If only | Damon Salvatore

007. GET EM OFF OUR TRAIL

Chapter seven

"Get em off our trail."

A few days had passed since the tragedy with Vicki. Beatrix had filled her mother and grandmother in on everything, prompting the older women to reveal a dark truth of their own: five blood-drained bodies had already been discovered in the woods. It was a messy trail that was bound to put the Founders' Council on high alert, bringing danger right to the witches' doorstep. When Beatrix added that Damon had tried to violently steal her necklace instead of treating them as allies, the family decided to take action. They sent a crow to Damon with a clear message—it was time to talk.

When the doorbell finally rang, Beatrix was the first to answer it. She pulled the door open, revealing three generations of Black women standing firmly together.

Damon stood on the porch, his eyes scanning them before his lips curled into a familiar smirk. "Witches."

"Come on in. We have a lot to discuss," Winnifred said smoothly, turning on her heel to lead the way into the dining room. Cassandra followed immediately behind her.

Beatrix waited by the threshold, watching Damon step across the line. She shut the heavy door behind him. As they walked together toward the dining room, Damon looked around, taking in the bright, pristine interiors—a stark, modern contrast to the dark, historic Salvatore estate.

Once everyone was seated around the dining table, Damon leaned back, looking entirely unbothered. "So, what should we talk about first?"

Winnifred raised her brows, her tone dropping to business. "First, a formal alliance. The town council is going to be breathing down our necks after those five bodies were found completely drained of blood."

Damon furrowed his brows, shooting a pointed look at Cassandra. "Well, then maybe your daughter and my baby brother shouldn't have vervained and locked me up. We could have been moving forward as normal. But since we're here, we have to be strategic."

He leaned forward, tapping his fingers on the table. "At the Halloween party, I was talking to Carol Lockwood. She's wearing a bracelet packed with vervain. Apparently, the council has always gotten their supply through my late Uncle Zach—which, unbeknownst to them, actually came straight from you guys. I'm thinking I can secure my spot on the council by offering to be their new vervain supplier. Once I'm on the inside, I can relay every single one of their plans right back to this table."

Cassandra raised her brows, a slight smile playing on her lips. "That actually works for me. As witches who established this coven, we've never exactly been big on conformity. Isn't that right, Mother?"

Winnifred nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, this could certainly work to our advantage. Cassandra, go fetch him the vervain."

Cassandra stood up from the table and headed out the back door to the garden. Once they were left alone, Winnifred turned her sharp gaze directly onto Damon, her brows furrowing. "Beatrix also informed us about your little stunt at the party—how you tried to forcefully take the necklace back from her. If this alliance is truly going to function, we have to actually work together."

Damon shrugged, his posture relaxing into a rare display of humility. "Look, I'm sure we were all a bit looped on the liquor that night. Tensions were incredibly high, and it was the first time any of us had a chance to relax in a while. I was out of line, I know that. I sincerely apologize."

Beatrix raised her brows, looking at him skeptically. "Your apology will be accepted when you actually start doing things that prove you mean it." She paused, turning her attention to her grandmother. "And um... there's one other thing I forgot to mention. Elena and I aren't friends anymore. She slapped me across the face the night Vicki died."