A/N: Guys, you blow me away with your very kind words. Thank you! chibichibi98, Le26199, Kaylabeth21, lateVMlover, firstgreenisgold, MelodiousVengeance, jessnicole, AMUTOforever305, Iansarmy, Hopelessromanticatheart26, deviljolie, intothesoul, red-as-a-rose12335, Nikki707, secile, Liya, Teamvampirebarbie22, roseberrygirl and my guest reviewers - Thank you! Thank you for the follows and favorites too - always.
And to clashcityrocker083 - hell yeah, he would! lol
I awoke the next morning, alone. Any negative effects of the vervain were gone and I knew that it had been because of Klaus' blood which I found I had a taste for now at odd moments. I'd slept heavily and felt almost renewed. I stretched, thinking about how I was going to get through the day ahead.
As much as I had enjoyed the day with Rebekah, it had been a disaster at the end. She and I had been accosted by vampires working for one of Klaus' enemies. I got vervained. The original siblings had gotten into a huge fight during which Klaus told everyone currently living in the mansion he loved me while his siblings took a protective stance. Honestly, they made me wish I'd had siblings of my own. It would be worth some of the fighting to have someone be there for you no matter what. And the Mikaelsons were like nothing I'd ever seen. They could literally do the most terrible things to each other and still allow no one else to harm any in their family.
And then there was Klaus…
I showered, put myself together and just couldn't take my mind off him.
Please don't leave me.
My heart shredded each time I thought of those broken words. Klaus was strong, powerful, and indestructible. He was hated and feared and with good reason. Look at the devastation he'd caused in all of our lives. I had to laugh when I considered that he was the reason I was a vampire, the reason Tyler's werewolf curse was triggered. Both of us were victims of Katherine's games to save herself from Klaus' wrath. And oddly, that's how Tyler and I ended up together.
But Tyler went from gratitude to Klaus for freeing him of the pain of transitioning into his werewolf form each full moon, to bitterness about being his indentured servant because of the sire bond. And I understood how he felt. But breaking that bond to Klaus led him to try and start his own revolution. He was hell bent on freeing the other hybrids, turning them on Klaus. And he was successful until Klaus killed them all in a fit of rage. Klaus had also killed Tyler's mother and from that moment on, revenge against Klaus became Tyler's obsession.
I didn't even realize until now, I'd already lost Tyler, long ago. His desire for revenge was much stronger than his love for me. In my efforts to save him, bargaining with Klaus for his life, his freedom, I'd just pushed him further away. Now he couldn't see me without thinking about the fact that he could see me only because Klaus allowed it.
Accessing the internet using the wireless connection credentials Rebekah shared with me, I downloaded my email. Several notes from Mom and Elena. Nothing from Tyler. I answered my mother and my friends. I checked for new messages a couple of times. Of course nothing from Tyler.
Rising from the bed and getting ready to head downstairs into who knew what, I shook my head. Tyler had used me as a pawn in his plans every bit as much as my friends. My friends cared about me and they showed it. They didn't put me off or neglect me. But that really wasn't the same thing. It wasn't a romantic relationship.
Tyler had no trouble leaving me, putting me off. He was a powerful creature, wanting to prove himself, wanting to make those who had hurt him pay. I'd given him everything I had to give and apparently, I wasn't enough to turn him from that path. It had never been about me at all, regardless of what he'd said.
Klaus had used me as a pawn in his plans only once. Sure, he'd attacked me once too, right after my friends killed his brother Kol. I'd provoked him, and even though he'd been grieving, he'd saved me.
And then there was Baton Rouge last night. Not only had Klaus been aware of the danger he'd left me to face, he acknowledged it. He regretted his actions with a power that had left him stripped bare, confessing feelings that I'd never thought to hear from his lips – even if he thought I wouldn't remember. Finally, someone let me know that I did matter, that I did mean something to them.
Klaus was infinitely more powerful, many centuries older. Over those centuries he'd become the nightmare of others. He was the one you didn't cross, he was strongest, the most powerful…
And he had begged me not to leave him, pleaded silently for anything I was willing to give him. For all that Klaus was, at heart he was still just a man who sought love that had always been cruelly denied him.
So my relationship with one man felt pretty one-sided, even though that was hard to admit because I loved him. Another man loved me and to this point, my dealings with him had been pretty one-sided as well. And it should be right? With all Klaus had done?
But then, while I had no trouble remembering the awful things he'd done, other thoughts of him were starting to invade my thoughts. Klaus saving us at my high school graduation. The gorgeous prom dress he'd loaned me when Elena stole mine. Klaus pulling me out of the floor of my dorm room when we learned of Bonnie's death and staying with me at my mother's house. How he'd cared for me when I'd been attacked by the vampires.
The kiss the other night after dinner…
Was I really developing feelings for Klaus now?
Gah! Tired of my internal debate, I headed down the stairs. It was late morning but I could smell coffee, heard conversation. Elijah, Haley, Rebekah, all were talking.
When I reached the living room, I saw Klaus was there also, sprawled in an enormous leather chair and looking… tired. His gaze met mine, I could almost swear, with a look of wariness. Considering the way things had gone last night, I likely had the support of everyone else in the room. I could take him down right now, really hurt him if I wanted to.
Instead, I found that I was willing to do anything but that. Not after what he'd whispered to me last night.
"Caroline," Elijah greeted me, smiling. "How are you feeling?"
In that moment, I knew how to handle this. "Surprisingly good," I said with snark. "Thank you."
I didn't miss the look that passed between Haley and Rebekah.
Klaus was about to speak and I held up a hand to stop him. "I'm so not talking to you this morning," I told him with all the old bravado he was used to from me.
Tossing my hair, I marched my way into the kitchen to get coffee. But not before I saw that familiar smirk form on his face.
I had to try hard to stifle a laugh as I poured myself a cup of coffee. No way I was letting Klaus know I remembered perfectly what he said last night. Not right now. I'd save that card for another time.
I strutted back into the living room, taking a seat on the couch next to Rebekah and Haley. The farthest I could sit from Klaus and stay in the room. I shot him a look before I started on my coffee, just for effect.
"Well, Caroline, we were just discussing what we learned yesterday," Elijah began. "Niklaus was able to speak briefly with Lucy, the Bennett cousin, after a long, frustrating chase. Unfortunately, she can't help us. She's wisely fearful of the expression magic that Silas used to set his resurrection in motion. That same magic led to Bonnie's death. She suspected Silas was following her but it appears that he abandoned that pursuit. As Elena reported from Mystic Falls, Silas is for the moment, silent."
"So we're back to the drawing board?" I had to ask.
"Not exactly," Elijah went on. "My own journey yesterday was a little more successful. You see I was looking for information on others, about a lost line of witches."
It was new information for Klaus, leaning forward he stared his brother down. "What line of witches?"
"A line of witches stronger than the Bennetts, stronger than perhaps even Silas and Qetsiyah. Strong enough to conquer anything from the Other Side should Silas find a way to drop the veil."
"Drop the veil?" Rebekah asked. "Wait, aren't we trying to stop Silas from dropping it? Isn't that the point?"
"I'm told that there are quite a few developments in Mystic Falls," Elijah explained. "Silas is now cured, I don't know all of the details. But now he is returned to his human warlock form and strengths. Even with Qetsiyah on the scene, it's only a matter of time before the veil is either brought down or Silas is defeated. That being the case, our focus must now be on protection for this family regardless of what transpires."
"And you think this elusive line of witches is the answer, brother?" Klaus looked skeptical.
Elijah smiled. "That's where the story becomes quite interesting. One of the vampires that we… disposed of in the kitchen had a coin in her possession. I hadn't seen a coin like it in centuries."
Standing, Elijah reached into the pocket of his suit coat and pulled out an old golden coin. He held it up and showed it to each of us in turn.
"The design is three roses in a never-ending circle around the symbol that represents the first witch of their line," Elijah explained. "There is a witch out in the bayou I paid a visit to yesterday, hoping that she could tell me about this coin. She confirmed what I knew of its legend but she had a bit more information to impart."
The symbol in the center of the coin looked familiar. Where had I seen it before?
"The three roses represent the line of witches surrounding their originator," Elijah explained. "This I knew. But the witch yesterday explained a bit more. This line of witches is very old and legend says their power grows with each generation. The line of witches has been traced across centuries, from mother to daughter and the line, at least until the 1940's, was remarkably unbroken. Each generation produced at least one daughter. No male born to this line inherited any of its powers."
"Why are there three roses then?" Rebekah asked. "That signify anything?"
"Actually it does," Elijah told us. "Three is a powerful number among witches. When three witches of any line unite in their magic, their power is amplified. When three witches from this line are united, it is said they harness the power of the universe."
"Until the 1940's," Klaus said. "Then what became of this lost line of witches?"
Elijah had him at "power of the universe". Klaus' interest was definitely engaged now. I could almost see him factoring this information in with his plans to take back New Orleans. And why did it make me feel better that he seemed back to his normal, villainous self this morning?
"That's the burning question. But there's one more part to this tale," Elijah said calmly.
And from the look on Elijah's face, this was going to be good.
"And that is?" Klaus prompted him.
"This line of witches is said to be made up of the descendants of the original witch," Elijah told him, smirking. "Their power, the blood they share with this family, would make them our ultimate protectors. Our connection would only increase their power."
Klaus jumped up from his chair at that, began to pace. "The original witch? Esther. That's impossible. None of us had children before we were turned."
Shock registered on Rebekah's face. But she seemed to recover quickly.
"Are you so sure?" Rebekah asked. "If what you're saying is true, Elijah, this line is made up of the descendants of the original witch, that being our mother. That means this line is descended from one of us, her children. If I'd had a pregnancy, you would know so we can rule me out."
"So it had to be one of her four surviving sons," Rebekah went on. "You and Klaus were busy trying to get under Tatia's skirts. Finn was as dull as powder and an unlikely candidate, though it's not impossible, and that leaves…"
"Kol," Klaus and Elijah said at the same time.
I choked back a laugh.
Klaus shot me an angry look.
I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry."
"Kol was carrying on with that girl from the edge of the village before we were turned. Father didn't like her. She had violet colored eyes. What was her name?" Rebekah was deep in thought and apparently she'd decided that Kol was the culprit.
"Odette," Elijah helped her.
"So," Klaus stopped pacing and came to a stop behind the couch, behind me. I felt him toying with a lock of my hair and tried to swat him away. "How do we find out what happened to this line?"
"The old woman told me we'd need to identify the link in our family to the original witch and we'd need an item that was personal to this family member, in order to do a locator spell that would find them," Elijah continued.
"How personal?" Klaus asked, shooting me an evil little grin as he walked around Elijah's chair. "The only little problem with this plan is that if Kol is, indeed, the member of our family that fathered this line of witches, he is also quite dead."
Elijah's sigh was a loud sound in the room. "It would need to be an object the he possessed at the time of the line's creation. Something he possessed while he was still human."
"Well, that's very specific," Rebekah mused. "If we even have such an item of his, how will we know if he had it as a human or not?"
"The quickest way would be to just ask him, right?" I threw out there before thinking.
Three sets of original eyes turned on me intently. Haley was curious too but not nearly as much. Why not? I thought. If these witches were so strong, maybe they could bring Bonnie back. I couldn't give up.
"What did you have in mind Caroline?" Elijah asked.
"Jeremy," I told him. "Elena's brother. He can speak with the dead. And it's not random anymore. He can control it now."
"Would he be able to converse with Kol?" Elijah was definitely interested.
"Duh!" I told them. "When Elena and Damon sent Jeremy to Colorado to protect him from Klaus, no clue why they thought that was necessary, Kol was sent to go befriend him. In case Klaus still needed to kill him. Jeremy knew Kol very well."
Klaus was too delighted with my explanation to pay much attention to my attempts to slight him.
"And why would he be willing to help us?" Always Elijah was the practical one.
"Bonnie." It was simple. "If he thinks this line of witches can bring her back from the Other Side, he'll do it."
"Brilliant deception, Caroline," Klaus said close to my ear. "I do believe we're rubbing off on you."
I turned around to find his face inches from mine. "What deception, Klaus? If I told Jeremy that the witches would bring Bonnie back, I would mean just that. I'm not about to lie to my friend over something that important. He loves her."
My pledge didn't bother him in the least. He grinned at me, his gaze focused on my lips for longer than I was comfortable with. I turned back to face Elijah.
"Caroline, we can't promise him that we can bring Bonnie back in exchange for his help," he told me.
"Then we'll tell him that and he can decide if he helps us or not," I said flatly.
"What?" Rebekah whispered next to me.
Elijah held up a hand.
"Agreed. And you have my word, Caroline, that if it is possible for us to bring Bonnie back in this dealing, that we'll do so."
I couldn't help but grin at him. "Thank you," I meant it.
His smile was warm and he nodded.
"How will we proceed?" Elijah asked.
"The quickest thing would probably be to Skype him," I said.
"Arrange it," he ordered me.
Nodding, I jumped up from the couch, heading to my room and laptop to get in touch with Elena and set it all up, explain to them what was going on.
I'd just walked into my room, heading for the laptop I'd left on my bed, when the door shut loudly behind me.
I didn't even turn around. "Go away, Klaus," I told him, sticking with the game I always used to play with him. I played hard to get. He chased me anyway.
Why was it so hard to play now? Why did it all feel so different?
When he didn't say anything, I turned around to find him leaning against the wall watching me.
"I came to apologize, love," he said. His expression was guarded. "For yesterday."
My heart squeezed in my chest remembering the apology he'd offered me last night.
Paranoid as ever. I realized he was making sure I didn't remember anything from last night. Okay, I'd play along.
"I know," I threw back at him. "It was nothing personal. I'm collateral damage. I've heard it before. Whatever. Can we do this later?"
I walked to the bed and sat down on it, reaching for the laptop.
Coming at me with such speed I never saw him coming, Klaus had me pinned to the bed beneath him in the next instant. His hands caged mine on either side of my head, his knees planted on either side of my hips. Once I caught my breath, I tried to throw him off me but he was so much stronger than me.
"Stop it!" I hissed up at him, still struggling with him in vain.
He leaned closer, his necklace dangling above my chest. "I don't like to be ignored," he said with deceptive calm.
"Yeah? Well, I don't like to be attacked with vervain," I told him, a little angry with him for the second attack and a little worried about his current intentions. "Let me up. I'm trying to help your family find these all-powerful witches."
"You're doing it because you think they can bring back Bonnie" he said. "Suppose they do. Then what's your plan, love?"
He'd moved closer, his face above mine. He smelled wonderful, his blood, his skin. Heat lit up his blue eyes as he stared down at me. I glared up at him, wanting to be angry at him but remembering how soft his lips had been…
"What do you think my plan is?" I asked him. "If I can get Bonnie back, we'll go home. Our friends need our help to stop Silas."
Something hardened in his expression at that. A muscle at his jaw twitched.
"You can't stop me from leaving," I told him, wanting him to realize at some point I'd be returning to Mystic Falls.
"I can make you want to stay," he whispered.
And I was really afraid he could.
His lips captured mine in a searing kiss, taking my breath away with the emotion he poured into it. His body gently lowered onto mine, pressing me into the bed with his hardness in a way that made me gasp. He took advantage of my surprise, deepening the kiss and inviting my tongue to dance with his. His movements were gentle but sensuous, slowly dominating me with his mouth and body in a way that left me breathless and wanting more.
The moment his hands released mine, I felt his fingers sinking into my hair, holding me in place while he dazzled me with kisses that set every inch of me on fire. And I wanted more. I kissed him back with everything I had, my hands sliding over his back, into his hair.
His mouth scorched a path across my jaw to my neck, teasing my skin with his tongue, nips of his human teeth. I whispered his name and he moaned against my skin, a deep sound of want that stirred everything inside me.
A knock sounded at my door, causing my heart to lurch in my chest. "Caroline?" It was Rebekah.
Klaus recovered first, helping me off bed. I struggled to catch my breath, to compose myself. He was doing the same but watching me with a satisfied smirk. In a matter of seconds, he'd had me coming apart and ready to give him anything he'd wanted. All he'd done was kiss me and damn was he good…
I was still shaking when I opened the door. Rebekah flashed her brother a knowing grin before marching into my room.
"I had a text from Matt. He's calling Jeremy and Elena to get everyone together at the Salvatores' in an hour for our Skype session."
"Hope everyone is around," I told her, still trying to breathe properly. "Wait, you and Matt still talk?"
Rebekah grinned. "Once in a while."
Once in a while sounded like pretty often to me.
"See to you later, Klaus," I said in a way of dismissing him.
As if anyone could ever dismiss him. His look was nothing if not predatory. "Count on it," he said, smiling as walked out of my room.