Chapter Sixty-Three: Search And Destroy - Part 1
Grab your gun, time to go to hell
I'm no hero guilty as charged
Found my faith, living in sin
I'm no Jesus but neither are you my friend
I'm a whore above the broken dreams
This simple answer is never what it seems
A million little pieces we've broken into
A million little pieces I've stolen from you
Search and destroy, search and destroy
Sold my soul, from heaven into hell
Sick as my secrets, but never gonna tell
Lock the blame, burden of my dreams
Cause of faith in a blessing I believe
~30 Seconds to Mars
Nilly came out of sleep slowly. All her senses waking until finally her eyes opened. The room was dark still, she could barley see. She turned on her side, feeling the soft expensive sheets wrapped around her, and was engulfed in the scent that she so clearly registered as Damon.
That's when she realized that she wasn't alone. Sprawled on top of the sheets next to her was the man himself, fast asleep. Nilly was startled. She didn't expect him to still be there. Silently she moved so she was facing him better and rested her head on top her hand. He was lying on his back, his head tilted towards her. She stared at him, slightly mesmerized.
In sleep, there was no arrogant smirk, no coldness, and no walls around him. He looked so young; the way Nilin guessed he looked like before he became a vampire. Back when he was just a young man in love during the Civil War. He looked so human. Nilly felt her heart clench in her chest tightly.
She shouldn't have been feeling this safe next to him. He was a vampire. He had admitted to having a hankering for her blood. Nilin knew all of that, yet she found herself wishing that the world would stop spinning so that she could just lay here. She had tried so hard to fight this, never did she want to fall in love again. After Christian, Nilin closed her heart up. She sealed in off and fought anyone one who tried to come near. Damon had made it through someone how.
With a startling thought, she realized that she wasn't falling for him anymore. She had already fallen, now she was smacking facedown into the earth. So this was what love actually felt like? Was this what it's like when it's real? It was this constant battle between vacillations and aspirations. Frankly, it gave her whiplash.
She was terrified of all of this, of losing him, of something happening to him, of caring about him. Yet she wanted nothing more than to be with him.
All of it was giving her that sinking feeling, like she was going down and there was nothing she could do about it. She laid a hand over her chest, it felt as if there was an invisible coil yanking her. Without really thinking, Nilly reached out that hand and swept a few stray dark strands of hair off Damon's forehead. Suddenly, Damon's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Nilly stifled a gasp as he tugged her arm and pulled her flush up against his chest. She remained stiff against him, taken back by his sudden actions. His grip on her arm relaxed and so did Nilly.
"Well good morning," Damon said suddenly.
Nilin jumped at his voice, the heat and blood surging to her cheeks. "I thought you were asleep," she confessed sheepishly.
He chuckled softly. "Sure, you did," he sighed, pulling her closer to him. Nilin had her cheek resting on his chest now, his chin resting on top of her head. She felt his fingers trace patterns on her back and it made goose bumps to rise on her skin. "How'd you sleep?" he asked, the cockiness escaping his voice.
But before Nilly could answer a growl ripped through her stomach. "Not again," Nilly groaned, as her basic human needs shatter the moment for a second time. She could feel her face heat up as Damon laughed. His laughter sent vibrations through Nilin.
The next thing she knew Damon was sliding out of the bed and Nilly was alone. "Where you going?" she asked, sitting up.
Damon turned towards her with a smirk. "Breakfast time for the human," he said before leaving the room. Nilin threw off the covers and placed her feet on the cold floor. She shivered slightly as she left the warmth of his bed.
Padding down the stairs she found Damon already in the kitchen. He dumped a plate of eggs on a plate that sat on the counter and slid it to Nilin. Again her stomach made that empty rumbling noise and suddenly a fork appear next to her. She grabbed in and dug in.
"Thank you," she said, looking up at Damon with a mouthful as a cup of steaming coffee was placed in front of her. In no time the plate was empty, food devoured and Nilly's hands were wrapped around the hot mug. She sipped it gingerly and met Damon's eyes.
"When was the last time you ate, Nilin?" he asked her. His tone wasn't light at all.
Biting her lip, Nilly tried to remember. "Um… I don't really know," she answered. "I haven't had much of an appetite recently. Food's usually the last thing on my mind." Damon looked at her; worry lines creasing the spot between his eyes. She hated looks like that, so she quickly looked down. "Besides, I'm better at making food than eating it," she tried to lighten the mood.
"I know. I've sampled it." Damon gave her a little grin.
Blush rushed to her cheeks and Nilly averted her eyes again, feeling self conscious in her PJs and bed head. Before she could give anymore thought to it Damon walked over and stood in front of her. She pivoted in her stool to face him.
Holding her bracelet by the clasp, he dangled it in front of her. A small smile came to Nilin's lips as she out stretched her arm and Damon latched it back in place on her wrist. "Thank you, again," she said softly.
Damon opened his mouth to utter out a response, but before he could Stefan barged into the room. "Something happened," he said, staring between Nilly and Damon.
Those two words sent a wave of panic surging through Nilin and immediately she was standing on her feet. She realized she was gripping Damon's arm and loosened her hold.
"Would you like to fill us in brother or are you just going to stand there?" Damon asked, staring at his brother. Stefan shot him a warning glare before turning back to Nilly.
"Everyone's okay," he said, first and instantly a wave of relief washed over Nilly. She let out a breath. "But," Stefan continued. "Shellie was attacked… by Christian."
Suddenly, Nilly was heading towards the floor fast, her knees gave out and folded under her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist before she hit the tile and sat her back in a stool.
"Hey, hey. Look at me, Nilin." Damon demanded, his hands framing her face. "Breathe." Nilly didn't even realize that her chest was heaving, and that her breaths were coming out as wheezes until he mentioned it. She swallowed hard, her hands going to her chest as she watched Damon.
He broke eye contact for a moment to glare at Stefan. "Thank you for that, brother. Really nice deliverance," he growled.
"Is she okay?" Nilly gasped out, clutching the front of Damon's shirt.
Stefan came over, he looked at his brother first as if to apologize. Then he looked down at Nilin and laid a hand on her shoulder. "She's fine, a little banged up but that's all." Stefan said looking at her from under his eyebrows.
Nilly nodded, her breathing slowly starting to return to normal. "I need to see her and Magnolia. Can you take me to see them, please?" she looked between Damon and Stefan. They looked at each other for a moment before anyone spoke.
"Nilly—" Stefan started.
"That's not such a good idea," Damon cut in. "Not with Christian around."
Nilly began to get worked up again. "Please, I need to talk to them. I have to make sure she's okay," she said franticly. She captured midnight eyes. "Damon, please?" she asked.
He began to falter, Nilin could tell but suddenly his face hardened and she knew she lost him. "You're not leaving this house, not a chance," he finalized.
Nilly let out a frustrated gasp and buried her face in her hands.
"I'll call Magnolia and ask her to come over, okay?" Stefan said, squeezing her shoulder. Nilly looked up, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands.
"Thank you," she sighed. Stefan gave her a tight smile and nodded. Then he left the room to make the call.
Nilin let out another breath, covering her face in her hands again. "This is all my fault," she said. "She could have—"
"Enough of that," Damon suddenly interrupted. His voice so sharp it caused her to look up at him.
"Can't you see, Damon?" Nilly nearly shouted. "People I care about are getting hurt because of me. How far is this going to go?"
"Until he's dead and you're safe." Damon said.
Nilly was standing now, dangerously close to him. Why did he have to be so intense all of the time? It made her head all fuzzy. "Only if it was that easy," Nilly glared.
Damon's head seemed to incline towards hers as he glared back. "It is that easy Nilin, just do as I say."
"No," Nilin snapped. "Not if it means other people are in danger."
"What good are you to the people you care about if you're dead?" he pushed.
"At least they'd be alive," she barked.
"Why must you be so stubborn and dumb and beautiful?" Damon asked, cupping her face and shaking her slightly.
"Well I've survived this long, haven't I?" she said quietly. The electricity between them was charging the air. Suddenly someone came into the room, causing Nilly and Damon to snap back. His hands slipped off her face as he turned towards the person.
"Am I interrupting?" Magnolia asked.
"Magnolia," Nilly sighed and rushed over to the tall girl. "Oh Mags, I'm so sorry. What happened? Where's Shellie, it she okay?"
Magnolia held up her hands to the onslaught of questions. "Nilly, Nilly, its okay. She's fine, she wanted to come but I made her stay home, indoors."
Nilin felt like she could scream with all the emotions running through her. She noticed Magnolia's face twist in discomfort and Nilly tried to numb her feelings for the sake of her friend.
"What happened?" Nilly asked again as Magnolia began to lead her out of the room. They went in to the living room, Damon and Stefan following. Nilly sat in one of the sofas and Mags lounged in front of her as the brothers opted to stand.
"Shellie was actually coming back from your house," Magnolia started to explain. Nilly gave her a curious look, wondering what was Shellie doing there. As if reading Nilly's mind, Magnolia smiled and said, "Jeremy." Nilly couldn't help the grin that popped on her face. Well, that explains that.
"Anyway," she continued. "She was headed home when I called her and asked to stop by the shop to make sure the security alarm was set. It should have only taken her two, three minutes tops, not including any of her flighty distractions. When a half an hour passed I got worried and headed down there to check on her. I found her in the storage closet downstairs, she had locked herself in there." Magnolia shook her head, leaning her elbows on her knees.
"She said she was unlocking the front door to the shop when some grabbed the back of her head and slammed her forehead into the glass." Nilly felt her heart drop into her stomach as Magnolia continued. "She managed to deliver a blow behind her into his kneecap. Then she bounded for the door of the shop, she managed to get inside but she couldn't lock it quickly enough. Luckily we have a little stash hidden in the store and bottle of vervain extract to the face sent him flying."
Nilly felt nauseous, her stomach twisted in anxious knots. She laid her head back on the couch cushion and closed her eyes in attempts to control her breathing. "She's okay though?" Nilin asked, peeking at Magnolia.
She smiled. "More than okay, she thinks she's Zena, warrior princess now or something. I'm actually sorry for the next vampire she comes across." Magnolia laughed. Nilly found herself laughing too.
"You should be proud of her," Stefan piped up from in front of the fire place, a grin on his face.
"I am, very." Mags smiled at Stefan. "I'm just not proud of how fat her heads getting." She turned back to Nilin. "Did you know she's hoping the gash on her head turns in to a scar so she can have a battle mark," she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
Nilly's laughter grew, making her feel lighter in someway. Magnolia stood up from her seat still smiling. "The only thing I'm angry about it the fact that I didn't get to take a whack at the bastard myself."
Nilly stood too, following her to the front door. "Well, I hope you don't get to," she said as she opened the wooded door. Mags smiled and wrapped her arms around Nilin quickly.
"Your hope, not mine," she winked before leaving. Nilly watched Magnolia as she got in her car and drove away from the boarding house. Then she felt someone come behind her, snaking their arms around her waist.
"I have to admit, that girl's growing on me." Damon said in Nilin's ear. She just rolled her eyes and shut the door.
Author's Notes:
Hello my lovies! I hope you guys had an amazing weekend and for those who celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope your holiday was wonderful. I'm back with Chapter 63, this is a long one, three parts. Here's the first one, this gets the ball rolling and sets up the end of this story. So, let me know how you guys are feeling about this.
I have gotten a few reviews asking about a sequel to Between Two Lungs. I'd officially like to announce that there is in fact a sequel to this story in the making. When will it be done? I'm not sure yet. But this is all made possible because you guys and all your support and I can't thank you enough.
See you next week!
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