It was past 9.30 pm and they were still on the Road. Elena was tired and a little grumpy. She wanted to shower, eat something and sleep in a bed.
"Can we stop for the night? There must be a motel somewhere here."
"Not before you made up your mind and drink that stuff." Damon nodded to the bottle with the potion.
"Can't that wait? I uhm I …really need to think that over first?" Actually, Elena was still refusing to think about it at all and pushed the subject in the back of her mind.
"Don't want my baby brother to forget you?" Damon sneered at her.
Being sensitive, Elena couln't ignore his comment, instead she built up anger.
"Maybe you should drink it!" she hissed. "Then at least I didn't need to hear all the stupid stuff coming out of your mouth 24/7."
"Oh nooo, then he will forget me! I can't live without his sweet..." he continued, but she interrupted him.
"Fine Damon, since I don't need to talk to you anymore, cause you obviously can't take me serious..." but instead of finishing her sentence, she just opened the bottle and drank all that was in there.
With a short exhale out of her nostrils and a glare that told him 'that's what you got from it', she turned around and looked out of her window.
Damon started to snicker which ended up in a hearty laughter.
"You can be so much fun Elena!"
She started to boil. Granted, she behaved like a child, but she hated how he laughed about her oh so human emotions. Embarrassed about the whole thing, she decided she wouldn't forgive him for a little while.
Damon turned into a small path in the middle of the forest and switched off the headlights. Elena couldn't see anything.
Out of fear she opened her mouth to ask what it was all about. Before she could make a sound, she felt his hand sealing her lips.
"Shh. Not a word!" He warned her.
After probably ten minutes in the dark, he stopped the engine. She heard some rustling and him leaving the car. Finally he opened her door.
She got out and noticed how dark it really was. In whatever direction she looked, there was nothing to be seen. No tree, no sky, not even her own hands. 'How is that possible?' It's like ... being blind.'
Becoming anxious, she stretched out her arms to search for him in the darkness. Making a step forward and not finding him, got her frightened. Two steps forward and still nothing to grab on, scared her like hell. Going back again to find the car, without a trace of that one either, almost pushed her over the edge.
'Don't say anything. Don't say anything...' she chanted to remind herself of the primer importance of keep her mouth shut.
Like a fish without water, her shallow breathing became insufficient.
The full-blown panic attack at first let her remain numb to the establishment of physical pressure on her ribcage. Yet, after a few seconds the pressure became stronger and more defined . She recognized the sensation as being firmly pressed against somebodies chest and being secured by a relentless and strong arm.
'Please, let it be him. Let it be him. Please. Oh my god, am I in hell? What is this place?'
"Sorry, I lost you for a minute. Stupid witchcraft. Stay right here, alright? Don't move. I'll let you go now. Ready?" Damon whispered so close to her ear that she got goosebumps all over her back, neck, and scalp. As much as she was relieved to discover that it was him who had hold her, she nearly lost it all over again, the moment he let go of her.
Suddenly there was a semi bright light... illuminating a room. Since that was really not what she had expected to see, she was determined to scream while jumping up shocked.
At exactly the same time, Damon rushed to catch her bridal style.
Unfortunately for...well unfortunately, he had no hand left, so he silence her with his mouth.
She stared into his eyes and slowly dared to peer to the side and into the room, without moving her head or breaking the kiss.
After another awkward second he dared to talk.
"Uhm I guess you want to know what just happened, right?" Elena hesitantly nodded, still fixating her surroundings saucer-eyed.
"Well I kissed you...again!" Demons intoxicating sexy voice regained her full attention.
"Interesting!..." he smiled. "Anyway, in case you wonder how we got here: I used a little Vampire magic to get rid of anyone who was following us.
So yeah, there is more to us, than compelling and creating spooky fog. Actually that darkness we went through is made by a little bit of both.
I created this, let's call it "portal", 30 years ago." he was telling her.
"In fact, the place is real. It's a cabin in ...don't freak out...Kings Canyon, California." Elena exhaled sharp.
"We will use the same way back, promise."
'He make it sounds like it's a good thing.' she thought.
"So whenever I need a hiding place, I can open this portal to come here. Only bummer is: If somebody finds the car and is willing to wait... I really had a good feeling with the little path in the forest over there, but you never know." he told her making sure she understands. She looked at him a little puzzled. He then mischievous smiled back at her.
"So, you like me to carry you around or do you wanna go and make use of your own feet again?'
When she realised, that he still had her in his arms, she startled pushed herself away from him so hard, that she accidentally fell down, like an apple from a tree, ...and landed soft on the couch.
"Make yourself comfortable. I go and get some food" He opened the door to the cabin and she got surprised by the view of a white and freezing landscape under a clear night-sky.