Chapter 14

Proposal

I couldn't sleep. I had tried to barricade my door with a chair and a dressing table and I had a knife under my pillow but I still didn't feel safe. It had been two nights since the ball and there hadn't been a sight of Sebastian or the rest of the "family" but I couldn't relax. I was exhausted and felt that I couldn't even think anymore. I wasn't going back. I wasn't an object. I was a person. At least I wanted to think so.

I had thoughts and memories. I felt pain when someone hurt me. I felt joy when someone showed me kindness. Didn't that make me a person? They had no right to take that from me. But how was I supposed to stop them? The methods they used were unnatural. Black magic. It worried me that maybe I was putting Elijah in danger as well. I couldn't let anything happen to him because of me. I had to think of something and fast…

I froze when I heard a sound from the door. Someone was trying to get in. I quickly got up and took the knife. I had to hide. The closet. I got in as silently as I could and squeezed the knife in my hand. I heard the door opening. Someone was moving the chair and the dressing table.

"What…" a voice murmured.

My heart was beating faster. Someone lighted a candle. I was shaking when the closet door opened. I raised the knife but someone grabbed my hand making me drop it. I was panicking and fought as hard as I could.

"Hey, hey, calm down", someone said.

I finally looked at the person in front of me. Klaus. He seemed surprised.

"What are you doing sweetheart?" he asked.

It took a moment before I could react. I pointed at him and the room wanting to ask what he was doing here. He looked at me, the knife and my pathetic attempt to barricade my door.

"Hmm, interesting. Who scares you so much?" he asked calmly. "Me?"

I hadn't even thought about him during these last two days. Comparing to Sebastian I really wasn't afraid of him although I knew I probably should be. I looked at him cautiously. He still hadn't said why he was here. I hoped it wasn't because of the mating thing. I didn't want that. I wasn't stupid so I knew I couldn't stop him if he wanted it but I really hoped he wouldn't do that. But at least that would make him to leave me alone. He was looking at me closely.

"No…It is not me who you are so afraid of", he murmured. "Have someone in this castle hurt you?"

I shook my head. He didn't seem convinced.

"I realize you have no reason to like me but you are important to my brother and I can certainly control my own people. If some of them have crossed the line…"

I shook my head again.

"Then who?"

I didn't look at him.

"Well, who ever this person is he must really scare you. And for some reason you have not told my brother about this…"

He was being too perceptive so I started to sign to him that I was tired and I would like to go to sleep.

"Forgive me sweetheart but I do not understand", he said.

Oh right, I forgot. He leaned closer smiling at me.

"But what I do understand is your fear. I can practically smell it." He started to play with my hair. "And it seems to me that you could use some…protection. I can provide that for you."

I didn't like where this was going. I smiled and shook my head as politely as I could. He was still smiling.

"All I am saying is that your enemies could be my enemies. And you can say many things about me but one thing I am good at is destroying my enemies. I will let you think about that."

He turned and headed to the door.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Elijah has a visitor, some old acquaintance of his so he asked me to make sure that you are alright. Apparently you have been feeling…ill ever since the ball. Shall I tell him that everything is alright?"

No, everything wasn't alright but I nodded.

"And you might want to learn how to use that knife. Just a friendly advice. It would be a shame if you would cut yourself."

That was true; I really had to practice more.

"Well, good night sweetheart, think about what I said", he said smiling charmingly.

After he was gone I sat on my bed. I didn't know what to do. He could probably help me but he certainly wasn't going to do it without a price. He would want the mating thing. There was something else I could offer him. I could let him drink my blood. That would be too risky. First of all, he might lose control and second of all it would show him that I wasn't human. Since he was an old vampire it wouldn't probably affect him the same way than those two young vampires who had unfortunately lost their mind. But that was one more risk.

I felt desperate. What should I do? Maybe I should study the mating thing first to find out how bad was it. People used it to breed, right? I had always imagined that it was something unpleasant. There had to be someone who could explain it to me. I jumped up when the door opened. I was relieved when I saw Elijah.

"What happened?" he asked when he saw the chair that had fallen on the floor.

I ran to him and wrapped my arms tightly around him.

"Hey, what is wrong?" he asked worried.

I signed to him that I had a bad dream and asked could I sleep in his room just for tonight. He smiled and touched my cheek.

"Of course."

I nodded gratefully. I really needed to sleep so I could clear my head. I had to decide what to do with Klaus' proposal.