I know, it's been over two months and I'm a terrible person! I'm sorry for the long wait and appreciate all the patience! If anyone is still reading this or my other stories, thank you!

WARNINGS: none

"Can I help you sir?" the receptionist asked Damon breathlessly as he stepped into the administration office of Mystic Falls High. Her heartrate picked up as she looked him up and down and he smirked. He was a little surprised to see the school open on a Saturday but found it to be a great opportunity to do what he needed to do. On the drive to the school as Shelia directed him, he wondered how he was going to falsify Jeremy's grades so as to place him in the same classes as Bonnie and Elena. He needed Jeremy and his stories to be as believable as possible, which meant every detail, even one as small as his grades, had to be perfect.

"My nephew and I just moved here yesterday and I need to enroll him," he leaned against the counter, fixing her with a smoldering stare he knew would convince her to do anything. "You think you could help me with that?"

"Of course," she sat up straighter, her breasts that were already sitting pretty due to her tight shirt popping up just a little bit more. Nearly black wavy hair spilled down her shoulders to one side, exposing her pretty slender neck. Damon's eyes narrowed in on it, his ears full of the rhythmic pulse he heard before he rushed to the side of the desk and entered the work space.

"What—?" she started to ask as he trapped her to her chair with his arms. Leaning over her, he stared into her wide brown eyes and watched as they dilated under his compulsion.

"You're not on vervain. Good," he smirked. "What's your name?"

"Janice," she replied robotically.

"Well, Janice, if you do this for me…I'll treat you to something special," he flashed his fangs at her as he grinned. "Now, I need you to create a new transcript for me."

Ten minutes later, Jeremy had completed his junior year and was placed in all senior classes with either Bonnie or Elena. He would hate him, he thought with a chuckle as he had him placed in an advanced placement English Literature class, but he figured Jeremy would get over it eventually.

"Thank you Janice," he purred as he logged out of her computer for her. "What time are you supposed to be off?"

"Two."

Damon looked at the clock that sat above the entrance to the office; the time read 1:35.

"I'm sure no one will miss you," he murmured slyly as he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. He only just let his fangs emerge from his gums when he heard footsteps coming. Cursing, he pushed her back into her seat.

"I was never here," he muttered quickly to her. She nodded just as the double doors opened and he darted out of sight to a small alcove on the other side of the room near the door to the principal's office.

"Hey Janice," he heard a male's voice greet. "What're you still doing here on a Saturday?"

"Hey Mason," she greeted cheerfully. "I'm always here on Saturday mornings. You know that."

"That doesn't mean you should be."

Damon looked around the corner and saw a man dressed in a simple black shirt and dark-wash jeans leaning against the counter as he had done moments earlier. His eyes narrowed when he turned his head slightly to the side and he was able to catch his whole profile. There was something hauntingly familiar about this man too, like there was when he first looked at Shelia and then Bonnie.

"I just wanted to get those extra sodas from Principal Weber's office. The football team is going through them pretty fast."

"They should be in his office. The door's unlocked."

Damon cursed his luck when he saw the principal's name on the door he was hiding by. Gently turning the handle, he slipped inside and closed the door quietly before sliding into the small closet he saw near a potted plant. Seconds later, he heard Mason open the door and step in. The vampire prayed that the sodas weren't in his current hiding location.

He watched the man through the small crack in the door and held his breath as he did so. He immediately went to the principal's desk and reached underneath it, grabbing the 12-pack of sodas with one hand. Damon's eyes narrowed slightly when he saw how effortlessly he held the heavy packs in each hand and set them on the desk. He stopped and turned his head towards the closet door with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Weird," he muttered as he approached the door. Damon shrank back into the darkness of the closet as Mason approached it. Instead of opening the door, he pressed it shut. Damon continued holding his breath as he heard him take what he needed and shut the door behind him. Only then did the vampire let out a breath he didn't need to hold.

Emerging from the closet—and relieved that he hadn't been locked in—he slipped out of the principal's office and found Janice as he'd left her, sitting at her computer. Licking his lips, he was reminded of his need to feed when his eyes fell to Janice's neck.

"Oh!" she jumped with a startled laugh when he reappeared in front of her. "I didn't know you were still here!"

He smirked as his eyes dilated and hers did too.

"I think you should take off early today and come with me," he purred. Janice smirked, quickly shutting down her computer and grabbing her purse from under the desk. When she came around to stand in front of him, Damon noticed her knee-length dress, her long, slender brown legs that were accentuated by her black pumps and her slender waist. He slipped an arm around her waist and placed a hand on her behind, grinning when she gasped and pressed herself into him more. She gazed at him with dark brown eyes through her thick lashes and he imagined Bonnie looking at him in a similar fashion.

No, he berated himself before he let that thought continue. He wasn't getting involved, especially not since Jeremy said she was a witch. He couldn't afford to get involved with someone that could possibly want Jeremy, or himself, dead if what they were was discovered. But it was hard to ignore the pull he felt towards her, the want to be near her, to know everything about her. It was something he hadn't felt since Katherine left him.

You always want what you can't have, his conscious grumbled, sounding suspiciously like Stefan.

"So where're we going hot stuff?" Janice purred as he led her out of the office and down the hallway lined with trophies and pictures of students that participated in extracurricular activities. "I don't even know your name."

"It's not important," he muttered as his eyes scanned through the pictures. He stopped when he saw a picture of the cheer team for the current year and immediately found Bonnie's smiling face. Her long curls were pulled back in a high pony-tail, baring all white teeth and laying on her side in the very front of the group, her head resting in her hand and her other on her hip. His smirk softened into a small smile.

"What do you know about this girl?" he pulled Janice closer to him and pointed to Bonnie's picture.

Janice smiled fondly. "Bonnie Bennett. She lives with her grandma at the old boarding house since her other house burned down and her parents left. She's very smart. Everyone loves her. Even Mayor Lockwood has said good things about her and he's a hard man to impress. But that's probably because she's dating his son."

"Lockwood?" he blurted before he could stop himself.

She pointed to a boy in the picture next to the one they were looking at, a picture of the current football team. Damon's eyes narrowed and felt dread build in the pit of his stomach. The Lockwoods were still in town, which meant there were still werewolves in Mystic Falls. It was the last thing he wanted to hear.

"His dad is the mayor?"

She nodded. "He became mayor after the previous mayor, his wife, passed away," she said solemnly.

"How?"

"Animal attack. It almost killed her son Tyler too but he managed to get away. Very sad," she said lowly. Damon's brow furrowed as he stared at Tyler's picture for a moment longer before he led Janice down the row. Animal attack was the excuse many used when covering up a vampire attack, but Mystic Falls was surrounded by woods so an animal attack was also likely. Still, he felt there was more to the former mayor's murder than that.

When they got to the car, Damon all but threw Janice into the back seat. She giggled as he immediately attacked her neck with harsh kisses and small nips before he gripped her chin and used his compulsion.

"Don't make a sound," he muttered lowly as his eyes turned black and veins appeared underneath them. Only when she nodded in understanding did he sink his fangs into her tender brown skin. She gasped but made no move to push him away, instead bringing him closer. Her blood was good, sweet even, but he couldn't help but wonder how Bonnie tasted. How all of her tasted.

Stefan's voice in his head reminded him once again how bad of an idea that was.

Pushing thoughts of Bonnie to the back of his mind, he drank his fill of blood until he heard her heart rate starting to slow. Pulling away gently, he licked the wound closed and laid her sagging body against the car door. She breathed deeply as she caught her breath. Damon sighed as he savored the blood on his lips. He already wanted more. She was delicious.

"Get in the front seat. We have places to go," he smirked at her after another moment. When they were situated in the front seat and the top of the Camaro was dropped, they took off from the school parking lot at top speed.

Jeremy tried hard not to glower at Bonnie and Tyler sitting across from him on the picnic blanket they were eating lunch on, but it was proving to be impossible with each kiss and smile and hug they shared. Every time she stared at him with her stupid grin and he ate it up like an idiot he wanted to send her to the pits of hell, which he always felt guilty for thinking afterwards. They'd all treated him well so far; there was no need for hatred.

The past few hours hadn't been as terrible as he'd been expecting, though the fundraiser itself was awfully boring. The girls and their friends had welcomed him with open arms and dozens of questions about his life and he played into their fascination, charming them with tales of adventures in Paris during summer and the beauty of the city during winter. Often, he felt Tyler's eyes upon him and he had to force himself to not only speak to him. The feeling of their weight warmed his chest in a way that confounded him.

"So Jeremy, you play football?" Matt asked next to him. He shook his head.

"I've never really been into sports. Art is more my thing."

"Something you two have in common," Bonnie wrapped her arm around Tyler's neck from her place in his lap. "He won second place in the talent show last year for a picture he drew."

"It wasn't that good," he immediately countered. His bashfulness did something funny to Jeremy's insides and he swooned.

"I'm sure it was great," he sighed with a soft smile. He caught himself after another moment and coughed, hoping that no one caught his moment of…whatever it was.

"Are you kidding Ty? You're amazing at art. I can't even draw a straight circle," Bonnie half complained, half laughed at him. "I'm artistically disabled."

"And I love you for it," Tyler teased as he pressed a kiss to her neck. Jeremy's stomach jolted sharply at the word and he clenched his fists together.

"Ugh, will you two stop being such a perfect couple?" Elena grumbled playfully as she watched them. "It's making me feel bad."

"They can't help themselves Elena. Just ignore them," Caroline stuck her tongue out at them. "Just because we're not lucky enough to find our soulmates at 17 doesn't mean we should be bitter about them finding theirs."

A sudden gust of wind blew past all of them and rattled the tents that covered the food so much their legs shook deep in the ground.

"What is the deal with this weather?" the blonde cheerleader grumbled as she grabbed her thick grey sweater with the Mystic Falls High School emblem on the front and covered only her arms. "It's almost summer!"

"Spring just started," Matt said dryly. Jeremy chuckled as the blonde shot him a glare. He'd learned through observation rather through word of mouth that Matt and Caroline had a complicated relationship, one that the rest of their friends were desperately hoping they would fix soon.

"It better not be like this for the party tonight," Caroline looked over her shoulder and all around her before leaning in closer to her friends. "I got three bottles of Vodka in my trunk. I couldn't sneak anymore."

"It's fine. More than half the football team was able to get some," Tyler shrugged. "We should have enough."

"Party?" Jeremy asked.

"In the woods after curfew, since my dad is having a party at The Grill because of the fundraiser and he cut it off to anyone under 21. It's safe," Tyler explained with a crooked smile. "You should come."

Their eyes met. Dark brown met light and Jeremy felt that lost sensation taking over again. He didn't understand what it was about this boy that made him feel like this. He couldn't even put into words what he felt when he was around him but it was strong enough to frighten him. He'd barely just met him, yet he knew there was something intriguing about him that captivated his attention.

"I'll be there," the Traveler nodded automatically. The smile Tyler gave him made his heart pound and stomach flutter.

Matt shook his head. "I still don't think having this party is a good idea, especially since—"

"Shh!" Caroline hissed as she smacked his arm, earning a glare from him. "Don't bring that up now!"

"What?" Jeremy stared at them in confusion. The group grew solemn quickly as they looked at each other. Finally Bonnie sighed.

"This woman was found in the woods two weeks ago. The sheriff and the town council set a curfew for everyone until they find what killed her."

"How'd she die?"

"Animal attack," Matt muttered with a furrowed brow. "It's rare for it to happen but…in the past couple of years it's been happening more."

"I still think the whole thing is a load of shit," Caroline snorted, earning shocked looks from the rest of her friends. "Think about it! What kind of animal drains all the blood out of your body but leaves no visible open wounds? It has to be some satanic ritual voodoo magic thing. Would your grandma know Bon? I thought she was into all that stuff."

Jeremy's brown eyes moved to Bonnie, his heart now pounding for a different reason. He licked his lips as he became more aware of his surroundings, feeling the power of the ground beneath him and the wind around him.

"She doesn't do rituals that involve killing people," she frowned. "The kinds of practices Grams does are more spiritual than anything."

"Bonnie's grandmother thinks she's a witch. She told Bonnie she was one too," Elena murmured to Jeremy.

"Is she?"

"Of course not. That stuff isn't real!" Elena laughed. "Grams is a believer though. She always has been."

Jeremy forced a laugh as well. He relaxed some when he realized that none of them had any idea about the supernatural world. And he planned on keeping it that way if he could help it.

"But I swear she can see the future," Bonnie lowered her voice. "A week ago, she told me that I would get some unexpected news from someone I knew yesterday and then my Dad calls me to tell me he's met someone. You know how my Dad is. He hasn't dated since my mom left."

"Freaky," Elena shivered. "I wonder if she can tell me if I'm ever going to meet a decent guy."

"She can't do it on command. She says that things just come to her. She can't control what she sees," Bonnie smiled at Jeremy. "I hope we're not freaking you out too much. My Grams really isn't a witch. She just likes to think she is."

"Not at all," he forced another smile. Damon wasn't going to take this well. They knew nothing about witches or vampires, which he suspected was the cause of that woman's death. They knew nothing about anything, which meant they didn't know anything about Katherine either. He sighed inwardly; so much for a hasty trip.

"Oh, who is that?" Caroline moved from her stomach to her knees when she caught sight of two figures walking towards them. Jeremy ducked his head and nearly laughed when he saw the vampire approaching with a woman on his arm, making every head turn that passed him. He saw Bonnie sit a little straighter as her eyes locked on him and his irrational anger flared up again. Why was she looking at him when she was seated in her perfect boyfriend's lap?

Perfect? You've known him for all of one hour.

Shut-up.

"That's my uncle," the young Traveler stood and brushed the grass from his jeans. "I'll be right back."

"That's the hot uncle?" he heard Caroline ask incredulously and he chuckled as he met him halfway. Damon grinned, his arm around the woman's shoulders and playing with the end of her long white scarf wrapped around her neck.

"I see you've been making friends."

"You too."

He smirked, "Janice, meet my nephew. Nephew, meet Janice."

Jeremy took her hand gently. Past the white scarf, he could see slight smears of red around two dark holes on her neck and his eyebrow rose.

"Is it safe to feed? What about the vervain?" he asked lowly.

The vampire shrugged.

"There was none in her system. I couldn't let the opportunity pass me."

"You don't think people will notice?"

"Why would they?"

Jeremy's eyes shot to Janice, sighing inwardly as she simply stared between them and ignored the conversation they were having in front of her.

"You don't think she's going to notice the holes in her memory once you release her from compulsion?" the Traveler hissed. "Someone is going to notice when she can't remember where she was for an entire day!"

"Relax kid. I have it under control like I always do," he squeezed his shoulder. "Did you find out anything useful?"

"Not really. Elena's dad is some kind of doctor and he sometimes uses vervain as medication, which is why he was down there last night. Bonnie's parents don't live here, which is why she lives at the boarding house with her grandmother," he leaned in closer. "They talked about some woman that was found two weeks ago and her body was drained of blood. The sheriff called it an animal attack but I know it wasn't."

"Interesting," Damon mused. "I'm going to assume your new friends don't know vampires exist."

"Or witches, or Katherine," he shook his head. "They only think that Bonnie's grandmother is a witch because she can see the future."

The vampire's brow rose, "Can she really?"

"I don't know."

Damon looked past him at the little group he'd left under the large redwood tree. Jeremy turned slightly too, miffed that the first thing he caught was Bonnie and Tyler sharing another kiss. Did they ever stop kissing?

"Who's that?" his guardian's voice came out clipped but he paid no mind to it.

"Bonnie's boyfriend," he said, nearly sounding wistful.

"Tyler Lockwood?"

"Yeah…how'd you know?" Jeremy's brow furrowed when he faced his guardian and saw a terrible scowl. "What?"

"Stay away from him," he growled out.

Jeremy's heart sank. "Why?"

"I told you about the Lockwoods and what they were. They were dangerous then and they're dangerous now."

"None of them know that the supernatural world exists! He probably doesn't know werewolves exist!" Jeremy exclaimed. "What if they just share the same last name?"

"It's too much of a coincidence."

"Damon—"

"Don't question me. Stay away from him," he snapped. Jeremy glared at him.

"You're the one that told me to make friends with people. Now all of a sudden they're too dangerous?"

"I said Lockwood was too dangerous, not anyone else," Damon's eyes narrowed. "You just met these people Jeremy. They're not your friends yet."

"I should have the right to decide who I befriend!"

"Check your attitude," he said gruffly. Jeremy's mouth abruptly closed and he looked away. Damon could see his jaw clenching in anger, but he knew he was tiptoeing dangerously close to the line he knew he shouldn't cross.

"When I tell you someone is a threat and to stay away from them, do it. Odds are I have a damn good reason for doing it," he retorted. "So if I tell you to stay away from Tyler Lockwood because I think he's a dangerous werewolf, that's what you'll do."

"It'll be hard for me to get close to Bonnie if her boyfriend is always around. They're attached at the hip," the Traveler's lip curled slightly.

"Then find a way to talk to her without him around."

"You're being ridiculous! He's not a werewolf! Why are you so positive that he is?"

"I know their family! You don't!"

"That doesn't mean you know him Damon!"

"Neither do you! The hell is wrong with you today?" Damon's snapped, fully irritated. "Stop questioning me and do what I tell you for once!"

The wind suddenly picking up around him made him look around in alarm. People screamed when it grew strong enough to move the poles dug in the ground to hold the tents and nearly blew pots of food onto the ground. Damon looked to the sky and saw that the sun was completely shrouded in dark, thick clouds that weren't there before. The air grew colder and colder with each second, the same rate the wind seemed to pick up speed.

"Jeremy," he grabbed both his arms and shook him gently. "Calm down. You're changing the weather."

His brown eyes blinked in confusion as he looked around. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, concentrating on reigning his ever growing magic back under control. When he opened them again, the irritation from Damon's face was gone and replaced with confusion and concern.

"You okay?"

"Y-Yeah," he looked around, hoping no one else realized he was the cause of the weather change. "I'm okay."

Damon didn't remove his hands from his arms.

"You've never done that before," he said lowly. "How did you?"

"I…I don't know," he mumbled, utterly confused. For as long as he'd known he was a Traveler, he'd never heard of any other being able to do such a thing. Damon looked as if he wanted to keep talking but he merely sighed and squeezed his arms before pulling away.

"You think I'm being too overprotective, but there's a reason I'm telling you to stay away from him. I know what werewolves are capable of and I don't want you getting hurt," he murmured. "He might not be a werewolf now but that doesn't mean he doesn't know about it. He could know everything and want to be a part of it. I don't know Jer. All I know is that they're stronger than vampires when they turn and I don't want you getting mixed up in it. So just please stay away for my sake."

Jeremy sighed as he turned away from him, his eyes catching Tyler's as he looked over his shoulder at them. His heart sank further when he threw him that crooked smile that made him breathless and hot and feel like he was flying all at once. How could something as simple as a smile make him feel these things? And why was it Tyler, of all people, that had to have that smile? Jeremy nearly couldn't bear the thought of being forced away from him so soon, as irrational of a thought it was.

"Jer?"

"Yeah, I'll—I'll stay away," he hoped his voice wasn't as despondent as it sounded. Damon hardly ever asked anything of him. If he did, it was for his protection or his happiness and this was no different. He wouldn't defy him now.

"Thank you," Damon squeezed his shoulder again. "You want to go home?"

"I don't mind staying," he said quickly. If this was the only time he could be around Tyler, he would gladly take it.

"I was hoping you wouldn't," Damon's confident smirk was back and it made Jeremy smile. "Janice and I want to get to know each other a little better, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled dreamily at him.

"I'll come back for you later," Damon ruffled his hair before they turned away. Just as he started walking back to his car, he felt Bonnie's eyes on him and turned to meet them with his own. She blushed when he winked at her and he chuckled to himself as he led Janice away.

"Your uncle already has a girlfriend?" Caroline asked as soon as Jeremy sat back down. "I thought you two just moved here yesterday?"

"We did," he chuckled wryly. "He's always been popular with women."

"Well you certainly didn't lie about him being sexy," she smirked at Elena and Bonnie. "I think I should introduce myself."

Elena rolled her eyes, "You're still in high-school Caroline."

"I'm 18 and a senior. And being in high-school didn't stop Vicki. Remember Mason?" she smirked at Tyler, then Matt.

"Jesus, you're never going to let that go, are you?" Matt grumbled as she laughed. Tyler's nose wrinkled but that didn't stop his lips from stretching into a smile. Jeremy wished he was always on the receiving end of those smiles.

He sighed as he leaned back on his hands, listening to the conversations and playful bickering around him. They were interrupted by Caroline's mother, a woman of average build and height with cropped blonde hair, stern demeanor, and donning the outfit of a police officer gathering the girls so they could perform their latest cheer routine. Jeremy followed after Matt and Tyler as people congregated in front of the open field serving as the stage. He pressed close to them as they pushed their way to the front.

He watched the cheerleaders with mild interest, admiring how Bonnie could do the splits and backflip in midair. Irritation took over when he noticed Tyler's attention completely focused on her. As irrational as it was, he knew he was justified in his anger. He couldn't explain, not even to himself, this indescribable, illogical notion rooted deep within him that Tyler was, somehow, his. And as much as he wanted to heed Damon's wishes, he wasn't sure how successful he would be when every instinct in his body pulled him in Tyler's direction, telling him to protect Tyler from other prying eyes and affections like Bonnie's.

"Hey, do you know if April Young is coming to the party tonight?" Matt leaned over Jeremy to ask Tyler.

"Don't know. Don't you guys talk?"

"Sometimes."

"Then ask her."

"You know how her dad is, being the pastor and all."

Tyler smirked, "The excuses you come up with to not talk to her are pathetic man. Grow a pair and ask her to go with you."

"It's not about that."

"Isn't it?" his eyes narrowed. "Or are you just trying to use her to make Caroline jealous?"

Matt's nose wrinkled at the mention of the blonde and Jeremy couldn't help his laugh.

"She has no right to be jealous. She's the one that started hooking up with that Connor kid while we were together."

"You guys never had a title."

"The hell we didn't! I told her I wasn't seeing anyone else!"

"You also said you weren't looking to do anything serious."

"Who's side are you on man?" he whined. Tyler chuckled as he leaned in closer towards Jeremy. The Traveler's breath caught in his throat when he inhaled his scent: a mixture of woods, spice and the musky scent of cologne that made heat pool in his stomach. He was intoxicating.

"Elena told me she was going. Stop worrying," he chuckled lowly. "You better not screw up. Her father will kill you."

"I know," he grumbled as he scratched the back of his head. "And I'm not using her to get back at Caroline."

"Pastor Young heads the church every Sunday," Tyler murmured to Jeremy. "He also runs the Bible study group on Wednesdays."

"Do you go?" Jeremy asked softly. Tyler shook his head.

"I used to when my mother was alive. She'd always make me go with her."

The young Traveler immediately felt a wave of sadness wash over him.

"Sorry," he chuckled roughly. Jeremy shook his head.

"It's okay."

Tyler turned his head and their eyes locked once again, different shades of brown with the same fiery passion. Jeremy moved even closer to Tyler, his body pressing into his arm when he was pushed by the rowdy crowd from behind, and Tyler put a hand on his chest to steady him. The warmth that seeped from his hand to his chest nearly made the Traveler's knees buckle.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay," Tyler repeated his words huskily as he helped him stand straight again. Their eyes never strayed from the other, losing themselves in the moment.

The crowd around them erupted into cheers, startling them out of their trance. Tyler quickly removed his hand and looked down before giving Jeremy a slightly strained smile. Jeremy returned it, his throat suddenly dry.

"I—I need to—bathroom," he sputtered out before pushing his way through the crowd without waiting for Tyler's answer. After asking a kind old woman where the closest restroom was, he crossed the street and entered the library. Finding the bathroom at the back of the first floor, he shouldered his way inside and stumbled to the sink, turning on the water and cupping some in his hands to splash his face.

Get it together Jer, he told himself as he stared at his eyes in the mirror. Remember what Damon said.

He gripped the sink hard as he got himself under control. Whatever was going on with him in regards to Tyler, he desperately wished it would stop. He didn't like this feeling of possessiveness and jealousy (he couldn't deny that that was what he'd been feeling in regards to Bonnie) that dominated him every time he saw him get too close to someone else. Damon had warned him to stay away but his very body protested that order. It was as if he couldn't help wanting to be close to him and he hated it almost as much as he welcomed it. It bothered him he'd never felt it for anyone else, Damon included.

Not keen on returning to the performance quite yet, Jeremy wandered aimlessly around the first floor of the library, taking in the old dusty books that were nearly falling apart at the seams. He looked up when he saw a book on strange events that happened throughout history and saw he was in the supernatural section. Scanning the titles of the books quickly, he was slightly dismayed to find none on vampires, witches or gypsies. In books where his kind was mentioned, mostly history books, they were described as thieves, beggars, false prophets and seductresses that led people into darkness. Self-loathing had come for a long time until Damon showed him the other side of the coin, that being his people were made into an enemy because of their gifts of manipulating the elements of the earth. They were hunted as much as they were coveted, though the majority of the world believed that a group of people shouldn't be allowed that kind of power. Other witches, witches that had taken their pure magic and twisted it with dark spells yearned for the kind of bond that Traveler's held with the earth, spells that allowed them to become one with nature but were unlikely to ever forge and their envy turned hatred put others against them. The books never mentioned the good their magic could do.

Jeremy frowned when he thought about earlier, how he was the cause of the apparent change of weather. Now the wind had disappeared and the clouds spread around the sun instead of blocking it. There were gypsies that were undoubtedly powerful enough to control the weather, but he hadn't had nearly enough practice with his magic to harness that kind of power. Being monitored all his life hadn't been helpful for him; he was certain other Travelers at his age would be able to change the weather and more. He couldn't help but resent Damon just slightly for not allowing him to practice, though the vampire had good reason not to do so. But perhaps he could find time to practice now in the midst of befriending Bonnie and Elena. Damon wouldn't always be around to hover over him, like right now.

Looking behind him, he realized he was alone. Smirking, he lifted his hand, locked eyes on a book on the top-most shelf and focused on the force in his palm. His muscles twitched and flexed under his skin, pulling inward as if he were trying to grasp something without the use of his fingers. Nothing happened at first. Then the book, along with the rest of the top shelf, shot from their places. Jeremy ducked and covered his head as they came crashing down. He hardly realized that someone had pushed him out of the middle of the aisle to the end, avoiding two heavy books that would've landed on his head.

"You okay?" the person, a girl, asked him frantically as she looked him over. Jeremy gaped at her, praying she didn't just see what he'd done.

"Yeah! Yeah I was…I was just trying to get a…book," he frowned when he saw the mess he made. How much had she seen?

"How did you manage to do that?" she laughed as she gestured to all the books on the ground. An uneasy laugh slipped from his lips.

"I guess I don't know my own strength," he coughed lightly. "I'm surprised no one heard it."

"I'm sure they did. They're just happily ignoring it."

She bent down to pick up one of the books that landed face first and open. Her jet black hair spilled over her shoulders as she stood up again, the book between her delicate, pale hands as she skimmed through the bent pages. Her wide, brown eyes clouded with amusement and confusion and her red lips pulled into a bemused smile when she showed him the front cover.

"Interesting choice. You don't look like the kind of person to be into the fundamentals of neuroscience."

"Oh…it's a hobby," he winced, hoping that didn't sound as lame as he thought. She was silent, staring at him as if she could see right through him. It set Jeremy slightly on edge.

"You must be the new kid they keep talking about. Jeremy, right?"

"Yeah…" he frowned. "Who's been talking about me?"

"Some of the parents at the fundraiser, specifically the moms. They're all nosy broads," she winked and he chuckled. "They think your uncle's hot."

"Of course they do," he muttered under his breath. "Well, thanks for saving me…?"

"Anna," she shook his hand quickly. "I saw you earlier, with Tyler Lockwood and his friends."

Jeremy prayed his face didn't change when she mentioned his name.

"Are you friends with them?"

She gave him a mysterious smile, "Not really."

"Oh."

He looked away, unsure of what to say. There was something strange about the way this girl saved him from being crushed by heavy books, which no one was around to watch. Perhaps she'd been walking by or—?

"Why are you here?" she asked abruptly.

"I was using the bathroom—"

"I mean here in Mystic Falls," she interrupted. Jeremy frowned slightly at the question.

"I…my uncle wanted to. He's been here before."

"He's been here?"

"Yes," he said shortly. She laughed lightly at the edge in his voice.

"I don't mean to pry, but no one ever just decides to live here. Not without a good reason. And moving here from Paris of all places, well…it just sounds odd."

"How did you know I was from Paris?" he asked carefully. She looked confused before her smile was back.

"From the gossip hoard. I told you they couldn't stop talking about you," she grinned. "I'm surprised none of them are tripping over themselves to meet you."

Jeremy was unable to tell if she was a threat or not, but there was something deceiving about her kind smile and soft brown eyes. She was hiding something, yet he couldn't figure out what.

"Well, thanks for saving me," he moved from her side and began picking up the fallen books. He was slightly surprised when she helped him, even carrying some of them to a nearby table and stacking them next to his pile.

"You wanna get something to eat? There's this place called the Mystic Grill not too far from here. It's the only decent hangout spot in this town," she shrugged. "This charity fundraiser stuff isn't really my scene. I have a feeling it isn't yours either."

The corners of Jeremy's lips pulled up and a small smile graced his lips, "That obvious, huh?"

"You only look like you're about to die from boredom," she giggled. "So, you want to?"

"I…thank you but I actually came with people so…I should go back to them," he felt guilty when her smile fell. "Another time, though?"

"Of course," she smiled. "I'll walk you back."

They left the library side by side. Jeremy tried to look at her from the corner of his eye; she seemed normal enough, but there was something…off about her. Nothing in particular stood out, but her very presence set him slightly on edge. But it also could've been the fact that she just happened to show up when he decided to practice his magic. He wondered if Damon compelled her to follow him, then scolded himself for being paranoid.

Anna made small talk as they crossed the street and rejoined the majority of the town the park. Jeremy listened and replied when he was supposed to, but he couldn't prevent his thoughts from straying back to Tyler. Bonnie and the others should've been done with their routine by now, which meant she'd be wrapped around Tyler again like an octopus, like she wasn't her own person without him, he thought viciously.

"Jeremy! There you are!" Matt waved him over where their group had reconvened. The Traveler grinned when his eyes fell on Tyler, but it quickly disappeared at the dark look on his face. He noticed the others watching them carefully too.

"I'll see you around Jeremy," Anna said before he could say anything. She turned away from him just as the others closed their distance.

"What were you doing with her?" Tyler's sharp voice startled him, so much so that Bonnie placing a hand on his arm to calm him didn't anger him.

"I…I met her in the library…" he frowned at the looks they were giving him. "Is something wrong?"

"Stay away from her," he growled. The irony of his guardian speaking those very words about him earlier wasn't lost on Jeremy, yet he frowned all the same.

"Tyler," Bonnie admonished with a small glare. "You can't just—"

"He shouldn't be around her. You know why."

"That should be his choice. Not yours," she said firmly. "Don't turn him against people he doesn't know."

"Anna and her mother aren't exactly popular," Matt murmured to Jeremy. "They were suspects in Tyler's mother's murder investigation."

Jeremy's mouth dropped in shock. Well, he certainly hadn't seen that one coming. Now he understood the hostility.

"Why were they suspects?"

"Her hair was found at the scene. One black strand found on my mom's skirt," Tyler snorted bitterly. "Her mom said she had spoken with mine the day before and that was how it got there but I know they had something to do with it."

"Ty, they both had alibis for that night," Bonnie said softly. "It was an—"

"An animal attack, I know Bon," he muttered bitterly. "I just…I have a feeling that they know more than they let on. They were the last ones to see her. They have to know something."

Everyone grew quiet. Jeremy couldn't take his eyes off of Tyler's hunched form. Those dark, passionate eyes were now aimed at the ground. Without realizing what he was doing, he'd moved forward and squeezed Tyler's shoulder, doing his best to ignore the sharp jolt of euphoria and heat that hit his stomach.

"I'm sorry," he murmured for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Tyler lifted his head and graced Jeremy with another small heart-stopping, stomach-fluttering smile.

"The fundraiser is over," Elena said as others started taking tents down and packing away food. "We should get going."

"We can give you a ride back," Bonnie smiled at him. He nodded as he removed his hand from Tyler's shoulder.

"Sure."

As they piled into their cars and he texted Damon that he was getting a ride from the girls, Jeremy wondered how he was going to convince his guardian to let him hang out in the woods after dark. It was the kind of thing the vampire got paranoid about, knowing the kinds of things that came out after the sun went down.

When they returned to the boarding house he wasn't at all surprised to see the blue Camaro parked in the same spot as it was when he left this morning.

"Did your uncle already know that woman before you guys got here?" Bonnie asked indifferently as they climbed the stairs. "They seemed really…cozy. I mean familiar with each other."

"No, my uncle has that effect on people," he shrugged with a forced chuckle. "He told me he used to be a huge player before he found—before he started taking care of me."

She hummed as she used a key from her apple key ring to let them in through the front door.

"I only asked because I've never seen her with anyone. No one really knows much about her even though she's worked at our school for three years."

There was something about Bonnie's tone that threw him. But before he could read into it, Damon was calling to him from upstairs, leaning over the banister.

"How was the fundraiser?"

"Fine," he shrugged. Damon descended the stairs slowly, his eyes locked on something past his shoulder and he only just realized that Bonnie was still standing behind him. He looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see her looking embarrassed and a little guilty.

"I…I'm gonna go change for tonight," she squeezed Jeremy's arm. "You still up for it?"

"Up for what?" Damon smirked as he looked between them. The Traveler bit his lip.

"Just hanging out."

The raven-haired vampire looked between them, "Hanging out where?"

"My friend Caroline. She invited us over, including Jeremy if that's okay," Bonnie said quickly. The sound of their slightly accelerated heartbeats told him it was a lie but he couldn't bring himself to call her on it.

"Alright. Just bring him back before midnight," he winked at her without meaning to and immediately regretted the action because, as he'd guessed by his expression, Jeremy saw. "He gets grumpy without the right amount of beauty sleep."

"Damon!" he snapped as the other laughed. She laughed too, though she sounded uncertain if her laughter was appropriate, before running upstairs. Jeremy watched her disappear into her room before he scowled at his guardian.

"Can you try to not embarrass me?"

"I can't help it sometimes," he grinned cheekily before he grew more serious. "Where're you really going?"

"A party in the woods," Jeremy sighed. He knew Damon would see through the lie. "It's safe."

"I'm sure it is," he snorted. "How many people are going?"

"I don't know. A lot?"

"I assume parents don't know."

"No, they don't."

Damon ran a hand through his wayward hair and scratched his scalp in deep thought. The thought of Jeremy being alone in the woods with a bunch of children his own age, presumably in the possession of alcohol and other drugs, didn't sit well with him at all.

"I know it sounds bad but what can really happen?" Jeremy pleaded gently. "Let me use this as an opportunity to get closer to them. They like me Day. And I like them too."

Damon sighed, contemplating. Eventually he smiled and pulled Jeremy into a hug by his shoulder.

"Don't make me regret letting you go," he muttered in his ear. "Be aware of your surroundings. If anything happens, call me."

Jeremy grinned and squeezed his guardian before running up the stairs. Damon chuckled at his enthusiasm. It felt good to say yes to something when he was so used to denying Jeremy everything he wanted, whether it was too dangerous, unnecessary or to protect him. Of course, he wasn't going to let Jeremy go without supervision but he never had to know.

The front door was suddenly thrown open and the man he had seen at the school earlier barged in.

"Zach? You here?" he screamed before coming to a stop a few feet from him. Damon immediately felt on edge as he looked him over.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he reached out a hand and shook his firmly. "I'm Mason Lockwood, their neighbor. I live down the street."

"Damon," the vampire forced out, trying to look as normal as possible. "You must be Tyler Lockwood's father."

"Uncle," he corrected. He stared at Damon with a furrowed brow, "Have we met? You look familiar."

He shook his head, "I don't think so."

"I'm pretty sure I've seen you somewhere—"

"Mason?" Zach appeared from the basement. He nodded at Damon in greeting and drew Mason into a hug, slapping him on the back. "You're here to get your order?"

He nodded, shooting Damon another curious glance.

"Mason, Damon. Damon, Mason," Zach gestured between them. "He's got a nephew about Tyler's age."

"Is that right," Mason's expression became unreadable. Damon forced himself to produce a smile, though it was incredibly strained. "You visiting or staying?"

"Staying for a bit…until we decide otherwise," he shrugged, sounding as casual as possible. Mason hummed but didn't offer any other words.

"Excuse us," Zach smiled at Damon, unaware of the sudden tension that took hold, and led Mason down into the basement. The vampire was unsure if he should be offended that he locked the door behind him. He needed to get into that basement to see how much vervain he was dealing with and how much these people knew about vampires. He'd thought about it constantly that day, and came to the conclusion that someone in this town now, possibly someone like Shelia Bennett or Zach could know something about Katherine or his brother. He was just unsure of who to question first.

Twenty minutes later, Jeremy and Bonnie walked downstairs side by side. Damon's mouth watered at her scent, the musky smell reaching him from where he was in kitchen trying to find something to drink that wasn't dosed with vervain. When he heard them nearing the front door he gave up his search and stopped them in the foyer.

"You remember what I told you?" Damon fixed his eyes on Jeremy, though he was certainly aware of Bonnie within his line of vision. It took everything in him not to meet her sparkling emerald eyes.

"Yes," he sighed as he gave him a withering look. "I'll be fine Day."

The corner of Damon's lips twitched as he fought back a smile.

"We'll be back before midnight," Bonnie promised softly.

"Please," he finally allowed himself to look at her. He couldn't stop the dirty thoughts that passed through his mind when he took in her tight, cropped black shirt, skin-tight ripped jeans and brown combat boots. "Be careful."

"Yeah, yeah," Jeremy waved him off as he went for the door. Bonnie let her gaze linger on him for another minute before following him. Damon waited until he heard them piling into Elena's family car again when it pulled up and then taking off for the woods before he allowed himself to breathe. He was afraid of inhaling Bonnie's intoxicating musky, flowery scent and not being able to control his bloodlust. Perhaps it was because she was a witch, but her scent was forever ingrained into his memory and he wanted, more than anything, to feed from her.

"Christ," he muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He could really use something strong, and possibly some company to keep his mind his thoughts. He didn't want to think about her, or Katherine or Stefan or that he made a grave mistake in bringing Jeremy to a town where ravenous werewolves lived. He'd considered killing them all, but as he saw how integrated they were into the community he knew he'd be caught immediately. And werewolves normally had packs; who knew how many werewolves were part of the Lockwood pack. The last thing he wanted was to start a war, and vampires and werewolves had had their fair share of wars over the years, all of them gruesome. Jeremy didn't need to witness that horror.

Making sure his keys were in his pocket, he followed Jeremy's direction out the door, walking across the small pebbles of the roundabout driveway to his blue Camaro. A sudden movement from behind his car, from beyond the dense pine trees made him pause. Narrowing his eyes, he caught sight of someone standing between the trees, shrouded in so much darkness he couldn't recognize anything about them. They stared at him and he stared back, the hollow quite of the forest around him sounding eerie even to his own ears. His heart hammered when he thought about who it could be.

Before he could do anything the figure was gone. Damon used vampire speed as he ran to the clearing, but could find no evidence of who was watching him. He looked everywhere he could see in the dark forest, but found no one there.

Thanks for reading! See you next chapter!