Claudia Lockwood-Mikaelson

Chapter 35 - [smut] Only blood

"Claudia you can't keep fighting us," Nik berates me for the hundredth time. "We are trying to help you."

Elijah stands in the room with us, acknowledging Nik's anger and refusing to let us be alone until he calms down. Not that Nik will hurt me, just that he is unpredictable when angry and might make me feel worse, driving me to refuse food and blood for longer.

"Why would you ask Eden to lie to us? To fake a cure?" He demands to know, seething.

"Because I don't want or need your help, how many times do I have to tell you?" I scream at him, furious that I was careless enough to let my request be overheard by them. The pain in my chest is growing now, with no sign of leaving. Whether it's from the lack of food or the mate bond, I can't tell. Probably both.

Nik starts towards the bed, a finger pointing accusingly at me. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at his icy demeanour. "How dare you-"

"-Niklaus," Elijah interrupts him. "She is unwell. Those words are not from your mate. It's the hex speaking. We must be glad Eden has promised to do all she can to help, regardless of Claudia's wishes. We knew what would happen to her, that she would deteriorate like this. You cannot be surprised or blame her. Instead we must help her fight it."

"I don't want to," I mutter defiantly and he looks displeased with my answer. I'm certainly not making it easy for either of them, I know that. But they don't understand.

"You see, she doesn't want to," Nik says in exasperation gesturing towards me with an arm. "What do you suppose we do brother? Chain her up? Pin her down to force food into her? Just leave her to slowly die while we do nothing? What if this was your mate? What would you do then?"

"Certainly not blame her for being Celeste's target," Elijah responds to it all calmly. "And don't you forget I've been in a situation not too different from this with Maeve, I know you remember that well."

Nik huffs in annoyance, realising Elijah is right. He sits back down next to me in the bed, his rage still apparent but no longer directed towards me.

"Feed her your blood. Do whatever you must to get her to comply and try calling her father. Maybe he can get through to her where we have been unable to," Elijah suggests before leaving the room. My anxiety picks up again at his words.

"Sorry Nik but no," I say, turning away from him.

He spends the rest of the day pleading with me, even asking Maeve to help, but I do not budge. It's the longest I have ever gone without consuming anything and Nik and Elijah are incredibly worried hearing how faint and slow my heart beat is.

Maeve is in tears by the evening, she refuses to see me until I have some of Nik's blood, thinking it will persuade me. It won't. Elijah even desperately offered his, which Nik wasn't happy about but he put his feelings aside in the hopes that I might consider Elijah's offer. I didn't. If I was truly sick they would force me, so I obviously don't need it. And there's no way I'll drink from anyone but Nik.

The light outside starts to fade and I have still not drunk any blood. Nik has been unable to get hold of my dad so far and they're pinning their last hope on him. But he won't be here until tomorrow earliest if he does pick up the phone and come. The thought relaxes my nerves as I realise I will be able to put off drinking Nik's blood until tomorrow. I've escaped the gnawing guilt and pain for another day.

Elijah and Nik converse with each other, coming up with another strategy to trick me into giving in but I don't bother straining my worsening hearing to listen. I'm not worried about their plans, I'll just refuse.