Chapter 3

Fire

"Shut up and hold still. This is what you want."

"Stop…"

"I said shut up! You are nothing but a little whore. Do you want me to tell that to everyone?"

"No! Kyle please stop…"

"Or what? Nobody is going to help you. Nobody cares about you. You are worthless. This is all you're good for."

"No, stop! No!"

Fire. Grace opened her eyes. Her bed was on fire. Shit! She grabbed the fire blanket and put the flames out. Not again. She was starting to run out explanations. But then again, not that anyone wanted to hear any. Frank and her mother never came to her room and Kyle… She hoped that he wouldn't either. She had done what ever she could to keep him out. She was terrified to be alone with him. He was probably using again. That always made him even more aggressive.

Frank never saw his faults. Of course not, unlike Grace, Kyle was his own flesh and blood, so there couldn't possible be anything wrong with him. Grace couldn't blame Kyle's mother for leaving her husband and son. She just hoped that her mother would have never married Frank. Sure he had a steady job and he could provide the family but that was it. He wasn't violent towards her mother so it was easy for her to look the other way. Grace could still remember the first time when Frank had hit her. She had been 9 and she had accidently broke his favorite mug. When she had gone to her mother hoping for comfort, she had turned her back and told her to be more careful next time.

Grace really didn't feel like going to school but it was better than stay in this house. She opened her closet and chose an old pair of jeans and a white sweater with colorful flowers embroidered on it. She took her bag and removed the table in front of her door. Her mother was in the kitchen making breakfast for Frank.

"How was that ball?" she asked without looking at her.

"It was ok", Grace replied. "I was late for my curfew."

She said that only to get some kind of reaction from her mother.

"Hmm, you should know better by now", she replied.

"Yes, I'm sure you're right", Grace murmured. She wasn't hungry so she just waited when Frank ate his breakfast. Her car didn't work, as usually, so he had reluctantly agreed to take her to school on his way to work. Neither of them spoke when he started the car.

"Thanks", Grace said when he left her in front of the school.

"Close the door", he said annoyed and drove away.

Apparently she didn't have a ride home. Great. Why did they have to live in the middle of nowhere? She couldn't even get home by bus. Grace sighed and walked inside. She would first have Mr. Saltzman's class. She liked him, he was a good teacher.

"Hi", someone said.

Grace startled. She turned and saw Rebekah. She was smiling sweetly.

"Did you like the ball?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you for inviting me", Grace said when she got over her surprise.

"Oh, no problem. Grace, right?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful. Let's have a little chat."

...

"Grace Hart", Rebekah said looking very pleased with herself.

Kol raised his head. He was sitting on the couch watching TV.

"What?"

"Her name is Grace Hart. Here's her address and you are going to love this, that house is in a middle of nowhere, no neighbors."

Kol took a piece of paper where Rebekah had written her address.

"Thank you sister", he said smiling charmingly.

Rebekah grinned.

"Have fun."

He was definitely planning to have fun. She would probably still be in school so he might as well go and check her house.

"Are you going out?" Klaus asked.

"Yes, I would like to go. May I?" Kol asked mockingly.

Klaus looked annoyed.

"Just try to behave."

"Yes father, I promise to play nice with the other children."

"Oh shut up."

Kol grinned. He loved annoying his siblings, especially Klaus. He looked the address up from a map. Rebekah wasn't kidding; it really was in a middle of nowhere. Perfect. He didn't have any trouble finding the place. It was near the woods. The house looked old. Kol knocked the door. The woman who opened it was in her late thirties, she had a dark hair that reached to her shoulders.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Mrs. Hart?" Kol said giving her one of his most charming smiles.

"Yes, what do you want?" the woman asked rudely.

"I want you to invite me in", Kol replied.

"Come in", the woman said automatically.

"Thank you, how kind of you. Are you alone here?"

"Yes."

Kol looked around.

"Where is Grace's room?"

"Upstairs, first door on your right", she replied.

"Thank you. You will forget that I was ever here."

Kol headed upstairs and opened the door. First thing he noticed was a lock inside the door. It was a very strong looking lock. Interesting. Her room was small and tidy. There was a colorful bedcover and an old looking teddy bear on the bed. There was also a small bookshelf full of books, a desk and a chair. She didn't have much on her walls, just a poster of a sunset. "There will be a new day tomorrow" the text under the picture said.

Then he noticed something strange. There was a bucket full of water next to her bed. He didn't have time to wonder what it was for when he heard a car. Kol looked out and saw her. She was in the car with Rebekah's toy boy.

"Thanks Matt", she said smiling when she got out.

"Sure, no problem", he replied before he drove away.

She was coming in. That meant that it was time for him to leave. For now. He would be definitely coming back.