𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾

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   There was a peculiar notion about the relationship between darkness and light. A dance of contrasting souls unfolded, personifying two individuals who were bound to their own respective beliefs. On one side, Klaus, a tormented villain whose heart was shrouded by haunting shadows, his existence cloaked in an enigmatic aura of viciousness. And on the other side, Evelyn, a figure of virtue and hope, a believer in the power of goodness, radiating an ethereal luminescence that casts away the shadows that threatens to engulf the world.

Klaus was a master of manipulation and deceit, an enigma wrapped in shadows and concealed in mystery. His eyes, windows to a horrid past, gleamed like twin eclipses, surrendering to the darkness that resides within. Each step he took echoed a sinister purpose, and every word that escaped his lips dripped with venomous charisma. His soul was a canvas tainted with hues of menacing intent, a swirling void that fed on despair and the misery of others.

Evelyn was the paragon of virtue, a beacon of light in a world that seemed to be slowly surrendering to the darkness. Her eyes, like glistening stars in a moonlit sky, reflected the boundless compassion she carried within. With every step, she left behind a trail of hope that inspired those around her to rise above their own fears and doubts. Her soul was a refuge of warmth and empathy, a sanctuary for the weary souls seeking comfort in the midst of suffering.

Yet, between these two, a tug of war ensued; the darkness sought to consume the light, and the light strived to illuminate the darkness.

And in this struggle, the line between enmity and resistance was slowly thinning, finding themselves entangled in a puzzling connection that defied the purpose of their nature. Each influence left an indestructible mark on the other, turning them into two sides of the same coin, forever bound together inseparably.

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"Fuck me," Evelyn whispered lowly, her eyes fixated on Klaus.

They were at a bar, pulsing with life with an ocean of souls ebbed and flowed in the dimly lit space. Conversations melded into a racket of laughters and clinking glasses. Yet amidst the whirlwind of voices and movement, Evelyn remained an intent focus on Klaus, who was sat across the room, in a secluded area where only her peripheral vision could see him.

And Klaus was with a woman.

An unexpected surge of emotion stirred within Evelyn when seeing him with a woman, her expression shifting from curiosity to a subtle intensity. Unbeknownst to her, a complex storm brewed beneath her composed exterior, a mixture of feelings she hadn't quite acknowledged yet.

Why was she so bothered seeing him with a woman?

And those feelings in Evelyn stirred deeper when Klaus' nature revealed itself as he leaned in closer towards the stranger, his lips brushing against the nape of her neck, sinking his teeth into the soft flesh, but Evelyn couldn't tear her gaze away, her eyes wide with a mixture of fascination and horror. And as the crimson blood flowed, a macabre dance of darkness played out before her, etching this chilling image into her memory.

She inhaled a shaky deep breath, tightening her hand around her glass, lips parted slightly and subconsciously pressing her thighs together.

This was messed up in so many ways.

And as she allowed the memory to corrupt her thoughts, she had caught Klaus' attention. Time seemed to freeze as his piercing gaze met hers, his lips still attached to the woman's neck, a moment of dark revelation and undeniable connection.

She was seriously fucked in the head for not even looking away. I need to find a therapist asap. But then my therapist will probably need a therapist as soon as they hear what I say.

Klaus discarded the woman away from him, his gaze still locked onto Evelyn, as his thumb darted out to lick the last trace of the blood from the corner of his lip.

Double fuck me.

Evelyn's hand once again tightened around her glass, jaws tightening from the way Klaus was getting under her nerves.

"I hope you choke on your thumb and then choke on the blood, so much that it makes you vomit blood and you throw up all over the girl too," she murmured, enough for Klaus to only hear.

He heard, but all he did was return a sly smirk, the dimples on his cheeks revealing. Damn him and his smile.

"Your smile is ugly and disturbing," she muttered bitterly. "Worse than Pennywise."

She could see Klaus chuckling, his index finger circling around his glass as he tilted his head.

In that moment, an unspoken action of temptation and intrigue was bounding them in an irresistible, dangerous game. Game. That's what it had been from the moment they met. A complex one, with each move more calculated than the last. Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that Klaus was taunting her, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he danced on the edge of her secrets, challenging her to reveal more of herself than she dared. It was a perilous dance, one that both feared yet couldn't resist.

And to annoy her furthermore, Klaus lifted his glass of whiskey up and towards her.

Evelyn returned it back with her middle finger. "Ancient fucker," she smiled back.

And within the second of him relishing this moment, his smile faltered when his eyes shifted away from her, his expression darkening.

Evelyn wondered what was wrong with him now, but that thought vanished when she felt a rough hand under her chin, focusing her attention back on to her date for the night.

Evelyn forgot his name though. Rafe or Ryle?

All she could remember was that he was a frat boy and a proud one of that. And his constant boasting about his daddy's money made her just awkwardly smile and nod.

But he was cute. Her type. Well, that's what she convinced herself of.

"Hey," he smiled, making her smile back. "Do you know him?" He gestured to Klaus, who was now glaring at the back of Evelyn's head.

She took a quick glance over her shoulder. "I have no idea who he is," she let out a quiet laugh. "He's a creep for all I know."

Klaus heard the conversation and stiffened at the way Evelyn was leaning closer towards the boy, watching as they shared a laugh whilst they made jokes about him, oblivious to the turmoil she had unintentionally stirred in him.

He was on the verge of murdering a few more people tonight. One in particular was a top priority on the list.

Meanwhile, Evelyn's conversation with her so called date grew increasingly animated. Her fingertips brushed lightly against his thigh in a playful gesture, and his hand moving to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.

And that was when Evelyn decided she wanted to have just a little bit more fun for tonight.

A girl had needs to be fulfilled.

She moved her legs in between his and lightly traced her fingers against his cheek as she whispered against his ear. "How about we go somewhere else quieter?" She leaned back, lips forming into a innocent yet sinful smile as she tilted her head slightly to look at him with those pretty troublesome eyes. "I'm bored."

Who have I become? She wondered.

His eyes widened, excitement and lust filled in them. "Yeah, sure," he breathed out with a laugh.

Wait, where the hell is Stefan?

Evelyn looked around the room, frowning when she couldn't see him. He had been doing that a lot. Disappearing to who knows where, and it made her wonder what exactly was going on with him. He hasn't been– No. Stefan wouldn't do that. He promised her.

She sent a text to him. A sigh of relief leaving her when he quickly texted her back, letting her know he ran back to the hotel because he had left his phone and was returning back soon.

So, Evelyn jumped out of her seat, her hands intertwining with the frat boy's hand as she took lead, and then purposefully bumped into Klaus, ignoring him as she pushed him out of the way.

"Where are you going?" Klaus called out, his hand clasping around her wrist.

Evelyn yanked his hand away, turning around, and feigning confusion. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Klaus stood in front of her, narrowing his eyes down at her. "That's funny," he laughed dryly.

A smile etched on to Evelyn's lips. "Well, I'm having fun, just like you are, Don't keep the poor girl waiting," she gestured to the woman behind Klaus.

"Evelyn," he warned, but it was already too late as she disappeared into the crowd and left the room with the boy trailing behind her, hearing their laughter.

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A soft moan escaped Evelyn's lip when, Jess or James or whatever his name was, lips brushed against her neck, nipping and sucking on the skin, as she ran a hand through his hair.

"You're so hot," he murmured against her neck, hands gripping on to her thighs. "I thought you were just a boring chick who talks a lot."

Aw, how romantic.

Evelyn laughed awkwardly. "I guess, I'm just full of surprises."

He turned her around, making her face the mirror as he continued to trailed kisses down her neck and shoulder, his hand playing with the zip on the back of her dress while the other played with the strap of the dress too.

Evelyn looked at her disheveled state then back to the stranger, and in the midst of this intimacy her thoughts drifted to someone else. One idiotic asshole who was the bane of her existence.

Shaking her head, Evelyn turned back around, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up, letting her hook her legs around his waist, and grinding her hips against his. But in that moment, as Evelyn's lips grazed his, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over her. His image flickered in her mind, intermingling with the sensation of the stranger's touch. But in that very same moment, something shifted within her as she frustratingly pressed her lips against the stranger's, and he too returned the passion just as much, tightening his arms around her.

She pulled back, breathing heavily as he placed kisses down the her throat and her chest, feeling his hands trail up the bottom of her dress. He removed one hand as he searched through his pocket, taking out the small foil packet and Evelyn raised a brow.

"Oh," she mumbled.

"Always gotta be prepared," he chuckled, the confidence in him was too embarrassing for her to bear.

What the fuck? "Okay," she drawled out.

"Turn around," he gestured.

"Woah. Slow down," Evelyn let out a nervous laugh, holding on to his shoulders, one hand awkwardly patting his chest. "How about we do something else first?"

He looked back at her with disgust. "I'm not getting down on my knees for you."

"Excuse me?" She looked taken a back.

"You want me to give you head? Nah. That kind of shit is disgusting," he remarked with a laugh. "But you can get down on your knees for me," he caressed her cheek.

Evelyn regretted not taking up the pretty waitress' offer.

And she now had the sudden urge to shove this obnoxious ass' head down the toilet.

Before that could happen, the door slammed open, revealing a very pissed off Klaus.

"Fuck my life," she mumbled with a sigh.

Klaus took in the sight in front of him. Evelyn's flushed state, the straps on her dress hanging off her shoulder, her leg's still wrapped around the stranger's waist.

Was that a hickey on her neck too?

"What the fuck dude! We're busy!" The frat boy shouted, moving to shut the door.

Klaus grabbed him by the throat, moving him out of Evelyn's sight as he began to quietly compel, then shoving him out as the boy left in a daze to wherever he was meeting his death.

"You really do have dreadful taste in men. I almost pity you, love," Klaus remarked.

"Well, it's a good day to be bisexual then,"  her voice laced with sarcasm as she hopped off the bathroom counter.

When Evelyn made a move to leave, Klaus grabbed her arm spinning her back to face him and locked the door. "Seriously, what the hell is your problem?!"

"You're my problem," he seethed back. "I warned you."

"And? What are you going to do? Punish me?" Evelyn scoffed out with a laugh.

"Depends on how you see it," he leaned in closer to her, his lips curving into a sly smirk.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes at Klaus, pushing him away from her. "Just because we made a deal, does not mean you own me. If I want have sex with anyone, I will. If I want to have a threesome I will. If I want to have a foursome, I will. You can't stop me!"

With a sudden motion, Klaus held Evelyn's jaw, his fingers firm but not rough, holding her in a determined grip. Their faces were inches apart, lips dangerously close to each other's.

"And here I thought you were just an innocent little thing," he mused.

"The only little thing around here is your dick," she retorted, slapping his hand away.

"You know, I'm starting to think you're obsessed with my dick. If you really want it, all you have to do is ask. No need to keep dropping hints," he shrugged.

"I'd rather die than sleep with a self absorbed asshole," she snapped back.

He let out a tsk, "These tedious labels are boring me now, love."

Slowly, he reached out, his fingers grazing her neck down to her collarbone. She tensed, but her defiant glare didn't waver. "You seem to like touching me, don't you?"

"You seem to not stop me," he threw back.

His touch lingered for just a moment before his hand trailed upward, tilting her chin upward, and making her to meet his intense gaze. "All you have to say is, stop."

Evelyn gulped, feeling annoyed yet inexplicably drawn to his touch. "I have this tempting urge to punch you right now," she whispered.

"That's nothing compared to what I'm tempted to do," he murmured, his gaze briefly flickering to her lips.

His words hung in the air, laden with unspoken desire, as they both felt the pull between them growing stronger with each passing moment.

Evelyn cleared her throat, turning her head away. "Let me go."

"Hmm, I don't think so," Klaus shook his head.

Before Evelyn could protest, he turned her around, making her face the mirror. And as they stood in close proximity, her breath hitched, feeling his cold fingers trailing down her spine and then zipped up her dress, almost forgetting that it had been unzipped during her moment with the whatever his name was. "Don't want you to humiliate yourself when we leave," Klaus murmured near her ear, making her tense.

She tried to maintain her composure, as his fingers lightly traced the straps of her dress, and lifting them up on her shoulders, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.

She then watched through the mirror as his gaze casted down to her neck. With jaws clenched, and his eyes expressing something unknown that she couldn't figure out.

"Don't even think about biting my neck. It's never happening," she rolled her eyes. "Weirdo."

Ignoring her insults, Klaus' fingers gently released her bun, causing her hair to cascade down as he pointed to her hickey. "You should really cover that," his voice tinged with an unexpected mix of irritation and longing. "It looks hideous on you."

"Your face is hideous," she retorted back, her hands subconsciously touching her neck as she looked back at herself in the mirror, and moved her hair to cover it up.

She felt his fingers under her chin, tilting her head to the side and up towards his face, as his thumb darted to wipe the smudged lipstick on the corner of her lip, fixing it for her, all while he kept looking in her eyes.

Before Evelyn could speak, she looked down at her phone, cursing herself when she read the text from Stefan.

Oh, they forgot about him.

"It's Stefan," she mumbled, grabbing her bag and ready to walk out. Klaus decided to get under her nerves even further and opened the door, standing in between the doorway. Evelyn glared up at him, sighing. "Move."

"There's plenty of space for you to get out," he gestured with his hand.

With an eye roll, she shifted her body, attempting to maneuver her way past him, but as she did, her body was pressed too close to his, chest brushing against his. She tried to turn her back around on him in an effort to maintain some distance, but even that didn't work.

"You should've asked me politely, love," he taunted as she finally slipped past him.

She ignored him, her pace quickened, and they found Stefan waiting for them, an inquisitive look in his eyes. "Where the hell were you two?"

Evelyn and Klaus exchanged a quick, knowing glance. "We were in the restroom," he replied back.

"What?" Stefan eyed them both, noticing Evelyn's flushed state and hearing her pulse slightly quickening.

"Separate restrooms, of course," Evelyn added with a fake laugh, discreetly elbowing Klaus, who had returned it back with a pinch on her hip.

As Stefan led the way, Evelyn smacked Klaus' hand away from her, quickening her steps to catch up to Stefan as he offered his arm to her But, she couldn't shake the feeling of Klaus' gaze possibly set on her. Her pulse quickened, but she refused to let him see her flustered, so with a subtle motion, she glanced over her shoulder, catching him already looking at her.

It felt like an invisible string pulling them closer against their better judgment, despite the animosity that had defined their relationship since the very beginning.

Klaus had won this round.

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The air, cool and crisp, caressed Evelyn's skin as she sat outside her balcony, immersed in the pages of her book. A subtle distraction crept into her mind, one that had been nagging at her for a while, questioning her own mind.

Was Klaus really the mysterious man in her dreams?

She closed her book, her fingers tracing the cover absentmindedly as she tried to figure how to approach him. She had rehearsed countless scenarios in her mind, but each time, her courage faltered.

What if he thought she was just a crazy psychotic bitch who's obsessed with him?

Oh, hey. I just wanted let you know that i've been having dreams about this man who reminds me of you. Know anything about that? Yeah, because that would totally not question Klaus to think she wasn't messed up.

Evelyn could already imagine Klaus giving her a side eye, and slowly backing away from her.

Then, as if summoned by fate, her gaze shifted to the balcony opposite hers. There walked out Klaus, engrossed in a phone conversation. She couldn't help but discreetly watch him, her eyes tracing his face and the way his lips moved as he spoke.

Those damn tattoos and necklaces would be the end of her though.

Suddenly, she heard Klaus' voice. "What's with the brooding look?"

Evelyn couldn't contain her irritation any longer. "Don't you have any other hobbies besides ruining people's lives?"

"I see you're still hung up on before. If anything you should be thanking me. Your night would've ended up a disaster with him," he chuckled. "Unsatisfied," he added.

She smiled sarcastically, "Thank you for making my night worse."

"You're welcome, love," he returned back.

Frustration reached its peak, and Evelyn couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed her shoes and, with a huff of annoyance, hurled them in Klaus' direction.

He dodged it with a laugh. "You missed. What a shame, but you should think about getting rid of those. The stench coming from them is worse than your attitude."

"At least my shoes can be replaced unlike the horrid smell of your insufferable ego and arrogance that's harder to tolerate," she remarked back.

He countered with a mocking grin, "At least my ego isn't as fake as that facade you put on for the world."

She paused, a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes, as she hesitantly acknowledged the truth in his words. Deep down, she knew that the persona she projected to the world wasn't entirely genuine, but admitting it to herself was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Facade, huh?" She spoke, her voice low.

Klaus then noticed the subtle change in Evelyn's eyes; they darkened, and a fire seemed to flicker within them. Oh, he really pissed her off now.

"What are you going to do? Use your crossbow on me? Or is it the taser this time? Or maybe the sprays? So many choices," he hummed, adding fuel to fire. "Almost making me so excited."

Evelyn smiled, standing up and tilting her head to the side as she gave him a menacing look.

"None of those actually," she began. "Since, my magic is back, I was thinking a different approach. I've been practicing this one spell, and why not put it to use on a person this time. You know, see if it's effective enough to really showcase my strength?"

"I'm just as strong as you, love. Don't do something you'll regret," he let out a scoff.

"Or maybe you're just threatened that there's someone just as powerful as you are."

"I'm not."

"Oh, really?" With a single outstretched hand, a swirling aura of wave enveloped her fingers, crackling with intensity. Klaus was sent sliding towards the edge of the balcony, the force of her magic propelling him dangerously close to the edge.

"Eve," he warned, unable to move not matter how hard he tried.

"Do you remember when you tried to throw Niko off the balcony?"

"Evelyn!"

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you," she mocked, the other hand cupping behind her ear.

"You wouldn't dare," he spoke. "Your morals are too soft to even hurt a spider. So, be a good girl and let me go."

"Did you say, let you go?"

"Yes!"

"Okay," she spoke, in the most sweet, condescending tone ever.

Evelyn threw Klaus off the balcony.

He forgot to say please.

She leaned over her balcony, faking a gasp and placing a hand over her mouth. "My bad. You should've been more specific."

And to make it worth her while, Evelyn pulled out her phone and took a picture of Klaus laying down on the ground. "What a gorgeous view."

Evelyn won this round.

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The first thing Stefan noticed as soon as he woke up was Klaus in a really bad mood. And so his eyes moved to the possible and only culprit behind it. "What did you do this time?"

Evelyn never said anything, but instead shoved her phone in his face. Stefan closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. How exactly did she do that?

And he wanted to laugh. He really did. But, for the sake of his neck being snapped by Klaus for the nth time, he kept his lips tightly sealed.

"Why, Eve?"

"He pissed me off a lot last night."

As Stefan observed Evelyn, a subtle transformation gripped her since they had left Mystic Falls. Her eyes, pools of innocence were now holding a mysterious lure. The more she was around Klaus, the less she was fazed by the horrors he carried. Stefan was haunted by the realisation that the girl who was afraid of the smallest of creatures was slipping away, replaced by a complexity he could not fully comprehend.

But who was he to judge? When he made a promise to keep his bloodlust intact, but couldn't even keep it since the very beginning. Instead, he was becoming the worst version of himself, and putting on a facade whenever he was around her. And because of that, he was trying to distance himself away from her. He believed it was the right thing to do.

But at the cost of pushing her towards the man who was worse than the devil?

Even the most righteous souls can become gifted in deception, guarding their own secrets with whispered lies, and changing in the presence of the unexpected.

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Evelyn noticed Klaus was eerily silent when they walked into the woods to search for the wolf. He hadn't even looked at her since she threw him off the balcony.

"Why couldn't Stefan be here with us?"

"Because he needs to do something for me," he replied, then went back to being silent. Man child.

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Nik?"

"What?"

"You're still alive after I threw you off the balcony. At least you can't actually die," she shrugged.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Pity you can't get rid of me that easily."

They found themselves at an old, rickety wooden bridge spanning a rushing stream. The bridge appeared weathered and unsteady, with missing planks and creaking joints. Evelyn gulped at the sight in front of her, her anxiety holding her in its grip. "Do we need to cross this bridge? Is there another way to get to the other side?"

"It's just a bridge," Klaus said, stepping on to it.

Evelyn hesitated, her eyes fixed on the uncertain path ahead. She replied with a hint of nervousness, "Well, I just don't want to end up in the stream below. This doesn't exactly scream 'safe' to me."

Klaus chuckled. "Where's that sense of daring you had last night?"

Evelyn bit her lip, contemplating. She didn't want him to know. "Fine. Can you come back here? I'll go first and you stand behind me."

"Fine," he let out a sigh and placed a hand on her lower back, giving her a gentle nudge. "Go on."

"Wait, um, can you hold my hand?" She whispered, feeling embarrassed. Klaus couldn't resist her request, allowing his fingers to interlock with hers, as she gave it a tight squeeze.

Evelyn took a deep breath, summoning her courage. As she stepped on one of the more worn planks, it squeaked beneath her weight. "I'm going to fall. I'm going to die," she whispered to herself.

"Careful now, love. We wouldn't want this bridge to become a relic, with you as its final victim."

Evelyn shot him a glare, determined not to let her fear get the best of her. With each cautious step, the bridge groaned and swayed, but Evelyn's grip on Klaus' hand gave her the courage to move forward.

Klaus had another idea and pushed Evelyn off the bridge.

"Sometimes, I just love karma," he smiled.

A loud scream left Evelyn's lips, looking up to see Klaus still holding her hand as he let her dangle over the edge.

"Do it. I dare you," Evelyn challenged. "But remember, if I die. I will haunt your crusty ass every day and night, so much that you'll be begging I was alive instead."

"Eh, I'll take my chances." Klaus let his hand slip from hers for a second, letting her fall further down, but quickly held her hand again.

"You miserable old dog!"

"Did I forget to mention that this lake is infested with alligators? And since you like animals, does that include reptiles too?"

Evelyn was now screaming for him to lift her up.

"Maybe we could get Niko a friend. Go on, i'll help you kidnap another one to take back with us." He kept pushing her down further, to a point she could feel the tip of her toes touching the water. "Oh, look. I see one swimming right towards us."

"Niklaus!" Evelyn yelled.

"All you have to do is apologise, love."

"Apologise for what? You deserved it."

"You chose your fate," he shrugged, ready to let her go.

The sound of the rushing stream below seemed to mock their stubbornness. Never ending.

Evelyn let out a resigned sigh. "Fine!"

"That's not an apology," he tutted.

She glanced over her shoulder, the sight of something lurking beneath the water sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry! Okay!"

In a swift movement, Klaus lifted Evelyn back up. "Good boy," she mocked.

He decided to carry her in arms as she squirmed under his hold, paranoid at what he was going to do next. "Hey! Put me down!"

"What? I'm just helping you. Your legs must be tired from dangling in the air."

"Shut up! I can walk perfectly fine. So, put me down. Now," she demanded.

"If you say so," With a feigned look of pretence, he slowly lowered her to the ground, but just as her feet touched the ground, he accidentally lost his grip, causing Evelyn to fall into a puddle of mud.

Or was it shit?

No. No. No. Please don't let it be what I think it is. Evelyn stared up at him, mud splattered over her and on the verge of tears when she tried to convince herself it was just mud.

Klaus innocently shrugged his shoulders. "My hands slipped."

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Evelyn tried to convince herself.

"Smile for the camera, love."

Klaus won this round.

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As soon as they arrived back at the hotel, Stefan had been waiting for their arrival and the sight in front of him widened his eyes, jaws dropped. "I'm just not even going to bother to ask what happened," he shook his head.

"She wanted to act like an animal in the woods," Klaus spoke before Evelyn could.

"At least i'm not actually an animal," she snapped back, running into her room.

Stefan rolled his eyes, picking Niko up from the floor and headed back to his room.

Both Klaus and Stefan paused when they heard Evelyn scream. Klaus smirking and Stefan quickly locked himself in his room.

"If I set someone's room on fire just know it was by accident," she muttered, but just enough for them to use their vamp hearing.

Evelyn decided she was going to avoid Klaus.

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Evelyn didn't avoid Klaus.

She was in his room. Laying down on his bed with Klaus next to her.

"Now, that I've introduced you to the world of Marvel. Who's your favourite character?" She asked.

"Love," Klaus called.

"Hm," she hummed, continuing to read his mother's grimoire in front of her.

As Evelyn lost herself within the pages, Klaus' piercing eyes were locked onto her form as he tilted his head to the side, trying to figure her out. "What are you doing?"

"Reading," she said in a duh tone. "Has your age made you lose your common sense?"

He rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?" He was sure that Evelyn would give him the silent treatment or plot something worse, so why wasn't she?

"I don't know. Ask my biological parents why they gave birth to me and abandoned me," she shrugged. "Oh, wait. They're both dead, so are my adopted parents too."

Sometimes dark humour was Evelyn's way of coping.

Klaus let out a heaved sigh. "Eve."

"What?" She finally looked at him.

"Why are you in my room?"

Evelyn didn't exactly know why. She just woke up, walked into his room and decided to bother him.

"To practice," she gestured to the grimoire. "Besides, I know you love spending time with me."

"You wish," he scoffed, looking away from her.

"Shut up. You get a buzz out of it," she laughed. "I bet you wait for me every night."

"I do not," he mumbled.

"Then why didn't you throw me out of your room as soon as I came inside?"

Instead of arguing back with her, Klaus threw Evelyn over his shoulder, walking towards the door.

"Nik!" She let out a laugh, hitting his back. "Put me down."

Klaus listened and put her down.

Evelyn let out a huff, fixing her hair as she sat back down. "I'm bored, okay? And you're the only person around here that's awake at this time."

"So, you like spending your time with me?" Klaus asked, sitting opposite her.

"I literally just said you're the only person, meaning I had no choice."

"But you had a choice to stay in your room," he smugly replied back.

Evelyn grabbed the pillow and threw it at him. "Don't flatter yourself."

Klaus caught the pillow. "Glad to know I entertain you at night," he teased.

"You're disgusting."

"I have no idea what you mean. Your mind decided to interpret what I said entirely different, so you're the disgusting one."

"Fuck off," she murmured.

"But this is my room," he pointed out.

Evelyn felt her cheeks heat up, whilst Klaus enjoyed every moment of teasing her. "I'm leaving," she stood up.

"No!" He quickly grabbed her hand, pulling her back down, her body almost colliding on top of his. "I'm kidding."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, laying back down on her side and flipping through the grimoire once again.

As Evelyn kept her eyes on the book, she felt Klaus' hand brush against her thigh, coming to a stop to tug on her shirt. "Is that my shirt you're wearing?"

He took a moment to appreciate the way the shirt highlighted her collarbones and the gentle curve of her neck. The top few buttons were undone, revealing a teasing glimpse of her skin underneath. The shirt's hem fell just above her mid-thighs, and Klaus' gaze involuntarily traveled down her legs, causing his breath to catch.

Evelyn looked up from her book, her cheeks slightly tinted. "This old thing?" She looked down. "No," she replied, trying to sound casual. It was actually his.

Klaus eyes narrowed on her, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Really? Because, you know, I distinctly remember giving you this shirt."

"I don't remember at all. Maybe the memory loss is starting to finally kick in, but given your old age i'm not surprised," she shrugged.

"I gave it to you the night you were drunk," he caught her out on her lie.

Evelyn cleared her throat, moving his hand away from her leg. "Well, it's mine now. Finders keepers."

"It looks good on you," he complimented, his eyes raking over her body to admire the shirt on her.

Evelyn's breath hitched, and she found herself almost unable to respond. The intensity of his gaze, the weight of his words— it all felt so intoxicating.

Klaus' fingers continued to trace the fabric, his touch sending shivers. "You know, I might have a hard time getting that back from you now."

She seriously needed a distraction from him.

Without really thinking, Evelyn swung her leg out in a swift kick, catching Klaus off guard and knocking him off the bed.

"What the bloody hell was that for?!" He asked, his expression a mix of shock and amusement.

"Uh– You have cold hands." Evelyn shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"So you kicked me for that?"

"By accident," she huffed with an eye roll.

"Sometimes I wonder what really goes through that mind of yours," he muttered. And sometimes he questioned himself why he even took her with him.

As Evelyn engrossed herself back in the grimoire, she noticed Klaus walking towards the bathroom, the door open, revealing a glimpse of him at the sink, as he vigorously washed his hands. Unintentionally, her eyes drifted from the book to his form, and she took a shaky deep breath. "Do you workout?"

"Occasionally," he answered, without meeting her eyes as he continued to wash his hands.

"I've never seen you work out," she whispered, mostly to herself. "When do you even have the time to do it?"

"That's because you're usually asleep when I do it early morning. And every hotel suite we've stayed in has it's own gym, but you wouldn't know because you don't bother to go downstairs," he replied, drying his hands with a towel.

"Oh." Returning back to the grimoire as they both fell in silence.

5 seconds later.

"So, what's your workout like?" She was just curious. That's all.

He leaned against the bathroom doorframe, a relaxed confidence emanating from him. "Weightlifting and bodyweight, usually bench press, pull ups and press ups, and also cardio mostly."

"Cardio, huh," Evelyn closed the book, pulling her knees up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them and placed her chin on top. "I should do that more often," she murmured. "Need to build up my stamina."

"Stamina, huh?" He echoed, a tense silence between them that seemed to hung in the air.

Evelyn rose from the bed and walked up to Klaus, who watched her with a mix of anticipation and desire. Standing right in front of him, she pointed to his shoulder and arm. "Are those the only tattoos you have?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, these are the only ones."

"Do you plan on getting more?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"I think you should," her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Oh, yeah?" His tone was low.

"Mhm," she nodded. "I think, maybe there." She traced her finger along his collarbone. He tensed at her touch. "Or maybe there." She moved to the left side of his chest. "Or there," she whispered, her fingers continued their path and stopping just below the hip bone.

Before Evelyn could trail her finger any further, Klaus' hand gripped her wrist firmly. "What do you think you're doing?"

She feigned innocence, a playful glint in her eye. "I'm just giving my opinion."

He couldn't help but let out a low, almost frustrated sigh. "Why are you touching me?"

Evelyn didn't miss a beat, throwing the question right back at him with a mischievous smile. "Why didn't you stop me first?"

"I know what you're trying to do."

"Oh, do you? And what exactly am I trying to do?"

Klaus chuckled. "You're trying to get back at me. It didn't work this time."

"I'd say otherwise." She looked down at his body. "Maybe you should take a cold shower."

Feeling a rush of emotions, Klaus covered up his tinted cheeks with a stern glare as Evelyn scoffed out laugh, making her way out his room. "Men really are pathetic," she taunted.

Evelyn won this round.

━━━━━━━━━━

Sometimes, Evelyn hated feelings. 

There was a moment where she thought her life was simple and now her world seemed to fragment, like shards of a broken mirror reflecting disjointed thoughts and fractured emotions. And as she sat in the corner of the cafe, her attention fixed on the rain smeared window, the world outside seemed to blur into a watercolour picture, the people passing by mere shadows.

And then just like a flip of a switch once again, a series of voices echoed in her mind, each one vying for her attention like a relentless choir. And as each day passed, the more exhausted she was of hearing these voices. Telling her things she was afraid to voice out.

Evelyn was struggling to keep this side away hidden.

A gentle touch on her shoulder pulled her from her toxic thoughts. Startled, she blinked and met the eyes of a stranger. "Is this seat taken?" Gesturing to the seat opposite Evelyn. "It's full around here–"

"No, please, go ahead." The sadness in Evelyn was immediately replaced by a beaming smile.

And then Klaus' words came rushing back to her. –isn't as fake as that facade you put on for the world. Evelyn knew he was right.

The stranger seated across from her leaned in as she gestured towards the book in Evelyn's hand. "Hunger Games, a classic choice."

She smiled, a breathless laugh leaving her lips. "But it's a big emotional roller coaster. I can see more of my tears on the pages than the word's itself."

"I can relate," the stranger laughed as well. "This is going to sound weird, are you from around here? Because I feel like we have met."

"We haven't," she shook her head. "I'm actually visiting family," she lied.

"Oh, okay. Then welcome to Boston. I'm Salem," the woman greeted.

"Evelyn." She shook her hand, taking in those expressive brown eyes, and the captivating smile that held confidence, but as their hands met, an eerie sensation shot up Evelyn's arm. A strange feeling of unease washed over her, that left her confused and curious.

With a forced smile, she subtly but quickly removed her hand away, and continued her conversation with Salem, not wanting to seem rude.

"There's a strange man, looking at you and he seems to be approaching our table," Salem gestured behind Evelyn.

"Huh?" She took a glance over her shoulder, and rolled her eyes when it was Klaus. "Oh," she turned back to Salem. "That's my brother's boyfriend."

"Ah, okay," Salem nodded.

Klaus approached them as he gave Salem a quick glance before turning back to Evelyn. "Kevin, what are you doing here?"

He rolled his eyes at her playful remark. "Come on, let's go."

"Aren't you supposed to be with my brother right now? Where is Steve by the way?" Evelyn looked around, scanning the cafe for Stefan.

"Get up, Eve," he sighed.

Evelyn turned to Salem, whispering to her. "He's going to propose to my brother today. Isn't that exciting?"

"Hopefully your brother says yes to the ring. Or else that'll be embarrassing," Salem muttered, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh, Kevin, meet Salem. Salem, Kevin," Evelyn introduced them. Klaus ignored Salem who gave him an awkward wave, with lips tightly pressed.

He instead grabbed on to Evelyn's hand and lifted her up. "He needs help with rehearsing his lines and getting dressed," she said as he dragged her away. "Nice meeting you, Salem!"

"You too," Salem waved back, then reading the text on her phone.

Valentina:
Any luck?

Salem:
Made casual conversation
this time but then he came
and took her away.

━━━━━━━━━━

2009

As soon as Evelyn fell asleep, her mind was transported back to a time she had tried so hard to forget – the days after the accident.

Laying still in the hospital room, her gaze was fixed on the rhythmic dance of the heart monitor's green blips. The steady beep seemed to mock the chaos that had unraveled her world.

The words constantly repeating in her mind. "You made it out alive, but your parents didn't."

It felt like one big, sick joke.

Tears welled in her eyes, yet they refused to fall, as if even her emotions were paralyzed by the gravity of her loss.

She remained suspended in the monitor's rhythm until a soft creak of the door signaled the arrival of her siblings. Without shifting her gaze from the monitor, she felt the subtle vibrations on the floor as Jeremy carefully wheeled Elena in, still recovering from the accident, and helped her up to sit down on the bed next to Evelyn.

Elena and Jeremy exchanged a somber glance as they watched over Evelyn. Tubes snaked across her hands and a nasal cannula was gently affixed to her nose. Seeing Evelyn in this fragile state tugged at their hearts.

Evelyn couldn't ignore the gentle, reassuring touch of Elena's hand brushing through her hair, the warmth of her voice calling out her name. "Evie."

As Evelyn finally turned her gaze towards Elena, her heart ached at the sight of her sister's frail and malnourished appearance. She gently reached out and touched Elena's pale, delicate face, her fingertips tracing the contours of her cheek. In that tender moment, their eyes locked, and Elena's lips met Evelyn's palm in a soft, lingering kiss.

Evelyn's concern deepened, and always on her big sister instinct, she asked, "Have you eaten?" Realising that amidst her own pain, she couldn't ignore the suffering of her twin's too.

"The food sucks here," Elena frowned. "And the place stinks too."

"They won't let me have ice cream," Evelyn whispered, trying to lighten the mood, and ignore how much hurt she was.

However, as her gaze shifted to Jeremy, Evelyn's smile wavered. She couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance he bore to their parents. His eyes mirrored their father, and his smile held the same warmth as their mother.

And that was when she finally broke down into tears, her sobs echoing through the room. Between gasps for air, she kept whispering, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Her guilt weighing heavily on her fragile shoulders. "This is all my fault."

Elena and Jeremy rushed to her side, wrapping their arms around her. Elena wiped her sister's ears, softly whispering, "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."

"No," Evelyn sobbed. "You need to listen to me.
It was my fault. You have to believe me. I– I–"

Why was it she couldn't remember what exactly happened just before the accident?

Jeremy caged her face in her hands, gently turning her to look at him as he swallowed back his own tears from seeing his sister cry. "It was a car accident. Don't blame yourself."

But Evelyn couldn't shake the guilt that had settled in her heart. She continued to cry, shaking her head in protest, unable to find comfort in their words.

Her siblings were now her lifeline. And it dawned on her then and there that the responsibilities were now on her. To take care of them. Just like she was told since the moment she was able to understand those words from her parents that as the eldest child, she would be their protector.

━━━━━━━━━━

( mentions of panic attack
and depression )

One minute Evelyn was fine, and then the next she wasn't. What happened? Stupid, old memories that were buried in the back of her mind were now resurfaced to the front. Ones that shouldn't make her feel like this. Not anymore. The past was the past. Why dwell on it?

And as she tried to divert her mind to something distracting, she felt a grip tightening its hold on her chest. No. Not again. She recognized the familiar signs—her racing heart, the shortness of breath, the overwhelming sense of dread. Panic attack. Her trembling hands clutched at anything solid, but there was no escape from the suffocating grip.

Deep breaths, Eve. Just take deep breaths. She reminded herself, but those seconds stretched into an agonizing eternity for her.

And when it stopped, she quickly turned on the taps to the sink and the shower, letting the water run loudly to drown out the sound of her weeping as she leaned against the cold, tiled wall. Not wanting Klaus and Stefan to hear her.

These episodes were like uninvited guests, lurking at the edges of her existence, ready to engulf her at any moment. Her nights were often sleepless, her mind racing with anxious thoughts that refused to let her rest. She wore a mask of strength during the day, but behind closed doors, she struggled with a sense of isolation, unable to share the emotional burden she carried.

Evelyn wondered. Was she born with this? Why did she have to feel like this? She had no reason to at all, and yet she invited this unhappiness into her life.

And the voices in her mind were another factor that made it worse. The accident had amplified these voices. It was as if the trauma had given them new life, filling her mind with a constant barrage of negative thoughts.

You don't deserve to be here.

The only reason you're alive is to take care of your siblings. Be grateful.

This is all your fault.

You killed your– No. Jeremy's parents.

"Stop it," she whispered to herself. "Just please stop." Hands gripping on to her hair, as she buried her face in her arms and relentlessly pleaded to stop.

After what seemed like a loop, the tears had stopped, Evelyn took a deep breath and turned to face the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She felt the weight of her emotions still lingering, but she wore a brave face with a forced smile, concealing the torment that raged within. And it was the only emotion she was able to have control over.

Yet, she kept this internal struggle hidden from her family and friends, afraid of burdening them further. It was a guilt she carried since she was a child and that was something she had no control over.

She was tired. She was hurt. She was sad. But she was fine.

Because in the end, Evelyn didn't matter. And she convinced herself of that.

━━━━━━━━━━

Closing the front door, Klaus made his way over to his room, taking a quick glance to Evelyn's room which had been closed. He stood still for a moment, debating if he should check on her.

"Where were you?" The sound of Evelyn's voice made him quickly turn around, finding her snuggled up in a blanket, her head lifted off the couch but still laying there.

"Why are you sleeping here?" He made his way over to her.

Evelyn stood up, also making her way over to him. "I asked you first. Where were you for so long?"

"Out," he simply answered, watching as she stood toe to toe with him, looking up at him with a frown.

"For almost the whole day? This is the third time in a row."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," she quickly shook her head.

"Then why are you asking?"

"Because– I– I wanted to ask! Stop asking me questions."

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing Evelyn's tense state, her hands wringing the blanket back and forth, and her lips pressed in a thin line when she kept looking down.

"Uh– huh," she nodded. She didn't want to tell him. And now the guilt made it's way back to her again. She had no reason to tell. It was pointless.

And she certainly did not want to tell him she was laying on the couch when she couldn't find him in his room and instead waited for him. She didn't know why, but she waited. She had been doing that a lot lately. Waiting for him.

Evelyn felt Klaus' finger under her chin, lifting her face up. "Your eyes are red and puffy. Why?"

"Hay fever," she lied. "My eyes get really itchy. Nose too. Throat too. And my ears. And I can't stop sneezing. I remember once my eyes were so swollen, my mom cried thinking I got into a fight–" She rambled.

Klaus sighed, irritated by her habit of deflecting, closing herself once again, but nevertheless continued to listen to her.

They settled themselves on the couch, Evelyn sat crossed legged when Klaus noticed her stare. "What?"

"I have to ask you something," she said.

"You're still going to ask even if I say no," he pointed out.

"I've just been noticing– something, since um– you've been been away almost the whole night these past couple of days– so like–"

"Have you been staying awake every night?" Klaus interrupted her.

"Hey! I'm asking the question here," she scolded.

"Okay, okay," he held his hands up.

"So, are you like– you know–" Evelyn motioned something with her hands which Klaus couldn't understand.

"I'm not following with what you're saying," he shook his head.

"Are you hooking up with someone?" Evelyn quickly asked, followed by slapping herself on the forehead.

Klaus raised a brow, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Maybe I am. I don't see how that's any of your concern."

"It's not," she sighed. "Look, the first night we came here, I saw you speaking to someone at the bar we were at so I just assumed– I'm not judging, okay? Everyone has needs," she shrugged. "You know what? Forget about this whole convo."

Evelyn stood up, walking towards the open kitchen as Klaus followed after her. "No, we're not going to," he said.

She shook her head, turning around to face him with her arms crossed over her chest as she narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"You know I get curious," she made up an excuse.

"You're never this curious," he tried to read an expression off her.

Evelyn scoffed, hopping on the counter, as she forced a smile on her lips. "I ask you questions all the time."

"Wolf questions. You're never curious about me," he pointed out.

"Look, you're a very secretive guy. So seeing you just talking to her surprised me. That's all."

"That's all?"

"Yeah," she nodded with a nervous laugh, looking away from him when his intense gaze was too much for her to rival back with. "You need to stop doing that," she murmured back, pretending to look down at her nails.

"Do what?" Klaus' hand were now laying against the counter besides Evelyn's thighs, listening to her breathing quicken for a second before she gathered herself back, refusing to allow him the satisfaction to listen to her rapid heartbeat.

"Stop staring at me like that," she narrowed her eyes at him. "It's– It's annoying."

"I'm sorry, my love. I won't do it again," he smiled, a sly one as he refused to leave his eyes off her.

Evelyn huffed out a scoff, straightening herself as she finally looked at him. "Stop," she only managed to whisper out the words this time.

"Put your shoes on," he suddenly said.

"What?"

"I'm taking you out," he said. "I want to show you something."

"Okay," she drawled out with a laugh as he helped her off the counter, letting her run back to her room.

Soon, Evelyn was brought inside a building which held a quiet, calming, and comfortable atmosphere. Turning her head around, she looked around the designs hanging on the wall, the tall ceiling decorated in a mosaic pattern, consisting of small pieces of stones, tiles and glasses, the pattern reflecting on the floor from the glistening moon lit up from above the roof. Evelyn was in awe with everything around her.

"Art museum? We'll get in so much trouble, Nik. This is trespassing, you know?"

He shrugged, "Not exactly trespassing if you don't get caught."

"So, why are we here?" She rested her hands on her hip, as she took in everything around her.

"You asked me where I have been going," Klaus gestured to the large room around them.

"Oh," Evelyn whispered, nodding at him. "So you weren't getting it on with anyone?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm not interested in anyone."

"Imagine if you were. I feel bad for the unlucky person who has caught your attention," she teased.

Klaus pressed his lips in a thin line, awkwardly standing there as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

Evelyn, who hadn't noticed, walked around, stopping in front of a painting, and observing it in silence. She felt Klaus' presence behind her, but continued to focus her thoughts on this particular one.

"This is an interesting one," she tilted her head to the side, humming. The painting was a symphony of colors, with deep, velvety darks blending into rich, vibrant hues of gold and silver. The dark clouds at the top of the canvas seemed to wrestle with the luminous, golden beams of sunlight that broke through below.

"What do you see in this?" Klaus asked.

"Hm," Evelyn tapped on her chin. "I see darkness and light. Like alternate stages relieving one another, kinda like a full circular moment here. Where there is dark, light follows. When your lost, there's always a path to follow."

A small yet soft smile appeared on Klaus' face, turning to look at Evelyn. "So, do you like art?"

"I appreciate it. The artists especially. They all have stories to tell through their work. It's very magical and sets a lot of curiosity when people look at it. Trying to figure out the meaning behind the art," Evelyn said, her eyes still observing the painting in front of her.

"So, what do you think of this one?" Klaus asked.

The painting; a swirling strokes of midnight blue and obsidian black dominated the canvas, creating an atmosphere of mystery. At the heart of the painting, there was a figure, indistinct and spectral. The form was blurred with an outstretched hand reaching toward a radiant light source, but it remained just out of grasp.

"I like it. It's mysterious, chaotic and painfully beautiful but it's filled with emptiness as if it's searching for something," she noted.

Klaus was impressed from the way she was describing his painting.

Evelyn then noticed Klaus had been lost in his own thoughts. Her finger poking his cheek, "Where'd you go?"

He cleared his throat, blinking his eyes as he looked at back her. "I was just trying to understand it too," he said.

Evelyn nodded slowly, still trying to figure him out. "Why would you try to understand it if you painted it?"

"How– how did you know that–" Klaus stammered over his words.

"I saw you paint something similar like this a couple weeks ago. The style seemed familiar," she smiled. "Why under a different name?"

"Enemies, love," he answered simply, giving no room for her to inquire more about it.

"I must say you're very talented," she then smiled at him, a soft one.

He smiled back, feeling a sense of pride in him when she praised him.

"Is that you complimenting me? I didn't quite catch that," Klaus leaned forward. "Could you repeat that again?"

Evelyn pushed him back lightly, narrowing her eyes at him. "It's the only one you'll ever get." He chuckled, making her laugh with him.

"Why do you like to paint?" Evelyn asked instead.

Klaus was taken aback from her question. And looking at her, he could tell she was being genuine about it. She wanted to know.

"Painting, to me," he took a deep sigh. "It's been my refuge since I was a child. It's a way for me to capture the essence of moments and emotions that often words cannot express. I feel a sense of control within me, a way to channel my thoughts. Each stroke of the brush, each colour on the canvas, is like a piece of my soul laid bare. As a child, I had no sense of place in the real world, so painting has been my way of living."

Evelyn listened intently, moved by depth of his passion. It was a side of him she had never seen before, and he genuinely felt elated to speak about what he loved.

She took a moment to collect her thoughts. She didn't know what she was feeling right now and that was annoying her.

"You with me?" Klaus' voice brought her back.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Oooh I like that one too," she ran towards another painting. It was of a ballerina, dancing alone on a stage. "I've always wanted to be on a stage like this. Hopefully one day."

"So dancing isn't just a hobby?" Klaus asked.

"No," Evelyn said, taking a seat on the bench in front of the painting. "I really want to become a ballerina. I know it's a short term career, but I just love dancing. Like how you create art with your hands. I can create art by showing it off through movements and music."

"Why ballet?" He asked, wanting to hear more of her voice and the way she beamed up from talking about it.

Evelyn looked down at her hands, nervously fiddling with her fingers. "It's very hard to put it into words," she began, her voice soft. "But it's my kind of language. It's like my identity. It's the heart of beauty and art, and without it, i'm not me."

Klaus sat down besides her, becoming interested in listening to her passion. He tilted his head, eyes moving down to the way Evelyn expressed with her hands and the glint in her eyes with such happiness. It was the most genuine smile he had seen in her so far. She was herself.

That was when Evelyn noticed a subtle change in Klaus' demeanour. The once stern and analytical expression had softened into something more tender. And it was directly at her.

"Stop doing that," she gestured to his face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he shrugged, feigning innocence.

"You know damn well what i'm saying, i know it's a ploy for you to get under my skin. And it'll never work," she huffed, rolling her eyes as she moved ahead of him.

"Can I not appreciate true beauty?" Klaus asked.

Evelyn whirled around, expecting for him to have that teasing look on him, but instead he looked serious. Like he truly meant what he was saying.

"Oh, piss off," she scoffed, as she began to walk but the next words he said made her stop.

"I can't seem to figure you out," Klaus voiced out his thoughts. "It's very frustrating."

"So you're curious about me now?" Evelyn tilted her head, doe eyes staring at him with confusion.

"Have been since we first met," he confessed.

And in that moment she realised that she had been allowing herself to get closer to him, emotionally, and that was a dangerous path to tread.

Her inner reminder echoed loudly. You're not allowed, Evelyn.

With a heavy heart, she pulled back slightly, creating a necessary distance between them, a reminder of the boundaries she had set for herself. It was a bittersweet moment, for while she cherished the connection they shared, she couldn't afford to lose sight of the reality that laid just beneath the surface.

━━━━━━━━━━

The silent walk back to their hotel seemed forever. Evelyn's inner thoughts continued to nag at her, making her restless. The warmth of the art museum's experience seemed distant now, replaced by a cold, growing sense of unease.

Unable to contain her thoughts any longer, she suddenly turned to Klaus. "Why did you take me away from my home?"

Klaus sighed, his eyes revealing a complexity. He knew he had to tread carefully. "We made a deal, remember?"

"No," she shook her head. "That's not all of it. I can feel that there's something you're not telling me."

"I have no reason to hide anything from you." Lies. "Like we discussed. We made a deal."

"No! A man like you always has ulterior motives. I tried to convince myself it was just a deal, but yesterday, when I held your hand. My– my magic sensed something."

Klaus' eyes narrowed, suddenly stopping in his tracks. "You used your magic on me?"

"I– I didn't mean to. It happened by accident," she stammered over her words.

His grip firm but not forceful, held her arms, making sure she looked directly into his eyes. His gaze was intense, filled with anxiety and anticipation, "What did you see?! What did you sense?"

What was he hiding?

"Why should I tell you, huh? Why? When you're not telling me anything," Evelyn responded back with stubbornness.

Feeling the weight of his own secrecy and struggling to contain his own frustration, he slowly released her arms and turned away. "Bloody hell woman. You really know how to infuriate me," he mumbled.

"I'll tell you," she gulped. "But only under one condition."

"What?"

"You let Stefan and I go home," Evelyn compromised.

"No."

"Why not?"

Unable to meet her eyes, he spoke quietly. "I can't do that."

Her voice wavered as she was almost on the verge of tears. "Why can't you just let me go?!"

Unable to contain his frustration any longer, he snapped at her. "I don't know, Evelyn!"

Evelyn flinched, her body tensing with hurt and bewilderment. She took a step back as her tears fell quietly. "How can you be so cruel?" She whispered, her voice breaking.

Klaus turned to face her once more, his expression unyielding, as he replied with the harsh truth. "Because it's a part of who I am."

With a heavy heart and unshed tears, Evelyn turned away from Klaus, unable to bear the harsh reality of his words any longer. She walked away from him.

No one won this round.

━━━━━━━━━━

When Evelyn reached her room, she closed the door behind her and sank to the floor, her sobs echoing in the silent room. It was a moment of vulnerability and despair.

What was Klaus not telling her?

When she had managed to stop her tears and regain some composure, she noticed her phone screen lit up. It was a text message and her heart skipped a beat as she read it.

Womb Mate:
I'm really hoping you read this.
It's our birthday soon and my only
birthday wish is that you call me. Just
one phone call please. I miss hearing
you. I love you, Evie.

The weight of missing her family, the guilt of feeling like she was disappointing and hurting them, and the longing for a sense of normalcy, all overwhelmed her. And as tears once again welled in her eyes, she couldn't help but hate herself.

━━━━━━━━━━

( Valentina and Salem )

"My mother told me this story when I was a child," Valentina took on a nostalgic gleam as she leaned in closer to Salem, her voice hushed. "Dated about 4000 years ago, three witches, friends who were more like sisters, were shunned by their own coven all because of their magical abilities were beyond anything the world had seen before." Her fingers traced patterns on the table. "The Elders of the coven were threatened by their power, paranoid that they would take over the coven so they believed that shunning them was not enough. They came to an agreement that sentencing them to death would be the only way, but to also steal their magic to make themselves stronger."

"But the girls were smart enough to run away from their village, and for months the coven had been searching for them," Valentina continued. "The Elders thirst for power was insatiable and the girls decided that running was not going to prevent them from being killed, so they created a spell together, one that would increase their strength, make it impossible to be killed, but instead they accidentally created something else, a new supernatural being, one that became more potent than they were individually."

"Fae, or Faeries. Created from light."

"Wait, I thought they were a myth," Salem voiced out her thoughts.

"That's what they made everyone believe," Valentina said.

"Instead of running, they made the decision to return back to the village. The coven thought they were absurd to come back thinking they would spare them, but what the witches hadn't realise was that it was their own deaths that was awaiting. It was a bloodbath. The girls granted no mercy, some of the witches in the coven were their own family members, who wanted them dead too, but they were too consumed in their power and rage to even grant mercy to them, so each and everyone was killed and they created their own coven."

Salem couldn't help but laugh. Women's pettiness was a dangerous form of revenge.

"Word spread fast around the world and some witches admired what they had done, in awe of their abilities and what they had created, but others wanted revenge, becoming their worst enemy. Those who admired traveled across the world to meet them, asking if they can be turned into one from their magic. They agreed, but on the condition was that they followed them, and those who betrayed them would face an agonising death. And from then on, they created their own bloodlines. The three Fae's were seen as royalty, and over the years became prominent families within the community, becoming a feared and respectful creatures in the supernatural world."

"After the three had passed, their magic was returned back to the very ground they created this spell, and it became an ancestral plane for the Fae's to channel their magic, but then rumours were spread that two prophecies were created. The first was that one Fae will inherit their powers. All 3 of them."

"About 1500 years ago, the Fae who was chosen was a girl whose ancestor was one of the original Fae. And from what I heard, during this time when it was found out it would be her, a war broke out between families. They argued that she was too weak, too naive, not worthy of yielding this power. That turned into betrayal between their own blood. The witches, who hated them, were now involved, and used this opportunity to take their revenge. Some of the Fae's turned to dark magic, plotting with the witches. They eventually killed her, but that was not enough for them, they made a plan to eradicate every Fae bloodline, but to also consume everyone's power and take it as their own."

"And they did?"

"No. The Fae's are always ten steps ahead. They knew something like this would happen, so they had their own plan. They found a way to fake their own death, most of them did, other's sacrificed themselves for the greater good, and made the others think they succeeded. Make themselves into a myth. A distant memory."

"So, where are they now?"

"They're hidden amongst us, and for centuries now their magic has been cloaked so no witch can trace them with their own. For all we know, we might have met a Fae," Valentina shrugged. "They're all waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves."

"And how does Evelyn fit in this?" Salem asked.

"They believe she's the right moment, the spirits believed that if one of their own inherited their magic it would be a risk to find out. So, they needed someone from a different bloodline, one that the witches would not suspect. It was easier because they wouldn't suspect why the Faeries would choose an outsider."

"Why her?"

"The spirits believe Evelyn can use their magic for the right intentions. She has a good heart. A pure one."

"Hypothetically speaking, what if she doesn't?"

"Then I pray for those who underestimate her."

Salem leaned back in seat, curiosity set in her eyes. "What's the second prophecy."

"Like I said, Fae's were always a step ahead. And just in case if Evelyn is to be found, they needed to make sure it would be difficult to kill her and to protect their magic, so they decided she would have a soulmate. A soul connected to hers. A soul that is immortal."

"Klaus," Salem whispered. "I've heard not so great things about him."

"All they care about is their magic being protected. As long as Evelyn is alive, everything else is a blur. Everyone else is just a collateral damage. They may come across as gentle but selfishness runs through their blood. Piss them off and you'll face the consequences. They only care about protecting their own and those who have earned their respect."

"So, does that make Evelyn immortal too?"

"Not exactly. The prophecy said that in order to be bonded, a ritual needs to be done. One that would allow them to gain each other's strength, but not their abilities. It would amplify their power."

"But every supernatural creature has a weakness though."

"Mhm. Just like Klaus, to kill Evelyn, it is the very thing that made her who she is. Except no one alive knows where the weapon is located. It's hidden somewhere in the world."

"And the only people who can truly succeed in killing Evelyn and Klaus, is if one kills the other."

The plot is thickening and hidden motives are slowly being revealed! So many betrayals will happen soon hehe.

I'm so excited to write about the Faeries. They were originally inspired by the show True Blood since the first version of this book, but I added my own twist to it. I've done a lot of research on the strengths and weaknesses.

You'll see just how twisted they are, and eventually Evelyn turning out to be like them so she may or may not have a villain era 👀 there's a reason why the spirits chose her. This book holds a lot of secrets.

See you soon in the next update. Bye!