New chapter!

I feel like it's a decent length lol

Hope you guys enjoy! And I'll post the next one as soon as I can, but my dad is visiting this week, so I'm not sure how much writing in gonna get done.

But I'll try to keep the updates constant for ya'll!

Enjoy :)

Damon was waiting for me in his car, the same camaro he'd had years ago.

She was a welcoming sight, at least.

He however, had a hard look on his face.

"What?" I shot, climbing into the passenger's seat.

He shook his head, "Nothing."

I didn't press the matter, and he put the car into gear.

Soon enough, we were on the road, heading towards town.

It took less than an hour to check all the bars.

The Mutt's scent was all over them, but nothing fresh stuck out.

He hadn't been inside any of these recently.

I crossed my arms as we left the final spot, and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"This doesn't make sense," I commented, "His scent is here, obviously, but it's faded."

Damon nodded, "It's probably where he picked up his first few victims."

I shuddered, and focused on smelling the air. Nothing.

"He hasn't been here in a few days," I noted, "Maybe since the last female was found...there's nothing out of place really...just food, diesel, milk that's about to turn, sweat-"

"Lilacs," Damon added, unabashed.

I turned, narrowing my eyes at him, "Wow. How long have you been holding that one in?"

"As long as I could," he shot.

I sighed, "Look, I had to give everyone an excuse for me just leaving. I told them a cousin was in a car crash. So...lilacs."

He crooked his head, "I imagine that's difficult, having to come up with excuses all the time."

I bared my teeth at his condescending tone.

"Kind of like what I'm doing with you, right now?"

Damon's eyes hardened, and he stepped close enough that I could smell this morning's breakfast on his breath.

"That's the thing," he insisted, "you shouldn't have to with me."

Our gazes met, and I felt my resolve waiver.

It wasn't like he didn't have a point.

But it didn't change the reasons why I felt the need to.

"You're right," I told him, "I shouldn't have to."

Before he could retaliate, a harsh voice cut through our conversation.

"I'm surprised to see you two in town."

Damon chuckled darkly, "Nothing like a little small town hospitality."

We turned to see one of the men that had been on the property this morning.

Great.

"I've just gotten back from Brian Walter's place. He owns the gas station on the way to your property, I'm sure you've filled up there before."

I nodded, "We have."

The man scowled, "Well that kid they found was his son. So I'd look to fuel up somewhere else for a while."

I stepped forward, before Damon could respond.

"We had nothing to do with what happened to that child."

"We saw the paw prints. There's a wolf running around your land, and it sure doesn't seem like you're doing much to stop it," he accused, glancing at Damon.

"It's not like that," I assured him.

The man stepped forward, "I'll tell you what is like. Ray Sutton's dog is still missing. If that wolf gets him, it's coming back on you."

Damon spoke then, "A dead child was found, and you're wanting to pin blame on us for a damned dog?"

"That, and Sutton's broken nose," he spat.

I intervened, "Look, we'll keep an eye out for the dog, alright. And as for the wolf-"

"We're all on the lookout for that," Damon stated icily.

I nodded, "Those victims deserve justice, okay? We know that. We'll do what we can."

This seemed to satisfy him, or maybe it was just because of Damon's glare, but either way, the man nodded and walked off.

I sighed.

Turning to Damon, I crossed my arms, "I don't get it. This Mutt kills three people, stirs attention in our direction, then just disappears? That makes no sense."

Damon shrugged, "Maybe he made his point and left."

I shook my head, "We both know how likely that is. No, he could kill anywhere in the world, and he chose Mystic Falls, right at our back door. The way he went about all this...it's a message of some kind."

Damon brought a hand to my cheek, his eyes focused.

"We'll find him," he promised, "And we'll ask. Up close and personal."

I shivered, but nodded.

This was what we did.

A few hours later, we still hadn't found anything, so we decided to check the Mutt's apartment one last time.

No fresh scent.

So he hadn't come home last night.

As Damon searched the dressers, my phone rang.

A text.

"Enzo," I told Damon, "He and the others got in touch with Elijah Mikaelson. They've arranged a meeting. Ric wants us back at the house."

Damon nodded, then a look crossed his features.

"What?"

"Enzo has your number, too?"

I nodded, "He met with me a few times, when he came to the city."

Damon scowled, but didn't comment.

I fought the urge to act on my annoyance.

Of course.

Of course Damon would be pissed off over me contacting Enzo during my absence.

I huffed.

And it's not even that he'd suspect I was screwing around with Enzo or anything.

He knew me better than that.

But he also knew the truth.

Enzo and I were friends, enough so, that I had been willing to give him my new number in order to stay in touch.

A courtesy I hadn't extended to my ex fiance.

And that alone was enough to ignite Damon's jealousy, not of my body, but of my time and my attention.

"Let's go," he muttered into the silence.

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at the back of his head.

We reached the house rather quickly.

The others were already there, in the living room, along with Elijah.

I was surprised.

If the man had managed to arrive in a few short hours, he'd been closer than we'd originally thought.

He looked the same as ever, closely shaved, sharply dressed.

Not a hair out of place on his handsome head.

"Elena," he called delightedly, "I'm surprised to see you here. Last I had heard, you were taking a sabbatical from Pack duties."

I smirked, "And last I'd heard, you were on a different continent."

"Ah yes," he grinned, "But I do know how to keep informed. A killing on the Pack's territory is certainly headline worthy for our kind, now isn't it? So I said to myself, something must be going on. And here I am."

I rose a brow, "So eager to be of service? You're certainly singing a different tune than the last time we met."

Elijah's eyes flashed briefly to Damon, who had come in behind me, then back down, to meet my gaze.

"It has been quite a while, hasn't it?" He smiled, before looking back to Damon, "Tell me, does my brother's blood still stain the carpet?"

Damon's chest vibrated with a growl, but Alaric stepped forward, before any words were exchanged.

"It's been years, Elijah. I'd hoped there was no bad blood between us."

Elijah slowly pulled his eyes from Damon, and moved them to Alaric.

"Between us? Of course not. I know that my brother's fate was deserved. After all, you don't come at the Alpha without expecting retribution."

"So you truly are here to help?" I asked.

Elijah turned to me.

"Yes. As I told your boys, I have no quarrel with the Pack," he lifted his chin, "I've followed all of your rules, and stayed on the move. I don't know who is responsible for these killings, and the fact that you have specifically called me here to ask means that you don't either."

"But you know something," Stefan insisted from his spot on the arm of the sofa, "Otherwise you wouldn't have been so easy to find."

Elijah smirked at him, "I may have a way of finding out who is behind all of this...I might even be willing to deliver the animal to your front door."

"For a price, I'm sure," Mason crossed his arms.

Elijah shrugged, and Alaric stepped forward, "What is it that you want?"

The Mutt straightened, "Territory."

"Territory?" George confirmed.

Elijah nodded, "I've been a wolf my entire life. Failure not to align myself to your beck and call has come with its...drawbacks. I've never been able to settle in one place for too long, without the threat of your guard dog," he glanced at Damon again, "coming to chase me off. I'd like to be allowed some room. To put my feet up, so to speak."

Alaric held his gaze as he considered the proposition.

"Very well," he nodded, "Find what you can on whoever is responsible, and we will discuss territory."

Elijah nodded.

"You're free to go," Ric added, "But don't stray far."

Again, Elijah gave a nod of his head, and turned to the door.

He paused when he reached me.

"It was nice to see you again. Terrible that it couldn't be under less dreary circumstances, but none the less..."

He extended his hand, and I shook it, "Happy you decided to be of use."

He winked at me, then let go.

Damon kept an eye on him until the front door shut, and we were alone.

"Are you sure this is wise," George was the first to speak.

Alaric shook his head, "Not completely, but if someone else had a reason for turning this Mutt, Elijah has the most chances of discovering who."

"And Elena trusts him," Enzo winked at me.

I rolled my eyes, "I do not. But as far as Mutts go, he's tolerable."

"He's a conman," Damon spat, "Whether he can do it or not, he's only assisting us for the pay out."

"But it worked," Tyler noted.

Mason nodded, "We can afford to relax the rules a little, in order to gain information."

Damon grunted.

"You disagree?" Alaric asked.

"Does it matter?" He shot.

I stepped forward, "Look, right now, we should just focus on the Mutt. We can find whoever turned him, and why, afterwards."

The others nodded in agreement.

"It could take a while for Elijah to reach whatever contacts he has," Enzo noted, "Perhaps we should do another run in the mean time, try to find more information?"

Damon came to stand beside me then, "Actually, I might have found something."

"When?" I asked.

We'd been together all afternoon and he hadn't mentioned a thing.

"When you were busy texting," he murmured.

I set my jaw.

"What did you find?" Alaric asked, before I could open my mouth.

Damon reached into his pocket, "It might be nothing, but..."

He held a folded flyer in his hand.

I took it, and opened it.

"It's for some party," I told the others, "Tonight, near that old abandoned warehouse."

"You think the Mutt will be there?" Ric asked.

Damon shrugged.

"Alright, you and Elena can go," Ric allowed,"But keep a low profile. If you see him, and have a clear shot, you know what to do. Otherwise, just scope it out and report back to me."

We nodded.

Hopefully the Mutt would be there.

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