22 Ch. 21

September 12, 2009

The summer was quiet in Mystic Falls. Both Damon and Stefan were preoccupied with watching Elena from afar because of how much she looked like Katherine. Stefan didn't know Damon was back in town yet, Damon was avoiding Stefan, and I spent my time between managing the town and managing Damon. He wasn't too unbearable yet, focused as he was on Elena and knowing that he couldn't do anything about the tomb until the Comet passed by once more.

And then September came and the problems began. Nobody died like in the show, nobody was fed on like in the show, and yet I still had to deal with the headache that is over-protective parents. The first warning I got was when the council got into an uproar over Stefan Salvatore compelling his way into the high school.

Frankly, I agreed with them that his behavior was downright creepy given his true age, but it wasn't like he was really hurting anyone. I vetoed their plea to keep him away from the school, not wanting to make him aware that others were aware of him. But now this was happening…

Rubbing my head with a sigh, I looked up at Grayson Gilbert and Sheriff Forbes, "Can you explain the problem again please?"

They exchanged glances and Grayson was chosen to go first, "The younger Salvatore brother is courting Elena. It's disgusting that a man over a hundred years old is dating a girl who's only seventeen. I want you to put a stop to it."

I smile at the man, "Age is rather relative when you live forever Grayson. For instance, I am over a thousand years old now. Back in 1864 I met a delightful woman who was only four hundred years old. By your standards, the one hundred and twenty years we spent together were absolutely scandalous."

Grayson grits his teeth at that, "That is not the point Mr. Masters. Elena is not old enough to be making this choice yet, and Stefan is clearly manipulating her!"

I raise an eyebrow, "Is he compelling her?"

He frowns and shakes his head, "No, but again, that's not the point! Their relationship is just wrong!"

I grin, "And have you told her this?"

I receive a long-suffering gaze for that question as Grayson replies, "You clearly don't understand teenagers very well. I will not turn Stefan Salvatore into forbidden fruit for Elena when you can easily force him to stop seeing her!"

I chuckle at that, "Stefan Salvatore is as harmless as a rabbit, especially under my compulsion. And his infatuation with Elena keeps him occupied while we prepare for those who are coming next. Besides Doctor, given enough time their love will wither and die. He doesn't truly love your daughter Grayson. He is merely infatuated with her looks, because she reminds him of a past love."

I grin as I continue, "And little Elena is more attracted to the bad boys. Stefan will eventually just not be enough for her, just like Matt wasn't. This is a phase Grayson, I promise you that. If it continues too long I will end it forcibly, but for now, let them have fun and you can play the protective parent by making sure they don't get up to anything naughty. Use your enhanced senses to continually get the drop on them before anything serious can happen. Have fun with it!"

Jaw clenched, Grayson could only nod at my order. Of course, I still had the Sheriff to contend with as she stepped forward, face stony, "Damon Salvatore is sleeping with my daughter, and unlike his younger brother, he is compelling her."

I raise an eyebrow at that, "He is? He's not able to feed on her right now, why on earth is he compelling her?"

Sheriff Forbes frowns severely, "Because he's told her what he is and is using her to piss off Stefan. He's even forced her to wear scarfs, to make Stefan think he's covering up bite marks."

I frown at Damon's penchant for playing games even when he wasn't hurting or killing people. He was more like me than I'd thought to be perfectly honest. I also couldn't help but notice how protective of her daughter Liz Forbes had gotten since I turned her. At this point in the show she barely even spoke with her daughter. As a vampire however, she'd spent the last several years reconnecting and watching her daughter like a hawk.

Eventually I sighed, "Well there's one way to make sure Caroline can't be compelled anymore. You could always turn her."

At this, both Grayson and Liz pale dramatically. It was only natural they do so as this was the first time I'd even mentioned the idea of turning their children into vampires. Liz swallows thickly before finally replying, "I don't want this for my daughter."

I roll my eyes at that, "Come now is being a vampire truly that bad Liz? Be honest now, do you hate your existence?"

She blinks at that, but I've ordered her and she's forced to answer truthfully, "I… no. Without any desire to feed on humans, it's not that bad. The increased strength and speed are helpful when doing my job, and I don't have to worry about the sun at all, so the biggest downsides feel minimalized. I don't feel like a monster."

I smile at her, even as Grayson looks at her with thinly veiled disgust. Rolling my eyes at him I snap my fingers to get his attention and ask him the same, "And you Grayson? How do you feel about being a vampire? The truth please."

He grimaces but does as I command, "I've grown used to it. I'm not sure I wish to live forever, but you've taken away most of the downsides and made us safe to be around living people. The thing I hate most about being a vampire is that it puts me under your control, and I fear your true intentions for all of us, especially your intentions for Elena."

He gulps at the admission, seeming to think it would make me mad. I just smile, "Thank you Grayson. And you have nothing to worry about, I intend to leave this town entirely intact and I have no intentions of killing or imprisoning Elena. Now, since we've settled that you both don't mind being a vampire, we can go ahead and turn Caroline. Then she'll be out from under Damon's thumb and he won't even be able to kill her when he inevitably finds out."

Sheriff Forbes still looks uncomfortable, but she eventually finds her voice, "Mr. Masters, Caroline would never forgive me if I made her immortal at seventeen. A-at least let her reach her eighteenth birthday first."

I roll my eyes at that, remembering something about how despondent Caroline was over the fact that she became a vampire before her eighteenth birthday, "Fine fine. Then you'll just have to wait Sheriff. I'll do my best to steer Damon away from Caroline, but it has to be natural. You'll find that just like Stefan and Elena, Damon will move on from Caroline."

I smirk before continuing, "He's still pining after Katherine after all, and we're going to be moving forward with a plan to open the tomb soon. I'm stringing him along there as well, because he's going to be a bit despondent when he finds out Katherine isn't in the tomb. Shortly after he does, he'll focus on Elena like Stefan is."

I can't help but chuckle as Grayson groans at that bit of news, "So, with that settled, is there anything else?"

Both of the unhappy vampires across from me shake their heads no, lips thinned.

"Good. I need to speak with the Bennetts before the day is out, so we can prepare for when Damon attempts to coerce them into helping him open the tomb."

The two left and I sighed, plopping down in a nice large arm chair. Damon was actually getting rather insistent on the matter of opening the tomb. I'd convinced him that Halloween was when it had to be done, but he wanted to get the Bennetts on board now. I'd told him it was best to do so closer to the actual day so that they had less chance to back out. For now, he was fine with it, but he was obviously growing antsy if he was playing games with Caroline and Stefan.

Of course, I could always compel him to sit in a corner until I needed him, but where was the fun in that? Even with my uncontested control of Mystic Falls, I was having the time of my life playing around with its inhabitants. Things would just get more and more interesting as time went on.

XxScenebreakxX

September 30, 2009

I found Grayson bothering me again before the month was out. He was a strange mixture of upset and excited, and I was treated to the odd sight of a full-grown adult bouncing on the balls of his feet like a hyperactive schoolboy.

"Yes Doctor Gilbert?" I drawled out, already rather sure I knew what was on his mind.

He grimaces but speaks, "Elena has found out what Stefan and Damon Salvatore are. I want to stop lying to her. Let Miranda and I tell her at least some of what's happening. She might finally stay away from the Salvatores if she knew."

I raise an eyebrow, "Interesting. How does she feel about the truth?"

He frowns at that, "She's keeping his secret. She hasn't told any of us."

I blink at that, "Then how did you know she found out?"

His shameful face tells me all I need to know, and I laugh a bit, "You've been following her almost constantly this month, haven't you?"

He nods, "Miranda and I take shifts. The point though, is that I watched her find a photo of Stefan from 1953. I watched her confront him and I watched him convince her to not tell anyone. She needs to know that she doesn't need to keep secrets from her parents, and the best way to do that is to let us stop keeping secrets from her."

"Possibly, but how much do you want to tell her? She wouldn't react well to finding out her town is under the control of an ancient vampire who's compelled not only her parents and her friends' parents, but also both of the brothers she's feeling infatuated with."

He shakes his head, "I wasn't going to even mention your part in it. I was just going to tell her about the Founder's Council, how we're all vampires. Explain to her the Salvatore past, and that we're watching them because they have a history of violence and death. I'm just sick of lying to my daughter Mr. Masters."

I smile at that, "And what about Jeremy? You should probably tell him before he gets ahold of your ancestor's journals and manages to get it into his head that we're all evil monsters."

Grayson pauses in thought at that before slowly nodding, "You're right. If Elena is going to know, Jeremy will have to as well. Fine, we'll tell him."

I sigh, "Gods, I'd love to be a fly on the wall for this conversation. But alas, I'll be running interference with the Salvatores to make sure neither has a chance to eavesdrop on your family gathering. Have this confession session tonight alright? It's the only chance you're going to get."

He nods with determination and leaves as quickly as he arrived. I just smile as I consider how Elena and Jeremy will react.

XxScenebreakxX

Same day, Gilbert Home

Grayson had Miranda begin preparing a large dinner as soon as he got Vali's permission to tell the children. He closed down his practice an hour early and went to the high school to pick both of the teenagers up. There was much whining and gnashing of teeth from both Elena and Jeremy over the seemingly random exercise of parental authority, but he could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be.

Within an hour they were all sitting around the dinner table, both Grayson and Miranda on edge while Elena and Jeremy had finally figured out something was wrong. Jeremy was the first to voice his concern, "Alright, what the fuck is going on?"

Miranda immediately retorted with, "Language!" But Grayson just grimaced. Elena was too lost in her own world to really get involved, still reeling from the revelations of the night before and what she'd learned about Stefan. How could she focus on whatever drama her parents were angsting over, when she was angsting over this?

Grayson was the first to notice her inattention and with a sigh, he decided it was time. The meal mostly finished, he put down his fork and looked at Miranda, who looked back and nodded. Steeling his resolve he spoke, "Elena, Jeremy. We need to talk to you both about something."

Elena finally focused on her father, brow furrowed as she wondered what could be so important. Jeremy just raises an eyebrow, curiosity firmly piqued by this point.

Grayson breathed in slowly, really not looking forward to this, "Elena found this out last night, but Jeremy you're just learning this. Vampires are real."

Both of his children stared at him for several long moments. Elena in shock that he knew what had happened the night before, and Jeremy in straight up disbelief. Eventually Jeremy laughed, "Yeah dad, sure. Next you'll be telling us werewolves are real, and the Underworld movie series are actually documentaries."

Grayson grimaced at that, "Yes, werewolves are real too. No, the Underworld movie series are not actually documentaries."

Jeremy just snorted derisively and stood, "Look, if this is some silly attempt to get me on the straight and narrow, you can just stop, mom already confiscated all of my pot. I'll be in my room."

Grayson's temper snapped a bit there and he stood as well, his face vamping out easily, eyes going red and fangs coming out as he snarled, "Sit down right now!"

Jeremy didn't react well to that and stepped back immediately, "H-holy shit!"

Elena reacted no better, eyes widening dramatically and standing up from the table as well, which led to Miranda standing and leaving no one still sitting. A moment later, Jeremy ran for the door, only to find his mother already blocking it off in a shocking display of unnatural speed. He gulped and stumbled back from her, only to fall and land in his ass.

Miranda was heartbroken by his reaction, moving slowly and holding her hands out in a non-threatening gesture, "It's alright darling, we're not going to hurt you. Neither of us will ever hurt you or your sister."

Kneeling down, she hugged a still frozen Jeremy to her chest, but he didn't calm down, if anything he tensed further. Grayson sighed and pinched his nose at how poorly this was going so far. "Alright, family meeting in the living room, right now."

Miranda had to half carry half guide Jeremy to the living room but eventually all four of them were seated. Jeremy was a bit calmer now, but his leg was bouncing like a rabbit on speed and his eyes couldn't stop looking between his mother and father.

Elena was a bit better off, out of shock and quickly approaching anger, "You knew what Stefan was the entire time and you didn't tell me? You weren't even going to tell us what you were until you found out I knew were you?"

Miranda fielded that question, turning compassionate eyes on her daughter, "Oh honey, of course we wanted to tell you both. We just didn't want to draw you into this world before it was necessary. Your father and I wanted life to be normal for the two of you."

Jeremy spoke up at that, "What do you mean necessary? How does vampirism even work? Are we just going to turn into vampires when we hit adulthood or something?"

Grayson shook his head at that, "No son, your mother and I weren't born this way. To become a vampire, you have to consume a vampire's blood and then be killed with it still in your system. You wake up in transition and have to consume human blood to complete it."

Both Elena and Jeremy looked disturbed by that, Elena asks the next obvious question, "Then how did you both become vampires?"

Grayson exchanges a look with Miranda before answering that, "A vampire came through town a few years back. We're part of a group, a town council who all knew about vampires and protected the town from them. We managed to deal with this vampire, but not before he turned the entire council."

At the horrified looks on his children's faces, he rushed to add, "But we're not dangerous. We have control and we've all been feeding from blood bags. You would have heard about a lot more animal attacks if we were hurting people. Even if we were trying to cover things up, there'd be dozens of unexplained disappearances. Have you heard of any?"

Both Jeremy and Elena were forced to admit they hadn't. Jeremy frowned though, "Are you planning on turning us?"

Both parents grimace, but this is Miranda's question to field and she does so, "Only if you want it and not a day before either of you are eighteen."

Normally both Grayson and Miranda would have said no right away, but times had changed, and Vali Masters may not give them a choice in the matter. Best to ease their children into this as best they can now.

Unfortunately, this was a bit too much for Elena as she suddenly stood up, "I-I can't process this. This is too much."

She made to leave the room before Grayson called out and stopped her, "I'm asking that you don't tell anyone Elena. Especially not Stefan Salvatore, we're not planning to hurt him or his brother, but they can't know about us or they might react poorly."

Elena hesitated for several moments before nodding jerkily and then heading up stairs to her room.

Jeremy on the other hand stayed behind and leaned forward, his fear gone and replaced by natural curiosity as he looked at his parents, "What's it like?"

Miranda looked relieved that at least one of their children was accepting of the revelation, while Grayson grimaced and began to tell his son the perks and advantages of being a vampire. It wasn't a conversation he'd thought he'd ever be having with anyone.

-x-X-x-

If you'd like to read more of my work not seen on this website, check out Hentai-Foundry.com and QuestionableQuesting.com! I'm known as 'Cambrian' on those websites.

If you'd like to contribute to funding my writing at all, check me out on P atreon.com/Cambrian

Thanks for reading!