What Doesn't Kill You...

The Hunters Become the Hunted

"I don't need to remind you to be careful, do I?" Damon asked as he pulled the car over a block away from Stoker.

"I'm always careful." Violet slammed the car door close and walked with purpose towards the club entrance.

Damon watched her go with anxiety gnawing at the back of his mind. Was it a coincidence that Liz was dating a missing vampire? According to the manager at Necro, Elric hadn't been seen for over a week. Liz hadn't exactly looked like a woman whose boyfriend had gone missing. Add to that Alistair's legendary elitism. Vampires within the Obsidian Coven needed permission to associate with vampires in other covens. Damon doubted very much that Alistair would want any of his coven members becoming entangled with such a low ranked vampire from a third rate coven.

He put the car in gear and roared off down the road. While Violet worked on getting information from Liz, he was going to pay a visit to the paranormal community's favorite dealer. Nightshade was classified as an illegal substance after the Purge. Its use was heavily monitored by the vampire council. Unless you could make your own, Nightshade was only available on the Black Market.

If anyone knew who had recently purchased Nightshade, it would be Frankie. Damon just hoped the little weasel hadn't skipped town.

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"Liiiiizziee! You've got some 'splain' to do!" Violet called sweetly, slinging her arm over her shoulder. Liz was on door duty at Stoker again. Perfect. At least this time, she wouldn't have to go inside. "She'll be just a minute. " Violet waved to same pixie-faced vampire they'd met the previous night. 

"W-what are you doing here?" Liz tried sounding light and carefree, but there was a barely perceptible tremor in her voice.

Violet smiled and forced her to start walking around the corner of the building to the alley. "Oh, I just came by to have a little chat. Girl talk, you know?"

"I didn't think you were the girl talk type." Liz replied, smiling nervously. "I really should get back to--"

"Worrying about your missing boyfriend?" Violet interrupted and shoved her against the wall of the alley. She held up Elric's phone with their photo. "You two look really close. I'm surprised you haven't noticed he's been missing"

Liz's eyes widened. But with what? Surprise? Surprise that her boyfriend was missing? Or surprise that people had found out her boyfriend was missing? "H-how...? W-who could have done this?" Liz stammered, her hand rising to cover her mouth.

Violet smirked. "So we're playing distraught, are we?"

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Frankie was a wide-eyed shifty squirrel of a man. Damon recognized him the moment he slunk in the diner. He wore a grubby coat and a fedora long bent out of shape. He took a seat in a booth at the back of the diner. Facing the door.

Damon slipped out of the alcove by the men's room and took the seat across from Frankie.

Frankie shrieked and tried to wriggle out of the booth

Damon administered a hard kick to Frankie's bad knee and stomped on his foot. Frankie inhaled sharply and turned white. A low keening sound escaped his lips. His wide eyes roved around the diner, searching for a means of escape.

"I'm not here to bring you in, so you can relax." Damon spoke quietly.

"Ihaven'tdoneanythingwrong!" Frankie blurted in a rush. His panicked eyes pleaded with him.