He was on his feet. I scrambled backwards. The hikers looked at him. The one that was looking at the scenery joined his friend and looked his leg.
“Man, it’s pretty deep. Sorry Kurt. We should have stopped back there.” Damon was walking towards them stealthily. Jeff looked up at him.
“Hey man, can you come here and help me stop the bleeding?” Damon advanced.
“Of course, I’ll help you stop the bleeding better than you think.” He was walking stealthily, moving like a hunter – a predator. His body lowered but the hikers didn’t notice as they were concentrating on Kurt’s injury. I screamed at Damon.
“DAMON! NO! PLEASE! IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WON’T DO THIS!” The hikers looked at me in shock. Damon stopped. He was shaking. So was I. He stopped but he was tense. He didn’t look at me.
“Elena, I – I…the pull, it’s so strong. I – argh,” he breathed in heavily. Abruptly, he turned on his heel. As he walked away from the men he said “sorry, forgot I don’t like blood.” He jumped into the car and slammed the door shut. I clambered in and we shot off. He didn’t look at me. He didn’t speak to me. His hands clenched the steering wheel making his knuckles turn white. My mind was tripping. Damon could have killed those hikers right in front of me. I shook with fear.
“Great. Now you’re even more scared of me. Shit!” He slammed his hand against the steering wheel and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Damon, you didn’t do it. You’re better than you think. You resisted it for me. You kept your promise. And I love you for it.” I touched his arm but he pushed me away.
“Elena, I’m too dangerous. I thought I could be with you but it’s too risky. I’m sorry.” He didn’t look at me. I breathed in sharply.
“Pull over.” I said.
“No.” he replied sternly.
“Pull over,” I demanded. “Damn it Damon, just bloody PULL OVER!” He skidded the Chevrolet to a stop at the side of the road. He just had time to say “What are you-” before I pressed my lips against his. He tried to push me away but I held his jacket collar as tightly as I could to keep him from doing so. He was really strong and I found it almost impossible to keep a grip, but with all my strength I held on and continued to kiss him. As I continued he slowly but surely relaxed little by little, and eventually he gave up the fight and wrapped his arms around me. I broke off from him gently. I held his face in my hands and looked sternly into his eyes.
“Don’t you ever say that to me. I know now and you know now that you have the will to resist the blood if you really try.” He looked away from me.
“You really think you can trust me…” I made him look at me again.
“I don’t think, I know.” I kissed his forehead. “Let’s go home.”

We drove swiftly and smoothly back to Mystic Falls. I kept looking across at Damon and his face was still pained. I knew he was angry and upset with himself. We didn’t talk for most of the journey. It wasn’t until we were nearly back that he sighed.
“Elena, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you out today.” He stared at the road.
“Damon, don’t say that. I loved it…until the near-attack that is. But it didn’t happen. Which just goes to show that you are able to resist the blood if you try.” He smiled weakly and looked at me.
“Why were you so angry with Stefan about killing someone when you know that that’s what I do all the time?” I didn’t know what to say. He was right.
“I…I don’t know…I guess it’s just the thought of him…killing. I mean he was always so trustworthy to me and then he did something like that…” I shuddered at the thought. “I’m so used to you now that I’ve kind of blocked out what you do and I-” he cut me off.
“Elena, Stefan made a slip-up, we all do. But the pull of human blood is so strong. I nearly ripped those hunters apart back there but you managed to stop me only by a fraction. I…I can’t explain to you how STRONG that pull is, I really can’t. And for it to be so close to Stefan, like on his lips, it’s absolutely impossible not to drink.” He stared out ahead.
“Elena, just to let you know, I haven’t killed anyone, let alone hunted a human in a long time now. Blood banks are just as good a source, just minus the thrill.” I was shocked. I hadn’t known that Damon had stopped feeding directly on humans.
“Really? Wow, good for you Damon!” I forced a smile, as the thought of anyone drinking blood made me feel uncomfortable.

It was nearly night-fall when we pulled up outside my house. I clambered out of the car and began to walk up the path, with Damon at my side. Suddenly, Stefan staggered out of the bushes.
“Hey, HEY! Elena, Damon, how are you?” he waved, and his words slurred slightly. I stepped back.
“Stefan…what’s up with you?” I asked nervously, although I was sure I already knew. Damon stepped in front of me.
“Stefan. Go home. You’re drunk.” Damon sighed and took a step toward his brother who in the same second had punched Damon squarely in the jaw with horrifying precision. Damon fell backwards hard and hit the porch decking with a thud.
“And why do you think I’m drunk, Damon?” Stefan spat as Damon sprang swiftly to his feet. Fists clenched, Damon tensed his body and lowered it as if to pounce at any given moment. I wanted desperately to stand between them and stop them, but they were vampires, not boys. There was nothing I could do but stand helplessly on the sidelines.
“Look, Stefan,” Damon growled. “Elena chose me. Get over it!” Stefan lunged.
“GET OVER IT? HOW?” And they threw each other around faster than I could see. They were really attacking each other.
“Stop it! Please! I’m begging you!” I cried out in earnest but it was in vain. They ignored me.
“I love her Damon. You knew I did. You knew I’d be back here eventually but you seized that opportunity to steal the most perfect, the most wonderful thing from my life!” Stefan yelled and they moved their fight into the nearby forest. I ran desperately after them, tears streaming down my face pleading them to stop. Damon had Stefan pinned against a tree with one hand at his throat. Stefan’s toes were barely touching the floor.
“You know better than to think you’re stronger than me, brother,” Damon growled menacingly. “I’ve had enough of you pining for my girl. Yes, that’s right. MY girl.” Stefan was about to attack his brother again in ferocity when a girl stepped out from behind a tree. I gasped and threw my hand to my mouth.
“But I thought I was your girl, Damon?” said Katherine.