Title: Sire
Rating: M
Genre: AU/Supernatural/Romance
Pairing(s): Bonnie/Klaus, Rebekah/Marcel, Stefan/Rebekah (minor), Caroline/Tyler, Matt/Katherine, Kol/Davina, Elijah/Celeste, Finn/Lucy, etc.
Summary: "She is my progeny. Blood of my blood. I am her maker. Her originator. Her ruler. She is of my creation and so she will never escape me." Niklaus Mikaelson sees Bonnie Bennett as the threat that she is and decides to eliminate her before she can interfere further with his plans by turning her into a vampire. However, in the after effects of the transformation not only does Bonnie become something unexpected by a connection forms between maker and progeny that neither of them are prepared for. Post 2x22
Warnings: Violence, Character Death, Sexual Content, Dub-con, Minor OCC-ness, etc.
Four
"It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely."
~ Albert Einstein
The morning after so much had happened and so much had been revealed Klaus Mikaelson sat down across from his sister in the living room of the house that he was sharing with her, Stefan, and his Bonnie. Because Bonnie was his now more than she had ever been. She was his since before she was born and thereafter from the moment that she had entered the world.
Even if some witch on the other side had placed them in each other's paths Klaus knew that if not for both of their temperaments, their personalities, and the things that made them who they were, her plans would have been for naught. It was who they were just as much as the interference from the other side that made them destined for one another.
Without his obsession with power and the draw he felt for witches he would never had pursued her with the vigor that he had no matter how many times they had crossed paths. Without her bravery, her loyalty, and blind love for her friends she would have given up her pursuit of him for self-preservation reasons alone. They're paths could have crossed and crossed again and again with very different results if they were different people. But they were who they were and it had led them where they were and Klaus could not say that he was sorry for it.
When he had woken up next to Bonnie, he felt something beyond the bond ever growing between them. Sired to him or not she would have mattered to him. He was certain of that. She had all the traits he had admired and coveted before their bond was in place and the fact that he was sure that he could never attain them, could never attain her, had been the very reason he had been angry and obsessed enough to turn her in the first place.
Now that he was beginning to accept the fact that Bonnie mattered to him outside of being his creation, his progeny, there was something else that he was beginning to understand as well, something he had never understood before. "There is something that I want to say to you," Klaus said as he eyed Rebekah carefully, "Something that I probably would not bother to say if you were not my sister but something that is long overdue just the same."
Rebekah frowned and looked up from the magazine she had been reading. He had been looking at her oddly all morning and though she had wondered why she knew better than to ask. If she pushed then he would shut down. She knew that. She was surprised that he was actually volunteering the information. "What is it?" She asked, setting the magazine aside and crossing her arms over her chest.
Klaus looked down at his hands and sighed as he ran them over his jean clad legs. "Ever since we were children I have been given every reason to hate myself," he said, "When we were created and my wolf gene was revealed I was immediately made to feel lesser because of it as well. I was wrong, an abomination. Not meant for this world. But last night when I learned that the reason I was made, the reason for my blood line, for my existence held a greater purpose…that I was supposed to be what I am and that it was meant to lead me…to Bonnie I was happy for the first time in so long. Or perhaps simply for the first time. It didn't really matter to me the reasons behind it or who was responsible. The only thing that mattered was that I was the person with the right bloodline, the person that was always destined to bring the strongest and most powerful witch of the most power line that has ever existed into her full power. And for the first time I didn't feel ashamed of who I am. Bonnie did that for me and that is something that though I will likely never tell her, I could likely never repay her for."
He paused and looked away for a moment. It was clear that his thoughts were far off and while Rebekah was not sure where this was headed, her brother had her full attention. He was being very open and candid about his feelings and that was such a rare thing, even in terms of him speaking with her.
When he looked back at her, he seemed to be at war with himself before he next spoke. "I want you to know that keeping you so close," he said, "All of you, our brothers as well, it was not just about control. I was afraid…afraid of losing you. I was afraid that one day you would look at me and realize that everything that Mikael and mother said was true. That I was worthless, lesser, and a monster. That you would all see that and you would walk away. And that is why each time you formed a bond with someone outside of our family I was…threatened by it."
He cleared his throat and shook his head. Rebekah waited. She stayed silent and kept her expression blank.
"I'm not excusing my behavior," he continued after a moment, "Simply trying to explain it and explain what I'm about to say. If I took away the people that you or the others cared about it was because I never understood what it really was that you stood to lose. I've never understood how you could develop any kinds of feelings for them that could compare to love we have for one another as a family. I came close to understanding through taking care of Marcel and then with my friendship with Stefan, but no matter how much I cared about them they meant nothing to me in comparison to any of you. But last night when I thought that Bonnie had died…I've never felt that much pain not as a human, a vampire, or hybrid. If my actions have caused you or the others even a fraction of that…I apologize."
He frowned and swallowed. He never liked admitting when he was wrong which was why he rarely did it. "This morning when I woke up with Bonnie in my arms," he whispered, "I realized what it meant to wake up next to someone that means something to you and if I took that from you…then I apologize for that as well. I now know what it's like to have someone outside of my family that I cannot stand to lose and I hope that there is still time for you to find someone that matters that much to you again. So…I'm…I'm letting you go, without letting go of you completely. Do you understand?"
Rebekah swallowed. She understood. She was in a word, astonished. He was giving her, her life back and the witch was the reason. She owed the witch a debt for this and she intended to repay it tenfold. "I think I do," she answered.
Klaus shifted in his seat and pulled something from his jean pocket. Holding it out to Rebekah he smiled slightly as he took her hand in his and placed the object in her palm.
Rebekah's expression was one of confusion as she looked down at the set of keys.
"Those are the keys to the storage unit that I've been keeping our brother's in," he explained, "The address is on the tag there. If you wish to wake them then you may do so. I see no reason to keep them imprisoned any longer."
Rebekah blinked at him a moment, as she stared a bit awestruck. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped a moment later when Klaus stood and turned to the entrance of the room staring expectantly.
"We'll talk later if we must," he said to Rebekah without looking back at her. It did not take her long to guess what he was waiting for and she wasn't surprised when Bonnie appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. It was clear that she hadn't overheard them and from how quickly he dropped their conversation once he sensed her it was also clear he hadn't wanted her to.
The witch was wearing a mint colored semi-sheer baby doll slip dress that Rebekah had picked out for her. It was a nice offset to her skin and complemented her frame. It was clear that her brother appreciated the lay of the dress from the way that he was staring, but a part of her knew that he would have stared no matter what the witch was wearing.
"Good morning," Klaus greeted Bonnie, "You look lovely."
Bonnie seemed to want to appear to brush the complement away but Rebekah noted that she touched her hair self-consciously and bit back a smile. "You're just saying that because you're trying to get on my good side now that you know that you are stuck with me for the better part of all eternity," she said.
"I'm your sire," he reminded her, as he walked over to her, closing the distance between them, "I'm always on your good side."
Bonnie rolled her eyes and scowled. "Don't remind me," she said, even as she reached up and straightened the collar of the button down shirt that he was wearing. "I've been trying to decide whether or not I should call my mother," she said after a moment. She reached up and brushed the lint off his shoulders. "Not that you're the best person to ask about family matters considering the fact that your mother's husband has spent decades trying to kill you and the majority of your siblings are daggered in coffins."
Klaus reached down and traced his finger over the embroidered pattern on the front of her dress. "Well my brothers will be awake soon so that is something," he sighed, "There isn't much to be done about Mikael however, outside of his death."
"Abby said that your mother was a witch and on the other side," Bonnie frowned, "Are you ever going to explain about what happened to her and why this Mikael has been chasing you for so long?"
"Soon," he promised, "Once I explain to my brothers about you and what's been happening, and you meet the others outside of Elijah. In the meantime whether you want to contact your mother is your choice. I think it would give you closure and information about your situation at the very least." At Bonnie's nod he placed his hands at her hips. "Now if you're ready we have breakfast with your aunt," he told her.
Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him. "After finding out what you are and what I am," Bonnie said, clearly skeptical, "My aunt wants to have breakfast with us."
Klaus shrugged. "She's concerned about you and wants to make sure you're alright," he said, "And as hard as it might be to believe she's very fond of me."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Fine," she sighed, "Let's go."
Rebekah watched them go noting the soft smiles and the small touches. She also noted the fact that they both seemed to forget she was there.
The witch didn't seem to be fully conscious of the fact that she was changing Klaus already. Not just changing him but to a great extent. Rebekah had imagined many scenarios in her head when she learned of the witch and their bond she had never imagined that there was a possibility that the girl would be good for her brother but she was. It would seem that the plans she had made with Bonnie and Marcel would be changing slightly.
:::
Marcel Gerard frowned as Davina Claire walked into this study. With Bonnie entering into the picture it had been a while since he had actually had time to look into the girl's wellbeing. He was slightly ashamed as he had promised to take care of her, but he had made a promise to Bonnie as well. Besides, at the moment, Bonnie and not Davina was the witch on the radar of the whole of the quarter.
"You've been very…preoccupied lately," Davina said as she stopped in front of his desk, "Should I be worried."
Marcel raised an eyebrow at the girl as she played with the hem of the white dress that she was wearing. "About what exactly?" he asked.
She sighed as she reached up a hand and tossed her brown hair over her shoulder. "You're getting attached to the Bennett girl and you need to be careful," she said seriously, "If your interest in her was the same as your interest in me I wouldn't be worried but…"
Marcel leaned forward in his chair. "But what?" He asked, trying to keep is tone and face impassive.
"Like I said," Davina frowned, "You're getting attached. It's fine to care about her but if it goes beyond that then you'll just get hurt."
Marcel wasn't going to play dumb with her. He had formed an attachment to Bonnie. But he knew better than to let things get too far. She was sired to Klaus and even beyond that, things with he and Rebekah were not resolved completely. Even still, when he had thought that Bonnie had died the night before something inside of him had broken.
"Do you know something that I don't know?" Marcel asked, coming out of his thoughts. It was more of a rhetorical question than anything else. Davina had contact with the spirits. There was always something that she knew that Marcel didn't.
"The Bennett witch-" she began, only to have Marcel interrupt her.
"Her name is Bonnie," he corrected.
"Bonnie," Davina conceded, "She belongs to the hybrid. It isn't just the sire bond. She has been his since before they both existed. They are destined to be together in more ways than one." Marcel watched as Davina pulled something from her pocket. "They will approach the wolves soon," Davina said, "The old ones will waken as well. The hybrid will embrace his wolf fully for the first time in order to win the loyalty of the wolves. When his wolf awakens so will his instinct to mate. No male close to Bonnie will be safe."
She placed the object in her hands on his desk top and he was able to identify it for the first time. A necklace. A long silver chain with a clear vial at the end that had a hand casted pewter top.
"What is this?" Marcel asked picking up the necklace.
"He will need to mark her somehow," Davina explained, "To show those he considers threats whom she belongs to. Being what she is if he bites her she will heal. This is the next best option. Fill the vial with the hybrids blood and have her wear it at all times."
Marcel frowned, shaking his head. "I promised her I would get her out of this," he said, "That I would give her some kind of control over the situation. Not concede defeat and mark her as his. If this is what she wants then fine, but as far as I know she still wants to fight this." He knew that what Davina had told him was likely inevitable but he had made a promise.
"You won't have a choice," Davina frowned, "What he considers a threat he will kill be it the other old ones or you. The vial and consummation of the bond will be the only thing that could save any of you." She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him.
Marcel sighed. "What else aren't you telling me?"
"If they consummate the bond," Davina said, as she looked back at him, "The witches will have even more reason to want Bonnie dead."
Marcel thought about what he had witnessed the night before and what Rebekah had called to brief him on the morning. "Too bad because she can't be killed," Marcel shrugged.
"That won't stop them for trying or from going after those trying to protect her in the process," Davina told him, "She might not be able to be killed but you can be. Remember that."
Before Marcel could respond she turned and left him alone with his thoughts. Taking the necklace off the desk top Marcel placed into his desk drawer. He wouldn't give it to Bonnie, not unless he had to.
:::
Bonnie Bennett did not like being set up. However, that was exactly what had happened to her. Her aunt had decided that in spite of Bonnie's reluctance to see her mother and her own dislike for Abby that Bonnie needed to have a talk with her mother.
To his credit, Klaus had been ignorant of the situation which was the only reason she had allowed him to escape with her aunt. He and Bernadette were sitting at a table on the other side of the diner, pretending to talk quietly as they glanced over at Bonnie and Abby every few minutes.
Abby sat across from Bonnie explaining the possibilities of Bonnie's powers but Bonnie was only half listening. As much as she had wanted to know what she was capable of before, she didn't really care at the moment.
It was hard for her to see beyond the fact that her mother had left her, no matter the reason. That she had lied to her and that it was possible that had she stayed and been truthful with Bonnie, they could have prevented what was now happening.
Bonnie was beginning to accept her ties to Klaus but that didn't mean she wanted to be tied to him. It didn't mean that she liked the bond that was connecting them. That kept her from wanting to harm him as she had done before. That made her want to please him even at the expense of herself. She could easily lose herself in him and that was terrifying as she could barely remember who she was anymore. She had changed since becoming a vampire as, an immortal, as well as a witch and there was barely anything of her old self left even before Klaus had turned her.
Then again she hadn't changed in some ways. She was still the girl who was scared for being alone, left, abandon. The girl who didn't really know her father. The girl who had been left by her mother. The girl who's grandmother was dead. The girl who did more than she should for her friends because she was scared that one day she wouldn't be able to do anything and they would leave like everyone else. And they had left. Elena was gone. Jeremy was gone.
But now her mother was back and she didn't know what to make of it. Now her aunt knew what she was and accepted her but Bonnie didn't know how to act around her anymore. Now there was still Stefan, but a Stefan without emotions that Bonnie still didn't really consider a friend. There was Marcel but Bonnie knew that he had ulterior motives in terms of helping her, the same way Rebekah did. Then lastly there was Klaus, her destiny thanks to a meddling ancestor she had not known about. But she had hated him only days ago, still hated him in many ways. And beyond that she could never really tell what was genuine and what was a result of the bond they now shared. So even now she was still in many ways so alone.
"We don't really know what you can do," Abby was saying, when Bonnie finally decided to give the woman her attention, "There's never been anything like what you are before. We can assume things. That you can help others cheat death and combine the species. Since you have Klaus's blood you might even be able to take on some wolf characteristics yourself but we won't know until it happens. That's why everyone wants your blood so they can test the limits of what can be done and what can't."
Bonnie was frustrated. The woman wasn't telling her anything new. "Why are you here?" Bonnie frowned, "You can't protect me. Everything that you claimed that you were trying to prevent has happened and so why stay? What's done is done. There is nothing left for you here. Dad has his job. Grams is dead. I'm basically an adult and I'm tied to the very person you didn't want me tied to so what is there left to do. I don't need you. I might have before but you missed your chance a long time ago."
"My mother always said that a girl never stops needing her mother," Abby said.
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "And yet you left me anyway," she said, shaking her head. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry.
"I had my reasons," Abby sighed, "Which I already explained."
"Even so you could have made some kind of contact," Bonnie frowned, "Now I don't want anything from you."
"Then I'll wait until you do," Abby told her.
Bonnie stood and out of the corner of her eyes she saw the moment that Klaus stood as well. "Well you'll be waiting a while," Bonnie shrugged, "Unlike you I can't die so I have plenty in which to hold a grudge."
Bonnie turned her back on her mother and she was gratified that this time she was the one walking away, even if she was walking toward Klaus.
:::
Stefan Salvatore eyed the book in front of him with distaste. The only thing keeping him from dropping the book altogether and giving up was the promise he had made himself to do better where Bonnie was concerned.
Marcel had shown up to the house ranting about wolves and mating, which led to Rebekah suggesting they do some research. The problem was that werewolves were secretive in their ways at the best of times. They could find out next to nothing in terms of mating and courtship outside of what Marcel had already discovered through grimoires.
Marcel had decided to interrogate some of the wolves that he had forced into hiding and Rebekah had gone to wake the remaining of her brothers. That left Stefan to do the research alone. Because he could not find any mating information regarding werewolves, Stefan had gone a different route looking into the mating of actual wolves themselves.
Apparently wolves mated in three stages after meeting; bonding, courtship, and copulation. Stefan's eyes roved over the book as he quickly read through the first stage.
Upon meeting a perspective mate, the male and female stand shoulder to shoulder; keeping bodily contact but not making eye contact. This stance is non-threatening but also so a mutual display of power and dominance in an alpha male and alpha female. Both parties are hesitant to advance past this first step. It is usually the male who breaks the ice and initiates further contact. This contact normally includes tentative muzzle sniffling, nuzzling of the cheek, and the flicking of the tongue over the lips. The wolves may return to the non-threatening stance during this period off and on until it is clear that the other wolf does not present a threat and the wolves relax allowing a bond to form.
Stefan ran a hand over his face. There were a million other things he could be doing. Still he forged ahead as there was no one else to do the job. Besides that he didn't want to leave the house as he was sure if he did either his brother or Elena would find him again. He hadn't heard anything but he was certain that they were still lurking around the city.
Shaking the thought away Stefan moved on the next stage and began to read again.
During the courtship phase bonding behavior intensifies. At this time the male and female isolate themselves from the rest of the pack and spend much of their time in solitude. At this time the male and female get to know each other more intimately and an emotional attachment forms. As courting progresses there comes playful attempts to mounting from the front or side, mutual licking of muzzle, anus, and genitals, parallel running which incorporates nuzzling under the other wolf's jaw or ear, and pricking the ears sideways while together.
Stefan slammed the book shut and made a face. Not only was the text putting rather disgusting images in his head, he was also pretty sure that it would be of absolutely no help in the long run. Werewolves and wolves were not the same and though Klaus was part werewolf, Bonnie was not so he wasn't sure that any of this would even apply.
He looked up as he heard someone enter the house and he wasn't surprised when Rebekah came into the living room a moment later. "How did waking the undead go?" He asked, as she walked into the room.
She shrugged. "They're being moody and they won't wake up," she sighed, "I'm going back to check on them in a bit." She glanced from him to the book he had tossed aside and back again. "Did you find anything?"
Stefan winced at the memory of the text. "Apparently we have nothing to worry about unless your brother goes after Bonnie's genitals with his tongue so that he can scent whether or not she's in heat," he frowned.
Rebekah cringed. "That's disgusting," she said, shaking her head.
Stefan shrugged, standing. "You asked." He picked up the jacket he had thrown over the back of the couch and put it on. "I'm going out for a drink," he said, "You want to come?"
Rebekah opened her mouth to accept but then she hesitated. "Can I ask you something?"
Stefan raised an eyebrow at her but nodded just the same. "Shoot," he said, as he tugged down his sleeves.
"When…," she cleared her throat, "When we were together before…did you ever…what I mean to say is…how did you feel when you woke up next to me?" It was an odd question she knew. She had not mentioned their past together since she had first woken and he had rejected her. But she could not stop thinking of Nik's words and wondering if her brother had actually taken as much from her as she had thought.
Stefan sighed and shook his head. That life, their time together, still felt like it belonged to someone else to him. "I really don't remember how I felt Rebekah," he said, honestly, "It doesn't even seem like it really happened to me."
"Oh," Rebekah nodded, attempting and failing to smile.
Sighing Stefan suddenly felt suffocated. He had just been able to escape Elena wanting him to go back to what they had together and now he was dealing with Rebekah. He realized in that moment how much he wanted to be alone. How much he didn't want to feel obligated to anything and anyone. "I'll see you later," he said receding his invitation as politely as he could.
Silently, Rebekah watched him go. She was brought back to herself when the cell phone Marcel had gotten for her rang. Looking at the screen she wasn't surprised to see his name flashing. He was the only one who called her outside of Nik and Bonnie.
"Did you find anything?" She asked.
"Not really," was the reply but she could tell from his tone that there was something that he was keeping from her, "Klaus has made contact with the wolves so they haven't been very cooperative. He's offering them their freedom so they're keeping their mouths shut on his behalf. They would tell him if he asked but if we go to him with this then he could use it and Bonnie to his advantage."
"So what now?" Rebekah frowned.
There was a pause and then a sigh and then silence. She could tell that he was debating on whether or not to tell her what he knew. "We wait," he said, choosing to keep quiet.
Rebekah wasn't bothered by the fact that he was keeping something from her. She had yet to tell him that she wanted to keep Klaus and Bonnie in the same orbit for as long as possible because of the positive change the witch had brought. So they both had their secrets.
"I'll call you if I hear anything else," he said.
Before the line went dead Rebekah spoke. "Marcel," she whispered, "This might sound strange but…when we were together before did you ever feel anything when you woke up next to me?"
Another pause and then. "I was happy," he murmured, "I felt like I had a reason to be alive. But that was a long time ago Rebekah."
"I know," she answered, even as she realized that though one door to her past had been shut, one still remained open.
"I'll talk to you later," Marcel said and then the line went dead.
Shoving the phone back into her pocket Rebekah decided to drop things for now and go and check on her brothers. Still she realized that Nik had taken something significant from her after all.
:::
Bonnie laid in her bed staring at the opposite wall, thinking of everything and nothing all at once. She was alone in the house and in spite of being lonely she was glad of it. She either couldn't trust or wasn't fond of the company that she was being forced to keep and she needed a moment in which she could breathe and live in her own skin, even if she now hated the skin she was in.
Klaus had gone to set up a meeting between himself and the alphas of the packs that lived in the underbelly of the city. When the time came she would have to go with him. While he was promising them power and freedom she would be forced to play nice with their mates. She was all the pack Klaus had at the moment and so the others had agreed to leave the other pack members out of their initial gathering. Alphas, betas, and mates; it was to be.
Bonnie sighed as she sat up. She didn't really see the point in her going. She wasn't a mate. She supposed if she had been a wolf she could pass for a beta. But it didn't really matter, if Klaus wanted her there then she would go.
He had said she was enough for him, and even now she believed him. But that didn't mean that he didn't want to test his power. To test her power. To build an army to fight their battles for them because according to him they were too good, too powerful to fight their own. That and he didn't want her in harm's way in spite of her immortality.
Bonnie got out of bed and walked over to her closet. She wasn't sure what one was supposed to wear to a meeting of wolves. Something in her wanted to make Klaus look good and so she decided to go against the instinct out of spite.
She took off the dress she had been wearing since that morning and traded it in favor of a pair of dark blue cutoff jean shorts, a black soft semi-sheer cowl neck tank with a racer back, and a pair of black ankle boots. Though the cut was low and it didn't leave much to the imagination she decided not wear anything underneath the top.
She was sure that Klaus would comment on it. He was getting possessive and though it was a meeting of alphas, betas, and mates; she wasn't naïve enough to think that every wolf at the meeting would be attached. Still Bonnie wasn't in the mood to police her actions or dress in regards to what may or may not provoke Klaus.
As she finished pulling on her boots there was a knock at her door. Frowning and expecting Stefan or Rebekah, she moved to answer it.
When the door opened she was surprised to find Elijah Mikaelson standing on the other side. Bonnie blinked at him as he looked down at her. He looked much the same way that he did the last time she saw him, though there was a hole in his suit from where Klaus had daggered him.
She remembered the way that he had betrayed them on the night of the sacrifice and the hairs on the back of neck stood on end.
"Hello, Miss Bennett," he greeted, "It's been a while since we last met."
Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side. "What the hell do you want?" She asked. She remembered Klaus saying that he was waking his brothers but that didn't mean that she would have to play nice with them. She didn't have control over how she acted around Klaus but Elijah was another story.
Elijah remained composed as he gestured inside of the room. "I don't remember you being so rough around the edges," he commented.
"Well a lot has changed since you were locked in your pretty little box," she frowned.
"I can see that," he said, giving her a once over, "If nothing else I believe I can say that prefer your hair this way." He grinned when she reached up and touched her tussled shorn hair. "May I come in?"
Taking a step back, Bonnie sighed. "I'll give you five minutes," she said, as she stepped aside. She was more confused and curious than anything else as she allowed him to enter. Though, she decided to leave to door open.
"I was skeptical when Rebekah told me that you were here," he said, as he walked into the room and looked around, "But here you are." He had yet to see his brother since waking but he had spoken to his sister at great length as had the others. And while Kol and Finn were busy getting familiar with the current times, Elijah had wanted to pay Bonnie a visit. "Is the rest true as well?" he asked, as he turned to her, "About you being a vampire, a witch, an immortal? About the sire bond and the destiny with my brother?"
"More or less," Bonnie said, shifting her weight from one foot to another.
"You're too good to be tied to him you know," he said, his tone matter-of-fact, "Even like this, with the underlying threat and power. You're still too pure, too kind, and too moral. From the moment I laid eyes on you, you reminded me of someone very dear to me. She was a witch, powerful and full of light. And then Niklaus snuffed it away as if it were nothing. I vowed after she died to never get close to another witch. A part of me wanted to…with you…but I didn't want to see you meet the same fate and so settled on using your power and respecting your gifts from afar instead. Then there was my ties to Elena, another reminder of what was. I'm sure that would have complicated things."
Bonnie stared at him dumbfounded. She didn't really understand what he was saying or why he was looking at her the way that he was. "Will you just tell me what you want and leave?"
A frown. "He's destroyed you in a different way," Elijah said, "But a piece of you has died just the same."
Bonnie glared at him. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that Elijah was being a hypocrite or the fact that he was insulting her sire that caused her next words. "If he did this it's just as much your fault as anyone else's," she spat, "If you had killed him the night of the sacrifice I would still be human and none of this would be happening."
She expected anger but he simply nodded. "You're right of course," he agreed, "That is why the way I see it I owe you an apology and a debt." He looked away a moment, his mind moving to the past. Memories that she and this city were causing to surface ran through his head. "I could not protect Celeste," he said, "But I have an opportunity to protect you."
Bonnie stood frozen as he reached out a hand and touched the side of her face. She took a step back and watched as his hand fell to his side. "I don't need your protection," she muttered, "Or anyone else's."
"I'm not asking for your permission, Miss Bennett," he said, as he walked around her, "I'm simply stating my intentions. I vow that you will not lose yourself to Niklaus and I am a man that keeps his word."
Bonnie silently watched as he left the room and sighed in relief when the door shut behind him.
:::
Klaus had yet to see his brothers and he hoped that he would be able to get through the meeting with the wolves before he would have to encounter them. It was bad enough that he had not been completely honest with Bonnie in regards to the meeting and he would have to figure out a way to explain the situation to her.
He had planned on discussing the matter with her after breakfast but after the incident with her mother he had decided to hold off. But now there was no time left as they would be leaving soon. He just had to get her to his car and talk her into agreeing.
He stood by the front door as he waited for Bonnie to come down the stairs. He could feel her and the only emotions she was giving off were agitation and apprehension. Neither would be of any help to him.
If he could get her alone he would likely be able to manage to relax her but his sister and his brothers were lurking about and so the trick would be getting her out before any of them decided to confront him.
He sighed in relief as he felt Bonnie coming closer. He watched as she descended the stairs and frowned at her revealing attire. There was no time for her to change. He immediately turned toward the coat rack by the door and grabbed one of Rebekah's black leather jackets. As Bonnie reached the bottom of the stairs he held it out to her.
"Is the jacket really necessary brother," a voice said from the side entrance to the foyer, "It is summer after all."
Klaus turned slightly to face Elijah and nodded curtly. He noted Elijah had changed into a fresh suit and wasn't looking too worse for wear. "Sorry brother," he said, "I'm sure you have questions but we don't have time for a chat at the moment."
He turned to Bonnie and frowned when she didn't reach for the jacket. "I don't want to wear it," she said.
"This meeting will be full of male wolves," he leaned down and whispered, "Wolves with animal urges. So unless you wish for me to slaughter our possible allies for looking at you the wrong way then I suggest you put on the jacket."
Bonnie opened her mouth to tell him that he was in no way going to police what she wore but Elijah spoke first. "Your jealousy and lack of impulse control are hardly Miss Bennett's problem, Niklaus," he chimed, "Besides with or without the jacket man, wolf, and vampire alike are bound to stare. Trust me."
Klaus's frown deepened as a look passed between Elijah and Bonnie that he didn't understand. His anger increased as Bonnie's emotions changed from agitated to flustered. "We don't have time for your nonsense, brother," he said, hanging the jacket back on the hook just the same. He opened the front door and gestured for her to walk through. "Let's go," he said.
Sighing Bonnie glanced at Elijah one more time before leaving the house and moving to stand on the porch. Klaus followed shutting the door behind him. As they began the walk to his car Bonnie frowned as she felt his eyes on her.
"What?" She asked, though she didn't stop her stride.
"Do you want to tell me what that was about back there?" He asked as they stopped in front of his car.
"Ask your brother," Bonnie muttered as he opened the passenger door for her.
"I'm asking you," he said, as he watched her climb inside. He hovered over her as she took her seat.
"Who's Celeste?" She asked instead of answering his question. A shadow passed over his face and she immediately regretted upsetting him.
"She's someone I took from Elijah," he answered, in spite of wanting to change the subject, "A very long time ago. He loved her deeply."
"He said that I remind him of her," she said, without thinking.
Klaus felt his hands clench into fists. "Did he now?" He took a deep breath and attempted to reign in his anger. His brother's actions were not her fault after all. "You don't need to remind me of anyone for you to matter to me," he stated, "Remember that."
Before she could respond he shut the door and walked over to the driver's side. When he got into the car and shut the door behind him he found that she was even more flustered than before. He found that it didn't bother him if he was the cause.
He waited until he had pulled away from the house to once again break the silence. "There is something I need to tell you about this meeting," he said.
"What is it?" Bonnie asked, turning to him, "I can feel the guilt coming off of you in waves so I'm sure I'll want to kill you after hearing this."
"The alpha I spoke with," he sighed, "Logan, felt as if I was not in touch with my wolf side. While my proposition intrigued him and he was sure it would intrigue others, he thought that I should experience some wolf culture. He said that it would be a good idea if I expressed some werewolf behavior in front of the others. He asked me if I had a mate and I told him that I had a prospect and he suggested that I bring her to what he calls the annual hunt so that I could court her properly."
Bonnie wasn't sure she could actually get a headache being what she was but there was the beginning of one coming just the same. "Let me guess," she sighed, "I'm the prospect."
"That would be correct," he said, "I couldn't very well say that I wasn't looking to mate. I couldn't very well bring you and have everyone think you're fair game either. You're mine and we both know that. I needed to make it clear to everyone else. Besides if I was ever to mate it would have to be you. There would be no one else that could match me in every way."
Bonnie had the urge to jump out of the car while it was still moving. She thought about telling him to go alone. But she knew that would lead to other wolves pursuing him and as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't like the idea of any other woman attempting to mate with her sire. As if they would be good enough for him. No one else but her was good enough. She could agree with him on that at least, even if she didn't want him in that way.
"Fine I'll go," she agreed, "As long as we're in agreement that whatever 'courting' behavior happens is just for show. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have the misfortune of being sired to you."
Klaus smirked and nodded. "Of course not, love," he said, his tone placating.
Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and wished that she had had the power to say no to him as they sped off into the night. She would regret this, she could feel it already.