For the first night in weeks, Riley had a peaceful night of sleep. She was hopeful that the barrier would hold up against any witches who dared to come after her in Mystic Falls. With Klaus gone, she felt relieved. She doubted that he would be away from the town for very long but even a few days away was good enough for her. A small part of her had expected him to turn up at her home, forcing her to leave with him again. When she returned home, she told her parents what had happened at the school. It took both Riley and her mother to stop her father from dealing with Klaus himself. He was angered that Klaus involved an innocent guy like Tyler in his plans. Since Klaus was the only known hybrid, besides Tyler, it would be difficult for them to know anything about the transition. Her mother had no information related to a hybrid's weaknesses and strengths, only sure that Tyler would now be able to shift into a wolf of his own free will. They were also not pleased that Katherine and Damon wanted to find Mikael.

Though they agreed with Riley that Klaus needed to be stopped, her father did not fully trust Mikael. He explained to Riley that it was like trusting the devil. Her parents had once met Mikael in person after he arrived in Mystic Falls, searching for Elena. He was planning to kill her to prevent Klaus from breaking the hybrid curse. One of their friends, a witch, used a desiccation spell to stop him and entombed him in a cemetery outside of town. Mikael was one of their biggest secrets. It was what allowed them to stop working for Klaus because he feared that they would awaken Mikael in retaliation if he refused their request.

Riley was getting dressed for the first day of school. As she slipped on a pair of black ankle boots, she noticed a voicemail on her phone. The number was listed as unknown. Grabbing her bag from under her bed, she listened to a message from Klaus. He apologized for not saying goodbye to her in person though he assured her it was not the last time they would see each other. Once Mikael was no longer a threat, he would return to Mystic Falls.

"Riley" she heard.

Her mother's voice made her jump. To her confusion, she was no longer in her bedroom, now sitting in the kitchen with a piece of toast in her mouth. Riley glanced around the kitchen. She did not recall leaving her bedroom while listening to Klaus's message. Checking her bag, she found her phone, the voicemail deleted.

"Riley, did you hear me?"

"No. I uh spaced out for a second"

"I said that it's important to keep an eye on Tyler, especially with his thirst for blood. You need to make sure that he doesn't hurt anyone"

A car horn beeped outside. "That's Jayden. I promise to watch out for Tyler"

Riley picked up her bag and left the house. Jayden was waiting in his car. On their way to school, she questioned if he remembered what happened during prank night. She was thankful that he had no memory of Klaus. Jayden told her that he left the school after finishing their last prank.

"I bet the teachers were really angry. I can just imagine their faces"

"Who cares? Last night was worth it"

"You know, there's something else from last night. It might just be my imagination but I thought Tyler was in trouble"

"What do you mean?" she asked, worried.

"It's just something that passed through my head. There was a British guy and Tyler was unconscious…probably just a weird dream"

"Yea, probably"

Getting out of the car, she saw Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie. Elena had a scarf tied around her neck to hide the bite marks from Rebekah and Stefan. Jayden needed to meet with the football team before classes. Riley gave him a quick hug before walking over to the girls.

"Here we are…senior year" said Caroline.

"Yipee" replied Riley, half-heartedly.

"Hey, no moping or being sad. This is our year and nothing is going to ruin these memories"

Caroline, as always, was the optimist in their group. The school could be attacked by dragons and she would still maintain that positive attitude. Someone tapped Riley on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw a freshman girl.

"Do you want to walk with me to the office?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because we're both freshman"

Bonnie and Caroline giggled quietly. Due to her short stature, people assumed that she was younger than her actual age. Over the years, she had to correct them many times when they thought she was too young to see a PG-13 movie or not even a high school student. She smiled sweetly at the young girl.

"I'm a senior. If you call me a freshman again, I will make sure that you have no friends this year. Got it?"

The girl nodded, nervously. "S—sorry"

Blushing, she walked past Riley, disappearing into the crowd of students. Caroline pushed her shoulder, chastising Riley for being rude to the freshman girl. They walked towards the front doors. Elena was being very quiet. Caroline remarked that prank night was a disaster but it was not going to affect their senior year. Bonnie agreed, mentioning that she was not going to let Jeremy's new ghost-seeing ability bother her.

"Yes and why should I let the fact that my boyfriend was turned into a hybrid put a damper on an otherwise fabulous day?" said Caroline.

"And why should I care that a psycho hybrid, who turned that boyfriend, has some weird obsession with me and tried to kiss me last night?"

"WHAT?!"

Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline were staring at her, shocked. She mentally cursed herself for blabbing about Klaus's attempt at kissing her by the lockers.

"Forget it"

"No, that is something we don't forget. What do you mean, he kissed you?" asked Bonnie.

"Tried to kiss me. The important word here is tried. He's not even here so it doesn't matter. Drop it"

Their shock was replaced by sympathy as they listened to Elena lament that it was her and Stefan's anniversary. She had met him on the first day of school last year. Riley consoled her, telling her that she could not let those memories bring her down. Elena was being strong despite the fact that Stefan had changed for the worst. After making a quick stop at her locker, Riley looked for Bonnie. She was having a small argument with Jeremy over him seeing Anna and Vicki. Jeremy pointed out that he only saw Anna again because she was helping Damon and Katherine find Mikael. Bonnie suggested he could control this ability, meaning that he did not need to see Anna all the time.

"Trouble in paradise?" asked Riley as Bonnie met with her, leaving Jeremy by her locker.

"This isn't what I expected from a relationship. We should be fighting over normal stuff like him not paying for dinner at the grill. Enough about me. We both know that you weren't really thinking about Klaus before. Have you told your parents about the witches?"

"They're still reeling from the news that Tyler is a hybrid and that we found Mikael the vampire hunter. I thought I'd give them a couple days to let that sink in before telling them how their daughter is enemy number one in the witch community. I put up a barrier around the town. It should keep any witches out"

"Are you sure it's strong enough?"

"I'm going to cast the spell every few days in case it starts to weaken"

"I was thinking that we could go to the abandoned witch house after your cheer practice. Maybe they know something about your family history and can tell us why so many witches think you're a danger"

"I always dreamed of spending my afternoons in a creepy old cottage"

Hearing the bell ring, they went their separate ways. Riley entered the History classroom. Both Elena and Alaric already looked worried. It was too early in the day for something bad to happen at school. Jayden took his usual seat beside her. As they talked about the spirit squad bonfire, Stefan walked over to them. Looking at Jayden, he compelled him to find another seat. Riley grabbed Jayden's hand. She easily broke through the compulsion and kept Jayden in a daze.

"He can't hear us right now. What do you think you're doing?"

"Klaus ordered me to watch over you too, Riley. He doesn't want anything happening to his little witch while he's gone. I don't think it's a good idea for Jayden to sit next to you"

Riley glared. "I don't care what that idiot hybrid said to you. Jayden is my friend and he'll sit wherever he wants. I might not be able to break through Klaus's compulsion yet but yours is a lot easier, Stefan. If you try that on him again, you'll regret it"

Stefan smirked and sat next to Elena. Riley reversed the spell on Jayden. He blinked a few times, looking bewildered. As Alaric began a lecture about the founding of America, Elena turned in her seat towards Riley.

"You okay?" she mouthed.

Riley nodded, managing a weak smile. She was not going to let a whipped Stefan come between her and her friends. Her smile faltered, seeing Rebekah in the doorway. She sat in the empty desk in front of Stefan, introducing herself to Alaric as a new student.

"Where did she come from?" asked Jayden, noticing her accent.

"Her throne in hell" muttered Riley.

The first day at school was not as wonderful as Caroline hoped, mainly due to Stefan and Rebekah. When he was not stalking Elena, he was watching Riley's every move. He would come between her and Jayden or any other guy who dared to just look at her. Jayden assumed that since his relationship ended with Elena, Stefan had developed a crush on Riley. She denied that idea, claiming that Stefan was just having a terrible time coping with the breakup. It was already hard enough to hide the existence of vampires from him and Rebekah's presence did not help with keeping that secret. By lunch, she became friends with many seniors, including Alison, Kristen, and Emma. It was obvious that Rebekah had joined their clique due to their shared hatred of Riley. During classes, Riley was waiting for the moment when Rebekah would confront her face to face. Damon had called her in the middle of lunch to check on Elena. It turned out that Rebekah, who he referred to as Barbie Klaus, was staying at the boardinghouse.

After finishing her last class, she changed into a tank top and cheer shorts and went to practice with Caroline. The other members of the team were already stretching on the field, across from the football team. Tiki asked if they had seen Dana at school today. Riley and Caroline struggled to explain her disappearance. They could not simply tell the squad that Dana had been killed by a vampire. As Riley stretched her legs, Rebekah appeared between Caroline and Emma. Quietly, Caroline confronted Rebekah. Jayden was doing a running drill with the rest of the team. He waved at Riley and she waved back, smiling.

"Maybe even your boyfriend…or perhaps Riley's?"

She looked at Rebekah. "My what? Jayden isn't my boyfriend"

"You get around quite a bit, don't you?"

Caroline held Riley back, whispering that she could not cause a scene. Rebekah smirked.

"What is your problem with me?"

"I have no problem"

"Clearly, you do. I'm just sure if it's a mental problem or ninety years of being trapped in a box turned you into a bitch"

"I don't like girls who toy with my brothers"

Riley resisted the urge to scream. "I'm not toying with anyone. Klaus is the one that thinks there's something between us. I have no interest in him"

"Our time spent in Chicago says different"

"What, me purposely distracting him by wearing slutty clothes so I could figure out a way for me and Stefan to get away from him? Or maybe it was him forcing me on his lap all the time. Trust me, if it was between Klaus and a zombie that would eat my brains, I would choose the zombie"

Rebekah did not believe a single word. As they continued to stretch, Riley spotted Tyler speaking with the coach. She nudged Caroline's side. Tyler was using compulsion to end the practice early. Caroline shook her head, muttering, and walked towards him. Riley followed, lying that she was getting more bottled waters from the football team. She grabbed one of the footballs and chucked it at his head. He rubbed the side of his head, wincing.

"Ow! What the hell, Riley?"

"Don't what the hell me, Lockwood. Have you lost your mind?"

"Why are you—what, are you mad that I used compulsion? I was just sick of practice"

"You have to be a little more subtle, Tyler" said Caroline.

As she and Tyler argued, Riley felt an arm around her waist. Jayden was behind her.

"Hey. So for the bonfire, I have to pick up Cam and Garrett too. Cam's car is still getting fixed"

"That's fine…as long as Cameron keeps his hands to himself"

"I can't make any promises. I'd say to dress ugly but we both know you would look pretty even if you were wearing a trash bag"

"You think I'm pretty?" she joked.

Suddenly, a football struck his face. Jayden fell to the ground, holding his nose. Blood seeped through his fingers. Riley bent down to help him. Stefan appeared on the field.

"You better watch what you say"

"What's your problem, Stefan?"

"My problem is you. Stop flirting with Riley. She's taken and Klaus doesn't like pathetic guys hitting on his girl"

"Who's Klaus? Are you out of your mind?"

Caroline was about to attack Stefan. Riley shook her head. She handed Jayden to Caroline, asking her to bring him to the nurse's office. As she and Tyler led Jayden off of the field, Riley turned towards Stefan. He looked amused.

"Are you upset with me? I'm just doing what Klaus asked, Riley"

Riley pushed her hand forward. He dropped to his knees, holding the sides of his head and groaning in pain.

"I am not anything to Klaus…not his little witch, definitely not his girl. This is your last warning, Stefan. If you ever lay a hand on Jayden, I will drive a stake through your heart. I don't care if it would make Elena miserable. She would eventually move on from you. I would do it right now but there are witnesses and I don't feel like erasing half the school's memory. Stop with the stalker routine"

Deciding to leave practice early, she met up with Bonnie at the cottage, filling her in on what Stefan had done to Jayden. Caroline texted her that she healed Jayden's broken nose with vampire blood and compelled him to forget the incident on the football field. She entered the cottage with Bonnie. They lit candles around the cellar. Holding hands, they chanted a summoning spell to call out to the spirits. After ten minutes, Riley did not hear a single voice.

"Maybe we should try another spell, Bonnie"

"I'm Emily" she said, sounding different.

"Emily? You're her ancestor. Are you possessing her or—no, I don't need to know the details. I'll just go with it. My name's"

"I know who you are, Riley"

"Awesome. Even with dead people, I'm a hot topic. Who knew I was so popular?"

"Yes, you are. You need to leave Mystic Falls. You are in danger"

"From people outside of Mystic Falls. If I'm safe anywhere, it's here"

"No. A danger is attempting to come to the town through the Other Side. You will not be safe around them. It is best for you to simply disappear. The other alternative is your death"

Riley was not going to abandon her family and friends. She argued with Emily that she would fight for her life. Emily told her that some battles were not worth fighting, especially when Riley was still young.

"I'll consider it. At least tell me why these other witches hate me so much"

Hundreds of voices swarmed in her head. She tried to block them out, closing her eyes tightly. All at once, the candles extinguished. Bonnie cried out in pain. She panted heavily.

"They don't want us here anymore"

"Well this was useless"

"I'm sorry, Riley" she said as they left the cottage.

"We'll figure out another plan"

"I did hear them say something. They mentioned Snow White"

"The fairytale? Are we supposed to watch some Disney movies for answers?"

"They like to be cryptic"

Riley returned to her house. Having a few hours before the bonfire, she sat in her room, doing her homework. She looked through her bookcase for a history book that would help with her essay. Finding the book on the bottom shelf, she grabbed it. The book was next to her old children's books. She spotted one that was filled with fairytales. Thinking about what Bonnie said back at the cottage, she flipped through the book, stopping at the section about Snow White. There was nothing significant unless it was a warning that one of the witches would feed her a poisoned apple and put her under a sleeping curse. As she went to close the book, she noticed a faint pencil mark under multiple letters. Writing the letters on a piece of paper, she learned that it spelled out Loose floorboard in study. She walked down to her father's study and checked the floorboards. One of the boards seemed out of place.

Lifting it up, she found an envelope. The letter inside was written by her grandmother on her mother's side. It had been addressed to her mother, hoping that she would see the message when reading stories to Riley. In the letter, her grandmother confessed to their witch history, explaining that she hid it to protect the family. She had known that Riley was showing signs of magic and how it was both a gift and curse. Her grandmother doubted that she could hide her abilities for long since witches all over the world were beginning to learn of her existence. Reading how her grandmother had encountered witches who heavily practiced dark magic and wanted to take Riley when she was only three years old, Riley had a feeling that her grandmother had been murdered by these witches instead of dying in a bad car accident. The letter ended with her urging Riley's parents to take her to the coven in New Orleans where the elders knew all about their bloodline, including a dark secret from their ancestors' past. Her grandmother specifically told them to visit with an elder named Bastiana.

Riley returned to the room, hiding the letter in her dresser. Jayden sent her a text, telling her that he would be at her house within the hour. She changed her outfit for the bonfire and waited for him by the door. His car pulled up in the driveway. Getting in the passenger seat, she saw Jayden, Cameron, and Garrett.

"You're looking hot tonight, Ri"

"Save it, Cam"

"I'm just giving you a compliment. You were gone all summer so I have to make up for lost time"

During the drive to the school, Riley texted Elena. At lunch, they had formed a plan to take care of Stefan. The plan only involved them, Damon, Alaric, Caroline, and Tyler. Riley was going to help Alaric subdue Stefan with vervain darts. Once he was unconscious, they would lock him in the Forbes jail cell where Caroline's father had tortured her over the summer. When they arrived at the school, she lied that she had to help Caroline with spirit squad business and would meet Jayden later in the night. She walked into the History classroom. Elena, Alaric, Caroline, and Damon were inside, discussing the plan. Riley sat on the bookcase with Damon.

"What took you so long, shorty? Did Klaus call about wanting to smooch you again?"

She looked at Elena, who blushed. "I didn't—it slipped out"

"How does that even come up? For the record, Klaus and I never smoo—who the hell says smooch? We never kissed. Can we please just erase that from our memories? I'm trying to and it's not easy when we keep talking about it"

"Consider it dropped"

Damon raised his hands. "You won't hear another word from me. Now back to this plan…why can't Riley and Bonnie just juju him?"

"I want to keep Bonnie out of this. I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her and I don't want Riley to use magic either. She and Stefan already fought twice today. I'm not sure that she won't kill him"

"I won't make any promises"

One flaw in their plan, pointed out by Damon, was Rebekah. With her crush on Stefan, it would be difficult to separate them. Elena wanted him to distract her. Tyler entered the classroom. She asked him to get some vervain from his mother's personal stash to help weaken Stefan. When he refused, stating that it was not in Klaus's best interest, Riley and Damon looked at each other. Tyler's behavior seemed very familiar. She had a vampire act like this when she was living in Brazil.

"Why are you acting like some crazy slave minion?" asked Caroline.

"Uh oh" chorused Riley and Damon.

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline. I owe him everything" said Tyler.

"Oh boy" said Damon.

"Could we cool it with the commentary?" replied Caroline, annoyed.

Grabbing a vervain dart from the desk, he pierced Tyler's neck. Tyler was knocked out by the vervain. Caroline panicked, kneeling down beside him. Damon explained that Tyler was sired to Klaus. A sire bond was a link between a vampire and the vampire that made them. Due to the bond, Tyler felt loyal to Klaus and would do anything to seek acceptance by carrying out any of his orders.

"It's rare. I've only seen one vampire that was sired"

"Maybe it's different with hybrids" suggested Damon.

"Care, bring Tyler home. I can get vervain from my place. Stefan will be out for awhile"

While Caroline carried the unconscious Tyler to her car, Riley, Elena, and Damon went to the bonfire. Jayden was talking with the other football players. He handed her a cup of beer. As she sipped it, her vision got blurry. She blinked a few times, finding herself in a different part of the woods. Jayden and Garrett were laughing hysterically. Her cup was empty.

"What…my cup's empty"

"Yea, you poured it all over Cam. It was hilarious" said Garrett.

"I did?"

Jayden put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. He deserved it after what he said. He's been bothering you for the past hour, Ri"

Riley pretended to understand what he meant, pretending to laugh. On the inside, she was nervous. It was the second time today that she blacked out, losing her sense of time. Jayden mentioned that Alison did not come to the bonfire. When Cameron went into her bedroom to remind her about it, he found her passed out on her bed. He made a joke that she looked like a dead body.

"It's weird that she's not with Emma and Kristen. They're practically attached at the hip"

"I think that new girl's taking over. It's better for you anyway, Jay. You don't need to hide like you usually do when we go to parties" said Garrett.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She stepped away from the group, answering her phone. Bonnie was speaking very quickly in a panicked voice. Matt used a spell to resurrect Vicki. She had help from a witch on the Other Side, the same witch who cast the hybrid curse. In order for Vicki to stay in the physical world, she needed to kill Elena, the key to Klaus's hybrids.

"If I see Vicki, I'll"

"You can't see her. Only Matt can…but she can still affect the physical world. There's one more part to the deal, Riley. Vicki doesn't just have to kill Elena"

"What else does she have to do?"

"She has to kill you"

Riley sighed. "Of course she does. Do you want me to meet you?"

"No. I think I can manage the spell to send her back. Be careful. Make sure Elena is safe"

Alaric was in the parking lot, opening the trunk of his car. Riley walked over to him. He had just received a text from Elena. She was by the bleachers, distracting Stefan. He handed her a crossbow, loaded with wooden stakes. They had a clear view of the bleachers from the parking lot. While Alaric looked for vervain darts, Riley grabbed a small knife. She was unsure how long it would take for Bonnie to reverse Matt's spell. As a precaution, she thought of casting a spell that she read in one of her spellbooks. It was dark magic that allowed her to see ghosts, similar to Jeremy. She was reluctant to attempt the spell but did not want Vicki to kill Elena. Dragging the knife across her palm, she drew a triangle inside of a snake, quietly whispering the spell. She felt a short gust of wind.

"Riley?"

Hiding the knife in her pocket, she wiped the blood from her hand. Alaric nodded towards the field. Elena was falling off of the bleachers and Stefan caught her. Together, they snuck over to the bleachers, holding their weapons. Stefan put Elena down on the ground. Riley shot two stakes into his back. Alaric hit him with multiple vervain dirts. Stefan fell unconscious.

"Riley, you almost hit his heart"

"I'm a little drunk. Excuse my bad aim" she said, removing the stakes.

"Let's get him to the cell before he wakes up"

Alaric picked up Stefan, bringing him to the car. Riley held onto the crossbow, checking for any sign of Vicki. As she walked around the parking lot, she felt something move behind her. Turning around, she saw Vicki with a cigarette in her hand.

"Whatever you're thinking, Vicki, don't"

"You can see me? That witch was right. You've got some real skill, Riley. I remember when you were just a little girl, playing with Tyler and braiding Elena's hair"

"I won't let you hurt Elena"

"Then I'll start with you. I'm sorry but I can't be on the Other Side anymore"

Riley shot a stake at her leg. Vicki vanished in an instant. A second later, Riley was hit over the head. She stumbled, slipping on the ground. The bottom of her shoe was covered in gasoline.

"Elena!"

Alaric's car was on fire. He could not open the doors. Grabbing a lacrosse stick, he attempted to break the windows. Riley could see Vicki in the driver's seat, smirking.

"No!" shouted Riley.

The door of the trunk blasted apart and Vicki vanished from the seat. Alaric helped Elena and Stefan out of the car. Riley hurried over to them. She held onto Elena.

"I'm okay"

Waving her hand, she made the flames vanish. The car was very damaged.

"Sorry about your car" she told Alaric.

"It's fine. The important thing is that all of us aren't hurt"

"Riley, your eyes…" said Elena.

"What?"

"I thought—forget it. It's probably the smoke making me see things"

Alaric drove Elena and Stefan to the boardinghouse. Riley reversed the dark spell, getting rid of her ability to see ghosts. Heading back to the bonfire, she called Bonnie, who confirmed that Vicki was gone.

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the bonfire. I'm going to find Jayden and enjoy the rest of my night as a normal person"

"I think Matt and I need that too. We'll find you"

Passing by a group of guys doing keg stands, she heard Jayden. He was telling Alison that she was hurting him. Following his voice, she found him sitting on a wooden bench with Alison. At first, she thought that Alison was kissing his neck. Her eyes widened, seeing blood around Alison's mouth. Jayden had two deep bite marks. Alison grabbed his chin.

"Stop talking, Jay. I'm hungry. Besides, you love this"

"I love this" he said, a dazed expression on his face.

"And you love me"

"I…no, I"

"You love me" she insisted.

"I love you, Ali"

Riley crept behind her, picking up a log, and struck Alison across the face. Alison fell off of the bench. Riley jammed the log into her side. As Riley reversed the compulsion, Alison cursed at her. She struggled to remove the sharp log. Jayden touched his neck.

"Riley? What's going on? I remember Alison sneaking up behind me and she kissed me. I pushed her off but then she bit me…like an animal"

"Jay, I'll make you forget what happened. Just stay here"

She was tackled to the ground. Alison pinned her, growling.

"I'm so sick of you, Gilbert. You're not coming between me and my boyfriend again"

Riley raised his hand. Whimpering, Alison covered her mouth. Her fangs had retracted.

"What's happening?"

"I used magic to keep your fangs in"

"How—oh of course. Little Miss Perfect can do magic now. That won't stop me. I'll just snap your neck with my bare hands"

Alison gasped, holding the sides of her head. Bonnie and Matt entered the clearing. Matt went over to Jayden, who looked very confused.

"What's wrong with her? I don't—her teeth are"

"Jay, just sit next to me. Everything is fine" said Matt, calmly.

Riley and Bonnie peered down at Alison. She growled, attempting to get up, but Riley kept the heel of her boot pressed into her neck.

"Here's how this is going to work, Montgomery. You have until the count of three to tell me how you became a vampire"

"A what?" she heard Jayden ask.

"If I get to three, I'll use my heel to separate your head from your body. One…two…"

"Rebekah" she choked out.

"Rebekah turned you? When?"

Alison explained how she became a vampire. After their first class, she had seen Rebekah feeding on a girl in the bathroom. Rebekah told her how vampires had all kinds of amazing abilities, including compulsion. In exchange for her silence, Alison asked Rebekah to turn her into a vampire. Rebekah fed her some blood then snapped her neck, leaving her in her bedroom. Alison woke up about two hours ago and arrived at the bonfire, very hungry. Rebekah mentioned how she needed blood to complete her transition, leading to her feeding from Jayden.

"She doesn't have a daylight ring. She'll burn as soon as the sun comes up" whispered Bonnie.

"What do you think we should do?"

"She's too dangerous. Until we can trust her and make sure she doesn't expose vampires to the town, we need to keep her hidden"

"The Forbes cell. I'll tell Caroline we're using it"

"Get your disgusting boot off of me, Gilbert!" yelled Allison.

"Be quiet, Montgomery. Rebekah's an idiot for turning you. You're lucky we don't stake you right here"

Riley injected her with one of Alaric's vervain darts. Bonnie and Matt offered to bring her to the Forbes cell. The plan was to keep Alison in the cell until they decided whether she could handle being a vampire. With Damon's help, they would compel her family to think that she was sick with the flu and needed to be left alone in her room. As they left with Alison, Riley brought Jayden to his car. They sat in the car in complete silence.

"Ri, I don't understand. Alison can't be a vampire. They don't exist"

"I should be making you forget all of this but it's better if you know. Alison's not the real problem. Rebekah could compel you and make something bad happen. You need to be protected"

"From what?"

For the next few minutes, Riley told him the truth about the supernatural world, including vampires, witches, and werewolves. She admitted to being a witch herself, a recent discovery. When she explained the council to him, which included his father, he looked shocked. He did not understand why his father lied to him for all these years.

"I've wanted to tell you but my parents and the council made me promise to keep it a secret"

"You're a witch and so is Bonnie. Both she and Matt know. Who else?"

"Elena, Jeremy, Mr. Saltzman"

"They're vampires?"

"No. They're just regular people…except Jer can see ghosts now but that's not important. Caroline, the Salvatores, Rebekah, Elijah, and Alison are vampires. Tyler was a werewolf but after Klaus fed him blood, he became a hybrid. It's like a mix of a vampire and werewolf"

"And Klaus is the first hybrid. How could my dad not tell me any of this?"

"It's tough, Jay. The council was really angry with my parents when they learned that I knew the truth"

"Were you really with your grandparents all summer?"

"No. I need to stop somewhere first and then we can drive home"

Driving down the street, she could see his head spinning from all this information. She had not wanted to tell him about supernatural creatures in this kind of situation. They stopped at the boardinghouse. She told Jayden to wait in the car and knocked on the front door. Damon answered it, holding a wet cloth.

"We have a problem. Rebekah turned someone. Her name's Alison Montgomery"

"The girl you don't like. Is she dead?"

"No, Damon. Matt and Bonnie brought her to the Forbes cell. She doesn't have a daylight ring so she's stuck in there. I need you to compel her family. Make them think that she's really sick and the doctor told them that she needs a few days of rest. Whatever story works to keep them from finding out about her, do it"

"Got it. I'll stop by later tonight. What else went wrong tonight?"

"Well, our new vampire attacked Jayden. He knows about everything"

"Why wouldn't you let me compel him? A couple of seconds and he'll think that he had a great night, getting drunk with his friends"

"He'll keep your secret. I'm not going to wipe his memory every time something happens. With Rebekah around, it's not safe. I need you to do another thing for me. This is between us"

"When I hear those four words, it rarely means something good"

"I'm leaving town tonight. Before you ask, I can't tell you why. I'm going to be gone until at least tomorrow night. I'm going to write a note, telling my parents that I'm helping Katherine with Mikael. You need to back up that story until I'm home. I'm serious, Damon. No one can know…not even my parents"

He crossed his arms. "I've got your back. Just make sure you make it back in one piece. I'll keep you updated on what's going on"

Riley returned to the car. She drove to her house, not answering Jayden's questions. He was curious why she was talking to Damon. Stopping in her driveway, she conjured a leather bracelet. The ball-shaped pendant was filled with vervain. She told Jayden to wear the bracelet at all times to prevent a vampire from using compulsion on him.

"I won't be here tomorrow"

"Why not? Is that Klaus guy threatening you? I don't care what he can do. I'll"

"It's not Klaus. I have to do something alone. Just remember to wear that bracelet"

"Let me go with you"

"No. You're going to stay here. I won't be gone for long"

Once Jayden drove away, she walked into her house. Her parents were still at work. She wrote a quick note, placing it on the kitchen counter, and packed a bag with clothes and other essentials. Getting in her car, she typed an address into her GPS and drove out of Mystic Falls…

A/N: Thanks for reading. I thought it would be interesting to have someone outside of the usual group who knew about the supernatural world. Now that he knows the truth, Jayden is going to become more involved, especially if he sees that Riley is in danger. He wasn't very fond of Elijah so he and Klaus will definitely butt heads. In the next chapter, Riley is going to be away from Mystic Falls the entire time. She won't be part of the ghost drama. Instead, Riley will be in a familiar city and some characters will be introduced that might be part of a certain spinoff ;)