Lost and Found (The Vampire Diaries)

Chapter 13: Don't Expect Any Tears

Damon's view

I had driven Jade back the way we came so as to stop off at the Grill, I now lounged on the bar stool as if it were as comfortable as any armchair and sucked on a frosty beer peering at Jade while leaning over the polished counter, I told myself that I was keeping an eye on her but even I didn't buy that lie.

Her hair fell over her shoulders in waves and glistened in the lamp light, when she moved the light caught it and made it flicker like fire, she (like me) was also slumped over the bar as she waited for her drink to arrive. She impatiently swept the side of her hair that was closest to me behind her ear and propped her head up with her elbow, ten seconds later the barman, a large, bulky man with dark skin and a shaved head, handed over her drink and she smiled politely at him before taking a long swig of ice cold coke.

I pointed my half-empty beer bottle at her grabbing her attention before asking, "So how did you get here anyway?"

Jade swivelled her seat a full 180 degrees before ultimately ending up with her body facing me and her coke resting on her right knee, "How'd you mean?"

Her eyes held nothing but child-like curiosity as I answered, "Here, how did you get here?" I tapped my finger on the wooden surface.

She looked at me as if I were stupid, "You drove me here remember?"

I pulled my hand over my face so that I was cupping my chin, "No, how did you get to Mystic Falls? Who created you?" Honestly, I felt like I was talking to Lassie.

She raised her head in understanding and then moistened her lips before simply stating, "I don't know."

I let my head drop to the bar with a heavy bang, "I don't know why I try." I stayed like that for several seconds and then turned my head so that it was lying on its side to be greeted by one of Jade's infectious grins, I raised my head, "What are you smiling at Onyx."

I had phrased it more as a threat than a question, a warning that I was liable to retaliate, for some reason I was more touchy and irritable tonight than usual. She downed the other half of her drink and set it down on the side for the barman to clean up. She nodded at him as he took her glass away, "Thanks Roy."

I poked her, "Uh, how do you know him? You haven't been to the Grill before."

She leaned in conspiringly, "Name tag," My eyes flicked over to the man's shirt long enough to agree that the barman was indeed wearing a plain white name tag that said 'Roy' on it, and then focused back on Jade. We were so close now that we were practically sharing each other's breath as she spoke, "It's fun to annoy you."

I blinked, "Why?"

Her misty eyes penetrated mine as she replied, "I've noticed that not many people can annoy you, or if they do then you tend to cover it up. I like how you show it when I get on your nerves, it's more interesting than the usual 'cool boy' attitude you like to hide behind."

She started to lean back but I wrapped my hands around hers stopping her in mid-motion, "The only reason you annoy me is because you always seem to know what buttons to press, and the only reason I show it is because I've never felt as comfortable with anyone as I have with you." I suddenly realised what I was saying, the words had poured from my mouth like an unstoppable torrent of white frothing water before I could think about them, what was happening to me? What was she doing to me? I wasn't some sissy; I didn't talk about my feelings. I was Damon Salvatore, a vampire, a cold-blooded killer for Christ's sake! And no girl, even an un-dead one, was going to change that.

My cheeks burned as I threw her hands away from me in disgust and made to leave but was stopped by the sound of her childishly inquisitive voice, "Damon? What I do?"