Hi everyone,
As I mentioned in the last chapter, there hasn't been much feedback or discussion about the story. I'm getting worried that only a few of you are reviewing while hundreds of you are just jumping from one chapter to the next without engaging.
It's with a heavy heart that I say this, but I'm considering taking a break from this story because it doesn't seem to be appreciated in the way it should be. This latest chapter alone is almost 15,000 words, and given the effort I've put in, I believe more feedback is necessary.
If you could encourage more engagement and discussion in the comments, I would truly appreciate it. Your insights and thoughts mean a lot to me and help improve the story for everyone. Thank you for understanding and for your support.
Darkest Temptations
Chapter Forty Five: Disturbing the Peace
Vickie Mikaelson
Caroline excused herself from the table after finishing her breakfast; she'd decided to inquire about the spa facilities here at the hotel. Though it remained unclear to me whether or not this decision was born out of the allure of our vacation or if she sought to distract herself from the unsettling notion of Klaus spending time with her only competition, Elena. Klaus had been seated between the two of them at our table all morning and hadn't shown the slightest bit of unease; clearly, he did not care or did not wish to know about the growing tension between the pair. I found myself curiously drawn to the unknown, and when it came to these two seemingly sweet sister wives, all the cards were on the table, and they had their bellies exposed. Neither of them knew this yet; that much was clear: the heartache they'd face would either make or break the family they seemed so desperate to build, just not at the expense of their own happiness.
When Elena stepped away from the table to use the restroom, Klaus's attention remained fixed upon his phone, though I did notice her steal a glance as she passed by. April too seemed unaware of what had been occurring between Elena and Klaus. I looked up from my meal to find April's eyes on me.
"You seem more relaxed." April noted, her eyes scanning my face with scrutiny.
"Yeah, I've been exercising this morning." I replied with a shrug.
She grinned, "That must be it; you look great."
I decided to test the waters, and I looked over at Klaus. "Do you think so too?."
April's smile faltered as her gaze went to Klaus, who nodded curtly without looking up from his phone.
"He thinks so." April replied with a warm smile.
I returned her smile and decided to go all in. "Cat got your tongue?"
I heard Klaus exhale loudly beside us as he finally put down his phone. He looked from me to April, who was blushing at the awkwardness of the situation.
"I'm just going to get myself an omelet." April said before she stood up.
"Do hurry back," I said as my attention shifted back to Klaus. "I fear I'll be lonely otherwise."
April let out a nervous laugh as she picked up her plate. "I'll try not to keep you waiting," she said before she walked off, leaving me with Klaus.
Klaus drummed his fingers on the tablecloth. "You're quite the little troublemaker, aren't you?"
"I just don't like being ignored," I replied, feeling emboldened by his undivided attention.
"Is that right?" Klaus asked, his eyes fixed on mine.
I nodded and leaned forward, watching his gaze shift down to my cleavage; a satisfied smile spread across my lips.
"I didn't think you'd notice." I answered him honestly, watching his eyes return to mine.
"Not notice what exactly?"
"Anything other than my wrists." I replied, keeping my voice low.
Klaus smiled. "Well, if you wanted my attention so badly, you could have just come and sat in my lap."
"Really? Because it didn't seem like that would've been a good idea, it seems you only want what you can't have."
"You're wrong." Klaus told me, his expression growing serious.
"How am I wrong?" I challenged him, feeling my pulse quicken as he continued to hold my gaze. "Tell me you don't want me right now, and I'll behave."
His jaw tensed as he stared at me. "You can't handle me," he replied.
"Why don't you try me?" I shot back.
"I already did; it wasn't exactly a landmine." He said, referencing the blowjob I'd regretted giving him.
I felt my cheeks flush at his words before I retorted, "Fuck you."
"I'm sure you'd like to," he replied smugly.
"So would most of your other wives," I countered. "How does it feel knowing you've only screwed two out of five?"
Klaus smirked and leaned closer to me. "It feels pretty good; how about you? How's it feel knowing you're gonna be next?"
My heart raced at his words.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, hoping I sounded more composed than I felt.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he replied with a dark smile.
I looked around the room then, my eyes searching for Elena or April before I turned my attention back to Klaus.
"This is a joke, right?" I asked him, my voice trembling slightly.
"No, no joke," Klaus answered, his eyes full of mischief. "Why would I deny myself?"
"It didn't work out so well for you last night," I replied, trying to ignore the way my body was responding to his words.
He chuckled, "I don't remember you complaining."
"Just not reacting to your advances."
"Really? So you were just doing it out of the kindness of your heart?" he mocked.
"I don't have a heart, remember?" I said, reminding him of the last thing he'd said to me.
"Yes, you do," Klaus replied, his tone softening slightly. "You have a big one, too big."
I met his gaze, my pulse racing as I struggled to think of a response.
"That's why you've kept your mouth shut about April's innocence, Elena's visitor in New York, and why you didn't open that vacuum of a mouth of yours when they wanted to bring in the witch."
I swallowed hard, feeling a rush of heat course through my veins. I looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze any longer.
"So the bitch has got a big heart?" I asked.
Klaus smirked, shaking his head, his eyes boring into mine. "You think that's an insult? Let me tell you something: every woman in history who made a name for herself was a bitch."
"Well, you dated most of them; you would be familiar." I retorted, trying to shake off the effect his words were having on me.
Klaus's expression hardened as he leaned closer to me. "You can deny it all you want, but I know the truth."
"Is this the part where you claim you know me?" I challenged him.
He smirked and nodded, "Oh, I know you; I know exactly who you are."
I looked around the room once more, noticing that Elena was still nowhere in sight and April had yet to return.
"Looking around for backup? Don't bother; there's only me and you here." Klaus said.
I swallowed hard, trying to calm my racing heart as he continued to stare at me.
"I'm not scared of you, Klaus."
"Only what I'll do to you."
"You're full of shit."
Klaus smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm just full of something."
I bit my lip.
"Hot air?" I asked, trying to regain some control over the situation.
Klaus smirked. "You do like to try, don't you?"
I met his gaze, feeling a rush of heat course through my veins. He leaned closer to me, his eyes fixed on mine as he whispered, "You have no idea what I want to do to you right now."
My heart raced as I stared at him, struggling to form a coherent response.
"Hate to point out the obvious, but it's not my day anymore," I reminded him. "You want your rocks off, then might I suggest sister wife number two?"
Klaus's expression hardened. "She's not going anywhere near that today."
"Why? Are you scared she won't like it?" I smirked and leaned closer to him, whispering, "I bet I could handle it."
"Careful."
"So why isn't Elena getting the royal treatment? Has she been bad? You don't like it when we're bad, do you?" I asked, feeling a thrill of excitement rush through my veins as I watched his jaw tighten.
"You're playing a dangerous game." He warned.
"Really? Because it feels like I'm winning."
"Don't be so sure."
"Elena's been a bad girl, hasn't she?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Tell me I'm wrong."
Klaus smirked. "I don't have to tell you anything."
"But you expect everything from us." I shot back, feeling my blood boil.
He shrugged. "You're the one who brought it up."
"And you're the one who's refusing to answer."
"Don't you believe in boundaries? You're talking about my wife."
"And my sister wife."
Klaus smirked. "Sister wife?"
"Yeah, we're all your wives, remember? We're family. That's what you signed Bonnie up to believe anyway."
Klaus's smirk faded.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. You don't like the witch as much as you thought you would, do you?"
"She's still adjusting."
"Adjusting to what exactly?"
"To being around us."
"Us or you?"
"Both."
"It must be hard for her, especially with you around."
"What are you implying?"
I leaned forward. "That you're a controlling polygamist with a God complex and a cock of a God. But that you're still just an asshole beneath all else. You're the type who always wants what he can't have. You want what Bonnie has, but she'll never give it up."
"Says the one who sank to her knees for me how quickly?"
I shrugged. "A girl's gotta eat."
"Right, and you were just hungry?"
"You know what they say, a blowjob a day keeps the hybrid at bay."
Klaus chuckled. "You think you're so clever, don't you?"
"That's right, babe, clever, sexy, real, unafraid, and unashamed."
"And you think this is going to earn you my trust?"
"Whoever said I wanted your trust?"
"You're smart enough to know it's something that'll keep you alive."
"I don't need your protection," I pointed to myself. "Vampire, remember?"
Klaus smirked, "That's the equivalent of comparing finger painting to the Mona Lisa."
"Listing your ex-girlfriends again?"
"How many times do I need to say it before you get it through your pretty little head? I'm not your enemy."
"Then what are you?"
"The only thing standing between you and whatever it is you're trying to avoid."
"I'm not afraid of my past, Klaus. I died; I can't walk down the streets of Mystic Falls. It's sad; it's boo-hoo, and it's done. Stop comparing what I have to what the others gave up."
Klaus smiled. "You're the most complicated of the lot."
"Because I'm honest?"
"Because you're hiding something."
I rolled my eyes. "Like what?"
"If I knew then, I'd be able to sleep at night."
Images of his unmade bed flashed through my mind. Was he really expecting me to believe he was worried that I wasn't doing okay?
"I don't have a sob story, Klaus, and I don't do sympathy."
Klaus smirked. "You just contradicted yourself in the same sentence."
I sank into the back of my chair. "You're giving me a headache."
"Would you rather I give you something else?"
I looked at him, feeling a rush of heat course through my veins as he leaned closer to me.
"Don't tease me, Klaus; you'll regret it."
Klaus smirked. "That's where you're wrong."
I watched as he slowly reached out, placing his hand on my thigh beneath the table. My heart raced as his fingers crept higher, slowly inching up my leg. I tried to maintain a calm appearance, but inside I was on fire.
"Tell me you don't want this." He whispered, his lips brushing against my ear.
I swallowed hard, struggling to form a coherent response. My body was screaming for his touch, but my mind was warning me of the dangers of going down this path. I knew I was playing with fire, but I couldn't help myself.
"We're in public." I breathed, trying to keep my voice steady as he continued to explore my body.
"So what?" He whispered, his lips grazing my neck.
I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of his touch as his fingers slowly slipped under my skirt. A soft moan escaped my lips as he gently began to stroke my clit, sending pulsing shocks of pleasure through my body. I bit my lip, trying to remain composed, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I lost control.
"You're touching me? On Elena's day?"
"Elena's not here," he replied, his voice low and husky. "My focus is you right now."
His words sent a shiver down my spine as he continued to work his magic with his fingers. I felt my body respond to his touch, my pussy aching for more.
"You're so wet," he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear. "And I've barely even touched you yet."
"I thought I was a bitch."
"The best there is, a bitch is a weapon, not a choice, not a label, a state of fucking mind, and you hold it within you. That's how I know you, who you are."
"Who am I?" I asked, breathless.
"You're the one who'll make me work for it, who'll make me want to earn it."
"Is that right?"
He smirked, "You're the one who's got me by the balls; you're the one who's in control. That's what makes you incredible, effortless, timeless, and above all else, a fucking Mikaelson."
I looked at him, my eyes burning with desire. I could feel my body trembling as he continued to work his magic with his fingers. He leaned forward, his lips brushing against mine as he whispered, "I'm going to make you mine."
I gasped as he slipped two fingers inside me, curling them expertly to hit just the right spot.
"How the fuck did you get that so quick?" I gasped; normally guys couldn't find it with a map and a flashlight.
"You married a hybrid." Klaus replied with a smirk.
I moaned as he continued to tease my clit, his fingers moving in slow circles as he pushed me closer and closer to the edge.
"You're gonna make me come." I breathed, my body trembling with pleasure.
"That's the idea." He whispered, his lips grazing my ear.
I bit my lip, struggling to maintain control as he expertly brought me to the edge. My heart was racing, my skin tingling as I felt my orgasm building. I reached out, gripping the hem of his shirt, my eyes panickingly searching our surroundings, worried any second it could come to an end, though I knew we were hidden well enough by the tablecloth. Klaus held me close, his breath hot against my neck as he whispered, "Come for me."
"Always wanting what you can't have." I murmured, keeping my voice low.
"I don't want to make you come; I want to make you scream. But I'll settle for this, at least for now." Klaus replied, his voice thick with desire.
I couldn't stop trembling; I'd never fought off an orgasm for so long, never wanted it to last and last, but he knew all the right spots to make me melt, make me his.
"You're tight; I knew you'd be tight."
"Fuck, Klaus!" I breathed, my eyes rolling back in my head as I struggled to keep it together. "Oh god, why are you doing this?"
Klaus smiled and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. "Because I can."
I swallowed hard, trying to focus on anything other than the intense pleasure coursing through my veins. My body was on fire, my skin tingling as he continued to stroke my clit. I closed my eyes, trying to stay calm, but it was no use.
"Tell me you want to come tell me not to stop." Klaus whispered.
I nodded, feeling my body surrender to his touch.
"Yes," I breathed, my voice shaking. "Don't stop."
Klaus smirked as he watched me squirm beneath his command. "You keep looking at me like that, and I'm gonna fuck you right here."
I closed my eyes, feeling my body tense as he continued to pleasure me.
"You'd never risk fucking another wife on someone else's day; even you have some class."
He chuckled. "You clearly underestimate me, sweetheart. I'd fuck you anywhere, anytime."
I met his gaze, my heart racing as I struggled to keep my composure.
"That's the hybrid talking; I like it when he comes out," I met his gaze. "I like it when he comes in my mouth too."
Klaus smirked, "You're quite the little minx, aren't you?"
"You've got no idea," I replied, feeling a rush of heat course through my veins. "Don't stop."
"What would you do if I did?" He challenged me, his fingers slowing their pace.
"I'd go home and find someone else who knew how to please me."
Klaus's eyes darkened as he stared at me. "There's no one else like me."
I smiled and leaned closer to him. "You're right. A girl would need something with batteries for this masterpiece."
Klaus laughed, "You've got a dirty mouth. I'll have to teach you how to use it properly."
"Right there, right there." I gasped as he increased the pressure on my clit.
"You're so wet for me," he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear.
"Don't make me come; I'll scream," I warned him, my voice trembling with desire.
"I'll keep you quiet." Klaus promised, his fingers moving faster and faster.
"Fuck, Klaus!" I breathed, feeling my body tense as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.
"Come for me," he whispered, his breath hot against my neck. "Let me hear you."
I bit my lip, trying to remain silent, but it was no use. My body was screaming for release as he continued to pleasure me. I could feel my orgasm building, my skin tingling as he brought me closer and closer to my bliss. I took in a deep inhale, and Klaus's lips met mine, silencing my moans of pleasure. He kissed me hungrily, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth as I surrendered to his touch and sank against him as his fingers continued their expert work between my legs. I held on tight to him, my body trembling as my orgasm crashed over me. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the moment as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me. Klaus held me close, his lips never leaving mine as I rode out my climax and rode his fingers like a boss.
When I finally came down from my high, I pulled back and looked up at him. His eyes were full of desire as he stared down at me, his breathing heavy.
I stared at him, trying not to pant, "If you ever do anything like that to me again in public, I'll kill you and make sure no one finds your body."
He chuckled, "You're welcome."
"Fuck you." I snapped as I straightened myself up.
He smirked, "Not tonight, but soon."
I shook my head at his arrogance and watched as he removed his fingers from beneath the table and retrieved a napkin, his fingers glistening in my juices, making my eyes widen at the sight before I straightened and smoothed my skirt beneath the table.
Klaus smirked, "Since when were you were ever concerned about being caught?"
"Who says I care what they think of me?"
"Then why are you so worked p about it?"
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are," he smirked at me. "Face it, you give a shit about what they think of you."
I rolled my eyes. "You're an ass."
"So I've been told," he replied with a smirk. "You know you're gonna want more."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I replied, keeping my voice steady.
He chuckled, "I bet you don't."
I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. I was about to reply when I heard Elena and April approach the table. They were laughing and talking about something, but I couldn't make out what it was.
"We're back!" April exclaimed as she approached the table, her eyes fixed on me, "You look flushed; is everything okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
I watched as April's eyes moved to Klaus, and I felt a sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach. Since when did I notice her uncertainty? No, there was no chance Klaus was right. That I actually cared what they all thought of me. They didn't even like me.
"So what's next?" April asked, interrupting my train of thought.
"Excuse me?"
She smiled as she settled down next to me. "In your day, like if Caroline's heading to the spa, we could do something, just the two of us." April stopped to look over at Elena and Klaus. "I mean, you guys will want to be alone, right?"
"No." Klaus said calmly enough before rising to his feet then.
Elena looked up at him. "Wait, we're not spending the day together?"
"I have things to do," Klaus replied.
"But we're supposed to spend the day together." Elena argued, her voice rising slightly.
Klaus looked at her, his expression hardening. "I don't have time for this."
Before anyone could say anything, he walked away from the table, leaving the three of us alone.
"What's gotten into him?" April asked, her gaze focused on Elena.
Elena shrugged and gave her a tight smile. "He's Klaus."
April nodded, but I could tell she wasn't convinced.
"Maybe I should talk to him?" April offered.
"Because I can't?" Elena asked, her tone sharp.
"I just thought that maybe he would talk to me," April replied.
"Hold on a second there," I cut in, keeping my eyes on Elena. "Why not pump the brakes? She's just trying to be her usual cartoon bunny happy self."
April smiled at me then, and I returned the gesture.
"I'm sorry." I apologized, "That was uncalled for."
"No, you're right," Elena said. "I'm being bitchy for no reason."
April shook her head. "It's just jet lag and—"
"And all the other shit you refuse to talk about because you've got that constant stick up your ass." I finished for her.
April's jaw dropped. "Vickie, how could you—"
"Speak the truth? Easily it gives me great skin and reduces forced smile lines." I said with a shrug.
April looked over to Elena. "She didn't mean it like that; you're fine, and—"
"She meant exactly what she said," Elena said, her voice cold. "I need to get out of here."
Before any of us could say another word, Elena got up and left the table.
April turned to me and asked, "What the hell was that about?"
I scoffed, "Easy, folks, she said, H-E double hockey sticks."
April buried her face in her hands. "Why would you just come right out and say that to her? She's just a little tense right now with everything going on."
"Everyone has something going on, including you, so don't even try it."
"I don't talk about that, though." April whispered.
I sighed heavily. "Maybe Klaus was right."
"About what?"
"Maybe we need to stop embracing what could be and start embracing the bitch."
"Vickie!"
"Oh, enough, twinkle toes," I said softly enough as I got up from my seat. "I need to drink my body weight and sit in a dark room; I am so beyond conversation right now."
"So I'm gonna be by myself all day?"
"Please, you probably know half of the hotel staff by now." I shot back.
April frowned at me. "I didn't deserve that," she said as I turned away to leave, and I stopped.
"No, you're right; I'm sorry." I apologized. I looked over at her. "Don't turn out like me." I told her before finally leaving her side.
Elena Mikaelson
I didn't want to spend the day pondering the reasons behind Klaus's unusually distant behavior, so I made up my mind to follow him as he exited the restaurant. Every step I took felt unsteady, my legs barely supporting me as I approached him. The uncertainty lingered heavily in the air, and I needed to confront it head-on.
"Klaus," I called out, hoping he would hear the plea in my voice. "Please, hang on for a minute."
Klaus came to a halt and turned around slowly to face me, his expression giving nothing away, as if he were wearing an invisible mask that concealed his true feelings. The silence between us was almost palpable, yet I was determined to break through it.
"I just want to talk," I said, keeping my voice calm and even, trying to convey sincerity. "Okay, just for a minute."
"I don't have time," he replied sharply, taking a step closer to me. "Maybe I'll call you later, if you're not too busy with other calls, that is."
He knew. How could he possibly know? My mind raced, trying to piece together how he could have discovered the truth.
"Look, I can explain—" I began, but he interrupted me before I could finish.
"This is so far beyond insolence," Klaus snapped, his eyes blazing with anger and hurt. "You lied to me, Elena."
"I didn't mean to—" I started to defend myself, but the words felt inadequate.
"If anything happens to any of you," he said, his hand hovering at the base of my neck, the weight of his words hanging in the air, "that's on me."
"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd react this way," I explained, hoping he would understand my reasoning, flawed as it might have been.
Klaus shook his head, his jaw set in a determined line. "I'm your husband. You're supposed to trust me with everything, not deceive me and keep things hidden."
"I was going to tell you—" I tried again, but the doubt in his eyes was crushing.
"When?" he demanded, his voice rising, raw and filled with disbelief.
"I just wanted to wait for the right moment." I said, trying to keep my voice calm.
Klaus let out a dismissive laugh. "The right moment? Timing has never exactly been our strong suit."
"I know, and I'm so sorry," I replied, my voice trembling as I felt my eyes beginning to water. "Please, just don't be upset with me."
"Upset with you? Elena, this goes far beyond any kind of upset. This isn't Mystic Falls, and I'm not him. This isn't just upset—this is genuine anger."
"Don't speak to me like I'm still that naive girl," I retorted, trying to keep my composure.
"It's difficult not to when you continually remind me of your lack of maturity," Klaus countered.
"You can't hold it against me for getting a phone call," I protested.
"No, but keeping it hidden from me? That's something you will have to take full responsibility for."
"Why do you act like this?" I exclaimed, exasperated.
"Me? If my contact hadn't informed me about those calls, you would have stayed silent and put us all at risk."
"There's nobody after us!" I insisted, trying to reassure him, though I wasn't entirely convinced myself.
"WE WILL NEVER BE SAFE!" Klaus's voice exploded with such force that I instinctively took a step back. His eyes bore into mine, unblinking. "You married the most dangerous creature in the world. What will it take for you to understand that?"
I stood there, unable to find words, his statements piercing me deeply.
"I can't shield you from everything," he continued, his tone softening slightly. "Especially not from yourself."
"Klaus—" I began, hoping to reach him.
"You just..." He paused, exhaling heavily. "You just can't seem to stop jeopardizing what we have, and I've had enough of it," he shook his head. "All this time and you're still terrified to let yourself be happy."
With those words, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there in the desolate hallway. I watched him go, feeling utterly alone as tears gathered in my eyes, my heart aching intensely.
Bonnie Mikaelson
Since I didn't feel like ordering room service and having another bill for Klaus to pay for, I had gone out of the hotel to get something to eat for breakfast. Which was good for me; I needed to get out of the room and into the fresh air, which hit me like a bolt of lightning. Stepping out into the sunlight that morning was like the first day of summer almost; it was hard to believe back home it felt like winter, and yet, here I was walking down a beautifully manicured street in Hawaii, full of people smiling, wearing clothes for the occasion and not just for comfort, sitting outside eating their meals, not slumming it inside of the grill; there were no town statues, no monuments in sight; everything was just so clean and new, as if this town focused on what is and not what was. Mystic Falls was my home, but it felt like every day you were living a life expected of you: small town, small ways, expected values, and closed minds. Maybe I'd just had a rough few days, or maybe I was finally getting the clarity I had been praying for ever since I got into that station wagon that night.
I'd gone into a cafe, gotten myself some freshly squeezed lemonade, and a chicken sandwich to go along with it. I'd taken them with me and decided to walk the long road that lined the side of the water. Maybe I just found comfort in the most simplest ways in lfe, but in that insignificant moment, with the sunlight warm on my shoulders without burning me, with a chilled lemonade in my hand and a chicken sandwich warming my belly, I was content. Up until that precise second, I'd felt like I'd been floating; I'd not been comfortable, not even after talking with Caroline, Elena, and April the other night. I preferred the feeling of having two feet on the ground; now I finally had that relief in my heart again, and its strength was masking the guilt I felt about everything else going on inside me.
They were probably wondering why I'd agreed to this: a new home in Utah, plural marriage, and a life without our friends. If they thought for a second it was out of loyalty to them, then they were wrong. I didn't do this because I didn't want to be alone; I'd gone without them for almost a year; I just didn't know it. So I wasn't afraid of being alone; if I had to go through life alone, then I'd find a way to cope with that. I would, because it would be my choice, and that's what mattered to me. I needed to have the control I'd been denying myself for far too long, to the point where I had even questioned my own morals. Since I became a witch, I'd been losing little parts of myself along the way, saving the lives of people who might not deserve it, hating myself for what I had to do at times to protect people, then hating myself even further for not having the power to save those who needed me. I'd lost so many people; there were so many pieces of my life destroyed, and all because I refused to say no whenever someone needed my power.
I'd come to Utah because I knew deep in my heart that the life I had in Mystic Falls, the drama, the supernatural elements, and the dangers were all part of my destiny. None of that could compare to the life I could create for myself if I were open to the idea that things could be better for me without my friends. Leaving them behind was the most difficult decision of my entire life, and I may never learn to forgive myself for it. I didn't tell the others, but when I got home from the forest that night, I'd thrown up just at the idea of them finding out what we were up to. It's strange, but throwing up gave me the truest insight into my life; I'd sat on my bathroom floor trembling for almost twenty minutes that night. It wasn't due to the reality that I'd just become Klaus Mikaelson's wife or that I was about to leave my childhood home forever and may never return. But it was instead what I feared our friends would do to us if they found out the truth. That's what got me off that tilted floor that night, the reality that I didn't know what they would do to us if they knew we had left them.
What did that say about my friends as people? That I'd known them for so long and yet I didn't trust their thirst for revenge or the strength of their anger. Did I truly believe in my heart of hearts that say Tyler would hit me if he knew I'd married Klaus? Shockingly, I believed with all my heart that Tyler would do something to that degree in rage. I didn't trust him; I believe he was capable of hurting both men and women for his own motives and selfishness. And this was someone I'd saved, someone I'd helped protect, and yet I knew if he had to, he would sell me up the river if it meant his life could to stay merry and bright. I didn't care if it sounded judgmental; it was a gift to me now, when you could finally pull back the curtain on your life and ask yourself the most powerful of questions.
Do I trust my friends? Do I like my friends? Do I need my friends?
And the truth was I didn't need anyone that I left behind in Mystic Falls. I believe that night I was blessed with a miracle, a gift, a proper insight into my own life that I'd been ignoring for far too long. That's how I was able to wash my face and pack my suitcases that night, not because of what I thought lay ahead for me, but for what I knew for sure I needed to leave behind. If I had stayed in Mystic Falls, I would have still been in school; in fact, at this very second, I would have been finishing a test in history. But instead I was here, with the sun on my shoulders and feeling lighter with each step I took.
I wasn't going to try to begin to understand yet how the three of them had managed to do this before. But I knew it wouldn't have been easy for them, not just from what I'd learned since yesterday but just from being around them in general. I'd been so focused on them being so different around Klaus that I'd focused on their relationships with him instead of them as individuals. Caroline had always been such a force in all aspects of her life, and that hadn't changed in the slightest; she was still the remarkable person she always was. I didn't know if her title as Klaus's first wife brought with it any responsibility or whatever, but she remained ever the caregiver. I'd watched from my house in Utah at just how often the others came and went from her house with ease. I figured at first she and Klaus would want their privacy, but it seemed the two managed their reationship in their relationship in their own unique way. Caroline was different; she had slowed down. Her nature, her tone, it remained warm, but she had slowed down; she wasn't in a rush to get everything done at a speed. I hadn't even once seen her use her vampire speed or strength since they came back. Her style was different too; I mean, I knew I'd given her a hard time over shopping at places like Gucci and Dior, but I was happy to see the changes in her fashion sense. She wasn't dressing anymore to show off her figure for Tyler, but rather she was dressing for her own comfort while remaining stylish and even tailored.
Elena, who I feared had changed too much for me to keep up with her, was slowly showing me signs that she was still in there. I had worried at first; I'll even admit I feared she might have been compelled by Klaus at one point or another, but I was wrong, and I felt bad for thinking that. It suggested that I didn't know her, and I did know her, because she let me know her to her marrow. Elena had changed; she'd changed since meeting Stefan and since losing her parents. She'd lost little pieces of herself, but now I could see her returning to herself. She stopped apologizing all the time; she knew how she felt about her family, and she expressed that. She didn't shy away from telling people what she thought; in fact, I had not once heard her say, "I don't know what I want," since I joined them. That was simply remarkable; she'd always been so afraid that everything was going to fall down around her, that the rug was going to be pulled out from beneath her, that she loved with all her heart all the time because she knew how quickly everything could go away. But now here in Hawaii and even in Utah, I'd saw her, I mean really saw her, in moments where she'd just be smiling, smiling like there was no one else in the room. I didn't know what she was thinking in those moments or feeling, but it was as if I hadn't seen her smile for years.
My two best friends had left me nine months ago, and they were right to do it because it wouldn't have worked otherwise. I knew me, and if I'd joined them that night and had to witness their first few months with Klaus while trying to get myself on board with the idea of plural marriage too, I would have snapped and shot back to Mystic Falls in a heartbeat. It was their story that helped me get on board—the talk of their struggles, how difficult it was for them in those first few weeks, how Klaus hadn't become the guy he was now overnight but rather through time and through their relationships with him. They all believed that their different personalities were the reason the marriages worked; Klaus knew he didn't marry three small-town girls but instead the daughter of an honorable town sheriff, a heartwarming and selfless orphan, and a unique, bubbly spirit who refused to let anyone get her down.
I'd been struggling since that night; I'd held a lot of my fears about my future inside when I should have done the opposite. Despite what they had done by leaving me behind, I still trusted them more than anyone else in my life. I didn't just want them as my family; I needed them in my life every single day, and I hated that I had allowed my attitude and my own fears to make them doubt that. I loved them; they weren't my best friends. We weren't in high school anymore; we were women, and we were sisters. I would do anything for them, and if they doubted that for a second, then that was a fault that was to be placed directly on my shoulders. I knew they loved me too, that they would take care of me and be there for me whenever I needed them moving forward. They'd taken what might have been the biggest risk of their new lifestyle by asking me to join them, they didn't need me with them they wanted me with them and what had I done to repay them for getting me out of nightmare that would have been my life if I had stayed?
I'd been hard on all of them, even April Young, who had tried so hard to be nice to me all the time. She must have thought I was awful at this point, a mere threat to their happiness, and I really hoped that I could change that. Even if this whole thing didn't work out, if I left for any reason, I hoped they knew at the most that I would never tell anyone about their life back in Utah. It wasn't mine to tell; how they chose to live was their own business. They might not believe it, but I hadn't thought about going home once; I'd thought I needed time to myself more than a few times since we arrived in Utah. Actually, it felt nice to be alone when I saw the property Klaus had bought for me to live in. That time alone was amazing, just breathing in the fresh paint, walking from room to room in that huge house; that quiet was essential, and it was the first time that day I hadn't wanted to pull out my own hair. A thousand miles on the road was enough to fry anyone's senses, and maybe I should have taken the time to sleep more when I could; the truth was sleeping had been difficult, and I guess it had affected me a bit more too.
But what had happened last night, what Klaus had said to me, wasn't deserved. And if he thought for a second that he could talk to me like that and that I wasn't going to do anything about it, then he was wrong. I didn't want his respect; I deserved his respect. The spell had worked because in that moment he and I had a mutual trust with one another. Caroline said the spell doesn't work otherwise, so if he could trust me, then why couldn't he show me common decency and tell me that I mattered? Telling me that I should stop talking, that I shouldn't have a voice—it wasn't rude; it was cruel, and it was as if he was trying to push my buttons. What did he think? That he could speak to me like that and it would make me change my mind? That if he got under my skin and hurt me so badly that I could still go back home and live the life I had before?
Wait a second. What if... no, that couldn't be the case. Why would Klaus do that for me? I began to rack my mind over what I'd witnessed these last few days, the way he had been with the others; he wasn't just kissing them; he was holding them, hugging them, supporting them, encouraging them, and above all, he was listening to them. But he wasn't doing any of that with me; he had barely even looked at me, and when he did speak to me, he'd been so crel that it was almost as if he knew he were doing it was doing it regardless. I didn't feel like he was trying to test my patience; if anything, the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced Klaus was trying to give me an out.
I turned and began to make my way back to the hotel, knowing I had to talk to him about this; I needed to confront him and figure out what his scheme was. Was he being the Klaus I remembered and feared before, or was Klaus Mikaelson a truly changed guy who was being cruel to me in order to save me from a life I seemed unable to be a part of? I returned to the hotel, being careful as I crossed the lobby, not wanting to run into anyone but him. I just needed to head to my room first; I wasn't about to face him before showering off my walk, given that I'd started after eleven and it was now almost the back of three. I'd gotten so consumed with clearing my head that I'd returned a sweaty mess. As I stepped off the elevator, I turned to the right only to stop at the sight of Klaus; he was sitting by the door of my hotel room, on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of him, his head sunken down as if he were asleep.
"Klaus?" I said his name in a whisper, and I took a few steps towards him and realized he was indeed asleep.
I stretched out my hand, hesitating of course, but gently tapped his shoulder, noting the hard curve of muscle beneath my palm. His eyes opened slowly, the dark blue color staring up at me with confusion; he then looked around himself and noticed where he was before returning his gaze to me. I noticed a slight redness to his eyes as if he looked a bit off color.
"You're finally back then." Klaus said as he seemed to try with all his might to slide himself up without appearing too tired.
"Yeah...sorry." I offered, trying to sound as sincere as possible. I don't know why, but I felt bad seeing him like this.
"Right." Klaus said his voice hoarse.
"Are you okay?"
Klaus leaned against the wall behind him, running his hand down his face like it was the only thing he could do to keep him awake. "Perfect." He replied before he moved his hands to his pockets.
I didn't believe him, and I didn't know why; maybe he was just tired, but it felt like it was something else.
"Did you need me to do something?" I asked him signaling to my hotel room door where he stood; I mean, clearly he had been waiting for me for one reason or another.
"Yes, actually." Klaus said he took a step towards me. "But, um, I will deal with it later. I just—
I stretched my arms out, then in an effort to steady him when his eyes began to flicker upright, "Hey, are you sure you're—"
He pulled away. "I'm fine," he said, taking only a few steps forward before reaching out for the elevator button, which opened to his command.
"Wait!" I called out, watching him enter the elevator alone.
"What?" Klaus replied, looking at me, his eyes still not as sharp as they normally were.
"I'm just going to go and see Elena." I lied; anyone could see he was going to pass out, and I knew the right thing was to get him to their suite; once there, I could call Elena or Caroline.
Well, I should call Elena; if I remembered rightly, it was as they referred to it, 'her day' with him.
"Right." Klaus said, seeming to buy my story.
I hit the button for their floor as Klaus slung his back into the wall behind him; he didn't seem to realize that I was in the elevator with him. When the elevator door opened at his floor with Elena, I cleared my throat, causing his eyes to spring open.
Klaus nodded his head weakly before exiting the elevator without looking back. I followed out behind him, taking each step he did only with my arms cast out ahead of me, certain at any moment he was going to head the deck hard. How he managed to get that key card out of his pocket and open the door must have been nothing but pure muscle memory. I entered into the suite behind him, watching his legs like spaghetti as he crossed the room and entered behind the first door, which I found to be one of the bedrooms; he immediately dropped onto the mattress, causing the made-up pillows to jump in the air around him.
"Klaus?" I asked softly, stepping into the bedroom.
He didn't answer; he simply turned onto his back and looked up at the ceiling above his head as his eyes began to flicker shut.
"Klaus?" I repeated as I moved around to the side of the bed. "Hey, are you okay?"
I fought against my better judgment and reached out to feel his forehead, noting how hot it felt against my palm; he really was burning up.
"Oh my God." I breathed; I felt helpless then; I didn't know what to do; I reached into my pocket for my phone when I hesitated.
I looked down at him on the bed and began to nod. "I'm gonna help, okay?" I whispered.
I left the room and headed straight into the adjoining room, which was the bathroom, to my relief. Inside I collected two hand towels, running one of them under the cold water before heading back into the bedroom where I knelt down by his bedside; he didn't open his eyes, his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. I used the wet towel to wash his face before I slowly unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, finding a tattoo I didn't know he had across his chest. I then used the dry cloth to wipe his brow before I set both towels onto the nightstand and quickly headed out into their sitting room and across to the small bar; from the mini fridge, I collected the tub of ice cubes to help with his fever. I then called down to reception asking for some aspirin and towels to be brought up to the room as soon as possible.
I used one of the smaller cloth napkins and filled it with ice before doubling it over with another to make an icepack of sorts. I returned to the bedroom with it, sitting down on the side of the bed before gently bringing it down against the top of his head to try and bring down his fever. Klaus's eyes shot open; he grabbed my arm, causing me to gasp with shock.
"Shhh," I said softly, watching his nostrils flare and his eyes blink in sync with each other. "Shhh." I repeated just as gently.
His grip loosened on my arm, his hand dropping down by his side before he shut his eyes again. I looked down at his chest, watching it rise and fall before I looked around the room, noting a clock on the wall before returning my gaze to Klaus. I'd never been this close to him before, not this intimately close. His body was warm; I could feel it beneath my skin as I continued to cool his head off with the ice. He didn't move a muscle for almost twenty minutes before I began to get nervous when room service didn't show up. I placed the ice pack back inside the napkin and reached out with my free hand for his hand, which felt so cold against mine. He was starting to cool down a bit, but not enough to stop me worrying. I'd thought supernatural creatures couldn't get sick, but the reality was they could; they even got hangovers, as Damon proved time and time again. They just recovered from them with a bit more speed than humans.
When room service arrived, I wasted no time at all in trying to get him to take the aspirin; he didn't open his eyes. He could have been taking anything for all he knew; his body was responding, and his mind was listening to me, but he wasn't there. I had to make sure I kept him cool while he slept this off; I knew he'd be okay in a few hours. I opened up a few more of his buttons to give him some air, I turned up the air conditioning in the room, and I tossed a bath towel over my shoulders to keep me warm as the room grew colder. I remained by his side, leaving only when I had to get ice and fresh towels; he hadn't opened his eyes for hours, but his breathing was no longer labored.
I'd thought about calling one of the others, at least to let them know that he was okay now, but I didn't. I just stayed with him when I knew better, when I knew Elena could walk in at any time and see I'd kept the fact that he wasn't well from everyone. Why hadn't I just called them? They didn't feel the way about him that I did; I hadn't just spent the last nine months as his wife and shared his life, but they had. I needed to call them and let them know something was going on with him. And I would soon.
He was breathing steadily now, but he was still running a bit of a fever. I didn't expect him to wake up for the rest of the night, and I knew Elena would be back soon enough and that there would be questions. I'd gone around the room tidying away the towels, tossing them into the bathroom hamper out of sight. I'd had room service come up and take out the trash. I'd been giving him water all day, and there were more than a few glasses to be taken from the room too. When everything was finally tidied away like the day had never happened, I returned to the bed, taking a seat on the edge beside him, reaching down to feel his forehead once more, only this time he responded to my touch.
"Bonnie?" Klaus said, his eyes opening slowly; he looked so weak.
"Uh, yeah, you're okay." I said quietly, my hand running through his damp hair, he felt cooler. "You're going to be okay."
"I'm sorry." Klaus breathed; he turned his head towards me. "I'm sorry," he said, his eyes starting to flicker open more.
"It's just a fever. It's—"
"My behavior was not okay; I know I upset you. It was wrong of me; I should have—"
I didn't want to hear any more from him about what he had said yesterday, but I didn't stop him either.
"I should have done what was right."
I looked down at him in his weak state. I'd never seen him like this before, so helpless; he was always the strong one.
"Klaus, you don't have to—"
"I should have done what was right," he repeated, his eyes still closed and his voice ever so weak.
"Why did you say it? That my voice didn't matter?"
"I had to tell you that, and you believed me so easily." He replied with his eyes still closed.
I looked down at him in shock, his words not fully sinking in.
"Did you do it so I'd go back home?"
"...Better sooner than later." He practically whispered as if it were a secret.
I couldn't believe it; I was right. He had said what he did so I would leave; I could have returned home and claimed I just needed to take off for a few days after everything that had been going on leading up to the memorial and that the arrival of this hunter had pushed me to the limit. Klaus had done something selfless, and he'd done it for me of all people.
"Why would you do that?"
"Because you want to be anywhere else but here," he paused, catching his breath, "and you're reminding them of what they did to get here."
He was right; I was finding it hard to adjust to all of this, and it was because it was so new, not because it was them and they had changed. The thought of losing them was killing me; I loved them so much that I'd been making it about myself. But they hadn't gone away; they had just lived their lives. They were still my friends; they were still the same people who loved me as much as I loved them.
"Is it such a bad thing to remember things the way they used to be?" I asked.
Klaus appeared to attempt a smile in his half-asleep state. "I like that you remind them," he admitted.
"You do?" I asked with surprise; I thought he'd want me gone as much as the others; I thought he was the one who had changed the most; clearly, I was wrong. "Why?" I asked.
"If they don't remember the way things were, they won't see how far they've come."
Never before had Klaus said something to me I felt I would remember and carry within me forever. But those words, that statement, it meant something to me because he was right. They were growing up; they were finding themselves and their own voices, and they would need to use those voices to get through what was to come, and they couldn't do that without remembering the work they'd done to get thus far.
I ran my hand across the top of his head again, gently smoothing the hair back when he appeared to be asleep once again. He didn't move another muscle for the next half hour or so. I didn't want to try any magic on him to help heal him; he wasn't sick. By the looks of things, this fever was just his body telling him to slow the hell down. I'd seen the same happen to Damon and Stefan from time to time; they'd work themselves into a frenzy, and then out of nowhere they'd hit a wall. I had no doubt Klaus had been working just as hard, if not harder, than the others since we left town that night. I continued to trace circles around his hand and over his wrist as he slept. I didn't wake him for any more pain relief or try anything further to shift what little fever he had left. I think if he just knew someone was there, even on an unconscious level, that it was enough for him now.
I watched his eyes begin to flicker open, though they remained half shut as before, as he began to speak again.
"Are you going to leave?" he asked, and I knew he didn't mean the room.
Klaus was asking the question only he could ask; no one else had the right to besides him. He asked it because it was in that precise moment we both needed to know the answer in order to move forward with both our lives.
But I knew if I didn't ask something first, it would haunt me.
I stared down at him before I asked, "Are you in love with them?"
Klaus's eyes opened wider then as he looked back at me, his pupils almost black against the blue of his iris; he swallowed hard before speaking, "You don't get to ask me that," he said.
"Why not? Because it's none of my business?"
Which technically was very true.
"Because you won't believe me no matter what I say," he replied.
"I might."
Klaus's lips curled up ever so slightly on one side, and he moved his head in my direction. "If I tell you yes, you'll think I'm lying. If I tell you no, you'll think I'm hiding the truth. So what's the point?" he asked.
"You're saying you are in love with them?"
"I'm saying that if you're waiting for me to admit what you want to hear, you're going to be waiting forever."
"Are you asking me to stick around and figure it out for myself?" I asked with a raised brow.
"No," Klaus slowly shook his head as much as he could manage to anyway. "If you stay, you stay for you, not for questions, not for anyone else."
"Seems that's how I've lived my whole life up until now."
"...I know."
I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience; everything in this conversation seemed so surreal, and it was. I hadn't expected this to happen today or any day for that matter; I thought Klaus and I would simply remain as we were, two people who only spoke when we had to and never by choice.
"I should get going," I said softly, but I was sure he didn't hear me.
I slid on my shoes in the sitting room and set his key card by the front door on the table so it would be visible come morning. I opened the door and peeked my head out first to make sure no one was out there before I exited the suite quietly, pulling the door closed behind me. I turned to the right and headed to the elevator, pressing the button and waiting patiently for it to arrive. I held my breath at the sight of Elena stepping off from the other elevator just as the doors to mine closed, her eyes thankfully not meeting mine in time.
She hadn't seen me. And I was... glad.
Elena Mikaelson
I slid my key card into the slot of the suite door and opened it quickly, noting the lights were out and the sun was beginning to set outside the window. I hadn't expected to be out so long, but I decided it was better to be out than stuck inside all day. I'd wanted to see the city that Klaus had taken us to; it was beautiful here, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. I set down my handbag and a few shopping bags by the door and noticed Klaus's key card sitting on the table. He was here.
"Klaus?" I called out, but he didn't answer.
I walked around the suite checking each of the rooms before making my way towards the bedroom, pulling the double doors open to find him asleep inside with his shirt slightly open.
"Hey." I whispered softly; he didn't stir.
I moved closer to him, sitting on the side of the bed as he began to wake up.
"I'm sorry about—"
"Stay." Klaus said as he reached out for my arm. "Stay with me."
I answered him by reaching for the hem of my blouse and pulling it over my head as I sat on the side of the bed. I undid my bra next before slipping the straps from my shoulders and letting it fall down my arms and onto the bed. I then unzipped my jeans and tossed them aside, and before I crawled onto the bed beside Klaus, he looked over at me as I came to rest by his side. His eyes flickered for a moment, and I could tell something was wrong.
"Hey," I said softly, my hand running across his forehead. "Are you okay?" I asked.
"I am now." He replied, reaching out for me, taking me into his arms. "You're here."
"Who else were you expecting?" I joked.
Klaus smirked at me, and I pulled the sheets over the top of us.
Vickie Mikaelson
I walked on the heels of my feet the best I could on my way over to the door of my suite, with each of my toes freshly painted. I'd had an amazing day to myself; I'd gone for a run that afternoon, done a little shopping, and had just finished making a clear polish onto my toes. I unlocked the suite door, finding April in her flannel PJs on the other side; instead of saying anything, she just smiled.
"No." I said and pushed the door over.
April reached "You know if I had a nickel for every time you did this—"
"I am now on my honeymoon to bond." I groaned as she pushed her way through what little gap was left in the door.
After she finally got her other leg through the gap, I shut the door behind her before watching her make her way into my suite.
"I don't do this; this girly thing is not who I am." I said the following after her.
"You're right," April agreed. "You're a rock; you're an island."
"Uh-huh, so why—"
April spun around in my direction. "Because, big rock, you're also the only person I can talk to about my upcoming event," she hesitated, bringing her hands up to cover her own ears as she said, "My upcoming event."
I stared back at her as she dropped her arms down to her sides; she gave me a slight shrug before heading over to the sofa and grabbing a seat.
"So... you two still haven't—"
"No, I told him I wanted us to be spiritually married first before we did."
"Really?" I said and stopped myself from crossing my arms as I began to walk over to her.
"Well, it's not like he's going without it until then." April said as she stared at the floor wide-eyed.
I smirked, "For someone who rocks plural marriage, you aren't half uptight about the sex aspect."
April threw her face over her hands and said, "I'm not uptight; I'm just a little nervous, okay?" She breathed.
I couldn't help but smile at her. "There's nothing to be nervous about; just make sure you're on the pill and that he wraps it. Done." I shrugged.
"Oh my God, I am so not ready for this. What if I don't like it? What if I'm bad at it?"
"April, we're not talking about this, okay?" I said, putting a hand out between us to stop her from coming any closer to me.
"No, we have to talk about this. I don't have anyone else."
"Sure you do just—" I paused when I met her gaze, and I sighed, "You don't want anyone else to know, do you?"
April shook her head. "Two people other than me knowing about my virginity is two too many."
"...Fair enough."
April took a deep breath, and I sat down on the sofa beside her. "I'm sorry; you know this is supposed to be your honeymoon, and I come in here with my stupid problems."
"It's not like it's my night anymore." I paused and pursed my lips. "I'm guessing they've been out all day?"
"I-I don't think so; I think Elena went shopping herself."
"You do?" I asked with a raised brow.
"Yeah, because she picked up a bag she knew I was looking for, Klaus would have normally paid for my stuff if he'd been with her."
"But you talked to him?"
"Klaus? No, not today. Why was he looking for me?"
"What? No, I don't know; I was just asking." I replied.
"Asking what?"
"What?"
"Oh, I don't know," April groaned and grabbed one of the cushions beside her, bringing it to her chest and hugging it like a stuffed animal. "How can I think about Vegas when all I can think of is this?"
I sighed heavily. I wasn't comfortable with this shit; this girl talk wasn't what I did. I solved my own problems and expected those around me to do the same. But just looking at her face, I knew I couldn't just sit by and do nothing.
"If you're worried about how good it's going to be," I began, and she looked at me as if I were insane. "Then you're only going to focus on it more; if you just relax and let it happen, it'll happen."
"How do you know?"
"I'm hardly mother freaking—"
"Oh, that's blasphemous."
"Okay, whatever, all I'm saying is don't think about it, and it won't be the biggest deal, okay?"
"But it has to be a big deal; it's our first time. Well, it's mine with him, and he's, you know..."
"What?"
"Very experienced," April said under her breath.
"...That's probably the cleanest way you could have said that."
"Thank you."
I huffed, "Alright, so what you're worried about is it won't be amazing?" I asked.
"No, I'm worried what I'll do to ruin it."
"Maybe he'll screw it up. You ever thought of that?"
April smiled, making me smile back for the first time. She was a lot, but she was pretty amazing, like a genuinely good person. No bullshit.
She looked over at me, then her hands gripped the cushion like a lifeline.
"Does it hurt really bad?"
I stared back at her, seeing the desperation in her eyes, the uncertainty, and I just couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
"It'll hurt," I admitted. "It will hurt, okay?"
"What should I do?"
I sat back against the sofa. "Remember to breathe; I didn't my first time; it felt like my eyes were burning in their sockets."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, but the guy I was with didn't know what he was doing and treated the experience more like a jackhammer moment."
"Jack Hammer?"
"Don't look that up."
"Ok," April nodded. "So it does hurt?"
"Especially if he's bigger." I said choosing to spare her the truth of my time on my knees for Klaus.
"So I just relax and breathe?"
"April." I groaned, wanting a drink so badly in that moment.
"Please." April pleaded.
"...Yeah, sure, you relax and you breathe, but, at the same time, don't spend the whole time worrying about how you look, how you sound." I looked over at her. "They're right; you never do forget the first time."
"I'll want to if I sneeze in his face."
"April."
"Sorry, I just keep thinking about all these things, and then—"
"If it happens, it happens; just don't go looking for it."
"Okay, you're right." April nodded.
"I'm always right." I smirked.
"Thank you. You know you're a really good friend."
"Oh, we're not—"
"Sister wife, a great sister wife." April corrected herself.
"Yeah, we don't have to call me that either."
April got to her feet and smiled. "It's not such a bad thing, Vickie," she shrugged. "I mean, we all want to belong."
"What if I prefer being on the sidelines?"
"This doesn't work if we're not all together; if we're not all on the same page, then we're just asking for trouble."
And with that, April took off without another word said, but what she had said remained branded into my mind.
If we weren't all on the same page, then we truly were just asking for trouble.
Elena Mikaelson
"Uh, ah, uh, uh," I gasped as Klaus slid into me from behind, his thick, hard length filling me completely. The early morning light streamed in through the blinds, painting stripes on the bed and our entwined bodies. His hands gripped my hips tightly as he pumped in and out of me, setting a rhythm that had my legs trembling. My breasts bounced with each thrust, and my hair fanned out over the pillow like a wild mane. I reached back, my fingers digging into his muscular back as I tried to get closer to him, to feel him deeper. Our skin slapped together, the sound mixing with the occasional creak of the bed frame.
"Harder," I breathed out, the word coming out as more of a plea than a command. He responded eagerly, his pace quickening, pushing me closer to the edge. The headboard thumped against the wall in time with our frenzied lovemaking, echoing through the otherwise quiet apartment. His breath was hot on the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. The scent of our passion filled the air, a heady mix of sweat and desire. I could feel the tension building inside me, my core tightening around him.
Suddenly, he pulled out and flipped me over onto my back, his eyes burning with need. He didn't bother to ask if I was okay with it, and I didn't need him to. We had that unspoken connection that told him I was ready for whatever he had in store. He lowered his head and kissed me deeply, his tongue exploring my mouth as his hand found its way between my legs. His fingertips danced over my clit, sending sparks of pleasure through me. I moaned into the kiss, my hips rising to meet his touch. He slid back inside of me, missionary style now, his eyes never leaving mine as he began to move again. Each stroke was slow and deliberate, like he was savoring every inch of me.
The phone on the nightstand rang, the shrill sound piercing the erotic haze that had enveloped us. He groaned, his rhythm faltering for a moment, before he reached over and slapped it onto silent.
"Keep going," I begged, my eyes never leaving his as I felt the sudden emptiness where he had just been. His phone vibrated again, the screen lighting up again, distracting him. "Don't; it's almost eight; it's almost the end of my day."
Klaus groaned but nodded, his eyes dark with lust as he focused on the task at hand. He leaned down and took my breast into his mouth, sucking hard as he thrust back into me. I arched my back, crying out as the sensations crashed over me. His hand slid up my body, tangling in my hair as he pulled my head back, exposing my throat to his hungry kisses. I could feel the heat building in my core, the pressure threatening to burst as our bodies moved as one.
"Fuck," he groaned when his phone began to ring again. He kissed me hard, then pulled out, "I have to get this."
I sighed and got up from bed, picking up the t-shirt he'd been worn to bed and slipping it on over me.
"What is it? Why do you have her phone?" Klaus asked, catching my attention.
He quickly slid up his boxers and headed towards the chair where his trousers were and began sliding them on. "I'll be right there; just, yeah, just stay there."
"What is it?" I asked.
He made his way past me into the sitting room. "April's in the hospital," he called before he took off.
Bonnie Mikaelson
April had shown up at my door early that morning wanting me to join her for a workout. She was bouncing around like a jumping jack. She had this weird energy that made me feel like I was the one who'd had too much coffee, even though I hadn't had any. I looked at her, her hair a mess of curls and her eyes bright with excitement. The smell of minty toothpaste lingered around her mouth as she talked about the gym's state-of-the-art equipment and the amazing view of the city from the treadmills.
The treadmills turned out to be her enemy; we'd barely even started working out when the treadmill she was on seemed to malfunction; it sped up so fast that it sent April face-first into the control panel. She hit her head pretty hard, and the next thing I knew, I was standing over her unconscious body. I'd left my phone in my hotel room, and it wasn't until we got to the hospital that I got a hold of April's phone and called Klaus to tell him what had happened. Since I wasn't family, I wasn't allowed to go in with April while she was getting her stitches done; all I could do was wait in the waiting area and attempt to fill out the forms with what little information I had on her.
It had all happened so fast; she was so happy, so eager for the day ahead, and then she just hit the deck so hard that I was worried she'd broken her teeth and her nose. How she managed to get away with just a gash to her hairline was nothing short of a miracle. I couldn't stop trembling; I still had some of her dried blood on my hands and was clenching the hoodie she'd been wearing at the gym, which also contained some of her blood. I tried to wipe off as much as I could on the sleeves, but it was like some sick kind of karma for all the bad things I'd done.
"I'm here." I heard Klaus's voice as he came running into the waiting area.
"Hey," I said, relief flooding through me as I watched him coming towards me. "She's being seen; she's okay."
Klaus stopped in front of me, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. He looked up at me and nodded, his expression a mixture of fear and relief.
I held up the forms in my hands. "I-I didn't know if she's Mikaelson or—"
Klaus took them from me and shook his head. "Right," he said before he looked down at the bloody hoodie in my hands. "Is that hers?" he asked.
"Yeah, she, um, she wanted me to hold it."
Klaus reached out and took the hoodie from me. "You should wash your hands; I'll take care of this."
"Are you sure? I can—
"It's fine," Klaus nodded. "You should go; I'll stay here."
"Yeah, I'm pretty tired. I mean, after yesterday—"
"What about yesterday?" Klaus asked.
I met his eyes and felt like I'd been slapped in the face.
I froze, trying to piece together what was happening.
"Remember what?" He was looking at me with genuine confusion, his eyes searching for something he couldn't find.
"Uh—"
Klaus's eyes left mine, then, as he focused on something behind me, his expression softened as he caught sight of something.
I turned around, then, following his gaze towards April, who was being wheeled out, she smiled at us. "Can you believe I have to be pushed out? I walked in." She groaned.
I couldn't help but smile seeing her; I'd been worried when I'd seen all the blood, but the fact that she was up and talking meant she was going to be okay.
The nurse pushing her chair smiled at the sight of Klaus coming towards April; he bent down to her height and kissed her on the forehead.
"You scared me." He said softly.
April looked up at him. "I'm sorry."
"Let me see it," he said and pulled back the bandage on her head slightly. "Does it hurt?" he asked.
"No, it's ticklish," April smirked. "You're making me laugh."
The nurse laughed at that. "That's good; we like to see patients with a sense of humor."
I watched as Klaus kissed her bandage before holding her face and kissing her softly.
She smiled at him as he pulled back from her. "It's okay, tough guy." I thought I heard her whisper to him.
I was glad she was going to be okay. She would be in good hands; it was her day with Klaus. Klaus, who had run such a fever the day before, had forgotten that I'd sat by his bedside for ten hours straight.
Not that it mattered; I mean, it was fine. I really didn't mind...not really.
Vickie Mikaelson
The elevator doors opened to Elena's floor, and I stepped out and began scanning the door numbers for her suite. The corridor was eerily quiet; the only sound was the distant murmur of a TV in one of the nearby rooms. As I approached her door, I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. The words I was about to say felt like a grenade in my pocket, ready to detonate every moment that came next. But April getting hurt just put everything into perspective for me; things were getting so messed up in this so-called family that a little truth had to be told, and I was going to be the one to do it. It might have been Elena's day yesterday, but Klaus's hands had been all over me, and he'd given me the most intense orgasm of my life, not that I was going to share that little side note with her. But his actions, that she needed to know.
I raised my hand to knock, but it hovered there for a few moments. My mind was racing. What was I expecting from this? For Elena to laugh it off, to be furious, to break down? The door swung open before my knuckles could even touch the wood. Elena looked ready to run out the door herself; she must have been on her way to the hospital.
"Vickie?"
Her eyes searched my face, looking for a reason for my sudden appearance. I swallowed hard, trying to get the words out before I lost my nerve.
"Yeah, I thought I'd come down and see little wife number two."
Her eyes narrowed. "Vickie I have to get to the hospital; I don't know if you heard, but—"
"Yeah, I heard April took on the treadmill, and the treadmill won."
"She hurt her head; maybe take it down a notch?"
I stared at her. "What are you saying? I'm not concerned? Because I'm not rushing to the hospital?"
"I'm just saying—"
"Maybe you should think before you talk; it might help your marriage."
Elena froze all her actions to stare back at me. "Excuse me?"
The silence was thick and heavy, hanging between us like a storm cloud ready to burst. I stepped into her apartment uninvited, the smell of her perfume filling my nostrils as I closed the door behind me with a soft click.
"What's going on with you, Vickie?" She asked, her voice low and cautious.
"You want to know what's going on?" I spat out, "I'm sick of this shit."
"What are you talking about?"
"Klaus and his fucking games."
Her eyes went wide, and she took a step back, her hand coming up to her throat.
"I don't understand."
"Yesterday, on your day, when you were supposed to be the center of his attention, he was too busy with me."
Elena's face was a picture of disbelief, her eyes darting around the room as if looking for a lie to land on.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
"He fingered me, Elena. Okay? He fingered me."
Elena's hand dropped to her side, her face a mask of shock.
The room grew colder, the tension palpable as she processed the words I'd just thrown at her. I could see the cogs in her mind turning, the betrayal setting in. Her cheeks flushed with anger as she found her voice.
"You're lying."
I shook my head. "You know I'm not." I replied.
"Why are you telling me this?"
I stepped away from her then. "Because it's time we all came to grips with the truth: the hybrid has gone without you all for too long, and now he can't get enough of all of us."
"Just because you don't want a schedule."
"Don't get it crossed, Elena; I think the schedule is a certainty," I stepped backwards again. "But on a freaking honeymoon? It's a death sentence to everything you're all trying to build."
"You're just trying to make trouble."
"Or I'm trying to fix a problem before it starts," I shrugged. "The schedule works in Utah, but on vacation, no, our honeymoon, it's not working."
"You—"
"I mean, do you even realize he won't be scheduled to be near Bonnie until they're back home?"
I watched her expression as she tried to think of a response.
"Yeah, I thought not," I said, keeping my eyes on her. "Sorry, second wifey, but you all either have to accept this guy is on his honeymoon or…" I paused to smirk, "You better pray you can keep him in check."
I turned away and left, taking the last word.
Hi everyone,
As I mentioned in the last chapter, there hasn't been much feedback or discussion about the story. I'm getting worried that only a few of you are reviewing while hundreds of you are just jumping from one chapter to the next without engaging.
It's with a heavy heart that I say this, but I'm considering taking a break from this story because it doesn't seem to be appreciated in the way it should be. This latest chapter alone is almost 15,000 words, and given the effort I've put in, I believe more feedback is necessary.
If you could encourage more engagement and discussion in the comments, I would truly appreciate it. Your insights and thoughts mean a lot to me and help improve the story for everyone. Thank you for understanding and for your support.