Find Me

Chapter Eight

Stefan's phone rang three days later and he groaned when he looked at the caller ID. He answered it quickly, wondering why he'd gone this route.

"Stefan, I've found something. I would very much like to speak to your little friend. Be an ace and set that up for me, would you?" Stefan felt himself getting irritated with Klaus already.

"Sorry, Klaus, you're going to have to figure that one out yourself. Persia doesn't trust me, and she's too close to Damon and Elena not to know who you are." Klaus sighed on the other end of the phone; Stefan was so much less fun now than he used to be.

"Very well. Give me the girl's number and I'll talk to her myself."

Persia was just getting out of her car at home when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end was slow and deliberate.

"Hello, Persia. My name is Klaus; I'm a friend of Damon's." Persia felt her hand start to shake around her cell phone.

"I know who you are, sir. What can I do for you?" Klaus chuckled on the other end of the line.

"Darling, you don't have to call me sir, but I like your respectful tone. I'd like to arrange a little meeting with you, and I'm sure you'll agree we should meet. I would like you to come to my home as soon as possible. Don't worry; I'll make sure my siblings don't bother you." Persia's stomach twisted. She knew enough about Klaus to know that he wasn't to be defied; not without there being serious repercussions.

"Yes, sir, I do agree that we should meet as soon as possible. I'm getting back into my car now."

"Excellent. I'll text you the directions. See you soon." With that, he hung up. Persia was nearly hyperventilating now. Why did Klaus want to meet her?! What could she possibly do for an Original?!

She pulled up in the driveway of Klaus' house, still shaking, and knocked on the door. A man with short, light brown hair opened the door and smiled at her. He was quite a bit taller than she was and his eyes held her gaze, making her nervous.

"You must be Persia Gray. Stefan didn't do you justice; he never said you were quite so lovely. Please, come in. I'm Klaus. You and I should get to know one another." Persia wasn't sure how she managed to do it, but she followed him into the parlor and sat down in an armchair across from Klaus.

"Persia, why don't you tell me a little about yourself? I've heard that you possess a wonderful gift." Persia shook her head.

"I don't know what you mean." Klaus smiled at her, but it didn't put her at ease.

"Please, Miss Gray, don't be afraid of me. I haven't asked you here to harm you at all. A little birdy told me about how you were able to read Stefan Salvatore's emotions the other day." Persia's eyes got wide as she looked at him.

"I don't know how I did that, sir." Klaus just smiled again.

"Please call me Klaus. Would you try for me? Try to read me." She nodded once and stared at him, willing herself to know what he was feeling at that moment. After several minutes, Klaus' smile was still pasted onto his face, but he seemed to be disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Klaus, I can't feel anything from you. I don't know how."

"Why don't you tell me how you did it with Stefan?" She bit her lip.

"I don't know. He was talking to Damon and me and I could hear the words he was saying, but I also heard what he was feeling." Klaus thought about what she was saying. After several minutes, he smiled at Persia.