A/N: This story has no relevance to any TVD storyline. The only similarity is the idea of the Originals, their characters and their names. Without that factor linking it to TVD it would; otherwise, be completely unrelated to TVD. I intend for this to be a long story so I hope you enjoy the ride.
-1-
I don't have a name. It's whatever you want it to be.
I say as much or as little as you wish. Once told my orders I kill the ones who become an obstacle. By many, I am known as the Guardian.
Right now, I'm dressed in one of my most preferred styles; incognito.
An all in one slimming suit of black with the addition of thick combat boots, a bronzed breastplate, fitted bronze cuffs and a heavy, black helmet with a reflective face guard. All with specific details adapted to make my powers even more inhuman, their intricate designs indicating a time I was once from.
Tonight, I was protecting a girl; an interesting girl at that. She had the ability to read the minds of humans and the possibility of others… an ability that was an extremely wanted talent, an extremely dangerous talent.
She was innocent and young, too young to be entwined with the business of these creatures.
She was scared, that was easy to sense if not see, but she pretended to be brave. I instantly admired her. She perched herself upon the lobby sofa, her legs swinging slightly as they didn't quite reach the floor. Her waves of golden locks trailed down her back; her wide, eyes, decorated with fair lashes, rested upon the heavy oak doors in front. The slight furrow of her light brows indicated her apparent concentration.
I wasn't sure of the range of her ability, what distance she was capable of mentally reaching but she was listening to something.
I stood by her side. Tall, still, alert. My orders had been delivered, my actions highlighted- I was to protect this girl and if anyone was to interfere, death was plagued upon them.
Surrounding the girl were four others dressed similar to me but nowhere near as impressive. They reeked of arrogance. This girl was owned by a well-known vampire, an aristocrat in a despicable society, and tonight he was show casing his most impressive gift.
He was selling this girl.
Of course, I was not informed of these details, I merely discovered them. You learn tricks with a job like mine; you become friends, acquaintances, with the most interesting people. And however, sick I felt at the irrevocable outcome for this girl, I would do my job; it didn't mean I had to be cold hearted about it all.
I crouched down next to her small form; I saw the slight crease plaguing her forehead dissolve as her bright eyes glanced towards me. They soon flickered forward again and her fear ignited, I wasn't surprised. My appearance caused such a response; it was the reason for it but not to her.
With a soft twitch of my fingers and quick snap my face guard lifted. The girl slowly turned back to me.
"Who are you listening to?" I asked softly, hoping the visible raise of my cheekbones through the gap of my faceguard indicated my light smile.
She looked away for a moment, her small, fair fingers entangling one another upon her cotton dress before she spoke.
"Some bad men in there are talking about me." She whispered, the swinging of her feet coming to a slow halt.
"Oh, and what do these bad men say?"
I saw her swallow, I felt her fear; her worries swell as her olive eyes came into line with my own.
"That they're going to claim me." I heard the quiver of her voice; I couldn't ignore the hard clench of my heart. "That's a bad thing isn't it?"
The other guards began to tilt their heads in our direction but I paid no attention, I could kill them all is they muttered a single word of our interaction.
"What's your name?" I already knew it was Aurora, that she was five and an orphan from birth.
"Aurora." She answered quietly, her eyes glancing to a pair of vampires who just walked past, her heart rate rising ever so slightly.
"Aurora, you need to know something." Her eyes shot back to mine, her teeth embedding her pink, bottom lip. "I'm here to protect you, so no matter what happens, if you need me- I will be there, OK?"
I watched her take it all in, watched the flush of her cheeks fade and with it her heart beat settled.
"Promise?" She asked so gently, I hadn't noticed her small fingers now following the swirls upon my cuffs.
"I promise." I nodded softly to my words.
Aurora managed a brief smile; I returned it before slowly slotting my face guard back in place. Her eyes drifted away from mine then and out of pure instinct, I brushed a lock of hair away from her cheeks causing that smile to once again appear.
Then I was stood and instants after the doors opened for us to commence through.
The other guards needn't follow us through; they were also just a show. A show of power for the spectators but in here few were allowed.
The walls were draped with heavy velvet in rich tonnes of red and gold. The room was dimly lit by hundreds of flickering candles and the odd chandlers lowered from the ceiling. A long oak table sat in the middle of the wide room and besides the chairs accompanying it, they were the only objects within here.
I thought the room was tacky.
I had already calculated, noted and analysed the beings within the room. Vampires, werewolves, witches and humans all integrated into three groups, the girl I protected belong to the second most powerful member within this room; his name is Darius.
His party contained a prestigious warlock, very suited for this occasion of show-and-tell, a werewolf whose temper was as fickle as a flame and me.
Some assumed I was a demon brought from another realm, others; a machine that kept being re-built. Most didn't try to place me as anything because there was no point; you just needed to know I was deadly, a monster.
Aurora hesitantly took her place next to Darius, accompanying a smaller version of his black, leather chair. I took residence directly next to her, the warlock and wolf behind us both.
From here, I re-analysed. I marked my threats and I organised my plans, escape exits; techniques. This is when I made myself focus upon my main concern.
Klaus: an original.
He sat directly opposite with his party of threats; no one stirred anything within me as much as he did. My fingers pulsed at his presence. The room was filled with polite murmurs and a collaboration of noise all of which seemed to disappear as I watched him.
He was not only the most powerful member within this room but he was stronger than me.
His brother: Elijah, another original, sat beside him and behind them, a small tanned witch with long dark hair and narrowed eyes. She'd already noted me; I smiled sourly even though it was concealed.
At that moment there was a small tug at my gloved hand, I cursed silently. I couldn't allow the others to see my response to this girl but she tugged again and I knew that would cause more distraction so I knelt.
"That lady likes you." She whispered so innocently, not realising a few near heard and also a few far away.
All I could do was take a breath and stand back to attention. Luckily, not all took note of my little interlude; unfortunately, Klaus did.
"Shall we begin tonight's agenda?" A mature looking vampire with a bob of silver hair silenced the room; her yellow eyes took in the room landing upon me for what felt an age before continuing. "Darius, please take the room."
All eyes raced towards the tall, overweight vampire next to me, he was at ease in a stylish black and magenta suit and slicked back grey hair. A silver cane with a wolf's head rested beneath his podgy fingers, decorated with thick, gold rings, all for show.
These social conventions were his environment and it wasn't the first time I had accompanied one of his 'items' to a bidding war. Of course, that was exactly what this was and would turn out to be. A war.
"Gentleman," Darius' deep voice filled the room, his violet eyes quickly glanced to the previous female before adding "and Ladies" with a brief smirk. Darius' charm was always overtly dramatized.
"I doubt I need to introduce my girl here, we all know what she is capable of and now I am offering that gift to you..." His hungry gaze swept the room, "For a price."
I felt Aurora shift uncomfortably, I wanted to reassure her but that was no good in this situation. My hand dangled next to the skin of her arm, thankfully, her breath began to regulate slightly.
Quicker than you could imagine, bids began to form. The first was one million and after that they never stopped, the silver haired women kept track, constantly scrolling down numbers upon the parchment in a blur, all the while the offers came more and more viciously. The arguments becoming louder and more visual, the three groups fighting with one another about options no one wanted- the noise erupted into shouts and beckoning and finally, one snapped.
It was a werewolf, typically. They tended to get caught up in the moment, the heat of argument, the little threats and sly remarks. Soon, there was a half transitioned wolf pouncing towards my girl.
We had all seen him but no one reacted, the vampires stayed seated- bored. The witches prepared but not talking action. There was no need when I was in the room.
He was a meter from her and then I was directly in front of him. He snarled, his clawed hand swiping for my face. I caught it, snapped it and threw my head sharply forward. My helmet made a cracking noise, the wolf's head made a louder one as our skulls made powerful contact and then he was down.
I'd already grabbed him by his mane of black, matted hair, pulling him off the ground as my other hand delved into his chest, between his ribs. A guttural groan burst from his mouth as he spat blood, whilst my fingers constricted around his erratic heart and-
"No!"
My fingers clenched, the wolf screeched. All eyes raced to the small voice behind me but I couldn't listen, I couldn't walk away from this.
My fingers clenched tighter until the organ within my palm began to stutter, he spluttered and then it just stopped. He wouldn't be making another sound.
Normally, I would have flung his body back to the party it came but instead I dropped him softly to the ground and was instantly next to Aurora.
I could hear her gentle whimpers and it killed me. I could commit murder, torture but not bare the murmured whimper of a child. I wanted to say sorry, I wanted to hush her and say I had no choice, it was expected and if I hadn't someone else would and they would have made such a mess.
But I couldn't say such things, not now.
I allowed the wolf's warm blood to trickle down my hand and drop from my fingertips in pure, heavy silence.
"Fifty million." A deep voice called from across the table, "And ten of that will be from the wolf's party."
There was cold silence. Klaus' voice echoed throughout the room, his dark eyes perched upon the small group whose leader, a muscular vampire with a bald head and heavy accent looked nervous- no one blamed him.
Another painful silence, a slight shift from Aurora and a concluding nod from all the remaining members.
It was finally over.
"Fantastic!" Darius bellowed, now being stood and ushering Aurora to do the same, they made their way towards Klaus. I instantly followed.
The remaining groups began to leave in silence, I was sure they all had something to say about tonight's events but not while Klaus was in the room.
"She will do wonders for you, Klaus. She's a rarity this one, a one off deal!" Darius continued to sell his product with all his sickening worth.
I once again felt the tug upon my hand. I glanced around the room before looking down. Klaus, Elijah, Darius, I and Aurora were all that was left. I sighed; if I was never to see this girl again I might as well make her feel slightly comforted.
I knelt beside her, she made a movement which consisted of her waving a hand in front of her eyes and I presumed she meant the removal of my face guard.
My fingers went to the latch but the guard stayed in place, I frowned. Attempted the action again until relisation dawned, my previous action with the werewolf must have broken the electronics of my helmet.
Great, that would be a wad out of my pay check for Christen. I looked back to Aurora and slowly shook my head, her shoulders immediately sunk, her lip quivered and her bright eyes began to glisten with new tears.
I couldn't leave it like this, who knows what was to happen to this innocent girl after my departure? Darius has seen me many times before; did it really matter if the originals caught a glimpse? They would hardly remember me.
Whilst I thought all this through I saw her chest begin to rise and fall with pure panic. With a silent curse I removed my helmet, placing it upon the floor next to me.
Even with tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, her small smile made going against my rulings worth it. Hopefully, Darius wouldn't deduct my pay by much.
"Oh, are we happy now?" I asked playfully, seeing her small smile become full and a small laugh escape.
"You're pretty," she smiled, looking to the ground and then back. I couldn't help my own smirk, children were so naïve- I was the ugliest person there was.
No sooner than her smile appeared it was gone, her face full of dread once more. "What happens to me now?"
I knew exactly what happened now but I couldn't be the one to explain it. She would be branded, claimed by either Klaus or Elijah, and that was never pleasant. She would possibly be compelled, used as a weapon, depleted of her emotions. And from then on her sweetness and beauty and innocence will be turned into nothingness, she'll be nothing but an object of power in this hierarchy world.
But I couldn't tell her that, so I smiled and brushed the wisp of hair from her eyes, removed the tears from her cheeks with the leather of my thumb. She never managed to smile back.
"Guardian!"
And that was my name for the evening. Shoving the helmet under my arm I gradually stood, waiting for Darius's next words, ignoring the two brothers now watching me.
"Will you escort Aurora to her new home?" It wasn't a question but the polite tone made the demand less visible.
"That isn't a part of my contract." I replied calmly, our eyes locking.
"Neither is removing your helmet on duty." He smirked, his arrogance making my fist clench. "Unless you don't want my services anymore, unless you want to end your contract early?"
Another threat.
Darius tended to become this way after bidding wars, money made him this way; arrogant and unable to see clear. I had many other clients, better clients whose work didn't make me feel sick to my stomach but it wasn't the money.
He had a weapon, a weapon engineered by witches to end me. I couldn't be sure that it would work but I didn't want to take the risk, not until I was truly sick of this world and what Darius made me do.
I was prepared to end it. Here and now, say 'fuck you', snap his neck, take the girl and receive my punishment from his minions.
But, I bit my tongue when I saw the smile she was sending my way. It wasn't my time to go yet, but it surely would be after I did this.
"Fine." I smirked, grinding my teeth behind my lips.
"Fantastic!" Darius bellowed once more, turning to face the brothers. I followed suit, trying to keep my eyes upon the floor- trying to evaluate what exactly I had just done. "Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you, Klaus."
Darius extended his hand, Klaus simply stared at it. I raised my eyes to catch the predatory look Klaus directed into Darius, I saw Darius lose his cockiness and smug smile. With one small movement from Klaus, the slight tilt of his head, Darius retreated without another word.
Aurora had already hidden herself behind my legs.
Klaus seemed to stare in the direction from which Darius left for an age, until his eyes finally landed on me.
I didn't react. I simply stood, concealing myself- my eyes boring into his cold blue. Knowing who Klaus was meant I knew how to react around him, you just didn't.
He was strong and his temperament could be considered worse than a werewolf but he was calculated and driven and always got what he wanted.
I had never been this close to a being that was stronger than me, in all manners of the word and suddenly, I became protective of the small form clinging to my legs.
Suddenly, I began to realise how dangerous this man was. The sharp line of his jaw covered by stubble, the harsh edge of his cheek bones and the intensity of his eyes that only moments ago seemed dark and held a deadly threat, now, seemed curious but all screamed danger- power.
Klaus is an attractive man but no more than he is powerful and he knew that. He plays upon those factors like the predator he is, because he is far more than just a vampire.
He's a hybrid- just like me.
And by the way his lips lifted into a small, cunning smirk, I had a feeling he'd already figured that out.