'Eleanor...'

I wake to the sound of someone calling my name. My eyes flutter open.

'Hey there. You literally fell asleep in Louis arms...'

Marco sits beside me. Waking up with men near me seems to happen a lot more often than it should...

'I did?'

'Yeah, you know how he is; all shy and stuff... Daniel brought you back here and got you all set.'

I look down, noticing my red dress has been replaced by a black singlet and grey tracksuit pants. I sit up, startled.

'It was Daniel, don't worry, he's strictly men only...' Marco laughs.

I rub my arms. 'Still.' I look around and notice Daniel sitting on one of the couches in my room. He smiles at me. 'Thanks' i laugh a little, pushing the thought of that from my brain.

'What time is it? Where is everyone?'

'Its 8am, and they're all off getting ready for their days.'

'Shit! I need to get up and stuff...' i say, quickly pulling off the duvet. Last nights events replay in my head so vividly.

'Whoa, hey, chill.' Marco says, putting pressure on my shoulder to stop me moving. 'Stefan is fine. He went off to feed.'

I look at him. 'Where's Damon?'

His brows twitch. 'He's fine too...'

I frown at him. 'What's that look for?'

'Since when do you care about Damon?'

I glare at him. 'You're outta line Marco.' I stand from the bed and head to my wardrobe, there's no way I'm going anywhere dressed like this.

'I'm just saying... He nearly killed you remember? Why would you even...'

I cut him off. 'How would you like it if you constantly got given a bad name just because you acted out because you were broken on the inside?' I snap, searching through my closet for clothes.

'Eleanor that doesn't even make sense...' Marco begins but i glare at him again.

Daniel stands from the couch, arms folded. 'You're defending him; you like him don't you?' The smile spreads across his face.

I roll my eyes. 'No. I've just learned my lesson that looks can be deceiving...'

'You do!' he squeals. 'You have a thing for Damon...'

'No! Look don't be silly, I've been too harsh on him with no justification. I had no idea what he's been through. I just need to chill out a bit more...'

'Did you smash your head against the floor last night?!' Marco says loudly, a look of disgust on his face. 'Its Damon! I mean, sure we have to follow him; he's our leader, but no one likes him...'

I ignore their comments as i quickly change. I rip off my singlet without even checking if i had underwear on; luckily i did. Marco whistles behind be but i ignore that too. I just want to get out of here. I pull on a pair of jeans and a simple black pair of heels.

'Eleanor are you sure you know what youre getting yourself into?' Daniel asks, his face softening.

I sigh as i glance at him. 'I'm not getting myself into anything. I'm not even doing anything. I don't know Damon or Stefan that well and i definitely don't need a distraction like either of them...'

'Well, damn Elle, i could sure use a distraction like Stefan...' Daniel says, oozing with suggestiveness.

I glare at him. 'Did you just call me Elle?' no one has called me Elle before' I'm not sure i like it. I shake my head, trying to change the subject. 'I am going now. Thanks for staying with me, that's very kind.' I head for the door.

'Where are you going?' Marco asks, trying to get an answer before i leave. I keep walking.

'I'm going to see Damon. Don't follow me, and don't talk about me behind my back...' i call out from behind me as i head down the corridor.

I knock on the door of the common room and the door quickly opens. Louis smiles at me but says nothing. I smile apologetically at him.

'Louis I'm sorry if i made you uncomfortable last night. I will personally wash your suit shirt if i stained it.'

He shakes his head. 'Its fine.' He says quietly before inviting me in. I notice Roman on the couch and i give him a little wave as i head upstairs.

I reach the top landing and stop. This area is a lot bigger than i thought. The corridor has 6 doors on the left side and 3 on the other.

'Whoa.' I say to myself as i walk down the hall. Almost every door on the left is open, except for one. I walk up to it and knock, assuming this must be damons room.

'Yeah.' A voice calls from inside.

I slowly open the door and head inside; where Damon is nowhere to be seen. I look around, admiring the room. A four-poster bed like mine sits against one wall and two doors sit on the other side of the room. It looks like a bathroom and a walk in robe. The ceiling is painted black, which looks really unusual in contrast to the white walls.

'What are you doing here?'

I turn around to see Damon in the doorway of his closet. He's frowning.

'I just came to see how you were after yesterday...'

'I'm fine, why wouldn't i be? You can leave now...' He heads back into the robe.

I slowly walk over to the doorway. 'Damon.' He's pushing shirts and jackets on hangers across the rail, like he's looking for something.

I sigh as i lean against the door frame. 'Damon, Louis told me about your father.' I say softly, trying not to anger him. I told myself i wouldn't bring it up; but curiosity will kill me if i don't. He looks over his shoulder at me.

'He had no right to tell you that...'

'It's not your fault...'

'It's every bit my fault. Can you please leave, I'm busy...' he snaps, directing his attention to another rail in his closet.

'You opened up to me yesterday, why cant you do the same today...?'

'I had no reason to tell you what i did yesterday. Everything that happened was a mistake.' He walks towards me, quickly slipping his hand around my waist. I gasp, before he quickly moves me aside so he can walk back into his bedroom. i look at him.

'Damon i need to know everything; so when i go to Stefan and get his version i have all the facts.'

'You don't need the facts Eleanor! The only fact you need is the fact that it's fucked me up so bad, i am the way i am today because of it; and no one cares. I can't change, and if you think you can make me, you're just daft as Stefan...' He snaps at me.

We stare at each other for a moment. I see the sadness in his eyes.

'Damon, why on earth would you think no one cares about you?'

He shakes his head. 'I don't care about anyone else; no one has any reason to.' He begins opening draws of his nightstand.

'I do.'

'Well don't. Youll end up like her.' He spits, slamming each draw as he finishes.

'I'm nothing like her!' i yell, catching him off guard. He looks at me. 'I'm a million times better than her. I'm insulted if you think id even be capable of doing anything she did.' I frown.

He shakes his head again, continuing to rummage around through his draws.

'What the hell are you looking for!?' i shout again. I didn't realise i hadn't changed my tone. He doesn't stop, i watch him throw pair after pair of socks out of this draw onto the floor.

'Damn it Damon, do you not even have the decency to show me some respect when I'm talking to you? I'm trying to show you...'

In an instant i freeze. Damon becomes a blur in front of me, and then his lips are pressed against mine, his hands either side of my face dragging my upwards to reach him. In that moment, i don't know whether to push him away, or pull him closer. What is going on?!

My body instinctively relaxes as i place my hands on his waist. I let him kiss me, i want him to. Part of me knows I've always wanted him to.

I cant feel like this
I don't want to feel like this
But i do...

I kiss him back, his fingers tangling through my hair as he pulls me closer. I relish the feelings he gives me; this moment i feel safe and protected, yet i don't know why. He tastes like coffee and mint... and him. I slide my hands up his back, losing count of how many perfectly hard muscles i cruise over. I place my hands over the backs of his shoulders, beginning to make my way down his arms. Oh i want to touch those arms...

Just as I'm about to, a hand in my hair pulls my head backwards to look at him; just like he did when i fed on him. I watch the veins in his face quickly disappear and his eyes fade from black to blue. I stare at him breathlessly, admiring every defined curve in his face and jaw line. I'm speechless.
I hadn't noticed his other hand on my hip until he pulled me closer to him again. I feel it find a sturdy place on the small of my back, as he gently leans me backwards. His hand tilts my head back further, making my hair fall away from my neck, exposing it completely. I know what's coming, I'm sure of it. I mentally brace myself for the pain of the bite. I cant move, and i can only just see his face. His lips are parted, fangs slightly visible. His breathing as heavy as mine; if not heavier. He brings his face to my neck, and i see his lips pull back over his fangs; but veins never appear under his eyes. My heart quickens and i close my eyes in preparation.

I feel him kiss the skin of my neck, and suddenly I'm left standing upright in the middle of the room. I spin around.

That bastard. He's gone. He's stirring me up. I feel pissed off, but i cant stop smiling. He did it on purpose. He's playing the game. I head back downstairs quickly, hoping to find Damon there with the boys. I reach the bottom when i notice he's not there; the main doors hang open. I look at Louis and Roman, the confused look on their faces makes me laugh.

'Where'd he take off to in a hurry?' Roman asks me.

I try with everything in me not to giggle, but i do. 'I, uh, i don't know.'

'Is everything... okay?'

I smile, more than i should. 'Yeah, everythings... fine'

I take off quickly after him, hoping those two didn't hear what happened between us upstairs...