The Good Daughter

Twenty three

Elijah would so lecture me when I got home.

For right now though, I was content to lay here on Tyler's chest. It was already well past dark and I was practically dozing.

"You can stay here."

"I'll have to face the music at some point."

"Yeah but that point doesn't have to be tonight."

I hummed, throwing my leg over his, and took in his scent. It was more than overpriced cologne and sweat. I couldn't put my finger on it. "Cute."

His fingers drifted over my shoulder, tracing the tattoo there.

It'd shown up one day.

"Why a butterfly?"

"They are a symbol for freedom. Something I have always coveted." Then when I had it, I did some things.

Earned my own reputation.

Past what I had as a Mikaelson.

"They're also supposed to mean love and hope."

"Can vampires even get tattoos?"

I hummed. "With lots of vervain. Vampires can scar if their healing is suppressed enough."

"Do you know everything about vampirism?"

"Yes." Hard not to.

Still. I had to go back before it got even later. No matter how much I wanted to stay in this safe little bubble.

Nik's lackey finding out about us had been very ill timing.

I groaned, pushing myself up to hover over him. "Unfortunately for me, Elijah is exceptionally good at tracking. I'm already pushing my luck."
I had to at least call.

"Your family is crazy."

"I'm so glad you're finally starting to see that." I pecked his lips and climbed off, grabbing my pants off the floor. "I'm going to need you to be extra quiet because he's probably going try and hear where I am."

"I can do that if you get back in bed with me." Tyler folded his arms behind his head. His sheets were doing him plenty of favors, the way it draped over his hips.

"Only because it's cold. Oh and I'll have to shower before I go home. Vampires have an annoyingly strong sense of smell."

"I'm not opposed to that." He grinned as I sat beside him.

I smacked his chest. "It wouldn't be together, idiot. I need to get your smell off of me."

He hummed.

I tapped Elijah's contact, holding a finger to my lips. Tyler didn't seem to want to stop touching me. He laid a hand on my thigh, thumb rubbing small, slow circles.

"Where are you?" It hadn't rung more than once.

"I'll be home soon."

"This isn't the time for games. Tell me where you are." There was a very distinct sound of someone's air being cut off. "Damon doesn't have any better idea of your whereabouts than I do."

Shit. My stomach dropped. "Are you hurting him?!"

"He would very much like to breathe."

"Don't you think you're overreacting? I've only been gone a couple of hours."

"Stefan's missing too. I've searched this entire house." That was Rebekah.

Oh god. They were working together. "I'll be back home within twenty minutes." That should give me enough time to shower. "Just please leave him alone. He has nothing to do with my disappearing."

"Ten."

"I can't get back in ten minutes." The sound continued. Damon was struggling. "Okay, okay, ten minutes."

"I expect a satisfactory explanation." The line beeped.

I looked down at my phone in shock. "I have to go. Right now, I have to leave." Of all the things I thought Elijah would've done, going straight for Damon hadn't been one of them.

"Can I drive you there?"

"No. That's- thank you, but I'll use my speed. Where's your bathroom?"

He nodded to one of the doors across the room. "The one on the right." I got up, but Tyler caught my wrist. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

Tears welled in my eyes. "They have Damon."

He got up, drawing me toward the bathroom. "Let's get you out of here then."