9. Tear You Apart
"By the way, quite the collection of salads downstairs…" Damon said after a moment, trying to break the ice after such a charged confession. "Okay, so I'm freaking out a little. What? Am I not allowed?" Amber confessed, avoiding his eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she gave up her pride that easily. She could now understand why people always said that love made you do stupid things.
He said he had missed her, but those words didn't exactly register in her ears now. They were ringing hysterically, all she wanted to do was hold on to him and never let go. This void in her chest was swallowing her fast, consuming her heart that pumped so incredibly fast, she was sure she was going to explode. And she never felt more naked, assuming Damon could effortlessly hear her heart roar and see those tears standing in her black eyes. She was right on the brink.
Smiling quietly Damon lowered his gaze for a moment, and it felt like a relief for Amber. His blue diamond-like eyes pierced every inch of her, penetrating straight into her soul in a manner she couldn't ignore. She was finally able to look away, her mind roaming so fast - like a train before the collision.
"Okay, so what's next?" she asked gravely, not wanting any more of his joking or sarcasm. "No idea, I'm starving." Damon replied lightly, not giving his answer much thought. Raising her wrist in front of his face, she giggled but then put it down at once. "I'm serious Damon. I don't want you to hurt yourself, or others." Amber said without waiting too long. "I'm a vampire, that's what we do. We feed on humans. If you wanted the broody sensitive brother you should have gone for Stefan." Damon spat and rose to his feet.
He was now struggling on the inside. It has been quite a while since he was with someone. He and Elena were never actually dating, because she never wanted it to happen. And well, him and Katherine…it was many years ago, and she turned him into a complete wuss. Damon was terrified Amber would have the same effect on him.
Rising to her feet at once, she walked towards him and laid one hand on his shoulder. "I'm not like her. I won't take advantage of your feelings." Her voice promised with so much courage. Damon froze for a moment, her response was so accurate, as if she was reading his mind. "You don't understand," Damon replied quickly, shaking off her hand. "I don't want to love you. I wish I didn't." he said and his earth-shattering eyes widened in fear as he gave her a serious look. Her heart throbbed, he was acting as if an unfortunate fate was forced upon him. She wasn't used to the vulnerability of the situation, Damon never felt like the victim – or at least didn't show it.
"Usually, When I feel like this I just go out and hunt me a little school girl. But I can't do that, I can't be like that anymore." His hands were suddenly floating in the air, slowly, making their way up her forearms and finally resting over her shoulders. It felt like forever since they were this close, but Damon didn't look so good. He had red sacks under his eyes, and it seemed like they were darkening by the moment. "I want you." He said softly, and a crooked smile spread across his face for a second. As it disappeared, his expression was intense and serious as always.
"I want all of you." He added, growing closer and closer, his lips now inches from hers. "I want your blood." The desire spoke from his mouth at last, and suddenly, he was holding her neck too tight. Pushing away from him, she could now see his monstrous side taking a full shape, his fangs ready to attack and his eyes as black as coals. "No Damon!" she screamed and rushed down stairs towards the exit. She could hear Stefan on the front porch. He was screaming, asking what's going on there, trying to speak with Damon. Before she could even reach for the handle, he caught her again, pinning her against the wall and growling in desire.
"Got a big plan, his mind's set, maybe it's right
At the right place and right time, maybe tonight
In a whisper or handshake sending a sign
Wanna make out and kiss hard, wait never mind
Late night, in passing, mention it flip to her
Best friend, it's nothing, maybe it slipped
but the slip turns to terror and a crush to like
when she walked in he froze up, leave it to fright
It's cute in a way, till you cannot speak
And you leave to have a cigarette, knees get weak
escape was just a nod and a casual wave
Obsess about it, heavy for the next two days
It's only just a crush, it'll go away
It's just like all the others it'll go away
Or maybe this is danger and you just don't know
You pray it all away but it continues to grow
I want to hold you close
Skin pressed against me tight
Lie still, and close your eyes girl
So lovely, it feels so right
I want to hold you close
Soft breath, beating heart
As I whisper in your ear
I want to fucking tear you apart."
"You have no idea how well you smell…" he whispered with a mischievous smile. Looking straight into his eyes, Amber could see nothing beyond the darkness in them. They were blank and blocked. He opened his mouth a little, ready to bite, and just as he was about to sink his teeth into her, she closed her eyes and spoke. "I hate you, Damon Salvatore! You're weak! No wonder they both chose Stefan!" she yelled in his face as tears came up in her eyes. When she finally dared to look at him, his eyes were quickly fading to their normal icy blue shade, and they looked destroyed. His grip on her slowly slipped away and he started walking back in weakness. She felt like she had just staked his heart and twisted the wood while it was still stuck inside of him. Running outside, she was suddenly wrapped inside two masculine arms, looking up, she met Stefan's dark greens and just nodded in gratitude. "I should have listened to you." She mumbled and buried her face in his chest.
After the incident Amber was willing to invite Stefan in, he took a quick tour around the house just to make sure Damon was gone and then made Amber some tea and suggested they'd sit and talk. His phone went off a few times, but Stefan kept dodging the calls. Amber knew who was on the other line, and she could imagine how Elena must have been freaking out by now. She couldn't completely concentrate on their conversation since she kept wondering why he was avoiding his girlfriend.
At first they weren't talking about Damon, Stefan had the brains to avoid mentioning his name while her heart still fluttered weakly. Amber told him that she was living alone, that moving to Mystique Falls was merely a mistake, and that she always knew about vampires. And Stefan just sat there and listened. He was sitting very still, his elbows resting stable on the kitchen board, and his eyes smart and observant. He let her talk for a while, until she finally ran out of words, and that's when he shifted for the first time. Placing his left palm on his right shoulder, Stefan's lips curved up into a brief smile and then he looked away.
"You are a good girl, Amber. You don't deserve this. You need to let him go." Stefan announced calmly. Shaking her head in disapproval, Amber thought she simply couldn't. "Yes, you can do it." Stefan said instantly, as if he was reading her mind. Staring blankly at the table beneath her, she quieted for a moment but then complained again. "What do you know about complicated relationships, you and Elena have it so easy…" she said, and she could feel him freezing in his place upon hearing those words.
"I'm sorry!" she hurried to take her words back, but Stefan simply smirked and shook his head. "Believe me, the relationship between me and Elena is everything but easy." He revealed calmly, and she could feel his wise eyes on her but could only being herself to look him in the eye after what seemed like an eternity.
Then, Stefan rose to his feet as she heard the chair being dragged behind him, and he simply laid his hand on her shoulder lightly. "I'll tell you what," he started off, as casual is ever. "How about, you keep a wooden stake under your pillow tonight? Mm?" he offered with a small smile, as if he was just talking about the weather and not about stabbing his own flesh and blood. "You have the permission to stake my brother if he goes after you again." his green eyes were reassuring. "Do you need more vervain?" he asked, willing to give her more if her supply was running out. "I'm good, thanks." Amber nodded dismissively, squeezing his hand ever so softly.
"Thank you, Stefan." She said, looking up to him. "You're welcome." He replied, the edges of his lips curving up for just a moment, and the second her eyelids fluttered shut in a brief blink – he was gone.
