Chapter 14
Barely five minutes later (sometimes, vampire speed really does come in handy), Damon started the car and, like yesterday, the silence enwrapped us. Maybe it was just me, but it felt horribly awkward. It seemed as if there was too much to say with no idea how to start. When we reached the Intestate, I already couldn't stand the silence anymore. But today, I was a little braver than last night. I pointed at the radio. "Can I…?" I looked at him questioningly. He didn't avert his gaze from the road, but he nodded. "Sure." I turned the radio on and fell back into my seat with a sigh of relief as country tunes started to fill the air. I didn't even bother what it was as long as it erased the silence. Damon's attention had finally been awakened, though. One of his eyebrows quirked up, and he tilted his head towards me, a crooked grin displaying on his features. "You've found your love for country music?" My first reaction was to reach for the radio again and search for another station, but then I decided differently. "Yes, it's just lovely, isn't it?" And I turned the volume up. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, but I knew that he was amused. The conversation died away again, but this time it didn't bother me that much anymore. I rested my elbow against the side window and my head into my palm and watched the landscape fly by.
A couple of hours later however, when dusk had just started to fall, my easiness slowly started to drift away again. I could feel the tension and jumpiness creep back in, and a faint burning took over in my throat as the thought of blood became more and more prevalent again. It wasn't until Damon's hand grabbed for my thigh that I realized I had started tapping my foot. "We'll reach Chicago soon. I'll get you a coffee there, and then you can have a blood bag." "What is it with this stupid coffee?" I growled. Gosh, I needed some fresh warm blood. I made a face at the thought of that blood bag taste. Damon withdrew his hand from my thigh. "It's some sort of substitute drug, if you allow that comparison." He scanned me from the corner of his eye and I knew exactly what his thoughts were. Yes, I was acting like a crackhead on withdrawal. But that was precisely how I felt. "The caffeine helps you to sustain on less blood for a longer period of time. Don't ask me why, though. In almost 170 years, I've never gotten round to studying Biology." He shrugged, and I almost wanted to laugh again.
Not that much later as it felt to me, we were walking down the busy roads of Chicago at nightfall in search for a coffee bar. My eyes caught sight of a Starbucks sign and I pointed it out to Damon. He nodded and strode towards the entrance, but I bent down and quickly picked up a gum wrap from the street. When I looked back up again, I met his bewildered gaze. "And what's that supposed to be for?" "You'll see." I grinned and entered the Starbucks. "I'll get you a coffee," I announced as he followed me inside. Damon lifted his shoulders. "Knock yourself out!" With that, he strolled away from the waiting line towards a stand with newspapers that he started studying. When it finally was my turn, I ordered a coffee for Damon and a double mocha espresso for myself – if the caffeine would help me deal with my cravings, then well, I should get as much of it into my system as possible. Then, the barista asked for the payment. Showtime. I pulled the gum wrap out of my jeans pocket and handed it to him, my eyes locking with his in a hypnotizing manner. "I have a voucher," I said with a friendly smile. He nodded in his daze and took the gum paper, repeating my words in a quiet mutter. Damon wasn't looking over, but I could see him grinning. Pleased with myself, I went over to him and handed out the coffee. As we emerged on the street again, I could still feel his curious eyes on me. "I'm impressed. You can actually enjoy this." My smile faded away, and I sighed. "In very rare occasions. But most of the time, I just feel like I'm caught in shadows. Yes, I can go out in the sun…" I lifted my left hand and studied the daylight ring on my middle finger, "… but I feel like it never really touches my skin. As if it doesn't belong to my world anymore." We walked on in silence. When we had almost reached his car again and I wasn't even expecting him to comment anymore, he suddenly spoke again. "We are creatures of the night, Elena. A dark species. The shadows is what we live in. But nevertheless, we can bring some light into them." It caught me completely by surprise as he suddenly grabbed my hand and started to pull me into the other direction again. "Come on, let's go. There's something I want you to do."