The Vampire Diaries type TV Show network The CW

When it dips to around 50 degrees outside, the Atlanta, Ga., set of The Vampire Diaries feels even colder–downright bitter. Space heaters are a must, and it’s not uncommon to see crew members walking around with the puffer jackets you might think only Northerners wear during the winter months. Try doing a shirtless scene in that.

Yes, spending a few shivery hours on set will give you new respect for what the actors on The CW’s monster hit drama endure, but it’s all in the name of nail-biting TV. And there’s definitely more of that to come.

On Thursday, we pick up immediately where the last new episode left off, with Klaus and Elijah once again coming face-to-face (after Klaus stabbed him!) and, later, hosting a dinner party with the Salvatore brothers. “I think there’s definitely an element of fear–not necessarily afraid of what Elijah will do–but what it will mean for Elijah and their relationship,” Joseph Morgan told a group of reporters over brunch during EW’s visit to vamp land. “Their relationship has been founded on a lie that’s 1,000 years old, and so it’s a huge deal. He’s gotten away with it for a while.” (Ian Somerhalder jokes, “Geez, I used to lie to my brother for a couple of weeks and he’d be livid.”)

Meanwhile, says Morgan, the dinner party will put many of the feelings between the three front and center, making for a tense meeting. “This is going to be interesting because there’s all of that feeling, all of that tension from all of the fights and manipulation and history that’s been going on between these guys sitting around the dinner table,” he says. “It’s like a game of poker.”

Neither, however, are taking bets on how long it will be until the Elena-Stefan-Damon love triangle will find resolution. “I want what’s going to be the most interesting to happen,” says Somerhalder. “I don’t really know. Julie [Plec] was here for five days and I didn’t get anything out of her. I think Matt or Tyler or even the family dog would have a better chance of getting Elena than Damon would. The things this man has done to this teenage girl, it’s insurmountable amount of bad.”

Of course, that hasn’t stopped uber-baddie Klaus from thinking he might have a chance with Caroline (Candice Accola), whom he’s shown feelings for in recent episodes. For that, EW turned to Accola, who assured that the show is “definitely not rushing through any story lines [between Klaus and Caroline right now]. There are promo pictures of Klaus and Caroline dancing at the ball, but it doesn’t go from 0 to 60 by any means in a romantic way.”

For more on the pair’s budding romance and what fans can look forward to (new characters! another flashback episode! And “a very unsuspecting being that’s creating a lot more turmoil than any viewer might think”) watch our on-set chat with Accola below. (Can you guess where we filmed it?) And stay tuned for more from our quality time with the cast.