ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [1]

IV • FAMILY TIES

four. family ties

Devon Residence

Minerva wakes up on her queen-sized bed in her bedroom alone. She hears a noise and gets out of bed to walk outside into the dark upstairs hallway.

"Hello? Mom? Hello?" Minerva walks down the main steps of the staircase and into the living room; she tries to turn on the light, but the power is out.

Although, the television in the parlor is the only electronic object switched on, "This is Logan Fell coming to you live from the streets of Mystic Falls with breaking news of another deadly animal attack. The wild animal terrorizing the citizens of Mystic Falls has claimed another victim, local high school student Minerva Devon. Police are certain that forensic evidence will confirm that this is the same animal responsible for recent attacks."

Minerva, in denial, horror and fright, shakes her head, "No."

"You know what's coming next." Damon suddenly appears in the same parlor, standing not too far from her.

"No!" Feeling absolutely terrified, Minerva runs out of the living room. She opens the front door, sees Damon, and slams it shut as she begins to cry. She slowly walks towards the stairs, but Damon grabs her and bites her neck viciously as she cries out in total excruciating agony.

Stefan wakes up, shocked, in his bedroom at the Salvatore Boarding House. Damon is sitting in the study chair, watching him, "Bad dream? Do you know how easy it was to get into your head just now? You really need some human blood. It might even the playing field. Football reference. Too soon."

Stefan vamp-speeds over and throws a sharp pocket knife at Damon, hitting him in the stomach. Damon doesn't even flinch as he pulls it out.

"Alright, I deserved that. But I just wanted to let you know, they caught the culprit. The animal responsible for killing Coach Tanner and all those people." Damon informed him as a mischievous proclamation.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked with a suspicious frown.

"It was a mountain lion. Really big one. It attacked a hunter this morning. It's all over the news. 'Deadly beast captured. All's well in Mystic Falls.'"

"Why would you cover your tracks?"

"I've decided to stay a while. And I'm just having way too much fun here with you and Elena and Minerva." Damon told him in a mischievous way.

His brother shakes his head in denial, "Can't touch them now."

"Well, the vervain keeps me out of Elena's head, and Minerva seems to have, no effect on compulsion without needing vervain. It's amazing. Maybe they're not my target. Believe it or not, Stefan, some girls don't need my persuasion. Some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style and my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift." Damon stabs his own brother deep, severely, in the stomach, which clearly hurts the younger Salvatore more than it did for the oldest one, that Stefan falls to the floor weakly, "Whoops. This is John Varvatos, dude. Dick move."