Chapter 5 ~ The Party

Damon had realized when he got home that he had no clean clothes. He had been too preoccupied the past week to do any and it was obvious his brother hadn't thought to check his hamper, which annoyed him. Stefan was a little bit of a neat freak and Damon definitely was not.
On occassion, Damon had even found Stefan folding the clothes Damon had left in the basket in his room. But not as much lately.
He figured he had better do his laundry so he had something decent to wear for the party tonight.
Damon had just finished drying his laundry when Stefan walked in the door.
"Damon!" yelled Stefan.
It sounded like Stefan was pretty angry, so Damon went down to see what he wanted. He just hoped this wasn't another inquisition.
As soon as Damon came into Stefan's line of sight, he began to question Damon.
"Where were you last night and what were you doing?"
"Why?" demanded Damon. "Because of the newspaper article?"
"Yes, that's exactly why, brother." Stefan emphasized the word brother.
"I didn't do that. I told you about the vampire I sensed last night, that must of been who killed those people. I told you you could trust me."
Damon was seething. How dare his brother accuse him of not just one, but two murders on the same night. He hadn't done anything like that in a very long time.
"And how do I know that this wasn't just a cover up?" inquired Stefan.
Damon grabbed a hold of his brother by his shoulder and looked into his eyes with a menacing look.
"I'm going to tell you this once and only once. I did not hurt anyone last night. I spent the night over at a friend's house."
Stefan pushed his brother's arm away from him but just stood and stared at him pondering whether Damon was telling the truth. He wanted to believe it, he really did.
"Would you like to meet my friend yourself, Stefan?" Damon asked, his eyes glinting with venom. "She will tell you where I was."
"No, Damon. It will take more than that to persuade me. I know you can just compel some stranger into giving you an alibi."
Damon was so angry now he could see red, but he had made a promise to Elena a long time ago that he wouldn't hurt his brother.
He took a couple steps back before speaking. "Not that it's any of your business brother, but she always wears a vervain pendant around her neck, so I really highly doubt that it would be that easy for me to compel her."
Stefan was so taken aback by this knowledge he was rendered speechless.
Damon watched his brother ponder that revelation for a minute before he spoke again.
"If you really must know brother, I am going to a party with her tonight," Damon said while glaring at his brother. "You can follow me if you must, just don't spoil her good time, or I might not be so forgiving."
With that, Damon turned his back to his brother and walked up the stairs with his laundry into his room.




Vella arrived home from running her errands in the late afternoon. She had run all across town searching for the prefect dress for the party, which she now had in her possession. Now that she was home she began to get nervous. Why did I ask Damon to accompany me, she thought to herself.
Instead of dwelling on her thoughts, she ran around getting ready for the party. After getting dressed and putting her make up on, Vella had to check her hair. She had went to the hair salon to get an updo for the party. Her usual long, straight hair was now up in a mass of curls, bobby pins and hair spray. She went to her jewellery box to look for some different earrings and a dressy watch. She absent mindedly ran her hands around the pendant around her neck.
This doesn't exactly go with this dress, Vella thought.
She took the pendant off and laid it on her nightstand. After all, she had a bodyguard tonight.
Vella killed time until 8 p.m. She had expected that Damon would show up on time or even earlier but he didn't.
Each minute that ticked by with no sign of Damon just made Vella feel more nervous.
Finally at 8:23 he showed up at the door apologizing profusely for being late.
"It's okay, Damon. I just thought you might have changed your mind, " Vella said.
Damon gave her a playful smile. "I couldn't miss out on going to a party with such a beautiful woman."
Vella blushed a little and turned away. She wasn't sure inviting him to the party was such a great idea, but she was committed now.
She decided not to ask about the reason for his tardiness. That could wait until later.
Damon offered to drive her to the party instead of taking separate cars. She planned on drinking and didn't want to drive so she took him up on his offer.
The closer they got to the party, the more nervous she got. She was trying not to fidget in her seat, but she couldn't help herself.
Vella wasn't exactly sure what was bothering her more, going with Damon and hoping he behaved or worrying that someone, or something would be there. She didn't care how terrified she was because she was bound and determined to enjoy this party, knowing that it would probably be the last one she would ever attend. She had to admit to herself however, that Damon cleaned up very nicely. In fact, he looked down right sexy. At this thought, Vella blushed a little.
Damon turned his head towards her a little when she blushed as if he could read her thoughts, but she knew he couldn't.
It was actually the rush of blood to her face that Damon could sense. He wasn't hungry. He had made sure to eat since he would be around a lot of people. He assumed she was blushing about him. Damon knew he looked good tonight, but he had to admit Vella looked very, very good. He loved that her hair was up so he could see her neck. He could see the very fine veins that were underneath the skin of Vella's neck. He could hear the blood rushing and she smelled intoxicating.
Suddenly, he began to feel his teeth and his face change.
He did his best to relax quickly and was glad Vella hadn't noticed what had happened
Dammit, Damon. You need to stop thinking like that, he chastised himself.
Damon and Vella managed to arrive at the party all in one piece.
Vella was even amazed at how much of a gentleman he was being.
They entered the party and Vella was immediately bombarded by her friends. All the ladies seemed to be smitten with her date and Damon didn't seem to mind that a bit. But before she could get swept away from him, he whispered in her ear. "I will be keeping my eyes on you Vella, so have fun. And yes, I will behave as long as you are safe."
Vella smiled at Damon and went off with her friends.


Vella was having a great time. She danced to all the fast songs with her friends and Damon. She was drinking more than she had planned though.
Damon tried having a good time, but he sensed trouble. With all the people around it was hard to say whether it was a vampire or not. He never once took his eye's off of Vella no matter where she went, until she went to the washroom, but he did follow her to make sure she would be safe.
When Vella's favorite slow song of all time came on, she made Damon dance with her. She was surprised at how well he danced and how good it felt being in his arms.
Damon enjoyed dancing with Vella, a little too much. Being so close to her neck was making him thirsty. If he hadn't already eaten he might have had a harder time controlling his impulses.
After their dance was over, Damon made her promise not to go anywhere, he needed to step outside for a minute.
He needed to get some fresh air, but away from anyone else. He found a quiet place in the back of the building.
Damon wasn't there long when he got a really bad feeling.
"Damon," yelled someone from behind him.
He turned around to find his brother standing across the parking lot.
"Stefan, I need to go back in and find my friend," Damon said as he rushed back in to the dance.
When Damon went back into the building, he couldn't find Vella anywhere. On a hunch, he went out the front of the building and found her, but she wasn't alone.
Damon immediately knew it was the vampire he had been sensing.
The vampire was staring in Vella's eyes.
Damon didn't even pause long enough to think. He ran as fast as he could over to Vella. He was going to make that vampire pay. But instead of fighting with Damon, he dropped Vella and ran off.
Damon caught Vella before she hit the ground, she seemed to be dazed.
He patted her face with his hand. "Vella, wake up, please" he pleaded with her.
Stefan came around the corner to see what the commotion was. he had sensed another vampire as well. He was a little suspicious when he saw Damon holding Vella.
"Did you see that vampire?" Damon asked Stefan.
"No, but I felt him," he replied while scanning the area. "Is she okay?
Damon wanted to say yes, but he wasn't sure. He hadn't noticed she wasn't wearing her necklace tonight, this could be bad.
Vella was drunk and under this vampire's influence. If Damon believed in a God he would have prayed for her.
"I have to get her home, Stefan."
"I'm going to come with you."
Damon was too panicked to disagree with him.
The brothers gently carried Vella, to Damon's car and headed towards Vella's house.
On the way there, Stefan asked what was going on, but Damon had to admit he had no idea.
When they arrived at her house, Stefan helped Damon only to the front step, since he hadn't been invited in, then left in search of the rogue vampire's whereabouts. He promised to check in with his brother as soon as he found out something.
Damon carried Vella and placed her gently in her bed. He thought she looked uncomfortable with all the pins in her hair, so he proceeded to take them all out. When he was done, he pulled the blankets over her and laid on top of the covers on the other side of her.
Damon kept watch over her all night.