Hey guys! So, I just couldn't wait to update. Here goes. I hope you enjoy. It's a very dark chapter, so be advised. Thanks to my followers and reviewers. Hopefully more people will do the same!

Chapter 3

The motel looked like it'd been there for decades. "How the hell did you find this place?" Caroline asked looking around assessing her surroundings. She felt she'd walked into an episode of Madmen.

"When you are on the run, you learn how to lay low. This looked like a motel nobody would be looking for us." Klaus opened the door and held it open. "After you, sweetheart."

Caroline took a quick look around the room, trying to avoid looking at the bed. Klaus softly closed the door behind her. She could feel his presence. He always had that effect on her. She could feel his glance on her back, as she felt a tingling at her back.

"I wish I had something else to wear instead of this dress." She was still wearing the dress she'd had on during the Miss Mystic Falls Party. "Can we stop somewhere tomorrow so I can buy a pair of jeans?" Caroline sat down on the bed, turned the TV on and zapped through the ten channels without watching what was on. Klaus still stood by the door, looking at her, his face showing no emotion. Caroline did everything in her power not to look at him. Klaus walked to the window, and looked outside. He smiled internally. Caroline saw the little smile through the reflection of the window. Well, at least she asked to get some clothes instead of demanding them. He thought. Anyway, she won't be needing new jeans. She'll be dead tomorrow. His look went from that little smile to sadness in a matter of seconds.

It was just a matter of time when she was going to escape. Just as well let her think I'm giving her what she wants. "Sure love, we'll get you some clothes… whatever you need." He said, looking at her with a smile. Caroline looked confused. She'd thought he was going to tell her off, that they didn't need extra clothes, calling her prissy. Him giving her her way immediately told her something was going on. She just didn't know what to make of it. Klaus walked over to the bed, looking down at her intensely. Their eyes locked. Caroline had to explicitly think it was not ok to lift her and touch his stomach, just within hands reach. His hand moved towards her cheek and with one finger gently he gently caressed her. Caroline felt a jolt going through her. Why was he looking at her like that? Like he has to take in every feature of her face, like he is saying goodbye? Caroline was sure he was going to kill her at that moment. Him giving in so easily, his eyes saying goodbye. She jerked her head away from his hand, looking up at him with bravura. Klaus gave her a half smile and turned away, walking towards the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower." She'll be gone the moment I turn on the water.

Is he stupid? Does he have some misguided trust in me? I'm gone! Caroline ran out the door as soon as she heard him step into the shower. As she ran towards the road with her vampire speed, she bumped into a van, crossing the parking lot. What the…? Caroline fell backwards on her butt, and looked at the passenger.

"Sorry hon, we didn't see you there." The man inside the van wore a cap and a hoodie. He looked about thirty.

"That's alright." Caroline said softly. She got up and was about to run further, when the door of the van opened.

"Hi there, aren't you a pretty little vampire! What's the hurry?" A net, drained in Vervain water was thrown over her before she could even respond. The pain of the Vervain on her skin hit her so suddenly, feeling like hundreds of razors cutting her, she couldn't react in time as she was pulled in. The van drove off with shrieking tires. Three man stood in the back of the van, all of them holding stakes. Two of them dropped their stakes as soon as Caroline was under the net. They threw Vervain water over her, the water burning her flesh as if someone had scorched her with a flamethrower. She was laying on the bottom of the van screaming of pain. Each of them took a hand and tied her wrists to a metal tube that was wielded on the car. The ropes too were drenched in Vervain water.

Caroline was feeling foggy, the pain was clouding up her mind. Who are these people? Vampire hunters? She tried to focus on who were in the van, tried to look for a way to escape. Even the slightest movement of her body or head gave her a surge of pain that went through her like a bolt of lightning. She tried not to scream, to not give them the satisfaction. She could see the men looking at her with conceited looks in their eyes. She could smell the liquor in their blood.

Caroline felt the net making wounds on her legs and thighs. She heard the hissing sound of burning flesh.

"Just stake it already!" the driver exclaimed nervously. "Who knows if there are more around!"

"Shut up, Vic! We'll have our cake and eat it too…" The man with a red and white training jacket lifted the net just above her stomach, letting it cover up her arms, head and torso.

"Come on, Tom," the driver, Vic, said, "what are you, some kind of necrophile? She's dead man! A dead body! A monster. Just kill it!"

Tom wasn't listening. He kneeled down, as he looked at the other two men. With a nudge of his head, he motioned them to hold her legs. They hesitated, but each of them took a leg, holding it down. Weakened as she was because of the Vervain and the pain it created, she hadn't the strength to fight them of. Panic flooded her as she realised what was going to happen.

Tom pulled her panties down, took them off and threw them over his shoulder, smiling ominously. "Come on, dude, hurry!" Said one off the unnamed monsters holding her leg. The other just looked at her, his eyes filled with hate.

"No!" Caroline pleaded. "What have I ever done to you? I don't even drink from humans! I drink out of bloodbags! Please, no…" Mister Hateful-look punched Caroline on her mouth, ripping the lip. It didn't heal because of the Vervain. With his fists he unleashed his anger on her face and upper body.

Caroline was dazed, and terrified. Tom pulled his pants down, showing his erection. He was hard on power, the power he had over her. Hard on the hate he felt. He pushed her legs open and laid down between her, positioning himself. He looked at her smiling lustfully, coldness was in his eyes.

"You're a dead monster, whore, after I'm done with you, we'll dump you, and no one will even care."

She felt him moving, and closed her eyes for what was to come. No one will know what happened to me, she thought. She could feel him, between her legs. "No…" Caroline sobbed.

Suddenly she heard a thump and she didn't feel him lying on top of her anymore.

"Shit! Tom?!" she heard Vic yelling just as she was opening her eyes. She heard gurgling and saw a red mist, drops of blood falling on her face. The Hateful-look guy and the other unnamed guy, were lying dead next to her, eyes still open in surprise. The van had stopped and was rocking.

She heard Vic scream, than the passenger a few moments after that. Silence fell over the van. She heard steps outside, walking closer to the back door. Caroline tried to lift her head, but the dead men were lying on the net. The ropes burned into her flesh. Her face was wet from tears. She heard her saviour gasping for air as he laid eyes on her.

"Klaus…" Caroline whispered in relief. He climbed into the van and the net and ropes around her wrists were pulled of off her in a swift movement. Klaus gently checked her wounds. Caroline lifted her head, looking at him. Are those tears? She thought. He wiped his face aggressively. No, he doesn't care. She tried to get up, but couldn't find the strength.

"Easy now, love. I'll carry you." She felt him pulling his arms around her. She lay her head against his chest and sunk into unconsciousness.

Klaus carried Caroline home in a hurry. He still felt the rage he had felt while killing those men running through his veins. The anger consumed him, as he wasn't only angry at them, but he also blamed himself for what happened.

If I had just compelled her to keep close to me, this wouldn't have happened. But no, I had to make a game out of it. Mikael was right, always my impulsiveness getting in the way. He looked at her body, seeing the net marks in her legs, as if someone had carved a beehive on them. Her face had the same marks, and was beaten up badly. He felt despair coming over himself. Seeing her this hurt, made him feel a pain of his own he couldn't quite place. He had to give her his blood, and quick. He didn't want to lose her. He thought about how scared he had been for her.

He had smiled in himself as he had heard the door when she'd fled the room. He turned the faucet of and waited. He would give her a few minutes head start, just to make the chaise more interesting. When he'd gone out, he'd smelled her, up until the parking lot. There the scent of a few men were mixed with hers, and… Vervain! He listened and heard a van driving down the road leading to the interstate. Who are these men, and what are they doing to my Caroline? He felt anger sharpening his mind and fear pull at his dead heart. Although he'd want to kill her himself, he sure wasn't letting some random man doing the job for him. He felt his stomach knot together. I do want to kill her… Don't I? He pushed that thought immediately. Killing her would be merciful. More merciful than letting it drag on. But not at the hand of someone else. He'd do it, quick and painless. Tomorrow…

Klaus ran towards the sound of the speeding van. It only took him a minute to reach it. When he had found the van, he heard some man say "You're a dead monster, whore, after I'm done with you, we will dump you, and no one will even care." He heard Caroline pleading and at her "No…" he didn't even think. He just ripped the van open and started slaying them. He saw a man lying in between her legs. Filled with utter rage he ripped him of off her and literally broke him in half over his knee, throwing his upper body to the left and the rest to the right. In a matter of seconds he ripped the hearts out of those other men's chests and moved on to the passenger and the driver. Still fuming with rage, he walked up to the back of the van. As he saw her lying there, beaten up, wounded, tied down, his eyes widened and he gasped for air in shock. No! He thought. What have they done to you? What have I done? And to think I wanted to kill her myself. Not like this.

"Klaus…" He heard her whisper. Was that relief in her eyes? Relief that he was here? He got up in the van, and ripped the net and the ropes of. He quickly estimated her wounds, tears filling his eyes. He whipped them away aggressively. She tried to get up. No, even now she's trying to get away.

"Easy now, love. I'll carry you." He said worried. As he pulled her into his arms, he felt her face against his chest. Her body relaxed and then she was out.

Klaus ran to the motel as fast as he could. He kicked the door open and laid Caroline down on the bed carefully. He got a wet towel to clean her face up. He sat himself down on the bed, against the headboard, pulled her up softly, so her head rested on his stomach. He bit his own wrist open and held it against her lips. Come on now love, just a few sips. Open up, please… Her mouth opened up, and a few drops fell in before she woke up enough to let her lips search for his wrist, his blood. She took what she needed. Klaus caressed her hair and forehead while gently cleaning her face. "I've got you now, love. You're safe now." He could see she was not wearing panties, and with his free hand he tried to cover her up with the blanket. He clenched his hands to fists in anger. He wasn't sure he'd been in time. Caroline had stopped drinking herself and fell into a deep sleep. Klaus saw her wounds were still pink and sore, but healed. She would be fine, at least, her wounds would be gone soon. He couldn't fathom what she must feel after such an attack. He watched her sleep for a while, then got up to make the van disappear. No need to leave a trail, he thought. After he disposed of the van and the men, he bought food and clothes at the nearest store. This almost felt like the old days, when he and Rebekah had been on the run. He'd bought clothes and toiletries for the both of them often enough, to know what a girl needed.

He hurried back to the motel, to find Caroline moaning and talking in her sleep. "No, please, no… monster…'re hurting me…" she murmured. She's having a nightmare…

Klaus sat down at her bedside, gently stroking her hair. She grabbed his hand in her sleep, held it to her face, clinging to it. Her face was wet from tears. Klaus felt amazed at what the gesture did to him. Even though it was in her sleep, she still gave him the feeling she needed him. He held his hand up to her cheek.

"There, there. Your safe now sweetheart," Klaus whispered in her ear. He felt her hand relaxing a bit. Her breathing calmed down. However, as he stood up, she started moaning again, restless.

I can't leave her alone. He realised. He pulled of his shoes and laid next to her, pulling her in his chest. He felt her body relaxing as she fell into a calm sleep.

I could get used to this, Klaus thought. No, Klaus, he told himself, she loves the hybrid. She hates you. This doesn't change that. Stay on your primary mission. No more games. Find the mongrel, kill her in front of him, punish him for betraying me. Killing her sooner might be merciful, but doing it later, would buy him some time with her. He looked down at Caroline. Without being aware of it, she had pulled her hands up to his chest, almost snuggling with him. He felt his body tensing. The muscles in his lower stomach were tightening. He felt lust. Lust! After what she's been through? Just because she is clamping onto you in HER SLEEP… Come on, get a grip Klaus. He sighed and try to think of something else. He let his mind wonder of, to anywhere but Caroline, lying there in his arms. Slowly he dozed of himself.

Well, I told you, dark right?! Hope there aren't too many mistakes, grammar and spelling wise. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter will have to wait a bit longer, I have to write a paper, and I wrote this chapter trying to avoid doing what I was supposed to do… Recognisable? Next chapter we will hear from an original…