"Okay, let's see now," Angelica said to herself as she threw the last shirt from her dresser onto the bed and looked around her bedroom at her father's mansion.
Her suitcase was open on the bed and what couldn't actually fit in the suitcase was thrown haphazardly on top, along with her hair dryer, her bag of toiletries, shoes for every possible occasion, including boots, and lots of other things that could be of use.
Sighing, she considered the pile. She knew her bag would be overweight, and that if they needed to take a plane, she would be charged extra, but she hated the idea of leaving anything behind. She had to be prepared for every occasion. Underpreparing was not in her nature, especially when it came to mystery trips with Klaus Mikaelson! She never knew what was in his head.
She turned and grabbed the large tote bag that she'd filled with make-up, magazines, a light-weight blazer, and a bottle of water, along with another crossbody bag to put her keys and wallet in, and her passport too, in case Klaus was taking her out of the country.
Part of her brain thought it was ridiculous to bring so much stuff. Klaus was probably only taking her to a cabin in the woods or something and what would she do with shorts and a bikini there? But then again, he also liked to make a splash and do grand gestures, so it could be something fantastic where she would need shorts and a bikini. That was the thing about it being a surprise: there was no way for her to know or plan anything, and she wasn't used to that. She zipped her suitcase and then went to look at herself in the mirror one last time, pleased with her choice of jeans, beige and white loafers, and a button-down white shirt, unbuttoned enough to expose a white lace camisole underneath. You really couldn't go wrong with something like that. Her hair was in a ponytail with a few strands against her cheeks. A scarf tied around her head completed the look.
Satisfied, she grabbed her schedule off her desk and shoved it in her purse, along with her checklist of everything that needed to be taken care of before she left. She was satisfied until she saw the one thing that was still left to do, swearing under her breath. She grabbed her phone and quickly called the office.
"Hello, Ms. Morningstar!" Cecelia answered, sounding a little surprised. "I thought you were gone on your mystery vacation!"
"I'm just about to go, but…running a bit late." Angelica rolled her eyes at herself.
"Where are you going again?" Cecelia asked excitedly.
"Well, this might sound strange," she lied, "but I really don't know. I hired an agency to plan a surprise trip of a lifetime for me!"
"How unusual," Cecelia replied, sounding confused. "How do you know what to pack if you don't know where you're going?"
"It's a challenge but I'm packing a bit of everything," Angelica told her assistant and then paused to bite one of her nails.
"I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time and don't worry about a thing," Cecelia reassured her. "I've got the office completely under control. You deserve this time off and nothing is going to wreck it for you."
"Thank you, Cecelia. I have every confidence in you. You're a marvelous assistant." She paused. "I know you can't see it, but I'm smiling right now, and it's all because of you."
"Thank you, Ms. Morningstar," Cecelia told her. "It's my pleasure. Now, just to be sure, is there anything you absolutely need from me before you leave?"
"Yes!" Angelica snapped her fingers. "I just remembered, I scheduled a meeting with Aunt Selina and Mackenzie that was supposed to be while I'm gone. Would you please call and cancel, then reschedule for when I return?"
"Of course," Cecelia replied. "That won't be a problem at all. I hope you have a marvelous trip!"
"Thank you, Cecelia! Thanks again for all your hard work! See you when I get back!" She ended the call, put her phone down, and fell back on the bed, both crying and laughing with joy. She was so excited. She couldn't remember when she'd last allowed herself to take a vacation. It had obviously been way too long.
Then her smile faded as she realized she'd almost forgotten something. Standing up from the bed, she ran into her bathroom, clutching her box of birth control pills tightly. "Oh, my grandpa," she whispered. "I can't believe I almost forgot to bring you. Granted, with what Klaus and I are always up to, the fact that a pregnancy could happen is always at the back of my mind, but I want to make every effort to stall it as long as possible." She then threw the box in her tote, zapped everything shut and into her car, and headed for Klaus'.
"Klaus!" Angelica yelled at the top of her lungs as she struggled to lug all of her bags into the house. "Klaus Mikaelson, you better be here! I need help with my things!"
"Just a second, Angel," Klaus called back. "I'm on my way!"
"Great," Angelica huffed. "I'll have to pull it all inside myself!" before shutting the door with her left foot.
Grunting and panting, she managed to get everything inside before having to pause and catch her breath, bending over with her hands on her knees.
"Well, hello, love," Klaus told her as she watched him arrive. "What are you doing that's causing you to make all that noise without me?"
"Hello," she huffed and gave him a salute.
"Oh," Klaus' eyes found the huge pile of luggage beside her on his Persian rug. He walked around it and then looked up at her, arms crossed over his chest. "What's all this?"
Angelica finally managed to stand up straight. "What sort of question is that? It looks like all my luggage, doesn't it? What else would it be?"
"Your…your luggage? All that?" Klaus' jaw dropped as he put his hands on his hips. "Do you always travel so light?"
"Well, yeah," Angelica rolled her eyes. "I mean did you just expect me to wear nothing on this vacation? And stop making fun of me! You didn't even have the courtesy to tell me where we were going! I had to be prepared for anything! I needed to bring the essentials!"
"These are your essentials? He asked in shock, gesturing at the mountain of luggage.
"For every season, yes!" Angelica insisted, her hands on either side of her tense body. "You didn't tell me anything, may I repeat, and I needed to be prepared!"
Klaus laughed, a light in his eyes as he watched her irate expression. "Angel, love, you sweet, adorable woman…" He took a few steps so that he was standing in front of the angry tornado who, in the right mood, could even make demons quake and quiver. Then he gently cupped her angry face. "Did I mention how beautiful you look with that scarf in your hair?"
Her eyes narrowed. "I don't give a rat's ass if you think I'm beautiful or not! I'm mad at you!"
"Well, you shouldn't be," Klaus told her, unperturbed. "Did I not say to bring your wonderful, beautiful self and nothing else? I think I did, and I know you heard me!"
"I did, but I thought you were joking! That's just something people say, not anything people take literally!" Angelica cried. "Remember, I run weddings and birthday parties for a living and even when people say they just want guests, it's always an unspoken thing that they want stuff too." She pouted adorably.
"Mmmm…" He grimaced teasingly and lowered his arms. "Well, this time, that's not the case.
"But what do you mean when you say just me?" She pressed. "I can't just go wherever without the minimum!" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
"Where we're going, yes you can!" He insisted, wincing at her luggage, one bag in particular. "This ugly thing isn't going anywhere."
Her jaw dropped. "What are you calling ugly? That is Louis Vuitton luggage! And my tote bag is Prada!"
"Well, Luis…" Klaus gestured at the luggage. "You're gonna stay here and keep an eye on the house while we're gone." He grinned and gestured at the tote. "And you too, Prada!" Laughing at his own joke, he headed over to the side table to grab his wallet and tuck it into the back pocket of his jeans.
"What do you think you're doing?" Angie cried, stomping her feet like a three-year-old. "Do you know how long it took me to pack all that? I'm not just gonna leave it unprotected at your house! Do you hear me, Klaus Mikaelson?"
"Loud and clear, Angel," he replied with a grin. "I think it's obvious your grandfather made sure you have a good set of lungs." He came toward her, grabbing her unexpectedly and throwing her over his shoulder as she shouted even more. "Up you go, Angel!"
"You put me down, right now!" Angie demanded. "This is the most humiliating…I demand you put my feet on the ground this instant!" When he didn't immediately do as he asked, she began pounding on his upper back. Repeatedly.
"You're making demands of me, Angel?" He grinned. "Keep them in mind. I might be more receptive when you're naked." Then he laughed out loud and playfully slapped her bottom. "I would, but we can't wait. We don't want to be late for the plane." He grinned at her sudden silence as he made his way with her to the front door.
"What?" She grinned. "Did you say 'plane'?"
"Yes," Klaus told her. "And if that's all it takes, it's pretty easy to cheer you up." Then he stepped out onto the front step and shut the door behind them both.
Klaus narrowed his eyes at Angelica, who was running down the aisle of the plane, going back and forth between the rows and looking out the windows one at a time. Then he shook his head and grinned. "Angel what in the world are you doing? What are you so impressed about? Surely you've been in a plane before!"
She turned for a moment and stuck her tongue out, waving her hand dismissively. "This is my first time on vacation in a while, I'm going to a mystery place, and I don't want to miss a thing!" Then she caught sight of the turquoise water and grinned wider.
Klaus exchanged a glance with Eric, the pilot, who smiled at him from his seat. "Love, I understand you're excited to see everything, but…" he trailed off. Clearly she wasn't listening.
"Will you shush?" She demanded. "Don't distract me! I'm trying to get a look at all these beautiful islands!" She then touched the window as if she were reaching out to the islands, one by one.
"They are pretty, aren't they?" Klaus grinned, coming up behind her and putting an arm around her waist. "They're called the Flower Islands because of their shape."
"Oh, yeah," she nodded "I can see that." She tried to sound blasé but she looked amazed.
Eric then cleared his throat. "Mrs. Morningstar, if you would be so kind to…"
"Hey!" Angelica cried. "When I said shush, I meant you too!" She jabbed a finger in his direction.
"I…I…well," his train of thought lost, Eric began to stammer nervously.
"Yes, well, don't worry, Eric. Let me try." Klaus then picked Angelica up, pulling her forcefully from her kneeling position under her loud cries of protest. "You need to set your pretty ass in your chair and put on your seat-belt. That's what Eric is trying to tell you."
"Why? This totally gets in the way of my seeing everything! I want all the details of the sights. All the sounds and smells and colors…everything!" Angelica pouted in the pilot's direction. "Don't you want that too, for the people on your flight, Eric?"
Klaus couldn't help but snort. "Oh, Angel, that is very pernicious! Even for you, you bad girl!"
"Well, Mrs. Morningstar, I…" Eric began, blushing slightly.
"Don't be so formal," she said with a smile. "Please call me Angelica."
"You're pushing it," Klaus warned her, pulling the seat-belt around her waist. "It would be one thing if you could fly to safety if we crashed, but…no wings, so…"
"Thank you, but I just…I'm not trying to cause trouble," Eric told her. "We'll be landing soon, and…"
"Landing soon? Really?" Angelica interrupted, trying to hop out of her seat, but Klaus put a restraining hand on her arm. "Where are we landing? Can someone please tell me?" She was very excited.
"Why don't you do the honors, Mr. Mikaelson?" Eric grinned.
"Sure," Klaus grinned. "Angel, we'll soon be at...my island!"
Angelica's jaw dropped in shock. "To your island? For real, you brought me to your super special island? Oh, my Grandpa! Thank you!" She exclaimed excitedly and undid her seat-belt to rush back to the window and look. "Let me see it! Let me see it!"
"You tried," Eric told Klaus with a sigh. "I'll give you that. It's not your fault she's a force of nature!"
"Yeah," Klaus nodded and chuckled. "You can't say I didn't try."
"It will be all right, Ms. Morningstar," Eric the pilot told Angelica patiently as he tried to coax her from the plane onto the beach. "Why don't you give me your hand?"
"But…but what if I fall?" Angelica questioned, wide-eyed as she continued to hold onto the plane door for dear life.
"Then you'll just land in the water with a big splash," Klaus told her impatiently from his place beside Eric. "Hurry up, Angel. You're wasting precious vacation time by refusing to just take a leap! The island here is much more fun than a plane!"
Angelica scoffed, her eyes shut tight. "Easy for you to say, Mikaelson," she spat. "I just have the clothes on my back because you made me leave all my other stuff on your living room floor! Do you remember that you did that? That it's all your fault?"
Klaus just shook his head. "If you ask me, you don't even need clothes, as beautiful as you are," he complimented with a wink while she stuck her tongue out in return.
"Screw you," she replied with a pout.
"Soon, I hope," he chuckled.
She sighed and finally gave Eric a nod and her hand before she jumped, landing gracefully in the water and going to stand beside Klaus. "Thank you, Eric," she told the handsome pilot. "You're a true gentleman. Unlike some people who brought me here that I could mention!"
"Oh, come on," Klaus smirked. "Whine, whine, whine…look around, Angel! Don't I get any credit for bringing you to paradise?"
She shielded her eye with her hand like a visor and then looked around, her jaw dropping as she let herself take in the island. "Oh, you did!" She said. "Klaus, this place is breathtaking! You know I don't like to use the word paradise lightly, but this…you weren't kidding!" Her other hand went to her chest. "Is this really your island?"
"Yes," Klaus nodded, his arms crossed over his chest. "Here, I'm king!"
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "And how's that different from everywhere else?"
This caused Eric to burst into laughter, which quickly turned into a cough when Klaus glared at him. "You think that's funny, Eric?"
"No," Eric shook his head, wide-eyed, a blush coloring his cheeks. "Of course not, sir!"
"Okay, I can't wait a second more," Angelica announced, grabbing Klaus' face to kiss both of his cheeks before jumping up and down, clapping her hands, and sprinting towards the water, cheering in a loud, unrestrained way.
"Where are you going, Angel?" Klaus called as he and Eric watched, their arms crossed over their bulging chests.
"Don't worry," she called. "I just want to get my toes in all this sand!" She pulled off her loafers and buried her toes in the silky sand. "Oh, this is heaven," she murmured, lifting her face to the sun so the rays could brush her bare cheeks. She made a few more noises of excitement, then began rummaging around in her crossbody bag.
"What are you looking for?" Klaus called to her, her excitement bringing a smile to his lips.
"Found it!" She exclaimed triumphantly, holding up a hair clip before throwing her bag by her shoes and putting her hair up in a loose bun. Then she started to unbutton her shirt, one button at a time.
"What…what's she doing now?" Eric asked in shock as he watched. "Is she undressing herself?"
"Hey, Angel…what are you doing?" Klaus called to her. "You know Eric's gonna leave in a little bit. Why don't you come and tell him goodbye?"
"Sure," Angelica called, but stayed right where she was. "Bye, Eric!" She waved dismissively and continued to undress. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm getting undressed, you silly man! I'm on vacation from clothes too!" She removed her jeans, then her bra and panties joined the growing pile on the sand.
"She's getting rid of all her clothes," Klaus informed Eric in a hushed tone.
Meanwhile, the poor pilot was watching the whole thing and blushing bright red cause he couldn't look away. "I'm sorry, but I…I can't stop looking," Eric said to Klaus. "Offer my apologies to her, would you? And I'm sorry to you too, I suppose."
"It's not like this isn't an island where being naked is totally normal," Klaus replied teasingly. "So, I can't be mad at you. But I'll pass your apology along if she feels it's necessary."
"Right," Eric nodded and cleared his throat. "You are a lucky bastard, Mr. Mikaelson."
"Yes," Klaus grinned. "I am, aren't I?"
"Yes, yay, wooooo!" Angelica cried, entering the water, splashing everywhere as she wildly waved her hands and arms in the air before her naked body disappeared under the water, only her head raised to look at the sun.
"Don't let her slip away," Eric warned. "I think you'd truly regret it if you did." Then he shook Klaus' hand and walked back to the plane.
"Believe me, I know," Klaus assured him. "I don't intend to let her slip away. Have a safe trip home and we'll see you back here in a week."
"Thank you," Eric nodded before jumping off the pond to reach the plane.
Once it was in the air, Klaus turned and walked toward the beach, a grin on his face.
"What are you waiting for, Mikaelson?" Angelica yelled at Klaus as she bit her lip in a suggestive way "You better not be afraid of the water!"
"You do realize you may have scarred poor Eric for life by letting him see you naked?" Klaus reminded her with a smirk as he removed his Henley t-shirt, threw it on top of Angelica's clothes, and then began undoing his pants.
"Are you jealous?" Angelica gave him a playful wink and shrugged. "Yeah, I wanna feel bad about that, but…I don't. I just wanted to feel the warm water on my skin and the sun on my face. I know we won't be here forever and I want to make the most of every second!"
"Believe me, I understand," Klaus smiled as he removed his jeans and underwear before slowly wading into the water. "And I'm not jealous!"
"Be careful with wee-wee," she warned. "You keep him out in the sun for too long, you could get a sunburn. Then we won't get to have any fun and I won't let you forget about it!"
Klaus threw his head back and laughed. "Believe me, you have a good point, Angel. That actually happened once and I have no desire to repeat the experience." He reached her and pulled her into his arms as he looked deep into her eyes. "Hello, beautiful!"
"Hello," she smiled back, throwing her arms around his neck. "How long are we staying on your island?"
"A week," Klaus replied and gave her a soft kiss. "Are you happy?"
"So happy," she caressed the nape of his neck with her fingers. "Where are we staying?"
Klaus pointed down the beach. "You see that house down there, the pink and green one?"
Angelica peered at it. "Oh, yes! Klaus, it's adorable! And it's got a lovely porch! We could eat breakfast out there!"
"Yep," Klaus nodded. "Our own little safe haven." He gave her a smile. "You'll have everything you need. Shampoo, toothpaste, some sarongs and kimonos for when it gets a little chilly or you want to play on the beach without getting sand in certain places…" he grinned and ran his fingers through her hair. "We don't really need anything else, do we?"
"Well, for sure the only way you'll get me to leave here is if you promise me I get to come back," Angie nodded. "But…what about food? I know it's a stupid question, but…there's food, right? You have blood and things? I won't have to hunt, or fish, or…?" She trailed off, wide-eyed. "I mean, I could do it if I had to, but-"
"But don't worry about it," Klaus cut her off with a smile as he gently brushed the redness on her cheeks. She'd barely been here, and the island was already giving her color. "Someone on staff will bring us our meals.
"And what about the other islanders?" Angie wanted to know. "Are we…disturbing them, being here?"
"Oh, no, they live way on the other side. We'll hardly even see each other unless we want to. But just to warn you, if you go and see them, you'll see a lot of nakedness and orgies." He smirked.
Angie scoffed. "Oh, I bet it's nothing. Especially not compared to what I saw at my parents' house growing up. As for the nakedness, who cares! We're free!" She shrugged and grinned.
Klaus laughed and kissed her hair. "You are full of wonderful contradictions, Angelica Morningstar. And I love that about you."
Ellie sighed. Dress warm and comfortable, the text from that damn human man had said. So of course, she'd dressed in black leggings and a black turtleneck with a white hoodie over it. She'd put her hair in a ponytail and put on pink lipstick and mascara.
She had been so excited for her and Julian's third date, and now…now, while standing near the women's locker room at the ice-skating arena, a fist on either side of her body, and glaring at the damn human man, she was remembering how easily she could crush him like a bug under her boot.
"Now, now," he told her, a grin on his lips. "Don't pout and fuss like a silly little girl, Eleanor," he warned, leaning close to her, both his large hands on his hips.
"Don't tell me not to act like a silly little girl!" She snapped, waving a finger under his nose.
She couldn't believe he was doing this to her! She hated ice-skating more than mini golf and that was saying a lot!
"I can't believe you just waved your finger under my nose," Julian said with a shake of his head.
She just stuck her tongue out at him in response.
"Behave, you spoiled brat," he commanded, and slapped her bottom, eliciting cries of surprise and pain from her.
"Hey!" She lashed out, rubbing her behind before letting a seductive smile curve her pink lips. She approached him and stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. "Do that again and we can forget skating. Wouldn't that be more fun?"
"Mmmm…" he turned to smirk at her, kissing her earlobe lightly and whispering, "all in good time, Lady Eleanor. And now it's time to skate!"
"I don't want to skate!" Ellie pouted and stomped both feet on the floor.
"Stop whining," Julian said immediately without looking her in the eye. "You sound like a little girl and not the wonderful grown woman you are." Then he took her right hand and bent down to pick up a pair of skates from the floor. "Now, I have your skates, so sit!"
"You know, there are only certain situations where I like being ordered around and this isn't one of them! I have half a mind to put a spell on you and make you disappear!" She threatened. "And also: I'm not a little girl!"
"Go ahead and make me disappear," Julian told her, unimpressed. "I'd like to see you try." When she did nothing, he grabbed her right leg to put her foot in the other skate. "What's gotten into you? I want to have a date with the sexy Eleanor I know and love. Not look after a child."
"Oh!" Ellie's jaw dropped. "That's just…screw you, Julian Johnson!"
"Aren't you?" Julian raised an eyebrow. "You could have fooled me!" He grabbed her right leg to balance it on his lap and get her boot on. "I want a date with the sexy Eleanor I know. I have no intention of babysitting and you're acting like one right now!"
Ellie's jaw dropped in shock. "Oh! Well, you know what? I doubt you'll find me so sexy once you see me clumsily fall on my butt a gazillion times. It'll ruin everything! Screw you, Julian Johnson!"
"Oh, you will," he assured her, a grin on his full lips as he moved on to dealing with her other skate. "And soon I hope!"
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as redness filled her cheeks. Then she bit her bottom lip and glanced at him. "Did you…" she trailed off.
"Did I what?" He asked, lowering her leg down before turning his attention to his own skates.
"Did you…say that I was sexy?" Ellie asked nervously.
"You really have to ask me that question?" Julian responded, pulling on his skate laces to tighten them.
"Well," Ellie shrugged and tried not to look too obvious or sound too desperate. "I don't know what you truly think of me, Julian Johnson."
He turned his bearded face toward her, gently grabbed her chin in his hand and buried his gaze in hers. "Well, I would have thought it would be obvious by now, but since you need to hear it, let me be clear, Eleanor Mikaelson: You have a pretty, firm little ass that I am just wild about. And if it weren't time for you to learn how to skate, I would give that pretty ass of yours a bite. Is that clear enough for you? Are you satisfied with how I feel?"
Ellie swallowed, her eyes open wide. It had been so long since anyone had talked to her like that, and it was…it was thrilling! Apparently this sexy human hunk knew just what to say to make her silk panties wet. Damn it, how did he know?
"It's crystal clear," she replied when she could at last form words again. "And by the way, a 'yes' would have been enough of an answer." She raised her chin and waited for his response.
"With you? I doubt it," Julian shook his head and stood up on his skates before offering her his hand. "Now, come!"
"Do I have to?" She asked. She could feel herself begin to tear up.
"Yes," he nodded, pulling her to her feet.
It didn't take long for her to misplace her foot and lose her balance, so that he had to grab her around the waist to stop her from faceplanting on the ice.
"Damn, what was that?" He asked, eyes wide with amazement. "What's going on? We're not even on the ice yet!"
"See? See how bad I am at this? We should stop!" She tried to convince him, but he just ignored her and lugged her out onto the ice. Apparently, come hell, high water, or her looking like an absolute fool, he was determined to see her skate!
If either of them thought time would help Ellie improve, they were wrong. An hour later, she'd fallen several times and had finally gotten to the end of her rope, clinging to the wall of the rink for dear life and forming an X with her skates so she wouldn't fall on her bottom again. "I swear, I do this any longer and I won't be able to sit for a week!" She moaned. "Or a month! I would think that you, of all people, would care about the condition of my bottom!"
"Just…it'll be okay," Julian tried to assure her. "Slowly and carefully let go of the wall. Then, just as slowly, come toward me."
"And how do you suggest I do that?" She growled. "Crawling on the ice on my knees?"
"Eleanor, you're making this much more difficult than it needs to be," he tried to reason with her. "How will you learn to skate if you don't practice?"
"Well, excuse me, pal, but we can't all be Mr. Genius Fantastic on skates, can we?" She spat before letting out a squeal as her skates began to move, almost causing her to fall again.
Julian shrugged. "I can't help it if I'm better at this than you; I'm Canadian and I've been on the ice since I was two years old!"
"Yeah, and I'm a witch who's done spells and stuff for just that long but I'm not asking you to turn someone into a frog, am I?" She asked dryly. She then raised her finger threateningly, but he grabbed it.
"Don't even try," he shook his head and grinned. "This isn't an episode of Bewitched, and I'm neither stupid nor scared. Now, take one slow, careful step toward me and I'll catch you in my arms."
She rolled her eyes, knowing she didn't have any other choice on this date. Yeah, that's right. This was a date! A date that, if she weren't crazy about him, she would have bolted from ages ago!
Taking a deep breath, she took a step toward him, her legs shaking under her as she struggled to keep her balance.
"Good job," he encouraged. "Don't give up now. Just keep going."
She was finally able to push one skate in front of the other and grab both his hands in a tight, warm grip. "I did it!" She cried triumphantly. But her left skate was placed at a weird angle and after only a few seconds of triumph, she fell on her bottom again.
This caused Julian to throw his head back and laugh until he cried. "You sure did it! You fell on that pretty ass of yours again!"
"That's not funny!" Ellie cried. "Is that why you let me fall? For a laugh? I'd rather have you slap my bottom a thousand times than fall on it a thousand!" She glared at him from her sitting position.
"Oh, shush," he told her as he noticed people staring. "Behave yourself and don't be naughty. There are families with little kids here."
"I'm bad at this! I told you a thousand times that I'm bad at this and I hate skating!" She was yelling now, and tears were falling down her cheeks.
"All right, all right," he told her. "No need to cry crocodile tears, Mademoiselle Eleanor," he told her, then knelt next to her, picking her up in his arms. "There, is that better?" He gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll skate this way. Stop crying."
"Oh," she sniffled, putting her arms around his neck. "I like it much better this way. And you can't say that I didn't try!" She paused, playing with the soft curls at the base of his neck. "This type of skating is much more fun!" She gave him a bright smile for the first time on the date.
"Of course, you think that," he chuckled. "You like it when I carry you in my arms."
"Well, it's more fun that way, if you ask me," she replied with a grin.
"Of course," he nodded. "And what do I get in return for carrying you in my arms while I skate?"
"Well…" She murmured, sliding her fingertips over his facial hair and jaw, then giving him a soft kiss on the lips.
"You're driving me crazy, Eleanor Mikaelson," he muttered against her lips.
"You're driving me crazy, Julian Johnson," she returned. Then she deepened the kiss.
Klaus gulped down the last of a cup of coffee as he watched Angelica from a window of the beach house, then got up, tied a black sarong around his waist, and headed to join her in the sand as a hug grin spread over his lips. "Hello, love," he greeted, taking a seat on one of the two beach towels that had been placed on the sand for them.
But she was kneeing in the sand and working on an elaborate sand castle, so she didn't hear his greeting. Her Hair was in brads framing either side of her face, and she had a blue and white sarong tied around her waist, her breasts bare. She looked so beautiful, free, and confident. And it wasn't just something he was imagining in bed last night, she'd ridden him so hard and with such stamina and power…he could help but love how she reveled in her freedom.
He watched her as she sculpted her castle, her tongue out and her body covered in sand. She was everything he wanted, if he were completely honest: a perfect balance of the sexiest woman on earth and a sweet, adorable, and fun-loving girl playing on the beach.
At last, she seemed to realize he was there, and the devil's daughter finally raised her head to look at him, a big grin spreading over her lips as she met eyes with him. Joy and happiness just seemed to radiate from her.
"Look, Klaus!" She called to her lover. "See? I'm building a castle!" She grinned at it and clapped her hands. "I know the castle itself is hardly done, but do you think it needs an annex for the staff?"
When he heard this, Klaus immediately lowered his eyes to hide his smirk. Only she would think of adding something like that to a castle, even though, having lived in a castle himself, he knew it was a perfectly reasonable thing to have. At last, he looked right at her and nodded. "Well, of course!" He nodded. "Of course, you need an annex for the staff! I wouldn't have it any other way."
Perhaps realizing how much she actually sounded like the rich girl she was, Angelica gave a nervous chuckle as she gathered more wet sand in her hands. "See? You think like me! I knew I was right! I am going to make the most beautiful sand castle annex for the house staff that you've ever seen, Klaus Mikaelson!"
He chuckled and scooted closer. "Oh, I'm sure!" They exchanged smiles and glances and she even let him add some sand. "You seem really happy, love. Are you?"
"I am so happy," she nodded. "The happiest and most relaxed I've been in…oh, I don't know how long." She put both her sandy hands in her lap, the sun adding a sparkle to her bright brown eyes. "It's just…perfect, with only you and me…the sand, the beach, and our little home by the sea."
"Don't forget your beautiful castle with a moat and an annex for the house staff!" Klaus added teasingly, indicating her work in progress. "I think I have a shovel in the house somewhere. I'll go in and get it for you."
"No, I can get it," she said. "Thanks, though! There's one more thing I need to get from the house that would make it absolutely perfect!" She got up and ran into the house while he stayed where he was and wondered what she was thinking.
It didn't take long for her to return with the shovel and a small bucket. And something else. A little stuffed green dragon toy. Old, worn, and obviously very loved.
"I see that your castle needs a dragon," he remarked.
"Yeah, for protection!" She smiled and then began digging the space for the moat. Then she looked up at him, a blush coloring her tanned cheeks. "You…I bet you think I'm really childish, don't you?" She asked.
"It's part of your charm," he smiled at her. "And besides, I know the woman who rode me so hard last night wasn't juvenile at all." Then he gave her a wink. "Don't be shy about anything. I adore all the parts of you."
"Don't you say that!" She blushed, lowering her gaze as she gathered more sand. "It embarrasses me when you talk that way in hearing range of other people!" She paused and then gave him a small smile. "But thank you for the sentiment."
"You're welcome!" He told her. "And I don't just say stuff like that to get a rise out of you. It's the truth!"
"Well, I have needs. Physical ones. We, you and I…meet those needs for each other." She pointed from him to herself.
"I'm not complaining, Angel," he assured her, waving his hands in front of himself. "If you have needs that you need to fulfill, we can do it right here on the beach, on this towel. Call me ready!" He was teasing more than anything else and doubted she would take him up on the offer.
"No, gosh!" She shook her head and wrinkled her nose. "It's too risky. Sand will definitely go in every orifice we have, and that's just as bad as getting a sunburn somewhere uncomfortable. No, thank you. I can wait."
"Well, good," Klaus grinned. "Because what you just said now completely killed my urge to be naughty. That's quite an accomplishment, Angel."
Angie laughed. "Well, good. I'll have to make a note of that for the future!"
Then her stomach growled, which made Klaus remember something he had to tell her. "Toto told me he'd be serving dinner around seven. Is that all right with you? Clearly you'll need some sort of snack beforehand."
"That's fine," Angelica nodded. "Whatever you and he think works best." Then she looked up and gave him a smile.
"And…not to be indelicate, but he wanted me to thank you for letting him know that he was getting a sunburn on one of his nuts," Klaus continued, biting his lip in an attempt to hold in his laughter and waiting for her to blush.
But she looked up at him in surprise instead. "Why are you laughing? With everything out in the open like that, there was a very good chance he could be burned in a sensitive place! Why doesn't he wear a sarong?" She asked, both horrified and exasperated. "Not that I'm bothered at all by nakedness and it's his life, but he needs to be careful."
"Yes, I agree," Klaus nodded. "Cause if he's not careful, when Nana comes back, she won't like she sees and promote someone else to the head of her adoring throng." He chuckled.
Angelica's eyes widened. "That tiny woman has an adoring throng of male lovers? Are you serious? How many?"
"Quite a few, actually," Klaus informed her. "But, at least at the moment, Toto is the one that has her heart." Klaus grinned and put a hand on his chest.
"Of course," Angelica nodded. "Whatever floats her boat, I guess."
"Don't be so surprised," Klaus told her. "The other side of the island is basically a free-for-all."
"I know," Angie replied, keeping her eyes on her castle. "And I saw." She pulled her dragon a bit closer. His name was Smokey and her father had given to her, along with a unicorn named Sparkle, when she was very young. Smokey, he'd told her, had wings that would be able to help her fly until she got her own. She shook her head as she remembered this. It was hard to believe there had been a time at all where he'd wanted her to have her wings, but there had been. So long ago.
"Hey, what do you mean you saw?" Klaus asked, snapping his fingers to bring her back to the present. "You seem like you're a thousand miles away, Angel."
"Sorry," Angelica cleared her throat and put Smokey back in his spot in the sand. "What I mean is that while you were taking your shower, I got curious and took a hike to the other side of the island where I saw…everything."
"And?" Klaus pressed, feeling very amused and a little bummed that he'd missed the look on her face.
"And what? What do you want me to say?" She asked. "If lots of orgies and having multiple lovers makes them happy, then good for them." She shrugged, not at all affected. But he shouldn't have been surprised. That was his Angel, all right!
"Angie," he murmured.
"Mmmm?" She replied, intent on building the walls for her castle.
"I feel happy here too," he told her. "On the beach, in the sea, in our little home." He gave her a smile, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.
She lifted her head and gave him one of the radiant smiles he loved so much. "You know I feel the same, but could you hold on to your next feeling and sweet words until I finish my sand castle? If the staff annex is gonna be as good as the rest of it, I need to concentrate."
"So, no sweet words and no feelings," Klaus grinned and came to sit by her for a closer look. "Got it!"
"Just for the moment," Angie clarified. "Not forever."
"Oh, all right," Klaus threw his hands in the air. "I surrender!"
As she went back to her sand castle, Klaus couldn't stop staring at the magnificent woman who filled his days and nights with such happiness. Then he felt something in his guts that made him lose his smile. Something vivid and painful that caused him to make a noise that was almost inhuman. Luckily, Angel was so occupied with her castle that she didn't notice.
It was a legend, passed around that every werewolf had a special mate. Enid, she had decided it when she'd created werewolves, horrified and disgusted by her boyfriend's infidelities that had made her choose him to be the first of their kind. Usually, it happened after a wolf first turned, and he'd thought he'd felt it several times since his first transformation, but…he wasn't a normal werewolf. And he'd always thought it was a nonsense story anyway. At least for him. All you had to do was look at his love life.
But he knew that the cry of his inner werewolf couldn't be mistaken for anything else but the realization that he'd found his mate. He raised his eyes to the sky, breathless; his right hand went to his chest as he watched the full moon. All the pieces were coming together: the cry, the nearly full moon, Angelica Morningstar was his mate…the woman that he had fallen deeply in love with.
He felt ill and uneasy. Luckily, she was so busy building her castle that she didn't notice what was going on with him. He stood up abruptly, panting as he turned toward the house.
Finally, she noticed and brought her head up. "Klaus? Klaus, is something wrong? Can I help you? What can I do?"
"Nothing, love," he shook his head. "Just keep building your castle and enjoying yourself. I'm going to go in the house." He slid his hands through his curly hair and sprinted toward the house, doing his best to ignore her as she called his name repeatedly in a very worried voice.
"Fuck! Fuck! Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Klaus swore under his breath repeatedly as he hit the wall next to the front door. Why? Why?
He and Angel had promised each other that the arrangement was purely friends with benefits. A way for them to find some sort of happiness and stability in life and stave off loneliness without the messy emotional entanglements of an actual romance. He punched the wall as another growl escaped his throat. Fuck it! She was his mate…his better half…the fucking love of his life! How could he just ignore that now that he knew? How cold he not take her as his own?
Did her grandfather know? Was Steve aware? Is that why he was kicking up such a fuss? Maybe he'd told Lucifer too. That would explain a lot.
He placed both hands on the wall, palms down, with his forehead resting between them. He hated everything about this whole situation. Everything about himself that had made it happen. Because deep down inside, he knew that he'd fallen hard for his Angel, no matter how much he told himself otherwise. But as far as her being his mate…that had been hidden until today. And now what? What could he say? What would she say once she knew? She already had so many people dictating her life for her. He hated the idea of having to be another one. He couldn't force her to love him. And he wouldn't.
And though he could usually predict how he would react as a werewolf during the full moon, with his mate here, he wasn't sure. It was all a big mystery.
"Klaus?" He heard her voice behind him as she entered the house. It was trembling and full of worry.
Not wanting to make it worse, he took a deep breath to get a grip on himself before he turned to face her.
"Are you all right?" She asked, closing the space between them. Thankfully, she'd moved up her sarong and tied it tightly, so no part of her body was bare. And that was good. In the state he was in, her being even half naked was a risk he was glad he didn't have to take because he wasn't sure what he would do…or how safe she would be.
"I'm fine, Angel," he told her, hoping she would accept that and drop the subject as an awkward laugh escaped his parted lips.
She wasn't fooled, though. "No, you aren't, Klaus Mikaelson!" She scolded gently, although there was more worry than anger in her eyes as she took his face in her hands. "Talk to me, please! I'm begging you! I…I know we aren't supposed to get super close to each other and all, but I care about you very much! I won't be shut out while you're suffering!"
"I'm not suffering!" He insisted, trying to avoid her gaze, which was burning deep into his soul. "It's nothing to worry about."
"Klaus, it's not nothing! And I'll worry if I want to. No one wants me to worry or cry or be upset because it's like I'm too fragile and bad feelings will break me. But they won't! I want to help you feel better and not go through this alone, so you tell me what's wrong this minute! You tell me or I'll get it out of you somehow, whether you like it or not!"
"You'll spank me?" He teased with a wink, unwilling to let it go, even though he was miserable.
"Maybe," she nodded, her cheeks a light shade of pink. "If that's what it takes, then I will!"
"All right, you want the truth? It's a full moon tonight. I could turn. I probably will." He swallowed nervously.
"Oh?" Her eyes widened in surprise as she shook her head. "Is that what you're worried about? Do you think it will bother me? I mean, if you're big as a werewolf, that's no problem. Valerie's dog, Nixie, is probably just as big and we get along really well!"
"Yes, well, remember that when I turn, I'm not your sister's reasonably well-trained house pet. Sometimes, I can't control myself. And I know that, even though you try to hide it, you're not wholly comfortable with that part of me."
"It…it's okay," she took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm not scared. Whatever happens tonight, we'll face it together, because I'm not leaving you." Then she hugged him hard.
"All right, love. Thank you," he told her as he hugged her back, his eyes closed tight.
If only it were that simple. If only she knew what she was getting herself into…