A/N: wow, I'm so overwhelmed with all your amazing reviews for the last chapter. thank you so much, they mean so much to me! There were a few people who mentioned they were directed to this fic from other authors/stories, so a special thank you to those authors for the shoutout :)

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Damon was still seething when he finished his shower 30 minutes later. It had taken a frustratingly long time to scrub off the blood that clung stubbornly to his skin. And every time his skin got a little cleaner, he would bitterly remember his argument with Elena. How could he love someone who didn't accept what he was?

Still ruminating on that particular depressing thought, he stepped into the hallway. He paused on the landing, however, when he heard the distinct sound of raised voices coming from downstairs. He tilted his head trying to listen, but the voices remained muffled.

He was still standing there when the door directly in front of him suddenly opened and he found himself face to face with Meredith. "My king," she looked immensely relieved. "You're okay." Then she looked him over, beginning to frown. "No, you're not."

"Just some scrapes and bruises." He brushed off her concern with a forced grin, knowing she was used to his cavalier attitude. "I'm glad Elijah was able to save you from the bloodbath. Are you okay?"

"Fine," she waved him into the room and tossed him some clothes. "They might be a little big for you, they belong to—" She broke off when Damon glowered at her. "So, what's the plan?"

He slid the button-down on first, a little annoyed to see that she was right and it was looser than he was used to. "The Mikealsons are concocting some grand scheme downstairs," he jerked his head towards the door, "Is that what all the arguing is about?"

Meredith smiled slightly, "I can't hear anything."

"Oh," he paused, "Right." He let the towel fall to the ground, ignoring Meredith as she whirled around with an embarrassed cough. "So," he asked conversationally, "Did Elena send you to deal with me because she couldn't stand the sight of me any longer?"

There was a long pause. "I thought she was with you."

Damon frowned at her back. "In the shower?"

"Well she is to be your wife," Meredith lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "And you two do seem very taken with each other."

He chuckled humorlessly at that. "You must've missed our latest argument. Don't you worry, I'm sure round 2 is coming up shortly."

She peeked over her shoulder to make sure he was decent before turning back around to face him. "I've known you a long time, Damon. I know how you are when you care for someone."

"I know what I feel for her," he said, his voice coming out sharper than he intended.

Meredith looked at him, and as usual he felt like she was staring straight through him. "You're afraid she doesn't reciprocate your feelings." When Damon didn't reply, she moved forward and placed her hand on his forearm. "You have to understand...Elena has been ripped out of everything she's known and thrown into this world, into the midst of a war no less."

"I know that," Damon snapped.

She let her hand fall away from him. "Then you know she's doing remarkably well, given the circumstances. You all had these expectations for her, before she even got here. Who to be. How to act." Meredith paused meaningfully, "Who to love."

He sighed, accepting her words. "Come on, let's see what's going on downstairs." He strode into the hallway, but stopped when he felt something sharp break under his foot. "What the hell?"

Meredith knelt next to him, her fingers hovering above the shards. "It's pieces from a syringe," she said, sounding confused. "But it's not mine."

Damon leapt into action almost immediately. "Elena?" he shouted, blurring down the stairs. The stone door at the end of the hall opened, and Elijah stepped out. He was followed by Rebekah and several other people who were decidedly not Elena. Damon was across the room before Elijah could blink. "WHERE IS SHE? If you hurt her, I swear I will—"

"Cut the dramatics," Rebekah's hand wrapped around his throat, throwing him back against the wall. "What's happened?"

"There was a syringe," Meredith ran into the room, having just arrived. She showed them the pieces in her palm. "On the floor, upstairs."

The mood instantly shifted.

Elijah moved forward, his posture going rigid. "Is Elena not with you?"

Meredith shook her head, "She's not upstairs."

Rebekah let go of Damon and he shoved her away angrily. "Are you telling me anyone could just waltz right in here and kidnap her?"

"Impossible," Elijah murmured, glancing towards the front door. "We would have heard."

"My sister's not here?"

Damon finally turned his attention to the small crowd of people standing around the door. "Jeremy?" he demanded, "What are you doing here?"

Finn grumbled, "Tyler refused to leave Mystic Falls without these two tagging along. I had to get Kol to bring them in."

"Two?"

"Two," Jenna agreed, coming into view. "Where's my niece?"

Damon let his eyes roam over Jenna, Jeremy, Tyler, Kol, Finn, Bonnie, Meredith, Rebekah, and finally back to Elijah. "So you're telling me," he began in a deceptively calm voice, "That none of you heard Elena being kidnapped."

Elijah's expression tightened. "Damon, I assure you, no one standing in this room would ever harm Elena."

Damon had to admit—begrudgingly—that this was a true statement. "Fine," he said curtly, "We need to figure out who took her and where she is now."

"On it," Bonnie said, disappearing back downstairs. "Let me try a location spell."

"The witch will come through," Rebekah said, "Don't worry."

Elijah and Damon exchanged a look of concern, but neither replied.

E

Elena jerked her head back as drops of something cold stung her face. "That's right, love, up you get."

She opened her eyes, her skin already crawling at the sound of Enzo's voice. "You," she hissed, wincing as her neck throbbed with pain. "You traitor."

He peered back at her impassively, "I've been called worse things."

One look around told her she was back in the tower, but she found she didn't particularly care. "Why?" she demanded, "Why would you betray him? He hasn't done anything to you—he trusted you!"

"I made him trust me," Enzo corrected. "Aren't you wondering why I brought you here?"

"Because Katherine told you to, you pathetic little—"

"You have quite the mouth on you," Klaus had appeared at the doorway, and now he leaned against it, leering at her. "I'm sure I could find other uses for it, if you ever tire of this verbal sparring you're so fond of."

Beside her, Enzo shifted.

She glanced at him, then back at Klaus. "What do you want?"

"Spells and curses," he said, straightening, "Tricky things, really. Full of loopholes and clauses, if you know where to look."

Elena stared, "What are you talking about?"

"The protection spell Shiela Bennett put on you, for example," Klaus went on, as if he hadn't heard her. "It stops Katherine from being able to kill you directly."

"I believe that has already been established."

Klaus spared her a grin. "So it has," he agreed. "But you know, it also stops her from being able to give the order to have you killed."

Elena stilled.

"Got your attention, have I?"

She swallowed, suddenly feeling nervous. "Does Katherine know I'm here?"

"She does not."

Elena backed up against the headboard, casting a glance around for a weapon. But, just like last time, there was nothing. Klaus had made it very clear in the dungeons that he wouldn't hesitate to kill her, and now it appeared he was operating on his own agenda. "Wh-what do you want?"

Klaus walked towards her, somehow making the room seem smaller than it already was. "Some marital bliss would be nice," he said offhandedly.

"Are you here to kill me?"

"No," he frowned, "Because if I did, then I'd be doing it for Katherine and that just wouldn't work, you see?"

And she did see, sort of. "Your hands are tied because of the spell," she realized. "None of you can hurt me."

It was only because she watching Klaus so closely that she caught the unrestrained anger that flashed across his face.

"Careful," Klaus made to touch her cheek, but she inched out of his reach. He let his fingers drop to his side, but the warning note in his tone was unmistakable. "There is a difference, you know, between hurt and kill."

Elena didn't say anything to that because, unfortunately, he was right. She turned her attention back to Enzo instead. "How long have you been working for the other side?"

"Years," he replied blithely. "Certainly much before either Damon or Stefan turned."

She glared, "And were you also turned by Katerina?"

For some reason, Enzo looked over at Klaus. Elena glanced between them, recognizing that an unspoken conversation was taking place. After a minute, Klaus shrugged—but the movement was too exaggerated to be entirely casual. "I don't see how it matters now," he turned to her. "I told you I was an Original, but the truth is, I'm much more than that."

"Your ego truly knows no bounds."

He shot her a lazy smirk, "My offer still stands, love."

"I wonder what your wife would think of you flirting with me," Elena replied delicately. "She doesn't seem the type to share her toys."

Klaus' fingertips pressed together—the only outward sign he gave that her words had affected him. "You overestimate her."

"Marriage of convenience, then?"

His expression flickered. "And you underestimate me."

"You asked why the cloaking spell didn't work on me," Enzo suddenly cut in, "It's because I'm not entirely a vampire." He paused, looking meaningfully at Klaus. "And neither is he."

She frowned, taken aback with the change in subject. "Then what are you?"

"I won't bore you with my sordid family drama, Elena," Klaus said carelessly. "Long story short, my mother's indiscretions led to what I am today." He paused, she suspected, for dramatic effect. "A hybrid."

"Half vampire, half werewolf," Enzo said, watching her closely. "He's my sire."

Elena could only stare, her mind not comprehending. "But werewolves…can't be made."

"But hybrids can," Klaus said, and his eyes glinted. "Only by me, of course."

"Is that why Katherine is with you instead of Elijah?" Elena asked without thinking, "Because you're more powerful than he is?"

When silence greeted her words, she belatedly realized she'd overstepped. Klaus blurred towards her, stopping inches away from her face. His fingers ghosted against her neck, and she shuddered. "You are very lucky," he breathed, "That I can't kill you right now."

Then she blinked, and he was gone.

Enzo was staring at her as though he'd never really seen her before. "Do you have a death wish?"

Elena slowly let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "I didn't…mean to say that." When he didn't reply, she turned towards him beseechingly. "What do they have on you?"

"What?"

"Is he threatening you with something?"

Enzo gave a short laugh as he realized what she meant. He stood, moving away from her. "Sorry, love. I'm not being coerced into anything. I owe Klaus my life and that's where my loyalties lie."

"But why?" she pressed, "Just because he's your sire? Damon and Stefan aren't loyal to Katherine, even though she made them." Her voice turned pleading, "It doesn't have to be like this."

When he looked at her, his expression became calculating. "You don't know, do you? Why Katherine turned them into vampires?" When Elena didn't say anything, he chortled under his breath. "I'm surprised she hasn't thrown that into your face yet."

She knew he could see the curiosity on her face. She also knew he was dying to tell her.

Enzo wandered around the room, running his hands along the wall. He finally came to a stop at the doorway and turned to look at her. "Everyone knew you were betrothed to Damon. It was no secret why he never took a wife, or even a mistress." The corner of his mouth curved upwards slightly, "It's been ten years for you, but much longer here, Elena. The man is practically a saint."

"What does that have to do with—"

"Katerina knew you would come back here someday, one way or another. She's no fool." Enzo shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorway. "She wanted the bloodline to end with her. And because of the protection spell, she knew it might be a while before she found a way to kill you." His voice held a note of admiration now, and Elena stared at him in blatant disgust. "She's always been clever, you see. She sees every move before it happens. Some might call it a gift."

Elena gritted her teeth, "And some may call it witchcraft."

Enzo grinned. "Well, this was one move to ensure you wouldn't have children who would sit on the throne. It happened a long time ago, of course. Anna's mother, Pearl, was one of Katherine's maids. She snuck into the castle and was able to poison that evening's wine with Katherine's blood." He shrugged, his voice entirely too casual for the horror he was telling her. "She stormed the castle later that night with her army and killed them all. When the ones who drank the wine woke up later, she offered them a choice. Either be killed for good or let the transition happen."

Elena felt like she was falling, and she grabbed ahold of the bed underneath her to ensure she wasn't. "Damon loves this kingdom," she said, feeling sick. "He would never give it up to her."

Enzo nodded, "She knew that...was counting on it, really." He turned to leave, "So, there you have it. Vampires can't procreate and Katherine ensured that Damon and Stefan were both vampires."

"I could have children with someone else," she told him abruptly, "Betrothal or not."

"You could," he agreed, "But in any case, you'll be dead long before you get the chance." He headed out the door, calling over his shoulder. "Enjoy the last hours of your life, Elena. It's only a matter of time before Klaus finds a loophole in that protection spell."

Then he was gone.