Okay, everybody, I struggled a little bit editing this one. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Warning: contains some sexual content


Chapter Three: Family

The next morning, Kiara got up early and headed to the grill. She dressed comfortably like she usually did. Or as Caroline Forbes once said, like pre-makeover Laney Boggs. Which Kiara later learned was a reference to a teen movie from the 90s. She was pretty sure it was also intended to be an insult to her fashion sense. Apparently wearing printed shirts with black overalls and sneakers was a poor choice according to Caroline. So, of course, it was one of Kiara's favorite outfits to wear after that.

The grill was slow in the early morning, especially on a Saturday when most people liked to sleep in. She got a table in the back so she could see when Elijah arrived and ordered something to eat. It was better to wait than be waited on, or that's what she figured anyway.

When her food arrived, she pulled the oversized headphones she was wearing around her neck up onto her head and opened Spotify on her phone. It was one of the only ways she could think of to keep people from bothering her. Plus listening to music always calmed her down. Sometimes she didn't even listen to music, she just let people think she was to keep them from approaching her, but even headphones couldn't stop everyone.

They worked pretty well until she finished eating and Matthew Donovan came over to clean off her table. She didn't mind talking to him though. She kind of had a soft spot for him. He was the first person to introduce himself to her when she started school, before she changed, which meant he really was just a nice guy. Over time, Kiara realized he was just as lonely as she was, especially after Elena broke up with him and his sister Vicki died. The poor guy deserved better.

Matt smiled at her and she pushed the headphones back down around her neck. "Hey Kiara," he said with the same sweet smile he always had. "what are you doing here so early?"

"I'm meeting someone."

"Breakfast date?" he joked.

"No," she laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing like that."

"Well, I hope it goes well. Let me know if you need anything else," he said, collecting her dishes and wiping down the table before walking to the back of the restaurant.

"Hm," Elijah hummed, suddenly next to her. "He seems to like you."

Kiara jumped slightly in surprise, irritated that he managed to come in without her noticing. "Careful, Elijah, or I'll think you're jealous," she looked at him as he took a seat across from her. "Besides, I never touched Matt. He's just a sweet guy, that's all."

If Elijah was being honest with himself, he did feel a bit envious of the boy when he first walked in and saw them talking. She spoke to him with such ease and laughed at his sad attempt at a joke, the one that implied she might be meeting a date. An idea that she completely dismissed without even a thought. As if the idea were ridiculous.

"Yes, well," he said, glancing down at the glass of water sitting on the table between them. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. Have you been here long?"

"I've been here almost an hour.".

His eyebrows rose in surprise. "My apologizes if I had known—"

"Don't be silly," she laughed. And he tried not to compare it to the laugh she'd just given the Donovan boy. "we agreed on nine o'clock. I just got here early. Thought I'd grab something to eat first."

He studied her for a moment, trying to determine if he felt different around her than he did yesterday. He didn't. Then he nodded his head and said, "Very well, shall we go?"

"Yeah. Sure," she stood and pulled out her wallet, but Elijah already dropped cash on the table. She looked up at him, "What're you doing?"

"Paying for your breakfast. Is that alright with you?" he smirked. "Don't worry, I left a generous tip for your friend."

She shook her head at him but didn't argue. Which Elijah considered a win. He opened the door for her as they exited the grill and walked down the sidewalk side-by-side.

"So, where we headed?" she asked, after a few minutes of silence.

"Luka and his father are in an apartment close by," he told her. "It's only a short walk from here."


Within minutes, they were heading down a dark hallway. She recognized the apartment building when they walked in, but she'd never been inside. He knocked once when he reached the door he was looking for. Then simply opened it and walked inside. Kiara, on the other hand, hesitated in the open doorway. Her eyes scanned the room. For the most part, it looked like an average apartment. Except for the excessive amount of books scattered around the front room and remnants of magic in the air.

Luka and his father were watching her from a dining room table against the far wall. Elijah was murmuring something to them, but their eyes were on her as she shifted from one foot to the other. Finally, Elijah turned around to look at her.

"You can come in, Miss. James," he said with a charming smile.

She took a couple of steps inside, half expecting it to be some kind of trap, and shut the door behind her.

"What are you a vampire?" Luka raised an eyebrow at her. "Gotta be invited in?"

"I just have manners, unlike some people," Kiara said, making him glare at her.

"Seriously? What is your problem with me?" he asked.

Kiara opened her mouth to answer, but Elijah lifted a hand to stop her.

"Now, now," Elijah said, looking between the two of them like they were misbehaving children. "There will be none of that. We will all do our best to get along, please. Thank you."

Jonas continued to stare at Kiara silently. His eyes felt like tiny pinpricks on her skin.

She turned her attention to him and said, "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Sorry, it's just, I can feel the magic coming off you."

"You can?" Kiara glanced at Luka who nodded. "Can all witches?

Jonas shrugged. "Probably."

"Great…" Kiara muttered.

That meant that Bonnie probably felt it too, which meant that Elijah was right about others knowing about her. If Bonnie knew then so did the rest of the Mystic Falls gang. Salvatore brothers included. She only wondered why they haven't come around asking questions yet.

Jonas turned a book towards her. "This is the Blackwood Grimoire. I acquired it a few years back. It claims that the Blackwood coven interacted with your kind generations ago."

"My kind?" Kiara repeated.

"Yeah, you know, succubi."

She bit her lip. No, she didn't know. Not for sure anyway.

"I'm, you think I'm a succubus?" The word seemed to slither out of her mouth.

Jonas glanced at the other two men in the room and said, "Well, yes. What else would you be?"

"Are you seriously saying you didn't know?" Luka asked. The disbelief in his voice was more annoying to Kiara than Jonas's confusion. "How could you not know what you are?"

Her cheeks heated up in embarrassment. She walked over to the window, flexing her fingers, and looked down at the street outside. "I guess that's one of those things a parent would typically sit you down to explain. Assuming monsters have families, which I don't."

Elijah frowned. "I thought you said you live with—"

"I lied," she said, glancing at him. "Holly isn't my mother. She was a friend of my mother years ago. We've been living together for the past few years. It's just easier to call her that than explain the truth."

"Which is?"

Kiara hesitated. She had her arms wrapped around her front like her stomach was hurting her. It was difficult to tell if she had trouble putting the situation into words or if she simply didn't trust the people in front of her to hear it. "My mother's dead."

That wasn't so complicated.

Elijah almost didn't want to ask, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. "And what of your father?"

Her eyes met his. They were guarded, distant. She lifted a lazy shoulder and said, "Couldn't tell you."

The answer had a double meaning that made Elijah question what she really meant. Did she not know where her father was? Or was she just unable to tell him? A request for clarification seemed justified, but the question died in his throat. It was clear that was all the information she was willing to give on the subject, so he nodded instead.

Kiara made her way back over to where Jonas was sitting and glanced down at the book he referenced to earlier. It was written in a language she didn't understand so she looked back up at him. "Where are they now? The Blackwood witches."

"Dead, I believe," he said, leaning back in his chair. "They were all hunted down."

"By what?"

"No one knows," he shrugged. "By one of you, maybe."

She clenched her jaw at the accusation. "What does it say? Read it to me."

Jonas glanced up at Elijah who nodded at him. He put his finger on the crinkled paper and traced it as he read. "The legend of the Succubi has no known origin. It seems they have always existed. However, some say the first Succubus was once a witch. An empath named Callista who fell in love with a werewolf."

"Wait," Kiara put up a hand to stop him. "Werewolf? Are you saying they really exist?"

"Is that really such a surprise?" Elijah smiled at her.

"Well… no, I guess not. " Kiara said, but her head was spinning. Vampires, witches, succubi, why not werewolves too?

"Anyway, when their village discovered what Callista was, the people turned against her, convincing her lover that she spelled him into caring for her, that what he felt for her wasn't real. He became so enraged that he attacked her. Lost in her own fear and heartbreak, she killed him and everyone in the village. Then to protect herself from ever falling prey to love again, she cast a spell on her heart. But the magic she used was dark, against nature, and so it turned on her, twisting her from the inside out and thus the succubus was born.

"Although some stories say they are horribly disfigured demon-like creatures that prey on people in their sleep, we have seen that is not the case. They are supernaturally beautiful beings that are nearly impossible to resist or lie to. Be warned. They are more powerful than they appear and ferocious when threatened.

"They have psychic and manipulative abilities that allow them to seduce their prey. They feed on the chi and sexual energy of others, often to the point of their death. But they don't need to be with their victim in person to feed, they can dream walk into their subconscious and take them while they sleep. They are stronger and faster than the average human, especially after feeding. Other abilities believed to include: mind control, sleep inducement, resuscitation, and a kiss of death. Their lifespans are unknown. However, it is believed that they are immortal." Jonas read.

Kiara blinked and sat down, suddenly feeling nauseous.

"Are you alright?" Elijah put a hand on her shoulder. "You look pale."

"It's just… a lot to take in," she said. "It's not every day you learn that you're a soul-sucking demon that may or may not live forever."

Elijah flinched at the word. "Don't speak of yourself that way."

"Why not? It's the truth, isn't it?"

"I don't think so. I've lived a long time, Miss. James, and I've faced my fair share of demons. Believe me, when I say, you aren't one."

"Maybe not yet," Kiara muttered. "I'm sure if we could just talk to another succubus, they could answer all of our questions."

"Honestly? I'm not sure if that's even possible." Jonas shook his head. "Up until now, I thought they were just urban legends. The Blackwoods were known for being eccentric, crazy even. All I know is they specialized in sex magic and disappeared sometime in the 1970s without a trace."

"I thought you said they were hunted?"

"That's what it says in this," Jonas pointed to the book. "One of the last things written mentions them being on the run from something."

Kiara bit the inside of her cheek. "Have you tried finding them?"

"We've tried a locator spell," Luka shrugged. "But got nothing."

"Well," Kiara clenched her fist. "what else does the book say?"

"Not much. It seems you aren't a trusting bunch." Jonas blinked at her.

"Or the Blackwood witches were just full of shit," Kiara sighed and rubbed her temples. "Sorry. I was hoping for some useful information, like a way to crave the hunger or something."

"If it helps, you can feed on me anytime," Luka smirked.

Kiara glared at him, her eyes flashing brightly in color.

In a blink, Elijah's hand was under her chin tilting it upwards to redirect her attention to him. He looked her directly in the eyes and said, "Miss. James, I will do everything I can to help you, provided you help me find my family."

"Your family?" Kiara scrunched her eyebrows at him. "Are they lost?"

"My brother… he took them from me. He claims to have dumped their bodies in the ocean," Elijah fidgeted with his jacket sleeve. "I believe you can help me determine if that's the truth, once and for all."

"How?" Kiara asked. She looked at him warily. "What makes you think I can do that? Only your brother knows where they are."

"Yes," he nodded. "About that. I was thinking you could just… ask him."

"Are you kidding?" Luka scoffed. "Klaus would kill her on the spot."

"I'm not so sure about that," Elijah smiled. "Something tells me, he'll be just as curious about her as I am. Perhaps even more so. You see, my brother is the only one of his kind. He's a hybrid: a werewolf and a vampire. If he discovers another creature who may very well be alone in the world, he will relate. Even more, he will wish to keep you as his own."

Kiara looked away from him, a disgusted look on her face. "Gross."

"Perhaps, but my brother does have his charm."

"Regardless, I will never be trapped at the mercy of a man again. I'd rather die," Kiara said. "I don't care how charming he is."

Elijah's face dropped and she looked away from him. She couldn't breathe. The very thought was enough to trigger a panic attack. "Not to worry, Miss. James. I don't plan on allowing my brother the opportunity to take you anywhere, for I don't plan on you ever meeting him face to face."

Then Elijah explained that he had a theory. One they would have to test, but if proven correct, she wouldn't have to face Klaus in person to ask him anything. He believed that when she dream walked into someone's subconscious, they would be unable to lie to or resist her there either. If the Martins could help get her into Klaus's subconscious, then all she would need to do is ask him what he did with his siblings and Elijah would be able to go get them without his brother ever even knowing.

It seemed simple enough, so Kiara agreed to give it a try.


They decided that Kiara would test the theory on Elijah.

The first challenge being that Kiara had to enter his mind by choice and she had only ever done that when her victim was sleeping. So Elijah laid down on the Martin's couch and had Kiara put him to sleep.

Thankfully, with Elijah's chi still churning inside her, Kiara easily slipped into his mind. It was the first time she'd done so when she wasn't dreaming herself. When she opened her eyes, she quickly realized Elijah was dreaming of the early 1950s. It was a New Year's party in some mansion. People were dancing all around her in a ballroom and it took her a little while to find him in the crowd. When she finally did, he was in a bedroom surrounded by red and gold wallpaper and he was feeding on a young blonde woman who was already hanging limp in his arms.

"I'm not judging you or anything, but do you always dream of the parties you've attended?" she asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Elijah dropped the woman and looked up at her, suddenly aware that he was dreaming. They stared at each other for a moment. Slowly, he pulled out a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped his mouth. "I'm over 1,000 years old, Miss. James. You should consider yourself lucky that this is all you've witnessed in my head."

"Noted," she glanced down at the dead body between them and then back at him. "I'd rather not do this with her between us."

"You do realize that none of this is real, this woman died over 50 years ago."

"Still."

Elijah sighed and led her to another room. One without a dead body on the floor. It looked like a home office, complete with an oversized desk and book collection.

"Much better. Thank you," Kiara said after looking around. "Now, this is the tricky part. I need to ask you a question that you may not want to answer, one that I believe to already know the answer to so I can tell if you're lying or not."

"That makes sense," Elijah nodded. "Ask me anything."

"You promised you'd help me if I help you find your family, what did you promise the Martin's?"

"Niklaus always has witches working for him, often against their will. Luka's sister Greta is currently one of them. If they help me take down my brother, Greta will be free."

"What do you mean 'takedown' your brother?"

Elijah held her gaze. "I plan to kill him, Miss. James."

Kiara took a step back and asked, "Even if you get your siblings back?"

"I didn't believe that was an option until we met," Elijah said. "I only planned on avenging them."

"And you really think you can do that? You could kill the last siblings you have left?"

Elijah opened his mouth with a prepared answer and then stopped short before the words could come out. "I, I don't know."

His eyes dropped to the floor, wide and distant.

"You seem surprised," she said.

"I suppose I am," Elijah sat down in the nearest chair. "I've been telling myself that I could. That when the time came I would make my brother pay for what he did, but I don't, I don't know if I can hurt him. I spent most of my life by Niklaus's side. We promised one another that we'd remain a family, always and forever. There was a time when I would have done anything for him, but now, after what he's done, forgiving him seems impossible," Elijah said.

"You may feel that way now," Kiara nodded. "but as a vampire, you face eternity alone. You may find that if given enough time, anything can be forgiven."

He looked up at her. Wondering if he was capable of such forgiveness. She seemed to think he was and he didn't like the idea of disappointing her so he said, "Perhaps."

"Or not," Kiara let out an awkward laugh, as if she could sense his doubt, and looked away from him. "What do I know, right? Still I think we should find out for sure what happened to your siblings before you go killing anyone. That way you don't do something you'll regret later, you know?"

Elijah smiled. We, she said. "Yes, I suppose we should." He stood and brushed the hair out of her face. She was as captivating then as when he first saw her. Perhaps even more so now that he's gotten to know her better. "Thank you for agreeing to help me, Miss. James."

She smiled back at him, sadly. "How could I not? They say family's the most important thing in the world, right?"

Suddenly, he felt unbearable loneliness. Like an empty void had opened up inside him where his heart should be and every second the wound remained open, he grew colder. Was this the emptiness she tried to describe to him? Was this how Kiara felt all the time?

On instinct, Elijah reached out for her and pulled her to his chest. As if he might be able to ease her pain, but then he woke up.


He opened his eyes to see Kiara rising to her feet. Her legs were shaking. "Sorry," she muttered. "I lost focus."

"There's no need to apologize," he told her, standing to follow her.

"Did it work?" Jonas asked, reminding them of what they were doing there in the first place.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I believe so."

Elijah decided that Kiara should rest and they could attempt to infiltrate Klaus's mind sometime tomorrow. And everyone agreed. However, he also insisted on taking her out to dinner as thank you. Although deep down, he knew it was simply because he wanted to spend more time with her. He drove her out of town and parked in front of a fancy restaurant that she'd only vaguely heard of in passing.

"Uh, Elijah," she looked down at herself. "I'm not exactly dressed for a place like this."

"Nonsense, you look stunning." He walked around the car and opened her door for her. Kiara couldn't bring herself to argue with him and when he led her inside, the restaurant was nearly empty so she had no reason to complain.

They talked as they ate. Him more than her. He told her about his family. How his father was abusive when they were growing up, especially towards Niklaus. How his mother turned them into vampires after their younger brother was killed by a werewolf. How Niklaus learned of his hybrid nature after his first kill as a vampire and thus the truth of his mother's affair. He told her everything.

His willingness to open up to her caught her off guard, but it also made her feel inclined to do the same. Although he didn't really push for her to, it was obvious he was curious about her. Perhaps he thought she had shared enough about herself for the day. Or maybe he didn't want to scare her off.

Eventually, he couldn't seem to help himself and asked, "What about yourself? Do you have any siblings?"

"No, not that I know of anyway," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Elijah scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"Well my mother died when I was young and I haven't seen my father since I was twelve years old," she told him. "It's possible he has another child out there that I don't know about."

"I see," Elijah said, looking down at the table and lacing his fingers together in front of him. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. I'm not."

Elijah could only guess why that would be, but he decided not to question her any further on the subject. There was no reason to risk ruining a perfectly good night by bringing up bad memories or pushing her too far.

When he dropped her back off at her house, he walked her up to her door like a perfect gentleman. All at once, it felt like they were on a date.

Elijah watched her as she leaned back against her front door. Her chin tilted up revealing the smooth skin of her neck. Her curls falling around her face. Her intense eyes focused on him. She was gorgeous.

"Do you think…" Kiara paused as if wondering if she should even ask the question. "Do you think it's even possible for someone to care about something like me? Genuinely, I mean."

"Why would you ask such a thing?"

"I just keep thinking about what Jonas said, about Callista. What if by trying to protect herself from love, she made it impossible for someone to love her. Her heartbreak and her own magic twisted her into something she wasn't. She became a monster."

"You are not Callista."

"But I am of her, aren't I? If the story's true, I mean. Somehow her curse was passed onto others, onto me," she sighed. "How can I know if what I have with anyone is real? Even you can't know how you really feel about me." Kiara said.

Elijah wanted to tell her that that was not true, but he couldn't. The look in her eyes pinned him where he stood. He wondered how something as exquisite as her could be so starved for affection. And he felt himself being drawn in by again. He wanted to be able to give her what she wanted, to assure her that she was more than her physical allure. But how could he, when he hardly knew her? When she had no reason to believe him.

"Thank you," she said, surprising him once more. "For offering to help me and for taking me to dinner. It was really nice."

"It was my pleasure, Miss. James."

Kiara bit her lip. She knew it was probably in her head, but she felt like he was teasing her. The words sounded so flirtatious coming out of his mouth, especially then. Like it was something to be whispered during intimate moments. "Elijah," she said, shifting on her feet. "I think maybe you should just call me Kiara from now on."

Elijah's gaze flickered down her body before quickly focusing on her face. Even if he hadn't caught the movement, he would have picked up on her sudden nervousness. He could see it in her eyes. Smell the faint hint of arousal on her skin. His mouth watered.

He knew he should have behaved himself and just done as she asked. But the sudden change in her made him remember how it felt to kiss her and he wasn't strong enough to pass up the opportunity to do so again. His mind raced with impure thoughts. He found himself wondering how it would feel to have her bare skin sliding against his and how his name would sound coming out of her mouth as she found release.

Slowly, he placed his hands on either side of her head and said, "Why, Miss. James? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"N, no. Of course not," her eyes lingering on his lips. "I just think it's a little formal, that's all."

"Very well. I shall call you whatever you like," he watched a shiver run through her and he smirked to himself, loving that he was able to have such an effect on her. Goosebumps rose on her skin and her breathing quickened. He leaned closer to her, his lips barely grazing the tip of her ear as he chuckled. "Kiara, do let me know if there's anything else I can do for you. I'll do whatever you wish, just say the word."

She ran a hand up his side, along his neck, and into his hair. He sighed in content as the familiar prickle of her touch bloomed across his skin. Then she tightened her grip on the hairs closest to his neck. "You shouldn't tease me, Elijah," she said. "I don't know what I'll do to you if you let me."

"Do whatever you like," he said. "I don't bruise easily."

When his eyes met hers again, her pupils were blown and her eyes were glowing. A sense of pride washed over him knowing that he pushed her to that point. Teetering on the edge. She pulled him closer, her lips ghosting over his in the most delicious way.

He grinned. "Now who's teasing, Miss—"

With that, she finally lost control and slammed her lips onto his. He lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist so he could press himself as close to her as possible. Within seconds, he was already dizzy. Lost in the bliss of her touch. Her hands tugged at his hair and scratched down his back leaving a burning sensation in their wake. All he could smell was her, all he could taste. Then she ground herself against him and an explosion of pleasure washed over him. He groaned. Instantly, his fangs extended down and his eyes shifted. And he wanted more. He needed her touch more than he needed air, more than he needed to drink blood.

"Kiki?" A voice he didn't recognize called from behind him.

She froze and yanked him away from her by his hair. His eyes rolled back as a tingling sensation ran down to his groin, but he didn't make a sound.

"Holly," Kiara said, looking at the woman over his shoulder. She began to wiggle her legs forcing Elijah to release his hold on her. Once she was on her feet again, she straightened her clothes. "Hi."

"Hi," her guardian said with raised eyebrows. "This must be Elijah."

Kiara chewed on her lower lip and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, Holly, this is my friend, Elijah. Elijah, this is my Holly."

Elijah took a second to compose himself before turning around to face the woman. She was pretty with shoulder-length hair that she dyed red and a button nose. He smiled and extended a hand out to her. "Good to meet you, Holly. I'm Elijah Mikaelson."

The woman eyed his hand. "I thought you were Elijah Smith?"

He pulled his hand back.

"Holly, please be nice," Kiara said.

"This is me being nice, Kiki. I'll see you inside. Have a good rest of your night, Elijah." The woman smiled a little too widely and disappeared into the house.

"I suppose that's my cue to leave," Elijah said, holding his hands behind his back now. As if he were afraid he would take her and run any second.

Kiara's face was red. "I, I'm really sorry about… all that."

"Don't be silly, Kiara," Elijah smiled, licking his lips. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"Um, okay, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I look forward to it."

He watched her step into her house and give him a little wave before shutting the door. It wasn't until he was halfway down the street that he realized, she hadn't fed from him.


To reviewers:

BreeB23: Thank you. I'm glad you're liking it. :)

Only reviewer: For Holly, I picture Molly Ringwald. Kiara, I didn't have a particular actress in mind, but I picture her to look like soularouge on Instagram. I hope that helps people picture her better.

lastrap1412: You like the idea of Kiara getting with both Elijah and Klaus too?

IrisTurner: I will consider that, for sure. I just don't want Kiara to become less likable over time, you know?

sam: You're welcome.


There you have it, Kiara is a Succubus! I hope that excites you guys! Please review and let me know what you guys think so far. Thanks for reading!