Lust for Life || Closed

Lenora "Nora" McArthur & Lorenzo "Enzo" St John

They say only the good die young
That just ain't right
'Cause we're having too much fun
Too much fun tonight, yeah



Bryn Addison & Damon Salvatore

Oh, how Enzo loved college campuses and Whitmore College was no exception. All the youthful, insecure women who were far too worried about their educations than being wary of an attractive stranger with an accent unlike their own and a crooked smile. Colleges were practically a corner market of meals for vampires and Enzo was not about to pass up his opportunity at some easy meals. He'd merely meant to breeze through Virginia, but he figured, why not take a break from his travels for a bit. The weather was cooling down and if his knowledge of the American higher education system served him correctly, the students were to be preparing or participating in their finals of the Autumn semester.

As he casually strolled among the students, he grinned to himself at the sight of heavy jackets and scarves tied around necks to block out the cool breezes that foretold of an approaching, bitterly cold winter. It would only mean that who ever he fed from, and he was sure there would be more than one, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone else finding the bite marks until he was long gone. It would be just one more thing he wouldn't have to worry about, so he could pretty much be as carefree as he wanted. And that was exactly the way that Enzo liked it.

---

The Scull Bar at Whitmore was probably not the best place to try and cram a semester's worth of facts and knowledge about Medieval art, but Bryn was trying to make it an acceptable place for her to study and for her to wash away the last 24 hours of her life. The sandy-blonde young woman was leaning over a thick textbook at the bar, her hair pulled back into a disheveled, messy bun atop her head and her light green eyes were red, watery, and puffy. Her shirt was wrinkled and she looked like someone needed to take the glass of beer from in front of her or like she'd been crying Maybe there was a distinct combination of both drunkenness and teary eyes she was dealing with. The bartender on shift looked ill-equipped to handle emotional young women, so any questions he had would be left unasked. Either way, she looked like the typical college girl, cramming information for finals and buckling under the immense pressure.

However, there was some midday sporting event on and a gaggle of frat boys were in the bar, causing a ruckus and ruining the quiet atmosphere she'd enjoyed just an hour earlier. A heavy sigh left her as she grasped her beer in hand draining it quickly and beckoning for another as she placed the empty glass down. The frat boys cheered loudly and Bryn glared over at them with a tear-filled glare before she directed her gaze back down to the book in front of her. Her eyes read over the same sentence for the fifth time and she sighed again as another raucous cheer left the frat boys, cradling her head in her hands as the bartender placed another beer in front of her.

@ salander.
Norah was late, she was so very late for her first class which was with her favourite teacher Alaric Saltzman and she had managed to sleep through all seven o the alarms she had set the night before. She chucked her scarf half-hazzardly around her neck before shouldering her book bag and racing from the car park and onto the campus. She hadn't meant to stay up as late as she had but training had be intense and her father had made her do everything ten times. Every muscle in her body ached as she ran but she didn't stop, she couldn't stop not if she wanted to get a decent seat.

She ducked and weaved through bodies, people were moving way too slow for her, she was certain she had shoved a few, unintentionally. She had shouted apologies over her shoulder. Norah had never realised how big the campus was until she was running across it to get to class. Suddenly she had run into someone who had been standing still, it was like they had come out of nowhere and she did't have time to stop. Her body fell backwards and she hit the grass with a force.

"Oww... Fucksake!" she muttered pulling herself into a sitting position and rubbing her now sore backside. Great now she was in even more pain then she wanted. Grabbing her bag of books she shouldered them again and pulled herself to her feet.

---

Damon walked next to Elena he had decided to travel up to Whitmore and spend the day with her, it had been several days since he had seen her and he most certainly was missing her. He knew she was happy here studying to be a nurse and living a normal life. A life that she wanted and deserved. The two had been laying outside and bathing in the sun Elena's head was resting on his chest and he had draped an arm across her.

"So how is uni life?" the groan that fell from her lips caused him to smile. "Okay school is a no go zone then." he chuckled.

"I just want to enjoy time with you and not have it ruined by school talk," she stated lifting her head, her dark eyes locking with his and a smile spread across her face. "Speaking of I know the best place we could go. Come on," she was quick to her feet, Damon followed suit wrapping his arms around her shoulder she began to lead him along.

He looked around the campus seeing the hoards of students, so many people to compel and drink from. He needed a drink his cravings were starting to emerge.

"Here we are," Damon looked up and caught a quick glimpse at the name of the place. Scull Bar.

"Oh you know me so well," he smiled before pressing a kiss to the top of her head and the two walked in together listening to a gaggle of frat boys laughing and joking with one and other. Damon rolled his eyes. Pathetic. The two took a seat and he quickly waved over a waitress ordering a glass of their finest bourbon.

Enzo stopped in front of a building he found far too tempting and he wondered if he was even able to enter it. The girls dorms would practically be a smorgasbord if he could get inside without invitation. Even so, it shouldn't have been that hard for him to find someone to invite him him. Or perhaps it would be like a hotel and he could waltz right in. Before he could even properly finish his next thought, he felt someone collide with his back and he frowned dramatically before glancing over his shoulder with a vaguely interested and amused expression twisting his features.

When he saw the young woman who was sprawled out on the ground behind him, he couldn't help but to let his most charming grin curl his features as he turned completely to face her. She was by far the most beautiful girl he'd spotted on the campus so far and in far too much of a hurry to be wary of him. When he heard her speak, his brows lifted suddenly and his expression turned a bit more amused. "I'm terribly sorry," he said, offering her his hand to help her back up to her feet, but pulling it back once he realized she was getting up on her own. "I guess I should be more careful were I stop and take in the architecture, huh?" He continued, eyes slipping over her features. "You're not hurt, are you?"

---

Bryn ran her tongue across her lips as she reached out to take a few more chugs of her beer. Drunk studying seemed a bit more counterproductive than anything, but she couldn't really stand being sober at the moment and her finals were flying at her far too quickly for her liking. Why she thought a class that was mainly about tapestries and illuminated manuscripts would be interesting seemed foolish now, but she knew that if she ever wanted to be a curator for an art museum, she'd have to have an insane knowledge of just about every era of art imaginable. Unless she went modern art...which was honestly suddenly looking more appealing.

Pushing her hair back from her face, she dropped her hands as she swayed slightly in her bar seat, hands reaching out on either side to steady herself for a moment. Her features wrinkled slightly as she realized that she probably was one too many beers in. She sniffled a bit, swiping a fingertip across a tear that had managed to escape, before she stood from the bar stool and figured she'd make her way back to her dorm to try and sleep it off. At least she had wits about her enough for that. Before she could grab her purse to pay her bill, a frat boy had wandered over to the bar and was ordering a drink with wild gesticulations towards a couple bottles of liquor and ended up upending her beer over her textbook. Bryn froze for a moment, watching as the light amber liquid soaked into the pages.

"Way to ruin a five-hundred dollar textbook, you ass-wipe," she shot at him, voice hoarse and tight with disuse and her words were slightly slurred around the edges. She let out a disgruntled noise, righting the now empty glass and staring down futilely at the ruined pages of the book.

@ salander.
Norah looked up at the dark haired male who began to apologise at her, for some reason she highly doubted he was looking at the architecture but she chose not to say anything on the matter. Norah couldn't deny that he wasn't attractive he most certainly was with his dark hair and charming smile.

"I will survive," she stated shooting him a reassuring smile. The dark haired hunter was certain she was going to be fine but with the pain of her sore muscles and now sore backside she knew today was going to be a hard one. "Hi I am Lenora, my friends call me Nora," actually she had very few friends considering the life she lives so it was mainly her parents that called her Nora. "And you are?" she asked extending her head in a casual greeting. She knew she was going to be a little late to her class but she didn't want to be rude.

---

Damon looked around the room when he eyes landed on a blonde who was pulling herself to her feet. She was intoxicated and it was only nine-thirty, ten in the morning. He watched the scene play out as one of the frat boys knocked a glass of beer over. He winced when she swore at him.

Five hundred dollars on a school text book that was a little rich wasn't it? When the male became a little too much of a dick Damon got to his feet walking over to the blonde, he knew Elena was following him.

"Alright boys parties over, time to move on and leave her alone."

"And who are you?" the male asked, he had a shit eating grin on his face and frankly he was annoying Damon. "Her mother." the guy laughed. Damon joined in before grabbing the guy harshly causing him to shout out.

"You and your mates are going to leave this place right now before I do something really drastic, and you are going to give this young woman the money she needs to buy a new text book," with that he let go of him before turning his attention to the blonde. "You look like a mess,"

"Well, I would surely hope so," Enzo remarked, giving her his most disarming grin, dimples pitting his cheeks as he tilted his head to the side slightly. He recognized her voice now. He'd heard her calling apologies left and right before she'd run into the back of him. Had he been paying attention, the collision may have been able to been avoided, but he couldn't change that now. He didn't think he'd want to either, especially with the lovely smile she was sending his way.

"Lenora," he repeated with a nod of his head as he continued to study her. "That's a pretty name," he commented, his smile only widening as his eyes slipped over her features as he mentally tacked on, '...for a pretty face.' He glanced down to her hand as she extended it to him and he reached his own hand out and grasped her hand in his. "I'm Enzo. Nice meeting you, Lenora," he told her with one of his signature grins and a twinkle in his eyes. He dropped his hand from hers and slid it into his front jean pocket. "If you don't mind me asking, why the rush? Clearly you're in a hurry if you didn't see me standing here," he said with a slight shrug of his shoulder. To be honest, he knew she was probably going to be late for classes, but he wanted to spend just a bit more time with her.

---

Bryn shot a hazy-eyed glare over to the boy who'd spilled beer on her book before she slapped the book shut and shoved it into her satchel. Before she knew it, a dark-haired man, one she hadn't seen in the bar until now, walked over to the guy and snapped at him. Her brows lifted slightly as she divided her stare between the frat boy, the woman behind him, and the man as she swayed a bit on the spot. What surprised her even more was, at the man's beckoning, the frat boy took out his wallet and slid a couple hundreds toward her and walked back over to his friends, looking mighty scared of the man in front of her. When he made the comment about her looking like a mess, she pulled a bit of a face.

"Wow, thanks for the concern. I look better than I feel, actually," she responded just as sharply as she had addressed the frat boy. Of course, she looked a mess. Her boyfriend of three years had cheated on her--twice, with her best friend--and she'd only found out about it the previous night. Then, in an effort to keep her mind off of it, tried studying only to realize she had no chance of passing the class. That was when she ended up at the bar. She'd been up all night and it definitely showed in just how tired and unfocused her eyes were. "I'm fine," she added, though her face twisted like she was about to cry...again. She ran a hand roughly over her face as she left a hundred on the bar for the bartender, pulling her bag over a single shoulder. "Thanks," she murmured to the man who'd chased off the frat boy, slapping the rest of the money she'd been given into his chest as she stepped past him to make her way out of the bar.

@ salander.
Nora could feel her cheeks heat, he was extremely charming there was no denying it and the way her name rolled off his tongue in his intoxicating British accent nearly caused her knees to buckle. However when he said his name she jarred out of her dreamy state. Enzo, she knew that name. Her grandmother had talked about an Enzo, often when she talked about her late sister Maggie. Could this guy be the one? Could this be the vampire that had caught her great aunts heart all those years ago. The vampire that she had spent ages trying to find instead her head was severed from her body.

"Uh... yeah late for my first class, Mister Saltzman's actually. Probably the only class I like infact..." she needed to find out if he was the Enzo her mothers side of the family always talked about. Even though she was a hunter and her job was to rid the world of these creatures she couldn't. Not with Enzo. Not from the things she had heard about him. "Hey, this may be a little forward. But did you want to meet up for a drink later today, when all my classes are finished?" she hoped he would say yes. She prayed he would say yes.

---

Damon was startled by the fire in her voice, something had most certainly happened and it wasn't the pile of school work, this was the work of a previous loved one. Perhaps a boyfriend. He didn't have much of a chance to speak before she had got to her feet, slapped the money to his chest and walked out.

"Hey I was only trying to be nice!" He called over his shoulder before pocketing the notes, he was sure they would come in handy later, for reasons he was not yet sure of. "Now Elena, where were we?" he asked as he led his parter back to the table they had previously been siting at before the drama unfolded. "People can be so damn ungrateful!" he scolded shaking his head as he grabbed his glass of bourbon and took a swig.

Enzo continued to watch the young woman with extreme interest, something about seeming vaguely familiar, but it seemed far off in his mind that had been muddled by too many years spent as a project under the doctors at St. Augustine. Perhaps he'd fed from someone like her long ago, after a while faces tended to blur together as did time. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, pulling it between his teeth as she spoke.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't keep you from your class then," he told her, eyes slipping over her features once more as he offered her a genuine smile. He was surprised, to say the least, when she offered for them to meet up for drinks after her classes. She didn't seem like the type to take charge, but Enzo certainly didn't mind it at all. "You know what, Nora," he started, nodding his head a bit, "I think I'd really enjoy that. Where'd you want to meet up? I'm just visiting the campus, so I'm not sure of where the good places are."

---

Bryn tripped over her own Converse-clad feet and almost laid herself out on the floor, wouldn't that have just been the cherry on top, but she managed to right herself and get herself out the door before drunkenly embarrassing herself at the "school" bar. Her senior year of college hadn't been an easy one, but now it seemed like she was working toward a graduation that would never happen. She'd been distracted with her boyfriend for the Autumn semester until this point, which proved to be the worst think Bryn could have done since they were no longer dating.

She could hear the man who'd helped her yelling after her before the door closed and she faltered for a moment, knowing she had probably been unnecessarily mean to him even if he'd noted that she looked like a mess. She was a mess; her hair, her shirt, her wrinkled boyfriend jeans with holes at the knees, and her scuffed up shoes. She hadn't even had sense to grab a jacket before she'd left her dorm, which she regret now that there was a cool wind rushing past her bare arms and through her thin shirt. A short hum left her as she turned back to glance at the door of the building before turning and slowly making her way back to her dorm. She just needed to sleep this off. Maybe when she woke up she'd feel better.

@ salander.
How is he so attractive? Nora thought to herself as she looked at him, she didn't miss the way he ran his tongue over his bottom lip before taking it between his teeth. Dirty thoughts raced through her mind. If this was the Enzo she was thinking she could definitely see why Maggie had a thing for him. He was sexy.

"Uh, what about the Scull Bar it is about the only real social place around here," her father had always told her to keep meetings in a social place with anyone. She thought it would be a good idea considering she would be sharing drinks with a vampire. "It's not hard to miss, I will meet you at about five. I should be finished all my classes by then... anyway I should go, I'll see you later," with that she shot the male a smile before turning and walking toward her class. Her thoughts were reeling, how was she going to bring up the topic of Maggie, should she just come right out and say it or? Nora had the whole day to think about it. Hopefully she had an answer by five.

---

Damon sat with Elena the two enjoying conversation and drinks before the brunette said she had to leave, she had a class to get to.

"Skip it, spend the day with your charming, sexy boyfriend," his tone was playful Elena shot him a look before a laugh fell from her lips.

"I will see you later Damon," with that she walked around and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before she walked out of the bar leaving him alone with an empty glass.

(did you want to skip forward to later in the day there can be more interaction between everyone. I'm not real sure where to go from here?)

After Nora had left him, Enzo had made meals of two blondes that were on the schools cheerleading team and he had discovered that dorms were exactly like hotels. He could freely walk into any place of one he wanted to without being barred by whatever supernatural force kept him out of most places. He figured it was because no one person officially "owned" the dorm buildings, much like hotels. The vampire was very glad that he'd been able to feed before meeting up with Nora once her classes were over; it meant he wouldn't feel naturally compelled to feed on her. He could have the choice of making her a meal or not.

He sat off in a booth in a dark corner of the Scull Bar that evening, noticing that the place was packed with college students looking to let loose a little before finals. It wasn't even a Saturday night and there was scarcely a table to be found. He'd already ordered himself a Scotch and some bar food, keeping up with the appearance that he was a human who actually needed to eat real food. Besides, the food actually wasn't that bad for a bar. He picked up a nacho and bit down into it as his eyes wandered the room, keeping an eye out for the enchanting, yet familiar girl he'd had the please of meeting earlier that day.

---

Bryn had slept through her two classes she had, but was feeling at least sober. The heartbreak and anxiety, however, was hitting her tenfold now that she didn't have alcohol clouding her mind. That normally wasn't who Bryn was, numbing herself with the nearest alcoholic beverage, but the delicate mindset of her senior year and finals with the added bonus of infidelity on her ex-boyfriends part drove her to it.

That's why she was a bit surprised when Nora had come to their dorms and woken her up to go to the Scull Bar. She kept dodging the exact reason, giving the excuse that she needed to get out and make her ex eat it with how good she could look. While she had put a little effort into her look--meaning her clothes were pressed, her wavy hair was straightened, and she had a bit of minimal eye makeup and lipstick on--her eyes were irritated from wearing contact lenses too long and she was forced to wear her glasses instead, which she hated. Bryn decided she'd just go through the motions of it all to appease Nora, maybe throwing back a few drinks to help forget it all until tomorrow morning.

As she stepped into the bar, she crossed her arms over her chest, glancing around nervously as if she'd find sight of both her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend canoodling in some dark corner of the bar. That would surely set her on another spiraling path of another long, drunken night and have her looking a mess all over again. Maybe that was why she'd agreed to come with Nora; to have some sort of excuse for drinking.

@ salander.
Nora had finished her class and she didn't have time to go change so instead she went and grabbed Bryn who had been sleeping no doubt sleeping off the hangover or even the intoxication that was flowing through her veins. It had been a few days since things had happened between her and her ex partner. Nora knew it was still raw but she also knew that her friend needed to get out and try to take her mind off everything that had happened and what better way then to take her to the bar. Of course Bryn didn't have to sit with her if she would rather be alone but at least she was out and about again. Nora kept assuring her that everything would be fine and that there would be nothing to worry about. Nora of course had no idea who would be at the bar tonight and if in fact her ex best friend and boyfriend showed up she knew that would be the end of the night and she would have to get her out of there as soon as she could.

"Listen Bryn, if you want to go home at anytime for any reason tell me and we will go. Whenever." she assured her as the two walked into the bar together. It was crowded, students everywhere, Nora's eyes scanned the room for the vampire she had made plans to meet. Spying him in a dark corner of the room she turned to her friend. "I will just be over there talking to someone if you need me." with that the brunette walked over to where Enzo was. As weird as she felt leaving her friend she knew that this was something that Bryn wouldn't be very interested in hearing.

"Hello, may I sit?" she asked as she approached the table where Enzo sat, he looked ravishing in his leather jacket and dark clothing. Tonight would not be the night to drink knowing full well of she did she would more then likely fall under this vampires spell.

---

After walking around the school grounds for a while Damon had returned to the Scull Bar it was the only place that was of interest as it was filled with liquor. He sat in one of the booths waiting for Elena to arrive when he saw her walk in with a friend. The girl from earlier who's name he had never caught. He got to his feet and walked over to her.

"Hello again," he kept his tone neutral not wanting to come off as cocky or insensitive. She looked a lot better than when he had seen her this morning, fresh unwrinkled clothes and even a lick of make up if his eyes weren't deceiving him. "Now about earlier." he began. "I was only trying to help you out. Those guys were dicks. I thought you would be kinda grateful." with that he dug into his back pocket and produced the notes from earlier. "Now as much as I want to take this money I do believe it is yours." he extended his hand to her smiling kindly at her and waiting for her to take it.

Enzo trailed his fingertips over the top of his glass as his eyes lazily wandered over the bar. It seemed like a play fitting for college students at night. The music was turned up so people in conversations had to leave in a listen closely. TVs were playing whatever sporting event was going on at that particular time, not that Enzo gave sports any sort of attention, especially not in a bar full of young college students. His eyes found the door just as Nora and her friend walked in and one of those crooked grins curled his feature as he knocked back his drink and ordered another one.

Without seeming too obvious, he watched as Nora split from the blonde, who looked riddled with anxiety from his far vantage point, but the uniquely beautiful Nora captured his attention as she stepped over to the table. He stood out of old habit and offered her a most charming smile as she spoke to him. "Sure," he said with a nod of his head toward seat across from him before tacking on, "you're looking lovely this evening, Nora." He shot her a wink, really just being his outgoing, charming self. The waitress dropped off his Scotch and lingered a bit at Enzo's request. "Did you want anything to drink?" He questioned, nodding his head to the waitress as his eyes slipped over her features.

---

Bryn crossed her arms over her chest nervously as she nodded in reply to Nora. She wasn't the type to ruin someone's evening because of her own issues and she certainly wouldn't say anything now that she say Nora walking to a table with a dark, handsome stranger sitting at it. Though her memory was slightly fuzzy from that morning, she remembered the guy from the bar and how he'd stood up for her. Seemed dark, handsome strangers were taking over the school, which Bryn really didn't have a problem with if it meant she'd get over the past 48 hours faster with the help of reckless behavior with men she barely knew.

Her head snapped forward from watching Nora and the guy she was apparently meeting up and her brows shot up slightly as she recognized the guy from the bar was standing in front of her. What timing. Bryn pushed her glasses a bit further up the bridge of her nose as he spoke, guilt twisting at her insides at how she'd brushed him off. "Look, I know I was a bitch earlier, I've just got too much swimming around up in here sometimes." she told him honestly, tapping the side of her head for emphasis. shaking her head a bit, "I was fucked up and what you did was...probably the kindest thing that someone's done for me recently." Her eyes slipped to the few hundred dollar bills left in his hand and she took them reluctantly. "How about your drinks are on me as an apology?" She asked, tapping the paper money against her fingertips anxiously.

@ salander.
Nora smiled at how Enzo was complementing her even if he was laying it on a little thick, it was always nice to be told when you look good. "Surprising considering I am wearing the same outfit from this morning," she laughed before sliding into the booth across from him. Nora's eyes darted between Enzo and the barmaid that was eyeing him like a he was a tall glass of water and she was parched.

"No I am fine thank you," she cleared her throat and the barmaid walked away not before shooting the dark haired male a seductive wink. Nora rolled her eyes. She watched Enzo for a few moments, the way he sat, the way he looked at her. She wondered if that was how he looked at Maggie. "I guess you are wondering why I asked you out for drinks... we'll... uhm..." she cleared her throat before pulling her phone out of her pocket. "For the past... year maybe year and a half I have been searching for a vampire by the name of Enzo... Well actually his name is Lorenzo St. John...." she paused looking up at the male before unlocking her phone and bringing up the picture of her great aunt, "He knew this woman," she slid her phone to him watching and waiting for his reaction.

---

"I like your thinking Blondie, most certainly a good way of apologising. I'll have a shot of their best bourbon," Damon stated before walking toward the bar and taking a seat. He felt the blonde walking beside him. He wondered how far away Elena could be. However until she arrived he had someone to keep him entertained.

"So I didn't get your name from earlier!" he called over to her as she waited to place her order. The bar was extremely busy especially since he was certain Elena said exams were soon. However who was he to judge he was exactly the same when he had attended university. "I'm Damon by the way," he introduced himself shooting her a charming smile.

Enzo grinned over at Nora as she slid into the booth across from him, carding a hard through his short dark hair as he kept his eyes on her. "I'm sure you'd be able to make anything you wear look stunning," he told her honestly, knowing he may end up scaring her away with his flattery, but that was just who he was. He could feel the gaze of the waitress on his profile, but he was paying her no attention. Something about Nora was pulling him in like a magnet and he was going to take the time to figure out what about her was attracting him in such a manner.

He lifted a brow at her refusal of a drink, wondering why she'd asked them to meet at a bar if she wasn't going to imbibe of anything. Taking another sip of his bourbon, he leaned back into the booth and glanced around the bar for a moment before returning his gaze to Nora as she spoke. A crooked grin threatened to curl the corner of his lips before he realized that she was nervous for some reason and it wasn't necessarily because she was sitting in a booth with him. His expression suddenly grew very serious and even more-so as she slid her phone to him. He picked up the phone and studied the picture on the screen with slightly parted lips as he took in a few slow, deep breaths of air before sliding the phone back to Nora. "How do you know this woman?" He questioned, eyes locked on hers.

---

Bryn shot a look around the bar for a moment before following behind the man, pulling her hair over one shoulder as she stopped just beside him at the bar. "I'm sure whatever we have here is well compared to what you're used to drinking," she told him, raising her voice slightly over the din of the bar, "Is that jacket John Varvatos?" She regarded it closely for a moment before turning her bright green gaze to the bartender and ordered his shot of bourbon and for herself, she ordered whiskey on the rocks.

"That's because I didn't give you a name," she turned to look at the gentleman with a cheeky little grin that was rather short-lived. "It's Bryn," she added as the bartender placed their drinks in front of her. She extended the shot to Damon with a small smile. "You don't go here, do you, Damon?" She questioned, leaning against the bar beside him as she took a sip of her whiskey. He just didn't put off a vibe like most of the guys on campus, so she was wondering what exactly he was doing at a college bar. "I hope you're not here just to pick up some college chick and that I'm your next victim," she joked, smiling a bit to herself but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was going through the motions well, trying to get out and socialize, because she knew if she went back to her dorm or were to be alone right now, she'd be miserable.

@ salander.
Nora watched the male for his reaction at the photograph of Maggie on her phone. "Maggie James... she was my great aunt on my mothers side. She was the one who fell in love with a vampire with Enzo.My grandfather said that when she spoke of him she would occasionally go blank but some of the things she did remember he put together that she had fallen in love with him. He was certain she had been compelled to forget him. For whatever reason he wasn't sure, he always said it was to keep her safe..." she smiled at the photograph, "She was such a beautiful woman, so sad that her life was cut short," her gaze flicked up to see if she got a reaction out of the male. "November eighth nineteen sixty she went out, I was told she was searching for a Damon Salvatore, I believe that was his name. A cell mate of Enzo's unfortunately she never came back that night. If she found Damon that remains a mystery." Nora paused her eyes searching the males for something, some sort of reaction, recognition. "How do you know this woman?" she asked.

Nora was almost certain she had the right vampire, but she wanted to hear it from him, she wanted to hear that he was the one she had been searching for. That she had found him. If she had found him how had he got out of his prison cell? Where was Damon Salvatore. She was hoping if she was right he would be able to help her.

---

"Well no I don't Bryn. I am a little too old to be attending university, and no my girlfriend is attending, studying to be a doctor, so I thought as a surprise I would come up and say hi. It had been a great day up until she had to go to class." with that he took a sip of his whiskey.

"So what is it you are studying Bryn, the effects of alcohol at ten in the morning?" his tone was light and a cocky smile spread across his face as he waited for her answer. She was one of the few people he had met today that he hadn't wanted to kill. She seemed descent.

Enzo's dark eyes kept darting from the photograph on the phone to the young woman who sat before him. When she admitted her relation with Maggie James he nodded a bit, brow still furrowed as he studied her features; it was as if he were trying to make some sort of familiar connection between the two of them in their faces. A look of remorse shot across his features as she spoke of compulsion and the love he'd once shared for the woman. He would have never imagined he would have been sitting across from her great niece in a college bar almost fifty years later. His gaze shot to hers when he spoke of her life being cut short and his expression went blank. That statement alone had caused so many questions to be raised, but instead he knocked back his scotch, merely listening into her story of how Damon had escaped--the bastard--and Maggie was sent to look for him.

His gaze found the table as she questioned him, a heavy sigh leaving him as he debated on whether he should lie or tell the truth. When he realized his facial expressions had probably already given him away, he shut his eyes for a few long moments before opening them to stare intently over at Nora. "I am that Enzo...and I was--and, sadly, still very much--in love with Maggie James," he told her in a quiet tone in case anyone was listening in. He paused for a moment, weighing in on what he should say next, before settling on, "Maggie was murdered? Did they have any idea who did it?" There was a certain forlorn look in his eyes, as he felt he may have made the wrong decision in compelling her to forget him and live a life that he wasn't a part of.

---

Bryn stared over at Damon with a playful amount of disbelief. "You don't look that old," she told him bluntly, "what are you 23? 24 tops?" She scoffed in a joking manner before taking another sip of her whiskey. She shot him an unreadable sort of look as he admitted he was at the college visiting his girlfriend and she nodded slowly. Well, that went her shot of a potential rebound or even quick distraction for a night. Again, this was quite unlike Bryn to have these thoughts, but she was teetering at the edge of a breaking point. "That brunette from the bar earlier, right?" She questioned with a tilt of her head as she regarded him with those light green eyes of hers. "You're a lucky guy. She's very pretty," she told him honestly, "and probably smart if she's studying to be a doctor."

A short laugh left her at his question and she stared ahead for a moment, a flicker of hurt dancing across her features before they smoothed out once more. She wasn't here to feel bad about herself; she was here to try and get better. "You're pretty close, actually. I'm studying the affects of alcohol and how well it makes one forget about shitty ex-boyfriends and ex-best friends that sleep with said ex-boyfriends behind your back," she told him honestly, sounding quite chipper despite herself. "Early conclusions have found that while it provides a momentary reprieve, bad emotions plus a hangover from hell are actually worse." She let out another laugh, this one sounding a bit more sarcastic in nature. "No, I'm studying art. Majoring in art history, to be exact."

@ salander.
Nora watched the vampire, he looked defeated when he spoke, but she finally knew that he was the Enzo she had been searching for. When he said he still loved Maggie she instantly felt sorry for him. All those years being locked away when he could have been spending them with her. It tugged at her heart strings. She grabbed her phone and tucked it back into her pocket before shaking her head.

"They said it was an animal attack, but that seems highly unlikely as it was in the middle of town. I personally think it was a vampire. Which one I have no idea but there is no way it was an animal attack." she paused for a moment before asking the question that had been floating around in her mind for a while now. "Why did you compel her to forget you? Why didn't you let her break you out?" she was genuinely interested in knowing his answer, "Speaking of how did you get out?"

---

"I am 25 actually but thank you for the compliments. Yeah that's the one. Elena Gilbert. Why thank you. Yes I am lucky aren't I... yes brains, that girl has plenty of them. Although sometimes she doesn't use it," he said as he thought back on some of the things his girlfriend had done in the past.

Damon listened the blonde as she spilled about her relationship breaking down, What a douche what kind of idiot would do that to someone like her, she was stunning and she seemed to be a descent kind of girls. When she wasn't drunk. "Well if you ask me your ex was an idiot. I mean you're a pretty girl, I mean you have your faults. Not being able to hold your liquor being one of them," he shot playfully at her, "just kidding. Oh art major... historical art at that... sounds... groovy," he chucked before downing his bourbon in one shot. "Do you have any favourite artists. No let me guess. Van Gogh, of maybe even Da Vinci... am I close?"

Enzo bowed his head forward and heaved a sigh as Nora spoke, clearly looking more angered by the minute. He called the waitress over and ordered another scotch before turning his gaze to the table top in front of him. Eyeing the condensation that his glass had left behind, his statuesque features pinched in slightly when Nora mentioned the cops had explained away her death as an animal attack. He shook his head in disgust, eyes lifting to meet hers once more.

"They've been using that excuse for centuries now, or so I've been told," he explained, his dark gaze boring into Nora's. "Real animals generally don't leave recognizable bodies behind...and I have a good idea of who killed her," he told her, his hand clenching into a fist as the waitress dropped his scotch off. He paid the attention-seeking woman no mind as he grabbed the drink and downed it quickly. "Maggie wanted to become a vampire," he told her plainly, licking his lips clear of the amber liquid. "Being that she was so close to the Augustine Society, it would be a fate worse than death for her if she were ever found out. She was so...full of life. Being one of us was nothing I ever wanted for her. Maybe if I had turned her..." He didn't finish that thought as he grit his teeth hard and shook his head. He was clearly trying to control himself, to keep himself hinged so he didn't turn the bar into a bloodbath. "A scientist freed me...only to keep me locked up for his own experiments sometime after." He sighed again, willing himself to calm down.

"I'm sorry...I don't mean to..." He paused, clearing his throat before continuing. "You invited me here for drinks and I'd hate to ruin the fact you finally have some answers by myself flying off the handle."

---

Bryn pushed her hair back from her face as she studied Damon with a tilted head and an inquisitive gaze. I suppose she's just as lucky to have you, she thought to herself before she knocked back the rest of her whiskey and motioned for the bartender to bring them over two more. "Isn't that something we've all been guilty of though? Forgetting logic and reason for heated emotion and impulse?" She questioned with a poignant look.

She shot the bartender and thankful smile as he brought over their drinks and Bryn glanced back over to Damon as he spoke. A sharp laugh left her as he called her ex an idiot, eyes lighting up for the first time all evening. "Well...thank you but pretty only gets you so far in the beginning of a relationship. After a while, it's like they forget how pretty they thought you were in the beginning and start treating you like...like a burden instead of a treasure," she murmured, lips pulling to the side as she took another sip of whiskey. "I hold liquor just fine. I just hadn't eaten much this morning, hence the messy Bryn that greeted you at the bar," she shot back with a crooked grin. "Groovy, huh? That's a word for it," Bryn commented lightly with a smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to guess her favorite artist. "Pretty close, but still no cigar. It's a tough tie between Rembrandt and Monet. I'd probably have to go with Monet though. His paintings were a little happier in tone than how dark the paintings themselves were that Rembrandt did."

@ salander.
Nora was shocked when Enzo to lad her that people had been covering vampire attacks, saying they were simply animals attacks for years.

"Really?" she asked to both him knowing who killed Maggie and her wanting to be a vampire.She listened and noticed how much he had loved her, even though he hadn't done what she had wanted he had done it to keep her safe. Especially when she worked with people who were hell bent on torturing vampires. Nora reached out and rested her hand on his.

"I am so sorry Enzo. For everything you have gone through. You seem like such a genuine and caring person," she said meaning every word of it. Pulling her hand away she waved over a waiter ordering another round this time getting herself a glass of their best bourbon. After what she had just been told she decided it was time to have a drink and to let loose a little bit.

"I'll shout this round," she shot the dark haired male a smile watching as the woman walked back to the bar and waited on their drinks. "You know she has been trying to flirt with you all night right?" the dark haired woman asked looking at the female who stood at the bar her eyes trailing over Enzo.

---

Damon was a little surprised when she said her favourite painter was Monet, most girls in this day an age had an obsession with Da Vinci and his Mona Lisa painting, it was refreshing to come across a young woman that broke the norm.

"Of course, but both are prolific artists so nice choice on those two," he agreed nodding his head. "I myself could never get into portraits and paintings, my little brother on the other hand. Different story." he paused to order another round as he gulped down the rest of his drink.

"Well have you had something to eat since we are going to be having a few of these tonight by the sounds of things." he shot her a smirk before handing her another glass of alcohol. He was surprised that Elena hadn't entered the bar yet, perhaps she was busy with class and he knew she started her placement soon. So he decided he would have to keep himself distracted from the oncoming hunger he was beginning to feel.

Enzo heaved a sigh, knowing it would be best if he kept his emotions in check. Again, he reminded himself that this was a relative of Maggie's who was only seeking answers. He would regret it if he scared her away with his anger.

"Of course," he replied quietly, when he knew he could somewhat control himself, "no free vampire would have been stupid enough to get anywhere near the Augustine Society." He shook his head a bit, gaze darkening only a bit more as he spoke next. "One can only assume the vampire she was looking for was the one that murdered her," he finished before looking away. When Nora placed her hand atop his, his eyes flicked back up to meet hers, brow lowering slightly as she spoke before a wide, melancholy grin curled his features.

"And you must have inherited your great aunt's heart to be capable of feeling sorry for a vampire," he told her honestly as she pulled her hand away. He watched closely as she called the waiter over to order them a round of drinks. The action was a bit surprising to him, since she knew who and what he was. Alcohol was a good way for humans to show their frailty and end up as meals. As she spoke, a crooked grin curled his lips.

“The rest are on me, then,” he retorted. A dramatic sigh left him at her next comment and he leaned back against the booth behind him. “I know,” he murmured with a roll of his eyes. “It may have worked had I not been run into by a beautiful young woman this morning and agreed to grab drinks with her.” He shot her a wink, wearing the same crooked grin as before. “I can tell her to stop if it’s annoying you.”

---

Bryn slipped into the seat beside Damon as it became available, resting her elbow on the bar and cradling her chin in her palm as she watched him. She shrugged a bit as he spoke, smiling genuinely over at him for the moment. Talking about her favorite artists and art in general could bring her out of the stormiest of moods. At the mention of a younger brother, her brows lifted slightly. “Well, if your younger brother is single and half as handsome as you are, I wouldn’t be mad if you pointed him my way,” she told him, only half joking. She grinned into her glass as she slugged back the rest of her whiskey. “More food is a good idea. Who knows how long my friend will be and I’d rather not be moping in my dorm,” she told him honestly. “Besides, this is the best conversation I’ve had with someone in weeks.”

Noting the order of another round, she leaned over the bar to grab the attention of a bartender who looked fairly new. “Hi,” she said simply, giving him a dazzling smile that left him skidding to a stop in front of her. He remained silent for a few moments, seemingly put in a daze by her girl-next-door looks and full lips. “Could I get two slices of pizza and an order of nachos?” She asked sweetly before biting her bottom lip and twirling a strand of hair around her finger. The bartender nodded numbly a few times before zipping out from behind the bar to the kitchen area. A soft laugh left her as she watched the bartender leave, leaning back in her chair and shooting Damon a glance and a mischievous grin.

“They’re technically not supposed to take food orders at the bar, so you kinda have to charm them. Some of them are blockheads, so sometimes you have to lay on the charm thick,” she explained as she took the glass of liquor from Damon with a grateful incline of her head.