Chapter 25: Damon POV

Bella.

Bella.

Bella.

Oh God. My stomach churns and my dead heart pounds. This girl has got me in a whirlwind, and I don't even know why.

All I know is that I have to get to her. I have to. She needs me; now. And where am I? Stuck outside, all because I haven't been invited in.

Fuck it.

I knock again. This time louder and more persistent. I'm going to save Bella no matter what the cost. I have to.

"Bella. Knock."

"Bella. Knock."

"Bella. Knock."

"Oh, it's you again," the older lady chirps, "Mr…"

Snap.

No more "living" residents. I can enter all I want now. They better be scared.

The first room I come to is the kitchen, with a wooden table sitting in the middle. Perfect. The legs will make flawless stakes to push through their hearts. I'm already smiling at the idea.

It only takes a second to pick up the table and shove it towards the wall. Four quick snaps, and I've got four deadly weapons. I can't stop smiling. The bad news is that breaking a table isn't exactly a quiet thing to do. It only takes a few moments for my new best friend, Frederick, to stand, seething, in front of me.

"How the hell…" He doesn't get to finish his sentence. I don't let him. The first stake in my hand goes through his heart, and now he's dying in front of me like the pathetic idiot he is. God, it feels good to kill something. With Stefan and Elena breathing down my neck, I haven't kept up with my usual body count. At the moment, I can't think of one reason why I would ever even think about stopping my killing sprees.

I wait for more vampires to attack me, but none come. Maybe they're all out for a hunt, or maybe Pearl's already helped me along in killing them.

She never did like to share.

Quickly, I move through the house trying to find where they might be hiding Bella. I let my senses stretch out. I can't smell her strawberry shampoo or her freesia body wash, all I can smell is dust, cinnamon, and blood. Oh god, I smell her blood.

I feel my face morph into black eyes and popping veins. Is it because of this want for Bella or anger at Pearl? I'm not sure. Hell, it's probably both.

"Isabella," I whisper. I don't know why. All I know is that her name sounds so sweet off my lips. Fuck, I need her. I need her safe and in my arms. I need her now.

I'm walking down a hallway when I see my salvation. A door.

A simple, hidden, wooden door.

And behind that door. I can hear her. One breath, two breaths, three breaths. Bella's down there, and I—

"GET OUT!" A screech sounds from behind me. There's a whoosh of noise, and a blur in my sight, and the next thing I know is that I'm pushed up against the door with Anna dearest snarling in my face. The second stake that was in my hand is now being pushed against my stomach by Anna.

Yeah, wasn't expecting that.

Good thing I can improvise.

A clapping sound comes from our right. Standing in front of the door is Pearl, looking well put together but not put together at all.

Her usual perfect black hair is slightly messed up, her clothes rumpled, and then there's the blood on her face that surrounds her mouth.

Bella's blood.

She'll pay.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!" I'm so very angry. Scary angry. Scary enough to make Anna flinch.

"So glad you could join us Damon," her voice is calm. "I was starting to worry that you didn't care."

Ok, that's enough. I've had enough.

I put my hand on the stake resting between Anna and me. She looks at me with wide eyes, and her hesitation is what kills her. One yank upward, one yank towards me, and now I'm in control of the stake. And this one goes right through Anna's heart.

She gasps and immediately begins to grey in death. Pearl's seething at me, but doesn't make a move. She's smarter than her daughter. She knows that you don't mess with a guy with the one thing that can kill you in their hand.

"Bye-bye Anna," I hiss. One more push of the stake in her heart, and I shove her towards the door. The force of my shove sends Anna flying. A personal vampire missile. Pearl jumps out of the way just in time to dodge her daughter, causing Anna to crash into the old wooden door and crack it open.

I hear a scream.

Bella.

Bella.

Bella.

Hold on Just-a-Girl I'm coming

With renewed determination, I push past the broken door and rush into the darkness beyond. My senses are on high alert, searching for any sign of Bella. The scent of blood grows stronger, leading me deeper into the depths of the farmhouse.

As I navigate through the dimly lit corridors, I hear faint echoes of Bella's voice. It's like a lifeline pulling me forward, urging me to find her as quickly as possible. Each step feels like an eternity, my impatience growing with every passing moment.

Finally, I reach a door at the end of a long hallway. Without hesitation, I burst through it, my heart pounding with anticipation. And there she is.

Bella.

She's lying on the ground, battered and bruised, but alive. Relief floods through me as I rush to her side, cradling her in my arms. Her eyes flutter open, and for a moment, everything else fades away.

"Damon?" Her voice is barely a whisper, filled with pain and confusion.

"It's me, Bella," I murmur, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I'm here to get you out of here."

Her gaze meets mine, and in that moment, I see a glimmer of trust and gratitude. It's enough to fuel my determination even further.

But our reunion is cut short as a loud crash echoes through the farmhouse. Pearl.

"We need to go, now," I say, helping Bella to her feet. She winces in pain, but determination shines in her eyes.