If you aren't already reading "The Contract" by Desi44 and "Providence" by heystrippah you are missing out.
Obviously this took much longer than I would have wished - blame the 100th episode and the resulting smut fics which made me seriously reconsider my plans for this chapter.
Smut warning, if you'd rather not read it stop when you get to the dots. For those of you who don't stop at the dots and have endured so many chapters in the hope of good smut, I sincerely apologize - it isn't my strong suit.
He did not normally monitor the passing of time, not in minutes, hours or days. Yet in her absence he found himself observing as seconds become minutes, minutes become hours. Days. Never in all the time spent under the sun, and avoiding it, had he paid such close attention to the movements of the second hand of a clock. Never had time dragged for him, never had he despaired at the ending of another day.
"Niklaus," Elijah's even-toned voice invaded his ears. "Your presence is required at the gate," he continued.
Klaus did not move, not even an inch, there was only one person he wanted to see and she did not require an invitation. So as far as he was concerned whomever now awaited entry at the gate could rot there.
"I believe they may have pertinent information as to the whereabouts of Miss Forbes," Elijah advised.
It had the desired effect, Klaus was out of his chair and at the gate in record time – not until he reached it and set eyes upon the new arrivals did it occur to him that perhaps his brother might have lied to him. But the thought was fleeting and considering just who awaited entrance and the state in which he found them Klaus was inclined to let it slide…for the time being.
Two things were immediately clear to him his brother Kol was back among the living, and was actually living. The first revelation was surprising, the second astounding.
"Well, it's about time you deigned to join us," Kol sounded annoyed but a satisfied smirk graced his face.
"Kol," Klaus uttered somehow infusing it with everything he felt. Surprise, joy, sadness, regret…hope.
"I missed me too," Kol cheerfully responded holding his arms out wide as though expecting Klaus to run into his arms. "You know you want to Nik."
As happy as Klaus was to discover that his brother was returned to them, there was a limit.
"Enter," he encompassed both his brother and the Witch at his side in the invitation, then turned and left them before they responded. He did however depart at human speed which allowed his brother to catch up, and then jump upon his back as though attempting to catch a ride. It wasn't overly surprising - his younger brother had always possessed the innate ability to annoy him – and Kol now lacking the imbued strength of a vampire was excessively easy to dislodge which Klaus did.
"Ouch!" Kol screeched upon impact with the concreted drive.
A moment later a driving pain, as though a construction crew had taken jack hammers to his brain, brought Klaus to a halt. He turned directing a murderous glare at Bonnie.
"Wrong Witch," she said with a bright smile.
It took him another few seconds to comprehend her words and redirect his glare to the guilty party who was smirking up at him from the pavement. "You're a witch?" he asked unnecessarily, he could feel it in his bones or rather his head.
Kol chuckled with glee and slowly rose to his feet, the pain in Klaus' head faded.
"Warlock, so you should really be nicer to me," his smiled dimmed a touch as he examined his elbow. "That hurt," he added a little later practically pouting.
"You brought it on yourself," Klaus dismissed and was gifted with yet more hammering in his head. He growled and flashed forward only to find Elijah barring his way.
"Enough," Elijah said tiredly while Kol smirked triumphantly behind his shoulder. "My apologies Miss Bennett, it appears my brothers are quite incapable of conducting themselves with any decorum."
"It's hardly my fault Nik is a prick," the younger brother sneered before a blonde hurricane collided with him and he ended up back on the pavement. "Bloody hell Beks," his words muffled beneath her.
"You're alive!" she exclaimed gleefully.
"I think that's been established," Klaus tone was bored, but he found a degree of enjoyment in seeing Rebekah so unapologetically delighted.
"Off, before I send you flying trollop," Kol threatened from his position beneath her. Rebekah did as he asked, back on her feet in a flash and dragging him to his shortly thereafter. "Before you ask, I have returned to the living as a warlock - not quite as fun as an Original Vampire, but I shall make do," he grinned and once again pain flooded Klaus' head.
"Kol," Elijah admonished.
"Tessa is Qetsiyah," Bonnie broke in.
"Sandwich short of a picnic that one; scary crazy," Kol said and earning an incredulous look from Bonnie. "What?"
Bonnie shook her head. "She channeled us to perform a spell, we have no idea what it was," she meet Klaus' eyes with a defiant glare as though awaiting an outburst.
"After she brought Kol back I assume," Elijah murmured. Klaus rather thought that his brother wasn't looking for confirmation so much as thinking out loud, processing what this might mean.
"And in other news, Silas destroyed the Other Side," Kol announced with a bright smile as though under the illusion they might think it was good news.
At this Bonnie's gaze moved to her feet, avoiding each and every pair of the accusing eyes that sought her out. Klaus wasn't overly concerned, in fact had it not been for his surrounding siblings who he suspected would mourn the permanent death of at least Finn - for the immediate future - he might just have smiled. Sure his elder brother would never return and perhaps he was a touch saddened at the knowledge, but the gratification of knowing that Esther, Mikael, and the rather large number of other enemies he had consigned to the Other Side during his thousand years could never again darken his door far outweighed it. In fact if not for the absence of Caroline he'd have been vibrating with satisfaction.
But being that she remained beyond his reach and, more importantly, his protection he found his joy diminished. Caroline was not quite immortal enough. Baring some new ingenuity of witches there was only one thing in the world that could kill him and he had that in his possession, but he could not remove from the world all the things that could kill her.
However much he wanted to.
Following a somewhat boring description of Kol and Bonnie's exploits since they absconded on the giant failure of a mission to retrieve Caroline there was an even more uninteresting discussion on what Qetsiyah and Silas might do next. Klaus endured both by knocking back nearly a full bottle of bourbon and ignoring his guests as much as possible - no mean feat considering the guests. But when the conversation moved to what they should now focus on he found himself drawn back in. Who were they to decide what he should be doing, what his focus should be?
"I agree," Elijah stated in his usual even tone. "We need to determine what it is Qetsiyah wants to achieve, and whether or not this is contrary to our goals."
"Good luck with that," he interjected before he rose to his feet intent on leaving them to it.
"Niklaus, we will require your assistance," Elijah stated the obvious.
Of course they needed his assistance, he was after all the only one among them with actual manpower. Sadly for Elijah they were otherwise engaged - he was otherwise engaged.
Qetsiyah could burn the world as long Caroline was returned to him safe and sound.
He moved to the door only to find his eldest brother blocking the exit. "Really Elijah?"
"We need to find the witch Niklaus, it has to be our priority," the eldest original's voice was firm but his eyes were less certain, something resembling regret just beneath the surface. "Just as magic made us, it can unmake us," he was deadly serious.
"He won't hurt her," Bonnie interjected, her voice quiet. She didn't have to spell out to whom she was referring.
Words meant to reassure did precisely the opposite. He was aware that of all the beings on the planet Caroline was the one Silas was the least inclined to injure, but how many times had he himself hurt that which he loved? Silas and he were all too similar, the both of them obsessive, the both of them volatile when things did not go to plan.
Klaus had broken his curse, and - due to the little wolf and Tyler Lockwood's interference - moved on from his obsession with Hybrids. He had briefly dallied with the whole King of New Orleans thing before he had determined that there was nothing in the world that could make him happy excepting her. She was his obsession now, his everything, but the same could not be said for Silas. Yes, he cared for her, might even love her, but were she to come between him and that which he desired above all else...
Klaus knew what would have become of her - had he meet her earlier, had she come between him and his goal of breaking the curse he would destroyed her. He would have regretted it for centuries to come, once he had broken his curse of course, but he would have ended her.
Silas and he were all too similar.
"Enough!" he felt the anger burning in his veins. Was there ever to be a time when they did not betray him? He launched Elijah across the room and departed without further comment, disgusted that his brother should be so quick to break his word. They had an agreement, first Rebekah and then Caroline - only once she was retrieved would he entertain other schemes, regardless of the risk.
No matter how illogical it was.
He was only too aware of the dangers of leaving Qetsiyah to do as she wished, but could not find it within himself to turn from Caroline a second time. For Rebekah's safety he had managed it, but not again - provided his family was not affected he would bear the cost happily.
He needed her.
As long as he had her, he could bear many things.
Damon, so used to being at the center of things, had found himself a reluctant observer. The dysfunctional first family appeared to have little use for his services and none appeared overly concerned with how he spent his days. Most of the time they didn't bother to even acknowledge his existence so consumed were they with their thousand year old grievances and petty power plays.
And he thought Stefan and he had issues.
In the few days since his arrival the household had quickly fallen into a routine. The vampire Originals split up and scoured New Orleans for any sign of Qetsiyah. For some reason they seemed to be of the united opinion that two thousand year old crazy witches could be found if you just searched far enough for an extended period. Damon rather thought the psycho would make her appearance when she was good and ready and not one millisecond before that, but what did he know?
Kol and Bonnie spent their time working some voodoo or other unless Bonnie was storming away from Kol bleating expletives as though mortally offended whilst a cackling Kol chased after her. Damon had no idea what it was that the two of them were trying to achieve, but figured they would likely be unsuccessful considering the volatility of their relationship. He not so secretly hoped for Bonnie would fry the annoyance.
Klaus' Hybrids had two duties, guard the mansion and find Blondie - more were assigned to the latter than former.
Damon had spent most of his days either on Blondie patrol with the Hybrids and Stefan, or on crazy witch brigade with Barbie Klaus - both he considered worthless efforts, but there weren't a whole lot of options. Well not attractive ones at any rate. Following the witches arrival he had thought he may as well mix it up and spend the day in voodoo land, but a mere hour in he regretted it. Kol seemed to find it just as amusing to give him aneurysms as rile Bonnie up.
The only other option was staying at the house and amusing himself - seeing as he was banned from torturing Katherine - which ordinarily wouldn't have been a bad way to spend his time prior to doomsday. However, there was the small problem with it being the residence of the Master of Doom himself and as he wasn't permitted in the wing occupied by Mrs Elijah Mikaelson there were less places to hide.
Klaus spent most of his days avoiding everyone else, hold up in his study drinking. But every now and then the man would make an unexpected, and most unwelcome appearance. Damon had only had the misfortune to cross his path once and was firmly of the opinion that the less he saw of Klaus the better. Things didn't turn out well for him if they spent more than a few minutes in a room together, particularly if said room was home to anything remotely pointy.
Sans Blondie Klaus had gone from reprobate bastard to degenerate devil.
Damon really hoped they would find her soon as he was neck high in crazies.
The day prior to Kol and Bonnie's arrival he had an unfortunate encounter with Qetsiyah, or Crazy Bitch as he had taken to calling her. Stefan and he had been on Blondie duty with the Hybrids when they crossed paths - if you considered her stepping out of an alley doing the brain fry witchy thing and then shoving a stake in his stomach crossing paths of course. Whilst he focused on removing the offending stake Crazy Bitch made Moon Eyes at his brother before slicing open his throat. She had then proceeded to stand over Stefan with a look reminiscent of Sire bond consumed Charlotte.
Thankfully loony tune time was brought to an abrupt end by the entrance of Klaus' Hybrid army whose arrival caused her to make a hasty retreat. Damon had been excessively grateful as the woman gave him the hebejebes and the last thing recovering Ripper Stefan required was a psycho witch stalker.
Upon arriving home they were immediately accosted by the suited Original who somehow knew of the encounter and wanted a detailed account. As he'd spend most of the time on the ground in pain he had little to contribute. Stefan couldn't add much himself, being that Ms Stabby hadn't uttered a single word before the Hybrids sent her on her not so merry way.
Despite this, and Damon's firm belief that Klaus' absence from the conversation was a blessing, Elijah was obnoxiously keen on forcing his brother to reenter society and join them.
"Probably not your best idea," Rebekah said with a grimace upon entering the room.
"And why is..." Elijah fell into silence when a loud crash was heard from above.
"What the bloody hell is he up to now?" Kol joined them his eyes focused on the ceiling.
"I believe he is destroying his bedroom," Rebekah advised.
"Well, that's alright then," Kol smirked. "Still, if he's still at it come beauty sleep time one of you less destructible types will have to go have a word."
They all stared at him with blank looks.
"What? I need a good nine hours to look this pretty," Kol stated pointing to his face.
"I thought the bedrooms were spelled," Damon couldn't help but comment.
Elijah gave something of a grimace as another loud bang reverberated throughout the house. "It would appear he's not bothered to close the door."
"Such a shame those daggers don't work on him," Rebekah remarked with a rye smile.
"I suppose we should be grateful he's chosen to restrict his temper tantrum to his room," Elijah mused.
"Give him a chance, he's only just begun," Kol said, grinning maniacally.
"How long will we have to put up with this?" Rebekah asked with sigh.
"The thousand year temper tantrum?" Kol asked with a face bordering on serious. "You're the reason they have blonde jokes you know."
"Oh shut your mouth," she sneered back at him.
"Silence," Elijah's authoritative voice stopped the retort from leaving Kol's lips, his mouth hanging open for a moment before he finally shut it. Damon found the look amusing, and dearly wished Kol wore it more often. "Do you hear that?" Elijah continued.
Damon listened, at first he heard nothing which he initially took to be what Elijah was referring to - the end of the violent outburst. But then he heard something else, something distinctly familiar and...
"You have got to be kidding me," he breathed out.
"Shut the bloody door you colossal pillock!" Rebekah screeched and Damon wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.
"What am I missing?" Kol asked his tone approaching whining.
"I think I'll check on Katherine," Elijah announced before flashing away.
Kol watched him with a puzzled expression, "I miss super vamp hearing."
"You can have mine," Damon uttered feeling decidedly uncomfortable. "Did Klaus drink all the alcohol?"
"I bloody hope not," Rebekah grumbled.
Klaus had effectively destroyed his bedroom and was considering a trip down to the dungeon to work out a little more of his frustrations on Tyler and Hayley when a soft voice interrupted.
"I love what you've done with the place, it's very junkyard chic."
At first he thought he'd finally found his alcohol limit, he was imagining things. He turned towards the voice and found her perched at the threshold, still he was uncertain if she real or a figment of his imagination or possible alcohol poisoning. Without conscious thought he found himself breathing the same air, so close that he expected if she was real she would push him back. He wanted her to push him back.
Her hand rose, but instead of pushing him away it came to rest upon his cheek, he could not stop himself from leaning into it. Having her in such close proximity was intoxicating, her sweet scent accosted him and he closed his eyes breathing it in.
"Caroline," he didn't think he had ever sounded quite so weak. He hoped it was the alcohol, even though he felt suddenly sober and she was suddenly very real.
"Niklaus, I..." she began.
At the sound of her voice Klaus' eyes snapped open, everything suddenly so clear. He closed the little distance between them and covered her mouth with his. He kissed her gently, barely caressing her lips - fear that she would push him away, reject him, made him hesitant.
Caroline was frozen against him, her entire body tensed as tightly as a spring. As delightful as the taste of her lips against his were he could not continue, he didn't want her passive allowance - he wanted her to burn for him, with him. He moved back far enough to meet her widened gaze, her deep blue eyes were fixed upon his, her eyebrows approaching her hairline. He wondered how long it would take for shock to turn to anger, how long before she lashed out at him with that stinging tongue which could injure him like nothing else. Despair was building in his chest snaking around his heart, constricting painfully.
"Forgive me," he asked, twisting his features into an unreadable mask as he awaited her latest blow.
She was silent at first, still as a statue, just looking at him with those wide eyes. A minute passed, then another and yet another. He had an urge to flee, to depart before the killing blow was dealt, but he could not move his feet.
"No," she said softly, and he felt as though she had run him through with a white oak stake.
Caroline's eyes narrowed, her gaze leaving his to travel his form. He knew that measured gaze, she was sizing him up, cataloging the devastation she had wrought. Klaus waited for her eyes to return to his, waited for the gleam of triumph to appear in their depths as desolation shined in his. He waited for her to tear his heart out.
He did not have to wait for long,yet it felt like an eternity had past. Her shoulders straighten and she gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head before her fingers threaded through the hair at the back of his head and yanked him towards her. When their lips meet again it was not gentle, they crashed together violently, devouring. The moment her lips meet his Klaus felt an energizing warmth as though he was enveloped in her light.
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Klaus tangled a hand into her golden locks pulling her head back to allow him a better angle, her lips parted in a gasp and taking advantage he thrust his tongue into her mouth. He felt her hands move to his shoulders and tug the material of his jacket down, he released her head only long enough to shed it and her own. Throughout he continued to kiss her, savoring the warmth of her wet mouth.
Her hands pushed against his chest and a cold shiver traveled up his spine at the thought that she had finally come to her senses and wanted him to stop. Then he felt her small hands at his hips gliding up under his Henley gripping the hem and pulling it upwards. He allowed her to pull it over his head and turned his attention to her top - he quickly determined that there were entirely too many buttons and tore it until it fell from her creamy skin in tatters, if she were fond of it he'd buy her a dozen. He was impatient, desperate even - her bra met the same fate as her top.
She smiled at him then, a joyous thing that set him alight, made his skin tingle. He watched mesmerized as she unbuckled his belt and tossed it aside before unzipping his jeans and releasing his straining cock. Her small hand wrapped itself around him and stole the breath from his lungs.
Without quite knowing how he managed it he shed the last of his clothing and tore the rest of hers from her body. One hand threaded back into her locks as he pulled her mouth back on his, his tongue forcefully taking possession. His other hand glided down the side of her body before gripping her leg and lifting it to his hip.
Her hand continued to slide up and down his painfully hard length cruelly testing his control until he was reduced to a single thought, he had to be inside her.
Klaus flashed them further into the room, finding a spot relatively clear of debris he pushed her against the wall and moved the hand from her hair to the apex of her legs. What his heightened sense of smell had told him his delving fingers confirmed, Caroline was wet, dripping.
While she continued to torture him Klaus slid his fingers over her slick folds worshiping her with his dexterous fingers until she gasped against his mouth. He slipped a finger inside her working it in and out a few times before adding a second and eventually a third.
When she moaned wantonly in his ear he could wait no longer, removing her hand he replaced it with his own and guided it between her folds fixing his gaze on her face so he could commit it to memory. With a gentleness he would have thought beyond him he slowly pushed himself inside her. Once he was buried to the hilt he paused, holding himself still within her quivering walls that fit him like a glove.
"Perfect," he breathed the word upon her lips, their eyes locked. A small smile played on her pouting lips, he leaned forward and claimed them yet again as he began to thrust slowly within her. He released her lips, as she lifted her remaining leg and wrapped it around his waist. Her ankles locked together forcing him deeper within her - her velvety walls gripped him like a vice.
His pace increased, he thrust hard within her drawing muffled gasps from her parted lips as his balls slammed against her ass. Caroline's hips met his each and every time, both her hands found purchase on his shoulders. He trailed one hand up her side to her breast then spiraled his fingers slowly inward until he reached her hard little bud, he pinched it lightly eliciting a delighted moan. Without breaking his punishing rhythm he leaned his head down to her other breast laving every inch of it before sucking the nipple into his mouth. One set of nails dug into the base of his skull whilst the others cut into his shoulder.
It wasn't how he imagined, he had always thought he would take her slowly, worship his way up her body inch by inch. Klaus had intended to make her beg, to make her whither beneath me in need, to pay her in kind for all the times she had left him wanting and then ruin her for all other men.
As he continued to rutting her his mouth moved from breast to breast while his fingers sought out the hard nub of sensitive nerves. The heel of his hand pushed into Caroline's stomach as he expertly manipulated her clit and almost immediately he felt her tighten even more - her walls were quivering. Suddenly she jerked upwards and then her entire body stiffened as she came sighing his name.
Her walls griped him almost painfully tight while he pumped slowly within her as she rode out her orgasm. She continued to breathe out his name like a benediction. He didn't think there was anything more beautiful than Caroline in that moment until her eyes darkened further and her fangs extended in her open mouth. He stared at her mesmerized for a few moments before he turned and bared his neck for her. "
"Have at it love," he whispered.
Caroline blinked and then she buried her fangs in his welcoming neck sucking his willing blood into her mouth. He had never felt anything so euphoric as her drinking in his essence whilst he pumped within her. It was overwhelming, his balls contracted and he shot his seed deep inside her releasing a primal roar. His fangs elongated, he was overcome with the desire to taste her - take her into his veins. Klaus pierced the skin of her neck just as she had his and drank just as greedily.
He had tasted her before, but not like this. Drinking the sweet Ambrosia of her blood was as rapturous as the knowledge that she was now his.
Forever.