when the party's over | elena gilbert

07|HAUNTED

Gemma sulks in the corner near Damon, her arms folded over her chest as she eyes Vicki. "This is a bad idea," she mutters under her breath, her eyes flicking to Damon when he glances at her. "Let's just finish the job, rid ourselves of this problem."

"That's very cynical of you," Damon says.

"Your stupidity brings out the worst in me," she bites back.

"I don't understand why I have to stay cooped up here," Vicki says aloud. "Why can't I just go home?"

Gemma straightens up, "you can." Her lips quirk into a sadistic smile. "Just...don't call us when you slaughter everyone you love."

"Gemma," Stefan reprimands. The female Salvatore backs off with a pout and he returns his attention to Vicki. "Because you're changing, Vicki, and it's not something you wanna do alone."

"There's nothin' about that Logan guy I killed in here," Damon informs his siblings, closing the news paper. "Not a word. Someone's covering it up."

"Maybe the same bloodline that's been covering up supernatural murders for, I don't know, centuries." Gemma suggests, her tone dry.

Damon hums in agreement, flipping the compass around in his hand.

"What is that?" Vicki asks.

"This is a very special, very old compass,"

"If you didn't notice," Gemma adds.

"What was Logan Fell doing with it?" Damon glances between Stefan and Gemma. "Aren't you two curious?"

"Well, if you're so worried that somebody's onto you, why don't you just leave town, Damon?" Stefan sasses.

"That's a good idea," Gemma nods. "Let's all pack our things, stop playing The Brady Bunch with humans, and leave."

"We should all be worried," Damon tells them.

"Hey, um, I'm hungry," Vicki interrupts. "Do you have anything to eat?"

"Your brother," Gemma grins. "Tyler, maybe. Or even Jeremy. Let's go—"

"Gemma," Stefan snaps, standing from his seated position in front of the Donovan. "What is with you today?" He lowers his voice even though it's a pathetic attempt, knowing Vicki can listen in. "Goading a baby vampire, acting so cold. Acting like—"

"Me," Damon chirps.

Stefan rolls his eyes, picking up a cup of animal blood from the desk and giving it to Vicki with a tight smile. "Here,"

"What is it?"

"It's what you're craving," he tells her.

Damon laughs, "Don't lie to the girl. It's so not what you're craving, but it'll do in a pinch, right, Stef?"

"What is it?" Vicki brings the cup closer to her lips, cringing at the smell.

"Yeah, what is it?" Damon goads, "Is it a skunk? Saint Bernard? Bambi?"

Gemma contorts her expression into faux horror, "Thumper?"

Stefan ignores his siblings antics, "Go on. Give it a try."

"She's new," Damon says without looking. "She needs people blood. She can't sustain on that stuff."

"Yeah, why can't I have people blood?" The new vampire questions after taking a sip of what Stefan gave her.

"Yeah," Damon urges with a smile.

"Because it's wrong to pray on innocent people, Vicki." The youngest Salvatore tells her.