Unmasked
Damon's Point of View
Bella; that name kept flashing in my mind followed by the girl. It had to be her name and her name fit her perfectly. From the dreams I had been having she was beautiful both inside and out, but how could she force me to forget. I hadn't told the others I knew her name, but ever since I had more dreams that were recent. I was brought out of my thoughts by Caroline;
"Okay we are going out this weekend." She said walking into the living room.
"Caroline, not now." Stefan said holding Elena.
We were all feeling the effects from the dreams we had. All of us had a memory of the girl that meant something personal. Moments where she held us up and helped us find something within ourselves that gave strength. Never where it was a grand gesture or anything but the subtle things she had done.
"No all of us have been moping around here for two weeks and I'm done. We haven't seen her or talked to her; I'm done sitting here doing nothing." Caroline stated.
"Maybe Caroline's right." Anna said.
"What do you mean?" Jake asked.
"I mean if she's watching us like we know she is then she'll come where ever we are." Anna explained.
"Exactly," Caroline said, "and I have just the thing." She pulled out tickets for a masquerade in the next town over. "Lots of people in masks and huge ball gowns; from my dreams I know she's clumsy. In the dresses required for this event I'd like to see her run in them and heels. Besides our last masquerade got totally screw up."
Tyler laughed even though a few nights ago we had to chain him up since he had transformed.
"Alright," Elena said standing up, "Let's go shopping."
The girls left leaving us guys.
"Do you really think this is a good idea; obviously she doesn't want to be found." Jeremy said.
"Jeremy tell me the dream you had again." I said pouring some blood into a glass.
Jeremy sighed, "I was at the grill and watching Vicky hang around Tyler thinking what an ass he was to her."
"Yea I know I was." Tyler said.
(Dream that Jeremy has through his point of view)
"Penny for your thoughts?" the girl asked sitting across from me.
"Why does she stay with him when he is such an ass." I said looking at Vicky.
The girl turned in her seat to look at Vicky and shook her head, "You can't help people who don't want help. I tell Matt the same thing; until Vicky is ready to change for herself there's nothing any of us can do."
"Yeah, but she's our friend." I said.
"Hey she's like my little sister okay I know what you're thinking and yeah it's hard to let her go, but Vicky isn't gonna stop doing what she does until she hits rock bottom. The people that stay trying to help her when she doesn't want it are only gonna be dragged down with her. I don't want to see that happen to Jer alright. I know you care about her more than a friend, but sometimes you just have to let people go." The girl said placing her hand on mine.
"It's hard." I said.
"I know, but always remember Nos mos ammitto vivo en; we must let go to live on." The girl said and got up.
(End dream Jeremy's point of view back to Damon's point of View)
"You're right," Jeremy said, "She means something to us."
"Exactly and personally I feel completely empty without her here; like there's a black hole." I said.
"Have you fallen in a black hole; somewhere where there's a universe of missing stuff. What happened to the good times? What happened to the moments when we had so much?" Jake said.
"What?" Tyler asked.
"When Damon said black hole that just popped into my head. Then I saw the girl on stage with Jeremy, Tyler, and Matt; she was singing and I felt guilty and hurt." Jake explained.
What he described seemed so familiar, but I couldn't see it in my mind clearly.
Bella's Point of View
"Oh you're back." Katherine said as I walked into the room as she stood in the doorway of the tomb, "It's been a while and I've been bored."
"Well I had other things to do." I said.
"Like what?" she asked, but I ignored her.
I wasn't about to tell her that I had been raking through my family's history books trying to find anything I could on Klaus, the originals, or the moonstone, but I hadn't found anything.
"You know I have some very interesting information for you." Katherine said.
"What would that be?" I asked.
"No, not until I get my blood; it's been two weeks." Katherine said.
I threw her a blood bag, "Start talking." I said.
She ripped open the bag and once she finished drinking she looked at me, "After you left last time Elena came out of the shadows."
I froze, "You're lying." I said thinking she's baiting me.
"I'm not," she said, "Then later that same day Stefan and Damon came back with her."
"What are did you tell them?" I growled.
"Did you really think that spell would work?" she asked.
I focused on her and she fell to the ground grabbing her head.
"NO!" she screamed, but I didn't let up.
"What did you tell them?" I asked again.
"I told them that your ties to them ran too deep for them to ever truly forget." She said and I let her go.
I used my powers and made the blood bag come to me, "You shouldn't have said anything." and closed the tomb door.
Katherine was screaming, but I ignored it. I was walking up the stairs when I saw something; it was a piece of clothing and I touched it;
(Vision)
Damon, Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, Jake, Leah, Tyler, Matt, Caroline, Jeremy, and Anna at a masquerade ball one town over. They were having a good time laughing and dancing. In the corner of the room a man is watching them and he pulls out a gun with Verevain darts.
(End vision)
"Damn it." I said and hurried up the stairs.
I knew those eyes because they were so judgmental and controlling.
The day of the masquerade arrived and I got ready to head out. I spiral curled my hair and did it half up half down. My makeup was simple besides the eyes and my lips. My dress was huge and I knew whose idea to go this thing was because only Caroline would think of something like this. It was blood red; I couldn't help myself. Damon always said that he loved me in red and this dress was one he would love; not that he was going to see me. It was strapless ball gown, with intricate beading, it bunched in several areas, and had to be laced up in the back. My shoes were high heel sandals with rhinestones. My mask was simply black with designs and lace. I wore a diamond droplet and droplet earrings. I assessed myself in the mirror before heading downstairs.
"You look gorgeous." Ms. Flowers the owner of the place I was staying said.
"Thank you Ms. Flowers." I replied.
"Let me help you with your mask." She said and tied it. "There now your limo just arrived and here are you tickets. Have a good time dear."
I walked to the limo and the driver helped me in.
The ride over to the next town was nerve wrecking; could I pull this off, would they recognize me again? The limo came to a stop and I braced myself for whatever may happen.
Damon's Point of View
The party was in full swing by the time we arrive. We were all dressed formally in our tuxes and dresses. Caroline chose a champagne colored tulle dress that had thousands of sparkles. Bonnie wore a deep plum satin dress with beading on the bodice. Anna decided on a light blue satin dress with gold beading on the bodice. Leah chose an emerald green dress that was satin with crystal beading. Elena wore a deep blue satin dress that had removable sleeve with beading on them and the bodice of the dress. When we entered everyone looked but then went back to the party.
As soon as I walked in I caught my mystery girl's scent and broke away from the group to follow it. I lost the trail after about five minutes, but when I looked to my left to see the most captivating woman in a strapless red dress. I had only seen the back of her, but I knew it was her. I got confirmation when she turned and I saw her deep blue eyes. I snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear;
"Hello Sirena." I said.
She tensed instantly and took a deep breath, "Hello Damon it's nice to see you again." Her back was still facing me.
"Well you haven't seen me yet." I said.
"I have to be going." She said and started to leave.
"No." I said and grabbed her wrist. "I need a dance partner."
"I don't dance." She said her voice shaking.
"You lie." I replied and pulled her to the dance floor. I turned pulling her to me and we began to slow dance, "It's not nice to lie." I said.
"You would know about lying wouldn't you." She accused refusing to look me in the eyes.
"Yes well, being around as long as I have you learn things." I replied and spun her. "What are you doing here tonight?"
"Just taking in the sights." She replied.
"Where have you been the last two weeks?" I asked.
"Around." She simply stated.
"Any place I know…..a tomb maybe." I said.
She immediately tried to pull away, but my hand tightly gripped her waist.
"Uh, uh, uh, no running off this time." I said and spun us, "I'm tired of playing around."
"You used to like it." She mumbled under her breath and then tensed realizing she let that slip.
"So you do know me." I stated.
"Damn it." She said and struggled in my grip "Let me go."
"Why did you do it?" I asked grasping her more tightly "Tell me."
"Damon you're hurting me." She said and I loosened my grip, but not enough for her to escape.
"Why did you do it?" I asked again.
"It was the only way to keep you safe." She said.
"Safe from what?" I asked.
"What's coming for Elena; they need me." She said.
"Excuse me?" a gentleman said and I turned taking my eyes off of her for two seconds to answer the man and she was gone.
I went to find the rest of my group and I told them what happened. Now we were all on high alert to find her.
Bella's Point of View
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I kept saying to myself. How could I just slip up so easily; feeling his skin on mine, our dancing, his whispers, and the agony in his eyes begging for me to explain. I didn't know how much longer I could keep doing this; I knew I had to keep eye out for them, but somehow we just kept meeting. Grandmother always said fate has its ways; well right fate sucks because if I do it fate's way my friends….the people I love will die and I can't stop it.
I stepped outside to get some air hoping it would clear my head. I don't know how long I was out there but I heard a growl and turned to see a familiar wolf…the one that had attacked me months earlier.
I slowly stepped back, "Why is it when we meet I'm always wearing red? Is this some screwed up version of what was once an innocent fairytale?" I asked aloud getting tired of this wolf. "Whose your master?" I asked.
It kept stalking towards me, but didn't make it far because it was attacked by a russet colored wolf. They started fighting and the gray wolf bit Jake.
"Jake!" I yelled and used my powers throwing the wolf away from him.
The gray wolf ran away and Jake disappeared into the bushes only to come out in his tux;
"So you know my name do I get to know yours; I would know but apparently you erased our memories." He said crossing his arms.
"It was for the best now you need to forget about me." I said and started to head inside, but when I turned Bonnie was right behind me.
"That's the thing we can't; the spell….." she started.
"I know the spell didn't fully work." I said.
"Why are you doing this to us? Obviously we are all close so why would you do this to us?" she snapped.
"Because I care about you too much to watch what I've seen come to pass." I snapped back.
"You erased our memories because you cared…..that makes no sense." Jake said.
"You, Tyler, and Leah are werewolves, Bonnie and I are witches, Stefan, Damon, Caroline, and Anna are vampires, Elena looks like Katherine and has psycho vampires on her trail and Jeremy and Matt are in relationships with Caroline and Anna who at any moment could snap and kill them yet you think what I did doesn't make sense." I rambled.
"I still say we at least deserve to know your name." Jake said.
"No." I said and walked pass Bonnie and into the party.
I noticed the others had watched from the window and tried to make their way over to me, but I quickly grabbed a guy and we started to dance. I was in the middle of dancing with the same man in the second song when I saw him and his cold eyes. I looked to where his gaze had fallen and saw Stefan dancing with Elena. I disentangled myself from the guy I was dancing with and headed in their direction as he reached for his dart gun, but I was quicker and put myself directly in front of him.
"Hello Jonathan." I said smiling.
He froze and looked at me puzzled, "Who are you?"
"Oh we met some time ago, but it's been about four years." I said.
"Well I would love to catch up, but I'm in the middle of something." He said and tried to move around me.
"I can't let you do that Jonathan; Elena would be devastated if you hurt her friends." I said.
He looked at me and narrowed his eyes causing me to involuntarily shiver. I hated that look; he had scared me since we were children all because I knew what he was capable of. He had no problem hurting innocent people as long as he got what he wanted.
"Who are you?" he asked dangerously low.
"I'm the one suggesting you put that dart gun away and leave. Don't come back and don't come near any of them. Do we understand?" I asked
"You don't scare me." He hissed.
"But I should." I heard Damon's voice behind me as he came to stand beside me and placed his hand in the small of my back. "You don't have a ring anymore Jon you might want to be careful."
The entire group came over at that point and Jonathan recognized Anna;
"You're supposed to be dead." He said.
"Yeah well I came back." She answered and I knew she knew I had brought her back…damn whatever bonds I have with these guys.
"Watch yourself." Jonathan growled and then looked at me, "You have gotten my way and I will make you pay."
Damon stepped to Jonathan and I saw the dart gun. Jonathan was about to pull the trigger and Damon would be useless; so I decided to take the hit and stepped in between Damon and the dart at the last second. The pain was horrible because the needle hit my hip bone, but I bit back my scream that I had from the pain. I knew I was screwed because there were two reason I never used vervain; one I didn't need it and two I was deathly allergic to it. I felt my airway starting to constrict and the vervain sank into my system.
Damon looked murderous, but before he could do anything Jonathan had disappeared so he turned his attention to me.
"What's wrong?" Jake asked looking at me.
"She's allergic." Caroline said.
"How do you know?" Jake asked.
"I just do." Caroline said.
By now I could barely breathe and I was starting to slip into darkness. I looked at Damon and I was a spark flash in his eyes before my vision became hazy.
Damon's Point of View
The moment she stepped beside me and I heard the needle hit her bone I was ready to kill right then and there, but he got away. We all turned our attention to the girl and I could hear her heart start to beat faster and her breathing labored.
"What's wrong with her?" Jake asked.
"She's allergic to the vervain." Caroline said.
"How do you know?" Jake asked.
"I just do." Caroline said.
I looked down at the girl and she was fading fast, but before I could do anything her eyes drew me in with the fear in them and I started to have flashes. My memory was returning and I knew why I had seen that look of fear right after she nearly killed me.
"Bella," I said and picked her up, "You listen to me my little witch you are not going to get out of this that easily."
I had my memory back and so did everyone else. We took her to a secluded room and shut the door.
"What are we going to do?" Elena asked looking through Bella's clutch, "She doesn't have an epinephrine pen."
"We have to suck it out." Caroline said, "It's the only way; we don't have time to get her to the hospital."
I let my fangs extend and bit into her neck. The vervain burned me and my body wanted me to stop, but I wouldn't. If I had to suffer this to save her I would.
"Damon let me." Anna said and I let go.
Stefan stepped in next and then Caroline. Jake had gone out to get the blood bags from the car and gave them to us immediately after we drank.
"Her blood's clean." Stefan said after he took another turn.
I bit my wrist and forced it into her mouth. Her eyes started to flutter open and when she realized what was going on she pushed away.
"Don't even think about running Isabella Marie Swan." Matt said blocking the door.
"Yeah Lucy you got some explaining to do." Tyler said.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah, you had no right Bells." Jake said.
"Bella, why would you do that to us?" Elena asked.
She looked at us and then began saying, "Erase me from their hearts and minds….." she started, but I put my hand firmly over her mouth.
"Not this time Sirena," I said and picked her up, "Here's how this is going to go. We are going to leave quietly and you are going to explain yourself."
Bella could barely stand so I held her to me. I removed my hand from her mouth, but she started again.
"I was never here release…." She said, but I covered her mouth again.
"You guys get the cars and let us talk." I said and everyone filed out of the room. "Bella you listen to me I have been going through hell since you cast that damn spell. I feel like a part of me has been missing until now that I have you back and I'll be damned before I let you do that again."
She simply nodded and when I removed my hand she remained silent. I held her to me as we walked to the limo where no doubt the ass chewing would begin.
A/N: Okay I hope you guys liked this one and yes everyone has their memories back and yes Bella is about to get in major trouble. Review! Outfits are on my profile page.