Disclaimer – Tragically, I do not own The Vampire diaries or any of its amazing characters. I just like to take then out of the box and play with them. And make them do naughty things to each other.

Author's Note – I can't be said enough – thank you to everyone who takes the time to review. Reading your comments is absolutely delightful and I genuinely appreciate it when someone takes the time to review. (That means you strangedazey – I'm thanking you here because I can't reply to your reviews =)) This chapter has been beta-ed by the awesome pandora03. So if you find any mistakes, let her know ;)

Damon woke with a start, instantly anxious. When he had come by earlier, it was with the intention of checking in on her, stealing a few minutes of privacy with her. Seeing her with Stefan had side-tracked him. He hadn't intended to stay this long and he twisted his head to the side to check the time. The bright neon green numbers shouted at him from Elena's alarm clock – 12:17. He didn't have to leave quite yet. He laid his head back down on the pillow and curled an arm around Elena's waist, keeping her close.

He spent a few minutes listening to her soft breaths and relishing her warmth. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew Katherine would show up at the boarding house at some point during the night. It had been the same routine for the past two nights. They'd broken into the heritage museum and plundered the Founder's displays at the library and at City Hall. He had no idea what she was looking for, but she was growing increasingly frantic each time their searches proved fruitless.

As long as she wasn't occupied with Elena, he'd break into every building in Mystic Falls if that's what she wanted to do. He was almost grateful for her obsession. Between that and her rampant narcissism, Katherine hadn't caught on to the fact that he could barely tolerate being in the same room with her. Each time he saw her was a distinct hell. The wound of having spent one hundred and forty-five years in love with her had finally scabbed over, and seeing her cold, empty eyes every day was ripping that scab off, leaving the wound open and raw, reminding him of the adolescent stupidity that had cost him his humanity for so many years.

Damon bent to kiss Elena's shoulder and she murmured unintelligibly and snuggled closer to him. Chuckling, he tucked her hair behind her shoulder and ran the tip of his tongue along the shell of her ear. He blew a warm breath into it as he whispered, "Wake up, Elena."

She grumbled and flipped over to bury her face in his chest. "Too early."

He slid hid hand down her bare back and smiled wickedly, settled his hand on her hip and tapped his fingers against her skin. "I guess I'll have to play dirty then." Damon closed his mouth over her bite mark and sucked hard while his wandering hand slid between her legs and rubbed her softly.

Elena's back bowed and a strangled gasp spilled from her lips. Her legs clamped down around his questing hand and he smiled into the skin of her neck. Mission accomplished. Rolling her onto her back, he slid two fingers into her wet sheath and increased his assault on her neck, sucking the tender flesh into his mouth and laving the twin punctures with the tip of his tongue. She came almost instantly, crying out quietly as her back arched, pushing her soft breasts into his chest.

She flopped back onto her pillow and Damon smiled down at her. She clamped her hand over her neck and favored him with a mock glare. "Is that always going to happen? Whenever you touch this," she gestured to the mark on her neck, "I can feel it…you know…" She trailed off as her cheeks flushed pink.

Not one to let her off so easily, he prodded her. "Where can you feel it, Elena?" He placed a firm, sucking kiss over her nipple. "Here? Or did you mean here?" he punctuated his second question by brushing his thumb over her sensitive clit and he smirked when she shivered violently.

She nodded shakily and exhaled, "The second one."

"No, it won't always happen. It's only a temporary thing and it'll only feel that way when I touch it." He ghosted his fingers over the mark. "As it heals, the sensitivity will fade."

"Oh," she sounded vaguely disappointed and it pleased him immensely.

Damon pressed his forehead to hers and kissed her parted lips. "I have to go, Elena. I don't want her to come looking for me."

She kissed him and banded her arms around his slim waist, clutching him to her. After a long pause she spoke. "Okay."

He cupped her face and brushed his thumbs over her soft skin. "This is almost over." He kissed her deeply, indulging himself in the lushness of her mouth for a moment before forcing himself to break away. He stood quickly and pulled on his discarded jeans. "Stefan said Bonnie and Anna were working on something. Are they any closer to coming up with a solution?"

Elena sat up suddenly, realizing with a start that he was out of the loop. "Actually, they are. And we're going to need some of your blood to make it work."

Damon flopped back on the bed and fixed her with an incredulous look. "Are you kidding me? I'm not giving my blood to Bonnie! Knowing her, she'll use it to turn me into a toad!"

Elena grimaced; she had been anticipating this reaction and was prepared for it. "After the stunt she pulled with the device, she knows we're all watching her. Anna has been glued to her side, reviewing each step." She reached for his hand and her eyes clashed with his. "I can't ask you to trust me, not after what happened last time. But I think this might be our best shot"

She laid out the plan for him, pausing frequently to clarify when he asked a question. When she was done speaking, he laid there staring at the ceiling for minutes on end, turning it over his mind, looking for holes, studying the scheme from every angle. Elena watched him silently, barely breathing as she waited for his response.

He stood abruptly, his decision made. "Do you have something to put it in?" She was apparently thrown by the subject change and stared at him blankly. "My blood..?" he prompted. "Are we just dumping it into a glass or is there some sort of container?"

"Oh!" She tumbled out of bed, mindless of her nudity, and headed for her dresser. Her purse was resting there and she dug through it, pulling out the small vial that Anna had given to her for just this purpose. She held it up for his inspection. "Put it in this. It's small – she doesn't need much."

Damon was paying no attention to the object in her hand. His eyes coasted over her exposed flesh with such intensity that Elena had to fight the urge to squirm under his penetrating gaze. She snapped her fingers in front of his face and said in a teasing voice, "Hey, eyes up here buddy."

Damon held up a finger, indicating he'd be with her shortly and proceeded to walk around her in a slow circle, his fingertips skimming down her back with a barely there pressure as he stood behind her. He placed his hands on her hips and turned her toward the mirror. Reaching out his arm, he flicked on the small lamp that sat on her dresser and the room glowed with a dim light. He met her eyes in the mirror. "You were saying?"

"Um…" It was hard to concentrate with his naked chest pressed into her back and his aqua eyes boring into hers. She said nothing and held up the vial. He kept his eyes locked on hers as he let his features shift slowly. Elena watched intently, fascinated as his eyes filled with red and the black veins appeared from the depths of his pale skin, snaking around his temples, flowing like water over the tops of his gorgeous cheekbones.

He smiled at the expression on her face; she looked like a kid watching a magic trick.

Damon stooped, tucking his chin over her shoulder and removing the vial from her hand. His other arm looped over her opposite shoulder loosely. His voice was rough with emotion when he told her, "And for the record, I do trust you." Without preamble, he guided his wrist to his mouth. The action pushed Elena deeper into his chest and her face brushed his. She kept her eyes glued to his reflection as he bit into the flesh of his wrist quickly. The blood welled out sluggishly, and with a practiced hand, Damon filled the vial carefully, never spilling a drop.

He capped the vial and tossed it on the dresser. He turned his bleeding wrist toward her face and murmured a desperate, "Please," against her cheek. "Just in case…."

Elena was floored by the pleading look in his eyes. She knew what he meant. If their plan failed…if Katherine got to her… The possibility of losing her was terrifying for him.

This was his insurance policy.

She had had his blood before with no lasting side effects, and only hesitated for a second before lowering her mouth to the small wound. Her tongue came out to catch the bead that threatened to fall to the carpet and she licked upwards delicately before closing her lips around the cut, drawing his essence down her throat. His blood didn't carry the metallic penny taste associated with a human's, rather it tasted much the way Damon smelled. Masculine and spicy.

Elena had complete faith that everything would go according to plan; she was doing this to offer him comfort – reassurance. She wanted him to be able to focus on what needed to be done at the crucial moment; she didn't want him to be overly pre-occupied with her welfare. That would only make him vulnerable.

Damon's eyes were transfixed on her mouth as she lapped at his wrist almost daintily. He was surprised she had agreed so easily; he had been bracing himself for an argument. His eyes flashed to the mirror and he burned the image into his memory. The sight of Elena, naked and feeding from him willingly, was highly erotic. His hand splayed across her stomach and he pulled her back into his hips, letting her feel exactly how much he was enjoying this.

She pulled away from his wrist with a gasp and licked her lips clean. "Was that enough?"

He nodded at her reflection and licked the wound closed. In a graceful motion, he spun her within the confines of his arms and kissed her hard, delving his tongue into the recesses of her pliant mouth. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat and he lifted her, urging her legs to wrap around his waist. Damon's mouth never left hers as he walked her back to the bed and he bent at the waist, depositing her carefully on the mattress.

She moaned pitifully when he broke away from her and she watched him finish dressing silently. He kept his eyes downcast as he made his way to her window and opened it. "Damon…?" she called out softly.

He stared straight ahead, knowing he wasn't strong enough to leave her if he turned around and caught a glimpse of her warm brown eyes looking at him mournfully. "When this is over, you and I are leaving. I want to take you somewhere where we can be alone together - no family or friends around to intrude - just us." Damon gave in and glanced at her over his shoulder, relieved when her lips turned up at the ends, the barest hint of a smile on her face. "Figure out where you want to go."

The curtains fluttered and he was gone.