Thanks again for the reviews! I hope you're enjoying the way it's going. It's a little slow, but I'm trying to present it as realistically as possible.
Please let me know if you like the direction! Klaus is a little moody in this one, but I wanted to make it seem like more of a gradual change, and not a sudden departure from his usual manipulations.
There was something in the air that hinted she wasn't in her own bed even before she opened her eyes. Something that spoke of forests, rain and woodsmoke, something undeniably male. Cracking her eyes open slightly she peeked out at the room. It was plain almost, almost devoid of furniture. Wood was a major theme, earthy colours, leathers, different textures and art. It was the art that sent the memories flooding back. The walls had sketches in various stages of completion, some finished and framed.
She was at Klaus's. He was alive.
She breathed deeply and tried to let that sink in. He hadn't died. Which meant that must be the reason why Tyler was OK and herself and friends too. That was a relief.
She thought about that feeling for a second... relief... shouldn't it have been more of a relief that Tyler had miraculously survived and the rest of them weren't descended from Klaus. But then she'd be dead. Tyler had bitten her again and only Klaus could have saved her.
Tyler... she thought about the previous day and grimaced. He had been acting totally different. So rough, so physical again. Their quiet goodbye, a perfect gentleman, she had started to feel like they were forging a genuine connection, something she'd never quite had with any guy before, including Tyler, until recently. Almost dyingnhad changed him, and changed their relationship. But yesterday... it was like the past few weeks never happened...
Caroline groaned with confusion and pulled a pillow over her face. She felt so frustrated by the whole situation, just when she thought she was figuring out what she wanted everything changed.
"Surely the prospect of my company isn't that dreadful."
Great, she though as plucked the pillow of her face and slowly sat up. Leaning against the door with loose-limbed ease Klaus regarded her with an expectant expression. With a deep grey shirt, rolled at the sleeves, dark low riding jeans and his burnished gold hair mussed slightly. she thought that almost dying hadn't affected his looks it might have something to do with the blood bag he held, she was starving.
"How come you're not dead?" she asked bluntly. Eying him warily as he came closer.
"Disappointed?" he crooked an eyebrow at her, as he held the bag out.
"Yeah, I was really looking forward to dying last night" she replied sarcastically, popping the seal on the bag and drinking deeply.
"Well, good to know I still have my uses." he sat down across from the bed and watched her drink.
"Yeah, well... kind of sucks to be used as a blood bag. I think someone told me that... wait... what's her name..."she accused him. He held his hands up as though warding her off.
"Fair enough, point taken. How are you feeling this morning? You look quite recovered." as he spoke his eyes wandered lower and suddenly Caroline realised she wasn't really wearing very much.
Pulling the sheet up she wrapped it around herself and raised her chin at him, giving a haughty look.
"I am, thanks to you.. I suppose. Anyway I'll just finish up my breakfast and be on my way. So, if you'd just..." with her free hand she made a shooing motion towards the door.
"Right. About that." he was sitting back in the chair, his elbows on his knees and fingers steepled, regarding her with amusement.
"You can't leave yet. In fact, you're going to enjoy a little time here as my guest."
"Now I know you were damaged when Ric staked you. I'm not staying here."
"I'm afraid you have no choice. I don't want to hurt you... but you see Rebekah would be more than happy to stop you from leaving, so it's really in your best interests to accept my hospitality. If only for a few days. Hey, who knows... maybe I'll get lucky and you'll never want to leave." he smiled at her, one of those smiles that light up the whole face.
Caroline stared at him incredulously, his smile seemed to have a vulnerability to it.
"Are you serious? After everything you've done to me, hell, I've done to you. You really think it's worth hitting on me." She asked softly. He watched her, his smile's brilliance fading.
"Is that so absurd?" he asked
"Em, yeah" she stated, then continued slowly like speaking to a child "Ignoring that fact that you're crazy, have turned my life upside down for the past few months, and are set on draining every drop of blood from my best friend...I have a boyfriend... you might remember him?"
"Ah yes, the bumbling teenage hybrid who almost managed to kill you with his ineptitude last night. Do you really think it's going to last between you two? Disregarding the fact he could kill you anytime. What do you have in common? Mystic Falls? High school?" he waved his hand, dismissing these things, showing how unimportant he believed them to be.
"Look, I don't want to discuss Tyler with you. You avoided my question before. Why are you not dead?" she demanded draining the bag.
"Answer me and I'll answer you..." he smiled at her, indicating that he really thought he was safe. She kept quiet.
"Now, I've got to go out for a while, but I'll be back soon, and you'll still be here. I would hate to see Rebekah get her way so early into your visit." smiling he rose and sauntered out the door.
"Ass" she whispered under her breath, out in the hallway she heard a chuckle.
Throwing herself back on the bed she looked around. It was early morning, she had slept the whole afternoon and night. The bed was way too comfortable. The sheets were scrunchy and cool, and she stretched right to the tips of her toes. Deciding to get up and investigate a little more, she swung out of bed and pulled open the heavy curtains and wooden shutters. His room looked out onto landscaped gardens and was overwhelmingly green and lush. She started to walk around the room, examining the sketches in frames, and some sheaths of unfinished ones. She went into the bathroom, drawn by the clean stone surfaces and glowing lighting. Behind the door she found a robe. It was soft cashmere and navy, she ran her fingers along the lapel. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror she almost screamed. She looked like a half dead banshee who'd used her hair to sweep the floor, a floor covered in blood. Not her best look. She inspected the shower then and decided then and there to have one. Klaus was out and this deluxe shower was too good to miss. Rooting around in the cupboard under the sink she found some black (of course) towels and stripped of her clothes. The pressure and temperature of the the shower was perfect, and she felt herself start to unwind.
Inevitably her thoughts turned to Tyler as she stood under the jet of water. Where was he now? What was he doing? Did he want her to stay here? It was all so confusing. There was no doubt that she had fallen in love with him the last few weeks. There was also no doubt that being with him would be constantly tempting fate. There were only so many strikes she could risk, before the bite killed her quickly, or Klaus refused to help.
Klaus, her brow lowered as she thought of him. She couldn't get her head around the fact that he was alive. It explained so much, but there were so many unanswered questions at the same time. She thought about the last time she had seen him. Running from Rik, scared and confused, smack into him. He had comforted her, reassured her. And the weird thing was... it had worked. When she saw him, she knew she was safe. She told herself it was only because he was the biggest, baddest hybrid she knew, though somewhere a little voice whispered it had more to do with the look in his eyes. He wouldn't let her get hurt again.
She was pulled out of her dreaming when she heard a door slam downstairs. She'd rather die than be found in his shower, so she quickly shut off the water, and grabbed the towels. Speedily drying she threw on her rather skimpy and gross clothes again and tiptoed through to his room. Maybe it was just him leaving, she thought suddenly as she didn't hear anything else from downstairs. This could be her chance to leave. Creeping quietly out into the hallway she stepped almost silently onto the polished wooden floor of the hallway. Inching along she strained to hear noises as she came to the stair. Descending slowly she couldn't make out any movement down below.
Suddenly the sound of a cell phone rang behind her head. She jumped about a foot in the air. Twirling round she saw Rebekah standing directly behind her, phone to her ear and sadistic grin.
"Yes, she's right here Nik, but I think she was trying to leave. I might need to convince her to stay" Rebekah's smile was practically wicked.
"Rebekah, leave her alone" Klaus's voice warned and came clearly to Caroline.
"God! Why do you even care!" Rebekah
"You know why!" He growled and hung up.
Rebekah snapped her phone shut and focused on Caroline.
"Well well, where do you think you're off to?"
"Nowhere, just looking around, you know... this place is huge." Caroline said starting to back down the stairs. Rebekah was eying the fall Caroline would have if she pushed her, and she looked excited to try it.
"Em, what did he mean you know why he cares?" Caroline kept going backwards, trying to put some distance between them, trying to distract her.
Rebekah snorted "Like you don't know" she accused, stomping down the marble stairs after her.
"My idiot brother thinks he feels something for you after sending so much time with you."
"What? Last night? We hardly spent so much time together..."
"God, you really are as stupid as you look aren't you" Rebekah sneered and marching towards the kitchen. Caroline tagged along behind her intrigued.
"What are you talking about?" Caroline asked as she leaned on the counter top watching Rebekah get a blood bag out the fridge.
Rebekah watched her over the top, considering her options. She was mad at Nik, suddenly showing such interest in Caroline. She felt left out, bored and little bit lonely. It wasn't so bad when they were both alone, but now, she felt as though he had left her behind. On the other hand, she didn't want to get daggered again by just flat out telling Caroline.
"Why don't you work it out... Now, I'm going to do some online shopping, and you're not going to cause me any trouble. If you try to run, I get to have some fun with you...If you do manage to get away, Nik will just drag you back, and who knows who'll get hurt in the process, he is invited into your house after all" she smiled malevolently and left Caroline alone in the kitchen.
After napping, rifling through some more Original things, sheer boredom drew her to the wardrobe. She needed something to change into and was pretty sure she and Rebekah would not be swapping clothes anytime soon. She slid open the wardrobe door and stared at the clothes. It was a pretty minimal collection. Lots of neutral and dark colours, running her hand over them she moved towards the one colourful thing she could see.
The dress was eggshell blue and made of delicate silk. It had a sweetheart neckline and capped sleeves, a fitted bodice, and a slight flare at the hip, falling to just above the knee. It was beautiful. A thick, creamy card was tied with a white ribbon to the hanger, bearing her name in elegant writing .
A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman. Join me for dinner - Klaus
She snorted as she read it.
"What's wrong, you don't like it" his dry voice surprised her from the doorway for the second time that day.
"I don't take presents from maniacs." she said slamming the door closed and turning to look at him.
"Fine, just borrow it then, unless..." his eyes wandered over her outfit and he smiled "You'd prefer to remain in... that. I can't say I mind"
Crossing her arms over her chest she tossed her head back and retorted
"What makes you think I'll be joining you for dinner at all?"
"Because... you're a vampire, you're hungry, you need blood. I know you deny yourself a lot Caroline, and I really do admire you for it. You have your morals and beliefs and you stick to them. But deep down, you're not the girl you were. You have a driving force inside of you now... and you know how dangerous it is to deny that need. I know you wouldn't want to get too hungry and do something you regret. I promise, dinner will be 100% Caroline diet approved."
"It's not the blood I object to, it's the company" she came back with, watching as her insult hit him, he looked down and considered for a moment.
"Well, I was hoping to avoid this unpleasantness but let's put it this way... you eat with me or you don't eat."
"So you're blackmailing me to spend time with you? You don't think that's completely pathetic?" she cried, her hands clenched at her side. He watched her calmly waiting until her voice died from the air before saying softly,
"It may well be, but it seems when it comes to you... I'm not quite myself... Now, I'm going to get ready for dinner. I shall see you downstairs at 8, shall we say?" without waiting for an answer he turned to leave, pausing only to say
"Don't make me come and get you Caroline." he strode off down the hall.
Letting out a scream of frustration she slammed the door as hard as she could, and flopped down on the bed. That arrogant, presumptuous... she stormed in her head. Standing she went to the wardrobe and ripped the dress of the hanger. Well... she wasn't going to give him any excuse to hurt her... but that didn't mean he was going to enjoy dinner...
I hope their isn't too much internal dialogue and Caroline alone, but I wanted to get the ball rolling on her realising the danger of being with Tyler... plus his dramatic personality change!
Please review and let me know what you think!