I don't know how long I've been sleeping again, this time with Stefan by my side. My head resting on his bare chest as I slowly wake up. Probably he had been awake for a couple of hours, because when I lift my head up, his head shot up to me. ''Good morning, beautiful.'', he said with his voice sounding huskily. I slowly start to realise what actually happened last night. A small blush forms on my cheeks as I realise I wasn't wearing anything, feeling embarrassed for my behavior last night. Stefan chuckled softly, making my heart beat faster every time. ''Don't be embarrassed, it was perfect.'' ''It was..'', I said honestly, leaning closer to press my lips against his. Damon, who probably has been watching since I woke up, cleared his throat which made both of us look up. ''I don't want to interrupt or something, but one of your friends got attacked last night, sweetheart.'', Damon said like it was the most normal thing in the world. ''What? Who?'', I asked as a frown appears on my forehead. Stefan's hand slowly caressed my bare back. ''Clover. I saw them taking her away to the hospital.'' Somehow, I didn't trust Damon, which isn't strange if you ask me. There was something hidden in his behavior that made me doubt. ''Than we should go to the hospital, don't you think love? I hope she's okay...'' I nod at Stefan's words, Damon left the room as fast as he arrived. Yet before he had been leaving, he winked at me. What was playing inside of his head? Stefan threw the covers aside, and I got up before he could get out of bed. We both got dressed and left to the hospital not soon after that. ''Oh, Dahlia..'', Sarah sobbed and she hugged me tightly as soon Stefan and I arrived. ''What happened Sarah?'', I asked seriously, almost forgetting about yesterday. This was ruining everything. Sarah told me about how she found Clover, covered in her own blood in her bedroom. The two shared an apartment. The lock of the front door was broken. ''And she has this huge wound in her neck, Dahlia I'm so afraid...'' I could almost hear Stefan gulping. A vampire. This meant two things. Damon and Stefan weren't the only vampires in New Orleans and my father will probably go completely mad. I had to stop him before he would discover the true nature of my boyfriend and his brother. I give Sarah the address of Stefan's mansion, explaining why I'm staying there. She promised me to tell me as soon something happened to Clover. ''This will end like 1864, I can feel it.'', Stefan mumbled, his jaw barely moving as he spoke. I took his hand, leaning against him as we walk to the car. ''Don't worry, I got this, okay?'' ''You got this? You're in the middle of something terrible Dahlia. Your father is hunting me, and will probably kill you as soon he finds out about us.'' ''Stefan...'' I gently lay my hands down on his cheeks, my blue eyes sparkling as they gazed into his eyes. ''I got this..'', I say again, this time he nodded. There had to be a way to end this all. But for today, we were safe and had to use this time. A half hour later, the evening sun was shining on my bare skin, once we were back into his room. Every kiss he placed on my skin, made me shiver of pleasure. ''Dahlia?'', he mumbled softly, looking up into my eyes. ''Yes?'', I managed to say softly. ''Do you trust me?'' I knew where this was going about. Blood sharing. Stefan had been telling me about it yesterday, telling me it was the way vampires showed their lover they truelly loved them. It felt like he was rushing things, like he knew something was going to happen. But I gave in, tilting my head to the side to expose my neck. His lips brushed over my skin, my eyes fluttering close as I relaxed. The pain was very sudden and strong, a soft groan leaving my lips as I was trying to ignore it. Stefan wrapped me in his arms, pulling me close to him in a warm embrace. I relaxed, a warm feeling rushing through my body. The feeling of giving. I woke up from my dreamy state as he looked up, the sight of my blood on his brims made me shiver. He moved his hand towards the nightstand, taking the small dagger which has been laying there since the first day I woke up here. He moved the dagger to his neck, making a large cut into his skin. I gulped by seeing the blood, yet Stefan kissed me tenderly and mumbled against my lips: ''Drink it.'' It didn't sound like he was demanding me to do something, but it sounded lovely and kind. I moved my lips to his neck and started to take small sips of his blood. It seemed like he was enjoying it much more than I did, as I hear small sighs leaving his throat. The iron taste was filling my whole mouth, it was disgusting but I kept drinking it. Now I knew why this was so special. My blood flowing through his system, his blood flowing through mine. It felt like we were one person, bonded in a way I couldn't describe. ''I love you..'', he mumbled under his breath, I look up. I slowly wipe his blood from my lips and nod slowly. ''I love you too...'' Our lips connected into a passionated kiss and everything that followed showed more lover than ever before. I knew it. Stefan was the one...
The reason why I did the blood sharing with Dahlia last night, was because I had this strange feeling. The feeling something terrible would happen. My love for this human girl was so strong, something I didn't felt after my transformation. She had to know it, and that's the reason I did it. Most of the times I was the one who was waking up early, but this time I wasn't. My eyes slowly flutter open, the morning sun shining through the curtains. I look beside of me, finding an empty spot. My eyes quickly glance at the chair. Dahlia's clothes have been hanging there and now they're gone. She must be downstairs, preparing breakfast like any other normal day. I get dressed, walking down the stairs as I button the last two buttons of my shirt up. ''Good morning, brother.'', Damon murmured as he was reading the newspaper. I frown a little, looking around in the kitchen. ''Dahlia isn't here?'', was all I had been asking. Damon shook his head. ''After your romantic evening yesterday, I thought she would be with you.'', he honestly answered, I could feel he was being honest. Where the hell was she? I was starting to panic. What if something happened to her? Damon gasped, my eyes turn back to him. He slowly laid the newspaper in front of me, his finger pointing at the headline. ''A. Blackwood arrested for murdering his seventeen years old daughter.'' It was like a bomb was falling on the ground, my world was caving in. I was right. ''This night, Blackwood's daughter was on her way home when her father shot her. People in the street have been hearing him yell that she was just as bad as the demons who had control of her are...'', Damon spoke softly. I fell down my knees, my face hiding in my hands. This couldn't happen, it couldn't. I lost Katherine and when I found true love again, everything vanished by one simple gunshot. I ran outside, probably in vampire speed because before I knew it I was at Dahlia's house. I threw the door open, familiar faces gazing at me. Lydia, one of Dahlia's best friends walked towards me and tried to calm me down. Was that needed? Little did I know tears were streaming down my cheeks. ''Do you want to see her?'', she whispered softly, I nodded. I had to see her, I had to say goodbye before she would be gone forever somewhere on the cemetery of New Orleans. Lydia walked upstairs, I followed her. I had been seeing dead people a lot lately, but this was tearing my heart apart. Dahlia was laying on her bed, her hands folded together and rested on her stomach. Her eyes were closed. It was like she was sleeping. I took her hand, holding it into mine like she had been holding my hand the day before, as we were walking out of the hospital. Yet, her hand was cold as ice right now. I didn't want to let go, I couldn't accept the fact I would never see her again. Her smile, her perfect blue eyes. I could never hear her laugh, feel her lips on mine, her warm skin against mine. ''Stefan? You have to go now... They're picking up her body soon to prepare her for the funeral.'', Lydia suddenly said. I nodded, slowly standing up. My hand slipping out of hers soon enough. ''Will you be there?'', Lydia asked softly, I faced her. ''I don't think I can do that, it would break me more than I already am.'', I said, my voice cracking horribly. She nodded, glad she understood though. ''Goodbye then.'', she said after we both were silent as we walked down the stairs. ''I think it will be a farewell, sadly enough... My brother and I can't stay in New Orleans any longer.'' She nodded once again, showing me a weak smile. ''You'll be missed, just like Dahlia...'' ''Wait..'', I say. ''Can I go back to Dahlia once more? I need to give her something..'' ''Hurry, Stefan.'', she said and let me inside again. I ran up the stairs, entered her room and walk back to her lifeless body. I take a little box out of the pocket of my trousers. It had once been the wedding ring for my fianceé, but she got killed before the wedding. I open the box, taking the golden ring out and put it around Dahlia's finger. I lean closer to her, kissing her cold lips softly. ''I love you, Dahlia Blackwood. Forever and always...''
''Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you. That is how I know you go on. Far across the distance and spaces between us. You have come to show you go on. Near, far, wherever you are. I believe that the heart does go on. Once more, you opened the door. And you're here in my heart. And my heart will go on and on.''
