Warning, there will be feels.

P.S. Author's note in regards of a sequel and Klaroline at the end

~~~~~ Read On~~~~~~

Niklaus Mikaelson (First Person)

Seeing Evangeline leave the ballroom in a hurry, following after her was an impulse. Not only was I concerned for her wellbeing but there was a pang of devastation that tore viciously through my heart that I knew came from my curly haired mate through our bond. The amount of pain I felt through her caused me to look around for her brother who was responsible, growling under my breath when I saw the bastard was no longer in sight.

My sister paused from what she was saying and cocked an eyebrow at me, "You really fancy her, don't you?"

Based on the sincerity that I heard in my sister's accented voice, I knew that my little sister had grown fond of my mate. It was a bit of a surprise since my sister had a knack for hating other females, especially ones as stunning as Evangeline Salvatore but she, like many others, were won over by my mate. That, I was not surprised about at all.

Evangeline had an air to her that allured others in her direction. It had been part of the reason I had even bothered to speak to her. Not only was she beautiful but her aura embraced others, she saw the goodness in everyone, myself included (which, could have been her ultimate mistake). She saw through you with those bright green eyes, she could tear down walls with the perfect gaze. When we first met—before I had ever wronged her—she looked at me like she believed in me. Like she could see something inside of me that everyone covered up with every savage action I performed or ruthless punishment I laid. And then I whisked her away from her only living family.

Instead of answering my only living sister, I gave her a curt look, "I need to find her"

The statement had barely left my lips before I left the ballroom in search of my Angel. As much as I wanted to find that brother of hers first and snap his neck a couple thousand times before ripping his heart out and shoving it down his own throat, I decided that confiding in Evangeline was more important.

When I informed her in my note that I was willing to try, I was being honest. Elijah's words earlier in the day opened my eyes in realizing that Evangeline would in no way make me weaker but possibly allow me to find strength within myself that I had never known existed. She and I together...could be an unstoppable force, something stronger than any being supernatural or not could ever fathom.

No, I did not love her unconditionally—yet—but the hybrid woman had always intrigued me. The way that she in one moment could be so angry, a red hot flame of despair and another she could be compassionate, caring for me in ways that some would believe that I did not deserve. She was a flame of rejuvenation that could possibly change the course of my life entirely.

I had been alone for so long that upon learning that she—the extravagant creature she was—was meant to accompany for the rest of my days as my soul mate had baffled me. How could I possibly deserve a companion to love me for eternity after all of the pain I had caused? I was hated by so many that it seemed nearly impossible for someone to see me in a light of love, beyond the petty infatuation that so many woman felt towards me. None of them would dare be tethered to the supernatural equivalent of a ruthless Devil.

Shaking away from my spiteful thoughts, I spotted her near the stables. I had lifted the charms on the exits so I was not surprised that she had decided to take the opportunity to get some fresh air. She was not alone—the blonde vampire, Caroline Forbes was with her. The girl was wearing a facial expression that I was no stranger to. Anytime she saw me, she looked at me with the exact amount of judgment and distasteful pity that she laid onto my mate who I could already feel was mentally and physically exhausted and the arrogant, pushy blonde was not helping at all.

Anger rose in my veins as I heard the harsh words the blonde spoke at my mate, who was trying to get her to understand her side of the story. Caroline was not listening, though; she was just judging my mate and looking at her with such fucking pity that I was ready to tear her pretty little head off.

"I can't believe you're betraying your brothers like that and with Klaus! I mean, seriously, that's low even for someone like you"

I heard my mate growl and I nearly smirked, trying to decide if I'd like to see her char the bitchy vampire before I intervened.

Deciding that hurting someone so close to the doppelganger would only hurt my Dear Angel more than satisfy the raging anger that I knew was merely temporary, I swiftly sped over, slamming the blonde into the nearest stone wall. I made sure to pin her up by her throat, flashing my golden eyes into her pathetic face.

Glaring down at her and growling, I spoke slowly with venom dripping from my tongue, "I may have cured your nasty little bite, love, but if you fucking speak to her like that again, you'll find your head beside your heart before you could blink"

Her big blue eyes went wide as I cut off her circulation easily, lifting her higher and higher as I crushed her neck beneath my palm. The satisfying crack of her neck was seconds away before I felt a tiny little palm on my back, causing me to freeze and tense under the gentle touch.

"Stop" My mate whispered, sounding broken enough to enrage me all over again but I let the blonde go, carelessly dropping her and ignoring her gasps for air as I turned towards my mate.

Her warm caramel skin had gone cold and pale, looking haunting and sickly under the moonlight. Her beautiful emerald eyes had gone dull and sad whilst her hair that had been curled in beautiful loose smiles had turned to sad waves. She was gorgeous but she was broken and tired. I loathed her brothers more for being the ones who took such a toll on my beautiful companion.

Unable to find the right words to condole her, I brought her into my arms, relishing in the waft of red velvet and sweet smoke that filled my nostrils when I was within close proximity to the beautiful woman. Her lack of tears surprised me—not because I thought she was weak, no, because I know the sad woman in my arms had been strong for too long.

Evangeline leaned against my touch, shocking me but also causing me to feel gratitude in knowing that she would not reject me as I tried to comfort her. It was something I was not familiar with providing but for her, I would try, because seeing her so hurt sent something rash and angry and humane through me that I absolutely hated.

I held her for what felt like hours, simply soothing her with soft touches on her smooth skin, reveling in the fire I felt with each round of skin on skin contact. Her breathing was sporadic, as though she was crying but no tears fell. The compassion I felt for the woman was hitting me like a ton of bricks and I was at a draw. I was met with a side of her I hadn't seen since she told me her story, every grueling detail of her life that lead her to whom she was today.

She was vulnerable and fragile...one small crack could shatter her completely. This version of her was a different type of fire. She was not bold and beautiful as usual but she was getting smaller and unfamiliar with herself. She was losing that oxygen that kept her burning bright and I realized, it was my job to restore it.

As if she had just realized who she was embracing, Evangeline went stiff and pulled away from me. I looked down at her warily, prepared to apologize for making her uncomfortable, seeing as she was in such a fragile state, even I knew there was no time for playing on her emotions. Yet, her dull green eyes didn't look at me with disdain but more worry as she grasped my forearms as if I was going to run away as soon as she spoke.

"I-I know it's absurd but something is off about your mother, Niklaus" Her voice was hoarse and almost shallow as she cleared her throat looking deeply at me.

My stomach twisted inside of me at the look she gave me, an utterly human response to her emotional words. As a vampire, we were never meant to be nervous or uncomfortable. We were unstoppable and immortal but the woman before me made me feel otherwise and I had not felt anything in a very long time.

"What do you mean, love?" I murmured, lifting her chin after she lost grip of my forearms and studying her eyes—her most honest feature.

I could not deny that I did not trust my mother fully either. I had murdered her for Christ's sake and she returned, completely willing to forgive me. One thousand years or less, I'd come back and rip my own head off to get the point across. Even those who deemed me ruthless would not have the resolve to forgive their own killer—even if it were their child.

"Anastasia visited me in a dream" She explained with a soft sigh, "She told me that your mother could not be trusted—Nik I know that she had forgiven you and she perceives to be loving and caring, even willing to help us with the ritual but I'm not completely sure it is that simple. I don't wish to betray my brothers—they can strip me of the Salvatore name and claim me as a traitor and hate me but I love will always love them, you know that—"

I cut her off with a curt nod and a surrendering glance in response, "—but there has to be a reason they wanted your mother free. Though I'm sure my brothers had not been smart enough to know it was your mother in that coffin but there is someone who is determined to have you killed. Who would go at great lengths to side with the one person who could do it. Who probably hates you most of all..."

"Elena Gilbert" I murmured, the one being who could assure me to never be alone again was the same person who wanted nothing more than to see me six feet under and headed straight to hell.

Evangeline nodded, looking at me with apologetically, "Your mother called her here, to speak with her, Nik I don't trust it"

And for the first time during the night, there were tears in my mate's eyes, "The thought of Elijah or Rebekah or you dead forever...I can't bare it anymore than I could think of my own brothers being killed"

Evangeline Salvatore was shedding tears at the thought of the deaths of members of the most hated and feared family in the supernatural world, I could not believe it. It was an utterly ironic sight to see, such a beautiful soul crying at the thought of the destruction of the world's most destructive.

"Nik, you and I aren't that different" She sobbed, looking at me through moonlit waterfalls, "I knew your biggest fear is loneliness because it is mine too. When I am alone, I am destructive. I haven't been alone in nearly a century and a half, I always had either Elijah or Anastasia and when I came to Mystic Falls, I thought I would have my brothers but it turns out that I have you instead"

She wasn't disgusted or disappointed, she was confused. Taken aback by her own realization, she let out a sound of frustration and sobbed harder. Crystalline tears poured down her cheeks in such a way that was so purely human that I was amazed she was only one-third alive. She was breaking apart, crumbling and losing her energy—her fire. The fire that I loved about her.

In one movement, I caught her statue before it fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. My lips were pressed softly against hers before I could think and I was tasting the salty tears first before the sweet sensation that was Evangeline Salvatore.

She was red velvet fresh from an oven and covered in sweet smoke. Delicate with a taste so strong I nearly swooned at its power. She was delectable, desirable, and dubbed mine for eternity. It was something so astounding I could've scoffed at the thought of the petite, perfectly insecure woman in my arms was meant for me. I didn't deserve her yet she was made for me.

Her response to my kiss was a whimper before actual movement occurred. The sound was not of submission—even at her weakest I could not picture my Angel submitting to anyone—but it was of unexpected pleasure. I knew she was still reluctant to give in to me, to believe that I brought her pleasure and I did not blame her or judge her for it, I merely kissed her harder. If she needed convincing then I would persuade her with everything I had.

Thin, precise fingers found the curls at the nape of my neck as I felt the silk of her dress slip into my grasp whilst I pulled my delicate mate closer. Her soft, full lips felt like a perfect match against mine and that ignited a wild fire in my gut as I sucked and bit on her soft rose petals, basking in her small sounds of approval. She tugged on my hair and I growled on impulse. To my surprise, she smiled against my lips, growling softly back and the heat slipped from my gut to a place much lower as I gripped her thin waist a bit tighter.

She was nowhere near close enough with her extraordinary dress and my stiff tuxedo keeping us apart but we both knew that our kiss could not become anything more than a simple kiss. Therefore, I pressed her against the wall that I once had hung a blonde vampire upon by her neck, and I sucked my mates lower lip between mine, nibbling on it softly as I savored the moment while I could. The ecstasy of pleasuring my mate clouded my mind, filling me with the best burning sensation I could ever experience. My blood was on fire, bubbling in the best way as my cold skin sparked, popped and sizzled to life as we hit the temperature of the sun in one embrace.

Evangeline's strained moan had done it for me as I pinned her wrists above her head, finding my lips on her cheek...jaw...neck...collarbone...neck and her scent came alive in my nostrils. The same sweet smoke that was her inner dragon seduced me, begging for my fangs to come out and break through her barrier of soft, tough skin.

My mate was delicious, I had already tasted her once, and I wanted her again.

Nik

Her nickname for me was drawn out in the most sensual moan I'd ever heard from her and yet her lips had not moved an inch. I wanted her taste on my lips so bad I was convinced I was going to need it in order to survive the situation we were in. Inflamed, sensual, and dangerous was what we were.

But reality came in the knowledge that my siblings would smell her blood on my lips and it was already bad enough that our arousal could be smelled from miles away.

Instead, I sucked on her skin without breaking through and ran my tongue against it softly and seductively grinning as she whimpered and shuddered, coming undone before I pulled away. My mark had lasted just a few seconds on her skin but the sight would never leave my eyes.

Just like my love bite on her neck, the swollen and pink appearance of our lips disappeared right before our eyes and Evangeline's flushed cheeks became a deathly pale once more as she looked at me with a stare mixed with gratitude and disappointment. I then kissed her forehead and took her hand, leading her back into the main entrance of our home, halfheartedly hoping to see her brothers react to their sister's hand being in mine as she hung close to me as if I was the only one who could protect her.

They would pay for breaking her, just not that instant. Once again, my mate was more important and I was convinced to show her that I knew it.

I don't want to go in there

Evangeline spoke to me while looking over at Elijah, who was accompanied by Elena. I looked to my mate with a sigh of understanding but shook my head softly.

I know you wish to escape and avoid your brothers, but it may be best that you don't run. They won't approach you while you are with me, they'd be more bold if you were alone.

She looked up at me and I could see that she agreed but she still squeezed my hand in exasperation as we mixed in with the crowd, as far from the doppelganger as possible. Scanning the crowd for her brothers, I kept my mate close to me until I met eyes with the doppelganger who looked at us—the only hybrids in the room—with disgust but her eyes softened as Elijah said something to her. I nearly rolled my eyes at my brother's nobility as the doppelganger still glared and turned her head away just before I saw my mother at the top of the staircase, clinking her glass expecting silence in response.

She looked at everyone in the crowd with a smug look on her face, making sure to make direct eye contact with myself and each of my siblings, then my mate before she looked over all of us.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming around with champagne" On cue, a waiter offered Evangeline and I glasses that we took graciously before he went on to another group of people, "I ask that you join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater join than to see my family back together as one—"my mother and I made eye contact and I smiled at her, not forgetting my mate's worry—"I'd like to thank you all for being a part of this spectacular evening...cheers"

"Cheers" We all echoed, Evangeline and I exchanged a look both squeezing each other's hands as we took generous sips of the sweet alcohol before drawing it away from our lips.

~*~*~

After the toast, I brought Evangeline to my art studio. It was hidden within the mansion in a secluded hall so that not just anyone could come across my most prized possessions.

As if she knew how much the room meant to me, Evangeline moved cautiously looking at each piece of art carefully but not touching any of them. She was transported to a garden with roses with petals so delicate that one deep breath could make them shrivel up and dissipate.

In that moment, I observed her as she saw my art as I saw her. Delicate, beautiful and so easily breakable that hesitation was necessary when encountering it. I had not seen her in such a way before, so soft and fragile but witnessing someone hurt her in ways that I actually believed were okay made something snap and light up within me. She was my mate and my responsibility. She was not to be touched inappropriately or abusively or else I would be the one to answer to.

"They're beautiful" Her voice smiled at me in a way that made me wish I was not heartless because my heart would flutter with strong and awestruck wings. For the first time, I craved the raw, human emotion in hopes of further connection with her because she had it. She was still partially human, partially pure, partially perishable.

I smiled at her, "Not nearly as beautiful as you Dear Angel"

She chuckled bashfully and with my heightened senses, I saw the peeking pink of her cheeks, "You're quite amicable today...I'd like to know why"

She approached me fluidly playfully tugging at my tie, looking up at me with curious eyes and a hint of a smile on her face.

Tugging her right hand softly away from the fabric of my bowtie, I pressed it gently against my lips without breaking eye contact for a fraction of a second, "My brother gave me some advice that I found myself agreeing with"