Role Reversal

Chapter 5: The Long Night, Part One

While cleaning the kitchen, Cami received a text from Marcel that he had planted a few of his vampires outside to be lookouts in case Klaus decided to leave the apartment. She thanked him and was glad he thought of that so, hopefully, she could get some sleep. When she finished, she walked into the living room and watched from a distance as the mad artist continued to work on his canvas. Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms and began to feel tired. She yawned, then looked over at the clock and saw it was about half past nine. "Hey, Klaus, I'm thinking about going to bed. Are you tired yet?"

Silence.

"Um, hello? Did you hear me?"

"You do as you please. This is your apartment, after all," he mumbled, still in deep concentration as his paintbrush worked furiously.

"Can I trust you not to dip into your medications before you're allowed to? Or should I keep them locked up somewhere?"

"If I feel any twinge of pain, I am taking that bloody medication, whether it is time or not. Does that answer your question, Love?" He still did not take his eyes off his work.

"Loud and clear." She walked over to him and stood close. "I feel that I should remind you not to take it with alcohol. Got it?"

"Fine," he breathed, as if bored, "water it is."

She stared at his profile for a moment, anxious to see a glimpse of his lovely blue eyes before she went to bed. He paused and turned to look at her. Once their eyes locked, she felt mesmerized and suddenly at a loss for words. A hint of a smirk crossed his features and the desire she was beginning to feel for him quickly turned to annoyance. Straightening her stance and wiping any indication of how she felt about him off her face, she announced, "I think you have everything you need, so I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Good night, Camille," Klaus responded, still smirking and obviously enjoying her reaction.

Cami went into the bathroom and began muttering to herself. "He really is the devil. I must have looked like an idiot to him and he just ate it up. Ugh!" She furiously brushed her teeth and finished her nightly routine, including changing into her pajamas. When she opened the door, Klaus was standing there waiting for her. She couldn't read his expression.

"You're trying to avoid me." He leaned in, his arm blocking one side of the doorframe.

"Don't flatter yourself. As you know, I've had an eventful night and am ready for some sleep." She started to push him aside to let her pass, but he place his other arm on the other side of the doorframe, blocking her in.

"Not before I give you what you want," Klaus replied, slowly and sensually.

Cami swallowed and replied as casually as she could, "What are you talking about?"

"You want me to kiss you."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Oh, Klaus. If I had a nickel for every time a guy used that pickup line on me..."

"What if I'm not trying to pick you up? What if I want to kiss you?"

She studied his expression and saw that the flirting and teasing he had in his eyes was now gone. He was very serious and he studied her face intently, almost lovingly.

Cami blinked several times before responding, not sure how to respond. "It's gotta be the meds talking."

"I assure you, Sweetheart, it is not the meds." He moved in a little closer.

She replied, barely able to keep her voice above a whisper as she could feel his breath on her, "Why do I get the feeling that you don't ask permission very often?"