Chapter 10. Mingling With The Enemy

The sky through the tinted window flashing a bright neon sign appeared in a swirl of colors. Elena tapped the pads of her fingers on the glossy wooden table listening to the guitar solo that hummed through the speakers. She admired the beauty of the sunset mixed with daylight. So serene and calming, something she needed after the tense moment back at the office earlier.

Glancing up at the bar, the hunched back of Klaus Mikaelsen smirked aimlessly at the bartender. Her eyes fluttered back to him as her long pin straight brown hair fell down her back. His eye was keen for beautiful woman. The smug expression and deep, intense stare made a surge of anxiety pulse through her. Even though he was not flashing his demeanor toward her, she knew her decision to join him for a drink was risky. She had seen him gawk at her in similar ways leaving the hairs on her arms standing up and the instinct to flee. Being a powerful man, she assumed he worked hard for what he wanted. However, the constant reminder of why she had agreed to these terms in the first place was still very present.

Damon. He had gone above and beyond to piss her off. With his bulging ego, he found his chance to be a proprietor of Mikaelsen Publishing & Co. What was next? How could he handle every aspect of his own company and juggle another? Not to mention maintaining their relationship.

Thoughts of him popping into the office every day with his blue eyes and kissable lips, she knew he was tempting her. As much as she wanted to be with him every second, she appreciated time away and freedom to reflect without him constantly hovering.

He was inevitably impossible.

Her attention was drawn back on Klaus as he carried two tall glasses filled to the brim with beer. She shifted in her seat and accepted the drink. Taking a delicate sip, she could feel his eyes upon her flesh. What was his fascination with her or was she simply imagining it?

"I'm very pleased you decided to join me, Miss Gilbert." Klaus expressed. "I do hope you don't think I'm too pushy. I just simply wanted to get to know you better. After all, you are my personal assistant."

"Oh." Elena replied sipping her brew again.

"And I do hope you don't find myself being too brash, but you are exquisitely beautiful." He complimented her. Elena felt her throat constrict and her palms sweat. With no response, she simply continued to drink.

Regret was entering her mind as his persistent attitude shined, but she tried to remind herself of her reason for doing this. If Damon wanted to cross the line, so could she. His wrath would be harsh, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. This was her proving a point.

"Enough with me blabbing. Tell me about yourself love." Klaus spoke relaxing, almost melting into his chair. His drink had been left untouched.

"Um," Elena dropped her hands into her lap. This would have been a whole lot easier if other people from the office had joined. Where was the lush Alaric when you needed him? She spoke slowly. "This is my first real job since high school. I live with my best friend. Um, I don't know really know what you want me to say?"

Hot flashes struck her body and instantly rose to her cheeks. She brushed her hand against them trying to hide her embarrassment and the alcohol flushing her skin. Her eyes scanned everything and anything they could without looking at him. They were the only two occupants of the small bar that sat on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. Whether coincidence or not, she wished desperately for company besides her own.

Klaus continued to stare and admire her from the other side of the table tauntingly. He wore the same smirk, a signature one, much like Damon. It made her apprehensive and she needed to escape for a moment. She needed to regain herself. Her eyes fixated on a white painted sign behind the bar with an arrow that read, restrooms.

"Actually could you excuse me? I need to use the bathroom." Elena spoke confidently and tucked her purse under her arm.

Without waiting for a nod or a yes, Elena jumped from her seat and dashed to the bathroom. The undying stench of filth and not cleaned stalls made her nearly sick. She set her purse on the counter and turned on the faucet. Running her hands under the lukewarm water, she splashed it into her face.

He is getting to you. Damon is getting to you. She cursed.

Her boss's mannerisms were present and there was no denying he came off strong, but it was the other stuff, the backstory that lingered. After Damon had left the office and she had agreed to drinks after work, her head couldn't wrap around business. Their conversation from earlier that morning was fresh on her mind. Elena wondered if Damon hadn't gone snooping into Mr. Mikaelsen's past, would she feel like this? Would she be paranoid?

This was Damon controlling her. Scheming and plotting into her brain that Mr. Mikaelsen was a not to be trusted. Sure he snapped at her and demanded things, but she was his assistant. His wondering eye was creepy, but so were millions of people out there. And as for the mysterious quitting assistants, she didn't know what to think about that. She did not want to believe it, in fact. This was his way of giving her an opinion, judging the book by the cover before opening it up.

Give him a chance. Maybe he isn't as unsettling once you get to know him? Elena thought and splashed another quick pool of water on to her face. She blotted it with a paper towel and threw it in the trash. A buzzing vibration came from her purse. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

It was the man himself, Damon Salvatore calling her.

"Hello." She picked up clenching her jaw.

"Where are you?" He asked. His tone was a far imitation of what a father might sound like. She was no child of his.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you I am grabbing drinks after work. I'll be over within the hour." Elena spoke carefully almost hearing the heavy breathing increase through the receiver.

"With who?" Damon demanded. "You better not be with him."

"Look Damon, I am. You can't decide whom I hang out with or whom I talk to. You can't control what I do and when I do it." Her words were ready for the battle on the other side. "I'm fine and I'll be over at your place in an hour. Then we can discuss your little stunt today you pulled at my work."

"I swear to god Elena, if he touches or even looks at you wrong…" He uttered darkly into her ear.

"He won't and I wouldn't let him. Anyways, we are in a public place." She explained and becoming annoyed with Damon even further than she was earlier.

"Elena." Her name sounded bitter from his speech.

"Stop it Damon! I'll be over soon. Please don't worry." Elena pleaded with him. She paused before ending the call and said in a low, shy voice. "I love you."

"See you soon." He replied and the line went dead. She tossed her phone into her purse and glanced at her reflection. The weight gain from better nutrition and less stress was showing in her face. The gauntly girl was disappearing finally.

Returning back to the main bar area, she felt a force to her left and she nearly collided with it. Her body momentarily pressed up against his as he appeared unfazed and pleased with their collision. She held on to her purse under her arm and quickly scanned the place. The men's restroom was next to the women's and Klaus had conveniently exited the same moment she had. Elena became wary, but pretended to not show concern.

"Everything all right?" He asked in his smooth accent.

"Fine." Elena answered. "Were, were you checking up on me?"

"Well, I took your brief excuse as a chance to relieve myself as well." Klaus explained folding his hands behind his back. "You were in there for quite some time. I thought I would ask if you were all right. And you are?"

"Yes." She repeated.

"Good, shall we?" He motioned for her to lead the way back to the table. His hand touched her shoulder delicately and she pulled away not letting him go any further. Damon's words or more like threats haunted her thoughts and she tried to erase their moment of contact.

Once they both took their places again, Elena gulped down a large amount of her drink feeling she needed liquid courage to get through these next few minutes. She feared Klaus had not been as innocent as he led on. Her phone conversation with Damon could have been easily heard and she was already being suspected of mingling with the enemy in Mr. Mikaelsen's eyes. She did not want to make the wound deeper. He returned to his original position of gawking at her while his untouched beer now becoming warm.

"Thought you needed a drink?" She asked nodding toward the untouched glass.

Klaus reached forward and raised the glass in his hand. "I don't fancy brews, but since its what you're having I figured I join in." He smiled and took a small sip.

"What do you fancy then?" Elena tried to focus on the topic of conversation on him instead of her.

"I fancy many things, Miss Gilbert." He responded with a glisten in his dark eyes. "I'm man of little wants, but with big desires."

"And that's why you own a company I assume." She tried her best to keep it flowing. Her mind triggered back to Caroline's tips for interviewing the day she first stepped into Damon's office. Nerves were bundling inside of her, but nothing compared until she saw him. From there nothing mattered and everything had changed.

"My company is everything to me. My sister, Rebekah and I have been in the business for many years. However, working with family isn't always positive." Klaus explained losing his smirk and focusing on her glass of beer. "We tend to fight who gets the upper hand and well, lets just say I always get what I want."

Elena politely smiled and continued to drink. The way his eyes flickered from her glass to her gave her the chills. It was like some invisible force had slapped her.

"But there is nothing I wouldn't do for my baby sister and vice versa." He said. "Have you ever worked with family before Elena?"

Her name rolling off his tongue gave her more cold bursts. Elena shifted in her chair trying to hide her reactions. "No. I don't have any family left. My parents passed away a few years ago. My best friend, Caroline is the only family I have and we haven't worked together on a professional level ever."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Elena." Klaus leaned forward seeming sincere.

She lowered her head and drowned herself in her drink. It was almost finished and she could feel the buzz rushing to her head. Flashbacks of Damon and her sitting in a tiny corner booth of Mystic Grill discussing family rendered from her thoughts. Back then she had no idea who or what he was; now she knew all too well. The warmth had returned to her cheeks flushing them like a warm summers day.

"So, what do you think of this Mr. Salvatore?" The question was asked bluntly.

Elena snapped her head up and her attention was on him. The smirk barely grazed his face. "What?" She had been distraught by thoughts of distant memories and was caught off guard by hearing Damon's name.

"Don't be modest, I know you have some history with the guy." Klaus said with a bitter taste in his mouth. "I've seen the way he approaches you."

"Da…Mr. Salvatore is just a friend." Elena replied casually, catching herself from stating his first name. She did not like the twist this conversation was taking.

"And what do you think of his sudden movement on the company?" He probed.

"I don't think it's really any of my concern." She answered. "As long as Mikaelsen Publishing & Co. remains intact and I have a job, I want what's best for the company I guess."

Disappointment read on his face. He was prying her for opinions, thoughts, and information on Damon. She should have expected it sooner, but he was waiting for the prime opportunity. Mr. Mikaelsen was just warming up. He had a bone to pick with him and the type of tension that built when they were in the same room was dangerous. The grudge he held against Damon wasn't completely unthinkable considering Damon's actions and attitude, but it went far beyond that. Since day one when she started working there, she knew Klaus had a dislike for him.

"What's best," he stated and laughed. "Is for my company to stay my company. I don't need some stuck up, playboy to tell me what to do. Mr. Salvatore can try all he wants to take over, take me down, whatever he may have up his sleeve, but it's my company. And I always get what I want."

The glimmer in his dark eyes was back. Mr. Mikaelsen was a man of power much like Damon. He strived for control and desired what he wanted most. Elena knew his statements weren't merely for his own venting purposes or even for her to hear his thoughts. It was to relay a message. Klaus, without saying it, knew more about their relationship than he led on. And as he let his mischievous smirk return, Elena knew she needed to leave.

The natural instinct of flight was cueing up. Her time with him, while it was short, had gone beyond its limit. She could no longer take his wandering eyes and malicious remarks. This was more than an innocent get together. It was intentional. He had been waiting for this for weeks and even without a response he knew he had hit a nerve with her.

"It was nice talking with you Mr. Mikaelsen." Elena stammered.

"Please, I insist you call me Klaus." He interrupted.

"Klaus, but I must be going." She said. Her legs were wobbly as she stood letting the drink throw her off balance. For one drink, she felt like she had drank four. Her vision was fine; it was her body that had trouble functioning.

Large hands caught her as she found Klaus grasping her elbow and helping her up. She quickly drew away knowing he was enjoying her clumsy moment as an excuse to make physical contact. Elena brushed her hair from her face and tried to stabilize herself before moving again. But as she stepped forward, it happened once more. It was like she was drunk and her limbs her numb. Her car waited outside, but she grew hesitant to driving. How was she possibly going to leave when she could barely move without staggering off?

"Lightweight, I see." Klaus joked holding on to her elbow again.

Touching her forehead, she tried to convince herself she was being foolish. She could do this. Elena stood straight and nodded at Klaus to let go. The sensation of an optical illusion intensified and she felt her body falling back into the seat.

"Maybe I should take you home." He suggested and she shook her head.

"I'm fine." Elena insisted not understanding what was happening.

His hands were groping her trying to get her to steady and help her up again. He was eager to get her moving. Then a dark, husky voice came from the doorway.

"Elena?"

**Cliffhanger! You'll find out why Elena is acting so strange in the next chapter. And to note, Klaus is not a vampire or any supernatural being in this story. Neither is Rebekah. He is just a creepy, asshole. Thanks for the new followers and alerts. Not to mention the awesome reviews you guys leave. Please keep them coming. Check out my other stories on my profile and follow my on Twitter at mystfallsfanfic for fanfic exclusives, news, TVD related posts, and more.**