Ch. 49

BPOV

I woke up to Damon lying next to me. When I sat up the air felt different, lighter. My eyebrows scrunched as I tried to pinpoint the difference. It finally came to me, the necklace was missing. I turned and looked at Damon. He was lounging against the pillows, a smirk on his face. He started running his left hand gently up and down my back, trying to distract me.

"Damon, you can't distract me with that sweetness. Where is the necklace?"

"What necklace? And you love me being sweet with you."

"Esther's necklace Damon, I can feel the power from it has moved; it's no longer in the house."
"You're right; it's no longer in the house. But, I'm not going to tell you where it is. The less people that no its whereabouts' the less we have to worry about it being used against us."

"Damon! Do you not trust me? Who else have you told? You said we?"

"Shush, calm down Bella." He pulled me to his chest and began brushing a hand through my hair. "Of course I trust you. No one else knows. I thought if just I knew then no one could come after us, specifically you."

"Damon…"

"No Bella, this is my way of protecting you. If you ever need to know then I promise to tell you, but as of right now, I want to be the only one who knows; for the sadtey of everyone involved."

"I can understand that Damon. But, we are a team; we have to trust each other. When you're ready, tell me where it is, but know I would never betray you or anyone else in this family; on pain of death."

"That's what I worry about Bella, on pain of death. I know you would die to protect everyone you care about, but I don't want it to ever come to that. You are too precious for me to lose or put in the line of fire."

"I'll always be in the line of fire Damon; the question is just how close to the fire will I get?"