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Shadow Dance
Chapter X: Reality

But you're so contagious
Tell me, what am I to do?
When a fire, and a fever rages

And I have caught it too,
So who's to blame

Fever Dreams
They can only haunt you
'Til the fever breaks
They can only haunt you

-Dashboard Confessional, "Fever Dreams"

Katherine circled me in the dimly lit bedchamber, as shadows from the candles flickered over the walls, sometimes catching her shadow, sometimes catching mine. My heart beat rapidly against my rib cage when she suddenly stopped directly in front of me and ran the nail of her right index finger down my chest. I shuddered at her touch, as I was prone to do.

"You can't tell me," she began in a low, seductive voice, "that you've never wondered what he tastes like?" She lowered her mouth to my neck and began trailing hot, wet kisses over the area, causing me to inhale sharply. "He tastes even sweeter than you, Damon. I think you would enjoy it." She looked up at me through her dark lashes, watching for my reaction.

I exhaled. "No, Katherine. Don't you understand how wrong that would be?" I felt my skin burn as she continued to roam my body with her hands and tease me with her mouth. I fought against the urge to close my eyes and lean in to her delicious, sinful touch. Never before had a woman shown me the things that Katherine had, and for that I was grateful. But there was only so far I was willing to go.

She nipped at my neck with her blunt teeth, but I felt a slight pang of pain when she bit harder than she usually did. "Oh, Damon," she murmured, "don't you wish to please me? It would bring me great pleasure to see you become so involved with Stefan."

I could feel her smiling against my heated flesh and I had to use every ounce of will power I had to deny her. It became considerably harder when I felt her hand slip between my legs; I bit back a moan and rasped, "Stefan is my brother. We are of the same blood." I was having a difficult time concentrating on my argument as she continued to touch me.

"And this isn't?" Katherine whispered. She captured my mouth roughly and thrust her tongue inside, simultaneously shoving her hand into my slacks. "Oh, God, Damon – you're so hard for me right now," she teased between kisses.

"Ah!" I cried out when her hand wrapped around me so smoothly, so easily. My knees went weak when I felt her hand brush up and down my length slowly. It was becoming more and more difficult to fight her seduction – I felt myself leaning into her touch, bringing my hand up to tangle in her long, luxurious curls. How could I possibly deny her anything when she gave me so much?

"Do you know what he does to me?" she continued, a slight smirk playing on her full lips. "I can't even imagine what he would be capable of doing to you." She emphasized her words with a slight squeeze, and I gasped, my head falling against her shoulder.

"Katherine...he's my brother," I said again, hoping that my same, tiresome argument would begin to wear on her slightly.

Her mischievous grin widened. "I know, Damon." As she said this, a knock sounded at my door and she released me to answer it.

I stood in the middle of the room, helpless and confused; aroused and flushed. I had closed my eyes in frustration, groaning slightly. When I opened them again, Stefan was striding towards me as Katherine shut and locked the door. "What are you doing here?" I snapped. "Get out!"

"Damon," he greeted, ignoring my command and the absolute venom in my voice. His shocking green eyes were studying my face carefully. There was something different about him; the way he stood, the way he spoke. And the smirk on his lips was very reminiscent of Katherine.

"Stefan's curious, too, aren't you?" Katherine whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. She had come up behind him, placing a small kiss on the back of his neck. I could see her stroking his arm lightly.

Stefan smiled gently and stepped toward me. "No one will ever have to know, brother. You can trust me."

I stiffened, backing away. "I said no to this preposterous insanity. What is wrong with you, Stefan?" My voice came out with a slight quiver and I did not like it. I could not be frightened of my younger brother.

Stefan would not leave me alone, though; he kept walking towards me until he was standing inches away and the backs of my knees had hit the bed. "Damon," he said softly, reaching out and resting his hand on my shoulder. "If you don't trust me, then don't you at least trust Katherine?" he asked, frowning slightly.

I should have been able to trust her, since I loved her and she loved me, but lately, there had been a dark sense of doubt creeping slowly into my mind. "I don't want to do this," I whispered. "Please – leave." Even I wasn't sure what this was, but the way Stefan was looking at me spoke only of trouble.

"You don't have to be frightened of me," Stefan said softly, suddenly taking my face between his hands. "I can take care of you, Damon." His eyes flickered below for a moment and he licked his lips. "It will feel good – I promise."

"No! Katherine, please," I begged, looking past Stefan to see her just standing there, watching us curiously and delightedly. "Tell him not to do this. Tell him I don't want this!" I moved to push him away but he simply grabbed my wrists and leaned forward until his mouth was inches from mine. His face was dark, only the slightest bit of candlelight dancing over it, and his eyes, usually so brilliant a green, had been significantly darkened by lust.

Katherine simply shrugged, cocking her head to the side. "Why should you deny your brother what he wants, Damon?" Her mouth slowly turned up into a smile.

"Did you do something to him?" I whispered as Stefan's face came closer to mine. "Are you making him do this?"

She simply smirked, and batted her eyelashes. "Why would I do that?" Standing there in her simple shift, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, Katherine looked more powerful than I had ever seen her. For the first time, I felt a prick of genuine fear, as I realized just what she was capable of.

I couldn't stand here any longer, my decisions being condescended and undermined. "Let go of me, Stefan!" I growled, as I began to struggle against him. It only took me a few seconds to realize the fight was in vain; Stefan had my wrists locked in a steel grip from which I could not escaped. He knocked me down onto the bed easily, and before I could fully react, he was crawling on top of me, settling himself between my legs. He leaned down and let his lips hover above mine.

I turned my head to the side, casting a glance at Katherine. "I don't want this."

"Too bad," Stefan whispered, forcing me to turn my head back. He searched my eyes for a moment before lowering his lips down to lightly brush mine. The sweetness of his kiss was very much in contrast to his non-idle hands; they trailed down my chest and stroked the insides of my thighs. I whimpered, half in fear and half in shame at the pleasure I felt.

"Katherine made you nice and hard for me, Damon," Stefan murmured sultrily. He kissed me more firmly before moving his mouth and licking the outside of my ear. "Sometimes she doesn't finish what she starts, but I always finish what I start." He rubbed his hand in slow circles between my legs, causing me to arch into him unintentionally. "Do you want me to finish you, Damon?"

"No!" I raised both my hands and shoved hard against his chest, causing him to topple slightly. I rolled out from under him and jumped gracelessly out of the bed. I stood there on slightly shaking legs, confused at my heightened state of arousal and Stefan's less-than-subtle come-on. I had barely recovered when Katherine slammed me into the wall, so hard that the pictures hanging there rattled.

"Deny it all you want, Damon," Katherine said furiously, "But it won't be long before you're begging your brother to touch you like that again. As a matter of fact..." She gestured to Stefan, who was still recovering from my escape, to come over to us.

I whimpered softly as Katherine held me there, and Stefan came close enough to skim his nose down the sensitive flesh of my throat.

"I can make you cum, Damon. Are you sure don't want that?" Stefan's mouth twitched up into a smirk at the shocked expression on my face before he began kissing my neck, nibbling lightly at it. I felt my eyes close as it became harder to fight the pleasurable sensations lightly teasing my body.

"Katherine's not compelling me," he whispered in to my ear. "This is all of my own free will."

I bit back a groan, suddenly torn between wanting him to touch me and realizing just how wrong it was...

Someone touched my face, caressing my cheek with a warm hand. There were whispered words which I couldn't quite make out, and as I started to awaken, I realized that someone was holding me down, pinning me at the arms.

It dawned on me that I was being held down because I had begun to thrash violently. I felt pressure on the sides of my head and groaned softly. I tried to sit up in the middle of my spasm, eyes still closed, but a cold, firm voice stopped me.

"Stay down," Stefan murmured calmly and evenly.

"Let go of me!" I demanded in a rough voice, thoroughly confused. I slowly opened my eyes, and was greeted by the sight of both Stefan and Elena hovering over me anxiously.

"I'll let go if you calm down," Stefan replied gently.

"Let him go, Stefan," Elena said firmly. She flashed him a worried look.

Stefan let go of my wrists and I sat up, thoroughly confused and disoriented. I was surprised when Elena tenderly pressed her hand to my forehead, her other hand warm on my back. I felt myself relax against her gentle touch.

"What happened?" I asked, shivering, although I could recall perfectly well what had happened. I avoided eye contact with Stefan and instead focused on a loose thread in my comforter.

"You've been asleep since the first time you woke up after we rescued you," Stefan said softly. "But you suddenly started thrashing and screaming. You kept saying my name, Damon. You woke Elena up. She was still asleep beside you."

I lifted my head to stare at Stefan blankly. "Wait...what?" I felt Elena rubbing my shoulder in comfort.

Stefan quirked an eyebrow, confusion now etched on his face. "What is it, Damon? Did you have a nightmare?"

"No...yes. Stefan...how can you so blatantly ignore what happened in the bathroom?" I swallowed hard, wondering if he had told Elena yet.

The lines on my brother's forehead deepened. "What are you talking about?"

"I went up to go to the bathroom and...we, uh, had a fight. And then I...passed out." I looked over at Elena. "You caught me before I fell. That's the last thing I remember."

"Damon," Elena said gently, "None of that happened. You must have been dreaming. That would also explain why you were screaming Stefan's name..."

I broke out into a cold sweat. "What's the last thing I said to you, Stefan?"

"You woke up shortly after we brought you home. You and I talked for a bit, and then you told me to get some sleep..." Stefan touched my hand for a moment, clearly as a sign of comfort. "Are you okay, Damon? Do you need some blood?"

I suddenly began to tremble, and I closed my eyes as the onslaught of feelings, frustration, and confusion hit me all at once. It was a dream...it was all a dream. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to look up at the ceiling.

I realized that even if it was a dream, it didn't change a damned thing about how I felt about either of them.