Damon dropped the girl's body on the ground, his hunger satisfied. He glanced around him, relishing his returned freedom. He could smell more blood nearby but it was tainted, worse than the girl's had been. He hadn't enjoyed the taste of the drugs in the bloodstream as he fed but he knew that it was essential to regain his strength before Stefan found him.

A low growl escaped his throat as he thought of his brother. He had tricked Damon into ingesting the vervain, thus weakening him and leaving him for dead. Anger like nothing he had experience before, flooded Damon and he could feel the vampire reacting as his fangs began to appear. He would make his brother pay. Nobody humiliated him like that, especially not his weaker little brother.

Suddenly he was snapped out of his thoughts as footsteps began to approach. He could smell the drugs running through the human's veins and knew that it was one of the druggies come looking for his friend. Damon spared the girl a quick glanced before he was gone.

He couldn't return to the house, knowing that Stefan would be just as angry as Damon was. Damon had, after all, killed their "Uncle Zack". Damon hadn't enjoyed killing a family member but he knew that it had been necessary if he was to be free. But just because he hadn't enjoyed it, didn't mean he regretted it. It had been Zack's life for Damon's freedom and in this world it was kill or be killed.

Without realising it, Damon had stopped in front of Elena's house. There were a few lights on upstairs even though it was past midnight but Damon knew that the girl wasn't home. He knew the smell of her blood; it was all over Stefan when he got home from spending all day with her.

As he stared at the house, a plan began forming in Damon's mind. He smiled wickedly. He was going to enjoy getting his revenge on his brother and he had eternity to bask in his success. Stefan would regret spiking Caroline's drink with vervain and by the time he was finished with him, he was going to wish he was able to die.

***

Elsewhere, on the other side of town, a meeting was just finishing. The mayor watched as the last of the guest's cars disappeared into the night. He was tired but a new feeling of satisfaction had settled inside him.

Something was going to be done about the vampires that had returned. They had a fair idea as to who they might be but the Committee were no murderers. They were going to wait until they had hard evidence before they set their plan in motion.

Mayor Lockwood sighed as he turned back into his house. He closed the door and locked it, knowing that it would be next to useless against a vampire's inhumane strength. His wife was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs and she held a hand out to him.

"Don't worry so much, darling," she murmured. "We will deal with them soon."

He nodded silently, still deep in thought. He knew what he was going to do would keep the town and his people safe but he still was working up the courage to do everything his ancestors had tried to do before him.

Silently he followed his wife up to their room. Absentmindedly he got changed and climbed into bed. His wife reached over from beside him and touched his cheek.

"We will protect the town," she said with absolute certainty. "You will be their hero."

He smiled at her and nodded his agreement. He would do this, he would protect his people and they would love him all the more for it. He gave his wife a kiss before snuggling in close to her to sleep.

Hey, if anyone knows the first names of Mr and Mrs Lockwood, used in the TV show could you please let me know cos I don't remember hearing it... thanks! And I hope you liked the prologue. Don't worry the next chapters will be longer. Thanks guys!