Note: First part is the continuation of their conversation from chapter 2.

Chapter 4

"You are to stay away from Caroline."

Klaus waited patiently for Tyler to absorb his latest order. It didn't take long and Tyler was on his feet looking like he would attempt to attack at any second. Klaus smirked briefly at this thought almost wishing the fledging would try to harm his master; it would provide simple entertainment at least.

"What the hell dude?"

Klaus sighed, "Don't make me repeat myself," He paused, "Dude." He added mockingly, deliberately antagonizing Tyler further.

"Why would I stay away from Caroline? I lov- " Realizing he was just about to confess his love for a girl in front of an immortal Original he settled for, "I care too much to stay away from her. You can't force me to do this."

"Who said anything about force?" Klaus tsked, showing his disapproval at the assumption, "Think of it as advice, one mate to another." He corrected. "I've lived a long time Tyler, if there's anyone's advice you should listen to its mine."

"Fine," Tyler reluctantly said, "I'm listening."

"With the little bargain I was…less than agreeable on making with Stefan he brought to my attention that any harm on this town's inhabitants would result in the harm of my own family members."

Tyler knew where this was going. "Caroline."

Klaus nodded. "She could have easily died that night, giving Stefan the cause to take action." He looked at Tyler directly, knowing his next words would strike at Tyler's heart. "She would have died due to your foolishness."

Tyler clenched and unclenched his hands. But it's your fault, he wanted to scream but couldn't. His guilt was too much; he wasn't strong enough. He caused her pain time and time again, constantly being a danger to her because of his sired bond to Klaus.

"If you care for her as much as you say, whilst all it takes is a simple order from me to bring forth your loyalty, do you truly care for her at all if you still wish to remain in her company?" Klaus continued on relentlessly, his lips curling into a cruel grin when Tyler remained speechless.

"Of course that's not the only reason you should reconsider this little crush of yours." Klaus went up to Tyler and placed what could have passed as a reassuring hand on his shoulder until he spoke his next sentence, "Do you really believe dear Caroline wants a boyfriend who is honour bound to someone she considers an enemy?"

Klaus wasn't really sure why he had to add that spiteful comment in. Maybe he was taking the horrible events of the day out on Tyler. Or maybe, that tiny voice he liked to ignore most of the time whispered to him, you are envious that this boy has such a treasure that he loves and is loved in return.

Taking one last sip from his drink, Klaus walked away leaving Tyler to his thoughts and pushed his own ones aside.

"As you can see I had your safety in the best interest at the time, love." Klaus said after recounting his conversation with Tyler, not looking the least bit concerned by what he had just revealed.

All for your selfish gain, her mind replied. Klaus had made Tyler feel guilty, guiltier then he usually would have been. She remembered his heartbroken expression when she had confronted him. She had just added to that guilt and unintentionally proved Klaus right. She held back any tears, not wanting to display a weakness in front of this monster.

"You had no right to say those things." Caroline finally decided to say fixing him with a glare that would normally have boys running. Of course Klaus was hardly a normal boy - or a normal anything - and unfortunately didn't move an inch.

"I have the right to say and do anything I desire." Klaus said without remorse. "Love is a vampire's greatest weakness." He spoke the word 'love' like a curse, she supposed in some ways it was. "Or a hybrid's in this case," he amended, "I don't need a weak hybrid. I have no use for a weak hybrid." The threat on Tyler's life was impossible to miss.

"You're right, love is a weakness." She agreed, startling both of them, "That's what got you into this mess in the first place - the love you have for your family."

Klaus pierced her with an icy glare that held such rage she was sure it would be the last thing she'd ever see, but then his nonchalant façade was back in place as quickly as it had gone and she was left wondering if she had imagined it.

"But," she continued recklessly before he might actually decide to kill her, "it's also our greatest strength." If it wasn't her love for her close ones and their love in return Caroline knew she wouldn't be here today, embracing every day in this godforsaken town with a smile on her face.

"Greatest strength?" He chuckled, as if he had just remembered a humorous joke. "You are more naïve then I previously believed, Caroline."

She glanced up at this insult prepared to retort to find that Klaus appeared to be lost in his thoughts. Yeah, probably on which way to kill her most painfully she thought sarcastically, wishing she could keep her mouth shut for once. Typical Caroline, even in front of a sadistic murderer she speaks her mind without any self-preservation.

But as Caroline looked closer she could see his softened features, so much like the way he had looked when encouraging her to live. Caroline found herself fascinated with the depths of his eyes that were focusing on something she couldn't see.

"I think you've had enough for today, Caroline. I'll escort you out." He said casually seeming to recover his usual self, which was a pompous ass. She wondered what his reaction would be to her wide range of expressive insults. The outcome didn't seem to be in her favour and so she decided to keep that little comment for another time.

"I'd hate for those friends of yours to attempt a rescue mission and go destroying my lovely new house that I've grown quite fond of in their tantrum." Klaus continued, but she could tell he was faking the disapproval knowing he would love nothing more for them to try and cause trouble for him knowing it was futile.

"No." She said stubbornly.

"No?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

She looked at him with a determined expression, one he had already got used to seeing on her young face. "I have more questions."

He looked impressed, like he thought she would have run at the first chance she could get instead of prolonging her visit. To be honest even Caroline didn't know why she wasn't rushing back to the safety of her friends and more importantly getting far, far away from this lunatic.

"Then please –ask away." His smirk was back in place.

"Why did you save me?" Caroline didn't want to admit it but this question had been on her mind constantly, driving her curiosity mad.

Klaus shrugged. "I needed the support of this town. Your mother seemed like a good place to start. There was also the… issue of Stefan throwing one of my coffins off the nearest bridge that I rather wanted to avoid."

She had to hold back a sigh of relief. She was worried he would say something out of character, but here he was; the evil, manipulative cold hearted bastard that only did things for his own selfishness.

So why was she also so disappointed? Was it because the man who had whispered the promise of all the cities, art and music in the world was no longer the one in front of her? Did she really believe the hybrid would display such emotions – human emotions – in front of her again? She didn't dwell on it any longer and moved on to her final question.

"Why did you give me that bracelet?" That gorgeous, expensive piece of jewellery she wished she could wear and forget the consequences; consequences that involved two very angry best friends named Elena and Bonnie.

Klaus's expression briefly changed then- hesitation perhaps? – but before she could decipher just what it was it had already been replaced with indifference.

"Do I really need a reason to give a beautiful girl a present on her birthday?" He teased.

"A psychotic killer does." She said through her clenched teeth, not falling for his flattering words.

Her remark only made his smile wider and she suddenly felt like a child's toy, purely there for entertainment.

"I'm very disappointed you're not wearing my bracelet, love. Was it not to your taste?" He asked, looking at her wrist and finding himself slightly annoyed in seeing she was wearing Tyler's bracelet.

Following his gaze she saw that she still had Tyler's bracelet on and subconsciously reached for it, as if seeking comfort. She received none and seeing the expression Klaus appeared to be giving the inanimate object, as if he could set the thing on fire just by looking at it, (which she really hoped wasn't some Original, Vampire/Werewolf power) realized it was probably time to leave.

"No, that wasn't the problem." She said honestly in response to his earlier question, "The bracelet was beautiful."

Caroline got up and began to move to the door and only when she was one step away from her freedom did she turn back to face him once more.

"It takes a whole lot more than diamonds to impress me, Klaus."

Note:

I realise there is a lot of Tyler in this story so far but it's all so I can focus more on Klaroline later on! I don't think it would have been very realistic if Caroline had jumped in Klaus's arms and they both swooped off to la-la land to live happily ever after.

It seems to have unintentionally resulted in a love triangle though. Oh well, TVD's is one huge love triangle anyway! X:

Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone that reviewed!