To all my honorable readers, here is my newest chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

I don't own anything except my OCs.

- Chapter 3 – In the bondage of vice -

Dear Diary,

Ben is now staying with us. My brothers had liked him in an instant, and I am really glad about it. He will stay here and help me as long as it will take to find a solution to my problem. I keep having dreams though about how Klaus will kill me while I try to get some of his blood. I have yet no idea how to get through with this, but hope dies last, or so they say.

First things first, there is this party tonight Caroline is organizing and Ben is taking me. Let's just hope Klaus won't be there.

I was getting ready in my room as it knocked on my door.

"Come in" I called, as I knew it could only be Ben. I was just finalizing the touch on my curls as he pulled open the door.

"Wow, honey, you look amazing" he said and beamed at me.

I twirled once in front of him, my short black sparkling dress showing my thighs in the motion.

"I'm glad we're going out again. I missed having some fun for once."

He offered me his arm and I hooked mine with his, glancing one last time back at the mirror, adjusting the big shiny snowflake that was pinned into my hair.

"So the Winter Wonderland. What's it anyway?" Ben asked as we made our way towards town square, where the party was being held.

I pulled the white winter coat over my shoulders and smiled.

"I have absolutely no idea" I laughed. "But Caroline is throwing it and since I was allowed back to the inner circle of the Mystic Falls girls, I have to attend."

Ben laughed. "The inner circle of the Mystic Falls girls? What's this, it sounds like a cheer leading squad."

"Don't make fun of it, I like having some normal friends around, too" I said and pouted playfully.

"Normal? As I recall, Caroline and Elena are vampires and Bonnie is a witch. How's that normal again?"

I slapped his arm but laughed. We had reached town square and people were filling the grass, this year, no fake snow had to be added, it was white enough.

Ben had walked away to get us some champagne and I stood next to the fountain, looking around me, just enjoying the scene.

"I didn't think you'd return this time."

I swiftly turned around at the voice and found myself face to face with Klaus.

"Klaus" I said without much emotion, I hadn't forgotten what had happened before I left.

"Sunshine, you look as beautiful as ever" he said as he looked up and down my short dress which was visible beneath my coat, that was only draped loosely over my shoulders.

"Don't even start, Klaus. I am not interested."

I turned sideways and crossed my arms. Suddenly, Klaus stepped closer.

"You know this sire bond is different. It works both ways. I have missed you terribly" he whispered into my ear.

"Stop it Klaus" I said angrily. "Remember how you tortured me because I ran away? Did you ever think I would return to you? Did you really?"

Klaus wanted to answer but Ben stepped over to us.

"Excuse me, I think we haven't met" he handed me my glass of champagne and offered his hand.

"I'm Benjamin."

Klaus looked at Ben with disgust and let the latter's hand dangle in the air stupidly.

"A werewolf? Really, Stella? I thought you would have chosen someone with more style" he said and walked away with one last glance at me.

"So this is Klaus, huh?" Ben asked as he watched him walk away. He clinked his glass with mine and took a sip.

"I imagined him a bit scarier. He looks more like a lost puppy."

I couldn't help but laughing out loud at this. No one had ever compared Klaus to a puppy.

"Oh Ben, you're the best, I love you" I said while I was still laughing. "You always know how to make me laugh."

I hugged him around his neck and he laughed with me, until our gazes locked.

I looked into his dark blue eyes, always shining when he looked at me and suddenly I felt myself drawing him closer and he himself was mesmerized by my eyes, and before I could think anything else, our lips crashed and I was kissing him, and he was kissing me back.

Before I knew it, it was over and I stumbled a few paces back.

"Oh God, Ben I'm so sorry" I said and looked down, "I shouldn't have, please don't be mad."

Ben shook his head.

"It's my fault too. Don't feel bad, and I'm not mad. I should just, uhm, go for a bit."

He was as confused as I was and we went into separate ways for the moment.

I walked across the grass, the snow crunching beneath my heels. I took another glass of champagne from one of the waiters and stood next to a flower arrangement that looked like a snowflake.

I thought about what had just happened. I couldn't believe I had kissed Ben. Why did I do that? He was my friend, and in the past eight months I never had had the feeling that I wanted to kiss him. This town sure was making me crazy. One day back, and I have problems with three guys. It was like I never really had been away.

I sighed and looked around, suddenly spotting Sage walking towards me.

His arm was - who would have thought - draped loosely over a girl's shoulders. And it was neither the one he had brought home, nor the one that had been at the Grill, I stated dryly.

He stopped in front of me and smiled at me. But the smile was different, it wasn't friendly at all, it was more like he wanted to show off or tell me he didn't need me anymore.

"Hey Sage" I said simply, we agreed on behaving normal, so I saw point in being rude. "Hey random girl" I added and looked at the small brunette.

The girl huffed but stayed silent and I thanked god for that. I didn't know where he found those girls, I didn't think Mystic Falls had so many stupid inhabitants.

"Hello Stella" he answered me and still, this strange smile was playing on his lips. I frowned at him.

"What are you grinning at?" I asked, maybe a little too snappy. But we had agreed to behave nicely, not to tolerate everything the other did.

From his following words, I noticed he was thinking the same thing.

"Your date left, what happened? Did you tell him you love him and then vanished?"

I gaped at Sage. At first I thought he didn't really say that but on the following silence, and his stupid half-smirk still visible, I knew he had meant it. Meaning he was still hurt.

"I don't have to do this here" I simply said and pushed past them, getting rid of my glass somewhere. Anger and even fury was pulsing through me. How dare he insulting me like that? And in front of his play toy. I was fuming and I had no intention on staying on that stupid party.

I made my way away from town square, towards quieter roads.

I didn't know how long I had been walking, but suddenly I heard voices again. It must have been hours though, because the moon was shining down on me. My anger hadn't even subsidied by an inch, but I didn't care. I followed the voices, by nearer listening I detected that one was male and the other was female. I slowly scooped closer, they were just around the corner from me now. I didn't know why, but all I could hear where low murmurs, besides from a pulsating heart, pumping sweet warm blood through an entire body. Subconsciously I looked up at the sky, not even realising the full moon reflecting in my eyes.

I jumped from the corner, seeing the pair in a tight embrace. Only then did I realise that only one heart was pounding, the girl's.

I rushed forward, pushing the guy aside. The girl looked familiar somehow, but I couldn't tell where from. I sunk my teeth deep into the girl's neck and started drawing her blood, when the male tried to pry me away from my meal. I pushed him away with no effort at all, and some part of my conscious brain noted he must have been a normal vampire.

I didn't leave a single drop in the body and let it crumble to the floor, the empty shell of a former life.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, swiftly looking down on me. My former white fur coat was sprinkled with droplets of blood and I cursed.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed me by my arm.

I swivelled around, throwing my opponent away from me, without intending to do so, I must have inflicted a lot of force as he was crashing into the wall opposite of me.

I growled and looked at him. Only then did I realise who it was. Sage. I quickly glanced to the dead body next to my high-heeled feet. Now I saw how she was familiar, she was the small brunette that Sage has brought with him to the party.

"Are you crazy? I was planning on keeping that one longer" he said as he slowly got to his feet again, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh you wanted to feed of her longer than a day? Why should you have all the fun?" I smirked at him, crossing my arms. It must have been a funny sight, me in my short dress, a white fur coat with thousands of droplets of blood, standing over a dead girl's body.

"What did you kill her for?" Sage asked as he stepped closer and gazed down as the girl's eyes looked unseeing into the night sky. The full moon was reflecting in her dilated pupils and suddenly, Sage averted his eyes back to me.

"Oh, I understand."

"What do you understand?" I snapped. I felt sated, yes, but my anger from before was far from gone.

"It's okay, Stella. You'll remember little of this tomorrow" he said and stepped even closer.

"Stop talking bullshit" I said and took a step back from him. I felt something beneath my heel and only when I heard it I recognised I just crushed a dead girl's bones.

"It's a full moon, Stella. Your hybrid genes are kicking in" he said, nearly in a soft tone.

"So what? It's what I am, you can't change the fact" I snapped at him. It was annoying me how he seemed to know a answer for everything.

"There's nothing to add. And I don't want to change anything about it. Or you."

I turned away in disgust. But I didn't know if the disgust was directed at Sage for being so perfect or at me for being such an ass.

"She was your play thing so you'll take care of her" I said and turned around, stalking away.

I heard him calling after me but I didn't turn around again. I had something else to do.

I rubbed my eyes as the sunlight shone directly in my face. I yawned and sat up, groaning as I felt my head throbbing. This couldn't be, vampires don't have hangovers. What had happened last night? I remembered a clouded memory about a talk with Sage but I couldn't say what it had been about.

I sat up completely, pulling my hair out of my face. Only then I had to frown. I wasn't in my room at the Boarding House. I looked around, recognising next to nothing. Only a dim memory sat at the back of my head. My eyes widened and I looked beside me, seeing him grinning up at my face.

"Morning. Slept well?" He asked, his grin never vanishing.

"No. No, no, no, no!" I cried and got up, gathering the sheets around my bare body.

"No need, love, there's nothing I didn't see last night."

"What are you doing here, Klaus?" I asked in horror looking around the room for my clothes.

He laughed at my face.

"Sorry, but I live here. Not the sight you expected this morning, right?"

I shook my head as if to tell myself this was all a bad dream.

"Why am I in your bed? What happened?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.

"Because we hooked up last night" he said it with such delight I felt the urge to throw up.

"This can't happen. I couldn't have hooked up with you, of all people."

"Believe it or not, love, but we had some sex last night."

He still smirked and got up, leaving the sheets in bed. He stretched in front of me and I covered my eyes.

"God, put some clothes on!"

I turned away and looked for my clothes as I spotted a crumbled pile of black satin.

I quickly walked over and grabbed it, making way into the bathroom. Once in it, I locked the door and leaned on it, taking a deep breath. I hooked up with Klaus, okay, bad enough. But how comes I couldn't remember anything at all about last night?

I stepped over to the mirror, gasping at the sight that opened in front of my tired eyes.

My lipstick was smeared across my lips and chin, my hair was a wavy mess. When I pulled it up into a loose bun, I saw all the dried blood covering several parts of my body, including my neck, my breasts and my stomach. I closed my eyes, I couldn't stand seeing anything more. I pulled the short dress over myself, quickly washing my face.

Suddenly the memory hit me like a passing truck and I had to grip the sink to prevent me from falling over.

I walked across the grass, towards the spot I had met him before. I looked around, noticing people staring at me, but I couldn't care less. Suddenly he was walking towards me with a frown on his face.

"Stella? What happened?" He asked and held my arms, looking down at my body.

"What do you think happened? It's full moon."

I licked my lips and with a smirk I noticed some of the girl's blood was still on them. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to Klaus', feeling him response eagerly to my kiss, tasting the blood from my lips.

The memory vanished as quick as it came, the rest of the night stayed a blur. I sighed and walked out of the bathroom, and out the room, nearly tripping over one of my shoes. I grabbed it and slowly started in the direction of the stairs where I found my second shoe.

As I descended the stairs I saw my bloody coat lying at the bottom. I frowned as I picked it up and wondered how the hell I had gotten that much blood on it.

As I turned to my right, Klaus was there, drink in hand, shirtless. At least he was wearing bottoms now.

"Where's my bag? Did I even have one?" I looked at him.

"Oh, love, I have no idea. Your bag was my least concern last night."

He smirked again and I rolled my eyes. I spotted a small sparkling something next to the front door.

"Never mind. Consider this like a bad idea and let's pretend this night ever happened."

"Oh this will be difficult. What should I do with all of them?"

I looked as he stepped aside and made a wide gesture with his free hand into the living room.

I stepped around the corner and gasped at the sight. More than a dozen bodies were lying there, some crumbled, some piled upon others, but all very dead.

I clasped my hands in front of my mouth.

"Oh god, no."

Thank you all very much for reading and I hope you liked it.

Please take your time and review, you know you want to ;)

xoxo - Lalapaya