Hello lovely readers! I like to welcome new Followers and Favorites and thank you for liking this story! Also another HUGE thank you to Arianna Le Fay and xXxShonxXx for the reviews, I always look forward to reading the feedback! This chapter is a little adventurous I did some research on the Inca sites in Peru to give a better visual of the setting. Also there will be a little smut...I edited this chapter to keep it T rated, you've been warned... Enjoy!

Runa woke up from the sun rays as they slip pass the mountain peaks. He lifted his head up slightly, Marie was hugging his side her head rested near the cervices of his neck. Runa smiled down at her, he picked her up easily he balanced her with one arm as he grabbed their backpacks and shouldered them. Marie mumbled, she opened her eyes lazily noticing Runa carrying her. Runa smirked, "Morning sleepy head."

Marie smiles up at him, "An early stroll?"

Runa remarked, "Well I didn't want to have the moment ruined by us getting yelled at by the park rangers. Plus, I don't have any food with me and there is this great breakfast place down the mountain."

Marie nods, Runa put her down handing her backpack. Marie felt a slight disappointment of being put down, but she didn't want to seem like she missed him too much…

Marie smiled at him, "Last one down the mountain pays for breakfast?"

Runa grins at her, "Oh you're on."

Marie flashed down the trail of steps, but Runa brought her attention above the mountain as he howls in excitement as he flips and head dives off the cliff, Marie stared at him in amazement as he kicked off the cliff making himself fall faster. Marie flashed down the trail Shit, I didn't expect him to win by jumping off the bloody mountain… As Marie finally got down the mountain Runa was waiting sitting on the floor gazing up at the mountains.

Runa teased, "Took you long enough."

Marie scowls, "I figured we would race down the mountain civilly, but no you got to go and show off."

Runa smirked, "Stop being a sore loser, it's your fault that you lost."

Marie rolled her eyes, he laughed and nudged her to follow as they came towards a small village, Runa came up to a small hut speaking in the local's native tongue as he started a conversation about it being a beautiful morning and how excited he was to try their famous dishes again.

The hybrids were ushered in for a table, tours were starting to form to hike up the mountain. Runa peers at her noticing she was looking away shyly, "What?" He asked.

Marie looked up seeing he was looking at her curiously. "It's been a while since I actually felt at peace, this time I feel different like the spirits have nothing on me anymore, I am in control and I actually feel alive."

Runa studied her, "So you're telling me, you are now pursuing me only because you feel there isn't anymore danger? What, my pursuits and telling you I loved you wasn't enough?"

Marie noticed him watching her reaction, Marie turned away her face burning. Runa could tell she was allowing herself to make them more than companions because she was acting very shy around him. Before, she would always tease and flirted with him and she rarely let them pass the friendship zone. Now she was struggling to take it to the next step and he was slightly annoyed for he was unsure if she is doing it because she truly felt the same way or if the guilt of compelling him was swaying her emotions.

Marie couldn't meet his eyes she responded in a small voice, "I never allowed myself to love someone else because I have the tendency of getting the ones I love into danger or dead… Just I feel like I have so much weight lifted off my shoulders and I want to actually live my life without fearing love. My father and Kol were always overprotective – nearly all of Rebekah's suitors were murdered by them… I just couldn't bare letting myself love again in fear of that same outcome. I figured every man that fancied me would be safer if I didn't show any interest."

Runa narrowed his eyes not fully buying her reasoning, "Klaus and Kol attempted to kill me multiple occasions, some of the reasons weren't because I fancied you – I think you are more worried of letting yourself pursue love because you fear of getting hurt. Marie it was a thousand years ago, you told me you made your peace with it."

Marie gazed up at him, "I know, it's just you both have so many similarities and you can't blame me having superstitions of reincarnation and having history repeat itself."

Runa rolled his eyes, "Unbelievable, so you feared I would turn into a wolf and attempt to maul you to death and then have Klaus and Kol kill me. Honestly Marie you trying to justify your feelings for me and guilt of not pursing it earlier is really starting to piss me off."

Marie gave him a hurt and scared look, she mumbles trying to lighten the mood, "I saw him on the other side still waiting and I helped him move on so now I can rule out reincarnation."

Runa huffed at her attempts, "Now I got to ask, have you always felt the same as I do or is your guilt of compelling me pushing you?"

Marie bows her head unable to look him in the eyes because deep down she always had feelings for him and she never acted on them and her choosing to now is making him suspicious of her true reasonings behind it. "Marie." Runa urged in a softer tone.

Marie looked at him with tears threatening to fall, "I was this close of losing everyone I loved with Dahlia and when I was choking on the White Oak ash I couldn't help but think this is it, I am going to die and my family is going to die and I wouldn't be strong enough to save all of us. In that moment I realized all this time in my long life I was always living in fear – fear of the spirits, of losing cherished friends while I stay young, and I allowed the fear to control every aspect of my life. I snapped, and I was able to wield the spirits against their wills forming the face of death upon myself and it was a wolf. I've let that day haunt me for eternity and it dawned on me that one of my greatest fears was being loved. I had endangered my family countless of times because they were willing to die to protect me. And I endangered you, Esther almost killed you. I can't handle people dying for me, nobody deserves that sacrifice."

Runa moved his hand across the table holding her hand, he squeezed it comfortably, "That's the most truthful thing I've heard you speak about your feelings."

Marie laughed almost sobbing, "Well I was raised by people who rarely express their feelings out loud."

"Ah it makes sense." Runa teased.

Marie smiled rubbing her eyes just as their food came to their table. "I came to terms of not living in fear anymore, to let myself live life to the fullest. Starting with this." Marie squeezed his hand just before she let it go to use her utensils. Runa grins at her as he devours his Salchicha Huachana while Marie had a Tamale.

Marie adds to lighten the mood, "You know Kol was really guilt tripping me about what I did to you, honestly I would have never guessed that video games would bring him to like you."

Runa laughs, "I will have to verse him again some time to boost our relationship."

Marie nods, "I think very very deep down he was rooting for us to be together." Runa rolled his eyes chuckling. Kol was an interesting one, most of the time he acts mockingly and abrasive. But there are a few times he makes his complements in his own way to come off more sarcastically then genuine.

"You know he always gave off a sort of jealousy feeling, made me think at first he was trying to get you for himself." Runa remarked.

Marie gave him an awkward laugh, "Yeah… he is like that with Rebekah too, I'm not sure if it is his way of being protective of us – but I wouldn't bring that up to him though." He nods in agreement Marie also adds, "Well he did have feelings for my mother not sure if that made him more… seductive with me. I try to not let it bother me too much it's just his personality he practically does that with every woman he comes across."

Runa raised his eyebrows in surprise by Kol's relationship with Marie's mother, "Imagine if Kol was your father instead of Klaus."

Marie ran her hand through her hair, "Honestly I feel like it would pretty much be the same, all my uncles were basically father figures in their own distinctive ways."

Runa peered at her curiously, "Forgave Elijah for desiccating you?"

Marie smiled remarking, "Well I'm not like my father, I can't keep grudges for centuries." Runa chuckled in response.

"Well I'd be damned." Marie glanced up at the inn she was staying at, apparently Runa had checked in the same inn prior to his hike to Machu Pichu.

Runa grins at her, "Still think the gods weren't testing us?" Marie rolled her eyes, but she had to admit it was uncanny.

Marie opened the door to her room; her travel bag was left on her bed while her list and picture were on the desk. Runa smiled at the picture remembering that day, he glanced at the list of the places Marie jot down and crossed out, "You went to all the places I told you about."

Marie gave him a small innocent smile, "I figured they would be the destination you would choose to go back to."

Runa grins at her, "I have to say you really do know me, after Machu Pichu I would have gone to them." Marie gave him a bright smile, he admired it as he leaned on the desk.

Marie peered at him curiously, "So… have you met someone in your two years of being rid of me." One of Marie's wishes when she first compelled him was for him to find love again since she wasn't on his mind anymore. Although Kol's nagging remark to her about Runa unable to live life to the fullest because she wasn't a part of it was bothering her.

Runa rolled his eyes at her being dramatic, "Yes actually, her name is Catalina she's a two-hundred-year-old vampire I met in Venezuela."

It felt bittersweet to Marie for she wanted him to find someone else but then again it almost bothered her, "Are you two still together?"

Runa smirks slightly hearing a hint of jealousy, "We hit it off over the two years nothing really official, it might have turned into more if we spent more time together."

Marie oohed, I prevented him from finding someone to love again… Runa sighs knowing why she would asked, when she compelled him she was hoping for him to find love because she thought she held him back. But it wasn't true he had other girlfriends even when he couldn't pursue his feelings towards Marie, but none of them were the right one for him. He figured she was worried she was the reason behind his expectations for a partner. But to be honest the moment he laid eyes on her he knew she was something special and the more he got to know Marie the stronger the feelings became. In some way she may be the reason, but he never felt the same way with any woman as he felt towards Marie.

Runa flashed towards her leaning her down on the bed, he kissed her passionately Marie kissed him back he pulls back smiling at her reassuringly, "Marie, I've never felt the same way about any of the other women I was with as I felt about you. Even without my memories when I saw you on that mountain, there was this feeling that I was so drawn to you as I were when I saw you when I was human. Your smile and your eyes are just so welcoming, no one else have been able to catch my eye like you always had."

Marie smiled at him shyly, "I'm sorry I kept you friend zoned."

Runa laughed leaning back to sit next to her, "Hey it was worth getting to know all the different aspects about you." Marie smiles warmly at him she surprised him with impatient kisses.

Runa growls lowly, the last time she kissed him like that was when she saved him from almost being burned alive with the tomb vampires in the Grayson Gilbert's old building. Runa fought to push himself away, he breathed, "Marie let's not rush this… It's been far overdue but –." Marie kissed him to shut him up. Runa growls picking her up off the bed, she wrapped her legs around him. He pinned her to the wall he glanced at her hesitantly, "Marie…I know you never done this before, we tried to attempt this, but you changed your mind." If it weren't for him Marie would have been burning in that building with him, and he felt those emotions is what caused her to kiss him back. When she saved him from the fire she confessed she couldn't lose him and didn't know if she could live without him, that was when he kissed her, that was when he told her he loved her and that was the night they almost became the closest they ever been. Marie changed her mind right when he laid her down on the bed, back then he was embarrassed by her sudden change of heart and the following days after that were awkward. Runa figured she changed her mind due to her stress of the upcoming events of breaking her father's curse. Now with him pinning her against him he was hoping this wasn't another emotionally driven action as before.

Marie's face blushed, "I know… Before I was trying really hard to hold back from letting you get any closer then you already were to me, I wasn't fully ready to let myself to openly love just yet because there were so much different things going on during that time." Marie gave him a shy innocent look adding, "Now I have no more worries, I'm not letting anything from holding me back from my feelings anymore."

Runa blinked at her, "You sure about this? I don't want another awkward aftermath, the last one nearly killed me."

Marie gave him a shy gaze, "I'm sorry, I was conflicted back then plus I am still a bit embarrassed since I never had much experience even though with my age and all."

Runa remarked sarcastically, "Like I would harshly judge you?"

Marie blushed deeper, Runa grins at her sometimes he forgets how old she really was since when she was around him she would always act so youthful. He gazed into her eyes seeing that happy longing look she had given him on that mountain. Marie leaned in to kiss him her arms wrap around his neck to break the conversation. Runa moved them towards the bed, Marie's legs were still wrap around his hips as he landed on the bed. Marie kissed him feverishly and he was losing himself within the kiss, he kicked off his shoes as he parted her lips to let his tongue venture.

Marie moans as his tongue flickered in her mouth, Runa smirks against her mouth hearing her. Marie still had her arms and legs wrap around him, he enjoyed this having her wrap around him in a passionate embrace. Runa pulled his lips away from her only to move his mouth to her neck, he teasingly nip her lightly. Marie let go allowing herself to fall on the bed, Runa took the opportunity to take off her shirt making his way down to her collar bone. Runa smirked seeing her look at him with a mixture of adoration and dazed, he was enjoying this he wanted to savior this moment and torture her a little bit especially after the last time they attempted this and her compelling him she deserved it. Runa purposely kissed her slowly over her birthmark making a trail to the other side of her chest making sure to avoid her breasts. His grin grew seeing her squirm under his kisses he went to her lips again and she latched on holding his head down to prolong the kiss.

Runa pulled away smirking as he got off the bed, "Well, have a good night Marie."

Marie stared at him stunned she was flushed, "What?"

Runa teased her, "I'm not letting you off that easy."

"Are you serious?!" Marie growls, Runa grins bigger seeing her becoming angry. Marie flashed tackling him to the floor, "No, you bloody started this, you aren't running out now." Runa couldn't help but got slightly turned on by her forwardness. Marie crashed her lips against his enlightening the flame between them.

Marie laid on the bed with workout leggings and a t-shirt looking over the travel magazine as Runa checked himself out of his room and moved into hers. Marie attempted to distract her mind from returning to their multiple passionate events that morning, she blushed she surprised herself with how demanding she was for him. Looking back on it now she was happy her first time was with Runa because they already had a deep connection to one another before anything escalated sexually. And when they shared blood during their passion, they both could feel her magic coursing through their link. Marie blushed deeply, Runa and her had shared blood before but this time around it was much more intensified. Before they would share one another's blood if one of them was injured and needed a faster recovery, this time it was more intimate. She had to admit the way Sage and Rebekah described it was an understatement. Marie shyly glanced away from her thoughts feeling slightly giddy, she wished she had someone to talk to about this, whenever she goes back home to New Orleans she might as well have a day out with the girls.

Runa opened the door with a tray in his hands, he smirked at her seeing the curious gaze, "I went to the kitchen and made up something." Marie could smell the seasoned chicken as he set the tray on the desk. Runa peered at her curiously seeing the magazine, "Planning on another trip?"

Marie smiled at him, "I figured might as well travel some before we head back to New Orleans in the clutches of my family."

Runa grins, "Are you all staying under the same mansion again? How's Sage with that?"

Marie laughs, "She wasn't having it, it was bad enough Kol walked in on them and you know she can't stand being around my father or Rebekah for too long."

Runa picked up his plate shoveling his food, "Are they still hostile to one another?"

Marie shook her head, "Actually after Dahlia everyone seemed to let go of past grudges – but not as comfortable enough for Sage to stay under the same roof."

Runa smirked at her, "I don't blame her she just wants Finn all to herself since Klaus took him away from her for nearly five hundred years."

Marie sighs, "Yeah if I was her I wouldn't be comfortable with Finn being too close to my father either. Although my father been better with his temper, but it is always safer to have her guard up since he still has those daggers."

Runa peered at her, "Have you tried destroying them?"

Marie shrugs, "I could try, but I had to research on the type of dark magic that protects them."

Runa hums finishing his food he picked up the magazine glancing over the locations he made a face, "Most of these are cliché romantic sites, whoever made this magazine couldn't think outside of the box of natural beauties around the world." Marie laughed seeing him fume over the supposedly lazy travel magazine.

Runa raised his eyebrow, "What? The rouse of being a travel agent wasn't a lie, I actually have the certifications and everything, I even helped multiple people in finding their ideal destinations. I'm actually good at that job just look up my reviews." He smirked at her seeing her pull up his alias online.

Marie's eyes widen in surprise sure enough RJ Smith private travel agency was booming multiple reviews and dozens of beautiful pictures and thank you posts from his clients. "Wow, I didn't realize you actually did this, I thought it was just a cover story for your travels."

Runa grins, "I had to find things to past my time and I wanted to share the different places I venture to with other people. I help them find the best places that would suit their preferences." Runa pointed to her phone, "Even in my two years without my memories I still kept that site updated and helped people that reach out to me on advice on locations."

Marie cursed throwing up her hands dramatically, "So this whole time I could have used technology to find you?!"

Runa chuckles running a hand through his hair, "I thought technology is the easiest way to track people, don't the humans have success with it? I'm surprise you didn't think of that." He found it amusing she went to extremes to try to find him through magic and was unsuccessful and it took her weeks to track him down through his favorite travel locations and she could have avoided all of that difficulty just by contacting him through his travel agency.

Marie crossed her arms, "I'm a thousand years old, I would have thought old fashion ways would have been easier than just magically sending a request on a bloody site."

Runa teased, "For what its worth I admire your old fashion ways."

Marie rolled her eyes in annoyance she picked up her backpack, "I need fresh air." Runa smirked as he got his pack and followed her. Runa grins at her as she made her way to a tour bus for the ancient ruins of his land, Cusco. "Where's our destination?" Runa mused, the geological span of his Cusco is much different then today there was multiple cities and strongholds left in ruins after the Spaniards.

"Choquequirao, I packed up some extra clothes and food since the hike would take a few days and the first camping site would take a few hours if we walk it." Marie responded, her and Runa's hiking bags were equipped for the hike with thin sleeping bags.

Runa peered at the other tourists boarding the bus, he remarked in his native tongue, "We are going to hike with these slow people?"

Marie rolled her eyes responding back, "We could always venture away from the tour."

As the bus arrived at Capuliyoc Mirador, the hike started at a deep descent and the humans were already feeling the effects. Runa and Marie were ahead of the group Runa remarked at her lightly, "You see what I mean?"

Marie nudged him, "You are so rude."

Runa gave her an innocent look, "What? I done this type of hike as a child in these mountains and never had issues."

"Not everyone is born into this elevation." Marie remarked as she slowed down to try to make conversation with the other tourists to ease their minds off the trek. Runa couldn't help but smirk at her as she made conversation with the tourists in their native tongues as she introduced herself. To Runa's slight surprise the tour guide spoke to him in a modernized version of Quechua, the Incan language, "You are from here, I over heard your conversation of slow tourists."

Runa grins at the man speaking back in Quechua, "I was born and raised in Cusco, and sorry about that I figured no one still spoke this language other than in the isolated villages."

The tour guide smirked at him, "No worries I feel the same sometimes." Runa laughed, gripping the man on the shoulder.

Runa introduced himself, "Runa."

"Ah the people, a very Quechuan name. I'm Carlos." The guide shook his hand. Runa smirked at the irony that the man that was talking to him in Quechua had a Spaniard name.

He peered back at Marie, she was smiling as she spoke in different languages to get all the tourists to mingle with one another. Carlos gazed at Marie then to Runa speaking in English, "You are a very lucky man to have such a gifted woman." Runa grins slightly as he waited for Marie and the rest of the tourists to be next to him. Marie smiled at him as she introduced him to the other tourists.

To Runa's surprise the tour group were able to pass the first camping site and were able to settle down in the town of Santa Rosa Baja. He had to admit Marie was really the one for making people at ease, the group came to a small restaurant and mingled with one another in the mutual language, English. Out of the ten in the group two were from Germany, three from Spain, a pair from France and another from Brazil and two from Australia.

Runa excused himself, he whispered in Marie's ear, "I'm going to hunt." He kissed her cheek as he left the restaurant. Luckily for him, unlike other bloodlines he doesn't have the harsh hunger. Marie's sire line couldn't drain a person dry making hunting easier with not being worried about hiding a body. Runa kept to the shadows as he followed a girl staggering back to a hotel. Runa made his way in front of her as she knocked into him she stumbles as he caught her, she smiled at him thanking him in Spanish. He smiles at her compelling her she was fine and to not scream. He sank his fangs into her neck she gasped he held her as he took three mouthful gulps of her blood as he pulled back. Runa gave her small drops of his blood to heal her wound. He compelled her to forget seeing him and enjoy the rest of her night.

Runa licked his lips making the remainder of the blood to disappear, he turns seeing an older woman staring at him, Runa's eyes returned back to black. "El Pishtaco!" She whispered Runa flashed towards her putting his hand over her mouth before she screams, she looked at him fear in her eyes. Runa gazed around hoping she was the only one to see him. He compelled her to forget his face, and he let her go. Runa sighs heading back to the restaurant, he hated having to clean up after himself even with compelling it took too much effort. When he was a warrior and a soldier in the multiple wars he would hunt and kill his prey, it was fast and simple but in this new age it was more of a catch and release approach when feeding without a war to cover up his kills.

He sat back down just as everyone was about to head off for the night to reenergize for the next day of hiking. Marie smiled at him, Runa wrap his arm around her as the group head off to bed. Runa asked, "You aren't going to hunt?"

Marie shrugs, "I packed a container of blood." Runa nods, he figured she would Marie hasn't hunted anything lively in a while.

The next morning, they were off with a steep incline and by noon they were able to reach the small town of Marampata, Runa and Marie decided to skip the town and camp within Choquequirao to spend more time within the ruins and get a chance to break from the group, so they can quicken their route back down the mountain. Marie gazed admiringly at the ruins, the one thing she loved about this site is the different environment it had from the other ruins because it bordered the Amazon jungle.

Marie pulled Runa towards her pulling out her phone, "Let me send my family a little post card." Runa smirks at the camera having his arm around her as she snapped a photo with the ruins behind them.

Marie decided to put all her family in a group chat sending the photo with the statement "Found a familiar face in Peru." She knew the cell service wasn't the greatest but at least it would be amusing to read all her family responses when they get down the mountain.

"You should have sent a photo of this." Runa kissed her teasingly.

Marie nudged him, "Let's not piss off my father or Kol on reunions." Marie walked around the ruins finding a spot that overlooked the rainforest.

Runa sat down next to her as she pulled out her sketch book to draw the landscape, Runa asked, "Have you ever considered taking a picture of the landscape then sketch it later?"

Marie smirked as she began to shade the shape of the mountains, "I've always done better with looking at the landscape with my own eyes and then painting it later after my sketch." Runa peers out to the view before them, he had to admit nothing in the world can beat home.

When Marie finished her sketched they adventured more into the ruins, it was peaceful, many tourists don't go to this ruin due to it only being accessible by foot. Marie smiles at the country side warmly, this is what she loves about being immortal – to have the ability to see what becomes of the places. The place used to be filled with different types of people and they all came together in union and to have this place lost in time and rediscovered is truly an honor to experience. The world changes every day, places she had lived in and visited centuries ago can be completely different now and to see those changes always amazed her.

After hours of reminiscing in the past as they explored the ruins, Runa and Marie decided to head back making the two-and-a-half-day trip into a couple of hours by vampire speed. The trip back to the inn room was a pleasant one Marie was just dreaming about sleeping in a comfy bed after the adventurous hike. Marie fought the urge to fall on the bed because she really needed a shower. Marie fumbled with her phone waiting for it to be charged enough to turn on while Runa showered. Marie smiles as her phone turned on with multiple notifications.

Marie opened the group chat she almost burst into laughter by the mixed styles of text conversations. Marie scrolled up to the beginning after her picture. Marie smiles seeing Sage being the first to respond, "Tell him I am looking forward to catching up with him again!" she also added multiple emojis of a mountain, kissing faces, and a couple holding hands with a picture of her and Finn.

Rebekah response was multiple hearts and thumbs up, Marie almost choked on Kol's response with a winking face with an eggplant For crying out loud Kol everyone can see that! And sure, enough both Rebekah and Sage responded with annoyed faces. As she scrolled through multiple messages of Kol being scowled upon, she found Elijah's response, "Wish you well and safe travels."

Marie noticed her father had sent her a separate message away from the group chat, "I am glad you were able to find him within a couple of weeks. Come home when you feel you had enough of the country side." Marie frowns lightly, it seems like her father wasn't enjoying himself with her being away from him. Marie sighs, she knew Klaus was still hesitant on having her away from him especially the term of events that occurred, but he must realize there had to be a time to push aside everything else and just breath.

Runa came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips, he glanced at her seeing her concern face, "What's wrong?"

Marie sighs, "My father wants me to come back soon, it seems nearly a year isn't long enough for him to be sure the same threat wouldn't reoccur. I think he just misses me and is worried."

Runa sat on the bed looking at her curiously, "I thought you were planning to head to New Orleans?"

Marie nods, "Eventually… but I wanted to feel free and venture off into the world again."

Runa smirked at her, "You know we could always venture after you appease Klaus's paranoia for both of your sakes."

Marie nods slightly, having her father feeling relaxed would be better for everyone, "I guess our next pit stop is New Orleans."

We are slowly getting to the finish line ;) Next stop New Orleans! Please review below I would love to hear your feedback as we slowly coming to a close. Possibly two or three more chapters left :) Let me know what you think on the comment section below!