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CHAPTER FIVE
the mystic falls historical society volunteer day
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( kill or be killed )

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Harper's POV.

*The Mystic Falls Historical Society Volunteer Day at the Site of a New Public Park*

As a member of the National Honors Society, I was required to take part in the Historical Society's volunteer day. Our teacher-sponsor stationed each member at a different job, and I got stuck with running the snack and drink tables for the volunteers. Which isn't so bad. I got stuck doing the exact same job at graduation last year.

I watch with suspicion as my dad, Mason, and Sheriff Forbes talk amongst themselves at the dessert table in front of me.

I wonder what they're talking about. They seem real whispery.

After a while, Mason and my dad leave, leaving it as just Sheriff Forbes. Then Damon comes over to talk to her. It's really annoying not being able to hear anything they're saying, but, at least, Damon hasn't acknowledged my presence yet. Maybe it's finally gotten into his thick skull that I want nothing to do with him.

People come and go from the snack and drink tables, either wanting lemonade if they're thirsty or a cookie or Hawaiian sandwich if they're hungry. I also help myself every now and again when no one's looking. It really helps that some of the younger volunteers are running the lemonade table. All I have to do is supervise them, and they do the rest.

I'm standing behind the lemonade table with some of the kids when Mason walks over by himself. My dad is no longer with him. I wonder where my dad went.

Mason offers me a friendly smile before taking a cup of lemonade from Cyndy, one of the young volunteers.

"Thank you," he tells her.

"You're welcome," Cyndy responds politely.

I watch Mason walk under the pavilion where Damon approaches him. They start talking. Last I checked, Elena had told me that Mason had admitted to being a werewolf to Damon, and, in turn, Mason revealed to Damon that he knew he and Stefan were vampires. So I doubt things between them are very good right now.

After a bit, Mason walks off, and I watch as Stefan goes to talk with Damon.

I really wish I knew what they were talking about.

When they're done taking, Damon turns around and wanders up to the lemonade table. I avoid making eye contact and just let the kids take care of him.

Cyndy holds a cup of lemonade out to him. "Would you like some lemonade?" she asks.

I finally gain the courage to look over at him.

"Thank you, sweetie." He takes the cup from her and casts a quick grin in my direction.

I look away again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch him take a sip of the lemonade . . . and then spit it out. He starts coughing as if he's choking on something.

Disturbed, I tell the kids to go fill some more cups up with lemonade. While they're busy, I go over to the pavilion where Stefan is calming Damon down at a picnic table.

"What happened?" I ask.

Damon looks up at me with a cold glare.

"What happened?" I repeat, more gently this time. My gaze turns to Stefan.

But before Stefan can say anything, Damon pushes his brother's arms off him and rises to his feet. "You think this is funny, don't you?" He takes a step forward.

I take a step back out of reflex. "What do you mean?"

"Ohhh, don't play dumb with me, little miss. I know you spiked the lemonade with vervain." His nostrils flare at me.

I take so many steps backwards that my back hits against the lemonade table. "I did no such thing." I look to Stefan for help.

Like the night-in-shining-armor he is, Stefan steps between me and Damon. "Damon, stop. If she said she didn't do it then she didn't do it."

With his gaze still hard, Damon turns his attention to Stefan. "Well then, who did?" He blinks as if in realization. "Oh."

And at the same time I realize it too. For the first time in a while, I willingly make eye contact with Damon. "Mason," I say.

Damon's mouth tightens. "I'm gonna kill him." He brushes past Stefan and me.

But he doesn't get very far because Stefan catches up to him and blocks his way with his hands. "No! Hey—Hey, listen to me," Stefan pleads.

I watch the two brothers from behind the lemonade table.

"No more mister nice guy," Damon growls, about to move past Stefan.

Stefan holds Damon back with his hands. "Stop! Stop. Stop," he tries to calm his brother down.

Damon shoves Stefan's hands away. "I'm not listening to anymore of your give-peace-a-chance crap. He's dead."

"Okay. Okay," Stefan breathes heavily. "I don't like it, but he's making threats. He could expose us. We need to put him down."

"Alright, let's do it," Damon says. He points forward for Stefan to follow. "Woods. Trash duty. Come on."

I run after them. "You can't kill him!" I call from behind.

Both brothers turn around.

"You don't have any say in this," Damon says.

"You're not listening to me," I say, getting frustrated. "I have known Mason since I was little. He's practically my uncle."

"Oh please." Damon scowls. "You haven't seen him in years." He pauses for a moment. "He's not your uncle."

"It doesn't matter," I bite out. "He's still a human being. He doesn't deserve to die."

Damon takes a step towards me, and, surprisingly, I hold my ground. "He's a human being who can turn into a big puppy dog and rip your throat out," he counters.

This is getting no where. I look behind Damon at the more reasonable Salvatore. "Please, Stefan," I beg.

The younger Salvatore sighs. "We're not gonna kill him, Damon."

"What?! No!" Damon scowls, looking back at his brother. "I just had you on my side." He glares at Stefan in betrayal.

Stefan walks forward to stand evenly with Damon in front of me. However, he ignores his brother and focuses on me instead. "But, Harper," Stefan begins gently, "we still have to do something about Mason. He's making threats. It could be a problem."

I look down at the ground. "I know."

"How about . . ." Stefan starts. I look up at him hopefully. "How about we lock him up for now—just like we did with your parents. We won't hurt him." He casts a glance at Damon. "Just keep him contained until we can figure something out."

"I guess that could work," I say.

"Fine. Whatever," Damon speaks up. "As long as beach boy doesn't get to walk around like he owns the place anymore."

*Later That Night at the Salvatore Boarding House*

I should have known things wouldn't go completely as planned.

Apparently, when Stefan and Damon went to go capture Mason, he was ready for them and set a trap. They ended up almost nearly killed by Liz, my dad, and the other deputies. But thanks to Caroline's new vampire abilities, they were saved. Of course, my dad and Liz still had to be taken care of, so Damon compelled my dad to forget what happened. Liz, on the other hand, was a bit more complicated. She was still on vervain so now she has to spend at least three days in the Salvatores' dungeon before she can be compelled to forget, just like my parents not too long ago.

The only reason I'm at the Salvatores' this late at night is because of Elena. She was my ride home after we were done volunteering. But after everything that happened, we had to be there for Caroline while her mom was being locked up, which is when Caroline revealed to us why she's been acting so weird lately. Apparently, Katherine has been using her to spy on Elena and Stefan, using Matt as leverage.

I was appalled when I found out, and, at the same time, I felt guilty for being glad that it wasn't me, that I wasn't the one Katherine was blackmailing into being her spy.

Once Caroline falls asleep on the couch, Elena crouches down and places a blanket over her. "Let's go," she says quietly, standing to her feet.

I follow her towards the front of the house. However, Damon walks by and stops in front of us.

I'm almost too tired to let his presence bother me right now.

Elena places a quiet finger up to her lips before pointing behind her at Caroline. "Caroline's sleeping on the couch," she informs him.

"I heard," Damon says. "And you two?"

"We're going home," Elena responds. She walks past him, and I do the same. We head for the front door.

"Hey," Damon says from behind us, getting our attentions. He mainly looks at Elena. "Stefan didn't drink the people blood, if you're curious. But he needs to. And deep down you know that."

Elena hesitates to open the door before completely taking her hand away from the door knob. "I'm gonna be right back," she tells me before walking away, leaving me alone at the front door . . . with Damon.

How could she do this to me?! She knows I'm uncomfortable around Damon! And I thought she and Stefan broke—

"You're not gonna be able to hate me forever," Damon says, walking closer to me.

My chest tightens.

He continues, "You have every right to hate me. I understand." His lips press together. "You hated me before and we became friends." He pauses a moment to take a breath. "It would suck if that was gone forever. So . . . is it? Have I lost you forever?" He gives me a hopeful smile.

I don't know what to say. A little voice inside of me is telling me to give him a second chance. But after all he's done, how can I do that? Just today he threatened to kill Mason for goodness sakes!

I finally speak up, choosing my words carefully, "You haven't lost me forever. It's just . . . I can't do this right now. You killed my dad. How am I supposed to get passed something like that?" Truth be told, he pretty much has lost me forever. I just don't want to tell him that and make him angry.

"Harper . . . I'm sorry," he says. "Katherine really pissed me off and I—I snapped and I . . ." he hesitates, eyes bearing into mine. "I got lucky with the ring. And I don't know what I would have done if your dad wasn't wearing it."

We would be having a completely different conversation right now if my dad wasn't wearing the ring. In fact, I probably wouldn't have dared to step foot in this house again. And that's just it. My dad could have died. My life could have been flipped upside down. And because of that, because of Damon's devil-may-care attitude, he's not going to change. He's going to continue to hurt people regardless of the consequences.

"Damon, I . . . I don't think this is going to work." My eyes turn away, unable to look at him any longer. "I can't forgive you for what you did. My dad could have died. I could be fatherless right now!" My voice raises unintentionally. I take a hefty breath. "I just can't—I can't . . ."

Elena suddenly walks back into the room. "I'm sorry I took so long," she says. She glances over at Damon before returning her gaze to me. "Are you ready to go?" she asks.

"Yeah." I nod quickly, my stomach twisting into knots.

I want out of here, now!

Elena opens the front door, and I follow her out quickly, leaving Damon and I's conversation in the past.

3rd Person POV.

Sitting in the Mystic Grill nursing her drink, Ella Branson watches the locals of Mystic Falls going about their days and nights, without a care in the world.

How naive they are, unaware of the monsters that roam among them, right under their noses.

A sudden tap on Ella's shoulder causes her to freeze. Whoever it is smells really good, placing her drink on the bar, she turns to face the newcomer with a smile.

"You're new around here," the man states matter-of-factly, that smirking smile and stunning blue eyes leaving no doubt as to who she's speaking to. Ella had seen pictures of both brothers in order to stay extra careful, and, regardless, it's hard to miss the one and only Damon Salvatore. His reputation preceding him in the vampire community.

Damon takes the seat beside Ella, signalling the bartender for a drink, clearly a regular, since he doesn't have to say a word and the drink is just placed on the bar.

"I am. But I'm just passing through," she explains, giving him her sweetest smile in return, looking up at him from under her lashes.

That seductive smirk grows as he extends his hand out to her.

"Damon Salvatore. And what's your name, beautiful?"

Taking his hand, Ella shakes it gently. She's very quickly surprised and a little distracted, when he brings her hand to his soft lips and presses a kiss to her knuckles.

"Well, my name is Ella. It's nice to meet you, Damon." She smiles as he leans in closer. "So, are you here with anyone?" she inquires suggestively, her eyes still fixed on his as the tip of her finger circles the rim of her glass.

"Are you flirting with me, Miss Ella?" Damon asks, sounding a little smug as he runs his fingers up her bare arm, creating goosebumps across her skin. 

Ella hums low in the back of her throat, gripping his wrist before that hand can travel any further up her arm, moving it back onto  the bar. He pouts at her, which she finds kind of adorable, but she can also see the smile that lurks beneath that pout.

"Well, Damon, that's all gonna depend on how you answer."

Ella leans back against the bar on her elbows when Damon stands from his stall, coming to stand in front of her, drink in hand. "All by my  lonesome tonight," he assures her, eyeing her carefully, like he's looking for something. "That is, unless you wanna keep me company?"

Her lips slowly pull up into a smirk.

The door to Damon's bedroom swings open followed by the two stumbling vampires, their lips attached in a hungry kiss. One is looking for a distraction from the events of the day while the other is taking advantage of the other's desperation.

Smoothly, Damon pushes the door closed with one hand to give them privacy. However, this one moment of detachment annoys Ella, and she hooks her fingers in the collar of his shirt, keeping his lips connected with hers.

Mary was not lying to her. He is an excellent kisser. She shoves him a against a wall, trapping him between the wall and her body.

A little surprised at her strength for a human and liking to be in control, Damon attempts to flip them around. But before he can, she pulls him down by the neck and plunges her tongue into his mouth, swiping it around wherever she can reach. His mind turns to mush at her intoxicating taste.

Seeking out skin, Ella grips the hem of his shirt and frustratingly tries to pull it up and over his head. She would have just ripped it off, but in order to keep up appearances as a human, she can't risk exposing her inhuman strength. Even in the heat of the moment, she knows how to control herself.

Eventually, Damon helps her remove his shirt, and her eyes glaze over at the sight of his well-toned abs. Unable to help herself, she licks her lips before pulling him down for another heated kiss. 

Damon suddenly pulls away and growls. His hands find her waist and flip her around so that her back is against his bare chest. He attaches his lips to her neck in a hot, open-mouthed kiss.

It makes her own mind turn to mush, and she finds herself leaning back against him with her mouth wide open, breathing heavily.

Damon then flips them around, having her pushed against the wall from behind. Ella lets out a small moan of pleasure as he attaches his lips to her neck yet again, nibbling and sucking on the skin.

A ripping sound from behind makes her realize he's tearing off her tight-fitting pants. She can feel a cold breeze across the back of her legs. But before she can react, he starts to nibble on her neck again, this time, right below her ear. Her mouth falls open, panting in absolute pleasure.

If only Damon knew she was no ordinary one-night stand.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

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a/n:

I am a Christian and serving the Lord means a lot to me. In fact, I consider it my purpose in life. So before I post new chapters, I'm going to ask a question (or something like that) at the end of each chapter and will require a certain amount of responses in the comments before I  post a new chapter.

If you are a not Christian, I completely understand, and you don't have to take part. Just know that I will still require a certain amount of responses in the comments from other people regardless. So if you do choose to take part, it will just make updates happen that much faster.

So, my request for this chapter is: Please check out the "Boxes of Blessing" website. It is an organization that delivers Christmas gifts to kids in poor communities all around the world. It would be so amazing if you could donate money or even make a shoe box yourself filled with toys for the kids! However, all I'm requiring is that you at least check the website out. Here is the link to the website >>>>>>

Please comment responses that you have checked out the "Boxes of Blessing" website here in the inline comment section >>>>>>

(if I get at least 13 responses, I'll post the next chapter of this book)

-- roxy

( word count: 3k )