Be Careful When You Bite Me

Chapter 25

Holly's POV

It almost felt as if everything had frozen and the only thing moving was the nerves at the pit of my stomach that sunk deeper and deeper. I suddenly left like a deer caught in headlights. The garden had cleared out and nobody was there besides the four of us, Seth and Isabelle and the Council.

"It's so nice to see you, my brothers," Seth was the first one to speak.

"We were just leaving, "Xavier spoke, his voice was calm and rational.

"But you just got here," he continued," you missed fathers speech when he announced that I will be the next King."

"You'll be King over my dead body," Damon released my fingers from his grip and darted a few steps closer.

I wanted to reach out and pull him back but I refrained from doing so.

"Actually," Vesto stepped out from the line where the rest of the members stood," that still could be arranged, and it will."

Xavier stepped towards Vesto, blocking Damon from his path," you'll have to go through me first."

Vesto smiled almost sarcastically," Is that so?"

"Why don't you take them all?" This time it was Isabelle. Although her voice was deep yet feminine, it still came off as infuriating.

Vesto turned around to look at her before turning back to face the four of us," as I should, after all, it was the three of you that killed my wolf and stole my prisoner."

I gulped back and looked at Damon. Beside me, Asia was wide eyes and scared.

"Let them go," Damon barked out," I'm the only one you want anyway."

"Charming," this time it was Fabian who stood amongst the others. The tips of his pitch-black Mohawk were cobalt blue instead of red," but that's not going to happen."

"What do you want?" Damon demanded. It was clear that he was tired of the games.

"I want the four of you to get into that van where you will be escorted to my prison, where you will all die a long and painful death for disobeying the only living gods of The Underworld," Vesto's oval pupils had gone red. His expression was starting to resemble an animal more than it had resembled a human. The scales on his skin became more visible now and shun with a hint of green," and I want it all done without a scene."

"That's not going to happen," said Damon," you either get me alone or none of us."

Isla stepped forward her long red hair bouncing with the wind," do you want me to take care of them?"

Vesto put up a finger," I'm going to give you one last chance to get in the car."

I looked up at Damon for instructions but his eyes were locked with Vesto's.

Isla stepped forward closer towards us and lifted her fingers. Her sharp nails were made out of wood and they extended to form a sword that shot at Xavier's chest. He gasped out loud, his eyes were now wide open staring at the faerie. Asia screamed out loud and ran towards Xavier but within a flash, Damon was at her side, grabbing her from getting closer. Asia looked towards Kai," you're a witch! Help us, we're your sisters!"

Kai's face remained expressionless as she stared down at Asia.

"Get in the car, with your sweetheart, or I pierce my nail right through his chest," Isla's fangs had extended, and was staring at Damon as if he were a disobedient prey.

Damon looked at me and looked back down at Asia. I could tell what he was thinking as if I were in his brain.

If we were to get into that van, we would be as good as dead.

"Let him go," Damon snapped, "you can have me, let him go, now."

The vampire I recognized as Aboot began to chuckle out loud," you're a joke to your race," he exclaimed to Damon," putting the lives of your entire family at risk for two witches."

"Everything they have done has been because of me," Damon replied," you pride yourself on being fair and I am offering myself to you with no fuss."

Ameera let out a growl, her face forming into a scowl," they killed a member of my pack, a wolf-"

"Who attacked them first-"

"They were breaking the law!" She shouted over his voice," they had no business being at that church!"

"Enough!" Isla screamed out. She dug his nails deeper into Xavier's chest and he groaned out in pain. His eyes were beginning to shut and I heard the sound of Asia's sobbing.

"Stop!" Damon shouted," let him go!"

"Make me," Isla challenged.

Damon was quicker than my eyes. He sprinted for Isla and chucked her body, flinging her back towards the stone fence of the garden. She landed with a thud strong enough to have killed her had she been human. Xavier fell to his knees and Asia rushed to his side.

Isla got back up and sprinted towards Damon, her nails still extended in the shape of a sword, aiming right for Damon's heart.

She was able to stab him closer to the neck and the sight was painful enough to make my knees weak.

Damon twisted on her fingers, inching them away from his body but it was clear that she was too strong. She kicked up in the gut and send him tumbling backward.

Damon was now on the ground, clutching his bleeding wound. Isla placed her sharp nail on the top of his forehead and dug it slightly," Vesto said don't make a scene, you're going to pay for this."

Faster than light, Isla was behind me, her hands gripping me tightly in a headlock. I gasped for air now unable to breathe and clung to her arms trying to pry them away from her.

"Damon!" I screamed out in pain as she pulled me tighter. I began to choke. Isla reached up and untied the ribbon of my mask behind my head, letting it fall to the ground.

Damon's eyes widened in anger and he stood up, despite the fact that he was still bleeding.

His fangs extended and dug into his lips.

"Careful," She said, her words hot on my ear," it would be so easy for me to snap her neck in two."

"Enough games," said Aboot.

He sprinted to where Damon was standing. He wrapped his arms around his neck and gazed towards Vesto," say the words."

"Let him go," said Aboot," let her go also."

Isla immediately released me from her grip and I fell to the ground clutching my neck and trying to catch my breath. Damon rushed to my side and helped me sit up. I was able to catch sight of his eyes that looked both guilty and angry.

He cradled me in his lap until I was finally able to breathe.

He helped me back up until we were both standing.

"I must admit," Vesto began," when I found out that my prison was broken into by a half-witch half-human, it hurt my pride."

Vesto was now looking at me in a way that made Damon growl. I could feel his body shake. I placed my hand above his in an attempt to calm him down.

Vesto continued," it would be too easy if you obeyed and let me take you back to that prison anyway...it's boring."

He began to stroll in front of us," I want you to give me a challenge Damon, make me feel young again, I have a deal to propose."

"What?" Damon snapped.

"I challenge you to run," Vesto's eyes sparkled with a hint of something dangerous," and if I don't find you within...one year, you and your friends are free."

Damon remained silent for a couple of seconds before replying," and if you find me?"

Vesto smirked," then you're all mine."

Damon shared a glance with Xavier who was now standing side by side with Asia. His wound had drenched both his and Asia's outfit in blood. His face remained blank.

Damon looked back at Vesto," deal."

The ride back to New York was long and silent. Damon drove and I sat in the driver's seat. Xavier was in the back with Asia who was still freaking out.

"We have to take him to Luna's," she insisted," she needs to help him-"

"Isla didn't pierce his heart, he just needs to feed," Damon replied.

"But-" Asia began but Xavier cut her off.

"He's right," Xavier said," I need blood, take me to the hospital on the corner 58th street, I gotta buddy that'll help us out."

"We're still an hour away," Asia said and gripped on his hands, "I'm right here, it's okay, bite me."

Xavier shut his eyes and remained silent. His fangs had already extended into his lips.

"Damon stop the car," Asia instructed.

"Don't," Xavier snapped," I can wait-"

"No you can't, you're hurt, Damon, stop the car."

Damon glanced at me as if looking for an answer on what to do. I could relate to Asia's situation, especially having been in it twice now. I know what it felt like to want the man you love to be okay. That feeling of frantic and panic can make you go crazy. I nodded at Damon. He began to slow the car down and Xavier began to growl," I said no!"

Once the car had stopped, Asia nipped herself in the neck, reopening the healing wound that the wolf had given her. Droplets of blood began to drip down her neck and aha temped Xavier by moving closer to him.

I couldn't watch as I felt as if I were invading their privacy, but I also knew we couldn't leave them alone in case he loses himself.

I winced when I heard Asia scream out. Damon looked uncomfortable and I knew that was because he felt guilty having done that to me. I reached out and held his hand. His gaze softened when he looked at me. I sent him a reassuring smile. Asia had gone quiet in the back, I turned to see that she looked like she was on the verge of passing out.

Damon reached back to place a hand on his brother's chest," Xavier, enough," he demanded but his brother couldn't hear him. Damon cursed and stepped out of the car. I tried to tap Asia on the face in hopes of waking her up but had no luck.

Damon flung the door to the side of the car and began dragging his brother. When Xavier finally let go of Asia, she fell back against the seat.

"She needs water," I said to Damon but he couldn't hear me, he was busy with his brother.

"Asia," I tapped on her face again," Asia, wake up."

Damon knocked on the window and I opened my door. In his hands was a bottle of water that I wondered where he had gotten from. I didn't ask a question, instead, I untwisted the cap and poured it on Asia's face who luckily began to awaken.

"Is he okay," she gasped out. I nodded and smiled sadly," he's okay."

When we finally got back to Asia's place, she disappeared into the room with her mate, leaving Damon and me in the living room. We stared at each other before I said," I'm going to go change."

He merely nodded and watched me go.

In my room, I struggled to get the dress off of me. I stepped away from the blood and dirt-stained gown and went into the bath. I watched as the dirty water washed away any signs of today. I didn't know where to start to feel with my emotions. I had no idea what it meant for Damon now that he was supposedly on the run. His life for the next year is going to be hell. I wondered about where he will go or who he will meet. I never for once feared that he would be found before then, but if he does, is that an automatic death sentence for Asia, Xavier and I? Part of me wondered if I was the reason for all of this, and if I never had entered their lives, maybe Damon would have been king by now, and Xavier and Asia would still be here, happy and together. I felt a tear slide down my face and was quickly drowned away. Part of me was beginning to feel miserable, the separation anxiety from having to stay away from Damon for an entire year felt almost impossible. It was hard to imagine being away from him for a day let alone 365 of them. I didn't want to wonder every day if he was alright, or if he still remembered me. I didn't want to have to worry about him. I shut my eyes and let the water runoff from my face. I tried to picture him here with me, holding me, whispering in my ear that it's all going to be alright. I was snapped back to reality when I heard the door open. The glass door from the stand-up shower was foggy with the smoke from the heat of the water. I wiped a section so I could see who it was at the door.

Damon.

Even though it was too blurry for him to see my naked body, I couldn't help but blush. I turned off the water.

"Hi," I greeted.

"I'm sorry," he began, " you've just been here a while, I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I glanced up at the clock that was above the door. It was a little after 4 am which meant that I had been in the shower for over half an hour. Damon turned to walk away.

"Wait," I said. My hands reached for the water knob, getting ready to turn it back on, "Can you...can you join me?"

Damon looked caught off guard and I couldn't blame him. We have yet to share a kiss and I have just invited him into the shower with me. After today, I guess I needed a little bit of comfort. It was traumatic and stressful and incredibly draining fearing for Damon's life. It was also intimidating that I feared for him more than I even cared for mines.

He remained silent and instead, began to strip. He started off by unbuttoning the blood and mud-stained dress shirt he wore. His eyes stayed glued on me as he unzipped his pants and let them hit the ground. I felt my breathing begin to quicken at the godly sight of him. If I had thought that Damon looked good with his clothes on, the sight of him now could make me crazy. He slid his boxers all the way down and I was almost thankful for the foggy glass. I'm sure I would have turned an embarrassing bright red had I had to witness that. The closer Damon got to the glass door, the more nervous I felt. My heart began to thud loudly and I turned the water back on to mask the sound. Damon opened the glass door and stepped inside, now standing right behind me. We both stood under the waterfall letting it attempt to wash away the tension. I felt Damon's arms coming around me to grip both of my hands from the front. He laid his chin in the nape of my neck. I suddenly felt all of my worries begin to wash away. I closed my eyes and laid my head against his. My breathing began to even out and I wondered if this was truly the best feeling in the world. To be held like this by him felt like a gift that I didn't deserve. I let the moment wash away my fears. I didn't want him to ever let go of me. My sadness and misery drifted away almost as if his embrace was bliss and magic. We stayed in that position for what felt like forever because we both knew that starting tomorrow, he would have to run and he would have to leave me. I tried to stifle the tears, I would have plenty of time to cry when he's gone and so I decided to do something that I wouldn't have dared to do a month ago. I turned around and faced him. his eyes bore into mines with both concern and confusion. I tried to send him a comforting smile but I knew the look on my face must have been dead serious. I pressed my wet body closer to his and stared into his beautiful golden eyes letting them carry me away into ignorance. I claimed this moment as ours and now stood on my pinky toes. I placed both my hands on his face and he placed his around my waist. Without taking another second to think, knowing I might give in to the nerves and change my mind, I planted my lips on his.