A/N: Set after 4x12-A view to kill. The cure does not exist in this fic. Elena and Jeremy have just killed Kol. Tyler fled town immediately after this. Bonnie never contained Klaus in the living room, and so instead Klaus has trapped everyone in the Mikaelson mansion to get the revenge he thinks he deserves.

I've planned this as a short ficlet-5, or 6, chapters. But I'm not 100% certain on it at the moment. Just posting this prologue-kind-of-thing, to see if people like the story, before deciding to keep writing/editing the rest.

For those who are reading In Chains, sorry for the spontaneous hiatus (blame school and myself), the next chapter is currently being written and should be posted up soon.

Thank you :)

They were all trapped. Sitting ducks, in a neat little row in the middle of the grand room.

The beast in front of them was barely recognisable, thinly veiled rage, wrapped in a package of sinewy muscle and narrowed eyes. Klaus paced in front of them, his very bones shuddering with the anger inside him. Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Stefan, Jeremy and Rebekah were all seated on a wide leather couch, their faces an identical mask of dread.

"Do something, witch." Damon ordered Bonnie under his breath, his signature 'I-couldn't-care-less' gone for once.

"I can't." Bonnie whispered back, her tone ravaged. "There's a block here." Despite Bonnie trying to talk quietly, Klaus heard her anyway, of course, and whirled to face the witch.

"You're bright, aren't you? A block, yes," He snarled. "You all seem to forget how powerful I am, don't you? How many powerful friends I have? You think that you can just do whatever you wish and come out unscathed?" As he spoke, his volume got louder and louder. The tips of his fangs began to elongate as he yelled, his blue eyes lightening to gold. "Have you forgotten who I AM?"

"Niklaus!" Rebekah yelled a protest.

"Beloved sister," Klaus hissed, turning to face her. "You, wanting nothing more to be a human and to be loved. Isn't that just adorable? So desperate for affection that you'll side with these pathetic creatures over your own blood."

"Blood isn't always the most important thing, Nik." Rebekah murmured quietly. "It may be thicker than blood, but it's thin just the same."

"Is that how you see it, sister?" Klaus anger seemed to dissolve as quickly as it flared. His face smoothed to tranquillity, his voice to satin. A thin, calculating smile spread over his face.

"I'm sure your wondering-what are we doing here? Why is there a block? What has mean, evil Klaus got planned? Well…we're going to play a game." He announced to the room, spreading his arms wide.

"What game?" Rebekah asked cautiously. "We don't want to play any of your-"

"Quiet, Bekah." Klaus snapped. "You'll like this game. Very teenage girl. Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, no doubt you played it together at your little human slumber parties. My version will be a little different, though."

"What game?" This time it was Caroline who asked, finally finding her voice for the first time that night. Klaus' smile stretched out further.

"Truth or dare." The title of the game hung in the air, a dangerous, tantalising threat. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.

"The rules of the game is simple." Klaus began to slowly pace around the room. "You tell someone 'truth' or 'dare'. They do it. Then they tell the next person. Simple. Everyone gets to refuse a truth or dare three times, and if they do it any more, they lose."

"And what happens to the losers?" Rebekah asked warily.

"I bite them." Klaus grinned, his fangs sliding out. "And, consequently I guess, they die."

"Klaus." The word was a chorused plea as everyone jumped to their feet.

"Sit down!" Klaus barked, waiting until everyone complied. "You haven't let me finish. The winner of the game will receive enough of my blood to heal all the losers." There was a collective sigh of relief. Maybe they wouldn't die.

Klaus continued, "If I win, however, then none of my blood will have to shed at all, will it?"

"So what are we meant to do then?" Damon asked.

Klaus smiled brilliantly at him, his fangs still on display. "It's simple enough. Make sure that I don't win, Salvatore."