[𝐈] 𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖝: 𝗧𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁

Chapter Six
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To Tranquilize A Beast

September 24th, 2009
Trickling water into the ceramic pots across my windowsill, the bottle in my hand is soon empty, leaving me with nothing left to do this morning as the Founder's Ball wasn't until the late afternoon. Damon had yet to apologise to me although Stefan had been checking on me since the morning after the dinner. To keep appearances, Zach and I had lunch at the Mystic Grill where we were interrupted by both Mayor Lockwood and his wife Carol. It was nice to chat with him, from what Stefan had told me, Zach had a distaste for vampires after his and Damon's reappearance in the '90s. Zach was, at first, very untrusting of my witch abilities, but after a curt explanation - that unlike Stefan and Damon, I refrained from killing others - he was soon comfortable about entrusting me with his stash of vervain hidden in the basement. He also welcomed me into his plan to desiccate Damon after his recent killing spree which had been blamed on a mountain lion running loose in the woods.

I chose not to warn either Damon or Stefan of these secrets to earn the trust of my distant nephew, the grandson of a half-brother I barely remember. He was a young boy when Stef, Damon and I uprooted to opposite ends of the earth after their vampiric awakenings, he was kept in a separate house to us, as to not taint him with the children of his deceased ex-wife. Our mother meant very little to Giuseppe Salvatore, as did the rest of his children, he preferred his new lover, new son and new family which I have to admit, stung.

Passing Stefan's room I head for the kitchen, meeting Zach on the way down as he filtered through what seemed to be paperwork. Reaching the kitchen I prepare a cup of coffee for Stefan, knowing that he would still drink it lukewarm for his body temperature, one downside of being a member of the undead is that you felt like one too, as cold as ice. Assessing the hallway, as to make sure neither of my vampiric, lurking brothers were watching me, I slip into the basement to attend to the vervain - another project I had taken Zach up on. He was decently versed in caring for vervain, but with Damon in town, he would need considerably more for the town council.

I spend valuable time spraying down the plants, checking the lights, sweeping the dirt-covered floor. Then the door clicks, I hide behind the door, hoping that Damon wasn't the one trekking down the stairs. Once it swings open I'm met with the figures of Stefan and Zach.
  "You've been growing it?" Stefan questions.
  "Blood only runs so deep when you're related to vampires," Zach explained as they neared closer the plants under the stark white bulbs.
  "You're tellin' me," I mutter as I step out from behind the door, making Zach uneasily jump as my presence is made aware.
  "How long have you been tending to it?" Stefan asks thought it is solely directed towards me. How many generations have I taught the craft was what he really meant.
  "Maybe a week ago, maybe less. The last vervain I knew of was a good century-and-a-half ago. I'm helping Zach procure more, especially if Damon is going to be prowling about." I clarified.
  "Damon would kill me if he knew that I had it," Zach states, the apprehension in his features now dissipated into past worries.
  "But you're telling us? Why?" Stefan questions, and rightfully so, Stefan was the very species that the plant was used for, to ward his species away, to cause him direct harm.
  "Because I trust the both of you. And you're going to need it if you want to get rid of him."