The Girl in the Forest

Spirits of the Past

A tall, curly-haired brunette strode down the hallway of an elegant two-story house. Her emerald green dress swayed with the small winds the open windows allowed in. Being night, few guests lingered outside their rooms bidding each other good night.

"Evening, Miss Alarcon," a blonde woman greeted.

"Evening," the brunette politely greeted back as she passed by.

"Valerie!" another woman, a ginger, called from the junction of hallways. She motioned to 'Valerie' with a hand to hurry and get closer.

Valerie looked around and finally came over to her friend, "What is it, Lola?"

Lola deviously nodded for Valerie to head down the hallway, "I'm a messenger, apparently. You are being waited on."

Valerie had a pretty good idea of just who was waiting for her, "If my father asks, I have already bid goodnight."

Lola chuckled, "Yes, yes, go on," she pushed Valerie off.

Valerie tried to keep her walking pace normal but the excitement was making it completely difficult. She made a turn for the hallway leading to her room when she felt someone yank her back and up against a wall.

"Do you ever greet like a normal person?" asked Valerie, her position apparently not as surprising as it would've been to anyone else.

"I thought you realized by now that I am no normal person," Klaus countered with one of his devious smiles Valerie grew to be fond of.

"Well, you said it, I know about that but no one else here does," Valerie tapped her fingers along his arm, "You have to be careful there. One of these days you'll be caught."

"I've had enough experience to be sneaky," Klaus assured and peered to the next hallway, "Which is why you're friend, Lola, does not remember telling you to come here."

"You compelled her you sneak," Valerie pretended to be mad about it, but her laughter ruined it completely, "I'll have to punish you for that."

"Your methods are not the best, love," Klaus smirked, inching closer to her, "But you are more than welcomed to try."

"I take that as a challenge and you know me, I love a good challenge," Valerie smirked right back, her hands moving up to his face.

Without further words, the two kissed passionately. In a second they were no more in the hallway but in a room, attempting to 'punish' each other with trailing hands and lips.

Maleny woke up with a gasp and sat upright, her eyes blinking rapidly while her mind caught up with the rest of herself. Once she was back in order, she leaned on the headboard behind her, heavily sighing. Her face warmed up in mere seconds as the memory flashed through her mind again.

"Stop it," she ordered herself, "Just stop it! Stop it!" she rubbed the sides of her head frantically, "Stop it!"

~ 0 ~

The next day Rousseau's was the host place for Kieran's Irish sale wake, honoring him of course. While everyone was having what seemed to be like fun, Cami was not. She sat at the bar, waiting for Maleny to accompany her. Apparently the brunette was running late which made Cami suspicious due to the fact Klaus, Elijah and Hayley were already at the place. An hour had passed before Cami decided to go up to the group and ask about her cousin's whereabouts.

"We thought she was already here," Elijah confessed, slightly embarrassed none of them had noticed the missing woman.

"I haven't seen her either," Hayley shook her head.