The scalding cup of coffee almost burned Jacqueline's throat but she didn't mind. The bitter taste left her mind clearer than it had been a few moments ago.
She placed the mug back on her desk.
She leaned back on the chair as she pulled up her long brown hair into a messy ponytail. She couldn't concentrate on what she was trying to type. Her mind was a mess…not an organised one that it usually was.
She was trying to write at least something, so that when Beau called she wouldn't be lying about having something written down. As it turned out though, all she could think of was how she had seen two men being slaughtered right before her eyes and how she didn't even think much of it when it happened. She should have been traumatised but when she looked back was the need for them to be dead if they were to make it out safely.
Was this what Mystic Falls did to everyone who knew of its dark secrets? And so quick too?

Jacqueline just crossed her arms and sat back for a while.
This is exactly what she had signed up for.
She reached for the mug of coffee and took a large gulp.

The sound of footstep on the wooden floor of her bedroom made her go still, her senses alert. She didn't turn around though; she had a pretty good idea about who it was. Her assumption was only proved right when his voice broke the peaceful silence that Jacqueline had previously been dwelling in.
"How his my favourite new writer doing on this fine afternoon?"

Jacqueline hesitated, "Great."

"You don't sound all that great," Damon Salvatore now made his way towards where the brunette was seated, looking like she hadn't had a good night's sleep.

"I don't see how that is any of your business."
She finally turned in her chair to look at the vampire who now was most comfortably and casually seated on her bed.
She frowned; she didn't like random people hopping on her bed like they owned it. She didn't like this situation even more because of the fact that the random person was Damon Salvatore.

"Oh," he let out a condescending little laugh as he looked up from the photo frame that was on her bedside table, "I make it my business when girls who send grown men flying without touching them move to my town."

Jacqueline let out a similar laugh, "You don't own Mystic Falls, Damon. Anyone can move here."

"Not when they clearly aren't human," he now stood up and moved closer to Jacqueline.

Jacqueline didn't flinch, "And what made you think that?"

Damon just smirked at her and reached behind him in a quick move and before Jacqueline could even process what he was going, he flung a fairly large object at her.
He aimed for her face and the photo frame that he had been observing before was heading straight to her.
But in a matter of seconds –no, milliseconds– the frame hit the wall at the far end of the room, away from both Damon and Jacqueline.

Damon spared a small glance at the frame that now lay shattered on the floor and then turned to the woman who was still seated. Both her breathing and her pulse had quickened, he could hear it.
"Are you trying to tell me that my aim is just that bad?"

"This," Jacqueline finally stood up, "is none of your business."

"Come on," he waved her off, "Katherine is in town, Mason is an ass and a werewolf, no one knows if the Tyler kid is suddenly come and attack me and now you do witchy stuff. And you're telling me none if this is my business."

Jacqueline crossed her arms, "You can get yourself into whoever's business you want except for mine."

"Things don't quite happen our way now, do they?"
In a flash, Damon had her pinned against the wall. He enjoyed the way her eyes widened as the breath got knocked off her lungs. Her pulse was speeding and he could just hear the blood flowing in her veins.

"Get off me."
She tried to push him off despite knowing that her strength compared to his was almost negligible.

"No," the smirk in his voice was evident, "you're coming with me."

Jacqueline's arms were folded over her chest and her eyebrows rising in question.
She refused to say or do anything. She wasn't going to let him manipulate her into doing something.

"Show me what you're made of, Jackie," Damon drawled, his signature smirk evident.

"Let's not come up with horrible nicknames for each other," Jacqueline said, her nose scrunched up in distaste at the nickname the vampire had apparently come up with on the spot.

She was supposed to be scared.
After all, she was in the middle of the woods with a hundred-something year old vampire. The said vampire could do...almost anything to her.
But all she felt was irritation.
She hadn't come to terms with the whole angel fiasco, how was she supposed to explain it to him?
There was also the fact that she owed him no explanation whatsoever.

"Come on, Jacqueline," Damon tilted his head as he started closing the large gap between the two of them.
Jacqueline stood her ground, trying to look unfazed by the sudden coldness his eyes had taken over by. He had dragged her to the outskirts of town and she had not been able to do anything to defend herself. She didn't want to be near him but could do little to resist.
She wanted to get away but the look on his face told her he would in no way allow that.

Jacqueline took a deep breath and continued to stand there in silence. She met his eyes.
And he saw the challenge in hers.

Jacqueline just felt a swift breeze hit her.
She was thrown back and didn't even have the time to gasp when in an instant her back met the trunk of a tree.
The action literally knocked the breath out of her lungs and a dull ache made itself known on her back.

Damon smirked.
"You should be able to defend yourself in a town full of dangerous creatures," his voice was low, feral.
His hand was closed around her neck in a grip that wasn't too tight but it still made it difficult for her to breath. In a fruitless attempt to make him loosen his grip, she tried to pry his hands off her. With gritted teeth, she stopped her vain efforts and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Get off me, Damon Salvatore," she voice was low as well but it held a small amount of fear, just the right amount to make Damon smirk in triumph.

"Full name for a dramatic effect?"
Damon's smirk was unrelenting.
Jacqueline looked up at him sharply but said nothing. His grip loosened.
As soon as it did, his eyes widened and in a fraction of a second he was sent flying several yards away.

The vampire stood up slowly, dusting his clothes like random women sent him flying every day.
With slow steps he came closer again.
"That's what I'm talking about."

Jacqueline saw him for five seconds and then he was gone again.
She gasped, expecting another attack soon but it never came.
She looked around like prey that sensed its predator closing in on it. Her blue eyes were opened wide. She was tough but when faced with actual danger, that toughness gave away.
Damon Salvatore pure, unpredictable danger and she was completely aware of it.

A tree branch snapped loudly somewhere to Jacqueline's right. Before she even had the time to turn her head, Damon was in front of her again, brandishing a broken branch with ragged edges. He held it just a few inches above where her heart was.
Again, he was sent flying.

Damon stood up with a smirk, stepping towards her again. He disappeared from her sight again. This time, Jacqueline didn't have to wait.
She felt his left arm wrap around her waist from behind while his right hand roughly cupped her face.
She could feel his breath on her ear.

"One snap and you'd be gone, Jackie," he chuckled in her ear.
Jacqueline took a loud and deep breath, no words came out.
"Let's go get some drinks, Miss Flemming."
He released her.

Author's Note:

It has been a long, long while. I am very sorry and am grateful to all the wonderful people who followed and favourited during my absence. You guys were the reason I finally found the inspiration to update.
Studies and my story on Asianfanfics has been taking up all my time and creativity.