* This chapter is rated M for Mature. Let me know what ya think.*
The hall was dimly lit and smelled of fresh paint. I followed the sound of a paintbrush rushing along a canvas. The clock chimed the late hour from the hall below but I focused on my anger, using it to fuel me. After everything he had done — waking Esther and the blow-up over his siblings — he had no right to avoid me. If anything, I should be the one pissed off.
The double doors to the primary bedroom were propped open and I could just make out his solid form. He sat in front of an easel with a wooden table beside him that was filled to the brim with different varieties of paints. His head was lowered as he ran his paintbrush over the palette at his side. I took a moment just to stand there and capture the image, storing it away for the future. Fear coiled in my stomach, a feeling that had only slowly stoked by the way he had been acting the last few days. What had happened between us? Niklaus had never been one to leave me fearful of where we stood; that had always been more of a Damon thing, but now after Esther's awakening, things had changed. He had changed.
Gently, with my steps quiet and filled with caution, I pushed open the door. "Nik, can we talk?"
His hand froze, his paintbrush an inch from the wet canvas. He stiffened at my approach and I felt my confidence shake and nearly snap.
"What do you want, Elandra?"
I wavered, staring at the abstract painting in front of him. Why was he being so cold? "Are you so angry that I woke your siblings that you won't even look at me?" His attention remained on the canvas, and I huffed with vexation. "It was necessary after Esther; I won't apologize for it." He chuckled darkly at my words, shaking his head. My hands trembled and I placed them against my stomach. "I thought our relationship was strong enough to survive your anger. Was I wrong?"
The brush in his hand snapped, broken in two by his tight grip. My eyes widened in startled surprise. Slowly he lowered his hand, dropping the brush onto the table. "Of course I am angry that you went behind my back and removed the dagger from my siblings. If you thought I would simply let that betrayal go, then we have bigger problems."
Taking hold of his shoulder, I pulled him off the stool with a scowl. "Are you kidding me? I was terrified, Nik! You woke up the woman who once tore me away from my family, cursing me to an eternity of reincarnation. What did you expect me to do? Stand around and wait for her to murder me or the people I love? That isn't who I am."
Niklaus ripped his shoulder from my prying fingers and turned away. "I expected you to trust me, just once!"
I laughed; it was a low hollow sound that sent shivers down my spine. "When have I not placed my trust in you or yours? You have had a place in my life, in one way or another, for the last thousand fucking years."
Niklaus turned, his cold blue eyes surveying my face. "Was that before or after you shared your bed with Damon Salvatore?"
My hand clenched into a fist at my side, and I truly considered bringing it up to meet his face. My voice was frigid and I stared into his eyes with incredulity. "How dare you. Would you like for us to go over the many women who have shared your bed, Niklaus? Wasn't there once one named Aurora?" I cruelly asked, my voice as close to a snarl as humanly possible.
Niklaus winced, his expression twisting with regret. Sorrow filled my chest, a scorching burn that felt like it would engulf me if I didn't release it in some way. "I don't want to fight. That was never what I wanted."
His eyes closed with weariness and he pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "What do you want, El?"
I took a tentative step forward, lifting my hands beseechingly. "The truth, please! Just tell me what's wrong. We can fix whatever it is; together."
"There is nothing to fix." His eyes flamed from within as he glared at me before turning and stalking towards the door.
"Don't you dare take another step, Nik." He stopped stone still, shoulders heaving from heavy breaths. "You have been avoiding me for days. The least you can do is give me a reason."
A low and throaty chuckle resounded from the other side of the room."I owe you nothing, love, even now."
My chest began to tighten with emotion, making it hard to swallow. I knew Niklaus could be standoffish, but this was taking it to a whole new level. Tears burned at the edges of my eyes as I drew a deep breath, struggling to contain them. No matter what he was to me, he would never see me weak ever again.
"Run Nik, it's what you always do. The first sign of comfortability and you go off the handle." I threw my hands up in exasperation as I fought to control the quiver in my tone. "When will I ever be enough for you, Niklaus?" Silence. The tears were streaming freely down my cheeks now.
"I don't understand it. I could never turn my back on someone I love." My eyelids fluttered as my vision blurred. "I guess that means you never really loved me after all."
I started to turn away as a sob tore its way out of my throat. I had to leave. The room raised a few degrees around me adding to the flush spreading across my face. As I made for the door, a familiar hand grasped the back of my neck and turned me back around. My lips met his in a bruising kiss, his hand firmly latched onto my neck. I let out a gasp as his teeth grazed my bottom lip, eliciting a growl that rumbled deep in his chest.
Opening my eyes, my breath caught in my throat. His eyes pierced mine with an intensity they write songs about. The clear crystal blue eyes of my Nik were long gone. These eyes were just as familiar to me, however, and my face flamed at his inspection.
They were amber.
"-you never really loved me after all."
Is that what she honestly thought? Had I not shown her the depth of my love, over and over again, to the brink of death and back? The growl in my sternum drowned out my hearing for a moment as my mind fought to catch up.
The air stirred as she turned to leave. Oh no, love. I don't think so. Feeling my eyes change, I flew toward her and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck. She was mine. I turned her around to face me and pressed my lips to hers. If I was a stronger man, I would have let her leave. I would have let her live her life thinking I was unfailingly cruel. Strong, however, I was not. Not when it came to her. My Elandra.
I could feel the rumble in my chest reverberate for her. She was the only one who could make me feel this way. A gasp escaped her lips as she heard what she did to me. The heat was rolling off of me in waves.
"Nik," she uttered breathlessly, "what are you doing?"
Instead of responding, I pressed my lips against hers once more. Grasping her waist, I deftly lifted her into my arms and she immediately wrapped her legs around me. The wolf was devastatingly loud in my mind, pushing me to claim her as my own once and for all. Making my way across the room, El gasped aloud as her back pressed firmly against the wall.
Holding her steady, I nipped and licked my way down to the hollow of her throat, a growl humming low in the back of mine. The wolf chanted, steady as a drum, to bite her. From the moment I had broken my curse, I had given in to the wolf's inclinations at every opportunity. The one time I wanted to comply wholeheartedly, was the one time I now had to refuse.
El let out a breathy moan, arching her hips up to meet mine. A hiss escaped through my teeth. Damn it all. The things this woman could do to me. I pressed back against her core as I licked up the expanse of her throat, eliciting a deeper moan from my mate. I could hear her heart racing for me.
She pulled back suddenly to rest her forehead against mine, breaths coming out harsh and quick.
"Nik, I know what you're doing." I hummed in acknowledgment before I turned my head and kissed along her cheek, I deftly captured her earlobe between my teeth. A sharp gasp escaped her before a deep moan took its place. "Fine, you win." She placed a hand on either side of my face, forcing my eyes to meet hers. "This isn't over though, we will talk."
I stared into her eyes for a moment. The normally bright emerald was dimmed and hazy with lust, but it was the first time I saw the soft ring of blue around the iris. Her eyes blazed an electric blue in the throes of her magic, but I had never realized the blue remained behind. It made her eyes unique, just like the rest of her. I swallowed as an all too familiar emotion swirled its way through my chest; despair. I was going to have to give her up. This beautiful girl, my mate, my soul…this was it. If we had to say goodbye, I could be selfish one last time.
I lifted her back up, causing her to squeal in panic, and away from the wall. I nipped at her neck and quickly moved across the room. Spying my goal out of the corner of my eye, I gripped her thighs once more before dropping her deftly on the wooden table. She stared at me, wide-eyed, as she looked at her legs covered in paint. I could see her moving to climb off the table. No no, my dear. We've just begun.
I pushed firmly against her hip, looking at her through my lashes imploringly. I could see the gears turning in her mind as she leaned back on her elbows. Still looking into her eyes, I ran my hand across her hip and grasped the rigid edge of her jeans, with a flick of my wrist, I unbuttoned them.
"Lift," I ordered, gently tapping her thighs, and she obeyed immediately.
My fingers latched onto either side and slowly pulled down, giving me a tantalizing view of her milky white thighs. My eyes flicked back up to hers in time to see her smile at me. God how I loved that smile.
Her thighs dropped back down to the table with a soft thud and a squelch as she landed in the paint, making her laugh aloud joyously. Her laugh was so light and melodic that it clutched at my heart; it always made my soul sing to hear it. A swell of pride began to build in my chest. So many things as of late had stolen my mate's happiness and willingness to laugh. That fact that I could still bring it out of her was a pleasurable comfort.
With a mischievous grin spreading across my face, I knelt slowly in front of her. Keeping her eyes entranced in mine, I grasped her thighs and parted them agonizingly slower than I would have liked. This wasn't about me; this was about her pleasure. A thought popped into my head as I reached beside her to grab a stray paintbrush.
The brush itself may not have been spectacular, you could find a set just like it in any antique store across the country. This set, however, was given to me long ago by my dear Ellie. That was another life and another time. My love for the reminders of our affections, however, held a close place in my heart and was never far from my person.
Grinning to myself, I dipped the tip of the brush into the glistening white paint. I pressed on her right thigh, giving myself more room to work on my masterpiece. I could feel her gaze on me, her laser focus pinned on my hand gripping her thigh. Her breaths were coming out in small pants, her mouth slightly agape as she watched.
Pressing the brush to her skin, I began to work. Swirls of white petals climbed up her thigh towards her core; I completed each wildflower with a press of my lips against it. The closer I got to her quim, the louder her sighs became and the longer her moans droned on. The smell of her was unlike any other; tantalizingly sweet and a heady musk from her arousal. My mouth began to water; I would not be able to deny myself for much longer. Nearing her core, I lightly nipped the tender skin there and was rewarded with a deep groan from my mate.
"Nik!" she gasped out, involuntarily arching her core towards me, desperate to release the friction that was surely building deep within.
I smirked against her thigh, planting a soft kiss on her skin as an apology. I was tightly controlled on the outside, but on the inside…on the inside, I was a raging tempest. The wolf roared inside my mind, enthralled by her pleas and bloodthirsty to claim her once and for all. I chuckled deep in my throat, glancing back toward El. Hearing her sharp inhale at my throaty growl, the wolf raised its hackles within me. It was time to end the agony we shared and give in to this overwhelming hunger swirling within us. I settled comfortably into the hollow of her thighs and licked a slow but eager circle around her clit.
A shudder rocked the small table as her back arched and her thighs tightened around my neck. She whimpered, moaning in a way that I had never heard before. I snickered, smiling against her thigh. I glanced up, staring into her dark lust filled eyes. She glared down at me self-consciously. I laughed against the warmth of her, and she fell back, mewling as the vibrations from my amusement caught up with her. I felt my cock harden in approval.
Her hand traveled down to find purchase in my hair. Never in all my centuries had my name been so worshiped; inarticulate praise melded with desperate needy pleas. I felt her control slipping and the muscles in her stomach tightened as a shiver rushed down her spine. Our gazes met and her eyes drifted down to the growing hardness in my jeans. Her hand slipped between us and she smiled knowingly at my hungry growl.
"You taste like heaven, love," I murmured, nipping at her hip bone.
Her face flushed at the praise. She whimpered, nearly incoherent as she fell back onto the table, her arms shaking. Her skin shined, wet with perspiration. She almost glowed in the dim candlelight. I took a moment to simply admire her. The fear from earlier tried to resurface but I shoved it down, forcing myself to live in the moment. I would not think about what tomorrow would bring.
She brushed the hair off of her forehead and grinned up at me. Her green eyes were glazed with arousal, and her cheeks still held a beautiful pink flush. I shared a teasing, mischievous grin as I lowered my lips to the peak of her left breast. I pulled the nipple between my lips and sucked eagerly.
I watched avidly as she twisted in pleasure, her breath leaving her parted lips in sweet sighs. I pulled away from her breast and she whined, lifting her upper body from the table.
"Nik! If you don't stop teasing!" she warned, her voice tinged with desire.
"Patience, love. I will never leave you wanting."
I hovered above her, my lips barely grazing hers. "Lay back."
El narrowed her eyes but did as she was told. The wolf roared with pleasure. Her flushed body fell back onto the table with an audible squelch of paint.
My lips and teeth traveled the hills and valleys of her flesh. As I reached her pelvis, the wolf made itself known again. It whined and growled possessively in my mind, demanding a single bite; for me to claim what was ours. I closed my eyes as I moved away from the temptation.
El pleaded for release, and her cries were music to my ears. It was time to give her what she so needed. I slipped two fingers into her wet warmth. She convulsed; the table swayed below her as she searched in vain for purchase; red paint stained her nails and fingers. Her answering whine begged for something only I could offer. With the combined pressure of my fingers and the teasing swipe of my tongue, El soon came undone. I stole her deep moan of pleasure, capturing each cry on my tongue. Her pleasure slithered down my spine and fully awakened my lust.
I pulled away from her quivering body and looked down at the image that was sure to be seared into my memory, and someday, onto canvas. El lay atop the table cloaked in the colors of the setting sun. Her chest steadily rose and fell as she came down from her high. When she sat up, her smile was blinding, and the edges of her hair were drenched in blue. She looked like one of my paintings came to life; I grinned at the image.
El slowly sat up, and the wet sound of paint rang out in the empty room. The elated look she had worn only moments before vanished, and she looked down at her skin in mild concern.
"This will come off, right?" she asked, warm green eyes rounded in alarm.
I smiled at her softly and stepped closer. "Of course, love. All you'll need is a shower and some strong soap."
El's face darkened and she pulled me closer, wrapping her legs around my waist. "Hmm, a shower doesn't sound so bad?"
I leaned down, kissing a trail down the side of her neck. I left a red mark of possession behind her right ear. "I will have you in my bed, Elandra," I said, lifting her. I softly squeezed her paint-speckled flesh.
I sped toward the bed and slammed her onto the mattress. I leaned over her, caging her between my arms. I could feel the heat in my eyes as the wolf came to the surface. He had her right where he wanted her.
"The sheets!" she exclaimed, looking down at the white sheets. They were now destroyed with fine oil paints.
I stopped her words with my tongue. I knew she could taste what was left of her desire as I deepened the kiss. My hands implanted themselves into her thick red curls. Her searching fingers found my chest, and she frowned into our kiss, pulling at the shirt I wore with agitation.
"Take it off!" she demanded, her tone disapproving and short of breath.
The wolf growled at her tone; it needed her complete submission, but I grinned down at her. I had always enjoyed the way she challenged me. I reached down and pulled at the buttons on my shirt until they popped off, flying in opposite directions. She laughed; it was a joyous sound that filled me with deep longing. I pushed it down, unable to look upon it for too long. I could not focus on that right now. She watched the black buttons disappear into different parts of the room.
"Well that worked," she giggled, placing her hands on the plains of my bare chest.
She ran her fingers along my skin, seeking out the differences. Her eyes absorbed the tattoo on my left upper shoulder. She touched each inked bird with adoration. "When did you get this?"
I ran my hands down her curls, twisting them around my fingers in a gentle caress. "A very long time ago. I wanted something that represented freedom when I still felt caged."
Her eyes were soft and shined up at me with deep love and devotion. I really was a selfish bastard. My finger ran down the side of her neck, and I sighed. "Do you wish to talk?" I said, lifting my eyebrows suggestively.
El smiled wickedly and leaned in for a kiss; her tongue traced the confines of my mouth. I growled against her lips as her knuckles brushed against one of my nipples. Her smile grew as she leaned back; she was eager to test my limits. Her hand dipped low and lightly brushed against my straining erection. I lowered my head into the crook of her neck, nibbling gently on her skin. She gripped me tightly and I felt a moan build in my throat. Not one to be outdone, I pulled my hand from her hair, and reached down, plucking one of her tight nipples. She groaned, and her pace quickened; I felt my control snap. I removed her hand from my cock and flipped her onto her stomach. She giggled in surprise, turning her head to look at me over her shoulder. I leaned over her, pressing my lips against her ear.
"Quit your wiggling, love. Or do you not wish for me to fuck you?"
Her face colored, her eyes widening and darkening with desire. She nodded quickly and lowered her head to the mattress. She gasped when she felt my hand dip between her thighs and gather the leaking moisture there; I used it as my chosen lubricant. I teased her first, working my fingers between her folds but never touching her sensitive clit. The fingers of my other hand began to slowly work her open. Her breathing hitched, and she sat up on her elbows.
"Relax, Elandra."
Her head rocked as she nodded, and her body loosened at my tender touch. "Good girl."
Her spine shuddered and I ran my hand along her back. I lined myself up and slowly pushed my rigid length inside of her. She winced, shocked by the intrusion at first. When I moved my fingers around to her front and teased the tender flesh I found at the center, she both relaxed and tightened, welcoming every thrust.
"Fuck! How I've missed you," I groaned. I took my time, refusing to dive into her with abandon. I was slow, precise, and calculated with my moves, creating a pull and push that went along with the heavy beating of my heart. "So tight!" I hissed, my heated eyes staring down at her with hunger.
El only whined, unable to speak coherently through the constant push and pull of my hips. Her walls clenched around me and I pushed through, gasping out an array of curses. She shuddered beneath me, her lips parting as she exhaled deeply. "So good."
I pistoned in and out of her, clenching onto her slick hips, eliciting deep gasps from her as I found a perfect rhythm. I felt my teeth elongate, and my eyes began to glow. It was a warning that my wolf was approaching the surface. I could hear him in my very soul, demanding that I take what was mine.
I closed my eyes against the sight of El writhing beneath me, her pale slick skin there for the taking. I turned away; I could not have her, not like that. I bit into my lower lip as El tightened around me once more. I thrust through the stranglehold, hard and deep as I came. The strength of her climax milked me for all I was worth, and I lowered on top of her, shaking with exertion.
She gripped onto the ruined sheets, wearing a satisfied smile that tore through my chest. I pulled out of her welcoming heat and struggled to catch my breath, but the attempt was in vain. Elandra twisted around and forced me onto the bed, her legs wrapped around my middle. She giggled endearingly and my chest ached.
"Well that was certainly my preferred way to make up," she joked.
I lifted her off of me, forcing a cold mask onto my face. She stared up at me, confusion replacing what was left of her happiness. "Nik?" she softly questioned, her mouth opening and closing as she fought for words.
I stood, wrapping the sheet around my waist. "This changes nothing. Think of it as a final goodbye, if you must."
"G-Goodbye? Nik, what are you talking about?" she asked, pulling the comforter over her shivering form.
I felt sick as I looked down at her — apathy was the only emotion left for her to find. "What we had between us is gone, I've moved on. This was simply an…adequately pleasurable way to end things." The color in her face faded as she choked down a sob. Her body shook with disbelief. "What can I say? I'm a bastard, you knew that from the very beginning," I said, shrugging.
Her face was lined with cold tears as she folded her legs against her chest. She shook her head, refusing to believe that this was the end. But she must.
"I never believed that until now," she moaned.
I turned away and closed my eyes, with as much force as I could muster, I walked away without another word, a single tear the only evidence of my heartbreak.