N: I am aware that it's been a very long time since I last updated this story and I am really sorry for that. The reason was a mix between a very bad writer's block and no real time on my hands because of the exams at the end of the semester. I am really sorry I made you guys wait so long and I do hope you are still interested.
On a positive note, I am done with my exams and summer school doesn't start for at least a few weeks, so I will have more time to get over my writer's block and give you more frequent chapters.
This is not beta-ed, please forgive my mistakes and do not let them ruin your liking for the story. Reviews are more than welcome and believe me they help with the blocks. I re-read your great reviews every time I get a block and it helps me keep writing.
Strategies
As the last days of the campaign were approaching, the new advisors along with Elijah decided that it was best if the whole family would be there for the next campaigning trip. Right after the news had reached everyone after dinner, a few things happened at the same time. Caroline stood up and looked around in panic asking repeatedly if she, too, was supposed to go, Rebekah raised her hand letting out a loud "halleluiah" happy that something interesting was finally happening and Giuseppe started telling everyone that they should all be on their best behaviour since they will all be under public scrutiny for the rest of the campaign.
"Pearl, please help Caroline prepare for the trip, the rest of us will manage. After you are done with Caroline you can ask Katherine if she need help packing for Annabelle," Giuseppe said in a grave voice. Antonella was already up, making her way out of the living room. Once everything was settled and everyone knew what they had to do, Giuseppe followed his wife.
***Lucky 13***
When they arrived it was raining, Elena didn't get to see Damon, because he had already left with Elijah to another sort of event or meeting, she wasn't sure. Damon's parents were trying to convince Anna to eat, but all the child wanted was to see her father.
"You promised!" Anna yelled at her grandma.
"Anna," Elena started in a soft voice, slowly approaching the child. "Please, honey you have to eat something. Don't you want me to tell Daddy what a good girl you have been?"
Anna nodded vigorously, but still made no attempt to eat the tiny slice of pizza in front of her. "I want to see Daddy first and then I'll eat," she mumbled.
"Daddy is at a very important meeting, he will get here later."
"He said I will get a surprise, I want it now!"
"Elena, we need to go if we want to meet Damon and Elijah on time. It's almost seven and Stefan has been waiting downstairs for more than twenty minutes," Giuseppe said, but Elena paid almost no attention to him. "Antonella can stay here with Annabelle, she is clearly not fit to meet the public eye like this," he went on.
"No she is not, I agree, but I couldn't ask Antonella to stay –"
"Nonsense, there is no problem, plus, the flight left me a bit tired," Antonella said with a smile.
"You know what, you go with Stefan now and I will take a cab there as soon as Anna is in bed," Elena suggested.
"I can handle it, Katherine."
"I know you can, but I couldn't leave knowing she is in this mood, and I am sure Damon wouldn't want me to either."
"If you are sure," Giuseppe tried once more.
"I am sure. I have the address, I will be there soon."
"Alright, let's go."
As soon as everyone was out and the room remained quite, Elena turned towards Anna again. She knew the child must be tired and the flight had been difficult for her, but she was about to take Elena's last drop of patience away.
"If Daddy promised you a surprise honey, he will give it to you. I will tell Daddy to wake you up when he comes home and give you the surprise, but first you have to eat."
"No, I don't want to eat!"
"Anna, please just this slice," Elena urged, but the child would have none of it. Anna stood up and pushed the plate off the table. The slice of pizza fell upside-down on the carpet and the white paper-plate landed just a few centimeters away.
"That is enough, Anna!" This time it was Elena the one with no patience left. She turned Anna around and swatted her bottom several times. Anna didn't react right away, but after the immediate shock was gone, her eyes started to water. Antonella was ready to reach for the child, but Elena was faster. She picked up the child and Anna started crying softly into Elena's shoulder.
"You behaved really badly Anna, you should be ashamed. Daddy thinks you are a good girl."
"I am," the little girl protested in a shaky voice.
"Usually, yes, but tonight you're behaving very badly and you know it."
"Can I have ice cream now?"
"No, you can't have ice cream, Anna. Bad behaviour does not deserve rewords, don't you think?" Elena asked and Anna nodded regretfully. "Now, let's go get you into the new pajamas so that you and Grandma can go to bed. If you behave now, I will still tell Daddy to wake you up when he gets home," Elena placed the child down and guided her in the bathroom. After about twenty minutes, Anna was asleep and she and Antonella were making their way out of the room.
"Damon will hear about the spanking," the older woman said.
"And so he should," Elena mumbled back before leaving the room. Once outside, her cell started ringing. It was Damon. "Hey, what's happening? Are you coming?"
"Yes. I had some trouble with Anna. I will tell you about it later, I will take a cab soon –"
"No need, I am in the lobby, hurry!"
Elena was ready in record time, not wanting to make Damon wait more than necessary. She kept the same emerald dress she had on; she changed her flats with a pair of elegant silver sandals and re-did her make-up, adding eye-liner to go from day to night. She decided to let her hair down, because the fancy coiffure she made was a mess. She decided against lipstick and chose a strawberry-flavored lip-balm instead. She was pleased to see that her efforts did not go unnoticed. Damon's eyes opened wide and flew over her like a river caressing the earth and leaving a hot trial behind.
"Hey," he said softly once she got close enough. "What kept you so long? Dad told me Anna was upset."
"Upset?" Elena tilted her head to look at Damon. "She acted like a real toddler. She refused to eat and threw the food on the floor. I know she must've been tired and stressed over the flight, but she acted out, Damon. I am going to spoil your mother's surprise and tell you myself. I spanked her." She waited for Damon's response, but when it didn't come, she went on. "Why did you come for me? I could've taken a cab."
"I wasn't doing anything and frankly I was bored." They got to the car and Damon opened the door, helping Elena in. He closed the door behind her and in a few seconds he was in the driver seat.
"Wouldn't they be upset you left?"
"They don't know. By the time they notice I am gone we will already be there."
They talked about the new strategy and the polls – that were not in Damon's favor yet – on their way. They weren't able to find parking, so they had to drive further to a dark, deserted parking-lot that was pretty far away from the place the gathering was held. Once parked, Damon stopped the engine and turned around, but neither of them moved. Damon turned towards Elena and she noticed he looked tired. "I am losing ground every day, Kat, and it's the last few weeks. Maybe I am just fooling myself."
"Damon," Elena started, but she stopped herself. She had a feeling Damon wasn't done.
"I have always wanted to be senator. I felt it in my gut once I was old enough to know what it meant, but now I am starting to believe that it was all just in my head."
"You will make a great senator Damon. You are a born leader, not many people are, and not many are ready to assume responsibility for thousands of people. Your ideals are not just campaign slogans to get people's votes, you believe in them. You have something Klaus never had and will never have…"
"What is that?"
"You have substance, passion, integrity and in time, people will realize that."
"You still think I have a chance to win?"
"Definitely."
Damon's eyes found Elena's and her heart skipped a beat. Like hypnotised, he stretched his hand and placed his palm on her chest. He watched mesmerised as her chest rose and felt in the rhythm of her breath. Elena closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened them, Damon was closer. He was close enough for her to smell his cologne…and he smelled so good. The next couple of minutes had been a blur. Elena wasn't sure who made the first move or how, all she knew was that Damon's lips were on hers, his hand slid from her chest to her breasts and he was now caressing them through the thin material of the dress and his other hand was in her hair, pulling slightly to get better access to her mouth.
"Damon," Elena whimpered his name between kisses. "I want you!" she said making Damon growl deep in his throat. He wanted to tell her he wanted her too, that every time she was around, he felt like a teenager being in the close proximity of his crush. He wanted to tell her that her new style had him drooling most of the time. There were many things Damon wanted to tell her, but he thought it was pointless, she must've figure it out by now. Katherine might be many things, but stupid, had never been one of them. Instead of telling her how much he wanted her, he decided to show her. After unzipping his pants and pushing them off his hips, he found her hand, guiding her towards his rock-hard erection. Elena felt chills all over her body. She curled her fingers around Damon's pulsating dick and started moving her hand up and down in slow movements, enjoying the soft moans coming out of his throat. Damon bend over even more, with his hand still on her breasts, he let his mouth travel all over her exposed neck and shoulders. He played with her ear until Elena could barely breathe anymore. Soon, she decided she had had enough and rolled up her skirt, passing her right leg over Damon. The movement brought her in Damon's lap and his hand went automatically on her ass. Pushing her up, he held her there enough for his dick to find its way to her heated entrance.
Elena closed her eyes and bit her lip as she implanted herself around his shaft. The feeling of having him inside was as overwhelming as she remembered. Her heart started beating even faster and she felt like some sorts of bubbles were forming in her lower abdomen – a feeling she recognized as deep emotions. She loved this man with all her heart and for the moment, he belonged to her, he was part of her, she just wished they could stay like that forever.
Damon let his hand slide deeper underneath her dress, caressing her back as Elena was going up and down on his erection. Her skin felt so soft and he couldn't get enough of her. Predictably enough, her moves got faster and faster, she dropped her head on Damon's shoulder and she let her orgasm rush through her, tightening her muscles around him and Damon only had time to bury his hand in her hair and pull her in for a kiss before his own release came. He held her tight as spasms of pleasure ran through him.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked handing her some paper-tissues. Elena took the tissues from him mumbling a soft "thank you".
"No, you didn't hurt me. Why?" she answered Damon's question after she got the chance to wipe away the juices at her opening.
"I just…well, you are just so tight," he said and Elena paused from brushing her hair to look at him.
"Damon, I promise you, I am fine."
After doing her best to cover up the tracks of their passionate love-making, they got out of the car, walking as fast as Elena's heals allowed them to.
"Oh, I think we might be in trouble," Elena whispered as she noticed Elijah, Stefan and the two consultants in the hall, clearly waiting for them.
"Where the hell have you been?" Stefan asked first.
"To pick up Katherine."
"She should've grabbed a cab or stay home, now you are late. Your speech was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago," Tom, one of the consultants, shouted.
"That means they will be even more excited to see me. Everything good is worth waiting for, right?" Damon said with a smile, looking at Elena. She smiled back, hoping he could read the support in her eyes.
"Damon, being late is never a good thing, not in your case!" Elijah spoke for the first time. He didn't sound mad, more like disappointed, which made Elena feel bad for a second.
"I know, but we couldn't find parking," Damon said like that was supposed to explain everything.
"We need to get you on stage," Tom said checking his notes. He turned towards Elena, looking at her from head to toe. "And, Mrs. Salvatore next time you want to fuck your husband, do it in your own time, not ours," he said.
Elena didn't have time to react because Damon punched Tom and somehow managed to turn him around, on his knees, strangling him with his own tie in a matter of seconds.
"If you ever," Damon started, pulling the tie enough to make Tom's face turn colors. "Ever, talk to my wife like that again, I will choke you to death with this ridiculous 2000 dollars tie," he said and let go of the clothing allowing Tom to take in a deep breath. "Let's go," Damon turned and grabbed Elena's hand, directing them towards the stage.