His Love

Chapter 14

Tara's POV
I woke up again, my eyes swollen and puffy. I haven't stopped crying since the day Damon was dragged away. I didn't feel betrayed; I was just relieved that he and Ella were safe. My appetite has disappeared, and I haven't been eating regularly. Klaus took my phone away as punishment.

"I don't want to hurt you," he had said, "but because you tried to escape, I won't give you my blood to heal. A doctor will check on your leg, and you'll heal naturally."

Since that day, Klaus has had a doctor visit every two weeks to monitor the progress of my leg. I got out of bed with my crutches and limped to the restroom. Once finished, I returned to bed. Freya had cast a force field around the compound, so unless I was with one of the Mikaelsons, I couldn't leave.

I grabbed my laptop from the nightstand and logged into my online class. Klaus hadn't let me return to school, so now I studied from home. It had been four weeks since I last saw Davina or Josh. The only people I interacted with were Klaus and his siblings, but after what happened with Damon, I didn't trust any of them. I'd discovered that Elijah and Marcel were the ones who gave Damon the wolfsbane.

Klaus had also found new ways to punish me. If I ignored him, he would drink from me.

When my class ended, I decided to paint. I perched on the stool in the corner and began working on a blank canvas. I was focused when I heard the door open, and Klaus walked in. His arms snaked around my waist, but I kept painting, determined to ignore him.

"Love, you know I like it when you greet me," he murmured. "I feel ignored, and you don't want to face the consequences, do you?"

I turned my head toward the window beside me, catching a glimpse of his sharp fangs. Swallowing hard, I glanced back at my canvas.

"What do you want, Niklaus?" I asked curtly.

"I want you to come downstairs for dinner. You need to eat. You're getting thinner by the day," he replied.

"I'm fine. I already ate earlier," I lied, keeping my focus on the painting.

"No, you didn't," Klaus said firmly. "Rebekah told me you didn't touch the plate she brought you. You can finish your piece later. Let's go."

I sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll eat, but can't you just bring my plate up here?"

"No," he replied, unwavering.

Frustrated, I slammed down my stencil, got up, and stomped toward the door. Klaus opened it and held my hand as we made our way down to the courtyard. The rest of the family was gathered there, chatting and drinking blood. Klaus pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down reluctantly.

The meal was salmon with seasoned rice. I managed to eat half before pushing the plate aside.

"Can I be excused?" I asked, standing up.

Klaus grabbed my wrist, his grip firm. "Finish the rest of your food," he ordered.

Reluctantly, I sat back down and forced the remaining bites down my throat. When I was done, he nodded, signaling that I could leave. I hurried up the stairs to the bathroom and threw up everything I'd eaten. After rinsing my mouth, I took a shower and crawled into bed, tears streaming down my face until I fell asleep.

⸻

Klaus's POV
"So, Klaus, when's the wedding day?" Kol asked with a smirk.

"In three months, when Tara turns 20," I replied.

"Three months? That's barely enough time to plan everything," Rebekah groaned.

"It has to be enough. If you can't handle it, I'll hire someone else," I said firmly.

"No, I can handle it," Rebekah shot back. "I'll start right away." She stood up and turned to Marcel. "Come on, I need your help."

Marcel and Kol followed her out of the room.

"Klaus," Elijah interjected, "I've found the boy you've been looking for."

My interest piqued. "Where?"

"New York," Elijah revealed, a satisfied smile crossing his face.

A sinister grin spread across mine, my eyes gleaming with malice. "Perfect. I'll send someone to take care of him—quietly. Tara won't suspect a thing."

"Klaus, are you sure about this?" Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure," I said, brushing past him.

I ascended the stairs, thoughts of the boy who dared to pursue my Tara filling my mind.

"You thought I'd let you go unscathed?" I muttered under my breath. "No mercy for anyone who touches what's mine."