The Devil's Backbone [Klaus Mikaelson]

Chapter тωσ

It was like every other Tuesday for Audrey. She left the confines of her home and walked the few miles into town for groceries. Ever since her encounter with the hybrid known as Klaus, the voices in her head have been chattering none stop. It's been hard for her to concentrate on anything. The noise has gotten so bad that all she hears now is constant clicking. It's her way of dealing with it, otherwise she would have blacked out due to all the recent disturbance. "Do you have any fresh fruit, Mike? These smell a few days past their prime." She said to Mike, the teenage boy who usually worked the register.

Mike smirked at the girl picking through oranges. He always looked forward to Audrey's company whenever she came. Just because she was blind didn't mean she wasn't attractive. "We just got some today, it's in the back. You know I always save the best for you. Hold on a second, I'll be right back." He replied, going into the back room.

Klaus stepped into the little store immediately spotting Audrey, she was picking up berries and smelling them. From the way her nose slightly crinkled, they must have not been very appetizing. As always, she wore black from head to toe. He silently crept his way over to her, taking in more of her appearance. The girl's hair was pulled up into a neat small bun, showing off her long slender neck. She wore a cardigan sweater, V-neck tee shirt, denim pants, and ballet flats. Her skin was its usual porcelain color, looking soft to the touch. Klaus held his hands behind his back as to not touch the girl, even though every nerve in his body was telling him to. "Well coincidence seeing you here, Audrey. How have you been?"

Audrey knew Klaus had entered the store, but tensed at the closeness of his voice. Taking a deep breath in, she rolled her shoulders back as she released it. She rolled her eyes behind her dark shades. "As if you don't already know." She said, grabbing a couple of potatoes and placing them in her hand basket.

He decided to play the dumb role, there was no way she could know what he's been up to. "I'm sorry, darling. I don't understand what you mean."

She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Mr. Mikaelson. You have been following me for the past couple of days. You lean against the old oak tree on Valley Road and wait for me to pass you by. Then you follow me the whole day at a safe distance away until I head back home." Audrey explained to him like it was nothing, like a thousand year old hybrid hadn't been stalking her. "Although at the end of the day, you can't seem to figure out where I live. You always seem to find yourself going around in circles.." She smirked.

Klaus didn't know what to do, so he chuckled instead. This girl never ceases to amaze him and that's saying something. "What can I say, I'm curious. You're an ostracized blind girl who lives in the middle of nowhere. There is no medical file for you at the hospital or even a file at the sheriffs station. At town hall, you're just listed as a citizen of the town. Everyone knows about you, but no one seems to know who you are. So darling, what are you hiding?" He asked, leaning closer to her until he was breathing down her neck.

Audrey frowned at him. "You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. I'm sure you wouldn't be any different." She said, moving away from the hybrid and to the other side of the aisle. The voices were roaring this time, not liking the attention the older male was showing the young girl. Audrey had to ball her fist up and take a deep calming breath before she lost control.

His smile got even bigger, causing his dimples to show. Klaus could tell he was making her uncomfortable. 'Good', he thought to himself. "Well, then it's a good thing I prefer canines." He joked. It was clear that she knew about him following her, but why hadn't she confronted him about it? During those days, he had found out very little about her. Audrey never spoke to anyone and the people that she did get close to, avoided her. There was something strange about this girl and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Klaus was just about to place a hand on her shoulder when a voice broke his concentration.