Author's Note: Hello lovely readers! Thanks so much for taking the time to check out my first published story on this site. I suppose I should begin by providing a small disclaimer and warn you that the beginning of this story will probably feel very different than what you might be expecting. I should also warn you that, regardless of who you ship (Delena/Steroline/Beremy/Bamon friendship, etc.), you will probably hate me for the first few chapters, as it's a pretty slow burn. But all I can ask is that you please keep an open mind and have patience, as I can promise you, this story shifts gears quite frequently. Just to clarify, it is purely based on a fun vision I had for season 6 and was written to help alleviate some of the pain from the season 5 finale, so I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks so much for stopping by and, if you have the time, please, please review, as I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks and enjoy! :)
The Lightning Strike
What if this storm ends, and I don't see you?
As you are now, ever again.
-Snow Patrol
Elena POV:
As the volume of Icona Pop's latest new hit rose throughout the club, so did Elena's hands above her head. The eight shots of Whiskey, followed by the four of her latest new friend, Mr. Cuervo, had her feeling electric. Her hands found their way to her own hair as she moved her body and shook her head to the music. The alcohol was running through her veins just enough to keep her heart numb and her body alive. It was just the way she liked it.
Unlike the dozens of humans who surrounded her, she could never have enough alcohol. There would be no danger of poisoning her liver or her mind. She would wake up tomorrow hangover free and clear to repeat the act all over again and again. The only possible danger was the guilt from the sins she may commit tonight. But that is why, she reminded herself, the repetition was necessary.
The sudden familiar touch of a male frame appeared behind her. She felt his hands move to her hips as he began to grind and sway in rhythm to the song. Her hands slowly reached back above his head and moved to his hair as she pushed further into him and began to lean her head back onto his shoulder. He pulled her tighter to him as his hands crept up from her hips to across her stomach, his hips never losing the rhythm of the music. Her tight, black razorback shirt made it easy for him to begin placing a slow, steady stream of kisses along her bare shoulder and to the upmost sensitive part of her neck.
Her skin began to tingle as the familiar urges of desire, hunger, hate and longing all crept in at once. The alcohol was doing exactly what it should: erasing her guilt and fueling her intemperance. Tomorrow the pain, sadness and darkness would all return, but for tonight, there was nothing but freedom. She would embrace what she was and revel in it, just as he had taught her to do.
She slowly turned around and met his dark brown eyes – still so painfully unfamiliar, though she had seen them several times over the last six months. His smile and stare flooded with desire, a look that only made Elena feel sick and angry.
As their bodies continued to sway, his left leg suddenly began pushing its way between both of hers, grinding and slowly massaging that sensitive spot that fueled her need. She laced her hands behind his neck as she pulled him even closer. His forehead pressed into hers as they continued to sway, her breathing slowly increasing as his lips began to lean even closer into hers. Her fingers began to rise up into his short chestnut hair as she massaged his scalp. The lack of wavy, black locks sent a wave of pain to her chest.
Her lips crashed into his, desperate to erase the sudden thoughts. He responded by quickly bringing his hands to her face and pressing his lips more forcefully to hers. His lips were rough and did not fit with hers with the same ease that she was used to. She quickly parted her lips to welcome his tongue into her mouth as she attempted to speed things up. As he began to nip at her bottom lip instead, her impatience began to rise. She slowly pulled away as she began kissing along his jawline and made her way towards his neck.
Her buzz had her head and hands feeling loose, giving her the courage to begin rubbing her left hand slowly down his chest and along the hem of his jeans. She could feel his breath begin to quicken as he moved his lips to her upper neck and began to playfully suck on her earlobe.
The music blared on around them as the lights flickered and the dozens of people around them continued to dance, shout, drink and sing at the top of their drunken lungs. Elena pulled away slowly from his neck as her eyes watched a short blonde in front of them who held her drink high above her head as she danced.
If she was to successfully embrace this night, Elena needed just one more drink. She quickly reached forward and pulled the drink from the stumbling girl's hand. Her vampire speed had her drinking the cherry flavored vodka and returning it back to the girl's hand in the blink of an eye. For a moment, the girl appeared slightly confused, but quickly shook it off and continued to dance.
Returning her attention back to the man in front of her, who continued to sway with the music while simultaneously kissing her ear, Elena once again felt the familiar pangs of loathing and desire. She needed him. He was her distraction: a delicious distraction that she had trained well.
She felt the veins forming over her eyes and the familiar sharp fangs descending behind her lip. In a smooth, quick motion, she felt her teeth pierce deep into his carotid artery. He let out a quiet moan as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck to steady him, and shield her face from the crowd, as she drank.
The blood, mixed with the alcohol currently flooding her system, was euphoric. She felt her arousal finally beginning to kick in as the thick, hot liquid ran down her throat, filling her with a craving to be satisfied in everyway possible.
When she finally released him and pulled away, he hardly missed a beat before his lips were once again on hers. The compulsion was just as strong as ever, forcing him to want her even more every time she fed on him.
The next thing she knew, they were tumbling down an ugly deserted corridor plastered with graffiti, and into the men's bathroom. As he locked the door behind them she hopped up onto the sink and began pulling her shirt up and over her head. In a flash, he was standing between her legs as his lips began to run from her lips, to her jaw and neck, down to her chest. He quickly unhooked her bra and, as soon as it was off, began to cup and gently caress each nipple. She let out a soft moan as his lips finally replaced where his hand had been.
Just as she wrapped her legs around his waist and had thrown her head back in preparation for him to begin moving farther south, he paused and moved back up to face her.
His hands were suddenly caressing her face as he looked into her eyes. She could begin to feel her blood boil in frustration as he spoke.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered.
"And you're not allowed to talk," she whispered back as she tried to re-route his attention back to removing her jeans.
"I'm serious," he stated again. "We could be more than just fuck-buddies, you know?" he smiled playfully as he moved a stray stand of her hair behind her ear.
Elena could feel her cheeks beginning to burn in anger. She was seeking pleasure, not pillow talk, and certainly nothing 'more' than just fuck-buddies. She did not want to be looked upon with loving and adoring eyes, and she certainly did not want to make love to anyone other than one person. And that person was gone.
"How about you stop talking, or I'll kill you," she smirked threateningly as she locked eyes with him.
He smiled. "Alright," he agreed as the compulsion took over. Elena felt slightly guilty, but not enough to dismantle their arrangement. When she had met him six months ago she was in a dark place, and yet, he had still found her intriguing enough to try and sleep with her. At the time, the idea of sleeping with anyone else had made her entire body radiate with remorse and sadness, but as time had gone on, she had found that the meaningless sex mixed with the blood and alcohol indulgences were, quiet literally, the only way she could escape the eternal dark cloud that seemed to surround her every day.
So she had taken a book out of the Katherine Pierce playbook and compelled him. He recognized her anytime he saw her, but instantly forgot her every time she left. She never forced him to be at the same places at the same time as she was, and yet, he always seemed to find her. But then again, there were only so many bars the students could go to around Whitmore.
As far as she could tell though, he was enjoying every minute of it. Or at least, that's what she had forced herself to believe in order to shed the constant reemerging guilt. She had made a deal with herself months ago to finally begin acting the way a vampire was supposed to act, and that meant, learning to face the consequences of the inevitable havoc she would surely bring upon herself and her loved ones. At least the list was getting smaller and smaller.
The thought made her stomach churn. She had to forget. Everything.
Fed up with his slow and steady pace, Elena took it upon herself. She quickly tore his shirt away from his body, and then raced to undo the button on his jeans. In a flash, she had both of their pants on the floor. He attempted one last time to kiss her slowly and glide his fingers across her slick folds before easing into her, but she wouldn't have it.
In one swift motion she again wrapped her legs around his waist and forced him into her. A moan of pleasure escaped both of their lips as she threw her head back against the mirror in relief at the sudden distraction. Everything about him still felt wrong and unfamiliar, but at least it forced her to feel something.
He always wanted to be gentle and take the time to let his hands stray to her waist, breasts and cheekbone, but she'd have none of it. Even when he'd pull away and make the offer to pleasure her most sensitive areas with just his tongue, she refused. There was no beauty in this. It was just sex and was just a means to forget. He was the distraction that would take her to a place that alcohol could not reach, and when it was over, she would forget about him until the next time.
His moan was slow and deep as he pulled out and then quickly buried himself deep back into her. She moved to the edge of the counter and arched her back slightly so that he could finally begin to reach that sweet spot that would get her to where she needed to be. Their breaths continued to quicken as he continued to plunge deeper and faster with every movement. She gasped as she felt his teeth scrape across her neck causing her legs to tighten.
He released a low growl that was full of desire as she finally felt the familiar waves of pleasure beginning to build. She griped tightly onto his forearm, as if commanding him not to stop. As her orgasm finally built to the point of boiling over, her moans overtook her and she all but screamed at him to fuck her harder. She felt his forearm and pectoral muscles tighten just as the victorious waves of pleasure shot through her entire body. He rode out her orgasm as they both gasped and panted, exhaustion overtaking them both.
She wanted to stay in the moment. Not because it was with him, and certainly not because it was the best she'd ever had – not even close. No, she wanted to savor the feeling because it was the only few seconds of the day that her brain was not completely numb and oblivious to everything and everyone else around her. She was not ready to release the high, and quickly pulled him closer one more time. She needed just one more sip.
As she sank her fangs down deep into his neck and the blood flowed over her tongue, she again felt the elevated, exultant feeling that only a vampire will ever know. The feeling of power, desire, pleasure and control all at once.
The high of her release suddenly came crashing down at the sound of loud banging on the bathroom door.
"Hurry up in there!" shouted an angry voice.
She quickly pulled away from him as her conscience began to catch up with her buzz. She hopped off the counter and they both quickly dressed. As she caught her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but to stare in amazement as the blood trickled down her chin. She honestly didn't even recognize herself anymore.
"Here," she said as she bit into her own wrist and offered it to him. "Drink."
He did as told and, within a few seconds, was completely healed of all the damage she had done to him.
"Now get out of here and forget about this until I see you again."
He nodded a sad smile. "I'll see you around, Elena." He turned and then quickly exited the bathroom.
"Bye," she paused as she remembered their agreement. She did not now or ever wish to know his name.
She refused to let another man's name ever slip through her lips due to a drunken, hazy, one-night stand. At the end of the day, there was only one person she loved and one person alone who could truly end her pain and misery.
Damon. It was always going to be Damon.
