Chapter 7: Fine-tooth Comb
Damon spent the rest of the night in a proper bed with Christina, like he'd originally thought he would. He had heard Elena running the shower, than calling for a taxi to get into the city centre as he had previously suggested and that was just fine, it would've been too embarrassing to face her just now.
Christina had been gracious to him. She's requested nothing, but his sensual fingers to work on her, a couple of snacks in between that he was meant to bring up from the streets and to feed on him as well from time to time.
Damon never quite understood why the antediluvian was so keen on his blood, but if he remembered well a few decades ago she did mention something about preference for taste. He was rather sceptical however when she started her originals story and made the allegation that Klaus' parents were hybrids from two different alien races. Not that it mattered anyway, what he was interested in was the possible whereabouts of Klaus, not his lineage. Christina dug out some old map and pulled it onto the bed with them, then with his bleeding finger she marked a few towns, villages and settlements, her best guesses, in the Carpathians. Then they slept.
It was eerily quiet when Damon sneaked himself out from under Christina at twilight. He was hungry, but his attention quickly steered away from the feeling after realising Elena was not only not in the house, but did not return back at all. He checked the guestroom and her belongings. Everything was pretty much there, along with her passport and the return airline ticket. Which was worse than her freaking out over the day before and flying back to Mystic Falls. Where was Elena?
Damon left in a hurry, barely bothering to clean himself and a little disoriented from bloodloss and having been with the old one. Smelling to the right and to the left at a loss for a few seconds, it was only then that he remembered that cell phones existed in this century. He however almost gave up on the idea on the telephonic invention for it rang out so long before Elena answered.
"Damon?" The voice sounded empty, haunted and false, but it was Elena's.
"What are you doing? Where are you?" The vampire frowned. He should've been relieved that he had found her and also that she was willing to talk to him, but the sound of her voice unnerved him.
"I dunno..." She sounded at a loss and Damon had almost started to urge her to answer again when she continued, "I dunno Damon. There's a bridge. Dirty and windy...I'm under a bridge."
"Under a bridge? Its not safe, people who live on the streets keep their meagre belongings there. Look, if you're lost, just get up onto the bridge, they are busy lifelines of the city, you'll be able to get a cab. Do you know this address? I'll pay the cabbie when you get here."
"I can't go out there, Damon, I can't. It hurts.."
"What? What happened? Are you injured?"
"No, no, I don't think so. Its just..the light. Not as bad as it was, not everywhere. But the twilight still hurts my eyes."
There was a long pause at the other end. "You kidding, right?"
"I dunno..I dunno! But confusion's part of transition period, its normal to be confused. So I only think I can't go out into direct sunlight, but in fact I can, at least till...till.."
"Elena! Could you bloody tell me what the hell are you talking about? What happened?"
"I can't tell you."
"You can't remember?"
"I remember," Elena swallowed, "but I can't tell you. It makes it real."
"All right, then just tell me where you are. What bridge? I'll come and get you. What's around you?"
"I don't know what bridge. But there's an island in the middle of the river and I'm on the island."
"I know where that is. I'm gonna run as fast as I can. With the one way traffic, its going to get me there quicker than a taxi. Just wait there..Elena? Are you there?"
"Damon, you gotta be careful. Stefan.."
"Stefan's there with you?"
"No, no. Stefan..he..I think he killed me. He didn't know I had your blood inside me and he still killed me."
"Elena, don't do anything rash, I'm coming!"
tbc