Eska ~ The Forgotten Gilbert

4. Family Ties

Stefan's POV

I woke up panting, my body dripping with sweat as I fought to get my breath back, still reeling from what I had dreamed. 

"Bad dream? Do you know how easy it was to get into your head just now? You really need some human blood. It might even the playing field. Football reference. Too soon?" 

My brothers snide question caught my immediate attention, and I turned my head to see him smirking at me. It was too much this early in the morning, and grabbing the nearest sharp object I could find, I threw it at him as hard as I could. The knife embedded itself in Damon's stomach, and I smiled in satisfaction at his badly disguised groan of pain. 

"All right, I deserved that. But I just wanted to let you know, they caught the culprit. The animal responsible for killing coach Tanner and all those people." 

I was confused; I'd seen Damon kill Tanner just the day before at the football game. "What are you talking about?" 

"It was a mountain lion. Really big one. It attacked a hunter this morning. It's all over the news. "Deadly beast captured. All's well in Mystic Falls."" He smiled brightly at me, his blue eyes twinkling. 

"Why would you cover your tracks?" I asked, already fearing that I knew the answer. 

"I've decided to stay a while. And I'm just having way too much fun here with you andElena. Oh, and Eska, of course." He grinned at me, waiting for me to take the bait.

"Can't touch her now," I shrugged, returning his smirk. 

"Well, the vervain keeps me out of her head. Maybe that's not my target. Believe it or not, Stefan, some girls don't need my persuasion. Some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style and my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift." 

Before I could reply, Damon threw the knife back at me and I fell to the floor in agony. He knew that it would hurt me far more than it could ever hurt him, and I slowly pulled it from my stomach, biting my lip in pain.

Eska's POV

I was walking into the grill with Caroline and Bonnie, my twin nowhere to be found. Bonnie was complaining that Caroline was taking Damon to the founders party. 

"Go with Elena," replied Caroline. 

"She's asking Stefan!" exclaimed Bonnie, frowning at Caroline. 

"Okay, go by yourself. Or Eska..." she shrugged in my direction. 

Bonnie spared me a small smile.

They went off together, discussing the merits and disadvantages of having Damon Salvatore in their lives, leaving me alone once again. I took a seat in one of the booths, reaching into my bag my book. Matt came up to ask if I wanted anything and I ordered a coffee which he came back with in minutes.

"Thanks, Matt," I said, smiling at him. "Hey, how are you doing? You know, with the whole Elena thing?" 

I really liked Matt; we used to be really close when he and Elena were dating, and he was one of the few people who hadn't judged me when I'd been hospitalised due to my mental health, never treating me differently when I had been discharged. 

He looked sadly at me. "It's not easy, if I'm being honest, Essie," he said. "It's hard to see her happy with someone who's not me."

I nodded sympathetically, understanding what it was like to be picked up and dropped by sister simply when the fancy took her.