His Love

Chapter 12

Tara's POV
Damon and I hopped into a black SUV, and he began driving toward an unknown destination. I rolled down my window, letting the cool night air brush against my face as I took down the Barbie-styled ponytail. My hair flowed freely in the wind while I watched the city lights blur past. Soon, the brightness faded, and I realized we were heading toward the bayous outside the city, where the lights became fewer and farther between.

I couldn't stop thinking about what Klaus might do if he found us. My leg bounced nervously, my knee tapping the seat repeatedly. Damon must have noticed because he placed a warm, steady hand on my thigh.

"Relax," he said softly.

My leg stilled immediately, and I turned to meet his calm, reassuring gaze.

"You know I'll never let him hurt you again," Damon promised, his voice comforting.

"I know," I replied, but my voice wavered. "I'm just so overwhelmed. I want to get out of this city safely... with you."

Damon didn't say anything, but his hand lingered on my leg, grounding me. After a while, we pulled into what looked like the woods. He parked the car, and we stepped out into the dark, humid night. I instinctively grabbed his hand.

"What are we doing out here?" I asked, glancing around nervously.

"I need to grab our fake passports. My pack lives here, and I want to say goodbye before we leave," Damon explained.

"Okay," I said softly, though unease prickled at the back of my mind.

We walked down a dark pathway, the crunch of gravel beneath our feet the only sound. I stumbled a few times, the uneven ground making it hard to keep my balance. Eventually, small wooden houses surrounded by flickering lights came into view. The moon shimmered on the bayou water, casting an eerie glow.

Damon led me to one of the houses and pushed the door open. The interior was pitch black.

"ELLA! Where are you?" Damon called out.

A young girl, no older than fourteen, emerged from another room. Her tan skin glowed under the dim light, and her hazel eyes were sharp with annoyance.

"Why are you yelling, brother?" she groaned.

"Sorry. I just needed to make sure you were here," Damon said, his voice softening.

Ella's eyes shifted to me. "Who's this?" she asked, frowning.

"This is my girlfriend, Tara," Damon introduced.

Ella's gaze swept over me critically before her expression softened. "Oh. She's pretty," she said with a small smile.

"Thank you," I replied, feeling a bit awkward under her scrutiny.

Damon disappeared into a back room, leaving me alone with Ella. I sat down on the worn brown couch near the door.

"So, Tara, we should be friends," Ella said, plopping down next to me. "My brother's going to marry you, right?"

"Um... I don't know about that just yet," I replied, laughing nervously. "But sure, I'd love to be friends with you."

Ella grinned, but our conversation was cut short when Damon returned. He had a black backpack slung over his shoulder and wore a hoodie jacket with matching joggers.

"Where are you going? You just got here," Ella protested, standing up.

"I have to go," Damon said gently. "I'll be back once everything cools down, okay? Then we'll return to the pack."

"Promise?" Ella asked, holding out her pinky.

Damon locked pinkies with her. "I promise."

With that, we left the house and headed back to the car. As we walked, the pathway lights flickered out, leaving us in near-total darkness. A faint swooshing sound filled the air, and I saw blurred figures moving around us.

"When I let go, you run," Damon whispered.

I barely had time to process his words before his hand left mine. He began growling, his canines elongating as his eyes turned a light brown.

Without hesitation, I dashed into the trees, the shadows swallowing me whole. Branches and vines whipped at my face as I ran, and the moonlight barely filtered through the dense canopy. My lungs burned, and I stopped to catch my breath, leaning forward with my hands on my knees.

The sound of crunching leaves sent a chill down my spine. I looked up, and there he was—Klaus.

He looked like a feral beast, his golden-brown eyes glowing in the darkness. Blood smeared his face and clothes, and his once-neat hair hung in wild strands. He growled, his breathing ragged as he advanced toward me.

Fear paralyzed me, but I turned to run. Before I could get far, something slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. My face hit the dirt, the thick mud clinging to my skin. I tried to roll over, but Klaus pinned me down, his sharp teeth bared inches from my face.

I screamed, thrashing and kicking. My foot connected with his groin, and he groaned, collapsing to the ground. I scrambled to my feet, but pain shot through my leg, and I fell again.

I looked down in horror to see my bone poking through my skin. My leg was broken.

Before I could react, Klaus scooped me up in his arms. I beat my fists against his chest, tears streaming down my face from the pain and fear. He moved with inhuman speed, blurring through the trees.

When we emerged into a clearing, I saw Elijah and Rebekah standing over Damon. Rebekah's heel was pressed against Damon's back, pinning him to the ground. Ella sat nearby, crying and screaming for her brother.

"SHUT UP!" Klaus barked, his voice echoing like thunder.

Ella fell silent, her tear-streaked face turning upward.

"Kill him," Klaus ordered, his voice cold and final.

My heart dropped, and I thrashed harder in Klaus's grip.

"NO! STOP, PLEASE! YOU CAN'T HURT HIM!" I cried out desperately.

Klaus glanced down at me, his eyes filled with fury, then back at Damon.

Damon's gaze locked with mine. "Don't you hurt her," he growled through gritted teeth.

Rebekah smirked and kicked Damon in the face, forcing him to the ground again.

"STOP! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU!" I sobbed.

Klaus's fierce gaze lingered on me as my vision blurred. The pain and terror overwhelmed me, and I sank into unconsciousness.

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