Chapter thirty-seven : Mad for you

This forest again.

I glanced nervously all around me at the sight of this forest both unknown and familiar to me. I honestly felt like screaming at that moment. I definitely didn't know what I was doing there or why I kept dreaming about this forest. Worse still, the idea of seeing this huge wolf had the gift of giving me the jitters. I had never been the kind to scare easily. The last few months could attest to that. On the other hand, I easily gave in to panic.

Hence the reason I was literally on the verge of tearing my hair. I was trying to fight my hyperventilation as I scanned the woods again before stopping suddenly.

The agreement of voices coupled with a hissing in the air froze me on the spot. I immediately tightened my arms around me as a kind of fog rose literally from the ground, covering almost all my body. I wrinkled my lips as I desperately sought to hear that voice again before focusing my attention on an opening through the trees.

Strangely, the opening seemed the only point not covered by the fog. It was almost as if I was left with no choice but to follow that path. I unconsciously threw a cautious glance over my shoulder by mere habit now before fighting the snapping of my teeth as I slowly headed for the opening. I just leaned to the limit of the opening before letting the tips of my fingers brush a tree trunk as I passed through.

And just like that, my whole entourage changed the scene. Goodbye the sinister and scary atmosphere and hello the hot and green landscape typical of spring. The formerly greyish and crumpled leaves of the trees had given way to a healthy green. The trunks hardened by the cold had been replaced by brown trunks and strong. I let my mind wander more to the sight and feel of the soothing atmosphere around me before suddenly let out a cry of ice-coldness like an arrow just missed my temple. I jumped at least three feet as I watched the arrow settle into the nearest trunk with a horrified look before suddenly turning my head to the agreement of voices in approaches.

My instinct immediately shouted at me to hide as I searched around me in panic.

Finally, I decided on the largest trunk likely to hide me before I start in a race towards it. I stuck to the tree, praying to the heavens that it was wide enough to cover me before closing my eyelids to the agreement of crumpled leaves under the weight of steps. The clanking of twigs soon accompanied the approach of my attackers letting me shake my fists beside me in panic. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage as well as increasing the pressure of my blood in my veins.

I had never felt anything so real.

I could easily feel their presence now as the footsteps stopped letting me look up at the clear blue sky. I swallowed as I turned my attention to the surrounding trees in search of a discreet exit. I could just as well run away. Although this may not have been the best solution since, they could easily shoot me again.

I was trying to slowly pivot on my feet since I had no other choice before abruptly froze in the realization. I felt my eyes widen as I looked at my bare arms before slowly lowering my face to the rest of my body to realize that I was completely naked. I held my arms around me, trying to hide a minimum since I did not really have a lot of options on hand before returning a horrified look at my body covered with mud and leaves.

How I did not realize that I was naked was beyond me.

"Go out, get out, get out of whenever you are, half-blood!" Another male, and above all, absolutely scary voice warned me again. " Show yourself !"

I shivered unconsciously under the chilling effect of my voice before transferring my eyes to the urgency around me. I could not stay planted here at the risk of becoming a living target.

Regardless of my situation I had to run. And that was exactly what I was doing.

"There! She runs away! "

I rushed into a sprint, regularly casting panic glances at my pursuers. I barely avoided the branches and trees on my way as I could feel the pain invading my already visibly sore limbs. I definitely did not know what I had done before but it was as if I had broken all my bones before putting them back in place. All my joints were screaming me to stop and the cold slapping violently my naked body certainly did not help my situation. But I still tried to keep going. I could not get caught. No matter what happened, I could not.

Finally, the sudden sight of a kind of familiar cottage interrupted me. My heart beat strangely even faster at the sight as I stopped abruptly in the middle of my run.

My mind was suddenly trapped between two fires. I frowned internally at my eyebrows as I glanced over my shoulder at the mocking voices, obviously enjoying the hunt before glancing back at the farm further. I found myself weighing the pros and cons. Which was the most dangerous. Deadlier for me.

Before suddenly change course. I turned my heels down to the river, how I knew there was a river up there, before going straight to the edge.

"It's over, Milana!" Suddenly exclaimed a voice behind me making me turn immediately on my heels to face my assailants.

I immediately hid my chest in the little dignity I had before swallowing in fear as four different men emerged from the forest. One of them, the one who appeared to be the chief, had long brown hair almost black and a beard that covered the lower major part of his face. He was currently shirtless just like the others showing up an imposing muscular chest covered with hair. He was the definitively definite virility with an animal side. The one to the right of the head, the dirty blonde with the icy blue eyes, was much smaller in size and musculature, but his look for the blood was enough to make him scary. The other two seemed to be connected for a reason that was still unknown. They seemed more reluctant in their approaches, almost as if they did not want to be there.

"You will not be able to escape. You're mine." The big brown grumbled, letting me look at him with a feeling of pure disgust.

However, what froze me even more was when the words suddenly left my lips without even noticing it. "Never, Roman. You hear me? I'd rather die than submit to you. To you!"

I did not even know how I could name this man. Even less of what I had just mentioned. It was like I was there but it was someone else who was really in control.

"As you wish!" Hissed the smallest blond, Baladur, as he took a step in my direction just to be stopped by Roman.

I remained totally petrified as the tall brown suddenly grabbed Baladur by his neck to bring him closer to his face. "If you put even a finger on her, I tear your throat with my fangs!"

Baladur widened his eyes in horror and fear before suddenly squinting like a dog, letting me realize their nature in horror.

Unfortunately, it seemed far from over as another group of men suddenly came out of the woods with expressions totally different from the others as they took in the scene before them. Especially the tall blond with the eyes of a crystalline blue breathtaking. It was him.

The man I never stopped seeing in my dreams. For the first time, I could see his face and man, he was of incomparable beauty. I had never seen a man with so much presence and emotions at one glance. It was transcendent.

For a totally unknown reason, I felt even more naked in front of these men as I tried to cover myself more. Even worse, I was literally speechless at Elijah's easily recognizable sight. He had definitely longer hair and older accoutrement but I could recognize him anywhere
I shook my head as my gaze traveled in horror between the first group of men and the second before feeling the tears come to my eyes as the blond man changed his expression into rage.

He suddenly pulled his sword to his hip before pointing it to Roman. "What is this? You will perish from my blade."

The last thing I saw and heard before I fell into the abyss of awakening was the blond man, Elijah, and the other dark-haired man heading straight for the other group under my horror scream.

I literally jumped into a sitting position as my hand flew to my lips to prevent me from actually screaming before suddenly searching the room to remind me of where I was. The sight of the colorful walls and the clothes thrown around everywhere had the gift of calming my erratic heart a little until my gaze fell on the brown sleeping peacefully beside me.

I swallowed hard trying to catch my breath as I watched Felix carefully in an attempt to anchor myself mentally and physically in the real world.

Think!

I was at Felix's place. The brown had offered to stay at his home after having recounted my argument with Stefan. Not to mention that he did not necessarily want to be alone after Tyler left. They were not close, far from it but he thought he had found some kind of support in Tyler and now he was gone. His brown hair pricked in all directions without his famous gel and a small trickle of drool adorned the corner of his mouth. He seemed to definitely enjoy his bed right now.

I finally released my eyes from the brown to my side before turning my attention to my hands squeezing the quilt as if my life depended on it. I frowned as I thought back to my horrible nightmares, or rather one of my memories if I thought Elijah was there. How that was even possible, I had no idea, but one thing I was sure of was that they were becoming more and more real. And especially scary.

I did not know what kind of life this Milana had lived but she definitely seemed to have serious problems if I believed this dream. And what should I say about Elijah's presence? Did that mean that one of the men was Klaus, the original. But it was impossible. Why would Elijah be with Klaus? More troubling still, why this blond man supposed to be Klaus seemed stupidly ready to challenge a group of wolves.

Because everything led me to believe that they were werewolves. And what was this half-breed story? So many questions without answers.

I let myself fall heavily against the mattress Felix as I tried to make an assumption of my dream. I definitely did not understand what all that meant. I sincerely thought that dreams would stop.

And how could I even dream of all that?

I thought I was coming to terms with what I was but it was a lie. Most people around me did not even know the truth. And I did not even mention that I was focusing more on Elena so I wouldn't have to think about it anymore. I knew absolutely nothing about my true nature. I only realized it now but it had to change. I could not continue like that when I was obviously in limbo. I raised my eyes on the ceiling with determination before nodding my head resolutely. I was going to find out who I really was.

After that, I tried to sleep again, to no avail. I had too many questions left unresolved to succumb once again to the tranquility of a restful sleep. It was only when Felix awoke that I decided to go into action.

Unfortunately it was not counting on the more than embarrassing intervention of Felix's parents. The latter had wanted to explain to the brown about his situation as well as his impromptu departure. As I said, it was a horrible morning.

That's why after spending probably one of the worst mornings in my top 10, I was currently at the Grill with two large volumes in front of me. I was actively taking notes while trying to stay totally unbiased about my discoveries.

A spiritual being is thus incarnated in matter, with a body as a support - as a "vehicle", according to some - for a longer or shorter duration, ranging from a few moments to several decades, with as many nuances as possible in the conduct and perception of this existence that there are embodied beings. Such is the visible, immediately perceptible reach of all human life.

During the time that this integration of a spiritual entity takes place in the "materialization", through thought and in its most concrete acts, the being makes choices, is invested and concretely accomplished in a thousand ways in the fields. as possible, assuming with more or less happiness and success what it has engendered.

Then, one day, comes the moment when this incarnation comes to an end, in a natural or accidental way. It becomes unavoidable that the physical body, given its biological constitution anchored in matter, must disappear, ending the global process that engenders and perpetuates all human life.
At the same time as it marks the definitive interruption of the vital functions of a living organism, physical death puts an end to the spiritual incarnation associated with it.

"Hey, but it's little Gilbert." Interrupted me one of my constant plagues as he sat nonchalantly in the bench in front of me."What are you doing there instead of being in high school?"

"I already validated the subjects." I answered flatly without any ounce of interest as I turned my attention back to my reading.

I could still feel his bluish look on my form as he raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "You've already passed advanced classes?"

"Yes, Damon. I am good at studying, not enough to make it a drama." I sighed wearily and mildly annoyingly.

I had already been delayed in my research and I had no desire to stay with the vampire instead.

Unfortunately, he mowed down my book to glance over it with a critical eye before making a falsely impressed grimace. " What are you reading? Mhm, the art of reincarnation and the effect of mystical dreams. Interesting choice."

"Give it to me!" I begged impatiently with my outstretched hand before suddenly bending over to snatch it of his hands.

The vampire stepped back as he raised his hands in surrender before giving me a smirk as I reinstalled the book on the right page."Mhm, your argument with our local vegetarian has put you on the edge to what I see."

"You have anything else to do?" I finally asked at the limit of my patience with him before resuming sarcastically as I gave him a look of judgment. "Like: oh, I don't know ... why not go on a fake date with your fake girlfriend under compulsion."

"Wow, who spill the beans?" He moaned exaggeratedly.

I looked up again from my book to give him an annoyed look. "Jenna. She spent a whole evening telling me how much she regretted having introduced you."

"Too bad. Because now I'm going out with Andie Star's Star Action News." Replied the vampire with vanity making me give him a flat look.

I shook my head at his incorrigible personality before raising my eyes to Felix as he approached our table with my order. "And a plate of cheese fries. Be careful my dear, the cheese is at least 500g more."

"Thank you, Felix. You can leave, Felix." I grumbled under my breath, tearing off the plate of his hands before resuming my reading under the amused eyes of a certain blood-sucker.

The latter hastened to bend over to peck my plate before waving his eyebrows with mischief at the sight of my exasperated look. "I have to admit; the kid got the hard knocks."

I stopped immediately in my notes as I dryly put my pencil on the table before shooting the vampire with a look of warning. "Touch to one of his hair and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I already know the rest." He interrupted me nonchalantly before taking another fries to chew it roughly in front of me with sarcasm."You don't have to worry, I'm one of the good guys now."

I raised an eyebrow at the brown in skepticism before leaning back against the backrest, crossing my arms over my chest. "Since when did you become a good guy?"

"Rude." He commented, pointing to me before crossing his arms over the table as he shrugged his shoulders rolling his eyes through his explanation. "Your sister is waiting for me to do the right thing. You know, how to preach the good word and why not."

"Of course." I agreed, shaking my head with a slight bitterness before turning my attention to my notes. "It's all about Elena. "

Damon made a sound commitment to my statement before tearing my pencil away from my hands forcing me to rest my angry eyes on him. "Oh, don't give me that look, you risk capsizing my dead heart."

"Charming." I said, gauging him disdainfully.

"I still am." The vampire retorted arrogantly before giving me a curious new look. "Anyway, when did you intend to talk to me about your little suicidal plan?"

This time I rolled my eyes as I picked up my things in haste before jumping on my feet as I gave him an apathetic look. "You pay for the French fries. "

With that, I left the table openly ignoring his annoyed calls as he paid for the fries before hastening to follow me through the entire Grill to the exit.

"Not so fast, little brat." He insisted as he grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt to pull me to his side, leaving my eyes wide in surprise before narrowing my eyes at him in boredom. "Can we know where you are going now?"

"In the moment?" I retorted impatiently before trying to put some distance between us again."Far from you. "

Obviously it was not counting on his horrible boring character trait as he hastened to throw his arm on my shoulders to hug me. "You're hurting me, Mila. And I thought we had something special. "

I tried to ignore my accelerating heart rate at his touch before squinting my lips as I tried to push myself in vain. He only tightened his arm around me, probably leaving some blue for the days to come.

"Damon. "

"It's me." He replied with a broad mischievous smile before displaying a false pouty expression. "Oh, come on, Mila, I need a distraction. Otherwise I will attack Elijah again."

I widened my eyes in a hurry before giving him a look sarcastically. "Please do it! That way I'll be rid of you."

I took advantage of his frown flat to my jab to give him a slight nudge before enjoying it to free me. I made my way outside just to take a sudden break at the sight of the pouring rain.

I held a groan as I pulled my hood over my head before grimacing at the agreement of the mocking voice of the vampire. "Damn, it's raining cats outside. It's better to have a car. Oh wait, you came with Felix, right?"

"I hate you." I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him in irritation.

In response, the latter simply posted a large smile victorious with his key ring around his index before telling me to wait here as he rushed through the rain to rejoin his car. I held my arms around my books against my chest as he turned on the headlights before maneuvering into the barely packed car park since most of the regulars were in high school.

Finally he parked in front of me, I giving a last look at the dark gray sky before launching into the rain to join the passenger side. I slammed the door after my entry before putting my stuff at my feet to be able to buckle me properly. I could feel Damon's watchful eye on my profile all this time.

Hence the reason I gave him a suspicious look once I was buckle up. "What?"

"Do you want to talk about Saint Stefan?" He asked with an arched eyebrow making my lips crinkle as I remembered.

I turned my eyes to the windshield barely visible in the rain before adjusting me more comfortably against the leather in the droppings."You and I know that talking about Stefan is almost a torture for you."

"I could make an effort. I'm adaptable." He reminded me suggestively and I giving him an annoyed look.

Only Damon could make salacious hints in a serious conversation.

Deciding to play on his field, I put all my attention on him. "You are aware that technically neither Elena nor I have reached our majority, right? So, it's judged like pedophilia. You and Stefan are no better than those old perverts chasing these kids on the web. "

"Oh, that's my! Ew!" He moaned with a disgusted look before focusing his attention on the steering wheel again to leave the parking lot in boredom. "Way to break the mood. "

Nevertheless, a smile appeared on my lips as I looked back at the roads completely unconscious of the vampire's own smile at my side in my direction. We had been driving for a long time now. None of us had emitted a sound taking advantage of the radio instead. Although I enjoyed the relaxing ride, it was strangely out of the unpredictable and easily bored character of the vampire. I gave him a side glance that I was hoping discreetly just to realize that he too seemed in his thoughts. He stared intently at the windshield before his left arm rested nonchalantly against the edge of the door.

No matter what he thought, he seemed relaxed.

A fairly regular act in the vampire but after attending his many tantrums, I already knew that there was much more in him.

Realizing that this trip had as much a calming effect on me as on him, I decided to tackle a thorny subject. "Are we going to talk about it?"

"What?" The vampire asked at once with false innocence at the sight of my eyes. "Of your undying love for me?"

"Jessica Jones. "

A heavy silence fell on our duet as he squeezed his hand around the leather steering wheel betraying his involvement. "Jessica how already?"

"Don't deny it, Damon." I retorted as a warning sign. "She was killed exactly like those campers at the beginning of the year. In the same way as this couple returning from a concert. Or these addicts near the crypt."

Damon sustained for a long moment my gaze visibly in his own thoughts before letting a long, aggravated sigh as he turned his eyes to the road. "Fine, you discovered my secret, Veronica Mars. I am guilty of your honor."

"This isn't a joke!" I put in frustration before shaking my fist against my thighs. "Why did you even do that? I was in town that day. If you felt like going on a spree of killing, you had to come see me. "

Damon raised his eyebrows in surprise at that as he glanced at me. "Wait, you're pissed off at me because I didn't come to see you, not because I killed that girl. "

"I should be mad at you. God only knows how much I want to be mad at you for killing someone." I admitted frustrated as I focused my attention on the windshield. "I feel horrible for becoming accustomed to reading cases of serial killings in the newspaper. But turns out that with our current way of life, it has become part of who I am. I'm a horrible person who lies, cheats and even shoots arrows at moving targets now. Hence the reason I can't be mad at you, Damon. Yes, I'm disgusted with the fact that you're killed this poor girl but I have no right to look down on you. We all have a dark part in us."

"Pretty sure that your dark side is barely measurable to mine." The vampire snapped.

I could not help but nod to that as I brought my knees closer to my chest. I put my cheek on the top of my knees before wrinkling my lips in thought. I had to admit that I had been outrageously surprised when I had instantly guessed who was behind the murder of this girl but it was nothing compared to the thinking following this thought.

The last few weeks may have changed after all. Or rather the last months.

That and those dreams.

Milana was a mysterious and secretive woman for me right now, but after last night's dream, I could already tell she was a multi-faceted character. If someone had asked me at the beginning of the year how I would have reacted to Damon killing someone, I would probably have been angry at him but not anymore. I just could not help feeling sad for him and curious at the same time.

"Nevertheless, I'm not angry with you, Damon." I repeat with certainty as I further explain my reasoning behind my thoughts."I'm not angry because I know you didn't kill this girl just for the sake of it. You left her openly to everyone's sight. And you didn't ask for this killing with Stefan or Elena, which means that a tiny part of you was probably ashamed. Just like most of your acts done under the influence of anger. You act on your emotions in the only way you know: violence. You pretend to be cold, detached and you hide your feelings under sarcasm and jokes. But the truth is that like all of us, you feel the need to act on your feelings when you're hurt or in pain. This is a fairly common case among children in the system or those who are abused. "

Damon POV

Damon suddenly found the need to park as quickly as possible. The brunette's revelation at his side was far too precise and deep to make sure he could continue driving without causing an accident. It was not normal. Again, he was confronted with the intelligence and common sense of the little brunette. She was way too wise beyond her age if she could read him as well. Moreover, she had pointed out a certain point of which he had long forgotten.

It was in such a moment that his feelings were clear and someone can read him. Mila understood him better than anyone. Much better than his own brother with whom he had grown up and who had witnessed their father's excesses.

Better still, she understood him better than Elena. In fact, it was not even comparable. She saw him for what he was.

He stopped on the side of the country road they were on before cutting the engine as he leaned against the back of the leather seat. He took a moment to observe the dark landscape corresponding to his usual mood. The rain had long since ceased, but there were still remains of the storm.

"You seem to know your subject." Damon commented with slight bitterness before giving her a careful look.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders without deigning to look at him, leaving Damon to change in his seat as he leaned back on the door to intentionally put all his attention on the young Gilbert. Young? He could not really call her so when she was as insightful and damaging beyond repair. Because he knew. Damon knew that Mila relied on her own emotions to read him most of the time. That's why he'd been unable to ignore her since the first day he'd laid eyes on her.

"You still feel this pain? This hollow in your chest?"He asked in an attempt to move the subject away from him.

"I'm fine." Was the brunette's automatic response as she persisted in avoiding him. "I started talking again, didn't I?"

"And me who thought we were sharing our terrible life story." Damon commented sarcastically. "And you don't deceive people. I know you regret having spoken sometimes."

Mila POV

Damon was absolutely right.

I could not deny this darkness pulling and clawing inside me waiting to go out again. I had somehow managed to contain it but it was still there. That was why I had to take the opportunity to leave this city as soon as possible. I knew that the more days went by and the more my farm hand on that darkness faded. I was not as strong as I pretended. I was actually almost as disturbed as Damon. Except that I don't kill people to evacuate. No, sometimes I just wanted to go back to that amorphous state that frightened my family so much. I wanted so much to be able to return to this moment where I could simply wake up without having to share, to socialize.
It was always hard for me.

"It's always there." I finally admitted, shrugging my shoulders before drawing unknown pattern in the crook of my wrist to keep me in control."I can feel it envelop me as a blanket. It threatens to take control again. I know that I will have to try to make the best of the situation but it's impossible. I could not fully leave that shadow behind if I stay in this city. That's why I filled this application for this internship this summer. Even with the risk of Klaus. I need to be able to hope that one day I will leave this city. It's not a basic need to travel, it's almost a vital need for me if I want to remain sane."

I ended on a darker note as I confessed my biggest secret before finally putting my eyes on the vampire listening. I let my eyes drag a moment on his face frozen in his twenties before biting the inside of my cheek in uncertainty.

Once again, I did not know why I gave in to my urge to share my thoughts with Damon. He was probably the only person who managed to exasperate me as much as to make me want to trust him.

Unfortunately, that would be too dangerous. Damon is and will remain too impulsive to be able to give him all my confidence.

"Stefan and Elena, they can't understand why I want to leave so much. Why I couldn't tell them. They say that I changed. I feel like I've changed but I'm not sure I see it as bad as they are. Is it bad to want to look for me first? I don't want to be selfish but what happens when we're too easily softened, too easily at the mercy of others. I don't want to feel that darkness anymore."

"I understand your point of view. Believe me, I understand better than anyone little Gilbert. For what it's worth, I prefer what you are now. The first time I saw you, you looked too dark for my taste. A little brat like you must have been pretty and cheerful." Damon raised his eyebrows maliciously before resuming his serious expression. "Now about this internship, why was not I informed earlier?"

"I forgot?"

"Oh, how you forgot to tell me that Elena had accepted the deal with Elijah despite the fact that he always plans to sacrifice her?" The vampire replied, letting me give him a disdainful look as he looked away."Don't tell me that you trust this original vampire? I remind you that he has done more killing in front of your eyes than me. You'd be stupid to believe in him. He doesn't care what he's afraid of happening to you as long as he gets to kill Klaus. Oh, and talking about Klaus, don't you think it's strange that he wants to kill the guy so much?"

I dropped my legs in a crossed position before crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance. Not only had the conversation turned to Elena again like most of the time, but he had also brought the original vampire into the mix.

Now I had never been jealous of my sister but I had to admit that I was starting to really lose all esteem in the people around us. Couldn't they see that she was doing all this for them for once. She was not self-centered and it was nice to meet the sister I knew.

As for Elijah, I should not really trust him. I knew it but this liaison. This presentiment attracting me to him was much stronger than anything. I knew, no, I was convinced he had a lot to expect from me. About who I was. And in the process of doing that, I could not afford to doubt his word. After all, he was currently the only source of information about me.

But to get back to Elena, I just did not want to think about her plausible death. Because thinking about it meant giving too much importance. I preferred to live her next weeks in denial. Because I already knew that it was only a matter of time before I let the darkness consume me the moment, I fully realized the action of my sister.

"Can we avoid talking about my sister?" I begged, looking away again.

"The denial only lasts for a while, Mila."

I widened my eyes in disbelief at his hypocrisy before turning abruptly to the side to face him."Look who's talking about denial. Do you really want on this land? Fine, why did you kill this girl?"

"You don't know what you're talking about." He growled, turning his gaze in turn.

"That's what I thought." I replied just as acerbically before turning my gaze on the transient window.

A heavy silence fell between us as we brooded on our own. Honestly, the scene was almost comical if the situation was not so bad.

However, the scene soon changed again as Damon let out a forced moan before supporting my gaze as I turned my head in his direction."It's you. You and ... and Elena. You know who I really am and you accept me as I am. On the other side, Elena wants me to be the good guy. Whoever helps Caroline and who doesn't kill Daddy Gilbert. But I don't want to change who I am. Hence the reason why I always end up coming to you. Because you don't want me to change. I already changed once for a girl and I finished pretty badly. But I'm also certain that it's by staying who I am that you will always impose this distance between us. Not to mention that I am terribly selfish, I'm in love with your sister and yet, I want you by my side."

"I'm not sure I understand. You love my sister. But she wants to change you like Katherine did all those years ago so you find yourself attracted by me because I accept you. Understandable. But it has never really been about that between us, right? Because you are in love with Elena. And I always put this distance because first, I wasn't necessarily ready to accept you as you are. Second, I was not ready to go out with anyone, not that I said I am now. And I'm confusing myself more ..."

I left a frown on my face as I looked at my hands in embarrassment before suddenly lifting my head at the agreement of the guttural laughter of Damon.

The latter had a broad smile on his red lips as he tilted his head to the side with attention."I think this conversation needs to stop. "

"I think so too." I sighed, widening my eyes before straightening up as Damon turned on the engine again.

Did Damon somehow tell me he loved me? It was a bit confusing and far too complex for my mind now.

I had not spoken so openly with anyone for a long time now and I definitely needed to step back and think.

"But just for you know, you're really cute when you're faced with an embarrassing situation. "

"Damon. "

"Just saying, little Gilbert. "

Unfortunately, after our little conversation, Damon had managed to put a ridiculous and tiny little seed in my mind. A seed so small and yet incessant. I just could not help but rethink Elijah. I knew that he was currently the only person who could handle the situation with Elena, but I was also anxious to have my sister's life in the hands of an original.

I didn't really know where I was now. And when I didn't really know where to go, I tended to do even more unpredictable things.

"Any reason you asked me to steal a bottle of bourbon from my job?" Asked Felix as he gave me a look through the window of my SUV before opening the door to go up. "Don't tell me that all this supernatural madness finally made you dive into alcohol."

"Funny." I breathed apathetically, still a little tired from my hectic night before I glanced through the windshield on the moon rising in the sky as I continued."And it's not for me. "

Unsurprisingly, Felix frowned quickly in a bad presentiment. "What are you planning now?"

I avoided his gaze as I focused on the familiar path leading into the woods. I could feel the impulsiveness, the confusion and the apprehension dripping of the brown at my side but I knew it was a bad time to pass. Or at least that's what I said to try to reassure me.

"Mila, you know I don't handle the silences well." Felix grumbled, standing at the handle above the door.

I nibbled inside my cheek before finally shutting down the engine as I saw our destination in the distance. I stood out giving a look at Felix before deciding to give him the choice.

"You'll give me the bottle of bourbon; the three glasses and I'll go down." I recounted in a firm tone of voice before arching an eyebrow expectantly. "Now, I didn't have to take you with me. You can either stay here and wait for me to come back or you can choose to completely trust me with your life and follow me."

"It's blind trust!" Replied the brown in disbelief as he leapt into the seat to turn to me in frustration. "You know what they're saying about blind trust. It takes you to your deathbed."

This time, I just rolled my eyes to his dramatic act before simply waiting with my hand open."I guess you stay here then."

"Hell no! I'm coming with you!" Objected immediately the brown tightening his grip on the bottle of bourbon before opening the door leaving me a little grin wedge on my lips despite me."Well? You're coming or what?"

I shook my head on the visibly frustrated brown before descending to my turn just to scan carefully the woods plunged into darkness. I could feel Felix standing next to me as he also paid close attention to us.

"You have to be completely suicidal to wander through the woods when you know what's roaming around Mystic Falls."

"Probably." I agreed in a dark tone before taking a breather as I walked.

Felix hastened to follow me without a word, letting me enjoy the soothing silence of the forest. Unfortunately, it soon revived the memory of my dream, allowing me to cross my arms around me to barricade myself. I could feel that slight feeling of apprehension running through my veins as I realized that the woods of my dream were the same as those surrounding me now. That explained this familiar feeling now. I was in the same woods. Only at a different time.

Finally, the old ruins were quick to come in sight, instantly stopping the brown standing beside me. "Mila, don't tell me that-"

"Yes." I interrupted in a firm, determined tone as I kept walking up the stairs to Katherine's crypt.

"It's definitive. You have completely lost your mind." Felix breathed under his breath.

However, the brown did not stop as I could hear the reverberation of his steps following me on the stairs.

Unsurprisingly, the vampire had already been alerted by our arrival as she stood now at the entrance of the tomb in devouring curiosity."What are you doing here?"

"Whoa, maybe you should review your ways of welcoming your guests." I replied with slight sarcasm receiving Katherine's wide smirk as I could feel Felix's incredulous eyes piercing holes in my back.

The latter shook his head to clear the surprise before tightening his hold on the bottle of alcohol as he gave a sharp look at the vampire. It immediately inflamed Katherine's facetious wit as she straightened herself with her hand on her hip before giving Felix an enticing look.

"Mhm, I knew the Lockwoods had good genes but I had never seen a wolf with so much guts."

"Save it! He's gay." I replied, rolling my eyes before reaching out to Felix to signal him to pass the bottle and the glasses. " I have something for you. Something tells me that alcohol will lessen the trouble of desiccating. "

"I knew you had a thing for me." Katherine commented arrogantly before suddenly shrinking her brown eyes at me as I was dangerously close to the limit of the opening of the grave.

Fortunately no one had closed the crypt after our little stunt with Elena otherwise it would question the entirety of my plan. I tried to stay as calm and impassive as possible as I passed the bottle inside the grave before preparing for the impact.

Unsurprisingly, I was suddenly drawn deeper into the grave before being hit hard against the rock.

Felix immediately dropped the remaining glasses in his hands the breakers in the process before rushing to the entrance. "Mila! "

Still, I raised my hand to stop him from advancing further before I hoisted on the tips of my feet to try to catch so little air.

Conversely, Katherine stood with her hand on my throat threateningly before getting me up a little more in the air. "Serious mistake, Mila. I can kill you now."

I tried as best I could to contain my preservation instincts as I clenched my fists by my side instead of trying to remove the vampire's hold before taking strangled breaths. I closed my eyelids as she tightened her grip a little more for the effect before opening my eyelids by swallowing with difficulty.

"Do you ... you don't go ... don't kill me." I croaked between each breath receiving an arched eyebrow of the vampire. "Release me, let me go, Katherine. "

The vampire kept me an extra moment at her mercy before suddenly letting me drop letting me fall heavily on the earthy floor like a vulgar rag doll.

I began to cough as I brought my hands to my painful neck to catch my breath before throwing a glare on the vampire in annoyance. "It was really necessary?"

"You're the one who entered the cave of the wolf." Katherine replied nonchalantly before picking up on the floor.

I helped me of the rock to straighten up with difficulty before giving a look at Felix as he let out a breath of total confusion. "Can I know what just happened?"

"I have a soft spot for Mila." Katherine simply answered before giving Felix a look in impatience. "Are you going to enter?"

"What?" He exclaimed in disbelief before giving me a look as he pointed at the vampire."She's kidding, right? "

I rolled my eyes as I rubbed my sore throat before giving a more panicky nod."She's not going to do anything to you, Felix."

"Just a little bite or two." Katherine teased with a feline smile letting me roll my eyes.

I turned my eyes to Felix as he narrowed his eyes at the vampire with disdain. "I don't know which one I hate the most. Your sister or that bitch."

"If it can help you make your choice, she never planned to use you in the sacrifice."

"And you're my favorite doppelganger." Felix announced in a slightly playful tone as he took an uncertain step into the grave.

Katherine looked amused at the brown before taking the tense glass, putting her sparkling brown eyes on me with the intention of scaring me. "You play with fire, Mila."

I gave a dark glance at the vampire knowing exactly what she was doing. Certainly, she could quite kill us in the moment and empty us of our blood. Or she could just bite Felix for making me suffer.

However, I had also discovered something about her during the last weeks. She was dark, vindictive, manipulative and pure evil but she was nothing compared to the biggest evil hovering over the whole city right now. Hence the reason I needed answers.

"You're not going to do anything." I confided confidently, receiving a vampire's defiant gaze as she let herself fall into a sitting position against the rock to find herself at my height.

I lowered my eyes to her fine hands as she opened the bottle of alcohol before aligning the three glasses on the floor to fill them with amber liquid. "Something must have happened to you deliberately come to me. Better still, you hardly seem shaken by my threats. Which means that you have finally realized that you can't escape Klaus."

"Wait, that's the reason for our coming?" Exclaimed Felix at once, as he gave me an angry look at the idea of my resignation. "You're going to give yourself to that freaking monster? "

"I offered her my blood." Katherine intervened mischievously, handing one of the glasses to Felix, whom he hastened to take by throwing a scathing glance at her. "Flying is always better than what Klaus has in store for you."

Felix supported Katherine's gaze with a confidence that surprised me as he swallowed his glass before slipping it back to Katherine for a refill. "It's a pretty loose design for a vampire as feared as you are."

I watched the duo interact with a nauseating feeling at the sight before I remembered that it was really the two people who could probably get along despite everything that separated them.

I shook my head as I bent over suddenly to take one of the glasses still filled before swallowing it in a captivating milking as soon as the vampire's attention in front of me. "Easy there, Mila. You have to come home alive."

I rested the glass with a tingle against the rock before giving a dark look at the vampire."Elijah is in town. "

"Hard to ignore." Katherine grumbled since Elijah was the exact reason she was still in the crypt.

Damon had explained to me that Elijah had compelled Katherine to stay trapped until Klaus arrived.

Unfortunately, this was enough to amplify my doubts about the original since he seemed to definitely share some kind of connection with the much feared original.

"He offered a deal to Elena." I explained as Katherine listened while taking care of filling our glasses again. "She stays in Mystic Falls, continues her life and Elijah will do the rest to kill Klaus."

Katherine stopped suddenly in her action before raising her dark eyes on me in disbelief. "He wants to kill Klaus?"

"That's what the guy told Mila."

Katherine gave a dubious look at Felix before taking a sip of her glass in thought."Interesting."

"Seriously?" Felix gasped impatiently at her lack of comment before turning to me, pointing at the vampire. " She's serious? That's all she finds to say? "

"Elijah is someone by word. It's just surprising to learn that he has changed sides over the years." Katherine said, giving a sarcastic look at Felix.

"I can trust him?"

Suddenly a smirk appeared on the vampire's lips as she shrugged down the contents of my drink. "Oh Mila, didn't you really learn anything from our alliance?"

"Other than you're an incorrigible bitch who will do anything to save her skin?" I replied coldly, my tone laced with bitterness. "Why do you think I'm here?"

Katherine shrugged her shoulders confidently before giving me an arrogant smile. "To enjoy my company. Everyone knows that Elena is so annoying while I am the funny sister."

"Wait, she thinks she's your sister?" Intervened Felix giving an incredulous look at the brunette. "Even more psychotic than I thought."

I rolled my eyes on the brown as he drank another shot of bourbon shaking his head before turning to Katherine who was gauging the brown with a secret smile. It may have been a simple impression, but I could almost believe Katherine was enjoying our presence. Including that of Felix.

Unfortunately, I had more pressing questions than worry about the vampire's well-being. It was ridiculous when you thought about it, but I could not really ignore the fact that I cared a little about the vampire.

"You knew he planned to save you in this ritual." I suddenly said instantly receiving a suggestive smile from the brunette. "And yes, another vampire falling under your charms."

"I told you guys were fun to handle." She replied, shaking my head.

"Why didn't you trust him?" I asked sincerely, receiving an incredulous look from Katherine." I'm serious. He offered to help you. Why did you run away?"

This time, the vampire narrowed her vicious eyes on me as she watched me more carefully. She leaned her head to the side in curiosity during her observation. "You already trust him."

"It's ... it's complicated." I confessed swallowing as I thought back to my strange connection to the original vampire.

I could feel Felix's attention to me as he discovered this part of me at the same time as the vampire. I still did not talk to anyone about my relationship with Elijah and I did not really think that Katherine would be the person I would talk about it to be honest. Nevertheless, I assumed she was currently the best choice since she knew the vampire.

"I conclude that dreams have begun." Katherine said, suddenly making me stiffen to her knowledge. "Don't be so surprised. Didn't I tell you that you were special since the very beginning?"

"Is that why you kept me alive?" I replied, acerbic.

However, our conversation was soon interrupted by Felix's frustrated intervention. "Can I know what's going on? What dreams? Mila, what's she talking about?"

"Your friend here dreams of an entity that lived long before her. Before myself." Katherine revealed, visibly reveling in Felix's surprise expression.

He glanced incredulously at me. "Tell me it's not true."

"I can't." I confessed in a slightly contrite whisper.

"Mhm, we must believe that friendships aren't what they were."

"You, shut up!" Barked Felix with venom on the vampire before turning completely to me."Did you hide something else from me?"

"It's only about me, Felix and-"

"So what? You have the right to want to help me, to worry about me but when it concerns you, I have to let you handle things alone?"

I found myself literally speechless under his heated gaze before turning to the vampire at her intervention. "It's because she understood that care, attachment and love are weaknesses. Even for a human."

"Don't tell me that you agree with this sociopath?" Asked Felix in indignation.

I immediately cast a puzzled look at the brunette as I did not really know what to say before leaving a sigh in defeat. I threw my head back against the rock as I looked up at the ceiling of the crypt in thought. I caught myself for a moment closing my eyes as if I were in the company of one of the most dangerous vampires in Mystic Falls before making the silence around me. I frowned through my closed eyelids before simply opening them to see Felix and Katherine sip their drink in tense silence.

Nevertheless, despite the tense and heavy situation, they seemed to share a kind of mutual understanding. It was strange to see since he was obviously angry but he could not really do anything against that. The brown was standing on my side with his eyes plunged into the void as Katherine took back her old family Bible to open it to one of the pages containing the drawing of her family members.

I watched the vampire's moment with a close look before leaving my thoughts in the open air."You feel lonely. "

"What did you just say?" The vampire asked in a dark tone as she narrowed her eyes to me.

I could feel Felix standing beside me as he glanced between Katherine and me in a bad feeling. "Mila."

I ignored Brown's warning as I kept my eyes on the vampire before letting my attention fall on the Bible to prove my point. The vampire's reaction was immediate as she closed the old book unceremoniously before straightening herself to give me her trusty, manipulative smile."You look for redeemable qualities? "

"Please, does she look like Elena for you?" Instinctively intervened, Felix giving me a surprised look before tilting my head with a grimace in agreement.

I looked back at the vampire to support her dancing eyes between the brown at my side and me before she shrugged."Just checking. I wouldn't want Mila to be disappointed. "

"Like you care." I sighed, rolling my eyes before giving him a suspicious look."Wait, why would I be disappointed?"

Katherine suddenly showed a smile worthy of Cheschire's cat before shrugging arrogantly."Who knows what could happen in the next few days?"

"What does it mean?" Exclaimed Felix at once, obviously sharing my discomfort as he gave me a side look in readiness. "Why do I feel like she's preparing a diabolical plan?"

"It's because she's prepared something." I muttered as I narrowed my eyes at the vampire as a sign of accusation. "You found a way out of here."

"Mhm, I didn't hear the question mark in that sentence." Katherine sneered with her falsely innocent look that made my jaw snap.

I gritted my teeth as I took a deep breath in the irritation. "How?"

"Always stay one step ahead of your enemy, Mila."

I shook my head on the vampire in front of me before suddenly lifting myself up from the wall. "Felix, we're leaving!"

"Thank God!" The dark-haired whispers as he gets up before being abruptly detained by Katherine making me instantly freeze in apprehension of her next move. "You bitch! What are you doing?"

"I remind Mila that she must not trust so easily." The vampire replied darkly before suddenly pulling Felix's head back through his hair before making me look wide at the sight of her vampire face.

I immediately rushed to the duo, raising my hands in agony. "No, Katherine, wait!"

The vampire stopped with her head in the hollow of the nape of Felix before raising her eyes on me with an amused spark in her eyes.

I could feel the trembling assaulting me as I let my eyes dance in the panic between Felix and the vampire before I turned my eyes back to the vampire."Release him! "

"Mila."

"It's okay, Felix." I assuredly said before turning my eyes to the vampire. "I understood, okay? I will not trust anymore. Just ... let him go."

The vampire gauged me for a moment before suddenly straightening up as she pushed Felix into my arms. I hurried to catch the brown as he stumbled under the force of the vampire before holding him in relief. I watched his face for a moment to make sure he was fine before glaring at the vampire.

"There was another way to make me understand that I shouldn't trust Elijah." I shrank in pure anger.

The vampire smiled badly as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger before leaning nonchalantly against the entrance to the tomb. " Perhaps. But it was much more fun."

"C'mon, Mila, we're leaving here!"Ordered Felix as he tried to get me out only I kept my position with my venomous eyes riveted on the vampire.

"Enjoy your solitude, Katherine."

Hey, guys!

I really wanted to thank you for the 100+ comments! It's really great guys.

I still hope to hear from you about this story !

After all your votes, I thought it was time to do a little recap polls ! So for the moment, we are 45 votes for Stefan, 39 for Damon, 10 for Klaus and 1 vote for Kol.

Keep telling me what you think about this story as well as Mila's new adventures, please ^^