Chapter One: Dirty Deeds
Damon rested the crystal glass against his forehead, as he skimmed the worn pages of a book that lay in his lap. The amber flames cracked and danced across the walls of the parlor. The Salvatore boarding house was eerily quiet, as everyone lay in waiting to divulge a plan to protect Elena from the Originals, who made it very clear they were out for blood – Elena's blood.
The reality of the situation weighted heavily on Damon's shoulders as he struggled to find answers to the many unsolved questions. The sun and moon curse remained a mystery. Katherine and Elena clearly the elements to the Originals master plan. But how they were connected, and the story behind their uncanny resemblance was yet to be explained.
If the legends of the Originals were true, they are greedy, he reminded himself, they are desperate, and hungry to fulfill the sun and moon curse. A harsh reminder - He was only one, he could not protect her forever, he thought, as he sipped the blood and bourbon cocktail. He swallowed the truth like knives, tearing apart his insides and striping him of his pride.
Elena held her arms, as she shuffled down the stairs in her oversized sweater; a sweet smile crossed her lips, seeing Damon with his nose between the pages of a book.
"He reads," She said surprised, watching him slam the rest of his blood and bourbon cocktail. "I didn't know vampires were interested in such petty human things."
"We maybe bloodthirsty, and deadly but we're not illiterate, Elena. Well, not all of us, anyway," He met with her brown eyes, as she rested her knee on his leg, "Aren't you suppose to be sleeping or least resting…" He closed the book, taking in her nearly naked frame.
Her chestnut colored hair flowed in loose curls about her bare shoulders, resembling Katherine more than ever – something he would never say aloud.
"I was, until I realized you weren't there. I didn't even hear you get up." She crawled onto of him, glancing at his muscular chest, then back at blue eyes, "I know you aren't one for sleep Damon, but you haven't closed your eyes for more than twenty-minutes in the past two days. It's not healthy."
"I'm immortal, Elena, I'll sleep when I'm, dead…dead." He said with wandering eyes, as he caressed her arms, "Besides, I want to be ready. I'm not the type to sulk in the shadows and wait for someone to make their move."
The disgust was evident in his face; he was becoming increasingly irritated every day that passed by with no clear answers. Elena felt her stomach flip, worried that his temper would get the best of him and it would finally send him over the edge.
"I get that it's frustrating, Damon." She straddled him, bracing herself on his chest, "You're not alone in that, we're all frustrated with all of it."
"Yeah, well I decided to catch up on some reading. Maybe find something that I missed – but nothing."
Elena snatched the book from his hand, "Catching up on your Petrova history?" She raised an eyebrow at him, "Do I even dare ask what you are looking for in here?"
"It's just research, Elena." He took the book from her hands, "Trying to piece all this stuff together, the sun and moon curse…." He listed on his hand, "the moonstone, Katherine…" He watched her looked down as he mentioned Katherine's name.
He slightly cursed himself for even mentioning her name; it was a sensitive topic for Elena. Katherine's return to Mystic Falls seemed to be one more thing for Elena to worry about. While Damon contested that Katherine meant nothing to him, Elena still had lingering doubts.
145 years shereminded herself, which is hard to forget.
"And…I've already managed to put my foot in my mouth." Damon rubbed his temples, "I think that's a new record." He sighed, feeling her lean into him.
She set the book aside, "Look you'll figure it out, Damon," She said softly, following his jaw line with her finger. "We'll figure it out…it's just going to take some time." His face softened, feeling her warm hand against his cheek.
He valued her optimism and courage that never seemed to waver. But it was that innocence that could get her killed.
He covered her small hand with his own, "We don't have time, Elena." He uttered a hint of worry in his voice, "They are coming for you, and they want to take you away…don't you get that?"
A harsh reminder that needed to be said, Damon thought, as her hand slipped from his face. She could paint this picture anyway she wanted, but then there was reality.
"You act like I don't know," She avoided his eyes, "I get it Damon, I do…I just can't let it ruin the time that I do have…"
He curled a finger under her chin, gently tilting it to his eyes, "I didn't mean it like it sounded," She flashed a quick half-smile; seeing the compassion in his eyes. "…and the last thing I want to do is scare you Elena, but you need to be aware."
"I know, and I guess I keep thinking that if I look at it differently, it won't seem so bad." She took a deep breath, "I just – if these are my final days -."
Elena, don't talk like that." He cut her off, "Don't think like that."
The thought had crossed her mind every day – when, how, and what her final moments would be like. What would happen to all those she loved?
"But that's what you mean right, by being aware?" She felt her cheeks grow warm, "That my life is in the balance here, and I-I could…." Her eyes filled with tears, as Damon caressed her cheekbone, her every word a dagger straight threw his unbeaten heart.
"If I'm going to die, I don't want the time we have to be ruined by darkness." Her voice was a near whisper. The truth finally out in the open, revealing yet another burden she carried.
He cupped her face in his hands, almost nose to nose with her, "You're not going to die," He clenched his jaw, pushing the emotion away from the surface, "I will do everything in my power Elena – everything." He choked out the last word, her hands clinging to his wrists.
Her breathing slowed, as a single tear streamed down her cheek onto his hand. She could see the determination in his icy blue eyes. "You hear me?" He shook her slightly. "We have time."
"I'm scared, Damon." She flung her arms around his bare shoulders, "I don't know what to think about anything anymore." She closed her eyes tight, and nuzzled his neck. "I want to feel safe again."
Damon ran his fingers through her long curls, and breathed in her sweet perfume. The words finally escaped him; he resorted to what came natural to him. Gathering her long hair over one shoulder, he left light kisses along her neck; her petite body began to loosen in his arms.
Elena drew back slightly, until his forehead was against hers. They clung to each other, the only thing they finally knew to be certain. Their love proved to be the only constant, keeping them grounded, something worth fighting for.
Elena held his face gently in her hands, "How do you do that?" She asked, grazing his lips with her thumb.
"Do what?" His lips curled slightly, the typical Damon-cockiness showing through.
"…Bring me back to earth, when everything seems so far away?"
"Mad skill," He told her simply, before kissing her nose, "Least, that's what I'd like to call it."
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever," Giving him a slight shove, "I was trying to bebeing serious…" She giggled.
"Okay…on a serious note," He intertwined their fingers; studying how perfectly they fit into his hands. While the witty comebacks were a natural talent for Damon, speaking from his heart was something he had fought against for centuries.
"I know you worry, about Jeremy, Bonnie…everyone." He managed to get out, his eyes still on her hands. Damon was not shy by any means; he told it how it was. But Elena brought out the innocence that remained in Damon Salvatore.
"I would do anything to take that away for you," He raised her hand to his lips, "Anything…"
Elena felt her eyes fill with tears once more, but not out of sadness. She knew what he was struggling to say, and the effort alone was enough. She drew his chin until her lips crashed against his with such fire, her entire body throbbing for his touch.
His tongue slithered between her lips, and she willingly granted him access. Elena writhed on his lap with such urgency, as his hands slid along her thighs and beneath her sweater.
"You take it all away, just you." She breathed against his lips, as his hands followed the arch of her back, her skin so smooth and warm beneath his fingers tips. "All I need is you."
Her words were a breath of fresh air, she wanted him – Elena needed him. It lit a fiery passion within him. Damon craved to feel her body against his, tugging her sweater overhead, revealing her lace black bra beneath.
She hovered above him slightly, shoving him against the back of the chair. Damon licked his lips, "You're a tease," a devilish smirk on his face.
"It's your fault," She smiled, running her fingers through his jet-black hair, her lips found his once again. "You drive me crazy," She purred, feeling his lips graze her cheek, along her neck.
Elena grew weak in the support of his arms; she let her head fall back as he kissed along her breasts. Goosebumps crawled over her body, as he panted against her skin.
"God you feel so good," He moaned, squeezing her breasts slightly, as her chest heaved with his every touch.
Suddenly, his cell phone vibrated along the end table. "Damon," Elena panted, watching the cell phone flash and rumble along the wood table, "Damon, your cell phone…"
"Let it ring," He uttered, running his tongue along the crook of her neck.
"But – wha -." Elena gasped, her eyes growing heavy, her hands still entangled in his hair. "What if s-something happened?"
"They'll leave a voice mail," He breathed, his lips grazing her collarbone.
Elena stared at the ceiling, as Damon slipped her bra strap off her shoulder, "Maybe it's Alaric, maybe they found out something." She bit her lip, her focus back at the blinking cell phone.
She felt his head drop against her shoulder in defeat. "Are you trying to kill me," He looked up at while reaching for his cell phone. He wanted her, and he wanted her badly, the thought made her blush.
"This better be good, Stefan." He rubbed his eyes, as Elena kissed his head before slipping off his lap.
This was one conversation Elena was certain she did not want to be a part of – least not directly. She thought the more distance the better, for both Salvatore brothers.
"I didn't find out much," Stefan confessed, "Not as much as we hoped for, anyway."
Damon peered between his fingers, watching a half-naked Elena head for the stairs; a groan escaped his lips, "You have the worse impeccable time, ever."
There was a brief pause on the other line; Stefan knew what Damon was implying. Damon would have bet that his brother was fighting the urge to punch something at that very moment.
"Do you want to know what I found out, or not?"
Damon scooted to the edge of the chair, his eyes on the fire. "Yes Stefan, enlighten me."
"I found Rose, she has some information on the Originals; what they are about, where to find them. I think we should sit down and talk with her."
"Oh I bet you would," Damon meandered to the makeshift bar, "Sounds like a plan. Then after you two chat about the good ole' days, I'll shove a stake through her heart."
"You can't kill her Damon, its part of the deal."
"Deal?" Damon huffed, pouring himself a glass of bourbon, "I didn't make any deal Stefan, that's on you."
"If you want the information on how to protect Elena, then you'll make the deal, Damon." Damon's lip curled in disgust, "That's the only way that Rose will even consider meeting with us. We meet, she tells us what we need to know, and we let her go - plain and simple."
"I don't like it." Damon raised the glass to his lips, "In case you forgot, she kidnapped Elena, I would say that her creditability is shot. She'll say anything to save her own ass."
"No one asked you if you liked it. It's what we got. We have no choice."
Damon cracked his neck, the frustration already growing in his shoulders. The idea of working with Elena's kidnapper was infuriating, "Where is this little reunion taking place?"
"Old hotel outside of town, I'll meet you there."
"I'll be there in five." Damon poured the bourbon down his throat, "Make that ten, I'm in the desperate need of a cold shower." He smirked as the line ran dead.