While it had been a few decades since the top speed had increased Antonia still had a need for speed. "I think I'm getting car sick from your driving" Stefan commented from the back.
Klaus had dosed off in the passenger seat a few hours after she had started driving once his phone calls ended he seemed equal parts angry and tired, so she was glad he had decided to take a snooze, "Klaus doesn't have a problem with my driving so maybe you should just deal with it" she mumbled this time loud enough for him to hear.
"Whatever" scoffed the vampire as he went to brooding in the backseat. Klaus stirred in his seat. Antonia looked over to him, he looked so at peace as she watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. It made her remember how human he still was, its why she never triggered her curse. She was scared, all the stories she had heard, all she had seen made her fear that she would lose that human part of her. It wasn't that she was trying to hold onto the perfect person, she was never a perfect person, rather she leaned more to the bad girl side. Her mother had nicknamed her "silent but deadly". She was scared that she wouldn't recognize herself if she turned, that's part of why she decided to start looking for Niklaus, she wanted to see if maybe if she turned being with him would keep her still herself. Antonia was scared by turning she would truly turn into the monster people portrayed werewolves as.
Turning her eyes back to the road she let out a sigh, she didn't dare ask Klaus where they were going after the mood he had become. Taking advantage of his state she clicked on the GPS to see where he had put in, just a town in Tennessee she had never heard of. Clicking out and back to the map she continued to drive. Antonia could feel Stefan's eyes boring into the back of her head.
The more he acted as if he couldn't stand her as if he didn't trust her the less she trusted him. For someone who've he never met he sure was taking a dislike to her. She tried to brush it off, honestly, she just didn't want to start anything. She was finally getting to know Klaus, in a weird twisted way, but nonetheless she didn't want to focus on whatever pettiness Stefan was holding against her.
She was starting to get hungry, Stefan had since fallen asleep so she was stuck with waking up the vampire or trying to get a snack herself. Opting for the latter she unbuckled her seat belt and tried to reach back for hopefully chips of some sort. Trying to keep her eyes on the road Antonia patted around for a snack.
With her left arm holding the steering wheel her chest was forced out as her right was thrown back deep in search. She must have reached too much because suddenly her breasts knocked the radio and shot out pop music full blast.
Not only did it awake sleeping Klaus and Stefan she jumped and the car swerved. Suddenly awake Klaus' reached out and steadied the car at the same time Antonia's hand came flying back to the wheel as well. His hand landed just on top of hers, if it was even possible but her heart accelerated even more. "Easy love, can't have us having an accident"
"Jesus do you even have a license!" Stefan commented.
"Sorry! I was tryna get a snack I swear I only took my eyes off the road for a second and then the music…" Antonia quickly tried to justify, a wave of sleepiness hit her. Klaus had yet to move his hand as he leaned back in his seat again rubbing his face with his free hand after turning off the music.
"Quite alright, how about we switch?" Klaus asked.
A groan came from the back seat, "No I'll be fine, I just wanted jerky" Antonia tried to protest as she yawned, she didn't want to admit she was tired but her human needs betrayed me. It had started to get dark and Antonia's eyes were straining to see the road. A few minutes passed and they drove in silence.
"Sweetheart just pull over, it's fine I would need to drive anyway since the GPS doesn't know where next" He said pulling his hand away, the absence of his hand left Antonia both burned form his touch yet left feeling frozen from his leave. She shuddered internally but pulled over.
Putting the car in park Klaus and Antonia got out, Stefan had gone back to sleep. Leaving the door open Antonia walked closest to the car as she thought Klaus would go out farther, but not far enough that his hand didn't graze her lower back as he walked past. Antonia got goose bumps from his touch, was this him showing his attraction for her or him just being a man? Regardless it was making Antonia go crazy. A happy smile came to her mouth as she walked around to the other side hopping in. Maybe telling him wouldn't be so bad telling him the truth Antonia thought.
Still hungry Antonia reached back grabbing a snack. She grabbed gummy bears, not chips or jerky but they would suffice. She started to open them but after a few handfuls her eyes started to droop more and more.
Huffing Antonia closed her eyes feeling the cool night breeze on her face. She must have fallen asleep again because the next thing she knew they were pulling over onto the edge of the road and the sky was completely dark. She opened her eyes to an even darker night sky and gummy bears spilled all over her chest. Picking them off she eat them.
"Antonia do come along"
Stefan was already out of the car, Klaus was sitting in the front seat still with the door open. Antonia stood in front of him finishing off the gummy bears, "So what now? We wander the woods for a werewolf?"
"No not at all, we go to their house"
He stood up out of the car, Stefan watched the two's interaction with great curiosity. Stefan wasn't filled in on who Antonia really was and why Klaus had taken her with them, he was very curious to see if he could use whatever she was to him against him.
Klaus looked past Antonia to Stefan who was clearly sizing Antonia up and he glared at him. "Stefan do follow us" Antonia was confused as Klaus pulled her flush against his chest and flashed them in front of a quaint little white house. A woman was out front calling for her dog as Klaus grasped Antonia's hand in his walking up to her. His grip was tight but not enough to hurt her. Turning towards the couple she jumped, "I am so sorry. We didn't mean to scare you." Klaus said in an American accent. Antonia's eyes nearly popped out of her head, she was not expecting that!
"Can I help you?" the girl asked.
"Yeah my um car ran out of gas a few miles back. I feel like I've been walking forever. Yours is the first house I've come across, so we were hoping that we could use your phone?"
"Don't you have a cell phone?" Countered the girl, clearly not comfortable with this. She shifted her eyes to Antonia who gave her a hopeful look. Granted they did look sketchier than all get out and it was the middle of the night but whatever.
"Heh yeah battery died" Klaus said pulling his phone out of his pocket. Wait no that was Antonia's phone! Antonia nearly snatched it out of his hand when she realized it, that jerk she thought. "Look I promise we're not serial killers. I just want to use your phone" The girl glanced at Antonia again and this time the girl gave her a bright smile.
"Sure" the girl said.
"So… can I come in?" Klaus asked.
Turning to walk up the porch steps the girl turned back at his question, "No I'll go in and get the phone and bring it out to you."
Dropping his American accent Klaus deadly said, "I thought you country folk were supposed to be more trusting"
"I'm from Florida" the girl snapped. Antonia rolled her eyes, "Why would you move here then!" Antonia said without thinking, this was literally in the middle of nowhere, granted she had no idea where they actually were but it looked like a waste. "Well that explains it" The hybrid said flashing to her compelling her to invite him in.
Pulling the girl along Klaus and Antonia made it up the stairs and in the house. A dark-skinned woman stood in the kitchen as Klaus held the girl tightly, "Please don't be alarmed. I'm told Ray Sutton lives here"
"He's almost never here, he's on the road mostly" the woman informed him with fear.
"But I expect that he makes it back at least once a month, where is he now?" No answer. "If I have to make you tell me this is going to be infinitely more painful for you" And she took off towards the door. Antonia stood in the door way and simply stuck her foot out tripping the woman who slammed into the floor. Antonia followed the woman who now was crawling towards the door Klaus followed behind very amused at Antonia's intervention. Stefan was seen through the screen door, Antonia was glad his gaze wasn't on her for once. The woman screamed yet again.
"He's in Tulee!" She let out when she realized there wasn't any way they were going to let her go, "It's near the border, a bar called Southern Comfort. Its off highway 41"
"Thank you, my love," Klaus said as she crawled up against the wall tears streaming down her face. "Now let my friend here in" He said to the girl who was still gripped against him.
"Come in" She said through her own tears.
"Make this one quick and the other suffer" Klaus said as Stefan stepped over the threshold of the home. He let go of the girl only to walk forward and pull Antonia by her elbow out the door with him leaving Stefan alone with the two terrified women. "We'll be in the car" he said over his shoulder. As they walked away Antonia could hear the blood curdling screams. After a moment Klaus let go of Antonia's arm and they fell into step as they walked back to the car.
"That was quite the little move you made back there sweetheart"
Antonia shrugged in response, she didn't really know why she did it but it felt like the right thing to do in the situation.
