Not overly sure where or if this short piece fits within the series as both characters here are a bit darker than their counterparts.

Even so, I hope you enjoy and I'd love to know what you think!

The usual copyright BS. I don't own The Vampire Diaries and I ain't makin any money off this.

~The Last Ronin~

Liquid warmth streams down my throat as the young woman in my arms gasps. Her entire body shudders and her eyes flutter closed as she loses herself in the compulsion driven orgasm shielding her from the pain of my bite. Her scent fills my head, debatably intoxicating me more than her blood; sunshine, flowers, female...her.

For several infinite minutes the world fades away until the two of us are left alone and the only sounds that reach my ears are her moans, her labored breathing and her heartbeat. I drink my fill, mindful of her racing heart, listening for it's inevitable slowing as her life sends a renewed strength flooding through my body. It would be so easy to end her now, to drink and drink until she is gone, but I don't want that.

There it is.

No human instrument would have even been able to detect it yet, but this is what my hearing is designed for, attuned to: the faintest stutter in her pulse. Her grip on me weakens ever so slightly as she clutches me like I am her salvation. More, more and more still, her hands seems to say but she is only human, incapable of restraint, and she would willingly let me destroy her so long as the pleasure didn't stop. She's had enough though, even if she doesn't agree.

I gently pull my fangs from her neck and my tongue darts out, rapidly cleaning both the wounds and my lips in a single motion. She stares at me, eyes vacant, her lips - much paler than when we began - pulled up in a lopsided grin. Her body sags bonelessly against me, her arms around my neck, mine around her waist the only things keeping her from sliding to the ground.

Carefully I adjust my grip and bring my wrist up. A quick slash opens one of my veins and I offer it to my dazed companion.

"Drink," I urge quietly.

She stares at me, confused for a moment, before slowly lowering her lips. At first she hesitates, but as my blood begins to revive her she grasps me tighter, her mouth locking onto my flesh. Heat floods through me, radiating out from where her soft lips touch my skin and my head gets slightly fuzzy, the post feeding buzz deepening as she feeds off me in turn.

I watch, a smile pulling at my face as she greedily drinks; she's always like this when she tastes my blood. I've no idea why that is really; it doesn't taste anything special to me.

"Enough," I command as my teeth marks vanish from her skin, save two small, nearly imperceptible scars. Two of many.

Reluctantly she obeys and I wipe her lips with my thumb, licking the blood away even as she watches me hungrily. Color has returned to her face and, other than her slightly disheveled hair, there's no sign of what we've done.

Slowly I lean in, my eyes not leaving hers. The barest nod of her head and our mouths collide. I willingly drown in the taste - copper and peppermint, her - as I attack her in a far different way than I did earlier. She easily holds her own, her lips moving with mine, tongue dancing with mine, as her grip on me tightens, her fingers tangle in my hair.

I draw her small frame to me, hands sliding under her shirt to explore the satiny expanse of her back and pull her closer still. She groans and I silently remind myself of how frighteningly fragile she is next to my strength. For a second I relax my grip and her groan turns into a growl as she presses her soft curves back against me.

"Don't leave Damon," she whispers as we draw apart, her need to breathe the only thing interrupting our desire.

"I never will Elena," I smile at her and give her another lingering kiss, "just..."

"...don't tell Stefen," she laughs and hugs me tighter, her lips seeking mine once more.

Maybe someday we'll tell him.

But not tonight.

Tonight there is only the two of us and my baby brother need not know that the girl he thinks is his, really belongs to me.