Okay, so got this one finished! I actually have been playing with a few fic ideas that I'm writing along with this one, so I've been a little busy.
However this chaper is long and dark, warning, DARK, but I really like it lol.
Which probably says a lot about me and the therapy I clearly need lol.
Anyway, hope ya'll like!
August 1567
As she walked back to her room, Elena tried to avoid thinking of how Damon's interaction with Ronan would proceed.
She knew it was not going to be pleasant.
Ronan may have the physical strength to match Damon, but her lover's power was far too great to be challenged.
And given the threat of exposure, Damon would not be holding back.
She felt with a calming certainty that Ronan would not be with them much longer.
He was a dead man walking.
Perhaps this should have frightened her, but it did not.
If anything, it offered a relief to knowing she and Damon would not be exposed.
They would not be killed for what they could not control.
They would have to find a more permanent solution eventually, though.
They could not sneak around for the rest of their lives, and she could not marry Stefan knowing that her heart was Damon's.
She paused at the thought, her fingers on her door handle.
Had she just made up her mind?
Had she really meant that?
Tossing the idea over in her head, she nodded to herself.
Things were suddenly much clearer.
She could not marry Stefan.
She loved Damon, and if she was to stand before God and country declaring a husband, it was going to be him.
She smiled as she opened her door.
They would figure this out.
They would find a way to be together.
"There you are."
Elena froze.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, apparently awaiting her return, was Ronan.
"What are you doing?" She demanded, her voice more controlled than she felt.
"Waiting for you, of course. We have business to discuss."
She eyed him, crossing her arms.
He made no move toward her, and she thought perhaps, that maybe he really did wish to talk.
"You mean, you have demands to make," she replied cheekily.
Ronan smiled, finally standing.
"I would like to consider this more of a negotiation, if you will. We can help each other."
She scoffed, "You, help me? Ha."
"It is helping you to keep your secret from reaching light, is it not?" He reasoned.
She tried to calm the nervous pit in her stomach.
She did not like, nor trust the man in front of her.
And she wasn't sure that Damon would be looking for Ronan in her bedroom.
Biting her lip, she decided on a plan.
"It is not wise to break words of this here. There are too many servants, my own lady's maid will be checking in, and Damon could come at any moment. He is meeting me here."
Luckily, Ronan seemed to believe her, for a haughty, uneasy look crossed over his face.
It seemed the thought of facing Damon made him uncomfortable.
Elena smirked.
"Then let us go somewhere more private," he suggested, "My chambers, perhaps."
Elena shot him a cold look.
He didn't seem surprised.
"Perhaps not," she told him, "But there is another place we could go. Far removed, practically untraceable unless you know of its existence."
Ronan nodded, "Let us go there. And remember, try anything, your highness, and this time tomorrow both you and your beloved prince will cease to draw breath."
Elena ignored the threat and turned to her door, "Follow me, closely."
She lead Ronan through the castle, to the west wing, careful not to be detected.
The halls were dark, except for the occasional torch, lighting the pathway.
Once entering the far library, and closing the door behind Ronan, Elena realized the sun had set.
The giant window reflected the room, despite the curtains being mostly drawn.
"Is this it?" Ronan asked, as she walked to the bookshelf.
"Just a bit further," she promised, "There is a passage."
She found the correct book, and pulled.
Ronan froze as the wall shifted, revealing the entryway to the stone tunnel.
She stepped inside, and motioned for him to do the same.
"This is quite removed," he stated, almost impressed, "However did you come by it?"
"Luck," she answered, "We must continue, just down here."
He nodded, letting her walk ahead of him.
The hall was still lit from before, and it was easy to reach the end.
"There is nothing here," he huffed.
"There is," she assured him, "You just have to-"
"Enough," Ronan commanded, "We are well out of the earshot of any others. Stop stalling."
Elena turned, glaring.
"I am not stalling. I was trying to take us to a place of more comfort that this. But if you insist...what is it you would have of me?"
Ronan stepped closer, using his height over her, to appear intimidating.
"I thought about it all through dinner," he admitted, "It is not often I have the chance to control a crown. I usually, simply, advise it. But this...it is a rare opportunity, indeed."
"So get on with it," Elena demanded, "What do you want?"
Ronan looked down at her, a cruel smile on his face.
"I want Mystic."
Elena's eyebrows creased, "Pardon me?"
Ronan chuckled lowly, "You may be the future queen of Aurelia, my lady, but you are first, and foremost, a Petrova; the last in the Petrova line, as a matter of fact. The single heir to Mystic's throne. The throne I want."
Her eyes darkened, "You want to rule so badly, you urge me to give you my father's kingdom? Surely you realize that it is an impossible feat. I could no more convince him, than I could Stefan. The entire motive of our wedding is to combine the countries, Aurelia and Mystic."
"I am aware of the contract," Ronan nodded, "But nothing is set until the day your vows are spoken, so do not try to pretend the bond is so unbreakable."
She crossed her arms in annoyance, "Then, pray tell, what would you have me do?"
Ronan smirked, "Call off the wedding, of course."
Elena froze, "You are truly mad."
"Am I?" He rose a brow, "You end the engagement, and the treaty between Aurelia and Mystic no longer exists. Leaving us free to come to our own terms of agreement."
Her mouth gaped slightly, "You wish me to...marry you?"
Ronan shrugged, "Means to an end, princess. Our union will see me to position. Then, as king of Mystic, I will destroy Valier, until my beloved cousin agrees to surrender his crown to me. Then, as we take control of Valier and her forces, her army, we will have the power to overcome Aurelia as well."
Elena felt sick, "I will not allow this."
Ronan pulled himself back to reality, and looked at her, "What choice do you have? It is either obey me, or die."
She set her jaw, "You assume Stefan will chose to have us killed. He may yet show mercy."
Ronan's eyes flashed, and he grabbed her arm, "Death would be mercy! Once I get through spinning my tale for him, of all the things I witnessed between you and his brother, of how you then offered your body to me, to keep me quiet-"
"Liar," she spat, "Stefan and Damon would both know that I would rather die than touch you with that intent!"
He pulled her arm, and the next thing Elena knew, she was turned, and pinned against the wall, Ronan pressing into her backside.
"It would do you well to hold your tongue," he hissed, "Though I find it a bit offensive. Why would you perceive me as undeserving of you? What have the Salvatore's that I not?"
He yanked her hair back, and Elena cried out.
His voice was hot against her cheek, "It cannot be your preference or morals, seeing as you chose to willingly be the Salvatore's whore, so what is it? Do you believe me unworthy, as my cousin does?"
He whirled her around, the pain of her head meeting the wall filling her eyes with tears.
"Answer me!"
His hand moved to her throat.
"Please," she tried to swallow.
He laughed, "This was intended to be a peaceful exchange. But you are not playing by the rules. So these are the new ones..."
His gaze hardened, roaming over her, and Elena tensed.
"You will give me what I want of your influence, or I will take what I want of your body. The choice is yours."
Elena grasped at his hand around her throat. He loosened it enough for her to speak, but anger and fear had cleared her mind.
As soon as his eyes were on her face, she brought her knee up, hard, connecting with his privates.
The action was enough for him to release her, and Elena didn't wait for him to recover.
She pulled herself from his reach, and scurried quickly to the wall.
Frantically, she hit all over, searching for the one stone that would open the passage.
Before she found it, however, Ronan pounced her, pinning her against the wall.
"That wasn't very nice," he growled, "Now this is going to be painful for you."
His hands scrambled to bunch up the skirt of her dress, as hers reached all over, still searching.
She finally felt a stone that was unlike the others, smoother, and hit it, hard.
The wall gave way, causing them both to stumble forward; Ronan crying out in surprise.
Elena recovered first, sprinting up the stairs, her heart pounding.
She reached the wooden door and forced it open.
She had just stepped inside when Ronan pushed in behind her.
His eyes quickly scoped the room as she backed away, and he smiled.
"Nowhere to run now, wench."
Elena was unable to catch her breath, as she whirled around.
There was nothing for her to use against him.
And Ronan seemed to know this.
He reached out, taking hold of her arm, and dragged her forward.
His hand fisted in her hair, forcing her head up.
"I tried to be polite," he insisted, "But now...now you are going to suffer."
He pushed her, until her back collided with Damon's bedpost, and she winced.
"You do not want to do this," she told him, "Stefan, if not my father, will have you executed."
Ronan grinned, "They would have to know of the crime, and who will tell them? You? So I can reveal your secret and prove you a liar? Please, Princess. No one would believe you, and we both know that you would not risk yours or Damon's life."
She fought against him, but his hand came across her face with a deafening sting.
She grabbed her cheek, and felt blood drip from her lip.
Then she was being flipped, turned.
She kicked, to no avail, as Ronan forced her to bend over Damon's bed.
"Stop!" She screamed, as he forced up her skirt, "Do not do this!"
"No undergarment," he laughed coldly, his hand moving to the back of her neck to pin her against the mattress, "Why am I not surprised?"
She squeezed her eyes shut, as his hand ran down her back, lower and lower.
"Please," she whispered.
Then the pressure was gone.
Elena jumped up, and spun around, only to find Damon in the doorway, and Ronan, levitated against the wall, a good few inches from the floor.
He clawed against his neck, as though an invisible hand were choking him.
It must have been Damon's magic.
Damon, who was now at her side.
"Elena," he breathed, taking her into his arms, "Are you alright?"
She nodded, but squeezed him, "I am now."
He kissed her head, and wiped the tear that fell from her eye, "I am sorry."
She nodded, and he pressed his lips to hers. Then he turned to Ronan, who was still struggling.
With the tilt of Damon's head, he dropped to the floor.
It took him a second before he scrambled to his feet.
"You!" Ronan gaped, "You did that?!"
Damon ignored the question, instead, used his mind to forced Ronan back against the wall.
"Do not bother moving," he commanded, "You will be unable to."
"How are you doing this?" Ronan demanded, "Witchcraft flows in bloodlines!"
Damon smiled harshly, "You do not get to worry about that."
Ronan swallowed as he met Damon's eyes, seeming to read something there.
Damon nodded, as if confirming the answer to an unspoken question, "I am going to kill you, Ronan de Guildar. But first, you will pay for every second your hand was upon her, the tear that touched her cheek, and the blood that shed from her mouth. Your death will not be a gentle one, I fear."
True terror clouded Ronan's eyes, and he went to scream something, only to have his eyes bulge in disbelief when no sound came from his lips.
"Can't have you causing interruption among the castle," Damon noted, pulling a dagger from the sheath carved into his belt, "Not that it would matter. Even if your screams were able to be heard, no one would be able to find us."
Elena nearly smiled as Ronan's own eyes filled with tears.
He knew his end was near.
His lips moved, pleading silent mercy from Damon.
Anger filled her at the sight.
How dare he beg for mercy, after what he was about to do to her!
He had threatened to tell Stefan her secret.
He was going to take Damon from her.
He was going to rape her!
For refusing him her father's kingdom, her birthright!
The sick pleasure of his laugh when he bent her over sounded in her ears.
Rage flooded her mind, and Elena's feet were moving before she had even decided what she was going to do.
She just wanted blood.
His blood.
In a swift motion, she stormed past Damon, snatching the dagger he twirled, and lunged at Ronan.
The blade sank into his chest.
He silently screamed, and she felt an odd satisfaction.
"Elena," Damon murmured, but she'd already pulled the knife out.
She screamed as she drove it into him.
Again.
Then again.
A cold, mad scream.
She stabbed into his chest, slinging blood each time she drew back, until Ronan's body fell from the wall, into a heap on the floor.
Still, she pierced him, crawling onto his body.
His eyes were wide, his throat gurgling, but she was relentless.
She didn't care that blood covered her, the wall, the floor, and even Damon.
She didn't care that this was against the laws.
She only cared about his life, forever removed from this world.
With a final slash she slit open his throat, and all the blood that had filled his airways spewed out in a fountain of red, drenching her.
His arms fell, and his eyes were blank.
She lifted her chin as the blood covered her, eyes closing.
A certain peace overcame her then.
She dropped the dagger.
Her chest heaved as she relaxed her neck, and stared down at her offender.
She waited for the shock.
For the disgust, the guilt.
But none came.
A dark chuckle grabbed her attention, and she looked over, to Damon, who now also had red droplets covering him.
"So much for torture."
She looked back down at Ronan's corpse, at her own blood covered hands.
"He was not yours to kill," she decided, and Damon laughed again, "No. He was not."
His hand came down in a silent offer, and she took it, letting him pull her to her feet.
"I could not stop," she told him, "God help me, I could not. I wanted him dead."
Damon sobered, bringing his palm to her cheek, the slick feel proving that more blood had covered her there, too.
"As did I, for his hands upon you. I fear what may have happened, if I had been but a moment later."
"I am fine, now," she assured him.
Damon nodded, looking over at the body, "You enacted your vengeance beautifully. I could not take my eyes from you."
His gaze connected with hers again, and the lust she found there was easy to read.
As was the adoration.
"I wanted you."
She smirked, "Then have me."
At her words, a terrible smile crossed his lips, the grin of a demon that was getting its way.
But oh, his eyes, as they watched his hands remove her dress, were nothing short of angelic orbs, reflecting to her, the heavens.
"I love you," she sighed, and he kissed her slowly, his tongue running over her bloodied lip.
"I love you too, my sweet Elainiana. My beautiful avenging angel."
She smiled, and he pulled them to the bed, the sheets turning red as they rolled on them, but they were both beyond caring.
His clothes were gone in a flash, and his mouth was on her chest.
His tongue and teeth lapping at her skin, until she couldn't tell what was Ronan's blood, and what was hers, rising to the surface.
Slowly, Damon worshipped her body, the fire dancing behind them.
Then he was sliding into her, inch by delicious inch, and she reveled in the euphoria.
Her hands flew against Damon's chest, leaving distinct red lines, from her blood soaked fingers.
The color was so stark against his skin, so primal, that she became even wetter.
She bucked her hips, and Damon obliged her silent wish, slamming into her.
With a moan, she threw her head back, and laughed with contentment.
A thin sheen of sweat covered their bodies, the air smelled of sex and blood, and as her head hung from the edge of the bed, Elena could see the pool of red that Ronan's body now laid in.
Heat filled her.
Damon called her name as she tensed, and she came.
Harder than ever before.
Lol, told you it was dark ;)
Can't wait to see what you think!
Please review! :)