Author's Note: I love Katherine, and I love Klaus. Anyone sense a connection there? I noticed there were hardly any fan fictions for this amazing pairing, and here is the product of my boredom!
"He likes to make large entrances," Elijah had told her in 1492. It was a night Katherine still remembered well. It was the night when everything had changed, just like she had been forced to do when the threat of Klaus's men finding her became ever-present.
Elijah's words still rang true, she decided. She watched as his familiar form stepped from the large, musty case, and into the candlelight. The light cast an eery shadow upon his chiseled, handsome features. Katherine knew better now. Better than she had then. This was no stately gentleman bent upon adhering to chivalrous codes, nor was he Stefan. He could never be Stefan.
She smiled as a bittersweet recollection of her days with the younger vampire warmed her. Stefan. Sweet, innocent Stefan.
"It's good to be back," smiled Klaus devilishly, adjusting his crisply-folded suit. He still looked as dashing as ever. Not Stefan, not Stefan- Klaus turned his attention to her. And she froze like a deer caught in the headlights. She could still remember dancing in circles around the torchlit room with him, their witty and quiet words reverberating hauntingly through her mind. "Katherine," he greeted lowly.
"Klaus," she whispered, taking a slow step backwards. Just like she did whenever the threat of his presence reared its head up till now. She had been running from this man for too long. This demon, she corrected herself. She faltered as he took a step forward. As usual, he was leading her in the dance that they danced.
"Greta, Maddox," he addressed the triumphant sorcerers, "you may take your leave for a moment." The two sorcerers nodded, smiling at him before they strode from the room. "You've been very busy here, haven't you been?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Katherine said slowly, unsure of his definition of, "busy." He took yet another step forward, his finger trailing across the surface of the mahogany table by the couch. He had left the confines semi-circle of candles. He was now bathed in more of the darkness he relished in. He was more dangerous in the dark, Katherine recalled. He had every advantage in the black shroud it provided him with; his keen eyes could see straight through it, he could smell his prey, hear them.
"The Salvatore brothers," he said abruptly, "I've heard so many intriguing tales about their history…" He examined the contents of one of the drawers of the small table.
"What kinds of details?" Her hands were groping behind her for a weapon. She could end all the agony he had in store for her now, be freed from the words he compelled her with. She could live again, in another world altogether. I can wait for Stefan there, she thought, And I won't have to think of Klaus for an eternity. He can never find me there. She found a kitchen knife.
"You. Stefan. Damon. Ring any bells in that hollow head of yours?" he smiled pleasantly, taking a longer stride forward.
"When you said Stefan…" she smirked, "I heard wedding bells." She took the knife, about to sever her head when Klaus's hand stopped her, a gust of wind following him. She gasped for breath, trembling in his firm grip.
"Wedding bells?" he repeated, cocking his head to the left as his other hand trailed down her leg, "I don't think you'll be hearing those…ever. I'll never be through with you, for all the trouble you've put me through, love." His hand then traveled upwards, across her chest, up her neck, and finally to her face; a trail of fire followed across her flesh, burning her. She wanted to recoil, but she could not. Here was the man who had no rules; unscrupulous in ways, but calculating and manipulative, just like her.
After running from him for so long, she supposed, she had had to become him in order to survive.
"I see you haven't just been with the two of those lads," he remarked, eyes searing into her own. His smile remained, and Katherine was unsure of whether to trust his eyes or his expression. Eyes, her instincts replied in a screech, causing her to shudder. "Mason Lockwood…more human boys I can count…what was that last one? Ah, yes, Jason Gray."
"How do you know all that-"
"When tracking my prey, I tend to research, Kathy. And then I act on my research…and I include the subjects." Katherine's eyes widened. "That's right, Kathy. I killed all of those stupid boys who you turned. They were young, and their blood was refreshing. Lockwood? Your boys did it for me. Or should I call them your bitches?"
"Th-they're not…Stefan's not…" She looked away, and Klaus grabbed her chin, slamming her head into the cabinet behind her. She winced in pain.
"Stefan's the one you chose, isn't he?" Klaus murmured into her hair, pupils dilating.
"Yes," she whispered. She slowly reached into her pocket. Thank you, Damon, she thought. She withdrew the vervain, uncorked it, and splashed it over his eyes. He released her, shouting in pain for but an instant. She found a wooden stake in his chest pocket, and she stabbed herself, panting until she collapsed onto her knees. Klaus pulled the stake from her flesh, rolling his eyes.
"Your suicide attempts won't be that easy when you can't leave the apartment," he smirked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "and I wouldn't suggest pulling a trick like that again. Now where did you get the vervain from?" He drawled, his pupils dilating yet again.
"Damon."
"I see. I'll just…store that tidbit of information away for later use, then. Now, Kathy, come now. Get up. I'm not finished with you."
"What is there to finish?"
"I heard you don't like to play by the rules; that you used both the poor brothers. Is it just me, or are you a masochist? You did it once before; seems like you couldn't resist having both again."
"I-"
"And allow me to take a stab at why you chose Stefan. He reminded you of Elijah and his sweet, deep, kind words. And Damon frightened you, didn't he? He reminded you of yours truly." Klaus smiled arrogantly. "I've got you down to a tee, and you can't even speak. Poor, poor Kathy…"
"Shut up," she hissed.
"You don't tell me what to do, do you? You're in my domain now, Kathy. And because of that, you're mine as well. And you'd do well to remember it when I kill your ol' boyfriend." He smiled that despicable smile yet again. "And you'll be watching." Katherine etiolated.
"No, please not Stefan-"
"What will you do to save him, I wonder? Because Kathy doesn't stretch her neck out for just anyone. She saves her own." Katherine's jaw went taut.
"I will save him," she said, trembling, "I will save him, and if you stop me, so help me-"
"Of course I'm going to stop you!" he laughed, "how stupid do you think I am? Do you think I'm going to spoil poor Kathy? Oh, god no. If you thought that, you've got a whole other thing coming. Like this." He pierced her flesh with the stake, and she yelped in pain, her features screwed up as she attempted to hold back a scream. "Good girl, Kathy. Now remember that feeling. It'll be with you for at least half the time I wasted looking for your tainted carcass."
"If I'm just a tainted carcass," she snapped, "then why are you keeping me here?"
"Oh, Stefan," he said, imitating her voice, "how I long to be with you, but I'll never have you due to the fact that a kinder girl came and snatched you from me! But she looks exactly like me, so surely that means you still love me, somewhere in that warm heart of yours; all cozily tucked away in that gob of hair gel!"
"I said shut up," she growled.
"I'm not going to. You will, and you will in time learn this. When I want something, I get it. You're not the one in control here, Kathy. You're mine, and there's nothing you can do about it." His hand grazed up her leg, tightening around her waist. "And I can have you whenever I please." His lips crushed over hers, and Katherine was powerless. In Klaus's presence, and only his, she always was. And he always led their dance, in whichever direction he pleased. Because he was the predator and she was the prey. And that would never change.
A tear slipped down the side of Katherine's face. Stefan.