They had never heard her name. No one spoke of her. She is but a myth unknown, bent and broken. Her past changed her, made her into a monster. And now she's in Mystic Falls.
(Book One in The Demons Within series)
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Rebekah spun around on her heels, anger and betrayal showing themselves on her face. "What are you doing here, Niklaus?"
The man standing before him had blonde hair resembling that of Rebekah's, as well as blue-green eyes that gleamed with amusement beneath the sunlight. He wore a fashionable suit, despite the informality of the party. "Relax, Rebekah," Niklaus said. He spoke with the same accent as his younger sister. "I'm not here for you."
Lillian had narrowed her eyes at the arrival of Rebekah's older brother. She had heard tales of Niklaus Mikaelson, the Original hybrid, even as she was jumping from city to city. Klaus, who had been chasing the only reason Lillian had come to this goddamned town. Klaus, who had moved heaven and hell to break the hybrid curse his mother had put on him to keep his werewolf side dormant. And Klaus, who would leave you in pieces if you got in his way.
"I don't care why the hell you're here!" Rebekah looked furious, but beneath all the rage, Lillian could see what she was trying to hide. Hurt. "You left me, Nik. You left me for your stupid, pathetic hybrids, all so you wouldn't be alone. And when I destroyed your only means of creating them, you turned your back on me." Rebekah turned around, beginning to walk back into her house. "Leave. You no longer mean anything to me, brother." The blonde Original spat the last word out like a curse.
"I'll do what I please, sister!" Klaus called angrily after her.
The whole time, Lillian had kept her mouth shut, watching the confrontation curiously. Now she turned to the human crowd gathered before her. "Leave!" She shouted, waving her hands towards the street. "Get out of here, all of you!" They left without a single word.
As Lillian's back was turned to them, Niklaus had taken a step closer to help clear the gap between him and the other two vampires. "Hello, Stefan," he greeted. Watching him, Lillian could feel the power emanating off of him in subtle waves. He stood in a careless position, confident in his strength and the fear others held for him. "Elena, I heard you've taken to vampirism. Most unfortunate, seeing as I no longer have any of your blood to create any hybrids."
"Why are you here, Klaus?" Stefan demanded, carefully watching the much older hybrid's movements.
"Despite what you may think, you are no longer of any importance to me," the Mikaelson responded, waving his hand dismissively at both Stefan and Elena. "I have not come here to bother myself with you two." Then his direction turned to Lillian. "She, however, may have the whereabouts to my current target."
Lillian stiffened. All throughout her life, she had been the oldest. Most of the vampires she had come across had never come close, and it had taken little to deal with any who threatened her. But now here she stood, faced with someone who was much stronger. And he knew it.
"Love, be a dear and tell me where Katerina is," Klaus said in a sweet tone, a smile on his face.
"If I knew where she was, I wouldn't be standing here," Lillian said truthfully, realizing she held all the cards in her hand. She just hoped she'd be able to play them right.
Niklaus clicked his tongue. He wore on his face a thoughtful expression. "Is that so? Tell me, love, what's your name?" When Lillian didn't reply, the hybrid was in front of her within a second. He looked at her with cold blue eyes, his pupils dilating as he asked, "What's your name?"
A few hours before she had come to Rebekah's party, Lillian had downed a vial of vervain, despite the burning pain it had caused. She was well aware that Originals could compel other vampires, and wasn't going to take any chances coming to one's party. Now it was all a matter of whether to tell Niklaus or play along.
"Lillian Sinclair," she replied, deciding on the latter.
Klaus smiled, pleased. "Well, Lillian, I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure of thoroughly introducing myself." He offered his hand as Lillian blatantly ignored it.
"I know who you are," she said.
Niklaus dropped his outstretched hand. It fell limp at his side. "It seems my reputation exceeds me. I hope it's not all bad."
"It would all be a matter of perspective," Lillian said carefully. She glanced to her left, realizing Stefan and Elena had left long ago.
She could still feel the warmth emanating from the hybrid as Klaus stood directly in front of her. He clearly wasn't finished using compulsion. "If I may ask," Klaus said, caring not whether she gave him permission, "what perspective do you look at me from?"
Lillian shouldn't have come, she knew. She had run the risks of participating in the party, but even now, she wouldn't let her apprehension show through. Fear was for the weak, and she hadn't survived for centuries off of fear. "I don't know you well enough to pick a side, Mr. Mikaelson."
Niklaus laughed, obviously finding amusement in her answer. "Call me Klaus, love." Then the smile and his face faded as he gazed directly into Lillian's eyes. "Tell me where I can find Katerina Petrova. I very much desire to shove a stake through her heart."
He had tried using compulsion again, and this time Lillian couldn't help holding back her tongue. "I don't care what in the hell you desire to do!" she snapped.
Anger appeared on the Original's face, darkening his features, which Lillian would at any other moment deem quite handsome. Raging pain coursed through her body as Niklaus extended his claws and shoved his hand into her chest, tightening it around her heart. "Is Katerina of that much importance to you? To risk your life?"
Lillian bit back her groan, forcing out a laugh instead. "You can't kill me. You'll risk never finding Katerina."
Klaus narrowed his blue eyes. "And who's to say I can't find her on my own? Maybe I have a witch, or ten. I could always have one of them use a locator spell."
He was trying to shuffle the deck, but Lillian had already made her play. "If it were that easy, you wouldn't be here bothering yourself with me."
The hand around her heart tightened, and Lillian gasped in pain. Then relief swamped over her as Niklaus begrudgingly pulled back his hand. "I'm glad you could join me, Elijah. I was worried you had wandered off."
