A/N: I am sooo so sorry for the slow update! My mom was very sick, and I was busy fetching her blankets and water and such. She's tons better now, so I finally let myself have some fun! Ahem, the awesomeness awards go to Pokinmju, LittleGooseWalking, diehardromantic, and inside my mind1 for reviewing! Thanks.

Alaric crouched low beneath the window, the bushes at its base hardly rustling at his slight disturbance. The lights were off, but he knew it was in there. He hadn't wanted to come back to Mystic Falls, not after what happened, but he'd had no choice. It was getting harder to get intel on vampires these days. He supposed he should count himself lucky one of his contacts had finally come through, and gave him the heads-up.

Someone from Mystic Falls was taking more blood than they could cover up from the hospital, and Alaric betted it wasn't the gardener. Whoever it was is currently staying in the old mansion. He'd broken into the hospital blood bank himself and put miniscule GPS trackers on a few of the bags. Only one had left the hospital, and that had led him here. How fitting, he thought, that a vampire would choose this place.

Alaric was itching for another kill. It had been months since the last time he'd staked a vamp. Without the hunt to distract himself, he found himself thinking more about Jenna, and how she'd died, which was unacceptable. He knew the only way he'd ever be able to think about her again without going crazy was to know the sonuva bitch that did it was dead. But Alaric hadn't come close to even a hint of Klaus' whereabouts. He was lost, and the only thing he could do in the meantime was kill enough vamps and leave enough of a trail that maybe Klaus would come looking for him.

So far, shit out of luck. But in the meantime, he should really focus on the next scum he was about to wipe off the face of the Earth. He tripped over a tree root in the dark. He mentally cursed himself. If it heard that, he had just lost the element of surprise, which was one of the best advantages a human hunter like him had. Oh well, he reasoned, it's not like I really care if I die anymore.

He carefully and soundlessly picked the lock, a real pro at it by now. There were no lights on, not even the dim light a few dying embers from a fire might have given off. He had taken a few feet into the living room, tripping only once over a couch (someone must have rearranged), when a shrieking alarm went off.

Alaric almost pissed himself—vampires never had alarms, it had almost been like an unspoken rule! He tried to ready himself by taking out a stake and moving into a crouch, expecting an attack from anywhere in the dark room.

The sudden bright light that was flicked on assaulted Alaric's eyes almost as much as the sudden noise had pained his ears. His eyes rapidly tried to adjust, and for the first time his heart beat sped up.

The alarm was still going strong and steady when his eyes finally adjusted. He found that he was ducked down behind the couch so that he was blocked from the view of anyone who might have come from one of the rooms. He felt a little hope stir his heart, and the rapid beat was now pure adrenaline from the rush. Noise like that probably cut off the vamp's hearing, too, and that was one of their greatest strengths.

He was readying himself as he came around the side of the couch, ready to pounce on whatever undead creature was about to come around the corner.

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Matt rounded the corner at a run, his socks making him slid a little on the hardwood floor. He was brandishing a baseball bat and looking from side to side wildly.

Alaric barely stopped himself from leaping at him in time. "Matt?" He asked, confused. "You're the vampire?" He fingered his stake uneasily, not sure whether he could kill someone he once knew, even if they were a vampire now.

Matt reached over to the wall, and for the first time, Alaric noticed the white security pad on it. He watched as Matt typed in numbers, and memorized them in case they might come in handy later.

Bonnie came around the corner in a skimpy purple teddy. Alaric tried not to stare. She yawned sleepily. "What's going on?" She asked.

Before Matt or even Alaric could answer, Elena and Damon were suddenly in the room, vampire speed put to use.

But that wasn't why everyone was suddenly staring at them. They were staring because both Elena and Damon were stark naked. And neither looked none too embarrassed about it, Alaric noticed. He guessed he knew why it had taken them so long compared to the others to get here. If he'd thought it was hard taking his eyes off Bonnie, it was doubly so for the completely bare Elena. She looked like she hadn't aged a day…everything completely firm, supple—he swallowed as he realized where this line of thought was going. He told the part of him that was reasoning that it was okay 'because they weren't his students anymore' to shut up.

Damon noticed him looking, and growled. He put his own naked body in front of hers to bloke her from view, and Alaric was suddenly able to look away with ease. Elena still looked completely unfazed and unabashed.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked, his voice deep and his eyes glittering with something Alaric didn't quite want to contemplate.

Alaric's reply was delayed by the arrival of Caroline and Tyler. They were both trying to walk while wrapped in the same thin, white sheet. She giggled. "Did we miss anything?" She surveyed the room. She turned back to Tyler, giving everyone a glimpse of her bare butt. "It's just Alaric, let's go back to bed." She said it quietly, but everyone in the room heard it. They also heard the noise Tyler's hand made when making contact with said bare butt. She giggled some more as they exited the room.

They were silent for a moment as they watched—and heard—Tyler and Caroline exit the room. Caroline had always seemed a little self-involved, and Alaric wondered if becoming a vampire had only made her more so. Alaric noticed a scowl on Matt's face, and that his fingers had tightened around his bat.

"Nice to feel wanted." Alaric muttered, trying to break the tension. Elena let out a startled laugh and stepped out from behind Damon. Damon looked irritated, but didn't stop her. She walked over to Alaric and gave him a hug. Alaric tried not to react to a gorgeous, young, naked girl hugging him by thinking about the fact she was basically Jenna's daughter. It worked. A little.

Damon gently pulled her away and glared at Alaric. Matt came over and pulled his large white tank off until he was standing there in his boxers. Matt pulled up her arms while he tugged the shirt over her, Damon helping him on her other side. She went along with this complacently. Damon made no move to cover his own naked body, nor did he sem concerned about doing it any time soon. Alaric tried not to notice how raising her arms made her already perky breasts lift even more. It had been a long time. He tried to focus his attention on the also scantily clad Bonnie, because he was afraid the combined glare from Matt and Damon might actually be looks enough to kill. Bonnie didn't seem too embarrassed by his gaze either. Man, what had happened to these women? They used to be innocent, blushing little things. Now they were all grown up and…tempting.

Bonnie finally noticed his stare and held his gaze evenly. She was waiting for him to look away and blush. But they weren't the only ones who'd changed. So had he. Finally, Bonnie laughed. "I'll go change."

But Elena had no such qualms. She took Alaric's hand easily, friendly, and led him to the couch. She sat down and patted the cushion next to her. Alaric sat as close as he could without fear of Damon ripping his guts out, or Matt beating him with his bat, which he was, at the moment, clenching and unclenching in his grip. That pretty much meant he sat on the other end of the couch.

Elena looked hurt for a moment, until Damon settled himself next to her and pulled her onto his lap. Alaric was actually grateful Damon put Elena on his lap, as it covered up certain parts he'd rather not see. Her face didn't change at all during the process, but she tugged at his arms until he obligingly wrapped them around her waist. That earned Damon a small smile. She didn't seem to mind the possessiveness at all. In fact, she seemed to relish it, as she hugged his arms to her.

Matt chose to lean against the wall facing the couch, on one side of the fireplace. He finally put his bat down, but his arms were still crossed menacingly as he watched Alaric like a guard might watch a particularly dangerous criminal. When Bonnie came into the room, she leaned on the wall opposite the side of the fireplace where Matt was. She'd put on jeans and a white tee shirt, but Alaric could still see the frilly purple edge of her tiny purple nightgown poking out from under her shirt. She'd probably kept it on because she planned on going to bed after this.

Alaric had long ago put away his stake, there was no way he was attacking anyone in a house with this many people. Besides, he already had an unspoken agreement with Damon. He wouldn't attack him with a stake if Damon wouldn't kill him anymore. Of course, that was when Alaric had still had the ring…

"So, Ric, why are you here?" Damon demanded.

This time, there were no randy couples coming in to interrupt his response. "I had some insider information that a vampire was taking blood from a hospital in Mystic Falls. I put a tracer on one of the bags, and it ended up here." He looked at Damon, proud of himself for ignoring the way Matt's shirt was riding high on Elena's thighs. "That must have been you."

Damon paused uneasily for a second. Finally, he gave a curt nod. Matt opened his mouth, but Damon shook his head at him. Matt stayed silent.

"That's a lot of blood, Damon. Pretty careless of you, too." Alaric admonished.

"I'm not used to having to supply for two." Alaric was confused for a second, before he saw how Damon looked pointedly at Elena.

Alaric got up, stake in hand. "Is that Katherine?" It would explain why she was so cool and unembarrassed, why she was with Damon in the first place, and why the hell she was a vampire.

"No." She answered before anyone else could, with a little pout. When he just continued to look unsure, she elaborated, "Stefan turned me because of the threat from Klaus."

Alaric wanted to know where Stefan was, after all, he'd been the only decent vamp Alaric had ever met, but didn't want to make anything more awkward for Damon and Elena. Especially with the way they were interacting. More physically than Alaric ever remembered Stefan and her being, but at the same time it seemed almost unintentional, or involuntary. Natural. "I've been hunting Klaus."

For the first time that evening, Damon smiled. "Us, too. He killed Stefan." Alaric tried to stutter out his condolences, but Damon held up a hand, silencing him. "You've currently caught us in the reinforcements stage." He paused. "What exactly did you plan on doing with that, by the way?" He asked, motioning to the bulge in Alaric's pants where he'd hastily stashed the stake when he'd realized how many people were actually here. At least, he hoped Damon was referring to that bulge.

Alaric's lack of answer seemed answer enough for Damon. "What, are you some kind of vampire hunter now?" He scoffed at the very idea.

"I've always been a hunter," he said back, hotly. Damon's smile just grew. "I've killed over thirty since…since Jenna." The look on Damon's face was replaced with one of surprise. "It's been part of my plan to draw Klaus out, but so far, nothing."

"I don't know if I should be impressed or pissed." Damon finally answered. "But your plan sucks. Klaus doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself. Besides, I already know where he is."

Alaric snapped to attention. "You do?" He asked, eagerly.

"Yes," Damon said, oozing superiority. He leaned forward suddenly, catching Alaric's gaze. "But you won't be coming with us. It's too dangerous for a human, and we already have two to worry about. Go back to wherever you came from and forget all about ever seeing any of us. Give up your crazy renegade vampire hunter shtick and start a normal life." Damon leaned back away from Alaric, confidant his compulsion was successful.

Eventually, Alaric's blank, unblinking look gave way to pure disbelief. "Are you serious? You don't think I would put myself on Vervain after choosing to pursue vampires for a living?" He gave a half smile, completely incredulous.

Matt and Bonnie burst out laughing. After a second, Elena joined them. She jabbed Damon in the ribs. "I think you're losing your touch, honey." He growled, and stood up, throwing her over his shoulders. Elena had giggled much the same way as Caroline had. Damon started to walk away with her dangling there.

Elena wiggled on Damon's back as he started to walk out of the room. At first Alaric thought she was trying to escape, but then he realized she was just trying to wiggle out of the shirt. Probably because she wouldn't be needing it. She finally succeeded and threw it at Mat, who caught it looking amused. Alaric wondered why those two weren't more jealous acting of each other, they certainly didn't seem to like him.

She lifted her head from Damon's back to look at Alaric. "You can pick out a room, if you want!" She yelled, just before disappearing around the corner, bouncing along with Damon's steps as she traveled on his shoulder.

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Damon dropped me on our bed. He had a strange look on his face, like too many things were going on inside him for there to be any discernable expression for me to read. "What?" I finally asked.

"You smell like two other men." I could tell he was biting his own teeth as he said it.

Instead of annoying me, as jealousy used to, I felt a strange spark of excitement at his words. Or maybe it was the dark look he was giving me as his eyes moved up and down my naked body. "Then make me smell like you, again," I said breathlessly. I lifted my arms and stretched out, watching from the corner of my eye how he followed my movements. He sat down next to me, putting one palm high on my thigh, teasingly close to where I suddenly wanted him to be.

"And how should I go about doing that?" He asked, his hand inching closer to my center.

"Maybe a bath?" I suggested through half-closed lids.

He startled me by grabbing both of my legs and yanking them open. "Okay," he said quickly, kneeling between them. He wasted no time dipping his head down to me and licking.

"I meant in a bath tub," I said, but not strong enough for it to be called a protest.

He didn't reply, just moved lower to thrust his tongue inside me. I couldn't even squirm, his hold was too tight. One of his hands moved to circle my clit as his tongue suddenly curled to lick that sensitive spot inside me. The sensations of his thumb was almost nothing compared to the way he moved his soft tongue roughly against the tender flesh that was enough of a stimulant by itself.

My body started shaking, and I threw my head back on the bed. My hands found his hair, and I wasn't sure if I was trying to pull him off or get him closer. I moaned, and he flicked his tongue harder against me.

When my orgasm hit, I was begging him to stop and let me ride out the wave as it swept through me, but he refused to let go and continued to play with me, prolonging the sensations until the shocks of pleasure that went through me were almost painful and unbearable.

When he finally let go of me, I sighed in relief. But that was short lived, as he was repositioning me again, so that my legs hugged his waist. He sunk into me gently, and I had to drop my head back again and squeeze my eyes closed. I was trying to prepare myself for the inevitable and relentless pushing, but opened my eyes in surprise when I realized it hadn't come yet.

He was looking at me with a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm waiting. I just needed to be inside you." He dropped small kisses onto my lips, my face, neck, as his fingers tweaked and circled both nipples. I was arching my back into him, and catching his mouth in an intense kiss. His hands played with my hair, slid up and down my back, and came back up to cup my breasts.

I didn't even realize he was moving his hips slowly into me until I felt a small wave of pleasure. He withdrew only a little and pushed slowly back inside a few times. Then he withdrew a little more, but moved forwards just as slowly. He was taking it easy on me, I realized. I tried to move back up into him to let him know he could slam into me—to let him know that was what I needed, but he held my hips down and grinned. He's not going easy on me, I amended, he's torturing me. Suddenly I needed him to pound into me, to hear the slap of our flesh, to feel the quick, harsh fireworks, but no matter what I tried to do, he held me still and kept up his slow enjoyment of my body.

I may have not had my quick fireworks, but after a few more minutes of his maddening movements, I discovered I was on fire. I struggled and moaned, but he kept complete control. He lifted my hips and when he slid into me again, I was sure no one had ever felt so deep inside me. My breathing came out harsh, and I noticed his was starting to falter, too, but he held me still easily. He kissed me while still slowly surging forward, and I screamed as one slow push finally rocked me into an orgasm. I threw my head back as even then he prolonged its life by slowly barreling into me. He finally lost control and shouted as he came, but even with his last thrust, he was gentle.

He collapsed next to me on the bed, and pulled me into his arms. I wasn't sure if that was me shaking or him. I wasn't even sure which breathe taken was mine or his, as he held me to him it felt like we were one.

I had almost drifted off to sleep when I felt the ground fall from beneath me. I opened my eyes to see his face above mine. He had picked me up and was carrying me somewhere. "Damon, where are we going?"

"You said you wanted a bath, right?" He asked, grinning.

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Two hours later, Damon was finally tucking her into bed with the intention of actually sleeping. "Damon." Elena moaned, burying her head into the pillows. "I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again."

Damon threw a possessive arm over her. "Oh, well. As long as you're able to open your legs."

"Damon!" She elbowed him, but not very hard. She pulled the covers around herself. Just when Damon thought she might have fallen asleep, she said in a quiet voice, "I want to see my brother."

She heard him whisper 'okay', but she didn't see the excited, hopeful smile on his face.