Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
XII: The Meanest Place You Can Imagine
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the abandoned campsite as Klaus indulged in his favorite pastime: monologuing.
Stefan stood there, his face etched with a mixture of annoyance and indifference, tuning in and out of Klaus' self-indulgent ramblings. He attempted to busy himself by watching Salem — the monstrous, demonic, hellish black cat Klaus simply had to adopt — as he jumped around, sniffing and chasing mice.
"Our furry friends seem to have gotten wind of our presence again," Klaus said, surveying the toppled tents and camping gear left abandoned by the werewolves. "Quite irritating."
"Or maybe they're just not as dumb as you think," Stefan grumbled for the sake of grumbling.
He doubted the soundness of his own words.
The werewolves hadn't been evading them by their wit, but just like the ruby red stain of blood on his mouth, cursing Klaus had become somewhat of a constant for him. In the course of a month and a half his life had boiled down to this decidedly infuriating man and his tedious machinations. It was difficult to believe that not that long ago, he actually had a life that wasn't merely a repetition of kill, eat, rinse, repeat.
"No doubt it is the work of that pesky little witch," Klaus went on, deaf to anything Stefan said. As was the case any time Reese was involved. He shifted from the campsite to the edge of the cliff, facing the sunset. "Ah, Reese. What a vexing creature — wouldn't you agree?"
Klaus's monologues always seemed to return to two particular topics: how very important it is that he created his army of slave dogs, and Reese Yung.
Once again, for what felt like the fiftieth time that summer, they'd traveled hours by car only to be faced with a dead werewolf body and the black origami raven resting on top of it. They practically had a collection of origami ravens now; Klaus didn't seem to be planning on throwing them out anytime soon.
