PENTHOUSE
"How are you feeling?"
Klaus straightened on his knees with a resolute grunt, his eyes snapping open and searching for the returning presence. He heaved a heavy breath, biting back a wince as he shifted.
There was a strain in his movements each time he moved, accompanied by a hollow throb in his chest from where he'd been stabbed by the blade.
"Tired. You're tired."Isabella replied to her question with an assured nod. Her gait slowed until she eventually settled at the stairs.
"I'm growing bored by this tediousness."Klaus gruffly hurled back, following Isabella's eyes when she glanced over at the CCTV."Why must you draw this out?"
Isabella tipped her head curiously, extracting his cell phone from her back pocket.
"Why? Are you feeling defeated, Niklaus?"
"Why ask a question you already know the answer to, love?"Klaus sniffed his indigence."Do not insult me."
Her lips twitched in amusement as she let herself search his cell phone. Klaus lifted his chin when it chimed, trying to sneak a glance at the notifications.
"There's a lot of missed calls and messages here—you are quite popular."The vampire casually informed as she descended the three steps that led to the wide room."Most of which are from your blood. As if they're guessing you'll be up for a chat whilst you're chained up."
"Perhaps."Klaus offered in a dull tone, looking off into space with a bitter sniff."Or perhaps they wish to let me know that they've done away with your nearest and dearest."
Isabella was prompt to shake her head."Nonsense."
"You're right."Klaus turned his head, looking up at her, a bitter smile turning to a wicked sneer."My brother and sister would much prefer to make them suffer first. My sister's grown quite protective since we lost Finn, and i'm sure she would just love to make it as painful as possible. And Elijah...Well, he's hated the sight of your brother from the get-go."
Isabella blinked away from the phone screen. Klaus resisted a complacent laugh when he noted her knuckles whitening around the device.
"Shut your mouth before you find yourself without a tongue."
"Why? You know that this...this fantasy won't last, don't you?"Klaus gruffly replied, straightening on his knees."I suggest you let me go and perhaps your sweetheart and your brother will be granted a swift death."
He yanked at the chains but they refused to yield. Still, a strained and manic grin pulled at his mouth.
"If not, I will take such pleasure in―"
The Original snarled with rage when his head snapped to the side, the sound of a slap echoing throughout the penthouse. He was startled for a split second, a gasp lodged in his throat when the stinging began to settle in—she'd clawed at his cheek. He remained frozen for a moment, blood pooling in his mouth.
Klaus ground his jaw in annoyance, fingers itching to retaliate. Bloody hell...
As he stewed in his anger he felt fingers gently take hold of his chin and he didn't resist as his head was turned back. The fingers that had drawn blood from him held him gently as his head was tilted up, eyes on Isabella as she hovered over him.
"Threaten the ones I love again and i'll be the one to pick who dies next."The hybrid flinched at her crooning tone, attempting to keep both his temper and words in check."Perhaps the blonde trick cyclist you've been playing with, hmm?"
He shot up on his knees again."Don't you―"
"Poor boy..."Isabella breathed, cupping a hand over his mouth. Her brows pulled together with feigned remorse."I, unlike you, take no pleasure in violence. But you should know better than to test me, Niklaus."
He growled at her but she didn't as much as flinch, leaning down, her unclaimed hand reaching for the nearest table. She kept his gaze when she pulled at the tissue box, a mix of remorse and smugness glittering in her eyes.
"You've not evolved from petty threats."She shook her head fondly, her touch gentle as she dabbed at the blood smearing his cheek.
Klaus eyed her touch from the corner of his eye, resigned."You think so?"
"And as for me?"Isabella softly inquired as she wiped the blood from his cheek. She watched with a small smile when each of the scratches she'd inflicted upon him healed."What do you have planned for me?"
She hummed her interest when a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Sweetheart, I think we already went through this a thousand years ago."Klaus' tone began off soft, despite the exhaustion hardening his eyes."It ends up with you screaming. Maybe not the way I had initially planned but I suppose beggars can't be choosers."
Isabella met his eyes again, studying the Original, gaze flickering to his smile before she simpered to herself.
"How else would've you gotten me to scream, Niklaus?"
She shook her head as she got back onto her feet, tossing away the tissue.
"I mean, yes, you are―"Isabella clicked her tongue, swatting herself on the hand with a roll of her eyes."Oh, i'm sorry were all powerful and I suppose power can be considered alluring but, unless you have shared what I share with Lucien, i'm sure you'll understand that true love is the ultimate aphrodisiac, not a fleeting rendezvous with a person you feel nothing for."
Her smile froze when his eyes snapped to her, sharpening at the edges.
"Other than fascinations, you haven't had that, have you? Is that why you become so hellbent on either destroying love or seducing and stealing them away from their loved ones with the temptation of meaningless excitement and the power you once held?"
Isabella's eyes twinkled with cruel mirth when Klaus broke their stare, muscles in his jaw clenching, his fingers tightening around his chains.
"You forget that power and love are different. You've sought to find the love you covet within gaining power, haven't you? But, alas…"
Isabella trailed off, shaking her head, seemingly truly saddened for the Original as his eyes flashed amber in an attempt to frighten her. Instead, she stepped closer to him, petting his head as if he were a pet curled by her feet.
"Oh, my poor boy."
"ENOUGH!"Klaus snarled at Isabella, reeling himself backward, his bellow lost in the clanging of his chains.
"Getting angry, are we? I'm not surprised. It is your default setting."Isabella suddenly gripped his curls and yanked his head back."I must say, I preferred it when you were screaming not six hours ago."
"Free me from this entrapment, I dare you."Klaus lowly replied, pulling on the chains, and baring his teeth."We'll see which one of us ends up screaming."
Her mouth formed an 'O' and the female vampire tittered, looking tempted."I would love nothing more, Niklaus, but―"
"Here we go again! More incessant ringing."Isabella muttered, turning the phone around in her hand, swiping ignore once more as she looked down at the screen."I am going to shatter..."
Isabella trailed off as her eyes zeroed in on the picture saved as both his wallpaper and screensaver. She fell silent at the frozen moment, a captivated expression on her face as she stared at the picture of Klaus and his daughter. She was laughing in the picture, tiny hands grasping a plush that Klaus was presenting to her.
Klaus was also donning a smile, a genuine smile that he usually tried to hide, the vibrancy in his eyes saying everything he wouldn't aloud.
"How cute. Is this your little princess?"Isabella gently inquired, showing Klaus the picture and watching his eyes light up despite his exhaustion."I'll take that as a yes."
Isabella looked back to the Original, eyes wide with delight.
"She is beautiful, Niklaus!"Isabella gasped in awe, smiling softly while she zoomed in on the picture."She has your eyes."
Klaus abruptly yanked at the chains, knuckles ghastly white as he clutched them with all his might. His eyes billowed with fury as he glared at Isabella. She stared right back at him, tilting her head upwards as Klaus leaned in as close as he could.
He lowered his voice ominously as he murmured."You can use me as your plaything, you can torture me with the sweet nothings you whisper to that fool, you can even tear my heart out..."
He spat out the words that tumbled from his mouth, eyes flashing amber."but let me make one thing clear—if you so much as think about harming my daughter―"
He cut himself off when the phone was tossed to the side, the picture of himself and Hope still dimming after a few seconds. Isabella, smiling as if she wasn't holding him captive or threatening to end his family's life, graced him with a benevolent smile.
She crooned soothingly at him as she lowered herself onto her knees in front of him. He inclined his head to maintain their eye contact, hands trembling with the rage soaring through his veins.
"I am many things, Niklaus, but I am not like he who made me. I pride myself on my integrity."Isabella muttered with a shake of her head, nails digging into his cheeks."Do you not know me at all?"
Klaus held his breath, eyes flitting between Isabella's luminous eyes, gaze roving across her winsome features before settling on her beguiling smile. A weary smile began to pull at his own lips as an overwhelmed laugh tumbled from them.
"I thought I knew you once upon a time, for a hundred years. Until one day I awoke to an empty bed and no trace of you. I thought you dead so I effaced you, I left behind a hundred years of my life."
He let himself slant forward, biting back a wince as his wrists chafed red, and his breath caught when Isabella's hold on him tightened. He pushed into her touch, enduring the slash of her nails across his jaw, so they were eye to eye. Isabella kept his eyes, her fingers twitching against his skin, as her own clouded over.
"Until now. Until you,"He rasped in a frenzied breath, eyes glossy and fatigued."my sweet, suddenly appeared here not only alive and well but with him."
The mention of Lucien was accompanied with a repulsed sneer. It snapped Isabella from her still stance. Her smile persisted but it gradually lost its strength. She blinked at him, taken aback, eyes darting across his face, and something incredulous dimming her expression.
A humourless laugh spilled from her painted lips.
"I know nothing of what you speak of, dear boy. I have spent a thousand years..."She enunciated proudly, rising on her knees."by my beloved's side. I have loved him every single day since we were children."
Klaus rose with her, chains clanging and ringing in his ears. The echo of them drew a wince from Isabella.
"Of course."He accepted dutifully. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a croon."Aside from the hundred years you spent at my side. The hundred years he had no memory of you because he thought he was me."
She pulled back with a flinch. Isabella's eyes shut momentarily. When they opened they were sparkling again and she settled back into herself with a laugh.
"I see that the hysteria has commenced."She commented conversationally."I'll be back when I've decided what your punishment for your slander shall be."
"You put on a good show."Klaus grimly praised as she got to her feet."As can I. I suspect you acquired such a skill from our time together."
"Our time together, Niklaus, consisted of you granting me eternal life so I could be with my love forever before running off without a goodbye to those you left behind."
Klaus' teeth ground together when he snapped his mouth shut. He bowed his head, disbelief crawling under his skin. He couldn't piece everything together.
"Where did you go? What..."He cleared his throat, lifting his head, and let the confusion written across his face be read."What happened?"
Her hands joined, fingers twisting her daylight ring around her finger. Klaus tracked her movements, brow furrowing thoughtfully at the ring he didn't recognize.
"That is not the daylight ring I gifted you once we settled."He muttered under his breath.
A disgusted sniff from her elicited a snarl from him as he looked back up to Isabella to find her glowering at him. Her chest was heaving with the simmering rage building up inside of her.
"This is the ring my love presented me with when we wed—"She stalked closer and presented her hand to him."a thousand years ago. A year to the day we were turned and a week after he found us a witch."
Klaus scoffed at the sight of the ring—whereas the one Lucien gifted her was a plain band with a simple decoration surrounding the gemstone, Klaus' own had been a three-banded ring and the gemstone had been encased in a spiral form. He'd spent time on the design himself and had even created a necklace to match.
An awfully romantic gesture, Nik. Rebekah had drawled when she'd come upon his sketches. Awfully romantic from someone who seduced the love from his so-called friend. Everything just...comes into place for you, doesn't it?
Klaus worked his jaw as he tried to combat the bewildered state of mind he found himself in. He collected himself, suddenly found himself overcome, and surrendered to the chains, letting himself settle back onto the ground.
"Did Lucien seek you out after his compulsion wore off?"He bullishly nodded as if to convince himself."Is that it?"
"Compulsion?"Isabella echoed with a flash of a frown. She shook her head at him.
She doesn't know about Elijah's compulsion. What's he done?
"A hundred years, Isabel—a century."He insisted with a fierce nod, searching her eyes for recollection."Time has since become nothing but at the time it was cherished. We were in the springtime of our lives. We spent a century running, yes, but we thrived."
Klaus was witness to her struggling to gather her bearings. She recoiled from him, wavering gaze flickering around her, lips parted as she also struggled to find her words.
"We drained villages dry as we all ran together. You and I,"He breathed in his melancholy awe."we traveled together, divulged beneath our sheets, frolicked until the sun greeted us, and danced until it bid us goodnight."
Klaus' evocation of memory lane, memories Isabella physically shrunk from in perplexity, were promptly stifled in the wake of a furious bellow.
"Enough!"
He reeled back when Isabella came towards him in a blur and willed himself to refrain from crying out when she struck him across the face. His head snapped to the side from the force of it, resulting in his vision misting, a burning throb in his jaw, and a stinging cheek when her ring tore open his skin.
He spat out the blood with a snarl, blinking away the haze, and grunted when she took hold of his face again.
"You and I were friends."Isabelle asserted with glinting fangs, blood covering her previously brown orbs."Until you became my sire when you granted me with the greatest gift of all. Then you abandoned those you called your friends."
He felt himself being pulled, pulled, pulled until he was no longer touching the ground. The cuffs around his wrists still rubbed raw, and he winced at the feel, fighting a howl when the wood pressing down over his shoulders weighed down relentlessly.
"I don't know what fairytale or fantasy you've let yourself conjure up over the years in that hellscape you call your mind, Niklaus, but hear this…"
Klaus rolled his head until they locked eyes, chains clashing in the wake of her words, and fought to be released from her hold. He choked as he struggled to speak when her fingers twitched against his throat.
"If this slander persists you'll find yourself without a tongue. And if I see those thoughts behind those devious eyes of yours? You'll be joining Finn sooner than you thought."
Isabella smiled sweetly at him with her fangs, a contrast to the uneasiness darkening in her blood-red eyes, before she liberated him. She stepped back as he collapsed onto a heap on the floor at her feet.
"Isabel."
There it is again. Isabella faltered momentarily, the nickname striking something deep within her. Even so, she shook it off and stepped over him with a smile.
"It's still in there."He murmured as she walked away, eyes straining to remain open."It's still there, my Isabel."
Thank you for reading!
Please let me know if you'd like more of this story.