What Lies Beneath

Chapter 44: Better Than This

It was kind of like being under water, everything was hazy and muffled even though the bright morning sun was shining through the wide upstairs window. Bonnie could hear the shower running and if she pushed herself forward from the middle of the bed, she knew she would see Damon under its' clear spray probably staring off into space, water cascading down his pale body like warm rain on glass. But her head was too clogged to send the necessary electricity to the parts of her body that needed it to get her into motion.

Her skin felt like it was tingling all over; like when your foot falls asleep and the tiny needle sensations almost feel like magic swimming in your veins. The kicker of course was that she did have magic swimming in her veins but times like this it didn't really matter. Times like this it most likely exacerbated the situation.

The sheet was clutched to her chest. Her long black hair was covering half of her face and the breaths she released sent strands puffing into the air, tickling her shoulders and her cheeks. She swallowed hard and blinked, willing the bright neon swirls to stop dancing in front of her eyes. Bonnie had never done drugs before in her entire life—unless alcohol counted and she did not think it did—but damn if too much of Damon's blood didn't affect her like some type of acid trip.

All she could do was sit quietly and wait until it passed, try to think about normal things instead of how easier her life would be if she could wrap herself up in Damon and never come up for air. He had so many faults and when he was upset he could close off, but she couldn't stay away from him. She liked to pretend that he wasn't dangerous but she knew better. Damon Salvatore was a killer and yet she loved him anyway.

Loved him, burned for him, offered herself and her blood to him as if they were nothing because she knew—she hoped—to him they were everything. He could be rough and bruising and wicked but he never crossed any lines and stopped when she told him to.

However it was kind of strange to go from innocent good girl to willing vampire girlfriend. While she had been interested in sex like any other person, she had never craved it. Not even when she was frustrated and horny. Damon brought out a side of her she was sort of ashamed of but couldn't let go of. When she thought back to how she had reacted; how she'd begged for him and dug her nails into his skin to make marks just to see them heal, it was like she'd been possessed.

Their bond had flared bright—she'd almost seen it behind the ice blue of his eyes. She could feel it on her flesh as sure as she could still feel his fingertips dragging over her collarbone to her pulse point.

Sighing deeply, she looked up as he padded into view with a white towel slung low on his narrow hips, hair wet and slicked away from his face. "You okay?"

She nodded slowly. "Getting there. You?"

He shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm rethinking my game plan but so far I'm not sure what I should do. Maybe Elena was right…maybe we shouldlet Stefan go."

Bonnie crawled over to him, draping her arms around his neck. "No. He would never give up on you so I don't think you should give up on him. Klaus might not be dead but Stefan is free. There is a chance he would be willing to help you kill him now."

Damon snorted. "We don't even know where he is."

She nuzzled his cheek; he smelled like fresh soap, the wetness of his skin seeping into her own. "I could find him for you. Simple locator spell would work especially since his personal possessions are all over the place."

He exhaled but didn't seem too adverse to the idea. "We'll give it a few days and see what happens." Kissing her wrist, he studied what he could see of her. "Sorry about the party bullshit. I should have told you what we were doing."