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Bonnie spent most of the plane ride from Pensacola in a kind of fugue state, wherein she kept envisioning hordes of half-vampire, half-werewolf creatures running rampant through small towns that bore a remarkable resemblance to Mystic Falls.
By the time she'd snapped out of it and come to her senses, the plane was beginning to descend. The noise of the engines became muffled as pressure built up in her ears. She was wondering where they were when the pilot came on the intercom to announce their descent into Los Angeles.
Looking around, she saw that she was in the middle of a luxurious cabin. Its wide chairs were covered in soft, tan leather and spaced a comfortable distance apart. A private jet, she assumed.
She sat up a bit and peeked over the seat facing her. Klaus and Stefan were seated in armchairs near the cockpit. The latter spotted her and she hastily scrunched back down in her seat. She held her breath for half a minute and let it out again when no one came strolling down the aisle.
Bonnie vaguely remembered travelling to the airport and getting on the plane, but it was all kind of a blur. Not like the bloodbath in the alley. Every moment of Klaus's massacre was burned into her memory. Even now, the scent of blood seemed to cling to her. She glanced down to inspect her satin top, but couldn't see so much as a speck of blood. It was harder to tell with her leather pants and jacket. She checked her scraped palms, but found that they had completely healed over. She grimaced, praying that Klaus's blood had passed out of her system by now.
Fifteen minutes later, they were rolling down the runway. She swallowed hard a couple of times to clear her ears and released her seat belt, but didn't get up. Gazing out the window, she watched as the plane taxied to a waiting truck and car. Other than the three men standing near the vehicles, the small airport appeared to be deserted.
The plane came to a stop and the engines whined down. A man exited the cockpit and she recognised him as the guy who'd met them in Jacksonville. He went to the door and opened it, letting a swirl of fresh air into the cabin.
Klaus and Stefan came down the aisle, the latter continuing on to the rear of the plane.
"Back with us, I see," Klaus said.
"Lucky me," she muttered, not looking him in the eye. She heard a grunt and turned her head to see Stefan shoving the chained up werewolf towards them. The captive shot her a baleful look as he passed her seat and she dropped her gaze.
"Shall we?" Klaus said, holding out his hand.
Bonnie snorted and stood. She brushed past him and followed Stefan out the exit and down the steps to the tarmac. Blinking in the bright Californian sunshine, she paused to observe all the activity.
Klaus's wooden crates were being transferred from the plane's cargo hold to the truck and again she wondered what was so valuable that he had to cart it halfway across the country with him. Stefan steered the werewolf over to the truck and bundled him into the back.
Once the truck was fully loaded and on its way, Klaus and Stefan moved to the car. Resigned, she trailed after them and got in the back seat with Klaus while Stefan sat next to the driver. Doing her best to ignore the others, she stared out the window and tried to figure out where they were going.
The car got onto a freeway and headed towards downtown L.A. But once they got off the highway, Bonnie lost her bearings. She relaxed back into her seat, keeping an eye on the road signs. An hour later, they were travelling through a leafy suburb in the Hollywood hills. She glimpsed several grand houses over hedges and walls as they drove past.
At last the car slowed to enter a driveway. They passed between a pair of wrought iron gates and coasted down a gravelly lane that delivered them to a magnificent mansion. Tired as she was, Bonnie couldn't help but admire its gorgeous yellow stone and the wooden archway over the entrance. Dark green ivy clung to the walls and gutters, adding to the charm of the house.
They were greeted in the foyer by a woman in a full-length black dress with a lace collar and cuffs. Her vibrant red hair, pulled back in a severe bun, provided a sharp contrast with her pallid complexion. She gave a disapproving sniff as she inspected Bonnie, who felt as if she'd just wandered into a gothic novel.
"This is Mrs Gerhardt," Klaus said. "She'll be in charge of you during your stay."
"In charge of me?" Bonnie said.
Ignoring her question, he looked at Mrs Gerhardt. "Why don't you show Bonnie to her room while I settle in the family."
The woman nodded. Klaus gathered Stefan with a look, and they both headed down the hallway towards the rear of the house. Puzzled, Bonnie watched them go. In all the time they'd been travelling, Klaus hadn't once mentioned his family. Not that she'd given them much thought herself, except for Elijah. Setting him on fire had moved up a few spots on her to-do list.
"Come," Mrs Gerhardt said, as she started up the wide curved staircase.
Bonnie fell into step behind her, running a hand along the top of the smooth bannister. Without the housekeeper's stern gaze on her, she felt bold enough to venture a question. "Klaus's family live here?"
"They are always with the master."
"Well, I haven't seen-" Bonnie did a doubletake and stopped. "Wait, did you just call him 'the master'?"
Mrs Gerhardt stopped and pivoted to look down at her. "He is master of this house, is he not?"
"Oh. Right."
"You would do well to bear that in mind."
"I'll do that."
The woman narrowed her eyes. "Or suffer the consequences."
"I heard you the first time," Bonnie said sharply.
Brown eyes morphed into black and Mrs Gerhardt descended on Bonnie with terrifying speed. She instinctively flung up her arm and magically hurled the vampire over the bannister. Flattening herself against the wall, Bonnie kept her hand raised, prepared for another attack. But it didn't come.
With her pulse drumming in her ears, Bonnie inched across to peek over the railing. Mrs Gerhardt stood in the centre of the foyer, holding her hands behind her back and gazing upwards.
"You are strong," she said with an approving nod. "That is good."
Bonnie slowly lowered her arm as the vampire trotted up the stairs. She watched Mrs Gerhardt bypass her without another word and, shaking her head, followed her up to the landing. They continued down a corridor into the east wing of the mansion.
"Is this where Klaus's family sleep, too?" she said, eyeing one of the closed doors. She half-expected one of them to pop out of a bedroom.
"The family sleep in their coffins."
"Why?" She didn't get why any vampire in this day and age would choose a coffin over a bed, especially if they were immune to sunlight.
Mrs Gerhardt shot her a pitying look. "Powerful, but not so bright."
"Hey, I-"
"Did you not see the coffins accompanying Master Niklaus?"
"The...coffins." Bonnie stared at her. An image of the crates being loaded onto the truck flashed in her head. "You mean that..." She blew out a breath, inadvertently whistling. Klaus was even more of a whackjob than she'd first thought.
"He does not like to be alone," the housekeeper said with a knowing look. She stopped and opened a door, waving Bonnie inside.
The bedroom was beyond anything she'd expected, an enormous chamber filled with rich furnishings in shades of purple and gold. Afternoon light spilled through the tall double-glazed windows, the only modern-looking feature she could see. But despite the antique furniture and the fine tapestries decorating the cream walls, the room felt surprisingly homey. A velvet-covered armchair near the fireplace looked particularly cosy and the bed was covered in a thick lilac quilt.
Bonnie wandered around, marvelling at the room's size and opulence. She could've fit her kitchen, her living room and her bedroom in here. As prisons went, it wasn't so bad.
"This will be your room for as long as you live," Mrs Gerhardt said.
Bonnie's heart spasmed and she spun round. "What?"
"You will serve the master until you die, as all his witches have."
"All his..." Her vision blurred at the edges. She stumbled and grabbed for the edge of the mantelpiece. "How many witches...exactly?"
"I could not say," Mrs Gerhardt said with a negligent shrug. "I lost count centuries ago."
Bonnie felt ill and it must have shown on her face, because the housekeeper lifted her arm and pointed to a closed door. Taking the hint, Bonnie rushed to it, opening the door and slamming it shut behind her. She found herself in a sparklingly modern bathroom, but her convulsing stomach didn't give her much time to appreciate it.
She reached the sink just in time to start dry retching into the pristine bowl. It had been a while since she'd eaten, for which she was grateful. After a few more heaves, her stomach settled and she stood with her hands braced on the sink, panting.
When she felt calmer, she rinsed her mouth and splashed some water into her face. She stared into the mirror at her swollen eyes and promised herself that she wasn't going to die like those other witches. Not like Greta, granting Klaus's every whim and blindly following him into God knows what. She'd rather go down fighting.
A knock at the door made her jump.
"Bonnie?"
It was him, of course. Exhaling a silent sigh, she patted her face dry and left her temporary refuge. Klaus was perched on the edge of the dressing table with his arms crossed. He studied her face when she appeared.
"Don't mind Mrs Gerhardt. She's something of an eccentric."
"That's one word for it," she muttered.
Klaus laughed. "She's never quite taken to modern life, I'm afraid. Doesn't approve of all the debauchery and loose morals. Don't even get her started on the royal families." He wandered over to the windows and looked out over the grounds. "But she's never given me cause to doubt her loyalty, and that's a quality I value in those close to me."
She wondered if that was a not-so-subtle warning directed at her, and stayed silent.
He pivoted to face her. "I trust you'll be comfortable here."
"Do I have a choice?"
"Well, I'm sure we can find you another room if it doesn't please you. But most of my witches enjoy being close to me."
"Your witches. Like Greta?"
"Yes." His smile revealed a hint of wistfulness that startled her. "We had a lot of fun together...travelling, plotting world domination...as well as other indoor activities."
"But how could she-" She snapped her mouth shut, annoyed that she'd let her curiosity get the better of her.
He cocked his head. "How could she what?"
"Nothing," she said, her face growing hot. "It doesn't matter."
"Come now, Bonnie, out with it. I want there to be no secrets between us."
It was a bad idea. She knew that. But now that he'd made it clear that Greta had been more than just a minion, she couldn't help wanting to know. So, in spite of her misgivings, she said, "How could she bear to touch you?"
His eyebrows jumped. "Oh. The witchy thing. Of course." He stared her for an unnervingly long moment. "Come here."
Her stomach lurched. "You know, on second thought, I really don't need to know."
"Bonnie, I'm not going to hurt you. Now come here."
She gave him a hopeful look. "But I can hear you perfectly fine from here."
Klaus moved to the armchair near the fireplace and patted the back. "Come. Sit."
Resigned, Bonnie padded across the room, wishing she'd kept her big mouth shut. She sat down, all too aware of him looming behind her.
"Close your eyes," he said.
"Is that really necessary?"
"Bonnie."
Pursing her mouth, she did as he asked, or rather, ordered. He was silent for a while and, though she knew he was there, she jumped when he finally began to speak.
"Now, your problem is that you're seeing it all from the wrong perspective. What you sense is the victim's pain and fear in the instant of their annihilation. But you're not a victim, Bonnie. You're not even human. You're a witch, with access to power that ordinary humans could never even dream of."
His smooth voice felt like rolling thunder, raising goosebumps on her arms. Despite herself, she started to hear what he was saying.
"You're strong, powerful. You've hurt me in ways that few beings have ever managed, and somewhere, deep down, you enjoyed it."
She shook her head and started to rise, but Klaus pressed down on her shoulders. Coldness seeped into her flesh and she stopped struggling. Thankfully, he immediately removed his hands.
"Don't deny it, Bonnie. I hurt people you care about, brought chaos to your home town. It's only natural for you to want to hurt me back." He bent close to whisper in her ear. "And I know you enjoyed getting your revenge. I felt it in every single blast of your magic."
Okay, so he was right about that. She'd enjoyed making him suffer. Thinking back to that night, she smiled. She'd been nervous as hell and her heart had been pounding so hard she thought she might have a heart attack before she even got to the quarry, but when the moment came all her fears just melted away. The magic responded to her call, pouring through her in a torrent of pure energy. She'd never felt more alive than when she used that power to bring Klaus to his knees.
"You brought me to the brink of death. You're not a victim, Bonnie. Quite the opposite. You're a creature to be feared...as am I."
A warm tingling sensation spread up her right arm and, at the same time, she felt a sweet ache low in her belly. Confused, Bonnie opened her eyes. Her mouth fell open as she discovered Klaus kneeling before her, his hand covering hers. He looked unbearably smug. Heat rushed to her face and, with a cry of fury, she flung him back with her magic.
He crashed into a hanging mirror and fell in a heap, bringing down several shards of glass with him. Unfazed, he rose and brushed himself off.
"I trust I've made my point," he said.
She stood, glowering. "Don't ever touch me again."
The corner of his mouth twitched, but he inclined his head. "As you wish." He went to the door and turned. "Come, I'll show you to the library."
Bonnie hesitated, but it wasn't as if she had much choice. She moved towards him and he stepped out of her way with an exaggerated flourish. Gritting her teeth, she stomped out of the room and down the corridor. She paused when she reached the landing, letting Klaus take the lead. He preceded her down the stairs, through the foyer, and into the west wing where he stopped at a set of double doors.
He pushed them open, revealing a library that was as large as the bedroom, with tall oak bookshelves lining three of its walls. A pair of overstuffed armchairs sat near the fireplace and there was a massive mahogany desk piled high with books.
Bonnie's stomach rumbled as she smelled coffee, and she spotted a tray bearing sandwiches and a coffeepot on the desk. Beside it lay her grimoire. With a happy gasp, she ran to snatch it up.
"You'll work in here," Klaus said.
Cradling her grimoire like a baby, she spun to watch him. "Doing what?"
He wandered around the room; idly spinning an antique globe, straightening the step-stool, fiddling with the candlesticks on the mantelpiece. "You may have noticed that I'm not especially popular among our furry friends."
"Maybe if you'd stop killing them."
Klaus scowled at her.
"Just a suggestion," she mumbled.
"As I was saying, they're not likely to thank me for turning them." He moved to stand with his back to the fireplace. "But I need my hybrids to be loyal."
"Can't you just compel them?"
He shook his head. "Werewolves...witches...both species have been around much longer than vampires. They can't be compelled, even by me."
"So...what exactly do you want me to do?"
"I want you to find a way to bind them to me."
"How?"
Klaus indicated the bookshelves. "The grimoires, of course."
"The what?" Bonnie jerked her head from side to side, taking in the sheer number of books stacked from floor to ceiling. "These are all grimoires?"
"Not all, but most of them."
She'd thought the Martins' collection was extensive, but it was nothing compared to the volumes upon volumes that filled the shelves before her.
"Can you do it?" he said.
Bonnie chewed on her lip, wondering whether she should be honest. Buying time to think, she said, "The vampires that you make - aren't they already loyal to you?"
"Sometimes...I have made vampires who've put my interests above their own, but it's rarer than you think." He paced towards her. "Besides, I want more than that. I want all my hybrids to obey me without question, to follow my commands even unto death."
"I don't...is that even possible?"
"Greta thought so." He gestured vaguely to the desk. "You'll find her notes somewhere."
Bonnie stared down at her grimoire. Even if it were possible, she didn't think she was capable of that kind of magic. But she also knew that Klaus didn't take disappointment well, so she swallowed her doubts.
"Okay."
"Good. I'll see you in a day or two," he said, striding off towards the door.
"You're leaving?"
Klaus halted and swung back towards her with a grin. "Now, Bonnie, you can't expect to monopolise all my attention. I have other witches to court, traps to set, and, oh, a couple of city officials to compel."
She grimaced. Maybe this was what passed for vampire humour. But she had more important things to worry about. "Is Stefan going with you?"
His grin faded. "Yes."
"I wanna talk to him." Bonnie took a deep breath. "Alone."
She squared her shoulders, prepared for a fight, but Klaus merely shrugged and said, "I'll send him in."
Before she could stutter out a reply, he'd already gone. She carefully placed her grimoire on the desk and began pacing around the plush burgundy rug, trying to gather her thoughts.
The door opened a few minutes later and Stefan slipped into the library. He was alone, though she didn't believe for a second that Klaus wasn't listening in. But right now she didn't much care.
Looking him the eye for the first time since the alley, she said, "Hey."
"Hey."
Bonnie studied him a moment, trying to see beyond his stoic facade, but she didn't know him well enough to figure out what he was thinking. She realised she would have to settle for bluntness.
"So you're really doing this, huh?"
Stefan cocked his head. "Doing what?"
She sighed. "Don't play dumb, Stefan. Not with me. Not after last night."
He stared at her, and nodded. "Okay. I won't play dumb if you stop acting like a child."
"Excuse me?"
"You know what I am, Bonnie. And you know what Klaus is holding over my head, over both our heads. So what did you expect me to do?"
"Not kill people!"
"They attacked me."
"Only because Klaus set them up!"
"It doesn't matter. They weren't going to stop until they'd staked me, and unlike Klaus, I can be killed."
She didn't know what was more disturbing: the calm conviction with which he spoke or the knowledge that he was right. In exchange for not harming their loved ones, Klaus had demanded not only their presence, but their co-operation. He was never going to be satisfied to have Stefan just watching from the sidelines. Her shoulders slumped.
"You didn't have to kill them."
"I did what Klaus wanted."
"It's just that..." She forced the words out. "You looked like you enjoyed it."
His gaze remained steady. "I did."
"But I..." She trailed off, defeated.
"I'm sorry. This is the way it has to be." He caught her eye and mouthed "for now."
Bonnie inhaled a sharp breath and he quickly held a finger to his mouth. A flood of relief brought tears to her eyes and she struggled to hold them back. He came closer and gently squeezed her shoulder. Pressing her lips together, she nodded.
"Okay, Stefan."
She felt an odd sensation as he pulled away, of something not quite right. Stefan gave her a brief smile as he left the library and it wasn't until he'd gone that she realised what was different.
His hand had felt warm.
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