Damon stood in the dimly lit study, frustration etched across his face. Levi had finally found a clue, a real clue. Samantha had not shown up in any one's memories, yet the family sigil for the Dortmund family and their attendance had been signed. Someone had attended in her place and that person was his bride.
Levi was confident that they had finally reached the root of the matter, he had set out to confront Samantha about it and Damon was finally happy that they could put everything behind them.
Although he had also been slightly apprehensive that this meant that he was one step closer to his bride, the mysterious Ella. And while before he might have been happy about that, even relieved, now he was unsure, thoughts of another woman filled his head and the once vibrant attraction that he had felt for the bride he lost was ebbing away.
She was an enigma, a beautiful mystery and he had fallen for her just like any man would, she had left him and he had started to wonder if she was even real in the first place, but now as they drew closer to the truth, Damon quickly found that he would have to confront her once again. And he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that.
The phone rang for a moment before a tired voice answered on the other end. "Levi, what is it?" Damon's voice held a hint of exhaustion, a reflection of the long stressful nights he had been having for the last few days.
Levi took a deep breath, trying to steady his trembling voice. "Lord Damon, I have terrible news. I went to the Dortmund household, I found a lot of blood and Samantha is missing ," he said, his words heavy with sorrow. "We don't know what happened or who could have taken her. And on top of that, Olga, her housekeeper, is in a serious coma. The only possible link we had to find your bride is gone."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the soft sound of Damon's frustrated sigh. "This is horrible news... what could have happened to Samantha?!" Damon muttered, his voice tinged with sadness. "We were so close to finding the truth of this and now it feels like everything is falling apart."
Levi nodded, even though Damon couldn't see him. "I understand your frustration, Lord Damon. We'll do everything we can to find Samantha, but it won't be easy without any leads."
Damon's exhaustion seemed to mix with curiosity as he asked, "Levi, do you know what happened to her? Any clues at all?"
Levi hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to share his suspicions. "There's nothing yet, but I've notified her parents and apparently they've known nothing of what is happening here. Samantha was supposed to attend the ball in their honour and to their understanding, she did!"
Damon's interest was piqued. "What? They thought she was in attendance?"
"Yes, my Lord," Levi replied. "Her mother even said she made a dress for the occasion and she seemed very excited to go. They said it was the only thing they asked of her."
"They were devastated to hear that she's missing, but they're confident that since there isn't a body, then she must be alive."
"We must find her, we have to search everywhere. She might be in grave danger. Maybe there's a bigger plot playing out here..."
Damon mused.
Levi seemed to agree.
"I agree. It's quite strange how everything turned out... I just really hope she's found."
................
As Levi hung up the phone, Caelia paced back and forth in front of the door to the study, lost in her thoughts. The eavesdropped conversation had only added to her inner turmoil. Samantha was hurt?! She could tell it was Samantha they were talking about, but she was shocked that something had happened to her.
Samantha was a vampire, she was meant to be strong, Caelia didn't think it was possible that she could be hurt. She also wondered why someone would try and hurt her.
This has gone on for far too long...
She thought as she remembered that what started it all was her foolish decision to attend the ball, now she was paying for it and other people seemed to be paying for it too.
Maybe she should come clean, maybe it would save them all from the danger. The decision weighed heavily on Caelia's conscience, and she knew she couldn't keep the truth hidden any longer. She had to come clean to Damon, no matter the consequences or what he thought of her, but there was also the problem of her presenting the truth to him.
How would she do it?
How would she say it?
She had no idea yet, but she knew that it was the only right thing to do.
.............
In the Wright garden of their sprawling estate, Caelia found herself in the garden. Lost in her thoughts and in the problems of her own making she pondered on her next step. The news of Samantha Dortmund going missing had spread like wildfire in Staunton and Rachel had been giving them every explicit detail ever since she heard the story in town. Even Mrs Wright had looked visibly worried and the twins had chatted excitedly about what could have happened.
Olga was also reported to be in a coma, unresponsive and her fate unknown. Nobody seemed to know what had happened, but everyone had a number of ideas in their head. Caelia knew enough to know that it was most likely connected to the incident at the ball.
Samantha had been very careful at ensuring nobody found out what they did, Damon had been close to finding out and then she reportedly turned up missing, nothing seemed to add up.
Unbeknownst to her, Damon, too, had walked into the garden. His gaze fell upon Caelia, her presence captivating him instantly. It was the first time he was seeing her in a while. He approached her with cautious steps, seeing as she was deep in thoughts.
As Damon neared, Caelia felt a sudden presence and turned to see him standing there, a mix of surprise and confusion reflected in her eyes. "Damon," she whispered. "What are you doing here?!"
She asked as she quickly looked around, wondering if anyone would find them together alone again.
A shadow of disappointment crossed Damon's face. "Has my presence become so unwelcoming that it startles you?" he asked.
Caelia quickly shook her head "No, it's not that," she replied softly. "But I can't be seen with you..."
"Really?! After everything that happened between us?"
Damon mentioned and Caelia sighed. How could she forget that night... the night she had gone into his room and he had kissed her, even more passionately than he did at the town square. She had let him, she had let herself be truly free with him then, but now...
"Damon... what transpired behind your bedroom doors that night shouldn't have happened... you know that."
She murmured softly.
"I must go."
Damon held her hand.
"Don't worry I'll leave... but give me a moment."
Caelia turned to look at him. She remembered Greta's words in that moment.
He's the worst of them all
No matter how much she tried to ignore it, the words still rang in her head. He was not human. He was a vampire. His whole family was. Caelia knew that she was supposed to stay away, but how?!
Damon's eyes burned with intensity as he reached out to gently hold Caelia's trembling hand. "Caelia, I've tried to stay away... I've tried to give you space.. trust me I've done everything, but all my thoughts still lead and come back to you."
Caelia's gaze flickered with a mixture of hope and fear. "You know, it's not so simple for me," she admitted, her voice wavering. "We are two very different people. Regardless of what you feel, nothing can change between us."
Damon raised his eyebrow.
"You want to tell me you don't feel the same?!"
He asked and she looked away.
"Caelia."
He called.
The seriousness in his tone made her look at him and she saw that his eyes were looking at her with an intensity that she had never seen before.
"Look at me and tell me you don't feel the same."
Oh she couldn't, she was already crumbling under the weight of his gaze. She could lie to herself but she couldn't even bring herself to lie to him.
"Let's not do this..."
"Shhhhh..."
Damon whispered...
His hand cupped her cheeks and he caressed her face, his lips moved close to her ear.
"When I'm close to you like this... tell me, tell me you don't feel anything. And I'll stop."
His hot breath fanned and tickled her ear and Caelia's knees wobbled at how close he was, the coolness of his palm on her cheeks and his lips so close to her face.
Caelia felt her resolve weakening. His touch, his words—they held an undeniable power over her heart. Just as she began to lean in, a voice broke through the moment.
"Damon!" called a familiar voice. It was Olivia, Damon's sister, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her.
Caelia hastily pulled away, her face flushed with embarrassment, Damon looked indifferent to his sister's presence. He didn't even move.
"I knew it! I knew you had something up your sleeves!!!"
"Frolicking around with the help?!"
Olivia tilted her head as she glared at her brother.
Damon touched Caelia's shoulder reassuringly.
"You should go inside."
He said gently and Caelia hurried away.
Olivia glared at Caelia all the way till she was out of sight.
"Don't you have a bride you should be looking for?!"
She retorted and Damon raised his eyebrow at her.
"I struggle to see how that's any of your business."
"Well... seeing as her disappearance puts our entire coven in jeopardy, I'd expect you to be out looking for her, not out here flirting with the help."
"Leave Olivia."
Damon snapped but Olivia ignored her brother.
"You should be more careful this time, humans are very fragile creatures."
"Very easy to break."
She started to walk away, then she paused and turned, a cruel smile on her face.
"We all remember what happened the last time you fell for a human woman."