A/N - Hello everyone. I am really excited to show you guys where this story is headed and I have a whole bunch of ideas. If you haven't realized by now, I have ended up writing this story in a sort of TV show type format, with a lot of smaller scenes, subplots, and flashbacks. I do have at least the next few chapters planed out, but seeing as I just started school today, I don't know how often I am going to keep updating. I will do my best to update at least every day or two, but it may end up going even longer.

Reviews are always wanted and if you have any ideas or suggestions just let me know! Special thanks to Guest and DarkBrunette for reviewing. Enjoy this next chapter!

Liz Forbes had never seen a real vampire attack for herself before. But she had heard enough about them to know that this was one of them. The official story was an animal attack, but Liz and the Council knew better. They had been formed way back in the eighteen hundreds for this very reason. No one really thought vampires would return to Mystic Falls. Not in modern times, but this attack meant that they had.

Liz stood up and patted Jeremy on the arm. "I hope you start to feel better soon."

The bites on his neck kept him from moving too much, but he tried to smile. "Thanks."

She nodded and walked out of the hospital room. As she headed toward the exit, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and speed dialed number 5. The phone rang as she held it up to her ear.

"Sheriff. What is the situation?" said the voice on the other end of the line.

"Mayor Lockwood, I'm afraid we have a problem. It was definitely," she lowered her voice, "a vampire attack."

The mayor took a deep breath. "Are you absolutely sure? There is no chance of it being an animal? Like the boy said? We need to make sure we are not jumping to conclusions."

Liz nodded her head, forgetting he couldn't see her. "Yes, I'm sure. He was drained of blood and the puncture marks on his neck were too precise to be from a wild animal."

There was another pause on the other end while Liz walked outside and headed toward her car. "Okay then. I will call a council meeting. You and I will give them the rundown on what happened and then we will figure out where to go from there."

"Okay. See you then."

The door swung shut behind Stefan as he headed out to the second day of school.

"Alone at last." Damon said to himself. He paced over to the table where the alcohol was sitting and poured himself a drink, staring at the room around him. He had never quite understood why he had never sold the large old house. It had been in the family for generations, and it used to be a boarding house. His father had kept if for sentimental reasons but, although it was now legally Damon's house, he had never even considered selling it.

It was Damon's day off from work, so he headed over to the Grill, sitting down at one of the empty seats at the bar.

The bartender poured him a drink as the sheriff sat down in the seat next to him.

"So what's the deal with that attack on the Gilbert kid?" the bartender asked her. "Was it really just a wild animal?"

"It seems that way." she confirmed.

Damon couldn't help but jump into the conversation. "I read in the newspaper that he was drained of blood. What kind of animal would do that?" He had just been curious, but he saw something flash behind the sheriff's eyes, as if she was wondering if Damon knew something.

"I don't really know." She studied him closer. "You're one of the Salvatore brothers, right?"

Damon nodded. "That would be me. Damon Salvatore at your service." He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Sheriff Forbes. You know, I knew your father pretty well." The sheriff seemed to hesitate slightly, like she was trying to make a decision. "You wouldn't happen to know where he kept his store of vervain, would you?"

"Vervain?" He felt like he had heard the word before, but he didn't know where, or what it meant.

"Oh, it's just a plant. About this tall," She held up her hands about six inches from each other, "and it has little purple bulbs at the ends. He would grow it and then sell it to us," she waited a second then added, "you know, for decoration. I was hoping you would know where it was, so I could buy some more."

Damon nodded. "Oh. Well, I haven't seen any around, but if I spot it, I will let you know."

The sheriff looked relieved. "Okay. Thank you Damon. Now, I guess I should get going. Don't want to miss any important meeting." Damon laughed as she stood up and payed the tip. Damon's eyes followed her out of the Grill. If he hadn't thought something fishy was up that morning when he read about an animal attack with the victim drained of blood, he definitely was sure about it now. The sheriff was covering something up, and now, Damon was determined to figure out exactly what it was.

The mayor checked outside of the doors of the room one last time before shutting and locking them. He turned to the Sheriff. "Would you please explain our situation?"

She nodded before turning to the small group of people sitting in front of her. She explained how there had been an attack and how she had gone to interview Jeremy. She told the council how the marks on his neck had to have been made by a vampire and how everything they had been told about vampires, was true. She told them how vampires had returned to Mystic Falls. "So now the question is, what do we do about it? I have already spoken to Damon Salvatore about getting vervain for our safety and the safety of those around us, but that won't be enough to protect the whole town."

"If I may, Sheriff, I think I know of a few things that could help us." It was John Gilbert talking. The council turned in their seats to look at him.

Liz was slightly taken aback. "And what would those things be?"

"Well, as you may know, I have read many of my ancestor Jonathan Gilbert's journals and he writes of a device, that looks like a pocket watch, but is actually a compass that points to the nearest vampire."

"Well, if we could get such a device, that would be a huge help to us. Do you know who has it now?"

"I believe that it was my brother's when he was younger, so I would guess that it is somewhere in the Gilbert's household. I mean, where my nephew lives. Should I try and retrieve it for you?"

"Yes, I think you should. But John," The sheriff waited till he acknowledged her again, to make sure she had his full attention. "Be careful. I don't want Jeremy, or anybody else for that matter, getting dragged into all this. Is that clear?"

John nodded his head. "Yes sheriff."