Author's Babble: Hello everyone! Apologies for not updating sooner. This story is always on my mind. No scary writer's block :). Life just gets a bit hectic so progress on writing has been slower lately.

Hope you enjoy!

CHAP 24:

After finding me a towel Elijah sat me down at what served as a dining table in a very simple yet rustic kitchen. Though with the constant of stone throughout the building a rustic theme was hardly unexpected. Sarah sat across from me and kept glancing at the towel turbaned around my head while she read the paper. Elijah had insisted that he make me a coffee so I was left to sit at the table sticking out like a sore thumb. I got the impression that he didn't want me to stray from his sight. Perhaps I should be watching how I am with Sarah.

"Where'd you get the towel?" She asked suddenly without looking away from her paper.

"Pardon?"

"The towel. It doesn't smell of Klaus and he will want you marked for other vampires to know whom you belong to. You should be so lucky to be surrounded by his scent. The privilege is obviously wasted on you." She sniffed and looked at me.

"So I'm a fire-hydrant for Klaus to mark like the mongrel dog that he is? I queried. She didn't respond. Instead opting to stare at me blankly. "What can I say? Klaus isn't to my taste. So I found a clean towel." Sarah turned her attention back to the paper with a little soft noise of offence at my insinuation of Klaus being likened to filth. Clearing my throat gently I successfully grabbed Sarah's attention again.

"Uh. How long have you been with Klaus?"

"Do you mean as his whore? Or one of his comrades?" She snapped. I controlled my features so I wouldn't aggravate her any more than I already had. I tried to fight how ridiculous her obvious devotion to Klaus seemed from toning my voice. It really seemed as though Klaus had his own little cult going here. I wondered if they were all greedy for power. That was the only sense I could make of his followers. Klaus wanted superiority by breaking his binds, yet he didn't want to remain the only one of his kind. If everyone of those Klaus intended to turn was as reckless as him, there was no telling what the world was in for. If I thought to the extreme I could imagine human's being in a farmed situation. Surely it would be stupid of Klaus' followers to wipe out their food source. Besides, keeping humans like animals didn't seem like a fulfilling purpose to me. Yet if power was Klaus' motivation I didn't see the point. He was already as powerful as any other species could get. He and Elijah seemed essentially at a stale mate. Once Klaus lifted the curse on himself he would be the ultimate predator. He should be content with that. There couldn't be anything in this world more powerful, could there?

"Comrades."

"About seven hundred." She stated boredly. "And I'll have you know that it took three hundred of those to become worthy of Klaus. If I am indeed his whore as you put it. It wasn't an easy accomplishment." I cleared my throat in an effort to cover up my disbelief. Not intending to share how easy she seemed. For god's sake she had felt me up. I was certain it was her. "Say, it." She ordered suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

"No matter what justification I give. You still regard me like some piece of trash whore."

"I-" I began, but she cut me off.

"Which I'm not-."

"Alright!" I but in and she stopped. "So you're not a whore. Fine. Why should you care what I, a human thinks of you? Geeze!" I reiterated her apparent superiority for mankind and rolled my eyes towards Elijah. What is wrong with her? I didn't think vampires would need to harbour insecurities. They would always win out. There would be some twisted righteousness on their part. Even if only attained by outlasting those who oppose them.

The next moment Sarah was in my face with her arms either side of me steadying the chair, now teetering on it's back legs. Elijah flashed into my vision out of the corner of my left eye.

"Sarah." His tone came as a warning, but she ignored him.

"I don't care what you think. I care what Klaus thinks. If I never get back into his bed because of you then I was nothing more than a willing fuck!" She snarled angrily in my face.

"Then your problem is with Klaus." I spoke carefully. "Not with me. Now could you please put my chair down?"

"You are the heart of the problem! Klaus is not incapable of a meaningful connection to another. If he commits to you. Your views might make him consider me unworthy to be a hybrid. I want his blood."

"I thought you wanted Klaus?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"If you take my prize, then I at least want compensation." She spat.

"Put my chair down please." When she didn't, remaining paused and mute I continued. "Look. I don't believe for one second that Klaus is capable of respecting and conforming to a certain view of anything because of what I think. You'll get your blood unless you prove yourself unworthy." It came out blunt, but my point was a matter of fact.

"You are so naïve to what you can accomplish by simply being the doppleganger. You look like her. Klaus sees her, not you. She was able to bend Klaus' more severe traits to her will before she was used in the sacrifice. Reign him in a little. Such a gifted existence is waisted on you."

"I am not in this world just for Klaus. I am my own person-." I nearly growled out. I'd tried to keep myself diplomatic, not wanting to aggravate Sarah any more. She really seemed to have issues.

"Correction. You are Klaus'. And you're not even grateful!" She forced the chair back and I tensed as the back of it closed in on the floor. As I hit it's stony hardness I felt more than heard the crack of my skull and pain spread blindingly from the point of impact. Despite being immobile disorientation gripped me as my eyes swiftly rolled back in my head and darkness claimed me.

I could have likened it to a brief blackout where the lights go out for about a minute then flicker back on. It didn't seem possible for me to keep track of how much time passed while my mind was unresponsive, but I knew it had only been a few minutes at the most. Seriously? Is injury a daily requirement now? Sure I was going to heal with vampire blood in my system, but it still hurts!Groaning, Klaus' voice met my ears and I opened my eyes to squint up into his own. As if moving through tar I rolled away from him and sat up. Hoping that my facial expression gave no question as to how much he disgusted me. My head was pounding and there was a smear of fresh blood on the floor. Bringing my right hand up to the back of my head, my fingers touched the warm sticky blood amongst my hair. Bringing my hand round to be sure that what was on my fingers was blood Klaus moved swiftly toward me and gently grabbed my wrist. He didn't need to use any force, I wasn't up to fighting him off. But I leaned as far away from him as I could as he brought my tainted red fingers up to his mouth and sucked them clean. All the while keeping his eyes on mine. I broke our eye contact looking for Elijah, to find him standing exactly where he had been with one of the male vampires and Sarah forming a relaxed blockade between him and where Klaus and I were. Elijah's face was like stone but his eyes were apologetic. As the throbbing in my head lessened I snatched my wrist from Klaus and pieced together what must have gone down. I could only assume that as I'd fallen Klaus had shown up, prevented Elijah from stopping me and now here we all were. My towel was no where to be seen. Sarah must've whipped it from me as I fell. If my injury was her goal, I'd almost credit her as being smart. Leaving the rolled excess of towel would have prevented her point getting across. I felt it loud and clear. She's psycho.

"Come to ruin my life some more?" I grumbled while managing to stand unsteadily. "Thought you were out finding your damn dogs." The space about me moved and light, swift movement seemed to engulf me as my surroundings blurred. A door slammed and my movement slowed in time to become aware of the hard stone floor before the side of my hip smacked into it painfully. My right elbow followed, but my hip took the brunt of the impact. Grimacing I lay still on the floor until the pain eased. He'd brought me back to his room.

Fear gripped me. But when I opened my eyes, I fiercely shot them at Klaus despite it. " I suppose you've realised you're the only true mongrel in this world and no-one you found measured up. It honestly wouldn't surprise me." I continued, building gusto.

"Did you forget where you were Elena?" Klaus growled lowly. I looked at him in confusion. Narrowing my eyes as if realisation was a bright light approaching in the darkness. "You were not in the confines of my room just now. Yet you were not acting as I've outlined. Your respect for me was also blatantly amiss. One quick call to Mystic Falls and I can really ruin your life." Respect? Like you deserve it!

"Respect is-" Shit. I gulped. I was supposed to respect him, as unjustified as it was. Not to mention my natural resistance to him holding my wrist was probably unacceptable. He hadn't outlined the specific details as yet. Just that I wasn't to resist him. Wether I was supposed to throng to his side whenever possible I had no idea. My eyes went wide and I froze where I stood. My heart beat wildly in my chest and moisture glistened threateningly over my brown fearful eyes.

"I- I'm sorry-." My plea was met with Klaus' wicked grin. "Please. Don't hurt them. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking-." I scrambled onto my knees about to get up, but wondered if begging from down here would appeal to him.

"Enough." Klaus held out his hand. "Come here love." His tone was gentle. Unnerving. "Lets test how sorry you are. Hmm?"

Standing I took a deep breath, moving toward him as if on auto pilot while I surveyed him warily. Stopping a metre from him, Klaus raised his eyebrows before shifting his eyes downwards, indicating he wanted me closer. I did as directed but stopped before we'd be touching. It was a minimal amount of resistance which was short lived as Klaus snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. My hands automatically palmed themselves flat against his chest. He looked at me accusingly. I met his gaze evenly, trying to keep how much I loathed him from creeping onto my face. Klaus seemed satisfied when I didn't try to push at his chest and closed the distance between our faces to join our mouths. It was incredibly hard not to pull my head back. My chest ached with each manoeuvre of our lips and tongues as I fought to keep close to him, to respond. It was vile. The faint taste of my blood transferred from his mouth to my own and I wondered how nice my coffee would taste after coating my mouth with toothpaste again. How I wished to bite his tongue. Just fighting that urge seemed to make my jaw lock up sporadically. Klaus increased the depth of our kiss and I had no choice but to go with it. The tempo sped up and Klaus' actions became fevered. He pulled me harder against him and I felt his maleness firming against my hip. Oh no. Please, no. Leave me alone. You'll no doubt have me tonight anyway. This is my time. Uncomfortably mimicking him anyone could be forgiven for assuming that fiery passion was building between us. My breathing became laboured as Klaus starved me of Oxygen. With each heave of my chest my breasts pressed against his chest. I felt him growl beneath my hands and he finally released my mouth. Catching my breath I looked away from him waiting for him to release me from his hold.

"Very good." Klaus chuckled. "I missed you." Came his patronising statement while bringing a hand up to stroke my cheek. Before putting a little pressure on it to make me look at him. "Did you miss me?"

"No." I replied softly.

"Would your answer be different if answered outside this room?" He cocked his head to the side as he waited for me to answer.

"Yes." Came my sad response. Klaus leaned in to my right ear, brushing is lips along the side of my cheek in the process. One of his hands on the other side of my face prevented me from pulling away.

"Good. Though you might want to sound a little more convincing sweetheart." He murmured into my ear. Having apparently said his peace Klaus let go of me and stepped away as he poured himself a drink. I remained where I stood, watching him unsurely.

"Can I-. Can I go now?" I asked softly, hope creeping into my voice. He turned back to me, taking a swig of his drink before allowing his gaze to travel up and down my body.

"You didn't use my towel."

"No. I didn't."

"You will use my towel." He ordered before pausing. "Now. We need to discuss how you are to act outside this room in more detail. I want you at least to be by my side when I'm around. You will interact with me positively. No moping. Pose that beautiful mouth into a smile." He suggested. "Treat me as though I am Elijah. You've no problem being cosy with him." I scoffed and Klaus' eyes hardened. "While you will willingly return my affections, you are also to instigate them. You are not some unresponsive doll and so you won't act like one. Make it at least seem like you miss my absence when I return."

"Bet you'd treat a doll better than you would me." I mumbled as I crossed my arms over my chest. Klaus stepped forward to which I took a step back. He smirked and kept advancing toward me as he ran through his next directions.

"As I have already stated. That mouth of yours needs to be filtered outside this room. If you speak ill of me, I will know about it and you can expect punishment for doing so. Any resistant communication toward my goals will not be tolerated either. Agree with me or be supportive in some way. I don't need it. But the overall picture will be nice. You aren't an accessory Elena. You will be a lifelong partner. Soon, non of this will be difficult for you at all." I made a face as I continued backing towards an inevitable wall that would brace my back. Klaus laughed as he continued toward me, downing the remaining liquid in his glass. "You seem afraid. Why is that?" He enquired. When I didn't answer he shot forward and my back smacked against the wall as he pressed against my front. He'd placed his hand on the back of my skull so that when my head would have hit the wall the impact was cushioned. I was shocked. Why would he do something like that? His breath smelt of scotch and his face was a picture of satisfaction as he cast his eyes around my face as if reading me.

"You haven't hurt me for pulling away from you and speaking without respect in the kitchen."

"Ah. So you've kindly reminded me. Hoping I wouldn't forget?" His eyes glittered dangerously at me.

"Like you'd forget. You enjoy all of this too much." I spat.

"Hmm. Good things come to those who wait." He paused. What is that supposed to mean? "Right now. You're free to return to Elijah, who is no doubt coveting your every move away from me." He stepped back and I moved past him to the door. "Forgetting something Elena?" He asked as I opened the door. I looked back to his smug expression. "We are parting company after all."

"Unless you intend to force yourself on me I'm not touching you." I shot back at him. Klaus used his vampire speed to come up behind me and I found myself pushed into the hall. I braced my arms against the opposite wall to prevent another meeting with the floor and turned to face him. His eyebrows were raised and his whole demeanour oozed arrogance. Standing tall I stopped the glare that was itching to come forth and walked toward him. Placing my left palm on his chest, my right palm on the side of his neck I kissed him. Klaus' arms snaked gently around my waist and pulled me against him. It was unlike him. Possessive yet, dare I say it; cherishing. When I pulled away, he didn't stop me, just simply let me leave. Twice I looked back at him in confusion as I walked toward the kitchen.

Stopping at the bathroom on the way I freshened up my mouth and took a few deep breaths of relief since it seemed Klaus wasn't about to make a fatal phone call. It was too close though. I needed to get my act together and obey him. Upon returning to the kitchen Elijah handed me a cup of coffee. It was comforting to feel it's piping hot warmth as I enclosed my palm around one side of it. Elijah's gaze scrutinised me with concern as if scanning my body for any evidence of Klaus. Catching his eye I gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine. Can we go outside?"

"Certainly." Came his accommodating response as his hand came to rest on the small of my back. Elijah guided me towards a door that led off from the main room we'd first entered the previous night. Stepping outside, goosebumps rose across my skin as the fresh wind whipped about us. Making me feel alive.