Chapter 2: Wishing I Could Run Away
POV: Rosannah
I sat on the bottom step of my porch after I dropped off Elena and yelled at Stefan to man up and just tell her that he loves her. He's such a sweet kid. I just can't believe his brother is such a jackass! I can't believe the audacity of that man; to think that I would be his mate. I would never mate a male who is so arrogant and thinks that he's the center of the universe. Someone needs to put him in his place. And what was that, following my car as I took my friends home! God, I wish I could just kill him. Then all my problems would be solved. But I can't. Because he's right. We are mates. I could sense it just as easily as he could, even more so for me because I'm older than he is. In fact, it's because I'm older than he is that makes it so hard to wrap my head around it. I'm three hundred and eighty six years older than he is.
What is it about him that makes me want to kiss him and do him some bodily harm in one motion? Why is he my mate? How could I mate a male who drinks human blood while even the smell of human blood makes me sick? We wouldn't get along at all. We'd be fighting and be at odds all the time. I mean, I see that he's handsome; of course, I'd have to be blind not to see that. But looks can only get you so far with me, or any female in my coven for that matter. He can't commit to me emotionally. He's still in love with this Katherine chick that, as absurd as it seems, looks just like Elena. I can't mate a man who can't love me and only me. Yes, it may surprise you, but I'm a hopeless romantic. I dream of love. I can't help it.
I remember the looks that my father would send my mother while I was growing up and after I became an adult. And the way that she would look at him in return. You would swear that my father was the sun and the moon and maybe to her he was. Not only were they mates, but they loved each other as well. They raised us kids, my big brother, twin baby sisters, and me, to not let anyone tell us that there was no such thing as love, to not allow any male, or female for that matter, push us around, or pressure us into something that we didn't want to do. And I know that Damon would pressure me in order for us to mate. I just can't do it.
If I didn't have my responsibilities here, I would have left over an hour ago. But I can't leave Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline with protecting this town by themselves, even if they had Stefan help. This is why I'm the leader of our coven, because I know what has to be done and will do anything and everything to make sure it's done. I have a high sense of duty and what it demands. It wasn't just because I'm older and more powerful than the others. Half the time I wish I could just hand over the leader title to Elena. She's better at it than I am. Hell, half the time if we didn't have Elena's power to see people's intentions, we would have gotten into so much trouble. Just thinking about the trouble that Elena and I have gotten into in the past made me smile.
Half the time if I hadn't had Elena, and I told her that she's free to come and go as she pleased, with me I would have drowned in my misery. I'd been alone for ten years before I met her, after the murder of my family. I'd gotten my revenge, but it left me hollow inside. I'd had hardly any friends, more education than I could possibly use, and more money than I had any idea what to do with. My parents had been a pretty high rolling pair. They both had a knack for business. My father had been the owner of a small barber shop kind of service and my mother was a crafty type person and made things such as scarves, hats, gloves, clothes, curtains, and even comforters and other bedroom necessities. Not only that, but they'd already been rich when they'd moved away from Italy. Being the only child that survived the attack, I inherited everything that my parents owned. Now I own stock in many different companies, Google and Microsoft among them, so I get by without much trouble. Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie have some stock in the same companies, so they don't have anything to worry about either.
I heard him before I saw him. But I'd already known that he was there. Damon. I swear that boy is a nuisance. And he is a boy for he couldn't have been anymore than maybe 19 or 20 when he was turned. I could hear him coming at least two miles away. That was how loud his thoughts were. He was practically screaming them at me. He was wearing what I could tell was his trademark smirk. A smirk that one could tell got him whatever he wanted. Well, it wasn't going to work on this girl.
"What do you want?" I asked my voice cold. He tweaked his brow at the sound of my voice. "What? Did you think that I didn't know that you were there? Think again, buddy." He just looked at me. And he kept staring at me. I don't know how long we kept staring at each other. But after a while it got annoying so I said, "Hasn't anybody ever told you that staring is rude."
"Yeah, I think someone might have told me that, but I didn't listen. In fact, I think I like staring at you." God, now he's trying to sweet talk me. When was the last time a guy tried to sweet talk me? Ah, yes, 1995, when Elena and I were pretending to be college students. We were in a bar, getting smashed, well, if we could get smashed which we can't, and we had a bunch of drunken guys tried to hit on us, unsuccessfully of course. I could tell that these men were nothing but losers who thought that women were below them. Of course, I put them in their place.
"Yeah, well, just keep up the sweet talkin' and you'll get something you don't want," I retorted, getting up off the bottom step of my porch and started to turn towards the door. I didn't get far before he was in front of me, keeping me from going inside my house, one hand on my forearm. I looked at him and then at the hand that kept me from moving. He just kept looking at me with a look on his face. It was the look; the look that my father used to give my mother. But I knew better than to trust it. From the time I'd first heard his thoughts, I'd known that he'd been insanely in love with Katherine as was Stefan, or so they'd thought. Both brothers had been compelled by Katherine in order to tear the two Salvatore brothers apart. It had worked like a charm and Damon didn't even notice that he was being used.
Neither Salvatore brother knew that they'd been used and they'd never even told each other the lies that Katherine had told each of them in order to turn them both and keep them both with her. Neither brother knew that both Elena and I were there for the entire ordeal and had seen everything. It had been after Elena's family had allowed her back into their fold after months of them trying to kill her unsuccessfully. We'd been at the first founder's ball and had seen everything that had happened between them. Elena had sensed Katherine's intentions just as I'd heard her thoughts. I'd tried to use my powers of persuasion at a distance, but it hadn't worked. It was hard to see the boy that I'd tried so hard to save as the one thing that I'd tried keep him from becoming, but Katherine's hold on him had been too strong for me back then, even though I was older than she was. I should probably tell him, but he more than likely wouldn't believe me.
Before I could even try to get him to let go of me, Elena and Stefan were at my side, more than likely having seen what was going on from over the very short fence between the Gilbert property and mine.
"Let her go, Damon." Stefan was looking rather murderous. Was he that protective of me already? It was actually nice to have someone look after you instead of looking after everyone else for once, but I'm not going to get used to it, as a leader I need to be able to take care of myself, so that I can take care of my coven. Which just got its first male member in the form of Stefan.
"No, she's mine." Damon was growling. Oh god, this is getting ridiculous. I was getting kind of annoyed so I yanked my arm out of his hand and stood next to Elena. He looked surprised for a moment before he growled at me.
"Oh, hell no! You did not just growl at me!" I yelled, yet in a voice still not loud enough to wake the humans who were sleeping. I saw a huge rock by the side of the stairs to the porch and mentally threw it at Damon's head. It hit its mark with a thud causing him to turn around and look, trying to see who threw it at him, but not finding anything. Elena was standing beside me, trying not to laugh, but not succeeding. She ended up having hysterics. I patted her back while trying to not to smirk, but not succeeding. I ended up having hysterics just as much as Elena, even Stefan ended up chuckling. Elena must have filled him in on my 'abnormalities', which is fine. I don't mind. After all, Stefan is my friend and a member of my coven now.
"Who did that?" Damon demanded.
"Did what?" I was going for the innocent look; don't know if I actually pulled it off.
"Did you do that, Rose? Throw that rock at my head?" Damon asked.
"And so what if I did?" I really don't know what was going on with this guy. Yeah sure I did, but so what? He growled at me. That's not something that I forgive. Especially from a young pup who is supposed to be my mate. He glared at me and I glared back until I knew that something was wrong. I hadn't hunted in days. My vampiric side was getting hungry and testy from me not hunting. My body started shaking uncontrollably and I felt my fangs getting longer. An awful feeling climbed up my body and settled in my stomach. I wrapped an arm around my stomach as I fell to my knees and whimpered. Elena, knowing immediately what was going on, took hold of my arm and led me away, explaining to both Damon and Stefan.
"It appears that Rose hasn't hunted in a while. I'd better go take care of her before she does something she'll regret later. Like kicking Damon's ass in a vampiric rage even though I don't think that she'd regret it." She led me through the house and into the forest, Damon and Stefan following closely after. Stefan I can understand, but Damon, I just don't get that boy. Isn't it completely obvious that I don't like him? That not every girl will fall to her knees just to talk to him? I couldn't think about this now. I was too hungry, too thirsty to do any hard thinking. Once we were in the forest, Elena let me go and my eyes went blue like they always did when my vampiric side took control of me. My instincts told me that a group of deer was not ten yards away from where I was standing.
I took a step forward and realized that Damon was still following me. I turned around and hissed at him before taking off. I was faster than him so I was able to lose him easily. I stopped short of entering the meadow where the deer were eating themselves. I quietly entered and caught the nearest doe and drained her dry. I repeated this process two more times before I felt full. Better than I'd had in a long time. As I was getting ready to leave, Damon entered the meadow. I bared my teeth and hissed, "I thought that I'd lost you."
"You did. But I followed your scent. We need to talk." Now where I have I heard that before? Ah, that's right. Stefan said it to Elena not too long ago before he told her that he loved her. Yeah, not going to happen.
"Not really." He looked at me as if he'd expected me to say that. "What? We really don't."
"Yeah, well, actually we do. After all, we are mates." I glared at him, my blue eyes making the glare all the more effective. He just had to bring that up. Why did he have to bring that up? "Don't glare at me like that, Woman. All we're going to do is talk and I don't want to do it when my brother is around." I scowled. I hated it when someone called me 'woman'. Before he could say another word, I pinned him against a tree and growled, "Don't ever call me woman. I have a name. Do yourself a favor and use it."
"Fine, but we still need to talk."
"We're not talking about it. There's nothing to discuss." He bared his teeth at me as if trying to make me shut up. Well, not going to happen. We can't do this, I can't do this.
"Now do yourself a favor and shut up and listen to what I have to say." Oooo, Acting like a big man; how quaint. "I don't care what you think about me, I don't care how you feel about me right this second, but…"
"Oh, there's always a but!"
"I said shut up. But you've never even given me a chance." Did he really expect me to give him a chance when I know him better than he knew himself?
"Why should I? You've done nothing to even warrant me giving you a chance." He quirked his eyebrows at that. That got on my nerves. So I held a finger as if I was going to count. "One, you've harassed a member of my coven."
"I don't count my brother as a member of your coven!" Asshole.
"Well, he has been since the moment I've met him, which considerably longer than I've known you. Two, you've attacked people in a town that is under my protection. Not really the best way to warm yourself up to me."
"From what I've heard, you've only been in this town no longer than a year!" Dumbass, what does he know?
"Well, your sources would be wrong! I've been here longer than that. Maybe not recently, but still, longer than that!"
"Oh, really?" He looked intrigued, skeptical. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. What an asshole. What kind of older brother promises his little brother an eternity of misery?
"Don't start, pup, I've been around the bush longer than you have. I've seen things that can make you shiver."
"Oooo, I'm shivering in my sneakers." What an arrogant thing to say? He's doesn't believe me? Maybe I should show him a few things from my time? No, he doesn't need to know. It's not any of his business.
"Good, you should be. Third, I can barely stand being around you without wanting to do you some bodily harm, so why should I? Fourth, from what I've seen, you're still hung up on Katherine, so there. Give me one good reason!" There take that, tough guy!
"What else have you got to lose?" Oh, so you're going to play it like that, huh? Not going to fly!
"Well, let's see. My reputation, my self respect, and most possibly my sanity." Yeah, you drive me absolutely bonkers!
"Wait a minute, how do you know about Katherine?" Oh, good lord, he just now notices that I mentioned Katherine? God, what a dunce!
"I have talents that you've never seen."
"Really, well, I'd like to see them." Did he just wiggle his eyebrows at me? Oh, goodness me, was he trying to get fresh with me?
"Yeah, well, that's going to have to happen some other time, see, unlike you, I have school tomorrow, and I really need to get some sleep. So, good night," and I left. He just stood there as I walked away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk and I saw his plan in his head. Great, now both Salvatore brothers were going to school. Stefan I could handle because I actually liked him. When I got home, neither Stefan nor Elena were waiting for me. I figured they went home because like me, they both had school the next day.
I drove my SUV the next morning instead of my Mustang because it was bigger and went to pick up Stefan along with Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie. I wanted to give him something, something that every member of my coven wore, and since he was now a member of my coven, it was only right that he get one too. When I pulled up, I pulled into his driveway, got out of the car, and knocked on the door. It was Zach who answered, thank god.
"Good morning, Zach, is Stefan still here?"
"Yeah, hold on a moment," and he went upstairs. A moment later Stefan followed him downstairs where he asked, "What's wrong, Rose? Is Damon bothering you again?" I smiled. Stefan really was like a brother to me, just like my older brother, Damien, had been, even though Stefan was so much younger than me. He'd really beat Damon up if I asked him to, well, try to anyway.
"Not this morning, though I have a feeling that the rest of the day is not going to be as good. I'm just here to pick you up for school." He looked shocked, as if he didn't expect me to go this far for him. "What? You didn't expect me to do this for ya? Well, I do it for all members of my coven, and that includes you, so get used to it." He just smiled and picked up his backpack and climbed into my SUV. After I got into the car, I pulled an envelope out of my pocket and handed it to him. He opened it and pulled out the chain with the Celtic knot and was surprised.
"It's something that every member of my coven wears. It's magically enhanced to let us know when one of our members is in trouble. It was only fitting that you have one, too." He smiled and slipped the chain over his head. I smiled as I started the car and drove off, just as Damon was coming out the door towards his car. He scowled as I pulled out of the driveway, no doubt upset that I hadn't waited for him.
"What's up with Damon?" Stefan didn't know about his brother's plan to try and 'woo' me, Damon's words not mine, which wasn't going to work.
"Oh, don't worry about Mr. Grumpy. He's just mad that I didn't wait for him. Apparently he's going to school now." Well, he's just going to have to get over it. I don't have that much room in my car. We picked up Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena, who were not surprised to see Stefan in the car, though Caroline was complaining about the fact that three people had to sit in the back.
"Shut up, Caroline. I could be driving the Mustang," I snapped at her and she shut up, knowing that I was right. As we pulled in, we noticed that Damon was pulling in next to us. I groaned as he got out, his backpack over his right shoulder, looking like he should be a super model. I swear he looks so good it should be illegal. I got out of the SUV with everyone else and we all ignored him as we entered the school building and went to our first class. It wasn't much longer when Damon entered the class and passed a slip to Mr. Tanner. Tanner read it and said, "Class, it seems that we have another new student. This is Damon Salvatore." Everyone's head perked up at the name 'Salvatore' and looked back at Stefan, each wondering if they were related. I looked to the seat next to me and saw that it was the only open seat. I groaned quietly. Once Damon took his seat next to me, Tanner started class. Stefan bested him in a battle of wits again, which Tanner wasn't happy about.
After school, the girls and I went to cheerleading practice. We were as one group, we moved well together with the other girls, though they were not visibly as graceful as we were. When we were on a break, I noticed that Tanner was giving Stefan and Damon a hard time about joining the football team. I tapped into Tanner's mind and saw that he was using what had happened in class against Stefan and Damon was guilty by association. Though I hated to do it, it wasn't fair to both of them that Tanner was being a jackass, no matter how much Damon annoyed me, so I used my powers of persuasion in order for him to let up. Stefan looked at me when Tanner finally relented and sent me a mental, Thank you.
Not a problem, I sent back as I nodded. He smiled as he and Damon went to suit up. When they came back, I couldn't help but notice that they both looked very good in their practice suits. I looked at Elena and sent a mental, Girl, you are one lucky chick! She looked at me weird look until she noticed that Stefan was on the football field and her eyes darkened and I knew that someone got it bad. I laughed as Caroline called us back into formation. We went out onto the track to practice because during the football game, that's where we would be. As I passed by him, I heard Matt whisper to Tyler, "First my girlfriend, now he's trying out for my team." I looked at them both and glared. They looked at me and shrank back from my glare. Nobody talks about one of my friends like that.
"I would watch who you're talking about, Matt. You're not on my list of favorite people at the moment. Neither are you, Tyler, so get that stupid grin off your face." Tyler didn't listen and leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Ah, but babe, you're on my list of favorite people." I scowled and gritted my teeth. I snapped my teeth at him audibly. Damon let out an irritated growl not far from us as I said, "You're an asshole, Tyler. You are not god's gift to women, so stop thinking that you are. You're nothing but a little boy who's trying to wear daddy's shoes. I'd watch out who you're messing with. My bite's worse than my bark," and I walked away.
Pushing past Vicki who was glaring at me, I said, "Shouldn't you be at the hospital, bitch?" She shrank back from one, the irritation in my voice and two, my glare. I hated the lot of them. I have no idea why Elena even thought to date Matt. She didn't know it but he was an asshole. He always flaunted Elena around like she was a prize to be won and she never even noticed. Everyone thought they'd been the perfect couple, but I'd known better. Not mention that Vicki was a whore who was messing around with Jeremy, who had had a hard time of it since his parents died. He'd gotten into drugs and had started skipping school at times. Elena was worried about him. She might not have told me about it, but I could sense her worry whenever she was thinking about Jeremy.
I felt Damon's eyes following me as went to rejoin the girls. I looked at him and there it was again. The look, the one that my father gave my mother; the look that said that they loved each other. He continued to look at me until Tanner called them to order. I went back to the girls and we started to practice again. I could have sworn that he continued to stare me. After both practices were over, Damon walked over to me and wrapped one of his arms around my waist and whispered in my ear, "Just go with it," and buried his face in my neck. My heart rate sped up at the contact of our skin. This was the first time that we'd touched, ever. It was electric and absolutely fabulous. I thought that I hated him, but I guess he's right; I never did give him a chance. Maybe he can redeem himself. I sighed and took in his scent. He smelled absolutely fantastic; a woodsy, alpine scent that spoke to the heart of me. He groaned as he pulled me completely against him as he nipped my neck.
Behind him I saw Tyler threw us a disgruntled look and heard his disgusting thoughts as he walked into the locker rooms so that he could leave. While I was distracted, Damon kissed his way up to my mouth, which he claimed with a ruthlessness that left me breathless. He seemed shocked that I was kissing him back, but he quickly recovered. I have to admit. He was a very good kisser.
"Mine," was all that came out of his mouth between the kisses that turned into a full on make out session. The world disappeared until only the two of us and it was absolutely wonderful. We only stopped when he heard someone clear his throat. We pulled apart to see Tanner, who said, "Okay, enough with the PDA. Get changed, Salvatore."
"Whatever you say, coach," he retorted, glaring at the man who dared interrupt his private time with me, at least according to his thoughts anyway. I was kind of disgruntled myself. But I untangled myself from him and walked into the girls' locker rooms. I was immediately bombarded by the girls.
"Alright, out with it, Rose. What's with you and Damon?" Caroline demanded. I could see that she was disappointed because once again one of the guys she liked didn't want her.
"It's none of your business, Caroline." I just wish that I knew what was with us. Did I really just decide to be with Damon? Oh, lord, what was Stefan going to say?
"You will tell me later," Elena said, giving me a look that told me that she wasn't going to let it go. I winced. Elena could be just as ruthless as Damon had been when he'd kissed me. The thought made me stiffen. I'd just had my very first kiss! My face heated up with the thought. I mean, I'd never even had a boyfriend, so I was still a virgin. Geez, a five hundred and fifty year old virgin. Pathetic, right? It wasn't such a bad thing; so were Elena and Bonnie. Caroline was the first of us to lose her virginity and had been trying to pressure the rest of us to do it too. But I told her, very politely, that she could take her experienced ass and take it some place else. She hasn't said anything about it since.
My hand was grabbed by a strong masculine one the moment I exited the locker rooms. Damon led me to the side of the building where he pushed me against the wall and claimed my mouth with his. Once again the world disappeared, leaving only the two of us, alone, our mouths fused. He pressed his body against mine, making me moan. He nudged my mouth open and coaxed my tongue into a mating dance with his and deepened the kiss. By the time he pulled away, both us were breathing hard, my heart beating furiously. He leaned his forehead against mine and said, "You're coming to the game tonight, right?"
"I'm a cheerleader, dumb ass; of course I'm going to be there!" He just smiled. He knew that I had to be there. If I wasn't, then Caroline would kick my ass, if she could, which she can't.
"God, that Tyler gets on my nerves." What was Tyler doing now?
"What'd he do this time?" Do I even want to know?
"He was trying to be discrete, but he was talking about you in the locker room." Oh, of course, nothing but the usual.
"Okay, I get the point." He raised an eyebrow at me and said, "I take it that this is normal?"
"Well, yeah, Tyler's known as the biggest man whore in the school, so I'm used to hearing him talking inappropriately about all of the girls, especially those on the cheerleading squad. Don't like it, but I'm used to it."
"And you've never put him in his place?"
"Well, no one in the school knows what Elena and the other girls are, so it wouldn't be smart to lay smackdown on Tyler when he could go running his mouth all over campus, now would it?" Geez, I figured that it would have been obvious.
"Well, if I hear him talking about you like that again, he and I are going to be having problems."
"Wow, jealous and possessive. Already? That was fast." He picked up my hand and kissed it, and whispered, "I can't have him disrespecting my girl, now can I?" His girl? I don't think anyone's called me that since I was little and Daddy would call me that. I just smiled until I heard Elena call for me.
"I have go. The girls are coming over to my house tonight." We were having dinner. Our kind of vampire can eat human food without any side effects. But he didn't know that.
"Am I invited?" He looked hopeful, something that I haven't seen on his face.
"Well, Stefan is, so I guess it wouldn't be fair if I didn't invite you, so consider yourself invited," I said, enjoying to slight smirk that lit up his face for a few moments.
"Rose!" Great, now Caroline is jumping down my throat. I once again untangled myself from Damon, unwillingly, but he grabbed my hand and followed me. Before we each got into our cars, he kissed my cheek in front of the whole football team.
"See you tonight." I smiled and said, "We're all meeting at my house at 5:00 o'clock. Before the game and we're all going over together. Don't be late."
"I'll be there." I let go of his hand and got into my car. Nobody spoke for a while, but Stefan was watching me. While the other girls were talking loudly in the back, he whispered, "You're good for him, you know."
"I'm not so sure about that."
"You are. I haven't seen him act like such a gentleman in such a very long time."
"Yeah, I'm sure. Oh, and by the way, he's coming over tonight, so be nice." I don't want them fighting anymore.
"I will if he will, but I don't think he'll do anything that would make you mad at him."
"Yeah, I'll make sure that he behaves himself." Tonight we, meaning Elena and I, were going to tell Stefan and Damon the truth that we knew everything that had happened to them. And it was time to tell them about our pasts too. I was scared to death.
After I pulled the car into the driveway and we all got out and walked up the porch, I opened the door and let everyone in. Stefan held back and then I remembered that he needed to be invited in order for him to come into my home. I mentally swore at myself and said, "Come on in, Stefan. It's okay." He nodded and walked in after Elena. It wasn't much longer and the doorbell rang. I ran to get it and when I opened it, he was there. He had his and his brother's jersey hung over his arm and wearing my favorite smirk. I opened the door wider and said, "Come in."
His smirk widened and he leaned in and kissed my cheek. I felt my cheeks heat as I blushed, as I'd known I would. He entered my house and went into my kitchen where the smells of herbs and spices permeated. He was surprised to see that we were cooking.
"I thought you were vampires?" I laughed and replied, "We are, but we can eat a little human food now and then." He nodded and handed Stefan his jersey. We all sat at my dining room table, talking and laughing, acting as if we'd always been together. I smiled at the thought. We were a family, a big sometimes tiresome family, but a family more or less.
"What are you thinking of, Rose?" Elena's question caught me off guard and I said, "That it's time." She stiffened. She knew of what I spoke and replied, "Yes, I think it is."
"Time for what?" Stefan asked, looking from me to Elena with a confused look on his face.
"Time to tell you about our pasts." Time for the truth to come out. Elena looked at me and asked, "Are you ready?" Our eyes met and I replied, "As ready as I'm going to be." This is not going to be pretty and not going to end well. I just hope Damon won't hate me when this is over.