"Adam, you have to go after him," Ric said, worried that Damon would get himself killed. He was impulsive as usual and with Elena in the middle he shuddered to think of what could happen.
"If he wants to go off half-cocked like an idiot, then it's none of my affair," the Original said with disgust. He understood Damon's need to see Elena but he was going about it in all the wrong ways. Adam liked to plan and think of every step before he acted. Damon apparently didn't even have the word "plan" in his vocabulary.
"Elena would be really upset if something happened to Damon," Caroline pointed out. Adam glared at her. She really knew how to push his buttons.
"Fine," he growled. He stood. "I'll call Hannah and Drusilla from the road. Give me a call as soon as you have any information," he said to Bonnie who nodded. He grabbed his keys and sped out the door.
Adam parked in front of a bar, right next to Damon's car. He had been driving for nearly seven hours and he was seriously pissed off. At least they were near New York so once they had an exact location it wouldn't take them long to get there. He stalked into the bar, seriously annoyed with the vampire Elena was so in love with.
Damon was incredibly lucky that she cared so much for him or Adam would have ripped his heart out already. He spotted Damon at the bar and walked over to him.
"Are you stupid?" Adam hissed. Damon looked up at him in surprised. "What were you going to do? Take Klaus on by yourself. Get yourself, or even worse, Elena killed. I swear someone should put you out of my misery," Adam growled.
"What the fuck do you want? I don't remember inviting you to my little party, so get the fuck out of here." Damon grated. Adam had a point but Damon would rather drink concentrated vervain than actually admit it. He had gone off without thinking, his mind focused on a single thing. Seeing Elena.
"Well, mate, I'm kind of screwed there, since I have to look after your ass," Adam said as he took a seat and ordered a scotch.
"I don't need a fucking babysitter. Next you'll be wanting to change my diapers."
"I promised Elena. And why would I change your diapers? Wait. You wear diapers?" Adam asked sarcastically.
"Ha, ha, ha, very funny. The fossil has a sense of humor," Damon glared at Adam.
"Seriously Damon, what were you thinking?"
Damon sighed. "Honestly? I wasn't. All I could see was Elena. I figured the closer I am to where she is, the better the chance of seeing her. Stupid, I know," he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Adam looked at Damon sadly. He knew how the younger vampire felt. He knew what it was like to love someone so much that you couldn't breathe without them. He knew what it was like to be given a glimpse of what could be and then have it ripped away from you. It had nearly killed him once upon a time, so he understood.
"Damon, to get her back, we need to be smart. We need to be smarter than Klaus. And you need to remember what she is now. I honestly believe that there's a good reason for what's going on and I never, for one second, believed that she had abandoned us. Abandoned you. Hell, you were all she could talk about when we were back in the UK, so I don't think she just woke up one morning and decided to screw you over."
Damon looked at Adam, glad for once that he wasn't alone. The Original was starting to grow on him. "I have to believe you're right. I have to."
Elena felt a slight tingling rush through her body and she scanned the restaurant but didn't recognize any of the faces. She could have sworn… No, it was just her mind playing tricks on her. She had been Klaus' constant companion for the past two months and her separation from Damon was starting to take its toll, even with her emotions locked up tight.
It was strange. She had expected to feel absolutely nothing. But it seemed that her love for Damon was too strong to be completely denied. She missed him but at the same time she kept her memories of him locked away because otherwise she would never be able to continue with her mission.
Unfortunately, Klaus hadn't been as forthcoming as she had hoped but she presumed that had something to do with her keeping him out of her bed. She played a dangerous game. She kept him on his toes by being hot one moment and cold the next but she knew she would soon have to give in. Luckily for her, she was getting really good at compelling people.
Hell, she had her own personal spies in Klaus' entourage and he had no idea. Lily had proven to be extremely useful, as had Stefan. She had compelled him to report all of Klaus' activities to her and he had absolutely no idea he was betraying his master. It was comical, after a fashion. The betrayer betrays the master. How apt.
She had used Lily on numerous occasions to try and find out what Klaus was up to. After all, the young woman was always present during Klaus meetings. It was funny how he didn't take any notice of her because she was a lowly servant. But it was to Elena's advantage because the girl saw and heard everything. She would help Lily get out of there, Elena thought to herself.
Sorcha had been her savior. Without her, Elena knew she wouldn't have been able to kill, to maim or to keep on living. Of course, Klaus hadn't been satisfied with her demonstration of killing a human so he had thrown hybrids, vampires and witches at her, to test her. And she had ripped them all to shreds, without a care. They deserved to die for siding with Klaus in the first place.
It was only one vampire that had almost broken her steely resolve. His black hair, blue eyes and cocky attitude reminded her so much of Damon that she had almost lost focus and refused to kill him. But the vampire had lunged for her and Sorcha's reminder that Damon was far away and safe brought her back to the present. It had only taken her a few minutes to sink her fangs into his neck, drain him dry and then rip his heart out. Klaus had been pleased.
She had discovered that Klaus had believed Stefan and thought Damon had compelled her. When the spell had been performed, she had been able to break through the compulsion and get away from Damon. Or that's what he thought, which was extremely fortunate for her. The more he thought she hated Damon, the higher the chance that Damon would stay alive.
"Elena?" Klaus' inquiry brought her back to the present. She needed to get away for a moment.
"Sorry. I'm just going to the ladies room for a moment." At Klaus' questioning look, she smiled. "I have to fix my makeup," she said with a wink.
Klaus nodded. "My lady, you are absolutely divine as you are. But I shall be here, eagerly awaiting your return." Elena smiled at his compliment and stood, smoothing down the black and silver cocktail dress she wore. It was so easy to forget, sometimes, that he was a psychopath. He was so charming and really had a way with women. He always seemed to know what to say but then he'd do something to remind her of what he really was. An insane Original with no regard for life, in any of its forms.
She grabbed her purse and made her way to the ladies room. Once she closed the door behind her, she sighed.
"Sorcha, I can't do this for much longer," she thought.
"You won't have to. We are so close. A few more weeks and we should have all the information we need." Klaus had told her that in two weeks they would be taking a trip. There was someone he wanted her to meet and she really hoped that it was the person who was behind all this fiasco.
Through Lily and Stefan's spying she had learned that Klaus wanted much more than just a child from her. He wanted to use her to remove whoever was pulling his strings. Apparently, Klaus didn't appreciate being a lackey and he wanted to remove the head of the operation so he could take over. Unfortunately for him, it seemed he wasn't powerful enough to do it on his own. And from that Elena had deduced that the person he was referring to was a Guardian, as Sorcha had suspected. The problem was that Klaus had discovered how a Guardian could be killed, a secret that was closely guarded. A secret known only by the members of the justice caste.
Sorcha had explained that the Guardians had multiple castes and each Solus Deamhan was assigned their caste at birth, their tattoos designating which one they belonged to. Elena was a warrior caste, as was Sorcha. Then there was the justice caste, Guardians that could read the mind of any being and determine whether or not they were guilty of what they had been accused of, the political caste, or "paper-pushers" as Sorcha called them in disgust who took care of the day-to-day running of things and couldn't "beat a ferret in a fight," according to Sorcha. And then there was the warrior caste. They were the ones who did all the dirty work and who sacrificed everything for the others so that all the species of this world could live in peace.
"We do what others are afraid to do. We have to do things others don't want to know about. We are the ones who maintain peace. And yet we are the ones who are shunned and looked upon with fear." Sorcha had explained to her. It was a lonely life, in a way. They only had each other to rely on. "But that doesn't mean that there aren't perks to the job," she had said with a slight giggle that had mystified Elena. Giglgling was certainly not something she had associated with Sorcha.
"What do you mean?" she had asked.
"The warrior caste are the only ones who mate for life," Sorcha had said.
"Like penguins," Elena had asked with a laugh.
"Funny. Aren't you the hilarious one." Elena could imagine Sorcha poking her tongue out at her and had to laugh at the image of an all powerful Guardian doing something so silly. "Yes, I am poking my tongue out at you," the woman said laughing.
"So, what do you mean by we mate for life?"
"Since we got the short end of the stick with everything else, it seems nature was kind to us in the love department. There is only one person out there for us. Our other half and once the bond is made, the love only continues to grow."
"Like soul mates?" Elena asked curiously.
"Don't be ridiculous," Sorcha snorted. "That's just an old wives' tale. This is so much more. We connect with the one meant for us on a level that far surpasses souls. We are intertwined with that person, we feel them wherever and whenever we are. And we never want another. It is the only way to make sure that we don't go off the deep end, considering all the things we have to do. It's nature's way of reminding us what we are fighting for. That there is beauty in the world and there's nothing more beautiful than love."
"And how do we know when we have met the one?" Elena asked curiously.
"My dear. You should know." Sorcha replied and for some reason Elena thought she was smirking at her. "That's because I am smirking," the woman responded with a snort.
"Damon," Elena breathed.
"Give that girl a cigar!" Sorcha almost shouted. At that Elena did laugh. Sorcha might not be able to move, but apparently she could tap into the radio waves and had spent the past century watching television. So, she always seemed to come up with some of the most hilarious quips that always made Elena feel better.
"You are impossible."
"Wait till you meet me in person," Sorcha said smugly.
"I can't wait. Really. I wish you were here now," Elena sighed.
"Don't worry. It won't be long now. We're so close. And you know what?"
"What?" Elena asked.
"The day you resurrect me, we are going out partying. I've been dismembered for more centuries than I care to count so for one weekend, they can all fucking wait. I've been watching all these parties on TV and I want us to hit Vegas for a weekend and get shit-faced!" the other woman exclaimed. Elena was in tears with laughter. She understood Sorcha. She would probably feel the same if she had been stuck immobile for so long.
"You bet. A weekend away. Just you and me. We'll do the works. The shows, the booze, the clubs and the Chippendales," Elena said with a smile.
"Hell yeah! They are so deliciously hot, aren't they?"
"They're ok," Elena said, thinking of her delicious mate instead.
"Oh, I forgot to mention something. The sex."
"What about the sex?" Elena asked curiously.
"The more time passes, the better it gets. I'm talking orgasms that cause earthquakes here." Shit, Elena thought to herself. The sex between them was already amazing. If it got any better she would probably implode.
"You are evil, woman. How can you say that to me, knowing I can't get to him?"
"Meh, think about how good it will be when you do come together."
The memory of that conversation brought a smile to Elena's lips as she made her way over to the row of sinks. She looked down at the shiny green surface and ran a finger over it. So cold and hard to the touch, yet so beautiful. The study in contrasts made her think of Damon and she sighed wistfully.
A sudden breeze that had no place in the ladies room of the upscale French restaurant she was in made her gaze snap up to the mirror. She almost fainted, even though her face betrayed no emotion. Standing behind her was none other than the man who was her lifemate. It was Damon.
Damon and Adam sat at a table in the shadows watching the couple on the other side of the restaurant. It had taken them ten minutes to get to the restaurant after Bonnie's desperate call. It had taken the three witches most of the day and a lot of power to locate Elena, but they had finally succeeded.
When they had walked into the restaurant, though, Damon had almost snapped and Adam had to restrain him physically. Elena was there. But she was with Klaus and they seemed quite happy with each other.
Even though it disgusted him to say it, Adam had to admit that Elena looked good with Klaus. They made a striking couple, a fact made clear by all the stares they were getting. Of course, Damon was close to exploding and he had to kick him under the table every once in a while when Klaus would reach out to smooth a tendril of Elena's hair back or when she reached over to lightly touch his cheek. It really wouldn't do for Damon to go all vampire in the middle of a crowded New York restaurant.
He listened in on their conversation and was surprised at how polite and charming Klaus was being. It had been a long time since he had seen this side of his once best friend. Usually, Klaus just took with little regard for anyone else but it seemed that Elena had charmed him. He glanced over at Damon, who was gritting his teeth.
Damon watched them, his eyes following every more. Fuck, he was two seconds away from attacking Klaus, no matter how strong the original was. His gaze roamed over Elena, drinking in the sight of her hungrily. His fingers itched to reach out and feel her smooth, silky skin, to feel her warmth that always made the cold go away. And then she nuzzled her cheek into Klaus' hand and he felt like ripping something apart.
Fortunately, she chose that moment to stand and head to the ladies room. It took him a second to make the decision and then he was there, standing behind her, inhaling that scent that was uniquely hers. The scent that drove him insane. The scent he had missed so much.
Her quick intake of breath was the only thing that revealed her surprise. Her face was a mask of cold indifference.
"What do you want?" she asked curtly.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" he whispered, his hand coming up to stroke her arm. He needed to touch her, even if it was for just a moment. When she pulled away, his demon roared in anger. How dare she? She was his! How dare she deny him?
"I thought I made it perfectly clear. I want nothing to do with you. Now, get the fuck out of here," she hissed at him angrily. His brain shut down and his demon took over. His face changed, fangs extending and he grabbed her, slamming her against the wall behind them.
"What the hell are you doing?" he growled at her. "Since when are you Klaus' little bitch?" he couldn't help the accusation. He was still hurting from her rejection. Her face shifted as well, in reaction to his words.
"That's none of your fucking business. Get the hell out of here Damon!"
"When I go, it will be my decision. Not yours! Tell me what the fuck you're doing with Klaus!" he growled at her, tempted to shake her until her teeth rattled.
"You know I could rip your heart out, don't you?" she asked menacingly.
"So, why haven't you?" he whispered, staring down at her.
"Just leave Damon," she whispered, her voice breaking slightly on his name and he looked at her. His rage subsided, overtaken by sadness.
"Why, Elena? I just need to know why?" he whispered.
When she had seen Damon it had been like a miracle. An answer to a prayer. But then she had remembered Klaus and she panicked. Damon had to get out of there before Klaus realized she wasn't alone. Klaus would kill Damon without a thought and she knew she would step in to stop it, undoing the past two months and ruining everything.
But when she saw the pain in those ice blue eyes she had missed so much, she felt small cracks appear in her armor. When he asked her brokenly why she had betrayed him, she couldn't do it anymore.
"Elena," Sorcha warned.
"I can't do this to him. We'll find a way. Please?" she thought to the other woman.
"Ugh, lifemates," Sorcha said disdainfully. "Fine, I'll think of something. But you don't have long. Klaus won't wait forever out there," she warned.
Elena looked into Damon's eyes, committing them to memory. God, she loved him so much.
"Why?" he whispered again. Elena groaned, grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and dragged him towards her, her lips slamming against his in a bruising kiss.
Damon watched Elena. He needed an answer. He needed to know why. So he asked her again. She owed him an answer. But instead of the words he was expecting, he heard her groan, saw her indifference drop away to be replaced with lust and need, and then her lips were fusing against his, her tongue demanding entrance into his mouth.
Had he been stronger, he might have pushed her away. He might have told her to fuck off. How could she treat him like shit and then expect him to give in whenever she wanted. But he wasn't that strong. Her lips against his pulled a growl out of him. It felt like heaven.
His hands framed her face, on snaking into her hair to keep her still so he could plunder the hot cavern of her mouth. He couldn't think beyond his need for her. Beyond the sensation of having her lips on his again.
Suddenly, she twisted them around and slammed him up against the wall. He had forgotten that she had turned and was surprised at the move. It was a fleeting though, though. Her lips, her tongue, her questing hands demanded all his attention. His hands slid to her ass, pulling her hard against him, his erection pressing against her. They moaned into each other's mouths at the contact.
She pulled away from him, breathing harshly. "I have to go." How the hell could she leave him and go back to Klaus after that?
"What the hell, Elena?" he growled at her.
"Please, trust me," she whispered. "Don't follow me. Stay safe. I'll see you soon," and then she rushed out, leaving him staring at the space she had vacated. Don't follow her? He snorted. Like that was going to happen.