She could have only been asleep for a couple hours when she was jolted awake by a guttural roar that shook the entire mansion, causing her to roll out of bed, instinctively grabbing her short swords. Dressed only in microscopic boxer shorts, and a tank top, she probably looked ridiculous, but years of training helped get past her normal insecurities. She grew up on stories of her aunts being forced to fight their way out in the most compromising situations, in varying state of undress. Hunkering into a crouch preparing for an attack when another roar shook the room, even jolting Kat awake. "What the hell is that?" The Sorceress called groggily.
Shrugging, she carefully moved forward to the door, got to get to Bonnie. Despite their argument, she was still her best friend, and Caroline would protect her to her dying breath. She was about halfway to the door leading into the hallway when it flung open, bouncing off the wall from the impact. She did not move out of her fighting stance, even when she saw who was standing there. The hybrid was staggering, bracing himself against the door frame, his eyes glazed with clear pain and glowing brightly indicating that his wolf was in more control than the man. Elijah stood fretfully behind him, prepared to catch him if he fell. He glanced apologetically at Caroline, who ignored him, giving sole focus to the threat she perceived coming from the hybrid.
The hybrid glanced around, his eyes wild, searching for something. He seemed to have found it when his eyes landed on Caroline, his eye lit with rage and something else darker, something she was not quite ready to identify.
He charged towards her, ignoring her sword, ready to impale him. He looked better than when she'd last seen him, flush in the cheeks and having filled out his gaunt form, she was willing to admit that the Hybrid was devastatingly gorgeous. However, years of training had taught Caroline that the face of an angel could hide the soul of a demon. Keeping one sword in front of her and the other higher in the back she was prepared to attack any threat, and with one look she knew she faced a threat.
She didn't wait for him to finish charging for her, she attacked. Lunging forward, slicing up and right, she caught him momentarily off guard, but he recovered quickly, too quickly. Swaying before her in pain, his eyes sparkling with amusement and something like pride. He threw his arm up, stopping her second sword from chopping his head off, and causing it to embed itself in the bone of his forearm, Caroline's eyes widened. Her sword was mystical; it should have at least chopped his hand off.
Yanking her short sword out of her other hand while emotionlessly pulling the second out of his arm. He glanced down at his arm impassively, as if the gash wasn't seeping blood and the skin from his inner arm wasn't hanging off limply. He only had eyes for her.
The hazel eyes constantly flickered to his hybrid ones, the predatory ice blue glowing, his iris's circled with blood red, and she backed up in slight hesitation. She'd never faced this brand of hybrid, her aunts had never even thought to train her on their species, they were so few left after Mikael took the throne, the few that remained were targeting Mikael's forces. Since there only focus was Mikael, she'd never been pitted against them, she was out of her depth. When he kept charging at her, his eyes no longer flickering, and the horrid image of a monster dominating his stature. She closed her eyes.
Yeah, she wasn't proud of it. But she closed her eyes, like a coward, waiting for death to strike with its lethal claws. She'd attacked the unstable hybrid, she'd provoked him, what did she expect?
One second. She felt warm, feral breaths on her cheek. Five seconds. She heard his animalistic nose sniffing at her. Ten seconds. He traced his long black claw across her collarbone, not even breaking the skin. It wasn't until she heard what sounded like a grunt of approval did she open them.
He was completely human in front of her, maybe an inch away from her face, and he was smirking at her. His hazel eyes twinkling, as if he enjoyed seeing her fear. And wouldn't you know it? That pissed her off.
With a harsh shove, managing to force him to stumble a few steps back, she darted around the room collecting her fallen short swords and heading around the hybrid towards the door. Kat silently moved to join her, standing behind her in support. Never taking her eyes off the hybrid she said in a low, even tone, to the two other Mikaelsons now standing in the room. "If you cannot manage to control your brother, and keep him away from me, you will all wake up missing your heads, is that understood?"
Elijah and Finn nodded, knowing that one should never underestimate a threat issued by a Valkyrie. Their war-mongering species did not make idle threats. Both glanced wearily at their brother, who'd yet to take his eyes off her. She cautiously began to retreat into the hall, Kat at her heels, when she heard him speak for the first time, his accented voice making her shiver involuntarily. "And where do you think you're going, little one?"
She froze, she hated being called little, hated it. Valkyries were small, and fey looking, most of her aunts not breaching 5'6", many thought them docile. The day you assumed their stature limited them in any way was the day you woke up without a head. A mistake she enjoyed brutally correcting. She was sorely tempted to go in and chop off something the son of a bitch might really miss but she managed to say, somewhat, calmly, "Anywhere that you aren't."
The hybrid came into the hallway, facing off with her. His two brothers, wincing as they reluctantly came to stand behind him. She understood the bond of family and all, but seriously? Grow some balls.
The hybrid chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating off the walls, crawling over Caroline's skin. She was sure he laughed like that when he peeled skin from the bones of his prisoners. He smiled wolfishly down at her, "I believe you are mistaken, little one" nails on a chalkboard, "you are to never leave my side again."
She heard doors open down the hall, Bonnie, Kol, Stefan and Rebekah's head sticking out. Great, now she had witnesses. "That's where you're mistaken, dog, I'm with you leeches until I drop you off in New Orleans. Then I will never have to see you again."
The note of finality in her voice flooded him with anger, "Do you truly believe I would let you go anywhere?" His eyes were flickering again. Elijah attempted to lay a calming and restraining hand on his shoulder, but Niklaus shrugged it off aggressively.
Caroline stepped forward standing toe to toe with him now, glaring up and raising her voice to match his, "Do you really think you have any say in the matter? I will come and go as I please." His eyes flashed with surprise at her willingness to confront him, before his eyes resumed their silent taunting.
He'd somehow managed to grab her wrist in a punishing grip and yanked her against him. "No, your comings and goings, are mine to dictate. You. Are. Mine!"
Caroline was so stunned by his words, that she didn't even fight as he brought his lips down to hers. Ah gods, the man could kiss. She forgot who she was and why she should hate the monster kissing her, so for a second she kissed him back. He growled his pleasure at her submission, yanking her closer to his hard body. His body radiating heat and Caroline could feel the strength hiding in his body. She was lost, the only thing that shook her from her reverie was when her tongue, which was playing an intricate game with his, snagged on an enlarged canine, drawing blood, only then did she remember.
Flinching back, barely managing to pull out of his arms, he was that strong. Stumbling towards Bonnie, who had come from behind to stand next to Kat. She rubbed the back of her hand across her mouth, trying to remove any trace of him. Niklaus lunged after her, but too late, Bonnie threw her hand up defensively, and he slammed into the mystical shield that Bonnie was now projecting. He roared, outraged, and it took all three of his brothers to stop him from beating his hands bloody against the impregnable magik.
He could still see them, glaring in impotent rage at his mate being so close, but being unable to reach her, "Make no mistake, Valkyrie! I will find you and you will be mine!" It was Kol, who finally came up and snapped his brother's neck from behind. Niklaus dropped with a thud to the floor and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Niklaus woke slowly, and he was instantly enraged at his immediate situation. He was somewhere on the lower floor of the plantation, with Kol sitting in a chair next to his bed, sucking on a blood bag. This was not what enraged him. It was the four chains that now held him trapped to the bed. With a brutal yank that should have ripped the chain from the wall, there was no give. Little, bloody witch!
He looked at Kol through slitted eyes, his frustration transferring to his younger brother quickly. "And where were you when that witch bitch was chaining me to the wall?"
Kol's eyes lit at the insult towards Bonnie, shocking Niklaus to his core. His brother never got angry, he viewed everything as brutal, bloody game, so the fact that he didn't like the way Nik was talking about the witch, was a huge sign. Softer this time, he asked, "Your Bride?"
Kol nodded solemnly looking at the ceiling. "They all are. It seems Nucking Futs Nïx has done it again."
Another yank of the chain, Niklaus was nothing if not persistent. "What do you mean 'they all are?'"
Kol leaned forward, rolling his eyes at Nik's continued attempts. "They're mystically protected by one of the most powerful witches to ever live, I hate to say this but you're not going anywhere, brother." Kol was enjoying seeing his vaunted brother powerless before him, it was an extremely rare occurrence.
When Klaus settled back into the pillows with one final tug, Kol explained, "Apparently, around every Accession, Nïx shoves some of the most unlikely pairings together, and they end up together, be it Brides or mates, and perform extraordinary feats. Apparently, the leader of Bonnie's Coven, a young girl by the name of Mariketa, is married to no other than Bowen the Bitter, and together they killed Häxa." Häxa, once known as the Queen of False Faces, was a former wiccan deity, and if Nïx could conspire to defeat her, there were no limits on her power.
Klaus couldn't help his eyes widening in disbelief, Bowen married to a witch? The vaunted Wiccan deity dead? But Kol continued, "So according to Caroline, her aunt has become renowned this accession, and she's done the same with us."
Klaus gestured regally for his brother to continue despite the chains around his wrists, "Do you remember the Ripper of Monterey? That Stefan Salvatore bloke? Well he happens to be our sister's Groom. I've been keeping an eye on them, but to my utter regret it seems our vicious sister has become tamed by him. Elijah, blooded by none other than Katerina Petrova, the Queen of Illusions, herself. She's been leading him on a merry chase, and if I was anyone but his brother I would say it has been quite entertaining to watch. You should see it Nik, our staid brother appears to be coming apart at the seams." Kol chuckled in dark merriment.
Niklaus couldn't help himself, he asked, "And you?" His untamable, unpredictable brother already appeared changed by just the mere appearance of his Bride.
Kol swallowed his laugh at Elijah, beginning more solemnly, "I don't know how it is for hybrids Nik, but when I first felt my heart beat in my chest at the sight of Bonnie, I can't explain it. It was like everything had been scattered around me for my entire life, haphazardly laid out, but in a single instant, everything centered perfectly around her. Like the pieces needed her to be whole."
He sighed again looking at the door, obviously longing for his little witch, Nik felt a slight tug on his heart, so he asked a question he never would have asked before, "Then why is she not with you?"
Kol centered again on his imprisoned brother, "The Valkyrie, who happens to be her best friend, severely disapproves of us, and Bonnie's been told her whole life that we are nothing but leeches that prey on the innocent."
Niklaus settled his hands on his stomach, his thoughts going to the fierce Valkyrie. Kol read his face easily and smirked, "Her name's Caroline by the way."
Klaus couldn't help himself he murmured, "Caroline…" He rolled the name across his tongue, savoring it.
Elijah was coming through the door when he heard Klaus mutter the Valkyrie's name, he sighed deeply. "I've just come from her, I barely managed to convince her to stay at the plantation. On the single condition that Nik keeps his hands to himself, or 'he'll find himself missing them.'"
Kol nodded, wordlessly thankful that the Valkyrie had decided to stay, but it was Klaus they had to truly worry about.
"Now do tell me dear brothers, since when did I take orders from anyone?" Klaus's statement was slightly ridiculous considering that he was currently chained to the wall.
Elijah came to sit on the opposite side of the bed, his eyes surprisingly pleading, "Listen to me Niklaus, that Valkyrie upstairs saved our lives, she led them to where they were testing on us, she got us out and brought us here. We owe her."
Kol nodded eagerly in agreement, but their true motive was so transparent, Klaus laughed, "And if she leaves, both of your Brides go with her."
Elijah winced at the thought, he had a terrible feeling that if Katerina left, he would never see her again. Kol felt a similar foreboding about Bonnie leaving, if she were to be ensconced in her coven, she could be talked out of giving him a chance and lose any headway he could have made with her. Elijah looked away, unable to admit the truth to Niklaus, but Kol nodded, and he whispered, shocking everyone in the room, "Please, Nik."
Fine, he'd control himself, for now. He rolled his eyes at his brothers but sighed in defeat temporarily. But when they returned him to his throne, the Valkyrie would be his.
Katerina wandered around the plantation house, unable to return to sleep after the scene with the hybrid. Stumbling upon two solid oak doors with twining ivy vines engraved in the door, wrapped around two golden door handles. Pushing it gently open, she stepped inside, shutting it closed behind her. Reaching out mentally for her sister, Elena was quick to respond. Being able to speak telepathically was a power Kat had stolen from another sorceress, the Queen of Silent Tongues, decades ago. Elena's calm voice echoed in Kat's head, Mikael attempted to take Val Hall last night.
Kat mentally raised an eyebrow, this wasn't news to her. The Valkyrie told us as much, we are holding in a plantation on the outskirts of the city.
Her sister's worried voice coming through, Do you want Damon and I to come get you? You've delivered the two kings to the area surely that is enough, it's too dangerous for you to stay there any longer, what if they find out about –
Shh! Someone's coming. Making herself invisible, she waited for the intruder to take a book and leave, so she could continue her conversation with Elena in private. It was a downside of telepathy that she often couldn't use her illusions at the same time. However, the flicker of the lanterns illuminated the one person she didn't want to be alone with. Her stupid, foolish heart beat painfully in her chest, she remained invisible. She forgot how handsome he was, nearly a century dulling her memory of him. She knew Caroline guessed that she had history with the Mikaelsons, but it was far more complicated than the Valkyrie could suspect. She had guessed she was Elijah's Bride when they had met almost a century earlier, but she'd been forced to make a terrible choice. One she hadn't regretted until now.
Elijah suddenly reached out, locking his hands around her arms. She was so surprised that he not only knew she was there, but was able to grab her, her invisibility illusion slipped. Mumbling, "How did you know I was here?"
He reached under his shirt pulling out a small amulet, his smirk spreading across his face, "After you slipped away from me using your handy invisibility trick, I had Klaus's witches work up this charm to see through that particular illusion."
Her frosty demeanor came shuttering down at his mention of their past interactions, struggling to pull herself out of his grip. Failing to do so, she gave his hands a withering look, her voice tight, "You can take your hands off me."
Elijah's smirk stretched across his face, and purposefully did not move his hands, "Why would I move them from the exact place they belong?"
Like luring a feral cat, he slowly pulled her closer to him, until their chests were touching. Glaring at Elijah through narrow eyes, "I'm pretty sure you need something more than some stupid Bride business to say your hands belong anywhere near me?"
Elijah's brown eyebrows came down over his eyes, his carefully composed expression cracking slightly with frustration, "Did you know you were my Bride when we met before?"
Kat rolled her eyes, hoping to cover her shortness of breath at being so closed to the powerful immortal. So, she scoffed to keep up her facade, "Of course I knew. Though I am an amazing, irreplaceable sorceress, there was no reason for Elijah Mikaelson to follow my steps with such persistence unless I was your Bride."
Elijah's arms tightened involuntarily on her hips, pulling her even closer against him, every inch of her temptress body touching his aching one. Dipping his head so her ruby lips were a breath away, "Then why run from me?" He whispered.
Kat couldn't conceal how breathless she was when his sinful lips were less than an inch away from hers. "Maybe I wanted to see if you could catch me." She murmured temptingly.
"I've caught you now my little queen. Shouldn't I receive my prize now?" His hands drifted down over her ass, pulling her even closer to him. He grasped the seductive handfuls, with a slight groan.
Her voice was seductive molasses pouring over him, "Maybe I'm waiting to see if you'll take the prize instead."
Her hand drifted down to fondle his impressive bulge, with a groan of agony, he slammed his lips to hers. She was like drinking down the sweetest wine and his head spun from it. Stumbling like an untried youth, he made it to one of the armchairs in front of the fire, yanking her on to his lap, straddling him. She moaned, the sound deep in her throat, and ground her core against his aching length. Throwing his head back, he struggled not to come under her hot movements, must make her come first.
His savagery barely contained, he ripped open her tight jeans, not even bothering to rip them off before delving his hand into her heat. His other hand pulled the low scoop top and blood red brassiere down to reveal her ruby tipped nipples. Again, he groaned at the sight.
Kat was shaking with need, for what she wasn't quite sure, she just knew she needed more. His palm was so close to her needy bundle of nerves, she tried to rock his hand over and inside her.
Maintain control, make her come first. Elijah was actively fighting his more savage nature, swooping his mouth to tug one of her perfect nipples into his mouth. With a long suck, he finally dipped a single finger inside her. Gasping deeply, tunneling her fingers into his hair, she held him to her. As if anything could move him from this spot.
With another long suck of her pert little nipple, he bounced her on his finger, using his immortal strength, his four other fingers tossed her to the extent of her jeans, removing her completely from his finger, before she could slam her pussy back down onto him, he added another. Surprised by the addition, she bit the side of his neck to keep from screaming. With two fingers wedged inside her tight little pussy, he moved his thumb to tease her clit. She nearly came apart in his arms. Instead of him moving her up and down over him, she began to slam down onto his fingers, rocking back and forth every time she came down, drenching his hand in her wetness. When he wedged a third finger in, he felt her inner walls tightened and she began coming. She bit down hard on him, covering her scream, drawing blood. Before she was finished coming, he pulled his own hard length out, removing his drenched hand from her, using her sweet juices to make himself come. As he began to come his voice was unrecognizable as he growled. "I'm going to come on these sweet tits, Katerina. Mark them as mine."
She nodded frantically, kneeling in front of him, raising her breasts together to catch his falling cum. He roared, the first time coming with his Bride. Not caring if any of his siblings heard.
Finished, he collapsed back into the armchair looking down at Katerina. Her tits covered in his cum, her eyes glowed with seduction, as she dipped her fingers down to his semen twirling her fingers in it, and bringing it to her mouth, sucking her fingers clean of it. Gods she's magnificent.
Grasping her arms, he cradled her in his lap. They both gasped as breath came in halted spurts. When their breaths evened out, Katerina's eyes again lit with seduction, "That was a marvelous appetizer. But I think I'm ready for the main course now." Her voice was little more than a purr.
She was using her soft hand to bring him into his hands. His immortal resilience was going to be required with such a wanton Bride. He was already hardening again from the sight.
"Would you like to fuck me, Elijah? Bend me over and take me from behind, till I scream from your cock?" Every word was a dream from his deepest and darkest fantasy.
Elijah groaned in agony, her hand like a ghost on his cock, refusing to give the kind of pressure he needed to come again. This woman would be the death of him. "And after?"
Her hand paused, "After?"
His head cleared just enough to push the issue, "After the claiming."
Her head recoiled, her hand lifting completely from him, "There is no after, we fuck, but it doesn't mean anything."
The exact opposite of what he wanted. He was hoping to cement something between them, but the slippery sorceress wasn't going to be pinned down by several earth-shattering orgasms. "You know you are my Bride, the one woman destined by Fate to be mine. This also makes you Queen of the Vampires. How could you think anything between us wouldn't mean anything?"
Standing, she readjusted her clothing, covering herself. Pretending that his mark wasn't still drying on her skin. "I don't need a mate, Elijah. I have plans that require I'm all alone. I may be the Queen of Illusions, but I am not your queen. I would probably force you to go to war in the first month, because I insulted one of the old school vampires on your council. Trust me, you'll be happy about this one day." Her voice echoing slightly with something unknown, almost like regret.
He gritted his jaw, moving to stand too, zipping his still hard cock into his pants. "These things can be learned. With proper instruction you would be easily accepted as Queen."
She stepped back offended, "When I said I would offend your council, I wasn't saying there was something wrong with me. But always good to know, you would change everything about me so a bunch of leeches, would accept me."
Elijah ground his hands in fists at his side, "Not change you. Just improve you."
Kat winced as she made another step away, "Oh and what would these improvements entail?"
Confused at why she was hung up on the etiquette training he hoped to instill in her, he foolishly continued, "Nothing time consuming, most likely education in ways to comport yourself among allies and definitely the way to dress in appropriate crowds."
Sharp intake of breath, then something incredibly disturbing happened, chilling Elijah to the bone. Instead of retreating from the room, she straightened her spine, and all emotion appear to die in her eyes. Her voice was monotone, "That is exactly why we would never work beyond a few passionate nights. The person I settle down with, the one I chose to be my mate, will not want to change the most essential things about me."
That wasn't what he meant! He tried to reach forward and grab her before she exited the room, but only grasped air when he grabbed her. She had created the illusion that there were ten of her, now that she knew the invisibility was useless, his cunning queen had come up with another solution. Leaving him standing in the library trying to piece together why she was so angry. He didn't want to change what made her, who she was. He just knew that the Vampire court was a brutal place, and they would already dislike her since she was other, he wanted to make it easier on her. He was out of his depth with her.
How the hell was he going to convince her they belonged together?