Tears of Gold | Klaus Mikaelson (3)

Belaga

My feet barreled against the cobblestone, slapping on the ground time and time again as I forced myself to run faster. My heart was pattering like a machine-gun in my chest. Wind whistled through my ears.

I didn't remember how long I'd been running, but the raw ache in my legs told me it had been a long while. I had no idea what I was running from, but I couldn't stop myself. My lungs twisted in agony, crying out for the air which I denied them.

The long, winding cobblestone path seemed infinite. Moss grew all over it, dying it green and brown. My bare feet found the slightest bit of relief when they landed on the soft plant instead of the abrasive cobblestone. Still, they burned.

I came to a stand-still at the end of the path. Out of nowhere, an invisible force halted my movement. The path still proceeded ahead of me, but I couldn't move any farther, as if there were a barrier spell protecting it.

The sound of footsteps came into earshot a few moments later. Panic had goosebumps rising up on my skin, and my breaths getting caught in my throat. With pain-stacking apprehension, I turned.

I was greeted with unnaturally blue eyes. Quite literally glowing. Whom they belonged to was a completely different story. It was Klaus. Except, his skin was a leathery grey and his face was twisted in rage.

I took a step in the other direction, but got thrown backward by whatever barrier was there. When I turned back around, he was not even six inches away from me. I called out his name a few times, but he didn't even seem to register my voice. When I called his entire name and snapped my finger in front of his chest. He reeled his hand back.

Before I even got to so much as react, he pulled my heart out of my chest.

"Emma!" Hayley's voice pulled me from my nightmare. Cold sweat ran down my back, and my fingernails had dug crescent moons into my palm. "Come downstairs, I'm introducing everyone to Hope."

I nodded breathlessly and rose from my spot on the bed. Her head disappeared from the door frame, followed by the click of the door closing. I sighed in utter confusion when her steps receded. My fingers twisted in the roots of my hair. I was... at a complete loss.

I had figured the Chambre de Chas was messing with my mind at first, making me forget Klaus. Perhaps the lack of blood for five years was gnawing away at my memory. But now, with my thirst quenched and my mind reformed, I was only forgetting more. Not even ten hours ago, I had been so beyond desperate to tell him I loved him, to be close to him. How was I now forgetting how I'd gotten in his bed? How did the feel of his fingers on my skin just... disappear?

My face fell into a frown as I realized that vampires never forget a conversation. So how was it that I was forgetting the one man that I loved?

I'd talk to Freya later. There wasn't any time to sulk on it. I had a little girl who was practically my niece to go see. The exact people I had grown to consider my family, dysfunctional or otherwise, were safe and sound under the same roof.

Today called for a celebration.

And so I got dressed, threw my hair up, and hastily ran downstairs. Everyone, excluding Hayley and Hope, was gathered on the porch. The sky was so, unbelievably blue. I was practically in awe at it. The perfect summer day. Golden sunlight kissed my skin, warm and loving.

I took my place next to Klaus and looked around at everyone. My mood, which had risen just a bit, dampened. Being next to Klaus felt shameful. My skin crawled and my palms sweated. Like I had told an awful lie and he hadn't a clue.

Kol's words came as a welcome refuge from that shame. "What's the holdup?" He asked annoyedly, "All right, we rescued Nik, we escaped mortal danger, why are we not on a private jet to San Tropez?" He turned towards Elijah, who had a newspaper grasped in one hand, and some coffee in the other. "You can catch up on the last five years on the plane. I assure you, you haven't missed much."