Hi folks ;) Ok as usual, I just have to start by saying just how much I absolutely love reading your reviews [please keep them coming] and generally how honoured I am that you actually take some time out to read what I write. So here's chapter 4 and I've made it kinda long because after the lack of Bamon interaction in the last chapter, I couldn't leave them out in this one. Sorry though, the whereabouts of Elena won't be revealed in this chapter but you do get a huge hint. Thanks again and hope you enjoy this, mwah xxx

[Disclaimer: All characters in this fanfic belong to LJ Smith & respective copyright holders. No copyright infringement intended]


Chapter 4

Stefan stumbled to his feet and came to stand beside his brother. His broken ribs were finally healing but were taking longer than necessary due his lifestyle choice of being anti-human blood. Gripping his side with one hand, he watched in horror as the woman he'd thought was his girlfriend changed before his very eyes. As he heard the single name drop out of Damon's mouth, his mind was already screaming, No! It's impossible. Even as he saw her face change into vampiric form, he refused to believe it.

"Pick your jaws up from the ground will you?" she scoffed at them, clearly enjoying the fruits of her enigmatic entrance.

"Katherine?" Damon repeated

"What are you a broken record? Who else would I be? Your weak, human girlfriend?" she snapped moving closer to them.

"Elena. What have you done with her? If you've hurt her...!" Stefan growled, obviously no longer in denial at the mention of his girl.

"She's not dead...yet" she cut him off, sounding bored.

"Where is she?" he growled once again.

"Now what fun would I have if I revealed that to you hmmm?"

"Where is she?" he reiterated moving dangerously close to launching an attack.

She entertained him with a sadistic smile, "She's safe...for now and I'm not sure I like your tone of voice honey. After our night of passion, I was hoping our reunion would be slightly more amicable" she finished with a cute pout.

Damon didn't like what he was hearing, Night of passion? What the heck was going on? He opened his mouth to ask just that but was beat to the punch by his brother.

"You tricked me! Do you really think I'd want anything to do with you had I known?"

Stefan suddenly found himself pinned to a tree, sharp nails digging into his gullet. He chocked.

"You do not speak to me like that Stefan" Katherine said in a low deadly voice, "I can tear you apart before your mind even registers the pain... Uh Uh, Damon I wouldn't do that if I were you"

Damon weighed up the situation briefly before throwing down the sharp edged branch he'd picked up, "Put my brother down!" he seethed.

"Aw, how sweet" she mocked but complied by throwing Stefan down roughly, "Now you sit still like a good boy while I speak to your brother". Turning towards Damon she smirked, "I'm all yours"

Moving at lightning speed, she pounced on him, straddling him, she pinned his arms to the ground above his head.

"Isn't this what you've been longing for?" she whispered in his ear before licking it softly. She noticed him visibly recoil from her touch. Bearing her fangs angrily, she brought her face to his and captured his lips possessively, nipping them, she lapped at them, enjoying the taste of his blood.

Damon gasped in barefaced disgust and mustered enough strength to throw her off him. Jumping up quickly, he gave her a look of pure unadulterated hate!

"Well what have we here? You seemed to have enjoyed my kiss when you thought I was that human girl. How pathetic!"

"Shut up bitch!" he said emphatically, briefly looking at Stefan, who was broodingly watching the proceedings.

"Or is it the witch you prefer? Ah wonder, wonder, what does witch blood taste like?" she sighed, tapping a finger playfully on her pale cheek.

"I don't know what you're talking about. She means nothing to me" he replied instantaneously.

"Oh come on Damon. You of all should know to draw the curtains when you're planning to do the nasty. Imagine if it was really Elena who came ringing?" she said with feigned shock.

Stefan had heard enough. Moving between them, he faced Katherine, legs braced apart, "Cut the crap Katherine and tell us what you want!"

"It's simple. I want you...both of you. You're mine. Always have been and anyone who comes between us, I will erase! I know your weaknesses and I can tap them anytime, anyplace" she paused, gleefully soaking up their dreadful expressions before her final words, "Well toodleloo boys, I have me some major draining to do. All that fake emotional drama has made my insides twitch." And with that, she was gone.

He'd been trying to speak to her for the past hour. Oh yes, the little witch was definitely avoiding him. She'd spoken to each and every living soul at the Lockwood memorial service and was pushing him to the last tether. He wouldn't even be here if he wasn't thinking of her safety. Taking another swig of his drink, Damon watched Bonnie give Tyler Lockwood another comforting hug. Was that the third one she'd given him today? He tried hard to focus on Mrs. Lockwood as she droned on about countless non-existent merits of the late mayor but his eyes kept moving back to the petit witch who was looking extremely fetching in her knee-length little black dress. Her rich dark locks were swept up in a cute messy pony-tail, exposing the smooth contours of her neck and shoulders.

She could feel his eyes following her from across the room. Even as she turned her back to him, the awareness was immovable. Why is he here? She thought, as her skin began to tingle. Is it hot in here? Yes, that's it! The damn air-con isn't on and the room is filled to the brink. I need some air. Excusing herself from Tyler's company, she waded through the masses of people and left through the back door. The coast was clear. Sighing in relief; she took a deep breath enjoying the floral smells wafting in the air from the expansive Lockwood gardens. She walked a small distance until she came to a bench facing the gardens. She kicked off her painful high-heels and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the cool grass beneath her feet and the warmth of the sun on her face. Blissfully unaware that she'd been followed by the same man she was trying desperately to avoid.

"Having fun?" he said nonchalantly, watching as her eyes flickered open.

She let out an irritated groan as she looked reluctantly up at the vampire, briefly taken aback by his unusual attire. Black suit with a tieless white shirt; he carries it well.

"I WAS having fun" she said blandly after clearing her throat.

He chuckled as he came closer to her, "May I?" It was more a figure of speech than an actual request for permission, seeing as he was already seated next to her, stretching out his legs comfortably before crossing them at the ankles.

"Mmm this feels great"

"What are you doing here Damon!" she snapped, trying her best to keep her body from touching his. Why did this bench suddenly feel so damn small?

Fixing his ice blue eyes on her, he turned his body slightly towards her, "I came to see you but I'm sure you already got that from the innumerable times I had tried to approach you" he explained, refusing to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"And I don't want to see you but I'm sure you got that from the innumerable times I walked away from you" she threw back.

She watched his jaw twitch a little and inwardly cursed her mouth. Damon Salvatore wasn't someone to mess with and even though she saw some minute goodness in him; she still wasn't convinced. She'd seen what he was capable of and she could vividly recall the feel of his fangs as they had torn mercilessly through her skin.

"Why can't we just get along, little witch?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Do you want the long list of reasons or the summary?"

Nobody had ever tested his patience as much as she has been doing lately. She's a gutsy little one, I give her that. Placing his signature side grin on his face, he decided to play along, "Ok hit me with the long list milady"

With a determined expression, she began counting off the reasons, using her fingers to calculate; "My grams died because of you, innocent people die because of you, you tried to kill me, you hurt Caroline, you're an arrogant ass and...Did I mention that you tried to KILL ME?"

The silence between them stretched forth for what seemed like an eternity before he finally broke it, "You just have to get over that, I'm not the same as I was before. I can't make you trust me, so I'm not going to try."

The tone of his voice made her shudder and she reacted by moving further away from him.

"If you move away any further, you're going to fall off this bench, little witch" he said, the amusement suddenly back in his voice. It amazed her that he could switch his temperament so quickly without so much as a warning.

Standing up abruptly she finally decided what he wanted from her was worthy enough to know.

"What do you want from me, Damon?"

He stood up too and moved closer to her before giving her an answer.

"Your house isn't safe anymore...you're moving in with us"

The absurdity of what he just said made her laugh out loud, "Yah! Very funny, Damon...you should become a stand up. Not sure we have any vamps taking up that vocation"

And with that, she turned around and started walking back towards the Lockwood mansion. She was stopped in her tracks as she collided head on with hard masculine chest. I hate it that they can do that. Lifting her chin stubbornly, she looked into his eyes expectantly.

He moved his face closer to hers until his lips were only a breath away from hers, "You must be mistaken, little witch, I wasn't asking."

Bonnie let out an abrupt scream as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.