Never Means Forever

Three days later I still found my body pressed closer to Damon’s and he was sitting up, watching the TV, the volume soft. “Thank God it’s Saturday.” He’d been coming over every night.

“This means we can party. And dance,” Damon said, a devilish grin taking over his face. I flipped over, grabbing the water bottle I set on my night stand to get a sip of water. I turned the covers so they uncovered my legs, crawling out of bed to make some breakfast. Damon walked behind me, talking about things we could do.

“Damon…” And he bit into my neck without a warning. I screamed at the sudden intrusion when Damon retracted his teeth, running his tongue against the two holes on my skin. I wrestled out of his arms, slapping him across his face.

“Give me a warning next time. You know how much that hurts.” I had been used to giving Damon blood when he needed it, but usually he was desperate and typically, I was the one to offer it to him.

“Sorry, it’s been a long time,” I stripped off my blood stained shirt, walking over to my bathroom. I could feel Damon’s presence behind me as he pulled me close, his fingers resting at the hem of my shorts. “No, Damon, no sex,” I said, turning on the sink. I took a towel, soaking it with water. “Let me,” he said, taking the towel from my hands. I lifted my hair and let Damon dab at the wound. He pressed his lips against my skin.

“Stop!” I almost shouted, flinching away. “I’m nothing but a toy for you. Don’t treat me like I’m willing to have sex with you.”

“I know you want to.”

“No, I don’t. Damn it, Damon, if I’m going to have sex, I want to be in love.”

“But—,”

“No buts, Damon.” He turned me around forcefully and crashed his lips against mine, my legs hitting the counter.

“Damon!” I screamed. “Let go of me, please..” I said, as soon as he pulled away. “I hate you,” I whispered, and his hold dropped. I quickly grabbed a hoodie, slipping it on, and left the apartment. I heard breathing when I looked into the rearview mirror of my car. A man sat, an evil smile etched across his face. I unbuckled, unlocking the door, and ran for it. But, before I could reach the stairs, the man slammed me against the wall. “Damon!” I screamed out and before I could blink, Damon appeared; lifting the guy off of me, and the crunch of a neck snapping reached my ears. I burst into tears, still terrified. “Hey, Aria, listen to me.”

I muttered his name, hugging him around the waist. He kissed my forehead, holding me tight against his body. “He was a vampire, Damon!” I cried, against his chest.

“I know, babe, I know,” Damon lifted me up, one hand under my knees, the other holding my back. “You’re not living here anymore. I’m moving you to the boarding house. But in secret. Pack an overnight bag. I’ll be back later to get your things.” I couldn’t move as he set me down, so instead, in ten seconds flat, a pair of jeans, a tee, and my toiletry bag, plus backpack were on my bed. Damon walked over to the drawer with my bras and picked out a lacy black thong and its matching bra. “Who do you wear this for?” he asked, chuckling. My cheeks flushed red. I could hardly breathe. I just wanted to drop dead. “Babe, I’m just kidding,”

“You better be..and stop calling me babe,” I said, sitting up and taking the undergarments and stuffing them into my drawer. I walked into the bathroom to pee and after I came out, I found him at the door ready to go His phone rang. “I’ll explain when I get home. Right now, I’m taking her to her shift,” he said, his voice just slightly louder than normal. I gave him a questioning look, but he just shushed me. He shut the phone, taking me to his car. He backed out and then glanced at the rearview mirror. He texted me with one hand. ‘You have to kiss me when we get there.’

“What?” I asked aloud. “Why?”

“Just, do it.”

“Fine,” He parked. I leaned over, pecking him on the cheek, His arm wove around me and he pressed his lips against mine. I didn’t understand why he was doing this but he pulled away after a few moments, telling me to leave with his eyes. When I got out, I turned to find a man-the same man- watching Damon and me. And then I moved. I walked inside, consciously.

“Relax,” he texted almost immediately. And then I felt a warm presence next to me. “Come on,” he whispered. “Close your eyes,” and the next thing I knew, I was sitting in his room, alone. After about ten minutes, Damon reappeared, holding me close, before I could even burst into tears. “It’s a different man. I killed him. Don’t worry.” After my tears seized, Damon stood up.

“Please, don’t leave me.” Damon looked confused.

“Why are you so scared?” he asked.

“I feel like something is going to happen. Something bad..I feel like dad’s going to find me.”

“He might find you, but he’ll never be able to lay a hand on you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Aria,” he said, leaning close to me, kissing my temple.

XOXO

The next morning, I awoke to loud laughter. I groaned, and snuggled into my pillow, but instead found myself snuggling into Damon. He tightened his hold around me, and I smiled into his chest, resting my head on top of it. “Babe, get up,” he muttered. Instead of answering, I just snuggled my head deeper in his chest, ignoring the laughs from the television.

2 Months Later.

Two months of living with Damon meant that I’d have to deal with Damon’s bipolarity, especially when Katherine appeared out of nowhere. She hated me with a passion. ON numerous occasions, as son as Damon left to find Elena or help her, Katherine tried to kill me. However, I stayed alive because of my necklace of Vervain. For some reason, she couldn’t withstand it. There had to be some other spell on it that she couldn’t lay her hands on me.

Damon never found out. I never let him know. I didn’t want him to. He had enough to worry about with Elena.

“I love her, Aria,” I turned, dropping my book on my bed.

“Who? Katherine? I know Damon.”

“No, Raya.” And then it clicked. I felt my gut wrench.

“Don’t tell Stefan.”

“Yes, Ray, I’m going to tell my brother I love his girlfriend who’s trying her hardest to get him out of the tomb.”

“Which she shouldn’t be. Stefan’ll be okay,” I said confidently, trying to not let what Damon had said bother me. “I know he will.”

“You care so much for him. Sometimes, it seems like you care more for him than you do for me.” I gave him a glare. “What?”

“Shut up.”

“I told her,” he said, quietly, staring at his hand like it was nothing.

“YOU DID FUCKING WHAT?!” I yelled.

“I told her.” I hit him, hard across the face.

“Are you daft?”

“Yes, Raya, that’s exactly why I made her forget.” I bit my lip.

“Okay, well, I have homework,” I said, trying to get him to leave, and he did, without saying anything. I opened my book, but couldn’t read. Instead, I just stared at the wall. I don’t know when I fell asleep, but the next morning, Damon woke me up.

“Your pillow is wet.”

“I spilt water on it,” I instantly said.

“Bull shit. What’s wrong?” he asked. I closed my eyes. I hated it when Damon went all sweet on me. It just felt unnatural.

“Nothing.”

“Can you stop lying to me?”

“Nope.” I rolled out of bed, tying my hair up.

“Okay, well I’m on Elena duty today. I’ll see you later.” I sighed, watching him leave. I sat down, folding my legs on the bed, laying back down. My dreams the night before consisted of Damon telling me he hated me. “Aria!”

“What?” I sat up. “Fresh blood,” he said, quietly. I knew he hadn’t had blood in a few days, and to be quite honest, I’d rather him take blood from me than from an innocent girl who he’d probably kill. I closed my eyes, taking off my necklace. I felt Damon sit behind me, moving my hair to the side, and he just plunged his teeth into my neck. I clutched his right hand, trying not to scream. My eyes were starting to close, my vision blurring, my breaths slowing down. “Damon.” I whimpered. He let go of me, running his tongue against the two holes.

“Thanks, babe,” I smiled, faintly and fell back against my bed.

“Tell Jeremy to pick me up for school,” I muttered.