Tribrid Salvatore

Prologue

It was the Monday after the Founder's Day fiasco and Damon was at the Boarding House alone, when the doorbell rang.

Within a minute the vampire had opened the door "Can I help you?" he questioned, frowning at the middle-aged man.

"Ah, I'm looking for a Zach Salvatore. Is he here?" the man inquired with a polite but professional smile.

Damon squinted suspiciously "Zach isn't here. I'm his nephew. Maybe I can help?"

The man sighed "My name is Alexander Jenkins from Jenkins and Sons. I have a letter for Mr. Salvatore from one of my clients. It is important that he gets this immediately."

"My uncle died a while ago," the vampire told the lawyer, looking for a reaction, any reaction.

"That is a problem," Mr. Jenkins muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair "You said that you were Mr. Salvatore's nephew?"

Damon nodded "Damon Salvatore."

The lawyer hummed in contemplation "Then maybe you can help me. May I come inside? I'd rather not discuss this on the front porch."

The Salvatore was definitely curious now. He had no clue what this could be about. Zach had always been a bit of a loner, so Damon couldn't really think of anyone who would send a letter with a lawyer. The older of the two vampire brothers wasn't what you might call kind but he wasn't completely heartless. The man in front of him looked drawn and desperate.

Damon moved to the side, gesturing for the lawyer to enter. While it didn't make much of a difference whether he invited him in or not, it was a habit by now. The two men entered the living room, making themselves comfortable on the couches.

"So," the vampire started "Why were you looking for Zach? And who's that letter from?"

"One of my clients," Mr. Jenkins repeated "The late Maria Salvatore. As far as I was informed Mr. Salvatore is her uncle. Maria has... unfortunately passed away recently and there are matters to be settled."

Damon raised an eyebrow "Matters?" Then the rest of the statement registered "I wasn't aware that Zach had a niece... that I had a cousin."

"Yes," the lawyer nodded "Maria Salvatore. 21 at the time of her death. She was raised by Mr. Salvatore after her parents died. When she was sixteen, she left for an extended trip... The matter that needs to be settled is the custody of her four-year-old daughter Luna. I believe there are specifics in that letter." He handed the letter to the vampire along with a small rectangle card that had his contact information "I'm afraid that I have an important meeting soon and have to leave. Should you need more information or would like to take Luna in then please call me. I would prefer her to be safe with family rather than to put her with complete strangers."

"Alright," Damon mumbled, somewhat overwhelmed with the situation. There was another living Salvatore out there? A four-year-old orphaned Salvatore "Wait," he called out when Mr. Jenkins was at the front door already "What about the father?"

The lawyer smiled a little at the interest "Only Maria knew who he was. As far as I know, he isn't aware of his daughter."

"Thank you," the vampire nodded "I need to think this over... It's a bit of a huge deal and my younger brother needs to have a say as well."

"Of course," the lawyer tilted his head "I await your decision by Thursday, otherwise I'm afraid that Luna will only be able to stay with me for that long before Social Services come to collect her." One last nod later, he was gone and Damon was alone once more.

He exhaled loudly, falling back onto the couch. His hand blindly tried to grasp one of the pitchers with alcohol. What mess did he get into now? There was no way that he could take care of a child. Especially not a human one... Damon gulped down a few mouthfuls of Bourbon before his gaze fell on the crisp white envelope that was still on the coffee table.

"Oh, fuck it," he groaned, leaning forward to grab it.

'Hello Uncle Zach,

It's been a while, hasn't it? I know that it was entirely my fault but I swear that I had a good reason. No matter, I'm not here to make excuses...

Uncle Zach, I need your help. If you read this letter then I'm dead and have left someone very important behind. I'm sure you remember Luna?

The reason I cut contact was because I found out a few things about my baby... When she was two months old something happened. Something I would have never thought possible.

Luna needs blood to survive, Uncle. I don't know how this is possible but her father was a vampire. You're the only one I trust who knows about the supernatural. If you decided to take care of her there will be several of my journals with her. I wrote down everything you'll need to know about her. Just a few things first. Luna is super fast and heals extremely fast as well. She is a bit sensitive to sunlight but with a little help of sunscreen she's fine.

Please, Uncle. I beg you to take her in. She's my everything and you did an amazing job with me. Not that I have ever told you that.

I love you, Zach.

Your niece Maria.'

Damon was gaping at the letter with an open mouth. This was impossible. No, not only impossible but 'Hell will freeze over before this happens' rare.

"She wasn't lying though," the vampire told himself. She sounded desperate and not only a bit panicked. The thought of something happening to her child after her death must be hard to deal with.

A few hours later, Stefan found his older brother still in the living room, reading the letter over and over again "Damon?"

"Stefan," the older of the two nodded "Something happened and I think that you need to know..."

Stefan frowned, sitting down across from Damon "Tell me."

"Did you know that Zach had a niece? Like full-blooded human niece?"

"What?" the broody vampire gasped "How do you know?"

Damon sighed "So you didn't know either... Here." He handed over the letter "Read this. Apparently this Maria had a child who is an orphan now. The lawyer came over this morning and told me that he wants her to stay with family."

"Damon, we can't take in a child. Not when we're in this whole supernatural mess," Stefan argued, ignoring the letter for now.

The older Salvatore nodded "That's what I thought as well. Until I read that letter. Stefan, we have to take her in. I'm not sure how or why but..." He shook his head "Read the letter. I'll be up in my room."

Damon's thoughts were on the little girl. Maybe they should take her in... It would certainly be easier to feed her blood. To be around people who were aware of who you were was so much better. Also, he didn't know and honestly didn't want to know what would happen if Luna didn't get blood on a regular basis. If it was anything like what happened to fully fledged vampires then he really didn't want the little girl to experience something like that.