Whittling

Chapter 3

"No way I'm not doing this," Jeremy says like he has a choice.

"What makes you think you have a choice?" Klaus asks. See, peas in a pod.

"You have to kill vampires to complete the hunters mark," Damon explains to the dim-witted idiot. "Mark equals cure. You're in a bar full of almost vampires so...get your hunt on."

"Screw you," Jeremy says and it's funny 'cause he thinks he's scary; "you said I wouldn't have to kill any innocent people." God, there it is again. Who gives a shit?!

"Jeremy they're not people." Fuck, how stupid is this kid?

"Enough," Klaus commands and he's right. This whole trying-to-reason-with-the-stupid-humans is a habit that's going to take some breaking. "Have at it or else..." Klaus orders. Mmm, he's hot when he's bossy.

"I don't take orders from you dick," Jeremy says to Klaus in an unconvincing attempt to be hard-core. "Hunters can't be compelled." Wow, Jeremy just reached a new level of stupid there. It's amazing, Damon wonders how many levels there can possibly be.

"You're right, I can't compel you," Klaus says with an edge of dark delight, this should be good. "But if your conscience is getting in the way then allow me to make this easy for you, because I can compel them." Oh, this is so exciting, Klaus is gonna compel the vampires to go after Jeremy. Damon should've got on board with supporting Klaus' evil plans long ago, it's so much more fun than being a good guy. "I'm gonna give you a two minute head start them I'm gonna send every vampire in here after you. You kill them or they kill your friend, Matt." Matt? That wasn't part of the deal.

"Whoa, wait a second," Matt says, appealing to Damon to help him. And damn, Damon does feel kinda bad for Matt because the poor bastard is only human after all. It must really suck being surrounded by supernaturals with awesome powers and have none of them yourself.

"No, no. You turn 'em, he kills 'em, that was the deal Klaus."

"I'm taking artistic licence," Klaus says flippantly. Damn, it would be nice to be so free. It makes Damon realise that he has a long way to go and Klaus can be the one to show him the way.

"You know we can't take them all on at the same time." Klaus can't be serious, Damon's good, but he's not that good. Especially when he's got to try to keep Matt the useless human alive and make sure Jeremy is the one to actually make the kills while not getting killed. Gah...Klaus is making this difficult.

"With you as his coach he'll be fine," Klaus says and damn him, he knows that will make Damon step up...and that's his plan, Damon realises. This is a test. "It's Matt I'm worried about."

Damon sighs. The look Klaus gives him then is one that says he's had enough pretending and he wants to speak to Damon alone. It's a look that sends a chill through Damon because of the familiarity it implies. It's going to take some proving to Klaus that he's worthy of Klaus' attention. And oh how he wants to be worthy.

"Jeremy go get the weapons out of the car I'll be right behind you." Jeremy goes but Matt's still standing there, can't he take a hint? "Both of you." Matt follows Jeremy outside leaving Damon and Klaus alone, apart from the transitioning newbies that is, oh and the hybrid bodyguards.

"If I hear an engine start, I'll kill Matt myself," Klaus calls after them with amusement.

With the exit of tweedle-dum and tweedle-dumber the atmosphere changes completely. Both Damon and Klaus drop their masks and Damon feels like he can breathe again.

"Look," Damon says, attempting to be reasonable, "I'll get this done for you but do you have to compel them to kill Matt? The poor guy is only human after all."