Chapter 5

"What was that back there?" Stefan asks as soon as we are a few miles away from the site.

"I'm so sorry Stefan. I think it was just a silly moment where we didn't know what was happening until our minds caught up with us." I try to piece together exactly what had happened.

"Emma, I meant that kiss that you gave to Damon."

"What about it?"

"Don't fall for him Emma. He'll be the death of you, literally."

"What exactly is the matter with him? How did he come to be so messed up?"

"Katherine." Stefan sneers with anger obviously trying to ooze out of him. I can tell that there is more to this story than what he is trying to lead me into believing. I'm starting to get tired of this. He and Elena and Damon and everyone else have been acting strange around me ever since I have gotten here. They are most definitely hiding something. Stefan looks over at my expression as I stare at him in annoyence. "What?"

"Do you think I'm this gullible?"

"Huh?"

"Stefan, you have been keeping stuff from me ever since you introduced yourself to me. I just made out with you and I made out with Damon to make up for the fact that I madeout with you. You not only should be way more grateful because I just saved your relationship with Elena, but you should also understand that I'm not so easily driven away from people. I've known Damon for almost two days. I have learned that Damon is also a psychopath. Yet, I still seem to keep on getting in conversations with him. Stefan, you just have to trust me."

"Emma, I'd love to fill you in on all of these dark spots but, you're just going to have to trust me when I tell you that it'll be better if you just don't find out."

"Okay."

"Really?" Stefan slows the speed his car is going to glance over at me in surpirse. "You've always come off to me as the type of girl who is extremely stubborn."

"I normally am. You may not tell me Stefan, but just know that I will find out. Even if that means I have to firgure it out on my own."

"I understand that but, this mystery may be a little harder to solve than you think Sherlock Holms."

"Cute." I smirk at him as he pulls into my driveway. I get out of the car. "I may not know much for sure Stefan, but one thing that I do know for sure is that you are not human." Stefan smiles slightly as he leans over the side of his car to look me in the eye.

"You're on the right track." He mutters before driving away. I grimace at the car as he drives away from me. I DO like him but, there is still something about Damon…

"Happy Birthday Emma!" Elena cheers rushing in through my door and flinging her arms around me.

"Thanks Elena." I laugh as she pulls away and thrusts a fairly large, heavy well-wrapped box into my hands. "Where's Stefan?"

"Right outside the door." Elena says clearing her throat and turning to look at Stefan who is indeed standing right where she told me, smiling politely.

"Well, what are you waiting for Stefan?" I ask cocking an eyebrow at him. "Get your ass in here." His lips twitch into an even bigger smile and he steps in. I swear everything moved in slow motion when his foot landed on the inside the door frame.

"I was just waiting for you to say that." He says as we all head into my living room. "I have a gift for you too Emma."

"You do? I thought that you and Elena were going to go in a gift together or something. I wasn't expecting anything else."

"No, that wouldn't be very polite at all." He says as we all sit down. "So, how is everything going?"

"Not bad actually." I say smiling at Stefan. This is extremely akward, taking into consideration the fact that Stefan and I kissed and Elena doesn't even know. I swallow my nerves and we all get emerged into a very interesting conversation. It's about the strange dissapearences lately.

"Well, I don't know what kind of animal would do something like this." Elena counters on Stefan's theory that there maybe a new type of wolf that may not be used to the human race so they are attacking us in fear.

"Based upon the information that they have released I'd say that it was a vampire." I joke with a creepy smile. Stefan sits up straight and looks at me hard.

"Why would you say that? That's silly! Vampires? Haha. They don't exsist!" Stefan rambles very quickly. There is a knock at my door and I get up to answer it but my mother beats me to it.

"Hello." She says perking up. "May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here for the party." A low voice that sounds very familiar to me soothes. Stefan and Elena share a quick nervous glance before Stefan stands up.

"We can't let her invite him in!" Elena says rushing towards my mother.

"Oh sure, come on in dear." My mother says, being her normal gracious self. I smile as Damon comes in. Yes, I am extremely pissed at him for making me kiss him yesterday but, I have to put on this act for my mother.

"Oh GOD!" Stefan whispers to Elena. "What else can go wrong?"

"Chill out guys." I say rolling my eyes. "It's not going to be that bad."

"You don't really understand…"

"Happy fifteenth Birthday Emma." Damon's voice comes from behind me.

"I'm sixteen." I giggle, trying to be nice. He smiles back at me. Everything seems actually peaceful. Then my mom walks out of the room.

"What in God damn Hell are you doing here Damon?" Stefan spits at Damon's very amused expression.

"Trying to bug you. Besides, it doesn't really matter anymore. I've been invited in." He says smirking like it's his job.

"So what?" I ask turning towards my backyard. Damon begins laughing so hard that I feel kind of dumb that I don't understand the joke. I turn back to face everyone searching their faces for an explanation.

"Are you kidding me? You make out with her Stefan and you didn't tell her that you're a vampire?" He laughs. I freeze just as Elena does.

I shout "VAMPIRE?" right as Elena yells "MAKE OUT?"

"Oops, did I let that slip? My bad…"

"We need to talk, now!" Elena says snatching Stefan's hand and dragging him towards the back door that leads to my backyard. Damon and I stand in silence for a few seconds as I let this sink in. It can't be true, can it? There is no way! I've never been the biggest vampire fan but, I was never a non-believer either. There would be days when I would look over my shoulder in a dark parking lot, not wanting to be the next meal of something. Maybe it was just instinct but, I couldn't really help it. I look over at the man who has just transformed from a sexy man to a scary monster in a matter of seconds.

"Get out of my house," I mutter, my voice shaking. Damon sighs and takes another step towards me. "NOW!"

"Emma, don't be so-"

"I SAID GET OUT!" I shrill backing up against the wall, my body following my voice and trembling like crazy. "Please stay away from me! Stay out of my house! Stay away from my family! Just…just do it!" Damon looks down the hallway, out the French glass door that leads to the back yard. Elena and Stefan are talking in very passion filled emotion. Elena looks furious and Stefan looks worried. "How can she do that? How can she…j-just go off and talk to him like he's not dangerous?" I gasp looking over at Damon, who has stepped closer to me when I looked away. I jump back in petrification.

"He's a vegetarian or something gay like that. He doesn't feed off of humans. His tastes have much more…fur…or feathers." He chuckles. I cannot believe how he can act so tranquil about this whole situation! He's acting as if I am talking to him in a casual manner.

"And what about you?" I quiver back, not being able to move any further back due to my back being against the wall. Damon's expression changes to one of a little more exasperation. "Are you a 'vegetarian'?" Damon lets out a breath of defeat and I feel as though I am going to be sick. "Y-you're not?"

"No. I'm not." He plainly admits, his hand wandering into his pocket. I struggle for breath as I look around for an escape, much like the time he locked me in his room. "Look, can I still give you my gift? It took me a lot of time to find it and I don't want this to go to waste." I nod my head slowly, scared to not do as he tells me. He sighs in slight relief and looks down at his hand to dig out whatever he has in his pocket.

I take this as a chance. This is it. I've got to go find my mom and we have got to hide. I remember her walking into the kitchen and I sprint for it. But, my mom isn't in there. I look out the window to see that she is rushing to her car. My jaw drops in shock. I whirl around to find Damon standing right there with a sticky note stuck to his hand.

"Found this." He says smiling. I tear the note off of his hand, my hand trembling as I look down at it.

Emma,

So sorry I had to leave. I just got an emergency beeper message. I'm sure you can hold down the fort while I'm gone. By the way, you're older friend that came last is very good looking ;)

-Mom

"Personally, I agree with her about me." He slurs cockily. I roll my eyes and swallow, trying to come up with a new escape plan and not coming up with one. "Now then, my gift." He holds up a small silk pouch that is tied at the top with a tiny string. I let him drop it into my hands and I just stare down at it, trying to calm myself down enough to think straightly. "Open it. It's not a ticking time bomb Emma. Just because I am a vampire doesn't mean I want to kill you, because I don't."

That reference was last used by Elena when she gave me my vervain necklace. It didn't sound as sinister when it came from her lips. Everything from Damon sounds like a threat to me now. "You don't?"

"No, if I did you'd be dead." Damon says reassuring me.

"Why should I trust you? You're a fucking Vampire!"

"Good point…" Damon laughs sounding caught in something he can't sweet talk his way out of for the first time. "I guess I'll just have to prove it to you over time."

I sigh, still scared out of my wits but, finding a tiny voice in the back of my head telling me to believe him. I slowly open the gift, pouring a tiny little trinket out into my palm. It's a silver ring with a non-translucent red stone with black speckles in it.

"It's…beautiful…" I admit, sneaking a glace up at him nervously. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome." He sighs in relief that I like the ring and looks at me hopefully. "We're cool now right?"

"NO! Get your ass out of my house and while you're out tell Stefan that he's on my probation list." As I say it, it happens. I'm suddenly alone in my kitchen. I look down at the note that Damon had picked up from its spot on the counter, but it's flipped over on its back.

You're not done with me quite yet.

Just like that, I puke all over my kitchen floor. Happy birthday to me!