And the next chapter! Extra long for you folks, and some rather hot content later on. Nothing too bad mind. Anyway, thanks for the lovely reviews and attention- the next should be up later today and reviews much loved! x Nicola

The day passed rather quickly, but for some reason, Klaus never passed from my mind.

It was dinner now, and the young man was at the other end of the table, laughing and joking with my fiance.

Lucilla arrived now, sitting next to me, then followed my gaze and said in a hushed voice. "Are you losing your mind?"

I looked away now, then sighed. "I truly do not know... what does it mean if you are having dreams about another man whom you know so little about?"

She looked rather shocked at that, then gasped. "You are having dreams about Klaus-? What kind of dreams?"

I didn't speak now, not wanting to say it myself about the nature of these dreams, but Lucilla guessed and just went. "Wow. He makes you feel that way?"

"No! I do not know why these dreams are happening! I didn't... I don't... I don't even know him!"

I got up now and stormed out the room, making the occupents quieten down in shock as I slammed the door behind me and fled up the wide sweeping staircase to my room.

As I lay in my bed, staring at the ceiling, I sighed, thinking-

There was just tomorrow left now until the wedding. One more day as a free woman... then me and Raoul would be bound together.

I closed my eyes, hoping for no dream to plague my thoughts...

I opened my eyes now, then found myself facing the church that we went to, situated on a low grassy hill and its spire proud and majestic. My feet led me forwards now into the place, pushing the double oaken doors to look inside at the empty place, no one inside, just me.

'Antonia...'

Now I felt a shiver go through me once more at that voice, the voice of that demon...

But I felt my feet walking me forwards, calling me towards his voice like I had no choice, that I had to find him or perish. My entire being was needing him like water, like air.

I stepped up the tightly spiralling stone staircase that led to the upper floor, the bell tower and other quarters.

'Antonia...'

He was calling to me again, and I had to answer the call.

There was a room at the end of the corridor that I walked towards, but as I reached out a hand and pushed it a little, I heard a noise from inside that made me stop dead, hand outstretched.

I peered through the gap now and felt my eyes widen at the sight of the demon ontop of a young woman, a narrow bed beneath them both with no covering.

He now ran a hand down the womans side, then bit into her neck, making her gasp come out as more of a moan. I needed to get out of here now, but then I recognized the girl, and it wasn't me this time, but Lucilla. She was almost like a Greek goddess, lying there with her hair splayed out, completely naked like posing for portrait or even a marble statue as the demon took advantage of her.

I was frozen on the spot, almost transfixed in horror and fascination as he bit into her shoulder, a light stream of blood trickling down her pale skinned back.

A part of me wanted to walk forwards, but another so badly wanted to run... this man was a monster and should be feared above everything I had met in my life.

But now he looked up at me from his preys shoulder, eyes demonic once more as he smirked at me and said. "She seems to enjoy this, now... what are we going to do with you?"

I shook my head, backing off as he pushed Lucilla away and stood up, then walked over to me where he took my hands in his, staring into my eyes for a moment, then I felt myself lean forwards and let him kiss me hungrily, his fangs nicking my lips and making them bleed, which made him kiss me all the harder, a snarl in his throat as he pushed me against the wall none too gently.

I woke up once more with a gasp, a cold sweat going down my back as if that dream had really come to pass.

My god what was happening to me-? It was like he was getting inside my head and messing with it, playing with me and my emotions, for I felt a draw to him and his dark ways that I shouldn't be feeling...

Dear god what was he doing to me-?

-SUNFLOWERS-

It was the day before the wedding now, and preperations were in place, servents bustling around and sorting last minuet things out.

I was stood in my wedding dress now, the final fittings taking place, but Lucilla seemed... well, in another place as she smoothed the creases out.

"Something troubling you?" I asked with a frown, then she looked up and smiled. "No, no... I just had a bad nights sleep, that is all."

There was something wrong with those words, an edge to it that made me ask suddenly. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Her hand slipped on my fastening now as she looked up and met my eyes, fear, shock and horror all in one flash, but then it was gone as she shook her head. "I must have. I woke up so... feeling so weird."

Had he been in her dreams too last night-?

It certainly seemed like it...

She finnished off now, then the door opened and she flinched a little as Klaus himself walked in, then saw me and smiled, stepping forwards, saying-

"Oh Antonia, you look truly beautiful!"

I smiled now, it was hard not to- he was dark, handsome and incredibly charming. And he had that sense of mystery about him that made me... grow evermore curious.

Lucilla now muttered that she had to leave and swiftly left the room without bading me goodbye, sending in a maid to finish.

"Hmm..." I said after her, and Klaus said with a frown. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. It's just... Lucilla has been acting strange this morining."

"Is she well?" he asked me, stepping forwards and helping me down off the stool, making me flinch a little at his touch, so very familiar... but he had never touched me in the flesh before, yet he still made me feel strange as we locked eyes once more.

Willow came in the room now, breaking our gaze and pushed Klaus out the room, taking the wedding dress from me and hung it back up, slipping me back into my normal pale pink dress.

There was something about him...

-SUNFLOWERS-

I was stood beside Raoul now as we greeted the guests to the wedding that were staying overnight for the wedding in the morning. I made myself scarce when I saw Niklaus coming, then I went over to the window where Lucilla was stood, staring outside into the sunset with wide eyes.

"Are you ok?" I asked now, but she just said. "I am... I have done something terrible."

I was shocked now, then asked. "What-?"

"I've been having these dreams... dreams of him."

I understood now- Klaus had gotten inside her own head somehow too. But I had seen them together already... that church...

"I am having extremely...vivid dreams about sleeping with another man. What kind of wife am I?" she nearly whimpered now, hand going to her neck as if she had been bitten by him again.

She continued now, sounding more and more hysterical. "He gets inside your head, your dreams. He looks into your eyes and whispers something and you are his, you cannot escape! He is a monster!" she turned now and ran towards the exit, tears streaming down her face as she did so.

I was stood there in silence, shocked beyond anything I had ever seen in my life.

Goodness... what had been happening in her dreams-? They sounded a lot worse than my own...

I turned back to the door now, my eyes spying Niklaus talking to a man I did not recognize with long oak hair and eyes.

As I walked over, I heard the new man hissing to Klaus-

"This is the wrong time for fun and games, Niklaus!"

Klaus laughed, then saw me, a smile appearing on his face as he beckoned me over to him and his companion.

"Antonia, this is my brother Elijah." he introduced, putting a hand on his brothers shoulder. I nodded, looking at the other handsome gentleman. "Lovely to meet you." I said with a curtsy, letting him take my hand and press his lips to it briefly, meeting warmer eyes than his brothers.

"Congratulations on the engagement." Elijah now said to me, but before I could answer, Fredrick, Lucillas husband came over and requested an urgent word with me.

I walked off with him and he said. "What is wrong with Lucilla? She will not leave the bedroom."

A groan escaped me, then I sighed. "Leave her, she has had some problems lately."

"What kind?"

"Ones a man would not understand. Now do leave her alone. She will come down when she is ready."

Fredick nodded, still looking a tad worried. I sighed once more, turning away back to the dance, thinking-

Lucilla had clearly been scared. But for whatever reason-? It was a dream. Nothing more or less.

"May I dance with you?"

I jolted a little as the demon himself asked me, eyes intrigued. Part of me wanted to say no, but I couldn't refuse; it was incredibly bad manners, so I let him lead me onto the dancefloor with the others, taking my hand and placing the other around my waist, making me shiver unintentionably.

"You are a rather good dancer." he complimented me, twirling me around, then caught me, both hands tight on my waist as we stopped, our bodies closer than they should have been. I could feel his heart beating against my back, if that was possible.

He raised a hand now, placing it over my own heart and said softly in my ear. "Can't you feel it? Deep inside yourself?"

But as he leaned down to me, I realized, breaking the spell and pushed him away, scowling.

"What are you doing!" I demanded with a snarl, backing up a little more so I wasn't touching him.

"You cannot deny that attraction you feel for me. I've seen it in your eyes." he just said defiantly, eyes hard. I shook my head, shaking of the truth and turned away, heading back through the dancefloor and away from him.

-SUNFLOWERS-

It was later that night, the eve of my wedding that I lay tossing and turning, burning questions that I wanted answers for.

There was nothing else for it, I got up and pulled my dressing gown on, lighting a candle and made my way silently across the landing to the other quarters, finding the correct door and knocked quietly on it.

It opened and I was faced with Klaus, who made me frown when I saw he was shirtless, his hair messed up and eyes dark with tired.

"Yes?" he asked, but I pushed my way inside, seeing that the bed was not slept in, a book on the bed half open.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked me now, closing the door as I turned and stood before him, a scowl upon my face.

"Stop it." I just said, making his raise an eyebrow. "More specific, Sweetheart?"

"Getting inside mine and Lucillas dreams."

Klaus laughed now, stepping forwards towards me and said. "And how am I supposed to get into your pretty little dreams?"

"Because you are a monster. You are... not human."

He tilted his head now and surveyed me through dark eyes. "Oh? Then what am I?"

"You drink blood... like a vampire."

"Oh? I am a vampire? How do I walk around in the sun without dying then?"

"I do not know... but you are a monster. A vampire. Do not deny it."

Klaus didn't speak, but merely walked forwards, making me back up and feel the wall behind me as he stood so close I could see the flecks of color in his eyes. He raised a hand to my cheek now, then let it travel down to my chest, where my heart was beating furiously at his touch.

"Maybe, yet you still find yourself drawn to me." he smirked, raising his other hand to brush the pale hair from my eyes, then leaned forwards and kissed me softly, the hand over my heart going around my waist, holding me tightly, almost as if he was stopping me from escaping.

But there was one difference this time- it wasn't a dream. It was reality.

"No..." I said, pulling away. "I am getting married in the morning..."

"Well, I guess this shall have to be our little secret then." he said silkily, kissing me once more, hands pushing the dressing gown from my shoulders and let it drop while a shiver of fear and anticipation went through me.

As he pushed me down onto his bed, a part of me wanted to run away, to remember that I was getting married to Raoul in less than twenty four hours... that this experience was going to be shared with him, not by... a monster.

But it was like he was controlling me somehow, stopping me from running like I so wanted to.

Maybe... maybe he had paid a visit to Lucilla in the middle of the night. In both reality and dreams. It would certainly make sense anyway.

He bit into my neck now, making me gasp in shock, even more so when he pulled my chemise nightgown off and threw it aside, returning back to me and climbed ontop of me, pinning me down and going back to my neck that was hurting and bleeding profously.

"I can't do this..." I muttered now, that doubt coming back into my mind. Especially if someone saw us together, me and my adulterous actions.

He just chuckled into my neck, not moving from me once as he started on the other side of my neck he hadn't bitten yet, making my gasps of pain turn into very unfailiar moans as I buried my nails into his back.

Now I just had to hope and pray Raoul never found out...

The wedding would be over before it began.

-SUNFLOWERS-

I woke up earlier than usual, my body aching and neck throbbing.

For a moment I lay there, staring at the ceiling- what the hell had compelled me to behave so... unfaithful last night-? I looked to my right now at the other person in the bed, currently fast asleep with a kind of innocence on his face that didn't suit him. Not after last night...

I looked down at myself, as naked and bloody as he was. As carefully as I could, I grabbed the sheets and pulled them up so they were hiding my body. Thinking-

Today was my wedding. And... somehow, this man, demon, had tricked me into sleeping with him on the eve of it...

How-? How had he made me give in like that-? It was like he had controlled me somehow...

There was a low groan now, then the demon opened his eyes and saw me, that smirk on his face as he said. "Good morning."

"Is it (?)"

"Well, it is the day of your wedding."

"There shouldn't be one after last night."

"Hmm... well I did not hear you complaining. Yes, all night if I am being correct. Not a peep. It was almost like you enjoyed it."

I got up now, dragging the sheet with me as I went into the bathroom and closed the door, turning to the massive mirror and stared at the holes adorning my neck and shoulders. I shook my head and washed the blood from my skin, feeling awful at how I had betrayed Raoul.

As I opened the door back to the room, about to tell Klaus to get out, I froze at the sight of his brother... then Raoul, who was frozen in shock for a moment at the sight of me with just a sheet wrapped around me, but then I gasped and exclaimed.

"Raoul, I-"

He shook his head in disgust and I looked to the bed where Klaus was fully dressed, lying with his ankles crossed and book in his hand. How had he gotten dressed and cleaned up so quickly-?

"Antonia." he just said, almost in defeat, then scoffed, looking at Klaus again. "You little bitch!" he hissed, so venomously I stepped backwards, but he walked forwards and grabbed me by my hair, pushing me against the wall and yelled into my face.

"How dare you! You filthy-!"

I thought he was going to hurt me, but the other man, Elijah, grabbed him and pulled him away, saying something I didn't catch, but Raoul turned back to me, calmer, but still had that look in his eyes as he hissed at me. "Get out. You are no longer welcome here, slut."

Oh? And just why weren't he having a go at Niklaus-? Something wasn't right.

"Raoul, please-" I nearly begged now, tears streming down my face as he grabbed my hand and yanked the engagement ring off, then snarled. "Get out. Take your new-!"

"That is enough."

Raoul looked at Elijah again, and I saw through my tears that he was scowling at my now ex fiance. And that same fiance scoffed, then said to the brothers. "You can have her. She is worth nothing now the little whore." then left the room as I felt my knees go, but Elijah caught me and sighed, then looked to his brother who hadn't said a word, still "engrossed" by his book.

I just stood there and sobbed, my entire body shaking as if someone had died.

Klaus now sighed and set his book down, surveying me through emotionless eyes, but now he got up and walked over to me, taking me from his brother, my face now in his hands.

"There, there, Sweetheart. You can come with us. You don't have to stay in this awful place anymore. You can embrace what you really are deep inside."

I just stood there, tears flowing from my eyes and onto his hands.

What exactly did he mean by that-?

But I knew one thing...

Everything was about to change.