New World

A/N: This is my contest entry for hopelessdream2005's "Contest of Confessions". Hope you like it. :)

Her head was ringing.

The pounding in her ears just wouldn't let up, and everything seemed amplified.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Bonnie slowly opened her eyes, and a little gasp escaped her at the sights in front of her.

It was like someone had put an invisible eye glass in front of her. She could see everything in a fine, clearer detail.

But she also had a burning sensation at her throat; a thirst that she couldn't quite indentify.

She looked around at her surroundings. She was in some sort of basement. No window to be seen.

There was only one single bedroom that posed any promise of being able to get out of the basement.

Slowly, Bonnie walked towards it, placing her hand on the knob.

But like her conscious deep down expected, the door was locked, the knob not moving an inch.

Willing herself to not panic, she walked back over to the spot where she had woken up, and sat down.

Calm down, she thought to herself, don't panic yet.

But the uncertainty of the situation, and the unknown burning at her throat made it hard not to.

She thought long and hard for a while, and then the memories came back to her.

Flashback

Bonnie laid in her bed, trying hard not to scream as another wave of pain hit her.

She was glad that the pain hadn't started until after Elena and Stefan had left.

All of her friends come to visit her every day. And though she liked getting to see them, she knew it pained them to see her like this.

The cancer was spreading and getting worse as the days went by. She knew that in only another month, she would die if she remained human.

She knew that was one of the reasons Stefan and Elena's visits were more constant then the others.

They were hoping she would finally let Stefan turn her.

Stefan had offered after Bonnie learned that she didn't have much longer to live.

She didn't want to die. She wanted to be a vampire and live, but she was afraid.

The idea…of Stefan having to kill her to complete the change and the idea of having to drink blood to survive frightened her.

She didn't want to die…but because of her fear, she was holding off from completely accepting Stefan's offer.

But she knew she only had a few more weeks to make a decision.

"Redbird."

She gasped in surprise, and turned towards the door.

Damon Salvatore was standing in her doorway.

He looked just the same as when she last saw him…nearly a year ago. When he had bid them all farewell and left Fells Church.

"Damon? What…what are you doing here?"

She sat up slightly, trying not to show him how much pain she was in, but from the way his eyes narrowed slightly, she could tell it was futile.

Despite his slightly narrowed eyes, he managed to shoot his signature 500 kilowatt smile at her as he stepped further into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"I wanted to come visit my little redbird. It has been a while."

Bonnie managed a weak smile. She was happy to see him. She'd missed him, and it had hurt when he left.

"I missed you", she said in a weak voice.

He didn't say anything at first, and just continued to step closer, to the point where he was directly at her side, standing next to her bed.

"You don't look well redbird", he murmured; as he reached down to stroke her cheek.

A small amount of tears ran down her cheeks.

"I'm not well", she admitted, through a shaky voice.

He didn't say anything after that. He took her by surprise by pressing his cool lips softly against hers.

After Bonnie got over her initial surprise, she wrapped her small arms around his neck, and kissed back.

The kiss was gentle and sweet, and she felt like she could drown in it.

It had been far too long since she had last kissed him.

Not breaking his lips away from hers, Damon eventually moved into the bed with her, gently pinning her underneath him as he continued to kiss her.

At some point in their embrace, Bonnie felt the sting of fangs gently piercing into her neck.

She was both surprised and pleased, and sighed a little in contempt as Damon drank from her, while comfortingly rubbing her back, and using his telepathy to push calming auras into her mind.

At the moment, she had completely forgotten about her cancer and all of the pain she had been feeling only moments ago.

Nothing else existed in the world but Damon, and the way his obsidian dark eyes looked into hers.

He didn't take much from her, and broke away from her neck sooner then she wanted.

But her disappointment faded when he used his fangs to cut his own wrist, and offered it to her.

Not even thinking about it, she quickly took it, sucking at his wrist furiously.

She heard him chuckle a little at her eagerness, and his free hand began to stroke her hair.

"That's it redbird. Take your fill."

She did what he requested, and continued to drink his blood.

Elena had been right. Vampire blood was addicting, especially if it was from one you loved.

When Damon felt like she had enough, he gently took his wrist away, and before she could even blink, he was kissing her, once again trapping her between his body and the bed.

She was so delirious and overcome with happiness, that she barely registered the fact that Damon had broke the kiss, or that his hands were suddenly going around her neck.

Mild regret flashed through his dark eyes.

"I'm sorry redbird. But you'll thank me for this later."

Before she could get a word out, she heard a load snap, before her world went black.

End of flashback

Bonnie's senses immediately went on alert as the memories came back.

Frightened, she looked wildly around the room.

That was what the burning at her throat was. She…she was a vampire. She wanted blood.

Where was she? Did Damon bring her here after…he turned her?

"I see that you're awake, little bird."

She looked wildly up from her place on the floor.

Damon stood in the doorway of the door she had tried to open before, his expression unreadable.

"You…you turned me!"

Her voice didn't come out angry…more like shocked, and maybe a little scared.

He nodded, showing no sign of shame for his actions.

"Do you promise not to run out into the sun? I don't wish to leave you down here."

She felt a spark of irritation towards him for brushing off the fact that he had turned her like that, but she nodded anyway, wanting to get out of the basement.

"I promise."

She hadn't really needed to promise him. She had no desire to run out and get burned up.

Maybe he was worried she would be suicidal over the fact that she was now a vampire.

Damon nodded, and opened the door wider, inviting her to walk through it.

"Come on up, redbird."

She slowly took his invitation, and walked through the doorway as he held it open for her.

She climbed the tiny staircase that led out of the basement.

When she got to the top, Bonnie looked around at her surroundings.

They were in a small house that she had never seen before.

At a quick glance around it, she could see that there was a small living room with a large bookcase, a fireplace, and two armchairs. At the left, there was a small kitchen, and at the right, a hallway that looked like it led to at least two bedrooms.

"Where are we?"

Damon came up from behind her to stand next to her.

"This is a…little hideout I had made years ago."

She couldn't see where exactly they were. Damon had all of the blinds and curtains closed, most likely to keep out sunlight.

"Why did you bring me here? And…why did you do this?"

"Sit down redbird", he instructed, not answering her question.

Bonnie did as he asked and sat down in one of the armchairs, while he briefly disappeared into the kitchen, before coming back with a mug with a straw in it.

"You need to drink this", he said, handing it to her. "Your throat is probably burning."

It was.

Bonnie willed herself to not actually look into the mug, since she knew it was blood. It would be easier to drink it if she didn't look.

Hesitantly, she put the end of the straw into her mouth, and sucked.

As she did, she was startled by a pair of fangs suddenly rubbing against her bottom lip.

"Damon…"

"They'll go away after you're done", he reassured.

She nodded, and continued to drink.

The burning in her throat was disappearing, and though the blood was a little warm, she found it addictive.

"My little brother informed me that you weren't well…and that you didn't want to die."

Stefan had told him somehow? Was that the reason he came back?

"I didn't", she admitted softly, putting down the mug on the coffee table. Like Damon had promised, her fangs had disappeared after she finished drinking, fading back into her gums.

He nodded. "Which is exactly why I did it. You weren't afraid in the slightest before it happened, were you?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but stopped taking a pause as his words really hit her.

He was right. Before he had snapped her neck, she hadn't been afraid at all.

She'd been so drunk on happiness and bliss at Damon's words and actions that she hadn't seen her death coming at all.

Her human life had ended in a happy note.

That had been what he planned.

"No…I wasn't."

She took a deep breath. "Thank you…for saving me."

That was something he always seemed to be able to do in some way or another: save her.

He silently nodded, and stood up.

"I'll return shortly redbird. I'm going to collect more blood for you."

"Okay."

He made his way towards the door. "Stay inside. I still have to get a ring made for you."

He looked at her one last time before leaving. "Later this evening, when the sun goes down, I'll start showing you how to feed on your own."

With that, he left the house, and she heard the "click" of a lock behind him as he went out the door.

After he was gone, Bonnie looked around the house again.

She was surprised to see a television set sitting in the corner of the living room…complete with a remote and cable box.

Curiously, she walked over and hit the "on" button, and the T.V blared to life.

She didn't think Damon was the type to sit down and watch T.V. Was she not the first person he brought here?

As she looked around the house again, she could assume the answer to her own question.

This must be the place Damon brings the people he turns for their early days in their new life.

She slumped back into the armchair.

She hoped he would be back soon. She didn't like being alone. Especially in the new condition she was in.

Damon had been on his way back to the house when his phone rang.

Arching a brow, he picked it out of his pocket, looking at the caller I.D.

It was his little brother.

Resisting the urge to simply ignore it, Damon picked it up. It wouldn't do any good to ignore the call and make him suspicious…unfortunately.

"What is it little brother?"

From the light sound of bated breath coming from the other end of the line, he could tell his brother wasn't happy.

"Damon….WHERE did you take her?"

Damon smiled slightly in amusement.

"That's none of your concern, little brother. But I will let you know that she'll be taken care of."

"Damn it Damon! This wasn't part of the plan."

"No, but it was part of MY plan", Damon answered him snidely. "Tell the girls they'll thank me for this later…when Bonnie comes back to Fells Church, she'll be as good as new."

With that, he hung up on him. He really didn't have the time to listen to his brother's brooding.

He needed to get back to Bonnie. From the way the sun was finally starting to go down, it was almost time for her first hunting lesson.

He grimaced slightly at the though. Though he himself though his own diet would be more beneficial for his little bird, he also knew she would have a hard enough time making herself harm a animal for blood…let alone bring herself to feed on a human.

So Saint Stefan's diet it was.

Later that night, Damon was leading Bonnie deeper into the woods that the house was located in.

As they walked, she looked around at their surroundings. It was the first time she had gotten any look at the location of the house.

But she still didn't know where exactly they were, and Damon wasn't revealing any information on it.

Bonnie was nervous. This was going to be her first time hunting for her own blood.

Damon must have noticed her discomfort, and he reached over to put a hand lightly on her arm.

"I'm going to be right here the whole time redbird. Nothing bad will happen."

She nodded, taking another big gulp of fresh air, and shot him an appreciative smile.

"Okay. I'm ready."

Later that night, Bonnie lay in bed of the guest room Damon had set up for her.

The hunting trip hadn't been a complete failure. She'd managed to catch a deer. And though she felt bad the whole time she was doing it, she had gotten her fill of blood for the night.

Damon had smiled at her in pride, pleased that his newly turned had managed her first kill, and after a few words of congratulations, and a little constructive criticism, they had gone back the house.

Everything seemed fine. She shouldn't feel so upset. But she did. And she knew exactly why.

It was because Damon hadn't made any moves to kiss her or even flirt with her the whole day…which was abnormal for him.

He didn't act cold towards her necessarily, but he looked at her like a teacher would a student…no hint of the tenderness he had once shown her.

And it wouldn't have bothered her as much as it did now if he hadn't done what he did right before he turned her.

The way he had kissed her…whispered those tender words to her, and treated her so gently that she had been floating on happiness….had it all been just to make her not scared about what was about to happen? Were there no real feelings on his side?

The thought was unbearable. She was completely in love with someone that she couldn't have. And though she had long accepted the fact that she would never have Damon, the way he had acted towards her right before she was turned had given her hope.

But now, just like any spark of hope she had once had in the past, it was crushed.

The weeks went by, and her hunting skills continued to improve, as did her resistance to blood and self control.

One day, Damon had actually brought a compelled human to the house, just to see if she could resist from feeding off of him, after promising that he would stop her if it got out of hand.

Luckily, it hadn't. She had enough self control to resist the blood lust, even while staying in close proximity with the human man the whole time.

After Damon had felt she had done it long enough, he had compelled the man to go back to where he came from, and turned towards her, a spark of pride in his dark eyes.

"You did well redbird. Most newly turns don't have that kind of self control so soon."

From the tone of pride in his voice and the impressed expression he was looking at her with, he knew what he said was true.

She was proud of herself. She really was. But the self pride wasn't enough to get rid of the pain in her heart that she had been feeling ever since the first night he had brought her here.

But she still managed a small smile. "Thank you."

Unfortunately, Damon didn't buy the façade of happiness she was trying to pull off, and he frowned.

"Redbird…what's wrong?"

Bonnie shook her head stubbornly. "Nothing's wrong Damon. I'm…just a little tired."

She mentally cursed herself when her emotions decided to betray her, and a few tears leaked down her cheeks.

He reached a hand out to wipe her tears away. "Tell me what's wrong."

The tone of his voice implied that he wasn't asking or suggesting…he was demanding.

And from past experiences of seeing Damon in this stubborn mood, she knew he wouldn't give up until she told him.

She sighed, nervousness settling in.

"I…I was just wondering, if you kissed me back at my house only so I wouldn't be scared? Was it only because you wanted to turn me?"

Understanding flooded through his dark eyes as her words sunk in, and he let out a sigh.

"Redbird…" He broke off, as if he was struggling to find the right words to answer her with, and another frown crossed his face.

"Well….I suppose the sire bond has worn off by now anyway…"

"Sire bond?" Bonnie interrupted, confused.

Damon nodded. "When a vampire experiences their early stages of being newly turned, they…have a mental attachment to their sire, the vampire that turned them."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "The sire bond is always there, but it's at its strongest in the early stages. And it makes it easy for the newly turn's sire to take advantage of them emotionally if they wanted to."

Bonnie still felt a little confused, but his words and the way he'd been acting lately finally pieced together in her mind.

"Is…is that why you've been acting distance towards me lately? Because you didn't want to take advantage of me?"

He nodded. "You're too precious and innocent for me to ever do that. But I'm sorry if it hurt you…that wasn't my intention."

Now, tears of joy flooded Bonnie's eyes. "I thought you were acting like that because you hadn't meant it. That…you only kissed me and handled me like that strictly on business…so that I wouldn't be scared before you turned me."

He reached of her hand, and when she gave it to him, he pulled her gently into him, hugging her close.

"It was part of it…I admit, but it wasn't a complete act on my part."

He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

"My brother called me and told me you were unwell. And that you were going to…die."

She noticed that he had choked out the last word.

"And it was then when I realized that I couldn't lose you. That you meant to much to me to just let you die a human's death without any backup."

The tears continued to float down her cheeks as he spoke, and he continued to gently wipe them away.

"I knew I had to come back…and turn you. Save you. Especially when my brother said that he couldn't get you to do it."

"Damon…." Bonnie began, but he cut her off.

"You need to know that none of this is strictly about business. I'm doing this to help you. Because I…."

He couldn't seem to be able to form the words verbally, and instead, transported his next words into her mind, using his telepathy.

I love you, my little redbird.

Now the tears were overflowing, as she was now no longer holding them back.

Not hesitating, she wrapped her arms around Damon, hugging him close.

"I love you too Damon….so much. I always have."

The next thing she felt was his cool lips pressing sweetly against her own.

She wouldn't ever doubt him again…and she was no longer afraid. She would always be safe and happy with Damon by her side.

The End

Hope you liked it. :) And for the readers that have been waiting for a update of "Arranging Love" that will be the next thing you see posted from me.

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