"I will be right back. Don't miss me too much." Kol presses a swift kiss on Eloise's hand before speeding off, not giving Eloise the chance to scold him for the small affection.
Eloise blinks dumfounded at the fact that Kol was practically invisible because of his speed and the fact he had just attempted being chivalrous. She brushes away her thoughts, not wanting to overanalyze, and awkwardly looks around the large foyer of the mansion, unsure if she should wait here or wander into the house. Perhaps wandering alone in a house full of vampires wasn't the best option but maybe she could find Kol.
Eloise felt a bit like Bowie for wanting to follow him around but he had promised to protect her, running off wasn't exactly doing that. Before she can make a decision someone walks into the foyer, the blonde she had seen this morning in Alaric's class. There was a vampire in her school, great.
Eloise opens her mouth to greet the woman but is cut off by the blonde.
"I saw you earlier. I didn't know you were Kol's new plaything." Rebekah states while narrowing her eyes slightly at the woman. The ones her brother chose were usually a bit more provocatively dressed so she wasn't too sure what to make of this one. She smirks as she hears the increased heartbeat.
"That's one way to put it." Eloise mumbles, hoping to make the best of this conversation. Perhaps Kol would be so kind to notify the school if she were to die today. Maybe he would also take care of Bowie for her, but she wasn't going to count on it.
"Pray tell." Rebekah now looks a little more interested in Eloise. The girl didn't look as offended as she had hoped.
"He called me his hobby, which should concern me greatly?" Eloise deadpans.
"Seeing as you're not yet bleeding to death and still possess all of your limbs, I'm sure it's alright." Rebekah shrugs before a lazy grin makes its way to her face. "You must be Ellie..."
"You know-"
"Kol likes to brag to me about his... findings. If it's any consolation, you're less provoking than his usual conquests."
"Provoking?" Eloise wasn't sure how to respond to that. She suspected that the fewer words she used, the better. These people seemed to be the type who could and would use any word she uttered against her.
"Most of them drape themselves over any Original they can get their eyes on." Niklaus grins as he joins his sister, interested in the conversation that was being held by the two women. His grin broadens as he recognizes the woman from the alley. The woman looked less fatigued today but still very confused. She recognized him as well, which he hadn't expected. He would be certain to have a word with Kol about this later on.
Eloise blinks, recognizing Niklaus, the man with the pretty eyes. She would be certain to never tell him of that thought.
"Oh." Eloise's cheeks burn with the idea and she felt the need to assure them she wouldn't drape herself over anyone anytime soon but thought better of it.
"Don't worry, love. Unlike others, I would let you do it." Niklaus teases.
"That wasn't my intention." Eloise comments. She had never thought this would occur but she hoped dearly Kol would return soon. Kol might trust his family enough not to kill her on the spot, but that didn't mean she was comfortable in the presence of Niklaus and the blonde.
"No matter. My name is Klaus, this is my sister Rebekah." Niklaus grabs hold of Eloise's hand and presses a kiss on the palm of her hand. He could practically feel the girl's pulse thrum underneath the skin of her wrist.
As if hearing her thoughts, Kol hastily reenters the foyer. "Back off Nik, she's mine." Kol growls while glaring at his brother who was still holding onto Eloise's hand.
"If I remember correctly, I had her first and you were the one who wanted to kill her." Niklaus holds his pointer finger up in a condescending manner, eyes shifting back to Eloise, catching how the girl narrows her eyes lightly at his words. He gives her a quick wink, before releasing her hand.
Eloise bites back a huff, she didn't like being talked about like she belonged to any of them.
"Well, you let her go, that was your mistake." Kol retorts, quickly pulling Eloise back to his side, ignoring her irritated expression.
"You are both awful at sharing, perhaps the teacher is willing to tutor you both on this vital skill." Rebekah grins.
"Great, I get to tutor a thousand-year-old." Eloise deadpans. She knew for sure teaching Kol to share would be harder than trying to teach the kindergarten children mathematics.
"I don't need to share my Ellie." Kol scowls. "Klaus, don't you have a certain blonde to stalk?"
"Caroline has made her feelings towards me quite clear, Kol. I think it's best if I start searching for my happiness elsewhere." Niklaus hums, not at all put off by Kol's hostile tone. It amused him greatly to see Kol this possessive over a human.
Eloise manages to keep a straight face. Caroline was somehow involved with these people, great.
"Good, somewhere far from here I hope?" Kol snaps.
"Perhaps a little closer to home."
A silence fills the foyer for a second and Eloise decides to take this chance to make polite conversation, wanting to get rid of the awkward tension. "So Klaus and Rebekah are your siblings?" She looks up at Kol, hoping he would drop the whole possessive act.
"No we have two more, one is currently away and the other is quite a dullard if I'm honest, you're not missing much." Kol replies, make a dismissive hand gesture.
"That's not very nice." Eloise mutters, avoiding the stares from both Rebekah and Niklaus.
"I'm not nice, remember?" Kol grins sharply at Eloise.
"I don't believe that." Eloise mumbles, remembering how Kol had been affectionate towards Bowie and kept him alive. Eloise looks at Kol's flat expression and notices the small twitch in the corner of his mouth.
"Such praising words, brother."
Eloise looks up as yet another tall male enters the foyer. She now understood Niklaus's earlier remark of people draping themselves over Originals; this family had ridiculously good genes.
"Must you bring your dinner into our foyer, Kol?" The man looked unimpressed and a little irritated at Kol, eyes flickering over to the girl beside his youngest brother. At least she was still clothed and intact.
"I'm not- I think." Eloise shut her mouth, not wanting to test her luck. Kol seemed deranged enough to change his mind and kill her on the spot.
"She's not dinner, she's Kol's... friend." Rebekah interjects. "Her name is Eloise, a high school teacher."
"You must pick better friends." The man admonishes before giving the girl a small smile, she seemed scared, rightfully so but he would rather not make matters worse.
"Indeed, the last friend he had he ripped their arms off." Niklaus adds.
Eloise flinches. "Oh god."
"Now don't go scaring the poor thing." Rebekah snaps, glaring up at Niklaus who was being awfully tactless.
"Then what are you doing here, Eloise, if not to serve as a meal?" Finn asks, looking hesitant at the young woman. He should send her away, save her from his siblings' vileness, but instead simply gazes at her.
Eloise wonders briefly how many times girls had been brought over for that purpose. "I'm not sure. Ask Kol." Eloise replies in an even tone.
"Alright, this is enough, she's here for me. So kindly back off." Kol grumbles, having endured enough of this interrogation.
"Don't flatter yourself, Kol. I'm sure she rather hang out with me, seeing as I have not tried to kill her." Rebekah taunts, grinning sharply at her brother.
"And what will become of her when she doesn't suffice as your plaything anymore? Both you and Kol are-" Niklaus interjects before being cut off by Kol.
"Yet, how long did those last friends of yours last, Rebekah? Two weeks?" Kol mocks.
"It wasn't my fault she was a meddlesome gossiping cow." Rebekah shrugs, not feeling particularly remorseful for her past actions.
Deciding he and Eloise have heard enough, Finn steps forward. He takes hold of Eloise and guides her towards the kitchen, ignoring Kol's protests. He thought it best to get her away from the argument before his siblings started to throw things. "I apologize, I know my siblings can be quite much."
Finn escorts the human to the nearest barstool, settling her down before walking towards the sink.
"Thank you." Eloise says as he hands her a glass of water.
Finn nods before offering the girl a small smile. "I'm Finn."
"Nice to meet you." Eloise replies sincerely. Finn seemed more level-headed than the others. Something she appreciated, perhaps he was one of the 'straight to business' brothers Kol had mentioned earlier.
"Are you alright?" Finn studies Eloise's face carefully, looking for traces of distress or anxiety.
"Yes."
"No need to lie, I know this must be a bit overwhelming." Finn remarks, noticing the small skip in the girl's heartbeat, indicating the untruthfulness behind her words.
"Understatement of the century." Eloise shakes her head a little. She thinks back to how Elijah had called her a truthful person, she wasn't. She had been lying all afternoon. The lies had been of course for her survival, but they were lies nonetheless.
Eloise looks at Finn for a moment before deciding to voice her thoughts, unaware that everyone in the house could hear her. "What happens when the newness of me wears off?"
"Nothing, I won't let him harm you." Finn promises immediately. He had heard plenty of what his siblings had been up to during his absence and wanted to do one good thing, keeping this poor human alive seemed like an honorable purpose.
"He already has." Eloise mutters.