Here I am again, thanking everyone who made it so far :-)
Caroline closed her eyes as the creature took a leap towards her. When she felt no claws on her body, no fangs on her flesh she wondered what happened.
She opened her eyes just to see the wolf on the ground. The force of the barrier had knocked him down. If she wasn't so scared she would laugh with the look of surprise that the yellow eyes registered.
The wolf regained his initial attacking stance. Caroline was grateful for the barrier, otherwise the werewolf would definitely bite her no matter how bravely she fought. Not that she would die, she just didn't want to beg for Klaus's blood.
She relaxed visibly and sat on the bed to catch her breath. She was curious to know who this werewolf was. For a moment she dared to hope it was Tyler that had come back for her.
But that was impossible. No one knew she was there and no one would have called Tyler to tell him she ran off with his sire. And Tyler definitely wouldn't have come to save her. Or would he come to punish her for her indiscretion? Naahhh, she dismissed the thought.
The wolf made a few circles hissing and barking a guttural sound, then stopped abruptly as if he was listening for something specific. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, he disappeared.
Caroline could still smell his presence in the basement though. Probably the werewolf had gone to check on the other prisoner hoping for a better fate with his prey. She was curious to see how Klaus would react to the presence of the werewolf, but she would not satisfy her curiosity.
Her behaviour gave a clear signal to the hybrid, she wanted nothing to do with him, at least not at this moment. So it would be inappropriate to show up at his room just to see if he would be scared of the werewolf.
I couldn't care less what he does on the other side of the wall.
Caroline had better things to do than think of Klaus. She had already counted 119 tiles on the brick wall opposite her. Or was it 120? Then she had to remember the lyrics of her favorite songs and start singing. Definitely no time for the irritating hybrid.
Yet, between the numbering of the tiles and the singing, she still kept an ear out for any interesting sounds from her surroundings.
At some point she heard the werewolf howling and making some whining sounds. What the hell was Klaus doing? Probably he started talking to the poor beast and bored him to death.
It wasn't long before she heard something that resembled the tearing of a piece of cloth. That was weird, but she still didn't move from her bed.
She would have forgotten about the wolf if it wasn't for the sudden smell of blood in the air. She hadn't drunk blood in more than two days and even the smallest drop would draw her attention like a magnet.
It was definitely blood, a vampire could never mistake it for something else. And it was his blood. Caroline remembered its rich flavor, its magnificent scent, its undeniable power.
Oh my God, why is Klaus bleeding? She hadn't heard noises of struggle, what had happened? Even if she went closer to the barrier she didn't have enough visual contact with the rest of the basement.
Not wasting another second she flashed to Klaus's room with vampire speed. The door flew off the hinges making a terrible sound. Apparently he had managed to fix the light bulb, which now lit the room with a faint glow.
Klaus turned to see what she had done this time. Even if he was blind and deaf he would notice her presence. The sweet scent of jasmine and roses surrounded her like an aura. He would recognize that scent no matter where he was.
Initially she seemed worried, but then her expression changed with the speed of light. Her face was so expressive that he always wanted to challenge her just to see how she would react.
Now she was pissed.
Caroline couldn't believe what she saw. Klaus had set on his knees near the barrier, while the werewolf had laid down on the other side. He had put his muzzle on his front legs, while his tail would go from side to side. She would be crazy to say the wolf looked happy, but that's exactly how he looked.
Was he the same beast that attacked her? Why was he acting like Klaus was his owner and he was happy to see him? And then she remembered something he said about a long forgotten pet.
"Is this some kind of joke? Who is that werewolf?" She demanded patting her right boot to the ground and showing with her right index finger at the wolf that was behaving like a big fluffy dog.
"This is no werewolf. He is a simple grey baby wolf that got left behind by his pack when he was injured." Klaus said ignoring her accusing tone.
It was bizarre to hear Klaus talk about the wolf as if he cared about him. He had killed many people without even blinking and without remorse. What did it say about him?
"This is your pet? That is how you knew we were at your mansion?" She was losing her temper.
"Yes. My friend over here has made it a habit to show up at my door every now and then." Klaus said simply as if he was talking about the weather.
"You don't have a name for your pet?" Not only did he not have taste in chosing pets, he didn't even name the poor thing?
"It's not really my pet. Sometimes it feels like we have a better understanding than with most humans."
"So, does that make you an animal?" she blurted out before she could refrain herself. No point in apologizing now, not that she wanted to.
"We are all animals lov... Caroline." He corrected himself. "Claiming to be human doesn't remove our need to obey our instincts. We are just more civilized then them."
Caroline was ready to start one of her famous rants, but then she remembered the blood.
"What happened? Are you injured?"
"No, I'm not. Why? Were you worried about me?" A smirk formed at the corner of his tempting mouth and she quickly looked away.
"No, I was not worried. I was just curious." she admitted.
Klaus could see that she was tense, so he decided not to tease her anymore. He stood up to his full length and she saw his torn shirt.
Her gaze swept over his well toned body and rested on his flat stomach. He had ripped a large piece of cloth from the front of his shirt, thus exposing to her eyes a fine display of lean muscles.
She swallowed and hoped the heat she felt on her face wasn't showing. Then her gaze went to the blood seeping from his wrist. That was her wrist. She dismissed the silly thought. Yeah, she had drunk from that same vein, so what?
Klaus saw that she was trying to guess at his intentions, but by the looks of it she seemed lost.
"I decided to send a message. I don't suppose you have any pen and paper with you, do you?" He didn't even try to hide his amusement with all this.
Caroline eyed the precious blood drops being wasted on the floor and had to stop herself from licking her dry lips.
"In my era we don't carry pen and paper with us." It was a stupid retort, but she had to say something to this incredibly annoying man. "And even if I had any, what good would it do to us?"
"I am trying to send a message to your friend, Stefan."
"Stefan? How ..." she was feeling stupid but she couldn't see how he was going to accomplish that. Maybe she was distracted by the sight of blood and the dangerous predator in front of her.
"If your friends believe you ran off with me, they won't search for you. Stefan seems like the only one who is calm enough to come to your aid without doing anything stupid."
Was it her idea or did he say to her aid and not to theirs? What was going on?
"To my aid? What about you? What about Bettie?" she kept on with the questions until she noticed the look on his face. He seemed like he was almost surrendered and ready to admit defeat. But he was Klaus, he would move heaven and earth to see his plans come true. Why was he not fighting?
"I don't think any of your friends would move their little finger to save me. Not that I blame them. They might even think of a way to kill me since I cannot really fight back locked in here." His voice was calm, way too calm for him saying the things she just heard.
"So why are you asking for Stefan's help then?" it made no sense at all.
"Because you cannot go much longer without blood, while I can. And we don't know what Bettie's intentions are. So, if they save you, I will deal with Bettie without fearing retribution."
"If you do this, then Bettie will have won." Something was not right.
"Don't you understand? Bettie has already won. There is no point in you dying in the process."
"She has not won, we are still alive and we can fight her." she said as she would say to any member of their little monster fighting gang.
"I love you Caroline and you hate me. Bettie knows she cannot kill me, so she destroyed the only thing that mattered to me." Without looking at her awestruck eyes, he laid the small piece of white cloth to the table.
I don't hate you. A small voice echoed in her head but she dare not say those words aloud. She wasn't sure how she felt right now. She was sure she blushed when she heard those words.
So that is why he repeatedly said that Bettie destroyed him. She felt genuinely sorry for him, but this was not the moment to sort out their feelings.
She came close to Klaus, trying like hell to avoid any physical contact. She understood now what he was trying to do and silently thanked him for putting her safety above anything else, even his pride.
She kept the cloth from the angles, leaving him to write the message. In his own blood.
He soaked his finger in the open gash at his wrist and started to write carefully in red letters.
CAROLINE IS AT THE BASEMENT OF MY MANSION. BRING BONNIE WITH YOU. KLAUS
Caroline read the message and turned to look at him. They were standing too close and she felt her breath catching in her throat.
"He will think that you kidnapped me. He may come here with the intention to kill you."
"There is no room here for explanations." He showed the piece of cloth who was now covered in bloody letters. "Besides, what difference does it make to you? Isn't it what you have tried to do all this time?"
What could she say? It was true that they had constantly plotted to kill him. It was just as true that he did the same.
Klaus knew that she had nothing to say. He waved the cloth in the air to make sure the blood had dried. Then, he turned toward the barrier and tossed the message toward the wolf.
It lended just in front of his muzzle. The wolf, as if he knew what was expected of him, grabbed the cloth with his teeth and ran away towards the exit.
"How did you know it would pass the barrier?" she was curious now. She had never thought of trying something like this.
"You see that piece of brick over there? That was my test. Plus I think these barriers do not allow any living thing to pass. It seems I was right."
"What do we do know?" she asked suddenly aware that she was in his space. They were standing so close she could feel the heat emenating from his body. She shivered though she wore his jacket. Something he would have definitely noticed.
"We do nothing. We just wait for your friends to make their move." he stated matter-of-factly. He gently tucked an unruly curl after her right ear and then moved away from her. He had to stay away from temptation, her pink lips drawing him like a siren.
It was too late now for dreaming of sweet passionate kisses. The dice were cast.