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Chapter 3:

Enjoy! :D 3

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"Caroline…Caroline!"

She felt someone shake her.

"Ughh…" Caroline groaned, not wanting to be roused from sleep.

"Please, I don't have much time! Caro-"

The voice was interrupted by a loud snarl. A high pitched, blood-curdling scream echoed the stone corridor as the sound of ripping flesh and cracking bones filled the air.

Caroline's eyes shot open as her petite chest rose up with the violent intake of air, which then settled into quick and scattered breaths. Cold sweat littered her pale skin, still trickling slowly down Caroline's already damp face. Trembling, she did a once over in her room-just in case anything was there.

The moonlight shining from the window illuminated everything in Caroline's room with a soft, eerie glow, as the shadows of tree branches resembled the large claws of some unseen, powerful creature. Of course, there never really was anything, but it still felt better to double check anyways.

The nightmares have been happening for the past week. During the first one that she had, Caroline had Niklaus to comfort her. Something seized in her chest. The simple gesture still surprised her-even now.

However, that was no longer. Ever since that night, he had become more withdrawn then ever. In fact, she hadn't seen him at all since that night, and it had almost been two weeks now. Caroline would have thought that Niklaus had forgotten about her save for the tray of food and water found at her bedside every morning, as well as a note that said the same thing everyday: "You are free to roam the house, EXCEPT for the west wing and the cellar; Lunch and dinner is in the Kitchen at 1:00 and 6:00 precisely."

Caroline let out a soft sigh. During her first few days, when she had been in a worse condition, Caroline had felt that they had formed some sort of…alliance. Not a friendship, but certainly something, where Niklaus would hold her a fraction higher than a mere acquaintance. It may be all in her head, but Caroline, being who she was, allowed herself to hope.

Unable to sleep, Caroline roused herself with a grunt and lit a candle before setting down the long winding stairs of the mansion, her delicate feet making a soft pat on the dark wood floors with each step. "Kitchen" Caroline thought as she set towards her destination. Although Caroline would never admit it out loud, she had a secret hope that she would bump into Klaus, at least before she would have to leave for good to find her father.

Caroline looked around, the flickering candle light showing a few more steps leading a hall with 3 rooms, all doors painted red. She frowned. Lost in her thoughts, Caroline must have missed the Kitchen. She turned back to find her way when she stopped. Why couldn't she look around? There was nothing preventing her anyways.

Caroline hesitantly looked back, then set with her decision opened the first door boldly. Locked. Caroline sighed. The rest were probably locked too then. She shrugged, it was worth a shot. Caroline turned back the way she came when she froze. Was that a whimper? Caroline scanned the hall again with her candle. "He…Hello? Is there anyone there?" Caroline called out, hoping she sounded bolder than she felt. She heard her voice echo along the hollow hall, and trail into silence. Nothing.

Then Caroline a voice, and it was so weak that Caroline wasn't sure if she had heard it at all. "…Caroline? Is that you?" A female voice sounded across the hall.

Caroline was trembling with fear.

"Caroline?"

"W…Who…Are…Y…Y…You?

"Caroline, open…the…DAMN DOOR!" the voice rose to a scream.

Caroline hurriedly opened the 2nd door which held the voice. And a figure shakily stepped out. Caroline squinted in the darkness, holding up the candle. She gasped.

"Vicki!?"

Vicki Donovan had been Caroline's rival in Mystic Falls. They were equal, but she, like most of the other girls had followed Gaston like a lost puppy. She was somewhat beautiful, extremely pretty actually, with her soft brown hair cascading down in soft curls along her slim figure. Her seductive brown eyes and sharp featured face had many other suitors trailing behind her. But now, her hair was tangled and dirty, eyes haunted which now along with her sharp face made her look…haunted. But that wasn't the thing that terrified Caroline the most. It was the blood. It covered her clothes, her hair, and more blood still was trailing from her olive skinned-neck.

Animosity forgotten now, Caroline rushed to catch Vicki just as she started to collapse. What the hell happened!?

Vicki suddenly froze. "He's coming back! The hybrid!" A sudden fear seemed to clench the maiden as she shooed Caroline but Caroline blew her candle out and threw it into the darkness as she dragged both of them back into Vicki's room. Caroline hid behind a pair of large curtains that adorned, to her horror, blood-stained windows, as she waited, for anything. There was silence. Then, agonizingly slowly, the sound of footsteps seemed to materialize in the silence.

"Hello Vicki"

Caroline almost gasped. It was Klaus…but he sounded so different; more sinister, so cold. Caroline shivered as she felt goose bumps on her arms.

"I'm a little hungry, love. Mind if I take a bite?" He snarled.

Not waiting for an answer, Niklaus buried his face in her neck as Vicki gasped, face frozen in shock. He was drinking her blood. Niklaus lifted his face, revealing veins around his once handsome eyes, and fangs, covered in blood. Vicki's blood. Caroline watched the scene in horror as a look of pleasure crossed the hybrids face. He enjoyed it.

Caroline witnessed the scene helplessly as Niklaus slowly drained the life out of Vicki, until she hung limply against his arms. It took all of Caroline's willpower not to rush out and save her once-rival from that…monster. Yes, Caroline saw that now. She suddenly felt disgusted for even thinking about the hybrid in anything less than pure hatred.

The hybrid threw Vicki roughly on the floor before licking some extra blood on his fingers. Without a second glance, he exited the door, and closed it with a bang. Caroline listened quietly until she couldn't hear the monster's footsteps anymore before she rushed out of her hiding place.

"Vicki! Vicki!" Caroline tried to wake Vicki, while chanting her name over and over again. Tears were streaming down her cheeks now, as she sobbed uncontrollably. "…Caroline…" Vicki coughed, spurting blood unto Caroline's nightgown, but Caroline could care less. She pressed a packet of herbs into Caroline's palm. "Vervain…resist compulsion…" Vicki chocked out. Caroline nodded slowly. "Thank you"

There was nothing said between them as Vicki's chest suddenly stopped heaving.

"Vicki?" Caroline looked at her face, her eyes glazed over, mouth hung slightly agape. Caroline moved, as if in a dream-no, nightmare as she felt for a pulse. With a heavy heart, Caroline already knew the answer, though she couldn't quite believe it. Vicki was gone.

What was Vicki doing here? And most importantly, why the hell was she here, like this? A sudden panic overtook Caroline. Was this her fate with the hybrid? Compulsion. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Was Niklaus drinking Caroline's blood, and then compelling her to forget?

Caroline remembered Vicki's face, the way her eyes were glazed in frozen horror while being sucked the life out of her.

A sudden anger over took Caroline's heart, and she was disgusted in herself for believe that he was attractive. He was a wretched monster, who killed people and enjoyed sucking the life out of them. It didn't matter he was an all power-full hybrid, she was going to make him pay.

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Sorry, not much Klaroline in this chapter but I'm working up to it. I'm going camping for a week though, but once I'm back I will get back unto this story! :)

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