You're Not A Monster (Klaus M.)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My fingers taped to the distant beat of a song that was playing in the bar. The tune was recognizable but the words were unfamiliar. My other hand, that wasn't focused on keeping beat, held the glass of Rum and Coke.

I waited, waited to get caught, waited for my name to be said. I waited for someone to ask me why I was sitting at the Mystic Grill bar alone. I waited for my life to change. Yet, this night had already proven to be like the others. No one carded me, mostly because I looked over 21 while I was still 20. No one said my name because no one I knew would be out this late at night. My life was still the same as it was yesterday and what would remain to be tomorrow.

Or so I thought.

My eyes were unaware of the man sitting across the bar from me, holding a glass of Bourbon in his hand as he eyed each person. When they landed on me, I don't know? When he finally grabbed the courage and walked over, I don't know? I remained clueless, just because I didn't want to think.

Could this be another vampire out to hurt or kill my friends? Would I be used as bait or worst, killed?

If I was injured, I would probably be left for dead, seeing as vampire blood couldn't heal me. And if a vampire wanted to compel me to hurt someone, that too would fail. I was unheard of, as the Salvatore brothers called it. Yet I called it a confusing ass memory that I don't remember.

Something happened to me, I know it, I feel it deep in my bones. It's the constant feeling of déjà vu that never leaves me. It pulls and tugs at me, leading me to something, or someone, yet I only find myself back at this bar, drinking the feeling away.

Tonight was no different, until I heard that voice.

"Rum? You don't look like the type of girl who would be drinking Rum at midnight."

I turned, finally noticing the man that had been staring me down at the other end of the bar. He had stood, made his way to me, and half gestured to the seat next to me like he was asking to sit. But he didn't, he sat on his own.

It took me a moment to comprehend his words until my eyes focused back on my drink. Smiling slightly, I lifted the glass up, waving it a bit, "Rum and Coke. 50/50"

The man nodded before he raised his hand to the bartender. "Another for the lady."

Quickly I shook my head, "No, I shouldn't."

"My treat, you look as though you need it."

He wasn't wrong.

Against my better judgement, I stuck my hand out towards the man who now sat next to me. "My name's Aislinn."

The man gave a half smirk, half smile as he took my hand. "Niklaus."

The second his hand touched mine, the familiar feeling I've felt for the past year and a half, lit up like a firecracker in me. My senses ran wild for a minute and my head fogged to the point I didn't know where I was. But as quickly as it hit me, it vanished, and I was right back to where I was, shaking this man's hand.

As if on cue, the bartender sat my newly filed drink in front of me, making me drop my hand. "Thanks for the drink," I said, sipping the last remaining of my old one.

I shouldn't drink it, if I do, I'll probably be too tipsy to drive home. Or worse, I'll be tipsy enough to have this man drive me home. But somehow I found myself picking up the fresh drink and taking a sip.

Best not let a drink go to waste.

"So, Aislinn, what are you doing here so late?"

"To some, it would be early, depending on how you look at it," I said with a shrug, smiling slightly as my fingers danced on the glass.

Niklaus let out a chuckle, nodding in agreement before turning in his stool to fully face me, holding his drink in his hand.

I knew he was waiting for an answer, and although I debated on giving him the truthful one, I stuck to some partly truthful words.

"My mind and sister were keeping me up, like most nights," I mumbled the last part, lifting the glass to my lips and taking another small sip.

"Ah, a fight. As I had thought. Though, I must admit, I thought it might be with a distant boyfriend that had done you wrong."

An honest laugh left my lips and I found myself closing my eyes and shaking my head and turning to look at the man. "Not a guy, but a sister. Guys take one look at me and see someone they can control. Then they get to know me and quickly find out the truth."

Niklaus stared at me, seeming memorized by my words, "And what truth might that be?"

Smirking, I waved my glass around, "That I'm bitch." A chuckle left both of our lips before we both took another swig of our drinks. Okay, enough was enough with the drink, but I found myself still wanting to sit there and talk with this man. So, I faked a sip.

"So, since you asked me the question, what are you doing here so late?"

Looking off for a moment as he composed his thoughts, Niklaus eventually came to his words and spoke. "Just arrived in town and thought a good drink would do me some good."

I nodded, understanding. When I first moved here, I needed a drink too. But I was way too young for that. Thus, probably why I drink now.

Niklaus eyed my arm that held three small butterflies going up to my wrist. He smiled at the sight before his eyes found its way to my booklet that sat on the bar. The booklet I had completely forgotten was there. If it wasn't for him pointing it out, I would have up and left the thing. Someone eventually would find it and probably scan it, finding it more dark than anything. They would probably send someone over to "talk to me" and "find out what's wrong".

No one could help me. Not vampires, not witches, no one.

"You know, they say mixing drinks and late night journaling can cause for bad decisions in the morning."

I had never heard that, but it was definitely something I would never forget now. My eyes moved to the closed booklet and my hand automatically laid on it. "It's not a journal or a diary, well, sort of. It's my poem book. My mind comes up with words and somehow they turn into poems. I swear, that's the only artistic bone I have."

Niklaus nodded, smiling and chuckling, "Well, I would love to read them."

My eyes stayed on Klaus, studding him for a moment before I leaned on the bar and tilted my head towards the man. "What about you? Anything artistic in your bones?"

The way I said things sometimes made me sound like a writer, seeming to make an honest smile appear on the man before me. He stared at his drink for a moment before looking at me, "Maybe someday I'll show you."

And I believed him. I believed, someday down the road, I would see his hidden talents and work. I would see what artistic side he had. But as for tonight, I would return home and sleep.

"Well, thank you for the drink, but I should get home," I said, sliding out of my stool and grabbing my jacket that lay next to me on the empty one.

"Of course," Niklaus nodded once to me.

"Goodbye Niklaus," I said, grabbing my keys.

The man smiled and stared at me, "I look forward to that someday, Aislinn."

I couldn't help but blush slightly at his words before I turned and walked out of the Mystic Grill and into my car. Somehow I was able to get home in one piece, but once I did, I found myself ignoring the lack of my sister's presence in the house and crashed onto my bed to let sleep take over.