AN - Hey everyone I hope this break hasn't affected your take on this fic… I'm easing back into things and I've made this chapter much longer as a thank you for your patience with me. I can't guarantee that I'll be updating often but I can promise that as long as you're interested in this fic I'll keep writing it. ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe, mixmatched9, labyrinthloverxx and vampirelover14 thank you so much for the condolences you passed in your messages and to all those who inboxed me as well, it meant a lot to me. Shout outs to MissKeriBaby85, SecondCharmedOne, I Am Beautiful Dead, vampirelover14, ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe, 0-Jackie-0, wizziewoo123, mixmatched9, GreekLia, FallIntoAHellCalledLove, labyrinthloverxx and Ravenclaw Slytherin.

This chap is for all of you and especially wizziewoo123 for her awesome love for this fic, it's very encouraging and theisis70.

This chap was BETA'd by clumsy20, mega thank you's and love to her she's amazing:) Also love and best wishes to Dark . Priestress at this time… The picture of Katherine Grimaldi's dress is on my profile under this chapter as well as pics of their mothers and rings etc *yay*.

If you get onto my profile you'll see my blog address, I've put up a banner for this fic up on my blog. The blog is simply about my fanfic stuff so if you want we can communicate there as well. I've got up a new Twilight fic called 'Dine and Dash' if anyone's interested and I've updated 'Sugar We're Going Down' as well.

Disclaimer- Don't own... Merely playing with ;-)

~ . ~ . ~ Chap 3: Living Dead Girl ~. ~ . ~

~ Somebody's in my head again

Somebody mixed my medicine

I'll drink what you leak

I'll smoke what you sigh

Straight across the room with a look in your eye ~

Damon stood outside her window watching her silhouette play on the curtains as she changed. He'd had just moments before bid her a goodnight and watched her enter the quaint establishment that he and, much to his dismay, Stefan, had directed them too. The girls had been extremely grateful for the help and thanked them profusely before going inside and shutting the door. But the only person Damon could concentrate on was Katrina. It took unknown amounts of restraint to stop himself from compelling her not to leave.

He didn't know what was going on, with both himself and the fact that he had just run into three girls from his past that were very much alive. Beside him Stefan was silent, lost in his own musings. The situation had both brothers baffled and though unacknowledged by either of them they were highly hopeful.

Stefan looked to the sky. It was by far the darkest night he could remember. The sky was almost pitch black, a dark raven colour that stretched to eternity. How was it possible that three girls that looked identical to Katherine, Evelyn and Carlotta were here with beating hearts? They had almost identical names, similar personalities and Damon was so sure that Katrina was in fact Katherine. But they were human? It simply wasn't possible. But still even he couldn't completely rule it out. It was too much of a coincidence. Even if they were doppelgangers, what were the chances of the three of them being together at one place? What were the chances that they'd run into Damon and him? Deep down even he had a strong feeling that Damon was right. He couldn't help but wonder. What could all of this possibly mean? Shaking his head he let out a deep breath and turned towards his brother. Damon dressed head to toe in black was watching her window intently, he almost blended in with the dark night, only the light radiating of the full moon that was directly above him illuminating him created a halo effect on his raven hair. Stefan faltered at the sight. The sky was heavily laden with black storm clouds, not a star in sight and yet the white moon was clearly visible directly above Damon in an almost symbolic poetic manner.

Damon smirked as he came to terms with what was happening. He had really seen them together just like in his human life. Katherine and Carlotta were still sisters and Evelyn was still Kathy's best friend. There was officially no doubt what so ever in his mind that they were the same girls from over a century ago and unlike Stefan he didn't really give a fuck how it was possible, all that mattered to him was that Katrina was Katherine. And his devious mind had already begun formulating a diabolic plan to keep her.

"Oh my god, talk about a dish! Those guys were gorgeous!"

Damon's smirk grew as Carly walked into the room and gushed to her sister. Katrina's bell like laugh caught his attention and he despite himself he smiled up fondly at the window, immeasurably happy that by some fluke of fate he had her back even if she didn't seem to know it yet.

Both he and Stefan raced at vampire speed to the forest as Carly's footsteps headed towards the window. Cloaking themselves in the darkness of the trees they watched as she clutched onto the drapes as she drew the curtains and looked out into the night, her eyes taking in the dark and wetness of the area before she sighed heavily. Still holding onto the curtain the moonlight danced off a ring on her index finger. The silver fluted band of the vintage ring was adorned with a single dainty crystal quartz.

"Amazing how the rain just stopped!" Entering the room Terri jeered the weather. "Just our luck! Of course it couldn't let up while we were out actually walking through the storm!"

"Quit complaining its over. We're here aren't we?" Ivy tossed at her as she walked into the room.

"Easy for you to say. We actually walked through it, barefoot I might add." Terri pointed out in a huff as she walked toward the window to join an amused Carly. "Some best friend!" she laughed and pulled her friend away from the window.

Damon frowned slightly as both he and Stefan briefly caught glimpse of a ring on Teresa's pinkie finger. A glowing oval shaped citrine stone sat at the heart of the ring with pearls creating a neat wall around it.

"Hey I'm a good friend. I had you in my prayers the entire time, Teresa." Carly retorted, batting her lashes in mock sincerity.

"Have I mentioned that I hate you?" Terri deadpanned narrowing her eyes at Carly.

"Nope but now would be an excellent time to let her know Terri." Ivy bumped Carly's hip with hers, sending both girls hurling out off her way, providing her with access to the window.

A thump followed as Carly and Teresa unceremoniously toppled to the ground shouting a loud series of profanities.

"Come on guys, behave." Katrina said lightly through a laugh.

Damon fixed his eyes to the window eagerly awaiting her appearance.

A small smile playing on her lips she leaned her arms on the sill and peered out into the bleak night. Damon took and unnecessary breath as he watched the moonlight dance off her fair skin. His eyes darkened as the banter in the room faded to the back of his mind. He stayed transfixed on her, watching her face break into a beautiful smile and her eyes close tightly as she laughed at something Ivy said. He watched her with blatant passionate dark possessiveness in his eyes.

"This is surreal." Stefan said in wonder shaking his head with large unbelieving eyes as he watched the window framing two girls who looked like Katherine and his cousin.

"What?" Damon snapped looking somewhat annoyed at his brother for disturbing him.

"They look identical to them." Stefan replied.

"It is them." Damon barked with finality, his patience with his brother on this particular topic wearing dangerously thin.

Stefan remained silent. He had no argument. Even he knew it was them. As unbelievable and mind-boggling as it was, he knew it had to be them. A flickering caught his attention and he took note of a sparkling rose quartz ring on Ivy's left hand as well. "Look." He said without thinking.

"What's with the rings?" Damon muttered zeroing in on the ring adorning Ivy's middle finger.

"Not sure…" Stefan replied dumbly.

"I wasn't actually asking you rabbit-boy. I was thinking aloud." Rolling his eyes Damon dismissed Stefan and focused his attention on the window housing his girl and cousin once again.

As per usual Stefan turned a deaf ear to his brother's distaste toward him and instead continued speaking. "Kathy doesn't have one."

Damon was about to point out that her left hand was blocked from their view by the drapes when Stefan spoke again.

"Her wrist." Stefan spoke up with a steady voice redirecting Damon's attention.

Damon watched as Katrina bunched her hair, pulling it back into a neat ponytail allowing him perfect view of the smooth cream of her long neck. He watched as her pulse danced rhythmically under her translucent skin, the movement mesmerizing him. His fangs elongated painfully, torturously as both her blood and body called to him simultaneously. Emotions swirled in him haphazardly, black veins snaked its way around his eyes and he shut them for a second trying to regain control of himself for the first time in over a century. Taking a calming breath Damon opened his eyes, the usual ice blue cutting through the night seeming more of a predator than the vampiric ones. He looked toward the window again. His eyes grew a large and barely above a whisper, he managed to exclaim in absolute disbelief. "She's a witch!"

So engrossed on the contours of her neck and the strong pulse of precious potent life blood of his mate had he been, that he missed the ink contrasting deeply with the white flawless skin of her wrist. There on her right wrist was an intricate tattoo, a weaved circle with a perfectly symmetrical star within it and a dark bird perched with dominating pride toward the top left of the design.

She stood leaning out the window, her elbows braced lightly against the cold sill of the window. A far away look in her eye as she gazed toward the nothingness of the night. "A lot of blood has spilt in this town." Katrina's bell voice pulled Damon out his initial shock.

Damon's head snapped up, his poise a strange mixture of fearful yet dangerous. Fearful that his reality would cause problems for him getting her back yet dangerous because there was no way in hell he was going to lose her this time round, regardless of what he had to do to keep her.

"A lot of blood? What are you talking about?" Ivy inquired slightly bemused as Carly and Teresa made their way to the window, both their stances somewhat anxious.

"Something about this town… It's not right." Katrina answered rubbing her arms with the full force of her palms trying to fight off a chill that Damon doubted was due to the cold night. "It's freaking me out. Bloods been spilt in this town. A lot of it…" she said with a slight tremor while Damon regarded her from the shadows with piercing flashing eyes.

Don't worry Kathy nothing's going to hurt you. I'll keep away all the things that go bump in the night. He thought darkly before adding with a cynical smirk. Well everything besides me of course.

"We'll be leaving soon." Ivy said trying to calm her friends down and shake off her own wave of terror at the ominous words.

Not if I can help it cousin dearest. Still smirking Damon thought with absolute finality.

"Hey is it me or does your tattoo look different?" Carly drew everyone's attention to the inner side of Katrina's wrist.

"What do you mean?" Katrina asked perturbed as Damon watched intently from the forest.

"The Raven or Crow or whatever it is… It looks closer to the circle some how?.." Carly elaborated while scrutinizing her sister's wrist with a quizzical expression marring her features.

"What?" Katrina looked at her sister in disbelief.

"Hey, oh my god, it does! Doesn't it!" Teresa exclaimed animatedly.

Gazing down at her wrist Katrina's eyes grew to the size of saucers "It does…" she breathed out. Her eyes immediately sought out her best friend. Ivy looked equally shell shocked and shrugged her shoulders indicating she had no clue what was going on.

"A tattoo can't just move by itself?" Carly shook her head trying to use logic to push aside the fear.

"Yeah, well this one did." Teresa stated quietly. "What does it mean?"

Katrina looked away from her wrist to the window. Shaking her head she spoke with a quiver as she gazed at the cold still night of Mystic Falls. "I don't know but this town is creeping me out already. I can't wait for this school thing to be over so we can get back home."

Damon watched as she drew the curtains shut, with amused determined eyes and a smirk working its way onto his face "No love, the crow's closer to you than you know."

"Damon leave her be." Stefan warned.

Damon rolled his eyes while turning towards him. "Or what, little brother? You going to call on the power of the 'squirrel' and bust my nuts?"

"Damon I'll admit there is a good chance it's her but she doesn't know who the hell we are. We don't even know how this is possible? Don't do anything foolish." Stefan said exasperated.

"What are you, my grandfather? I must say Stef, you really are acting your age." Damon smirked before continuing coldly. "Mind your own business little brother. She's my girl so rest easy Old-bones, I promise I won't do anything foolish." He cocked his brow and produced a lopsided smirk.

"I'm serious. Your emotions are ruling you right now, the blood lust could take over. She's human Damon, one slip up and she could die." Stefan said the one thing he hoped would allow his brother to see the seriousness of the situation and it worked. Damon's eyes flashed dangerously.

Stefan grunted in pain as Damon pinned him against a thick tree trunk. Long venom coated fangs protruded Damon's scarlet mouth and black veins danced angrily as he faced off with his younger brother. Holding him by the scruff of his shirt Damon lowered his face so that he was eye to eye with Stefan before menacingly speaking in a low deliberate warning. "Nothing is going to happen to her Stefan. Not. A. Damn. Thing. Now make yourself scarce so that nothing happens to you."

"Damon-" Stefan choked out as he grabbed futilely at his brothers arms, trying one last time to explain to him that until they knew all the facts it was safer for Katrina to be out of the supernatural's way.

"I'm here to worry about her. Now leave." Damon cut him off and roughly shoved him away, his face instantly returning to normal.

Stefan braced his palms on his knees as he tried to recover. Straightening up he turned to leave knowing for the most part that Damon meant the females in that house no harm and that he hadn't been invited in yet. "She doesn't seem to know about vampires. It's safer for her if we keep the supernatural away from her."

"I'll do my best Captain Bunny." Damon quipped with an exaggerated cheery smile.

"Damon-"

"She's a WITCH!" Damon snapped finally losing all patience. "She is supernatural!" He growled out, moving his hands haphazardly in the air to form air quotes as if he were explaining simple math problems to a disobedient 10 year old before rolling his eyes and continuing in mock townie cheeriness that all of Mystic Falls seemed to have. "I'm just doing my little part as a good citizen of Mystic Falls and keeping the rest of the supernatural world at bay from our guests." Damon said with condescending sweetness.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Get to bed little brother. It's a school night. You're out past your curfew." Damon dismissed Stefan with an annoyed glare.

Stefan let out a deep breath and disappeared into the night. He'd talk to his brother when Damon had enough time for the shock to wear off. Right now he had to find Elena.

~.~.~

"Stefan." Elena breathed out as soon as he entered her bedroom window.

She, Bonnie and Caroline had been restlessly awaiting his arrival for over an hour. Going over different theories about what the hell could possibly be going on but nothing they thought off seemed to fit in any realm of logic. If what Stefan said about them knowing her when they were human was true then that meant that Katherine Grimaldi was a vampire, there was no other possible way to explain her incredibly long life span.

"What's going on? Is it her?" Elena asked bordering hysteria as all her questions fused into one. "She's a vampire? Bonnie tried to get a read on her but it wouldn't work and- "

"She's human." Stefan inserted and noticed that even though the three girls in the room appeared to have their interest peak at this information they seemed overwhelmingly deflated at the meaning.

"So it's not her then?" Caroline clarified.

"It's her." he stated simply.

"How can you know that?" Elena asked curiously as she tucked her hands into her jeans pockets.

Raising his eyes to meet theirs Stefan answered in an even tone. "She's a witch."

An audible gasp escaped Elena, and Caroline looked slightly taken aback by this information. Couldn't say they'd been expecting that.

"Witches aren't immortal." Bonnie stated after a moment.

"I know. That's what doesn't make sense to me." Stefan rubbed his neck lightly and shook his head.

"Wait. Then how can you be sure it's her?" Caroline inquired.

"Well the fact that she's currently in the company of her little sister from our human years, Carlotta, and my -should be dead- cousin Evelyn, played quite a vital role in convincing me." Silence ensued and Stefan popped his mouth at the thick exaggerated quiet of the room. "Yeah, I know the feeling…"

"There are three dead girls in Mystic Falls right now?" Caroline asked incredulously her jaw somewhat slack and eyes fairly large.

"No, there are 3 very alive girls from Damon and my past in Mystic Falls right now." Stefan clarified. "They all have pulses. Very steady pulses at that." He sighed recalling that none of their pulses showed any signs of recognition throughout the night and pushed back his hair as he faced the girls again. "They've got very similar names. They look identical to them. But they're alive." Stefan tried to explain what he'd come to discover. "The girl that resembles Carlotta, her name is Carly and she's Katrina's younger fraternal twin. My cousin, Evelyn, her nickname was Ivy and that's the name of the girl that looks like her. As for Katherine, her name is Katrina… Katrina Grimaldi." He put emphasis on the last part and paused for effect before continuing. "Evelyn and Katherine were best friends over a century ago… Ivy and Katrina are best friends right now. All of these things, they're just too big of a coincidence to be brushed aside."

"This is insane. Stefan, they'd have to be over a century old?" Elena frowned in disbelief. "Maybe they're doppelgangers?"

"From what I know, myself, Damon and a few other descendants were the last of our bloodline, we would've known if Evelyn had a child." Stefan clarified.

"So then it's them?" Caroline's question came out more like a statement, seeing as Evelyn had produced no children.

"Damon believes so." He stated simply.

"What do you believe?" Elena asked softly taking hold of his hand.

Looking up to meet her eyes, Stefan took an unnecessary breath and spoke with conviction. "It's them… It's definitely them…"

~.~.~

As soon as Stefan left Damon turned his attention back to the window to where he'd seen her last. All pretenses faded away now that he was alone. Leaning one arm against the cold bark off the tree he rested his head on the back of his palm and stood inhumanly still watching the window. Letting out a deep emotion filled breath as a foreign sense of gratitude washed over him… She was here… He didn't know how and quite frankly he didn't give a fuck. All that mattered was that she was here and he'd never lose her again.

*** Flashback.

"Damon, wait."

Dressed smartly in his suit for the ball that evening, Damon halted at the doorway of his family mansion at Gabriella Salvatore's voice. A fond smile tugged at his lips as he spotted the sweet woman.

"Mother." Damon greeted her with a chaste kiss to her cheek pulling back and staring into her blue orbs that looked like a mirror image his own piercing eyes. Her blondish brown hair that matched that of her younger sons, Stefan, was pinned up allowing her striking features to shine through with two spirals framing her face as she smiled warmly with pride at her favourite son.

"Son I want to introduce you to my dear friend from Italy, Amelia Grimaldi. Amelia this is my darling son, Damon."

Damon turned his attention to the petite woman smiling brilliantly beside his mother. Her beauty matched the radiance of her daughter. Her hair was the same shade of vibrant blonde as Katherine's, her smile was just as warm, her eyes almost the same penetrating ocean blue, only her face held the same catlike features of her younger child, Carlotta. "How do you do mam?" Damon bowed his head in the form of a true upper class gentleman.

"It's very nice to meet you Damon. I've heard many wonderful things about you from your mother and aunt a like." Amelia's sweet voice matched her sincere smile, an air of purity seeming to surround her causing Damon's mind to immediately drift to thoughts of her older daughter and despite himself he felt a smile form on his lips.

"Mother's too kind and biased I'm sure." He joked causing the two women before him to laugh in amusement.

"I see my charming nephew has wasted no time in winning you over, Amelia."

"Aunt Luisa" Damon turned to greet his mothers dark haired, brown eyed, playful younger sister.

"Damon, it's so wonderful to see you again child. You've grown in to a fine young man." She beamed as she embraced him.

"You're too kind Aunt." He leaned forward slightly so that he could return the tiny woman's hug.

"Oh nonsense sweet boy, if anything I am merely too honest." she smiled up at him swatting his chest. "I don't see Stefan?" she peered around looking for her younger nephew who rarely ever left his brothers company.

"Stefan is engaged in what I imagine to be a very stimulating and enjoyable discussion about town politics with father and his associates." Damon said with sarcasm that only his mother and aunt could pick up.

Stifling her laughter behind her gloved palm, Luisa continued as if she had picked up nothing of Damon's snide remark. "Oh well, I'm sure they are very entertained." Damon smirked at his aunt's nicely veiled mutual distaste of his father. It was this mutual dislike that Damon suspected added to the profound fondness he felt toward his aunt and her daughter Evelyn, a kinship that he'd never experienced with his fathers side of the family. "However, in the mean while, Damon I would like you to meet someone." Luisa smiled widely and mischief danced in her eyes as she pulled forward a beautifully dressed Katherine in a black lace ball gown with a corset back and red paint work. "This is your cousin's best friend, Katherine Grimaldi, the daughter of my and your mothers' best friend Amelia."

Damon stared transfixed on Katherine's face. His intense gaze never wavering as his lean frame towered over her and drank every aspect of her in. She smiled nervously as a pink hue covered her cheeks. "Hello, again, Mr. Salvatore." She said in small pleasant voice.

"Please, it's Damon." He smiled bowing lightly he repeated his earlier words.

Taking her hand in his, he placed a gentle kiss to the back of it, holding her gaze as he rose.

"Again?" Gabriella inquired in confusion.

"Yes, Mrs. Salvatore, we met them earlier today with Ivy. Sister ran into some trouble and your sons came to her aid." Damon was so engrossed in Katherine that when Carlotta began speaking he thought she'd materialized out of no where.

"Oh my- " Amelia exclaimed but was cut off quickly by Katherine.

"It was nothing mother. No harm came to me. Damon and his brother were very kind and immediately took care of everything. I assure you I am fine." Katherine placed a dainty hand to her chest, imploring her mother not to worry.

"Damon I can not thank you enough- " Amelia breathed out her gratitude as emotions washed over her.

"Oh Amy, don't you go thanking him. It was his pleasure. Damon is quite an upstanding gentleman." Luisa took hold of her friend's hand and spoke for Damon.

"That he certainly is." Gabriella beamed at her son.

"I take it then that young Carlotta needs no introduction." Luisa affectionately touched her hand to the child's shoulder.

"We're previously acquainted." Damon smiled at the young girl with profound charm. "Very nice to see you again Ms. Carlotta." he bowed his head graciously causing the little girl to blush and giggle much to the amusement of all present.

"Now, Damon, don't tease." Gabriella chastised her son. "You'll find that Damon is quite the charmer sweetheart." She turned her attention to Carlotta and smiled playfully.

"And saviour." Luisa piped in. "It's wonderful that you could assist her Damon. It's only natural that a beautiful 16 year old girl such as herself would need the aid of a fine young man in times of distress." If Damon didn't know any better he'd have thought she was trying her hand at matchmaking.

"Come now Luisa, leave the children be." Gabriella smiled kindly as she ushered her sister away to introduce Amelia to some of the other guests.

Amelia lingered slightly behind. "Thank you once again Damon."

"It was my pleasure." Damon bowed his head lightly and smiled at the woman before him for more than one reason. The more prominent reason being this was the mother of the girl he seemed uncharacteristically taken with.

As Amelia walked away Damon turned his full attention to Katherine who was looking around the room with intrigued eyes, drinking in everything she saw. "I trust you are enjoying the festivities?"

"Indeed I am, Damon. It's quite different from Italy really." Katherine flushed a bit under his gaze and opted to scan the room again, taking in the dancers, wine, food and chatter flowing across the room. Her eye's danced with amusement as a tipsy gentleman almost dropped his dance partner as he fumbled across the floor in his stupor.

Damon laughed lightly noticing what she had witnessed. "You have sober dance partners then?" he quipped.

"Yes, yes and how very boring it is to have sober partners. Dreary awful pass time when paired with a sober man, I assure you." she played along much to Damon's enjoyment.

"Well now, milady I fear you are being unjust." Damon placed his untouched wine glass on the side table.

"Unjust you say? How so, good sir?" Katherine challenged good naturedly.

"You are wrongfully assuming that all us, good sober, men show our female company a poor time." Damon in a bold move grabbed her hand. With electricity between them he lowered his voice and briefly bowed, looking up at her as if every other person in the room had disappeared before rising again and keeping her fixed on his eyes. "Allow me to prove you wrong." Spinning her under his arm he brought her towards him and levelled with her breathless face. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards with uncharacteristic playfulness as he breathed out words that caused her to brilliantly flush under the intensity of his gaze. "Don't worry… I won't let you fall."

*** End Flashback

As a result of his reminiscing, Stefan words suddenly rang in Damon's head, 'She could die Damon'. The harsh words caused him to snap out of it. Random thoughts drifted through his mind. Katrina crossing the road and getting run over, her tripping down the stairs and snapping her neck, her catching a cold that escalates to bronchitis that ends up killing her in a hard cold hospital bed, her choking on a fucking chicken wing for all he fucking knew!

"Not if I can help it Stefan. Not if I can help it." He said aloud as the wheels in his head started to turn. "Sweet dreams love." He looked up to the window once more as he put his new diabolical plan into motion.

Katrina slept oblivious to the black crow perched on her sill keeping a close watch over her through the night.

~.~.~

Towards the wee hours of the morning Katrina woke restless. Her throat was parched, skin burning hot and eyes searching for something she felt was missing. Swinging her legs lazily over the bed she stood unsteadily trying to get some feeling into her feet before heading downstairs to get a drink of water. Cold nipped at her bare thighs and forearms as her short cotton pajamas did little in terms of warmth. The room was still overcast in a shadow only allowing minimal vision but Katrina navigated to the doorway. Grasping the cold brass door knob she swung open the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Leaning statuette against the door frame awaiting her arrival, dressed head to toe in a black that surrounded him with an air of mystery, was Damon. Dark hair wild and sexy his ice blue eyes met hers and a breathtaking smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.

"Katrina." Damon's voice was low, enigmatic and shrouded with an undertone of huskiness.

Her brows furrowed and she regarded him with a mixture of curiousness and caution. "Damon what are you doing here?" she asked trying not to ogle at him.

"You."

Katrina's jaw dropped and Damon grinned sexily stepping forward like a predator. " - left your scarf in my car. Thought I'd return it." He added after his significant pause had earned him his desired reaction.

"What?" Still groggy with sleep she looked at him confused until he held up her scarf and stepped a bit closer.

Too shocked to move and still not fully awake, all she could do was stare at him as his presence overwhelmed her. He walked directly towards her in slow panther like steps. His feet glided with grace that no human should possess. His scent completely flooded her making her heady. Towering over her he cocked his head to the side like a predator possessively marking his prey and draped the scarf over her bare shoulder blades. Allowing his cool fingers to dance over the exposed flesh causing it to break into goose-bumps, she shivered as he looked up at her with hooded eyes. Only a thin piercing blue ring was left in his eye, the rest was almost completely black saturated with want. With barely a hairsbreadth between them he whispered allowing his breath to dance over her lips. "You cold love?"

She gasped in response staring at him with large doe eyes. It was incomprehensible to her why she wasn't moving away from this beautifully intimidating man that she had only met the night before but it was almost as if she had no control over herself in that moment. He was all consuming.

"Don't worry..." he smirked with his eyes and his lips turned up at the corners to form a delicious crooked grin. "I'm hot. Let me warm you up." And then his lips were on hers, hot and demanding. Every fibre in her body jumped to life, her body hummed with electrifying want and fire as a tidal wave of feelings coursed through her veins. Lust, the need to be closer to each other, the familiarity of him, his tongue claiming ownership of her mouth, the insatiable heat between her legs, his hardness that pressed into her abdomen, the way his hands roamed her body as if he knew it all too well, the brutal onslaught of his lips on hers as they stumbled backwards until her legs connected with the bed and they both fell onto it with his delicious body pressing her down into the soft mattress all while his domination refused to allow their lips to break away from each others.

With a gasp Katrina's eyes shot open! Her breathes were coming out in rasps and she had broken into a cold sweat. Sitting up straight on the bed she looked around the room. Morning sunlight poured through the window allowing her to see things much better. Getting her bearings she realized that she was still in bed, fully clothed and very flustered and confused.

"It was dream. I was a dream. It was a dream." She chanted out loud as she tried to push aside how vivid a dream it was and the odd fact that she could practically still feel the searing kiss tingling on her lips.

Running a hand on through her hair she loosened her ponytail allowing the loose curls to cascade down her back. Swinging her legs over the bed to stand up she ignored the feeling of déjà vu that washed over her and with a slight shake of her head she walked towards the bathroom. As she past her dresser she caught sight off her reflection causing her to halt mid-step and stare in disbelief. Colour filled her cheeks in a way that made her look completely out of breath, she practically glowed with pleasure but it was her lips that held her attention. Bright red and swollen she looked like she'd been through a passionate brutal make out session.

Slowly she lifted her fingers and tentatively touched them to her plump lips. The coldness let off by her finger tips seemed all too recognizable, like how Damon's lips had felt in her dream. Transfixed on the mirror as she touched her lips, her eyes darted quickly to the reflection of the window behind her where she saw crouched on the frame leaning slightly in, dressed dangerously beautiful exactly like he was in her dream with the exact same piercing blue eyes was Damon watching her possessively with a self satisfied smirk.

"Holy hell!"

She spun away from the mirror to the window, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Almost losing balance with the speed at which she performed the act she tried to get her footing. Her jaw had a fish movement when she stopped. Opening and shutting in a comical fashion as she stared at a black crow perched on the otherwise vacant window sill. She shook her head at the ludicrousness of her imagination. "The room's two stories high, for gods sakes!" She chastised herself. "It was only a dream." She began chanting again as she continued to the bathroom. "Only a dream. Only a dream. Only a dream. Only a dream you stupid, stupid girl." She continued as she closed the door to the bathroom not seeing the bird cock its head to the side in a way that appeared to be very amused.

~.~.~

"God I slept in heaven, I swear!" Carly said through a mouthful of toast. "That bed is awesome."

"Jesus, Carly I'm fully aware that as women we're known to multitask but talking and chewing at the same time is not an art form." Katrina reached past her sister to open the refrigerator and grimaced at the contents. Promptly shutting the door she made a mental note to shop for groceries sometime today.

"Grouch, not my fault you didn't sleep well." Carly flipped her sister off with a playful grin.

"If only you knew." She mumbled under her breath remembering how she seemed to have a severe case of Damon on the brain. She grabbed some toast off Carly's plate while Terri and Ivy walked into the kitchen still clothed in their pj's.

"What was that?" Carly asked this time taking the time to swallow first.

"Nothing." she dismissed quickly. "Hey I'm heading out for a while, anyone want to come?"

"This early?" Terri asked incredulously looking at the clock that read 7 am. "We're not even up this early for school and technically this isn't even a school day for us anyway. Thanks but no thanks I plan on sleeping in."

"Heading out where?" Ivy asked raising her brow considering they didn't know any places in town yet.

"Well, as Carly so mildly put it, I woke up grouchy so garbage isn't going to suffice as breakfast." Katrina tossed the burnt piece of toast back onto the plate, grabbing her keys and heading for the door not wanting to discuss her obvious restlessness with her very observant best friend.

Unlocking the car door she jumped in, started her baby up and took off to no where in particular. She drove aimlessly for what seemed like a very long period of time. Taking a calming breath she noticed a supermarket sign and decided now was as good a time as any to get started on that grocery shopping.

She jumped out the car slamming the door a bit too loudly. And taking a long deep breath she walked toward the supermarket. Running a hand through her hair she grabbed a shopping cart and made her way through the grocery aisle.

Grabbing random products proved to be an excellent pass time as it managed to take her mind off the eeriness of her dream, simply setting it as a normal dream about a really hot guy. That was it, she was sure. It was a dream that was merely a by-product off the fact that Damon was really attractive. Right? There was nothing strange about the dream she was merely reading way to much into it?

Deciding to get some coffee before she started over analyzing her morning all over again she got to the cashier and randomly asked about a good coffee place as he rang up her groceries.

"There's a coffee shop just around the corner Miss. Quaint little place and the coffee's pretty good." The young boy answered her with a friendly smile.

"Thanks a lot." She smiled in return and grabbed her now packed purchases.

"Need some help carrying that out?" The cashier asked her eagerly.

Smiling kindly she declined and thanked him once again when he told her to try out the coffee shops croissants.

Whipping out her cell she balanced her brown paper shopping bag with her left arm against her hip while walking toward the car and texting Ivy to say she'd gotten groceries for tonight.

"Now this is what I call multitasking." She said to herself as she popped the trunk open with her foot completely oblivious to the raven haired vampire watching her from a distance.

~.~.~

"What are you doing Damon?" Stefan asked. He'd spotted him as he and Elena were driving towards school and realized something was amiss.

"Ignoring you Stefan." Damon sing-songed condescendingly and watched as Katrina shut the trunk while she simultaneously manage to send her text through.

"You do know this qualifies as stalking?" Elena asked him with a raised brow.

"How terrible of me! I mean of all the low down, despicable, inhumane things I could do." He said with biting sarcasm. "I'm a vampire Elena, stalking's right up my alley." His voice grew firm but in true Damon fashion his smirk appeared nevertheless. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go do other vampire things." He rubbed his palms together and wiggled his eyebrows as he turned fully away from them both.

"Other vampire things?" Elena asked.

"What are you up to Damon? Whatever it is, don't do it. She could get hurt." confusion and worry laced Stefan's words.

Damon's jaw clenched with annoyance. "Don't worry Stef. I'm saving her life."

"From what?" Elena asked sarcastically. The thought of Damon ever doing something for someone else was still a foreign concept to her.

"Everything." Damon stated simply and disappeared.

Anticipating Damon's move, Stefan took off right after him. Running at a blinding speed even though slightly slower than him due to his diet, across the parking lot, around the building and to a small coffee shop at the side of the supermarket.

Stopping outside the shop he watched as Damon stood at a secluded spot in the shop, hidden from Katrina's view. She was seated at a small table waiting patiently for her order while eyeing her tattoo.

Stefan watched curiously as Damon stepped right into the path of a young waitress actively stopping her in her tracks. Leaning down low his pupil's dilated and he whispered something to her that Stefan couldn't quiet catch due to the noise in the area and having not fed in a while. A self satisfied smirk worked its way onto Damon's face and he allowed the newly compelled girl to walk to the back of the store.

"What's going on?" Elena asked as she finally managed to locate Stefan.

"I'm not sure yet." Stefan answered but refused to tear his eyes away from his sneaky brother out fear that he'd miss something important.

"Hey Katrina's in there." Elena frowned slightly when she spotted Damon. "Is she safe with him around?"

"Damon won't hurt her." Stefan said with conviction. His brows pulled together in a frown as he watched the waitress stop before Damon with her tray holding what he presumed was Katrina's order.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked catching his expression but not being able to see what was going on.

Stefan watched in shock as his brother brought his wrist to his lips. Slowly an incisor slit through his vein allowing crimson to flow out neatly from the weeping wound.

"Stefan?" Elena tried to get his attention but he just mutely watched as the compelled waitress made her way to Katrina's table. "Stefan?" Elena tried again.

The words fell on deaf ears as Stefan watched Katrina raise her coffee cup to her lips. The colour of the liquid far darker than it should be but still undetectable to human eyes.

"Stefan! What makes you so sure Damon won't hurt her?" Elena asked grasping Stefan's hands in her own and tugging so as to break him out his trance.

Finally Stefan looked at Elena, his expression far more broody than usual and uttered seven words that seemed to still the world around them. "Because he just fed her his blood..."

~.~.~ So wouldya think? Show some love and I promise to cont. ~.~.~

Pics for the chap and my blog address are up on my profile. Banner for FFNTLPM on my blog but I think it needs to be downloaded and viewed through your computer to be seen properly.

'Dine and Dash' summary

Rival gangs, rival hearts. Maybe he went too far but she was worth risking a gang war for. He wanted her, now he's got her...

That dare was unexpected but it served its purpose, the purpose he needed it to. Bella gets dared to dine & dash a restaurant but gets caught by the owner, Edward Cullen. He's a 19 year old, deadly sexy gang leader and the enemy of the gang her best friend Jacob belongs to. Now he's found a way to spin her dare so that it works in his favour. Her dare's got her stuck in his territory working at his restaurant under his supervision to avoid a permanent record. What more could a Cullen ask for?... Smut AU/AH Possessive and Dominantward. Rated M, Edward/Bella, Romance Crime and Humor