Find Me

Chapter Ten

Stefan and Elena walked through the door and strode right into the living room. Persia was laying on the couch, Damon crouched on the floor in front of her, pressing a cold cloth to her face and neck. He hadn't looked this worried in a long time. Damon never looked up.

"You betrayed her to Klaus." His voice was ragged and Stefan didn't have to see his face to know he was fighting tears.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I didn't know-" Damon looked over his shoulder at him, his face a mask of rage.

"You didn't know what, Stefan?! You know better than anyone that Klaus will use and exploit anything he thinks might be useful to him. And what I was forced to do to her tonight... I will never forgive you for that."

A throat cleared behind them. Stefan turned, surprised, and Damon jumped to his feet. Klaus stood there with a leather bundle in his hands, the expression on his face hard to read.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this family conversation, but we need to talk." Damon took a step forward, his hands clenched in fists at his sides, teeth bared.

"You can go to he-"

"Let him speak," Persia croaked from the couch. Damon rushed back to her side, taking her hand in his.

"Peri, are you okay?" She nodded and gave him a soft smile.

"I'm sorry. I'm such a wimp." Klaus came and stood next to Damon and looked down at her with kindness. Her stomach clenched in surprise at his soft expression.

"Actually, it was rather brave what you did tonight." Persia tried to get up, but her arms were shaky. Damon reached behind her and helped her up, sitting down in the space next to her.

"How long was I out?"

"Two hours." Damon put his arm around her and rubbed her arm. "Peri, are you sure you want him here?" Persia looked at him and smiled sadly.

"I'll be fine," she said, her voice shaky. "I have your blood in my system now, right? If anything happens, I'd be back soon anyway." Damon tried to fight back the pain of what her words meant. She looked up at Klaus.

"What did you want to say?" Klaus looked back at Persia and gestured to the open spot on the couch on her other side.

"May I sit, please?" Persia swallowed and nodded. The expression on his face did little to soften her fear of him, regardless of what he was here to say.

"Yes." Klaus sat gently next to her and laid the bundle on the coffee table. He turned his eyes to the doorway; Rebekah, Kol, and Elijah stood there.

"This is important, or I wouldn't have invited them as well. This concerns us all; not just you." Persia nodded once and everyone filed in slowly, taking seats around the table. Klaus waited until everyone was still to turn to Persia again.

"I know what you are." All eyes turned from Klaus to Persia at his words, but she was staring only at Klaus.

"You mean, you know why I'm connected to Stefan?" He nodded.

"I spoke to Esther as soon as you left. She was very angry with me for what I did to you tonight. I knew the fear you felt for me and I used it to my advantage. For that, I apologize." Persia's eyebrows drew together as she looked at him. She wasn't sure if she believed him or not.

"You brought your family here to listen to you apologize?" Klaus smiled at her.

"No, darling, I didn't. Though, that was humbling. Esther told me that she had no knowledge of what you are, but that this book may give insight. She's never read it, but was told it contained many sacred things. She was right." Klaus untied the string tied around the soft leather protecting the book. Inside the bundle lay the most beautiful book Persia had ever seen. The binding was of dark blue leather and a silver medallion was set into the cover. She looked closely at the medallion; a raven with wings spread wide, seven stars spanning in an arch from wingtip to wingtip. Below the medallion were some faded letters, though Persia didn't know the language.