Chapter One: The Plan

Elena lay across her white cotton sheets with her comforter pulled up to her chin. She nervously ran her hands through her dark hair and glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was four am and she was still awake. It was only natural that she was still awake. After what had happened only a few hours ago anyone in their right mind would still be awake. What happened was part of the plan…well most of it anyway. They had lured Stefan out by going to that bar, and the compulsion had been broken. Stefan was free and now sat in the Boarding House in what Damon liked to call "Vampire Rehab." In other words, he was drying out and soon he would be back to normal…they hoped. This was what she'd wanted and what she had needed since the summer began. Just to have Stefan free of Klaus and have him on his way back to her. But what she couldn't understand was if this was what she had wanted, then why wasn't she happy? Why wasn't she sitting outside the door of the room that held Stefan, waiting for him to tell her he loved her and that everything was going to be OK? Why, after all of this was it Damon that she was thinking of? Why was it his face she couldn't get out of her head, or his touch she couldn't get off or her skin…or his taste? God his taste…..

Elena touched her fingers to her lips. She closed her eyes and breathed out. She gently ran her tongue over her full lips and tasted the sweet taste that had filled her mouth only hours earlier. He had tasted like whiskey and vanilla and it had entrapped her. She shuddered as she thought of his hands on her body, the way he touched her gently but with such intensity that she thought she would explode. For a moment it all rushed back to her…his taste, his smell, the feel of his body pressed to hers, the feel of his teeth on her skin.

Elena's eyes flew open. No, this was not happening. She would not let this happen. She was not seriously thinking like this. This was the way some stupid sorority girl who lived purely based on her hormones would think. This is the way someone that didn't know the real Damon Salvatore would think. Sure, he had changed a lot in the past few months, but she tried to force herself to remember what he was like when she met him. He had been crude, evil, ruthless and a cold blooded killer. Ever since he arrived in Mystic Falls his mission was to ruin her and Stefan's lives. He might seem different now, but she was not going to let herself forget the person that could still live underneath Damon's skin…God his skin... Elena shook her head, this had to stop. She sat up and took a deep breath in. Who was she lying to? Why was she doing this? She couldn't deny it anymore. A connection had been created tonight that she couldn't turn off. She was used to ignoring her feelings for him before, so that was second nature. But after what had happened tonight she couldn't deny it. She couldn't turn off the hunger that clawed at her insides. She stared at the clock and swallowed. It was four-fifteen….

Six Hours Earlier…

"OK so let's go over this one more time so I know exactly how stupid you are planning on being tonight." Alaric said sarcastically as he looked at Elena. Elena glared at him.

"Alaric this will work, Klaus and Stefan have been hitting these…types of places for weeks and if we go there then there is a chance we can get Stefan alone. They have been near the area so there is a good chance this is one of their next stops. Bonnie said she felt them close." She said with assurance. Alaric turned his head to the side and looked at her.

"And remind me one more time exactly what kind of place this is, this is my favorite part of the plan." He said sarcastically. Elena breathed out but didn't have a chance to finish.

"This is the kind of place that young girls with a thing for us sexy eternal studs go and donate their….resources." Damon said with a smirk as he walked into the room. Elena fidgeted as she felt him pass her. His presence always made her nervous even though she couldn't quite place why. Damon was rolling up the sleeves to his black button up shirt and checking his reflection in the mirror as he continued.

"And since this is that kind of place, Elena and I will go in and pose as a couple. She will pretend to let me….sample her and by that time if Stefan is close he will be all over us. I'm pretty sure he can smell Elena's blood a mile away and if I know Stefan, knowing that my fangs are anywhere near her, compulsion or not, he will be there in a second." Damon said finally turning to meet Alaric's gaze.

"I don't like this Elena, not at all. You are telling me that you are going into a bar full of vampires and their groupies and going to open a vein? Seriously this sounds like a good plan to you?" Alaric asked staring her down. Elena stood and walked over so she could look Alaric in the eyes.

"Alaric, please. This will work, trust me. We have been tracking Stefan for months and he is close and if he senses we are close he will come there and if he's there and we can get him away from Klaus we might be able to get the compulsion broke. Bonnie has the spell, we can do this!" She said intensely. Alaric looked at her and then at Damon. He breathed out and then dropped his hands to his sides.

"OK, well do what you have to do, but Elena please don't do anything stupid." He said looking at her with a concerned look. Elena smiled. Alaric had been the closest thing she had to a father in a long time and the look on his face showed the love she knew he had for her but just didn't voice. She nodded.

"We will be careful I promise. Now if you guys will excuse me I have to go get ready." She said and disappeared upstairs. Damon turned and before he knew it Alaric had a hold of his arm. He looked down at his arm and then lowered his brow at him.

"Exactly what do you think you are doing?" He asked in a low tone. Alaric stepped closer to him.

"I am doing what I promised Jenna I would do. Protect Elena. If you so much as hurt a hair on her head or get her into any more trouble I will drive a stake through your undead heart." He said roughly. Damon jerked his arm away and smoothed his shirt.

"Noted." He said dryly and then walked over to the bar for a drink. If he was going to get through the night he was going to need to be at least slightly sedated.

About an hour later Elena emerged from the bathroom. She walked down the hallway and then downstairs. Damon saw her coming down the stairs and felt the breath catch in his throat. Elena wore a short black miniskirt and a red silk tank top. She donned black stiletto heels and let her long chocolate brown hair fall around her shoulders. She looked at Damon and gave a nervous smile.

"How do I look?" She asked. Damon smiled and walked closer to her with a predator stare.

"Good enough to eat." He said darkly. Elena looked at him and swallowed hard. She felt the heat from his stare flow through her body like a poison. It attacked her nerves and flowed through to the very center of her core. Her mouth was suddenly dry and her legs felt uneasy. She tried to give Damon a dirty look but she knew it probably came out weaker than she intended.

"Just kidding, calm down." Damon said with a laugh.

"Shall we?" He asked, offering her his arm. He knew her well enough by now to notice when she was nervous and she definitely was tonight, so he figured that he'd better be on his best behavior…at least for now.

Damon's Mustang glided down the highway with a purr. Elena sat nervously in the passenger seat and fidgeted with her hair. Damon reached out and grabbed one of her hands before it reached the end of the strand. Elena jumped at the sudden contact and then turned and looked at him.

"Calm down Elena, everything is going to be fine. We are going to get him back, I promise." He said giving her a half smile. Elena nodded and then looked away; she couldn't take that intense look that he always gave her. Having those beautiful blue eyes stare at her like that made it feel like he was looking into her soul. It was just too intimate, she couldn't take it.

Soon the car pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road. Elena braced herself by holding onto the door as the car thudded through the gravel and dirt. In the clearing she saw an old broken down building that looked more like a warehouse than a bar. She pointed one of her long manicured fingers at the building and looked at Damon.

"That's the place I take it?" She asked. Damon nodded.

"The Devil's Arms" He said flatly. Elena looked at him and gulped. How freaking appropriate was that? Elena adjusted her skirt and after the car had stopped she reached for the door.

"Well let's get this over with." She said but just as her hand hit the door Damon's hand grabbed hers and pulled her close to him. She gasped as she felt his breath on her face and his chest pressed to hers. He loosened his grip but his long rough fingers still lingered on her wrist. She looked into those icy blue eyes and felt her heart speed up. She gulped and looked down at his lips. His lips were so full and looked soft as silk. She could only imagine how they would feel against hers. It took every fiber of strength in her body to hold herself back from leaning closer to him. She shook her head and then met Damon's eyes again. He looked at her with concern and worry in his eyes.

"Elena listen to me. We are going into a bar full of vampires and their human slaves pretty much. It is important that you do everything I say, stay close to me, and don't talk to anyone. Do you understand me?" He said harshly. Elena nodded.

"Yes I do and I will." She stammered. Damon nodded.

"Good and one more thing…pretend to like me. It's important we make this look real or they'll see through us and then we're in big trouble." He said smiling. Elena nodded again.

"I can do this Damon. I promise." She said as she tried to turn but Damon's grip still held her tight. She looked at him again. Damon licked his lips and his gaze softened. Elena felt her heart start to thud in her chest once again.

"Elena I won't let anyone hurt you, you trust me don't you?" Damon said as he let his fingers run down the side of her face. Elena closed her eyes and nodded as his fingers lingered on her skin. Damon felt the heat from her skin burn through onto his fingertips. Having her this close to him and having her trust him and need him like this just made him realize more and more how hard it was going to be to hand her over to his brother when this was all over.

Quickly Damon dropped his hand from Elena's face and before Elena had her eyes fully open, he was out of the car and around to open her door. She shakily stepped out onto the pavement and took his hand. They met eyes and Damon gave her a slight nod and with that they crossed the parking lot and together entered the Devil's Arms.