[~Save me From this Hell~]

Caroline was still flushed. She couldn't help it. She felt the tension rising inside her and she felt as if she had run a marathon. There was also a part of her that felt unsatisfied and needed release. She tried not to think of that. The way Klaus had almost taken her on the kitchen table was something that she wanted to forget.

She stared at the crystal glass in front of her. It was filled to the brim with Vodka. She had never liked Klaus' Whiskey taste after all, except from the times she tasted it in his kiss. Nope. She couldn't let her mind get there either.

Caroline eyed the Vodka drink but didn't dare reach for the glass. It was still too early in the day for her and she needed to keep her mind sharp. She felt as if she and Klaus in the same room were a disaster waiting to happen.

Obviously, Klaus didn't think that because he now looked collected and cold. He assessed her with inquisitive eyes as if she was a puzzle he had to solve.

He had taken her into his study and had left his men to clean the mess in the kitchen. Now he sat behind his desk on his leather chair looking regal like a king while she occupied the seat in front of the desk. Her chair didn't have armrests like his so she placed her hands on her lap and looked down at the new bruise on her wrist. Her knuckles were also swollen and red and she could feel that her lip, in the place it had bled by Klaus' kiss, throbbed too; her arms could very well be colored with new blue fingerprints in the place Klaus had grabbed her when she attacked him. She shuddered thinking how she looked now. Like a battered and abuse woman.

She glanced up and realized Klaus' nose, right cheekbone and jaw were also bruised.

She had never been so violent with anyone else before. While she was on the run she had considered taking defense lessons but she never stayed in a place long enough for her to actually go through with it and when she became a thing with Tyler she felt safe and protected enough.

The way she had acted today though? That couldn't be her. It was not just her though. It was the way both she and Klaus had acted.

What they had had turned in something so ugly. Rationally she understood the implications of a toxic relationship but at the same time, her mind and her heart were so confused.

Klaus, on the other hand, looked poised. He had leaned back against the back of his chair and watched intently now. Caroline didn't like his gaze. It felt cold and unapproachable. She assumed this was the reason why he had brought her here and put some distance between them. The desk was a barrier and this felt awfully impersonal.

She just wanted this to end. What was more left to say after all?

Klaus' fingers tapped the surface of his desk gaining her attention.

"There is no point in these petty fights," he commented and this time his voice held no resentment or emotion. He sounded clinical. "I have to admit this is a side of yours, quite fiery if I may add, I didn't expect to see from you but it gets us nowhere."

"Don't say that," Caroline muttered, not taking her eyes from him, "It felt really good punching you."

Klaus' lips curled to smile that made her spine lock. It looked cruel. The kind of smile he reserved for threats and enemies.

Maybe that is what they were now. Enemies. They had been lovers and now they were about to reach the other side of the coin.

"You won't raise a hand against me again sweetheart," Klaus drawled, "unless you want to find yourself in chains."

She swallowed. The way he looked her and the way he said that sounded kinky to her. She moved a bit on her seat before she straightened her back and glared at him.

"If it is a slave you want you chose the wrong girl."

Klaus' smile widened and made Caroline realize that she was now facing the crime lord. It chilled the blood in her veins. Why did she have to provoke him like this? What was wrong with her? Klaus Mikaelson killed people for a hobby and here she was taunting the monster thinking he would show her mercy. She should know better by now. Klaus Mikaelson had no mercy.

"I chose the right girl and no that's not what I want from you," he assured her but it didn't feel comforting at all, "I only want you to stop being difficult."

"I am being difficult?" she exclaimed, "You are being an asshole!"

"Language sweetheart."

A low growl escaped her lips and then she started gesturing angrily amusing Klaus which made her even angrier.

"I am not an object Klaus," she spat indignantly, "I don't run on batteries, I can't be stored away and you can't just expect to push a button for me to act and feel in the way you want!"

Klaus met her defiance with a cold smile and an even colder gaze.

"Do you need a reminder of the deal you made with me Caroline?"

Caroline pressed her lips.

"It's not a deal," she gritted out, "It's blackmail."

"Call it what you will but it changes nothing for you."

Caroline shook her head and averted her eyes. She hated him! Hated him with a passion! She truly wanted to make his life a living hell and if he insisted on this madness she would. If he insisted on keeping her here and treating her like this she would dedicate all her energy to make him regret it.

Klaus smirked. It was as if he could read her thoughts and his eyes shone.

"I have to say the idea of punishing you, even turning you into my slave holds a certain appeal," he purred and Caroline stared at him with wide eyes. She didn't know why she blushed but she swallowed down harshly trying to not let her mind wander to the gutter or let Klaus intimidate her.

Klaus' eyes slide up and down her body and she found herself breathless. It was as if something was looming around her deprive her of oxygen."

"However I recognize that impulse to be an irrational thing of my temper," he conceded, "a temper you provoked by leaving and now I have to somehow control. But as you are well aware my patience has its limits," he warned her but then his eyes softened infinitesimally, "what I truly want is for you to be safe, here with me. To stand by my side and accept your place in my life."

"Which is?"

He grinned at her.

"My Queen."

She couldn't help but scoff.

"Newsflash Klaus!" she blurted out, rolling her eyes, "no matter how much you like to pretend otherwise you are not a King."

"To the contrary," he contradicted, his expression both pleased and mysterious, "many things have changed in your absence."

Her eyebrow rose mockingly.

"You got yourself a throne and a crown?"

Klaus remained serious despite her sarcasm.

"And a Kingdom," he added and it was the way he said, the gravity by which he posed the statement that made Caroline almost believe him, "One I could lay at your feet or one you in which you will be subjugated in."

There was both temptation and threat interlaced in Klaus' words that came out menacing and soft.

"It will be your choice but until you choose you'll have to accept my rules or face my punishments."

Caroline couldn't help but glower at him but it seemed as if her hate didn't reach Klaus now. He seemed impervious to her anger. He had the air of a winner.

"I am an arrogant man, vengeful even," he admitted, "you know this, but I am willing to confess that I crave you. Your smile, your love, the way you used to look at me."

Her heart sped up, she couldn't help it. He made her feel hot and cold at once. There was danger and longing in his tongue.

"I am willing to wait for you to give me the things I crave but you'll still have to sate some desires of mine Caroline," he continued. It was as if he spoke of business only he wasn't negotiating. He was simply telling her what she had to do, "It is the price you'll have to pay for leaving me. Don't tell me you expected your transgression to be forgotten as if it never happened."

She took a deep breath trying to handle her emotions.

"I expected…" she paused and couldn't speak. Instead this time she reached for the glass and took a swig under Klaus' scrutiny.

What had she expected? Him to love her? To be faithful to her? To respect her? To give her a choice?

"I expect," she tried again thankful that her voice didn't shake, "to be free to make my own decisions. Even if it means leaving you," she said almost voicelessly and Klaus' gaze hardened.

"That's not going to happen," he snarled and then scolded his expression but to neutrality, "I can give you things your heart desires, things you have never even dreamed of but not this. I won't let you out of my sight and if teaching you is the only way for you to stay by my side then so be it."

Something coiled in her stomach.

"Teaching me what?"

"Obedience."

The word rolled effortlessly in Klaus' lips. It was unsettling but her stubbornness won out in the end.

"Good luck with that," she muttered.

Klaus smiled smugly.

"Luck will have nothing to do with it."

"So what?" she challenged him angrily," I do something you don't like and you'll hurt me?"

"Not you," he purred giving her a knowing look.

The message was clear and she gulped down harshly. She could tell he was being brutally honest. Acid churned at the back of her throat and the tendrils of fear spread throughout her body.

Klaus must have seen it because he looked satisfied. How could he claim he wanted her to be safe when he made her feel so unsafe?

"Besides you are in my domain now. Kick and scream all you want, throw your punches but I've got you where I want. I control everything when it comes to you, love. What you wear, what you eat, where you sleep, when and so on. That's just a fact now."

Caroline's breathing became erratic.

"Eventually I believe…I know," he corrected himself speaking in absolute confidence, "that things will be as they used to be between us again."

She stared at him incredulously but before she could retort Klaus held up his hand.

"But I am not irrational. I am willing to allow you some normalcy."

She grimaced bitterly.

"How nice of you."

"For example," he proposed, "I know how important this is for you so you can go see your father even now if you want."

She blinked and some hope bloomed inside her.

"I can?"

"On one condition."

Of course, there was a catch. There was always a catch with him.

She was afraid to even ask.

Klaus's gaze zeroed in at her and the air charged. Something twisted and shifted in his demeanor. It screamed danger.

"You tell me who helped you escape."

Caroline blanched.

Something that didn't go unnoticed by Klaus. She fisted her hands on her lap.

Cold beads of sweat rolled down against her back.

"It couldn't have been Mikael who helped you," Klaus surmised, "I already had my hooks in him back then. He couldn't have aided you. Not to mention I killed him shortly after you left."

Caroline stared at him with horror. It was one thing to imagine something like this and another to hear him admit it as if he spoke about the weather.

She could see the murderous glint in his eyes and the twisted satisfaction there. It combated every other emotion Klaus had ever shown to her and won.

Killing Mikael must have been the highlight of his life and he had no problem bragging about it.

Caroline looked away feeling a wave of sadness rising inside her. Mikael had been like a father figure for her. She had liked him but her relationship with Klaus had changed that. When she saw Klaus' scars and learned of all the abuse Mikael had inflicted on him she didn't think twice. She sided with Klaus. After that, she hadn't seen Mikael the same way again. She had chosen Klaus. She had put him first. She had resigned from the position of Mikael's personal assistant and moved in with Klaus that flaunted her as a trophy at every chance he got so to spite Mikael. And she had let him.

"Mikael rotted and you still managed to evade me for years. You couldn't have that done on your own. Who helped you run?" Klaus insisted and Caroline felt as if spiders started crawling over her body.

If she ever revealed the truth to Klaus he'd kill those who helped her. He'd made their deaths last. He'd torture and make an example out of them and he'd made her watch.

"Was it Elijah?" Klaus guessed but Caroline didn't speak.

Klaus felt his rage spiking again.

Elijah had sworn in his honor that he hadn't helped her ran away. Back then his brother had told him he didn't even know Caroline had even run and truth was that he had believed him. He had seen his worry and it had amplified in his mind the fear that Caroline was taken by their enemies. He had been terrified and Elijah seemed to share that agonizing worry. No one could pretend so realistically but Elijah was still a Mikaelson and their kin was a traitorous kind.

"Was. It. Elijah?"

Caroline shook her head, looking as if she was about to throw up.

"No."

"Who then?"

Caroline pursed her lips and then her eyes found his. Eyes filled with defiant intent.

"I did it myself."

Klaus laughed at this absurdity.

"You don't want to push me on this Caroline."

Once more she said nothing and he felt the itch to go kill something. Not her. Never her. But he wouldn't mind going to those that owed him money and tearing them in pieces. He would most likely do that today. It would be the only way to remain sane. He did it in the past but back then he had made sure to hide all the bloodstains from Caroline. He wouldn't bother with that anymore. She had to learn.

He stood up slowly and walked around his desk prowling closer at Caroline that stiffened at once.

He went behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders.

He hated the fear he felt in her but if that fear helped him find out who had helped her run then he would nurture it.

He leaned over until his lips caressed her ear. She shuddered.

"Well," he whispered tauntingly, "if you are so competent at hide and seek I should take precautions to ensure your talents won't get the better of me again."

Caroline tried to move away from him but his hand reached over her front and pressed against her stomach forcing her to remain seated. His other hand held the back of her neck while his lips descended to the throbbing vein of her throat. The one that showed him her fear and her lies. Her need and desire. He bit her gently there and hummed when shivers broke all over her body. She couldn't resist him now. Did she even realize she was leaning towards him?

"I wouldn't want you to pull another disappearance act on me again," he murmured and rested his chin against her shoulder, "and the only way to ensure you won't is to rein you in," he sighed and inhaled her tantalizing scent, "you are officially in lockdown love."

Caroline froze.

He gripped her chin and turned her face until she faced him.

"You won't leave this house unless you tell me who helped you ran. You can visit the garden if you want but better start getting comfortable with our room. You'll be spending a lot of time there."

Caroline struggled trying to get up but he didn't let her.

"Fuck you!" she spat at him and he smirked realizing he didn't mind that fiery side of hers at all after all.

"I'd rather if you fucked me," he taunted her, "Offering?"

Caroline tired herself trying to get up but he had wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her hands immobilized by their side and her body trapped in the chair. He still held her face with his other hand. She panted and her cheeks had the loveliest color now.

'Klaus…don't do this!"

He heard the pleading in her voice and it was almost his undoing but he had to learn the truth and he wouldn't rest until he did.

She should consider herself lucky that he hadn't chained her in the basement and sought his answers in another way.

He didn't want her broken though. He only wanted her to finally give in to him.

"Who helped you?" he repeated again and even he could hear the vehemence in his voice.

Caroline resumed her struggling again and he shook his head.

"So stubborn," he sighed and kissed her forehead. He then let her go but before he could walk away she reached for his arm surprising him.

He stared down at her imploring eyes.

"What about my father. I-"

"No contact either."

His cruelty brought tears in her eyes.

"You can't do that."

He braced himself against the back of her chair and bowed down until his face was an inch away from hers.

"You have no idea what I am capable of."

"I am starting to see that," she muttered giving him a disappointed look that cut him deep.

He withdrew from her, again turning to something cold and unapproachable.

"This conversation is over unless you give me the information I want," he declared and then gestured towards the balcony doors that led outside. "You can go get some fresh air in the garden now but Lucien will stay with you and if you cause any trouble he has orders to lock you in our room."

Caroline said nothing. She remained stoic and watched him as if he was the worst scum to have walked the earth.

She had never looked at him like that before. It did him more damage than he would have liked to admit and it made him angry.

He refrained from letting his emotions blind him. For her own good, he had to stay away. She brought guilt and pain and he was far beyond pretending that he didn't feel nor care. He had fooled himself in the past to believe that, and he still believed it when it came to others, but when it came to Caroline Forbes?

She had left him and he had felt everything. And now that he had her again he would never let her go and he wouldn't allow the feelings of guilt she provoked in him to get in the way of that. He was addicted to her. She was his poison and his oxygen. He couldn't breathe without her and he was willing to breathe her poison in because there was no life without it.

He licked the edge of his lip feeling the metallic taste of blood her blow had left in its wake.

No one had dared raise a hand against him but Mikael and he had killed him.

If only he could kill Caroline.

He would be spared by this hell. He wouldn't be this pathetic without her. But killing her? Wasting her light from this world? It was a sin that not even he could commit.

He knew it now. Anything would happen to her and he would follow her. He'd die first than having to live in a world with a grave in her name.

Caroline finally got up. Her legs shook.

"One more thing love," he added keeping his voice soft, seductive even, "Trying to ran, or hurting yourself in any way will only result in me taking out my wrath in those you love," he warned her seeing the color leaving her cheeks.

She tried to move back from him but he gripped her waist bringing her closer to him. She stumbled into his arms and he felt the shiver that passed from her skin straight through his touch.

"I could bring your father here you know," he pointed out igniting her horror. "Break him to pieces in front of you until you give me what I want but I'd rather we find a more civilized solution. I won't be patient forever, remember that. But for now, I'd hate to give you the excuse you need to pretend you hate me."

Caroline's face twisted in a repulsed grimace.

"You think this isn't enough for me to hate you?"

He gave her a knowing smile.

"Not yet sweetheart but if it comes down to it I am willing to cross that bridge and take you along with me for the ride" he whispered, leaning forward until his breath wafted in her ear, "if your hate is the only thing you can give me then I will take it."

She trembled as if she was standing inside an ice storm and he let her go.

He went and sat back into his chair behind the desk and excused her with a dismissive gesture of his hand.

Caroline stared at him for a long moment.

"This morning, in the shower," she sighed weakly, "you said you wanted me to be happy here… with you," she reminded him and he closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them up and forced himself to watch her coldly.

"I told you not to lie," she only said, the resigned tone of her voice impossible to miss.

Every muscle in his body tightened to a painful degree.

Caroline turned around and walked away.

He narrowed his eyes at her and almost called her name when she headed for the door. Only he didn't because he couldn't deal with her broken expression right now. For some reason, he couldn't bear it. He, the man that didn't fear facing the barrel of a gun couldn't help couldn't face Caroline's pain.

The pain he caused.

When Caroline was finally out of his study he cursed, his bruised jaw protesting in pain.

He reached for the drink she had left on the desk and swallowed it down in one go relishing in the burn he felt in his throat.

Fuck him if Caroline Forbes wasn't worse than a loaded gun.

Caroline locked herself inside the bedroom for the rest of the day and lost track of time. She hadn't bothered going downstairs to eat or consume anything Lucien brought for her despite him warning her that Klaus wouldn't like it if she starved herself.

Klaus hadn't come to her though and she preferred it that way. She didn't want to see him.

She moved her fingers slightly and winced. She almost broke her hand punching him but it was totally worth it. If it was up to her she would have done far more damage to him rather than simply hurting his ego.

She could tell he wouldn't let it go. He would keep pushing and pushing until he would find out who helped her escape and who kept helping her stay hidden in the last years. The idea that Klaus could hurt the people she loved filled her with undiluted terror and she promised herself that she would anything she could to protect those she loved. Even if it meant sacrificing herself to Klaus' monster because at this point she could see that what was left from Klaus was more of a monster than man. He had changed. He wasn't who she remembered. He was paranoid, unhinged, cruel.

Caroline kept staring at the ceiling. She had no intention of leaving this room or this bed for that matter. If Klaus wanted to turn this place into her prison then she would make it easy for him. She wouldn't pretend otherwise. Let him see what he was doing to her. Not that she expected him to care at this point.

With her teddy bear in her arms eventually, she felt her eyelids becoming heavy and she succumbed to sleep only to stir back to her dreaded reality by the sound of muffled voices.

Caroline slowly opened her eyes and colors blurred. She felt disoriented and soon realized it was almost night. She had slept for hours and now the sun was setting and a pale purplish glow cast shadows in the room.

She raised her head from the pillow and looked around. She was still alone in the room. She blinked, propped herself up on her elbow, and looked at the clock at the nightstand. It was almost time for dinner.

She blew away some unruly strands from her face and tried to sit up only to wince when she pressed her palms on the mattress.

She scowled at the pain that shot through her hand and brought back the memories of what happened today. She then realized that she would have to ice her wrist and her knuckles again. She hadn't spent even twenty-four hours back in Klaus' house and she already had a collection of bruises that hurt and throbbed. She flinched when she ran her tongue over her busted lip.

Her attention, however, was quickly pulled towards the doors of the bedroom.

People were arguing just outside the room and when she finally focused on the sounds she felt her heart skipping a beat.

"No, way," Caroline whispered feeling for a moment as if her mind was playing tricks on her.

Only she knew that voice that was becoming louder and louder by the moment. That throaty commandeering tone that either seduced or terrified.

"Let me make this very clear for you Lucien! You either move away from the door or you'll get pushed right through it. I have no problem getting to my cousin by giving you a taste of my Jimmy Choos as I walk all over you!"

Caroline's face lit up; she immediately leaped up from the bed and dashed towards the doors of the bedroom pulling them open so hard that even the hinges rattled.

"Katherine!"