Suddenly, two men emerged from the forest behind us. They were dressed head to toe in hiking gear and they were laughing and chatting to each other.
“See what I mean?” Damon whispered in my ear. I batted him away.
“Oh shush.” He laughed gently and I saw that his line of vision was fixed on the hikers. I felt myself shaking slightly. He looked down at me abruptly.
“Elena, don’t worry. I won’t hurt them. I won’t hurt anyone when you’re around me. I promise.” My shaking gradually stopped. I looked back at the hikers and one of them saw me looking. He waved.
“Hi there!” he called. “We were just coming up here to take in the scenery. Stunning isn’t it?” He put his hand over his eyebrows to block out the sun and looked out across the valley. I nodded back and went back to eating. Damon had said nothing, but as I looked up into his face I gasped. His face was changing, his eyes darkening, his canines lengthening.
“Damon, what-” I followed his eye line back to the hikers. One of them was lifting his leg up on to a rock. He peeled up his trousers and blood was pouring down his shin.
“Argh. See, I told you I’d hurt myself Jeff. You never listen. Always on a mission to get to the top.” He laughed. He began to remove his backpack in search of a first aid kit, I presumed. I turned back to Damon.
“Damon, stop. Resist it. Please. You promised. For me.” He looked down at me.
“Elena…I’m so sorry. But…I can’t.”