Stefan crept into Adelines room the following morning and sat on the edge of the large bed. She was sprawled out in the middle, cuddled under the comforter that was draped on top of her small body.
He gave her a gentle shake, trying to wake her without scaring her. He figured she was probably on edge sleeping under the same roof as a notorious murder vampire.
"Addy—" he whispered. "Wake up."
She groaned and rolled over to face him. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and the golden light from the morning sun burned her pupils.
"What is it?" She huffed.
"You have to wake up now." He answered. "Klaus wants us to leave soon and start hunting for that pack."
"Oh how fun." She groaned, covering her face underneath the comforter.
"Come on— it'll be okay." He insisted, even though he wasn't sure if he believed that himself. He was barley hanging on to his sanity, he was back on human blood, and his control was slipping away from him with each day that passed. Even sitting here with Adeline, breathing in the sweet scent of her blood made his mouth water. But he knew he would never hurt his friend, he couldn't. As long as he had his humanity, he wouldn't.
Klaus walked passed Adelines bedroom door and was interested to see it was slightly opened. He walked towards it and looked inside to see Stefan sitting on her bed. He clenched his fists at his sides and his veins momentarily protruded from beneath his eyes. He didn't want this, he didn't want to feel any type of way towards the girl. So, he wouldn't allow himself to, he needed to remain cold. Being cold is what has kept him the most feared vampire who has ever 'lived'. Being cold is what made him into a legend some believed to be so far fetched and unrealistic because no one could be that horrible, but he was real and he was that horrible.
"What are you two up too this morning?" He queried, condescension was thick in his tone.
Stefan looked up and saw Klaus leaning against the doorframe, staring at them with watchful eyes.
"I was just waking Adeline up so we could go find your pack of wolves." Stefan answered.
"Then instead of laying around you should get up, and get moving." He ordered. "Don't make me lose my patience already."
Both Stefan and Adeline rolled their eyes at the vampire.
******
They went from house to house, going off leads and information from different people trying to find one guy. The leader of a large pack of wolves that was known to be from around here. It was starting to get dark when they pulled up to an old farmhouse outside of town, they had heard from the local sheriff Klaus compelled that it was Rays residence, just the man they were looking for.
They all stepped out of the car and headed for the front door. Stefan turned to face Adeline and suggested that she wait outside instead of going in with them, he was trying to protect her because he knew it would not be a good sight.
"Nonsense." Klaus interrupted. "The girl comes with us."
He gave Stefan a big push and Adeline followed closely behind. Klaus scoffed under his breath at him, it was typical Stefan to always try and protect the girl. First Elena and now Adeline.
Klaus could hear Adelines heart beating violently inside her chest, he could hear every hard swallow as she tried to choke down her fear. He wanted her to come inside, if only to see Stefan for what he truly was...a ripper.
Adeline stood in the corner and watched as Stefan and Klaus threatened the girls of the house to tell them where Ray was. When they finally gave up his location she was relieved, she thought now they don't have to hurt them anymore but she was wrong.
"You know what to do Stefan." Klaus grinned. "Kill them... ripper"
Stefan glanced over at Adeline in the corner who was now trembling. She hadn't seen Stefan be a ripper before, she only knew the controlled Stefan. He looked like he was apologizing with his eyes, but Adeline just shook her head in response, trying to tell him not to do this, not with her in here. But this is what Klaus wanted, he wanted Adeline to think of her friend as a ripper, a murderer.
One of the women let out a blood curdling scream as Stefan ripped his fangs through her neck. He looked like a wild animal as he drained her of her blood until her head popped off and rolled across the floor. Adeline's stomach churned and she tossed her hand over her mouth trying to silence her sobs.
Klaus hadn't told her she could go back outside yet but she didn't care. She couldn't stand in the house any longer. She ran out of the front door and as soon as she hit the front porch, she spewed her guts, throwing up all over the ground beneath her.
"Weak stomach?" Klaus mocked joining her outside.
"What is wrong with you?" Adeline snapped. "Why would you make him do that?"
That isn't the response Klaus thought he would get out of the girl. He thought she would be angry at him for making her watch and she was, but really she was angry for her friend. She was angry for Stefan as he lost a piece of himself inside that house and she knew it.
If Klaus was normal or rational he would understand that Adeline was just caring for her friend, there was no extra feeling going on inside her for Stefan but that's not how he saw it. He assumed she cared for him as more then just a friend, and that bothered him. He thought Stefan wasn't good enough for the girl but instead of trying to tell her anything to comfort her and try his hand at being kind for once, he was cold.
"You're pathetic." Klaus scoffed handing her a napkin. "Clean off your face and toss in a piece of gum, no one likes a girl with bad breath."
Adeline felt the rage boil inside her. She didn't expect the original to care about her but in some ways she did. Maybe it was the way it felt when they locked eyes for the first time or the sensations from there accidental touch but something made her believe he could care, even if only a little. But in this moment he made her believe otherwise, he made her believe he could careless about anything she said, did or felt but that was what he wanted her to believe.
"Are you really this heartless?" She questioned.
"All the time." He replied without a moment of hesitation and left her standing on the porch as he headed for the car.
*****
When they pulled up outside the sleepy little bar in the truck stop of a town, Adeline surprised both Klaus and Stefan when she walked up beside the Salvatore.
"Are you alright?" She questioned, searching his face for an answer before he spoke.
Stefan swallowed hard when he looked down at Addy, it felt like there was a rock in his throat. She was the kind one, the innocent one. Ever since Stefan had met Adeline, she had been nothing shy of perfect. Looking at her made him feel even more ashamed about what he had to do and who he was becoming. Adeline could tell he was upset and placed her hand on his forearm, trying to comfort him but he pulled away quickly.
"Please — don't touch me right now Addy... I don't —" he started shaking his head and let out a deep breath. "I don't trust myself right now. I just need a minute."
"Stef..." she breathed but he had already walked ahead of her and into the bar.
Klaus had expected Adeline to fear Stefan but instead she worried for him, she tried to comfort him. With every day that passed and everything Adeline did, she became more of a mystery to Klaus and unlike anyone he had met.
The doors of the bar swung open and Klaus led Adeline inside. It only took a minute for him to sniff out who he suspected to be Ray. He was a grimy looking man, who appeared to be close to the age of forty sitting at the bar nursing his drink.
"Ray... is it?" Klaus smirked, walking up beside the wolf. "We've been looking all over town for you— not an easy man to find."
Ray knew something was wrong as soon as his eyes met Klaus's. He spun into action and grabbed Adeline, holding a knife up to her neck. The smirk that once laid on Klaus's face faded in an instant.
"Don't come any closer vampire." Ray warned. "Or the girl gets it."
A bone chilling laugh erupted from Klaus's perfect pink lips. He found it entertaining the wolf thought he would be phased by his threats.
"Oh Ray— you under estimate me." Klaus grinned. "The girl is of no use to me, so even if you kill her... I won't be leaving you alone."
Stefan was standing just behind Klaus watching with wide eyes. He couldn't believe how Klaus acted like Adeline was nothing, was meaningless. He knew that wasn't true because there was no reason for Klaus to ask a human girl to come along with them if he she meant nothing to Klaus.
"I'll do it!" Ray yelled. "If you don't get the hell out of the bar and take your vampire henchman with you, I'll kill this girl. Right here. Right now."
Klaus shook his head and paced back and forth in-front of Ray who still had the knife pressed against Adelines throat.
"I'm going to call your bluff Ray but either way, I am going to stay here because you see Ray — I require information from you— about the location of your pack." Klaus continued. "I am a vampire .... an original vampire but I am also a wolf."
"You're Klaus." Ray said and his hand began to shake against Adelines neck. She could tell he was afraid of him, and rightfully so.
Adelines palms were sweating and every muscle in her body was wound tightly. She wanted to try and break away but she knew that wouldn't end well. The anger was rising in her stomach at the way Klaus just watched, doing nothing to help her. All he cared about was playing games and his stupid quest to get hybrids.
"Ah— so you've heard of me." Klaus smirked. "Good. Then you know that no matter what you do, kill the girl or don't. I will get what I want... I always do."
"I'm going to have to call your bluff or at least try to shake you up a little." Ray announced. "I'm sorry." He whispered softly into Addys ear and pulled the knife a little to the side, ready to slice across the length of her neck.
"Klaus!" Stefan yelled like he was pleading with him to do something.
The smirk on Klaus's face faded and turned into a cold stare as hard as stone. There was no light behind his eyes and any amusement he once had from the situation was long gone.
Stefan was ready to take matters into his own hands, lunging forward to try and take out Ray but he swiftly stabbed the knife into his chest. He knew it wouldn't keep Stefan down but only for a moment. He thought it would buy him some time, but he was wrong. Just after Stefan was stabbed, Klaus had already sprung into action, moving so quickly it was a blur. Within seconds Adeline was freed and Klaus had Ray by the neck pinned against the wall.
"Adeline— be a dear and go grab the darts over there for me. Ray and I are going to play a little game." Klaus grinned. "It's called truth or wolfsbane."
Adeline was frozen and her feet felt like they were glued to the ground. She had felt sick before tonight but this was worse. The bile was rising in her chest, and she felt like she was about to throw up once again. But more than that, she was angry. Klaus was willing to risk her life, to let her be killed as part of his stupid games. She didn't know why she even attempted to believe otherwise, why even for a moment she thought he wouldn't but she did and she was wrong too.
"No." She answered sternly.
"No?" He quickly questioned with anger laced in his tone.
"No." She repeated. "You disgust me." Adeline turned and stomped out of the bar. She needed to get out of there, get away from him and get some fresh air.
"Adeline!" Klaus yelled after her. "Don't you walk away from me!"
But she didn't listen. She slammed the bar door behind her and let out a deep breath as soon as her feet hit the cold pavement.
****
It hadn't been long since she left the two vampires inside that she heard the bells above the door ring and steps approaching from behind her.
"Adeline." Klaus breathed.
In that moment she wasn't sure what came over her but she was mad and she wanted him to know it. She whipped her head around and the two locked eyes.
"Klaus." She responded coldly.
"What is it?" He questioned. This made her more angry, because how could he possibly even ask that. How could he not know what was wrong?
"You almost let me get killed Klaus!" She yelled. "You used me. You were willing to let me die, and for what?!"
"You weren't going to be harmed." Klaus spat.
"Because of Stefan! Because he stepped up and tried to save me. That's why!" She screamed. "Not because of you. I know if it was up to you, my neck would be slashed and I would be dead just like Jenna— and Elena."
Adeline knew Elena was not really dead but she couldn't leave her name out. Even when she was angry she knew she couldn't allow any suspicions to be raised about the state of her best friends life.
"I saved you!" He yelled, taking a step forward. "I pulled Ray off you, Stefan failed miserably." He laughed under his breath.
"Don't come any closer to me." She warned, tears rising in her eyes. "I know I have to be here with you for whatever sick reason, but I hate you."
The words rolled off her tongue without thinking. In the moment it was how she felt, she hated him but even she knew deep down, she didn't always hate the hybrid.
"Adeline — you don't hate me." He breathed, taking another step closer and brushing his hand against her cheek. "I think we both know that."
She was surprised at his words and even more by his actions. Part of her wanted to lean into his hand, to feel his touch but the other part, the prideful version knew this was wrong. He almost got her killed only minutes ago.
"Don't fucking touch me." She snapped, taking a hard step backwards. "We are not friends, we are not anything."
"Fine by me." Klaus sneered. But he didn't mean it. It may have been buried deep inside him but somewhere inside the words cut through him like a sharp blade. He turned away from the girl, he wanted to head back inside and take his aggressions out on Ray, use his anger to at least get something useful from it. But he was stopped dead in his tracks when she spoke again.
"Why even bring me with you?" She called out. "Why make that part of the deal Klaus?"
He didn't turn to face her at first. He looked down at the ground because even he didn't know the real answer to her question. He wouldn't let that part of himself in, the part that knew the real reason why he wanted the girl around. He had been cold for so long, it was going to take a lot more then some new feelings to thaw him.
There was a part of him that wanted to say something honest, like tell her the truth. Tell her that he didn't know why she was here, only that he wanted her to be.
But of course that's not what he said.
"Because— I love to watch your squirm." He smirked. "And more than that, I wanted to hurt your friends that dared to cross me by taking your far away, that's all. It's called revenge love."
He turned his back on her again, leaving her breathless and in the cold.