[*Chapter Nineteen*]

*Some strong language*Enjoy! 💜

"What's all the knocking about?" Jenna wondered, treading down the stairs. Coming to the bottom, she poked her head over the railing, seeing Darcy sitting on the sofa with a tub of B&J.

"Isn't that mine?" She asked, standing behind her niece, who was too hooked on watching Fresh Prince Of Bell-air.

"Huh?" Darcy mumbled through a mouthful of choc chip ice cream, eyes blurry from watching re-runs all morning.

"The ice cream you're stuffing your mouth with is mine."

Darcy dipped the spoon in the tub, scooping a large spoonful of chocolate ice cream, and tilted her head back, peering innocently at the strawberry blonde aunt. "Finders keepers, losers weepers." She said, shrugging her shoulders and stuffing the spoon in her mouth. "Mmm. Yummy."

"Bitch." Jenna muttered, causing the dark-haired teen to chuckle.

"The door? Are you suddenly deaf?" She asked, hearing the door knock again.

"I was too busy laughing my ass off at Will Smith being a prat."

Jenna opened the door, freezing on the spot seeing her ex on the doorstep. "What are you doing here, Logan?" She asked, shocked.

Darcy froze almost dropping her precious lover. Did she say, Logan? No, she can't have, he's dead.

"I missed you. I was out of town." He replied.

"Shit." Darcy cursed the scum bag, losing grip of the tub. She stared with woefulness as it tumbled to the floor. "Aww!" Then tried to bury herself in the sofa cushions. The last time Logan had seen her, he shot her, presumably thinking she was a vampire.

But hadn't Damon killed him?

"Yeah, I got the email!" Jenna responded, trying to barricade the door, stopping him from entering the house.

"You got an email?" Logan asked, confused.

Fuck sake, don't tell me the foolish asshole sent a goddam email, Darcy thought as she attempted to suffocate herself with a cushion. She what these vampires do to her sanity?

"You didn't send an email?"

"I can explain. Just invite me in, and I will tell you everything." He said, taking a step forward.

Darcy shot up giving up on the cover of hiding. She rounded the sofa, pausing beside Jenna and glared heatedly at scum bag Fell. Logan's eyes widened, seeing the girl he shot. He concealed his shock by pleading to be let inside the house.

"I'm not gonna invite you in. Forget it!" Jenna exclaimed, looking at her niece silently asking is he mad.

"Come on, Jenna. It's me!"

"She said no," Darcy spoke up, pushing her aunt behind her and making the man glare. If he was a vampire as she thought, there's no way he's stepping foot into their home. And no way was he getting near Jenna.

"I just want to talk." He said, raising his hand in surrender.

"I said, no!" Darcy shot back.

A malicious smirk appeared on his perspiring face. "Come on, Jenna, I know you. You're always one step from 'maybe' and a tiny bit from 'yes'."

Oh, hell no, he did not call Jenna easy. Darcy reared her arm back and struck him in the jaw. Logan staggered back, holding his face, which was a frozen picture of shock.

"Fuck off and keep away from Jenna. Got it?"

"What the hell?" He exclaimed, eyes hardened with rage. He went to step over the threshold, only to receive a door slamming on his face. "Shit!" He swore, clutching his bleeding nose.

Darcy spun around, seeing Jenna's distraught face. Pulling the older woman into a hug, she shushed and rubbed her back. "Hey, don't listen to him, okay. It's not true; he's just an ass."

Jenna pulled away, rubbing at her tearful eyes and smiled sadly at the older Gilbert girl. "But-,"

"No. No buts. I know what you're gonna say and it's not true. You are not easy or have no self-control, Logan is just a manipulative bitch. You are amazing, Jenna, and you deserve someone better than him. Someone who treats you like the queen you are." She said brushing back the long red strands sticking to Jenna's damp face. "Okay?"

Jenna nodded and clung on to the girl, thankful for her presence and encouraging words. "I love you, D."

"I love you too, J."

💜🖤💜

Darcy nudged open Jeremy's bedroom door and dropped the large pile of journeys onto his bed. Her brother chuckled at her while she huffed and pushed her hair out of her face. She glared playfully. "You try carrying them. They look light, but they deceive you." She huffed again gathering her hair and tying it into a low braid.

"Not saying anything." He opened the first journal his hand's touched. "So these were dads?" He asked, then paused reading a written passage. "I live in fear. It consumes me. In the early evening that I see the sun begins to fade: the fear comes because I know that the night brings death."

Darcy nodding taking a seat beside him. "Yeah, all these journals were written by Jonathan Gilbert. He wrote his whole life, in there you will find out his obsession with killing vampires. I've not read them all but got the gist he's crazy."

Jeremy nodded, walking over to his desk, he set down the journal, leaving the rest on his bed, pulling his sketchbook out of the top draw, and then took a seat. "Thanks for doing this. I wouldn't know anything that was really happening if it wasn't for you. Elena would have let me found out by either getting hurt or dying." He chuckled faintly trying to push off his melancholy.

Darcy got up from the bed and hugged him from behind, chin resting on his messy head. "Jer, I'll always protect you. I will try my hardest not to let you get hurt. We may not have the same blood flowing through our veins. Just know in my heart and soul, you'll be my brother. Always."

Jeremy smiled down at his sketchbook. "Always."

Darcy heard the door creak behind her; she pulled away, seeing Elena backing out of the room and walking down the stairs. "I'm gonna go, you read through these and see what you want to give to Mr Saltzman. If you need any more help, just let me know, and I'll help. Okay?" After receiving a nod, she kisses his head, leaves the room, and heads down to the kitchen.

Walking inside, she leans against the counter; chin rested in her hands as she watches Elena and Jenna get ready for the day.

"Jeremy's got his sketch pad out," Elena said to Jenna in excitement as she puts her scarf on.

"You're kidding?" Jenna said, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Hmm. This is good. This is what we want." Darcy chimed in pulling her jacket off the stool and slipping her arms through the holes. She's happy Jeremy is slowly returning to the boy he once was before their parents died.

"Don't say anything. The minute we encourage him, he'll put it away." Elena said as the three made their way to the front door.

"Psychology major. Check that! You and Stefan? Update?" Jenna asked Elena as she opened the door.

"He knows how I feel and where I stand, and I know where he stands, but it doesn't matter. He's leaving, moving away." Elena said following Jenna and Darcy outside.

"What about you? Have you spoken to Stefan or Damon?" Elena asked sheepishly, knowing after Damon's incident biting her when she saved Bonnie, things have been on the quiet. That's another thing Elena is pissed about. Seeing her sister lifeless in Stefan's arms honestly scared her. She thought she was dead, and maybe with the Salvatore brothers gone, Darcy will be out of harm's way. But that's the thing, trouble finds her sister, she has this need to protect those she loves, but eventually, it will catch up to her and then it will be too late because Darcy will gladly die to save her loved ones.

"After the million calls and texts saying how they are sorry? Yeah. I tried just like you, but they are insistent on leaving."

"Where are they going?" Jenna asked, smiling sadly at the sisters.

"I stopped asking questions. The answers got scary." Elena said, fiddling with her bag strap.

"Yours leaves, mine returns."

Darcy halted, leaning her head on the car door and squeezed her eyes tight. She forgot to tell Elena about Logan. How can she forget?

"Logan?" Elena queried, sending her sister questioning glances, which got ignored since she was head butting her car out of frustration.

"He's back. I didn't let him pass the door."

"Hope you slammed the door in his face."

"Darcy did that and punched him too," Jenna said as she burst out in laughter.

"You didn't?" Elena turned to her sister in shock, but couldn't prevent the proud smile playing on her lips.

Darcy bounced up and down, nodding enthusiastically. "Yep. Asshole deserved it. He shouldn't have called Jenna easy. No more Logan Scum Fell!" She cheered, jumping in her car, then just as she was about to exit the driveway her butt vibrated.

"Woah!" She yelped, jumping in shock. Huffing, she shifted, digging in her into her pants back pocket and pulled out her phone. She groaned, reading the flashing message and threw the device on the passenger's seat. Kicking the door open, she marches back inside the house, boots slapping off the stairs as she sprints up the stairs, raiding her closet, pulling out a large black duffel bag. Then heads back out, practically diving into her car and zipping down the street. "Pesky leeches." She mumbles under her breath.

💜🖤💜

Darcy strolls into the Salvatore Boarding House like she owns the place. She heads straight for Damon's drink collection, because why not? He called, wasting her precious time, the least he can do is share his Bourbon. Pouring the golden liquid into a tumbler, she hears footsteps cease beside her. She takes her sweet ass time placing the large bottle down, taking a healthy gulp before looking at the smirking blue-eyed bloodsucker.

"Aren't you too young to drink?" He questioned, pouring his own drink.

"Nope. I'm 18, in the UK I am perfectly legal." She said, spinning around and crossing her legs as she takes a seat on the large red sofa.

Stefan soon walked in pausing upon seeing the raven-haired girl on his couch. "What are you doing here?" He asked in puzzlement before he too grabbed himself an alcohol beverage.

She shrugged, pointing at Damon. "Ask him."

Damon merely smirked raising his glass of Borbon at his brother. "Thought I'd invite your bestie before we leave." 

Stefan walked over to the armchair; he leans back in his seat. After taking a sip, he places the glass on the chair's arm, index finger rubbing the rim, keeping his stare locked on his brothers form. He doesn't trust his motives, wherever Damon is, trouble brews.

Damon sat down next to the huntress, throwing his arm behind her, earning a look of disdain causing him to chuckle down at her when she shifted away from him.

She pointed at his grinning teeth. "I don't trust that sharp mouth of yours."

He rolled his blue eyes. "How many times do I have to say sorry? I was meant to get the witch."

"Her name is Bonnie. Still, that doesn't mean you try to eat my friend."

"shouldn't have sabotaged my plans." He shrugged carelessly.

Stefan interrupted their banter. "So, any ideas where you're going?"

"I don't know. London maybe? See some friends."

Darcy snorted, causing Damon to glare at her playfully. "What?"

"I wouldn't take you as the type to have friends. I mean you're an ass." She laughs to herself, ignoring him as his glare burns through the side of her face.

"I have friends!" He protests, holding his hand to his chest in faux hurt.

"Hmm, sure you do buddy."

"Okay, I have you two."

"Aww! Damon, are you requesting my hand in friendship?" She turned to extend her hand and fluttering her long lashes.

"No." He said, ignoring her pout while returning his attention to Stefan who gazes at them with interest. "Where we going?"

"We are not going anywhere. I'm going as far away from you as possible." Stefan countered.

Darcy watches glimmer of sadness passes through Damon's stare, he would never admit it, but he does love his brother. What Stefan said deep down stung. "But we're a team! We could travel the world together."

Stefan rolled his green orbs. "That's fine. Seriously, where are you going because we're not staying in this town." He replied, ignoring Darcy's probing frown. Just then, the doorbell rang, causing the three to look at each other.

"Don't look at me. I ain't answering it." Darcy said, leaning back and closing her eyes. She smiled in triumph when she heard one of them get up and answer the door.

"Sheriff. What a surprise!" Damon's voice rang out through the entryway. Darcy's gaze snapped open, she went to get up but paused, seeing Stefan telling her to stay put and get up himself, stopping near the hall.

"Sorry to bother you but we need to talk." She replied.

"Come in," Damon said, walking past the living room, leading Sherif Forbes towards the kitchen.

Darcy shot Stefan a curious look. "What's that about?" She inquired.

"I don't know but stay here. We're meant to be in school."

"Cant you like...listen in on them?" She asked, earning a look of disapproval. "What? Stop being broody. You've got enhanced hearing, use it to your advantage." She finished crossing her arms and smiled when his shoulders dropped in resignation.

"I hope you understand the secrecy. Stefan doesn't know about this yet, and I'd like to keep it that way." Damon said.

"Of course. Kids are too young to be brought into this."

"So what do you need?"

Liz sighed, "There's been another attack. A female, throat torn out, completely drained of blood."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. I thought we solved that problem when I staked the other one." Damon said, cutting her off.

"I think she must have turned someone, multiple someones. I don't know. The town's story is another animal attack, but I'm not sure how long we can keep lying to them. The council is in an uproar. We thought we were passed this."

"What do we do?"

"You're the only one who has ever taken on a vampire. We were hoping you could tell us.

By the look of rage growing on Stefans face, things were not good. Walking over to him, she places a hand on his arm. "What is it, Stef?" He shook her off, stepping back into the living room as Damon and Liz passed them, faces gripped with seriousness.

"Thank you for stopping by," Damon said as he leads the Sherif outside.

"Let me know what you come up with." She replied, turning away from the front entrance.

"Absolutely." He said, shutting the door.

Stefan sped over slamming Damon in the wood. "What's wrong with you? You killed somebody?" His voice filled with anger.

"Get off me!" Damon protested, pushing him away. "A: Don't touch me. B: If I had, I wouldn't be so obvious about it. C: There's another vampire in town."

Call Darcy a bitch or whatever, but she turned away and headed back into the parlour. They can figure this one out by themselves. She could have told them it was Logan Fell. Instead, she poured herself another drink.

"That's impossible." Stefan retorted starting at the hunters back. "Are you hearing this Darce? Damon thinks there's another vampire."

A smirk graced her ruby lips before turning around glass hovering at lips, staring at them with wide eyes, mouth hung open in disbelief. "No, there can't be. Vicky and Lexi are dead; they would be responsible." Shooting Damon a funny glance. "Unless Dickmon here had his way with someone."

"Hey! I've been a good boy, on an animal diet like our Steffy here," Damon said, pouring himself another drink, in a moment of immaturity, he snatched Darcy's glass from her hands, earning a look of betrayal. "Stop raiding my stash."

She scoffed, planting her hands on her hips. "It's the least you can do since you did take a chunk out of my neck."

"I'll do it again if you don't shut your pretty mouth."

"Do it. I dare you, but I won't guarantee you won't come out of this without a stake shoved up your arse." She said advancing only pausing when an inch separated them. Her scowl fixated on his penetrating stare.

"Who could it be?" Stefan asked interrupting their bickering, successfully bringing their attention to him, albeit reluctant.

"What do we care? We're leaving right?" Damon said, moving a step away from the huntress while tossing his Bourbon back.

"No. I can't leave now, and you know that. How are we supposed to find this person?" Sending his best friend a pleading look, knowing she can somehow get through to his brother.

"Let the adults handle this Stefan," Damon to his brother while staring at Darcy who was looking at Stefan seeming exasperated. Turning to the oldest Salvatore, she sighs flicking her braid off her shoulder, so it hung down the middle of her back.

"Look. I agree with Stef. I don't think it's a good idea if you leave while there's another vamp running about."

"Why should I help? It is what this town deserves." He said, keeping his sight locked onto hers—a little crease furrowing between his brows.

"Things have changed now. Mystic Falls isn't the same as before. Please, I can't let my family get hurt. I'll help." She implored, widening her eyes for effect.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked Stefan, glimpsing him gather his stuff over Darcy's shoulder.

"I need to go talk to Elena. You guys need to find this vampire before it kills again." Stefan said, then paused. "I'll tell Elena you're here."

"No, don't tell her. She'll freak out. She's still pissed about the bite." Darcy declared. Stefan nodded and left, causing her to let out a sigh of relief.

"Looks like we're going on an adventure after all." Damon chimed in attempting to be innocuous.

"You already knew, didn't you?" She accused, casting him a doubtful look.

"Don't know what you're talking about." He said, turning his back to her, hiding the smirk on his smug face.

"Sure..." Darcy quipped sarcastically. "Just don't bite me this time and we're good." She deadpanned.

"Right, no playing with your arteries. Got it." He winked, pulling out the Gilbert watch from his jeans pocket.

"Hey! That's Jeremy's" Darcy exclaimed recognising the familiar item and darting forward to snatch the device back.

"Ah, ah, ah, no snatchy snatchy." Damon teased moving to the other side of the room.

She huffed at his childish antics. "Why do you have it? It's my brothers."

"Shouldn't you be asking, how do I have it?" He wiggled his eyebrows being a smug dickhead.

Darcy sighed, sitting back down knowing he's going to be an ass and won't get to the point if she doesn't play his games. "Oh, please do share, sir."

"I found this with that newscast guy we killed."

"You killed, not me. I was too busy on the ground dying in my own pool of blood." The huntress spat, leaning forward, elbows resting on her knees and rubbed her face out of frustration. Why does it lead back to him? She asked herself in her head. Oh, I know! Maybe because he's the vampire, that you still haven't told them about.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Damon said, batting his hand like what she said wasn't necessary.

Peering up from her position, hands spread across her lower face. "What does that have to do with why I am here, and why do you look like a kid who's got a new toy?"

"This may or may not be a vampire compass." He sang, gaining Darcy's full attention; she shot up coming closer to him.

"You're saying that watch which has happened to be in my family for generations was used for hunting vampires?" She grinned getting the gist of why he's excited.

"Hmm." He agreed, matching her grin. "This baby will help find our wander vampire."

"This might be your greatest idea yet, Damon." She mocked. "If you don't fuck it up."

Damon winced, "Yeah, that may be a problem...Since we kinda need Caroline as our jockey."

Darcy looked around for something to hit him with her eyes lit up, spotting the fire stick pole. She ran over and snatched it up. She grinned full of mirth, smacking the bar in her palm. "Better go speedy Dames, or my new toy be up your ass."

"Are you gonna spank me?" He laughed seductively.

"Kinky bast@rd." She burst into laughter, trust Damon not to fall into her plans.

💜🖤💜

Two brunettes stood at the other of the school's hallway, watching Caroline and Matt laughing together. "Did I miss something?" Elena asked, feeling confused. Since when did Matt and Care hang out?

Bonnie shrugged, crossing her arms over her books. "They've been hanging out." She said with a small smile playing on her lips, feeling happy for her friend.

"Kind of weird, don't you think?" Elena asked, eyes flickering up to the witch to see if she agreed with her statement.

"No, not really. Darcy has always shipped them two." She said, then paused sheepishly remembering Matt was Elena's ex.

"What? Really?" Elena exclaimed.

"Yeah. Caroline has always like Matt but has never said anything because you were with him." She grinned at the beaming grin on the blonde's face. "You know what Darcy would say?" Bonnie didn't wait for Elena's reply. "She would say if Care is happy, who are we to judge? Let the girl be happy. That's what we should do. Caroline deserves some love for once. She needs someone opposed to a vampire like Damon."

Elena winced, hearing the implicit jab. She knows she should have told Bonnie truth, but honestly thought she was safe not knowing. Instead, her sister got hurt saving their best friend.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. How are you doing with all that?" She asked, stopping their walk and turned to look at Bonnie.

"I'm okay, scared, but grateful. If Darcy never pushed me out of the way, I could have bee dead. I owe her my life." Bonnie said, smiling while thinking of the protectress. "Where is she by the way?" She wondered, usually, Darcy's not far behind her sister.

💜🖤💜

Darcy talked to Caroline over the phone, while the blonde girl was at the warehouse with the Gilbert watch.

"So what do we do now?" Caroline asked.

"Damon said to wait there. We'll be there in..." Caroline cringed, hearing a loud shriek flare down the speaker.

"Well, can you hurry? A girl got things to do."

"You can give me that," Damon said appearing behind Caroline with a pissed Darcy hanging upside down over his shoulder as she yelled and smacked his ass.

"Put me down you ass!"

"Okay." He said, dropping her on the ground. She landed on her ass, glaring at the arrogant mosquito. "Oops."

"The asshole could have warned me before he sped off." She muttered to herself as she got up off the ground, brushing the imaginary dirt off her clothes.

"Where's the fun in that? You got a free ride" He jested as he took the device off Caroline.

"You try eating your hair, then tell me how fun that is." Darcy paused, seeing Caroline look between the two as they go back and forth, she scowls at the suggestive smirk playing on the girl's mouth.

"So, why did you need me to do this?" Caroline questioned sidelining the daggers spearing the side of her face.

"Because I interfere with the signal," Damon spoke up, looking between the two perplexed by their strange behaviour.

Caroline gave him a confused look.

"He's wired up the wrong way, makes the thing go coo-coo. Kinda like him." Darcy said as she shrugged casually, disregarding the sharp elbow that jabbed in her ribs.

"Oh, okay." Caroline nodded as if she understood. "Can I go now? This has burned out half of my day."

"Yeah, you go. I'll see you later, Care." Darcy said, extending her arms and pushing Damon behind her as he stepped forward to compel Caroline.

"Why?" Damon whined as they watched her get in the car and drive away.

"You can play mind games with ever you want, but not those whom I care about, Okay?"

Damon eyed her with a strange emotion and went to open his mouth to reply, then groaned throwing his head back as his phone rang.

"Stefan?" He answered, noticing it was his brother calling.

"Did you find anything yet?"

"Nope." He said, hanging up and pocketing the phone as he stalked towards to warehouse.

"Just know if your plan goes to shit, I'm revoking our new friendship status." Darcy quipped, keeping her gaze locked on his leather-clad back.

Damon didn't respond as he attempted to open to door, only to find it locked. With a quick flick of his wrist, he broke the lock. Glancing over his shoulder at the dark-haired girl, he flashed her a proud grin and strolled inside the building.

Damon wandered further into the dark warehouse, his body shielding Darcy as he peers around the corner, seeing no one there he steps out and walks into the centre of the area, the female hunter goes to follows suit when a shot rings out, and Damon goes down. Dashing around the corner, she silently curses hearing the familiar slimy voice.

"I've got tons of these wood bullets, so nothing funky," Logan says as creeps out of the shadows; a gun aimed at Damon's chest.

"You don't wanna do this, trust me, " Damon aired as pain seeped through his voice. Logan raises the gun and shoots a second time. "Ahh!" He stifles a groan of pain as a wooden bullet shot in his leg.

Darcy winced, her features tightened watching as Damon writhed in pain on the floor, attempting to dig out the bullets.

"That's what you get," Logan stated smugly.

"For what?" He answered breathlessly.

"You made me like this!" Scum bag Fell shouted, then sniffed waving the gun around like a lunatic. "You can come out now. I know you're here. I can smell you."  He said, blowing her cover.

Cursing again, she inhaled a deep breath before venturing out, keeping her back to Logan she ran to Damon's side, holding his hand tight as he looked up at her with pained filled eyes, begging her to remove the wooden pellets. She complied, pushing aside the squelching blood as her nimble digits dig in his chest, and pulling out one bullet. One more to go.

"I killed you. I didn't turn you."

"See, I know what you, that girl and your brother are. I've been watching you. I knew you would show up here and I'm glad you did because I've got some questions."

Damon cringed and shook his head, while Darcy tended to his next wound, pulling out the second bullet from his leg. "Me first. Who turned you?"

"How should I know? I remember the last thing I shot the girl vampire and was about to stake your brother; then you grab me. That's it! Until I wake up in the ground behind a car dealership on highway four. Somebody buried me." Logan spat miserably at himself.

"It happens." Damon groaned out in pain as Darcy, assisted him to sit up properly. Logan's shape glare switched to her in annoyance.

"You. Turn around so that I can see your face."

Darcy moaned and squeezed her eyes shut; her cover's about to blast. She turned meeting Logan's crazed stare; his face hardened realising who she was.

"You!" He spat, pointing to his dried bloodied face recalling this morning when she slammed the door on his face. "You did this."

"My bad buddy, shouldn't have bad-mouthed Jenna," Darcy said, then thought again as he aimed the gun at her torso. Damon looked at her in confusion; she kept gaze fastened on the guy who looked like he's been on a drug binge.

"Hey, leave her out of this. This has nothing to do with her, just you and me." Damon said, not enjoying how Logan seemed seconds away from blasting off the protectress's head off.

"Oh, this has all to do with you and her. Do you want to tell him, or shall I?" He said still waving the annoying gun in her direction, his fingers twitching around the trigger. All he got was an indifferent shrug in return, he huffed. "She's the vampire I thought I had killed, except she's not one, judging by her beating heart. You bit me. It had to be you."

"You had to have vampire blood in your system when you died. I didn't do that. Some other vampire found you, gave you their blood!" Damon said, getting fed up of the man's constant winging.

"Who?"

"That's what we're trying to workout jackass!" Darcy exclaimed bored of his shit, next thing she knows a bullet pierces through her shoulder, the same one he shot the first time. "MOTHERFUCKER CUN-," She screeched, panting heavily as the searing pain burned throughout her shoulder.

"Shit!" Damon exclaimed, exchanging places as he now tends to her wounded shoulder. "She's human you dick!"

"That's for this morning." He ignored him and continued to tell his sad story, "Anyhow, It's not like the welcome wagon was waiting with its bunt-cake and a handbook. Its been a learn as you go process. You know one minute, I'm a small town on the rise news guy and next thing I know, I can't get into my own house, there's an invisible barrier blocking my door and every other house I go to."

"You have to be invited in." Damon supplied unhelpfully as he tugged the bullet out of Darcy's shoulder, causing her to release a strained whine. "Sorry, " He whispered, keeping pressure on the hole to stem the blood flow.

"I know. I live alone."

Darcy burst into hysterics. "Oh, that's just classic!" She said, clapping her hands out of hilarity.

"That sucks!" Damon added his two pence, laughing along with the still wounded girl next to him. Surprisingly like before her blood doesn't affect him, no impulse to drain her dry.

"So now, I am at the Ramanda, watching paper-view all day, eating everything inside including house-keeping."

"Hmm, it could be worse!"

"All I can think about is blood and killing people. I can't stop killing people. I keep killing, and I like it. I'm conflicted." Logan said as he gazes off to the side, gun still aimed their way.

"Welcome to the club." Damon and Darcy looked at each other, both thinking the same. "Wait! Cops found one body." He said as puzzlement merges with his striking features.

Darcy shivered with disgust and anger, the wrath that's been raising since this morning, mounted to the highest level. Cobalt turned to icy crystals that raked shivers down Damon's spine. He wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of her rage. He can practically see the steam emerging from her ears.

"I left one. I was tired, but I've been hiding the rest of the bodies. They are right back there. They just keep on piling back up." He said, pointing behind him.

"You're a sick fu—!" Damon'shand shot out covering Darcy's blabbermouth. "Uhmm!"

"Shh! You do want to get killed?" He seethed down her ear; "I'll move my hand if you promise to be a good girl and be quiet." Darcy sent a glare that promised him pain if he didn't remove his hand. She nodded when he didn't back down. "Good girl."

"Why am I so overly emotional? All I can think about is my ex-girlfriend." Logan said, then pointed at the seething girl. "She wouldn't let me in the house to see her. I tried to explain but ended up with a door in my face. I want to be with her and bite her and stuff." He finished looking down at the older vampire.

"You probably love her. Anything you felt before will be magnified now. You're going to have to learn how to control that."

"Like I said this morning. Fuck off and keep away from Jenna. You aren't stepping a foot near her!" Darcy yelled, shrugging off Damon when he tugged her back to his side as she sought to stand up.

"Shut up! I'm not talking to you!" Logan screeched. "As he said, this has nothing to do with you."

"It does if you involve my aunt!"

"Okay, blabber that's enough of you. We won't come out alive with you barking like a Rottweiler."

"I'll show you a Rottweiler when I bite your head off!"

"Shhh!" Damon said, placing his fingers to her lips, causing her to nip the tip. "Bad girl."

"I'm not a dog!"

"You sure do bitch like one!"

"No, you do!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No, you fathead!"

"Shut the Goddamn up!" Logan shouted, making them startle from their showdown. "Let's get back to why we're here... What about walking in the sun? I'm a morning person. You can walk in the sun, which is cool by the way. The council will never suspect you. That's also not in the journals."

"The journals?" Damon repeated, looking down at Darcy, seeing if she knew.

"Yeah, the founding fathers, they pass them out to their kids." Wiggling the gun at Darcy. "Didn't Greyson pass them on to you, being as you're the eldest?"

"I'm not telling you shit. I don't trust you."

Logan threw his hands up, frustrated. "Come on, man. You guys gotta tell me something. How do you walk in the sun?"

Darcy turned her head away, peeking down at the black chipped nail varnish, leaving Damon to take over the pointless questioning.

"Who turned you?" He asked, diverting the question.

"How do you walk in the sun?"

"Who turned you?" Damon repeated.

"You know I've been really nice so far, but I will kill you!" Logan said, switching the guns gaze on to Damon as he strode towards him.

"Then, you'll never know. You are not answering my question!"

"You first!"

"It seems we're at a bit of an impasse then, doesn't it?" Damon shook his head in faux pity as he stood up, helping Darcy up off the dirty floor.

"I got things to do, people, to kill. Guess I'll be needing a little head start." Logan said, reshooting Damon, twice in his stomach and another in the unharmed leg.

"Ahh! Shit, it hurts!" Damon choked out as he fell to the floor, rendering Darcy to topple on top on him as he dragged her down with his dead weight.

"Fucking great. That's twice he's got away today!"

"You knew he was a vampire and never said anything!" He glared up at the hundreds as she attempted to pry the wood out.

"Yes, I knew. Nope, I wasn't going to say anything."

"Why?"

"Figured it was payback time for biting me, and you and Stefan leaving town."

"Jeez, what a great friend you are." Damon wheezes through sarcasm as she yanked out the remaining shells.

"Mmm, don't know about that. I did say if your plan fails I'm revoking the title." She quipped, pulling the vampire to feet, and almost falling back on his ass. "Jeez, what animals have you been feeding on?

"Admit it you love our friendship." He said, swinging his arm around her shoulders, limping as they staggered over to the exit. "And a bit of Bambi and fluffy white rabbits."

"No! How could torture their poor innocent souls? If we're gonna enter this awesome partnership, You're going back on the blood bag diet."

"What about Stefan?" Damon snickered in amusement.

"Eh, he can have the birds of prey."

"But that's an animal." He frowned.

"Have you seen how scary they look with their beady eyes and sharp beaks?" She shuddered in distaste.

Damon paused, turning on his heel to face her with a large gleaming grin. "Are you telling me you're scared of birds?"

Darcy's eyes widened in size. "No, none of course not." She stammered, rubbing her face to hide the burning blush. "I'm merely stating they are vile creatures." She finished crossing her arms in defence.

"Aww! How cute!" He teased, pinching her smooth cheeks.

"Fuck off." She chuckled, slapping his hands away.

After recovering and Damon offered Darcy his blood so she could heal, they got into Damon's blue Camaro. "You and Stefan need to stop feeding your blood." She sighed, wiping her mouth with the back of her jacket as she shut the passenger door.

"With how much your mouth gets you into trouble, I agree. Come on; we need to tell Stefan about Logan." He said, pulling out his phone dialling Stefan, and starting the engine and gunning towards the school.

The phone rang a few times before connecting. "Hello?"

"Logan Fell is our mystery vampire, and when I find him again, I'm gonna destroy him, limb by limb."

"What happened are you and Darcy okay?"

"No, we're not okay! We were ambushed; both of us was shot. Now, I am vengeful, just got to find him."

"Well, there's no need. He's here at the school."

"You're kidding me? Why the hell is he there?" Damon exclaimed slamming his hands on the wheel, as he replayed Logan's location to Darcy, she followed example by slapping the window, muttering angry expletives.

"He's working the crowd."

"We'll be right there," Damon said as he finished the call.

"The little shit Is after Jenna! He's doing on purpose to cause a ruse." Unclipping her seatbelt, she leaned over the seat looking for her duffle she placed before leaving for their adventure. What a good time that's turning out to be, huh? Fan-fooking-tastic!

"Why didn't I take this in with us before? Logan could be dead if we weren't messing around like school girls." She ranted, pulling out a stake and a vile of liquid vervain. Uncapping the cork, she bathed the wood, soaking it until the fumes clogged the back of Damon's throat.

"Are you trying to kill me!" Damon choked, clutching his throat.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." She said grimacing sheepishly.

Once recovered and the stake stopped producing strong fumes, Damon asked a question that has been bugging him for a while. "How does that work? I mean it dries?"

"Just like the plant, once it dries and a vampire comes into contact, the same will happen as it does with the plant."

"That shit kills like a bitch. Do you coat everything in the stuff?"

"Yep, I like to be prepared, plus it knocks the down longer than a normal stake."

Damon's phoned rang, he frowned as Stefan's name flashed on the screen again.

"Logan's got Caroline, he offered her a lift and took off."

"Oh, hell no, he did not take my friend!" Darcy shouted, snatching the phone off Damon's lap.

"He should be heading your way, stay there!" Stefan insisted before hanging saying he has to stay with Elena and Jenna.

Just as the call ended, they saw Logan's car approaching. Without hesitation, he snatched the stake off Darcy with his jacket sleeve grasping the wood, using his vampire pace he sped over to the car, yanking Logan out from the driver's seat and into the middle of the street, where he was met with Darcy's boot on his chest.

"Payback's a bitch, isn't it?" Damon said as he came over and stabbed him in the gut. "Get her out of here." He said to Stefan as he appeared behind him, causing Darcy to snap to attention and run to Logan's car. Wrenching open the passenger door she gasped gently caressing the unconscious girl's cheek, as her gaze fixed on the blood clotted her forehead.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Caroline. This shouldn't have happened not to you." She sniffed, wiping her tearful eyes. None of this should happen first Bonnie with Emily, now Caroline only this time she wasn't there to prevent it from happening, some hunter she was. Who's next? She scoffed as resentment burrowed itself in her bones, self-loathing trickling into the inner darkness she keeps locked and sealed away.

"Come on. I'll take you both home." Stefan's voiced snapped her out of her misery, she stood up and backed away walking over to Damon as he spoke to the Sheriff on the phone. "Please get her home safe, Stef. Care doesn't deserve any of this; she's innocent. I'm gonna put this bastard to sleep."

"Where's Caroline?

"She's okay. I'm Elm Street." Damon said, he hanging up as Darcy glared down at Logan's writhing body.

"Karma gonna do you up the ass good. And I'm gonna sit back and laugh, maybe get a few fits on  you myself." Darcy leant down into the vampire's face and punched him in the face.

"All right, back away fun times over." Damon sang coming over, swinging a tyre iron in his hands.

"Ohh, is this mine? Do I get to play as well?" She hoped on the spot out of excitement.

He wobbled his head laughed sardonically. "Nope, this guy's all mine." Glancing down at Logan who had now managed to sit up. "I'm gonna try this one last time. Who turned you?"

"I told you, I don't know."

"This tyre iron here can take your head clean off. So, is that your final answer?"

"How can  you side with them?"

"I'm not any side. You pissed me off. I want you dead. Who turned you?" Damon asked again swiping the iron in the air threateningly.

"I don't know!" Logan yelled, backing away.

"Just knock his head off already! No one will miss him!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Oh, well. As the pretty lady said, you're screwed." Damon said as he swung the iron back, ready to beat Logan.

"Wait! I do know!" He yelled, shielding his head from incoming blows. Darcy groaned throwing her head back, realising he's playing them and gullible Damon paused falling for the ploy.

"He's lying, Damon! Don't fool for it." Darcy said from behind Damon as he wavered the iron.

"You think you're the only one who wants to get in that tomb underneath the old church?"

"If you're lying to me, I will end you." Damon raged as he threatened him.

Fuck sake! What is it what that church! Why does it always revert to that? She sighed sadly walking backwards to edge the road, sensing Logan was going to be let free.

"I'm not lying. There is another way to break the spell. We can help. Meet me at the old church." Logan said as his head switched to the side as if he heard something in the distance.

Damon gives in speaking in a rush. "Take me down, make it look real. Make it look real!" He said as Sherif Forbes approached the trio, Logan uses that time and flounces, slamming Damon into the back of the car, then speeds off as Darcy scampered into the bushes, keeping out of sight. No one but Stefan and Damon knew she was involved and wanted it to keep it that way. If uncle john caught hold of it, he'd be down here demanding what she's playing at siding with the wrong side; her father would be digging his grave, witnessing his daughter fraternising with the enemy.

"Where is she?" Liz shouts as she helps Damon off the ground.

"She's okay. My brother took her home. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I wasn't strong enough." Damon said as he feigned being out of breath.

"Thank you. I'll deal with it from here." She said, returning to her car and driving off.

Darcy waited until the sheriff's car was out of view, then stepped out of the bushes. She sighed sadly, all this over one woman, but who was she to say what love was. She's never been in love or a relationship for that matter. And judging by Damon's 160 odd years of pain, she doesn't think she ever wants to experience the sorrow. "Come on then. I know you're dying to find out a way to get into that church."

Damon looked at her in disbelief. "Why? Why would you do that, and not tell me to give up and move on?"

"Because Damon regardless of what I say, you won't listen. Who am I to judge? I can only advise and support. I can't and will not tell you what to do. Just know if it does fail you'll always have a friend in me." She said, patting his back as she slid back into the passenger seat.

Damon soon joined, wearing a picture of amazement. "You're a good human Darcella." He said as he drove off into the night, heading towards the Gilberts residence.

"Human?" She laughed.

"Yeah, there's not many kind-hearted and noble humans around anymore, but you. You surprise me every day, you're so courageous, loyal, protective and would gladly hand over your life to save the people you love. You don't find people like this any more in this world; it's full of greed, sex and death."

"And what about the flaws? The aggression, mental illnesses, the darkness the withers away deep inside, the sick pleasure I feel when I cause another person harm?"

"That makes a picture of you are. Look at Stefan and me we aren't perfect we have our own flaws, and that's cool. Fine even, don't let it fester away it will burn back harsher."

"Wow, who knew Damon's black heart still beats, huh?" She teased then paused, seeing they are now outside her house. "Why are we here? Don't you need help?"

"Nope, you get your cute little ass inside. This is my stuff to deal with; you've suffered enough injuries tonight. We don't need another vampire running around Mystic Falls. And you spread a word about this I will kill you." He impishly warned as she exited the car and walked up the driveway.

"Yeah, yeah. Night, Dickmon." She waved as she stepped over the threshold.

"Night, Darcella." He quipped, steering away once she closed and locked the door. "Crazy girl." He muttered to himself.

~

Hey, guys! Happy New Year, hope you all had a fantastic time! And thank you so much for the 5k reads, this story wouldn't have gotten this far without you awesome people. So, thank you, thank you so much! 💜♥️