Hey everyone! :)

I have a chapter for you! :D So I mostly wrote this during the breaks at school (buzzy year and all), but it turned out just like I imagined it so up here it goes. :) It is a bit short, but it is meant to be this way since it is almost like an introduction to the next chapter. That one should be longer and a bit harder for me to write too. I have most of it in my head already and will try to get it posted as soon as I can. (In July when I am done with really important exams at the latest.)

Thank you for your patience, your favourites or follows and your lovely reviews (we hit a hundred with the last chapter!) , to which I will reply below. :)

Much love,

AGirlThatDaresToDream

P.S: I won't tell you what which kind of writing means this time… I think you will be able to figure it out by yourself.


The lights were all around them, the reflectors above forcing the darkness to retrieve and hurting Damon's eyes, still fixed to the place where the muzzy moon was only moments ago. He bowed his head slowly, conscious of the eyes that could be watching and brought his arm up, shielding the side of his face, gripping the hold above the darkened window as the vehicle was brought to a sudden stop accompanied by the driver's muted swearword. He was unable to see the line of cars in front of them until the last moment, Damon knew, the teacher just as blinded by the sudden change in lightning as he was. They all saw the boards telling them that they will be approaching the toll; and yet, the state of it still surprised them, the amount of cars and cameras around them alarming. Sure, the back windows were a bit darker, but all it would take for them to get noticed would be for a human to focus a bit or for a vampire to glance their way mindlessly and Damon had to agree with Alaric's quiet findings: They were screwed.

He was leaving her, he realized, as another drop of a warm metallic liquid slipped down his lips, the pain in his side subsided and his surroundings were slowly turning into a blur. He could hear himself groan again, another punch colliding with his stomach, judging by how his body bowed, but the pain never reached him. Not now, when he needed it desperately to joint him back to life again. He couldn't recall anything scarier than darkness in that moment, his fast beating heart betraying him by slowing, his conscious surrendering, slipping away… His thick blood was colouring the fallen leaves below him, he knew, the sound of quiet, but constant dripping mixing with her sudden screams the last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

A hand squeezed him tighter, his eyes finding the spot where it was joined with his, before slowly focusing on Elena's face, its widened eyes and slightly pulled together eyebrows, even if only just for a second. She was holding on well, and he really didn't need a distraction right now. He had to be clearheaded, focused and she had to stay safe. He promised that to her again while zipping his leather jacket, way too big for her small figure, carefully around her tightly huddled snow white wings in order to hide their existence… And he intended to fully stick to his word this time.

...

"Remember, guys: if anything does happen, don't fight." Ethan's last words echoed through Jeremy's brain, his hands trembling uncontrollably as they moved further and further down the line without knowing what is awaiting them on its end. "Act like you gave in, observe, keep your head as clear as possible and wait for the right moment. Bailing is much easier if you are good, unnoticeable, quiet before, the element of surprise provides you with a highest chance of success. You need to force yourself to stay calm, panic will get you nowhere." The boy squeezed his fingers in an even tighter fist – he could do this.

The hand against his mouth was muffling his screams, making him sick as a pair of arms dragged him further into darkness of the forest roughly. His breaths were getting stuck in his throat, the less of oxygen pushing him into an even stronger stage of panic. He was shaking and trashing, trying to break free, his attempts strong, his body flaring with adrenaline, his mind nothing more but a string of broken words. Jenna, Elena, the vampire, Alaric... They were all dead.

..

Jenna has somehow managed to stay collected while they were driving through the forest, down the damp macadam road, moistened by the dew, imagining the threes as their protectors, their safe haven, but now it just felt like they have been thrown out of it and delivered right in front of the gates of hell.

She knew the reason the rows of cars were moving so slowly were the check-ups, knew it was only a matter of time now and glanced to the front mirror to catch her now illuminated wards.

How Elena was managing to keep her cool was beyond her, the only thing giving up that she was worried the way she kept herself close to the vampire's side, while her brother was sitting on her right, completely petrified, trying to hide that his hands were shaking desperately by intertwining his fingers and Jenna couldn't keep herself from wondering if they will still be ok after this, her already racing heartbeat quickening once again.

She grinned her teeth, urging herself not to cry out loudly when her aching wrist collided with Alaric's side, a small whimper that escaped her still earned her another death stare which caused her shaking to worsen and helped her blend in with a person beside her. The teacher was trembling. Wildly.

Alaric was the only thing resembling calmness, the vampire too tense, to focused, like he was looking for a prey, filling her with nervousness and causing her to try to dedicate her attention on the first rather than the second.

….

She stopped fighting when she felt his eyes on her, the state he was in freezing her in place and as her head was roughly turned into his direction she could feel her racing heart breaking, the pressure on her chest increasing. He was apologizing.

Elena found comfort in the warmth of Damon's jacket, closing her eyes and trying to imagine how the pure happiness of getting out of this situation will feel like. How Europe will look like, what her life will be like after this will all be over as the possibility of getting caught was making her feel faint. She needed to escape to a better time. To early that morning…

...

Alaric had trouble controlling his breathing, his lungs constantly screaming that they needed more air, needed it quicker, forcing him to dedicate a part of his attention to making sure he didn't sound like an overweight bulldog.

Preventing the panic from getting to the others was his job now that his best friend wasn't there, he knew but the task was even harder than he had ever imagined it would be. Ethan always made it look so easy, not at all strenuous; and Alaric now wondered if he too felt like he was dying while doing it. His heart hurt, his body was gasping for air and yet the dizziness was something he couldn't afford, forcing his eyes to stay wide open and focused on the vehicles in front of them, observing the way they were being positioned and urging himself to figure out the pattern of which cars were stopped and searched. He looked to his right, catching a glimpse of Jenna. There had to be one, there had to be. They needed to get through this.

"One, two, three, four," he counted. Slowly, quietly, only catching the vampires attention, who figured out what he was doing pretty quickly and strained his eyes to be able to see further past the strong beams of light.

They will only get one chance, Alaric knew when he saw the vampires reflection nod seriously in the mirror above him, scanning the others before stepping on gas and turning the steering wheel quickly…. Praying that it is going to work.


Hey gaudeamusigitur :)

Thank you so much for your review! I am glad you love the character development. Let me know what you thought about this too? I am not quite sure what the reactions to it will be and would love to get your view on this chapter.


Hi ukarnay68

First of all thank you for your understanding about slower updates. Really, it means a lot. And thank you for loving my story! :D I hope you will continue to do so until its end.


Hi jairem

I know that is quite some time, but the exams I have this year will determine if I will be able to get to the university (and therefore job as well) of my choice or not. So getting a lot of points on them is my priority right now. I will try my best that the next update wouldn't be on July, though.

I think Elena feels something for Damon she can't quite name yet… We will see what happens. ;)


Thank you for your review again delenalu!


Much love to all of you,

AGirlThatDaresToDream