Chapter 001: Only Human

"Rory, I'm going to pick some mushrooms," Sienna announced from the stove, turning to face her little brother. "Stir the pot every so often while I'm gone. I won't take long."

Rory, a petite boy of only 10 years, looked up from the small wooden toys he was playing with, concern sweeping across his chubby face. "But – " he protested quickly. "What if father comes home while you're gone?"

"I'll only be a few minutes," she promised, ruffling his dark hair. "And if you need me, just yell. I'm not going far."

Rory stood up, abandoning his small wooden men on the floor. "Can I come with you?" he asked, eyes darting nervously out the window.

"No," Sienna replied with a gentle firmness, grabbing her basket by the door. "Someone needs to keep stirring supper so it won't burn."

Rory nodded slowly, moving to stand near the cooking pot. Sienna gave him a quick kiss on the top of the head, smiling reassuringly as she left. "Don't worry. Father's been gone for so long. I don't think he'll be back in the next few minutes."

Sienna walked out of their house, taking quick steps towards the woods south of their home where the mushrooms grow. Logic would dictate she was right – Mother and Father have been gone for weeks – it would be unnaturally bad luck if they came back in the few minutes that she was gone. However, she couldn't deny the tense feeling in her gut, an anxious anticipation that they would be home soon.

Their absence has given new life to both of them. Rory, usually skittish and fearful, has been enjoying the luxuries of childhood without their father's constant harassment or their mother's pointed aversion. He seems happy and free, now only hiding for their games. His nights have been free of tears and terror, and his days filled with curiosity, adventure, and laughter.

Likewise, Sienna – now healed from the last violent beating she endured on her brother's behalf – feels as though a veil has been lifted. For the first time in her life, she realizes that life can be joyful and loving, not just a constant battle. That their parents were the problem – not them.

On the third day of their absence, she heard Rory laugh. It was only then that she realized she hadn't heard that sound in years. It broke her heart to realize this, and it broke again when she wondered if she would ever hear it again once they returned. With each passing day, her confidence and resolution to leave and start a new life with Rory grew stronger. But she knew the dangers of the forest, the distance between themselves and the nearest village, and worst of all, she knew their father's pride and wrath would not let them escape. He would hunt them down, if need be. Would that be worse? Could it be worse than what they already endure?

Sienna bent down to pluck mushrooms from a small cluster on the damp forest floor. She pushed her negative thoughts away – for now, she would enjoy this time with Rory. Later, she will prepare for the next battle with her father.

She stepped over a large, protruding tree root carefully, she bent down to pick a few more that grew alongside the base of the tree.

A mile or so north of her, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol stood together in the dense, seemingly never-ending forest, frustrated, exhausted, and most of all… hungry.

"I told you we should've asked for directions before we killed that guy yesterday," Rebekah complained. Of all her siblings, she was by far the most fed up with their recent off-road travel. They'd started off strong, but one wrong turn became several wrong turns, until eventually they were walking in circles. In the last week, the only thing they've had to eat was a single traveling merchant – and split four ways, he was less than filling.

"Wait – do you smell that?" Klaus asked, his nose pointed upward. It was faint, but he could smell something – or rather, someone. Their smell was carried with the wind, making it difficult to pinpoint which direction it was coming from.

"Dibs," Kol announced selfishly, picking up the scent himself.

"Not if I find them first," Klaus challenged eagerly.

"No, we're all hungry," Elijah chastised. "We will share whomever that is until – " but they were already gone. He sighed, annoyed.

Kol and Klaus zipped through the trees in different directions, hastily searching for their prey. It was Kol who found her first – a beautiful ginger woman, maybe 17 or 18 years of age, picking mushrooms at the base of a tree. He grinned – young women were his favorite. Their blood was always sweeter.

In a split-second flash, he grabbed her by the neck and hoisted her up, slamming her back into the tree behind her. She gasped in surprise, eyes wide as Kol's eyes went dark and his fangs slipped downward. He leaned into her neck, then broke apart from her suddenly at the white-hot pain in his groin.

She kneed him in the dick!

"Bitch!" he hissed, his groin crippling him in pure agony. "I'll fucking kill you!"

Sienna scoffed, annoyed by the threat. "Listen up, little boy," she scolded, picking up her basket of mushrooms. "You get what you give. Put your hands on me again and you'll regret it."

He'd surprised her, and even she had to admit to the fear she felt when she first looked at his hungry, demonic face. But she'd been fighting a much bigger, badder monster her whole life – her father. And looking at this slender young man, curled into the fetal position on the forest floor, holding his genitals tightly in distress, she knew she had nothing to fear. She could handle him if he acted up again.

She looked into her mushroom basket, auditing her haul. There was enough for dinner. She turned to leave, stepping carefully over the thick tree root again, towards home.

Kol growled, rage complimenting his insatiable hunger. He couldn't believe her audacity. Little boy, his fury rolled in the insult. Who the hell does she think she is? In a flash, he appeared behind her, wrapping one arm around her torso, his other hand on her slender neck. Her thick mane of red-orange curls created a curtain between his fangs and her neck. He twisted her head sideways, forcing her to bend backward against him.

"Little girl," he moaned into her ear, "You have no idea who – fuck!"

Sienna couldn't deny his strength. She struggled against his grip, but he had her locked tight. Without hesitation, she brought her elbow forward, then cranked it back as hard as she could. It collided with his ribcage – hard. So hard, in fact, she felt her own bone crack on impact. His grip loosened for only the brief second he cried out, but it was enough for Sienna to drop to the ground and slide out of his grip.

He recovered quickly, diving down onto her, pushing her into the wet dirt with intense speed and force. But Sienna used his own momentum against him and rolled backward as he lunged, pushing him off of her with her legs. He flew right over the top of her and crashed head-first into the tree behind them. The impact made a loud cracking noise. For a moment she thought he had broken his head or neck on impact, but it was only the tree. The large red oak now had a sizable split down the center of the trunk.

Sienna stood slowly, the pain in her elbow hot and pulsing. It felt like she'd elbowed a rock wall, and she could feel blood dripping down her swelling arm.

It was her fresh blood that alerted the other Mikaelsons. Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah appeared in a split second, surprised at the sight in front of them – Kol on the ground, the woman standing above him.

"Enough," Sienna said, her tone commanding. "You're bothering me. Go home."

"Bothering you?" Kol repeated, his voice dripping with venom. He stood slowly, his head pounding, rage coursing through his veins. When he turned, his eyes connected with his siblings, all observing him with interest peaked. Elijah looked confused, and Rebekah held a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. Klaus shamelessly broke into a loud fit of laughter, holding his gut as he rolled in the hilarity of the situation. Kol fumed. "Shut it!" he warned.

Sienna only realized the others were standing there when Klaus started laughing. She eyed them suspiciously, trying to decide if they were there to stop their friend or help him.

In the moment of her split attention, Kol blurred forward once more, this time his hand around her throat, lifting her slightly from the ground. However, unlike most women in this situation, she didn't falter, squirm or scream. She looked down at him without fear, seemingly holding her own breath so he could not steal it in his vice grip.

"I have to admit, love, you're the strongest human I've ever met," Kol spoke, still seething. "I'm going to enjoy draining you."

Sienna smirked, a reaction none of the Mikaelsons were expecting. The moment he grabbed her like this, it was over. She'd been in this position many times – hanging by her neck at the hands of her abuser – and she knew she was far from powerless at this angle. Sienna suddenly swung her legs up, wrapping them around his neck, and in a smooth, fluid motion, she thrust one leg out and pulled the other in, snapping his neck.

They both fell, but this time, Kol remained unconscious.

Sienna coughed, struggling to take in the air she'd been denied. She felt undeniably light-headed, and her elbow was still screaming in pain, but she forced herself to focus on the onlooking trio with strength and conviction in her eyes.

Klaus' laughter subsided, and Rebekah's face twisted in concern. Elijah, stoic and unreadable, took a single step forward.

"What is your name?" he asked, his voice direct but kind.

"Sienna," she replied quickly, confidently. She was slightly more petite than Rebekah, with a wild, messy mane of long, curly orange-red hair. It framed her pale, freckled face and complemented sharply with her large honey-amber eyes. She squared her shoulders at them and stood straighter, trying to look bigger than she was. "Please take your friend and go. You're not welcome here."

"Is that so?" Klaus replied, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. He inhaled deeply, taking in her remarkably sweet aroma. Her blood smelled utterly mouthwatering.

He stepped forward, ahead of his siblings. Sienna read his body language clearly and lifted the hem of her dress. She pulled a small hunting knife from a strap on her calf and held it tightly. Klaus chuckled, his excitement steadily increasing with each beat of her loud, pounding heart.

"You see, Sienna," Klaus taunted, her name delicious on his lips, "You may have bested my little brother, but I am an entirely different beast."

Her eyes narrowed. He wanted her to fight back – he was excited to fight. She looked back at his companions. They seemed much less amused.

"So, you all mean to harm me?" she asked, her question pointed at the onlooking duo.

Elijah and Rebekah shared a look, their expression soft, almost apologetic. "Sorry love," Rebekah sighed. "We're really hungry."

Sienna considered her words. "And I suppose beef and mushroom stew isn't an acceptable alternative?" she asked. She had to try.

"Are you inviting us to dinner?" Klaus asked, amused.

"I always prefer kindness to violence," she replied easily, "but I know that doesn't always work out."

Klaus' face fell. This was quickly becoming much less fun. "Afraid not, love," he replied coldly.

"Damn," Sienna sighed, her eyes flickering over all of Klaus' openings. Although he wasn't much older or larger than her other attacker, she could sense the power that radiated from him. He would be a far greater opponent, and she was starting at a disadvantage.

A frontal attack won't work – she could already tell. But waiting for him to make the first move could be deadly, too. Running obviously wasn't an option, either. She gripped the blade in her hand tightly, her mind flashing to Rory. She's been gone too long already. She couldn't die here. He still needed her.

Klaus took another step forward, now standing directly in front of her. He'd expected her to make a move before he got this close – but she seemed almost lost in thought. "May I ask a small favor?" she said, her voice quiet, meant only for Klaus.

He raised a brow, curious about her change in demeanor. "I will fight for my life with all I have, but if I lose… if you kill me…" she looked up at him with sincerity in her eyes. She wasn't begging, pleading, or bargaining – just a simple ask. "Don't leave my body to be found. My little brother will find me, and he – well, he's been through enough."

Klaus considered her request before offering a short nod. Looking into those swirling golden orbs, part of him didn't want to kill her anymore. But his throat burned for blood, his stomach empty and his body itching for it. He needed her – they all did.

He pushed her gently against the tree behind them, lifting her chin gently. Her eyes explored the depths of his, and for a moment, it felt as if time froze. He studied her young, beautiful face – the way her freckles danced heavily across her nose and cheeks, tapering to a soft dusting around her eyes. Long auburn lashes framed her shining eyes, eyes that burned with focus and resolve. He pushed a strand of stray ringlets from her face, admiring the orange hue glowing from the way the sun hit her. She looked like a sunset.

He was captivated and wanted to burn the memory of her face into his mind. "You are a work of art," he muttered quietly. He would paint her later.

She smiled, and it was a beautiful smile, but it was also mischievous and telling.

"Wait!" Rebekah hollered at him. "Ask for directions before you – "

Crack.

Her go-to move, Sienna took advantage of his distraction and slammed her knee into his groin. Unlike his brother, he didn't fall, but he did waiver, giving her the unexpected opportunity to plunge her dagger into his chest. He gasped, stunned, then excited.

She cursed – she missed his heart. Still trapped against the tree, she grabbed his head and slammed it into her own. Their skulls collided with a resounding crack, which she immediately followed by tackling him to the ground. The whole thing happened fast and smooth, the most fluid yet savage combination of attacks. She fought like a man, like she had the size and mass of someone much larger than her. And while she was strong, and her hits unexpected and committed, she was still a just small human woman. Klaus grinned. It hurt, but it was fun to be challenged.

For Sienna, the world was spinning – headbutting him was a really bad idea, and tackling him probably wasn't the smartest move, but she didn't exactly have a lot of options. Sienna grabbed the dagger in his chest and ripped it out quickly, raising it to slam into his chest again.

He caught her hand mid-air, a wild, excited look on his face. His nose was bleeding where she hit him, and his shirt was ripped and soaked in his own blood from the knife. His hair tussled around his sharply chiseled face, dark blue eyes wide and his smile wider. He looked absolutely wild.

She didn't miss a beat as he restrained her hand, squeezing it so tightly that she dropped the knife. Mid-squeeze, she slammed two fingers from her other hand into his eyes, pushing hard and fast until he threw her off seconds later.

She landed on the forest floor hard, sliding back several feet before coming to a stop. She looked up at her opponent, now bleeding from his eyes, but still smiling devilishly at her.

"Niklaus, perhaps we should – "

"No," he barked dismissively at Elijah. Temporarily blinded, he let his other senses guide him back to her.

Sienna stood quickly, resourcefully grabbing a long, thick branch from beside her. She swung with all her strength, aiming for his ear, and was surprised when he caught it easily before impact. Klaus smirked – he'd heard the wooshing of the branch and felt the tickle of the retreating wind. When he caught the branch, he was impressed with the force – it was powerful for a human.

Instead of trying to pull her newfound weapon free, she flipped her end upward and dropped down, extending her right leg and sweeping it under his feet with a spin. His feet swept out from under him, and he fell backward, landing on his elbows. He laughed when he hit the ground.

Sienna grabbed the now-released branch back and, with a quickness, held it to his clavicle. "Surrender now and you don't have to die like your friend," she told him.

He looked up at her, smiling. She watched in a mixture of horror and amazement as his eyes – both of which she'd successfully crushed – regenerate and heal.

He grabbed the stick and pushed it away from his neck, standing slowly for dramatic effect. She cursed and raised her fists, looking for her next opening. He walked towards her slowly, his vision quickly clearing. "I'm impressed," he told her honestly. "Where did you learn to fight like this?"

Sienna didn't answer. Instead, she swung her fist, aiming for his cheek. He caught her hand easily, and without missing a beat, she kicked her leg to his ribcage. The crack that followed was her leg, not his ribs. She yelped in pain and threw her other fist, aiming for his nose, but instead of connecting – he vanished. She looked left, then right, trying to ignore the fresh, throbbing pain in her leg. Where did he go?

Stay calm, she reminded herself. A strong gust of wind blew the trees around them, pulling a gust of yellow autumn leaves down around them. She took a slow breath, trying to sense the danger around her.

There he is, she realized. He was behind her.

She spun suddenly, grabbing Klaus' shoulders as she faced him. He grabbed her, too, and pulled her close with a playful smile. "Don't headbutt me again," he warned, noticing their tight proximity. But he didn't attack – no, he wanted to see what she'd do next.

Sienna released his shoulders and clapped her open palms against his ears forcefully.

He pushed her back roughly, his ears ringing. Sianna tried to catch herself, but the pain in her leg betrayed her and she fell backward. He was on top of her before she could stand, holding both of her hands over her head with only one of his. He pinned her legs with his own – he'd seen what she could do with those when she took down Kol.

Sienna struggled against his grip. She could feel her wrists breaking slowly in his grip and fought the urge to scream.

He quite enjoyed watching her squirm under him, feeling her body against his – breasts rubbing against his torso, hips bucking into his – she was trying to throw him off but was only managing to turn him on.

His eyes darkened, the veins on his face contracting noticeably as his fangs sunk lower for his anticipated bite. She glared at him, not a trace of fear on her face. Not knowing what else to do, she turned her head and bit his arm – the only part of him she could reach – as hard as she could, drawing blood. She ignored the metallic taste in her mouth and ripped back and forth on his skin like an angry dog.

He laughed at the irony, barely noting the discomfort, and instead admiring her spirit to fight to the very end. With her head turned on his arm, he zeroed in on the vein in her neck, closing the distance between them.

"Sister!" a small voice cried in the distance. It was a child. "Sister, help! Father is back!"

Sienna immediately released Klaus' arm, his blood wet around her lips, her expression twisting in absolute horror as she looked in the direction of the child's voice. "Get off of me," she demanded, her voice cracking. "Get off! Get off now!" she yelled, her struggling suddenly more erratic.

Klaus paused – he could almost taste her, and he was so hungry. But something fundamental had suddenly changed in her – she wasn't a warrior anymore, she was desperate.

"God damn it all, please!" she yelled, her scared eyes boring into his. "You can kill me later, okay? But right now, my little brother is facing a monster far worse than you. I have to help him." Tears filled her eyes. "Please."

"No, Father, don't – !" the child's voice echoed in the distance, followed by a loud crash. "SISTER!"

Perhaps it was the familiarity of the situation.

Perhaps it was that he had been excited to drink her brave blood, and it was now tainted with newfound fear.

Perhaps he was curious – who could possibly scare her, if not him? Surely a woman this brave has an interesting story.

Perhaps he held some level of respect for the only human who'd ever held their own in a direct fight with a vampire.

He couldn't be sure, but he found himself releasing her.

He wasn't even completely off of her before she scampered up, running towards the child's voice without looking back at them even once.

Elijah and Rebekah went to stand beside Klaus, watching her red hair disappear into the distance of the forest. "You're just going to let her go?" Rebekah asked, disbelievingly. "After all that?"

But Elijah was glad Klaus had let her go. He, too, felt the familiarity of the situation, and couldn't help but feel great respect for her strength and courage.

"The father would indeed be larger," Elijah remarked. "He would have more blood."

Klaus smiled cheekily at his brother, "Funny. I was thinking the same thing."