Chapter 10

Disclaim : I do not own Vampire Dairies.

Elena's POV

"Get the fuck out of here." That was Damon yelling. I wonder why he was yelling. "If I wanted to speak to you I would go to your fucking room. Now fucking leave!" He sure did sound angry. I open my eyes and I am almost blinded by the light and I quickly cover my eyes with the linen.

I hear some movement and then the door is closed. There is movement to my side and the there is weight shifted on the opposite side of the bed, arms are wrapped around me and I'm pulled into an embrace. There is a soft kiss placed on the top of my head. "Sorry to wake you." Damon's voice is soft and caring?

I remove the linen from my head and I look to my side and I am face to face with Damon. He seems conflicted and worried at the same time. I briefly wonder why he would be worried. A yawn escapes me and I start to stretch only to feel that all my limbs are stiff. And my body is sore. Memories of the previous night came rushing back. I had been intimate with Damon… We had sex… I was still covered in the blood of last night. I turn around in Damon's embrace and I am face to face with him now.

"I need to clean up." I say as a blush creep onto my cheeks, realization dawning on Damon's face. He loosens his arms around me and moves to the side of the bed quickly getting up from the bed.

"Do you need help?" he asks and I give him a small smile.

"I'll be okay." My voice is slightly above a whisper but he nods. I move and all my joints are really sore. But I swing my legs of the edge of the bed and stand from the bed grabbing the linen to cover my bare body. My legs feel wobbly as I try to find my balance and I somewhat stumble to the bathing chambers. When inside I half rush to the bath and drop the linen quickly getting in. The water sooths my sore muscles as I sit back and try to relax.

It had really happened. It had been more intense then I had expected. It had been complete bliss. The pain only a small reminded of what I was not prepared for. And a constant reminded that my purity had been taken from me. I would never be the person Klaus wanted me to be. Now that I wasn't pure anymore would Damon want me? That question spiked fear deep within me.

What if Damon had gotten what he wanted all along? What if he was going to just hand me back to Klaus now that he has ruined me. A tear runs down my face because this all could become a reality. I start to cry uncontrollably because I had not been prepared for this. I could have made the biggest mistake of my life.

"Elena?" Damon's voice asks from behind me as he enters the bathing chamber. I refuse to look at him. He wouldn't understand. He walks over to me and places a sponge and a piece of soap next to me. When I don't respond he calls my name again. "Elena?" I just can't face him and I start to cry harder. I bring my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around myself. I hear splashing and then Damon is next to me in the water and he pulls me to him, my head resting on his chest. "Elena are you hurt? Did I hurt you last night?" Damon's voice is soft and calm and I can't believe that he's asking this.

Even thou it had been my first time and he had not been gentle. "I'm okay." I reply in between sobs.

"I got caught up in the moment. I didn't mean to be so rough. I'm so sorry." He tries to apologies as he kisses the top of my head in a very loving manner and I don't know if he's just acting this way to stop me from crying. "I'm so sorry Elena." He whispers into my hair and I can't help but cry more.

"Damon…" I try to speak in between sobs but I just can't form the words.

"You're worried that this is all I wanted from you. That I'll be sending you back to Klaus?" he states more then asks but its true and I nod my head vigorously. He places his hand on my cheek and he moves my face to look at him but my vision is blurry and I can't focus on him. And he sweetly places a kiss on my lips which stops my tears instantly. He turns us pulling me onto his lap as he is now seated on the 2nd step.

My legs on either side of him and I notice that he has pulled on a robe that I did not notice earlier. His left arm is places firmly around my waist and his right hand keeps my head steady as he pulls me closer and deepens the kiss, almost taking my breath away in the process. I wrap my arms around him neck and I feel like I'm spiralling down the same mess as before.

I'm placing myself in the same position I had been earlier and most probably going to cry my eyes out afterwards. But he's like an addiction I just cannot say no to. He taste different than the previous night, no traces of the vulgar beer that Alaric had given to both of us. His mouth now tasted sweet and like cinnamon. We break for air and Damon places his forehead against mine, and look straight into my eyes.

"I can't stop craving you… every inch of you…"His voice sends shivers down my spine, I press my chest against his and he moans, thrusting his hips upwards. "I want you so badly right now." I am reminded of how pleasurable last night had been. And I wonder briefly if it would hurt like it did last night, would I feel the same pain. Damon moves his hand in between us and softly rubs my slit until he finds my still sensitive nub.

He moves his thumb over my nub in a circular motion as I loudly moan. I start to move my hips in motion of his thump and soon my body starts to quiver in pleasure as my first orgasm overtakes my body and I can't stop shaking. When Damon removes his hand he tries his best to move his robes asside and I feel his manhood brushing against my inner thigh and I shiver.

Damon stops instantly and he looks me straight in my eyes. "If you don't want this just say it." I'm quiet surprise as I frown and push my body to his.

"I want this…" I reply and Damon smiles brilliantly as he positions himself at my entrance, this time easing in softly until he was fully inside me. The grunt that escapes him as my warmth engulfs him is mesmerising. He places both hands on my hips and he starts to move me up and down on him. I soon follow the rhythm that is set and I meet each of his thrust with another, my clit rubbing against him as my orgasm starts to build up again. This time there was only pleasure, more and more pleasure. Damon's mouth crashes down on mine and we are in a heated kiss where our tongues fight for dominance. I start to moan harder and harder as I reach my peak.

"Elena," Damon grunts into my mouth as he starts to move me faster against his own body. His head moving to the side of my neck again and I can't hold on any longer as I reach my second orgasm yelling out his name, Damon still moving, gives two more thrusts before he exploded, biting down on the same spot as the previous night, his grip on me could leave bruises if he held me any tighter. When Damon finally relaxes and lets go of my hips I slump onto him and he presses his forehead to mine closing his eyes. "You are mine…" Damon whispers pressing one last kiss to my lips his arms now securely around me.

I let out a breath of air as I move back still within him embrace, he moves his head down and rest it on my chest. He pulls me closer and it's like he can't keep me close enough. And right now I didn't want him to ever let me go. Maybe he was serious, maybe he wanted me and he meant what he said when he said that I am his.

"As much as I want to stay here with you, we need to get going. Breakfast will soon be served." Damon states as he looks up to me his hair almost covering his eyes.

"Breakfast?" I ask a bit unsure.

"In the main hall, we will be gathering there from now on." Damon states loosening his arms from around me and then softly lifting me from him, I just feel so empty without him and I already miss the contact but I move back and fall into the water totally submerged. I pop up and Damon is laughing as he stares at me completely covered in water. "You finish up in here and I'll get your robes ready so we can go." Damon states and he stands from the water revealing his body and I can't help but blush as I see him in all his glory. "No don't go blushing now love, you know you enjoyed it." He stated pointing to his manhood before turning around and walking to the door.

I make my way to the steps and grab the soap and sponge and quickly make work to wash my entire body. I see to the side there is a towel and as I get out I grab the towel wrapping it tightly around my frame. Before slowly making my way to the mirror which I notices for the first time. It was a large mirror from the floor to the roof on one side of the bathing chamber. I glance at myself and firstly see the big bite mark on the side of my neck. The skin was broken but there was no bleeding.

I open the towel and look at myself… There are some light blue bruises on either side of my hips but nothing to really to worry about but it seemed that was the only damage even thou every inch of my body was sore. I huff out a breath and put the towel back before going to the room. Damon is seated as he is busy with some kind of scroll on the table, not even noticing me.

I look to the chest and a dress is placed out for me and a comb. I grab both items and then move back into the bathing chambers to quickly dry my hair and body before pulling on the dress and working the comb through my hair, untangling it. The wound on my neck is irritated by the necklace Great Wife Ester had given to me but I don't want to take it off because I value it too much. Surprisingly I still had both items that made me wonder why Damon would let me keep it. If it was true that the jewels belonged to Kul-Elna it should not be with me.

I absentmindedly walk out of the bathing chambers and my deep thoughts are interrupted by Damon standing in front of me. "Do you think it's worth it to fall in love?" he asks catching me completely off guard.

"Yes, why?" I answer back in a small voice.

"You're starting to convince me." Damon states looking very serious before moving in and planting a soft kiss on my lips. "You might be worth falling in love with…" he whispers taking my hand and now I was completely off guard because did he mean that he had fallen in love with me? Was it me he was talking about and not Caroline. In my confusion I am lead to the door and out of the room. Walking the same way we had done the previous night as we stop in front of the main hall's doors.

Damon does not wait as he drops my hand and open both door to enter. I look up and the room is filled yet again but there are no commotion, there is no music, no dancing. Everyone is seated and busy eating their breakfast. I follow Damon into the hall and then to the throne chairs, a table is now place in front of the chairs. Alaric and Stefan had already taken their seats. Why was I sitting with them? I could not entertain the thought as we reach the table and take our seats.

A woman walks to the table and serves 4 plates full of food to us. Damon takes two plates and place one in front of me. "The Pharaoh's burial will be in 6 days-time which gives us time to prepare." Alaric states getting every ones attention and I look up frowning. "The tomb will be filled with allot of treasure which we plan on stealing. Two groups will be formed lead by myself and Damon. You will be divided during the day if you will be part of the stealing or defending." Alaric finishes.

Were they really planning on doing this? Had they not put the royal family through enough by killing Pharaoh Michaels? I look to the side, losing my appetite completely. "I just think we need to prepare more. Klaus will be out to kill any thief if we are spotted." Stefan states.

I knew it was true, he would be out looking for their blood, one reason is because he stole me on our wedding night and the other being that his father had been killed. I look to Damon and he is expressionless as he pokes at his food now and then taking a bite.

"When do you plan on giving his whore back to him?" I look to the voice that had just spoke and it is Tyler, he is seated of to the side next to a terrified looking Caroline. Damon slams his fist down on the table as he looks up at Tyler.

"I suggest you fucking keep your mouth, you are not the one making decisions." Damon almost yells his hands now shaking and I'm sure if Tyler was next to him he would lash out. "The girl…" he pauses and looks to me rage evident in his eyes which makes me fear him. "Elena is of no concern of you, any of you. Her stay here will not be limited by any amount of time." Damon finishes as he diverts his sight to the rest of the people in the room.

"Keeping her would serve as better leverage as she is the one Klaus is looking for." Stefan states catch my attention. So is that the only reason why he was keeping me? As leverage? I grit my teeth and look down to the plate because clearly I did not understand what was going on, nor was Damon's intentions real. He wasn't really falling in love with me. He was only keeping me to let Klaus suffer and for his own amusement.

Alaric rises from his seat placing a hand on Damon shoulder. "All discussions concerning Elena will cease. Her fate is within Damon's hands and his alone. I will not tolerate any further discussion concerning her. That is final." Alaric states and I can't help but feel like he stood up for me and in a way he answered a question I had asks Damon. It's true my fate was in Damon's hand.

Damon then moves to stand next to Alaric. "Even with the vulnerability of the palace and the tomb we will not be breaking in to the tomb and stealing the treasure of Pharaoh Michaels. We will grant the royal family time to grief the passing of the Pharaoh. The following days feel free to relax, maybe visit with your family. We will gather again with the next full moon which will be in 8 days." Damon commanded as he sat back down and I look towards him in wonder.

Did he rely just say what I thought he had said? I just could not believe it. He was giving the royal family time to mourn. He was acting almost human. I looked towards the people sitting in front of me and their faces were in utter shock but no one dared to say anything. He even caught Alaric off guard because he was standing next to him with his mouth hanging open but he sat down and he continued with his breakfast.

As Damon finishes his last piece of meat on his plate he looks to my side. "Just eat a few pieces please." He whispered and I look at him, but shrugged and then ate a few grapes and some bread. I pushed the plate forward notifying him that I had finished and he nodded his head even thou I could see that he was not happy. He pushes back from the table to stand up looking over to Alaric. "When you are done please bring her to the stables." Damon stated only for Alaric to hear and then he walked out of the room without a word.

Alaric looks to my side and he looks apologetic. But he continues to eat. No other person utters a word since Damon has left but I can see that some are conflicted and some are overjoyed. Stefan looks conflicted and Tylor seems angry, in the corner of my eye I can see how Caroline is trying to calm him down. As Alaric finishes his plate he stands and moves to my side and he extends a hand towards me which I take shakily.

"Let's get going." Alaric states as we start to walk out of the main hall passing all the other people who do not dare to look up. As we leave the room and the doors close behind us Alaric looks at me. "Don't mind them and don't overthink anything Elena. Damon isn't using you." Alaric almost rushes out.

"But…" I was cut off completely.

"No Elena. Just let Damon show you. I know him and he's protecting you, something he doesn't usually do. So you mean something to him." Alaric says sternly indicating that this discussion was over. Clearly I would not be allowed to give my opinion but if it is true what Alaric just said, I would just have to wait and see.

We soon enter a room completely lit by sunlight, horses naying of to the side. Damon is at the opening, his back to us. As we get near he looks around, and his eyes focusses on me. He pulls a cloak from a nail hanging next to him and he hands it over to me. "Put it on." He commans and his whole attitude completely changed. Alaric leaves my hand and I quickly put on the cloak, before covering my head with the hood. Damon furrows his brow before opening the gate and walking inside the stable.

When he returns a majestic black stallion follows him and he leads him outside into the bright sun. This would be the first time in quite a while that I have been in the sun but I follow him and so does Alaric. As we get outside I scrunch my eyes closed, the sun is just too bright and my eyes have to adjust to it. Damon hops onto the stallion with ease and then extends a hand to me.

I look at him in surprise and then frown to which he furrows his brows again. I had no clue how I would get on the stallion and just thinking of trying to get up the stallion reminded me of how sore my body is. Alaric moves forward grabbing me around my waist and he assists me on to the stallion in front of Damon. I am now straddling the horse, the same way as I did Damon earlier this morning and this makes me blush brightly. Damon quickly adjusts and pulls me closer by wrapping an around arm around me and now I am flush against his body.

"I know you're sore, sorry." Damon whispers in my ear before looking at Alaric. "We'll be back. Keep the place standing till I return." Damon commands and Alaric nods his head.

"Take care of her Damon, don't fuck this up." Alaric says smirking somewhat at Damon's reaction which I cannot see.

"I don't plan on it." Damon states and digs his heal into the stallions back and it starts to gallop. If not for Damon's arm tightly around me I would have fallen from the horse. It's very uncomfortable at first and I regret that I had ever gotten onto the stallion, my body was aching and I was sore. "Sorry." Damon repeats into my ear but I am too distracted by the pain.

There had to be another way, because this was killing me. I look to my side and Damon is focus on riding the stallion. Seeing that there was no other way I try to relax and I wish this ride was over quickly. "Where are we headed?" I speak louder than usual for Damon to hear me.

"Kul-Elna." Damon replied and I frowned… Why would he take me there? A complete ghost village which might be home to all the exiled, if the stories were true it is haunted and we would never make it out of there.

"Kul-Elna?" I ask sounding more concerned than anything else. I remember the ghost stories that High Priest Elijah had told me, I never believed them to be true, that the souls of the murdered haunted the village and that people were never found again but with each passing gallop the stallion took my fear just became bigger. I was never answered as we rode in the sun to a place I didn't want to be near.

The heat was overwhelming and I missed Damon's room already. The silver with the blue bedding instantly cooling my thoughts. I wanted so bad for him to return to where we came from but I knew he would not listen to my reasoning. His hand was still firmly holding me against his body. I was completely trapped but it didn't upset me.

An eerie feeling enters my body as we started to near the village. The village was situated near mountains surrounding of completely. I look up at the sky which is a dark shade of grey which might only be rain clouds but I doubt it. Damon pulls me closer and the stallion increases his speed. The buildings look out of place and some are just pieces left by a devastating fire that had been there. My stomach turned because this was not a sight to see. I shiver and Damon immediately notices.

"Don't be afraid." He whispered into my ear which didn't put me at ease much. As we enter the village there is a darkness which consumes us. To the sides there are decaying corpse lying almost everywhere and I shrink into Damon's embrace. "People were murdered cold heartedly some left to die like these you see lying beside us." Damon states and the stallion slows down and starts to move at a slower pace.

We turned to the side and rode further into the village until we came to a stop. Damon softly removes his arm from around my waist and he gets down from the stallion. He extends both hands towards me and helps me to get of the stallion placing me on the ground. I look around and I can't help but shiver. I did not want to be here, what if we never got out of this place?

"Just stay calm and they won't hurt you." Damon whispers taking my hand. "I want to show you around, this is something that is a part of me and who I am, why I am the way I am." Damon states his eyes now focussed on me with new meaning. I nod my head slowly, his words ringing in my ear that 'they' won't hurt me. I had faith that Damon would not let anything hurt me as he started to lead me. He started at a point of the village, an eerie feeling still making itself known, a suspicion that something, someone was watching us. We stopped at a building with a dark red mark across most of what was left. "People that walked out of the temple had been slaughtered and left for dead. Children attending scribe school had been pulled from their desks and their throats were slit." Damon stated as we passed both the temple and the scribe school.

The sight made me nauseas, my stomach turning as I watched in horror the children's decaying corpses scattering everywhere. It brought tears to my eyes that someone could be so ruthless, they were little children. What had they done to deserve this fate? I look to Damon, his head is bowed as we slowly walk forward. I briefly wonder where had he been when this had started, wouldn't he be in scribe school as well? Wasn't he supposed to lay here among the other children as well.

"Where were you when it started?" I ask and he glances sideways at me as if contemplating whether to answer me.

"I was with my mother, we were on our way home from getting supplies from the bazaar. It started at the temple and then the senate's house, guards started to enter each house, you could hear the screaming a mile away. My mother had pulled me aside begging me to run home and get Stefan." He looks conflicted as he continued his story. "I had dropped everything and I started running as fast as my legs could take me. I remember hearing my mother yelling at me to run faster and then her screaming on the top of her lungs of the pain. I couldn't stop to help her, I couldn't even look back. As I reached our home my father came rushing out with baby Stefan in his arms. He told me to run to the mines as they had been abandoned and they would never think of looking for us there."

This was taking a toll on Damon as he told me his story. Tears now freely ran down my cheeks but I quickly try to dry them with my cloak. "It must have been awful." I reply and step closer to Damon only for him to take a step from me. "I'm sorry Damon." I whisper and he looks up at me, he seems so vulnerable and it motivates me as I take another step towards him.

"I hid myself and baby Stefan in the mine for 2 days without any food or water. I thought we would die. Being a five year old taking care of a 6 month old baby was not what was supposed to happen. The whole village had to die because the Pharaoh had to sacrifice them to the Gods for his family to be blessed and healthy, so they can have a long and healthy life? That didn't help much seeing as he died." Damon said bitterly moving forward and fast.

"What do you mean? Didn't they massacre the whole village because of the criminals?" I asked, my voice soft at this Damon turned around laughing bitterly.

"It all started when the priests of the palace could still be wed, the high priest then, High Priest Elijah's father had found out that his wife had laid with another man. The man had fled to Kul-Elna for safety after High Priest Elijahs mother was murdered by his father after he was born. A few years later while traveling from village to village to collect presents for young prince Klaus the High Priest found the man. Returning to the pharaoh telling him that the city is full of criminals and that if they whole village is massacred the gods would bless him and his family. That is the real reason behind everything. That high priest needed to ensure that the man was killed so he massacred the whole village only to be killed and left here to rot as well, what good it did him." Damon stated and it really made me wonder, did the royal family really try to hide this from every one?

I was confused, how could these people do this? How could people be so ruthless. Anger and hatred filled my body and I couldn't help it. I wanted the Royal family to pay. "I didn't know." I stated out of anger and sorrow.

"No one does and no one will ever know. Do you know what they did to my father?" I shook my head, hoping that he would tell me, that his father made it out alive and that he was fine. But I doubted it. "They hung the men in festival square and left them, the vultures having a feast eating them and ripping them to pieces. I'm glad that Stefan was small that he can't remember the screaming and yelling, the fires and the blood. I have to live with it every second of every day." Damon looked guilty as he furrowed his eyebrows at me turning left. "People ask me how can I be this person, how can I be so ruthless, how can I be the Thief King." His words sunk in as I watched him. "Ask me,"

I frown at him. "Ask you what?" I ask back unsure of what he wanted me to ask him.

"Ask me how can I be this person?" he became aggressive which frightened me and I took a step back. "Ask me!" he yelled.

My lips quivered as I stared at him in fear. "H-h-how c-c-can you b-b-be t-t-this p-p-person?" I asked and my voice soft and shaking and that's when his face softens.

He moves towards me but I move back this time and he stops, sighing. "I am this person because that's what hatred does to a person. I hate the royal family for taking away my family and putting me through hell. Killing them all will bring me so much joy. Some many people had to suffer because one man could not just let it be." Damon stated. I could swear I saw his eyes tearing up but he hid it very well.

"I'm trying to understand…" I softly whisper and he looks up at me in disbelief.

"You're trying to understand? I'm a monster, Elena. I'm a murderer. Tell me how can someone ever love me, knowing exactly how I am and what I did?" he asks and this time when he steps closer I stand still. He places his hands on my shoulders as he searches my eyes. "That's why I don't let anyone near me, I don't let anyone near my heart, because it's not worth it. It's not worth loving someone and then just losing them. It's not worth all that pain." He states his hands firmly holding on to me, his eyes still searching.

"I would risk the pain just to make you believe. Because being loved and loving someone is worth every moment of happiness in the time you have with your loved ones." I reply back confident. He blinks twice as he looks at me trying to figure out if I really meant what I had just said. I meant every world because I remember the love I received from my parents, the unconditional love that Damon would never know. I could see how the royal family loved each other, I knew what it was to fall in-love. To be loved with every fibber of your body, if it was anything like the love I received from my parents. "Every person deserves to be loved at least once in their life, including you." I whisper.

Damon's expression softened and I really meant what I said. Even he did deserve to be loved. And I would be lying to myself if I neglected to take note of how I am feeling about him. I would be in denial if I denied myself the truth. I had fallen head over heels in love with this man in front of me I wanted so badly just to tell him but I just couldn't. This I could not risk, what if he didn't want me? What if I told him and he left me here.

"Thief King…" as voice said from behind Damon and he looked down, now avoiding eye contact.

"Yes?" he almost hissed as he let go of my shoulders and slowly turned around to face the person. Somewhat hiding me behind him. From what or from who would he try and hide me?

"The royal family now have 2 magicians trying their magic to bring Michael back from his death." The voice said in a matter of fact voice.

"We both know that it is a waste of time." Damon stated moving closer, slowly I can see the outline of a person wearing a black cloak, his face hidden from my view. When I am in full view his attention is drawn to me.

"Thief King, who is our guest? You never bring guests." The voice says and I can't help but feel sick at the sound of the voice.

Damon turns to his side to look at me and he frowns before looking back. "Amun, please ensure her safety while here." Damon states as he glances back at me.

"I can sense that she's wearing the royal jewels of Kul-Elna… or rather 2 of the three." The cloaked figure swiftly moved to me in a quick motion making it seem un-real as it now stood in-front of me. I try to move back but a hand grabs my hand stopping me in place. The hand does not feel natural and is digging into my skin, as I look down only to try and loosen the grip I notice that the hand holding mine is half rotten with no flesh on his fingertips and other parts, his fingertips dipping into my flesh almost breaking the skin. "Don't move." The cloaked figure states looking back at Damon.

"She received both from the royal family." Damon states moving closer only to be stopped by the cloaked figure.

"The jewels they had stolen?" Damon nodded as his eyes grew wide. "I see, I will ensure that no harm comes to her." The figure bends down onto one knee my hand still in his. He takes out his other hand and to my surprise it's the same as his other and it makes my stomach turn, file rising up. I wonder if this was real or was I just dreaming. He lets go of my hand and moves his other hand around my wrist and then I feel metal against my skin and when he removes both his hands there is a chain around my arm with bright blue stones which matched both my necklace and ring.

When the figure stands up from his knee the hood of his cloak falls down revealing his decayed face, bits and pieces of flesh hanging from his face some place revealing his scull, he had no eyes as it only shone a brilliant bright blue where his eyes are supposed to be and that's the last thing I remember before my vision went black.