Chapter 15: Under Control
Damon POV
I pushed open the bedroom door and stopped short because Opal was already asleep.
She laid there sprawled across the bed, one arm flung loosely over the pillow, with her boots still on, and her jacket half unzipped. Her hair had come loose from whatever careful arrangement she'd made that morning, as strands fanned across the pillow and her cheek. She looked like she'd run out of fuel and simply shut down where she fell.
The sight of her so defenseless knocked the last of my anger out of me.
I crossed the room quietly and crouched beside the bed. Her breathing was slow and even. She was gone to the world. Even the sound of me entering the room didn't cause her to stir.
"Yeah," I murmured under my breath. "That tracks."
I eased her boots off first, setting them aside before working on the rest. I moved slowly, deliberately, making sure not to wake her as I slipped her jacket from her shoulders, then helped her out of the clothes she'd worn into a house full of hostile vampires earlier that night.
She stirred once, brow creasing faintly, and I froze.
"It's okay," I whispered, more for myself than her. "I've got you."
She relaxed again, settling back into sleep like she trusted the world not to hurt her while she wasn't looking all because she heard my voice. That trust hit me harder than anything anyone has ever thrown at me.
Once she was changed and tucked in properly under the covers, I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment and just looked at her. At the gentle curve of her stomach. At the life growing inside there. That's when the fact that I'd almost lost her again hit once more.
sighing I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her belly.
"Goodnight," I murmured. "Both of you."
The shower was colder than I needed it to be, but it helped cool my rising anger again. The shower also gave me something to do with my hands. The shower was also needed to wash off the blood that wasn't entirely mine. By the time I crawled into bed beside Opal, the adrenaline had burned off enough that the exhaustion that had been building throughout the day had finally caught up.
I pulled her into my chest, fitting myself around her like it was muscle memory. She shifted instinctively, nose brushing my throat, arm curling against my side.
I rested my forehead against the crook of her neck and let my eyes close.
For the first time since shit had gone sideways today I allowed myself to relax and drift off in sleep.
The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, warm and irritating and far too cheerful given how the last twenty-four hours had gone. Opal stirred first, blinking awake as if she had to orient herself to where she was.
She turned her head and found me watching her.
Our eyes met and I could see it there in her eyes. The conversation we both knew was coming.
She sat up carefully, pulling the blanket around her shoulders, and I followed suit, leaning back against the headboard. For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
"I know I scared you," she said finally.
I exhaled through my nose. "Yeah, you did."
Thankfully she didn't bristle or get defensive. She just nodded, accepting the truth.
"That wasn't my intention."
"I know," I said. "That's not what this is about. Well not entirely at least."
I ran a hand through my hair, choosing my words with more care than I usually bothered with.
"You're strong," I said. "You're capable. You've survived things that would've broken most people. I know that. I trust that you can take care of yourself. So me saying this isn't me forgetting who you are."
Her eyes stayed on mine, steady and calm.
"But," I continued, "you walked into a house full of vampires who wanted my brother dead. Who want me dead and you did it while carrying our kids. I don't think I can explain how close that came to breaking something in me."
She swallowed hard.
"I wasn't trying to be reckless, I promise." she said quietly. "I saw a need and I just acted."
"I get that," I said. "Believe me, I do. But things are different now. They have to be."
She rested a hand over her stomach, fingers splaying slightly as if she was grounding herself.
"I trust you," she said, carefully, "I know that you are right about yesterdays events and I should have just listened to you. Especially since I have been locked up for over 100 years and haven't fully adjusted to being a vampire, considering I have been desiccated for most of my vampiric existence. I will try to do better to curb my impulses at least until after the babies are born."
My jaw tightened, as my emotions started to push up where I didn't want it.
"I'm not trying to cage you," I said. "I'm trying to keep you alive. All of you. I already buried you once. I'm not doing that again."
She reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently.
"I hear you," she said. "And I agree. I won't put myself in danger like that again. Not without you. Not now."
The relief hit me hard enough that I had to look away for a second.
"Good," I muttered. "Because I don't think I'd survive it if I lost you again."
She leaned in and pressed her forehead to mine. "You won't lose us."
I let myself believe her, because not believing her meant that I would lose her one day.
Stephan joined us later, looking far too put together for someone who'd spent the better part of the previous day chained to a basement ceiling.
"You're up early," I said, keeping my tone light.
He smiled faintly. "I feel better."
Opal glanced at me, then back at him. I could tell she sensed it too, even if she didn't know the full extent of just how bad human blood drinking Stephan can be.
"Hungry?" I asked.
"No," Stephan said quickly. Too quickly. "I'm fine."
Right, ok something is definitely up with him I thought.
He disappeared down the hall, and I waited until he was out of ear shot before speaking.
"He's lying."
Opal nodded. "Yes, I gathered as much."
I didn't push the issue. Not yet, I needed to see just how far baby brother is going to take things before I needed to step in.
The rest of the day unfolded with the kind of tension that I'd come to expect from my eternally brooding brother. Stephan insisted he had everything under control. But I'd heard that line before. I'd said it myself a time of two.
The difference was, back then, I had no one to loose.
Now, I had something to lose.
Opal stayed out of it, mostly. She managed to be present without hovering as she watched us. She didn't undermine me when I pushed Stephan to slow down, to take space, to acknowledge the problem instead of pretending it didn't exist.
She didn't even comment when Elena showed up briefly, worried and entirely focused on Stephan. Though I had less patience for her than usual given the circumstances.
By the time evening rolled around, the house had settled into an uneasy calm. Thankfully for my own sanity Stephan had retreated to his room.
Opal was resting on the couch relaxing with a book open in her lap. While I stood at the window, looking out at a town that never seemed to learn when to leave well enough alone.
Under control.
That's what Stephan kept saying he was.
That's what I was trying to be for Opal and our babies.
I turned back toward my wife, toward the future we were trying to protect, and made myself a promise I didn't bother saying out loud.
I'd do whatever it took to keep them safe.
Even if it meant being the bad guy.
Especially then.
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Alright I finally managed to finish a quick edit on this chapter. I don't know how long it will be until my next update due to my Grandfather dying. I also found out that my husband is deploying soon so I will loose the support he has been giving me in going through his things. I will try to write the next chapter as soon as I can but the editing is honestly what takes the most time for me. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter.