Greeting TVD fans! As usual (ok, I forget to put this part down half the time), it all belongs to the creators of The Vampire Diaries, the CW, and a ton of other people.
As always – would love to know what you're thinking – I got 1 whole comment this last time, yet the page stats tell me over 100 different people actually stopped to read. Starting to wonder if I should even bother finishing this story.
~~~OFANV~~~
She stirred a little when he got out of bed. He leaned over, brushed the flame red hair from her face, and pressed a kiss to her temple.
"Huh?" she murmured, and lifted her head.
"Go back to sleep Querrida," he said gently.
She blinked a few times, "Why are you up?"
"Time to work," he said, "Seriously – go back to sleep. It's 4 am."
She groaned, "Why do you have to work at 4 am?"
"Because that's when I can get through the security network I'm working on," he said, "Get some sleep, I'll come back to bed when I'm done."
She nodded, sighed deeply, and he saw her body relax, and a few moments later she was asleep.
Darren picked up his laptop, and headed down stairs, and started a pot of coffee, and went to work. His current target was flesh peddler out of New Amsterdam, and this particular lowlife exploited kids. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and then just like that, he was in. The bank was about to start sending it's wire transfers. Darren sorted through the accounts, found the one he wanted, and set up a wire transfer, and drained the account. It landed in the off shore account he had set up a few days ago, and it was done. A little under a hundred thousand dollars.
He'd spend the last week working through the security to get to that account. He'd set up his own account to land the money in, and now he'd bounce it through a few more blind locations, so anyone trying to find him wouldn't be able to track him. By the day after tomorrow, it would land in one of his holding accounts.
With that done, he checked his holding accounts. He had a few of them, a little over 9 million dollars right now across all of them. He didn't keep them long. He was paranoid about not getting tracked, so the money was constantly moved. He'd been ripping off scum bags for as long as he'd been a vampire – and he'd gotten close to being caught once. He wasn't going to let that happen again. He was always perfecting his skills. Besides, it wasn't just him anymore. He had Alex to think about.
With that, he sighed, and leaned back, picking up the rapidly cooling cup of coffee. He couldn't help but think of what he'd overheard last night. The woman in the restaurant was dealing with the loss of her husband, now she was having to quit school, not see her kids as much. At least she had family that could help.
If something happened to him, Alexandra would have a nice nest egg to live off of for a while. But it occurred to him, she probably didn't know how to find it, or get to it. Sure, she knew where his local accounts were – she was on them. But they only had 100 grand in them at any given time. Alex would get by on that easily for a long time, she could be frugal. But she shouldn't have to be.
He'd show her where the accounts where, keep her appraised of the account numbers and passwords. He didn't want her to be trying to figure out where she'd go, how she'd live – ever. She'd find a way – she was resourceful, and smart, but he didn't want her to ever have to worry.
He wondered how much tuition cost for a medical assistant.
~~~OFANV~~~
Damon had seen the serious expression on his friends face when he left to take Stefan and Katherine to the airport, but he hadn't had time to ask what was going on. He knew Darren wouldn't still be pissed at Stefan. Darren got over things quick – well, some things. The minor argument with Stefan wasn't enough to piss Darren off for more than an hour.
When Damon got back from the airport, Darren was still working away at his laptop.
"Who are you robbing blind today?" Damon asked, pulling off his coat. He walked over to the bar, and poured himself a drink.
"Pimp," Darren replied, "Real scumbag. Exploits kids in New Amsterdam."
Darren's eyes never left the screen, but that didn't offend Damon or put him off. He knew Darren was really focused on something.
And then, just like that, his friend's body language changed, and he relaxed.
Damon snorted, "Deserves it. Best keep your girlfriend away from those types, you'll run out of people to rob."
Darren laughed, "Yeah, I would . . . fortunately, or unfortunately, there is always some asshole ready to step in."
Damon went into the kitchen, got coffee, and came back out, "so what's with the tense face I saw this morning."
Darren sighed, "Last night, Alex and I were in a diner – we overhead a woman and her sister talking. Short version, the woman's husband died recently, the woman is basically screwed. They have kids . . . it happens all the time I know. But it occurred to me this morning – if something happened to me – who takes are of Alex?"
"Alex Does," Damon said, dropping down into one of the chairs, "Alex did before you met her. I'm not saying don't worry about it. I'm saying she's smart, she'd recover, and she'd get on with her life. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to set up little nest egg for her, just in case."
"She's on all my – our – accounts in the US, the off shore ones – she has no idea how to get to them. I'm gonna show her. She'll never be a hacker, it's not her thing. But at least if she knows where the money is, she can maintain a lifestyle for a while."
"Elena knows where all our money is," Damon said, "I keep trying to teach her about investing, but she's just not interested."
"Then you better not lose that day light ring or get staked," Darren said.
"Right back at you brother – unless you want your girlfriend slinging drinks in a bar, flirting with assholes for tips."
"Yeah, not gonna happen," Darren said, "that shit was hard to tolerate in Seattle. At least now I know she can break an arm if she has to."
Elena started to come down the stairs, "Who's arm needs to be broken?"
"Katherine's," Damon replied, "Taking them to the airport was pure joy – because she's not here now."
Elena laughed, "God yes . . . I don't know what your brother see's in her."
She sat on Damon's lap, yawned, and slung her arm around his neck.
"Sometimes I think he sees you in her," Damon said, "Until she opens her mouth."
All three of them laughed for a minute.
"That attitude ruins all that hotness," Darren said, "Fast. I hate to say it man, but one of these days, she's gonna leave your brother high and dry and break his heart."
"I'm not so sure his heart would be that broken," Elena said, "I think Katherine is just . . . a partner. I know he cares about her, he probably even loves her a little, but it's not love of a life time kind of love. He would be able to move on, eventually."
"Wish he'd move on now," Damon said, "Psycho bitch from hell was looking to stir up trouble the entire time she was here."
"So where did you and Alex go yesterday?" Elena asked sighing, "And yes, I'm changing the subject, she's out of our house, she's done messing with us –until next year."
"We looked at half a million jetted tubs," Darren said, laughing a little, "shower inserts, then we bounced around this Hispanic neighborhood. Alex wanted real Mexican food, then it was just beers, music, and a drunk asshole she fed off of in an alley. She let him go without draining too much out of him all on her own. I was impressed."
"Aw, the baby vampire is growing up," Damon said.
Elena sighed deeply, "I knew she'd be fine – so – did you pick out a tub?"
"I think so," Darren said, "and Tiles for the floor, and the countertops, the sink . . . she almost pretty much completed the bathroom design."
"That's good," Elena said, "We can start painting next week – and on that note – I have a study group coming here in like two hours – so I'm gonna shower, take over the dining room table – so sorry – No TV in here until tonight."
"Of course," Darren said, "Alex and I can clear out for the day."
"You don't have to leave, this is home for you guys right now," Elena said, and she kissed Damon on the cheek, "Is my very talented husband going to fix us a snack?"
Damon smiled, "I'll come up with something."
~~~OFANV~~~
Damon sliced down the middle of the pepper, cleaned the seeds out, cut the membrane out. He'd cut up cream cheese into cubes, stuffed it into the sections of pepper, and then wrapped a slice of bacon around the whole thing, completely covering the pepper. He'd laid them out on a broiling pan, and slid it into the convection oven.
It didn't take long for the rich scent to fill the air, but he waited long enough for the bacon around the peppers to cook through to a crisp. He'd just finished a second round, and switched out the broiler pans.
When he walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room, Elena's classmates were already sniffing the air.
"Oh my god, whatever that is – it smells amazing," Cindy, one of the classmates said.
"Bacon wrapped stuffed peppers," Damon announced, setting the plate down in the middle of them, "anyone need another soda? Coffee? A beer?"
"If I start drinking now, I'm done," Lisa replied, "Seriously done – I wouldn't say no to another diet coke."
Damon smiled, took a few more requests, and disappeared back into the kitchen. He enjoyed this part, playing host to his wife's friends.
So different from the life he had 35 years ago.
He brought drinks, plucked one of the stuffed peppers off the plate, and 20 minutes later, brought out another plate of peppers. He'd put a few aside and headed up the stairs to the bedroom Darren and Alexandra shared
He stopped at the door, and knocked, "Hope you're not naked, I'm coming in – actually, maybe I do hope you're naked . . ."
That elicited some laughed and giggles from downstairs, and a snort form inside the room.
He swung the door open.
Darren was working away on his laptop, and Alexandra had thrown open all the curtains and had laid out some of the paint pallet cards.
"You're a sick bastard, you know that right?" Darren asked him, leaning back and stretching.
Damon smiled, "And that's why the Ladies love me," Damon replied.
"Oh is this what we've been smelling?" Alexandra asked, eyeing the plate.
She grabbed one of the stuffed, wrapped peppers off the plate, bit in, and sighed contentedly. Damon turned and held the plate out to Darren.
"Robbing anyone I know?" Damon asked glibly.
"Not yet," Darren said, "I think I'm going to target some human traffickers."
"Worthy target," Damon said, "Are they local?"
"No," Darren said, "they have local ties, but the big boss is in London – interesting choice, since you can't scratch your ass in London without it ending up on a security film."
"How is he still in business?" Damon asked, "Is it seriously that bad there?"
"Oh yeah," Darren said, "Bad place to be a criminal. Needless to say, Alex and I will never live there. We might pass through, but that's about it."
"I wouldn't say you're a criminal exactly," Damon asked, "You're more like . . . Robin Hood."
Alexandra laughed, "That's what I call it – he hasn't said it yet – but I'd bet money he's probably already planned on hunting down this woman we sort of met yesterday who's kinda screwed and paying for her tuition."
"I'm thinking about it," Darren said, "it's not like we can track a debit or credit card to find her, we paid for her meal. But the restaurant owners might know them."
"Like I said – Robin Hood," Alexandra said, "how's it going downstairs?"
"Good I think," Damon said, "They're discussing the differences between matriarchal and patriarchal societies."
Darren blinked, "Ok . . . and?"
"And I think Elena's classmates will be damn glad when this test is over," Damon said, "they've got that deer in the headlights look."
"I don't miss this part of school," Alexandra said.
"You'll be amazed how much easier it comes now," Darren said, "if you can focus – and you can. Vampires who can't focus are pretty much screwed."
"Vampires who can't focus are pretty much dead," Damon said, "If you can tolerate being around humans and not eating every last one of them in the room – you'll do fine."
Alexandra nodded, "Well – we will see – right now, I'm trying to narrow down paint."
"Don't agonize on this Alex – if it goes up on the wall and you hate it – we can paint over it," Darren said.
Damon looked over all the cards, "I say go bold. Make a statement."
He reached over, and picked up some strips with green tones, "But not with this – reminds me of vervaine – you do know about vervaine, right?"
"I've heard," Alexandra said, "Can't say I've ever actually seen it."
"Lucky you," Damon replied, "Ok – I'll leave you to contemplate your pallet."
Damon looked over at Darren, "Happy hunting."
~~~OFANV~~~
Damon and Darren walked into the café. Damon had been down this street before, but he'd never been inside the café. It was small and cozy, had that classic mom and pop feel to it.
"You really think they'll know who she is?" Damon asked.
"Someone will," Darren said, "When I paid for their dinner – it was two sisters, the lady running the counter seemed to know one of them had lost a husband."
Damon nodded, watching the people on the street, the people in the café.
They went up to the counter.
"Hey, I don't know if you remember me, I was here the other night with my girlfriend," Darren started, "I paid for dinner for two sisters, one of them had lost a husband? Remember?"
"Si," the woman said, "They were so grateful."
"Well, I overheard them talking, and I know she's about to drop out of school – and I'm wondering if you know where she's going?"
The woman suddenly became suspicious. Her spine stiffened, and she looked over her shoulder.
Darren leaned forward, catching her gaze, and compelled her, "I'm not a threat – I just want to help her out. Tell me her name, where she lives, and where she goes to school."
The woman blinked, and she got that distant look in her eyes, "Her name is Maria Cordova. She lives in an apartment two blocks down, red brick building, I don't know the address. I think she's going to one of those technical schools, Ashfield or Ashment, I don't know."
"Thank you," Darren replied, "Just forget I asked."
She blinked a few times, and then it was as if she realized she'd been day dreaming, "OH! Sorry, I don't know where my mind was – what can I get you?"
"Two Shredded beef tacos," Darren said, and he looked over at Darren.
"Same," Damon said, shrugging.
"Something to drink?" she asked.
"Coke," Darren replied.
"Two," Damon added.
"Ok, you boys sit down," she said, "I'll bring it out in a few minutes."
They walked over to a table by the window, and sat down.
"That's not much to go on, especially in a city this size," Damon said.
"I know," Darren replied, "We're gonna have to compel half the damn neighborhood."
The lady behind the counter brought over their sodas, "so what are you nice young men doing today?"
"Christmas shopping for my wife and his girlfriend," Damon replied, turning on the charm.
"My girlfriend lived outside of Mexico city for a few years when she was little," Darren said, "I was hoping I'd find something in a local shop that she might like."
"Oh well, there's a block that way – it has some nice real sterling silver jewelry, stonework from Mexico – all kinds of things she might remember."
"Thanks," Darren said.
The woman went back into the kitchen, leaving them alone.
"Alex really live in Mexico?" Damon asked.
"Six years," Darren replied, "From age six to twelve. Her mother married a drug cartel guy. He got picked off by the competition when Alex was 12."
"Alex's mother sounds like a real peach," Damon replied dryly, "You ever met her?"
"She abandoned Alex when she was 15," Darren said, "We have no idea where she went. If doubt she's even alive at this point. She had a pretty serious habit. God help her if I ever do meet her – because she tried to sell Alex to a pimp."
Damon sucked in his breath, "Yeah . . . I'll help you hide the body brother. That's fucked up – what did you do the pimp?"
Darren snorted, gave Damon one of those looks "What do you think I did?"
Damon sipped his soda, "Alex is strong. I wasn't sure she'd make it at first . . . but she's doing well, she's determined, she's got a good heart. I hope you're not letting what happened to her in the past eat you up inside now. You can't fix the past, you can't change it."
Darren managed a bitter smile, "Nope, I'm good with it. Buried it when I tossed his sorry carcass in with some hungry pigs. You know pigs will eat anything? Bones, shoes – when they're done, there is nothing left."
Damon sighed, "Wasn't there some serial killer who did that?"
Darren nodded, "Yes there was. I worked on a few farms growing up. Mexican pigs are just like American pigs and Canadian pigs apparently."
Damon contemplated what Darren said for a moment, "This would have been good information to know - like two months ago brother. Could have saved us the whole issue with her first few bodies."
Darren laughed, "We're in New York City – you think there's a pig farm within a day's drive of this city?"
It took Darren and Damon most of the day to find out where Maria Cordova lived and where she was going to school. Darren's comment about compelling half the neighborhood had been starting to feel pretty accurate by the time they were done. But now, Darren knew where she was going to school. Tomorrow he'd pay her tuition, and he'd go back to the landlord and pay for the next six months of rent too.
"I get that his is what you do - the whole Robin Hood thing from time to time," Damon said, "But how do we know she's not just gonna go shopping?"
"Because I'm paying her tuition directly, and I'm paying the landlord directly, and I'll put the fear of god into the landlord to make sure he won't just pocket the money," Darren replied.
They were just about to catch a cab to meet the ladies, and they'd stopped by a news stand. One of the headlines that caught their attention.
'Vigilante strikes again'.
Damon picked the paper, handed the guy working the stand couple dollars, and folded the paper back to read the article.
"Two more," Damon said quietly, so only Darren could hear, "Last week – roughly dismembered and spread out across several city blocks in various dumpsters –and no one has seen a thing."
"This is getting way out of control," Darren replied, "This moron is attracting way too much attention."
Damon nodded, sighing, "I wouldn't really know how to contact Vlad anyhow – but Leo and Richard might."
Darren had been trying to wave down a taxi, and one finally pulled over.
"What are we gonna do, tell him to play nice and stop?" Darren said.
"Run his ass out of my city," Damon replied, "Stake him if we have to. I don't really care, as long as this stuff stops."
~~~OFANV~~~
It had been a long day for Alexandra. She'd sat down with the advisor evaluating her transcripts, seriously doubting he had really read the course descriptions or even looked at anything. But after two long tedious hours, she gave up, and compelled him. Screw it, she had the talent, she should use it.
Then she went to register, knowing that the microbiology class and the chemistry class were full. But she could wait list, and someone always dropped. If they didn't, well maybe she'd compel someone again. She picked up the text books, and headed back to the townhouse Damon and Elena owned.
It was bitter cold outside, and even with the heavy coat a scarf and hat, when the wind blew, it bit right through her cloths and bit at her skin. Weren't Vampires supposed to be colder? Maybe this was just part of the whole super sensitive nerves things or something. She'd wanted to explore the neighborhood around the campus a little, just to get a feel for it, but the cold was just too much. She ducked into a coffee shop to warm up.
There was a long line of students doing pretty much the same thing. She got in line, watched the crowd around her ebb and flow.
The coffee shop was set up for students. The tables were wide and deep, heavy durable wood, scarred and beat up like students had been using them too. There were simple wood hard back chairs around them, and along the wall, someone had run conduit – connecting to power outlets. They hadn't opened up the wall to upgrade the electricity. No point in prettying it up right?
Most of the tables were taken, and several of them had large groups around them, text books and lap tops laying out. There were flyers up on the walls, the bottoms cut to create little tear off tabs. Most of the students were young – some of them really young – freshman maybe.
The line moved slowly, and it didn't take long for her to get bored. The two girls working behind the counter were clearly students who didn't see the value in hurrying thing sup.
Her phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket, it was Elena.
"Hey," Alexandra asked, "How'd your test go?"
"I think it went fine, but some of my classmates are freaking out – big time. We're going to this bar right off campus – are you still close by?"
"Yeah actually, I'm in this coffee shop on . . . 48th," Alexandra said, "Waiting in the slowest moving line – where is the bar?"
"On 44th," Elena said, "just go back towards the campus, hang a left – you'll see it. It's called Gino's. There's a decent crowd gathering, I'll save you seat."
Alexandra smiled, "I'm on my way."
She slid her phone back into her pocket, looked around the coffee shop one more time. Might be a good place to study – maybe.
Back outside, she was reminded once again that even as a vampire, she as not immune to the cold. The wind gusted every now and then, and the sky was starting to turn – not just because of the time, but with clouds.
If those clouds let loose, it would snow. Seattle was a nightmare when it snowed. No one there seemed to know how to drive in it, the city busses weren't well equipped for it. She wondered what the weather had been like in Seattle. She hadn't done more than browse Facebook or send general messages about how much she was enjoying New York to the friends she had back in Seattle. She couldn't stay close to them, they'd see differences over time.
And here she was – about to start making new ones – friends she'd walk away from in five or six years.
This totally sucked.
No wonder Damon and Elena stayed close with that eclectic group of reforming psychopath's she'd met over the holiday weekend.
When she reached the bar, she could see what Elena meant, the crowd was growing. There was maybe 15 to 18 people that had taken over the back corner and shoved tables together. One of the waitresses was working hard and fast, delivering bottled beer, beers in pounder glasses, and picking up empties just as quick.
The bartender was lining some up on the counters as well, and she could hear someone in the kitchen complaining that someone else needed to get their ass into work early today if it was going to be like this.
Yep, standard college bar.
Like the coffee shop, the tables were wood, sturdy, and took abuse well, heavy wood chairs – also designed to take abuse well. There were framed posters on the walls, neon signs for different brands of beer, and TV's that hung from the corners, and one big screen – all tuned into different sporting events, and one on a local news channel.
Elena waved at her, and Alexandra saw a few heads turn to look at her, their gazes curious. She recognized a few of the others from Elena's study group.
"Hey Alex!" Elena said, pulling her coat off a chair, "Come celebrate with us!"
"More like commiserate," someone else said.
Alexandra stripped off her coat, hung it on back of the chair and set her purse down on the floor, right in front of her feet.
"That bad huh?" Alexandra asked.
"You can bet Victoria passed," someone said.
A few people laughed. Someone made a comment about the professor grading her blow job technique.
"He's an old pervert," Elena said, "Not even attractive."
"We had one of those in the biology department in Seattle," Alexandra said, "If it had two legs and tits, he'd screw it."
Elena has passed a new, full beer to Alexandra. Alexandra took a big sip, and sighed deeply, "Yeah, much better than coffee."
"How'd it go with registration?" Elena asked her.
"It took way too long, I don't think the counselor guy even looked at my transcript before I got there, but I'm registered now – on wait lists for two of my sciences – and I'm registered for this other class – English lit – god help me."
"Damon loved English lit," Elena said, "But you've seen his book collection."
"Oh yeah," Alexandra said, "I'm sure I'll be picking his brain – speaking of which – have you heard from them? Last message I got was that they got some of their stuff done."
"I got the same text," Elena said, "Damon is realizing his Spanish still sucks."
"It doesn't help that there are some differences depending on where you're from," Alexandra said, "Are they joining us?"
"Probably," Elena said, "Damon usually does."
The waitress came by and set down a big platter of nachos, and everyone dove in.
"So – how'd you end up in New York?" Cindy asked.
Alexandra sipped her beer, "We needed a change, mostly it was just a series of crappy events that just got overwhelming, and we'd joked about saying we should leave Seattle, get away from the bad luck, and then we did."
"Has it worked?" Lisa asked.
"So far," Alexandra said, "It still feels like vacation sort of, because I don't start classes until January."
"So how did you settle on microbiology? Cindy asked, "That sounds really hard."
"Well, when I started school, I was originally thinking a business degree – because that's always good right – and I had student loans, I had a bartending job, it was great. Independent – poor as a church mouse. Well my second quarter came alone, and I had a biology class – and I just got interested. There are some very good jobs in biotech."
"So that's it . . . good job opportunities?"
"That's about half of it," Alexandra said, "It's interesting too. I grew up dirt ass poor, my mother was a junky and we were homeless half the time, and eventually I lived in foster care. Having a steady paycheck is pretty damn appealing."
Elena clicked the neck of her beer bottle against Alexandra's "I hear that. My husband's obsessive about our finances. A lot of people would be happy to deplete what they inherited, spend it all and just party it away. Not Damon, he made sure he knew how to manage and grow it, thankfully."
"You always hear how bad foster care is – is it really that bad?" Cindy asked her, "I mean – if you don't mind talking about it."
Alexandra sipped her beer, "I'm ok it with – I had it good really. I went through two foster homes and they were cheap bastards, kept the money for themselves and didn't get us the stuff we needed, but I wasn't getting molested or anything. But I knew other kids in foster care, and yeah – it is that bad. But there are a lot of really good foster parents out there too. Just not as many as there were opportunists. Most people that take in foster kids think of those kids as just a paycheck."
"Jesus . . . my parents thought about it, but they could barely keep up with my brother and me, so they didn't do it, but I think they would have been good foster parents," Cindy said.
"Probably," Alexandra said, "What do they do now? Is your brother still at home?"
"Oh yeah – he wants to be a doctor, my parents are very proud. Makes up for me wanting to be an anthropologist," Cindy said, laughing.
~~~~~OFANV~~~~~
The room was lit only with candles. Damon had set out dozens of them and lit them – all in thick glass holders. When Elena came home, properly buzzed from her evening with her classmates, he'd had their room all set up. Soft glow from the candle light, chocolate dipped strawberries set on a plate for her . . .
That had been hours ago. She'd giggled, fell easily into his arms, and they'd made love slowly, enjoying each other, feeling, touching, stroking, again and again, until they were both exhausted and spent.
Now, hours later, they were just wrapped up in each other, enjoying the quietness of the middle of the night.
"I never did ask how your day went," Elena said, "tell me."
Damon smiled, "Playing Robin Hood? Educational, my Spanish really sucks. Darren made a joke at one point about how we'd probably have to compel half the neighborhood – he was right."
Elena smiled, trailed her fingertip across his across his chest, "I'm glad you went with him."
Damon laughed, "He didn't need me at all. I think he does this all the time."
Damon stroked his hand up Elena's back, "Seriously though – it was cool. Had taco's at this great little mom and pop style café, went through half a dozen little family owned shops, the FBI should hire him – he's better at finding people than they are."
Elena laughed, "I don't see that happening."
"No," Damon said, "Me either. It was all peachy until we saw that headline on the bottom of the newspaper about the vigilante."
Elena groaned a little, "Who did the two of you go see? Richard and Leo?"
Damon toyed with a lock of her hair, "They may have a way to contact him. We don't know if he still uses that email address or that number."
Elena was quiet for a few moments, "What will you do – if you find him."
"Ask him to politely get the hell out of my city – once," Damon said, "After that – we do what we have to."
~~~OFANV~~~
As always – would love to know what you're thinking – I got 1 whole comment this last time, yet the page stats tell me over 100 different people actually stopped to read. Starting to wonder if I should even bother finishing this story.