AN: SO! I've been gone for 6 months, but not to worry! I feel like writing again. I've decided to axe my sequel to Tease Me as I lack the motivation to finish it, and I'm currently working on the next chapter of Drink Carefully! Life has been interesting, and amidst the mix of school, cheer, work, burlesque, and tutoring, I'm finally finding some time for myself! Let me know what you think, and I'll eventually be updating this one!


Rain beat down on the road as she ran; she had to get out of the trees to lift off, but that wasn't happening. She'd made the mistake of staying at the hospital too late and she was now faced with a full moon and a very angry werewolf on her heels. Something that had always amazed her was that a wolf couldn't tell the difference between her smell and a vampire's; for a nose as keen as theirs it shouldn't have been a problem. She tore the buttons off her jacket as she ran down the street and she shed the restrictive clothing; there was a break in the trees up ahead and it couldn't come a second sooner. 100 more meters and she'd be clear. She could hear fangs snapping, and a guttural growl rose over the heavy rain behind her. She'd never been attacked by a wolf, but she'd seen more than one seraph ripped to pieces by the bloodthirsty mutts. She wasn't about to take her chances.

The trees disappeared from her vision and she heard a familiar snapping as giant white wings burst from her back! The rain beat down heavily and soaked her feathers within seconds, making her shoulders feel heavy as she ran. She closed her eyes and flapped hard and she cried for joy as her feet left the ground! Her cry of happiness was silenced as she hit the ground again, landing face-down in the soaking road. A second wolf had burst from the bushes and caught her wing as she took off; she could feel the light pressure of its paws on her pack as she lay unmoving on the ground. A growl rose from above her head and she looked up to see golden eyes and glistening teeth inches from her face. She had no idea what to do, it wouldn't take long before the two of them decided. She lay her palms flat on the ground as she felt the wolf on her back sniff her feathers and she mustered as much strength as she could. She pushed off the ground and shot into the air. Searing pain ripped through her back as she realised that the wolf was holding on. The weight was too heavy and she fell back to the ground, landing on her wolf-bitten wing and sending shooting pain through her body as it snapped. She'd never felt pain like this before, and her vision blurred as dark red blood stained her feathers. The wolves were on her now, and she sunk out of consciousness as they tore at her injured wing. She didn't think she'd wake up.


Damon had made a habit out of staying in the boarding house on full moonlit nights and tonight was no exception. Ever since the homecoming dance two days ago he'd really been reluctant to leave the house at all. Elena had no idea what had happened with Stefan, and Katherine and Stefan were nowhere to be found. He was incredibly sore over his failed plan and was now more sore because of his lack of company. Alaric would be over soon (it didn't take much of an excuse to get him to be a drinking buddy) but until then he would be bored. He'd already spent the last hour playing golf with Stefan's collection of large marbles, then cleaning up the shattered glass of the marbles, and now he was out of ideas. He looked at the painting above the mantle of the fireplace for a few minutes (as he'd done over the decades) then lost interest and slumped back down on the couch.

He could hear the wolves outside; apparently some of Klaus' pets still enjoyed the transformation. They were chasing something, and he didn't really care what. He was in no mood to save anything or anyone, and worst case scenario he'd clean up a human mess in the morning. He examined the toes of his shoes as he lay on the couch, and thought about their brief encounter with Michael. Klaus had been eternally scared of his father, but to be honest the original wasn't anything remarkable; he'd died easier than Elijah. He heard a knock on the door and sprang up immediately, his boredom already taking over his thoughts again. Alaric had come by early! He was relieved, finally someone to give mild entertainment. He swung the door open and found a rain-drenched Elena. She walked straight past him and shed her coat on the couch.

"Well Hi Damon, could I come in?" Damon said to himself "Of course Elena, make yourself at home." He shut the door and looked at her. She was shaking a little and looked unimpressed. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"I'm bored, and I heard the wolves. I figured I'd rather be here than at home with Ric (who won't be coming, by the way). He's dealing with Jeremy who is a wreck; he and Bonnie are fighting."

"This is the fourth time this month! It's like he's becoming a parent or something" Damon quipped. "I've got nothing for you, so don't expect entertainment."

Elena pulled her wet hair into a ponytail. "I'm not, I'd just rather be here if the furry man-eaters are running around"

"I thought you could handle these things all on your own, what happened to that?" He raised an eyebrow.

Elena smiled. "Let's say I've gotten used to having a vampire bodyguard."

"So you missed me?"

"Something like that." She said. Damon opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a scream in the night. Elena's head snapped in the direction of it as though she was on a string.

"What was that?" She asked

"A scream." Damon said matter-of-factly. "You do a really girly one yourself."

"You aren't funny. Someone could be seriously hurt!"

"Yes, and we'll check on them in the morning."

Elena shot him a look of disbelief. "We're going to help them." She said.

"No." Damon replied. "You're staying here, and I'll go check on them" In reality it was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was something to do, which was the point. Elena sighed but sat on the couch compliantly and scrolled absent-mindedly through her phone. Damon turned to her from the door. "Stay." He wagged his finger, and before Elena could open her mouth to respond he was gone.

As soon as he stepped out the door the pelting rain soaked him, bouncing off his jacket and darkening the fabric of his jeans. He cursed Elena's ability to get him to do things, but this was half his own doing. He could feel his nerves tense as he looked at the full moon. He didn't want to cross paths with a wolf, but it was likely that he would tonight, especially if he was supposed to be saving someone. He listened for a moment and let the sound of the rain fade until he could hear the snapping and snarling of the wolves. They were ripping something apart and he wasn't sure what. He shot in the general direction of the sound and changed his direction as his ears picked it up again. There was no whimpering or begging; the person was probably already dead. As he slowed to a halt the scent of fresh blood hit him full force. It smelled strange, not like vampire blood, but definitely not like a human. He peered through the trees and saw something strange.

Two wolves were fighting over what looked like a giant wing; it was dripping blood and had been torn off a body that was laying a few feet away. A second long white wing lay in the road, feathers scattered around it, tinged pink with blood. He wasn't sure what he'd be able to do to get rid of the wolves, but he had to get rid of them now; he needed to know what this…thing was out of nothing more than his own curiosity. He looked from wolf to wolf and grinned; the element of surprise was priceless. He flashed towards the closest one, grabbing it and whipping its body into the nearest tree. He knew it wouldn't kill it, but it would leave it unconscious long enough that he'd be able to take out the other. He flashed to the other wolf and sent it howling with a fist planted harshly in its nose. Both wolves shook themselves out and looked at him before darting away into the woods.

Damon bent to look at the form laying haphazardly on the ground. Whatever it was, it was beautiful. Soaked black hair covered a face that was perfect in proportion. A soaked silk shirt and a torn pencil skirt hugged a very feminine, curved body, and Damon realized that the only strange thing about the body was the massive feathered wings that started grotesquely in the shoulders. There was a boned and bloody stump where one had been removed, and the other lay at an angle that suggested it was broken. He'd spend more time looking at her and figuring her out when back at the boarding house. He could hear howls in the distance and he needed to get inside. He picked her up (very awkwardly, the wings were huge after all) and grabbed the wolf-eaten wing off the ground. It would take him longer than normal to make it back to the boarding house, and he moved as fast as he could.


Elena rushed to the door as she heard an urgent bang. She pulled it open and was shocked when Damon thrusted something white and feathery at her! He stumbled into the boarding house and slammed the door with his foot.

"Clean the table off!" He said, walking towards the seldom-used dining room. Elena rushed ahead and pulled the centrepiece off it, and tossed the place mats onto a chair right before Damon set the body down.

"What is it?" Elena asked, eyes wide.

"I have no idea. Call Alaric right now!" he said. Elena ran back to the living room to call, and Damon arranged the chairs on both sides of the table to hold the massive wings. He placed her on her side to avoid pushing the stump of her wing into her back, and he moved to her face. He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook lightly. No response. He tried again.

"Hey, sleeping beauty" her eyes cracked open and rolled as she tried to focus. "That's it, wake-up" Damon said. Red eyes opened and connected with his and suddenly her cry of pain pierced the room. Her attached wing raised and tried to flap, sending the pictures on the wall crashing to the floor in the process. He heard a crack as it came back down and she whimpered again and folded her wing, trying to see over her shoulder. The strong boned limb wiped out the glass shelves that Stefan had installed the year before and sent a collection of modern and antique glassware to the ground, feathers filling the air. Damon grabbed the wing and forced it down, being rewarded by a hiss of pain from the woman.

"Listen, you have to stop moving, your wing is broken." He said. She turned her head for a moment and the room was quiet. "You're a vampire" her voice rasped. He looked at her neck and realized that it too was damaged.

Damon nodded. He watched her lick her lips and he wasn't sure what to make of it. "And you are?"

She motioned for him to come close and he leaned in. "In need of your blood"

There was a tearing pain in his neck as she bit down, and he felt her tongue lap at the thick blood running from the gash she'd made with what felt like two sets of fangs. Her arms wrapped around his body and crushed his arms to his sides; whatever she was she was strong. His eyes started to blur as she took too much, and he cursed the fact that he hadn't eaten that day. As his vision faded he saw her torn wing regenerating, and he heard it crash into the ceiling as it grew. Suddenly her fangs pulled out!

Damon looked at her as he sunk down the wall; she'd been tranquilized and was lightly whining at the pain in her chest, although she wasn't greying or dying. He felt Elena's arms helping him stand, and she helped him quickly out of the room as Alaric stepped aside to let them out, tranq gun in hand.

"Ric, what the hell is that!" Damon muttered more than asked.

Alaric turned and smiled.

"Damon, you caught yourself an Angel."