AN: AH! Finally! An update! Sorry about the delay! Not only have I started up a couple of other projects, but this chapter was painstakingly difficult to write (I'm not sure why, really), and then my internet conked out. Actually, it's still out, and I'm waiting for it to come back. So if you're reading this, then it is back xD
Thank you for your patience, everyone! Updates may be slightly slower now that I'm busy with other writing and some family business. So sorry about that!
Part Thirty-seven: Blood
Kol reeled slightly from the contact and fixed a grim stare on his brother.
"Really?" Klaus had broken his nose, definitely. He could feel the slow seep of blood dripping onto his lip. "I'm going to be the better man here and leave it at that, alright?" Klaus rushed over to his brother and grabbed him by the collar, pushing him roughly against the wall.
"Do whatever you like. I know you're a coward. But do not mess with my plans again, you mewling, pathetic excuse for a vampire." He slammed him once against the wall and stormed into the cellar, leaving Kol waiting patiently for his nose to heal. Klaus hadn't physically attacked him in almost a decade. Damn, I was hoping to get to ten years, he thought, trying not to be annoyed with his brother. He was reacting strongly because he was confused. It wasn't entirely excusable, but he'd always been a bit of a brat, so having things go so horribly wrong was a bit of a shock to him.
Then there was Rin, who was obviously conflicted as well. She was hurt, and perhaps surprised at Klaus' insensitivity. Kol was still having a hard time figuring out how interested she was in his brother – she definitely considered them to have been close at some point, but since he'd told her about his plan… it was hard to say. He'd heard them flirting in the kitchen earlier today but just now, she'd been more angry with him than ever before.
That was why it made her blood boil even more when she heard Klaus storming up the stairs. Please don't come in here. His steps became louder and louder and she heard him go up another flight of stairs. Seriously, don't. By the time he aggressively let himself in, she was already glaring at the ceiling. For God's sake.
"This is your fault!" he roared, his hands curled into fists. Rin only sighed, taking care not to look at him. Eye contact would only make this more painful than it needed to be. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rin only squeezed her eyes shut momentarily before slowly getting out of bed. Though she turned to face him, she kept her eyes trained on the space over the edge of the balcony, surveying her surroundings after crossing her arms across her chest.
"No, Klaus, what have I done?"
His slow steps would have put her on edge if she was hadn't been so angry with him already. After six, even thuds against the wood-paneled floor she could feel his breath on the back of her neck and the heat coming off his body, warming her back. It almost felt like his footsteps echoed in her mind. She waited for him to say something. To scream at her, maybe, or to perhaps throw her over the edge of the balcony to tumble to Kol's bedroom and end it all now. But nothing happened. It occurred to her that he was waiting for her to turn around and face him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing she was curious. After all, she found that she wasn't, really. There was nothing to be curious about. She didn't care what she'd done, or what he was upset about, or whether or not those were the same thing.
Then it hit her – that wasn't the sound of his steps, playing over and over again in her head. It was her heartbeat.
And when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest, she could feel his heart beating away, too, echoing hers.
"You made me question myself." There was a small, but unmistakable note of sadness beneath the rage in his voice. Rin turned her head slightly toward him.
"And do you resent me for that?" she asked in a shaking whisper, repeating his words from last night. Her anger was palpable – some pretty words weren't going to make her forgive him. She wasn't sure if she could ever forgive him. There was no answer for a while.
"You tell me," was all Klaus said before releasing her. He took a step back. The first thing to enter Rin's mind was, how the hell am I supposed to know?
But then… the answer dawned on her. Rebekah and Kol were always joking about it. In fact, they'd tried to tell her.
"You don't. You're in love with me," she said, still gazing over the edge of the balcony. She stated it like a fact – there was no other way she'd be able to get the words out of her mouth. "That's why you haven't killed me."
It finally felt safe to turn around. Klaus stood a few feet away, arms at his side. His expression shocked her. For the first time, Klaus actually looked like he was… in pain. So she really did eat at him, the way his siblings had said. It was a tense moment. In silence, they looked at each other, trying to make sense of themselves.
Klaus looked away first.
"I need a glass of wine," he said abruptly, running a hand through his hair. Rin rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Better get on it. You've been sober for like five whole minutes," she said. He turned to leave. "By the way, I'm glad Rebekah stole your stupid cup. I'm glad you have to pay for hurting me." Though he stopped to listen as she spoke, he didn't reply, and left when she was done.
Rin walked back over to the bed, feeling numb. He hadn't denied it. He was in love with her, despite everything. And for whatever reason, if she ignored all the terrible things he'd done for the moment, it was a little calming to know he felt that way. It meant that underneath it all, he really did care for her, and he acted horribly because that was who he was – at least, that's what he knew. Rin was beginning to doubt if he was really evil by nature. Maybe that's who he'd turned into.
In the cellar, Klaus was pacing between the racks of alcohol, restless. He was here to find another bottle, but it was impossible to focus on the task at hand. Rin had finally decided to believe Kol and Rebekah. She believed he was in love with her. It would have been preposterous, had it not been true. It was driving him insane. Did she feel the same way? Could she forgive him, knowing his plan was essentially ruined and that he loved her? Would she turn for him?
He couldn't help but wish for more than he knew she would offer. Of course she wouldn't turn into a vampire for him. She didn't care for him at all. That wasn't the way Rin operated. For her, it was easy to kiss him and flirt with him and be with him and feel nothing. But for him, it was slowly becoming more and more important. The fleeting moments between them when everything was calm and safe would be some of his most beloved memories, and he knew it.
Upstairs, he could hear Rebekah and Kol in the kitchen laughing about something. Probably him and his miserable situation. Kol had definitely healed up by now, and judging by the sound of dishes, they were either eating or pouring drinks.
Sighing, he sat on the floor, leaning against one of the racks. Suddenly, the same ache that struck him now and again was creeping back. The feeling that came along with knowing he had isolated himself, and that the damage was undeniably irreparable. His siblings would never accept him now, even if he chose to abandon his ways and be a true part of the family again. After all, wasn't he an abomination? A freak of nature? They were vampires, but he'd wanted more – he'd become a werewolf, too. Rin would never accept him either, considering the horrible things he'd done to her. The sting of loneliness was all the more sharp, knowing he'd brought it all upon himself.
"Do you think he'll find a way to make it up to her?" he heard Kol ask. Rebekah was silent for a moment, probably drinking or chewing.
"Maybe. Honestly, I hope so. Klaus needs a girlfriend."
"But she's still human. Got to admit, that is a pain in the ass. It's annoying enough having to resist that all day long. I'm not going to keep that up forever." Rebekah laughed, and Klaus felt a pang of annoyance. Human or not, Kol was not allowed to feed on Rin.
"Maybe she'll turn eventually," replied Rebekah. "I don't know, but that would be nice. Having another girl around here. You two are insufferable most of the time, and Elijah is just as bad. I could use a sister." Klaus couldn't believe how casually they were discussing all this.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Rin frowned at the breeze coming in through the bay window. She hadn't remembered leaving the window open. When she stood up to shut it, there was a sound from the bathroom.
"Bekah, do you really think they're going to keep at it that long? Human girls get sick of us. And we get sick of them. I'm willing to bet Klaus will forget about her in less than fifty years. They just don't live long enough." Kol almost sounded regretful. Klaus wondered idly if he'd had his own human girlfriend at some point. Not that Rin was his girlfriend – far from it.
"You know me, Kol, ever the romantic. Who knows? I don't think he'll forget about her. I think she'll come around. Maybe if he sacrifices something eventually. I can't believe I had to steal the chalice just to keep her alive, though. Bit disheartening." Klaus banged his head once against the rack, making the glass bottles shake precariously. Rebekah was right. If he'd sacrificed something, if he'd just given Maya the cup himself, then he'd have a chance with Rin. But he couldn't do that.
"Maybe he doesn't care for her as much as we thought," said Kol.
"No, he does. If he didn't, he'd have completed the spell some time ago. She's already become powerful enough. And did you hear them earlier today? 'You've given me the right to make you breakfast!' I thought I was hearing things." They both laughed a little and Klaus glared furiously at the ceiling. Were they ever not eavesdropping? If they'd both been listening to him in the morning, then what he was doing now was perfectly justified.
"Alright, fair enough. That's—" Kol stopped abruptly. "Do you smell that?"
"Yes, it's… Whose blood is that?"
"Got to be Rin," said Kol, standing. "Shit, Klaus. Has he fed on her again? Where is he?"
"You saw him last; I've no idea."
"Rebekah, that's a lot of blood." The smell was beginning to get through the ventilation system and sure enough, Klaus could smell it all the way in the cellar. Within moments, Klaus was on his way upstairs. Without another word, Rebekah and Klaus were, too.
Despite his greater distance, Klaus was the first one in Kol's tower. Rebekah and Kol came in through the third tier door after him to find their brother standing in the empty room, crazed.
"She's not here," he said, struggling to contain his concern.
"She might be in a different room," suggested Rebekah, but she was dubious. No one had heard her move.
"The smell's coming from…" Kol trailed off, his glancing slightly toward the first floor. Horrified, he realized what had happened. He walked slowly toward the balcony, hoping with every step that what he suspected was not true.
Both Klaus and Rebekah watched him as he made his way across the floor and gingerly peered over the edge. Instantly, he winced and looked back at them, looking grim. Klaus rushed to the balcony, heart racing. It couldn't be.
His eyes widened. Two stories down, on the first floor, was Rin, her unmistakable black hair fanned out behind her. There was a large gash across her neck, leaving her head at an awkward, twisted angle. Both her arms were at an unnatural angle as well, and seemed to be held behind her back. The blood was still pooling around her. It was the first time he'd seen her unconscious with black hair.
But the worst part was her eyes. They gazed right up at him, fixed in a dead, glassy stare. So this was where her killer had stood. Maya, or one of her people.
Frantically, Klaus looked away and stepped back from the edge of the balcony, counting the hours. He'd kissed her before Bonnie and Damon had come, and then they'd fought… Kol and Rebekah's conversation, the wine cellar… It had only been two and a half hours. Two and a half hours. His blood was still in her system.
He drew in a deep sigh of relief and turned around, facing his siblings with wide eyes.
"She's a vampire."
Before anyone could react, all three of them heard a deep, desperate gasp of air from below as Rin awoke.