Through the Darkness

Chapter 2: A Hidden Threat

The upscale restaurant was bustling with activity. Cami enjoyed the first part of the evening when Richard reminisced with her about the fun they had as kids. Then, to Cami's surprise, the conversation turned to how successful he had become with his business dealings and how many properties he had started to acquire and she suddenly found herself bored. It was as if she was talking to a stranger. Grateful for the waiter bringing their food, Cami eagerly plunged into her dinner. She knew she should enjoy this fancy meal while she could. The restaurant he had chosen was way out of her budget. Looking up at Richard, she found herself staring at how he wolfed down his food in a very ungraceful manner, causing her to feel slightly embarrassed. Excusing herself, Cami went into the Ladies' Room to touch up her makeup and be alone for a moment. Staring into the mirror, she talked to herself quietly, "So he's got bad table manners. And he's boring. But, he's good looking and he's rich. What's not to like?" She stepped out into the hallway and felt her heart drop into her stomach as Klaus stood in front of her, wearing a very nice black suit and tie. He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, looking devastatingly handsome.

"What's not to like, indeed." He gave her a hint of a smile. "Good evening, Camille."

Her mouth failed to move as quickly as she wanted it to. She finally found her words, replying as casually as possible. "Good evening, Klaus."

"I must speak with you."

"Well, now is not a good time. I am on a date this evening with Richard."

"A woman of your caliber deserves far better than a petite bouquet of flowers and an outdated limousine."

She studied him, then started to become angry. "You've been spying on me, haven't you? Oh, that's just perfect! You ignore me for two weeks and the moment I start to live my life again, you need me for something! What is it this time? You need me to protect Hope from a deranged uncle, perhaps? What is it, Klaus?"

He stared into her blazing eyes. The harshness of her words didn't phase him. "I'm here to protect you."

"What are you talking about? Why?"

"Because you are important to me," he stated simply. He stepped closer to her. "I came here to tell you that. I also must tell you that I have never seen you look more beautiful than you do right now." He reached out and caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes at his touch, giving Klaus a sense of satisfaction. He knew at that moment that she did care what he thought of her.

Cami opened her eyes, a smile beginning to emerge across her lips. Her heart began to pound as she realized that this was Klaus confessing his feelings for her – something she thought would never happen. She said softly, "Is this your way of trying to tell me how you feel about me?"

Klaus smiled at her, then released her cheek and held her hand in his. "I cannot deny that we have a connection. I thought of nothing else but you these past two weeks. That is when I realized that you are just as important to me as my own daughter. You are someone that I would fight all the demons of hell for. That is why I need you to trust me, as you always have, Cami. Richard is wearing the symbol of the Green Serpent Guild. It is an ancient coven of witches that I came across a long, long time ago. If he is in league with them, he is not to be trusted."

It took a moment for her to absorb the words he just spoke to her. That was the most honesty he had ever shown about his feelings, which satisfied her as a therapist and as a friend, but as a woman who recently discovered that her feelings for him were becoming more romantic in nature, she was slightly disappointed. Shifting her focus to the subject at hand, she looked around the corner and spotted Richard, who was busy eating his meal, occasionally checking his watch. Turning back to Klaus, she let go of his hand and responded, "I'm going to continue my date now. Thank you for your warning and I will try to find out what is going on, but I need to do this my way. Will you trust me to handle this on my own?"