VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

A Way Forward

**

Klaus

As always, I look to Ruby’s desk as I come in. As always, it’s empty.

She said she was taking a leave of absence, but it’s been two months now.

I don’t think she’s coming back.

I get started on my work, stopping briefly about an hour in to get a coffee. I glance at Ruby’s desk, and my legs almost come out

from under me.

There she is, sitting there like she never left.

Ruby!” I rush toward her and have to clench my arms to my sides to stop myself from hugging her.

You’re back.”

She smiles at me. Her smile is as bright as ever, but she looks tired. “I’m back. Can we talk?”

Of course.”

Elena isn’t in yet. At my insistence, she’s helping some of the humans she previously held against their will to assimilate into the larger world.

A lot of them have left, but some have chosen to stay with us. Nate is doing particularly well, no doubt because of Roland.

I start to walk to my office, but Ruby grabs my wrist.

“Not there. Too many ears. Can we go to your place?”

There’s something different about her, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

For some reason, I can’t read her thoughts at the moment.

Elena lives with me now. We could go for coffee?

“Maybe a hotel.”

I know I shouldn’t, but the thought of being alone with her, with no one listening, is too good to resist.

A hotel is, then.

***

Klaus

About half an hour later, we are seated on opposite couches in the honeymoon suite of the best hotel in town.

Ruby skips all the small talk. “I’ve fixed things.”

What do you mean? You can’t fix the mating bond. It’s permanent.”

“Yes, it is. So is magic.”

No. Surely she can’t mean what I think she means.

What have you done?”

I’m a witch now, Klaus. I’ve joined Elena’s coven. I’m immortal, but you can still feed on me. Being able to stop vampires from reading my mind 1s Just a bonus.”

*Are you insane, Ruby!

“Possibly. But that’s not the point.”

I don’t want to shout at her, but it comes tumbling out without my permission.

Don’t you realize that magic comes with a price? You’ve just doomed an innocent. person to die!”

Tears glimmer at the corners of her eyes.

I know that, Klaus. If I’d known beforehand… but I was hasty and stupid.”

I’ve spent the last few weeks wondering if I even deserve to be with you if I deserve to be happy after what I did. Eventually, Sara took it out of my hands and ordered me here. I’m glad she did.”

I can’t believe she did all this for me.

And here I was, wanting to give up on us.

There’s something I need to know, though. What was the price?”

Ruby looks away from me.

“kelly,” she whispers. “I had to kill him.”

I wish I could read her thoughts. I know she’d never kill Kelly, but if she’s been taken into the coven, she must have gained magic

Somehow.

Since I can’t read her mind anymore, I’m stuck with asking.

“What happened?Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

He got cancer. I’m not sure if Sara gave it to him or if he had it before. Either way, there was nothing the doctors or anyone else

could do. He was in so much pain at the end.

The morphine wasn’t working anymore. He begged me to kill him.”

I sit down beside Ruby and put my arms around her, holding her close as she trembles.

Tm so sorry. You never should have had to go through that.”

Ruby shrugs.

“It’s in the past. I’m trying to move on. I wouldn’t take that price if it was offered to me again, it’s done and I can’t change it. At

least now I can be with you.”

“It’s more complicated than you think. Part of the reason vampire alliances are sealed by matings is in an attempt to emotionally bond the leaders. Most vampires in such alliances expect their mates to be faithful to them.”

“You’re still allowed to feed. She can’t object. to that.”

Yes, but she can object to an Emotional Connection.”

“Klaus Ethan, if you think for one moment that I’m going to let you try to walk away again after everything I’ve been through to make it so that we can be together-”

“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying.” I take her face in my hands and kiss her gently.

“I never would have believed it possible, but you truly have found a way for this to work. I’m not so foolish as to walk away from you a second time. I’m just saying it’ll be difficult, and we’ll need to be careful when we find a way forward.”

Ruby melts into my touch.

“We’re kind of used to that. I guess Elena is the next Katherine. It’ll certainly be easier to sneak around her now that I can shield my thoughts.”

Just make sure not to let slip you’re a witch. There’s no way Elena will let you stay with the company if she knows. Vampires and witches typically don’t get on very well.”

I know. Sara has me reading some of the histories. It’ll all be from a witch’s point of view, of course, but I can already see there has been plenty of wrongs done on both sides.”

“Careful you don’t say that in front of Sara.”

I’ll try.” Ruby’s eyes are on my lips.

She leans in closer to me, letting her lips brush gently over mine.

I suddenly forget all about talking. I suck on her lower lip before pulling her tongue into my mouth.

Serena flips herself around so that she’s facing me while sitting on my lap. I grab her ass, pulling her more firmly against me.

My cock hardens in response to the pressure.

I twist my hands in her hair, guiding her movements as we kiss long and deep. It feels like forever since I’ve been with her.

Ruby only pulls away when we’re both gasping for breath. She quickly pulls off her pants and panties.

I can smell the slickness of her pussy, but before I can reach for it, she’s untying my pants, letting my cock spring free.

Any plans of making this last are gone in an instant. I eagerly pull her back onto my lap, positioning her hips with my hands so that my cock slips easily into her pussy.

We kiss again as our bodies move together, working up a rhythm.

Her shirt is still on. I growl in displeasure and rip it open, exposing her bra. I rip that too, finally exposing her breasts.

I grab her hips and lift her up and down on my cock faster than her human limbs could ever manage.

Ruby is clutching my shoulders, a faint sheen of sweat building upon her skin. I dive down to her breasts, letting my teeth just

graze the hardened nipples.

Harder, Klaus,” she murmurs.

I carefully bite down on a nipple Ruby cries out and puts a hand down between us to find her clit. She’s close then.

This is more difficult without being able to read her thoughts, but I find I don’t really mind.

I replace her hand with my own, quickly working her up into a frenzy.

“Now,” Ruby breathes.

Her pussy tenses impossibly around my cock. I push her hair aside and bite into her beautiful neck. Her sweet blood in my mouth

is enough to tip me over the edge.

My come explodes outward into Ruby’s pussy while I suck her divine blood inward with greedy pulls.

Ruby slumps forward, her head resting on my shoulder. I can’t see her eyes, but I know they are dreamy. She’s high from the bite.

I’m too comfortable to move right now, so I simply put my arms around her. I don’t keep track of how long we sit here, just listening to each other’s heartbeats.

Ruby is the first one to move. She presses a light kiss to my lips and carefully gets up. My soft cock slips out of her pussy.

I’m just going to wash up.”

Tl is right behind you.”

I grab some tissues from the box on the table and clean up before tucking my cock back into my pants.

I wish I could spend hours here with Ruby, but I have to get back to work.

The thought of sneaking around again, as we did with Katherine, is exhausting, but the thought of not being with Ruby when there is hope for us is unbearable.

The only problem is that Elena isn’t Katherine. She’s a hundred times more Ruthless.

With Katherine, I worried about her breaking off the alliance if she found out about Ruby and me.

With Elena, I worry about her killing Ruby and me and taking my entire coven down with her.