I do not own TVD or any of it's characters! Only the plot is mine :)
PROLOGUE
When someone says the word 'Hell', what comes to mind? Fire? Pain? Darkness? The Devil?
For most this is what we imagine hell to be like, and not wrongly so, for if you were to pay a curious visit there, you would almost certainly find all of the above.
Contrary to popular belief; hell is not a dumping ground for sinners found underneath the earth, but a sinister kingdom located in another dimension only accessible through a portal guarded by demons.
And of course the young and cruel ever reigning king of hell remains Lucifer, as he is known to most. Only a select few know him by his true name; Niklaus.
On the opposite end of the spectrum we find heaven; the place of beauty and glory. Home to the angels that watch over the clueless human race. Mortal enemies of the Demons in hell.
It is not uncommon for people to believe they have a guardian angel protecting them from demons. Yet again, this is a correct conception, angels are charged with the duty of protecting humans from being harmed by demons. It is the never-ceasing desire of the demons to steal the spirit of a human after their death before an angel can collect it and bring it to heaven.
Therefore on numerous occasions the angel and demon sent to retrieve a soul will be forced to fight for it. The loser often captured along with the soul.
XOXOXOX
The man hurried frantically through the darkness of the menacing hallways lit by torches casting long shadows across the walls, clutching a weathered scroll in his sweaty hands. The man had dark hair and a thin layer of stubble, a tall lean body covered by coal black clothing.
He was attractive, but then again all demons were.
You wouldn't have even been able to tell if it weren't for the eyes; which were entirely black as all demon eyes were.
He reached thick mahogany double doors, where he paused, suppressed his fear and knocked firmly before entering.
Niklaus slouched lazily on the plush velvet and steel throne, legs hanging over the intricate arm rest casually as he wiped the corners of his mouth free from blood as he looked around at the dead bodies in boredom.
"My lord, I bring urgent news." The demon knelt before him on the blood red carpet; unfazed by the sight before him.
"What news Anthony?" Niklaus replied with little interest.
"A soul, one of the purest we've seen in a while has just passed on and is waiting for retrieval, it is essential that we are the ones to retrieve it and not the angels." He spat the last word like a curse.
"We hope that your majesty will send someone of your own choosing, as we fear just any demon may not be strong enough to retrieve such a precious spirit and possibly face an angel." Anthony finished.
Niklaus smiled wickedly; "I know just the person."
XOXOXOX
Caroline gripped her sword in her hand tensing the muscles in her arms as she faced her opponent. As they lunged she dodged the blow with ease, sliding her blade under theirs and pushing it away she took out their legs and they fell to the floor with a thud; sending their sword flying up into the air where she then caught it triumphantly.
Laughing she helped Matt to his feet and handed him back his sword.
"Ok I think we've trained enough today, you look exhausted." She patted his back.
"Well I probably wouldn't be if I was against anyone else but a freakin' machine. You're almost too good for your own good." He laughed with her, breathing heavily.
"Ha ha, very funny." She replied with a smile, taking off her gold rimmed armour.
At that moment her ring vibrated on her finger.
Twisting it once around words began to appear on the back of her hand.
Caroline,
We have an incredibly important task for you,
We need you as one of our finest collectors, to retrieve an abnormally rare soul,
This spirit is pure, and we must ensure that it finds peace.
Leave immediately. I wish you luck.
- Gabriel
"What is it Care?" Matt asked with concern in his voice.
"Don't worry, it's just another soul retrieval." She replied twisting the elegant silver ring back around and watching the words fade away.
Matt put his hand on her shoulder "These collections are dangerous, even for you... Just be
careful ok?"
Caroline smiled warmly at him, tying her blonde curls back out of her face after she replaced her armour "I will."
XOXOXOX
The sky was clear and crisp, and it was cool on Caroline's perfectly pale skin as she sailed through it. Her feathered white wings cascading from her back seemed to glow in the dim moonlight, and they fluttered and disappeared as her feet made contact with the empty street pavement.
A cosy looking house was nestled at the end of the street, the lights giving out an inviting warm light from the windows.
Reaching the front door she reached out and touched the keyhole with one delicate finger and the door swung open obediently.
Stepping into the house Caroline shut the door quietly behind her.
She began searching the house, an elderly man had sadly passed on, his life had been one of satisfaction and unlike many, he was a genuinely a good person in his life. It saddened her that he was now dead, even if he was going to a better place once she found him.
Walking through the darkness a noise in the kitchen startled her, and she drew her sword in anxiety.
Peering into the lit living room she could see the elderly man in the armchair; his face a mask of peace, as if he were merely sleeping.
Still uneasy of the noise she continued down the corridor and entered the kitchen. There were no lights on but she could see a clear shape moving across the floor towards her.
The cat meowed and stalked past; seemingly uninterested in her presence.
Letting out a sigh of relief she turned back, and was met with a tall figure; sword drawn; charging at her.
Leaping out of harm and rolling over the kitchen counter, Caroline took out her own sword and was on the counter attack.
It must have been a demon, coming to steal the soul.
No-one knew what happened to the souls and angels that the demons took, the very thought chilled Caroline to her very core.
They were at a stalemate, neither able to get the advantage over the other, blades colliding over and over.
As she spun in an attempt to change the dynamic, the stranger seemed prepared for this and grabbed her free arm as she turned, pulling her into him and bringing his sword down with the intention of slitting her throat.
She threw up her own sword to block his, and elbowed him in the ribs as hard as she could, causing him to fall back, taking her with him. Both dropping their weapons.
Tumbling over and over one another they stopped with him on top of her where he reached for his sword beside them. So she kicked up into his chest sending him flying into the wall.
She was back up on her feet and she ran towards the stranger as he started to stand and kneed him in the head; knocking him out.
Breathing hard she quickly went to aid the man in the armchair.
Placing her hands on either side of his temples she focused on where she wanted to send him, picturing the halls where Gabriel and the other angels gathered the souls in her mind as clear as a picture.
She could feel his spirit fading under her hands and she opened her eyes with a sigh of relief. He was safe.
All of a sudden there was a sharp pain in her neck and she gasped.
Whirling around she saw the stranger, his face was visible now in the light.
"Damn, you're strong for such a little thing." he commented amusedly in a thick English accent as he wiped the blood trickling from his lip.
He was strikingly beautiful, his eyes gleamed a fierce golden brown, which meant that he wasn't a demon as she had first thought. The coppery locks of his hair shone like treasure and he had a devilish smile on his angelic face as he dropped the now empty injection needle.
"Who are you? What did you do to me?" she asked touching her neck where he stabbed her.
"My name is Kol, I assume you've heard of me."
She had. He was the brother of the king;
the king of Hell itself.
Crap.
Suddenly incredibly dizzy Caroline fell back where Kol caught her in his muscled arms.
If someone had looked at them in that moment, they could have easily assumed that he was going to kiss her.
The thought had crossed Kol's mind as he looked at her rose coloured lips, but he shook off the thought.
"It's a paralysis drug. You can't move or speak." He replied.
Her hair had come loose and now fell down her back in curled golden locks to the floor, her startling blue eyes staring up at him in shock. Looking down at her he wondered how such a gorgeous creature had fought him so savagely.
Swinging her up into his arms, Kol took hold of her arm and looped it around his neck "Time to go angel, Niklaus is going to want to have a word with you."
Unable to take her arm away, Caroline gritted her teeth and imagined throttling him.
It made her feel a tiny bit better.
Staring intently at the space before them, Kol muttered several words of a language she could never have understood in a million years.
For a moment nothing happened and everything was silent, when all of a sudden it was as if a black hole had opened up in the living room.
Before Caroline could react Kol laughed and magnificent, huge black wings arched from his back as he took off into the gaping pit of darkness.
In a matter of seconds his feet met a cold floor and the portal swallowed itself up behind them.
And as suddenly as they had appeared, his unusual coal coloured wings disappeared.
He was an angel.
She had never in her entire existence seen an angel with black wings, it was unnerving how little she knew.
Caroline's eyes darted round the room taking in the surroundings;
It was a large bedroom, with chandeliers, stain glass windows, a king size four-poster bed, stone walls and a blazing fireplace.
"My brother, is not going to be happy with me for letting you get a hold of that soul" Kol said as he walked forwards and rested her on the silk sheets of the bed.
"I would usually send you where all the others go; the other angels, but... Niklaus is bored and in desperate need of entertainment." He smiled at her when he said the last word, making her insides twist in disgust.
Kol pulled something silvery from the top of a chest.
"The drug will wear off in a few minutes so I'm afraid this is necessary sweetheart." Kol stalked back towards her with a thin coil of shiny rope that looked as if it could have been made with strands of a spiders web. He sat beside her on the bed, and sitting Caroline up, began to remove her armour.
Fear seized Caroline and a small noise escaped her mouth.
"Shhhh it's okay angel." He cooed into her ear.
She could feel her strength returning, one by one she could move her fingers. Caroline searched the room with her eyes for any means of escape; if she smashed the window and jumped out, would she be able to fly away faster than he could catch her?
Kol's breath was hot on her neck as he took hold of her supposedly limp wrists and drew them back behind her.
He twisted the thin rope back and forth around her wrists several times before pulling it tight with a grunt.
As he turned away to retrieve a second rope she took her chance.
Rolling backwards, she kicked him back before making for the window and leaping. She closed her eyes bracing herself for the impact and shattering of glass, but Kol was faster than Caroline had anticipated and grabbed hold of her leg swinging her back on to the bed, where he pinned her down with the weight of his body.
Caroline screamed, calling him every name in the book, and Kol; exasperated, pulled a cloth around her mouth, cutting off her extravagant use of language.
He sighed, "Looks like you're going to be quite a piece of work." He said, his finger tracing her face; which looked murderous.
"Although truth be told, I do enjoy a feisty one." He smirked at her as Caroline kicked and struggled under him.
Smirking, he stood up and smoothly reached down lifting a furious Caroline onto her feet, his arms wrapped around her waist like a vice as she tried to squirm out of his grip.
"I think it's time you met my bother don't you?" he said, lips curving into a grin as they grazed the side of her face.
XOXOXOX