A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you like it.


Elena pulled back and stared into Klaus' eyes, a wicked smile curving her lips. She saw a flash of suspicion in his eyes. She had expected no less. He hadn't stayed alive for so long and become one of the strongest Originals in existence by being a fool.

She studied his features and she grudgingly admitted that he was attractive. He had a boyish charm that could melt a woman on the spot but she could see so much more now. She could see the taint of evil and insanity that bubbled just beneath the surface. And part of her was afraid. The part of her that had still not yet adjusted to what she had become.

"I'm here, Elena. Don't be afraid. We'll do this together," she heard Sorcha's comforting voice in her head.

"So, not that I am complaining, but what is with this change of attitude?" Klaus asked, clearly not willing to take things at face value.

"People change," Elena said simply. "And I've decided that I like being alive and you're the best person to make sure that I maintain that status."

"Ah, self-preservation is quite a powerful incentive, as Katerina has clearly proven. Yet, I must admit, you are much smarter than your ancestor," Klaus said, approval clear in his voice. Suddenly, Elena was being yanked back from Klaus' embrace.

"What are you doing Elena?" she heard a growl. Before he had spoken, she had thought it had been Damon and had the urge hit him for putting himself in harm's way. But it had been Stefan's voice.

She looked at him and hissed, this time the menace conveyed in the sound being more than real. He had betrayed her. He had betrayed them to Klaus and she would never forgive him for it.

"Tell your pet to get his hand off me before I remove it for him," she growled at Klaus. He laughed, utterly delighted at how the once innocent doppelganger had changed. Maybe he wouldn't have to keep her locked up. She would make a wonderful partner and he had been alone for so long. But she would have to prove herself first. He had time.

"Stefan, not that she could do anything to you, but I have a severe aversion to having my property manhandled. So, I suggest you remove your hands off Elena or I might decide to have you tortured for the next decade," he said, a sadistic gleam in his eyes as he stared at the young vampire.

"But you promised she would be mine. You promised," Stefan whined.

"I would rather burn in the fires of hell for eternity than be yours again," she spat at him, shocking Stefan. He actually looked at her now and he didn't recognize her. Gone was the young, innocent girl he had fallen in love with and in her place stood a being that almost matched Klaus' menace. "And, for the record," she said turning her eyes to Klaus, "I am no one's property and I can take care of myself." She grabbed Stefan's hand, squeezing hard and ripping his hand off her. The vampire grunted in pain and stared in shock.

"Ah, the change has taken place," Klaus concluded. "But something went wrong, did it not?"

Elena smiled wickedly. "Oh, I would say something went very right."

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Klaus whispered in understanding.

"You are a clever one, aren't you," she smirked at him. He didn't like being spoken down to and he growled, his hand gripping her throat, showing her his strength.

"Watch your tongue, Elena. Others have died for much smaller slights," he growled in her face. Then her face shimmered, her fangs extending, her tattoo clearly visible, her eyes flashing liquid gold and he stared in awe. She was magnificent. Yes, she would be the perfect lifemate for him. She didn't cower in fear before him and she would strike terror into the hearts of his enemies. It was an unexpected development but one that he found he was very happy with.

His grip softened and leaned in to kiss her lips. "Come, my lady, it is time to depart. I have had enough of being glared at by your so-called protectors," he snorted, his head nodding towards Damon who hadn't shifted a muscle.

"I'll follow you," Elena breathed, her features returning to normal. She didn't want all of Mystic Falls getting a crash course in supernaturals in the middle of the day.

"You will travel with me," Klaus said curtly.

"First of all, I'm not leaving my baby," she said pointing to her new acquisition, "and secondly, if I choose not to come, there is fuck all you can do about it and you know it."

"Maybe not to you, but I can have everyone you care for killed," he didn't know whether to be angered at her display or enchanted with it.

Elena laughed, a cold sound that was positively evil and Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Be my guest. You can kill every last one of them." He was definitely enchanted.

"My lady, I believe I have been a little too harsh. And I certainly understand your fondness for your machine. Kyle will ride it for you so we can travel together. I find I have a deep desire to get to know you better and I prefer we travel together." A man stepped forward and by his scent Elena realized he was a warlock. She looked at him and nodded, not wanting to push her luck too far and anger the deranged Original standing before her.

"One scratch and I will rip your intestines out and strangle you with them," she growled at the obviously terrified man.

"Oh, I think we are going to get along very well," Klaus said with a laugh, taking her hand and leading her to the black SUV waiting for them. He helped her climb in and slid in next to her. The SUV pulled out and drove away, another two cars and a Ducati following it on its route out of Mystic Falls.


Seven hours later, they arrived at the gates of a sprawling estate just outside New York. The gates opened automatically and they drove up to a sprawling mansion. While the opulence did not surprise Elena, she was slightly taken aback at the architecture. She had been expecting something traditional but the building before her was sleek and modern, with rooms that had ceiling to floor windows.

"Do you like it?" Klaus asked, sounding like a boy eager for approval.

"It's beautiful," Elena said truthfully. "But I am surprised. I would have pegged you as more of a traditionalist."

"When you have been alive as long as I, you feel the need for change often, to keep things fresh. I hope the surprise is a pleasant one, though."

"Yes, Klaus, very pleasant indeed." They had talked for hours and she could see how Katerina had fallen under his spell. Klaus certainly knew how to be charming when he wanted to and he still had his old-world manners, much like Adam. However, watching him closely, Elena could see in the slight tick of his jaw, in the glint of his eyes, in the way he moved, that was a dangerous predator with no regard for anyone but himself.

"Come, let me show you around," he said. He led her through what she now realized was more of a compound than a house. Vampires, hybrids, witches and werewolves were present at every turn, going about their tasks with determination. A determination born of terror.

The compound itself was furnished luxuriously while maintaining the same clean, modern lines of the building. Chrome, steel, glass, polished, gleaming black surfaces in every room. It also featured the latest technology everywhere, with an alarm system that required a retinal scan and a blood sample for access, screens that took up entire walls, voice activated systems that controlled light and temperature and more. It was a technological marvel. She hadn't expected less from the Original.

"I'm impressed," she said and Klaus smiled, pleased at her reaction.

"Sadly, I have to admit, that initially I had intended to keep you in one of the cells we have for the werewolves who are still unable to control their change and for other 'guests'," Klaus explained.

"So, what changed?" Elena asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"You, my lady. You are a complete delight and I find that I prefer to see you surrounded by silks and velvet, not concrete and metal." Elena smirked.

"Why, thank you my lord. I must agree that silks and velvet certainly suit me better than a concrete cell," she said as he led her through the building and up two flights of stairs. They reached a huge hallway that only had two doors, unlike the previous floors that featured dozens of rooms.

"That is my suite," Klaus pointed to his left. "And this, this will be your suite," he said as he threw the door open with a flourish. Elena couldn't help but gasp. The room was amazing. She could fit her whole house in it, it was so big.

Like the other rooms it had floor to ceiling windows overlooking the pool. It was light and airy, with white marble covering the floor. There was a sunken area to the left of the room that seemed to be an entertainment centre with plush, black couches and a huge flat screen. On the right was a massive bed with silver and white satin sheets, lavender pillows strewn across it. A vanity table, a brushed-glass desk and a huge set of glass and chrome shelves filled the rest of the room. It was truly exquisite.

"I presume you approve," Klaus asked.

"Klaus, it's beautiful," she breathed. "Thank you," she said as she clasped his hands in hers and stood on her tip toes to kiss him. Scratch that. Not an Oscar. A lifetime achievement award.

"It is a beautiful suite," Sorcha said. "And a damn sight better than a cell."

"Isn't that the truth. Why do psychopaths always seem to have such exquisite taste?" Elena grumbled in her head.

"I'm glad you like it. This is the suite that I had designed for that special woman who was destined to stand by my side. My lifemate. I had given up hope until I saw you today." Lifemate? What the fuck was he on about? "Now, you must excuse me, I have business to attend to. But I would be honored if you would join me for a late dinner."

"I would love to, but unfortunately I have nothing to wear except the clothes on my back. I wasn't expecting you."

"My apologies, but I was eager to bring you to my home. I will send someone with something for you to wear this evening and we can take care of your wardrobe tomorrow." Klaus kissed her hand and left, closing the door behind him. She heard a lock click into place. So, still not a fool. Too bad.

Elena walked over to the bed, trailing her fingertips over the satin. She sighed. When this was over, she was definitely getting a bed like this for her and Damon, if he ever forgave her. She let herself fall backwards on the bed.

"How am I doing?" she sent the question to Sorcha telepathically.

"If I wasn't with you in your head, I would swear that you really had the hots for Klaus and were a deranged lunatic. You just need to keep it up."

"I know. I really need to practice that emotional lockdown thing some more because it kept on slipping today. I nearly blew everything when I saw Damon."

"I noticed. Remember, a silly mistake like that will have you joining me in the same predicament and then there will be no one who can stop Klaus and whoever else is behind this," Sorcha warned.

"I will do anything it takes to keep Damon and everyone safe. Though I won't be responsible for my actions if I see Stefan."

"You can maim him with my blessing. Had he not been such a fool, we would have had more time to prepare. But, what's done is done. You must focus on the future and not the past. Don't lose sight of your objectives."

"Right, gain Klaus' trust so I can meet the head honcho, if there is one. I am NOT sleeping with him though. I can't do it." She couldn't betray Damon like that. He was her heart and soul and she simply couldn't sleep with another man.

"Don't worry. Keep him at arm's length long enough to keep him interested but not so long that he grows suspicious. That should give us enough time to work on your compulsion skills."

"I can compel Klaus?" Elena asked in wonder. It would be the solution to all her problems.

"Up to a point," was Sorcha's answer. "With a little creativity, we can get him to believe that you are sleeping with him. But you will have to continue to be affectionate to him in public, since we can't exactly compel everyone in this house. And…" Sorcha trailed off.

"What is it? Spill it, Sorcha," Elena insisted when the other woman hesitated.

"You won't like it but he will need to find you in his bed a few times to make sure that the ruse works."

"Sorcha, I just told you I'm not sleeping with him!"

"I didn't say you had to. Just that he would have to wake up and see you there with him a few times."

"You know what? I'd rather not talk about this right now. We'll deal with it later." Elena stood quickly when a knock sounded at her door.

"Come in," she called and a young woman swept in, carrying what she presumed was an evening dress.

"My lady," the woman said, bowing to her. It made Elena feel slightly odd, being surrounded by so much modern technology but feeling as if she was in the middle ages. She sniffed the air, trying not to be obvious, and realized the girl was a witch. "The Master requests your presence in the main dining hall in one hour. I am here to help you prepare."

"Thank you. But I don't need help," Elena said. She wasn't going to have someone dressing her when she could damn well do it by herself.

"Oh no, please, my lady. The Master will be very angry if I don't help you," the fear on the woman's face was genuine and Elena softened. She nodded.

"Very well."

"Thank you, my lady," the woman bowed, gratitude evident on her face.

"And drop the my lady crap. My name's Elena."

"Shall I run a bath for you mistress Elena?" This was going to become extremely annoying.

"Stop being pedantic. Just go with it," Sorcha admonished in her head. She mentally flipped her trainer off, eliciting a laugh from the woman.

"Yes please. It was a long drive and I would dearly love to clean all this grime off me." The woman curtsied and made her way over to the far wall, opening a sliding door Elena hadn't noticed before. She followed curiously and walked into a bathroom that could double as a condo in size. It was almost the opposite of the bedroom, with black marble gracing the floor and a huge sunken bathtub in the middle. Well, she might as well live it up while she was here. She and that bathtub were going to become very intimately acquainted.


An hour later Elena was ready. She wore a long, deep red evening dress that hugged her curves and flared out when it reached her knees. The dress had a daringly low neckline that almost reached her navel while plunging down to the tops of her buttocks. It was an exquisite dress but she felt slightly uncomfortable at how much it revealed.

"You are supposed to be a psychotic bitch. Stop looking so uncomfortable in the dress. You look gorgeous and the more focused Klaus is on your assets the more likely he is to let some important information slip out."

Elena drew in a deep breath as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Her hair had been piled high on her head, with a few tendrils escaping to frame her face and the smooth column of her throat. Her makeup was similar to what she had worn earlier and she had to admit that she did present a stunning picture. A mixture of elegance and decadence. She steeled herself and left the room following the woman.

"Oh, it was remiss of me not to ask sooner but what is your name?" she asked, realizing she stupidly didn't know what to call the girl.

"Lily, mistress," was the response.

"That's a very nice name," Elena responded as she walked through the house and down the stairs, her strappy silver heels clicking on the marble floors. As she descended the steps she heard the sound of voices grow louder. It seemed they would not be dining alone. As she came into view, though, a hushed silence fell across the room as everyone stared at her.

"Psychotic bitch," Sorcha whispered when she felt Elena's discomfort at being scrutinized by so many pairs of eyes. Elena stopped to survey everyone staring at her, a smirk firmly in place, her eyes challenging them all to just try something stupid. She was definitely grateful for Sorcha or she might have bolted at that point.

Just then, she saw Klaus get up and walk over to her, holding out his hand. "My lady, you are truly exquisite. You do us a great honor in joining us this evening," he breathed, his eyes roaming over her body appreciatively. Elena placed her own hand in his and descended the last few steps. He led her to the large dining table that could easily sit thirty people and pulled a chair out for her, on his left.

Everyone was watching intently. "He's making a statement. He's showing them your position. You aren't a prisoner. You are to be respected, under pain of death. I'm impressed Elena, you really have done an amazing job."


The multitude of voices buzzing around him was driving Damon to distraction. Who had invited them here anyway? Couldn't they just let a vampire wallow in misery? He had been betrayed by the woman he loved, again! He just wanted everyone to get the fuck out of there but he couldn't seem to make himself move to throw everyone out. He just stared into the fireplace, watching the fire lick at the logs, a half-empty bottle of bourbon clutched in his left hand.

It would be so easy to end it all. Just take his ring off and he could go up in flames, just like those logs. No! Fuck it! He wouldn't kill himself over a woman. He'd do what he always did. He'd go out, find some willing bodies, fuck them, feed from them and watch in glee as their life drained from them.

Something is wrong. That wasn't really Elena. His demon kept on insisting. He almost laughed at the irony of it. His demon trying to get him to exercise restraint and think clearly. It was ridiculous.

Elena had turned out to be just like Katherine. He shouldn't be surprised, it was probably genetically programmed into their bloodline to betray and destroy everyone around them.

"Damon!" he heard a male voice shout. He thought it was Adam, but with the quantity of booze in his system, he couldn't be sure.

"Fuck off," he growled, taking another swig of bourbon. He wondered who had decided that the boarding house would be the best place for this war council.

"Damon! We have to get Elena away from Klaus. She needs help," Bonnie and Caroline both pleaded with him. They could see the pain he was in, even if he didn't want to admit it. But they simply couldn't believe that their Elena had actually switched sides. It wasn't possible.

"No, she fucking doesn't. She's right where she wants to be." Why couldn't they leave him the fuck alone?

"No, she isn't. She hates Klaus. You know that. She just has some misguided notion that this is the only way to protect us," Adam stated. He knew Elena and he was convinced she needed help. Her actions earlier that day didn't sit well with him and he was sure there was more to it than what seemed readily apparent on the surface. Now, if they could only get the idiot wallowing in a pity party to realize it.

Damon growled, appearing in front of Adam, their faces inches apart. "She fucking kissed him. She was happy to see him. And you fucking heard what she said to me!" he almost shouted.

"Back down or I will hurt you," Adam growled. "And if you could see past your nose you would realize that something is wrong. There was nothing in that spell that could trigger this behavior in her. There is no way she could have suddenly turned into a female version of Klaus from that spell. So, something else must be going on!"

"Bullshit. She's a fucking bitch. Just like Katherine." Adam snapped at his words and backhanded him hard enough to throw him across the room.

"You know what? You're a fucking pathetic weakling and you don't deserve her," he snapped. Damon stood.

"I don't fucking want her. You can have her."

"You stupid shit. Is this what it's about? You're fucking jealous? You asshole. She's out there risking everything to keep us safe and all you can think about is your cock." Adam shook his head, fury blinding him at Damon's stupidity and shortsightedness.

"Man, you are a complete dick," Jeremy said and Alaric nodded in approval. Even Tyler was looking at him accusingly. They all knew that Elena would never switch sides, no matter how odd her behavior had been. No matter what she had done, they simply refused to believe it.

Damon slid down the wall, sitting on his haunches, holding onto his knees. He knew he looked pathetic but he couldn't give a fuck. God, Elena, why? Why did you have to do this to me? He felt a soft hand in his hair and he looked up.

Jenna was kneeling in front of him, compassion in her eyes. God, he didn't want her looking at him like that or he would really embarrass himself and start crying.

"Why?" he whispered.

"I don't know, Damon," she whispered to him, her hand smoothing his hair back, cupping his cheek. "But I do know one thing. She loves you and she would die for you. Elena would never betray you!" she said emphatically. His traitorous heart seized up, grasping onto even the faintest glimmer of hope. Jenna would know, wouldn't she? He had to believe or his life wasn't worth living anymore.


Soft lips pressing against his woke Damon from his slumber. He had been sent off to bed after everyone had concluded he wasn't any help in the state he was in. He had gladly left them to it.

The soft touch came again and his breath hitched. He was afraid to open his eyes. He could smell her. Elena. Another feather light kiss on the corner of his mouth followed by another and another, trailing across his jawline until he felt a soft tongue lick his earlobe. He moaned. He felt himself harden instantly. He knew it was her. There was no doubt about it.

The lips returned to his and a feminine whisper of his name had his eyes flying open. She was there, sitting next to him on his bed, completely naked, her eyes shining with an emotion he was afraid to acknowledge. In that moment all his anger, all his pain melted away and he grabbed hold of her with a groan, slamming his lips against hers, desperate to feel her, to taste her.

Her hands framed his face and she kissed him with so much emotion that he almost cried. She nipped at his lips, her tongue delving into his mouth, tasting him, curling around his in affection. He moaned again. When he tried to sit up she pushed him down and he remembered she was stronger than he was now.

"What's wrong?" he whispered. She shook her head, putting a finger to his lips. He would do whatever she wanted just to be able to hold her, to feel her. She pulled the sheet off him and began to kiss him softly, gently, across his collarbone down to his chest, her tongue swirling around his nipples until he gasped. She continued towards his navel leaving a trail of soft kisses that had him writhing.

There was something different about Elena tonight. It felt as if… he was afraid to say it… but she was making love to him. Every little brush of her lips was filled with so much emotion that he choked out, "Elena, I…" and she interrupted him again, shaking her head and placing a soft finger on his lips as she straddled him.

She gently took hold of his cock, positioning him at her entrance and slid down him slowly, welcoming him into her velvety heat. She rode him slowly, their gazes locked. No words were necessary. Every touch said more than mere words could express. The slow rhythm stoked the embers of their passion until it simply wasn't enough, until they were consumed with a fire that was raging out of control.

Elena started to move faster, her head thrown back, her mouth open on a moan. Damon's hand snaked into her hair, bringing her down for a searing kiss. Their rhythm became frantic, uncoordinated as they both neared the edge of the precipice, yet neither one of them wanted it to end just yet. Neither one wanted to let go of the other. Unfortunately, their bodies had other ideas.

Elena rose, bringing Damon up with her and held tightly onto her as she continued to ride his cock, squeezing him, milking him. She looked deep into his eyes as they hurtled over the edge of that precipice, their climax raging through them like a forest fire. They were both panting but their gazes never left one another. A lone tear rolled down Elena's cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Damon's eyes opened. He looked around frantically. Where was she? He sat up and saw that the sheet was still covering him and he was alone. "No!" he roared in anguish.


Elena opened her eyes, panting. She hadn't dared stay longer in Damon's dream for fear of discovery. She knew if she had stayed longer, someone would have heard her breathy moans calling out his name. She only hoped that he understood what she had tried to say with her body but couldn't put into words. She wiped her tears away. She simply hadn't been able to let Damon think that she didn't care. She knew she had taken a huge risk but she couldn't destroy him, even as she tried to save him. Without him, she had no life.


Damon stormed into the living room, his stride determined, all traces of the unstable vampire long gone. Everyone looked up at him in shock. His features were schooled into a cold, indifferent mask, his eyes chips of ice flashing with deadly intent. "I'm going to get my woman back," he growled and everyone sighed in relief. Damon was back.