Immortal Forever

I wake up in bed alone hugging the pillow beside me.

I lay there for a moment before I decide to go downstairs.

I hear a lot of voices as I enter the kitchen where I can smell breakfast.

Or brunch. Jeez it’s 11:30 already...

I enter the kitchen to find Jake, Kevin, Vesper, Raven, Amber, and Damen.

“Good morning Roza,” Damen says.

“Hey,” I say quietly to everyone. I hop up on a bar stool as Damen slides a plate of pancakes in front of me. “You should have woken me up,” I say frowning.

“You needed your rest. Plus I knew the smell of food would wake you,” he says smiling.

“Rose has always loved her food,” Amber says.

"Especially her pancakes." Raven adds.

"I'm actually more thirsty than anything today it's weird."

All the guys laugh. "Rose you're changing...it's not all that odd." Vesper says.

I look up at Damen to ask him for a fork to see him handing me one. I study his face for a second and determine that he looks very sad before I ask, "How did you know I needed a fork?"
"You're thoughts are kinda loud today...that'll happen all day maybe even for a few days after."
"Oh. Hmm I'm suprised my dad isn't here yet."

"He called. He wants me to take you to the City."

"Wait...he trust us?"

"I think it had to do more with you yelling at him last night than trusting me."

"Oh."
"Yeah the King doesn't really like it when his little Princess cries." Jake says.

"So what exactly is the plan today?"

"Well someone will come to get all your things. In fact I imagine someone is at the house packing them now. We can leave the stuff you have here, here if you'd like. We should be able to visit once your thirst is under control. But anyway we will focus on just hanging out okay? Saying goodbye. Then at about 2 a.m. we'll finish the change and we will be on our way."

"When are Vesper and Raven catching up?"

"Oh Rose we haven't decided yet. Probably about a month to a month in a half. If Raven is in danger we'll go."

"What about Amber?" I ask.
"I'll be okay. They searched early this morning. Eddie was working alone. He just wanted to take your place I guess."

"He had no spies?" I ask Damen for reassurance.

"None. It was unusual but...no one really knew about him. Your father didn't even know."
I continue eating and Damen sets a small glass in front of me.

"Drink this. I'm going to go umm," he pauses and looks at Amber then back at me, "hunt. It's going to take a lot out of both of us tonight."

"Okay but what is this?"

"Wine...mixed with some blood."

"Ew. No."
"You're thirsty. That's your drink," he says with a smile.
"Ugggghhh okay," I groan taking a sip. I feel my suprise as I taste Damen's blood mixed with the wine.

"Not bad huh?"
I choose to ignore his question and just say, "I'll see you later."

After Damen's out the front door Raven asks, "So that's Damen's blood huh?"
"What how did you know that?!"

"Who else did he get it from unless Amber volunteered."
Amber screeches as she says, "Hell no."

As I sat there eating my pizza I thought about the day. It was really a blur. I remember watching Vampire Sucks and laughing insanely with Raven, Amber, and Vesper while Damen, Jake, and Chris just sat there and grunted. I also remember falling asleep for a while in Damen's arms while everyone else watched Tuck Everlasting. After that Damen sent me upstairs for my shower before he took me to say goodbye to Benjamin and Tulip...

"Why can't you tell us anything?" Tulip asks me frustrated.
"It's for your safety. I'll be with dad. I'll be fine. I'll be back one day too but that's all I can tell you."


They had both cried as I hugged them goodbye and left.

"They'll never forgive me for this." I say on the car ride home.

"At least you got to say goodbye."
"What do you mean?"

"My parents think I'm missing. Gone. They refuse to think I committed suicide that day and that they can't find my body."

"Someone saw you jump?"
"Yes. I'm just lucky no one saw me get out."

"But you'll never see them again..."
"I know. I'll never see my sister either. But I'll get through it."

"What was her name?"
"Rory. Well actually Lorelei. I was the only one who called her Rory."

After that I couldn't remember.

"Damon?" I ask quietly.
"Rose? What's wrong?"

"I can't remember most of today...why can't I remember?"

"It's the overload of blood in your system. You'll remember it all soon enough."

"Oh."
"You guys I think it's time for you to say goodbye to Rose..."

"Why so soon?" I say tiredly.

"Well you're going to need some rest. Come on up," he says as he sets me up on my feet.

"Rose I'm going to miss you." Amber says while giving me a hug.

"I'll miss you too. But we'll see each other again. I'm sure."

"Just don't forget me."

"Rose we'll see you soon okay? I'll keep Raven safe."

"I know you will."

"We will too." Chris and Jake say at the same time.

"Thank you."

"We'll be best friends right next to each other one day soon." Raven says with her grin.

But I see right past her grin. She's afraid. She's afraid I won't survive.
"What is it Raven?"

"I had a dream last night. Don't go to a town called Ravenclaw. Go to Meadowbrook."

"How did you know that's where we were going?" Damen asks.

"Just don't go there."

"I didn't tell her Damen I swear," Vesper says.

"Okay."
After that Damen sends me upstairs to get ready for bed as they pack the car with clothes for the drive.
I'm already in bed when he comes in.

"Oh Rose..."

"Damen when will I know if I still like you?" I ask as I lay my head on his chest.
I hear his chuckle and feel it in his chest as it rumbles through his body.

"You would have already found me slightly repulsive."
"Which part? The thought of exchanging with you or being in your arms with my head on your chest?"

"Mmm both and more," he says while kissing my forehead.

As I fall asleep he starts to sing softly...
Tenere in stretto. Dormire la notte. Io sarò qui. Non ti preoccupare caro. Dormire la notte. Si prega di non avere paura. I mostri non si vive qui. Chase quei demoni di distanza. Io sarò qui tutta la notte. Ti terrò stretto. Non ti preoccupare caro. Io sarò sempre qui.

Damen's View

I wake long before Rose.

I watch as she sleeps and think about the last few weeks. The night I met her. Scared her in the woods. It was suppose to be my job. But after she passed out and hurt her head I couldn't stay away. I was caught. After that first bite I was caught like a fly in a spiders web. Though Rose was no spider. She was sweet. She was funny. She had a great laugh. She was protective. I realized I loved her.

If her feelings do change I'll go. I can't deal with that heartbreak. I'll also go if she chooses Chris.

I feared her choice in front of the Council. Her father would be influencing her. He'd make some sort of deal with her she couldn't refuse just to get rid of me. Or Chris would. He had had a crush on her for years from what I knew.

I looked at the clock that read 12:30 a.m. next to the bed. I traced the lace pattern on Rose's black nightgown around her hip which caused her to mumble in her sleep. I laughed as she buried her face deeper into my chest while I ran my other hand through her long waves down her back.

I then started to kiss her forehead as I rub her back and say, "Rose it's time to wake up. Come on bella."

After a few seconds she groans and mumbles what I think is, "Are you crazy? I'm tired. No." Then she rolls away and pulls the covers up to her chin.

I scoot over under the blankets and crawl on top of her and start to lightly kiss her face. She wraps her arms around my neck and says, "Damen what if I end up not liking you? I care about you. Not having any interest in you would kill the real me..."

"It would kill me too."

She frowns and bites her lip before she says, "Promise me that if I try to turn you away you'll fight until the end. I want you. That's what counts now. Unless of course I hurt your feelings reallly bad. If I'm a cold hearted bitch leave me. Promise?"

"I promise."

"So what's the plan now?"

"Lay here for a few more minutes. Get dressed. Eat something. Bite you. Throw our stuff in the car. Drive."

"Oh sounds um fun."

"It will be. Once you're changing. We'll get to Newcomb at about mmm three or four in the afternoon. We'll get a hotel and stay there for a day or two."

"Okay."

"Then another stop in maybe a town or two and your new home."

"So about four or five days."

"About a week to be safe. They'll expect us to take you there right away."

"Oh. Is it bad that I'm scared?"

"You have every right to be scared. But I'll protect you Roza."

I'll protect you.