Prologue

"How'd you get here so fast?" she interrogated her newly friend who, wearing his usual charming smirk, was walking to her, his hands in his back.

"I was already on my way" he responded, "I received your graduation announcement," he continued taking the white card out of the interior pocket of his dark blue suit, "It's very subtle"

At that comment, Caroline could not suppress the smile that was already appearing on her creamy face.

"I assume you're expecting cash,"

"That, or a mini fridge," she laughed.

"I had considered offering you a first-class ticket to join me in New Orleans," he bitterly jested. Caroline suddenly felt somewhat uncomfortable, "but I knew what your answer would be, so I opted for something I knew you would accept"

She stared at him suspiciously.

"Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls," he painfully announced to her, holding back a grimace as his mouth let out the name of his rival.

Niklaus, as far as he could remember, killed the people who was preventing him from reaching his goal, friends or even the members of his family. The unpleasant fact that Tyler Lockwood, this poor small town boy was still alive exacerbate his wrath, like flames consuming a forest, but he knew that if he dared to kill Tyler, his chance to win Caroline's heart will diminish. All these centuries, he met a lot of women, often one-night-stands all different from each other, but none was like her, she was different. Caroline was incredibly smart, radiant and an incomparable beauty. She was also one of the rare person, excepted his sister, who dared to be honest with him, even if the truth could hurt him. She was probably like that because she knew he could not harm her due to his love for her, but he didn't care, he enjoyed the way she was resisting him, challenging him unlike to the other women who were easily falling for him. That was why he fancied her so much, she was the only able to stand up against him. She was the perfect Queen, and he was ready to wait for her, even if that meant to wait for years, perhaps centuries, he was ready to wait. They had eternity after all.

"What?" she whispered in disbelief.

"He's your first love," he smiled sadly looking straight into her eyes,"I intend to be your last, however long it takes,"

He made few steps toward her bringing his face close to hers. He detected something brief in her blue eyes, but he didn't know what it was. Caroline could feel his warm breath, such a zephyr fondling her skin. She didn't move feeling shivers running on her spine. Then, he put a soft , warm and stealth kiss on her cheek. She shivered again at the contact of his thin lips against her skin.

"Congratulations, Caroline,"

She smiled. She could not help but feel moved after his act. As time went on, she was discovering in Niklaus some patience and kindness, which meant that he was so evil and beyond redemption as people thought.

"Let's get out of here," he said breaking the silence and reached his arm out to her that she seized, "before twelve angry hybrids decide to pick a fight,"

They turned, arm in arm, walking on the long red carpet that was forming a hallway between the two squares of chairs on which were sitting the graduates few hours earlier.

"Good evening, Niklaus," they heard behind them.

Niklaus stopped walking, his limbs stiffening. He remained quiet for a while in disbelief. That smooth voice, that accent and that fruity smell that was dancing under his nose; he could recognise them anywhere. He suddenly felt a wave of feelings and memories overwhelming his heart and mind. He quickly turned and so did Caroline. When his eyes met her blue-emerald eyes, he immediately felt his eyes filling of tears ready to fall on his cheeks.

"Freyja" he murmured.

She grinned at him, her eyes gleaming of happiness.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this prologue. I must admit that this is my first fiction in english, so please be cool, english is not my native language, if you see spelling or grammar mistakes, tell me and I'll correct. See ya ;)

Mrs. Eudes