My "new" life began with the sound of the ships horn blowing as we left from Cannes towards America. I'd never been to America before, but I knew quite a great deal about the place from my lessons as a young woman and child. It sounded like a fascinating place, and next to America, I wanted to visit England.

London had always been one of the places I wanted to visit.

At least Klaus couldn't have his own way with the sleeping arrangement; all rooms were bunk beds, and Klaus, being the child-in-the-mind that he was, jumped up onto the top bunk and claimed it as his own, leaving me to have the bottom one, which I wasn't complaining about-

Boats made me feel a tad queasy.


It was day two of the journey now, and I was curled up on my bed reading the book Elijah had left under his pillow- that Leonardo da Vinci one. I didn't speak Italian too well, but I was soon getting the gist of it from what I did know.

Klaus was out at the moment, scouring the ship for something to eat AKA some pretty French girl he fancied taking a bite out of. He had to be careful though, for if any of his victims remembered the monster that had ripped into them, the ship would be in a state of panic and we'd never get to America.

To be honest, I was surprised Klaus hadn't just used me instead as his personal snack, but maybe he was trying to make an effort. He thought he loved me... but I wasn't too sure. He hadn't hurt me since, and I was starting to feel weary from that for some reason.

And speak of the devil, the door opened at that moment and he slipped inside, closing the door behind him. He walked over to me now and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking to me with a chuckle of-

"Still seasick are we?"

"Mmhmm..." Was all I could say, burying my nose in the book some more and trying not to meet his aqua eyes that looked amused. Klaus now asked. "Would you like some-?"

"No, I do not want your blood." I snapped, feeling so... angry lately for no reason, and Klaus was intrigued by it. He was intrigued with me full stop, and I had the feeling he was hiding something from me...

Why else would he want me to come with him? He was keeping an eye on me... and I wanted to know why.

As if he'd tell me just yet though...

"The offer's always there." he just said now, getting up and onto his own bunk, making me roll my eyes when the metal squeaked and groaned under his weight. If it slid down onto me, I was going to kick him off the ship and into the freezing water.

But now, there was a knock on the door, and Klaus called. "Enter." a young woman, a maid from the kitchens, came in and asked, looking up to Klaus.

"You requested me?"

I could almost imagine his smirk as he said. "Yes, I am rather hungry."

"Dinner shall be in an hour." she said, and I heard the French accent... he didn't mean that kind of dinner. Klaus got down now, then walked over to the maid and said something so softly I missed it, but he must have been compelling her, for she didn't move or say anything else, not even complain when the monster bit down into her neck.

I sighed and closed my book as I heard another wet crunch, then hissed. "Would you mind?"

Klaus ignored me, then fed the girl his blood so there was no trace of his fang marks on her neck. He told her to forget she'd been bitten, and to go back to the kitchen. The girl left now, and Klaus turned to me, and my face still looked more or less disgusted.

"Yes?" he asked me now, a dark smirk on his face, and I just said coldly. "You have blood down your shirt."

Klaus looked down to it now, then hissed in annoyance, yanking his shirt off and tossing it aside as he routed around for another one. Like any woman would, I picked up my book and spied on him as he did so. For such a flawed man, he was a beautiful monster...

Maybe that was the scariest thing of all.


As he pulled his clean shirt on, he turned to me and said with a slight smile. "Ah, I have something for you Annie."

That made me scoff- he was calling me Annie now.

He went into the wardrobe now, then bought out a big white box and set it down on my lap as I sat up. I pulled the top of now, then was faced with some royal blue fabric. Klaus pulled the white box away, then stepped back as I stood up, letting the fabric fall out and reveal the most beautiful dress I'd probably ever seen... and the most expensive.

"Oh, this is..." I couldn't finish, and Klaus just said, his voice actually soft for once. "I thought you might like it. It matches your eyes."

He'd definitely gotten that right... and the size.

"How about you wear it for dinner tonight?" he asked now, and I heard another edge to it.

He just wanted to get me out of my clothes, didn't he?

And he was expecting me to refuse.

Not this time...

"Sure." I smiled, turning to him. "Could you maybe undo my corset strings for me?"

Now he hadn't been expecting that, but nodded. "I'd be delighted to."

Yeah, I bet he was.

I turned my back to him now, and I felt hands at my hips, lingering as if he was testing, teasing me to back off from his touch, but I refused to concede defeat. I felt lips at my neck now, then just below my ear, along with a quiet voice.

"Why am I so... attracted to you Antonia?"

He sounded more confused than I felt... and he sounded genuine.

Klaus started on the strings now, and I just said quietly. "Maybe you just want to kill me..." there was silence, then I felt the wall behind me as I was pressed into it, the wood cold on my bare shoulders. Klaus was staring at me intently now, then he leaned forwards and kissed me for a second, then I closed my eyes and grimaced as he traveled down and went to bite into my neck, but I asked.

"Please don't, not now."

I thought he was ignoring me for a start, then he muttered something like "I have to." then bit into me, but let go after just two seconds. He looked conflicted, then just sighed and continued with my corset strings, averting his eyes while I slipped out the dress I was wearing and into the new one, letting him tighten that one.

"You look divine." he just said now, looking at me with hungry eyes. I diffused that look now by asking. "Why did you come to our home?"

Klaus blinked, then chuckled. "Never you mind."

"Niklaus. Just tell me why. You can make me forget, just... tell me."

He sighed now, then leaned forwards and kissed my forehead. "I came looking for the Frenchman Sebastian Riordan, but I must have been mistaken."

"What-? My father?" I asked now with a frown, then Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Your father? I thought your surname was D'angelo?"

I sighed now and looked to the floor. "I'm adopted. Both Mama and Papa are dead."

Why was he staring at me so curiously, then asked. "How did they die?"

Now that made me frown, and I shook my head. "I- I never asked. They went out for a dance, and they just never came back. I was told they were dead... so I guess they must have found their bodies."

He was still staring, then he asked. "Was your mothers name Fleur?"

"...yes. Why?"

Klaus chuckled and shook his head. "No need to worry. I met them about thirty years ago, before you were born. Your father worked for me for a little while."

Now that intrigued me, and I asked. "What do you mean... worked for you?"

Klaus chuckled, then raised his hands and took my face in them, and I saw understanding in his eyes... but I still didn't understand. "You are Sebastian and Fleur Riordan's daughter?" he asked now and I nodded. "Yes. Why do you keep asking?"

He laughed now, and just asked. "Do you know anything about a moonstone?"

"Klaus... I was five when they died."

Klaus sighed in defeat now, then nodded. "Fine, fine."

He was keeping something from me... I could tell. He knew something about my parents.

Maybe he knew how they died as well...

Maybe he'd killed them...


We went down for dinner now, and Klaus looked deep in thought for most of the way down, and even more so while we were eating our dinner.

Strange, very strange for him.

When we returned to the room, I sat down on my bed, staring at the wall opposite. There was a creak now, then an upside down figured hung over the side of the top bunk, staring down at me with his blonde-brown hair falling like a waterfall.

"Still pondering?" he asked now, an upside down grin on his face. I sighed and nodded, then had to ask quietly. "Did you kill my parents?"

Klaus was quiet, then he said. "No. I did not kill your parents."

"Do you know who did?"

There was silence, then a-

"I do not."

I sighed and looked to the floor, but then Klaus just said quietly. "Annie..." I looked up now, then raised my hands and took his upside down face in them and leaned forwards, kissing him for a moment. He'd been right though, for there was something deep inside myself that wanted him more than I had ever wanted Elijah. A kind of connection even Klaus himself had felt...

Maybe there was something else between us then just raw emotion... Huh. Animal attraction (!)

And why did he looked so... intrigued, when I had told him of my Riordan heritage?

Why had my true father been working for Klaus, then died a mere year or maybe less later?

Something didn't add up...


And the next:) gonna start getting darker now;D might be another up later on while I have a spare moment. Reviews very much loved and thanks^_^ x