VIENNA--••--DS&SS

•• Chapter Fifty Two ••

"Good." Vivian mutters. "How do you know where the book is?"

"The book was part of my ancestors collection. All those years ago, it's been pasted down generations. Did you know your mother was having an affair?" She questioned, suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

"I suppose you wouldn't know. But your father found out. He was livid. He had someone kill your mother. Which ultimately made me livid....i was going to put a curse on him. With the book, you see." Penny explained. Vivian just stood and listened. Unable to understand any of what she was saying.

"When I found the book, it was tampered with, a page was missing and it was not in its original spot at the house. The energy was dark and I feared someone was trying to take it. And they eventually did. I lost it for a decade before I found it again. This time, I kept it hidden in plane sight." She said, "a place where this old war between our family started."

"Where is that exactly?" Vivian asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"How are you doing with Stefan and Damon?" The woman asked, and Vivian's eyes hardened.

"Tell me where the book is." She demanded.

"Do they still have millions of bookshelf's in that boarding house of their's? Your mother used to go over there all the time—back in the day before you were born of course."

"What—"

"It's a green book. With a golden spine. The spells other than the one used on you are harmless. Protection spells and healing spells and whatnot. Upstairs. In one of the old offices." She says. And finally, Vivian has put it together.

"My mother was having an affair with a Salvatore?"

"You are a smart one. I'll give you that. In that case, you should also know because I've given you something you desperately needed, I in return, would like the same."

"Because nothing is ever that easy. Got it. What do you want?" Vivian's whole life was just flipped on its axis. And now she was supposed to do a favour for the very woman that conducted it.

"I'm orchestrating an experiment. I need a test subject." Penny raises her hand and brushed a wild piece of her white hair behind her ear. "You are the perfect candidate."

"Of course I am. And what if I was to deny?"

"I thought you were smart, girl? I will obviously have to destroy the book. And then you will have to tell your father what's happened, and all hell would break loose and our family tree will be one last branch. Now, this can be avoided, and you'd get the book, and your freedom, and I would get to be a mad scientist for just a blessed moment and all will be right in the world."

Vivian knew the risks. She knew the endless possibilities and the dangers that this deal resided in. Her death. Plane and simple. By the hands of her own father, or by the hands of this random woman who blames to be her long lost aunt. What could possibly go wrong?

"A green book with a golden spine, you said? In the Salvatore's office?"

"Yes. The first page is dedicated to you, funnily enough. "To the little girl my sister is so obsessed with. You shall have all the power" " she says, with a small chuckle. "I don't think I meant to foreshadow your future."

"Freak." Vivian muttered. The sky was now dark. The starts shining brightly despite the darkness creeping inside her. She definitely needed to get back to Stefan and Damon's.

"I've been called worse. You will meet me here in 3 days. You will tell no one about our meeting. My reputation as a ghost will still be intact and I will not have anyone ruining what I've build. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Vivian says, and without letting Penny get the final word, she quickly speed away from the house and eventually returned to the boarding house.

—

—-

The sun was shining brightly by the time she reached home. Sun beams lit up the living room and seemed to spotlight on a certain bookcase. Hesitantly she placed the journal on the credenza beside the drinks and looked over to the bookshelf behind the desk.
Without acknowledging Stefan, she immediately turned to the bookshelf and began scouring the many books and journals that reside there.

"Little early for in the day for you, isn't it?" Damon asked, as he entered the living room. Vivian didn't react. With his drink in his hand Stefan watched Vivian as she continued looking among the books. Damon glanced at her and then at the book near the liquor.

"What's she up to?" Damon questioned, placing the thing he was holding down against the couch as he walked up towards Stefan.

"Not sure." He answered.

"What are you up to?" Damon asked, looking towards his brother.

"Just having a little toast." Stefan looked back to Vivian. He wondered if she knew what Damon's been up to. Between spending the day with Elena, he wasn't sure how she was going to feel about knowing everything that happened today.

"To what?"

"Control." Stefan told him.

"If you're happy, I'm happy." Damon smirked.

"Why are you in such a good mood? Sage double crossed you, the tree's a pile of ash...Alaric's got a psychopath alter ego." Stefan lists, glancing towards Vivian again because now she's throwing books off their shelf's. They land with a thud each time as they hit the floor.

"Our girlfriend's officially gone crazy too." He adds. And the words sound foreign on his lips but they also sound right.

"You know, Stefan, I'm a philanthropist." Damon says, I make the world a better place. Restoring bridges, landmarks....and..." Damon revels the thing he was holding and Stefan sits up from his chair. "And...historical signs made of the same white oak as the Wickery Bridge." He finishes.

However, Vivian doesn't bat an eye beside they're too focused on one thing in front of her. A green book with a golden spine. With shaky hands she lifts it up. Opening it, the words of the dedication itch her brain in the wrong way. She turns to Stefan and Damon as they stare at the sign.

"They think all the wood burned." Stefan says.

"I sold my rage. Ohh, you should've seen me." Damon muses proudly. He glanced towards Vivian as she finally walks over to them with a book in her hands.

"We have a weapon." Stefan says

"Game's back on, brother." Says Damon. "Let's go kill some Originals."

"You boys sure know how to drop a bombshell." Vivian says, with a smile. Her fingers trace the faded letters on the cover. The brothers share a glance before looking back at Vivian.

"It's our favourite pass time." Damon says, he looked down at the book she was holding. "fancy a little light reading?"

Vivian couldn't help the smile that etched her lips. "It's what I've been looking for."

"What?" Stefan asked, immediately going over to her. She chuckled a dry laugh.

"My Aunt Penny told me it would be here. And she was right." Vivian didn't expand on her words, instead she said, "did you know my mother and your father were having an affair?"

"Viv—"

"I have the book. I am summoning my father and giving it back to him and I will be done with him once and for all." Vivian says. The brothers don't have the time to stop her.

—

Whoa, I am on a roll. I hope I didn't just jinx that

Let me know what you think!