Caroline suppressed a groan, feeling the start of a headache merrily pounding away behind her temples and brow. And she wondered what she had done in a past life to deserve this.
I've gone native, she thought wryly, amused despite herself, for she knew exactly what she had done in her past lives. And quite frankly she didn't think she deserved this dudebro lingering in her space, having been attempting to flirt and talk himself up (both badly) at the same time for what had to be almost 30 minutes now.
"-thought hippies were more wild," he sneered, apparently finally catching on that she hadn't been paying even a lick of attention.
Caroline blinked, honestly not sure what he was even talking about or if it was somehow supposed to be an insult. She barely refrained from rubbing her forehead as she started to respond, staring him dead in the eye so he could properly appreciate just how few fucks she gave about him.
"Look, I'm not sure what logic you're attempting here, but it sucks. First of all, farmers markets aren't just for hippies. They're a way for smaller producers to advertise and sell products, and they're good for the local community." She watched with rightful schadenfreude as his eyes started to glaze over. "Secondly, whether they do or do not attract a larger than average population of hippies has nothing to do with your success or rather lack thereof with getting a girl to hop on your tiny dick." Caroline let herself smirk as his jaw dropped in shock, an angry and embarrassed flush creeping up his face.
He spluttered, trying to defend himself, but she just talked over him. Karma, really. "Finally, those "wild, free-spirited hippies" or however you're stereotyping them probably have even less time for your bullshit. So, do yourself a favor and just go home before someone less tolerant than me decides to shut you up." She waved him off, turning to the next customer, "You have a nice day now."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the boy open and close his mouth like a dying fish, outraged but too dumbstruck to know how to react. The man she had shifted to greet apparently lost his own patience as he turned to face the boy.
"Off you go," he mocked.
And she rose an eyebrow at the docile obedience, sensing the light flare of power. A vampire? How interesting.
He pivoted back to face her with a charming grin to hide the hunting expression in his eyes.
"Quite the sharp tongue you have, love."
She wondered what he wanted, sensing he wasn't seeking something as basic as blood. Her pondering was expertly masked though as she simply raised an eyebrow in response.
"Hmm, and my tolerance has already been worn down, so please, buy something or leave." Her smile was bland, even as she watched barely concealed ire enter his eyes.
Klaus wasn't sure if he wanted to admire the young blonde's audacity or choke it out of her. It had certainly been a long time since someone dared speak to him with such dismissal.
She hardly knew his identity though and he'd rather she stayed precisely where she was. So, he turned up the charm, letting his smile deepen the dimples on his face. Cocked his head just so, to draw her eyes down the smooth lines of his neck and across the open collar of his Henley.
"Of course, sweetheart, I'm sure your time is valuable."
He was good.
The dimples, the accent, the seemingly innocent head tilt. Even his apparent polite concession after she had been more rude than not. Had she truly been just the 22 year old she appeared to be, he would have likely gotten her hook, line, and sinker.
Unfortunately for him, she wasn't.
Thus, her reaction was perfectly polite, but distant as she gestured with her arm toward her collection of binned produce. "Please, take your pick then."
Klaus made a show of rifling through the various baskets of fruits, subtly flirting all the while. He was both impressed and offended when she didn't respond at all, maintaining a polite façade, but no more.
Thanks to his minions he knew she was at least partially attracted to men, probably entirely based on her dating history, so it wasn't that. Not that he needed her to like him, but it would certainly make it less suspicious to linger. And considering everything that was at stake he was hardly going to leave such a task up to the help.
He decided to make a more blatant pass, peered up at her through his lashes, slightly bent over a crate of strawberries. Ensured his accent was a bit deeper when he spoke.
"Ah, apologies, I realize I haven't introduced myself. Please, call me Klaus. May I have the name of my lovely, sharp-tongued vendor?"
Internally, Caroline marveled at her luck. Realized he must have been what drew her soul to Mystic Falls. Not every life had dramatic purpose or whatever one wanted to call it, but it was rare she would appear somewhere so obscure without the hand of destiny being at work.
And now Klaus of The Sun and Moon Curse was at her metaphorical door. Well then, she might as well catch him off guard now, while the effort to mass compel people would hopefully be more work than he wanted to exert.
"Klaus," she repeated, rolling the syllables across her tongue, wondering how things were about to change. "If even half the rumors I've heard of you are true, I'm quite certain you already know it. After all someone like you wouldn't be lingering if not for a purpose, am I right?"
Klaus' expression instantly hardened, his mind racing at this unexpected reveal. None of the reports he had received indicated the girl was at all aware of the supernatural, let alone informed enough to have heard of him.
Of course, he knew about the so-called council, with their sworn duties to protect the town against vampires. But the good sheriff showed no indication she had ever told her daughter a thing. And the girl herself had seemed as ordinary as they come, a bit overachieving perhaps being on a startling number of committees, but normal. Too human even, seeing as she returned from college to take care of her sick mother.
"I must admit it's been a long time since someone surprised me, Caroline." As he spoke he let menace seep into his voice, hoping she wasn't going to make him chase her.
It would be troublesome to deal with the fallout of such a spectacle, but he would if she pushed him. This chance would not slip through his fingers.
Caroline's wariness spiked as she caught the look in his eyes. She'd have to be more careful. Whatever had brought him here must be more important than she thought, if it put such a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Well," she started carefully, "I have to admit to my own surprise. I wouldn't think a tiny town like this one would be of any interest to you."
He chuckled darkly. "Oh, you're quite correct about that, sweetheart. I could not care less about this place."
It was a warning and threat all rolled into one, daring her to test his resolve. Caroline wasn't particularly attached to this place, but she did love her mother. And she wasn't so cruel as to go out of her way to condemn the residents to be the gruesome aftermath of an immortal's rage.
She pursed her lips. "You've made your point, Klaus, I won't make a scene. Just tell me what your want. I'm not going to indulge in some kind of sick game with you."
"Good thing I'm not playing, sweetheart. Now, you'll make your excuses to leave, and then you'll come with me. If I catch even a hint of duplicity your mother will be the first to suffer my wrath." His smirk was a monstrous thing to behold. "Obey me and I'll permit you to visit her under my careful watch."
She already knew she would go with him, quite assured he'd carry through with his threats, though she was also quite confused. What use was she to him? Had he learned the truth of her, wanted to use her knowledge for something?
Caroline nodded to him, hurried to excuse herself from the market and felt his gaze burning a hole in her back as she did so. When she returned to his side, a warning hand settled on the small of her back. The two of them appearing as some happy couple rather than abductor and captive.
"What do you want from me, Klaus?" She whispered as he helped her into his car. The manners seeming ridiculous considering everything.
He didn't respond immediately, situating himself in the driver's seat and backing out of the space. He stayed silent as he drove and she figured he wasn't going to answer when he finally did.
"There's a rather pesky curse I want to break, love. Several years ago I thought my chances were ruined, but as it turns out," he glanced over at her a covetous expression on his face, "you're my missing piece."
Understanding flooded her. She had heard that The Sun and Moon Curse required a Doppelgänger, creatures born of Silas' and Amara's tampering. Her circumstances were different though, and never had she cursed her consistent appearance more. Not even when it had caused immense trouble during the times she had been born to parents that looked nothing like her.
See, despite the surface level similarities she was not a Doppelgänger. Her blood didn't carry the magic he needed.
Caroline suppressed a ragged sigh. She was going to have to be the one to inform him of his mistake. Not something she was looking forward to. What had she done to deserve this again?
She closed her eyes, deciding to wait until they were out of a multi-ton moving vehicle to be the barer of bad news. Still, what did a being such as her fear of death? Innumerable millennia and innumerable lives, even Klaus was nothing in the face of that.
The title today is Hindi/Sanskrit for "Unbroken Cycle." Admittedly it doesn't have much connection to India beyond the utilization of the ideas of reincarnation, which while not exclusive to Hinduism and Buddhism, are obviously very prevalent. Meanwhile the word Samsāra in and of itself is quite tied to the idea of reincarnation.
3/17/2020 Mini-sequel content below.
The drive didn't last very long, and considering this was Mystic Falls, that wasn't exactly a surprise. Their destination didn't come as much of a shock either. Klaus had taken them to a mansion, the same one the residents had been in a tizzy over. After all, who came to a small, middle-of-nowhere town and invested so much money in lavish real estate?
Well, the answer was clearly old vampires with more money than they knew what to do with. And probably liberal use of compulsion.
Caroline peered out the window as she took in the details of the architecture, the landscaping, the fountain. She could appreciate the aesthetic she supposed, but it seemed rather…excessive.
Her judgement of Klaus' renovation abilities was interrupted as the man himself suddenly appeared in her view, his hand reaching for the door handle and pulling it open. The offer of his arm would be polite in anyone else, if he wasn't also purposefully looming over her, his other hand braced on the car's roof.
Not a muscle on her face twitched, no matter that she had actually felt a flare of amusement at his sense of dramatics. When you lived as long as she did, well one had to get their kicks somewhere. Still she really didn't want to make trouble for her mother, so she took his arm without fanfare, let him guide her into his house.
Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.
"Oh, you retrieved her so quickly, Nik?"
Caroline jerked slightly, not having expected the new voice. Her eyes lifted to take in the mischievous looking brunet leaning against the railing of a frankly ostentatious staircase.
The isolated nature of this life's upbringing was suddenly rather regretful. Had she been living one of her more supernaturally connected lives, the news that Kol was awake would have surely reached her.
Though if he was up, what of the others?
"She's been remarkably accommodating." Klaus disrupted her thoughts once more as he peered at her through dark, suspicious eyes, an edge to his words.
Her graceful sidestep maneuvered her around him as she walked to examine a nearby vase, ignoring the snap of temper and incredulity she could feel behind her. Knowing it was his shock that let her get away with that.
Hm, the vase was a fake. A decent attempt at authenticity, but the techniques needed to craft it were a few centuries too late for it to have come from the era its style was imitating. She cocked her head as she traced a finger over the clay, speaking as she felt Klaus suddenly inches from her back.
"What do you know of the origin of Doppelgängers, Klaus?"
His laugh was short and sardonic. "What do you know of them, sweetheart?"
She turned slightly to peer over her shoulder at him, noting the mockery and disbelief in his eyes. Her gaze flicked over to Kol, who suddenly seemed to be regarding her quite seriously.
Well, it was good to know she could still predict some things.
"More than you. Or you wouldn't be so convinced I am one."
His eyebrows raised. "Oh? Enlighten me," he drawled.
"You were correct to think that more than one line of them exists. There are indeed two, one descending from the first Immortal (she internally rolled her eyes at such a title, please), a man known as Silas. The other is the one you hunted for centuries, women who mirror his love, Amara."
Caroline watched the minute flashes of emotion play across his face, a thousand years of masking expression no match for tens of thousands learning to read them. Amusement. Incredulity. Confusion. Shock. Anger.
She kept her body relaxed as he glowered at her from her newfound position pinned to the wall. Unsurprised by his volatile reaction.
"Silas is a myth. Though do tell me, love, how did you learn of all this?" His eyes were even more menacing than before, for all that his tone was unnervingly level. But Caroline was not easily rattled and just tugged pointedly on his wrist.
The pressure eased up enough to let her inhale, which she did. Calmly meeting his gaze.
"Silas is a myth as much as vampires, werewolves, and witches are myths, Klaus. After a thousand years I would have thought your philosophy a bit broader." The jab was unnecessary, her reckless tongue one of the few things Caroline never really managed to curb. And she hurried to continue before he could snap at her again. "As for how I know? It's the same reason you think I'm a Doppelgänger."