A/N: Hello all my lovely readers. I just want to thank you again for all the amazing support and reviews I have received for this fanfiction. I'm so thrilled that you are enjoying it! As usual please ignore any missed spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and I would love to know what you think, so please feel free to leave me a review when you're done.
His mother was dead.
In a boring, but bizarre twist of events she had returned to his home and tried to make amends with Rebekah before collapsing to the ground and succumbing to her long and overdue death. All the magic keeping her alive had ceased.
In his heart of hearts, which was buried deep beneath the layers of emotional protection he had accumulated, he could feel a small twinge of something; a feeling.
He did not mourn the woman whose body he had just stood over only moments ago. Whose body he had helped Rebekah lift back into the coffin she belonged in. She was not his mother. That woman had been misguided. She betrayed him and the rest of his siblings by trying to have them killed. She deserved her fate.
No. He did not mourn that woman. He mourned for the woman she once was; the mother she once was to him and his siblings. She was loyal, nurturing, and protective. He had felt safe with her. The only time in his eternity he had experienced that. She would have done anything for her kids. And she had. She had helped turn them into vampires to protect them. That was the woman he had always mourned for...deep down underneath all the layers.
In a way, he was relieved. She was one less adversary he would have to contend with. Things - for the most part - were back on track and beginning to come together for him. He imagined the recent future; the stakes that could kill him would all be destroyed, he would have Elena, and he would have his hybrids. Finally. Even still, he felt like something was missing; like he was forgetting something.
Crossing the empty street, he stepped onto the sidewalk. He inhaled the scents of the early springtime air. It smelt like new life; new blood. He enjoyed this time of year.
Rebekah had laughed at him when he told her he would walk back across town to Stefan's to check in on Stefan's progress with Alaric, but he paid her no mind. He enjoyed the fresh air and the darkness; the time to think.
He had left Stefan's because he was growing impatient and didn't feel like spending his entire night waiting on Alaric to spill the beans about the location of the stake. He also thought he should inform Rebekah and Kol of the newest detail to emerge with respect to the magic around vampires.
Killing an original vampire would kill every single vampire who had descended from that original's bloodline.
This was news to him. Although he supposed it really didn't really mean that much for him. If he was dead, he could care less if all the vampires who had descended from him died as well. In actuality, it seemed fitting.
Why should all those descended from him get to live on while he turned to dust?
All that really mattered to him was his own survival. He needed that stake to protect himself and his siblings.
Kol had informed him of Damon and Elena's trip to Denver. He assumed it was simply to retrieve the younger Gilbert. After all, he had already proven that Jeremy was unsafe there. However, the missing stake prompted him to jump to ulterior motives. Perhaps their trip to Denver had more to do with his brother than Elena's. It unnerved him.
These most recent events had almost completely removed any thought of the blonde vampire that had so enthralled him.
That was until he turned onto her street.
He could have easily taken the main street through Mystic Falls out to Stefan's, but he had purposely taken the backstreets to end up here.
It was ridiculous, he thought. He was making a mistake; making things worse.
He could never leave well enough alone.
The rational part of him had tried to convince himself that he had done the right thing yesterday. Lashing out at her and threatening Matt had successfully pushed her away. He had to do it. She was a distraction from his original intent. He was here for the doppelganger and his future hybrids. Nothing more. If he kept preoccupying himself with her, she would surely ruin his plans; she would ruin him.
The irrational part of him could only think about her and how disappointed and upset he had made her. The irrational part of him felt guilty. He tried hard to ignore it.
Of course, he could not deny the effect Caroline had on him. He enjoyed her. She was much like this springtime air: fresh, new, exciting, inspiring, and warm. Beautiful was so cliché, but he could not think of a more appropriate word. It was not one that he personally used very often.
She had also stirred within him a small twinge of something; a feeling. One that was proving difficult to ignore and let go of.
Every time she smiled at him, laughed with him, spoke to him, and looked at him with that intense expression of hers, he could literally feel something being pulled up from the depths of his soul towards the surface.
He didn't like it. The powerlessness he felt when he was with her was suffocating. It frightened him and intrigued him all at once.
And yet, he still found himself walking down her street towards her house. Just like he had still found himself using Rebekah's cell phone to call her last night to explain himself. She had ignored him as he expected, but he tried.
He had no intention of actually seeing her tonight. He knew any encounter between them would not be pleasant, given last night. Things were finished between them. He simply wanted some sort of affirmation; affirmation that he had not permanently emotionally damaged her. He wanted to know she was alright.
The insanity of that desire made him scoff.
As he got closer to her house he noticed her car parked on the street. She was at home.
He wasn't sure that she would be home. The night was still fairly early and Caroline was quite the popular girl with an impressive list of friends. It was unusual that she would stay at home and let a night of the week go to waste.
Perhaps she was home sulking after her disagreement with his sister over the theme of the decade dance? He wasn't trying to be narcissistic, but he also wondered if he had anything to do with her night in.
He was in front of a neighbouring yard when he heard and saw the door to Caroline's house open.
Quickly, he stepped out of the reach of a nearby streetlight and hid by a parked truck.
Who he saw emerge from the house he had not been expecting.
It was Tyler.
He felt his entire body harden and his eyes narrow.
She had been with Tyler. Tyler had been with her.
When he asked her yesterday where Tyler was, she lied to him.
She had obviously known where he was the entire time.
His jaw clenched at the thought.
Was it possible that Tyler had been under the radar in Mystic Falls the entire time, and he was simply too distracted to notice or find out?
Maybe that was all Caroline was trying to do; distract him so that he would leave Tyler alone. Perhaps he had been fooled into thinking that there was something genuine there. She tricked him.
As he blocked the millions of thoughts running rampant through his mind to focus, the reality of the situation became clear.
Tyler did not look happy. In fact, he looked furious as he stepped off of Caroline's front porch.
Suddenly he heard her familiar voice yell out after him as she followed him outside.
"Tyler! Wait! Please come back inside, you're being ridiculous!" she said.
Tyler completely ignored her pleas and climbed inside his car.
He turned his attention back to Caroline.
Her arms were wrapped around her chest in attempt to shield herself from the cool night air as she watched Tyler speed off down the road.
Luckily he had not driven in his direction.
Despite the darkness, he could tell that Caroline was upset.
He found himself intrigued. What had caused such a bitter quarrel between them?
For some reason he felt defensive of her; he almost felt the urge to go after Tyler for an explanation. It was silly.
Once Caroline returned inside, he stepped back out from the cover of the truck.
He contemplated what to do next.
His mind would not be at ease now until he confronted her, but he wasn't sure how to go about it.
Should he burst through her front door and demand answers from her? Could he live with the consequences of that decision? The consequences, he knew, would surely involve the severing any possibility Caroline would ever view him in a favourable light again.
Maybe he should take a subtler approach? He could struggle to calmly discuss what happened between them and Tyler's surprise presence. While she might be more receptive to that, he doubted that she would ever be receptive to him again regardless of his approach.
As much as he hated to admit it, it disappointed him.
After a few minutes of weighing his options, he noticed the lights at Caroline's house go out.
She was going to sleep, he assumed.
It was a perfect opportunity to enter her house unsuspectingly and confront her. She would be caught off guard and unable to react as quickly with the hostility he was expecting.
Confident in his decision, he headed for her house, but hesitated at the front steps.
He had barely rehearsed what he would say to her and how he would say it. He wanted answers, but he didn't want to come off as too threatening, or too soft. He had already revealed to her enough of the small remaining soft side he had. The last thing he wanted was to come off as vulnerable and weak to her. She couldn't know that she had any ounce of control over him.
He took a few more moments to rehearse in his mind how their conversation would play out. He would get his explanations, and that would be that. He would reassert his independence and control and attain the closure he wanted.
Utilizing his vampire abilities, he entered her house without a sound. Unless she had been using her own vampire abilities to concentrate her hearing, she would never hear him.
He paused at the front door when he noticed flashes of light from the television from the living room hitting the walls.
He considered the possibility that she was still awake.
The volume on the television was low, but his fine hearing ability was able to determine that an episode of 'Jersey Shore' was on. He smirked at her quirky television preferences.
In addition to the sounds from the television, he could also pick up the sound of Caroline's soft consistent breathing coming from the same room.
He listened for a few minutes, before confirming his suspicion. She was asleep.
Standing there, he contemplated what to do next.
Although it was dark, he still noticed the bare wall in front of him where a framed picture once hung; the framed picture they had knocked down together by accident in their first throes of passion. He smirked, before turning on his heel towards the living room.
At first, he had full intentions of waking her up, but he reconsidered when he saw her.
She was curled up on the couch in a black tank top and grey cotton pyjama pants. Her head was nestled against a small pillow, while her hands rested in between.
The glow of the television provided him with just enough light to make out the paths of tears on her cheeks.
Her tears unsettled him, but he couldn't explain it further.
He sighed quietly to himself in defeat.
Even though it only seemed to prove his point about her making him weak, he decided to leave her be for tonight.
Choosing instead to leave behind a vague hint of his presence for her when she woke up, he pulled the knitted blanket at her feet up over her legs and turned the television off.
As he was about to make his exit, her phone began to complain loudly. He reacted instantly and used his vampire speed to bolt across the hall to her bedroom.
He should have headed for the front door instead, but his initial gut reaction was simply to not get caught. Her bedroom provided the nearest cover.
Once he was sure she was distracted by her phone call, he would make his escape through her window.
Standing in the darkness of her room, he could hear her rise from the couch and fumble with her phone.
It was probably poor Tyler calling to make amends. He rolled his eyes at the thought.
"Hello?" he heard her answer groggily.
She paused for an answer.
"Hey. Is everything okay? Did something happen?" she asked the caller.
Okay, it probably wasn't Tyler, he thought to himself.
"I fell asleep on the couch," she continued, as he heard her stand up from the couch.
He stepped back further into the darkness of her room, somewhat startled when he felt his legs bump up against the mattress of her bed.
He didn't even need to see to know this was her room. The scents of vanilla, roses, lavender, and her fresh perfume filled his nostrils. However, as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, the general details of her room became apparent.
"Thanks for calling," her voice returned, snapping him from his observations.
He felt himself growing anxious as he heard her step out into the hallway.
Anticipating that she would step through the door at any moment, he readied himself to make a hasty exit. He didn't want whoever was calling to know of his presence.
When she turned for the kitchen, he relaxed.
It was his chance to leave. However, as he turned for the window, a piece of paper on her nightstand caught her eye.
He could hear her rummaging through a kitchen cupboard now, so he decided to take a risk.
He turned her bedside lamp on to see the paper clearer.
His eyes were met with the first drawing of her he himself had created.
It was slightly crumpled, but in one piece nonetheless.
Staring at the drawing, he considered what it meant.
She could have thrown it away, but she kept it. That surprised him. Did that mean it meant something to her? Or was she merely impressed with his artistic ability?
Had Tyler seen it? Is it what provoked their fight?
"Thanks, Matt," her voice said suddenly.
Oddly, he found relief in the fact that she was talking to Matt.
As he listened, he realized that she wasn't in the kitchen anymore. She was close.
Her overextended silence and inhale of surprise, suggested that he had been found out.
He waited for her to respond to Matt, as he considered his next action.
Although he still technically had plenty of time to escape through her window, he remained stationary.
Finding his drawing had reinvigorated his curiosity and need for answers.
She was in for a surprise when she pushed open her door, he thought.
"Yeah, um, that sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow," she mumbled quickly into the phone.
Indeed, she knew something was amiss.
He listened as she set something down on the hall table and opened another door in the hall. She removed something from it before shutting the door again. He assumed it was a closet. She had probably grabbed an object of some sort to defend herself with.
That amused him.
He got into position and waited impatiently for her to make her way cautiously to her partially closed bedroom door.
She paused outside of it for a few moments.
Although he half expected it, he was still taken by surprise when she bashed the door open.
He didn't look up at her, but from the corner of his eye, he could see her holding a broom in front of her.
"Trouble in paradise, love?" he asked, grinning.
She scoffed loudly and rested her useless broom weapon against the wall.
"I should have known it was you," she said angrily as she walked past him into her room.
He turned to her with curiosity.
"You know, if you're going to manipulate my dreams and sexually violate me while I sleep, you could have at least gotten me off," she hissed with an arched brow as she began to put some freshly clean and folded laundry into her dresser.
His eyes widened at her unexpected comment. What was she talking about? Although he could have mistaken, he sensed some bitterness and genuine sexual frustration hidden behind her words."Unfortunately, I'm afraid I had no part in any dreams of yours, love," he revealed to her.
She glared at him in disbelief and he noted her reddening cheeks.
"You obviously dreamt of me all on your own," he smirked. "You do have me intrigued now though. Perhaps that's why you were moaning in your sleep..." he thought aloud.
Truthfully, she hadn't made a sound as she slept. He simply wanted to annoy her.
She rolled her eyes as she slammed one of her drawers shut. "I was not," she replied.
He shrugged.
"So are you going to tell me why exactly you decided to show up at my house - to my room no less - uninvited?" she asked scornfully.
"I was just passing through on my way to Stefan's," he said vaguely, hoping to string her along as long as he could.
He could tell she wasn't buying it.
"You don't have to pass down my street at all to get to Stefan's," she pointed out, clearly onto him.
"I opted for the scenic route," he retorted.
As she paced around her room in front of him, he sensed that his presence was making her anxious.
"A phone call would have been nice," she said sarcastically, continuing with her nervous behaviour as she attempted to de-clutter her room.
She amused him.
"Would you really have answered?" he retorted, very obviously referring to his effort to call her the previous evening.
"Probably not," she concluded. "You really don't know how to take a hint, do you?" she asked, seemingly annoyed and entertained by the fact all at once.
He shook his head.
"I have very selective hearing," he joked.
She sighed and dropped her arms against her sides.
"Look Klaus, I don't know why you're here, but it's been a very long day. I think I made myself very clear to you last night, so say what you came here to say. I'm tired," she complained.
He noted her eyes begin to glisten over with the prospect of tears. No tears fell, but it was clear she was being honest with him. However she had spent her day with Tyler, it had not been a pleasant experience for her.
Despite what concern he had for her, he felt satisfied by that.
"You never answered me before...what's the matter?" he asked.
Her eyebrows contorted into their infamous unimpressed expression.
"Nothing..." she lied, her head falling to the side as she looked out her window to ignore him.
Rebekah played this passive aggressive game with him all the time and he detested it. However, this time, he suspected Caroline was avoiding the issue because she was trying to protect her other lies.
"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with Tyler?" he asked her.
Immediately her surprised but disappointed expression gave her away.
"Why would my mood have anything to do with Tyler...maybe I'm just upset that you tried to kill my friend last night?" she proposed, trying to shift the focus of their conversation.
He hated that she was lying to him. In fact, it made the consumed blood in his system boil.
Almost on impulse, his vampire speed lunged closer towards her.
She jumped as her breath got caught in her throat. Goosebumps rose on her skin while she tried to stand firm in front of him.
It bothered him that she was frightened.
"Don't lie to me," he hissed under his breath.
Looking up at him, she shook her head quickly, denying his assumption.
"I'm not lying," she squeaked.
"But you are!" he yelled, fighting the urge to pin her against the wall much like he had the previous night.
She was biting her bottom lip now.
"I saw Tyler leave here earlier," he revealed.
She had been found out, and her face said it all.
"So what are you doing, spying on me now?" she hissed defensively, again, trying to distract from the real issue.
"Just passing through the neighbourhood, love," he said, holding his hands up innocently. "I seem to recall you telling me just last night that you had no idea where he was..." he reminded her.
"I didn't. I still don't. He just came home today," Caroline said.
"Right. How convenient," he answered back unconvinced.
"I'm telling the truth!" she spat beginning to grow emotional. "Look through my phone, if you don't believe me."
She really didn't deserve the benefit of the doubt, but he couldn't help but wonder if she was indeed telling the truth.
He thought about what Rebekah had told him earlier. Caroline had stormed out on the preparations for the dance, uncharacteristically. Rebekah had been suspicious. Caroline and Rebekah had been in competition to see their ideas for the dance through ever since the first meeting according to his sister. It would be unlike Caroline to give up so easily.
Suddenly, it made sense to him.
"So that's why you staged the spat with my sister. Rebekah thought something was amiss," he said as he put two and two together.
Caroline seemed stunned by his ability to connect the dots. He was on the right track.
"You purposely argued with her so you could leave; leave to see Tyler unsuspected," he finished.
He glared at her and waited for her to respond.
She backed up and nodded slowly.
He closed the space between them, wanting to maintain his intimidating stance over her.
"Things obviously didn't go well, given Tyler's angry departure," he mused. "I don't suppose I had anything to do with that?" he wondered incredulously as he headed for her nightstand.
She gave another one of her infamous scoffs.
"Not everything revolves around you," she muttered from behind him.
He smirked as he turned around with his crumpled drawing of her in his hand.
"No, it doesn't. But I couldn't help but notice this on your nightstand. Its crumpled condition suggests a degree of distaste," he said moving towards her once more. "You're lucky he didn't find the more salacious one, sweetheart," he added with a flirty smirk. "Given that this was lying out, I have a few theories..." he trailed off, hoping the amusement was clear in his voice.
She frowned and looked at him expectantly, as if waiting to hear him clarify.
"Either the paper was damaged following a discussion with Tyler about me..."
"Or?" she interrupted with folded arms and a critical stare.
He smiled wide.
"Or...my favourite really," he remarked, as he handed her the drawing. "Tyler brings you to your room, eager to show you how much he really missed you. Skipping the gory details, the two of you are basking in the sexual afterglow...well maybe only Tyler is, until he turns on your bedside lamp to find my drawing that you carelessly - or perhaps purposely - left lying there," he suggested.
She shook her head, clearly unimpressed with his intrusive hypotheses.
"Oh, come on? Am I really that far off the mark?" he asked as he stepped directly behind her.
He leaned in towards her, so that his lips were mere inches from her ear.
"I can smell him all over you," he hissed disapprovingly. "At some point, you two were doing a lot more than fighting," he concluded, thanks to his wolf side which provided him with an enhanced sense of smell.
The sight of her body tensing upon his words was completely visible.
He honestly didn't want to be right about his last statements. But her body language was undeniable. He almost felt the urge to be sick to his stomach. The thought of Tyler touching her...her allowing him to, disgusted him.
He stepped around her again so he could look at her.
She had tears in her eyes.
"Somebody sounds jealous," she retorted, clearly trying her hand at comments that would inflict revenge, as she walked past him this time.
He followed her with his eyes as she put the drawing in her nightstand drawer.
She was keeping it. That renewed his confidence.
He balked at her accusation of jealousy.
"The only thing I feel is betrayal, love. Although, I guess it's my fault. After a thousand years, I should know better," he growled.
"He's my boyfriend, what do you expect?" she said defensively but insecurely.
She was beginning to cry now, and that put him further on edge.
"I expect you to be honest with yourself!" he lashed out, shielding himself from her reaction by turning his back to her.
He took a few moments to collect himself.
"If I'm jealous over anything, it's your ability to fool yourself," he said calmly as he turned back around.
She looked at him puzzled. "Fool myself?"
"Yes, love, fool yourself; fool yourself into thinking that you have the same feelings for Tyler that you had before he left, given everything that has happened during his absence," he said plainly, indirectly alluding to their own trysts.
Scowling at him, she shook her head at the idea.
"Why do you think I'm fooling myself? Because I'm supposed to have feelings for you?" she shouted at him, clearly at her breaking point.
Her question and tone of voice had alarmed him. He had never seen her this way before; this emotional.
It made him nervous...and for some reason, upset.
He was unsure how to respond. She had brought up something that had plagued him since their first night together; her feelings for him, or the lack thereof. Did he really want to know more about her feelings for him? Did he really want to ask her?
"Not necessari..."
- "You're wrong," she interrupted, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
He stilled instantly with her words. Biting the inside of his cheek, he prepared himself for imminent rejection.
She looked around her bedroom for a few moments, avoiding his general direction, as she wiped her eyes.
"I can't do it..." she murmured.
Now he was curious. The suspense was killing him.
"Can't do what?" he asked.
She met his stare with her glassy eyes. "Fool myself."
He waited for her to explain.
She threw her hands up in defeat before they fell against her sides.
"Today was supposed to be all about fooling myself. I thought spending the day with Tyler would make me forget the last few weeks ever happened..."
He winced at her apparent admission of regret. He regretted nothing, aside from the aftermath of dangerous and conflicted feelings he was left with.
Pushing her hair back with her fingers, she shook her head.
"But, I only thought about you the entire time I was with him," she revealed.
He sucked in a breath and nearly felt himself jump out of his skin.
What did her confession mean? What did he want it to mean?
She was still crying, which was not a good sign.
"I thought about you of all people," she said almost bitterly and accusatory. "The person who manipulates everyone, who treats people like slaves to control, who wants to destroy my best friend's life...oh and who almost killed another one of my friends last night," she listed sarcastically.
He looked away, unable to face her. Why? Did he feel ashamed, guilty, remorseful? He cringed at even entertaining the possibility.
"Matt was nothing per..." he attempted.
- "What? Matt was what? Nothing personal?" she finished for him.
Scoffing again she clenched her arms around her chest.
"Don't give me that," she refused angrily. "Don't tell me it was nothing personal when we both know damn well that it was!" she yells exasperated. "It had nothing to do with following through on a petty threat."
She stood back, eyeing him hesitantly for his reaction. Seconds ago she had stood her ground with him. Now, it seemed she had realized who she was talking to and grew timid as a result.
He knew she was expecting him to erupt with rage. He didn't want to meet her expectations. He was tired of fighting her.
"You're right," he told her simply and calmly. "It didn't."
She huffed almost proudly, as she ran her arm under her cheeks to catch some wayward tears.
"It was entirely personal," he admitted. "I wanted to hurt you," he added.
Caroline was biting her quivering lip now in an effort to keep it and her display of emotion under control.
It was no use. Her supply of tears seemed never ending. She whimpered under her breath as she tried to form a coherent response.
He was surprised that his honesty would have such an effect on her. After all, she had already assumed what his intentions had been the night previous.
"W-why?" she stuttered. "Why would you want to hurt me?" she repeated, apparently offended.
It was his turn to avoid eye contact with her. He had thought about this almost obsessively since last night, and knew the exact detailed answer, but he wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. Once he did, he could never take it back.
"Why?" she said again, this time a little more sternly.
He closed his eyes briefly and exhaled before peering into her demanding eyes.
"Because...you terrify the hell out of me Caroline Forbes," he breathed.
With his words he could sense her mood and the power dynamic between them shift dramatically.
He could almost feel weakness overtaking him as she traded places with him into his position of power and control.
Laughter overtook her crying, much like a rainbow shining through the rain. She was laughing at the absurdity of it, he knew.
She quieted down quickly realizing her laughter may have given the wrong impression; that she was laughing at him.
"You...are scared of me?" she asked, still amused and unsure by the idea.
He shrugged.
"But you're like a bazillion times stronger than me. If I frighten you so much then why don't you just kill me?" she reasoned.
She obviously still hadn't completely understood what he meant.
"Your strength is more insidious Caroline," he explained.
Taking a breath, he debated quickly whether or not he should continue.
"I've realized that killing or hurting you won't destroy my feelings for you," he admitted, feeling a combination of relief and regret almost instantly.
He fought the coward within him and searched her face for a response.
She wasn't crying any longer. She hadn't been ever since his first step into vulnerability. Completely emasculating himself is what it took to make her feel better, he mused.
Studying her more intently, he thought he could see a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Feelings for me?" she asked with curiosity, anticipation, and fake naivety, as she shuffled closer to him.
He glared disapprovingly at her question, hoping she would take the hint that he did not wish to go into any further detail about his "feelings" tonight. Admitting to her that they existed in the first place was enough of a feat for him.
Both of them stood there for a few extended and agonizing moments in silence, cautiously considering what they should say next; wondering what the other would say next.
The silence was killed by her soft giggle that he appreciated so much.
He gave her a questioning look, curious as to what provoked her unexpected laugh.
"You're not very good at taking your own advice, you know," she said quietly.
Knowing it was impossible, he still tried to scan his memory for every piece of advice he may have imparted on her to determine what she was referring to.
"What advice would that be, sweetheart?" he asked.
Biting her lip, she looked uncertain and insecure now, likely reconsidering her decision to head down this topic of conversation.
She sighed deeply, as if to reassure herself.
"You told me at the bar that night to do things that scare me..." she reminded him apprehensively.
Her reminder sent a chill down his spine as he considered that night, as well as the implications of what she had just said. He had urged her to do things that scare her in an effort to break her out of her human shell. He hadn't expected how she would apply that advice. That night at the bar she had kissed him more intensely and deeply than he had ever been kissed, even though her lips barely touched his own. That kiss had led them through a series of events that brought them here. He appreciated the symmetry, but wondered what her intentions were in bringing up his advice again. Was her comment merely an observation, or did she want him to apply his advice much like she had?
He was going to take a chance.
His nerves and excitement had prompted his vampire speed, and he propelled towards her quickly, stopping just shy of her.
"Is that a challenge?" he asked boldly but hesitantly, as he looked down into her eyes for an answer.
A/N: OoOoooOooO what's going to happen next? I didn't mean to cut it off just as things were getting juicy, but this chapter took me awhile to write and I wanted to give you all an update to tie you over. I don't expect that the next chapter will be as long as this, so expect another update soon!
