Animal I Have Become

[Damon’s POV]

“Master, we found the hybrid wandering outside the mansion.”

“Why did you come?” I demanded, glaring at the stupid hybrid.

"I knew you were in danger," she answered in a mumble but I shook my head.

"I can handle this on my own, you imbecile," I spat, feeling a little like crap in knowing the fact that a lady had come to rescue me.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it? You’re caught and I’m caught,” the hybrid snapped but she didn’t made any effort to free herself.

I couldn’t help but to stare at her with wonder. Something was different about her. Her aura seems stronger than the last time we met.

“Look at the both of you,” Ralph chuckled. “You’re bickering like an old married couple.”

"We are married," both the hybrid and I said in unison and Ralph gave another sarcastic laugh.

"What do you want, Raphael?" I asked.

Try distracting him. I'm strong enough to take them all, a mental voice said and I looked at her for a split second before shifting my glance back to him.

"Nothing, Salvatore. I've already got what I want," he smiled and looked down at me.

I shook my head and struggled to break free from the ropes as he laughed at my failed attempt. Ralph started towards me, dragging his feet lazily across the floor. He grabbed my jaws and looked me in the eye with nothing but hatred.

"You killed Katherine," he talked as though it was the most cruelest thing on earth.

"Katherine was a monster," I answered before he lifted his fist and strucked me on the left side of the jaw, snapping my head to the side.

I didn't bother looking up at him. I simply kept my head still, fighting the anger that was fighting their way out of me. Raphael's breathing was heavy, as though he himself, was controlling his emotions. Then I cracked another one of my smiles and turned to face him.

"But of course, she didn't love you, did she? She'd rather have me or my goody brother," I added fuel to the fire and his breathing got heavier.

Ralph turned to his vampires and pointed out the door. "Leave the room at once."

As soon as every single one of the vampires left the room, he grabbed me by the collar of my black buttoned-up top, he threw me across the room. The chair I was bound to broke into pieces and I struggled to stand up.

The vervain was still in my system. It would take a few more hours for it to clear. Ralph was standing in front of me when I managed to stand up. I raised my fist to punch him but he grabbed on my fist without much difficulty and started putting pressure on his grip.

I cried out in pain as I fell to one of my knees, my eyes shut - trying to think of happy thoughts.

"She would've picked me, if not for you Salvatores!" he cried in anger, inserting more pressure.

With my eyes shut, I laughed for the pain as loud as I can. I opened my tear-filled eyes and saw him narrowing his eyes on me.

"Even if we didn't come into her life, she wouldn't pick you," I shook my head with amusement and continued. "You're so not her type, dude."

He roared in fury as he reached out for my jaw. I struggled a little in the air looking at the hybrid who was still struggling to break her ropes free. I shifted to glance at Ralph, whose canines were already showing. He pulled my neck closer to him, taking in my scent.

"I'll drain the life out of you, Salvatore. And then I'm going to put a stake through your heart."

"I'll be sure to tell Katherine you said hi," I grinned and he growled before he sink his teeth into my neck.

I cried out in pain, feeling him draining me dry. I dropped onto the ground without realizing, but I didn't bother to look anywhere either.

"How did you -"

"You are so dead," the hybrid grumbled and sounds of things breaking could be heard.

After a few minutes, someone held me by my head and made me look up. The hybrid looked at me with concern in her eyes - the first.

"You need blood," she commented and bit her wrist.

"That's obvious, isn't it?" I mumbled and she glared at me before she placed her wrist on my mouth with force.

I reached out and started drinking the rich nutrients coming from her blood. After having my fill, I pulled away and wiped my mouth.

She started to help me up and I took in the condition of the place. So many vampires were down on the ground - even Raphael. Then I looked up at her.

"How did you get so strong?" I questioned with a frown before she grinned mischeviously.

"I had to drain human's blood to save you -"

"About that," I interrupted as we started to walk out of the room. "Don't try to save me. Ever."

"You're welcome," she smiled.

As soon as we were back in the suite, I dragged myself towards the kitchen in the suite and pulled out a couple of champagne. I walked into the bedroom and sat on the floor, placing the champagne bottles in front of me before I started drinking from one of the bottles.

The next minute, the hybrid walked into the room and saw me drinking. She shook her head and headed towards the bed behind me.

"If you want to drink, all you have to do is ask," I smiled a little, not showing her my face.

"And get drunk with you? No thank you," she scoffed causing me to roll my eyes. "And besides, you need blood. Not alcohol."

"I'll get my food later."

She is really naggy at times.

"Damon," she started and I turned to look at her.

"Drink with me," I said with a serious tone and for a second, she was caught off-guard. "Please."

She squirmed a little before shrugging herself out of the bed and sat next to me, one of her hands reaching out for a bottle. I smiled genuinely and looked away.

It sure does feel nice to have someone by your side, I suddenly frowned at my thoughts.

Lucky for me, the hybrid did not seem to take notice.

We sat in silence, drinking our bottle before she timidly spoke, "Damon, who's Katherine?"

I froze - with the bottle a couple of inches away from my lips - while my eyes bored into hers. Putting the bottle on the ground, I wrapped my arms around my leg - hesitating to let her into my life story.

"A girl I used to love," I finally answered but made no effort to look up at her.

"Is she -" she paused as though to find the correct words. "You know, one of us?"

Slowly but carefully, I nodded my head.

"She was the one who turned me," I was absently turning the lapis lazuli ring around my finger over and over again.

"How is she like? Katherine," the hybrid asked with interest.

I sat in silence, still turning the ring. Then I smiled to myself, as I thought of my time with sweet Katherine.

"She's beautiful but at times complicated," I frowned a little when I thought of her choice between me and that brat of a brother. "And selfish and at times, not very kind. But she has this innocence and child-like character about her that makes you fall for her."

"What happened to her?"

"She killed herself, at first," I stopped my actions before I half-huffed and half-smiled.

"I don't understand," the hybrid had confusion in her voice. "What do you mean 'at first'?"

"Well, she made it look like she killed herself after me and that brother of mine refused her decision to keep us both for us to be a family. We were both in love with her and told her to make her choice. She told us she'd come to one of us - the one she have chosen - and a few nights later, she came into my room.

"You have no idea how elated I was for her to have chosen me instead of him. She took a bit of my blood and gave me hers in exchange. We didn't do it of course. In the old days, women - even female vampires in the past - take their virtue very seriously. Sooo unlike the ladies in this century," I shook my head in disgust.

"I'm pretty sure you're glad it's like that now. It's easy and it comes without any favors to it - like marriage," she narrowed her eyes at me though she was smiling at the same time.

"Oh, very much! But they call it 'making love' for a reason," I shook my head.

"Anyway, she left the same night. I woke up the next day with a very sore throat but every single one of my senses were sharpened. I went out to find her and saw her with him in the garden. I heard him saying that he didn't believe she'd chosen him instead of his older brother.

"We started to argue about her decisions in choosing the both of us. She left crying. The next day, we were both outside her room when her personal servant who told Stefan - and grudgingly refused to tell me - where Katherine went to. We found her white gown by the garden and ashes on the ground with a letter. She had blamed herself for getting in between us Salvatore brothers and killed herself so that we can be a happy family.

"She had left the ring of hers along with her gown. My brother wanted the ring she wore but I wanted it for myself. It was mine and he cannot have it. We started hurling nasty words to each other; even blamed each other for what happened to her. I don't know how it happened but we had swords in our hands. And then, I killed my brother."

I heard her gasp silently in horror and I turned to face her with a devious grin.

"But the smartass somehow had his sword pierced through me and we both died on the spot," I mumbled and shivered a little from the memory of the pointed tip stabbed into my heart.

There was a long moment of silence before the hybrid spoke, "She really died?"

"No," I replied with a grim tone. "She made it look like she killed herself but she showed up one day when both us Salvatore brothers tried to win Elena's heart. But she really died when Elena pushed her out into the sunlight."

"Long story," I added when I saw her opening her mouth.

"Damon," she said softly and I looked at her after taking another sip from the bottle. "Why do you hate your brother so much?"

The question was followed by the sound of thunder.