Innocence in the Darkness

Ch. 19 Banter

Klaus' POV

It seems as if we are at a checkmate. Rosabelle has managed to keep at least ten feet of room between us. Right now, she managed to get a couch to separate us as well. I know my strengths and unfortunately, I know my weaknesses too,  so I'll have to admit I won't be able to catch her myself. She rivals me on speed and strength, so it's no wonder she's able to keep out of my grasp. But I don't play to be fair, I play to win.

With a smirk, I look slightly to my brothers while still having view of her on the other side of the couch. 

"Brothers? Would you mind lending a hand?" I ask with a grin, knowing the three of us will be a lot harder to beat.

"What is it, Nik? Bested by our sweet little Rosabelle?" My grin fell as he spoke. I was the Original Hybrid. How dare anyone rival me, let alone beat me! But reality hit quickly. If anyone was to beat me, I would want it to be her. At least I knew she would be able to keep herself safe if anything was to happen. 

"But since you asked so nicely..." Elijah spoke. Both him and Kol raced to either side of Rosabelle, slowly backing her against a wall.

"Guess there's no where else to run, love." I said as I jumped over the couch, leaving only a few feet between us all. Why is she smirking?

"No, I guess there isn't." She said upbeatly. With a quick flash of light emitting from where she stood, I knew what was happening. Trying to get over the reflex of closing my eyes, I tried to jump out and reach her, but there was nothing there.

"If only I was an angel and didn't need to run." Her voice rang out behind me. All three of us turned our heads so hard that if we were humans we would have snapped them. There she stood slightly behind Katerina with a hand on her arm. 

"But I am." She said with a mischievous laugh. Before my eyes, she disappeared once again, but there was no flash of light. Was she getting better at controlling her powers? In any other moment, I would be happy for her. Except right now, where both her and Katerina are no longer here and I might have just lost her again. No! Not again. A deep, predatory growl escaped me.

"Klaus." The ripper's voice grabbed my attention. Golden eyes focused on him. 

"You know she's still here, right?" My muscles loosened slightly, more relaxed that she was still close. With that knowledge, my nose seemed to work again, and he was right. I could still smell her near, but I couldn't pinpoint an exact spot. Somewhere close though. 

"Where!" Kol barked out, angry he couldn't see her. 

"I don't know. It's just an invisibility trick that she can do. I've learned that if there isn't a flash of light, she didn't disappear far away." Well if she is still here then we just have to get her to become visible again, but there are not many things that will get Rosabelle to do something she doesn't want to do. 

"Rosabelle." Elijah said with a deep voice. "Out, now." Smart, big brother. She always does whatever Elijah says when he speaks like that. I'm not totally sure as to why, but I'll figure it out when I know where she is. I looked around the room to see Katerina standing behind the kitchen counter and Rosabelle standing almost completely behind her. 

"Rosabelle." He said again in the same tone. "Come here." I watched as she slowly made her way over to Elijah and stood right in front of him. She didn't dare look into his eyes, but he wasn't having that. Elijah grabbed her chin with a little force and made her look up at him.

"You will not run again. No running or disappearing. If I see you running, it better be to one of us. Am I clear, Rosabelle." His voice was heavy with a little bit of a dark tone. Even I would think twice about going against his order. 

It was times like this I was happy Elijah took on the dominant part of the relationship. He fell into the role naturally as he was the oldest, besides Finn of course, but Finn never really took on the big brother role as much as Elijah did. That left Kol and I to finally find someone to love and not have to worry as much. 

"Do you understand me, Rosabelle?" He repeated again when she only gave a little nod. 

"Yes."

"Good. Then I believe it's time we should be going. We have matters to attend back in Mystic Falls." Her eyes widened, probably remembering why this all happened anyway. 

"No! No Elijah! I can't go back. Lexi will find me again. I'm not going back just to get captured again and tortured for another five hundred years." She said fearfully. She tried to back out of his hold after he grabbed onto her hips. She was slipping out of his hands when I ran over to her and turned her around. 

"Easy, love. It's okay. That dreadful sister of yours is locked in the basement. You're coming back with us and we're going to keep you safe, sweetheart. You have nothing to worry about. We already have people looking into how she came back and what we can do to make sure it never happens again, alright?" Her breathing calmed down from the hyperventilating that she started. Her eyes lost the fear she had in them when Elijah first mentioned home, so that's good. I took my hands off her hips to lay them gently on her cheeks.

"Promise me you won't let them take me back?"

"I promise you, love. You can't leave us that easily." I gave her a sweet smile and heard her sigh. 

"Okay, fine."

"Then let's get on our way, shall we love?" She nodded, but looked towards Katerina. Oh no. Please don't.

"Are you staying here?" She asked Katerina. She looked at me, then back to Rosabelle. 

"And leave you alone with these buffoons. Like hell." A smile lit up on both of their faces. Trouble was sure to follow these two wherever they went.

"Then grab your things Katerina. We'll be leaving now." Elijah said, putting his hand firmly on Rosabelle's back. 

"And you my sweet, will not leave my sight until I say so." Elijah said firmly, pushing her out the front door to lead her back to the car. If anything happened to that girl, people wouldn't be afraid of just the Original Hybrid and his psychotic and unpredictable brother, but they will fear for their hearts. The minute she goes missing, anyone in sight will lose them.