No Good Deed | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [3]

9 | Smokey Mountains

The mountainous forest grows steeper as Lexi, Klaus, and Stefan trudge through; a dead werewolf—Ray—rests over Stefan's shoulders. Being the furthest ahead, Lexi glances back at the two boys. "You ok?" She calls over her shoulder. "Ray getting heavy?"

"I'm fine," Stefan replies.

Lexi shrugs as she continues; however, Klaus decides to pause. "You sure about that?" He asks. "You know, we've been walking for quite some time now. If you need some water or a little sit-down—"

Rolling her eyes, Lexi says, "Nik, how about we stop with the chit-chat? It'd be great."

"So much brooding," He replies. "Your self-loathing is suffocating you both."

"Well, you know me," Lexi says. "Maybe you shouldn't have killed my beta."

"And maybe I'm a little tired of hunting werewolves," Stefan groans as he adjusts his grip on Ray. "We've been at it all summer."

"I don't particularly like it either," Lexi says as she stops. "I'd like to think of myself as a protector of wolves when I'm not with Nik." She glares at him with her arms crossed over her chest.

Klaus shakes his head with a smirk. "Thanks to our pal Ray, we found ourselves a pack." Without waiting for them to respond, he trudges forward into the large clearing filled with tents and people. Before following after the boys, Lexi glances up at the sky where a full moon shines in the afternoon sun.

With a heavy sigh, Lexi leans against one of the outer trees, schooling her expression into nothing. "Forgive the intrusion," she says loudly as the people crowd around Ray's body and the vampires. "Truly."

As Klaus looks at each of the wolves, his grin widens. "My name is Klaus."

"You're the hybrid," the closest woman whispers in shock.

The look of pleasure on Klaus' face contrasts Lexi's expression of disgust. As she sticks out her tongue, he says, "So you've heard of me. Fantastic. It's fascinating, actually." The pack begins to clump together; Lexi recognizes the defensive postures in their stances. "A werewolf who isn't beholden to the moon. A vampire who doesn't burn in the sun. A true hybrid."

With Ray's gasping breath, Lexi kneels down beside him, pressing her palm against his shoulder. "Excellent timing, Ray. Very dramatic."

"What's happening to me?" He demands as he tries to back away from Lexi. She simply curls her fingers around his arm and yanks him closer, her nails digging into his shirt.

"Any of you human?" Stefan asks of the pack. "Your friend here needs human blood to complete his transition to a vampire. If he doesn't get it, he will die."

"Doesn't take much," Lexi adds as her eyes wander over to wolves. "Just a sip. Anyone? Boyfriend, girlfriend along for the ride?" She narrows her eyes at one particular man who shifts behind his girlfriend. "You. Truly sorry for this, but come here."

As her pupils dilate, so do his as the compulsion takes its effect. He approaches her slowly, despite his girlfriend tugging him back; eventually, Klaus steps in, holding the girl away as the man drops next to Lexi. She lets her claws grow out before swiping them across his arm.

"Drink, Ray," she says. When he does not comply, she sighs. "If you don't drink, Stefan will." When she turns her head, Stefan's fangs already hang from his gums as he eyes the blood. "And he does not know how to stop."

Ray glances between the two vampires before slowly lowering his lips to the bleeding wound. Lexi wraps her hand around Ray's head, pulling him away after a few seconds with a click of her tongue. "Not too much, darling."