Season for Vampires

Chapter 3

"Elena, are you alright?" She heard Stefan ask behind her.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine," she said turning to face him.

Stefan looked unconvinced. Clearly something had her shaken. He knew Elijah had been there before because he saw him leave. Maybe he told her something upsetting.

"Did Elijah say something to upset you?" He asked as he came to stand in front of her to take hold of her hands.

"No, I'm concerned about Damon. He seems like he's falling apart. It's like he's on the verge of a break down," she said plaintively.

"Damon? On the verge of a break down? Whoa, hold up! Why do you think that? What has he done?" Stefan asked thinking the worst. Sure, he knew Damon was using Andie like a plaything, but had he also done something to Elena.

"You should've seen him before. It's like he lost his sense of control. Elijah was able to settle him down though," she told him. She conveniently left out the part about her being the apparent cause of Damon's erratic behavior and the feelings he awakened in her.

"Okay, I'll go check on him. Maybe you should home and get some rest," he said. She nodded and gave him a kiss before she left.

Damon heard someone knocking on his door and called out sarcastically, "Coming to torment me some more? Haven't you had enough?"

"Damon? Are you okay?" He heard Stefan say as he came in his room.

"Ah, little brother. What brings you here? Feeling like another round of fisticuffs?" he quipped.

"Cut the crap, Damon! What's going on?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Damon mused; a sly smirk on his face.

"Elena is concerned about you. What happened?" Stefan asked looking intently at Damon who was sitting on his bed with his Gone with the Wind book feigning disinterest.

"How very touching. Very Elena. I'm fine. No need to worry. No bodies to bury," Damon said in a bored tone and went back to his book.

"Well, something happened because Elena seems to think you're heading for a break down."

"Ah, and did she happen to say why she thinks that?"

"No. Why? Did you do something to her?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

"I would never harm a hair on her head. If you don't believe me, ask Elijah. He was there," Damon said. He wanted to say, 'Yeah, I kissed her and she liked it. She liked it a lot.'

Stefan looked at Damon. He wasn't telling him something but he wouldn't push it. The last thing he wanted was Damon angry, running around like a loose cannon. It was bad enough he was using Andie like a puppet. "Okay, maybe I will. Good night then," he said and left.

Damon let out a derivative snort and tried to concentrate on his book. Damn! He let her get to him! No matter how hard he tried to clear his mind of her, he couldn't. She had awakened feelings in him that he thought were long dormant. She was clearly bringing out his humanity which he had buried deep long ago. Being too ruled by his emotions was going to be the death of him and quite possibly; literally with the threat of Klaus looming in the forefront.

He got up because he couldn't take it any longer. He had to get out so he left to head to the Grill. Upon arriving he noticed Elena's Aunt Jenna sitting at a table with none other than Elijah. He couldn't help but notice the two of them looking like they were having a grand old time laughing and talking. 'So, an original has a soft spot for a human? Score one for Elijah,' he mused to himself.

He watched them a moment longer and saw Elijah tenderly brush a stray strand of hair from Jenna's face and tuck it behind her ear. The look he gave her betrayed his emotions because the normally the ancient vampire was very stoic and looked void of feeling. Now the elder vampire seemed practically alive. He wondered what Jenna would do if she found out she was living it up with a vampire.

'Fuck it!' he thought. 'Let them have their own amusement. At least someone was getting some attention.' Then he sat at the bar and ordered a glass of bourbon.

"Hey, Damon." He heard a voice next to him say. He turned and saw Rick with a drink in hand. 'Shit!' he thought. How would Rick feel seeing Jenna with Elijah? Maybe he wouldn't notice.

"Rick, what brings you here?" Damon said in an attempt to sound cheery.

"Ah, same as you, my good man. Here to drown my sorrows. Jenna's still not speaking to me because of John and you, I know, are here because you're in love with someone who doesn't feel the same," he told Damon.

Damon winced and took a gulp of his drink but said nothing. He didn't feel like touching on that subject. Rick joined him in deep gulp of his drink too and toasted him.

It unfortunately didn't take long for Rick to notice Jenna and Elijah getting cozy at their table. Abruptly, he stood up and headed briskly in their direction.

"Uh, Rick," Damon called out going after him. "This is so not going to help your cause."

"I see it didn't take long for you to move on from me," Rick said bitterly to Jenna.

She looked up annoyed and said, "This is not the time or the place to discuss this. I gave you your chance to tell me the truth but you said nothing!"

"Oh, and I'm sure this is so innocent. You don't know anything about him," Rick snapped.

"Look!" she hissed. "Clearly I don't know that much about you either but at least he's opening up to me. Just leave me alone!"

"Rick, come on. Let's just get out of here," Damon coaxed as he put his hand on Rick's arm. He noticed the elder vampire's eyes upon him. "They're just discussing the site of the witch burning. Elena told me that Elijah's been working with the historical society on it. So, let's grab another drink at say, my place?"

Rick nodded curtly and turned heading to the door. "You know what, Damon, thanks for the invite, but I think I'm just going to head home," he said and walked out.

Alone once again, Damon sighed and headed out too. Just outside the door he was met by Elijah.

"I want to thank you, Damon, for diffusing what might've otherwise been an ugly scenario."

Damon gave a tight smile and nodded.

With that Elijah went back inside and once again Damon found his thoughts drifting to Elena. She was deeply embedded in his soul and he found he was becoming lost. Silently he headed back to the boardinghouse.