The whisper of a thrill

Elena stared at herself in the mirror, only to let her gaze be drawn to that spot again; that place which held two puncture wounds. The vampire had been very delicate in his biting; her skin was still smooth somehow as if nothing had happened, except for the two very neat holes. He hadn't even so much as spilled a drop of blood, which she was thankful for. Otherwise she would have had to explain to her parents where the blood on her clothes had come from.

When she had gotten home last night, her father had been cross with her for being so late. Elena had excused herself and explained that she had stayed with Caroline longer than she had originally intented. She knew Caroline would cover for her.

Her father had relented a bit, before making her promise that she would never come home after sunset again. He hadn't seen the bite. Elena's curls always covered her neck, so no one would ever be the wiser.

Elena's fingers carefully ghosted up towards the small holes in her neck. She still remembered the pleasure he had given her; the way her body had betrayed her and had given in to him. When she thought about the feelings he had evoked in her, her heart began to flutter in her chest. It had felt really good. It was something she had never felt before in her young life; the way her skin had burned where he had touched her, the way something in her stomach had begun to pool, and that stickiness between her thighs.

For reasons unknown to her, she pressed hard against the twin holes with her fingers, making her gasp out loud.

What was she doing here? Was she trying to enact what he had done to her last night? Did she want him to bite her again?

She quickly tore her fingers away from her neck and took a deep breath. Of course she didn't want that beast to bite her again! The whole idea was ludicrous! She didn't even know his name. She would probably never see him again.

She carefully placed her curls in front of the wound again, lifted up her skirts and went downstairs.

The Gilbert estate was bustling with activity. It would be lunchtime soon, and her father had invited some gentlemen over. It was all work related, so Elena was sure it would be a dull lunch for her.

She wandered down the halls to find her mother seated in the sitting room. Miranda Gilbert looked up as her daughter entered.

"Ah, Elena. Good that you're here. I've been meaning to talk to you. Sit."

Miranda patted the space on the couch next to her, indicating where she wanted her daughter to be seated. Elena complied to her mother's wish.

"I have some very good news, Elena. I know you'll be turning eighteen soon and you'll be of respectable age to marry. It just so happens that you have caught the attention of Master Mason Lockwood. He wants to court you," her mother said excitedly.

Miranda examined her daughter's face, eagerly waiting for a reaction, but Elena remained emotionless. Mason Lockwood wanted to court her? But they had never even liked each other!

"Elena, could you say something please? It's impolite to ignore your mother," Miranda chided her.

Elena looked up at her and shrugged.

"I am sorry, mother. But I don't understand. Master Lockwood has never given me any indication that he wanted to court me. He once said he detested me."

Miranda smiled brightly.

"Well, that is all in the past. You have caught his attention now. And he is quite a catch. Your father couldn't be happier about this. A Lockwood-Gilbert merging is just what his company and our reputation needs."

Elena nodded in understanding. She got it now. Mason Lockwood didn't want to court her because he liked her, this was a business transaction. He had probably caved under the pressure of his own father, just like she would have to do.

She smiled flatly at her mother, indicating that she had understood and would go along with it. Because what other choice did she have?

"Very well, I understand that your father is entertaining some guests at lunch today. Let's go to the dining room."

Elena followed her mother with hunched shoulders. Would this be her life from now on? Social gatherings with people she didn't find amusing? Marrying a man she couldn't stand the sight of?

She had always known she would have to marry someone respectable in the upper class circles someday. She had just hoped that it would be someone that she could learn to appreciate; someone she could learn to love.

She sat down at the dining table with her mother and watched as her father approached with his business associates.

"Gentlemen, may I introduce my lovely wife Miranda and daughter Elena?" her father started the introductions.

Elena raised her hand in a bored manner. She had never been particularly fond of strange men kissing her hand. But it was part of society.

She turned her head to watch a man approach her and her heart got caught in her throat at the sight of him.

Crystal blue eyes stared back at her; they were as blue as she remembered them. And the jet black hair…

He seemed almost as startled as she was, it was clear that he wasn't expecting her here.

What was he doing here?

Her throat became very dry suddenly as she realised the context of this all. There was a vampire in her house! Her father was entertaining a vampire!

She could call for help, but in all honesty, who would believe her? She was still having a hard time believing it herself!

The vampire quickly composed himself and put the same smirk on his face she had seen last night. There was an air of cockiness surrounding him as he gently grasped her hand in his, deliberately stroking the skin of her hand with his thumb.

The action set her unwillingly on fire again, her body remembering the touch of the one who had brought her to great heights not too long ago.

"It's a pleasure, Miss Gilbert," he said huskily.

Her heart thudded in her chest as he leaned forward and pressed his cool lips against the back of her hand. He then wickedly parted his lips a little and licked with his hot tongue over her skin. He did it so sneakily that nobody else noticed it. Her mother was deep in conversation with the man standing in front of her and her father was laughing with his associates.

Elena hissed and quickly pulled her hand back.

"The pleasure is all mine, Master…," She paused to let him fill in the blank, because he had never told her his name.

"Salvatore. Damon Salvatore," he introduced himself.

He winked at her, before turning away to walk towards his place at the table.

Elena felt like stomping her foot at the arrogance of this man! How dare he do those sinful things to her! And right under her parent's noses! He had no right to touch her like that; she wasn't his!

"Right, let's all be seated then," her father told everyone.

During the lunch, Elena barely touched the delicacy in front of her. She couldn't eat under the scrutinizing gaze of Master Salvatore. He kept glancing her way; tempting her, mocking her with his grins. Of course he had to be seated right across from her! She couldn't escape his gaze.

On occasion, his leg would brush up against her skirts, making her blush profusely at those wanton actions. This certainly wasn't a proper man! But that was just it. He wasn't a man. He was a monster, hiding behind a beautiful façade.

Though, Elena had to admit it; his face was absolutely stunning. She had never seen a man so attractive before. He was the devil in an angel's body.

"Elena, stop picking your food and sit up straight! You're in the company of gentlemen!" her mother scolded her.

Elena bit her tongue to keep herself from screaming out. This man in front of her certainly wasn't a gentleman!

She ate enough to please her mother and then excused herself from the table, faking a migraine. Master Salvatore made her feel like she couldn't breathe; she had to get away from him!

She rushed towards the gardens and instantly felt better when the sunlight hit her face.

Her aunt Jenna had helped to create this garden before her passing. Elena had been quite fond of her, so this garden always made her feel close to her. It helped her relax in times of stressful events. Well, she certainly felt stressed now!

She wandered around the greenery, occasionally stopping to smell at a flower. When she reached their large pond, she sat down on the grass, her skirts billowing around her.

"I miss you, Jenna," she sighed heavily. "You would have understood my feelings here. I'm bored in this life. I don't want to marry Master Lockwood. I don't like him! But I have to. And then there's the fact that this monster is making me feel things that I don't even understand. I just wish you were here."

Elena stared up at the sky for a second and smiled through her tears. She then got up and walked towards the gazebo. From there, she always had a great view of the garden.

But someone was standing there in the shadows.

Elena held her hand over her eyes to block out the sun in order to see him better. She staggered back when she saw it was Master Salvatore. Couldn't he ever leave her alone?

Feeling anger burning underneath her skin because of him interrupting a special moment for her, she stomped over towards him.

"Why are you here?" she snapped at him.

Master Salvatore remained unfazed at her outburst.

"I was just enjoying the view," he winked, making her realize the double meaning behind those words.

She had slapped him once before, and she felt like slapping him again!

"What I meant was: why is a vampire doing business with my father? Why do you bother socializing with humans? Are you going to kill us all? Is that your intention?" she wanted to know.

She knew she should be scared of him; she should walk away right now and call for help. But for some reason, he only angered her.

"My relation to your father does not concern you. But no, I have no intention of killing anyone…. Yet."

Elena shivered a bit at his last word. So he WAS going to kill them?

She needed to know more here. She needed to know why he had sought her out last night. Had it been a coincidence? Or had he deliberately targeted her? And why hadn't he killed her? It didn't make sense.

"Why were you there last night? Why did you bite me, but not kill me? What game are you playing?" she blurted out.

Master Salvatore threw his head back and laughed.

"Miss Gilbert, I thought I had explained myself when I told you about the fun you can have with biting. Women aren't just for food; they are for pleasure," he drawled.

A shudder went through her body at the way he spoke about pleasure. For some reason, she was dying to have that pleasure again. The way he had made her feel... it was addictive.

She clenched her thighs together when she felt a stirring of lust deep inside of her. She couldn't go there. She needed information.

"Have you killed people?" she asked him.

Master Salvatore turned to look at her pointedly. So that was a 'yes.'

Elena took a deep breath for her next question.

"Do you want to kill me?"

She jumped when he closed in on her, pressing her into the side of the gazebo with his strong, muscular body. He put his hands on either side of her head, trapping her. It dawned on Elena that they weren't visible from here. Nobody would be able to see them. He could easily snap her neck, and no one would be the wiser.

Elena felt her heart racing a mile a minute when he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"I want to tear into you. I want to bury my fangs and cock so deep, I'll never be able to get out. I want to hear you screaming my name as I rip into your throat. I want to feel your nails clawing down my back as I drain the life's essence right out of you."

Elena's whole body was trembling as he leaned back up again. Her cheeks were probably a bright shade of pink with his vulgar words.

Master Salvatore shrugged his shoulders.

"So yes, I want to kill you. I just want to fuck you even more," he said flippantly.

Elena's anger flared up again. She wanted to strike him hard against the side of his face, but he caught her wrist just in time.

Damn, how was he able to move that fast?

He kept holding onto her wrist, while he leaned forward again. Elena noticed that something was happening to his eyes. His pupils were dilating. Before she knew it, those eyes where all she could see. He had her trapped and paralysed.

"You will not move. I'm going to bite you again and you're going to let me. Afterwards, you're going to go back to your house and act as if nothing had happened. You won't tell a soul about me," his voice droned on.

"I won't tell a soul about you," Elena's voice repeated automatically.

Master Salvatore smiled at her.

"Good girl."

He captured her wrist more firmly and before she knew what was happening, he slid his fangs into the delicate tissue there.

Like yesterday, it hurt in the beginning. But it quickly changed into something delicious again. She could feel it happening in her belly. That fire, that surge of lust.

He pressed her into the side of the gazebo more firmly, groaning as the change was evident for him too. She could feel something hard press into her thigh and she realised that it was him. His member was… aroused.

He began to rub himself against her in time with his gulps and Elena's head fell back against the wood of the gazebo.

He opened up her legs with his free hand and captured her mound through her dress.

Elena moaned softly as his fingers began to tease her. She could feel that stickiness again, coating her undergarments.

Her hips began to roll into his hand on their own accord and she felt it building again. She just knew that that explosion she had yesterday would happen again if he kept this up.

"Damon," she panted.

She just had to say his name. She had to know what it would sound like on her lips. It was a suiting name for him: strong, masculine, dangerous and sexy.

He pressed more firmly against her folds, rubbing her sweet spot with the heel of his palm.

Stars were beginning to dance behind her eyes. She could feel her blood boiling underneath the surface, screaming for release. It was probably what made the blood taste so good for him. He could taste her impending orgasm.

He kept rubbing until Elena felt she couldn't take it anymore. She felt like screaming her lungs out, but she didn't. They mustn't hear her at the house.

"How does it feel, Elena?" Damon whispered as he released her wrist for a second, blood coating his lips.

Elena closed her eyes, all her nerves focusing on one point in her body.

"It feels so good. I want to explode. Make me explode!" she begged.

Damon grinned at her, before turning his rubbing up a notch. He pressed the heel of his hand firmly between her thighs.

"Come for me, Elena," he told her.

He sunk his fangs back into her wrist and Elena plummeted over the edge with a piercing wail. She felt her toes curling, her stomach clenching and she just knew that this feeling would become her addiction. She had to have it again and again.

After she came down from her high, he retracted his fangs from her wrist, licking the small wounds clean with his tongue. From what she could tell through her heavy lidded eyes, the punctures were just as clean as the ones on her neck.

"Now go back to the house. Remember what I told you," he warned her.

Elena nodded.

"I won't tell a soul about you," she said in that automatic voice again.

She didn't know where it came from. She just knew that she couldn't tell anyone about him.

She left him behind and walked back into the house, making sure her neck and wrist were covered.

No one would ever know about her indiscretions with that man. She would take that secret with her to the grave…

I want to thank all of you for the alerts, the favourites and of course, the reviews that inspired me to carry on with this story. You are amazing!

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