Part 8
It was still hard to believe how different Margaret was, despite how much she looked like Elena. Her lack of interest in the supernatural was a problem Damon had never anticipated. Still, he had never been one to back away from a challenge.
In crow form, he perched on the branch of the quince tree outside the Elena's window. His eyes didn't miss the sleek red sports car pulling into the empty drive, nor did he miss Veronique's two goons in the car.
Odd, how Margaret was intrigued by *them*. The crow squawked in annoyance. Natasha looked up, scowling at it. Her male companion, whose name was lost on Damon, was frowning at him as well.
"What? It's just a crow." Margaret was looking from one to the other. Then turned, appearing almost to look directly at him, as a scowl of anger crossed her pretty face.
"Oh, for the love of..." Margaret muttered angrily. She gave the crow the finger, tossed her hair over her shoulder and got in the car. "You two coming or what?"
Natasha was chuckling. "You're not as dense as we thought."
"Yeah, well Damon Salvatore can shove his charm and anything else up his pompous ass," Margaret answered.
"If only I could see the look on his face at that," the male said, shaking his head with amusement, and drove off.
The crow flew from the branch. A few seconds later a shadow became Damon. Their words had no effect on him. If anything, they just amused him. If he'd have let every snide remark get to him he'd have been a basket case by the time he was twenty, let a lone five hundred plus.
Elena had refused him, but loved him in the end in her own way. It wasn't enough. She hadn't come *with* him. She was never going to leave that moron of a brother of his. He didn't understand it now any more than he did back then, the whole mess of his feelings for Elena. He was no better in Fell's Church now than he had been ten years ago.
"What point of her little gesture did you not understand?"
Damon's eyes rolled. His patience was starting to wear thin and he was *not* in the mood for Veronique. "I didn't pursue her, did I?"
Veronique smiled. "Yes, but I know you too well. You're not one for giving up."
"What do you want?"
Veronique looked at him sharply. She was smart enough to sense his annoyance. She wasn't strong enough to out do him in a power battle, nor a physical one. At least he *hoped* she was smart enough to realise that. Then again, he wouldn't pas up the opportunity for a good fight.
"Their names are Connie and Darla."
Damon's eyebrow arched. "Margaret's friends?"
Veronique nodded. "Preferably dead. You like killing things."
"What's in it for me?"
Veronique smiled again. "I'm working on a little surprise get-together."
Damon's eyes rolled. "And this is the part where I'm supposed to be intrigued and do what you ask to find out."
Veronique was still apparently determined to get Margaret for herself. Margaret, who supposedly had no interest in vampires. Veronique was certainly not the brightest - so what the hell could she possibly have in mind. ~Damn~ Damon thought. That bitch really did have an irritating way of getting under your skin. Okay, so play things her way.
For now.
"What are you smirking at?" Veronique asked, frowning at him.
"You've got yourself a deal."
* * *
It was still hard to believe how different Margaret was, despite how much she looked like Elena. Her lack of interest in the supernatural was a problem Damon had never anticipated. Still, he had never been one to back away from a challenge.
In crow form, he perched on the branch of the quince tree outside the Elena's window. His eyes didn't miss the sleek red sports car pulling into the empty drive, nor did he miss Veronique's two goons in the car.
Odd, how Margaret was intrigued by *them*. The crow squawked in annoyance. Natasha looked up, scowling at it. Her male companion, whose name was lost on Damon, was frowning at him as well.
"What? It's just a crow." Margaret was looking from one to the other. Then turned, appearing almost to look directly at him, as a scowl of anger crossed her pretty face.
"Oh, for the love of..." Margaret muttered angrily. She gave the crow the finger, tossed her hair over her shoulder and got in the car. "You two coming or what?"
Natasha was chuckling. "You're not as dense as we thought."
"Yeah, well Damon Salvatore can shove his charm and anything else up his pompous ass," Margaret answered.
"If only I could see the look on his face at that," the male said, shaking his head with amusement, and drove off.
The crow flew from the branch. A few seconds later a shadow became Damon. Their words had no effect on him. If anything, they just amused him. If he'd have let every snide remark get to him he'd have been a basket case by the time he was twenty, let a lone five hundred plus.
Elena had refused him, but loved him in the end in her own way. It wasn't enough. She hadn't come *with* him. She was never going to leave that moron of a brother of his. He didn't understand it now any more than he did back then, the whole mess of his feelings for Elena. He was no better in Fell's Church now than he had been ten years ago.
"What point of her little gesture did you not understand?"
Damon's eyes rolled. His patience was starting to wear thin and he was *not* in the mood for Veronique. "I didn't pursue her, did I?"
Veronique smiled. "Yes, but I know you too well. You're not one for giving up."
"What do you want?"
Veronique looked at him sharply. She was smart enough to sense his annoyance. She wasn't strong enough to out do him in a power battle, nor a physical one. At least he *hoped* she was smart enough to realise that. Then again, he wouldn't pas up the opportunity for a good fight.
"Their names are Connie and Darla."
Damon's eyebrow arched. "Margaret's friends?"
Veronique nodded. "Preferably dead. You like killing things."
"What's in it for me?"
Veronique smiled again. "I'm working on a little surprise get-together."
Damon's eyes rolled. "And this is the part where I'm supposed to be intrigued and do what you ask to find out."
Veronique was still apparently determined to get Margaret for herself. Margaret, who supposedly had no interest in vampires. Veronique was certainly not the brightest - so what the hell could she possibly have in mind. ~Damn~ Damon thought. That bitch really did have an irritating way of getting under your skin. Okay, so play things her way.
For now.
"What are you smirking at?" Veronique asked, frowning at him.
"You've got yourself a deal."
* * *