Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 4

For someone who loved to kill so much, Hilda certainly did not want to die.

"It's a good thing you chose to stay behind," said Rebekah as the two sisters walked toward the Mystic Grill. "Kol can watch over that boy in Denver. Klaus can work on finding Finn. We're going to find where that bloody tree is and make sure it's gone."

"Just focus on very casually asking Mayor Lockwood about where the White Oak could have gone," said Hilda. "I'll be at the bar. If any prying ears enter the vicinity, I'll distract them."

Rebekah nodded and went in as Hilda opened the door for her. The younger Original walked over to where Carol Lockwood awaited at a table. The older Original headed straight for the bar, tucking her hair behind her ears to listen to the conversation.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Mayor," said Rebekah sweetly. "I figured as head of the Preservation Society, you'd be a good person to ask about the oldest trees in this community."

Carol suspected nothing. "A long line of Lockwood women use to keep those records, back before any of them had actual jobs."

"I've been to the Founders' archive, but I can't seem to find any record of the tree I'm looking for."

"It probably got cut down. Big old trees built half of this town in the 1900s."

She had just gotten a shot of bourbon when she heard the door open. "She-Devil at nine o'clock," she heard Damon Salvatore say. She looked back over her shoulder as the two brothers fixed their gaze on Rebekah. They walked over to Hilda, and Damon threw his hands in the air like he had won the lottery. "And look at this- She-Devil Senior at twelve o'clock."

"Is your comedy to make up for how terrible you are in bed?" she said with a deadpan expression.

"Shh," he said as he sat to the right of her. "Let's not pretend you weren't about to kill your sister for sleeping with me. Speaking of killing, you wouldn't happen to be responsible for the recent string of murders popping up, would you?"

She glared at him. "If you were intelligent, you'd notice that those murders started before I woke up. Secondly, I'm not responsible in any way, but I am considering murdering you now."

Damon wolf-whistled. "Did I make someone pissy by mentioning that you and your sister are catfighting over mer? I'm flattered, honestly."

"Maybe I just don't like to be bothered by baby vampires who think they have a right to act disrespectful with an Original."

"Look, bitchy, I don't give a damn whether you're an Original or the Queen of Sparta- I got a buddy in jail who's being falsely accused. These murders may have started before you got out of your beauty sleep, but maybe one of your other siblings-"

"Kol and I wouldn't prance around acting like serial killers in Mystic Falls. We'd spread out. Go to smaller towns that no one ever hears of. Either way, he, Elijah, and Finn are gone. It wasn't them. Don't go pointing fingers at my family."

He put his fist under his chin. "If they're gone... what are you still doing here?"

"Why would I leave when I have so much fun ahead of me?" she answered with a cheeky smile. "I've been fantasizing about slaughtering your entire little friend group since the night of the ball. Who's your pal in jail? Was he at the ball?"

"No, he wouldn't have been, he was on bedrest," said Damon. "But you do know him. About 6'2, history teacher- oh, yeah, Alaric. I heard Klaus scolded you for making doe eyes at him." For effect, he batted his eyelashes, and Hilda squeezed the shot glass so hard that it shattered in her grip.