Magical Steroline

Chapter 11 – Date With The Devil

Caroline barked orders at a few of the staff she passed as she marched off, nowhere particularly in mind to go, she just needed to get away from the testosterone-filled atmosphere between Stefan and Klaus. She knew this was going to be one of the longest dates of her life, and she had a feeling that Stefan wouldn't just stay in the background watching her on a date with another man.

She may have to concede that Bonnie may have had a point. Stefan was most definitely jealous, the fact that he had staked a claim on her in front of Klaus – subtle as it might have been – by wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her possessively against him, taunting Klaus that he did everything for her, he was most definitely unhappy with the day's arrangement. Not that Caroline was happy about it either, but she had made a deal and it was only a matter of time before he collected so it would happen eventually.

Caroline came to the realisation that it was entirely possible that Stefan has some feelings for her, she just didn't know how deep those feelings actually were. She and Stefan really needed to have a long overdue talk.

She finally stopped in the gardens, taking a moment to just breathe in the calming scent of the nature surrounding her, before letting all her bad feelings out on an exhale, repeating the process several times until she was calmer. She reached deep inside herself to pull out some of the excitement that she had previously felt for this day, determined that she wouldn't let Klaus ruin this day for her, and neither would Stefan for that matter.

So she straightened her shoulders and held her head high, a new resoluteness filling her to have actual fun for once, so she spun around ready to make sure that this would be the best Miss Mystic Falls Pageant that anyone had seen for a very long time, when she smacked straight into a hard chest. She placed her hands on the chest in front of her, apologizing before she even looked up to see who it was that she had run into, "I'm so sorry."

"That's quite all right, love." Klaus' voice was amused, his hands moving to hold onto her elbows, the ever present smirk present on his face, "I don't have a problem with you bumping into me."

Caroline's eyes widened as she looked up straight into Klaus' eyes. Before she even had the chance to push herself away from him she heard a startled gasp behind her. She slammed her eyes shut, praying to anyone that would listen that it was not Stefan behind her and he had not just come across her and Klaus looking like they were caught up in a lovers embrace. Please, don't let him be behind me. Please!

She had no such luck.

"Ripper. Do you need something?" Klaus acknowledged the frozen Stefan, smug smirk curling his lips, his hands resolutely staying exactly where they were on Caroline's elbows, as he was not removing them just because Stefan had come across them.

"Klaus." Stefan's tone was nothing more than a growl, hissing his rivals name as if it tasted like acid in his mouth. He waited a beat before answering Klaus' question, unable to stop his voice tightening with hurt as he answered, "No, just Caroline."

Caroline released a gasp of her own at Stefan's admittance, her heart racing in her chest at how easily he'd let that slip. She quickly pushed herself away from Klaus and twirled around, her eyes searching out Stefan's, her breath catching at the hidden pain in his eyes. She took a step towards him, her hand reaching out for him, wanting to comfort him and wipe that pained look off his face, "Stefan..."

Stefan shook himself out of his hurt, his mask falling into place as he took a step away from them, holding his hands out as he looked anywhere but at Caroline. It hurt to look at her right now. He continued his backwards path, staring at some point in the distance, his voice deepened with the effort of holding back his anguished emotions, "I'll see you around, Caroline."

Caroline's eyes widened as Stefan all but ran from her. She took a step towards him, calling out his name frantically, "Stefan?" She made another step in his direction when she felt herself being tugged back by a hand on her arm, she turned around to glower at Klaus, "What are you doing?"

"I was promised a date, love." Klaus wrapped his hand around her arm like a steel band, leaving Caroline no choice but to stay as she wouldn't be able to break his hold, "Therefore you are mine for the rest of the day."

Caroline just glared at Klaus in response. She turned her gaze in the direction that Stefan had run off to, her heart feeling like it was being squeezed in a vice, tears burning the back of her throat at the thought of the pain he must be feeling. He had looked so hurt, that all she wanted to do was break free of Klaus' hold and go after Stefan to reassure him that he was the only one she wanted. He was the one she needed by her side. He was the one she loved with all of her heart.

Her eyes widened in shock and her steps faltered at her realisation. She was so blind not to see it weeks ago, even months ago. Now that she knew what she felt, she could clearly see just how they had been slowly coming towards getting together for a while now.

She was in love with Stefan.

Stefan charged away from Klaus and Caroline, his hands balled tightly into fists, resisting with everything inside of him to turn around and punch Klaus in his smug little face. Seeing Caroline so close to him, ripped something inside of him, his stomach twisting into knots. He couldn't stay there, he couldn't see her in his arms any longer, not when he wanted, needed, her back in his arms. He loved her so much, and it killed him to see her with someone else.

He reached the mansion, and in a fit of rage he punched the side of the house, brick falling from the chip he'd now put in the wall. His knuckles were smeared with his blood where he'd torn the skin away, but he wasn't concerned as the skin would heal soon enough. He was more concerned with Klaus and Caroline.

He gritted his teeth, clenching and unclenching his hands, trying to rein in his temper, pacing back and forth. He shouldn't have left her with him. He shouldn't have just thrown the towel in without a fight. Caroline was his girl, screw the friends with benefits deal they had, she was his in all but name and it was high time she realized that.

It was time to fight for her, and tell her just how much he cared about her.

With a new determination in his step he turned around and began to seek out Caroline and Klaus.

Caroline was moving around the tables picking up empty champagne glasses, Klaus watching her with an amused gaze as he followed dutifully behind her.

She smiled her show smile at the attendees of the pageant as she walked angrily over to a bus boy, "Hey, why am I bussing your tables?" She slammed the champagne glasses onto his tray and hissed, "I said no empty glasses."

The bus boy walked off, a stiffness to his walk at being chastised.

Caroline strides over to the orchestra, "Will you guys pick up the tempo?!" She snaps her fingers at them, "This is a pageant, not a funeral." She turned around and walked away, almost bumping into Klaus again.

Klaus takes a gentle hold of her arm, smiling at her with a twinkle in his eyes, "With you at the helm of this ship there is no chance it won't go off without a hitch."

"Only if I keep an eye on everything." Caroline narrowed her eyes as she watched the bus boy pick up the empty glasses, "Otherwise people don't do their jobs properly."

Klaus looked down for a moment, trying to hide his laugh, enamoured even more with her. He cleared the laughter from his features and tugged gently on her arm, "Come on."

Caroline hesitated for a moment, licking her lips before asking, "Where are we going?"

"You are taking a moment for yourself to relax." Klaus threading his arm through hers, and began leading her away from the party. As they passed a table he released her arm to take a bottle of champagne and two glasses, and they walked towards the lake over to a stone bench.

Caroline takes a seat, enjoying the tranquillity of the moment, even if she was with Klaus. He is not exactly bad company, but he is not the man she wants to be here with.

Klaus places the glasses on the seat between them before sitting down himself. He pops the cork off the champagne bottle, filling up the two glasses, not looking at her as he asked, "What is going on between you and ripper?"

"He has a name you know." Caroline glares at him, while avoiding answering the question.

"Indeed he does." Klaus chuckled, handing Caroline her glass, studying her profile before commentating, "You just seem happier for someone who broke up with Tyler not that long ago."

Caroline freezes with her glass halfway up to her lips, her eyes flicking to Klaus' knowing ones. She released a sigh before taking a sip. She looked off at the lake and shrugged, "Tyler and I are over. We were over long before we made it official."

"So that doesn't bother you?" Klaus asked, and when she looked at him in confusion he gestured behind them.

Caroline turned her head to see what Klaus was talking about. Across the lawn, Tyler and Hayley had their arms linked as they walked, laughing easily together. It honestly made her feel nothing, she didn't feel anything for Tyler any more, he was her past and hopefully she had a future with a very different man.

Klaus watched her reactions as she looked at Tyler and Hayley together. He could not detect a single painful emotion in her expression, in fact, she had a little secret smile on her lips that he was pretty certain had nothing to do with the twosome they were watching and everything to do with the jealous ripper that had stormed away from them.

Caroline turned away from her ex to answer Klaus, "Nope. Like I said, we are over."

"Life used to be a lot easier." Klaus decided to change the subject to something a little lighter, so he stood up and pulled out a piece of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket, "Don't you miss the days of being..." He opened up the paper and started to read from it, "Chair of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee and the Director of the Policeman's Yearly Raffle."

Caroline looked up at him with wide, horrified eyes, "Is that my Miss Mystic application?" She stood up and smacked the paper out of his hands, "Where did you get that?!"

Klaus laughed and caught the paper before it reached the ground. He continued to read, the repressed laughter heard clear in his voice, "When I am chosen I intend to redefine excellence."

Caroline ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

Klaus flinched away from her expecting her to go for the paper again, "Now, I'm really enjoying your use of when here. It's very confident." Caroline just looks at him and laughs sarcastically so he continues, "And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire, and perspire.."

Caroline has her hands on her hips, continuing to nod and smile along, clearly not enjoying this torment.

Klaus cannot stop laughing, "Obviously, we found a shortage of words ending in "spire"."

Caroline tried to grab the paper out of his hands again, "Yeah, it's very funny." She continued to try to take the paper from Klaus, but he kept pulling it just out of her reach, "It's hilarious. Just-"

Klaus holds the paper out behind him and away from Caroline. He looks at her with an expression that clearly says try and take it from me.

Caroline stops trying and couldn't help but crack a smile. She realises how silly the whole thing is, and she begins to laugh, Klaus joining her in laughter.

The two of them sat back down on the bench and continued to drink their champagne.

Stefan clenched his jaw as he watched Klaus and Caroline's playful encounter, their smiles and laughter like a dagger to his heart. She should not be having any good feelings around the monster that had already ruined his life once. He would not let him do it again.

He would not sit back and watch as he stole Caroline from under him. She was his; his best friend, his soon to be girlfriend, the woman he loved. Just… his.

With determination in his steps he marched over to them, ignoring any attempts from his friends to get his attention, as his only focus was on Caroline and Klaus.

Caroline finished the last of her champagne, placing the glass on the bench beside her as she stood up. She looked over at Klaus, sending him a little smile, "Thank you for the distraction, but I better get back to my duties."

"You are welcome, sweetheart." Klaus smiled bright at her, feeling happy at the way they had been having a good time together. He knew that didn't mean that she was suddenly interested in being with him, but it was a step up from the reluctance she usually showed when they were forced to spend time together. He held out his arm for her, "Shall we?"

Caroline was about to accept his offer when she heard her name being called. She looked to the side to see Stefan coming towards them, an unhappy frown on his face. She could feel the tension come back again, evident by the way that Klaus stiffened beside her and the smile that had previously been on his face slipped off. She tried to ignore the tension and smiled hesitantly at Stefan, "Hey."

Stefan didn't stop until he was on Caroline's other side, his hand coming up to rest on the small of her back, his thumb rubbing back and forth as he stood as close to her as was possible, "Hey." Just being so near her soothed the beast inside of him somewhat, Klaus' presence preventing him from relaxing completely.

"What's up?" Caroline asked, wondering why Stefan was joining them after running off when he saw them together earlier.

"I need to speak with you." Stefan raised his chin and glanced in Klaus' direction, "Do you mind if I steal her?"

Klaus' jaw tightened, "Of course not." He let a smirk turn his lips as he narrowed his eyes, "As long as you bring her back to me."

Stefan let his own smirk free, his eyes dark and full of rage, releasing his inner ripper as he replied smoothly, "That is all up to the beautiful Caroline."

Caroline's eyes widened, and she senses that this could turn ugly any moment so she thread her fingers through Stefan's and forcibly pulled him away from his glaring contest with Klaus. She continued walking until the noise from the pageant died down and they were hidden by trees. She released his hand, spinning around to face him, her mouth opening ready to talk when the breath was taken from her by Stefan's hungry lips. Her mind went completely blank.

Stefan gripped her waist with one hand while he glided his other into her hair where he clutched the soft strands in his fingers, pulling her aggressively closer to him as he devoured her with his lips, swallowing every moan he pulled from her. He wanted to make her think of nothing but him; his mouth, his hands, his body. Just him all over her body where he belonged.

Caroline couldn't help but respond to his touch, her body growing hot as she was pressed up against every inch of him, and the very obvious bulge poking her. She slid her knee against his erection, smiling into the kiss at the way he groaned, a shiver running down her spine as he scratched his nails against her scalp. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth as she moved her hands to his suit jacket to undo the buttons, moving her hands to his shirt buttons next to rid him of that. She wanted access to his chest, she wanted her hands on him, she wanted to hear the hitch in his breathing when she ran her fingers across a particularly sensitive part of him. She moaned at just the thought, her pussy growing damper at the desire pulsing through her.

Stefan pulled away from her lips so that he could shrug his jacket and shirt off the rest of the way, letting it fall to the floor, not caring in the slightest where it landed on the ground, as all he cared about was Caroline. His dark eyes scanned her, licking his lips at the perfect look of desire on her face, and as his gaze dropped to her body he repressed a growl at the material keeping him from her skin. Not for long though, as he took a step towards her, nuzzling his nose against her cheek as he slipped his arms around her, feeling for the zip half way down her back and began to slowly drag it down, making sure to brush his knuckles against her skin.

Caroline released a shaky breath at the feel of him sliding her zipper down, turning her head to the side she looked into his dark green eyes, the desire in his eyes making warmth pool in her core. She slid her hands over his chest, smirking at the hitch in his breathing as she brushed against his nipples, and wanting to hear that special sound of pleasure from him she scratched her nails over them. He growled low in his chest, the sound vibrating beneath her hands, and as a bolt of lust shot straight through her at the sound she pushed her lips to his.

Stefan kissed her back just as passionately, moving his hands up to her shoulders to push her dress off, pulling it down until it pooled between them. He grabbed her ass, hoisting her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist, and he slammed her up against the nearest tree, nipping at her lips as he trailed his hands around to her waist and then up to cradle her breasts in his hands. He moved his lips from hers to trail down her throat to the valley between her breasts, nuzzling his face between her breasts as he plucked at her nipples.

Caroline moaned at the pleasure Stefan was giving her, rocking her hips against his to alleviate the ache in her core. She wrapped one arm around his shoulder to hold him against her, the other she ran through his short hair, making sure to scratch her nails against him. She smiled as she felt his mouth moving downwards, knowing where his destination was going to be, but she had other ideas. So she leaned her back against the tree for leverage and then with force she pushed off, throwing both her and Stefan to the ground so that she was straddling him. She ran her fingernails down his chest sensually, smirking down at him, her voice low and husky, "I want to play right now, Stefan." She rocked her hips against him, her eyes falling shut as she moaned out, "You're all mine."

Stefan could only stare up at her in complete awe, her statement making his heart swell in his chest, the possessive way he'd felt all day finally being satisfied now that she was claiming him back. He placed his hands on her hips, sliding his thumbs beneath the band of her panties as he smiled at her, his voice a sensual hum as he agreed, "I'm yours."

Caroline smiled at his reply, a possessive thrill going through her at his statement. She flicked her hair to the side, and lowered her mouth to his chest to kiss her way down. She ran her tongue over the lines of his pecs, tracing his defined muscles with pleasure, loving the little moans he let out. She mouthed her way down his abdomen, her fingers going to his pants to open them up, hooking her fingers in the waist she whispered, "Lift your hips."

Stefan eagerly complied, lifting his hips so that Caroline could remove his pants and underwear, his erection standing proudly between them, ready for her attention. He settled back on his elbows so that he had a clear view of her, not that he wouldn't seeing that they were having sex in the woods in daylight, but he wouldn't stop for anything right now. He had been jealous and insecure all afternoon watching her with Klaus, so he needed the reassurance of her touch and to reaffirm their feelings, even if neither of them had said them out loud to each other yet.

Caroline sat back on her heels and admired the beautiful sight in front of her. Stefan had to be the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen, from his perfect muscle definition, to his wonderfully engorged cock, to those pouty lips, his defined cheeks, and mesmerising green eyes. He was breathtaking. And he was all hers. She smiled wide at the thought, her cheeks filling with pink at how her heart raced at that knowledge. He was hers, to do with what she wanted, and what she wanted was to make him crazy for her.

She trailed her fingers along his legs as she moved between them, settling comfortably, before curling her hand around his length, stroking him firmly as she locked gazes with him, licking her lips tantalisingly slowly just to see the way his eyes darkened. She smirked at his moan, leaning forward to place a kiss on the head of his cock, blowing on the tip, and giggling as he twitched in her hand.

"Caroline..." Stefan moaned in a plea, before it got trapped in his throat as she swallowed him in one go. He released a shocked cry, her giggles vibrating around his cock deliciously, making his eyes roll back in his head, his fingers digging into the ground to keep himself from grabbing hold of her. Her hot little mouth was like fire around his dick, the hums she let out around him made his whole body shudder, those beautiful blue eyes of hers stole his breath away from him as he saw the pleasure in her gaze from sucking him off.

Caroline pulled almost all the way off, just swirling her tongue around his head before plunging back down, running her tongue down the vein in his cock, before sliding her lips back up. She continued doing this, bobbing up and down on him, her moans joining the sound of his, as giving Stefan pleasure made her pussy grow even wetter. She loved making him lose control – in a good sexual way, not a bloody ripper way – the way he would turn growly and aggressive in those moments turned her on so much.

Stefan was on the verge of losing his mind, Caroline's perfect mouth bringing him to the edge, and those gorgeous eyes of hers glittered at him invitingly. His beautiful little temptress. He felt that he should warn her, "I'm close..."

Caroline pulled off his cock with a wet pop to wink at him, "That's what I want, Stefan." She licked a path from his base to the tip, circling her tongue around him before she looked at him with a lascivious smirk, "I want you to come for me." And then she swallowed him down, moving up and down at a faster pace, humming and moaning around his cock as she brought him to his end.

Stefan couldn't take his eyes off her, her sinfully arousing words making the last of his restraint fly out the window. He curled his hand in her blonde hair, holding her against him as he bucked his hips up, growls that could have been her name ripping from his throat. He felt his entire world come apart, exploding in dizzying sparks of pleasure as he released himself into her willing throat, her moans drawing out his orgasm even more until he collapsed against the ground in a panting heap.

Caroline moaned as she greedily sucked at Stefan's cock, swallowing down all of his essence, extremely satisfied at making him fall to pieces because of her. It was a wonderful thing, and made her heady with the feelings it invoked within her. She released him from her mouth, placing one last loving kiss on him, before she moved her way up him until she was once again straddling him, their faces only inches apart. She smiled down at him, brushing his hair back tenderly, her voice a soft whisper, "Hey."

Stefan opened his eyes to look into her loving gaze, a smile curling his lips at the emotion he could read so easily in her blue eyes. He raised his arm to wrap around her waist, his other he brought to her face and caressed her jaw lovingly, "Hey, beautiful."

Caroline couldn't help but blush at the compliment, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as her heart raced. She lowered her lips to his, closing her eyes as she sweetly caressed their mouths against one another's. She got so lost in the taste of him that she didn't realize they'd moved until Stefan pulled back and he was now on top of her. Her breath caught at the sensual promise in his gaze.

Stefan ran his nose along her cheek to moan into her ear, "It's my turn to make you mine."

Caroline shuddered, her panties soaked with the evidence of her desire.

Stefan kissed his way down her throat, dragging his lips over her chest until he could wrap his lips around her hard nipple. He nibbled on her stiff peak, humming at the way she moaned, his fingers hooking in her underwear before he tore them from her body and threw them off to the side. He smiled at the tremble that went through her, palming her pussy with his hand and moaning at the wetness he found coating her, his mouth watered with his need to taste her.

Caroline watched him through hooded lids as he kissed his way down her abdomen, his fingers sliding between her lips to push into her wet pussy, a moan escaping her as she bucked against his hand. She was so wet for him, her whole body pulsing with her desire for him, needing his touch on her so bad. Her breaths heavy, her chest moving rapidly, anticipation making her tremble with need.

Stefan settled between her thighs, hooking her legs over his shoulder, his face inches from her glistening pussy. He licked his lips in anticipation, taking in a deep breath, the scent of her arousal making his dick twitch back to life. He growled in need, before burying his face between her legs, stroking a path through her folds as he continued to slide his finger in and out, a moan vibrating in his throat at her taste. He started slowly, lapping at her just shy of what she needed, her needy moans making him shudder, loving the sounds he could pull from her. He pushed a second finger inside of her, hooking them within her walls until he found her inner bundle of nerves, knowing when he did because she bucked against him, and only then did he swirl his tongue around her swollen clit.

Caroline arched her back as she cried out, her hand coming to rest against the back of his head, her feet digging into his back as she bucked wildly against him, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she was engulfed in a wave of delicious pleasure. Stefan knew just the way to drive her wild, his tongue and fingers playing with her perfectly until she was a mess of cries and shudders.

Stefan sucked on her clit as he pressed harder on her inner spot, the frantic twitch of her hips making him groan, knowing that it wouldn't be long for her now until she fell apart. He groaned, finally removing his fingers so that he could replace them with his tongue, desperately eating her out as he moved his slick fingers to circle her clit incessantly, the cries she let out rapidly turning into screams of his name. It only made him dive in more, wanting her to come, needing her to scream his name as she came.

Caroline stretched her arms out wide, trying to find anything to hold onto but only finding leaves as she grew nearer to her end. She rocked against him, her eyes rolling back into her head, her whole body awash with ecstasy, her walls twitching as her clit pulsed, and then she was falling, falling, falling… She screamed so loud she was sure that everyone could hear her, "Oh god, Stefan!"

Stefan lapped frantically at her pussy, eating her through her orgasm, the scream of his name making him moan with pleasure. He held her hips down as he feasted on her sweet juices, tasting everything she had to give him until she was a shuddering mess against him, a whimper escaping her as she became too sensitive, only then did he pull away. He didn't give her any time to relax, using his vamp speed to pick her up and slam her up against the tree, slamming his cock into her wet channel, shuddering at the way she gripped him, her walls fluttering deliciously around him.

Caroline was a mess of feelings, tingles and shocks still making her twitch as Stefan started to slide out of her, a cry of sheer bliss falling from her lips as he thrust back in. Her head hit the bark of the tree, her eyes fluttering in ecstasy, her voice no longer able to form words as he screwed her into oblivion. All she could focus on was Stefan and the way he was making her crazy, her fingers gripping hold of his shoulder as the force of his movements made the tree rock with them.

Stefan held onto her ass with one hand, and the other he buried in her hair as he thrust deep within her trembling walls, groaning into her neck as he was lost to the perfect pleasure between them. He kissed along her shoulder, growling sexily against her skin, "You're perfect." He pulled her hips against him, slamming deep within her as he groaned helplessly, "So fucking perfect surrounding me."

Caroline moaned at the sheer sexiness of his voice, tensing her legs around them as she switched their positions so that Stefan's back was against the tree. She grabbed hold of his shoulders, kept her thighs firm around him as she leaned back, and moved herself along his cock, moaning so loud as he hit so deep within her.

Stefan gripped onto her waist and helped to guide her over him, thrusting up as he slammed her down, groaning at the amazing feeling. He could feel his end draw near, her body just too perfect that he could lose himself to her at any moment. He quickly slipped out of her, turned her around so that her front was pressed up against the tree, wrapped his arm around her chest, and moved his other to flick her clit as he thrust back into her, fucking her mercilessly as he groaned into her ear.

Caroline pushed her hips back into his, fucking herself with him as she lost her grip on reality. She clenched her hands in the tree as her channel pulsed around his length, a hoarse cry of his name tearing from her throat as she came, her fingers making holes in the tree as she was lost to the ecstasy that only Stefan could give her.

Stefan groaned as her pussy tightened around him, his hips only managing a few more thrusts before he was joining her in blissful oblivion, a guttural groan of her name leaving his lips as he filled her with his seed. The pleasure coursing through him felt unending, his cock twitching inside her trembling channel, milking him of all he had until he collapsed boneless against her. He was completely spent, not even having the strength to move, he just wanted to stay right where he was, buried deep inside Caroline forever. Not a bad place to be, he thought with a smirk.

Caroline was speechless, her whole body a mass of pleasure, the only thing capable of leaving her throat was an awed, "Wow!"

"Wow, indeed." Stefan echoed, smiling against the rapidly beating pulse in her throat, savouring the afterglow with the girl of his dreams.

They would definitely be talking later.

Caroline and Stefan returned to the pageant together, their arms brushing side by side, the fingers grazing one another's in the closest thing to holding hands they could do in public. An air of contentment and satisfaction rolled off of them, their clothes not reflecting what they had just done, both of them perfectly made up, except for the wildness of their hair, especially Caroline's, as her blonde tresses no longer looked like a straightener had been through them, being more tussled.

Klaus watched them approach him with a raised eyebrow. It was obvious to him that they had just had sex. From the intimacy of their near touch, to the flush on their cheeks, and the brightness of their eyes, it was obvious what they had just done. He clenched his jaw, but he couldn't really lay claim to Caroline as they were no more than a flirtation with darkness on her side, and a beautiful obsession for him. Still, it angered him that they would do that when she was on a date with him.

Caroline met Klaus' gaze, and she knew instantly that he had already guessed at what happened between her and Stefan. She would try for an apologetic look but she wasn't sorry, Klaus wasn't her date by choice only because a deal they'd made, Stefan had been the one she wanted to be here with.

Stefan met Klaus' glare head on, not backing down in the slightest, showing with his gaze that he would fight for Caroline and he wouldn't lose.

"Soo..." Klaus tilted his head to the side as his eyes moved between Stefan and Caroline, "You two are a couple, I take it?"

Caroline wasn't sure how to answer as she and Stefan hadn't even had the conversation yet so she glanced down at their hands, smiling as he slipped his fingers between hers. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture.

Stefan brought their joined hands up to his lips to place a tender kiss on the back of her hand before he addressed Klaus, "What we are or are not to each other is none of your concern."

Klaus bristled at Stefan's tone, wanting to tear his throat out but then he caught sight of Caroline's face. She was looking at Stefan with a face full of loving adoration, and he was looking back at Caroline with the exact same look. His lips parted in shock, they are in love with each other.

Caroline finally tore her eyes away from Stefan, turning back to Klaus to try and soothe him before he did something blood thirsty, "Klaus-"

Klaus held his hand up to interrupt her, "There's no need for explanation. Your face's say everything for you." He took the few paces separating them and glared deadly into Stefan's eyes, "Hurt her and I will make you wish for the peace of death."

He didn't wait around for a response. Walking away from Stefan and Caroline to go back to his home and nurse the pain of losing Caroline before he ever had her.

Caroline watched Klaus go with a frown on her face, "Why has he gone?"

Stefan raised his free hand to her cheek to pull her face to his, a smile on his lips as he gazed at her, his thumb stroking along her soft cheek, "Conceding defeat."

Caroline was confused for a moment before her eyes widened in understanding. She chewed on her lip before finally broaching the subject that she had forced them to ignore, "Stefan… we need to talk."

"I know." Stefan leaned his forehead against hers, not caring that they were in the open where any eyes could spot them, all he cared about was that Caroline seemed to be ready to become an us at last, "And we will. As soon as we get home."

"I just have to hand over my crown and then we can go home." Caroline replied, it having almost completely slipped her mind that she had a job to do, as usual being with Stefan made anything else slip her mind.

"Okay." Stefan pressed his lips softly against hers, humming as they parted, wishing that it could be longer, but they were still a secret for the time being.

They walked hand in hand back to the pageant so that Caroline could fulfil her duties. Both unaware of the pair of shocked and tearful eyes that had spied their tender moment together.

TBC

AN – I hope you all liked it! The Klaroline scenes were necessary, but as it did end up with a very hot Steroline smut I think you'll forgive me the Klaroline.