I own nothing of L.J. Smiths, not Damon, Stephen, or Elena, Thierry, Ash, Rowen, Kestrel or Jade, Mark or Marry, Nilson, or either concept of vampires, witches, shapeshifters and werewolves. Think that's it... but anything I have forgotten as well.

Chapter 23

More Changes

Lily stepped out of the bathroom down the hall from her room, she was wearing a towel wrapped around body, and bumped into someone, making her fall over.

"Sorry about that." She looked down to see who she had landed on, it was the boy from earlier, Damon. Lily turned bright red and reached for the towel she had dropped when she fell.

"I don't mind at all," Damon murmured, a smile lighting his black eyes as he stared at her.

"I'm sure you don't," she laughed as she pulled the towel about herself.

"And you do?" He asked, grabbing her arm as she moved to stand she looked down at his hand in annoyance and noticed a silver ring of lapis lazuli.

"Actually yes, I do," she said as she tried to pull herself out of his grasp, he was very strong, stronger than her. He held her fast as she tried to move.

"Why?"

"Because I happen to be seeing someone," she said as she finally pulled away from him and stood.

"That hardly matters," Damon said, standing and moving closer to her. She backed away from him and straight into the wall behind her, she was stuck.

"Obviously it does." She watched him for a moment as he moved close to her, moving his mouth so it was just in front of hers. He was leaning down to kiss her.

She got angry suddenly, it was one thing to take this kind of treatment from a man you loved, but from one you hardly knew was pissing her off. She brought her hands to his chest and pushed as hard as she could. Damon flew across the hall and landed in the wall.

"Don't do that again," she growled, then turned and walked away leaving him indenting the wall.

Lily dressed quickly before leaving her room and searching for Thierry, something was off with his guests, her senses were screaming it, and she was going to find out what.

She charged down the stairs and expanded her senses for Thierry; he was still in his study, but alone this time. She walked into it, after knocking, and sat down in a chair, waiting for Thierry to finish his conversation on the phone.

He finished it quickly and closed his phone, looking down at her. "Yes Lily?" He asked after a moment.

"Tell me about your new friends." He was surprised momentarily, and then the look disappeared followed by a shrewd glance.

"I see," he mumbled as he sat in his chair. She raised an eyebrow but sat quietly, waiting.

"Well first of all Stephen and Damon are vampires, but nothing like you or I. They are both more and less powerful than I am, though I'm sure you are much more powerful than they."

"There are different kinds of vampires?" She asked in wonder.

"Another kind," he nodded. "There aren't many of them, in fact before these two showed up I was certain they had died out long ago, but apparently I was wrong. Anyway, these vampires have many powers that we do not, for instance the ability to influence or even down right control the weather, they can turn into an animal, only one I think, some possibly two. Some cannot cross running water, depending on their power, and they cannot go in the sunlight."

"Wait, I don't understand, their powers differ form vampire to vampire? And if they can't be in the sun how come Damon answered the door this morning?"

"That's the thing, their powers are entirely dependant upon the blood they drink and the amount they drink, if they drink animal blood they are somewhat less than us power wise, but if they drink human blood, and a lot of it, they are much more powerful than us. As for the sunlight thing the rings they wear apparently block out the suns effects, though much like us their powers are lessened in sunlight. And, of course, the more powerful they are the more the sun and running water affects them."

"I see, but where did they come from?" Lily asked thoughtfully.

"Another witch, actually, his name I have forgotten, but it was a while back, fourteen hundreds, he came from Germany I believe," Thierry shrugged, as if to say that's all I know.

Lily nodded her thoughts on this new breed of vampire that everyone had forgotten about.

"So why are they here now? And who is the girl with them?" Lily asked.

"The girl is Elena and she is Stephen's wife, and as far as I can tell they are here to help us, they want to stop the end of the world."

"That I can understand I suppose, but I don't trust that Damon guy," Lily grumbled.

Thierry laughed at her, and she looked up surprised. "That is probably wise Lily, he seems to be a lot like Ash before he met Marry, a party animal that's only out for two things and I think he likes you."

Lily rolled her eyes at him, "Just what I needed, another devastatingly handsome man that wants me, what did I do to deserve such riches?"

"Well I didn't know you in any other life so I don't know for sure, but I bet it wasn't very good," Thierry laughed again, making her grumble.

"Any word from my parents or Kenny?" She asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"Your parents, yes, Kenny no. Your parents will be here in a week, they send their love and general threats if you get into more trouble."

She laughed at that, "as if their threats would stop me, my own don't."

"Indeed," Thierry smiled, his eyes lighting up. "Well I should get back to work here; you will be good, won't you?"

"I'm always good," she joked in mock outrage.

"Ha, if only."

Lily got up to leave, then stopped and turned at the door, "one other thing, where is everyone?"

"Oh, I sent them away except a few necessary people, I didn't want them here when we stormed Azheda's house to get you, he would have been very angry and I thought it best to get them out of the way first."

Her eyes filled with tears at this. "You were coming to get me?"

"Of course you silly child, as if I would allow you to stay in his hands, we need you, but more than that you're my friend, plus Hannah made it very clear it was rescue you or else…" Lily laughed at that thought.

"Tell Hannah I love her and thank you, Thierry," she mumbled, then left.

The next day Lily sat by the door, looking forlornly out the window she waited for Kenny, Ash, and his sisters. Damon tried to talk to her, but she just ignored him, he didn't matter, only they did.

She sat there all day waiting, but they didn't appear until the sun had just gone down, leaving the night.

"Well I really hope you are done sulking, Lily," Thierry said, coming up behind her. A car had just pulled up to the house and Lily turned to him and smiled.

"They're here," she laughed, opening the door and running out. She ran to the limo and threw open the door to the astonishment of the nine people sitting inside.

"Lily?" Kenny asked in surprise. "Is it really you?"

"No you dork, I'm an illusion," she whispered, holding out her arms to him. He waited no longer and jumped out of the limo and into her arms, kissing her softly.

"I thought I'd never see you again," he gasped through pauses in their kisses.

"Then you're a fool as well as a dork," she laughed, pulling away to look at him, "I never doubted it."

"Don't we even get a hello?" A lazy, laughing voice asked.

"Why would I say hi to you, not like I missed you or anything," Lily said, turning to hug to Ash blond boy with his ever changing eyes.

"You are such a horrible liar Lily, you pined away every day for me," Ash pouted; making everyone laugh, even his soul mate.

"You are so full of yourself," Kestrel said, rolling her eyes.

"Come on everyone, time for hello's once we're safely inside," Thierry said, ushering everyone inside.

Lily was surprised to see everyone there, Kenny, Ash, Adain, Mary, Mark, Rowan, Kestrel and Jade and, to her greatest surprise, Josh.

Lily kept hold of Kenny's hand the entire time, not willing to let him go for even a moment. She was afraid if she did he would disappear. The entrance hall at Thierry's was grand enough to accommodate all of them as they stood there, hugging and kissing each other.

All the other members left in the house were brought out from the noise to watch the happy reunion, even Stephen, Elena, and, to Lily's displeasure, Damon.

"Thought we were under attack with all the noise," Damon said lazily, his eyes moving to Lily's hand entwined with Kenny's. A look of disgust came over his face, but quickly left as he noticed the other women in the entryway.

Ash, noticing Damon for the first time, moved to Mary's side and took her hand. Lily chuckled as Mark and Adain did the same thing, taking Jade and Kestrel's hands as Damon scrutinized them all in turn.

Thierry threw everyone a look of apology before moving to introductions. A few eyes widened at their names, but for the most part no one seemed to think they were any different.

"Come with me," Lily whispered to Kenny after Thierry sent everyone to their rooms. Kenny smiled and let her pull him to her room.

"I missed you," Kenny said after she closed the door.

"God I missed you," Lily said.

"How did you get away from Azheda?" Kenny asked as she rested in his arms.

"He just let me go."

Kenny pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. Their connection seemed to tell him more than she did because after a moment he pulled her close again.

"Don't ever do that again, if you weren't here the world would be a dark place," Kenny said, kissing her head. "Promise me?"

"I promise," she mumbled against his chest. It was so nice to just hold him and be held. "As long as you hold me I'll never do it again."

His arms tightened around her and he laughed into her hair, "I'll keep holding you as long as you stop running off."

She laughed then pulled away to look into his eyes, "tell me everything that's happened since I was taken," she whispered, pulling him to the bed and sitting down with him.

"Not too much, after you went with Azheda we raced back to Briar Creek, it's insane to be carried while someone is running that fast by the way; when we got there we found the girls waking up and Josh sitting in a corner talking to Ash. Apparently Azheda had been controlling him with an amulet he had made, it took a lot of power to make is what they were saying, but he overcame it before he could do the girls any real damage and buried the thing in the backyard. After that it was just waiting until everyone was healed and packed before we could leave. And that's pretty much it."

"Now if only we can keep everything that quiet for the next couple months everything will be fine," Lily laughed.

A knock sounded on her door and she pulled out of Kenny's arms and answered it. Damon was standing there smiling.

"Yes?" She asked in annoyance.

"Hello Lily, nice to see you too," Damon said.

"Mhmm, can I help you Damon? I'm rather busy."

"You could help me, but you've already made it clear you don't want to."

"Hi there," Kenny said, hostility emanating from him.

Damon's eyes flickered over Kenny, clearly dismissing him after a moment. "Thierry asked me to get you; he's waiting in his study." Damon turned and walked down the hall after delivering this message.

"What was that all about?" Kenny murmured after a moment.

"I don't think he likes you darling," Lily laughed, "but don't worry, I'll protect you."

"Promise?" He asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Of course."

"Good, then let's see what Thierry wants." She nodded and they walked downstairs.

Thierry was sitting in his study, his eyes perusing over paperwork as they walked in and sat down.

"You called?" Lily asked after a moment.

"Yes, I was wondering what your plans were from this point, it's probably not a good idea for you to stay in Vegas."

Lily looked at Kenny; she had no idea what to do.

"I guess we hadn't really thought it through," Kenny murmured after a moment.

"Well if you haven't thought it out may I offer a suggestion?" Thierry asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Sure."

"You aren't the only ones that can't stay, everyone currently living here needs to be gone in the next week, I was thinking we split up into two groups and go our separate ways."

Lily was nodding, this made sense to her, "but go where?" She said after a moment of silence.

"Well San Francisco for one place, I think it's time for you to go home, as for the other I think we should let the girls figure that one out," Thierry said with a chuckle.

Lily's heart fell, "the girls won't come with us?"

Thierry shook his head, "I think Ash and possibly Marry will go with you, but as for the rest they can't really handle California, they're used to peace and quiet. I think the group you would leave with would be Ash, Marry, Kenny, Stephen, Elena, myself, and, forgive me, Damon."

"God not him," she cried outraged at the same time that Kenny growled, "He's not coming with us."

"He must come with me, and I need to be in San Francisco," Thierry said apologetically. "Besides, this way he isn't screwing with Rowan."

Lily rolled her eyes, "but he's screwing with me."

"I'm afraid, my dear, I am using you for just that purpose, you are the only one strong enough to deal with him and I think after you prove that he will stop messing with you and become your friend, he respects power."

"Sometimes I really hate you, you know," Lily said after a moment.

"Yes but you have a very forgiving nature Lily, I think you will get over it after a little while," Thierry laughed.

Kenny spoke then, more angry than amused, "you want to use Lily to- to tame him?"

"Yes, I suppose I do."

"Kenny, darling, Thierry is right, I'm the logical choice. He's already shown he likes me," her lips twitched, but she held back the smile, "and I am the only one that's as strong as him. If it's power he respects then he will respect me." Thierry nodded and smiled at them both.

"So it's decided then?"

"Yes, go ahead and make the plans, when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Again thanks to my one reviewer, this one being Kris89 eventhough she reviewed 21, hopefully she will get around to 22 and 23.

I'm seeing all these hits on these chapters and very few reviewers, I wish everyone that read this would review.

Anyway, love for my reviewers! and thank you very much for taking the time to read this story.