Fingers touched the back of her neck.
Bonnie whirled again, almost falling, almost fainting. She was too frightened to scream. When she saw who it was, shock robbed all her senses and her muscles collapsed. She would have ended up in a heap on the ground if he hadn't caught her and held her straight.
"You look frightened," Damon said softly.
Bonnie shook her head. She didn't have any voice yet. She thought she still might faint. But she tried to pull away just the same.
He didn't tighten his grip, but he didn't let go. And struggling did about as much good as trying to break a brick wall with bare hands. She gave up and tried to calm her breathing.
"Are you frightened of me?" Damon said. He smiled reprovingly, as if they shared a secret. "You don't need to be."
How had Elena managed to deal with this? But Elena hadn't, of course, Bonnie realized.
Elena had succumbed to Damon in the end. Damon had won and had his way.
He released one of her arms to trace, very lightly, the curve of her upper lip. "I suppose I should go away," he said, "and not scare you anymore. Is that what you want?"
Like a rabbit with a snake, Bonnie thought. This is how the rabbit feels. Only I don't suppose he'll kill me. I might just die on my own, though. She felt as if her legs might melt away at any minute, as if she might collapse. There was a warmth and a trembling inside her.
Elena wouldn't like it, she thought, just as his lips touched hers. Yes, that was it. But the problem was, she didn't have the strength to say it. The warmth was growing, rushing out to all parts of her, from her fingertips to the soles of her feet. His lips were cool, like silk, but everything else was so warm. She didn't need to be afraid; she could just let go and float on this. Sweetness rushed through her...
"What the hell is going on?"
The voice broke the silence, broke the spell. Bonnie started and found herself able to turn her head. Matt was standing at the edge of the yard, his fists clenched, his eyes like chips of blue ice. Ice so cold it burned.
"Get away from her," Matt said.
To Bonnie's surprise, the grip on her arms eased. She stepped back, straightening her blouse, a little breathless. Her mind was working again.
"It's okay," she said to Matt, her voice almost normal. "I was just-"
"Go back to the car and stay there."
Now wait a minute, thought Bonnie. She was glad Matt had come; the interruption had been very conveniently timed. But he was coming on a little heavy with the protective older brother bit.
"Look, Matt-"
"Go on," he said, still staring at Damon.
Meredith wouldn't have let herself be ordered around this way. And Elena certainly wouldn't. Bonnie opened her mouth to tell Matt to go sit in the car himself when she suddenly realized something.
This was the first time in months she'd seen Matt really care about anything. The light was back in those blue eyes-that cold flash of righteous anger that used to make even Tyler Smallwood back down. Matt was alive right now, and full of energy. He was himself again.
Bonnie bit her lip. For a moment she struggled with her pride. Then she conquered it and lowered her eyes.
"Thanks for rescuing me," she murmured, and left the yard.
Matt was so angry he didn't dare move closer to Damon for fear he might take a swing at him. And the chilling darkness in Damon's eyes told him that wouldn't be a very good idea.
But Damon's voice was smooth, almost dispassionate. "My taste for blood isn't just a whim, you know. It's a necessity you're interfering with here. I'm only doing
what I have to."
Contemptuously he said, "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size, then?"
Damon smiled and the air went colder. "Like you?"
Matt just stared at him. He could feel muscles clench in his jaw. After a moment he said tightly, "You can try."