Ink

Chapter 27

"What do you mean you lost Klaus?" I ask. Anger brewing deep within me.

Caleb looks to Ryder for help, but Ryder shakes his head.

"This is all on you, Walker."

"Thanks buddy." Caleb doesn't face me again. Instead, he hangs his head and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Can someone say something?" I ask.

Caleb clears his throat. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that we lost him."

"Then what would you say?"

"We just-"

"He just." Ryder interrupts.

"I just-" Caleb continues with a glare at his friend."Couldn't control him."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He doesn't even know what it means."Ryder says."What he wants to say is that bästard attacked him and then ran out of the house before we got there. He's lucky to be alive."

I look over at Caleb. His head is hanging like he's in deep thought about something.

"Caleb?" He lifts his eyes to meet mine."Is it true? Did he really attack you and just run off?"

For a moment Caleb just stares at me. Then he slowly nods.

"His humanity must be nearly gone by now." Ryder says."And if he's out there by himself, who knows what little things will set him off. He's now a danger to society."

"So what does that mean?" I ask."Are you just going to put him down? Are you forgetting that he was once your friend?"

"I've always hated Klaus." Ryder says."However, you should know that I would not make any suggestions such as yours simply because of that fact."

I furrow my brow.

"He's right, Al." Caleb pipes in."Any decision that is made will be made with Klaus's best interest in mind."

"How can you be sure that you know his best interest?"

Both men remain silent.

"There is a very delicate balance between man and vampire kind." Ryder says with a cold expression."If Klaus has gone rogue and is now a threat to that balance-" His icy eyes lock with mine."We will do what we have to do."

~

Klaus' POV

~

It is about halfway through Klaus' journey that he realizes how confused Alliana will be when she wakes up to find he is no longer there.

It was not his intention to leave her behind. In fact, he never wanted to leave her side again, but, after his last outburst he knew it would be safer for her if he left.

He was currently on route home. He knew it was risky to go back to the place where he was most likely a wanted man, but, there was someone there that he knew could help him with his current situation. At least, he hoped she could help him.

It was becoming harder for him to distinguish between reality and fantasy. It was almost as if his eyes were no longer his own.

Every time he blinked he saw the fearful expression of Alliana, hell, he even saw the face of the boy, Caleb. He hadn't actually wanted to hurt either of them (even though he had insinuated that he wanted to end the boy's life he hadn't actually been serious).

The only moment of relief that he had been granted was when he had been holding Alliana in his arms after he knew she was going to be okay. His breaths slowly became in tune with hers and their heartbeats nearly synchronized. He never wanted to hurt this woman. He wasn't sure if he would ever admit it to her, but he felt himself developing strong feelings for he everyday that they were together. When they had kissed in the car, although he had not been completely himself, he basked in the feeling of her soft lips and embraced the sparks that shot through his body with open arms. No one had ever ignited such a fire within him before. In all his years, he had never felt such passion, such, dare he say it, love for another. Yes, he supposed the feelings he felt towards Alliana could be considered love. The thought of loving her sent a wonderful feeling running through him. It was in moments like this when he thought about her that he felt the most in tune with himself. In fact, he felt better than himself.

Alliana made him a better person.

Of course with such strong feelings come equally as strong doubts.

What if she didn't love him back?

He supposed time would tell.

Then there was his biggest fear.

What if these feelings are only present because of the virus?

Every time he thought about this possibility he lost a bit of his humanity to anger.

He nearly laughed at his insecurity. He had not felt this young in centuries. Although he supposed he had never truly felt young as his childhood was stripped from him.

After Klaus discovered his gift it tore him from his family. They were unknowing, cold people that insisted he be just as harsh and cut off from the world. He gift gave him hope that maybe, just maybe he could break the cycle. It was always a dream of Klaus' to be free of Illinkus, to escape expectations and societal pressures. It was a dream he had not thought about since he took his position at the castle.

His dream had died.

Klaus decided he needed to play it safe in this world if he wanted to survive. So he became the thing he hated most, a palace official.

His father and mother had both held high positions underneath the king. He grew up in the hallways of the castle, learning about vampire history, trying to convince himself that he was cut out to be a heartless man like his father. Mephistor had been his companion. The younger prince had a childlike curiosity that attracted Klaus. The boys vibrant blue eyes lit up with excitement when they played together. He told Klaus stories about his father and about how he wished he had gotten to know his mother. They had been friends, until the day everything changed.

Klaus shakes his head to snap himself out of the memory. He had never wanted to be this way. He never wanted to reject who he really was to be accepted into a world he had no business partaking in.

But he did.

He did unspeakable things to rise to power just like every man before him. He was the sole reason he was afflicted by this virus. He only had himself to blame.

And Alliana? She was a beautifully untouched flower that was so pure the evil the consumed him could not touch her.

He wanted her to know that she was the reason he still had hope that he could be saved.

He wanted her to know that he loved her and that he had never loved anyone before her.