Chapter 1 - Awakenings

None of these characters are mine... they belong to Stephenie Meyer and L. J. Smith.

I'm uncertain if I want to continue this story… it is Damon/Bella. This is a prequel to Times are Changing.

This takes place in the Italian Renaissance.

DPOV

I opened my eyes and saw an angel over me. She had the most liquid chocolate eyes I had ever seen and the palest, smoothest skin imaginable. Her soft brown tresses flowed over both of her shoulders.

I have to be dead. Nothing could be this inhumanly beautiful.

That's when I felt the pain. It felt like my whole body was burning from the inside out. My eyes found hers and held on tight. As the flames burned hotter, so did the depth of how she looked at me. It was as if she was reaching inside me and turning off the pain. Only for a moment she turned her head, looking over at something else. When her hair fell over the side of my face I realized I was in her arms. Taking in what was around me, I saw Stefan lying next to me, his hand in hers. He was asleep with his head on the crook of her arm and he was on the floor much like I was. Turning slightly, I realized my head was on her chest, her other hand playing with my hair. Her touch felt unbelievably good. If she was an angel, how could she feel so real? That's when I noticed I couldn't hear her heartbeat.

"Wake up, my warrior," I heard her musical voice and the power of it hit me for the first time.

"Am I dead?" I had to ask her.

"Indeed you are, but now you shall live forever," her voice was strange and heavily accented.

Just the sound of her voice fed me like oxygen. The more she spoke, the more I needed. I tried to move, but I was frozen in place by her arm.

"Do not move, young sir. You will feel much pain if I release you." The command in her voice was absolute.

"Who are you?"

"In this time they call me Isabeau, but if you wish you may call me Isabella."

"Isabella," I breathed. Then the memories came flooding back, "Stefan! Is he…? What happened?"

"He fought in dead, but yes, he will be the same as you and I. You were dying and I saved you from death. It will be several days before he awakens."

The comment haunted me for some reason. I had to know, "What are we?"

"We are the children of the night, also known as the damned. Some people call us vampires."

I tried to stand, but her arm was like a vice holding me down. Her eyes stilled on mine as the pain shot through me at every point.

"Do not move," she repeated.

She turned back towards Stefan, who was still lost in slumber. Her velvety hair fell across my face lightly across my face. She smelled of all the sweetest things in the world all mixed together. There was no describing how delicious the scent is. It seemed like forever before her hold on me relaxed. There was no way to tell how much time passed since it looked like we were underground. When her hand went back to my hair I felt something else… contentment. The feeling came from all around me and vibrated its way through my whole system.

"Are you doing that? " I could hardly find my voice.

She nodded slowly, "Only part of what you feel is my doing. The rest is what you feel. Now my question to you, great warrior; what is your name?"

Her tone was soft, but the order in her voice was unmistakable. There was no saying no to her.

"My name is Damon. How did you find us?"

She smoothed the hair on my forehead before answering, "You two are so foolish. I have been watching you for quite some time. Do not blame your brother for what she did to you, Damon. She did not love you. I had to be sure before I interfered, but I heard her talking to her maids. Then you two had to fight." She sighed, shaking her head and pressing my head closer to her chest, "So foolish to lose what is most precious for such a reason. Be prepared, sweet Damon, thy brother will not be happy when he awakens."

The news that Katherine did not love me came to a shock and hurt me deep. I did not want to believe her, but her voice held a quality that told me she would not lie to me. She is my own personal angel, my Isabella. I hurt turned to anger, both toward Katherine and Stefan. Yes, he will not be happy by this news or what has happened. Katherine was our whole world since we saw her. Indeed we were foolish. Looking up at my tiny savior, it was hard for me to believe I ever felt anything for Katherine.

"Where is Katherine?" though it did not really matter, I had to know.

"She is no more." Her face hung slightly, her eyes closing.

I tried to pull out of her embrace, finally able to again feel my legs. When her hand pulled away from me, I feel to my knees. The pain was searing through my system. I felt her cold hand on my shoulder, pulling me back from the depths of pain.

"What is happening to me?" I gasped, her coolness absorbing the pain.

"It is part of what happens when we cross the threshold between life and death. Yours is nearly complete, and then we may talk more. Now be still!"

I held still as a statue for what felt like hours. When her hand released me I felt a dull throbbing in my skin and just a ting of pain, but nothing like what was there before.

"How do you feel?" She asked me, turning to lay Stefan on the ground and releasing him. She stood slowly, with one hand on the wall.

As soon as I saw her release Stefan, I felt a deep panic for my brother. If he feels anything like what I have.

"Calm yourself, Damon. He is not far enough along yet for him to feel anything. That is why we are here." Her hand swept the room as I stood. I could finally see that indeed we were underground.

"Did you read my mind?"

"No. I read your emotions. I could feel your concern for your brother."

I nodded, looking all around me, "Are we in the catacombs?"

"Yes. It is the safest place for you right now."

As I looked her over, I could now recall seeing her near my home. I had thought she was a noble lady that was here for my father. I could never get close enough to her to tell for sure.

"What happened to Katherine?"

She wouldn't look at me.

"Please, Isabella, I need to know."

"She played this game with the wrong person after the two of you were gone. He murdered her."

"You did not warn her? You saw what she had done to us." I was furious at her. The fire was suddenly back, but it felt so different. Like an emptiness that went on for eternity.

"She would not hear my words. Now calm yourself, Damon, or else I make things much worse for you." Her voice was passionate and caring, but sad.

"You tried to save her? Did you try to save us?" I tried to calm down, but the pain was too much. My anger would not abate.

"I did save you. When I found you in the garden, you were both very close to death. From what I had seen of the passion you both held, I could not let you die."

"Passion?"

The word almost seemed alien to me and shocked me out of my anger. That's when I really looked at her. I could feel a pull towards her unlike anything I have ever felt. She took my hand gently, putting a blue stoned ring on it before walking towards the stairs. Towards the top, light from dusk flooded in. I pulled back, knowing the stories about vampires burning in the light.

"Come."

When the light hit her hair, she was breathtaking and glorious. The sunlight brought out just a touch of red in her hair and made her skin seem almost translucent and delicate. It was that moment that I decided I would always protect this most fragile of creatures.

"How are you doing this?"

"Magic, my Damon. Magic older than you can imagine and long since forgotten."

In the sun I could now see the small necklace on a chain around her neck. It held a same stone that was in the ring on my hand.

"The ring. That is why you put it on me? To protect me?"

"Yes. Your brother will be quite safe. It is time for you to feed."