Night Embrace
The red haze that took over his mind was too all-consuming to be alleviated by self-preservation. It slid in like dark, thick fluid slowly taking over his mind- like blood. Though the rain threatened to drown out everything in the vicinity with it's ferociousness, the man stood still as night and waited. Waited for the scent, that perfect time to pounce on any prey. He knew it would come, he had faith. They had turned him into a monster and left him to rot. Now he would behave like a monster left to rot. His life was over and the only thing that kept him sane was the need to feed. He just needed that scent... The man abruptly twisted his head to the left and smiled uncovering pearly whites. It was time.
"Shoot Shoot Shoot! Why do I always get myself into these types of situations!" Bonnie lay her head on her steering wheel in frustration. She'd only left Caroline's 15 minutes ago before her traitor of a car decided to give out on her right in the middle of the worst storm she had ever seen! Bonnie peered out her window in apprehension. She was right at the edge of the woods on the deserted strip of road that led to the open streets of Mystic Falls. Caroline's house was 15 minutes one way, and the street light 20 minutes another. Basically she was stuck.
"Darn-It!"
Exhaling, bonnie tentatively opened her car door, was instantly blasted with rain and slammed it shut again. This storm was terrible, she knew she couldn't stay trapped in her car, but the prospect of walking out in that rain didn't seem all that much better. Bonnie glanced at her wrist watch.
12:15
"Great just great."
Though she knew it would be pointless, Bonnie took out her cell phone to search for a signal. When none came she barely managed to cut off her sigh. Shaking her shoulders for courage, Bonnie exited the car and was flying before her feet hit the ground.
Baring his teeth in anticipation, the newly turned vampire slowly approached the girl laying beneath the tree he'd thrown her against. A fall of silky brown unruly curls covered her face. Her figure was incredible petit, but curvy nonetheless. Though the vampire's only hunger was that for blood, he appreciated the fact that he first victim would be one so pretty. Grabbing a fist full of her hair, he ruthlessly brought the girl to her feet. He admired that she didn't scream, she knew it would be pointless.
"I'm going to drink you now, and kill you"
The girl boldly met his eyes stare for stare as she acknowledged his mocking tone.
"if you think you're scaring me, you're sadly mistaken. I wouldn't underestimate me if I were you."
The vamp smiled. He admired courage. Tightening his hand in her hair painfully, he bent to her neck...And felt his brain explode.
Bonnie watched the awful creature clutch both hands to his head as she steadily popped blood vessels in his brain. She was sure that the world could hear her heart thudding but she had to maintain her courage. Giving one final push at the vampire's brain, Bonnie turned and raced into the woods while he was temporarily immobilized. The combination of heavy rain and darkness made it nearly impossible to see where she was going, however Bonnie kept running in the same direction praying for a miracle. She was a witch darn-it! Why couldn't she contact someone for help. Throwing one last look over her shoulder, Bonnie tossed caution to the wind and reached out.
I know you hear me...Hear me...I need your help...Please-I need you! Help me...
Leaning lazily against the wall of the bar, Damon watched as his brother taught Elena to play pool. The 2 of them flirted like they were the only one's in the bar. The way they were looking at each other they may as well have been alone. He threw them a sneer/smile though he knew they didn't register his presence. He despised himself in that moment. Pinning day and night for a girl who didn't love him simply because she reminded him of what used to be. Those days were long gone, dead, over. Buried in the tomb clutched in Katherine's cold, hard hands. He knew he needed to move on, hell he WANTED to move on, he just didn't know how. Moving from the wall Damon made his way outside into the night heedless of the bad storm. He inhaled the night, took it into his lungs. This is where he belonged, what he needed. The night. Shaking off the last dregs of his mood, Damon began walking and caught and echo of...Something in the wind. Stopping abruptly, Damon listened to try and catch it again. Something, a whisper...A plea...
Heart thundering, Damon listened. And heard.
"Pretty, Pretty little girl. Where arrrrre Yoooooou?"
Breaths gasping out of air, Bonnie shuddered at the aimless voice and sped knew she couldn't outrun him, but she needed time to think about what she would do. So she ran until her lungs burned painfully and her body simply stopped. She couldn't run anymore. She had to face the danger. She took in her surroundings. Surely there was something she could-
"Looking for a stake to drive through my heart?"
Bonnie whirled around at the voice. The vampire didn't look affected at all by the chase when she could barely stand. Lifting her chin in false bravado, Bonnie responded "As I have demonstrated to you already, I hardly need a stake to take you down."
The vampire smiled and was on her before Bonnie could blink. Clamping his hand over her mouth, the vampire ruthless shook until she thought her head would snap off.
"Yes, and you've just reminded me that I owe you for that one".
Before Bonnie could think to defend herself, the vampire lifted her high above his head and threw her-perhaps harder than he meant to- into a tree. Everything went black...
Following a direction based on pure instinct, Damon kicked up his preternatural speed and raced into the woods. The scene he came upon there would forever be etched into his mind: Bonnie, so small so defenseless, tossed carelessly into a trunk where her body lay limp. Letting out a might roar, Damon charged at the offender and snatched him by the neck. His fists pounded heavily into it's face over and over with a force that would have instantly killed a mortal. Acting on pure survival instinct, the novice vampire twisted from Damon's attack and made a run for it. Fury filling every inch of his soul, Damon easily leapt the distance and landed right on top of the the head in both hands, Damon broke it's neck. The high-pitched scream emitted from the creature startled animals long hidden from the storm and wild predators on the loose. Now clutching a writhing vampire, beaten with a broken neck, Damon ruthlessly took control of the body, ignoring the vampire pleas, and forced the heart right into the branch of a tree. Damon watched the vampire turn into ash before his eyes. The ashes floated along with the rain and wind as the vampire had never been.
Letting out his breath, Damon hurriedly made his way over to Bonnie. She was still so limp, her breaths barely audible over the rain, shuddering in and out. Gently, afraid to hurt her further, Damon lifted Bonnie's small body into his arms and unconsciously held her close to his heart. He bent over her in an attempt to shelter her against the rain. Feeling helpless, he raced deeper into the woods to where a secret cabin lay. He held the place for when he needed to get away, and only he knew it's location. Bonnie would be safe here. The cabin was small, barely visible cushioned in the middle of the forest of trees. It's red cherry wood exterior seemed to retract the rain so that it sat perfectly silhouetted against the night.
In his bedroom, Damon carefully placed Bonnie on his bed. Removing her wet clothes and giving her one of his long shirts, she still hadn't woken up. Damon moved to the fireplace and built a fire to help keep her warm. He didn't understand why but he felt as if in that moment his entire life was suspended in time. he knew that his life, his sanity all hung in the balance and depended on the survival of this one beautiful little witch.
Stroking her hair tenderly from her face, Damon regarded Bonnie for the fisrt time with his whole heart open to her.
"Please Bonnie. I need-I can't do this without you. Please baby...Please god".
Did he even believe in god? It didn't matter, he'd pray to anything to save her life. Closing his eyes against the fear, Damon slowly lay to rest his head on her chest. It all went through his mind at once...The way Bonnie would look at him, chin high in the air prepared to give him back anything he could dish out. She didn't take any of his crap, instead she gave it back bard for bard. She saw right through him and was probably the only person who truly need who he was. He remembered arguing with Bonnie, Joking with Bonnie, Laughing with Bonnie, being more alive with Bonnie than he can ever remember being. She made him angry, confused, hurt, thoughtful, Needy- god did she ever make him needy. He couldn't lose her.
Please Bonnie...
And her lashed fluttered open.
