Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. I do not own The Vampire Diaries series. They belong to L.J. Smith.

Mysteries Part Three

Elena stood beside Damen. He glanced over at her and then across the water. He crossed his arms over his chest as the wind whipped around them, but neither felt it.

"I never should have trusted Katherine," Elena muttered. Damen looked over at her.

"Well, everyone knows that when Katherine does you a favor, there's strings attached," he said. She sighed.

"I just wonder what she wants from me. I mean, I'm a human, what can I do that she can't?" she asked. He looked over at her.

"You have blood," he said simply and watched as she shivered.

"Okay, so I have blood. No biggy, right?" she looked at him hopefully. He looked away.

"She can drain your blood," he whispered, "and leave you on the brink of death. Then, she can bring you back as one of us." She stepped away from him in shock. "Of course we'd never let that happen," he said quickly.

"He's right, Elena, you can't go see Katherine," Stefan said, stepping from the shadows.

"Great, the protective brother's here," Damen muttered. Elena hit him, but he just laughed, not feeling it at all.

"What will happen if I don't go, Damen?" Elena asked.

"Why do you trust him so much? He's liable to lie to you like he does everyone else," Stefan said. Damen gave him a cool look.

"Because I don't lie to her," he said just as coolly. He turned to Elena and said, "She will definitely hunt you down, cut you into little pieces and laugh as you die." She stared at him.

"You're not serious, are you?" she asked. The look on his face told her that he was. "Oh my God! Look, Stefan, I understand that you don't want me to go, but do you honestly want me to die that way?" Stefan took her hands and Damen rolled his eyes.

"We'll keep you safe," he said and glanced at Damen. "Well, I will at least."

"You know I'd do anything for her, little brother," Damen said coldly.

"Then come with me!" Elena said, looking at him with pleading eyes. Stefan snorted.

"She'll just kill you along with Elena," Stefan said. Damen cocked his head at his brother.

"Are you worried about me, brother?"

"Hardly," Stefan said. They stared at each other.

Elena stood with Damen outside of the huge mansion Katherine called home. She gripped his arm tightly. He winced and pried her hand off.

"You'll be fine," he murmured as Katherine opened the door. Her and Damen stared at each other.

"Hello, Damen," she said. Elena looked between them before crossing her arms over her chest, trying to hide her fear. She thought that she'd feel safe with Damen, but she didn't. What she felt wasn't even close. "Come on in."

Elena followed Damen in, sticking hot on his heels. He stopped moving once and she ran smack into his back. She knew he was smirking and she just glared at his back. They started walking again and when Damen stopped in the middle of the living room, she caught herself.

"Welcome to my home, live one," Katherine said. "Come here." Elena didn't move, but Damen pushed her towards Katherine and she gave him a horrified look.

Katherine placed her hand on Elena's cheek and she tried not to wince at the coldness. The simple touch filled Elena with hatred. She realized just how evil Katherine was and decided it was stupid to have trusted Damen. After all, Katherine and he used to be a thing.

"Young blood is so clean," Katherine murmured. Elena slapped Katherine and stepped back. Katherine narrowed her eyes at Elena.

"Don't touch me," Elena said coldly.

"Or what? Damen will save you? Hate to break it to you, hon, but he's with me," Katherine said, appearing before Elena quickly. Elena held her ground.

"Yeah? And who was it that left you when you changed him? Or should I say who were they? After all, your fake death made them hate each other, therefore once they found out the truth, they hated you. So, hon, now do you think he's on your side because I don't think so!" she could hardly believe herself. Here she was, arguing for Damen, or all people!

"You're a brave person, human. Too bad you won't be so brave when I kill you," she said and her hand shot out, but she was flung across the room when Damen backhanded her.

He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her from the room. Because she kept stumbling, he just swept her up into his arms and took off. She looked over his shoulder to see Katherine hot on their trail. He jumped up suddenly and she saw her life flash before her eyes.

They soared above Fell's Church. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get rid of the sick feeling in her stomach. She moaned and buried her face in Damen's hard chest. A few moments later, Damen laid her down on the damp ground. She opened her eyes to find herself in a clearing and Damen pacing. She sat up and opened her mouth to speak, but he put his finger to his lips and pointed behind him. She caught on. Katherine would hear them.

He crouched down beside her and felt her wrist. She realized that she was clutching it and it was throbbing. Apparently he'd used too much muscle when he'd grabbed her at the house. She allowed his cool hands to touch it and felt grateful that Damen was a vampire for once. His cool hands would never grow up and they felt good when you were sick or hurt.

A twig snapped. Damen's head shot up but he didn't move. Elena's heart quickened as Damen cocked his head. She knew this was what they did when they were hunting for…food. But, this time, he was hunting for Katherine. She was shaking and he pulled her to him and held her there for a moment.

A shrill scream filled the air and Katherine appeared in the clearing. Her eyes told Elena that she was not a bit happy.