Warning: smut in this chapter, quite a bit. Basically, from when Caroline enters the library and finds Klaus to the end of the chapter.
Part Five:
When Caroline had decided to borrow the SUV she'd found tucked into one of the outbuildings, she'd had some concerns. There was the whole driving on the left thing. Then the possibility of running into some form of law enforcement officer while driving badly on the left. How disappointed her mother would be if she ever found out Caroline had technically committed grand larceny because she hadn't asked to borrow Klaus' vehicle.
That last one was unlikely – Klaus wasn't going to rat her out - but Liz Forbes' disappointed face is above average, honed by years of breaking up parties thrown by bored teenagers, and Caroline does her best to avoid it.
What Caroline hadn't considered was that the SUV would just freaking die on her.
Caroline turns the key yet again, but nothing happens. The engine doesn't rumble to life or make weird noises. None of the many lights on the dash so much as flicker. She has no idea what had happened. The gas tank had been full, and the dirt road off of Klaus' property is packed down; she knows she hadn't hit anything, nor had she heard anything out of the ordinary.
The SUV had just lost any form of power and rolled to a stop.
Caroline leans forward and rests her head on the steering wheel, allowing herself to verbalize her frustration with a short scream. She'd left the house when the sun was just beginning to rise, had figured she'd be able to get to town and call and catch her grandmother at home given the time difference. She'd been hoping to sneak out and get back without Klaus being the wiser.
He'd given her a wide berth yesterday, hadn't disturbed her once she'd gotten to the library (after taking a brief detour for her room for clothes). Caroline had poured over dozens of books. Klaus' library is conveniently well stocked with various texts about werewolf history, physiology, and lore, which Caroline cannot believe she hadn't previously clocked as weird. She hadn't found anything that would even hint that her theory was off base.
Not that she'd really expected to. The pieces snap together too neatly.
She'd gone to bed, had tossed and turned, then given up on sleep around 2 AM. She'd pulled out a fresh notebook and tackled another issue. Namely, what exactly had Klaus promised Gran? And why had she broken out a big gun of a spell to ensure he kept those promises?
She'd filled about a dozen pages with neat lists and questions before admitting she needed to go right to the source. Since Klaus' house is, at least in terms of communication devices, firmly in the dark ages, she'd known she needed to go to town to call Gran.
Leading to her current predicament.
With one last groan, and a quick knock of her forehead against the steering wheel, Caroline grabs her bag from the passenger seat and reaches for her door's handle. She's rougher than she should be, shoves it open, only to yelp when her arm slams into something solid. Caroline pulls back, rubs her wrist, eyeing the open door warily.
She feels that something… off. Familiar magic brushes against hers, magic that has no business being here, at a level of intensity that seems excessive. Caroline narrows her eyes, glancing once more at the darkened dashboard. She extends her arm again, carefully, and meets the same resistance.
Her muscles quiver as she tries to push just a few inches further. It feels like she's swimming through molasses, and she stops when her bicep quivers and her forearm burns with strain, slumping back into the seat and shaking her arm out.
She tries a different tactic, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, reaching out with her power this time. She doesn't attack, merely explores, sending tendrils of magic along the barrier to get a sense of its size and strength. It's similar to the wards around The Academy, carefully composed layers of spells woven together to make something that should be impenetrable. It's definitely her grandmother's handiwork. She feels Klaus in it, too - his signature criss-crosses Gran's.
Caroline pulls back, shaking her head as she settles. "Annoying," she mutters.
On the plus side, she hadn't somehow destroyed Klaus' SUV. It should be fine once she's out of it, though they may need to figure out a way to tow it back a few feet so it's out of the barrier.
Caroline slides out of the driver's side, unable to resist trying to push through with her other arm. Her left is weaker, and she gives up quickly with a sigh.
She wiggles her toes, considers her options, already deeply regretting that she'd chosen to wear cute sandals. She'd driven for about fifteen minutes before the SUV had crapped out; she's not looking forward to making the trek back. She decides to remove the shoes, figuring the odds something is hiding in the grass that could give her tetanus are low.
Caroline puts on her sunglasses, shoulders her bag, and begins walking. "At least that's one question answered," she grumbles. Not one that's high on her list of priorities, but she appreciates it anyway. Klaus had obviously run with a conversation they'd had back at The Academy. He'd convinced Grandma Forbes to lock him onto this property and proving what they'd theorized when they'd talked it over because Caroline's well and truly penned in too.
If she hadn't already figured out she's Klaus' mate, the barrier would have been a big fat clue.
Klaus is waiting for her when she returns, appearing in the entryway as soon as she crosses the threshold. Caroline's immediately outraged that he looks great, if a little tired, while she's a sweaty, dirt-streaked mess. She glares, yanking off her sunglasses once she realizes the effort is wasted. "I stole your car," she tells him.
He doesn't seem upset, inclining his head. "I figured."
Hmm, had he noticed she was gone and thought to check the barn, or does the mate bond already allow him to sense her? She'd thought, based on what she'd read (though admittedly it hadn't been a deep dive) that the ability to track a mate's proximity took time to develop.
She makes a mental note to read up on that point.
"I also might have broken it."
His gaze sharpens, running over her critically. He steps forward before stiffening, his hands clenching at his sides. "Are you all right?"
Caroline considers fleeing again, brushing past him and making her way to her room, sulking in the bathtub for a bit. But really, what's the point? She can't go to her grandmother; the library is only so helpful. Klaus is currently her best and only source of information.
"You'd know if I wasn't, wouldn't you?"
Klaus sucks in an audible breath, eyes going wide. It's shock, Caroline thinks, not fear or dread. She's pleased that she's surprised him, a little miffed that he must have been assuming she'd live in denial for as long as possible.
"I would," he replied cautiously.
Doesn't elaborate, of course.
Caroline sighs and tosses her sunglasses onto a side table, "I think your SUV will be fine, by the way. I don't think it took any damaged. It just died on account of the wall-o-magic that surrounds this place."
"I'm not worried. I rarely use it, and I can always buy another."
She takes a deep breath, counts to ten. It's not at all rational that she's annoyed by Klaus shrugging off the news. It's not like she wants him to be mad at her. She just wants a hint that he's experiencing even a fraction of the roiling storm of emotions that she's finding nearly overwhelming.
"There's a barrier around your land. I couldn't pass it."
Klaus shifts with what Caroline thinks is uneasiness, and she's not proud of the petty pleasure she takes in it. "I'm sorry about that."
He's not at all surprised by the news, however. She's so sick of being one step behind.
Caroline knows that she needs to ask the right questions because Klaus' agreement with her grandmother prevents him from speaking freely. It dawns on her that boxing him in had likely been intentional and is typical of Gran. Her husband had died young, and she'd had no interest in remarrying, had often proclaimed to Caroline that there was nothing more blissful than being able to do what you wanted, when you wanted, without having anyone question you.
She'd want to protect Caroline's ability to make choices, even against something as immutable as being a werewolf's mate. Caroline appreciates the sentiment, even if it's currently her greatest aggravation.
The problem is, she's been shying away from the right questions, telling herself they could wait. She's been fearful, a waffler, and she's absolutely been raised better than that.
She takes a deep breath and forces an air of confidence that she does not feel when she asks Klaus, "Did you tell my grandmother that I'm your mate?"
Some of Klaus' tension leaks away. She's selfishly gratified that she's not the only one who's been anxious about the big reveal. "I had to. In order to convince her to help me. She's a formidable woman."
She suspects that 'formidable' is the most polite adjective of many he could have chosen. Someday, she's going to need a play-by-play about how the encounter went down. 'Hey, I'm a Mikaelson, though technically in name only, and a werewolf, and your only grandchild is my mate, will you help me?' would not have gone over well.
"Yeah, Gran's a bit scary. I'd like to tell you there's a marshmallowy center in there, but that would be a lie."
"She's protective because she loves you."
"I suppose that's better than being on her bad side."
Klaus makes a noise, half-amusement, half-agreement. He steps towards her, slowly, gauging her reaction. He reaches for her bag, and Caroline lets him take it. "I promised your grandmother three things. Now that you've figured one out, I believe I'll be able to speak more freely."
"You? Speak freely? How new and different." It would be a significant change from how he'd been when they'd worked together at The Academy. He'd been a master at distraction and neat deflections, save for a few instances.
Though, now that she thinks about it, she has a bone to pick with him. "At The Academy, you told me you were developing an elixir to break a generational curse. Which was a lie."
"A small one. I intended to have you research curses that functioned similarly to lycanthropy. My working theory was that werewolf genetics would prove stronger than my mother's curse. Which, in the end, was correct. I do apologize for misleading you; it just seemed sensible at the time."
She's not a fan of lies, but she can understand why he hadn't been entirely truthful in the beginning. Admitting to being a werewolf with magic could have been dangerous, and he hadn't known her at all. She wouldn't have spilled such a dangerous secret to a stranger either.
"I guess that makes sense." She wonders what he'd gone through then, working through the realization that he had a mate, how he'd felt once he'd struck up a conversation. She'd been a little snippy, probably hadn't made the best first impression.
Might have been part of the reason for the lies. Maybe he hadn't liked her all that much.
Caroline shakes the thought away. She's sure it'll pop up later when she least expects it and throw her into an insecurity spiral, which will be super fun.
"I was deceptive by choice in the beginning. Lately, it's been forced."
"Good ol' Gran," Caroline mutters.
"Her thoroughness has made matters a bit more difficult. Though the first promise was made moot by your arrival, and the third was something I would have done anyway."
"Moot by my arrival," Caroline repeats, her mind beginning to whirl.
Klaus smiles, tips his head in the direction of the kitchen. "I imagine you didn't stop for breakfast, are you hungry?"
Now that he mentions it.
"I could eat." Caroline turns in the direction of the kitchen. Klaus falls into step beside her, not quite close enough to touch. She can feel him watching her.
"Is there a place in town where I can get something overnighted? I will have to give Gran a piece of my mind on paper, but I want it to get to her ASAP. Half the time the post office can't find her house, but it's probably my only option."
"My older brother will be here in two days. He can see that she receives anything you send expediently."
Huh. That's interesting.
"What's the occasion?" she asks. "I got the vibe that you were doing the whole tortured loner mad alchemist thing out here. Visitors don't fit the vibe."
His head twists, his expression flatly unamused. "I'm not sure I like that description."
"I suppose I can drop the 'mad' part. It implies a certain disregard for personal hygiene that you've managed to avoid."
"Do I detect a compliment in there?"
Caroline scoffs. Of course he'd latch on to that. "Only if you're really vain."
"I may be guilty of that particular sin. But, to answer your question, Elijah's not visiting for any particular occasion. He makes the trek out here every three months. We exchange letters as well, but there are instances where it's better not to commit our conversations to paper."
Caroline takes a second to absorb that. "Sounds like you're plotting."
A hint of anger darkens his expression, "Unfortunately, it's necessary. I know better than anyone what Mikael's capable of. Elijah agrees that he's a threat, even manages not to complain excessively that we must have out discussions out in the elements."
"He can't cross the barrier?" Caroline asks. It hadn't occurred to her. It should have been possible that someone who shared blood with Klaus, like a half-brother, would be able to pass if they'd been given a specific enough location.
Klaus shakes his head. "I cannot be sure that my mother or one of my untrustworthy family members wouldn't find this place. Elijah can approach, but he can't breach your grandmother's wards."
Caroline's suddenly immensely glad for her small, tight-knit family. She might be a bit miffed at Gran, but she can't imagine feeling unsafe with a single member of her bloodline, or believing that they'd intentionally hurt her. "Will you know if the ward's breached?"
It's pretty standard practice, Caroline can't imagine Gran skipping it, but she wants the confirmation.
They've arrived at the kitchen, Klaus motions for her to go first. "Yes. If someone with magic, other than you or me, attempts to cross it or dismantle it, I'll know."
"And no one has?" Caroline presses.
"Not yet," Klaus says, and his tone makes it clear he doesn't expect that will always be true.
An idea worms its way into her mind. Gran and her dad make a healthy living off of designing and casting wards, and various other protections, for less adept sorcerers. These days, they're mostly benign, but that hadn't always been the case.
She's never personally built something that can fight back, but plenty of the Forbes grimoires, the older ones from back when it had been more socially acceptable to maim anyone who dared trespass, outline how.
She can probably work it out. She'll add it to her list of things to do, just to make sure she's not overestimating herself, then run it by Klaus.
She grabs his hand instinctively, squeezing in a way she hopes is reassuring.
Her working assumptions regarding the reasons Klaus had locked himself away had centered on the mate bond. Maybe he hadn't been ready, or maybe he'd thought she hadn't been ready, that she would reject it or resent him. She'd been thinking too small.
Caroline's not be entirely certain how to move forward with Klaus, is still working out what it means that they belong to each other in an unshakeable, unbreakable, way.
There is one thing she's sure about, however. Anyone coming at Klaus won't just be coming at Klaus.
They'll have to go through her, too.
She takes her time rummaging through the cupboards, then considering the contents of the refrigerator. Klaus asks if she needs help, but she waves him off, unsure of exactly what she wants. There's a heavy wood table in the center of the room, worn smooth from use. Klaus settles on one of the benches, seemingly content to let her putter around.
Indecision, when Caroline thinks about it, is becoming a theme. One she's not super fond of.
She decides to keep it simple, grabbing a loaf of bread and a pile of sandwich fixings.
Caroline glances over her shoulder, "I'm not keeping you from anything pressing, am I? I know I've been the absolute worst apprentice over the last few days. There was the whole imprisoning you against your will thing, then I spent all day yesterday on my own research. And today I snuck off before it was even light outside."
Yikes. Good thing Klaus isn't going to snitch to The Guild.
"It's fine. I understand that you've received a great deal of concerning information over the last few days."
She pauses, sets down the jar of mustard she'd been about to open. "I'm not sure that I'd use the word concerning."
Klaus laughs, though there's little amusement to be found. "The revelation that you're trapped with a werewolf who can't seem to be contained on the full moon would be concerning for most."
"Oh please," she returns to her sandwich, swiping on the mustard before stacking on the second slice of bread. "That's literally the least concerning of all the things that I wouldn't even call concerning." She takes a bite, steps over the bench opposite the side Klaus had chosen and sits down.
Klaus regards her incredulously, staring as if he's wondering if she's in full possession of her senses.
Which is rude, honestly. "You had ample time to hurt me the other night. You did exactly the opposite. I locked us in together. I knew exactly what you were. I wouldn't have done it if I was afraid of you. Besides, the cage held the first month I was here, didn't it?"
"It did," Klaus says. "Miraculously."
Caroline's got a theory about that. "Last night, you busted out because I'm an idiot who almost drowned myself for potion ingredients. The good news is, now that I know, you don't have to use the cage anymore."
She feels guilty that he'd spent two months caged already, to hide what he is from her, and injured himself in the process.
Klaus disagrees, "No, I'll reinforce the cage. I'm not willing to risk something happening to you."
Again with the patronization.
"I'm going to need you to accept the fact that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
Klaus manages not to argue that point. She can see that he kind of wants to. Caroline debates calling him on it, decides they can save this particular, sure to be heated, disagreement for later on. They've got a good number of days until the next full moon, plenty of time to convince him that she's right.
"How long will the wards hold for?" When they'd first discussed the possibilities of using magic to contain werewolves, she hadn't been sure about timelines. Gran would have had a better idea.
"Your grandmother seemed certain they would hold two years. She used my magical signature, but I wasn't confident that my nature wouldn't have an unseen, complicating effect. We agreed on renewing it annually, and she's come back every June."
Caroline freezes, the sandwich halfway to her mouth. "Wait, how long have you been here?"
"Almost two and a half years."
God, she can't believe she hadn't put that together. "So, after your mother's curse was broken, you went to my grandmother. Then you came here? And you've been here ever since? Trapped?"
"It's not a trap if it's my choice."
"Klaus," it's a warning, snapped out in a tone that she doesn't often use.
He winces in response, "It was necessary. And it hasn't been bad."
She sets her sandwich aside; it's grown tasteless and dry in her mouth. She swallows with some difficulty. "Why? It's not like the full moon is unpredictable. Surely you could…" she trails off, something he'd said earlier hitting her hard. "Oh no," she gasps, horrified.
He reaches for her, grasping both her hands. "Caroline, really," he begins, low and coaxing.
She shakes her head. "You promised her you wouldn't go looking for me. Right? The first promise? It doesn't matter now because I showed up here." It's her turn to laugh, a sharp, brittle sound. "What a waste, huh? You exile yourself, and I waltz in and make it all moot."
His free hand covers hers, tugging, until she looks at him. "It wasn't a waste, and none of this is your fault."
She knows that's true, intellectually. Doesn't make her feel all that much better.
"It's not your fault either." She threads her fingers through his slowly, looking up to find Klaus watching her carefully. "How about we just blame The Guild for my intrusion into upon fortress of solitude?"
Klaus relaxes, "I support blaming The Guild." He nudges her plate, brows lifting in expectation.
She rolls her eyes but dutifully picks up the other half of her sandwich and takes a bite.
There's so much more they need to cover; she should keep up her strength.
Caroline insists they head to the lab after her sandwich brunch. Klaus tries to argue, but if she refuses to keep slacking on her work. She's going to earn her place in sorcerer society, will finish her apprenticeship with distinction.
Though she might have a bit of an ulterior motive.
She's always been careful around Klaus. At The Academy she'd tried not to make it obvious that she was super into him, though she's sure that she'd failed miserably. She'd told herself that his feelings were nothing but friendship, that any hints that it might be more were just her overactive, starved for male contact, imagination. That night at the bonfire, she'd definitely let the cat out of the bag but, when presented with something she wanted so desperately, she hadn't been able to resist diving in. Since she'd arrived, she'd closed herself off because she hadn't wanted to open herself up to be hurt. There'd been cracks, widening as time marched on, but Caroline had done her best to patch them up as they appeared.
She isn't sure of all that much, but there's no real point in trying to hide her feelings, is there?
They're mated, bound by forces beyond their reach, but that's the big picture. Caroline wants to start working on the small stuff, the things she can control. They have to begin figuring out what their life together will look like, and she thinks the best way to do that is to start in the lab. They complement each other there, even when she'd been trying her hardest to treat him with nothing more than the politeness she owed due to his position as her assigned mentor.
She's banking the rapport they've developed while working together will ease the way.
Caroline spots the bag she's stuffed with ingredients sitting on her desk and decides to start there. Ingredient prep is just the sort of methodical activity that she needs, will allow her to think while her hands are busy.
Besides, she's pretty sure she's guessed the rest of Klaus' promises. He'd promised not to find her, said that he'd also promised something he would have done anyway. She thinks she's got that one too, but it's the final promise which seems to be the lynchpin, the thing that's preventing Klaus from offering significant information. She'd mulled it over while she ate, can't believe it has been staring her right in the face this whole time.
Honestly, it's so freaking obvious.
Caroline hums as she collects a few tools and sets up a cutting surface on her desk. She braids her hair, checking up on Klaus while she twists an elastic around the end. He hasn't made any move to set up, regarding her with some disbelief.
Oh well, if he doesn't want to work, that's his business. She reaches into the bag, comes out with a linen pouch that she'd stuffed with feverfew leaves. She dumps the leaves onto her board and begins stacking them, lining up the edges carefully. "You promised my grandmother that you wouldn't tell me anything that I hadn't already figured out myself, didn't you?"
She hears Klaus exhale with a rush, glances up to find he's staring right at her, brimming with relief and a considerable amount of pride. "About the mate bond," Caroline continues. "About your family, biological and otherwise. But also…" she picks up a knife, hunching down to keep her eyes on the board, "…about how you feel about me."
It's hard to say, feels a bit conceited.
"Correct on all counts. She didn't want me to be able to manipulate you."
Exactly as she'd thought. "Gran doesn't trust men much, charming one's least of all. You must have gotten grilled." Realizing what she's said, Caroline squeezes her eyes shut, peeking after a moment and growing exasperated to see Klaus has grown smug, "Don't you dare. You know you're attractive and appealing and…"
Ugh. Like that's going to deflate his giant freaking ego.
"Whatever," Caroline mutters, determined to move on. If Klaus knows what's good for him, he'll get with the program. "So I've got one and two. I think I have the third, too. Do you need some time to keep preening or…?"
"Please, go on."
"You promised you'd protect me." He's lived up to it, in a ton of little ways she hadn't even noted since the idea had started rolling around in her head. He's even still stubbornly stuck on trying to protect her from himself. "Kind of overkill, if you ask me. Everyone knows werewolves are protective."
At school, plenty of the smutty books the girls passed around covertly had involved werewolves and mates. Protectiveness was a prominent characteristic in werewolf characters. Caroline may have liked those stories the best and has to admit that little fact is hilarious now.
"You're correct, sweetheart. As I said, I'd have done that without your grandmother's magic forcing me to, but I cannot blame her for ensuring it."
It feels pretty damn good to be right. "Is the mark on your palm gone?"
Klaus lifts his hand, now bare of any trace of her grandmother's spell. Caroline sighs with relief, glad that they've removed at least one complication, even as a new worry nags at her.
She can ask all the questions she wants now – is she brave enough to ask the hard ones?
Caroline decides to lean into optimism. "Good. That should make things a little easier."
Hopefully, she hasn't jinxed herself.
Caroline likes sleeping. She's good at it, always has been. She'd never been the kid who called her mom to come pick her up early from a sleepover, she'd never had any trouble on the camping trips her dad loves. On planes, trains, cars – she'll conk out at the first opportunity. She gets real cranky when she consistently gets less then eight hours a night.
She hasn't managed a solid night of REM cycles in, for at least a week. There's been plenty of tossing and turning, some late-night wandering, that disaster on the full moon. She's exhausted and it's becoming a problem. Caroline kicks the covers off, slaps a pillow over her head, and groans with frustration.
She's like 90% sure there's an easy solution for this issue, that her restlessness can be chalked up to the existence of a mate, one who she's not close enough to. Several of the books had mentioned mated pairs will crave proximity, skin to skin contact. Physical intimacy.
And boatloads of sex.
If she could just muster up the courage to mosey on down to Klaus' room she'd probably be sleeping like a baby within a half hour. He wouldn't deny her request to sleep in his bed if she explained what was wrong. She could probably even weasel out of asking for the skin to skin contact and just blunder her way through some kind of horizontal yawn and stretch routine.
?Another concern keeps her stubbornly rooted to her bed. The worry that other urges should prove too overwhelming. The sexual ones.
The texts she's poured over have done their best to be delicate, using euphemisms and carefully scientific terms. They've still done an excellent job of conveying that extreme horniness was a pretty typical thing for mates, particularly early on, though apparently having a hyperactive sex drive never truly wanes for mates.
Caroline has noticed a definite uptick in her libido since she'd arrived for this leg of her apprenticeship. She hasn't thought much of it, has figured it was only natural. This placement is considerably less stressful than the others, she has more time and privacy. She's assumed that Klaus was a factor, in the sense that she's known the weight of his body on hers, his mouth on her skin, his fingers stroking her most sensitive parts. Brief and aborted that interlude might have been, Caroline's still able to close her eyes and recall it with perfect clarity.
She's been remembering it a whole lot lately, usually in the bath before bed, occasionally in the early morning, when she wakes from a pleasant dream and can't resist slipping her hand under her sleep bottoms to make it a good morning.
Frankly, she doesn't trust herself not to molest Klaus in his sleep.
She has a hunch that he wouldn't mind, but it's probably best to have a conversation about it first. The thought of starting that conversation, however, is freaking mortifying.
Caroline rolls over again, shivering when a breeze from the window whistles through the room, groping for a blanket to pull over her bare shoulders. She squints at the clock on the nightstand, groans again when she sees it's 4:10 AM, only about 14 minutes since the last time she'd looked at it.
Tomorrow. She'll suck it up and broach the subject. She's got at least a couple of hours to figure out a classy way to do it.
Even if it kills her.
She's surprised to see the light on in the library when she's dragging herself to the kitchen, intent on sucking down what will likely be the first of many cups of coffee. It's only a quarter to six; typically the people Klaus has hired to clean don't come until later in the morning. Caroline pauses in the doorway, spotting Klaus slumped in by the window. His eyes are closed, an elbow propped on the arm of the loveseat. His head rests heavily in his hand. With his face at rest, the dark circles under his eyes are prominent.
It hits her that she hasn't been the only one suffering sleepless nights, that Klaus may well be worse off. He's just hidden it well.
He's suffering; she's suffering. Needlessly. Caroline's going to put a stop to it.
She strides forward determinedly, and Klaus' eyes blink open, hazy with exhaustion. She faces him; her shin pressed to his thigh. Even that tiny bit of contact, with her skin shielded from his by layers of jeans and leggings, loosens the tension in her muscles. She holds her breath as she reaches for him, cupping his rough cheek and brushing her thumb gently under his eye.
It's a minuscule touch, but it manages to make her feel more alert.
Klaus' lips part, and his eyes flutter closed again, a soft hum rising from deep in his chest. "Good morning, Caroline." He makes no attempt to shy away, his thigh shifting minutely to solidify the contact.
"You haven't been sleeping," she says, and it's not a question.
"Not often," he admits.
"I can't either."
He looks at her, concerned but not especially surprised. "I'm sorry, love."
She shakes her head. Somehow, they keep acting like someone's at fault here instead of working together. "No, no more apologies. It's… biology. Magic. There's no blame. It just… is." Caroline realizes she's making zero sense, that she probably sounds like an old hippie who'd done too much acid in her youth. Klaus seems to understand though, she thinks that's all that matters.
His hand comes up to cover hers, pressing it to his face once more. "I know. I've had years to come to terms with this. You can take all the time you need." His head twists, brushing a kiss against her palm.
Caroline's breath catches, she shivers, and Klaus' eyes darken in reaction.
Yep, overwhelming horniness is totally a thing. She can't let it take over though.
Not yet.
"Why'd you leave that night? After we…"
She's glad Klaus doesn't need her to elaborate. He clears his throat. "Do you remember when I mentioned that I had believed that I didn't have to break my mother's curse, that my nature would prove stronger?"
Caroline nods. She'd added it to her mental lists of topics they'd have to circle back to.
"That was correct. Only it didn't happen in the manner that I had anticipated."
He's looking at her expectantly. Maybe it's the lack of sleep or the fact that her body is telling her that climbing into Klaus' lap is something she ought to be doing right now. Maybe she'd just used up all her sleuthing skills yesterday, but she's got nothing. "So what happened?"
"You happened. You broke my mother's curse that night."
"What?" Caroline exclaims, loud enough that she instinctively glances around to make sure she hadn't disturbed anyone else. "How could I possibly have done that?"
He pulls her hand down, clasping it between both of his, using light pressure to offer comfort. "I'm not 100% sure, if I'm honest. I wasn't thinking clearly, or processing much beyond what was happening between us. The sources I've read disagree about what it takes to solidify a mate bond. Some insist it's physical, others say it's mental."
"What does that mean?"
"Well, if we believe theory A, I'd guess the mate bond was triggered when you bit me."
Caroline feels her cheeks heat. She had done that, hadn't she? The noise he'd made is one of her favorite memories, something she returns to when she needs a final push to get off. He tugs her hands, pulling her attention back to him. "Don't be embarrassed. I liked it."
She swallows hard, "Noted," Caroline manages. She squirms slightly, wishes she'd worn something lighter because she's beginning to sweat in her chunky sweater. They're barely talking about sex, she shouldn't be this turned on.
Klaus' fingers tighten against hers, and when she glances down, she spies the tendons in his arms, pushing against his skin. She migrates closer, feels the deep inhale he takes. "If we believe the second theory," he says, and she's sure his voice has grown raspier, "Then the mate bond was sealed when you told me you wanted me to stay with you."
It's an interesting question, academically speaking. Caroline just doesn't have it in her to care much about which is correct. Theory A, theory B – it doesn't change where they are now. "That doesn't really answer my initial question."
"I left when I noticed I was stronger. That I felt… whole, in a way I never had before. I didn't understand why, in the moment, but I knew that something had unlocked the part of me I'd been denied, and it was very close to the full moon. I wasn't sure of my control."
"And you thought you'd hurt me," Caroline finishes, slightly exasperated. It makes an annoying amount of sense.
Klaus has the grace to appear contrite. "In hindsight, it would have been more gentlemanly to explain. It was too much all at once. The way that I desired you, it was incredibly difficult to control even when my mother's curse held. When I was freed, the want was consuming. I wanted… well, I wanted things one typically saves for later on in a relationship. Things that are probably best done for the first time in a more comfortable locale."
Oh, wondering what that means is going to haunt her.
Her mouth goes dry, and she has to look away from him. She takes a deep breath of her own, though it only serves to make her realize that her nipples have tightened, that the throbbing between her legs is getting harder to ignore. "I was going to suggest we go back to bed and nap, since we both clearly need it. But I don't think any napping would happen, do you?"
The noise Klaus makes is more pained than amused. "I don't know that I've ever been more awake."
She pulls her hands from his, digs her nails into her palms. She lets her head tip back and breathes in, holding it until her lungs burn, then exhaling noisily. She feels more clearheaded but doubts it'll last long.
The pull between them is just too strong. There's just one thing Caroline needs to know before she gives herself over to it.
"Did you like me?" she blurts out, eyes slamming shut. "When you figured it out, did you wish it was someone else, or that I was different? Less… I don't know. Mouthy and argumentative. Or maybe you like short brunettes or women who don't wear makeup or…"
She feels Klaus moving, turning until he's hovering over her, one knee on the cushion next to her. Caroline's eyes remain stubbornly closed. Klaus slides a hand around the back of her neck, his other grasping her wrist. He lays her palm flat against his heart. "Look at me," he urges, thumb stroking her racing pulse.
"I can't."
"Sweetheart," he coaxes, but Caroline shakes her head. He leans forward, soft lips brushing her clenched eyelids. "From that first moment you walked by me in the library, I knew it was you. There was a sea of girls there, remember? They faded away, and you became all that I was aware of. I was so vexed that you were the only one not looking at me."
A strangled laugh squeezes through her tightly pressed lips. "Conceited," she mutters.
She feels him smile, mouth lingering against her forehead. "And then, after our first conversation, all I could think was, 'How could I possibly be so lucky?'"
She reaches for him blindly, arching up and knotting greedy hands into his shirt. Klaus' head dips, his lips finding hers, the hand on her neck sliding to cradle the back of her head. He sinks into the kiss, swallowing her whimper, invading her mouth slowly, until she's twisting towards him, growing frustrated with how far away he still seems to be.
He holds her steady, maintains a whisper of distance. He takes a breath, hand flexing in her hair. "I want you," he tells her, steady and sure. "But I need to hear exactly what you want."
Caroline swallows, an audible gulp, reigning in the urge to be flippant. He can't possibly be laboring under the misapprehension that she doesn't want. She's near trembling with the fierceness of it, different from any desire she's ever felt before. This makes everything that's come before feel perfunctory and unimportant. Just bodies and friction, momentary and easily forgotten.
She's always thought of sex as something mindless, like a fun little vacation where she powered down her mind for a bit, then came back sharper, ready to tackle the next goal she'd decided to check of. It's never been consuming or necessary.
Klaus had said he's never been more awake, and that's part of it. Caroline's never felt more aware. She wants to savor every second.
"I want to know you," is what she finally says, "I want you to know me. I want to keep talking, I want to know your secrets. But we have time for that. Right now, I want to know how your hands feel on my body, what sounds you'll make when you're inside me, how…"
His mouth crashes into hers, and he wraps an arm around her hips, easily lifting and shifting her. When Caroline pulls back to suck in air, he's sprawled against the arm of the couch, and she's straddling his thighs. He rears up, mouth demanding on hers, dragging her down until her breasts press into his chest. She moans her approval, rubbing her tongue against his even as she wriggles to align his cock with the ache between her legs. He's hard behind his jeans, and Caroline grinds shamelessly, widening her thighs to improve the angle. Klaus tangles his hand in her hair, tugging gently to urge her to tip her head back. She lets out a sigh when his mouth latches on to her throat, rolling her hips even faster.
She's growing unbearably hot, her sweater chafing her skin. Caroline reaches down to find the hem, arms crossing to peel it off her body. Klaus groans, pained. She looks down to watch his hands splay over her stomach, breath hitching when his thumb teases her navel. His gaze is equally riveted, his eyes wide as his palms glide up, leaving her skin sensitized and trembling. He fills his palms with her breasts, fingertips tugging the cups of her bra down.
"Klaus," she chokes out when his teeth graze her nipple, hand flying out to steady herself on his shoulder. A deep tremor rocks her, starting at the base of her spine. She's a little scared of how much she's feeling, her nerves lighting up from even the smallest touches.
"I've got you," he murmurs. "Let me take care of you, hmm?" She feels his breath against her nipple first, then his lips wrap around the tip, wet and demanding. He applies suction, and she cries out, stomach clenching, the rocking of her hips growing frantic.
His hands have wrapped around her hips, helping her move. She needs more and she grasps his wrists, comfortable in making a demand. Shakily, Caroline drags his hand between them, pushing it lower. "I need you to touch me," she tells him, barely recognizing her own voice. She's hoarse, her breathing labored, and she moans brokenly when Klaus' response is to burrow his hand under her leggings. She tries to move, to give him more room, but the loveseat isn't really built for this, and her knee slips off the edge.
She yelps and loses her balance, falling heavily against him. Klaus' free arm glides up her back, cradling her closer. "Shhh," he murmurs. "You're alright, love. Take what you need."
She tucks her face into his throat, nuzzling his skin. "Please," she whimpers, wrapping her hand around his wrist. It flexes in her grasp, and she shudders when she feels two fingers part her folds, growing slick because of how wet she is.
He makes a rough noise and delves deeper, gliding down, easing just inside of her, then rising to press against her clit. She bears down against his hand, searching for friction. "Is this what you need?" he asks, fingertips rubbing over where she's most sensitive. He repeats what works, finding a motion that leaves her shaking. Caroline nods, closing her eyes and burrowing closer.
It's the start of what she needs, at least.
He turns his head, teeth sinking into her earlobe and tugging. "Will you come for me, Caroline? Just a small one, to start," he coaxes, the motions of his fingers speeding up. "To take the edge off. I owe you more, of course."
Caroline tries to argue because she doesn't want obligation, not with this. "You don't…" she loses the rest of her sentence when Klaus traps her clit between two fingers and squeezes gently. He shifts so he can suck a mark into her shoulder. "No arguments, love. It's selfishness if it's anything." He inhales deeply, "You smell incredible. I loathe that I've never tasted you."
Caroline's nails dig into his shoulders, so hard she won't be surprised if they've pierced the thin cotton of his shirt. Klaus jolts underneath her, forcing his hand tighter against her slickness. Caroline whimpers, inhibitions fraying. She rears up, and plants her foot on the floor for leverage, her hands pressing into his chest. "It's too much," she babbles. She stares down at him, dimly registering the flush on his cheeks, how messy his hair has grown from rubbing against the arm of the couch. His eyes are nearly black, focused on her, drinking in her reactions.
It's too much. She wants too much.
Caroline's head lolls back. "I'm too…" she forces his wrist down further, arching her back until his fingers begin to sink inside of her. "Yes," she hisses, as the ache inside abates, her body clenching down as Klaus' work-roughened fingertips drag over her inner walls.
"Poor love," he murmurs. "Have you been hurting? You need something inside you?"
She works herself against his hand, and Klaus catches the rhythm that she needs beautifully. His hand moves deliberately, his palm curling so the heel of his hand applies steady pressure to her clit. The delicious tension inside of her tightens, tightens and frays, her motions growing short and jerky as her breath comes out in pants. "Talk to me," she pleads.
A noise rumbles from deep in Klaus' chest, she can feel where she's has braced against his chest. His accent thickens as the words she's requested come rapidly. "You look incredible, feel incredible. So hot and perfect, wrapped around my fingers. Can you feel how wet you are, love? Dripping into my palm. I'll never be able to walk into this room again without remembering it. Shall I tell you what I have planned for you next?"
Caroline shivers, nodding enthusiastically.
"Why don't you play with your nipples for me, hmm? They're pretty, you know. Flushed and begging for some attention." His palm splays over her lower back, helping her balance, and Caroline's hands rise, covering her breasts, thumb and forefinger tugging, like Klaus has asked. It sends sharp jolts of pleasure shooting through her. She grows greedier, motions quickening, and high-pitched little noises spill from her lips.
She's going to come soon, knows it's not going to be small like Klaus had initially assumed.
"Perfect," Klaus rasps. Caroline peels her eyes open, head tipping forward. His gaze is on her chest, eyes narrowed, like he's filing away the exact sort of touch that she likes. His eyes flick up, catching her looking, and a slow smile crawls across his plush lips.
"That night in the woods," he says lowly, and Caroline watches avidly as his tongue glides over his reddened lower lip. "You taunted me with something, love. Do you remember?"
She doesn't have the focus to remember something she'd said yesterday, let alone years ago. She tries to reply, is grateful when Klaus correctly parses the garbled sound and continues his story. "I had an epiphany that first month. I caught you in here, perched on top of one of the ladders, hunched over a book."
Dimly, Caroline hopes it hadn't been in the very early days after she'd arrived – Klaus' library has rolling ladders built into the shelves, straight out of Beauty and The Beast, and she'd definitely had a great time whipping from one end of the room to the other on them at top speed, fulfilling her childhood dreams.
"Your skirt had ridden up. I was ever so tempted to creep closer and see if I could catch a glimpse of more than just your thighs but, alas, I am a gentleman." He punctuates the proclamation with a particularly rough thrust of his fingers, and Caroline cries out, her hands on her breasts growing frantic.
"You told me you fantasized about being taken against a wall. Over the years, while missing you, I thought I'd perfected a fantasy of my own. Couldn't believe I'd never realized a ladder has far more potential. After you come apart around my fingers, while you're still drowsing in the aftershocks, I'm going to carry you over to that ladder, perch you on a rung, and put my mouth on you."
She'd never considered it before, but the image floods her mind, possibilities and permutations unfurling in her imagination like a dirty, technicolor, flipbook. The first tendrils of her orgasm ripple over her, streaks of pleasure making her limbs weak.
Klaus has her though, the hand on her back urging her down, until the needy noises she can't seem to stop are pressed into his skin. He isn't done talking, either. "You'll come with my tongue buried in your heat, more than once because I'm a greedy man. Then we'll find a bed."
He manages to twist his hand until his thumb is tight to her clit, rolling over it, back and forth, each direct brush sending a new wave of shakes down her legs. She comes with a sharp cry, trembling as a cacophony of pleasure washes over her, thick and overwhelming, more sensation than she thought she was capable of handling.
Considering they've only just started, she's probably going to have to adjust her expectations.
Caroline doesn't fully register the process of relocating. She's aware of Klaus rising. Instinctively, she wraps her limbs around him to the best of her ability (which, considering she can't even feel her legs is probably not that helpful). He doesn't seem to need the assistance, however, and she never feels unsafe.
The ladders sit at a slight angle, the base about a foot away from the built-in shelves, the upper track sitting right against the top of them. She finds the position surprisingly enjoyable, particularly with Klaus' lean, warm frame against her.
His hands caress her arms, stretching them over her head. He curls his hands over hers, until she's gripping an upper rung, dropping a kiss against the crook of her neck. "Hold tight for me," he instructs. His lips tease the skin between her breasts, and she feels him tap against the back clasp of her bra. "Can I take this off?"
She has a perfect view of herself when she glances down. Her breasts spill out of her bra, and even though she's flushed from exertion and slightly shiny from sweat, the pink marks left behind from her own fingers dot her skin. Her legs are loosely wrapped around Klaus' hips, and he's still fully clothed, his shirt just slightly askew.
She feels not a hint of embarrassment, no urge to curl in or cover herself. Perhaps, after the best orgasm of one's life, they lose the ability to feel shame. Or maybe it's the way Klaus is looking at her. There's something close to reverence in his heated gaze, though Caroline's always associated that emotion with respectful distance. One doesn't usually touch the things one reveres, and Klaus looks like he's dying to continue exploring the curves and angles of her body, bare and splayed before him. Caroline arches her back, pretending she needs to adjust how she's situated. His hands, resting lightly on her hips, flex. It's a tiny hint at the strain he's under, that he's hidden with an admirably composed façade.
She wants to chip it away, piece by piece, until he craves a release he'll only find with her.
Caroline clears her throat, "Take off your shirt first."
One of his brows rises, but he obliges her, his hand reaching over his shoulder and yanking the shirt off by its collar. Caroline bites her lower lip as she drinks in the sight of him, of his pale skin stretched over lean muscle, skin she can't wait to explore again.
"You can take my bra off now." A smirk plays over Klaus' lips, and he smoothly opens the clasp. He drags it up, until Caroline has to release her grip on the ladder to allow him to toss it aside. She hesitates, caught between two warring urges. She could touch him, suspects there's not much she couldn't convince him of, if she were to sink his teeth into his skin, or if she promised prettily to be good later, if only he let her have her way now.
He's waiting for her to choose, patiently. She grips the rung he'd first directed her too, warmth flooding her as approval lightens Klaus' eyes. She relaxes against the ladder again, though she's not fully ready to let him run the show. "Now your belt."
That pulls a soft laugh from him, Caroline smiles in answer, tipping her head up to receive the kiss he brushes against her mouth.
It's brief, fleeting, and feels an awful lot like adoration.
She hears metal clink, then a woosh as he yanks the leather from his belt loops. The belt drops with a clatter, and then his hands cup her hips, thumbs tucking into the waistband of her leggings. "May I remove these, now?"
Caroline nods, letting her legs fall away from him, heels coming to rest on a low rung so she can help him work the clinging spandex off of her. He's managed to grasp her underwear too, when the hem of her leggings slips over her heels, she's fully naked.
And still, not a drop of self-consciousness troubles her. If anything, it only makes her feel powerful.
She narrows her eyes playfully. "You didn't ask about my underwear."
Klaus takes a step back, slowly popping the button of his pants, sliding the zipper down. Her toes curl, anticipation flooding her, but he stops too soon, moving until he's just a breath away, cutting off her view. "Tease," she accuses.
Klaus shrugs, unrepentant, hands once more spanning her hips. Caroline shivers as his thumbs trace the hollow under her hipbones. "I find the way you look at me maddening, and I can't have any distractions." He kisses her throat, takes a lush taste of her skin. "To fulfill my earlier promise, I'm going to need you to move up a bit, love."
They're more or less aligned now, his hips pressing lightly to hers. Caroline swallows hard, using her grip and the leverage from her foot to move up. Klaus' hands glide over her skin, and he makes no move to help. "Good," he praises, when she settles one rung higher. His mouth is now level with her breasts, and he takes advantage, holding her gaze as the flat of his tongue circles her nipple. "Another."
Caroline sucks in a breath and hesitates. Klaus waits, seemingly content coax her nipples into tight, throbbing knots. Her biceps tremble when she moves because she goes excruciatingly slowly, Klaus' mouth dragging down the length of her sternum as she lifts her body higher. He nips at the bottom of her rib cage, lips quick to sooth the sting. His eyes are challenging now, and Caroline knows what he wants – he'd painted a specific picture – but he's letting her choose it, making her admit that she wants it too.
She stretches her arms up first, wrapping each finger around the ladder, one by one. Her feet move next, thighs tensing as she finds purchase. She rises to the next rung, relying on the muscles in her legs because her arms have grown weak and shaky.
Klaus presses a kiss against her skin, just above her pubic bone. She hears the echo of the thanks he hasn't voiced when he turns his head, resting his forehead against her hip.
Klaus' hands turn intent, settling her thighs over his forearms. He grins at her when he leans in, tauntingly, in a manner that stokes the heat that's banked during this slow, challenging, lovely variety of foreplay. He grasps the sides of the ladder, hands climbing upwards. Each inch he gains lifts her thighs, pushing them wider. Soon Caroline feels cool air smooth over her slick folds, a shock against the heat that's built. He watches her face carefully, gauging her comfort, stopping just before he strains her considerable flexibility. His head dips, so close to where she's begun to burn, pauses. Caroline squirms when his harsh exhalation stimulates her clit. His eyes sharpen, "Tell me if you want me to stop, Caroline."
She shakes her head instantly. This is new, a little scary, but she likes it. She's fairly certain it won't take much more than a flick of his tongue to have her shattering again.
"I'm not just talking about now, love. If you ever don't like something, you can tell me."
"As long as you do the same," Caroline replies.
Klaus leans in, mouthing along the tense muscle of her inner thigh. "Agreed." He inches higher, licking away a smear of wetness left behind from their earlier play on the couch. He hums his pleasure at the taste. "Better than I thought possible."
Then his tongue is on her, his fingers parting her folds, and Caroline's abs clench down hard. Her breath comes hissing out through her clenched teeth. He's not easing her into it, eyes focused on her, direct and electric. Each swirl of his tongue on her clit makes her hips twitch, but her range of movement is limited because of how he has her pinned. There's nowhere for her to go, she sinks into the pleasure, breath growing heavy when the strokes of Klaus' tongue linger. Her lashes flutter, vision going white around the edges as Klaus presses harder, deeper, speeding up until Caroline comes with a scream.
She chokes when his lips latch onto her clit, applying harsh suction that somehow makes her hotter. Her spine arches away from the ladder, thighs quivering, and Klaus holds her steady, licking away the liquid that seeps from her entrance, making sounds that indicate he's finding some pleasure of his own in this.
Caroline collapses against the ladder, hands aching from how tightly her grip had gotten, trying to catch her breath. She's disoriented, rubs a trickle of sweat away, against her shoulder absently, shifting in Klaus' solid grip.
She stiffens when his tongue dips lower, flicking over her entrance, pushing past the clenching muscles. Belatedly, she remembers he'd promised she'd come more than once. "I can't," she slurs, head feeling heavy.
Klaus' voice washes over her, butter-smooth and coaxing. "I think you can." His thumb ghosts over her clit, "I think you'll like it."
She moans, resolve crumbling, heat building all over.
Klaus pauses, turns serious. "But, as always, if you want me to stop, I'll stop."
Her body's clearly on Klaus' side, her inner muscles fluttering, begging to be stroked and stretched. Her, Caroline groans, "You'll pay for this," but relents, relaxing into the ladder.
She's totally going to have to write some strongly worded letters to whatever old, prudish, scholars had written the books in Klaus' library. They hadn't even come close to preparing her for this.
Klaus' low chuckle tells her he's the furthest thing from threatened, only solidifying Caroline's resolve to exact revenge. One day, soon, she'll give him a taste of this, have him yearning and writhing under her, burning with need.
She'll just have to bide her time.
He treats her to a slower build, less frantic. Klaus has absorbed a wealth of knowledge very quickly, and he exploits it, using his lips, tongue, and teeth deftly. He changes his grip, shifting so he's still supporting her weight, but she's now got room to move against his mouth. He follows where she leads, speeding up when she rubs against him, backing off and softening his strokes when she retreats.
Her orgasm rolls over her, slow and just as satisfying as the frenetic chaos of the last one, leaving her languid and drowsy.
But not entirely satisfied.
Klaus eases her down the ladder, his hands gentle and soothing and his mouth skimming all the skin within it's reach. When she's more or less in her original position, Caroline turns her head, searching for his mouth, clumsy hands dropping to tug at his waistband. Klaus kisses her, sweet now, attempting to brush her hands away.
Which is absolutely unacceptable, in Caroline's opinion.
"I'm updating your agenda," she tells him firmly. He's trapped her hands, so she improvises, wincing slightly as her thighs twinge when she lifts her leg and hooks her toes into his jeans. "I want you inside me. Here, now. Then we're going to take that nap."
"Love," Klaus begins, and nope, she's not about to let him talk her out of something she wants. Caroline's capable of laser focus in pursuit of a goal, something that serves her well now. She brushes the back of her hand against Klaus' cock, still as hard as he'd been when she'd been in his lap, and stretching his boxer briefs. The sound he makes is strangled, though he swallows it quickly.
Caroline sighs, leaning in until her forehead rests against his. "I know you've built up this idea that you owe me. You never did, though. Let me make you feel good too, Klaus. That's what I want now."
He groans, something defeated in the sound. Caroline only has a second to feel smug before she yelps in shock when Klaus picks her up again, easing them both down to the floor. The rug beneath her back is thick, only slightly prickly, but Caroline forgets all about that when Klaus' body comes over hers. She threads her fingers into his hair, dragging his mouth to hers. She moans when she realizes he's somehow managed to strip away the rest of his clothing, hitching her thigh over his hip when his cock rubs against the slick, swollen seam of her.
One of his arms curls under her, supporting her head as he plunders her mouth again, tongue delving deep. Caroline slips her arms under his, crossing one over his shoulders, the other stroking over his lower back. Pressed this close together, she can feel him trembling faintly. She nips at his jaw, mouth teasing the skin just below his ear. "I want you," she tells him again, rolling her hips against his. He moves with her, until it's a dance rather than a clash, the thick length of his cock gliding through her folds. She sighs when she feels the tip of his cock catch at her entrance while Klaus shudders, a deep full-body motion. Caroline holds him tighter, curling around him as he eases inside of her. He goes slow, and she's glad because this feels like the kind of fairy tale magic she's never believed in.
To Caroline, magic is a discipline. Sorcerers are born with the spark but then they have to work. Magic has always been a craft she's worked at and grown proficient in. It's not nose wiggling or wand-waving, there's nothing instant or effortless about it. The magic she's learned to weild is never quite perfect.
This moment, Klaus inside her, his ragged breath in her ear, heart beating against hers, is something beyond even perfection.
How had she lived without it? feels like she belongs here, as close to Klaus as possible. She's never felt safer, or more free.
Then he moves, and her head drops back in a gasp, eyes widening. She'd expected to enjoy this, of course, had known that there was no way having Klaus inside her wouldn't feel good. She'd expected to gain satisfaction from getting Klaus to his release, to revel in his loss of control, to luxuriate in his closeness.
It's better than merely good, and her knee bends, thigh creeping higher on Klaus' side, as each of his thrusts manages to send new sparks shooting through her system. "Caroline," Klaus gasps out, reaching down to grip her upraised thigh.
He begins to move faster, roughly grinding her each time she's full of him. She gets closer and closer to her tipping point, muscles tightening in anticipation. Caroline's hands dig into Klaus' back, urging him to let go. She drags her mouth over his shoulder, searching blindly for the right spot.
He comes when her teeth sink in, hips rocking, hard and erratic, her name a guttural shout. The feel of him losing control sends Caroline sailing over the edge once more. She clings to him, his weight a comfort, as the world goes fuzzy.
Her last fleeting thought, before they slip into unconsciousness, is that she's glad they'd made it off the ladder.