So much stuff! So, my computer's alive (hense re-uploading this chapter as I changed a lot of shit up), my ex boyfriend went total psycho resulting in my moving out (woot for first house... yes, I'm THAT young), and I'm a full time employee and student). Anyways, I also just got interwebs, which, hopefully, will result in more frequent updates... even more frequent with a bit of... encouragement *wink, wink*
Also, and this goes for all of my stories, I shall find some sort of story-related prize (probably either a camio, spoiler, or the option to add some input to the plot) for anyone who decides to draw some fan art! Send me a link (deviantart is where I post some pics, super easy), and we'll discuss your reward!
Trust Me, Whispered the Wolf
Caroline lounged comfortably in the back; mind absolutely consumed by whatever uncertainties plagued her.
Boys. Was Damon's silent explanation; earning a choked laugh from me. The blond glanced up, seemingly eager for a distraction.
"So, can you guys really talk to each other, like, in your heads?"
"Mm-hm." He answered impatiently; fully aware of the slew of questions sure to follow.
"Everything? Like, every thought, or do you have to concentrate?" She pressed. Damon scrunched his lips and sighed; a twinge of irritation flaring through at remembering Bonnie's block.
"It used to be everything." I jumped in, "but we're learning to control it." That seemed to fuel Damon's displeasure. I laid my hand over his, guilt gnawing at my chest. Bad choice of words. I didn't mean it like that. I murmured silently. With a sigh, his fingers laced around mine.
I know. He replied shortly.
"It's complicated." She pouted at such a vague reply, but didn't press. I think she knew Damon well enough not to test him.
"Well, did you show him your new clothes?" she chirped.
"Got a touch distracted." Damon mumbled, irritated images of Tyler filling his mind. I interupted those thoughts with a much more pleasurable memory and he couldn't help but chuckled.
"Wow," Caroline said from the back. "That's kind of creepy."
"Yeah, imagine when it first started." I said through a grin.
"Ah, it wasn't that bad!" Damon retorted with a smirk.
"Imagine trying to throw a cat in a pool. It was pretty much like that." I laughed. He couldn't help but chuckle in agreement.
"You guys are adorable." Caroline suddenly murmured. Something in the way she said it made me blush. "You know, Damon and I used to be a thing." And the awkwardness returned. I couldn't help but laugh as Damon's eyes seemed to widen and narrow at the same time, caught between a glare and a gawk.
"Barbie," he called with a sweet, evil smile, "Shut up." With another giggle, I let my eyes wander to the window. Something flashed briefly between the leaves of a fern growing on the side of the road. I glanced out the window just in time to catch the tip of a black tail disappear in the thick foliage. My mind instantly demanded I follow it; the need reverberating through every atom. With a start, Damon slammed on the brakes; his body reacting to my thoughts before even beginning to understand why.
"What the hell?" he nearly shouted. Without waiting for his okay, I leapt from the car.
Stay here, I'll be right back. I said, sending him the brief glimpse of the dog.
"Really?" he shouted after me. "It's not going in my car!" I chuckled, already knowing it would.
Just until I find its owner. I assured him. He scoffed in exasperation as he settled in his seat, impatiently explaining to Caroline what had happened. I couldn't help but laugh as I raced through the underbrush. The ground suddenly dropped into a steep slope, nearly sending me sprawling down the hill. I only just managed to catch myself as Damon's laughter rang clear through my mind. Grunting my displeasure as my cheeks burned red, I picked up the pace. Again the tip of its tail peaked at me through the bushes.
Just beyond them, the ground vanished. I had to snap my wings out to glide the fifteen feet to the bottom of the ravine. Lapping happily at the stream below was the dog. With a sigh of relief, I turned toward it, landing just a few meters away. Luckily, it looked small enough to carry back to the car; unless it struggled. Damon conjured an image of me fighting to hold the lab still as I tried to maneuver through the air. Ignoring him, I started slowly toward it.
A twig snapped behind me. Instantly, adrenaline flooded through me as I spun around. Nothing. Damon was already racing towards me. Wrong. Something was deathly wrong. In terror, I turned back to the dog, somehow already knowing what I would see. A twisted smile. No. The sick look of anticipation in his black eyes. Please, no. I don't remember trying to flap, but I hadn't gained a single foot before he was on me. A tree slammed against my back. In my panic, I didn't notice the agony of the breath fleeing my lungs. A stream of light glistened on his fangs.
My fingers curled into a fist. I knew it was futile, but still I fought. And he laughed. As I struggled with every ounce of strength I had, he laughed. Movements blissfully unhindered, the space between us vanished. Icy lips crashed against mine. Hungrily, he kissed down my jaw. The instant I tried to resist, his hand was tangled in my hair and wrenched my head to the side with blinding power. His fangs tore into my neck with such desperation, it left me numb. Three seconds. Maybe three seconds, and he was gone.
Before my knees had fully collapsed, Damon pulled me against him; hand locked around my neck. The blood poured mockingly through his fingers. Some part of me realized he was calling my name. Damn. One day. Could I manage one day without being attacked?
Laughter. Echoing around me. Screaming. Couldn't run. Damon!
With a gasp, I shot up.
"Hey, hey; easy!" I shied violently as I struggled to clear the image of the blond vampire.
"Caroline?" I gasped. She nodded, slowly nearing the edge of the bed. "Dam… Where's Damon?" I tripped over the words, but she understood. And hesitated. With a fresh wave of fear, I desperately sought him out.
"Damon's," she started uncertainly.
"No." I barely murmured. He was hunting. He was trying to track down the vampire. The one that could walk in the sun without a ring. That laughed. How he laughed…
"Thea!" My eyes shot back to Caroline's.
"Caroline?" The door swung open as Stefen entered the room. I knew them. Both of them. They were friends, but I couldn't quell the terror. The sudden panic. Vampires. My skin crawled and my muscles trembled. "Thea." He called softly.
Thea. My hands shot to my head. Too many. Everywhere. Too many. Thea, it's me. Had to run. Not safe here. No, Thea! Stop! I froze. Say my name. He whispered.
"Damon." With that one word, my mind was freed. For just a second, I met Stefen's distraught eyes as he leaned over the bed. A single heartbeat. I don't know where the sudden burst of speed came from, but, in the span of a single heartbeat, I was racing across the room.
No! Thea, get back! Damon ordered; knowing I wouldn't listen. Even as my head spun hazardously and I nearly tore open the window, he knew I wouldn't listen. With on outraged curse, he doubled back.
Had to get to him. I had to get to him before that vampire did. The monsters were out. And the sun wasn't going to chase them away.
"Thea, you lost a lot of blood; you shouldn't get up yet!" Elena reprimanded. Disregarding her, disregarding the terrible dizziness that shook the world around me, I forced my wobbling legs to straighten. Vaguely, I realized Stephen had entered the room and Elena was frantically saying something.
"Thea, you need to lie down." Stephen said slowly, hand clasping around my arm. I weakly shook free of his hold and, staggering, spread my wings. Already night time. Had to hurry. "Thea"
"I will not let him die." I was surprised at the savagery in my voice, as was Stephen.
"Damon will be fine, he's not"
'Just stay in bed, Thea. Let me take care of this.' Damon.
"Damn it Damon! He'll kill you!" Confusion shot across their faces.
'Go back to bed, I'm not'
"No!" Stubbornly, I tried to climb over the banister, barely noticing Stefen's frantic words and he tried to pull me back. And I froze.
"Thea?" from a distance, I heard him. Too far away to focus. To think.
Beautiful. Pale white. The purest ivory. And I could feel it. The ebb and flow of its tides. Gentle. Constant But incomparably strong. Damon was screaming. With my heartbeat. The moon sang with my heartbeat. The calming rhythm began to quicken. To grow and race. My heart. Frantic. Desperate. Tearing me apart. I think I was screaming. My hands clawed at the floor. I didn't remember falling. An eternity. Exhausted, I begged for the darkness; for reprieve, but none came.
"Thea! Thea, look at me!" Damon. His impossibly warm hands carefully holding my face. You're back. And safe. Good. I think he broke through the window though...
A howl. So far away, but perfectly clear. And the pain stopped. Silence. More profound then any before. How? Why? I could feel him. The muscles bunching and straining beneath glossy black fur. The golden eyes piercing the darkness. Calling me. He was coming.
"Thea!" With a gasp, the trance was broken. Blue. Instantly my mind sought him. Panic. confusion. What's happening? I don't know... I don't know. His arms locked around me, trapping me against his chest.
Again, the howl rose above the forest. Captivating. Frowning, I cradled my head in my hands, trying to prevent that feeling from taking over again.
"What is it?" Damon murmured. I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts.
"I think its Tyler." He instantly tensed. "It's alright, I assured him, "It's over now."
"Mutt could have picked a better time." He mumbled, leaning back so I was lying comfortably against him. His mind swam with the horrifying realization of what this could mean. Did I now have a bond with Tyler? Would this happen every month? What would it do to our bond?
"I have a feeling he didn't have much control over it." I chuckled, somehow much less concerned with the possible repercussions then he was. He merely snorted in reply.
""Thea?" He called in a mockingly loving voice.
"Hm?"
"Stay away from dogs." I couldn't help but laugh. Before I could reply, the front door to the manor was thrown open and slammed.
"Ah, shit." he grumbled. Through him I heard Elena attempt to greet a frantic Caroline.
"Tyler's coming! Fast!" Both Damon and I looked at the newly shattered window.
"Alright, we're moving." he sighed.
"He won't hurt me." I said with surprising confidence. "Or you."
"Yeah, not risking it." he quickly stood, holding me carefully against him, and headed down the hall. We both underestimated Tyler's speed, though. We hadn't taken five steps before the soft thud of paws sounded behind us. Fear surged through him. A werewolf bite was lethal to a vampire.
Regardless, he carefully set me down and placed himself between me and the wolf; fangs bared. The instant he did so, Tyler responded with the same ferocity.
"Damon, Stop." I demanded, "He won't hurt anyone."
"With all your infinite knowledge of werewolves?" he spat. I wanted to snap back, but I knew his particular dislike for the creature. Still, this wouldn't end well if someone didn't stand down.
"Tyler, sit." I ordered. If ever a canine could show a look of disgust, we saw it then. His ears flicked back and his lips couldn't decide whether to cover or show fangs as he took several uncertain steps back. And Damon merely laughed.
"Sorry," I called to him, "first this that came to mind." With his ears pinned against his skull, he lowered and head and started toward me. The humor instantly vanished and Damon's defenses flared again.
"Relax." I sighed, "He just wants to thank me." I focused on sharing with him the relief Tyler felt. He could control it. He'd never been able to do that before. This only trouble Damon more though. I tried to inquire, but my legs caved. It came on so suddenly. Complete exhaustion. Damon only just managed to catch me before I hit the floor. A whine sounded from Tyler.
"M fine," I assured them, "Just... really sleepy all the sudden." Damon's thoughts darkened. It came on just after using our link. What it because of Tyler? I was simply too tired to theorize with him, so he reluctantly let it go.
"Probably because you're barely running on half a tank." he half scolded. "Here." I didn't see him pierce his wrist and hold it to my lips, but couldn't help but sigh as the sweet warmth bathed my tongue. An unsure growl followed by an impatient, "Shut up."