Lost Souls
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 05
She stared, wide-eyed as her mouth opened and closed a couple of times while processing what he'd said. When she had, she glared right back. "Look you ungrateful asshole, I don't know who you are or who you think you are, but you don't get to be pissy at me, got it? If you'll recall, I didn't wanna do this in the first place!"
She struggled to her feet and he stood too and leaned toward her. "Listen up sweets," he said, getting right in her face and pointing to himself. "I'm the guy who's gonna make your life hell until you fix this…this…whatever the hell you've done!" he hissed while tossing up a hand.
She sliced a hand through the air in denial. "Oh no. No way. Nuh uh. I agreed to do this mojo-hocus-pocus once and that's all you're getting outta me. Now," she said, pointing at the door, "you need to take your ghosty ass outta my house and get on with whatever it is that has your undies bunched." She spun on her heel and headed for the door.
He followed her out and rushed around to cut her off, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at her. "Not gonna happen sweet-cheeks. You? Me? We're gonna figure this out and fix it. And until that happens, you, my dear, are stuck with me." He stepped back, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, looking entirely too smug for Bella's taste.
"Stuff it, Casper," she growled and marched around him, down the stairs and straight to the kitchen. She pulled the bottle of Goose from the freezer and grabbed a glass. When she turned toward the table, he was there, kicked back in the chair on two legs. "Shit!" She grabbed a fistful of shirt over her chest and tilted her head back, trying to calm her racing heart.
He snickered.
She scowled.
He shrugged, and she set the bottle and glass on the table before slumping into the seat across from him. "You're a dick," she grumbled while sloshing out a healthy portion in her glass.
He smirked. "I've heard that a time or two…" he mused.
She took a bracing drink. "I just bet you have," she wheezed through the burn of the vodka while giving him her best stink-eye.
He looked proud.
They eyed each other for a few silent moments while Bella sipped her drink.
"So," he said as he leaned forward, bringing all four legs of the chair down. "Wanna know what I think went wrong?"
"I already know what went wrong," she said, matter-of-factly. He looked intrigued and waited for her to speak.
And waited...
He lost patience when all she did was spin her glass and smirk.
"Well? Let's hear it!"
She leaned forward and his gaze flitted from her sparkling eyes, to her lightly flushed cheeks, then on to her pouty, blush-red lips. She was pretty easy on the eyes, he had to admit. The sound of her voice snapped him out of his fog. "What went wrong," she drawled while staring into those ice-blue eyes, "is that I agreed to it in the first place!" she finished by throwing herself back in her chair as she slapped a hand on the table.
His lip curled. "Wrong, Sunshine," he growled. He sat back and reined in his anger. "You're powerful," he muttered, almost to himself. "You almost pulled it off despite your major fuck-up and that speaks of power." He stared and her brow furrowed.
"Look," she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You should really get someone else to help you. I have zero experience…"
She jumped when he banged a fist on the table, shocked that he was able to do so. "There is no one else, don't you understand?! You're it! Why do you think I'm here—in this house?"
She shot from her seat and leaned over the table. "I have no idea and no! I don't get it!"
He grabbed and tugged at his hair with a growl. "It's your Aunt's curse," he muttered and looked up into her eyes. "That's why it has to be you to lift it. It didn't put me here, but it keeps me here—I can't escape."
She sagged and sat back down, grabbed the bottle and while she poured another drink, she gestured to him. "So I'm stuck with you." She'd phrased it as a statement but he nodded anyway.
"Tell me then," she said. "Tell me everything." And so he shared all he knew.
He told her of his brother and their history together with Katherine. He told her of his return to Mystic Falls and of meeting Elena, his brother's girlfriend at the time. He told her of his turbulent relationship with the doppelgänger and how, despite all they'd gone through, they eventually fell in love which led to him being here, in his current situation.
He told her everything…
A couple of hours later, when he'd fallen silent, they sat, staring at each other. She shook her head. "Wow, she muttered. "And I thought I had a screwed up love life." She looked out the window at the dawning sun. "How do I get into these situations? What are the odds?"
He arched a brow and tilted back in his chair. "I tell you about witches, werewolves, curses and vampires and that's all you have to say about it?" She nodded and toyed with her glass. He studied her with narrowed eyes. "So, when I heard you muttering about vampires before—that wasn't just metaphorical, was it?"
She chuckled ruefully. "Nope."
"Tell me," he said, using her words from earlier and she scowled.
"I don't think so."
"And why not? I mean, I've spilled it all here sweets. It's your turn. That's how it works."
She quirked a brow at him. "Just because you needed a therapy session doesn't mean I do. Sorry to disappoint."
He scowled. "That's hardly fair sweets," he grumbled and she smiled a smile that didn't touch the haunted look in her eyes.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you?"
He nodded while tracing invisible patterns on the table. "Yeah, yeah," he sighed. "Life isn't fair."
She saluted him with her glass. "To the unfairness of it all," she toasted and knocked back the contents.
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked sullen. "Fine, keep your secrets. I'll just piece it together from your sleep-talking." He smiled and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"You stay the hell outta my room."
His brows rose. "Why should I? It's boring as hell at night and you can be down-right entertaining at times, especially when you talk about Edward and Jacob," he said the last in a high, breathy voice.
She paled and he almost regretted mentioning it—almost. He didn't have much of a conscience, after all…
Then tears filled her eyes and the tiny sliver of conscience he did have kicked in. "Aw shit," he groaned as she turned her face away to hide her tears. "I'm sorry, okay? Just please, don't cry…"
She swiped at her cheeks and sniffled before turning back to look at him. "That was low."
He hung his head. "I know," he mumbled. "I shouldn't have pushed."
"No, you shouldn't have."
She poured more vodka in her glass and he furrowed his brow as she took a healthy drink. "It's awfully early to be hittin' the sauce, isn't it sweets?"
She shot him a flat look. "I haven't been to sleep yet so technically it's late." She rolled her shoulders while rubbing the back of her neck with a tired sigh. Then she pinned him with a steely look. "Okay, fine. You wanna know my story? I'll tell you."
A while later and Damon stared at her mutely. "Cold ones," he stated and she nodded.
"You dated—actually had a romantic relationship—with a cold one?"
She sighed and leaned back, not meeting his eyes. "If you call closed-mouth kisses and holding hands dating, then yes." She looked at him and his brows rose.
"So, then you never…"
She felt her cheeks heat but held his gaze. "No, Edward and I never…" Then she blew out a breath. "I've never…with anyone—and jesus, I must be tired and half drunk to admit that to you."
He smirked. "At your age, and as attractive as you are, it is a little hard to believe, but then again, after observing you for the time I have, I can believe it easily."
She shot him a dirty look. "Gee, thanks."
He shrugged. "Ya gotta admit," he said as his brow creased, "you're kind-of halfway on your way to being a crazy cat lady. All you need is the cats…"
She threw the top to the bottle at him and he dodged with a snicker.
"Hey!" she said while standing to lean with her hands on the table. "How do you keep an asshole in suspense?" she questioned with a cocked brow.
He rolled his eyes. "I dunno, how?"
She smirked and left the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder, "I'll tell ya later!"
She stared, wide-eyed as her mouth opened and closed a couple of times while processing what he'd said. When she had, she glared right back. "Look you ungrateful asshole, I don't know who you are or who you think you are, but you don't get to be pissy at me, got it? If you'll recall, I didn't wanna do this in the first place!"
She struggled to her feet and he stood too and leaned toward her. "Listen up sweets," he said, getting right in her face and pointing to himself. "I'm the guy who's gonna make your life hell until you fix this…this…whatever the hell you've done!" he hissed while tossing up a hand.
She sliced a hand through the air in denial. "Oh no. No way. Nuh uh. I agreed to do this mojo-hocus-pocus once and that's all you're getting outta me. Now," she said, pointing at the door, "you need to take your ghosty ass outta my house and get on with whatever it is that has your undies bunched." She spun on her heel and headed for the door.
He followed her out and rushed around to cut her off, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at her. "Not gonna happen sweet-cheeks. You? Me? We're gonna figure this out and fix it. And until that happens, you, my dear, are stuck with me." He stepped back, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, looking entirely too smug for Bella's taste.
"Stuff it, Casper," she growled and marched around him, down the stairs and straight to the kitchen. She pulled the bottle of Goose from the freezer and grabbed a glass. When she turned toward the table, he was there, kicked back in the chair on two legs. "Shit!" She grabbed a fistful of shirt over her chest and tilted her head back, trying to calm her racing heart.
He snickered.
She scowled.
He shrugged, and she set the bottle and glass on the table before slumping into the seat across from him. "You're a dick," she grumbled while sloshing out a healthy portion in her glass.
He smirked. "I've heard that a time or two…" he mused.
She took a bracing drink. "I just bet you have," she wheezed through the burn of the vodka while giving him her best stink-eye.
He looked proud.
They eyed each other for a few silent moments while Bella sipped her drink.
"So," he said as he leaned forward, bringing all four legs of the chair down. "Wanna know what I think went wrong?"
"I already know what went wrong," she said, matter-of-factly. He looked intrigued and waited for her to speak.
And waited...
He lost patience when all she did was spin her glass and smirk.
"Well? Let's hear it!"
She leaned forward and his gaze flitted from her sparkling eyes, to her lightly flushed cheeks, then on to her pouty, blush-red lips. She was pretty easy on the eyes, he had to admit. The sound of her voice snapped him out of his fog. "What went wrong," she drawled while staring into those ice-blue eyes, "is that I agreed to it in the first place!" she finished by throwing herself back in her chair as she slapped a hand on the table.
His lip curled. "Wrong, Sunshine," he growled. He sat back and reined in his anger. "You're powerful," he muttered, almost to himself. "You almost pulled it off despite your major fuck-up and that speaks of power." He stared and her brow furrowed.
"Look," she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You should really get someone else to help you. I have zero experience…"
She jumped when he banged a fist on the table, shocked that he was able to do so. "There is no one else, don't you understand?! You're it! Why do you think I'm here—in this house?"
She shot from her seat and leaned over the table. "I have no idea and no! I don't get it!"
He grabbed and tugged at his hair with a growl. "It's your Aunt's curse," he muttered and looked up into her eyes. "That's why it has to be you to lift it. It didn't put me here, but it keeps me here—I can't escape."
She sagged and sat back down, grabbed the bottle and while she poured another drink, she gestured to him. "So I'm stuck with you." She'd phrased it as a statement but he nodded anyway.
"Tell me then," she said. "Tell me everything." And so he shared all he knew.
He told her of his brother and their history together with Katherine. He told her of his return to Mystic Falls and of meeting Elena, his brother's girlfriend at the time. He told her of his turbulent relationship with the doppelgänger and how, despite all they'd gone through, they eventually fell in love which led to him being here, in his current situation.
He told her everything…
A couple of hours later, when he'd fallen silent, they sat, staring at each other. She shook her head. "Wow, she muttered. "And I thought I had a screwed up love life." She looked out the window at the dawning sun. "How do I get into these situations? What are the odds?"
He arched a brow and tilted back in his chair. "I tell you about witches, werewolves, curses and vampires and that's all you have to say about it?" She nodded and toyed with her glass. He studied her with narrowed eyes. "So, when I heard you muttering about vampires before—that wasn't just metaphorical, was it?"
She chuckled ruefully. "Nope."
"Tell me," he said, using her words from earlier and she scowled.
"I don't think so."
"And why not? I mean, I've spilled it all here sweets. It's your turn. That's how it works."
She quirked a brow at him. "Just because you needed a therapy session doesn't mean I do. Sorry to disappoint."
He scowled. "That's hardly fair sweets," he grumbled and she smiled a smile that didn't touch the haunted look in her eyes.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you?"
He nodded while tracing invisible patterns on the table. "Yeah, yeah," he sighed. "Life isn't fair."
She saluted him with her glass. "To the unfairness of it all," she toasted and knocked back the contents.
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked sullen. "Fine, keep your secrets. I'll just piece it together from your sleep-talking." He smiled and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"You stay the hell outta my room."
His brows rose. "Why should I? It's boring as hell at night and you can be down-right entertaining at times, especially when you talk about Edward and Jacob," he said the last in a high, breathy voice.
She paled and he almost regretted mentioning it—almost. He didn't have much of a conscience, after all…
Then tears filled her eyes and the tiny sliver of conscience he did have kicked in. "Aw shit," he groaned as she turned her face away to hide her tears. "I'm sorry, okay? Just please, don't cry…"
She swiped at her cheeks and sniffled before turning back to look at him. "That was low."
He hung his head. "I know," he mumbled. "I shouldn't have pushed."
"No, you shouldn't have."
She poured more vodka in her glass and he furrowed his brow as she took a healthy drink. "It's awfully early to be hittin' the sauce, isn't it sweets?"
She shot him a flat look. "I haven't been to sleep yet so technically it's late." She rolled her shoulders while rubbing the back of her neck with a tired sigh. Then she pinned him with a steely look. "Okay, fine. You wanna know my story? I'll tell you."
A while later and Damon stared at her mutely. "Cold ones," he stated and she nodded.
"You dated—actually had a romantic relationship—with a cold one?"
She sighed and leaned back, not meeting his eyes. "If you call closed-mouth kisses and holding hands dating, then yes." She looked at him and his brows rose.
"So, then you never…"
She felt her cheeks heat but held his gaze. "No, Edward and I never…" Then she blew out a breath. "I've never…with anyone—and jesus, I must be tired and half drunk to admit that to you."
He smirked. "At your age, and as attractive as you are, it is a little hard to believe, but then again, after observing you for the time I have, I can believe it easily."
She shot him a dirty look. "Gee, thanks."
He shrugged. "Ya gotta admit," he said as his brow creased, "you're kind-of halfway on your way to being a crazy cat lady. All you need is the cats…"
She threw the top to the bottle at him and he dodged with a snicker.
"Hey!" she said while standing to lean with her hands on the table. "How do you keep an asshole in suspense?" she questioned with a cocked brow.
He rolled his eyes. "I dunno, how?"
She smirked and left the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder, "I'll tell ya later!"
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.