Tourniquet || Damon Salvatore (1)

Chapter 19: The Kiss

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I heard my phone ringing in Damon's pocket and thankfully he handed it to me. I gave him a quick nod then rushed out of the bar to answer the call.

"Hello?" I softly answered the call, anxiously waiting for the yelling to begin.

"Where are you?! Bonnie told me that she found out through Stefan that you're with Damon! Arina, he's not a good person," Elena yelled over the phone.

I gulped hard before replying, " I got into a car wreck and Damon saved my life. Elena, I was almost killed by a vampire. They could still be searching for me. If I'm with Damon I should be safe. Besides, this trip wasn't my idea. I woke up in Damon's car halfway to his destination."

"He's dangerous. You need to get away from him, okay?" Elena breathily spoke in a solemn manner. I had a strange feeling that she was hiding something new from me. By now she would've mentioned Stefan and she hasn't.

"Elena, is everything okay?" I questioned, feeling concerned for her. Something was definitely going on back in Mystic Falls.

"Honestly no Arina. When I was at Stefan's house I found a photo of a girl who looked exactly like me. I know it wasn't me in the photo because it was old. It said 'Katherine' on it. I look like Katherine!" Elena shakily revealed.

My jaw dropped. I composed myself before I responded, "That's crazy! What did Stefan say when you found out?"

"I'm avoiding Stefan. I think he might be interested in me only because I...I look like her," Elena murmured, clearly trying to avoid crying at the end of her last sentence. Despite what she did to me, I was willing to put it aside and be there for her as a friend.

"Elena, Damon told me that Katherine was complicated and selfish. You're nothing like that. I think Stefan likes you for who you are," I replied reassuringly, remembering the talk I had with Damon in Elena's kitchen.

I heard Elena sniffle through the phone as she agreed with what I said, "You're right...I wasn't really being fair to him. Thanks Arina."

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Damon's P.O.V.

Bree and I sat at a table in the corner of the bar. She kicked up her legs onto the table, staring at me while I murmured in a secretive manner, "Come on, there's gotta be another way."

She had to have some way of helping me get to Katherine. Even though I was focusing on getting Katherine back, part of me could stop thinking about Arina.

She was nothing like Katherine and yet I found myself enthralled by her. I didn't quite know where Arina and I stood which made it hard for me to decipher if I should act upon my feelings.

"After all these years, it's still only Katherine. How do you even know she's still alive?" Bree spoke bitterly, clearly annoyed by my stubbornness.

I reached a hand toward her and answered,"Well, you help me get into that tomb, and we'll find out."

She frowned and moved from my hand. I dropped it onto my lap as Bree spat out,"I already did. Twenty years ago. Remember? Three easy steps: Comet. Crystal. Spell."

I stared at her with annoyance. "There's a little problem with number two. I don't have the crystal," I replied frustratedly.

She shrugged and finally stated," That's it, Damon. There is no other way. It's Emily's spell."

"What about a new spell with a new crystal that overrides Emily's spell?" I suggested.

Bree gave me a sympathetic look and sighed,"It doesn't work that way, baby. Emily's spell is absolute. You can't get into that tomb."