Chapter 4—A Deal for a Life
The van drove on into the night past many open fields and a few lakes as well as a few mountains. It had only been about twenty minutes, but for Damon and Elena it felt like years. Neither spoke a word to one another for fear of this Klaus person overhearing them; they did steal glances at each other though. Aiden lay sleeping peacefully in Elena's arms. The newborn was being very quiet and well behaved for a baby. Even Damon was surprised at his son's personality and he wasn't even a day old yet.
He admired Aiden from afar and he couldn't help but smile as his little son yawned a toothless yawn before snuggling closer to his mother's breast.
Elena was yawning uncontrollably herself in the seat next to him. Pulling her to him, he laid her into his chest with Aiden safely in both their arms. Once he got her situated as comfortably as he could, he looked at the driver's seat. Klaus didn't let his eyes leave the road, not for one second.
What did he want with them? What could he possibly hope to gain from saving their lives? They used alias names since they came to Italy, they didn't have credit cards or anything paper or electronically tracing them for fear of being found. So how was it this stranger knew who Damon was and when to rescue them?
None of it made sense…
What was scaring Damon the most was not knowing what this Klaus person had up his sleeve.
A few minutes later, he saw lights up ahead. The van drove through the large gates; Damon was amazed at the sight! A large mansion stood ahead of them, well lit and huge! The van drove up the circular driveway to stop at the main entrance.
Gently waking Elena, he opened the door and helped her and Aiden get out of the car. Putting Aiden back in his carrier, Elena and Damon seemed to have no other choice but to follow Klaus into the mansion after he pressed a code into the keypad.
Turning around, he indicated with his arm for them to enter first. Reluctantly, Damon put his hand on Elena's lower back leading her in.
The front entryway was huge, surrounded by different paintings by different artists. On the right was a large parlor room while on the left was a large staircase that led to the second floor.
"Gerald!" Klaus shouted. Immediately a man dressed in a black suit showed up from down the hallway walking briskly toward them.
"Please show my guests to a guest room upstairs. They need to rest up after such a long day. Make sure they have everything they need. Damon?" Klaus turned to Damon.
He stopped and looked at Klaus.
"Please join me in the parlor in half an hour. There's a very important matter we need to discuss."
Damon could only eye him and nod. Right now, he wanted to get Elena and Aiden safe and unharmed. Well as comfortable as he could make them considering their situation. He didn't want to stay here, but there would be a time for him to plot an escape later.
Gerald led them up a flight of stairs into a long corridor onto the right. He led them to a room on the left, using a key to unlock it.
Entering the room, Elena gasped when she saw how extravagant the room was! There was a large master bed, a bathroom on the right complete with bathtub, shower, and double sinks. Beside the bed were a baby bassinet, a rocker, and a changing station. Klaus had obviously planned this and thought of everything.
"You have 25 minutes sir, to meet Master Klaus in the parlor. I'm presuming you already know where it is?" Gerald eyed Damon. Damon turned and nodded sternly at him.
Helping Elena over to the bed, he helped her lay down upon what looked like an extremely comfortable comforter. He knew she was still recovering from the birth and that it would take a few days of recuperating for her to fully be able to function easily again. Taking Aiden from the carrier, he gently placed his baby boy next to her on the bed.
"What do you think Klaus wants?" Elena asked him, rubbing his shoulders when he sat down next to her.
"I don't know. But I have to find out," he whispered back to her, enjoying the feeling of her hands trying to ease his tension.
"I have no idea what it could be, but he saved us. The question is why," Elena said again, laying back down. Damon lay down next to her.
Looking over at Elena, he could tell she was exhausted as well as scared. As much as he hated the predicament they were in, he couldn't move them tonight. Both of them needed rest and Aiden needed to feel safe with both his parents. Especially now.
When Aiden started fussing, Elena reached over to pick him up and hold him to her chest, shooshing him with a calm voice, rocking him back and forth.
Damon smiled as he watched Elena with their son. As Aiden continued to fuss, Elena pulled up her shirt to reveal a breast. Aiden happily latched on and started sucking feverishly.
"Sweetheart, just stay here in the room and I'll be right back. I need to speak with our…gracious host," he whispered, looking down into her eyes. He hated lying to her but he didn't want her around him if he did have to kill Klaus. Yes, if he needed to protect his family by killing him, he would not hesitate in the slightest.
"Okay. Just be safe…tell me what Klaus says, ok?" Elena pleaded with him, holding Aiden to her chest. The sounds of his son suckling her breast hungrily filled the room. Leaning down, he kissed little Aiden on his small head.
If they weren't in such a dangerous predicament, he would love to watch this intimate scene. The sight of his son sucking his mother's breast was so sweet to him…and he was a little jealous, but nothing Elena couldn't make up for later on.
Klaus was the one he needed to talk to now.
….
Damon walked slowly into the large living area. It was obvious that this stranger had high-quality taste. Portraits hung around the room in golden frames, the woodwork was astounding with sculptures and signature collections around the frame of the fireplace, right next to the long dresser holding what Damon assumed was the bar area.
Klaus was standing with his back to him pouring himself a glass of whiskey. Turning around, he smiled and lifted his glass in a toast.
"Care for one of these, Damon?" His British accent was thick as he asked it.
"Sure," Damon responded, his arms still crossed on his chest. He watched Klaus for any sign of emotion, anything that would give away his feelings or his wants away. He found nothing.
'Strange to find one that will show nothing, not be fazed or unhinged by anything. The only one he knew that could be like that was…me,' thought Damon.
Nodding at him, Klaus went about making another glass of scotch, either ignoring the tension in the room or just not seeming to care at all. Handing Damon the drink, Damon gave him a steely gaze before gulping it down in one slurp.
Without warning, he slammed the glass down on the fireplace. Klaus didn't even flinch as he sat down in one of the armchairs, legs crossed on the table.
"Alright, what's your deal? What do you want from me?" Damon's eyes blazed in the firelight. He wanted answers and he would get them one way or another.
Klaus seemed unfazed. "Damon, I'm hurt. Why on earth would you think there was a catch? I saved you and your little family and this is the thanks I get?" he smiled lightly, as if they were merely talking about a little mishap from earlier.
"Cut the bullshit Klaus! What is it that you want with me? You got us away from the cops, so what's the catch? How do you know about me? Everyone else was completely clueless," Damon spat out, staring into Klaus's eyes for any information.
Klaus stood up and walked around the table before leaning against the chair he had occupied a minute ago.
"I once heard about this psychopath…crazy bloke. They called him the modern day Dracula. He was a vampire who fed on five women all in one night once, then dumped their bodies in a mass grave. Before that it was one woman at a time, all of them found dead with wounds to their necks," Klaus spoke, staring at Damon.
On the outside, Damon looked unfazed. Inside, his heart started pounding.
"The authorities could never prove who was Dracula Salvatore because the bloke was smart enough to never, ever leave DNA. However, when questioned, this monster admitted to all of it but seemed to have no recollection of his actions that night. Now I wonder…what kind of sick psychopath would admit to such an irrational thing? There had been absolutely no leads until that one mistake, that one mishap he had. Holes were in the neck of the victims, but this one never left a trace of himself behind. Until the grave was unmasked—hair follicles and saliva were found," Klaus continued, staring into the fire.
Damon's eyes widened in disbelief before Klaus continued.
"It had me wondering…as a man who is just like him, the only difference being our locations…what was this genius thinking? How could he be so clumsy to leave traces like that?"
Damon stared at Klaus, his mouth open slightly.
"Then I got to thinking this: maybe he wanted to be caught. He wanted to be found and stopped. Isn't that right…Dracula Salvatore?"
Damon's eyes blazed as Klaus smirked at him, pleased with his little speech and the build-up he had caused.
"Oh yes Damon, I know exactly who you are. I know that you were one of the most notorious killers in the United States, killing women left and right. Draining the lives from their necks. So what happened to the murderous killer you used to be? What happened to Dracula?"
Damon was unmoving. He didn't say a single word because inside, he was fuming with anger and the goal of destruction of this man who was threatening him…
"I've been watching your little family for quite some time now, if that answers your question. I must say you have a beautiful little family—a girlfriend who used to be an FBI agent herself. My God, we really do find love in the strangest places nowadays don't we?" He laughed. "Your escape was kept under wraps, yet the FBI is still very much looking for you and Elena. Did you know that?"
Damon could only growl.
"And to bring a helpless little baby into the equation? Please tell me that wasn't on purpose!" Klaus clicked his tongue against his teeth, disapproval emitting from his every pore. "Has no one in America heard of protection? Condoms seem to work well for me…but I guess you and your little girlfriend just couldn't help yourselves, could you?"
Without warning, Damon grabbed Klaus by the collar of his shirt, lifting him right into the air, slamming him into the wall.
"You dare challenge me! How do you know all of this, asshole? HOW?" Damon screamed, his eyes almost red with his rage.
"You might want to let me down, Mr. Salvatore. Look on the screen to your right," Klaus whispered, gulping slightly with Damon's arm next to his throat.
Damon looked over and sure enough, a small screen appeared. He had to squint in order to see properly. It was the room Elena and Aiden were in. The bassinet was next to their bed holding his little baby, she was sleeping peacefully on top of the covers. Obviously waiting for his return but falling asleep in the long run.
What really made Damon's heart stop was a shadow entering the room. Then he saw someone wearing all black enter the room wielding a knife.
"Let…them…go. You're deal is with me Klaus, not them! Don't touch them!" Damon screamed, staring back at Klaus. Reluctantly Damon lowered Klaus back down to the ground. After straightening his jacket, he pulled his sleeve up to his mouth.
"Call it off."
Looking back at the screen, he saw the figure disappear from the room leaving Elena and Aiden safe and sound.
Looking back at Klaus, he nodded at him that he had made his point.
"Well, to come right to the point, I do so happen to have a proposition for you. I am in need of going after one of my enemies. However, I ran into a problem-I can't do it alone. I need someone with…experience to help me get into his hiding place and distract and/or kill people for me while I take my hatred and vengeance out on this man who wronged me. All I need is a sidekick with experience. And based on your track record, Salvatore, you're it!" Klaus laughed, cackling his way into a happy frenzy.
"If you think I'm going to agree to any of this, you are the most insane person in this circus of a room, not me!" Damon shouted.
Klaus stopped laughing. "Unfortunately if you do not cooperate, I have people here in this country Salvatore. Something you lack, I'm afraid. If you do not go along with this plan, then your dear little family is the thing of yours that will suffer the most. As you just saw, I will gladly have them killed if you don't cooperate. That's my offer—once my business is cleared and settled, you will be paid a financial reward for cooperating and you and your little family may go wherever you please. You will hear no more from me
"My family means more to me than anything in the world! If I do anything to jeopardize that, or if you even think about using them as pawns in your sick game, you've got another thing coming to you!" Damon had never felt so angry at anybody in his entire life. Even the harboring anger for his old warden, Brady Chilton, was being questioned by this British, pompous, fucker.
Klaus walked slowly toward him, putting his hand on Damon's shoulder.
"Just take tonight to sleep on it, think it over. Elena doesn't have to know anything about this. You guys can stay here while you and I plan and take action. I promise you that you will have everything you need or desire here. I give you my word."
Damon shrugged his hand away. Klaus seemed unfazed.
"For now though, just get some much needed sleep. You look like hell warmed over. Nevertheless, I expect an answer by tomorrow evening. Understood?"
Damon nodded, watching Klaus leave the room and whisper something to Gerald who awaited him in the entryway. Damon was left alone with his thoughts.
….
Slowly making his way back to his room, his mind was spinning with this new knowledge. Not only did Klaus know more about himself than he cared to but now he was being blackmailed. Had this been any other stupid cop or crook, Damon would easily have killed them. Just because he hadn't killed in a while doesn't mean he had lost his touch.
Quietly getting into the room, he walked over to the bed, just staring at Elena. She was sleeping peacefully as was his little son in the baby bassinet next to their bed. He sighed in relief knowing they were safe. The image of Klaus's assassin on standby was still in the forefront of his mind.
His mind seemed to be numb as he changed into the clothing provided for him in the restroom. Washing his face his breathing quickened and his heart started racing as the deal really hit home.
Damon was completely torn! If he did what Klaus wanted him to do, it would mean tapping into a darkness within him that he hadn't seen in months now. Ever since he met Elena, his life was turned upside down. For the better. He never wanted to go back to being the hateful, mindless killer ever again in his life.
He remembered Elena when she had witnessed him in that way. The look of sheer horror and terror on her face literally tore his heart to pieces. Moreover, he knew that if his emotions weren't in check, anybody was susceptible to being a potential victim of his. If he lost it, he lashed out. Knowing this is exactly what Klaus wanted terrified him to no end.
Leaving the bathroom, he gently removed Elena's jeans and shirt, leaving her in her bra and panties. He would have gladly removed the rest of her clothing but with all the unknown cameras in the room, he didn't want her naked in here for prying eyes.
Relief washed over him as he joined her, laying down next to her on the comfortable mattress and pillow. Pulling her as close to him as possible, his arms snaked around her middle to keep her as close to him as physically possible. He needed her warmth and love now more than ever.
Yet if he didn't go through with Klaus's deal, his family would be found and in terrible danger. If he and Elena were caught, they would be thrown into prison or worse, executed. The whole idea made him sick! His son would be put into foster care, a system he despised in America.
If he or Elena lost each other or were torn from their baby, neither one of them would be able to go on. They would sooner die than live apart or live without one another.
He wouldn't let anything happen to them, nothing. Even if it meant risking his own sanity and his own life….
…
I know, long chapter. It took me awhile to organize all the ideas I had for this chapter. So what do you guys think? If you have any ideas, just send them my way : )