Guess who's back? This is my first TVD fanfic, so be gentle. It begins the night after Elena finds out that Damon slept with Rebekah (3x15). Some things may be a little different than the show (like the house, or the car she drives) but for the most part I try to keep it consistent. Please tell me what you think.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything TVD. It all belongs to L.J. Smith.

I opened the door to my car and threw my overnight bag into the backseat, before slamming the door and climbing into the driver's side. It was just too much. Stefan had abandoned her, Bonnie was too sad to look at her and Damon was too busy with Sage and Rebekah to give her a second glance. She would've gone to Caroline but she was helping Bonnie's mom with the change. Everyone that I cared about had turned their backs on me and I couldn't breathe. I selfishly wished that I hadn't compelled Jeremy to leave; I needed his comfort and support now more than ever. But I did, and I couldn't change that, so I did the next best thing.

The lights were off in the large, elegant house, but I knew they weren't sleeping. I pulled into the driveway and grabbed my bag. I took deep, calming breaths, willing myself to gain some courage and go through with it. It was the brightest idea I had ever had, but in my cloudy, upset mind, it was the only option I had left. I lifted my chin up higher and walked up to the porch with wobbly legs before I could change my mind. The door was slightly larger than average, and had big brass knockers in the shape of a wolf. I snorted quietly at the irony and picked up it up in my hand, only to let it fall back to the door with a thunderous bang.

Minutes ticked by, and I sighed. No one was going to answer. I turned and began to descend the stairs, but on the second step, I heard the lock turn and the door slowly opened. A dark skinned woman in old sweatpants and a t-shirt stood in the doorway. She was extremely beautiful, with hazel eyes and cropped black hair, reaching just to her shoulder. Her face was emotionless, and I instantly recognized her as a hybrid.

"Can I help you?" Her voice was heavy with an accent I couldn't place, and just as emotionless as her face.

"Y-yes. Yes," I stammered. This was such a horribly, bad idea – what was I thinking? "May I speak to Klaus?"

She nodded – just a curt bob of her head once – and stalked back into the house. I hesitated before silently following after her. The big door closed on its own and made me jump. It felt as if I were walking into my death; I probably was.

The foyer was large, like those mansions on The Real Housewives. It was stunning, with white marble floors and a golden chandelier hanging from the high ceilings. Two hallways stretched out on either side of me, dimly lit with gold sconces. The stairs were directly in front of me, and wrapped around both sides of the room to the second floor. You could see a few doors in the open hallway, before it disappeared behind the walls. I gaped at the eloquence of it – Klaus definitely had expensive tastes.

The woman led me down the hallway to the left, past small, mahogany tables topped with white orchids and Nordic paintings. Numerous doors lined the walls, each with a different design carved into it. I wanted to run my fingers along every one of them, but at the pace she was going, this hybrid would surely leave me behind - I had to jog to keep up with her. When we finally reached the end of the hall, my breathing was a little labored, but the woman didn't seem fazed.

She knocked on the doors twice. They were larger than all of the other, and depicted a scene of a large wolf biting off the hand of a man on a horse. I shuddered and followed the hybrid after a muffled, "Come in."

The black leather couch he was sitting on faced away from the door, to a large, ornate fireplace. A few comfortable-looking chairs surrounded him and the fire. He didn't turn to look at us; he only sipped his wine and continued to stare into the fire.

"Master," she began, monotonously. "The Doppelgänger is here to speak with you."

"Is she?" He asked, as if he were truly surprised. As if you couldn't smell me.

"Yes." She kept staring forward, unblinking, and I began to wonder if he had compelled her. Tyler was sired, but he never acted like this. "Shall I escort her out?"

He exhaled loudly. "No. I'll speak with her. Thank you, Amadi. You may leave."

She bowed and walked brusquely out of the room, shutting the doors behind her. I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, nervousness setting in. Why in the hell did I think this was a good idea?

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before straightening my spine and walking around the couch to stand in front of him. His eyes followed my every move, as if I were a threat to him. An insane urge to giggle came over me, and I had to clear my throat to keep them down.

He pursed his lips. "Well?"

Someone's impatient. "I would like to make a bargain." No point in beating around the bush.

"What kind of bargain?"

"I will be a personal vein tap for you and your hybrids-"

"You already are, darling," he interrupted. I scowled at him.

"Alright, I will be a willing, non-complaining vein tap," I took another deep breath, "if I can stay with you."

He stared at me a moment, before he began to laugh. "Why in the world would you want to live with me?"

I fiddled with my shirt again. "Because I'm sick of my life right now, and I want change."

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?"

"It's true," I mumbled.

"Well, I'm sorry, but-"

"Please," I whispered. "I can't go back. Everyone has turned their back on me, for one reason or another. And the only person who hasn't completely left me doesn't even remember vampires or werewolves or hybrids. I don't have anybody else that wants me – surely you know the feeling."

He stared at me for a long while, and I couldn't read his expression. I was beginning to think he wasn't going to answer, when he finally spoke again. "You know what?" He asked, swirling his drink – I could see that it wasn't wine, but blood – and leaning forward. "I'm feeling generous, today. You can stay here." I sighed in relief, but he held up his hand. "Under two conditions."

"Okay,' I said, hesitantly.

He ticked them off on his fingers. "One, you will not leave this premises unless you have my permission." I nodded. "And two, you will do exactly as I say."

"No problem." They weren't bad conditions at all…if you don't think about them.

"Alright." He smiled, and for a moment, it almost looked genuine. But when I blinked, the sadistic smirk was back on his face. "Amadi will show you to your room, and Dorian will bring your bags up later."

I hesitated a moment before whispering, "Thank you."

His eyes softened a bit, much to my shock. "You're welcome."

Amadi rushed in before I could say anything else, and dragged me down the hall and up the stairs. We went through a maze of similar halls until she stopped at a pretty, dark-wood door, with intricate swirls and patterns that reminded me of the ocean. "You will be staying in this room."

I turned the doorknob and entered into a large, pale blue room. The canopy bed sat up against the wall in the middle, and I wanted to jump on it – it looked so fluffy. All of the furniture was white, and a flat screen TV hung up on the wall opposite the bed. There were two doors in the room, presumably the bathroom and closet.

"There is a study just down the hall and to your right if you want to use the internet." I didn't have time to open my mouth before she fled the room.

I decided to take a hot shower and change into some comfy pajamas. I walked into the bathroom and stopped short. There was a Jacuzzi tub in one corner and a glass shower right next to it. There was another, small room leading to the toilet. I turned the faucet on and went over to the sink. A CD player sat on a shelf, low enough that you could reach it, but high enough that it wouldn't get wet. I popped in a random CD beside it, and sunk into the bubbly water as Antonio Salieri filled the room.

Forty-five relaxing minutes later, I was one giant, sleepy raisin. I dried myself off and wrapped a towel around my body, slipping my feet into the most comfortable house shoes known to man. It felt like I was at Caesar's Palace or The Bellagio, and I loved every minute of it.

My lone duffel bag was sitting on the trunk at the foot of the bed. I shuffled through it until I found a black tank top and blue shorts. I slid under the comforter and sighed as the white sheets and fluffy pillows conformed to my body. I grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels until I fell into a dreamless sleep.

That's the first chapter. Kinda short, but future chapters will be longer. Please R&R! I need to know what reader's think, and constructive criticism is welcome. I'm not going to be one of those authors that gives a review limit, but they would be greatly appreciated. And let me know if I should continue this.

-Bragi002-