Elena sunk her face into the pillow, closing her eyes. To her surprise, she realized she was experiencing an unprecedented sense of calm as she felt the weight of Damon's stare on her face. Was she really going to fall asleep, knowing he was there? Had she really come to trust him enough to let him stay?
Damon Salvatore, the diabolical vampire who killed for sport, mercilessly and without remorse, was in Elena's room, lying on her bed, right beside her. Elena's body felt warm under the covers, and, for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to ask him to leave.
It had been a long day, and she was exhausted, much too drained to worry about Stefan's murderous rampages. Her ex-boyfriend had given into his ripper side and was now lost to her. She was convinced that Stefan's bloodlust had won over the love he'd once felt for her.
Yet, oddly enough, at this point, she just wanted to relax and get some sleep, forget her Stefan troubles and just dream of a happy tomorrow, even if it was all just a quick fix that would be shattered the moment she woke up the next morning.
She knew all she had to do was ask Damon to leave, and he'd do it without question. He'd tell her good night with that devilish smile of his and then disappear out the window like a fleeting shadow, faster than her eyes could see.
The only problem was that, as much as she hated to admit it, she wasn't quite sure that's what she wanted. Lately, Damon had been showing some genuine concern for her wellbeing, and his close proximity was making her feel safe in an unsettling, inexplicable sort of way.
After all, this was the guy who'd murdered her little brother, Jeremy, without knowing Jeremy had been wearing the protective ring. He was also the guy that had killed Alaric, the only father figure she had left in her life. The fact that Alaric's ring had brought him back to life was a different story. Bottom line was Elena felt her growing affection for Damon was undeniably sadomasochistic.
She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that Damon was capable of dying in his fight to protect her, but at the same time she also knew he had a volatile personality. The slightest provocation could make him go from perfect gentleman to homicidal psycho in the blink of an eye. If she said or did the wrong thing, he'd snap her neck like a twig . . . or would he?
After Elena had told Damon about the conversation she'd had with Rebekah earlier, she'd closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep. Yet, as tired as she felt, she simply couldn't do it, knowing Damon was right there, silently watching her.
Then, as if he'd read her mind, Damon whispered, "Elena." He paused and waited for a few seconds, then asked, "You're not asleep, are you?"
Trying hard to pretend like she was, she refused to answer and rolled over to the other side to face away from him.
He chuckled softly. "I can tell by the sound of your heartbeat that you're not asleep, you know," he muttered in a playful tone.
Still, Elena didn't say a word. Why couldn't Damon just keep his mouth shut and let her rest?
From the moment she'd met the Salvatore brothers, it seemed like every single day there'd been a new battle to fight, another enemy to run from, always something to worry about. Constantly walking the fine line between life and death was starting to get old.
She just wanted some peace and quiet once and for all. Put all the drama behind her and live the life of an ordinary human girl.
Just then, she felt Damon get up from the bed.
Elena wondered if he might be getting ready to leave. The idea of him leaving made her feel a most awful sensation in her chest, an emptiness mixed up with longing, like she was losing a part of herself. As much as she wanted to pretend she didn't care, she had to face it.
