Klaus's Pet: Mystic Falls

8

Lorelei's POV:

I stare down at the text from Nik and sigh.

Prepare the dining room for our guests tonight. Stay at the house. I'll be back.

Once again, I think about Rebekah.

When it came to parties, nobody could throw a rager quite like her. Each outfit is impressive. The music is loud and the alcohol never runs out. All those times it felt fun. This was a chore.

I wonder what all the fuss is about.

It's just Tyler and his mother.

I have the sneaking suspicion that there's plenty that Nik is leaving out.

This feels more like business than a good time.

I check the time.

4 pm.

I look at Nik's text again but he never gave a specific time as to when they'd get here.

So helpful.

I turn the music up on my headphones and fill up a bowl with hot water and soap and set it down on the table. With all of the windows open, it had collected a fair amount of pollen. I wipe it down, every so often needing to squeeze the sponge. After dumping the bowl out twice, the table is finally ready and I gather up the dishes to set out. I hear the door open just as I'm scooping up the silverware. I look up for a moment, just to see who it is. I tighten my grip on the fork in my hand just in case.

I see Tyler walk in alone and shoot him a look.

"What's all this?" He asks gesturing at the set up

"You tell me." I reply setting the fork down

"Were you going to stab me with that?"

I crack a smile.

"Wow that's reassuring." He says

"So you're telling me you don't know that Nik invited your mom here tonight?"

"He told me to bring her over here. He didn't say why. I assume we're going to find out soon enough." He says

I walk to the kitchen and grab two bottles of water. I hand him one and we sit down on the couch. The weather is disgustingly sticky today.

"Why isn't she with you?" I ask

"She's in a meeting. She should be here soon."

The door opens again and this time a woman enters followed by another. Both carry heavy shopping bags. Without a word, they walk past us and into the kitchen. Tyler glances at me before getting up and following them. Even as we enter the room, they ignore us, moving through cabinet to cabinet grabbing things.

"Hey what're you doing here?" Tyler asks them

No response.

Not even a reaction that they'd heard him.

I grab the woman who looks at me.

"I'm here to make dinner. We've been sent by Klaus." She says

We try to get a bit more details but they both give the same response and after a moment it clicks.

"He compelled them." I say

Tyler and I move back to the living room.

"Does he compel you a lot?" I ask

"You know I'm sired to him."

"Does he tell you anything important?" I ask

Tyler's expression turns from casual to serious.

"What are you asking me, Lorelei?"

I can see the uneasiness in his eyes.

Betraying Nik was a death sentence.

"I can't tell you. He could force it out of you."

"Oh and he won't to you?"

"Not if I keep my distance."

He scoffs.

"Do you know the witch who performed the spell on the basement?" I ask

He shakes his head.

"What the hell are you going to do Lorelei?"

I don't answer.

We both hear the sounds of footsteps coming to the door and the conversation drops.

Nik walks in a moment later with Carol Lockwood, Tyler's mom.

Over the course of the next 30 minutes, Nik guides us to the table. He has one of the women bring a bottle of wine and the small talk begins. It's easy to tell Nik is just looking for information on the town.

No reports of animal attacks.

This is the police's clever way of hiding the truth about the bodies found drained of blood.

Killed by vampires.

Whether it was by Nik's hand or other vampires around us, I wasn't sure.

I wasn't going to ask.

In the beginning I'd known that there were other vampires but I'd never met them.

Nik was the first hybrid I'd met.

Rebekah, the first vampire.

Elijah was on the out's with his brother, rarely keeping in contact until we found out he'd been daggered by Nik. Neither Rebekah nor I knew what the deal between the two of them were.

After everyone has eaten, Nik asks Carol about her cabin in the woods. Tyler shoots Nik a look that reads of confusion and suspicion.

Carol tells us that they rarely use it now.

Nik smiles at this.

Turning his full attention towards her, he grabs her. Tyler stands and Nik shoots him a glare which puts him back in his seat.

"I'm in need of more space for my growing hybrid clan. I'm going to need you to sign it in my name. We'll be using it from now on." Nik says as he compels her

Nik releases her after compelling her to bring the paperwork but don't mention this conversation with anyone. Tyler follows her out, clearly annoyed with this situation but he doesn't say a word as the two exit.

One of the women gets to work while Nik sinks his fangs into the other. His lips are covered in blood as he pulls away from her. He compels her to cover up the wound and leave.

I turn and head for my room, ready for the day to be over with.

I miss you like hell Bek.