Chapter 7

"No. No way in hell, Damon," Bonnie hissed, starting for the front door.

She was furious, mostly at herself. Of course it all came down to blood with him. She was a fool to think that Damon could ever think about anything but his own bloodlust. She was nearly to the door when he appeared in front of her, his expression patronizing and annoyed.

"Would you just stop and listen?" he demanded, blocking her. He raised his hands like he was going to physically stop her, but thought better of it and let his arms falls back at his sides.

"Get out of my way," she ordered, unnerved by how close he was to her now. She watched his tongue sneak out to wet his lips before he sighed.

"Calm down, OK? Just … relax and listen to me."

"I'm not doing some … blood exchange with you, Damon," she snapped, taking a step back to put distance between them. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. Why had she thought coming to a vampire's house alone was a good idea? She could feel her body tensing, waiting for an imminent fight.

He made a face, as if reading her mind. "I'm not going to hurt you, Bonnie."

"Said the vampire to the human," she quipped, trying to steady her nerves.

"Just … come sit down and let me explain," he said, his tone gentle. He held his hands up. "I promise, I won't touch you."

She was still hesitating, watching him with wary eyes.

"Please?" he asked finally, exasperated. His eyebrows raised expectantly.

She pressed her lips together and nodded slowly, turning and walking back into the family room. She took a seat on the couch, watching as he sat on the other end. She leaned her back against the arm and drew her legs up, hugging her knees to her chest and not exactly caring if the mud of her shoes stained the leather.

Damon draped an arm across the back of the couch and studied her for a second. "Sometimes I forget how young you really are."

Her back stiffened. "I'm not going to sit here while you insult—"

"Can I finish?" he interrupted, his blue eyes piercing her.

The words died in her throat and she nodded slowly.

"You're still new at being a witch, and I'm sure there's a bunch about your Powers you don't know or understand. I've been around enough witches to know that the type of Power you have, the natural abilities you seem to have, takes most years to learn."

She didn't know what to say. It almost sounded like he was complimenting her.

"How much do you know about vampires?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Not much. Emily mentioned them in her grimoire, but never went into detail. And Grams … she knew the basics."

A slow smile started on his lips. "The basics?"

She titled her head at an angle. "How to kill them."

He swallowed and flinched. He deserved that. "The more … human blood we take, the more powerful we get. Our Power is similar to a witch's, but … different."

Her frowned matched his. She was still confused. "OK."

"We can't do spells or summon the elements the way you can. Our Power is basic parlor tricks, nothing elaborate or fancy. But it's Power all the same. Blood is life to a vampire," he told her, his tone surprisingly serious. "Blood is how we survive, so our blood is—"

"—Powerful," she finished for him. "OK. I get that. But why—"

"Us exchanging blood would enable you to …" He paused and sighed, seemingly unhappy to be revealing all of this. "You would be able to draw off my Power. It would enhance your own."

"And I wouldn't be so drained when I finished spells," she surmised thoughtfully.

His brows lifted. "See? I told you this wasn't a bad idea."

"Would you be able to draw off my Power?" she asked suddenly, her gaze intense.

He shifted, uneasy. "Not the way you think. A witch's blood is more … potent than a normal human's. So, yes, I might get a few added side effects, but I couldn't draw Power from you once I stopped feeding."

She flinched at that word. Feeding. It sounded so primitive. "But why do you have to feed off of me?"

"It establishes a link. Part of you in me, part of me in you. It makes the connection stronger."

"So you've done this before then?"

Half his mouth curved up, his gaze went distant as he remembered. "Once. It was years ago."

"With Emily?" Bonnie asked after a second.

He shook his head. "No. Never with Emily, or any of the Bennett line."

"You mean until you attacked me in the woods?"

He flinched. "That was … different. And I did apologize for that."

She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"It wouldn't be like before," he said after a long pause. "And I won't force you."

Bonnie took a few steadying breaths, contemplating the offer. There was no easy answer to what he was proposing. "I don't … I don't know."

He nodded slowly. "Think about it. But it is an option."

"You really care that much about protecting Elena?" she pressed, resting her chin on her knees and stifling a yawn.

His expression was serious as he answered her. "I like the life I have here. I don't want to change it right now. Elena has become a … friend."

Now Bonnie smirked. "A friend? You think of her as only a friend?"

"She makes me feel human," he answered, somewhat uncomfortable. "I'd forgotten what that felt like."

She gave him a sad smile. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

He chuckled. "Human life does seem more complicated than life as a vampire. Too many emotions."

"Stupid humans," Bonnie muttered, giving in to a yawn.

His lips twisted into a half-smile. "Stupid humans," he agreed. He watched her a second longer, taking in the way her eyelids were beginning to droop. "Why don't I drive you home?"

Her eyes opened then as she tried to force herself awake. "No. I can drive myself."

"Can't have you falling asleep and getting into an accident," he chided, getting up.

Her eyes slid shut as she let his words sink in. "Caroline. I wonder how she is."

Damon stood over her. "If something happened, her mother would have called you, right? Maybe she's fine."

Bonnie shook her head, spearing her fingers through her hair. "I can't lose anyone else I love."

"There's nothing you can do for her," he pointed out unnecessarily.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared up at him. "Don't you think I know that?"

He knelt before her. "Then worry about what you can control. Tomorrow you need to start getting things ready for when Katherine finally decides to show up."

"Not tonight?" she asked, her tone acidic.

"Tonight you need sleep," he told her firmly. "Stefan is with Elena, Jenna, and Jeremy at the hospital, and I doubt Katherine would try anything in public so soon. She won't want anyone to know she's here."

"Great. One night of peace," Bonnie mumbled, shaking her head.

Damon stood up and looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "You should go home. Let me get my keys and I'll drive you."

"What about my car?" she reminded him.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. We'll take your car. I can run back."

She hesitated and listened. "Sounds like it started raining."

"You saying you care about me getting wet?" He grinned.

She frowned and rubbed her eyes. "I'm saying I'm tired and irrational and it's coming off as me giving a damn about you."

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Right. Let me get my keys."

Damon ran up to his room and got the key to his Mustang from the table beside his bed. He turned and ran back down the stairs. He came into the living and stopped short in front of the couch.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head.

Bonnie had fallen asleep.


"What happens after he turns?" Elena whispered, her eyes never leaving her brother's face. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. She rubbed her eyes, hoping Jenna came back soon with coffee. She needed caffeine if she was going to stay awake.

Stefan rubbed her back in slow, lazy circles. "I can teach him the ropes."

She turned her head to look at him, her hair falling in a silky curtain across her face. She pushed it aside. "I'm really glad you're here."

He smiled warmly at her, squeezing the muscles in her neck gently. "Where else would I be?"

Elena caught Stefan's hand in hers and brought it to her lips as Jenna came back in the room carrying a tray with three cups of coffee. She froze in the doorway, staring at Elena.

"Hey," she said finally, her voice strange.

"Hey," Elena repeated, her brow furrowing. "Everything OK?"

"I …" Jenna frowned and looked down the hall before swinging her gaze back to Elena and laughing softly. "I think I'm losing my mind."

A smile played on Elena's lips as she exchanged confused looks with Stefan. "What do you mean?"

Jenna handed them each a drink before sitting on the other side of Jeremy's bed and crossing her legs. "I could have sworn I just saw you downstairs near the vending machines."

Stefan went rigid, his dark eyes widening as he looked at Elena.

"But I've been here the whole time," Elena protested slowly, horror filling her eyes as she glanced back at her boyfriend.

Jenna smiled thinly, not noticing their sudden panic. "Then you must have a twin running around here."