AN: I do not own TVD or TO

Kol paused halfway across the tavern floor. He could see her outside; she was kneeling in the garden harvesting herbs and putting them in the basket at her side.

It was the enchanting voice that had the edges of his mouth lifting into a soft smile. She was singing an old folk song about the colours of spring. He leaned against the door frame and watched her quietly.

His head cocked to one side. Harsh voices reached him from the path in the forest.

"The place has been closed down for over a month."

"You're sure it's empty?"

"People have seen the wife, but nobody has seen the husband. If anyone is there it's the one woman; should be easy enough for the taking."

Kol growled at the implication. He had easily made out the double entendre. Without thinking he shifted his daylight ring to his left hand and stepped into the sunlight when the group of men paused at the edge of the path. He knew they had seen him when the first man told them to wait.

"I thought you said the husband was missing?" A short man with tied back blond hair hissed.

"I thought he was," the taller of the trio muttered.

He rolled up his sleeves and silently knelt beside her.

Lexa shivered. Her voice cut off when his hand landed on the small of her back. "Good morning."

"Doesn't matter," the third man pulled a short dagger from his waist. "It's still just the two of them."

"Good morning," he leaned over so his breath tickled her ear. He slid his left hand across the back of her neck. "Tell me, Elskling…" he saw one of the men glance at the glittering gold on his hand, "… are the majority of locals on vervain?"

Lexa tilted her head. The herbs in her hand dropped onto her skirt. "I don't believe so," her eyes darted to the small patch of purple flowers, "why do you ask?" She assumed he had been leaving in the middle of the night to feed, shouldn't he have known that? "Haven't you been feeding on the locals?"

"No," Kol chuckled. "I go quite far away."

"Can't be bothered anymore?" Lexa's brows arched.

"It would be more convenient," Kol pulled a curl from her braid, "but that is not why I'm asking." His dark eyes shifted to where the thieves were arguing. "There are three men planning on robbing you in the trees," his eyes narrowed, "I didn't think you would approve of me killing them."

She followed his gaze toward the path. She could just make out a long shadow over the ground. "The only vervain is grown in this garden," she murmured.

"In that case," Kol brushed his lips over her cheek, "I'll be right back."

Lexa's skirts rustled as she shook off the dried grasses. "What exactly did you do to them?"

He drummed his fingers on the table and watched her tie the herbs into small bundles. "I compelled them, little witch. As long as someone is free of vervain I can use compulsion to control their mind."

"Is that why Aunt Sylvie always told me to carry vervain?" Lexa left a few inches of twine on each bundle. "I thought it only made blood toxic."

"It does that too."

Lexa's eyes sparkled. She peeked up at him through her thick lashes. "Have you ever compelled me?"

"Of course not," Kol flashed around the table. "I would never do that. Even if I wanted to I couldn't; you are on vervain."

Her gaze fell to her busy hands.

"Lexa," Kol took her shoulder and gently turned her, "you are on vervain?"

She shook her head. "I stopped taking it a few weeks ago," she chewed her lip.

"Why the bloody hell would you do that?"

"I trust you," she stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm not the only vampire in the area, Lexa," Kol seethed. "There are others who would compel you without a second thought. You should be on vervain all the time."

Lexa took a deep breath and sighed. She spun on her heel and walked into the garden. She returned with a small handful of purple blossoms. Pulling her necklaces from under her blouse she opened the locket and placed the blossoms inside.

"Happy now?" She dropped the silver locket and jade pendant onto her chest.

"Ecstatic," he sighed, "please don't take that off."

"I never do," she fingered the silver circle. She picked up a bundle of herbs and stepped around him to the hearth.

Kol pushed the stool out of her reach and pulled the herbs from her hands.

"Hey," she cried. Her hands settled on her hips as she tilted her head to glare at him.

Kol smirked and tied the herbs from the wooden bar hanging from the ceiling. "Can you even reach this high, Elskling?" He easily caught the lavender she chucked at him.

"Are you calling me short?" She took a menacing step forwards so she had to crane her neck to look at him.

"I would never say that, Elskling," Kol's fingers ghosted over her arms. He took hold of her hands and lifted them over her head as high as they could go. "I'm merely asking if you can reach the bar," his eyes sparkled when her hands stopped a good distance from the tied bundle of rue.

She tilted her head back to glare at the ceiling. She gritted her teeth before jumping.

The rue shook as her fingers managed to swat it; the bar shifted slightly with the force of her hand.

Lexa stumbled when her feet hit the floor again. She attempted to suppress her laughter but failed when he lifted her hips and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"How about now, little witch?" Kol tipped his head back. He had her pressed against him so that her head was a few inches above his.

Lexa lifted one hand from his shoulder and grasped the wood above her head. She giggled when she caught his eyes. "I can reach," she grinned.

"You just needed a little help," Kol chuckled. He kissed her jaw.

"I could have easily stood on a chair," she tightened her hold on the bar. A small gasp escaped her full lips when his arms pulled her closer.

"Now that's dangerous," Kol laughed.

"Whereas being held by a vampire is safe," she smirked.

"It's impossible for you to slip and fall," he stared into her laughing eyes.

She released the bar and wrapped both arms around his neck. "I think I could very easily fall," her soft breath fanned across his chin.

Lexa blinked and they were halfway across the room. She felt the work table when she was sat on top of it.

Kol stepped between her legs. His eyes flickered over her pale face; a few freckles spread across her nose.

A fever flared under her skin. She cupped either side of his neck when he kissed her and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Lexa sighed into his mouth when his tongue slipped between her lips. Her heart thumped while heat curled down her spine. She struggled to breath when he broke away to kiss her throat.

"K-kol," she hummed. Her flesh tingled under his lips.

He could smell her arousal where it pooled between her thighs. A groan caught in his throat. Blunt teeth scraped over her carotid artery and drew a soft moan from her parted lips.

Overcome with the desire to feel him closer she tightened her legs. Her head began to swim from lack of oxygen when his hand ran along her thigh.

Kol forced himself to back away when he heard her labored breathing. Another smell rose under her skin and sweetened her blood.

"I can't," she clung to his neck and gasped, "I c-can't br-breathe." Her fingers tugged at her collar. "… damn corset…" Her eyes fluttered closed.

He caught her before she could fall and laid her down. The cotton blouse ripped under his hands.

I divided this chapter in two parts because I wanted to prolong the LOL... and because it's easier to warn people this way.