Author's note: This is a sequel to Chapter 136: Part 6 - Klaroline Fall Bingo (Prompt: "Vampires do NOT sparkle.") It's the aftermath of Caroline learning that her 'Nick' was actually Klaus, the monster who planned to tear apart her town to break his curse. It seems Klaus' wooing will suffer a bit of a setback...

Warning: Some violence and mentions of Caroline's past abuse. Also, Klaroline sexytimes.


"Love hath made thee a tame snake."

As You Like It (Act 4, Scene 3)


One day later

It was absurd. Absurd. And Klaus refused to engage in this utter nonsense. It was regrettable, of course, that Caroline had to learn of his deceit in this manner — that her 'Nick' wasn't actually a charming college preparatory tutor with just two centuries spent as a vampire, but instead was Klaus, the Original Hybrid who'd brought a millennium of blood and war to her quaint little town. They'd been having a spirited discussion that somehow had led to Caroline all but mauling him in a most pleasant manner on her table. The little minx left him panting and slobbering like a green lad — and then she'd ripped off his shirt, discovering the birds and feather tattoo that unfortunately she'd known belonged to her enemy.

The aftermath had been quite...unpleasant.

Klaus had expected tears and recriminations, but when had Caroline ever behaved as he'd planned? Instead, she'd scorched the air with curses so inventive, he'd needed Google to make sense of it all. The fury in her frosty blue gaze had been most alarming, and he'd bid a hasty retreat out her door, fervently hoping none of his minions had witnessed his undignified exit.

But now it's the next day and therefore should've been sufficient time for Caroline to set aside her petty grievances and have a mature discussion. He'd even sent his jet to Lincolnshire to obtain a dozen of the rare fire-bloom sunflowers that he knew were Caroline's favorite. He stood on her porch, hand uncomfortably sweaty as he clutched the bouquet, shuffling his feet awkwardly. Ridiculous. You've brought countless kingdoms to ruin; cut bloody swaths across every continent. A simple conversation with a baby vampire of no import was a mild amusement. And nothing more.

He flinched when the door violently wrenched open.

Elizabeth Forbes was a formidable woman, and Klaus instantly saw where his impudent vampire got her fire. While it was still too soon for Klaus to make his presence known in Mystic Falls, it was clear the minions he'd sent ahead had caused enough of a stir that even the pitiful human council was on edge. "Caroline's gone," she said in a clipped tone, hard gaze flicking to the sunflowers before studying him suspiciously. Brazen human.

"I see." Nodding to himself, he fought valiantly to keep his tone light to hide his crushing disappointment. "Very well then, I'll just leave these and call upon her tomorrow."

The sheriff gave an undignified snort. "It'd be a waste of time. She took off after leaving me a rambling voicemail about needing some distance from her problems." Cocking her head, she added, "My daughter tells me less than nothing, but that doesn't mean I haven't figured out that you're obviously a problem. And clearly too old for her. So, I suggest you head back to your college and stay there, young man."

Klaus felt his lips twist at the woman's absurdity, but didn't bother to correct her more egregious misconceptions. "Thank you for your time, Sheriff Forbes," he told her with a courteous head nod, walking away swiftly as he did his best to ignore the pang of disappointment that settled in his heart. Caroline left. She left him without a word. No matter — clearly the young vampire needed a moment to calm down. Baby vampires — such a melodramatic lot. She'll be back soon.

After all, her mother and friends were here and Caroline had sworn to protect them from Klaus' nefarious plans. If only he had a mustache to twirl. With an irritated growl, Klaus realized these feelings were quite inconvenient. It was a mere fondness he felt for her, and was certain to fade just as quickly as it began. He barely recalled the smell of her perfume.


One week later

This temper tantrum of Caroline's was most vexing. Klaus managed to make it a week before he finally gave into his irrational curiosity and called her phone only to discover it had been disconnected. She was being quite childish about this matter and should've been flattered by his interest. And her damn perfume still haunted him. A hint of lemon and lavender, it cruelly mocked him, lingering on the clothes that he'd refused to have washed after their ill-fated tryst. They were a dirty secret hidden in the back of an antique wardrobe in which he tossed an accusing glare whenever he walked into his bedroom.

Obviously, Klaus could make a few casual, discreet inquiries into Caroline's whereabouts and would locate her immediately — if he desired. However, he was immeasurably busy preparing for his upcoming ritual to break his curse and certainly doesn't have time to be distracted by such flights of fancy. Truly, a baby vampire held no real interest for him and it's clear this silly fascination will pass quickly.


Two weeks later

Slowly bleeding out the vervain of the lesser Salvatore had been the only bright spot of Klaus' miserable two weeks. He'd finally...introduced himself to the village idiots of Mystic Falls, and in between the doppelganger's vapid prattle and the incompetent Salvatores' ill-conceived schemes, he very nearly had decapitated them all. Multiple times. And Caroline still hadn't returned. He'd used every connection and coven at his disposal and the little vampire was nowhere to be found. The fact that this small-town teenager had eluded even the most seasoned of trackers was impressive. And immeasurably bothersome.

But it was of no consequence; after all, he was far too consumed with pre-ritual preparations to care where the insufferable baby vampire had disappeared. And yet...

"Now, let's try this again, Damon," Klaus replied with a slick smile, "where is Caroline?"

Damon wearily lifted his head, oily clumps of hair sticking up wildly. "For the last time, Original Dick, I. Don't. Know. None of us know." At Klaus' growl of annoyance, Damon's dark eyes glittered maliciously as he scornfully revealed, "Because no one cared enough to ask. Caroline was a useless blonde twit who had to be compelled over and over before she was a remotely entertaining lay."

When the steel appeared in Klaus' eyes and his cold, calculating smile showed a hint of fang, that's when Damon abruptly stopped talking with an audible gulp, the stench of fear clinging to his sallow skin. The pieces finally fell into place — Caroline's deep-rooted fear of compulsion, the way she rigidly avoided saying Damon's name, and the subsequent resentment in her voice whenever she had to speak it.

Damon was the one who'd put those shadows in Caroline's eyes.

A violent storm descended on Klaus. Angry. Red. It shrieked through his bones and suddenly he was a shivering child feeling the cursed weight of Mikael's hands. Rage, rage, rage against those who would do harm to you and those you claim.

When Klaus came back to himself, his nails and fangs dripped with gore and the blood sat thick in his throat. He spat out the sour taste, finding the worthless vampire's blood just as repugnant as the rest of him. He sighed in aggravation, running sticky fingers through his sweat-soaked curls. Bollocks. He'd intended to use Damon as his vampire sacrifice during the ritual. As Klaus studied the smeared, messy remains, he flashed a grim smile. No matter — the doppelganger had an aunt with whom she was quite close...


One month later

Circumventing Elijah's clumsy attempts to thwart his plans had taken up far too much of his time. Frankly, without Caroline's clever color-coding system he'd often observed her using during their previous study sessions, Klaus wasn't entirely sure he would've kept his ritual on track. It was utter bollocks how the little blonde vampire had embedded herself into his very being. After centuries of careful planning, he was on the brink of triumph — his ritual ingredients were safely tucked away and soon he'd unlock his wolf — and yet his mind kept straying to bothersome thoughts of the elusive Caroline. How had this mere child avoided detection by his most prized witches and centuries'-old vampires?

Public school curriculum certainly had risen in Klaus' esteem.

Shaking his head with an aggravated growl, Klaus shoved aside those distracting thoughts and flashed to the doppelganger's house where he knew Katerina would be luring the doppelganger's aunt outside at any moment. The shock of what he saw on the doppelganger's porch caused him to stumble over his hiking boots mid-flash, and it only was through centuries of fine-tuned motor skills that he managed to avoid slamming face-first into one of the white columns.

Caroline sat on the porch swing, bright pink toenails lazily skimming the deck boards as she drifting back and forth. She quirked an eyebrow at his clumsiness, but wisely didn't comment.

She was here. Klaus did his best not to gape like a gormless nitwit, but her presence stunned him. He couldn't recall the last time he'd been taken by surprise. Was it any wonder he fancied her?

Never one to suffer an uncomfortable silence, Caroline blurted out, "You killed Damon."

He let out a bark of laughter. "Don't I get a thank you, love? And here I thought you'd been raised with proper manners."

There was a feral edge to her voice that made his own monster purr. "He wasn't yours to kill."

What a delightful surprise to find such a ferocious predator underneath those blonde curls. Lips twitching in amusement, he replied, "The lesser Salvatore and I had a conversation and I did not appreciate the finer points that he revealed. My apologies for not staying my hand in deference to the punishment you'd intended to inflict, but it was uncertain whether you'd return." Cocking his curly head, he wryly added, "I'm a rather impulsive creature, and while prematurely killing my intended vampire sacrifice was ill-timed, I always had a backup in place."

Caroline gave an unimpressed snort, never once pausing her carefree gliding on the swing. "You seriously were going to trust Katherine of all people to actually do your bidding? That backstabbing bitch was halfway to Jakarta when you texted." With a smug little grin, she told him, "By now, Aunt Jenna's somewhere even further away. You can't touch her."

Surely she was bluffing. Klaus stilled, listening intently for any movement inside and inwardly cursed himself for not questioning until now why the doppelganger's house was dark. Clever little vampire. Needing to save face, Klaus favored her with a knowing smile, and in his most patronizing tone he reminded her, "You forget, baby vampire, that your particular monster is shamefully easy to make. Hardly sporting to prey on some poor, unsuspecting human this late in the game, but I'll turn this entire bloody town into vampires if necessary."

As she bit her lip, Klaus had the oddest sensation that Caroline was moments away from bursting into gales of laughter. What a curious creature. "Yeah, well, I know for a fact werewolves aren't so easy to make." She had the audacity to wink at him as she confessed, "And I intercepted Tyler and Jules before they could cross the state line to come check on his mom. They put out the word to every pack within 500 miles of this place. In a couple more days, I'm pretty sure every wolf in the Northern Hemisphere will know to stay away."

Klaus felt his blood boil as her words hit home. Impudent little tart. How dare she —. He paused his internal rant as the calming warmth of inevitability settled over him. "These childish schemes of yours don't matter I still have my doppelganger, and in a month's time, easily will secure other vampire and werewolf sacrifices to break the curse."

This was merely a brief delay, barely a flicker in his vast, immortal existence. That Caroline thought she could outwit him was endearing. He'd bested the finest strategic minds of mortals and immortals alike and looked forward to properly...instructing her in how these intricate games were played.

But then a coy smile slid into place and he felt cold dread wash over him as she casually checked her phone before smugly announced, "About that — it looks like I've distracted you long enough now that Bonnie's put a permanent glamour on them both. She and Elena could be standing right in front of you and you'll never recognize them. So, it looks like you'll need to start researching those rumors I keep hearing about a completely separate line of doppelgangers."

His monster raged, black veins emerging as his fangs unsheathed. The Bennett witch was supposed to be dead — how did he overlook such an obvious ploy? Fists clenched, he stomped toward her, growling dangerously, "Impertinent baby vampire! You think to challenge me?! I've spent a millennium tearing apart this world to set my wolf free and these paltry obstacles you've tossed in my path will never stop me!"

"You selfish, psychotic asshat! You think sacrificing people is justified because you're on some centuries'-old quest to unlock your inner Pomeranian!"

Through the fiery haze of his fury, Klaus realized Caroline now stood before him, her jaw stubbornly clenched as she stared him down. He smelled the acrid stench of her fear and found it...troubling. She believed he was going to kill her. And yet she continued to glare at him, cursing him with the righteous vigor of a harpy. Brave little vampire.

When he crashed his lips to hers, it took them both by surprise, and they channeled their frustrations into a thoroughly decadent, filthy kiss. Caroline broke away with a gasp, mumbling against his lips, "For the record, I'm still mad at you." Ripping off his dark henley with a huff of annoyance, she hissed accusingly, "You pretended to be a college tutor."

With a possessive growl, Klaus captured her lips again, angrily reminding her, "You ran away from me." Tearing her ruffled blouse down the middle, he roughly cupped her bare breast, rumbling pleasurably at her gasp, "From this."

"And you tried to kill people I care about," she snarled, yanking off his belt with such violence the leather snapped in two.

Klaus trailed punishing kisses down the column of her throat, finally taking a nipple between his teeth as Caroline hissed and scratched at his back. "And you ruined my ritual," he grumbled, teasing the points of his fangs against her soft flesh.

"I let you keep your stupid moonstone," she snidely replied, breaking his zipper in her haste. Saucy little minx. The feel of her hand skimming across his sensitive flesh was a searing heat that left him a rumbling beast. More. Now. With a guttural roar, Klaus flipped Caroline onto the porch swing, up on her knees so he could rub his cock against the cleft of her ass. He flipped up the thin cotton of her skirt, fingers shoving aside the blue lace he found.

Caroline whined against teasing touch, gripping the back of the porch swing as she rocked with sensual movements. "Yes, fuck," she hissed, her excitement causing his cock to jump eagerly. His fingers continued their explorations, finding her slick and trembling and he delighted in the almost feral noises she made at the bold press of another digit. A few more pumps seemed to bring her to the brink of ecstasy and Klaus quickly lined up his aching cock, desperate for relief.

When Klaus sank into her, it was an explosion of white light behind his eyes as he took her hard and fast, adding his own grunts to her helpless sighs. She took him so well, her delectable little body tugging on his cock just right. Every ragged twitch and moan joined the squeaking of the porch swing, and Klaus dug his fingers into her hips, yanking Caroline back into his chest.

She gasped at the new sensation, chasing after his powerful thrusts with a single-minded determination that was classic Caroline. As she stiffened against him with a harsh shudder, Klaus helped her ride out her orgasm, feeling his own body tighten and spasm.

They collapsed onto the porch swing to catch their breath, and he tried to commit to memory the image of her marvelously disheveled body in the moonlight. She was a contradiction of carnality and innocence, and Klaus couldn't recall a time in recent memory that he'd felt this serene. Caroline once told him that vampires could sparkle on the inside; but now he could see that his stubborn, sexy vampire sparkled inside and out.

Reflecting on the ruins of his once carefully crafted ritual, Klaus knew he should be furious. Intimacy could be quite inconvenient. Instead, he merely grumbled good-naturedly as Caroline snuggled more closely into his side with a sleepy little sigh.