A/N: Thank-you so much to everyone who has favored, followed, and reviewed this story. You guys are amazing. Thank-you for all your support. I hope you like this chapter.
"Don't underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan; even the purest of hearts are drawn to it."
~Klaus Mikaelson, 4x17
II. The Challenge
Klaus had been in a foul mood the entire night. He had taken his fill from a young couple a few hours before and while that had satisfied his thirst for blood, he still felt restless, angry, and conflicted.
He was angry with Rebekah for her stupid desire to become human, he was angry with Elijah for denying him the cure, but above all he was angry with himself. He was Klaus fucking Mikaelson, the vampire that every monster feared and yet, here he was drinking his sorrows away and feeling like an idiot, over a girl, a girl who only came to him whenever she needed something. A girl whose friends had murdered two of his siblings and whose boyfriend had betrayed him by turning his own pack against him and what had he done? He had rewarded the son of a bitch and allowed him to come back into town to make her happy.
His fingers clenched around the glass, a low growl escaping from his chest. He, the untouchable hybrid had been reduced to helping a baby vampire with her prom dress.
Caroline
There were so many conflicting emotions inside of him at the thought of her. Caroline was beautiful there was no denying that. But beauty was irrelevant after a thousand years on this earth. He had met countless of girls like Caroline, fucked and murdered plenty of them too. Why did he continue to pursue a girl who had made it clear that she loved another? And why had he allowed Tyler to get away?
Because he wanted to impress Caroline, because perhaps she would finally give in if he did something nice for her. The more Caroline refused him, the more he wanted her, mainly to prove that he could have her. But what bothered him the most was not his desire to have Caroline in his bed but the things he had done in order to try and accomplish that.
In order to win Caroline's affections, he had been reduced to a pathetic creature. He was acting like a fool, like a teenager with a crush. He was the Original Hybrid, the most powerful creature in the supernatural world and he was practically begging for a girl's affection.
Something had happened tonight, something had changed as he had watched Caroline and Tyler dancing through the window. It was almost as if a blindfold had been pulled away from his eyes at last. Something had clicked into place in that moment.
After letting Tyler run off into the night, Klaus had not followed like he had threatened to do. He had taken off and ended up at this bar on the outskirts of town. There was a lot he needed to think about.
What the fuck am I doing? Klaus thought angrily. Why was he even still in Mystic Falls? Elena was a vampire, she wasn't useful anymore. He had safely stored some of her blood bags, he would run out eventually but still, he had enough to sire more hybrids, he didn't need Elena. Silas was a threat that needed to be dealt with and there was the cure to think about. But still, even with those threats looming about, he could easily disappear from the face of the earth in the same way he had done after his father had run him out of New Orleans and Chicago. He didn't need to be in this little town.
Klaus had achieved what he had always wanted. He not only broke his curse but he also had a pack of loyal hybrids under his command, and his father-the only person he had ever feared- was dead. He should be relishing in his triumph, he should be conquering the world with his army, he should be hunting down those who had wronged him, those who had murdered his blood but instead, here he was pinning over a girl.
How pathetic was that?
For a thousand years he had a single goal, to break his curse. He had wanted to become a hybrid and create his own army to keep himself safe from his father. He had accomplished that and his father was dead as well.
So what was left?
What was he supposed to do now?
Klaus felt empty inside. He had always felt empty, like he was missing some important part of himself. Becoming a hybrid had not filled that void, like he had assumed it would. Creating more hybrids and having a pack of loyal followers had not filled that void either. Not even his infatuation with Caroline could make that awful feeling go away. A thousand years working furiously to break his curse because he had truly believed he would be complete at last. But the awful truth was that he wasn't. Nothing seemed to be able to fill the void inside him. Nothing could take away the emptiness eating him inside.
That missing link was ever present.
Since he broke his curse, Klaus had been trying to find something to quench that thirst, to fill that void, but no matter how hard he tried that emptiness and loneliness did not go away. That feeling of never being good enough, of not belonging anywhere was greater than ever. Rather than bringing him peace, becoming a hybrid brought an even greater burden, and he still felt like he was missing something.
Klaus felt ravenous. There was a thirst inside of him, a hunger that could not be quenched, not with his siblings, not with his pack, not with blood, and certainly not with the pretty blonde that had been occupying his thoughts in the past few months. It infuriated him, this hollow feeling inside him. This need for…he actually didn't even know what he needed or what he wanted, only that he had yet to find it.
He couldn't help but wonder if it was the wolf in him, that unknown beast that always surfaced in his most darkest and solitary moments. Someone had once told him that a wolf always needed a pack in order to survive, that an Alpha needed a mate by his side.
Klaus shook his head. It was a ridiculous notion; he was more than just a wolf. He didn't need to find a mate. Besides, who could ever possibly satisfy the needs of both the wolf and vampire in him?
The answer was perfectly clear, no one. Because his werewolf and vampire sides were constantly at war, always pulling him in different directions, even when it came to women, they had different needs. Perhaps he was doomed to be alone forever. Perhaps that was for the best.
Klaus barely acknowledge the bartender as he refilled his glass. He didn't know why he felt so melancholic tonight. There was something in the air, a strange feeling of change approaching. His heightened senses felt something, he couldn't quite pin point what it was, only that there was something about to happen. If that something was good or bad, he didn't know. But it was getting closer.
Klaus didn't move. Despite the fact that his instincts began alerting him to a possible threat, he chose to stay seated in the corner of the bar, sulking and drinking his sorrows away. Whatever it was that was coming, Klaus had no fear of it. There was nothing that could kill him, nothing that could hurt him.
He dismissed the prickling sensation on his skin as he suddenly began contemplating going on a hunt, a real hunt. It had been years since he had indulged in that little game. It hadn't been as fun as it used to be back in the day but if he played his cards right, he could find the perfect victim.
Klaus scanned the bar, quickly assessing and discarding his potential prey. In order for the game to be interesting he had to find the right one.
When his eyes landed on the pretty brunette at the other end of the bar, he licked his lips. She was a pretty little thing. Klaus smirked and focused his attention on her comely face.
The girl perked up, realizing that she had caught his attention. She offered him a coy smile. She seemed rather eager. Far too eager, Klaus scowled. His mood instantly soured. The small interest he had felt diminished in an instant. It would be far too easy, he thought angrily. He would have her with her legs spread open in no time. As attractive as she looked, he would be bored within the hour, perhaps even less. His eyes moved around the bar once more, trying to find a more challenging prey.
He had always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt but in recent years it was hard to find prey that would entertain him. One would think that with the invention of technology hunting for meals would be more challenging. There was more risk now than one hundred years ago, security cameras, cell phones, less secluded areas to hide a body, people who had vervain in their system. But even with all of that, it was extremely disappointing how easily one could lure a human away and tear their throats open before they even let out a scream. How he missed the good old days when hunting for food was fun and challenging.
When was the last time he had a challenge, a real challenge? Klaus wondered suddenly.
It was at that precise moment that Bonnie Bennett stormed inside the bar.
The sudden tingle Klaus felt down his spine had every nerve in his body on high alert. Danger, his mind screamed. There was a second in which he went rigid, as the swirls of magic invaded every corner of the bar. The swirls of power even touched him. It was a jolt to his system, an electric shock that took the air from his lungs, and set his body aflame. He had never experienced anything like it.
Klaus was momentarily stunned. He knew she was powerful, she was a Bennett witch after all, but Bonnie's magic had never been this potent. Her power had never been this overwhelming, not even when she had the power of a hundred witches at her disposal. He had been on the receiving end of that power the night he broke his curse. This was different. The power that washed out of her in waves was unlike anything he had ever sensed from her before. It was intoxicating.
Well, well, well, Klaus thought as he watched the petite witch storm inside the bar and make her way right to where he was. Every instinct inside him was urging him to leave, to get the hell out, because the powerful surges of magic that were radiating off her were enough to burn the whole bar to the ground, if she so desired.
A lesser vampire would have sped out of there, knowing that he was no match for her.
A werewolf would have run with his tail between his legs and never look back.
A witch would have bow down in submission and prostrate himself at her feet.
Klaus remained on the stool he was sitting on. He was more than a vampire, he was more than just a wolf, and powerful witch blood flowed through his veins as well. He would not be intimated by a mere girl.
I got here first, he thought. He was not going to leave just because the witch arrived like a tornado demanding a drink.
Klaus had every intention of ignoring her, he did. Until he noticed the way her magic flared, the way the bottles stacked behind the bartender shook. Be careful witch, he thought, his eyes narrowing. Was she foolish enough to display her powers in front of others? Would she be so foolish as to risk exposure? Unlike him, she didn't have the luxury of compulsion, or so he thought because in the next few moments he was proven wrong.
Bonnie Bennett compelled the bartender to get her a drink, or she used a form of mind control to do it, Klaus wasn't sure. He looked back and forth between the witch and the bartender. He didn't know what to make of it. All he knew was that he saw the ever righteous and sacrificing Bennett witch getting inside the poor fellow's head and ordered a bottle of bourbon. Where the hell did she learned to do that?
But if that had been impressive, what she did minutes later to the guy that refused to take no for an answer was delightful. Bonnie had unleashed her magic against him without care of the consequences. She had simply acted on instinct, punishing him for daring to touch her. It was a beautiful thing to watch, even if he had to stop her. After all, they couldn't let people find out what she was, unless they wanted another Salem witch hunt on their hands.
As he let the trembling witch away from the dance floor, Klaus felt utterly fascinated.
The night had just become a thousand times more interesting.
Nearly an hour later, the two of them sat on a booth in the corner of the dim bar. Bonnie's breath was uneven and her hands were still shaking. The lights kept flickering on and off from time to time, strong winds would hit the windows, while the sound of thunder got lost with the loud music. The people inside believed it was due to the storm brewing outside. Little did they know that the storm outside was not created by Mother Nature but by the shaking witch across from him.
"You are a ticking bomb aren't you, love," Klaus commented as he studied the young witch's face carefully.
Bonnie almost looked like she was in pain. The currents of power emanating from her skin were incredible. He could feel them still, they were like a small bolts of electricity charging against his skin. Bolts that moved around the packed bar, causing disruption without anyone ever realizing anything. Humans were so stupid.
Klaus was the only who was consciously aware of the danger the young witch represented.
Magic could be a terrifying thing, but to Klaus magic was alluring. He had always been fascinated by it. Since he was a child, he had loved watching his mother and Ayana practicing their craft. Magic called to him in a way it did no other. He understood it better than most vampires as well. Sometimes he wondered if it was the witch blood that flowed through his veins, that hidden piece that had never been explored, for magic was a woman's gift and his father had forbidden his sons from ever using it.
Was that the missing link? He wondered briefly.
Instead of fearing the dangerous and powerful aura in front of him, Klaus was enthralled by it. Many of the witches he had met throughout the centuries would sell their souls to the devil for just a fraction of the power Bonnie held. And she looked ready to crumble under the weight of it. She was unlike any other witch he had ever met. There was something about her, a combination of intoxicating power, determination and a strange vulnerability that he had never seen before, until now.
Bonnie had stormed into the bar, looking ready to go to war, she had used her magic to fit her needs and now here she was shaking, and hyperventilating like a scared little girl. Bonnie Bennett was a contradiction, an enigma, and Klaus couldn't help but be drawn to her.
Her hands shook as she took another sip of her drink. She wasn't saying anything; it was obvious she was still trying to get a hold of herself. She closed her eyes as she struggled to contain all the swirling power inside her. Expression was extraordinary. It was the most powerful form of magic known to exist and it was obvious the young witch before him, was ill prepared to handle it. Frankly, it was a miracle she hadn't exploded yet. Or perhaps it was a testament of the caliber of witch she was, that even ill prepared she could still command such power.
"You'll die," Klaus said nonchalantly. His voice broke the silence that had befallen them since she took the drink he offered.
Green eyes snapped open and an icy glare was sent his way. The magic that had been slowly retreating flared with the anger she felt at his comment.
A tiny crack formed on the bottle of bourbon in between them and the lights flickered on and off for a couple of seconds. There were some murmurs around the bar, people wondering if they should leave for it seemed a terrible storm was heading their way. They had no clue that the storm was already inside.
"If you don't learn to control all this power, it will kill you," Klaus continued. He kept his eyes on her face, watching, learning, trying to decipher the puzzle that was Bonnie Bennett.
"And you care about this because…" she watched him warily. She didn't trust him. She looked like she was ready to defend herself should he decide to attack.
Smart girl, Klaus thought. Only a fool would lower his guard around a predator like him. Bonnie was no fool, a little naïve certainly, but she wasn't stupid. They might be sitting together and casually sharing a drink but she kept her guard up.
"I don't particularly care whether you live or die sweetheart," Klaus replied darkly. "I would appreciate however, if you don't unleash all your power on this poor establishment and burn it to the ground."
"Scared of a little fire?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.
Klaus chuckled. "Fire can't kill me," he reminded her. He was an Original. There was only one thing on this earth that could kill him, something he had in his possession. "Burn marks are a bitch to heal." His lips curved into his all too familiar smirk.
Bonnie shook her head. She took another sip of her bourbon and let out a breath of relief as Expression finally retreated. It seemed to take forever, the more magic she used the harder it was to contain it. She was just glad she hadn't caused too much damage.
"You fear it," Klaus realized. He hadn't taken his eyes off her. He had not missed the look of pure, sweet relief on her face as the magic finally seemed to calm down.
Bonnie looked away and a slight pink tint covered her cheeks. It was hardly visible on her caramel skin, but Klaus didn't miss it. He was watching her so intently. He was acutely aware of every change in her.
"I never had this kind of power before," Bonnie admitted in a whisper. Not even when she had the power of one hundred witches. Expression was all consuming. The magic had a life of its own and sometimes she felt like she was drowning in it. She was losing control and that terrified her.
"If you fear your magic, you'll never be able to control it," Klaus told her.
Bonnie's head snapped back in his direction. The intensity in which he was watching her made her nervous. There was something in his eyes, a strange glint that had her skin prickling while a strange flutter invaded her stomach. Heat spread all over her body all of a sudden. It had to be all the alcohol she had consumed.
"Magic should never be feared," Klaus said to her. "It's a gift."
"Easy for you to say," Bonnie snapped. He had no idea what she was going through. "And why do you care anyway?" Her eyes narrowed suddenly as a disturbing thought formed in her brain. "Is this some sort of plan, pretend to feel sorry for the witch and try to manipulate her into doing your bidding?" She didn't understand why he was suddenly being nice to her. He must have an ulterior motive, she thought. People like him, like Silas, they never did anything out of the kindness of their heart. Whenever they approached her it was because they wanted something.
Klaus chuckled, a look of bemusement on his face. "Don't think so highly of yourself," he retorted. "I have a long list of witches more than capable of doing what I want." His lips curled into a sneer. "And they certainly have no problem with their magic. Unlike you, they can control their power."
Bonnie glared at him.
"You have a lot to learn my dear," Klaus continued. "It's rather pathetic that a witch of your lineage has been reduced to being at the beck and call of two idiots." His eyes gleamed with malice. "Not to mention the way you have allowed a crazy immortal hell bent on destroying the world to brainwash you." He looked her straight in the eye as he said. "You are pathetic."
"Like you are any better," Bonnie fire back. How dare he! She was furious. She hated the arrogant posture, the stupid smirk and the look on his eyes. He seriously believed that he was better than everyone else. She hated it. She was tired of vampires like him, thinking they were above everyone else. "You are more pathetic than I am."
"Be careful witch," Klaus warned. He might find her interesting but that didn't mean he was going to allow her to get away with insulting him. He had killed for less.
"Or what?" Bonnie taunted. "You think you are better than everyone but the truth is that you couldn't even scare a rat. Newsflash, you are not the biggest bad in town anymore, get off your high horse."
Klaus growled and a hint of gold flashed across his eyes for a brief moment.
Bonnie's mind was screaming at her to shut up. She was poking a ferocious wolf and that was not only extremely dangerous but also very stupid. But while her mind was saying one thing, her mouth was doing another. She didn't know what possessed her to say all those things. She just did.
"You clearly have a death wish." It took every bit of self control Klaus had not to launch forward and grab her by the throat.
Bonnie laughed. She did, right in his face. That only made him angrier of course. Good, she thought. She was playing with fire she knew but she didn't give a damn anymore. "You talk a big game but you never deliver," she continued. Once the words started pouring out of her mouth she couldn't stop them. "How many times have you threatened to kill us and how many times have you gone through with it?" she challenged. "You say that I am pathetic but look at you, a werewolf without a pack, a vampire bested by a bunch of high school kids, and a family that detests you, who's more pathetic?"
Klaus moved so fast, Bonnie never saw it coming.
One minute they had been sitting across from each other and in a blink of an eye they were gone.
The air left her lungs as he slammed her hard against the concrete wall. Bonnie gasped. Her green eyes popped open with surprise. For the first few seconds, she felt extremely disoriented. She had no idea how she got there. But there was a very furious hybrid staring down at her.
Klaus had his hand on her neck. He wasn't choking her but he was applying just enough pressure to let her know the dire situation she was suddenly in.
They were near the bathrooms, in a very dark and secluded corner at the back of the bar. Music and laughter filtered through the corridor but there was no one around except for them. Thunder rumbled in the distance as rain pelted the roof.
Bonnie looked up into his hybrid face. She had gone too far and now she was paying the price. Klaus looked pissed. She had never seen him so angry, it was scary.
"I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart," Klaus snarled.
"I would like to see you try," Bonnie whispered back. She was afraid, but she was not going to go down without a fight. Expression happily surfaced, jolting her body with its all consuming power and more than ready to attack, to destroy, to kill the fearsome creature pressing her hard against the wall.
Klaus chuckled. He moved closer, looming over her and pressing his body against hers, holding her captive between the wall and his chest. "What a brave little thing you are," he lowered his head, the ghost of his breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine. "I shall enjoy feasting on your pretty little neck." He breathed her scent, practically nuzzling the curve of her neck. "Something tells me you'll be quite the delicious little morsel." His fangs itched and his mouth watered with the need to drink her blood.
Bonnie trembled. He was so close to her, pressing himself against her. He smelt of paint, bourbon, and something else, something earthly. She mentally shook her head, now was not the time for such distractions. "Do it," she challenged. She refused to be cowered. Klaus Mikaelson was not going to intimidate her. "I'll take you with me."
Klaus laughed. He moved his face away from her neck and turned back to face her. He was rather amused by what he considered an empty threat. The smile dropped from his face when he felt her small hand right against his chest. He hissed as her fingers burned him. Her magic burned right through his jacket and shirt. "You can't kill me," Klaus hissed.
"I can desiccate you," Bonnie stood her ground. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. Her magic surrounded her, engulfing both of them in a threatening hurricane of power.
"Not without stopping a human heart," he reminded her. Klaus smirked and his fingers tightened around her delicate neck, not enough to cut the air from her lungs but the threat was there. Her heart leaped to her throat. He could feel it hammering wildly against his fingers. She had a beautiful neck.
"Not anymore," Bonnie said. With Expression she could do it. She could desiccate him without stopping a human's heart. She knew it. She could feel it. She swallowed nervously, preparing herself. It was weird how just a few minutes before, she had been scared of the power of Expression and now, here she was more than ready to use it against him.
Klaus tilted his head to the side, watching her hungrily. The determined look on her face told him she was deadly serious. He should have backed away from her then but instead, he pressed himself even closer to her.
Bonnie gasped as she felt every inch of his body pressing against her trembling one. She didn't know if he did it on purpose or not, and she didn't care to be honest. His face moved closer as well, just inches away from hers and those yellow eyes of his pulled her into his thrall with ease. She had never seen eyes like his before. They were deadly, dangerous, but beautiful. It was a lethal kind of beauty.
A shiver went down her spine as she caught sight of his fangs but the strangest thing was that underneath the fear, there was something else bubbling inside her, a strange kind of heat coiling inside her belly. The longer she stared into the gold liquid pools of his eyes, the more excited she became. She felt the heat on her cheeks, on her neck, and all over her body. It was accompanied by a tingling that curled her toes.
"Do it then," Klaus challenged, his plump red lips nearly grazing hers.
Bonnie stopped breathing. Klaus radiated so much power and confidence. He was a dangerous predator staring down at her, ready to make her his meal, threatening to do so, and rather than being terrified for her life, Bonnie found him sexy.
They stared into each other's eyes.
The hybrid and the witch, his hand was on her neck and her hand was on his chest. Both of them were ready. Would he snap her neck or would she desiccate him first?
Bonnie had enough power inside of her to do so. She could have used it to fling him away from her, to send him crashing down to his knees in pain, to have him screaming in agony by breaking every single one of his bones. She didn't.
Klaus could have sunk his fangs on her delicate neck, taking a fill of her delicious blood, like he wanted. He could have snapped her neck and be done with it. But he didn't.
Neither of them made a move to hurt the other.
What she did next was something neither of them was expecting. Something no one would have been able to predict. Later, much later she wouldn't even remember that she was the one to make the first move.
Instead of pushing Klaus away from her, instead of desiccating him like she threatened to do, Bonnie kissed him.