World So Cold

I woke up in the forest. Damon was beside me, seemingly in worse condition. Stefan was in front of us. He held a rabbit for both me and Damon. “This should be enough for you. Enough to find your own preferred food at least.”

He dropped the rabbits in mine and Damon’s laps before turning and moving back towards the church. He probably had to be there to give Elena’s body to the police and everything. I don’t know what story he’d make up. At that point I didn’t care.

I grabbed the rabbit and put it to my mouth. I could feel the blood pulsing through it and bit down. The fur tickled my tongue and the blood just tasted wrong. Still it was blood and I drank. I drank until its veins had run dry.

Throwing the creature aside, I leaned my head back against a tree. I closed my eyes, resting and gathering my strength. I could hear Damon’s breaths as he did the same. Opening my eyes I looked at him, noticing how some of his wounds had begun to heal. His clothing still lay in tatters.

His gaze was off in the distance, towards the church. He seemed to be staring at something only he could see. His posture was one of relaxing and indifference. His injuries had to be hurting his though and his shoulder still seemed to be torn up.

“Damon,” I said softly trying to get him to look at me. His gaze though remained stubbornly fixed on the rising sun. I stood up against the protest of my muscles and moved towards him. “I’m going to find someone,” I said once I stopped beside him. “I’ll be back.”

“How do you know I’ll be here?” he asked without looking at me. His voice was monotone and scratchy.

“Please,” I said before I began to run towards town. Once I was in town I quickly found someone who had been badly attacked and bitten by the dogs. Their eyes were closed and their breathing was shallow as they lay in a backyard. I could tell that they were going to die in a couple minutes.

Kneeling down beside their body I pulled them up and bit into their throat. Their blood wasn’t the best since they were dying but I figured this way I wasn’t killing anyone. As their life passed I set them down gently, laying them on the ground.

Standing up I licked my lips trying to get all traces of blood. I could feel the blood heal my injuries. Looking around I tried to locate someone else. I could tell someone wasn’t too far away and made my way over there.

Finding them also torn and badly bleeding, I drank greedily. Their life soon passed too and I decided I’d had enough for now. Stretching my newly strengthened muscles I changed into a raven and took off back towards where I had last seen Damon. I really hoped he was still there.

I landed in the clearing and found Damon in the same spot. He didn’t move as I changed back. His back and head were leaned against a tree and I thought he was sleeping. Until he said something. “No one for me?” he asked a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Holding my breath I walked towards him and he opened his eyes to watch my approach. As I looked into his fathomless pupils I could see only mild curiosity. I went and kneeled down beside him, bracing myself for what I was about to say.

“I want you to drink from me,” I said. “It’ll heal you faster.” His gaze hardened with immediate rejection. “Damon, I’ve recovered enough for you to take some of my blood. And it’s going to heal you better than even a couple humans could.”

“What if I can’t stop?” he asked but at the same time I could see him struggle to keep his gaze off my neck.

“You will,” I said assuredly. I moved myself closer to him so that he could bite easier. Moving my hair out of the way I tilted my head, exposing my neck. His gaze moved to my neck and his eyes went black with desire and hunger.

His hands grasped my arms, gently pulling me towards him. I felt myself bend to his body. Closing my eyes I forced myself to relax and stay calm. “I could kill you,” said Damon, his voice wavering with desire.

“You won’t,” I said. “You never have.” I opened my eyes to take in his confused gaze. “Katherine had influenced you to kill me right after you turned. She doesn’t like competition.”

“There never was competition for you,” said Damon gently. His eyes read a thousand emotions. I just then realized how close our faces were to each other. Damon seemed to realize it at the exact same time. But instead of pulling away or awkwardly moving apart he pressed his lips to mine.

Waves of emotion overcame me as I kissed him back. He kissed with such fierceness and held me tightly. He kissed me like he never thought he would again. I guess that he had thought that. His kisses traveled down jaw and to my neck.

“Do it,” I said arching my head back. A second later Damon’s fangs pierced my skin. For an instant panic overcame me.

Relax came Damon’s mental voice. His tone was soothing and I found myself calming down and molding into him. That’s it, he said gently. Having Damon drink from me I found myself closer to him than I ever had before.

I closed my eyes relishing the feel of our auras coming together and wrapping around each other. I could read every thought that went through his mind. I found myself at the amount of love that I found, the appreciation for what I was doing.

Before I could search deeper and farther, Damon pulled away from my neck. I sent Power to heal the wound before opening my eyes and looking at him. I had ended up on Damon’s lap, his arms encasing me and holding me to his chest.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“You have no idea,” he said sending me one of his rare, genuine smiles.

*************************************************************************************************************************************

“What now?” asked Damon once he was recovered from his injuries. He was back to his old self. Well, besides that he no longer pushed me away.

“How about Italia?” I asked.