Previously on Flightmate...
E, B and C are on a trip to Europe. D & E bond. Plane crashes. E is stranded on an island. D saves E from danger. D reveals his biological status to E. D's lips are moving in E's neck's direction just when E understands what he's about to do.
Think.
Chapter 10: I Am Still Hungry
It was the only way.
A surprise.
She ducked her head, her lips level with his. Crashing onto his pink lips, Elena Gilbert kissed him with everything she had, moving her lips as seductively as she could against his. Immediately, she felt his grips on her arms loosen. She tried her best not to smile into the kiss, as he released her. Gotcha, Elena thought.
His lips remained frozen under hers. Shock?
Kissing was not Elena's forte. She was much better at being intelligent and feisty.
Fearing her distraction might not work and he might push her away any second, forcibly biting her, she used her hands to distract him even farther. Like a cheetah pouncing on a deer, Elena's hands attacked his black hair, pulling a handful locks.
He moaned in her mouth.
It was working.
Damon's strong arms sprung into action, pinning her to him, his mouth clashing and sucking on her lips with great fervor. He is so good, oh my god. How does he do that? After she was sure her lips were swollen to double their normal size, she felt his tongue on her teeth.
Crap.
She'd kissed Matt in that way when they were together - slobbery, awkward and unpleasant. However, Damon knew what he was doing. Hell, I can feel it everywhere.
Opening her mouth wider, she let him in. Plundering her mouth as he pleased, Elena was on a new high. She tasted his otherworldly mix of lavender and musk; her thoughts fuzzy. He broke off the kiss.
Wait, what?
She dived back onto his lips, not sure if to distract him or if she liked it. At that point, she didn't care. She wanted to feel them again. To her disappointment and rising fear, he held her back. Confused, she reluctantly opened her eyes, trepidation that the moment would pass if she did. Trepidation that he saw through her act.
He was so far away from that.
'Not the right time or place, Ms. Gilbert,' he chided, his bad boy smirk back. What. Elena watched him expectantly, desperately trying to hide the fear inside. She thought about why she kissed him in the first place. She remembered.
Why did I forget what I was supposed to do? Grab the branch. Stupid, stupid, STUPID ELENA. I'm gonna die. Why did I not reach for that branch?
All he had done was kiss her yet she was more aroused than she'd been in her entire life.
'Come with me.' He stood up, extending a hand to her.
Elena stayed where she was, paralysed. She had no clue what he was thinking or what he planned to do to her. His face revealed nothing. He is so annoyingly mysterious. Maybe he is good at hiding his feelings, she thought. Well, time for a plan B.
Oh that's right. There was no plan B.
Forcing her mind to think quickly, she used her peripheral vision to look for anything that'd help her escape, swaying lightly.
I am in a cave. A rather dark and historic-looking cave opening into the clearing in the forest next to the sandy terrain blessed with a graceful waterfall. No rocks, no stones, nothing to throw at him or knock him unconscious. He is good at seducing so I can't try that again. I want an advantage over him. Where is my advantage?
She apprehended Damon curiously, searching for an answer. She got it.
I really hope he's got a good side.
Closing her eyes as naturally as she could, she let her body fall to the ground.
Elena listened for movement around her. What would he make of her fainting act? For a few moments it seemed, nothing.
Then, there was a chill on her left side.
'I can't have been that good.'
Elena's jaw tightened as she tried to stop herself from responding.
A warm hand brushed the side of her face. His fingers followed the bridge of her nose over the mound of cheek, stopping near her lips. Then his hand cupped her jaw; his thumb brushed her lips. Elena held her breath. She had to look as unconscious as possible. Crap, do unconscious people breathe?
She couldn't think because his hand was still caressing her cheek, its movements more frantic. He was trying to get a response out of her.
Damn his hand. Damn him.
Immediately, in a very deep and quite tone, she heard, 'Well, I am still hungry.'
He lifted her neck so her upper body rested on his thighs, neck draped over his palm. Tilting her head, Damon opened a long expanse of her neck.
Elena wondered if he was testing her, guessing she'd open her eyes and push him away any minute. She wondered if he knew she was faking it, but played along simply because he enjoyed messing with her.
One way to find out.
Staying as still as a rock, Elena prayed silently. Please leave me alone. Have the decency to not injure an unconscious person. Come on Damon.
After a few painful seconds, she felt his breath on her neck. Oh no. He was going to drink from her. Oh crap. She counted backwards in her hand to slow down her hyperactive mind. Please don't do it. Please don't do it. I'm trying so hard over here.
He dived.
Ripping open the skin, Damon drank everything within. Elena's surprise was overshadowed by excruciating pain - he was reveling in her blood. She bit her tongue to stop herself from making a sound. Her brain screamed to let go, to drop the act. Game over. Damon won.
He smirked against her flesh and dived in again. It was different that time. Elena felt the pain on her neck ebbing away even though the blood was still flowing. His mouth was moving on her. Why was there no pain? Why was she feeling something else?
Something good?
Trying to put a name to the foreign feeling, her eyelids pulled up. Damon's messy black hair blocked her view as his lips worked magic on her neck. His hand moved from her jaw, down over her breasts and gripped her waist, stroking and squeezing.
Her eyes rolled back. Flashes of pleasure flowed from where his lips met her skin down to the tip of her toes. Hands flying to Damon's hair, she secured him to her. He paused. Pulling away for a mini-second, he chuckled before attacking her at a different angle. Elena, lost in ecstasy, let herself be controlled by him. She felt his smile on her skin. She smiled back in her haze.
Completely surprising her, Damon pulled away from her neck, wiping her blood off his lips. Elena breathlessly opened her eyes. What was that?
He arched his neck. His stubble was facing her and he tilted his head to the ceiling of the cave in ecstasy. Elena found it incredibly arousing. She turned away politely.
Why did he have to be so attractive? How can anyone make sucking the life out of a person pleasurable? Or was it just me? I knew the sparks between us were intense and terrifying, but this?
He noted her, gazing underneath his eyelids. Elena pondered if he knew what she was thinking. Feeling self-conscious, she dragged herself away from his leather-clad body.
'Oh no you don't.' Damon swooped on her, grabbing her wrists before she could escape. Elena struggled to get away, not wanting to see him or interact with him for the rest of her life. He was too dangerous and toxic for her. It had to end. Damon obviously felt her vibe since his hold on her got tighter; gripping her to the point of bruising. Elena stopped moving her limbs. She couldn't do it. It was pointless to fight him. He was just too strong.
'Now, there's a good girl.' He sang in the fake husky honey voice. 'You know what I am, it doesn't work.' He read her mind again in that creepy way he always did. Elena was grateful he couldn't read everything. They'd be doing something else entirely if he did.
Damon paused, waiting for her reply. Elena was repulsed. She hung her head, eyes turned away from his.
'Good. I think it's best you know: you cannot escape me. We are both stranded here, on an island in the middle of Atlantic Ocean. You are the only thing alive here. Of course, that's not true technically. There are animals around but I am not pulling an Edward Cullen and feeding from them. God they taste gross. They're kind of like-' he paused. 'They're like the stale leftover scraps of something that was good before. That's why I like humans. Especially human ladies. So much sweeter. Richer.' she felt his warm breath moving closer and closer.
'Hotter.'
His hands circled her waist and clutched her to him. He whispered, words Elena tried to fend off from her subconscious.
'Elena Gilbert, you are my only food source.'
Elena froze.
His words played on a loop in her head.
No. No, nope, no, nopity, nope, nope nope.
He was lying.
In that instance, Elena had a strange flash of memory. She saw herself jet cruising through crystal blue ocean waters. When was this?
The memory changed to her, drowning. No one could hear her, no one could save her. Elena hoped that it was the remnants of a dream, not her reality. However, if those were imaginary, how did she make it here? She remembered.
Damon.
'You got me here,' she abruptly changed topic. 'I remember; you tying me to your back, swimming me here. Don't deny it,' she mused, watching Damon's face morph from confusion to a small flash of realization and finally to a poker face. He was hiding it from her. He was hoping her hopefully temporary amnesia would keep the truth away from her. It was not like they'd gotten much time to chat. What with the escaping, the fainting and the kissing, he was very busy tending to her.
'So why can't you get us out?'
'Because I have no idea which way is land or even the name of the island we're on,' he revealed, unhesitating. 'You were drowning and I wanted nothing more than to be done with you. However, I couldn't just let you die,' he looked away from her inquisitive gaze. 'Humanity sucks. It's a vampire's greatest weakness. My conscience wouldn't let you drown. Not when you went all 'save me, save me' on my ass.'
'When I found you, I just chose a random direction and hoped to God there'd be land. I swam and swam. I had to drag your feisty self for atleast 100 miles. Thank me, I found this island.' Damon arrogantly observed. 'Speaking of which... I've never heard of or seen this place before in my life. What does exist in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean anyway?' he mused mockingly. He knew the answer to that question. He gave Elena a meaningful look.
Elena narrowed her eyes. 'Now you're being ridiculous.'
'Swear to God and cross my heart, I am not,' he proclaimed, tracing a cross over his chest. 'In all my life, I researched all the places in the world. Side note: I've got a thing for travelling. I got into this so I could find K-' he halted abruptly. Elena guessed: he was about to reveal personal things. He changed track so I wouldn't ask. Well, I'm more curious about something else so it's your lucky day. I'll let that slide.
'Point is, I know everything about geography and every little place on the earth and this island just so happens to not fit into the atlas.'
'Don't say that.'
'Either it has not been discovered yet or it just popped up out of nowhere,' Damon continued. 'Whatever helps you sleep at night,' he added, a sarcastic smile on his face. It was even more annoying than his smug smile.
'You are kidding me.'
'Nope.' He smiled happily.
'Well, just pick a random direction and let's hope you find a place that 'fits into the atlas' then,' Elena air quoted, panicking.
'Zero points for sass. If I could have gotten out, I would have done it already. Finding this place was pure luck. I am not risking our lives to go to another possibly non-existent landmass. Little tip: vampires hate to swim.'
Elena stared into his eyes. He stared right back. She decided to ask him.
'Why did you risk it?' she changed tack. She scrutinized his eyes for any emotion. There was none. 'Why risk your life to save me? You couldn't let me drown, right? You don't seem the type to die for everyone who needs help. Moreover, I wasn't the only one on that plane, was I?' Elena's eyes widened. 'Oh my god,' she breathed. 'Oh my god, Bonnie and Caroline! Where are they? Oh my god, Damon,' she cried. Damon was then looking extremely uncomfortable. Elena blinked her tears away. I'll worry about them once I've dealt with this.
'So why me Damon?'
'Would you rather I left you in the middle of the Atlantic?' Damon spat, annoyed then.
'Don't deflect Damon! Why didn't you save Bonnie and Caroline? Or anyone else on that plane? There was a baby onboard Damon! You knew that! So answer honestly. Why me?'
Damon's eyes narrowed. 'I didn't see a baby floating in the ocean,' he spoke tightly. 'I did see Bonnie and Caroline but they seemed pretty fine swimmers to me. You were the one drowning.'
Elena stared. Hope flared in her chest yet again. If the island they were standing on remained undiscovered, maybe there were other such islands nearby. They might have survived.
'Okay,' she breathed. 'We are the only people on this island, yes?'
'As far as I know.'
'And you are not lying to me.'
Damon threw her a look. She took that as confirmation.
'I am your only food source?'
'Yup.'
'So that means, if I die, you die.' Elena concluded, a smile appearing on her face for the first time since she opened her eyes.
'Now,' he warned, 'let's not get it to your head shall we? I can perfectly well survive on animal blood as disgusting as they are. You're just the tastier option.'
Elena grimaced.
'Might as well be honest with each other if we're stuck here.' Damon reasoned.
Elena liked the sound of 'we' but she'd never let Damon know. 'Fine. Okay. How about you leave me alone for the entire day. At nightfall, we'll meet back here so we can both have our-' she paused. 'Is food the right word?'
Damon smiled as though they were discussing the restaurant to eat dinner that night. 'Food works just fine.'
'So do we agree?' Elena asked. 'I know we're stuck on this island with no company but each other. We are not exactly compatible, if you've noticed. Let's be clear on one thing. We can be stuck in a place but we don't have be stuck together.'
Damon regarded her thoughtfully. Just as politely, 'We don't have to. But I'd really like that. Tempting as your ingenious,' he rolled his eyes, 'plan sounds, my answer is no.'
Elena's throat constricted. She forcefully cleared it. 'No?'
He shook his head.
'Why not?' she injected confidence into her voice. More than usual. 'What's the problem?'
'I don't want to hurt your feelings,' Damon started. Elena knew that was exactly what he was about to do. 'So I'm going try to put this as delicately as I can. You are not the most coordinated person,' he spat the harsh thesis. 'You are telling me you will live alone in a forest and not get eaten by a monkey or a chihuahua. Sorry to burst your bubble, Elena but you are booksmart. That is all. You've never lived, you've never had to fight for your life. You are no Katniss Everdeen. This is your first,' Damon continued tearing her soul apart. 'You're not careful either. May I remind you that you did throw yourself off a cliff last night. You gave up in the forest after you barely entered. You are not exactly survival material.'
Elena opened and closed her mouth in shock. Her jaw quivered in rage. She converted her hurt to anger, stood up straight and looked him straight in the eye.
'I survived a plane crash in a water, avoiding drowning. The plane had exploded Damon! There were waves and waves of recoil, I don't even know how to swim but I got to the surface. It was my bad luck that there was no way I could get out without handing my fate to a blackmailing crazy vampire!' her eyes almost glowed with the fire in her eyes. 'I made it alive so far. I have you to partially thank you for that,' she admitted, emphasizing 'partially'.
Damon raised an eyebrow.
'Okay maybe more than partially. I can survive on my own. If you don't have that confidence, fine. I do. To be honest, I'd rather take the chance of being eaten alive by a chihuahua than be shadowed by you.'
Damon's eyes narrowed. They turned a bluish-yellow because of the flames reflected in them.
I am not done.
'About the cliff,' she ranted. 'How the hell am I supposed to know it ended there? I needed help and I went after it! Isn't that survival material Damon?' she spat his name.
Damon seemed unperturbed. 'Ta daaa!' he sang, pointing to himself. 'I am all the help you're getting. You see what I mean? Your stubbornness and fiery spirit is why I like you but are also going to end up killing you. I don't trust you on your own. Like you so aptly put it: if you die, so do I. I am sorry but you have no choice. You are sticking with me until we find a way out.'
Elena shook her head. 'Uh-uh. Not happening.'
He nodded. 'Yes happening.'
'I am not staying with you, Damon,' her voice getting louder. 'Thanks for saving my life and all that, but we part ways now.'
Damon tightened his grip on her as Elena squirmed. 'Did I stutter Elena?' She tried to get away, yanking and twisting.
'Reasoning never seems to work with you Elena,' he struggled as Elena pinched his arm. 'I really didn't want to have to do this, but...' He grabbed her head with both hands and locked it in place, making eye contact with her mahogany eyes. Her brain stopped. His voice was all she could hear, commanding her.
'You will not step outside this cave until I tell you so.'
He broke the connection. Elena's brain returned to full work mode. What was that about? I think I've seen his eyes do that. More importantly what was I doing before? Right.
Flying from his arms, she ran towards the entrance of the cave. Did he really think she would listen to him if he told her persuasively and did that mind connection? As she felt her mouth stretch into a smile, Elena crashed into the invisible wall at the entrance. Frowning, she tried to dash sideways to get out. Furious, Elena tried over and over from different angles. She couldn't get out. Finding a twig in the cave, she grabbed and threw it at the invisible rock glass barrier. It cruised through the air and landed normally on the ground outside.
More confused than ever, she looked at Damon. He was watching her with a wide smile on his face. He was clearly finding amusement in her failure in running from him. Elena glared. Laughing, he stood up and passed her on his way out. She didn't take her eyes off of him. He was unaffected by her killer glare. Before he left, he sang,
'Good night Elena.'
It was my birthday yesterday! WOOHOO YEAH! I went to the Toronto Zoo and had mango cake.
All my birthday gifts were TVD-related: first 2 books of TVD, a Vampire Diaries diary, a TVD bookmark. Obviously. My friends knew me well.
Oh I'm sorry, if you are reading this, you review, regardless of if you are shy and/or don't have a FF account. Sorry, I don't make the rules. Go. Do it.
I am vaaching you.
STALK ME.
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