Chapter 5
At the familiar words Bella gasped as if she was sucker punched. Replying harsher than she intended she knelt in front of him letting her long hair act like a natural curtain until she could gather her thoughts under the pretense of looking for ointments for his injuries.
"I'm not the one who was lying unconscious in the sand"
"I appreciate what you did, but you should just go back to your house. I'll be gone by nightfall."
"To where? I didn't see a car out front."
And as she said it, Bella wondered just how in the heck he'd come to be in her yard, anyway. Had he walked?
"That's not your concern."
He moved farther from her, tucking himself deeper into the shadowy corner.
Just then, the sun slipped behind a bank of clouds and the barn darkened, the slanting bars of sunlight winking out as if they'd never been. And the man huddled against the barn wall sighed, as if in relief.
"A heat wave is coming"
Bella pointed out with a glance behind her at the open garage door. She could feel the radiant sun rays and the pure power of it made her want to break to a song. in a heartbeat, she made a decision.
"You can't leave. Our heat waves could light up Vegas and you're still weak. You're not gonna make it even if you had a car."
Scowling, he gritted his teeth and gave her a short nod.
"You're right. I'll wait it out"
"Not out here, you won't."
She picked up the unused first-aid kit again and stood up, to look down at him.
"You'll fry yourself"
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"
"So I can find your crisped dead body in the morning? No thank you"
She shook her head. Damon barked one word. He needed to find his ring after all
"Fine."
Damon pushed himself to his feet and swayed a little, reaching out one hand to the wall to steady himself.
He was hungry. Every cell in his body cried out for blood and the temptation of having her so near to him was one he was hard put to ignore. Her eyes stared up at him with concern, though, and that was enough to at least momentarily bank the bloodlust clamoring inside.
She had helped him. He wouldn't repay her by sinking his teeth into her lovely throat. No matter how much he longed to.
He shot a quick look at the world beyond the garage and noted that the light was strong and burning. He could never make it to the house.
"Lean on me."
She wrapped one arm around his waist, tucking her shoulder under his arm. The position was welcome though instead of annoying
"This is getting to be a habit,"
He muttered and was rewarded by the smile she flashed him.
"Let's get you into the house."
Instead of the door though, she guided him further back to a mess of pots and brown clay and through heavy oak doors led to the house. Unable to enter it and hunted by the sun attacking him due to the glass windows of the small corridor, he sagged on her completely knocking her on the second heavy door.
"Come on inside. It's only a few steps"
She whispered before she reached for the door behind her and they both stumbled inside the thankfully cool house with Bella supporting his every stride.
It had been a long time since Damon had needed anyone's help. And accepting that help didn't come easily to him. Still, he didn't have much choice. If he didn't get into the house and away from the danger of sunlight, he would die. And just at this moment, with Bella's scent filling him, he realized that he wasn't ready to march into hell.
Her invitation was enough to let him pass the threshold and still embraced they made a stumbling dance through the kitchen and into the wide living room where a large A/C was shooting cool air.
She eased him onto an overstuffed sofa crowded with colorful pillows and Damon laid his head on the back of the couch. The fatigue seeping into every square inch of his body dragged at him.
He hadn't been awake during daylight hours in decades. Now he remembered why. He battled unconsciousness, his thoughts becoming fuzzy, his breathing slowing. The scent of cinnamon hung in the air and mingled with the pine garland strung across a fireplace mantel.
"A little early for Christmas"
He snarked trying to jolt himself awake. A pearl of laughter was his reply
"My mom loves the scent so we keep it in the house all year long. Are you hungry?"
He turned his head to look at her. His gaze locked on the graceful column of her throat and he would have sworn he could actually see her pulse pounding there. Her blood would be warm and rich and sweet. He could almost taste it, flowing down his throat, slaking his thirst, easing his pain and leaving a elegant aftertaste of freesias and roses in his breath.
Deliberately, he closed his eyes.
"No."
"At least let me get you some coffee."
"Fine. And—"
he spoke quickly as she turned to go to the kitchen
"—I'm expecting a delivery this afternoon. If I'm asleep, will you sign for it?"
"Sure, but—"
"Thanks."
That one word was a dismissal and she obviously felt it. He wasn't about to explain about the delivery of co-eds from a local college he met last night at a bar during his binge.
"Okay, be right back."
He listened to the hum of the A/C, letting the soothing sounds settle over him as the off white machine worked to cool him down. Memories crowded his mind as sleep dragged him down— images of a different place, a different time, danced through his mind, one after the other. He allowed them to fill him and welcomed the pain as he remembered the faces of his mother, Katherine, Barbie, Elena, Original Barbie, his brother all turning to a mix. Alaric's voice over it all in the crazed laughter that was his best friend's last day.
Suddenly he screamed in pain as a single ray of sunlight laid over him
"Damn it!"
He jolted from the couch and fell to the ground slumping against the wall right underneath the large bay window that was left uncovered and open.
The brightly colored living room was now bathed in a golden light that had already burned patches of skin from his hands and face.
Skin smoking, eyes streaming, Damon took one long leap and stood against the far wall, air wheezing from his lungs. His fangs exploded in his mouth and the adrenaline coursing through him turned him into a dangerous creature.
Age-old instincts rippled through him and whatever there was left of the man he'd been drained away. He was now a wild thing—looking for survival above all else.
"Fool."
The day had made him slow and stupid. He should have secured the damn drapes. Made certain that no sun could reach him. But he hadn't been thinking. He'd been so wrapped up in the past he'd forgotten about the present.
He squinted into the sunlight streaming through the window and screaming pain lanced through his mind and body. His chest felt tight, his lungs strained for air. His skin was ablaze with burning agony. He turned his gaze from the window, lifted one scorched hand to protect his eyes and spotted Bella, who had stopped dead in the doorway.
As if in slow motion, she dropped the coffee cup she held. It shattered on the floor, brown liquid splashing up on her jeans. Her eyes wide, her mouth open, she looked at him and he knew exactly what she was seeing.
A monster.
