Pockets Full of Stones

by cupcakemolotov

Five years ago, Caroline Forbes bargained to save Bonnie Bennett's life. Now it is time for Klaus Mikaelson to collect.

Written for Uppity Bitch, as her 2017 Klaroline Valentine's Day gift!

---

Because she's a cruel mistress

And a bargain must be made

But oh, my love, don't forget me

- Florence and the Machine

Caroline didn't bother looking up as the pretty bell above the front door chimed, her brows tucking together in aggravation. It wasn't like her to leave the door unlocked on her day off, but she'd been distracted this morning. Bonnie had sounded subdued over the phone, her voice forced in a failed attempt at perkiness.

The footsteps moved further into her bakery, clearly unbothered by the chairs stacked on the table and the empty cases. Huffing, because at this time in the morning it was as likely to be a drunk looking for food as anyone, she raised her voice to be heard. "We're closed."

It was strange, living in New Orleans. The city was a riotous pocket of supernatural life while being surrounded by southern conservatism. Bars were open all day, drinking openly on the streets was allowed and rarely was there a dull moment. Humanity and supernatural co-mingled in a strange harmony where locals avoided paying too much attention to strange events, and tourists drunkenly enjoyed what they thought of as voodoo.

When she didn't hear the door open and close a second time, she finally looked up from the cupcake she was carefully decorating with a scowl. It was Monday, her long standing day off and the store was closed. She'd spent a few hours that morning sorting catering orders for tomorrow and untangling endless paperwork. She'd finally settled in for a bit of baking that afternoon, trying to perfect a particular cupcake recipe before she showed up at Bonnie's to figure why her best friend had been acting oddly. Caroline had given Bonnie a week to bring it up without prodding, and since she hadn't, it was time for a friend-tervention.

But since she wouldn't have the time to play with ingredients for the rest of the week, she was determined to make some headway. With the ridiculous human holiday tomorrow she would be in full swing for the next few days, and Caroline wouldn't want to see red or pink frosting for weeks. Holidays were always profitable, but vexing, and her best delivery boy was out with a broken foot.

Now someone was interfering with her me time.

Wiping her hands, Caroline headed into the front of the store where they usually sold a small selection of confections. She generally didn't have the patience to deal with people, and as soon as she could, she'd transitioned La Cupcake into a limited storefront that relied on catering for the bulk of her profit. She did good business for weddings and parties, kept herself just exclusive enough to be in demand.

Hand dipping into her pocket, she slipped on the glasses she had learned to tolerate, and strode out of the kitchen. Eyes scanning the tables and stools, she stilled as she took in the man who stood almost lazily near the cash register. It became suddenly all too clear why Bonnie was in a funk.

Klaus had found them.

His eyes were drinking in the space with the intensity she'd knew all too well. His curls were just long enough to be unruly, the dark blond holding a hint of gold. He was still dressed in the familiar, long sleeved shirt skimming the lean lines of his torso, a tangle of necklaces catching the morning light. His lips curved as his gaze moved to her, dimples flirting as he didn't bother to hide his slow perusal of her figure. Not that he could see much, under her flour spattered apron. She almost regretted not bothering with her appearance that morning, her outfit a pair of faded jeans, printed top and comfortable flats, her face bare of makeup.

Almost, but not quite.

"Hello, Caroline."

"Klaus."

She was relieved her tone was even, when she was suddenly found herself struggling with a bone-deep need to touch him. Five years ago she'd allowed herself the tiniest of tastes, and she was discovering it hadn't been enough. She hated surprises.

Amusement brightened his gaze for a moment, and Klaus clasped his hands behind his back as he continued to study her. An idiot might assume that meant they were safe, but Caroline had known plenty of men and women to fall for the nonchalance of his posture; the way he exuded sex, only to gurgle their deaths moments later. To trust Klaus was to die.

"A lovely little shop you have here, although I admit the cupcakes surprised me," he said, gaze finally drifting away to examine her large windows. "It's touch sunny for most vampires, but you should lure your share of the tourists."

"I doubt you're here to discuss my business plan for selling cupcakes," Caroline said tightly. "What do you want?"

A quirk of his brow, but Klaus made no move to cross behind the counter to where she stood. "Come now love, it's been what now? Five years since I've seen you? Why wouldn't I be curious?"

She refused to react to his reminder, the way his gaze drifted across her mouth. Beneath his words, the deliberate heat was a hint of simmering anger, that possessiveness he'd rarely bothered to hide. But she wasn't one of his vampires to cower.

"Give or take," she returned, tone overly polite. "And I've been in this city since you blackmailed me. It's hardly my concern if you and your minions cannot find what sits beneath your collective noses."

Caroline watched her words strike home, the tightening of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes. Something more flashed across his face, but it smoothed out too quickly for her to read. "I'd hardly call it blackmail, Caroline. An unfortunate piece of business, but if you recall, not one that I initiated. I was far more interested in other… matters."

His gaze held hers, steady and firm, and she shook her head. "I understand business, Klaus. Bargaining for my friends lives? That I didn't care for."

An elegant motion that might have been the equivalent of a shrug a few centuries ago, and Klaus paced closer, but kept the counter between them. His eyes lingered on her glasses, lips tightening at the edges, and she wondered if he disliked how they shadowed her eyes or that she wore them at all. Klaus had never been one to hide who or what he was and rarely concerned himself with what others might think.

Not when dual monsters lingered just beneath the camouflage of humanity he wore so easily on his skin, compulsion a liberal tool used as necessary. Caroline's talents were varied, but few actually involved blending in the way he managed when he chose to. Klaus had always been curious about her inhuman characteristics. But her bone deep fascination with him hadn't been enough to loosen her tongue, not that it had done her a whit of good in the end.

Gorgons were rare, and information was scarce. Klaus shouldn't have known what she was or what she was capable of. But he had.

"Business isn't always pretty, Caroline." He said finally. "I do believe, bargain aside, you came out well on the other side of it. I am not a particularly forgiving man, sweetheart, and my forgiveness is unheard of after an attempt on my life, or the lives of my family."

Her tongue curled along the edge of a canine, the need to drop her fangs and snarl a sharp burn. Oh, she'd believe the bargain he'd ground out of her, the way he'd dangled her Bonnie Bennett's life had been business. But the rest?

How many weeks had she laid awake, tossing and turning, fury and frustration a violent tangle in her chest? It would have been easier, if she could've believed the bargain struck over Bonnie's bleeding body had been his end goal, that she could believe that hint of fury had come from her defiance and not something far more personal. If only the intimacy they'd shared had been truly false.

Instead of biting him, Caroline crossed her arms and eyed him with distaste. "We'll just have to disagree on that point, won't we?"

A laugh, as low and tantalizing as she remembered, and his dimples cut deep. He seemed unbothered by her rejection, hand sliding casually into his pocket. "Tell me Caroline, have you eaten recently?"

She jolted, at the sudden change in topic. There were a hundred nuances to that question. A thousand possible answers, but even in anger she was honest. "Questioning my word, Klaus? I promised you two kills."

He arched a brow. "I'm assure you, I have forgotten none of the particulars of our deal, Caroline. I was speaking of lunch."

"No," she said flatly. Caroline already knew how easily he could charm, all the sin he could promise with the crease of his dimples. "We're not friends and I've no interest in playing your games this time."

Another slow curve of his stupidly attractive mouth, and then Klaus produced a thick envelope. She froze, lips compressing as he set it on her counter. Warily, she watched him slip his hands back into his pockets. "No? I confess I'm curious, sweetheart. What do you believe to have been a game?"

At her stilted silence, his tongue snaked across his mouth, something satisfied behind his eyes. "Perhaps it is best we save that discussion for a bit more intimate setting, hmm? Tell me what you know of the witches here, Caroline."

Awareness ran down her spine, goosebumps prickling across her skin at the hint of gravel in his voice as he all but promised he hadn't forgotten anything from five years ago. Chin lifting, she shrugged. "Ancestral magic, a bit pretentious. They seemed to be divided into two factions, and most of them hate you."

"Very good," Klaus murmured. "It's unfortunate they have taken such a stance against me, as I'd otherwise have little use for them outside of the occasional… project."

"I'm sure they were delighted when you phrased it that way," Caroline retorted tartly.

His smile was real, crinkling the corners of his eyes. "A minor tiff. But it has come to my attention they wish to resurrect a piece of my past I'd prefer remained dead."

She carefully touched the cream of the envelope. "This who you want me to kill?"

"That's an invitation to a formal gathering at my home four days from now," Klaus said in a voice she couldn't read. "My expectation is that the witches will attempt to crash the event with their surprise guest."

She dropped the envelope. "The window in which I can give a permanent death is not forgiving. What makes you think I can do what you wish?"

Flecks of gold sparked in the blue of his eyes. "Nearly five years is a long time for one of your kind to go without a kill, sweetheart."

Caroline shrugged, unwilling to offer any additional information. "Some kills take longer to digest than others."

A nod, his eyes dark and devouring. "Of course. I'm aware of your limitations, which is why I've invited your little witch friend, a few others. Mikael will be detained until such a time as your appetite is up for the challenge."

Her lips peeled back, fangs not quite visible. "Leave Bonnie out of this."

Klaus arched both brows. "Now why would I do that? Should she not be given the opportunity to make reparations for her actions?"

"I gave you Esther's death in exchange for her life," Caroline warned. "If you do anything to endanger that life, this piece of your past will be the least of your concerns."

Instead of anger, his smile was pleased. But beneath that satisfaction was something darker, something that spoke to the monster that lived in her bones. Startled, she sucked in a breath as he pressed one hand on the counter between them, leaning forward so he was only a few inches away.

"Then it is a good thing you shall be in attendance as well, hmm?" Klaus dragged his gaze down her throat to linger on her pulse, tongue snaking across his bottom lip before he straightened. Eyes dark, lashes hooding his gaze, he breathed deep and made an appreciative sound. "I have forgotten none of our time together, Caroline. Or the promises made."

Her throat ran dry, stomach tightening. Blinking once, she shook her head. "They ceased to matter years ago."

Turning, Klaus headed for the door, everything about him satisfied. "You'll find, sweetheart, that a few years hardly matter for the truly immortal. Take care, Caroline. The city will be unkind this week. If I remember correctly, for all your fierceness, you've a bit of a soft spot for humans. I'll bleed this city dry, should you come to harm."

Caroline hissed, and his smile was delighted as he turned to face her. "The soirée is black tie. I know the next few days will be busy for you, so I'd be delighted to assist in finding a gown should you be unable to find the time to shop."

She pressed the edges of her claws into the counter, glaring as he sauntered into the street. Setting her teeth, Caroline breathed deeply until she could control her temper and then went to clean up the kitchen. The necessary attention to tweak her recipes would be shot now. She'd box the frosted cupcakes and head over to Bonnie's to find out exactly what was going on.

---

Klaus stepped into his study, shutting the door softly behind him. He paused for a moment, letting the familiar smells of paint and old leather wash over him. The house was quiet today, his siblings and minions scurrying about per his orders, but there was no point in inviting someone to peak in. Particularly after their recent and spectacular failures.

Gaze narrowed, he headed to a low table, and reached for the crystal decanter to pour himself a drink. Swirling his glass of bourbon, he set about meticulously dissecting the memory of every facial movement, each flicker of emotion behind Caroline's eyes. The way she'd watched him. She'd struck far closer to the heart of his temper than she'd known with her dig at being under his nose all these years.

It was a discussion he'd be having with several people, over the next few days.

For nearly five years, he'd vacillated between fury and a vicious, clawing need. Often in the beginning, he'd raged at the impotent wish to destroy her, to cut her out from beneath his skin. But the opportunity had had long since passed. With a single bargain, he'd not only handed her what she needed to protect her friend, but he'd allowed her to protect herself. It had been a sign of just how deeply she'd slipped past his defenses, that he'd given her her freedom instead of death.

That should have been the end of it.

Yet, instead, even after her disappearance, the years had proven quite clearly that his fascination had deepened into something far more dangerous than mere possessiveness.

Seeing her again when she stepped out of that kitchen, flour splattered across her apron, knuckles streaked with frosting, had only confirmed it. The immediate rebellion from his wolf as it took in the glasses she used to hide her captivating eyes, the wariness and rage that tightened the corners of her mouth, told him just how much he'd fooled himself.

Now, he found himself scheming to coax that hostility from her eyes, remind her of the heat that sparked so potently between them. She was here, in his city. Had put down roots, for all that she'd deny it. A business. Friends. The report that had finally been handed to him after he'd tracked down the Bennett witch, after he'd coerced Caroline's location from her, had been filled with interesting tidbits.

It hadn't been enough.

Draining his glass, he set it down and walked over to a painting he'd left covered for months. The white cloth protected it from prying eyes, kept him from announcing this unexpected weakness to those who would use it against him before he was prepared. Sometimes, simplicity was the best way to hide something.

A familiar, biting pair of blue eyes and a tumble of golden curls framed the face that had scowled so fiercely at him mere hours before. Here, Caroline was covered in gravel dust, the blue of her eyes startling in color against the gray on her skin, something sated and triumphant behind her gaze. An expression he'd never had the chance to put on her face himself, a situation he planned on rectifying at the earliest opportunity.

He'd painted the ground at Caroline's feet with the broken stone and gravel of her kill, and it suited her, the fierceness. He wondered how she looked with blood on her lips, her fangs dripping poison. A thousand questions lingered on his tongue, and how close he'd been to discovering the answers.

This time, he'd no intention of letting her slip from his grasp.

The buzzing of his cellphone interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced down, smile curling as he recognized the caller. "Ms. Bennett, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You weren't supposed to see her."

Klaus fervently disagreed. "Are you somehow under the impression that you make the rules, witch?"

Bennett ground her teeth, a near-growl catching in her throat and he quite enjoyed the frustration in her tone. It was unfortunate that Caroline seemed determined to remain steadfast in her loyalty to Bonnie Bennett. It limited his ability to respond to the events five years ago in any way that would be satisfying. Still, he wasn't above a little pettiness.

"Caroline exchanged the death of my mother for your life. I will honor that bargain, but do not mistake tolerance for benevolence should you interfere again. I am allowing you this opportunity to clear your debt to my family, but I am not a forgiving man."

"Neither am I," she said firmly, and Klaus laughed. He did enjoy her spirit, on the occasion that it was useful. It was a pity that she'd chosen so poorly, but it hadn't been unexpected. Witches tended to fall into fairly predictable patterns, and this one suffered from her grandmother's delusions.

"As long as you understand. You are replaceable, witch. Never forget that."

It wasn't quite the truth, as even Marcel's pet witch didn't pack the same punch as the last Bennett. But that did not mean he was without alternative means. It would be less efficient, but there were a number of alternate pieces he was willing to sacrifice should Caroline prove to need a few more weeks to work up an appetite.

At a hundred and fifty-five years, it was rare for her to go so long in between kills. He wondered if Mikael's death would give her the same satisfaction as his mother. If she would wear the remains of her meal like ash on her skin. It intrigued him, that he didn't know. Gorgons were rare, and in all his years, he'd only met one other. A beautiful creature of wild hair and stunning beauty, it had been her eyes he'd remembered most. A grey so clear they'd been nearly silver.

It was one of the rare times he'd felt remorse after a kill.

"You can't push her," Bonnie said finally, voice taut and angry. "I won't let you."

"I'm aware of her limitations, witch."

An actual growl. Amused he poured himself another finger of bourbon, and shifted his gaze back to the painting he'd uncovered. Later, he'd coax her into lying on his bed, the subtle lines of her monster stark so he could paint her bare and sated, the curve of her lips over fangs.

"If the covens find out who she is…"

"I'll destroy them," he returned sharply, willing to brook no interference on this. If the covens were so unwise as to attempt to claim what already belonged to him, he would ruin them. It was clear there was some connection between Gorgons and witches, Caroline had known the Bennett witch the entirety of her life, and the Travelers had attempted to use her predecessor to kill him in revenge for the death of Katerina. He was certain had he allowed any of that particular line to survive, their need for revenge would have burned hot. He'd killed both their doppelganger and their Gorgon.

"It isn't that simple," Bonnie argued.

"You'll find that killing is hardly complicated. Now, If that's all, my attention is needed elsewhere."

Klaus didn't wait for her to respond, ending the call. Setting the device aside, he took a slow pull of his drink, enjoying the burn. He'd learned more in the last five years about Gorgon immortality than in the hundred and fifty since he learned of their existence, but he intended to know more, and soon.

But the Bennett witch was correct. He couldn't push Caroline's magic to bend for him, not unless he was willing to lose her, and that was an unacceptable outcome. Gorgons dealt a death so final, not even the other side could catch their souls. But if they killed too often, utilized their magic too frequently, they'd become the monsters whispered of in Greek myth.

No magical bargain could change that.

Klaus had no intention of allowing Caroline to became another Medusa, cursed with a monstrous form and a single, mortal lifespan. No, he intended to claim her for the very long length of her existence. To do so, he would destroy anything that wished her harm. It was a pity that he had been unable to experiment with the last Doppelgänger's blood, to create the hybrid army to throw at his enemies. But that opportunity would come again, and then he'd have one more supernatural safeguard to keep what was his safe.

Fingertips brushing delicately against the image of her face on canvas, he considered the best way to go about softening her opinion of him. He had four days until his little soirée. Once his father was crushed stone, he had every intention of coaxing Caroline into his bed. He was certain it would take some effort to soothe the edges of her temper, but the challenge excited him. The length of his years had taught him the rarity of finding something like Caroline, and his wolf relished the coming hunt, had already scented an opening. For the woman who'd snapped at him that morning had been anything but indifferent.

And wasn't that delightfully promising?

---

Caroline's feet ached from a day spent rushing about, her brain tired even if her body was too keyed up to sleep. She'd forced herself to stay an extra hour after after their last delivery had been boxed, knowing she'd never rest if the nightmare of paperwork remained scattered across her desk. Tomorrow would be busy, filled with catering orders and one birthday party, and she'd have no time to organize it. Still, they'd somehow survived the forty-eight hour push for Valentine's Day with only one of her catering team bursting into tears.

Caroline took that as a personal win.

A lone horn started to play down the street, the vibrant sounds bouncing off the buildings, and the familiar nightlife coming through her window should have soothed her. Any other night, she'd have poured herself a glass of wine and settled on her balcony, her bare feet stretched out and hair left to curl wildly in the humid evening. But her wine cabinet was empty, and she felt antsy. Between her conversation with Bonnie and seeing Klaus again, even hours and hours of catering couldn't settle the mess of her tired thoughts.

She didn't like that he'd been right, about anything. But Klaus was a brilliant tactician, and why lie when the truth was far more expedient? Shoving a hand through her bangs, she leaned against her counter and tried to gather thoughts into some semblance of order.

God, he was frustrating.

Bonnie had been furious that Klaus had contacted her. Caroline had appreciated the sentiment, but trying to force Klaus to follow any sort of expectations was useless. There was nothing that could be done now that he'd found them, she was honestly a tiny bit miffed that she'd been denied showing up at his doorstep once her hunger grew more potent. It would have served him right.

Bonnie hadn't taken her comments well. But in the end, the magic binding Klaus to his word would be nothing but a deterrent should he decide to betray them. The only way to kill him was tied to the spell that created vampires, and the knowledge of how to kill him was secreted away. His death keyed to a single, unknown object and as ancient as her magic was, it couldn't change the foundations of what made Klaus immortal. And if she was honest, she wasn't certain she wanted him dead.

It grated, that she still liked him, but she'd come to accept that the human morality her mother had tried so hard to instill in her hadn't quite stuck. She'd known five years ago that what lived inside her, what she was would never be human. Her existence meant people would die, and it was only her usefulness to the witches that kept her from being actively hunted for extermination. Klaus and his honeyed words, his laughing promises to show her the world, had perhaps pushed her a little further towards a truth she'd been struggling with, but what he'd coaxed from her was not a new, troubling realization.

And if anything, Klaus' appearance two days ago had proven her possibly deadly fascination wasn't going away. Murderous, mercurial moods and hyper paranoia were detractors, but those traits were only part of a truly fascinating personality. He was well read and well traveled, had a vexing habit of being right, but it was the agility of his mind that drew her the most. Klaus stayed multiple steps ahead of everyone around him, eliminated his enemies with an admirable viciousness and was unbelievably charismatic.

What's a such pretty monster like you doing here of all places, sweetheart?

It was that charm, that hunting-sharp focus, that had drawn her in before she'd really understood how dangerous he could be. But even then, she hadn't been able to pull away. Perhaps Bonnie had been right, it all had been nothing but a honeyed trap. Yet, Caroline was certain that she wasn't the only one who'd been caught unaware.

Not after Klaus walked into her bakery, and coaxed instead of threatened. He'd been annoyingly right, he hadn't started the fight that had left parts of Mystic Falls in smoking ruin. And now that they'd struck a deal, he'd be unable to coerce Caroline into another bargain.

But why the deliberate enticement yesterday?

She had to assume that Klaus was aware of the restrictions surrounding her magic. That a deal struck protected her from future attempts at coercion? Gorgons traditionally spent their lives binding witch bloodlines into bargains, until they were safe from all retribution. And retribution would come for her, one day. The violence, the utter destruction of her victims, assured it.

Caroline could mesmerize, could poison with her fangs, but the only true way to feed her monster was to turn her victims to stone. Her only path to immortality was to feed on a thousand souls, until her own power settled into every cell in her body, until killing her was an impossibility. No Gorgon had ever made it.

So what did it mean, that when she'd bargained for Bonnie's life, Klaus offered her her own?

A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. Frowning, she glanced down at her work outfit of slacks and blue button up, and she sighed. She reached for her glasses, and hesitated. This late at night, it was unlikely that she'd need them.

Twisting her hair into a messy bun, she padded to her door, muttering curses as she threw the lock. Swinging the door open, her breath caught in her throat as she took in the subject of her earlier thoughts. Annoyance flared. Just because she wasn't certain how she felt about him didn't mean she wanted to deal with him.

"Klaus, here I'd hoped you'd be too busy harassing your minions to bother me. Come to make sure I don't run?"

Klaus' dimples peaked at the corners of his mouth, and he straightened. In one hand dangled a familiar bottle, and the other slid into the pocket of his jeans. "Such a suspicious mind, Caroline, when we both know you'll deliver my price. We're bound by the same magic."

It irritated her, that he knew so much about her magic when he'd seemed so surprised to find her all those years ago. What had changed? "Then to what do I owe this interruption?"

The length of his lashes swept down, hiding his eyes for a handful of heartbeats before his gaze returned to hers. Gold sparked in the blue, the wolf clear in his eyes, and his smile curled higher. "I thought after a day spent catering to human inanity, you'd enjoy a drink away from the crowds."

She bit her lip, charmed despite herself at his words and boyish grin. Her eyes narrowed in an attempt to hide her sudden delight. "You don't like Spanish wines."

An arch of his brow. "I'm not the one who needs the drink, love."

Since the label was one of her favorite Malbecs, and not one of his preferred Burgundies, she knew he'd have to have bought it specifically for her. A little manipulative, a little sweet. She supposed she could take the wine and shut the door in his face, he might even let her. But…

Why waste an opportunity? Even one that would mean inviting him into her home, allowing him the angle he was looking for. Klaus would take the chance to remind her of the tantalizing connection between them, but it was a risk she'd take for answers. Hand settling on her hip, Caroline arched an eyebrow. "I want to know how you know about Gorgons."

"Ah," Klaus murmured, tongue wetting his lips. His eyes gleamed, subtle approval mingled with amusement. "That's a bit of a story. Could take some time."

Her gaze dropped deliberately to the bottle in his left hand. "You have until the bottle is finished."

His laugh followed her as she turned to collect glasses. She bit her cheek to stifle her own grin, and she had it firmly under control by the time he joined her in the kitchen. He accepted her churchkey with a low thanks as he rolled up his sleeves. It took more effort than she wanted to admit, to avoid ogling his forearms as he uncorked the bottle.

Swiping glasses, she headed to her little living room with its squishy couch and loveseat, paused when he didn't follow her. Turning, she frowned, tracing his disapproving gaze until they landed on her glasses. She raked her lip with her teeth, studying the set of his jaw.

"Why do you wear them?" Klaus question, wolf an unexpected rumble in his voice.

"Because they camouflage my eyes," she said simply. His gaze moved to hers, and she shrugged. "You once asked why I was in Mystic Falls. It's easier to hide what I am, in places where people don't know to look for me."

His eyes narrowed, Klaus finally followed her out of the kitchen. "Unlike here?"

Caroline snorted and settled on the couch, watching him with a narrowed gaze until he sat, far enough away that she couldn't immediately feel the heat of him. "You're not the only creature that knows how to coerce bargains, Klaus."

"That," he murmured as he filled their glasses, leaving them to breathe on her coffee table. "Would greatly shorten the expected lifespan of a great many witches."

She shifted, curling one leg beneath herself, moving to face him. Klaus returned her appraisal, body sprawled lazily across her cushion. "Murder doesn't remove the obligations of a bargain I agree to enter into, Klaus, as I'm certain you're aware. I am also not yours to protect."

A slashing look, a tightening of his jaw. "No?"

"You owe me a story," she reminded him instead of repeating herself.

His smile was almost lazy, behind the calculation, and it did nothing to hide the predatory gleam behind his gaze. Leaning forward, he handed her one of the wine glasses, settling back in a pose that mimicked hers, and the casualness of it was suddenly intimate. Swallowing a mouthful to hide her reaction, she motioned for him to start.

Klaus chuckled suddenly, leaning back. "I imagine you won't be surprised to learn that I met your predecessor when she attempted to kill me."

Caroline smirked, lips curving against her wine glass. "Hardly."

An amused tilt of his head, and he took a slow sip of the wine. "Hmm. In order to give you a proper retelling, I suppose I should start by telling you the story of Katerina Petrova."

"The doppelganger?"

A thoughtful glance from beneath his lashes. "I'm surprised, sweetheart. I put quite a bit of effort into destroying even a hint of her legacy."

Caroline shook her head. "Esther was quite chatty, when she hoped she'd had a chance to sway me. Then she talked because she hoped to bargain a quicker death."

A flash of yellow, what might have been a rumble of the wolf. "One day, I would like to know the contents of that conversation."

"She didn't tell me how to kill you," she said softly, swirling the wine. She held his gaze, the crawling wolf in behind his eyes. "Not for lack of trying, of course."

"Of course," he echoed.

Rolling her eyes, she lifted her leg to nudge his thigh with her toes. "My story, Klaus."

His hand dropped, fingers curling around her ankle. Scowling, she wiggled her foot, and his thumb brushed under the hem of her pants, stroking skin. "Have you heard of the Sun and Moon curse, Caroline?"

"No," Caroline said, shivering at the brush of callouses, finally relaxing when he kept his hand from sliding higher. She should have pulled free, but she liked the feel of him, would allow herself this tiny taste.

Klaus nodded. "This part of my history is no longer quite so hidden, but it is… shadowed. Esther… Esther gave me immortality, and locked away an intrinsic part of my soul in one fell swoop."

His eyes were a little distant, the motion of his thumb slow, as he clearly thought through his past. She held her tongue, listening as he spoke of his curse, the way Mikael hunted his family and the intricate way he scammed the supernatural in an attempt to find the one hope he had of freeing his wolf. The Doppelgänger.

"Ah, but pretty Katerina, she was clever," he murmured. "It was almost a shame, to kill her. In the end, she did have one last trick. Katerina was a descendent of a group of witches known as travelers, and they did not take kindly to her death."

"They knew a Gorgon."

She wondered how they'd found the long dead Gorgon. There were only ever three alive, Greek Myth had gotten that correct, and Caroline had never even heard a whisper of the other two who were scattered across the continents of the earth. They were not yet old enough or strong enough that the drive to seek them out, to destroy them before they reached immortality was an itch beneath her skin.

Theirs was a poisonous sisterhood.

Klaus inclined his head. "She didn't have your look, love. Too much red in her hair, a hand or so shorter. But her eyes. They were remarkably similar to yours, not in color, but similar all the same."

"It's not reincarnation," she said softly. "Not the way you know think of it. We're reborn new when we die, and while certain racial memories linger, nothing else remains."

His gaze sharpened. "You were born nearly one hundred and fifty-five years ago."

Caroline reached for the bottle, topped off her glass. "Exactly ten months after you killed my predecessor."

"It was unfortunate, but I could not risk that her magic would neutralize mine," Klaus sighed, something almost like regret lingering in the line of his jaw. "But it seems that your ability to enthrall does not work on me, and as for your venom, well, I'd be delighted to test it, under more… intimate settings."

Her pulse jumped, at the sudden lowering of his tone, the flare of heat in his gaze. The deliberate skimming of fingertips along her ankle. Her skin prickled, heat lingering wherever he touched, and she narrowed her gaze.

"That explains your willingness to meet my eyes," she said instead of addressing his offer, the temptation of his blood on her tongue. "Most monsters are smarter than that."

His gaze was knowing. "I'm told mesmerization stops being an involuntary reaction to fear, once you reach a certain age."

She snorted, jiggling her foot in a silent rebuke. "I believe we've talked enough about me."

"Have we?" Klaus said thoughtfully, setting his empty glass aside and she tensed. "I disagree. Why New Orleans?"

Caroline compressed her lips. She felt no need to exchange information, not for what he had already given her. That was her price for him being in her home. But it was clear he wouldn't give her more, unless she played along. Aggravated, because he'd done to her before over candlelight, with food and wine, she growled her next statement.

"Because I knew it'd annoy you."

He laughed, head tipped to the side, dimples flashing. "Your ability to hide was certainly maddening at times."

She shrugged. "I found your attempt to kill Bonnie equally galling. How'd you find us?"

"To be accurate, I found your witch," Klaus said casually, fingers curling around her ankle possessively. "However you hid from my witches doesn't seem to apply to her."

That was a secret she'd take to her grave. "Tell me about a Mikael."

"What is there to tell? He wishes to avenge my mother." Klaus shook his head, eyes narrowed. "It will be of import once you've eaten him. Tell me, how many kills will his death give you, sweetheart?"

Caroline yanked her foot free, and stood in one quick motion. Her cheeks flushed with alarm, fangs burning in reaction beneath her gums. "You're not supposed to know about that."

He followed her up, chin dipping as he held the blaze of her eyes. "One thousand kills, before your immortality becomes permanent. Two a year, through the first decade of your life. Then the time between becomes sporadic."

Heart hammering in her chest, skin drawn tight over her cheekbones, her voice was taut when she spoke. "You shouldn't know that."

"There was once a coven of witches who stole the truth of your making," Klaus said softly. "They no longer exist, but their tomes do. I've made a point to collect them."

Confused and angry, she stepped away. "Why are you telling me this?"

"No Gorgon has lived past their five hundredth kill," he replied, eyes dark with repressed violence. "They have either gone insane and killed too often, or were murdered by witches."

She glared at him, fingers curling into fists. "Do you somehow imagine I don't know this? I told you, we maintain our racial memories. If one of my sisters had become immortal, I'd know."

She'd know if they were close. It was a matter of survival. Only the first two Gorgons to reach a thousand kills would be made immortal, the third trapped forever as a mortal. She'd heard the whispered speculation that the third would be cursed as a medusa, passing along the hideousness to all her descendents. Caroline didn't know if that was true, and had no intention of finding out, even if meant one day fighting one of the others to stop the transformation.

Even if it meant dying.

"Why do you care?" She continued, voice taut. "Once our bargain is complete, you will no longer be a threat to my life. And I will be of no further use to you."

Klaus stepped forward, fingers brushing lightly against the hollow of her throat. "Ask me that again, once my father lies in ruins at your feet."

Caroline swallowed hard as he stepped away. "Your…"

Klaus' smile was deadly, eyes glittering. "The witches were not wrong, to think that I ran from him. But now that I've killed him, watched him die by my hands? I've decided that his returning repeatedly is a bit tedious."

She scrambled mentally to try to understand. His mother, and now his father? The story he'd told her earlier became a touch more wrenching, the tightness to his jaw and the wolf in his eyes better understood. It wasn't pity, and it certainly wasn't absolution, but it was another piece in the puzzle laid out before her.

Wetting her lips, she swallowed. "You'll have your kill."

His head tipped down, amusement a blade in his eyes. "Of that I have no doubt."

She curled her nails into her palms as he turned to leave. Klaus paused by her door, and turned to smile in her direction. It was sharp, dimples cutting deep, and she froze at the burn of it. "Do not mistake what is between us as merely a bargain, Caroline. Once completed, you will be free of it, but it would be foolish to imagine that disappearing will be so easily done this time."

"Do you imagine you can cage me?"

The promise of sin darkened his eyes. "What I am offering is hardly as trite as a cage. Be very certain that you can reject me if that is your wish, Caroline. I do not plan to make it easy."

She stood frozen in her living room, pulse thundering in her ears. The confirmation that he knew the consequences of the bargain between them left her shaky. Klaus knew he couldn't kill her. More importantly, he knew that the her future kills would be her choices to make, not his.

And the searing look as he left, the open possession, told her he wanted her anyway. Caroline pressed her fingers to her lips. She was in trouble. Her resolve had been weak five years ago, and every interaction, every rough invitation from his eyes and body, just weakened her further.

It was time to talk to Bonnie.

---

"Are those Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes?" Bonnie's voice cut through her concentration and she looked up see her friend watching her through narrowed eyes. She looked a little tired, but her gaze was bright. "Are we hiding a body?"

Caroline snorted out a laugh and motioned to one of the stools she kept around for the occasional visitor. "Not tonight."

Bonnie arched one perfect eyebrow before walking over and settling on the stool. Bracing her elbows on the counter, she eyed the two dozen cupcakes that were mostly frosted, scowl settling into place. "Bribes, then. Please tell me you have a good reason to make them so they don't all go home with me."

"A dozen are yours," Caroline said, glancing up to laugh at the despair on Bonnie's face. "As long as you don't eat five them at once, you should be fine."

"It's like my perfect hell," Bonnie muttered, reaching out to pilfer one. Her fingers tugged the paper aside, and she swiped at the icing, licking it off her finger with a look of approval. "You didn't skimp on the baileys."

"As if I'd ever?" Caroline retorted, straightening to scowl. "What you're holding is the perfect blend of Guinness Chocolate Cake, Irish Whiskey Chocolate Ganache and Baileys Irish Vanilla Buttercream Frosting."

"The Guinness is new?" Bonnie said thoughtfully before taking a giant bite. Her next words were mumbled, but Caroline had a long history of figuring out Bonnie Bennett Cupcake Tells.

"You can't eat the entire dozen at once, Bon Bon."

Bonnie shrugged and stuffed the rest of her cupcake into her mouth. Rolling her eyes, Caroline handed her a napkin and finished icing the remaining cupcakes. "Water bottles are in the fridge if you're interested."

She ran her tongue over her teeth, shaking her head. "I'm good. The only possible way those could be better would be if the icing was chocolate."

"Not everyone has your ability to consume chocolate on chocolate, Bennett."

Bonnie laughed and jumped off the stool. "Where's the dress?"

Caroline nudged her chin towards the garment bag hanging away from the heat of the ovens. Bonnie dusted her hands. "I'm so jealous that you've already figured out what your wearing. I'm still waffling."

"I called in a favor," Caroline said as she snapped open a cupcake box and started packing away the cupcakes. "There wasn't any way I'd have time to shop this week. I was lucky the dress didn't need but a few minor alterations."

There wasn't a chance in hell she was giving Klaus the opportunity to buy her dress. Part of her was curious to see what he'd produce, but the rest of her was vehemently against it. But she hadn't been expecting what the witch who owed her had offered, when she'd raced for a fitting on her lunch break.

Bonnie nodded and headed over. "Lucky. Well, spelling it to be impervious to gravel and dirt isn't difficult, which means we can have more cupcakes. Reminder, I can keep off some blood but don't bathe in it."

Caroline said nothing, merely waited for the sounds of the zipper, and the pause as she heard Bonnie's breathing hitch. Carefully boxing each cupcake, she waited for Bonnie to break the silence. She didn't have to wait long.

"Care…"

She looked over, took in at the glorious confection of starlight chiffon that had been delivered. The intricate embroidery of flowers only added to the overall illusion, and the nude layer of the skirt left a titillating suggestion that any movement might show bare skin. The bodice was made up of two wide lengths of the chiffon, leaving her back mostly bare. Coupled with the plunging neckline, straps impossibly delicate, it was the single most magnificent dress she'd ever owned.

She was a tangled mess of anxiety and anticipation when she tried to imagine Klaus' reaction, her heartbeat a kick in her chest. She'd never seen Klaus in formal wear, and she knew she'd struggle to keep her hands to herself, and keeping her dress on… how much did she really want to?

Bonnie visibly swallowed as she turned back to face her, the corners of her mouth tight with strain. "This dress is gorgeous, but you won't blend in."

Caroline wetted her lips, and shook her head. "No, I won't."

"Is this because of Klaus?" Bonnie asked after a moment, the expression behind her eyes going hard. "Because if it is…"

She held up her hand, shaking her head. "It's not entirely about Klaus, but I can't deny that he played his part. Will you sit, please?"

Lips pressed tightly together, Bonnie sat back on the stool, shoulders tense. "If the witches learn what you are, they'll try to entrap you."

"We're not children anymore," Caroline said firmly. "We've grown teeth."

Bonnie ran a hand down her face. "It's not that simple."

"I can't live my life hiding, Bon."

Her fingers curled into fists. "And what happens when it gets out? When they start to hunt you?"

"They've always hunted me," Caroline pointed out in exasperation. "I've killed a hundred and twenty people, Bonnie. It's only a matter of time before a witch realizes what I am, and tries to strike a bargain. You know the rules as well as I do."

Bonnie flinched. "But, Care…"

"Bargains must be honored. Bloodlines that were once unable to bargain due to a previous fulfillment, can when a Gorgon is reborn." Caroline repeated the knowledge she'd been born with. "Once a bargain is complete, the bargainer cannot harm me and I cannot harm them."

"I know this," Bonnie snapped, shoulders tense. "Why do you think…"

Her words cut off with a snap, and Caroline arched both brows. "Then you know that once the witches in New Orleans learn that I've already bargained with Klaus, that I cannot attempt to kill him without justification, they'll kill me to roll the dice. See if the next Gorgon will be willing to try."

"I hate it," Bonnie ground out. "I hate that you might die and no one will remember you. That your face and your spirit will be gone, and you'll be reborn into something new and different and not-Caroline. That it just starts everything all over again. Because someone is greedy or forced you into a bad bargain. I hate it."

"The Gorgon before me was named Sylvia," Caroline said softly. Bonnie jolted, the rung of the stool scraping across the floor. "She was once the oldest, just over six centuries. She'd consumed three hundred and five souls."

"You said you didn't remember…"

Caroline sighed. "I don't. Not the way I remember the last hundred and fifty years. Not the way I know you. I told Klaus we only keep racial memories, and that's true. But each death, each rebirth, we learn just a bit more about surviving."

Bonnie brightened, spine straightening. "But that's good, right? It means we can disappear once this is over."

"No," Caroline murmured. "Six hundred years, Bonnie, and my predecessor wasn't even at the halfway mark. Think of the bargains she struck, how she must have struggled. I won't do it. I won't be the puppet of witches, tying one witch after another into complicated bargains, eliminating their ability to kill me. I won't spend hundreds of years hiding."

Bonnie looked at her, eyes filled with uncertainty. "Do you know who killed her? Sylvia?"

Caroline laugh held no humor. "Klaus."

"How do you know that?" Bonnie demanded, palms slapping into the counter. "Did he threaten you?"

"He told me, last night. As he sat in my living room, splitting a bottle of wine with me." Caroline arched a brow. "He spoke of the Travelers, a coven of witches who struck a bargain for revenge, and how Sylvia tried to end him. How she failed. How he killed all of them."

Bonnie looked worried, brows bunching together. "But that means…."

"It means Grams was wrong, and I was right, my magic won't work on him."

Bonnie cursed, slipping off the counter to pace. Caroline carefully taped the cupcake box closed, and wiped her hands clean. "Tell me you aren't working with the witches here, Bonnie."

She whirled, eyes glittering. "Of course not."

Caroline rapped her fingers against the counter, shoulders tight. "Then why the anger? You know that for all that he's done, I'm not sure I want Klaus dead. I'm still pissed at what happened between us, but I am not… I don't, I'm pretty sure I don't want to end whatever this is between us."

"Yet," Bonnie rebuked. "You don't want him dead yet. I'm giving it time. The more Klaus talks, the more I want to watch his brains leak out his ears. At some point, I'm sure you'll feel the same."

Running a hand over her face, Caroline sighed. "Honestly, Bonnie? The more time he and I spend together, the more I want to see him naked."

Bonnie recoiled, face twisting up in horror. "Caroline! That's too much information. I don't want to know that. Never, ever say Klaus and naked in the same sentence ever again!"

Head shaking, Caroline crossed her arms and glowered. "I'm not exactly always thrilled with the knowledge either, you know."

Lips pursed, Bonnie stared at her for a long moment. "Then why?"

Shrugging, Caroline sighed. "I thought you didn't want to know details."

"I know you had that thing," Bonnie admitted, the unhappy lines of her shoulders easing a bit. "Before Grams died. But I didn't think it was serious. Not with him being… what he is."

Caroline nodded, and took a deep breath. "You need to tell me what happened, Bonnie. And why."

Bonnie looked away. "Care…"

"I need to know, Bonnie."

She shook her head, eyes sliding shut. "It's been five years."

"Bonnie," Caroline said softly. "Esther is dead, but Mikael isn't. He was an original vampire when Klaus killed him the first time. Who knows what trickery he'll return with. I know the witches want him dead, that you want him dead, but I've given my word to destroy him. Tell me what you know, please."

Bonnie was silent for a long moment, before she nodded. "I don't know what deal Grams struck with Esther. I wasn't there for it. Grams was… she was so angry, after we discovered that Abigail had been turned. That she was lost to us. The anger wasn't right, but I didn't think…"

Caroline held her tongue, teeth digging sharply into her lip. Bonnie's eyes were wild with old anger and pain, her fingers clenched tightly together. She finally took a deep breath, and her eyes met Caroline's stubbornly.

"I know they needed Doppelgänger blood for the spell. There was also a sense of urgency, because they didn't want him to find Elena."

"Why Doppelgänger blood?" Caroline asked.

"Klaus hunts for them. He always has, even after his curse was broken by Katerina's death. No one knows why. But I think… I think they thought…"

"Surely they weren't trying to curse him a second time," Caroline whispered, something twisting in her chest. To redo his curse would leave a scar on the world, one carved into the witches and humans he'd destroy. "His rage…"

"As a vampire, Klaus is dangerous but containable. As a Hybrid, he's nearly impossible to control. I know there was a discussion about a prison world, how they might lock him away? But it won't work as long as he's a hybrid, he's too powerful," Bonnie licked her lips. "Esther knew there had to be balance, to make the spell work. So she did her best to mitigate it, although she came to regret that decision. To kill an original vampire, you only have to stab them through the heart with a stake made of white oak."

Caroline stared at her, face drawn tight with horror. "That's…"

"A near impossibility," Bonnie muttered darkly. "Before her previous death, Esther cursed one such stake to be indestructible, but it's been over a hundred years since it was seen, and Klaus was the individual to possess it. He's hidden it. And he's systematically hunted and destroyed any white oak sapling or antique items made of it for centuries. There's nothing easily accessible left."

"But if anyone would know where Klaus had hidden such a stake, it would be Mikael," Caroline murmured in slow growing horror. "He might have watched, from the other side. But he's no witch, for witches to glean his knowledge from. They have to bring him back."

"Yes," Bonnie agreed. "But even that might backfire, as Mikael sees the destruction of his family as his responsibility."

"I know Grams was determined to protect nature's balance," Caroline said slowly. "And I understand that it's an intricate part of being a witch. But we both know that there have always been monsters in this world, Bonnie. The things Qetsiyah did to magic for revenge, that is what caused the true imbalance. As long as the other side exists, the monsters are trapped instead of being folded back into the energy of the world. They aren't given the chance to be something new."

"I know," Bonnie murmured. "But wherever Qetsiyah hid Silas, we haven't found him."

Caroline raked her fingers through her hair, brows tucked tightly together. "Even if we do find him, he's over two thousand years old and immortal. How do we kill him?"

Bonnie grimaced. "We'll need something stronger, and there aren't many of those lying around. If you were older…"

Klaus might be their best bet, but he had no reason to square off against another near immortal. And the odds of them finding him were so slim. Thoughts for a different day. "Klaus killed your grandmother, he slaughtered Elena. Do you want revenge?"

"Yes," Bonnie ground out, fists balling. "I spent years dreaming of it, hunting any shred of information that could be used against him. I wanted him to suffer. You killed Esther for her part, but sometimes I even hated you a little for saving me because I'm the only Bennett left."

Swallowing hard, Caroline nodded.

But Bonnie deflated suddenly, hand trembling as she pushed her hair away from her face. "But you're right. We're not children anymore, and blaming you isn't fair."

"I'd have saved you both if I could have," Caroline said softly.

"I know," Bonnie admitted. "I know. I think I might have lost Grams the moment she struck her deal with Esther, it's just neither of us knew it yet."

They were both silent for a long moment. When Bonnie broke the silence, her voice was tentative. "Are you actually serious about this… Klaus thing?"

Caroline licked her lips, nails digging into her palms. She wished she knew how to put into words what was between her and Klaus. She wished she could explain how she could smell him hours after he'd left, how she'd forced herself to ignore it. How everything inside her wanted to sink in with teeth and claws, how he'd drawn her in without her express permission. His monster didn't frighten her, it was alluring and complicated and fascinating. Maybe that would change one day, maybe she wake up and see only what disgusted her, but that wasn't today.

"I don't know. It depends on what he says once his father is dead. But I'm not truly human, Bon. I don't think I ever have been. The things that Grams, that mom taught us? They don't… those lessons don't fit. I have to kill to survive. One day, perhaps, I'll have killed enough to never die. Immortality will change me, that's undeniable, and I can't always fight those changes."

Bonnie looked conflicted. "Magic might not let Klaus bargain with you to kill for him again, but that doesn't mean a lover wouldn't be more inclined to destroy his enemies."

"Yes," Caroline agreed. "And if he only sees me as a weapon, I'll walk away. And this time, he'll never find me."

This one secret, she would keep. Caroline doubted that Klaus knew of the nuance that kept her hidden, that a bargain struck kept her obscured from magic if she wished it. She was certain he'd never have let her out of his sight, if he'd known.

"I don't like it, Care."

"But do you still like me?"

Bonnie jerked, and then she blinked rapidly, as if she was fighting a sudden sheen of tears. "You're my family, Care. I don't have to always like your choices to love you. I just don't approve of him."

Her own eyes felt wet. "I lied, you know."

"About what?"

Caroline grinned shakily. "All the cupcakes are yours."

"Caroline Forbes," Bonnie said exasperated, hands flying up. "I'm going to die."

Laughing, Caroline stepped around the counter and hugged her. "Like a few cupcakes are going to defeat Bonnie Bennett."

Bonnie squeezed back. "Shut up. I'll spell your dress, okay? And then we're going to go back to your place, and figure out how we're going to handle all the other witches once you've outed yourself. And once I'm drunk off of baileys frosting and whiskey ganache, you can give me the PG version of this Klaus-situation. The one I should have asked for before I tried to kill him."

Caroline tightened her hug. It was the best she could hope for from Bonnie. Her friend had changed over the years, but she was still 'd always be human. And her heart was just as big as the day they'd meet, a hundred and thirty years before.

"Love you, Bon Bon."

She sighed, stepping back with a crooked smile. "Love you too, Care-Bear. Now come on, let's figure out how we're going to kick Mikael's ass in such a way no one here will bother you ever again."

"Deal."

---

The Mikaelson mansion was beautiful.

Caroline had admired it from across the street once or twice, wondered what a millennium old vampire thought as homey. She knew very little about it, other than the fact that the Mikaelsons had built it in the 1860's, and had renovated it repeatedly over the years as modern technology developed. The high gates, and careful landscaping had alway given her a sense of foreboding, but now she wondered if that hadn't just been simply, well-crafted spells. Inside, the colors were almost soothing, the grand staircase to the right leading up to the family levels, and the lower floor was well lit and welcoming.

For now.

"Is it what you were expecting?" Bonnie murmured as they stepped inside. Caroline didn't answer, gaze sweeping the gleaming lines of the foyer, the low hum of voices, and the soft music of what sounded like an orchestra filtering through the hallways. It was breathtakingly old world, a sense of weight and age that was remarkable.

"A bit ostentatious for my tastes," Enzo commented, dark brows arched in amusement. Caroline had been surprised to see him, as Bonnie hadn't mentioned she'd called him when it became clear that they might want a little more strength to their numbers. They'd met Enzo years earlier during the scuffle with the Augustine Society, and they'd been friends since then. Caroline trusted him, but more importantly, so did Bonnie.

It'd amused Caroline, that her witchy best friend wasn't quite meeting her eyes, and Enzo didn't appear to be bothered by Bonnie's personal boundaries. As if she'd been unaware of the simmering tension between them. Caroline hoped that this meant that Enzo had finally made a move, and mentally planned to quiz Bonnie about it once the dust settled. They looked good together, Enzo in his dark suit and Bonnie in her dress of plum lace. But what really drew the eye was the way they lingered in each others space, the hint of the blush high on Bonnie's cheeks.

"Hush," Bonne whispered, eyes darting around. "They probably have spies everywhere, and Klaus doesn't have much of a sense of humor."

Enzo shrugged, his expression unconcerned. "Haven't seen many signs to suggest much of a personality, either."

"Enzo!"

He grinned, nudging her with his arm. "The music will muffle most of our conversations, Bon Bon. Don't fret."

Caroline had shook her head, amused by Bonnie's grumpy expression and tilted her chin towards a staircase. "I think it is best that I stay away from the Ballroom."

Bonnie frowned, brows tucking together. "I doubt they are going to allow someone to roam the house, Care."

"It's alright," she murmured. Tonight there would be fewer safeguards, to allow Mikael inside. "Stay with Enzo. Once Mikael is dead, I'm sure whatever witches brought him here will attack. I know you're a mini-witch storm, but if you get hurt, I'm taking it out on Enzo."

"Don't worry about us, Gorgeous," Enzo told her as he tucked Bonnie's arm in his, smile widening. "It's been ages since I've been allowed to have fun. Some old fashioned mayhem will be quite enjoyable tonight."

Shaking her head, Caroline slipped upstairs on silent feet, heels looped over her fingers. No one stopped her, and she explored quietly, taking in the strangely beautiful details of the Klaus' home. Old, gleaming wood and breathtaking art framed beautifully by antique furniture and delicate crown molding. In a way, Enzo was right, it was a touch extravagant, but it was stunning all the same.

It fit.

Biting her lip, she glanced around the floor, but it was silent. Few of the guests would be interested in this level, and fewer still would be brave enough to risk pissing off the Mikaelsons by invading their privacy. For a moment she strained her hearing, trying to place where Klaus might be, but she heard nothing.

She hadn't seen Klaus since he'd walked out of her apartment. Part of her had hoped for a chance to see him before the fighting began, to give herself a chance to affirm what she wanted to do, once their bargain was complete. But that clock was ticking down, and she wasn't sure they'd have the time.

What she hadn't pointed bothered to point out to anyone was that she would be the first target that Mikael would hunt. Even his hatred of his son would be no match for the draw of a Gorgon bargain. Caroline wondered if Klaus knew that was how Sylvia had found him all those years ago, that once a bargain was struck it would draw all the parties together. It was possible Klaus had merely intended to dangle their bargain between them for years, waiting for the right person to appear for her to kill. But that wasn't how her magic worked. The old gods that had created her kind were vindictive and petty, and her magic was nuanced to reflect those tendencies. On some level, Klaus had to have wanted his father destroyed beyond his ability to return.

So magic had provided. Mikael would likely think his need to kill her simply vengeance that Caroline had Esther's soul beyond his reach, beyond any witches' reach. And she'd be ready.

She just needed a place to wait.

Biting her lip, she opened a door that didn't appear to belong to a bedroom and slipped inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the floor to ceiling book cases, the pompous yet comfortable looking pieces of furniture that were scattered about. Her lips curved, and she shut the door quietly. She could still hear an echo of the music from below and that worked in her favor. If she'd miscalculated and the attack started before Mikael found her, then she'd hear it. Setting her shoes down near a chair, she padded to a bookcase.

The books were in pristine condition, and she ran a careful fingertip down the embossed writing. The books felt old, but clean, no lingering trace of magic here. She wondered if there was a second, larger library on the grounds that held the highly coveted grimoires the Mikaelsons were rumored to own. Delighted by her find, she slowly perused the collection, amused that not a single speck of dust could be found.

Caroline approved.

Everything appeared to be delightfully and ruthlessly organized. It was a place she might have found restful, had she not been waiting for Mikael. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the temporary peace, letting herself relax if just for a moment.

"You look beautiful, Caroline."

She startled, turning to face Klaus as he stepped into the room. Her mouth ran dry, as she took in the stunning simplicity of his suit, the stupidly attractive lines of his clean shaven jaw. But it was the expression behind his eyes, the heat and open hunger, that kicked her pulse.

"Utterly exquisite," he murmured as the door clicked shut behind him. "I'll paint you in this dress, in moonlight. And again, later, after I've peeled it slowly from your skin, naked and resplendent in my bed, as you dream."

Caroline bit the edge of her lip, and tried to hide the shudder that ran down her spine. "A bit early, to discuss fantasies, don't you think?"

His smile was slow and heated, dimples cutting deep as he walked closer. Klaus was wearing the faintest bite of cologne, and she wanted to press her face into his throat and breath in the unexpected scent against his skin. She wondered if he'd taste as good as he smelled.

"Why?" He murmured, fingers lifting to brush lightly against the bare skin between her breasts. "I've made no attempt to hide that I want you. Would you tell me your fantasies, Caroline?"

"Shouldn't you be downstairs?" She rasped instead, skin flushing at the open admiration he made no attempt to hide. His smile deepened, fingers sliding up to skim the edge of her ear and she shivered.

"Just one," he coaxed. "A little bit of torture, until I can beguile you into my bed."

Caroline dragged her teeth along her lower lip, watched as Klaus' eyes tracked the motion hungrily. There was no hiding her body's reaction to him, not in this dress, but she didn't mind. Not when his eyes were dark, the flush growing along his cheekbones stark without the usual beard. "I want to bite you."

His gaze was heavy lidded, voice a low rumble when he spoke. "Do you?"

"Hmmm," Caroline hummed, letting herself touch him, fingers gliding down the line of his throat. "My venom is a neurotoxin. So as you can imagine, biting during sex is a bit counterproductive."

"Ah," Klaus murmured, as his hand lifted, thumb brushing across her mouth. "I believe that shouldn't be an issue, but to be certain, a few orgasms before the attempt should soothe your temper."

Caroline chuckled low in her throat, and dug into his collarbones with her nails. "We shall see. I'm not averse to making you watch, helpless and immobile, while I get myself off. Assuming of course, I agree to join you in bed."

The last sentence came out a bit more of a taunt than she'd intended, but the sudden flare behind his eyes, the glittering challenge in his gaze, intrigued her. She expected him to return the dare, to press into her space. Instead, he gave a short, flawless bow and offered her his palm.

Her pulse skipped in her throat.

"You are of course correct," Klaus said, lips curling into something dangerous. "It would be quite ill-mannered of me to assume, when I should be seducing. Allow me to begin."

"And your father?" Caroline questioned, without dropping his gaze.

"Mikael has not yet arrived. The witches, including your little friend, are in place. More importantly, sweetheart, it'd be a grave misfortune if you didn't have the opportunity to dance at least once in this dress." His smile was full of such charm, and Caroline found she wanted to dance with him. To take a moment for herself before horror painted the evening red.

Caroline settled her palm against his, and found herself unexpectedly fighting a laugh as he dramatically twirled her so that her skirts flared. Klaus was smiling again when he brought her into the circle of his arms, the hand on her waist hot through the thin layers of her skirts. Music was the faintest of notes in the air, and still she found herself moving with him easily.

"You're good at this," Caroline said a touch breathlessly after a series of turns that left her skin prickling, waist and back burning everywhere he'd touched.

"Centuries of practice, sweetheart," Klaus reminded her, the slight widening of his smile was her only warning as he tugged her into a set of complicated steps that left her grinning. "You enjoy dancing."

"This isn't the only dancing I like," she replied, teeth catching her lip in memory. "How we danced in Mystic Falls was fun too."

The lingering taste of beer on her tongue, the long, lean line of Klaus at her back, his hands sneaking up the front of her top to tease her abdomen with mindless patterns. He'd left her breasts aching, her panties wet. But that had been so quickly ruined.

His gaze lingered on her lips, a hint of gravel touching his voice. "I remember."

Another turn, and Caroline took a steadying breath. "Why were you in Mystic Falls, Klaus?"

"It's interesting, how over the years, Mystic Falls continues to draw the supernatural. I've often wondered if that is what lured my own family or if an echo of the our making, the magic, that remains."

"Bonnie believes you were hunting Elena."

"Yes, as much good as it did me," Klaus replied, voice filled with old shadows. "Doppelgänger blood has its uses, and I've a particular curiosity regarding it. The Petrova Doppelgänger is not the only one that pops up, but it is the most predictable."

She nodded, silent as they continued to move, the only sounds in the room the whisper of cloth brushing against each other and their breaths.

"I did not expect to find a Gorgon, Caroline. I did not hunt you; a bargain never held much appeal for me, as I, perhaps foolishly, believed both my parents destroyed. Finding you in that small town bar remains one of the more astonishing moments in my life, and I am not easily surprised, sweetheart."

Caroline arched an imperious brow. "They had the best fries."

A hint of amusement curved at his mouth. "Is that what kept you returning? Regardless, you fascinated me from the start."

Her breath hitched at the word fascinate, the unblinking admiration in his eyes. Swallowing, she dug her nails into his shoulder, voice taut. "Am I just a weapon to you, Klaus?"

"Not," he murmured, "the way I believe you are inferring. With my parents soon to be destroyed, there is no threat that can stand against me."

She shook her head, eyes wary. "But you do see me as a weapon."

He paused, pulling her tight against his chest, even as her skirts twirled around their legs. His eyes were serious, something near-feral in their depths. "You are a naked blade, Caroline. A dangerous one, but the only hand that shall wield it is your own. Do I find your methods of killing to be enthralling, the way you destroy your enemies down to their very souls, so that magic itself cannot fix what you have wrought? Without question. But just as captivating is the woman, who left me floundering for half a decade out of pure spite."

"You deserved it."

His head dipped, breath ghosting across her lips. "Tell me your choice of recompense, and I shall pay it gladly."

Her fingertips brushed along the curve of his mouth, and she considered him. So much had happened in a single night, and here she was five years later, having returned to his embrace. But before even that, had been the week in which he'd courted her with a number of faces. It hadn't been until he'd finally let her catch of glimpse of him, the real him - murderous and capricious, moody and intractable - that she'd been interested.

More importantly, either she trusted him to be honest in this or she had no business in his bed. And there was no point in denying the desire that sat hot and low in her belly. But it was more than just a need for physical release, he fascinated her too.

Letting her body go soft, she pressed the swells of her breasts against the heat of his chest. Caroline laughed softly as his hand slid lower, cupping her arse in an immediate response. Lips parting to breathe her reply, she stiffened at the first scream. Straightening, she scowled as his grip tightened.

"You need to be downstairs," Caroline said as she tried to step away. "He'll be drawn to me, as he is marked by our bargain same as you and I. You cannot be here. Klaus."

"Caroline."

She shook her head in exasperation. "I just have to touch him, Klaus. Then our bargain will be complete. Go."

His gaze was dark, something suddenly cold and sharp glittering behind his eyes. "Do not allow him to inflict so much as a bruise, Caroline."

"My magic is only neutralized by you," Caroline whispered, voice barely a thread of sound. "To get to you, the night you killed Grams and Elena, I mesmerized Rebekah. I am not helpless."

Her fangs dropped, pupils widening. Klaus looked enthralled, but not frozen, as he took in the glimmering patterns that reflected across the thin band of the brilliant color of her irises. Like a cobra swaying to hypnotize its prey, human and monsters alike found it impossible to look away from her eyes once trapped.

"You will come for me, with your eyes just like this," he breathed, fingertips delicate against her cheek before he was gone. Caroline shuddered, that one demand heightening her arousal to a nearly painful ache. The growing hunger in her veins was for Klaus, but as her monster stretched beneath her skin, it was also for her coming meal.

Her meal that had just entered the room. Mikael came from a door she had not noticed, away from his son. Caroline gave herself a moment to study him, letting her magic lose to seep into the room.

Mikael had been handsome once, she suspected. Even now, he maintained the bone structure of it, the comeliness that he had been passed down to his children. But it was a hollow attractiveness, the spark of it eaten away by rage and bitterness, leaving behind a creature meant to be pitied, not admired. Esther had worn the different lines on her face, her griefs born of desperation. Mikael was a child of rage. Caroline knew how to handle rage.

"Esther was delicious, you know," she said to the Mikael. "Witches always are, but your wife had tapped into magic my kind hadn't tasted for eons."

"You will not speak of her, when you've allowed the bastard of my family to touch you, when you stink of him" Mikael said tightly.

Caroline arched her brows, sauntering closer with an amused smile. Even now, when a smart predator would have lunged forward with the intent to strike at her eyes, he merely watched her. She'd no doubt he thought himself safe, beyond her magic, but his stillness told her that even now her magic even had its hooks in him.

Esther had been smarter, she had realized almost at once that she was in danger. Not quite quick enough to stop Caroline from lunging at her with cobra swiftness and discharging the venom in her fangs. Esther had been left in agony and unable to call on her magic as Caroline slowly drained her dry and every last dreg of her soul.

Caroline had no intention of biting Mikael, not when Klaus had look so intrigued and aroused by her want. She knew her bite wouldn't kill Klaus, he might not even feel the pain of it. But if by some quirk he was paralyzed, she'd keep her promise and force him to watch as she stroked herself to orgasm, as many times as she could manage before he was free of the effects.

As for Mikael, Caroline had found that men were far more susceptible to their egos. Mikael would never think her a danger, until his blood began to harden. She loved that moment of realization, when they knew they would watch themselves die. That desperation feed her nearly as satisfyingly as devouring their essence.

"Does it bother you?" She taunted, keeping just out of arm's reach. "Knowing that Klaus has succeeded where you have failed? That he will survive eons, regardless of your attempts to destroy him? That I wear my arousal for him so openly on my skin, and without shame?"

"He is a monster," Mikael said as his gaze met hers. His smile was cold. "I do not fear your power, Gorgon. You'll find I am no easy prey."

"Did the witches tell you they could protect you?" Caroline asked as she let her power bleed into her eyes. "That they could shield you? Perhaps they might have managed it, before Qetsiyah changed the rules, before your wife created near-immortal monsters. But my magic is older than theirs, and witches do not have the power they once did. The ancestors have insured that. They will never allow another Qetsiyah or Esther to scar the world."

The first stirring of unease bloomed in his eyes, but still, Mikael remained unmoving. Gaze locking with his, Caroline allowed herself to sway just a hair, forcing Mikael's eyes to track her. Even a true Medusa, who wore snakes in her hair and was endlessly thirsty, could only turn her meal to stone via touch. But that was not their only weapon.

In Ancient Greek, when they'd guarded temples and altars in exchange for easy prey, the acolytes had been taught to fear the slow sway of their bodies. Mikael was hers, now, even if he didn't yet know it. It was in the way his shoulders eased, the slight slackening of the corners of his mouth. How he rested flat and heavy on his heels, his body told her that her prey was enraptured by her hypnotic eyes.

"I wonder, will you satisfy my hunger as completely as Esther did?"

Mikael seemed to realize his error, that her magic had caught him, at her husky words. She watched as he attempted to lunge at her; Caroline could see the strain of it behind his eyes as he understood he was utterly unable to move. Her smile was wide, with fangs glittering in the light. She moved until she'd closed the distance between them, and settled her palms and fingertips delicately along the curve of his throat. She could feel the jagged staccato of his pulse in his arteries, the carotid and jugular throbbing beneath her hands.

She took a deep breath, savoring the first real hint of fear. "Can you hear them screaming below, your witches? Smell the blood in the air as Klaus murders them? I can almost taste them in the air, and I am without your senses. How does it feel, knowing that will be no deliverance for you tonight?"

His skin shivered beneath her, rage and hate jagged beneath the slow growing glaze of his eyes. She brushed her thumbs along his neck, the motion mockingly soothing.

"Shhh," Caroline breathed before pressing her hands firmly against his skin. She kept her eyes wide on his as she let her hunger loose, magic coiling between them. "Shhh. This will hurt, but your heart, your lungs, they will turn last. I promise you, Mikael, that you will feel every excruciating moment. There will be no afterlife for you, no eternal rest. Just the endless depths of my hunger. And I will be here with you for every moment."

It was a gradual change to stone, unlike the Hollywood depictions of her kind. First the feet, so that if she was interrupted, her prey couldn't run. Then the joints, and the slow calcification of veins and arteries, blood turning sluggish as his heart fought the change. Inch by inch, the flesh of his legs would turn dark and grey, the change so total that even should he escape and amputate the limb, all he would grow back was stone.

By the time the skin under her palms grew smooth and cool, only the eyes remained untouched. His body encased in perfect stone, utterly drained of magic, but Mikael was still aware. Smiling, hunger nearly sated, Caroline curled one hand around his stiff neck, body pressing close. Dust brushed along her skin, but Bonnie's magic protected her dress.

"I hope that was as painful for you, as it was delicious for me," Caroline crooned, parting her lips and breathing deep. With each deliberate inhale, she took took small, dainty bites of Mikael's soul, the very essence that created Mikael. Vampires weren't soulless, for all that hunters claimed such a fate, they were simply scoured by magic beyond recognition.

And they were delectable.

Once she'd devoured every drop of him, Mikael's eyes turned flat and a lifeless gray. Letting out a slow moan of satisfaction, she removed her hands. A heartbeat later, he crumbled into a pile of stone and gravel at her feet.

She swayed, drunk on her meal.

The library doors swung open and Klaus stepped through. His perfect curls were now tumbling about his forehead, blood splattered down the edge of his chin, splashed across the crisp white of his shirt. His jacket was missing. Even the blonde tips of his lashes as he blinked were tipped in rust, his dominate hand slick and dark. His body went motionless as he took in what was left of his father. Then his gaze returned to her, eyes dark with such violent want she was moving towards him before she'd thought the act through.

"Klaus," she said throatily, smiling when a shiver ran across his skin. "Mikael is dead. I am free of your bargain."

The danger behind his eyes did not lessen at her words. Instead his jaw tightened, every part of him turning to a different kind of stone. His tone was harsh and words bitten off, his control shredded.

"You may leave, if you wish. I will not try to stop you, tonight."

Delighted that even with their bargain complete he wanted her, she cupped his jaw with hands streaked by gravel dust. His eyes flared, yellow crawling along his irises, and she showed him her fangs.

"Is Bonnie okay?" She demanded as she drank him in. His hands stayed at his side, muscles taut and rigid beneath her palms. Frowning, she plucked at his buttons before ripping them free. "Take this off."

"The witch is fine," Klaus ground out, finally catching her hands as his shirt gaped open and her fingertips reached for skin. "Caroline."

"I want to stay," she nuzzled beneath his ear now that it was safe, breathing in the scent of him. She was somehow still hungry, for all that she was bloated on power. "I want you to touch me."

His palm cupped the nape of her neck, urging her to look at him. She did so with a sigh. His eyes were wolf bright, lips slightly parted as he took in her face. "You're swaying. Are you drunk?"

"A temporary side-effect of absorbing that much power," Caroline dismissed. She pursed her lips, spine straightening, her gaze narrowed. "Have you changed your mind? About me staying?"

His laugh was low and dark, and he lifted one bloodstained hand to cup her cheek. "Of course not."

"Then why the hesitation? My thoughts are not muddled, Klaus. Shall I tell you want I want? Is that what you need to hear?" She demanded, nails trailing lightly across his jaw. "I want you to take me upstairs. And if you're very, very good with your tongue, when your cock is inside me for the first time, I'll bite you. Try not to disappoint me."

His smile was triumphant and dangerous, dimples bracketing a bloody promise of sin. This time she took his offered hand without a hint of doubt and let him lead her through his home. There was an occasional scream that wrenched through the air, and the heavy scent of blood lingered like perfume. But Klaus, bloody and disheveled before her, the smooth lines of his abdomen framed by his unbuttoned shirt was all she saw. When they reached his room on the third floor, she was aching.

Pulling her inside, he untucked his shirt, and tossed it quickly to the side. There was no patience in his movements, eyes nearly scalding her everywhere they touched her skin. "If you wish to keep that dress, take it off."

Caroline approved of his urgency. She was wound so tightly it wouldn't take much to get her off. But she forced herself to go slow, smoothing down her hidden zipper and removing the pins in her hair. Tossing them towards a table, gaze locked with his dark eyes, she carefully untangled herself from the gossamer straps. Klaus' belt hit the floor as she stepped out of her skirts, utterly bare, and she smiled as she turned to drape the dress across a low couch.

"I'll need…" she started, but her voice turned garbled as he was suddenly pressed along her spine, one hand at her chest, the other dipping between her thighs. Spine arching to offer him more of her breast, Caroline shuddered as he toyed with her nipple and clit, his smooth cheek pressed against hers. Her hand rose to fist in his hair, hips rolling against his fingers, his name a whine in her throat.

"Watch," Klaus rasped against her jaw, teeth scraping lightly against her skin. Breath coming in uneven gasps, she lowered her chin. His hand fondled her breast, leaving bloody imprints of his fingertips, and the contrast against her skin started the beginning of her orgasm rippling beneath her skin. But it was the sight of his slick fingers moving inside her, the little noise of pleasure that Klaus made against her ear as another surge of arousal soaked his hand, that tipped her over the edge.

She melted against Klaus' chest as she came down, chest heaving. He'd shifted his hold, arm curled around her waist, fingers still lightly brushing against her slick folds. For a moment, she laid against him, head tipped against his, trying to catch her breath.

"I'll be delighted to provide for any number of needs, love," Klaus murmured, lips brushing a caress against the ridge of her ear. He pulled his hand free and brought his wet fingertips to his mouth, chest rumbling with a sound of pleasure as he sucked them clean. Arousal shot hot and wild through her veins, and she twisted in his arms to chase his mouth with hers. His tongue tasted of blood and her arousal as she licked past his lips, and her nails dug sharply into his scalp as she angled for more.

Klaus was no passive kisser, fingers tangling in her hair, hand sliding down her spine to grip her ass. He hauled her closer, hips grinding into hers, and she rubbed her stiff nipples against his chest with a moan of encouragement. Her orgasm had only heightened her need for him, and every rough pass of his mouth, the slick velvet slide of his tongue, left her burning up.

Pulling back when she needed to breathe, his name a gasp, she tugged harshly at his curls. "Bed."

His smile was dangerous and her thighs clenched, when instead of following her demand, he sank to his knees. Tongue tracing his upper lip, his dimples cut deep. "I believe I promised multiple orgasms, to sooth your temper."

She shuddered out a breath as he kissed the crease of her hip and thigh. "Klaus…"

"When I have you on my bed," Klaus murmured against her skin, fingers encouraging one smooth leg over his shoulder. "It will be my demands that are met, Caroline. I will take you repeatedly, as I see fit, until you are as drunk on my cock as you were on murdering my father."

"I have a promise to keep as well," she warned him with narrowed eyes just as his thumb leisurely parted her dripping folds. The noise he made, low and so hungry, raced through her just as he took his first slow taste. Caroline's eyes rolled back, fingers scrambling for purchase in his hair, his shoulder, as he repeated the slow lick. He was agonizingly precise, lingering with each thigh twitch, humming in pleasure each time she pulled at his hair. By the time he sucked her clit between his lips, tongue rolling against it steadily, she was cursing, nails leaving gouges in his flesh, his blood hot underneath her claws.

Her orgasm hit her hard, and her heel dug sharply into his spine as her body locked up. For a moment she went nearly blind, hips jerking against his mouth before her legs gave out and she sank into Klaus' lap. She stared at him from hazy eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Klaus' gaze was wolf bright, tongue running over his lips before he picked up her limp hand to lick away the blood on her fingertips.

"Satisfied, sweetheart?"

She blinked at him, trying to process the question. The curve of his mouth, the way he encouraged her to lay back didn't quite register until his mouth pressed against her abdomen. A hint of teeth jolted her into awareness, and he breathed in deep, groaning at the smell of her arousal.

"No?" Klaus said roughly, placing an open mouthed kiss that left a mark on her skin as he moved slowly across her quivering belly. "That's alright. I want to hear you beg, so I know what it sounds like for later. How my cock aches for you, Caroline."

She didn't have the breath to respond to that growled statement as he immediately thrust two fingers inside her swollen pussy. Her hands scrabbled at the carpet as his thumb ghosted against her clit, lips feathering across abdominal muscles drawn tight. Whining, she clenched down, spine bowing as she tried to hold him to her.

"You have such lovely breasts, Caroline," Klaus murmured. "I look forward to having them under my tongue. It's a pity I shaved, I'd have enjoyed seeing the marks my beard left behind. My mouth will have to do."

For all the he spoke of an aching cock, the ruthless patience from before hadn't waned, and he kept her riding the edge of orgasm for long moments. He toyed with her clit, fingers sliding free and thrusting sharply in bursts that offered no relief. His eyes darted to her straining face, the part of her lips, and lower, lingering on her swaying, blood stained breasts, before dipping to watch his fingers glide inside her body. It was maddening, the arousal that left his face flushed, curls dampening at the temples, but not even begging moved him.

"Klaus, please, I can't, I can't…" she pleaded, trying to ride his teasing fingers. His lips parted at her words, the break in her voice, and for a moment she thought he'd let her come. Instead, he pulled his hand away entirely. Caroline fangs dropped free, eyes snapping open to glare at him. She didn't expect his satisfied smile, the way he stood suddenly and hauled her onto knees that wouldn't quite hold her. He lifted her easily, ignoring her loud noise of complaint.

"There you are," he said before dropping her face down on the bed. Spluttering, she heard the seams of his clothing popping as she tried to push to her elbows, hair tumbling onto her face. Klaus was suddenly on the bed, knees straddling the back of her thighs. His cock pressed against the crease of her ass as he kissed up her spine.

Twisting her neck to glare at him, she bared her teeth. "Seriously?"

His chuckle was darkly amused as he encouraged her hips to lift, sliding a pillow beneath her. "Now, sweetheart, with the mood you're in, you'd bite me purely out of spite."

"I want to come," she ground out, fingers fisting in the bedding as he stroked her thighs. "Klaus."

"Later," he rasped as he drove into her without preamble, and her nails cut through the bedding, scream harsh in her throat. She was so sensitive from her previous orgasms, body swollen and so wet. He groaned her name, body hard and sweat slicked against hers. "You'll come for me many more times. But not yet. Not until you've ached the way I do, and not before I do."

She hissed, and he arched up to curl her fingers around the bars of the headboard. "Keep them here, Caroline."

"Make me come, and I might."

The slap against her ass was unexpected and she gasped, clenching down on his cock. He shuddered, hand slipping beneath her hips to lift her slightly higher. "Do that again."

"No."

His next thrust had her eyes squeezing shut, and she whimpered at the lack of friction against her clit. Her fingers white-knuckled on the headboard, and she couldn't help but clench down as his fingers pinched her nipple. "You're so pretty when you come for me Caroline, but I want your thighs slick with my release the next time you do."

"Klaus," she gasped, as he kept her weight off her knees, denying her any leverage. "I was so close."

"I know," he rasped. "I'll make it worth it."

It was maddening, the way he rocked into her. Klaus seemed to be in no hurry, no matter that his breathing was ragged against her shoulder,body shuddering against hers. He pulled out so slowly she'd sob out his name before his hips snapped forward, reseating himself roughly. She clawed at the headboard, monster wild in her veins, and lost what little control she had when his fangs suddenly pierced her throat. Klaus groaned through his sudden release, hips locking with hers as his fingers tunneled beneath her to pinch her clit. She dropped violently into her orgasm, scream muffled by the mattress.

Hazy and pleasure drunk, she opened her eyes moments later to find Klaus had pulled her beneath him, so that she was resting on her back. Klaus was still breathing hard, one hand tangled with hers, his head pressed into the mattress just above her shoulder. Curling her legs around his hips, she dragged one hand to tangle into the wealth of his hair.

His chest rumbled, and Klaus lifted his head, lips curling in a smile that promised sin. Not allowing him to speak, she yanked his neck to the side and buried her fangs in his throat. He gasped at the burn, muscles locking between her thighs, and she dug her teeth in deeper, discharging her venom beneath his skin.

His blood was almost unbearably sweet on her tongue, and her monster, already bloated on power, could only handle the smallest of tastes. Ripping her mouth away she gasped for air, senses reeling. Klaus shuddered above her, and she opened her eyes to see the entirety of his monster staring back at her, veins stark beneath his eyes, gaze hybrid yellow. The length of his cock had gone hard again, and she rubbed against it slowly, body still somehow needing more.

More of Klaus. More of his taste. More of his cock.

For a moment, she wondered if she'd need to turn him over, ride the stiff length of him until her venom wore off. She considered her odds of finding something to tie him to the bed with, so he continued to be at her mercy once he regained control from over his muscles. Klaus seemed to be a fan of watching, and she be happy to oblige.

"You were right," he finally bit out, mouth lowering to lick at her bloody lips. She was almost disappointed. "Next time, my cock needs to be inside you when you bite."

"No more teasing," she warned as she pulled him closer, lashes fluttering as he filled her slowly.

"I've only just started," he rasped against her lips, but he didn't tease. Instead, it was a slow ride as they took each other. His mouth was an almost unbearable sensation against her nipples, tongue a wet caress against her breasts as he licked and sucked them clean. Then he marked the swells with teeth. Her fingers left bloody scores on his back and shoulders, fangs slicing into his jaw when he tried to kiss her. And when they came, her beast open and devouring in her gaze, his dual monsters were a wild and possessive counterpoint to her magic.

---

Caroline woke slowly, not quite remembering when she'd dozed off. For a moment, she wasn't certain what had pulled her from her sleep, not until she registered the softest of scratching sounds, and her lips curved. She was on her back, bare from the waist up, but underneath the covers, Klaus' leg was pressed against hers.

It was oddly peaceful, the intimacy of it. She wondered if they could have achieved this level of harmony five years ago or if they would have come together, to simply break apart. But those were thoughts for a different morning, not one where she was sated and happy.

"Drawing me already?" She murmured, lashes parting to take in the sight of him. He'd placed his sketchbook on a pillow, and both were resting on his lap. His hair was sex mused, curls sticking out wildly from her fingers and the blood that had dried. The smooth line of his had darkened with the equivalent of a five o'clock shadow. She wanted to bite his jaw, drag her tongue across the rough stubble.

"Of course," Klaus said before his gaze lifted from his work, mouth curving upwards on one side. "Keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, and we won't make it into the shower."

"Are we showering now?" She questioned as she stretched out her back. Settling back against the pillow, she dropped one hand just below his knee, and squeezed.

Klaus tossed his sketchbook onto the table and settled next to her on his side, reaching to brush his finger down the side of her breast. "Among other things."

"Well," she said lowly, rolling on her side to face him. "I suppose it's worth checking to see if you're still hot while wet, being that you're the eye candy in this relationship."

One brow arched, and something satisfied and triumphant flared behind his eyes. "Are we in a relationship now, Caroline?"

"I think we might be in the start of one," Caroline said thoughtfully, tracing his collarbone with the pads of her fingers. "We're certainly not friends, and I'd like to keep having sex. Maybe go out occasionally, have a chance to talk? Figure out if we have any shared interests other than the occasional murder? But I'm really not going to call you my boyfriend, I'm too old for that."

"I've no interest in human terminology," Klaus said disdainfully. He reached up to stroke her cheek, eyes cautious and warm. "I confess, it's been centuries since I've allowed anyone this close. It may take some time to become adjusted to it."

"Both of us are going to fuck up," Caroline pointed out, shrugging as best she could. "When you do, I'll expect you to use your words to apologize."

"And you, Caroline? How should I expect you to admit to your part of our grievances?"

"I think of the two of us, I've got the most practice at apologizing," she pointed out. His lips parted, but she didn't give him a chance to retort, her mouth brushing across his affectionately. When Klaus tried to deepen the kiss, she rolled away, ignoring his growl. Sliding off the bed as he reached for her, she laughed at his disgruntled expression. "Since I haven't dated someone as old and curmudgeonly as you, I'll try to give you some leeway, but it won't be much."

He sat up, gaze narrowed. "Curmudgeonly, Caroline?"

She grinned and crooked her finger as she back towards the bathroom. "I need to open the shop in a few hours, so if you want shower sex, chop chop. Cupcakes wait for no one!"

"How romantic," Klaus drawled as he slid off the bed. "I'm seduced."

Caroline lowered her gaze to his semi-hard erection, and deliberately licked her lips before returning her eyes to his face. "I'll make it up to you."

A flicker of heat, and she laughed as she suddenly found herself picked up and deposited moments later inside his bathroom. She barely had time to look around before she was tugged beneath the spray, laughing as Klaus tangled his fingers into her hair, his smiling mouth catching kissing hers.

She was certain there would be bumps in the road, they were both too stubborn and petty to avoid it, but as hot water started to pour out of the faucets, drenching them both, she thought that it might be worth it. Pulling free, she pressed a kiss against one firm pec, teeth digging in lightly just to hear Klaus curse before she sank to her knees. His fingers tangled in her wet hair, his other hand braced on the wall behind her as she took the tip of him between her lips. She glanced up to watch his face as she ran her tongue along the underside of his cock, the flutter of his lashes and taut cords of his neck,. Then she swallowed down the length of him, just to hear her name as an expletive on his lips.

Whatever the outcome, Caroline was absolutely certain that a relationship with Klaus would be one hell of a ride.

---

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