Warnings: Minor Language
Disclaimer: Don't own.
"Ugh! There's no way we are going to this ball-thing, right? Seriously, does Klaus think he's Prince Charming or something? It's going to take more than that to come between you and Tyler," the disgust was clear in Caroline's voice as she read the invitation that was sent to the Gilbert residence this morning stating that there was a ball being hosted by the Mikaelson family that night.
Jeremy shrugged from his place on the floor in front of Elena's bed leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Weekends were supposed to be a peaceful break from everything and Klaus just went and ruined his. He felt Bonnie gently ruffle his hair and he relaxed slightly.
Ever since all the Original Vampires were brought back and were living in Mystic Falls, everyone had been a little on edge wondering what the oldest vampire's in history wanted in their town. They were quick to realize that Klaus wanted Jeremy and that Esther wanted to keep her family together so they stayed much to everyone's displeasure. This ball, apparently, was their way of attempting to gain acceptance from the citizens of Mystic Falls and showing everyone they meant no harm, though this didn't mean so much to the Salvatores and their friends.
She had given one to Jenna, who had frowned when she saw the one with the rose on it, then chucked her own invitation in the garbage. She hated that Klaus was pursuing her little nephew. Just when she had accepted that Tyler Lockwood was...interested in him and they had actually been dating all this time that he'd been sleeping over, here came Klaus. She hadn't wanted to believe it when they told her at Elena's insistence that they no longer keep secrets from each other and sometimes, she wished she didn't know, for now she had to worry not only about Elena dating a vampire but Jeremy dating a werewolf-turned-hybrid and they both had their hands full.
Jeremy's reaction to his invitation was no better than his aunt's.
"Are they serious? They want to throw a housewarming party after everything they've done to us, and they expect us to go?" he spat in disbelief. He tossed the invitation aside and sat back on his bed. "Unbelievable."
Elena leaned grabbed a pillow next to Bonnie and laid back down, contemplating different scenarios about this situation might turn out. "I know you probably don't want to go Jer, but maybe we should see if there's anything we could use against Klaus to make him leave."
"I'm not going," Jeremy's tone was firm as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "If Tyler knew I was going to a party that Klaus was hosting he'd be furious…and it's not fun dealing with a pissed-off hybrid."
The girls all shared a look. They remembered how furious Tyler had been after discovering why Klaus decided to stay in Mystic Falls. Not being able to defend his boyfriend from his new admirer hadn't helped that rage in the least.
"You want me to what?" Tyler spat out, outraged at Klaus for even having the nerve to look at his mate.
"You heard me Tyler. I want you to drink his blood. All of it," Klaus said calmly, a wicked smile on his face. He glanced at Jeremy, who had gone pale upon hearing the words and his smile grew.
"You're sick!" Tyler snarled. He was beginning to feel his new fangs breach his gums and an intense burning in the back of his throat at the thought of Jeremy's blood, the urge to drink it all growing every second. He turned to Jeremy for a moment, who was gazing at him with relief, wariness and a bit of fear before turning back to Klaus, who was watching him in amusement. Tyler growled audibly and placed Jeremy even further behind him, ready to attack should Klaus make the first move.
"I don't know why you insist on putting yourself through this agony. You're going to follow my orders whether you want to or not," the ancient hybrid smirked. He stepped closer to the couple and they took a step back. Tyler could feel the urge to obey his sire starting to take over his body.
"Jeremy, you need to run," Tyler growled out, sounding as though he was in pain.
Jeremy placed his hand on Tyler's neck and forced him to look at him. "Tyler, I know you and I know you won't hurt me. You have to fight this, don't let him control you!"
"I'm trying but I can feel this urge to kill you!" Tyler's tone made him jump back.
"Just go!" he begged. Jeremy stood still watching Tyler in dismay.
"Tyler—!"
"GO! NOW!"
With one last look at the struggling hybrid Jeremy ran as fast as he could, his mind frozen with fear for Tyler and himself. He needed to find someone, he needed to find Elena or Stefan, even Damon would do right now, he needed—
He ran into something solid and he hit it with such force that he fell onto his back. He saw Rebekah smirking down at him before she quickly hauled him to his feet and spun him around so that his back was to her front, one of her arms holding both his own behind him in a death grip, her other hand in his hair as she yanked his head back, her fangs resting by his neck. He grunted in discomfort and tried to wiggle free but Rebekah might as well have been a rock for all the good it did him. He felt a chill of fear roll down his spine when he heard a low, menacing growl.
"You should know by now that you can't run from me Jeremy," Klaus taunted as he appeared by Tyler's side, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "But it was precious that Tyler gave you a head start. And now this little game will end. Tyler, kill him."
Tyler let out an anguished whimper and took a step forward, eyes glimmering, with hunger or with tears, Jeremy couldn't tell. He struggled against Rebekah's hold on him, desperately trying to break free.
"Please, don't make him do this!" Jeremy gasped out, his arms aching considerably, "It'll destroy him!"
Tyler let out another whine at hearing his mate plead with his captors before clutching his head in a desperate attempt to ward of Klaus' command.
"Don't make me do this," he begged the unforgiving hybrid. "Please, I—I'll do anything Klaus, please—"
"But this is what I want from you Tyler," Klaus' smile grew wider. "This is where you show me your loyalty. By showing that you will choose me before all others."
He let out a malicious laugh before appearing by Jeremy, grabbing him out of his sister's hold and appearing just as quickly in front of Tyler. He forced Jeremy to his knees, his hand moving from his shirt to hair and yanking his head back causing Jeremy to let out a groan of pain. He sniffed Jeremy's neck, taking a little lick before he turned to Tyler and gave him another wicked smile.
"Well Tyler I can see why you chose this one. He smells delicious and I bet he tastes even better. It's really too bad he's going to die; such a waste." He thrust Jeremy closer to Tyler, the taunting smile never leaving his face.
Tyler dropped to his knees and was now at eye level with Jeremy, his eyes full of tears as he gazed at the boy he loved. Jeremy was going to die and it would be his fault. He felt himself moving closer. He could see the veins full of blood that was just begging to be ripped open, could taste Jeremy's potent blood running over his tongue. He abruptly stopped moving as he caught himself and let out another snarl as he closed his eyes, two tears escaping them.
Jeremy could feel his heart pounding rapidly. He never dreamed that he would die at the hands of his own mate, that Klaus' hold on Tyler would lead to this. He could feel the tears starting in his eyes as he thought about how he was finally so happy, happier than he had been in a long time since his parents died and now it was all being ripped away by a maniacal hybrid doing this for his sick pleasure. His hatred for Klaus and his sister increased as he watched Tyler trying to fight Klaus' hold as best he could.
Suddenly, Tyler let out a loud howl that startled all of them and lunged for Klaus, knocking Jeremy over. He began crawling soon as he was free as he tried to catch his breath but he was forced back onto the ground by Rebekah and her fangs pierced his skin sucking his blood. Jeremy screamed in pain trying to shove her off and suddenly, she was gone. He blinked dazedly as Caroline's face appeared in front of him and she lifted her wrist to her mouth and ripped the skin open. She leaned down and pressed it to his mouth forcing him to drink. He gulped her blood down greedily. When Caroline had taken her wrist back he thanked her and stood shakily.
Stefan and Alaric both held Tyler at bay from ripping him apart and vice-versa, Damon standing in the middle of them strategically blocking Tyler from Klaus' view. Tyler was still snarling and growling with eyes wide with fury and contempt, the tears long gone as he struggled against Alaric and Stefan (Stefan mostly) trying to get his hands back on Klaus' throat.
"The cavalry arrives just when the fun is getting started," Klaus said with mock disappointment, his taunting grin back in place, having recovered from Tyler's surprise attack.
Tyler growled loudly, struggling against Stefan like a small child fussing against their parent. "I swear I'll kill you, you fucking bastard!"
Damon scoffed at Klaus. "You know what would be fun? Watching your own creation tear you apart. That'd be good karma for you."
"He couldn't win if he wanted to. I'm his creator, his liberator. He will always be mine to control. I own him."
"Like hell you do!" Tyler yelled, defiance back in his voice and his struggle against Stefan lessening just a bit. "I'm going to break free of you Klaus and I'll kill you when I do. The only one who owns me is Jeremy!"
"Don' t fool yourself. You can never fully belong to Jeremy because I will always come first. Perhaps you should let Jeremy be with someone that will always put him first," his grin widened, "someone like me."
Tyler let out a snarl that could easily be heard throughout the whole forest and dove for the smug hybrid before him. Stefan and Alaric stopped Tyler from going too far and even Damon had to force Tyler back, his strength matching Tyler's because of age and the human blood he consumed beforehand.
Jeremy felt his stomach turn and heart begin to pound again; Klaus wanted to make him his mate? He just nearly had him killed and now he wanted him as a…lover? He shuddered at the thought. He caught Klaus's eye and he felt sick at his lustful smirk.
"Come, sister, we're done here," Klaus sent Jeremy one last piercing gaze before he and Rebekah disappeared.
When Jeremy had calmed Tyler, they all retreated to the Gilbert's living room and huddled together in the small living room. None of them wanted to sleep alone, not with a maniacal hybrid on the loose. Tyler had sat against the couch with Jeremy laying between his legs and leaning his head against his chest running his fingers through the soft brown hair tensing at every sound he heard inside and outside the house, he and the Salvatores being the only ones who stayed awake through the night.
He would have liked nothing more than to march over to Klaus' and finish their encounter in the forest but he wouldn't, couldn't, leave Jeremy alone. Not when he was terrified of what had just happened, and so was he. He buried his nose in his hair and breathed in his scent, reassuring himself that they were both alive and alright. He had vowed in the forest that he would never let Klaus touch Jeremy and he would never let him or his mate be in that position again. He contemplated all night what he would do about the situation and made the decision to leave the next day to break this hold Klaus had over him. He refused to give Jeremy up for anyone, even if it was for the man who had saved him from his curse.
That was nearly two months ago and Klaus had pursued him since then.
"As much as we say we don't want to go to this thing, we're all gonna wind up there anyways," he sighed as he stood. "Maybe we should call Damon and Stefan and see what we should do."
I hope we can get rid of them soon. I'm tired of seeing Klaus's stupid face, and his bitch of a sister," Caroline snapped. She hated that the blonde Original was interested in Matt and she wanted nothing more than to rip out hair and choke her with it.
Elena dialed Stefan's number and after a few words she announced they were on their way.
Klaus watched with disinterest from the plush chair as Rebekah modeled yet another dress in front of the giant mirror in her room. He didn't see what the huge deal was, she would look fine no matter what she wore.
"How about this one, Klaus? This one's gorgeous…I know he won't be able to resist me," Rebekah smirked as she turned left and right to check out the back of the dress. Klaus rolled his eyes at her antics. This was why he sometimes preferred men to women. Men didn't care about these pointless matters.
"You look lovely Rebekah, just like you did in the other six dresses you've tried on. I don't see why you're going through all this trouble for a silly human boy that won't even notice you."
She glared at him, "You're one to talk. Giving mother the idea to have a ball so that you could see your silly little human who is obviously not interested in you no matter how many times you try to convince him otherwise."
He returned her glare, "Not yet…but he will. Either by force or by will Jeremy Gilbert will be mine and Tyler will have to find someone else to claim."
"That's not possible. Once a werewolf choses their mate, it's for life. If you take them away they won't find anyone else and they'll roam the earth alone forever."
"You make it all sound so dramatic," Klaus sighed in annoyance as he stood up and walked around to the window, "he could very well find someone else to take Jeremy's place, it's just a matter of if he wants to."
"But he chose Jeremy before you turned him," she stated in her know-it-all tone. "You obviously aren't going to feel the same way because you were alone before you became a vampire. If you don't have Jeremy it won't kill you but it will slowly drive him mad to where he'll beg for death. It's a rather cruel fate for a werewolf."
"How unfortunate," the hybrid spoke lowly as he looked out the window at the lawn that would be lavishly decorated in a few hours. It was a horrible punishment but this didn't change his mind about Jeremy. All that mattered was that the lovely teen wouldn't be driven to insanity after being separated from Tyler. When he asked Rebekah this she laughed.
"Don't you know anything about your species? If a werewolf choses a mate that isn't another werewolf, they will be perfectly fine if they desire to leave their mate. It's those with the werewolf gene that need to be careful. They can literally die of a broken heart."
Klaus' evil smile made its way back to his face. So long as neither he nor Jeremy would suffer any lasting consequences, everything would work in his favor. This was all becoming too easy! He would still have to deal with the doppelganger and the Salvatores but those were minor problems that could be solved. This was what he'd been waiting for. Jeremy would be his soon enough.
The day had passed quickly and before anyone knew it, it was time to get ready for the party. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline were all huddled in the bathroom applying make-up and hairspray while Stefan, Damon and Jeremy all waited downstairs. Despite not wanting to go, Jenna and Alaric had gone early.
"You look nice," Jeremy nodded in appreciation at Caroline's ball gown. Since Elena was going with Stefan and Damon had surprised everyone with asking Bonnie, including the witch herself, Jeremy thought it was only fair that he escort the blonde since Matt was going with Rebekah.
"Thanks!" she beamed. "He'll be sorry he went with that old hag."
They piled into two separate cars and drove to the Mikaelson's home. When they arrived at the huge mansion that was decorated with lights, banners, and expensive silks, they paused for a moment to take in the beautiful house.
"I can't deny I'm…a little impressed," said Stefan with awe in his voice, clutching Elena's hand gently. Damon looked at their linked hands with longing before grabbing a surprised Bonnie's hand and staring at the house.
"I've seen better," he scoffed, squeezing Bonnie's hand once. He glanced at the group before looping Bonnie's arm through his own. "Shall we?"
He walked on with the witch, Stefan and Elena following them. Jeremy felt his heart rate increase a little as he securely tucked Caroline's arm in the crook of his own. She glanced at him, a blonde curl falling down her face gracefully and gave a grim smile.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," he sighed. He knew that something was going to happen tonight and whatever it was, it was going to be big. The two friends shared another small smile before making their way to the grand entrance.