A/N: This update took a little longer to write than expected, sorry about that! But I'm back with a lengthier update and on the coat-tails of TVD's mid-season finale no less.
There is lots of Klaroline in this chapter so I hope enthusiasm picks up from my last update. Don't let the length discourage you from passing me a review!
I wait patiently to know what you think of it...
Enjoy :D
He sat at the Mystic Grill bar anticipatorily, consuming a victory drink of C.C. and ginger, as he waited for his guests to arrive.
Elijah had retired back to the house for the evening, in part to check in on Rebekah and inform her of the latest turn of events, but also because the Grill wasn't really his 'scene' as he had put it. It was of no consequence anyways, Elijah had helped him enough with the Council.
He grinned to himself as he thought about their frightened faces. It looked good on them, he thought.
"That seat's taken," a bitter Damon Salvatore could be heard growling from behind him.
He smirked.
"Indeed it is; by me," he mused, as Damon took a seat beside him.
"Bourbon, neat," Damon hissed to the male bartender.
Both of them watched as the bartender slid the drink to Matt Donovan who then delivered it to Damon
"I'll never understand what my sister sees in that boy," he said.
Damon touched his glass against his glass before taking a drawn out sip.
"You and me both," Damon muttered.
"I assume you got my message," he inquired. "I'm surprised you showed," he admitted, thinking back to their last encounter.
Damon chortled.
"Well seeing as you sent the exact same cryptic text message to Elena and Stefan, I figured I was safe. Besides, if you wanted to snap my neck and run over me again, I doubt you'd invite me out for a drink beforehand," he joked.
He shrugged and raised his eyebrows.
"What can I say? I'm a gentleman," he retorted, before taking another drink.
Damon responded by clenching the fabric of his shirt and feigning an offended expression.
"Are we really going to play morality police?" Damon scoffed. "I mean, you and I could probably make a fun drinking game out of it, but..." Damon trailed off.
He clenched his glass firmly and glared at Damon with a serious expression.
"What I've done does nothing to justify your treatment of Caroline, but whatever makes you sleep better at night, Damon," he argued, taking a drink when he was finished.
"Come on hybrid Ken, cut me some slack; I barely knew her then. You forget that you were all ready and willing to sacrifice her to break the curse. Remember that? If anything, you should be thanking me. If I didn't sabotage your plan A, you and vampire Barbie would have never hooked up," Damon mused.
He rolled his eyes and scoffed, conceding that Damon had a point.
"Nevertheless, someone had to call you out for your misdeeds. I guess with everyone focusing on Elena it just slipped everyone's minds," he said, hoping just to evoke the tiniest bit of guilt from the elder Salvatore; and if not guilt, then at least discomfort.
Damon took a long sip of his drink, clearly annoyed by his persistence with the subject.
"Did you ever even apologize to her?"
He heard a disgruntled sigh escape Damon's lips.
"Really?" Damon balked sarcastically. "Can we drop the Dr. Phil routine, please?"
"Certainly, as you wish," he hissed, slamming his now empty glass down against the top of Damon's hand that was resting on the bar top.
Damon winced.
The glass shattered quietly upon impact. He noted the tiny shards that had dug their way into Damon's skin, before noticing the disapproving look on Matt Donovan's face.
Damon's lips tightened into a straight line as he reached over the bar for a towel to clean up the blood from the wounds that were already healing.
He smiled pleasantly at Damon while Matt began to clear the pieces of glass.
Damon scowled as he tried to regain his composure.
"Tell the bartender to make me another drink," he told Matt as he finished cleaning.
Matt nodded with a judgemental look on his face before walking away in the direction of the bartender.
"So, are you gonna fill me in on how this impromptu gathering at the Grill relates to the anonymous attacker?" Damon inquired as they both scanned the restaurant.
Stefan and Elena were seated at a booth with Bonnie, while Tyler and a girl he had never seen before were at another table across the room.
"It will all make sense in time, Damon," he said as he handed Damon a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.
Damon unfolded the paper curiously to reveal a grainy photograph.
"What the hell is this?" Damon asked.
"A picture..."
- "Uh yeah, obviously," Damon replied sarcastically. "Who is this?"
His lips curved into a smile.
"That's your mystery man. It's a picture from the Grill's security footage. Matt was kind enough give me a copy," he explained.
Really, Matt didn't offer a copy so much as he had threatened Matt into providing him with one.
"Is that the guy who attacked Tyler?" Jeremy Gilbert interrupted from the other side of the bar.
"Who wants to know?" Damon said with mock seriousness.
"Just let me see the picture, dick," Jeremy said to Damon.
He laughed under his breath at the exchange. It appeared as though neither he nor Jeremy had a preference for the elder Salvatore brother.
Damon slid the paper across the bar to give Jeremy a better look.
"I remember that guy. He was at the bar that night. He had a pretty sick tattoo up his arm," Jeremy explained.
His interest was piqued instantly at his mention of a tattoo.
"Really? Because it doesn't appear as though he has a tattoo on either arm in this photograph," he chimed in.
Jeremy shrugged in confusion as he took a second look at the picture.
"Look, I know what I saw. He had a tattoo. The photo seems kind of distorted," Jeremy said, defending his earlier observations.
After Jeremy vaguely explained the detail of the tattoo, he had the information he needed and tried his best not to make his interest suspicious.
"We'll keep an eye out. Now don't you have work to do or something?" Damon said as he snatched the paper back from Jeremy.
Jeremy scoffed and scampered off to the back room.
He and Damon returned to their drinks in silence.
"Do you have that image memorized?" he asked Damon.
"Not that hard to forget. Besides, if he has this tattoo, recognizing him should be easy," Damon replied.
He smirked knowingly and nodded.
"Good," he acknowledged.
A look of mischievous realization spread across Damon's face.
"That's why we're here, isn't it? To draw him out," Damon determined.
"If he's who I think he is, then it should work," he explained vaguely.
"Who is he?" Damon asked naturally.
"A hunter," he replied.
Damon appeared intrigued and they sat together quietly together in contemplation for a few moments with their drinks to keep themselves company.
"So where is vampire Barbie tonight?" Damon spoke up again as he swiveled in his chair to scan the room.
His prolonged silence was enough to raise red flags for Damon, who appeared amused by the situation.
"You didn't invite her, did you?" Damon concluded. "You know she's going to freak out when she finds out you didn't include her in this plan, right?" Damon mused.
He shrugged.
"She's already cross with me; but better cross than dead," he decided.
"So I guess the rest of us are all chopped liver to you then?" Damon remarked.
He chuckled.
"You should know that by now Damon," he answered before finishing his second drink. "I shouldn't have to tell you."
"Well, I think the only one who's going to wind up dead is you, because cross just walked through the door and she looks a lot like Caroline Forbes," Damon snickered.
Jerking his chair around his eyes met instantly with Caroline's blazing stare from across the restaurant.
With her eyes fixed on his she walked towards him determinedly.
He could see Damon smirking at the scene about to unfold.
"Boy does she look pissed," Damon mused, emphasizing the word 'pissed.'
"Shut up, mate," he muttered under his breath; saying the last word as sarcastically as he could.
Perhaps he was a glutton for punishment. Admittedly, he derived enjoyment from the sight of her furious expression; the hypnotizing sway of her hips seemed to be choreographed to her anger, while her puffed out chest underneath the tight black blouse she was wearing only accentuated the obvious. Certainly there was beauty in madness. She definitely was beautiful, he thought, as he took another moment to admire her before she unleashed her fury.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" she scolded him immediately, very much in a similar fashion to the way she had outside of the Founder's Hall.
He rapidly mulled over all the possible things she could be referring to.
"What do you mean, love?" he asked.
She glared at him and scoffed.
"The Council!" she shouted.
"You're making a scene, sweetheart," he said calmly, noting Damon's entertained look, as well as the looks of her friends throughout the restaurant.
"Yeah, sweetheart, you're making a scene," Damon mocked.
He shot a dirty look in Damon's direction.
"Fuck you, Damon," she spat.
Both he and Damon were shocked by the expletive that escaped her mouth.
"How about we talk about this outside, hmm?" he said as he stood up from the bar stool and grasped her upper arm.
She quickly shirked out of his hold and stormed ahead of him for the side exit.
"Keep an eye out," he mumbled to Damon, referring to the hunter, before taking off after Caroline.
The alley beside the Grill was occupied by a few other patrons and he quickly compelled them all to leave.
Turning back to Caroline, she was standing firm with her hands on her hips.
"You can start explaining your visit with the Council any time," she persisted.
"How did..."
- "My mom told me," she stated.
Right, he should have known.
"You said that my support would please you..." he started.
She quickly gave him an unimpressed stare as she crossed her arms.
"Yeah, support as in staying in Mystic Falls; support as in not holding our relationship over my head; I didn't mean, 'hey, Klaus go reveal yourself to the Council'!" she exclaimed. "Now they know you're alive..."
"They already knew," he interrupted.
Her frustration quickly turned to shock.
"What? How?" she asked.
"They have a vampire hunter working for them. He informed them," he explained.
"Who is he? Was he there?" she said, bombarding him with questions.
He shook his head and shrugged.
"Their contact with him is one-sided. They've never met him in person...but..."
- "You think he's the one who attacked Tyler," she assumed before he even had a chance to tell her on his own.
"Precisely," he answered.
She looked weary and confused as she tried to comprehend everything he was telling her.
"How did you find this out?" she wondered.
He hesitated.
"Eavesdropping and threatening behaviour are very effective," he mused.
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him.
"The Council needed to be confronted. If I'm going to remain here – if you are going to remain here for the foreseeable future – I needed to ensure the threat they posed was neutralized," he defended himself.
Her facial expression seemed to relax as she began to understand his reasoning; that was until she started to grow curious.
"And just how exactly did you 'neutralize' the threat?" she demanded.
He shrugged. He might as well be honest with her; he really had nothing to lose at this point.
"Well in addition to rendering the pastor unconscious and killing one of them, I threatened the rest of their lives and warned them that I would take back the donation Elijah had made to the town," he admitted.
She gasped and her eyes widened in horror.
"You killed one of them!?"
He chuckled at her dramatics.
"Sweetheart, he came at me with a stake. They need to know I'm someone to fear," he argued. "Besides, these people aren't exactly innocent either. You don't hire a vampire hunter when you want to make peace with vampires," he added.
She still didn't look convinced.
He grabbed her by the shoulders to focus her attention on him.
"Don't think for a moment that they wouldn't kill you if given the opportunity. They don't deserve your compassion, love," he lamented.
He could tell she was struggling. These were people she had grown up around all her life. It was hard to picture them as monsters or threats to her now, but that's exactly what they were.
"If I didn't confront them tonight, then they would still be a threat to worry about. Now we can focus on the hunter," he said.
She scoffed and pulled away from his touch.
"Now you can focus on the hunter," she corrected angrily. "That's why you told everyone to come here tonight, isn't it? Stefan texted me for more information, but I couldn't tell him anything because I guess you forgot to invite me," she hissed.
"I thought I could draw the hunter out here. I confronted the Council...I'm trying to capture the hunter...all to protect you...to give you what you want," he offered, angry that she didn't see that.
She shook her head, clearly annoyed.
"So you've done a one-eighty over night, then? First you want nothing to do with this, and now you're completely taking over? Iwant to make things right with my friends. I know you're worried about me, but I don't want you to do it all for me," she complained. "Let me do this; help me do this," she pleaded hopefully.
He clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth in frustration. Why did she have to be so difficult? Why couldn't she just be grateful that he had dealt with the Council and was now trying to capture this hunter? He knew, however, it was more complex than that. He could almost hear Elijah's voice in his head telling him how overbearing he was being. He couldn't help it though; he didn't want to lose her. Ironically, his domineering attempts to protect her would ensure that he would. Either way he was left feeling vulnerable. Ultimately, he knew he would have to give her what she wanted, as Elijah had foretold, if he wanted to keep her.
"Christ," he growled aloud at the internal debate raging within him. "Fine," he conceded.
Instantly her eyes lit up and her mouth curled into the most amazing smile.
Without much warning her arms were wrapped around his neck and her lips crashed against his. He hesitated briefly from the unexpected surprise, but soon found himself digging his fingertips into her jean covered hips and eagerly reciprocating her kiss.
Perhaps Elijah had been onto something with his advice, he thought in passing as he slipped his tongue against hers. It certainly was yielding him favourable results.
He hadn't realized how much he missed the feel of her body pressed against him and her sweet lips against his until now that he was granted the opportunity once more.
Sure, their quarrel had only lasted a day, but had been one of the most torturous of days.
Maintaining their connection, he staggered them towards the brick wall of the restaurant, pinning her between it and his body.
She murmured into his mouth at the rough actions.
He let his hands roam her body and his lips followed suit, trailing their way over her jaw, onto her neck, and then down to her taut cleavage while her hands combed and tugged through his hair teasingly.
His eyes darkened against her skin as his tongue could almost taste the blood rushing through her, straight to the apex of her thighs. He wanted so badly to taste her in more than one sense.
"Klaus," she panted.
"Mmm?" he mumbled as his lips danced up to her earlobe.
"Don't we have a hunter to lure out?" she reminded him.
"He can wait," he said into her ear.
She laughed against his cheek.
"I'm serious," she replied as her hands dipped down against his chest to put a few more millimetres of distance between them.
"So am I," he hissed, grinding his hips into hers.
He could hear her whimper softly at the contact.
"Anyone could see us," she pointed out anxiously as his own hands snaked under her arms and over her breasts.
He brought his lips to her other ear while he let one of his hands settle against the material between her thighs.
"Let them watch," he stated.
She groaned at the new sensation of his hand pressing firmly against her centre.
Before she had a chance to protest the idea, he kissed her again.
Desperate for more intimate contact he went for the button on her jeans.
While he was not opposed to sex in public, Caroline's clothing choice wasn't the most practical. He decided to indulge her with an appetizer for now. He'd save the main course for later.
Surely her friends would be wondering where they had wandered off to anyways. He didn't want them leaving just yet.
He grinned against her lips when she barely made an effort to deny his actions.
The jeans came undone with ease and his fingers slowly pried their way under the lacy material of her underwear.
"Touch me," she whispered.
He felt his pants grow tighter with her words.
She gasped when his fingers made contact with her heat.
Kissing her lips to stifle her sweet noises, he allowed his fingers to explore; first they circled around her clit and then outlined her opening tauntingly.
"Please," she practically begged as she tore her lips away from his.
With his fingers slicked generously in her juices, he thrust two of his fingers inside of her.
Her legs nearly gave out with his action, and she had to hold herself up against him by his shoulders.
"Mmm," she whined against his neck as she began to kiss and suck his flesh.
Much to his relief – or perhaps more to his frustration – one of her hands found their way to the crotch of his pants and began to stroke him over the material.
Even the most minimal of touches from her made him light-headed.
"You're driving me mad," he warned under his breath.
She bucked her hips frantically against his hand in response as she continued her tantalizing hand motions.
His fangs were aching to protrude; longing to dip into her soft skin as they raked just above her cleavage.
"Klaus," she murmured.
He heard his name as encouragement to keep going, but soon he felt her hands leave his body and tug on his own hand that was currently buried inside her jeans.
"Klaus...the hunter," she said.
He chuckled against her skin.
"I'm sure your friends can handle watch duty for now," he purred.
She grabbed his hand tighter and pulled stronger.
"No, the hunter!" she panicked.
His head shot up and noticed the fear in her eyes.
He glanced in the direction she had been looking, at the alley's exit, but there was nothing.
"I think I saw him," she said as she tried to steady her rapid breathing. "The guy who attacked Tyler – the hunter – he was standing there," she stammered.
Slipping his hand out from her pants, he grumbled in frustration.
"I guess the hunter is a part-time voyeur," he mused, as he sucked her lingering arousal from his fingers. "Who would have thought that a little exhibitionism would have lured him out?"
She scoffed as she did up her pants.
"This isn't funny!" she lamented. "We need to get inside and tell the others."
He knew she was right, but he still complained with a sigh nonetheless as she headed for the door.
Before she could go for the door handle he spun her around back to him and kissed her.
"You owe me later," he reminded her as he held her face.
She blushed and laughed.
"No, I think you owe me," she retorted.
He followed her inside, carefully watching around him for any sign of this hunter they were after. He saw nothing, save for the curious stares of all her friends – Stefan, Elena, Tyler, Matt, Bonnie, Damon. They all watched intently as they stopped at the bar.
Ordering a straight whiskey this time for himself, he ordered her rum and coke – thinking back to what she had ordered the first time they spent with each other at this bar.
She sat down on a bar stool and waited patiently for the bartender to make their drinks.
Damon was a few stools away, eyeing them curiously.
"This feels weird," Caroline said anxiously as she accepted her drink.
"What?" he asked, before sipping his drink appreciatively.
"Everyone's staring at us," she said.
This really had been the first time they had been out in public together, he thought.
He slipped his hand around her waist and kissed her temple possessively.
"Just enjoy your drink, love. We're here to keep an eye out for the hunter, not your friends," he stated reassuringly.
She nodded and downed her drink readily before compelling herself a whiskey sour from the bartender.
He informed Damon of the possible hunter sighting, before returning back to Caroline.
They sat there in wait for another half hour with still no sign of the hunter.
He was growing impatient.
Perhaps the hunter grew skittish after encountering them in the alley earlier? Maybe it was not even the hunter Caroline had seen?
Here they were like sitting ducks; waiting targets in a public place, and yet this hunter had still not revealed himself.
Caroline's friends were all too busy staring at them anyways; the hunter had probably passed them by already.
Every now and then he'd catch Elena staring daggers in their direction, while Stefan looked on perhaps almost sympathetically. It seemed Stefan, out of all of Caroline's friends, had been the most understanding.
He scowled noticing how Caroline's face would drop every time Matt would walk past at the bar, giving her the silent treatment.
It was ridiculous. It was as though Caroline had carried out a mass slaughter of innocent humans or something. Compared to the likes of Damon or Stefan, Caroline was an angel. Moreover, her friends' hostility had more to do with the fact that she was with him than it did with the fact that she had been unfaithful to Tyler.
He wanted to confront them all about how asinine they were being, but he knew Caroline would never stand for it. He tried to keep restrained, but the alcohol he was consuming wasn't helping.
Sensing her discomfort and discouragement he contemplated giving up tonight on the 'hunt' for the hunter.
Just as he was about to mention leaving, their attention was diverted to the sight of Elena rushing off to the washrooms.
Instinctively, Caroline rose from the bar stool, hesitating when, he assumed, she recalled their falling out.
"Something's wrong," Caroline concluded, "with Elena."
He noticed both Stefan and Damon looking on towards the washrooms worriedly.
"Perhaps you should check on her?" he suggested.
She looked at him unsure before looking back in the direction Elena had taken.
Nodding, she walked hurriedly after Elena.
With Klaus's encouragement she sped to the washrooms without another second thought.
She had seen Elena's face. She knew something wasn't right.
Surprisingly, neither Damon nor Stefan stopped her from going after Elena. She supposed they were letting her go first since a girl entering the women's washroom was less conspicuous than one of them. They would if they had to though, she knew.
Aside from watching her with Klaus, Damon had been eyeing Stefan and Elena like a hawk all night.
Opening the door the washroom, she was shocked by the sight.
Elena was feeding hungrily off of an unsuspecting woman, a little older than themselves.
"Oh my god! Elena! What are you doing?" she panicked, rushing towards the woman and pulling her from Elena's determined grasp.
She literally had to push Elena away.
Elena stumbled back against the sinks as if in a trance, while she bit into her wrist and compelled the frightened woman to drink from her. She did, and the messy bite wound Elena had inflicted upon her neck quickly healed.
"Give me a paper towel with some water on it so I can clean off the blood," she asked Elena, who seemed completely unresponsive. "Elena!" she repeated.
Elena finally did as she asked and handed her some wet paper towel. She cleaned the blood from the woman's neck and then compelled her to forget about the attack and the aftermath. The woman nodded readily and happily, leaving the washroom as if nothing had happened.
She then cleaned herself up and Elena did the same.
They were both quiet. Elena was obviously ashamed and embarrassed. She was unsure if Elena even wanted her there.
"Are you okay?" she said finally to Elena.
Elena scoffed as she wiped the remaining blood from her lips.
"Do I look like it?" Elena retorted. "Just leave me alone."
She gave Elena a hurt but sympathetic look.
"Stefan told me you were having trouble with the transition," she said.
Elena glared at her, as if surprised that Stefan had told her anything.
"I can't drink animal blood, I can't drink bagged blood; trouble is an understatement," Elena complained emotionally.
In an effort to comfort her friend, she reached out for Elena's arm, but Elena recoiled.
She sighed disappointedly.
"Elena, I know you're mad at me. I know you feel betrayed, and I'm so sorry. I just want to help you with this," she explained.
Elena's eyebrow arched dismissively.
"Those are all lovely words," Elena said sarcastically. "But I really don't need or want your help."
She frowned.
Elena turned for the washroom door and she followed her out.
"Elena will you ever forgive me? I just want us to be friends again," she said helplessly.
Spinning back around, Elena glared at her.
"I'll forgive you when you come to your senses and realize that you're making a huge mistake with Klaus," Elena spat.
Stefan and Damon were there to greet Elena as they had been lingering just outside of the washroom foyer.
"I need to leave," Elena said to the both of them.
Damon clutched Elena by the upper arm and guided her towards the exit while she exchanged glances with Stefan before he followed behind them.
She didn't hold it against Stefan for leaving with Elena without taking a second to talk to her. She understood.
Scanning the room, she noticed Klaus seated at the edge of the bar nearest the washrooms. Judging by the scowl on his face, he had heard what had happened and what Elena had said.
When she approached, he was clearly fighting the urge to say something along the lines of 'I told you so.' Sure, he had encouraged her to go after Elena, but she knew he was still pessimistic about her goal to win her friends back.
Sitting beside him, he pushed a fresh drink in front of her.
"I took the liberty of ordering you another drink," he said simply. "I thought you might need it."
She thanked him thoughtfully, knowing it was his indirect way of lending his sympathies to her over the debacle with Elena.
"Don't let it faze you love, it's her loss," he assured her.
Nodding, she took a long sip of her drink.
"Besides, it doesn't look like we'll be getting the hunter tonight. You still have more time," he pointed out.
Looking around the restaurant, it appeared as though her other friends had all given up and decided to leave as well.
"I'm beginning to wonder if any amount of time will change Elena's mind," she admitted ruefully.
A drawn out sigh escaped his lips. It almost sounded like a sigh of guilt.
She found herself sighing too in response.
"Let's just stop talking about Elena," she decided in an effort to clear the air.
Despite the threat the hunter posed and the discouraging turn of events with Elena, she wanted to appreciate the fact that Klaus was sitting beside her right now. When she woke up this morning she would have never expected this to be how the day would end. She never anticipated having him in her corner regardless of how much she wanted it. Yet, here he was. He was full of surprises, she supposed.
He finished his drink and eyed her curiously.
Without the looming judgemental looks from her friends to worry about, she leaned over and kissed the sensitive skin just below his ear.
"Take me home?" she breathed, knowing the question would spark his interest.
He smirked.
"Are you trying to pick me up Miss Forbes?" he asked.
She grinned.
"Well the last time I asked you to take me home, it seemed to work perfectly well Mr. Mikaelson," she reminded him jovially.
"I remember," he mused.
"What are you waiting for?" she asked expectantly before sipping the rest of her drink.
He rummaged through his wallet for money to pay their tab.
"If you insist," he groaned, feigning complaint.
She scoffed and pushed him playfully.
"I do," she joked as she slid off the stool.
"I like it when you're bossy," he remarked with a laugh, tossing some money down on the bar top before following after her.
And for a few moments, as they both rushed towards the exit excitedly, she felt normal, he felt normal. It felt like they were just another eager couple without concerns of Councils, vampire hunters, or scorned friends.
That was until she ran into Tyler and Hayley out front.
She froze instantly and her laughter quickly faded.
"Come on, love," Klaus said as he emerged from the Grill and linked his arm with hers, his voice only faltering when he noticed who she had encountered.
Hayley was smoking a cigarette while Tyler kept her company.
They both looked at her quietly.
She prepared herself for a confrontation, but Tyler surprised her with a simple curt nod.
Smiling faintly at him, she reciprocated Tyler's greeting.
Tyler and Klaus exchanged looks before Klaus tugged her arm softly in the opposite direction.
He walked her towards his SUV, but she hesitated.
"Let's walk, instead," she suggested. "It's so mild out tonight."
He seemed inclined to protest, but indulged her nonetheless.
"You know it's quite a distance from here to your house," he pointed out.
She rolled her eyes.
"Awe, muffin," she cooed, "I'm a vampire, you're a hybrid, a walk won't kill us," she giggled. "It's not that far."
It was just something she wanted to do. She wanted to breathe in the fresh night air with him beside her. Aside from making love, it was one of the few things that made her feel alive.
"You lived for centuries without the modern convenience of a car, you should be used to it," she teased.
His eyes narrowed at her as they started their walk.
"That doesn't necessarily mean I wish to relive that time," he chuckled.
He took her hand in his and a tingling burst of air escaped her lungs.
It was a simple but intimate gesture, one they had yet to share until now.
She clasped her fingers through his before he had a chance to take it back. She could see the self-conscious look in his eyes as if he was only realizing now that his hand was around hers.
As they walked through town she recalled aloud various memories from each place, while he tried to trump her stories by proclaiming that at one point in time this whole area had been a dense forest that he and his brothers used to hunt in.
"I wish they had pictures from that time," she mused. "I can't picture you or Elijah with long hair," she laughed.
"It's not something I like to be reminded of," he admitted.
"What? I'm sure you looked handsome," she assured him.
He smirked.
"You're biased," he pointed out.
"So?" she quipped with a smile.
They continued walking.
"Do you know who that girl was with Tyler?" Klaus questioned casually but curiously.
She shrugged as she made a point of stepping over the cracks on the sidewalk.
"Hayley...she was at the hospital the other day when I went to see Tyler. He says she helped him break the sire bond," she explained indifferently.
The last thing she wanted to talk about was her now ex and the girl he had never mentioned when they were together.
"Tell me more about what Mystic Falls used to be like," she urged, interested to know about what his life had been like here and eager to change the subject.
He shrugged as he tried to find something interesting to tell her.
"Well...my brothers and I used to race up that hill," he said, pointing to the hill that they were approaching.
"And let me guess, you always won?" she assumed.
"Of course," he proclaimed proudly.
She arched an eyebrow at him in disbelief.
"What would Elijah say if I asked him?" she countered with a smirk.
He laughed.
"Elijah is a notorious liar. His word is not to be trusted," he defended.
She joined him in his laughter, knowing how wrong that statement was. She sometimes thought that Elijah was the most honourable out of all of them.
"We should race right now," she suggested as she pulled away from him and eyed the hill in the distance.
He seemed surprised and amused by her light-hearted attitude.
"You know I will win," he stated.
She shrugged.
"Prove it then," she challenged, knowing he had a weakness for dares.
"What does the winner get?" he wondered.
"The satisfaction of winning?" she proposed.
He shook his head.
"It's no fun without stakes, love," he argued. "If I win..." he thought before his lips curved into a smirk, "you'll let me paint you," he decided.
She blushed, knowing exactly how he wanted to depict her. Sure, he had sketched her suggestively before, but that had been done without her knowledge. The prospect of posing in front of him while he painted her was much more daunting.
"Fine," she relented, knowing that eventually she would have conceded to his request anyways.
"And if you win?" he asked.
She smiled.
"I have a vacancy in the prom date department," she said.
He grumbled under his breath, but agreed to her terms nonetheless.
"On the count of three," she started as she readied her body. "One...two..."
He sped by her before she even had a chance to shout three. What a cheater, she thought amusedly as she tore off after him. He slowed purposely so she could catch up to him, only to increase his pace when she did. It was no matter anyways, because she decided to play him at his own game by jumping on his back just in time for him to reach the top of the hill – the makeshift finish line.
Pressing her forearms into the front of his chest, she shrieked with laughter and held on for dear life until he finally slowed and helped her by holding onto her legs by the backs of her knees.
"It looks like I win," he proclaimed proudly.
She shook her head.
"You cheated! You started before I said three!" she complained over his shoulder, before being briefly subdued by the intoxicating scent of the fresh air and his cologne.
"You're the cheat," he protested. "You literally piggy-backed on my victory!" he laughed.
She loved his laugh...his genuine laugh, not the one that was reserved for petty threats and alpha male posturing.
"I only cheated because you cheated," she defended herself. "I think it's a draw."
He scowled.
"I really don't want to attend my sister's overblown prom production," he complained.
She hit his chest with the flat of her palm as he continued to walk them towards her street.
"It's my prom committee," she reminded him, "as much as your sister would like to forget that. It's just as much my 'overblown prom production' as it is hers."
"I still don't want to attend," he protested. "We might not even be here then."
She frowned inwardly at his continued resolve to leave Mystic Falls as soon as possible despite his efforts to help her. Then she thought about what Rebekah had said to her earlier.
"Don't you want to see me in a prom dress?" she cajoled.
He shrugged.
"I'd rather see you in a skimpy bikini on a beach in Thailand, far away from this place," he chuckled.
She couldn't help but laugh at his comment and become excited by the prospect of the adventures that awaited them outside of this town.
"Well, if we're still here, you won't have much choice. Rebekah has already volunteered your house as the venue," she smirked, knowing that his relaxed mood would prevent the full outraged reaction she expected.
He gripped her legs a little tighter and she felt the muscles in his back tense against her chest.
"She did what?" he asked.
"Rebekah volunteered your house to be the venue of the Mystic Falls High School senior prom," she clarified.
He groaned bitterly.
"I won't let it happen," he said flatly.
She scoffed.
"If prom doesn't happen your painting won't happen," she reminded him mirthfully.
He shook his head.
"We'll see," he resolved as he approached her house with her still firmly attached to his back.
She slid off of him and onto the sidewalk.
"Thanks for the ride," she laughed.
"Nobody rides for free," he remarked as he followed her up to her porch.
Arching her eyebrow suggestively, she rested her hands on her hips.
"Well if you come inside, maybe we could call it even? You still owe me from earlier," she mentioned, hoping he didn't forget the state she had been left in earlier when they were interrupted.
A small mischievous grin appeared on his lips.
"I don't think your mother would approve," he said.
She rolled her eyes.
"Since when did you start caring about approval?" she teased. "She picked up a night-shift and won't be home until morning. So as long as you're gone before then..." she trailed off, turning to unlock the door and step inside.
When she turned on the hall light, she was only half surprised to see him already standing there expectantly in the hallway.
He approached her slowly, and extended his arm. She fully expected him to touch her, but was fooled when he reached past her to bring the front door closed behind her.
Goosebumps crawled up her skin when she heard the lock on the front door click. "Where were we then?" he asked, the husky tone of his voice quite obviously indicating that he was referring to their earlier tryst in the alley.
He circled behind her and removed her sweater as she slipped out of her shoes.
Brushing her hair aside, he kissed the back of her neck as he too stepped out of his shoes.
Eager to feel his lips on hers, she spun around to kiss him, taking him by surprise this time. He kissed her back greedily, his hands latching around her waist while hers tugged on the lapels of his black suit jacket.
She stumbled backwards towards her bedroom with enough force for him to release her.
Beckoning him with a curl of her index finger, he followed her readily to her room, his eyes set fixedly upon her.
It was dark in her room save for the light from the hallway and the streetlight pouring in through her curtains.
"You look good in black," she mused as he reached her bedroom doorway.
She outlined the collar of his jacket with her fingertips before removing it.
"So do you, love," he purred as he allowed his fingers to travel along the edge of her shirt that contained the swell of her breasts. "But no clothing suits you best," he added, bringing his hands down to lift the tight blouse up over her torso.
She raised her arms to allow the shirt to come off with ease, revealing to him the pink and black lace bra that had been hidden underneath.
Holding her against him, he traced kisses along her chest as he moved them further into her room.
While she had the arrangement of her room memorized, she was still startled when the backs of her legs hit her mattress. She fell back onto her bed in a sitting position.
He fought with the buttons of his shirt while she undid his belt.
His shirt fell to the ground before she even got to his pants.
Leaning over her, he consumed her lips in another frenzied kiss, as he undid the button of her pants before dropping to his knees in front of her to help her out of her jeans.
She lifted herself up from the bed so he could slide her pants easily down her thighs to her knees.
With that, he rolled the jeans over her calves before removing them from her legs completely.
"Spread your legs for me, sweetheart," he instructed, and she quickly obliged him, so consumed by lust at this point that she was willing to do anything he asked of her.
Heat flooded her centre as his hands ran up her shins, over her knees, and onto her thighs.
She was still wearing her bra and underwear, but she still felt so delightfully exposed in front of him like this.
When his lips made contact with the inside of her left thigh she shook. She shook again when his lips kissed her right thigh even though she was expecting it.
Though it was dark, she could see the glint of black and amber in his eyes as he neared the apex of her thighs with his eager tongue and lips.
The ache within her was almost painful by the time he pushed the soaked fabric of her underwear to the side.
He stroked a lone finger languidly over her folds both to her dismay and satisfaction.
When his tongue darted out against her clit simultaneously to the thrust of his finger inside of her, she let out a sharp moan and clenched her comforter as tightly as she could.
The sight of him between her legs alone was almost enough to render her undone.
Given the fact that she had been adequately teased earlier in the night, coupled with the expert movements of his tongue and fingers, the early tingle of her orgasm building didn't come as much of a surprise to her.
Running her fingers through his hair and whimpering softly for encouragement, she threw her head back and concentrated on the small jolts of pleasure each swirl of his tongue and stroke of his fingers sent through her body.
Her eyes shot open when his actions stopped prematurely.
She had been so close, and for a split second she wanted nothing more than to ring his neck.
Glaring down at him he smiled up at her deviously, before standing.
"Twice tonight," she complained. "You know it's rude to interrupt a girl when she's on the brink of sexual bliss," she pouted.
He chuckled as he began to undo his pants in front of her before letting them drop to the floor.
"And it's rude of a girl to have her cake and eat it too," he countered playfully. "You can't have all the fun."
Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried hard not to follow the ridges of muscle that led to the sight of his fully erect manhood.
"You were the only one eating; very enthusiastically, I might add," she mused as she crawled back on her bed as he climbed over top of her.
"Well now I'm hungry for something else," he murmured as he dragged his lips up her stomach.
She raised her legs instinctively when she felt his hands pull at the sides of her panties.
He then pushed the cups of her bra down granting him easy access to the pink buds of flesh previously covered by them.
Her back arched as he drew each nipple into his mouth and he took the opportunity to reach underneath and free her from the constricting article of clothing.
She shimmied the straps of the bra off her arms while he continued his ascent towards her neck.
When his thick erection pressed into the inside of her thigh her stomach dropped with excitement and anticipation.
He raised his head to look down at her after reaching her lips.
His eyes raked over the length of her body before returning to her self-conscious gaze.
"You're perfect," he observed, as he settled himself in between her legs.
The dim light of the room hid her blushing cheeks.
She held her breath when she felt his cock kiss her opening.
"I need you," he admittedly lowly.
"I'm yours," she answered, knowing fully that their revelations were about more than just their sexual desires.
Lifting her head, she kissed his lips lightly while he guided himself inside of her.
They exhaled deeply in unison as she accommodated his length and he adjusted to the feel of her surrounding him.
One of his hands dug into her thigh and the other rested beside her, holding him up above her. Her hands were wrapped tightly around his back while her legs were perched against his hips.
Letting her head fall back against her pillows, she cried as he filled her completely.
God, she had missed this, even if it had barely been a few days since they were last together, she thought.
She loved the way he seemed to fit inside her perfectly, and how their hips rocked together in concert with one another's.
The scent of his arousal and sweat combined with her own was exhilarating.
He leaned down to kiss her neck and lips while his free hand groped her breasts tenderly.
"Ahhh, harder," she hissed.
She griped the short locks of his hair while her fingernails of her other hand dug ardently into the small of his back as he quickened the pace of his thrusts.
His muscles were completely tense against her; even his jaw was locked firmly against her cheek as he panted hoarsely against her ear.
"Don't stop," she pleaded.
"I wouldn't dream of it, love," Klaus answered.
Releasing her claw-like grip on his back, she brought her hand up to clench the pillow beside her but hit his hand instead.
She looked up at him with uncertainty before she stifled her reluctance and tucked the flat of her palm underneath his.
He surprised her by weaving his fingertips through hers.
Kissing her yearningly, he ground his hips forcefully against hers.
"I want you to cum for me, Caroline," he urged against her collarbone.
His demand had impeccable timing. She was on the precipice of the orgasm she had been lusting after since earlier in the night. His steady strokes inside of her, along with the perfect fit of his pelvic bone against her clit, were sending her body barrelling after release.
Her free hand scraped down his back as the other clutched the palm of his hand desperately.
"I'm so close," she whined against his lips.
As she neared her climax, his thrusts slowed as he tried in earnest to hold on for her.
Both of them were trembling and gasping for air when her orgasm snuck up on her with the snap of little sparks firing off within her.
"Klaus...yes," she moaned through semi-parted lips incoherently.
Through the euphoria her features had darkened and her fangs emerged. Readily helping herself to the exposed flesh of his neck, she sunk her teeth into the skin and consumed his savory essence arduously.
He groaned loudly at the sensation of the bite.
"Fuck," she heard him curse under his breath.
With one last deep thrust, his body began to convulse against hers and before long she could feel his seed spilling inside of her.
He sat up, bringing her with him as she continued to drink from him. Taking her wrist of the hand that had been nearly crushed by his vice grip, he brought it up to his lips and penetrated her skin with his sharp fangs.
She winced a little at the initial pain of the bite, but eased quickly when she concentrated on the feeling of his blood entering her while her blood left her system for his.
Once her hunger was satisfied, her fangs retracted and her eyes relaxed into their usual soft expression. She kissed the fading bite mark on his neck and then watched him fixedly as he fed from her.
His eyes were clenched shut and he murmured quietly against her skin as though he was someone savouring their favourite meal.
She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder as she traced small circles on his back with her free hand.
Yes, she never felt more alive than when they were together like this.
Knowing he could only drink from her for so long before his venom overpowered his blood she consumed, he freed her wrist from his bite.
He thumbed over her torn flesh until he was certain it would heal itself with his blood still rushing through her veins
She lifted her head back to look at him, his features no longer dominated by his hybrid side.
He dragged his finger under her lip, catching some of his residual blood.
"Take it," he urged her, pressing the pad of his finger against her lips.
She mused at the unnecessary worry in his voice before allowing her tongue to dart out and catch the small drops of blood on his skin.
"I feel fine," she assured him as she draped her arms over his shoulders. "Better than fine," she laughed lazily before sucking on his bottom lip. "I think I just drank enough of your blood to fight off a million wolf bites."
He smirked as he combed his fingers through her hair.
"Love, the only bites you have to worry about are from a very particular hybrid," he said, nipping on her bottom lip. "Who also conveniently possesses the antidote."
She smiled and kissed him again.
"Do you think I'll ever get to see you in your wolf form?" she questioned curiously.
While she meant her question light-heartedly, the air in the room seemed to turn serious.
He shook his head.
"It's too dangerous," he explained.
"But you have the cure, remember?" she said.
His head shaking persisted.
"I don't trust it," he continued.
She chuckled and pushed his shoulder lightly.
"I bet you look cute and fluffy," she teased.
He rolled his eyes as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"So you want me to transition into a wolf so you can completely emasculate me?" he mused.
She laughed.
"I'm far from cute or fluffy," he maintained as he pushed her back on the bed and towered over her with his best intimidating look.
"Okay! I believe you!" she exclaimed agreeably.
"Good," he remarked, before collapsing onto the bed beside her.
She turned on her side and slid herself underneath his arm before boldly resting against his chest.
They lied there quietly like that for nearly twenty minutes.
By his steady breathing, she thought that perhaps he had fallen asleep, but when she looked up, his eyes were still open.
"Do you think you'll ever come to your senses?" he asked suddenly.
"What?" she asked, initially confused by his question.
"Elena said she would only forgive you if you came to your senses about me," he clarified.
She scoffed.
"I'm not making a mistake with you," she said confidently. "Elena is the one who needs to come to her senses," she stated firmly.
He appeared satisfied by her response.
Despite his outward secure demeanour, she was beginning to realize that he sometimes needed more reassurance from her than she needed from him.
A few more silent minutes went by before she decided to change the subject.
"So tell me, what made you come to your senses and convince you to help me out with my friends and this hunter?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Who do you think?" he scowled.
She thought for a second.
"Elijah," she beamed.
He nodded.
"Of course," he groaned.
She smiled inwardly at the thought of Elijah talking to Klaus as he told her he would. He always seemed to know exactly what to say not only to Klaus, but to her as well. Elijah was the perfect voice of reason.
"What did he say?" she pried, curious to know how Elijah got through to Klaus.
"That's none of your business," Klaus said quickly.
While she was disappointed by his refusal to divulge what was said between them, she understood.
"I bet he told you how awesome and right I am," she joked.
He snorted at her cocky statement, which was a good sign.
"Elijah is a good brother. You're lucky to have him," she pointed out, knowing that Elijah and Klaus had their fair share of differences.
Klaus laughed heartily at her comment.
"Of course you think he's a good brother. He always sides with you," he replied.
"Maybe that has something to do with it," she admitted. "But I really mean it."
More silence flooded the room before she began to think about her friends, the plan to catch the hunter, and the concessions Klaus had made for her.
"Thank you," she murmured.
"For what?" he asked.
She lifted herself up so that she was looking down at him.
"For deciding to help me," she explained.
He acknowledged her polite gesture with a nod.
"I'm doing it for myself as much as I am for you," he revealed cryptically as she laid back down.
"I know that you don't want to stay here...that it's dangerous," she continued. "So, if there hasn't been any progress with my friends or the hunter by graduation, I think we should leave," she conceded.
Deep down she hoped things wouldn't come down to her suggestion. She truly wanted to make amends with her friends, help them deal with the hunter, and appease Rebekah in her endeavours to become the next Miss Mystic Falls, but she knew she had to compromise with Klaus. They couldn't remain here forever.
He seemed surprised by her idea.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I think it's fair," she concluded.
He rose onto his side towards her and looked down.
"I want you to know that my agreeing to help you does not come without conditions," he said.
She tensed at his words, wondering what he could mean.
"I will help you capture this hunter as a means to redeem yourself with your friends, but we do this over their dead bodies before it's over mine or yours, if it comes down to that," he explained. "I won't lose you," he declared with determined eyes. "I think that's fair," he added.
After a few moments of contemplation, she relented to him with a nod.
"Okay," she whispered in agreement as her eyes met his.
A/N: So Klaus's little statement, "We do this over their dead bodies before it's over mine or yours" comes from a Jakob Dylan song, "Down On Our Own Shield," so I have to give credit where credit is due. I haven't been inspired lately by songs; but that song got a lot of plays as I wrote the latter half of this chapter for a few reasons, so check it out if you feel inclined.
As for another update, I'm at another crossroad with only vague direction, so another complete chapter might take some time. Like I've said, I know the ending I want to get to...it's getting there that's the struggle.
Let me know what you thought! Also, if you feel like sharing, I'm kind of curious to know how came across my fan-fiction in the first place...did you just find it browsing on fanfiction. net? Or did someone recommend it to you? etc, etc.