Present.

He realized he was kissing her. But he just couldn't shake off the impregnable grip of sleep. He floated in and out on consciousness. Her mouth claimed his as her fingers dove through his hair. Her skin was like marble—cold and smooth and she slid against him like butter. His mind wove through the darkness—only coming up for proverbial air for a brief moment. A kiss. A touch. A moan.

Elena…

She kissed a trail down his chest and her mouth claimed its prize. He moaned lightly, his hands uncoordinated as he tried to wake up. He heard his sheets rustle and she slid on top of him, putting him deep inside of her. She moved slowly, deliberately, as if she wanted him to come to his full consciousness slowly. And he did so. She rocked him inside of her, her hand lightly braced against his chest. Damon's eyes fluttered open as he pushed away the last few cobwebs of sleep. Her head was thrown back and her eyes were closed as she moved on top of him. Damon gripped her hip with one hand as the other slid over her breast. He slid his thumb over her nipple eliciting a shiver through her body. She leaned forward, her mouth capturing his. His tongue moved languidly against hers.

"Damon…" She whispered urgently.

Damon gripped the side of her ribcage and he rolled quickly, pinning her underneath him. His hand slid along her thigh as he thrust inside her at a calculatingly slow pace. Elena's neck arched, her head thrown back into the pillows. Her legs wrapped around Damon, bringing him deeper inside of her. His hands moved to either side of her face and he kissed her. His tongue explored her, savored her. His fangs slid over her bottom lip, nicking it ever so slightly. She hissed quietly as Damon sucked on her lip, bringing forth the dark blood that coursed her veins. He bit again, harder this time, and bringing a stronger flow onto his tongue. Elena shuddered, her nails digging into the back of Damon's neck. His moan was low, guttural. His pace began to quicken, his forehead now pressed against Elena's shoulder.

More…

Elena's hands tangled in his hair as she felt warmth start to build inside of her. Damon's hands gripped her hips roughly, anchoring her to the bed as he plunged harder inside of her. He bit into her shoulder, his fangs slicing through her skin like a razor. Elena cried out, feeling her body tense as she drew near to her crescendo. Damon fisted the sheets into his hands as he entered the point of no return. It was mindless, wonderful. He drove himself inside her again…again…closer…closer…again…almost…

When she began to cry out his name, it signaled his release. The wave of pleasure was indescribable and he moaned, hard, into her shoulder. His entire body was shaking as was hers. He lay on top of her, unable to incite the energy to move. He kissed her shoulder, watching lazily as her wound was already beginning to heal. She turned her head towards her shoulder and kissed his temple. After a long moment, he slid out of her, feeling her body shake from sensitivity. He replaced his hardness with his fingers, watching her tremble underneath him. Their wetness mingled on his fingers and he massaged his thumb over her clit.

Elena didn't think she could come again. But as she was getting lost inside of his gaze, his fingers on her, she could feel her body beginning to respond. Shards of pleasure were beginning to envelop her. His movements were methodical—he knew her body. He knew how to make her respond to him. Her back arched into his hand and he smiled. He slid down her abdomen. His mouth replaced his fingers—his tongue moving expertly over her. Tasting her—tasting himself fused with her. He savored her—kissing, licking. Her legs became taut as they were curled over his shoulders. Her thigh began to shake and when she came, Elena nearly felt paralyzed from gratification. She almost wanted to cry as her body throbbed with joy. The intensity was almost indescribable.

Damon lay back on the bed beside her, pulling her against him. She rested her head on his shoulder, her leg bent over his. He kissed her forehead. Nothing was said for a long moment.

It had been so long since they had been together last. It had been so long since he had last touched her skin, kissed her breasts, and bury himself inside of her. In his silence he relived the last hour all the way down to the last detail.

It had been so long since Elena had last been in Damon's bed. It was before Katherine had kidnapped her. It was when Stefan was still alive. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had kissed him, touched him, and tasted him. And yet it was all so familiar. He touched her as if there wasn't a moment that he was away from her. He knew her. She looked upward at him. His eyes were closed, his dark hair swept across his forehead. He was like a God—his features chiseled in ivory. Her hand reached up, her fingers sliding over his lips.

He puckered his lips lightly against her index finger, kissing it. He opened his eyes and cast his eyes downward at her—at her watching him.

"What are you thinking," he asked softly.

"That you're the most beautiful man that I've ever seen," she whispered.

Damon scoffed and closed his eyes.

"Nah," he said casually.

She nodded against his shoulder.

"It's true."

"Well, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Silence hung in the air for a long moment as Elena thought of Katherine.

"Are you hungry," he asked, changing the subject.

Elena thought on it for a moment.

"Actually, yes, I am. Starving now that I think of it."

Damon kissed her head quickly.

"Well, I know how much you are averse to hunting for your meal, so I'll go grab a blood bag for you."

"You're so sweet to me," she playfully mocked.

"Mmhmm."

Damon stood out of bed, the moon shining through the window and casting a bluish glow across his naked body. He walked out of the room and Elena listening until his steps fell away.

She pushed her hair out of her face.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing," she purred brazenly, "That boy has always known how to fuck."

Elena sat up in bed quickly.

"Get out of here," she hissed to herself.

"Don't be so greedy, 'Lena. Sharing is caring, as they say," she laughed.

"Stop it now. Please."

"Oh what? You knew I was here. You knew you could feel me," she said icily.

And she had. Elena could feel her. She couldn't explain how. But she could eventually figure out when Katherine was seeping into her. And as she had been close to climax, she had felt it. She felt her watching, feeling. She shuddered at the thought.

"I don't care. Go away. Stop trying to ruin this for me," she cried softly.

"Ruin what? Happily ever after? Damon doesn't do happily ever afters and you know it. And how dare you speak to me about ruining everything. I'm the one without a body, right?"

"Apparently not."

"Astute. Very astute."

"Please…"

"I should have let him kill you. I'd still be alive if I had. Where is my fucking thanks, Elena? A stake in the fucking heart?"

Elena let out a sickly moan, her hands covering her face as she rocked back and forth. Images of Klaus filled her head.

"Stop it. Stop it. Stop it," She whispered urgently.

And then as suddenly as she had made her presence known, Katherine was quiet. Gone. For now.

She heard Damon's footsteps ascending the stairs and he walked in with several bags of blood.

When he entered, she was sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up against her chest, her arms wrapped across her shins.

"What's wrong," he asked.

"Nothing," Elena shook her head. "Just hungry, I guess."

Damon tore open the bags and poured the thick blood into a tall decanter. He grabbed a glass and walked over to the bed, pouring it for Elena. He handed it to her. She drank quietly, the veins becoming more prominent across her face.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."

Damon sat the decanter on the night stand and sat on the bed. After Elena cleaned her glass, he took in from her and held her hand.

"Elena," he asked.

Elena looked up at him.

"We need to talk."

Dread filled her. Talk? And then she was filled with a sudden strength…

"No," her tone was firm.

"Yes," he said gently. "There are some things going on with you that-"

She wrenched her hand away from his and climbed off of the bed.

"Enough. I'm going to bed."

She angrily grabbed her silk chemise off of the floor and yanked open the door.

"I know who you are right now," he said casually.

She stopped in her tracks and turned back towards Damon. A wicked smile was on her lips and her brow arched in amusement.

"Is that right?"

"Katherine," he stated.

She laughed and walked towards Damon and stood against the edge of the bed, positioning herself in between his legs.

"Top marks for the golden boy," she smirked. "Let's give him a prize."

Her hand began to slide in between his legs.

Damon grabbed her hand violently and stood. His other hand went to her throat.

"I got rid of you once," he said coldly, "And I can just as easily do it again."

Her face contorted and her fangs unsheathed.

"Don't underestimate me, Damon," she rasped. "This is a different game. No rules. And you have everything to lose."

"So do you."

Katherine put her hand over Damon's at her throat. She squeezed his grip harder.

"You know how much I loved it when you choked me," she whispered wickedly.

Damon released his grip and pushed her away from him. He turned his back on her and grabbed the decanter, drinking from its glass lip.

She grabbed her gown again and walked towards the door.

"Goodnight, lover," she called out over her shoulder.

Damon put the decanter down, his hand still gripping it tightly. His body shook with rage. He hurled the carafe against the wall, blood splattering everywhere.

He watched as it dripped down the wall like teardrops.

He hated her.