I'm so pleased with the response this little storyline is getting. Thanks for all the support, I love to read your reviews! Please remember, SLASH scenes will happen, it's just a matter of time…
The pulsing artery jumping along the boy's neck was mesmerizing. He could hear the hot, thick blood rushing through the distended vessel, surging in response to the mortal's terror. The hand holding the boy up by the neck was throbbing with the pressure of the jugular vein fighting to return blood to the rapidly thumping heart. He could smell the strong bittersweet sweat pouring from the teenager's pores. That odour, combined with the unique blood smell of the Gilbert descendants was driving him wild. Jeremy's humanness was pounding his senses, surrounding him with intoxicating human sounds and odours, flooding his vampire brain with Jeremy noises and smells.
Powerful. He felt powerful. In fact, he felt damn amazing, omnipotent for the first time in a long time in the presence of this enigmatic teenager.
And then Jeremy laughed. A rather strangled laugh, probably due to the chokehold he had been placed in, but a laugh nonetheless. "Sucks doesn't it?" Jeremy gasped, "Or rather, it doesn't suck. 'It' being you, of course. Sorry about the ring and being protected from vampire attacks and all."
Damon hissed. Cocked his head to the side. Staring into the boy's pupil blown eyes, he slowly, gently placed Jeremy's back against the wall. Lowered Jeremy's feet to the floor and loosened his grip from around the boy's neck. Retracted his fangs. Allowed his human face to return. Smiled sardonically. Continued to feel turned on.
"Why are you so bothered by me?" The question caught Damon off guard. Sliding his hand from the around the boy's throat, he cupped Jeremy's jaw. Peered sideways at the open, vulnerable face in front of him. 'Christ' he thought, 'How to answer that without causing the youngster to run a mile?' So, being Damon, he didn't respond. Just persisted in his steadfast gaze. He could almost hear the younger male trying to make sense of the situation, watched as puzzlement, fear, anger and some other emotion he didn't recognize dance across the boy's fine features. Damon began to feel like he was losing his mind. His power high was quickly being replaced by the more familiar sensation of confusion.
Jeremy reached up and pulled Damon's hand away from his face. "Are we done here?" he asked, his tone sarcastic. "I have Bonnie waiting for me. If you're not going to enlighten me as to this twisted game you're playing with me, I'm out of here. And please refrain from stalking me with glares from across the room. It's so beneath you."
Jeremy pushed the vampire back with his shoulder and turned to walk out of the washroom. Damon felt something inside himself twinge. A rusty, yet quickly becoming familiar sensation. A human emotion that he had really only admitted to himself in connection with Elena and Rose. Well, and Stefan too, if he was being completely honest. And that feeling was regret. Regret for how things could have been, how they should be, how they could be. If Damon was a different being. He blew out a long sigh and watched the boy move slowly towards the closed door.