Chapter 5

Nim looked at the sleeping man beside her and gently touched his cheek. He looked nothing but peaceful. She was glad about that; he deserved a moment of peace. Looking at him made her more convinced than ever that she had made a wise choice. He had been a wonderful teacher and a companion. Not all people would have thought that and as he had said, any smart person would have tried to run the night they had met.

After he had passed out, she had looked at him for a long while and seen what he didn't want anyone to see. Sure there was darkness in him, but that didn't bother her. This whole world was a dark place, full of violence and cruelty. She knew that he wouldn't hurt her. She had managed to earn his genuine affection, just like he had earned hers. It was strange, she had always thought that she would never be able to let anyone so close to her.

When they had first met, he had been somewhat affected by her glamour, she had used all her strength when she had kissed him for the first time. She had been desperate and terrified. Submitting to a one man, the strongest one of them, had seemed like a much better option than being brutally violated by all of them. It would have destroyed her. Broke a part of what she was.

Intimacy was a natural thing for her, she had very strong urges, but she had never dared to let herself to explore that part of her before meeting Nico. She couldn't have hoped for a better teacher and she knew she didn't have to hold back with him, not like with a human man. He was a perfect companion for her. After spending so many years alone, rejected, it felt nice to have someone to call her own.

Perhaps it had been fate that she had ended up working in that tavern in exchange for food and shelter. She had always tried to stay unnoticed, hide what she really was. The blood running through her veins wasn't purely human blood. Sure her father had been a human, but her mother… She hadn't wanted Nim. She had left her alone in the woods. It didn't matter anymore; she had survived on her own. She was proud of that.

It was probably her mother's blood that made her the way she was; restless and untamed. As she had said to Nico, she couldn't be owned. She leaned down and softly kissed his cheek. This was good. She sighed and leaned her head on his chest. He was still asleep, but he wrapped his arms around her. She would stay right here, by his side. That was what she wanted. As long as he would want it too, she wasn't going anywhere.

England, 1492

Kol smirked as he spotted Nim standing by the window. He knew what she was looking at. Nik was walking in the garden with his little doppelganger, Katerina Petrova. She had stayed in the castle since one of Nik's lackeys had brought her here. It had certainly been a perfect birthday gift for Nik, but Kol wondered if Nik's pet saw it like that. Was she jealous? Now that would be interesting.

"Hello, darling," Kol greeted her casually.

She didn't startle, she turned around calmly.

"My lord."

He grinned.

"Oh Nim, Nim, Nim, are we not acquainted enough already for you to call me by my first name?"

"I am afraid not, my lord," she replied, just like many times before.

Kol let out a theatrical sigh.

"Alright then."

She didn't call Elijah or Rebekah by their first name either, even though Nik had kept her around for three centuries already. It seemed that they had got more or less used to her by now, although Bekah clearly didn't like her. Kol wasn't sure what Elijah thought of her, he hadn't asked. He himself had to admit that he was curious. What was it about this girl that had made Nik to keep her for all these years? Kol had spent couple of years with his siblings for every now and then and he still hadn't figured it out.

"So," he hummed innocently. "What are we watching?"

She didn't say anything as he moved beside her and looked outside.

"Ah. Isn't that a cute sight?"

She didn't reply to that either, he turned to look at her and smiled.

"She is quite beautiful, is she not?"

"Yes, she is."

Her voice was very calm, it didn't hold any emotion.

"Nik was very… shall we say attached to the original one, Tatia," he continued.

"Yes, I know," Nim replied.

Kol raised an eyebrow.

"You know?"

"He told me."

"Ah, I see." He paused and leaned towards her. "Are you not at all concerned?"

She shook her head.

"No, I am not."

"Really? Even though he has not bothered to mention to sweet Katerina that he is spoken for?"

Nim smiled, she looked amused.

"I do not own him, my lord."

"Hmm. Does he own you?" Kol hummed softly and touched Nim's hair.

She took a step back.

"I am afraid I must go now. Excuse me."

"Yes, of course."

She curtsied briefly and was just about to walk away when he continued.

"Oh, by the way, I saw you last night. In the woods. That was you, was it not?"

Her expression didn't change.

"Yes."

"What were you doing? It looked very interesting. The whole dancing and chanting thing…"

"An old habit," she replied calmly. "My mother practiced the old religion; she worshiped the spirits of nature."

"How nice. Did she also worship them naked?"

She crossed her arms.

"What you saw was a very private moment, my lord. It was not meant for your eyes."

He smirked.

"Oh come on now, there is no need to be modest. My brother is very fond of you, so of course I am too. We are practically a family, are we not?"

"If you say so, my lord. Excuse me."

She turned around and marched away. Kol was very amused as he watched her. Then he glanced at Nik who was talking with the doppelganger. There was a charming smile on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't attracted to her. According to Elijah, Nik hadn't had other women after finding his pet. Kol had found that more than hard to believe, but perhaps it was true. Who would have ever thought….