Chapter 39

Elena skin crawled at thought of someone killing Damon, which would probably happen once Damon finds out Lucrezia killed his brother and his sort-of finance, Damon would try avenge there deaths but there was no way she would ever let him be strong enough to kill her she would end up giving him vervain every day just so he didn't attempt to kill her.

Lucrezia was now pacing back and forth in front of them; her steps were light making it look like she was performing graceful dance steps, her eyes sparkled mischievously as she thought of the different ways she could kill them.

Elena nails went into overdrive desperately trying to fray the ropes that tied her hands, trying to be discrete at the same time so Lucrezia didn't notice.

"I think I'm going to kill Stefan first" she said in a singsong voice, enjoying every second of tormenting them. Stefan had given up on trying to loosen the ropes, knowing even if he did get free he wouldn't be able to do anything, he had accepted his fate, death.

Lucrezia continued her plans, "that way you can watch someone you love die" she said smiling at Elena, her smile was forced, her emotions clashing with anger and excitement.

Elena could feel herself blacking out, and she half-wished she could so she wouldn't have to witness the death of someone who was like a brother to her, she couldn't help but blame herself, I was the one that called to him telepathically, if I didn't he might still be in the Boarding House, safe, she thought to herself miserably.

"I could break his neck, but that would be to quick, you wouldn't be able to feel all the pain I felt when you're little friend" she said nodding towards Elena, "made me feel when I lost my only love"

Stefan knew it was too late for him but he had sworn to himself to keep Elena safe, at the time he made the promise the biggest danger was Damon, and now he felt useless, he couldn't physically keep her safe but he would try anything just to save her,

"Wouldn't that be enough? You could just kill me" he pleaded.

"After all these years, you would still die for her even though she didn't choose you?" Lucrezia asked amused but secretly jealous, wishing someone would love her as much as that.

"Katherine killed herself centuries ago because she couldn't choose between me and my brother, Elena might look like Katherine but she's nothing like her" Stefan looked at her, willing her to understand.

Elena's heart broke realising Stefan was about to die without knowing the truth about Katherine, he would think she killed herself when really she had faked it, and left both him and Damon depressed and bitter towards each other, he wouldn't even know it was Katherine who had changed her and that she was now a pile of ash after Damon was finished with her.

Lucrezia clapped her hands together, "I have to admit, very theatrical but the whole thing is a little over dramatic, you're trying to say Katherine's dead and 'Elena' just happens to look exactly like her and have the same taste in guys?" she howled with laughter.

If Elena hadn't been intently watching Damon, knowing it would be the last time they would see each other, she might not have seen the slight twitch in his leg. Her breath caught as she seen his eyes open a little, his head was pounding, as he tried to remember were he was.

He couldn't get up, he could barely blink without hurting, he could see figures, three of them, he recognised Elena first, her aura was the brightest, and Stefan was there too, he had become accustomed to his mind over the years. The other figure was a mystery; it was surrounded in a dark aura, with patches of grey. This alerted Damon that they were in danger, but he couldn't even move all he could do was listen.

"It does sound unlikely but it's the truth, Elena has only recently become a vampire" Stefan was saying.

"Save your breath, I'm not gullible I know she's Katherine" she said her laughter having come to an abrupt halt, "Maybe I should just drain you, but you wouldn't taste too nice with all that animal blood inside of you" she said frowning. Damon had to suppress a growl when he heard her say Katherine's name; even though she was dead he was still paying the price for knowing her.

He tried to focus on Elena, wanting to hold her and tell her everything was going to be ok, but his vision was blurred, he looked around him. He was still in the place he had been when he dropped unconscious; the man from the airport was still lying near him.

He needed to move closer to him, he needed to get his blood without the figure with the dark aura seeing him.

Damon tried to concentrate on moving his arm but with the vervain still in his system he couldn't move.

Elena watched him, biting her lip in anticipation; thankfully Lucrezia hadn't seen him, yet, she could see his eyes lock on the creep from earlier, but he wasn't moving. She knew what she had to do, even though she was on recently turned a vampire she knew she had to try.

She closed her eyes, trying to centre her mind, ignoring Lucrezia who was still planning how to kill Stefan in front of her, she thought of only one person, Damon. She imagined him in her mind, the way his eyes were like the night sky holding the light of millions of stars, and the way his lips were always wearing a half-smile, she focused on the memories of him, of him holding her and looking at her like he would kill for her, and in the past he proved that he would do just that.

She hold feel her aura extending, but she didn't want to open her eyes in case it drew back. Her strength gathered in her aura, as she pushed it further, she could sense Lucrezia hadn't noticed she was too caught up in the mind games she was playing. She was getting closer, she nearly jumped when she felt her aura joining to Damon's, and they're auras becoming one.

Damon looked away from the man's body, his eyes met Elena; her aura had extended all the way across the clearing. He could finally feel his arms and legs, even though Elena had blood taken from her she had managed to spread out her aura which usually took vampires years to master. He knew it wasn't easy for her so he didn't waste time; he pulled himself closer to the unconscious body of the man, keeping his eyes on the dark figure that was standing over his brother.

His teeth lowered on the man's neck, hoping he wouldn't wake up screaming, because even with his and Elena's strength combined he doubted he could get him to shut up before Lucrezia saw him. He drunk silently from the man his blood easing the pain of the vervain, Elena's aura was being pulled back slightly, not wanting to take away the strength he was gaining from the blood, she didn't care about her own life, she just needed Damon to escape.

"I know!" Lucrezia exclaimed, "I'll let you live Katherine" she said looking over to Elena who was glad that her aura was back so that she wouldn't draw attention to Damon, "that way you can kill Stefan"

Elena looked up at her horrified, "I'm not going to kill Stefan" she stated glaring at her.

"If you want to live you will" she snarled, grabbing a hold of Elena's robe and pulling it off, ripping the ropes apart. She gripped Elena's top, pulling her to her feet, "You're going to kill him, then you can see someone you love die knowing you can't do anything about it" she growled a faint smile on her lips.

"Elena, its ok, just kill me" Stefan was pleading with Elena now; he still hadn't seen Damon who was advancing behind Lucrezia silently.

"You heard him, are you not going to grant his last wish?" she asked Elena, mockingly.

Elena shook her head; she was trying to telepathically tell Damon to run while he still could, he was getting closer, his footsteps noiseless, and his eyes murderous.

"Fine if you wont kill him, I will" she laughed, pushing Elena back to the ground, she pulled Stefan's ropes off, dragging his body upwards, he didn't try to resist, he was too weak for resistance.

She put her mouth down towards his neck, her lips pulling back to reveal sharp canines.

Elena was about to pounce on her, even though she knew she wouldn't win but before she could Damon got to Lucrezia first, he ripped her away from Stefan, throwing her backwards. Stefan fell to his knees, not able to stand on his own.

Lucrezia was back on her feet instantly, poised for fight, Damon tackled her, his teeth aimed at her neck, and he only was able to pierce her skin before she threw him off her.

Elena's senses were taken over by the sight of the blood dripping from her neck, the bright red liquid that her throat ached for, the blood that clouded her thought and better judgement was so close she could almost taste it on her tongue.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Damon's scream, his hands were clasped to his head, Lucrezia glared at him, making him feel pain in his mind that Damon wouldn't wish on his worst enemy unless perhaps they were hurting Elena.

Damon's scream made the blood even more tempting but now for different reasons, she wanted to drain her for hurting Damon, she wanted the pain Damon was feeling to stop, she couldn't take it anymore.

Along with her bloodlust and determination to stop Damon's pain, Elena lounged her body forward, using all her strength to grip onto Lucrezia, her legs wrapped around her waist, as her teeth sunk into her, she could feel Lucrezia's nails digging into her arms trying to pry off her, but it didn't faze her. She kept drinking, the more she took the less Damon screamed in agony and the more Lucrezia screamed.

Finally Lucrezia's body fell backwards; Damon was at Elena's side, pulling her into his arms she clung onto him, wishing she could stay this way forever.

"Damon" she said her voice coming out choked, the blood in her arms falling onto Damon's shoulders.

"Yes, Princess?" he asked patiently, his hand entwined in her hair, grateful to have her in his arms.

"Ask me again" she said raising her head from his shoulder to look into his dark eyes.

He knew instantly what she meant, a 250 watt smiled graced his features and remained there as he asked, "Elena Gilbert, will you marry me?"

"I'd love too" she said tears forming in her eyes, but this time they were from happiness, maybe it was possible to stay in Damon's arms forever…

Can you hear that? It sounds a lot like wedding bells, so you can pretty much guess what the next chapter is about :]

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