"Ah!" I groaned as the lights suddenly turn on.
"How have you been poppet?" Klaus asks.
Gee, I'm been trapped in this murky basement -where you no doubt hung somebody because I can still smell the blood and see the stains. Not to mention the utter lack of light and the none too comforting scurrying of rats that had gone beyond the size of cute and has ventured into bunny-zilla territory.
"Hungry. Do you have any food?" I ask.
"After you answer my question," he says.
I shake my head, still groggy from the night(s) I've spent underground, "Ladies first, Klausy-wowsy. Food first."
Klaus leans in close, fangs sharp, eyes glowing amber, "How about I hang you upside down and see just how much damage I can inflict without breaking your skin."
"Scared of my magic?" I mock, "Only takes one drop of blood to pin you down."
"Hardly pet, you're no match for an Original. But, that stake you had. Very interesting," he says, twirling the stake between his hands.
"So you were lucid during your curse," I said stiffly.
"Quite. I also heard about your little deal. It was very nice of you to offer Davina help to control her powers," he chuckles.
I smile weakly, "Why Klaus, is that sarcasm I hear Surprised?"
"Hardly. You're an intelligent woman, you know how to make friends, how to deceive. But that," he lunges for me, shaking the chair and sending my bound body straight back to collide with the wall, "is not what matters right now."
I stumble, trying to get onto my feet as the legs of the chair snap under Klaus' push and I land on a pile of wood splinters; the chains around my arms, torso and feet still sticking to me like super-glue.
"Why do you think you can kill me with that stake?" he asks, looking down at me.
"Why do you think I was trying to kill you?" I shoot back.
He laughs, "My first birthday was a thousand years ago. Ergo; I wasn't born yesterday. Why else would you trap yourself in a basement with a crazed hybrid. No witnesses and you could blame it on the curse."
I stay silent.
Sighing, he flips the dagger towards me, "I'd hate to bruise that soft skin of yours pet so answer me this; why did you think you could kill me with a white oak stake?"
"Magic," I said honestly, "but it's not like I did," I said, laughing darkly, "now I know why you've been alive for so long. Trust issues."
His hands wrap around my neck, it woould be tender if it weren't for the murderous look in his eyes.
"If there's a spell out there that can kill me, I want to know about it," he demands, voice soft and dangerous.
I choke out, "If I tell you-I'll be good as dead."
His hold on my throat loosens. I gasp in air as he runs his hand down my cheek, his touch searing my skin in an all too delicious way.
No! He's the bad guy in this scenario. Cool it. It was just some stupid habits left over from my early teenage years and too many vampire romances. I'd always fallen for the bad boys. Hard. And today, wasn't going to be one of those days.
"I could never hurt you Lex. In fact, I promise I won't kill you -if you tell me the truth," he grins, wrapping his arms around me.
Klaus slowly lets me slide down to the ground, our bodies touching intimately. The warmth of his skin sending tingles through me.
When my feet touch the ground, I take a large step back.
His eyes meet mine as I look back up, his eyebrow raised in challenge.
"Food first," I demand, my stomach growling in agreement.
"Alright. I can never win with you can I?" he sighs, turning away from me.
You already have, I think.
I hold out my hands,still bound, "Chains, remember?"
He turns back, "Of course."
Klaus easily rips the links apart around my hands, torso and finally bends down to free my legs.
"Score one for vampire strength," I breath out.
He leans in, hot breath on my neck, "Wrong, hybrid strength, love."
"You call this food?" I stare down at the brown bag in disgust, "Can you make me an omelet instead?"
"No, this was the fastest things I could get."
"McDonals is not food," then, I mumble, "for your thousand years here, you don't know how to cook!"
"Sorry, I was too busy decapitation my enemies to learn," he smiles roguishly.
I decid to make scrambled eggs and pancakes instead -even if it was noon.
"So what do you want to know?" I ask, scraping the eggs onto a plate.
"Let's start with something simple. Why do you want to kill me?"
"Pass."
"Do you value the lives of your friends?"
"Don't try to threaten me Klaus," I sigh, "I've heard it all."
"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."
"If this is bigger than any of us?" I ask.
"It always is."
"I-" I begin.
Then I hears Ester's voice: If you don't kill Nikklaus I guarantee you will end up in hell for eternity.
"I need more time."
"Something we don't have."
A half truth, I decided, "I've been having these strange dreams. This woman Ester is there, we're outside this beautiful white castle in Switzerland. Inside are you and Kol with the dead bodies of nobleman and you- there's a girl you," I shudder as the images come back, "I felt everything she...went through."
"Was I ever in Zurich? Many times. Have I ever killed? You know me well enough to answer that. Have I done anything else? Yes, but nothing to warrant that expression from you."
"Promise?"
He moved to cover his large hands over mine, staring me straight in the eyes, "Promise. Ester was my mother but in no way has she acted like such. Her biggest wish is to seem be fall. To take my rightful place in this family and on earth from me. She had more darkness in her pinky than I have stored up in my whole body."
And I believe him. Just like that.
"She must be something for you to give away such a title," I tease, "Careful, or else people may think your going soft."
He smiles roguishly, "Never."
"Are you busy tonight?" he asks, looking up from his book.
We both were reading, leaning on each other as we sat on the backless sofa in the library. I was reading the Game of Thrones while he read some obscure Gaelic text.
"Of course not. I'm a 'guest' in your home," I reply, not looking up.
"Then you won't have any plans to cancel. Meet me in the foyer in two hours. Will that be enough time? Wear versatile clothes," he says, snapping his book closed and exiting the room at vampiric speed.
I ran straight to my room.
"You go from threats of torture to taking her for a night out of town. What sort of witchy compulsion did she use?" Rebekah asks, only half joking.
"I need a break from Marcel and his goons. She'll be a good distraction," Klaus replies, pulling on a leather jacket, "I'm looking forward to revealing what makes Lex Greyson tick."
"More like relieving what's under her skirts," Rebkah replies.
"Touchy, aren't we?" Klaus mocks, "Green isn't a good colour on you."
"Please," Rebkah sneers, "Everything looks good on me. Your jacket though..."
"Just remember you have a responsibility to Hailey and your unborn child," Elijah speaks up.
Klaus smiles ruefully, "I'm have no doubt you'll take good care to the werewolf-girl while I'm gone."
"Anything for my family," Elijah replies before leaving the room.
Klaus looked once more in the mirror. He shucked off the leather jacket and went for something classier.
"Is this versatile enough for you?" I ask, twirling when I reach the bottom of the stairs.
Klaus smiles as he kisses my hand.
"You look gorgeous."
"And it would be an awful pity to get blood stains on this fabric," I comment offhandedly.
"Noted," he smiles.
He leads me out into the light of the setting sun.
"Any clue to where we're going?"
He just smiles.
"What are you planning?" I narrow my eyes.
"Something to let out the girl I saw on the first night. Howling at moon."
Shifting the car to drive, we fly across the highway, away from the swamps of New Orleans and towards the sunshine state.
Apparently, small towns had a lot more going on than they let on.
"These use to be old transport tunnels during wartime -and Prohibition. Now they've turned it into one of the best kept secrets for us supernaturals."
"Seems pretty normal for me," I tease, leaning into him.
His hand hooked around my waist, "That's all part of the ruse."
"Let me think... Never have I ever kissed my siblings on the lips," I say, smiling as he took a sip.
"To be fair, I was twelve at the time and it was a dare," Klaus grins as I laugh.
"What?" I ask.
"You have the brightest smile. Bright enough to warm the cockles of my heart," Klaus teases.
I take another sip of my drink, shaking my head, "Nope. You don't believe that. I've seen the way you look at Marcel, your family. The secret smiles when you thought no one else was watching. Deep inside," I stand and begin poking his chest with each word, "deep, deep, deep inside, you are a fuzzy teddy bear."
"Is that right?" he says, arms trapping me close, between his legs.
I sigh, "A fuzzy, golden teddy bear with the most beautiful eyes."
"How much have the drunk?" he eyes me warily.
"Just enough to loosen my lips," I assure, "Just don't use anything I say against me."
"I won't," Klaus nods, "As long as you'll have this dance with me."
I pout, "That's blackmail."
"I don't play fair," he purrs, dragging me into the crowd.
"Stupid accent," I mutter, "Like you can't muster another one up a from the hundreds of years you've lived here."
Klaus laughs at me, pulling me closer as a waltz plays.
"How's this?" he asks, in a musical, American accent.
"Don't you dare drop your British accent," I whisper to him fiercely, "I'll gut you like a fish."
"Don't fret love, I don't intend to," he whispers in my ear, leaning to rest his head atop of mine.
"Klaus?"
"Yes love?"
"I'm sorry I threatened you. It's my default mode."
"Perfectly fine. I was beginning to think you were enjoying the whole hostage situation."
"So you do admit to keeping me lock up!" I accuse.
"Didn't you say you could leave whenever you wanted?"
I fell silent for a moment.
"Klaus?" I ask quietly.
"Yes love?"
I lean into him, letting the swirling in my head erase all my worries, "If you're the criminal, then I think I might have Stockholm syndrome."
"But your not," he sighs, "You can get up and walk away any second you choose and I've no power to stop you. Not really."
"No," I agree.
"I can always turn you into a hybrid. I'm sure I can rustle up enough of the doppelganger's blood. Then you'll be bonded to me forever. You already said you've got Stockholm syndrome. It wouldn't be so bad for either of us. You'd be my queen and we'd rule over New Orleans. The witches, vampires and werewolves finally united."
"No, you're too nice."
Look out for anther update this weekend.
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