So it was my birthday, and I decided to treat you guys with a little something. It's a two-shot and I hope you like it.
CHAPTER ONE
Caroline eased the door open a crack, drew it wider, just wide enough for her to pass through. She closed it carefully behind her. Her footsteps light, her movements agile, she moved down the steps, then she began to run to the woods. She could not ignore the sounds that pursued her, the calls of night creatures, the scuffling noises in last year's dead leaves beneath the undergrowth. A dozen times her heart jarred against her ribs in apprehension as she thought she heard steps behind her, but it was only the echoes of her own footsteps. She was a vampire for goodness sake, the least she could do was act like she wasn't scared. What was the point of being a powerful creature if she feared her own steps?
When the real footsteps sounded, she disregarded them for long seconds. She was almost deeper into the woods that she probably was sure he was in, and knew she could not be far from it. Then she realized that the steps were coming faster than she could possibly imagine. Caroline quickly ducked under some bushes, peering through it. Three figures clattered past. She caught a flash of blonde. Her and Tyler were not the only ones out at night. She crouched lower, holding her breath. They did not check but flashed away out of sight.
It was sometime before Caroline could move. She was finally exhaling, ready to drag herself upward when she heard another footsteps. She went still, her teeth clenched. The figure passed her, his head tilted, as if he were listening. It was almost, she thought, as if he were keeping a safe distance between himself and the men ahead of him. The man vanished into the darkness.
Quiet returned. The dust settled. Caroline straightened up as she began to run again, though she looked often over her shoulder. Her chest was heaving and the hair around her face was damp. She stood with her back against one of the trees for long moments, gasping, trying to catch her breath.
Checking her phone, she found that there was no signal and no way to contact her friends. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come alone here, without any backup. That was a stupid decision on her part. She turned her head to look behind her. She finally saw a figure of a man as she froze, ready to put up a fight if it came to it. Her fangs were itching to come out, and the veins on her forehead and under her eyes were itching to pop out as well.
Then the man moved toward her. He came to a halt not two feet away and spoke in that husky voice that alone of every sound she had ever heard could send chills of degrading excitement along her spine.
"Surprise."
There was no reward for virtue, none for trying to do what was right; she had known that for years. Regardless, it did not seem fair that she should strive so hard to escape what this man wanted of her, only to run into his trap.
"I refuse," she whispered.
He made a clicking sound with his tongue. "No, I'm afraid it doesn't work like that, sweetheart. I have your word."
Trying so hard not to close her eyes, she met his gaze with a searching look. "Why are you doing this?" She wanted to ask, why me?
"Because you see, I have to." It was true. He had known she would be here, and he had also known he would find her just as easy. He couldn't help himself from seeking her out than he could have stopped breathing. It was a weakness, and he knew it.
Still, his memories of the night they had shared fired his blood, while her unattainable beauty haunted his dreams. He admired her intelligence and her courage. He would like to gain her respect, her liking, but since that was impossible, he wanted to taste her mouth and to hear the blood sing in his ears. The risk was great, but he accepted it because the reward promised to be greater.
He continued in a threatening voice, "I don't take lightly to not getting things I want. Forgive me for referring to you as an object, love." He didn't sound one bit apologetic to her. "And you, Caroline, will let me have you."
His words sent a painful fluttering along Caroline's nerves. There was in them a note of finality that told her more certainly than her own senses how complete the trap was. She didn't think she could flash out of here without him catching her first.
Caroline knew he loved the chase, and she could only be adding more problems to herself. Her hesitation had nothing to do with the man himself. Of course it did not. The exhaustion and the drumming of her heart were caused by her very natural fear. She was aware of his size and strength as he stood so close to her, and of something remorseless and daring in his manner that stirred sensations she would rather forget.
With loathing in her voice that was not entirely directed at him, she said, "You really are a selfish prick."
"I agree I'm a selfish prick, thank you. But what I don't seem to understand, love, is why you keep running away from me. Did I frighten you? It wasn't my intention."
"No, but it was your intention to lure me out here, and then what? I'll run into your arms?"
"Is that...what you think?" There was a smile in his voice that she could not see from the darkness.
"Oh, it's all very amusing for you, isn't it? You'll forgive me if I fail to see the humor!" He lifted a hand as if he would touch her. She backed away, searching her mind for something more to say to distract him, moistening her lips with her tongue. "Tyler—is he safe? You haven't done anything to him?"
"Oh, yes," he said softly as he moved close once more, "I'm not ripping little Tyler Lockwood apart for coming back to Mystic Falls after I specifically told him not to. Though you have to give it for the lass, he did it to make your prom special. You find it romantic, don't you?" He smiled coldly. "And I, being the kindest soul ever, brushed it aside. But then what? He didn't leave. I had the urge to rip him apart, but I didn't, because you would have been crushed. Who knew keeping Tyler alive would be good for me. I keep my bargains, by the way."
"Are you saying I don't? It was no bargain, it was blackmail!"
"Only an exchange of favors."
"I thought we were becoming friends, Klaus. This isn't how friends treat each other Just let—" His roar of laughter cut her off, anger and disappointment washing over her at the display of cold and no-heart Klaus Mikaelson she came to despised so often, questioning herself why she thought he could for once in his damned life care about someone's wishes.
"I never wanted to be friends with you, Caroline. I wanted more, and more I shall have. Oh, don't give me that look. It was you who agreed to this, or have you forgotten? You who came to me with this bargain to save your little Lockwood from death," he said, then went on, his voice dropping to a husky sound. "I agreed because the thought of you in my arms is driving me a bit mad."
He had not meant to say such things any more than he had intended to barter Tyler's life for her surrender when he had set out that evening to keep the appointment. It had happened, one thing leading to another until it came to this, the two of them facing each other in the dark wood.
"The look on your Scooby Doo gang, that I'm also looking forward to. I'm saving the best for the last." Something flashed across his mind and he largely grinned. "And watching Tyler's heart breaking into pieces as the big bad Klaus steals away his girlfriend."
She had made a promise. He had heard it spoken, seen it in her eyes. He would not allow her to disapprove it. He could not. He reached for her, his hands closing warm and strong around her upper arms, drawing her to him. Caroline, caught off guard by his unexpected declaration and the tone that edged his words, was nearly too late as she brought her hands up to brace them against his chest.
"Stop," she hissed.
"For my sake?" He bent his head, his lips hovering above hers, their touch feather-light, tingling.
"No."
"For Tyler's?"
"Yes." Her voice sank to a trace of sound. There was no strength in her arms. Her will fought that weakness. And lost.
Klaus' arms dropped from her body, taking a step back to glare at her. Caroline could feel the anger radiating off him, could feel the ground shook with it and the birds that had stopped singing, and took flight. He inhaled sharply, his dead heart twisting in his chest.
"What's the matter, Klaus?" she asked with a wry smile. "Weren't you just saying a few seconds ago you wanted me? Why are you stepping away from me now? Thought I'd say for your sake, huh? When is it going to get into your head that I will never want you. And here I thought you were smart."
He said with considerable force, "I wouldn't be so foolish to say that to my face if I were you," he said, narrowing his eyes. He contemplated the curve of her mouth while he worked at a snarl with more delicacy than effect. "If you don't want me to rip Tyler apart, you best keep your mouth shut. You're pretty when you're not saying anything, or you could go ahead and cost him his life? I'd be sure to give him the death he deserves. I'm very creative, you see."
Caroline felt a burning constriction inside her chest at his words, but she tried not to show. She wouldn't dare give him the satisfaction. "We had a deal," That comment was the most she could manage.
Klaus hissed, "I can very well break that deal anytime, sweetheart, and then we'd see who would hurt more. You think this bargain matters to me? The only reason I'm doing it in the first place is because of you, Caroline, because I'm nice enough to give you a choice. I don't do that to just anyone."
"I can overlook this. Let Tyler go and leave us alone. We can be friends," she said softly.
"You want me to repeat myself? We can't be friends," The words tasted bitter in his mouth because they were so false.
A frown creased her brow, but her voice was even as she said, "Why not? It won't be so hard to be friends with you. Deep down, Klaus, you do have a heart. I have seen it. My friends have done nothing to you, but you are set on hurting them. I'd do anything to save them."
"Because you love them."
"Yes, of course," she said, then stopped, her gaze flashing up to meet his again. She went quiet as she saw where her answer could lead her if he so desired.
The temptation was overwhelming. Perhaps for that very reason, he couldn't resist it. "And you'd give yourself to me because you love Tyler. Despite him being warned by me, but he came back because he loves you." He lacked the nerve because he feared that she would say, plainly and without hesitation, that one word he came to hate. Without waiting for a reply, he turned to leave because he couldn't bear to stay another minute in her presence. "Stay out of the woods."
He was almost few feet away before her answer came with a soft sigh. "Yes."
The need to turn back, to demand which of his three comments she might possibly be answering, was almost more than he could bear. Logic insisted that it must be, had to be, the last, yet he was in no condition or mood to be logical. It was, perhaps, a good thing that time was pressing and imperative duties awaited him.
But just as he was about to leave, he found that his legs were glued to the spot and couldn't seem to move. His heart was unnecessarily pounding fast, his hands shaking from something he couldn't place.
Caroline was almost glad that he was leaving, but she never expected to find him not moving after they had been done with their argument. She watched as he turned abruptly, his face raging mad as he stormed over to her. Before she could blink, he had her against the tree as he stared down at her, his hot breath on her face.
"Did it not mean anything?" he asked, his eyes shining with anger that hid his broken heart. "Everything we shared, all those moments. Did it not mean anything to you, Caroline?"
She chuckled. "Are you seriously asking me that? Why would it mean anything?"
Klaus felt a puncture in his heart. Did it really mean nothing to her? Those stories he had shared with her that meant alot to him, the picture he had drawn and the intimate dances they had shared. Was it nothing like he thought it was? Their stupid date.
You're perfect.
His hands were trembling and his lips were quivering, an odd thing for Klaus to do. She had no idea what to make of everything that was happening right now. She realised that her words might have affected him as much as she thought, but she didn't give a damn. He hurt her just as much, so why wouldn't it be fair for her to do so.
"What would it take, Caroline?" he whispered, his eyes searching her face. "For you to understand how I feel about you. I may be a monster to everyone else, but I thought you'd be an exception. I opened up to you. I try to be everything you want me to be." He inhaled sharply, releasing a puff of hot breath. "Why isn't it enough?"
"Because every time I think you're actually changing, you prove me wrong. You aren't capable of being the kind of man I want you to be," she stated with a tired sigh. "You've been a cruel monster for a thousand years. I once have thought you were capable of being saved, I'm not so sure now."
He released her and took a step back, nodding. His entire body was shaking and he was doing a bad job at trying to stay calm. "Thank you for your honesty."
Thank you for your honesty. That was what had been written in his drawing too.
"I will release Lockwood."
That surprised her, that he was going to let Tyler go when she thought she had to fight with everything in herself to get him back. Klaus was going to let him go so easily? He was going to give her what she wanted without getting anything back in return. Perhaps she had underestimated how much her words had cut him deep.
"I will see you soon, Caroline."
Despite all her reasons not to, she had invited him to her graduation. She didn't expect him to show up, but she had surprised herself when she mailed him the invitation, the man who had hurt her and her friends.
Klaus Mikaelson was someone she couldn't fully begin to explain his part in her life. Sometimes he was an enemy, sometimes a friend and sometimes he was someone she couldn't stand, but other times he was someone whose company she enjoyed, if not for the amazing stories he always seem to share with her, it was for the little moments she found herself laughing alongside him.
I intend to be your last. He never gave up. He wasn't going to give up the idea of being with her despite all her efforts to push him away, all her efforts to make him think she didn't care about him, that there wasn't something she felt for him buried deep within her that was growing each day.
However long it takes. No matter the years she would spend away from him, he was going to wait for her. The beginning was hers, but the end would be his. He was a patient man. Even if she decided not to see him another hundred or so years, he was confident she was going to be back to him. Her journey might have started today, but it wouldn't be fully complete without him by her side.
It felt oddly weird to know that he was out there patiently waiting for her to live her life before she eventually seek him out. Because he was her last he had said. And deep down she knew, he was hers.