Season 4, Episode 8 of The Vampire Diaries, "We'll Always Have Bourbon Street," centers on investigating the controversial sire bond between Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore, utilizing 1942 flashbacks in New Orleans to uncover its mechanics . The episode reveals that the bond affects actions rather than feelings and is only formed if the human had strong romantic feelings for the vampire before turning . Read a detailed plot summary at The Vampire Diaries Wiki .