A/N: So I'm breaking the 150,000 word mark with this chapter. I'm excited! Please know that it wouldn't have happened without all your amazing support. We also broke 400 reviews with the last chapter, so thank you for that!
I forgot to say this in my last author's note, but I also appreciate the support I got for addressing Caroline and Damon in chapter 22. I wasn't sure how that would go over. Moreover, I expected to get some hate for Klaus drinking from Rebekah's friends in the last chapter, but I didn't. You all seem to understand that Klaus is still 'Klaus' to an extent. :D
As usual, this chapter didn't get to the point that I wanted it to – the point I'm sure all of you have been waiting for – but it does include some interesting developments. Don't worry, Klaroline goodness is to come in the next chapter, which I've already started to write.
Let me know your thoughts!
Enjoy.
For a few split seconds she felt normal. It felt like an out of body experience.
As the morning sun dripped in through her bedroom window and stung her eyes, she forgot she was a vampire, she forgot her friends had disowned her, and she forgot about Klaus. She was seventeen year old Caroline Forbes, cheerleader, miss mystic falls hopeful, human.
While she knew deep down that was no longer the case, for a moment she had believed it.
Sometimes she wanted to go back to that simpler time, even if that version of herself had been the most shallow and naive person on the planet.
Despite being an only child for just under two decades, she had grown accustomed to sharing a bed with Klaus the past few nights.
Now, as she rolled over to the other side of her modestly sized double bed, it felt too big; too empty.
Pushing her face into the pillow she breathed in his leftover scent that had pulled into the material from his clothes.
She wanted to scream in frustration and cry from sadness all at once.
Had Klaus merely apologized and agreed to see things her way, last night could have ended very differently. But Klaus was still too hard-headed, insecure, and prideful to give in. She had to stand her ground. This was something she felt strongly about.
She herself had to remain strong, regardless of how much she was hurting without him.
The possibility that he might just clean his hands of her and walk away as a result of her stance was terrifying.
Elijah assured her that Klaus would not leave her behind, but the scenario still flooded that unconfident place in her mind.
Standing up for what she wanted may have been the right thing to do, but it certainly wasn't the easiest.
She missed him.
Even after the scene she walked in on last night, and his apparent indifference to her choice, she still missed him.
Sure the idea of Klaus compelling innocents for blood didn't sit well with her, but she understood his bloodlust. She understood how much strength it probably took out of him not to just snap their necks when he was finished; especially for someone so used to the kill accompanying the feed. She fought those same urges every day.
Still, the sight of Klaus consuming their blood without their consent brought her back to Damon and made her uncomfortable.
Truthfully she was sure jealousy factored in there somewhere as well. Even though she knew Klaus could never get the same satisfaction drinking from a human's vein that he could drinking from her it was still a little disheartening.
She groaned at the high school immaturity of it all. Maybe seventeen year old human Caroline was still inside of her somewhere. She really never did turn eighteen properly.
It was actually silly how much she needed him. When she wasn't tossing and turning she dreamed about him; she could feel his fingertips lightly on her skin, she could hear soft echoes of his voice. It was maddening.
All she wanted was for him to come to his senses and accept her choice, nothing more. He didn't even have to help her in any significant way. As long as she he would be there when she was done, that was enough.
Begging was beneath her though and she wasn't about to plead with him. She laid out the decision for him. There was nothing else she could do.
Exhaling, she scanned through her phone to find nothing from Klaus.
While he was always one for personal encounters rather than text, she hoped that he might use text to reach out.
But no.
And of course, she was decidedly not reaching out to him again. She had already done that. It was Klaus's turn now.
God, it annoyed her to no end how stubborn he was.
She opened a message window and debated about messaging him. It was ridiculous. Pressuring him for an answer would get her nowhere.
If they had been on better terms she imagined what she would text him instead; perhaps a good morning or something more risqué.
She dropped her phone on the mattress beside her and climbed out of bed.
Another day of school wouldn't wait for her.
With the weather warming every day, she dressed in jeans, a black peasant blouse, a sweater, and flats. She was sick of wearing boots. Too unenthused to play with her hair, she left it down and wavy.
Running late as usual, she only had a few moments to spare a few drops of blood from a blood bag before gathering up her things for school.
She had nearly forgotten about the fact Klaus had completed her math homework and she sighed in relief. While she didn't get her other homework finished, the math assignment counted for marks.
Tucking everything in her bag, she was startled by the sound of her phone, which she almost forgot to slip in her purse.
Her stomach did a small anxious back flip at the prospect of it being Klaus, but as she gazed over at it on the bed, it clearly said 'Rebekah.'
It was a text message and she picked up the phone to read it.
'Prom meeting at lunch. You better be there.'
She could almost hear Rebekah's demanding voice spouting the words.
Rebekah was still here, so maybe that was a good sign, she thought as she rushed out to her car. If Rebekah hadn't left Mystic Falls yet, perhaps Klaus was still here. Maybe...
Her morning classes went a lot like yesterdays' had. Tyler still hadn't returned. He was obviously milking his fake human injuries for everything they were worth, likely to avoid her. She was still getting the awkward silent treatment from Bonnie and Matt. However, she did get a perfect score on her math assignment thanks to Klaus.
English class went a little differently. Since she really didn't have anyone to talk to in between classes, she had arrived early again. The classroom was empty, save for Stefan.
"Hey," he said warily.
"Hi," she replied, smiling warmly as she took her seat.
It felt so good to have one of her friends acknowledge and speak to her.
"Where's Elena?" she asked.
He frowned.
"She's at home resting. She's been having a rough go if it lately in terms of feeding. It's left her feeling a little weak," he answered.
She mirrored his solemn look.
"That's too bad. Is there anything I can do?" she offered.
He shrugged and she nodded knowingly.
Elena was still pissed.
"Damon told me you went to see Tyler at the hospital..." Stefan started, smirking slightly.
He obviously knew about the other half of the story that took place in the parking lot.
"Yeah, I went to see him. I didn't get a lot more information though. Tyler doesn't remember much, and my mom and another officer showed up before we could brainstorm any leads," she explained.
Stefan nodded.
"Maybe the attacker has already fled town? Maybe all he wanted was some venom?" Stefan pondered.
"Doubtful," she sighed.
"You're probably right," he acknowledged.
Things fell silent and she felt surrounded by that awkward tension that had developed at the mention of Damon's name.
"So...how is Damon?" she asked hesitantly.
Stefan chuckled.
"He said he was a little sore last night," he answered.
"He obviously told you about our confrontation in the hospital parking lot," she said, still unsure if Stefan was upset about it or not.
Stefan nodded.
"He was being Damon," she defended. "I never intended for Klaus to show up; but he overheard Damon and I, and he took matters into his own hands," she explained.
"I know how Damon can be, Caroline. You don't have to justify it to me," Stefan assured her.
She smiled appreciatively.
"I guess this thing between you and Klaus is pretty real..." Stefan said in a lower voice as some more students began to enter the classroom. "I mean...Klaus defending you...Klaus defending anyone but himself is kind of a foreign concept to me," Stefan joked.
She could have been offended by his humour, but she took it in stride. She even laughed a little herself. Stefan was right, it did seem peculiar.
"Did you talk to Klaus about the attack on Tyler?" Stefan asked.
"I did, but he's just as dumbfounded as us," she answered.
Stefan shrugged.
"I'm actually surprised Klaus is still in town. I mean, Elena's a vampire now, there's an anonymous attacker out there, and any second the Council could discover he's missing..." Stefan trailed off. "I thought he'd be long gone by now."
Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, she dwelled back upon her disagreement with Klaus.
"He wants to leave..." she started hesitantly.
He looked at her knowingly.
"But you don't," Stefan finished.
Nodding, she bit her lip.
"So he's staying for you?" Stefan asked surprised.
"We'll see," she answered unconfidently. "He's not exactly happy about it."
Stefan leaned back against his desk chair.
"Maybe I'm more surprised that you want to stay, just with everything that happened with Klaus, and now this attacker and the Council," he elaborated.
She shrugged and raised her eyebrows.
"Everything that happened with Klaus is precisely why I want to stay. I can't leave here when all my friendships are in ruins. I wanna try and make things right," she told him.
Stefan nodded, seemingly impressed by her determination.
"I understand," he replied.
"Now I wish everyone else would, Klaus included," she sighed.
When lunchtime came, she decided to blow off Rebekah's prom meeting and head for the cafeteria, instead. She knew she'd probably end up sitting alone, but that was preferable to Rebekah's scorn. Her appetite for blood was low, but she couldn't resist the homemade macaroni and cheese one of the lunch ladies had brought in today; excellent comfort food.
She sat at one of the empty tables and concentrated on the meal rather than passersby. Even though most of the student body was oblivious to her troubles, it felt like every one of them was staring her down as if they knew.
"Prom meeting in the cafeteria, what a great idea, Caroline," Rebekah said cheerfully, with a hint of sarcasm.
Rebekah was towering over her while four other girls stood behind her expectantly; Julie and Michelle were two of them.
She groaned inwardly.
"Um...actually..." she started.
- "You weren't ditching the meeting were you?" Rebekah asked with her hands on her hips.
She obviously had no choice in the matter. Rebekah and Klaus were a lot alike in that regard.
"No, of course not," she said with the best fake smile she could muster.
"Good," Rebekah stated as she took a seat beside her.
What was supposed to be her moment of peace, soon turned into a heated prom discussion about the colours to be used, place settings, centrepieces, food, music, and location. Rebekah eagerly volunteered the Mikaelson home as the venue. Klaus would not be pleased at all, and she thought about protesting Rebekah's idea, but Rebekah was determined. Admittedly, if the theme was to be the eighteenth century – a theme that was slowly growing on her – then the Mikaelson house would be ideal. Besides, she couldn't deny that Klaus's inevitable displeased reaction amused her. Actually, she thought it was kind of fitting that Klaus discover what it felt like to have decisions made for him.
Overall she contributed very little to the conversation and she knew Rebekah was not happy with her. Getting to plan senior prom had been one of the highlights of her senior year since her freshman year. She had dreamed about her senior prom ever since she and Elena saw her Aunt Jenna off to her senior prom when they were younger. Now, however, she didn't hold the same enthusiasm. Half the fun of prom was sharing it with your friends and that was something she was running low on. It wouldn't be the same without her friends. Moreover, she didn't even have a date. Even if she did return to Klaus's good graces she didn't picture him as the type to concern himself with what was basically an expensive high school dance.
She had virtually drowned the voices out as Rebekah and the other girls rambled on about elaborate upholstery, candles, and lavish desserts. Their imaginations went way beyond their measly prom budget, and she expected Rebekah would be compelling herself the perfect event. Students in future years would wonder how they afforded it.
As she picked at her macaroni and cheese a cell phone was placed in front of her vision.
"This is Michelle's prom dress," Rebekah announced, as if to snap her from her daze.
She looked down at the phone and took note of the strapless light yellow party dress with a bunched up skirt that gave it that eighteenth century touch.
"It's nice, Michelle," she observed politely before Rebekah snatched the phone away from her and began discussing how Michelle should wear her hair.
Before she even realized it, the meeting was over and the girls, save for Rebekah, were gathering up their things to leave.
She considered getting up and following them out since she dreaded the thought of being left alone with Rebekah, but she remained seated. She knew escaping Rebekah's fury was easier said than done.
"You know, you could try being a bit more enthusiastic next time. You barely made any suggestions," Rebekah chided her.
She rolled her eyes and huffed in frustration.
"Sorry, I'm just not feeling enthused about it," she mumbled.
"Well perhaps you'd prefer not to be on the committee then?" Rebekah proposed.
Rebekah's suggestion infuriated her. This was supposed to be her prom committee from the beginning and here Rebekah was taking it out from underneath of her and she was letting it happen. This prom committee was all she had to take her mind off of things. She had wanted to stay in Mystic Falls until graduation partly to finish her senior off right, and she was letting it pass her by.
She shook her head.
"No...I want to be on the committee," she assured Rebekah. "I really did like all the ideas. I'm just having a bad day," she said.
Rebekah seemed to come around with her compliment.
"Well I'm not exactly having the best time either. Matt won't even acknowledge me, and Nik is still angry with me, but you don't see me throwing myself a pity party every two seconds," Rebekah said.
Her first instinct was to be offended by Rebekah's harsh words, but she knew Klaus's sister had a good point.
"You're right," she relented. "I like the light colours...I think we should have upholstered chairs...I like the candlestick holder centrepieces, but I think we need flowers too..." she told Rebekah. "I think everyone would love a dessert table, but I'm not so sure classical musicians are going to go over well. You may be partial to that, but seniors in the twenty-first century want dance music," she added.
A small smile appeared on Rebekah's lips.
"Duly noted," Rebekah replied, jotting some things down in her notebook. "And there's the bitch I fought so hard with over the decade dance," Rebekah mused with a humorous tone.
While the comment shocked her, she genuinely laughed. She was laughing with Rebekah.
She watched as Rebekah reached into her bag excitedly.
"This is my dress material," Rebekah beamed, as she showcased the shiny pale blue material. "I'm having it custom made," she explained.
Apparently Rebekah's enthusiasm was contagious because she found herself eyeing the material admiringly.
"It's beautiful, Rebekah," she said honestly, even if she didn't know what the design of the dress would be.
Rebekah grinned proudly as she slipped the material back into her bag.
"Do you have a dress yet?" Rebekah asked her.
She shrugged and shook her head.
"No. I haven't really had the time to think about it. I'll probably just pick one up at the boutique downtown," she admitted.
Rebekah scowled at her and pushed her arm.
"That sounds so depressing," Rebekah lamented. "Everyone will be getting their dress there. You should come to one of my appointments with my dress maker. He would know exactly what to create for you," Rebekah urged.
"I couldn't afford it," she hesitated.
Rebekah rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'd compel him for you," Rebekah told her. "But if you really feel that guilty about it, I'm sure Nik would pay for it," she said almost disdainfully.
She scoffed at Rebekah.
"I can barely get your brother to talk to me at the moment, much less convince him to pay for a prom dress," she said. "He doesn't even want to be here as long as prom, and besides, I don't want his money," she added.
Rebekah laughed scornfully.
"You underestimate the control you have over my brother," Rebekah grumbled. "He will never leave Mystic Falls so long as you're here; he made as much clear to me last night," she revealed.
Both of them fell into a few moments of silence before Rebekah stood up and loomed over her.
"It's pathetic really; your hold on him," Rebekah groaned. "But, your hold is keeping him here, and enabling me to pursue prom and Miss Mystic Falls," she said sternly. "You're reasons for wanting to stay may be ridiculous, but those ridiculous reasons are giving me what I want. The second you tell Nik you want to leave, he'll pick up everything – including me – to grant you your desire, so I would advise you to remain steadfast in your decision to stay," Rebekah hissed.
And just like that Rebekah's mood took another threatening turn. Yes, so long as she was with Rebekah's brother, she and Rebekah would have this bi-polar relationship.
He and Elijah stepped up to the front entrance of the Founder's Hall, and he eyed the building warily. This was not the first time he had walked directly into the fire for her. He had almost been killed by Alaric the first time, and here he was yet again, doing something that could very well destroy him either literally or metaphorically.
The debate raged on in his mind over whether or not this was a wise decision. It was definitely a rash and impulsive one, so he supposed it suited him.
His eyes burned in Elijah's direction for having encouraged him in this plan. He would blame Elijah if it backfired, he thought with an inward smirk.
It was beyond him why Elijah was even here helping him in the first place. Why did he care so much if he redeemed himself in the eyes of Caroline?
Despite their power, they were both taking a risk. He was taking a risk for a girl – a young woman...vampire. She had completely impaired his judgement. Elijah should have been pulling him back, yet here he was accompanying him to the edge.
According to Liz Forbes' inside information, the Council should have begun one of its meetings. It was just past seven o'clock.
He was as surprised as anyone would be when Caroline's mother decided to pay him a visit earlier in the afternoon.
Loud knocking sounded from his bedroom doors and he groaned at the interruption. He had finally managed some sleep after spending most of the night awake dividing his time between painting, drinking, dwelling on Elijah's words and thinking about her.
His room was darkened by the heavy drapes, but he surmised it was just after noon hour.
"What?!" he demanded angrily.
"You have visitor, Niklaus," Elijah's voice informed him from the other side of the door.
He tensed and sat up in bed immediately, wondering if perhaps it could be Caroline.
"Mrs. Forbes; Caroline's mother," Elijah clarified.
Letting out an anticipatory sigh with disappointment, he climbed out of bed with a little less enthusiasm.
Still, he was curious as to why Caroline's mother had decided to pay him a visit.
"I'll be down in a minute, Elijah," he told his brother.
He scrambled to find something to wear as he listened to his brother's footsteps descend the stairs down to the foyer.
Slipping on some jeans and a black Henley, he left his room to greet Mrs. Forbes.
He found her sitting with Elijah in the parlour sipping tea.
She was dressed in her typical policewoman's uniform.
"Mrs. Forbes," he greeted, as both she and Elijah stood from their seated position. "Please, sit," he said.
Caroline's mother gave him an uncertain smile and sat back down.
That unsure smile was the same one her daughter often greeted him with.
"Perhaps I should be addressing you as Sheriff Forbes? Are you here on official business?" he asked intrigued.
She shook her head with a light laugh.
"No, I wanted to speak with you," she admitted, glancing over at Elijah self-consciously.
He looked at Elijah.
"Excuse us, brother?" he requested of Elijah.
Elijah nodded and rose from his seat.
"It was lovely finally getting to meet you, Mrs. Forbes," Elijah said as he shook her hand.
"Same, and please, call me Liz," she said in a friendly tone, that he could only hope would be extended to him.
Elijah smiled at her and left them alone.
He stood there awkwardly as she sipped from her tea cup. For some reason this woman intimidated him.
"You have a beautiful home," she observed as she looked around adoringly at the interior finishes of the room. "Forgive me for asking, but how do you afford it?" she asked.
It wasn't an innocent question. He knew she was testing him; fishing for more information about him. He didn't blame her.
He smirked.
"Do you mean, did I steal it?" he asked, walking towards one of the windows, too on edge to sit down.
She laughed anxiously.
He shrugged.
"I've compelled myself a few business deals along the way, but most of this is the product of legitimate wealth Mrs. Forbes," he answered.
She looked relieved.
"Liz," she corrected.
"Liz," he repeated.
First-name basis was promising, he thought.
"So, Liz, I'm sure you didn't just come here to admire my home, what did you come here to speak with me about?" he wondered anxiously.
Placing her tea cup on its saucer, she set it on the table in front of her.
"Our apparent mutual interest," she said cryptically. "Caroline."
He waited for her to elaborate.
"She didn't send me here to see you, if that's what you're thinking," she assured him.
It had crossed his mind in the last few minutes, but he knew if Caroline had something to say she would tell him herself; as she had last night.
"Those things you said about my daughter...about wanting to protect her...about her being your salvation...were you being truthful?" she asked outright.
He traced his hand along the back of an armchair as he listened to her question and contemplated his answer.
"I am many things Mrs...Liz, but a liar is not one of them," he said, making eye contact with her.
She nodded, but she still seemed unsatisfied.
"Do you not believe me?" he questioned.
Biting her lip, much like Caroline did, she shrugged.
"For someone who seems to care about my daughter, I'm just confused as to why you seemed to have made her so upset last night..." she challenged.
This woman certainly knew the questions to ask and the buttons to push to get at the heart of matters.
"We had a little disagreement," he said casually, playing it down as though it was a minor issue.
She glared at him.
"She came home sobbing..." Caroline's mother challenged. "Naturally, she wouldn't tell me why," she added.
He clenched his jaw using every bit of restraint within him to avoid becoming hostilely defensive.
"Your daughter wants to stay in Mystic Falls. She thinks that by helping solve the case of the mystery attacker, she'll win her friends back. By staying here she would be putting herself in grave danger, not only from this attacker, but from the Council should they discover my disappearance," he explained honestly. "I don't think the risk is worth it."
"You want to leave...with her...and she wants to stay," Liz concluded.
He nodded.
"Listen, I realize that you're not keen about my relationship with your daughter, nor are you keen about the prospect of her leaving with me, but I think it's very unwise for her or I to remain here," he said sternly.
Caroline's mother released a drawn out sigh as she avoided his stare.
"I agree," she revealed.
He was taken aback. For once, someone was agreeing with him. No, it wasn't one of his siblings and it wasn't even Caroline, it was her own mother. He couldn't hide the surprised look that had etched upon his face.
"After twenty years of police work I consider myself a pretty good judge of character. While your past is questionable concerning Elena and your hybrids, I feel inclined to trust you when you say you want to protect Caroline," she confessed. "I believe that you can do that...better than I can now," she said self-consciously.
While he hadn't had a mother for centuries, he recalled his mother's utter despair at the loss of Henrik and how helpless she felt in her efforts to protect her children before she resorted to vampirism. He imagined Caroline's mother felt a similar helplessness. These threats were too big for her to handle alone.
"You can trust me," he assured her. "You're protecting Caroline by putting your faith in me."
Liz nodded.
"As much as want Caroline to stay and wrap up her life here, her safety is what is most important to me. If anyone can convince her to leave, it's you," she said.
He scoffed with a small chuckle under his breath as he thought about his failed attempts.
"As much as I would love to oblige you, I don't think there's anything I could say to her that would make her agreeable. I'm afraid your daughter is more stubborn and determined than I've given her credit for," he mused.
She smiled knowingly.
"Caroline is the product of two very stubborn people," Liz acknowledged.
"She won't leave until she's exhausted every opportunity to get her friends back," he concluded. "I cannot force her to leave," he said.
A worried look spread across her face.
"What will you do then?" she asked him.
He shrugged.
"No matter how much I might disagree with her, I've resigned myself to the fact that since Caroline refuses to leave, I am forced to remain here," he explained, "to look out for her."
Her tense facial expression eased slightly.
"Thank you," she said softly, the relief apparent in her voice. "But what about the Council?" she asked.
He sneered at the mention of it.
"Yes, about the Council...I know they have cut you and Carol Lockwood out of loop, but I was hoping you would be able to give me some information," he said.
And thus, here he was, on the doorstep of the Founder's Hall with Elijah preparing to enter this lion's den.
"Are you sure about this, Niklaus? Once we do this, there will be no going back..." Elijah warned.
He glared at Elijah.
"Are you serious, Elijah? You're the one who encouraged me," he scoffed, as he stepped forward towards the doors.
Knocking, he waited patiently for the doorman to answer.
As soon as the doors opened, he lunged at the older man in the otherwise empty foyer while Elijah kept watch.
He sunk his fangs into the man's skin. His blood was laced with vervain, and while it tasted foul, it would take more than that to weaken him.
The man passed out almost instantly from shock, and he dropped him to the floor with utter disregard.
Elijah was giving him a disapproving look.
"What?" he whispered in an annoyed tone.
Elijah shrugged and handed him a handkerchief to wipe the blood off his face.
"You could have been a little more discreet, brother," Elijah explained.
He rolled his eyes and pushed past his brother towards the smaller meeting room adjacent to the larger room the Miss Mystic Nomination Ceremony had been held the other evening.
Perhaps it had been naive of him to trust Liz Forbes. Maybe this entire thing was a set up; another trap to destroy him. But the fact that Caroline's mother had been the one to seek him out in the first place was what restored his confidence as he neared the open entranceway to the room.
He hadn't figured out his plan exactly; but plans were boring. The important part was his resurrection before the Council.
The thought of their shock alone made him smirk with delight, regardless of the potential risk.
All he knew was that he was under strict orders from Caroline's mom not to kill any of the Council members, despite his greatest wish to. Apparently these vindictive creatures were her friends, and were people she had known all her life. However, that was not to say he and Elijah couldn't rough them up a little to make a point. He was banking on threats; hoping they would suffice to buy Caroline some time as well as give him the advantage. He had the element of surprise, they did not.
He stood just shy of the entranceway as he removed the blood from his face and listened in on their conversation.
"Why should we put our faith in this hunter? He's given us nothing; not one vampire," one woman argued.
"Killing vampires is not like killing humans. It takes time – meticulous planning," and older male chimed in.
"If killing vampires was simple, then why haven't any of you volunteered?" another male snapped.
He took that as his cue.
Bolting to the front of the room with his vampire speed he grabbed hold of the pastor – who Liz Forbes said would be leading the meeting.
"Perhaps you'd like an opportunity to volunteer right now?" he hissed with his blackened eyes and fangs exposed.
The pastor was sweating profusely and shaking under his grip, while horrified looks quickly fell upon the several people in the room in response.
One woman darted for the entrance, but Elijah was already there, blocking the entrance with a pleasant grin.
Elijah stood there guardedly and the woman froze in place before retreating back to one of the sofas where a male held her pathetically.
Smiling at Elijah, he quickly turned his attention back to the group of terrified humans.
"What? No volunteers?" he laughed. "Aren't you supposed to be the secret Council that protects Mystic Falls from vampires? Don't you despise them and want them dead?" he confirmed.
None of the group responded, save for the pastor who was quietly pleading with him to be released.
He flung the pastor effortlessly against a nearby wall, rendering him unconscious.
"Well, come on then, here's your chance. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is instead of hiding behind some hunter?" he snickered as he extended his hands.
There was always a hero in any crowd, and this group was no different; he had already singled him out.
And as if on cue, he noticed the middle-aged man with a receding hairline jump up from one of the chairs and lunge at him with a wooden stake from the corner of his eye.
He let the man attack.
The wooden stake pierced his skin just below the heart. The wood was soaked in vervain. He laughed as the man drove the stake into his body.
When the man realized the stake did nothing to him save for drawing a bit of his blood, he froze there in front of him; his hand still firmly wrapped around the stake.
He looked up at him helplessly now, while he looked down at the man with pity.
"Fool," he breathed, before snapping his neck effortlessly.
Caroline's mother may have told him not to kill anyone, but that was entirely self defence he concluded mirthfully.
"Anyone else?" he asked simply as he tossed the now deceased man to the side. "I'm afraid it takes much more than a wooden stake to kill me, but then you wouldn't really know a thing about that would you, since you merely only took the credit for incapacitating me," he reproached.
They all sat there quietly, trying hard to maintain their composure. He could smell their fear, however.
"I expect that you're surprised to see me here..." he mused. "However, by the looks on your faces, you're not exactly surprised to see me alive," he observed, as he began to circle the group. "This leads me to assume one of two things; either you discovered my missing body, or this hunter you were speaking of before my interruption has filled you in."
"What do you want from us?" the same woman who tried to escape earlier demanded.
He snickered and turned around on his heels to face her.
"At this moment, I believe I would like to know how you discovered my disappearance. Was it a sheer hunch? Or was it this hunter who informed you? Or perhaps it was someone else?" he asked calmly, still wondering if perhaps Liz Forbes had sold him out.
The woman's lips tightened.
They would need some persuasion.
He grabbed the woman by her neck and picked her up.
"Now I know you're all on vervain, so I can't compel the answer out of you, but I certainly have other means of making you speak," he grinned as he eyed the frightened woman under his grasp. "Tell me, or I'll kill her just like I did him," he threatened, pointing to the now deceased man on the floor. "And don't lie because I can tell when you are."
He tightened his hold on the woman in an effort to stress his point.
The man who had comforted her earlier began to stutter as though he was ready to give him an answer.
"It was the hunter," he finally revealed.
Tossing the woman aside, he leaned over the man who had spoken.
"Really?" he said intrigued. "This hunter works for you?" he questioned.
The man nodded.
He responded by grabbing the man violently by the collar of his shirt; apparently the Council had not ceased their quest for vampires, regardless of their deals with Caroline's mother and his siblings.
Could this hunter be the mystery attacker Caroline had been so dead set upon finding?
"Who is he!?" he demanded, shaking the already trembling man.
The man shook his head eagerly.
"We don't know him directly. We've only ever talked over the phone," he confessed.
He appeared to be telling the truth, but he glanced over at Elijah for confirmation.
Elijah nodded.
"So then I assume you have no way of contacting him?" he asked, frustrated.
"No," the man replied.
Uttering an expletive under his breath he backed away from the informant.
He looked around at the panicked Council and chuckled casually.
"Well, let this be a lesson to you; never underestimate me," he warned venomously, as he nodded his head towards the unconscious pastor and deceased man. "Whatever you have planned with this hunter of yours, I want it stopped. Rest assured that if it is not, not only will my brother remove the funds he so generously donated to the town coffers, but I will see to it that each and every one of you will suffer the most brutal of deaths alongside the hunter," he growled.
Judging by the frightened looks on their faces it appeared as though they got the point. He was not naive however, he knew this would only grant them a temporary truce with the Council. When the power of his threats began to dissipate they would return to their plotting and scheming once more. But for now, it was this hunter they had to concentrate on. He had a feeling the hunter would lead them directly to the unknown attacker from the Grill.
A/N: So I apologize for the lack of Klaroline this chapter. I promise that there will be Klaroline interaction and fun times in the next chapter! :D