The Original Love (Book 5)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Klaus

Ansel and I are sitting across from each other as a campfire burns between us. Star is asleep, laying her head on my lap. Ansel is using his long knife to cut the merlock orchids. “I've always seen a blade to have a very different use” I say “Mikael taught you to kill, Klaus. But, you were born to create. Power lies in embracing your true nature. I mean look at Star, and how much could you've done. You raised her when she was just a child” Ansel said, pointing to Star. I look down at Star and sigh, knowing he was right.

“You think I should accept my mother's offer? Sacrifice my vampirism? And then what? Become a florist” I ask with sarcasm. Ansel smiles “you wouldn't be sacrificing anything. As a wolf, you'll be king to an entire species” I'm tempted to take the offer but stay silent. “You would feel at true peace, you'll get to live your life out with Star, she wouldn't be endanger anymore. We will help protector her, and you'll be a better father” Ansel said.

I move Star as I become angry “I am no longer a father” I say and stand before walking away from the campfire, but Ansel continues talking. “In our animal form, we feel everything more acutely” I stop and listen “when you were a boy, after each full moon, I would wake closer to your village, having been drawn to you in the night. Since I've been back, each month when I turn, I wake further from New Orleans. I know the call of my own blood, Klaus” Ansel says as Star starts to wake up. I turn and look at Ansel “I know your child is still alive” Ansel says.

Star sits up “what's wrong, what happen” Star asks? “He knows about Hope” I say, making Star join me at looking at Ansel, surprised. Ansel has just finished preparing the merlock orchid roots for Elijah. He puts the poultice in a handkerchief and gives it to me. “This will help Elijah” Ansel says and turns away, but I call out to him, and he turns back with interest.

Star

“Ansel. I'd be lying if I said your offer wasn't appealing. I've never known a parent to be a benevolent force. I think I would have liked to have been your son. But, a different path was chosen for me, and I have, for the past one thousand years, been son of Mikael. Paranoid. Vengeful. And, powerful enough to protect my daughter” Klaus says. Ansel clasps the back of Klaus' head affectionately “I want to help you defend her, I want to help you both” Ansel says and looked at me as well.

Klaus looks like he's about to cry “I believe you. But, love is what Esther twists. She will take the best of your intentions, and she will use them to get to my little girl and the love of my life” Klaus says and takes Ansel's hand in his own and clasps it tightly. “You waited too long before you came to rescue me” Klaus says and brushes past Ansel and stops “I won't make the same mistake with Hope” he says and picks up Ansel's blade, and Ansel turns toward him, confused and hurt. “Klaus don't” I said, knowing what he was going to do.

“No” Ansel said as Klaus walks toward him “no, Klaus, I know you. You are not capable of this” “that's the first lie you've told me” Klaus says “Klaus stop” I say right as Klaus slashes Ansel's chest open in a diagonal line. Ansel gasps, staggering forward, and Klaus looks horrified at what he's just done. He steps forward and catches his dying father in his arms, slowly lowering his body onto the ground. Ansel, still shocked, caresses Klaus' cheek with his hand before he finally dies. Klaus, overwhelmed, starts to cry, but quickly pulls himself together.

Klaus drops Ansel's body to the ground and looks at me with a straight face. I look at Ansel's dead body, my mouth open a little as I looked at the body in shock. Klaus walks up to me, making me look at him and close my mouth, feeling my eyes water. “Are you scared of me yet” Klaus asks? I look at Klaus for a few seconds before answering “no” I say, not sounding to confident in my answer.

Klaus picks up Ansel's body and throws it over his shoulder before starting to walk. I stand there for a second before starting to fallow Klaus in silence. Klaus dropped Ansel off at the cemetery for a message to Esther before we arrived back home and headed straight for Elijah's room, where he is still sleeping fitfully. I stand in the corner, watching as Klaus takes out the handkerchief Ansel gave him, and starts smearing the poultice onto Elijah's neck. Klaus speaks quietly to Elijah, but loud enough for me to hear him.

“We were innocent once, Elijah. his bloodlust was forced upon us by our parents, turning us from prey to predator. We're the demons lurking in shadow. We are the savage villains in fairy tales taught to children. But, not for my child. Not for Hope. In her stories, we are knights in shining armor. Without you by my side, I don't think I can survive my own love for my daughter. I need you. I need you, brother. The monster in me can only be challenged by the monster in you. Only together can we fight our demons and save our family” Klaus says.

I look at Klaus surprised at what he said to Elijah. Klaus stood up and looked at me, as I look at him in shock. I sigh before walking out of Elijah's room and heading to mine to take a shower.

Klaus

I renter Elijah's bedroom, where he's getting dressed in his usual suit and tie. I hold a leather-bound notebook in my hands, and want to say something but nothing comes out. Elijah turns toward me, worried “what is it”. “I spent the day with my father. My real father” I say as Elijah looks stunned speechless, and sits down on his bed “Esther brought him back from the dead, believing he could convince me to renounce vampirism”. I approaches my brother “the thought of what I could be, had I been raised by him. Had I been nurtured. This was his” I say.

I hand Elijah the notebook, and he opens it to find a sketch of a much younger me inside. “He knew about Hope” I say and Elijah immediately shuts the notebook and rises to his feet, shocked once again. “I wanted to trust him more than anything in the world. I, I wanted to, but” I trail off, unable to put into words what I did and what I feel.

“I couldn't be sure. And, I would never forgive myself if something happened to her because of my selfish desire for a father. So, I killed him. Without hesitation. I killed him” I said. “Was Star there” Elijah asks with a sigh “yes, yet she doesn't think anything less of me” I pause for a moment. “Why is that, why do I deserve her, her forgivness. I killed so many people and she just stands there and watches me like it's nothing” I say as my eyes start to water.

Elijah walks over and puts a hand on my shoulder “because she loves you” Elijah whispered to me. He pauses for a moment “you killed him for Hope, and whatever innocence remains, we must protect at any cost” Elijah says and I feel tears start to roll down my cheek. Star walks into the room, her PJ's on and her wet hair down “Elijah” she says surprised and runs over, hugging him as I quickly turn away and whip my eyes. “How do you feel” Star asks him and I turn to look at them.

“The worst has past, though, I suspect the nightmares are far from over” Elijah says to us both. “Well, gather your strength. After the message I sent Mother tonight, I expect hellfire to rain upon us imminently” Klaus says. “We need to make a move before she strikes” Elijah says and suddenly, Marcel and Hayley appear in the doorway. “Well, actually, moves were made while you were sleeping” Marcel says. Hayley smiles “it's good to see you vertical. Marcel and I each left a gift for you in the ballroom” Hayley says and I look at them curiously.

Star, Elijah, and I look at each other before going downstairs and into the ballroom, where we all find Finn and Kol, each wearing enchanted manacles, which are suspending them from the balcony by their wrists. Star Elijah and I are very pleased “kidnapping? That's a rather unpleasant way to begin a family reunion” Kol says as Klaus grins “well, wait until you see how we end it” I say with a smile.