Was I really going to do this?

I stood in the relative safety of my borrowed apartment, thumb hovering over Nik's contact. It'd be so easy to just click it, but in doing so, I'd have to admit what I'd done, and I'd lose Elena as leverage.

Fucking hell.

This was an awful idea. At the moment Nik had no idea that I'd betrayed him. That I'd betrayed the family.

Maybe I should wait until he does find out. If I have Elena stashed away, make her believe I'd done what I said, then I have the ultimate card to play.

I could even find the moonstone and hide that as well.

Yeah, that was smarter.

It had the added benefit that I didn't have to deal with the devious queen bitch herself. As far as I was concerned Nik could have her.

My brother would be devastated of course. What with the disappearance of his girlfriend, but if I used witches well enough, she'd never be found until I was good and ready.

"What are you doing, dear one?"

Damn it. Elijah made me jump. In doing so, my thumb slipped, clicking the very contact I wanted to avoid.

He answered on the first ring.

I quickly hung up, tossing my phone on the couch. "That's not good."

It rang.

"What?" Elijah took off his suit jacket, laying it to rest on the top of the stool at the kitchen island.

"It's Nik. I'd been scrolling through my contacts and you scared me, and I accidentally clicked it!" It was close enough to the truth that he shouldn't detect any change in my heartbeat.

He strolled over to the couch, pausing only when my phone went silent. "Peace, dear one." He scooped it up just as it began to ring again. "Answer him."

"I can't! He'll know I'm lying in a second."

"And if you don't, he'll only track us down. Answer the phone." Elijah held it out to me expectantly.

Shit. "Fine." I took it from him, and pressed the green icon.

"Are you alright?" He asked as soon as it was against my ear.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just butt dialed you." Yeah, that'd work. "I was just about to do my meditations with Elijah, so I'm going to hang up now." At some point Elijah and Nik exchanged numbers and in true Mikaelson fashion, he made sure I had them too.

"Where are the two of you. I think it's safe enough to regroup." My stomach dropped.

Elijah's head tilted, watching me carefully.

"We're in a small town, but I think we're moving on soon. I can text you whereover Elijah chooses next. Maybe from there we can find a spot."

There was a pause. This was it. He'd know I was lying. "You're certain you're safe?"

"Positive. Elijah's standing right here and he'd never let anything happen."

"I have to go, sweetheart. Text me." It wasn't a request. Then the line went dead. I had to try very hard not to let out a sigh of relief.

Why did it feel like it was the longest phone call of my life?

Elijah crossed his arms. "You lied."

"I've been practicing." I'd only ever attempted
lying to the Mikaelsons a handful of times. Each and every encounter was met with the same harsh consequence. "But he's going to be pissed when I've sent him coordinates and he realizes I've sent him on a wild goose chase."

He scrutinized me, and it made me shift uncomfortably.

"What? Did you want me to tell him we were in Mystic Falls, mention that the doppelgänger was here and that you're plotting something?" I set my hands on my hips. "I'm well aware you don't like when I lie," or try to anyways. "I felt justified."

"Perhaps it would be in your best interest to fall back on old consequences."

I paled. "No."

"A shadow might do you some good."

"What about wanting to keep our familiarity a secret?" If Elijah started following me around, at least more closely than he had been, then suspicions would arise. That and I'd lose the independence I valued so much.

"I care very little for that when it comes to your safety. You've clearly chosen a path that will lead to Niklaus' rage, the truth of which, I've yet to ascertain, but until I've assessed the danger to you properly, consider me your shadow."

"Elijah, no." I resisted the urge to whine. "You know how much I hate shadows."

He took a seat on the wingback chair near the couch, offering little more than the smallest downturn of his mouth. "Then you'd do well to tell me what you've done."

"I can't."

"If that is your choice, so be it."

Fucking hell. He was infuriating.

"I've stocked the refrigerator with a good supply of blood, six bags, if you would." He gestured toward it. "You will do double today."

"Why?! I've barely managed to down three."

"I'm testing your limits."

"Six liters, Elijah. That's more than a person holds!"

"Yes, I'm quite aware of how much that is, which is rather the point." Was he trying to trigger the ripper in me? 

I crossed my arms defiantly. "No."

He tutted. "Independence has spoiled you." His tone sent a chill down my spine. If Elijah started watching me like a hawk, my plan would crumble immediately. "I'm trying to avoid recovery."

"What does that matter if you're taking my freedom anyway."

He and I held eye contact, each daring the other to back down.

It made me itch.

"Elijah, please don't do this."

"My mind is already made."