So here is that chapter that you've all been waiting for! Sorry for the delay, I'm just really busy but I might be taking a week off school soon. So here is the second part of the party and also you get to see some more Cecile, not too mention Cliona standing up to Jean again. Don't forget to review!

"She...is the town gossip. Sometimes people like to believe her"

"Has she been saying something?"

"Well"

"Please, I need to know"

Ryan stayed quiet but looked down at his feet as they continued to waltz around the room before answering, "She has suspicions and theories, none of us are taking it seriously"

"So she is saying something. And she's after telling the whole town?"

"No, just a few of us, and we aren't even going to repeat it. I'm not even supposed to be telling you this"

"Who else knows?"

"Mostly just Carol Lockwood and the Sheriff"

"What has she been saying?" Cliona asked again, wanting to know what the two most important people in town had been hearing about her.

"That you're into witchcraft and all that junk"

"Seriously? Because I sell books and herbs? It's all gimmicks for the kids."

"I know that, and it's exactly what the response was. Cecile refuses to back down so she's probably going to begin poking around, knowing her. I just gave you the warning so you would be careful"

"What ever happened to 'If You Have Nothing Nice To Say Then Don't Say It At All?" Cliona said, mostly to herself.

Ryan chuckled quietly to himself, his chest shaking. A sad look came into his eyes as he replied, "My wife used to say that"

"And I see that it has rubbed off on Kyle. You raised him well"

"Sometimes I don't know"

"Trust me, you did a fantastic job. He isn't screwed up, trust me, I've witnessed screwed up. Kyle just got lost but he's finding himself again."

"I hope you're right"

"I am. You just need to walk a mile in his shoes. I know it isn't easy for you because you have work and bills and everything but Kyle has school, and that defines his future forever. School is a place where either you fit in or you don't. And Kyle isn't really fitting in and that's really tough, especially when you're going to be stuck there for the next few years. Losing his mother just set him off on a bit of a destructive path but he's back again and you have a chance to be there for him. Ten years from now you can be looking back on this with him and he could be married with kids. Everything will work out, just give it time. And now if you'll excuse me, I need to see if someone is here" Cliona finished her little speech with a small sigh before leaving a stunned Ryan behind in her wake.

Cliona was actually trying to see if she could find Damon anywhere but instead she felt a tug on her arm and turned around to see the son of the man she had just been talking to. "Hey, you came."

"Don't you remember what I told you the last time?"

"Oh yeah, the witch trial. I'll keep that in mind"

"Good choice" Cliona muttered, remembering what Ryan had just said.

"So would you be up for a dance? Lucy isn't here yet and we were supposed to be meeting up. And it saves me standing here like a dork, besides if she walks in and sees us dancing she won't jump to any conclusions like she would if I were dancing with some other girl"

"Okay"

Cliona was beginning to get a little impatient. She had to admit it to herself. But she couldn't say no to Kyle. It was nice knowing that she was helping a family after staying here only a couple of months. But it also felt weird dancing with a teenager, she felt like some sort of cougar as she was swung around with the younger guy in front of her, although she wasn't kidding when she said she would have dated him herself if she were younger. With everything Kyle had been through, Cliona was set on getting him together with Lucy. He deserved to be happy and it wasn't like his dad could follow him to school to stop him from feeling like an outsider, even though his dad would make him feel like even more of a loner.

"I saw you talking to my dad"

"Yeah, don't worry, nothing bad for you. So how did your own talk go?"

"We were at home and I admit that I didn't say everything but there are some things you just can't tell, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that feeling sometimes"

"We spoke about mom and what she would say if she were here and stuff. I miss her and I get that dad misses her. It's just us now. I think that dad understood my side though, and I always understood everything from his point of view. But I want to say thanks boss, we wouldn't be at this content agreement if it weren't for you"

"No problem, but you know how you can pay me back?"

"How?"

"You can go talk to that girl over there and ask her to dance while I run off and try to find some guy my own age that I might get lucky with, 'kay?"

Kyle looked around to where Cliona had been looking and spotted Lucy in a knee length red dress and a small smile on her face. Kyle smiled at her and let go of Cliona, but not before looking back at her and saying, "You got it boss" before walking over to Lucy.

Cliona smiled smugly to herself as she went to the bar but remembered what Damon had said about how terrible the drinks were. The guy behind the bar was about to ask her what her order was when she felt another tug on her arm and turned around to see the man himself looking down at her with intensity in his blue eyes.

"Thirsty after a solid fifteen minutes of dancing?" he teased, but the seriousness not leaving his eyes.

"Sorry, I'm not that fit"

"Trust me, you're fit" Damon replied, the joking feeling finally reaching his eyes, making Cliona smirk and look at her shoes.

"You're not going to ask me to dance are you?"

"Actually I was going to ask if you wanted a drink, I've never actually met a woman who could keep up with my alcohol intake"

"Is that all we have going for us, seriously? Anyone else would think we're a bunch of AA members that are failing miserably"

"Well…it's fun…and we aren't addicts…and you only got drunk twice but in your defense I hadn't even drank that much and you needed to unwind. I've never personally owned a shop but I know that it has to be stressful. Especially when you've got a nutty blonde to co-own it with you and, not to mention, her anti-Christ mother is here."

"Why are you so right?"

"With age comes wisdom"

"Wisdom is knowledge and knowledge is power. But power corrupts. So let's be smart and be evil."

"Hmm world domination sounds like fun with you as my Queen. Now that sounds like just the thing I want to do with my future"

"First decree, no liquor laws"

"Oh yes, definitely…We should really make a list if we're going to follow through on those plans"

Cliona paused and let out a breath before looking at the ground and back at Damon, "Look at us, acting like a pair of teenagers" Damon had linked Cliona's arm through his own and was leading her back outside, where the sky had darkened and the fairy lights had finally been turned on.

"I'd say you were a fun teenager" Damon commented, looking over to the brunette as they sat on the stone wall. Cliona gave Damon a look as if to say 'are you serious?'

"No I wasn't. I had no social life. I locked myself away and only came out to play if I was going into town or meeting a friend who was visiting from another country"

"And your parents were alright with that?"

"They gave up on me. I was a lost cause. When I was younger there would be a day when every door would be opened and my parents would clean the entire house, now I mean completely gut it. And we would all be shooed from the house but I always stuck around and sat outside on the front step of the house. I never really clicked with anyone around the place. But it's okay though because you're supposed to screw up on the first child. We're the prototypes. But I'm glad I didn't fit in because none of the others my age turned out to lead a successful life. Oh God, now you think I'm one of those women who are married to their career"

"No but, it did sound a little like that"

"Well I'm sorry but your career isn't going to wake up one morning and say it doesn't love you anymore. And I admit it. I'm terrified of rejection."

"I know. I get that feeling sometimes" Damon said, quoting her from when she had spoken with Kyle which made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. His joking façade had vanished and had been replaced by a serious sorrowful look on his face. "I was in a relationship once. I thought she loved me because I was certain that I loved her. I did everything she asked, I would have killed if she wanted me to. And then she faked her death and I mourned her for years, only to find out that she was alive and had avoided me all that time. She came back after a while because she wanted something and then she said she loved someone else"

"What a bitch" Cliona remarked, looking straight ahead of her.

"Yeah well, I just know the feeling. I admit that I lie sometimes but I'd never do something like that. I'd never hurt the person I loved for that"

Cliona looked at him gently and could practically feel the gravitational-like pull that was making her lean closer to the man beside her. She could sense how he was moving forward too, seeing as her eyes had slowly half closed. It was like electricity when they got so close that they could feel each others breathing, so intimate. Cliona could feel as Damon's lips brushed against hers and she couldn't help but kiss him back. She knew that she was safe around him, even though she knew that a dark side existed, that bit was obvious. The kiss would have deepened, both of them knew it. Only for a voice called out and broke them apart. Neither of them knew whether to be happy or annoyed that they had been interrupted. Usually Cliona would have pulled back out of embarrassment at the fact that there were other people present but she didn't care. She felt like she could do what ever she wanted when Damon was around. It was like that moment when you were coming out of a deep sleep and you were half asleep but half awake and it's like every idea that you have is brilliant and will definitely work. You feel like you can do anything. Almost as if you were on Cloud Nine.

Cliona smirked at the man beside her and turned to see Cordelia waving at her and walking over. She was half way there when she turned around and Cliona saw another blonde moving towards her, making Cliona groan in frustration. "Why did she have to come along?"

"You didn't expect her to?"

"I don't want that woman anywhere near me, I want to go. This was a bad idea. She'll embarrass everyone. What if she gets talking to that Lockwood woman? What if she says the wrong thing? Oh who am I kidding she always says the wrong thing!" Cliona whispered quickly, on the verge of losing the plot.

"Come on" Damon pulled Cliona by the hand and yanked her away from the wall and down the steps, leading them into the garden and towards the out-door dance floor where the fairy lights were glittering above them.

"Nut Job probably couldn't get out of it. She had to come along for reputational reasons and for the shop and her mother would want to know why she was dressed up and I think she probably would have received one hell of an ear full from her mother if she told her that she was going on a date"

"Stop knowing everything. Now I feel really in superior and I don't need that right now"

"What happened to the woman who was saying that I needed a slap earlier?"

"She drowned herself away in your whiskey flask"

Damon chucked lightly as he pulled Cliona towards him and wrapped his arms around her as the music played. Cliona rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, beginning to calm down. She had been so preoccupied by the woman she hated that she had completely brushed aside the fact that she had been kissed by the guy that she was dancing with. That made her feel a little horrible. The guy probably felt unimportant. But what was that kiss anyway? Was it a drunken one? Was it sincere? Was it a one off? Was it one of those feel better kisses? Or did he actually like her and wanted to start up some sort of relationship? She had drank a bit but not enough to make her tipsy so if anything went wrong she could blame it on the alcohol but she knew that she had to do something, so she looked up at the man in front of her and kissed him before pulling back and saying "Thank you, for everything. I'm pretty sure I'd be in pieces if it weren't for you or, at least, living out of my car. And you're right about her turning up. Delia said that she might be coming along. I shouldn't get so worked up so I'm not going to think about them for the rest of the night. I know that I'm probably annoying you with all my problems"

"It's healthy to vent, as annoying as it may get sometimes"

"I admire the blunt honesty" Cliona smirked, her head tilting to the side, her eyes glittering under the fairy lights.

"You're probably the first person to"

"It's better than stabbing someone in the back, if someone didn't like me I'd rather they say it to my face instead of beat around the bush about it and act completely just like…" Cliona stopped herself before she could say the name. "Sorry, I almost said it but I didn't"

"Its amazing how one person can annoy you so much"

"I'm pretty sure that there are people that you'd love to strangle"

"Oh trust me, I'd rip their throat out" Damon smirked as he spun Cliona around and pulled her back to him as they swayed back and forth. Cliona sighed in contentment as she leaned her head against Damon's chest again and closed her eyes. It was relaxing and she felt she needed it. Things had gotten so hectic and the shop was really beginning to pick up now. Pretty soon there would be more people working alongside Kyle, perhaps she could promote him. She stopped herself; she wasn't allowed to think about work right now, this was her night off. She really must be married to her work. I need to learn to separate my personal and working lives, she thought, that's going to be really hard in a place as small as this.

"Oh there you are, thank God. Have you seen Cordelia anywhere? I've been looking for her for ages. Last I saw her she was talking to some man after you disappeared and then I went to look for her and she was gone." Jeans shrill voice broke through the tranquility between the other two. Cliona sighed and looked over to Jean, anger laced in her voice.

"I don't know Jean. She's a big girl. She can handle herself. It's not unusual behavior, you'll be nagging at her in the morning so go and torment someone else for a change hm?"

Cliona could feel eyes on her as she spoke the truth the Jean, who seemed taken aback.

"Well…you're just…"

"What?"

Jean didn't even try to structure a coherent sentence and instead walked off, her heels clicking against the wood of the make-shift dance floor, leaving Damon and Cliona, along with another few onlookers, watching her as she stormed up the steps and into the house.

Damon looked down at Cliona and smirked, "Well played"

000

Cliona took her shoes off the moment she walked into the hallway of the Salvatore Boarding House. She knew that Jean would be gone soon, which had her anticipating the feel of comfort in her own bed again. It was a little odd to her that she was staying with Damon and then kissed him...or rather he kissed her….or one of them met the other halfway, she didn't know and she didn't want to think about it. It happened and she was happy. The end. She collapsed onto the sofa as the man she was thinking about poured himself some whiskey and took a seat beside her, not saying a word. She smiled at the ceiling before turning to him, "I bet you're really funny when you're drunk"

"Please, if I were drunk, you'd be passed out on the floor"

"Is that a dare?"

"No, just a fact." Damon replied simply, taking another sip of whiskey.

"I know I said that I wouldn't bring it up but…do you think Cordelia is okay? I just have this feeling that something isn't right…I don't know. I'm probably just being paranoid"

"Drink can do that to you"

"Shut up"

Damon turned to her and chuckled before turning back to the fire, which was somehow lighting seeing as they just got back from the party.

"I'm surprised this town doesn't have a huge number of alcoholics seeing as you all have a party almost…every fortnight"

"This town never ceases to amaze me, as boring as it may be"

"Did you ever leave? Ever travel? I mean, I grew up in a place like this and I can say that I've seen New York and the big cities"

"I've traveled…I liked New York but it wasn't a place where I could stay, too many people"

"Where else did you go?"

"Everywhere"

"When did you come back here?"

"Around last year. I had to make sure that Stefan stayed out of trouble."

Cliona sighed in agreement, a smile on her face "I know the feeling, my younger brother liked to test his boundaries…a lot"

"Sometimes it's a good thing to test them, but when you suck at it, you need to be watched"

"Exactly" Cliona agreed. "Now, if you don't mind. I think that I'll hit the hay. And I have work soon, things are beginning to pick up, I might have to start hiring soon"

"Oh, interviews. How fun"

"You want a job?" Cliona teased, standing the stretching.

"Haha, good one. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night"

"Good night"

000

"It's coming darling, its coming"

The sound of the three cats echoed throughout the kitchen that looked as if it hadn't been decorated since the fifties. The pink cupboards and the black and white tiled floors were shining, not a mark could be found. A vase of daisies sat on the table, between the placemats that had been sent from relatives in Spain, showing the sandy beaches and clear blue waters.

Cecile bent down and emptied the contents of the tin into the cats dish, all three of them rushing over and sticking their heads in the bowl before the tin was even emptied. The sounds of their purring made Cecile smile at them, probably the only time that she would ever genuinely smile was when no one else was around, and the smile was aimed at cats that wouldn't even look back at her, too engrossed with their food.

Cecile was a single woman, runner up for Miss Mystic Falls back in her day, but never married. With age had come extra pounds and reading glasses that always hung around her neck. Her upbringing had been as the younger of two children. Her older brother, Dennis, was happily married and living in Europe with his wife Molly and their three children. Although one of the children had already left the nest, studying in England to be a doctor. Anthony, the youngest, was studying for his exams this year. This would be his first time sitting a state examination. And then in another two years he would have another, or however the curriculum was over there. Personally, Cecile thought that it was a load of rubbish.

Cecile's parents had been strictly religious and always told her about how wrong it was to side with evil. How evil could be manifested in evil deeds, which could be forgiven, but others would have to have to be stopped. Witches were evil, anyone that practiced magic was an evildoer because only God was allowed to wield any sort of supernatural power on this Earth.

That was why that Cliona woman had to be stopped. Everyone thought that she was lovely but Cecile could see right through her. Her parents had been on the Founders Council and now she had taken their place.

Cecile had been looking into those things that she had seen at that awful new shop, where she was also beginning to see more and more customers, most of them teenagers. That shop was destroying the children's minds. It was poison! Cecile wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of spell or curse on the building itself. That was why she had gone into the shop to subtly investigate and see if there were any symbols painted on the walls or anything out of the usual, but then she had seen Ryan there. Ryan would have told the council. Cecile doubted that any of the members would have told Cliona about Cecile's suspicions but when she had seen Ryan with her again tonight at that party, Cecile knew not to take any chances.

And then that Jean woman was crying all of a sudden. Well there had been no tears but she was still determined on finding her daughter, who had gone missing. Poor thing. The daughter that was also Cliona's business partner and housemate had disappeared and Cecile bet that the nice young blonde woman had seen something she wasn't supposed to, or somehow got on Cliona's bad side and had to be disposed of. That Cliona woman was just as bad as those God awful vampires, if not worse.

And the worst part was that they all accepted her, they all welcomed her. That was only going to make polluting Mystic Falls easier for her. The sooner she was stopped the better. She should be burned, shot, held under water. Anything. But Cecile needed evidence. She needed to prove that Cliona was up to something and bring it to the council.

"What kind of name is Cliona anyway?" Cecile said to the cats, looking down with a look of disgust on her face. "Who does she think she is? She isn't going to fool me. I stick by what I said. I'm going to make them all see it. She has them all blindfolded and I'm going to remove those blindfolds"

Cecile went over to the sink and looked out the window, into the cold dark night, "Whether it's the last thing I do"

Cecile was wondering what that unwelcome little witch was doing now? Was she making some sort of a potion to poison Carol Lockwood? Did she have Damon under some sort of mind control? Was that the reason that she was staying with him? What was going to happen to that Jean woman now that she was looking for her missing daughter? Cliona would probably dispose of her next, which meant that she was going to be Cecile's lead. She was going to help her catch Cliona in the act. All Cecile needed to do now was to befriend Jean. Perhaps invite her to dinner. Jean didn't seem to be treated nicely by Cliona at the party when she had asked Cliona is she had seen her daughter, so perhaps the dinner discussion could be about how Cliona is such a terrible person, if she even is a person. Either Damon must be blind or under some sort of spell. Cecile would be helping him too by getting rid of Cliona, once and for all. Saturday would be best to host a dinner. All she needed to do now was to find Jean.

000

Stefan was walking through the door just as Cliona was turning off her beside lamp upstairs which Damon could hear.

"Well well, did someone get lucky tonight?" he teased as his younger brother walked into the room, a frown on his face. "Oh come on, it couldn't have been that bad, I'm sure Elena must have enjoyed it"

"This isn't funny Damon. Something happened"

"Yeah I know…I'm sure it will be the big gossip between Elena's little circle of girly friends in the morning" Damon replied before taking another sip of whiskey and turning around to stand by the fire.

"A girl is dead Damon"

"Do they know who she is?" came the response, the vampire with the whiskey turned around to face his brother.

"Her name was Yvonne. That's all I know, Jeremy knew her. She was found at the side of the road by the woods. Whoever is out there doing this has to be stopped soon, before someone else dies. I've given Elena some more vervain to give out, but that's not going to be enough. The entire town should have it in their system by now with all of these parties. It's even been put in the food at the Grill. I can't think of anyone without it now. But that girl didn't have it in her system and it cost her, her life. You need to ask Sheriff Forbes if she's got any leads in the morning"

Damon looked back at the fire, his empty hand leaning against the mantle. He hadn't given Cliona any vervain; he had stopped her from going to the bar. But she was safe with him, she was in the house and even though Stefan hardly knew her, he'd still protect her. Then again, if he didn't protect her he knew that his older brother would kill him. He had to ask the council what they knew in the morning. Damon knew that something was up the moment that Cliona had told him about the man that had attacked her friend. This had also been one of the main reasons that he had invited her to stay with him in the first place since Jean arrived. That guy could have tried to get to Cliona and Damon was just beginning to enjoy her company at the time. Falling for her had just been some sort of bonus. But Cordelia seemed like one of those people who'd go with different guys for fun. Just like she'd gone with that guy at the party… and wasn't seen.

"I think I might have a lead"

"What? Who?"

"Jean"

"Who?"

"That blonde chick who had that temper tantrum at the party. She said that the other blonde had gone off with some guy and she couldn't find her. But this is the same woman who was attacked before. I'd bet you anything that she left with our guy"

"Okay, so we ask her about what she saw or what he looks like, at least"

"Hopefully she has vervain in her system too. We don't need anyone tampering with her mind and erasing anything"

"Or putting the image in her head in the first place. Damon, be careful"

"Aren't I always" Damon smirked back, almost taunting his brother.

"I'm serious. Don't do anything impulsive. This like a very dangerous game of cat and mouse. We can't make any sudden movements or they'll know that we're on to them"

"Fine, but they're all asleep now so we have to wait until morning."

"In the mean time I suggest you get vervain to Cliona .I know that she doesn't have it on her and she needs it to stay safe"

"She's fine. She's got me watching her"

"What if you have to fight someone or get called away? What about when you have to question Jean or if it risks her finding out about us. What then?"

"She won't. I've got it covered" Damon was beginning to feel a little insulted. Was Stefan saying that he was incapable of taking care of someone?

"What if you don't? It only takes once Damon. We can't afford to have anyone else attacked or killed over this"

"I said I've got it covered!"

"She's going back to her own place soon. You can't watch her forever. You have to give her vervain or something because if her friend really is under this guys thumb he could have already received and invitation into the house. You'll never be able to watch her twenty four hours a day and if she saw you, you'd scare her off. She'd want her own space Damon."

"Oh yeah. Watch me"

"But she'd need it anyway! What if someone came along, other than this mystery vampire? What then?"

"Who'd come along? Who could possibly want to go after her?" Damon hated listening to this, even though he knew that it was the truth.

"Oh I don't know, people like me?" came a low, flirtatious voice. Damon and Stefan turned around to see the curly haired brunette, which they always dreaded to see in Mystic Falls, with a smirk on her face. "Hey boys"

"Katherine"

OH MY GOD KATHERINE IS BACK! So has anyone seen the latest episode? I'm seriously thinking of shipping Klaus/Caroline. Although I'd never be able to write it… I'd be terrified of screwing up their characters, at least with Damon you can keep the sarcasm and wit. Klaus is way too complex

So I hope that you liked the chapter!

Review!

Skitz ;)

p.s If any of you watch American Horror Story, I have a One-Shot on my page.

And for any of you new readers, you can find my Facebook through my fanfiction page or by clicking 'Homepage' above my avatar.

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