Elena Gilbert stepped onto a smooth expanse of grass, the spongy blades col apsing beneath her feet. Clusters of scarlet roses and violet delphiniums pushed up from the ground, while a giant canopy hung above her, twinkling with glowing lanterns. On the terrace in front of her stood two curving white marble fountains that shot sprays of water high into the air. Everything was beautiful, elegant, and somehow familiar.
This is Bloddeuwedd's palace, a voice in her head said. But when she had been here last, the field had been crowded with laughing, dancing partygoers. They were gone now, although signs of their presence remained: empty glasses littered the tables set around the edges of the lawn; a silken shawl was tossed over a chair; a lone high-heeled shoe perched on the edge of a fountain. Something else was odd, too. Before, the scene had been lit by the hel ish red light that il uminated everything in the Dark Dimension, turning blues to purples, whites to pinks, and pinks to the velvety color of blood. Now a clear light shone over everything, and a ful white moon sailed calmly overhead.
A whisper of movement came from behind her, and Elena realized with a start that she wasn't alone after al . A dark figure was suddenly there, approaching her. Damon.
Of course it was Damon, Elena thought with a smile. If anyone was going to appear unexpectedly before her here, at what felt like the end of the world - or at least the hour after a good party had ended - it would be Damon. God, he was so beautiful. Black on black: soft black hair, eyes black as midnight, black jeans, and a smooth leather jacket. As their eyes met, she was so glad to see him that she could hardly breathe. She threw herself into his embrace, clasping him around the neck, feeling the lithe, hard muscles in his arms and chest.
"Damon," she said, her voice trembling for some reason. Her body was trembling, too, and Damon stroked her arms and shoulders, calming her.
"What is it, princess? Don't tel me you're afraid." He smirked lazily at her, his hands strong and steady.
"I am afraid," she answered.
"But what are you afraid of?"
That left her puzzled for a moment. Then, slowly, putting her cheek against his, she said, "I'm afraid that this is just a dream."
"I'l tel you a secret, princess," he said into her ear. "You and I are the only real things here. It's everything else that's the dream."
"Just you and me?" Elena echoed, an uneasy thought nagging at her, as though she were forgetting something -
or someone. A fleck of ash landed on her dress, and she absently brushed it away.
"It's just the two of us, Elena," Damon said sharply.
"You're mine. I'm yours. We've loved each other since the beginning of time."