Craving~ a vampire diaries fanfic

Chapter 3

It took several knocks on the ornate wood door for someone to finally answer. Stefan was in shock when he saw Adeline standing on his front porch with a bright smile. Neither one of them could tell if it was sincere or not yet.

Adeline held the phone up. "We switched em."

Stefan seemed to tense up slightly. "I noticed as soon as I got home. I apologize." He steps aside opening the door up wider. "Why don't you come inside? I left it upstairs."

Against her better judgment the blonde walked through the threshold of the door and into the foyer. A long red rug over the dark oak floor lined the hall in front of her. It was long and it was elegant. Paintings hung on the walls and vases sat on ornate cabinets. It was beautiful.

Stefan ushered her to a living room area. It was full of books and fancy couches. It wasn't until she got fully into the room that she froze. a tapestry hung on the wall in front of her.

It was a deep emerald green with silver threads sewn through. Silver threads depicted a waterfall that flowed into some type of crest. Adeline could only assume it stood for Salvatore. It would've taken whoever made it years. It was ormate. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking.

A voice broke Adeline out of her trance. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Adeline smiled before she turned around. Still staring at the piece. " it's breathetaking."

"Well you would know wouldn't you?" She turned now at the comment. It was the man from the grill. She took a small step back. "Well maybe not."

She took a deep breath. She was debating running out but a voice in her head told her to keep her feet planted. Something told her it was safe. That he was safe.

"I don't know what you mean." She shook her head at him.

He stepped closer. "Oh you don't, miss pincer?"

"Miss pincer?"

She shook her head once again. She looked down before looking back up again.

The room was bright now. The July sun was shining through the windows behind the man. The room smelled like cigar smoke and whiskey. It burned Adeline's nose but she ignored it instead staring at the man in front of her.

"Mr. Salvatore." Adeline said playfully. A laugh fell from her lips at the thought of such formality's "oh Damon, I've started the most wonderful project."

The room shifted back to its dark oak color and fire smell. Adeline shook her head as the man In front of her stepped closer.

"Back off Damon." Stefan's voice shook Adeline out of her fright. She took a step back and around Damon. Her mind was a whirlwind. Spinning a million miles per minute. Stefan turned his head curiously at her as she came up beside him.

"You're a pincer?" He handed her back her phone as he asked.

"Yeah?" Adeline nodded but remained confused as to why it mattered.

"A founding family." Damon said from behind her. She could hear him growing closer. "Like the Salvatore's. In fact,"

Stefan tilted his head in warning to his brother. "Our family's were quite close." Adeline turns to him. "From what I've read." Damon's words seemed to hold hidden meaning. He walked over to the tapestry on the wall. He pointed towards the threads in the bottom corner. "Why don't you come take a look, blondie?"

She shuffled over to the wall looking closely at the artist's signature. Written in silver thread, was Clara Pincer. Adeline's  great, great, and then some, aunt. Adeline swallowed thickly.

"It was gifted to the original Salvatore brothers after their death in 1864." Damon patted Adeline on the back. "It's been in our family for generations. They say it took Clara years to sew the tapestry. Finally finishing it months after the Salvatore brothers tragically died."

.Adelines eyes drifted to the tapestry in front of her. She traced the intricate stitches with her gaze. Though her mind was far away. The story was sad, no doubt in Adeline's mind about that but something about the way Damon spoke of Clara unsettled her. Before she could stop herself she shifted her attention to Stefan. "How'd they die?" Her voice was steady but there was an edge of curiosity.

Damon's hand froze, just grazing the edge of the tapestry. For a brief moment something flittered across his face. Was it pain? Was it disappointment? She never would've done that to him. A sense of satisfaction hit Stefan at the interaction. A small smirk tugged at the corners of Stefan's mouth. Damon had always captured her attention and here, in this small moment, Damon's disregard brought him satisfaction. It was a quiet victory won 146 years to late.

"They were shot." Stefan said after a long moment. "A girl, whom they both loved was killed. It drove them to shoot eachother."

Adeline noticed the small tremble of Damon's hand as he pulled away from the tapestry. Something about the story had moved him. "A girl?" Adeline mostly said to her self. "It always comes down to girl doesn't it?"

She turned to Damon this time noticing the way he reacted to her words, to her attention. Damon was haunted by something that she couldn't read. He nodded slightly. "Always."

"Always."

"Mr. Salvatore you shouldn't make promises you don't intend to keep." She said with a coy but knowing smile. Damon danced around the girl. Their hands inches from touching. So close to eachother. The room was loud with the shuffle of dancing feet and music played by the orchestra. It was a ball. The girls eyes were locked on Damon as they danced in circles. "Promises made are promises unfulfilled, Damon. I know what you do with Katherine in the dark night in her room." 

Damons eyes flickered with surprise. Damons tone was teasing yet laced with the edge of a challenge. "And what is it you think I do in the dark Clara?" 

In an instant to facade was gone and Adeline was right back in the parlor. The opulent decorations now suffocating. In between Stefan and Damon. The threads of her family's past hung above her as she struggled to breathe. She felt the weight of her family's history pressing down on her.

She turned sharply to Damon. "What are you doing to me?" Her voice was a soft tremble but held all the emotions she had been keeping in.she saw the surprise flicker through his eyes but as quick as it came it was gone.  His eyes almost softened as they looked at her. "Why is you being here making them worse? Making them stronger?"

Damons brows furrowed. "What do you mean 'stronger'?" He shook his head. "I haven't done anything." He looked towards Stefan for a split second who looked equally as confused.

Adeline's locked up for a moment. After what seemed like hours she finally made way for the door. She turned over her shoulder. "Please just stop it."