Under My Skin by asesina

Chapter Five

a/n: Thanks for the reviews. This chapter will be a quick little foray into Caroline's life after she becomes a vampire and confronts Damon. This will contain a different version of their confrontation. I did like their scene in "Brave New World", but this is my own little spin on things. I hope you like it!

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Damon Salvatore stalked through the halls of Mystic Falls High, moving in an unerringly straight line. Everything about his gait was smooth and precise, with all the grace and fluidity of a living, breathing shadow.

Even though he was extremely capable of moving down the hall in the blink of an eye, Damon preferred feeling the solidness of the tiles beneath his feet.

Any vampire could shoot down an empty hallway at supernatural speed, but it took a certain kind of control to master the deadly gracefulness of his gait. Damon was quite proud of his ability to master yet another skill that separated him from the pathetic, fragile nature of the humans around him.

Damon imagined the school during the lunch rush hour. He could practically hear the high-pitched chatter of the flighty cheerleaders and the low, inane rumblings from the jocks as they milled about and tried to impress each other.

Damon had to stifle a laugh at the rather pathetic thought of the average teenager's mating ritual. They would gloat over little things, like who had the most touchdowns or the best tan, and all the while, he, Damon Salvatore, was just watching from the sidelines, completely and utterly capable of killing any of them in a heartbeat.

He hadn't hunted a human in a while.

Damon frowned in disappointment and sighed. He was going soft, and he placed the blame squarely on Stefan and Elena. Their nauseating optimism and romance novel stares were enough to drive him insane.

As he turned around a corner, Damon heard the slightest noise behind him.

He paused, lowering a tentative foot to the ground as he slowed his gait and came to a stop.

Maybe he wouldn't have to wait too long to hunt a human after all.

Damon grinned at the prospect as he felt his fangs beginning to descend.

"Come on out, sweetie," he coaxed.

He instantly pegged the mysterious stranger as a female, primarily because he didn't know too many men who wore stilettos.

He could also smell the slightest hint of juniper breeze body lotion in the air, and he definitely didn't know any men who wore Bath and Body Works.

"Are you lost? I can help you find your way back to the carnival," he offered. Damon was pleased to hear the staccato click clack click of the stilettos heading in his direction.

"I'm over by the gym!" Damon called. He waited for the steps to come closer and closer.

All the while, he was formulating a plan, envisioning the terrified look on the girl's face as she stared into his eyes and emitted one last blood-curdling scream.

"Damon?"

Damon whirled around and found himself face to face with Caroline.

A sly smile spread across his face.

"Hey, Blondie," he drawled. Caroline offered a bright smile and stepped a little closer to him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked casually.

"Not much. I was just dragged here by Scrappy Doo and his girlfriend," Damon explained as he rolled his eyes.

"Scrappy Doo?" she asked with a giggle.

"Stefan. You know, he loves when people call him that," Damon said with a wink.

"Damon, would you walk me outside?" Caroline asked suddenly.

Damon raised an eyebrow.

"What, are you scared of the dark now, Blondie?" he teased. Caroline folded her arms across her chest and pouted.

"No, but I'm kind of freaked out. I've been remembering things lately," she said vaguely.

"What kinds of things?" Damon pressed.

"Nothing. I mean, I feel like I've had these really realistic nightmares, but… Nah, you wouldn't believe me," she trailed off.

"Come on, Caroline. Spill the beans," Damon urged.

"No. It's dumb," Caroline said sheepishly.

Damon put a hand on her shoulder and stared deeply into her eyes. His pupils locked on to hers as he initiated the compulsion and said firmly,

"Tell me what you remember."

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Caroline asked with a laugh. She scoffed and brushed Damon's arm off her shoulder.

"Caroline, do as I say. Tell me what is bothering you," he said sharply.

Caroline stifled a giggle.

"It's not going to work, vampire boy," she growled. Caroline grabbed Damon by the shoulders and threw him forcefully down the hall. He skidded to a stop right in front of the school's trophy case.

"How did you-," Damon began. He jumped to his feet, but Caroline was already in front of him. He felt her iron-strong grip through his leather jacket as her fingers dug into his forearm.

"Don't even try that mind control shit on me anymore, Damon," Caroline hissed.

"I remember all of it, and this time, you can't wave a magic wand and make me forget," she added.

Damon glared back at her and shook her arm away.

"No reason to get all out of control, Blondie. You're still weak. You can't handle being a vampire," Damon sneered.

"Weak?" Caroline scoffed. She pinned Damon against a locker and leaned in close. She could feel his breath on her face as she lowered her lips to his ear.

"I remember how you used to talk to me like this, Damon. I'm not going to put up with your shit. If you come after me or any of my friends, I will destroy you," she growled.

Damon regarded her with a mixture of annoyance and pride.

She really was becoming more like him.

"I don't have time for this," Damon said with a sigh. He pushed Caroline off him and turned to walk away.

"That's right, Damon. Walk away," Caroline taunted.

In an instant, Damon was facing her again, but this time, his hand was around her throat, and she was the one shoved up against a locker.

"Don't pull that shit with me again, Barbie. Vampire or not, I can still kill you. Remember, I'm a vampire too. I know what makes us weak," Damon said coldly.

"Your intimidation games won't work anymore, Damon," Caroline said angrily. She shoved Damon away from her and turned on her heels to leave.

"Don't mess with me, Damon!" Caroline said in a sweet voice. She waved goodbye and turned with a flourish as the sound of her stilettos echoed through the halls.

Damon rubbed his arm where Caroline had scratched him earlier. To his surprise, the skin was still a little painful.

The pain was very dull and almost nonexistent, but it was still there.

More than anything else, it was annoying.

With all of the werewolves in town, Vampire Barbie was the least of his worries.

He would take care of her later on.

In the meantime, he would have to deal with Blondie's new set of fangs and super action grip.

And, even if she would prove to be an annoyance, Damon had to admit that he she was a little more tolerable as a vampire.

End.