A Dangerous Desire

Friday Night Bites

Victoria POV:

I put back on my Vervain bracelet playing along with the storyline that Stefan "compelled" me to always wear it, not that it mattered as I was drinking it daily anyway. I had to hand it to Damon the plan actually worked I was officially "in" Elena's inner circle, at Stefan's urging but still it would make things a lot easier.

Tonight Tanner would die unless I intervened, I had already intervened enough to spare Caroline being treated like a blow-up s*x doll full of blood so I knew it was possible to change things I just hadn't quite worked out how to do it this time. If I did something to Tanner to make him miss the game, mess with his car or slip him sleeping pills, then Damon might end up killing someone else in his place like when I didn't show up at the party at the falls that first night.

I don't have too much time to brainstorm on it and I'm starting to panic but I need to get to School. I text Jeremy on the way asking if he wants to just chill before homeroom. I'm surprised when he texts back yea sure.

I grabbed something from the vending machine for breakfast, not very healthy I know but I didn't have time to grab anything more substantial before leaving the house.

"You know you should be careful, I hear food is a drug." Jeremy says as my mounds bar drops.

"Please, there's coconut and almonds, if anything this is me eating healthy." I joke back. "So what made you finally agree to hang out with me today?"

He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet uncomfortably,

"Yeah sorry, just been busy."

"Okay."

"Actually that's not it, when you broke up with Tyler... did you even think about giving us a shot?" 

Wow, that was bold of him, It kinda makes me respect him a bit more but it also puts me in a SUUUUUPPER awkward position.

"Uhh, honestly? No. I am trying to think of myself, as selfish as that sounds, keeping clean, being a better sister, trying to catch up on school. I mean it's pathetic I woke up from my drug stupor to realize I am older than Matty but a grade behind him, do you know how much of a loser that makes me feel like? I like you Jeremy and I don't regret any time we've spent together but I just really need to focus on myself right now and I'm not going to apologize for that. If you don't like the new me... if you were only with me before for drugs or s*x, that person is gone. And she's going to stay gone as long as I have a say."

I start to walk away but he stops me and kisses me, catching me off guard.

"Just so you know, it wasn't just the drugs or the s*x, both of which I admit I really like but I like you more. And I want you to keep putting yourself first I just miss the old you, as selfish as that sounds, I think I could have really fallen for her, what the hell is wrong with me that I don't feel that for you now that you're clean?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong with you Jeremy. You're lost right now, and maybe that's just where you need to stay for a little bit longer, it's like hanging out with someone when your hungover, you can really care about that person but still want them just out of your face, wait does that make any sense? Whatever, what I'm trying to say was that I think high and lost me could have really fallen for you too, I think she did actually, and maybe that's even what got me to care again. So thank you and I am sorry if you feel like I've left you behind," I tell him trying to find a way to untangle myself from him without causing him any more pain than necessary. 

He sighs but I think some of what I've said sinks in, 

"No I get what you're saying, we're in two different places, and unfortunately they don't lend themselves to us being together. Thanks for saying you were falling for me too. It means more than you know. Maybe when I'm in a different place or a bit more over you we could be close again?" He asks

"I would really like that," I tell him.

"Just not right now, so maybe ease up on the polite texting, it's kinda getting on my nerves," he tells me.

I laugh a bit at that, "Alright fair enough, I'll ease off a bit."

"Yeah it's just coming off a bit big sistery which is kinda adding insult to injury."

"Yikes, okay message received."

Throughout the day I am distracted by thoughts on what to do to protect Tanner tonight, and I am still no closer to a solution. At lunch, Elena comes up to me and asks me to join her and her friends at their table.

Elena POV:

I see Vicki come into the cafeteria and I turn back to Bonnie and Caroline,

"I'm gonna invite her over," I tell them.

"Wait what?" Caroline asks completely confused as to why I would do this.

"She came over the other night with Damon, Stefan's brother, and I kinda do see a change in her and Stefan is worried if she keeps hanging out with his brother all the progress she's made will disappear."

"And how is this your problem, or ours?" She asks not getting it, I look to Bonnie for help but she seems fairly annoyed I'm asking her over too.

"Look Stefan is new here and he thinks of her as a friend, she's not corrupting my little brother anymore, so I really have no reason not to like her so I'm offering an olive branch... it's the right thing to do."

I walk up to her and it's super awkward but she accepts my invitation and comes to sit with us.

"Hi Caroline, Bonnie, sorry if this is uncomfortable I know we're not exactly close but you try saying no to those big doe eyes."

"Ugh, tell me about it!" Caroline exclaims agreeing with her I look over to Bonnie for help again but she just shrugs,

"They have a point, you mastered the puppy look when you were 2 and you've ruling us all with it ever since."

"Hey! at least I use my powers for good," I argue.

The rest of lunch actually isn't that bad, we were all able to get along and I'm happy I was able to do this for Stefan.

Later that night I am getting something out of my car for the game when Damon surprises me,

"You scared me. What are you doing here?"

"I'm hiding from Victoria," he says being very dramatic

"And why is that?" I ask playing along,

He stands up and moves closer to me, "I needed a break. She talks more than I can listen."

"Really? That doesn't sound like her."

"Oh you just have to let her get going, she can be quite the chatterbox. Plus she's awfully young."

"Not much younger than you are," I correct him, it feels like he's trying to come on to me but I'm younger than Vicki is so his strategy is very flawed not to mention extremely insulting.

"I don't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture. I think she'd drive me crazy," he confesses.

I can't help but sigh, "look granted I haven't always been Vicki's biggest fan but I grew up with her and her brother, I've known her my whole life and that means something to me."

He nods, "duly noted. I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. That's not my intention."

"Yes, it is," I tell him calling him on his crap, "otherwise you wouldn't put an alternate meaning behind everything you say."

He seems to think about my point for a second before he responds, 

"You're right. I do have other intentions, but so do you."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I see 'em. You want me," he tells me.

"Excuse me?" I ask not believing what he has just said outloud.

"I get to you," he says moving closer, invading my personal space, "you find yourself drawn to me. You think about me even when you don't want to think about me. I bet you even dreamed about me. And right now...you want to kiss me."

I admit there is something about his eyes that draws me in but I am more than just my hormones. I hit him, hard furious he would first think so low of me and second try to do this to his brother.

"What the hell? I don't know what game you're trying to play with Stefan here, but I don't want to be part of it. And I don't know what happened in the past, but let's get one thing straight...I am not Katherine."

Victoria POV:

I see Elena slap Damon from across the parking lot, I walk over clapping once she storms off.

"Well done, she's sure to be yours any day now," I say and he growls annoyed at me.

"Well, it might have worked if it wasn't for that shiny new necklace she's wearing, no doubt something Stefan got after seeing your bracelet."

"So you strike out and its mine and Stefan's fault, are you really so dependent on compulsion you don't know any other way to seduce a woman? That is disappointing, I kinda figured with looks like yours you had the moves to back em up but I guess the lord doesn't give with both hands." I tease him angering him further.

"I assure you my skills with women in and out of the bedroom are nothing short of legendary," He tells me.

"Clearly."

"Don't you have somewhere to be something to smoke?" he says tauntingly,

I look past him and see Matt talking to Stefan, I just need to distract him a bit longer to keep him from following Stefan that will cause them to fight and set off a chain reaction leading to Tanner's death... I just hope it doesn't end in mine.

"Maybe I'm more interested in having something else in my mouth," I say seductively to him, causing his eyes to widen in surprise a bit.

"Hmm you couldn't handle it." He tells me full of himself

"but sweet little Elena could? Or maybe you have a bit of a problem rising to the occasion, you are pretty up there in years now... you know there are pills nowadays that can help the elderly with that."

He growls again and roughly grabs my head crushing his mouth to mine in a furious and sloppy kiss. Despite feeling like a bit of w***e I have to admit having this gorgeous man's lips on mine almost makes me forget what a total psychopath he is at least without his humanity turned on.

He has me pressed up against a car and his hands are roughly grabbing me everywhere. I am getting light-headed from lack of oxygen when he pulls away from me and holds me by my throat.

"Not smart playing with me, do you have any idea how tempted I am to drain you right now despite the vervain running through you."

I chant to myself over and over not to let my fear show, don't back down.

"So you can play this game with whoever you want but no one else can join in?" I choke out

"That's right because I can do whatever I want, to whoever I want... anyone anytime anyplace. So don't start something unless you're prepared to finish it." He steps away from me letting go of my throat.

"You're the one who pressed on the breaks, not me, what's the matter need to be suffering from unrequited love to fool around with a girl?" I say calling after him.

He turns around, "no I just don't find it a turn on to be with someone who sees me as a monster,"

I scoff at that, "Right so unless it's some airhead you compelled or a fellow monster you're not interested... careful Damon it almost sounds like you need to be superior or equal to sleep with someone never below them... I wonder why that is... afraid of being vulnerable?"

"I'm not afraid of anything. I just have a girl I'd rather keep waiting for and trust me I will ravish her as she rips your pretty little neck apart so we can roll around in your blood."

I get sad a little thinking of how upset he is going to be once he realizes Katherine is not in the tomb, he must see it on my face.

"What? Disappointed our little date didn't lead to some big love affair, sorry druggie but I'm spoken for, no hard feelings uh?"

He walks off and I peel myself away from the car trying to feel stable on my legs again.

I go back over to the field and the game has started, both Stefan and Tanner are alive and well... I think I actually pulled this off.