Two: Bourbon

Brooklyn, 2:30 am.

Effy couldn't stop thinking about him.

She wasn't sure why, but the man from the bar had left an impression on her. With his piercing blue eyes and devil may care attitude, he reminded her of her brother Tony.

So maybe that's why the next night she made her way down the twirling alleyway to the bar once again. She pushed open the door, prepared to see the bar empty.

She was wrong.

He was waiting for her, a full bottle of bourbon beside him. He was accompanied by two glasses, one empty, one full.

She smirked to herself, a mix of amusement and happiness. She was used to boys wanting her- how could they not, she was stunning- but this man was a lost cause she guessed, kind of like herself.

She made her way across the bar, carefully dodging the scattered tables with a simple swing of her hips. Although her footsteps made barely any sound on the hard wooden flooring, Damon swung round and smiled, a slow easy grin that made her tingle.

"Effy." He greeted, his voice like velvet.

She nodded in reply and slipped onto the barstool. "I don't know your name."

"That's because you never asked," he said softly, pouring out a glass of the finest bourbon the bar sold. "It's Damon."

She took the glass from his outstretched hand and smiled. "Hello Damon, boy of the fine liquors."

That made him laugh; she was glad.

"Good evening, Effy of the beautiful eyes."

Effy smiled at him, a very rare genuine smile. To hide her grin she took a large gulp of the liquid. Once upon a time, back in Bristol, she wouldn't of cared whether the drink tasted like acid as long as it was a form of alcohol. But she had changed since she left; she doubted any of her old friends would believe that she was the same girl.

"We established last night you aren't from New York." Damon stated.

"Yes."

"So, where are you from?"

There was a silence while she pondered and drank her drink. Should she lie? She had lied to everyone else she had spoken to in New York. She opened her mouth, ready to shower him with little white lies, but something stopped her.

"I'm from Bristol, a small city in England." She wouldn't elaborate any further, she promised herself. Damon didn't need to know about her old life, though he doubted she would be shocked.

"I've heard of it. Are you going to tell me why you left, or is it a secret?"

Don't tell him, a tiny voice in the back of her head demanded, he will think you're crazy.

Too late. Her mouth was already open.

"I got tired of the same thing, day in day out. My friends all moved away, everything I loved changed. So I moved." Effy tried a nonchalant shrug, but Damon saw right past it.

She took a large gulp of bourbon and ended up draining the glass. Damon topped it up again. He watched her carefully, sensing he had hit a nerve. He was a vampire, but the thought of a girl have a breakdown terrified him.

"So why are you in New York? Business?" she asked, wiping her mouth with the back of hand.

He snorted. "What makes you say that?"

"You don't look or act like a New Yorker. They're all constantly busy and shoving their way around. You seem quite happy to just sit in a dingy bar drinking all evening."

Damon laughed. It was a nice throaty sound, Effy liked it.

"The thing is Effy, life isn't as short as everyone thinks. That's why all those people are constantly rushing about, trying to get everything done. it's the fear of being unprepared. But me? I couldn't give a shit."

Effy was quiet for a while. She thought he was wrong. Life was short- Freddie was proof of that. But she wasn't prepared to sit there and tell Damon all this for she doubted he would understand the meaning behind her words.

When Damon spoke again she jumped slightly. Her mind had been back in Bristol of 2009, long summer days spent lounging in Freddie's shed with the gang and even longer nights spent partying and drinking and doing whatever drugs they could find.

"Effy? Are you okay?" he asked, concern sneaking into his voice.

She nodded. "I'm fine. What did you say?"

"Are you hungry?"

She thought for a second before nodding.

Damon slid off his stool and held out a hand to her. She followed his action and grasped his hand.

"I know this nice little diner that's open longer than this place. Does a great burger."

Effy smiled slightly and together they walked out into the dark night, memories of Bristol following her every step.

A/N: Kind of short, but this is purely a filler chapter. Next chapter will be up shortly, but for now review! xxx