Opposites Attract

Within the next couple of days they were having the funeral for Mayor Lockwood. Somehow, he had been affected by an old device that sent out a high-pitch wave that only vampires could hear. John had set the device off during one of the many Founders’ Day celebrations to draw out all of the vampires in Mystic Falls. Mayor Lockwood had been in the building they’d lit on fire that night- the same night that I got to town. I guess that that was a big night for all the things that go bump in the night.
Anyway, Tyler Lockwood was at the door greeting people. He was Elena’s age but in a small town everyone knew everyone else. It had been a while since I’d seen him and he was now taller than me with lots of muscles. His hair was short and dark and his grey eyes were sad. “Hey, Tyler,” I greeted, giving him a hug when I walked in. “How are you?”
“Hey, Margaret.” He hugged me back. “I’m not too good. But I guess you know how it goes from when your dad died.”
I gave him a gentle smile. “Yeah. But listen, you still have your mom. My mom all but shipped me off to boarding school when my dad died.”
“Well, I don’t really know what help my mom is going to be. She’s pretty broken up.”
I hugged him again. “Well you just remember that you still have me.”
We both turned toward the driveway at the sound of a black truck coming up the gravel drive to the mansion. The driver had medium brown, curly hair and hazel eyes. He was pretty good looking, if I do say so myself.
“So the black sheep returns,” Tyler said almost bitterly.
“Tyler? What happened to you? In my mind you’re still 12 years old.”
“Well that’s two years older than the last time you saw me, Uncle Mason.”
I really didn’t want to witness this reunion. I squeezed Tyler’s arm and he looked over at me. “I’ll be inside. Come find me later.” I turned to Mason Lockwood and gave him a half smile. “Mason, it’s good to see you again.”
“Yeah, you too, Maggie.”
I went inside and saw Damon talking with Carol Lockwood and Sherriff Forbes. It looked like the women were arguing and he was trying to play peace maker. I decided to use that time to offer the mayor’s wife my condolences so that I could see what the vampire was up to. “Excuse me, Mrs. Lockwood?”
She turned to me and her features softened. “Oh, Margaret McCullough. It’s so good to see you again. How’s your mother?”
I shrugged. “Well I don’t see her much. I just wanted to say how terribly sorry I am for your loss. If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.”
She pulled me into a tight hug and I almost choked on all her perfume. “Oh, thank you, dear. I should go and check on some other guests.” She glared once more at the sheriff and then ran off into the crowd.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Sherriff Forbes draped her arm around my shoulder. “Margaret, her husband just died. Your family went through the same thing when it was your father.”
I saw Damon raise one eyebrow. “No, I mean why does she seem so angry at you? You didn’t kill him, right?”
The guilty expression told me that my joke was not a very good one. She quickly glanced around to make sure no one was around. “Margaret, do you know Damon Salvatore?”
“We’ve met,” I answered curtly.
“We’ve been having a little trouble with vampires lately.” My eyes widened. Why would she bring up vampires with one right there?
“Liz,” Damon protested. What did he have to object to me knowing? I was the one that should have shut her up from talking in front of him.
“It’s okay. Margaret has been part of this practically since she was in diapers.” Okay, talk about embarrassing. “Anyway, Mayor Lockwood and your Uncle John were trying to draw them out. There was an accident and the Mayor was taken as well. My deputies were the ones that took them but John had locked me in my office so I couldn’t stop it. Carol still blames me for it though.” As if it was too much for her, Sherriff Forbes hugged herself and hurried into the crowd as well.
I looked up at Damon and cocked my eyebrow. “You’re in the council? That’s a hoot,” I snorted.
“What better way to watch what the vampire hunters know than to become one?”
I rolled my eyes. “Let me know when that plan backfires so I can watch them stake you.” It was my turn to disappear into the crowd, although I wasn’t sure why I was so annoyed at Damon.
I texted Elena and she told me that she was leaving the hospital after visiting John. I found Mason talking with Carol Lockwood. I spoke with them for a few minutes before I saw Damon with the sheriff glancing in our direction. I ignored it but quickly excused myself from the conversation to go ask him what he wanted.
While I was walking to find the vampire in question, I found him talking to Bonnie Bennett. Bonnie was another one of Elena’s friends. She had mocha skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. They were in the dining room and it looked like they were arguing. Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him and it looked like he was getting a headache.
“I’m sorry. You were saying?” she hissed at him.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded, walking into the room.
Bonnie’s eyes widened for a moment in guilt. “Margaret? Hey, how are you?”
I smiled and hugged her. “I’m fine. I heard about your Grams. I’m sorry, Bonnie. She was a good friend to my family.” Damn, it just seemed like everyone in Mystic Falls was dying.
She gave me a small smile and pulled away. Her eyes narrowed at Damon again and then she stormed away. “What the hell was that all about?”
“She’s a snooty little witch. You two would get along just great,” he muttered dryly.
I snorted. “Bonnie’s actually a witch? I didn’t think she’d follow Sheila’s footsteps but that’s awesome. Well, that’s good to know. Now, what did you want to know about Mason Lockwood?”
“How did you-?”
“I saw you talking with Sherriff Forbes. I may not have super hearing, but I’m smart enough to read body language and facial expressions.” I waved my hand dismissively. “He’s not one of you concern. Mason’s a pretty good guy so don’t go making trouble for him. He just lost his brother for God’s sake.”
“It sounds like you have a thing for him,” he said with his condescending tone.
“Used to,” I admitted sourly. I was about to ditch him again when chills raced up and down my spine. Vampire. I stretched out my senses and I could feel one even stronger than Damon nearby. “Shit,” I hissed under my breath.
I took off toward the front entrance of the Lockwood mansion. It was hard to stay inconspicuous when I really just wanted to start pushing people out of my way. I was in the main foyer when a door flew open to my left. My head snapped in my direction and I saw Bonnie with a girl that looked just like Elena. But Elena was outside helping Jenna get food from the car. I took one step toward the pair when someone stopped me.
“Katherine,” Stefan said calmly with a restraining hand on my arm.
“Stefan,” she greeted back.
“Leave her alone.”
“Okay.” Katherine shrugged and let go of Bonnie’s neck. She walked out and Stefan followed after a few seconds.
“Are you okay?” I asked Bonnie quickly, even though my instincts were screaming at me to go kill the vampire bitch.
“Yeah, Margaret, I’m fine.”
“So what did Katherine want with you?”
“How did you know that was Katherine? How do you even know her?” I shook my head. Understanding lit up in her eyes and she sighed. “You know about the vampires.”
It wasn’t a question but I answered it anyway. “Since I was six. That’s kinda what happens when your family are vampire Hunters.”
“I know all about the council,” she sighed.
I went in and took a seat on one of the chairs. “I’m not talking about the council. My family are descended from real vampire Hunters. We’re more like you and the rest of the Bennett witches than someone like Sherriff Forbes.”
Her eyes widened. “How did you know about my family?”
I smiled reassuringly at her. “Your grandmother was a pretty great witch. She helped my family through some tight spots a few times when it came to vamps. I sorta just figured.”
“So if you know about vampires you know about Stefan and Damon?”
“Yep! Stefan, I can live with. Damon… not so much. But, I promised Elena that I wouldn’t do anything to him so…” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Katherine, however has to go. We just need to figure out what the hell she came back for.” Once again I found myself trying to come up with an explanation for what Katherine was doing back in town.
She got up and started heading for the door. “Well if you need anything, let me know. Okay?”
I waved her off, still racking my brain for an explanation on Katherine. “Of course. Same goes for you too, though. I’ll see you later, Bonnie.”
I left not long after that. I really wasn’t one for sorrow crap, especially when most of these people couldn’t care less that the mayor was dead. I drove back to my house quickly. My black motorcycle was doing eighty all through town but there were no cops nearby to pull me over.
My house was huge, although not quite as big as the Lockwoods’. It was pretty far out of town and one of the only ones left from the Civil War days. It was dark and had that haunted feel to it. It was a house, not a home since no one had lived in it for half a decade. I was glad that I would have it to myself and I was glad it was so far from town; I liked my privacy.
The only problem with privacy was that I was bored by the time it got dark. My mind drifted to Mason Lockwood. I thought of possibly calling him, like I used to when I would get bored, but my phone started ringing and obviously changed my plans for me. “Yeah?”
“I’m done trying to protect him,” Elena sobbed into the phone. I sat up quickly, already pulling on shoes to go see what was wrong. “I hate him, Maggie. I’m done with him.”
“Elena, Elena. Slow down. What’s going on?”
“It’s Damon. Katherine must have gotten to him because he was drunk when he came by. He-he killed Jeremy.” She broke down crying.
My eyes widened in horror. “He did what?”
“He snapped his neck. Jer-Jeremy had the protection ring but I don’t know if he’ll be okay. I-I know that you don’t like him so I thought you should know I don’t care what you do. I’m not protecting him anymore.” She hung up still crying.
I wanted to race over to the Salvatore house and kill Damon but a little voice in my head wouldn’t let me. I growled under my breath and dialed the number Elena had given me the day before. He answered but didn’t say anything. “What the hell is your problem?” I screamed into the phone. “What would you even consider killing Jeremy? Are you that much of an ass?”
“He wanted to be a vampire. He didn’t want to feel. He wanted to turn off the switch.” His voice was completely lifeless.
“What, you turned off your switch? Apparently not if you cared enough to take your anger out on Jeremy. Why did you do that?”
“They both want Stefan,” he muttered helplessly. It took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. Both girls that he was in love with loved his younger brother over him. I didn’t want to, but I felt sorry for him.
“Damon, listen to me. I get that you’re hurt, but you have to control it. Please don’t lose yourself over some dumb girl. Katherine is just not worth it.”
I don’t know if he listened to me because I didn’t hear anything coming from his end. The line went dead after a few silent moments.