You Put The Devil In Me

1920, Chicago

Brandy knew she shouldn't have been sneaking into the bar, but what else could she do? Stay at home and be incredibly bored, listening to the radio until well into the night? No, hell no.

She paused before the door now, glancing back once into the dark street- it was deserted, and she knocked three times, a silence, then there was a low rattle, then it was opened a little, allowing her to slip inside, then the young man inside recognized her and said in greeting. "Good evening Brandy."

A little smile appeared on her young looking face, then she nodded. "Thank you Patrick. Is Gloria on already?"

The young man shook his head and just said. "In the back." She nodded once more, then proceeded forwards towards the main stairs when she felt a hand on her wrist, making her turn as she heard.

"Brandy, you know you're not allowed in."

She turned to him now, staring into his pale green eyes and just asked. "Why? Going to turn me in?"

Patricks charming smile grew now at the pretty young woman before him, then he raised her hand to his lips and said against it. "I think you already know the answer to that."

The smile grew, then the man leaned forwards to place a kiss upon her cheek, but Brandy chuckled, raising her hand and putting a slim finger on his lips, saying. "Uh-uh boy."

Patrick pouted, then Brandy flashed him a smile once more. "I'm not playing around, Patrick."

"Why must you always oppose me?" He asked softly now, eyes tracing her fine features. Dark auburn hair that was pulled back onto the back of her head in pin curls, eyes a deep forest green that went well with her very slightly tanned skin.

"Because-" She smiled now, rather playfully as she just said. "You're not my type."

"Then who is?" Patrick asked now, and she leaned forwards, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Keep an eye out sweetie. Let the scum in and Gloria will kick your backside all the way to New York."


Brandy walked around the edge of the rapidly filling bar, casting her gaze around as she made her way, looking to the empty stage for a split second before reaching the dark back door, knocking twice.

"Come in Bran."

Brandy walked inside now, closing the door behind her and chuckled as she turned. "You knew it was me?"

"Who else would be crazy enough to see me before I go on stage?"

Brandy faced her friend now, but before she could truly turned, she felt arms being flung around her, making her laugh. "Lovely to see you too."

Gloria let her go and returned to her dresser, sitting down before it and picked up an earring, putting it on along with the other and looked into the mirror as Brandy stepped behind her, adjusting her friends pale hair a little and smiled. "There we are hon. Performing perfect."

The pair were silent now, then Brandy spotted a newspaper on the chair next to the window and made a beeline for it, picking it up and reading at the top Chicago News.

"You really think the police have leads on Al Capone?" Brandy asked now, sounding rather skeptical, and after a moment, Gloria chuckled, getting to her feet and taking the paper from her, scanning it swiftly.

"I doubt it. While the news is being leaked out like this, they don't."

Brandy glanced at her now, then just said in concern. "You do know what will happen if the police find this place?"

"Yes Brandy, I do." Gloria muttered, knowing full well- it would be shut down, the alcohol tipped into the sewers and drains. No more business in this speakeasy. It was happening all over now, illegal, underground bars were being raided all the time for their bootlegged liquor.

Brandy was quiet, then Gloria sighed, setting it back down. "I have to go on." She told her friend now, then walked over to the door, smiling a little back at her, then opened it, chuckling before she left. "Beware the vampires."

The silence was deafening now, but then she heard the music start up as she sat down on the now vacated chair before the mirror, looking at her reflection for a second- things had gotten so hard now she was fending for herself. Even working here doing a little singing on the weekends wasn't enough to help pay for the apartment she rented a few blocks away.

Well, since her parents had been killed the previous year.


She tapped her foot to the music now, then got to her feet, heading back into the main room, pulling her dark gold dress down further as she headed to the bar and just said.

"The usual ta." Brandy smiled at the man, who nodded and said, picking up the bottle of red wine and turning back to her. "Tab once more?"

"Until tomorrow night, yes." She told him, knowing how much debt she was probably in now. Waitressing paid rubbishy she had to admit.

Brandy turned now, the glass of deep red liquid in her hand as she watched the stage, her lifelong friend singing. She chuckled now as she got a wink when she was found to be staring. She raised her glass and smiled, taking another sip.

"Marvelous isn't she?"

Brandy glanced to her right now at the source of the male voice, then just asked as she was faced with a young man with brown-blonde hair and pale blue eyes that seemed to match his very slight smirk.

"Indeed she is." She nodded, taking another sip of the rich red wine, watching the young man glance once more to the stage, then he asked. "You seem to know her?"

Brandy looked to the stage too now, then nodded. "Gloria you mean? Yes. Almost all my life."

He nodded now, then chuckled. "I apologize, I haven't told you my name."

Brandy raised an eyebrow, then chuckled too, setting her glass down on the wooden top. "Do I need to know your name?"

"Do you want to?" He smirked, raising the bottle of wine Brandy just noticed next to him, topping up her glass. She picked it up now and took another sip. "Go on."

"Niklaus." He just said, taking her free hand and pressing his lips to it for the briefest of moments. "And who are you may I ask?"

There was a silence, then the young woman wondered just why this dashing man was talking to her, but then her worries were quashed by the thought that it couldn't hurt with him knowing her name.

"Brandy." She answered, getting a chuckle in return, along with the words. "Were your parents fond of the drink?"

"Ha-ha Niklaus (!) Do you think yourself funny?" Brandy snorted, then the young man smirked. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do."

"Figures." Brandy just said, picking up her glass once more, getting ready to leave when there was footsteps, then a voice.

"Are you being bothered Brandy?"

Brandy hadn't even noticed the woman before her now had stopped singing, and shook her head. "No, he was just playing the fool."

"Ah, Gloria my dear." Brandy heard Niklaus say now, her eyes flickering to the man, then to Gloria as she said. "Now Klaus- not causing trouble are we?" Brandy noticed a kind of warning in her friends voice, and the man scoffed. "Me? No, never."

"Mmhmm." She just said, then looked to Brandy. "Feel free to have him thrown out if he annoys you anymore."

"Ouch (!)" Klaus smirked at the woman as she walked back towards the stage, the band striking up once more as she took up her position before the microphone.

"Dance?" Klaus asked now, extending his hand to Brandy and she raised an eyebrow, finishing her glass. She took it now and permitted the young man to lead her onto the dance floor, taking up positions and gave her a smile that made Brandy wonder just how Gloria knew him. Maybe they had been old flames of some sort? No, that couldn't be true- she would have known if this was an ex of hers.

Which opened up the other options now... that he was a vampire.

Klaus was watching the calculating look in her face and said as they swayed a little more. "Yes I am."

"'I am' what?"

He leaned forwards now and said quietly into her ear. "You know what I'm on about."

There was silence, then Brandy smirked. "Bigfoot?"

Klaus chuckled, spinning her around. "Amusing, very amusing." Brandy nodded. "I know I am. Now then vampire, are you going to buy me another drink?"

The grin grew, then he just said. "Why don't you join me and my sister for a drink?"

"Oh dear, how does your sister put up with you (?)" She smirked and Klaus just said, pulling her close. "Watch it. She might agree with you."


Brandy stepped off the dance floor now, extending a hand and Klaus took it, leading her up to the tables and said. "Gloria will knock my head off if you scream, so please don't."

"I'm scared (!)" Brandy just said, only too used to being invited for a drink at a table. It was very social this place.

Well, it wasn't too often that she encountered vampires. Maybe once or twice a month.

"So what are you doing in Chicago?" She asked the vampire now, and he chuckled. "Just passing by, then I thought I would pay a visit to Gloria."

"She knows what you are I take it?"

Klaus scoffed. "Of course. She's not stupid." Brandy nodded, then wondered if he knew what she was. He probably did. This man could be hundreds of years old, and past his charms, he could well be the most dangerous thing to ever walk into this bar.

She was led to the corner booth now, where she froze now as she was faced with a blonde headed woman, a dark haired man beside her where she was biting into his neck, a narrow trickle of blood running down his chest.

"Rebecca?" He just said now, sitting down opposite and shifting over, allowing Brandy to sit next to him, still watching the girl with widening eyes.

"Hmm?" She just said now, letting him go and looking across the table, then cocked her head, snapping. "You interrupted me for this reason? Hell Nik-!"

Brandy heard him just say. "Manners little sister. We have company."

There was a silence, then she watched the opposite vampire say something to the man before him, then he got up and just left without another word.

"Yes?" The woman said exasperatedly now, almost glaring at the human before her. Klaus chuckled now, then just said. "Rebecca, this is Brandy."

She nodded, then glanced to her brother and just said. "We are leaving. I'm tired and bored. There are no good looking men around here."

Klaus rolled his eyes, then said in reply. "We just got here."

"Exactly. Nice meeting you Brandy, goodnight."

Brandy was silent, then asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Klaus sighed, reaching across the table and retrieving the half drank wine. "Typical Rebecca. Normally I'd follow her, but I need a break." He drained the glass in one now, and Brandy was wondering just why he was interested in her at all. She was nothing special, an orphan who lived alone in her run down flat, a dead end job by the week, singing a few times for a few extra dollars on the stage at the weekends.

Huh. What man would be interested in that?

He sighed once more, then set the empty glass down and just said. "Actually, I best find her." Klaus got up now and turned to Brandy who was still sitting and took her hand, pressing his lips to it for a moment. "Will you be here tomorrow night?"

She nodded. "Yes. I shall be working."

"You sing?" He mused now, and she nodded. "At weekends."

"Then I will definitely be making an appearance." He smirked and Brandy groaned at her new 'friend' of sorts, watching as he left swiftly.

Strange, strange man he was.


Later that night, Brandy headed home to her little apartment that overlooked the shops below, feeling as of someone was following her the entire way through the dark streets.

She sighed now as she got in safely, collapsing onto her double bed, staring up at the creamy ceiling for a good while before getting up, heading over to the bathroom and getting ready for bed.

The clock tolled one in the morning now, and Brandy picked up her book, eyes flickering to the windows that were closed with the curtains, giving up with the book already, pulling the covers over her, the lights going off and closing her eyes-

Just another, ordinary day in Chicago.


There was a figure wandering the streets now, the lamps broken, casting no light upon the figures face. He walked forwards and stopped before the front of the apartment building, staring up at each window in turn, wondering which one was hers. That intriguing human girl... what was so very different about her-?

There were secrets in Chicago waiting to be rediscovered...

Some darker than others.


A little idea that popped into my head earlier, and viola- first chapter. A little uneventful this one, and no Stefan just yet. But very soon. Gonna heat up and get much more bloodier soon too(; I'll continue if enough people are interested, so-

Please be nice and review

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