The Beginning | Damon Salvatore #1

Chapter 11

Alex decided that Mystic Falls was more patriotic about its history and legacy than the entire country based on how fancy and serious everything was when she and Elena walked into the "Lockwood" mansion. It was the biggest house she'd ever seen.

"Your coat, ma'am," a man said, snapping Alex out of her dazed thoughts. He held his hand out for her to hand it to him with a small grin on his face: a formality, it seemed. She nodded and slid out of it, folding it over his hand and wrist.

"Breathe, Alex," Elena said as she gave a small giggle and wrapped her arm around Alex's, which was now bare and chilled from the outside air as they stood at the open door. "It's only a night. No ancient vampires and no head-over-heels, wants to kill me and my friends, hunter dudes to ruin it."

"Easy," Alex said, eyeing Elena. The vampire gave her an apologetic smirk in return.

"I'm just saying you should try and have a good time tonight, okay?" She said, earning a smile from Alex.

"Alex," Stefan said as he approached them both. He smiled at the human girl before looking at his partner. "Elena." He dipped his head with her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, giving a wink as he lifted his head again. Stefan had worn an extremely nice suit, tie bar and all, which made Alex even more nervous about the seriousness of this party. Elena shot Alex a wink as he led her away on his arm.

Alex stood there for a moment, unsure of where to go. She simply moved to the side where the stairs were so she wasn't in the way and waited for anyone to come to her rescue that she'd know or for anyone to introduce themselves.

"Alex," a familiar, male voice said behind her in an entryway from God knows where. She turned to see Damon with a cool expression, unfazed, it seemed, by her in her dress. She, however, lost her words when she saw him. His hair was gelled just right and his tie was straight; his ring and watch matched perfectly with his cuff links. She forced her jaw shut and shook her head slightly to bring herself back to reality.

"Damon," she said, copying him and only glancing up into his eyes, still remembering their fight and knowing the way he looked would make her melt in his hand. She was surprised when he held out his hand for her to take and let a smirk play on the corner of his mouth.

"Wanna dance?" He asked. She sighed and nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead her to another room where she heard violins and cellos intermingling to make a perfect medley. His hand rested on her lower back as she laid her hand on his shoulder, unable to break the eye contact now as they were moving gracefully across a previously waxed floor.

"Done playing the sacrificial lamb?" He said, his jaw clenching. She rolled her eyes at his remark, ruining the dance for her, and huffed.

"Maybe you know more about other-dimensional, supernatural stuff than you originally let on," she said, looking over his shoulder instead. He brought them closer so they could hear each other better and not be forced to keep the awkward eye contact.

"Maybe you need have a little more common sense instead of trying to throw yourself into the lion's den with ancient vampires," he said. She smirked at his biblical reference as flashes of coloring sheets from her childhood raced through her mind: cartoon lions and a man in a tattered coat of many eventual colors. She kept her mouth shut.

"You look stunning by the way," he whispered, moving his hand only slightly so she knew his hand was resting on her bare skin above the hem of the dress. Her skin tingled under his touch. Again with silence, she nestled into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes, riding out the song until the last bitter note as the bow slid across a cello string.

"Alex," a voice said. She knew that voice. She jumped away from Damon and turned to see Dean standing there with a pained expression on his face. Somehow he'd found Mystic Falls and figured out about the current events and found a suit all in a few hours. He looked great.