"I don't understand what I did wrong." Elena was curled up on her bed in tears. Her stomach was doing backflips and she felt like she had been staked through the heart. Kol and Rebekah had managed to get her to drink a little blood and clean herself up but that was it.
"You haven't done anything wrong Elena. Elijah is being ridiculous." Rebekah insisted.
"I'm not so sure Rebekah. Elena is sired to him and he has a valid argument. To be honest if it were me I wouldn't care and I'd claim you in a heartbeat, but Elijah is far too moral for that. He thinks he's doing the right thing." Kol argued.
"He isn't doing the right thing!" Rebekah shouted. "Look at her!" Elena could feel Elijah's roaring emotions ripping through her. He was devastated and it broke her heart. She just couldn't believe what he said, that everything she felt wasn't real. Of course it was real, it was the most real thing she had ever felt. Her love for Elijah was more powerful and pure than anything she had ever felt before.
"After everything Elijah has been through with the doppelgangers he will never believe that Elena loves him of her own free will." Kol shook his head and paced the room. Elena grew nervous as Kol walked up to her and stared her in the eyes. "There is one thing we can do to convince him but it's a huge risk." He smirked and Elena shot up instantly.
"Please, I'll do anything." She begged.
"Anything?" He repeated and she nodded. "Good. I'm terribly sorry about this but it's the only way." Kol grabbed her face and pulled her closer.
"Kol?" Rebekah growled. "What are you doing?"
"Turn it all off Elena." Everything Elena had ever felt seemed to disappear as she followed Kol's command. "Shut off your emotions and feel nothing."
"Kol!" Rebekah slammed him into the wall and grabbed Elena's face but it was too late. "Elena, don't. Don't do this!" Elena shoved Rebekah away and looked back and forth between the two of them and felt annoyed and hungry. "Elena." Rebekah warned stepping in front of her but before Rebekah had the chance to think Elena snapped her neck and she fell to the floor. She turned to Kol next.
"What about you? Do you want to stop me too?" She asked but Kol just grinned from ear to ear.
"Oh no Darling, not at all. You're perfect. In fact, I think you and I should take a little road trip. What do you say?" He asked moving so close there was no space left between them.
"Sounds good to me."
Kol was speeding away as fast as the car they had stolen would go and she didn't care in the slightest where he was taking her. She just needed to get away from everyone. No more Salvatore's controlling her life, no more Elijah jerking her heart around. Being with Kol was perfect because he didn't care about her.
She was still feeling weak and let herself fall asleep listening to the hum of the engine.
"Elena Darling." She felt a nudge on her shoulder. "Wake up. We're here." Elena opened her eyes and it was dark but there were bright lights everywhere. Elena sped from the car and took everything in. The tall buildings, the crowds of people, it was exhilarating. Kol appeared next to her smirking.
"Where are we?" She asked.
"New York." He responded. "Come on, I'm sure you're hungry." She followed Kol into a crowded nightclub but it wasn't anything like the clubs Elijah brought her too. It was dark and dingy and smelled of sweat, alcohol and vomit nearly making Elena sick to her stomach but it hit her how hungry she was.
She immersed herself into the crowd and began dancing and within seconds a man appeared behind her. She didn't use her tricks this time and turned biting deep into the man's neck and drank, and drank and drank. She could feel his heartbeat slowing and knew she should stop but she couldn't bring herself to care.
"Easy love. There's no need to kill." He pulled Elena back but she pulled away and tried to attack again. Kol grabbed her again but this time he held on tight.
"I thought you said I was perfect." She sneered.
"You are but let's not blow our cover. This isn't about your emotions, this is about self-control." He retorted wrapping his harms around her waist. "Drink all you want, just pick a new target." She considered Kol's words and realized he was right. She sped away to find someone else and casually made her way around the club drinking both alcohol and blood as she went.
They were making their way to a hotel so they could sleep. Elena clearly drank too much and she wasn't feeling quite right. She jumped when music began blaring from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and saw it was Elijah calling. She also saw he had tried to call her sixteen times before now and she laughed. Of course he cared now. She rolled her eyes and returned her phone to her pocket.
"Who was that?" Kol asked wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
"Elijah. Now he wants to talk." Elena snarled.
"My brother is an idiot Elena." He laughed then her phone started ringing again. Kol lowered his hand and took Elena's phone slapping her butt as he did. "Good morning Elijah." He answered.
"Kol. What the hell have you done!? Where is Elena?" Elijah was angry, they could both hear it.
"Elena is safe and sound here with me." He responded. "We've decided to take some time to clear our heads."
"Bring her back!" Elijah snarled.
"Why on Earth would I do that? You told her you didn't want her so I decided to have a go."
"What!? That is so not…" Elena started to protest but Kol just covered her mouth with his hand.
"Quiet Elena. The men are talking." Anger flashed through her body and she almost ripped his head off before he winked at her. He was just trying to irritate Elijah.
"That is not what happened!" Elijah snapped. "Bring her back here now or I swear I will hunt you down! And I will find you." He warned.
"Challenge accepted brother. Now if you don't mind Elena and I have a fun filled day planned. Talk to you later." Kol didn't bother hanging up. Just crushed Elena's phone and tossed it into the street.
"Was that really a good idea? Did you have to provoke him?" Elena rolled her eyes.
"Oh yes, I really did. I told you Elena, my brother is an idiot and he just needs some help."
"Help with what?" She questioned.
"Finally getting what he deserves." Kol nodded.
"And what exactly does a thousand year old original vampire deserve?" She turned to look at him but he kept his gaze straight ahead as he wrapped his arm around her.
"You'll find out." Elena just smiled and followed.
Elena and Kol continued on this way for a week. Every day they found some knew hotel and slept until the sun went down and gorged themselves in blood and alcohol. Elena had killed two people because she didn't care enough to stop drinking and drained them. It was a very easy existence and for the first time since her parents died Elena finally felt like she didn't have a care in the world. She was getting herself ready to go out, tying her hair back in a lose ponytail when Kol stepped up behind her.
"What do you want?" She asked. "I'm not ready yet." She was wearing dark jeans and a dark red tank top and Kol rested his hands on her hips. "What are you doing?" She asked dangerously.
"Come on now Elena. We've been together for a whole week now. You must feel the attraction growing between us." He said in her ear pulling her in close.
"Not in the slightest." She said.
"You don't have to hide it anymore." His hands slid up and he grabbed onto her breasts squeezing hard. "Let's stay in tonight, we'll have way more fun." Elena turned and pushed him across the room and he laughed.
"How about no." She said.
"Did you really just say no to me?" He sped in front of her but she stood her ground. "Nobody says no to me Darling." Her grabbed her face with both hands and made her look at him.
"Go to hell." She snarled but before she could do anything Kol's lips came crashing down to hers. She shouldn't care, it shouldn't bother her. She had no emotions but Kol's kiss made her angry and sad at the same time. Angry because Kol was being an ass but sad because he was not the one she wanted to kiss. He finally pulled back and he was smirking.
"Hello Elijah." He said without turning around. Elena looked passed him to see Elijah gripping each side the doorway. He was furious and Elena had never seen him look this way, so disheveled. Elena looked to Kol who was trying to control his laughter.
"What is wrong with you?" Elena shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Kol." Both he and Elena froze. Elijah was beyond furious and Kol suddenly went flying into a wall. "What have you done!?" Elena could see his vampire features for the first time and something in her hurt. She didn't want Elijah to act like this but she shoved the feeling back down.