Warning - some mild-ish smut in this one. It begins once they leave the bonfire and continues until the end of that section.
Part Four
About an hour after they dive into their work, Klaus remembers the letters he hadn't incinerated. Caroline hasn't been at her most productive, distracted by revelations she'd never expected to receive. She glances up when Klaus pops the first wax seal. She's curious about who he wants to hear from – friends, his siblings?
The confidences he'd offered have made Caroline even greedier to know him.
She tries to keep her observations unobtrusive, makes herself read two paragraphs for every glance. The first two letters seem innocuous, leaving Klaus amused and exasperated at turns. Occasionally, a smile curls his lips. Once, his shoulders shake with laughter.
Klaus' mood darkens as he reads the third letter. Caroline half expects the lamps to start flickering and thunder to roll in. He catches her watching, and Caroline freezes at being caught staring. "Bad news?" she ventures. She digs her nails into her palm, tempted to reach out.
He exhales harshly. "Yes. Though not unexpected."
"Sometimes that's worse." Caroline's a big believer in the sustaining power of hope. She's also familiar with having a lingering hope crushed and the bleakness that comes after.
His lips twitch, and he nods, "I just hadn't thought the news would come this quickly."
She makes a sympathetic noise. "Does it have to do with…" Caroline waves her hand, gesturing to their ever-growing pile of notes. A terrible thought strikes her, and she leans forward urgently, "Oh no, did the curse get worse?"
Her best guess is that the cursed party is someone close to Klaus. Maybe a friend or a mentor. She's entertained the thought that it's a significant other but hasn't allowed herself to dwell on it. How pathetic would she be, given how drawn she is to Klaus, if she were helping him to ensure his happily ever after with someone else?
She'd pretend like she was happy for him, of course. It might tax her acting abilities, and she'd have to figure out a way to avoid Klaus, probably for the rest of her life. Which might be a struggle, considering she'd already submitted her apprenticeship paperwork to The Guild. She's officially chosen Alchemy, should receive info about her first placement before month-end.
With the same specialty, their paths will likely cross.
She'd written her dad and grandma, and they'd been reasonably good sports about her choice. Caroline half-thinks that's because she'd drawn out the decision-making process, wearing them down.
She's made a mental note of the strategy's effectiveness. Just in case another potential parent disappointing situation arises in the future.
Klaus shakes his head, "No, it's nothing to do with what we're doing."
She's relieved, but it's tough not to press. Caroline likes knowing things, and she hates when she can't protect the people who've earned her loyalty. Klaus has crept his way onto that list, even if it's TBD whether he wants to be on it.
He offers more information, surprising her. "My younger sister, Rebekah, writes of how she's terrorizing her school. My brother, Kol, of how he's certain he can seduce the sorcerer he's working with. Kol knows he shouldn't, but he's rather bored. And then there's Elijah, my older brother, who likes to consider himself our grand protector. He's written to inform me of the revival of Mikeal's political aspirations."
"He wants on The Concilium?"
"He wants to lead The Concilium."
Well. That is alarming.
"Does he have the support for that?" The Concilium remains a relic of the past – to get a seat, a person needs support from a select few. Caroline's not hugely familiar with current machinations though one day she'll need to be, though hopefully not for a long time. Her grandmother retains the Forbes seat, her father reluctant to take it over.
"At the moment? Likely not. He's made many enemies. In the future, I think it's a possibility. Mikael is exceptionally gifted at both blackmail and bribery."
"Gross," Caroline says and immediately wonders if she's overstepped. Family dynamics are prickly; just because Klaus' relationship with his parents appears to be far from warm and fuzzy, that doesn't mean there's no loyalty there.
Klaus smiles, and Caroline's relieved. "I cannot argue with your assessment." His gaze drops to the letter again, and she can tell his worry hasn't eased.
Maybe she can help.
"If you'd still like like to speak to my father," Caroline offers, doing her damndest to hide her reluctance, "I can set up a meeting."
It'll take some convincing, but Caroline knows she can wheedle her way around her father's staunch anti-Mikaelson policy. Her dad's a stickler for fairness; she'll just point out that judging a son solely by his father's actions is a mite hypocritical.
Caroline's been thinking about it making this offer for a while now. Weeks, if she's honest. She likes working with Klaus. She's even enjoyed the research, despite deep dives into the very dull journals of long-dead sorcerers who'd suffered because of various curses.
Only Lady Ophelia Jenkin Hughes' diaries had been all that entertaining. When not afflicted with some weird sleeping beauty curse, she'd enjoyed a long list of conquests, her descriptions growing steadily more salacious as time went on.
Lady Ophelia had been born at the wrong time. In the 21st century, she'd have made a killing in the erotica game.
Caroline had read those in her room after Klaus had questioned her flushed cheeks.
Caroline can admit she's hesitated to ask her dad to help for purely selfish reasons. Working with Klaus has been fantastic. The problem is, she likes the moments where they're not working even better.
She's been reluctant to give any of it up – the quiet moments in the library, her shoulder brushing his when they walk along the forest paths. And then there are the meandering conversations they have in their clearing, how Klaus looks at her after he's made her laugh.
The news he'd received about his father has rattled him. She can't help him with that situation much, other than a sympathetic ear or maybe giving her grandmother a head's up. What she can do is try to ease another of his burdens.
He's obviously surprised by her offer. Klaus drops his letters and gives Caroline his full attention. She begins tapping her pencil against a book cover and tries to smile, "I just mean… I graduate in five weeks, and while I'd love to believe we'll crack this before then, I can't guarantee it."
Putting off her apprenticeship isn't really possible. She's checked.
"I can call my dad tonight; see if he'll meet with you this weekend."
The tension in Klaus' shoulders eases, and Caroline knows she's doing the right thing, even if it hurts a little. He reaches out, his hand coming to rest over hers, stilling her drumming pencil. "I would appreciate that immensely. More than I could probably say."
She keeps smiling, even when it begins to feel strained. She hopes that Klaus won't notice.
Caroline pulls away, lets her hair fall to shield her face as she busies herself with packing up her stuff. It's ridiculous, but her eyes are prickling, and there's a lump in her throat. She's known all along that her acquaintance with Klaus had an expiry date. She's only moving it up a bit.
It might even be for the best. How much harder will she fall in five weeks?
Before looking at Klaus again, Caroline takes a deep breath. When she tucks her hair behind her ear and meets his eyes, she sees he's frozen and wide-eyed, is watching her with something close to alarm.
Crap. She's totally making this awkward.
Caroline throws her bag over her shoulder, clears her throat, and pretends she sounds normal. "I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow, have a good night!"
She walks away too fast to hear any reply Klaus might make.
Caroline dozes fitfully, her thoughts too wild to allow proper rest. She can't stop looking at the clock on the wall. It's ticking loudly, counting down, though Caroline's only has a general idea of what time sunrise will be. Klaus had settled a few feet away, his back to where the door once was. He'd been slow about it, silent and pained, and it had been a struggle to resist demanding he let her check his injuries.
Though, to be fair, she knows even less about healing wolves than she does about healing people. It might be better to wait for him to turn back.
His eyes remain wary and on her, even when Klaus lays his head down on his paws. He doesn't sleep either.
When Klaus lumbers to his feet and stretches, Caroline figures morning's just about arrived. She's up more quickly than her lack of sleep should allow. First, she hurries to her clothing. She'd left it to dry by the hearth, had figured it would probably be best if she's adequately clothed for the conversation she needs to have with Klaus.
She's not usually superstitious, but the last time she'd been less than fully dressed in Klaus' presence had been a disaster. She's so not looking for a repeat.
Her jeans are still damp, but her top, sweater, and socks are dry enough. She ducks into the storage closet, wraps one of the sheets around her waist, knotting it securely. It covers more than any skirt she's ever owned, it'll have to do. Caroline hurriedly pulls on the rest of her dry clothing.
When she's decent, she exits the closet and drapes the bedding over the arm of the chaise. Klaus is going to need it.
She busies herself with coffee, wincing when the first crack of bone breaks the morning quiet. The sound echoes off the stone walls, quickly followed by another snap, then a crunch. Caroline closes her eyes when Klaus makes a soft noise, one that's thick with misery and nearly human.
Apparently, sometime in the last eight hours, she's given up keeping Klaus at arm's length. If she were a better person, maybe she'd let him have his secret.
The sounds of the change taper off, then quiet. Caroline listens to Klaus breathe heavily for a few moments. She takes a shaky inhale of her own and glances over her shoulder. He's pushing himself to his feet, more labouriously than she'd like. He doesn't seem at all self-conscious about his nudity, rotating his arms. She squints, eyeing his right side and shoulder, but it's too dim to get a good look at his injuries.
She licks her lip nervously and speaks softly. "I wasn't really thinking about the clothes issue, sorry. The good news is, your sheets aren't at all scratchy."
Klaus doesn't reply, but he does make his way to the pile of bedding. He also doesn't look at her; Caroline takes the opportunity to observe him more closely.
He's upright. Steady. Her suffocating worry eases slightly.
She's poured Klaus a cup of coffee because she figures it can't hurt. Caroline grabs a stool and drags it over, purposefully making noise. He's wrapped a few sheets around himself and taken a seat. Caroline hands Klaus his cup before sliding on to the stool, feet on the highest rung so she can balance her mug on her knees.
She probably should have put more thought into starting this conversation.
"Thank you," Caroline begins, and Klaus' eyes fly to hers. "For the whole fishing me out of the river and herding me into the house thing."
She'll let the headbutting and growliness slide.
Klaus clears his throat, but his reply is still raspy. "You don't have to thank me for that."
She's tempted to ask how he'd happened to be in the exact right place at the exact right time. Caroline has a hunch, but it's a can of worms she's not ready to open just yet.
It only makes sense to get the background info first.
Caroline just manages to wait until he's swallowed some coffee before she gets to more pressing matters.
"So. You're a werewolf."
She's fully aware it's an inane opening, isn't even offended by Klaus' derisive scoff.
"Which is why you went to The Academy. I can't believe I didn't put it together." In hindsight, it's embarrassingly obvious, but she'd been raised to believe that werewolves can't have magic. She'd also assumed, probably because Klaus had wanted her too, that he wasn't the cursed party. "How old were you when you started changing?"
She's a little confused about the timeline. She only knows the basics of werewolf biology and customs, but she is sure that the first turn usually happens in the mid-teens, often a little later for boys. Klaus had been years passed that when they met. If he hated being a werewolf, why had he waited so long to try to break free from lycanthropy? And what had he done on full moons when he's been at the school? He'd practically lived in the library; Caroline's certain he'd never taken a single night off, never mind several.
"I was twenty-three."
Caroline blinks, waits for him to indicate he's joking. Instead, Klaus merely takes another sip of coffee.
"Huh, I didn't know werewolves could be late bloomers."
He cracks a small smile at that. "They can't be." He doesn't elaborate.
Caroline takes a calming breath.
Then another.
Klaus seems determined to be difficult. They'll never get anywhere if her temper flares, and she's fairly sure unsatisfied curiosity might actually kill her. "Okay then. Why did it take you so long to turn?"
"I was prevented from it. My mother weaved a curse on me when I was born. When she knew for sure what I was. Her curse kept me from knowing and from shifting when the time came."
Well. There are some awkward implications there. "Your father is a werewolf then. Not your mother?"
"He is, yes."
"And your father only had one child." She remembers that from their first conversations. "Then that means your father isn't… well, he isn't who people assume he is."
"Was that a question?"
She sets her coffee cup aside. It's empty, and she might soon be tempted to fling it at Klaus' uncooperative head. "Fine, I'll stop trying to be sensitive. Is that what you want?"
"I'm happy to answer any question you might have, love."
Somehow, Caroline finds that hard to believe, but she'll take him at his word. "What's your father's name? Where's he from? Where is he now? Do you speak to him often?"
"Ansel. He's lived in Germany since shortly after my birth though this house belonged to him. I haven't spoken to him in person in a few years, but we write regularly."
She knows she's staring at him, but she can't quite stop. Klaus is being so weird. He's not particularly tense, answers spilling out easily, without resentment. He's not offering any extraneous information, but he doesn't seem angry at her prying.
Caroline tugs at the sleeves of her sweater absently. She wants to ask about Ansel. Although she'd known Klaus felt little warmth for Mikael, she wonders if he's close to his biological father. Why does Ansel live in Germany? Does he have a pack? Had Klaus' mother done something to keep him away?
She resists, however. She's technically imprisoning Klaus against his will, no need to stick her nose into all of his business.
"Judging by last night, you haven't managed to break the werewolf curse. Are you still working on it?"
Honestly, with as old as it is, Caroline doubts it's possible. It's not even a traditional curse, though supposedly it was in the beginning. Now, hundreds if not thousands of years later, it's probably more of a genetic quirk.
"I'm perfectly content with being a werewolf."
Huh.
She turns that statement over in her mind. She doesn't see the appeal, but she can't fathom why he would lie about that. But then why had Klaus turned up at The Academy?
"Oh, your mother!" Caroline exclaims, then she slaps a hand over her mouth. She'd been overly exuberant there, but she does love a good epiphany. Klaus seems to be hiding a smile behind his cup, so she decides not to be embarrassed. "Your mother," Caroline repeats, this time at a normal volume. "She cursed you. Is that the one you were trying to break?"
His head dips, "Exactly. When we met, I wasn't attempting to stop from turning every month. I was trying to start."
She can't stop the involuntary shudder. "Why?" she asks. "That," Caroline waves a hand, gesturing towards the spot he's just endured what seemed like agony, "seemed awful."
"It is. But only for a few minutes."
He doesn't explain, and Caroline sighs. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"
His expression flickers, his amusement leaking away as he grows solemn. "It's not purposeful. I've not spoken to many people about this. And to even fewer in any depth. Just one, really. And…" his teeth clench together after he lets the word trail off, jaw tight.
Well, now she feels guilty.
Caroline unfolds her legs and hops off the stool. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be…"
His hand's latched around her wrist before she can walk away. "Wait," he says, tugging gently until the back of her knees hit the chaise. "Sit down, sweetheart. Please."
She does so slowly.
His head tips towards the fire. "Can you brighten that a bit? I'd do it myself, but the shift tends to throw my magic off."
Caroline does as she's asked, and soon the room is bright and toasty warm. She's now able to see the fresh bruising Klaus' has tried to hide with the careful draping of sheets. She leans in, nudging the fabric aside. The distressed noise that spills from her throat is involuntary as another piece snaps into place. "You've been busting out of that cage in your room, haven't you?" It explains both the cage and why his shoulders and ribs had taken the brunt of the damage.
"I have, yes."
"We're going to have to pad that thing," Caroline mumbles, fingertips skimming his shoulder. The damage extends farther this time, and her hand and eyes follow it passed Klaus' elbow.
His hands lay loosely in his lap, palms open and relaxed. Caroline spies a black symbol on his left.
She rubs her eyes, wondering if perhaps her lack of sleep has her seeing things. Klaus stays pliant, even when she drags his hand towards her face.
The mark, an eye, bisects Klaus' heartline.
She's very familiar with the spell. Knows how to cast it, how it binds.
Caroline drops his hand, slumping back. She wonders if there's a secret stash of booze anywhere in the room. At the very least, she's going to need a lot more coffee. "So, when did you meet my grandmother?"
He rattles off a date, Caroline barely hears, mind already running ahead to an even more alarming thought.
Namely, what exactly had Klaus promised?
Caroline's only half paying attention to Tyler Lockwood – he's explaining something football-related that she doesn't care about. She'd spotted him as soon as she and Kat had arrived at The Falls, couldn't help but notice that he'd gone through something of a growth spurt. Not so much height-wise, he's still barely taller than she is, but his shoulders are broader, his arms thicker.
She figures he's begun turning, had wondered if she should mention that she's well aware the Lockwood's have been werewolves for generations. She'd decided not to after he'd teased her a little about her fancy private school like he usually does. He hadn't even hinted that its exclusivity has nothing to do with academics. Caroline decides he must not know, and she's not about to enlighten him and potentially spend the rest of her night explaining the ins and outs of magic.
Tyler's inching closer, probably thinking he's oh so smooth, backing Caroline away from the larger group. She's deciding if she's going to accept his invitation to a more private party. She has before, and it's been enjoyable enough (as long as she's on top), but she's not really feeling it tonight. She'd like to chalk that up to anxiety about the rule-breaking she's currently engaged in. She'd caved to Kat's badgering. Slipping through the barrier at the school had been easy, but they've still got to get back through it, into the school and their beds, undetected.
Kat's next to the bonfire, wrapped around Matt Donovan, so clearly she's not worried.
However, Caroline's fully aware that something else is behind her lack of enthusiasm.
Two weeks ago, Klaus had met with her father. He hasn't been the same since.
And Caroline's moping about it.
They're still plugging away at his project, but Klaus has carefully avoided spending any one on one time with her. He hasn't been rude or cold but he always seems to anticipate when she's working up the courage to suggest a break, and he has excuses ready. Caroline supposes she should feel grateful that he's let her down gently.
Maybe she'll get there. Eventually.
Tyler's talking about the SUV he'd gotten for his birthday now, working up to inviting her to check out its backseat.
Caroline feels a presence behind her, just before a hand skims her hip. She jumps, her drink sloshing out of her cup. She's eased into the warmth of another body as an arm drapes around her waist. She relaxes at the touch, finds she fits nicely against the leanly muscled frame she's pressed against.
Tyler's eyes have narrowed, "Who's your friend, Care?"
She hasn't looked, but she's completely unsurprised when he introduces himself. "Klaus. And you are?"
"Tyler Lockwood."
Klaus had obviously asked the question out of politeness as he doesn't even acknowledge the introduction. Instead, he leans over Caroline's shoulder, his lips skimming the side of her neck. She shivers, head tipping back. He speaks softly, but she assumes Tyler can hear, given his heightened senses. "I apologize for my tardiness. I know you hate that. You look lovely, by the way."
What is he doing?
Tyler's more adept at taking a hint than Caroline would have assumed. He retreats, tossing his can of beer aside, muttering unhappily. Klaus' fingertips are tracing patterns over her stomach, and Caroline's distracted by the intimacy. She's wildly confused and far too comfortable, has to concentrate on pulling away.
Honestly, her willpower is top-notch because her body does not want to move away from his.
She spins to face him notes that he's still temptingly close. "How are you even here?"
His hands land on her hips, reeling her in again. Caroline should slap him away.
His head dips, and when Klaus speaks, she swears his lips brush her ear. "Are you aware your little friend is a werewolf?"
Of course, he's dodging.
Caroline rolls her eyes. "Obviously. I'm not an idiot. Plus, Tyler's family and mine go way back."
Klaus' expression grows darker. "Oh? Does he know what you are then?"
She shrugs. "I don't think so. Not yet, at least. His mom's kind of a nightmare; I can imagine she's planning to shield her precious boy from the big bad world for as long as possible."
"And what were you discussing? You seemed… intent."
Oh, he's getting real close to making her angry. Her spine straightens, and she crosses her arms, forcing him farther away. "How is that any of your business?"
He smiles, but it's strained. "Indulge me, sweetheart."
She glances behind him, notes that they've drawn some attention. It might be the lure of good gossip, their tension evident. But it could very well be their magic – her power is crackling and sparking under her skin with her temper, and it's not just Caroline. She can feel Klaus' magic, almost taunting hers, inviting a clash.
People in Mystic Falls are good at dismissing weird; they have to be given the sorcerers and werewolves who call the town home, not to mention various supernatural visitors.
Still, there's no need to tempt anyone to get observant. Caroline dumps the rest of her drink, tosses the cup into the fire. She spins on her heel, walking away from the noise.
She doesn't look back, and the music is louder than Klaus' footsteps. She knows he's following her, can sense that he's annoyed and spoiling for an argument. Once the sounds of the party have faded away, Caroline turns, colliding with Klaus. They stumble, and he pulls her into him, doing most of the work to keep them upright.
Ugh. He's warm, and he smells good, and he's so close. It's hard to remember that he's a dick and she's gotta yell at him.
Klaus breathes deeply, his eyes fluttering closed. She feels his hand clench into a fist at the small of her back, and when Caroline touches him, his next inhale is shakier.
She's been so sure that she's imagined something between them, but at this moment, he's the opposite of disinterested. Klaus looks like he's fighting the urge to press even closer.
She'd bet just about anything that he'd been jealous of Tyler, and she needs to confirm that. Luckily, Caroline's never been afraid to play dirty.
She allows her hand to wander, sliding it up Klaus' chest until her fingertips graze the skin at his open collar. "If you really must know, Tyler was about to ask if I wanted to have sex with him in his car."
Klaus goes rigid, and his eyes pop open, anger palpable. "He's a werewolf. That's dangerous."
Caroline snorts dismissively, "Oh please."
"He could hurt you," Klaus insists.
"It's not a full moon, and he's barely an adult."
"That's even worse; he has no control!"
"Maybe he's a little stronger than your average guy, but that might be fun."
"Caroline," Klaus says, and it sounds like a warning.
One she ignores.
"Hot sex against a wall looks like a good time in movies, but I'm iffy about it in real life. Might be doable with a werewolf."
He tenses further; she can feel it where their bodies meet.
Caroline pushes her luck, "Want me to let you know how it goes?"
"That isn't the least bit funny."
She shifts, doesn't try to hide the way her eyes flit down to his lips. "Who's trying to be funny?" she asks innocently. "Sexual fantasies are perfectly normal. Healthy, even."
"You don't know what you're doing," Klaus rumbles, strained.
So patronizing.
"Pot, meet kettle. Why are you doing here, Klaus?"
He swallows hard and glances away from her. "Caroline," he says, and this time there's a hint of pleading.
Unfortunately for Klaus, she's not nice enough to let him off the hook.
Caroline reaches up, her hands framing his face, twisting it back to until she can see his eyes again. He doesn't resist and she's rattled by how unsure he appears. Her heart beats a little faster though, because there's longing there too. It makes her reckless.
She needs to know she's not crazy.
"You had to have followed me here. Tell me why. I don't want pretty lies or bullshit excuses, just the truth. I want…"
You, she almost says, but that's far too revealing. So she's done being the transparent one.
"Just tell me why you're here," Caroline demands.
He surprises her again, drawing her even closer, up onto her toes. He checks her reaction when she's just a breath away. Then, his mouth brushes hers. The noise Caroline makes is shocked, but her lips part willingly, one of her hands shifting to settle into the curls at Klaus' nape, the other gripping his shoulder like she's afraid he's going to run away.
Leaving seems to be the last of Klaus' intentions.
His first kiss is tentative, gentle, exploratory brushes, his lower lip a fleeting presence as hers attempt to cling. It's softer than she'd thought him capable of, nothing like her fantasies. Still, her knees tremble.
Caroline steps back, and Klaus follows, his body as close as their clothing allows. Their steps are slow and halting, both reluctant to break the connection between their mouths. She sighs when bark presses into the skin between her shoulder blades, left bare by her sundress. Klaus' thigh slides between hers, and his hands grasp her waist as his tongue slips into her mouth, a slow glide that has a moan building in her throat.
He stills and pulls back, only as far as she lets him. Caroling shakes her head, "Just shut up," she says, pulling him back into her. "Let me have this."
She doesn't want to talk or think or remember that this is probably a momentary thing. She's felt like crawling out of her skin these last two weeks, the polite distance Klaus had instituted hard to bear. Caroline had told herself that Klaus felt nothing but friendship for her, but that's not the case. She's never been so pleased to be wrong or willing to enjoy it.
A noise rumbles from him, rueful, maybe pained. His forehead rests against hers, voice rough when he speaks. "Anything, love. Anything you want."
Then he kisses her again, needier now.
Her hips jolt, straining to get closer as he tastes her thoroughly. She should have known he'd be good at this, as gifted as his mouth is when teasing and taunting in other ways. Her lips are wet and growing swollen. She needs to breathe, of course, but she does it as little as possible, sinking back into the kiss once she's filled her lungs. He's crowded her against the tree, but he's still. Caroline grows impatient, body moving restlessly against his, annoyed by the fabric that hides his skin from her.
His hand sinks into her hair, thwarting her attempt to kiss him, but she can't mind when his mouth drags across her jaw, finding a spot under her ear that has her toes curling in her boots. Her hands are the first to grow bold, slipping under his shirt so her nails can find purchase on his spine when his hips finally grind roughly into hers.
He groans, pressing her harder against the tree, reaching down to drag her thigh up and around his back. This time his movement is deliberate, his hips grinding in slow circles, and Caroline shivers, nipples tightening as pleasure licks across her nerves. "Yes," she whispers, gripping him firmly, returning the pressure.
She needs more.
Caroline drags her hand up his back, fingers exploring the hot skin and lean muscle she finds. His shirt bunches around her wrist. "Off," she gasps, head tipping back against the tree behind her. "I want this off. Let me touch you." His mouth finds her pulse, and she shudders when his teeth drag over it. Klaus obliges her willingly, eagerly, grasping his collar at the back of his neck, yanking the shirt over his head and tossing it aside. She curls over him, lips dragging across his bare skin.
Klaus inhales sharply in response, the hand that had lingered on her hip fisting in her skirt. Much to Caroline's disappointment, he does not attempt to go under it.
She's got to fix that.
Caroline leans back against the tree, panting softly. Klaus' eyes are hazy when they open, dark blue, and focused on her face. She tangles their fingers together, draws his hand to where she wants it, high on her bare thigh. His lashes fall, and his head falls back, palm opening and gliding up. He grasps her hip, thumb tracing waistband of her underwear. Caroline's stomach clenches, need ratcheting up. She shoves the strap of her dress off one shoulder, is immediately distracted when Klaus' mouth opens over to the newly revealed skin. His stubble scrapes against her, Caroline shivers, fumbling with the other strap. He drags the first one down farther, lips teasing the edge of her bra.
She arches, impatient, and his soft laugh is muffled by her skin. "Beautiful," he breathes, lips lingering between her breasts. He wraps an arm around her back, lifting her higher, and Caroline yelps, mostly in surprise but a tiny bit in pain.
More of her back is exposed now, the rough bark scraping in a way that isn't entirely pleasant.
Klaus freezes, pulling away. "It's fine," Caroline murmurs, thigh tightening to keep him close.
He pulls her chest to his, calloused gliding down her back, lips against her throat. "I won't hurt you."
Caroline laughs, "You're not. At all. I want more." To prove it and perhaps distract Klaus, she works the other side of her dress down. It bunches under her breasts, lower when she shimmies her hips a bit.
Klaus groans, his hands sliding down her arm. He turns to study the ground, tugs her with him when he takes a step back. "As much as I'd adore fulfilling the fantasy you mentioned earlier, I don't think this is quite the right venue."
She grins and follows Klaus' lead, dropping to her knees and brushing leaves away. "Some other time then."
"Definitely," he rasps before he kisses her again. He leans back, drawing her into his lap, his hands sifting through her hair. He angles her head, licks into her mouth, taunts her with his tongue and his teeth until she's writhing against him. Caroline moans into his mouth, crowding closer, folding her legs next to his hips. They're closer now, she has more control. It's still not enough.
Caroline tears her mouth away, gulps in a breath, head falling back as she rocks against him. He's far from unaffected, hard behind his jeans, his muscles straining under her hands. Caroline bites her lip and moves her hips again, searching for more friction. Klaus' lips brushes the slope of her breast before he catches her nipple, scraping his teeth against the peak through the lace of her bra.
Still not enough.
Caroline whimpers, fingers tangling in his hair. "God, Klaus. More."
He grips her ass, yanking her closer, intensifying the slow grind of their hips. "Anything, remember? Tell me what you want, and it's yours."
No one's ever asked her to talk during sex or been particularly interested in what she needs to get off. She takes a shaky breath, tries to push away enough of her arousal so she can think clearly.
She wants Klaus, and she wants everything he can do to her, the things she can do to him, and then everything they can experience together. All of it, in any order.
And more than just this night. Possibly forever, as scary as that is.
Caroline has no idea how to say that. How to tell him that every night before she goes to bed, she finds her mind wandering – to his hands and his mouth and his body. To let him know she's spent an embarrassing amount of time imagining how he'd feel inside of her.
She's always been better at doing than at finding the perfect words.
Caroline leans into Klaus, lets her lips skim his stubbled jaw. His head rolls to the side, encouraging, giving her more room. She kisses the muscle where his throat meets his shoulder, then she sinks her teeth in, meaning to leave a mark.
The noise he makes is guttural, body jolting under her. He yanks the cup of her bra aside for his mouth, sucking roughly on her nipple.
He's frantic now, but she loves it, squeezing her hand between them to tear at his belt.
His hand lands on her leg again, without her having to encourage him. His thumb drags along her sensitive inner thigh, her muscles tensing and twitching. She's wet enough that he notices, a low moan rumbling out.
His thumb rubs the damp lace that covers her, dragging upward to nudge her clit. She shakes, humming in pleasure when he lingers, circles. "So perfect," he rasps, kissing down the length of her sternum. "Somehow, you feel better than I'd thought possible."
"You too," she breathes. "I never thought…" she chokes on the words when Klaus slips under the lace, widening her thighs.
He strokes her clit gently but briefly. Caroline peels her eyes open to glare at him, and Klaus smirks, unrepentant. "You thought?" he coaxes.
She swallows hard, nerves creeping in. Klaus' pupils are blown, eyes barely blue around all the black. He's flushed, and his lips are wet, watching her hungrily. He rubs her back, offering comfort even now. "Nothing you could say or want is wrong, love. I want to know it all."
"I want you to stay with me," Caroline whispers, even though she knows he's talking about sex. "I want more than tonight. I want you."
His eyes close, a tremor wracking his body. Klaus' hand slides up her spine. The world tilts and spins, Caroline's finds herself on her back, head protected from impact by Klaus' palm.
He kisses her again, hard and fast and frantic; Caroline can barely keep up.
She's totally willing to work harder.
Caroline grips Klaus' back, her thigh climbing his side. She hears a rip, feels a sharp sting to her side, yelps in response.
Klaus freezes.
She opens her eyes, glances down. Somehow, Klaus has managed to tear the band of her bra. She plants a kiss on his neck, "You can owe me one," she teases.
He doesn't relax, lifting more of his weight off her. His hands are digging into the ground at her sides, eyes squeezed shut, and his breathing labored. She touches his side, tentative. "It's okay, Klaus. Really. Are you…"
He shudders violently, "Don't," he grits out.
Caroline drops her hands in alarm. "What happened? Did I hurt you?"
He doesn't reply, rolls off of her. Klaus crawls away before stumbling to his feet. He leans heavily against a tree, bent at the waist, breath heaving noisily. "Are you… are you okay?" Caroline asks. She yanks her dress up.
She has no idea what's happened. Had she lost control of her magic, and had Klaus reacted badly? Had he registered what she'd said, decided that he wasn't interested in something more? Caroline sits up slowly, arms crossed over her chest. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
Klaus doesn't look at her. Or reply.
He just leaves.
Caroline watches him in disbelief, growing cold. Her eyes prickle, and she sniffs, clearing her throat. She reaches for anger, finds it's out of reach, covered by a thick layer of hurt and humiliation.
Caroline vows not to cry. She tells herself Klaus doesn't deserve it.
She gets to her feet, mechanically makes herself presentable again. She collects Kat. Weathers Kat's increasingly concerned and demanding questions as they trek back to school.
Her vow only lasts until she's curled under the quilt she'd brought from home. She breaks it more than once.
Caroline gets up and begins to pace. She thinks better when she's moving, and she's become far too aware that Klaus is only wearing sheets.
Which would probably be very easy to peel away.
She's not going to think about that now, and risk being distracted, not with a brand new puzzle to work on.
Winifred Caroline Forbes Abernathy is one of Caroline's very favorite people. She's proud to carry her grandmother's name (even though she's always been kinda glad her mother had nixed 'Winifred'). Her Gran is scary smart, crafty, powerful, and the most ruthless person Caroline knows.
Really, she's kind of a nightmare. Tons of people find her terrifying, something her grandmother relishes. However, the full force of Gran's less desirable traits have never been directed at Caroline but always outward, protecting her. Honestly, she's always coveted them.
Caroline will be thrilled if she manages to be even half as intimidating when she's an old lady.
At this very moment, though, she's significantly less admiring.
"You made a promise," she mutters, more to herself than Klaus, though she's fully aware he can hear her. "You wouldn't have been marked if you hadn't. But you won't be able to tell me what that promise is."
She assumes, at least.
Caroline twists her head as she walks, eyes narrowing as she looks over at Klaus. "Are there any not-so-nice consequences if I ask you what you promised Gran and you try to tell me?"
He grimaces, nods, and Caroline groans. "Great. Just great."
She does another circuit, mulling over her options. "What was that date again? When you met Gran?"
"May 15th. Just after I…" he doesn't finish the sentence, avoiding her gaze.
"Got to third base and then fled?" Caroline finishes, tone sickly sweet, though without much true venom. A memory rushes back, of Kat dragging her away from moping in her dorm to go outside a few days after Klaus had left. They'd done a silly little ritual under the full moon, meant to exorcise Klaus from Caroline's mind. It had been after they'd drunk the half-bottle of cheap rum but potent rum that Kat had filched from someone.
Obviously, no excising had happened.
"Was May 15th the full moon?" Caroline asks.
"The day before."
Curiouser and curiouser.
"Was that full moon the first time you shifted?"
It's a guess but apparently a correct one. Klaus smiles, slow and pleased, and Caroline hates that the bubble of pride that simmers to the surface, pushing her anxiousness aside for a moment. "Correct, sweetheart."
There's an obvious next question. She's mentally tiptoed around it since last night, since Klaus had appeared at the exact moment where her safety, possibly her life, had been in the balance.
Had he known that? Did the connection Caroline's tried so hard to ignore actually exist? Was it stronger than she's thought possible?
Is she Klaus' mate?
If Caroline asks that, she can't take it back. She'd lost an awful lot the last time she'd taken a risk on Klaus.
The humiliation if she's wrong? Not something Caroline thinks she can come back from a second time. She'd have to freaking walk to the nearest town, get a cab to the airport, then find some town where no one she knows will ever find her. She'd have flushed her apprenticeship down the toilet, so she'd have to learn a skill real quick.
She's charming; people like her. She could probably sell shoes or something, but Caroline would prefer not to torpedo her entire future with a rash question.
She whirls away from Klaus, stalks determinedly to one of the marks she'd drawn on the wall last night. She takes a breath to steady her nerves, concentrates until the ink melts away. The stone groans as it shifts, windows and the door appearing again.
It's time for a strategic retreat.
She avoids looking at Klaus even though it's cowardly. "I'm going to the library," she announces. Hopes he gets that he's not welcome to follow her.
She'll do some research, check to see if there's any way she could be wrong.
She still has a million things she wants to ask Klaus, her curiosity burning and insistent. She ruthlessly pushes them aside, begins to formulate a plan.
Her questions will have to keep.
Caroline's next steps will be rational. Careful.
Even if it kills her.