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Caroline woke up to the feeling of someone shaking her, trying to bring her to life. With some difficulty opening the heavy eyelids, she saw a troubled Tyler leaning over her. The guy looked really worried.

"Caroline!" Her name sounded as if from a great distance.

The girl looked around. She was still in the basement but neither Klaus, nor the hybrid's body was there. The blonde touched her face – it was still stained with blood. "Now he'll believe me!" Thought Caroline, taking the offered hand and standing up from the floor.

"What happened?" Tyler cupped her face with his hands, looking into her eyes. "We found your car in a ditch near here. God, how I was scared."

The blonde got a bad feeling. But still went to the stairs, trying to be out in the fresh air as soon as possible. Too nightmarish were her association with the musty basement. This was where they once for the first time truly became close with Tyler.

When they were on the street, she asked cautiously:

"When you said that you found my car, who did you mean by we?"

Tyler pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and began to clean the blood from the girl's face.

"Klaus and I."

Caroline jerked away from him like from a leper as anger overcame her. And somehow, this anger was directed more towards the Lockwood boy than the maniac that nearly killed her in the basement.

"You and Klaus?" She asked sarcastically. "And you have no problem with the fact that the car accident happened because of Klaus? Or that he threatened me, and I killed one of his precious hybrids tonight?"

Tyler looked at the blonde as if he doubted her sanity.

"Care, Klaus couldn't physically be there. All this time he was with me."

The girl just laughed insincerely and grimly, waving her hand. She was already too confused to understand anything. Too many strange events in such a short period of time, the Original maniac was stalking her and her boyfriend who believed that her words are an absolute fabrication on top of everything else. A bitter cherry on top of one screwed-up sundae... Caroline was too angry to even argue.

"Take me home." Said the girl wearily.

Lockwood nodded, put his arm around her shoulders and headed for the side road nearby. The blonde wasn't even surprised when she saw Klaus leaning his hip against the hood. The hybrid's face was surprised and worried. He was a wonderful actor – Caroline had to give him that. But now she could see the man's essence even more pronounced and was irritated and angry that Tyler still couldn't see the immoral monster that was his Creator.

"Caroline, what happened?" The Original asked worriedly, and Caroline gave him a murderous look. "Slippery roads, of course, are the scourge of the time."

The girl didn't answer to such apparent mockery. She was already resigned to the fact that now she had to return home in the company of none other than the one responsible for her unfortunate accident. Klaus's company was extremely unpleasant, but there was not the slightest chance to get rid of him. When the hybrid politely opened the door for her, Caroline again only gave him a baleful look, and going around the car got into it from the other side. The girl knew it was childish, but couldn't control herself. It was just awful, not being able to confront this insolent jerk as an equal.

They drove in silence. The tension was literally hanging in the air. But none of them said a word. Caroline didn't want to talk to Klaus. Tyler was clearly uncomfortable with the three of them in the same car. The girl felt that her words planted doubts in him. Every now and then he gave her a close look in the mirror. On one hand the blonde was happy to see that he didn't think she went completely nuts, but on the other – what in fact was Tyler able to do? Actually, he had a certain vague belief in her accusations before, but for some reason it was rapidly eroding. Such changes troubled Caroline, but she assumed it was due to his new nature. And the changes that come with it.

Caroline leaned back in her seat, looking at her reflection in the glass, and chuckled darkly. Klaus turned Tyler effortlessly. And with the same enthusiasm was now playing with her. And whatever purpose he might be pursuing, without even noticing it they became hostages of the Original. His new toys.

Caroline wanted Tyler to stay with her that night. She wanted to talk a lot, and felt that he could believe her and realize in what danger they were. The girl was scared, though she tried to convince herself that she could find the way out. Insanely afraid not even for themselves, but for their relationship, which could collapse at the whim of a perverted maniac. She already felt that their relationship with Tyler was becoming weaker after his conversion with the hybrid. Klaus was displacing all good things and Caroline as well.

Before, even when the guy acted often as a pompous snob, he has never been so intoxicated by his superiority over someone. Now Caroline began to notice that this behaviour slipped here and there, in the most unexpected moments. And regretfully realized where all this was coming from. She felt that if they didn't do something now, then maybe she would never see that Tyler she once knew.

But Tyler couldn't stay because he "promised to give Klaus a ride home." The girl looked knowingly, first at her boyfriend, then at Klaus and silently walked to the porch. Entering the house, she threw off the bloodstained clothes and stood under the hot shower. "For now we're Klaus's experimental bunnies, but what will happen when he'll get tired?"

…

He poured a glass of whiskey and slumped in his chair, with his feet on the coffee table. Klaus slowly sipped from his glass while watching Tyler, who was clearly trying to hide something from him. Lockwood was not a very good actor, and every time, catching the man's eyes on him was quickly to avert his own. The Original smiled, knowing where the wind was blowing from. The things were going exactly how the man has planned. He was amused, watching a frightened Caroline rushing for support to her boyfriend, who was taking her every word with scepticism.

Klaus even knew what was coming. Tyler won't remain silent. The guy will take another sip and ask his Creator what was going on. When Lockwood picked up his glass and took a sip, the Original's grin widened. He condescendingly watched the boy fidgeting on the couch, uncertain. Tyler was his "favourite." And it was not that he was the first who survived the transition into a hybrid, no. Klaus was more interested in him still not quitting, trying to confront the master. Other hybrids were literally eating from his palm, and this puppy was still occasionally barring his teeth in an attempt to establish his independence. And the Original gave him the semblance of an illusory freedom. He could make him obey, but didn't want to completely suppress this already gradually fading spark of rebellion. In the end, the water wears away the stone, and Tyler will become a full member of the pack. For now... He was a great way to pass the time in this small boring town. The exception to the rule. Something special.

"Caroline told me that you're stalking her." Finally said Lockwood a little hesitantly.

Klaus took another sip and put down his glass aside, ironically looked at the guy.

"What do you yourself think about this?" Asked the Original with a raised eyebrow, as if nothing had happened.

He was visibly nervous, and the Original was clearly enjoying it. The boy himself didn't understand the full force of their connection. He naively assumed that he and the Creator are if not equal, at least on relatively friendly terms. But the truth was that in fact Klaus could tell him to jump off the roof, and he, though with some hesitation, but would make a leap. Even if death was waiting downstairs.

"I don't know what to think." Tyler said honestly. "You were with me when the accident occurred. I saw you with my own eyes. But Caroline... Caroline says that you were at that time with her. She's not the one to come up with stuff like this, but... How can this be?"

Klaus shook his head.

"Well, it could be something like this. I could compel you, make you believe that I was with you when I returned from the little entertainment, and then ask for a ride home. I could ask one of the hybrids to cross your way exactly where Caroline had the accident. And "accidentally" see the mangled fence." The Original said it so quietly that at first Tyler thought he was joking. "Here's how it could be."

The ancient hybrid with obvious glee watched the changing face of the kid, as the meaning of his words was slowly coming to him.

"You wouldn't do that!" He whispered in shock.

Then confusion was replaced by anger, and Tyler rushed forward. A moment later, he flew to the wall, breaking the bookshelf. Klaus looked with displeasure at the damaged piece of furniture and then turned his attention to the pup stretched on the floor in the middle of scattered books. The man stood over him, knowing full well how emotionally pressing it was for the boy. He should have certainly finally realized how insignificant he was against Klaus.

"Why not?" Drawled the Original with his head to the side. "I could. In fact, let's see, I did several times. You have no idea how fun it was to watch how obstinately you refuse to see the truth. But on the other hand, who would blame you? After all, you believed your own eyes more than poor Caroline. Although, as it turns out, it wasn't even what you've seen."

"Bastard!" Tyler hissed, trying to rush back to the Original.

He just laughed, pushing a heavy boot on Lockwood's chest and preventing this desperate attempt.

"Now what?" The guy croaked with hatred. "You'll kill me?"

Klaus just shook his head.

"No, why should I?" he drawled theatrically. "On the contrary. I shall deprive you of this spiritual anguish. I'll just compel you. And this conversation never took place. As, however, talking to Caroline. You'll just go home, go to sleep and in the morning go to school with a clear conscience."

"Why are you doing this?"

The Original stared wearily at the ceiling. The man was really tired to explain everything to this boy. This conversation has been repeated for the third time.

"The answer "just because", as I understand it, won't satisfy you?" Grabbing the lapels of his jacket, Klaus pulled Tyler up from the floor. "Well, I will answer you for the last time. You are my favourite pet. You know, the one who every time tries to bite your hand, but which at the same time for some reason you appreciate more than others. And you know, I looked at you every time and I couldn't understand – why a pretty boy like you, not burdened with intelligence and in essence no different from hundreds of others like him, is yet so special that still resists the strength of our ties. And then suddenly I realized. Caroline makes you stronger." The man threw the boy into a chair and leaned over him, with his hands on the armrests. "And then I finally considered it. She really is worth it to fight back. So good, so pure, despite her vampire nature... And so desirable." Lockwood again tried to attack the hybrid, but he easily threw him off with the chair. "You know, I even began to feel something akin to attraction. It's so funny, to feel attracted to such a young and inexperienced girl. How did you say? She is a "big girl"? Oh yes, Tyler, I think that it's time for Caroline to learn something about being an adult."

"Don't you dare to put a finger on her!" Tyler threatened, rising from the floor, but Klaus just laughed.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to resist such pleasure..." The Original pointedly raised an eyebrow. "...touch her with my fingers. And now, my boy, you better get back to reality, not burdened by the memory of this conversation."