Chapter One: First Blood Scent

As Klaus' teeth sank into me, it was then that I knew it was over. Seconds ago, his fingers trailed down the length of my neck as he stepped towards me and I told him to go to hell. I felt Stefan's longing eyes looking at me, tortured, as I just gave up. There was no point in fighting it; there was no chance of me overpowering him so, I just let him drain me of all of my blood until there was nothing. Nothing left.

As I awoke everything felt strange, different. I didn't feel…human. I was hungry and as I looked up, I was met with concerned eyes.

"How do you feel?" Damon asked, a bit hesitant, petting my hair as I took a deep gasp of air.

"Damon, I….I feel fine." I lied through my teeth,still gasping in deep breaths. My head was pounding. Everything was so strange. I saw Jeremy and Alaric by the doorway, concerned expressions etched into their faces. I turned and focused my attention back on Damon, "I just need some air…I'm going home."

"Elena, you need to lie down and relax," Damon said, holding me down by my arms forcefully.

"Damon, let… me go." My eyes shot directly into his with no trace of care; just pure hate. It's what I felt for him. I wasn't stupid, I was aware of what I was going to become - a vampire. I couldn't deal with this, it was just too much.

"Let her go, Damon," Jeremy jumped in for my defense.

"You are just a kid. Stay out of this." Damon looked dead straight into Jeremy's eyes as he spoke. Damon turned his attention back to me to address me with his next words. "Klaus is still out there and he thinks that you're dead and now that you're not.." Damon's face transformed from a look of sheer relief back to serious and stern expression in a matter of seconds. After a brief pause, he continued, " I have no attention of letting you out of my sight."

"Well, you don't have a choice," I argued.

"Actually I do, you will stay with me and I'll protect you. There's no way I'm allowing you to leave with Klaus out on the search for you. Actually, right now he thinks that you are dead."

"I guess he succeeded then, right?"

That was a game changer, Damon's whole face changed from angry to stunned in a split second. It's like he finally remembered that I was about to become a vampire. That he was the one who forced his blood down my throat.

There was not one word that he could say and so, he stayed silent. Perfect. Exactly how he should feel. His hold on me loosened as I got up to leave. I was a little bit surprised when no one tried to stop me but very relieved. Without a destination in mind, I simply wandered from the abandoned house and trudged out onto the deserted road.

.

.

Eventually, I found myself standing in the town square. People milled around me as I stood still, content to watch them passing by. I looked at all of the couples. All of the happiness, the sadness. The heart broken people. I couldn't help but cry. Everything looked so normal and I couldn't help but wish that I was someone else. I don't want this. I don't want this. I can't. I kept repeating to myself, hoping that, by some miracle, it would change everything. That was until I smelled it, blood.

.

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It smelled so delicious, I just needed it. I wanted it. The hunger clawed at my throat as my eyes quickly darted around the square for the source.

A gust of wind breezed past me, taking the scent of blood with it and that's when everything came back to me. I couldn't become a vampire without drinking blood but if I didn't, I'd die. You know what, I was prepared for that. I had finally decided. I would welcome it. It was my time to leave this world and then, maybe everyone around me won't have to die for me anymore.