The Sacrifice

The Dinner Party - 2

Jenna for some unknown reason, she didn't really explain it well, invited me. Something about having an even number, but she just said she needed me to be there.

I was wearing dark blue jeans with a black long sleeved Choker V-line shirt, with boots that went just past my ankles that were a creamy brown. And I had my hair in a tight ponytail to keep the hair out of my face, only two strands of hair fell down.

"So what's going on with you and Alaric?" I ask Jenna as she, Andie and I set up the table. "I feel like there's some tension."

She sighed "I don't know. I really like him. It's more than like and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him."

"Like what?" I ask. What the hell is he telling her? He has no right to tell her anything, while yes it would be better for Jenna to know everything, he doesn't get to be the one to tell her. Or ruin her relationship with Alaric.

"Things I don't want to believe. Things I don't believe, not if they're coming from John's mouth."

Andie smiled broadly at Jenna "Oh. Well, there you go, then. Trust is the key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything."

Yeah but you can't tell anyone. I thought

You're compelled for god's sake.

And with Jenna having doubts about Alaric lying to her, I don't think that was what she needed to hear.

...............

"Hey, Jenna needs help with the wine." I call out to Damon and Alaric as I enter the library, leaning against the beam,

Damon looks at Alaric, smiles, and pats his arm reassuringly. Alaric sighs and walks up the stairs.

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

When he leaves the room and closes the door, Damon waits until he is sure he is gone before he walks over to a small trunk and opens it. He pulls out the silver dagger and white oak ash from inside.

"So this is the famous dager" I say, taking it from Damon and running a finger along the edge of the blade.

I touch the point of the blade and look at the markings impressed "Sharp"

"Elijah's stronger than me. Faster than me. It's all about the element of surprise." He said once he took the dagger from me and dipped the dagger in a vial of white oak ash.

I sighed "Ah, it's too bad. I like him. He's very old-school. Classy."

"Which is why you should encourage the gentlemen to take their after dinner drinks in here while you do coffee in the kitchen with the girls." Damon explains as he hides the dagger behind some bottles of scotch.

"Why the hell do I have to sit on the sidelines on this one?" I asked, offended.

"He's an original," Damon said as if it was obvious. "And?"

He turned around to face me annoyed "Stop talking."

I roll my eyes at him and leave when the doorbell rings "Who invited him?" Jenna asked when she opened the door and there stood John Gilbert.

I scowled at him "John, well there it is, your here and now you can leave"

He stepped inside and looked between Damon, Jenna and I "When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games."

"There are not going to be any games tonight, John. It's just a friendly dinner party." Alaric informed when he walked towards us.

John looked at Damon for confirmation

"What he said"

...............

"I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, the Salvatores are so not founders of this town." I said trying to create some small talk as Jenna poured Damon some wine.

Jenna only allowed me to have one cup so I'm savoring mine.  John and Damon sat at the heads of the table, I sat in between Elijah and Alaric on the right with Jenna and Andie at the left.

"Hmm, do tell."

"Well, as I mentioned to Ariel earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution." Elijah explained.

"Hmm. Because they were witches." Jenna said almost jokingly.

"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem." Andie countered.

"Andie's a journalist. Big on facts." Damon informed Elijah.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire"

The way he said it made my skin crawl. " Could you pass the..." Elijah said motioning to the salt. I handed it over as Jenna started to laugh. "I wouldn't repeat this to the Historical Society."

"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me." John shared, saying the first few words he's said this entire dinner.

"So, why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" I questioned, the entire time I was with him he talked so much about the witches, the question is why?

"You know...a healthy historian's curiosity, of course." Elijah said, clearly lying.

Damon forced a grin "Of course."