Alison Hargete pushed her hair behind her ear, but Damon Salvatore ruffled it back over her neck. He liked this one. He didn't want the temptations present. She grinned and gave him an odd look.

"I like it better in your face. It's much more fit for the setting." He whispered fire breath in her ear. She blushed and gave him a flirtatious smirk.

"Oh really? Fit for what?" She asked. He grinned wolfishly and smoothed his lips across her cheek to her lips where she grabbed him behind the neck and kissed him passionately. Obviously, he returned the kiss with as much fire as she presented. Her short, but not revealing black dress looked absolutely gorgeous. He had seen many beautiful women in his five hundred years, and Alison surpassed them all. Even Elena, though Stefan would argue. He nearly laughed at the thought of his stupid little brother. He loved him, but why feast on rodents when you could rule the darkness? Though, looking at this human girl in front of him, he began to question that choice. Somehow, with what he felt for her, it didn't seem right to make her kind his meal. But he wouldn't ever admit that to Stefan. She smiled like a mischievous cat and pulled herself into his arms. He smiled and happily pulled her close. But he was getting hungry, and smelling her this close had its disadvantages. He thought about how easy it could be to just take a sip and felt revulsion with himself at even the thought of draining this angels blood. He twirled her away from him, to ease the temptation and then grabbed her and pulled her back onto the grass with him. Yes, it was much easier with the grass and dirt to dilute the wonderful, mouthwatering smell. They were lying in a small clearing Damon had discovered while in Charlottesville the first time. He had only recently returned, this time with his brother and sister-in-law, who all three were attending William and Mary as an alibi. And it was there he had met Alison, the beautiful blonde from psychology, three rows up. Of course, this relationship had started as dinner plans, first for her, then later him, but he hadn't counted on one thing. Falling for her. In fact, if he could admit to himself, why couldn't he to her? He decided right there he would tell her. That was how he did everything; according to the moment.

"Alison?" He murmured into her ear. Gosh, he was hungry. This was getting harder. She turned to him and smiled.

"Yes, love?" She ran her fingers through his dark hair and he closed his eyes in pleasure at the touch.

"We've been seeing each other for a while now right?" He began cautiously, seeing how she would take the news. If he was going to tell her, he would have to tell her everything. She flipped over to her stomach, making her delicious scent waft through the air. He snarled instinctively, but recovered, passing it as a sneeze.

"Bless you," She murmured, "Almost four months. Why?"

"Well, I think it's time you knew something about me."

"Like…."

"Like, I'm not what I seem. I am…different." He said, not sure what to say. She grinned devilishly.

"Of course you are. You're very different. Different from every other jerk around here." She said, kissing him. He nearly moaned at the intensity of his hunger. How easy it would be to break this girl, drain her blood and walk away. But he couldn't, because he would miss her intense gaze, her playful smile, her flirtatious teasing. He grinned. She really was perfect for him.

"I don't mean like that. I mean…dangerous. I am dangerous." He said with a sigh, realizing it was all too true. She raised an eyebrow.

"Dangerous how?" She questioned, sweeping her hair back. Oh, gosh she smelled good. His eyes met those thin blue lines beneath her skin and he froze, stuck staring at what he only longed for, only hungered for. He hand flew to her throat, breaking his trance.

"Oh. Vampire." She said. He looked at her, thoroughly confused.

"How did you know?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I like that sort of thing. I've been reading these news journals printed by this guy named Alaric Saltzman."

"I've read them." He interrupted.

"You fit the description pretty well." She explained, pushing up to rest on her elbows. He felt a little flash of anger rise, but he tried to push it back.

"Yet you stayed?" He questioned rising to stand. She stood also.

"Of course. You seemed to be different. Maybe like his case study on Steven the vampire. Nothing like Derrick." She said. He laughed bitterly at the irony. These were the alibi names for him and Stefan. She had merely said he was nothing like himself.

"You're wrong. I AM dangerous. More like 'Derrick' than you'll ever know." He said, now feeling some strange emotion. It felt similar to anger, but he didn't know why he was angry. The venom just kept coming, "If you were smart you would have left a long time ago. Because I can't control myself."

"You have this long." She said simply. This was why he loved her. And why, at this moment, he wished to snap her neck. She had fire.

"Not as easily as you think, though. I've nearly messed up several times."

"But you didn't." She said, meaning it as encouragement, but it only annoyed him more. He glared away from her.

"Well is there anything I can do to help?" She asked. At first, he was surprised, but then he realized he didn't know why. It was typical Alison

"No there isn't." He said, turning to face her straight on.

"Damon, I would do anything for you." She confessed, softly crying now.

"You don't mean that." He spat. Alison cringed away from his venom and he smiled victoriously, as though he had managed to get some hidden point across.

"Yes, I do. More than you know." She said quietly.

"You don't know what you're asking for. I would just as soon kill you as leave you standing here." He said, anger flashing in his handsome eyes, even knowing every word was a lie. It was all for her; her protection was all that mattered. But then it was his turn to cringe as he saw white anger flash in her as well. Her fists clenched and she drew herself up into a stance of pure confidence.

"Then kill me. Kill me, Damon Salvatore. Because I love you, and without you, I have nothing to live for." She shouted, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder to reveal her pure, white neck. He stared for a moment in shock at that cool pulse beneath her translucent skin, into those silvery blue veins. His instinct and anger flared and he assailed her, dipping her swiftly in his arms. She trembled for a moment, but regained her composure as he pressed his lips to her throat. She felt him curl his lips up to reveal those sharp teeth. He pressed them into the flesh, but never broke the skin. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't do it. He would never be able to hurt, to kill this girl who had confessed her love to him. Because he was in love with her too. He pulled his lips back down and softly kissed her neck, then, returning her to up right, he turned to leave, feeling hot tears on his face

"Damon…" He heard softly behind him, as a hand fell lightly on his shoulder. He whirled around fiercely and was greeted by a face so full of sadness, grief and joy that he wasn't sure how to respond. He just stood there at first, not doing anything, but finally, he crumbled into her arms. She smoothed his hair as he cried to her. He could feel her tears moistening his clothes and hair, and enjoyed the feeling of their warmth.

"Damon, Shhh, shhhh. It's okay. It's really okay." She soothed, kissing his hair gently. His body heaved with one last sob and he looked up.

"I-I almost killed you." He whispered. She smiled.

"But you didn't. You almost did, but you didn't." She whispered. It was then Damon got an idea. He stood up taller, now smiling deviously.

"I have an idea. A deal, so to speak." He said with a foolish grin that both frightened and thrilled her.

"A deal hmmm? And what would that be?" She murmured as he pulled her under his arms. He lifted a strand of hair at her ear and leaned in to whisper.

"An exchange." Alison stepped back in shock. Did he mean what she thought he did?

"You mean…." He nodded and she grinned equally as deviously as he did as he picked her up into his arms and carried her back to the boardinghouse.

Alison awoke wrapped neatly in Damon's arms. She was slightly dizzy from loosing blood, but happier than she had ever been before. He felt almost light headed with joy. It was his blood in her, she knew. He was lightly stroking the skin of her arm with his fingertips. They were curled on his couch in his small apartment near campus.

"Thank you." She murmured softly. She leaned over her to peer at her face.

"For what?" He questioned.

"For sharing with me." She said with a grin. He smiled.

"Anytime." He answered.

"So, now I have a question."

"Okay, and that is…" He wondered.

"How can I permanently become like this. Like you?" He sat up, pulling her with him.

"Like WHAT?" She felt the anger coursing through him, but didn't care.

"You, of course! I love you. You love me. We've shared blood. We will always be together." She said simply. He shook his head in disbelief

"That will not happen, sweetheart." He said firmly, "You have to die with my blood in you, and I will not kill you."

"Then I'll kill myself. I want to be with you. I've never fit in in the light, maybe I have a place in the dark." She said. He nearly shoved her off of him, but pulled her back as quickly as she left his arms.

"No! I won't listen to this." He said. She was hurt and felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"Fine, I'll just leave then." She heard the remorse in voice when he answered.

"No, love, please don't." But it was too late. She was out the door. In her anger, she didn't even look as she stepped into the parking lot. Horns blew at her from right in front of her. She whirled to the right and her face froze in surprise, then, all she knew was black.

The next thing Alison saw was still dark, but in was soft, suffocating dark. She felt around in the tiny space and realized she was zipped into a body bag. So, she had died then. Good. She had become a vampire. Most people would have been terrified to realize that, she thought as she fumbled for the zipper, but instead decided to just rip the bag open. She leapt off the table and looked down at her naked body. This wouldn't work. She quickly slipped back to her dorm and found a flowing, short, white dress. It seemed fitting.