Tempted | Kai Parker

thirty nine: impatience

A small groan left my lips as I downed yet another drink, and started irritatingly drumming my fingers on the bar which I was perched at.

Practically the whole reason I spent my nights at either one of the two bars in Mystic Falls was for a little bit of entertainment. Hearing couples' bicker, and drunken girls gossiping - it was all so hilarious.

Plus, the chatter was enough to keep me distracted in between stunts, and without it, I was excruciatingly bored.

"Why is it so quiet tonight?" I asked the bartender, as I propped my elbows on the countertop. "There hasn't been a single soul in here all night."

I did for a moment, wonder if the atmosphere might've been slightly more lively at The Grill, but then it was possibly a little soon to return back there considering I murdered one of their staff members last night.

So, the Founder's bar it was.

"I don't know. Quiet night, I guess." He mumbled. "But you seem to be drinking enough to keep us open."

"High tolerance." I shrugged.

"This one's on the house." He chuckled, as he slid another drink over the counter. "Buy a hundred, get one free."

I raised the glass with a small grin towards the barman, before taking a sip of the liquor.

But as I placed the glass back on the counter, I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I couldn't place exactly what wasn't right - but I could sense it.

There was a strangely eerie atmosphere in the air that was so vivid, it was almost tangible. The feeling that surrounded me was an unnatural one. Like something had been tampered with. Like it had been constructed to throw me off.

The whole thing was putting me on edge. And I had to say, I wasn't used to being subjected to caginess these days.

And I certainly wasn't keen on it.

I just needed to place what it was. I needed to find what was wrong so that I could ensure I was protected.

But then suddenly the silence that devoured the bar was abruptly shattered.

The door swung open behind me with an obnoxious clatter, and I immediately heard a pair of footsteps drawing closer behind me.

"Looks like you've got another customer." I commented to the barman.

"Not just any old customer." A familiar voice said from behind me.

I rolled my eyes, and a sigh escaped my lips as I gulped back the rest of my drink.

Was one night of peace really such a big ask?

"Oh, for God's sake." I groaned. "Why did it have to be you?"

Then as I turned around, my eyes instantly fixed onto Damon's icy blue ones. He gave me a small wave, as he stood right in front of me.

He was dressed in black clothing, with a black leather jacket, and the same insufferable smirk he insisted on twisting over his face every day.

At least when Kai tried to get me to turn it back on we had a little fun. There was no chance of that with Damon.

"You know, you used to like me before you turned it all off." He quipped. "What changed?"

"Did I ever really like you, or did I just tolerate you?" I fired back.

He let a small scoff push through his nostrils as he strode over to me and sat on one of the barstools at my side.