Chapter Eleven: Truce

《I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
I know it for real》

Athena froze, her voice dropping to a whisper, "Uh, Klaus…I wasn't expecting-" He cut her off abruptly, his voice clipped and she knew that he knew something was up.

"Me to call, hm?" She sighed into the phone and moved to sit on the bed. There was a pause and Klaus continued unannounced, "I'm quite hurt you haven't called. Having so much fun in Mystic Falls you forgot all about us?"

Athena made a face, scrunching up her nose. That was far from the truth. She had just been really busy since getting here..you know, trying not to die.

"Klaus, you know that's not true. Plus, nothing can compare to the Quarter." She knew he was smiling without even looking at him. "So, have you found anything?" Klaus paused and she bit again, "What is it? What have you found?" She got up from the bed and paced the length of the room back and forth.

"Seems the wolves are being very…" He paused, choosing his words carefully, "Discrete." She sighed into the phone, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You mean you haven't found any leads yet?"

She could sense the tension over the phone and without seeing him she knew he was bristling as she questioned his lack of information.

"It might take a little more…time than expected." He sounded sincere when his voice dropped to a remorseful tone. She knew he didn't want her here any longer than she had to be.

Sometimes he seemed a little possessive over her.

"Well, I might have something." Athena chimed in and continued before he could say anything. "The witch..Bonnie Bennett, she said she could do a spell that would go back in time to my history. We might be able to find some answers on what the wolves actually want."

"Oh, is that so? And how does the little witch procure such a spell of that magnitude?"

Athena rolled her eyes, "I think they said something about a grimoire…what, you don't think she can do it or what?" Athena became annoyed at his hesitance and lack of faith.

"On the contrary, love, it's not that I don't think she can't do it. It's what you're going to find is what I'm worried about." Athena froze her heart skipping a beat or two as Klaus paused for dramatic effect.

"What do you mean?" She got suspicious now; very suspicious. She narrowed her eyes into slits as she paced the room again, "Klaus.." Her words were a warning so he continued quickly, "I know nothing, Athena. I'm merely stating my concern, is all."

She walked around to the bed again and sat down, feeling her temper simmer back down, but she couldn't shake the fact that she felt like Klaus was lying to her; like he knew more than he was letting on.

She swallowed thickly, ready to tell him about the two vampire boys that attacked her, the dagger and the fact that they were disposed of and rotting in a lake far from Mystic Falls.

And then she stopped. Klaus was holding something back and that didn't sit well with her. Two could play that game then.

"What's troubling you, love? I might not be there, but I know something is wrong.." He seemed to press the subject and Athena looked around the room.

Her mind wandered to a million different things that she could say before settling on something that wasn't necessarily a lie, but wasn't the full truth.

"Damon. He's an ass. I think he wants to kill me."

I also drank his blood and I have had some weird kinky sex dream about him, but other than that..no biggie.

Klaus laughed at this. Not a deep belly laugh, but a snicker. "Yes, well, I don't expect any less from Damon Salvatore. Don't worry about him, Athena. So long as Stefan owes me a debt Damon won't touch you. You have my word."

Athena wanted to tell Klaus that he had already shown he didn't care about her by almost leaving her to die in an alleyway behind the Mystic Grill, but decided against it.

"He's not a fan of being told what to do, nor does he like to not be in control." Klaus added. Athena raised a brow, "Sounds familiar. Violence ensues and then people get murdered."

Little did she know Klaus was smirking on the other end. Athena knew him so well. And if he was forced to admit it..Klaus would say that Damon and him had one thing in common; a terrible temper. He was just a heck of a lot nastier than Damon.

"Watch it, Athena."

She smiled lightly, "At least the girls are nice. I can see why you fancy that Caroline. Blonde hair, vivacious..fun.." Athena trailed off playfully and Klaus returned with a groan of his own. "Pity she doesn't return the sentiments." Athena bit her lip and smiled, "Sometimes people hide their true feelings behind a fake façade."

"Hm, a philosopher now, are we?" Klaus bit back and she smiled at his remark.

"Maybe Mystic Falls is giving me a new outlook.." She ventured optimistically and thought of her night with the girls and how she dared to think of them as friends.

"The only thing that dreaded place gives me is a headache." Athena barked out a laugh at his retort, covering her mouth with her hand before feeling a tiredness creep upon her bones. She needed rest.

Klaus seemed to already know where the conversation was headed so he added curtly, "You will give me the details once the witch does her spell?" It was more of a demand than a question, but by now Athena was used to that behavior from Klaus.

"Of course." She paused briefly before murmuring thoughtfully, "This is the closest I've ever come to answers. I really do have your family to thank..for taking me in."

There was a pause on Klaus' end before his elegant accent rolled off his tongue effortlessly, "Getting sentimental on me, Athena?" She blew out a breathy response through her nose in a light laugh.

"Get some sleep. I'll call you once we find something. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight.." She trailed off clicking her phone off and relaxed back on the bed, tossing her phone on the countertop. She didn't bother pulling the covers back or getting underneath.

It upset her that Klaus was holding something back and especially to her, of all people. That was one thing they were always good about. They were honest with one another and today had been the first time that Athena omitted the truth from him and vice versa.

Her troubled mind exhausted her and she fell asleep deeply.

The next day proved to be quite slow. Athena could only think about the spell that the witch was to perform and she started to grind her teeth with anxiety.

She looked at her phone every five minutes to see if Bonnie had texted her, but there was only silence on her end. She knew the spell would require a few days' work..or whatever witches did to prepare for a new spell.

She sat on the couch, one knee up and the other lounging out in front of her when Damon walked in with an annoyed look on his face, "Paws off the couch."

She gave him a disapproving look, but her insides swarmed with weird feelings and her eyes lingered on his face for a beat too long for someone that didn't like Damon. Whatever had happened while drinking his blood had slightly altered their complicated relationship.

Stefan took up the rear a few moments later and without Elena. "Where's Elena?" Athena asked looking between the two and Stefan shrugged, "She's with Caroline going over details about the New Year's parade..stuff." Damon rolled his eyes, "In other words, b-o-o-o-o-o-ring."

Athena looked up to Stefan and smiled, ignoring Damon as he grabbed a glass and proceeded to fill it with bourbon, "That actually sounds like fun."

Damon made a face and Stefan forced a stiff smile at the thought of the planning process to be fun, "Well, you know.."Stefan began before Damon cut in, "In what world is listening to Caroline Forbes rattle on about streamers and balloons and parade floats FUN?"

Athena bit back a smirk that formed, but Stefan had caught it before it disappeared from her face. She didn't like it when people saw her smiling at anything Damon said.

Hiding behind a façade.

No, I'm not.

Her inner argument ceased when Stefan looked to Damon nonplussed, "Well, no one invited you anyways Damon." Damon shot him a look and Athena rolled her eyes. She didn't know how Elena didn't go crazy with these two around.

Damon walked around the couch and leaned against the back of it while Athena turned and eyed his drink. "Do you always drink?" She asked casually and Stefan bit back a smirk.

"Since when are my drinking habits any of your concern?" Damon retorted defensively before throwing back a large gulp just to prove some kind of point.

Athena waved him off before getting a ping on her phone. She grabbed it instantly, feeling her heart jump. "It's Bonnie. She says she'll be ready tomorrow." She knew she looked deflated, but she didn't care.

This was the first time she had been this anxious in quite a while. She was on the verge of learning about her true history and getting to actually see it happen if Bonnie was able to get the spell right. She casually got up from the couch and grabbed a tumbler before pouring herself a drink.

Stefan's brows raised and Damon shook his head, "Not okay. That's my bourbon." Athena smirked, "Since when are my drinking habits any of your concern?"

Damon shot her pouty look as Stefan spoke up on behalf of Bonnie, "Look, I know it might seem like it's taking forever, but Bonnie knows what she's talking about. Give her the time she needs to be prepared. She won't let you down." There was sincerity to Stefan's voice that Athena found comforting.

She understood why Elena had chosen him.

Athena downed her drink in one gulp, the burning sensation soothing her in an alarming way. She felt the inexplicable need to flex her muscles, to uncoil the tightness in her shoulders and chest and just run. It would pass the time and it always wore her out. It was risky if the wrong person saw her..but it would also be just what she needed to calm her down.

"You boys got a place I can unwind?" It took them half a second to realize what she was talking about and Stefan smirked slightly, the subtle bad boy in him showing in this very moment from that simple smirk.

Damon interjected and furrowed his brow, "You think that's a good idea? A big black panther running around Mystic Falls? Don't we have enough problems already?"

Stefan looked to Damon before returning his gaze to Athena thoughtfully, "We'd have to make it quick, but I think we have a secluded enough area for you to shift." Damon looked to Stefan like he was crazy, but Stefan merely shrugged, "We'll supervise." Damon looked exasperated, "And since when did you volunteer me to join you for baby-sitting duty?" Stefan smirked, "Since now." Athena felt a smile curling up on her lips.

"Alright, alright.." Damon lamented when the two of them stood there staring at him. He wasn't going to win this argument. Not when Stefan was on her side. Stefan zipped around the house and came back in a flash with a large towel. Athena felt a blush creep on her face, "Yeah..definitely going to need that when I'm done."

Athena never liked being naked after shifting, but it was something she had gotten used to the more she did it. Damon rolled his eyes and upturned his nose as if the thought of her naked didn't sit well with him.

However, in that same moment his dark blue eyes had done a once over on her and she swore a part of him was actually checking her out.

She followed the boys to the door and Stefan held it open showing her outside, "We can walk there." She nodded silently as Stefan walked ahead of them. Once outside the crisp air hit her skin and her blonde hair blew around her face with a small gust of wind. She wore a long sleeved white cotton shirt with a pair of black leggings and her tennis shoes.

She tugged on her white shirt anxiously, but stopped at Damon's next move. Damon rounded on her so quickly, she took a step back. Her eyes were fierce, guarded even and she swore she could feel his breath upon her cheek with how close he was to her face.

He remarked at her squarely, "Any funny business and I'll put you down myself." Athena hardened her features, narrowing her eyes at the menacing, yet complicated man in front of her. "What? You scared you'll get bested by a werecat?" He made a face, walking away from her and following Stefan.

She followed Damon and Stefan out into the woods and was silent for most of the journey. That is until Damon fell into step with Athena and she realized he had slowed his gait down so he could walk side by side with her. He turned to look at her with darkened blue eyes and then back up at Stefan as he led the way ahead of them, "I could end you, you know. Before you even realized what had happened."

She yawned, stretching her arms out over her head, "Heard that before. Same tune, different vampire." He cocked his head to the side and a glint of something flashed in those blue hues..something she dared to say looked playful. "Are you challenging me, kitty kat?" She cringed at the nickname, but decided to pay him back with a good ass kicking.

"Pretty sure she is, Damon. My money's on her." Stefan called out from the front and Athena snickered, prancing beside Damon in a show of arrogance. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, brother." Damon wise cracked.

Once they were out into the thicket of the woods Stefan turned and held out his hands. "We probably shouldn't stay long, but here we are. Far enough away and all three of us can hear a human approaching long before they ever saw us."

Damon scrunched his nose, "Yeah, it'll be hard to explain that to the Sherriff..a big black panther running around Mystic Falls. So, in other words..don't get caught. I don't feel like burying a body today."

Athena jogged to a large tree and called out sarcastically, "Just mine, right?" She could hear the groan from Damon's voice and with a quick effort she stripped of her clothes and laid them out neatly behind the three.

In a flash, both brothers watched as a ripping sound came from behind the large tree and a guttural sound made Stefan furrow his brows, "Still not used to seeing this.." He muttered aloud.

Damon quirked a brow, "World's a lot bigger than we thought little brother." Stefan raised his brows in agreement before watching a sleek and rather beautiful black panther appear behind the three. Its eyes were yellow-green and they glowed in a way that made both Salvatore brothers a little uneasy.

Athena never lost herself to the beast that she shifted into, but sometimes her primal urges would try and overtake her human senses. However, Athena reeled those urges back in and padded out towards the two vampires before her.

She sniffed, her mouth parting slightly as her eyes set upon Damon. "Alright, let's see what you got." Damon deadpanned before using his vampire speed to jet away and farther into the wooded forest.

She hesitated and Stefan smiled, "Go on, just for a little bit. Just don't kill my brother." Athena took off, her muscles springing into action as the beast within her came to the front. She could smell Damon and tracking him was proving to be rather easy..except when she had thought she found him.

It was just his black leather jacket on the ground. A growl escaped her and she whipped around and saw Damon's form behind her, waving like the asshole he was.

He sped off and Athena chased him until she decided to take another approach. She sped off, veering to the right away from his trail and planning on intercepting him. Her muscles felt so good to be stretched this way..to let the breeze flow through her fur.

It wasn't until she Damon that she crouched on her haunches and got super low to the ground. He was in a different clearing and was looking around completely confused. She had been chasing him and now she wasn't.

"I can smell you!" He called out, lifting his nose a bit for exaggeration.

She felt her butt wriggling on the ground and when he was finally facing the direction she was hiding in, she launched off her back paws and in a flash she was on top of Damon, shoving him to the ground with her paws firmly pressed against his shoulders. His back hit the ground with a thud and her head cocked to the side as he glared up at her.

"Okay, you win that round." Damon bit out grudgingly, pushing Athena's large form off of him. She hesitated, feeling her claws dig out into the earth and Damon noticed as well. Her primal urge was telling her to attack him, but she breathed in deeply and pushed it back down and away from the forefront of her mind.

In a flash, she was taking off again in the woods and she ran for little while longer before Damon caught up with her again. His eyes were alight with adrenaline and he shot off again, teasing her and seeing if she could best him again.

However, this time Damon had turned the tables on her and had knocked her off her feet when she had thought she was on his trail. He had quickly rubbed himself against a bunch of trees, confusing Athena which led to her predicament right now. Which was getting back up from being knocked down by Damon's muscular form.

For a vampire, he was strong..and fast. And quite cunning when he put his mind to it.

"Alright, kitty kat. We're one for one. Last round." Damon smirked and though in her natural form, Athena felt the jovial feeling that passed between the two of them and she realized Damon was actually having genuine fun.

They took off together, speeding back past Stefan who looked slightly pleased at his brother getting along with the werecat for once. The tension between the two of them had been pretty apparent in the house and on more than one occasion both him and Elena had thought Damon wanted to kill her.

It didn't seem like the case now. However, Damon's attitude flipped like the weather..he could up one day and down the other. And God help the soul who crossed paths with Damon when he was down.

Athena had him again, this time she had back tracked and forced Damon to start heading back her way as he noticed her scent never caught up to where he was at. She used his tactic and started rubbing her fur against trees and then as quickly as she could she climbed up a large tree and lay atop a branch, her tail flickering back and forth.

Damon darted into the area she was in and looked around, his eyes looking at one of the trees she had rubbed herself against. It was quiet for a few seconds, the tension thick as Athena knew it was only a matter of moments before he realized she was above him.

So, she did what any predator would do..and she launched off the branch, throwing her large feline form onto Damon and then two of the tumbled, before she bested him and pinned him to the ground.

In that moment she shifted back to being a human, the sweat beading up on her forehead from the force of shifting and a painful groan escaped her lips from the ripping feeling that coursd through her veins.

She realized she was completely naked on top of Damon and she saw the look on his face as it shifted from being confused, annoyed and then..his eyes lit up with a hidden desire. But, it came and went before she could pinpoint it again. He never once looked down at her bare chest or any other womanly part of her.

Damon kept his eyes focused upon her bright green ones and not a word was said between them, only their heavy breathing filled the clearing. The moment was more than just anything physical..it was weird..like uncharted territory weird and no words really needed to be spoken just yet.

After a few more beats of heavy breathing she smirked, "Pinned ya' again." Damon's face scrunched up in annoyance, but he nodded his head all the while, "Yeah, yeah..go gloat to someone who cares." He was clearly taking a blow to his ego, but he surprisingly took it all in good stride.

She heard the whoosh of vampire speed and in an instant her body was wrapped in the towel that Stefan had brought. She was pulling it awkwardly over her body, her legs trembling slightly from the adrenaline.

Stefan looked between Athena and Damon as he got up off the ground, brushing himself off. His eyebrows were in his hairline, "So, who won?" He already knew from the face that Damon was making and Athena smirked, "I did."

Stefan smiled and Athena smiled back at him before he motioned back towards where they had started, "Your clothes are still in the same spot." She nodded lightly, "I'll get them." Her eyes snaked a glance at Damon and he was staring at her inquisitively and with a smidgen of newfound respect.

Once they were back Athena had showered and changed into comfortable clothes. She walked out to the front porch of the Salvatore manor and sat down, feeling the wind pass through her damp blonde locks.

Damon came out unannounced and sat down next to her, "You knew you'd beat me." Athena looked to him, biting back a knowing smile as he realized she was actually a skilled tracker and knew more than she had let on, "I had a feeling. I'm pretty trained when it comes to vampires." Damon pouted slightly, his eyes narrowing at her, "Rude."

Athena smirked, "I've just fought a lot more vampires than I have werewolves." Damon nodded lightly and silence ensued for a brief moment, "You're pretty good." Damon had complimented her, but she saw it took all he had to even do it. Athena nodded at him, "So are you..for a vampire." Damon flashed her the first ever genuine smile he had ever given her. It felt…different.

Like territory was being explored cautiously and both parties weren't so sure how to continue exploring. It was silent for a beat before he added lowly, "Look, like my brother said earlier..Bon Bon knows what's doing. Give her some time. A nice witch is a good witch. You don't want to upset her..trust me." Athena was shocked by the sincerity in his voice, but merely nodded instead of trying to speak.

It was silent for a bit longer before he got up to go back inside, but she turned to look at him, "I had fun today." It came out quickly and earnestly. She felt a crimson red light up her cheeks.

Damon hesitated, his brows furrowed for a moment as her comment startled him. He swallowed thickly, hesitating awkwardly in between the porch area and the front door that was now within his reach.

She saw it on his face..the realization that he actually had fun with her. The Werecat. The one he supposedly despised so much, yet just couldn't find it in him to kill. The girl who was a pain in his ass and was causing more problems than she was worth. Yeah, that girl.

That was the girl he just had fun with today.

"Yeah, me too." His tone was low, a little hesitant and maybe even a little awkward, but the truth had escaped his lips. He averted her gaze and walked back inside, shutting the front door behind him.

Athena sat on the porch for a while and didn't come back inside until Elena and Caroline pulled up, all smiles and excited to tell her about the New Year's celebration in the town.

"So, how did your day go?" Caroline asked and Elena stood by, her soft smile encouraging, but Athena chose not to dish anything. She decided in that moment to keep how her day with Damon went to herself and instead smiled brightly and answered, "It was...interesting."

The girls stared at her, Caroline giving her a look that said give me details now and Elena got the hint before Caroline did, "I sense a story for another time." Athena nodded silently at Elena until Elena's phone started ringing.

Elena looked up, "It's Bonnie.." She answered quickly, "Bonnie, what's up?" Elena looked up to Athena, her eyes wide, "Athena, Bonnie said she'd be ready to do the spell tomorrow night."

Athena felt her heart speed up at the prospect of finding out information as soon as tomorrow. She nodded curtly to Elena, "Whenever she's ready, I"ll be here." Elena nodded and walked off to tell Bonnie while Caroline smiled encouragingly.

This was it.

Tomorrow she might just find out more about her history.

She swallowed thickly and followed the girls into the Salvatore manor as her insides swarmed with nervousness, excitement and a semblance of fear.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed. The next chapter will be a witchy one and we will go back in time! ^.^