Hello, kittens. Thank you for your kind words, I feel much better, although I still have exams, that's why it took so long. But I'll make it up to you, I promise! Have a little surprise for you - a short Klaroline story. Hopefully, will be posting the first chapter today;) Meanwhile, enjoy!
Her heart was beating like crazy and the skin on her face blazed like fire. Bonnie took a step forward, breathing the cold air in. She just needed to relax, otherwise the man who stood at the entrance would certainly suspect that something was wrong. The girl squared her shoulders and once again looked at the huge vintage door somewhere behind which was Elijah. On one hand, she wanted madly to find out what he was doing, but on the other, Bonnie knew that going into the building, there was no way back. But she was drawn there and finally made a decision.
Discarding all the doubts and fears, the witch proudly raised her chin and walked to the entrance of the mysterious private club. Picking up a large, forged ring, Bonnie clucked her tongue, "One would think they could at least equip such place more up to the times..." After knocking a ring on iron plate for several times, she took a step back. The wait was short, a small window on one side of the doors swung open, but the one who opened it did not say a word. Bonnie stared incredulously at the door for a few seconds until she was hit with the idea to stretch out the stolen card. A hand in a black lace glove took it from the hands of the girl who already regretted coming to this strange place.
A moment later the door opened and there in the doorway stood a woman. She was about sixty, although Bonnie couldn't say for sure. Even though she was dressed somewhat provocatively, all her clothes screamed of exorbitant cost. The blonde smiled at Bonnie sweetly, handing her the card.
"First time?" She asked knowingly.
Bonnie nodded, looking around the small hall. It was lit with the dim lights, making the place look somewhat intimate.
"Your coat, Miss." Suddenly there was a polite male voice behind her.
Bonnie allowed the man dressed in an elegant suit help her take off the coat. Then he disappeared behind a door as suddenly as he had appeared next to her. Bonnie felt a slight foreboding trembling, but tried to pull herself together. The woman, as if sensing this smiled.
"Do not worry, everybody has their first time. Believe me, no one has complained leaving this house."
Bonnie nodded, not quite understanding what exactly this mansion was. The girl only hoped for one thing: that this place was not a banal public house, and she wasn't gonna be mistaken for a prostitute. When she thought about prostitutes, a wave of rage swept Bonnie. If this in fact was a public house, how exactly was her kidnapper having "fun"?
Suddenly, the woman handed the girl something, distracting her from thinking about Elijah. Bonnie looked down and saw a mask in the blonde's hand. Amazingly, the mask was almost the same shade as the girl's dress.
"You must have been warned, but we have a special dress code for women," the woman said, still smiling. "Until such time you do choose someone whom you would be interested in spending the rest of the evening with, you will have to cover your face."
She nodded and put on the mask that covered most of the witch's face. Such rules more than suited her, and Bonnie immediately felt much more confident.
"Do similar rules apply to males?" She asked while straightening her hair and examining her reflection in a huge floor to ceiling mirror.
The host shook her head.
"Men are more relaxed in that particular matter. They decide for themselves whether they want to open their identity or still prefer to hide it."
Bonnie nodded. "Fine, then I won't have problems finding the smug idiot!" She thought, with a touch of malice. The girl looked herself over and smiled contentedly. Though she wore a dress just because it was the first one she touched in the closet without a thought, now the witch was really pleased with her choice. Long to the floor, it showed her chiseled figure. Of course, the neckline and cut-out on the back could be more modest, but looking at the owner of the institution, she realized that revealing a little bit of skin was more than appropriate.
A knock on the door made the witch wince. The woman gestured, inviting the girl to follow her. Bonnie realized that visitors were most likely not allowed to meet each other until they wore the mask. The girl followed the blonde to another set of doors, almost identical to the entrance. The woman opened it before Bonnie, and she saw another hall which was much more spacious than where she had just been.
The light in the room was subdued, but here and there she could hear laughter and soft music. In the middle of the hall was a staircase leading to the second floor, currently being climbed by a man and a woman.
"Have fun." The blonde said, closing the door.
Bonnie froze for a moment, hesitating before going to the side of the room where the muffled music played. There were only a few people who seemed to not even notice her presence. In fact, Bonnie had not found anything terrible here: someone was playing chess, someone reading a book. Pretty decent, she thought, moving to another room.
There she found a few others, but they neither indulged in debauchery, nor committed any heinous acts. Going from room to room and not finding the Originals and Greta, Bonnie already regretted her haste. What if they had already left the club and went to a different place or home? The thought of Klaus' apartment and the unconscious butler made the witch's palms sweat. Bonnie decided that she has rather overstayed in this strange place, and decided to leave.
Already heading past the stairs to the door, she heard familiar laughter wafting from above. Looking up, she saw Klaus with a woman in a mask. Judging by the colour of her skin, it was not Greta. The woman laughed at something the vampire told her, and he confidently led her somewhere. Bonnie gritted her teeth and tried to cope with her anger. "So that's how they are having fun while I have to deal with those freaking books!" She thought and picking up the hem of her dress, rushed up the stairs, following the couple to the second floor.
Bonnie stopped, carefully looking around. Klaus and the stranger were no longer in sight. The same subdued light and silence. Two corridors, apparently leading into different wings of the old mansion. The girl looked in indecision first at one side and then the second corridor, and then chose the left one. The witch was listening to the voices coming from behind half-closed doors, trying to find the room.
Suddenly one of the doors opened and a man of middle age appeared in the hallway. He was obviously not very sober and in a great mood.
"Are you looking for me?" Playfully asked the stranger, with interest looking at Bonnie's figure.
The girl was about to send a man to hell, when she heard Klaus's familiar purring voice behind the door. Pretending considering a potential beau, Bonnie sneak peeked into the room. It was fairly large, and there were a few people. She didn't see women, but heard their flirty, playful laughter. Clenching her fists and trying to smile seductively, as much as possible, the girl literally sang:
"Maybe for you..."
The man laughed contentedly, offering her his arm.
"I came here with a lady, but she got interested in another gentleman." He openly admitted, not even knowing what a storm of emotions aroused in Bonnie's soul.
"If this gentleman is Elijah, I swear, I'll jinx both of them so they won't even think to go near this place again!" She thought, walking into the room arm in arm with her companion.
She immediately saw him as soon as they entered the room. Elijah was at the pool table, coating a cue. Bonnie immediately scanned the room looking in search of potential rivals, and then saw her. It was a red-haired woman in a black skin-tight dress with a more than revealing neckline, almost to her waist. The stranger was sitting on a high stool, her legs crossed, and much to Bonnie's displeasure, at every opportunity demonstrated her bare limbs to Elijah. The witch's first impulse was to resort to magic, burn the redhead's thick and obviously unnatural in places hair, but she restrained herself, knowing that the Original clearly wouldn't appreciate such an act on her part.
"Martini?" Asked the man, looking at Bonnie.
Bonnie once again thanked heavens for the fact that she was wearing a mask and nodded. Remembering the vampire's excellent hearing abilities, the witch quietly stood at the black marble bar, waiting for her companion to bring her a drink, not actually planning on drinking it. Bonnie furtively watched Elijah. The man had no jacket on, the collar of his shirt was open and the sleeves rolled up. It seemed that the Original was fully absorbed in the game.
"Klaus," the redhead drawled in a seemingly nasty voice, "your brother is no fun."
Bonnie looked at Klaus, easily located on a small sofa. The vampire's hand was thrown over the shoulder of the same stranger with whom Bonnie had already seen him today. The Original whispered something into her ear but lazily looked up from his occupation, glancing from the woman on the stool to Elijah.
"My brother has never been particularly sociable." He said with a slight smile. "But I think that at least today we can relax a little and remember the past."
Along with that, Klaus raised his glass and saluted his brother. He also took a glass from a small table and saluted his brother in return, taking a small sip. Bonnie felt anger and jealousy. She wasn't even able to determine who she hated more at this moment: Klaus, who dragged his brother into this place, or the red-headed snake, or Elijah who didn't seem to be particularly against such pastime. So when given the glass of martini, Bonnie squeezed it so hard it almost shattered.
Bonnie stood, overcame by conflicting emotions. On one hand she wanted to get out of here right that moment, not to see it all, not wanting to know if Elijah would accept the "generous" invitation on the part of the red-haired bitch. On the other, the girl wanted madly to throw off the mask, go to the man and tell him exactly what she thought about him. But what could Bonnie possibly achieve? What could she even say since he didn't belong to her? How would it look on her part?
"Would you teach me how to play?" Meanwhile the redhead's voice carried to Bonnie.
She turned and watched angrily as the woman already jumped off her stool and walked forward, leaning towards Elijah, touching his back with her sleek hand. This was the last straw. She wasn't gonna sit and watch any further development of events, it was just unbearable. Banging her glass on the bar, she rushed to the door. The witch was tempted to pull this insolent person by the hair, but it would have been rather a spectacle, so she abandoned that idea. Already out of the door, Bonnie looked at her captor. Heat enveloped her when their eyes met for a moment. "Don't do it!" She told herself, looking at the huge aquarium behind the woman. But the temptation was too great. Bonnie smiled mischievously as she walked down the hall and heard the loud crack and the cry of the red-haired woman at the sound of water running over the floor.
The girl had already brought one foot over the first step, when suddenly someone grabbed her by the waist and literally dragged her into the right wing of the building. She wanted to scream but knowing who was behind her, did not dare. She just tried to get away, though she knew that it was useless. When her captor pulled Bonnie into the pitch black darkness of one of the rooms, her heart was beating so hard that she began to think it would stop ,spent from fighting against Elijah. The girl felt his peculiar smell when the man shrank her into the wall next to the window. One movement and the vampire pushed one of the heavy curtains open, letting the light from the street lamps into the room. A stripe of light illuminated Bonnie's face, angrily looking at him and still trying to escape. In a moment Elijah had her hands pinned up over her head, pressing them against the cold wall and still pressing into the girl with his strong body.
His face was so close to her that their noses were touching. The man looked straight into her eyes with his bottomless gaze full of darkness.
"Let me go!" Bonnie said angrily, trying to escape once again.
This only made her press even closer to the vampire's body. So she stood still, trying to affect him with merely a look, but the Original seemed to be immune to such methods.
"And who should I let go?" He asked sarcastically in a slightly hoarse voice. "I cannot recognize you under that mask."
With that, the man grabbed her wrists with one hand while the other slowly removed the mask from Bonnie's face. An angry growl from her own powerlessness escaped her lips.
"Now you recognize me, smug, heartless son of a bitch!" She hissed, amazed that she was not at all afraid to say it.
Elijah didn't move, just stared at her, studying her face.
"Let go! Now." The girl said, looking into his eyes.
To her mild surprise the Original released her hands and took a small step back. But the joy was short-lived as Bonnie tried to slip past him and failed due to standing next to the dresser. She was literally squeezed in a small space between the wall, furniture and window. And of course, Elijah.
"Let go of me!" Bonnie repeated, feeling a strange hitherto not experienced feeling that was eating at her from the inside, enveloping her and pushed at the man's chest.
He didn't budge. Spreading his arms, he said calmly:
"No one holds you."
Bonnie was sure that it wasn't possible for her ears to actually start steaming. Until now. The witch once again pushed the vampire's chest, feeling his wet shirt. Apparently, the water from the tank hooked him as well. But Bonnie didn't regret it, she only wished that a larger portion of it didn't hit this ancient sadist.
"I hate you!" She hissed, leaning back against the wall, trying to catch her breath from the futile attempts to move the vampire from the spot. "Damn you, how can you be such a narcissistic bastard!?"
The girl didn't move when he slipped his hand into her hair around the temple, and moved close to her face. She was tired and angry. Her insides gurgled with anger, but when Elijah's second hand brushed a strand out of her face, Bonnie felt her body covering with goose bumps.
"I think, little one, that we've been through this already. Or should I repeat myself?" Blandly asked the vampire, playing with one of the thick straps of her dress.
Bonnie instantly looked up at Elijah.
"You don't say much to me, but this... this you've said." She said with a grim smile. "What now? You're gonna kill me? Cripple me? Or something else? Come on, don't be shy! Remember the good old days!"
She said the last sentence, not very adept at parodying the voice of Klaus. Elijah ran his knuckles over her cheek, looking into the eyes of his witch.
"Answer me honestly. Are you jealous, Bonnie?" He asked suddenly.
"Come again?" She hissed angrily, trying to shrug off his hand.
The Original smiled, slowly running a finger over her shoulder.
"Well, you know, it's not every day that fish tanks shatter as another woman touches me." With a hint of irony in his voice said the man.
Bonnie looked at him angrily, trying to quickly find an answer to this accusation. She suddenly felt sorry for herself. Jealousy was driving her mad. She knew it was stupid but acted nevertheless, making a fool of herself and this unbearable man remained impenetrable as ever.
"And even if I am, then what?" Looking him challengingly in the eyes, said Bonnie. "You can control me, but you can't control my thoughts and emotions! It's a shame, isn't it?"
Elijah smiled, leaned close to her ear and said quietly:
"I could, if I wanted to... But I would never do that to you, little one..."
Bonnie closed her eyes. For some reason, such proximity to the Original intoxicated her. His voice seemed to lull her, taking away all the unnecessary and leaving only the two of them. The girl moved away from him a little, looking at Elijah in disbelief.
"And what? I just have to believe you? Why?" She asked.
The man looked at her lips and Bonnie thought that he was going to claim them, but he only ran his finger over them.
"I almost forgave you for the "narcissistic bastard" and "son of a bitch." He said quietly, taking a step back and brushing a strand of hair from his face. "I think that is the best proof that I'm not going to cause you harm. Now, wear the mask and let's get out of here."
Bonnie was disappointed. It seemed like she herself wanted Elijah to let her go, but her body and soul demanded a different outcome for this evening. She didn't know what exactly she was expecting, but surely not this. Offended, pursing her lips, Bonnie wore the damned mask. She hated the fact that she confessed to him if not being in love, but her feelings of jealousy nevertheless, and the man just ignored them.
The girl shivered when Elijah suddenly took her hand. Although the gesture was a bit imperious because the vampire was walking a step ahead of her, at the same time... Bonnie suddenly felt a completely idiotic euphoria overcome her. Walking with him by the hand seemed to her something completely surreal but also natural, as if it was the only right way to walk through this life.
The girl didn't even notice that they were already on the street. They were walking on the sidewalk, still clutching their hands to each other until they stopped at one of the intersections. Elijah suddenly turned to her, holding her palm in his hand.
"I do not endeavor to ask how you found out about this place and how to get here. But never again, Bonnie Bennett, do not do that! Because of your childish jealousy, you put at risk all that matters to me!"
Bonnie felt as if someone punched her in the gut. She just stood there, her mouth hanging open and looking at the man who held her shoulders.
"All that matters to you?" The girl repeated in astonishment. "Of course, you and your grandiose plans, and here I am with my jealousy coming into this fucking brothel... Forgive me kindly, my lord."
The witch bent in a curtsy.
"What are we, mere mortals, to your Majesty? We only think about insignificant matters, looking for some squiggles and spells." Sarcastically blurted Bonnie. "You know, for a moment there, in this fucking house I thought... Damn you, I even waited for it... God, what an idiot I am!"
She turned on her heel, so he couldn't see the tears brimming in her eyes. Bonnie was humiliated enough for one evening to let Elijah see them too. The girl has already managed to make a few steps when the man caught her and turned her to him. The Original ran his fingers through his witch's hair, staring at her.
"Why is it so complicated with you, little one?" He said, and suddenly claimed her lips.
The girl's head was spinning from his greedy, even a little rough kiss. But when he finished, Bonnie felt confused. She just didn't understand this man. She didn't understand his actions. She just stood there, trying to catch her breath.
"I don't understand..." Bonnie whispered. "One moment you're kissing me and the other..."
Elijah raised an eyebrow, raising the collar of her coat.
"What if one day I won't be able to stop, Bonnie?" She blushed, already considered such a scenario as the end of the evening. "Do you really want to make things happen in a place like that?"
Bonnie shook her head in confusion, in shame, knowing that she didn't even think about it at the time. She suddenly felt sad that she always loses the ability to think rationally in Elijah's presence, and he remains who he was, an adult man.
"You're not like those women, little one. And I would not want you to once become even a little bit like them," said the vampire. "Maybe now you don't understand, but you would have regretted it afterwards. I, of course, am a rare... hmm... son of a bitch, but not to this extent."
The girl suddenly wanted to feel his skin under her fingers so she put her palm to his cheek. Elijah grabbed Bonnie's hand by the wrist, looking into her eyes. There was something really magical about this moment. But in any, even the most kind fairy tale, there is always a character who spoils everything.
"If the lovebirds finally completed the process of their reconciliation, I agree to drive them to the house." Suddenly came Klaus's voice from somewhere near, forcing Bonnie to wince.
She turned and saw a car parked at the curb, from the half-open window of which popped out Elijah's always grinning brother, waving his hand. At this point, Bonnie even regretted that Elijah's plans didn't include the murder of his annoying sibling. And then she suddenly remembered with horror Klaus' poor butler and her stealing the card. "Good Lord, he will kill me!" She thought, pulling at the elder Original's sleeve.
"But we wanted to go for a walk, right darling?"
Elijah gave Bonnie a somewhat puzzled look, but seeing the expression of her face, nodded and slammed the car door shut.
"Perhaps, another time, Nik."