Disclaimer: I do not own Castle and The vampire Diaries

Chapter 3

Kate Beckett was aware of his eyes on her, aware of his gaze as he x-rayed her body while she made her way to the bar. If there was one thing Kate learned as a cop, it was to be observant and patient.

And, as she sat there, two stools away from him-pondering, effortlessly kicking the ass of men like the staring stalker.

She saw him approaching from the side of her eye.

"What's a pretty woman like you doing here at the grill?" He asked her.

She looked up to find a tall, sharp-featured young man, surprisingly young for someone so muscular and graceful, looking down at her with eyes that captured her full attention. His eyes were so blue, there was something almost ancient about them. And as his eyes bore into her, she realized, they were almost the same sky blue as Rick's...
No. Not tonight.

But this wasn't the only thing that got her attention. There was something else in his eyes that she couldn't quite put her finger on, an emotion that was controlling him. She couldn't for the life of her, understand his motives for approaching her.

"Why?" she asked with a smirk. "Does it say pretty women aren't allowed to drink here?"

"I'd say you are more than welcome." he said twinkling blue at her and taking a seat on the bar stool beside her.

He continued to make conversation.

"It's very rare that you find a lady drinking a Bourbon."

Kate looked sideways at this mysterious stranger. She wasn't really in the mood to flirt but maybe...

"Well maybe that's because I like my liquor hard and strong." She smiled back.

"Among other things, I hope." He pursed his lips, his blue eyes suddenly bright and dancing with seductive mischief.

"I'm Damon." the man said, with his hand outstretched that seductive light never leaving his eyes. "Damon Salvatore."

Kate looked at him closely. God, his eyes were so blue. But wait. Something else flickered there for a moment. Was that fear? Desperation? Was he worried that she would reject his advances? Was he tired of being rejected? But surely a man who looked like him couldn't be rejected? And definitely not damaged?

For one split second she thought she saw a reflection of herself in his eyes, a hurt that his charm and wit were masking. There was something they both needed tonight. And she was going to get to the bottom of it. Literally. "Kate." She took his hand.

"Mind if I buy you a drink?" he asked. She feigned thought for a moment and then shrugged in the affirmative.

"Hey Donovan, how about another round?"

Matt nodded and moved to get them their drinks.

"Are you new to town?" he asked.

"Just drove here tonight. Will have to get back to life after a while."

Damon thought about what she said. She had run away from something. She'd driven here from the city with the intention to get away from life for a bit. 'Well, you've met just the right person' he thought as he smirked to himself.

Matt placed their glasses before them, and Kate downed hers instantly.

"Someone's thirsty" he chuckled. And she smiled a bit. She then looked down the bar, beyond Damon, and spotted a few cops there.

"Lot of crime happen around here?"

Damon smirked. He looked in the direction of where the cops were seated and said "The people of this town need saving all the time."

And while Damon was still staring at the cops, Matt slowly caught Kate's attention and slid a paper towards her. She looked at him, confused, but Matt just gave her a look and wiped the table.

She read quickly. "Stay away from him" and there was an arrow that pointed in Damon's direction. She slid the paper back to Matt, before Damon could turn back around to look at her.

"Saving? From what? Blood thirsty psychopaths?" She asked with a smile on her face that even she could not explain.

And he mirrored her expression, charming and dangerous all at the same time "Hit the nail right on the head!"

And Kate immediately knew this guy was trouble. Her natural instinct would be to avoid trouble on nights like these. But tonight, tonight she was in the mood for trouble. Tonight she craved trouble, because tonight, that part of her brain that defended herself from trouble was switched off. Tonight, she wanted to go with instinct, and her instinct said this guy was intriguing.

Tonight she was not NYPD Detective Kate Beckett. Tonight, she was just Kate.

Kate, who'd lost her mother to a notorious scam, Kate, who'd built walls that touched the skies. Kate, who'd taken so long to trust someone, anyone. Kate, who'd finally let all but one human being into her world. Kate who had been so close to everything she'd ever wanted. Kate, who'd lost all of those things in the blink of an eye...the only remnants of it being a phone call.

She was not here to live her life, as she did in New York. She had come here, to this unknown bar in an unknown town, to seek escapism. To run away from all the pain and grief that had consumed her so drastically these past few weeks. Tonight she wasn't Kate Beckett, the almost-wife of missing No. 1 bestselling author Richard Castle, tonight she was just Kate.

And if Matt behind the bar felt this mysterious stranger was dangerous, then it only further peaked her curiosity.

"So," she said with a mischievous smile, her inhibitions lowered now with all of the drinks she'd downed so far. "What's your story, tough guy?"

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