Disclaimer – I do not the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters.
Author's note – This chapter in un-betaed, so all mistakes herein are mine. I made a promise to get this up today, and I keep my promises. Some plot…and some smut ;) Enjoy perverts!
When Elena woke, Damon was gone. Her hand smoothed over the sheets on his side of the bed and she was disappointed to find them cool to the touch. He'd been gone for awhile. She sat up, feeling much calmer and more in control than she had the day before. Seeing Damon had been good for her. As she got up, she noticed a little black box tied with a white ribbon lying on Damon's side of the bed. Smiling, she picked it up and opened the piece of paper that had been folded beneath it.
A replacement for the one I broke. Damon.
She untied the ribbon and lifted off the lid to find a simple and beautiful antique silver locket. It was oval shaped and heavy in her hand. The locket was adorned with a simple pattern; a delicate tracery of vines and she flipped it over to admire the effect. The vines formed a circle in the middle of which were the initials CES. Charlotte Elizabeth Salvatore – Damon and Stefan's mother. She shook her head at his thoughtful gesture. It was so like Damon to give her such a meaningful gift with so little fanfare. Elena fastened it around her neck and caught the scent of the vervain that was housed in the locket's chamber. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she paused. The necklace looked lovely against her skin and she was hit with an acute pang of sadness, wishing that Damon had been here when she opened it.
She heard several voices downstairs and dressed quickly, eager to see if any progress had been made while she slept. Elena descended the stairs and was surprised to see her living room bustling with activity. Bonnie was bent over Emily's spell book, while Jeremy was carefully measuring out ingredients onto a scale under Anna's watchful eye. Elena's eyes clashed with Stefan's, who offered her a smile before his eyes flicked to her neck. Recognition flooded his gaze and he nodded stiffly before turning his attention back to the reference book he flipping through.
"What's going on? Did you find something in Emily's book?" Elena asked to the group in general.
Anna looked up and smiled, "You could say that. We're working on collecting the ingredients we need. We have almost everything; we just need some of Damon's blood."
"Why?" she asked, reflexively defensive on Damon's behalf.
Bonnie jumped in. "The spell actually calls for Katherine's blood, but since she turned Stefan and Damon, some of her blood will always linger in their systems." She held up a tiny vial. "Stefan already gave us a sample of his, if we add some of Damon's; the concentration should be strong enough for the spell to work." She looked almost triumphant as she finished.
Elena took a seat on the couch. "Okay, what exactly will this spell do?"
Anna and Bonnie exchanged wicked smiles before filling her in on the details. The spell was to take place in the clearing next to the remains of Fell's Church at dawn, the day after tomorrow. Elena had to admit, it sounded foolproof.
They spent the remainder of the day hammering out the specifics of the plan. By late afternoon, everyone was getting hungry and Elena volunteered to pick up some take-out from The Grill.
Stefan escorted her to the restaurant and walked beside her in the fading afternoon light. They had been sharing a comfortable silence until Elena spoke up, voicing a fear that had been plaguing her for hours. "Stefan….do you think we can trust Bonnie this time? What if she fakes the spell again?"
He shook his head. "I don't think she would do that. Not this time." He stopped walking and faced her. "Besides, Anna has been watching her like a hawk. She won't be able to fool us again." He started walking again and smiled hollowly. "Plus, I think she wants Katherine dead as much we do."
Comforted by his reassurance, she was beginning to feel hopeful again. Once Katherine was gone, she and Damon could finally spend some time together. Their blissful honeymoon period had been cut short when she had returned and Elena couldn't help but feel like she had been cheated out of those first few magical days of new love.
The restaurant was relatively empty when they arrived. It wasn't quite time for the dinner rush and they were in and out quickly, juggling plastic bags between the two of them. They turned the corner at the end of the block and Stefan froze mid-stride, causing Elena to slam into his back, and the plastic bag in her hand to tumble to the ground.
She stooped to pick it up and rose hesitantly. The muscles in Stefan's back were bunched like a cougar ready to pounce and she could feel the tension rolling off of him. "Stefan?" she whispered. He said nothing, but extended an arm behind him, keeping her close to as he backed into the alley behind The Grill. The sky had darkened considerably during their walk, and they were swallowed in shadows.
Elena peeked around his shoulder and her heart thundered in her chest when she saw Katherine on the opposite side of the street. She heard her laugh and craned her neck further just in time to see her jump into Damon's arms. He lifted her up and swatted at her butt playfully as her gave her a sexy smirk. Not wanting to see anymore, Elena tucked her head against Stefan's back and clutched her necklace.
This would be over in two days. Just two more days. It seemed like two years.
"They're gone." Stefan relaxed in front of her. "I need to get you home. I might not be able to protect you out here."
She nodded dumbly and let him lead her through the alley. He hustled her through backyards and side streets, eager to keep them away from the exposure of the main thoroughfare. They made it back to her house in record time and Elena was winded from the exertion.
They approached her back door and Stefan stopped her hand as she reached for the knob. "Elena, are you okay?"
She hadn't uttered a word on the way home and she didn't trust herself to respond without dissolving into tears. Her eyes met his briefly and she shook her head almost imperceptibly before she looked away and opened the door. "Food's here," she called out with false cheer and busied herself with setting out silverware and getting drinks for everyone.
Dinner was a lively affair. Jenna had come home and was happy to see Stefan sitting at their table again. Elena ate her food mechanically and smiled at the appropriate intervals, but as soon as she was able to, she excused herself and headed for the privacy of her bedroom. She slumped against her door and tried to reign in the overwhelming agony that had washed over her when she saw Katherine jump into Damon's arms. Although she knew he didn't love Katherine, having to see them together was torturous.
A knock on her door drew her from her thoughts and she opened it to find Stefan on the other side, concern evident on his face. "I just wanted to check on you. You were kind of quiet at dinner."
She stepped back and motioned for him to come in. "I'm okay. It's just hard seeing….them," she ground out the last word.
He sighed heavily, "He doesn't love her, Elena." He touched her new locket briefly, but didn't meet her eyes. "He loves you."
Elena offered him a watery smile and nodded. She didn't know what to say to him, so she hugged him tightly, silently thanking him for always having been so unfailingly kind to her. She pulled away and kissed his cheek.
He smiled at her gesture and cupped her cheek softly. "Goodnight, Elena."
She closed the door behind him and laid her forehead against the cool wood, listening to her guests file out one by one.
A sharp current of air twisted through the room and Elena inhaled sharply when two hands slapped onto the door on either side of her head. "That was quite the touching scene between you and my brother," Damon growled into the nape of her neck.
His body was pressed firmly against hers and Elena was briefly overwhelmed by his proximity. Her head fell back against his shoulder and he kissed and nipped at her neck firmly before hissing, "Did you have to kiss him?"
Enraged, she flattened her hands against the door and pushed back with every ounce of strength she possessed. It was like trying to move concrete and he chuckled at her efforts, "You're going to exhaust yourself, Elena, but by all means continue." He rubbed against her back sinuously and whispered mockingly, "It feels good."
She stopped her movements and spoke through gritted teeth. "How dare you throw that in my face! I gave him a friendly peck on the cheek – who knows what you've been doing with Katherine," she spat the last word.
He spun her around and lowered his face to hers, their eyes level. "Kissing her makes me sick, Elena," he ground out. "I hate her." His wild blue eyes flickered down for an instant, noticing her necklace. His tone softened, "You know that, don't you?"
She released a shaky sigh and whispered against his lips, "Yes."
Damon couldn't hold himself back any longer and he kissed her roughly, groaning deeply. His tongue dove into her mouth and his hands landed on her waist, pulling her into hips. He slanted his mouth over hers, desperate to kiss her more deeply. Elena moaned and fisted her hands in the fabric of his shirt tugging him closer. He hadn't kissed her in days, and he couldn't get enough of her, meeting her lips again and again. Elena broke away and drew in a lungful of air and Damon planted wet, sucking kisses down her throat.
He lifted the locket and placed a warm kiss on her skin beneath it. "I knew this would look beautiful on you."
He continued kissing down her chest until he reached the v-neck of her shirt. Undaunted he yanked the fabric down, taking her bra with it, exposing her breast. Without pause, he sucked the sensitive tip into his mouth and swirled his tongue around her nipple before biting down softly. Elena's head flew back and hit the door with a soft thud. She moaned low in her throat and wove her fingers through the silky strands of his hair, urging him to her other breast. He smirked before obliging her, tugging her shirt down further and ripping it in his haste. He muttered an insincere, "Sorry," before he dipped his head to give her what she wanted.
His warm hand slithered through the ruins of her shirt and landed between her shoulders, holding her more firmly against his mouth.
Elena's fingernails dug into his scalp and she breathed out quietly, "Damon…."
Hearing her speak his name in that erotic, breathy, voice snapped the last vestiges of his control and he flung her on the bed in a burst of speed. Nimble fingers quickly freed her from her tattered shirt and bra and he leaned down to kiss her again. His mouth met hers roughly and she gasped. Damon pulled back sharply and searched her face. Her plump lower lip was bleeding from a tiny wound. He hadn't even realized his fangs had descended and he had nicked her.
Remorse was evident in his gaze and Elena was startled by the juxtaposition in his features. The whites of his eyes were reddened ferociously, making the blue of his irises even more electrifying and gorgeous. "It's okay. I'm okay." She pulled his face back to hers and kissed him softly, mindful of his sharp canines.
Damon didn't think he could possibly love her more than he already did. He was wrong. When he had seen her hugging his brother and then kissing him, the tiny fear that she had been slipping away exploded in him like wildfire. The only thought rampaging through his head was mine. She's mine. He had been spiraling out of control, until she brought him back with her calm hands on his cheeks, her sweet mouth kissing his monster's face.
Elena felt his fangs retract and kissed him more passionately. She struggled to release the buttons on his shirt but her fingers kept fumbling, made clumsy by her lust. "Help," she whimpered.
He sat up between her spread legs and pulled off his shirt, flinging it aside carelessly. Damon looked down at Elena, her face was flushed, her lips were pink and swollen and her gorgeous dark mane of hair was a mess, making her look wild. Her heavy lidded eyes were fixed on him and it was the easily sexiest thing he'd ever seen.
He yanked off her socks and shoes before pulling off her jeans and panties ruthlessly. Using his speed, he divested himself of the remainder of his clothing and was back on top of her before she could blink. He hooked her knee over his elbow and slid inside of her with a powerful thrust.
Elena cried out and dug her nails into his shoulders and Damon dropped his head to her neck with a groan. She was hot and tight and wet and it had far too long since he had been inside of her. He paused to give himself time to recover, he feared he'd come if he moved so much as an inch.
Beneath him, Elena grew restless and swiveled her hips, needing some friction. "Oh, fuck, Elena…you're killing me," he groaned into her neck. He pulled back and slid into her firmly, eliciting a moan from deep in her throat. Damon kept his thrusts firm and deep and smirked in satisfaction as he watched the ecstasy flit over her face.
Her hands clutched at his biceps and she pulled him closer to her. Her eyes met his and voice was soft as she breathed into his mouth. "I missed you." She kissed him and guided his head to her neck. "Please," she begged, "I want you to."
The implication was clear and there was no way he could resist her. His fangs lengthened and he kissed her neck softly. "I love you, Elena," Damon whispered before piercing her flesh with the utmost delicacy. Her blood, hot and thick spilled down his throat like honey. It was better than he had ever imagined, the intimacy of the moment was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Elena truly loved him, he could taste it coursing through her blood and the undeniable proof of her feelings unmade him. In that moment, she became his reason to exist.
Elena had been wholly unprepared for how amazingly good it would feel. She had never felt closer to anyone and a powerful wave of affection surged through her, made her cling to him more tightly. Each gentle pull at her neck caused her clit to throb deliciously and when Damon slid his hand between their slick bodies to run his thumb over that bundle of nerves, Elena shuddered around him in an incredibly powerful orgasm. She sank her teeth into his shoulder to stifle the scream that was threatening to tear from her throat as her body twitched helplessly.
As soon as Damon felt her muscles flutter around him and her teeth sink into his flesh, he licked the wound closed and followed her over the edge. He slammed into her three more times before groaning her name into neck and coming hard.
He collapsed on top of her and opened his eyes, admiring his handiwork. Her neck was adorned with two small puncture wounds, neat and precise. He hadn't chomped on her like a wild animal. She was his now, and everyone would know. When done correctly, a bite mark could become an erogenous zone. Damon smiled and ran his fingers lightly over the wound, delighted when she shivered beneath him.
"What have I told you about biting me during sex?" he admonished playfully as he brushed his fingers over the mark again.
She moaned involuntarily before laughing, "You're one to talk." She urged him onto his back and settled on top of him with a smile. "Besides, when do I ever do what you tell me to do?"
He laughed at that, a genuine laugh that lit up his face. "Very true."
She sobered and her hands fingered the locket around her neck. "Thank you for this," she said softly before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his mouth. "I love it." She stretched out on top of him and smoothed her hands down him arms. Her eyes closed and she melted into him. "And I love you," she whispered before her breathing evened out and she drifted off.
Damon wound his arms around her and smiled into the darkness of the room. He fell asleep for the first time in days.