Damon's POV

When I walked into the parlor, tossing my leather jacket onto the couch, I noticed Elena sat in an armchair beside the fire with a very expensive bottle of bourbon in her hands. Unfortunately for me, the bottle was now almost empty.

"I've been saving that bottle for a special occasion! I've had it for years! Damn it Elena-" I protested as I approached her, my voice faltering the moment I saw her face. "Hey. What's going on?" I asked a little softer.

Elena seemed to be entranced by the spitting flames, not even acknowledging that I was here. She took a swig from the bottle, making me flinch, and then let out an empty laugh.

"Let's play a game." She drawled sullenly.

"What game?" I asked anxiously, leaning back against the wall beside the fireplace with my arms crossed.

"It's called 'How many people did Elena kill today'." She murmured before consuming more of the amber liquid.

"Elena, how much have you drunk?" I questioned hesitantly.

"Enough to make me warm, but not enough to make me forget."

I winced at the pain seeping into her voice, suddenly worried about what she might have done. "Elena-"

"Don't!" She snapped, her blood-shot eyes flashing to mine for the first time.

This is exactly what I had been afraid of; she was going to break. I stepped away from the wall towards her, but she leapt from the chair and was suddenly on the opposite side of the room; she obviously wanted her distance from me.

"Don't what?" I replied slowly tilting my head to the side in confusion.

"Just whatever you're going to say or do, just don't!" She screamed, her hands clenched tightly enough to make her knuckles white.

She looked like a frightened wild animal; her boisterous curls unruly and falling into her face, her eyes wide and too bright. I could see her barely grasping at her control, as her visage continued to alter between human and vampire. I wasn't sure if she was feeling angry or upset or some other emotion, but settled in the end on hysteria. Was she going to cry or try and kill me?

"Elena what's going on?" Stefan demanded with a deep frown as he entered the parlor behind her.

"Stefan." I warned, trying to communicate with my eyes what was happening.

Stefan swallowed and nodded, taking a stance so as to catch her if she tried to escape; she could be capable of anything in this condition and we couldn't let her get away and condemn Mystic Falls to the wrath of a frenzied Elena.

"Elena calm down." I commanded gently, my hands out in front of me gesturing for her to quieten. "Calm down and tell us what's happened; we can fix it."

"No. No. No." She protested shaking her head quickly with her eyes squeezed shut.

"Elena we don't understand. Stefan and I aren't going to judge you remember? Let us in and we can help." I attempted to soothe.

"Help! How the fuck can you possibly help me?" She screamed, her eyes feral and filled with pain. "There is nothing any of you can do to help! I've had enough! I've had enough!"

"Had enough of what?" Stefan questioned in a loud voice, his eyebrows raised in bewilderment.

"Everything! I don't want to be like this!" She cried, her hands knotting in her dark hair and her eyes darting about frantically.

Before I noticed what was happening Elena had dived out the window, a loud shattering of glass falling like a curtain after her.

"Damon!" Stefan yelled, but I had already seen the silver lapis lazuli ring that was now resting on the old wooden flooring where Elena had previously stood.

Stefan and I raced after her and I flung her burning, blistering body into the shade of the house mercilessly. She was whimpering loudly in agony, her skin a ghastly mess of red burnt flesh, and Stefan chucked a bucket of water over her in an attempt to placate the wounds. I slid my arms beneath her dripping body and carried her back into the boarding house, noticing with relief that her skin was already beginning to heal. She had her hands over her face and her head buried in the crook of my neck, but I was too angry to feel sorry for her. If she thought she was going to get off that easily she could think again. She tricked me into turning her and I'd be damned if I let her kill herself now.

Elena's POV

I landed on the cold and dusty concrete ground with a thump, tossed as if I was a sack of flour. The heavy iron door slammed shut with a frightening bang and I scrambled to my feet in fear, clawing desperately and uselessly at it in the hope that he'd let me out.

"Damon please!" I begged, my lower lip trembling as I stared blearily into Damon's stormy crystal eyes. "Let me out!"

Damon's jaw was taut and his eyes stony in resolve. "You're not going to kill yourself. You can rot in here instead." He spat furiously, the intensity of his gaze making me shrink back into myself. "I'll be back tomorrow with some blood."

"No, wait-!" I yelled panic-stricken, but it was too late; Damon had already slid shut the tiny opening in the door, leaving me without the only glimpse I had of outside the damp and dingy prison. I had never liked small enclosed spaces and my chest tightened painfully as I fell to the floor, loud sobs ripping through my body in terror and utter despair.

Just a very short little in between chapter - I hope its okay! Thank you to everyone still reading my story and to those of you who keep sending me reviews, I really like hearing your opinions! :) x