Caroline would be the first to admit she had a type A personality. She knew she could be controlling and borderline tyrannical if the moment took her. Cheerleaders at Mystic Falls High quaked in their boots when the National Championship rounds started. A control freak on crack, as Stefan had put it.
Rebekah Mikaelson left her in the dust.
"Where did all this champagne come from," Caroline hissed out of the corner of her mouth as they entered the house. "And is that Beluga Caviar?" She walked over to the Ballroom doors and gaped. Men in black waistcoats milled about, arranging a seemingly never ending array of silver plattered appetisers on pristine linen covered tables. Fresh cut flowers were arranged in cut crystal vases and carefully placed around the room. Caroline scowled as she spotted the eighteen piece orchestra setting up on a small raised dais on the other side of the room. How was this possible?
"Were the bloody hell were you two," Rebekah demanded as she swept down the staircase. Her hair was gleaming and caught up in a complicated side do, and her make up was perfectly applied. A glimmer of green silk peeked from beneath the dressing gown she had pulled over it. Delicate silver heels adorned her feet and her french manicure was impeccable. Wasn't this woman asleep in a box for the last century? Had she been mainlining Vogue issues since she'd awoken?
She pointed an accusing finger at Caroline. "Good grief, have you been hiking in the woods? You look a mess. I do hope you have something acceptable to wear in that box. Fittings, and hair and makeup, are the first on the left upstairs. Hopefully they can make you presentable by the time the Ball begins - as for you, Brother, the tailor is in the drawing room. I don't want to see you again until you're properly attired.
Klaus squeezed her elbow, part reassurance and part warning, before letting her go. "I'll see you in a while, Sweetheart," he said, before slipping away.
"Well?" Rebekah asked as she stepped onto the marble flooring. "Hurry it along. Don't you think I have enough to do without chaperoning you as well? Why Klaus has decided to take up with a child is beyond my understanding." She swept away and Caroline rolled her eyes. This ball was going to be magical, she just knew it.
She sped up the stairs and flung open the door, faltering in her footsteps as she realised she wasn't alone. "Bonnie, Elena!" She said, a smile coming to her lips despite herself. "They let you go."
Bonnie scoffed. "They let us out of the basement," she said. "Not the same thing - ouch, will you stop poking me with that needle!"
"Still, it's a start," Caroline said brightly. "Maybe if tonight goes well, they might trust you enough to let you go."
They might let Bonnie go but not me," Elena said quietly.
Caroline's smile faltered. She wasn't lying. Elena's blood was Klaus's passport to a Hybrid army. "Maybe you can reach a compromise," she mused aloud.
"They're monsters, Caroline," Bonnie said. "They're not going to bother with compromise, they're going to just take and take."
"If that's true, then why are you getting ready for the ball?" Caroline demanded, gesturing at their dresses. Bonnie was being sewn into a black lace dress that looked suspiciously like an Elie Saab creation. While not flashy, it was flattering and figure hugging and had the advantage of a skirt that skirted her ankles rather than the floor. A dress she could run in, Caroline thought ruefully. Elena's dress, however, was very different. It was definitely a Muhair Zurad number; it was a long sweeping deep red dress, with delicate beading and a plunging neckline that almost reached her navel. She looked spectacular, and also looked like she was being served up for dinner, Caroline thought, with a sliver of foreboding. The choice had Rebekah's sticky finger all over it
Bonnie must have caught the expression on her face. "They needed a Bennett witch to counteract Lucy's moves and Elena is their collateral," she said.
"I've been compelled to kill myself if Bonnie betrays them," Elena said ruefully.
Caroline blinked, Klaus wasn't going to like that at all. "Be careful around Rebekah," she said aloud. "Apparently she and Stefan had a thing back in the 1920s and she's looking to pick up where she left off."
Elena's face turned hard. "Just because you were stupid enough to dump your boyfriend and fall into bed with a Mikaelson, doesn't mean others are just as shallow. Stefan loves me, and I love him".
Oh great, now she was being slutshamed. "Stefan is a vampire, Elena," she reminded her. "Better take him off that pedestal before he's knocked off."
"God, Caroline, why can't you understand that Stefan isn't like you. He tries to be better than that."
Caroline turned to Bonnie. She was being uncharacteristically quiet until now, usually she would have leapt in by now, usually to back up Elena. "What about you, Bonnie, waiting for Saint Stefan to save you?"
"I'm just hoping to survive the night, Care," Bonnie said wearily, and Caroline felt a pang of guilt as she noticed Bonnie rubbing at the red marks on her wrist, where her manacles had chafed.
"Ma'am," a voice said discreetly at her shoulder. "If you could just sit over here, i can dress your hair."
An hour later, Caroline fled from the room. Being primped and prodded while also fielding Elena's passive aggressive comments and Bonnie's cold shoulder was exhausting. Guests were beginning to arrive downstairs but Caroline didn't feel up to facing them yet. She darted along the landing and made her way to the room she shared with Klaus.
To her relief, someone had cleared up since she'd last been in it. She sat on the edge of the bed, her mind reeling. There were so many variables to consider. Could she trust Bonnie not to betray her when the moment came. Could she avoid being killed by Klaus's family before she got out from under their thumb? She caught her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was pulled into a messy french twist and her eye make up reflected the golden tones of dress. Her lashes were dark and lips were pale and glossy. Pale, painted toes peeked through the filigree of her delicate heels. Silk hose, silk underwear, the antique gold pins in her hair...Klaus had really gone all out.
A flash of blue caught her attention in the mirror and Caroline turned to see a blue velvet box on one of the pillows. Curious, she rounded the bed and picked it up, pulling the ribbon until it fell away. .
"Okay, not what I was expecting"she muttered, as she flipped open the lid. Nestled inside was the Wickery Bridge stake that Elijah had taken from her. Was it some sort of test? Prove her loyalty by killing their father? She took it in her hand and twirled it. She had to admit, they wouldn't expect it. Klaus or Elijah would be the more obvious choice.
"And what is it you have there, love."
Caroline turned to see Klaus leaning against the doorjamb, looking ridiculously hot in formal tails. She raised the stake in salute. "You shouldn't have," she drawled.
" I didn't," he returned, crossing the room. "Give it to me." He put his hand out. She drew back.
I could do it,"she protested. "I'll have the element of surprise. Mikael will expect the danger to come from one of you."
Unfortunately, that is not an option for any of us, Caroline. You see a white oak stake will kill a vampire if they use it, even an Original. Only a mortal can wield it safely
Caroline stiffened. So not a loyalty test but a murder attempt wrapped in a pretty bow. Reluctantly, she placed it in Klaus's hand and he tucked it into his jacket before producing another box, this time of simple black velvet. "Turn around sweetheart."
Caroline silently showed her back to him as her mind reeled. Which one was it? It was Elijah who had the stake last time she checked, but maybe one of the other siblings had got their hands on it. Rebekah was a possibility, but Kol might have just done it on whim. She couldn't imagine Finn doing it but it was always the quiet ones….
"I can hear you thinking, Caroline," Klaus murmured softly as he draped a chain over her collarbone and closed the clasp. She felt a weight rest against her throat and turned to see. It looked like a large yellow diamond set in gold. "This isn't real," she said softly.
"Tiffanys,"Klaus murmured. "I always like the cushion cut for a yellow diamond."
It must have cost a fortune. She opened her mouth to ask the question but closed it again as she realsed she couldn't find a way of asking without sounding mercenary or ungrateful Instead she said, "It's too much."
"I disagree," he said smoothly. "It's perfect." He offered his elbow and Caroline slipped a hand through it.
"Have they arrived yet?" she asked.
"Not officially," he said amiably. "But I'm sure Mikael and his minions are lurking somewhere close by." They strolled down the hallway and Caroline became puzzled as they passed the staircase and headed towards the room she'd fled only a few minutes before.
"A thought has occurred to me," he explained. "Perhaps our Doppelganger can play a part other than bait."
"I'm not their favourite person at the moment," she said stiffly.
"You can stay out here if you want."
Oh hell no. She was annoyed with them at the moment, but not enough to leave them alone with Klaus's machinations - especially if he was so eager to speak with them alone. She reached for the door handle and gave him an arch look as she pushed it open. He only grinned as they walked into the room as one.
"I'm not ready," Bonnie said bluntly, looking up from a dusty tome that had been placed upon one of the occasional tables. Maddox stood at her shoulder, frowning down at her in disapproval.
"As charming as you are, it's Elena we're here for," Klaus said, his voice oozing false sincerity.
Elena crossed her arms angrily. "Thought you'd pop by for a pint of blood before you headed downstairs?" she asked sarcastically.
"As intriguing as that offer might be...no." He produced the stake and held it out to her. Mikael wants you dead and Stefan wants you alive," he said. "That makes you the perfect vessel for this task. You're the one person Stefan won't kill tonight, even if you mess up his plans."
Elena laughed. "Why should I help you?" she asked.
"Perhaps you missed the part about MIkael wanting you dead," Klaus said. "You're the magic ingredient to me getting all that my heart desires. He wants to wipe you out of existence."
Bonnie sighed. "He might be right. I've been reading up on him. He's a real piece of work.
"Stefan would never let that happen."
"Stefan is barely a century and a half," Klaus said smoothly. "He's not calling the shots.
"I won't do it," she said hotly. Klaus's expression shifted imperceptibly and that was when she knew she wasn't going to like what happened next.
"Klaus, no- "
But it was too late, Klaus already had Elena in his grasp, her eyes mesmerised as she stared up at him.
" You are going to do everything in your power to kill Mikael Mickaelson with this stake tonight, " he said, pressing the stake into her palm. " You will kill anyone who gets in your way, even Stefan ." He pushed her from him, watching coldly as she struggled to stay on her feet.
"I'll fight it," she said grimly. "I hate you. You think you know me and Stefan but you don't really understand. "
Oh, I understand perfectly, Elena," Klaus, his voice taking on a mocking edge. "You think Stefan Salvatore is going to save you; that you have an epic love and he's going to ride in here on his white horse and rescue you. My dear, there is a thin line between hope and delusion and you seemed to have leapt over it. Stefan Salvatore is coming here for only one thing - revenge."
Elena's eyes filled up with frustrated tears but Klaus grasped Caroline's hand and pulled her out of the room before she could protest.
"That was cold," she said.
"Not going soft on me, love?" he asked. "Whatever happened to whatever it takes."
Caroline struggled to reign in her temper as she realised he was right. After all, she was planning to betray her tonight as well. "Better betrayed than dead, I suppose," she said softly to herself.
"It's an imperfect plan," Klaus said. "Compulsion is a blunt tool. Especially if she feels a need to resist it. You yourself know from experience that loopholes can be exploited."
Caroline glared up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that compulsion never works as well as motivation," he hedged. "Shall we?"
Taking a deep breath, Caroline nodded as she took his arm again. The room was already filling up with the movers and shakers of the town as they descended the stairs. A figure caught the corner of her eye. It was Stefan, standing by a pair of french windows. She dug her nails into Klaus's arm.
"Yes, my dear, I've seen him, no need to claw my arm off." His eyes scanned the rest of the room as they joined the revellers, and he steered her to the far end of the room, away from Stefan and near the double doors that led past the drawing room and onto the study. Klaus picked up a flute of champagne from a passing tray and handed it to her as they reached their destination.
"Now," he said. "You stay here like the pretty little wallflower you are while I find my father."
Caroline resolved to make him pay for that comment later. While they'd agreed on this course of action earlier, he didn't have to play the part of the condescending asshole quite so well. She stood awkwardly against the wall, taking the occasional sip from her glass as she tried to keep tabs on Stefan's movements. He was being circumspect, but he was definitely heading in her direction.
Once she was certain he was hooked, she slipped through the door and down the hallway, stepping into the study just as Stefan caught up to her.
"We have to talk," he said, as he closed the door behind them.
"We have nothing to talk about," Caroline said flatly. "You killed my mother."
"I didn't have a choice, anymore than you did when you killed Damon," he said, and Caroline stilled, for a moment entertaining the idea that he was telling the truth, that he'd been compelled to end her mother's life, but then she remembered the smirk on his face as he held her heart in his hands and her own heart hardened.
"It's still too late for talking," she said. "The Originals are running the show. We're just their lackeys. A muscle twitched in Stefan's jaw. So he didn't like being called a lackey, interesting. There was a blaze in the fireplace and Caroline stepped over to it, looking down into the flickering flames as her mind reached for her next step.
Stefan made it for her. He sped across the room and took her hands in his. "We can run, we can get Elena and Bonnie and get the hell away from here."
"And go where, Stefan?" she asked. "This is my home. What would I do if I ran? Bonnie might be okay, a coven would take her in, but me?" She shook her head, summoning up a wry smile. "I won't spend my life playing third fiddle, trailing behind you and Elena."
"But it wouldn't be like that," Stefan pushed. "Remember how good things were before Klaus came to town? We could have that again, but better. Matt could never understand what it's like to be one of us, neither could Elena, but we do, don't we Carebear, we always liked each other." A thumb stroked the pulse point of her wrist, an opening salvo in his seduction. She let her eyes fall to his lips, and a hot eagerness lit up his eyes. He thought he had her hooked.
"We could be what we truly are and soon Elena will join us," he murmured, stepping into her until she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips. " Klaus will hunt her to the ends of the earth while she is still human. We could be together, the three of could show her how good it could be...and it would be very good."
Caroline could almost admire it, it was a performance worthy of Masterpiece theatre. He painted a pretty picture of their future together, the perfect Vampire thruple. She wryly wondered what Elena would think of that. Not exactly the fairytale imaginings of her childhood.
She thought she'd hated Klaus, but that paled in comparison to the burning rage that sparked inside her as Stefan leaned in and ran his tongue over her lower lip, his hand tracing down her spine. Klaus had been right, underneath the good brother facade, he was still a Salvatore. Manipulative and willing to do anything to get what he wants. His head bent to her neck and Caroline's mind reeled as he began to kiss the line of her throat.
She leaned into him. Stefan was a vampire and she needed to make more than the right noises to fool him. She imagined him dead, imagined her ramming her hand into his chest and ripping his heart out. Blood lust sparked inside her, the twin to true arousal, and she reached for his trousers as his grip tightened.
He was already at half mast when she freed his cock. On some level he was really getting off on this. She took his weight in her hand and traced a thumb along the vein on the underside of his shaft. He hardened beautifully in her grip. Rebekah apparently had been very taken with fondling him this way. He had usually been as hard as a rock by the time Klaus tied him down - and where the hell was Klaus?
Reaching a decision, she fell to her knees, cupping his balls as she ran her tongue along the slit of his cock. If Klaus couldn't make it here before she took him in her mouth, then she'd just have to kill him while he was in a post coital haze. She looked up and caught his gaze, and his eyes burned into her as she took him in her mouth. She was pretty sure he was trying to rein back some control but Caroline wrapped her other hand around the base of his cock pumping him firmly as her mouth and tongue brought him closer to the edge. A hint of teeth had him attempting to thrust into her mouth and she knew she had him when he slipped his hand into her hair to keep her in place.
" Caroline, " he said hoarsely. "Christ, yes, just like that." His balls began to tighten and Caroline tasted precum on her tongue. He was within moments of coming down her throat.
" Stefan ," the sound of shock and broken betrayal in Elena's voice was palpable, and Stefan pulled away from her in a flash. The damage was already done though. There was no disguising the slick stiffness of his cock.
"Elena," he said flatly as he zipped himself up . "I wasn't expecting you to be about."
"Yes, that much was clear." Her eyes darted to Caroline. "How could you?"
Caroline stuck a chin out. "Relax, Elena, it's only sex. The Vampire appetite really isn't built for monogamy. " Okay, that was a low blow, but if she wanted Stefan to believe she'd fallen for any of his guff, she had to play the part. She watched as Elena picked up her skirts and fled the room and eyed Stefan as he very clearly struggled between chasing after Elena or getting her further under his thumb. She was almost disillusioned by how transparent his motives were. She couldn't believe she'd once thought Stefan was smart.
"Go after her," she eventually said. The moment had passed anyway. She'd have to kill him another time.
He eyed her speculatively, no doubt thinking the same thing, before flashing out of the room. A moment later, Klaus stepped into the doorway and Caroline's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Poor Elena," he drawled mockingly, "I think her dreams of a one true love have been a teeny bit shattered.
"You took your time," Caroline said flatly.
"Well, I had to get the timing right," he said, confirming her suspicions.
"You little bastard-"
He dove for her lips, plundering her mouth as he pulled her against him. This game had gotten him hard. Caroline wrenched away from him and he smirked down at her, a pleased look in his eyes.
"Nice," he murmured. "It's been a while since I've tasted Stefan's cum."
"Ooooh," was all Caroline could say, incandescent with rage. "I want to kill you."
"Now love, let's not make a scene," he drawled, and Caroline's hands curled into fists as she drew a shuddering breath.
"If you weren't going to help me kill him then what was the point of this fiasco?" she asked. "Was this just another game?"
"Nothing of the sort, love," he said coolly. "Merely a diversion in your plan." He ran a hand down her arm , trying to soothe her, but it only served to rile her up more. She resisted the urge to shrug him off as she struggled to get keep her voice under control.
"And what diversion was that?" she asked. "I didn't get on my knees for Stefan Salvatore just for fun. He wasn't supposed to survive it." He cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheekbones. Her veins were visible, she realised, as were her fangs. That wouldn't do, she needed to keep a clear head if she was going to get what she wanted.
"As I said," Klaus murmured. "Compulsion is an imperfect tool. I needed to knock him off that white horse Elena had him on. Now she questions everything, even whether he's been warming your bed all this time." He shrugged."She now knows the only definite path to survival is the one we put her on."
"Not if Stefan catches up with her," she said flatly. " He can be very convincing when he wants to be...and she doesn't have her vervain necklace anymore.
"Is that so?" He eyed her speculatively, as if wondering what Stefan had convinced her of. "Well then, luckily Elijah has picked her up in his web. He has always had a way with Doppelgangers."
Of course he had planned for that eventuality, of course. For a few hours, she'd allowed herself to imagine he was truly going to help her, but now that illusion was shattered. She was still his pawn, no matter what she did.
As if sensing her change in mood, he pulled her closer. "Don't worry love, he's still going to die. It will all work out for the best, that's a promise."
As if his promises meant anything. "Lets go," she said dully. "We wouldn't want to miss the main event.
A frown appeared on Klaus's face but he offered her arm all the same. "Let's freshen up your champagne."
"His plan had worked perfectly, so why wasn't he pleased with the results? He risked a glance at Caroline's downcast face as he led her back to the dance floor and felt a tingle of remorse. Perhaps he should have told her beforehand, after all? The alteration to their plan had been a last minute one that had formed as soon as he had seen the White Oak stake in her hand. He needed Mikael dead at his feet tonight, and then he would sweep Caroline from the immediate influence of his siblings as soon as possible
His conversation with the Doppelganger had convinced him that she needed to be cured of her delusions of rescue and what better way to do it than have her see him moan another woman's name.
Yes, it had worked perfectly, but what he hadn't expected was his own towering rage at seeing Caroline on his knees before him, pleasuring him with her mouth. There was only one cock Caroline Forbes should worship in that way and that was his. The need to stake his claim on her had drowned almost all rational thought as he'd ravaged Caroline's mouth. It must be the wolf in him, Klaus thought. Ever since it had awakened, he'd been suffering from a whole range of new instincts and emotions. This must be a new facet of it.
Yes, that must be it.
He glanced again at her face as they began to waltz. It had been a long time since he'd felt so attached to a lover, but it didn't feel like the tender imaginings he had felt for Tatia when he'd been mortal or the cool fondness he had felt for some of his various bedfellows over the last few centuries. It was new and it burned, making him question himself. He was beginning to suspect that, in his efforts to seduce her, he had allowed her to seduce him instead. Maybe he should kill her and be done with it.
No, even the thought of it made him flinch. The idea of not being able to have her, to taste her on his tongue, sent a chill down his spine. His step faltered for a moment as he realised what that might mean; all the sex, all the blood sharing...they were forming a blood bond.
It was a vulnerability he couldn't afford, love was a weakness, but if they were truly forming a blood bond, then that would mean she had genuine affection for him. He held her close. Nobody could ever find out about this, not until he'd found a way of protecting her.
The music changed from a Viennese Waltz to a Cotillion melody, and Klaus spotted Stefan join the dance, Rebekah on his arm. Caroline was silent in his arms, but she still moved impeccably through the steps and the moment came when they stepped onto the next partner, and then the next, and then he found himself taking Rebekah's hand.
"Enjoying yourself?" she asked archly.
"Watch yourself, sister," he warned. "He is not the man you remember."
"That is because he doesn't remember us at all," she scoffed. "Did you have to erase his memories? There is no way he would have taken up with that tedious Doppelganger otherwise - and do you see that?." He pointed with a glance across the room. Elijah stood by Elena's side, his expression seemingly enamoured as she spoke.
"Our brother is nothing if not predictable," Klaus drawled. "As are you." His eyes strayed to Stefan, who now had Caroline in his arms and seemed to be whispering something into her ear. A pity he couldn't hear his low mutterings over the din of the orchestra.
"You seemed to have picked up a new bad habit, dear brother," Rebekah said sharply, as her gaze followed his.
"She's hardly a threat, sister," Klaus returned.
"But she is a distraction," she flung back as she stepped away, leaving Klaus with his own thoughts until Caroline was back in his arms.
He bent his head and whispered into her ear. "And what sweet nothings did Stefan impart?"
"What do you think?" she muttered back. "Apparently he is so taken with my vampire wiles, he wishes to continue our new relationship. Do all the men in my life think I'm an idiot?" Well that stung, he must admit.
A dancer nudged his shoulder and he snarled at him. "Watch where you're going, mate."
The human gaped at him blankly and a glimmer of paranoia raised its head. The dance had begun to fracture as the cream of Mystic Falls society seemed to stumble in their steps. Another dancer crashed into Caroline and Klaus's eyes widened as he noticed the stake in her hand. Without thought, he reached out and snapped her neck.
"Hey," Caroline hissed. "That was the town librarian!"
"Sweetheart, look around you, they've been compelled," he said, as he dragged her to the edge of the dance floor. The room began to throb with screams as the dancers turned into a heaving mob in front of their eyes. They all seemed armed with stakes but that didn't seem to stop them from turning on each other given the chance. It was a situation designed to cause as much chaos as possible and had all the hallmarks of Mikael's tactics. Blood and death muddied the waters, making it difficult to discern whether Mikael had entered the fray.
He needn't be concerned, however. The patio doors blew inward in a gale of expelled magic, and there he was, a rabid expression in his face.
"Let the games begin!" he crowed, as Abby and Lucy stepped in behind him. His eyes scanned the room until they fell on Klaus. "Bring me the bastard!" The mob moved as one, their eyes turning to Klaus, and he felt Caroline clutch to his side.
"We should run,"she murmured but Klaus just bared his teeth at her in a rictus grin.
"On the contrary, my dear, it's time to fight."
The lights above them shattered into electric sparks, and Klaus glanced up at the Bennett witch on the stairway. She was earning her keep, then. Compulsion could force a person to kill against their will, but it didn't grant them better eyes. The human cannon fodder milled furiously in the darkness as Klaus dragged Caroline along the wall.
"Are you armed?" he asked. Caroline pulled a Glock from her skirt pocket.
"Vervain soaked bullets," she explained. He didn't need to ask her who they were for. Stefan was going to die a slow and painful death if Caroline had anything to do with it. Luckily, they'd work just as well on a human. He nudged her into a corner and pushed her chin up with a finger.
"Don't let any of them get within an arm's length of you. Aim for the head or heart, love. If you do it quick enough, they won't even feel a thing." He left before she could protest. If she thought he was going to let her within a mile of Mikael, then she really didn't understand anything at all.
He ripped through the crowd, leaving bodies in his wake. Mikael had descended the steps onto the dance floor and was now wading his way towards Elijah and the Doppelganger. His father was pathetically predictable
He looked up and noticed Maddox had joined Bennett on the stairs, their eyes fixed on Lucy. There was a struggle going on there that he wasn't a party to. He had to trust that Maddox would keep Caroline's friend in line.
His eyes snapped down again. Mikael and Elijah were struggling in each other's arms. And he noticed Kol and Finn shouldering their way across the floor, harvesting bodies as they went. The marble floors were now slick with blood. He scanned the rest of the room and noticed Stefan and Rebekah were no longer in the room. Hopefully, his sister hadn't bitten off more than she could chew.
He reached Elena's side, noting the White Oak stake in her hands. Her eyes were glossed over, but she seemed to waiver even in her compelled state.
"If you still think Stefan is coming to rescue you, think again," he murmured into her ear. "The boy has wandered off with my sister somewhere. Back in the day, that meant they'd found a corner to fuck in."
Her grip around the stake tightened, and he nudged her forward. "Go on, love, I'll protect you. I want you to live a long and healthy life and pop out many babies. We must keep the Doppelganger line going after all."
She took a reluctant step forwards, and then another and, as Mikael pinned Elijah to the wall with a chair, she stabbed him in the back and punctured his heart. Like a puppet with his strings cut, Mikael slid to the floor, his skin turning ash grey as the stake burned in his flesh.
A gleeful joy swept through him and he laughed out loud, At long last, Mikael was dead. He wrenched Elijah free from the wall before grabbing Elena's wrist.
" You are not to leave this house until I allow it, " he said, spiking the threat with a thread of compulsion." Her lips twisted but she nodded and Klaus let go. "Good girl, he said, as his eyes roamed the room again. Several people were missing. His sister and Stefan,, as well as Abby and Lucy Bennett. They must have slipped away once they knew they were losing the battle.
Elijah opened his eyes and let out a grunt as he got to his feet. "It seems we have been successful, " he said, as he nudged Mikael's body with his shoe.
"It seems so," he muttered, as his eyes wandered to the spot he had left Caroline . Where had she gone?
"Brothers!" Kol declared joyously, joining them. "We have succeeded in throwing away the shackles of our father. He eyed the dregs of Mystic Falls society, still struggling with Mikael's compulsion. "Shall we feast?" He snagged a middle aged woman in a royal blue gown, twisting her neck so that he could drink deep and Klaus felt an answering need to revel in the slaughter.
"Don't you think they've suffered enough," Finn asked, unsure as to the path the evening was taking.
"Mikael isn't alive to free them from their compulsion, Brother," Elijah said, coolly. "Either way, they'll die tonight." Klaus smirked as Elijah stepped into the path of a young man in his twenties and bit into his throat. Elijah rarely indulged in feedings such as this. He watched Finn follow suit before he headed for the stairway.
"Where are you going?" Kol called after him. "You've always loved a good massacre."
"I have a promise to keep," he said. "And a dance partner to find."
Caroline dragged herself to Klaus's room, almost stumbling in exhaustion, and threw the emptied gun onto an easy chair. She had lost count of the people she had killed tonight. When she had run out of bullets, she used her bare hands. Glancing at the mirror angled towards the bed, she noticed the blood and gore on her dress,and the flecks of arterial spray that marred her hair and face. She looked like she'd survived a massacre. Which is exactly what had happened. Even her sandals were stained with blood.
The door clicked behind her and Caroline swerved on her feet, ready to attack.
"Oh, it's you," she said, her shoulders drooping as her eyes took in Klaus's ruined tuxedo and gleeful smile.
"I thought we should celebrate, sweetheart." he said, as he pulled a hand from his jacket pocket, revealing a pair of silken ropes entwined around it.
It took a moment to realise what they were. "Are you serious?" she asked slowly, the rage she's been holding in for what seemed forever bubbling to the surface. "Do I look like I want to celebrate right now," She gestured at her blood soaked clothing. "You may have gotten all you wanted, Klaus, but I was left with nothing - as usual."
The smile on Klaus's face faltered. "Are you saying no?"
It took her a moment to realise he was still asking her if she wanted to to have sex with him. She let out a snort of laughter, he kills without remorse, compels her on a whim but he draws the line at consent in the bed?
"What do you find so amusing, love?"
"I don't know why you bother to ask," she said glaring at him. "Why don't you just compel me. It wouldn't be the first time.
His face went still. "I thought we were past this. We're on the same side, remember?" he asked softly. The tension in the room shifted and Caroline felt a thrill of fear run up her back.
She was tired of feeling afraid all the time, dammit.
"Past what, Klaus? Past you moving me around like one of your pawns?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You could have told me what you were up to, you could have told me that I needed to wait before I killed Stefan but no. Instead you played me like one of your other puppets. I said you have my loyalty, I didn't say you have my trust."
"Trust goes both ways, Caroline," he drawled. "Or do you not remember how only a few hours ago, you were planning to kill Stefan without my knowledge."
Caroline's rage faltered, he had a point. "I knew you wouldn't go for it," she admitted,dropping her gaze. "What I want doesn't really figure into anything around here."
"I see." He crossed the distance between them and Caroline shivered as he stroked a silk wrapped knuckle across her cheek. "Look at me love."
She raised her eyes reluctantly, only to be caught under the full force of his compulsion. "I release you from all compulsions I've placed upon you ."
Caroline jerked her back before she realised what he'd done. "I don't understand," she eventually said.
He shrugged a shoulder. "As I said, trust goes both ways." He raised an eyebrow and lifted the silk ropes. .
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Like a dog with a bone."
"Mhmmm," he said, walking her back to the bed, before lifting her onto the fresh, deep red covers. "Hands above your head," he said.
Frowning, she did what she was told. "Shouldn't I undress first?" .
He smirked. "It's not that kind of celebration, love"
Puzzled, her eyes drifting to the mirror above them. It was then that she realised the silk ropes matched the brocade of her dress. He'd been planning this for a while. "I better not find you've been painting this scene," she muttered.
His face lit up with a wicked grin. "Just a few sketches, he said. He crawled between her legs as he lifted the gown's skirt, revealing the gossamer stockings underneath. . She dug the heels of her sandals into the bed as his hands slid up her thighs, his eyes dipping into yellow as his monster darkened the veins around his eyes.. She could already feel her core clenching at the thought on him inside her, his fangs lapping at her throat.
The silk of her panties were already soaked through by the time he hooked them onto his fingers, but there was no underwear ripping this time, Slowly, he peeled them downward, the scent of her arousal became heavy in the air as he slowly slid them over her heels.
He spread her legs for his gaze and looked upward into the mirror. his eyes categorising her reflection as if she were a work of art. Caroline's gaze followed and she found herself wondering who the hell was looking back at her.
She looked undone; her eyes dark with blood, her fangs on full display. The blood on her dress and face had dried and darkened, and the yellow diamond nestled in the hollow of her throat glinted as she strained against her silk bindings. The dress;s skirts pooled round her waist, framing her spread thighs and arousal
"Yes, that will do. I think we'll leave on your stockings and heels," he murmured as he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and crawled between her legs. She watched his head dip in the mirror, and the broad swipe of his tongue against her core had her jerking involuntary into his touch. His hands curved under her ass, and held her to his mouth, tonguing her like he was' ravenous for her taste, but she needed more, needed him to wrap his mouth around her clit and make her scream
"Please, Klaus, please," she begged, briefly wondering if she would get away with breaking her ropes….but she didn't really want that, not truly, She looked upward, watching the dark blonde curls of his hair glinting as he ate her out, his shoulders preventing her from holding him in the vice of her thighs. This is it, she realised suddenly, this is what she wanted, Klaus worshipping her with his mouth and body, not fearing her monster but embracing it,
"Yes, she thought,"Yes, I want him." She wanted a future with this monster by her side. Nobody would underestimate her again, nobody would try to take what she wasn't willing to give. For the first time in what seemed like forever she had a goal that wasn't just about survival. She wasn't going to be like the other lackeys, like Greta and his hybrids, she wasn't going to beg for scraps. He would worship her, she would make sure he did.
She felt the graze of his teeth against her clit, a sharp pleasure with an edge of pain, as his nails dug into the cheeks of her ass, drawing blood, and Caroline tumbled over the edge, crying out her pleasure as he teased it out, fingers and thumb replacing his mouth as he sank his teeth into her thigh and drank deep.
Oh yes, this was perfect.
She felt the bed shift as her eyes drifted closed, and the taste of his blood fell onto her lips. "Drink, love we aren't done with tonight."
She bit down, groaning with pleasure, as he reached above her and released the knots on her restraints, She opened her eyes, his mouth was smeared with her blood and juices, and there was a damp patch in his trousers, He 'd come while he was eating her out. She felt a rush of power and arousal at the thought, and reached for the zip but he batted her hand away. She retracted her fangs and pouted.
"But I want to," she said, and noted with satisfaction how his trousers began to tent in reaction. She made another attempt to reach the zipper but this time found herself pinned to the bed.
"As much as the thought of my cock in your mouth turns me on, we have a Salvatore to kill tonight," he said.
Caroline blinked. "Are you serious?"
"You didn't actually think I'd truly reneged on my promise, did you love?! He released her and got to his feet. "He'll be gone by morning, so we have to grab him before then. I'd ask you where he was but I think we both know he's at the boarding house. "Get ready," Another grin lit up his face. "And afterwards I fully expect you to have your wicked way with me - I'll even let you tie me up."
Oh, there was a thought."
Twenty minutes later, Caroline glanced at her newly scrubbed face in the mirror, she had exchanged her dress for a simple sweater and jeans, and pulled on her favourite trainers. Excitement thrilled through her as she pulled her hair into a ponytail, and shoved her Glock into the waist of her jeans. "I'll get the car started," she called over her shoulder as she headed for the door.
"Be right with you, love," he called from the bathroom, and Caroline smirked. He'd been unusually stubborn about waiting until after they kill Stefan to finish their celebration. She had a few theories about that but she didn't think he'd appreciate her insight.
She ran down the stairs but slowly came to a halt as she spotted the three brothers covered in blood, pulling the bodies into a pile in the middle of the ballroom. " Did you kill everyone?"
Kol glanced up, his mouth still stained with blood as he gave her a devious grin, "Sweet Caroline, have you come to help us with clean up?"
"Sorry, brother, Caroline is going to be otherwise engaged," Klaus said, as he joined her. His hair was still damp and he'd changed into his usual jeans and henley. "We have a Salvatore to kill."
"I believe Rebekah left with him," Elijah said, and Klaus shrugged a shoulder.
"She always had difficulty picking the winning side," he said. "Come along, Caroline."
Frowning, Caroline followed him into the drawing room. Inside were Elena and Bonnie, who were still dressed in their evenings gowns which were, thankfully, not covered in gore. Maddox was sitting in an armchair by the fire and got to his feet when they entered.
"Am I needed?" he asked.
Klaus pursed his lips, then nodded. "Wait for us outside, we'll be right with you."
He waited until he left the room before turning to Elena. "We need an invite to the Salvatore Boarding House. I believe the deeds are signed over to you?"
Elena crossed her arms, mutiny showing in her eyes. "I've helped you enough. Do your own dirty work."
"It's sweet that you think I'm giving you a choice," he said, leaning in, and Bonnie leapt to her feet before Caroline could intervene, the lights dimmed and Klaus recoiled back wincing as he shook his head.
"You've messed with Elena's head enough," Bonnie said. "Leave her alone."
"Listen, witch," Klaus snarled. "Caroline seems curiously attached to you, which is why you're still alive, but I have no time for your newfound stance against compulsion, seeing as I saw little evidence of it when Damon Salvatore turned Caroline's life into a living nightmare."
Bonnie blinked, obviously not expecting his reaction, but held firm. "We're not allowing you to kill Stefan," she said.
Klaus's eyes gleamed. "As heartwarming as your defense of the Ripper of Monterey is, my fool of a sister has departed with him and I only see two eventualities coming out of that situation. They're either fucking or fighting and neither of those scenarios have a happy ending."
Elena flinched at the inference but Klaus's hand snaked forward and pulled her to him. "Invite us in ."
A sigh escaped Elena as her gaze glazed over, the fight leaving her. "I invite you in."
"Fantastic," Klaus declared. "You have a nice night. I believe rooms have been prepared for you."
"What makes you think we'll stay here," Bonnie challenged.
"Because Elena can't leave, and you can't leave without her." he said, with a victorious smile, and Caroline sighed. Why did he have to be such an arrogant jerk?
"Did you have to be such an asshole?" she demanded, once they left the room.
"You could have stopped me, love, but you didn't," he said flatly. "But that's okay, if you want me to play the part of the bad guy to get you what you need, I'm more than happy to play the part."
That stung, probably because it had more than an element of truth in it. "Sorry," she said.
His eyes darted in her direction, and he must have seen something in her expression because his face softened. "Don't worry about it, love. As I said, happy to do it."
Maddox was waiting for them outside the house. "Are we taking the SUV? "
"Nope," Caroline said, as she made a beeline for Stefan's Porsche and Maddox wrinkled his nose. "Is there even any room for me in that thing?
"He has a point," Klaus said, raising an eyebrow.
"But it comes fully stocked," Caroline said, opening the front trunk so that Klaus could see the stash of weapons she had inside it.
He rolled his eyes and hopped into the passenger seat. "Very well," he said. "I trust the Salvatore boarding house is our first port of call?
"It's the place to start," she agreed, as she let Maddox into the back before getting in. "Is Rebekah going to be a problem?"
He shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
It was the kind of noncommittal answer that made Caroline nervous but she tried to shrug it off. Tonight would be a test of their trust in each other and she was determined not to fall at the first hurdle. Repressing a sigh, she tried to focus on the immediate task at hand - kill Stefan Salvatore. She could only hope Klaus would have her back when the time came.
Putting her foot on the accelerator, she sped down the driveway.
The boarding house was ablaze with light when they drew up the driveway.
"I don't like this," Caroline said warily, eyeing the windows as they tumbled out of the car. She opened the trunk and grabbed a couple of magazines for her lock, inserting one before pocketing the other. She really needed to find out who manufactured these for her mother. They were very handy. She stuffed a couple of stakes into her waistband just in case. Klaus pulled out a crossbow and gave it a speculative look before grabbing a quarrel of arrows. Maddox looked like he wanted to say something but wisely kept his mouth shut.
With a few short gestures, Klaus indicated he'd go in the front door while she and Maddox went round the back. She supposed that made sense but it didn't make her feel any better. It still looked like a trap. Klaus raised an eyebrow at her, as if daring her to contradict him, and she reluctantly made her way to the back of the boarding house, Maddox in tow. Whether she liked it or not, he had more experience with this sort of thing.
They crept up onto the back patio and edged over to the windows. Maddox caught her eyes and gestured at his ears before nodding into the house. Caroline shook her head a moment too soon. The windows blew out, and Caroline quickly covered Maddox as shards of glass smashed against them in a wave. She felt a sting of pain and caught the scent of her own blood, but she knew she'd quickly recover from it, unlike Maddox.
A language that wasn't Latin but still sounded ancient, was being chanted in a low voice, and Maddox's head bobbed up again in recognition. Quickly, he pulled her back to the windows and pointed through the broken glass. Lucy Bennett was standing in front of Klaus, her hands raised in front of her, and Klaus was crouching and falling to his knees. Standing in the doorway was Bonnie's Mom, a Grimoire clutched to her chest. It looked old, older than Bonnie's
Maddox suddenly straightened, his eyes darting towards Klaus as Latin left his lips. Lucy staggered, as if she'd been hit between the shoulder blades, and Caroline got the hint, save Klaus. She pulled out her Glock, ignoring Abby's cry of panic as she aimed for Lucy's head. The witch swivelled suddenly, seeing her, and Caroline felt her feet leave the ground as she was hurtled through the air.
A moment later, she found herself impaled on a branch that had thankfully missed her heart. Crying out, she wrenched herself from the branch's grip and fell to the ground in a heap. Pain whited out her vision, and she felt herself losing consciousness for a moment. The wound in her stomach began to close, and Caroline clutched at it as she got to her feet, her eyes hunting the ground for her Glock.
A keening scream filled the air, and Caroline gave up on her hunt as she ran back to the house. A shadow slipped from the patio and into the garden and Caroline sped toward it. It was Abby Bennett.
"Stay back!" she said, and Caroline recognised the weapon in her hand. The very fact Abby was trying to aim it at her with one hand told Caroline a lot. A vampire may have the strength to ignore the recoil when aiming but a human didn't. Her eyes shifted to her other hand, which still clutched the Grimoire to her chest.
"What's with the new spellbook, Abby?" she said, trying to keep her tone casual.
"None of your damned business, Vampire," she hissed. "Back the fuck up!"
"Safety is on," Caroline said, and blurred forward the moment Abby's eyes dipped to check, snatching the Glock from her hand and holding it to her head. "Now it's not. Drop the Grimoire, Abby, and I'll let you live."
She tried to struggle against Caroline's grip and eventually stilled. "Stefan was right, you're not the Caroline I knew."
"The Caroline you knew was ten, Abby," Caroline said, pulling the Grimoire from her grasp. "Now run, before Klaus joins us. I can guarantee you wouldn't enjoy that."
With a hate filled glare, Abby Bennett backed away from her before running into the woods.
Klaus stepped up beside her and gave her a slow clap. "Excellent performance love,"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, Stefan isn't inside."
"It was, as you suspected, a trap," he said. "Although I have found my dear, sweet sister." his eyes glanced down. "That's my mother's Grimoire.
Caroline offered it to him, and Klaus shrugged a shoulder. "Give it to Maddox, he'll know what to do with it," he said. "But perhaps we should have a few words with my sister before we carry on our hunt.
Lucy Bennett's body was on the drawing room floor when they entered and Maddox was leaning back in an armchair, looking a little worse for wear. "Present for you," Caroline said, handing him the Grimoire. He threw her a puzzled look.
"This shouldn't be here," he said.
A mystery we're about to solve," Klaus said, as he caught her hand and pulled her through the house. It was only when they reached the steps leading down to the cellar that Caroline realised where they were going.
"Hello, sister, enjoying your new accommodations," Klaus drawled, as they approached the cell door.
"It's not funny, Nik. I'm going to kill him" Rebekah bit out, her eyes ablaze, as she got to her feet and glared through the door's bars. She was wrapped in a sheet and seemingly nothing else. Caroline tried to keep the smirk off her face. It didn't take much intelligence to figure out what had happened.
"I'm afraid you'll have to get in line, sister,"Klaus said. "I presume you're the reason Stefan had our Mother's Grimoire?"
Rebekah stiffened. "What about it?" she asked. "It's mine as much as yours."
"I see, Klaus said flatly, and Caroline suddenly grew worried. She knew Klaus well enough to know he was within moments of losing his temper.
"Where is Stefan?" she interrupted, breaking the glaring contest between the two Originals.
"How the hell do I know? One moment I was in his bed, the next I was in here."
"Yes, and I'm afraid here is where you're going to stay, sister dearest," Klaus drawled as he backed away from the cell.
"You bastard, don't you dare leave me in here." But Klaus just smiled and blurred back towards the stairs.
"You, come here," Rebekah demanded, glaring at Caroline, and she hurriedly backed away, any sympathy she felt for her falling away as she realised Rebekah wanted her to move close enough to compel. It was time to start taking vervain again.
"Bye," she said, with an ironic little wave, before speeding up the stairs after Klaus.
Maddox was back on his feet by the time she rejoined them in the drawing room, with a map and what seemed to be Damon's ring on a chain.
"What is he doing?" she asked.
"He's finding our prey, love," Klaus said. The ring spun on the end of the chain before landing on the map and Klaus leaned forward. "Hmm, interesting, he seems to be somewhere near the Lockwood House.
Caroline leaned forward. "The old Lockwood slave quarters," she bit out. "There are a series of tunnels and caves there."
"An old fashioned hideout," Klaus's grinned widened. "This should be fun."
They hadn't bothered with flashlights as they approached the tunnels. They'd left Maddox behind at the Boarding House to take care of Rebekah and the body, so they had no need of them.
Caroline already had her Glock out, safety off, as they approached the steps. Putting a finger to his lips, Klaus went first. He had lost the crossbow along the way but still held a stake in his hand.
"Stefan," he said, in a singsong voice, as they descended underground. There was an answering scuffle of feet and it took everything Caroline had to not shoulder past Klaus and go after it. Slowly, cautiously, they crept down the tunnel, Klaus's yellow eyes examining every pool of blackness.
At last, they reached a widening of their path, and they found themselves in a small carved room. An empty coffin lay broken on the floor and Klaus eyed it as if it were a snake. He reached back to grab her arm and pull her closer as they stepped around it and towards another tunnel. Caroline eyed it curiously, it looked vaguely familiar.
Just then, a shadow shouldered past them, slamming them into the wall, and Caroline scrambled after it as she recognised Stefan's scent. She was only a few steps after him when he ran up the stairs and in the forest , the moonlight was almost glaringly bright after the stolid darkness of the tunnels.
"I don't want to kill you, Caroline," Stefan said, and Caroline snarled at him.
"Liar," she said, as she pumped a few rounds of the vervain bullets into him. He staggered back, his eyes narrowing, before he blurred into the forest again. Dimly she could hear Klaus calling after her but she couldn't wait. Stefan was getting away from her.
She ran after him, gun up, her nose catching the scent of his blood. The vervain would slow the healing process, keeping the trail fresh. He was heading towards the Lockwood house and Caroline was determined he wouldn't reach it. A body slammed into her just as the Lockwood rooftop came into sight, and the Glock went flying. She punched and kicked, throwing him off her, and they both jumped to their feet and circled each other.
"Nasty weapon you have there," Stefan said. "It nearly worked."
"Been a while since I've been at the gun range," Caroline bit back. "I guess I should brush up."
He flashed forward, grabbing her by the throat, and Caroline pulled the stake from her jeans and stabbed him in the ribs. He jumped back, his smirk pained as he pulled the stake from his body and held it up. "Missed again."
Caroline pulled her remaining stake from her jeans. "I guess it'll be third time lucky, then." They circled each other, both now armed with stakes and Caroline began to grow worried. She had intended to use the element of surprise to gain the upper hand, but that seemed unlikely now.
He sped forward and Caroline dove to the side, hoping to come up behind him. She needn't have bothered however. One minute he was almost upon her, the next he was caught in Klaus's vice grip, the stake wrestled from his hand.
Caroline got to her feet as Klaus smirked over Stefan's shoulder at her. "How do you want him, love?"
"With my dick in her mouth, apparently," Stefan coughed out, blood in his lips as he spoke.
"Ah, you enjoyed that, did you?" Klaus said. "Well, you have me to thank for that, mate. I coached her." He grabbed Stefan's chin before leaning in. " Remember ."
The expression changing on his face as his memories flooded back would have been almost funny if the rage wasn't sizzling through Caroline's veins. Her mind flashed to the way Stefan had killed her mother and she dropped the stake as she stepped forward. "Hold him still for me."
"You think you've won?" Stefan laughed, pulling against Klaus's grip. "Mikael may be dead but he isn't done with you yet. He had your mother's coffin and the witches found a way to release her."
For a moment, Caroline was hesitant, but her doubt evaporated as she saw the triumph in his eyes. She slammed her hand into his chest, feeling it beat in her hand. Stefan let out a gasp of pained surprised and Caroline smirked. "Seems almost poetic, doesn't it?" she asked, before ripping his heart out of his chest. He fell to the forest floor with a satisfying thump and Klaus stepped over the body.
"Are you okay, Sweetheart," he asked, as she stared down at the heart in her hand
Was she okay? Some part of her wondered if she should feel guilty about what she had done, or even a little bit saddened. She and Stefan had been friends once, after all. But she didn't feel guilty, not even a little bit. She felt wonderful; like a weight had been lifted off of her. She dropped the heart onto the forest floor and Klaus leaned in to lick the blood off her fingers. Caroline felt a thrum of desire that she had no hesitance acting on.
She pulled him in for a kiss, Tasting Stefan's blood as her hands reaching for the zip of his jeans. This time he didn't protest, and she found her sweatshirt being pulled over her head and thrown into the trees somewhere. Caroline sighed as his mouth fell to her throat, nibbling her with human teeth as his hands made short work of her bra. Reaching inside his jeans, she pulled his cock free. At last she had him in her hands again, hard and willing, and she began to pump him, wanting to hear him groan, wanting to hear him moan her name.
"Caroline," he said, his hands falling to the waist of her jeans, and soon they were gone too, his fingers slipping into her folds as they tumbled to the forest floor. Klaus's mouth found her breasts, sucking and biting and winding her up into a frenzy as he parted her legs and pulled them over his shoulders. Caroline clutched at his hips and then his ass as he entered her, arching into the feel of him stretching and filling her as he bottomed out. He pulled at her ponytail, and Caroline felt a thrill of anticipation as he wrapped it around his knuckle, pinning her to him.
"Who do you belong to, Caroline," he demanded, looking into her eyes with his own wolf gaze.
"You," she said, as she felt her own nature respond, her fangs extending to their full length. Klaus smiled as he rocked into her, readying her for the onslaught that was to come. The forest floor scratched at her back but it only seemed to heighten the feeling of connection between their bodies. She felt his fangs graze the curve of her neck and then bite down as he pulled out and plunged back into her. Caroline shuddered, relishing the flash of pain that accompanied the pleasure as he hit her cervix, and the slap of skin against skin filled the forest air as he began to fuck her in earnest. Caroline clenched around his cock as he moaned against her throat, his fangs still buried in her.
At last, her monster couldn't take it anymore and she struck at his throat, sighing as her fangs broke through his skin and she felt the rich taste of his blood hit her tongue. Bliss roiled through her, followed by an intense orgasm that had her toes curling and scratching against his back. She dug her nails into his ass, smiling as he shivered above her . His thrusts became erratic, and his back arched as he raised his head from her throat.
"Mine," he gasped out, as he spilled into her and Caroline clenched around him.
"And you're mine," she reminded him. He smiled down at her with bloodied lips and Caroline felt her heart twist.
"Always, love," he said, as he leaned down to kiss her again.
TBC