Poison & Wine - Chapter XXIV

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I glared over at the insensitive hybrid from my spot in front of him. "Are you hungry?" He questioned, glancing up from his drawing pad at me.

"I don't want your stupid food!" I spat bitterly. "And this time you can't compel me because I'm on vervain, a-hole!"

He chuckled. "You could just say the whole word, you realize that, right?"

"You're not worth the effort!" I huffed, turning my shoulder to him.

"I'm worth the effort to most women, though, which makes you different, love. But, no worry, I'll change your mind."

"Yeah, when pigs fly." He chuckled again and went back to moving the pencil across the paper. I stared out the jet window and recalled our earlier conversation from when I first saw him sitting in here.

"No!" I shook my head erratically after he had said he had no intention of letting me go this time. "You don't just kidnap a person multiple times and expect them to fall down at your feet!"

He took a sip of what looked like wine and smiled at me before speaking again. "Would you care to join me?"

"Yes, I would care to not to!" I started pacing around. "I'm missing my first day of senior year right now! And Elena! Oh God, you didn't hurt her, did you?! I will kill you myself if you hurt her! Answer me, Klaus!"

"Elena is fine, as well as Tyler."

I paused, my anger subsiding for a moment. "Wait, what? Tyler's still alive?" I felt the weight being lifted from my shoulders. I hadn't even thought of him, but at least he was alive. That's another person I don't have to mourn for.

"Yes, alive and well as a hybrid. You can thank me now."

"He's a hybrid?"

"Yes, it seems that your sister's blood was solution to the problem. For a hybrid's transition, they must drink the blood of the doppelgänger of the one whose blood helped suppress my werewolf side."

Without even thinking, I'd come and sat in front of Klaus. I stared at him with wide eyes. "The only reason Elena's alive still is so you can create your hybrids." I said it as a statement, not a question.

"Precisely."

I sat back in the chair and covered my face. "And everyone else in Mystic Falls? Stefan? Matt and Bonnie? Rebekah?" I don't know why I felt a slight feeling of worry for Rebekah; she did knock me out which I planned to get her back someday for that one. Maybe because of Elijah's concern for his family.

"All safe and all in Mystic Falls. I only brought you because I wanted to give you part two of your birthday present."

I shook my head as I dropped my hands from my face. "No, I want to go home. I had therapy sessions that if I don't attend—"

"Taken care of. You're excused for the next month from all classes at school and all sessions at your therapist."

"What about my medicine? If I don't take it—"

I didn't even finish my sentence before he held up a pill bottle and tossed it to me. I caught it and saw it was my medicine bottle, filled to the top. "Well, my last and final excuse is that I don't want to be here," I sat the pill bottle aside. "I've been away from home almost all summer and I had only been back a week before you whisk me off again to God knows where. Plus, I don't like you. In fact, I hate your guts right now."

"Why? Because I compelled you to kiss me or because when you kissed me you felt something?"

"You compelled me to tell the truth, idiot, remember?" I folded my arms.

He hesitated a moment before speaking again. "I'm giving you a free vacation away from all the stress that gave you your depression. I think I'm doing you a favor, love."

I thought it over a moment. That last thing he said got under my skin. Maybe a vacation wouldn't be so bad, but I didn't have to let him know that… "You know what? Screw you. Screw you and your kidnapping skills."

…And here we are.

I kicked my sneakers off and looked back over to the hybrid. "By the way, what clothes am I supposed to wear?"

"I've got quite a few suitcases for you to choose from, but they are not currently available. You may go brush your hair, though. I know there's a hairbrush."

"Just awesome," I scowled at the ceiling but my resistance broke when I decided to brush through my hair. "I'll be back in a while."

He told me where the bathroom was and I went in. I immediately made sure that the bathroom was locked up tightly. I brushed through my hair and did my business before heading back out. I sat down across from him again.

It wasn't long until I heard an unfamiliar female voice. "Excuse me, mister Klaus; can I get you or the lady anything?" A blonde flight attendant said. She had big breasts, an amazing figure, and a bunch of puncture marks on her neck. Evidently Klaus couldn't keep it in his pants even with me knocked out in the other room.

"Another glass of champagne. Andy will have a glass of Mountain Dew and a glass of Apple Juice. Thank you, sweetheart," Klaus winked at her and she turned bright red before walking away. I couldn't help but scoff. "What?" He asked.

"She's a total bimbo, and the fact I know you did her while I passed out just makes the both of you look worse.

"What if I told you I didn't 'do her'?"

"I'd say you are a filthy liar," I laughed with little humor and folded my arms.

"I didn't sleep with her."

"Mm-hmm."

"I drank from her, but I didn't sleep with her."

I saw he was genuine, but I didn't trust him fully so I dropped it and changed the subject to something else bugging me. "How'd you know my favorite drinks?"

"Lucky guess."

"Really?"

"Truly."

"Bullshit." He grinned but kept his eyes down on whatever he was working on.

I studied him as he drew on the paper, obviously deeply concentrating on his picture. He had only looked up when he attempted to persuade me he hadn't slept with that bimbo flight attendant. The bimbo returned and gave us our drinks before disappearing into the cockpit. I saw no sign that she spit in either of my drinks, so I rotated through them both.

"What is a bimbo?"

I almost spit out my Mountain Dew, though it instead came out of my nose. I died of laughter and was practically rolling on the ground. This was the first time I'd laughed in a very long time, and I wasn't even sure why it stuck me funny. Maybe because he was a thousand plus years old and didn't even know what a bimbo was.

Once I was finished laughing, I answered in a gleeful voice. "You should try googling it." He was smiling from ear to ear like an idiot. I snorted at him. "What?" I asked. "Did you just smoke a joint or something? If so, where can I get some?"

"That was just adorable," He chuckled. "That was the only time I've seen you laugh and I quite enjoyed it."

"Well—" I took a sip of Mountain Dew. "—I hope you have a good memory because you won't be seeing it anymore. I don't laugh a lot."

"Well, we'll just have to change that, won't we?" He smiled and those dimples were what I focused on for a few moments.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Klaus, you're absolutely a mess." We sat in silence for quite a while and during that silence I took my medicine.

"How does your head feel?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"A little sore but not huge. Why?"

"My blood didn't heal your injury," Klaus pointed out. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Elijah's blood didn't work on me either. He had to get his witch to do a healing spell for me. Trust me, I stabbed myself in the gut, a cut on the head won't do a thing to me. Except for once earlier this year, we had to let that heal naturally."

"That doesn't mean I'm not concerned. I'm actually quite concerned."

"Well, I appreciate it, love, but, really, I'm going to be fine." I mocked his accent again and after that it was silence again. I dozed off a bit after finishing my drinks and stayed like that until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Andy, love, wake up," The British voice purred. I opened my eyes to see Klaus sitting beside me.

"You better have a good reason for disturbing my slumber…" I said, rubbing my eyes.

"I wanted to show you this."

I looked down to his hands to see whatever he had been drawing, which was me. It was a sketch of me peacefully sleeping, my little but large mass of curls were perfectly drawn. My expression was carefree and innocent.

"Man, I'm beautiful…" I muttered and he rolled his eyes. "It's beautiful, Klaus. I didn't know you were a good artist, let alone an artist at all."

"I prefer painting, but… sketching is beautiful as well,"

"Yes. Yes, it is."

"Do you draw?"

"Only when I'm lucid enough which is not right now."

"Go on back to sleep."

"How can I when I know a creeper such as you is watching me?" I murmured, already feeling sleep taking me.

"I'm only admiring the breathtaking beauty in front of me. You can't blame me for that, can you?" I didn't respond because I fell into a deep sleep where another dream came to me.

I sobbed into my hands at the waterside. My body was shaking and I was crying quiet loudly. "Anastasia?" Rebekah asked as she came toward me.

"Bekah—" I sobbed, reaching one of my hands out to her.

"Ana, what's wrong?"

"Bekah," Once she sat beside me, I placed her hand over my stomach. She looked puzzled until a kick made her hand fly away.

"That is impossible! Elijah and you were married not a week ago."

"I know," I covered my face. "I just want to die! I am worse than Tatia! I cannot be a mother, I have not even been alive for nineteen winters!"

"But you are married; it's natural, isn't it?" She didn't want to believe it even after seeing it.

"I do not want this child, Rebekah, you have to help me find a way."

"That is murder, Anna!"

I stood to my feet so I could be face-to-face with the blonde. "I was not going to harm this child! But you will not mention this to any soul, you hear me? Rebekah, do you hear me?!"

"Yes, Ana, I understand." She flinched and looked away.

I felt guilty. "I did not mean to yell, Rebekah, I apologize. I am just… quite tired. Why don't we go see what Kol's up to?"

I was woken with a startle then, a hand was shaking me. I opened my eyes and almost punched the blonde flight attendant. "Seriously?!" I demanded.

"Mister Klaus said to wake you."

"Of course he did. Where is he?" I sat forward as she stood up straight.

"Waiting outside the plane," She said as I slipped my shoes on. I headed toward the door to get off that metal death trap.

When I descended the stairs, Klaus waited outside a limo with a smile on his face. I rolled my eyes as I walked over to him.

"Welcome to Portland, Miss Andrea Gilbert!" He said as I stopped in front of him.

"Portland? Portland, Oregon?" I questioned with wide eyes.

"The one and only," He held out his arms. "Also known for its werewolf population."

I sighed with realization, folding my arms and popping one hip out. "So this 'vacation' was for you to make your stupid, worthless hybrids, not for me."

"They aren't worthless."

I scoffed, shook my head and looked away. I held my tongue because I knew he wasn't worth it. He was just like everyone else back in Mystic Falls. They would act like it was for me but really they had ulterior motives.

He opened the limo door for me and gestured. "Come on, love."

I stood there for a moment before I got in. "Couldn't have gotten a subtle car, could ya? Had to show how huge of a d-bag you actually are."

We rode in silence for twenty minutes. I couldn't see a thing out of the windows which really bothered me. Why were the windows like that? Once it got to a point I couldn't stay silent anymore, I spoke up. "I can't even see any of the sights."

"I know, I'll have to talk with Margaret."

"Who's that?" I looked over at him.

"Why? Are you jealous, love?"

"No, I just feel sorry for any woman who has to spend one second in your presence, which does include me."

"She's a… friend of mine."

"Oh, I so did not need to hear you say you have a lady friend!"

"You asked."

"I didn't expect you to be so honest with me!" I covered my ears and my nose wrinkled. "Ugh, that's definitely going to affect my mindset!"

He laughed and I stuck my tongue out at him before leaning back in the seat. I hugged myself and stared off into space. We sat like that until the limo stopped and he got out. I followed him and immediately took a liking to this place. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Once I was finished taking in the city, I looked over to Klaus. "So, mister Klaus and oh-not-so-wonderful host, what are we doing first?"

"You're a horrible host; you do realize that, right?" I asked as he hung up on whoever he was speaking to on the phone. Klaus had taken me straight to a very fancy hotel and told me to shower and change into something dressy. So, being the person I am, had every intention of putting a pair of jogging pants on after showing when I discovered, in all the clothes he had gotten me, there wasn't one pair of jogging pants. That didn't make me too happy. Oh, and on top of that, everything was fancy and not casual whatsoever. So, I had to wear a white sundress with sandals. Thanks a lot, hybrid, I'd thought bitterly.

Now, I sat across from the said hybrid. He had been on the phone countless times in the past hour.

"Well, I am currently tracking werewolves, who are very difficult to find, so I can make my hybrids."

"So you're not alone for eternity," I rolled my eyes and laid down on the loveseat I was on. A stiff silence filled the room and remained like that for ten more minutes until I gave up. "Well, am I ever going to get food around here? I am human; I need it to function properly. Is it that easy to forget humans have to eat? I mean you were one."

"Come on then," He headed toward the door and I quickly followed. We got into the elevator and I pushed the button before he could. "You're a child."

"Only when it comes to competition," I pointed out with a slight grin. "I always win, except at Miss Mystic Falls. I made sure I lost that crap."

"Why?"

"It was and is lame. It is just an excuse for the founding families to show the other people in town that they're much better and that they run this town," I leaned against the one of the walls. "Plus, dancing with Tyler was not a fun experience. It's almost as if he has two left feet. Damon was my escort, but he ditched me for Elena because Stefan had gone on a ripper binge."

"Damon chooses Elena over you many times, doesn't he?" Klaus questioned, his gaze fixed on me.

"A girl gets used to it at some point. I'm used to being put second to everyone and everything, like this trip. It's no surprise you had ulterior motives and only brought me here because you had nobody else. No clue why you chose me of all people, considering my proclaimed hatred of you." I stated, keeping my gaze forward.

The elevator door opened and we got off. We headed through the huge, expensive hobby before getting into another limo outside. Once in, I changed our conversation.

"So where are we headed tonight?" I asked, pleased to see that I could see out the windows. I studied the tall buildings and lights all over. It was amazing.

"An Italian restaurant that I've heard wonderful things about." He smiled at me.

"Italian? That's my favorite kind of food… Tyler told more you about me, didn't he?" I looked over at him with disappointment. "Don't you have enough respect for me to ask me yourself, Klaus? I don't appreciate you doing that at all."

We stayed in silence for the umpteenth time until we reached the restaurant, the name I didn't even see, and headed in. We were immediately showed to an elevator and placed in there. We rode for a couple of levels before getting off. We were brought to a beautiful room filled with light only from the moon and candies. It had a table that sat right beside a window with a wondrous view overlooking the city. I walked straight to it and stared at its beauty.

It was quite a while before I noticed Klaus was doing the same.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked from my side.

"Yeah," I said breathlessly. "It's not even Rome, but it's beautiful in its own way."

My stomach growled with hunger and Klaus chuckled. "We should eat."

I nodded and turned to the table to see there was already food and drunks. Klaus pulled out the chair for me and I begrudgingly thanked him before sitting. "Good old fashioned spaghetti, huh?"

"Another fact from Tyler," Klaus admitted. We began eating and he brought up our earlier subject. "You were my first choice, if it's any consolation."

I looked up at him, and couldn't help but roll my eyes. "You say too much of the right stuff to be serious about me. You're just trying to get something from me."

"I am simply telling you how I feel."

"Yes, about Anastasia," I pointed out and his smile instantly dropped, his face became darker. "Admit it; that's who you see when you look at me. Anastasia."

He became seriously in a second, his face darkened. "Anastasia is dead and long forgotten."

"Well, she did choose and marry Elijah. I wonder if he's forgotten her," I said, which pained me more than it did him, but it still had an effect on him.

"You know nothing of what transpired then. Elijah and I forgave one another and buried all of that, and that's how it's going to remain."

"I'm having dreams, Klaus! It's integrated into my head like it is my memory. How can it stay buried when I'm experiencing all these moments that aren't happening in this century. I'm being called Anastasia and it's scaring me," I admitted in a rushed whisper. Don't ask me why I was whispering, I wouldn't know the answer.

"What happens in the dreams?" He asked, his attention was caught.

"Sometimes ordinary things, like I'll be walking and talking with someone named Kol or with someone named Esther. Other times I'll be with you or Elijah. It's a new day every night for me. It's too lifelike." I shivered with chills.

"How long has this been going on?"

"I think it started when Rose and Trevor kidnapped Elena and I, when I first met Elijah…"

"Has anything else… peculiar happened with you?"

"Well, uh—" I ran a hand through my hair. "—the night that, er, sacrificed Elena, when Elijah was going to kill you…"

"Yes… What about it?"

"I could feel your pain. I could feel it mentally and physically… They mentioned that you might have linked us when you kidnapped me," I looked down at the mahogany table. "I felt like I was dying, Klaus. I was scared and hurt, and I don't want to experience it again if we are linked together. And another thing, when Elijah was daggered, I felt like there was a veil over my eyes. I got use to his presence and knew he was always there, but a veil went over me again a few days after your ritual."

"I didn't have us linked," Klaus said after a long moment of silence. "We'll go see a witch to figure out what is going on with you. Enjoy your food for now."

Sullenly, I began on my food again, though I didn't have much appetite after the conversation. What was wrong with me?

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The End of Chapter XXIV