Hey Guys! So...it's been a while. I know, I'm sorry. I'm horrible. I just couldn't find the time between school and work and extra-curricular activities to give you amazing readers a quality chapter that would be worth reading, somewhat. Now that summer is here, I will do updates more frequently. For those who are still sticking to this story, I thank you so much.
Please Review! Again, these reviews with detailed commentary help me improve so that I can create a better story for you readers! So really, it's a win-win.
Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! Your words of encouragement and reminders to "please update" prompted me to continue the story and spend the time writing each chapter and obsessing over the story line.
Special mentions to:
tippy093, who had amazing and totally realistic predictions that inspired the way I will go about forming Caroline and Rebekah's relationship.
"Guest"who made my day when the user said they pictured the chapter like a TVD episode
Klaroline4everlove, who's play-by-play commentary made me laugh and jump with excitement at the same time.
And now... Enjoy!
Chapter 10
The sweet vanilla-honey scent of Caroline filled his senses, taking over him completely. Caroline on his lips, his hands, and behind every whispered confession he gave quietly with the words "Caroline" over again, as if he could somehow convey to Caroline how he felt.
He embraced her lips for the last time, before finally breaking apart. She looked like an angel, with her golden curls glowing in the moonlight, her lips parted and swollen from his kisses, cheeks colored with passion.
They fell on his bed, breathing heavily, and sat in silence, savoring the moment. Niklaus struggled to keep his thoughts in line, he must not give in, he must not give in. Yet, when her soft body leaned against his hard figure and she brushed her hand against his cheek, he found his usually strong resolve weakening against this sweet poison.
He suddenly stiffened, and he felt Caroline stiffen in response, stopping her soft touches.
"I...I apologize for my outburst. You must go, please." Niklaus said softly, already missing the feeling of her against him.
"What?" Caroline cried in disbelief. "You cannot seriously send me away, come back the next day and revert to you withdrawn self...I refuse!" She stated stubbornly.
Niklaus faced away from Caroline, refusing to let her see see the emotion his eyes betrayed.
"You're an enigma, you know that?" Caroline went on.
Niklaus raised his eyebrow.
"We fight, and then you show kindness, then you lash back even harder, as if to erase any good feeling I have about you! But now...you have shown that you feel something for me-"
"-But you will never feel anything for me!" Niklaus suddenly burst out. There was no use denying what he already knew.
Silence.
"I...I didn't push you away, did I?" Caroline admitted softly, as if she was talking to herself. Her eyes met his. Niklaus felt his insides twist at her pleading expression. "Please...don't send me away. Not tonight."
Niklaus opened his mouth to object, but found himself hesitating. Although he desperately wanted to lash out, to send away and return back to the lonely abyss that was his life, he found himself gesturing towards the bed, where Caroline went without hesitation.
"You were having a nightmare, I heard you screaming" Caroline stated.
"Why you being so kind to me?" Niklaus suddenly blurted out, then immediately regretted his words. Perhaps she would then come to her senses and run out the door, but she didn't.
Caroline remembered Rebecca's words. If anyone can uncover the man behind the beast, it would be you. "I see goodness in you, that is all." She replied softly.
"I have no goodness in me."
"If you didn't...I wouldn't be sitting with you right now."
Caroline remembered when she first met him, mysterious, handsome, the object of her thoughts. Then she thought him a monster when he revealed his fierce nature. But now she realized that he was simply a broken man who had lived far to many years in solitude and hatred. Any man who has lived as long as he had would have been driven to be as dark as he was now.
"What were you dreaming about?" She asked, deftly changing the topic.
"You."
He allowed himself to stroke her hair, caress her perfect face. "But...Caroline, I will destroy you. I will destroy all that is good in you, and you will hate me in the end."
Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, and the hybrid resisted the urge to smooth the creases on her forehead.
"You don't know that, you don't know me. Please, let me in."
Caroline hesitantly moved forward, and captured his lips with hers, and felt Niklaus freeze then slowly encircle his arms around her protectively until she was pressed against him.
The next morning, Rebecca found them in the same position, locked in an unconscious embrace. Despite being angry with her brother, she smiled
softly and closed the door.
Niklaus awoke, with the sunlight streaming through his window. Caroline looked like an angel, her face relaxed and peaceful, her hair sprawled around her head like a halo. He stayed still, savoring the pure contentment he felt after so long.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" Caroline teased, her voice husky from sleep.
"I'm not exactly known for my manners now, am I love?" The Hybrid answered with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes, then suddenly leaned forward and captured his soft lips with hers. Caroline felt warmth spread through her and his scent fill her senses. He let out a moan, pulling her closer.
Caroline pulled away. "That took the smirk of your face, didn't it, love."
Niklaus gathered her back in his arms. "I should have known better than to get such a feisty maid."
"Come," Niklaus spoke before Caroline could reply. "get dressed. I have something to show you."
He rose from the bed, secretly missing her warmth. He quickly went about the room, selecting the usual black tunic and pants, before hesitating and choosing a beige tunic. Perhaps Caroline would enjoy the color-
Niklaus suddenly felt her eyes on him, and turned around suddenly. Caroline's eyes stayed trained on his muscled torso. She slowly met his eyes, then blushed furiously.
Niklaus smirked. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?"
After they had dressed, Klaus led her through the castle, until stopping at a pair of large doors.
"Niklaus, I hope you know that if this is some trick-"
He pushed open the doors. Caroline's mouth dropped open.
"Oh...my…"
"Do you like it?"
"YOU HAVE A LIBRARY!" Caroline nearly shrieked.
"I'm a hybrid with extra sensitive hearing standing a foot away from you. No need to yell, love"
"I've passed by this hallway a hundred times!"
"I had a witch put up an enchantment. You have to say an incantation to reveal and unlock the door." Niklaus explained.
"You live alone, why do you need to hide the door?" Caroline asked.
"I don't always live alone." Niklaus reasoned. "And it is my haven, a protection of sorts."
"Why show it to me?"
"Because...I just thought you might enjoy it. You like reading, don't you?"
"I love it!" Caroline walked around the large room. I...this is...it's amazing!"
The room was painted with earth tone colors. Paintings adorned the room, all different styles and from different eras. An entire wall was made of a large window, giving a breathtaking view of the forest and lakes beyond, transitioning into a clear azure sky.
The hybrid took Caroline's hand and led her to a large couch facing the window. He quickly put a worn book lying on the seat under couch, before turning to Caroline.
"This is where I read. I can spend days here without need for anything else."
Caroline gasped in mock-surprise. "So all those times you disappeared mysteriously, you weren't off massacring villages.
"Well...not all those times."
Caroline wrinkled her nose, her lips forming a pout. "Didn't hurt to hope."
Niklaus suddenly closed the space between them and brought her lips to his. She gasped in surprise, as he inhaled her vanilla scent, savoring the feel of her soft, moist lips on his.
They broke apart, when Caroline needed air.
"What...what was that for?" Caroline asked breathlessly.
She looked so...kissable with her hair mussed, her red cheeks, and her lips slightly swollen. The hybrid resisted the urge to kiss her again. He raised his hand to her cheek, and stroked it instead.
"Do I need a reason?" He gestured to the rows of books. "Now, choose one. Any one."
Caroline looked like a little girl in a candy shop, eagerly browsing the pages of each book. Niklaus couldn't help but smile at her excitement over such a little thing as choosing a book. Caroline noticed his expression.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." The hybrid replied.
Caroline rolled her eyes playfully then selected a large book, and held it up victoriously.
"Ah, Journey To the Center of the Earth. Interesting choice, Miss Forbes. What is the appeal. may I ask?"
"It's the adventure. There's so much to do, so much to see, and even if I can't actually experience that exciting life, might as well read about it, right?"
"Do you wish to travel, then?" The hybrid asked, intrigued.
"Yes! It's my dream. I want to sail on a ship to a tropical island, and sip tea on the streets of Paris, or see a palace in India and go to a festival in Spain. I just want to go somewhere, you know?" Her eyes were lit with excitement. "I dreamed about it for years stuck in my tiny village. And I still dream about it now in..." Caroline suddenly trailed off, a sudden weight settling on her shoulders.
And uncomfortable silence hung between the two, for the unspoken obstacle that stood in the way of Caroline's freedom. It was as if a spell was broken. A wonderful spell that had allowed for the Hybrid and the maid to talk and behave like normal lovers, and forget all their cares for a day.
Niklaus watched with a mix of dread and guilt as Caroline seemed to deflate. He could see the conflicted emotions in her blue eyes, and he wanted to embrace her and comfort her. Only, he knew it would make it worse.
Caroline snapped out of her reverie and politely smiled. Thank you, for letting me see the library, Niklaus. I'm truly honored. I should probably head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for you and Rebekah." She put the book back and turned towards the door.
"Wait!" Niklaus cried, eager to make her stay a few seconds longer. Trying to preserve the spell he already knew was broken. "Take the book, love. It's yours to read."
Caroline's eyes widened. "Thank you. I-"
"And...and you can come here anytime you want. To read, or just to think, or anything. Incantation's "semper et in perpetuum"
"Niklaus, I cannot thank you enough." Caroline smiled, and brought her hand to his cheek, stroking it softly. Niklaus moved to embrace her but she stepped away suddenly.
"I should probably go now." She said, a sad smile on her face.
"Yes, of course." Niklaus replied.
He stood in the room, frozen as turned around and closed the door, the sound echoing through out the large room. Niklaus sat front of the window and buried his face in his hands. He'd spent decades alone in this room, but now it seemed so much emptier without her.
"Where the bloody hell where you and Niklaus?" Rebekah exclaimed exasperatedly, pacing around the kitchen. "I looked for you everywhere. I almost thought you've decided to run away and elope!"
"Elope! Well I can tell you we most definitely would not do that." Caroline replied, blushing furiously.
"Yes," Rebekah smirked, noticing Caroline's reaction. "How silly of me. Of course not."
Caroline fidgeted with her hands, then opened and closed her mouth.
"...Do you wish to tell me anything? Anything at all?" Rebekah asked smugly. "I'm in some need of advice giving and girl talk. Even if it's with the help. How about you?" She pressed on.
"We kissed. He kissed me. Niklaus kissed me! Well, but then I kissed him back." Caroline suddenly burst out.
"Really! How surprising! I had no idea." Rebekah replied, pretending to be astonished.
"Yes, well I don't know what came over me." Caroline admitted.
"Does he have feelings for you?"
"Well, yes."
"Do you have feelings for him?" Rebekah continued.
Caroline hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I have feelings for him.
"Then what's the problem, my dear?"
"The problem is that he's my captor! He's the person who imprisoned my father, and has now control over me. What kind of relationship will we have? Will we even have a relationship? Or will he cast me aside once he gets bored of me?"
"I don't think he will bore of you, Caroline."
"But you never know! He was so kind to me today, Rebekah. But for all I know, this is sort of game, just to relieve his boredom. I told him that I dreamed of travelling today. And then I realized, I would never be able to! Because of him! My whole life is changed, because of him! I don't know if I can be with someone who's done that to me. It would be completely irrational, even if I think I saw the man behind the beast."
Niklaus slowly walked to the kitchen after his time with Caroline, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"But for all I know, this is sort of game, just to relieve his boredom." It was Caroline. How could she think it was a game for him, when he did nothing but open himself to her? He listened on.
"I told him that I dreamed of travelling today. And then I realized, I would never be able to! Because of him! My whole life is changed, because of him! I don't know if I can be with someone who's done that to me. It would be completely irrational, even if I think I saw the man behind the beast."
Niklaus felt as if he had been punched in the gut. Did all his words and efforts mean nothing to her? A mixture of pain and guilt and anger filled with him. She thought it was a game to him? Fine. What was he thinking, anyways? That he would be able to enjoy a happy relationship with his maid? The woman that was forced to stay with him?
Unwilling to hear anymore, he flashed back to his room.
"Please, Caroline. You must understand that Niklaus was not always like this. And I think that one day he will cast away his insecurities and pride enough to free you. Just...give him time." Rebekah pleaded.
"I understand. I think. I will be able to understand. But I feel as if I'm betraying my father some how, by falling for Niklaus."
"Did you ever find out why Niklaus imprisoned your father?"
Caroline frowned. "He said...that my father had stolen something of great value to him and did something dreadful with it. But, I always assumed that Niklaus was making up stories at that time, or being dramatic. My father wouldn't do that!"
Rebekah rubbed Caroline's hand understandingly. "Sometimes, people aren't what they seem. Especially those you love and admire. Believe me, I know from experience." Rebekah seemed lost in another time, in another memory.
"I'm sorry, whatever thing it was. I won't ask." Caroline said softly. She would find out, if Rebekah ever felt comfortable enough. "Thank you. Thank you for talking with me about this...thing with Niklaus."
Rebekah smiled. "Anytime, dear. I of all people understand how frustrating my brother can be at times. Just remember, his loyalty is hard earned, but is well kept and unfaltering. Despite his mistakes in the past, he's trying with you, Caroline. Talk to him, just talk to him about how you feel. I think both he and you will need that."
"I will." Caroline promised. Suddenly, she stood up and hugged Rebekah. Rebekah suddenly froze, and Caroline drew back, abashed. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to cross any lines. I just-"
"-It's fine, dear." Rebekah quickly replied. "I...I just haven't been hugged in a long time. I needed that."
They stood in silence, until Rebekah suddenly stood up. "Where's Nik? It's been hours since you've come down."
"It has?" Caroline didn't realize so much time had passed. "I'll go look for him."
"Yes, I'll cover the East Wing and you cover the West." Rebekah replied, and quickly flashed away.
Caroline went straight for the library. So he could stay there for days. Caroline half smiled, picturing the feared Hybrid reading away at Shakespeare, or Thoreau. No, he seemed to be more of a Poe person. Yes, she decided. He would probably read a lot of Edgar Allen Poe.
She reached the wall where the door would lie. "Semper et in perpetum"
The door materialized and clicked open, as Caroline hurriedly rushed in. "Niklaus, I-"
It was empty. Caroline frowned. Where could he be?
She checked the kitchen again, just in case (plus, she was a little hungry). Aided with some bread and cheese, Caroline wandered through the west wing, calling his name. She approached his bed chambers, where they had spent the night before, and moved to open the door when she realized she heard a noise. Niklaus. Smiling, she opened the door and walked in. "Niklaus, I was wondering where you-"
Caroline froze, and the bread and cheese landed on the floor, forgotten.
Niklaus was in his room, all right.
Naked, kissing, groping, and pounding into a blonde haired woman.
GASP! Niklaus how could you!
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PassionElement181