A Fresh Start (Damon, OC, Klaus)

24. I'm sorry Ric

Weeks passed with us all getting back to normal. Well as normal as you could get with a group of vampires, witches, werewolves and humans. I couldn't help but think it was like something out of a television show as I entered the classroom and took my seat. As I waited for class to start I felt my mind start to wonder again.

I had learnt a lot over the last month. The moonstone I had read about in the text when my emotions were off, was some kind of ingredient. Apparently there was a vampire name Klaus, possibly one of the oldest of our kind, who wanted the moonstone to break some age old 'Sun and Moon' curse. If a vampire broke the curse then we would never need a daylight ring again, however if a werewolf broke the curse then it would be their kind that would never again be ruled by the full moon. Whereas the thought of vampires being able to walk in the sun without fear of death sounded good the second ingredient in breaking the curse was the death of the doppelganger, which of course was Elena so the group had opted against it.

So once again we were all on 'Protect Elena' detail. I didn't know why I had this constant annoyance regarding her these days but honestly, it wouldn't bother me all that much if Elena lived or died. A thought which I kept to myself.

Of course, with this new Elena threat it meant I had a lot more freedom from the ever watchful eyes of Bonnie and Damon. I know they were just worried about me but it was like they were expecting me to snap again and go on some kind of murderous rampage.

Obviously that was ridiculous. I mean, seriously, I've only killed three people in the last month. Three murders do not make a rampage. Don't get me wrong, I had fed from a lot more than that, but they don't count because I have great self-control... most of the time... and I've become very good with the compelling of said victims.

There had only been those three instances where I hadn't been able to stop myself in time, but I did clean up after myself. With that Elijah guy in town, the Scooby gang have been blaming him for any and all disappearances. Which meant I had that going for me as well.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the teacher walking in.

"Good Morning Class."

"Morning Mr. Saltzman." Most of us chorused.

Alaric Saltzman put his case on his desk and ran his eyes over the class, coming to a stop at Elena. Although none of the humans around me noticed it, I, with my powerful vampire sight saw the briefest flicker of shock pass over Alaric's eyes.

Huh, I wonder what that's all about. It's not like he has never seen her before. Hell, 'Ric is part of group now. Originally he came to town for revenge. He came to Mystic Falls with a secret agenda.

By day, mild mannered history teacher...by night, and on weekends, Vampire Hunter extraordinaire.

Alaric's gaze swung to me and I realised I had laughed out loud, I quickly turned the laugh into a cough. "Sorry Ric... I mean Mr. Saltzman."

As if he suddenly realised he was supposed to be doing something he turned to the class and clapped his hands together once, "Right class... today we're studying..." His voice trailed off as if he were uncertain. Once of the girls behind me, Samantha I think, reminded Alaric that we were covering the 1920's because of the decade dance coming up.

As Alaric busied himself at the blackboard I thought back to his face when he first found out I was a vampire. We had all known that there was something off about the teacher that replaced Mr Tanner from the beginning. He asked way too many questions about Damon and Stefan.

Then it all came out one night when he attacked Damon with an air gun that shot stakes. He had shot Damon in the stomach and before he had a chance to reload I had him by the throat against the wall. He hadn't realised that Damon was waiting on me and the look of fear on his face when I revealed my teeth with a growl was almost enough to make me laugh. I was about to end him when I was pulled away by Stefan.