Here is the next chapter! I'm aiming for 10 chapters in this story. Thank you for the follows, favs, and reviews
Though Lovers Be Lost
Chapter 6 – The Cave
Varro's House
Damon POV
It was late morning by the time Elena and I emerged from our room after our long night of being together again. We never wanted to leave that room and face the dangers that await us outside the gates, but if we want to get home, and get Bonnie back to Jeremy we need to work together to come up with a plan.
"Well good morning you two." Bonnie said with a sly smile. "Glad you could grace us with your presence."
"Did you expect anything else, witchy?" I playfully said back to her. Bonnie and I had developed a much stronger friendship over the last 4 months. Being stranded here helped her get to know the real me that I often kept behind my snarky façade.
"Nope." She smiled again. "Well while you guys were getting um…ready, Varro and I have been throwing around some ideas on how to get the Amulet from the cave."
"Alright, lets here it."
Varro began explaining the plan so far. "Since the Shadow Demons can only come outside at night we should only have to worry about them when we are inside the cave. So traveling there should be relatively simple."
His choice of words made me take pause. "Wait a minute Varro, what do you mean 'we'? I didn't think you would be coming with us."
"I didn't think so either but…after being with you and Bonnie the last 4 months and hearing about your loved ones and seeing what devoted friends you are, then meeting Elena and knowing the risk she took coming here to get you I just," he paused for a moment, "I want you three to make it home and I want to help you."
We all stood in awe for a moment. This man who we have only known for a few short months is willing to risk his life to help us get home. As honored as I was I couldn't let him do this.
"Varro, no." I told him vehemently. "You have a daughter, and grandchildren. You can't risk leaving your own family for us. I won't let you."
Elena seemed to agree with me because she also spoke up, "Varro we are grateful that you want to help us but Damon is right. You can't put yourself at risk like that. We can manage this ourselves."
"Are you sure my friends? You haven't been in The Nether long. I know far more about these lands and the creatures you will encounter." Varro still wanted to help us but none of us were going to let him come. Bonnie was the final one to give her reassurance.
"Varro we will be fine. Please…stay with your family." Bonnie said and put an additional supportive hand on his shoulder.
He seemed to get the point now that we are going to do this on our own. "So now that it's settled, tell us the rest about this going to go down." I asked.
Bonnie was always used to filling the role of saving our asses. This mission would be nothing different if I knew her. She continued what Varro began telling us before, "So we can travel to the cave during daylight but once we are there is where it gets complicated. The Amulet will be somewhere inside but since we don't know exactly we will need some time to find it."
"Time that you won't have because once the Demons sense vampires, they will be seeking you out." Varro added.
"Which is where I come in." Bonnie continued. "I am not a witch anymore so there is no magic for them to sense. I will enter the cave with you guys and look for the Amulet."
I put my arm around Elena and pulled her a little closer to me before adding, "So while you look for the Amulet, Elena and I will have to distract them and defend ourselves…"
"With terminal velocity" Varro said sternly. "You will literally be fighting for your lives."
"With what?" Elena asked worriedly.
Varro pulled out three massive swords. "With these. I told you that your best defense is to cut off their heads before they can start sucking the magic and life out of you. This is what you will use."
We each picked up a sword and felt them in our hands. Of all the crazy weapons we have used over the years…Wolfsbane Grenades, White Oak Stakes, and Compound Crossbows; these took it to a whole new level.
"Use your strength and speed, and you should be able to over take them." Varro said confidently.
"How many of them are there?" Elena asked. It was an excellent question. We were walking into a lion's den with no clue how many of these things would challenge us.
"Unfortunately no one knows for sure. Just expect the worst."
"I think we are used to doing that." Bonnie said and she was right. The challenges we have faced in the past are no different than this one.
"We are also used to watching each other's backs and taking care of each other. We will do that again here." Elena said leaning into me. I kissed the top of her head.
"Once I find the Amulet I will try and grab it myself. If something happens and I can't get to it, I will have to find you guys and hopefully you will be in the position to help me." Bonnie continued, finishing the rest of the plan. "Once we get it, we head right for the stone circle. How does that sound?"
"It sounds like a plan to me, what do you think Damon?" Elena asked me.
"I think there is no such thing as a perfect plan when it comes to what we are about to do but…it sounds alright to me." I said trying to hide my cynicism as best I could. I didn't have any other ideas though and this seemed like our best chance. "We leave tomorrow at first light."
The Next Morning
Damon POV
The sun was about to rise as we were finishing getting our supplies together. It was half a day's walk to the cave for humans. For us it will take a fraction of the time if I carry Bonnie. The perks of being a vampire. We gathered up our weapons and supplies and prepared to say goodbye to Varro. If all goes as planned this will be the last time we ever see him.
"Varro, my friend don't take this the wrong way but I hope that we never see you again." I said with a smile. "You have been such a help to us I don't know how I can possibly repay you."
"Damon, you saved my daughter's life with your blood. I am still eternally in your debt. Good luck on your quest and watch out for each other." He put his hand out to shake my hand but instead I pulled him in for a hug. I was able to find Elena again because of him and I couldn't help myself, I had to hug the guy.
"Bye Varro, thank you for everything." Bonnie said and also hugged him. Elena stepped up and hugged him next.
"I've only known you for a couple days but, I still feel like I owe you everything. Thank you for taking care of Damon and Bonnie the past 4 months. I'm glad they had a friend like you watching over them and helping them." Elena said thankfully.
"You are all very welcome. Can you do just one more thing for me? Please tell my sisters that I am okay. Tell them that I have had a great life with a wonderful family but that I still miss them everyday. Can you do that?" Varro asked.
"Of course we will," Elena told him. "It's the least we can do."
"Thank you, friends. It's time to go. You want as much daylight as possible."
We all embraced one more time and said our final goodbyes before heading out beyond the village walls once again.
"According to Varro's map and directions the cave should be straight that direction." Bonnie said pointing to the Southwest.
"Alright let's go." Elena said confidently.
"You ready to hitch a ride, Bon Bon?" I playfully said to Bonnie. She rolled her eyes then let me pick her up for our journey. "Lets get moving and kill ourselves some Shadow Demons."
Vampire speed is an amazing thing. We move 100 times faster than humans can walk yet the scenery around us still passes as if in slow motion. We moved fast across the barren wasteland until reaching a wooded area. We stopped to rest for just a few moments.
"The cave should be just through these woods." Bonnie informed us. We were so close and I started to feel the fear creeping up on me a bit. Elena and I were all powerful vampires but these Demons were powerful as well and what if they…no. I wasn't going to let anything happen to any of us.
"I think we should all walk from here," I said. We could be more careful and approach with more surprise if we move slow and quiet.
We walked through the small patch of woods and could see the clearing ahead of us. Beyond the clearing was the cave at the base of the mountain. This was it, the cave of wonders. And by wonders I mean evil faceless demons that could suck the life out of Elena and me.
"Damon?" I was broken out of my thoughts by Elena's voice. She sounded so afraid.
"What is it?"
"Before we go any further I just want to say again that I love you. Whatever happens I am so glad that I made it here, back to you."
"Oh Elena, I know. We are going to make it back out, okay?" I didn't want to speak as if this was our goodbye because damn it, it wasn't going to be. We were going to get that damn Amulet and get back home in one piece.
Elena continued, her voice sounding more determined now, "If anything happens to you, I am going down with you. That way maybe Bonnie can at least get away."
I tried to protest but she stopped me. "The other night when you said you couldn't live without me. Well I can't live without you either and I am not going to."
Here we were again. Just like the night in my Camaro. "You know what you're signing up for?" I asked with a small smile.
"Yes. And I am still all in." She said back smiling back at me.
I pulled her in for a kiss that started simple and sweet but grew into something more. A kiss of two people breathing fire into each other's souls, a kiss of two soul mates who were about to go fight the battle of their lives side by side. Our lips and tongues were moving in perfect unison until the moment that they parted. I don't even know how much time has passed but we looked into each other's eyes before touching our foreheads together. "You ready my warrior princess?" I asked her.
"I'm ready my mysterious stranger." She answered back. "Let's go."
"Make sure your weapons are out as soon as we approach the cave. They could be right there waiting for us." I told Bonnie and Elena before we left the clearing. "Remember cut off their heads."
We all took a deep breath before leaving the woods to approach the cave. As we got closer to the entrance, we couldn't see inside because it was total darkness. "Bonnie you still have that torch that Varro gave you?"
"Got it." She said, "It looks like we are going to need it."
Bonnie lit the torch before we crossed the threshold of the cave. There was still no sign of the Shadow Demons. We stepped inside and slowly walked forward. The cave was tall with stalactites pointing down from the ceiling that dripped a foul smelling liquid. We couldn't see more than 4 feet in front of us, meaning they could be right upon us at any moment. Soon we came upon a fork in the cavern.
"Which way should we go?" Elena whispered
"Whatever we do we shouldn't separate." I said before noticing Margaret's ring glowing softly in the dark.
"Maybe it's telling us where to go." Bonnie whispered. "Does it stop glowing if we go down one of these tunnels?"
I covered Elena as she started walking into one of the tunnels. Sure enough the ring went dark. We tried the other one and the ring stayed illuminated. "Well would you look at that," I said, "I guess to the right it is. Bonnie, maybe you should take the ring, it will help you find it faster."
"I can't. The magic from the ring will draw them to me. I'm going to have to find it on my own."
We quietly continued down the right tunnel until we heard something ahead. "Did you hear that?" Elena whispered.
"Stay alert," I replied, "They could make themselves known at any moment."
Just as I finished my sentence we were in a massive cavern, like the main ballroom of a mansion. That's when we realized where we were. This was the main gathering place. In front of us was a mass of Shadow Demons, at least 20 but probably more that we couldn't see in the dark. They made a horrible hissing sound that showed their obvious distain for our presence there. They rose up and started coming towards us.
"Elena and I will start taking these guys down. Bonnie, go find the Amulet. Go!" I took my sword and sliced through the neck of the one closest to me. "Bonnie GO!"
Bonnie took off when the mayhem began. As they came towards me I sliced through each one pretty efficiently. My vampire speed was definitely working to my advantage. This might be easier than I thought. Elena and I might be able to…
Elena.
In the midst of fighting off the cloaked figures I tried to glance over at Elena to see how she was handling the situation. She seemed okay and managed a glance back my way. The nod of her head in between sword swings told me she was just fine. They kept coming at us in the dark and my thoughts went to Bonnie. "I hope Bonnie finds that damn thing soon. I'm not sure how much longer we can hold these guys off."
"Guys!" Bonnie called out from another tunnel, "I can't find it! We need the ring!"
Elena looked at me and knew what she had to do. "I'll go and protect her. Are you okay here on your own?"
"I'm fine, just please be careful Elena! Go get it!" I yelled back at her. I can't believe that we are splitting up but it's the only way. I saw her speed towards the tunnel and disappear into it. Only a few of the creatures followed, leaving the rest of them to me.
"You're messing with the wrong vampire you creepy faceless pains in the ass!" I yelled back at them while swinging my weapon wildly. I was in an unstoppable rage and they didn't have a chance. Everything was moving in slow motion until suddenly it was quiet and all I could hear was the sound of my own breathing. I evaluated my surroundings and saw too many dead Shadow Demons to count. It was just the dead creatures…and me.
Then I saw Bonnie emerge from the tunnel holding the Amulet. She was alone. The possibilities of where Elena was paralyzed me with fear until I saw her running out of the tunnel behind Bonnie. "Damon!" She called out to me.
"Elena thank god." I said as we ran to each other and embraced. "Are you alright?"
"Fine. We got it now lets get the hell out of here."
That's it for now! Will they make it back to the stone circle without incident? Will the Amulet work and start the return spell? What will happen if they pass back through to New Orleans? The next chapter will reveal all Hope you liked it…please review!