Damon stepped outside and groaned. He wouldn't lie; the entire situation with Klaus had him skeptical. He gave his blood to Elijah for him; he didn't kill him the night he attacked, and most of all Elijah was betraying his brother to keep his whereabouts a secret. The entire situation was suspicious. Before Damon could make it to his car someone grab him and forced him down on the ground. He was caught off guard.

"I've been looking all over for you. I should have known you were here with your hunter."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you looking for me?"

Klaus rolled his eyes and pushed up off the ground. "I know about your brother's plans to kill me." He spat, dusting himself off. "I'm quite impressed actually. He managed to keep this from me this long with no help."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied as he quickly got to his feet.

"I have my sources, don't play stupid. We both know what's going on here so let's not play that game."

"And I was under the impression that you liked games."

"On any other occasion yes, at the moment my fondness of games has run cold."

"Whatever, what do you need me for? I have nothing to say about this plan." He mocked with air quotes.

Klaus grinned. "I'm here to make sure you don't interfere with their plans."

Damon raised a brow. Well he wasn't expecting that. It obviously showed since he took a step closer to Klaus. What was he up to? "Okay. I didn't see that coming. What interest could you have in seeing my brother successively kill you? You're such a masochist."

Klaus laughed. "I want them to try. I have my motives and I know how you have a knack for creating your own schemes." He gripped Damon by his collar and grinned. "If you tell them I know, or ruin their plans in any way, I'll make sure you'll regret it."

"I don't like threats."

"Learn to. Remember, I don't need Elena anymore."

"Stefan and I can protect her."

"You can't be two places at once." He grinned and held up a ring. I'm sure Alaric will miss this."

Damon's expression changed. Things had changed since their last real battle. Elena wasn't the only person on his list to protect anymore. Alaric had surpassed her and Klaus somehow figured this out and was shamelessly using the information. Damon wouldn't let anything happen to Alaric. No one was allowed to touch him. His lips curled into a frown and he swatted Klaus' hand away from his collar. "I can't wait to kill your hybrid ass."

Klaus had crossed the line.

Damon slightly panicked when his skin started to burn. Klaus was swift. "YOU HYBRID BASTARD!" He fled back into the apartment building as fast as he could to seek shelter from the sun.

Klaus smirked twirling two rings around his finger. "No need for name calling, Damon. You'll get this back once I know you'll behave under my terms."

Damon glared at the hybrid from the door. There was nothing more he could do. The sun was beaming and he was trapped inside for the time being. Once nightfall hit, he would pay Klaus a visit.

"Bon voyage~" Klaus taunted as he fled.

Damon returned to Alaric's apartment since he couldn't leave the building and knocked hard on the door. The hallway was bright and it was painful. "Open up. Quickly."

The door opened and he made his way in, wasting no time in closing all of the curtains and blinds until it was dimly lit in the apartment. He started pacing the kitchen floor.

"Damon? What happened? You were only gone a few minutes." He asked as his eyes took in the recent burn marks on Damon's face and arms.

"Klaus, he took my ring."

"What?! How-"

"And yours."

"What…?" He looked down at his hand in shock. When did that happen? He could have sworn that he had it on today.

Damon went to the cabinet and grabbed the stash of liquid vervain. They needed to take precaution. "Here. We need to drink up. I can't have him compelling you...or me." Damon hated lacing his drink with vervain but he didn't want to be under Klaus' control ever again.

Alaric took the bottle and sat it on the counter. I can't drink this."

"Why not?"

"You know why?"

Damon leaned against the counter as his eyes scanned his friend. That's right; he had drunk from Alaric a few times. "That doesn't matter."

"And if he hurts you so badly that you need blood?"

"Then I'll find some. I won't kill anyone if that's what you're concerned about. Just drink it. I want you to ingest wolfsbane too in case his hybrids decide to pay a visit."

Alaric moved over to Damon and stood in front of him, both arms on either side of the vampire. "You sure?" He asked. It was weird for him to admit, but he took great pleasure in being Damon's source of blood. That was the entire reason he had vervain in his ring. He didn't want to have it in his system when Damon bit him.

Damon knew Alaric would fight this so he did the next best thing. He pulled Alaric closer and looked him in the eyes with a soft smile. He hated what he was about to do. "I want you to drink vervain and wolfsbane every day and don't stop until I tell you it is safe. Okay?"

Alaric nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"I'm going to hand you the bottle and you're going to suggest that we drink this for protection against being compelled. Got it?"

"Yes."

He promised to never compel Alaric but this was an exception. This was to protect him. "Alright, here." He handed him the bottle then jumped up onto the counter to take a seat.

"Damon, I um...I think we should start drinking vervain again for protection."

"With the recent turn of events, that's a good idea." He looked down at his ring-less hand and sighed. "I can't believe he took our rings."

"Don't worry. We'll get them back." He moved between Damon's legs and tilted the vampire's head back. "Patience." He kissed him lightly on the neck.

He was trying to focus on Alaric but his mind continued to drift back to Klaus' threat. If he informed Elena, Stefan, Tyler, and Caroline about Klaus' trap then he'd go after Alaric and Elena. If he said nothing, Klaus might kill them in the trap. He sighed and rested his head against the cabinet door. He didn't know what to do but he planned to figure something out. Until he got their rings back, nothing could be done. Besides, he would feel a hell of a lot better knowing Alaric had his ring.

"Would you relax? You know you own me from earlier."

Damon cracked a smile. "Oh now you're wide awake~" He still wasn't completely focused, but he knew he couldn't cry over spilled milk. He had to wait it out until he came up with an idea- or at least wait until night fall. He was hoping Bonnie could help him out regardless that they still were not on good terms.

"Yeah, I might be."

Damon slipped his hand up under Alaric's shirt and grinned. "I guess I could sample you one more time before I'm forced to go on this Alaric free diet." He bit his bottom lip before kissing the blond softly on the lips. His mind was racing. What if Alaric died…and didn't come back? He wasn't sure how he'd cope with that. He may have been a cold, sarcastic, bastard but he did care for Alaric. More than he even wanted to.

The blond pulled off Damon's shirt and kissed his shoulder then made his way up the vampire's neck. "Good choice, Mr. Impulsive." He placed his hands on slim hips and tugged him closer until Damon was on the edge of the counter. He parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

"You have to be fucking kidding me!?" He growled. Why was everyone so insistent on cock-blocking him today? "WHAT?"

"It's Elijah." The original murmured from outside of the door. He had news.

Klaus returned to his home and pocketed the two rings. He had everything going as planned. Damon was now under control and all he had to do was focus on Caroline and Stefan.

"You're sneaky, and I hope you slip up." Rebekah chimed from the shadows.

"You're starting to play shadows a bit too well, my darling little sister."

"You're playing them like a fiddle and for what? You haven't discussed any of this with me. Why is that?" She asked. She wanted answers. Her brother had too many secrets and it was eating away at her curiosity.

"That's none of your concern. Don't you worry your darling head about it; I'm taking care of everything."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. You'll wish you told me when the Salvatore's kill you."

"Don't be bitter. You'll thank me soon enough."

Elena made it back to the Salvatore boarding house and joined Stefan and Tyler for the next phase of their plan. There was a lot of work to be done.