Written for Klaroline Valentine's Day Bingo 2020 kcvalentinesbingo

Prompt: Pink cocktail dress

Author's note: This is the much-requested sequel to Chapter 92: Part 1 - Klaroline Fanfiction Week - Hands-Off Policy, found in my Klaroline series, A Beautiful Symmetry.

Also, to my wonderful guest reviewer Marcia – thanks for the lovely review you left me for Chapter 8. You can find the rest of this story that I turned into a multi-chap. It's posted on both FFnet and AO3 under the same title, A Simple Kind of Man.


Scaling the wall surrounding the property of the most dangerous man her boss knew shouldn't have been this easy. A single foot-lock hold and then Caroline effortlessly swung over the wrought iron lantern bolted near the top of a tall post. The guard yawning distractedly at the perimeter's edge put up a bit more of a fight than she was expecting, but finally went down. She could've sworn his eyes briefly flashed a bizarre gold, but it must've been a reflection from the security floodlights.

She crouched behind a pretentious sculpture of a wolf, impatiently stripping off her dark leggings and pullover. A quick pat-down ensured her butterfly knife was still hidden in her bra. Caroline wished she could've brought her usual tactical blade, but there was no way she could conceal it this time. Not with that hemline. She quickly rifled through the small bag she brought, shaking out her long blonde hair from its messy bun. She sucked in a breath as she pulled up the zipper on the pink cocktail dress, rolling her eyes in irritation. "Why do they make these things so uncomfortable," she muttered under her breath, cramming her toes into a pair of silver heels.

"Because fashion is a baffling cycle of shaming women for their sexuality while also exploiting it," purred Klaus' accented voice from behind her.

Fuck. How did he manage to do that? She was trained in stealth; to blend seamlessly into the shadows, but now she was gaping at him like an awkward teen at a homecoming dance. "I'm here to proposition you." Seriously?! She slammed her blue eyes shut, feeling her cheeks redden in humiliation. "I mean, uh, I have a proposition for you," she stuttered, not missing the way his gaze darkened at her words.

"In that ensemble, how could I refuse, love," he smirked, cocking his head to the side as he studied her closely. "I must admit, I'm impressed you were able to climb my security wall and subdue my guard while wearing that alluring little frock."

She rolled her eyes, pointing the toe of one shoe at the bag she'd hastily kicked behind the wolf statue's back paw. "Amateur," she scoffed, "this particular mission required a wardrobe change." She gave her hips a tiny wiggle, letting the flared pink skirt swirl around her thighs as she explained, "There's a party I need you to take me to and this will help me blend in."

Klaus seemed slightly dazed as he watched the short hemline flutter across her thighs, but finally shook his head to remark, "While I'm ecstatic to be your escort, sweetheart, you've soundly rejected my invitations for weeks. What's changed?"

Caroline recalled the ridiculously expensive platinum-dipped lilies that had appeared in her dressing room at Lost Maggie's after their first meeting. And then there were the exotic truffles. And then the front-row tickets to a sold-out concert that even Enzo's vast connections couldn't secure. All with invitations to join him for dinner. She'd refused them all — she knew the perils of getting involved with someone from Enzo's dangerous world. But the beautiful drawing of her twirling among the aerial silks almost made her cave.

"Enzo's been taken." She eyed him carefully, gauging his reaction. Her sources said he wasn't involved, and she desperately needed to believe that. Instinct told her that Klaus was a man she should fear. But she didn't. "He associates with a lot of dangerous people. And you're the most dangerous contact he has. You didn't take him, but you can help me find out who did."

She didn't bother trying to hide the urgency in her tone. She owed Enzo everything. "There's a party downtown tonight — some key underworld types and idiots who like to run their mouths will be there — we'll go, poke around a bit, and maybe overhear something useful."

Klaus' intense gaze softened, a hitch in his voice as he reached out to lightly trace the girlish script of the tattoo along her bicep, spelling out 'loyalty'. "Enzo is fortunate to count you as a friend. I'm most curious to learn what it takes to secure your loyalty, love."

Caroline couldn't fight the pleasurable warmth that washed over her. Perhaps when this was over, she'd show him.


Written for Klaroline Valentine's Day Bingo 2020 kcvalentinesbingo

Prompt: "We loved with a love that was more than love."

Author's note: This was inspired by an article I read here: .

She would forfeit her life if the church elders discovered her. But the dreams had gotten worse and Caroline could no longer deny her heritage. She carefully held the sharp blade as she carved the symbols deep into the limestone walls. Some crisscrossed over the faded marks of her ancestors, and she reached out with a trembling hand to touch them. To feel their protection.

Klaus had mocked her when she first started dreaming of him. He'd smirked at her crudely drawn boxes, mazes and diagonal lines, telling her, "Your etchings won't keep me trapped forever, love."

She snidely replied, "They've turned you away for centuries. Just as they'll continue to do so."

"But you don't wish to turn me away. Your heart whispers its secrets to mine."

Caroline let out an irritated sigh as she put the finishing touches on the apotropaic marks. Witch marks. Klaus was a nightmare made flesh, and he'd haunted her dreams for several years now, whispering vulgar promises that excited and terrified her in equal measure. "We loved with a love that was more than love. You will be mine again, Caroline."

He spoke with such conviction, a certainty in his dark eyes that she didn't understand. All she knew — all she needed to know — was that the limestone cavern was deeper than one could ever imagine, serving as a passageway for evil to reach her world. She marked the cave just as those before her, to keep the evil trapped. Klaus. An alluring man of pleasing form who tempted her in dreams, only for her to learn of his dual nature as a dark, fanged creature whose entry into her world would mean the end of humanity.

Suddenly, long shadows sought her out, and Caroline's heart began to race when she spied the church elders clutching torches, fury etched in every line of their faces. "Witch," they bellowed triumphantly, knocking away the blade and yanking her to her feet.

"No! You have to let me finish! I have to stop him from entering our world!"

As they dragged her from the cave, a cold certainty took hold as she knew Klaus would escape and come for her. She could feel the magic rising; a horrifying promise whispered along her bones. And then the world would suffer.