She gave me a warm smile back. I was glad she didn't gawk at me like other people did. She knew not to underestimate woman.

"Liz Forbes. It's nice to meet you. Please come in, most of the council is already here." She stepped to the side and aloud me to enter. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances…" She trailed off as she followed me into the room filled with people.

"You don't meet people like me under good circumstances." I joked. She smiled a bit and turned her attention to the people in the room.

"Ms. Gilbert-" She started.

"-Lia, please." I interrupted.

"Lia, these are the other members of the founders council. Our families trace back to the towns founding and when vampires first showed up in Mystic Falls." She said "vampire" quietly, like a little girl who learned a swear word and told her friends. The corners of my mouth twitched.

"I've done my research, sheriff. Your council has been 'dealing' with vampires for a very long time." I used air quotes when I said "dealing". "It started in 1864, you became aware that there was something less than human in the town. You rounded them up and burnt them in the church." They were all a little shocked. "But you didn't really, but that's not the point. The point is that there are more and you need me to deal with them." They were all very silent and looked at each other.

At that moment a man opened the door and walked in. I chuckled to myself; it was the man from the bar. He looked a little taken aback by the awkward silence her came into. He turned and saw me and his eyebrows rose in surprise.

The sheriff walked over to him and broke the silence.

"Damon, this is Amelia Gilbert. The council has hired her, she's a hunter." She finished. Damon tried to hide his emotions from me with a mask of charm. He held his hand out to me and I took it.

"Damon Salvatore." He said with a charming smile.

"Lia Gilbert." I replied.

"Gilbert? Are you a founding family?" The rest of the people listened in; I knew I wouldn't get far without someone asking.

"Actually, yes I am. I believe you know my uncle, John Gilbert. I never grew up here or met my family." Damon nodded understandingly. He pulled his hand away from mine and I noticed a particularly large ring on his finger. I knew what that was, but I wouldn't let on. This was a very interesting little town.

"Was your father Grayson?" He wondered aloud.

"No, but he was my uncle also." I gave him a look that made him drop the subject. I turned back to the rest of the founding families. From the looks on their faces, they knew very well who I was and who my parents were. "It would be helpful if you could tell me about the 'attacks'" I said changing the subject. The sheriff nodded and grabbed a stack of folders from behind her desk. She handed them to me and I flipped through them. They were full of autopsy reports and crime scene photographs. The victim's throats were torn out and they had major blood loss.

"When was the last time a someone went missing?" I asked coolly.

"About a week ago. A vampire killed a couple in a parking lot. Damon killed it though." I turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Mhmm, did he now?" I said sarcastically.

"Yes, ever sense Damon moved to town he's been a huge help with our little problem." Said a brown haired woman in a floral dress. "Mayor Carol Lockwood." She introduced herself and shook my hand.

"So you haven't been in town for very long?" I asked Damon.

"No, but it feels like forever." I smirked.

"And you've been killing vampires all the time you've been here?" he nodded "That's … impressive." I said. Impressive definitely wasn't the right word.

"Well, what ever I can do for the town…" He trailed off.

"So, Lia, where are you staying?" The mayor asked me.

"No where yet. I'll probably just find a hotel…" I said. The mayor opened her mouth to say something but Damon jumped in.

"Now what kind of people would we be if we let you stay in a hotel? I would be delighted if you would stay with me at my home." He gave me a charming smile. I was starting to see a pattern.