SWEET KISSES FROM RUSSIA
Fan Fiction – Alternate Universe
Caroline & Klaus
Elijah & Katherine
From: Lovely Vero
Disclaimer: This story is, and will always be, a fiction story, that is coming from the imagination of the author. It is not a bibliography of the author or any of the readers, neither a story that is exploring your own experience in life. It is not meant to be informative or to represent the perception or opinion of the author about the subject at hands in her own private life; it is not an encyclopedia, or a medical reference. It is only a fiction, the characters are fictional, and the story should be taken as such and not be mistaken with the private life of the readers, or any of their personal experiences. Thank you.
Important writer's message: Like briefly mentioned in the last chapter, but more officially now; please take into good note that I'll be taking a time-off (spring / summer hiatus) from this story for a period of a few weeks. I have life obligations coming at me all at once (move, possible new job); and I want to take care of those before coming back to a calmer time and reprising this story. Thanks a lot, guys; for your understanding and comprehension.
Previously on Sweet Kisses from Russia …
The eldest of the Originals walked quickly in direction of the bedroom; while keeping his empty sight straight ahead in the penumbra of the corridor. He opened the door; before slamming the panel on its arch; wakening the young woman who lay on the bed in the same process.
"What is happening?" Katerina whispered in her semi-state of consciousness under the strong medication given to her; before slowly raising her heavy eyelids to glance at the dark silhouette reaching her side of the bed. "Elijah? What are you doing? It's the middle of the night; is it my time for me to die?"
The vampire raised his wrist to his mouth, before tearing the skin from his arm; blood spreading from the opened wound.
"What? No, no… You promised to me, no…" She exclaimed, while realizing his twisted intention.
He pushed his opened wound on Katerina's lips, while forcing her to drink his blood; under her loud cries of protestation. She coughed several times, while trying to reject the red elixir that spread into her throat. When she had drunk enough; he snapped her neck; before lowering her lifeless head on her pillow. Now, the only thing to do was to wait for her awakening …
"Forgive me, Katerina, forgive me; Please." He knelled on the floor, while lowering his head over his crossed arms placed over the bed, near her lifeless body. "I couldn't lose you, my love; not this way, not now, not ever…"
Chapter 23
"In the devil's den"
Italy – Milan, Mikaelson's estate; the morning after Katerina's accident…
"No, no, fuck!" The loud exclamation reasoned in the room. "Love; what did you do?" Klaus stammered, angrily, between his teeth; before lashing out his anger with a vase being thrown at the opposite wall, in the bedroom, the object soon hitting the floor on an acute sound of broken crystal.
The hybrid nervously started pacing back and forth on the length of the rug placed at the foot of the bed; his thoughts and feelings spreading in all directions, in a fierce battle between his heart, mind and soul… He was lost and scared like he had never been before in the past thousand years of his supernatural life on this earth. He raised his right shaking hand holding the letter Carolina had left at his attention on the bedside table; his eyes brushing, once more, the words she had written to explain her present action.
Klaus;
My sister was probably turned as a vampire by your brother as of now; and because of this last turn of event; I had no other choices but to act promptly. The past few days had been hectic and difficult for all of us; but it took even more strength for me and my sister to pass through them. I can't even start to imagine what is in store for your family, our marriage or even my sister's faith with your biological father on our tails? I don't want to live my life in fear or as a fugitive all the time. I'm taking a plane back to Russia; I need to try to put an end to this; I need to take action, to show how much I care for you and for our marriage.
Again; I'm so sorry for what I've said to you, so sorry … I did not meant a single word of what I've said; my thoughts were all over the place, my heart was hurting so much after my sister's accident; and I let my anger take the best of me.. Please forgive me; like I'd forgive you in the past.
I love you,
Yours forever;
Carolina.
He read and re-read the "I love you" part several times in a row; not even able to let the words sink-in inside his mind, heart and soul. She loves him? Him – The devil reincarnated? That couldn't even be possible? Why would she say that? Why, except if she truly meant it, or maybe not?
He folded the letter back in the envelope; before holding it near his chest; tears rolling on his cheeks. He should have known after their quarrel last night that she would find a way to put herself in danger. She was so stubborn, and, she was so set to pick-up the pieces of his broken family, her sister's destiny as a vampire, and their married life. In all costs necessary, even if it meant for her to take a plane to Russia to meet Ludvig Petrov in person!
ooOoo
The previous night…
"I'm sorry to bother you; I just need a few minutes to gather a few toiletries items." Klaus informed his wife, his walking steps leading him toward the bathroom, while avoiding looking in her direction.
"Klaus; please … Can we talk?" Carolina begged of him; while jumping in a rush on the wooden floor, from her lying position on the bed. She had drifted in a semi-sleeping state for an hour or so; her eyes puffy by her sobbing. It's the grinding sound of the bedroom door slowly being opened on its arch that had waking her up.
"I'm sorry if I woke you up. But, there's nothing to say at the moment, Carolina. I perfectly understood your previous say to me." Klaus replied, in a polite, but toneless voice. "I'll be out of your way in a minute; and out of your life when the danger of my father's threats on all our backs will die." He added, rapidly gathering a few of his personal items; before storming out of the adjacent small room. "Good night." He wished to her, politely.
"Klaus, please…" Carolina grabbed his left forearm to retain her husband by her side, in the room. "Let me explain to you what I meant earlier, the words came out of my mouth; but I swear that …"
"Don't!" He cut his wife's sentence short; while shaking his head, gently pulling his arm away from her grip. His eyes closed under a few loud sighs to control his vivid emotions.
"I didn't mean it; I swear I didn't … I was angry … So angry, because of my sister's accident." Carolina tried to explain furthermore. "And it came out of my mouth, without reaching my heart, please believe me?"
"I wish I could believe you." Klaus replied, calmly; while turning his blurry sight in his wife's. "I know your heart is at the right place, Carolina; but you meant every words of it; because it was the truth, I'm the cause of all the hurt in your life."
"How can you even say that?" She startled at his say; before swallowing a lump in her throat.
"Who had brought the chaos into your and sisters' life, who had brought nightmares into your nights, who had brought tears in your eyes and pain in your heart, who, Carolina?" Klaus busted, angrily; while holding her shoulders with both hands, in a firm grip. "And if I wanted to continue my list of sins, I would tell you that I brought the same pain to my family. So, no … Don't excuse yourself for telling the truth about how much and how frequently I've been hurting you, because you're only saying the truth."
"Don't do this, don't, please …" She shook her head, tears rolling on her cheeks; before raising both of her trembling hands to cup his face. "Look at me; I swear I couldn't even imagine my life without you in it now. Klaus; you're my husband, you're my life; please, forgive me; I did not meant what I've said to you. I buried the past and the rocky start of marriage a long time ago; please, don't bring it back because of my unfortunate error to have mentioned it in a moment of anger over my sister's accident and life in general. We had such a lovely day together, today; don't … Don't throw it away; I've never been so happy in all my life. But, you have to understand that I'm only human; I make mistakes most of the time."
"No, Love; you have it backward. I'm the one who's destroying you life; I'm the one who's destroying the pure soul that you are." He replied, dryly; while grabbing both of her wrists. "You won't be happy until you'll be free of me. The sooner you'll realize that, the sooner you'll reach peace in your heart."
"Klaus; please… Don't…That's not true; I need you." Carolina raised herself on her tip toes, before softly nibbling on his bottom lip; under his loud growls of protestation. He tried to resist her seduction attack, but it was a battle lost in advance for him.
Klaus suddenly lost his self-restrain by crashing his lips on hers; the salty taste of Carolina's tears rolling on his lips and tip of tongue; who soon twirled with her own in a dance that only lovers would know by heart. She moaned sounds of pleasure under his passionate embrace; while raising both of her hands on his muscular chest; before burying her fingers in the longer strands, at the base of his neck. He let out an additional growl; Carolina's body being raised and pushed on the wall located behind her back, her legs soon wrapped around his waist. He rubbed his hands on her body; from the delicious curb of her bottom; to the erected nipples of her breasts.
"Take me…" Carolina whispered, her head leaning backward to give a better access to Klaus's lips on her neck and cleavage.
"No, no … No!" Klaus shook his head to regain a sense of reality; before slowly lowering Carolina back to her shaking legs. "I can't do this!" He added; while pushing himself at arm length; before walking toward the exit of the bedroom.
"Klaus, no … Please, come back… Please!" Carolina begged him to reconsider; before seeing the door being slammed on its arch in front of her sight. "I'll find a way to show you how much I care for you, I swear!" She promised herself out loud; the tears rolling on her cheeks. "I swear I'll find a way to help us all!"
The manor's garden…
"You have to forgive me … It's been so long since I've addressed myself to you; and I … I probably lost the touch, and I still don't know if I'm even allowed to do so; but, my request is selfless." Maria whispered softly the words of her prayer; while keeping her hands joined over her lap; a lace handkerchief tucked between them.
The maid and patriarch of the Mikaelson family had arrived in the flowers garden, a few minutes earlier; securely located behind the manor. She had sit on one of the cement bench; her head and sight kept on the grass at her feet; and her deep thoughts on Katerina.
"Dear God; I'll never know if our existence as vampires was something that you had planned all along or not; I suppose that it was against your wish; and probably an act of the devil himself, but ..." Maria paused; tears filling her eyes. "If you could grant my daughter-in-law, Katerina; the privilege of your divine protection, I would be eternally grateful." She raised her teary eyes to the blue sky above her head. "She is not responsible for her present condition; and my son did it out of love; so … If you could in additions grant him your forgiveness?" She implored more, before hearing a discreet cough behind her back; only to turn her head and find George a few feet of distance.
"I did not mean to startle you; please forgive me, Mrs. Maria." George nodded, respectfully; a timid smile reaching his lips and redness his cheeks.
"Oh! George, no don't be silly." Maria shook her head, both hands wiping her tears away; with a sudden smile reaching her lips. "You could never bother me."
"May I?" George gestured toward the bench.
"Oh, of course you may, you don't even have to ask." Maria agreed; seeing Elijah's right arm man take a sitting position by her side.
"How are you? How are you holding up?" George asked; unceremoniously; while grabbing his cap from his head; before nervously turning it in his hands.
"Me? Of for God sake; it's not important how I feel." The patriarch shook her head; while joining her shaking hands on her lap. "What is important at the moment is that Miss Katherine could recuperate from her fall and accept her new …" She closed her eyes for a few seconds; before reopening them. "She could accept her new condition as a vampire."
"I wish the best for Miss Katherine, as well." George nodded compassionate. "But; you're forgetting "yourself" in the middle of all of this, aren't you?" He admitted his concern, while raising his right hand to slide it on her joined ones. "You need someone to lean on; you need someone to be by your side; someone that would be with you through thick and thin."
Maria turned her sight to stare into George's eyes, before lowering her head; redness suddenly reaching both of her cheeks.
"It's highly inappropriate, George." Maria slowly pulled away her hands from his gentle holding.
"How is this inappropriate? You've known about my deep feelings for you since a long time now, Maria?" George asked, dumbfounded.
"And that is why it's inappropriate!" Maria exclaimed, once more; while nervously rising on her legs. "We … We are employed at their services; we … We shouldn't even whisper romantic words in the garden." She stammered through her say; while rubbing her hands and pacing back and forth on the grass.
"You're not employed at their services; you're their mother!" George busted; while rising on his legs himself. "I'm so sorry for my present outburst, Maria; but you can't seriously hold this fact against us?"
"Well, this "fact" makes it even more inappropriate then, would you say?" She turned on herself to face him.
"I swear if you're saying "inappropriate" one more time." George growled; his hands twisting the fabric of his cap that he was tightly holding. "I was … I was so worried when you were abducted by this "man"; words could not even describe how I felt, when you disappeared, Maria."
"Oh for God sake; we've been over this before." Maria rolled her eyes to the blue Mediterranean sky. "I … I agreed to go on one date with you; but then I realized that it was simply Inappro… I mean…" She closed her eyes, while holding the forbidding word from escaping her lips. "This "idea" of "us" was simply not meant to be; we were working at the same place, and you are ten years younger than me!"
George stared in amazement at Maria; a mouth opened expression plastered on his face, before leaning his head backward; with laugher bursting out of his mouth.
"I'm lacking to see the hilarious part of all of this?" Maria lashed out; dryly.
"I'm sorry; please pardon me." George tried to hold his hilarity; while raising his right hand in front of his mouth. "But; I couldn't hold my laugher at the "ten years younger than me" part. Maria; we are vampires; it's not like it's making a huge difference, is it?"
"For me it does! In human years you are younger than me; you could be my son!" She replied; while gesturing nervously with her arms.
"Aren't you exaggerating an all lot?" George replied; a smirk raising both side of his manly lips.
"I'm not exaggerating at all!" Maria replied, raised chin; with both closed fists placed on each side of her hips.
"You're a beautiful woman, Maria; when … When I find myself in your presence; my all vampire existence is finally making sense to me." George whispered softly, a few walking steps leading him to reach Maria standing position. He grabbed a yellow rose from the bushes; before sliding its stem behind her left ear. "I want you in my life; I've never wanted something more. I almost lost you; and I don't want this to happen again."
Maria kept her sight locked in her suitor; a range of intense shivers hitting her entire body all at once.
"I'll go check on Miss Katherine now." She mentioned, politely; while turning her attention toward the villa. "I hope God will be with her." She added, before leaving George's side.
Rebekah pushed the lace curtain on the side; her sight lost in the garden of the Italian manor; on this sunny early morning. She turned on her heels; before facing the motionless female body lying on the bed. It had been hours since her brother Elijah had turned his wife; but she hasn't woken up yet. It's with a lot of persuasion that Rebekah had managed to push her brother out of the room; to grant him time to shower and dress himself with clean clothes. Elijah had been by his wife's bedside all night. The vigilante had kept his sight on Katerina's transition with each passing second.
"You know…" Rebekah addressed herself to the unconscious and still comatose victim; while facing the immobile silhouette. "Elijah took the right decision. I know you won't see it that way at first; Katerina. Believe me; I know it better than anybody else." She added; while pulling a velvet chair to sit by the brunette's bedside. "When…" She closed her eyes, while nervously rubbing her hands together. "When my father turned all of us against our own will; I took it very badly. It's … Strangely enough; it's Klaus who helped me cope with the idea that I was leaving behind my own humanity; and all of my dreams attached to it. Don't you dare repeat this to anyone; but my biggest wish was to find a husband and to start a family of my own in our native village." She let a smile spread on her lips; tears filling her eyes; before grabbing Katerina's right hand in hers. "And I had to let go of that dream for the eternity; and eternity is such a long time when you can't make peace with your ghosts." The original commented more; tears now rolling down on her cheeks. "Make peace with yours, Katerina; listen to my advice; forgive Elijah … He… He simply couldn't live with the idea of knowing that he could lose you for good. He cares so deeply for you; I've never seen him so … So attached to a woman before. Loosing you would have killed him, little by little; and it would have left a big hole in all of our hearts; but mostly in mine… I know you won't probably believe me; because I'm acting like such a bitch with you most of times; but I truly like you, you're one of my sisters-in-law after all." She added, between her sobbing; her right hand pushing a strand of Katerina's hair behind her right ear. The blonde Original suddenly lowered her head; while wiping her cheeks of her tears; this was bringing too much painful memories inside of herself.
"Ohhhhhhhhh…" Rebekah suddenly raised her head at the loud cry sound.
Katerina's lifeless body strengthened into a sitting position; with her haggard eyes widely opened under her awakening condition.
"What … What is happening?" The brunette stammered; while raising her trembling right hand over her chest.
"I'm here with you, Katerina; don't freak out, ok?" Rebekah replied; to calm her down.
"What happened to me?" The transitioned woman interrogated; while passing a hand through her tangled hair. "I … I feel strange; I have a pasty taste in my mouth; I grave for… I don't know…It's all so blurry in my mind?"
"Oh dear; you're back, and Elijah is not here…. Ok, don't panic Rebekah!" The blonde Original tried to regain her calm while mentally counting to ten. "Ok, listen to me, Katerina; you had an accident; you fell down the stairs, do you remember any of this?" She inquired; while gently cupping the young woman's face in her hands.
"No… Wait, yes; maybe … I don't know." Katerina shook her head; before raising both hands on each side of her temples. "My head is hurting so much."
"Ok, it is normal … I mean … Don't move; stay in the bed as you are!" Rebekah suggested; while frantically rising on her legs to rush toward the bedroom door. "I'll call Elijah." She yelled her brother's name several times; before running out of the room and into the upstairs corridor of their Italian house.
"Katerina, Katerina…" Elijah rushed inside the bedroom; while calling her name repeatedly; his tangled hair still wet from the shower. He had dressed himself in a hurry with a pair of beige trousers and a man blue shirt opened on his muscular chest, both of his feet shoeless.
He frowned while narrowing his sight on the empty bed; before frantically scattering the room; it's only when he heard the low sobbing sound that he finally located his wife in the small space behind the furniture. She had curled herself in a corner of the room; placed behind a wooden dresser. Her legs were raised near her chest; and she was rocking herself; with her arms encircling her knees; her haggard sight kept in the emptiness in front of her.
"Oh Katerina; my sweet girl …" Elijah kneeled near his wife; while slowly raising his right hand to brush a strand of her long brown hair. "I have you back; I thought I would lose my mind with worries; while waiting for you to wake-up… I was by your side every second of the night; I just stepped away for a few minutes to take a quick shower…" The original stammered through his explanation.
She firmly pushed his hand away; while continuing to rock herself in rhythmic motion.
"Katerina; you need …" He closed his eyes for a few seconds; before passing a hand through his humid hair. "You need to let me help you, beautiful."
"Go away! Leave me alone!" She mumbled, angrily; between her teeth.
"I can't, my sweet beautiful wife; I could never leave you to yourself." Elijah shook his head. "Let me help; let me be with you … Let me explain?" He nervously passed a hand on his face.
"I don't want your help; you've done more than enough already." She crawled on the wooden parquet to reach the opposite corner of the bedroom.
"I … I was left with no other choices; please, just hear me out?" Elijah turned on his knees to face Katerina's new crawling position; it was now obvious to a deaf and blind that she was aware of her present condition.
"I don't want to see you, speak to you or hear your voice ever again; leave me to die in peace." She whispered; toneless.
Elijah startled at her say; his closed fists placed on each side of his tensed body.
"You're disoriented; it's perfectly normal, in your present condition..." He explained, calmly. "You… You've been in an accident; we came to the conclusion that you had fallen down the stairs; and …"
"I know exactly what happen; you don't need to explain it to me." She cut him short. "I want you to leave me alone."
"Please, don't do this … I beg of you." Elijah shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "I … I was lost within myself; Katerina; you need to understand that all the decisions I took were out of concern for you."
"Like I've begged of you to never turn me?" She finally raised her puffy eyes and sight in Elijah's. "Like you've swore to me that you would never do it?"
"I… I've done what was necessary." He lowered his sight away from her insistent gaze, before rising on his legs to face the window; both shaking hands buried in the front pockets of this trouser. "And now; you'll need to feed or in one day; you'll die."
"Then I'll die!" Katerina busted to her husband's face. "That will be your karma for not fulfilling the only wish I ever asked from you."
"I did not turn you for you to die; I've turn you for you to live!" Elijah mumbled, angrily, between his teeth; before turning on himself to lower his fiery sight on his wife.
"For me to live… You bastard! You call this living? I gave you more than I should have since I've married you, I've accepted more than any other human woman would have; and yet the only thing that I've ever wanted from you in return was to respect this small request." Katerina lashed out through her sobbing; while slowly rising on her shaking legs. "
"Katerina let me …" Elijah rushed by her side to help his wife in her vain attempt to regain strength in her body. "You'll need to drink blood, or…"
"Don't touch me!" She exclaimed, while pushing his hands away. "I won't drink a single drop of blood!" She mumbled, angrily; between her teeth, her fiery sight narrowed on the original.
"I'll force the blood down on your throat if needed, and believe me I won't blink an eye under your vain protestation!" Elijah growled, uncompromising.
"Oh I believe you!" Katerina replied, angrily; while leaning her frail body on the dresser; her hands resting on the wall to keep her balance. "I thought for the longest time that you were the honorable one in the family; and that Klaus was the insensitive one, what a surprise to realize that you were hiding this heartless monster underneath this image of perfection!"
"What were you expecting, Katerina?" Elijah lashed out; while pacing back and forth in front of her sight. "You were completely paralyzed!"
"You could have healed me with your blood!" Katerina presented her valid point.
"It's complicated; for that to work; I needed to feed you of my blood several times; the healing would have probably taken days." He gestured nervously with his arms. "Would you have accepted my blood?"
"No." She shook her head; while reaching a nearby chair, before taking a sitting position on it; she was too weak to remain in a standing position.
"Then why are we discussing?" Elijah asked, in a louder tone of voice. "You think I did not hate myself afterward? You think I was not filled with remorse? Well, you're thinking wrong!"
"I begged of you to let me die!" Katerina busted back at him. "You should have let me die!"
"Explain to me how I could have let the woman that I love die, how?" He exclaimed in front of her speechless expression, before holding his pace and drowning his sight in hers. "I was not able to do it, Katerina ... The single thought of living without you, I couldn't handle it." He shook his head; before closing his eyes.
"What did you just say?" Katerina asked; completely in shock of hearing those words being pronounce by her husband's lips.
"What are those loud cries that I'm hearing?" Maria entered the bedroom; before turning his sight from Elijah to Katerina. "Oh, Miss Katerine, you're awake?" She exclaimed, while approaching the young woman's sitting position, before encircling her waist to help her raise on her two legs. "You need to lie down on the bed to regain your strength." She ordered the young woman.
"Maria…" Katerina allowed the maid to carry her toward the bed. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Leave!" Maria ordered her son; dryly.
"But, I only … I wanted to help…" Elijah tried to explain to his mother, while swallowing a lump in his throat.
"Not now; it's not the time for you to help her." Maria shook her head; while gesturing toward the bedroom door.
Elijah nodded his head, sadness filling his eyes and heart; with his walking steps leading him to the exit of the room, before closing the door on its arch behind his back.
"Oh my sweet child, let me help you lie down, ok?" Maria proposed, before slowly dropping Katerina's upper body on her pillow.
"My life is a mess; it's a total mess, Maria." Katerina mumbled through her sobbing; tears rolling fluently on her cheeks. "I don't want this, I never wanted this."
"Shush… Don't worry about anything; It will get better, you'll see." Maria tried to calm her down, before grabbing a humid cloth in a porcelain bowl to pass it on the young woman's forehead to refresh her. "You need to rest for a few hours; you'll have time to make a wise decision afterward; I'll be here when you'll wake up."
"You promise?" Katerina whispered, with her heavy eyelids slowly closing on her sight.
"I promise my child; I promise that I'll stay by your side." Maria murmured; while softly caressing Katerina's hair to help her fall asleep.
"She regained consciousness!" Rebekah exclaimed, while passing the threshold of the opened terrace.
Stefan Salvatore raised his sight from the newspaper he was holding in his left hand; while lowering his cup of coffee on the glass table.
"Katerina is in transition?" He questioned; while rising on both of his legs.
"Yes, it seems that way." Rebekah nodded her head; while nervously rubbing her hands together and pacing back and forth in front of the young vampire.
"It will surely take time for her to accommodate herself to the idea, Rebekah; but she has your mother on her side, her own sister; and most importantly she has Elijah, her husband." Stefan tried to calm the Original down.
"Well, that is what I'm worried about; she won't forgive him so easily; I should know that." She continued her pacing.
"Rebekah?" Stefan called her name; while holding her pace by grabbing both of her shoulders. "Stop this! Stop feeling guilty for this, ok? None of it is your fault; you had no idea of the outcome."
"I was resentful of what my father had done to us for so long, Stefan; I never wanted "this"; I wanted to live a normal life; and instead I was forced into becoming what I hated most of myself the past centuries." She confessed; tears filling her eyes.
"I know." Stefan nodded his head, compassionate; while raising his right hand to softly caress her cheeks. "But you can't blame yourself for this; you simply can't, Rebekah; what's done is done and … Katerina will have to learn to live with her vampirism as of now."
"I'll try to be there for Katerina; it's the least I can do." She shrugged, a tears rolling on her cheek.
"If you continue to act in such a nice way, I'll start to like you again; and then I'll set myself into big trouble, once more." He mocked, while winking at her.
"It's an act!" Rebekah raised her sight in his; a timid smile blessing her lips.
"Of course it is." Stefan returned her smile; before blessing her forehead of a sweet kiss.
"Fuck this!" They heard Klaus's swearing as he walked out on the terrace; before throwing the letter on the glass table.
"What's with you?" Rebekah turned on her heels to stare at her brother. "Katerina woke up by the way."
"Well, that is at least good news." Klaus growled, while nervously passing a hand through his tangled morning hair.
"What is this?" Stefan asked; his hands grabbing the piece of paper, while his eyes were quickly reading the few lines written on it. "You got to be kidding me? Tell me that she's kidding?"
"Does it look like she is kidding?" Klaus replied, dryly, his steps leading him to pace back and forth on the length of the terrace; his closed fists placed on each side of his tensed body.
"Will one of you tell me what is going on?" Rebekah lashed out, while nervously gesturing with her arms.
"Carolina left!" Klaus announced, unceremonioulsy; while sighing loudly.
"What? Why would she leave you, when her sister just had a lethal accident, it makes no sense at all?" Rebekah replied, dumbfounded.
"She did not leave her sister behind; she's informing your brother, black on white, in this letter, that she is returning to her natal country." Stefan replied; while passing his right hand on his face.
"What? Why would she go back to Russia, it makes no …. Oh no, tell me it's not what I think it is?!" Rebekah asked, while finally realizing the truth.
"She's heading to meet with Petrov; she wants all of this to come to an end." Stefan confirmed, while nodding his head. "For her the past events were caused by Klaus's father retaliation."
"But, this is suicidal! She's the only human left among us." Rebekah exclaimed; in shock. "Klaus, what are you going to do; you can't leave Carolina in the hands of Ludvig; he'll make a mouthful of that little lamb?"
"Of course I won't leave "my" wife in the hands of that lunatic! And don't worry for Carolina; she stronger that you give her credit for; it's her who will make a mouthful of this beast. I'm leaving; the plane is taking off for Moscow in a few hours." Klaus replied, while grabbing the guard rail with both hands. "I think it's time that my father and I come face to face." He added, dryly.
"You're not leaving without me." Stefan informed, uncompromisingly.
"Yes, I am. You'll stay here, I don't want you mix in all of this." Klaus shook his head.
"Are you kidding me? I'm already mix in all of this; and don't forget that Petrov is holding my brother as prisoner in that manor; I won't leave him there, as you won't leave Carolina to his mercy." Stefan explained to his friend; while reaching the hybrid's standing position, his sight lost in his.
"Fine then, Salvatore; let's go!" Klaus agreed; while turning on himself to rush inside the house with Stefan's steps close on his heels.
"Klaus, Stefan …. Please, be careful – Come back in one piece would you? Try to keep yourself out of trouble." Rebekah wished the both of them well.
"Oh for God sake; can I take a walk alone without you following every of my steps?" Bonnie rolled her eyes to the blue sky; while strolling between the pedestrians on the sidewalk.
"What part of: you can't leave the premises of the manor or my side; did you not understood yesterday night?" Kol growled, unhappy; while grabbing the right hand of the young witch, before pulling her toward a quiet and deserted alley. "In all my long vampire life, I've never met a woman as stubborn as you, Bonnie Bennett!"
"Well, this abduction of yours sounds like "déjà vu", would you say?" Bonnie squirmed to pull her hand away from his strong grip; before being pushed on the bricks wall behind her back. "And what part of: you're not my guardian, you don't comprehend, Kol? I'm my own person; no one has a grip on me!" She mumbled, angrily, between her teeth.
"So what about last night, you'll sweep "that" underneath the rug too, I gather?" Kol asked, unceremoniously.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She crossed her arms in front of her chest; raised chin and redness reaching both of her cheeks.
"Well, darling, let me refresh your memory then." He smirked; while lowering his left forearm on the wall near Bonnie's head; before tracing with the tip of his right hand fingers the delicate line of her jaw. "You offered to have sex with me, only to fell asleep before granted me of your part of the bargain; with your naked body glued to mine the all night; not that I'm complaining, darling … It was very enjoyable." He whispered seductively near her right ear; while grabbing her chin. "But you left like a thief in the early morning, or worst like a woman who had a bad one night stand! Which I can assure you; if we had done the deed you would be asking for more of my "services" as we speak now." He added, a smirk spreading on his manly lips.
"Oh that... " She exclaimed, falsely indifferent; while pushing on Kol's chest to escape the parameter of his imprisonment; before placing herself at a few feet of distance. "It was a one-time offer; I was bored and felt bad for Katerina's accident. And since last night, time had passed, and the deal is not on the table anymore, as easy as that!" She shrugged; while reprising her walk out of the alley; back on the sidewalk, with the vampire on her heels.
"What? No, no, no, no … That is not how it works at all, darling; you can't come back on your words! I gave you an out of jail card yesterday, because we were both tired, but …" Kol stammered through his response, while waving a finger at her. "You promised me something, and now you'll fulfill your part of the bargain!"
Bonnie held her pace; a dumbfounded expression plastered on her face, with her head turned toward Kol. She suddenly leaned her head backward to burst into laughter.
"And what is so funny, if I may ask?" Kol crossed his arms in front of his chest; while narrowing his sight on the young woman.
"Man, you're so last century: Me, I'm Tarzan – You, you're Jane; and you'll do as I say!" Bonnie imitated Kol's voice; while raising her shoulders and sticking out her chest; closed fists placed on each side of her hips. "Hahaha… This is hilarious!" She added between her laughter; while reprising her walk.
"I'm lacking to see the hilarity in all of this?" Kol commented; dryly.
"Yah, that doesn't surprise me; from your high pedestal you're probably not even seeing the tips of your own feet." Bonnie rolled her eyes, once more. "Listen; if ever I want to put the deal back on the table; I'll let you know, I promise." She mocked, gently. "But for now I have other fish to fries!" She added.
"Can you give me an approximate date of our "hook-up" at least?" Kol asked, teaser but hopeful.
"You're joking, right?" She glanced at him; while shaking her head in disbelief.
"Well, you know… It's kind of obvious to a blind that you backed out of the deal because you're too attracted to me; and afraid of developing an addiction to this." He shrugged his shoulders, while pointing both hands toward his muscular body, a rictus raising both corners of his mouth. "Therefore, I can already predict that you'll be knocking on my door soon enough."
"Yes, you're so right! I … I have to admit it, I want you so much and …" Bonnie stopped her walking pace, her sight drowned in Kol's. "And look!" She pointed toward the sunny sky. "There's a cow flying in the sky!" She exclaimed, while pointing a finger upward, before leaving the young vampire speechless, with his sight rose toward the above clouds.
"You're a mean witch, Bonnie Bennett." Kol ran to reach her pace again.
"I've been called worse!" She shrugged; while trying to hold a smile from spreading on her lips. "Now I suppose that you won't stop following me."
"Nope; we are glued to the hips, darling!" He replied; a smirk raising both corners of his manly lips.
"Ok, then…I won't have any other choices but to fill you in, then?" She sighed, while turning on her heels to face him. "I … I've tried to make contact with a young woman in Milan, that is herself a granddaughter of one witch who had been in contact with my own ancestor."
"So, the grandmother of that woman is linked to your own witch heritage?" Kol asked, suddenly interested.
"Yes." Bonnie nodded. "Her name is Aurora Russio Bianchi, and; when I spoke to her yesterday, she was reluctant to talk to me about where my powers were coming from; she advised me to forget about it."
"A bit strange, don't you think? If you consider she has the same heritage than you." Kol shrugged, intrigued.
"She basically begged me to leave her alone; but this morning I receive a message delivered at the manor to my attention; written by her own hands." Bonnie explained; while pulling a folded envelope from her jeans' back pocket. "Here it is? She seems in some sort of hurry to speak to me now."
"Are you sure this message is coming from her?" Kol questioned; while unfolding the piece of paper.
"Well, I left my contact address in her mailbox, and it's seems legit?" Bonnie shrugged.
"It's written in Italian; she's telling you to hurry up that there is no time left?" Kol frowned.
"I know; I've asked Isabella to translate it to me earlier this morning." Bonnie informed.
"You were up with the rooster and the chickens?" Kol mocked, teaser.
"It's really funny!" Bonnie rolled her eyes, while pulling the paper from his hands; before refolding it in her back pocket.
"Well, we'll go see this Aurora then." He invited the young witch to reprise her walk with a hand gesture.
"But that's the thing; you're a … Well, you know…" She murmured; while bending her upper body near him. "I'm not sure you'll be welcome in her home?"
"Well, if she wants to see "you"; she'll have to see "me" as well, I suppose." Kol replied, uncompromisingly.
Carolina had known the minute she had presented herself at the boarding counter of Milan's airport that giving her real birth name would retrace the information directly to Ludvig Petrov; and that a welcoming committee would wait for her at the airport.
In order to not disappoint her initial prevision; a few of Ludvig's men were standing behind the security glasses; their sights kept anonymous behind dark sunglasses. They had politely ordered her to follow them; while grabbing both of her upper arms; only to drag the young woman toward a black limousine. It's in silence that she had taken a sitting position; while being completely blindsided with a black silk scarf. And after a ride of a few hours, she was dragged into a series of large corridors inside this majestic Manor; in the countryside of Russia. Two guards opened two large French doors, before gently pushing the "guest" inside a parlor room
"Алло Carolina!" A Russian man greeted the young woman, in her native language. "Did you have a nice flight?"
Carolina frowned; accommodating her eyes to the penumbra of the room, before narrowing her sight on the tall, and dark brown curly hair, vampire man that was standing in front of her. Something told her that this man couldn't be Ludvig Petrov, his second in command, perhaps?
"Are you Ludvig Petrov?" She asked, dryly and unceremoniously in English; her chin rose in a confrontational gesture; under the loud sound of her heart pounding in rapid pace inside her chest.
"No, my dear; he's not – I am!" A loud and hoarse voice responded to her questioning. "You can leave us alone now, Alexay." The man ordered; while slowly coming out of the penumbra of his standing position near the fire mantle.
"I'll do as you wish, Petrov." The said Alexay saluted his first commander; before making a reverence in front of Carolina. "Miss Carolina." He saluted as well; his steps leading him outside the room; both doors being closed behind his back a second later.
Carolina raised her sight in the one of the imposing man that was taking a few steps to reach her standing position, with drops of sweat rolling on each side of her temples. She held her hands together in front of her body; her eyelids slowly closing under the pressure; her chest rising under the deep breaths she was taking into her lungs.
There were no question to be asked anymore; this man was undeniably Klaus's father; if only for the aura his presence emanated in the room. Carolina reopened her eyes; while slowly raising her sight back in Petrov's. He was tall; with a muscular chest and very large shoulders; his dark brown eyes, his wavy dark blond longer locks at the base of his neck, and his scruff was adding more feathers to his dark seductive image. Carolina could easily understand why Maria, or should she name her Esther now; had fallen under the charm of this powerful man.
"You're a beautiful woman, Carolina; my son has good taste." Ludvig commented, politely; his fiery side sliding from her head to her toes. "Can I offer you a drink?" He suddenly proposed; while leading his steps toward a console table.
"I'm not … I mean I don't drink blood." She shook her head, uncomfortable; while swallowing a lump in her throat.
"Of course you don't; that is why I was offering you a glass of alcohol, coffee, tea, orange juice, or soft drinks, at your taste and convenience?" Ludvig replied, amused; while letting a rictus raise both corners of his manly his lips. "Your candor and innocence is certainly a breath of fresh air in these closed walls, Carolina." He commented more.
"Oh course you meant that…" The young woman sighed at her stupid assumption. "But, no; thank you I don't want anything from you."
"Suit yourself; and please feel free to ask me if you change your mind." The imposing Russian man suggested; his hands pouring coffee in a cup with a drop of rum in it. "You're sure you're not changing your mind?" He turned his head to take a quick glimpse at Carolina; while addressing her, a seductive smile.
"No." She shook her head once more.
"Fine then; do you want to sit?" He suggested; while pointing his right hand toward a leather armchair.
"No." She declined once more.
"Carolina, if I wanted to harm you in any way, you would probably be dead as of now; while lying in your own blood at my feet; so please sit!" He ordered her, gently; but ordered her nonetheless.
She took a sitting position on the armchair; straight as an "I" with her joined hands placed on her lap.
"And I don't have the habit to brutalize beautiful woman who are in my company; more so if I'm sipping my coffee; I doubt that I will jump your bones like a wolf?" Ludvig raised an eyebrow, his sight narrowed on his visitor. "Sit comfortably!" He ordered more.
Carolina lowered her upper body on the back of the armchair; while appreciating the comfort and luxury of the seat.
"So my dear, what pushed you to take such a gambling move? You've returned to your own country, Russia; while perfectly knowing that I was trying to locate my son and his family?" Ludvig questioned; while dropping his cup on a near side table; his hands now joined in front of his face; with his sight narrowed on her. "I doubt that my son "Klaus" was even aware of your present plan; or obviously you wouldn't stand in front of my sight at the moment."
"If you would have had the chance to kidnap me to bring your son to you; like you did with Maria; would you have done it?" Carolina asked the imposing man, unceremoniously.
"Yes, I would." He nodded, truthful.
"Would you have killed me?" She asked; tear starting to fill her eyelids. "After all I'm human, a simple collateral damage.'
"No, I would never kill you, Carolina." Petrov respond; while taking a deep breath into his lungs. "My son has obviously developed strong feelings for you; I wouldn't gain anything by killing you, but his resentment and hate. That is not what I want from him."
"This war of yours, this vendetta between your new species and my husband's family just cost me my sister." Carolina mumbled, angrily, between her teeth, her closed fists kept on each side of her tensed body. "You're playing this stupid war game, with no respect for the humans. I came to the conclusion that we were only pawns in your hands; and I'm not ready to pass the rest of my life hiding or keeping an eye behind my back in case you would find us."
"Your sister, you mean Katerina, did she die?" Petrov straightened his upper body; with a tone of concern in his voice.
"She had … She had an accident, she fell down the stairs and she is paralyzed now; and I don't know … I guess she'll be in transition soon; if she is not already." Carolina responded; her breathing quickened under the strong emotion. "If … If we hadn't run away from your attacks; she would probably still be human at the present moment."
"Those said attacks were just a mean to an end. It was a necessary evil to make you leave London; and cross the ocean toward Russia." Petrov exclaimed agitated; while rising on his legs, only to pace back and forth in the parlor room. "You are far from being naïve, Carolina that much I can see; and believe me I wouldn't lay my hands on either your sister or yourself, but you just gave me the information of where my son and his family are located the minute you've boarded that plane."
"You won't have to come to him; he'll come to you, isn't it what you wanted the day you abducted his own mother?" Carolina lashed out; while rising on her legs. "Give me one reason why my sister and I should continue to run from you? Why we should continue to be at the receiving end of all these unfortunate events that your selfish vendetta will create on our path of life?"
"I would have never hurt my "Ingrid", she is everything to me!" He busted; while hitting is closed right fist on his muscular chest.
"Ingrid?" Carolina frowned; dumbfounded.
"Maria; Esther or whatever other names she is calling herself since we've met more than a thousand years ago." He waived his right hand, in a dismissal gesture. "You do realize, my dear; that uniting your life to two of the original vampires, one of them being my son, could only mean that sooner or later you would have to turn as one; and this has certainly nothing to do with me or what is taking place in the supernatural world?!"
"Yes!" Carolina nodded. "I'm not stupid, I chose my faith the day I united my life to your son, but that doesn't meant that we have to be chase by you all the time; I've decided for everybody else that this would end now! You are weak if you give your enemy the power to let you think that you are."
Petrov raised his right hand to his face; while stroking his eyelids to regain his countenance. Only a few people counted on one hand had the touch to shake the solid foundations underneath his feet; but this young human woman had more fire in herself than an army of werewolves!
"So; we'll wait for my son arrival in Russia then, Carolina." Petrov nodded his head. "In the meantime; please grant me the pleasure to accommodate you of a bedroom suite; and of decent meal. I mean food, naturally; and I give your my words of honor that the food is safe for you to eat." He proposed; before seeing the young woman nodding her head in approval.
"Hey, are you here? You know, when I've suggested another kind of play game between the two of us; I never thought you would take my words for it, and I certainly did not envision this?" Damon yelled into the room; while swallowing a lump in his throat.
He had been dragged from the dungeon to the master bedroom suite of Miss Princess Anastassia; denuded of his clothes; redressed with a black leather brief; attached wrists and ankles with metal handcuffs and chains, to the four pillar of the gigantic canopy bed.
"You wanted to play; let's play, boy!" Anastassia passed the threshold of her master bathroom; dressed of a black leather corset, skinny pants; and black high heels; while holding a leather whip in her hands; her lustrous red hair floating on her shoulders with each calculated step she took toward the bed. "You like what you're saying?" She asked, a smirk raising both side of her lustrous red lips.
"What's not to like?" Damon responded, his fiery sight sliding on her amazing silhouette.
"I don't know? Sometimes, I'm an insecure and shy girl, you know?" She whispered, while lowering her upper body and deep cleavage in front of Damon's sight.
"You, shy? Yes; I can certainly see it." Damon let a grin appeared on his face.
"But; I'm learning to change for the better, and with your help I could transform myself into a naughty bitch? Would you like that?" Anastassia rolled-play her character traits with brio, with the tip of her whip slowly sliding on the young vampire's jaw.
"Detached me, Anastassia?" Damon ordered the young woman; his eyes narrowed on the beauty in front of his sight.
"Why would I do such a thing? You think I'm an idiot?" She raised one of her perfect tweezed eyebrows; while lowering her head and lips at a near inch of distance from his.
"Because I want to kiss you badly; like I've never wanted to kiss a woman before." Damon confessed, honestly; while mouthing the words in top of her reddish lips.
"You don't need your hands to do that." Anastassia mouthed in reply, before crashing her mouth on his; under the young vampire's sudden cry of surprise and pleasure.
From afar they could hear an acute loud sound of doors being slammed into their arches, followed by a few of the guards' bodies falling noisily on the wooden floor.
"Could it be "him"?" Alexay raised an eyebrow; his eyes glancing toward Petrov's position near the fire mantle.
"We don't have to question ourselves, Alexay; it is "him"!" Petrov replied, smirking; with a tone of certainty. "You've made sure that none of the guards would hurt him, did you?"
"Yes!" Petrov's first hand man confirmed, nodding his head. "They have been ordered to show just enough resistance to make it plausible."
"Perfect!" Petrov's replied, still smiling.
A foot-kick in the panels of the French doors reasoned in their ears, making the two men turned their heads simultaneously toward the main entrance of the parlor room.
"Имя самостоятельно, или умереть – I order you to name yourself or die?" Alexay ordered the intruder in both languages; while grabbing a sword placed on the wall.
"The name is Klaus Mikaelson, I think your "boss" is waiting for me; and please, see the fuck that I give about your threat!" Klaus responded; while grabbing Alexay by the throat; raising the man's body in the air, before throwing it at the opposite side of the large room.
Alexay landed on a service table with an acute sound of broken glasses and plates, under the amusement of Petrov, who stood at a few feet of distance of the scene, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smile plastered on his face.
"Klaus, Klaus, Klaus … Why are you always so impolite when invited by others?" Stefan Salvatore questioned his friend, mockingly; while crossing the threshold of the parlor room.
"What can I say, Stefan; I like to make an entrance worth of a king." Klaus mocked, while narrowing his sight on the imposing man who stood at a near distance of their own standing positions.
"The name is Stefan Salvatore, if you're wondering; I've heard that you were retaining my brother against his will." Stefan presented himself and reason of his presence; while nodding in direction of Klaus's father. "And you are?" He added, teaser.
"Klaus…" Ludvig Petrov exclaimed, proudly; before reaching his son's standing position. Both of their chins rose as confrontational gesture; with their fiery sights narrowed on each other. "My son, we finally meet!" He added with a tone of proudness in his voice.
"Aurora it's me; Bonnie Bennett." She announced herself; while gently knocking on the panel of the entrance door. "I… I received your written message; I want to speak to you, can you open the door, please?"
"Who's with you?" Bonnie heard the young Italian woman asked through the panel.
"It's a friend; he won't hurt you, I give you my words." Bonnie promised; while taking a quick glance at Kol; who was standing silently by her side.
The door finally unlocked and Bonnie pushed the panel to carefully taking her first steps inside, with the Original close on her heels.
Kol closed the panel behind his back; while scattering the Italian kitchen; before turning on himself to face a brunette holding an arc with long pointed darts.
"You take one more step toward me; and I'll enter this in your heart!" Aurora threatened Kol.
"Wow, wow… Darling, just calm down would you; I don't want to harm you in any way!" Kol raised both of his hands in front of his chest.
"Aurora; he won't hurt you; I can assure you." Bonnie reassured the young Italian.
"He's a vampire, his all nature is to hurt human." The Italian replied, dryly.
"Well technically he's more than a vampire; he's an original one; and he can't be killed by what you're holding in your hands." Bonnie confirmed; while swallowing a lump in her throat. "Please, lower your weapon; you think that I would be with him if I would not trust him?"
"You trust me?" Kol turned his head, a smile spreading on his lips.
"Shut up!" Bonnie responded to him; while rolling her eyes.
"He's one of the Originals? Which one, Klaus, Elijah…" Aurora questioned.
"I see you know quite a lot about my family; and no I'm neither … I'm the handsome one in the family, my name is Kol." He presented himself, a grin spreading on his lips.
Aurora lowered her weapon; before dropping it on the wooden kitchen table.
"What is going on Aurora, yesterday you basically told me to leave and to never bother you again about my witch heritage; and today … You summoned me to come back to your home?" Bonnie questioned.
"It's the Vatican." The young woman started to pace back and forth in the narrowed room; while nervously biting into her bottom lips.
"What?" Both Kol and Bonnie exclaimed, in synchronisation and surprise.
"What does the Vatican has to do with my heritage?" Bonnie asked, dumbfounded.
"Your grandmother and my grandmother were secretly working for the Vatican." Aurora confessed, surprisingly.
"I thought the Vatican was against dark forces. Back in the day; black and white magic were oftentimes seen as the same?" Kol shrugged; dumbfounded.
"They were this secret sorority of witches from all around the word, at that time no one knew they were hired by the Vatican." Aurora continued explaining, while nervously rubbing her hands together.
"For what purposes would the Vatican hired witches?" Bonnie asked, in anticipation.
"Bringing down the supernatural world once in for all." Aurora continued explaining. "They wanted to get rid of all supernatural species."
"Call me crazy, but aren't witches a supernatural species?" Kol pointed toward the young woman.
"Yes, they are; but for them it was a way to control the devil by using his hands." Aurora added as a figure of speech. "But it backfired on them; the witches turned against the Vatican, only to found their own deaths in suspicious ways."
"How did you grandmother died?" Kol asked Bonnie.
"She … She was found death in her own living room." Bonnie shrugged.
"I bet she had no health problem?" Aurora questioned.
"She had no problem that I know of." Bonnie shook her head.
"What are you trying to tell us, Aurora?" Kol asked; while narrowing his sight on the Italian woman.
"It's simple, Kol; The Vatican had rallied the most powerful witches in the world, once more; to kill all supernatural species." Aurora announced, unceremoniously; her chest rising over her heavy breaths.
"Shit!" Kol exclaimed; with a mouth opened expression plastered on his face; before turning his head to face a speechless Bonnie. "I believe we just found worst threat than Ludvig Petrov!"
Thank you, as always, for reading the "In the devil's den" chapter, guys!
If you did not take notice forehand; please refer yourself at my writer's note at the beginning of this chapter. I hope you liked the turn of events of this present update. When this story will come back I promise you an "event" that you won't be able to forget anytime soon ;)
Much love as always my dear readers,
Lovely Vero
Thank you for all the anonymous reviews received, guys!
My answers are below.
XoXo: Thanks for your kind appreciation of my writing, sweetie; it goes to my heart. I hope this present update did not disappoint either? Until I'll reprise the story; keep safe and happy!
Forever Fun: I wonder if Mikael is able to feel anything else but rage and power trip. I bet that feeling guilty is not one of his specialities, you know? ;) But; killing Elijah wouldn't be in her mind at all … She's mad as hell at him; but she is also deeply in love with him.
IloveTVD: Oh sweetie; you always make me laugh … lol … Damon is a mofo? You need to explain to me; but regardless it made laugh. Thanks for your sweet review; as always.
If I have forgotten someone in the responses to the anonymous reviews, it was not intentional, and I thank you for it!