Author's note: I know….awkward place to break the story last chapter, but I'd just covered so much ground, I needed to stop to give everyone a chance to process what was happening (and I'm evil).
Warnings: Mature – adult content, violence, character death, adult content, language, Bonnie, Stefan, did I mention adult content?
Please note: There is a time jump in this chapter. Please don't let it catch you off-guard.
"Elena?" Damon was certain he'd heard her wrong, or she was still feeling the effects of the wreck…which, considering the fact that vampires had incredible reflexes, he still needed to talk with her about exactly how it happened. But that could wait till later. As her chocolate brown orbs bored into him…he thought the discussion could wait till much, much later.
Elena's lips turned up in a minx-like grin as she sat up even higher on the bed. "I would have chosen you." She repeated while kneeling next to him. For the first time, she seemed to realize exactly what she was wearing. "Just your shirt?"
"Your clothes were a mess. I couldn't exactly put you in my bed like that." Damon attempted his best innocent puppy-dog expression. As much as he hated to admit it, he honestly hadn't enjoyed changing her clothes. He was too worried about why she hadn't been waking up. "Speaking of, how are you feeling?" Despite the predatory look in her eyes, he kept thinking she must have hit her head harder than he'd thought.
"Much better." She raised a leg and straddled him on the bed.
"Elena…." Damon tried to ease himself out from beneath her, but she had him fairly effectively pinned in place. Even if he'd wanted to, he'd been unable to ignore nights she'd spent sleeping over with Stefan before she turned – this was not typical Elena behavior. How much had Jeremy been drinking before he came over? Was she drunk?
"Damon, I would have chosen you." She settled on his lap, and he knew she couldn't ignore the growing pressure beneath her. His mind might be fighting the urge to rip all her clothes off, but a certain portion of his anatomy said to act first….think later. Elena shifted in place – she knew exactly what she was doing. "I tried. I wanted to." She paused and sadness washed over her face. "But every time I even thought about it, a soft voice in my head told me that Stefan was who I should choose. Your voice, Damon." A tear dropped off her cheek. "Even when I wanted to, I couldn't fight it."
The implications of her words crashed into him. When he'd compelled her that second time, he'd believed what he'd said. She was safer with Stefan. His brother was the better choice. He never knew what his brother had done to her when no one else was looking. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. You believed it at the time." Her smile returned as she leaned down and ran her hands over his chest. "I just wanted to let you know that this is my choice." She bent down over him and her hair trailed down and rested against his cheek. "I remember the things I felt while he was gone….and the feelings I have now."
And then words were no longer needed.
She attacked his lips with an intensity that even surprised Damon. He'd often seen glimpses of Katherine in her, but Elena's fire burned even hotter. She took the lead, and he was more than happy to let her.
His shirt hit the floor, followed quickly by his pants. Her breathing came in uneven gasps as she fought for control. As the telltale veins popped around her eyes, she froze. He cupped her cheek in his hand. "It's okay. You're a vampire now. Some things are more…intense." He couldn't resist asking. He had to know. "You and Stefan haven't?"
Elena shook her head as her face took on its more familiar form.
"Then you have no idea what you're in for." Damon flipped her on her back as he allowed his more natural form to take control. His shirt fell to the bed in tatters. Sad. He liked that shirt, but he liked what was beneath it even more.
Every touch from his hands set her skin ablaze. He bent lower on the bed and his lips started just above her belly button as he began his journey up her body. His kisses teetered on the brink between tender and demanding. They closed over her nipple while he gave a feral growl.
Elena's fingers threaded through his hair, pulling him closer – demanding more. He looked up, resting his chin in the valley between her breasts, just in time to see her finally allowing all her resistance to fall away. As her fangs extended, he allowed himself to change in kind. "No biting from you. Remember."
Laughing, Elena tugged him up to bring his lips to hers, taking charge and rolling atop him. "I definitely remember." Her hand worked its way between them and she took hold of him. His cock pulsed beneath her grip. "I remember one part very well." She raised an eyebrow suggestively. Damon needed no further urging. She groaned in pleasure as his fangs pierced her throat, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her. She craved even more contact with him, and she pressed her body completely against his.
Pressing kiss against the already-healing bite at the base of her throat, Damon rolled Elena onto her back. The blue of his eyes barely peeked out from the lust-swollen irises. His eyes fixed on hers as their bodies finally became one.
"Oh my god." Elena knew everything was more intense as a vampire, but she wasn't expecting this. Heat, desire, and pleasure washed over her and carried her to a state of euphoria.
"And we're just getting started." Damon growled into her ear as Elena's muscles clenched in time with his.
"I was expecting you yesterday." Liz looked up from a stack of paperwork on her desk as Damon walked through the doorway.
"I was…busy." Damon had to fight to keep the smile from his face. If Elena hadn't been so dead-set on going to school this morning, they would still have been busy. He checked his watch. He gave her till noon. Even with a vampire's stamina, there was no way she was going to be able to stay awake in class – not after last night.
Liz's brow furrowed and she gave a barely visible shake of her head. "I don't think I really want to know."
"And I wasn't planning on sharing." He stepped to the front of her desk, took hold of a wooden chair, and spun it around backwards. Straddling it, he leaned his chin on the headrest, even he was feeling the effects of last night's activities. God, he hadn't even expected Elena to have been that good.
Silence fell between them as Liz chose to wisely ignore Damon's comment. She'd long-since discovered that the supernatural creatures had one trait in common…and she'd learned to block out the sounds coming from Caroline's room at her house. There was no way in hell that she was going to sit and listen to Damon share the details of his night with Elena. She didn't have to….the satisfied smirk on his face showed her that the pair had finally worked out their differences. That, and the fact that Elena never arrived to share Caroline's room last night.
"So, do you have any news for me?" Damon broke the silence.
"A little." Liz admitted. "But first, what's going on with Elena? Caroline said she'd been at Matt's because she needed to eat?" Liz didn't look pleased with that last piece of information, which is why they'd been so careful to keep it from her.
"About that." Damon frowned. "We're keeping a close eye on her."
Liz nodded. "I can see that. Caroline thinks that's why Elena wrecked the car – she's not eating enough and she's just not strong enough." Damon cocked his head to the side. Caroline hadn't said anything to him to show she was concerned about how much Elena was eating. "Apparently she didn't even feed from Matt for five seconds."
Damon shook his head in annoyance. "That sounds like her. She's afraid she's going to hurt him."
"But why does she have to feed from him at all?" Liz leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Caroline's fine with the blood bags."
"Elena's a….special case." Damon shrugged his shoulders. "We don't really understand. She's having some trouble transitioning. She can't tolerate any blood unless it's from the vein. And even then, it has to be human blood – animal blood and vampire blood don't seem to agree with her. She's also still not healing as fast as a normal vampire."
"Is she a vampire?"
"Oh yes." Damon answered without hesitation. Any doubt he had as to whether or not she'd transitioned was gone. "She's definitely a vampire."
"And that's really more than I needed to know." Liz held her hands out in front of her to stop him from elaborating. "So why is she having the trouble?"
"We don't know." Damon answered simply. "But we have Bonnie trying to contact Lucy. Since she used to work for Katherine, she might be able to help."
"Let's hope so."
Four Weeks Later….
"Mistletoe?" Elena paused in the doorway between the library and the living room and studied the sprig of greenery dangling above her head.
Damon stood in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, reaching his hands into her back pockets. "Well." He kissed the pulse point at the base of her neck. "We are hosting a holiday dinner party. " He kissed the sensitive skin just below her ear. "I thought it would be a festive touch." His lips brushed against hers before he slid his hand from her pockets and scooped her up in his arms. Deepening the kiss, he knocked her back against the doorframe. For an instant, the fact that Matt, Caroline, Jeremy, and April were waiting in the kitchen was forgotten.
Elena moaned into his open mouth as she deepened the kiss. Her fingers untucked the back of his shirt and traveled beneath the waistband of his slacks. Her lips curled in amusement at what she couldn't find.
"I was planning on that being a surprise for later." Damon ducked his head and explored the plunging neckline of her sweater.
"Of course." Caroline's huff of annoyance broke the mood. "Okay you two. Separate." She stood with one hand holding a cheese tray while the other rested on her hip. "I'm pretty sure y'all are hosting the party." Her eyes widened in a silent lecture. "Your guests are arriving. You need to get out there and host." She narrowed her eyes at Damon. "After you take care of your little problem."
"You interrupted before I could take care of that." Damon gave an amused glance at his slacks.
"I meant the lipstick all over your face." Caroline rolled her eyes as she strode across the room, pressing the cheese tray into his hands. "And you…." She grabbed hold of Elena's upper arm. "We're going to need to redo your hair." She spun back around. "Damon. You're the host. Go…host." She pointed in the direction of the voices coming from the front door.
"What were you thinking?" Caroline practically dragged Elena up the stairs and into the room Elena now shared with Damon. "If this is going to work, you have to stay focused."
"We're having a dinner party, Caroline." Elena's face was still flushed pink as she pulled the hair elastic from the tip of her braid. She hadn't realized just how much damage Damon had done to her hair in such a brief period of time. Of course, she'd been more than a little distracted.
"And they're the dinner." Caroline shook her head. "But if you're going to learn to do this without hurting anyone, you've got to keep your head in the game. No tonsil-hockey with Damon – at least not until everyone's gone. When you let yourself get swept up in any emotion, it's too easy for you to lose control."
"You're right." Elena took a deep breath and practiced calming herself.
"Unless you want your brother and Matt to continue having to make house calls every night." Caroline glared at Elena's reflection in the mirror.
"No. No." Elena shook her head and picked up her hairbrush. "I've got this." Elena slowly brushed her hair, allowing the familiar movement to continue to calm her. She was the reason they were having this party in the first place. After a not-overly-successful trip trying to learn the art of snatch, eat, and erase, they realized that Elena would probably fare better learning to feed on people she actually cared about to some degree – she'd have more incentive to leave them standing if they were in the middle of her house.
"You remember the names on the list my mom gave you?" Elena nodded as Caroline continued. "Because you really don't want to tangle with someone who's taking vervain."
"I know." Elena reassured her friend. Damon had made certain Elena wouldn't forget who was on the do not eat list.
"One of us will help you get someone off on their own. And then we won't leave you alone. Just in case…." Caroline bit down on her lip.
"Trust me. I only lost control once." Elena cringed at the memory of the young man lying crumpled at her feet. Bonnie had underestimated how hungry her friend was and hadn't paid attention to how hard Elena had been feeding. It had taken Jeremy and Matt to get the guy into the cab at the nightclub after Caroline compelled him to believe he was very, very drunk. "It won't happen again." Elena finished the repairs to her braid. "I'm not that hungry any more. I've been careful."
"I know you have." Caroline's face still didn't look convinced. "And remember, watch out if they're wearing white. Look for someone with a patterned shirt or a high collar."
"Caroline!" Elena raised her voice. "I've got this." Her pulse sped as the room pitched around her. She clutched the cold marble vanity countertop for support while she fought to control the nerves rattling her stomach.
"Are you sure?" Caroline was at her side in an instant. "You don't look so good. Do I need to go get Damon?"
Elena nodded, swallowing slowly. They still weren't sure why she was experiencing these unusual sensations. She glanced in the mirror, no amount of makeup could hide the pallor on her face. "I'm fine. Really. Just a little nervous, I guess." She released her grip on the countertop and backed away, smoothing her skirt. "See." She held out her hand. "I'm not even shaking."
"Good. Good." Caroline let out a breath. "Well, let's go." Caroline led the way down the stairs where the party was already in full-swing. She made her way through the crowd to stand with Tyler while he talked with Matt. Elena was surprised to see Matt holding tightly to April Young's hand. She smiled, the pair made a cute couple.
Still on the lowest flight of stairs, Elena made eye contact with Damon who was standing in the foyer, greeting the last of their guests. Instead of a sexy smirk, a look of concern flashed over his face for an instant. She might have convinced Caroline that she was alright, but he knew her too well. She didn't have him fooled. "Excuse me for a moment." He nodded to the bank president's wife and snaked through the crowd. He reached out and took her hand, assisting her with the last two steps. "Are you alright?"
She doubted even the other vampires in the room heard his question. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous, I guess."
He ran his hands over her arms and pulled her back against his chest. "You've got this."
She looked up at him over her shoulder. "I know."
"Damon, Elena." Mrs. Lockwood interrupted their conversation. She turned away from them and motioned for someone to join her. "I'd like you to meet my guest. He's an old college friend of mine." She paused as a small dark-haired man came to stand at her side. "I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Atticus Shane. He's a professor at…."
"Moreland University." Damon finished Carol's sentence for her.
"Miss Gilbert." Dr. Shane took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I've been waiting a very long time to meet you."
Well, this was short. I know. But consider it kind of a "two part" chapter, since it's a continuation from the one I posted last night. If everything goes well, I'll have the third portion of this section ready by Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed it!
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I love hearing from y'all!