It had been two hours since Ash had closed her eyes and Damon had been waiting patiently for her long shallow breathing to tell him whether or not she was asleep.
Now seemed the right time to take a closer look at the ruby necklace Ash wore round her neck.
He slowly rose from his seat and took cautious steps forward. Every move as quiet as a mouse.
Damon stood towering above Ash as she slept peacefully. He moved his hand towards the necklace.
Just when his fingers were mere inches from touching the locket, he felt something grab his wrist and twist it round sharply.
Damon cried out in pain, gritting his teeth so tightly together they might break.
"Never try and steal from me again," Ash said to him.
She let go of his wrist. He took a few steps back in utter shock at her strength and sharp reflexes.
Damon held his wrist in his hand and braced himself for the agony he'd be in once he popped it back into place.
"What the hell was that for!" Damon yelled.
"You tried to take my necklace," Ash replied with a satisfied grin.
"So you broke my wrist?"
"It will heal soon."
"I'm starting to regret saving your life."
"Good because it would have been much nicer dead than living the life I have now!"
Ash's eyes flashed yellow for a brief moment then returned to their normal shade of green.
Damon noticed this but decided it was just the light from the fire reflecting in her eyes.
She scowled at him before rolling over on the sofa so her back was facing him.
****
"Where's my phone?" Ash asked with an over exaggerated smile on her face.
Damon looked up from the mini fridge he was rummaging through and turned his head in her direction.
"What the hell?" he exclaimed when he saw her leaning against the door frame, arms folded and green eyes boring into his. "How did you get down here?"
He slammed the lid of the box fridge shut and stood infront of it as if he were guarding its contents.
"Stefan told me you were in the basement," Ash stated. "What's in the box?"
"None of your business."
"Is it a corpse?"
"No! Why would I keep a dead corpse in my basement?"
"Why wouldn't you?"
Damon tried to avert his eyes from hers but they seemed to be compelling the truth out of him.
He reluctantly lifted the lid of the box and Ash peered in.
"Are they blood bags?" Ash asked.
The whole container was filled with plastic bags of a red substance. Labels had been stuck to each bag with the town's hospital logo displayed on it.
"Yep," Damon responded. "Have to survive some how."
"So where is it?" Ash asked.
"Where's what?" Damon furrowed his brow in confusion.
"My phone." She held out her hand.
"Do you really think I'm going to be stupid enough to give you a chance at telling the police you've been kidnapped but 'hey dont worry I'll be released in 48 hours'."
"I just need to call my aunt to let her know I'm ok. I'm sure you wouldn't want me reported missing and have the cops come knocking on your door."
There was silence between them as Damon considered his options.
Eventually he sighed and reluctantly pulled the phone out of his back pocket, placing it in Ash's outstretched hand.
"But!" He exclaimed making her stop at the bottom of the basements staircase. "I'll be listening."
"Fine," Ash sighed.
Damon grabbed three blood bags from the fridge before following her up the stairs.
****
"Hey Tess," Ash spoke into the phone.
"Hey hun, are you ok?" her Aunt Tess asked from the other end of the line.
"Yeah just calling to let you know I'm gonna stay at Cameron's for a couple days so I might not be at the house very often."
"That's fine. Why are you staying at Cameron's? Are you feeling lonely being home alone most of the time?"
"No, I dont mind it its just me and Cam have been paired up for a school project."
"Oh ok. That's fine with me as long as his parents are ok with it."
"Yeah it's cool."
"Ok well I have to go I'll see you soon good luck with your school project."
"Love you Tess."
The line went dead and a soft chuckle from behind her broke the silence followed by slow clapping.
"Well played," Damon commented, a half empty blood bag in his teeth.
He took a sip from the thin straw he'd stuck in the bag as he sat on a stool infront of the kitchen counter, opposite Ash.
"I'm glad you find the conversation amusing," Ash replied.
She started tapping on her phone and pressed it to her ear again, listening to the long drone as the dial rang.
"Woah! Hey, you said you only needed to call your Aunt," Damon exclaimed with a confused look.
"Well I have friends who care about me unlike you and I'd like to let them know I'm not dead thank you very much," Ash smiled at him when he frowned in response.
"Actually I do have friends for your information."
"Stefan's your brother he doesn't count."
"Sure he does."
"I only love you because I have to Damon!" came a shout from the other room which made Ash laugh.
"Quit ear wigging Stefan!" Damon shouted back.
"Ash Silverstone you piece of shit where the hell are you and why haven't you been answering the god damn phone I've called you fifty billion times and left over a dozen messages tell me what the hell is going on!" Cameron's voice cried out from the phone.
"Jesus Christ Cam slow down!" Ash exclaimed watching Damon laugh to himself as he sipped on his blood bag.
"Where are you?"
"Chill would ya, I'm fine it's just Tess decided I needed some time away for a while. Dont worry I haven't been kidnapped by some rude, annoying alcoholic."
Damon stuck his middle finger up at her and she did the same back to him.
"She's not wrong!" Stefan called out.
"Ass hole," Damon muttered under his breath.
"Good, thank god I've been worrying about you all morning," Cameron sighed through the phone.
"Aww how sweet of you to actually care about someone," Ash mocked him.
"Ha ha hilarious. So what are you doing and how long until you get back?"
Damon gave her a look implying her to zip it.
"Just staying at a rented beach hut for a few days, I'll be back in time for the party on Friday."
"Good. Since when did your Aunt own a beach hut?"
"She rented it online."
"Ok, when are you next free to call?"
"I..." Ash trailed off for a moment looking at Damon for help. He waved his hand across his neck and mouthed 'no' to her.
"I can't really the signal down here is terrible and Tess wants me to relax for the next couple of days." She lied.
"Aunt and niece bonding time?"
"Unfortunately."
"Ok, well I love you and I have to go before I get detention for skipping lessons again."
"If anyone asks I've been abducted by blood sucking freaks, ok?"
Damon threw an empty blood bag at her face as Cameron laughed in her ear.
"You watch too many movies. Anyway I love you and I'll see you Friday."
"Love you too."
"Bye."
Ash hung up the phone and placed it on the kitchen counter in front of her. She rubbed her forehead and sighed in relief that he didn't get suspicious.
"Aww is that your boyfriend," Damon teased. "I bet you miss his hugs and kisses and how good it feels when-"
"Don't even think about finishing that sentence!" Ash cut him off.
He laughed at her anger.
"Actually he's not my boyfriend for your information, he's been my best friend since I was eight."
"Sounds like a dork."
"I guess that's something you and him have in common then."
As she walked past him to leave, Ash shoved his shoulder. Damon fell off the stool managing to grab the counter before he hit the floor.
He growled in frustration and watched her walk away without another word said.