His Love

Chapter 3

Tara POV

Niklaus wasn't kidding when he said they'd follow me everywhere. Niklaus enrolled me in College as a gesture. However, he had Davina and Josh watch over me. Right now, we were sitting together at lunch.

"I'm sorry, Tara, that you have to go through this," Davina said with a sympathetic expression. "Josh and I both dislike Klaus. I'm only doing this as a favor to Marcel."

I stayed silent still annoyed. " I want to go home. I miss my parents. I don't know if they're okay."

Davina and Josh exchanged guilty looks, their eyes full of sadness.

"Well... there's a way," Josh said suddenly.

"Josh!" Davina hissed, slapping his shoulder. "Shut up!"

Josh rolled his eyes. "Come on, Davina. You're a witch—a really powerful one. You could cast a spell to check if her parents are alive."

I grabbed Davina's wrist, my eyes filling with tears. "Please! Please, can you do it?"

Davina hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. Come on. We need to find somewhere quiet."

She led me by the hand, with Josh following closely behind.

⸻

We snuck into the library and went to the very back aisle. Sitting on the floor, Davina pulled out a map and a small needle. My brows furrowed as she held it up.

"Okay," she said, holding out her hand. "I need a little bit of your blood, Tara."

I offered her my fingertip, wincing as she pricked it and let a drop fall onto the map. Davina began murmuring a spell under her breath, her eyes focused. The blood started moving across the paper, forming into a small clot before lifting off the map and floating midair.

Davina's eyes snapped open, and she smiled. "Your parents are alive."

"How do you know?" I asked, my voice trembling with hope.

"If they weren't, the blood would have splattered across the map. This means they're okay," Davina explained.

Tears of relief streamed down my face as I hugged Davina and Josh. They quickly walked to our last class: art.

The professor assigned us seats, and I ended up next to a tall, black-haired guy. His piercing blue eyes and brown skin made him stand out. At 5'4", I guessed he was about six feet tall.

"Hi," he said, offering me a hand. "I'm Damon."

"I'm Tara," I replied, shaking his hand.

We hit it off almost instantly. Damon was funny, and his smile was adorable. Before I could say goodbye when class ended, Davina and Josh whisked me away.

⸻

Klaus POV

Leaving the College, I drove to the bayou to confront the wolves causing chaos in the Quarter. The scene was desolate—abandoned homes, clothes strewn everywhere.

I heard something behind me and grabbed a man by the throat.

"What are you doing here?" he gasped, struggling against my grip.

"I came to talk to my fellow wolves about your little acts of violence. It stops now," I said coldly.

"We don't follow your orders," he growled defiantly.

A smirk spread across my face. "Well then, we'll just have to change that." I raised my voice. "COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE! I HAVE YOUR ALPHA!"

Wolves emerged from the bushes and trees, their fear palpable.

"Either you stop playing games in my Quarter, or I'll kill your Alpha and take over this weak pack," I threatened.

"No," another wolf spat. "We'll never listen to an abomination like you."

The insult brought a flashback of Mikael's words, and I realized my hand was already buried in their Alpha's chest. I dropped the lifeless heart to the ground.

Four wolves charged at me in rage. Moments later, they lay dead, their hearts ripped from their bodies. The remaining pack members knelt, trembling.

Blood splattered across my face, and I smiled, thinking about how Tara's first day went. I sent a text to Davina, instructing her to drop Tara off at home.

⸻

Tara's POV

"What are you doing?" Davina asked sharply.

"Nothing!" I protested. "I was just making a friend. Please don't tell Klaus. I'm scared he'll do something if he finds out I talk to anyone but you two."

Davina exchanged a look with Josh. "Okay, but he can never know," she said firmly.

Josh glanced back at Damon in the hallway. "Yeah, we'd better keep that little detail to ourselves."

⸻

When we pulled into the driveway, I thought about asking the tourists nearby for help, but I knew the consequences wouldn't be pleasant. My thoughts froze when I saw Klaus waiting for me, a predatory smirk on his face.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me inside.

"So, how was your day?" he asked, feigning warmth.

"It was fine. I have homework," I replied dryly, rushing past him to my room.

I sat at the desk, pretending to work on assignments. When the door opened, I didn't look up, knowing it was him. He settled by his easel, a glass of blood in hand.

⸻

Klaus's POV

I focused on my painting, the image of Tara's beauty coming to life on the canvas. Her brown skin glowed like molten gold in the sunlight streaming through the window.

When I finished, I turned to see her asleep at the desk, papers scattered around her. A rare sense of calm settled over me.

"Darling," I said softly, patting her cheek. "Wake up. You need to eat something before you fall asleep again."

Tara stirred, rubbing her eyes. She looked disoriented at first but quickly stiffened when she realized it was me.

"Come," I said, guiding her downstairs to dinner.

The family was already seated. "Niklaus, hurry up! I'm starving," Kol complained.

"Shut it before I dagger you," I warned, sitting Tara beside me.

⸻

Tara POV

The sight of the human servers slicing their wrists to fill cups with blood made bile rise in my throat. Klaus noticed my discomfort.

"You want some?" he teased, holding out his cup.

I shook my head violently, my nose scrunching in disgust. He laughed, startling everyone at the table.

⸻

After dinner, I excused myself and went upstairs to shower. When I came out in my pajamas, Klaus was lying on the bed, his arms tucked behind his head, eyes closed.

I slipped under the covers, keeping to the edge.

Just as I closed my eyes, I felt an arm wrap around my waist, pulling me closer.

"I thought you were asleep!" I squeaked.

"Not without you," he murmured. "For entire year, I hardly slept. I kept dreaming of never seeing you again. Now that you're here, I can finally rest."

I turned away, tears slipping down my cheeks as I drifted into uneasy sleep.