(3) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

In the living room, Damon is tied to a chair, a fireplace stoker sticking out of his chest, his daylight ring on the floor, out of reach. He's trying really hard not to panic about this, and he doesn't care about the state he is in, he knows he will heal, but Cassandra is linked to him, they've already seen that she gets his injuries. She's here, in the house, hurting and he can't help her. He assumes he'll know if she was dead, he's felt that before, and it is something he is never, ever, going to forget.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Ghost!Mason asks him. 

"Oh, Stefan" Damon complains, wrongfully believing that it is Stefan behind this attack. "Low blow, Stefan. Low blow" Stefan walks into the room and spots Damon.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Whatever twisted ripper game this is, leave me out of it" Damon scolds his brother. 

"I didn't do this" Stefan argues.

"Quit screwing around!"

"I didn't" Stefan checks the chains. "It's pretty messed up though, isn't it?"

"Yep," Damon agrees. Stefan removes the iron stick causing Damon to cry out in pain. Stefan begins to remove the chains but stops and leaves. Mason is watching them but Damon can't see him. "Yeah, not to worry. I'll just untangle myself" Damon comments. Ghost!Mason waits until Stefan is fully gone, the front doors opening and closing before he yanks open the curtains so the sunlight can enter the room. Damon's skin burns as the sunlight hits him, he screams in agony. Red mist wraps around the curtains before the close and Cassandra stumbles into the room, clutching at her chest, her eyes glowing red as she attempts to heal the damage and help Damon. The chains loosen around him and he vamp-speeds to her as she collapses. He bites into his wrist and is quick to set it to her lips. If she can't do this herself, then he will. He would do anything to keep her alive. The open, gaping wound in her chest heals with his blood. He shifts them both so they are sat on the floor together. He kind of feels as though it might be best to sever this bond. Whatever this is. If they can. Just till things settle down. He cradles her head to his chest as she clutches to him. He can't imagine how much that hurt her. And it could be so much worse. He nudges her head with his nose and closes his eyes. "Can you turn it off?" He whispers, she shrugs a little, seemingly understanding what he is asking of her.

"I don't know how it happened to begin with...I don't know how to undo it..." She admits. The whole bond thing came about by accident, it just happened, it just appeared between them. 

"This is getting really dangerous" He points out. "What if someone breaks my neck?"

"I can try" She offers, he nods and she turns so she can face him. She places her hands on either side of his head and meets his eyes. Both pairs start to glow red as she attempts to figure this out. He's right. They need to severe it. Things are way too dangerous. And this bond, it's getting weirder and stronger. They both know the second she manages it though. It feels weird. Like something is missing from them. And obviously, there is now, that bond's been severed and it's just them. Inside their own minds and souls. They can't feel one another. That feeling of someone having their backs, is gone. Damon looks down a little and pulls a face. He doesn't like it. But it's for the best. It's not safe for them, for her. He couldn't bear it if something happened to her because of him or his smart mouth. Cassandra pulls her hands back and lets them drop into her lap. She feels a little less confident in herself. A little more self-conscious. She felt like she could do anything because she felt connected to someone else. To him. Damon brushes his hand over her cheek and then leans closer.

"Just till we deal with Klaus" He whispers and kisses her head. She hums and nods. He kisses her and she pulls back on that feeling, the feeling that came the first time and the second time. She is aware of it now. And she just has to fight it. every single time she and Damon kiss. Because it feels like it wants out. It wants to make the bond between them. Damon kisses along her jaw and then lays her back against the floor. He nuzzles into her neck and lets out a breath. It doesn't feel the same. It still feels great. He still loves her. He still gets excited by her. There is just that extra thing missing. A spiritual thing. He lets out another breath and pulls back. He can see it in her face too. She feels the same thing.

"I have to get changed" She points out, he nods and pulls back, helping her up to her feet. She touches her shirt where there is drying blood. She's going to ruin all her clothing at this rate. He wraps his arms around her and she sighs into his chest. They both know that it's, hopefully, not for long. But that doesn't mean it doesn't feel weird. He kisses the side of her head and takes a deep breath.