SWEET KISSES FROM RUSSIA
Fan Fiction – Alternate Universe
Caroline & Klaus
Elijah & Katherine
From: Lovely Vero
Disclaimer: This story is, and will always be, a fiction story, that is coming from the imagination of the author. It is not a bibliography of the author or any of the readers, neither a story that is exploring your own experience in life. It is not meant to be informative or to represent the perception or opinion of the author about the subject at hands in her own private life; it is not an encyclopedia, or a medical reference. It is only a fiction, the characters are fictional, and the story should be taken as such and not be mistaken with the private life of the readers, or any of their personal experiences. Thank you.
Important writer's message: Like briefly mentioned in the last chapter, but more officially now; please take into good note that I'll be taking a time-off (spring / summer hiatus) from this story for a period of a few weeks. I have life obligations coming at me all at once (move, possible new job); and I want to take care of those before coming back to a calmer time and reprising this story. Thanks a lot, guys; for your understanding and comprehension.
Previously on Sweet Kisses from Russia …
"Being a human, it's a gift for now, Carolina; you don't need to rush this, please, promise me to not rush this idea of yours?" Katerina begged, while grabbing her sister's hands.
"You're such a hypocrite, Katerina." Caroline lashed out. "You're standing here, in all your vampire glory; with nothing standing in your way anymore."
"You sincerely think that being a vampire is assuring the success of my marriage?" Katerina busted to her sister's face. "Then you're a fool, Carolina!"
"Yah, then I'm a fool!" Carolina replied, tears rolling on her cheeks, before raising the skirt of her long dress, only to turn on herself to run away from her sister.
"Carolina? Please come back, I didn't mean what I've said to you!" Katerina yelled through the corridor, curious guests' eyes staring at her.
"She has a good point, you know; she needs to turn and the sooner will be the better!" She heard the hoarsely voice in her ears, cold shivers hitting her body all at once.
She slowly turned on herself, before facing her worst nightmare in the form of Mikael Mikaelson.
"How are you my dear? You seem well?" Mikael had the audacity of asking her.
ooOoo
"What did I miss?" Rebekah asked, placing herself by Klaus's side; before taking a quick glance at Stefan, from the corner of her eyes.
"Except the obvious, not much!" Klaus replied, while nodding in direction of Petrov's presentation.
"Tonight is a special night for me and for all of you. The day has come my friends, that I'm finally able to present my heir to you." Petrov announced, ceremoniously.
"For once, Mikaelson, I feel for you." Damon whispered the words, his head bended near Klaus's.
"Well, don't make it a habit, would you, Salvatore?" Klaus frowned.
"Oh don't even worry about it." Damon smirked.
"Please, welcome my sons into our supernatural family, Klaus Mikaelson come join me on the podium, would you?" Petrov invited the hybrid to join him.
"Eww… Tell me he did not do this in front of all these people?" Stefan winced, while shaking his shoulders in disdain.
"If you don't want to go, and please Petrov's ego, don't go, you hear me?" Maria suddenly appeared by his son's side, while grabbing Klaus's right upper arm.
Chapter 26
"The King's big bash – Part 2"
"If only you could…" Klaus closed his eyes, while trying to articulate his hidden thoughts to his mother.
"If only I could what, my son?" Maria asked, tears reaching her eyes.
"If you could remember something that could make me hate him less, have less resentful feelings toward my fa…Toward Ludvig?" Klaus mumbled, angrily, between his teeth; before turning his glance toward Petrov who stood patiently, his sight locked with his son's.
"I'm sorry, I … I don't remember anything specific to this point … But, Klaus, please…Remember this…" Maria squeezed Klaus's hand. "Regardless of everything, he's still your biological father, and … He, apparently, did not have the chance to share your childhood, try to … Try to not be too resentful of the past, when you can draw your future with him." She managed to let out in a single breath. "If you decide to hate him, do it for the present, and not for the past."
Klaus nodded discreetly to his mother, a timid smile appearing in the corners of his lips.
"I can't promise anything to this point, Maria." He whispered, blessing her forehead of a chaste kiss; before turning his body around to face his biological father.
"Is it me or hundreds of eyes are starring in our direction?" Damon commented to his brother.
"Well, it's not just you." Stefan winced.
"Not my fault if I'm feeling kind of self-conscious at the moment." Damon swallowed a lump in his throat; while pulling on his bowtie. "They are all looking at us, like we are actually the main dish that will be served as first service."
"You're feeling more self-conscious than being self-restrained to a bedframe?" Rebekah smirked, while whispering the implied.
"You've told her?" Damon opened his eyes widely, before elbowing his brother.
"Oh come on, Damon! You're always been some kind of an exhibitionist, deep inside your soul." She shrugged, playfully.
"I'll go." Klaus informed Stefan, with a quick look toward Damon and Rebekah.
"It's a celebration! We're going to have a good time tonight, let's celebrate, it's all right! Let's celebrate!" Damon hummed and sang the melody; while awkwardly swinging his body. "What?" He shrugged to the menacing stare of Klaus.
"Make him stop goofing around; or I'll have his head on my plate for dessert!" Klaus mumbled under clenched teeth; before heading toward Ludvig's standing position.
"What's your fucking problem, Mikaelson; I'm trying to relax the atmosphere! And what is it now? You are too old to enjoy a classic such as Kool and the Gang, Celebration? It's the fucking 80' for God sake!" Damon stormed toward the Original, before being retained by a firm grip on his left arm by his brother.
"Are you even serious right now, Damon?" Stefan pushed his brother aside, before stroking his eyelids with annoyance. "What the fuck is going on with you?"
"What? Do not tell me you're feeling comfortable in this present setting?" Damon replied, dryly.
"Well, considering I'm not undressed at the moment, while wearing as only clothes a leather brief, with my legs spread opened… Yah, I don't have to complaint." Stefan mocked his brother, winking at Rebekah.
"Good one, Salvatore!" Rebekah replied, while retaining the intense urge to burst into laughter.
"To the both of you: just go fuck yourselves, literally!" Damon frowned, unhappy; both closed fists placed on each side of his hips.
"You're trying, Damon … It's quite honorable from your part, to bring humor into a tense situation." Maria addressed a smile to the young vampire.
"Thank you, Maria! I can at least count a sane person in the Mikaelson clan!" Damon commented, with a loud sigh escaping his lips, before glancing from the corner of his eyes at Anastassia who waved her fingers at him, in a mocking gesture.
"I present you, my flesh and blood, my son Nicklaus!" Petrov raised his glass of champagne in the air, under the respectful clapping sound of the guests. "Come!" The Russian man grabbed Klaus's left elbow, before sliding a glass in his son's hand. "A toast…" Ludvig suggested, killing the noise to only bring a total silence into the room. "I wish my son to reign by my side for centuries to come and beyond eternity. To Nicklaus…" He raised his glass in the air.
"To Nicklaus…" The guests respectfully replied, before all raised their glasses in the air.
"What is going on?" Elijah whispered near Stefan's left ear, with a smile being addressed to his mother.
"Petrov is displaying his "flesh and blood" like a trophy in front of his guests." Stefan shrugged, while raising his glass in the air, playfully.
"Gosh, Klaus must be fuming inside of himself." Elijah winced, nervously passing his right hand over his face.
"Well, to say it lightly, yes!" Stefan replied, before grabbing a glass of champagne, from the silver platter of a waiter, only to slide it in Elijah's hand. "Here; drink in honor of your "Russian" brother!" Stefan teased the Original.
"Not sure that will help or making it worst, though?" Elijah replied, gulping a large amount of the bubbly alcohol, before reaching his mother. "How are you holding up?"
"You mean, how am I holding myself together over the fact that Klau's biological father, which I don't recall having an affair with at the moment, is using one of my sons for his own selfish goal?" Maria glared in Elijah's direction. "I'm fine, thank you Elijah." She replied, while returning a smile to him.
"And to his wonderful mother; a woman who has managed to capture my heart for many centuries… Maria, this is for you! To Maria…" Petrov raised his glass once more, under the obvious disapproval of Klaus.
"Eww… My heart aches for you, Maria." Damon winced, before whispering the words near her left ear. "But, because you deserve this toast, only for the fact that you are truly an amazing woman; I'll raise my glass to your honor." He commented, before raising his glass in the air.
"You want to leave? Take a breath of fresh air on the terrace?" Elijah suggested to his mother.
"I won't leave this room until I know that my son is able to handle this… I mean, handling his father. I've been many things in my life, Elijah, cheater to your father, was obviously one of those things, but, I'm not a coward woman that will leave my children behind me in time of needs." Maria express her feelings, eyes closed, hands joined in front of her chest.
"Let me return the favor, by thanking you for hosting this evening in my honor, and in my family's and friends' honor. At toast …" Klaus shouted, while raising his glass in the air.
"Oh this is not good, not good at all!" Rebekah approached Stefan, before sliding her trembling fingers into his right hand, with the young vampire lowering his head to glance at her gesture.
"Are you holding my hand right now, Rebekah?" Stefan gently teased, while turning his head to look at her.
"What? I … I did not realize…" She stammered, nervously.
"I'm not complaining, Bekah." He shook his head, before holding her fingers tightly.
"To my biological father, who managed to found me after more than a thousand of years on this earth, to you…" Klaus raised his glass in the air, a pernicious smile plastered on his face. "The expression it's never too late to rekindle a relationship is strangely fitting the occasion." He added, dryly.
"I was afraid of this…" Maria grabbed Elijah's arm, a hand rose over her mouth.
"May his personal project of killing the vampire species to raise a word of fabricated hybrids reach his wildest dream … To your success, father … To your success Ludvig Petrov!" Klaus shouted as conclusion to his speech, under the dead silence of the assembly; before promptly moving away from the Russian man.
"Damn I hate it when I have to side with this asshole of Mikaelson!" Damon frowned at Klaus's speech in proudness.
"Thank you my son!" Petrov finally exclaimed, raising his glass in the air, under the response of his guests. "Now my guests and friends, lets this evening begin, and let the champagne flow like water!" He greeted, before catching up with Klaus, by grabbing his right arm. "Klaus, wait!"
"You had to bring my mother into this circus of yours, didn't you?" Klaus mumbled, angrily, between his teeth; turning on himself to face him, while swallowing the entirety of his glass of champagne down his throat to calm himself down.
"I'm quite found of your mother; she has been, without a doubt, the love of my very long life." Petrov replied, unwavering. "There are a few…let's say "things" of the past that you couldn't even begin to understand." He gestured nervously with both hands.
"And it should have stayed buried in the past!" Klaus growled loudly, closed fists placed on each side of his tensed body. "Past or no past, I don't want to have any relationship with you, can I be clearer, or do you want me to spill it out to your face, father?"
"No, I can hear you clearly, son; but I don't believe a damn word of what you're saying to me!" Petrov replied, angrily. "We are more alike that you are allowing yourself to believe, Nicklaus… My blood is running into your veins, and that is not something that you can toss aside."
"Elijah, please; they will kill each other if you're not finding a way to bring a stop to their heated argument." Maria begged, while witnessing from afar the exchange between Petrov and her son.
"Don't worry, I'll go!" Elijah kissed her forehead, before heading toward their standing positions.
Katerina stared into Mikael's eyes for a few seconds, her body aching with pain of the bad memories of her fall.
"How dare you?" She mumbled, angrily, between her teeth; closed fists placed on each side of her tensed body, her long fingernails painfully tearing the thin skin of her wrists. "How can you have the audacity to even speak to me, after what you did?" She added with tears of rage filling her eyes.
"What am I daring, my dear? Greeting my daughter-in-law? Being a polite guest with charming manners?" Mikael narrowed his sight on the brunette.
"You perfectly know what I'm talking about… You …You were the one who made me fall down the stairs back in Spain." Katerina spitted to the patriarch face.
"Now, now… No need to raise your voice, where are your manners, Katerina?" Mikael whispered, while grabbing the young vampire's elbow to bring her into an alcove, in setback of prying eyes.
"Let go of me, рывок!" Katerina insulted him in her natal language, pulling her arm away, only to wipe the mark of his fingers by robbing her skin.
"Is this a way to speak to your father-in-law, young woman?" Mikael growled. "And lower your voice would you, the act of the poor damsel in distress is not suiting you at all, my dear."
"You disgust me!" She lashed out to his face.
"Why, am I so repulsing? It was an accident for God sake! I never intended for you to trip and fall on those stairs!" Mikael replied, dryly.
"You pushed me down those stairs, you wanted me to die! You never liked the thought of your son sharing his life with a whore such as myself, since the first day we'd met you've done the impossible to erase me from Elijah's life. At least, be man enough to admit it!" Katerina replied, through clenched teeth.
"You tripped on your stupid high heels shoe that's really how you fell down the stairs." Mikael responded. "And as for not liking you; that's completely beside the point. You should thank the providence for that unfortunate accident. As Elijah's wife you were meant to turn sooner than later, same upcoming faith as your sister Carolina. The difference between you and her is that she is not stupid as to believe the contrary!"
"Go to hell! And don't speak about my sister in those terms!" Katerina pointed a forbidden finger toward Mikael's chest.
"Is there a problem, Mrs. Mikaelson?" They both heard the hoarsely voice addressed itself to her.
"George…" Katerina closed her eyes to regain her calm, feeling the tips of her fangs painfully spreading from her gums.
"Do you want me to escort you to the main event; I can easily bring you to "your husband"?" George suggested, reaching out to Katerina, with his opened right palm presented to her, his fiery sight narrowed on Mikael.
"Yes…" Katerina shook her head. "Thank you." She grabbed his hand like a life buoy.
"Seriously, George; you'll play your bodyguard routine with me?" Mikael shook his head, while rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Obviously, "Mrs. Katerina Mikaelson" is not in her normal state, this evening; how can I be blame for it?"
"I'm paid to protect your son's family; Mister Mikaelson; no disrespect intended." George grabbed Katerina right arm, before turning on his heels to direct them both toward the corridor.
"Of course not, your respect is mostly directed toward, my ex-wife, Maria or am I mistaking?" Mikael replied, dryly.
George startled at the implied, but kept his countenance; while omitting to reply to his say.
"Come with me, Mrs. Katerina." He suggested, politely; while helping her walk.
The intense flow of tears blurred Carolina's vision in the middle of her rapid running pace to find refuge… But find refuge where exactly? Her husband was avoiding her like the plague, and her sister was refusing everything that she had, herself, wanted to become. Petrov's house was filled with guests, and she had to seep in through a large crowd of invitees to reach the opened terrace of the ground floor.
Her hands finally grabbed the guardrail, and it's with a sight of reliefs that she managed to take a few deep breaths of fresh air inside her lungs, while finally releasing her sadness and tears from her broken heart.
"I believe I've died and finally reached heaven!" She heard a male exclaim enthusiastically. "But such beauty shouldn't shed a tear; who is the responsible fellow; I shall kill him on the spot!"
The young Russian turned on herself to face her interlocutor.
"And why would you do that for me?" Carolina asked, unafraid, with raised chin.
"Essentially for your beauty, of course my dear; you're simply radiant." The blond, curly hair man smiled along his say, hands buried in his pants pocket. "Now if you could reassure my beating – raising heart that you're single, I would gladly appreciate it?" He took a few extra steps to reach her standing position, before sniffing her neck. "Human how unexpected, one of Petrov's escorts, I suppose?" He raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Was she single? No, no … She was married, right? Or was she really? Klaus had mentioned that their marriage meant nothing to him after all? Carolina subtly pulled on her wedding ring, before slowly hiding the said piece of jewelry behind her back.
"I'm single and also a guest." She replied, all smile; while presenting her right hand.
"You don't say, how unexpected of you?" The stranger grinned, before hand-kissing the back of her hand.
"Why there are none human being allowed in Petrov's party?" Caroline raised an eyebrow.
"Oh no, there are quite a few of them; it was an honest mistake of my part." The young man raised his right hand over his chest. "But, where are my manners, I'm Vittorio; please to meet you … Miss?"
"Carolina…" She responded, still on her guards.
"It's just Carolina, no last name, how simply original." He winked, charmer.
"It's just Vittorio, no last name, how simply original." She replied, tit for tat; a smile raising both corners of her pink lips.
The young man titled his head toward the back, before bursting into laughter.
"Oh, I like you, I like you…I like you, Miss Carolina without a last name." He exclaimed, smiling; while waving a finger underneath her nose.
"You're a vampire… I mean a hybrid?" Carolina asked, curious. At least this interlude had the benefit of making her forget about Klaus. As for Vittorio, her charming, spirited interlocutor, she wasn't entirely sure that his personal flirting taste was entirely directed to women to this point?
"What gave you that idea? No, I'm a warlock, actually." He winked; amused. "I'm with a few of my male friends who would be please to meet a lovely lady such as yourself, would you care to accompany me to the main event?" He presented his left arm to her.
Carolina swallowed a lump in her throat, before discreetly scattering her surroundings. What would Klaus think if he would find her in company of several single men?
"Certainly, I would be pleased to accompany you." She smiled, while sliding her arm over Vittorio's. "And … I would be pleased to meet all your friends."
"You know, you're the first woman in a long time that attracted my attention, my dear." He whispered near her right ear.
"And why is that, Vittorio?" Carolina asked, while trying to hide her smile.
"Well, simply for the fact that I love to embellish my love life with both flavours, if you see what I mean?" He responded, while raising both eyebrows, up and down, playfully. "I hope you're not shock by my willingness to share my … personal tendencies?"
"Not the least." Carolina replied, a smile spreading from ear to ear.
"And I can assure you that all my male friends are only attracted to such lovely creatures as yourself." He reassured her.
"Well, I can hardly wait to meet them all." She replied, while holding her wedding ring in her closed left fist.
After all Klaus has specifically mentioned that he was not interested anymore as to maintain a relationship with her, right? She would soon be free of her engagement to him? So what was stopping her to experiment life?
"May I break this interesting exchange?" Elijah approached them, hands buried in his tuxedo pants, in a debonair way; before facing both men who were eyeing each other, with bulging torsos.
"Certainly…" Petrov backed away the first, while pulling on his burgundy velvet outfits. "Elijah Mikaelson, if I'm not mistaking?" The Russian man presented his right hand.
"You presumed right, though, considering that my entire family is staying inside your walls as prisoners, it wasn't so hard for you to guess; wasn't it?" Elijah, reluctantly, shook Petrov's hand.
"Prisoners, it's such a stretch, would you say?" Petrov tilted his head, amused. "So; "Elijah", aren't you the classic old-style vampire of the Mikaelson's clan, with the James Bond complex, as well as the charm, as I've heard, of course." He added, teaser.
"I wasn't aware that I was compared to James Bond, should I feel blessed of receiving such compliment?" Elijah wondered out loud, a forced smirk raising the right corner of his lips; while glancing at Klaus who was stomping both feet on the marble floor with annoyance.
"You take it as you wish, my dear friend." Petrov replied, smiling. "But, maybe you should keep a closer eye to what the supernatural world is whispering behind your back?" He added, winking.
"So, beautiful Carolina, Vittorio has told us that you are human?" One of Vittorio friends, a very dashing Italian vampire, asked her; while sliding his fiery sight on the length of her body. Obviously, he was appreciating what he was seeing in front of his sight, and the proof of that were his fangs lengthening in his mouth.
"What?" She suddenly managed to move her sight away from the exchange happening at the other side of the room, between Klaus, Elijah and Petrov.
Carolina had followed Vittorio inside the majestic room, where champagne and appetizers were presented to the guests; to finally meet his friends who were more than happy to entertain her, in hope of sharing a more intimate moment with this intriguing human, later in the evening. After realizing that none of the men had really captured her attention like Klaus would, she had finally noticed the heated argument between her husband and their host.
"You seem miles away, Carolina; what is troubling your mind so much?" Vittorio approached her, before sliding his left arm around her shoulders.
"What, no … No; I'm fine… I'm just a bit distracted." She stammered through her answer; a faked smile plastered on her face.
"Well; it's nothing that a glass of champagne wouldn't cure, obviously." Vittorio grabbed one, before handing it to Carolina. "So, what do you think of Petrov's biological son – He's not bad to the eyes, is he?"
"I guess if you like his type?" She shrugged, innocently, redness reaching her face.
Carolina was playing with fire, and she knew it all too well!
"I'm not really reading the gossips column of the supernatural tabloids, I must say." Elijah winced, disdainfully.
"Proud and arrogant like your father, I actually see a lot of Mikael in you, if I may be sincere, myself." Petrov leaned his head back, before bursting into loud laughter.
"You should find your wife, you left her unintended if I am not mistaking?" Elijah whispered to Klaus, under Ludvig's eagle eyes and opened ears.
"She's fine." Klaus brushed the suggestion off, with a hand gesture. "She doesn't need me glued to her baskets, Elijah!"
"She is more than fine apparently." Ludvig commented, frowning; while suddenly narrowing his sight on the young woman; who stood on the opposite side of the large room, encircled with a bunch of admirers. "If this is the way you're keeping your wife glued to your baskets, you're obviously doing something wrong, son?"
Elijah and Klaus turned on their heels, before catching a glimpse of the seduction scene between Carolina and a few dashing men.
"Go!" Elijah waved his hand; with Klaus rushing toward his wife, like a wild beast.
"Strange behaviors for newlyweds would you say?" Petrov commented, abruptly; the nerve of his right cheek twitching. Damn! This was not unfolding according to his plan. "This said, maybe instead of concentring your energy into my son love life, you should keep a close eye on your own wife?" The Russian man added, while nodding toward the bar. "I'm very fond of Katerina, we had the chance to exchange in the past; but it seems her transition as a vampire is running its course with a few bumps on the road?"
Elijah turned his head toward the bar, before catching a glimpse of his wife, obviously transforming into her vampire self with a glass of vodka in her hands.
"Instead on concentring your energy on my family's personal life, you should simply butt-out while you still can." Elijah replied, dryly. "Please, if you would excuse-me?" He added, before heading toward the bar.
"Ah Carolina, what a breath of fresh air you are!" One of Vittorio friend exclaimed, under the general laughter sound of his friend.
"Isn't she the loveliest think you ever saw?" Vittorio commented, his left arm sliding around Carolina's waist.
In the time space of a few seconds, the warlock was pushed on the wall, elevated in the air, with a firm hand cutting all air in his lungs, with his feet spreading in all directions.
"You touch her one more time; and I'll cut your head off your neck!" Klaus warned Vittorio; maintaining the pressure on the man's throat. "And your balls will be given to wolves, am I clear?"
"Oh my God… Klaus; let him go!" Carolina exclaimed, in shock; while pulling with all her strength on the hybrid arm retaining her new friend prisoner of his grip of steel.
Klaus grabbed Carolina wrist; before pushing the young woman away, her body landing on the wall behind her back.
"To all this may concern … If one of you has the audacity to even lay an eye on "my wife"; just be prepared to meet your dying faith!" Klaus warned, growling loudly; all eyes now turned in his direction.
"Please, let him go … You're killing him!" Carolina begged, tears filling her eyes. "You're a beast, Klaus Mikaelson, you … You have the audacity to judge your biological father, but you're no better than him … You're actually worse!" She lashed out.
"Someone wants to claim my wife as his, if so, do it now!" Klaus scattered the male assembly, who stepped a few feet away from the scene, while shaking their heads in negation.
"If one ever had doubts, this is one more proof that this man is your biological son." Alexay whispered to Petrov; approaching his standing position.
"He got my fire, that can't be denied." Petrov whispered to his right hand man; arms crossed over his muscular chest, smile spreading on his lips. "I was worried for a split second of problems bigger than what we firstly thought, that could have been hiding between him and his wife, but not anymore…So much passion can only bring them in the same bed!"
"Well, nothing but a good display of authority to clarify who her husband is, I suppose." Alexay smirked. "By the way the dinner will be served in a few minutes."
"Perfect timing, I suppose." Ludvig shrugged, highly amused by the scene.
"For God sake, Michaelson let him go!" Stefan grabbed Klaus's both arms; by placing himself behind the hybrid; while Damon tried to release the grip on Vittorio's neck. "Let him go I've said!" He repeated.
Klaus finally released his grip on the poor soul, dropping the warlock's body on his feet, under his loud coughing sounds.
"Don't put your nose in my personal affairs, Salvatore!" Klaus pointed a forbidden finger toward his friend.
"Calm down man, ok?" Stefan placed both of his opened palms in front of Klaus. "You're acting irrationally at the moment."
"Are you ok?" Damon helped Vittorio getting back on his feet.
"Well, I'll live I suppose?" Vittorio responded, while rubbing his throat, only to stumble on his weak legs. "And what a mighty sight you are, mister?" He added, his fiery sight sliding on the length of Damon's body.
"Salvatore… Damon Salvatore." Damon replied, wincing; while taking a few steps back. Obviously the said victim saw something he liked in the young vampire.
"Well, very pleased to meet you Damon Salvatore." Vittorio smirked.
"Oh my god, are you ok, Vittorio?" Anastassia rushed toward the young warlock, before passing her right arm around his waist to help him stand on both legs.
"I'll live, my beauty." Vittorio replied, still eyeing Damon. "I've just met your boy-toy; very delicious if I may say."
"Oh you got to be kidding me?" Damon winced, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, both hands placed on each side of his waist. "Did you inform all Russia of our time together, Anastassia, for God sake?" He addressed the issue to the red head vampire.
"Come, I'll help you reach the table, dinner is about to be served." Anastassia helped her friend, while disregarding Damon's say. "Forget about my half-brother, he's an asshole!" She lashed out to Klaus's face, while passing by his and Stefan's side.
"Are you ok now?" Stefan asked Klaus.
The hybrid pushed his friend aside, before grabbing Carolina's left hand.
"Where's your wedding ring?" He asked, unceremoniously; while twisting her left wrist to take a look at her empty finger.
"What is it to you, anyway? It's not like that ring means something to this point." Carolina furiously pulled her hand away, while lashing out to his face, with her present state of rage showing on her burning cheeks.
"Don't push me to a point of no return, Carolina… Where's your damn wedding ring!" He repeated, angrily, his fiery sight locked in hers; the marble floor suddenly trembling underneath the guests' feet, with the echo of his loud and ordering voice.
"Go fuck yourself … And here, take your, fucking, wedding ring with you!" Carolina lashed out, throwing the piece of jewelry to his face, before turning on her heels to run toward the exit of the room.
Under the speechless expressions of the entire crowd of guests, and in the time space of a few seconds, the hybrid promptly kneeled on the floor to pick-up the ring, jumped back on his legs, only to grab his wife's right arm to pull her back near his chest.
"Give me your left hand!" He ordered, while forcefully pushing the ring back on her finger. "You belong to me!"
"I hate you!" She raised her closed fists to hit his chest, tears rolling on her cheeks.
Unfortunately her vain attempt to free herself died the moment she felt her body being raised in both of his arms.
"Put me down!" Carolina lashed out, her nails viciously scratching the back of his neck.
"If someone wants to claim this woman as his in the next hours, he may be prepared to die, and this is not an empty threat!" Klaus warned, one last time; before striding rapidly toward the exit of the room.
"Fuck! He completely lost it!" Stefan commented, mouth opened; passing a shaking hand over his face.
"What did just happen? Why would he do that to Carolina?" Rebekah commented, frozen on spot.
"I don't know, he's … He's lost, I suppose." Stefan shrugged, unhelpful.
"Are you ok?" George reached Maria's standing position, his soft hands landing on her shoulders.
"Yes, I'll be fine … And Klaus and Carolina will be fine too; it's just … It's just too much for all of us, in such a short period of time." She tried to convinced herself.
Bonnie and Kol sat in silence, in the train bringing them to the nearest airport, near Rome. They had left the hidden underground of the Vatican a few hours ago, and were on their way to Russia, final destination: Ludvig Petrov's mansion!
Kol turned his sight toward the window, his mind in effervescence of all he had learned from the witches about the upcoming war between the church and the supernatural world.
Bonnie scattered the wagon, her view on the lookout of the final remaining passenger who suddenly stepped out at the next stop.
"We are alone." She informed him.
"No kidding, darling." Kol sighed loudly. "We are alone against an entire church sorority of priests who want us all dead!"
"No, I meant we are alone in the waggon." She rectified, while getting rid of her army jacket.
"Oh…" Kol turned his head to take a quick look; mostly indifferent. "Gosh, we need to get to Russia, the sooner the better!" The youngest of the Originals brother stroke his eyelids.
"Agree… But, in the meantime…" Bonnie replied, while passing her shirt above her head, only to sit in her black lace bra.
"What in hell, Bennett?" Kol opened his eyes widely, in shock; while straightening his sitting position on his seat.
"Well, obviously you're the only man available, once again!" Bonnie rolled her eyes, before stepping over his legs to sit on Kol's lap. "So, you'll have to do!" The brunette bombshell shrugged, while grabbing the Original's hands before placing them on her breasts. "So, do your thing!"
"Is this like an alternate universe that I've drifted into?" Kol wondered to himself, his eyes spreading in all directions. "Are you playing with me again?" He narrowed his sight on the witch, chin raised.
"You're squeezing my breasts right now, and you think I'm playing with you?" Bonnie arched an eyebrow.
"Well, it's normal reflex for a man to squeeze soft "things" like those." Kol winked; his fingers softly tracing the lace of Bonnie's bra. "Is it because of the boyfriend thing back at the Vatican?" He asked, straight to the point.
"No." Bonnie shook her head, redness reaching both cheeks. "I'm …" She stopped, eyes closed; while nervously passing a hand through her tangled hair.
"What is it, Bonnie?" Kol asked, his right hand softly caressing her cheeks.
"I… I have this unshakeable feeling that I'll die." Bonnie replied, a lump forming in her throat. "That this all war between species and the church will be the dead of me." She added. "And I don't want to die before feeling something, if only for the next fifteen minutes."
"What… No, no … Not on my watch, don't you say that!" Kol shook his head, while grabbing the woman's chin. "Look at me! We'll fight this, ok?"
"Ok…" She finally agreed, a timid smile spreading on her lips.
"Now, as for your tempting offer, Miss Bennett…" He acknowledged, his hands grapping her waist, with his lips slowly sliding from her deep cleavage, to the right side of her neck.
"Mm…" Bonnie moaned, with a range of pleasure spreading in intense fire in her entire body.
"I don't rush when I make love to a woman, such as yourself; it takes me way more than fifteen minutes. I like to satisfy her needs … All … Nigh … Long…" Kol mouthed the words in top of her trembling lips, before unexpectedly dropping her back to her seat. "Now, be a good girl and dress yourself, we'll be at the airport in a few minutes." He added, before throwing her shirt on her head, over her speechless and bothered expression.
Klaus had kept a stoic expression plastered on his face, his fast pace leading him into the empty corridor. This said path finally came to a stop in front of a study room, soon filled with their only presence; his right foot slamming the door close behind their backs, a few seconds after.
"Putt me down, asshole!" Carolina yelled, from the top of her lungs, hitting, scratching; fighting with her closed fists, hands, and nails.
"My pleasure, Love!" He responded, the nerve of his left cheek twitching under his strict restrain, before letting Carolina's body fall on an armchair.
"Oh god, you're a monster!" She exclaimed, under the rough impact of her butt hitting the hard leather, standing on her legs a second later, with a finger pointed toward his chest.
"It's only now that you just figured this out, sweetheart?" He lowered his upper body near hers, both closed fists placed on each side of his tensed body.
"No, I always knew…" She kept her sight locked with his, making Klaus swallow a lump in his throat and start under the offensive implied. "But I thought you had at least an ounce of decency left in you."
"And yet, not a few hours ago, you were begging to share the bed of the said monster?" Klaus replied, perniciously, with the intention to hurt her in the root of her soul. "You were begging to be turned by me, to drink my blood, while I would drink yours? Or did I mistake all of desire?"
"What a mistake it was, indeed!" She managed to let the words out of her lips, under the strong tremors perceived in her voice, with tears filling her eyes.
"You're mine, Carolina; all mine … Until I'll decide otherwise!" Klaus busted to her face. "Don't ever undermine my authority on this simple fact!"
"I don't want to hear this; I don't even want to be in the same room as you anymore!" She turned on herself, reaching the handle, only to be projected on the opposite wall, his hard and tensed body pushing on hers.
"Let me go…" She swallowed a lump in her throat, a mix of fear and desire spreading into her veins.
"Do you have any idea what I felt when I saw all these men glancing at you, like you were their possession to take?" He growled, his right hand grabbing her chin to drown his sight in Carolina's. "I thought I would rip their hearts out of their chests!"
"It's… It's not because I've agreed to be your wife, that I'm your possession, Klaus; it… It doesn't work that way." Carolina stammered through her sentence and blurred mind, heat spreading everywhere in her body, over his sensual touch and say.
"All of you, it's mine, Love… Your beautiful face…" Klaus softly trailed his fingers over Carolina's features, his head leaning near her neck, with his lips sliding on the vein pumping her delicious blood. "Your soft skin…" He added, leaving a trail of fire down the neckline of Carolina's dress.
"No…" She shook her head, contradicting her say by pushing his head in a nearer proximity of her skin.
"Your delightful breasts …" Klaus continued his enumeration, cupping; before biting her erected nipples through the fabric. "All of this is mine!"
"Klaus… We can't do this…" She titled her head toward the back to grant him a better access to her burning flesh.
"Here you are! Children, dinner is being served!" Petrov's strong voice and the loud sound of the doors being slammed on their arches, made them start and detach themselves from their burning embrace.
Carolina pulled herself together, while promptly pulling on the fabric of her evening dress to make a presentable appearance.
"Come, everybody is waiting for my guest of honor to be present at the banquet!" Ludvic added, while reaching their standing positions, before pushing them toward the exit of the study room.
"Don't say a word…" Katerina murmured to the waiter, her eyes locked with his, under her first vampire compulsion. "You'll follow me into the dark corner, just there, and let me do whatever I want with you, ok?" She could already feel the sweet taste of his blood in her throat.
"Katerina!" She startled at the call of her name…With a timber that could only belong to a single man!
"Elijah?" She turned on herself; haggard red eyes, fangs out, right hand rose over her chest.
"Look at me!" The Original ordered, cupping her delicate face with both hands. "You're on the verge of having no control over yourself, aren't you?" Elijah commented, under a loud sight, before raising his sight on the waiter, his eyes locked with the young man's. "You'll forget about everything that just happened here." He ordered him, under his powerful compulsion; before suddenly turning his head on the left to catch a glimpse of his father entering the crowded room.
Mikael nodded once, before avoiding his son's stare, directing his walk toward the other side of the room.
"What happened? It's my father, isn't it? Katerina talk to me?" He gently shook her shoulders.
"Don't speak your father's name to me." The brunette mumbled, angrily; between her teeth. "I mean, I just don't like him very much." She tried to rectify her say.
"I'm sorry, I've lost track of her for a split second." George commented, while reaching their standing positions near the bar. "Mrs. Mikaelson, I've told you to stay by my side." The body guard scolded the young vampire lady, politely.
"I didn't know I was on a leash?" Katerina replied, in a drier tone than expected.
"That is not what I meant, Mrs Mikaelson, and you know it." George replied, apologetically.
"For God sake, George, give me some kind of explanation?" Elijah growled, unhappy.
"Well… I just found your wife and your father in a heated conversation." George replied, while locking his sight with his boss's wife.
"Don't…" Katerina shook her head.
"What kind of conversation?" Elijah pushed the issue.
"I just heard snatches of their conversation…. I don't know…" George tried to avoid the unavoidable; while turning his head to the right.
"You heard snatches of their conversation, about what?" Elijah ordered his right arm man to answer, unwavering.
"Elijah, let go of me!" Katerina squirmed to free herself. Elijah's left arm kept the young woman close to his chest, while firmly holding both of his wife's wrists prisoner in her back.
"I think somewhere inside of yourself, you already know, boss." George lowered his head, shamefully… Shameful of how much of a coward Mikael Mikaelson has been toward his own son.
"I don't know what he's talking about but…" Katerina tried to cut the conversation short.
"Did my father do something to you, did he?" Elijah ordered his wife to answer, nerves of his left cheek twitching under the rage building inside of his mind.
"Let go of me, or I'll scream my head off and make a scene like you've never seen before." Katerina mumbled, angrily; between her teeth.
"Come, and don't fight me on this, woman; or I'll have no problem carrying you over my shoulders, in front of all these people, scream or no scream!" Elijah ordered, while pulling the brunette on his heels.
Elijah pushed Katerina in one of the empty parlour rooms; before angrily closing the door behind his back.
"Talk to me!" He ordered, before pacing back and forth on the length of the Persian rug, both hands firmly placed on each side of his waist.
"I don't want to talk to you, I have nothing to say! And … You shouldn't listen to everything George is saying to you." She raised her head, confrontational. "But I need blood, please… I beg of you; give me your blood, Elijah?"
"Not before you speak the truth to your husband!" Elijah pointed a forbidden finger toward his wife. "It's me, Katerina …. It's me, the man you've married, the man you should come to when in need, for God sake!"
"Would it be more accurate to say: the man who had bought me?" Katerina lashed out to his face, in an attempt of bifurcate the conversation, far away from the truth!
"Oh don't you even go there, woman!" Elijah busted, furiously. "I know you more than you could even know yourself, Katerina; you're trying to hide something from me… Look at me, for God sake!" He ordered, dryly; both hands forcefully cupping the brunette face while forcing her to raise he sight in his. "You're trembling, you're fighting your demons into a transition to vampirism, and you've compelled a human for the first time… I want you to confide in me, please, confide in me … Tell me, I beg of you… Tell me what George heard you discuss with my father? I need to hear it from your own lips?"
"There's nothing to say…" She replied, with a trembling voice; while swallowing a lump in her throat. "I'm fine… You've …. You've told me yourself that… That, this would happen… That, I would experience problems with my human behaviors and my personality would change… Why Elijah? Why would you push this issue?" She stammered, agitated; with tears filling her eyes. "I just … I just need blood, please… That is why I've compelled the waiter, because … I felt this forbidden urge inside of me, you should understand?"
"I'm not an idiot, Katerina; I can feel this had nothing to do with your transition as a vampire, and everything to do with my father. Something is obviously eating you alive inside of your soul." He kept both hands firmly placed on each side of her face. "What I can only hope as last salvation, is that what my guts are telling me as the truth is actually not." He added, hoarsely.
Katerina suddenly closed her eyes, not able to hold his glance, tears now rolling freely on her cheeks.
"I can't… I can't …" She shook her head, her body left under a range of intense compulsions.
Elijah pulled her frail silhouette into the comfort of his arms, before softly brushing her hair in a comforting gesture.
"Oh Katerina… You've suffered so much since you've agreed to marry me; but believe me when I say that I want to protect you in all costs necessary to make you safe. I know that you'd always protected your sister, but grant me the chance to be your savoir, would you?" He tried to appease her sobbing. "My father pushed you down the stairs back in Spain, did he? I was a fool to not realize it sooner" He asked, with a softer tone of voice than the rage that was boiling inside of his mind. "He's the one responsible for your accident, isn't he?" He added, under clenched teeth.
"Yes…" She managed to let the single word escape her trembling lips, head resting on his chest, while her sobbing and tremors intensified.
"It's ok, beautiful…I'm here now… Shush!" Elijah raised his left wrist to his mouth, only to rip his skin open; before bringing the opened wound to Katerina's mouth; who drank his blood, greedily. "Don't worry, I'll make things ok, I won't let you down ever again." He softly kissed her forehead to appease her sadness and worries.
"Tell me why you are cowardly running away, Rebekah?" Stefan walked behind the Original's hells, hands buried in his tuxedo pants. "It's not like you?"
"Like you need to ask?" Rebekah responded, agitated; a single tears rolling on her left cheek.
"Stop, would you?" Stefan grabbed Rebekah's right arm, promptly pushing her into a dark alcove of the random corridor she had chosen to escape.
"Let me go, Salvatore!" She pulled her arm away from his firm grip.
"Dinner is being served, and Petrov won't see it lightly if we don't show up, did you think of that?" He scolded the blonde woman like a six years old.
"Since when are you my guardian, Stefan, I do as I please, you hear me? I give a fuck about Klaus's biological father; and I hate his want-to-be half-sister! What kind of a name is that anyway, Anastassia?" She stormed out of her system, nervously gesturing with both hands. "And I hate that ass of brother that I have, only for the spectacle he just gave in front of all the guests lashing out at Carolina!"
"Ok, come here, would you?" Stefan pulled the reluctant woman into the comfort of his arms. "Now, just breathe, and relax, ok?"
"You think I can relax while standing in your arms this way?" Rebekah replied, sneezing loudly, with her head comfortably leaning on his right shoulder.
"Well, am I so bad at comforting you?" He smiled while softly caressing her long blond strands.
"It could be worse, I guess?" She shrugged, a timid smile raising both corners of her lips.
"Now, as for Petrov we can't do much about this all situation; we basically need to suck-it-up and endure this dinner, would you agree?" Stefan asked, his chin resting on top of Rebekah's head.
"I guess…" She approved, shrugging once more.
"As for Klaus's half-bombshell-red-head-sister…" He started, teaser.
"Were you obligated to mention the bombshell part?" Rebekah mumbled, angrily, between her teeth.
"Can I reassure you by saying that I prefer blondes?" He teased more.
"Well, I think it's good that you have such good taste." She added, playfully. "I wouldn't say the same to your brother."
"And finally, as for your ass of a brother, my dear friend Nicklaus… He's in love, Bekah… Madly in love with this young human girl and, you have to admit that he is not the type to act properly in his normal state of mind, can you imagine under Carolina's spell?" Stefan added.
"Fine, you win…This time!" She raised her head to detach herself from the comfort of his shoulder, before slowly raising her sight in the one of the vampire.
"What would you say if we both join the circus now?" Stefan suggested, winking.
"As long that you put in your thick skull, Salvatore, that "this"; what just happened between us, doesn't mean I'll be in your bed tonight?" Rebekah raised her chin at her own say, before turning on her heels while balancing her delightful behind in front of Stefan's sight, leading her steps in direction of the dining room.
"What, of course not, Rebekah, I wouldn't dream of it!" Stefan replied, while crossing two of his fingers behind his back, a rictus raising the right side of his lips.
The dining room of Petrov's mansion was a mix of medieval style with modern undertones. Ten imposing, rustic long tables were placed in two set of rows, with long runaways and flowers centers displayed on each one of them. Long, red velvet panels of curtains decorated the windows, with ancestral swords placed on the walls.
"My guests, it's time to eat!" Petrov exclaimed, loudly. "Bon apétit … Приятного аппетита … Enjoy your meal!" He greeted, with a glass of red wine raised in his right hand, under the loud clapping of appreciation. "What are you waiting for? Sit!"
The Mikaelson clan (with friends) were standing in front of their respective chairs, not sure of how to proceed next.
"What? I promise you, neither the wine nor the blood was poisoned by my hands tonight." Petrov winked to the guests who decided to sit at the table against all odds.
"Well, still … We're worried of being chained to the table or to the chairs?" Damon shrugged, playfully. "The idea would certainly fit the décor?" He added, wincing.
"I won't stay longer than necessary; do you hear me, Salvatore?" Rebekah murmured to Stefan.
"If you think that I want to have a nightcap with Petrov after this dinner, you're sadly mistaking." Stefan replied, teaser; while pulling a chair to help the Original sit.
"You, my dear Damon, you're worried of being restrained, really?" Petrov responded to the young vampire, with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
"Did you tell the entire Russia, for God sake?" Damon whispered to the red head bombshell, his sight narrowed on Anastassia who took a siting place in front of his own, with Vittorio standing by her side.
"It's you who, so openly, displayed yourself on my bed, not me." She shrugged, indifferent; before placing a napkin on her lap.
"Oh my dear, be kind to him… He's way too pleasant to the eyes to be mocked that way." Vittorio winked at Damon; while taking his own sitting place.
Anastassia grabbed her glass of wine, her painted nails displayed as claws, her lustrous lips touching the red alcohol; while her fiery sight met with the vampire's, with the tip of her right foot slowly rising from Damon's left calf to his crotch area.
"Stop this!" Damon growled in an almost unperceivable whisper, while pushing her foot away.
"Why?" She giggled in her glass, in a more innocent way than her present action would suppose. "You don't like?"
"Because… People could see us!" Damon mouthed the words on his parted lips.
"Who cares?" She shrugged, winking, playfully; while raising her foot back on Damon's lap.
"Klaus, Carolina… Come sit at my left, near me; would you please?" Petrov pointed toward two seats, near the right end of the table.
"It's a suggestion or an order?" Klaus glanced toward his biological father, with a narrowed sight.
"Klaus…You're giving me so little credit?" Ludvig sighed, loudly; his eyes rolling to the ceiling. "Aren't you the guest of honor after all?" Petrov reminded him. "It's a simple invitation, son." He rectified his own say.
Klaus forcefully pulled Carolina, on his heels; while holding her left hand in his, fingers tightly interlaced with hers.
"Sit!" Klaus ordered his wife in a low whisper, before pulling a chair. ''And you're not disappearing from my sight the entire evening, am I clear?"
"I'm not sitting beside you!" She whispered, angrily, between clenched teeth. "I'll sit with my sister!" She pulled her hand away; only to be retained this time by her waist.
"You'll sit on the chair or on my lap while I'll feed you food with a spoon in front of all the guests, you damn choice, Love?" He growled unhappy.
"I hate you!" Carolina mumbled, angrily; between her teeth; before reluctantly sitting on the medieval chair he pulled for her.
"Young love, aren't they adorable?" Petrov commented to Mikael.
"I couldn't say, you stole my wife when I was young and in love, remember?" Mikael commented, perniciously.
"Awww… Mikael, Mikael…Is this one of your weak attempts at humor?" Petrov grinned, with amusement. "My dear, come sit by my side." Ludvic invited Maria to join him, with a hand gesture.
"You can sit wherever you want, Maria; he has no right to boss you around." George leaned his head near the patriarch woman, discreetly whispering the words near her right ear.
"Unfortunately George, I don't have any other choices." Maria replied, while addressing a timid smile to the bodyguard.
"You always have a free choice, Maria; please, never forget that." He returned her smile, while following closely on her steps toward Petrov's position, before leaning his back on the wall, crossed hands in front of his chest. He would watch her like a falcon if needed!
"You want to ask your … I mean, that man to join us at the table?" Petrov proposed to Maria, good player. "In which way you would present your son's bodyguard, Mikael?" Petrov teased.
"George…. His name is George, and he's her new lover, I suppose?" Mikael responded, tit for tat; while shrugging.
"Well, my dear you'll have all your men near you tonight: you ex-husband, your ex-lover, and your new one; why would a woman ask for more?" Petrov added, grinning. "Mister George you want to join us?"
George narrowed his fiery sight on the host, his face keeping a blank canvas of the rage that was really boiling inside of him. But, between two evils, he finally decided that he'd preferred to sit near Maria; as additional protection.
Petrov gestured his left hand toward the chair to Elijah's right arm man, before pulling the chair to help Maria take her sitting position.
"There, now I can glance at your beauty, my dear. Isn't she looking lovely tonight, Mikael?" Petrov asked the Original.
"I don't know? She's my ex-wife, and obviously not of my concerns anymore." Mikael shrugged, playing the indifferent card; when in reality his right fist was hitching to hit both men.
"Can you believe, my dear, that your ex-husband kept a grudge on me, all these years? But, maybe we're burdening you with our tasteless ways to entertain?" He addressed the issue to Maria, who close her eyes with a loud sight escaping her lips.
"Weren't you both Vikings in a far past, both warriors and none civil men who would stupidly fight each other to prove your virility?" Maria mumbled, angrily, between her teeth. "You probably made a bet of which of the two peed the farthest?"
"Who've said that we stopped being Vikings?" Petrov let out a loud laugh escape his manly lips. "Mikael, did we stop being Vikings? We dress in a more fashionable and modern way, I give you that, but in our heart we are still beasts, my dear … Ingrid… I mean Maria."
"We did not stop, not that I know of, did we?" Mikael responded, a smirk spreading on his face.
"Please forgive us, for the late arrival." Elijah nodded, politely to their host, while pulling a chair to help Katerina sit by his side.
"Elijah and the lovely Katerina, please sit at the opposite end of the table from me, like a leader would do." Petrov gestured toward the empty seat at the end of the table.
"It's not my place to seat at the opposite side of you, Petrov." Elijah replied, under clenched teeth.
"I beg the difference, please do, I insist!" Ludvig nodded toward Elijah.
Elijah pushed Katerina's chair underneath the imposing table, before lowering his upper body near hers.
"I won't allow my father to infiltrate your mind; he doesn't deserve a second of your time or the pain that is eating you alive inside your soul at the moment." Elijah whispered near her left ear, while noticing the intense glance passing between his wife and the patriarch of the Mikaelson. "I'll take care of him, Katerina; he won't ever have the chance to hurt you again." He added, gently brushing her forehead of a chaste kiss, before pulling his own chair to seat at the opposite side of their host. "I'll do as you wish, Petrov, after all you're the host." Elijah commented, gracefully; grabbing the red napkin with his hands.
"Mikael, aren't you proud of your daughter-in-law? Isn't she a beautiful woman? Your son Elijah couldn't have chosen a more fitting wife, would you say?" Petrov commented, politely; before turning his head toward Alexay who had suddenly appeared by his side. "Ah! Alexay … Please, take a seat with us!"
"If by fitting you mean: a want-to-be escort who jumped on the opportunity to latch her claws on a rich man, I guess." Mikael replied, shrugging.
"Fuck you father!" Elijah sprang on his legs, a forbidden finger pointed toward the said called. "Present your apologies to my wife now, or I swear you'll want to forget the day I was born!"
"Elijah, please, sit down … Don't make a scene, please, for me?" Katerina raised on her legs, begging; a hand resting on his tensed right arm.
"Are you shallow to the point of judging a woman harshly as to her ways to make ends-meet to take care of her own sister in a country where poverty is oftentimes met, Mikael?" Petrov growled, unhappy.
"I guess not…" Mikael lowered his head, a nerve twitching in his left cheek. "I'm sorry, Katerina; please accept my deepest apologies for my misstep."
Katerina nodded, disdainfully at the Original; while pulling Elijah to take back his sitting position as she did herself.
"I guess, once an asshole, always an asshole!" Klaus commented, wincing; before gulping the entirety of the glass of wine he was holding under his tensed knuckles.
"Did you say something, Nicklaus?" Mikael stared at his own glass, both lips forming a thin line.
"Yes, that you've always been an ass and will always be one!" Klaus growled, loudly, pushing on his chair to rise on both legs, while Mikael reacted the same way at the upcoming menace, with both George and Alexay ready to spread in their directions if needed.
"Klaus, sit down now!" Petrov lashed out the order, sharply.
Both Mikael and the hybrid glanced at each other, closed fists placed on each side of their tensed bodies.
"Klaus, please, sit down near your wife?" Maria begged her son to reconsider.
The hybrid sat back on his chair, before swallowing a lump and his dignity back in his throat.
"Well, I presume that so much testosterone in one single room will trigger such bad reactions in men?" Petrov commented, mocker. "You'll have to forgive our bad manners, ladies." He nodded, apologetically. "You are hardly saying a word, my dear? Is this beautiful daughter of yours, deaf and silenced, perhaps?" Ludvig commented to Mikael, his sight fixated on Rebekah.
"The thought of my daughter being one or the other of your say, is actually the most hilarious thing you've said until now, Petrov." Mikael grabbed a golden pitcher, only to pour himself another glass of wine. Obviously he would need more alcohol to endure this torture!
"I'm neither dead or silenced, Petrov; but you're obviously blind if you think you could talk about me, so openly, without me reacting to your say." Rebekah replied, dryly; arms crossed over her chest.
"And she does speak, how reassuring!" Petrov commented, highly amused.
"Oh, I do speak, just not to you!" She tilted her head, insolent.
"She got your fire, my dear; you should be proud!" Ludvic turned his head toward Maria, a smile spreading on his lips.
"I want to die, I want to die, and let me say once more: I want to die…Please can someone delivers me from this hell?" Stefan said to himself, while raising his eyes to the ceiling in an ultimate prayer addressed to heaven.
"Can you pray for me as well?" Rebekah whispered, near his right ear.
"Is there something that is not to your liking, Mister Salvatore? Can I be of help?" Petrov suddenly asked.
"Well, let me make a list of the hosts I would gladly exchange in your place, if you allow me, Petrov?" Stefan replied, while pulling a pen from his tuxedo pocket.
"Oh fun! Let me help!" Damon rubbed his hands together. "Ousama Bin Laden?"
"Well, he's dead but still; I think he deserves to be on the list." Stefan nodded to his brother. "Hitler?"
"Oh yah, good one… Put him!" Damon waved his hand in approval. "Satan?"
"A bit extreme, but … I have to agree between Satan and Petrov, I take Satan." Stefan agreed, before writing the name.
"Aren't they hilarious, Mikael?" Petrov grinned, amused; while pointing toward both of the Salvatore brothers.
"I can hardly contain my amusement." Mikael raised both eyebrows, before drowning his smirk in his glass of wine.
"Were we so devil-may-care in our time, my friend?" Petrov added, questioning.
"We were way worst." Mikael put his wine glass on the table, a laughter escaping his lips.
"That's what I thought too." Petrov relied, smiling; arms crossed over his chest.
More than thousands years ago, Fyrkat, village near the river…
"Where are the boys?" Yngve (Mikael) snapped at his wife, entering inside the hut.
"The boys are playing near the river." Ingrid (Esther-Maria) replied, evasively; her hands folding a blanket, with her sight glancing from the corners of her eyes at her husband.
"Is it safe for them to wonder around? I've heard that several boats landed a few hours ago, with strangers setting their camp on the other side of the bank." He undressed himself from his tunic, slowly lowering his daggers on the ground, his long golden locks cascading on his bare shoulders, skin of his muscular chest glowing in the light of a candle. "We can only hope they are not werewolves? Can we?" He winced, disdainfully.
"You seem to easily forget that your wife is actually a witch, Yngve?" Ingrid responded, under clenched teeth. "Is it that you hate so much the entire supernatural world, or just made an exception for me?"
"You sound ridiculous!" Mikael replied, angrily, while turning his head toward his wife; only to take a few steps to reach her standing position, before grabbing her chin with his right hand. "I simply fell in love with you." He let a smile rose on his lips. "You took my breath away, and I couldn't resist making you mine forever." He added, lowering his forehead on hers.
"Sometimes… Sometimes, you let me forget how gentle and caring you can be." Ingrid replied, her hands rising on his chest, only to trace the muscles underneath her fingers. "And then a look in those dark eyes of yours, and it comes back to me." She added, while softly caressing his jaw line.
"Nonetheless, it's not safe for them to play near the river while we'll have their camp near our village. We don't know who those people truly are, do we?" Yngve commented, softly kissing her parted lips; before directing his steps toward their bed.
"But… Even if they were werewolves, maybe … Maybe, they came in peace with no intention of hurting anybody?" Ingrid shrugged, hopeful to make her husband understand that the supernatural world was not as dangerous as it may appear at first sight.
"Are you so gullible to believe children stories?" Yngve lashed out. "The only way we could really protect ourselves from them, would be to become as powerful as they are."
"Powerful? In which way…" Ingrid turned to face him. 'By becoming them, by bloodshed…A tooth for tooth; you perfectly know that this attitude would go against the natural course of nature!"
"Was it the natural course of nature, when one of the Far East villages found all their children mutilated by a pack of werewolves?" Yngve busted, angrily. "Tell me woman, would you find peace if one of your own flesh and blood would find death this horrible way?"
Ingrid swallowed a lump in her throat, her eyes being kept closed under his intense glance.
"No, I wouldn't…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry; I'll go find the boys." She added, leading her steps toward the exit of the hut.
ooOoo
"Finn, Elijah… Where are you my boys?" Ingrid shouted, while standing on top of a big rock, near the river.
"Mama… Mama… It's Finn!" Young Elijah screamed, while running toward his mother.
"What is it? What happened to Finn?" Ingrid grabbed her son by the shoulders, her eyes locked with his.
"He… He wanted to cross the river, and he… He fell in the water, near the waterfalls." Young Elijah stammered through his explanation. "He grabbed a tree branch, but he can't swim back to the bank."
"Oh my God… Go back to the village, now!" Ingrid ordered the young boy, while pushing him. "Find your father and bring him back, run … Elijah … Run!"
"Yes, Mama…." He responded, before rushing toward the rock path leading him to the village.
Ingrid raised the long skirt of her dress, before rushing toward the said whereabouts that her youngest had informed her of the said incident.
She stood motionless in front of the horror scene displayed in front of her sight. Finn was hanging for his life, his hands grabbing the tree branch with all the strength he had left in his arms.
"Mama…" He yelled, while swallowing water in his throat and lungs.
"Don't move; hold tight to the branch … I'm coming for you my son!" She yelled, while passing her dress above her head, only to thrown it on the ground a second later.
"Though I adore the view of a naked woman, beautiful such as you…" The stranger voice cut the gloomy atmosphere. "I wouldn't put a foot in the river if I was you… You're too thin, and you'll be dragged toward the waterfalls in no time. I'll go save the boy!" The man suggested.
Ingrid raised her sight, only to finally see him on the other side of the bank. He was tall, very tall, dark light brown hair falling on his shoulders, and an undeniable presence of a king.
He got rid of his belt, holding a sword, and of his tunic; the muscles of his, now, bare chest rolling under his prompt and quick movements. She suddenly lowered her sight, a sudden fire reaching both of her cheeks. What was she thinking? She was a married woman … And one of her son was drowning for God sake! That was certainly not the time to blush in front of a stranger, was it?
"Hold that branch, boy; I'm coming!" He yelled to Finn, before jumping into the cold water.
Ingrid raised her right hand over her lips, the beats of her heart pounding loudly and rapidly inside of her chest. The man finally reached her son, before grabbing him by the waist only to drag him toward the side of the bank where Ingrid was standing.
"Oh my God, Finn…" She darted toward the man who was holding his son life in his hands and arms, entering the cold water to reach them both.
"He's ok, he's alive… You don't need to worry anymore, woman." The man addressed himself to her.
"Mama…" Finn whispered, before losing consciousness.
"He's ok, why is he unconscious then?" She caressed the boy's head, while following the man toward the firm ground.
He lowered the boy's body to the grass, before bending his head on his chest, and near his mouth, to feel if the young lad was breathing.
"Too much excitement for a young boy such as him I suppose." He raised his sight in hers, a smile spreading on his lips. "He's breathing normally; you don't have to worry anymore."
"Oh thank you, thank you … You've just saved my son's life… I don't even know your name, but … How may I repay you?" Ingrid asked, her right hand softly touching the man's left forearm.
"My originated name is Vlademar, but you can also call me, Ludvig … And seeing you holding your son in your arms is all the thanks I need." He responded, smiling.
The two gigantic doors leading to the dining room opened on their arches, with Bonnie and Kol advancing toward Ludvig's table.
"Well, well … I believe the last of the Mikaelson clan has just arrived?" Ludvic wiped the corners of his lips with a napkin; before rising on his legs. "Mister Kol and the lovely Miss Bennett, welcome! Please, join us?"
"I highly doubt you'll want to eat in my companionship, after what I'll say to you, Petrov?" Kol lashed out, perniciously. "Not after cutting your appetite short, that is."
"Bonnie are you ok? And what is going on?" Carolina grabbed her friend's hand, in a vain attempt to lean more.
"I'm fine, but I can't talk now, Carolina." Bonnie shook her head, softly squeezing her friend's hand, before following Kol at the left far end of the table.
"I've actually heard that you were the … How can I put it politely, the most rambunctious of Mikael's children?" Ludvic commented, a rictus spreading in the right corner of his lips.
"Be warned Petrov, my brother can be lethal, even in his best days." Klaus pointed out, winking at Kol. "It's one of the traits we have in common; we like to finish what we've started… More time than I could wish to mention, in a large puddle of blood." He grinned, perniciously.
"I wouldn't believe that my own son is actually threatening me at the moment, is he?" Petrov let a smile spread from ear to ear.
"Can I be more rambunctious than you? I'm certainly not the one building a genetically transformed army of hybrids?" Kol raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
"Kol; don't push it?" Bonnie swallowed a lump in her throat, retaining his left arm, with a firm grip of her right hand. "Say what you came here to say." She suggested to the Original, in a low whisper.
"Well Kol… You love to play with matches and fire, with obviously not a single fear of the danger inside of you, as I can see?" Petrov commented, amused. "And, your lady friend, Miss Bennett, seems to have your back?"
"If I was you I would put the hold button on your hybrids manufactory, daddy wolf!" Kol replied, disdainfully; before throwing a thick document on the table. "As for the fear factor, I would take a good look at this!"
"Kol, what is going on?" Elijah asked, before throwing his napkin on the table. "What did you find out?"
"What is this?" Petrov grabbed the document, suddenly losing his smile at the view of the Vatican sign.
"The Vatican has put into place a plan to get rid of all supernatural species present on this earth, so as for your plan to conquer it with hybrids, it will have to wait!" Kol announced, unceremoniously.
"That preposterous… Where have you come up with an idea like this, son?" Mikael pushed his chair, before rising on his legs to reach Petrov's standing position.
"Witches, who are part of the resistance, informed us." Bonnie responded, informatively.
"Even if "this" was true, they have no way of realizing such a feat!" Ludvic growled, the said document being snapped off from his hands by Alexay.
"If this is even remotely true, how will they manage to defeat us? Holly water will certainly not do the trick? What is their main weapon?" Petrov's right man commented.
"Satan!" Kol replied, toneless.
"As in long tail, horns, holding a pitch fork; with his main address of residency in hell?" Damon commented, with his eyes widely opened. "I knew I shouldn't have brought him on the list earlier!" He added; whispering the words to Stefan.
"As in: Augustine!" Kol responded, while narrowing his sight on both Mikael and Petrov; who blenched at the sound of the name.
"In my private chamber now… All of you!" Petrov ordered, dryly, the guests present at his table; before turning on his heels to head outside the dining room, with Alexay and Mikael close on his heels.
"Why do I feel that we are on deeper shit that we all were already?" Damon commented.
Thank you, as always, for reading the "The King's big bash – Part 2" chapter, guys!
I hope you had a great time reading this second installment chapter and that you were smiling through it, because what a ride it was for me to write it! A more "male" centered chapter that was necessary to the story, but with hints of romance in the middle of this gigantic mess ;) And a new character introduced as Vittorio.
I know the updates take quite a long time to come, (take into consideration that I'm writing Seven Sins as well) but I'm quite tired after my work week, and I usually try to write when I am up-to-shape to give this story justice. Not to help to the matter, lately I was sick so it postponed my writing as well. So, once again; thank you for your understanding, it is so appreciated.
As for the last/third installment of this party, next chapter will be quite a challenge and a first for me; it will bring sexiness in the bedroom for all the couples ;) So, I hope you'll be there to read it?
SIDE NOTE: I know that most of you are Klaroline centric shippers, with a few Kalijah and Kennett on the side, and I've took into consideration the requests of a few who've contacted me in both of my running stories (at the moment), to ask me for more Klaroline. Unfortunately, I need to keep the pace and the settings of my stories. These fictions are including Klaroline of course, and they both are a big part of them, but they are mostly focusing on many pairings, original characters that I've created, and on the Originals family. It's who I am as a writer, it's what makes me different, it is what my "muse" is whispering to me, and I can't control it to become something else than what I am, I hope you'll all understand my point of view; and I thank you for it.
As always … Much love to all my readers;
Lovely Vero
Thank you for all the anonymous reviews received, guys!
My answers are below.
Guest: LOL … I have no idea why you do like Petrov, but let me tell you a secret of mine, I love all the characters in this present fiction ;) Bad and good ones included. And please, you have my open permission to fell in love with Anastassia … LOL … Thanks for your fun review, sweetie.
If I have forgotten someone in the responses to the anonymous reviews, it was not intentional, and I thank you for it!