Flight of the hunters

Later in the night Stefan had to put the whammy on Morigan to get her to sleep. Not long after that, she was peacefully snoring. If you call the sound of mud sucking at your shoes peaceful.

An hour later, the entire house settled down for the night. After I was sure everyone was asleep, I silently opened my window and slipped into the night. Even before my feet hit the ground, I was a beautiful snow owl.

With one flap of my wings, I soared above the building and glided into the darkness. Houses sped by me as I hunted for my prey. With my vampire senses I scanned the ground below me to be rewarded with a scream.

I smiled grimly and drifted toward the alley where the shriek came from. Just out of sight I transformed back into my true form and silently walked up to my prey.

I saw a womanly shadow slurping from a man's bleeding throat. At his feet, lay a dozen scattered roses intended for his true love. I shook my head and gasped, drawing attention to myself.

I looked up at the vampiress with mock fear as she dropped her victim and flashed me a smile full of her blood red fangs.

In a flash she had me in her arms with me draped backwards over an arm. I widened my eyes, distracting her with my now exposed neck as I slipped a stake out from under the dress.

"Such a beautiful girl you are." She told me. "Pretty eyes, pretty hair. You would make such a good companion for me."

I almost laughed in her face but continued playing the role of the weak victim and began shuddering.

"Would you like to keep me, company little one?" she asked me. "Become one of the strong and immortal."

I cocked my head innocently and rammed the stake into her heart without warning. Before I landed on my butt, the creature was dead.

What a weird broad, I thought as I walked out of alley and transformed back into the night bird.

For a moment I glided in the night sky, feeling the caress of air in my wings and face. Soon I sensed I was longer alone and found a black bird following me.

Damon.

Lovely night, he said as he winged up to me.

It's nice, I replied slowly spinning. What are you doing here?

Hunting, you?

The same.

Damon the bird cocked his head beside me.

I entertained a couple, who did you fed upon, he asked me.

Didn't eat, I took out a vampiress. I told him. Even got an offer to become immortal.

I swore I saw Damon smirk as he asked Are you immortal?

I sent up my shields and pondered his simple question. Could I trust him? Should I trust Damon? Already he proved himself for me to speak mind to mind with him. Is Damon Salvatore worthy enough to learn secrets that not even Trinidad had known?

I can be, I told him. While I was with Trinidad I drank human blood and stayed looking only four years old for little over a year.

When I got back to Aunt Florence's, I stopped and began aging again, I said as I glided towards a park.

Together we landed in some trees and changed back to our human forms where we sat perched on the higher branches.

"So the reason you're so dinky.." he began before I slapped him on the arm.

He chuckled and began again, "Okay, you're so small is because your body isn't sixteen."

I rolled my eyes. No dummy, I'm just small, I snapped as I began climbing down.

As I managed to get almost down, I slipped and landed on my rear. Damon laughed as he landed in a crouch beside me seconds later.

"Big bad vampire hunter can't climb down a tree." He said and flashed me a grin. "Boo hoo."

I grabbed a handful of dirt and angrily threw it at him. As he threw up his arm, I launched myself into the sky and flew away. Seconds later Damon gave into the chase.

I wove myself through the park, ducking under the slide and maneuvering through the jungle gym with ease. All the while, he followed me with ease.

I'm going to get you for that, Taliesin. He told me.

I laughed. You have to catch me first Salvatore!

Quick as could be, I suddenly banked straight up into the air and sped out of the park. Soaring above the trees, almost touching the clouds I led Damon on a merry chase.

A few times a got above him and clipped him. Other times I flew circles around him before getting clipped myself.

Finally we reached Joan's house and continued the chase around the estate. Elena and Stefan were outside near the pool, stargazing. Suddenly I had a devious idea.

With a smile, I nose-dived toward the couple with Damon not far behind me. Closer and closer I let him come as I shot toward the couple. When I was about to strike the couple and knock them into the pool, I shot straight up. Damon was as fast and knocked his brother and Elena into the pool. Upon hitting the water, Damon was back to normal.

I landed by the edge, transformed into my human form and busted up laughing at the three of them splashing in the pool.

"Not funny." Stefan said sternly. I shook my head and pointed to Damon as Elena and Stefan climbed out and then left.

Quicker than I could react, Damon grabbed my arm and jerked me into the pool with him. Once the water went over my head I panicked.

I heard Damon laughing at me as I struggled to the surface. I ran out of breath and tried to breathe in the chloride water. I choked on the chloride water unconsciously taking in more water.

Suddenly I felt myself jerked up the surface and a pair of strong arms wrapped over my arms. I began coughing and struggling to keep myself afloat but Damon held me fast until I exhausted myself and relaxed.

"You might want to inform people of your little quirks before antagonizing them." He murmured in my ear.

Okay, I'm claustrophobic and can't swim. Happy?

He chuckled, "*Now* you tell me."

I jerked away from him angrily only to quickly wrap my arms around his shoulders when I began to sink. He laughed at me.

"I like white on women, know why?" Damon asked mere inches from my face.

I shrugged and he replied with a brief smile, "It's see through."

My face must have been the color of a tomato and I tried to push away from him but his arms quickly snaked around me.

"Don't like fair play, do you."

You have two seconds to let me go before you regret it, I warned glaring at him.

"I rarely regret anything I do." He replied staring at me intensely.

Before I could respond Damon touched his lips to mine. I blinked back at him surprised, as we both stared at each other. I was the first to close my eyes and he took it as a sign to deepen the kiss.

Just as it was getting too steamy for me, I heard a quiet chuckle. I spun around and saw Julian perched by the edge of the pool watching Damon and I practically make out.

"Ah amore." Julian said with an amused little smile playing on his lips.

"Julian." Damon growled as I somehow got to the pool edge and slipped out.

Julian smiled, produced a large black towel and tossed it to me. "Stefan and Elena was wondering if you two were killing each other." He chuckled, "Quite the opposite I see."

Rushed past Julian, spun and shoved him into the pool. Tell him to mind his own business, I told Damon as Julian sputtered to the surface.

"Angel says to mind your own business." Damon told Julian smugly as I left.

Inside my room I found a large mass of folded up clothes on top of the bed. I walked over and read the note.

Wardrobe is lacking, went shopping. – Joan. I read.

I picked up a white camisole and pajama pants and hugged them tight to me. I immediately slipped out of the wet dress and put on my new PJs. I smiled all the while I placed my new white clothes in drawers around the room.

I grew tired and crawled into bed, almost instantly going to sleep.

I dreamed dreams of a thousand nights-spent hunting with a bird of death and strong arms surrounding me. Sweet endless dreams.