Delicate strings of fairy lights illuminate the night, tangled around almost every tree outside of the manor. The hustle and bustle of the party still played on Caroline's ears, but the cool air calmed her lungs and soothed her hunger. It was quiet out with only a few smokers lingering by the doorway and too engrossed in their own conversations to bother with her.

She walked past them, heels clicking and catching on the rough paving as she put some distance between herself and the party. Curving around the side of the carriage and slowing to a stop by the side of a stallion, Caroline reached out a hand and stroked along the horses face, feeling the course, smooth hair underneath her fingertips.

"You like horses." He spoke from behind her.

While Caroline didn't visibly jump this time, she certainly hadn't heard his approach. She spun around, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders and was relieved to see that he was a few feet away. "I'm not talking to you until you tell me why you invited me here."

"I fancy you." Klaus replied with an impressive amount of nonchalance. She watched his lips pull up until dimples cut into his cheeks. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." She replied immediately, turning back to the horse to hide her blush.

"Why? You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light." Even from where he stood, Klaus could see the heat rising in her cheeks. He could feel her heart pounding through the mark on his arm just as clearly as he could hear his own. Speaking honestly never bothered Klaus, but it didn't come naturally to him anymore. He often found it to be the least direct route to fulfilling his ambitions. Yet watching his words soften her face, he felt as though he should be honest more often. "I enjoy you."

She considered his words for a moment, letting the stallion twist and press his head further into her hands. "Well I'm spoken for. By Tyler."

He could feel his wolf whining, but Klaus kept a straight face, turning his attention to his horse. "I thought you two ended things."

"Yeah, because of you and your freaky sire bond with him." The blonde snapped back, not bothering to hide the roll of her eyes.

"So you aren't spoken for." Klaus smirked, placating his wolf for now. He stepped closer and reached out to stroke at his horses nose. "You know, horses are the opposite of people. They're loyal. My father hunted me for a thousand years and the closest he ever came was the day he killed my favourite horse. He severed its head with a sword as a warning."

Caroline could smell him now, but only faintly as the rich smell of the horse danced between them. Even so, the faintness of him still made her teeth hurt and she struggled to keep her fangs tucked away. "Did you ever consider sitting down with your father and talking it out?" As a precautionary measure, she took a step back. Besides, she could see the stallion enjoying Klaus' scratching far more than hers.

"I'm afraid my relationship with my father was a bit more complex than yours."

"Maybe so. But I let my father go with no regrets. And to answer your question, yes I like horses." Being away from the horse only cleared her lungs for an inhale full of his scent, along with the lingering scent of the humans from inside. Caroline was losing it, and fast. Her fangs pressed right up against her gums and her throat burned, coming on so quickly it frightened her. "But I also like people and they actually like me, so I'll be inside." And with that, Caroline turned her back and began to walk back towards the party. Yet with every step as she tried to wrestle down her monster, it seemed to grow in strength until she was sure that the veins under her eyes were blackened.

In his chest Klaus could feel a very faint and very foreign discomfort tightening his lungs. He knew immediately that it wasn't his, because he'd been feeling little spurs all day - elation, confusion, nervousness, and now a strange brand of discomfort. "Caroline?" He called after her as she stopped walking. "I have a few other horses and a foal which would like a pet." Klaus could see her shawl-covered back and few very rouge blonde curls which were illuminated by the fairy lights behind him. "Come on." He coaxed, giving his stallion one last pat. "I'll even let you feed them."

Caroline didn't turn fully but instead twisted her head over her shoulder and looked down, trying her best to get herself under control. The burning in her throat was unlike anything she'd felt before. "Do you have…" She started, as Klaus stalked towards her. Reaching out tentatively, he caught her wrist and spun her around to face him. The electricity of his touch jolted through her, letting her shake away her monster for the time being. "I'm… uh-"

"Hungry?" Klaus suggested, intwining their hands and pulling her past the stallion and further into the garden. "Come."

As soon as they had stepped into the stable block, Caroline felt more in control. The strong scent of the beasts helped sooth her urges a little and when Klaus dropped her hand and left her to gaze into the pen they'd stopped at, she preoccupied herself with doting on the creatures inside.

"What are their names?" She asked softly, watching as the foal cuddled up to its mother. They were both lying down, but awake enough to glance in her direction. The foal was simply tiny, with spindly legs that looked far too long for its body.

Klaus reappeared quickly, unlocking the door for her before pushing it open and leaving the blonde once again. "The mother is Demeter." He called from around the corner, making some satisfying clinking sounds. "The foal is new, obviously. It doesn't have one yet."

Caroline tip-toed into the stall, gently kneeling down beside the mother and taking care not to let her dress touch the ground. The horse stared back at her, indifferent to her presence despite the vulnerable newborn. Well-handled, then. Careful to not make sudden movements, Caroline reached out an open hand to the mother and let the mare sniff at her.

"You can name it, if you like." This time Caroline definitely jumped, as Klaus appeared right next to her.

"Stop doing that." She hissed quietly, but gratefully took the glass he offered. It was dark and promising, but before she could take a sip she mumbled out an "and that's a stupid thing to say, I could call your baby Horsey McHorseface."

That made him chuckle. Caroline tried to ignore how satisfied it made her feel. She gulped at the blood, almost missing her mouth in her hunger. When she finally lowered the glass, it was empty.

"Refill?" Klaus murmured, gently stroking over the foal's face. Caroline hummed, passing her glass back to him. In exchange, Klaus opened his palm and handed her a collection of sugar cubes. "Here - for her." He nodded to the mare. "The foal is too young."

He stood up and left the stall once more, leaving Caroline to separate the sugar cubes and offer one on a flat palm. The horse sniffed once before nuzzling in and taking the treat graciously. "So who keeps blood in a stable?" She called.

"I keep it everywhere. I find it's best to keep it on hand." His voice called back.

Caroline settled herself, feeding the horse treats until her palms were empty. As the mare lost interest and laid her head back down to rest, Caroline sighed and stood, taking one step towards the doorframe before she realised that Klaus was leaning up against it. "You look like a princess." He said, holding out the refilled glass to her.

"I'm a monster in a ballgown." She replied, taking it from him and drinking quickly again.

Klaus eyed her, noticing how her veins didn't even appear when blood slipped down her throat. Admiring just how much control she had for a baby vampire. "You make a very pretty monster."

Caroline tilted her head to the side, only just recognising the ridiculousness of her attire for current activities. "What does that make you, then?"

Klaus moved, taking a step back to let her leave the stall and pinch the glass from out of her hands. "I'm the king, love." He smirked back. It felt good to have her like this, alone and too blood-high to be guarded around him. His wolf enjoyed her presence too, even if it yearned for so much more. He left her then, just long enough to place the glass in the sink as he realised that this was the closest to being agreeable that his wolf had been all day.

As he returned, kicking stray hay out of the path on route, Caroline was just locking up the stall. For the first time since she entered the party, she felt satiated. The mare glanced up once again as the lock slid into place and Klaus clicked his tongue at her in goodbye. "She's so beautiful." Caroline sighed, turning away and beginning the walk back to the manor with Klaus by her side. "Tell me about them."

Klaus laced his hands behind his back and watched the still shadows of the garden as they strolled through it. "Well, we have five horses. Three mares, one stallion, and the foal. We've had horses since before we were turned and we look after them, occasionally bringing another into the fold so they don't interbreed."

With that, a silence grew between them. "That's it?" Caroline asked.

"We co-exist. They are as much a part of the family as I am. Do you ride?"

Then Caroline felt a shift in her jaws, almost like she was hungry again. "When I was younger, not for a few years." She pulled the shawl around herself more tightly still, now approaching the human smokers loitering outside the party.

Klaus stopped her with a hand on the small of her back. "Come upstairs - I have something to show you."

Caroline glanced at him, but seeing no malicious intent in his features gave a quick nod. In truth, she was grateful for the excuse to avoid the mix of human scents which were causing a stir in her stomach even this far away. God Caroline, get it together.

Instead, Klaus steered her through the front door and up the stairs, somehow avoiding the stares and whispering of gossiping townsfolk. They reached an empty landing and then followed his lead down a long corridor and into a side room.

Stepping in, Caroline could still hear the faint music from downstairs. The room was all dark wood and gold finishes, with large sprawling canvases framed along the walls. "So." Caroline hummed, taking in her surroundings. That delicious spiced leather scent was becoming all too familiar, and in this room it was everywhere. It was intoxicating and caused her hair to stand on end. "What did you wanna show me?"

"One of my passions." Klaus spoke softly, not meeting her eyes as he guided her over to the largest canvas. It was a classical piece, old-looking and portrayed a huge black horse galloping through a woodland scene. It was by both scale and beauty, breathtaking.

"Wow." She gasped. Caroline was no art geek, but her interest had been dulled by an upbringing in state schools where classical art wasn't exactly cool. Still, she found herself wanting a closer look. "Impressive, I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain?"

Once again, Klaus chuckled next to her and let his hand fall away from her waist. His wolf growled at the loss of contact, but it was nothing too violent. After all, she was alone with him and his wolf could agree that that was a consolation. "Yeah well that's their mistake."

Caroline smiled a little, playing with her bracelet. "And what about this?" She held it out for him. "Where did you steal this from?"

He smirked at her acknowledgement, feeling his wolf's elation. Yes. Mine. Klaus took the opportunity to run a finger along the sparkling gems as his eye bore into hers. "Well that's a long story. But rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful at you."

Caroline shook her head softly and looked away, rolling her eyes and immediately feeling a stab of guilt for it. Her gaze fell to the table in front of her, where scraps of parchment and flat-pressed papers were strewn in the messiest of displays. She let her fingers dance along the edge of them, all expertly done in different mediums. Down in the right hand corner of each came the same artists mark. "Wait a second, did you do these?"

"Yeah." Klaus murmured. "Actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice." And then, "Have you been?"

The blonde sighed. "I've never really been anywhere."

"I'll take you." He said, turning to face her. "Wherever you want. Rome? Paris?" His heart fluttered at the smile which broke out on her face, wolf getting rowdy at the thought of them together for weeks and months. "Tokyo?"

She laughed a little, rolling her eyes again but this time in jest. "Wow. It must be really nice to just snap your fingers and get whatever you want."

Klaus grinned and shifted some of his art to make neater piles. "Not everything." He replied as he caught her eye.

Caroline paused, before his movements spurred a wave of his scent to drown her. Instantly her throat burned, vicious and unwavering. But he was looking at her with questioning eyes already, and so she croaked out the question she'd been meaning to ask since she walked in. "Why did you save me?"

"We've been over this. I fancy you."

"I don't believe you."

"But you will." He replied. The dimples on his cheeks tempted her as to touch, but instead Caroline just stood and tried to calm the fire in her throat.

"You know you sound a lot like a serial killer."

"I am a serial killer." Klaus laughed, stepping closer to her. He felt her discomfort along with… pain?

"Don't come any closer." Caroline spoke through gritted teeth, because even with a few feet of space between them her fangs threatened to drop. Through thin skin she could smell the blood in his veins, and it was unreal."So that's it? You like playing with people before you kill them?"

Still he took another step forwards. His wolf and his own consciousness urging him forwards. He could see it was affecting her in some way, but Klaus was in the habit to pushing things until they broke. He was sure of it now - she was definitely hurting. "I'm not playing with you."

"Yes you are!" Caroline almost shouted, stepping until her back hit the wall. "Can't you just tear my heart out and get it over with?"

"I don't intend to kill you, Caroline." Klaus shook his head, a little confused as to why she'd even think that was a possibility. "Besides, heart tearing is a bit messy for you."

No smile this time as the blonde was too busy trying not to breath. "Fine. So tell me, what could you possibly want with me? I can't get you Elena, I can't be a hybrid, I can't even bring Tyler back. I am useless to you." By now he was only a foot or so away, and her throat was positively on fire. Caroline rubbed over her face with soft palms. "What do you want with me?"

"Tyler has gone?" Klaus asked with a little too much interest. One of his hybrids running away. How interesting. An issue for the morning. "Oh, what a shame." He spoke, sounding anything but remorseful. His wolf was close now, right up against his skin and positively begging him to give over.

To placate the wolf or maybe just to push her buttons, Klaus placed both his hands on the wall behind her and boxed her in. "Well Caroline, I want to know you, take you to new places, maybe make you breakfast a few more times." He smiled, but the blonde just turned away and refused to meet his eyes. "But if it makes you feel better, I give you my word that I will keep you out of this doppelgänger business."

"Seriously, stop." Caroline spat, turning her head to the side but only being met with the delicious scent of his clothed wrist, the delicious memories of last night flooding back. She snapped her head back and stood up tall to meet his gaze. "You can't keep me out of it. You've tried to kill my friends. You literally killed Elena-"

"It's complicated, love." He interrupted. "But that's a bit of a falsehood. If I wanted any one of them dead, they would be. Last time I checked they were all enjoying the party downstairs."

"I just…" She struggled, breathing in nothing but him. Caroline squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to get it together. Still, the hunger cut through. "I don't get it."

"You have been treated very badly, Caroline. I'm not asking you to jump ship, or to forget about Tyler. All I'm asking is that you understand that I will not harm you." Klaus spoke, taking his opportunity to admire her up close. The curve of her lips as they parted under his words, the blush on her cheek which hadn't died down, even the lay of her eyelashes. He could feel her pain, and it did not sit well with him. "Do you understand that?" He whispered. The music from downstairs was winding down, still faint but far more relaxed now.

Klaus watched her, as she tightened her jaw but didn't reply. His hands came down to rest on the sides of her face, thumbs brushing over cheekbones. "Caroline." He murmured. Still, she resisted. Then a single vein on her face struck dark for just a second. It didn't go unnoticed. "You are hungry."

She whined, gripping into both his wrists and nodding. "Nothing will stop it." Caroline growled, throat raw. "I don't know what is happening to me."

He tilted her head back as she went pliant in his arms, looking over her as the logic ticked through his mind at a mile a minute. He had a witch on speed-dial, but she was always a last resort. "You've eaten today. More than once." Caroline whined a yes. She'd kept it down, too. And resisted all the humans downstairs. And even now, she made no effort to get to them. Klaus stumbled on a rough theory. "What are you hungry for, Caroline?"

But Caroline shook her head, pulling away from his touch feebly while gripping firmer still on his wrists.

Klaus grinned wide, wolf sharing his glee as they stepped closer until his front pressed up against hers. "It's me, isn't it? It's hybrid blood, love. Once you've had lobster, it's hard to go back to sardines."

She chortled, opening her eyes but starting determinedly at the ground. "That's an awful analogy."

"You're hungry, Caroline."

"It won't go away." She whispered, an almost iron grip on his wrists, keeping them as close to her nose as possible. Even his touch helped a little, cooling the skin underneath his fingertips.

"So ask." Klaus husked.

Caroline tried to laugh, but the stab in her throat quickly shut her up. "Ask if I can eat you?"

"It doesn't have to be me." Klaus said, though every fibre of his being said otherwise. "I don't know, maybe any hybrid would do. I'll find you a different one to sample, if you like."

The blonde shook her head, eyes shining as they met his. "I can't only drink hybrids for the rest of my life."

"No." Klaus agreed. He didn't know how to fix it, but that was a question for his witch. In the moment, he'd do just about anything to stop her - their - pain. "But when you have one who'll willingly accept your bite you shouldn't deny yourself."

Silently, Klaus pulled her out of the corner until the back of his thighs hit the table. Caroline stepped between them, gleaming eyes never leaving his. The pain in her throat was a killer now, and she doubted she could speak if she tried. Instead she let him lead her, trusting him wordlessly to fix it.

Klaus leaned up against the table until he was at her eye level, stroking his thumbs through the tears which spilled from them. "Come on. love." He murmured. "Show me your monster." Caroline resisted for just a moment, before letting her fangs drop. As Klaus ran his fingers over the dark veins under her eyes, she felt every ounce of restraint she had melt away against his skin.

"There she is." He whispered. "She's beautiful." Klaus ran a hand to the back of her head, pulling her in with ease and setting her head against his neck.

Caroline let her hands curve under his jacket, hands running around his sides as she inhaled strongly at his jugular. Her lips ghosted over his skin teasingly but before he could even get a word out, she bit.

By the time Caroline released her jaw, she was breathing just as heavily as he was. Her throat felt completely normal but she found it difficult to convince her feet to step out of his space. And so she watched as her bite wound knit itself together in record time, smoothing over until all that was left was clear, unblemished skin.

She pushed away slowly, testing how the power which flooded through her veins felt before directing her focus on his unmoving body.

Klaus' eyes were squeezed shut, jaw tight and fingers digging in to the table under his grip so hard that the wood was splintering.

"Are you okay?" Caroline murmured, stepping back a little further.

For a minute, neither of them moved, the faint string music interrupting as it trailed from downstairs. Then Klaus slackened his grip and opened his eyes. There were dark, far darker than Caroline was used to seeing, but with a distinctive golden glow. "I'm fine, love." He grumbled, looking anything but as he stood and moved around her. "It's getting late, I'll drive you home."

The drive was silent. Caroline had tried to look for Elena to say goodbye, but the brunette was no where to be found. She'd dropped her a text before following Klaus to the 4x4.

It wasn't until he had pulled up outside her house that he spoke. "Thank you for coming with me tonight."

Caroline sighed, glaring at the well-lit porch and inviting front door. Still he smelt delicious to her - far better than any human had ever smelled - but now she felt satiated and full. "What is happening to me?"

"I don't know, love. You're the first vampire to ever drink hybrid blood." Klaus watched as her bottom lip trembled while she avoided his gaze. The wolf in him wanted to touch and soothe, but his consciousness pressed it down once more. It had had more than enough control tonight. "Don't worry, Caroline. I give you my word that I won't let anything happen to you."

Softly, tiredly, she nodded. "What if you're all I can eat?" She whined, half joking but the tremble of her lip gave away her fear. It wouldn't be so bad in her mind - his blood was on another level - but what if she couldn't feed from him? What if he didn't let her? The memory of the intense bloodlust from just an hour ago made her wince.

"I won't be. I'll fix it. Just give me time." Klaus spoke measuredly, shutting off the engine. "Call me if you need me. The eight missed calls would imply that you found your way to my number."

Without looking, Caroline could hear the tiny smile in his voice. "It was five… Thank you for-" the pampering, the dress, the diamonds, the blood, saving my life. She settled on "everything."

In a flash, Klaus had made his way to her side of the car and opened the door, offering a hand down from the high vehicle. Caroline took it, given that her opposition to touching him fell away the minute she sunk her teeth in his neck.

Silently they walked up to the porch, stopping just before the front door.

"I have something for you." Klaus spoke softly, leaving a fair few feet between them.

The blonde shook her head, turning the key in the lock as she murmured back, "You've already given me a gift. More than one, actually."

"Well I aim to exceed expectations."

With the door open, Caroline turned back and took the object from his hands. It was a small, green-tinted glass bottle, without a label and very 'Alice in Wonderland.' "What is this?"

"My blood." He said bluntly. Clasping his hands behind his back. "I'm going out of town for a few days and I'd like to know that you won't die a slow and painful death in my absence. Just in case."

Caroline smiled softly at that, a little taken aback but smart enough to hide it. Interesting. "What if I need to eat?"

"You have my number. I won't be far - and this will take the edge off until I'm back. I have a feeling it won't be as bad when I'm away though." It was a theory, but from watching her tonight he thought it a sound one. One which would be tested, regardless.

"Thank you." The blonde said, before turning and walking through the front door.

"Be safe, Caroline." She heard him say but when she turned around he was gone.