Title: The Raven and The Rose

Rating: M for safety

Summary: Klaus valued her a bit more than what she thought, what everyone thought. One shot. AU/AH. Dark-ish. M for safety.

About the story: Originally written for 25 days of Klaroline. Klaroline + Mafia. Klaus is one of the criminals and Caroline is a college student. It is a four part story.

Note: I don't own Klaroline, TVD. Everything I write is for fun and part of imagination. Excuse all kind of mistakes and no offence to anyone. I would love to hear you guys =)

You can love a monster, it can love you back. But that doesn't change its nature

- Eliza Crewe

0o The Raven and The Rose o0

0o Cherry Blossoms o0

The clinking sound of glasses, the buzzing sound erupted from people and distant live music was all Klaus could hear at Silas' birthday party on that evening. His sluggish look was just a layer he wore, like he would always, among the crowd as he scrutinized the faces with artificial smiles, and received a few from the so-called 'friends.'

In their world, people could choose only one option. Being an acquaintance or being a foe. There's no point of lying in-between. Sometimes teaming up with people, forming into groups is incumbent on them.

Under Silas' rule, they all might be quiet, but if the opportunity presents itself they wouldn't hesitate to rip out each other's throats.

Silas, the seventy year old man, was the mob leader, the ideal figure to the current generation and more or less a peace-maker among the gangs. Neither his age nor his conciliator role would make him less threatening, though.

But then—every single leader of the gangs was as ready as Klaus to occupy Silas' position after his death. Still, all the major gangs would come face-to-face and wouldn't launch troubles at times like this.

Klaus attended this boring party, just to be a part of it. No special interest. He should be quitting sooner or later and before that, once again, he would speak to Silas.

For almost fifth time, he scanned the room full of people from various backgrounds and then his gaze halted at one woman.

Everything about her told him that she didn't belong to this place, and that brought his attention rather quickly. She was careful, smooth as she moved around the hall. The baby pink chiffon material on her body was plain. At a corner she stopped and glanced at her surroundings before she looked into her phone and answered the call.

Within a minute, two people arrived at the place. A male and female.

The blonde in pink dress wasn't rigid, like she was before, while she spoke to them. As that tiny gang discussed, Klaus searched for Greta, one of his assistants, just to make sure they didn't cause any trouble.

Soon they moved in the direction of one of the guests. Klaus wasn't familiar with the cougar's name. The blonde plastered a polite, formal smile just the like the other two along with her.

Greta moved, waiting for her boss's order, but Klaus was too absorbed to glance back at her. His stormy blues eyes glued to the unfamiliar, fresh looking face across him. He didn't even stir in his place, as the tiny group followed that cougar into one of those empty rooms, left him to believe that they needed some privacy.

Not even glancing at his assistant, he made a clear order. "Her." He pushed chin at the pretty blonde's way. Lazily he might be gazing as she disappeared, but a dynamic smirk lit up his face. "I want every detail about her."

"Yes, sir," was all Greta gave him as a reply.

Good. What he would do with those details was up for later discussions.

0o Now I See You o0

Caroline bit into her lip from inside and sighed in obvious discomfort, as soon as she entered the place, after she moved past the verification process. The security around Klaus Mikaelson's manor was truly impressive and tough to break through. It reminded her of the random party she had attended a week ago.

At least her friends were there on that day. This time she had to face it all alone.

There's going to be a college fest and the members of their club engaged themselves to different activities. It was Bonnie, Matt and Caroline's duty to get sponsors. For past few days, they were literally on the roads—in search of organizations that could fund.

And then, like a day before, they received a letter from Klaus Mikaelson's organization. Not a call but letter. A very traditional way, she thought. The letter was directly addressing three of them—organizers of the club. It was saying that Klaus Mikaelson was inviting them for the party at his place and also he was interested to discuss about sponsorship they were seeking for.

A surprised Caroline was too confident to meet him, as she knew Bonnie would handle. But it seemed like she had no luck.

Stupid flu. It had to attack Bonnie at this moment?

And Matt's sister needed him now? As if to leave Caroline alone in the midst of strangers.

She floated, trying not to look to suspicious. Her face was free from all kind of emotions as she found herself in a corner, with a glass of wine. Minutes passed. All her anxiety was fading away slowly, along with her patience. She managed to scan every single face in the room, but no trace of Mr. Mikaelson.

Great. Was she even at right place?

Mentally she groaned, finding her glass empty. And it was then she found him.

He was just like the way he was in photographs which she googled. Tall, medium built frame with an expressionless, manly face and trimmed light brown hair.

But then, she felt different watching him in person.

Barely had she registered that she was gaping at him in awe, for more than what is required, and then her heart began to thump against her ribs while thinking about the time they had to face each other.

That made her nauseous.

Maybe she had to return and find some other way to meet him?

But that would be rude. And he wasn't any normal guy to take for granted. A powerful billionaire who might have too many connections across the country. Who knew? He might be having connections across the globe.

Oh great.

It just worsened her condition.

She fiddled with empty glass, as she tried to gather her courage.

"Miss Forbes?" a female voice purred beside her. Caroline found another unemotional, unfamiliar face. "Mr. Mikaelson is wishing to see you now."

Quickly she glanced in Klaus' way and noticed that he left already. The blonde remembered to breathe and then she responded with a firm smile which wasn't returned. Not at all comforting.

Silently she had taken rehearsals—how to impress him, convince him to fund them—as she followed the assistant of Mr. Mikaelson. Then she was left alone in the room—his office—which was no peculiar from rest of the house. It seemed like a typical country manor. This guy had a thing for Victorian era, Caroline figured it out.

Her jaw probably was touching the floor, scrutinizing every detail about the room she was standing in, by the time he entered.

Klaus Mikaelson.

There wasn't any warm smile on his face, but the way his mouth twitched had given her that impression. She could swear she saw dark mischief in those stormy blues. Surprisingly, it didn't panic her. Glass of wine might be the reason for that?

"Good evening, Miss Forbes." His sultry voice was a bonus to his charm. "I was told you've come alone."

She cussed inwardly, for not wishing him before he did. "My friends—they couldn't make it due to some personal issues." Wonderful. Now her stammering made her look like a fool, apparently. "They conveyed sorry."

Caroline wasn't sure if he heard her. He simply walked to his table, removed his black coat and placed on his chair. "Why don't you take a seat?" he pointed at the chair in front of him. Glad, she didn't trip before settling down. Then she mumbled a 'thank you' before she cleared her throat to begin about describing events of their fest. Thankfully, he didn't interrupt the flow. He was calm, once or twice met her firm gaze and occasionally nodded. "I see." He murmured, looking away as soon as she was done and told that they would show him their budget and plans through hard copy. "When is this fest you are speaking about?"

"Starts from next month 21st and goes through the week, Mr. Mikaelson."

"You barely had a month." He raised a brow, opening a draw and taking out his cheque book. Relief passed through her as he reached for his pen and stopped right before he signed it. Once again that evil glint possessed his eyes. A corner of his mouth bent into smirk. Softly he tapped the head of pen against table. "Do tell me, Miss Forbes, how many sponsors did you gather till now?"

"Two," came out as her blunt answer and when his smirk grew wide as a result, she wanted to slap that haughty look from his face.

"So, how much are you expecting from my organization?"

My organization—oh well, take it. An additional point to hate him.

"We don't force people, Mr. Mikaelson," she managed to keep her voice friendly and polite smile was playing on her lips. But if he was clever guy, he would sense her irritation which hidden—deep, deep down.

Possibly, he understood her words. The way he looked at her had changed. He was amused then and that was a relief to her.

Come on, snapping at a powerful person - wasn't smart thing to do.

"Are you enjoying the party so far?" he changed the topic, all of sudden, as he scribbled on the cheque.

"Yes, it is a great party." She lied smoothly and waited for him to give that piece of paper she came for.

But he didn't.

He leaned back into the chair and chuckled. "At least lie better, Miss Forbes."

A flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks. "Wine is good." She was sincere about it. "I truly enjoyed it."

"What else you will enjoy?" he asked, without missing a beat.

She huffed out a smile, momentarily darting her gaze away from him. "Many more." His smile wasn't light any longer. Then he sucked a little amount of air through his lips as he pondered about something.

He played with cheque, without looking at her. "On one condition—" he paused to meet her unwavering gaze, "—I'm going to give this."

A frown distorted her forehead. "And that is?"

"A date. With you." Faintly he smiled enjoying her reaction which was nothing but one blank stare. His thumb brushed against the lapis-lazuli ring on his index finger as informed huskily. "Don't look at me like that, Miss Forbes. I'm a business man and I enjoy making deals."

Silence enveloped them for almost a minute. Her eyes were everywhere but on his face.

He must be kidding.

"If you accept, then it is all yours." He nudged the piece of paper to her side. Teasingly, he added.

Well, he didn't seem dangerous and it was just a date, she thought to self after almost a minute of keen inspection of matters. Rising on her feet, she collected the cheque without looking at him, without uttering another word. Not even 'thank you' because it wasn't a favor. It was a deal.

"A friendly suggestion, Miss Forbes," he waited till she twirled around. "Focus on your presentation skills." She could say he contained his smile from slipping out. "They aren't up to the mark."

Slightly narrowing her eyes, she muttered. "I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Mikaelson."

"See you soon, love." She heard his words before she exited the room while she didn't fight smile embracing her features.

0o Slowly, Slowly o0

Laughing and clapping to their words wasn't something new to Caroline. She had been doing it since six months. Since from their first date.

Going for long drives, frequent dinners, phone conversations, random flirting with each other and occasional outing—that's what happened in these few months.

In the beginning, it used to be hard for her to forget what he was. Well, his background. And that left her to deal with insecurities which she managed to overcome slowly.

On one day, he had admitted "I fancy you." Her heart had skipped a beat before it started to pump at abnormal rate. A look of warmth had filled his eyes, which was something rare to witness. He had seemed ingenuous. She knew every word came out from him and every moment he spent with her wasn't a lie.

Also she knew she was falling for him.

Her laughter died gradually, felt her heart burdened with strange yet familiar feelings, as Klaus slowed down his car in front of her apartment. She didn't move and he didn't speak. Minutes passed by and both of them remained quiet, each lost in their world full of thoughts.

"Before I go," she ended the silence, "I want to know something." He waited for her to continue. As she fiddled she asked. "What made you to consider giving me a role in your life?"

A smile, firm and caused dimples to his cheeks, crept to his lips. "Frankly speaking, I don't know. I hardly controlled things that revolve around you." She wasn't convinced with his answer. His stormy blues sparkled with recognizable yet precious look. "You are like a slow poison, Caroline." Chuckling quietly he stared in front of him, his fingers walked on the steering wheel. "Sweet, dawdling, got under my skin before I knew and at the end have you ruined me for another person." Caroline blushed when he added that, as he rested head against the seat.

"I should be going." She told after a minute. "As usual I had a great time, Klaus."

"Likewise." She heard him saying as she unlocked the door, but didn't step out. Observing her hesitation, he asked. "What's bothering you, sweetheart?"

"I'm thinking—I'm thinking if it is fine to kiss you."

She was about to turn to his side completely. But he cupped her face with a hand and found her lips. Tender strokes weren't expected from his side. Wet and warmth—she experienced all of it. Tracing his jaw with fingertips, Caroline opened enough to let him explore, as his woody cologne surrounded her.

Even after he pulled back, she was still floating in the bunch of desires. "I don't want to go." She whispered without opening her eyes.

"Don't go." Sharply Klaus sucked a little amount of air before planting another kiss on the corner of his mouth.

0o Ruby Love o0

Caroline flinched at the sound of raking metals. Her lips quivered, terrified and startled from the recent events; she was abducted, blindfolded and her hands were tied while she was dragged all the way from library to somewhere. She had no idea what was happening with her until an unfamiliar voice purred at her.

He said he wanted to teach his enemy a lesson. Unfortunately, the enemy was none other than Klaus Mikaelson.

She gasped for some air, predicting all kinds of possibilities that could happen to her by the end of that day.

She was nothing but dead.

Falling in rivalry between two businessmen—she didn't see this coming. As per her captivator's words, she understood Klaus valued her a bit more than what she thought, what everyone thought.

Her body trembled again listening to bullet sounds coming from a distant. Was it Klaus? Was it the cops who breached through the place?

There's nothing wrong to hope.

Suddenly she felt a pair of cold hands on her, undoing the ropes, blindfold and tape on her mouth.

Greta, it was—Klaus's assistant.

Caroline was never so relieved to see her face. Before she knew, she was crushing Greta by hugging her tight, seeking comfort, as tears rolled to her cheeks. "Thank you, thank you—" she was blabbering, her voice was unusually loud, but she didn't mind, "thanks for coming, Greta!"

Greta was quite, patted on her back before she pulled away and helped Caroline to her feet. A faint smile on the blonde's lips began to vanish as she found a revolver in Greta's hands, under dim lighting.

Her heart sank down further, as there were traces of blood on her hands and still, the expression on Greta's face was callous.

"Sure." The rescuer didn't even bother to smile. In a clipping tone, she suggested. "We should keep moving."

Caroline managed to grasp a few details from her surroundings as she moved. It seemed like a cabin—sort of made in cave. Striding out of the stone chambers, she landed in the woods.

Night engulfed the forest and she took a minute to adjust to her new place.

What she witnessed was horrifying, froze her. Under the lighting around that stone cabin, she discovered corpses everywhere, their insides were evidently lying out and gave her impression that the ground beneath her feet was bleeding itself.

In the midst of this bloodcurdling scene, she recognized him. Standing tall, barely breathing and covered in red, dark fluid.

Caroline remembered she had to breathe, she had to move to his side, but she didn't dare.

And then Klaus turned to her. The glassy stare sent chills down her spine and it isolated her from his gang, around her, and that too within a fraction of second. It felt like as if she was his prey.

Her gaze darted to his hands—one was holding a long gun while the other was having a sword.

A sword.

No kidding.

He let out a huff of air before he strolled in her way. A sane part of her wanted to run for hills, away from him, but inanely she didn't, for she knew he wouldn't do such harm to her.

Well, frankly speaking she was too numb to move an inch from her place.

Dropping the sword and gun on the way, he placed hand on her waist before his lips brushed against the crown of her head making her heart to thump every second of it.

"You are fine, love?" he asked gently—so soft that buckled her knees.

She managed to nod in response, wondered how it was possible for him to be kind with her.

"Good." He breathed against her skin before pulling back to look her in the eyes. "Let us get out from here."

Another blank nod.

"I need a shower pretty badly." He said coolly as if he just came out after playing in a pool of mud, as if he returned from a jog. "And then we can dine together. What do you say?"

He didn't let go of her for even a second as he led her out of the massacred land while his group stayed back. Maybe to clean up?

And then, slowly she understood one thing—she hadn't been with some random rich guy this entire time; She fell in love with a monster and the monster was in love with her.

0o The Raven and the Rose o0

Thanks for reading. Leave your comments! =)