TWO

THE CAPTIVATATION

He was starving.

Damon felt the fire burn through him, his throat dry as images of that delicious, silky red filled his mind. He had to feed soon, was desperate for it, for the feel of his fangs breaking flesh as sweet blood sated his thirst and the sound of a frightened heart satisfied that part of him that he could never calm, could never let go of even after all these years.

But tonight was different. Not any mortal, walking around with their juicy veins just waiting to be tapped, would do. He'd lured a girl to his side after she'd shown interest in him, but he hadn't fed on her. Maybe it was the blonde hair. He'd never really gone for blondes, even though this one was certainly a catch. He didn't think it was that though, so it had to be those eyes, wide and bright in a startling way, but even then he was grasping at straws. He just didn't want that girl.

Yet still his thirst raged, demanding to be soothed even though he had no idea how to soothe it.

Unless…

He shook his head, knowing that the thought was ridiculous even before it had a chance to fully form. There was no way he was going to be reduced to a hungry, desperate vampire or a – shudder – bunny chaser like his brother simply because of a bout of curiosity that would pass in a couple of hours, if not in the next few minutes. No woman could captivate him like that, not anymore.

He kept walking; his steps were a little harsher than normal as he searched for another mortal, hoping that the next one would appeal to him. But even though he could see the throbbing pulse in the neck of the middle aged woman who was walking to her car with jangling keys, he didn't feel his fangs aching or the rush of blood that showed in his eyes. No, he just felt a dull growl of pain as if he were sick to his stomach.

Still he stepped forward, jogging a little as if he needed to catch up to her. 'Excuse me,' he called, capturing her gaze as soon as she turned to face him. An absent smile came over her lips, her eyes seeming to glaze over as she stared into blue that was nearly grey, the hand that had held her car keys at the ready falling limp at her side.

'Come to me,' he said and she walked straight into his arms. He gripped her shoulder, sweeping her hair aside as he whispered, 'don't be afraid.' He didn't want her to scream as he walked her back into an alley, knowing that anyone who passed would simply assume that they were in the middle of a heated moment as he bent his head, lips to her pulse. But even when he inhaled the delicious aroma of the blood that ran just beneath her skin he felt no reaction.

He growled, feeling only the slightest stirring of hunger within him, the burn in his throat only flaring when his thoughts wandered to her…

Damon sank his fangs into the woman's neck, retaining the image of the one he truly wanted to taste and feeling his hunger roar to life with every second that he imagined it was her slender neck beneath his lips, her sweet blood that poured over his tongue and down his burning throat like silk to slake his thirst.

He had never hungered so much for something beyond blood, not since…

No. He wouldn't even think of her name, not when he knew that the mere utterance of the thought in his head would send his fangs back into place, leaving him still desperate for sustenance.

He released the woman, staring straight into her eyes. 'You won't remember this. When you get home, you'll go straight to bed because you are really tired and then you will get some vitamin supplements in the morning.' Since when do I care? 'Or not. I don't really care.'

So why did you say it in the first place. Just kill her like you usually would.

But he didn't. He watched her walk to her car, her steps a little awkward, though languid as she unlocked her car and climbed in. He even watched her pull away from the curb, his mind still knotted as he tried to understand why he hadn't killed her. She was just a woman, just some random person who was only useful as his food source, so why hadn't he snapped her neck when leaving her there meant more trouble for Stefan?

He shook his head, leaning against the brick of the alley wall as he tried to sort the jumble of thoughts in his head. Nothing emerged though, no tell tale ideas or conclusions, only that ever constant anger that he couldn't reach the one woman he had ever loved…

…or shake off thoughts of a woman who he'd only just met.

It was still early when Kaari got out of bed, the sun newly raised in the sky. Normally she'd sleep until ten, especially with the night shift at the Grill, but she had something special planned.

She was glad that it was still summer. She was frightened to even think of how cold it would be to go from the granny flat at the back of the yard to the house.

She snuck through the back door to the house, her body going rigid as the hinges squealed. She stayed still, listening for any signs of movement in the house, but there was only silence. She headed to the kitchen, carefully and quietly locating the frying pan and all of the necessary ingredients to cook up the storm she had planned. As she poured a portion of the batter into the pan, rolling her wrist in a practiced motion learnt from her mother, she saw the first few bubbles appear.

Pancakes. Home made. There was no other way to have them.

She smiled to herself as she flipped the pancake and went to the fridge, pulling out various jars of jam and the prerequisite of a breakfast of pancakes: maple syrup. The first pancake was ready by the time she'd finished setting up the table, the pan hotter now. In no time she had an ever growing stack.

She tilted her head slightly as she heard a floorboard in the hall creak. A smile came over her lips, but she continued to cook, pretending that she was oblivious even though she knew that little feet were creeping towards the kitchen.

'Good morning.' She heard him pause and turned, smiling. 'You thought you could be more of a ninja than me, young grasshopper?'

He smiled and she felt a giddy wave of pride rush through her as she saw the wide gap in his teeth. He'd lost both of his front teeth, and she couldn't get over how adorable he looked with his cheeky grin.

He was standing half behind the door frame, hazel eyes bright as he watched her flip a pancake before she placed it on the stack.

'Well,' she said, waving the spatula as she grabbed a chair and brought it next to the stove, patting it, 'are you going to help me or stand there looking cute?'

He walked over, quiet and watchful as he climbed onto the chair, gripping the hem of her t-shirt to keep himself steady. She wrapped an arm around him, hugging his little body to her side as she ruffled his hair. 'Did you sleep well?' she asked, passing him the spatula before she curled her hand around his, helping him flip the pancake and watching the smile blossom on his lips.

'Mum snored,' he said, though his eyes never strayed from his task, a mask of concentration on his face. As he flipped the next one – by himself, with a determination that cannot be seen even on the faces of athletes in the Olympics – his tongue peeking out from the corner his lips, caught between his teeth as he focused.

'Loud?'

'Very.'

'I bet you'll snore like that one day,' she laughed as she put the pancake on the stack and reached for the bowl that held the batter.

He pulled a face. 'Hope not.'

Kaari couldn't stop a giggle before it escaped, and he caught it like a cold. Soon, everything was setting them off and Kaari had to take the frying pan off the hot plate so that she wouldn't burn the pancake. She picked him up, trapping him in her arms so she could tickle him.

That same floorboard in the hallway creaked, but they didn't notice.

'Sam, what are you doing up?'

They froze, looking beyond guilty with him over her shoulder, legs and arms frozen mid flail as Kaari had him trapped with one arm while she tickled his ribs. The look of surprise on their mother's face sent them into another fit of laughter.

'Kaari Ashworth, put your brother down.'

Danika Ashworth, their mother, was a strong woman to survive through all that had happened to her. Though not very tall, she was intimidating when she wanted to be, with sometimes stern hazel eyes and long black hair that Kaari was very glad to have inherited. She quirked an eyebrow at her children, a small smile lifting her lips as Kaari put Sam down. Her lungs were burning for air as Sam sat on the tiled floor at her feet, still laughing as well when he looked up at her.

They couldn't stop giggling all through breakfast.

Kaari revelled in the feeling of being with her family again. College had taken up most of her time over the last three years, though she had travelled back to Mystic Falls as often as she could, and they had gone to her. Still, it had been difficult, knowing that every time she saw her little brother he would look so different, knowing that he would grow up so fast and she would miss most of that time. Now though, she was determined to see every missing tooth and patch up every little graze. Sam was five now, but he wouldn't be for long. Soon, he would be going to high school and college and heading out into the world, so she was going to make the most of the time she had with him while he was still young and still thought hanging out with his older sister was cool.

She hated her stepfather, though he was never truly her stepfather because her mother had never married him, but despite everything she was glad that her mother had still decided to have Sam. Although she felt guilty being even slightly grateful to the bastard who had dared to call himself her father, she could never fault him for being part of bringing Sam into the world.

Thankfully, that had been the only role he'd ever played.

It had been four years and eight happy months since they had seen him, since Danika had kicked the bastard out. Kaari had asked why she hadn't done it earlier and Danika had said, 'because he had never before raised a hand at you.'

Danika had taken nearly a year of beatings, but he had never left a mark. Not physically…

And, being a cop, he had everyone fooled. He was the happy-go-lucky man with the beautiful wife and the poor teenage girl who had lost her father when young, who he was so proud to take under his wing, right up until he got a few drinks down his throat. He had never cared about Kaari or his own son, that much was proved by his complete lack of attempts to get custody – even part custody – of Sam, and the fact that he'd never paid any child support, though Danika did not want his money.

He had moved, and they had never heard from him again.

As Kaari watched her brother struggling with the maple syrup, his tongue between his teeth in that adorable look of concentration, Kaari prayed that the streak would never end.

Although work at the Grill could be difficult, with the shifts seeming to stretch into gruelling hours on slow nights, Kaari couldn't fault the place. She'd been frequenting the Mystic Grill for as long as she could remember, having fries with her parents when she was little, and later hanging with her friends and playing pool, sometimes until they got kicked out.

She looked around at the Wednesday night crowd. Less than a month in, she was feeling good vibes about her job. Even though it was the middle of the week, a lot of the seats at the bar were filled with people who had just knocked off work, as well as people who had come in for dinner or drinks. It was adult time; the high schooler's were generally only in from Friday night, but there were still a few dotted around at tables that Alex bounded to, her smile never faltering. Jeremy was at one of the tables with a book out, pretending to study though his gaze continued to wander over to Alex's fellow waitress, Vicki, who was healing well.

Kaari's intuition still chilled her when she thought of the story.

It was obvious that Vicki knew that Jeremy was looking at her. A blush coloured her cheeks, and she tucked her hair behind her ear, shifting on her feet as she took a couple's order. Kaari watched the two for another moment, feeling a little naughty for spying on them, but wanting to try and catch up with the happenings of the town.

There was no better way to do that than work the bar.

She sidled a little closer to a few of the men at the bar. She couldn't remember their names, but recognised them, thinking they were probably father's of some of her high school acquaintances. They were talking about the coming Annual Founders' Party, an event she looked forward to now she was back in Mystic Falls a little more permanently. She still regretted missing the last two parties – she did manage to make it back in her freshman year of college – and by the chatter she had heard it was looking to be a good one, with a lot of historical items being collected for the party. She'd heard from Elena on Monday when she'd come in – a still not-quite-sure-if-I-know-how-to-smile-but-seemingly-happy Stefan just behind her, looking as if he desperately wanted to take her hand but wasn't sure if he'd get in trouble for it – that a few items of her parents were going to be in the collection, including the Gilbert watch.

'It's rude to eavesdrop.'

Kaari startled, nearly dropping the glass she was holding. She looked to the voice, feeling her legs turn to jelly as he stared at her with those intense blue-grey eyes. She forced a little solidity into her limbs, clearing her throat as she walked over to him. 'I wasn't eavesdropping.' Not really.

'Oh, I was.'

'But you just said–'

He leaned back subtly, resting on an elbow as he waved one hand casually. 'I know I'm rude,' he said, and his gaze flickered over her, narrowing ever so slightly, 'but I don't really think that you are.'

She fought a smile, knowing that she shouldn't even be thinking of smiling at him, not when she still felt those creepy vibes radiating off of him, but he looked…different tonight. He'd been brooding that first time, distracted as he stared off into space, but now…

Stop thinking about it, she scolded herself as she reached for the bottle of scotch, it doesn't matter.

She held it up and that too practiced smile lit his lips, but she was not fooled by it, not when it didn't truly reach his eyes.

'You remembered,' he said, leaning forward to rest both elbows on the counter.

'I've always been one for details,' she said, finding a scotch glass. She poured the liquid and placed the glass in front of him. He did not toss the beverage back as he had last time though. No, he savoured it, tilting the glass to his lips, his gaze holding hers as he took a sip. She watched as his tongue traced his bottom lip, catching not only the drop of scotch, but her full attention.

She tore her gaze away, worrying her lip.

It looked like Damon Salvatore – dangerous, frightening and lethally gorgeous – had captured her curiosity, whether she liked it or not.

Next update: Wednesday the 27th of October.