𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 ━━ KLAUS MIKAELSON

50

"YOU CAN'T STAY in your room all day," Damon said to the witch as they walked in the Lockwood mansion, "it's depressing."

"Who told you that I've been in my room all day?"

"Elena," Damon's response made her scoff. He decided not to ask. "What've you been doing up there anyway? Sleeping? Drawing?"

"The latter."

Damon hummed, narrowing his eyes at her as they stopped walking, "any solution about your curse?"

"Nope," the lie rolled off her tongue, "already told you there's no solution."

"There is always a solution," he muttered, shooting her a suggestive look which made her eyes widen as she shook her head, "becoming a vampire is not something I want."

"Dying is not something you want either, Em."

At his words, she pursed her lips in a thin line. "How do you know it's not?" The older Salvatore's eyes widened as he took in her words.

"You can't be se—" Emery cut Damon off by nodding towards Alaric who was standing a couple of feet in front of them, "there's Ric again. Let's go say hi."

She walked towards him before Damon could protest. Alaric was staring at a model of the Wickery Bridge restoration project.

"That's the bridge where Elena and Jeremy's parents died in the car accident," Damon spoke up, looking at the model as well.

Alaric looked up, smiling at Emery, "hi, Em."

"How're you doing?"

"Better," Alaric shrugged, turning to Damon, "something is up with her. Elena," upon hearing that, Emery bit her lip, refraining herself from walking away from them. "Something more than usual," he added, "you know what it is?"

"Well I'm sure it starts with a 'Stef' and ends with an 'an'," Damon muttered, "I'm gonna get a drink, write a check and then we're out?" When Alaric nodded, Damon and Emery walked away.

The witch followed the older vampire who grabbed a drink, handing her one which she took without saying anything. Damon raised his brows at her, "you're being quiet."

"I have nothing to say to you," she took a sip of her drink.

"You do," Damon mumbled, "how about you start with Klaus, hmm?"

"No."

Damon chuckled, "trouble in paradise? Broke up already?"

"We were never together to begin with," Emery avoided looking at him as she spoke, "it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," Damon sighed, "everything matters when it comes to you, Em."

"Does it?" She held back a scoff, "it didn't matter when you tried to kill Klaus by plotting with Mikael."

"I didn't know he was going to hurt you."

"You did know," Emery muttered, "you just didn't care enough because at that moment, all you saw was a way to get rid of Klaus and you took it. You didn't care who gets hurt because killing Klaus means Elena stays safe. Both you and I know it so don't even try to deny this shit."

"I—" Damon's words got caught up in his throat. When Emery downed the rest of her drink, he sighed, "does he know?"

"Does who know what?"

"Klaus," Damon clarified, "about your curse."

She shook her head, "no." Her eyes then caught sight of the familiar face talking to Carol. "Speak of the devil..."

"You've got to be kidding me," Damon grumbled as he grabbed Emery's hand and approached Klaus. The witch didn't protest. "Look what the cat dragged in," the raven haired vampire spoke up making Klaus and Carol look at them.

"Emery," Klaus breathed out, a sigh of relief leaving him as he stared at her. She hasn't been replying to his calls or text and he hasn't seen her all day. He was worried although he'd never admit that to anyone.

"Nice vest," Damon commented before anyone could say anything. Klaus flickered his attention back to him, "thank you. Good to see you, Damon. Carol and I were discussing about whether you would be the other big benefactor."

"What do you say Damon?" Carol asked, "Klaus has made a very generous pledge. You know how we're chomping at the bit to begin the renovation."

"Carol, don't take this the wrong way, but do you realize that you've been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son's life?"

"Oh, come now," Klaus clicked his tongue, "some would say that I saved it from all that nasty full moon business," he turned to Carol, "I've never had to go through it myself more than twice, to be honest, but still, I'm very sympathetic."

"Klaus has promised to protect Tyler, Damon," Carol shot Damon a look, "and our town."

"From who?" The raven haired vampire raised his brows questioningly, "His hybrids are the one the town needs protection from."

"Well, I'd have no use for them if your brother would kindly return my family."

Damon shook his head, "not gonna happen."

"That's what I thought, which is why I've come to an agreement with the Mayor," Klaus's tilted his head to the side, "you and the Council stay out of my hair, I stay out of yours. Your town gets protected, my hybrids get left alone and everybody will be happy. All you have to do is to get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends."

"Please Damon, just get your brother under control, or the Council will be forced to take action against him."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Damon groaned at Carol's words earning a grin from Klaus, "oh come on mate. Give peace a chance." His eyes darted to Emery then to Damon's hand which was holding hers. He harshly gulped down the rest of his drink before speaking to her, "we need to talk."

"I don't wanna talk."

"Come on now, love," Klaus extended his hand forward, the look he was giving her was daring her not to take it, "don't make a scene."

"She doesn't have to do anything—" Damon was cut off by Emery who squeezed his hand, "it's fine."

Klaus smirked at Damon who clenched his jaw at that. However, the hybrid's smirk fell when she walked right past him, not taking his hand. It was Damon's turn to smirk at Klaus who rolled his eyes before turning to follow the witch out of everyone's sight.