Three is about to be a crowd on The Vampire Diaries.

At the TV Critics Winter Press Tour, star Nina Dobrev said her character of Elena is about to take an unwanted road trip with Damon. But this adventure will allow her to see a new side to the more devious Salvatore sibling.

"Now that the necklace is off, she's very vulnerable," Dobrev said, referring to Elena's choice to ditch her vervain-inspired jewelry on the 2009 finale. "In the next episodes we're going to see there's going to be a lot of Damon and Elena."

Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder (Damon) will share passionate scenes of another kind in the near future, too: the show will once again flashback to 1864 and depict more of Katherine and Damon's relationship.

"There's a big episode coming up that's all about Katherine," Dobrev said. "I love playing her because she's everything I'm not and I can get it all out of my system. I actually have modeled the character after Ian's performance of Damon, because he does it so well."

As for other Vampire Diaries tidbits and spoilers revealed at the event:

• Vicki is definitely dead;
• Mia Kirshner will debut, via a flashback, as Alaric's wife on the show's returning January 21 episode;
• "The cork will be pulled on the whole basement thing," said producer Kevin Williamson. "Before the first season is over."

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.