Caroline rushed back into the ballroom, breathing a long sigh of relief when she thrust herself into the crowd. Surely Damon wouldn't reappear to try anything while she was in the presence of the Originals, right? Then again, Damon hadn't had any qualms about hurting her while he was INSIDE the Original's home, so Caroline wasn't sure if he would storm back into the ballroom and try to drink from her again.

Caroline shivered, rubbing her hands up and down her exposed arms. She winced when her hands landed on the marks from Damon's rough handling. Looking down, Caroline sighed when she saw the bruises already forming on her delicate skin.

Caroline had rushed into the ballroom with the single purpose of finding Klaus and informing him of her previous predicament, but now she wasn't sure what exactly she should do. On one hand she wasn't sure if Klaus would even care that Damon Salvatore had tried roughing her up before his attempt to drain her of blood and on the other hand she was afraid he would care too much and kill the Salvatore for touching Mikaelson property. Klaus was an enigma, a code Caroline didn't think she would ever be capable of cracking, but she had a suspicious feeling he wouldn't take too kindly to a vampire trying to take what Klaus felt was his. Caroline didn't want anyone to die because of her, even if it would be Damon Salvatore, the pompous ass.

Looking around the ballroom, Caroline realized Damon Salvatore was no where in sight, which should have reassured her immensely that she was safe.

Unfortunately, Caroline's eyes pinned a couple that had her shivering in equal parts fear and hate. Their eyes locked from across the crowded ballroom and Caroline backed up a step, instinct demanding she flee before they came for her.

Her Uncle David and Aunt Sophie began to approach her, hard glints in their eyes and cruel expressions on their faces. Caroline wanted to turn and run from them and their cruelty, but fear held her immobile. Years of them hitting her, grabbing her hair, locking her in a closet for hours on end and making her feel worthless came rushing back to the surface, breaking free of the dark box Caroline kept hidden in her mind. She thought living with the Mikaelson's would save her from ever having to see them again, and yet they were in the Original's home, stalking up to Caroline as if they had every right in the world to do so. Living with the Mikaelson's should have freed Caroline from the torment of her aunt and uncle, yet seeing them approach, Caroline knew she was as much their prisoner as she had always been.

She didn't think she could ever escape the tormentors before her.

What were they doing there? Caroline hadn't sent them an invitation and she highly doubted Rebekah would have either. Once she realized she was towards the back of the room in the less occupied area of the ballroom, Caroline made the decision to turn tail and run. She had absolutely no desire for another confrontation. Being chased down by a vampire was one thing; something she couldn't avoid. Fortunately, if Caroline played her cards right, she could disappear before they caught up to her. Spinning around and away from the sadistic pair, Caroline high heels clacked loudly around her, but they weren't nearly as loud as the steady pounding of her heart.

"Caroline." Sophie called out when Caroline made her decision to flee the immediate area. Stiffening her shoulders, Caroline turned back to her 'family', knowing she'd been caught. "Darling, surely you weren't just about to leave." The older woman reached out, her hand nearly touching Caroline's hair before Caroline jerked back, panic in her eyes.

"Don't touch me." Caroline whispered harshly, looking about the room to ensure she hadn't caused a scene in front of the entire town. Rebekah would be pissed if her party was ruined.

David, who had been silent before, stepped forward, grabbing Caroline roughly by her arms, in the exact same spot Damon had grabbed so roughly only moments before. "You look like you've been enjoying your time here, Caroline. In fact," David released one of her arms as he pushed her roughly into the wall behind her as used his free hand to jerk her chin to one side, revealing the bite marks left by Klaus. "It seems to me you've become one of their whores. How lovely, a Mikaelson plaything." David looked to his wife, noting the enraged expression upon her face. "See, blossom? I knew Kol had tired of you, no doubt due to your much younger, more beautiful niece." David let his eyes wander slowly up and down Caroline's body, pausing to admire her breasts that moved up and down with her short spurts of breath. Caroline cringed under his scrutiny, wanting to cover her body from his immediate view, but she suspected his looks were to make her squirm and Caroline didn't want to give in, to show any more weakness than she already had.

Caroline's eyes widened at the accusation. She looked to her aunt, realizing a scene was definitely about to happen when the older woman took a menacing step forward, grabbing Caroline's long blond hair and twisting it around her fist. When Caroline winced in pain, Sophie jerked her head back, exposing the long column of her throat, as well as the new bite mark. "You little slut. I'll make sure you pay for ever laying your eyes on my dear Kol. He might fancy you now, but he'll tire of you quickly. He always tires of his little whores before he makes his way back to me."

Caroline felt anger spark deep within her, before she looked her aunt directly into her eyes, defiance blazing in her own. "I am not a whore and Kol didn't do this to me. Release me now."

David and Sophie looked at each other before they both laughed, the sound grating on Caroline's ears.

"Or what?" Sophie asked.

"Or I'm going to rip your husband apart slowly, limb by limb to ensure you watch in horror as he's tortured for hours before he eventually dies right in front of your eyes. If you think that's unbearable, imagine the plans I have in store for you." Klaus appeared out of nowhere, lurking behind the couple who now stood rigid, slowly releasing Caroline until she was free to rush past them and stand next to Klaus, which was exactly what she did. "Are you alright, love?" Klaus gazed at Caroline, looking her up and down and taking note of the bruises forming along her arms. Klaus turned, his eyes a golden beam of fury as he captured the two humans in his vision. "You will go home at once, beat each other until you can barely stand then you will kill yourselves before dawn comes. I don't care how you kill yourselves, but be creative." Caroline gasped at his orders, noticing how angry he was. Her aunt and uncle, on the other hand, seemed content to follow his orders to the letter, barely batting an eyelash at his compulsion. "Leave." Klaus demanded through clenched teeth, not even bothering to see their reaction as he grabbed Caroline's hand, leading her away from the ballroom and outside.

The fresh air helped calm her momentarily and it settled deep into her lungs as she inhaled deeply before turning to look at Klaus.

"Did you have to do that?"

"Do what, love?"

"Tell them to go kill themselves!"

Klaus stepped menacingly towards Caroline and she would have shrank back in fear, however, she decided she'd been frightened enough for one evening and because of that, she straightened her back and glared back at him. She wouldn't be afraid, she refused to be afraid any longer.

"They threatened you, put their hands on you and called you a whore. What would you have had me do?" Klaus's eyes remained the same golden hue, veins rushing under his eyes as he stalked up to her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her against him.

Caroline gasped, although it wasn't in fear. The last time his eyes had been like that around her he'd been feeding on her. She flushed from the memory, her skin turning a delicate pink.

"I... I don't know. But do they really deserve to die because of that? I'm fine. They scared me a bit, but that was all." She knew she wasn't worth people dying over, she just wasn't sure if Klaus realized that too.

"I will kill anyone and everyone that threatens you. " Klaus shouted at her before she clamped her hand over his mouth, her palm tingling at the smooth lips connecting with them.

"Sh! Rebekah will freak out if we cause a scene at her party. Do you want to deal with her on a rampage? Because I don't."

Keeping a tight hold on Caroline's waist, Klaus whooshed them away from everyone and towards the greenhouse on the property, stopping when they reached the entrance. Caroline's hands were wrapped around the back of Klaus's neck, the sudden sensation of movement making her slightly dizzy as she clutched to him for comfort.

"Easy, love. I've got you." His grip tightened on her waist, bringing her as close to his body as possible. Caroline stared at his lips, remembering the feel of them along the smooth column of her neck. Klaus leaned in to her, their lips almost touching before he growled lowly in his throat, jerking his body away from Caroline's. The sudden loss of contact left Caroline feeling bereft and cold, finally acknowledging the low temperature, which was odd, considering it was August. Klaus glared at her from his safe location, inhaling deeply before his eyes locked on to hers yet again.

"You smell like Damon Salvatore." Caroline gulped and took a protective step back. Hadn't she just promised herself she would be stronger than her fear? Klaus looked at her as if he smelled something rotten. "His stench is practically all over you."

"I..." Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. He could smell Damon on her? Why didn't she think of that whenever she'd escaped his clutches and decided to keep silent?

"Perhaps I was too quick to judge your aunt's words. Maybe you are just a whore." Hurt radiated through Caroline and before she knew it, she was stomping over to him, her heels digging into the grass slightly as she moved. Caroline was quick about it, reaching up with her right hand and slapping him across the face. Caroline would have felt ashamed, should have felt ashamed, but Klaus could have moved away had he wanted to do so. When he merely stared back at her with contempt, Caroline spoke up.

"I am not a whore." Her voice cracked at the last word before she turned from him, determined to make her way back to the party. "And for your information, Damon Salvatore put those bruises on my arms, not my uncle." Caroline's hair flew past her from the sudden breeze and then Klaus was in her face, no doubt the cause of the onslaught of her hair. Caroline sighed. She should have been enjoying her evening and instead she'd been fed on, attacked twice and insulted within the space of two hours.

"What did Damon Salvatore do to you?" Caroline groaned aloud before attempting to push past Klaus. Irritation clouded her mind when he gripped her hand in his, refusing to let her pass him. "Answer me." Klaus's voice rose dramatically, the words ground out from him as if the question he asked tormented his very soul. If he had one.

Sighing, Caroline turned back to him, hesitantly pulling on her hand before she gave up and allowed him to keep hold of it. "He caught me in the hallway outside of the room you had led me to. He threw me against a wall and when I called out for you he tried to compel me. I remembered you telling me to act compelled, so I did. He went to feed on me," Klaus growled low in his throat, "but he noticed the bite mark already on my neck and asked where it originated. I told him it came from you. He was pretty eager to leave once he knew that."

"I'll kill him for his transgressions against you."

Caroline laughed aloud, the whole situation beyond preposterous. "You can't kill everyone who causes me pain, physically or mentally."

"I can and I will. You shouldn't have to be afraid of anyone or anything."

"If you keep saying things like that someone's bound to think you actually care about humans."

"Not humans, love. Just you."

Caroline sucked in a deep breath. "Why?"

Klaus smirked at her. "I fancy you. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes."

Klaus slowly dragged her back to him, his hands wrapping around her waist yet again. Her body betrayed her, immediately sinking in to the heat he was giving off. Her hands gripped his shoulders to keep her from falling into him, even though her body desperately thought it was a fantastic idea. Klaus removed one of his hands from her waist, bringing it up to cup her cheek tenderly as he smiled down at her. Before Caroline could react, Klaus bent his head, his lips brushing across hers. It was featherlight and stole the breath right out of her lungs. Before long, the kiss went from chaste to passionate as she wrapped her hands around his neck, dragging Klaus and his lips closer to her own. Hunger ripped through her, Klaus biting down on her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth, dragging a moan out of her. Klaus's grip on her waist tightened, dragging the rest of her body flush against him. Caroline felt herself being pushed back until she was pressed along a tree trunk and couldn't go anywhere, in-between Klaus and the bark behind her.

It should have frightened her, mostly because she was making out with a creature over a thousand years old, but as her lips parted to make way for his tongue, all of Caroline's thoughts went out the window.

Klaus's tongue invaded her mouth, their tongues dueling until her womb clenched so violently Caroline was sure she was on the brink of an orgasm. Caroline's hands wandered from Klaus's shoulders to his neck and into his hair, her fingers winding around the small curls located above his tuxedo. Klaus's hands brushed slowly along her waist before he reached behind and grabbed her ass, dragging her body so that she was flush against his erection. The only thing separating them from having sex was their clothing.

Caroline pulled away suddenly, instantly afraid of what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, Caroline looked at Klaus quickly before dropping her arms to her sides and slipping out of his embrace, almost as if she'd never been there.

"I should... I should probably go. You know, get back to the party." Caroline laughed quickly, a short burst of awkward sound that immediately made her want to faint from embarrassment. Not that she wasn't already embarrassed. She nearly had an orgasm just KISSING Klaus and she wasn't about to experience anything else. Seriously. Turning in the opposite direction, Caroline set off on her journey, walking mostly on her tiptoes to keep her heels from sinking into the ground.

"You're walking in the wrong direction, love."

Caroline turned abruptly, pausing a moment to glare at Klaus's smug face before she departed in the other direction, back ramrod straight when she heard his mocking laughter from behind her.

"More to your right, Caroline."

"Ugh," Caroline practically screeched. She turned and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at the hybrid who stood behind her. "Why don't you just walk me back to the party? It's your fault I'm wandering out here like an idiot anyway."

"My pleasure, love." Klaus wrapped one of her hands around the crook of his elbow, escorting her back to the party she was practically hosting.

Caroline sighed in relief when they were back among the crowd of people. Not bothering to thank Klaus, Caroline hurried away from him and rejoined the festivities, hoping to put most of the evening out of her mind forever.

For the rest of the night Caroline kept rethinking the kiss over and over, eventually falling asleep after the ball wishing Klaus's lips were still on her own.

"The ball was so wonderful! Wasn't it wonderful, brother?" Rebekah turned to face Elijah, who was sitting comfortably at the dining room table as he read the morning paper. Elijah looked up and smiled at the two women sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Yes, Rebekah, the party was quite sensational. I believe we owe Ms. Forbes our gratitude for all her hard work." Caroline smiled at the praise as she sipped at the tea Rebekah had given her. It was odd but Rebekah and Elijah almost always had tea waiting for her in the mornings, insisting she drink it. At first it had tasted odd, a bit coppery, but Caroline had grown accustomed to the flavor and honestly, she didn't mind it as much as she did in the beginning.

"Yes! Although I'm sorry your family was there." Rebekah gave Caroline a sad look before her face brightened exponentially. "Oh, I just forgot! I need to leave." And with that Rebekah flashed from the room, leaving Caroline and Elijah alone together.

Caroline looked down at her tea mug, wondering if she should leave the room rather than sit in awkward silence with Elijah. She wasn't sure exactly what it was about the Original that bothered her, but they almost never spoke. Caroline felt as if he were indifferent to her and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Caroline cleared her throat before standing up from her chair, grabbing her mug as she stood.

"Don't forget to drink your tea, Caroline." Elijah continued reading his newspaper, barely looking up from the pages as he spoke out.

Caroline grimaced when she noticed how much she had left to drink. Sighing, Caroline placed the mug to her lips, drinking deeply until nothing remained in the mug but a teabag. She walked towards the kitchen area before stopping and turning to face Elijah.

"Why do you all want me to drink tea all the time?"

Elijah looked up, obviously not expecting the question. Caroline put her hands on her hips, tea mug dangling from one of her fingers as she stared menacingly at the man in front of her. "Is there something in this tea?"

"Only something to keep you safe while you're in our care." Elijah folded his paper neatly before standing up and walking over to Caroline, gently taking the mug from her grasp. "Unlike your family who was willing to sell you for a quick profit, my siblings and I are only interested in your happiness and wellbeing."

"But why?"

Elijah placed his free hand on her shoulder, in a sort of comforting gesture. "Because you're in our care. Human life is a fragile thing and we only mean to extend yours and to keep it healthy. If you'll excuse me, I'll clean this for you."

Elijah walked past Caroline, not giving her any time to reply before he left the room, disappearing behind a swinging door.

Caroline walked from the room, heading down a long hallway and towards the staircase that eventually led to her bedroom, Elijah's words echoing in her mind. What on Earth were they putting into her tea? Vitamins? Caroline scoffed at the idea, fairly confident that no one in the mansion had ever purchased vitamins in their long lives, especially in the interest of someone else. So what then?

Reaching her bedroom door, Caroline stopped in her tracks, hand nearly reaching the door knob. A cold chill went down her spine, causing her to shiver uncontrollably for a brief moment.

They were putting vampire blood in her tea.

Caroline rushed into her room, slamming the door shut behind her and running towards her vanity. Opening a drawer, she found what she was looking for, a small needle and thread. Grabbing the needle, Caroline pricked her finger deeply, flinching at the sudden pain and watching as blood welled up from the small wound. Taking a deep breath, Caroline wiped the blood onto the edge of her shirt, not caring about the stain. Pinching her wounded finger, Caroline's eyes widened when after a few seconds, no blood formed on the tip of her finger. She brought her finger closer to her eye, searching for a wound that was no longer there, confirming her suspicions.

They were feeding her vampire blood.

Caroline wanted to gag, to rush to the toilet and vomit up all traces of the tea in her system, but she couldn't. She'd been drinking that tea for weeks, there was no way she'd be capable of ridding herself of all the toxins in her system.

Shaking her head, Caroline felt the walls shrinking around her as her breathing became shallow and sweat beaded on her forehead. She needed to get out of there, to breathe fresh air, to focus on something other than the fact she was drinking blood in her morning tea.

Caroline turned, leaving the room nearly as fast as a vampire, fear aiding her departure, stomping down the stairs and rushing towards the main door, yanking it open and running down the driveway.

Caroline stopped when she reached the end, bending to place her hands on her knees and inhaling, attempting in vain to stop the panic attack that was quickly creeping along her senses. It was one thing to drink vampire blood if she was gravely injured. She wouldn't argue that, nor would she ever feel grossed out about drinking blood directly from Klaus, because... Well, because it felt intimate, right. Secretly digesting blood someone dumped into your morning concoction was just wrong. Sinister. Disgusting.

Caroline clenched her teeth, the contents of her early morning breakfast threatening to come back up full force.

After a few minutes Caroline's headache retreated to a dull throb, her lungs burning from the labored breathing. Caroline straightened and looked around, making sure no one was watching her inner struggle. Deciding the coast was clear, Caroline decided to take a quick walk around the grounds to effectively clear her mind from some of her newer revelations.

Caroline walked aimlessly towards the back of the property, her head swimming with tension. Why would the Originals be feeding her vampire blood? Elijah said it was to keep her healthy, but Caroline didn't believe that answer for one moment. She doubted they gave their blood to any of their other 'servants'. In fact, Caroline couldn't remember seeing any 'servants' like herself that were in fact, human. The rest of the help were vampires, which made perfect sense considering Elijah, Rebekah and Klaus enjoyed eating people for dinner. Vampires were the ideal help compared to a human, which also begged the question, why would they pay any amount of money for a human they didn't know? Surely after a thousand years they knew how to get their own party started or how to shop without the assistance of a human. Surely.

Besides, Caroline wondered, if the Mikaelson's did in fact purchase her to be their assistant/helper/whatever else, then why was it she wasn't doing anything of the sort? Sure, she'd planned Rebekah's party, but it wasn't as if she'd been doing anything else in the meantime. Maybe the Mikaelson's didn't think she was capable of multi-tasking... But that didn't seem to be the reason to Caroline. No, it seemed like something else, only she couldn't figure out what it might have been.

Why are they even so concerned for my wellbeing that they find it necessary to feed me vampire blood daily? Obviously they believe I could wind up getting hurt while I work for them, maybe that's why they're going through such lengths to ensure I'm safe. They have enemies.

The thoughts no sooner formed in Caroline's mind before a branch nearby snapped, breaking her concentration.

Caroline turned toward the sound, her brow furrowing in question when she couldn't find any person or animal nearby that would have broken a branch. She did notice that the sun was rather high in the sky, meaning she'd been wandering the grounds for at least two hours. Caroline looked about but the house was further away than she'd anticipated because she couldn't see it at all.

"Just great." She turned around abruptly, stalking back in the direction she'd come from. "I hope I don't get lost." Caroline groaned loudly. "Oh who am I kidding? Of course I'll get lost. I'm such an idiot."

"Well Barbie, I have to give you some credit for calling it like you see it."

Caroline looked to her right, expecting to see Damon Salvatore standing where she'd heard his voice, but to her dismay, no one was around her. At least, no one she could see. Not one to slow down where danger was concerned, Caroline starting running toward the direction of the mansion, hoping like hell it was ACTUALLY the direction she was needing.

"Don't you know that running won't save you? Although I do like to play with my food before I eat it." The words were practically whispered into her ear. Caroline could feel the heat of Damon Salvatore's breath along her skin.

"Klaus! Elijah!" Caroline shouted, hoping like hell the Originals would come to her aid.

"They can't help you. Don't you understand yet? You belong to us." Elena stepped from behind a tree, whooshing until she stood before Caroline, fangs descending from her top row of teeth. Caroline halted at once, taking a hesitant step back from the woman in front of her.

She'd just seen Elena last night and she'd been human. Caroline was sure of it.

"Who the hell are you?"

The doppleganger smirked before walking casually up to Caroline, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off her feet. It was slightly awkward, given that Caroline was the taller of the two, but the method proved effective when Caroline's oxygen supply began to dwindle.

"Katarina, although people nowadays refer to me as Katherine." Caroline gripped the wrist of the person trying to kill her, digging her nails in roughly as her vision darkened slightly.

Katherine dropped Caroline and the blond took the opportunity to suck in a deep breath, letting the sweet air fill her lungs. Caroline tried to stand up but found herself flat on her back, Katherine standing over her menacingly.

"Klaus has ruined my life and I plan on returning the favor. Go ahead, Caroline. Call for him again."

She wasn't about to let some Elena Gilbert lookalike boss her around and Caroline wasn't going to do anything that would hurt Klaus, no matter what Katherine and Damon had planned in their pea brains. She couldn't let Klaus face any danger, it didn't matter to her whether or not he might have been invincible. Nothing lasts forever, Caroline knew that without a shadow of a doubt.

"What are you going to do to him?" Caroline used her elbows to scoot herself back from Katherine, standing slowly to her feet as she cleared her sore throat. She looked the woman up and down, hoping to find a weakness. Settling upon a necklace Katherine had on, a thought formed in Caroline's head.

The sun was still out and shining brightly in the sky and the only piece of jewelry Caroline could see on the vampire in front of her was that necklace. If she could just get it away from Katherine, perhaps it would give her enough time to make it into the mansion and out of harms way.

But what about Damon?

Caroline looked around her, still not seeing any sign of the elder Salvatore brother. What if he came after her while Katherine was burning in the sunlight? Caroline knew she couldn't escape them both, especially him.

Without pausing to think of her actions, Caroline grabbed the necklace Katherine wore, ripping it from her body. Less than a second later flames erupted on and around the vampire, an inhuman shriek sounding from her lips as she caught fire. Caroline fled the scene, the smell of burning flesh following in her wake.

"Klaus!" Caroline shouted again, breathing a sigh of relief when she came upon the mansion less than two hundred feet away. Klaus emerged from the back of their home, a concerned look on his face when he saw Caroline sprinting towards him.

She was safe!

Caroline smiled awkwardly, not allowing her body to slow down as she looked at the hybrid before her. The look of confusion on his face turned to horror in an instant. A moment later, Caroline felt the sharp sting of something along her upper torso.

Klaus's roar of outrage echoed throughout the area as Caroline felt her legs give out from under her. She landed on her legs, her body swaying as she toppled backwards. Before she could fall all the way, Klaus was knelt down beside her, holding her against his body.

Caroline looked down to where one of his hands were, surprised to find a thick tree branch protruding through her stomach.

"Oh my God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God." Caroline choked out over and over, not knowing what to do as blood began to slowly trickle from her mouth.

Klaus grabbed the stick in one hand, ripping it smoothly from her body as she choked on her own blood.

Elijah was beside them a few seconds later, shaking his head at his brother. "Whoever it was has escaped. Their trail ends a mile from our border." He cast a long look at Caroline before returning his attention to his brother. "You need to feed her. She hasn't been getting enough blood in her tea to heal this type of injury."

Klaus gathered Caroline into his arms, holding her bleeding and broken body close to his heart. Caroline's mind began to drift as her injury felt further and further away from her. Her muscles relaxed, her body pliant in his arms. Was this how death was? Peaceful towards the end?

"I should just let her die." Klaus spit out, no doubt angry over something, although Caroline couldn't remember what.

"The choice has been yours since the beginning, brother. Whatever you decide, you should make it quick."

Klaus wasted no more time, biting into his wrist and pressing the wound to Caroline's mouth, forcing her to feed.

The only problem was, her breathing had stopped only moments before.

Caroline Forbes was dead.