Chapter One

I came out of the bathroom in my pajamas, I brushed my hair up into a ponytail and yawned, I was exhausted. I moved towards my bed, my eyes already half closed.

I whirled around when I felt a gust of wind in my bedroom; I was relieved to see Stefan lounging against the window frame. He smiled at me and I went over to him, kissing him softly on the lips.

"Hi." I murmured.

He smiled.

"Hello Elena."

A flicker of something I couldn't recognize flashed across his face and I looked at him questioningly.

"Stefan, are you ok?" I asked, unease curling in the pit of my stomach.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

I frowned, what the hell was he on about?

"For what?" I asked.

"This." He said as his fist collided with my stomach, sending me sprawling across the room.

I gasped in shock and pain as I hit the wall. I struggled to get up and was knocked down again by a sharp blow across my face. I clutched my cheek and gazed up at him, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Why?" I whispered.

"Because I have to. I have to hurt you." Stefan said, as if repeating lines he had learnt.

My heart broke at his words, where was my Stefan? My loving, oversensitive Stefan had been replaced by something unrecognizable.

As his fangs extended I realized in horror that I was alone in the house.

"Stefan, please! It's me, it's Elena." I begged.

"I have to hurt you." He repeated.

He shoved me back against the wall, my head hitting it hard. He grabbed my hands and yanked them above my head, I screamed in agony as one of my wrists broke.

"Please stop, Stefan you're hurting me!" I moaned.

He ignored my cries and shoved his knee between my legs, causing me to gasp in pain.

He didn't bite me, and I didn't understand why.

I grappled uselessly at his arms trying in vain to pull him off me; he was far too strong. I didn't stand a chance against him but I already knew that, I had learnt that when he had been on human blood last year…was he on human blood now? Was that why he was doing this?

I didn't understand, I couldn't make sense of what was going on, my head was pounding and I felt something sticky drip down my forehead. I realized with a sickening feeling that it was blood.

I finally passed out and I embraced the impending darkness, desperate to escape this nightmare that had somehow materialized into reality.

When I opened my eyes it was to find Stefan's hazel ones staring into mine. I flinched away from our proximity, the memories of the horrific things he had done to me flashing through my mind.

He grabbed my head and pulled my face up to look at him. He stared into my eyes and I watched as his pupils dilated. I realized in horror what he was doing and reached for my necklace, finding it missing, I cursed myself for not drinking vervain. Ironically the reason I had never done that was so that if we were ever in a life or death situation, I would be able to help Stefan and Damon.

Now it seemed my love and concern for my boyfriend was going to be my downfall…what was I talking about? It had already been my downfall; I was covered in bruises and blood and hurt from every part of my body.

I tried to avert my gaze but somehow I couldn't force my eyes to leave his as he whispered the words.

"You will not tell anybody who did this to you."

I repeated the words and then he was gone, leaving me alone and broken in my bedroom.

The only thing worse than the physical pain was the heartbreak and betrayal I felt. What had I done to deserve this?

I wondered vaguely why he hadn't compelled me to forget that any of this had ever happened…instead I was left with vivid memories, I knew he had compelled me not to tell anybody, he hadn't bothered to take that memory either.

But to my surprise, my desire to tell someone was still there…so what had he done? Had he taken away my physical ability to say the words? I grabbed a pen and paper from my desk, ignoring the shooting pain in my left wrist.

I gingerly clutched at the paper and began to write.

Stefan…

I tried to write what he had done to me but I couldn't, it was like my brain was refusing to tell my hand to move, however much I pushed there was something forcing me to keep my hand still. I cried out in frustration and threw the paper away.

I stood up carefully and then doubled over in agony. Pain was coursing through my body and I sagged back against the wall. I began to cough violently and was terrified to see spatters of red covering my hands; I needed help.

I thought about my options; I could do what I always did when I was in trouble; call Damon…but the only thing he could do to help is give me his blood, and I didn't think I could handle turning into a vampire right now.

I could just crawl into bed and close my eyes, that sounded very inviting but I wasn't stupid. I knew that I shouldn't go to sleep before I was absolutely certain I would wake up again.

I did the only thing I could think of, the thing that every other seventeen-year-old girl in trouble does. I called 911. I hated hospitals and I knew that this was going to be humiliating but I could feel my grasp on consciousness slipping away and if I was being honest I was really worried. I mean I could have internal bleeding or something.

"911 what is your emergency?" The efficient voice came over the line.

I took a deep breath and tried not to gag at the taste of blood in my mouth.

"I think I need an ambulance." I whispered weakly before I passed out again, the phone slipping from my fingers.

This is a request! Not sure where I will take this story... but be sure to let me know what you think :)