A/N: Hey there! So here's a little something before exam time comes around and I have to go into a study hibernation for weeks on end. The next update will most likely be a week or more away. Are you all watching the Originals, too? Though the TVD writers are dead set on destroying my klaroline hopes and fantasies, we shall prevail! A special thanks to you guys for the responses too, you all made my day, thank you.
Enjoy, MJ
"Who was she, Klaus?" Caroline's curiosity gets the better of her after just ten minutes of being back on the road again.
"Gwendolyn is what she goes by now, she's a Seer," he says, keeping his eyes on the road.
"What like she's psychic or something?"
"That's a very loose comparison but you have the gist of it. She's more like the psychic though. She see's everything, and I mean everything; your past, your present, your future, what you had for dinner. Her talents have allowed her to see the world through a thousand eyes, inside and out. She is like a supernatural library if you wish. So you can imagine why I originally thought, and still do think, that she knows exactly what's going on," he says.
"Well lets just keep looking for now. I can't believe she's so powerful. She doesn't look a day over 17," she huffs.
"That's because she isn't."
"I'm sorry, what? Are you telling me we just tried to get potentially life changing advice from a 17 year old?" her voice begins to rise.
"Yes," he chuckles. "The body may be 17 but the soul inside is even older than me, love. Eventually when Gwendolyn's body is ready to die, another will be destined to take its place. Fate always ensures she has a body to enter. As she was saying, she is as essential to the balance of nature as good and bad. She can always see the truth," he says thoughtfully. "Though I've noticed she has a particular taste for good looking blonde females, so you had better watch out," he teases.
Unable to ignore the budding curiosity inside of her, Caroline decides to put her pride aside in order to get some answers. The same question had been burning a hole in the back of her mind since she laid eyes upon the stunning blonde Seer.
"So, like, how… familiar are you with her?" she asks, looking very intently at her own feet.
"Now now, love, I'd say green doesn't suit you, but I'd be lying," he grins at her.
Suppressing the urge to scoff at him, she waits pointedly for an answer.
"I've known her through the ages, in different forms. I've threatened her and she's threatened me. We have a functioning professional relationship, that's all, sweetheart. No need to get territorial," he winks.
Rolling her eyes again, she pushes him softly on the arm, her hand lingering just a second too long. "Oh shut up," she laughs.
"Careful, love," he looks down at her hand on his arm. "You might just give me the wrong idea," he says in a low voice.
Snatching her hand away, she looks down as the blush creeps onto her face. "Why do you always have to do that?"
"Do what, love?" he says innocently.
"Make things awkward like that," she mumbles.
"Caroline," he says reaching out and grasping her hand in his. "You know I have feelings for you. It's you who's making it awkward by not returning them, when I know for a fact that you want to," he says as he brushes a thumb across the back of her hand.
"The only feelings I have toward you right now are anger and annoyance," she spits out, trying to ignore the blissful sensation spreading through her as his thumb rubs rhythmic circles on her hand.
"I don't believe that for a second," he says confidently.
"Why is it so hard to believe? I don't like you Klaus, how could I? You're a monster! Get it through your thick head," she snaps angrily, already regretting the words before they leave her mouth.
"You don't fool me, love," he snatches her wrist to pull her closer. "I can see the blush on your cheeks already," he whispers. "If you blush so easily at a little handholding, I'd love to see what colour you turn when you're really having fun," he purrs.
"Ugh!" she exclaims, pulling her wrist from his strong grasp. Turning sharply away from him to look out the window, she has to suppress a giggle at his overt flirting. Of all the men Caroline has ever known, Klaus remains by far the most persistent. No matter the amount of times she had gone behind his back to spoil one of his diabolical plots and even tried, in vain, to kill him, he was still always there, wanting and waiting. It was a powerful force to compete with, that kind of fervent desire was difficult to fight. Especially when the person in question was smoking hot like Klaus. He wanted her, and she knew it.
While she could admit she didn't exactly dislike the attention, she wasn't sure if she ever could or ever would return his feelings. Her body certainly wanted to, she knew this by the strange pull in her stomach whenever he leaned in a bit too close, or whenever his hand grazed her skin. But her brain needed a lot more convincing.
Was he even capable of committing himself to a fulfilling romantic relationship? It did seem highly unlikely, given his history.
But he was so different with her than the others. And yet he was lying to her, right this very second! Argh, the man was infuriating!
Caroline's inner monologue had continued along the same path since touching down in New Orleans.
Though she had developed in leaps and bounds as a vampire, she was still prone to the odd neurotic episode every now and then. It was something that Klaus ignited in her frequently. She was growing tired of the constant yes and no battle when it came to the hybrid. Sooner or later, one of them would win over. Which one? She had no idea.
"What are you thinking?" his voice breaks her from her reverie.
"Err, nothing," she replies sheepishly.
"You get the most endearing little crinkle right here, when you're in deep thought," he leans towards her, hand outstretched. His thumb grazes the spot between her brows. "But it only appears when you're thinking about me. Do you know how I know that?"
"Mmm?" she says wistfully, not really listening to him.
His touch leaves a trail of fire across her forehead and she revels in the feeling.
"Because it's been there since you've arrived. Every time we're together, every time I'm next to you, every time I try to touch you, there it is. That bloody confused look. But it's my look, reserved just for me," his hand travels down the side of her face, knowing full well what it's doing to her. "I yearn for the day you realise all this confusion and questioning is pointless. You were made for me Caroline Forbes. I want you and I want all of you, every little crazy bit. Forever and always," his thumb brushes longingly across her bottom lip.
Coming to her senses, albeit rather late, Caroline pushes his hand away. "Stop that!" she demands, heart thumping. "That's enough of that," she glowers at him. "Now tell me more about the next person we're going to see. I don't want any more surprises, like the last time," she looks at him pointedly.
"The next person we're going to see isn't as flashy as Gwendolyn and certainly isn't as… all knowing. But she is dark, and she has knowledge of magic outside the normal realms. It's even more important that you stay by my side this time. Gwendolyn was neutral, but this woman is a whole other story," he says gravely.
"What's her name?"
"Immora. She's one of the only witches to dabble in expression and remain sane enough to tell the tale. Her knowledge in black magic is priceless. But bear mind that this type of magic has a cost. Don't let her catch your eyes on her and do not stare at her face. Of course, you have nothing to worry about with me there," he says cockily. "But I think it best not to rock the boat. Besides, she's no good to us if I have to kill her," he adds casually.
"Oh fabulous, I can't wait. How long until we get there?" she asks, checking the time on her phone.
"About two minutes," he says, pulling off onto an old beaten track.
"Oh, just great!" she exclaims.
"Jeez, doesn't look like anyone's been out here in a while," she comments, noticing the dense green growth along the track.
"I doubt anyone without a death wish would wonder down here," he muses.
"Comforting," she huffs.
"Oh, relax, love. You're here with me, if you haven't forgotten."
"Comforting," she teases, giving him one of her own one sided grins.
His rumbling laugher fills the car and Caroline can't stop the smile from spreading across her face. A genuine laugh from him is something heard so few and far between.
"Come on," he says, pulling the car over in front of a surprisingly cute, older style cottage. "We're here. Don't forget what I said ok?"
"Relax Klaus, you're the big bad wolf after all."
As they wait together by the front door, Caroline feels a wave of uneasiness wash over her. Nausea grips her and she props herself up on the doorframe for support.
"Caroline, what is it?" his soothing hands are on her instantly.
"Nothing, I just feel a bit queasy," she mumbles, straightening herself after a moment.
"I'm taking you home," he declares, making a move to escort her back to the car.
"No, we've come this far, I need to know what's going on."
Before he can object, the cottage door opens to reveal a small figure draped in a dark green cloak.
Remembering what Klaus had said all too late, Caroline's eyes roamed up the older woman's body, eventually landing on the place where her face would be if it weren't for the large cloak covering it.
A mere second later, it felt as if fire was melting away the flesh on her hip. Pain radiated from her golden mark, crippling her as she stumbled over onto the floor.
Lifting up her shirt, still fully aware of the other two sets of eyes on her, she gasped when she discovered the golden squiggle had grown drastically. Now it stretched from up past her bra, all the way down her thigh. The line had tripled in thickness too, almost covering the whole side of her stomach.
Klaus' hands found her on the ground, stroking her hair as the piercing pain subsided.
Looking over to find the hunched, older woman moving to approach her, Caroline stood slowly, compelled by a new sense of confidence. No longer afraid to look, she eyed the older woman defiantly, challenging her to reveal herself.
Pulling the cloak from her face, Caroline gasped at the sight of Immora.
Black veins pulsed over what once could have been a beautiful face. They wove a pattern across her cheeks, almost reminiscent of a delicately laced spiders web. Black orbs became her eyes and a set of purple, discoloured, lips peaked to form a mischievous grin.
"My, my, my, what do we have here," her croaky voice sends shivers up Caroline's spine. "Do come in, this seems too good to miss," she cackles to herself, leaving them standing in the doorway as she heads inside.
"Are you ok? We don't have to do this now," Klaus says gently.
"I'm fine," she says with resolve. "I guess she wants us to follow her in right?"
"I think that's the plan," he laces his hand through hers. "C'mon little lion, I'll be right here," he squeezes her hand.
