I'm back with a new story! Thankfully my exams have passed, so I'm ready to write again. My other stories will be updated soon.

Anyway, this is an idea I've had for a while, since I'm turning 16 this Friday and I want to try and write more mature, darker stories.

*This story is rated M for smut, substance abuse, general dark theme of the story, mentions of exotic dancing and prostitution

*The readers will see a different side of every character, especially Damon's, thus I can't say if it's going to be dark Damon or sweet Damon like my other stories because this is what the story's about, fighting addictions and the journey to find one's true self.

Summary: Elena is an exotic dancer in a gentleman's club, struggling continuously to remain the girl she once was. Damon is a 150 year old vampire, broken and hurt by all the bad choices he made in the past. Fate has brought them together, but are they strong enough to fight against their temptations and addictions?

She was desperate, out of breath.

There was nothing left inside of her, nothing except pain and suffering. Her dress was torn as she crawled to the very edge of the cliff, raising her head as she felt the rain on her cheeks.

God she had missed this.

She looked at herself, tears pooling in her eyes as she took in her appearance.

This is what she had become.

Elena raised her head again. She heard the drops of the rain, the thunder, and she could see life. She inhaled, and despite the cool air she felt warm inside, as if she was sure that she was going to be free.

Where was God when she needed him most? Was he ashamed of her, like everybody else? Was she just a prostitute in God's eyes? Why did he leave her alone when she needed him most?

She held the locket around her neck closer to her chest, letting silent tears run down her cheek as she moved dangerously close to the edge.

She lost them. She lost the two people she cared about. She lost her light, her guide.

She had lost him.

Damon.

Damon, the vampire who must have cared, maybe even loved her, even though their relationship was complicated…Tragic, even.

No, the voice in her head screamed. There was no love. End this! End this now!

He was the man who showed her what life was, who helped her, terrified her and put her in danger at the same time. She remembered his touch, his gentle touch on her body, then she also remembered the times where he was a monster.

Because people weren't black and white like in the movies and stories. People weren't all good or all bad, and she knew that. There were shades of grey in every person.

Elena looked at her six inch heels, and took them off, very slowly. Then, without remorse, she threw them off the cliff, letting go of the darkest part of her, the part of her which was referred as 'slut'. She continued to remove her piercings, her leather jacket and her huge earrings, throwing them away as well, remaining in a cute, yet torn, polka dotted dress.

This is the girl she was.

She was this girl a long time ago. She was pure, innocent. She was this way when she met Damon-She knew no evil, no hate…

But now those are the only things she felt, even minutes before death.

Even in her polka-dotted dress, she still couldn't feel anything but hate and pain.

Elena was gone.

She continued to wipe her dark makeup, uncovering the girl hidden inside the monster, uncovering herself-She wanted to die in her original form, and it was then that she realized that she was beautiful.

It didn't matter now.

She let out a painful sob, and begged God to forgive her for what she was about to do. But she couldn't live anymore, not like this. Not without them.

She let her foot slide to the very edge, but was stopped when she heard her name.

Her real name:

Elena.

What do you think of this short prologue?

The events in the story will occur a few years prior