Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Seven

Alaric is basically on Diana the second the door opens to his apartment. He missed her. She chuckles against his lips. His hands in her hair as he pushes her back against the door, closing it.

"Whoa" she teases. "Easy, tiger.....What's got into you?" He lifts her up and presses her back against the door, her legs around his waist.

"Your fault" he whispers against her lips. "Putting that imagine in my head....It was stuck in there all night" he complains

"Oh..." she breaths and kisses him back. "Okay...Hot coffee" She scolds. "You gotta put me down" he groans and sets her back on her feet. He takes the coffee she offers to him from her and heads into the kitchen. "I take it you didn't sleep very well?" She asks him, he turns a look on her.

"Oh yeah, I slept great" he offers sarcastically then smirks at her. "You're here now though" she hums and then glances to her watch.

"And you have to be at work in 15 minutes"

"Plenty of time" he sets the coffees own and then makes his way back to her, she backs up slightly.

"That's not something you want to boast about" she teases as he stalks towards her. She takes a few steps.

"You did this to me" He tells her. "You got to fix it" He lunges forward, she laughs and doges out of his grip.

"Gotta be faster than that" She counters and moves around him. She squeals as he grabs her around her waist and pulls her back against his chest, his lips finding her neck. He walks her forward towards his couch, she leans back into him and sighs softly.

..............

Alaric hums happily into Diana's neck as she strokes his hair.

"How did it go with Jenna this morning?" He asks into her neck.

"She glared at me as she poured out her coffee and then left without a word" She offers as he nuzzles into her neck before pulling back to look down at her. "She's really mad" he brushes her hair back from her face.

"Do you think we need to cool off?" Alaric asks her as he sits up. "Just to give her some time..."

"No" She stops him. "We're...going to see this through" she assures him. "Together" he hums and leans down to kiss her.

"Together" he agrees with her.

"Now, don't you have work" She points out, he groans and pouts at her.

"Awww but you're all naked" he counters and runs his hand down to her waist. "And that's so much more fun..." She jerks a little when he presses his fingers into her side.

"Ric" She warns, he groans and drops his head to her shoulder.

"I know" he agrees. He knows he has to go to work. He has to leave her. He has to let go to go to work. He lifts his head and kisses her. "Okay" he whispers against her lips, he then reluctantly pulls back to stand.

"I'll see you later though" She assures him. "At the Carnival...." He raises an eyebrow at her. "I gotta see all your hard work pay off" she teases, he chuckles a little and shakes his head.

.............

Night has fallen and the Carnival is well underway when Alaric lights up seeing Diana walk towards him, every inch of the days stress utterly disappearing from him. He really freaking loves this girl.

"This place looks great" she offers, Alaric takes her hand without thinking, there is no hesitation in his touch any more. They are no longer hiding what they share and he is embracing it. he wants to show off how amazing she is, and that she is with him. He leans closer to her and kiss her.

"This is nice" he admits against her lips. "Like we're a real couple"

"Oh" she states. "Is that what we are?" He pulls back to look at her, but she's teasing him.

"We haven't really spoken about that, have we?" he asks her, she shrugs.

"It's okay...you told my aunt that you love me, I'd say that makes us....a couple" She offers, he smiles at her.

................

Jeremy is buying popcorn at the carnival when Damon arrives.

"Jeremy, it's so good to see you alive." Damon comments.

"Aren't you a little old for a high school carnival?"

"A hundred and fifty years too old." He takes some of Jeremy's popcorn and eats it.

"You're pretty funny cracking jokes when I could I don't know...blow the whole lid off this thing by telling someone what you really are." Damon catches him and takes him away from the crowd.

"So please tell me that that is not a threat."

"Maybe it is." Jeremy shows him the ring and Damon chokes him from behind with an arm under his chin. He jerks a little when Diana's blade of Artemis is pressed to his chest, her electrified baton to his throat. Damon glances at Diana stood at the other end of them.

"Let him go" She threatens, Damon releases Jeremy who coughs and stumbles back behind Diana to where Alaric is stood behind her. "Give him back his ring" She adds, Jeremy looks at his hand to find his ring missing, Damon holds it up and throws it at Jeremy.

"That blade won't work" Damon points out. "It's metal" he tells her.

"It's the blade of Artemis" She counters. "It was designed and enchanted to kill vampires" Damon raises an eyebrow at her. "And I'm pretty sure shoving this baton up your ass will make Jeremy feel so much better" Jeremy nods in agreement. "Your lucky I made an agreement with Stefan" Diana states and pulls her weapons back. "Touch him again, and I won't be so lenient." She and Damon share a look before she walks away with Jeremy and Alaric. Diana takes a deep breath before she turns to Jeremy. "This isn't a game, Jeremy" She scolds. "He could have hurt you, killed you" She clutches his face and lets out a breath, he gives her a sad smile. "I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you" She whispers. Jeremy hugs her tightly.

"Hey" Derek greets walking towards them. Diana pulls away from Jeremy.

"Hey" Diana counters with a smile, the two of them share a hug.

"So this all look intense" Derek teases as he pulls back. "Someone else die?" Diana snorts and shares a look with Jeremy.

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" She asks Derek who nods.

"Yeah, anything..." Derek assures her.

"Keep an eye on him" Diana tells Derek as she nods to Jeremy, Derek nods.

"Sure.....we'll go score some coke and get wasted, huh, punk?" Derek asks Jeremy who smirks a little. Diana shoots Derek a look. "I was joking" he assures Diana. "We'll grab some soda....maybe shoot some pool"

"Where would you even get coke from anyway? The Lollypop guild?"

"Leave the guild out of this" Derek scolds with a smirk. "Come on" he nudges Jeremy who chuckles and follows after Derek as he walks away. Jeremy stops and then turns back.

"Mr. Saltzman" Alaric looks at him. "Sorry I punched you" Alaric smiles a little.

"It's okay" Alaric assures him.

"Just....look after her" Jeremy nods to Diana. Alaric nods.

"Yeah, I will" He assures Jeremy who smiles and jogs after Derek. Diana smiles softly at Alaric. "One down" Alaric offers. "Just Jenna to convince now" She hums and nods. He kisses the back of her hand and smiles back at her.