"Where are we going?" Elena hissed after they had been walking for what seemed like hours. Her legs ached and she was starting to feel nervous. What had she gotten herself into? Here she was, out in the dark with a vampire and she had nothing apart from a vervain injection to protect herself with. Damon walked ahead of her, unresponsive. He hadn't talked much after the awkward almost-kiss and she was glad, she wasn't even sure what to think of it herself but it was like whenever she was around him, she lost control. She stumbled in the dark on a log that lay and she let out a shrill shriek, Damon was beside her in a flash steading her.

"Are you okay?" his blue eyes glistened in the dark as he looked at her with an expression filled with concern. She stabilised her footing and nodded at him quickly, averting her eyes from his.

"He talks, alert the paparazzi!" She replied brushing past him, she immediately realised what a stupid mistake this was as firstly, she had no idea where they were supposed to be going and secondly, it was pitch black and she could barely see her own hand let alone the path before her.

"Are you being sarcastic with me," he asked his voice filled with amusement and approval, she could both hear and feel him walking closely behind her and every so often when she stumbled, his hand would find her in the dark and steady her.

"Listen Damon, I'm just going to cut the crap and be honest with you. I don't know what you want. I'm tired and it's been a really long night and honestly? There's a bed out there calling my name and I'd like to sleep in it. So either you tell me what you want right now, or I swear to god I will walk out this instant."

"Speaking of a bed calling your name—" he began mischief gleaming in his eyes.

"Don't even start," she warned narrowing her eyes at him. She wasn't in the mood for his flirty little comments.

"You need to leave town Elena," was all he said finally, his voice empty of any form of emotion.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not safe here. There are people looking for you, vampires and they're getting closer to Mystic Falls. You need to leave."

Elena's chest tightened as she was gripped by a feeling of fear and terror mixed with confusion. Where had all of this come from? "I don't understand—what are you even talking about? Who is looking for me?"

"I don't know what they want with you; all I know is that there is a powerful female vampire who needs you for something. I've heard about her Elena and she won't stop until she gets what she wants," for a moment she thought she saw a look of worry cross his eyes, but it disappeared as fast as it had arrived and she concluded that she had imagined it.

Unable to say anything, she gaped at him her eyebrows furrowed. It was all happening way too fast. Who was this vampire and what did she want with her?

"Thank you for the warning Damon, but I can't just go. My family is here."

"You. Need. To. Leave. Town." He stepped closer to her with each word until she could feel his body against hers.

Her breath faltered as she raised her chin to meet his gaze. She looked defiantly into his eyes and uttered one word. "No."

A dangerous look flashed across his eyes as his face contorted with rage. He ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes in exasperation. "So you're just going to wait around and get yourself killed?"

"You should know that I'm not going to leave my family, but then again you don't know me at all do you? You're just a stranger, for all I know you could be lying," she regretted adding the last part as she was him flinch like she'd slapped him, his eyes darkened as he gave her a coolly look.

"Fine, don't believe me. You can just sit around waiting for her to come and kill you. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I can handle myself," she lied because she wasn't about to admit that she could feel the fear paralyzing her.

"No, you really can't. Not against the most powerful vampire anyway," he sighed dropping his hands from his face and looking at her with a conflicted expression. "But I can help you to learn how to protect yourself."

"You want to teach me self-defence?" she asked dubiously.

"I guess, it's better than nothing," he shrugged.

"What am I supposed to tell my dad or Caroline or Matt when they ask me what I'm doing hanging out with a vampire? I can't lie to them, Damon."

"I'm not asking you to. Tell them the truth, if they know, they can be prepared to protect you."

She gaped at him for a moment and realised that he was being deadly serious. "Are you insane? I can't tell my dad, he would go insane with worry—and then there's Jeremy. I mean he's barely holding it together, if he thought for even one second that he could lose me it would destroy him," Elena began pacing, her fingers trembling in panic as the reality of it all came crashing down on her. If what he was telling her was the truth, and someone very powerful was after her, what could any of them do to stop it? Could she trust Damon, who in all honesty was a complete stranger to her; she was drawn to him for a reason that she couldn't identify but regardless, that didn't make him trustworthy.

"Listen to me," his expression softened as he noticed her fear; he stepped forwards and took both of her trembling hands into his own. "Nothing bad will happen to you. Not while I'm alive anyway," he added the last part absently as if he was speaking to himself rather than to her.

"Why do you even care? About me, I mean," she whispered not removing her hands from his; instead she looked into his eyes which were filled with something she couldn't recognize. He dropped her hands and stepped away from her hastily and to her surprise, Elena felt a pang of hurt surge through her.

"I have my reasons for wanting you alive," he told her his voice free of any emotion; he had averted his eyes from hers and was now looking everywhere but at her. "Do we have a deal or not?"

"I'm in." She agreed. If someone was after her, she would be ready for them when they came. She was a fighter, and if she was going to go down, she would sure as hell go down kicking and screaming until the very end.

Authors note: Big apology to you all for several reasons. Firstly, for my lack of updates the past few days. I've been ill and super busy with University work, but I will make it up to you guys at some point with a nice long chapter(s). Second apology is for this crappy chapter. I know it's not up to scratch but I just wanted to at the very least post something for you all. The next chapter will a) be better (hopefully) and b) contain Klaroline as we take things into Caroline's perspective (I like to make things difficult for myself clearly). Adios!