Author's Note- Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited! You guys are awesome. I hope you all don't mind a Christmas chapter in April, it happens to be my favourite holiday.

Just to mention, this chapter is going to go into the True Blood Universe a bit, and I realize some of you haven't watched the whole series. So I'm going to try to describe everything so even those who don't, will understand. But I am taking liberties with the True Blood universe too, so it won't exactly be canon. If anything at all is confusing, please let me know!

Anyway, enjoy! :)

Chapter 12- All I Want For Christmas Is You

"And how did we end up being suckered into helping?"

"You were the one who wanted the alone time."

"Well, I didn't think Barbie would follow us to the furniture store. I mean really, I swear there's some sort game they're playing that's called- let's not let Damon and Eric have any alone time."

Eric couldn't help but snicker at Damon's comment as they pulled into the boarding house driveway. It was actually him who suggested to the girl to follow along, he wanted Damon nice and wantoning all the time- and always being denied. He wasn't going to lose.

His eyes narrowed as he spied a man dressed in a black suit standing casually at the front door, an earpiece in his ear. He knew those types of men, he prayed he was wrong, though.

"Who's that?" Damon inquired, gesturing to the man as they stepped out of the moving van they'd rented.

He shrugged, moving to stand next to the younger vampire, a hand possessively placed on his lower back as the man came up to them. "Eric Northman?"

Damon stared up at him, clearly confused but he just nodded at the stranger.

"The King of West Virginia hereby cordially invites you to his annual Christmas Party tomorrow night," The man stated, passing him a thick, off-white envelope with his name written in beautiful cursive on the front. "He insists that you make it, and to bring along your pretty little whore with you."

"His what?" Damon snarled, but his hand shot up, covering Damon's mouth to stop him from upsetting Erasmus' personal guard.

"You may tell his highness that I am honoured to come, and I will bring along Damon," He answered, wanting nothing more than to do the exact opposite.

He knew this was coming, how could he not? He'd hoped to leave Mystic Falls, and this godforsaken state but his need to find Katherine and rip her heart out and take the cure from her outweighed his annoyance with the boy King.

The man just nodded and spoke into his earpiece as he walked away. He took his hand away from Damon's mouth as they watched a black town car pull up, and take the King's guard away.

"What the hell was that?" Damon snarled immediately as the car sped off into the distance.

He sighed deeply. "I'd hoped I wouldn't have to deal with this,"

Damon cocked his head at him, and he gestured for them to take a seat on the porch. "Deal with what?"

"The King of West Virginia," He placed a hand on his Sol's knee. "When I came to save you, I needed to call in some favours. One of them being with the King of West Virginia, Erasmus. Now Sophie Ann was the one who procured the favour for me, but I went to him to thank him, and by his invitation. But that night," He took a moment to sigh, unsure of how to tell Damon exactly what happened. "He came onto me. I remind him of his maker Bard, who was also his lover. But he died, and now I believe Erasmus is trying to fill the void he left."

"With you?" Damon asked, and he nodded softly watching as his face flicker with varying emotions but it settled with anger. "When were you going to tell me, Eric?"

"I'd hoped I wouldn't."

"Of course, you did."

He knew he was playing a dangerous game being this close to Damon right on the step of the Boarding house but he risked it anyway, cupping Damon's face. "Älsking, I hope you would know by now that you're the only one I want. You are mine, as much as I am yours."

"Did you tell the King that?" Damon spat but didn't push him away. "Because I don't think he got the message. He called me a whore Eric. Is that what you call me to your friends?"

"I don't." He insisted. "It's his way of attempting to devalue you to himself and to me. It's also not exactly acceptable practice to have a mate who's of the other species, and it's not recognized by a lot of my species as legitimate. Like a vampire dating a were, it's taboo."

Damon stared into his eyes, obviously searching for something- perhaps the truth in his words. He'd been successful for the majority of their time together to avoid his kind, only spending time with those who were more liberal to the idea. "Good, because I'm not just your whore Eric." A grin spread on his face, as he poked him right in the chest. "I guess I'll just have to go with you tomorrow and make sure that King damn well knows exactly whose bed you go home to."

He hummed, leaning forward to run his tongue by the skin near Damon's ear. "I think you mean, I'll bring you, and make sure Erasmus knows exactly who is mine. And who gets the privilege of being in my bed."

"Oh it's a privilege is it?"

"Yes, and you're the only who has it." He purred, nibbling on his earlobe. "Mine."

"You're a possessive fucker you know that?" Damon said a soft moan breathed out in his ear.

"Only when it comes to you."

Damon stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, staring at his own reflection. It wasn't as if he wasn't aware of the BDSM community. In fact, he and Eric sometimes partook in the lifestyle, only in the bedroom of course. He wasn't used to having his clothing chosen by Eric but if they were going to go to this Christmas party then it was mandatory. At least, the ensemble was simplistic, just some tight black leather pants that laced up in the front, with a loose fitting black long sleeve shirt, that's v-neck was a little deep. He knew he could play Eric's sub, it wasn't hard especially knowing no one he knew was going to be there to witness it. Though he knew he'd have to watch his tongue all night, and not step out of place. Who threw a BDSM themed Christmas party anyway?

"It's too bad I can't take you right here on your bed."

He smiled, turning to give the viking a better view only to find his words caught in his throat. It wasn't often he got to see Eric in a suit and it was always worth it. This one was purely black, the pants, the suit jacket, the shirt, even the tie. Except a type of floral pattern on the jacket, that was a midnight black. And one flower in the same colour on the tie. It all looked so gothically medieval. "You could." He shrugged, feeling the need too. "But then you'd lose the game."

"With how loud the music is downstairs from where your friends are decorating, they probably wouldn't even hear us," Eric said as he came closer to him.

"Even if they did, they probably wouldn't know what we were doing." He joked. "I can't believe how utterly clueless they are."

"Me either." Eric's fingers caressed his neck, something dark swirled in those blues, they even made his eyes darker. He couldn't quite place it, he'd never seen the viking so, possessive? Hungry? Wanton? "I have something for you."

He just nodded as Eric took out a small black box from his pocket, passing it to him. He lifted the top off and stared at the tiny strip of leather. His eyes darted from it to the viking- confused. Was it a whip? No too short. And it had funny little silver things on it. It looked like a belt but it far too small for his hips. Then it clicked, a collar.

"Are you buying me a puppy?"

Eric smiled, stroking a soft fingertip down his neck. "No, it's for you to wear."

"You're not serious." He said, deadpanned. "I'm not a pet."

"You're only my pet in the sense that I own you. People put collars on animals to mark their ownership- this is the same philosophy." Eric said. "It's a part of the BDSM community, and it's the only way I can prove to the King and the rest of his court that you're mine." The viking smiled softly. "You don't have to wear it if you don't wish to. It was just something I read."

He took in the soft black leather in his hands. It was soft and bent easily. It wouldn't be uncomfortable and he'd hate to deny Eric anything. This just seemed, odd. He wasn't against it, he just didn't understand the appeal. Wouldn't he look like a complete idiot? But it didn't matter, Eric owned him, and if putting on a collar exemplified that fact, then so be it.

He passed the collar back to Eric, tilting his head up. He knew he couldn't put it on himself. The viking slipped the band of leather around his offered neck. His hands slipped the leather band through the buckle. Two fingers went next to his heated skin, slipping between neck and collar to figure out the proper tightness. Eric buckled the collar and then drew his fingers over the circumference, feeling his skin next to the soft leather of the collar.

"Does it please you master?" He joked but paused as Eric leered at him, his eyes hooded. "Seriously, one thin piece of leather around my neck gets you hot and bothered?"

"It has been awhile." Eric teased back, taking a step away from him. "Do you remember what I told you last night?"

"Yes. To behave. To pretend to be your submissive little pet."

"Yes. Just remember, Erasmus is different from Sophie Ann. He doesn't approve of your species, and I imagine neither do his subjects. Just stay close to me. Don't let anyone touch you. And try to hold your tongue. I don't wish the King of West Virginia as an enemy for either of us." Eric grasped both sides of his shoulders. "I promise I'll make this up to you Damon."

"It's nothing Eric," He said, as he pulled the viking down for a quick kiss. "Besides, I think it'll be fun to watch him try to take you to bed."

Damon was furious. He knew the other species could be unpleasant, volatile even but the King of West Virginia and his followers were downright obnoxious. He'd been used to Eric, and Queen Sophie Ann of Louisiana, and even the patrons of Fangtasia being pleasant to him. Of course, he hadn't realized the amount of influence and threat the viking posed to any vampire that dared to say anything about their relationship. Or at least, he suspected anyway.

Eric had always been against vampire authority, their rules, and their system. He'd once threatened to stake the King of Germany's progeny because he flirted with him. He'd always proclaimed, fuck the authority whenever he'd have to deal with any of them, in any capacity. But now, he was a sheriff in Louisiana, at their mercy. He never understood what happened in the four years or so when he'd left the viking that made him decide to join their ranks. Eric never spoke about it.

And now, here they were. Watching Eric attempt to kiss ass should be hilarious but the whole thing put his teeth on edge. He was currently kneeling next to Eric's legs, his head against the vampire's thigh as they were forced to watch a crude BDSM display. It wasn't anything overtly fancy. There was a young, naked man- a vampire from how quickly his wounds healed- chained to a Saint Andrew's cross that was displayed on a stage in the centre of the converted church. They were sitting a few feet away, Eric, the King of West Virginia and the Magister in throne-like chairs. It was clear there wasn't usually seating in this area, as the sheriffs of West Virginia and whoever else was part of Erasmus' court was sitting a story above them in semi-secluded rooms separated by a black pillar and a thick red curtain. Or behind them, by the bar or the seating area across from it.

The vampire on display had his head bowed with his hands and feet stretched. He was covered in red and green wax from an earlier scene. At least, they were being festive for the holiday season. Now, his master he assumed was whipping him mercilessly with a silver tipped cat o nine tails. He was crying out in pain, bloody tears running down his cheeks as welts appeared and disappeared on his naked flesh. Through the painful cries, he could hear the pleasure, he was clearly loving it, his cock absolutely weeping.

The slave wasn't the only thing moaning and he glanced over to his left to the King and the Magister. The chairs were set up so they formed a semicircle, Erasmus in the center, Eric to his left, and the Magister to the right. There was a pretty blonde girl, who couldn't be older than eighteen just going to town on the King's cock as if it was held the secrets to the universe. Erasmus, on the other hand, didn't even seem to acknowledge her, instead his gaze shifting from the crude display to Eric. He wondered if the viking knew just how deep the King's obsession with him was because the instant he'd met him an hour earlier, he knew the younger vampire wanted his boyfriend. His eyes said it all, and the fact he completely ignored his existence and continuously referring to him as Damien. Or whore. Never speaking directly to him, just about him. And Eric just let him, which made his blood boil- only ever correcting him in saying it was Damon. Not Damien.

But sadly this wasn't the worst of the night, oh no. the Magister was just as equally horrifying, as per usual. Not because he despised his species, or wanted his Eric. No. Ever since he'd met him, there was a lecherous gleam in his eye. Every time he was in Louisiana on official business, he'd always appear in Fangtasia. He tipped well, but there was something threatening in the way he watched him. Always in the shadows. Always asking if Eric had decided to share him with the patrons. At least, he respected the fact he was Eric's and never asked twice. Eric said it was because of who he was- the Magister of North America. Apparently he considered himself above other vampires, always upholding the vampire authorities law with almost religious fervor. But Eric also said that the Magister was nothing more than a sadistic savage who hid behind dogma, like he did in the Spanish Inquisition as a human, to revel in the torture and cruelty the position gave him.

So BDSM must be right up his alley he thought as his eyes flicked over to the man, who had a brunette girl between his legs. Unlike Erasmus, or even him and Eric, he was turned older. Perhaps in his forties, early fifties with a crypt keeper type face- pale, eyes sunken in and thin lip. His hair was grey, buzz cut with an obvious receding hairline. He was small too, with a lanky body. Overall, he just gave him the creeps. It was intensified when their eyes met, and he fucking grinned at him like a snake would to its prey.

He supposed he should be attending to Eric's needs like the two teenage human girls were for the Magister and the King. He turned his head to stare up at the viking, and back to his crotch to see he wasn't aroused at all. Even he had popped a semi. He reached up to perhaps entice him, but Eric just shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair so he brought his hands back into his lap.

"What's wrong with you Northman? You've always treated that pretty little parasite of yours like a precious pet, keeping him locked in cages. At least, let him do what I imagine he's masterfully skilled at." The Magister sneered, leering at him from what he considered to be too close of a distance. "Or at least, I hope he is because you've kept that pretty whore of yours for far too long when it's given you nothing but trouble."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows at the Magister's comment but he didn't have time to process it as Erasmus' interjected. "Perhaps Eric's bored of it. Sex with their species should be illegal, I mean who knows what diseases they carry. They are practically human." He bit his tongue from laughing at the stupidity, vampires couldn't contract diseases. "Jorge, can't you make it possible? The authority can't possibly approve of their species? And with their plan on mainstreaming, shouldn't they eradicate their entire bloodline?"

He seethed, but kept his eyes downcast, taking every ounce of strength to keep his promise to behave. He calmed down slightly as fingers came to rub soft circles behind his neck. He needed the touch. The connection.

"Actually Roman, the guardian to the authority and his chancellors are attempting to find a way to extinguish their species before continuing their plan to coexist amongst the humans. There were reports of a few of them suddenly meeting the true death a couple of years ago. And reports have come in again these past few weeks of more sightings of sudden death amongst them. We have no idea what's caused this odd phenomenon but the authority has employed witches to root out the cause. And to find a way to kill the Mikaelson family, whose immortal bloodline they descend from. There are daggers that Niklaus uses on his own siblings but it doesn't kill them. Just immobilizes them. Their father, Mikael, possessed a stake that was rumored to be able to kill his children and for a while, we'd hoped he'd just take care of them himself but he disappeared." The Magister remarked, his stomach suddenly in his throat. "The only opposition Roman faces is Nora, one of his chancellors. And one of Eric's maker's progenies"

"You have a sister in the vampire authority? Why the fuck are you just a sheriff then?" Erasmus asked.

Eric's fingers hadn't stopped stroking him, even as he felt himself having a mental breakdown. The only weapon that could kill him, Klaus and the rest of his supposed inferior species was sitting in Eric's suit jacket pocket. The fucking irony. At least, they didn't know. What was he going to do? The viking wouldn't let them kill him right? Was he the reason Nora was protecting him? He'd never even met her.

"What will killing them really do? We've coexisted with them for centuries and I'm sure if the authority approached Niklaus and his siblings they'd be willing to cooperate. I can't see them being opposed to coming out to the humans." Eric remarked, his fingers brushing through his hair.

He'd laughed when Eric told him the authority was considering this idea of mainstreaming. Humans should never know they truly existed, they already had enough trouble with hunters. He couldn't see humans willingly living amongst supernatural beings that considered them food. Now apparently it was going to be the reason he met the true death.

"And confuse their small minds? No, it's simpler to just bring their entire species to extinction like the dodo bird. They've been the reason there is so much speculation of vampires existing, especially in North America to begin with. They never have properly organized themselves, and they spawn like a disease. I mean, how many progenies does your whore have?" The Magistrate asked, obviously not really interested as he continued. "The Mikaelson family, for the thousand years they've plagued the earth have never bothered to take control of any of their sire lines. Instead choosing to quarrel amongst themselves. And we've let them, even with disastrous effects. They had their chance, and now we will end them."

The fingers in his hair tensed, and he didn't need to see the viking to know he was furious. "You know, there are many of our species that co-exists among Damon's. Not everyone will want to mainstream, and not everyone will want to kill their friend and/or lover."

"No one wants to fucking mainstream except the fucking authority." Erasmus spat, shoving the girl between his legs head further down his cock until she was visibly choking. "They preach that we should respect our food. Our food! We're vampires. We come from Lilith. We should not have to degrade ourselves to this synthetic blood they have some Japanese company making. Humans are food. They are slaves. They are whatever the fuck we want them to be because they are nothing."

"I agree with you, Erasmus. Humans should be nothing more than servants. Really, we should just take control of their earth and make it our own. There would be no wars. No more petty squabbles between nations. There would just be us, and them." The Magister said as he watched the King, and the girl with amusement as she slowly began to fade before staring over at Eric. "What about you Northman?"

Sure, he was a sadistic asshole on a good day but these two took the cake, He wasn't exactly pro-equality among vampires and humans but slaves?

"Well, my first thought is that it won't be like a romance novel. There will be no happy ending. It'll be war. We bow to the humans, they'll cut our heads off. They'll find our weaknesses and exploit them to continue being the species on the top of the food chain." Fingers dipped into the skin underneath Damon's collar, wishing he could just curl into the viking. He felt dirty. "We already have to deal with weres and shifters knowing we exist."

"Exactly!" The King jumped out of his chair, the girl falling to the ground in an unconscious heap as he zipped up his pants. "I'm hungry. You hungry?" Erasmus gestured to the shadows and he watched as his guard came back to life. "Bring me my collection. Only the best for Jorge and Eric." They scurried off as the boy pivoted around to face them again, clapping his hands together. "Besides, we need to celebrate. We do have something to celebrate, right Magister?"

"Of course, have I ever disappointed you, Erasmus? It's the least I can do for always indulging me on my visits. And it 'll give me another reason to come to West Virginia more often." He shuddered as dark eyes raked over his body, and somehow he felt utterly violated without even being touched. "Shall I tell him. Or would you like the honors?"

"Oh, I do. But I think everyone should know too. Don't you think?" He was so confused as he watched the King hop onto the stage, forcing the 'entertainment' to stop. "Attention. Sheriffs. Members of my court. Sorry to interrupt you, Vladimir, I promise we'll go back to the show in a moment." The master nodded, and moved back into the shadows to let Erasmus have the floor. "I'd like to announce tonight, to all of you that there will be someone new joining my Kingdom, and subsequently becoming part of the court. I'm happy to say that Eric Northman, a previous sheriff in Louisiana will now be sheriff of area 2 here in West Virginia." Deafening cheers erupted in the room, and he literally felt what he considered home back in Louisiana being ripped away from him. From Eric. Could he do this? Could this really happen? Of course, they could, the Magister had ultimate authority over North America, and the royals, and their sheriffs. "Please inform the vampires living in your areas. And do introduce yourself to him at some point throughout the night."

He stared up at Eric, seeing him smile though he knew right away it wasn't real. He brought his hand up to his, squeezing it tightly in a vain attempt to give him some support. How could this be happening?

Damon paused at the doorway of his ballroom in the Boarding house, slightly awestruck. He had to give Caroline the benefit of the doubt, she transformed this room. It used to be simple, with wooden floors, and identical colored wooden paneling, with a hand carved white stone fireplace with their family crest in the center and high ceilings- painted white with gold trim that formed an oval in the center, and squares surrounding it with the same thick, detailed gold trim. The ceiling stayed the same, with the beautiful gold chandelier in the center, with crystal beads hanging from it. The floor was now stained a lighter color, making them look new and the walls were now painted white. Before, they'd left the high windows with simple, yet horrifyingly ugly curtains but now they were decorated with thick, off-white drapes that took over most of the top of the window, but were fastened at the top too so the rest hung to the side to let the moonlight shine in. Even, as he took a step inside, the glass door that he'd come through was adorned with identical curtains, making the door to those who weren't paying attention to appear as a window too.

The chairs they'd bought were now in between the windows, facing each other for conversation. He didn't understand at the time why the fabric was light blue and the wooden frame painted white but they went with the room. He noticed as he glanced over to his right, where the outdoor entrance was, she'd painted the foyer white too, and a huge Christmas tree was in the center, currently being decorated by Bonnie, Elena, and Caroline. He nodded in their direction, as he wasn't here for them and continued into the room.

Jeremy, Matt, and Stefan were wrapping white and silver garland around the four pillars on each side of the of the room. And then there was Eric who was floating up in the air, hanging snowflakes from the ceiling. That's one way to use your ability to fly.

"Eric!" He shouted over the soft Christmas music playing the background. "We need to talk."

"Can we talk after I finish hanging these snowflakes? I promised Caroline I'd do them tonight, she wants to see if she likes them or not." Eric replied.

He seethed, almost seeing red. "Oh, so it's not just the King of West Virginia and the Magister that you let treat you like a bitch. It's Barbie vampire over there too!" He snorted, gesturing behind him.

Eric stared down at him, making him take a step back at the anger he could see resonating in the vampire's eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Do you want to do this here?" Eric snarled as he landed onto the floor, his face going completely neutral. "Because we can do this in front of your brother and his friends if you want to."

"I don't give a shit where we do this," He snarled too, crossing his arms over his chest as he noticed that Stefan and Jeremy were staring at them, but Matt was still oblivious. "We will talk about what happened last night. You can't avoid this forever."

"There's nothing to discuss Damon."

"Excuse me?"

Eric too crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want me to say, Damon? There's nothing I can do, except being beside you to protect you. They're the fucking authority, and I may disagree with their methodology, but a vast majority don't. Why do you think we're still here. Why do you think I wanted you to find the cure? It's the only way I can save you."

It took him a minute to process exactly what the viking was saying to him, but he realized something "Wait you knew? You knew this was their end game?"

"Nora told Godric, that's why he was coming up to Shreveport. She's been trying to stall the Authority, long enough for me to hide you." Eric took the remaining steps between them, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I won't lose you a second time Damon, I won't."

"But what about my brother?" He wasn't in any mood to be touched, or to be tricked by Eric right now and he shoved the appendage off of him. "What about your precious Caroline?"

"I don't give a shit about any of them." The man let out an exasperated laugh, and in that moment, he could see the weight on Eric's shoulders. "You're the only one that matters to me."

His anger simmered as fear took its place and he ran his hands through his hair as he saw all eyes were on them. Stefan. Elena. Caroline. They were all going to meet the true death, and they didn't even know it.

"But I can't just let them die." He silently pleaded with the man he loved, hoping the viking would understand he couldn't just save him this time. He knew it was a lot to ask. "My brother may be a royal pain in my ass, but he is my family."

"Then we find the cure, and shove it down Niklaus' throat," Eric stated simply as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "What happens to him, happens to all right?"

He was almost impressed with Eric's plan if there wasn't an obvious flaw. "We don't know if that'll work, or if we can find the cure at all."

"Then I'll hide you if I have to. And your brother. Whoever else you want until we find a solution." He hated how easy his body relaxed as those hands came to rest on either side of his arms. "If one cure can be made, then so too can another. Your bloodline was made with magic, and anything created with magic, can be undone with magic- it's the rule of nature. "

"But I don't want to be human Eric. I like being a vampire."

"Then I'll make you my progeny."

He had to take a physical step back in order to process the gravity of what Eric just said. He never took the idea of making a vampire lightly. In a thousand years, he had one progeny, and Pam only was turned because she practically forced him. "What?"

"I'll make you my progeny," Eric repeated. "It's what I've always wanted. I want my blood coursing through your veins. I want to feel the connection I have with Godric, and the connection I have with Pamela, with you. I want to be your father, your brother, your everything."

"Do you know how fucking cheesy you sound? Your everything." He needed in that moment to deflect because his heart was seizing in his chest and he was struggling to breath over a simple statement.

"You don't understand Damon, but you will. I'll be able to feel you. To always feel you. To always know you're alive, even if we ever part." For a third time, Eric's hands came to rest on his arms. "I want to possess you, body and soul."

He wanted to point out to the viking how possessive, and girly he sounded but instead he found himself saying something he was glad was in old Swedish because he'd be crucified by every person in the room if they heard. "You already do."

It was worth it though to see a rare, genuine smile erupt on his lover's face. "So will you accept my blood? Will you be my progeny?"

"As long as you promise one hell of a feeding spree once you turn me." He joked, moving away from the viking to realize the room had been deserted. Clearly they were given some privacy. "And we get the hell out of Mystic Falls."

"We can't, it's in my district that I sheriff"

He snorted. How could he have forgotten that part? "That's bullshit."

"I agree but there's nothing to be done."

"Can't we kill the King? Make it look like an accident?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Eric suggestively but he just snorted. "What? Maybe some people fall on stakes, it could happen." He laughed outright at that and Damon smiled but it fell apart as he remembered the night before. "Seriously what is the point of vampire royalty and vampire authority?"

"Why do humans have governments?" Eric shrugged. "We are on the top of the food chain, and we need some semblance of control or the world would fall into chaos. Vampires would have been outed centuries ago. We'd feed willingly on children. People like Erasmus and the Magister would most likely enslave the human race. Though I hate a lot of their rules, it keeps order and balance among our world."

"Well I say fuck their authority." He exclaimed, but something dawned on him. "Should we tell them? About them wanting to kill our species of vampire?"

"And induce panic among them, right before Christmas? Before their party?" The blond just shook his head at him. "Let them live in ignorance. Ignorance is bliss." He gave Eric a pointed look. "I'll know more from Nora, and the King I imagine. Besides they won't go forward until they find a way to kill an Original and unless any of us tells them I have that very weapon, I think you will all be safe."

"Okay." He trusted Eric with his life, and we would trust his brother's and the rest of the scooby gang's too. The viking went back to hanging snowflakes, pretending he supposed that all was well. A mischievous thought came to him, seeing things hanging from the ceiling. "You should really hang some mistletoe up there."

Caroline huffed, shoving the worn photo album back in its rightful spot on the bookshelf. Her eyes scanned the rest of the shelf, finding nothing relevant to her search and she moved a few steps to her right to the next, identical shelf. This time, she took her time taking out each thick, worn leather bound album and began to pile them on the floor next to her. She found five in her search and she took them from the floor and moved to the faded pink patterned arm chair that overlooked the floor below in the Salvatore library. She propped her legs over the wooden banister, grabbing the first album from the pile on the end table and began to flip through the weathered pages.

"Car, there you are!"

She froze, peeping over the book, to see Bonnie and Stefan staring up at her from the doorway across the room, next to the fireplace. Not seeing Damon among them, she sighed in relief and continued her search.

"What are you doing in here Caroline?"

She bit her lip, unsure if she should tell Stefan. "You don't mind if I look through your books, do you Stef?"

"No, Damon might, though. These are mostly his." Stefan replied. "What are you looking for? We already searched in here for any information on the cure."

"It's complicated."

She closed the first one, still finding nothing significant except more relatives of the Salvatores and she put it to the side before picking up the next one.

"Those aren't books." She almost lost her footing on the railing as Stefan appeared next to her. "Those are photo albums. Why are you looking at pictures of my relatives?"

"It's complicated." She said though this time with a lot less confidence.

Stefan just stared down at her, flabbergasted. "Can I, at least, help you find what you're looking for?"

She sighed heavily, looking to Bonnie and back to Stefan. "I'm looking for pictures of Damon with Eric."

"What?"

"Seriously Car, you're still on this. I thought that's what the Christmas party was for."

"It is," she insisted. "But come on. Aren't you curious about them? The fight they had last night in the ballroom? There's something going on between them and I want to know what. If they've been together for so long, there has to be proof right? I checked Damon's room already, and I didn't find anything. But then I realized, he wouldn't keep a photo album like that, about a man his brother has never met until now in his bedroom. He'd hide it in plain sight. So I figured, he'd stash it in the family's photo album collection. That wouldn't arouse suspicion at all, and why would Stefan ever look at photo's of his relatives, right?"

Bonnie laughed weakly as she finally made it to them and took a photo album from the pile before taking the wingback chair on the other side of the end table. "You sound insane you know that?"

"I'm confused, what exactly are you curious about the two of them?" Stefan asked.

"Oh come on Stefan, there's clearly something more between those two besides friendship," She snorted, as she continued flipping through the pages.

"You think Damon and Eric are together?" Stefan asked, clearly dumbfounded. "But Damon, he's not… he's never... " His eyebrows were knitted together, head tilted to the side.

"Then why did he never tell you about him?" She interjected.

Stefan's mouth opened then closed, and she just shook her head as she waited for him to process. Meanwhile, she put the album to the side and picked up the next one. This one was slightly different from the others. In gold cursive was Photographs written beautifully at the top of the dark brown leather book. The entire thing was tied together with a black string. It looked well cared for, the leather smelled as though someone treated it recently with polish. She undid the bow and opened it to find exactly what she'd been looking for.

On the first page was just one black and white picture of Damon and Eric, leaning against a bar, both dressed in black and white tuxedos. Eric's hair was longer, almost to his shoulders and Damon's was curly but still the same length. They were both smiling to the camera. In beautiful cursive, it wrote over the picture, Chicago- 1923.

"I think I found it," She said, and Bonnie and Stefan took each side of her chair.

"That's the same speakeasy I met Rebekah and Klaus, but in 1922," Stefan commented.

"Clearly they stayed after you left." She said, and she flipped to the next page. This one was just titled New Orleans- 1927. This time, there were four people sitting around a small wooden table. Eric and Damon were sitting next to each other in the center of the picture, this time just dressed in white shirts and black vests. Next to Eric was Pam, or so the little name stated under the photograph. Her hair was pinned, and she was in what she guessed was a white dress. And next, to Damon was someone named Godric, in a full black suit with a hat. Eric was whispering something into Damon's ear, and he was grinning. Pam seemed disgruntled as she stared into the camera, and the other stranger, Godric was smiling innocently at the photographer. He looked younger than all of them, maybe sixteen with his light brown hair and doe eyes and plump lips. It all screamed innocent. Why were they spending time with a sixteen-year-old? "Who's Godric?"

She looked above to them and Bonnie and Stefan shrugged. "He looks young, though, I hope he's a vampire," Stefan replied. "So that's Pam?"

"Yes,"

"She doesn't look his type." Stefan leaned closer to the photo. "Not that my brother exactly has a type besides beautiful women, and she's clearly gorgeous but he likes younger girls. Girls a little less curvy. Innocent ones, usually human. She looks powerful, she looks like a real woman. Not the girls my brother usually brings home."

"Her expression sort of reminds me of Katherine though but it's only one photograph, let's look at the others," Bonnie suggested.

She flipped through them slowly, watching the decades go by. Each picture represented different places, different countries. Usually, a bar, though. They went from black to white to color. From the United States to Europe. They paused when they made it to the 1940s, seeing that Damon wasn't lying when he'd said he and Eric disguised themselves as soldiers. Most of the pictures were just Damon and Eric, standing next to each other. Or sitting next to each other. As the years went on, Eric's arm appeared over Damon's shoulder. But that was the only sign they became close. Pam and Godric appeared in some of the photo's, so clearly he was a vampire. Pam was in more of them than Godric, and she never seemed happy. Did the women ever smile? There was only one photo, from the 1980's, in New York where Damon had his arm wrapped around Pam's waist but neither of them was smiling. There was another in the 1960's where the two of them were dancing but other than that, the majority of them was Pam standing by Eric. Or being near the viking.

If Pam and Damon were dating, these photos didn't give any proof towards it.

Except perhaps the last picture, the one she'd seen weeks ago with Damon, Eric, and Pam, with her smiling down at him from where he was sitting on a bench, with Eric leaning against him. Written underneath was Proof that Pam Can Actually Smile. It was the only picture that proved that perhaps Eric and Damon were something more too.

"These pictures don't exactly prove much," Stefan commented as he moved away from her chair, only to take the one Bonnie had been using. "It doesn't prove my brother is dating who he says he's dating either but I think we're back to square one."

"Maybe they do," Bonnie replied.

She stared up at her best friend. "What do you mean?"

"Well think about it. These were taken since the 1920's a time when homosexuality was considered almost a crime. If they were ever together, maybe they had to hide it. Maybe these were the only photo's they could take." Bonnie answered, shrugging. "Or maybe like we talked about a few days ago, they've never been together and don't know how to. Or maybe we're all crazy and they're just friends."

"Well, all I can say is there's something definitely up with my brother. Or at least, I think so." Stefan answered, scratching his head. "I mean I feel like I don't even know him anymore."

"Well I guess it's onto plan B," she shrugged, closing the photo album.

"What's plan B?" Bonnie asked.

"You'll see."

Caroline pulled at her dress, feeling a bead of sweat drip down her neck but she took a deep breath before barreling into Damon's room and continuing on into his on suite bathroom. She paused as she noticed Eric was soaking in the tub, and not in the shower like she'd suspected. She looked over at the shower across the room. Was Damon in the shower while Eric was bathing?

"Can we help you?" Damon's head popped out of shower door, steam bellowing around him.

"I need to speak to Eric."

"Right now?" Damon huffed, going back in and the sound of water running stopped abruptly. She gasped as the vampire just strolled out of the shower and she covered her eyes. "Don't play coy Barbie, you've seen it allllll before."

"Maybe I don't want to see all of you." She huffed.

"But you don't mind seeing all of Eric?" She opened her eyes to see Damon raise an eyebrow, with a white towel wrapped around his waist. "Interesting. Well, I'll give you the room."

"Clearly you don't either!"

"I was in the shower first," Damon called out from over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

"So what do I owe the pleasure, Caroline?" Eric asked. "Or do you just enjoy seeing me naked?"

She wanted to snort but her nerves were shot. Why she was so nervous was beyond her. "Will you be my date to the Christmas dance?"

Eric raised an eyebrow at her, and she could hear something large shatter in the next room. "Why Caroline, I'm flattered. I thought I wasn't the thousand-year-old vampire you were interested in." She watched his movements as he ran a hand down his naked chest. "But I thought we discussed this."

"We did." She replied, forcing her eyes away. She came here on a mission and would not be distracted by a very attractive, very naked man. "Tyler and I broke up, and I need a date. And Klaus just decided that I need to be escorted. I might have said yes if he'd asked instead of demanded and so now I'm looking for my own date to show him I can be escorted by whoever I want to escort me."

"Ah, so I'm the friend you bring to make the guy you like jealous." Eric snorted. "Not that I don't want to star in your rom-com, but I'd prefer to stay out of your drama Caroline. But thank you for the offer."

"Please," she pouted. "You're the only one he'll see as a threat and I don't want him stalking me all night. I'm not over what he did."

"What about that kid, with the brown hair. And the letterman jacket?"

"Matt?" Eric nodded. "He's an ex-boyfriend of mine."

"Stefan?"

"Elena's ex-boyfriend!"

"Um, Jeremy?"

"Elena's little brother, not that it stopped Bonnie." She giggled. "Please, Eric. I spent these past two weeks getting this party ready and everyone else has a date."

Eric took a moment, looking her up and down with an odd look in his eyes. Maybe hunger? Scheming? "Perhaps you're right. If everyone else has a date, how could I deny the girl who put all the work into this event go all alone? What would your peers think?"

"So you'll take me?"

"Yes." She stiffened as she heard a growl and then the bedroom door was slammed shut. "Do you have a dress?"

"Not yet, but I have-"

Eric smirked, shaking his head. He reached over, grabbing his discarded black leather pants and pulled out his wallet. He opened it, passing her a black credit card. "Here. Buy whatever dress you want. No limit." She stared down at the card and back at him. "If I'm going to play this part, I might as well do it properly. I imagine Niklaus has bought you gorgeous dresses before. Or jewelry. I would, but my progeny says I have a terrible sense of fashion for women so go buy whatever dress you'd like."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Okay, thanks!" She slipped the card into her purse. "So you'll pick me up at 7?"

"Isn't that when it starts?"

"Yes but I want to make an entrance." She grinned down at the blond. "I mean I am trying to get back at Klaus."

"Alright, seven it is."

She turned around and let herself out, smirking as she did. If she couldn't get them to admit their relationship or feelings than she'd play on one primal instinct- jealousy.

Plan B was a go

"Didn't I tell you weren't allowed to touch yourself without my permission?"

He watched- from where he was leaning against Damon's doorway- the younger vampire wretch his hand away from himself as if he'd been burned. He licked his lips, loving the sight of Damon, naked, stretched out on his bed, so wantoning. So needy. But of course, he was disappointed Damon broke the one rule he'd stated. What was to be done about that?

"You did," Damon panted, still lost in the throes of passion. The brunette stretched out his legs wide, gesturing him inside. "But I figured you were too busy with Caroline, but I'd love if you'd finish me off."

A low chuckle emanated from his throat. "Are you still jealous over her älsking?"

"No," Damon huffed, reaching over for the blanket on the end of his bed, but in a flash he pushed Damon onto his back, his hands pinning his lover's over his head.

"Never hide yourself from me."

"Then fuck me," Damon whinned. "Let's go back to when it was just you and me. When you were my viking, when the world wasn't going to shit."

He lowered himself to capture Damon's lips in a chaste kiss. "I will always protect you, Damon. No one, and I mean no one, will ever take you away from me. Even if that means we live on an island that hasn't even been charted on a map and we're forced to drink animal blood for eternity."

The younger vampire grimaced but it transformed into a smile. "You know the most insane thing about what you just said is I believe you. And I actually wouldn't mind living on some island, drinking fish blood if that meant I'd get to spend it with you. And we both know how much I hate animal blood." Damon's fingers intertwined with his, and those eyes he always found losing himself to, stared back at him. "I should be furious with you but instead, I like the prospect of being yours. Completely. I want you to be my maker Eric even if that means Pam will be my sister."

He found himself laughing even though he felt something spread within himself that was almost human. He'd always wanted Damon, since the first moment he laid eyes on the pathetic mess that was Damon Salvatore in 1922. Godric had always taught him that being a maker was one of the most arduous things a vampire could do, but it was also the most important thing they could do. Their blood was sacred and who they chose should be someone worthy. Godric had considered him worthy because of his natural ability as a warrior. He'd considered Pam worthy because she was ruthless, confident and always knew what she wanted. Besides, he found it admirable she had the audacity to cut herself open and force him to choose to save her or not. She knew what she wanted, and he found her amusing. And there was Damon who he'd first found attractive. But as the years went on, and he got to know the Italian- he found him worthy. He was fiercely loyal, even if he wouldn't admit to it. He was caring, loving and would do absolutely anything for the ones he cared for. There was never a dull moment with Damon. And for decades, he'd taken the younger vampire in, and he'd treated him as though he was his progeny. But now, he had the chance to actually make him.

Of course, they still had a long way to go.

He nuzzled into Damon's shoulder, kissing along the available flesh to him. He could actually feel the vibrations of the trapped moans in his lover's throat and he licked over the pulse point. Damon's heartbeat tapped a fast beat against his tongue, and his breath quickened, coming out it short gasps. Eric continued kissing every inch of his neck while his large hand cupped Damon's cheek. He could still smell the sunshine and the day on his skin.

His hand trailed down and over so his fingers were scraping lightly on the flesh of Damon's back, as his mouth moved downward, forcing him closer to his body. Eric's tongue encircled one of his nipples and the body underneath him arched, and he rewarded the gesture with his teeth scraping over it. He gave the other the same treatment, and Damon was a writhing, panting mess.

"Please Eric一"

He glanced up from the flesh he was taking the time to memorize all over again, to see his lover staring down at him, his eyes stormy, and lustful. He just smirked, bringing both of his hands to Damon's sides, as he dragged his tongue lazily over the encompassing flesh, making patterns with his saliva. There was a specific spot low on Damon's hip, near his crotch he was heading toward and his fingers danced along the edges until they reached the curve of Damon's hip and he held the brunette in place. He reached his destination, and he sucked, licked and nipped at the tender flesh, and the man beneath him came alive- thrashing and moaning out his name like it was the only word that mattered in this universe.

He moved south, skipping Damon's leaking erection to his inner thighs, knowing this was another sensitive spot for his mate. He kept one hand on Damon's stomach, as the other kept his thighs splayed open as he kissed the inner, hypersensitive skin. He worshiped it, like one would at an altar, wanting the one man who held his world in his hands to scream out his prayers to him. He wanted to hear those selfish prayers and he wanted to fulfill every single one of them.

But perhaps not today.

Seeing he'd accomplished his mission, he moved to the window, opening up to the balcony.

"-Eric?"

He turned back to his lascivious pet, sprawled out on that bed, looking absolutely ravished. His pupils were blown wide, his hair a disheveled mess and his skin flushed as his bite marks were fading from that tanned flesh. It took every ounce of him to stay put. "Didn't I tell you not to touch yourself? And you disobeyed me and for that, I'm going to leave you unsatisfied. And you're going to like it."

"What?"

He paused, his foot out the window. "If I were you I'd make yourself decent because your brother, Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena just pulled into your driveway to do the finishing touches on the ballroom for tomorrow night and this room reeks of sex."

"You're a bastard!"

His laugh followed him out as he disappeared into the night

He wasn't waiting. And he definitely wasn't sulking in the corner, drinking the party's supply of bourbon. Thank god for open bars though

Damon was tired of the charade he and Eric were playing. He wanted this to be over, he was regretting ever trying to hide his relationship with the viking. They'd been together for almost a century now, what was there to be ashamed of anymore? If his brother didn't accept his relationship with Eric, that was his problem.

Of course, he wasn't going to lose either. He'd made it this far. But why did he have to agree to be Caroline's date? Not that he was jealous of the vampire barbie. She was Eric's type, though, young and blonde but her personality of nagging perfectionism, that was accentuated by her obsession with being a teenage prom queen that was both judgy yet so naive of the world- was not endearing. In fact, if she continued to flutter about in his life, he might just 'accidently' stake her.

Except Eric clearly saw something in the blonde nightmare that plagued their lives and he didn't understand what. They spent a few days together, so what? He'd spent years with her, even slept with her, and he just didn't see the lasting appeal. Though he supposed the girl was caring, kind and selfless, some people found those traits admirable. Not that he did. Nor Eric. Which was why it was that much more puzzling to him.

Though he gave the girl credit, she did know how to decorate. The theme was a winter wonderland, and the room was decorated in white, silver and light blue. Even the lightning had a soft blue hue to it. He was standing near the fireplace, to the side, and it was lit, with two identical white trees on either side of the mantle. Behind him, to the side, was a small bar, fully stocked. It was silver, with white icicle lights and tinsel fascined to it to go with the theme. On the other side of the fireplace, a large buffet was out, with all sorts of Christmas themed food.

In the center of the room, they'd place down some sort of material that appeared to be some sort of metal flooring for the makeshift dance floor and surrounding the square floor were circular tables with white tablecloths, silver, and white chairs- with small, fake snow covered pine trees as centerpieces.

He spotted Elena and Stefan sitting next to each other, both of them smiling and laughing. He found himself smiling too, glad to see Elena was getting over her little obsession for him. Everyone else was here too, Rebekah and Klaus were stashed away in another corner of the room, looking as if someone kicked their puppy. He almost felt sorry for them, but then he remembered they were both complete psychopaths and he reverted his gaze with a smirk. Bonnie, Jeremy, and Matt were at another table conversing amongst themselves.

"So," he turned to see Sheriff Forbes standing next to him, surveying the crowd with a drink in her hand. "Your friend Eric, what's he like?"

"What?"

"My daughter tells me he's her date for this evening and I've yet to meet him." Sheriff Forbes replied. "I hear he's a friend of yours from Louisiana. I looked him up, Eric Northman doesn't exist."

"That's because he's a vampire, Liz." He answered, seeing her pause.

"Seriously," the woman sighed. "Please tell me he's nothing like you. Or God forbid that original vampire Klaus that stalks her."

He smirked. "Well he is thousand years old, he used to be a viking."

"Please tell me you're joking?"

"I'm afraid not. Actually, he's a part of a different species of vampire completely. They're older, much more powerful, and are less human than we are." He replied, bringing his glass to his lips. "And Eric is a nightmare compared to Klaus."

The Sheriff laughed. "Now you're just making this up Damon."

He turned his head slightly to face her. "I wish I was but I'm not. Their species hides better than ours, no fault on Mystic Falls and the founders council for not knowing. It's a big scary world out there sheriff, it's hard to know what all goes bump in the night." He took a sip of his drink before continuing. "But I wouldn't worry about your daughter and Eric, they're just going together in some vain attempt to make specific people jealous."

There was a pause as the women stared at him confusingly. "Oh." He hummed, raising an eyebrow at her to finish that thought. "I didn't know you were interested in men."

He felt his stomach hit the floor. "What gives you that impression?"

"Damon I'm a trained investigator. You may have fooled my daughter, your brother and whoever else, but you're clearly upset about it. And I know it has nothing to do with Caroline." Liz smiled softly at him, patting him on the arm. "I'm not judging Damon, though I have to say, it is surprising with all the womanizing you do and how much you really seemed to love Elena."

"I was in love with Elena. And I am a womanizer." He answered, wondering how in hell Liz, Sheriff Forbes, Caroline's mother, in two minutes figured out something his brother and the rest of the scooby gang failed to see for weeks.

"So is that him?"

He followed her eyeline to the entrance of the room on the other side of where they were standing. Eric was always able to captivate the room, with his tall stature and this time was no different as he spotted the older vampire right away. Like the first, like every other time, everything else in the world slowed, and disappeared from his vision and all he saw was him. Standing there in an ordinary black suit, white shirt, and black tie, he was anything but, making the bourbon in his mouth catch in his throat.

He'd cut his hair.

From almost reaching his shoulders, his blonde hair was now darker, short, just reaching his ears and it was held back with some gel. He didn't think the viking could be any more attractive but he'd been proven wrong. Damn him.

"He's handsome Damon. You should tell him how you feel before anyone else decides to take him. Even I'm thinking about it, and I hate vampires."

He chuckled, realizing in that moment how much he'd missed Liz. "I'm afraid he's taken, Liz. He's been mine for almost a century now. But let's keep that between us for tonight, shall we?"

She choked on her drink, nodding and he patted her softly on the back, before winking, giving her a small wave- disappearing into the crowd.

Eric offered his arm to his date, as they walked over to the side entrance to the Boarding house- ever the gentleman that he wasn't. Caroline accepted and they rounded off the small stone path to the open walkway that was roofed with wood. There were tens of makeshift white trees decorated with lights, and small green pine bushes also adorned with white lights.

"Wow, this all came together beautifully Caroline." He complimented honestly. The girl certainly knew how to decorate. And throw a party.

"Thank you!" The baby vampire exclaimed. "I really didn't think it could be done in such short time, but we did it. I did it. This town sure could use one night where there isn't death and mayhem. No secret vampire end of the world crises. Just a simple dance."

"Because you and I aren't vampires. Because that room isn't filled with a dozen more. And witches, werewolves and whatever other supernatural beings lurks in this supernatural magnet of a town." He teased.

She giggled next to him as they slowed, waiting for those ahead of them to get in. "At least, no one is killing anyone else."

"I can't make any promises I won't. I might have to defend myself against your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"He might as well be." He replied, wondering why in hell the hybrid didn't just take what he wanted. But he was going to enjoy getting under that fucker's skin. "You know Caroline, I always thought you were a girl who'd want to match the theme of her dance. You're not in white, silver or blue. Not even the classic red and white."

He glanced down at the bubbly blonde who was wearing what he considered a surprising strapless black and gold evening gown. He didn't pay much attention to women's fashion but it was well crafted, beautiful even. The top half was sparkled with gold flecks that almost covered all of the black fabric, but it petered out as it went down. It reminded him of stars in the night sky.

"I knew you'd wear black, you don't wear anything else so I figured I'd, at least, try for us to match." She answered as they made their way into the entranceway, walking around the massive Christmas tree, toward the ballroom. "Besides black and gold are in this year for Christmas colors."

"Of course." Though he didn't understand how black and gold were in any way tied to Christmas.

"Shit." His eyes widened as he stared down at the girl, surprised to hear her swear. "My mom has already spotted us. She is NOT going to approve of you."

He'd never thought about her having parents before, and he followed her gaze until he spotted a familial face across the room. Next to Damon.

He smirked at him, running his hand through his shortened hair, emphasizing his recent trip to the barber. But as he stood there, Caroline on his arm, he wished it was Damon instead. How'd they ever gotten this far with neither of them losing was almost impressive if it wasn't infuriating. But Damon needed to be the one to lose, if he didn't know it yet. He needed to tell his brother, to tell his friends- that wasn't his place.

Though Damon wasn't making it easy in that black suit and dark silver shirt. Not that he ever did. Damon was his, and he liked the world knowing it.

"Where do you want to sit?"

He hummed, almost forgetting the girl was there. "Wherever you want."

It took every ounce of strength not to show any emotion as he watched his Eric, his viking, dancing with Barbie. It took even more not to rip her throat out, and storm out of the room with the older vampire. He should just lose. Who cares? Except that's exactly what Eric wanted and he wasn't going to fall for this cheap ploy. Let him ruin his night with that blonde baby vampire, he wasn't going to let it ruin his evening.

"Hey Damon,"

As if the world just wasn't awful enough, here came the rain. "Elena."

Apparently saying her name was an invitation, and she took the vacant seat next to him. He supposed a version of him a year or so ago would have had his breath taken away by her, in that revealing white and red strapless ball gown but now it just annoyed him.

"Can we talk?"

"I've said everything I want to say to you, Elena." He needed more bourbon for this conversation. "Shouldn't you be with my brother."

"We only came here as friends," she said, clearly a double meaning by the simple statement.

He felt for his brother, he really did.

"He loves you Elena, and he always will. He's a good guy, he'd do right by you."

She nodded, tucking a strand of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear as she met his gaze. He found himself faltering as he recognized it. It was the same look she had when she used to stare at his brother when she'd confessed her love to him in her kitchen. The same look Eric gave him when the viking didn't think he noticed. A very look he probably gave to the love of his life- it just wasn't her.

"I know, I just don't love him anymore," she whispered, staring off into the crowd. She turned back to him, forcing a small smile. "Will you, at least, dance with me? Just once. As friends. Like we used to. You, at least, owe me that."

He considered it for a moment, reminding himself that perhaps it might be a good idea to try to have a friendly relationship with the girl. Of course, she'd probably lose her head after Eric finished with her.

"Damon!" His attention was taken as he stared over at Bonnie who stood across from him by the edge of their table. "You promised me this next dance, remember?" She turned to face Elena. "I hope you don't mind Elena."

Clearly it did, but she just shook her head and he was out of his chair in a flash, practically dragging the Bennett witch to the dance floor. He clasped their hands together, as his other one perched on her hip and he lead them across the floor. "Thank you. I owe you."

"It was nothing," Sabrina replied. "I know you and Elena are on shaky terms. She loves you, you don't."

"I wish she'd see that."

"It'll take some time, but she will. You know that better than anyone else. That's why you left Mystic Falls a year ago right? To get over Elena."

He grimaced as those memories came rushing back, most of them foggy, with him drunk and on a killing spree envious of his own brother. "I did."

"What she sees in you is beyond me."

"Oh, Bon bon stop lying to me, and yourself. You know I'm devilishly handsome, I'm what every girl wants." He teased, watching as she laughed.

"That's what you think."

"I don't know little witch," The hair on the back of his neck raised as what he considered what was probably the actual devil's voice ruined their moment. "Damon isn't half bad looking."

He scowled, finding it dreadfully disturbing the hybrid found him attractive at all. "I think you're mistaking me for Stef. He's on the other side of the room, so why don't you go over there. Or better yet, go home."

"Oh darling," He winced as the bones in his shoulders were bent, and Bonnie took a step back from him. "You're hurting my feelings."

"You don't have any."

"Klaus let Damon go. Now." Sabrina seethed.

"Or what?" Klaus raised an eyebrow at her. "You reveal yourself to the entire town of Mystic Falls that you're a witch." He took a step toward her, his hand still on Damon's shoulder. "Run along little witch, before I decide that the mayor and I need a little chat. He is your dad right?"

Sabrina paled, glancing between the two of them. "Go, Bonnie, it's fine."

She nodded, mouthing apologies before she disappeared into the thicket of people.

Before he could protest, Klaus' hands were all over him and he found himself chest to chest with the hybrid. One hand dangerously close to his ass, the other clasped in his- his fingers whitening.

He wasn't going to be intimidated so he put his own hand on the blond's waist and let himself be lead. "What do you want Klaus?"

"Perhaps I want to fuck you." The hybrid grinned, primal. "Or maybe I'm just trying to send a message. You're the only thing that matters to your friend Eric."

"In Mystic Falls yes," He replied, wondering where the hell the viking was anyway. "I wouldn't do this Klaus, and I say this with sincerity. Eric has friends, powerful friends. You threaten me, he kills Rebekah, Elijah. You kill me. He kills you all. And don't think he won't."

Klaus just snorted, but for once he was sure he could see behind that mask. And he was sure he saw fear in those eyes. "I'm not afraid of your little friend, mate."

"You should be."

"Look, Damon. Pass along a message to your viking friend. Stay away from Caroline, or next time I'll be the one to plunge a stake through his heart. But unlike me, he'll stay dead." Klaus snarled, and he let him go, stalking off.

He took an uneasy breath, fearing a little for Eric's life but mostly just wondered what in the world Caroline saw in him. And did the hybrid actually almost touch his ass?

Eric leaned against the small metal chair as he surveyed the dance floor. He hadn't much of a chance to speak to Damon throughout the evening, always being forced to dance, or being introduced to the townsfolk and forced into what he considered the worst past time- small talk.

He was surprised he hadn't been threatened by Caroline's mother, but she'd been actually quite pleasant to him, but there'd been an odd gleam in her eye- as if she knew something he didn't.

He was bored now, though, as he watched the clueless humans dancing. He wondered what it was going to be like when they knew. When they realized what he was. What they all were. Co-existing was going to be strange. Horrible probably.

His gaze found Damon on the other side of the room, Bonnie in his arms. He felt a flutter of something familiar, but he knew they were just friends. Damon always said the Bennett witch hated him the most.

He turned his attention to Caroline who fell into the chair next to him, infuriated. "I can't believe him."

If only Pam could see him now, trapped in teenage drama. She'd probably have him committed. How Damon survived three years of this was baffling to him. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Klaus asked me to dance." The girl let out a strangled laugh. "Actually no, he demanded a dance. Going on about staying away from the other species of vampires. Telling me he was trying to protect me while in the same breath taunting the fact he chased off my ex-boyfriend Tyler. We may not be together anymore, but he killed his mom and forced him to leave the only home he's ever known. I swear I'm done with him."

"Behind all that animosity, and hatred lies the truth, Caroline. You want him, and why are you denying yourself that."

Perhaps he should take his own advice as he sought out Damon again in the crowd only to pause once he found him. Bonnie was no longer in sight, and all he could see was a hand. A hand belonging to the very hybrid- near his property. He was touching him. His Damon. His älsking. They were sharing the same air.

A mantra began in head, repeating over and over- there are too many people to glamour. Too many witnesses. It wasn't doing much good as his hand bent the table's edge, his gaze penetrating the hybrid's back- hoping he'd drop dead.

"Are you okay Eric? You're shaking." He barely heard her over the cloud in his head, that was filling with every conceivable way he'd like to hurt Niklaus.

The hybrid took a step away from his Damon, and he found himself on his feet, knowing he had murder in his eyes.

Without another thought he stalked after the blond, Caroline buzzing behind him as he made his way across the room at a human pace. She was saying something like Eric don't do this and He's not worth it but it all came out as white noise- he was on a mission.

He caught up Niklaus who turned to face him, but in the next moment he had him pinned behind the doorway to the entrance way- his fingers squeezing the life out of the weaker vampire. The hybrid's eyes turned yellow, but that only made his grip tighten, his fangs snapping out of his gums. "I fucking dare you, Mikkelson."

"Let...me...go…" A hand came up to snap his wrist but he broke the offended appendage with his other hand.

"Or what freak? You going to hurt me?" He laughed. "The only reason you're alive is because I can't kill you, without killing Damon. But don't think for a minute if you test me I won't lock you away in some basement, dessocating for the rest of your miserable, immortal life."

He could actually feel the anxiety rolling off of the other blonde who appeared next to him. "Eric, please don't do this. He's just mad I wouldn't dance with him."

"He crossed a line Caroline. Damon is mine." He slammed the body in his hands against the wood in emphasis, hearing it crack. "You do this again Niklaus and I'll kill your family. But tonight, you better take a good look at Caroline because she's the only reason I'm granting you this mercy."

He watched the hybrid's eyes meet Caroline's and he then proceeded to break Niklaus' neck.

"What did you just do?!" The baby vampire exclaimed, as the body in front of him now sagged against the wall, threatening to topple over. "You're so lucky I compelled everyone away. But people are going to come through at any moment. Do something!"

He shrugged, but with vampire-like speed, he hoisted Niklaus over his shoulder and sped through the walkway, and into the gardens until he found a secluded bush and threw his corpse behind it before returning to his date in seconds.

He continued on though, ignoring whatever the girl was saying as he sought out the one man he'd wanted all night.

He was easy to spot, dancing, though this time with Bonnie again- Damon's back was to him.

He grabbed his mate, forcing him to spin around to face him. His expression was first of anger but it dissolved into confusion.

He didn't wait to give his Sol any explanation, or anytime to process before he planted both hands on either side of Damon's cheeks and kissed him like he owned him.

He tasted like bourbon, like he always did, with a faint aftertaste of blood. Damon's hands came to rest on his suit jacket, pulling him in closer, their bodies flush. Being this close he was surrounded by the unique scent that was Damon Salvatore- bourbon, sunshine and leather and he found himself being aroused by it.

With a heavy heart, though, he let him go. He'd proven his point. He wanted everyone in Mystic Falls to know who the fuck Damon belonged to. He'd hate to have to start a murder spree.

"You...you kissed me." He watched as his mate brushed his fingers over his lips, dazed. "You lost."

"I did." He put his hand on Damon's shoulder. "He touched you, and I couldn't let that stand. And then I realized that I'm done pretending you're not mine. I'm sorry if this isn't exactly how you wanted to tell your brother or your friends."

"Oh who cares." He found himself being forced downward and lips met his again in a demanding, yet surprisingly quick kiss. "Let's ditch this snooze fest. And dear God you better fuck me. Fuck me for days."

"What about-" He couldn't actually say her name as Bonnie stood a few steps away from them, her jaw almost on the floor. "And your brother."

"Don't care. Fuck me against a pillar. Or a table." A hand ran down his chest. "As long as your cock is in me, I really just don't care. I'm done with the longest sexual tension that's ever happened. Ever."

"Right and the 30's to the 40's when you finally gave yourself to me and then wouldn't let me have you was just a cake walk." He snorted.

"Hey, I was figuring out some things." Damon huffed as he pulled on his arm, leading him toward the door to the day room. "Let's go Northman. Sex. Now. You. Me. Bed."

"And I thought I was the incorrigible one."

... and that's it. Like it? Hate it? Love it? Let me know!

I held off for a bit posting this, worried about reactions. I really hadn't been expecting so much support for this story and I sincerely appreciate it. This may not be how you wanted it to go, but I hope you like it all the same! Please let me know what you think! And if anything was confusing to you.

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'till next time! :)