A/N: Hi guys, so this is my first time posting a fic or writing anything for Klaroline, although I am a huge fan of the pairing and have been an even bigger fan of the show as a whole since it first aired. I finally got around to starting it though and will hopefully continue it if people feel I should. I guess it was inspired in part by beauty and the beast, a pairing I feel bares remarkable similarities to Klaroline, hence the fact that they are both outcasts and I wanted to write them in a situation where they reluctantly get to know each other. This fic doesn't have a beta reader so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. I'd love to hear people's opinions, and if anyone picks up on any mistakes or feels there are tags etc I should have included I'd really appreciate it if they'd drop me a comment XD Anyway thanks so much for giving it a go if you decide to and let me know what you think! X
Caroline leaned on the bar, her blonde hair spilling over one shoulder of her black top, against which it seemed almost white. She lolled her head to one side causing the curls to tumble about her and pushed her red lips out a little. She wasn't there long enough to be that drunk yet but liked to give the impression that she was. The bar-tender was there to take her order almost immediately, eyes dropping momentarily to her low-cut neckline. She twirled her hair absentmindedly and ordered a gin and tonic before turning her gaze to sweep the crowd inside the club. However, there appeared to be only people there.
This was the pattern to her weekends now, trawling through the clubs within a three hour drive of Mystic Falls. However she wasn't here to date, despite the opinions of her classmates and her mother. After her first boyfriend, Tyler, she wasn't sure she wanted to ever wanted to date again. If the guy was alive she wasn't interested. It said a lot about her love life, or lack of one. No, the only special someone Caroline was looking for was one she hoped to bury six feet under by the end of the night.
She'd been hunting these creatures for around five years now, maybe she had a death wish. Her lips curled upwards in a smirk, ironic really given she was already half dead. Her mother was the only one currently in on the secret, to everyone else she was just odd.
Caroline hadn't always known what she was, but as she grew older it became clear that she was different from the other children. She learned to hide her differences as best she could and accept her mother's reluctance to talk about it. It wasn't until she was sixteen that her mother had finally told her what she was. Even her relatively newly acquired step-father didn't know what was in her, but then again neither did those she hunted.
Having no luck at playing bait she decided to abandon her seat at the bar and go in search of someone minus a pulse. She hadn't been weaving through the crowd for long when she felt a wave of energy. Her eyes landed on a man seated in one of the booths lined up against the back wall.
In the dark of the club all she could make out was his high cheekbones and mop of dark blonde hair but his features became clearer as he raised his head to catch her staring at him. His strong, arched brows, angular jaw and pale skin was a combination which made him devilishly handsome. And then his eyes, they were haunting, a vivid baby blue, ringed by the deepest indigo. Got you.
Caroline pasted a false smile on her face and sauntered over before sliding into the seat opposite him.
"Mind if I join you?" She asked, trying her best to sound alluring.
"I'm busy." He sounded impatient and had a distinct English accent.
Caroline paused, uncertain how to continue. This hadn't happened with his kind before, they were usually easy pickings. Reaching out, she traced a finger lightly over his hand, only to feel a surge of power. He definitely wasn't human.
"Pity, I was hoping to find a good time", she flashed him what she hoped was a seductive smile and barely managed to avoid cringing at her choice of words. A curl of amusement graced his lips and his blue eyes raked her appraisingly. This close she could see the flecks of silver in them.
"Bad timing, luv. I'll find you later".
He flicked his hand to dismiss her and she hesitated before getting up and walked away, seeing no other option. Now what was she supposed to do. She made her way to the bathroom to inspect her appearance and finding nothing obviously out of place she emerged a few minutes later, only to find he had gone. A search of the club produced nothing, so she stalked back to the bar, cursing her lack of productivity.
She had just ordered a fresh drink when a voice next to her spoke, "Beautiful women shouldn't drink alone".
She glanced to her right with the intention of turning him down before feeling the shift of energy which marked him as supernatural, albeit much fainter than that of the previous one.
He smiled revealing a set of pearly white teeth, "What's your name?"
Caroline tilted her head to the side in a flirtatious manner, exposing her neck, "Carol Phillips".
Short for Caroline, and the name of the first vamp who had tried to kill her, no one could accuse her of lacking sentimentality. His name was Killian and he was twenty-four, two years older than Caroline, or so he claimed. The club began to close up not long after that and he offered to drive her home, an offer which she graciously accepted. This one isn't going to get away.
He picked a deserted area to make his move, which suited her perfectly. Experience had thought her that it would be easier to dispose of a car that hasn't someone hasn't been killed in so when he made his move, she managed to open the door of his car and scramble out of it, shrieking with feigned terror. She pretended to trip and as he loomed over her his face changed to reveal his true nature. A pair of upper fangs appeared, where none had been before, and veins began to protrude around his knelt to grasp her neck and she slipped her hand into her pocket whilst pretending to struggle.
"It will be over soon".
And then she struck, driving the stake upwards until it pierced his heart. After a moment she pushed his corpse off her and got to her feet, wiping the blood on her jeans, "your were right," she murmured "It was over soon."
It was later again when she eventually returned home, having disposed of the body and the vehicle, but she was in high spirits, turned out the night hadn't been a complete waste of her time after all. One had gotten away, but another would be harming innocents no more. Her mother was asleep when she arrived home but she'd tell her about it in the morning. It was the first thing she asked when Caroline arrived home and Bill was out of earshot, Did you get one of those things? Caroline grinned, she most certainly had.
She was in such a good mood that she decided to try her look at the same club the following night. It was crowded again, as expected of a weekend. Having found nothing on her initial sweep of the place and feeling slightly dejected she headed for the bar, failing to notice the shift in the air before she heard his voice behind her.
"I'm ready for a good time now."
She whirled, ready to tear strips off the unknown creep before stopping. It was him. She felt her cheeks heat up when she remembered what she had said the night before, apparently he remembered it as well. She paused, thrown off guard and unsure how to respond.
"Well, let's go", he trailed his finger along her jaw before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Changed your mind luv?" He asked, a challenge in his eyes.
Not wanting to lose him again she gestured towards the door, "Lead the way."
He grinned, "oh no, ladies first".
Caroline obliged, glancing over her shoulder to ensure he was still following. Once outside he looked at her expectantly, "well get your ride and we'll be off".
She tried to appear unphased but the diversion from her usual routine had shaken her. As she lead the way to her truck she wobbled slightly, hoping he'd think she'd been knocking back the alcohol.
"You want to drive?, I'm feeling a bit woozy" she asked dangling the keys at him and flashing him an apologetic smile.
"I'd rather not" he responded, his strong English accent beginning to grate on her for some reason.
He looked her up and down, blue eyes glittering and his tongue tracing the inside of his bottom lip. Reluctantly but left with little choice, Caroline climbed into the driver side of the truck, she had slid the stake into the right leg of her jeans, given she had always been in the passenger seat before now. She bit her lip nervously and pulled away from the club, heading for the road out of town. Several minutes passed without either of them speaking, the silence was unnerving.
"What's your name?" She asked, blurting out the first thing that had come to mind.
"Does it matter,luv?"
Caroline swallowed nervously, "Just curious, mines Carol." She took a side road leading down to a lake.
"If you say so, luv" he drawled.
She shot him an annoyed glance before steering us deeper into the woods, oh I was going to enjoy this. When the truck came to a halt, he continued to sit as he had been, there was no way she could go for the stake yet.
"There's not much room.." She began, opening the door of the truck.
He didn't budge and a quick grin lit his face, "Plenty of room luv".
"It's Carol" she snapped, she was beginning to feel seriously aggravated, she hoped this hurt like hell.
He ignored her completely responding with, "Well, let's see what you got then".
Arrogant prick she repeated over and over in her head as she eyed him warily, this was way further then she had let things get before.
"You too" she responded beginning to unbutton her jeans.
He was only too happy to comply and began to loosen his belt, she ducked her head to avoid looking at him and her hand closed around the stake concealed in her jeans. That turned out to be her biggest mistake of the night, as she missed his hand clenching until it was too late and his fist collided with her head shockingly fast. There was a flash of pain and then there was nothing.