Damon decided day drinking was the best option at the moment. James had sent for him and Elena, and as soon as James said, "so the council has an idea for this thing called the Augustine Society…." Damon walked to the sideboard and poured himself a large drink. Only to quickly return and pour another one when Elena took his glass from him and started drinking it herself.
"I take it you've heard of that before," James observed.
Elena took a large swallow of bourbon. "Yes. They succeed in making a place to 'study' vampires. What it really means is they cut them up, torture them, and 'observe' their organs healing. All while claiming it's for the good of science without ever making one damn scientific breakthrough. In another timeline, Damon was tortured by them for five years. Enzo, who you'll meet soon, was tortured for over six decades."
"Another timeline?!" Stefan asked. Human Damon and Stefan had just come into the room.
"Yes," Elena replied. "There is more to everything supernatural happening here. I came back in time to change the horrid events of the future. But I won't harp on that point. We need to stop the Augustine Society for good."
"Slaughtering all the other founding families would work," human Damon replied.
Vampire Damon looked at human Damon and smiled at him. "I love your instincts, but that won't work. Elena is actually a Gilbert. I'd hate to make it, so she was never born in the future."
"A Gilbert and a vampire? Now that is funny," he replied.
Vampire Damon laughed along with him. "And it was her vampire blood that saved your wife, Stefan."
"Had I known, I wouldn't have suggested it," human Damon replied. "Question. We have Isabelle, Rosa, and the Bennetts. Is there a spell we can do to stop the council from forming the Augustine Society?"
"Rosa isn't that powerful, and from what I remember, the current Bennett witches aren't either. How powerful is Isabelle?" Elena asked human Damon.
"I wouldn't even know how to judge that, and it's not like she was out comparing her powers with others. She hides it all; she's scared of being burned alive. For an excellent reason."
There was a knock on the sitting room door, and everyone grew quiet even though all the servants were compelled not to speak about things heard around the house. Still, it was a shock when Isabelle was shown into the room. They all stared at her as she fidgeted. Finally, she said, "I did a small spell to let me know… Did I mess it up, or am I needed? It's the first time I got the feeling…."
Human Damon walked directly over to Isabelle, pulled her towards him and kissed the top of her head. "You are perfect. You did it just right. I wish you wouldn't risk yourself, though."
"I performed the spell in the woods, far, far away from the Lockwoods. I'm not careless. They thought I was sneaking off to see you." She kissed his chin. "It makes it easier not to get caught performing magic."
He wanted to kiss her breathless for being so clever. Instead, he pulled back. "I'd like to introduce you to my Aunt Elena, Damon's wife."
Isabella looked stunned. "You're a vampire? You look…"
Elena chuckled, "human?"
"Kind," she then blushed. "I just… from everything I learned."
Smiling kindly, Elena said, "and witches want to curse you and make your husbands be unfaithful."
"Point taken," Isabella responded. "But you do need human blood."
Elena shrugged, "it's laziness that makes a vampire kill. I just have to work harder to get a full meal."
"And Damon?"
"He's only 'lazy' sometimes, and most of the time, they deserve it."
"What?!"
"He loves to drain rapists and men who beat their children," Elena smirked and added, "I've learned to accept those."
Damon scoffed, "bull shit."
She replied, "I pretend to object since I don't want you to normalize killing."
James shook his head, "what a world I live in now –normalize killing. Am I really on the right side?"
Stefan shrugged, "why concern ourselves with that?! Forget everyone who isn't or isn't our soon-to-be family. They saved my wife and child. That is all I need to know. Damon could drain someone in front of me, and I wouldn't give a damn as long as it wasn't someone I care about."
Isabell flushed, and the human Damon noticed and grew worried about what she was thinking. He knew the cold-blooded attitude of his brother was a lot to take in, and even more so, Elena's not-so-subtle hint that her husband sometimes killed the innocent to feed. And that was on top of the explanation she had given him earlier regarding the natural dislike witches had for the very unnatural vampires. He wanted to pull her from the room and erase everything she'd heard. Compulsion suddenly seemed like a desirable ability to him –not that the vervain-laced love of his life could be compelled.
"Stefan, I-I'm already someone you care about?" Isabella's question shocked the hell out of her Damon. "I…"
Stefan rolled his eyes at her and made a noise of disapproval. "I like my brother, and you, by far, are the best thing that's happened to him. All of us Salvatore men, my father excluded, marry way above them."
Vampire Damon barked out a laugh, "true, but she came looking for me."
Elena smiled, "did I tell you that you loved me for my years in the other timeline before I would even consider going out with you?"
"Yup! That poor version of me won't ever exist now. You, beautiful Elena, seduced me from the beginning. That's what matters to me." The cocky look on his face when he said that made her smile despite herself.
James, ever the practical one, said, "and back to stopping the Augustines?"
Isabella smirked, "compel them to give up the idea."
"We can't, Isa-bell-a," vampire Damon sassed. "Did you forget the vervain?"
"No. Of course not. But…" she smirked and said, "the Lockwoods grow and provide all the vervain for the council. And as a witch –I know what to substitute for the real thing. I can get them off vervain for long enough for you to compel the idea out of their minds."
Elena cocked her head, "you'd help us –vampires?"
"I overheard the Lockwoods talk about the Augustine Society. That is evil. I don't know how I feel about the whole vampire thing, but I'm sure what they want to do is worse than anything that vampires are. I'm trying to think for myself, and I firmly believe that the torture of anything -human or not is wrong. And what they want to do is absolute torture."
Elena shot back her drink and smiled. "Well, we'll compel them, and if you want to be present, Isabella, when we do, you can be there."
"Why?"
"I assume you will remain on the real vervain. You can be assured we are only doing what you helped us to do."
Vampire Damon grumbled, "way to ruin the fun, Elena."
She shook her head with amusement and continued. "As I was saying. You can be assured we will only compel them not to form the Augustine Society. We wouldn't want to take advantage of the help of family."
Isabella sighed and stared at Elena. "I never dreamed I'd like a vampire, but I find I really like you."
Elena smirked, "I'm family, or soon will be. Let's not get hung up on who's a witch, human or vampire. We all want this family to prosper."
"Here, here," Stefan agreed, thinking of his wife and unborn child.
