September 5th, 1864

All the clean horses in the unsoiled stalls whinnied and stomped their feet when the Salvatore siblings walked into the stables. The horses missed them too. Elizabeth walked warily past the horses as she watched Stefan kiss his horse, Mezzanotte, on the head and Damon pat his horse, Jake, on the back. When she got to the end of the stable she looked over and saw a black mare nod at her. She's never seen the horse before.

"Is this Katherine's horse?" Elizabeth asked with a raised brow. Stefan furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his brother Damon. Stefan didn't know either.

"No," Damon said with a smile, "it's yours. Father and I picked her out for you."

Elizabeth smiled, "It's mine? Thank you so much, Damon. She's beautiful. What's her name?"

"That's for you to decide sister."

Elizabeth thought for moment, "Adona," it rolled off Elizabeth's tongue in an Italian accent nicely.

Giuseppe then walked into the stables. He didn't even pay mind to Elizabeth and Adona who were getting along quite well, "We're going for a ride," Giuseppe said in a loud tone, "We all need to talk."

Damon tilted his head back and sighed, "Father! This isn't any of your nonsense about demons again is it?"

"It isn't nonsense," Elizabeth and Giuseppe said in unison. Her soft soprano voice clashed with his loud and gruff one.

Giuseppe nodded towards his daughter, "See! Your sister has some common sense. Now let's get a move on."

They all put the saddles on their horses and sped off. Giuseppe and Stefan in the lead while Damon and Elizabeth raced behind them.

"Elizabeth, I need to ask you something," Damon said in an odd tone, "At Rosalyn's funeral, when you were praying, what you were talking about…about keeping a secret and telling the truth and protecting us, what did it all mean?"

"Why do you care?" she hissed. Her high voice contrasted with her fierce looks.

Damon shrugged, "I was just wondering. It was confusing. And I see you and Katherine have been getting along nicely."

"No, we aren't getting along nicely. And stop getting into my business," Elizabeth snarled.

Damon ignored her, "What were you two talking about anyway?"

Elizabeth glared at him, "YOU!" Elizabeth shouted. She knew that wasn't what she and Katherine were talking about, but it shut Damon up. Elizabeth kicked Adona and flew past Giuseppe and Stefan. They all stopped at a clearing past Wickery Bridge. The family tied their horses to trees and looked around patiently. This was the field where men came to gamble, women to gossip and to spill your secrets. Maybe I'll tell father here,Elizabeth thought. She couldn't trust her brothers with the secret that she was keeping since they were so infatuated with Katherine.

"Mystic Falls is in trouble. Isn't it, father?" Elizabeth said innocently.

"Yes, my dear. It very well is," Giuseppe sighed sitting down on a boulder.

Damon looked angrily at Elizabeth and his father, "Mystic Falls is not in trouble! The people that are in trouble are the men that are fighting in this war you flung me into!"

"Quiet Damon, please. Let's not fight in front of your sister..." Giuseppe said calmly.

"Elizabeth is used to it! Talk father. Tell us what you have to say before the war is over," Damon said sarcastically.

"Do you know why I left Italy, Damon? I left for you. I left for my future children. I wanted you all to grow up and live on land that the Salvatore's own and love. And I love this land. This is the reason I cannot have it destroyed by demons!" Giuseppe yelled.

Elizabeth stared off into space blankly and whispered, "Demons..."

Damon gestured towards Elizabeth, "See! Elizabeth has been through enough already and bringing up this talk of demons is making her terrified."

"Everything that I tell you, Elizabeth and Stefan, today are things you'll need to know for the rest of your lives. All I wanted was for my children to have the best. Please understand that what we are dealing with isn't natural. It is supernatural. We are dealing with a demon that looks like a human and talks like a human, but isn't the same. Instead of drinking water like us they drink from humans and animals. They suck the blood dry from us. It is not a coyote, but a vampiro."

Elizabeth nodded, "Yes. They're feeding on us and causing our town harm. We need to stop it."

Giuseppe furrowed his eyebrows, "You've known of them, Elizabeth?"

She nodded, "I've seen it. One killed Rosalyn right in front of me. It was going to kill me next, but Stefan scared it off," Elizabeth spoke softly. She kicked at the dirt with her baby blue heel.

Giuseppe's face turned red, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier Elizabeth?!"

The sibling's jaws dropped and their eyes widened. This is the worse Giuseppe has ever yelled at Elizabeth. He only yelled at her once when she was six years old, but he yelled at Stefan and Damon along with her. And he was drunk, so did it count?

She shook her head and her eyes were glossy with tears, "I-I didn't know f-for sure, f-father. I-I'm sorry."

"Do you know the whole town of Mystic Falls is in jeopardy and you've been keeping this secret?! How selfish!" Giuseppe roared.

"Father stop it!" Stefan shouted, "I probably would've done the same exact thing! I probably wouldn't have even said anything and Elizabeth has been saying it was a demon all week! Of course you wouldn't know because you barely saw her when she was ill!"

Giuseppe breathed in and out before he finally became calm. He finally just shook his head, "I'm sorry Elizabeth.I shouldn't have yelled at you. I guess I understand," he turned towards Damon, "Do you believe like the rest of your family?"

Damon who was leaning against a birch tree looked Elizabeth in the eyes and shook his head, "No." He got up, untied Jake and rode off back to Veritas.

Elizabeth turned towards Stefan and in an almost pleading voice she asked, "Do you believe me brother?"

And surprisingly, he nodded.