If We Had Met First

Chapter Forty Five

            The lights were dim and the only people in the Grill were a bartender with bags under his eyes that looked like he would rather be anywhere else, a young couple sitting in the corner, a waitress disappearing into the back and a man sitting at the bar with a glass in hand.

            He was wearing a shabby brown leather jacket and his tan brown hair was messy. Even though he was drinking in the morning, a practice usually reserved for those who were definitely not doing well he looked decent. There were only slight bags under his eyes and he seemed pretty normal.

            The man didn’t look up from his glass when Damon slid onto the bar stool next to him. The bartender sighed when he saw yet another customer but perked up when Damon shook his head slightly to indicate he didn’t want anything.

            “So what has you turning into a morning drinker?” Damon asked casually,

            Finally he looked up, when his brown eyes landed on Damon something almost like recognition flickered through them. Before Damon could really get a good look at it however, it disappeared.

            “New town, new job, new life.” The man said immediately looking back to his half full glass.

            Damon glanced up to see that the bartender had followed the waitress to the back. The only people left in the Grill was the couple in the corner but they seemed enveloped in their own world. Once he was sure that no one was watching he grabbed the sides of the man’s head and turned it so they were facing each other.

            “You will not make a sound, and you will follow me. You will do whatever I say.” Damon said, he knew without having to see that his pupils were contracting and expanding as he spoke. He smirked when he saw the glazed look come into the man’s eyes.

            “I will do what you say,” he said in a hushed, emotionless tone.

            “Wonderful, now come on. You are going to help me and my friend out.”

            Abandoning the glass that still had half the amber liquid in it the man followed Damon out of the front door of the bar. It was still early and there was barely anyone on the streets but even those who were out didn't see anything wrong with the two men walking down the street. They weren't even given a second glance when they turned down the alley that led to the backside of the Grill.

            Elena was waiting exactly where he had left her moments ago. Before they had come here she had ran home to change out of her clothes which she had been wearing for two straight days. She had put on a pair of dark skinny jeans, a black t-shirt and a bright blue scarf. Her hair was up in a high ponytail but a few wisps of her long brown hair had fallen out. Even in a dark alley she looked absolutely stunning.

            “That was fast.” Elena said when she finally saw Damon approaching with the man in his wake, “who is that?”

            Damon shrugged, “no idea.”

            Elena bit down on her lip, something she always did when she was unsure about something. Before he could say anything however she took a deep breath and the uncertainty disappeared from her face entirely. He wasn’t stupid he knew it was still there but he also knew that no matter what he said she would never be okay with this.

            She wasn’t the kind of person who was okay with just plucking a random stranger out of the bar to drink his blood. That wasn’t her.