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Chapter 10:

Mari and Klaus had both expected him to leave as soon as she got to her door. However, somehow, he ended up inside the room, washing his hands in the bathroom. She was a little nervous about having him in her hotel room with her, even though she knew that he didnt think of her the same way she thoughtof him. He couldnt. It didnt make sense for him to.

"Are you absolutely sure you will be alright here on your own?" Klaus asked as he emerged from the bathroom, wiping his hands on one of the white hotel hand towels. She looked at him for a moment, some part deep inside of her wanting to ask him to stay. Finally, she nodded.

"I'll be okay. Thank you," she said softly, dropping her gaze to her feet. He continued to dry his hands, then tossed the towel onto the chair by the bed. He lifted his gaze back to meet hers, staring at her intently which only made her more nervous.

"Are you also sure that you will be able to... contain your budding feelings so easily?" He asked suddenly, catching her a little off guard. While she was slightly unnerved by his presence, she was a little glad he didn't just disappear as soom as she reached her door. That small part of her that still craved his presence was relieved.

"Yes," she lied, though her flushed cheeks gave her away pretty quickly. His eyes darkened again, narrowing slightly like a predator that just locked onto its prey. He took a step towards her.

"Really, Mari, must you lie about something so silly?" He inhaled deeply, then stepped closer. "I can hear yourheart beat faster as I approach you. Each step makes it beat a little harder." Another step, less distance between them. "Can I make a confession, Mari?"

"I-if you want'" she stuttered out, her breaths and voice shaky. He stepped forward again, and there wasnt much space left between them. She kept her gaze focused on her feet, afraid to look up into those dark, hungry eyes.

"I have not been able to stop thinking about the day I fed from you," he told her shamelessly. "I have had little variety in my diet as of late, and you were... a treat, love. A delicious sweet." He took a strand of her blond hair between his fingers, twirling it mindlessly. Perhaps Kol was right. Perhaps he took interest in Mari because of her slight resemblance to Camille. It hardly mattered in that moment. He needed to indulge a little.

"If we're not careful... I won't be able to just... stop feeling this way," she said honestly, putting a hand flat against his firm chest to prevent him from getting any closer. He was a forbidden fruit to her, something she desired that she should not have. "Right now, I at least have a chance."

"So put your feelings aside. Let your body take over your heart for a little while." He laid his hand over hers, lifting it away from his chest and bringing her soft knuckles up to his lips. He brushed them with his lips softly. "We don't need emotions tonight."

"Then what do we need?" She questioned, her eyebrows furrowing. She felt like she should have been disappointed that he only wanted to be physical, and that his heart wasn't really involved. However, it was hard, in that moment as she looked at him, to turn him away.

"You and I," he answered, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Empty your heart and mind for the moment, darling. I can make the rest of you feel more than you could ever imagine." Those sultry words sent a shiver through her body, and she wasnt far from giving in. He had a silver tongue, and she wondered what other talents it possessed.

"Is it so simple for you?"

"It can be for you as well if you let it."

"What about Kol?" She asked, remembering how he had mentioned before that Kol doesnt like to share. She didnt want to upset him even further.

"Nevermind him. This can stay between us," he shrugged his shoulders. "If you wish me to leave, I will, without hesitations. However, if you feel as I think you do, then cast aside all your worries. Leave them on the floor with your clothes." As he stepped closer, her hand shot out again, instinctively, pushing him back slightly. His brow furrowed. "Mari?"

She shook her head, "I cant... have meaningless sex, Klaus, Im sorry. Things like that... mean something to me." She was soft spoken, and rarely did she ever tell anyone no or speak her mind. However, she knew it was dangerous for her to get attached, and intimacy was a quick and easy way for that to happen.

"You have a big heart," Klaus noted. "Perhaps I made a mistake coming here."

"No," she said a little more desperately than she planned. He gave her a sympathetic expression.

"I cannot offer you my heart. It still belongs to another, though she's gone." His honesty was appreciated, though it hurt deep in her chest. Her arms wrapped around her body as if to shield it from any more disappointment. She nodded,

"I understand. Would you like to feed before you leave?" She offered, thinking it polite since she had been hired into their family as a blood donor. She swept her wavy blond hair off her right shoulder, holding it to the side with one hand, while tugging down her shirt collar with the other to expose her throat and collar. The skin under his eyes darkened, something she learned that happened when they wanted to feed.

"Are you sure?" He asked her softly. When she nodded her reply, he minimized the space between them and took her shoulders in his hand. He lowered his head, then pierced the soft skin of her perfect throat as gently as possible. The blood ran over his tongue, smooth and sweet, sliding down his throat with ease as he drank from her.

Mari's hands balled into fists with handfuls of his long sleeve black tee inside of them. She held on to steady herself, her eyelids fluttering closed and her lips slightly parting to let out a soft sigh. Klaus drank a little more, then pulled away from her. She offered a small, nervous smile.

"Thats what you really wanted, isnt it? What youve been craving..." Her eyes fell away from him, and her face turned to keep him from seeing the disappointment in her gaze. It was better this way, so she didnt mess up and accidentally fall in love. Better to cut the chord early.

"Mari, love, be careful when you're alone," he told her, changing the subject all together. He ran his tongue over his lips, an act that made Mari wonder if she had made a mistake by pushing him away. "I may not always be around to protect you."

"I'll be more cautious," she reassured him. "You don't have to worry about me, Klaus. Your family is really sweet for helping me. I can find my own way now, and hopefully Kol will be better on his own from now on."

"You... dont plan to visit? Or to have visitors?" He asked her, a hint of sadness in his voice. She shook her head slowly,

"I don't think it's a good idea for me. My heart doesn't belong to anyone, Klaus, but it's a little desperate to. Better not to want what I can't have, don't you think?"

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be. It isn't your fault. I wish I could have met Camille. She seems like a really lovely woman that left a big impression. She changed you. You're nothing like the stories Ive heard about you. You're much... kinder. Thanks for that kindness." He stood still for a moment, a little bit of guilt in his expression. "Goodnight, Klaus."

"Goodnight, then," he said back to her, heading for the door. He knew he couldn't give her what she wanted from him, but the idea of never seeing her again left an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He wasn't ready to say goodbye entirely.

He glanced over his shoulder at her, watching for a moment as she rubbed her neck where his fangs had been. After a second longer, he turned back and left the hotel room.

Once he was gone, Mari flopped down on the edge of her bed. She felt like a child with a crush that just got rejected for the first time. It wasnt a good feeling, but there was a relief that, at the very least, everything was out in the open and boundaries were clearly set. She had no chance, so maybe it would be easier to move on.