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Anna.B to answer your questions, everything will be revealed in the few chapters to come especially when Bonnie comes back. The beginning of next chapter will give you a glimpse into her real reason for being in Mystic Falls.
Disclaimer: I do not own TVD only Alba and her plot.
Chapter 3
The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts while the stupid ones are full of confidence- Charlie Bukowski
Bukowski really nailed it with this one. This line alone is the sole reason I find myself sitting on the roof of the boarding house at the most ungodly hour in the morning. Of course Damon Salvatore is pouring himself another drink because it's five o' clock somewhere, right? The shrill sound of Damon's phone has me leaning forward perking my ears to catch his conversation.
"You're interrupting my drink," He tells the person on the other end with annoyance.
"You miss me?" I miss when I staked you to that tree and left you for the wolves; good times.
"Katherine. Where are you?" I roll my eyes at the curiosity in Damon's voice. He's such a sucker for doppelgängers.
"Lurking outside your window, pining away," she giggles causing me to snicker. What a bitch.
"What do you want?" Damon sighs losing all patience with the vampire.
"I'm homesick, what have I missed?" She fakes sadness no doubt pouting in a phone booth somewhere.
"Well, Stefan's still Klaus's little prisoner and Elena still thinks she can save him and no one's thought about you since you left." He finishes pausing to take a drink from his glass. I sniff the air and nod in appreciation. Bourbon tonight, so much better than his scotch supply.
"Hmm is that all that's happened since I've been gone?" She asks clearly already aware of my presence in Mystic Falls.
"The only things that matter," Damon retorts shoving me into his could care less pile. Aw let me look in my pocket for the cares I don't have.
"And what does matter to you? Oh let me guess Elena and the fact that you can make your move on her now since you gave up on your brother." Katherine may be a ho, but at least she's an honest ho.
"I didn't give up on him; I just don't know where he is." Damon explains in irritation. Well maybe if you weren't attached to Elena's side like a Velcro monkey people would quit calling you out on it.
"Hmm," Katherine hums like she has a secret. She knows exactly where Stefan and Klaus are.
"But you do. Are you trailing them?" Damon perks up considerably knowing for a fact she is.
"A hybrid who wants me dead and his sidekick who is off the rails, I couldn't be further away." Which means…
"Which means you know exactly where they are," Damon takes the words right out of my mouth. Score one for Salvatore.
"All I know is that Klaus pitched a fit once his hybrids didn't work; now he's looking for answers." Now who does Klaus trust enough to go to for answers such as these? She would have to be powerful and full of juice to be on the receiving end of the hybrid's frustrations. I shake my head, my lips curling into a smile when only one witch comes to mind. Gloria.
The bar is empty when I finally arrive eight hours later. The stools have yet to be taken down and the glasses are still in pristine condition on the shelves. No slutty waitresses or business suit clad men laughing loudly in the corner over something that isn't even remotely funny. This place is actually tolerable for once.
"We're closed," a voice rings from the back. I smirk as I pull a chair down and take a seat propping my feet up on the table. It isn't even a minute later that Gloria comes around the corner a box in her hands. For an eighty year old woman she doesn't look a day over thirty. Her hair is blond and cropped close to her head, her skin is dark and smooth, and she has the lean body of a person that works out regularly.
"The door was open," I smile smugly when she finally looks up at me. She doesn't seem angry at all to find me in her bar, but she doesn't seem surprised either.
"Well, well if it isn't Alba Martinez," she smiles showing perfect white teeth, "come here girl." She says walking around the counter to envelop me in a hug. I return it with ease having forgotten how much I miss Gloria. "It's good to see you."
"Likewise," I grin stepping away from the witch. "The place hasn't changed much." I say running my hand over the smooth oak of the tables.
"No I like to keep things the same," she says slowly eyeing me as I walk around the room. "What are you doing here Alba?"
"Can't an old friend just stop by to say hi," I ask turning my back on her to look at the art decorating the walls.
"An old friend yes, but you not so much, you never stop by to just say hi." I smirk at how well she knows me.
"Alright, fine, you got me." I shrug a lazy smile playing at my lips. "Rumor has it Klaus and Stefan are in town along with Damon Salvatore." I say hoisting myself up on to the counters edge. I don't mention Elena because no one is suppose to know she's alive…yet.
"So I take it you told Damon then?" She asks going around the counter to unload her box of booze.
"Well I told him I'm his daughter which he still refuses to believe." I hear Gloria snort behind me.
"That boy never could take responsibility for anything." She says eliciting a nod out of me. "Did you tell him the rest?" I shake my head.
"No the less he knows the better. I don't plan to stick around once I get everything I came for." I twist around so I can see Gloria. She's leaning against the back wall watching me with an expression of sympathy.
"How is Danielle?" She questions as I quickly jump off the counter so she can't see my frown.
"She's the same old Danny." I reply walking towards the door. "Anyways be expecting the hybrid I'm sure it won't take him long to make an appearance. I'll see you tonight!" I yell shutting the door behind me. I shake off that whole conversation and focus my attention on the task at hand. Now if I was Damon Salvatore where would I be? Strip club? No he's with Elena. At some random bar excluding Gloria's? No he's with Elena. Feeding off a blond in an ally somewhere? Again no he's with Elena. My god the man is completely whipped. I shake my head as I duck into the ally beside Gloria's. "Okay let's see if this will work." I take a quick look around to make sure no one is watching before I let my fangs elongate and I bite into my wrist. I let the blood trickle down my arm and to the pavement as I chant in Latin. I watch in grim fascination as my blood starts to move to the mouth of the ally leaving a trail for me to follow. This is definitely one way to find someone I grin as I start walking.
It doesn't take me long to find myself in front of an old building complex. The place gives the illusion that it's run down and abandoned. It screams serial killer…must be one of Stefan's homes I deduce with a chuckle. I scan the area for a familiar blue Chevrolet Camaro and am disappointed to see it disappearing around a corner. I curse to myself as I debate whether to follow it, but my debate is short-lived when I hear shuffling coming from one of the apartments. Yes I know it could very well be another tenant, but my gut is telling me it's not just another tenant. Plus add the fact that Klaus and Stefan just turned the corner and I'm thinking I'm right. Without another thought I dash up the stairs using my vampire speed and burst through the only door with the lock not attached.
"Oh my god!" The doppelgänger shouts jumping off the bed dropping a book at her feet. "Who are you?" She breathes her heart beating dangerously fast.
"The next person to ask me that question loses their tongue," I grumble grabbing the girl's elbow and dragging her to the kitchen. "Where can we hide?" I ask looking around the small apartment in annoyance.
"Wha- why do we need to hide?" Elena asks slowly like she's dealing with a frightened animal. I lull my head to the side to stare at the Katherine look-alike in distaste.
"Because while I am sitting here answering your idiotic questions Klaus is walking down the hallway as we speak." I answer peeved. I hear her breath hitch as her hands start to shake.
"Oh my-"
"God yeah we've established that. Where can we hide?" I ask again momentarily allowing the veins around my eyes to show. I watch Elena's eyes widen in fear before she's moving around me to the pantry.
"In here," she motions tugging on the shelves so they swing open revealing a hidden room.
"Perfect," I breathe shoving Elena inside and closing the hatch just as Klaus kicks the front door open. We manage to wedge ourselves into the corner leaving barely any room to breathe. I can feel her heart pounding against her rib cage and I'm wondering how they haven't heard us yet.
"What a charming little homestead. Do you feel that? Is anybody here?" The British accent gives Klaus away as he starts to move around the apartment.
"It's been vacant for decades; people must break in all the time. Why'd you bring me here?" Stefan asks a little more than exasperated with Klaus's antics. I kind of feel bad for the youngest Salvatore.
"You're friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood…" I raise my eyebrows in awe. "I never could figure out why you wanted his name. Then you told me your little secret; it was all part of your special little ritual." Klaus says almost mockingly as I watch Elena's eyes dart nervously to the wall next to us. I follow her gaze to see hundreds of names scrawled into the old wood with one standing out in particular. Liam Grant.
"To write it down," Stefan whispers.
"And to relive the kill over and over again," I clench my jaw when the door swings open as I ready myself for the confrontation to come. However, I'm pleasantly surprised to see Stefan poke his head inside. "Do you believe me now?" Klaus asks as Stefan finally notices us. He locks eyes with me first recognition crossing his features as I smirk and waggle my fingers in greeting. However, Elena is having a whole different reaction as her eyes glaze over with hope and love. Stefan blankly stares at her before turning his forest green eyes back to me.
"Look what I found." Stefan hollers causing Elena to start shaking like a leaf. I roll my eyes as I reach behind me to pull out the bottle Stefan was eyeing. I hand it to him while giving Elena a look. She lets out the breath she had held as Stefan hands the bottle to Klaus. "1918; single malt."
"My favorite," Klaus purrs, "let's go find someone to pair it with." We wait until we hear the front door close before moving out of the tiny room. I couldn't be more relieved. Saving the doppelgangers life was not on my list of things to do. I head straight for the door intent on heading back to Gloria's when the doppelgangers voice stops me.
"Hey wait! You never told me your name?" I swivel around to find her standing in the kitchen doorway. She looks small and fragile, the perfect picture of a damsel that always needs saving.
"I never gave it." I answer dryly sitting on the arm of a nearby chair.
"Well can you tell me why you saved me?" She tries again as I tap my chin in mock thought.
"I could but that would defeat the purpose of what I have planned." I hold up my hand when I hear the spike in her heartbeat. "Chill out Buffy the Vampire Slayer this plan doesn't involve harming anyone…well if it works it won't anyways." She nods like she's used to this kind of thing.
"How do you know Stefan?" I sigh heavily as I look at the girl.
"So many questions, I know a lot of people, I have a lot of ties." I answer almost threateningly. "How I know the Salvatore's is none of your concern." I finish smirking when her lips pucker in annoyance.
"So you know Damon as well?" She asks something clicking in her head as she starts to give me a once over. Her eyes go from my hair, to my eyes, to my high cheek bones, and lastly to the smirk I'm sporting. I watch in amusement as realization floods her eyes. "Oh my god you are their sister!" She exclaims never taking her eyes off my ice blue ones. Everything is silent for a beat as I absorb what she just said. Then I laugh; a long hard loud laugh that has me hunching over at the knees. "What is so funny?" She glares making me laugh harder.
"I can't believe you think I'm there sister," my laughs taper off to chuckles as I stand from the chair. "First off, I'm pretty positive that if I was their sister, you would have never met them that is for damn sure." I say walking towards her as she takes frightened steps back. "And secondly," I push her into a corner so I'm standing right in front of her. "I have a heartbeat. Go ahead feel it." I smile daringly the challenge clearly in my eyes. She doesn't miss a beat as her hand flies to my chest over where my heart is. I hear her breaths hitch as she looks up at me in awe.
"But your face…"
"Is impeccably flawless? I know." I smirk stepping away so I can head for the door. "Tell Damon I stopped by. I'll be seeing you Elena." I give her one last glance before disappearing out the door.
Damon Salvatore stalked into the bar with only one purpose; to find Stefan. Now sure he didn't particularly like Gloria's as anyone could tell from the frown already turning down the corners of his lips, but he was Damon Salvatore he could handle anything. However his frown quickly turns into a panty dropping smile as Gloria comes into view.
"Well, look what the wind blew in; last I heard you hated this place." She smiles resting her hands on the bar as he takes the stool seated in front of her.
"Gloria! Damn if I knew you were going to age like this I would have stuck around." He half smiles eyeing her with well-practiced lust; he knew when to turn up the charm.
"I always did like you better," she chuckles, "but I see your brother is still running in the wrong crowd."
"You've seen him?" Damon questions hungry for answers on Stefan. Despite what others may think he wants his little brother home especially since it's his fault that Stefan is in this position in the first place.
"With Klaus; bad combo." Gloria nods looking down at the oldest Salvatore.
"You know where they went?" Damon asks his impulsiveness ready to get him killed.
"They'll be back here later tonight. They are running a little errand for me." She says turning to unpack her boxes.
"Gloria…" Damon quickly places his hand over hers with fake worry crossing his features. "Don't be a tease. What kind of errand?" Gloria looks down at his hand with a small smile before removing it. She places her hands on her hips staring the vampire down.
"Damon Salvatore why is it you focus so much energy on the wrong people?" Gloria asks highly confusing Damon as his forehead wrinkles. "You know Alba is your daughter." Damon snorts standing up from the stool.
"See you tonight Gloria." He tries to take a step forward but a force against his control has him turning around to face the witch. "Gloria…" he warns glaring daggers at the woman.
"You aren't even a little curious that she looks exactly like you? Or how she is so strong? Or how she seems to know everything and everyone in Mystic Falls?" Gloria leans forward-looking into Damon's eyes. "Or what she's really doing in Mystic Falls?"
"I don't need to know anything about her. She's not mine, it's literally impossible. Just because she has black hair and blue does not automatically make her mine." He shoots back starting to get annoyed with the whole thing. "And for how she is so strong it's obvious she's a vampire."
"But all those times you were with her, did you hear a heartbeat?" This pulls Damon up short as he thinks about it. He honestly doesn't know, he wasn't ever paying that much attention. "Hmm," she hums at his expression.
"How do you know her anyways?" Damon asks curiously trying to wiggle his way out of whatever hold she has on him.
"I knew her mother when she was pregnant with Alba. She came to me for answers."
"You know Alba could be anyone's right? It could easily be another man's which is why I don't understand how Alex would deduce that it's mine." He sighs trying to contain his boiling anger at the situation.
"Well Damon I think you're forgetting something," she laughs causing Damon to glance up at her in agitation. "You were Alex's first."
It's an odd feeling seeing a thousand-year old hybrid and his ripper hostage drinking so normally in a bar full of humans. Not a single person knows what those two are or what they could do to them. Well, except, for me and I'm just here for observation. I take another shot motioning for the waiter to bring me another one. Klaus just finished telling Stefan of their time in Chicago. It's actually an interesting story and a little…sad.
"Alright everyone drink up! We're closing!" Gloria yells from somewhere in the room as Stefan suddenly stands stating he needs air. I trail him with my eyes as he makes his way across the room to the door. I know he's going to see Damon and the doppelgänger that are foolishly parked right outside. How anyone survives in their little group is beyond me. I return my attention back to the hybrid to find him pouring another drink. Hmm…
3rd POV
Klaus had just finished pouring himself one last drink when the one and only Damon Salvatore sits next to him. A menacing smirk crosses the hybrid's features as a similar smile turns up Damon's lips.
"I see they've opened the doors to the riff raft now," Klaus comments playing with his drink.
"Oh honey, I've been called worse." They sit in silence the tension so thick one could cut it with a knife.
"You don't give up, do you?" Klaus turns his face to stare at the Salvatore. Any sane person would make a run for it at the looks Damon is receiving.
"Give me my brother back…and you'll never have to see me again." Damon points out.
"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so..." he trails off looking around the room.
"What can I say, I'm a thrill seeker." He smirks before Klaus snaps his hand out circling Damon's neck. He lifts him off the ground with ease not even breaking a sweat when he reaches over with his free hand to grab a toothpick. Damon groans when Klaus starts to stab him.
"Oh dear, what was that?" Klaus fakes sympathy as he sticks him again. "I'm a little boozy, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few times." He sneers repeating the process again. "Ohh no that's not it."
"A little to the left." A feminine voice calls out drawing both the men's attention to the bar. Damon groans when he finds Alba seated on top of the bar eating a handful of peanuts. Klaus smiles in amusement and curiosity as he finds the girl from the woods.
"Here?" Klaus asks positioning it far from Salvatore's heart.
"Perfect!" The girl beams making eye contact with Damon over Klaus's shoulder as he sticks him. Defiance is clear in the girl's eyes and it takes Damon back to a time when he stood in front of his own father with the same look. "Oops missed it again." She sighs, turning eyes back to the original. "Better try again."
"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan I'm so much more fun!" Damon squeaks out with the little air he's granted.
"You won't be any fun after your dead." Klaus states tossing Damon to the ground like a rag doll. Klaus swiftly breaks off a chair leg and is just about to stab the Salvatore with it when it catches on fire. He tosses it to the side and looks at Gloria who just entered the bar. "Really?" He questions in disbelief failing to notice that Gloria wasn't the one to set his stake on fire.
"Not in my bar. You take it outside." She places her hands on her hips. Klaus returns his eyes to Damon.
"You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom, because when I'm done with him. He won't want to come back." He snarls letting the oldest Salvatore up as both men turn to the bar where Alba sat only to find it empty.
When Damon steps out the door of Gloria's I'm quick to fall into step beside him.
"Do you have a death wish or are you just naturally this slow?" I mock using the words he used on me a few nights before.
"What are you even doing here Alba?" Damon snarls not even giving me a second glance.
"I heard Chicago was nice this time of year." I grin when he huffs at my answer. "Also I thought I'd poke some fun at my least favorite vampire…literally." I snicker recalling the toothpick scene.
"Yeah it was a real treat." Damon bites twisting around before we get to his car. "You can leave now." He blocks my view of his car and the doppelgänger inside.
"What? You don't want me to meet the famous Elena?" I mock hurt. "I'm wounded Damon."
"I know you already met her-"
"Actually I saved her life, you're welcome." I respond dryly. He smiles without emotion.
"I don't care if you save every single person on this planet. You will never mean anything to me or anyone for that matter. Let's face it; you are another sarcastic brat with no one." He answers harshly sending a pang through me. I just stare at him as his eyes suddenly flash to my chest before returning to my eyes.
"Damon?" I watch as he turns around to acknowledge the doppelgänger as I disappear into the night.
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