Damon's Night

Prequel

I feel the asphalt beneath me. It's all I feel these days. Well, that and my burning desire to see her again. It's all I think about. As I lay here in the outskirts of Mystic Falls, listening to the sounds of the woods all around me waiting for the next vehicle to come along and bring me my meal, I contemplate my plan.

The comet is coming.

After all these years I will finally get to see her again. Katherine will know that it is me who rescued her. Me, not Stefan. Sure, there are still some kinks I need to work out. For starters, how I will get into the Lockwood mansion to get the necklace without alerting anyone's suspicions? I shrug to myself. I know I'll think of something. I have time. It's months away.

This was Katherine's trick that she taught me all those years ago. Act all damsel in distress-or gentleman, as the case may be-and idiots will bend over backwards to to help you.

I can hear the music and the laughter from the party going on just south of here. Fools, to make themselves so vulnerable. Tasty fools, though. Why is no one driving home yet?

I'm so caught up in my own thoughts that I heard her before I smelled her.

"I know Bonnie, you're right," she said to her phone. "You and my mom both are. I just can't bring myself to tell him. At least, not tonight. I'll call you later."

That voice! I'd know that voice anywhere. The tempo is off and the tone is slightly different, but hell, it's been 150 years, things might have changed. Still…how can this be?

With all the speed afforded to me by my…condition…I rush towards the voice, and there she is, standing in front of me. I can hardly believe my eyes.

"Katherine."

How did she escape the tomb in which she had been imprisoned? The very tomb I had just been plotting to rescue her from? How could she not have come to me when she escaped? Did she think I died? Does she understand my need to throw her against the ground right now and never let her go again?

On her face, though, I saw only confusion. "No- um – I…. I'm Elena."

And then I hear it, her pounding heart. The look of innocence and awe at my sudden appearance. This wasn't Katherine; couldn't be.

Who is this girl?

"Oh, you – you just look… I'm sorry, you just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon."

Why am I not just eating her? She's all alone, I'm hungry. It's a win-win. But I can't. She looks so much like Katherine, yet so innocent. Maybe she can be a temporary plaything until the comet. No. I dismiss the idea as soon as it comes to me. I know one thing for sure, Katherine would be pissed if I was screwing some cheap copy of her while I waited.

"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere."

Oh, she has no idea. I flash her my signature grin.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself."

"It's Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here."

If she only knew what I briefly contemplating doing to her just moments ago. I don't know what to say back to her. How can I, Damon Salvatore, be at a loss for words with this girl?

Elena gestures with her phone, "Got into a fight with my boyfriend."

How cute. She wants to banter with me about her boyfriend. Some young love is in trouble. Probably some douche who doesn't understand the beauty he has before him. Wait… No, she is just a cheap imitation. She doesn't have that fire that Katherine always displayed with every movement, every word, every sultry look. Might as well play along with the girl. Might help me get the lay of the current Mystic Falls situation.

"About what, may I ask?" Argh. Are you kidding me? Like I really wanted to know. And yet, it is strangely fascinating, talking to this girl who looks so much like Katherine, but it nothing like her. The turmoil is running circles in my brain.

"Life, future…he's got it all mapped out."

I cock my head to the side. She looks much too young to be deciding her whole future. No wonder she's mad at her boyfriend. Why do I care?

"And you don't want it?"

"I don't know what I want."

I know what she wants. I can tell by the way she's looking at me. While the Petrova fire is not burning in her eyes, there is a glimmer of a smolder behind that veil of innocence.

"Well, that's not true. You want what everyone wants."

"What, mysterious stranger who has all the answers?"

"Hm, well, let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things." Mostly from you. Argh, I mean your copy. I mean the woman that you are so cheaply imitating…. Smooth Salvatore, really smooth. At least I hadn't said it aloud.

Apparently Elena doesn't see me inner conflict. She steps closer.

"So, Damon, tell me. What is it that I want?"

I close the distance that is left between us, so that I'm standing right next to her. I can smell the perfume she's wearing, and it missed with the scent of the blood running through her veins, doing its best to intoxicate me-and not completely failing. She smells like sunshine and lavender and vanilla. Stop being so sappy, Damon.

"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, an adventure, and even a little danger." Way to lay off the sappy, Damon. I almost roll my eyes at myself.

"So, what do you want?" She asks, leaning in closer.

I can feel her so close. The heat emanating off of her body. The liquid sunshine of her essence. My need to throw her down and take her right here almost overcomes me. The honking horn and lights coming towards us in the distance knock me out of my trance.

"It's my parents," Elena says, glancing at the approaching vehicle.

Crap. I can't eat her, I can't eat what's in this vehicle. There goes my meal plan for the night. The comet is still months off. No one can know I'm here yet. I place my hand on her arm as she starts to go and look her straight in the eyes.

"I want you to get everything that you are looking for, but right now I want you to forget that this happened. Can't have people knowing that I'm in town yet." One last look into those beautiful doe eyes.

"Goodnight, Elena."

I rush off before I can say or do anything else. I know my compulsion worked. She won't remember this encounter. For just a fleeting second I feel sad, wishing she would remember me. Wishing that when she went to bed tonight, she would dream of the mysterious stranger with all the answers.

I quickly toss those thoughts out of my head. I have bigger plans this year. But, first, it's dinner time.