Chapter 21: Thinking...
Damon POV (I had to do it)
I was leaning on the railing looking at her having fun and dancing and wondered how it had come to this. To go from hating her to being in love with her. How everything changed in less than 6 months. I came in this town wanting to destroy it. In the end I found myself wanting to protect it. I know I'm not a hero, I don't do good and it's not in me. It's reserved for my brother, Elena, Bella, Bonnie. I may envy Elena and Stefan but I don't want her. She is too similar to Katherine and while Stefan doesn't see it I do.
I want someone to be mine, and to be hopelessly in love with. I thought that it was Katherine, but the bitch just used me as a toy to play with. There were so many questions running through my mind. Will I ever find someone to love me as a woman loves a man? To find someone who would always be on my side. To hold and cuddle with in bed. To find someone to protect and care for. Will I ever find my soul mate? Or will I forever be alone? I want her to love me like that and I really think she will.
I remembered that day after the meeting when it was known that Vicki had been killed the Sheriff told me she was going to call an expert for help. He had cleared his city so maybe he could help us too. I had nodded and was expecting to meet them not knowing what to expect. With Stefan being a mess and the tomb vamps out on the loose and 'uncle john' threatening me on a daily basis I had my hands full without a Val Hilmar wannabe around.
Then the day of mystic court I was reminiscing with Anna as I watched Tyler make a move and being turned down by a girl I had never seen before. She was beautiful with her hair pulled back and in a short grey dress. She seemed fully at ease while turning him down and while I admired that in a girl I really didn't like it.
Don't get me wrong it was fun to see someone kicking Tyler off his high horse but who's to say she'd go for me later? I really miss a fresh human dessert, even if I have to stop myself from killing them in the end. I lost her when I decided to go upstairs and inform Elena of my little brother's antics. She was as appalled as I thought she'd be. Unfortunately that led Saint Stefan to go awol on us and I stepped up to the plate and danced with Elena as she needed an escort and let's face it, she'd be ridiculed if no one showed up. As we made our way outside I took a whiff of the most amazing aroma I have ever smelled. Freesias, vanilla, a hint of strawberries and something else. I couldn't place at first but I found it in the end I realized it was jasmine. A scent you could be lost in... I was dancing with Elena when I felt eyes on me and I looked up to see a pair of beautiful, deep, full of secrets brown eyes with a hint of gold in them. A pair of eyes that belonged to the girl from before. Suddenly she blushed and looked at the ground. I smirked. Wow I'd definitely enjoy dessert tonight I thought.
Little did I know.
Shortly after that Elena and I found Stefan and I had already met Mr. 'vampire killer' aka chief Swan. We calmed Stefan with Bonnies help and after changing to a black crow I followed the sheriff and her guests to the hotel and saw that miss deep eyes was the chief's daughter. Fuck-my-life. I couldn't have her then, although it would feel great if I could before I gave her the vervain jewelry sheriff asked me. I followed them to their rooms counting windows and stood for a long night outside her window. I watched as she wrote furiously to a book and listened her phone calls. I tried to go in but unfortunately I had to be invited in. As I told the teacher 'sometimes you have to play it by the ear'. I stood there all night listening to her mutter in her sleep about a dude named Edward, another dude named Mike a third dude named James and some other people. Busy girl... I had enough at some point and went to drink a not so appetizing blood bag and get some sleep.
Next day was spent at learning more about our new friend and 'working' around some vampires. By noon I had encrusted vervain in an anklet for the daughter and in the father's watch that the chief 'borrowed' for a while and gave them both back to the sheriff to make sure their owners got them. The same night I joined the teacher (who actually was hell bent on tagging along) to a hunt to find Isabelle. He thought she'd be in a house out of town. She wasn't there but that was the day I realized that maybe, just maybe I should move on. The teacher did.
My night was spent the same way as the previous one. Watching her. For some reason I couldn't get her out of my mind. Even with everything that was going on I found everything would go on around her. But I also had a cockblocker brother in the way.
Next day was the meeting between Isabelle and Elena. The day was long but ended with dinner at the sheriff's place. Surprise, surprise the guest and his daughter were there. I shook her hand and feeling like an electrical current went through me, she seemed completely unfazed though, but made sure to scrutinize my every move, I kept looking at her blessing peripheral vision and made a show of my eating as she seemed to be interested in it. At some point I was talking with the sheriff and the chief about the upcoming weekend and a raid we were planning to Isabelle's place, I knew she would have fled by then but had to keep up appearances. She turned white, her heart sped up and she exclaimed an upcoming visit to her mother. I was even more curious but let it slide. I saw she was wearing the vervain bracelet, I couldn't find out now anyway. Our gazes locked and this time she averted her eyes first. The next few days were filled with the hunt for the Gilbert device and knowing her habits I spent a lot of my lunches at the Grill either observing her, or talking to her about this and that. Afternoons either filled with council business or keeping an eye on Stefan and nights perched on the tree brunch closer to her room to look at her.
I smiled fondly at the memory of the day I broke her anklet. I was watching her try to flip off a guy that was hitting on her. She seemed at ease but I didn't like to see it. I felt possessive and angry. Without thinking I glared at him and went to them. I wrapped an arm around her waist and loved to feel her body heat against me. I led her out and made a show of loosing my balance. I ended up falling on her and we both hit the pavement. Her eyes were wide but she didn't seem frightened. I broke the anklet on her wrist skillfully while finding myself wondering what her lips would taste if I kissed them. I remembered how I panicked and got up fast before I did something.
That weekend I knew she was out of town and I could help but be relieved because she wouldn't get hurt but also missed her. I knew I shouldn't and it was crazy but I did.
The night I knew she'd be returning I went to sit outside her window. I tried to compel her to invite me in and couldn't. HOW? I had broken her bracelet, and she was in shorts and a tank. There was nothing on her with vervain on that I could see. That night showed me how fearless she was. She had no problem with showing her cards and calling me off on my bluffs but still gave me the feeling that she knew more than she was letting on. She told me about another kind of vampire. One I had only heard stories so far and to be honest thought it was fiction and showed me her scar. I had the strangest urge to kiss it. I felt the urge to tell her everything. Not even Elena knew my whole story and she was the only person I'd considered a friend in my entire life. So I told Bella (she didn't like Isabella and I agree, she is modern) everything. About my childhood, confederate army, Katherine, Isabelle, Elena... Even everything she needed to know about our kind.
Our night was good, much more comfortable than sitting on her window, that's for sure.
When I heard about the 'sparkling vamp' she dated I felt the need to hunt him down and kill him. How could he do this? Drag her into our world, cause her to get hurt and leave her high and dry? It is the same thing Katherine did to me. Only I got to be changed and had Stefan with me. Not that I wanted him there but I do appreciate him. I my torture him but I do love him.
The next day I met her again at the parade. She was the epitome of beautiful in a white summer dress. I ignored her after getting out of the basement though and I blame myself for it. I didn't see her for 4 days after that. Not until she moved here for good. I kissed Elena or Katherine that night and it was my goodbye to her, whoever she was.
I even slept with her in my arms (I felt whole again) and marveled at the trust she showed me when she ordered me in to save her father while I got a hard on when she set the tiny sparkly bitch on fire and then hosed her down and frankly I was happy the chief was too confused to notice.
He seemed ok when I stayed over but I knew he wouldn't be ok with my hard on now.
Of course that made me a dick and I ignored her at the bar yesterday. One minute I was getting us drinks and the other she was dancing with guys. I wanted to break their arms and dicks, much like I want to do now. I took a deep breath, told myself to man up or shut up and went to her. She was leaning on the railing like me, drinking her soda and lost in thought. I wrapped my arms around her and shut her up effectively with a kiss.
'Looks like I really am over you Katherine. You can rot in hell, I have my girl now.'
