Chapter 13

Stefan

I lay on the ground on my back after turning over and sighing heavily. This is not going to be easy with him, I never thought it would be but I just hope he takes his anger out only on me and no other more fragile bodies. Thinking about Elena hurt, I wanted so badly for her to know me, know of what I can do. But as I lay there I was thinking, I can only offer her death and pain. I remember the moment Katherine revealed herself to me, we were mid love making and she bit down onto me. The ecstasy, the passion, unbelievable. As much as that felt wonderful, I couldn't bring myself to expose her to the blood and the temptation of death.

I could hear Zach breathing in the house; he was worried about Damon and what threat he posed. I could also hear Damon humming to himself in the bathtub upstairs. Smug bastard, I may not be able to be with Elena the way I wanted to be, but I sure could make sure he didn't hurt her. I got to my feet and decided I needed to feed; my exertion of power towards him had cost me dearly.

Returning from my hunt, I was still unbelievably hungry. Animal blood will never quite fill you but it will suffice in lieu of hurting another person. I head upstairs, take a quick shower and change into going out clothes, nothing fancy but nothing without designer labels. I was finishing up my hair when he entered my room without knocking and leaned casually against my bedframe. "Looking hot Stefan, you might actually get lucky tonight" He gave me a smug grin. I met his gaze in the mirror. "I might but you certainly will not". I challenged his stare. Damon was enjoying this way too much. "and what makes you think I won't little brother, I have become quite the skilled lover not that you would need to know that" He was trying to provoke me again , but this time I was not going to rise and use up the little power I had before dinner , when things could get even worse.

My silence made Damon continuing , "I am sure Elena needs someone to comfort her , who better to do that than me , we both know about losing someone close to us" he leveled me with a hurt look. "You and I both know I have apologized countless times but that will never be enough for you will it?" He got right up in my face. "Do not mention her" and with that he was at the door. "Are you ready? We are going to be late", my apology had hit a nerve. "You don't have to do this Damon; you can make my life a living hell without involving Elena" Damon had a conserved stare. "That's where your wrong brother, Elena has everything to do with it" He left before I could reply, he was starting the car. So he is determined to go through with the charade. I grabbed my wallet and phone and went to get in the car.

Damon was tapping his fingers on the wheel, the only indication that he was nervous or annoyed, with him I never knew anymore. The Damon I grew up with as a child was the polar opposite to the one sitting next to me now. He drove recklessly, not bothered about trivial things like Police or Speed limits. Anyone that would pull us over can be compelled before they got a word out. Neither one of us said a word on the way to the grill, the tension was thick and I didn't trust myself to say anything in fear of him getting angry and taking it out on her. Pulling into the parking lot he surprised me with the question that came out of his mouth.

"How did you find out about Elena?" he looked at me expectantly. I hesitated whether to tell him, why did he want to know. "Is she related to Katherine?" his eyes looked wild and serious. He sincerely wanted to know; sometimes it was hard to know whether to take Damon seriously. "I found out through a friend that he saw Katherine in Mystic Falls, I couldn't believe it so I had to find out for myself" He seemed to accept that and waited for me to go on. "I knew it couldn't be her but I had to know for sure, and when I got here I found Elena, I looked into her thoroughly even though she was 100% human, I had to be certain it was not Katherine turned human by some form of magic" The look on his face told me that he also wondered the same thing. I saw a lot of emotions flitter across his face; the last was surprising, hope.

With a bus moving past the car behind us, it was like a bucket of cold water was thrown over us. Damon became distant and moody again. "Its 6 now, let's go" he hopped out of the car and began walking into the grill. I hopped out and scanned the area, being a Monday the grill shouldn't get too busy tonight. I followed him in and went straight to the bar, not caring about where he had wandered off to. Ordering a drink I screened the room, the girls weren't here yet. Hopefully they had decided against it. If they do end up coming, I hope Caroline gave the necklace to Elena, at least allowing her to avoid compulsion from any vampire. I had drunken two glasses of whiskey before Damon joined me at the bar. "Well it looks like the ladies are late, I hope this is not your doing" he gave me a measuring look. "Would I do that? I enjoy watching your charms go to waste" I gave him a grin and threw back another whiskey. "Slow down brother, your starting to talk nonsense, wouldn't want our ladies to get a whiff of the alcohol on you, they might think you have not so good intentions" he was joking with me. It is hard to determine which Damon you were going to get. He was like a game of roulette; were you going to get the sarcastic, the angry, the arrogant, the sad... it was hard to know. "My intentions have never been untoward, I am not like you" Damon feigned hurt "You wound me, my greatest weakness has been exposed" He was making fun of me now. I ordered another 2 whiskeys; I needed something to take the edge off, not trying to get drunk. It was very hard to get drunk because our blood is continually healing so any alcohol I consume will have to be in quick succession to get plastered.

Glancing at the clock, I see that it is 6.30. "Seems like your plan for this double date has fallen through, what could have possibly made Elena realize you are not worth her time?" I was taking a risk at provoking him but I needed to keep up the charade in front of him. "I believe we are being stood up, brother" I rose my eyebrows at him "we? Weren't you are the one who organized this little charade; it is you who has been stood up, im just here enjoying the liquor". I wait for him to give a sarcastic reply; instead he dejectedly gets up from his stool and walks over to the pool table. "Come on Stefan, I don't need to roll out the red carpet, lets watch you lose your, how many would it be 130th pool game in a row?" Even though he was across the room a good 15 meters I could still hear him clearly as if he was right next to me. "What would be the challenge?" I said staring at the bartender who had been eyeing me off across the bar.

"I wouldn't go for her, not unless you want her to pass out" he said, I looked over at him. He was leaning casually against the pool table with his back facing me. I looked back at the bartender and she had a Band-Aid across the top of her shoulder, of course he fed when he got here. She seemed to notice I was staring and shuffled over to me flirtatiously, this is not happening. "oh brother , your radar is off , she is zoning in on you quick, better think up an excuse quick because your compulsion can't be too sharp these days" I could hear him mocking me , he was loving it.

"Hi mister, want another?" I nodded and tried to show her through body language that I wanted to be left alone. "You meetin' someone here?" "Yeah my brother, I want to get him drunk then handcuff him to a post" let's see him enjoy that. "Why what did he do to you?" I chuckled; it was almost too funny to hear that question with him within earshot. "What hasn't he done, slept with my girl, wrote off my car, broke into my house ... the list does get criminal" She smiled in empathy "just give me a moment" and left to serve another customer.

"Oh how sad Stefan, airing out our dirty laundry to a human, does that make you feel like your problems matter now and sleeping with your girl?, let's not forget who was with her first little brother" "yes, let's not Damon, I WAS with her first remember the night of the of her arrival" I turned to look in his direction to find anger on his face. So yeah that would do it. He came striding over in annoyance. Before he could do anything drastic, the bartender was back "So you're the brother?" Damon looked straight at her. "Not now" I stood up "Damon, you can't just go around compelling anyone who gets in your way, it's not right they are not dolls for you to rearrange" "I DON'T care , do you see now they are for my amusement , we are the predator and they are the prey" "You don't believe that , you were once one of them , you wouldn't want that for our mother or father if they were your so called prey" that line of thought seemed to stop him. "No you saw to their deaths didn't you, they didn't need me for that either, their golden child was the answer to everything, their death ultimately" He vamp sped out of the bar; I could see he was losing his control and I think he needed to let off some steam. Being around my brother always brings out a lot between us, the history we have is not something we can ignore.

Looking at the clock it was now 7.30 so our plans for the night have officially been called off, I didn't know whether I felt relief or longing. I was feeling grateful that she had enough sense to see that he was dangerous and boycott tonight, but a part of me longed to see her again, even if it was in the presence of my menace of a brother. I decided to head over to her place to see if she was still okay. It seemed that I wasn't alone, I spotted his car out the front of her place before I got close, perfect I should have seen this coming.

LOTS OF LOVE!