Chapter 20
Give Them Cake
'That was amazing.' Thought Klaus while running his fingers over Lillith's smooth back. She was collapsed on top of him. Her hands were still in his hair while she held him to her bust as she shivered from the after-effects of her orgasm.
Klaus had the goofiest smile his face could produce. 'I lost my virginity to this wonderful creature.'
Images spilled through his mind of what had happened and he kissed her softly in her neck. Klaus let out a chuckle when she shivered once more at his touch. Despite the shivers, her breathing was steadily becoming even.
Feeling mischevious he whispered in her ear before kissing her again. "You were amazing."
She shivered again and gave Klaus a soft blow with the underside of her fist on his left shoulder. "Stop that."
He laughed and kissed her cheek. 'I can do this forever. I want to stay here for a week and just be with her'
Klaus reached out for her mind with his own. It was a slow and ponderous thing for him to do. She had broken the link halfway through their lovemaking. It was becoming too disorienting for him to know what was up from down.
What he did understand through the link was what made him so happy. Despite his injured state and not being able to fully participate he had still satisfied her.
She felt his mind and for a moment resisted the link. Her mind was a mess. She was confused and afraid of what Klaus might be thinking.
Preparing herself, she allowed the connection and her mind exploded in warm colors. She could immediately tell her worries were unfounded. A broad smile formed on her lips in amusement on how he wanted to shut out the world and just be with her.
It was a cute and naive thought, but one she wholly appreciated.
She leaned back, long silver tresses following in her wake sliding over Klaus' face.
She smiled even broader when the sight of her breasts filled his mind with purples and she slowly got off of him before snuggling into his arms, pressing herself closer into his warmth.
His hand never stopped tracing circles down her back. It was a bit ticklish, but she liked it.
For a moment they just lay there in each other's embrace, but the dream they were living in had to stop. A whole mess of problems waited for Klaus downstairs.
"What are you going to do?" She finally asked him.
He knew exactly what Lillith was talking about and took a moment to think before answering. She sensed and followed his thought processes- explosions and little arcs of colors as he flitted from one idea to the next. Now and again it would slow when he observed her thoughts, but hse made sure to give nothing away, staying neutral.
"I have been trying to think about what my father or mother would do." Sadness bloomed for a moment before Klaus reigned it in. "The thing is- I know nothing of my father. What I experienced about my mother and heard from the demons. Well, she would either curse them or kill them outright."
Lilith saw glimpses of a dragon diving on its prey. A large bear, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
Klaus turned to her and then gave her a kiss on her forehead. It felt strange. She was vastly older and more experienced in life yet there he was kissing her like one would a child.
Klaus sensed where her thoughts were going and snorted. "You may be older and more experienced, but there is one thing no amount of age or experience can absolve you from."
Lilith propped herself up on her elbow and inspected his wound. "What is that?" She finally asked with a raised eyebrow.
Klaus thought about his experiences in life. He thought of the alcoholic and his wife. Despite how the man treated her, she stuck around. It boggled his mind for a long time until he came to a conclusion that made sense to him.
Klaus kissed Lillith's forehead on purpose again and then said. "Everyone wants to be loved and cared for and people accept the love they think they deserve. You and I were alone for a long time. A silent watcher and her lost charge."
He poked her nose and she wrinkled her brow at him. "You deserve more love and care than you ever received. You deserve to be cuddled and to be kissed on your forehead as many times as you want. No matter your age or experience."
She smiled and hugged him closer burying her face in his neck to hide her blushing face. "Is that sage Klaus talking again?"
He laughed. "No, it's love-struck Klaus talking."
Lilith's heart exploded with something she had not felt in a long time. She suddenly felt playful and bit Klaus on his jawline.
The action nearly drove Klaus over the edge. Lust exploded in him and a low growl deeper than what a human should make rumbled through his chest.
It startled Lilith and she drew back. "What just happened?"
Klaus had his eyes closed and his breathing was rushed. "If you want to be able to walk out of here, please don't do that again."
Lilith felt her heart start to race. 'Is it a dragon thing? I want to do it again.'
She started to lean in but stopped and her head turned to the door. "It seems our time is up."
A knock sounded at the door.
Klaus spoke, his voice sounding rougher than usual. "Who is it."
"Sir, the conference room is ready and everyone is waiting for your arrival."
Lilith still connected with Klaus was startled when she saw the fury in him grow at an astonishing rate. It only took a second for it to encompass most of his being.
Images filled his mind of how he wanted to rip open the door and tare the unlucky man to pieces for invading his territory while Klaus was with her.
She kissed Klaus to try and distract him. She had recognized it for what it was. Remembering how volatile Klaus was the first few months after his awakening- she did not want that to show here.
Lillith decided to save the poor man and shouted. "He will be there in half an hour."
The man paused for a moment, but then Lilith sensed him moving away from the door.
When she looked back down at Klaus his eyes were open and regarding her. She saw in his mind that a part of him wanted to scold her for answering for him and that he would grace them with his presence when he felt like it. Another part warred with it, his human side understanding the irrationality of it.
His hands that had been gripping the blankets finally started to relax after a second. "Thanks, I still have trouble controlling myself sometimes."
She smiled and gave him a kiss. "No kidding."
Before he could return the kiss she was up and dragging the blanket with, to cover herself. "That's unfair!" He shouted before she closed the bathroom door. Leaving him naked and sprawled out on the bed.
Meribeth had already been sitting for an hour in wait when the man they had sent came back into the conference room with a nervous expression. Much to her irritation the man went to Pride and whispered in her ear.
'If this were my house people would be informed immediately of what was going on.' She sighed. 'But this is not my house.'
The Roth had been forced to make concessions before they could even enter the hotel. They had no guards and no weapons. 'We are basically sitting ducks. To make matters worse.'
Her gaze turned to other new arrivals. A boy with his face so full of hardware and tattoos she could hardly make out his real features. Not her concern, but the one who stood next to him was.
Barnabas Prodigium. He was well known in her circle. The man had entered the Secret Worlds with her when she was but a girl and he had dominated, thrived even. One of the few Prodigium that did not lose his mind.
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Her eyes finally looked at three others that came not long after the Prodigium. To them, she had afforded respect and had even given them a bow in greeting. The Scientia was after all not a clan to be trifled with. Everyone relied on them or the Honzo clan for information.
In the aspect of information, even the Honzo could not compare to the Scientia, but the other group made up for it with their assassination skills.
'How did it come to this, the two brats were supposed to get the Scientia child on their side.'
Many things had the Lady Meribeth Roth worried and upset, but what upset her the most was the way that the conference room was set up. It looked like a courtroom.
And where they were given a seat was where defendants would usually be seated.
'Do these demons think this is a joke?'
Meribeth had a whole slew of expletives to sling at the hosts in her mind, but her thoughts were broken when the doors opened once more and in walked a boy in her eyes. A boy that made her breath catch in her throat.
'He looks so much like his father and yet.'
Klaus came to a standstill as soon as he entered and surveyed the room. 'It looks like a courtroom.' He mused and decided he liked it. It gave him a bit of confidence.
Pride gestured to a high backed chair situated in the far side of the room in a position of prominence. Klaus smiled at the demon. 'Am I to be the judge then?'
He made his way over to it but stopped when he spotted Amelia and Billy standing off to one side.
Unlike when she was at the party Amelia was now dressed in what Klaus recognized as a kimono. With her was an older man and woman dressed roughly the same.
He walked over and gave them a nod while they bowed. Klaus thought about it for a second, but something inside him hated the idea of bowing to anyone or anything. Klaus felt uneasy because Amelia looked despondent and worried. "I am glad to see you are safe. I would have called, but my old phone is lost somewhere in the wreckage."
It was not Amelia that spoke but the older man. "We came here to discuss breaking the deal you made with our charge when we found out about what happened."
"We will reserve our judgment until after all this." Said the woman while gesturing at the elaborate room.
Klaus was caught off guard but fought down his frustration and disappointment.
Klaus said nothing and then turned to Billy and the man next to him. Billy was dressed the same as before. The man had a scraggly beard and was dressed in blue jeans, a buttoned shirt, and a brown leather jacket. Klaus would think he was an average joe if not for three scars that had disfigured most of his face. It looked like some kind of beast had scratched him from his right temple to the lower left side of his jaw.
Billy smiled. "I heard you had a tough time and thought you could use some support, but it seems you have everything you need. Now, uncle Bar and I are just curious."
The older man smacked Billy upside the head and then stuck out his hand for a shake.
Klaus took it and their eyes met. The hairs on Klaus' neck started to stand on end when the man's eyes changed.
Pride reared its ugly head in Klaus and he stared right back while a familiar feeling started to creep into his thoughts. The color in his eyes became more pronounced and a strange hunger filled his being.
The man suddenly smiled and gave Klaus' shoulder a tap. "You will do kid."
Klaus had to shake his head to clear it after the sudden change in the man.
He had no come-back to retort worth, so he turned away and walked to the chair. Klaus was too busy trying to control himself to think of anything smart to say.
He finally took his seat and saw Liz sitting way in the back. She smiled and gave him a small wave. The doors opened again and Lilith entered.
An obvious smile grew on Klaus' face when he saw her. No one missed the reaction.
Lilith went to stand next to Pride on the right side of the chair.
Klaus finally turned his gaze to the elephant in the room.
The two Roths were looking rather bedraggled to his eyes. Cornelius was still unconscious but at least had a shirt on.
Klaus pointed at his unconscious cousin and said while enjoying every moment. "Can someone wake up the defendant please."
Meribeth narrowed her eyes at Klaus. "I don't think that will be necessary."
Klaus feigned surprise. "Oh, and why is that?"
Meribeth bristled at Klaus' tone and visibly fought for control. "I, Lady Meribeth Roth speak for my house and while you made us wait, doing who knows what. I have come up with a reasonable solution."
Klaus had a raised eyebrow by the time she was finished. He smiled but anyone that knew him well would be able to tell she had made him angry already.
"I apologize for my tardiness, but let me ask you this. How many meetings have you attended after getting shot in the heart?"
His words caused surprised murmurs to flit through the room.
"Luckily for you and make no mistake about this, Meribeth. You are lucky that I survived or every Roth on this world would have been killed because of the one sleeping right next to you. That outcome is still possible."
Klaus leaned forward, his gaze hard as steel. "Wake. Him. Up... Now."
Meribeth did not make a move, but Lilith did. She strode forward and placed her hand on his temple. A moment later Cornelius jumped up with a shriek.
James jumped out of his chair. "What did you do to him Delmora?"
Lilith smiled and ignored his blustering. "I just gave him a nightmare."
Klaus sat back not breaking eye contact with Meribeth. "Now that we are all present, we can-"
"No." Said the Roth woman.
Klaus tilted his head. "No, what?"
"We are not all present. Where is the girl?"
Klaus looked towards Silence who was standing near the door and nodded.
The doors opened once again and in came Chanelle, a guard holding each of her arms.
"Let go of me, I can walk on my own. I said let go."
"You can let her go, it's fine." Said Klaus.
The guard let her go and stood back. "Sorry Sir, she has been a handful."
Klaus thought back to how she acted while people were shooting at them. "I can imagine."
Chanelle had run over to Meribeth to be accepted into a tight hug. Her mouth running all the while. "I thought they were going to kill me after all Klaus is dead and-"
"I am not dead, not yet at least." He interrupted.
She looked up from the hug her mouth stuck in mid-ramble. "How."
Klaus smiled. "I have good genes."
She snorted at him. "You owe me custom made designer shoes."
Klaus snorted. "Considering I saved your life I think your closet can survive with one less pair of shoes."
Meribeth gripped Chanelle's shoulder before the girl could retort. "He saved your life?"
"Yes, brother he, he wanted me dead as well."
"Enough of this. How pompous and self-absorbed are you to come here without knowing all the facts?" Said Klaus growing irritated.
Meribeth wanted to say something, but Klaus shook his hand at her. "I don't want to hear it. Just tell me what your idea was?"
Meribeth swallowed. The whole thing was out of her control and she was not used to that. "We will agree to share business and information from every entity you have not blown up yet." She hesitated, Klaus' face was not giving away anything instead he looked on expectantly.
"We also agree to withhold Cornelius from the Secret Worlds for another year."
Cornelius who had been keeping quiet while trying to figure out what was going on could not accept it. "Aunt you cant do that to me. I have prepared for years and have made promises to others!"
Klaus was on him a second later. Most of the people could not see him move and those that did were too limited by their bodies in the normal world to do anything about it even if they wanted to. Klaus' chest burned in protest, but his anger would not be stopped even by pain.
"Is that it?"
Klaus had Cornelius in the air by his neck.
"You don't seem very sincere to me Meribeth, in fact, I almost feel like you are looking down on me. If that's the case how about I just kill him now and have the rest of you killed later. I thought it a good thing to stop Pain." His voice grew more hoarse the more he spoke until it was a growl.
"I thought you people were more, well human. Did this worm think of the people that got hurt in the crossfire? Did he think of the men that got killed that he sent to kill me? Did you even consider them? Families on their way home. Innocent people who got into an accident all because of this one!" Klaus shook Cornelius like a dog would a toy.
Cornelius had slowly stopped moving in Klaus' grip.
"No, death would be too good for you." Klaus threw Cornelius to the ground before pinning him there with his foot and then turned to a dumbstruck Meribeth.
"I have a better idea. You can follow it or die. I no longer have any qualms with setting my wards loose on the likes of you. Here is what is going to happen." Klaus then turned to Billy and much to the boy's surprise beckoned him to come over. The other man followed closely watching Klaus like one predator watches another.
Klaus then waved Liz closer and finally Amelia and her entourage. He then turned back to Meribeth.
"I have one other companion that chose to go with me. A Lockheart."
"Billy, in what country is your family's power base?"
Billy was at a loss for words. "Umm, I am not sure actually."
"This one." Supplied his uncle before slapping Billy on his head again.
Klaus then looked at Liz expectantly.
"Also this one." She answered a bit shyly.
Klaus nodded and then turned to Amelia and to his irritation the man spoke in her stead. "The Le continent."
Klaus was not surprised. The Le continent held many people of their ethnicity.
"What about Beatrice, wait nevermind you said her family was not giving her any support yes?"
Amelia nodded.
"I will think of something else for her then."
"Let me up." Croaked Cornelius from the ground to which Klaus replied by applying a bit more of his weight on the boy's chest.
Klaus finally looked back to Meribeth. "Cornelius will never see the Secret Worlds. He will be made to take responsibility for what happened. He will be called a terrorist and be put on trial by the courts of the people you think so little of."
"Half of your assets in the continent of Le now belongs to Amelia Scientia." Klaus turned to Amelia's entourage. "It will be placed in Amelia's name no one else. What she does with it is up to her."
Amelia let out a gasp at hearing that. Her eyes were starting to tear up.
"Your assets in this country will be divided between Liz and Billy here." Klaus gave the surprised two a wink.
Klaus beckoned Lilith closer. "All that happens if and only if your families agree to send help with Lilith and me on our excursions in the foreseeable future."
The first to object was surprisingly Billy's uncle. "She is a Delmora, we have a bit of history with them."
Klaus shook his head. "She cut ties and was disowned by them to protect me. She is the only person I love in this world and I want her looked after in any others."
Barnabas gave Klaus a long look before nodding. "You have a deal."
Lilith nearly kissed Klaus right there and then, but held herself back.
Liz chose that moment to chime in. "I will have to contact my family to confirm, but I don't think it will be a problem."
Klaus then turned to Amelia. Her entourage looked at each other. "We do not have the authority to make that decision and we humbly ask for some time."
A prideful part of Klaus wanted to rescind his offer right there and then, but Pain had made it clear that they were important. "You have a week. Delaying any further will take too much of the time we have to train together."
Meribeth for her part just stood there listening as half of their assets were being doled out like slices of cake. James wanted to interject a few times, but Meribeth had seen in Klaus' bearing that speaking against him now would win them nothing but death.
'Not only did he take our wealth, but he kept nothing for himself. Instead, he gave it away to win the favor of other powerful allies. Even if he was not strong enough to wipe us out by himself the others would not think twice to help if it meant they would get their slice of cake.'
Klaus turned back to her. "Like the Scientia, you have a week to start enacting the changes I have proposed before my people come looking for you."
Meribeth held her hand up. "You don't need to make any more threats. You have my agreement."
Meribeth took a step towards him causing Pride and others to come closer.
"This is our loss, Klaus, we will remember it."
Klaus smiled while trying to channel his inner Pain. "I am sure you will." He leaned even closer until his mouth was right next to her ear and whispered.
"When you forget it, I will be sure to remind you when the time comes. I like to make my friends happy and to give them cake."