Author's Note: Hey guys! So this chapter is kind going to be fluff, since Klaus didn't show up in Thursday's episode. What did you guys think of it?! I hope Elena and Damon stay together; Stefan is getting on my nerves! (crosses fingers)

For this chapter, I'm going to focus on Klaus and Annabelle, and April will make a showing!

Sorry it took me so long to post it, I've been swamped with preparing for finals! Let me know what you guys think of it!

Chapter Eight: Breathe Me

"Be my friend

Hold me, wrap me up

Unfold me, I am small, I'm needy

Warm me up and breathe me…"

Ooo0ooO

I could tell Klaus was on the edge.

After yesterday and overhearing Tyler, he seemed more distant, angrier.

I watched him from a distance. He was sitting alone against a tree in the middle of the woods, his eyes closed. He looked so tired and tense. Crossing my arms, I leaned against another tree and frowned.

"You know, it's not polite to spy on people, sweetheart." Raising a brow at his murmur, I huffed. Walking over to him, I plopped down next to him.

"Why are you sitting all alone?" I asked, looking over at him. Klaus rolled his head to the side and opened his eyes, looking at me. I felt concerned when I saw the reflection of his old age in those blue depths. Reaching over, I took his hand and rested my head on his shoulder. He moved so his arm was around me and I was cradled against his chest.

"Being alone has never been an issue for me," he said. I played with the necklaces he wore absently.

"That doesn't mean you enjoy it," I pointed out, pressing a kiss to his neck. He chuckled.

"No, but as I'm sure you can tell, I'm not one to make friends," he said lightly. I pulled away to look into his eyes and pressed a hand on his cheek. He leaned into it and gave me an intense look.

"No," I said, "I guess not. But I don't think it's really fair how alone you are."

"I have you," he said softly. His eyes were dark, the color of the ocean at night, staring into mine. I smiled and exhaled on a laugh before kissing him.

Klaus pulled away and rested his forehead against mine, sighing deeply. His hand made its way up to my neck, where it caressed the skin there. I trembled, heart leaping. He leaned in slowly and kissed me again. It was different from the others; it was slow, gentle, and sweet. I moved so I was straddling his lap and his hands tangled themselves in my hair. Things went from tender to hot in a matter of seconds.

In a flash, Klaus had turned me around so I was standing, pinned to the tree, his mouth hot and hard against mine. I groaned, dragging my nails along his back, enjoying the feeling of his muscles flexing under my hands. He bit my lip and I hissed in pleasure. His tongue slid along mine before his lips left mine to continue their sweet torture against my pulse. I knew my heart was hammering and I gasped his name. He moaned in answer before finding my mouth again. His hand trailed down my back, over my bottom, before grasping my thigh and hitching it over his hip. I shivered when he pressed against me.

I gripped his blonde hair tightly, yanking my leg back to the ground before pushing him back until his back hit another tree. He grunted before I assaulted his lips again, nipping and tugging. He gripped my hips and suddenly I was on my back and his body was covering mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist while he ripped my shirt open, scattering buttons everywhere. I inhaled sharply when his lips trailed from my neck down to my chest, his stubble rubbing against my sensitive skin. His teeth scarped along the curve of my breast before he closed his mouth of my nipple. My back arched as I cried out.

Klaus continued and I felt desire and heat gather in my lower body. I was reaching… reaching…and I sobbed out his name when I flew over the edge. Panting, desperate, I flipped him over with my strength, and grounded against his erection. He growled and his wolf eyes began to glow. Smiling slowly, I leaned in towards his mouth, letting my own gold eyes show. Parting my lips, my fangs slid down and I scrapped them down his neck before kissing him furiously.

Klaus had me on my back again, staring down at me with hungry, gold eyes. We were breathing hard as our eyes remained locked. Slowly, his eyes faded to dark blue.

"Annabelle, you will be the death of me," he murmured. He pulled me to my feet and reached out to fix my shirt as best as he could. I glanced down and laughed at the torn material.

"I think it's a goner, babe," I told him, grinning. He chuckled before looking back into my eyes.

"You are so beautiful," he said, tracing my cheek. I sighed softly and leaned into his hand. I felt a contented smile spread across my face.

"I think we'll be the death of each other," I joked easily, giggling. Klaus nodded in agreement.

"Come along, sweetheart; let's get you home so you can change." I reached over and grasped his hand firmly. His thumb brushed my knuckles before we started walking along the path back to his house.

Ooo0ooO

When we returned home, Annabelle kissed me again before heading up stairs to her room. I heard the shower start and wandered down the hallway. I stopped in front of the art room, pausing before entering.

I sat down at the long table that was covered with drawings and other sketching. Picking up one with Caroline's face on it, I frowned. Nothing stirred inside me while looking at her. Nothing at all. I thought about Antonio's words, how my feelings for her would slowly fade away as my feelings for Annabelle grew.

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. I knew I had to tell Annabelle about the soul bond eventually. Just how to go about that was a little more complicated. Gathering up the rest of the drawings containing Caroline, I threw them on top of the logs in the fire place. Picking up a lighter, I set the wood and papers on fire, watching as the flames consumed the papers quickly.

A knock came from the door. "Klaus?" Annabelle's voice was tentative. "I want to go into town for a few things. Do you…want to go with me?"

"No, you go ahead, sweetheart," I called, still facing the fire.

"Oh…okay. I'll be back in a few hours." I heard her soft footsteps fade down the hallway.

"Be safe," I murmured. The front door closed and I wondered absently if she had heard me.

Going back to the drawing table, I sat back down. I picked up a piece of charcoal, twirling it between my fingers. I began to sketch randomly on a blank piece of parchment, letting my mind flow to my hands freely.

Hours passed while I drew over and over again, switching from charcoal to pastel to oil paint and then back. The smell of turpentine and paint permeated the air. When I finally snapped back to reality, I sat back, studying what I had worked on. Smiling, I wiped off my hands and headed for the door.

When I opened it, I saw Annabelle standing there with her fist poised in the air to knock. She started a little but recovered and gave me a smile.

"Hi," she said. Leaning up, she brushed a kiss over my lips.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" I asked, closing the door behind me. we walked down the hallway into the living room.

"Good," she said, "I spent some time with April Young. I even met Matt Donovan and Jeremy Gilbert at the Grill. They seem nice."

"Ah yes, the young football player whom my sister was infatuated with and the ever famous Gilbert boy, one who sees ghosts and now hunts vampires. Quite the character," I said dryly. Annabelle winced a little, moving to pour a glass of scotch. She handed it to me.

"Thank you, darling," I said with some surprise. She nodded and picked up a glass of sweet tea that had been sitting on the table next to the couch. I sat down and motioned for her to take a seat.

Again, with her ability to do the thing I least expect, she sat herself across my lap, putting her head on my shoulder. With one hand holding the tea, the other played with my necklaces. I listened to her heart beat, strong and steady, as her body relaxed against mine. A soft sigh escaped her perfect lips.

"Take it easy on them, they have been through a lot," she said, her tone scolding a little. I pressed a kiss to her hair.

"Besides," she continued, "I think April has a thing for them. I can't tell who she's into more. The sad part is Matt is too wrapped up in his guilt over Elena and Jer is too consumed with his whole killing vampire instinct so they both have absolutely no idea."

While she talked, I only half listened to what she was actually saying. I paid attention to the rise and fall of her voice, the way it sounded like an angel's song, so sweet and soft.

"… then she said she had to go, so I headed back. Why were you in the drawing room all day?" I shifted so Annabelle would look up at me.

"I burned all the drawings of Caroline. I know they upset you and I apologize for that."

"Do you still have feelings for her?" Annabelle asked, point blank.

"No," I answered. "My feelings for Caroline were foggy at best and now they have completely faded away. My heart seems to only want one thing… that being a little werewolf girl with gray eyes."

Those eyes darkened dramatically, turning into a deep color that matched the charcoal I had been using earlier. She reached up to place a hand on my cheek before leaning forward to kiss me. I took her drink and placed it back on the table before eagerly returning her kiss.

When we pulled apart, she rested her forehead against mine. She was smiling, eyes closed, her face full of contentment.

"I can say the same thing about a certain Hybrid with dark blue eyes," she whispered back to me.

Ooo0ooO

Klaus and I ended up sitting in the living room reading, enjoying each other's presence. I read the rest of Dracula while he started on William Shakespeare's The Tempest.

My mind went over what had happened over the past few days. I thought about the pageant, about Caroline and Tyler and about April. I smiled as I remembered the nice morning I spent with her…

I walked out of the house, not before I heard Klaus's voice carry softly out of the room he had locked himself in.

"Be safe…"

I smiled. Straightening the deep red blazer I wore, I headed towards the trial I knew lead back into town.

Once I reached town square, I decided to head into the Grill for some coffee. I saw April sitting alone in one of the booths and she smiled and waved when she saw me walk in.

"Hey April," I said to her, smiling back. She was wearing a pretty baby blue top that matched her eyes.

"Hi Annabelle! What brings you to the Grill?" she asked politely. I shrugged.

"I figured I would try out the coffee here. Do you want some company or are you waiting for someone?"

"Oh, no! Sit down, please," she said. Giving me a lopsided smile, she gave me an exaggerated wince. "I feel so lame sitting here like a loner," she confessed.

I took off my coat and laughed before sitting across from the younger girl. A tall, built guy with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes walked up to our table. April shifted in her heat, her face brightening.

"Hey Matt!" she chirped. The guy, Matt, gave her an easy grin.

"Hey April," he said in a deep voice.

"This is my friend, Annabelle. She's new to Mystic Falls," April informed him. Matt looked over at me, his eyes curious.

"How's it going, Matt?" I said casually.

"I saw you at the pageant," he said, brow flickering. "You went with Klaus, right?"

"Oh, the tall guy with the accent?" April cut in. I gave them both a secret smile and nodded.

"We're friends," I said smoothly. Matt gave me a slightly wary look while April giggled.

"Well…What can I get for you girls?" Matt asked, his mind obviously turning with questions. I figured it was safe to assume Matt was one of the few who knew about Klaus and everything else that was really going on in town.

"Coffee for me, please," I said.

"Make that two," April added, giving Matt another smile. He nodded and walked away, oblivious to the look April was giving him.

"Got a crush on the quarterback?" I teased. April flushed pink, placing a hand over her mouth to hide her embarrassed grin.

"I don't know," she admitted, "Matt is just so nice, you know? But I heard he had a thing with Rebecca… you know Rebecca, right?"

"We haven't had the pleasure of meeting but yes, I have," I said humorlessly.

"Yeah, well, that's all I heard but Matt seems to…well, hate her." April shrugged.

Matt returned with our coffees, again missing the adoring look April cast his way. I smothered my grin by placing the coffee to my lips. I enjoyed the bitter taste before adding in some milk and sugar.

"Jeremy!" April suddenly called, waving at someone behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a tall brunette kid with dark brown eyes. This was obviously Elena's younger brother, the resemblance with uncanny.

"Oh, hey April," he said back, heading towards the table.

"Oh, Jeremy, this is Annabelle," April told him. Our eyes locked and a wave of understanding passed between us. It was a 'I won't mess with you, if you don't mess with me' kind of deal.

"Nice to meet you," I said, nodding. He nodded back before turning towards April, who was giving him her usual nervous smile.

"April, I just wanted to say sorry again for kind of bailing on you yesterday. I feel really bad," he told her. She blushed at his apology.

"It's fine, really, Jer." April started playing with a thin leather cord that was around her wrist. When I caught the smell coming off of it, my eyes widened slightly. Was that…? I sniffed again, trying not to make it obvious.

Yep, just what I thought. April was wearing a little anti-compulsion bracelet, which meant she knew about things or someone wanted to protect her.

"Glad to see you're still wearing that," Jeremy said, motioning to the very bracelet I was studying.

"Oh, well, you and Matt kind of gave it to me, and I like it so…" April trailed off, biting her lip and blushing again.

Ah, so the jock and the hunter were watching over the girl. One more question answered.

Jeremy walked off to start his shift, so April and I sat back and started talking, getting to know each other. I felt a big sister pull towards this girl, sympathizing with the fact that she was an orphan now, with little to no friends, apart from the two boys.

After an hour or so, I traded cell phone numbers with April, promising her that we would have to do lunch sometime. I walked out of the Grill, inhaling the fresh, cool air.

I headed towards the convenience store, buying a few items I needed while I stayed with Klaus. When I was done, I headed back to the mansion.

"Lost in thought, sweetheart?"

Klaus's voice broke through my musings and I looked up at him. His blue eyes were filled with amusement.

"Yes," I laughed. "You caught me."

We went back to our books for a while longer, before I got up to head into the kitchen to make myself dinner. Klaus followed me, pouring himself a glass of blood from a blood bag while he watched me cook chicken and rice.

We sat together at the kitchen table. Klaus looked at me with some curiosity and when I questioned him about it, he smiled.

"I was just wondering one thing about you," he started. "It has to do with your werewolf gene. Do you know what parent you got it from?"

"Both," I said, setting my plate aside. "My parents came from families of wolves and they met when they joined the Colorado pack."

"But to trigger your inner wolf…" he trailed off, his question clear.

"Who did I kill?" I asked bluntly. "It happened when I was sixteen. I snuck out one night, taking my mom's car and drove over to my friend's house. We thought we were so cool, sneaking out to drink my friend's parent's alcohol. When I drove back home drunk, I got into an accident. I t-boned some guy heading home late. He died on impact. I got in trouble, put into juvy then probation… Then when the full moon came around, I shifted. I remember how painful it was, how I thought I was dying. I remember thinking this was punishment for the life I took, then suddenly I was standing on paws, howling."

"Shifting causes you no pain now," Klaus pointed out, grasping my hand, squeezing it soothingly. I shook my head.

"No. I shifted many times after that then when I lost Charlie and stayed in my wolf form for a long time… Shifting never bothered me. It just feels like my body is morphing into the new shape that's always under the surface. No pain, it's just like cracking your back or knuckles. It happens and you don't really notice it or think about it."

Klaus nodded. I stood up and washed and dried my dishes. Glancing at the digital clock on the microwave, I saw it was nearly ten at night. Yawning, I lifted a hand to rub my eyes. I felt Klaus's arms wrap around my middle and his lips press against the curve of the neck.

"Tired, sweetheart?" he asked gently. I nodded, turning in his hold so I could put my arms around his neck. He leaned in and kissed me softly.

"Perhaps you should go to sleep," he murmured against my lips.

"Do you even sleep?" I asked, suddenly curious. Klaus smirked.

"Yes, I do, darling. If I didn't, I wouldn't dream such wonderful dreams about you." I blushed, resting my head against his chest.

To my surprise, Klaus scooped me up, flashing to my bedroom door. He opened it and placed me back on my feet. I turned to face him again, giving him a tired smile.

"Thank you," I said.

"Of course." Klaus leaned down to kiss me thoroughly one more time.

"Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams," he said. I giggled.

"You too," I said, going along with the inside joke between us. I closed the door as he stepped back.

Heading to the bathroom, I changed into a tank top and comfy pajama pants before brushing my hair and teeth. When I was done, I jumped into bed, huddling under the covers. The second my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep.

I woke up laying next to Klaus. He was still asleep, lying on his back, his head turned towards me. I studied his face. It was such a handsome face, with those intense cheekbones and full lips, and the stern jaw covered in gold stubble. It was relaxed while he slept, as if he was escaping the stress and problems that sat on his shoulders every day.

And what magnificent shoulders they were.

I smiled, suppressing a giggle. I reached over and traced his jaw line and he shifted, moving closer to me. His arm reached over and pulled me to him, so we were cuddling. I snuggled into his warmth, sighing happily.

I played with his necklaces, still staring at his beauty.

I knew I could stare at him forever, happy with the thought of waking up next to him every morning and falling asleep against him every night.

His voice startled me out of my thoughts.

"What did I tell you about staring, love?"

I opened my eyes slowly. I realized I had a huge smile spread across my face.

Snuggling into my pillow and drawing the covers to my chin, I curled onto my side… Falling back to sleep slowly.

"Klaus," I whispered softly, before I drifted back into my dreams.

Ooo0ooO

I woke up when I heard Annabelle's soft voice call my name. Her voice was thick and sleepy and I figured if she was still sleeping.

I wondered if she was dreaming about me, like I had been dreaming about her.

Ooo0ooO