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theworkofxanderking · 5 years ago

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The Hunter Diaries

Volume One

Warnings: I do not own the original content to “The Originals”, “The Vampire Diaries” or “Legacies” or any of the characters from the television shows.

15 plus, displays of Violence, Gore, Torture, M/M, F/M, F/F.

Dear Diary,

I returned to Mystic Falls to protect my sister Elena from a darkness she never understood but it was me who never truly understood it and now I stay while I try to work out if the Salvatore brothers are allies or enemies.

My name is Hunter Gilbert, and this is my story.

Episode 2: Love Thy Brother

“So, you mean to tell me you’re actually a good vampire and all this dumping my body in a grave was just a big misunderstanding.” Hunter scoffed while still covered in the dirt from his grave as he and Stefan remained within the woods of Mystic Falls.

“Is that so hard to believe?” Stefan laughed. “Surely in the short time you’ve been hunting in the family name you’ve come across at least one good hearted vampire.”

“Two years I’ve been doing this, and not once have I ever met a vampire who claimed to be on the good side.” Hunter replied. “Although it’s not exactly like I stopped to ask before killing them.”

“So, you’ve just been going around the world killing vampires and you think I’m the bad one.” Stefan snapped.

“It’s not like conversations with the undead were the top of my agenda I was taught to hunt not make nice with bloodsuckers.” Hunter snapped back.

“Bloodsuckers? Really I haven’t even had blood from a human in decades.” Stefan admitted in fury.

“Hold up you’ve been restraining yourself from human blood?” Hunter asked in shock by Stefan’s admission. “My father never told me of any vampire who didn’t drink from humans.”

“I’m guessing your father didn’t have much time to teach you that the world isn’t as black and white as vampires versus humans.” Stefan said with a sigh. “Hold up, if you’ve been doing this for two years you must’ve been fifteen when you started.”

“Yeah my parents weren’t too keen on Elena picking up the family mantle, so I got stuck doing the gig solo.” Hunter replied. “Sometimes I love it, the adventure, the adrenaline it’s out of this world and sometimes I just wish I was at the stupid boarding school.”

“I think I know why Elena didn’t follow in your footsteps.” Stefan revealed. “The question is can I trust you?”

“Can you trust me?” Hunter scoffed. “I’ve just clawed my way out of a grave you put me in.”

“Technically my brother put you there not me.” Stefan answered him. “I was kind enough to wait around for you.”

“Yeah well next time at least be waiting with water or something because choking on dirt really tastes like well choking on dirt.” Hunter demanded. “I’ll give you about as much trust as any hunter would trust a vampire.”

“Okay I suppose that’s the best I can ask for right now.” Stefan reluctantly replied. “The story begins with a girl named Katerina Petrova although when I first knew her, she went by Katherine Pierce.”

“You want to tell me why my twin sister is the doppelganger of a centuries old vampire known as Katherine Pierce?” Hunter asked his aunt Jenna as he marched into the kitchen of his family home where Jenna was stood cleaning dishes.

“Your parents were meant to tell you and then they had their accident,” Jenna revealed as she stopped washing the dishes and began drying her hands. “They were trying to protect you from the truth.”

“Which would be?” Hunter quizzed.

“Elena’s not your twin sister in fact you real birthdays are a couple of months apart,” Jenna admitted. “Your mother found her in a basket on the doorstep when you were a few months old they fell in love with her instantly and you two were so close even back then, so they decided to keep her.”

“So, she’s not even my sister.” Hunter replied in complete disbelief to what he had just heard.

“Just because she’s not your blood doesn’t mean she’s not your sister.” Jenna stated as she placed her hand on her nephew’s hand lovingly. “She’s still the girl you grew up with, she’s still the daughter your parents raised.”

“What has Katherine Pierce got to do with all this?” Hunter asked as he removed his hand from Jenna’s making it clear he was far from amused with his family’s lies. “Why has she got a centuries old evil twin? Stefan said as much as he knew which except for the fact she’s not in some tomb under an old church is frankly not much. He doesn’t seem to know how the two are so connected but he reckons is can’t be good.”

“Since when did you start making friends with targets?” Jenna quizzed.

“No, you don’t get to ask me questions right now!” Hunter snapped.

“Your parents never knew the connection at first, but it became clear she was Katherine’s doppelganger I don’t understand it any more than they did, but we knew to not flaunt it by making her join the family’s hunting habits.” Jenna reluctantly admitted. “There’s a lot of rumors about doppelgangers and the first vampires but as far as I know that’s all they are.”

“Did nobody think why I was out there in the big bad world meeting Katherine may have thrown me off guard?” Hunter asked.

“We thought she was trapped in that tomb until now.” Jenna replied. “I really am sorry I’ve kept this from you for so long, but we were only trying to protect her.”

“Funny,” Hunter responded as his voice began to crack. “I’ve lost count on the amount of times I’ve died and came back thanks to the Gilbert ring and nobody ever seemed to want to protect me.”

“Hunting is a choice you don’t have to be a hunter, your mum retired, I retired.” Jenna said in a bid to reassure her nephew.

“I’m late for school I best get going.” Hunter replied with tears in his eyes.

“So your telling me Elena Gilbert’s not so twin brother is a hunter who tried to kill you last night and probably would have if I didn’t intervene and you thought it was a great idea to inform him about Katherine Pierce.” Damon snapped at Stefan as he sat on the couch in the living room area of the Salvatore home while drinking a glass of whisky as his younger brother stood above him.

“You wouldn’t understand my reasoning because you only see enemies whereas I see potential allies.” Stefan explained himself.

“He tried you kill you Stefan.” Damon replied as he finished his glass of whisky.

“Yeah and you actually killed him.” Stefan retorted as Damon stood up.

“Clearly not good enough,” Damon declared. “By the way what is the deal with that?”

“I’d rather not tell you too much about that considering I don’t trust you not to use it to kill Elena’s brother more permanently.” Stefan admitted to him.

“Oh, please Stefan playing the hero must get really old,” Damon scoffed. “He’s a hunter he hunts vampires, we are vampires the way I see it we either wind up dead or he does, and I know which option I prefer.”

“I don’t believe that I believe we can trust him.” Stefan replied causing Damon to scoff once more. “Besides if anyone is going to find the connection between Elena and Katherine it would be her handy family of hunters.”

“Wait are you telling me this kid hunter actually knows something about them being connected?” Damon asked his younger brother.

“Not that I can tell no, but I have a feeling he’s going to be essential in helping us find out.” Stefan answered his older brother.

“I still say we kill him I mean one less hunter equals one less problem.” Damon replied with a sinister smirk that made Stefan uneasy.

Hunter walked up to the front entrance of Mystic Falls High to find Tyler stood there anxiously waiting for what looked like he was waiting for him. They had agreed to be friends after all but dealing with complicated entanglements was far from what he was ready for today especially after all the news he had just learned.

“Hey, I was beginning to think you were going to be late for your second day back.” Tyler greeted him. “Mind you back in the day that tended to be our thing.”

“We used to have a lot of things before you started having them with Vicki Donovan.” Hunter snapped, instantly regretting his words. “I’m sorry you didn’t deserve that.”

“What happened to us starting afresh?” Tyler asked him as he realised a new start wasn’t on the cards for them. “I’m sorry for what went down Hunter I really am but that was two freaking years ago neither of us are even the same people we were back then.”

“I know,” Hunter said with a reluctant sigh. “I’ve just had a really long morning the kind of long morning I’ve not had in a while and I could really do with bitching to my mother about it but she’s not here anymore.”

“I’m sorry it’s bound to be hard being back here after everything,” Tyler said while placing his hand on Hunter’s shoulder in a bid to comfort him. “You know whenever you need someone to talk to, I’m always here for you.”

“Thanks Tyler,” Hunter responded with a soft smile before the two walked into the high school “I just kind of hoped I’d never have to be back here.”

Hunter and Tyler instantly clocked eyes with Bonnie and Elena who were stood side by side in the corridors right in front of their lockers, Bonnie signalling them both to walk over to them.

“It’s good to see you two have rekindled the bromance,” Elena said with a smile. “I guess you crashed at Tyler’s after the party, next time drop us a text I was pretty worried.”

“Actually...” Hunter began to say.

“His phone crashed not long after we arrived back at mine and we didn’t think to find a charger until morning.” Tyler lied without hesitation causing Hunter to smile over his friend having his back.

“Well aunt Jenna was up all night worrying.” Elena replied to her brother Hunter. “So next time just remember to notify one of us but I’m glad you’re starting to readjust to life back in Mystic Falls.

“Sure thing,” Hunter responded while looking at the sister he had just learned wasn’t his blood.

“Are you okay Hunter?” Elena asked him.

“Yeah I’m fine,” Hunter answered before turning to look at Bonnie. “So, how was your grams last night I’ve been meaning to visit Mrs Bennett.”

“Now that’s a story we’re going to need to save for lunch.” Bonnie responded as her and Elena laughed to themselves.

Hunter had spent all day at school trying to play the part of a normal teenager once again, the second day in a row now and the role itself he found harder to play by the minute before deciding to skip school halfway through the day in an attempt to do anything other than think.

Upon sneaking out the front door and walking through the school campus he was stunned to find Damon stood within the car park leaning against his blue 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible and decided to walk over to the vampire who had killed him the night willing for anything to distract him from the confusion he was feeling over his family following Elena’s parental revelations.

“Hunting vampires by night and attending high school during the day you know I’m sure there’s a TV show about that only with more women power.” Damon said to him. “Also, that girl was a lot more impressive than you.”

“I didn’t realize impressing you was part of my job.” Hunter replied. “Here’s me thinking hunting and killing you were the only things on my job description.”

“Last time I checked I did the hunting and you did the dying.” Damon responded with a devilish smirk.

“Clearly I’m a lot better at killing than you because I’m still very much alive.” Hunter stated.

“Yes, you are,” Damon said as he walked towards Hunter. “The question however is how are you alive?”

“Buy me a drink and I’ll tell you all about it.” Hunter revealed.

“Underage drinking, skipping school and several homicides little Gilbert you have been busy.” Damon replied with his signature sense of sarcasm. “I guess we have a deal.”

Hunter sat in the passenger seat in Damon’s car while Damon drove down the roads on the outskirts of Mystic Falls a journey which seemed to last forever which in reality was probably only an hour at max as the two remained silent for that entire time until Hunter decided to break the silence.

“I don’t normally jump into cars with my targets, but it’s been a strange couple of days and routine has truly went out the window.” Hunter admitted as Damon kept his eyes on the road.

“My brother seems to believe that you’re more capable than us to finding out the truth behind Elena and Katherine’s unexplained connection.” Damon replied. “I for one think he’s laying far too much hope on a hunter whose only been in the job for two years I mean your biggest target so far has probably been Bambi’s mum.”

“Seven vampires in two years although I’ll admit none of them were nearly as old as you.” Hunter revealed. “As for Elena the only information I’ve learned so far is she’s not actually my sister and my guess the truth behind this Katherine connection lies within her real parentage.”

“That’s it,” Damon snapped as he slammed down on his breaks causing the car to come to a crashing stop. “I figured that one out during day one which means Stefan was wrong about you and it’s time for that drink.”

Damon pulled Hunter in towards him displaying his vamp face in the process before plunging his fangs into Hunter’s neck before Hunter even had a chance to react Damon pulled back coughing up the blood, he had just taken from the Gilbert man.

“Your blood,” Damon said as he continued to cough. “Your blood tastes like death.”

Hunter laughed at the vicious vampire only serving to make Damon more furious as he unbuckled Hunter’s seat belt before throwing him with force through the windscreen of his car causing Hunter’s body to bounce off the bonnet before slamming into the cold hard road.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with your food.” Hunter replied smugly as he rose back onto his feet.

Damon wasted no time in restarting his car and going full speed towards Hunter running him over in the process Hunter’s body once again slamming onto the ground as Damon’s car drove over him in which Damon decided to stop then reverse his car to go over Hunter’s body once more continuing to reverse until Hunter’s lifeless broken, bloody and bruised body lay on the road in front of him causing Damon to smile at his victory.

As the hours passed day quickly turned into night and Damon remained in his car watching over Hunter’s lifeless body laying on the ground waiting for him to return to the land of the living intrigued as to how the process worked but not quite as intrigued as to why his blood tasted so bitter in his mouth.

He seen Stefan vamp speed from further down the road and over to Hunter’s lifeless body forcing himself to get out the car to talk with his younger brother who was clearly far from impressed.

“I told you I had it handled,” Stefan shouted after vamp speeding over to Damon and slamming his brother’s body against the car. “I swear to god if you have killed Elena’s brother, I will kill you myself.”

“Stefan I’m merely just doing some of my own detective work.” Damon explained as he pushed his brother off him. “Besides with the bunny blood you keep ingesting we both know you’re not able to take me brother.”

“Are all vampires this bloody broody?” Hunter asked while struggling for breath after rising to his feet, the life clearly having returned to his body.

“Are you okay?” Stefan asked after vamp speeding over to Hunter.

“Let’s just say I’ve died a lot more than twice over the last two days.” Hunter admitted to Stefan. “Although it never gets any less painful.”

“Just how many times have you died?” Damon questioned the Gilbert boy after vamp speeding over to stand beside him and Stefan. “Something tells me that’s why your blood tastes so awful.”

“Your pretty arrogant for a vampire who has tried to end me twice and failed twice.” Hunter snapped at him.

“I’ve tried and succeeded twice not my fault you have some witchy work around.” Damon snapped back.

“Can we leave the fighting until after we all find out why Elena is connected to Katherine?” Stefan asked them both. “After all we do all care about her.”

“I’d rather die than trust this son of a bitch!” Hunter declared while pointing at Damon.

“Well you have died twice already.” Damon replied smugly.

“Let’s see how well you do one on one without any sucker punch moves.” Hunter warned the older Salvatore brother.

“See now your talking.” Damon responded before Stefan grabbed a hold of his brother’s head and snapped his neck forcing Damon’s lifeless body to hit the ground.

“Okay I’m going to say it I’m beginning to like you Stefan Salvatore.” Hunter admitted while looking down at an unconscious Damon.

“Let’s go somewhere and talk.” Stefan said with a sigh making it clear he wasn’t happy mediating between Elena’s brother and his own brother.

“So, you mean to tell me that Damon Salvatore the man who has now killed me twice actually served time as a soldier in a war protecting our country?” Hunter asked while eating French fries at a booth in Mystic Grill, Stefan sat opposite him smiling away.

“He isn’t all evil there is a human deep down inside there I mean how else would he care so much for Elena or why wouldn’t he have killed me by now?” Stefan stated. “I mean I’ve been harassing him for well over a century and a half.”

“This whole vampire having humanity is new to me and to be honest I’m yet to see any proof Damon has any.” Hunter replied before stopping eating his fries. “Although you’re proving yourself something of an ally and you’re the only person in my life that’s not lying to me or I’m having to lie to.”

“You can’t blame your aunt Jenna too much as she was doing was respecting your parents’ wishes and all they were doing was protecting your sister.” Stefan explained.

“You really do love her, don’t you?” Hunter asked.

“Yes, I do.” Stefan admitted.

“And Damon?” Hunter continued.

“He loves her too more so since he learned his former love of his life fooled him into thinking she was trapped in some tomb along with several other vampires.” Stefan revealed.

“Katherine.” Hunter sighed before the two of them noticed Elena and Bonnie walk into the Mystic Grill.

The two girls quickly made their way over to Stefan and Hunter with Elena kissing Stefan on the lips before sitting down next to him and Bonnie pinching a fry from Hunter’s plate before sitting down next to him.

“Are you guys like friends now?” Elena asked. “I’m totally down with my brother and boyfriend being best friends but please less of the ditching school.”

“Stefan’s just been helping me readjust to life in Mystic Falls.” Hunter explained to his sister and her best friend. “I’m beginning to think coming back was the right move after all.”

“You can’t believe how happy I am to here that.” Elena replied with a sincere smile as she reached over the tabled and held her brother’s hand. “We should celebrate with cake.”

“Oh, I second that notion.” Bonnie laughed.

“I could kill for some chocolate cake right now,” Hunter smirked while looking over at Stefan who was smiling at him the two of them in unison over their secret lives that neither Elena nor Bonnie knew of…for now!