AN: First of all, I am SO SORRY for the delay! I have been incredibly busy and haven't had much time to myself. I hope you can forgive me, and that this chapter makes up for it. I've got another three awful weeks to go before I am free, so I can't promise another long update but the story only has a few more chapters to go So please stick around, because I will finish! Second, THANK YOU for all of the reviews – they have kept me going, and will encourage me to write more. Enjoyyy!

BDBDBDBD

There's a fire starting in my heart

"These are the rules," Damon said, comfortably sprawled across the couch with a glass of blood in one hand that he traced in lazy circles in front of him before taking casual sips, "Token plus emotion plus witchy juju equals summoned vampire."

"Except I don't need a token for you," Bonnie pointed out. She was pacing up and down the Salvatore living room, alternatively wringing her hands and rubbing her sweaty palms against her grey jeans. After his revelation in the bedroom, she had felt a cold chill crawl up her spine and was in no mood for Damon antics. All she could think was Katherine. She'd be shocked if he wasn't also thinking Katherine; and how could she let him touch her knowing he was thinking that? Besides, evil ex girlfriends do kind of kill the mood.

"Except you are my token." Damon corrected, pointing his finger at her as she arched her brow. "I told you this."

"And I told you," Bonnie crossed her arms in front of herself, "I don't belong to anyone."

"Emily," Damon spoke slowly, "Gave. You. To. Me."

"Stop saying that!" Bonnie snapped, "This isn't 1865, you can't own me."

"You're mine, Bennett," Damon said, a smirk pulling at his lips that he tried to control. Her eyes lit up with a delicious spark when she glared at him. "Why fight it? You know you want it."

"Maybe it's the other way around." Bonnie declared, setting her hands firmly on her hips. "Maybe you belong to me, and I don't need a token because you are part of me."

"Maybe," Damon said, his eyes narrowing with a sexy spark as he studied her pursed lip. A thrill of electricity shot up his spine. "I don't think I'd mind being kept by you."

"Like a pet." Bonnie said.

"That you have sex with."

"That's disgusting."

"Fuck me or feed me," Damon shrugged. "If you want me, you have to at least fulfil some of the basic needs. I guess you could walk me-"

"Second rule," Bonnie cleared her throat, "The longer we don't touch, the easier it is for you to go through vervaine, right?"

"Right." Damon nodded, taking a sip of his blood. "Are you sure you don't want some?"

Bonnie frowned, unimpressed. "Can you focus for one second here?"

"Vampiric qualities dim the longer we are apart," Damon muttered rolling his eyes. He gave her the face of a bored school boy she'd just chided.

"And when we do touch?" Bonnie whispered, digging her nails into her jeans nervously.

"Everything comes back full force," Damon said, enjoying a delicious thrill as he remembered the scent of her blood and the hum of her heart hit him like a refreshing realization – like a song he just couldn't remember until he heard its familiar melody.

"So the longer she doesn't touch me," Bonnie said, "the easier it will be for her to cross vampire barriers, such as the tomb. And when she does touch me," Bonnie's hesitation would have been imperceptible to anyone else, "Her strength, her hunger for blood – all of that will be back."

"Sounds about right," Damon said, bored.

"This can only end one way." Bonnie concluded, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. Stupid ancient spells! "Either I sit here and wait, or I go to the tomb and let her touch me."

"If she's still there," Damon pointed out. He thought it was cute how Bonnie started pacing again, how she thought she actually had options. He scoffed at the idea of little Miss Bennett walking past a barrier he couldn't – wouldn't – broach. Any option that left her at a hungry, raging, orange-obsessed Katherine's mercy, was not an option. But it was cute that Bonnie thought it was.

"If she's still there," Bonnie repeated as if in thought. She stopped mid-step, and turned to face him, her face falling. "It's hopeless!"

He patted the seat next to him. "Shall I comfort you?"

"That means she can get into my house!" Bonnie exclaimed."Nowhere is safe!"

"It's safe here," Damon muttered, his hand still on the seat next to him. He eyed it absently for a moment before withdrawing his hand to his lap.

Bonnie stopped pacing and sighed, "Why aren't you more concerned?"

"Should I be?" Damon shrugged. "She was bound to get out sooner or later. This way, at least we know where she's headed."

"Yeah, right towards me!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Tsk, tsk, Bonnie," Damon said, sliding himself into a sitting position. "You really think I'd let anything happen to you?"

"Yes." Bonnie said, without hesitation. She arched a brow and frowned at the Salvatore. Sure, maybe he cared a little more about her now than he did a month ago – but he also staked Lexi and broke Jeremy's neck.

"I take care of what's mine." Damon said, offering her another charming smile. She shifted her weight under his gaze, trying to quash the tingles that had started to creep up her legs and weaken her knees as he kept their gazes entwined.

"I told you, Damon," Bonnie said, forcing herself to take a step backwards as he stood slowly, "I'm not yours."

Damon's eyes never left hers as he stood. As he unfurled to full height, her head titled upwards as if she wanted to follow him with her body and not just her eyes. "Maybe you're right."

"W-what?" Bonnie stuttered, taking another step back as Damon took two quick steps forward.

"Maybe you're not mine," Damon said as she backed into a bookshelf. He reached up to run his hand against her cheek, and Bonnie silently cursed herself as she felt herself lean into his cool touch. "But you will be."

"What?" Bonnie said, her sight beginning to haze as his other hand traced the angles of her collar bone. His voice skimmed over her skin as he continued speaking, but she barely heard him – just saw his lips moving, and wanted to move hers too against them.

"You're not listening," Damon scolded playfully as she shook her head as if to scatter the foggy pleasure from her head. He traced the curve of her ear and bent his face to nip at where his fingers touched.

"You're distracting me." Bonnie frowned, stiffening her body at the contact of his lips. She clenched her teeth against a shudder as he opened his mouth behind her ear to caress her skin. His hands hovered above her body – never making contact, but making her skin heat up in anticipation.

"From what?" Damon challenged in a bemused whisper before tracing her neck with his nose. Bonnie's hands shot up to grasp his arms, as if she needed him to keep her stead. He took a step forward, trapping her against the bookshelf with his body. Her fingers curled around his arms, and he felt tingles from the tight, sudden contact.

"Katherine," Bonnie said, not intending it to come out as a moan that had Damon grinning against her nape.

"Not usually the name I like to hear you moan," Damon teased, sucking on her ear lobes, "But I can work with it."

"No," Bonnie frowned, letting go of his arms to shove him lightly back. "What are we going to do about her? Stefan's gone."

"Stefan?" Damon growled incredulously. "What is it with women and Stefan?"

"I just mean—" Bonnie tried to explain, but Damon interrupted her: "You think Stefan would protect you? You're nothing to him but Elena's friend!"

"Ouch," Bonnie said, although she knew he was right. Damon turned away from her angrily as she spoke hurriedly, "I only meant we could use the help."

"I meant what I said, Bonnie." Damon whipped around to face her. His eyes were dark, and his face set in an uncompromising expression. He stalked towards her and, for some reason, she stood her ground. She didn't flinch or retreat when he towered down over her. Do you think I'd let anything happen to you? He reached out to trace her chin with his hand: "I don't want you summoning anyone else. I will kill any vampire you call. So don't even think about summoning him."

"You'd kill Katherine?" Bonnie challenged, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"The minute you called her," Damon said without missing a beat, his eyes searching hers for a sign of belief, "she was dead."

Bonnie inhaled sharply, surprised at the sincerity in his voice. She reached out to clutch the collar of his shirt and absently pulled him toward her. "Why?"

"Because I want you," Damon said, his eyes narrowing and his jaw twitching as he clenched it, "And no one else is allowed to."

"Katherine won't want me," Bonnie offered a smile, ignoring the thought that he was probably referring to her blood.

"I can't take that risk," Damon said as her hands fell from his collar to sprawl against the angles of his chest. He almost closed his eyes in the simple pleasure of her touch, but didn't want to break the heady eye contact. She twisted her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him flush against her.

"Damon," Bonnie said, her voice barely above a whisper. His body was solid and sturdy against hers. She was humming with so much heat that the lights were flickering high and low like there was a voltage problem.

"Trust me," Damon said, that slow, sexy smirk turning his face from charming to captivating. He inhaled the scent of oranges, revelled in the feeling of her fingers tightening against his belt loops as if she couldn't pull him close enough. In the back of his mind, he knew this was strange. In the back of his mind, he knew that he shouldn't want her this much without a spell cast – with better things to do, vamps to kill. This wasn't a bored outing or a mystical summoning: this should feel strange, but it didn't.

"Choose me," Damon said. Bonnie shook her head, reaching for his hand and rubbing it against her face, down her neck, and along the crevice of her breasts. "I do."

She inhaled sharply as he flexed his fingers and closed them around her breast. "So you admit you're mine?" Damon said, that familiar smirk lighting up his face as her eyelashes fluttered in pleasure.

There was something so relaxing and soothing about his seduction. It wasn't always the intense, throw-me-on-the-bed-and-rip-off-my-clothes sex she had imagined she'd have with him (ok, so she thought about it!). It was so much sexier than that – she was surprised her clothes didn't simply steam off in his presence.

"You're mine," Bonnie managed to correct as he ran his hands to the small of her back and puller her body sharply against his. She pulled at his shirt, "Emily gave you to me."

"I'm not Emily's to give," Damon said lightly.

"You're my guardian," Bonnie smiled up at him, and Damon felt a surge of pride when she continued: "You'll protect me."

"Except you rarely need protecting," Damon pointed out, lowering his mouth until it was scant inches from her own.

Bonnie rose up on her tiptoes and rubbed her nose teasingly against his, "Good point. Maybe I'll protect you."

Damon barely got out his last word before he crushed her lips to his: "Deal."

The lights in the room burst into light until bulbs broke, shimmering sparks around them before blanketing them in darkness.

Bonnie staggered backwards, running into a wall with her mouth still connected to Damon's. His hands slid up her body, moulding over her curves, twisting in fabric, and finally settling gently on her collar bones. His touch was more tender than she expected – it soothed her, too. Bonnie's hands slipped up under Damon's shirt. She smiled against his lips wickedly as she skimmed the edge of his waistband, one finger dipping beneath. His muscles twitched as she ran her nails against his abdomen; her fingers flexed into the flesh at his hipbones.

Damon leaned down to grab her ass and pull her flush against his body. Bonnie blushed in the darkness, and he could almost see the gentle pink glow lighting up his face. He held her above the ground and deepened their kiss, encouraging her to wrap her legs around him.

Butterflies were rioting inside of her stomach –they were zapped to life, making her feel fluttery and powerful all at once. Damon was holding her up with one arm, keeping her pressed tightly against his hard body. She raised her hands to rest on his shoulders. Bonnie pressed on his shoulders gently to gain enough leverage to lift her legs up and wrap against his body.

Heat. Sudden and sharp flashed through him. He took a step forward, pressing her against the wall, grinding his body into hers as his hands explored the soft flesh of her legs under her jeans. Bonnie moaned sweetly into his mouth every time he shifted to adjust her weight and ended up rubbing against her – so he did it again. Pulling away with a wicked grin on his face, Damon rested his head against hers to catch her eye. Her eyelids were drooping with overwhelming desire, her breath was coming in short, lovely huffs that made her chest rise and fall delicately against his. When she met his eyes, every candle in the room blazed high with flames.

Reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark

"Parlor tricks," Damon said, rolling his eyes – but he kept his face pressed to hers. She rubbed her nose against his, slid her cheek against his – skin on skin caress, her lips found the edge of his ear to nibble on. She sucked on his skin, pausing only to say, "Abra Kadabra, vamp."

He closed his eyes, enjoying the incredible feeling of such a sexy, powerful woman laying kisses on his skin like he was something precious – like he was something wanted. His smile only fell momentarily when he realized, she was kissing him like someone she wouldn't forget in the morning – and he didn't want to her. But her nipping lips against his jaw line brought him back.

The books in the room flipped open, the pages flipping quickly in the sudden gust of wind. The sound startled Bonnie so she opened one eye – and gasped at what she saw.

"D-Damon," Bonnie said, startled. She flexed her legs, tightening their grip on Damon. He grunted, pleased in response, burying his face in her nape to inhale the scent of her pulse. She hit him playfully before gripping his belt loops again as if to keep him more securely pressed against her.

"What?" Damon snapped, eyes darting to her sultry pulse.

"We're floating." They were levitating in the air, near the top of the ceiling. "Did I do that?"

"Right," Damon said, looking around unimpressed. "Just don't drop us, and we're good." He resumed his light kisses up her neck. Goosebumps rose on her skin and he smiled to himself: her reactions to him were so subtle, but sincere.

"We're going to fall," Bonnie frowned, as the lifted higher until her head was scant inches from the roof.

"That won't kill me," Damon shrugged.

"Be serious," Bonnie said, resisting the urge to shove him.

"It's fine," Damon sighed, pausing in his kisses to look around. A sly smirk hit his face, and Bonnie frowned before the words were even out of his mouth: "If you float us a little higher, we can do it against the ceiling."

"Classy," Bonnie said, but he could tell by the glint in her eye that she was amused.

"It's just nervous energy," Damon explained, brushing a lock of hair from her face as he studied her eyes. His brow creased: "Do I make you nervous?"

"No," Bonnie said, with exaggerated disdain, "Psshh, you? Me, nervous?"

"We're floating higher," Damon teased, tapping the underside of her chin. She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck. He fought the urge to wrap his arms around her and do exactly what he had suggested – take her against the roof.

"Okay, you make me nervous," Bonnie muttered. "Tell me how to get down."

"I don't do freebies," Damon said, already tracing the inside of her waistband with a finger as she pressed against him. As he traced her spine, he felt her tense against him: delicious.

"What do you want?" Her voice was a practiced sort of calm.

"You know what I want," Damon said, letting his hand dip to run over the curves of her ass, sliding over her inner thighs as if in a trance. He felt his face start to shift and he bit it back. "You've kept me waiting long enough."

"You want me to sleep with you?" Bonnie deadpanned. "Original."

"So you've gotten an offer like this before?" Damon said, indifference heavy in his voice.

"No, but I'm sure you've made them," Bonnie said. She could feel her anger spike as they slowly began to descend.

"I don't usually have to talk girls into sleeping with me," Damon pointed out, still sweeping her legs with his strong hands. She shivered in his touch, but didn't pull away.

"No, you just compel them," Bonnie said.

"But not you," Damon said, as their feet hit the ground again. She let go of her clutch on him, but he wouldn't set her down. The feeling of her here – right here, locked in his arms, wrapped around his body – was too extraordinary to let go. She was hot with power, warm with desire – her whole body was humming for him. He responded to her curious gaze with a tightening in his chest.

"Not me," Bonnie agreed. His chest tightened again. He wondered if she could feel it, this clenching that made him yearn for her.

"I don't want to forget," she said, tracing his face with both of her hands. He closed his eyes at her gentle touch, at the feeling of her fingers playing in his hair.

She kissed him.

Damon's lips were firm but gentle as they took their time to learn her taste. He hadn't kissed her like this before: not this slowly, not this lazily – like the whole world could wait until he was ready to share her with them. His hand clutched the small of her back, tracing lazy circles against her skin under her shirt – sharp, hot chills spiked through her body with each hesitant brush.

Bonnie felt her heart pounding against her chest – she could hear it flooding her thoughts. Her mouth was soft, but not yielding – she gave as good as she got, meeting Damon's slow, heady pace with her own sweet, insistent rhythm.

Bonnie's heart was pounding against his chest. Damon could smell it over everything: over the scent of her hair, over the taste of her sweet lips – oranges. His face twisted in a snarl as his fingers twined around her hair, but he forced himself to slow. He struggled to keep his face from shifting – he didn't want to scare her, didn't want to ruin the moment, didn't want that side of him to take over. She stroked his face slowly and it seemed to calm him. His kisses became more languid – he was sampling every angle of her mouth.

Bonnie shivered against him, wanting to pull him closer – wanting to feel his body pressed against her: skin to skin. As if he read her mind, Damon zoomed them up to his room and tossed her on his bed in record time. She laughed as he kicked off his shoes and, climbing onto the bed beside her, struggled to pull his shirt off.

She stared at him – every line of his sculpted chest – with fascination. He hovered over her, closing his eyes as he leaned in to kiss her, when she pushed him away. She pushed him onto his back and straddled him. "Stay," she said, and pinned him with her eyes.

Bonnie started at his ear, and kissed her way across his jaw line. He shivered under the touch of her lips, and the feel of her breath as she made sounds of approval. She paid attention to his neck, and his nape – taking care to kiss spots that she knew instinctively required extra attention. She traced his collar bone with her lips and, as she made her way down, he flinched and started to swear his approval.

"Fuck, Bonnie," Damon growled, his face shifting. He could hear her pulse racing as she kissed him and traced his body with her fingers – he was as turned on by her arousal as he was by her self. "Let me go."

"Not yet," Bonnie teased, kissing the flesh of his chest. She tugged his jeans down to expose his hips, pretending to ignore the most obvious sign of his desire. He muttered another curse, and then sucked in a tortured breath as she scraped her teeth against his hip bone. She closed her eyes, breaking her sight of his body for just a minute – but enough to break her hold over him. He lunged at her.

Damon covered her in kisses. His face was shifting to vamp mode, but he didn't care. He sucked on her skin, not pausing to see where his lips landed, just desperate to taste every part of her. He tugged at her jeans with one hand, and pulled at her shirt with the other. He growled when he couldn't find success, and growled again when she moaned and arced her back against his touch. There were oranges everywhere: oranges, and this delicious caramel glow he was sure he was imagining. Light was steaming off of her, and flooding his taste buds with Bonnie.

He ripped her shirt off, not bothering to undo the buttons with any more care than he had had with his own. She pulled it down her arms and tossed it to the side of the bed as he distracted himself with her breasts. Bonnie was on the edge of the bed now, her body hanging slightly off as he sucked the flesh of her breasts with abandon. He pulled her up against him and she could feel him pressing against her thigh. She was overwhelmed: she was happy, exhilarated, anxious and dizzy – she didn't think she ever wanted this to end.

"Bonnie," Damon whispered, dragging his face up from its place on her stomach and waiting until she looked down. With the conviction of a condemned man, he said: "I want you."

Bonnie broke. Any idea she had of waiting or resisting gave way with the beautiful, broken sound of Damon's voice professing his desire: honest and heartbreaking. His face was completely vamped out: black lines ran from his eyes, and his fangs were exposed as he waited for her response. Bonnie slid down the bed underneath him until her face was facing his.

"No biting," she whispered, laying a tender kiss on his face. She ran her hands along the black veins on his temple with a smile as she bit her lip.

"Say you want me," Damon said, and Bonnie felt her heart swell and leap, but she said again, "No biting, Damon."

"Fine!" he conceded, angry and about to pull away from her when she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. His chest flattened against her bra, and she sighed happily at the contact.

"Damon," Bonnie said, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "You want me."

A smirk lit up Damon's face and he let out a sexy laugh before he descended to brush her lips with his.

But he didn't capture them before she said: "I want you, too."

BDBDBDBD

The scars of your love leave me breathless

Katherine clenched and unclenched her fists as she made her way to Damon's room. She could smell Bonnie everywhere – and not her blood. There was a riotous hunger building in her to consume the little witch – to get her, touch her, and then drain her dry. If she were feeling generous, maybe she would just snap her neck or leave her on the brink of life – you know, in thanks for freeing her – but making her chase her to the Salvatore home? Climbing all over Damon, and making this so unnecessarily complicated? No, she couldn't risk being summoned again. This had to end. Now.

Katherine swung the door open.

"You have the worst timing," Damon muttered against Bonnie's neck. He felt her body stiffen underneath him before he rolled off of her. She scrambled to pull her shirt together to find that Damon had pulled the buttons off.

"Don't stop on my account." Katherine said, with a bored look on her face. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

Damon lay on his back, folding his arms behind his head to regard her, his arousal apparent at the front of his jeans. Bonnie blushed.

Katherine's eyes show to Bonnie, "Bennett."

"Katherine," Bonnie said, setting her face with a resolute, determined frown. But her breath was still struggling to calm down. Damon could hear her heart pound, and was glad when, looking at Katherine's impassive face, he knew she couldn't hear – or smell – Bonnie's restless blood.

Katherine arched an eyebrow, hand on hip, and said with exaggerated annoyance: "You called?"

"You're welcome," Bonnie said, "You're out of the tomb now."

Bonnie leaned against the head board, crossing her legs at the ankle. If it weren't for her humming pulse, Damon would think she wasn't afraid.

"Well, thanks for that," Katherine said insincerely. She had an exaggerated way of speaking. Kind of like Damon. "But this spell isn't over yet."

Katherine took a step closer, and Damon zipped in between them. He sat on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed.

"Are you saying you want to join us?" Damon said, his whole body tense.

"In your dreams!" Bonnie couldn't help but scoff behind his back.

"No," Katherine corrected, bringing up a hand to draw a finger down Damon's jaw. She met his eyes, "In his dreams, you wouldn't be there. Right, Damon?"

"Right," Damon meant it sarcastically, but it came out sounding sincere.

"Right," Katherine nodded, a smile playing at her lips, "So let's just end this spell, and get the little witch out of here. You did well, having her summon me."

Damon gaped, about to reply with a scathing denial, but Bonnie acted before he could respond. She waved her hand dismissively and sent Katherine crashing against the wall. Her body slumped down, and she struggled to stand again. She was weak.

"You haven't fed," Damon said, surprised. Then he turned to Bonnie, "Good aim."

"Not really," Bonnie sneered, "I was aiming for you." With a concentrated glare, she pushed Katherine against the wall and held her there.

Damon got up from the bed smoothly, walking to the desk and chair in the corner of his room.

"Damon," Katherine warned, "Don't do this."

Damon glanced at Bonnie, but her expression was unchanged. He slammed the chair against the ground, and it splintered between them. He held up a sharp leg with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Not yet." Bonnie said. Her hair waved lightly around her, as if in a breeze. She seemed to be anchoring herself to the bed. Katherine gaped at her – entranced.

Damon's knuckles whitened as he gripped the stake, watching Katherine watch Bonnie. Doubtless, she was seeing those delicious wisps of light. When Katherine licked her lips, Damon knew exactly what she was thinking. There was something so appealing – so sexy, so sensual – about this witch when she was in the throes of her powers. Bonnie's eyes were trained on Katherine, keeping her pinned against the wall, and Katherine's eyes were devouring Bonnie. Damon tried to listen for Bonnie's heartbeat, but it had dulled with the onset of her powers: it was calm, and steady.

Katherine didn't notice as Damon approached her menacingly. Without shifting her gaze, Bonnie flicked her fingers, sending Damon stumbling backwards. "We're on the same side here, witch."

"I don't side with vampires," Bonnie said, arcing a brow, "Unless absolutely necessary."

"Ha," Katherine said, tiredly. Bonnie almost pitied her. If Damon had been overcome with grief and guilt, Bonnie could only imagine how Katherine must be feeling. She hadn't meant to call her.

"This is necessary," Damon growled, getting up to approach Katherine with vampire speed – but Bonnie flicked her wrist and sent him flying against the other wall. "Listen, witch!"

"This is between us," Bonnie said. Damon felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. The cracks in his body from the impact felt like they were creeping up his body like broken glass, until they hit his heart and, for the first time in centuries, he felt dead.

"What?"

"I said, leave, Salvatore." Bonnie said.

"I'm not leaving you, Bonnie," Damon said, sincerely. His brows were knotted in confusion. Why wouldn't she let him stake her?

"We're not killing her," Bonnie said. That's what you think, Damon wanted to reply, but he bit his lip since she had said We.

"What are we doing with her then?" Damon challenged, rushing to Bonnie's side. He glared at her, "You want her to touch you?"

"Yes," Bonnie said, on a shakey exhale. A grin lit up Katherine's face. She had long stopped struggling against Bonnie's bonds.

"No!" Damon raised his voice, dismissing her with the wave of his hand. "Think of something else."

Bonnie tilted her head, as if she hadn't heard Damon, "You want to touch me, don't you, Katherine?"

"Yes," Katherine said simply. She licked her lips again.

"Then you'll do what I say." Bonnie said, relaxing the bonds that kept the vampire to the wall.

"What are you doing?" Damon growled, zipping to stand between Katherine and Bonnie again. Katherine nodded at Bonnie, and took a few hurried steps closer. Damon pushed her away casually, like an older brother dismissing an annoying sibling. She got up again, and Damon held out an arm, keeping her from walking forward. Katherine lept at him, and he pinned her against his body – her back to his chest – and twined his arm around her stomach.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Damon asked, an amused smile suddenly on his face. Bonnie had lost it.

Not really, she wanted to say, but instead: "We have to get her back to the tomb."

"What?" Damon frowned.

"Damon, I didn't mean to summon her," Bonnie said, getting up off the bed, confident that Katherine was restrained in Damon's arms. She took the torn shirt off and made her way to Damon's closet.

What a strange sight they must make, Damon thought. He was holding a struggling, emaciated little vampire, desperate to attack the half naked witch going through his clothes. And he was doing it with a hand on his hip, completely bored by the lack of death and bloodshed. With Bonnie's back turned, a devious smirk crept across his lips as he reached for the stake.

"Damon!" Katherine yelled, squirming more against his hold. She had underestimated how weak this summoning spell, this lack of blood had made her!

Bonnie spun around with a vengeance, her eyes dazzling as she lit the stake on fire.

"What the fuck, Bonnie?" Damon growled, struggling to out the fire without letting go of Katherine.

"Light him up, Bennett," Katherine implored, setting her eyes on Bonnie as she pulled on one of Damon's black dress shirts. It hit her mid-thigh, and hung loosely from her frame. She was rolling up the sleeves when Katherine continued: "He's weak – mind and body."

"I'm not the one who is being held with one arm," Damon reminded her under his breath.

"He's a fool, Bonnie," Katherine said, keep her eyes trained on the witch as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "He's a liability. There's a reason no one chooses him."

Damon moved to snap her neck. His anger was flaring – and he wasn't sure if it was because of what Katherine was saying, because he feared it might be true, or because he thought Bonnie was listening to her as she nodded her head in understanding.

"Don't!" Bonnie said, approaching Katherine. She was just out of touch.

"What the fuck are we doing?" Damon growled, "What's your plan, or we do this my way."

"We take her back to the tomb," Bonnie said with a shrug, like it was obvious.

"No!" Katherine said, struggling again. She slipped from his grip and ran for the door, but hesitated when she felt the pull tie her to Bonnie again. The hesitation was enough for Damon to reach out and grab her.

"If I snap her neck," Damon reasoned slowly, "It'll be a lot easier to get her there."

"I brought you into this world," Katherine said, twisting her head so she was speaking into his ear, "And I can take you out of it."

Damon glared at her.

"I knew you were weak and useless, Damon," Katherine laughed humourlessly, "But to be under the thumb of a witch? You can't even meet my low expectations."

"She has to touch me," Bonnie explained, shifting awkwardly at the sight of Katherine whispering into Damon's ear. When Damon's angry eyes turned to face her, she had to force her breathing to remain steady. What had she told him?

Bonnie took a step closer to the pair, and Katherine stilled in his arms. A sly smile played at her lips, and Bonnie knew –knew- this could be a huge mistake. But she moved forward anyway.

The closer Bonnie got, the more Damon's face shifted to his vampire visage. She forced her step not to stutter. Could she still trust Damon? Could she ever trust Damon?

"I'm going to touch you," Bonnie said to Katherine. Damon's grip on the vampire tightened.

Katherine's world was filled with riotous colors and sounds –popping everywhere, exploding and fizzing out. She had been overcome with great grief and guilt, and then hit with her human instincts harder than she had been in years: the need to live. She had lived and relived the deaths of her family, the aching fear of being pursued by Klaus, the gnawing desire to be free. First stop, delicious Bonnie whose body she would use and drain. Next stop, Stefan, whose body she would just use. One touch away from full strength. One touch.

Bonnie's eyes lifted to meet Damon's. He was looking at her, but not seeing her. She could tell, he was barely keeping it together. She reached out a hand, forcing it not to shake. Katherine squirmed in Damon's arms, trying to get closer to Bonnie.

"Damon," Bonnie said, mere inches away.

"Do it," Damon said, that wicked smile lighting up his face. A chill dashed down her spine – she wasn't sure if it was fear or desire – or if there was even a difference, these days.

Bonnie touched Katherine. The vampire closed her eyes as her senses came back.

Before Bonnie could move, or Katherine could draw a full breath – Damon snapped her neck.

Don't underestimate the things that I will do.