"Klaus kissed you?" Elena said, her face paling and filling with worry.

Araya shrugged. It still wasn't a big deal. It was just a kiss. Klaus had had many of them over the years. What was so special about the one he had with her while he was in Alaric's body? Nothing. It meant nothing to either of them. It had been a way for him to get into her head, before he even knew what she was and before she knew who he was.

"What if he pinpoints you? We don't have any way to protect you!"

"Yeah, he could turn you into a vampire and use you!" Caroline said in all seriousness. That was impossible, Araya knew. There would only be one spot for her during the sacrifice and it would be marked, 'incredibly stupid, suicidal, irrational werewolf'.

"I'm going to be fine. I know I will be. Who else is going to stay normal around here? No worries." She was only seventeen, but she was willing to do anything for the people she loved. Whether he killed her for fun or for the sacrifice . . . She was still saving the life of someone else.

"Araya, you can't be serious!" Caroline said with her wide eyes.

"I am." She smiled. "Look, I didn't kiss him, he kissed me. If he wants me for dinner, he'll have me for dinner. If he wants to stake Damon, or Stefan, or even you Caroline, maybe kill Tyler or Jeremy then he will. He can kill everyone if he wants. Nothing is special about me. We can't change anything unless he dies soon. Now, I say we put in a movie, we go to sleep, or we gossip."

"Okay, let's watch . . ."

Araya smiled, knowing she would regret her next words. "Anything you want."

"The Notebook."

With all of the rooms and beds in the house the trio, all missing Bonnie, slept on the floor. Sleeping wasn't exactly what Araya was doing. She needed to make sure Elena and Caroline were asleep before she crept off to revive Elijah. Araya knew it wasn't smart with Stefan and Damon—mainly Damon—in the house. If they suspected anything, heard anything, and caught her . . . Well, it wouldn't be ideal in any way. Damon was already mad enough that she had secrets. Why piss him off even further?

Araya tiptoed down the stairs stealthily. Her dizziness and fatigue from earlier in the day was long gone. Her feet dragged on the dirt of the room that held Elijah's body. Her tall frame dropped to her knees and ran her fingers along his jaw line. Elijah was a handsome man with his dark hair and chestnut eyes. But right now he was dead and had veins protruding over his entire body with a dagger tipped with white oak ash sticking out of his chest. Raya gripped the dagger and pulled it out quickly, praying that Elijah would wake up quickly.

Nothing happened, not for several minutes. What if Elena or Caroline woke up and notice she wasn't there? Would they wake up Stefan and Damon? What if Damon woke up and had a craving for the blood hat was in the freezer just a couple yards away in the fridge.

That's it, she thought, blood!

Quickly she raked the blade across the skin of her arm and pressed it to his lips. She pulled it away after he swallowed a little bit of her blood. His eyes flashed open and he took a ragged breath before saying her name. His body jerked and flipped onto his hands and knees.

"I can't—!"

He was on his feet and running before Araya could notice what was happening. She ran up the steps after him and froze when she saw the pure fury in his eyes from her spot inside that house..

"I had no idea! I swear, Elijah!" she whispered.

"You—"

She shushed him by pressing a finger to her lips and then pointing to her ear.

"We'll go to my apartment. I'll explain everything."

Not ten minutes after they arrived at her apartment, Damon burst in. "I swear to God, Raya—! Why do you have to be so stupid?"

"Damon, he's our best chance."

"You're in love with him!"

Araya couldn't talk. She liked Elijah very, very much. Was it love? She had wanted to throw a fit when she was told of what they had done to him and she instantly planned to get him back. He was handsome and sincere. Elijah cared about Araya's safety and her feelings. She was happy when he was around, not so much when he was angry, but that was normal. No one wanted to be around a grouch. She couldn't decide. Did she even remember how to love anyone other than friends anymore? She didn't think so, but there's the chance that she was wrong.

Elijah and Damon stared at her waiting for an answer or a smartass retort. Araya couldn't speak, but the newcomer to the conversation did.

"Come on, sweet, tell my dear brother how closely you hold him to your heart."

Her eyes snapped to the tall man with short, curly, honey-blonde hair. His eye were such a bright blue that she could get lost for hours upon a time. He was delicious. He was soothing.

She felt a pit in her stomach.

"Klaus."

"Invite me in, Araya."

"No, thank you. I'm fine with the company I have."

"Mhmmm. I would compel you, but we both understand how useless it would be to try . . . What if I killed your friend Tyler in the sacrifice instead of using you?"

Elijah seethed, "You won't use her under any circumstance!"

"How could you use Raya in the sacrifice? Why can't you compel her?" Damon asked. His icy grey eyes narrowed as he glared at Klaus.

"Oh, dear. You mean you haven't told all of your friends? I thought perhaps you all were better at lying to me than Katerina was at finding things out." Klaus shook his head. "Do you mind if I tell him, Ara? Or would you like to do it?"

Araya shook her head, with wide eyes pleading. "Klaus—please, don't."

"Are you aware, Salvatore, that you've bedded a werewolf?"

The two men in her apartment stared at her. Elijah, because he was not aware of this relationship and Damon because he hadn't had any idea what she was or that she had so many secrets.

"I don't care," he said, "she's important to me and that's all that matters. She could have webbed feet and a bill for all I care."

"Ooh, better watch out, brother. Seems you'll be having some competition in the near future."

"I'm going to ask very nicely before someone tries something. Would you please leave me alone, pretty please?"

He smirked and turned walking down the hallway. He called, "Bye-bye, love. Oh, and don't worry. You're still on the menu."

Araya couldn't believe that he just outed her. Actually she could. The two times she had really talked to Klaus, he had been a jackass.

"Your secret's not safe with me."

Araya stared at Damon, ignoring Elijah who sat on the edge of her bed with his head in his hands.

"You should have told me. I could have helped you get away. Now, we have to go tell everyone and figure out a way to make sure you don't die."

"Can this wait until the morning?"

"Just because we need to tell Sabrina too." Damon leaned forward and kissed her cheek tenderly. "Goodnight, Araya. I'm only a phone call away if you need me tragically die trying to save you . . . or if you need to talk."

She didn't watch him leave; she just sat on the bed next to Elijah. Damon was different. He didn't seem like a complete and utter dick. He actually seemed to care. Damon offered to let her talk to him about anything. She couldn't imagine what could ever change his attitude, except for Elena finally choosing him. That was certainly not it. What could have made his attitude do a one-eighty? It was probably the fact that Klaus had said she was going to die and he felt bad for her.

She had offered herself to Klaus for the sacrifice and now, he had let her know he accepted.

"Elijah."

"Yes?" he asked, being pulled from his dark, dark thoughts about killing his brother. Elijah looked at the girl next to him. Her hand was trembling softly like when she had faced Alaric-Klaus. Araya's hand moved to his face, where she gingerly moved a few strands of his hair out of his face. Elijah's hand clamped onto her arm and he breathed in her scent of vanilla and blueberries. Skillfully he kissed up her arm to her luscious lips.

I'm sorry about the long update! You don't need to hear my excuses, but know that i'm sorry and I'll try to be more consistent in the future!

Thanks for reading!

Let me know what you think!