Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Thank you for your kind reviews and your patience. A special thanks goes out to my twitter friends, who keeps pushing me to update this story. So sorry for the long wait. I tried to make up for it by leaving you with an especially mean cliffhanger… : ) I'm thinking there will be one more chapter after this one, followed by an epilogue. Enjoy!
Btw, I'm co-writing a story with XxVampireXLoverxX , called "Never Give Up". It's her idea, so all credit really goes to her… Check it out : )
ELENA'S ESCAPE
~ Bullet Point ~
Elena and Jenna spent the day together, shopping and talking. They had lunch at the Grill and Elena introduced Jenna as Ric's girlfriend to Matt, Caroline and Lexi. As they were walking down the street with the ice cream cones they had bought at the ice cream stand, Jenna turned to Elena.
"You seem happy, 'Lena."
"I am," Elena said, realizing she truly felt that way.
"I'm sorry about this morning. I didn't mean to tell Zach."
"It's fine, Jenna. Zach is a good man. I trust him. Besides, you were right. I got away. It's time I start living my life."
"How did Damon react when you told him?"
"He was great. He said he was grateful I came into his life and that he doesn't want me to ever leave. Then he asked me to spend the night with him."
"I kinda figured that from Ric's vague description this morning…"
"We didn't… he just held me. What happened this morning is a different story…" Elena blushed. "But Ric broke up the party early, so to speak."
"Oh. I'm so sorry. Had I known, I would have kept him occupied."
Elena laughed. "Don't worry about it. We have all the time in the world to be together."
"So what are we wearing tomorrow night?" Jenna said, steering Elena towards the costume shop.
The hosts of the Masquerade Ball, Mayor Lockwood and his wife, had sent the costume shop a list of proper attire for the Ball, of which the invited guests were allowed to make their selection.
The men's wear was formal - black tie and black masks. The women, however, had a wide selection of gowns and masks.
Elena picked out a royal blue gown and a butterfly mask in blue with gold flecks.
Jenna chose a sea green gown that complemented her strawberry blonde hair and fair skin, and a mermaid-inspired mask with silver and green 'scales'.
"It's perfect, Jenna," Elena nodded in approval as Jenna showed off her outfit.
"You like it? It just reminded me of home."
"You look amazing."
"Thanks, kiddo. What about you? Aren't you going to try it on?"
"I did. It's fine."
"Come on, I'm sure it's better than 'fine'. Won't you show me?"
"Oh, ok," Elena sighed and ducked into the changing room.
When Elena reappeared, Jenna gasped. "Elena, it's gorgeous!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! Damon's gonna flip!"
"If he likes it, I'm glad. But I'm done dressing to please others. I chose the butterfly because I've been locked up in a cocoon for so long, and now I'm finally free. I'm ready to fly."
"Hello, sir? Yes, I've been following her. Apparently, they are going to a party tomorrow, a Masquerade Ball. Yes. Yes, sir. I'll take care of it."
Elijah hung up the phone and got to work, following his new orders.
"Did you girls have fun?" Damon asked as Elena and Jenna entered the boarding house arm in arm, laden with shopping bags and giggling like crazy.
"Yes," Elena replied, collecting herself. "How was class?"
"Dull as hell."
"Why? You love teaching."
"But I didn't have a beautiful TA to rest my eyes on," Damon pouted.
"Hey!" Ric objected, affronted. "You sayin' I'm not beautiful?" he feigned hurt.
"You're beautiful on the inside, Ric," Damon mocked, covering his heart with his hand and faking sentimentality.
"Well, I think he's hot," Jenna said, kissing Ric's cheek.
"Thank you," he smiled, sending Damon a look that said 'see?'.
Damon laughed. "Working the pity angle, I see."
"Be nice," Elena said, playfully punching his arm.
"Ow," Damon pouted.
"Oh, did I hurt you?" Elena mocked.
"Yes. I think you need to kiss it and make it better."
"Aww… where does it hurt, baby?" Elena joked.
"Everywhere," Damon whispered huskily in her ear.
Elena blushed, but quickly regained her composure. "Put a Band-Aid on it. We're going out," she said and grabbed her shopping bags. "Jenna, you coming?" she asked over her shoulder.
"Where are we going?" Jenna asked as they were in Elena's en suite bathroom, doing their makeup.
"The Grill. There's a live band playing tonight. I promised I'd help Lexi hostess for a couple of hours."
"You're working?"
"Yes, but just for a couple of hours, and the dress code's casual tonight, which means…" she said, rummaging through her things and picking up a short black dress from one of her shopping bags, "… that I can wear this."
"You're not worried people might spill their drinks when you're serving them?"
"I'm more concerned I'll spill out of this dress, to be honest."
"I haven't seen you wear anything like this since…"
"Since before I met Kyle. Yeah, I know. If he ever saw me in this he'd call be a slut and lock me in the bedroom."
"Well, those days are behind you now," Jenna said, placing a reassuring hand on her niece's shoulder.
"Yeah, they are."
About an hour later, Elena and Jenna emerged from Elena's bedroom and walked downstairs. Damon's jaw dropped when he saw Elena, and Ric was equally affected by Jenna's appearance. Jenna had her hair pinned up in loose curls with a few tresses down to frame her face. Elena's curly bob had a similar effect. Jenna was wearing a fitted, knee-length red dress which brought out the reds in her strawberry blonde hair. Elena's black knee-length spaghetti-strapped dress flared out, revealing her long, shapely legs and plenty of her olive skin.
"Do we really have to leave just yet?" Damon whispered in her ear.
Elena giggled. "Yes. But I promise we won't stay too long, ok?"
Damon groaned. "I'm gonna hold you to that."
"Where are they?" Kyle barked at Elijah when he met him on the private airstrip just outside town.
"She's working at the local watering hole tonight. Sommers and Saltzman are there as well."
"And the guy who's been screwing my wife?" Kyle snarled.
"Damon Salvatore. He's there too."
"Is everything set for tomorrow?"
"Yes. Your tux and mask is waiting for you at the B n' B."
"You set me up in a B n' B?"
"It's not like this town has a hotel. The only other place in town is the Salvatore Boarding House. Mrs. Flowers is a half-blind, half-deaf old lady. She won't make trouble for us."
"She better not," Kyle growled.
"May I ask, sir, why not just grab her tonight? We could wait for them at the boarding house. You do still want the others eliminated, no?"
"Yes. But I have my own plan for my slut of a wife. We'll do it tomorrow. Tonight, I want to see her."
"Certainly, sir."
Elijah entered the Grill with a bug-sized microphone and a button-sized video camera. From the black van parked outside, Kyle could see and hear everything that was going on inside. Elijah settled down on a stool at the bar, which left the camera in eye level with Elena's cleavage as she was pouring drinks. Kyle groaned and slammed his fist against the car door.
"Hey, sweetie, wanna get us some drinks over here?" a broad-shouldered dark-haired man strode up to the bar.
Elena looked over at Lexi, who was busy pouring drinks for the band and resigned. "I'll be right out, Tyler. Beer all around, right?"
"You remembered," he winked.
"Yeah, well, you're here every night, so…" Elena shrugged.
"Never seen you looking so fine, though…"
"Knock it off, Tyler," Elena rolled her eyes.
"Oh, come on, you know you love it… When you get tired of your 'boyfriend', come join me in the men's room."
"Ew, gross," Elena frowned.
"We could go back to my place if you'll be more comfortable there," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and trailed the back of her hand with his index finger.
"Won't your pregnant girlfriend mind?" Elena said and yanked her hand away.
"Oh, right… well, how 'bout my backseat, then?"
"How 'bout I get you those beers and you go home to Vicki?"
"You're no fun, Kat."
"Yeah, I know."
Tyler strode off in a huff and Elijah turned to Elena. "I must say, miss, you handled that impeccably. I would have stepped in, but I am not a violent man by design."
"Yeah, thanks. He's a regular. He's always like that," Elena shrugged.
"It does not make you uncomfortable?"
"Only if I let him get to me."
"You are a strong woman."
"When I need to be, I guess," she shrugged. "Can I get you a refill?"
"No, thank you. I think I've had enough for one night," Elijah said, left a generous tip and exited the bar.
"You can go join your friends, Kat," Lexi said after another hour.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Matt's gonna take the late shift. Go on. I know you wanna dance with Damon," Lexi nudged Elena's shoulder and winked.
"I'm off the clock," Elena announced to Damon, Ric and Jenna, who were at a table for four.
"Finally," Damon rolled his eyes and pulled her to sit beside him.
"What are you guys drinking?" Elena asked, looking around the table.
"Bourbon," Damon answered.
Elena rolled her eyes. "I wasn't asking you."
"Yeah, I'm afraid I'm with Damon on this one…" Ric said, holding up his empty tumbler.
"It's like you two are…" Jenna shook her head.
"Soulmates? Yeah, we get that a lot," Damon joked.
"Well, I for one want another vodka lime," Jenna proclaimed.
"Sounds good to me," Elena agreed and moved to leave her seat.
"Hey, where are you going?" Damon asked.
"To get our drinks."
"Oh, no. You've been working all night. Sit. I'll get them."
"Damon, that's really not necessary," Elena objected.
"Sure it is," he shrugged, kissed her cheek and headed over to the bar.
"Do you have a silencer?" Kyle asked when Elijah got in the van.
"In my case, yes," Elijah said, gesturing to a metallic briefcase. "Did you change your mind? You're taking her out tonight?"
"No. Tonight, I'm sending a message."
"What kind of message?"
"Don't mess with another man's wife," Kyle replied coldly, taking the gun and silence out of its case, assembling the piece.
"Come on, 'Lena, let's dance," Jenna said enthusiastically, the drinks she'd consumed having gone to her head.
"Um…"
"Come on," Jenna insisted and took Elena's hand, pulling her out of her seat and leading her over to the dance floor.
Elena cast a pleading look at Damon over her shoulder, but he simply laughed. From their table, they had an excellent view of the dance floor, and he was looking forward to watching Elena. It didn't take him long to follow her, though, and Elena soon found herself wrapped up in Damon's strong arms. She turned around in the small space he had created between their bodies and he placed his hands on her hips as she draped her arms around his neck.
"What took you so long?" she purred.
Damon answered her by crashing his lips down on hers.
Kyle waited patiently for his target. Once the man he sought appeared outside the bar, Kyle slipped out of the van and approached him.
"Hey, you!"
"Yeah?"
Kyle watched in grim satisfaction as the bullet in the dark-haired man's head turned off the light in his eyes and he dropped to the ground.
"You should have kept your filthy paws off my wife," he said coldly and walked away, getting back in the van and driving off.