Chapter 17
Bella wrapped her arms around Damon and held on tightly. Night had fallen and the small white tinkling lights all around the back part of the cafe were lit making the starry night even brighter.
A pair of lips closed down on her throat in a kiss as they swayed while everyone else was jumping up and down at the makeshift club.
His hands swept up, under her shirt, across her skin, lighting up every cell as if she'd been electrified. She pulled her mouth from his, stared up into his eyes and smiled softly.
Trust her to fall for yet another vampire so soon after she healed over the previous one.
Trust him to fall for yet another human so soon after wanting to die over the previous human turned vampire didn't want him.
"Think they'll miss us?"
Damon asked with a charming smile. Bella didn't reply as she waved to the trio at the platform singing a Shrek version of 'Thank you' as she took Damon's hand in her own and the two walked away from the loud music.
They took the long way returning to her house, walking slowly with Damon occasionally dipping for a kiss. If they'd asked Stefan who overlooked them like a nanny would in the old times, they looked awfully human and in love.
Walking on a somewhat empty yet not too empty street Damon smiled and the tips of his fangs seemed to wink in the street lights. With no effort he lifted her up to sit on a bench
"Wait for me"
He whispered before he blurred too fast for her to see him and laid in the middle of the road just as a convertible car sped his way. Bella gasped and almost shot up like an arrow when the convertible barely had time to swerve before hitting Damon. When the driver jumped out of the car and rushed to him Damon jumped upright and bit down hard.
Normally Bella would scream and run the opposite way but there was something deeply erotic and choreographic in the way Damon used the man's humanity against him and had him as dinner.
When Damon was sated he set the car on fire and pushed it out of the way. A perfect example of a car crushes where the driver swerves off the road and hits the light pole. Taking his time the vampire went to Bella who stood up and kissed him deeply.
"Not freaked out then I take it?"
Damon's voice was hoarse and Bella shook her head. She'd examine her reactions later, now she needed him. Picking her up Damon smirked and pushed her harder to the bench enjoying her gasp. In the distance, Stefan put both hands over his ears and eyes and hummed to himself for a distraction.
The sun was close to rising when the two were sated and resumed their walk to Bella's house. Bella's nerves were frazzled. Mainly because she felt happiness stir inside her. However that happiness turned to despair the moment she would look at the calendar hanging on the fridge door. She had only a few days before she had to go back to real life.
Damon was on edge. He too had seen the date marked in red marker and felt as if he was existing on borrowed time. Logically they should be trying to pull back from each other. Start the separation that was looming closer with every tick of the clock.
But neither could. Neither would.
"I'm gonna go tell Stefan he can open his ears and eyes now"
Damon told a half asleep Bella softly as she unlocked the front door and went inside.
"Okay"
Bella murmured as she yawned and slipped inside the safety of her house. Before she could toss her shoes off there was a knock on the door. Surprised she just stared at the closed door for a moment. Damon had just left but even if he'd be back so soon, he wouldn't knock on the door.
Her hands shook so she clasped them together as she neared the front door. Through the small peeping hole she saw a girl around her age but nothing else. The porch light was turned off so she flipped it on and opened the door just enough to frame her but not enough for someone to come in.
"Can I help you?"
Bella asked putting one leg behind the door so she could shut it at any moment. The girl on the other side was obviously tired as she was hunched with long straight dark hair. She gave her a tired smile and Bella noticed small lines of strain etched into the corners of those dark eyes.
"I got a flat tire and I have no idea how to change it. Do you have any idea where I can get a mechanic to change it for me?"
Bella took a deep breath and released it with a smile.
"I can give you my mechanic's number but the shop probably won't be open for a few more hours"
The girl on the porch sighed tilting her head to the side. The image felt familiar to Bella as did the girl herself but she pushed it away. She had seen so many people lately that everyone seemed familiar.
"Just my luck then"
Bella's lips formed an involuntary smile as she spotted Damon appearing on the street a few houses away. Following her gaze, the girl on the porch said,
"Ah, this must be your husband. Maybe he can help me."
The satisfied smirk on the girl's face felt like a shock to Bella who did the classic Bella thing. She stepped out of the house for a minute to call out to Damon instead of backing inside where the girl had no access.
The girl grabbed her by the throat.
"Hello Damon"
