Longing ~ Klaus Mikaelson(book 2)

the ritual

The morning light bathed the room in a golden hue as I slowly awoke, feeling the warmth of Klaus’s body beside me.

Then, I felt it—Klaus’s fingers, gentle and feather-light, tracing the contours of my face. His touch was so soft, so reverent, as if he were afraid I might disappear if he pressed too hard. I turned my head slightly, meeting his intense blue gaze. His lips curled into a small, genuine smile, the kind that softened the rough edges of his usual demeanor.

As my eyes fluttered open, I found him watching me with a rare softness in his expression, something almost vulnerable.

“Good morning, love,” he whispered, his voice low and husky.

A smile tugged at my lips as I turned slightly, resting my head more comfortably against the pillow. "Good morning," I replied, feeling the peace of the moment settle around us. For just a second, everything else—the danger, the secrets, the chaos—faded into the background.

Klaus continued to trail his fingers down my cheek, then along my jaw. "Sometimes I wake up, and I expect this to be another dream," he admitted quietly, his gaze not leaving mine. "But here you are, real, alive... and it terrifies me."

I reached up to hold his hand, intertwining our fingers gently. "I’m not going anywhere, Klaus. Not today. Always and forever remember?"

His eyes darkened for a moment as if wrestling with thoughts he wasn’t ready to share, but he smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Reluctantly, we pulled ourselves out of bed and dressed before heading downstairs. The grand dining room was filled with the scent of fresh pastries, fruit, eggs, and coffee. Elijah, Kol, and Finn were already seated, kol and fin argung about something while elijah enjoyeda blood bag.

Klaus sat down beside me, his fingers brushing my arm as we settled into breakfast. I took a sip of the warm coffee, hoping it would steady my nerves. Just as I was beginning to relax, the doors creaked open, and Rebekah entered, looking tousled and slightly disheveled. Her walk of shame into the room was met with raised eyebrows from her brothers.

Kol snickered, clearly amused. "Rebekah, darling. Care to share the details of your late-night adventures?"

Rebekah shot him a glare, clearly unamused by his teasing, and I forced myself to keep a straight face as she sat down across from me. My mind wandered briefly to Damon and how i saw them flirting last night, and a sharp pang of jealousy flared in my chest, though I did my best to suppress it. I couldn’t afford to let that slip—not with everything else going on.

Klaus’s hand found mine under the table, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. His touch was calming, grounding me in the present. "Shall we eat in peace?" he asked, his tone laced with the authority that came naturally to him.

Breakfast continued in an awkward silence, broken only by Kol’s occasional jabs at Rebekah. But just when I thought I might survive the tension, the air in the room shifted. I felt it before I saw her—Esther.

She appeared in the doorway, her presence commanding attention. The light in the room seemed to dim slightly, and my stomach tightened at the sight of her. I hadn’t spoken to Esther since my return, but there was something about her that set me on edge.

“I need to speak with Bonnie. Alone.”

Klaus turned sharply, a look of confusion crossing his face. “Why?”

Esther didn’t answer him, her eyes never leaving mine. “It’s important.”

I could feel Klaus tense beside me, his protective instincts kicking in. “Anything you need to say to my wife, you can say in front of me,” he said, his tone hardening and laced with possessiveness.

“No,” Esther replied, her voice low and cold. “This is a matter between witches.”

I froze for a moment, glancing toward Klaus. His expression darkened, and his grip on my hand tightened ever so slightly. He wasn’t happy about Esther’s sudden presence, but I could feel the weight of her request bearing down on me.

“I’ll be right back,” I murmured to Klaus, giving his hand a final squeeze before rising from the table.

Esther led me into a private chamber, away from the others. The door closed behind us, and the atmosphere became even heavier, like the air itself had grown thicker. I turned to face her, my guard up, though I wasn’t sure why.

“What is this about?” I asked, my voice steady despite the knot forming in my stomach.

Esther’s eyes softened, but there was a coldness behind them that made my skin crawl. “You’ve been brought back for a reason, Bonnie,” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “You’ve always been connected to the ancestors, to the magic that binds us all. You must know that your return was not a simple accident.”

I blinked, confusion swirling inside me. “What are you talking about?”

Esther stepped closer, her presence overwhelming. She reached out and touched my arm, and the moment her skin met mine, images flashed in my mind—The ritual. Her plan to undo everything. Her children, lying lifeless, their vampire bodies drained of all their power. Finn’s sacrifice. The blood. The death. The end of the Mikaelsons.

I stumbled back, clutching my head as pain shot through my temples. “No… no, you can’t do this,” I gasped, realizing the horror of her plan.

“I can, and I will,” Esther said softly, her hand still resting on my arm. “And you will help me.”

“No!” I cried, trying to pull away, but the moment I resisted, a searing pain erupted in my chest. The ancestors were punishing me, forcing me to comply. I couldn’t speak of this, not to Klaus or anyone else. It was as if an invisible force had wrapped itself around my throat, cutting off any ability to reveal what I knew.

“Bonnie, this is the natural order of things,” Esther continued, her voice calm even as I trembled before her. “My children were never meant to be what they are. You must understand this.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I realized the enormity of what I was being forced into. I couldn’t fight her—not without suffering more pain. I was trapped.

“You will play your part when the time comes,” Esther said, her tone final. “And you will say nothing of this conversation to anyone.”

With that, she turned and left, leaving me gasping for air, my mind racing with fear and anger. I had no choice but to obey—for now.

As I slowly made my way back to the dining room, my heart was pounding in my chest. Klaus looked up at me as I returned to the table, his eyes filled with concern. I forced a smile, trying to pretend that everything was fine. But inside, I was screaming.

Everything had changed, and I didn’t know how to stop it.