Katherine lay with her head in Lucien's lap, her dark curls spilling across his legs like liquid shadow.
Morning light filtered through gauzy curtains, casting the opulent bedroom in amber hues that reminded her of autumn in Bulgaria - a memory from another life, another century.
Lucien's fingers moved through her hair with gently, occasionally pausing to trace the curve of her ear or brush against her temple.
His touch was reverent yet casual, as if this intimacy between them had always existed.
Katherine closed her eyes, savoring the sensation.
How strange to find herself in this position - she who had always been the one to pamper and seduce, now receiving such tender attention from her boy-god.
"This is new," she murmured, not opening her eyes.
"What is?" Lucien asked, his voice soft in the quiet room.
"You, taking care of me." Katherine's lips curved into a small smile. "Usually I'm the one pampering you."
Lucien's fingers continued their gentle exploration of her hair. "Is that a complaint?"
"Quite the opposite." She shifted slightly, settling more comfortably against him. "I could get used to this."
Silence fell between them again, comfortable and undemanding.
Katherine found herself marveling at how peaceful these moments could be - she who had spent centuries in constant motion, always planning, always watching for threats.
Here, with her head in her god's lap and his fingers in her hair, she felt something dangerously close to contentment, despite literally being under the roof of the monster who had haunted her for five centuries.
The question that had lingered in her mind for three days rose to her lips before she could reconsider.
"Did you mean it?" she asked, her voice softer than she intended.
Lucien's fingers paused in her hair. "Mean what?"
Katherine opened her eyes, meeting his gaze directly. "What you said to Klaus. That you love me."
His expression shifted, surprise giving way to something more thoughtful.
His fingers stilled completely as he seemed to consider his answer.
Katherine felt a flicker of uncertainty - had she misread? Misunderstood?
After what felt like an eternity, Lucien's expression softened. His fingers resumed their gentle movement through her hair, and he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her temple.
"Is that answer enough?" he asked against her skin.
Relief flooded through Katherine's body, a physical sensation so powerful it nearly made her gasp. "Yes," she whispered, unable to keep the emotion from her voice. "Yes, it is."
In that moment of perfection, the world before her eyes suddenly shifted.
Colors drained away, leaving everything in gray - except for Lucien.
Where her boy-god had been sitting, a being of perfect twilight now cradled her head.
Neither fully light nor darkness but the exquisite balance between them, his form radiated power beyond her wildest dreams.
Katherine's eyes widened, her body tensing involuntarily. The twilight being looked down at her with concern, Lucien's familiar features still visible within the glow.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice echoing strangely.
As suddenly as it had come, the vision vanished. The world snapped back to normal - Lucien was just Lucien again, looking down at her with worried eyes.
Katherine sat up quickly, putting distance between them as she tried to process what she'd seen. Her hand trembled slightly as she brushed hair from her face.
"Nothing," she said, forcing her voice to remain steady. "Nothing's wrong."
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't believe her - of course he didn't. In five centuries, she'd become an expert at deception, but never with him.
Never with her god.
"Katerina," he began, using her true name in that way that always made her heart clench.
"It's nothing," she repeated more firmly. "Just a... strange thought."
He studied her face for a long moment before nodding, clearly deciding not to press the issue.
The restraint in this action - his willingness to give her space even when he knew she was hiding something - made something warm unfurl in her chest.
Lucien crawled across the bed toward her. He positioned himself behind her, wrapping his arms around her neck in a gentle embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder.
"What should we do today?" he asked, his voice light with a hint of mischief.
Katherine raised an eyebrow. "What can we do? You're trapped in this gilded cage, and I'm not going anywhere without you."
She felt rather than saw his smile as he leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "I've convinced Klaus to let us explore the forest surrounding this place. Get some fresh air, see something besides these walls."
A shiver ran down Katherine's spine at the sensation of his breath against her ear.
Her boy-god was learning her own tricks, it seemed - using proximity and whispered words to create intimacy, to seduce.
The student becoming the master in small, delightful ways.
"Have you now?" she replied, keeping her voice steady despite the effect he was having on her. "And what did that cost you?"
"Just a promise to be back for a family dinner." His tone made it clear what he thought of Klaus's attempts at creating familial bonds. "Apparently, his siblings are waking up today."
Lucien stood, taking her hand in his to pull her up from the bed.
As their palms pressed together, Katherine felt it - the jaguar mark on his right hand, the brand of sacrifice that bound him to five ancient gods.
Hatred flared within her at the sensation. That mark represented everything she loathed - a threat to her god, a burden he should never have had to bear.
As they walked toward the living room, Katherine became aware of the first subtle signs of withdrawal.
Her hands occasionally trembled, and an uncomfortable warmth began spreading through her body - the early symptoms of her craving for Lucien's blood.
She carefully kept her discomfort from showing on her face, unwilling to confront it right now.
When they reached the living room, they found Klaus and Elijah seated with leather-bound books of poetry.
The domestic scene might have been comical if not for who the two were. Lucien ignored them completely, heading straight for the glass doors leading to the grounds.
"Ahem." Klaus cleared his throat pointedly. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Lucien stopped, his shoulders tensing slightly. After a moment of loaded silence, he sighed. "Good morning, Klaus."
A satisfied smile spread across Klaus's face. "Good morning, son. Now, was that so hard?"
"Very," Lucien replied flatly, turning back toward the door.
As Lucien unlocked the door, Klaus called after him, "Don't be out too long. Today is when your aunts and uncles awake, and I want them to meet you."
Katherine suppressed a smile at the flash of irritation that crossed Lucien's face at the words "aunts and uncles."
Despite how much she loathed Klaus, she couldn't deny that her god was cute even when he looked annoyed.
As they stepped outside, she caught Elijah's lingering gaze on Lucien - assessing.
The sight made her bristle internally.
She had always hated Elijah more than Klaus, in some ways.
Klaus had never pretended to be anything but a monster, while Elijah's false nobility and empty promises of protection had nearly cost her everything.
He acted like he was her friend. He was the one with his false pretenses, disarmed her, made her think that she was safe.
That she was finally out of her parents' shadows and her life was going to turn around well for her after having taken the eye of noblemen.
Thinking she would be married and have a happy life, not knowing that they had intended her to be a sacrifice on their altar, while making sure they didn't get too close to their lamb, to not compromise themselves, isolating her.
He and his damned loopholes. He promised protection - but never specified for how long.
--------------------
The forest surrounding Klaus's mansion was lush and vibrant, a stark contrast to the tension they'd left behind.
Morning light filtered through the canopy, creating dappled patterns on the forest floor.
Birds called to one another overhead, seemingly unconcerned by the predators walking beneath them.
"This island is beautiful," Katherine observed, breathing in the scent of pine and earth. "I wonder how Klaus acquired it."
"Probably killed the previous owner," Lucien replied dryly. "Or compelled them to sign it over before killing them."
Katherine laughed softly. "You're learning."
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, following a natural path through the trees.
Katherine was acutely aware of her body's growing discomfort - the tremors in her hands becoming more frequent, perspiration beginning to gather at her hairline despite the cool morning air.
Her gums ached with the need to extend her fangs, a phantom hunger that no amount of regular blood could satisfy.
The forest gradually opened to reveal a small meadow bathed in sunlight.
At the far end, lounging on a rocky outcropping, lay a magnificent lion. Its tawny mane caught the light, giving it the appearance of wearing a golden crown.
"Look," Lucien whispered, his eyes lighting up with fascination.
Katherine placed a cautionary hand on his arm. "Careful. Even I wouldn't approach a wild lion without good reason."
Indeed, she'd need a good reason, because she knows she'd kill it with ease when it attacks her.
Lucien smiled, a hint of that confidence of his shining through. "It'll be fine."
He approached the predator slowly but with unwavering purpose.
The lion noticed him, rising to its feet.
It didn't retreat, its pride preventing any show of fear, but neither did it attack - something in Lucien's approach gave it pause.
Katherine watched, transfixed, as Lucien came to stand directly before the massive cat.
He slowly raised his hand, palm hovering inches above the lion's head, not quite touching. Their eyes locked in a silence that was only broken by the lion's ever increasing growls and roars.
The moment stretched, tension vibrating in the air between boy and beast.
Katherine could pinpoint the exact instant when instinctual understanding dawned in the lion's eyes - the recognition that this small human could destroy it with a thought but was choosing mercy instead.
The great cat went silent first and lowered its gaze, a subtle dip of its massive head before it raised it again to meet Lucien's palm.
It accepted to submit.
To fall under the protection of this mighty being.
Katherine felt an awful lot of empathy towards what was happening before her.
Recognizing how similar her own situation has been - approaching Lucien initially as a potential tool for her survival, only to recognize something far greater than she had thought.
Like the lion, she had made her choice to yield to someone who could destroy her but chose not to.
The difference, she realized, was that while the lion submitted from pure instinct and self-preservation, her submission had evolved into something... deeper.
She understood Lucien. And he understood her.
This made her want to be with him not only out of fear, but... Relief.
Peace. At being finally seen in a way that didn't put her in danger.
Still, the irony wasn't lost on her.
"I think I'll call him Leo," Lucien announced, now scratching behind the lion's ears as if it were an oversized housecat. The beast leaned into his touch, eyes half-closed in pleasure.
"How original," Katherine drawled, though she couldn't help smiling at the sight.
"Sometimes the classics are best," Lucien replied with a grin.
Leo began following them as they continued their exploration, padding silently behind like a massive guardian.
Occasionally, the lion would disappear into the underbrush only to reappear minutes later, sometimes with small game it had caught.
It would place these offerings before Lucien, who accepted them with courtesy that seemed to satisfy the beast.
By midday, they had discovered a small freshwater pool fed by a spring. Lucien knelt to drink, the lion mimicking his actions beside him.
"Let's play a game," Lucien suggested, wiping water from his lips. "Hide and seek."
Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Really? How old are you again?"
"It's been thirteen years since I was born, Kat." he answered with a smirk.
Unknown to her though, he specified it this way, since he dislikes lying to loved ones, but in no way wants to ever reveal his reincarnation - this way he isn't lying to her, despite being mentally older.
"Touché." Katherine found herself smiling despite the increasing discomfort of withdrawal. Her hands were shaking more noticeably now, and sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool air. "But it's hardly fair. You can sense my emotions."
Lucien raised a playful eyebrow. "And you can hear my heartbeat and breathing from a mile away. You don't hear me complaining."
He had her there.
Katherine had memorized the unique rhythm of Lucien's heartbeat so completely that she could identify it among thousands.
It was a sound that brought her comfort - a constant reminder of him being just there.
Making her feel safe.
"Fine," she conceded. "But no psychic tricks."
"No vampire speed," he countered.
Their game continued through the afternoon, Leo watching their antics with curiosity.
Katherine's withdrawal symptoms intensified - her hands shook continuously now, sweat soaked through her clothes, and her vision occasionally blurred.
Still, she persisted in hiding her condition from Lucien, determined to break her dependence.
As the day waned toward evening, they settled in an open field near the ocean.
They sat beneath a tree, Leo lounging beside them like a guardian statue.
Lucien stroked the lion's mane absently while Katherine leaned against the tree trunk, her withdrawal now reaching a breaking point.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably, sweat drenched her clothes, and her vision swam in and out of focus. She could no longer hide her condition - Lucien who had noticed, giving her space, finally confronted her about it, reaching for her hand with concern etched on his features.
"Drink," he said simply, offering his wrist.
Katherine shook her head firmly. "No."
"Katerina." Just her name, spoken once, with such care and understanding that it nearly broke her resolve.
"I can't keep doing this," she began, trying to explain why she needed to break this. "I need to-"
Her words cut off as the world shifted again.
For the second time that day, everything around her turned gray while Lucien transformed into that being of perfect twilight.
This time, however, the vision didn't frighten her - it intensified her hunger, as if seeing his true nature greatened something inside of her.
She at first tried to resist it, but the pull was almost... compulsonary. This felt different from only hunger for his blood, it's like she felt that if she rejected this- rejected him, she would be rejecting...
Eternity.
When her vision returned to normal, Katherine just began following... instinct.
With a resigned sigh, she took Lucien's offered wrist and bit into it, her fangs sinking into his flesh - for a moment surprising him at her actually giving in so easily compared the past few days.
Leo growled, a rumbling sound of protective warning, until Lucien gently shushed the beast. "It's okay," he murmured, stroking the lion's mane reassuringly. "She needs this."
As Katherine drank, suddenly her awareness expanded.
If her eyes were open right now they would be blown wide.
She could... See.
She could feel so much. So, so much.
And she could hear too. Hear things she's never heard before. Sounds she never knew, but somehow understood.
She heard The Heaven speak, singing... praises?
"Twilight,"
"The Prince of Dusk,"
She could hear The Earth whispering reverence.
"Son of God,"
"Messiah,"
And countless other praises, ones she could not even begin to understand the meaning behind their calling.
While still drinking, Katherine's body began to suddenly illuminate with pure white light and darkness - the essence of twilight itself.
Lucien's eyes widened in wonder as he saw this. For a moment he thought about pulling back his wrist, pushing her away, but for some reason every instinct he had felt that this was...
Right.
Meant to be.
The light and darkness shifted and flowed around her form, the darkness eventually coalescing into wings - not bat-like vampire wings, but feathered angel wings of deepest black.
Her entire body glowed with white light as she continued to drink from his wrist.
The only thing that could be heard in this silence was the sound of her drinking and drinking and drinking till she could no longer drink.
Lucien could feel himself weaken, yet he still felt that he was safe, just becoming more sleepy.
He could feel that he still had so much within that even if she drank for an entire hour more that, there would be more to give, for some reason.
With the sound of shattering glass, reality shifted and it was done.
The light and darkness faded, returning Katherine to her normal appearance, though something fundamental had changed at the soul level.
When she opened her eyes, they briefly flashed with golden light before returning to normal.
She pulled away from Lucien's wrist, both of them feeling a... each other. Knowing where the other is without need for eyes or hearing or touch.
Katherine herself felt invincible.
She felt stronger than ever before. She with wonder, feeling the need to test herself, raised her palm toward the sea and, made a simple casual gesture.
Nothing happened.
Then suddenly, the wind picked up, it picked up and picked up till it created a massive cyclone of water that reached toward the sky.
Both Lucien and Katherine could only stare with fascination at the beauty of it.
When she finally released her control, the water crashed back into waves.
"That was..." she began, unable to find words adequate enough to describe what had just happened.
"Incredible," Lucien finished, looking slightly pale from blood loss but otherwise awed. "You evolved."
Katherine turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Evolved? Really?"
"What would you call it?"
"Not that," she replied firmly. "I'm not a Pokémon, Lucien."
---------------------
As sunset approached - after Katherine fed Lucien some of her blood to heal him - they began their journey back to the mansion.
Lucien, tired still, rode on Leo's back while holding Katherine's hand as they walked. The lion seemed perfectly content to serve as Lucien's mount, carrying him with regal dignity.
"I'm serious," Lucien insisted, continuing their conversation. "You definitely evolved. Is that a vampire thing I don't know about, or a you thing?"
"Neither," Katherine replied firmly. "Vampires aren't like werewolves - we don't have evolutionary paths. This is..." she paused, considering. "This is probably a you thing."
As she spoke, Katherine realized she felt truly full for the first time since beginning to drink Lucien's blood.
Unlike before, when she would drink until her stomach was physically full yet still crave more, she now felt completely satisfied.
The compulsive need that had driven her to the edge of control seemed to have vanished, replaced by this feeling of... connection between them.
A feeling that by the minute just felt more and more peaceful and pleasurable, especially with her touching him as she held his hand.
Like he was a bottemless ocean of life, and she could feel it against her, relieving.
As they approached the mansion, both Lucien and Katherine sensed three powerful new presences inside.
They exchanged knowing glances before proceeding to the glass doors of the living room - not before Lucien though told Leo to stay put outside.
Opening the doors, they entered to find Rebekah, Kol, and Finn seated on a couch facing Klaus, with Elijah positioned on a third couch slightly apart from the others.
Klaus looked over his shoulder, arms spread across the back of the couch in a display of casual dominance. "Ah, finally you're back," he said with his characteristic smirk.
"Almost thought I'd have to send someone after the two of you."
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
I hope you all liked it.
Before anyone asks though - the reason Katherine didn't fly her and Lucien away, was because Klaus would instantly sense that and appear before them, and put them on house arrest again.
No reason to throw away the new freedom they now have.
Well, do tell me how you found Katherine's... evolution.
Despite her hating to call it that.
I hope you guys are interested by it. Do you think she'd have the same ever returning nature Dracula has or nah, and something more uniquely hers?
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)