Here's chapter 3.

I opened my eyes and was oddly confused. There was a new comfort to the way I was lying; something had changed. Whatever it was, I liked the feeling.

Stretching like a cat, I rolled over and gazed contentedly into space. A blanket that had been placed over me slipped down below my shoulders and I pulled it back up. Then I smiled.

Then I was hit with a stab of horror, and a wave of nausea lurched up from my full stomach.

I had killed someone.

Some poor, innocent woman.

She had a sister. She told me herself. Her sister was waiting for her, somewhere in Mystic Falls.

I wondered who she was, if I knew her.

That woman could have been the sister of one of my teachers… she could be the sister of Mrs Halpern, or Miss Peterson.

She could be related to anyone.

I shuddered, and looked blearily about the room. I was on the sofa in the Boarding House sitting room, alone. My hands were stained with blood – literally stained with her blood. My stomach was guiltily full. And I had a horrendous sense of satisfaction.

I jumped up, the blanket falling off my lap.

I ran to the bathroom and shakily washed my hands and my chin.

I stared at my pale face in the mirror.

At least I still have a reflection, I thought dryly. I watched the reddish-pink water spiral down the drain and thought of Lady Macbeth.

"Out, damn'd spot. Out, I say," I recited tonelessly to the mirror.

"One-two: why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky." Said a smirking voice. I turned round slowly and saw Damon leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. There was a page torn from a book clutched in his left hand. "Loving the Shakespeare reference, Elena, but I feel your inner turmoil is something even William cannot cure."

I squeezed my eyes shut and turned off the tap, before turning to him. "That… that poor woman." My voice was hoarse and crackly, and I gave a shuddering cough. Then I averted his gaze, and whispered, "I killed her Damon. I killed her and I laughed because of it." Tears glistened in my eyes. "I've become a monster. After all that time, all that time of telling you off and telling you to be… to be human. I'm a hypocrite. I'm worse than you ever were." The tears slid ungracefully down my cheek.

Damon walked up to me and wiped my tears away. I looked up pathetically at him, and he looked longingly down at me. At last he offered me a small smile, and said quietly "You will always be human, Elena. You will never lose that quality – no matter what you do. And you could never be a monster, don't ever think that, alright?" He finished with a tiny frown, which made me wish I could reach up and smooth it out.

Before I realised what I was doing, I stood up on my tiptoes and moved to kiss him. But then he was standing far away from me, pressed up against the wall and looking as if I had just slapped him.

I blinked. I couldn't help being offended – I suppose I was used to taking advantage of Damon. Shame burnt its way through me, and I looked to the floor. "I'm sorry." I muttered.

"What are you doing, Elena?" He asked, his words echoing what he had said at Scary Mary's house. "You chose Stefan – you can't, you can't do this anymore. Why aren't you telling him all this?"

"I'm sorry." I repeated glumly. "I shouldn't have done that."

"No," Damon said bitterly. "You shouldn't have." He turned to walk out the room, pausing only to say quietly "Goodbye, Elena."

I wanted to run after him and recklessly kiss him, to throw caution to the wind. But then I thought of Stefan. I chose Stefan. I reminded myself. I had known it would be hard to choose, but I had had to. And I chose Stefan – I couldn't go back on my decision, not when I wasn't sure I even wanted to.

I met him first. That had to mean something. And it did. I loved Stefan. We were soul-mates.

My vision went blurred at the edges, and I swayed, gripping the sink with shocked white knuckles.

Sighing, I put the phone down on Bonnie.

"Katherine."

I look up, startled. A tall man with dark hair and startling blue eyes is looking at me, quite fascinated. He wears a black leather jacket and a hopeful smile.

"Um, no, I…" I look behind me, just in case there is someone else to which he is talking to. "I'm Elena." I say, unnerved.

The man's face falls, and he seems disappointed. "Oh." He narrows his eyes at me, as if to make sure I am not this 'Katherine' simply playing a cruel trick. "You… You just look…" He sighs, having made sure I am indeed not Katherine. He is crestfallen, and also quite baffled at my similarity to 'Katherine'. "I'm sorry." He looks at me, embarrassed. "You just really remind me of someone..." He smiles playfully, and abruptly says "I'm Damon."

"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere." I say, looking him up and down and wondering if he is indeed some sort of creepy man who preys on young girls leaving high school parties.

"You're one to talk." He smirks sexily at me, tilting his head. "You're out here all by yourself."

"It's Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens here." I say, half shrugging.

He looks at me expectantly.

I sigh. "Got into a fight with my boyfriend." I explain, showing him my phone as proof.

"'Bout what?" He inquires, before holding up his hands in a sign of peace. "May I ask?"

I shake my head. "Life. The future. He's got it all mapped out." I look away, unsure as to why I am telling him this.

"You don't want it?"

I shrug. "I don't know what I want."

"Well that's not true." He looks at me through his lashes. "You want what everybody wants."

"What?" I smile, amused by his certainty. "A mysterious stranger who has all the answers?"

He laughs. "Hmm. Well, let's just say I've been around a long time." He looks at me cheekily, and says "I've learnt a few things."

"So Damon," I indulge in a small smile. "Tell me; what is it that I want?"

Suddenly the laughter leaves his features, and he takes a step towards me, a serious expression on his face. Somehow I am not afraid. "You want a love that consumes you." He says softly, searching my face for a reaction. I find myself taken in by his large, playful eyes. "You want passion, and adventure," He smiles. "And even a little danger."

I stare at him, unsure what to make of it. Then I give a little shake of my head, and ask, smiling, "So what do you want?"

I appear to have startled him; he obviously hasn't expected me to ask him. "Oh…"

We both look up at the sound of a car pulling up. "It's my parents." I explain, smiling at the familiar vehicle. When I turn back to say something, his face is inches away from mine, his eyes wide and mesmerising.

"I want you to get everything you're looking for," He says softly. "But right now I want you to forget that this happened." He allows himself a small, flirtatious smile as I find myself uncontrollably moved by his surprisingly tender words. "Can't have people knowing that I'm in town yet." He continues, cockily. Then he looks sadly at me, and the smirk is gone from his face, his features arranged in a painful expression. "Goodnight Elena." He finishes wistfully.

I blink, and for one second I want to run after him and shout 'Wait!', but he is gone.

I want you to forget that this happened.

I turn, and see my parents – when did they get here? As I open the car door I am filled with a curious feeling that I have forgotten something, something important, but that's ridiculous. Isn't it?

So how are you liking the story so far?

Please review x