Role Reversal

Chapter 1: Cousin Charlie

Teaser

The beast inside him had finally calmed enough for him to fall asleep. Cami lay next to Klaus, exhausted. She watched him take his extended breaths for a moment and marveled at the exquisite lines on his attractive face. Propping herself up, she gently leaned over and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. After watching him suffer for the past several hours, even someone like Klaus deserved a peaceful rest, in Cami's opinion. As fatigued as she was, it was hard to tear her gaze off the handsome man who was dangerously close to stealing her heart. "Please don't make me fall in love with you. I will die if I do..." She closed her eyes and settled next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. At that moment, Klaus shifted and turned to face her. Both opened their eyes and he quickly placed his lips on hers...

Chapter 1: Cousin Charlie

Camille O'Connell sat at her computer, scrolling through her e-mails, amazed at how many expressions of sympathy were so lovingly sent her way upon her Uncle Kieran's passing. It had been weeks since his funeral, but Cami felt as if this was the first time she had a calm moment to truly appreciate the words in each e-mail. In an attempt to distract her from her loneliness, she had invited Marcel over the night before and the empty wine glasses they drank from still sat on her coffee table in front of the TV. Although she was open to the idea of having him stay the night with her, he had to leave abruptly when he received an urgent phone call from one of his vampire minions. She found him attractive and appreciated his strong physique and dark brown eyes, but the constant warring between him and Klaus became tiresome. Klaus.The most complicated person Cami had ever met, Niklaus Mikaelson had found his way into her thoughts once again. He had told her to stay away and they could not be friends, but she found herself missing his company. Yes, he was attractive to her as well, with his slender yet strong features and seductive accent, but he was extremely dangerous. She appreciated his willingness to keep her safe and found that noble quality another reason she couldn't stop thinking about him. However, every time she thought of how he used her in the beginning, it made her angry. Then, she would think about the poor child that he lost and how much it hurt him. She cared for him, no matter what he had done. The amazing part was that he cared for her. The one human, as far as she knew, that he would protect. The pain in his eyes when he sent her away made Cami well up with tears. She wanted so badly to take him in her arms and share the burden of his loss. Even Klaus did not deserve to lose his child in such a manner. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she re-focused on her e-mails. A new one appeared from her cousin Charlie. However, it was dated a week ago. She began to read:

Dear Cami,

Sorry to hear about Uncle Kieran. I'm still in Tunisia, but I need your help. I have discovered an artifact that has brought me unbelievable luck. This archaeological dig has proven most valuable to my entire team. I can't carry it with me on the plane, so I am shipping it to you for safe keeping until I get back. I hope it brings you luck, too. Thanks, Cousin!

Love, Charlie

"How did I miss this e-mail?" she asked herself. Then, a text notification came across her phone, stating that she had a package to pick up from UPS. Looking at the clock, she realized that she had just enough time to go to the UPS office before it closed. The office was thankfully within walking distance.

Once she obtained the mysterious box from Cousin Charlie, she examined it briefly before tucking it under her arm and walking towards her apartment. She expected it to be heavy, but it wasn't. However, she had begun working out again and felt much stronger as a result. Workouts were a great way to de-stress from all the grief that surrounded her. As her heels clicked on the pavement, the feeling of being watched made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She quickly looked around, but saw no one. In the seconds it took to reach down and grab her keys out of her pocket, a werewolf appeared and stood in her way, forcing her to stop in her tracks. "What do you want?" she demanded as forcefully as she could muster.