VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

Moving on

**

Klaus pov

Ruby hasn’t come into work yet. It’s unlike her to be late.

I think of the scene yesterday.

Maybe she was scared off. Maybe it was too much, having to orgasm in all that carnage just to save Dave’s life.

She seemed to enjoy it, though and was relieved that Dave was ok.

Fear shoots through me as I wonder if Elena’s coven has figured out my connection to her. We repelled their attack, but just barely. They will try again.

They don’t value humans, so are unlikely to attack ours.

They probably don’t understand that I would fight to protect my people, not just the vampires, but the humans who feed us.

But if she has worked out how I feel about Ruby, Ruby will make an excellent hostage.

I’m just grabbing my phone to call her when an email comes through. It’s from Ruby.

Hi, Klaus

I’m sorry to do this over email, but I worry that if I try to do it in person, I won’t be able to follow through. I’m quitting my job. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe. With me gone, Katherine will be willing to renew your alliance.

I’m sorry, but we can’t see each other anymore. You know that this is the last thing I want, but I could never live with myself if you are hurt or killed because of me.

Yours, always, Ruby.

I stare at the email, my mind in a haze.

It’s over. She left me.

I can’t even be angry with her.

If I was in her position, I’d probably do the same thing. It’s likely that I could convince her to come back, but I won’t do that. She could so easily have been killed yesterday.

Humans are so much more fragile than vampires.

For her own sake, I have to let her go.

What does moving on look like? How am I supposed to pretend that I never knew her?

I’m pulled out of my despairing thoughts by a familiar scent. Katherine.

I growl under my breath as she knocks on the door. “Come in.”

I expect her to be here to gloat, but it becomes apparent from the moment that she steps inside that she isn’t.

There are long scratches down the side of her face, and she looks severely shaken. Katherine is normally calm and collected, but not now. Katherine, what happened?”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

My coven was attacked. By the look of the office, so was yours.”

“Elena’s?

“Yes.

I’m not happy with Katherine for breaking our alliance, but I never wished this on her.

You should come back, and bring your coven. This has made it clear that neither of us is strong enough to stand alone.

I see that girl isn’t here anymore. Decided to drop her, have you?”

I glare at Katherine but don’t respond.

“Well, then there’s nothing to stop us from mating.”

“That’s not part of the deal anymore, Katherine.”

I’m not giving up on Ruby. If there’s away, I’ll find it, but I can’t do that if I’m already mated.

Don’t be ridiculous, Klaus. Alliances without matings are weak, everyone knows that. That’s why we agreed to be mates in the first place.”

If we’re not joined in such an absolute way, it’ll be too easy for other covens to work on undermining us and splitting our individual covens apart. Only by the leaders mating can’t covens truly be made one.”

She’s right, of course, but that doesn’t change anything. My feelings for Ruby don’t leave, no matter how inconvenient they are.

It’s an alliance without mating or nothing.”

Katherine purses her lips.

I’ll give you one week to change your mind. My people will return today, but if you are haven’t agreed within a week, we’re gone.”

So I have a week to find another suitable alliance. Clearly, Katherine must have something for herself in mind if she can afford to give ultimatums. Perhaps she is willing to bend her morals about how covers treat humans, but I’m certainly not.

“A week it is, then. ” It’s not a lot of time, but it’s better than nothing.

Katherine’s people arrive over the next hour.

No one gets much work done today. We spend most of the day doing repairs. I don’t want to call in a repair company, as they will surely ask questions and maybe even call the police.

This leaves us doing the work ourselves, but fortunately, most of us have picked up a number of skills over our long lives, so we have the knowledge between us to put the office back in order.

The end of the day can’t come quickly enough. I’m one of the first to head home.

Where are you going, Klaus?”

I grimace as I turn to face Katherine. I really don’t want to talk now. I just want to go home and relax. “Home.”

You can’t go home alone. Elena has marked us as an easy target. That status won’t change until we mate and ally officially. Your buddy system still stands.”

I don’t need a buddy.”

Certainly not her. I don’t need Katherine getting on my nerves right now,

Katherine rolls her eyes and follows me. I growl under my breath and speed up. Katherine lets me draw ahead. She’s not stupid and knows when not to push me.

It’s only because of that space that the attack succeeds.

Three vampires come flying out of the darkness between two cars in the parking lot. Katherine lunges for them, but it’s too late. They have me.

I fight viciously, expecting to feel their fangs in me at any moment.

They don’t hurt me at all. Instead, they grab my arms and run, dragging me away. I dig my heels in, trying to delay them.

I can foil this kidnapping if I just manage to slow them down long enough for Katherine to reach us.

Of course, the vampires know this. One of them kicks my feet out from under me as I try to brace them against a car.

I struggle against them as I’m pulled through the streets. A blindfold is tied over my eyes. I twist and try to bite, but they avoid my snapping teeth.

**

Klaus

I’m finally thrown to the ground. I leap up and pull the blindfold off. I’m in a dark room. There are no windows, and the door looks to be made out of solid steel.

Fuck. I’m in the coven’s secure area.

The door opens, and Elena steps through.

She’s wearing a seductive red dress and smiles at me.

Klaus. So pleased you could join us.”

“Not like I had much of a choice,” I spit.

“What do you want, Elena? Why not just kill me?’

Oh, I will, if things don’t go as planned. But I thought I’d offer you another option.

Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“An alliance.”

I stiffen. “Last I heard, you were stealing homeless humans off the streets and keeping them chained in the basement for forced feedings.

Elena shrugs delicately. “We need to eat.

But how we do it differs vastly. I hope you don’t expect me to ally with you if that’s how you behave. i

“Your choice save the food or save yourself. We would be good mates, Klaus.

You’re strong, too strong to waste yourself protecting walking food.”

“They’re not just food, they’re people!”

Elena shrugs again. “That’s my offer, take it or leave it.”

I want to tell her to go fuck herself, but I know that if I do, she’ll simply have me killed and move her attack to the rest of my coven.

Katherine knows I’m gone. It’s in her coven’s best interest to rescue me, but they can’t do that if I’m dead.

I’ll need some time to consider your offer.”

Elena’s smile looks more like a snarl. “You have two days. I hope you fed recently because you won’t eat until you answer.”

Even if I’m starving, I won’t feed off humans who are here against their will, drugged out of their minds so that they don’t object to being molested simply to bring them to orgasm for feedings.

I get as comfortable as I can on the cold floor and wait.

Elena’s coven is powerful. There’s a high chance that Katherine won’t be able to wrest me away from here. If that happens, Elena will kill me.

Death isn’t a possibility I often have to confront, but surprisingly, that’s not what’s bothering me most.

As much as I want to live, what hurts more. then anything is knowing how broken up Ruby will be when she hears. She’ll blame herself, no matter what anyone else tells her.

Maybe she’ll go back to Kelly.

The thought makes me slightly sick, but I’d rather she has someone, even if that someone can’t be me.

I close my eyes, wishing time would speed up. I just want to get this over with.

Who knew waiting for your own death Would be so hard?