BLONDIE • the mikaelsons

chapter twenty one

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Rebekah was getting on my last nerve. Evidently, the genes that made her brothers so charming had missed her entirely.

"Why so glum, love?" Klaus asked from the driver's seat as we headed towards Mystic Falls. He had one hand on the wheel and the other rested on my thigh, his thumb gently circling the bare  skin. I pretended that it made me feel nothing.

"My murderous fiancé is escorting me to my doom and his sister is a complete bitch." I told him with a glower.

"So dramatic!" Klaus grinned and I let out an exasperated sigh.

"I honestly don't understand the appeal, Nik." Rebekah poked her head in between us from her spot on the back seat, "She's rather boring."

"You don't even know me!" I huffed and the blonde vampire sent me a smirk.

"I'm already bored of you." She said plainly, "So I have no intentions of getting to know you."

"Thank goodness for that! Period pains are more bearable than your presence." I smiled sweetly and Rebekah opened her mouth to retort but Klaus interjected.

"Now, now!" He chastised us with a smirk, "I can't have my two favourite girls fighting!"

"Oh, piss off, Nik!" Rebekah spat at her brother, "As far as I'm concerned, your little fiancée is just a bottle blonde homewrecker."

"I'm not a homewrecker!" I argued, instantly provoked by her words, "I haven't broken up any marriages! But I'm guessing that you've broken up a few over the centuries."

Rebekah huffed, "It's not my fault that men are so eager to betray their marital vows."

"And it's not my fault that both of your brothers decided to fuck me!"

"Enough!" Klaus ordered as he slammed on the breaks. I jolted forward, the seat belt digging into me and I glared at my fiancé. "Rebekah, I forbid you from speaking to my fiancée in that manner. And Emilia, my sister is purposely provoking you, so stop giving her what she wants."

"You'd defend her over me?" Rebekah cried in outrage, "Brother, surely you are not blind to the fact that this girl is a manipulative gold digger!"

"Rebekah-"

"Have you not seen the necklace she wears around her neck?" She implored, "I have no doubt that that priceless piece of jewelry was given to her by Elijah!"

Klaus looked down at the necklace I wore and I watched him swallow. His bratty sister was getting in his head.

"A gold digger would want to marry her mark." I informed Rebekah sharply, "In case you were unaware, Niklaus is forcing me to marry him."

Her eyes widened as she looked towards her brother in outrage, "Nik is that true?"

"So you like her all of a sudden?" Klaus said with an exasperated sigh.

"No of course not, I wish her dead at the earliest convenience." Rebekah replied casually and I rolled my eyes at her antics, "But I also have morals."

"Emilia and I have a deal."

"And I have no doubt that you forced her hand!" His sister argued with a frown, "It's no wonder that she bedded Elijah."

Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose, "Rebekah, go check on Stefan."

"Stefan?" I asked in confusion as Rebekah got out of the vehicle to fulfill the request.

"Yes, he's been my comrade this summer but he's proven to be untrustworthy. He is currently unconscious in the back of the lorry behind us." Klaus explained as he restarted the ignition and began to drive, "For some reason, my hybrids are not working and we think that Stefan knows something."

I thought of Elena and took a deep breath to control my heartbeat. I didn't know whether or not my sister being alive was the cause of Klaus' hybrid failures, but I knew that my fiancée would jump to that conclusion if he knew. I needed to get him off the scent.

I shook my head, "Why would Stefan know anything? He's not exactly the most intelligent when it comes to supernatural lore. He thought that you were the oldest vampire."

"He was asking about my father, Emilia." Klaus said through gritted teeth and I froze.

"He was asking about Mikael?" I hissed, horror filling my veins. Klaus had told me little of the man but I knew enough that the mention of him had me terrified.

He nodded grimly, "So you now understand I need to go back to Mystic Falls immediately."

"If it's so urgent, why did you come to collect me?"

"I was already in Chicago and there was no way I was missing the chance to watch you dance. You were radiant, love." He said and my heart fluttered, "I can't wait to paint you, my beautiful muse."

His praise made me shudder and I turned to face the window as I fought for control of my body. My head knew that everything about him was a bad idea but unfortunately my heart and body hadn't got the memo.

"Rebekah said that you were taking me home so that you could marry me."

Klaus shrugged and his smirk made a reappearance, "A perk of the trip."

"Making me marry you is not going to make me love you again." I told him softly and he sucked in a breath, his smile dropping as he focused on the road.

"I don't need you to love me, I just need you to be mine again."

***

Being back in my hometown after a whole summer spent in Chicago felt surreal. The moment Klaus parked the car, I'd hopped out despite his protests, and walked home. I didn't have my keys on me so I had to knock. Jeremy answered the door with bleary eyes.

"Emilia, your back!" He said with moderate interest and I gave him a soft smile as I entered the house. Jeremy and I were not close; he'd been young when I'd left so we had never really had a chance to bond. I was very fond of him but we didn't have the same connection that he had with Elena.

"How have things been?" I asked and my brother shrugged.

"Quiet."

"Not for long," I said regretfully, "You might want to call Elena; Klaus is back in town."

Jeremy's eyes widened and he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed our sister. As he spoke on the phone, I walked further into the house, looking for Jenna.

"Jenna's not here." Jeremy told me, following me into the living room after he hung up, "Her and Ric had a fight so she's staying on campus." I nodded, happy that she was away from Klaus and Jeremy's gaze zeroed in on my finger, "What on earth is that?"

I jolted at his tone as I looked down at my hand, more specifically the ring on my finger. For some reason I had worn it all summer, unable to bring myself to remove it.

"It's an engagement ring." I said simply and Jeremy looked at me with wide eyes.

"You're getting married? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell you because I'm kind of hoping that the wedding doesn't happen." I said with a sigh as I collapsed onto the sofa, "Also, I kinda presumed that Jenna would have told you. She was there when it happened."

"Who are you marrying?" He asked and I sighed, preparing myself for the bombshell that I was about to drop.

"Klaus.”

A/N: I absolutely hate this chapter because literally nothing interesting happens but unfortunately it was a necessary filler. I hope that it was enjoyable at least!

Originally published: July 23rd 2024