Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

15. Fight Night

Riley let herself into the Salvatore house upon Stefan's request. Damon was mad about Katherine not being in the tomb, and he was refusing to talk to anyone.

She found him sitting on the couch, drinking and staring into space.

"Let me get this straight," she queried without greeting him. She'd received a mountain of information from Elena the evening before. "Should we talk about the fact that Elena's adopted? The fact that her birth mother is the dead wife of our vampire-hunting history teacher? The fact that you killed him but he came back to life because of a magic ring? Or the fact that you also killed his wife, aka Elena's biological mother?"

"You've been busy," Damon commented, taking a swig from the bottle of bourbon, swirling the drink around his mouth before he swallowed.

"And you've been a complete idiot," she criticized him. "Seriously? I get that this Katherine thing is upsetting, but to brag about killing Alaric's wife at a bachelor auction?"

"You weren't even there," he remembered in a drunken haze, frowning.

"Elena told me," she shrugged, sitting next to him with a thump. "You OK?"

"I'm fine," he lied. "Why wouldn't I be? I spent the last 145 years with one goal: get into that tomb. I succeeded. Granted, Katherine wasn't in there to be rescued, but why dwell?"

"I agree," she nodded, looking at him. "So why are you dwelling?"

"Katherine's been out all this time, she knew I was here, and she did nothing. I'm officially over it. Or... I will be. When I finish this bottle."

Riley rolled her eyes, but in a way, she was relieved. If he was drinking, then he wasn't out killing innocent people.

"Hello Damon," a voice said. Two women walked into the room.

"Ever hear of knocking?" Damon asked, refusing to turn around and face the women.

"An invitation wasn't necessary," the older woman said, turning to Riley. "I'm Pearl, this is my daughter Anna. You are?"

"Leaving," Riley said, standing up.

"Riley Fletcher, human," Anna informed her mother. "She's friends with Elena Gilbert and the Bennett witch."

"Have a seat," Pearl told her. Her tone of voice forced Riley to obey. Or maybe it was compulsion, given that Damon still had her vervain ring. "We've taken up residence at a farmhouse just outside of town. Us, and some of the vampires from the tomb."

"How did they get out?" Riley asked.

"The witch must have screwed up that part of her hocus pocus," Anna said with an eye roll.

"I understand from Anna that you've infiltrated the town council." Pearl said to Damon. "I'll need to know everything they know. Mystic Falls is our home, Damon, and we want to stay here. As a reward for your help, I'm willing to help you find Katherine."

Riley watched Damon with worry. In the short time that she'd known him, she knew that he'd done a lot of stupid stuff for that woman.

"I no longer have any desire to see Katherine ever again," Damon said, ignoring the fact that all the women in the room could see through his lie. "And there's no way in hell I'm gonna play the role of your little minion."

Pearl stood still for a second, before vamp-running to the couch where they sat and sticking her fingers into Damon's eyes until blood poured from his sockets. Riley jumped, forcing herself not to scream.

"I'll be in touch."

She stood up straight and walked out of the house, Anna following directly behind her like a lapdog. Damon groaned and stood up slowly. Staggering to the other side of the room, he picked up her vervain ring from the bookshelf where he'd placed it, and threw it to her.