I do not own Vampire Diaries or any of it's associated characters, thank you.
Okay all! Apologies for the long wait, but to be fair strep throat is not fun. I've been sleeping a lot; it's a side effect of the pain medicine they prescribed due to how swollen my tonsils were. Anyways, I'd like a favor, before I post the next chapter I'm hoping to have a beta or someone look it over, the story has another twist in it that could be kind of throws a curve ball into the storyline, but it adds a new twist to it. I'm just unsure of how some people will react to it so if I could get someone to read it over before I finish it up that would be fantastic. Just leave a review if your interested in looking it over, and I'll private message you from there.
BTW; I wanted to say that Tessa character is modeled after the woman in the previous cover photo who is a very pretty model that goes by the name of Ebba Zingmark, and her father, Charles is inspired by the actor Michael Fassbender. Just incase anyone was curious. Thanks all, hope you enjoy chapter 12!
Chapter 12: The Ties that Bind
Tessa moaned softly as she felt an arm wrap around her. She instinctively moved in closer to the solid form beside her. She was entangled in beige colored sheets, a comforter was kicked towards the foot of the bed she was in. Gathering her thoughts she quickly recalled the night's events clearly, even though she'd drank a significant amount of alcohol. Turning her body slightly she came to face the man she'd just met last night. Alaric. She didn't even know his last name, and yet she'd slept with him, she thought briefly of taking off, but it wasn't like her to have a one night stand. As her mind was weighing the pros and cons she felt him stirring next to her. His blue eyes fluttered open and awkwardly caught her staring, "Whoa. Uhm. Good morning." He told her his raspy voice was like sex to her ears. Leaning in quickly Tessa kissed him, she knew whatever had taken place last night probably wouldn't happen again, and so she used her time she had here to her advantage.
Pulling back she smirked down at him, "Thanks for last night." She stretched leisurely, the sheet had become wrapped around her left leg leaving her thigh exposed. "It was fun." She finished as she looked back at him from sitting up with a smile. Alaric's head was still trying to catch up with last nights events, he was a bit sleep deprived given he had been tossing and, turning throughout the night. Tessa chuckled softly as he ran a hand through his hair, she moved out of the bed unabashed by her nakedness. She leaned down to pick up her bra and was searching for her matching thong now. Alaric cleared his throat as he stood now wearing his boxers from the previous night, "Are- are you going to go back to-?" He seemed dazed, out of it almost.
"Me?" A new voice came from the table across the room. Klaus sat wearing a smirk as he eyed Tessa, he tilted his head staring at her nude form closely. Her eyebrows furrowed as she moved to cover what little of herself that she could.
Luckily, Alaric was gentlemanly enough to slide the button up he wore the night before over her shoulders from behind, "I had hoped you'd have returned to me last night so I wouldn't have had to nearly endanger a hybrids life having to send them to find you."
"Endanger-?" Tessa began as her arms slid into the sleeves that were too long for her, her hands moved at vampire speed as she buttoned it.
"New rules, courtesy of Stefan," Klaus said as he stood up looking a bit put out at Tessa's sudden attire. "My Hybrids have to remain out of Mystic Falls."
"Good. No more creepy-hybrid stalkers on me." Tessa said with a smirk. Klaus glared at her clear enthusiasm and before she could blink Tessa found herself pressed against the nearest wall. Klaus's hand at her throat pinning her there.
"Hey!" Alaric began only to be silenced with a look.
"Don't look so chipper, love. That just means you're not allowed out of my sights again." Tessa cursed inwardly. As Klaus stared at her, "You'll be coming with me…" Klaus told her his tone not leaving her with the ability to question it.
"No-." Tessa began outraged, but she was silenced by Klaus.
"The deal I have with your father only stands so long as I can return you to him. I can't do that when you're off gallivanting with the local riffraff." Alaric glared from behind him, but Tessa knew whatever weapons he had hidden in the loft would do nothing to Klaus. A slow, devious smirk grew on Klaus's lips as he watched Tessa lock eyes with Alaric.
"Don't-." Tessa began only to have Klaus's hold on her throat tighten enough to break her words. She felt his hand trailing up her thigh. Tessa's right hand gripped Klaus's wrist tighter trying to pull it away from her neck while her left moved to grab the hand he was slowly moving up her leg. It was clear that Klaus was flexing his muscles in front of Alaric. Tessa had given herself over willingly to Alaric which is something she had yet to do to Klaus. His jealousy was clear, as much as he tried to hide it. Tessa could practically smell it on him, she knew he wasn't just mad at her for not returning.
"I still have control over you, Tessa. Do not forget that." She felt his hand slip under the hem of Alaric's shirt. She gasped when she felt his hand move over her more sensitive parts. Tessa's eyes were cast downward, she didn't want to see the look on Alaric's face. Heat rushed up to her cheeks as humiliation washed over her. "What's the matter, love? Cat got your tongue? You were quite a bit louder than this when I last touched you here…" Tessa closed her eyes at his words. She hated the way he was with her. She'd rather the physical abuse; her body could take that, but this mental and emotional torture was something she wasn't used to.
She made a feeble attempt to push him away, but Klaus was too fast for her. One of his hands held her wrists together while the other hadn't moved an inch, he used the weight of his body to pin her to the wall. Leaning in she felt his lips by her ear through her red hair. "I enjoy teasing you, sweetheart, because I love seeing your body's reactions drive you mad." He told her, softly. Tessa's eyes opened and she saw Alaric standing some feet back, she could see anger, and worry in his eyes. As Klaus pulled away from her she shook her head. It was so slight she wasn't sure if Alaric had caught onto it, but he had, thankfully.
"Now, let's get your things then, shall we?"
"Or what?" Tessa asked. Klaus pulled away taking his roaming, and gripping hands with him. "You can't kill me, Klaus. My father has an endless supply of the white oak. If you kill me now, what's to stop him from turning on you and, using it?" She threatened. She could see the glare in his eyes from her speaking of it aloud.
Klaus sighed as he turned to face Alaric. "Now, Tessa, my dear. You've just put this man's life in jeopardy. Unfortunately, though, he's on vervain so I can't compel him. What with that stupid resurrection ring, I can't kill him either." Klaus shrugged suddenly. "I'll take him back to the manor then too." Klaus moved with such speed that Alaric hadn't had time to react, Klaus was behind him and was about to snap his neck. A sudden knock on the door sounded and everyone froze.
"Alaric?!" It was Elena's voice from the other side. "Are you up yet?! We have to take Jeremy to the airport." The doorknob twisted, and Alaric reacted in seconds, he yanked open the door surprising Elena. "Give me a minute to get dressed; I-I overslept." His explanation was brief, but enough for Klaus to realize that if he took Alaric his absence would be noticed. Alaric closed the door quickly leaning against it.
"Hmm," Klaus said as he eyed the vampire hunter, then he shifted his gaze to Tessa. "I'll be back for you, mate. For now, my concern is her." With that said, Klaus moved towards Tessa, with a quick snap of her neck she drifted into blackness.
When Tessa awoke she was in the room back at Klaus's manor. She groaned, her neck stiff from being broken. Klaus sat in an armchair as he drank from a cup, Tessa smelled the blood from her bed. He'd left her in Alaric's oversized shirt, thankfully.
"Seems, you felt the need to let off a little steam. I'm surprised that it was Alaric of all people, although it does make sense." Tessa was still feeling disoriented as she sat up in bed. "He had been grieving for his dead girlfriend that I killed months ago, and you- well- I recently killed a lot of people you loved, haven't I?" Klaus's evil smirk set Tessa on edge.
"What's one more?" He asked. Tessa's mind jumped to Alaric's safety now, she opened her mouth to make an attempt at bargaining with Klaus. Alaric had nothing to do with the white oak stakes, he knew nothing, because Tessa had kept him in the dark. However, Tessa heard another deep voice from somewhere in the mansion and knew then that it hadn't been Alaric he was referring to.
"Klaus. No." Tessa told him quickly as she stood up.
He grinned down at her as he stood as well, "Just get dressed, love. I don't think you dad would be overjoyed in meeting with us, with you wearing that." Tessa turned looking around her bedroom, she moved quickly towards the dresser. She hesitated as she took her outfit out.
"Aren't you going to leave?" She asked him with her eyebrows furrowed.
"What? And, give you another chance to flee again? I don't think so, love." Tessa sighed irritated now as she shrugged out of Alaric's shirt. Tessa refused to give Klaus the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence as she began to dress pulling on her undergarments and, black thigh highs. She shimmied a pink skirt with black polka dots over it. The high waist held six black buttons paired across from one another perfectly. She threw on a plain tight black shirt, with three-quarter sleeves before snagging her other pair of black boots-given the ones she'd had on yesterday remained at Alaric's loft. Tessa glared up at Klaus as she finished.
"Let's go and meet your father then, shall we?" He asked twisting the doorknob and opening the door. Tessa followed him out with a sigh wishing she could just rewind time to this morning when she woke up feeling almost normal. Tessa followed Klaus down the hall into the massive sitting room. Charles stood holding a duffle bag. He looked to Tessa scanning her up and, down check for anything, Tessa nodded at him to tell her she was fine.
"Charles! So glad to see you again, with… the stakes."
"There's more where that came from," Charles told him as he took a step further into the room tossing the bag roughly on the floor. "I want my daughter, Klaus."
"Ah, ah, ah, I believe you owe my hybrids a visit or two before we discuss that. Just take a couple weeks, and go train them. Tessa will be here- safe. All in one piece. I give you my word." Klaus added the last part for good measure. There was a moment of silence that passed between the two before her father spoke.
"Alright, Klaus. Where the hell are they?"
That's when Klaus hissed out an irritated breath, "Well, you see an old frenemy of mine seems to have a problem with their presence in this town, so they are just outside of town- others are sequestered to Whitmore College in McKinley. I have them everywhere."
"Well, unfortunately, they'll all need to be together in one place in order for me to train them," Charles stated bluntly. He was having none of the idle chat that Klaus liked to indulge in.
"Oh, that won't be a problem. I'll have them all meet in the woods, you can train them at night once the sun has gone down. Before then, however, I have an errand of sorts for you. I need you to meet a hybrid, Daniel. He's in Monroe North Carolina, and you will help him."
"First, you expect me to train them without the proper equipment, and in the woods? I know that you wolves enjoy rolling in the dirt, and wilderness, but I don't, and now you want me to be your errand boy? I'm not someone to place on a leash, Klaus."
"You will do as I ask, or your daughter here will suffer for your mistakes, as it is she has to face the consequences of her own stupid, and rash actions," Klaus said. Tessa saw her father's eyebrows turn downwards at Klaus's words. He glanced at Tessa, and within seconds he stood by the duffle he'd dropped, with a stake in his hand.
"You won't be doing anything to her." Tessa stared at her father knowing he was acting out of anger. It was stupid. She didn't want to lose him, so she moved quickly pushing between the pair. Her hand on Klaus's chest while she pushed her father back.
"Stop."
Klaus blinked quickly as he glanced down at her hand, and then up at her father across from him. "Charles. Leave. Help Daniel then you will meet with the Hybrids exactly at 10 o'clock in the Riven Rock Park tonight. If you don't show, my hybrids will alert me, and your daughter dies. Then I'll be out to hunt you and burn the remaining white oak you have."
"Good luck finding it, Klaus," Charles smirked.
"Oh, I'm quite aware of its whereabouts. A small group of my Hybrids is nearing your greenhouse in Amherst, as we speak." Charles once confident demeanor changed instantly, "I had you tailed from the moment you walked out of my manor. They aren't up to standard in hand to hand combat, but my hybrids are efficient to remain hidden when needed."
"Dad. It's okay; just go." Tessa pleaded. Her father did not want to leave her with Klaus, that much was obvious.
"I just got you back, Tess…" Charles trailed off. Tessa had been so wrapped up in her father's emotions that she'd forgotten about Klaus and his dastardly plans. His arms went around her quickly as he snatched a stake from the duffle bag below, he kicked it back behind him out of anyone's reach and held the stake threateningly.
"Go Charles. Now. Or you'll be finding yourself suddenly estranged for all time." Klaus was holding her steadily against him as Charles appeared to be debating whether or not he should go. "Tick tock, hunter." Klaus grinned. Charles made a move to leave, but Klaus called after him, "The stake."
Charles paused as he slammed his stake on the decorative table before taking off in a blink of an eye. Tessa sighed releasing a tension she hadn't realized she was holding. Fear had gripped her chest when she'd thought her father was in danger. Klaus dropped the stake into the bag behind him before he'd settled by the fireplace in the other room, she watched as Klaus tossed each stake into the flames causing them to light up burning her families legacy to ash.
Tessa crept up to the doorway her eyes staring daggers at Klaus, "Something to say, love?"
"Why is it that you never told me my father was alive?" She asked him, her tone was as sharp as the stakes he was destroying.
Klaus sighed as he sat back on his haunches from leaning in close to the fire, "Does it really matter now?" He asked her almost tiredly. Tessa remained silent, simply staring at him.
Klaus ran a hand through his blonde curls, "I wasn't even sure of it until we'd landed back in Mystic Falls, love."
Tessa rolled her eyes, annoyed by him calling her any sort of endearing pet name. "Yes, but you still didn't tell me-even after admitting you were meeting with someone from my family."
"God, Tessa. Are you that stupid? I simply didn't want to tell you. I was banking on your surprise being your trigger to your emotions. Your crafty father needed to see that in you for my plan to work." Klaus told her as he stood up from his knees. Tessa's brows furrowed at his sudden change in tone- he was angry, "I have the control here. You know whatever it is that I want you to. Your father, of course, is finding out the hard way; or at least he will when he reaches Amherst, Massachusetts. My Hybrids have burned down what little trees he has, his leverage- and, by extension, yours as well- is gone." Klaus grinned.
Tessa brows furrowed deeper in anger, her body reacted to his threat within seconds she'd had a white oak dagger pinned against his chest. Something in her had snapped. She had enough of his mind games and threats. She wanted out, and she wanted out now.
"I'm trying my best to be polite, love, but if you move that stake even a centimeter closer to me I will tear you apart," Klaus growled down at her. His now dark eyes flashed a gold color as he became defensive, and Tessa remained still her eyes not leaving his face.
She had the one and only weapon that could kill him pressed against his chest and, he was still calling her love? "You don't think I'll kill you? I was picked for this mission, Klaus- and with good reason."
Klaus smirked down at her. "I have no doubt in my mind that you'd do it- however, your feelings for me have grown- whether you'd like to admit that or not."
"I'm sorry- were you not standing in the same hunter's loft that I was this morning?" Tessa asked. Her irritation growing even more at his arrogant insinuation of her feelings. "I slept with that Alaric guy. Not you." She told him softly leaning closer to him, slightly.
Klaus moved his hand to her wrist and, Tessa pressed the stake right up to his chest. She heard a slight growl, feeling it rumble the Hybrid's chest. "Don't do something you might regret now, love." Tessa heard the same modulated voice Klaus always used when he was trying to appease someone; she'd watched him persuade, compel, and convince someone to do as he asked plenty of times in the last months they'd been together.
Her grip redoubled on the stake as she now pressed it against his chest harder- it wasn't enough to break through the skin, but it was enough to set Klaus on edge- he reacted simply by snapping her wrist-causing her to drop the stake, and he slammed her back against the nearest wall.
"I would end you within a second, hunter. Don't forget that." He seethed through clenched teeth. "Your leverage is gone, the very thing guaranteeing your safety has been burned to ash in the ground."
"For all you know, my father may have another grove of white oak trees. My father has friends, family. I can promise you that there's more than what you think you have." Tessa gritted out quickly as Klaus's hold on her throat tightened, "Besides if you were going to kill me you'd have done so already."
Klaus chuckled softly as he moved a lock of orange-red hair out of Tessa's face, "For someone who'd been so keen to die after transitioning, your will to live is surprising."
"My mother's dead and my family no longer hunts me. Forgive me for my desire of self-preservation." She told him with a glare as her good hand gripped his wrist. "Oh no, love. Your self-preservation is what's so interesting about you- your father seems to have it as well, hence why he remains a vampire after 15 years. Otherwise, you'd be just as boring as the rest of the hunter's in your line."
Klaus's hand pulled away as he kicked the rest of the stakes into the fire, as he walked over to his alcohol cabinet and poured himself a drink. "Wh-why haven't you killed me yet?" Tessa asked after she'd sank to the ground, her knees pulled into her chest as she looked up at Klaus. "There must be something about me that intrigues you, otherwise I'd have been dead long before now. You have my father- He's agreeing to your terms. As you've already stated you've burned down the white oak grove he built, and as far as you know there is no more."
"You just said-." He started turning and moving closer to Tessa.
"Maybe I was lying?" Tessa cut him off, "You don't know."
"You weren't," Klaus told her so matter-of-factly that it caused Tessa to hesitate before speaking. He turned away to stare down at the fire now.
"How-how can you be so-?" She asked as she moved closer to him.
"You aren't the only person that has the ability to watch and understand someone," Klaus told her. His voice was soft as he glanced at her with a crooked smirk. "Guess keeping you around has more perks than just giving me the ability to manipulate your father." Tessa felt her heart rate pick up at his lingering so she glanced away; down towards the fire.
Tessa remained silent not wanting to show that he was right in his earlier statement- even if she had the opportunity to, she couldn't kill him. Not anymore. With that thought in mind, she turned and exited the living room wanting nothing to do with him for the rest of the day. She'd managed to avoid Klaus until she'd heard him hollering for her upon his entrance. He and, Daniel were walking into the recently renovated room pushing caskets in front of them.
"Seems you've got your family back," Tessa said as she waltzed up beside Klaus. "You going to open them?" Tessa asked trailing her hand over the wood as she stared at three rather intimidating coffins the pair had finished pushing through the door.
"Not quite yet," Klaus told her as he grabbed her wrists tightly. He was stern in his removal of her hand from the smoothed and lacquered wood. "I still have some unfinished business to take care of," Klaus told her as he pulled her with him out of the room.
"What business?" Daniel's voice asked as he turned. Tessa stared at his pale face, and red hair- the two had almost looked related, but she knew better. Amid Klaus's answer, the boy's face twisted in pain, and Tessa heard the all too familiar sound of his heart being extracted. A tall, sickly pale looking man stood in his place. His dark hair fell over his forehead, Daniel's heart thudded to the ground and Tessa eyes frantically searched the coffins in the back. The far one had been opened and what appeared to be inside was out.
"So, Niklaus…" The man began.
"Elijah." Was all Klaus said. Tessa felt his grip on her wrist fall away and, she took the opportunity to back up. She'd read about the Original family as much as she could before beginning to track Klaus down. She knew who this man was the minute Klaus uttered his name.
"What'd I miss?"
Klaus was shocked into silence- which was a rare thing. Tessa never took her eyes from the man in front of her, "You seem surprised to see me; Guess it wasn't you that removed the dagger from my chest."
"You look like you could do with a drink, and we have a lot to discuss, shall we?" Klaus's voice was hollow, but he'd seemed to remember himself now. Elijah didn't respond, nor did he wait for Klaus to speak again. He just pounced. He landed a blow to Klaus's head and kicked him back through the closed French door in the double doorway. Glass shattered and, wood splintered off of the no broken door.
Klaus was on all fours in a split second, his eyes glaring darkly at Elijah, "Easy! I just finished renovating." He told his brother with a cocky smile. Tessa side stepped Elijah as he moved in on Klaus. She wanted no part of this fight, her instincts told her to stay out of it, she had no interest in ending her life at the moment. Elijah turned to stare at her when she'd moved giving Klaus the opportunity he needed. In a flash, Klaus had Elijah by the collar, and he slammed his older brother crashing down on a glass table. "You know, you have every right to be mad at me, but I kept my word. I reunited you with our family."
Tessa was surprised to see Elijah up and, throwing a hard right hook in Klaus's face, and then a left, and then another right. Elijah was fast, but Klaus was faster. Klaus grabbed his brother by the neck and opened another coffin yanking the dagger out of it and holding it over Elijah's heart. It hit Tessa then that he wasn't treating his own brother any different than how he'd been treating her, granted there was more sexual tension- but, she didn't see that happening amongst the siblings.
"Don't make me do this to you again, Elijah!" Klaus yelled his grip on his brother's throat tightening.
"Use it. I dare you, then you'll have Kol to deal with." The par was rigid in their stances neither one backing down from the other. Suddenly Klaus moved the dagger away while saying, "Mikael is dead."
Elijah's face changed to shock, "What did you say?" He asked as Klaus's hand fell away from his throat.
"I killed him with his own weapon. He's gone, Elijah. Forever."
"Then why do our family remain in these coffins? Finn for over 900 years? Kol for over a century?" Elijah's anger was back. Tessa watched as his body went rigid gesturing at the people's respective coffins as he spoke.
"Because of Stefan Salvatore," At the name, Tessa's head snapped in Klaus's direction, she'd hated that man. "He holds the one thing keeping me from freeing them. There are things that you do not know about our past, Elijah. Our Mother's death; Things I never wanted you to know, but I am ready to tell you now." Klaus moved away suddenly as he opened a little container only to dip the tip of the dagger into it, "I only ask, that you remember the oath of loyalty you once swore to me."
"What're you doing?" Elijah asked. His voice deep with frustration, Tessa saw his arm twitch in his attempt to control himself from grabbing the dagger in Klaus's arm as Klaus plunged the dagger back into Kol's chest.
"Always and Forever." Klaus said as he looked back at Elijah, he turned and stared at his brother, "I need you by my side. Be my brother… help me destroy Stefan, and I promise you our family will be whole again." With that said, Klaus reached over and closed Kol's coffin.
Elijah turned suddenly, his eyes finding Tessa in the doorway. She was surprised at their behavior. The stark difference was like night and, day.
"And, who seems to be your house guest, Niklaus?" Elijah began to move closer to Tessa as if he were gliding, "Apologies for the mess, and lack of a proper introduction." Tessa stared at him unsure if he was anything like Klaus. Elijah stuck his hand out waiting for her and she hesitated not wanting to find out the hard way.
"Oh, I won't bite, darling. You'll find my company to be far more hospitable than that of my brother's." He told her with a disarming smile. Dazed by his polite behavior Tessa stuck her hand out, he held up to brush his mouth over it as Klaus came up at his side.
"She's become so accustomed to my behavior that I'm sure it's refreshing for yours." Klaus had a slight grin on his face as his eyes moved over her. "Tessa, be a dear and clean-."
"Klaus," Elijah said in a tone that was disapproving.
Klaus rolled his eyes at that, he walked off signaling for his brother to follow. Elijah gave her a smile and a courteous nod before departing. A ringing broke Tessa from her train of thoughts that followed the Original brother's, she couldn't see how Klaus could possibly expect loyalty from the siblings he's kept locked away for so long. The continued ringing annoyed her until Tessa realized it came from Daniel's pocket. She pulled the phone out of his pocket and answered quickly, "Hello?"
"Tessa?" It was her father. She glanced at the clock and saw it was 10:34, "How- How'd you get-?"
"Daniel's dead. Long story." She told him quickly, she wasn't sure how much time she had to talk to him unsupervised. "Klaus found your grove of white oak in Amherst. He burned it down Da-." She'd cut off her last word unsure if she'd wanted to grow attached to someone she was sure she would lose. Again.
She could hear the smirk in her father's voice. "Good. It was the one we'd wanted him to burn, there was no white oaks there, Tess. Just a smorgasbord of wild oak trees that we'd had planted there. The real stuff is out of the country- we work mostly in Canada."
"Who-who's we?" She asked now more alert. She assumed her dad had been working with family, but she didn't know how much family. There was growling in the background, it was Klaus's hybrids.
"It- it's hard to explain, Tessa. I'd like to do it in person. I, unfortunately, have to get back to training the dogs for Klaus, but I will explain. I'm stopping in Mystic Falls again and, we'll have breakfast, alright?" Before she could agree or disagree her father said his goodbyes, and hung up. Tessa sighed hearing the beeping noise from the phone as it ended the call. She sighed not wanting to clean up the dead body, but Klaus and Elijah had taken their leave, so she was left with no other option.
Thank you for your views! Hope you enjoyed the read.
XXTigerXEyesXX
