Caroline folded her red dress in silence, it was without any doubt the most beautiful dress that she ever wore and she slowly glided her hand across the smooth and soft fabric, it was a shame that she had to give it back.
When she handed him the dress Klaus cocked an eyebrow. "Red is not really my color sweetheart."
She laughed. "I might not agree with you but I'm only returning what belongs to you, or to your brother Elijah, since he paid for it."
Klaus grabbed his bag with a simple sentence. "You've earned the dress Caroline."
She smiled taken by the gift but easily gave him a smug shrug. "I'll wear it the next time that I go to the opera."
Klaus smiled opening the door and waited for her, she slowly smoothed the dress with her fingers one more time before putting it away inside of her bag.
At the parking lot she was still very much lost in her dreams of attending another opera when she stopped by the trunk of his car waiting for him to open it.
Klaus squinted at her from his door. "What are you doing down there?"
She pointed at the trunk. "My dark dungeon?"
Klaus rested his arms over the top of his car. "I'm a man of my word hostage."
"Oh!" Caroline widened her eyes at the same time that she started to move towards the passenger side, she sat inside of his car with a very tight chest and staring down on the bag resting over her lap. "First you give me the dress, then you allow me to sit in the front seat… for some reason I feel like you are about to take my head off."
Amused Klaus started their journey for the day. "We work well together hostage, I couldn't have gotten my hands on that precious medallion if you hadn't been so resourceful with Edward."
Caroline tossed her bag to the back seat and crossed her arms over her new blue short blazer. "That I can be."
"I know a fighter when I see one." he said fondling over the radio stations.
She looked at him with a small smile. "Takes one to know one Master."
They shared the look of those who relate to each other and then Klaus reached inside of his coat to take a picture that he handed Caroline, she took it wondering what he was planning now.
"How are we stealing this one?" she asked assuming that the beautiful medallion was their next mission.
"It's obvious that this little thing that we have going on can be helpful for both, for the time being you could serve a purpose and help me gather the medallions I lack and I will let you enjoy your captivity from the front seat."
Caroline twiddled a lock of her hair lazily around her finger. "How many medallions are we talking about?"
"We're not." he smiled hugely at her before speeding down on the road.
Bonnie held her medallion in the air for a little longer before she hid it again in her pocket, she returned her attention back to the map Kol opened on top of the hood. "Why was Silas interested in my medallion, and how could he find me? He mentioned being inside of Caroline's mind but she has no idea where I am."
"Can you perform a location spell?" he asked intrigued.
She gave him the oddest look. "Can the sun rise every single day?"
"I need to find Nik but he has a stupid tattoo on his shoulder that keeps magic away." he made a circle movement around his shoulder.
Bonnie tilted her head smiling.
"My shoulder is a little up my back darling." he narrowed his hazel eyes at her.
Bonnie smiled even more because she was caught checking his ass. "Did he sleep with Emily as well? I didn't know that my cousin was so generous with her protection marks."
"Nik got a tattoo engraved with blood from a witch, call it a jealousy fit, since no witch liked him enough to offer him a protection mark he killed one and used her blood for the spell."
Bonnie looked at Kol attentively. "I guess that you are the witch lover in the family."
He easily returned the flirty smile. "I have a great deal of respect for witches so you can say that there's a notable difference between Nik and I."
"You haven't answered any of my Silas' questions."
"What makes you think I have any answers?"
"You seem to have them all." she glanced at the map.
"Silas has eyes and ears everywhere. Anyone could have given him your location but my bet is on whoever killed Shane."
"Are you telling me that as a cocky thousand-year old vampire you couldn't tell that you were being followed to that dodgy place where Silas almost got the upper hand on us?"
Kol pressed his lips slowly. "We need something from your friend to do the location spell, so you can start paying me back for saving your life from the Silas' encounter by making me happy."
"He is mad at your brother and by extension, the family. He would never hurt a fellow witch."
Kol moved his finger leisurely and reached out to pull her top down, enough to show the little burning scar on her chest. "He could have fooled me."
Bonnie didn't shook his touch away, instead she looked at him intensely while his finger felt a little more skin than he first intended, he lowered his index an inch daring her to stop him.
She engaged in a shameless flirt. "I'm wearing Caroline's shirt."
Kol pulled his finger away from her skin extremely suspicious.
"But her bracelet will do the trick." she dryly changed her tune.
Ticked off he grabbed her wrist and yanked the silver thing from around it.
"Snappy." She looked down on the pocket knife that he took from his jacket.
She expected him to cut her palm for the little dare but instead he used the blade on his palm, after that the blood started pooling on top of the map and it only took Bonnie a few seconds to get a precise location.
"The dress looks perfect on you." the woman working in the shop said.
Caroline smiled but she still wasn't convinced, the deep-green dress left her shoulders bare and it showed a lot of cleavage that she wasn't comfortable showing. "Maybe with a short jacket on top?" she looked at the saleswoman through the mirror.
"Black?" she asked with a big smile.
Caroline nodded politely and waited for the woman's suggestion although she started looking for something herself, the choice was huge inside of this store located in a Casino area, one of the million ones that Nevada had.
Klaus was being generous again and she caught him by the corner of her eye as he stepped out of a booth wearing a flawless grey suit and dark shirt, he looked at her before heading to another part of the big store.
Now Caroline knew that he found the dress awful because he hadn't even looked back once but this was the best that she could do among her vast choice of tacky bridesmaid dresses.
"This one will look amazing on you." the woman came back removing the tag already and handing a short leather jacket to Caroline.
She wasn't too enthusiastic with the look but she liked her black shiny high heels and the jacket was really short which made the look elegant but raunchy enough.
"Doesn't she look pretty?" the woman asked Klaus when he came near them.
Klaus swiftly stopped behind Caroline and placed a heavy silver necklace around her neck, she narrowed her eyes trying to see better into it and gasped looking down, it wasn't just silver, it had tiny little diamonds dangling as small sparkling tears.
"Klaus..." she looked up again finding a warm smile facing her.
"She looks beautiful." He answered the other woman but definitely focused on Caroline.
Like the other time that he called her that Caroline blushed and awkwardly smiled back at him. "You look really good as well."
"I look perfect." he smugly corrected her.
Caroline rolled her eyes and took her jacket off, the tag of her dress under it was scratching her skin. "You look like any other random gambler and I bet that you can't even play poker right." she tried reaching for the tag.
Klaus slapped her hand away and pushed the zipper down a little to remove the tag. "Poker is all about knowing when to bluff and when to call it." he moved the zipper up but made sure he felt her smooth skin as he did so.
Caroline shivered against her will. "You will lose all the money we just cashed in." she tossed with a smile and moved her jacket around her shoulders.
Klaus caught it and helped her get dressed. "Poker is nothing but the art of deceiving."
"And you are a Master after all." she looked at him over her shoulder.
He moved his hands and rested them on top of her shoulders. "Your kind words warm me so."
She laughed looking at those blue eyes of his and he dimpled-smiled effortlessly back.
"For how long have you two been married?"
The saleswoman suddenly brought a wave of cold that took them both off guard and they looked at the woman with a frown.
She smiled clasping her hands. "You make such a wonderful couple."
Klaus moved away from Caroline who shook her head horrified but the lady still walked away convinced that they were some newbie couple on their honeymoon.
Pulling her look together Caroline trapped a few streaks of hair on the side of her head with a beautiful pin that caught her eye as soon as she had a foot inside of the store.
"You won't be needing that." Klaus hastily snatched the pin from her hair.
"What..." she was about to start a protest but he forced something down her head and she was involved by the horrible smell of synthetic hair. "What ... are... you... doing?" she asked between harsh breaths.
"Our subject is into red-haired girls." he said amused because she was about to adorably snarl at him, he moved the red wig a bit to the left and then fixed her long artificial hair. "There... don't you look like a true firecracker now sweetheart." her anger was like a volcano about to explode in a really bad way and it really made him chuckle. "Keep that fire for the man who needs to invite us back to his very VIP suite." he handed the pin back to her and went to pay for everything with Elijah's credit card.
"Who do I have to seduce this time?" Caroline huffed fighting the urge to scratch her scalp under the tight wig.
"First we need to attract attention."
"How did I know that you would say exactly that?"
"Because you know me well by now hostage." he laced his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
She looked at him repelling his tight grip. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves Master. I have no motivation to know you any better."
"That's a pity taking into consideration how we make one fine pair and of course there's that benefit of my interesting personality." He headed straight to the gambling tables.
Caroline sighed deeply into her fate tonight. "You have a very big ego."
Klaus smirked. "I'm not one to brag but…."
She pulled a vomit face while he picked a table of 21 and displayed his chips, once he settled on a stool she stood right by his side.
"Lovely company that you have Sir, perhaps she would like to give you some luck?" The card dealer said and held a new deck of cards in the air.
Klaus wiggled his eyebrows at Caroline, she gave him the most silly smile that she could manage and then leaned over the table, she held the sides of her long hair with her hands and pursed her lips to slowly blow some air over the cards.
She batted her long lashes to him when she was done and moved her hand down her big cleavage. "Good luck Nik." she said seductively.
Klaus looked at the dealer who was visibly checking her generous curves. "I guess that I'm set for life, how could I possibly lose after that?"
The dealer smiled looking away from the distracting woman and started dealing, for the next hour Klaus didn't lose one single time.
After changing cards that he didn't bother to give Caroline the chance to jinx, the dealer finally made a small signal to one of the security guys who spoke into his wrist, communicating with the management, the Casino was losing fast and big and soon an attractive woman came to the table to control the damages.
"Good evening, I'm Justine and I'm the Montecito's host."
Klaus smiled at the woman using his flawless charm on her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, please do call me Nik."
The woman's voice changed a bit, becoming softer and more intimate. "You are driving the Casino into bankruptcy."
"I know, I can't remember the last time that I was so lucky." Klaus used his dimples.
"The Montecito would love to offer you a luxurious dinner at our best restaurant." she handed Klaus a pair of tickets to the exclusive place.
It was her polite way to drive him away from the table but he accepted the tickets without blinking. "I would like to have that exchanged into money." Klaus pointed at the pile of chips.
"Of course..." Justine said and looked after Klaus as he took Caroline's shoulders and walked away with her.
"Now that you are stupidly rich, this witch that we need will notice you?" Caroline asked him while a restaurant waiter led them to their reserved table.
"All we have to do is wait but we might as well eat while we are at it. It's not in good manners to starve my date." Klaus pulled a chair for Caroline.
She sat at the elegant table feeling again that hint of special and hating herself for it, she couldn't get used to any of this.
The waiter handed them the Menu. "May I bring you something to drink while you choose?"
"Yes, Champagne with strawberries." Klaus asked with a big smile. "It's our thing." he said looking at Caroline.
The waiter nodded in silence and then left.
Caroline chuckled from behind her menu. "We don't have a thing Master."
"Oh but we do hostage." he replied behind his.
She smiled a bit mad that she so easily gave in but he couldn't see her anyway.
With dinner well on its way Klaus watched Caroline attentive, he noticed the classy way that she held herself, her perfect timing to drink or gracefully rest her silver, the baby vampire obviously had history behind her and knew how to behave like a true lady.
When she was done with her meal she warmly smiled at the waiter when he took the remains away and softly declined the dessert enjoying the rest of her wine instead.
Klaus took the bottle and poured more beverage for her. "Despite being used to bigger scenarios I must admit that dinner was charming."
"I liked the wine." Caroline said indulging in the white stuff.
"I liked the company." he said looking up from his glass.
Caroline dropped hers brutally and confronted him serious. "Ok, what is the deal with you today?"
Klaus shook his head conveying innocence.
She folded her arms. "You have been acting all strange and not hostile at all. The gifts and the compliments are starting to freak me out."
"You are not used to them, but regardless of it they mean nothing." he easily took away importance from it all. "I need your friend and she hasn't called in case you failed to notice." he moved his hand in the air. "We might as well enjoy ourselves while we are out here on our own."
She inched over the table. "Just to make a few things clear... I'm not doing anything more than help you with your little charade games. It stops there, the little show that I pulled back at the motel is the closest that I will ever be to moan your name."
"Well I'm certainly happy that we have settled the rules to our little arrangement." he said mockingly serious and on his way to stand up and take her hand.
Caroline almost dropped her chair as he hauled her up to stand and she was close to stumbling as he took her with him outside to the balcony where some couples were dancing.
He pulled her to him and Caroline sighed dizzy with all the harsh commotion.
"Though a little yelling is always more exciting than moaning." he carried on with the naughty subject while resting his hand on the crook of her back.
"You are so gross." Caroline had a sigh.
Again he was surprised that she danced so well, everything was very easy and natural about her if he thought about it thoroughly. "Do I sense a small town pageant title in your résumé hostage?"
Caroline looked at him longer than expected. "Maybe..."
He wrapped his hand around hers and rested it over his chest. "The poised way at the table, the flawless looks and the obvious dancing skills, scream Miss Small Town."
She looked away. "A lot of good it did me..."
Klaus didn't like the way that she was now dancing sad and unexpectedly lifted her arm and twirled her around, when she was done with her small spin he held her closely to him again. "It taught you to stand out in the crowd."
Caroline laughed softly. "At least I'm not embarrassing my Master."
"That's incredibly assertive of you." he teased her.
"I might be about to faint with emotion since I finally figured out my mission in life."
"Save the fainting for later, we might need it."
"I love your confidence but I don't see anyone with a medallion."
He smiled and gave her another spin, Caroline grunted because she spotted Justine just entering the restaurant.
"I've earned a lot of money love, they wouldn't just let me leave with all of it."
"You are super annoying." she simply said.
"Yes, I hate being so faultless myself." he dipped her without effort.
There was a knock on the door and everyone inside of the room filled with smoke looked at it..
Justine stood by the door with a smile. "I have a new player." she informed the small group.
At the Montecito it was tradition to hold a special Poker game that was done away from the public eye where the bets were made with live money and where no one played unless there was an invitation, another player always meant bigger cash flow but the big smile in the group was only for the tall leggy woman with the red hair.
Klaus took his place at the table while Caroline remained cautiously on his back and alert to the gawking men.
"Good evening." Klaus greeted everyone and dropped two very big squares of money in front of him.
They all greeted him back except for the man sitting in front of Klaus, he was busy checking the woman who stood in the room obviously annoyed by the game and the company.
She had pale skin and fiery red hair, blue enchanting eyes and a very nice body, Louie enjoyed particularly women like her and she was irresistible.
After a few very boring plays, finally the men started giving up and Caroline was thankful that they started leaving the room as well, of course that Klaus was winning every round and getting rid of the useless ones, the one sitting across him was the only one truly able to put up a decent fight but the looks he gave her were seriously grossing her out.
"You are very good at this game." Louie revealed his cards.
"Still I like the good fight that you are offering." Klaus said pulling all the money on the table closer to him.
Louie tapped his losing cards. "Perhaps we should make this a fairer fight and you could lend me your lucky charm."
"I've noticed how you can't keep your eyes away from her, but I suppose that you can blame her for your losing strike instead of your handicap to remain focused." Klaus mused.
Louie was a large black man and when he laughed the table trembled with it, he lit another long cigar and pointed at Caroline. "With a woman like that, it's impossible to lose."
Caroline couldn't decide if she was more repulsed by the talk itself or by the fact that neither seemed willing to stop talking like she wasn't inside of the room.
"Perhaps I should send her away." Klaus started to deal the next round of cards.
"That would be a crime." the other quickly said and looked at Caroline, sizing the girl again from head to toe.
Klaus reached out his hand out to her, at first she gave him a weird look but eventually took his hand when he gave her a stern warning look.
Caroline smiled like a true companion and came near Klaus, she gulped down when he pulled her down to sit her on his leg.
"Now, where were we?" he asked the man in front of him turning his cards up.
Louie laughed before turning his. "Perhaps you should have left her in the back where she was guiding your fortune, her touch is one of a true mermaid and has doomed your luck."
Klaus shook his head just as if he was truly upset. "You are right, I should get rid of her."
Caroline gritted her teeth but kept her appearance of dimwit bombshell with nothing smart to say.
"I wouldn't mind taking that burden away from your hands..." Louie licked his lips slowly.
Klaus smiled and threw a few more greens to the center of the table. "It's a temptation but I'm afraid that I can't let her go, she's very important to me."
Caroline flinched slightly when she felt his hand making way down her hip, she discretely stopped his naughty touch just as he was about to feel all that soft skin on her leg.
He tamed his smile and focused on the game again.
"Perhaps I could persuade you to end this talk up in my suite." Louie said.
"Perhaps you could." Klaus replied and his hand sneakily moved to her ass, shamelessly indulging in all of her curves.
Caroline smiled and moved her shoe, digging the right heel into his foot.
Klaus took his hand away but looked at her.
She leaned over and stroked his stubble all lovingly. "Shouldn't I have a saying in all of this?"
"Don't be silly love, you know that I'm not the jealous type."
She formed an angry growl in the back of her throat.
"She's feisty." Louie said unable to tame his excitement.
Caroline touched her chest, repulsed beyond words? Check.
"And it's time to take the lioness back to her cage." Klaus was ready to wrap the game up. "I also feel bad for taking all this money from you so I think that we should call it a night. It has been a pleasure like no other." He reached out for a hand shake.
After the male greeting Caroline stood up with Klaus, he was gathering all the money that he earned when Louie left his chair as well.
"Let me at least buy you a drink, you have been an outstanding opponent and a clear winner. There are so little of those that the achievement should be sealed with champagne."
Klaus nodded at Louie and Caroline took his side as they started following the other to the suites.
It was a short walk and only a floor up in the elevator, clearly the man had possessions because Caroline could tell that the entire floor was closed only for him and she was awed by the large guest suite with private pool.
She was offered a glass of champagne but she wasn't planing on drinking it, she wasn't comfortable at all in here.
"She is rather beautiful." the witch finally let out his lust.
While Louie was salivating over Caroline, Klaus had his eyes on the medallion around the man's neck. "She's coveted by many."
"As two gentlemen, I'm sure that we can come up with something that will please us both." Louie wanted the girl, offered or bought. "I'm willing to double your winnings tonight."
Klaus raised his glass with a smirk.
Caroline wasn't looking at them but she could listen to every word and she felt disgusted by every bit of it.
Louie had his drink slowly. "But before we shake on it there are a few procedures. I'm sure that you understand the measures that I need to take, such an angel to appear out of nowhere needs some verification."
Caroline looked at Klaus apprehensively but the hybrid kept his cool while a few men in black suits joined the small gathering in the room.
"What is your intention?" Klaus asked owning all the calm inside of the room.
Caroline twisted a bit with all the men surrounding her.
"I don't like vampires, they are tricky and roguish..." Louie looked at one of his men. "But very loyal when you pay them well." the witch nodded.
A very big man took Caroline's hand.
"Hey..." she protested and tried to free herself but the older vampire was stronger and pushed her hand down on the water in the pool.
Caroline screamed in pain as her skin began to peel, the pool was filled with vervain.
Klaus pressed his jaw unable to hide the offense.
"Who are you?" Louie squinted at him.
"Klaus." he easily answered.
Instantly the man holding Caroline released her at once.
She sat down on the floor holding her burning hand with silent tears while the suited men looked at each other on edge.
Louie was not pleased at all. "What do you want from here?"
"Hold on to this." Klaus gave him his champagne glass.
The man frowned taking the glass and Klaus swiftly beheaded him, while the flaccid body fell holding the two champagne glasses Klaus took hold of the medallion, then he turned around to the security men.
On the spot they backed away a little.
One was faster and tried to get away but Klaus cut him off by the door, after plunging the man's head against the wall he locked the door and faced the others.
Caroline was taken aback by the vivid fear in them, they were terrified of Klaus who showed no mercy and easily ended their lives, it was a fast deed and she held her hand wishing that it would heal as fast.
"We have to leave." He dropped the contents of a bottle on top of the headless body of Louie.
"Are we diving through the window?" she tried to joke but her hand was still hurting.
"We are using the front door Caroline." he said with a smile while setting the man on fire with a log from the mantel.
"Is this your notion of giving him a proper burial?" she raised her eyebrow.
Klaus looked at her removing his jacket and dropping it onto the flames. "He might be a bit upset that I took his head off so cremation is as good as any other form of burial."
"Klaus' logic." she was getting used to his ways.
"Lose your jacket and the wig." he bit into his wrist and filled a glass with his blood.
She did what he told her to do and took the blood when he handed it to her, she could use it to heal.
He opened the door making sure that the getaway was clear of security, when the fire alarm went off they were out of the floor and rushing down the stairs to the main exit.
Klaus wasn't pleased as the noise of heavy footsteps met them half-way, there was reinforcement headed to Louie's floor.
Human security, werewolves or vampires, the possibilities were too many to gamble with and he didn't have time to waste with another horde of trouble, killing one specific witch was already going to attract too much attention and point Silas to their direction, he could live without turning the building into a graveyard.
He looked back at Caroline trying to form a plan quickly, one that would allow them to leave as fast and quiet as possible, there were a few possibilities and he neared the rail to look down on the incoming group.
Caroline grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her, he gave her a dubious look because she yanked his shirt out of his pants and started to open the buttons rapidly.
He frowned. "Mayhem turns you on, I'll take notes sweetheart but this is clearly not the right time."
Caroline ignored him and messed up his hair. "Pick me up."
He squinted at her, even more when she pulled her dress a bit up.
"Now Klaus." she hissed backing up against the wall.
He moved swiftly and grabbed her ass pulling her up and against him, she quickly laced her legs around him while her hands went around his neck.
"This is astoundingly awkward." he said slowly.
"Pretend to kiss me." she whispered as the footsteps grew closer to them.
Klaus cupped her face and leaned over fast.
"I said… pretend."
Klaus smiled and his hand glided to her neck, he tilted her head and stopped inches away from her lips.
She could feel his hot breath tickling her and she lost her hand under the collar of his shirt with a slow motion. "The things that I get myself into..."
Klaus slightly moved his head and his lips almost touched hers, her breath changed as well and her fingers roughed up his hair some more.
"I've been in far worse circumstances sweetheart." His thumb brushed her lip the tiniest.
They appeared to breathe together and about to do something very stupid.
"What is this? There is a fire alarm ringing!" The first man to reach them yelled upset. "Go on, get out of here." Another one yelled.
Klaus nodded while Caroline looked away coyly, there was some more judging yelling from the security crew but they had to make sure that the floor was evacuated and disappeared into the hallway while Caroline and Klaus flashed down the staircase.
Once inside of the car they looked at each other with a smile.
Klaus gave Caroline the medallion that they got today. "I only need one more."
"Good, because this is becoming unbearable." she shook her head trying to come off annoyed.
But Klaus was satisfied, he was starting to know her as well. "We certainly wouldn't want that. God forbids if you do end up enjoying being a hostage."
Caroline pressed her lips for a bit. "Yeah... that would be dreadful."
They shared a small engaging look before she looked away, God help her if she wasn't developing a weird Stockholm Syndrome.
Soundtrack:
Thunderstruck - AC/DC