Blood Enemies • The Vampire Diaries [2]

XV. WOULDN'T SEE THE POINT OF LIVING ON IF ONE OF US DIED

I woke to the feeling of something slick and tacky rub against my side, my eyes fluttering open, finding myself lying in a bed that I'd always envisioned myself in, a familiar arm draped over my waist, holding me close. Stefan Salvatore was asleep beside me, his face nestled in the side of my neck, buried in the locks of my hair with his chest pressed against my back ; like a dream.

Waking up with Stefan beside me, warm in his bed was something that I had pictured a million times over. In my dreams, I would pull him closer, but instead I shifted my body, moving to face him. I watched in wonder as he slept, observing the softness in his face, the lamb that hid the lion. Stefan Salvatore was an angel that had fallen from grace.

I ran my fingertips along the side of his face, tracing down his jaw, and for a second I pulled my hand away, my gaze resting on his mouth. All he had to do was kiss me, and my humanity would be back, just like that, I knew. And that made Stefan dangerous.

I didn't want my humanity back, not after all of the people that I'd killed. I didn't want to go back to the girl that was too weak to handle herself, to handle her new life, to handle reality. If I did go back, I wouldn't be able to survive it.

I was just better off this way.

Stefan shifted, and I quickly sat up before he could catch my staring. I glanced over to my side, lifting my left arm to see a strip of plastic wrap taped over my side, a smile forming on my lips as the events of last night replayed in my thoughts ; I had gotten a tattoo.

"Mmmm..." Stefan mumbled, as I hopped up off the bed, striding over to the mirror. "You're up way too early.."

I pulled off the wrap I no longer needed for the tattoo that had already healed - perks of being a vampire - revealing a somewhat large, blooming rose.

"It's half past noon." I replied, turning back around to face the man that had inspired my slightly drunken decision last night. Stefan and I had stumbled upon a tattoo parlor, and the next thing I knew, I was lying on my side, with a needle prodding at my skin, asking for the same rose that was on Stefan's arm. "Besides, what lame vampire gets a hangover?"

"The same lame vampire who's tattoo you copied." He retorted, sitting up in bed, which made me laugh.

"It was loosely inspired by yours."

"Really?" Stefan quipped, as I walked back over to the bed. "Is that why you compelled the guy when he said he wouldn't he remake another artists work?"

My smirk twisted into a smile, as I sat down on the bed. "Maybe I just wanted to have something to always remember you by, Stefan."

That was a lie. I didn't need anything to always remember him by, knew that no matter what Stefan Salvatore wouldn't ever be someone that I'd forget.

He chuckled, looking away from me, while I simply stared, still and inhuman. "You know," I continued, as he lifted his head to look at me, dark lashes contrasting his green eyes that were pulling more blue in that moment. "I don't understand my sister."

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I just.." I trailed off, shaking my head. "I can't understand why she's wasting her time with Damon, when she could have you." Elena had everything with Stefan, everything she could've ever wanted - anyone ever wanted - but Damon would just cause her more pain. "If It were up to me, Stefan, I'd choose you."