Hidden Secrets

Chapter 19: Panic at the Ball

Stella's POV

From where I was singing in the bathroom, opening the box and seeing the dress to seeing everyone waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. It all warmed my heart feeling this sense of belonging. Earlier when Damon asked me to mark me I was fully aware that he was pushed by his mother or the council mainly. I also knew that Damon was willing to wait for me, which only made the choice so much easier. The last couple of months have been bliss between the training and just being with him. But something about earlier just made me willing to completely hand myself over to him.

The car ride was almost painless Damon, Sam, May, and I rode in one car while everyone else rode in another we were surrounded by five other cars meant for protection. Damon had an arm wrapped around me the whole ride and it was claiming. It was safe to say that I was a little panicked about everything between how I was going to tell Damon about me and how to present myself in front of all these people.

"Hey you'll be fine," Damon whispered in my ear and I took a deep breath taking in his scent

"I don't know how to do this stuff Damon," I said still worried, Sam and May were too busy talking to each other from over the middle console. Almost yelling because Sam couldn’t hear her. It makes me laugh at those two for being the oldest. They are just children . After about an hour of driving, the car was stopped and the door opened wide for everyone. I could hear the gossip already outside and I didn't handle gossip back home what makes me think I can do it here. I start to breath quick breaths and I can feel a panic attack ready to burst. I felt two hands cup my face and I was forced to look at a pair of storm gray eyes.

"Hey, deep breaths, I need you to be brave just like you were when you hit me with the lamp," he said with a serious face, noting the little worry line on his forehead. I started to laugh at him and I took a deep breath. Damon stepped out of the car and reached out his hand for mine which I took. I pulled my body toward the door and latched myself to Damon’s warmth. I saw that the whole Windcrest family was out of the car bringing all the gossiping voices to a deafening stop.

Walking to the entrance was hard enough because I had several escape routes but now inside the building all forms of exit were gone. I never was the social one of any place. I just stuck to a wall and listened. You would be surprised what you can learn about people when you just listen. However, this is where I must prove to everyone and myself that I AM Damon Windcrest’s mate and f**k you all cause I’m a bad ass b***h.

I get an extra boost of confidence when I see my reflection in a hallway mirror, and it takes me a second to confirm that it is me. The dress Damon’s mother gave me was a silk red wine dress, the dress was off the shoulders long sleeved. It clung to my chest and then flowed out, and on my right side there was a slit revealing my toned legs. I put my hair in a long side braid and the necklace that Sophia gave me gracing my neck. I didn’t really believe that this reflection was mine, I’ve grown so much. My hair was longer, I was a year older, I looked like an adult. I looked like me.

I feel the grim grip of Damon and then sparks fly across my neck when he whispers "Mine,"He kisses the nape of my neck working his way up to my cheek.

“Stop your going to ruin my makeup,” I giggled, I push away from him but I turn my head ever so slightly so he can hear me and whisper, "Yours,"

I giggle to myself when Damon is right back at my side at a lightning speed, the family soon comes to a very large set of doors. They walked into a large ballroom that looked like it was out of Cinderella, it was breathtaking. The room was large enough to hold the whole mansion and still have room. The walls were painted with gold and sliver making them sparkle just as much as the chandlers hanging from the ceilings. The ceilings were painted like a sunset and flying creatures were painted within.

"Game face, Little Star, cause the night has just begun," I hear Damon warn, and I bring myself out of the daze looking forward. I brace myself for the hordes of people gathered in the room, and before I knew it the whole family was engulfed by people.

Damon and I were meeting people right and left. I felt very at peace even if everything was a controlled chaos. I was laughing with Damon and an older couple that we met earlier that night when a voice that I never thought I would hear again appeared.

"I see the Orphan was quick to adopt another family," I turned around to come face to face with Eva, and a pale looking man standing right next to her. He was about the same height as Damon but he was lean with muscles not like Damon. Damon had an actual build but this guy needed a sandwich or something. His hair was long longer then mine tied in a loose ponytail to the side. It was the color of brown which only made his skin look more deathly white. This guy could be a model but for heaven, sakes give him a sandwich. I hear a low growl come from Damon and I look at him to see his eyes right at the pale looking man.

"Damon, It's so nice to see you again," The pale man says, and I feel Damons grip on me grow tighter, "This must be your mate, Nice to meet you I'm Gordon," He reaches out his hand but Damon just growls his eyes almost like burning gold.

"Now, now Mutt… you mustn't let your anger out here, wouldn't want to make a scene," He said, I grip onto Damon making sure he knows I'm here but the talking stick was right. They couldn’t do anything here. I bring my attention back to the leech that is attached to the stick, "What are you doing here Eva?" I turn the attention to Eva and she just smirks

"Oh well, once you left with…” she looks Damon up and down, “Him… I found Gordon here which it turns out that he is my mate and one of the competitors too," She laughs her fake laugh, I force the server smile to come out and dig my nails into my glass.

"I so look forward to the competition, Stella," She smirks and I swear I can see bugs crawling around her teeth,

“Oh yes, It will be so much fun, tell me, how is Marcus the last time we saw him it was an ungodly color of purple,” I said taking a sip of my drink. And I turn my attention to Gordon who is staring down Damon.

“So you are Gordon,” I said bringing his attention to me,

“Heard of me?” I can see the smile spread across his face and I note the long canines. Vampire..

“Oh no I’ve never heard of you,” I said looking down at my glass, I turn to Damon

“My glass is empty it seems I need more wine,” I look to Eva and Stick

“Excuse me, but I really do enjoy the cold company but my glass is empty, and I can’t have that,” I slip my arm around Damons and we silently turn away from them

“Oh I want to do some real bad things right now,” Damon said I look over to him and his signature smirk is across his face.

“Oh Damon you can’t touch them right now,” I said shaking my head as we head toward the bar

“I wasn’t talking about them.” He says and I blush at the realization of what he means.

"Damon, my boy, have you seen your father," An eerie voice said from behind us. I could feel the cold rushing through my body, and fear I haven't felt in years came rushing toward me. Damon and I both turn around at the same time and find a very very older Gordon. Refined but aged even if you can’t tell.

"I guess this is your mate? Nice to meet you. I'm Desi, part of the magical council representative of the Vampires," He said and all I could do was hear a man's voice from my childhood repeat in my head. 'Come out, come out, little girl, I can save you' I didn't want to look up because the man in my nightmares was faceless and I didn't want to give him a face.

"Yes this is Stella and no I haven't seen him since we have arrived," I can't hear Damon anymore. My head is stuck on repeat but I can feel his concern and anger rising. Panic is rushing throughout my body and I can feel River trying to take control to either protect or run I’m not sure. I can only hear the eerie voice and everything else around me starts to blur.

“Excuse me,” I push out of Damon's arms and make my way straight to the exit. I don’t even know if anyone is calling me, but I just continue on my route.

I need to get out of there, dashing through the halls hoping that I'll somehow find an exit. I know I have lost Damon somewhere along the way most likely because of the crowd of people. I felt horrible for leaving him but I couldn't, the ringing of that man's voice, the phantom feeling of blood on my hands and feet . I needed out! The Laybrinth of halls finally gave way to an opening to the outdoors and I just started running. I feel a little of the panic release from my shoulders when I greet the cold breeze. I notice the woods off in the distance and I run. I keep running and running before I know it I have shifted into River leaving a torn dress in my wake.

It's been so long since I have let River run and it was perfect, it was claiming and it gave me time to think. I know I shouldn't have run from Damon but I didn't want him to see me this way. I promised myself I would always protect myself. The night was so perfect between Damon and me, the dress, the party, the singing, smiling I don't care it was perfect. I knew my past was going to haunt me and I guess this was the time.

I didn't know how long I was running for. It felt like hours but I knew that I had run into the Windcrest territory. It was… home… I was running home but my time of peace quickly ended when I heard howls in the distance and sounds of panting wolves running in my direction. s**t, they only know me as the human mate of Damon. I turned on my heels again and ran toward the last place that anyone would look.

The first place I was really truthful with myself. I was truthful to Damon there, I was truthful about my memories, I was truthful to myself about my feelings for Damon. I was true to my future and actually wanting what I wanted. I ran for the meadow. Only Damon would know.