He was hiding in the shadows, trying to use the absence of light to his advantage. It was almost 10 at night, and the blood was still staining his hands and his shirt but he didn't move even an inch from his place. He didn't want to get discovered. The place after all was crawling with guards and the last thing he wanted was to get caught.
"I am going to kill that fucker." He muttered in impatience.
He had been squatting on the ground for the past 1 hour and his legs were getting numb. He hadn't had anything to eat since the lunch and it was pretty cold outside so to say that he was annoyed would be an understatement. It's a god thing that he was wearing black clothes and his raven black hair also provided a good camouflage to him.
He was rubbing his palms together to generate some heat when he suddenly heard some movements in the bushes in front of him.
Taking out his revolver, he pointed it at that source of noise, ready to pull the trigger.
"You couldn't have chosen a better place for the meeting?" The man he had been waiting for emerged from the bushes, dusting the dirt from his clothes.
He gave out a sigh of relief and put the gun back in his pocket.
"Yeah next time, I'll just come to your place and we can freely discuss killing and stealing and 100 other illegal things in front of your family over a few drinks. What say?" He asked and the person rolled his eyes.
"Just tell me what you want?" He asked. "I have to go back soon because it's dinner time and everyone will suspect my absence."
Fury ran through him like a wild forest fire.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" He growled menacingly. "You wanna go back because you are getting late for a fucking dinner? I have been out there killing everyone, going hungry, covering up YOUR stupid mistakes and you are here playing fucking family?"
The man in front just gave out a long sigh, getting bored of this conversation already.
"Can you stop being a baby now? You knew what you were getting into so don't start your bitching coz I have got no fucking time for it. I know I screwed up but I think I am doing more than necessary to make up for it. I found about Costov didn't I? He would have gone to Damon and spilled his guts out but because of me we nabbed him just in time. So don't fucking go all bossy over me because let's not forget … I am in command here. It's my plan and I will see through it. As for coming to Mystic Falls with you, I can't do that and you won't go there either." He ordered.
The raven haired man had almost turned red right to embarrassment. He wasn't used to people ordering him and putting him down but he didn't oppose him. This wasn't the time or the place for such fights.
"Why are we not going to Mystic Falls? We have to take care of that loose end." He asked.
The man again sighed, over his partner's stupidity.
Out of all the people …
"We can't because A. I can't just leave this place. Hundreds of questions will be asked and there are still things here that I have to take care of. And B. you are dead ok? Officially, you died a few years back so you can't just cross the state and walk everywhere as if you are fucking Jesus. If someone sees us, we'll be fucked."
"But what about the doctor?" The man asked skeptically.
"If she tries to contact Damon, I will find out about it just like Costov. And I can guarantee you that she won't tell anything Damon over the phone, she will call him to Mystic Falls because let's face it… you don't give that sort of information to someone over phone and this is a pretty big shit. Now did you get what I asked for?"
The man smirked, producing a small vial of blue colored liquid.
"Here … a drop should be enough. Don't overuse it, the ingredients in it are rare and expensive." He warned but it seemed that the warning was falling on the deaf ears. He could see the look of evil gleam in his partner's eyes and for a moment, he felt afraid for anyone who would be unlucky enough to drink it. He wouldn't know what sort of horrors would unleash upon him.
"Thanks man. Now take this key and go straight to our old hideout. You will find some old number plates. Replace this one with one of those. Don't worry, the owners are dead, I am sure they wouldn't mind it. Then remember to call Robert, he will pick you up from there and take you to a new location. You'll find all your necessary stuff there. As soon as you reach that place, get on with your potion making skills and cook me up that bitch. I am gonna need those for future. Understood?"
The man ran over the instructions through his head one more time before nodding.
"Yeah." He answered.
"Good and take this money. I think it should be enough for a whole month. And wait for my call. Now go." He patted on his back.
The man took the bundle of notes and started crawling back towards the exit stealthily trying to make as less noise as possible.
"Well Salvatore, I think your end is very near. But don't worry… I'll give you time to say your good byes coz I won't kill you at once … I'll kill you slowly … every day. By the time I am finished with you… you'll be begging me for death but even then I won't give it to you." He smirked, eyeing the vial in his hand.
"Ughhh … I am so bad. Even I get afraid of myself sometimes." He chuckled, putting back his hoodie and walking back to the house, to unleash destruction and misery on people who had wronged him.
"Daaaa …. Daaaa …"
When Damon heard the second most beautiful voice in the whole universe calling him, he had no choice other than to take his eyes off his laptop screen to give his undivided attention to her.
"Hey beautiful… you want to play with dada?" He cooed at her, picking her up in his arms as his sweet girl giggled and bounced on his lap.
"My my …. You sure are growing up fast baby girl but I think you should slow down … I haven't even enjoyed my time with you yet." He said, blowing raspberry kisses all over her tummy.
"Really Mr. Salvatore? you spent all week with her and you are still complaining about not having enough time with her? I think I should send you back to your office today." Damon smiled when he heard his most favorite sound in the whole universe.
"Pffft Mrs. Salvatore… I am the owner of the company and the head of this house. You can't make me do anything. I'll do whatever I want and I want to spend time with this little lady." He said, tapping his daughter's cute little button nose.
Elena rolled her eyes. She walked towards them and picked up Alexandra from his lap.
"I'll remember than husband when I make you sleep on the couch tonight." She said, kissing her cheeks.
Damon got up and narrowed his eyes at her.
"Your mommy is a meanie Lex. I hope you don't turn into a grumpy old lady like her." He grumbled, ruffling her baby hair. Lex stared at her father with her baby blue eyes that she inherited form him and then stared giggling again.
"See … she agrees with me."
Elena glared at him before turning around and walking out of the study. Damon followed after her with a smug smile on his face.
"Forget the couch, I am gonna make you sleep with your dog." She huffed, walking towards the kitchen counter to make some food for her husband who was now acting like an asshole. "What do you want to eat?" She asked him.
"Mmmmmm … pancakes." He replied as Elena handed him their baby.
"Good … I'll make you waffles." She said. "You can eat it with your dog."
"Why are you involving Wrinkly in all this? He is so innocent and cute and lazy. Plus he is your dog too." He smirked as Elena just grumbled.
"That little punk shit it not my dog. All he does is sleep on all the furniture and shed his hair. Who asked you to get him when we already have a 6 month old daughter with your attitude? She refuses to eat, soils her cloth with all the food stains and throws tantrum every minute. Not only she looks like you but she has your personality too." She said in irritation.
Damon just sat there, snickering at his wife's frustrated face.
"Mmmmm … not true. She has your nose. And we can have another baby. A boy more preferably, who will look like you and have your personality. What say wifey? See … I think Lex agrees with me … look at her saying yes …"
Elena turned around and shook her head at her husband's stupid antics when she saw him bobbing their clueless looking daughter's face up and down gently.
"I swear God created you just to annoy me. But I love you anyways." She mumbled.
"I know … I mean what's not to love?" He smiled cockily as Elena rolled her eyes again.
"Your cockiness, perhaps?" She replied in a sweet yet mocking tone.
"Yeah that's not true baby. You and I both know how much you love my cock …. Ooops cockiness"
"DAMON SALVATORE!" She almost yelled at him.
"What?" He laughed. His wife's face had turned all red.
"I can't believe you would say that in front of our daughter."
He rolled his eyes.
"Yes Elena I think I have scarred her for life. I mean look at her … look at all the hate in her eyes. She'll never forgive us … ever. Oh the horror."
Elena looked at him and resisted the urge to throw the spatula at his head.
"Sometimes I wonder why I married you." She mumbled, turning back to her waffles.
Damon put Lex in her high chair and walked towards his beautiful wife. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead.
"Mmmmmm … You wonder that only sometimes? I wonder how I got that lucky every morning." He whispered in her ears and saw her trying to hide her smile.
"You don't play fair. You say things like this and win the fight every time." She spoke softly and he chuckled.
"That's because they are true baby. I love you so much." He said, kissing her on her forehead.
She turned around and put her arms around his neck, giving him that smile that he would gladly kill for.
"But I love you more … always and forever." She whispered… kissing him deeply.
"Damon … Damonnnnnn …. DAMON!"
"Who the fuck is shouting my name?" He asked in between the kisses. God his wife was one hell of a kisser.
"Damon, get up this instant." The voice boomed again.
"What the fuck? I am standing in the kitchen kissing the shit outta my wife. I think I am awake as hell." He yelled and Elena started laughing.
"Mmmmm … I guess it's time for you to go now. Don't worry … we'll meet again tonight." She whispered, pecking him on his lips.
Damon looked absolutely confused.
"Elena? I don't … what is happening?"
But she just smiled and within seconds, everything started disappearing in front of his eyes. The kitchen, the walls … roof … his daughter.
"ALEXANDRA…" He yelled when he saw her disappearing in thin air but what he saw next totally shattered his heart.
"Elena don't ..." He begged when he saw her disintegrating right in front of his eyes.
"I'll see you tonight …" She whispered.
"NOOOOOOOO …." Damon shouted so hard that his eyes flew open, landing right on very scared looking Andie.
He was breathing heavily, looking around, trying to figure what the hell just happened.
It was just a dream … just a dream.
He looked at the clock. It read 8 PM.
God it's almost dinner time. How the hell did i fall asleep?
"Are you ok? Were you having some kind of nightmare?" Andie asked. Her face was extremely close to his and it was annoying the ever living fuck out of him.
"I was in the most beautiful dream Andie … but now I am in a nightmare." He said, pushing her away.
"Don't talk to me like that." She snapped at him as he put on some pants.
Turning around, he saw her in a negligee that was hardly covering anything.
"Look Andie … if i get the urge to listen to your non sense, I'll call you. But right now i am not having that urge. So do me a favor and get out of my room." He said, looking very disgusted.
She just smiled, eyeing his delicious torso as though he were some piece of meat. A chill ran through Damon's spine and it wasn't of good kind.
"There was a time when you used to beg me to come to your room. Have you forgotten about it?" She purred, putting a finger on his chest and dragging it all the way down to his navel.
Damon backed away immediately, looking pretty much nauseated.
"No Andie, I haven't forgotten about it because you don't forget your mistakes, you learn from them. And no way in hell I am gonna commit it again. So for the last time … get out before I drag you out by your fake hair."
With the way Andie was looking at him, he was happy that the phrase 'if looks could kill…' was just another saying.
"You will regret this Salvatore." She threatened him. "I will go out there and…"
"And do what?" He asked, interrupting her in the middle. "You'll do what Andie? Tell Elena the truth? Go on … do it."
Damon looked into her eyes and saw a hint of fear in them.
Gotcha… He smirked internally.
"You are all talks ok? You and I both know that if you do that … you'll lose your leverage. I will kick you out of this house so fast that you won't even get time to say Oh shit. Plus I'll make sure that you don't get employed anywhere and on top of that … I'll make your life a living hell."
Andie was almost on the verge of having a panic attack.
"Have you heard of that phrase keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer?" He asked but it seemed that fear had paralyzed her vocal cords. "That's the sole reason you are here ok? Don't think I kept you here because I am scared of you. I AM DAMON FUCKING SALVATORE." He shouted and she flinched, taking several steps back in fear.
"You will not dare to threaten me from now onwards. Don't think that I am not keeping tabs on you so tread carefully." He spoke in a low deathly voice and she shivered in response.
Giving her one last look of distaste, he left the room.
Andie stood still, too scared to make a move. Beads of perspiration lined her forehead but she didn't dare wipe them… as though she was afraid that Damon would come back and do something.
Calming her trembling hands, she managed to take out her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a number.
"Hel… hello? Yeah it's me…." she took in a deep breath and whispered, "I want that bastard dead as soon as possible."
The fear was slowly getting replaced by anger.
"Yes I'll do whatever you ask me to. I just want to see the end of Salvatore line. I have had enough of them and their bullshit." She growled.
The man on the other side said something that made her smirk.
"That is great and I vote that we should start the plan from today itself. Since we both have an easy access to him and his brother, we can get the job done easily."
"Ok I'll call you back. Text me the details as soon as possible." The call ended but for Damon Salvatore … it was just the beginning.
Kol, Stefan and Elena were sitting in the living room, watching TV and eating pizzas and popcorn. The boys looked pretty bored while Elena's eyes were glued to the screen.
"Why the fuck are we watching this Vampire stuff again with you?" Stefan complained, stuffing his mouth with the food.
"Coz I asked you to." She replied without taking her eyes of a sexy vampire who was half naked and dancing in slow motion. "He weirdly looks like Damon … Don't you guys agree?" She said, picturing Damon with his shirt ripped open and blood smearing his face. Surprisingly it turned her on very much.
'I have to agree with you there … he looks yummy. I can just lick all of that blood off his face.' Her subconscious licked her lips and Elena just rolled her eyes.
"No I don't think that he looks anything like Damon … Ok maybe his eyes, they look almost same to me and the hair. They both have black hair. And the way they speak... both are sarcastic assholes." Stefan comment.
"And you say he is nothing like Damon." Kol chuckled which resulted in Stefan slamming the cushion on his face.
"Fuck you mate." He yelled, throwing his pizza on him but Stefan ducked in time and splat … it hit Elena on her forehead… the sauce dripping all over her face to her clothes.
" . ?" She roared. Kol fell down the couch laughing while Stefan started looking for a spot to hide.
Elena grabbed the cushion kept on her side and started hitting Kol on his head.
"Watch it woman … it hurts." He said, trying to dodge her blows but damn that girl was fast. He looked around, trying to find Stefan but rolled his eyes when he saw that pussy's legs behind the curtains.
Asshole… He cursed him internally as Elena thrashed his head again.
The trio was very much in their own world that they didn't even notice three people standing at the entrance, looking at them with an amused expression.
"Kol is getting thrashed by a girl brother … Oh how unsurprising." The blonde woman chuckled.
"He is such an idiot. Is that the way you behave with a lady?" The man said, shaking his head in disapproval when he saw Kol grabbing a pizza slice and smacking it on her face again.
The man standing next to his brother laughed at Kol.
"I don't think I have ever seen a girl look that mad. I hope she doesn't kill him … but it's not such a bad idea. I mean I hardly think anyone would mourn him."
The girl snorted.
"You'll the one mourning him the most brother and don't even try to lie. You love him the most among us, even if he is annoying."
The man frowned and opened his mouth to contradict but was halted in the middle when he heard someone shout,
"Rebecca?"
Kol and Elena immediately stopped their antics and turned around to see 3 people narrowing their eyes at them.
"Oh God … this day just went from bad to worse." Kol whispered as Elena's eyes widened on seeing 3 utterly new yet beautiful faces.
How the fuck Damon has so many good looking friends? She asked to herself as her subconscious just rolled her eyes.
If Damon won't have good looking friends then who would? You? Look the guy, he himself looks like a fucking Calvin Klein model …. Of course he is gonna have friends who look like fellow Calvin Klein models. Oh wait …. There is a girl too. She must be a Victoria's Secret model. I mean just look at her body.
"Hey guys." The woman waved, giving them a beautiful smile. She was absolutely gorgeous, with long blonde straight hair and luscious lips painted red.
"What the hell guys? What are you doing here?" Kol asked, looking very much surprised.
"Thank you Kol for that very warm welcome and I must say I missed you too." She rolled her eyes. "But I am not here to see you, I am here to meet Stefan." She purred, looking at him.
Elena couldn't believe her eyes. Standing next to her, Stefan Salvatore was blushing like a newlywed wife whose husband was about to remove the garter from her thighs in front of everyone.
Well, this is new.
"And who is this lovely lady here?" One of the men asked.
She removed her eyes away from the blushing man and found all three of them looking at her with interest.
She almost snorted on hearing the word lady because no way she was looking like one right now.
"I am Elena Gilbert." She said meekly, feeling quite intimidated.
The man wearing suit stepped forward and extended his hand towards her.
"My name is Elijah Mikaelson.' He said in a deep rich voice. "This is my sister Rebecca Mikaelson and my younger brother Niklaus Mikaelson."
Elena gave them a weak smile. They looked so pristine, so classy, so well cultured as though they had just stepped out of some vogue magazine and here she was, standing in front of them with tomato sauce dripping down her face and pizza bits stuck in her hair.
Good going Gilbert … What an introduction.
While the older brother looked like some royalty and the sister looked like she was the next Anna Wintour in making, the other brother was pretty laid back, with his rough curly hair and cute little almost-to-die-for dimples. He was wearing a leather jacket that looked quite expensive and worn out jeans with biker boots that was giving him a sexy bad boy persona.
He hadn't said a word yet but was observing her very keenly which kind of made her uncomfortable.
Amongst all this, she didn't notice Kol stepping forward to hug his brother but the Elijah simply took two steps back, looking at him in distaste.
"Go clean yourself up before you touch me. My suit is costlier than your pizza." He said as Kol just gave him a mock smile.
"Really feeling the love here brother. Besides you own hundreds of those boring suits. But I am sure my dear sister won't mind." He said, turning towards her but she too backed out.
"Oh ummm she will, because even though she loves you, she loves her clothes more. Plus this is Dior. But I wouldn't mind Stefan hugging me." She said, giving him a shy smile.
Stefan winked at Kol and stepped forward to hug Rebecca and it looked very intimate. As if they were more than friends.
Hmmmmm …. Make a note to ask him about this later.
Kol pouted looking at the duo which made Klaus laugh very hard.
"Come here brother. I don't mind your pizza hug." He said, extending his arms as Kol face broke into a big smile.
"I love him the most." He said, looking at his other sibling. "And if I sleep with some girl who turns out to be a serial killer and stabs me the next morning, I will leave my entire fortune to him and not give you guys a single penny." He stuck his tongue out at them as Elijah simply rolled his eyes.
"Oh the horrors. How will we ever survive?" He said in a deadpanned voice.
Kol just pointed his middle finger at him.
Elena saw Damon walking into the room with a huge smile on his face, a kind that comes only when you are with your family.
"Well, well, well … if it isn't the Scooby gang." He said, announcing his presence. As soon as Klaus saw him, he pushed Kol aside and rushed to meet his best mate.
"You are so not getting my inheritance." Kol said, looking annoyed.
They both hugged as though they were meeting after a long time which actually was true. It had been 6 month since Damon had seen them.
Stefan met the same fate as Kol when Rebecca pushed him aside to give a tight hug the elder Salvatore.
"How are you blondie?" He asked, ruffling her hair. She stuck her tongue out at him and slapped his hand away.
"Leave my hair alone." She said in a mock anger.
"Welcome to the club bro." Kol smirked when he heard Stefan grumbling beside him.
And at last, Elijah came forward to meet him and Damon's stance immediately changed.
"Hello Elijah." He greeted him with respect, as though greeting the eldest member of the house and in a way… maybe Elijah was the eldest member of this family who was keeping them together as a unit.
Elena was standing in one of the corners, feeling as though she was intruding a family reunion. She felt like an outsider who wasn't supposed to be there. So she left the room quietly, not feeling neglected at all … but feeling really happy on seeing Damon with his family. She was seeing the real Damon, the one who wasn't serious, the one who acted his age, the one who was carefree and didn't have to carry the weight of the whole world on his shoulders because now, there were others there to share that weight.
Mystic Falls hospital. 3rd July, 11 pm
Meredith was sitting in her cabin, going through the reports for the 10th time. She still was having trouble believing the paper.
Amino Niobium sulfide Neopentanoic acid found in subject's blood.
She had read that line at least 50 times in the past hour.
How is this possible? She kept thinking but no explanation came to her mind.
She didn't even dare consult this with other physicians. She didn't want to take a risk, didn't want to raise any suspicion because this was highly dangerous.
"Why hasn't Damon called me yet?" She muttered to herself. She had contacted his assistant Costov 2 days earlier and he had promised her that he would ask Damon to call her as soon as possible. She had asked him for his personal number but he refused to give her one.
But here she was, waiting for a call from either of them, but they hadn't.
Maybe Damon is the one who is involved in all this. Maybe that's why he hasn't called me. Oh God, why did I have to lose his card? She lamented.
Taking out her cell phone, she dialed Costov's number once again but still it was switched off, making her more and more suspicious about Damon.
No … he can't do that. He loves her. I saw it in his eyes, his feelings for her were genuine. Then why hasn't he called me yet? God … why am I stuck in all this?
After a few more minutes of pondering, she closed the file and locked it in her desk. Switching off the lights, she locked her cabin and made her way out towards the parking lot to her car.
She felt as though someone was following her, someone was watching her. A chilling sensation ran down her spine. She tried hard to keep the normal pace, trying not to make the person feel that she had sensed his presence. Opening the gate of her car, she got inside quickly and switched on the engine and without any further delay, sped from there.
The person hiding behind the pillar smirked. He knew that she had felt his presence, knew that that she was scared and that's what he wanted. He wanted her to feel the fear because fear would keep her away from that case, fear would keep her from calling Damon. One wrong move and he would have to kill her. But she was such a pretty lady… and it would be a shame to waste such a beauty.
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach"
― Elizabeth Barrett Browning