Aurora

Chapter 14 (Damon's P.O.V)

           Rain pelted against the windshield as I drove down an almost deserted highway. I had only passed one or two cars, then again, it was three o'clock in the morning. Most humans were asleep at this hour or at least they should be.
Aurora was curled up in the passenger's seat next to me gazing out of the window. She hadn't uttered a word since we left the house and I knew why. She was thinking about everything that she had been through these pasts few months. Asking herself why did this have to happen to her and what she did to deserve this life. Those were questions she asked a lot lately and I couldn't say I blamed her. Everything was messed up. Nothing seemed real. It was almost like we were trapped in a dream world unable to wake up.
I glanced over at her when she sighed heavily and said, "You know, Lance told me about your life."
"Did he now?" I asked.
"Yes, he told me about your wings and everything."
"Hm, you didn't call it bullshit like you did with me?" I asked nonchalantly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to respond like that when you tried to tell me. It's just that, vampires aren't supposed to have wings. At least not wings like that anyway."
"Vampires aren't supposed to exist at all," I muttered.
"Fair point. He told me that you didn't know the origin of your wings either. Is that true?" she asked.
I sighed heavily and gripped the steering wheel before saying, "No, not entirely. My mother was a vampire and my father was an angel."
"Do you remember their names?"
"I don't remember my mother's name, but my father's name was Michael."
She stared at me in confusion before saying, "You mean the Michael that was killed by vervain?"
I shook my head. "No, it was just a coincidence that he had the same name as my father. I guess that's why I nearly risked my life to save him when Uriel tried to kill him."
She was silent for a moment and I stared straight ahead fighting back the rage that threatened to bubble over the surface as I remembered the night I nearly died to save my adoptive father. Uriel had plunged a stake deep into his heart and in a blind fit of rage and desperation, I grabbed the stake with my bare hands and threw it over my shoulder. As I was trying to stop the bleeding, a searing pain shot through my back and I whirled around to see that Uriel had raked the stake down my shoulder.
"Do they hurt?" Aurora asked snapping me back to reality.
I looked at her.
"Your wings."
"Not all the time. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. The night I came to rescue you was the first time in years they hurt coming out. I guess because of all the rage I had built up."
"How come I didn't feel them when we were..." she trailed off for a moment and her face turned bright red. "...sex."
Guilt washed over me as I remembered how I took her virginity that night. Not only did I bite her, but I left her alone. Not how a girl's first time should be. Hell, even my first time wasn't like that.
"They are underneath my skin," I answered. "God, I'm so sorry Aurora."
She stared at me, but said nothing.
"I feel like such a monster. I took your virginity and left you like a cold-hearted bastard. I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked fighting the tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks.
"Not physically. Mentally, yes. You left me to go through that transformation all by myself. You left me thinking what did I do wrong. Despite all that, only one thing hurt me more. The fact that you didn't give much regard to what I had to say about the decision. You just acted."
"I know," I muttered my voice cracking. "I would blame it on my love for you and me not wanting to live without you, but, it was just me being a selfish asshole. After I left you alone, I felt as though something was wrong and when I went back to you, you were already gone. I thought Uriel had taken you and I nearly lost my mind. When I saw you hit your head I..." I trailed off as my throat tightened and the tears spilled down my cheeks. "God, I can't tell you how sorry I am, Aurora."
"You're crying," she said in shock. "I never thought I'd see you cry."
"Now you see how bad I feel."
She reached over and grabbed my hand before giving it a light squeeze.
"I don't expect you to forgive me anytime soon, but I hope you do. I love you too much to lose you."
"Damon," she said calmly. "I've already forgiven you."
I looked at her and she gave me a reassuring smile before raising my hand to her lips. Her kiss sent shivers through my body and I pulled my hand away from hers.
"Can we find somewhere to stop for the night?" she asked.
"Well, the nearest motel is two miles away, but it's nothing fancy," I answered.
"It doesn't matter how fancy it is as long as I am with you."
I smiled and did my best to ignore the growing feeling in my groin.