Come to me. Drive to me.
Okay.
Driving toward the fire that is beginning to spark in my heart. To the passion flowing through me. I drive through the darkness. Shadows of the trees lay long across the empty highway as I fly through the forest road and to camp nowhere by the lake where love blooms.
My fingers tingle as I grip the steering wheel. I cannot begin to think about what awaits me at the end of this drive. I only know that this is where I need to be going. This is the only thing I could possibly be doing right now.
She is coming. She said she would. I sit on the log watching the moonlight glow through the high branches. The stars seem brighter tonight knowing that there is the possibility this sire bond is not everything. I cannot continue to think about it anymore. It pains me to even start to believe that this tightness in my chest is for nothing.
She loves me. She believes she loves me. That has to be enough. At least for now. The feelings she was fighting before she turned were strong enough to create this incredible longing she shares with me in the voice messages I've listened to over and over again.
I cannot seem to hear her voice enough. To hear her tell me she loves me like she truly believes it burns.
I know that I have to be strong for her. I must not be selfish, but I need her. I need her so much. She has awakened in me a greater being than I ever was before. I don't want to drag her down into my world. I must bring myself up to meet her. Protect her. Love her like she truly deserves.
The gravel of the driveway crunches beneath the wheels of my Ford Escape. A light snow is falling from the sky beginning to block out the brightness of the wilderness stars. Creating a shining brilliance of their own in the headlights as I pull up the driveway.
I pull the purple scarf tighter around my neck and shiver in anticipation. He is waiting, but where. The lights in the house are dark, the house is asleep. I do not want to knock. I sit in the car for a moment. Pulling myself together. I feel as if I am about to explode. How can this feeling be fake? I have never felt this way before. Never.
I turn the key off and the headlights dim to show a dark clearing, lit only by the moon peeking through the enriching snow clouds. I step out of the car and my hair is dusted with the minute flakes as i take a step toward the darkness.
I hear the gravel in the distance. It's her. She has come to me. How could I question that. I made her come here. I told her to. She has to listen to me. I am her sire. How could I do such a thing. I need her here on her own will. Frustrated, I sit on the lonely log with my head in my hands and a scowl on my face. This feeling is too strong. I cannot fight it. I need to be with her. I need to hold her in my hands, in my arms, feel her hair brush against my shoulder.
In a single second I have broken free from my trance to rush across the clearing and through the stand of trees separating us and have her held tight in a hug. I smell her. I feel her. She is here with me. I can go on. We can go on, together.
I pull back to look in her eyes. I hold her shoulders and say, "You…"
"I'm here"
"You came."
"Of course."
"Because I told you to."
"No, because I needed to. Because I wanted to. You need to believe this. You need to believe me. Believe in these feelings. Does this feel wrong?"
She leans up to kiss me lightly on the lips and I feel a surge of energy coarse through my body. The lightest touch brings thrills of heat.
"No. We can't. You won't be able to accept the things that I've decided to do. The things I will decide to do. I hurt people Elena. I don't want to hurt you."
"If you don't kiss me, you will be hurting me… You asked me to come here."
She has pulled back with anger in her eyes. She is so alive. Even in this form. How can no one else she her as I do, as vibrant as she has ever been. She is strong, her eyes simmering with restrained tears and power in the clench of her jaw. I cannot let her hurt. I love her so much.
I quickly pull her into me, into a deep kiss. As close as I can get to her.
"I need you Elena," I say in a breath and she kisses me back fervently.
"Thank god, Damon," she whispers. We hold each other as if we will never let each other go again. In the back of my head, I know that tomorrow will bring more challenges. It will never be easy. I'll never know for sure if this is true but I need to live in this tonight. I need to feel her against me. Feel her skin against mine. I want to wake up with that sickeningly happy smile on my face again.
"You… You make me so… happy. I need to be selfish tonight."
"I am already yours."