Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or these characters. I just write this story with Peachie X.
Thank you so much for your reviews and of course for your suggestions.
Damon paced a small area of the sidewalk clutching Elena's cellphone. He was trying to place the scent of the person or thing that had taken her. He was deep in thought his brow furrowed as his blue eyes pierced through the night. He had run in every direction and he couldn't find which way they had gone. 'It had to be a vampire.' Damon decided. He had only been a few moments behind Elena. Everything must have happened very quickly.
He heard two pairs of footsteps walking toward him, he recognized them immediately as Stefan and Meredith even without looking in their direction. He had called Stefan as soon as he realized Elena had been taken telling him where to meet and to bring Meredith just in case she was in danger as well. 'It's always Elena though.' He scowled. Her likeness to Katherine would get her into more trouble then she would ever realize. Damon wasn't sure if this was about Katherine though. One thing he did know was that it was all too coincidental that he was in town asking questions and suddenly someone kidnapped Elena plus they left her cellphone behind if it was a vampire, which Damon was sure of at this point, the dropped cellphone was a direct indication to him that she was taken. 'It was on purpose.'
Stefan shifted his feet staring at Damon. He knew that look, he knew Damon was rolling over the possibilities in his mind, creating a plan. Stefan didn't want to interrupt. If there was one good thing he could say about his brother it was that Damon was crafty. He knew how to track and plan better then most other people or vampires Stefan knew.
Meredith was growing increasingly anxious and decided to break the silence. "Damon?" She asked and Damon's eyes snapped to hers. She had to resist the urge to take a step back as she was pinned by the coldness in his eyes. "Stefan said you think Elena's run off?" Meredith's eyes met Damon's, concern for her friend flooding her features. "Taken." Damon bit out.
"Taken? By who?" Stefan stepped toward his brother his hands starting to tremble in rage. "That dear brother is the million dollar question." Damon started walking toward the parking lot, Meredith and Stefan at his heels. "Why was she out here in the first place?" Meredith whispered. "She went for a walk." Damon replied. Stefan ran forward and pulled at his brother's shoulder effectively stopping him. "What happened Damon, why was she outside alone?" Damon laughed and ran his hands through his hair. "So, this is my fault? Where were you? Can we save this for later, we really should be saving your girlfriend. Get in." He started walking to the car slipping in it with out a word, the pair following behind.
After speeding through the streets for awhile Stefan recognized the area they were in. "Smith?" Stefan looked at Damon. "He was the only person who knew we were here." He replied.
Meredith stared out the widow trying to comprehend the situation they were in. Elena, her best friend, had been kidnapped. Meredith knew things like this happened when one dated a Salvatore. She heard the stories from Bonnie and Elena. Even Damon had filled her in on some of his past transgressions, although she was certain she only knew a small portion of them. She was worried about her friend, she could only hope they would find her before anything more horrible could happen. The way Damon and Stefan were acting showed Meredith this was a very serious situation.
The tires of the car squealed as they came to a stop outside of a small unmarked shop. Stefan and Damon leapt from the car and sprung to the door. Damon's hand stopped on the door handle as he turned and looked at Meredith. His eyes were darkened. At that moment Meredith could physically see he was inhuman. It made her shiver with excitement or fear she'd have to think on that later."Stay out of the way and stay behind one of us." He said to her. "Don't worry, we'll keep you safe." Stefan gave her a gentle smile and followed Damon inside.
The shop was musty and filled with tarnished antiques and cobwebs. "What is this place?..." Meredith started to whisper before she was shushed by one of the vampires. Damon gave Stefan a nod and went to the cash register as Stefan stood next to a closed door on the other side of the room. Damon pushed the old cash register to the floor, the crash echoed off the old walls. The till opening and coins emptied onto the floor. Meredith saw a light come on under the door Stefan was standing by. "I've got a gun you pain in my ass! If I make it out there and you are robbing my store I'm going to shoot you!" A voice yelled from the other side of the door. Stefan responded by raising his fist and slamming it back down a dirty display case instantly shattering it. Meredith heard the owner of the voice shuffling to the door. The door flung open and Meredith raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sudden intrusion of light.
A stout man had appeared. His halo of white hair sticking out in every direction, his short robe pushed behind his large belly. Meredith could see him squinting into the shop, trying to see the culprits and his eyes landed on Meredith. He raised the shotgun he was holding "What are you doing in my shop?" He asked bewildered. Meredith raised her hands looking back and forth between Stefan and Damon who were still safely hidden in the shadows. "I..I..I'm sorry?" She muttered stumbling backwards. The stout man took a step into the shop and in that same moment the man fell to his knees with Stefan holding his neck from behind. Damon now holding the shot gun. Meredith's mind struggled to keep up with the quickness of the action.
Damon clicked his tongue. "Smith, I'm disappointed. I figured you would be smarter then that. Make it more of a challenge.." Smith looked up at Damon, struggling in Stefan's grasp. "Mr. Salvatore? What do I owe the pleasure." He choked out with as much sincerity as the situation could allow.
Damon was instantly in front of Smith, only centimeters from his face. He could feel his eyes brimming with red as his lips curled around his fangs. "I want to know where my.." Damon hesitated on the word for only a moment. For Stefan it was a longer moment then for Meredith who was still staring wide eyed at the situation before her. "my friend.." Damon finished his eyes becoming the darkest obsidian. He heard a gasp behind him and he glanced back to see Meredith staring at his brother. Stefan's eyes and features matched Damon's.
Damon smirked and looked back to Smith, he quirked his eyebrow waiting for the answer. "I.. I don't know what you are talking about? Who? Please let me up." Damon sighed and forced his features back to normal. He stood up and motioned for Stefan to pull up the man. He backed away from him and Stefan released his hold on the shop owner. Smith let out a cough as he filled his lungs with unrestricted air. "Who has been here since we left the other day?" Stefan asked casually as he leaned against the wall folding his arms, his features also returning to normal.
Meredith was still completely stuck in place, her eyes darting from one man to the other. She felt breathless. She noticed at this time she was thinking of the most random silly thoughts one might have in a situation like this.'Elena was going to return that blouse she bought the other day.' and 'I wonder if Stefan and Damon were ever assassins.' among the many things that passed through her mind. She tried to snap herself back to the present. Realizing she was in completely new territory, never before having a bigger problem then changing schools her mood quickly sobered. She recognized the look that suddenly crossed the mans face, as it matched closely to her own. Fear. She wasn't afraid of her personal safety like the portly man was. No, she was scared for what she was about to witness this man go through if he didn't give the information both brothers were so clearly demanding.
Smith seemed to be weighing his options slowly creeping back toward the door he came out of. Relief temporarily showing in his eyes as he was about to step back into the apartment. Stefan immediately had him pinned leaning over the counter across the room from the door snarling in the petrified man's ear. "What do you know?" He growled. Meredith momentarily thought about how romantic it was the Stefan was acting this way for her friend. "I don't know what you're talking about I haven't talked to anyone." Stefan's eyes darkened again, his grip on Smith's throat tightening as he noticed a small cut on the man's forehead dripping slowly onto the counter top below. Stefan inhaled deeply as his features twisted, his beast within raring to the surface.
"Stefan." Damon interrupted softly. He noticed Stefan's struggle with his blood lust and decided to take over. Stefan walked away from Smith, Damon quickly taking his place. Slamming his head into the counter he smirked. "Well, now that I've saved you from being drained in the middle of your...quaint..shop here, you can tell me who was here. I'll save you the trouble of lying and tell you, I can smell someone else has been here." Smith groaned under Damon's grip. "I'm running out of patience Smith, I also can promise you, I can make your pain last a long time." He put his mouth to the mans ear and whispered menacingly "I'll even enjoy it."
"OK two vampires were here a few hours after you left. They wanted to know if anyone had asked about that device you showed me." Damon let him stand, his knees were shaking so he leaned against the counter for support. "Who were they?" Smith shook his head. "I don't know, they didn't tell me, but they were doing exactly what you are doing now. So I told them the Salvatore brother's were in town. I gave them the number you gave me. They made a call to someone and then asked me where you were staying. I didn't know that, of course, but I told them about your car. I'm sorry, you have to understand I was just trying to survive." Damon laughed darkly at the man. "I still haven't decided if that's going to happen."
Stefan was watching the scene in front of him, he was resisting the urge roll his eyes at Damon's aggressive behavior. Damon loved being in control and he was reveling in letting his vampire instincts control him for this short amount of time. 'I've been so caught up in being human, I've missed this.' He smiled to himself turning on his heel and casually pacing in front of the scared man. Damon sighed and looked towards the ceiling his eyes at their darkest, red veins prominently surrounding his features.
Meredith gasped at the sight of Damon obviously taking enjoyment out of the shaking shopkeeper's fear. At the sound of her gasp and increasing heart rate Damon brought his eyes to hers and smirked. Meredith had never felt so conflicted in her life 'Monster. A beautiful monster.' Her eyes wide and unable to tear away from Damon.
Stefan, however, was well aware of Damon's thought process, Damon was actual deciding on whether or not to let Smith live. "Damon, I think that's all he knows. We should go and not waste anymore time." Smith glanced gratefully at Stefan. Damon's eyes hardened as he locked eyes with his brother. "No." Damon said. Smith's heart rate filled the room seeming to echo off the walls. Stefan watched his brother and noticed behind him Smith was slowly getting up. Damon was well aware Smith was standing, he also wasn't surprised when Smith slowly started to pull something from his pocket, Damon sensed all of these movements. He saw the reflection in Stefan's eyes of the man walking behind him attempting to strike him.
Damon had Smith against the counter, his hand wrapped around the arm that Smith was holding a stake in his hand trembling regretting his actions immediately. Damon's face returned to it's human form as he started to laugh. "You know Smith, I have to give you credit. You thinking you had even the remote chance of killing me is impressive. Probably one of the stupidest things you've ever done though, because, you tried to stake..me." Damon's eyes narrowed as he growled "What else do you know?"
"I don't know..." Smith screamed in agony. Damon now held the stake and the shopkeeper's arm dangled limply, broken at the elbow. Meredith quickly covered her ears, trying her hardest to remain calm.
"Let's try this again, shall we? I'm running out of time. I will hurt you until I hear what I want to hear. Doing things you will not heal from. I wont kill you Smith. No, when I'm done, you will wish I had.." Damon was interrupted by Smith. "I know where they are staying..." Smith spit out in between his labored breaths.
"What the hell was that!" Meredith screamed after they reached the car. "Welcome to our world sweetness. Now you know what all the warnings were about." Damon smirked. "Was all of that completely necessary? I mean you really scared that poor man!" Meredith protested. Her mind thought about the tears that streamed down the portly shopkeeper's face as he realized Damon was going to let him live, but only after Stefan's insistence.
Damon let out a frustrated sigh and tried to remain calm, the last thing he wanted to deal with was an overemotional girl. "She's right Damon." Stefan said thoughtfully. "You got the information but there was no need to torture him like that."
Damon remained glaring out onto the road ahead of him. "We had to find her right away. We don't know what they want to do with her. We have to find her.. now." He replied somberly his voice barely loud enough for Meredith to hear. 'I guess Elena and Damon are a lot closer then I thought. He cares a lot about a girl who is dating his brother...' Her eyes focused on the blur of buildings passing by the window. She briefly wondered if she had been the one taken, would Damon be so desperate to find her. Meredith frowned and decided to think on it more after they found her friend.
Elena's eyes slowly opened as her mind raced to remember the events that led her to this place and this massive headache. The last thing she remembered was someone saying her name and feeling a sharp pain on her temple. She groaned as she lifted her head. The side of her face felt swollen and ached when she winced. Elena took in the sight around her, there was minimal light coming from an unknown source. The walls were concrete and she realized she was in the middle of the room and tied to a chair. She struggled against the binds pulling at them as hard as she could. She let out a frustrated yell. "Hello?" She called out into the darkness.
Suddenly a man was right in front of her. She gasped and leaned back in her chair away from him. Her eyes met his determinedly. She tried to show she was not intimidated but her racing heart seemed to have a mind of it's own.
"Did you rest well?" The vile man said casually. His eyes were a murky brown, his skin ashen and gray. His teeth were red and covered in blood. He leaned closer to her spraying blood from his mouth onto her face as he spoke. "You woke just in time, I've been trying to be patient and wait for you. I almost couldn't help myself." His eyes traveled to her leg where she noticed a rip in her jeans that was surrounded by her blood. "But I didn't bite, I just... cleaned it." His eyes met hers again, they were wide as he feigned innocence. "I've forgotten how breakable you humans are.. I've never tried to keep one.. alive." He laughed maniacally. 'This guy is absolutely insane.' In any other situation Elena might have chuckled at her thoughts but she was fully aware of the necessity in keeping an insane vampire calm.
"Well, I'm alive, why am I here?" She asked slowly. The man laughed again. "Because some vampires don't know when to mind their business. For some reason those brother's feel the need to be vigilantes and go against the collective mentality." Elena widened her eyes as the vampire's meaning translated in her head. "What is the collective mentality?" She was surprised at how level and calm her voice was. The man gripped the tops of her thighs his eyes suddenly darker. His inner beast took control as he bent over her. She could feel his breath ghosting her face. She struggled against the urge to look away.
"To destroy them all." His hands were visibly shaking her legs in rage, his hold continued to tighten. Elena cried out in pain, the sudden noise seeming to calm him immediately he stepped away from her chuckling."So easily broken."
Elena's head and legs throbbed but she was only slightly terrified. Elena was certain she'd be saved. Her life had been in danger more then once since the recent intrusion of the Salvatore brothers in her life. Each time she had survived and each time there was one constant to her survival. 'Damon.'
That was a little longer then usual . Anyway. Please let me know what you think so far. Thank you so much for reading this.
