Juliette's POV
I just had the time to see them before the weight of Sofia hit me in the chest. However, I had learned to watch my back by then. Before she had the time to grab a hold of me, and speed away from there, I kicked her in the gut. I barely had the time to see Rachel pinning Thierry to the ground before I sped away from the scene, making a mental note to apologize to Thierry later. Then again, they wouldn't hurt him. It was me they were after. That gave me the right to leave him, right? Let's just say that.
"Whoah." While trying to speed away from the two batshit crazy vampires, I had run straight into someone. A someone with a familiar sideways smirk and annoyingly perfect british accent. "Here I am simply taking a walk in the sunlight, and I get attacked." Klaus exclaimed with a fake wounded expression. I took a step back, watching behind my shoulder. No Sofia or Rachel in sight. Strange. They should have been faster than me. Then again, perhaps they didn't want to risk their chances with the Original Hybrid.
"I'm kind of in a hurry, so if you would just excuse me…" I started, trying to walk past him. The memory of Klaus practically threatening to take my life was still very clear in my mind. He knew about my powers. The hybrid stepped sideways to block my path.
"What for, love?" He asked curiously, and I wanted to punch him in the face. He didn't have the right to call me love after the events of the previous night. I stopped, and idea hitting me like a brick wall. The second I had run into Klaus, Sofia and Rachel had stopped following me. Perhaps the safest thing would be to stay near him. Haha, you never thought you'd hear that, did you?
"Nothing, I was just trying to find a café. I'm in desperate need of a coffee." I said, crossing my arms, trying my best not to look too stressed. I could see in the way Klaus raised his brows at me that he didn't believe me, but I didn't have much choice but to lie.
"How fitting. I happen to be looking for a café as well." His contempt smile made it very hard not to punch him. As if. He had probably been stalking me.
"Great." I said, giving him an awkward thumbs up. With a small smile, I tried moving past him. However, a large hand grabbed my arm, and I turned around with a long sigh.
"I don't know if Marcel approves of you walking around alone, love. Especially since you're being hunted." Ugh, that goddamn smirk.
"Wait, how do you–"
"I healed you from a werewolf bite some time ago, remember?" A raise of his brows. "I highly doubt that it was just a random run-in with a wolf."
I crossed my arms stubbornly and weighed my options. I could leave him there and possibly get attacked at the next street corner, or risk my life by staying with him. Honestly, both options scared the living hell out of me.
"How about we take a coffee together, love?" Klaus reached out his arm, as if expecting me to hook mine in his. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. What did he want with me? I was not naive enough to believe that he only wanted my company.
"Alright." I finally gave up, a contempt smile spreading across the british man's face. I rolled my eyes at him. "But I am not taking your arm." I said as I pushed past him to find a damn coffeehouse.
"Black coffee." Klaus raised his eyebrows in surprise as I put down my cup on the wooden table in front of him. I sat down with a loud thump and gave him a look full of disbelief.
"Why so surprised?" My voice was drooping with sarcasm, yet it didn't seem to annoy Klaus. It usually annoyed everyone around me. Hey, not my fault that they couldn't take a joke.
"Not a mocha-choco-java-frappo thing all women seem to buy these days?"
"Comes from the guy who just ordered a White Mocha Latte." I replied while taking a sip of the rich, delicious coffee. Generalizing jerk.
"I have to see what all the rave is about, you see." I let out an involuntary chuckle as Klaus took a sip of his coffee. His nose scrunched up in the cutest way as his features contorted with disgust. Even I had to admit he looked adorable in that moment.
"How many pounds of sugar is there in that?!" He exclaimed, but his blue eyes were lit with laughter. I had never seen him relaxed like this. "I'm going to go and get an espresso instead." He excused himself before standing up and walking over to the counter.
"Espresso." I rolled my eyes as I watched his back walk away. "Fancy european dudes." As I took a new sip of my coffee, my eyes traveled to the window. A pink haired familiar woman stared at me from across the street. I nearly dropped my mug. I blinked, and she was gone. With a shaking hand, I put the mug back down onto the table.
"Something wrong, love?" Klaus returned, his tousled hair shining bronze in the dim light of the afternoon. I shook my head and gave him a small smile.
"Nothing."
"So, you're psychic." Well that was straight-forward. Klaus took a probably minuscule sip of his coffee, judging by the small size of the cup.
"Don't say it like that. It makes me sound like a crazy old cat lady that hasn't showered in years and speaks her own language."
"What are you then, Juliette Walters?" The way Klaus pronounced my name reminded me of my french grandmother who I only saw once every five years or so.
"I like to think of myself as a kick-ass vampire with extra topping." I answered with a flick of my messy blonde hair. "Now let's get to business."
That was the first time I'd ever seen Klaus baffled.
"What business?" He composed himself, his expression turning serious.
"Just cut the crap, Klaus. I know you're not here just because you like my company." I set down the now empty blue mug on the table loudly and pinned my eyes on him.
"What if I am?" Klaus grinned mischievously, his dimples showing again.
"So you mean to tell me that you, Klaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, is giving me some of your precious time, simply because you feel like it?"
"That is exactly what I mean, love."
"Well, it must be my lucky day then." I mumbled sarcastically, looking out of the window again. This time, it was Sofia I saw peering back at me behind a stroller across the street. I cursed under my breath.
"May I ask who is following you?" I turned back to meet a blue earnest gaze, the mischief entirely gone from Klaus' face. He looked genuinely curious. I shook my head.
"You don't wanna get into it." I muttered. "However… I wonder if you could help me with something?" An idea was taking form in my head.
"To what payment, love?" The Original smirked again, dimples appearing. His curly copper hair looked nearly red in the sunlight shining through the big window of the café. I rolled my eyes at him in disbelief. Of course he wanted payment.
"Well… You get to spend the afternoon with me?"
My fist connected with Klaus' chest with a loud cracking noise, and my arm blazed with pain. I jerked my hand away and gaped at the hybrid, who was grinning at me evilly.
"Fuck! Are you made out of iron or something?!" I exclaimed, hugging my fist. Even with my vampire strength, I hadn't managed to punch Klaus with enough force. The man in question only let out a laugh, his eyes glowing with animal ferocity. I looked around me in the abandoned warehouse, making sure that we were alone. The golden light seeping through the crack of the slightly opened window shutters told me that it was the late afternoon. I still had some time with Klaus before Marcel would start worrying about me.
"Show me your best, love." Klaus commanded, and I glanced back at him. I couldn't help but notice the prickle of sweat running down his right temple, and the way his grey t-shirt clung to his sculpted chest. But one look at his haughty grin, and I wanted to punch him again. Hard.
"What? You wanted me to teach you how to defeat an old vampire." He once again raised his brows at me with a contempt smile. "Well, I'm the oldest of them all, love." Dear God, how could his ego even fit in that body? After a roll of my eyes, I positioned myself in a fighting stance again. I took a deep breath before moving. The air whooshed past me as I sped towards Klaus, aiming to kick him sideways in the chest. However, he grabbed my foot in the air before it managed to connect with his stone body. He flipped my foot around, tripping me to the ground. My back made a loud thud against the cement floor as I fell. I groaned and glared up at him.
"You're going to have to do better than that, love." Klaus grinned, but held out his hand for me. "Hasn't your dear boyfriend already taught you the basics of self defence?" He added as I refused to take his hand and jumped up by myself.
"He taught me the basics, yeah. But I want you to teach me how to take down one of you old guys specifically." I replied, ignoring Klaus' jab about Marcel. I gave him a small break as I moved a few feet away to take off my jumper. I could feel the hybrid's eyes burning on my back as I stripped down to my white tank top, but I ignored it. Even in the beginning of October, it was burning hot inside the warehouse.
"Come on then. Hurt me." Klaus chuckled, his voice sultry as I walked back up to him. There was something vicious in his eyes, something that awoke the beast within me. I gave him a devilish grin before speeding up again, this time aiming to trip him while punching him in the neck. I succeeded with one of them at least, as my hand connected with the soft stubble beneath his jaw. However, I once again found myself lying on the floor within half a second.
"Lesson number one: Never go for speed." Klaus said, his tone serious for once. I jumped up on my feet, watching him as he crossed his arms. "The older the vampire, the faster he or she can speed." I glared at him before deciding to change tactics. I gathered my strength before aiming to knee him in the stomach. Needless to say, it didn't go quite as I had planned. My knee made a crunching sound as it connected with a hard surface.
"Lesson number two: Don't rely on your strength. Like speed, a vampire's strength grows greater with time." Klaus continued, starting to circle around me. He seemed completely unbothered by my attempts to hurt him, moving with the same feline grace as usual. And, I was almost 100 % sure that he was walking around me to intimidate me.
"The only thing you can use against whoever is hunting you–" A pause to wink at me. "–is tactics. You have to do the unexpected." The british accent spoke softly in my ear. The unexpected, huh? I could feel Klaus's breath tickle my cheek as he lingered there purposefully. Without notice, I did a quick motion with my hand and the back of my fist connected with the crunching bone of Klaus' nose. He groaned in pain and surprise and I took a step to watch him clench his nose. His blue eyes were narrowed into a glare as he sneered at me.
"Like that?" I said with an innocent smile, crossing my arms. Klaus' eyes flashed yellow as he straightened himself up again. I could tell he was a sore loser by the way he glared at me as if he wanted to incinerate me on the spot. His lips pulled back over his teeth as he became no more than a blur in the air. Before I knew it, he had me pinned against one of the walls, his arm pressing down on my chest. Instead of asking for breath, I held his gaze. I could hear my heartbeat thump in my ears as much as I could feel his warm body against mine. His hair was slightly damp from sweat, and the intoxicating scent of his cologne invaded my senses. Think straight, Juliette. You don't need to lose your head just because a hot guy is pinning you to the wall. Okay, unexpected it was. I quickly pulled my knee up, expecting to hit Klaus right in the groin. A bit harsh, I know, but still. I didn't have many other options.
Of course, Klaus avoided it by quickly stepping away.
"You're still too obvious, love." He spoke while combing a hand through his ruffled hair. "You take a deep breath every time you prepare for a move. It would be easy for anyone who has had any sort of fighting experience to predict your next move." Alright. I wouldn't breathe this time. I counterattacked by slamming into Klaus in full force. Instead of pushing him with my hands on his chest, I pulled my knee up to that sensitive spot between his legs. At the very same time, I jabbed him in the neck with my right hand. That took him by surprise as he actually fell, and I managed to straddle him to the ground.
We both fell silent as we breathed heavily, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from Klaus. The way his throat bobbed as he inhaled the electric air between us. The way the hunger in his eyes was much different now. It seemed as if time slowed while none of us dared to move. I let my gaze wander down from Klaus' blue gaze to his defined collarbones, briefly visible under his sweaty shirt. It clung to his skin even more now, defining the muscles underneath. When I looked up at his eyes again, I saw that they were roaming along my body in the same way, sending a flash of heat through my body.
"I'M ON A HIGHWAY TO HELL!" The voice of Bon Scott echoed through the warehouse as my phone started ringing. That woke me up from my daze, and I quickly sped to the jacket lying a few feet away from us on the floor. The phone screen was lit with the face of Marcel. I swore under my breath as I saw that it was already six o'clock.
"Hi, baby." I answered while fervently pulling the leather jacket on.
"Where are you?" Marcel asked urgently on the other line, and I sighed. No "Hello to you too, love of my life" today, then?.
"I'm on my way back home. I'll be there in ten, okay?" I said before hanging up. I turned around to excuse myself to Klaus, putting my phone back into my pocket.
"I'm sorry Kla–" I stopped abruptly when I realized that I was all alone in the warehouse. Klaus had left. Weird.
"I really need to change that ringtone." I muttered to myself as I walked out of the empty warehouse, shutting the door behind me.
The compound was filled with people when I returned, and they were all cheering for some unknown reason. I approached the crowd of familiar faces, trying to get a look at what they were celebrating.
"Julie!" Roxy exclaimed from nowhere, joining my side. Her flaming red hair contrasted her dark skin as she pulled me towards the center of the crowd. As I peered over Diego's shoulder, I managed to get a peek of the center of attention. Thierry was getting hauled up into the air by some of the other vampires as they were all cheering.
"Thierry is back!" Diego exclaimed when he noticed me, his face spread into a wide grin. I gave him a wink.
"I know. I'm the one who released him." I said with a shrug. Everyone stopped cheering within a second. The room turned silent as every gaze was pinned on me.
"What?" Roxy's high-pitched voice shrieked as her eyes widened in panic. "You mean that Marcel wasn't the one who released him?"
"No. I did." I repeated, frowning at her. I exchanged a worried look with Thierry. The vampires surrounding us looked extremely alarmed.
"But Marcel gave you the permission to do it, right?" Diego chuckled, scratching the back of his head. I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Nope."
"So you're saying that you went behind Marcel's back to release his prisoner?" Richard, a tall, skinny, blonde vampire who had been in league with Marcel for about two years spoke, his eyes narrowing in anger. I gulped, feeling trapped by all the glares directed towards me.
"Well if you put it that way…" I mumbled, blushing involuntarily.
"Juliette!" Marcel's voice echoed throughout the room and I glanced up to the balconies surrounding the court. There he was, his expression dangerously calm as he peered down at me. His knuckles were white where he gripped the railing of the balcony. "We need to talk."
