Damon wove through the throngs of partygoers, forcing a relaxed smile onto his face as he moved deeper into the ballroom. The chatter and music swallowed him up, but he couldn't shake the weight of Klaus and Elijah's words from his mind. "Protection", "a place–among us, besides us"–rang in his ears, mixing with the distant hum of the orchestra and the low buzz of gossiping guests.
He grabbed a glass of wine from a passing server and downed it quickly. The smooth, expensive taste did little to settle the unease twisting in his chest. He glanced back toward the balcony, catching a glimpse of Klaus and Elijah through the glass doors. Klaus leaned against the railing speaking in hushed tones to his older brother, while Elijah's eyes followed Damon even from a distance. Damon's breath hitched, and he turned away sharply forcing his focus back to the party around him.
He had to get a grip. Letting the Mikaelsons rattle him was a rookie mistake. He'd dealt with ancient, manipulative vampires before. Not that old and intimidating but that was beside the point–what made these three any different? Yet, even as he tried to convince himself, a small voice nagged at the back of his mind: they were different. There was an intensity in their interest, a dangerous charm that set them apart.
Damon made his way to the bar, hoping a drink might drown out his confusion and frustrations. Unaware of Kol slipping behind him, he didn't notice the mischievous glint in the vampire's eyes as he moved closer.
Kol slid into the chair beside him just as Damon's drink arrived. "A bold choice, breaking away from the crowd. One might think you're avoiding me," he drawled, amusement curling his words. Damon shot him a sidelong look, clearly unamused. "You could say that. I've had enough of your family for one night and it's only been two hours."
Kol chuckled, clearly entertained. "I take it my brothers didn't exactly mend 'bridges' or make a stellar re-first impression." He leaned in slightly, studying Damon's face. "Though you don't strike me as the type who scares easily. Or backs down." A faint smirk crept onto Damon's lips as he kept his guard up. "True. I don't scare easily and I'm not one for backing down. But trusting blindly to people who've tormented my friends? Not my style. I'm keeping my distance until my brother decides we're done here" Kol hummed, amused, and took a leisurely sip from his glass. "Believe what you want. I don't care."
Damon frowned, his curiosity piqued despite himself. "You're a bit of a mystery, aren't you?"
Kol's grin sharpened a hint of wicked charm sparking in his eyes. "And you're not? Your reputation certainly suggests otherwise." He leaned closer, letting the tension simmer between them. "Everything they said was true–my brothers and I have taken an interest in you. And I'd love to see what lies beneath that bravado, darling."
Damon felt a flush creep up his neck, his brows knitting together as he tried to decipher Kol's intentions. There was an undeniable tension there, one he couldn't quite ignore. But Kol didn't let up, his gaze lingering, unflinching.
"You don't have to trust me," Kol murmured, voice dropping to a whisper. "You don't even know me yet. But let me show you what kind of Mikaelson I am. I have a feeling you might find me... refreshingly different." Damon watched him, caught off guard and intrigued despite himself. Kol raised his glass in a subtle toast, a knowing smirk on his lips before he slipped back into the crowd, leaving Damon alone to contemplate what "different" might actually mean when it came to a Mikaelson.
"When did I become a doppelganger?" Damon sighed and turned back to the bar, determined even more to drown out the rest of the evening with alcohol. But as he sipped his drink, the feeling of being watched crept over him again. He glanced back toward the balcony, catching the faintest outline of Elijah, his eyes fixed on Damon through the glass doors again. At the top of the staircase, Klaus leaned casually against a pillar, his gaze just as intense. And right by the bottom of the stairs, Kol lounging on a couch with a girl on each arm, his smirk patronising.
Damon's grip tightened around his glass. He couldn't shake the sense that he was being drawn into something–something bigger than himself, bigger than this town. and as much as he hated to admit it. he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to fight it.
∘•········sʚ 🩸🩸🩸ɞ ········•∘
Whose interactions would you like to see more? I'd doesn't have to be with the Mikaelson brothers. Let me know and I hope you've enjoyed this chapter
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Their Raven
FanfictionDamon has spent a century as a vampire, believing that his immortal life began when he was turned but when long-buried memories resurface, he discovers a shocking truth before he became a vampire he was a witch, a powerful one. As a child, Damon wie...
