A/N: Hey all! It's been a while since you've seen an update from me and I'm sorry for that! I'm going to try to update more regularly, at least once a month, but no matter how long it takes I promise I won't ever leave a story unfinished since I know how much I hate that. So with that in mind I want to thank everyone who's review on this story and my other ones :D And I'm giving a really REALLY warm thank you to Nora Salvatore for her kind words! So here's HOC chapter 2!

Chapter 2: Black Maria

Klaus liked having something new.

Alone in his northwest study with the heavy burgundy drapes drawn closed over the windows Klaus swirled the maroon colored liquid in his wine glass thoughtfully. His long fingers cradled the bowl gently even as his nails scrapped against the engraved surface further etching the swirling nonessential design into the glass. His blue eyes flicked over the room, dancing pointedly over the half-finished canvass on the paint splattered easel in front of him, and instead taking in the cluttered bookshelves, tables, and display cases of his hoarder's paradise.

Klaus had collected mountains of trinkets over the course of his immortality. He had forgotten jewels belonging to queens and kings, silks looted from their merchant caravans on the Silk Road, marvelously made glass beads and ritual masks given in trade from various tribes in Africa, and genuine hand crafted eagle headdresses from the native people of this land. Most of the items were scattered across the tables sporadically spaced around the study while a few of the more precious items, mostly jewelry, were prominently and carefully displayed on brightly colored silks. Klaus reserved his bookshelves and display cases for his more supernatural items; grimoires bound in everything from fig leaves to cloth to human skin lined his shelves and his locked and warded cases housed more magically enchanted items than any man should own. It was a collection that the perfect being Klaus considered himself to be could take pleasure in, pride over, and Klaus was ever pleased for any opportunity that arose for a new addition to be collected.

His eyes flickered towards the easel. Blue eyes roved over the contours of a face he was beginning to know as well as any of his collected baubles. The portrait was far from done, but the emerald green eyes that stared out at him, flecks of gold and lightning shaped bursts of honey brown shining within the penetrating orbs delightfully, showed Klaus the truth of the woman who owned them.

Tilting his head Klaus brought his wine glass up, his eyes plastered to the painted pair on the canvass as he sipped his drink. He mulled over his witch. She was something so perfectly blank and corruptible that Klaus found himself at a welcomed loss of how to resist the temptation of merging her into his collection permanently…even at the risk of breaking a blood bond. Klaus had never had such a powerful witch in his pocket, dancing to his tune, willing to fulfill his needs endlessly for such a small price, and he worried that two years was hardly going to be enough to bask in the experience.

The sound of the door creaking open scattered his thoughts and Klaus calmly stood and carelessly covered the canvass in front of him one of the expensive silk sheets nearby as soft footsteps entered his space. Flicking his eyes down and towards the witch Klaus took note of the way her layered chocolate colored hair framed her face and fluttered around her shoulders and how the green overpowered the other colors in her eyes when she glanced up at him. He found his lips curling upwards without his consent, but even his annoyance with the involuntary action couldn't keep his amusement from his voice.

"My my, Bonnie, is it that time already?"

The witch flicked her eyes away, they took in the rest of the room quickly until they settled on the bookshelves greedily. Klaus watched the colors in her orbs swirl wildly before the settling down and snapping back to him with such forceful focus that he quirked an eyebrow in response.

"You know what time it is Klaus," the witch murmured. Her arms folded smoothly in front of her as she shifted her weight and cocked a hip. "So what did you call me for? What do you want now?"

Klaus shrugged a shoulder and pivoted on his heels as he began to circle the witch. He knew she hated when he did this, knew that it was a well concealed struggle for her not to twitch and turn to keep him in sight. "I think a little one on one time is in order, don't you love? You and I are going to have to become very close."

"I don't see why," Bonnie replied rather flippantly.

Klaus grinned. "Oh, no?"

"No," Bonnie affirmed. "This is a very simple affair Klaus. Two years of service for getting out of Mystic Falls. You're already making out like a bandit from this deal and it ends at magic. I won't be your new Greta."

"Hmm, who mentioned her?" Klaus wondered as he fingered a lock of the witch's hair.

"No one had to. I know how fond you are of possessing things, Klaus, and in every way you can if you're able. I'm not Greta. My magic is the only thing I'm offering. Not my body. Not my loyalty. Not anything at all beyond the two years I'm indebted to you. I'm not for keeps." Klaus couldn't see the witch's glare from his position behind her, but the hybrid certainly could feel it and the magic Bonnie zapped at his touchy feely fingers.

Chuckling Klaus released the witch's hair and fell easily into the wing backed chair he'd been in earlier as the witch turned to face him. "Ah, and have I given you the impression that I want to keep you?"

Without looking behind her the witch tugged on the silk covering the canvass behind her and Klaus felt his attention divert as the portrayal he'd begun of the witch was revealed. The witch was kneeling at the bottom of a black marble throne. Her knees were digging into the pile of pale gray and silver bones beneath the grim chair and her arms were bound with gold chains behind her back. Her head was lifted and proud, with her eyes staring out directly at the viewer unafraid, even as a unmistakably male hand gripped the back of her head, powerful fingers tangled into brown locks adorned with gleaming beads and dainty glittering chains.

"Frankly, yes," the witch concluded.

Next Chapter: The Butcher of Baghdad

Keen to begin his hunt, Klaus gathers the members of his court to his study and weaves a tale of violence, romance, and betrayal.

A/N 2: If you leave a review would you mind hopping over to my profile? I have two new story ideas at the bottom and I'll start/post whichever one readers are most interested in first! /p