Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.


His First HybridA Pleasant Surprise

August 24, 2010 – Smoky Mountains, Tennessee –

"Ray, pick up your damn phone!" I growled into the beeping voicemail, flipping the cellphone shut and jamming the device back into the back of my jeans. I was fucking irritated at this point, especially when I seemed to have a temper issue on the day/night of the full moon, but I also didn't particularly like to be asked to purchase more tents and camping supplies.

I, truthfully and honest to whoever's higher out there, did not like the woods. I may be a Werewolf, and perhaps I've been one longer than most in terms of my age being only twenty-four, but I damn-well loathed the forests. A lot of people believe that when werewolves wake up, they are clueless of the previous night and what they have done, and that is partially true. But some, the more experienced, can receive nightmares or daydreams – flashes of your fangs sinking into the fur of rabbits' skin and bones, warm blood splashing onto your tongue – and the sickening aspect of it all, is that what your remember is something you would not mind doing again, and you enjoyed it.

It sickened me – but being a werewolf was a part of me, and I could not deny the fact that some things had its perks, while other things had its cons. Nearing the campsite, I threw down the grocery bags of the nearest convenient store I had located earlier, but paused – the soles of my trainers frozen against the leaves and twigs beneath my feet. It was quiet, very quiet.

I knew, that if I could virtually hear the crickets chiming and the toad frogs croaking – that something was dreadfully wrong. Eyes flashing a vibrant gold, my vision enhanced from the small feat of power – something I had learned as a second alpha to this pack, but it did not seem like a feat when I finally saw the horror and gore around me.

Bodies littered the forests floor, some facedown, others lying against a tree, on their back, huddled to each other for a pained comfort. I didn't understand what was happening, and terror reverberated through my entire system as I viewed some of my closest friends. My hand shot up to cover my mouth, because I knew that whoever had done this, there was a chance they were still present in the premises of the area.

That was – until I saw my sister. A choked cry broke free from my clamped hands, and I collapsed to her side as tears streamed down my face. She was lying on her side, fresh blood caked underneath her eyes and the sticky substances causing her hair to cling to her abnormally pale face. "Paige!" I moaned in dread, gently grabbing her shoulders, twisting her on her back and unleashing another deep cry when I saw her caved chest – her heart missing from the cavity. "Noooooo!"

Internal pain ruptured through me, and I was uncertain if it was near time for me two shift, or if it was the agony of seeing my only family left lying dead on the ground. Hands shaking, mouth parted as I wept, I clenched my teeth and fought to not sob uncontrollably. She was the only reason I had assisted Ray in gathering a pack, she'd encouraged me, explaining that my abilities as a werewolf were uncommon – that I could be powerful.

Paige had been my light when things had grown dark – and she was now prone in a puddle of her own blood.

Looking up sharply, I widened my eyes at the sight of a man. He was tall, with cerulean blue eyes, a chiseled face, and hair that I was uncertain of in this lighting. When his eyes flashed amber, black veins darkening prominently above his high cheekbones – I knew who he was, and the thought was terrifyingly painful when I comprehended that he had done this. "You," I gasped, my glowing glare cutting into his own. "You did this."

"Oh, well look – a pleasant surprise," he responded.

Peering down once at Paige, I pinched my lips together before whirling around and sprinting away with all of the speed I could muster. I knew I could resist transition for a while, but the full moon made me severely weak. Stumbling down the hill I had been trekking up earlier, I caught myself almost falling several times. My knees felt like jello, my whole body was burning with the need to shift to my monstrosity other-half.

The full moon blared down at me mockingly, its light showing me a path through the trees to where my natural instincts would take me to my Ford Explorer down at the bottom of the mountain, the valley. The set of keys in my front right pocket felt as if it was burning, scorching through the material of my jeans against my thigh.

I knew who Niklaus Mikaelson was, rumors had spread like wild fire when news had broken out that he had accomplished in breaking his curse – that he was now a Werewolf/Vampire Hybrid. His age was what set me off into a panic, though, because I knew that being over a thousand year's old gave him experiences that many could not come to dwell in understanding – I felt as if he knew my next move, that he knew my next words, my next breath – simply because he has existed for such a prolonged period.

I almost scoffed a hysterical laugh when my Nike-cladded left foot jammed itself between the forests floor and a deracinated tree root. It was straight out of one of those cliché killer flicks, and I was fucking one of those girl's in the little-to-none clothing while screaming their heads off. Instead of my knees impacting against the ground first, my body decided to twist itself while descending. On normal circumstances, that was a dumb move – but I was resisting transition, I was in a half-mind of losing the movements of my limbs to begin with.

Uncomfortable heat flared through my ankle, and my fists clenched as the bone cracked and even the soothing warmness my senses provided as it began automatically mending did not soften my erratic nerves. I scrambled to my feet, stumbling, but tensed when a new presence alerted me through smell. Growling animalistic, I pivoted on my good foot and scowled into the face of Niklaus Mikaelson.

"I am not a typical Werewolf, you abomination," I said lowly, my voice rasped with the constant urge to howl. My eyes, I could tell, were flickering between my normal dark green to a liquid gold.

"I can see that, love," Niklaus stared at me, mesmerized. He began forming a half-circle around me, his footwork graceful and his stance mirroring a predator stalking its vulnerable prey. His English accent struck a spike of fear through me, and albeit I fought to remain unaffected, it was a fleeting effort. "But please, do not be quick to bash me so easily. I mean, you are going to be my first Hybrid. My first loyal comrade in arms."

He voiced out his words as if he thought this through for days, finding and searching for errors in his scheming plan, and when he had located them, he had conquered and repaired those problematic occurrences to his immediate satisfaction – when in reality, it had been a mere few seconds. I bared my teeth at him, rage broiling through my stomach and overpowering my terror for a few short words.

"You expect me willing?" my eyes held unshed tears. "You murdered my sister! My pack!"

"Oh, yes – Ray is a wee puppy compared to yourself, is he not? An Alpha female," Niklaus's vivid blue eyes shimmered with amusement, "such a commanding, influential title." It was small at first, but his expression gradually shifting into something not human – and while his face externally remained cold and unmoving, I could see it – my inner-wolf trembled at the power unexpectedly radiating from his aura. "But you see, love, there is only one Alpha here, and that is me."

The aching and torment searing through my muscles forced me to my knees, and in a blur of a gray shirt and tan skin, Niklaus was a mere inches away from my kneeling form. His fangs were released from his upper-row of gleaming white teeth, his eyes glittering a vibrant gold with inky black flowing through his cornea. It was the most beautiful, but also the most repulsive thing I had ever witnessed.

I whimpered low in my throat when his hand flashed forward, slender fingers grazing my cheek and the pads of his fingertips brushing against my ear and into the curls of my auburn hair. "Why must you resist, love? Shift." His command was spoken with such dominance, with such clarity, I screamed when my spine shifted backwards, my head snapping back as my bones began altering and adjusting themselves. He seemed to relish in the fact of me transitioning, releasing his hold on my cheek and instead curling his fingers into my frayed hair. "That a girl," his grin was devious, "let us see what you can do, little Alpha."

My eyes rolled back into my head, and the last and priory thing I was aware of, was the gleam in Niklaus's eyes. Like he had won himself a prize, like he had great plans for me – plans that I never desired to be aware of.


August 25, 2010 – Smoky Mountains, Tennessee –

A ray of sunlight brightened my vision beneath my closed eyelids, sparking my vision a headache-worthy orange as a groan slipped past my lips, the movement of my mouth conflicting with my aching jaw. I could vaguely hear the sound of chirping birds and gentle winds breezing through the treetops, but it was distant to focus on due to all of the other things going on around me.

I forced myself to sit up, swallowing harshly as the taste of copper drifted down my throat. I could feel blood sticking to my chin, throat, and some on my bare chest and stomach. A scowl twisted my mouth as I recalled certain events from the previous night, which involved primal growls, Niklaus's cheerful and jovial laughter, as well as a lot of blood and the intense pleasure of my kills.

A twig snapped to my right. I snapped my head in that general direction in alarm. I could imagine how I looked, naked and bare, with my wild auburn hair probably unruly with twigs and leaves mixed into the tresses. If it was a hiker, they'd either gaze at me like I was insane, or just turn around and attempt to forget the events in the future. Instead, though, a scent drifted into my range – and it was the smell of a Vampire.

A teenager stepped through the foliage of the tree-line, strolling casually into the long-grassed field my wolf had made rest on. He was the same height as Niklaus, with a deep-set of forest green eyes and short dark blond hair that was currently mused and styled with products. For some odd reason, with his handsome look and generous athletic build, I imagine him with a heartwarming smile that revealed a straight row of white teeth – but instead I was gifted with a blank expression and a haunted darkness lurking beneath those emerald eyes.

"I gather this is your bag?" the boy asked, tossing me a gray duffel bag into the clearing. He seemed indifferent to my nudity, and I observed him with a sharp keenness as I gathered my shaky legs beneath me. There was two graffiti names across the side, something that Paige had drew to label her and my stuff when we took these camping trips for the weekends every full moon.

"You gathered right," I replied tensely. Without looking up at him, I zipped open the bag and yanked out my pair of sports bra and underwear. I had brought a pair of shorts, but decided to snag Paige's ripped jeans instead, because I had a feeling that there was not going to be much hiking today. Next, I yanked on my black tank top, as well as the ankle combat boots I had dragged along. My hair was a lost cause, so I simple raked my fingers through it, trying to get most of the leaves, dirt, and twigs free by shaking it around.

I searched in a side-pocket of the duffel, clasping my sister's silver ring that she had placed in there, knowing that the shifting would have happened last night, and she had not been willing to risk losing the family heirloom. Glancing upward, sharply, I gritted my teeth when realizing that the Vampire had not yet taken his eyes off of me – so getting the stake free of the bag was going to be a no-go.

"All done," I announced, standing up and brushing my palms against the thighs of my jeans. My footsteps were wary as I approached the seemingly teenage boy, but he was merely stiff and silent. "May I ask of your name?"

"Why?" he asked, the word coming out snappish.

"Well, considering Niklaus is technically taking me unwillingly, I guess I should know the name of the vampire that will be undoubtedly keeping watch over me." I rolled my eyes, moving my shoulders and stretching my arms, attempting to relieve the rigid muscles underneath my skin.

"Stefan," he answered shortly.

"Such an old and uncommon name," I mused. "You can address me as werewolf."

"That's not your real name," he responded in a low tone of dark sarcasm, his voice snide.

"Of course not, I would never dare to ever give an important thing to such as you my true name," I bared my teeth at him, olive eyes igniting with a deep animosity. "And you would do well to remember that, vampire."

Something curled the edges of his mouth, and before I could blink, he had his hand on my shoulder, his fingernails digging into my surprisingly pallid skin. "Listen, werewolf, you would do well to not use that kind of attitude in front of Klaus – you may be the only werewolf he has in his possession right now, but you are replaceable, such watch that tongue."

I scoffed bitterly, but narrowed my eyes at him. His words were urgent, like he was warning, but the way he spoke – it was a threat. If I was to be disposed of, it would be by Stefan's hand, not Niklaus's. Smiling falsely, I wrenched away from his grip, strolling forward to where I could smell the Original Hybrid. I had to formulate a plan to escape from these two men, and very fast. I could snap Stefan's neck easily as long as he was not expecting it, but I was uncertain on how to get away from Niklaus. He was a puzzle – what were his weaknesses? Did he have weaknesses? I was certain a stick to the chest would at least immobile him for a few minutes (probably seconds) – but it had to be out of these mountains, somewhere public where there are plenty of places to hide and slither myself through.

Licking my lips, I steeled myself when Niklaus's form came into my peripheral vision. He was leaning against an expensive Lincoln Navigator, his arms folded across his chest and a rugged smirk turning the left side of his mouth upward. "Well, look who has arrived. Love, may I say that you look ravishing – and you did not clean off all of the blood from those tempting lips of yours."

I glowered at his words. "You have taken me captive, I would appreciate my dignity to stay intact, which means no sexual or intimate anything – no talking at all, actually, would be fine with me."

Niklaus grinned wolfishly. "I do admire a woman's passion, and I will steadily ignore your demand, for the sake of your body staying in one piece." He yanked open the passenger door and pulled out two items that caused my heart to skip a beat. The first one was a gold ring just like the one I had collected from my sister's and my duffel bag, hers was silver and mine was gold. It was a moon phase ring, the transitions carved into the sides of the rings. "I believe this is yours," he dropped the ring into my palm just as he cuffed the same wrist with the wolfsbane-laced metal.

I hissed as I was slammed into the side of the SUV, my other arm wrenched behind my back and cuffed as well. I grunted in discomfort. "What happened to 'first loyal comrade', hybrid? I believe for me to be your second, there will have to be a distinguished trust between us, yes?"

He chuckled ruefully. "You are a sly minx, love – but, unfortunately for you, I do not trust anyone. I will let that be your problem to deal with."

I began conjuring up a snarky reply, but I was shoved into the backseat of the black SUV, frowning grimly as Stefan got in beside me with an apathetic expression. My glare only grew as we departed from the mountains, my pack lying behind us with only the expectation of rotting into the forest soil.


August 26, 2010 – Chicago, Illinois –

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan, little Alpha," Niklaus announced, too enthusiastic and cheerful that it left a bad taste in my mouth. He placed the car into park outside of what seems to look like an industrial warehouse? I was not certain, due to the only source of light being from the headlights.

Stefan tensed beside me from the back, and I relaxed in my seat because I knew he was also going to get out of the car. Something about Stefan, who I learned was only a century and something old, that unnerved me. It made me want to question his motives, and why he was with the Hybrid to begin with. "What are we doing here?" Stefan asked, his back rigid as he opened the back door behind the driver's seat.

"I know how much you loved it here," Niklaus answered, yanking open a door to the side of the warehouse. "Bringing back memories of the good 'ole ripper days." Outside of the door, I could make view of blaring headlights in our direction, it was either a truck with a huge trailer on the back, or an eighteen wheeler.

"Blocked out most of them," Stefan mused absentmindedly. "A lot of blood, a lot of partying. The details are all a blur."

"Well that is a crying shame. The details are what makes it legend," he grinned like the devil he was, that he more than likely knew he was.

As they were conversing back to one another, I struggled to break the handcuffs off my wrist. The wolfsbane stung like a bitch, hurt like a bitch, and smelled like a bitch – but I was not one to give up so hastily. I yanked harshly as my eyes flickered an amber gold, growling underneath my breath when nothing happened. Abruptly though, I felt a strain in the metal of the cuffs.

SNAP!

I carefully kept my wrist pinned behind my back against the seats, eyes hooded to act as if I was exhausted from lack of sleep – which was partially the truth since Niklaus had been driving the whole day from Tennessee to Illinois. There was something about the Hybrid that drained you of energy within spending an hour in his company.

A shadow fell across me, and I glimpsed up to see Niklaus smiling, the dimples in his cheeks evident. "Greetings, love – holding up well?"

"What do you think?" I asked, resisting the urge to sneer.

"Well, I think you just made a very bad mistake." Before I could register my shock and surprise, Niklaus curled his lip into a snarl. He lunged forward and grabbed my left leg, directly behind the bend of my knee, and wrenched me toward the opening of the car door. I was not sure how he had even heard the sound of the cuffs breaking in half, but I knew this put me into a situation I could not get myself out of.

The Hybrid's fingers curled around my throat, and I gurgled a choke as he threw me forward, causing me to crash into the paved ground with a harsh slam. I braced my hands to steady my fall, the broken chains of the cuffs clinking against the asphalt. Stefan was merely a few feet away from my still position. Before I could ponder to get to my feet, a hand snatched my hair and I cried out, gasping when Niklaus turned me until I was facing him, his face directly above mine as he began walking me backwards while tightening his hold onto my curls.

"Now, what makes you think, you can do as you please, hm?" he growled.

"You expect me not to?" I swallowed. "I did not ask for this."

"It does not matter what you asked for. I expect you to follow my orders, without hesitation, and perhaps I will allow you to live after tonight." Niklaus liberated his clutch on my mane, entrusting a painful burn to radiate from my scalp as he retreated a few short steps, his eyes calculating as he studied me like I was a test subject in an experiment. "In fact," he said with a smirk, "I think that I have a challenge for you, love – a tryout, if you will."

I cringed away from his scrutiny gaze. "What are you talking about?" There was something in his expression that caused my legs to tremble.

"We're going to see my favorite witch," he explained brightly. Niklaus smiled at me, and without further ado for more suspense, he bit into his wrist and pressed it into my lips, wrapping his free arm around my waist to keep me from ripping myself away from the taste of his blood in my mouth. "If anyone can help us with our Hybrid problem, it's her."

His group loosening purposely, I staggered away and coughed into my forearm, wanting the metallic taste to expel as soon as possible.

Niklaus grinned viciously. "And my dear, you are going to be the temporarily Hybrid problem."

Before I could comprehend the horror of this situation, he grabbed my head in-between his hands, and twisted.

My sharp breath of air that I inhaled was filled with dust and the taste of cheap liquor permanently embedded into the musky air of the building. The plush leather sofa I was lying on did not comfort the intense pain radiating directly behind my eyes.

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something behind the bar. And perhaps something a little stronger for our little Alpha here."

". . . Yeah, sure thing."

I moaned softly, squeezing my eyes shut. I heard the words, "A Hybrid out to make more Hybrids", before warm, slender figures peeled one of my eyes open, and then my upper-lip. "That kind of news travels," the mysterious woman – I had to guess she was the witch – spoke with curiosity and almost distaste. "Oh honey. Stefan make that drink with the oldest I got up there . . . Has she –?"

"Been given fresh blood? Yes, she is transitioning as we speak." Klaus was indifferent. It currently made me want to rip off the smug grin he easily formed, but the only thing kept me in check was the sullen, almost desperate frown on his face. "So what am I doing wrong? I broke the curse."

"Obviously you did something wrong." The silence that Niklaus made was not one of patience. "Look, every spell has a loophole, but a curse that old . . . we'd have to contact the witch who created it."

Now perching on the edge of the sofa, I grabbed my face into my hands. So this was the 'trial' he was speaking of, transitioning me into a hybrid and seeing if I could live through it? He was a fool. I may be an Alpha Werewolf, but that doesn't mean I'm an invincible one that can resist something to this magnitude without killing myself. "Why?" I groaned. "You don't even know how to fix this!"

"Well, it seems we will have to contact the Original Witch, love," Klaus announced, calmly. "She's also very dead."

Wonderful. I unexpectedly stood up to my feet, which felt like they had lead strapped to the soles. I practically dragged myself to the bar in front of Stefan, flashing him a begrudgingly grateful smile when he placed a shot glass of Sierra Silver tequila in front of me.

"I know." the witch said. "And for me to contact her, I'll need help."

I drowned it quickly, pinching my lips tight when the alcohol scorched down my throat. I vaguely heard someone mentioning a name of "Rebekah", but it blurred in my hearing range when I realized that there was a high chance of me dying. And the last thing I want to do, was to just give up and let myself die. As weird as it sounds, that bastard Hybrid obviously sees something in me – something that could resist the transition until they can figure out this problem? Could I though? Is it simply a battle of will?

A battle of will, huh?


"No! You monster!" The screech of dread and agony was coming from a woman in the corner of the kitchen, who was holding herself up with a shaking hand against the handle of the refrigerator/freezer door. A purple bruise was blooming harshly against her right eye, and her red apron was torn at the skirt – but all she could focus on was her eleven year-old daughter who dropped the gun on the ground with a sorrowful expression.

I didn't understand why mother still sounded so afraid, and why she had called me a 'monster'. I thought that dad was the monster, it was what she regularly shouted at him when he began beating on her when he came stumbling in, drunk from a night of heavy-drinking at the bar. I'd heard her several times threaten him by a gun – but then they'd retreat to their room, and there was only silence besides an occasional high-pitched shriek.

I didn't understand. I thought I had done the right thing, and as I watched dad drop to his knees, blood pooling around the torso of his plaid flannel shirt, I still mused that everything had gone as it should have gone. Paige was at a sleepover, and now we were safe, the 'monster' was gone. I smiled hastily at mom, for some reason the shaking and shivers running through my arms and back were becoming increasingly consistent. "See momma? I did what you said!"

"No! No!" And for whatever illogical reason, the middle-aged woman dropped to her knees in front of father, grabbing his head and cradling him in her lap. "It's okay, honey. It's okay." Her eyes snapped up and she glared at me with animosity. "What are you doing?! Call the police! He needs to go to the hospital!"

"But why? I heard you say –"It felt like something sharp and long, like a poker stick straight out of a fiery furnace, had jammed itself straight into my spine. With a sharp cry, and wide eyes, I collapsed almost immediately on my side and curled into a fetus position when the agony ripping through my bones only grew more intense.

A sheen layer of sweat caked my skin, and I screamed pleadingly for help. What was happening? What was this? Was this the wrath of God, striking me down from murdering someone? But I only did what mom said she was going to do! Why am I being punished? Groaning with my voice rasped from the constant yells croaking through my throat, I struggled to get into a crawling position.

My eyes flicked to my mother's, and I began crying hysterically. "Momma, what's happening?"

What she saw, from me, plagued her with an expression of pure terror. "N-No, not you too! No! NO!"

"Oh God, i-it hurts! J-Ju – make it stop!"

It just so happened that there was a supernatural gene in my family, through my father's bloodline, and the night I just so purposely killed someone under the wrong, childish idea – it was a full moon.

That night, something took control of my body and mind and I viciously and without mercy, killed my mother and father.


I think considering that night and that following morning, I can take anything that is being forced upon me. If it is a battle of will, I can overcome this.

"What is this?"

I shook off of my ponderings when Stefan's incredulous voice spoke up, and I glanced at his gray button-up shirt, pale face, and questioning gaze before flickering my eyes at the old photograph in-between his clenched hands. I could not make out the two people in the picture, but I had a feeling one of them was the boy in question right now.

Klaus overlooked the tone in Stefan's voice, instead he responded almost mockingly and was talking as if speaking to a child. "Well, I told you Stefan." He stood up to his feet from the chair he had been resting in, his boots thumping against the wooden flooring as he took a few steps forward. "Chicago's a magical place." He was referring to the witch's strong powers to assist him with the Hybrids.

"But this is me." Stefan was a mass of confusion, as if he could not finalize what he was seeing, and how it was remotely possible. "With you." He shoved the photograph toward Niklaus, right beside my head where I leaned back and observed the gray and white picture with mild interest. They looked the same now, of course, but were wearing ruffled, undone dress shirts and Klaus's hair was shoulder-length and slicked back with oil.

I released a dry laugh and examined my empty shot glass. "Looks like I'm not the only one who needs a drink," I said with a snicker. I considered pouring myself another drink, but Niklaus gripped my wrist and tugged me from the barstool. He began dragging me toward the exit of the bar. "What? Should I not stay and let the witch do something witchy with me?"

"No," he was in a foul mood. "Without Rebekah she cannot do anything remotely useful with the curse."

The bar was only directly beside the warehouse where the coffins of Niklaus's temporarily-dead siblings were stored, so within twenty paces he was banging open the metal door to the building. I had fortunately been unfettered from his vice-like grip, him taking pity when I began complaining lowly that the transition was rendering me more sensitive to pain or contact of any. And it wasn't a false claim either – even the wind of summer felt chill and cold against my skin.

"Your sister? I knew another Original Vampire?" Stefan scoffed at the picture of him in the twenties. It seemed to me that Stefan was more tied to the Original family then he had imagined – or had been forced to forget by compulsion. It was in these moments that I was happy to be a werewolf entity, because I could not be compelled by vampires, even that of the Originals.

"If you can't handle it, then don't ask." Klaus approached a polished mahogany coffin that had been placed on a stand, dust layered the top, signaling that it had not been touched in a long while, possibly years for it to collect that much on one layer.

I leaned myself against the coffin to his left, folding my arms with a grimace as he unlatched the top-half of the casket. The woman inside was breathtakingly beautiful, despite her skin being ashen gray with veins bulging from her paper-like flesh. She looked from another era, with her fancily curled blonde hair, jeweled white dress, and pearled jewelry. She favored Niklaus though, you can tell by a mere glance from a distance of their keen and slender resemblance.

The Hybrid brushed his hand along her cheek, almost lovingly if he was capable of such a thing.

"I don't recognize her," Stefan said, studying Rebekah.

"Well, don't tell her that. Rebekah's temper is worse than mine." Well, at least he admits his faults. Niklaus gripped the dagger from his sibling's chest, yanking it out easily with the right angle so it pulled free without a hitch. He gazed at her with a nostalgic expression. "Time to take up, little sister." You would expect a smile at the end of that title, but there was no smile – he contained a blank expression. One that read: acceptance; not relief, but reluctant acceptance.

My legs were sore, almost until the point of brief bursts of pain, so I gripped the handles of the coffin behind me, and lugged myself on top into a sitting position. The ache behind my eyes was growing stronger as well. Niklaus shifted toward me when he heard the commotion of me shuffling around. A smirk formed on his face when he saw what I was doing. "Now, what is this? If Kol were back from the dead, he would snap your neck for such disrespect, love . . ."

I glowered at him. "Snapping my neck would feel better, at this point."

He finally frowned, but not in anger like you would expect. He disregarded the fact that Stefan began pacing back and forth, advancing toward me until he was prior. He beckoned with a hand. "Lean forward," he commanded. Considering he was the only person present and alive with knowledge of the curse, I did so without complaint. He widened my eyelids with his thumb and forefinger, checking thoroughly before grasping my chin and raising my upper-lip to examine my top-layer row of white teeth. "Wondrous. You are actually resisting quiet well. You should be bleeding from your eyes about now, but you are not – which leads me to believe that you are quiet our little Alpha, now aren't you?"

"And what if I was bleeding from the eyes?" I ask.

"That is easy . . . I'd rip your heart from your chest – I do not have any interest in a comrade who cannot complete a task I set before them, understand?"

I wasn't necessarily given a choice. "With all of my pain." I smiled forcefully, and he chuckled in return. When his back was facing me, though, the smile I face formed faded into a wince. I wasn't 'quiet our little Alpha' anything. The pain was near excruciating.

Klaus returned to the side of his sister's casket, holding one of the handles with both of his hands while making an impatient expression. "Any day now, Rebekah." He half-smiled at Stefan, but you easily distinguish that his forbearance was dwindling rapidly. "She's being dramatic."

Stefan placed his hands on his hips – he hadn't stopped pacing. It was obvious he had a lot on his mind, with him being here in the twenties, with him knowing Klaus and his sister without actually knowing them. "Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on?" His voice grew innocent as he now stopped pacing adjacent to Niklaus, his arms crossed and his expression intensely persistent. "I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right? Not to just babysit a dog?"

I growled at him for the insulting comment, and if I wasn't hardly able to move, I would have punched him as hard as I could. Klaus was humored by it, though, barking out a laugh. "Well, you have many useful talents. Surprisingly, that is not one – considering she could have easily escaped earlier, if I had not heard the handcuffs breaking."

Stefan was bemused.

Niklaus snapped his fingers in thought, grinning devilishly. "In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you."

The young vampire was not smiling. "Hmm."

The Hybrid smirked mysteriously, but said no more. Instead, he shoved past Stefan and offered me his arm, signaling that we were leaving the warehouse, his patience waning enough for him to not be here when his sister will awaken. After daggering someone for that many decades, though, I would want to be away from the scene as well. I was shocked that he was that courteous to assist me, but I didn't look into it too deep, I knew that this monster could catch a glance from me the wrong way and easily kill me if he wished or just felt like it.

When I was on my two feet, he began trudging ahead of us with determined steps. "I was your number one fan." He didn't swivel his head back to grin at Stefan, but it was all the more there, I was certain. As he spoke it, I could hear the undertone of sarcasm and jest in his voice.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked.

Klaus circled the bend of an isle in the warehouse, where the compelled human that had transferred his siblings' coffin on that trailer from earlier was standing obediently. "When she wakes up," he said, "tell her to meet us at Gloria's bar." That's the witch's name. "Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die." I shivered repulsively, how he could say that so freely and without a care was beyond my understanding.

"Are we going to Gloria's?" I asked. Something about the witch from earlier set off alarms in my head, but all witches set off caution – so it was not an unfamiliar feeling. Witches were bad news, in my view.

"No. Not yet."

I scowled at the disappointment. Despite the voodoo warning, alcohol was something I could take pleasure in at the moment. It might force me to relinquish some resistance on this whole Hybrid-shifting ordeal, but it could save me from some burning pain at the moment. Fuck, I needed some strong stuff, if that was going to happen.

"Where are you going?" Stefan frowned at the vague response.

Niklaus thought about his answer. "You think I'm lying, Stefan. You and I knew each other. You trusted me with one of your secrets and now I'm going to prove it to you."

"How?"

"We're going to your old apartment."

I honestly didn't care that the lock was broken on Stefan's door apartment, Niklaus seemed cautious enough, but I truthfully just wanted to sit down and bury myself into a bed or a pillow or as if right now, the floor would be comfortable enough.

As Stefan and Niklaus conversed about the fact that it has been vacant for decades, I strolled over and collapsed on top of the quilt-covered mattress with a small groan. "Dammit," I spat out. "I think I'm going to throw up," I proclaimed unsteadily.

"Easy, love, remember our discussion." Niklaus reminded as a dark expression crossed his face. Yeah, I recall the 'rip your heart out of your chest' conversation very well, thank you – of course, I was not going to say that to him. Bleeding from the eyes or puking, he would murder me in cold blood for just speaking to him in that tone of voice.

Stefan peered around in awe, a wistful frown dulling his expression. "Why'd you bring me here?"

"Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood – I never could figure out why you wanted his name." Niklaus examined me on the bed as he spoke, absently. "And then you told me your little secret." He pivoted his head in Stefan's direction, and it sounded like admiration seeping into his voice. "It was all part of your special little ritual."

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity, but the notion of what Niklaus was talking about sent my stomach doing rolls – and not the good kind.

"To write it down," Stefan whispered, slightly disoriented.

"And relive the kill . . . over and over again." As Niklaus spoke, excitement shone in his eyes.

"That is sick," I frowned, disgusted. "And you don't want me to throw up?"

Flashing me a dimpled grin, Niklaus, with a slight skip in his step, turned to the shelf that was behind him, and grabbed the sides. I propped open my mouth in amazement when I saw rows of old, bottled alcohol – completely ignoring the fact that Stefan had carved his past Ripper victims into the wall probably beside that.

And then I heard it. The transition had effortlessly arose my senses into a higher caliber, an almost inflicted caliber, and I could now hear things that I had priory not focused on as a normal Werewolf. And it was the frantic pulsing heartbeat that banged inside of a chest within the closet. For some reason, I was sympathetic – because I knew Stefan was going to tell Klaus of the innocent human on the other side of the wall.

But I waited and peered at his back as he only stared at the other participant inside of the hidden room. His expression was akin to horror and adoration – and that's when I realized he knew the person, and I was now interested in this development. "Look what I found," Stefan announced, extending his arm forward and grasping a wine bottle.

I swiftly schooled my face and allowed myself to brighten. "Anything with alcohol in it."

"1918." Niklaus smirked. "Single malt. My favorite."

I raised my eyebrows suggestively. "Sounds heavenly."

"Hmm," Stefan agreed.

"Let's go and find someone to pair it with." Niklaus shifted hands with the bottle, grinning at us as sly as a fox. He offered me his arm. "Need some assistance, love?"

"No. Um, c-can I just stay here, and you two just go to Gloria's? I really – I have a feeling large crowds and loud noises isn't the best thing for me." When Niklaus's suspicion was evident just in his face, I hastily added, "I have nowhere to go. And no one. Besides, I'm positive you could easily find me if you desired to. Fuck, I'm kind of not capable of running right now, anyways."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Stefan's response was too quick, and I narrowed my eyes at him, gazing at him as if he was an idiot. How foolish can someone be?

Niklaus glared at Stefan, annoyed. "Not your call, mate. What? Afraid little Alpha will get cozy on your bed?" He rolled his eyes, and then directed his cerulean blue eyes to my olive green. "Yes, love. Don't stray too far, hear?"

He is talking to me like I am a child. "I hear fine." When Niklaus began exiting the apartment while examining the bottle, I flickered my eyes to meet Stefan's. I smiled widely at his vigilant expression. "What is with the wariness, Stefan? I am not your girlfriend." As I spoke, his eyes inflamed with anger and hostility.

"Stefan!" Niklaus called impatiently from the hall. The young vampire's face promised agony and broken bones if I dared so much as touched the human inside of the hidden room, and I smiled as gently as possible without having him lunge at me. He hesitantly fled the room so Niklaus was not to get skeptical or dubious of his sudden interest in my welfare.

As soon as I was aware that they were out of the apartment, I fled to the bathroom and threw up all of my stomach contents – which happened to be warm blood and alcohol. I gripped the corners of the toilet seat, struggling to stop my knees from giving out. My vision enhanced and dimmed, and I clenched my teeth when I realized my eyes were flickering gold and green. I wondered if I would begin craving blood, because of what I was aware, Hybrids needed blood just like a vampire, which was almost revolting in every sense.

When I was finished heaving, I flushed the toilet and staggered to my feet, bracing my hand behind me for balance. I abruptly blurred and appeared directly in front of the girl that had been in the closet, and was currently attempting to flee the room without me knowing or stopping her. "No, no," I hushed her as her eyes grew wide with fear, "I am not going to harm you."

"How can I believe you? Who are you? Do you work for Klaus?" She was a pretty human that much was sure. Long, straight chocolate brown hair, olive tan skin, brown doe-like eyes, and full lips – no wonder Stefan had had an expression akin to deeply-induced affection. But there was something else despite looks, she was determined for me to answer her questions despite knowing I was a werewolf, and I briefly respected her for her stupidity.

"Well, for one I'm dying. My name is Eleanora Gray. And I do not work for Niklaus, at least not willingly."