Chapter 1
Feels so good, but I'm old
Two thousand years of chasing's taken its toll
And it's coming closer
~ Closer – Kings of Leon
Klaus swaggers through the front door of one of his many mansions, and he can hear the fire crackle in the living room halfway across the house. He wipes a trickle of blood from his whisker-covered chin and smirks at the memory of his night.
Her mouth gapes open in horror, in a silent scream, as she realizes that this man is not here to help her. He gives her his best smile before he descends onto her neck, his fangs sinking into her flesh as if it were butter. He drinks deeply, draining her completely. Her heartbeats slow until the sound no longer fills the air, until her life-force is forever gone. The satisfaction he feels is like every other time, yet it is different. Each kill is different, each one unique, and yet the sated feeling he gets is the usual one. He knows he should tire of it, but it never gets old.
He sees a blonde head resting against the back of the couch and he smiles. She's home, and that means she knows.
She does not turn to face him. Instead, she remains seated, staring into the crackling and popping flames in the fireplace. In them, she can almost see it again, as if in a flashback. It's exhilarating, and oh, how pleased he will be.
"Tell me where she is or I will kill your entire family while you watch," Caroline threatens, her face inches away from the young girl's.
The girl whimpers, tears streaming steadily down her youthful face. She opens her mouth to speak, but then shakes her head violently.
Caroline chuckles darkly. "Come now," she murmurs, her voice no more than a whisper. "We wouldn't want poor little Matt to suffer, now would we? What about your mother? What about her trucker friend, Pete? If you don't tell me where the doppelgänger is, you will have no one left in your life. You will be alone forever and their memories will haunt you each and every day. Is that really what you want?"
"What makes you think I know where she is?" cries Vicki, her eyes shut tightly, resisting the urge to stare into Caroline's dark, remorseless eyes.
Caroline's hand flies back and slaps the girl across her face. "Come on, Vicki," she says, the threat in her voice evident. "All you have to do is tell me. You're her best friend. It would be foolish to assume that I don't think you know where she is. On the contrary, I know everything about everyone, and it surely doesn't take an Original vampire to tell that you're lying!"
Vicki cries out, shuddering in Caroline's grasp. She utters two words. Two words that change everything.
"Mystic Falls."
Caroline laughs. "Thank you, Vicki. And as a reward, I'm going to put you out of your misery. Say 'good night'." Caroline's fangs pierce Vicki's neck violently and suddenly. They tear the skin as Caroline drinks and Vicki thrashes in attempt to get away. But Caroline's hold on her is impossible to break, even if Vicki were a vampire. Since the dawn of time, Caroline has been around, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. She and Klaus failed with the first two doppelgängers, but this one is going to be different. This one, they will find. This one, they will keep.
Klaus comes up behind her silently, but she still senses his presence. At the last possible second, she turns, launching herself off and over the couch, and pins Klaus against the wall. Neither of their fangs are bared, and after an infinitesimal second, their lips meet. They work together as they have done for millennia, perfectly synchronized in their movements.
"I've missed you," Caroline whispers seductively as her mouth moves down to Klaus's neck.
He leans his head back against the wall, his eyes closing as she kisses his neck. She begins unbuttoning his jacket and he is like putty in her skilled hands. It's ridiculous how badly he wants to know what she found out, but the feeling on her lips on his chest, her hands on his waist . . . He wonders if he'll ever stop feeling what he feels around her. No. The answer is no. He will always want her, as he always has.
"Missed you, too," Klaus mutters. He remembers quickly, though, that she's home for a reason. She was determined not to come back until she or Klaus found out where the doppelgänger is. "You found her?" he asks as they sit on the couch.
She does not answer, and only smirks at him smugly.
"Caroline," he growls, pushing her back and hovering over her.
"What's in it for me?" she asks.
He leans over her, nibbling on her ear. "Tell me, love," he whispers in that velvet voice of his.
She sighs and gives in quickly. After all, she's just as excited as he is.
"Mystic Falls."
"Are you ready, sweetheart?" he asks as Caroline puts a third suitcase in the back of Klaus's SUV.
"Just because I'm an Original vampire doesn't mean I don't need a curling iron," she snaps back, her eyes narrowing at Klaus playfully.
"You need three suitcases for a curling iron?" he asks dubiously.
She shrugs. "And clothes."
"Now, that sounds more like it." He hops in the driver's side and Caroline gets into the passenger seat. "Virginia, here we come," he grins as they pull out of their driveway.
A/N: I hope you're enjoying dark!Klaroline and I really love hearing your opinions, so please review!