A/N: Sorry I have been absent the last two weeks, I was trying to finish off another story so this could officially become my number one priority. Well now I'm back and ready to give my undivided attention to this story! Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Nine
Caroline got dressed and made her way downstairs while trying to avoid the sunlight that was shining through open windows which had no curtains. When she reached the living room Brooke was sitting on the couch with a woman Caroline had never seen before.
The woman was dark skinned with short black hair which reminded her much of Bonnie. Shivers ran up her spine, there was a weird vibe coming from their guest. Caroline took a tentative seat on the couch across from the two who stopped their chatting to look at her.
"Caroline, this is Annette." Brooke introduced, both women standing up. "Gloria couldn't be here today, but Annette is just as good."
"Nice to meet you." Caroline shook hands with Annette, who was younger than what Caroline expected. She looked to be in her late twenties but had wrinkles around her eyes, indicating she was older than what she seemed. That she had seen and done things in this world that were hard to handle.
"Brooke tells me here you need a daylight ring?" Annette asked once Caroline was seated on a chair beside the witch.
"Yes, can you help me?"
"Of course, child. Do you have a ring ready?"
Brooke grabbed a ring from her pocket, "I do." She handed it over to the woman sitting beside her.
It was a sterling silver ring with a bright blue, lapis lazuli, stone placed in the center. There were intricate, Victorian designs engraved into the band. It looked old, like it was from another era and knowing Brooke it probably was.
Annette placed the ring on the coffee table in front of the couch which was sitting in the sun. She whispered a few things under her breath and then picked it up and handed it to Caroline.
"That's it?" Caroline asked confused after putting on the ring.
"Yup." Brooke replied and walked over to the window, pulling the curtains open all the way so the light would hit the blonde.
Caroline shrunk away, pulling her knees up to cover her face to protect herself from the sun. She didn't feel anything but the heat from the hot sun. Her skin wasn't burning or felt like it was on fire. "It worked!"
"It did." Annette smiled beside her.
Caroline got up off the chair and began to twirl in the sun, feeling elated that she could finally feel the light and warmth on her skin. "I missed this." She breathed, smiling happily as she danced around the room. "Thank you so, so much!" Caroline ran over and wrapped her arms around Annette who was taken slightly aback.
"You're welcome." Annette let go and Caroline took to sitting down on the couch to admire her ring.
"Well now that that's settled I'm going out to get a few things for our party tonight." Brooke said, grabbing her purse and pushing it onto her shoulder.
"Can I come?" Caroline questioned excitedly, ready to try out her new ring.
"No but I'll be back soon." With that Brooke flashed out of the house.
Caroline frowned and looked at Annette who was almost at the door ready to leave as well. "Wait! I need your help."
The older woman stopped and turned around to face Caroline. "Yes?"
"I'm new to this whole supernatural thing, right? Well something happened last night and I have this bad feeling about it all and I can't remember anything. I would ask Brandon but he seemed to have disappeared and Brooke isn't that trust worthy. So I was wondering, since you're a witch, if you could do anything to help me?"
Annette laughed, "I can try." She walked over to Caroline and sat the two on the couch, grabbing her hands.
Caroline watched as she closed her eyes and her face contorted into one of confusion and disgust. "Well I have bad news and more bad news." Annette said solemnly. "Someone put something in your drink, so you weren't in control of yourself and you didn't know consciously what was happening."
"Someone spiked me?" Caroline was shocked but eventually that turned into realization which turned into anger. "Brooke."
Annette nodded. "I have known Brooke for a long time and she can be the nicest and caring person but she can also be manipulative. There is always a second agenda with that girl."
"I've noticed." She mumbled under her breath. "What else happened?"
"I saw three dead, all killed by you."
"I killed three people?" Caroline asked dumbfounded.
Annette nodded, "Not consciously, you weren't in control of yourself."
Caroline felt all the air escape from her lungs and she sunk to the floor, tears starting too pool at the corner of her eyes. She gasped for air, feeling like she was being attacked from all angles while feeling every emotion under the sun. "I don't want to kill people; I've been trying so hard."
"I know, child." Annette tried comforting Caroline by rubbing her back but it had no effect.
Caroline shuddered under the touch and felt the sudden need to get out of there, to run far away from Brooke. She needed to escape Brooke's hold on her so she could be her own person. "I need to get out of here," she whispered before flashing out of the house.
She had no idea where she was going, Caroline had never even been out of Mystic Falls. She had no idea where she was going to go next or what she was going to do. All she knew was she needed to get away from Brooke.
Caroline was as lost as she felt. She made sure to use her vampire speed so no one would question the crying girl in the middle of the city. Once she reached her destination she stopped and slipped into the alley and fell to the ground. The tears fell began to fall fiercely as she felt all emotions known to man.
Collapsing onto the cold ground, Caroline cried into her hands waiting for everything to pass. She had no strength to move or stop crying, it felt like the end of the world to her. Caroline never wanted to be a monster and murder helpless people. For the past two weeks Caroline had tried to control herself and she thought she was doing pretty well for herself until last night.
Another wave of realization overcame her as Caroline struggled to breathe and stop crying.
Klaus had just arrived in Chicago, it was midday and the streets were busy with people going about their day. All he wanted was to find Caroline. He wanted to see her and talk to her. His thoughts were constantly consumed of her and her blonde hair and her blue eyes.
He was passing by a coffee shop when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. It was a fast movement but being as old as he was it almost looked like the vampire was moving in slow motion. Blonde curls were flowing behind as she ran at top speed. The smell in the air was familiar and Klaus found himself following closely behind.
A club came into view, Electra, a fancy looking place and Caroline had gone into the alley. It was a strange location and he wondered what had compelled her to travel all the ways into the club distract only to hide in an alley.
The sound of Caroline crying and gasping for breath cut through the air and Klaus found himself walking towards the alley and towards the sounds. When he turned the corner he wasn't expecting what he found.
Caroline was crumpled on the ground, face in her hands, crying. She struggled for air, a human habit, but he sympathized none the less. Her blonde curls fell forward providing as a curtain around her face.
Cautiously, Klaus made his way farther into the alley and closer to the broken down girl. He made sure to walk towards her loudly, so she wasn't spooked. "Caroline." He whispered when he finally reached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Klaus bent down so they were the same height.
She looked up with wide blue eyes and makeup running down her face along with tears that wouldn't stop. "Klaus? What are you doing here?"
"I came back for you. What happened?" He asked as he reached out and wiped tears away with his thumb.
"Everything." She sobbed.
Klaus felt his heart, one he didn't even know he had, break in two. This beautiful girl in front of him was crying and all he wanted to do was fix it. So Klaus sat down against the wall and pulled her onto his lap. She settled against his chest, gripping onto his shirt. He let her cry on his shoulder as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.
The girl was hysterical; he couldn't decipher what she was talking about in-between sobs. He was able to catch the odd words like: killed, monster, death, and blood.
Klaus couldn't have predicted what happened next, Caroline looked up at him with pleading eyes while tears quietly ran down her face. "Make it stop." She pleaded.
"Make what stop? I don't understand."
"I don't want to be a vampire." Caroline cried out. "Turn me back!"
"Caroline, sweetheart, it doesn't work like that, I can't simply turn you back." He tried to explain.
Caroline furiously shook her head, "then kill me!"
Klaus only wrapped his arms around her tighter, not really knowing how the whole comforting thing was supposed to work. He was trying by rubbing her back and arms. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and picked her up in his arms bridal style. He flashed out of the alley and back to his hotel using his vampire speed.
Once they arrived, Klaus placed her on the bed in the suite. She had finally passed out from exhaustion which a relief because that meant she had stopped crying. He carefully brought the blankets up to her chin and backed away to sit in the chair opposite of the bed.
Caroline awoke suddenly and bolted upright in the bed she was sleeping in, not aware that she had fallen asleep. Panicked, Caroline spun her head around the room trying to get a hold of her bearings. She stopped when she saw a familiar face staring at her with interest, "Klaus?"
He nodded and moved off the chair and sat on the edge of the bed, close to her. "Where am I?"
"You're in my hotel room, I found you in an alley crying hysterically, and I just brought you back here. I wasn't sure where you are living at the moment." He replied nervously.
"Brooke."
Klaus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "Caroline, what did Brooke do to you?"
"She drugged me. I killed three people last night and I wasn't even aware of it." She paused as a tear rolled down her cheek, "I killed three people." That opened the flood gates and Caroline began to cry again as she felt her heart clench in pain at everything she had done.
She felt the bed dip down as he scooted closer towards her, his arm reaching around her. Caroline felt as he pulled her into his chest and she went willingly, craving the warmth he offered. They sat there quietly, her crying onto his crisp black shirt and him rubbing small circles on her arms.
"I have to go back." Caroline said, pushing herself away from him as she wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. "Brooke will be looking for me and I'm already on the run from too many people that I don't need to add her too."
"You're just going to go back to her after everything she's done to you?" Klaus asked suddenly angry.
"I have to! You don't know what she's like, she'll come looking for me and make my life hell. The only way to survive is to play along with all her games." She replied.
Caroline stood up to walk out the door when she bumped into a hard chest, Klaus had flashed in front of her. "Let me help you, I can fix this."
She stepped back, wanting distance from him. "You can't fix this! It's all my fault, I was stupid and naïve thinking that she would actually be interested in helping me."
"You'd be surprised at what I can do, Caroline. I am an Original vampire after all." He smirked.
"A what?" She asked; confused at exactly what an 'Original vampire' was. "No, you know what forget it. Just leave me alone." Caroline stepped around him and surprisingly he let her go.
She got halfway down the hallway of the hotel when she heard his voice; it was from a distance but sounded so close. "I promised you I would find you here in Chicago. I can help you, Caroline; then I can show you the world." He paused before whispering one more thing, "Genuine beauty."
Caroline felt a shiver run down her spine as she remembered him saying almost those exact words a few days ago. She felt tempted to take him up on his offer but she had fallen into that trap before, it was how she ended up in this whole mess to begin with. Caroline picked up her speed and returned back to house they were staying at.
She wasn't sure what she was going to do next, possibly confront Brooke but who knew? Caroline was done being pushed around, now that she had her daylight ring she could do whatever she wanted and wasn't going to let anyone hold her back.
Klaus didn't understand what was going on with Caroline. He had promptly rescued her from the alleyway and brought her back to his hotel room and then as soon as she woke up she left. He felt a little offended but instead brushed it off, curious as to what she was talking about. So he discreetly followed her out of the hotel and into the busy streets of Chicago.
Caroline was taking her time while walking back to wherever she came from. He could smell her anger pulse off her in waves, it growing the closer she got to her final destination.
Klaus wasn't sure what she was planning or what he was going to do. He simply wanted to comfort the blonde and help her through whatever it was that she was going on. In all his thousand years of life he hadn't felt this way about anyone, not even his siblings. The baby vampire interested him and he just wanted to protect and care for her.
In a few short minutes they had reached the final destination, a small run down house on the edge of Chicago, only a few blocks from the club. He watched as she made her way inside and situated himself out of sight but close enough that he could hear what was going on.
Caroline burst through the front door of the current house she was supposedly staying at. Anger was pulsing through her body as she began having flashbacks from the night before, the effects of the drugs finally wearing off. Caroline remembered every kill and the way it made her feel. She cringed, knowing how good it felt but how wrong it really was. She didn't want to be a monster and kill helpless people.
When Caroline entered the house, Brooke was nowhere in sight. However, there were a few people that Caroline had never seen before in her life and decorations hung up around the front room and living room of the house. She noticed that Brandon and Ben were not hanging around either and she realized that she hadn't seen them in twenty four hours.
"Ah, Caroline, you're here! Now we can officially get the party started!" Brooke exclaimed as she sauntered down the stairs.
"Who are all those people?" Caroline asked, waving her arm in the direction of the living room where half a dozen people were standing around.
The other girl shrugged her shoulders, "party goers? Dinner? Whatever you want them to be Caroline."
She rubbed her face with her hands, feeling frustrated and exhausted all at once. Caroline acted on instinct and ran past Brooke and flew up the stairs and quickly packed up what little things she had acuminated over the trip.
When Caroline reached the bottom floor with suitcase in hand, Brooke looked at her disgustedly. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Leaving." Caroline replied, taking a step towards the door but Brooke stepped in front of it quickly.
She shook her head and gave a short, sarcastic laugh. "You're not leaving."
"I'm done with you and all your little games!"
"I gave you that ring, you can walk out into the sun because of me, you should be thankful." Brooke replied angrily.
This time Caroline laughed, "I am thankful, because now I can leave your sorry ass."
Brooke took a step closer to Caroline, "you're not leaving."
"Yes, I am." She argued.
"And where are you going to go? How are you supposed to hide from those Salvatore brothers who are looking for you? How are you supposed to run from Mommy and Daddy who are vampire hunters? You have nowhere to go, little girl"
Caroline was fuming now, she was only trying to break her down and she wasn't going to put up with it. She didn't need Brooke anymore and was just done with everything that had to do with her. "I'll figure something out."
The other girl laughed and took a small step forward, "where you going to hide? You can't control yourself; I'll just end up finding or worse maybe Damon or your Mom will find you. It's safer to stay with me."
"No, I'm not going to stay with you so you can control and manipulate me! I don't want to murder innocent people and I don't want to become a monster like you!"
"Is this all because of last night?" Brooke asked while Caroline shook her head. "So you over indulged a little bit and lost control, it's no big deal. Sometimes you slip up and fall off the wagon, it happens, ask any recovering alcoholic. If you want to learn to control yourself, I can help you, Caroline."
The blonde scoffed, "The only thing you can help me with is to become a monster just like you."
The next second Caroline was being forced against the door with a hand at her throat. Instinctively, she reached up, clawing at the hand that held her there. Brookes' vampire features were out, her dark eyes looking clearly into her blue ones. Caroline was gasping for air as the hand tightened around her neck.
Caroline gritted her teeth, "let me go."
"I may be a monster but so are you, my dear, you just may not know it yet. When you get to be as old as I am you don't care about your humanity as much as you used to. Humans are vile creatures that only set out to destroy each other. You should celebrate the fact that your no longer bound by trivial human compassion, your truly free, Caroline." Brooke snarled.
"I can't breathe, let me go." Caroline gasped, still struggling for breath.
"Who says I shouldn't kill you?" Brooke reached out to her side and broke off a leg of a side table that was sitting by the door. "You're a pathetic excuse for a vampire."
Brooke held the makeshift stake just above Carolines' heart, "Brooke, don't!" Caroline yelled just as the stake pierced her skin and she began to scream at the pain she felt. Then all of a sudden Brooke was thrown back by an invisible force and the stake pulled out of Carolines' skin which had barely touched her heart.
Caroline sunk to the ground gasping for breath, placing her hand over her heart and felt it pound slowly against her chest. When she pulled her hand away there was blood on it but the pain ebbed away as the wound began to heal. She looked up to see a familiar man at holding Brooke in the similar position that Caroline was in only moments before.
Standing in front of her was a curly, dirty blonde head with a lean body. She recognized that body as someone she was taking to less than an hour ago. Klaus.
He had her up off the ground, hands around her neck and face to face. Caroline scrambled up off her feet and ran over to Klaus and Brooke. "What are you doing?"
"She tried to kill you, now I should kill her." He replied without bothering to look at her.
His fangs were exposed and it almost look like he was going to rip into her throat. Carefully, Caroline placed her hand on his upper arm, the one that was wrapped around Brookes' neck.
Brooke was struggling against his hold but her strength was no match for him. She clawed at his hands that held her neck and then tried for his face but he just slammed her into the wall. She stopped her attempts at trying to escape and just looked up, fear evident in her green eyes.
"Don't kill her." She said soothingly. He looked over at her with questioning, dark eyes.
She was almost taken aback by how scary and haunting he looked. Sure, she had seen vampires in true form, but there was just an air of power that he gave off. His eyes were vacant and uncaring, not a trace of humanity left in them.
"Let her go." Caroline tried again.
"Why?" Klaus questioned through gritted teeth. "After everything she has done to you?"
She sighed, he wouldn't understand. "Don't kill her, just let her go."
Klaus gave her a long, hard look before returning his attention back to Brooke. "I want you to go to Mystic Falls and wait for me there. Find Elijah and tell him that you are to be used for the sacrifice. You are to not leave the town and forget you ever met Caroline."
Caroline noticed Brooke had a blank look on her face now, she nodded in response to everything to Klaus had just told her. She realized that he had just compelled her, Caroline was about to ask him about it but he wasn't finished with Brooke yet.
"Do you understand?"
Brooke nodded again in response, "Find Elijah, I'm to be used for the sacrifice."
"Good, girl, now go before I change my mind about killing you here and now." He snarled. Klaus let her go and Brooke didn't even hesitate and shot out of the house, running for her life.
Brandon felt his back aching as he woke up, rubbing his neck as he sat up he found himself inside a strange building. Looking around he found his brother still asleep so he gently nudged him. After noticing the small rise and fall of his brothers chest, Brandon got up to explore.
They were in what looked like a supply room. Beer and liquor sat on shelves that lined the wall which meant they were at a bar or club. Brandon had no recollection of the night before or how they ended up there. From beneath him he heard his brother stir and mumble under his breath.
"What the hell?" Ben said, this time a little more awake. "What happened?"
"I have no idea." Brandon replied, helping his brother up.
Ben went straight to the door to check if it was locked and to their surprise it was. So the two lined up at the door and on the count of three they kicked it open.
The place didn't look familiar to Brandon at all. It seemed to be an upscale club; not at all his ideal place to spend his time but it was Brookes'. "This has Brooke written all over it." He said as they walked into the large room.
Luckily there was no one around and they were able to slip out of the front without anyone noticing anything. The bright light sent pain to his head, like he would if he had had too much to drink the night before.
"What happened last night?" Ben asked from beside him, clutching at his head like he was in pain too.
"No idea, but I have a feeling it had something to do with Brooke."
Ben nodded, "Wouldn't put it past me."
The two headed through the busy streets of Chicago and towards their temporary home. They walked silently, feeling there were no words as to explain exactly what was going on. When they reached the broken down home they stopped at the doorway, hearing the tail end of a conversation.
"Don't kill her." Pleaded a feminine voice, one that sounded like Carolines'.
Ben pulled him over to the window so they got a clear view of what was happening inside. They were ble to see through the living room where a people were absent mindedly milling around, obviously compelled. In the entryway were three people, one that looked like Brooke was being pinned against the wall by a strange man, clearly a vampire. Then Caroline stood beside them watching and interjecting in the scene that was unfolding before her.
"Let her go." Caroline tried again.
"Why?" The vampire asked angered. "After everything she has done to you?"
As the unknown vampire turned his head to look at Caroline the brothers were able to get a clear view of him. He had scary, dark eyes and blood on his lips with veins protruding from his eyes. Brandon had seen vampires before but there was something different about this one that he couldn't put his finger on.
"Don't kill her, just let her go."
The mystery vampire gave Caroline a long almost pleading look before staring back at Brooke who was hanging there not struggling. "I want you to go to Mystic Falls and wait for me there. Find Elijah and tell him that you are to be used for the sacrifice. You are to not leave the town and forget you ever met Caroline."
There was an absent look in Brookes' eyes momentarily and a blank expression on her face. "Did he just compel her?" Brandon whispered to his brother. "I thought vampires can't compel other vampires?"
"I don't know; do I look like a vampire to you?" Ben snapped and turned his attention back to inside the house.
"Do you understand?" The vampire asked.
Brooke nodded before adding, "Find Elijah, I'm to be used for the sacrifice."
Brandon watched as a smile graced his face as he watched Brooke flash out of the house. The two both turned to see a blur run through the front door and down the streets of Chicago.
"What do we do now?" Brandon asked his older brother; their plan so far was to stick with Brooke and now she was gone.
"I don't know, Brandon!"
"Ben-"
"Just shut up for a second I'm trying to figure out what we're doing next." Ben interrupted, practically shouting at him. Brandon shut his mouth and quietly waited for his brother to speak again.
A few minutes later he saw the light bulb appear over his head, Ben had something in mind. "I'll call Brady, maybe his pack can take us in."
"Alright."
"Let's go." Ben said and started to walk away but he turned his head and looked through the window again to see Caroline there engaged in heated argument with the mystery man.
"What about Caroline?" He asked.
"Leave her; she'll be fine on her own." The older boy replied and walked towards Brandon and practically pushed him forward and towards the street.
"Ben-" He tried but was quickly interrupted.
"Brandon, she's a vampire! Werewolves and vampires don't get along, mortal enemies and all so just forget about the girl."
Brandon stole one more look through the window before turning to his brother; with a sigh he followed him into the streets of Chicago.
"What the hell was that?" Caroline asked; she was outraged at the scene that just unfolded before her. Brooke had just been compelled to go to Mystic Falls of all places and she just left Caroline there high and dry with some guy she barely knew. Granted, she was compelled to forget about Caroline, which was a relief in case she ran into any of her 'friends'.
"I think I just saved your life, love." He smirked, his features returning to that of a human.
"I had it under control! I told you to leave me alone."
That seemed to anger him, "She had a stake to your heart, I wasn't going to stand by and let her kill you!"
Caroline scoffed, "She wouldn't have killed me."
"Yes she would have, sweetheart." He said calmly stepping closer to her.
"Ugh, what do you want, Klaus?"
His eyes twinkled and he smirked, "you seem to have lost your travel companion, care if I join you?"
Caroline was taken aback by his request and was tempted to give in, to let him show her the world. Then she remembered that trusting a stranger was what got her into trouble in the first place.
"Actually, I'd rather if you didn't." She replied before grabbing her suitcase from beside the staircase and realized there were people still hanging around in the living room. They paid no mind to the disturbance that happened only moments ago because they were being compelled. Now Brooke was gone and Caroline had to clean up her mess.
So Caroline went through all the people, compelling them to leave and forget this ever happened. She watched as they left the house one after another. SHe followed the last person out of the house, ignoring the Klaus in the process.
It was late afternoon, the sun slowly beginning it's decent and there was a warm breeze swirling around her. Caroline made it to the sidewalk and looked both left and right and realized she had no idea where she was supposed to go from there. Would it be safe to stay in Chicago? Would anyone find her there?
"Lost?" She heard Klaus ask from behind her.
She rolled her eyes, "no, just deciding what's next."
Klaus collapsed the distance between them and was standing closely behind her. "I can show you the world, Caroline." He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "if that is what you want."
Caroline spun around so she was facing him, almost nose to nose. "The last time I followed along on someone else's trip, this happened and much more and I will not let it happen again."
"We can play by your rules, go wherever you want."
"No." She snapped.
"Why not?"
Caroline huffed, "I don't know you! How do I know you're not going to hurt me or use me for some sadistic game?"
Klaus growled, sensing that she was talking about her experience with Brooke. "I don't want to hurt you, I would much rather protect you from anyone who may cause you harm."
She raised an eyebrow, "why?"
"I fancy you, Caroline."
Caroline wanted to laugh, it was ridiculous that someone she never met could 'fancy her' and want to show her the world and other things. "Why?" She repeated.
"Come with me and I will tell you all the reason as to why I am so enamored by you." He relied simply, giving her a sly smile.
There was something about him and the words he just spoke held such honesty. She was tempted to give into this stranger, to let him show her the world. He seemed old; maybe there was a thing or two she could learn from him.
Yet, the way he dealt with Brooke, the emptiness in his eyes and the fierceness in his attitude in that moment frightened Caroline. But the way he was looking at her now was so different than the way anyone else had looked at her. He was interested in her and seemed to care for her.
"Okay, I'll go with you." She said, slightly surprising herself.
Klaus grinned happily that she had taken him up on his offer. "Perfect."
"Where to?" She asked.
He replied with a smirk and grabbed her hand and led her onto the streets of Chicago, leading the way to wherever they were headed.
Caroline, oddly, felt safe in his hands. It also felt like this road trip was finally going to begin. Klaus was going to show her the world and she was going to let him. A giddy feeling went through Caroline as she thought of all the possible destinations she could be going to.
A/N: Ding dong, the bitch is gone! So here is Klaus going to take her? I'm thinking Europe maybe?
It will be Klaroline from here on out and it's about time! I love suggestions on what you want to happen or think will happen next. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the chapter!
PS. I now have a tumblr, you can follow me at: /bright465