𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝟷

Tennessee

Klaus and Aeliana were waiting in the woods to make their appearance at some random house in Tennessee.

"Tell me why we're here again?" The girl asked bored.

"I'm trying to create hybrids, Ali. I need an army to back me up. To protect me," he muttered quietly, waiting for the women inside to notice their dog was missing that Aeliana was currently petting.

"You have a family that will protect you, but you either have them daggered or you erased their memories and hold it over their heads," she shot back.

"You'll get them back in due time, when it safe," he assured.

"Yeah, sure," she muttered out before hearing a woman's voice outside. "That's our cue," she whispered, releasing the dog for him to run off into the woods. He didn't seem too happy at his house from what she could tell anyways, noticing he was chained up outside with no water for what looked like hours.

"Rudy! Rudy. Come on! It's too hot to make me come looking for you." She bent down to grab a toy, turning around and seeing the two of them standing at her front porch.

In a fake American accent, Klaus spoke first. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, my car ran out of gas a couple of miles back. I feel like my sister and I have been walking forever, yours is the first house we come to, so I was just hoping I could use your phone?" He continued.

"Don't you have a cell phone?" She asked rudely.

"We do, but our batteries died," both pulling their phones out. "I promise we aren't serial killers, we just need a phone to call a tow truck," Aeliana said sweetly.

"Sure," the woman sighed.

"So, can we come in?" They started walking further up.

The woman stopped them, "No, I'll get the phone and I'll bring it out to you."

Aeliana internally groaned, knowing what was about to happen.

"I thought you country folks were supposed to be more trusting," Klaud said annoyed.

"I'm from Florida," the woman shot back.

"Well, that explains it. Now show me a little southern hospitality, sweet pea," he compelled, going back to his regular accent.

"I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning," another woman joked from another room. The hybrid approached, Aeliana holding the woman by her neck who was currently sobbing.

"Yeah, probably considering you guys left him outside all day," the old vampire spat out.

"Now now sister, calm down. That's not why we're here. However, I do have to agree." Klaus spoke.

"What's going on?"

"Please don't be alarmed. I was told Ray Sutton lives here," Klaus continued.

"He's almost never here. He's on the road mostly," the other woman spoke.

"But I expect he makes it home, once a month. That's what I thought. Where is he now?" Aeliana spoke up, not getting a response. "If he has to make you talk, it's going to be much more painful for you."

She attempted to escape, but Stefan was standing in the doorway, making her scream.

"I love it when they run!" Klaus exclaimed, Aeliana following him to the front door again, still holding the woman.