Chapter 15
"Did we just get dismissed?"
Stefan asked agape from his place underneath Damon. How could a human girl put them in their place so easily? Damon's stomach fought with jealousy, pain, anger and concern as he nodded at his brother absentminded.
"I can see what you find in her"
Stefan fake joked trying to get a rise out Damon who ignored him once again.
"Shut it"
Damon snapped at his brother. Stefan tried to roll his eyes but something had snapped in him. All the fight was gone and the only thing he wanted now was a glass of milk.
"I'm sorry"
Stefan sighed and fell completely back
"Why are you here?"
Damon asked darkly.
"I got sick of our girlfriend"
"We don't have a girlfriend Stefan. I'm done"
Wordlessly Damon stood up and walked towards the house but before he could reach one of the open windows he turned back to look at his brother.
"You can stay around; just make up your mind"
Jumping inside the house his heart stopped watching Bella fallen to her knees right inside the front door.
Damon was beside her in a heartbeat, running his hands up and down her arms, tilting her head to one side to see the puncture marks on her neck. Her blood, thick and red, pooled on her skin. He ripped the sleeve of his shirt, folded up the material and held it to her neck.
"It's okay. He scared me, that's all"
She admitted. Leaning forward, she leaned her head against his chest. She blew out a long breath and took another before speaking again.
"How did you figure it out?"
"It's not my first tango"
She breathed with a dark chuckle.
"I'm not used to him being the bad guy and me the good one"
Damon sighed
"Did he leave?"
Bella asked quietly, fearful of the answer. Damon shook his head
"Good. You shouldn't ruin your relationship with your brother for me or for any other woman"
Damon didn't reply as he checked her wound, satisfied that the bleeding had stopped, then wrapped his arms around her and held on, needing and offering comfort. She sighed against him and he leaned back, against the door, drawing her with him until she was curled into his side.
She tipped her head back and he looked down into those dark eyes that haunted his sleep, tormented his dreams, made him wish for things he shouldn't have.
"Do you mind if I stay for a while?"
He asked fearing the answer. Bella nodded
"Of course you can. After all the house is for rental"
He smoothed her hair back from her face.
"You should have said 'no'"
"You do know that I'm quite able to make my own decisions? Usually they are the exact opposite of what everyone tells me to"
She said with a smile. She caught his hand and he felt her warmth slide through him like a blessing. The feel of her in his arms was so right and so wrong all at once. Hunger reared up inside him. Desire.
She reached up, cupped his cheek with her palm and steered his face down to hers. His mouth closed over hers and the demon within the man howled in pleasure.
The taste of her was more than Damon had expected and far more than he deserved.
He wasn't gentle. Wasn't slow or kind or thoughtful. He surrendered to his need and she responded in kind. She didn't pull back, suddenly thinking better of the whole thing. Instead, she strained against him.
Her heartbeat thundered and her hands grabbed at him, his hair, his back, fingers curling into his shoulders as she held onto him and gave him everything she had. He was drowning in her. Feelings he'd buried rose up within him. All for her. All for the woman who looked at him as if he were a man. Those deep blue eyes tore at him, making him more and less than he was.
And Damon needed her beyond anything he'd ever known. He blessed whatever Fates had sent him here, to the place where he'd died—to allow him to feel as if he lived again. Later, he knew, even as his body raged, there would be a price to pay. He would have to leave her and these exquisite feelings behind. To go back to the shadows and leave her in the light. But for now, this moment, she was his.
His mouth on hers, his cold hands sweeping up under her shirt to stroke her skin, sending shivers through her body, filling all of the empty, frightened corners inside her. She tasted his need and fed it with her own. His tongue plunged into her mouth and tangled with hers.
Bella arched into him, groaning tightly from the back of her throat. There was so much. So much more than she'd ever experienced. So much more to still feel. To still enjoy.
He made quick work of her clothing and in only moments, she was lying on the rug naked. The rays of the sun bathed them in soft yellow light but the world could have disappeared and neither would have noticed.
