We arrive at the Lockwood estate not fifteen minutes after leaving Caroline's, and I'm immediately struck by the grandeur of the place. Softly glowing fairly lights have been strung up all over the place, and the fountain in the middle of the drive is shooting out streams of water that glimmer and glint harshly in the moonlight. I let out a long breath and Damon nods, catching my meaning.
"It looks beautiful." I murmur, staring too at the figures making their way elegantly towards the mansion, each dressed in their one-night-finery.
"Some might even say overdone." Damon smirks and I roll my eyes. Undoing my seatbelt, I make a move to get out but Damon tuts, stopping me.
"What?"
"I'm your partner for tonight." He reminds me, climbing gracefully out. "I'm going to try my hardest to be a gentleman."
With that he moves quickly around the side the car to open my door for me.
"Oddly enough I could've done that myself." I remark, but take his hand nevertheless, climbing much less gracefully out of the car. The elegance that is so prevalent in vampires is seemingly something that comes with age; because I'm not getting this.
I can't see Caroline's and Bonnie's limo anywhere, but it's dark, and Damon enjoys flirting with the speed limit, so it's no wonder if we arrived earlier than them.
"You look tense." Damon observes, and then smirks. "Massage?" He asks cheekily and I smack him playfully on the arm with my clutch. Looking back to the mansion I sigh and take Damon's arm.
"So, my gentlemanly partner, are you going to escort me inside, or do I have to drag you?" I look slyly up at him and am pleased to see him grinning.
"This way, my lady." He laughs softly, and we begin to make our way slowly towards the Lockwood manor. The soft, muddy grass underfoot is shining in the light beneath us, but I don't even think twice about my shoes; Caroline's potential anger ticked off my list of concerns. I'm going to have fun tonight, so what's a little dirt?
Finally, after Damon making it his business to comment snarkily on almost everything in sight, we find out way to the front steps.
"You have been invited in, haven't you?" He asks me and I nod before thinking twice.
"Of course. I've been coming here for years."
"Since you became a vampire?"
I falter.
"I…"
This is bad. I'm not about to have my night, or this dance ruined because I can't get in the building. Right before we make it to the door, I drag Damon a little to the side and fumble inside my clutch bag for my phone. I reach out a hand and try to inconspicuously push it through the threshold, but I'm met by what feels like a brick wall. Tyler isn't here (not that I think it would've impacted Caroline's choice of date) so he can't let me in, but Sherriff Forbes is on my contacts, and she knows about my current… Affliction.
"Elena?" She sounds surprised as she picks up the phone. I can hear the background noise of the party inside and a slight slur in her voice which makes me start to wonder if I'll ever actually make it inside.
"Hi, Sherriff, uh… I was just wondering if-"
"Is Caroline with you?" Miss Forbes asks, her voice even more clouded by alcohol than before. I sigh, trying to keep my patience.
"She's on her way." I reply, and then revert back to my original question. "Could you please ask Ms Lockwood to invite me in?" I ask her, but am met with a laugh from the other end. Damon is smirking, his hands in his pockets; able to hear every word.
"You're a good girl Elena. Please let me know when Caroline gets here? I need to say something to her."
I groan and try to begin again, but Sherriff Forbes has already hung up, leaving me standing helpless with one, clearly amused, Damon Salvatore.
"Shut up." I sigh, but he just laughs. After a while I relent and join in, feeling a little stupid just stood out here.
"I didn't say anything." Damon says, trying to stop laughing. I roll my eyes for what feels like the hundredth time tonight.
"So I can't get in. What do we do?" I ask, holding up my hands.
"I could go inside and compel the Mayor to let you in." Damon suggests and I tilt my head at him.
"Or you could just ask her?" I revise and he nods before winking and disappearing inside.
"You alright, Love?" Asks a cold voice from behind me. I turn to see the Caroline and Klaus headed up the steps towards me. I nod.
"I'm fine."
"Bit cold out here though, isn't it?" Bonnie asks from behind them, confused. I consider not letting on, but Caroline will only force me back into the brick wall.
"I can't get in." I admit and Klaus guffaws. Caroline shoves him and stares sympathetically at me.
"Well, where's Damon? He didn't go in without you, did he?" She asks, ever the sceptic. I grit my teeth.
"No, Caroline, he's getting Mayor Lockwood to let me in." I tell her, annoyed at her never changing attitude towards Damon. Caroline holds up her hands defensively.
"Ok, well, we're gonna go in. I'll see you later, yeah?" She asks, but doesn't wait for a reply. Bonnie shoots me a knowing look as she and my brother follow after. The must pass Damon on the way because he appears a couple seconds after, the mayor in tow. She looks a little upset.
"Elena dear… I'm so sorry this happened to you." She takes my hands carefully and holds them in her own. I glance a furtive look at Damon who shrugs minutely.
"If I could do anything. If there was a cure, I assure you I'd-" She begins, but Damon coughs. The mayor shakes her head and stands up, seeming to remember he original purpose. "Come in, dear." She invites and I nod gratefully.
"Thank you." I begin, but she's already gone, disappeared off into the crowd behind.
"You compelled her didn't you?" I ask Damon as he accompanies me inside.
"Little bit, yeah." He murmurs.
I take a moment to look around. The marble interior is as grand as ever, only there's music, light, and people milling around everywhere. I've never seen this place look more alive. Damon squeezes my hand gently.
"Wanna dance?" He asks smartly, and I nod, equally prim, before grinning as he leads me towards the enormous dining room, which has been emptied to make use as a ballroom. They have, thankfully, opted with music that's actually relatively current, so there are more dancing than last time. It's not hard to find a place in the crowd and turn to face Damon.
He smiles as he takes my right hand in his left, holding it surprisingly gently. For him, that is. He places his right on my waist and I hang onto his shoulder, glad of my training in the run up to Miss Mystic Falls.
"Ready?" He asks, slyly as the next song starts up. 'Kiss Me' by Ed Sheeran starts playing and, whilst I'm slightly taken aback by the Mayor's choice in music, it's a slow beat song; easy enough to dance to.
I'm immediately struck by how strong a leader Damon is. When I danced with Stefan before, he was always too reluctant to lead properly which of course resulted on some pretty bad dancing. Damon however, knows what he's doing. It's easy for him to take control, and whilst he's gentle about it, there's an unmistakable urgency and force to it.
"You're good." He remarks as he spins me along with every other couple in the room.
"Oh please, I'm not doing anything." I reply, blushing slightly. "Where did you learn to dance like this?"
"When might be a better question. 150 years leaves you with plenty of time to practice." Damon smirks and I laugh softly.
"Point taken."
"We should dance more often." Damon remarks suddenly and I stare up at him. It takes me a moment or so to process the lack of sarcasm in his voice, but I get there eventually and nod.
"Yeah. I mean… I have centuries to go now, right?"
Damon only smirks as he dips me smoothly in accordance with the music. He does not, however, raise me as the rest of the room does to their partners.
"Is this an inappropriate time to mention how beautiful you look tonight?" He asks, voice low and slightly purring.
I'm all too aware of his hand on the small of my back and the glint in his blue eyes as he looks down at me. We're close enough that I can see tiny little, minutely human, flaws in his sculpted features
"Thank you." I mumble, and he finally lifts me back to normal. I'm a little flustered for a second but I recover in time to try and keep the blood rushing to my head and giving me away in a blush. "You clean up pretty nicely too." I add. Damon laughs and spins me again, holding me closer this time. Our bodies are pressed together and I rest my head against his shoulder, hesitant.
I should be pushing him away. I really, really should. Stefan is the jealous type, and if he could see this now, he'd definitely want me to push Damon away. Time to step back, Elena.
Only I don't want to. You know what?
Screw what Stefan thinks. Just for tonight.
He didn't care enough to come, he shouldn't care about this.
So instead of stepping back, I just lean in closer, dancing closer with Damon. Before I close my eyes I catch Caroline staring at me in disbelief from across the room, but just like before, I decide not to care. I let my eyes close and breathe in deeply, catching the faint scent of wood smoke and cologne; scents I'd associate with Damon even if I didn't know it were him.
His lips press briefly against the top my head and I don't even have to try to forget about the others. It feels far too natural to let anyone else ruin the moment.
I'll deal with the consequences later.
YAY I UPDATED! Please, please, PLEASE review so I know what to change/add or just tell me what you think? There are going to be hotter scenes coming up, I promise ;)
Stay excellent,
Lucy xx