Chapter Thirty Seven
One Loyal Friend Is Worth Ten Thousand Relatives
"You're not wired for cruelty, Hayley," Cami said an arm wrapped around her as they sat on the couch in the living room.
"I don't regret killing him though. I really don't. I'm glad so why the hell am I sobbing my eyes out like an idiot?"
"Part of it is the after effects of the adrenaline rush. You were in this heightened state of very intense emotion, rage, fear, worry for your baby. Letting that rage take you over for what you felt you had to do…that takes its toll on anyone. Kind of like you were high and now you're crashing."
"That's what it feels like exactly. I can't stop shaking and I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin and I just feel so so sad."
"That's totally understandable, Hayley."
"Not to me, it's isn't," she insisted, blowing her nose. "You know what it is? It's these fucking pregnancy hormones. I'm either a raging bitch or sobbing my eyes out. Christ!"
"You had to put on this…armour, I guess is the word to do what you needed to do and now it's off and you're raw. Just cut yourself some slack and give yourself some time."
"I'm also kind of…" Hayley shivered.
Cami rubbed her arm and drew her closer. Hayley closed her eyes for a moment and let herself draw comfort from her best friend. "Go on."
"It was one thing when I couldn't remember Andrea Labonair. I could say life made me this way and fuck it. But I do remember being her now. I remember being good and sweet and kind hearted. Life has been pretty shitty to me, but remembering her I thought…I know it's stupid but I thought maybe I could find my way back to being her. Now…after what I did…"
Cami cupped her face. "Hayley, look at me, okay? You're still her. She's still a part of you. All the horrible things that have happened to you and you're sitting here weeping because you killed a man. You haven't and you'll never lose who you are."
"God I hope so. I need her cause I can't even imagine being any good to my baby if that part of me was lost."
"No. The little bit I understand of what you told me about the wolves, you guys are pretty fierce when it comes to protecting your young. So it wasn't your vampire self that gave into some sort of dark impulse, it was your mama bear…er…wolf…instincts coming out. This was Andrea Labonair protecting her baby, Hayley. You will always have her inside of you and that will make you a wonderful mother."
Hayley lay her head on Cami's shoulder and gave a little shudder as the intensity of her emotions began to ebb. "Jackson says the same thing."
"Who's Jackson?" Cami asked.
Hayley froze. Oh shit. "He's…Shit, hang on." She looked back at the living room door and got up to check the other side for an eavesdropping babydaddy or any of his relatives. Biting her lip she came back to the couch. "Okay, listen. You cannot tell anyone what I am about to tell you, Cami. Seriously."
"Oh that's never a good way to begin a sentence, but you know the BFF confidentiality agreement prevents me from divulging any secrets you tell me. Go ahead."
Hayley smiled briefly. "Jackson's a wolf. The wolf that saved me when I was attacked in the bayou and who's been kind of…looking after me, I guess."
"So, I'm guessing he's a wolf like you're a wolf…not like…something out of The Littlest Hobo?"
Hayley snorted and shook her head, remembering the cheesy tv show about a crime fighting dog.
"Right. Well he showed up the other day here in his human form and…well…" Hayley cursed her cheeks knowing they were turning red if the heat was any indication.
Cami cocked an eyebrow. "Nice?"
Hayley huffed. "Anyway, he's a descendant of the alpha family only no one knows it."
"The alpha family you were supposed to be married into?"
Hayley nodded slowly.
"So…what are you going to do about it?"
"Well, nothing. I mean, any boding ritual with Jackson wouldn't work because I'm already bonded to Klaus."
"And you don't want to…or is there even like a…ritual wolf divorce thing?" Cami asked.
Hayley jerked back as her whole body recoiled against the very idea. "NO!" she cried, then jumped, shocked at herself. Her face turned bright red. "I mean…"
Cami blinked and cocked an eyebrow. "Okay then. That answers that question."
Hayley groaned. "Look, I know that makes me insane considering what Klaus is like but…I love him, against every common sense argument."
Cami lifted her hands. "Klaus will never be the kind of guy you bring home to meet mom. There's waaaay to much crazy there, but…I do know he cares about you and that baby. Loves you even though he's too terrified to ever admit it. For your sake I hope he can get past all his crap. You're the one I care about."
Hayley squeezed her hand. "You've always had my back, Cam. If I'm not a big a mess as Klaus it's because of that."
"Oh girl, I wouldn't go that far," Cami snorted.
"It's true. And that's why I'm hoping you'll help me out with something," Hayley began, biting her lip.
"Always. What is it?"
"I want to go back to the bayou. I want to see Mary and…" Hayley cursed the heat in her cheeks that she couldn't help whenever she thought of Jackson. It was like some bizarre chemical reaction to him. "…and Jackson again and I want to learn more about my wolf side."
"Why don't you just…oh. Got it. Klaus doesn't want you to."
"Exactly. He says it's because it's too dangerous-"
"Uh I can't believe I'm going to say this but Klaus is right. Bad things tend to happen to you in the bayou-"
"That's all done now since the whole mess with the witches is over. There's a truce. The war with Marcel is done. Klaus will just use it as an excuse because he hates the wolf part of himself so he thinks I should too or I'm not being loyal or whatever."
"So what do you need me to do?"
"Just go along with my story that you want to take me out for a girl's day. You know, get out of the house, hang out together in town. That it'll be good for me and help me get over what happened."
"I'll give it a shot but I'm not sure what good I'll be to you if crap goes sideways in the bayou."
"Nothing will happen. I told you, Mary is on my side, so is Jackson so they can help turn the other wolves around. Just in case though I'll bring Josh with us."
Cami pointed to the ceiling. "That child upstairs?"
Hayley smiled. "He's a badass wrapped up in a dorky package. Don't underestimate him."
"Don't they hate vampires though? I mean, considering, I can't say I blame them but you get a pass cause you're a hybrid, right? Josh though?"
"If I vouch for him I'm sure it will be fine."
"And convince him to go behind Klaus's back."
"That might be harder. I'll take care of it though. So, do we have a plan?"
Cami sighed. "Yeah, sure. Just promise me you'll say something nice at my funeral when Klaus finds out I helped you do this."
Hayley stood in the doorway watching him paint for a while. The house was quiet for the night and he was freshly showered, blond locks a little brown at the ends with dampness. He stopped and turned briefly to look at her, his eyes soft with maybe pleasure at seeing her, before he turned back to his painting. He was shirtless in black pajama bottoms, ready for bed. "You know. You're the nicest man who no one would ever describe as nice."
He turned back to her, the corner of his mouth quirked briefly before he went back to painting. "Am I supposed to assume there's a compliment in there somewhere?"
She smiled and stepped forward. She studied the painting. It was an abstract mix of black and red with glimmers of what looked like gold weaved through it.
"Is that like…a Megadeth album cover?" Hayley asked with a teasing grin, moving closer until she was standing next to him.
Klaus pursed his lips and she could see him fighting a smile.
She touched his arm, stopping him in mid brush stroke. "Thank you for what you did today."
"I wasn't going to let that man get away with what he did to you," he replied, his voice hard.
She stepped in front of him. "Yeah, but that's not what I meant though. I meant calling Cami. That was a really nice thing to do and I'm glad you did it."
"Mmm," he said, pursing his lips though his face looked slightly pink. "Did it help?"
"Mmhmm." She nodded. She touched his back and felt him stiffen beneath her fingers. "It's pretty late."
"If you like you can go ahead and sleep in my bed. I'm not tired."
"Ah…um…well, neither am I." She bit her lip and stepped closer to him, dropping a kiss on his shoulder, hoping he would get the message.
He looked over his shoulder, eyes hot with understanding. Klaus set the brush down and turned to face her. "You sure you're all right?" His hand went to her side where she had been wounded. It had healed completely without so much as a scar.
She nodded, her hands going to his chest.
Klaus cupped her chin and kissed her, sending her senses spinning instantly, a little whimper breaking in the back of her throat.
She caught his groan in her mouth and her hunger grew, pressing herself closer. His own desire for her fueled her own, kindling the pleasure at knowing he wanted her just as much. Hayley moved her fingers up along the smooth skin of his chest, digging her nails in a little.
Klaus's fingers dug into her hair tightening but then he shivered and loosened his grip. "Sorry. I don't want to hurt you."
She nipped at his lower lip. "You won't. I'm all better. Promise."
He gripped her by the waist and lifted her off her feet. She mentally noted that the span of her waist was noticeably wider now and had a moment of self-consciousness that he would be turned off by her changing body.
He didn't seem to mind in the least. Picking her up, he set her down on the table and lifted her dress to the waist. "Are you uncomfortable?" She looked behind her, thinking it might very well be uncomfortable if he planned to fuck her on the table now.
He smiled a little when she turned back to him. "Just sit there, love." Klaus got down on his knees in front of her and Hayley sucked in her breath when she realized his intent. He reached up her thighs to hook his fingers around her panties and she shifted a bit to help him pull them off.
Then she was throbbing and ready for him and his mouth closed over her core with searing intent.
"Oh God!" She cried, her head falling back.
His tongue slid along her folds in sweet, slow motions, lazy in direct contrasts to the intensity he was causing. Hayley gripped his hair and rocked her hips eagerly, her body tightening with tension.
His hands were warm on her thighs, spreading them wider as his tongue thrust into her again and again before occasionally pausing to either stroke or suck her clitoris past his lips. Hovering just on the edge of her orgasm, Klaus suddenly stopped and got to his feet.
"What?" Hayley asked, ready to hit him for stopping, trembling with the need to come.
He pulled her off the table. "Come here, Little Wolf." He guided her to the wall and urged her to turn around so her back was to him and she was trapped between him and the wall.
Understanding, Hayley braced herself and sucked in her breath when he lifted her dress again and got behind her.
Klaus nuzzled the side of her neck, moving her hair off her shoulder and dotting kisses along the side of her neck, biting her earlobe gently before thrusting so hard into her she went onto her toes.
"Oh fuck!" she cried ecstatically as her orgasm slammed into her and she clamped tight around his cock, holding still and deep inside of her.
She pushed back against him, trembling, wanting to feel him reach his release as well because it was so intoxicating feeling this hard, unyielding and closed off man lose control with no one but her. "Please," she whispered. She reached for his hand on the wall and took it in hers, bringing it to her mouth and kissing it. She heard him suck in his breath and felt him grow thicker inside of her before he started to move.
His hips drove against hers faster and harder, driving himself into her again and again before she finally felt the beginning of a new orgasm begin to climb inside of her and felt the rush of his own release, feeling him come with a groan of her name into her hair. A thrill of satisfaction moved through her at bringing him over the edge even as her body still throbbed for more. She sighed against him as his warm breath filled her ear.
"Let's take you to a proper bed this time, eh, Little Wolf?"