Ink

Chapter 21

"So, are you and Klaus a thing?"

My breath hitches in my throat.

Klaus and I? A thing?

"Ugh-"

"Oh, so it's complicated?" Caleb asks.

"I guess you could say that." I say. I hadn't really thought about Klaus and I as of late but the thought of us together send a tingle up my spine.

"So, what was it?" He asks again. "Bad breakup? Or were you guys in a friend's with-"

"We were nothing." I say.

"But you want it to be something?" Caleb says wiggling his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes.

"I-"

"Yes Alliana," A new voice enters the room."Do you want us to be a thing?"

Both Caleb and I turn to face the doorway. Klaus is standing with one arm resting against the frame and green eyes glinting with mischief. He only wears a towel against the lower half of his body leaving his entire upper half on display.

"Oh no." Is all I manage as I put my head in my hands.

"I was on the hunt for some clean clothes when I happened to overhear your conversation and was very intrigued. I have to say Alliana, I completely agree that our situation is quite complicated, seeing as though we are bound together by this mystical force and we kissed-"

"Klaus!" I say in warning. His only response is a deep chuckle.

"Time out." Caleb says motioning with his hands for a break."You two are bound by a mystical force?"

"Yes we are." Continues Klaus."The connection is growing everyday, do you agree Alliana?"

I don't respond.

"Dude that's crazy! What does it feel like?"

"Kind of like a rope attached to the two of us that is shrinking everyday. It is only a matter of time before the rope is absolute. Then we will-"

"Klaus!"

"-be able to make our own adult decisions." I lift my head and glare in his direction.

"Wait, so this bond thing makes you guys want to have-"

"Caleb!" I yell. Both men laugh and Klaus clears his throat.

"Yes." Is is only response."Well, I'll leave the two of you alone while I go find some suitable clothing. The shower is open by the way."

"Geez, we couldn't have guessed." Caleb's voice drips with sarcasm. In a flash a butter knife flies by his face and smacks into the wall behind us.

Klaus mutters something to himself which I make out to be a mockery of Caleb's previous words before walking out of the room.

"That dude has some serious anger issues!"Caleb begins."I don't care if he's cursed or what!"

"We found you lying half dead in a stairwell after getting mutilated by a vampire and you are going to let a butter knife scare get the best of you?" I say amused.

"Butter knives are pretty deadly okay. Back at the academy I heard a story from Ryder about this guy who used a butter knife to skin some vamp for fun." His eyes widen in remembrance of fear."Being skinned is a no-no for me."

I laugh.

"I guess it's a deal breaker for me too." Suddenly his words register."What do you mean the academy?"

"It's the place we live-well, not you guys but you get what I'm trying to say." He begins."We grow up there and get trained to, you know-"He draws a line across his neck with his finger."Once we're 18 we are allowed to go on our first mission. This was my first mission though, the king has been sending troops near our bases to take us out. We've been hit pretty hard lately. Lots and lots of losses have been piling up on the human side of things. The vamps that we have on our side have been risking blowing their cover and we couldn't risk that until tonight's mission. The goal was to take out the prince, but, it's almost like he knew we were coming-" Caleb pauses for a moment before his face becomes hard."As soon as we got in the floor shut down for some reason, we were trapped. I managed to get out to the stairwell before my fate was sealed like the rest of them. Blue eyes cornered me, he bit me, he dangled me by my neck and told me that-"

"What did he tell you Caleb?" I reach forward and touch his shoulder. His eyes turn to meet mine with a glazed over expression.

"He told me that if you were to escape I would help return you to him." His voice is monotonous. His eyes are now completely clouded over. Suddenly, he smiles and turns his body completely towards mine. His look is sinister, not that of the man I was just talking to.

"Caleb?" I ask warily.

"I told you that I would find you Alliana." I know in a heartbeat that it is no longer Caleb in front of me. "You thought you could run." He laughs deeply and a shiver runs down my spine."You thought you would escape."

I stand and back up away from the couch slowly.

"Mephistor." The word escapes my lips in little above a whisper. "How-"

"You are my soulmate Alliana." Caleb's body stands from the couch and walks slowly towards me. I feel my back hit a wall behind me. Caleb's hand reaches out to cup my face lovingly. He leans in and as his lips are a hair away from mine he whispers,"I will always find you."

I know I should run, I know I should scream and kick and fight, but in that moment an overwhelming sensation comes over me and I can't help but react as he presses his lips against mine.

His kiss is so strong I am moaning into it. It feels so different from kissing Klaus. It feels so-so real. So raw. One hands reaches out and grips my waist pulling me closer.

He groans into my mouth and bites my lip causing me to gasp. "Mmm so responsive." He whispers before molding his mouth to mine once more."Perfect." His mouth leaves mine and begins to place light kissed against my chin and down my neck that leave me panting. "Alliana." He whispers against my neck nearing my pulse point.

"Yes." I whisper breathlessly and moan.

"Be mine."

"What?"

He sucks hard on the crook of my neck and licks up to my jaw.

"Be my queen."

"Mephistor-"

His hands reach down further and massage my ass. His mouth hovers above mine teasingly. I whimper and reach out to connect our lips once again.

"Be mine Alliana" He whispers."And I'll come and find you, and we can continue this." His lips lightly touch mine."When I am more myself." I moan as he tightens his grip on my ass again. "I can assure you the real me is much more impressive."

"Mephistor I-"

"What the hell is going on in here!"

~