Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters (the CW does as does L. J. Smith).

Chapter 4: Moonlight

Previously...

"Hello there," the blond spoke, giving me a breathtaking smile. "Evelyn, is it?" His question was not so much a question as it was part of his not-so-subtle pickup line. I didn't respond, leading him to look down into his cup unsurely for a moment before recapturing my gaze. "Join us for a drink?" His brother raised his glass at that and wore a sly smile, but said nothing; for some reason letting his brother take the reins on this one.

I held up a finger at them, indicating that they would have to give me a second, then took another shot of alcohol. They quickly shifted from being confused to highly entertained; smiling at each other as if pleased that they had successfully won my attention. I gestured for the bartender, quickly compelling him to give me a bottle of tequila, then turned toward the boys who had continued to watch me diligently.

"Sure." They seemed immensely pleased. "But why don't you two take me somewhere a little more…scenic?" The blond let out an amused breath paired with another one of his award-winning smiles, while his brother did the gesture synonymous with 'ladies first'.

I strolled away, the men trailing behind me, stealthily pulling my cellphone out of the front pocket of my jeans. Before they caught up to me, I quickly sent a brief text to Damon:

I've got Klaus and Kol occupied. You're welcome.

I played with the knob until generic pop music fed through the speakers, then cranked the volume up so that each word could be heard and the bass could be felt. As soon as I was familiar with the melody I hummed along, watching the trees meld into one another through the car window. The moon was full, its light cold but vibrant; illuminating the night sky as if it were a fluorescent light bulb. I could feel it on my skin, feel it playing with my face, making my fair tone shine like one of the billions of stars I was admiring. I smiled at the thought, enchanted by the moment but still wary of the company I shared it with.

"You're quite cheery for someone who just reactivated their moral compass, aren't you?" His tone was playful and his lisp tinged the words in the most delightful way. He had his hands firm on the wheel and his eyes on the empty road before him. But he had been looking at me. I'd felt it. He'd look often but never for long. I wondered if he'd noticed the moonlight too and how it had a way of making things subtly brighter.

Based on his cheeky demeanor, I had pegged Kol as the relentless flirt, surprised to learn that I'd guessed wrong. Kol, who had chosen to sit in the backseat, remained silent. Klaus, on the other hand, had taken a jab at light conversation numerous times. I kept our dialogue pleasant, aware of my goal. Aware that I had to keep him pleased for my brothers, for Elena and for my own safety. I tried to imagine the witty man at the ball; the hesitant guy at the bar; the keen conversationalist in the car, trying to harm me. I couldn't. But I'd been told the stories, heard the rumors and trusted my brothers judgement... I had to. A thousand years is ample time to develop a kind façade, one that could hide the likes of a manipulative murderer.

"I meant to thank you for that, by the way," my voice came out soft and almost serious, but I slipped on a smile to ensure him my statement was good-natured. I was too exhausted–by everything–to play the enthusiastic flirt that bantered energetically. Not to mention Kol had taken my liquid courage, the tequila, for himself. So, I settled for the most authentic version of myself, hoping that would be enough to amuse him for at least an hour.

I looked over at him, surprised he hadn't defended himself yet–even in jest. He was looking between the road and me, seemingly deciding what to say.

"Well, you were putting quite the damper on my 'little party'," he remarked, feeding me back the words I'd used to describe the ball the previous night. I let out an amused breath but said nothing in my defense. He tore his eyes from the road once more to examine me, as if deciding whether to say something more. "How long was it off for?"

It was my turn to examine him. What angle was he playing at? How could he come across so genuine? How many hundreds of years had it taken him to make it seem like he truly cared about anyone other than himself? How many girls had fallen for his act?

I could not be one of them. I refused.

"For about as long as I've been a vampire," I admitted, my words suggesting openness, though inside I had closed myself off.

My words surprised him. I was sure they surprised Kol as well because I could hear him shift around behind me. Surprised or not, the both of them remained silent, and not a second later, Klaus pulled over to the side of the road, putting the car in park.

Before I had the chance to ask where he'd taken us, my car door was being opened for me. I looked to Klaus' outstretched hand that waited to help me out, and something in my chest clenched. I made the mistake of looking up into his dark eyes, which searched my face as if attempting read my expression. Giving into him, I took his hand, letting him help me to my feet, hating myself for loving his touch. I told myself it was my heightened emotions. The ones that had been turned off for way too long.

"Where's your brother?" I'd lost one of them. Damn.

"Finishing off that bottle somewhere, I'm sure." As he spoke, he kept his gaze on me, completely unconcerned about the whereabouts of his brother. Leading me to believe that he had had something to do with his sudden absence.

For some reason Kol, though ever silent, acted as some kind of buffer; making it easier to be with Klaus...less intense...less intimate. I tore my hand away from his, making him flinch in surprise, and walked ahead to examine our whereabouts.

The darkness stole the color from the pine needles of hundreds of trees, but their distinct scent hung in the air. I could hear the heavy sound of rushing water, though I had yet to discover any. Here, the stars were brighter than they'd been during the drive; allowed to shine on the darkest of canvases. And the moon joined in on their fun, emitting a milky haze that seemed to combat the black night.

"Steven's Quarry," he whispered, knowing I could hear him. Knowing that I could feel him behind me. Knowing that the exact moment the words left his mouth, my breath hitched. It seemed that he had lived long enough to know everything, which led me to wonder whether he knew the night between us was a ruse. That he knew the plan and had one of his own.

I had no idea who I was dealing with. And I was terrified. So I ran.

Using my vampire speed, I pushed forward as fast as I could, until I met an obstacle too big to avoid: the quarry itself. A healthy waterfall filled the pit with water, that of which resembled oil in the thick darkness–leaving me trapped. So I sat on the uneven rock beneath my feet, my legs hanging over the water below, and waited. Klaus was next to me before I could even blink, then he too sat down, close enough that our shoulders were centimeters apart. I refused to turn my head toward him–in fear that our faces would come to close too one another–but I couldn't help but wonder what a thousand year old vampire looked like, perched on the edge of a cliff.

"What made you turn it off?" His words practically forced me to look over at him, to merely study his face so I could understand his motive for wanting to know me. But I was right, our faces were too close; so much so that I could feel his breath on my lips and see each individual eyelash. I turned away. He did not.

"Why are you here with me? Why did you care enough to drive me to this place?" I wanted to know, I truly did. I regretted a lot of things in that moment of time, but not my questions. He didn't speak right away, but when he did, his voice was slow and even, as if he wanted me to catch every word.

"Last night, when your humanity came back on, you...fell into me–into my arms. You just stayed there, limp in my hands, crying and mumbling things I couldn't understand. Your brothers tried to take you away but you...you wouldn't let go, you held on so tightly. I don't know if you remember..." He paused and took in a deep breath before continuing. "Then you walked into the bar today and I was...curious. You looked happy. You smiled and spoke as if your world hadn't just fallen apart. And then you sat in my car, trusting the last man that you should; humming...staring at the moon and...it fascinated me. You fascinated me. You've had no humanity for decades, yet after everything you've done, you still have this innocent nature...this purity of heart."

When he finished, I couldn't help but sit in awe of his words. I felt completely and utterly conflicted and...disgusted with myself. I wasn't innocent or pure...I was distracting a man so that Alaric could stick a dagger into one of his brothers. But Klaus wasn't a man. He was a hybrid. One who had caused pain and anguish. One who had killed. One who had held me when I cried and fed me beautiful words under the stars.

No. I had to stay strong. I could not be swayed by him or his words, no matter how beautiful both were. So, in order to keep the conversation flowing, I decided it was my turn to share.

"When my mother died–" Klaus stood abruptly, stopping me mid-sentence. He clenched his chest, a look of confusion etching its way onto his face. I got to my feet, a feeling of unease building in my stomach. They'd put a dagger in Elijah–I was sure of it–and for some reason Klaus could...feel it. Klaus drew his eyes from his chest to me slowly, realization coloring his eyes. In a moment, he had me pushed against the nearest tree, his grip tight around my upper arms.

"What have you done!" He yelled, jerking me as if he could shake the answer from my lips. "Answer me!" He was angry, but I could tell he was hurt more than anything. His eyes were wide as though preparing for tears he had trained to never appear.

"How satisfying it is to know that everyone was right about you." I tried to wriggle out of his hold but it only made him hold on tighter. "How quickly you switch from a compassionate man capable of weaving together beautiful compliments, to a violent maniac. How many years did it take to create that side of you? The one that makes you seem kind and gentle and poetic." My words were quick and venomous; my voice hoarse and rough, sounding somewhat primal. My own shame made me defensive but it was his disappointment that made me angry. Angry at myself. Angry at him for thinking so highly of me and treating me so lowly when he no longer did.

He stared at me for a few moments. His expression was unreadable but I was sure he was deciding whether or not to kill me. There was no reason to keep me alive. I was nothing to him; just a stranger that betrayed what little trust he'd given me. I closed my eyes, awaiting his next move.

Before I even had the chance to open them, I knew he was gone. He'd left me, alive and alone, without even a scratch to commemorate my dishonesty.

Head heavy and eyes wet with tears I didn't know I was crying, I sat down, my back against the tree, and stared at the now cloud-covered moon. I fished my pocket for my phone and pulled it out to find I had a dozen messages and numerous missed calls from Damon. The most recent read:

We've got Elijah. Be careful Evelyn, Klaus is dangerous. You are not safe.

If he only knew...

Thank you everyone that continued to read, favorite and follow this story. Your continual support inspired me to keep writing Evelyn!