CHAPTER FOURTEEN | CRYING WOLF

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SINCE JULES' ATTACK ON CAROLINE, STEFAN SUGGESTED THE GIRLS HAVE A SLEEPOVER TO TRY AND HELP HER FEEL BETTER. And, in true best friend fashion, the four teenagers spent the entire evening watching movies, eating junk, and just generally having a good time despite the impending doom that was looming over them like a dark cloud in the sky. Riley was the first to fall asleep; she always was at a sleepover. Then, it was Caroline, followed swiftly by Bonnie and Elena.

Though they were sleeping soundly, the girls were woken by Elena's phone call with Stefan. The couple had planned a romantic getaway to Elena's parent's lakehouse. And, Riley knew that with Stefan gone, she needed to make sure Damon did nothing stupid now more than ever.

As the witch stepped back into the Salvatore house with her bag over her shoulder, her brows furrowed when she saw Damon seated on the couch. "You're here?" Riley trailed off slowly as she slammed the door behind her. "You're here. And, you're not doing anything Damon-like."

Once the words had fallen from Riley's lips, Damon turned himself around on the couch to make eye contact with her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, since Stefan's out of town, I—"

"—You assume that I'm gonna be doing something stupid." Damon trailed off whilst the witch slowly nodded. "Nice."

Riley rolled her eyes and dropped herself from on the couch beside the vampire. She raised an eyebrow when she saw his attention drop back to the tumbler of bourbon in his hold. "So, aren't you? Doing something stupid, I mean."

"Actually, I was waiting for you." The Salvatore suddenly smirked just as he lifted himself up to his feet and grabbed a bizarre-looking dagger that was left on the mantle. "So, John gave me this to kill Elijah. Apparently, you have to dip the dagger the remains of an old White Ash tree that dates back to the Originals."

"John? As in Jackass-John." Riley's gaze flickered between the old-looking dagger and Damon.

"John. As in Elena's creepy uncle-slash-father, John. Yeah." The Salvatore confirmed with a slight nod. "And, it just so happens that there's a Historical Society event at the Lockwood's today. Guess who the guest on honor is."

The witch furrowed her brows, completely dumbfounded but then it hit her. "No. Damon, no. You can't kill Elijah in front of a boat-load of people."

"Of course not. That would be stupid." Damon scoffed, a devilish smirk on his face. "I want to know his endgame before I kill him. But, I do think it's time Elijah and I officially met. You feel like comin' with me?"

"Do I have a choice?" The witch answered back, a hopeful look in her eyes. All Riley wanted was one day where she wasn't roped in the supernatural drama.

"Not really. Get dressed."

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Begrudgingly, Riley agreed to be Damon's date to the Historical Society event at the Lockwoods. And, as soon as they stepped into the threshold, they saw Carol Lockwood mid-conversation with Elijah himself. And, Damon being Damon, saw that as a great opportunity to introduce himself without any violence.

"Damon, what a surprise!" Carol Lockwood beamed the minute her eyes made contact with the Salvatore's. She pulled him toward her as the two exchanged pleasantries. "Riley, it's good to see you, sweetheart."

"Great to see you, too. Mrs. Lockwood." Riley innocently smiled toward Tyler's mother, who then turned back to Elijah, who remained silent.

"Elijah, I want you to meet Damon Salvatore. His family is one of Mystic Falls' founding families." Carol's eyes then turned to Riley, who stood at Damon's side. "And, this is Riley Evans. I've known her since she was a child."

"Such a pleasure to meet you," Damon spoke with a low tone.

"No, the pleasures all mine." Elijah extended his hand for Damon to shake, which the Salvatore did without hesitation. Then, Elijah's gaze met Riley's. "It's lovely to meet you too, Miss. Evans."

"You know, perhaps we should talk. I hear you're in Mystic Falls for a project and I'd love to know a little more on the town's history myself." Damon raised an eyebrow toward Elijah, then he gestured toward one of the back rooms. "That is, if you don't mind, Carol?"

"Of course, not. By all means." Carol innocently smiled before she took off and left the trio to speak.

They stepped into one of the backrooms and Riley shut the door behind them. Elijah knew from the moment that Damon had suggested they talk, it was not about Mystic Falls' history.

"What exactly can I do for you, Damon?" The Original raised an eyebrow with a bored tone of voice.

"I was hoping we could have a word," Damon smirked as Elijah continued to look around the room almost as if he were searching for the doppelganger herself.

"Where's Elena?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry. I usually prefer Riley accompany me to events such as this." Damon nodded in the female's direction. "I mean, Elena's Stefan's girlfriend, anyway. Wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes, you know?"

Riley rolled her eyes, then turned her attention toward Elijah. "Elena's safe with Stefan. You know, since there's a threat against her we figured she deserved a little time out." Riley simply shrugged. "In fact, we had a little issue with some werewolves last night."

The Original vampire hummed in response to Riley's statement. "Oh, yeah. I heard about that."

"I'm sure you did since it was your witch that saved the day." The Salvatore wriggled his eyebrows with a pointed look on his face.

"You are welcome." Elijah simply turned his head in Damon's direction.

"Which adds to my confusion of exactly why you're here."

"Why don't you both stay focused on keeping Elena safe and leave the rest to me." Elijah requested boldly as he turned to exit the room but Damon didn't see that as a good enough answer. So, he blocked his exit.

"Damon, no. Don't start." Riley pleaded with the vampire. She knew that Elijah would surely be stronger than Damon, who would end up getting himself killed.

"Not good enough." Damon glared at the Original with a vicious look in his eyes.

Elijah simply grabbed the Salvatore by the throat, pinned him against the wall, and continued to apply pressure on his throat. "You would be wise to listen to your lovely witch friend over there. You young vampires, so arrogant. How dare you come in here and challenge me?"

"Elijah, please let him go." Riley stepped closer to Elijah and pleaded for the release of Damon, who choked out in the Original's hold.

"You can't hurt me, man, it's not part of the deal."

"Silence." The Original ordered just as he grabbed a pencil from the nearby desk and stabbed it into the side of Damon's neck, just as his eyes fell to Riley. "Don't worry, Riley, my dear. Now, Damon. I'm an Original, show a little respect. The moment you cease to be of use to me, you're dead. So, you should do what I say. Keep them safe." With that, he was gone.

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Riley went for a walk to clear her head. Elijah's statement to keep them safe was ringing in her head. Elena was the doppelganger; she was the key to breaking the Sun and the Moon curse. She didn't understand who Elijah was referring to. As she wandered back to the Salvatore house from her walk, she pulled her phone from her pocket to call her grandmother.

"Riley. Hello, sweetheart" Gwen's voice boomed through the speakerphone the moment that she answered her phone call. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. I was just calling to make sure you were okay. It feels like forever since I've spoken to you." The witch smiled as she gently kicked a pile of leaves that were beside her.

"Honey, you called me just a few days ago." Gwen chuckled quietly to herself as she heard a soft hum escape Riley's lips. "Is something the matter, sunshine?"

"I just—" The witch trailed off. Part of her wished that she could tell her grandmother everything about the vampires, the werewolves, and what she was, but it was safer for her to be away from that. "I just miss you, that's all."

"Oh, honey. You know, you can visit me any time. I just feel like had fallen out of love with Mystic Falls, but that doesn't mean I don't miss being there with you." Gwen told Riley. The witch nodded slowly, that was exactly what Stefan had told her when he compelled her to leave. She had fallen out of love with Mystic Falls and wanted to find somewhere else to call home.

"No, I know that." Riley hummed softly as she saw the Salvatore house in the short distance in front of her. "Grandma, can I ask your opinion on something?"

"Anything, angel."

"I think I've got feelings for this guy." Riley finally admitted as she bit her lip softly. "It just kinda crept up on me, and when I'm with him I just feel consumed by it all. There are times where I think he feels the same, and then sometimes I just— I don't know what to do."

"Well, then, sweetheart. I think that you should tell Damon just exactly how you feel. And, if he doesn't feel the same? Well, then that's his loss, isn't it?" Gwen told the female, who furrowed her brows.

"I didn't say it was Damon."

A soft chuckle escaped Riley's grandmother's lips. "You didn't need to. I'll call you later on sweetheart, okay? I love you."

"I love you, too," Riley told her wholeheartedly just as she slipped her phone into her pocket and carelessly wandered into the house. But, the moment she opened the front door, a hand clamped over her mouth with a knife pointed at her neck.

"If you move an inch, I will slit your damn throat. Do I make myself clear, sweetheart?" A masculine voice whispered into the witch's ear as she vigorously nodded. Riley was escorted into the parlor, where Damon was bound to a chair with a collar of stakes around his throat.

The moment he saw Damon, his eyes widened and he clenched his jaw. "Get over it. You're not gonna get the moonstone." His eyes changed from a determined glare to an innocent concern the moment they connected with Riley's.

"Oh, really?" Jules scoffed and raised an eyebrow toward Damon, just as she gestured to the strawberry-blonde witch within the hold of another wolf. "What if I just go ahead and kill her? Think that'll jog your memory?" Damon remained silent, his jaw still clenched but he felt helpless as he watched Jules stride toward Riley. "Kill her."

"That won't be necessary. " Elijah's voice boomed just before the werewolf was able to slit Riley's throat. "You looking for this?" All eyes averted to him as he twirled the moonstone within his hand and leaned on the banister. He moved from his position, then dropped the moonstone on it with everyone's eyes on him, "Go ahead, take it."

One of the five werewolves headed straight for the moonstone but instead, Elijah sped straight in front of him and yanked his heart from his chest. Another two ran at him, earning the same fate until Jules eventually ran out before she was killed, too.

Elijah's gaze turned to the one final wolf, who pulled his jacket over himself in an attempt to hide. "What about you, sweetheart, huh? You want to take a shot? No? Yes? No?" The Original turned back toward Damon and Riley, who had now been released since the wolf holding her was dead. "Where's the girl?"

"I don't know." Damon's eyes quickly scanned the room but all he could concentrate on was Riley.

"It doesn't really matter," Elijah muttered then he punched the last wolf in the face so hard that it broke his neck. The Original moved to Damon and yanked the chains off of him with ease. "So, you realize this is the third time I've saved your life now?"

"Believe me, he's grateful for it," Riley assured the Original who headed over to the moonstone, gave her a nod before he disappeared into the night.

Damon rushed straight over to Riley and glanced up and down, making sure that she was okay. "Hey. Are you hurt? Did they—"

"I'm fine. I'm not hurt." Riley told him with a serious look in her eyes. Something about the way that he looked at her with such worry made her think that there was a part of him that felt the same as her.

With the adrenalin rushing through her veins, Riley crashed her lips against the Salvatore's, and Damon didn't even pull away. Instead, his hands cupped her cheek gently whilst the moment consumed them both. Damon had felt everything for Riley the day that he laid eyes on her, but loving him only brought misery and he didn't want that for her.

Begrudgingly, Damon slowly pulled his lips from Riley's and rested his forehead against hers. After a moment of silence, he pursed his lips. "We can't, Riley." Once Riley opened her eyes, Damon's lingering presence in front of her was nothing but a mere memory.

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