Isabella blushed as the human Damon kissed her neck. He had been courting her for only two days, and she was increasingly more nervous over her own reactions to him. Something in his touch felt so visceral to her. It stirred something in her that she was afraid to define. And she tried to force the thought of more out of her head.

"I push too far," he lamented. "I'm sorry." He stepped back and tucked his chin. "I shouldn't be… I forget myself when I'm around you."

She reached over and touched his arm tentatively. "I… I enjoyed that."

"Yes, but it still made you uncomfortable."

She ran her hand down his arm to his hand and took it in hers. "I made me uncomfortable, not you. The kiss was nice –really nice." She blushed scarlet. "It's that I wanted more –that is the problem."

He looked at her, stunned. "You do?"

"I must sound like a harlot to you." She turned from him, ashamed. "I-I shouldn't have said that."

He chuckled darkly and pulled her into his arms. "Harlot wasn't the word I was thinking of. Exciting is the word." His arms were wrapped around her, and he nibbled her ear. He whispered, "I fully approve of your wants, my darling."

She was startled when Damon pulled back and rolled his eyes. Even more so when he said, "so, uncle Damon, what brings you here to the woods?"

Isabella blushed and turned around, shocked and embarrassed. "Please. I'm not-"

"Like this?" Damon asked, sauntering over. "My nephew has talked very much about you."

"And… Wh-what has he said?" She asked nervously.

"Uncle Damon," he threatened. "Should you be showing yourself? She won't be able to find you compelling." He was trying to remind him that she would be dosed with vervain by the Lockwoods.

"Oh, my dear nephew. Don't worry about that," he zipped over to them and showed her his vampire form. "She's a witch, and she won't tell on me."

"What?" The younger Damon asked, utterly stunned.

She took a step toward Damon. "Are you trying to threaten me? I can give you a headache you won't forget."

He laughed at her. "You've heard of Giuseppe killing his oldest son? That was me. I had vampire blood in me when I died. I'm no threat to this family. In fact, you can think of me as your guardian angel. I happen to get along with witches very well."

She rolled her eyes, "well, I'm not too fond of vampires."

"Too bad. You have two in the family," Damon answered, showing his fangs again.

"No. My family died. It's why I'm a governess."

Damon retracted his fangs and smirked. "Not the one I'm talking about. My wife and I are both Vampires. And when you marry my nephew very soon…. Family. See?"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I told you, he talks about you."

"What are you doing, Uncle? You're not helping."

He laughed, "sure I am. I'm letting her know she's safe to have a sex romp in the woods with you, since you, you fully intend to make her your wife."

"Will he even want me knowing I'm a witch?! He didn't know that before."

The younger Damon laughed, "why would that bother me? You're sexy and fascinating. And I'm not in step with the council."

"This town kills witches," she reminded him, annoyed.

Vampire Damon laughed, "so? He won't tell."

She glared at him, "you expect me to believe witches even like you? It's against our ways."

"I'm more of an action man; I'll prove it to you. Tomorrow."

Isabella frowned. "Wait, how did you know I am a witch? I'm careful."

Damon, the vampire, said, "my wife's best friend for fifty years is a witch, and so is her daughter, my goddaughter. Emily Bennett didn't die like she was supposed to in that fire. I can feel the power when I'm around a witch now."

"You're trying to tell me you're friends with the Emily?"

Damon cast his eyes to the ground. "I was. She died recently. Damn, it still hurts."

"Language, Uncle. She's a lady," young Damon reminded him.

Isabella looked at him in surprise. "You're really not afraid to correct a vampire?!"

"He and his wife are the only reason Mary didn't lose her child. It could have killed her too. She… had complications –they saved her. I love you desperately, but I love her like a true sister. They saved this family. You know it would have destroyed Stefan."

She frowned. "I would have hated for Mary to lose her child. In fact, I like her very much. She would definitely be a benefit of marrying you. She'd be my sister."

Vampire Damon smirked. "And I would protect you too. So what do you say? Going to let my nephew have some fun?"

"Uncle!" Younger Damon yelled. "Don't pressure her!"

She blushed scarlet and turned into her Damon's embrace. "Tell him to leave." She then pressed her body against him. "The answer is yes."

"Uncle, thank you, and go away." Damon obeyed happily.


Enzo stepped into the hotel that he had traced Damon, Elena, and Rosa to. He made his way to the room they rented for him after finding out where everyone's room was.

He heard a concerning and odd noise coming from Rosa's room, and he forced his way in. After all, he was very protective of her.

What he saw shocked him. She was naked, riding a man who looked like he was having a fantastic time. She paused and glared at him, covering herself up with the sheets. "What the hell, Enzo?!"

"I didn't expect sex noises from your room. I heard grunting and became concerned." He chuckled, noticing she didn't climb off the man.

"Frank, this is Enzo. He's a vampire too. Enzo, this is Frank."

"Your new fuck-buddy?" Enzo asked, teasing.

She glared back. "No. Soon, he'll be my husband, now, in the meantime. Please leave. I was enjoying myself. He's ridiculously well endowed."

Enzo shook his head with humor. "Have fun."

He watched Rosa shift, and Frank moaned in ecstasy. She said, "oh, no problem there." Enzo then left.


Elena sat at the Salvatore mansion, talking with James. She cocked her head, "so you never remarried?"

"No, after… that, it was hard to trust again," he replied.

She cast her eyes to the ground. "Not all women-"

"I don't trust my taste in women. Never mind what they 'all' do. She died giving birth to another man's child." He frowned. "I'm just so glad my sons look so much like the Salvatore family. It gives me comfort that they're mine."

"But to not marry! That's extreme."

He chuckled, "I'm not abstaining. I'm not Stefan, but I'm not a stranger to the women at the whore house."

He frowned and added, "I found her in our bed with the man. It lingers in my mind; I loved her, and it crushed me. Still, I didn't throw her out. I hid what happened. Then as she lay dying in childbirth, she was crying out for him to come to her."

Elena frowned. "Find a good woman who loves you. We can compel her to remain faithful. That way, you would trust her. I'm not saying she'd cheat otherwise; I'm saying it would cause you to trust."

"I will consider it."

"Liar," she countered.