Chapter 42


    She simply nodded. I looked up at Damon who was staring at him with a slightly worried look on his


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    face. I sent him a reassuring smile and headed towards the guest room. Once I was in bed, I was ready


    to drift away into a deep slumber when the sound of the door opening interrupted.


    "Holly, are you sleeping yet?"


    It was Damon.


    "Hi," I replied, without sitting up, I simply had no strength to do so," no, I''m still up."


    He closed the door behind him and walked closer until he was standing beside my face. I continued to


    look up at him keeping quiet. He seemed at a loss for words but he didn''t need to speak for me to


    understand what was going on in his brain.


    A few minutes of silence passed before he finally said, "I don''t know where to start."


    I smiled," I know."


    "I''m sorry, for everything that''s happened to you if I could take it back-"


    "I know," I replied, once again.


    "You could have ended it all for yourself, Luna would have done the ritual, you didn''t need to risk your


    life for mines, it could have been over-"


    "Damon," I said, looking up at him," I know." He remained silent and so did I. My eyes were now


    closed. I didn''t want to talk anymore, I just wanted to feel as if everything was going to be okay for once


    in the past couple of weeks, I wanted to breathe.


    "Damon," I whispered.


    "Yes?" he replied.


    "I know you don''t sleep and all, but could you pretend, can you hold me until I do?"


    When he stayed silent I thought that he may have felt strange at the odd request but to my surprise, he


    hoisted himself up onto the bed and positioned himself until he was lying right behind me. He put one


    arm over my chest and held me close. Had I not been so fatigued, I would have absolutely swooned at


    the utter thrill of his touch that sent the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. Instead, I let myself


    physically and mentally melt into his embrace.


    When I woke up, the rm clock beside my head on the side table read 3:34 pm. I felt Damon''s arms


    still wrapped around me. I sat up and noticed that he was staring at me.


    "Hi," he greeted," how did you sleep?"


    There were the butterflies in my stomach, once again awakened by the mere sight of Damon. I reached


    up to tten my hair in an attempt to make myself look more presentable.


    "Did you stay here the entire time?"


    "I didn''t have anything else to do," he said," it gave me time to think, plus you looked so peaceful, I


    didn''t want to wake you."


    I was simply speechless and couldn''t figure out how to talk let alone what to say.


    "When I woke upst night at the cell," he began, he cleared his throat and continued. I could tell he


    was having trouble getting the words out," when I saw you, I thought I was dreaming, which meant


    either I was dead or dying, I could have never imagined it be real, that you came to save me."


    I didn''t know what to say or how to reply, mainly because I had no idea that I was capable of even


    doing something like that. Never in a thousand years would I have believed that I had the ability to do


    something so dangerous and reckless, but if it meant saving his life, I knew I''d do it again.


    "Holly, you should get ready," he continued," I''ve arranged for you to go home today."


    I definitely wasn''t expecting those to be the next words out of his mouth and I couldn''t help but


    exim." What? What do you mean, The Council-"


    "The Council don''t want anything from you, you haven''t done anything wrong, that they know of, they


    want me-"


    "The ball is tonight, what about Seth?"


    "It''s too dangerous for you to be there," He sat up. his expression was now stern and serious," it''s time,


    the moment you''ve been waiting for is here, you get to go home-"


    "I''m not ready to go home, why can''t you get that," I snapped, trying to hold back my tears but I could


    tell that I was on the verge.


    "This is Underworld business, you have no reason to be there," he spoke calmly but strictly.


    "What about you?" I asked," What if the Council rearrest you, what if they attack you at the ball?"


    "Xavier and I will be in disguise," he said," no one will know it was us."


    "I need to be there," I insisted," please, I''vee this far, I can''t be that useless, take me with you."


    "No," he continued," it''s already done, you leave today."


    He began to get out of the bed but I grasped onto his arms and pulled him back. I knew he could send


    me flying with one shrug but he let me drag him.


    "I''m not leaving," I snapped," I know the way to Woodbridge, I''ll get there on my own."


    "Why do you want to be there so bad?"


    I wasn''t sure how to answer that and so I simply said the truth. My gaze was blurry as I stared up at


    Damon with tear-stained eyes," I would go crazy at home not knowing what happened or if you''re okay,


    I-I need to know you''re safe, I need to be there."


    "It''s not safe," he continued," for anyone, let alone you."


    "I promise to stay out of the way, I''ll let you take me home after the ball," I gripped at his sleeve,"


    please."


    He nodded, finally caving," alright."


    When Damon left, I decided to take a shower. I stood under the bath head for what felt like at least an


    hour letting the warm water attempt to soothe my nerves.


    I didn''t know what to expect at the ball tonight.


    I have nothing to wear and if I''m supposed to blend in, I''d have to dress the part, right?


    A dress was the least of my worries, I was way more upied with the thought of Damon killing his


    younger brother.


    Was this something he really wanted to do or is it something he feels now and might regretter? I


    couldn''t begin to predict how many people would be at the ball tonight, how would we get away?


    Assuming that the castle car hadn''t been found yet, not like we hit it or anything, how would we even


    get into the ball?


    I hoped that Damon and Xavier had a n that answered most of my concerns at least.


    I stepped out of the shower and towel-dried my hair and my body. I stared at my reflection in the mirror


    for a couple of seconds. My eyes scanned my entire body starting with my torso. I had lost weight and


    that was clear, I hadn''t been eating much and it showed. I looked at my small but round breasts. They


    pointed upwards and I had always been fond of how perky they were. I stared at my neck for a couple


    of minutes and the bruises I still had from the wolf and I wondered if they were ever going to disappear.


    My wet brown hair clung to my skin and ended at the bottom of my back. My green eyes looked tired


    but at least they''d regained from color since I had slept.


    I knew that I was attractive and I had always been told so for as long as I could remember. I have also


    always been fairly confident and never doubted my looks before but for some reason when I was


    around Damon, I forget and suddenly feel as if I am not good enough.


    I sighed out loud.


    I wrapped the wet towel around my body and stepped out to find Asia lingering at the corner of my bed.


    "Hi," I began awkwardly, feeling oddly insecure.


    Asia looked like she had already showered and her curly hair draped over her shoulders and down her


    back. She didn''t look like she was wearing makeup but I could see her skin glow even standing ten feet


    away. The scar on her face was healing perfectly and even if it didn''t, she still made it look


    breathtaking. She was so effortlessly beautiful all the time and it almost hurt.


    "Hey," she was all smiled like usual. She had a long stic bag in her hands," Damon told me you''re


    "That''s super sweet of you," I said, walking closer to her," can I see it?"


    "Of course," she began to take off the stic, revealing the beautiful emerald-colored silk material of


    the dress.


    I almost gasped out loud when she unveiled the entire thing. The dress was sleeveless and mermaid


    style with a sweetheart neckline. A golden pattern that resembled snake print ran along with the dress


    vertically and it was safe to say that this was one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen.


    "Wow," I breathed out, reaching out to touch the dress," it''s beautiful."


    "It''s perfect for you," she said, smiling proudly at me," the emerald matches your eyes and the gold part


    matches Damon''s."


    I nodded feeling a loss of words once again.


    "Thank you, it''s great," I said," what are you going to wear?"