Jeremy tightened the drawstrings on his sweatpants, peeling his bedcovers back to lie down for a bit after his shower. He felt tired all of the sudden. Drained. He knew what he needed but he wanted to stay put and wait until Katherine came calling. She'd be pissed if he made a move without her. He knew it. He didn't care to invoke her wrath, since he was so new and vulnerable still.

He smirked a little, sliding his legs underneath the bed-sheets, getting comfortable. To think, he wanted blood. Human blood! That's what he craved now. And would crave for the rest of his life…or something to that effect. Pulling the covers up over his bare chest, Anna briefly floated to his thoughts then disappeared in a flash. This time he smiled, thinking of her, no longer feeling all that misery and pain he'd held onto after her unjust death. He owed her thanks. For the gift of her eternal wine. He couldn't thank her, of course. But he had Katherine now. She'd show him the way. He was grateful for her. No matter what her secret motives were. They didn't concern him for the time being. With a relaxed grin on his lips, Jeremy closed his eyes and settled on his pillow, the coolness of it, comforting his equally cool skin.

Everything went black. Silent. Peaceful. His chest barely rose and fell underneath the sheets, as he didn't need to respire any more, and did so merely out of habit more than anything.

He didn't hear when Elena ascended the stairs and knocked on his bedroom door. Or when she peeked into his room, her brows perplexedly furrowing at him for being in bed before it was even late. He was dead. To the world. Literally.

"Jeremy?" She called, her voice lightly caressing the micro-hairs inside the shell of his ear as she approached his bed. "Hey, Jeremy..?" She persisted, stopping at his bedside, leaning over him to check if he was actually asleep or just pretending so he could ignore her. Not seeing him stir even in the slightest, she extended her arm, reaching her hand toward his shoulder. "…You okay?"

Jeremy's eyes flitted underneath his eyelids, itching as they pooled with crimson hue. His body remained still. The heat of Elena's fingertips, though a few inches away, aroused all of the tiny hairs stemming from his arm, setting off a sensor.

Warm Blood. Sliding through untapped veins. Food.

"Jer?" Her index finger grazed the outside of his shoulder and his body reacted, instinctively. Snapping up in bed, his hand sprung out and his fingers wrapped around her slender wrist, clutching to her tight. His eyes opened wide, quickly locating his prey. His fangs poked through his gums, hiding just beneath the curve of his upper lip. Ready to bite.

Elena's eyes widened, looking upon him, shocked by his inhumanly fast reflex. She screamed.