1690
"Do you believe in curses?" Klaus asked her.
"I don't know, I am talking to a vampire there is a good chance," she told him.
Klaus smiled sadly, "When I was human, I fell in love with you."
Layla looked at him confused, "What are you talking about?"
"I have fallen in love with you many times before, you in different lives," Klaus told her, "When I was human, and the first you was around, my mother placed a curse on you, more so me, so you would always come back at any time and I would always fall in love with you."
"That does not sound bad," Layla whispered.
"But you would be taken from me, every single time," Klaus murmured.
**************************
A blonde haired girl walked out of a house, calling for her dog, "Rudy. Come on! It's too hot for me come looking for you."
The woman bent down to pick up a toy, when she turned back around, Layla and Klaus stood behind her. Klaus had a protective arm wrapped around Layla's waist. Layla faked a smile, but underneath she was screaming for help. Even though it was a fake smile plastered on her face, Klaus liked that she was smiling, it has been a few weeks since he had seen that genuine smile.
"I'm so sorry," Klaus said in a fake american accent, "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Can I help you?" the girl looked suspiciously at the pair.
"Yeah, our car hmm, my car ran out of gas a couple of miles back," Klaus replied, "Eh I feel like I've been walking forever yours is the first house we have come to, so I was hoping I could use your phone?"
"Don't you have a cell phone?" the girl asked blankly.
"Huh, yeah," Klaus said while pulling out his phone.
"The battery died," Layla spoke up.
"Look I promise we aren't serial killers, we just wanna use your phone," Klaus told the woman.
The woman sighed, "Sure."
"Soo, I can come in?" Klaus asked, trying to push his was inside.
"No, I'll get the phone and I'll bring it out to you," the girl shook her head.
Klaus bit the inside of his cheek, annoyed, he dropped his american accent, "I thought you country folks were supposed to be more trusting."
"I'm from Florida," the girl said, fear rising in her voice.
"Well that explains it," Klaus rushed at the girl, he took her by the throat compelling her, "Now show me a little southern hospitality. Sweet pea."
The girl began to cry out of fear, as Klaus put her back onto the ground. He dragged the woman onto the porch and straight into the front door. Layla followed a distance behind them and followed into the house where another woman was cooking.
"I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning," the second woman turned around to see Klaus, Layla, and the other woman, "What's going on?"
"Please don't be alarmed. I was told Ray Sutton lives here," Klaus said.
"He's almost never here," the woman said, "He's on the road mostly."
"But I expect he makes it home, once a month," Klaus said making the woman in the room stiffen up, "Where is he now?" The woman didn't answer him, "If I have to make you tell me, it's going to be infinitely more painful of you," Klaus smiled.
The woman ran out of the house and to the front door, Stefan was blocking the exit. The woman screamed and Klaus came behind her, "I love it when they run," he smirked.
The woman turned around to face Klaus, "He's in Toll. It's near the border. A bar called Southern Comfort, it's on highway 41."
"Thank you my love," he stroked her hair, making the woman flinch away, "Now may my friend come in?"
"Yes," the girl cried.
Her friend, looked at Stefan, terrified. He walked into the house and Klaus pushed the girl at him, "Kill this one quickly," he looked at the other woman, "Make that one suffer. We will be in the car."
Klaus took Layla by the arm and directed her to the car. She didn't fight him, she was to tired. She opened her door and crawled inside.
"Don't be like this love," Klaus whispered her.
"You didn't have to kill them," she told Klaus.
Klaus brushed a strand of hair behind Layla's ear, "You may not know it but I do care for you."
"If you care, you would allow me to leave," Layla said.
"There is so much you do not know," Klaus said sadly, "It's never easy telling you."
Layla looked up at him, noticing genuine sincerity in his eyes, "I've been through a lot, I think I can handle it."
Klaus smiled at her, "A curse was placed on you, so no matter how many times you die you will always come back to me. You lived many different lives, and I was able to watch you in all of them."
"That doesn't sound bad, I was expecting something horrific," Layla told him.
Klaus smiled at her, "That is the simplified version."
*****************************
Two months came and gone, since Layla seen Mystic Falls. She slept in Klaus' SUV or motel rooms. Klaus never allowed her to sleep in the same bed as Stefan, afraid of what his ripper could possible do. Much to Layla's dismay, she had to share a bed with Klaus, most of the time during the night, he tried to wrap and arm around her but she would always push his arm away.
Layla stretched out on the motel mattress, she automatically looked for Stefan, he wasn't in the room.
"Good morning love," Layla turned around to see Klaus only a towel wrapped around his hips. Layla's eyes trailed his chiseled body, "No need to be shy, I could always take the towel off."
Layla glared at him, "You're a pig."
"You're the one who was checking me out."
"When can I go home? I've spent the whole summer with you, I need to go back for my senior year," Layla told Klaus.
"Why so you can be prom queen?" Klaus smirked.
Layla rolled her eyes, "No way in hell, I need to graduate so I can go to college, I don't have forever."
Klaus' face softened, "You can alway become a vampire and live with me forever."
"I rather poke my own eyes out with spoons," Layla told him, "Where is Stefan?"
"He went to fetch you breakfast, love," Klaus told her as he walked back into the bathroom to get dressed. Once he finished he ran out and pinned Layla to the wall, "I know nothing of you, your plans for the future, your family."
"Maybe if you let me go, I will tell you," Layla struggled from his grip.
Klaus softened his grip around her waist and sat on the bed waiting for answers. Layla went over to sit next to him, "What do you want to know?"
"I know your parents are dead, what about an other relatives?"
"No, my parents died two years ago when I was a freshman. I had two older siblings, they were twins. They should have been seniors in college, but they were in a car accident, they died," Layla told him sadly. Klaus held her hand tightly, Layla didn't pull back. It felt nice, someone was comforting her. All these years she has been bottling it up, now one to talk to. She gave Klaus a small smile before finishing her story, "Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline, aren't really my friends, Mystic Falls is a small town, not to many people to hang out with, it was either the preps or no one. I was friends with Vicki Donavan but, she died also. Elena killed her as a vampire."
Klaus pulled Layla into his chest holding her for a moment longer, "You said you wanted to go to college, where at?"
Layla sighed, "I alway wanted to go to art school, but my parents never supported it. They always had plans for me to go to Harvard. After they died, I found out they were broke and left me with no money. I got a couple hundred from the assurance company, but that's it. And that is why I need to go to school, there is a very good possibility that I can get a scholarship somewhere."
"I'll pay for it," Klaus offered it. He said it with much sincerity, "You want to go to art school, pick a place."
Layla smiled at his kindness, "No," she looked into his eyes, and felt something she didn't before. A spark of electricity went through her.
Klaus leaned in closer to her, his lips mere inches away. Layla closed her eyes as he moved closer. His lips brushed her own, Layla pulled in for a deeper kiss. Klaus delicately traced every feature on her face with the back of his thumb. He missed her, he needed this. He needed her lips on his, this is what he was missing.
Stefan stood at the door, confused at the scene in front of him. He cleared his throat gaining Klaus and Layla's attention. She looked up, blushing, "Did I miss something?" Stefan asked.
*************************
Once they finished backing, they were off again to find the werewolf they were in search for. Layla looked through Klaus' glove compartment in search for a CD, "Do you have any Kurt Cobain?" Layla asked.
"No," Klaus replied quickly.
"Well you should get some," Layla told him, making Stefan chuckled. She closed the glove compartment in defeat and looked out the window for the rest of the journey. Layla didn't bring up the kiss and didn't plan to, it was a heat of the moment deal.
Layla walked into a bar, playing the distraction, as Klaus called it. Stefan already went in to compel the bar. Layla went to the bar ordering a drink. She sat next to Ray Sutton and began to sip on her vodka.
"Aren't you mighty brave for coming here," Ray told her.
"I'm on the road this summer, just stopped for a drink," Layla told him in a flirtatious voice. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes at him.
Ray grinned at what he was seeing, his eyes trailing down to her breast, "How long are you sticking around for?"
"As long as you want me to," Layla said sipping on the rest of her drink, her eyes roamed his body.
He smirked, "Let me buy you a drink."
"What are you doing talking to my love?" Klaus asked, walking behind Ray. He wrapped his arm around her waist and smiled. After the kiss they shared, Layla noticed a lot more energy between them. She used to hate when he would touch her, now she enjoyed it.
"Ray? Ray Sutton?"
"Who wants to know?" Ray asked.
"I've been looking everywhere for you. We started in Florida, Pensacola. We met a young chap there who you used to work with before you moved to Memphis, now he directed me to two lovely young women. And they led us here, to you," Klaus said.
Ray looked nervous, "I think I'll be going."
He tried to leave his seat but Klaus pushed him back, "Not so fast mate. You only just got here, now your type are very hard to come by."
Ray got up this time going the other way, but Stefan blocked his way, "I wouldn't do that," Stefan pushed his back to Klaus as if he was a rag doll.
"My friend here is a vampire, he compelled everybody in the bar so don't look to them for any help. I however, I'm something else, I've got some vampire, I've got some werewolf," Klaus smirked.
"You what?" Ray asked him.
"He's a hybrid Ray, he's both start paying attention so I can leave," Layla told him with a blank expression.
"You see I want to create more of me, now you being the first werewolf that I've come across in many of moon, pun intended Ray. I need you to direct me to your pack," Klaus smirked, "So, where can I find them Ray?"
Ray shook his head, "You can't compelled me, it won't work."
Stefan began to look around the room nervously, Klaus turned to look at him. Stefan took something out of his pocket and went to the bartender, "Can you bring out the darts please," Stefan focused his attention to Ray, "Tell you what Ray, we are going to play a little drinking game, something I like to call truth or wolfsbane," Stefan pulled out a pouch full of it and poured in into his hand, crushing it with his fingers
Ray looked petrified. Klaus saw this and smirked, "Oh, this is gonna be fun Ray."
**********************
Ray was chained to the wall, darts in his body. Screams echoed through the walls. Stefan sat across from him dipping the darts in wolfsbane as Klaus stood and watched with a smirk on his face. Layla couldn't deal with the torture anymore. She would drown Ray's screams out with drinks.
"Ray, this can end right now. Just tell me where your pack gathers for the full moon," Stefan said.
"I can't," Ray coughed out.
"I know, I know. You live by code and all that, but see he's not gonna let me stop until you tell me. And I do whatever he says so, that's the way it goes around here," Stefan told him, mixing his drink with a dart.
A woman walked up to Klaus in the bar, causing the slightest bit of jealousy in Layla, "Hello mister Klaus. I have some information for you."
Layla chuckled at the name, but was more interested in the information. Stefan walked over to sit by Layla, he listened to the conversation.
"You told me to tell you if I saw anything, the guys spotted Damon at the farm house," the woman told Klaus. Layla had a sudden urge of joy, Damon has been looking for them all summer, maybe this time he would be successful in saving them.
"Well thank you Claudine, you'll just tell your friends to keep up the good work or they're gonna watch her," Klaus said.
Stefan walked up to Klaus and sighed, "My brother still on our trail?"
"He getting closer, I'm gonna have to deal with that."
"No!" Layla yelled.
Stefan looked over to her and sighed, "No, no, no. Let me handle it."
"Why should I let you leave?" Klaus asked Stefan.
"Cause, you know I will come back."
"Do I?" Klaus asked.
"You saved my brothers life; I'm at your service."
"You sound so tedious and indentured, aren't you even having the least bit fun?" Klaus asked, pointing to Ray with a big smile.
"I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us anymore," Stefan said turning away.
"Wait can I go with him?" Layla asked.
"No. Can't risk your pretty life now can we love?" Klaus asked.
Layla sunk into her barstool, helping herself to the bar.
***********************
"Leave me alone," Layla muttered to Klaus as he sat beside her.
"You didn't want me to leave you alone when we kissed today," Klaus smirked.
"Worst decision of my life," Layla told him.
Klaus frowned, "Do you want to hear a story?"
"No," Layla said sternly.
"Too bad," Klaus told her.
Layla sighed and poured herself another drink if she had to listen to a story, "Proceed."
Klaus smiled, "A met a beautiful woman once, she always wanted to do things herself, sarcastic, never relied on anyone but herself. And do you know what happened to her?"
"She got things done on her own, because people can't be relied on to do things?" Layla asked sarcastically.
"No," Klaus said blankly, "She died, because she couldn't put her trust in the person who was to protect her."
Layla looked at Klaus blankly, "Then how stupid was she to let herself die?"
Klaus shrugged, "You remind me of her matter of fact, oh, wait a minute it was you, in a past life," Klaus told her sarcastically.
Layla gasped, "More of this curse non-sense. If I'm to die, I'm ready for it."
************************
Andie walked through the broadcasting studio, on the phone. She turned to leave it a spotlight was shown on her. She covered her eyes with her hands. The light was bright, and hurting her eyes.
"Hello?" she called out. No one answered, "Not cool my retinas are burning," Andie stepped out of the light but it was turned back on her, "Okay, okay. Seriously who'd? What the hell are you doing?" No one answered again, and the light was turned off, "Hello? Hello?" she called out.
She started to run for the exit but tripped and fell over s wire. Th light came back on and she could see a person standing in front of it. She got up and tired to run but beating her there, Stefan stood in front of her.
"Ohh! Stefan!? Oh my god! Oh my god," Andie exclaimed, "What are you doing here? We have been looking everywhere for you!"
Stefan responded only with silence, "Stefan?" Andie asked.
Stefan began to show his true form. His eyes turned red and his veins appeared under his eyes.
************************
Damon came to look for Andie. Her disappearance began to worry him, "Andie?" he called out, before his phone began to ring. It was Elena, "Party Central."
"Where are you?" Elena asked.
"Umm, the punch bowl," Damon smirked.
"Don't do that Damon, don't lie to me! I saw your closet," Elena yelled.
"Oh..."Damon mumbled," Oh, I gotta go break up beer pong," Damon said hanging the phone up.
"Wait Damon!" Elena called out before the line disconnected.
Damon continued his search for Andie. He found her belongings on a table, looking around the room quickly, "Stefan," he said noticing the presence beside him.
"Hello brother," Stefan told him.
"You don't write, you don't call," Damon sighed.
Stefan's face was blank, "Need you to stop following us. Causing some problems."
"With who? Klaus? Are we supposed to care with he thinks?" Damon asked.
"What you're supposed to do is let go of Layla and I," Stefan told his older brother.
"Saw you're latest artwork in Tennessee. Walking a fine line there my friend. Keep that up and there will be no saving you."
"See the thing is, I don't need any saving. I just want you to let us go," Stefan growled.
Damon shook his head, "Nah, I got a birthday girl at home that's not gonna let me do that."
Stefan nodded, "You know, maybe I haven't made my point. Hey Andie you still there?
"Andie?" Damon followed his gaze. He saw Andie standing on the ledge of the ceiling.
"Damon?" she asked her voice cracking with fear, "I can't move Damon. He told me that I can't move."
"No, no, no, it's okay Andie. Stay calm," Damon comforted her. He looked at Stefan, "Not cool brother."
"Aw, come one! A little bit cool? Huh?" Stefan smirked. Stefan kept his eyes on Andie, "Hey Andie, you can move now."
"No! No, no, no, no, no. NO!" Damon yelled. Stefan grabbed him and pushed his against the wall so he was unable to save Andie. She fell to the ground with a loud thud and the unmistaken sound of bones breaking.
Stefan took Damon by the neck, "I said let us go!"
Stefan dropped Damon to the ground and he ran to Andie. Damon was to lay, he looked back to where Stefan stood to discover he was gone.
************************
Back at the bar, Ray was strapped to the pool table. He gave into Klaus and told him where he could find his pack.
"Okay, it's a three step process, Ray. This is one. I want you to drink from my wrist," Klaus told him.
"I already told you where to find the pack. What more do you want from me?" Ray cried.
"Have you been listening to a word I've been saying, Ray? I have great plans for you," Klaus cut into his wrist and fed Ray his blood, "You'll thank me for it later, huh. There we go, at a boy!"
Layla was so happy to see Stefan came back. She noticed something that was off on him. He seemed darker not this way he has been all summer, "Did you see him?" Layla whispered to Stefan.
Stefan nodded at her and focused his attention onto Klaus who just snapped Ray's neck, "You're back," Klaus told him.
"Did you doubt me?" Stefan asked.
"Not for a second. I knew you'd pass the test. You still care for your brother, for your old life," Klaus said.
"Nah, I don't care about anything anymore," Stefan told him confidently.
"You put on a good show Stefan. I almost believe you. Let's hope, for your brother's sake, he does. You never stop caring about family, do you. But, every time you feed, the blood makes it easier to let go," Stefan didn't reply, "We will being leaving here shortly.
Stefan left the bar, Layla tried to follow him out, but Klaus stopped her, "I want nothing more than to protect you, that is why you are here. I was unsuccessful so many time before, this time it will be different."
Layla nodded, not understanding what the whole deal of the curse was. She didn't feel like asking questions at this point. She figured Klaus would eventually tell her, or she would find out herself. She pulled out of Klaus's grip and went outside to the car.