I do not own Vampire Diaries or any of it's associated characters, thank you.

Okay all! I was originally going to have her hook up with Damon, but he's got that thing going with Elena during Season 3, and per Elena's character I don't think it would have gone over well- there were scenes when she was jealous over him and, Rebekah so I took Tessa out of that love triangle. Stefan is hell-bent on Klaus's demise, and Matt well... I honestly don't have an excuse for him. With Alaric's background in hunting I felt he was a better choice. Anyways, please enjoy!

Chapter 11: Our Town

Tessa exited the bedroom she'd been staying in since her father had left the house, two days ago. Klaus had heard her crying almost the whole time, but he'd never have known she even shed a tear, her eyes were now as clear of tears as ever, and they looked bright when paired with her oversized cornflower blue knitted cardigan. His eyes trailed over her black skinny jeans up to her grey crop top showing off her pale, and toned midriff. She stood still with her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the door. She watched Klaus standing before an open casket, undoubtedly one of his siblings lying there with a dagger in their heart,

"So this was the business you were attending to for the 'renovation'?" Tessa spoke first her eyes watching over Klaus carefully. She wasn't sure how he would react to her presence after they found out her family, and father had been working over the centuries to create weapons for him, and his family's destruction.

She took in his loose hooded grey shirt. Trailing her eyes downwards she took in the baggy jeans held up with a belt and a rather ostentatious look buckle- similar to the one she'd broken back in New York. Klaus sighed, muttering something as he closed the casket gently, "No, love. I just got my sister back from the Gilbert girl last night. I don't expect you to know that what with your wallowing and all." Tessa shut her mouth at his statement an air of awkwardness about the room now.

She huffed uncrossing her arms now feeling more secure of his mood. "Yes, well not all of us can have the conscience of a serial killer, Klaus." He smirked at her witty retort. He moved closer to her, his blue eyes staring at her own intensely. "I am sorry for your loss, love." He said softly.

Her eyebrows twitched down in confusion at his display of emotion. They were coming more, and more frequent towards her. She realized then that he was trusting her, and that scared her more than being in his possession-so to speak.

"Yeah, well. At the time it wasn't really that big of a loss. I didn't think I'd had anyone in my family left." She told him her tone distant as she took a step away from him. "But, you knew my father was alive, and well. Didn't you?" Her voice changed taking on an accusing tone.

That's when one of Klaus's hybrids appeared at the door. Mindy. Tessa recognized her from the party, generally, Klaus's hybrids stayed close by in dorm-like apartments compelled for them by Klaus, of course. "Show her to her room, would you, love?" Klaus asked changing the subject as he glanced at the darker girl. Her sharply cut layered bob seemed to have outgrown its style in the back, her light eyes glanced to Tessa flashing a yellow color in them.

"Ah, ah, Mindy." Klaus's sharp tone caused the girl's eyes to soften as they moved back towards him. "Please." At his last word, he gestured to the coffin.

"Sure." She purred with a nod. She moved slowly towards the head of the coffin and pushed it gently not bothering to wait for Tessa to get out of the way. Klaus smirked to himself as he grabbed his red glass filled with what appeared to be alcohol of some form. "Would you like some, love?" Klaus asked as he brought his cup up to finish it off. Tessa didn't respond as she suddenly felt a presence nearby, instantly going on the alert.

"I'm surprised you're still in town. I gave you your freedom; you could have gone anywhere." Klaus said loudly. A smirk graced his face as his eyes turned to the room through the open doorway to Tessa's right. She perked up and moved to stand beside Klaus looking in to see Stefan there.

He was up against the bare doorway, clad in his leather jacket, and dark apparel- he radiated a cool, confident demeanor. Tessa swallowed knowing that if she'd stolen from Klaus entering his home would be at the bottom of her to-do list.

"I live here, Klaus," Stefan replied with a smirk as his eyes moved to take in Tessa.

"Well, if we're playing this game, then-uh. I was here first." Klaus grinned moving into the other room where Stefan stood. Klaus snatched up the bottle of alcohol that held a distinctly sweet smell to it- it had been mixed with blood- Tessa quickly placed the metallic scent in it.

"You know," Stefan began ignoring Klaus's last comment entirely as he pushed away from the doorway, uncrossing his arms. "I don't like your hybrid friends." Klaus continued to pour more into his cup before holding it out to Tessa. Merely sating her curiosity for what it was she moved into the other room, stopping just past the doorway and, took it tilting the bottle back sipping it. Mead. Made from honey. Klaus must've been feeling nostalgic after daggering his younger sister. "They're everywhere; kind of like fleas." Stefan continued as he moved in closer still. Tessa stared at him not wanting to be to close to him. She'd thought she'd hated him since the day she was turned, but once her emotions were returned it was as if, she understood them more. She was frightened of him and continued to be so even now after her journey through the transition, and nearly two months of being a vampire now. That fear still coiled in the pit of her stomach. "I want them gone." Stefan finished as his eyes never strayed from Klaus.

"Yeah, well. I kind of like having them around." Klaus said as he finished his second cup that Tessa's seen thus far. He held his hand out for the bottle of mead, and Tessa handed it over wordlessly. Her movements were stiff, and she tried to refrain from moving any closer to Stefan. "You know, I'm hurt." Klaus began as he took some steps closing in the space between Stefan and himself. "I'd hoped that you know, I'd free you, and we'd pick up where we left off but, here you are guzzling vervain; like the rest of them, I'm sure." Klaus paused putting the bottle down on the make-shift table line with blueprints for the renovation. "So much for friendship."

"Friends don't strip friends of their free will." Stefan pointed out with a glance to Tessa. She crossed her arms over herself trying to look smaller as his eyes moved over her body.

"Okay, granted, yeah. That was a little extreme." Klaus admitted as he nodded acknowledging Stefan's point. "But, I get a little moody. Just ask my siblings… Speaking of whom, isn't it time you handed them over?" Klaus moved in closer to Stefan trying to exert his dominance, to get what he wanted.

"Klaus," Stefan began as he closed the gap between them, "Get your hybrids out of Mystic Falls or, I will remove them myself." He threatened with a smile.

"Hmm." Klaus began turning away from Stefan slightly as his hand clenched around the cup he held tighter "You see if you continue to threaten me, I'm going to be forced to retaliate. You know? Kill people, and it'll get messy, again. Isn't that right, Tessa?"

Tessa jumped at the mention of her name. Her gaze remained on Stefan since she came to realize his presence. What did Klaus mean though? Would he compel her to shut off her humanity again? Would he use her to kill? She was terrified of the control he'd had over her before, she wouldn't want it happening again.

Stefan wasn't backing down, and Tessa didn't expect him to. He had the coffins safely tucked away, he had the leverage. Stefan entered Klaus's house knowing Klaus couldn't kill him because then he'd never get the rest of his siblings back. It was a smart plan from a hunter's standpoint. Her mother would have approved.

Stefan shrugged now, "Do whatever you want. I don't really care-." He cut himself off suddenly changing gears. "Or, you know what? Maybe I do. Yeah, maybe I care so much that I'll drop Elijah in the middle of the Arctic."

"Well," Klaus began in a clipping tone, "Maybe I'd be willing to lose one brother if it meant killing yours." He threatened. His piercing gaze never strayed from Stefan once. Klaus didn't even flinch.

"Try me. Let's find out." Stefan said with a grin. Tessa knew Stefan was really gone if he didn't even blink at Klaus's threat. Klaus grinned back at the bravado Stefan was showing. Tessa knew better than to get involved in this war. She had reason's to fear Stefan, and Klaus both; she didn't feel the need to redirect their anger at her.

As if on cue, Mindy entered the room from the entrance Stefan had used, "Is everything okay?" She asked eyeing Stefan up and down.

"Everything's fine, Mindy. Stefan was just leaving after failing to make his point." Klaus told her. Stefan chuckled, and before anyone could react blood splattered on the floor as Mindy's head thudded to the newly placed wood across the floor. Tessa stood her mouth gaping as she stared at Stefan. He held the bloody saw in his right hand as he turned to face Klaus.

"Well… one down." He said cheerfully. "You may want to-uh, send the rest of them away; before it gets messy… again." He finished as he tossed the saw back on the table. Klaus stood there watching Stefan closely as he left.

"I'm not cleaning that up," Tessa muttered softly as she turned away and, walked back towards the finished part of the house.

She'd been wandering around the town of Mystic Falls, she was stuck here so she might as well get to know the layout of it. She'd stumbled upon a bar called the Mystic Grille, after a while. With the autumn sun setting early she figured she'd check in there for a drink, or two. I suppose thinking of more original names was to complex when it had been founded, Tessa thought as she entered it. Taking up a seat at the bar she was quick to see the blond bartender- she recognized him from the night at the high school almost a month ago.

"Hey, aren't you-?" He asked. Tessa cut him off with a nod.

"Yep." She said shortly.

"If you're here, that means-."

"Klaus is back. Unfortunately, yeah." She told him. "And, given that I've been forced to spend the last two months with the said homicidal maniac, I'm gonna ask you to do me a favor. I'm gonna need a double shot of the strongest whiskey you've got." The blond kid chuckled as his blue eyes sparkled. Leaning down he grabbed a bottle of southern comfort and placed it before her with a glass.

"If that's the case then, I should just leave you the bottle." He grinned down at her. Tessa chuckled with a nod.

"Well, thank you." She told him her eyes taking in his features. The blue colored tee brought out his blue eyes even more than the spark in them had.

"I'm Matt, by the way. If you need any more, just give me a holler." He told her. Tessa smiled pouring her self a drink now knowing that she had swiped some cash back at the mansion from Klaus's wallet. She had her emotions back and didn't want to start things off on the wrong foot. She was determined to walk that fine line of balance. She had no intentions of murdering anybody, but she was also going to be looking out for herself from here on out. It's what her father had told her to do- he somehow found a balance after meeting a vampire that took him under their wing.

"You're in my seat." A voice said from behind her. Tessa looked over her shoulder to see Damon, she was hoping to run into him while walking the town, but she hadn't. Until now. His taste reminded Tessa of Stefan a bit with the leather and all.

"Oh?" Tessa asked turning the barstool around as she tipped the glass of whiskey back. "Is that so?" Damon rolled his eyes at her but took up residence on the seat next to hers. Damon stared for a moment recognizing her.

"Ah, whiskey, huh?" He asked as he took in the whole bottle. "Southern Comfort? Are you lookin' for trouble tonight, or what?" He asked with an eyebrow quirked. Tessa laughed.

"Trouble seems to have followed me since I left Chicago."

"Chicago?" He asked surprise in his voice. Tessa nodded as she refilled her glass quickly. "He and Stefan must've picked you up. You from there?" He added as she threw back her drink, only to refill it.

"Eh, sorta. I was born on the east coast, moved out there at a young age. I went back there to go to college; moms orders." She told him shortly.

"So what's an ex-vampire hunter doing with Klaus?" He asked coming straight to the point as he watched her glance at him from sucking down her alcohol.

"Well, I wasn't anything but, food for your brother originally. He killed me, and I had vampire blood in my system from a previous hunt. So voila, You now have vampire Tessa. Ex-vampire hunter." She told him.

"Tessa, huh?"

"Yep. Contessa Dara." She told him her last name looking for an inkling of recognition. He paused in his movement to our himself a bourbon.

"Vampire hunter, Tessa Dara. Any relation to Chevonne and Charles?" She smirked now knowing he remembered her from that night too.

"I'm their daughter." She told him. Of course, if he remembered her parents, then he remembered her too.

"Wow, 15 years has certainly changed you." He said as his eyes moved up her slowly, taking in what he could. Tessa picked up her drink and tossed it back again finishing her third drink quickly.

"You really are looking for trouble, aren't you."

"I found you, didn't I?" She asked him a sexy smirk on her pink lips as she put the glass back on the bar. Damon remembered when he'd been in Chicago after the fiasco he left back in Mystic Falls- with his uncle-nephew Zack and Gail. He'd never fully recovered from attacking her, he'd been caught by the hunter on one of his rampages through the city. Damon had been tied up and, left for dead in the shed behind the Dara's family home. It was one of the few times he'd come close to giving up, and just letting death come for him. Her parent's- more accurately her father had been brutal with the torture. Until Tessa- who had been 6 at the time was compelled to release him from his binds. He had thought about eating her that very night given he'd been starved for days, but he hadn't had the heart for it after killing Gail.

Instead, he found another way to get back at the hunter that tortured him- he turned him.

Tessa sighed as she made to grab the bottle of Southern Comfort again, but someone beat her to it. Turning around she was surprised to see an older man standing there with an athletic build. He was a handsome man with brown hair, in a short haircut that was gelled to the side on the top of his head, "Oh, apologies." He told her as he was quick to set the bottle back down. "I thought it was his, we're headed to a town meeting, I thought it best if he didn't show up drunk."

"Oh, not a problem." Tessa smiled up at him. "I probably should cool it myself. I'm on my fourth." She told him with a laugh, as she gestured to her empty glass.

"Oh, you've got a long way to go before the drink start to affect you, sweetheart," Damon said with a grin. "You're relatively new to the whole vampire thing though, so it may affect you to down the whole bottle, but me? I'd have to drink through their entire supply of alcohol in the back." Tessa froze glancing up at the man before her.

"Oh, he knows about vampires. You know what? He's a hunter too, you guys might get along well. Tessa meet, Alaric." Tessa glanced from Damon to the man before her, still unsure of him.

"You're a hunter?" The guys asked his eyes moving over Tessa, "You look so-."

"Young? Yeah, I was kind of raised in it." She told him before quickly filling up her glass again in contrast to what she was saying about slowing down. The thought of her mother made her want to drink more.

"How- how long have you been a vamp-."

"Going on two months." She replied shortly before downing the contents of her glass. "Courtesy of Klaus." She added after slamming her glass on the table.

"Wait, Klaus turned you?" Alaric asked glancing at Damon with alarm.

"No. Stefan did. Technically." She corrected before Damon could say anything. Damon just watched the girl before him as she filled up her glass again. The bottle was close to being half gone now, so he reached for it.

"Stefan did?!" Alaric asked his voice growing louder with shock.

"Yeah, it's something I just found out too," Damon said in a monotoned voice; as he looked on at Tessa downing yet, another shot, her blue eyes turned to look at Damon as she held her hand out expectantly for the bottle. "What did Klaus do to you to make you come here and drink the night away?" Damon asked pulling it away.

"Ugh, it's a long, long, long story," Tessa said reaching to grab the bottle, but her previous drinks were beginning to hit her all at once now.

"Whoa," Alaric said as he reacted like Damon. Damon had been faster and his arms slid around her waist, steadying her as she landed on her feet from slipping off of the barstool. "Maybe you should cool it, huh?" Alaric asked her.

"You aren't the ones that have to go back to Klaus tonight." She pointed out.

"Fair point," Damon said.

"Then don't go back to him," Alaric said suddenly. Tessa turned to look at him with interest now. "C'mon, let's take her back to my loft. I can crash at Elena's."

"Elena? Isn't she dead?" Tessa asked bluntly. As Damon moved to half carry her from the bar. She pushed him though. "Wait!" She called out loudly.

"What?" Damon snapped at her as he didn't like being pushed much.

She walked over to the counter on unsteady legs as she slapped down a hundred dollar bill, "Matt! Hey Matt! Keep the change, seriously." Tessa turned to walk back to Damon and Alaric as she put her arm around both of them to whisper, "Drinks were on Klaus's tab, anyways." With that Damon and Alaric brought her out to his car and dropped her off at Alaric's loft before headed out to the Founder's Council meeting.

Tessa roamed the hunter's loft not looking for anything but just looking to get to know him. She had only really been around Klaus since her arrival to Mystic Falls, it was nice to see someone else's life for a change. He didn't seem any different from any other hunter she's crossed paths with while hunting. He didn't have any personal items up in his loft, no knickknacks, or anything to make the place seem like it was settled into. She was still feeling the high of her buzz when she stumbled on more alcohol in the kitchen of the loft- conveniently it was out on the counter as if it had been drunk recently. She picked it up and drank some more, her feelings were still resurfacing. The worst of it was over when she had broken down over the death of her mother, but she still felt the guilt eating at her.

Stumbling on a stereo she switched on, she used music as a way to escape her life- whether she was hunting, or simply training, she always had music to lose her thoughts to. She hated silence- it gave her too much time to think about things. "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull came on the radio, and Tessa began to dance about the loft feeling the high from her buzz. She grinned as she danced about the place, this was the first time in weeks she was able to get her mind off of her serious problems, she wouldn't get drunk around Klaus in fear of what could happen, she walked on eggshells around him and she hated it.

She heard the door opening but cared little about who it was. Her dancing continued as the song picked up its tempo. The bottle of alcohol still in her hand; she tipped it back losing herself to the music. Glancing in the direction of the door to see Alaric there with a grin, "I see you found my stash." He nodded at the bottle.

"Well, yeah, it wasn't hidden really well." She replied as she continued dancing. He moved in and, closed the door behind him. She realized then that there was no one with him. She slowed her dancing at a stop moving towards him.

"So, I-uhm, appreciate you letting me stay here, but I-I don't want you facing the wrath of Klaus. Trust me. He is not someone you want to make an enemy of."

"You can't be seriously thinking of going back there. I want to help you." Alaric told her as he moved closing the gap between them. Tessa knew she was drunk, but she felt almost comfortable to be around a fellow hunter, the air of familiarity was all she'd had left of her old life, "You're just giving him the control he wants." He finished.

Tessa stopped with a smile up at him. Alaric was taken aback at how dazzling it was, "Thank you, for caring. Seriously, it's rare. You don't even know me, but you-."As Tessa spoke she put her hand on his chest to start to push him away.

"It's called being a decent person." He told her grabbing her hand in his. "Don't thank me for it, Tessa." Maybe it was the alcohol she'd consumed, or maybe it was the nostalgia she was feeling creep up on her. It also hadn't helped that for the last month she'd endured Klaus's teasing, he knew how to touch her to get her body to respond only to tear himself away from her. All she knew was when Alaric said her name in that soft tone, she lost it. Leaning up she pressed her mouth to his. She could feel the surprise in him, his body stiffened as he moved to back up, but Tessa's arms encircled his neck holding him against her.

"Please." She all but, whimpered against his mouth. "I-I need this." She could feel him hesitating to pull away now, and knew she had seconds to seal the deal. Her hands gripped his button-up shirt as they moved at vampire speed unbuttoning each one quickly. Before he knew it he was shirtless. Tessa pulled back as she slid her blue cardigan from her body and yanked the crop top up over her head. Her red-orange hair cascaded around her face as she stared at Alaric.

"Tessa, I-This-this is wrong."

"No, it's not." She told him as she pressed herself against his warm body now. "I really, really need this, Alaric. You said you want to help? This is how you can." With that, she pressed her mouth to his and kicked off her black boots. He could feel her hunching down as he kissed her. His hands slid to her shoulders, feeling how soft her skin was he almost reconsidered, but he pulled away against the command of his body, he hadn't been intimate with a girl in so long. It had been months since Jenna's death, and he didn't know this girl, so it wouldn't have any sort of strings attached. It was almost perfect, but he couldn't get the possibility of age out of his head.

"Tessa," He began softly. That's when he opened his eyes to find Tessa in her undergarments. Alaric saw the sheer white bra, lace covered the cups- it screamed innocence, while thick black straps went over her shoulders, and the tiny, black leather bow in between the valley of her breasts showed a flicker of rebellion in her. The lace under it looked almost crocheted together, Alaric's eyes traveled down before he could think better of it and he regretted it immediately. She had a matching thong another little bow just above her center screamed for him to rip the remaining garments from her body. He wanted to throw her over his shoulder and, take her to bed right then, but his brain worked quicker.

"Tessa." He tried again his voice hoarse. "I'm 33." He finished quickly knowing his voice would betray him if he kept talking.

"And, I'm dead. Alaric. Who cares?" She asked before super-speeding to him and pressing her mouth to his. She moved her hands to his which were left hanging at his sides as she maneuvered them over her body. She slid one to her taut waist, while she shifted his other up over her breasts. He wondered briefly when she'd removed her bra. It didn't matter at that point, Alaric knew that he was a goner the minute he touched her.

Thank you for your views! Hope you enjoyed the read.

XXTigerXEyesXX