B E T T E R M A N | KLAUS MIKAELSON

TEN

A small but still overbearing 'N' stood as a stark contrast to the otherwise soft, caramel skin surrounding it. Her eyebrows furrowed in deep perplexity, not understanding where the new tattoo has come from or why it was even there.

Rhine tried to understand what it could mean, what it could stand for but nothing came to mind. She didn't know anyone whose name started with an N and she couldn't really think of anything that the N could stand for. The more she stared at it, the weirder she felt, it sent a chill down her spine.

Amber eyes traveled away from the stark N, and up to the arctic eyes of the man sat opposite her. His own hand was still gripping her own, the constant rush of sparks making the girl feel a little bit dizzy. She ripped her hand from his grip, relief flooding through her veins when she no longer felt the constant dizzy-inducing sparks through her.

Klaus looked offended but hid it well with his smirk, deciding instead to sit back against his chair as his arms crossed over his broad chest. Arctic eyes swirled with differing emotions, none of which the hellhound could decipher even if she tried her very hardest.

"Why did you tattoo an N on my wrist?" Her question certainly grabbed his attention, the man sitting back up with a much more serious complexity to him.

"An N on your wrist?"

Instead of replying to the question, Rhine rolled her eyes before showing him the new tattoo embedded on the inside of her once clean skin. Arctic eyes lit up with a mixture of confusion and hope but otherwise the hybrid said nothing.

In fact, the man carefully gripped at her arm, his pointer finger smoothing over the N. The simple action sent shivers through her body, his touch evoking something deep within her that Rhine had never even felt before.

Rhine met Klaus' eyes, the two of them staring deep into each other's souls. Not once did their stare waver, and not once did his touch disappear. Rhine had never felt anything like this before, and she didn't know whether she wanted it to continue or whether she wanted it to end.

Klaus pulled away quickly, his head shaking from side to side as he stepped back from the girl. "I didn't tattoo that on your skin Rhine."

Eyebrows laced together, Rhine stared up at the man. It didn't make any sense, if Klaus didn't tattoo it on her skin then how does it exist? How is it there? Who did it?

"But then, how?" Silence followed her question as she stared up at the man. Klaus was looking off to the side, clearly deep in thought as he mulled something over. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew something, but she was sure he wouldn't tell her.

"Klaus?" She asked again, praying she would get an answer to the mess she had put herself in.

"I- I can't tell you right now Rhine."

With that he left.

She was unable to even question him again, just like that, all of the power was in his hands for the umpteenth time since they'd met.

The frustrated girl rolled her eyes before standing up with the intention to follow after the man and demand some more answers, but as soon as she stood up she fell back down again. Her sudden weakness became obvious in that moment, it was clear that she was still adjusting from her recent death.