Chapter 22

Caroline was steered toward the back exit by Klaus and she barely remembered any of the journey there before she found herself before the door of her tiny flat.

Blinking, she glanced at the familiar door and the man before her.

"You know where I live."

"You'll find I know most things in this part of town. And I did come pick you up once." He pointed out.

Caroline felt like arguing that what building she lived in and which of the flat was hers was different but swallowed back the words. She knew she was just trying to distract herself by bickering from the fact that her and Klaus were alone before the door to her apartment and standing close enough to feel each other's warmth. Her mouth went dry. Klaus silently observed her as if looking to see if she would suddenly dissolve into hysteric. But strangely she felt calm wash over her as he observed her, maybe she truly was in shock and that was why the words coming out of her mouth next shocked both of them.

"Do you want to come in to wash up ?"

Caroline panicked a second that it might be taken in another meaning she intended so she hurriedly added, "I meant there's still blood on your face, and you might not want to go home and walk the streets like that."

"Thank you, that would be appreciated." Klaus politely returned.

Caroline opened her door, letting him in. It was the first time she had a guest here and she was a bit nervous, a lot of that nervousness due to it being Klaus Mikaelson of all people, a man that she shouldn't but was attracted to. But there was nothing of importance here or who could give her away in any case.

Klaus looked around the small flat in interest. On the left side of the door was a kitchenette with a stove who could warm the room on cold days, on the left was a door probably leading to a tiny bathroom, there was one window in the wall facing the door, a green plant on the window sill, a table with a couple of chairs occupied the space in the middle of the room while a bed was tucked against a wall nearly hidden behind the bathroom.

Caroline was already busying herself fetching water in a basin and a clean cloth. She lost her shoes the moment she'd entered her room, she didn't care Klaus was here, it was her flat she could do what she wanted. She put the basin on the table and motioned to Klaus for him to sit on a chair.

Complying he observed her as she began to soak the cloth, wringing out the excess water before in a stuttering movement, she gently began cleaning the blood from his face. She didn't look afraid, or disgusted. She truly was a mystery in Klaus eyes, the only other person he knew who'd never flinched cleaning blood off him was his older sister Freya. Sometimes the blood had been his, especially in their childhood under Mikael's care, sometimes it wasn't. And now it definitely was not his, she had even seen the way he got bloodied and killed another man, but she was still here, doing this for him. And he wanted her even more for it. That was dangerous, even as a voice whispered so in his head, he couldn't stop, couldn't leave.

"Are you really not going to get in trouble with the police for this ?" Caroline broke the silence, she needed something to distract her from the intimacy of the moment, and the question had been in her mind for a while.

"I was given full immunity over this whole affair. It'll be fine. Why are you worried for me ?" He seemed delighted at the thought.

Caroline didn't answer. She was relieved. Relieved that he wouldn't go to jail, what she was sent here to help doing, and she felt relieved when she knew he'd be okay. She'd also been terrified while he was fighting with Silas, not for her well-being, but for his. She was in too deep.

"Gloria was right. You not being hurt doesn't mean you're fine. So, are you alright Caroline ?" Klaus saw her lost in thought, frowned and asked.

She raised her eyes to his and saw the concern there. She didn't know if he was aware of it, but it made her eyes burn with unshed tears. She didn't want to lie to him anymore, but she couldn't say the truth.

"I just never saw anyone die before me, or indirectly because of me." She said which was true enough. She'd seen people already dead, and she'd been there when her mother breathed her last, but the violence of the deaths she'd witnessed now was different.

Klaus stayed silent, observing her for a bit.

"Why did you shoot ?" He'd told her she only needed to point the gun and he'd do the rest.

"Barmaids don't count, even pointing guns." She said with a bitter smile. "Even when I came out with the gun, they didn't even stop in their movements, they kept going for you... Barmaids don't count, and so I made myself count." She avoided his eyes, she'd now finish cleaning the blood from his face and took one of his hands to continue, focusing her eyes on her task.

"You always count Caroline. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Klaus said strangely vehemently.

Her heart stuttered at his words. Nobody had ever said that to her. Her parents had loved her very much, but she'd always come second to her dad's work, and although close to her mom, Liz Forbes had expected a lot from her only daughter, so much that she hadn't always felt she was good enough. Tyler had loved her, but had expected her to stay in line with his idea of the perfect girl and future Mrs Lockwood. And while Inspector Coleman had given her a purpose when she lost everything, he'd been dismissive of her at best, only valuable when she brought information. Sometimes she felt that she couldn't show the real her to anyone.

If they had met under different circumstances, would Klaus have loved her for who she really was, good and bad ? Would he now ? The idea that Klaus loved her was ridiculous at best, but a bigger and bigger part of her was desperately craving that. Hoping he'd fallen for her the same way she'd fallen for him. Because it was useless to deny it any longer, she was in love with Klaus. She'd only known him for less than three months, she shouldn't feel so much so quickly, more so because of who he was, she should hate him. But she didn't, she didn't care he'd just killed two men, she was just glad he wasn't hurt himself.

"I admit to being fascinated by you Caroline Forbes. For all you said you're a common story, I have a hard time believing so. You would have been the golden girl of your small town, the town pageant winner, but you left everything behind, alone with no family. I wondered what could have pushed a girl like you to seek a job as a barmaid in Chicago." Klaus found himself confessing.

Caroline heartbeat picked up. Did he try to investigate further ?

"And what are your conclusions ?" She found herself saying, half afraid, half curious.

"Although you should be a golden girl, but you don't flinch working at a place thriving on vices like the Mystic. So you're obviously not that innocent, maybe you got pregnant out of wedlock, got kicked out of the house by your parents and had an abortion before deciding to try your luck in the big city, that would certainly be a common story, happened to another of Gloria's waitresses if I'm remembering well, it was quite the gossip at the time." He finished in a conspiring way, maybe to lighten the mood if it turned out to be true.

Caroline snorted.

"Sorry to disappoint, it seems you're a bad guesser."

"Oh ? Care to enlighten me then ?" He asked seemingly casually.

"My dad died when I was younger, mom raised me alone most of my teens, but she got sick, lasted two years before she passed away as well about a year ago. And I never got pregnant, but the boy I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with was stupid enough to get himself killed and so I was left with nothing and no one to hold me back home beside the pitying looks of the town's folk." She didn't mind telling Klaus that, she'd shared a bit of her story with Bonnie and Matt too, and it was the truth, just she did not mention that her dad was a cop.

Klaus hummed and looked pensive.

"Why Chicago then ?"

"Why not ? I just brought the cheapest ticket that took me the farthest. I was just lucky to find work at Gloria's so soon, and here I am." Those were lies.

"And here you are. Lucky me." He repeated his gaze intense on her. It didn't make her uncomfortable, but she didn't dare look directly at him like she'd get burned if she did. But he didn't seem to mind her avoidance.

She'd finished cleaning both of his hands by now, and her own fell limp in her lap. Klaus took the cloth, a bit pinkish by now, and rinsed it again before bringing it to Caroline's hair, which he carefully begun to wash where he'd previously stained it with blood.

"I'm sorry about that." He said looking a bit contrite.

Caroline raised her head to look at him as he focused on her hair, and suddenly she wanted to laugh. Here she was with Klaus Mikaelson, Chicago big bad and her mission target, cleaning blood off each other, and having a bit of a heart to heart. This might be the most surreal situation she'd been in her entire life.

Hearing her laugh, Klaus was a bit surprised, but seeing her smile and the sparkle in her blue eyes, he smiled as well. He looked younger when he genuinely smiled, more mischievous, decided Caroline.

As their eyes locked, Klaus put back the cloth in the stained water basin, his eyes never leaving hers, making her breath heavier because he slowly leaned toward her before kissing her. She closed her eyes then and just let herself enjoy the moment. They kissed for a while unhurriedly, only heavy breaths heard in the small apartment.

Klaus stood up, pulling Caroline with him, before taking a step back observing her well kissed expression. His eyes darkening as he could barely suppress his desires to take her, especially as he saw the undisguised lust on her face. But he wanted her to say it, to fully agree that she wanted him as much.

"I told you once, it's your choice Caroline. If we do this, there's no going back. You're mine, but I can promise, I'll be yours too." His words made her shiver. She wanted it so badly.

She knew that was the moment, she needed to choose where her loyalties laid right now, like Klaus said there would be no going back. But hadn't she already known her answer earlier when she shot at the men trying to hurt Klaus ? She wanted him, she didn't want to be his enemy anymore.

She felt more free once her decision was made. She stopped thinking of anything else and leaned forward to capture Klaus lips and let herself drown in her emotions for him.

When he felt her decision, Klaus felt victorious. He wanted to take her right here and now on the table or the floor without waiting. But he wasn't an hormonal teenager anymore. And he intended to draw their pleasure as long as he could, several times, he would be sure to make it good for his little blond love.

Slowly he began to undress her while tasting her skin by kissing anywhere he could reach before going back to her lips. He felt like an addict unable to stop. Caroline wasn't shy, and stood passive as she helped divesting him of his clothes. But she felt the pace he'd set to be maddening as her skin heated under the caresses of his hands and the brushes of his kisses. She rubbed her tight together in want.

Standing before him in just her slip she was the most alluring creature he'd ever seen. Her expression told him she liked what she saw too, as she admired her work after she'd helped him get rid of the last piece of clothing covering his upper body. She bit her lip as a pretty blush spread from her cheeks and went all the way down to her cleavage. He couldn't resist taking another taste of her tempting mouth. And as their tongues meet in a sensual dance, Caroline small hands began to work on his belt. He admits he was surprised a bit at her boldness, most girls liked to play coy but not Caroline, of course she'd hinted she wasn't a virgin, which he had no problem with, he was man enough not to care if he wasn't her first as long as she was only his now.

He put his hands on Caroline tights and slowly let them travel up Caroline's body taking her slip with them, they stopped kissing long enough to slip it over her head. Then it was the turn of his pants. At that point, Caroline guided him back to her bed and once his legs hit the mattress he let himself sit on it as Caroline stood between his legs. He took care of her stocking being careful not to break them and she stepped out of them once they were at her ankles. Her breast bandeau was next and his eyes feasted on the view before indulging himself in the taste. Caroline swayed on her feet as she moaned, her hand going to Klaus hair while the other gripped his shoulder as if anchoring herself. He was now uncomfortably hard, but he still took his time exploring Caroline every inch of skin. Finally he freed her of her last underclothes and his hands slid over the curve of her backside, one slipped between her tights teasing and caressing in turn while the other had a strong grip on her tight, keeping her in place as she rocked on her heels at the pleasure Klaus was wrecking over her. Cheeks flushed, eyes closed, mouth opened in abandon, she still needed more.

"Klaus. Please." She begged.

He couldn't wait anymore either, she was dripping wet and his cock ached to be inside her. Releasing her, he quickly took off his own underwear, his erection proudly standing free for Caroline to see as she'd reopened her eyes, still heavy lidded with lust, she licked her lips and Klaus nearly came at her unconscious seductive action. Later, he promised himself as images of Caroline pretty lips around his cock flashed through his mind.

"Come." He hoarsely extended a hand to her.

She took it and understanding his intention straddled him as he sat. Pressing herself against him, she moaned as their cores rubbed against each other. She rose a bit and he guided her so her entrance was just above his hard cock, kept her in place to tease her a bit, and then she sank down swallowing his member and she shivered at the intrusion and pleasure it brought her. She heard Klaus cursing softly and she knew he was feeling the same. She arched back as his hand went to her breast, his lips to her throat and then he began to move and she moaned. She began to move in rhythm with him, their heavy breaths and pants entangling and filling the space around them. She found his lips, exchanging open mouthed kisses as she lost herself in the pleasure. Until her mind went blank with it and she was left breathing heavily her forehead against Klaus shoulder, both soaked with sweat as he exploded inside of her.

She didn't move, her heart still hammering against her ribcage. But she felt good in his arms and didn't want to move anyway. Hoped they'd stay like that longer. She didn't want Klaus to dress himself back up and leave yet.

However, she knew she'd thought too much when she felt him harden again inside her and her eyes widened.

"Again ?" She tilted her head to look at Klaus, in a strangely innocent gesture, her voice gravelly with sex. It went straight to Klaus cock and if her expression was any indication she'd felt it too.

Klaus grinned at her and then flipped them over, so her back was against the bed and he above her.

"Sweetheart, we've just begun." His voice contained dark promises, and then he leaned forward to capture her lips again.

Post and never look back...