𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒
never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary
THE NEXT MORNING, Echo Elena, Stefan, and Damon were in the twins kitchen.
"It was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin," Elena stated, nodding her head as she looked between the three of them.
Stefan asked, "As in the Original Witch?"
Echo rolled her eyes. "What? How is she even alive? Thought Klaus ripped her heart out a thousand years ago."
Elena shrugged, sighing. "I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the witching community. Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."
Stefan huffed. "She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus."
"Well, not anymore... at least not according to Elijah," Elena told them, shaking her head.
Sarcastically, but still serious, Damon wondered, "Anyone else feeling a little used right now?"
"Look, Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us," Echo stated. "As long as we don't do anything, they won't."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Echo sighed and got up, and opened the front door. When she opened it she saw no one was there, but on the doormat was two envelopes with an ornately-handwritten Elena Gilbert on the front of one and the other said Echo Gilbert. She picked them up, closed the door, and turned around.
Damon and Stefan were in the lobby near her as Echo handed her sister her note. "What is it?" Damon asked.
Echo opened the envelope and removed a card, "It's an invitation. 'Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock. For dancing, cocktails and celebration'." She then flipped it over and read; don't forget the deal — Elijah. She simply rolled her eyes at that.
"It's not bad enough they're moving into town, now they want a housewarming gift," Damon replied sarcastically and annoyed.
Huffing, Echo added on, "Not even just a gift, they want a whole damn party." She then looked up at Damon with eyes that were practically sparkling, and he simply gulped as he saw the look she was giving him. "Damon, would you be my date to the ball?"
His face went surprised to smiling. "Of course, Miss Echo. I would love to accompany you to the ball." He took her hand and placed a kiss on it, and she just slapped him upside the head even though her stomach filled up with butterflies.
She shook her head at the blue eyed vampire before turning to Elena. "I'm going to go find Caroline because I know she'll love to help find my dress."
ECHO walked into the Mikaelson ball, a smile on her face. Her floor length red dress flowed out from her waist and down. She had to — unfortunately — wear a corset underneath, so she would look more like an hour glass. Caroline had made her wear hair extensions, so her hair went down to her waist in tight curls, and some of her hair was formed into a braid like crown. She wore natural makeup, but had bright red lipstick on so her lips popped out more. And she obviously had red high heels on.
Her brown eyes surveyed the people around her; Caroline and Elena were off in the distance, talking. Rebekah was talking with Kol which had her eyes rolling as soon as she saw him. He was good looking, but annoying. She deserved every hit she gave him the other night.
Damon, who had just finished talking with Carol, moved his blue eyes across the room, and towards the beautiful and magnetic Echo Gilbert who automatically took his breath away. His undead heart started to beat harshly against his chest, just wanting to leap out into her hands, because she already had his heart the minute she trusted him.
Of course, the first time he laid his eyes on her, he though she was really beautiful, but when she decided to trust him above her everyone else, and he got to know her, he realized she wasn't just beautiful; she was amazing, crazy, smart, adventurous, vengeful, but also full of love.
And the more they spent time together, the more he realized that he had never loved Katherine. No, that was just infatuation, he was just attracted to her, and her compulsion had not helped, and he was just too busy trying to find her to realize he didn't care about her.
But, with Echo, he felt like himself, like no matter what, he didn't have to change just for her to like him. She liked him the way he was. And within a short amount of time, Damon had found himself falling hopelessly and irretrievably in love with her, and nothing was going to change that.
Without even saying goodbye to Carol, he just started to walk towards Echo who moved her eyes from whatever she was looking at, and straight to him. She sucked in a breath and smiled at him as he stood just two feet from her.
"You look..." Damon couldn't find the right words for her beauty, "Mesmerizing," he finally said after a beat of just looking in her eyes which were sparkling with something he couldn't quiet decipher.
Taking in a breath, Echo smiled at him, and said, "And you look dashing, Mr, Salvatore," in a terrible British accent which made him smirk in amusement.
"Welcome," Elijah's voice interrupted them fro saying anything else. She stood atop the staircase so that everyone would see him. "Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance."
Continuing, Elijah said, "Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."
Echo smiled, and before she could turn to Damon, Kol approached them, his eyes set on her. "Would you like a dance, darling?" He asked, ignoring Damon who looked between them with narrowed eyes.
She rolled her eyes. "It's not my thing."
Smugly, he replied, "Maybe you just need the right partner darling." Just now acknowledging Damon, he smirked, knowing he was going to get a rise out of them. "Or maybe you already had the right partner."
"Yes, she does," Damon interrupted, took Echo's hand in his, and swiftly made his way to the dance floor, ignoring Kol.
"Awe, my Knight in shining armor!" Echo exclaimed before giggling as Damon spun her around before bringing her into his arms. Hopeful, she said, "Were you jealous, Mr. Salvatore?"
He narrowed his eyes and moved them across the dance floor, away from Kol Mikaelson who was still watching them with a smug expression. "I have no clue what you're talking about, Miss Gilbert."
Echo grinned and decided to take lead, and bent him backwards which made him let out a loud, "Oh!" Before she kissed his cheek, and brought him back into a standing position. Those who had saw what had happened laugh and cheered.
"You're adorable, blue eyes," Echo flirted before they began dancing across the floor, looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours, but was only minutes.
They had continued to dance together, ignoring everyone's stares and comments, and even ignored their friends who were just staring at them; Matt hated the idea of Echo and Damon together; and Caroline was just grinning. She might not be a big fan of Damon Salvawhore, but he made Echo happy, and she deserves happiness.
It was about an hour later, and the Mikaelson's were gathering on the staircase, and people started bringing out drinks.
Damon took two glasses of the pink champagne off a tray before handing one to Echo. She had laid her head on his arm, smiling, and he looked down t her lovingly.
"It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one," Esther said, looking around at her children, "I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening," Esther held up her glass, "Cheers."
"Cheers," Everyone said, holding up their glass before taking a drink.
Damon kept his eyes on Echo as he took a sip of his drink, and she smiled as she took a sip of hers.
IT WAS LATER that night, and Damon and Echo entered his bedroom. She had decided to spent the night over at the Boarding House.
Echo turned to Damon abruptly, her brown eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you decided to go against an Original by yourself!" She shouted and then quietly added, "He could've killed you."
He shook his head. "I didn't care. I just wanted to hurt him."
"Why?!" She shouted, throwing her hands up as she angrily stepped towards him. "What could he have possibly done to make you want to beat him up?! I mean, seriously, Damon! You are so irrespon—"
He cut her off by grabbing her face, and pulling her into him, their lips connecting.
He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.
She didn't want to, but she pulled back, and took in a gasp of air, before looking up at him. The swirls of emotion she saw there made her gasp. Love and vulnerability.
However, before she could even speak a syllable, he yanked her back to him and covered dr mouth with his in a hungry kiss. As their lips crushed together, she felt like she was walking on air. It was magic, the way his lips connected with her's. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she could have imagined and she opened her mouth with a low moan.
He started to undo her dress, and once her dress was on the floor, she yanked his shirt over his head and pushed him hard onto the bed. He sunk down into the mattress, and she fell gracefully on the bed next to him and sank into the pillows before straddling his hips.
He went to sit up, but she pushed him back down. "Echo—" She cut him off by kissing his lips, and he kissed back, his hands coming up to her neck and hair.
She pulled away and grabbed his hands gently and place them back down by his sides. "No touching," she whispered teasingly.
"That's not fair." He sulked.
"Shh." She brung her finger up to his lips and kissed him again. It's a slow process but she wanted to enjoy it, but most of all, she wanted him to enjoy it.
She stopped kissing his lips and move to his jawline, neck, and collarbone. Kissing every inch, and she can feel the struggle to keep his hands down. She placed soft butterfly kisses down his chest and abs.
"Echo," he whispered her name. She can hear and feel the desperation to use his hands and the willpower it's taking him not to.
She sat up, still straddling him and gently took his hands and placed them on her hips. "Your turn," she whispered into his ear and bit his earlobe.
His hands instantly flipped her over violently. He buried his head into her neck and his hands rove all over her body, their breathing then becoming rough and fast.
"You're irresistible," he said while kissing her chest. His hand came up to her corset and didn't even attempt to undo the strap. He grabbed the middle and yanked. She heard the fabric rip and gasped at what he just did. "Shh," he said.
That night wasn't like any other nights either of them had ever had. He took all of her, savoring every moment, and they both loved it.