Chapter 2

Klaus blinked his eyes few times before he was able to really open them. At first he was only aware of the consequences of last night. His head hurt. He had been drunk to say the least. Now he was apparently in bed. Judging by the faint light coming through the window, it was an early morning. He was still in the tavern.

All the people in the village who weren't dead already had escaped. His soldiers had no doubt looted all the houses. Not that Klaus cared about that. He sighed and was about to go back to sleep when he suddenly became aware of an unfamiliar scent. What was it? His cheek was leaning on something. What…? There was a warm woman's body pressed against him, his arms were around her.

Her thick black hair was wrapped around his arm and her thigh rested between his. Who was this woman? Her breathing was slow and her heartbeat was steady, she was asleep. Slowly he moved his hand in order to brush the hair out of her face. He recognized her immediately. The girl his soldiers had given to him.

For a moment he couldn't do anything except stare at her. She was wearing her torn dress and he was wearing pants and a shirt. His boots had been placed neatly beside the bed and someone had put a blanket over him. How strange. He kept his eyes on the girl and before he even realized what he was doing, he touched the side of her face. Her skin was smooth and warm; there was no dirt on her face anymore.

He remembered something now. He had been so drunk that he had needed to lean on her; she had helped him to stand up and walk. He had sat on the bed and watched her as she had washed her face in the water bowl. He remembered thinking that he wanted her. Really, really wanted her. The last thing he remembered was her gentle touch as she had rubbed his face with a wet cloth. After that he had passed out.

Apparently she had removed his shoes and lied down beside him. She could have run, but for some reason she hadn't. Who was this girl? Where had she come from? He was still looking at her when she opened her eyes. He didn't move or speak. Her eyes, large and dark brown, reminded him of a deer. A prey he wanted to chase and claim.

There was something about her that made his mouth water. He really couldn't understand what that something was. She wasn't unpleasant to look at, but he wouldn't have described her as stunningly beautiful. He had met more beautiful women than he could remember, but right now he only saw her. There was something very captivating about her. Something unique. Something… deliciously compelling.

Instinctively he licked his lips. He could have spent a long time simply looking at her. Feeling her body against him. She blinked couple of times before becoming aware of his presence. Strangely that didn't seem to startle her, although his arms were still around her. Slowly she looked at him. His lips curved into a smirk.

"Hello there."

"Hello," she replied.

They looked at each other for a while before he spoke.

"You do not seem to be afraid."

It was a statement, not a question, but he couldn't deny that he was curious. She had been afraid last night, he was sure of it. Well, who wouldn't have been afraid under such circumstances?

"Should I be?" she asked.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked, ignoring her question.

She nodded.

"I have heard stories."

"Stories about what?"

"About monsters," she replied calmly. "Demons who drink blood."

Klaus couldn't help but smile.

"And yet you thought that I would save you? Did I seem heroic to you?"

She didn't reply to that. He smirked, slowly running his hand down her arm to catch her hand. It felt soft. He wasn't completely sure what he was doing when he raised her hand to his lips.

"How about now?" he hummed as he put one of her fingers in his mouth. "Are we having fun yet?"

She still didn't say anything, but he could tell that she wasn't afraid of him. How was that possible?

"Why did you stay here?" he huffed. "Any smart person would have tried to run."

Once again she didn't give him an answer. Her silence was starting to irritate him. He took a hold of her chin and looked into her eyes.

"Perhaps you are not very smart, sweetheart."

"Perhaps not," she replied. "But I am loyal."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

She looked at him calmly.

"You earned my loyalty last night. It's yours for as long as you wish."

Klaus stared at her for few seconds before he was able to reply.

"What makes you think I would not simply kill you?"

She didn't reply to that, but she didn't seem nervous. Who was this girl?

"What is your name, love?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Nim," she responded.

"Nim?"

"Yes."

That wasn't a very ordinary name; he couldn't recall hearing it before. Well, she wasn't a very ordinary girl. On the contrary.

"So…" he hummed and twirled her hair around his finger. "Tell me more about this loyalty."