The Devil's Angel

Jumping down the flight of stairs, her thoughts kept flinging back to small, most confusing and wrenching moment with Damon last night. Though nothing happened, yet a lot did and she had no idea what to do or how to do it. She didn’t know if he would bring it up or leave it be. She skimmed through the living room and entered the kitchen when she saw him with a plate in his hands. He turned around and put it at the table.

“Good morning,” he said with a small smile and Mia’s insides tightened. So, that was how he was gonna play. Fine, she thought and made herself more cheery, feeling a lot better with a good night’s dreamless sleep. “Good morning, yourself. How are we…doing today,” she put a little emphasis on the ‘we’ part and tried to keep the smile off her face as Damon froze with her use of ‘we’ but recovered just as quickly.

“Bonnie’s coming today. We’ll know about the glowing piece of jewelry.” “Hmm…ok,” she said, “so, you made a breakfast?” “Don’t ever underestimate a vampire in kitchen,” he smirked, waving the spoon in air as if to lecture her. “I didn't know your favorite though,” he pointed at the plate. Mia looked down at her plate and seated herself, “I love everything from this to that but,” she paused as she inspected the plate, “I’ll say pancakes are my favorite.” She nodded to emphasize her point and then looked at Damon who sat in front of her.

“So, where’s your breakfast?” she asked with a mischievous smile playing on her lips, stunning him into silence. She looked around and feigned a fearful expression, widening her eyes, she put a hand to her neck at the spot where he had bitten before, “because I don’t see anybody else…in the room…except me,” she managed to say in a small voice. Her expression had Damon cursing himself but then he caught the gleam in her chocolate brown eyes. “Are you for serious?” he scolded.

Mia broke into a laughter and kept nodding as she took a bite. “You know,” she swallowed and took a sip of water, “I don’t know your preference either. Is it A, B…O?” she chuckled. “Come on, Mia. We were talking about favorite breakfast,” He reminded her in a serious tone. But man, was she stubborn. “Isn't that what we’re talking about?” she managed with raised eyebrows and innocent voice of a child who just got admonished by her parents.

He shook his head, “Aren't you even a little offended by it?” “I came back from dead,” she shrugged, “I don’t think it affects me the same way or maybe…” another mischievous smile appeared on her face but her speech was cut short by the door bell ringing. Damon looked towards the source and smiled, “Bonnie’s here,” he said and took off.

They all sat in the living room, discussing the meaning of the necklace, its charms and the reason to why it glowed but Mia was oblivious to it all as her eyes were transfixed on the same piece of jewelry that made her faint the last time she touched it but its pull was undeniable as it called for her again and again. She didn’t knew she had stood up to take it from the table where it laid, half covered in a cloth when Damon’s hand grasped her wrist and looked at her sharply, “You’re not touching it,” he said with finality in his tone, “You know what happened last time.”

Damon was the one who wanted her to touch it just yesterday but today, he was not so sure. He tried but the image of her falling unconscious was on a replay in his mind and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to witness that again with her.

“It’s ok,” she said softly, pleading with her eyes, trying to make him understand, “maybe it caught me off guard last time but I’m ready now.” The drive to touch it was becoming painful for her. “I think it’s ok for her to touch it,” she glanced at Damon who was glaring at her but she continues, “it knows you, identifies you which is why I think it glowed before. I think it’s ok to touch it.” Bonnie said not completely trusting her words. “I distinctly remember not asking for a glass of your opinion, witch,” he retorted harshly, earning a glare from Bonnie.

It was during that time, that Mia took it in her hand and just like before, it started to glow. Damon suddenly stood up to snatch it away from her hands when she turned to him, “I need to wear it,” she said in a hurry. “Uh...uh!” Damon shook his head but Bonnie took it gently and clasped it behind her neck as Damon bore daggers into Bonnie’s skull. After fastening it, Bonnie examined her fingers which were not burnt by the contact this time.

As soon as it touched Mia’s skin, it started to glow in the similar fashion it had before, suffusing brightly with an intense illumination. Mia raised her face to the ceiling, her eyes closed and a copacetic smile playing on her lips. The glow subsided and with the progressive fading, the transparent crystal changed its appearance to an opaque stone with a cream color. Mia slowly opened her eyes to see questioning looks on both Damon’s and Bonnie’s faces.

“I feel better…stronger. Better than I’ve felt since…since I woke up,” she tried to convince them but her mind was still reeling from euphoria and giddiness. Damon looked at her skeptically and rushed to catch her as she swayed and made her sit on the couch. She looked at Damon now, his profile, his chiseled features and a ruggedly handsome face. His sapphire blue eyes glowed like fire as he too stared at her.

Though he was regarding her with a serious look, Mia could picture his smirk which made him look more boyish, arrogant yet charming. His dark brown hair had a windblown look to it and her fingers ached to run themselves through them, feel it against her skin. Admiring him now, she could only describe him as wild, dark, alluring and gorgeous which was unnerving for any woman.

Damon sat in front of her, his hand gripping her shoulder while other rested at her waist. He studied her too, her silky dark hair flowing in waves to adorn her ever glowing light wheat colored skin. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, were a delicious color of melted chocolate. The same eyes that touched him, scrutinized him, even with a casual glance. The eyes that he feared could read him, could discover the parts of him he wanted to hide, even from himself. His gaze then fell to her lips, her rose pink, full lips which looked plain sinful to look at, now that he paid attention.

Mia felt she was looking at him for the first time, she knew the attraction was there but all of a sudden, it had magnified, intensified to an extent that she feared he was a fragment of her imagination to keep the haunting realities of her life at bay. She couldn't blink, thinking that the illusion would break. She wanted to touch him but then the thought of him vanishing like a ghost struck her mind and she clutched the side of the couch to keep herself in check but Damon had no such reservations as he leaned forward to cup her face in his hand. The simple touch caused a shiver to run through Mia’s body as she gaped at him openly, leaning in to his palm, soaking the warmth.

Bonnie stood there gaping at the sight in front of her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and it was so intense that watching them felt like intruding in a personal moment yet she couldn't look away. She had never seen this look on Damon before, not even with Elena and she was in shock and disbelief. The way their breathing became erratic, Bonnie knew she had to interrupt them but how to do it without making it awkward for all of them. “Is that pancakes I smell? Wow, Mia. You were served properly,” she said in haste and spun around towards the kitchen. It was lame, she knew it but she had to do something.

Mia looked up at the mention of her name, her eyes searched the room in panic as the spell broke. Damon too, once released took a seat on the couch, a little away from Mia but she stood up suddenly and looked around before settling her gaze on Bonnie, “I…uh,” she cleared her throat, “need to, uh…go home,” she stammered and then hesitantly turned to Damon who gave her a single nod.

“Take her home, Bonnie,” he said in a deep, serious voice and Bonnie rushed at Mia’s side and took her by arm, leading her out as if she had been waiting for the moment all the time, she was there. Damon eased back into the couch and rested his head there. Closing his eyes, he tried to gain control of his wandering thoughts, unsettled emotions and unfathomable feelings.