Chapter Seven

I woke up the next morning feeling... just wrong. Just two- three months together, and I had betrayed him already. With his own brother.

Elijah had left early, there was errands to be done before Klaus returned from his trip. Getting rid of these sheets and pillows and replacing them was one. Klaus would know straight away that someone else had been there. Namely his brother.

I was just praying that Elijahs blood left my systems before a certain other Original got a taste and ripped his Brothers head off.

Later that morning as I was eating my breakfast, Elijah returned.

He walked to the place opposite me and sat, me not meeting his eyes, just concentrating on my breakfast when he spoke. "I'm sorry."

Now I looked up and met his sombre eyes, and said quietly. "It was not your fault. You didn't compel me, it was my choice."

Now he sighed a little, then said. "Klaus-"

"Cannot know what happened. I know, Elijah."

He nodded then got up, me asking. "Where are you going?" he chuckled now. "For a walk."

"May I come?"

"Well..."

"Please? Can we both just put this behind us and move on?"

Elijah nodded in defeat. "Yes." he sighed. "You may come."

Once my breakfast was finished, I swiftly changed my dress and walked out with him.

We walked past a beautiful cherry tree that reminded me of the one in France, and I stopped to raise a hand and pick one down, smiling at it in my palm.

Elijah stopped beside me and sighed. "Brings back quite the memories, does it not?"

I nodded, remembering him speaking to me for the first time- politely that was. It was about my oil painting of the tree so very similar.

But now I wondered something. "What if I just keep getting older and older? What will Klaus do?"

"I truly do not know the answer to that."

"I believe you do. He will kill me correct?"

"Not intentionally, but... I believe so."

Now I just sighed and said. "So how do you turn into a vampire anyway?"

"Now I am sure Klaus-"

"Forget what he wants. He's not here at the moment."

He was silent, then said. "You have to die with vampire blood in your systems."

"That simple-?"

"And then you have to feed on a human to complete it. Or you die."

"Oh. Not so simple."

Elijah chuckled. "You are much more suited for staying human, Arianne. Do not trouble yourself."

"But-"

"No buts." He said now, and there was a tone of finality in his voice that made me shut up. I nodded and just sighed. "Fine, I will speak no more of the matter for now."

Now we walked back to the manor, but as per usual, I stopped at the jewlers and stared at a pair of kinda chucky golden rings. Elijah sighed when I went inside- he was used to it.

Not long later, I was walking out with the pair, and Elijah asked curiously. "Why did you buy them?" now I turned to him and smiled, taking one of his hands and put the ring on him. "You buy me the most beautiful earrings... and I have nothing to give back."

"They were a gift, Arianne. Not one you need to repay."

"But I want to repay. I love-"

"Do not finish that. You are being unfaithful-"

"But I am not married."

"I know that... but it echoes our familys actions, many years ago."

Now I frowned. "What happened?"

Elijah sighed, looking down at the ring on his finger for a moment. "Many, many years ago. My mother was unfaithful."

What was he getting at-?

"And she bore a child from another bloodline. As well as ours."

"Are you saying-?"

"Yes, Klaus is my half-brother. Half vampire, half werewolf."

Now I just laughed incredulously. "That is..."

He nodded. "Impossible? Yes. But the witches-"

"Witches? They are real too?"

"Yes, I'll explain later, but for now, the witches made Klauses werewolf side dormant."

"Is that the curse he's trying to break?"

"Yes."

"Well... what happends if he breaks it?"

"He-"

"Brother, Arianne! That is where you have vanished to!"

My eyes widened a little, then I turned to see the man himself walking towards us, then he spread his arms and said. "Where is my hug Cherie?"

Now I chuckled and hugged him. But now he stiffened a little and said. "You have been spending alot of time with Elijah." he said it almost accusingly, but I chuckled. "Yes, we have been talking and playing games."

Klaus smiled now at his brother. "Thank you for keeping her amused."

Elijah nodded. "It was my pleasure. She is quite the charming young woman." Klaus chuckled, then kissed me in front of him, a little possessively I noted. But then again, he was always infuriated by other men looking at me in a way he didn't approve off.

Now I raised my hand and said. "I got you something."

He grinned now. "Oh, I do spoil you so. Feel free to spoil me."

I laughed now and placed the ring that was identical to Elijahs in his palm and he said. "My-! That is the biggest lump of gold I have ever seen! I shall shine like the sun when its rays catch me."

"But you already shine!"

"You are too kind, Cherie." he said, kissing me once more, and I had a flash of fear shoot through me as I imagined that he knew about me and Elijah. I don't think it would have hurt him... but he would definitely get so furious that... I didn't want to think about it.

But that was the problem- I did love them both...

But later that evening, I would find out that wouldn't matter for much longer...

-ArBaN-

I was dozing against the side of the carriage, Klauses arm around me, stroking my arm a little as I did so. He and Elijah were talking quietly about something, but suddenly, the carriage jolted and Klauses head snapped up and he snarled. "That stupid-!" he snarled once more and banged the roof where the driver was sat, then Elijah frowned. "Something-" but there was a scream from outside, then a thump.

Klaus now rolled his eyes and said. "Right, I'm annoyed now. Stay here." he told us both, then kicked the door open and was gone in a flash.

"What's going-?" I started to ask Elijah, but the carriage suddenly swerved and went crashing to the side and I felt something go through my chest. The crash ended now and I raised a hand to the pain in my chest and gasped in agony- something that felt like a massive splinter from the carriage had gone through me.

"Arianne!"

I closed my eyes as one of the pair yelled my name, but everything just went white, but then black.

When I came to, it was with a gasp of agony, then I started coughing, raising a hand to my chest and found the piece of wood gone, the hole healed up.

"Cherie-?"

I now sat up and raised a hand to my head- it was just pounding. Now I saw Klaus who had blood all down the side of his face, but it seemed old now.

"What happened?" I asked now in a mutter and he just said through hard eyes. "Some fools thought they could ambush us."

Something didn't add up...

"Do you have anything to eat? I'm really hungry."

There was a light snarl from him now, then. "Now that is up to you."

"What?"

"Since you were messing around with Elijah."

My body went cold. "What-?"

"It is ok, Cherie. I got the truth out of him..." he raised a hand to my necklace and sighed. "He compelled you."

"Where is Elijah?" I knew he hadn't compelled me- Klaus had obviously forgotten only he could take my necklace off. And it contained vervain and that beautiful lapis stone.

"He is dead."

Now my eyes widened in horror and shock. "D-dead-?" I gasped, and he put a hand either side of my face and said. "He will never get his hands on you again, Cherie."

"But you didn't have to kill him-!"

"You are still confused from the accident."

"Accident-?" I frowned, then realized what had happened- I'd died with Elijahs blood in my systems. So that was how... Klaus found out about us.

But kill him-? No... I refused to believe that.

He couldn't be...

And me? What was I? But he answered that as if he could read my thoughts.

He held up the cup of deep red liquid and said. "You know what happends if you drink this."

I nodded and I took it, staring into its maroon depths. Now I sighed and closed my eyes, raising it and drank it down. "Any more?" I now asked and he chuckled, taking it back.

"Oh there's plenty where we are going now."