Sweet Nightmares Chapter 4: When the Clock Strikes Midnight, a vampire diaries fanfic

A/N : I want to apologize for not posting sooner. In my defense I had to re-write this chapter more than 3 times. I couldn't get it right and then I kept writing and erasing. Anyway, now here it is if anyone is still interested in this story that is. I know it has been a while since my last update so I made this chapter extra long.

In any other case I would break it in two chapters but I decided against it. So this is a huge chapter! More than 14.000 words so I am wishing good luck to anyone brave enough to proceed LOL!

Memories are in italics.

In Tumblr along with the previews and teasers I also posted the songs that kept me going through this chapter so I am putting them here too.

* Brand X Music- Eternal Flame

* Gravity Of Love - Enigma

* Inertia Creeps - Massive Attack

* Serenata Immortale - Immediate Music (Extended Remix)

* Bloodflowers - The Cure

* The Mystic's Dream - Loreena McKennit

Many songs I know but it is going to be a long chapter.

See you downstairs!

Warnings : don't forget that this is a dark story that includes mature themes.

Disclaimer : I own nothing.

My eternal gratitude to my beta Anastasia Dreams.

Btw, her new story, Sanguis Donum? ...OMFG! I am literally obsessed with that amazing story! Whoever hasn't read it yet has done a BIG mistake!

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

Chapter 4 : When the Clock Strikes Midnight.

He was about to change his own game. His game, his rules he thought with menace.

Deep down as weird as it may sound he was pleased with this turning of events.

Elijah wasn't with him anymore and he was the one that was the voice of reason. He was the one that always as his right hand had managed to keep his anger in check.

But for centuries now Elijah has been gone. So maybe, sometimes, his temper was making him do things that he would eventually regret. Like the little game he started with Caroline. He wanted revenge and he went for it. Now, he knew he was wrong. So he had to change his game. He wouldn't relent, but he would change the rules.

In the end the result still remained. Caroline was his. Or she would be. He licked his lips in anticipation. Initially he wanted to take revenge and now he wanted more than that. He wanted her soul. Her devotion.

When he calmed himself he came to realize that he needed a new direction in life. His plans for his hybrid army were destroyed while danger still lurked. He had broken his curse and his enemies almost took him down. So now he needed something else. Not just revenge – for he would take that too – but a new light. A light that would guide him in the centuries to come. That would give him hope, make him stronger.

And he was watching that light right now.

He kept himself hidden far into the woods. He could see her perfectly from where he was standing, but she couldn't see him. One of the perks of vampire sight was that he could be standing miles away and still have a clear vision like he was standing just a few meters near.

She was talking with Stefan and they seemed to be upset. He rolled his eyes. Elena. They probably were talking about his poor little doppelganger. This entire situation was boring him to no end.

Caroline had a beautiful heart and she cared. For everyone but him he bitterly reminded himself. He admired her loyalty and he couldn't wait to have that same loyalty targeted on him. Right now, though, seeing her spending all this time helping Elena with her transition, leaving her own life behind and being at the beck and call of the Salvatore brothers was making him want to violently shake some sense into her.

Why was she wasting her life like this? Why couldn't she see that the whole world was waiting for her?

This was the life she wanted for herself? Serving all those ungrateful people that were beneath her?

He would have to change that. One way or another. Unfortunately, he was convinced that she would fight back, but they had reached the point of no return. He couldn't stay away from her anymore and she needed to be taught a lesson. She needed to learn that she belonged to him. He needed to teach her how to appreciate who she really was and that she had to follow him. This wasn't a game anymore for him. He promised her punishment and now he had to make her see things his way.

It's not like she had a choice either. Her fate was sealed the moment he saw her in that classroom fighting against his sister's hold as Tyler was transitioning into a hybrid. He had noticed her then and that was the beginning that set everything in motion. He wouldn't have chosen her as a target the night of her birthday if he weren't drawn to her.

And he was so drawn to her. To her fire. To her beauty.

She was like a butterfly. And just like a butterfly is unable to see the beauty of her wings Caroline refused to acknowledge how truly beautiful she really was. She hid her own nature, lingering in her human past.

Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, her mother, that bartender and his idiotic hybrid are her connections to humanity. Her gravity to nothingness. If he was to cut her off from them, then how much time would it take for her to let go of all those human conventions that held her back?

He had to think everything through very carefully. He had told her that this was her punishment and part of him still believed that it was. But he knew that this was more than that. He had to sway her to his side. Take everything away and give her a new reality. He had to tread carefully. She was stronger that she looked. He had to break her resistance, shatter it to pieces.

The sight of her celebrating his desiccation triggered the rage in him, but now that he could think clearly he knew how to proceed. He had to tempt the vampire inside her. To make her surrender more control to her vampiric nature. The night he went to her room gave him great insight. A plan was already forming in his head. At first he wanted to give her nightmares as a way of tormenting her. Now he knew that they could be such a useful tool. Torture and seduction. Pleasure and pain. He would give her pain and then when she would be weak from it and wouldn't be able to take it anymore he would give her never-ending pleasure.

After a thousand years he knew how to provoke a vampire.

He was sorry that he had to use such methods with her. If she had taken him up on his offer he would have slowly taught her to control her new side.

Now he had to torture and tempt her until there was no control left. Set all her demons free. Then she would be his and his alone.

He observed her more carefully. Like a hunter would with his prey. Her beautiful features. Her elegant movements. She was exquisite. Her hair shone under the sun like a golden halo. She seemed like a vision of innocence, so full of light, but now he knew that she was much more than just that. She looked fragile but she wasn't. She looked weak but she wasn't. Her light was bright and pure but there was also darkness inside of her. He had seen it. He had tasted it and now he craved more.

It had been a week since the night he went in her room and controlled her dreams and compelled her to do his bidding. One whole week that he kept his distance. He was burning for her, but he chose to give her some time. He knew perfectly well that this time was just making her more anxious, more fearful. He could tell by the way she was looking outside her window every night. By the way she was trying to keep herself from sleeping. Always looking behind her back and jerking her head at every unnatural noise. He smirked at that. He was playing the cat and mouse game with her. Not enough to drive her off the edge, but enough to wake up insanity inside her. Prolonging the inevitable was the worse torture for someone as inexperienced as his little sweetheart.

He had his best hybrids tracking her every move. Watching her all the time from a safe distance. She was under his supervision now. Under his protection and his control. He was pleasantly surprised to know that she had kept her distances from Tyler. Maybe she was learning after all. Or she was feeling the presence of his hybrids and was trying to protect her beloved boyfriend from his rage. Either way he couldn't be more happy about how easily it was to tear them apart.

As for him, well he was always near her and somehow he knew that she could feel his presence too. The posture of her body was always changing when he was near. She would freeze and her eyes would scan around trying to figure out if that creepy emotion was just her imagination or if he was really near her. Due to his compulsion she couldn't react the way she wanted. She was pretending to everyone that everything was all right with her. The same happy and bubbly Caroline. But he could tell that whenever he was near her she could sense it and her body would fight his compulsion. Of course, it was always a lost battle and no one would ever guess that something wasn't right. But, she knew and without anyone else noticing she was trying to see if he was really there.

She should have known that he would never stay far away from her. Maybe she was still hoping that he had changed his mind and he would leave her be from now on? One week was enough to scare her more and at the same time give her false hope.

He leaned over the hard surface of the bark of the tree and kept watching her. She was now smiling at Stefan and for a moment he let himself imagine what it would be like if her smiles were dedicated to him. If her face would light up in his presence.

He needed her so much that he was hurting. He yearned for her heart, her soul. For everything she could give to him. He smile, her light. One loving touch. If only she would willingly come to him on her own. He would give her the whole world.

He had been obsessed with breaking the curse over the years. But this was a different obsession. He didn't know if he could wait like he did with his curse. His patience was wearing thin. Once he had told her that he could wait for her, for a day, even for a century. Now he knew that he simply couldn't. The first nights of the week that passed he had been draining women that looked like her. After that he was waiting for the right moment to go near her. Always counting the minutes. Always watching her.

She was in his veins now and he couldn't get her out. Every night he was dreaming of her. He couldn't pull her out of his mind no matter how hard he would try. He had the last bags of Elena's blood. He should be going after werewolves. Building his army. Instead of doing that he was always near her.

She was always running away from him and she was all he could taste with all his senses. She was under his skin, in his veins, in his mind. He was sure that if he had a heart she would be there too. He was pathetic. He knew he was, but he had to come to terms with the fact that nothing was going as planned. He needed her as humans need oxygen. If he had to break her in order to have her then so be it.

Everything was meant to break sooner or later anyway. She wasn't an exception. She always relied on the wrong people that would always leave her behind. He would never do that. He wanted her forever.

A part of him was sorry for what he was about to do to her. For what he already did to her. But another still wanted to relive that moment. The moment she trembled in his arms. When he left her all he could think was how mad he was for the resistance she has shown when he was controlling her dream. He couldn't think anything else except for the fact that she had dared to defy him even in her sleeping state. Now, that he was calm he was actually impressed by her. He admired her and wanted to see how much pressure would he have to apply before she would bend and break.

But there were more from that night. She hadn't just fought his mind control. She had also surrendered to him even if it was through compulsion.

He was such a fool to be driven by his rage and not to have concentrated on that.

After the torture he drove her mad with desire that night and now the same desire was taunting him. What was she doing to him?

In a thousand years he had claimed and seduced a thousand women. But that urging need he was feeling now was something he had never experienced. He wanted to adore her mind and her body. It was a hunger that was leaving him weak with need.

His body was coming alive even when he wasn't touching her. He could still hear the erratic beating of her heart. The way her arousal filled the air. He could still remember how he desperately resisted the need to ravish her at that moment.

It was supposed to be a torture for her. But instead it backfired. His body was always hard and hot for her now. His control was gone. He was a man that had lived for more than a thousand years and all he could think was the pleasure he wanted to taste again and again from her. Not only with his mind, as he did that night. But also with his body.

This was indeed the point of no return. Her fear, her submission. All she could give to him. All her emotions, her thoughts and her passion. All of this was driving him insane. This was a game that he had to win. Compelling her was the hardest thing he ever did and he was dying to do it again.

Time stood still. Unmoving and unforgiving.

She had been compelled before; she knew the feeling too well, she knew what it felt to lose your will, your thoughts. She knew perfectly well what it meant to wait in those fleeting moments that someone has you under their spell to have your own free will robbed away from you. Oh yes, she remembered that every passing moment felt like eternity.

Nothing had prepared her for this moment though. With him she was truly and utterly terrified. Klaus wouldn't just play with her body. She knew that death would be the easy way out and he wasn't going to let her go so easily. With Damon she was prepared to die. After she became a vampire all those memories came rushing back to the surface. Even now that she remembered everything sometimes that time of her life seemed fuzzy. She remembered the fear, the despair. All the memories were in her head, but they did seem like a blur now. Like a nightmare that passed her by.

Now that Klaus was holding her face in his palms, tenderly like a lover would, she realized that she should never underestimate the disturbing power of a nightmare.

She was indeed prepared to die. Back then and now. She never wanted to die, not really, but if push came to shove she knew that she would gladly give away her life for all those that she loved.

But now she wasn't sure if she could deal with what was about to come next.

Her heart wasn't beating anymore. After the nightmare he gave her it felt like she was completely drained. There was no blood pumping through that muscle anymore. And still it felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. Like it was still beating, counting every second. All she could feel was the hunger, the pain and the dreadful feeling that her future was now in his hands.

She could still feel the essence of her own blood taunting her. He had tempted her with his bloody thumb, using her own blood against her and she gave in to temptation. It was all that it took. She opened her eyes that in the same second she could feel that they turned bloodshot again and he didn't even allow her to relish the taste of that single drop. All he wanted was her free will and he took it leaving her craving for blood and absolution.

She felt her skin heating up and in the same moment freezing. The cold was an illusion she knew. It was coming out of her soul and was spreading to her arms and down her back. She could feel her face covered in flames. His fingers were caressing her cheeks, feathering over the hard veins that surrounded her bloodshot eyes. She was so ashamed to have her face turned into one of a demon in front of him. It was like admitting her true nature to her torturer. Giving him more ammunition against her. Letting him know that she was just a monster like everyone else.

The blue dilated color of his eyes was still holding her prisoner and all her body was numb. Her shame was unbearable but he was looking at her almost with adoration. His fingertips were dancing around the tough skin of her vampiric face like it was something exciting and mesmerizing. That touch was sending shivers all over her body and that was causing her even more pain, but she couldn't move. She could hardly even breathe.

He couldn't stop admiring the sight he had in front of him. His beautiful Caroline always had a bright light that surrounded her, but now that she has turned into the magnificent vampire he had in front of him that light turned into darkness. One that was drawing him even closer. Images of blood and of the damned souls of the underworld lingered in those beautiful vampiric eyes of her. She was enchanting before. Now she was a Goddess. And she was his. All the rage he was feeling for her insolence was forgotten now that he had her like this.

The vampire inside him was craving her more than he craved blood. He wanted to take her right now, with her wild need for blood, her black bloody eyes and those shiny fangs in the dim light. Images of primal passionate sex flashed in front of his eyes as his fingers kept drawing patterns over the skin of her face. She was such a sensual being and she didn't even know the power she possessed. A siren, a seductress.

He could almost feel the tip of his fangs emerging from his gums ready to penetrate the soft skin of her neck. He didn't care that his bite was poisonous. His blood was the cure. He wanted his poison to drive her mad and his cure to relieve her. He wanted to be her damnation and her only salvation. But what he wanted even more was to feel her tasting him at the exact moment he would taste her. His whole body throbbed with need. He wanted, he needed, to feel her sharp canines embedding his skin. To feel her drinking from him.

Flesh to flesh, blood to blood. The most intimate and profound connection two vampires can have.

Never before had he allowed anyone to bite him. To drink his centuries old untainted blood. The night he saved her from the bite he couldn't really understand why he had allowed her to sink her fangs into his skin. All he knew back then was that he wanted to prolong the moment.

Like he was doing now.

He could feel her thirst rising. Her mind losing all control. Her need for blood and her psychosomatic pain were taking over. She was lost to the deepest needs a vampire could ever have.

Klaus took a sharp intake of breath. All he wanted right now was to take her in the most tender and savage way he could. One that he had perfected in his thousand years of existence. To hear her plead and beg. To give her immeasurable pleasure and pain.

He vowed to himself that this moment was soon to come and only God and the devil knew that the only promises and vows that he kept on the pain of death were those that he made to himself. Her fate was sealed.

Klaus relished in her fear. He smiled like only the devil could. He could feel her fear radiating from her whole being. He could see in her eyes that she knew that whatever his plans were for her they would be far worst than death. And she was right.

What she didn't know was that he felt like he was incapable of killing her. Death would only take her away from him and he wasn't going to allow that. Not ever.

He could feel his obsession rising. Feeding all his twisted thoughts. His thumb caressed the tip of her fang that was pressing against her lip.

He knew from experience how hard yet sensitive the fangs of a vampire were. Especially those of a baby vampire like his precious, Caroline. Only one touch and fire would spread from her mouth straight to her core. His finger followed the curve of her upper lip and then touched her other exposed fang too. Soon he felt her tremble even more. His eyes were still locked with hers. The more his compulsion lingered the more her state of mind changed. Waves of lust were crushing her slowly.

After a thousand years he had perfected the technique of compulsion. If it was an art he certainly was an artist. He could ignite primal feelings without having to order them by words. All he had to do was focus enough. Now that she was at his mercy the temptation was too much and he had to give in to it. His rage had left him. He knew that after this he would still be furious, but right now all he could feel was the need to give her more sensations. To teach her without a touch what lust and need really meant for a vampire. His hand circled around her waist bringing her closer to him enjoying the fact that her fear was increasing. Fear and passion. A deadly mixture. His eyes dilated more and shone into the darkness. He heard her moan. Soon enough he felt her shivering in his arms, her breathing becoming even more uneven.

The pain from before still lingered in her body and he smiled. He had hurt her in her dream and he was about to compel her to complete submission so maybe first a little gift was in order. He didn't want to resort to such methods with her. Compelling her was the last thing he wanted to do but she left him no choice.

"You are feeling no pain anymore, only the need for blood," Klaus gently said. "Don't change your face back." His hypnotic voice commanded her, knowing that without the pain it would be easier for her to change into her human features and he didn't want that. "Relax sweetheart and don't hold back," he whispered and he felt her whole body relaxing into his arms. Her dark eyes focused only on him.

He touched her black spider veins again. He wasn't going to take her tonight, but he wanted her to know to whom her body belonged from now on. Also ,it wouldn't be that bad to give her a taste of what was going to come in the near future.

He knew that his eyes were now the only thing in this world existing for her.

He concentrated and felt her shaking in his arms. He could feel his needs passing through him and into her.

She wanted to talk, but she couldn't. She wanted to breathe, but she couldn't. The blue of his orbs had a torrential influence on her. It was like she could feel his voice into her mind. Talking, whispering, taunting her with unimaginable thoughts and mental images. Liquid fire surged slowly into her bones and then ran even more slowly into her veins.

She could feel her skin turning into roaring fire. Her pulse rising. He had ordered her to relax and now her body was doing the exact opposite. She wasn't holding back. Through the magnitude of his compulsion she could feel his hands roaming over her naked body.

In the back of her mind she knew that her clothes were still on, that his one hand was holding her waist and his other cupping her cheek, but soon all rational thoughts and facts vanished. She wanted to writhe, squirm, thrash. Her body was aching. Her nerve endings were screaming. The blood thirst became unbearable. All she could feel was blood. She was swimming in the thick liquid essence. She could feel the vampire inside her taking charge.

The need became unbearable. She felt like his hands were caressing her flesh, her most tender parts. Moving slowly over her every inch. Deeper and deeper until there was nothing left but her need to explode into thousand pieces. Molten heat spread through her veins, following her blood straight to her most erotic zones. It was uncontrollable. Red haze engulfed her. Sweat was running all over her. All she could feel was her muscles tightening. Her flesh stretching. Her core drenching. She sank her fangs into her lips drawing blood. Feeling it falling from her mouth to her chin.

What was he doing to her?

All was whirling except his eyes. Demanding. Controlling. Savaging. It was like he was part of her body. She could feel him thrusting inside her. Again and again and again until her whole world exploded with a force that made her scream his name and left her panting in his arms. She couldn't tell if it was pleasure or pain. After the aftershock there was more to come. She went into a frenzy of agonizing pleasure. When she wasn't sure if she could survive any more, another climax was hitting her with even bigger force. Her body had completely surrendered to the vampire inside her and all her senses were alert and screaming. She had never felt anything like this before. It wasn't stopping, it was just becoming wilder. And then all she could feel was crushing back to earth through ecstatic ripples of exhilaration.

The only thing that was left was his eyes.

Time lost its meaning. Minutes passed by and she was still prisoner under his gaze. Her whole self had vanished. Caroline didn't exist anymore. Only her most primal instincts were present. She just had the most mind blowing multiple orgasms of her life without even a real touch and his eyes were still locked on hers. The only thing left was her completely exhausted and numb body. And the blood lust. Her fangs were more extended and her eyes bloodier than ever. She could barely hear him laughing. She could feel him inhaling deeply. Taking in the scent of her arousal that still lingered in the air.

"You are more amazing than I thought you would be sweet Caroline," his voice felt like whip on her skin, "consider this a gift, with more to come" his tone was so low that if she wasn't a vampire she wouldn't have heard him, "where were we before you came undone love?" he said prolonging the moment even more.

He smirked and brought her sated body even closer.

"Oh yes, in the part where you will yield to me, more than you just did."

The sun momentarily blinded her and yet again she felt that eerie feeling of two cold eyes watching and scanning her whole body. Her senses became more alert and she felt her breath quickening. She could swear that he was somewhere around, but she could not see him anywhere.

Next to her Stefan kept talking to her about Elena and she was trying to stay focused, but it wasn't an easy task. Elena has lost control more than once in her first week of transition. She even attacked Jeremy and now she had moved into the boarding house.

At the beginning she had thought of inviting her to her house, but Klaus's compulsion prevented her. She told everyone that with her mother living in the house it wouldn't be a good idea. She told them that Stefan and Damon had decades of experience when it came to vampirism. She told everybody anything, that would keep Elena and anyone away from her house, in the most convincing way. What she was dying to say and she couldn't was that she needed their help too. That she was trapped inside her own body and that she needed them to see that everything was just messed up. Klaus was playing her like a puppet on a string and she couldn't fight back.

It had been a week now and every single time that she closed her eyes she could feel him compelling her. Taking her choices away. God, how much she hated him! He made her feel like she was useless little girly Caroline again. Weak and disposable.

She had to find a way to fight back. But every time she was thinking that he would come to her dreams again, that he would be anywhere near her fear was consuming her. He had managed to scare her and now she was trapped in his grasp.

She wanted to cry, to scream, to yell, to find someone to save her, but instead of that when she was around people she was brightly smiling and when she was alone she was always on edge fearing that he could be back. She knew he was playing with her. She knew that he was too strong, at the same moment her mind kept searching for ways to defend herself. Anything, to find a way out of his compulsion. To find a loophole to his commands. Nothing was helping.

She couldn't defeat him in her dreams. He was an Original and she was a baby vampire. She was driving herself mad to find a solution, but nothing was coming to her. Her neurotic self kept going on to every single detail again and again. She wasn't just going to stand there and let him do whatever he wanted with her.

She knew that she had to keep her sanity in check. Paranoia wasn't helping and right now Elena needed her. Hell, even Stefan needed her. She wasn't going to let Klaus stop her from caring and helping the people that she loved. No way in hell she was going to allow that. She was still Caroline Forbes, she was a survivor and she had always managed to keep her smile on no matter how much that hurt her. She should never forget that. She would have to hold on to that until the time she would find a way out of this mess. There had to be a solution. Somehow.

And yet her submission was a given. She was trying to give courage to Stefan. To tell him that everything would be ok. That Elena was going to find her balance when in reality everything seemed to be crumbling down. She tried to scan the forest around her again for any sign of him. During the days of the last week she couldn't shake the feeling that she was constantly been watched. There were some moments that the feeling was almost too much for her to bear. She was absolutely certain on those moments that he was near. And yet he wasn't making an appearance.

She tried to breath. She could still feel him holding her. Compelling her. He hadn't touched her. Not really. But she could still feel the heat and the desire rushing over her in waves. Seven days now and her skin was still tingling at the memory. She didn't want to feel that. She wanted to pretend it never happened, but there were moments that she could feel like the vampire inside her was crawling out in order to try and relive that experience.

Every morning her breathing was rough and uneven. She could feel her body missing all those sensations that he gave her and that was driving her mad with rage. He had basically violated her mind in the worse way possible and her body wanted to go through that again?

Too bad that those white oak stakes were destroyed. She could use some of them right now even if that meant that she and part of the vampire population would end up dead along with him. What she knew for sure was that she couldn't go through another night like that again.

She just couldn't.

He seemed to be enamored with her reactions.

She was feeling like an empty body now. Her needs were fulfilled, but she was feeling emptier that ever. She wanted to fall down and never get up again. She could feel her relaxed muscles still tingling, yearning for more. She felt repulsed and disgusted with herself and with him. Whatever it was that he did to her she had enjoyed it to no end and that was making her loathe him even more. Her thirst was awakened even to a greater extent. If she weren't under his compulsion she would bite him and drain him with no second thought. All she was feeling was her need for blood, which to her shame increased her lust. She wanted to hide and never see him again. For some moments she was not a person, she was nothing more than an animal. He had turned her into a bloodthirsty lusty vampire.

He didn't have that right. But she couldn't fight him. Her thoughts somehow were now clear, but her mind was still unable to react to his hypnosis.

This was the beginning of the end. He was going to compel her to do whatever he wanted now and she couldn't do anything to stop him.

Tears started falling from her eyes to her cheeks. She couldn't prevent them from falling and she hated that this was one more thing that she was doing in front of him.

Through the haze she could see that his expression changed like her tears were causing him pain. He was now wiping them away with his thumbs in gentle strokes trying to sooth her.

"No sweetheart, don't cry, just take deep breaths and all is going to be over soon." His voice was so tempting that all she could do was blindly obey.

Whenever Damon had compelled her all she could feel was fear and confusion. This was different. She still had her own thoughts and she was feeling a strange calmness now. She took deep breaths and her tears slowly ended and she found herself leaning into his touch.

"Let me see your eyes Caroline."

All fear was banished now. The more she was looked into his blue eyes the more she lost her will to fight back. Her face changed back and she felt relief claiming her. She felt like she was floating.

Her green eyes shone in the darkness and he smiled looking at those beautiful eyes of hers.

"That's more like it." His voice was low and commanding. He was trying to make this easier for her. He knew this was something that had to be done but for some reason he couldn't stand to see her cry. All the pleasure he derived from her pain ended the moment those tears sparkled in her eyes.

He took a deep breath and focused. It was time to end this.

This time he concentrated like never before. He had to be sure that nothing would be able to break his compulsion.

"From now on unless I tell you otherwise you will stop using vervain. Not even a single drop. If anyone asks you are still drinking it."

He smiled deviously.

"This is going to be our little secret love. You will not mention to anyone anything about this night or any other that will follow. You will go on living the way you used to and you will give no conscious or unconscious signs to anyone about what is happening. You will make sure that no one will ever even suspect that anything is going on or that there is anything wrong or different with you."

He saw how her eyes were losing focus to anything except his orders. He didn't believe that he would feel so bad doing that to her, but he had to make sure that she would be subdued and under his control.

He kept thinking about the details and what he was about to order her to do, but that pain in his heart was clouding his better judgement. He shook those thoughts out. His mind had to be clear for his compulsion to be unbridgeable. A thousand years of merciless slaughters, of bringing death and havoc to his enemies and a little blonde girl with bright green eyes was making him feel guilty for simply compelling her.

This was one of the reasons he wanted her so much. She was part of his mind now. She was etched upon his feelings. He had to have her and he would. He took a deep breath. This would be how his punishment would be served. In these next words.

"You won't try to stop this and you will not let anyone else intervene either. I will be letting you know when I will be coming to you. From that moment on you won't drink any blood and no matter what at midnight you will be back at your place. You will come to your room, make your self-comfortable and you will lie at your bed waiting for me. When the clock strikes midnight you will fall into a deep sleep."

"When the clock strikes midnight," she repeated in an unemotional tone while one more tear fell to her cheek.

He didn't wipe it off this time. He let it fall and smiled with menace. This was enough for tonight. He had to leave her and he had to do it soon. Because her body still had the scent of her desire and he could smell it on her. He could still hear her screaming her name as she was uncontrollably shaking in his arms. He wasn't a saint and he was already passed his limits. If he wasn't going to leave now this night would have a whole different outcome.

His eyes dilated one more time giving her a little more control but not completely. This was still his punishment and he was about to deliver his last blow.

She wanted to shake his hand of her face. His commands were settling in her mind and she wanted to scream. Why wasn't he letting her go? What else did he want to do with her tonight? What was left? He had done everything…

"You have such passion sweetheart, I can't wait to taste it," he said caressing her tangled hair, making her cringe. "All in good time. For now though I want you to concentrate on your body again. You can feel the pain returning again. Unbearable. Now more than before. You can't take it any longer. All you feel is the pain and the need for blood. When I leave indulge in it love."

She could feel the pain claiming her again, bringing chaos, misery and delirium. All desire was gone now. All she could sense were her eyes turning bloody again and her fangs coming out. She wanted to make this stop. Anything to make this stop. Before she knew it he was gone. She wanted to scream in torment, but the pain was so much that she couldn't force any sound out.

Stefan's concerned voice brought her back to the present.

"I don't know what to do Caroline. She seems so lost and sometimes I think that I am the last one that can teach her about control," He said, running his hand through his hair.

Everything seemed to be a mess in there lives lately. Stefan thought that she could help Elena with her blood thirst. Like she was doing so well with hers? If they only knew! This last week has been a torment. Memories of her running to her house's basement where she kept the blood and getting lost in it flashed in front of her eyes.

These last days have been a torment for her and at the same time she was trying to keep Elena's blood lust at bay. She felt like she was leading a secret life. There was the happy and carefree Caroline for everyone that knew her and then there was the terrified one that couldn't control her fear and her vampire side like she should.

Caroline looked at Stefan smiling. She had perfected her poker face those last days. She was dying to do something in order to let everyone know that she needed their help, but her body wasn't obeying her.

His voice was echoing in her mind preventing from doing anything that was against his directions. The way he was in her mind was driving her insane.

"Hey, what about me? I turned out quite fine don't you think?" her smile was radiant.

Stefan smiled for the first time in days and Caroline was so genuinely happy for that she kept talking,

"I mean sure I tragically ate a bunny for you, and when it comes to bambi and those cute eyes I mean come on now…"

Stefan grimaced at that while trying to keep himself from laughing.

"Ok, Caroline I am getting the message loud and clear," he said with his serious vampire look.

"Are you now?" she asked laughing giving him her sassiest look and Stefan laughed for the first time.

Elena's death was still a sore subject for all of them. They had all tried to keep her human and safe and in the end all was in vain. She ended up dead in a hospital bed and no one even knew who killed her. Their bets were of course on Klaus, but they had all decided that with Elena's transition and with their failed attempt to desiccate him it would be for the best to stay away from the Originals.

Everyone silently knew that sooner or later Klaus would come back with a vengeance, the only difference was that for Caroline that was already a reality. Everyone though, including her, was so frustrated with everything that had happened. Elena shouldn't have been a vampire. Not like this. But if, Caroline had to be honest with herself a part of her believed that from the moment her friend got mixed up with the Salvatore brothers it was only a matter of time before that happened.

Was that when it all came down to? Destiny? Fate? Having someone changing it radically and then it turning out different for you? Was this what was in store for her too? Klaus changing her destiny? Shaping it into something else? She really didn't want to even think about that. She was controlling her own future and she wasn't going to just give in to him. She sighed. This wasn't about her. It was about Elena. But the thing was that all these days while she was trying to help her friend control her bloodlust her own control was slipping away. She was giving her friend advice about control and while feeling like such a fraud.

Klaus had just left, leaving her alone in unthinkable pain.

She tried to move, but the pain was too much. It felt like the wolf in her dreams had been real and had torn her skin apart. She had fallen out of her bed almost passing out to the floor. She would have, but the blood lust was preventing her from doing even that. Her vision was distorted. Everything seemed to be far away. After she turned her vision was crystal clear and acute. Now it seemed like all were a blur. Like she was lost in a psychedelic trance.

She tried to move and then she lost her ability to even form a coherent human thought. The predator was awakened and her instincts were now in the driver's seat.

She flashed down to her basement with supernatural speed and force while hitting every wall and piece of furniture on her in her way down. She couldn't think, she couldn't do anything else other than crave blood. He had compelled her to indulge that need and now all she could feel was exactly that.

Her mother had put a chest freezer in the basement. That was where she kept her blood bags. She always maintained her control. She would go down there and just grab a bag. Many times she wouldn't even finish it at one go. Now she practically tore off the freezer's lid and grabbed the first bag and tore it with her teeth and viciously sucked the essence she craved so much.

She lost track of time. All she knew was that the divine taste wasn't enough. She wanted more and she was dying for warm blood. She could still remember her teeth tearing the throat of her victim the first night she turned. This is what she needed right now. This wasn't enough, it would never be enough. But it was all she had right now.

The thick liquid was flowing down her throat and she moaned at the way it was taking the pain away, and the way it was rejuvenating her. Her eyes were closed and pleasure was sweeping her away. She could feel her body healing even though there were never wounds to be healed. The more blood she devoured the more she could feel her body craving more. Another bag and then another. She had to have more. She needed more.

Slowly she could feel like time was coming back. Like she was a person and not an animal. Suddenly she opened her eyes and she whimpered throwing the empty bag away. What had she done? She couldn't remember how she got from her room to here. The last thing she remembered was Klaus compelling her. The last thing remembered was his voice telling her that the pain from her dream was back. Then nothing.

Now she was sitting on the basement floor, her back was against the open freezer. Cold was coming out of it, but all she could feel was that she was full. For the first time she was full. No, it wasn't that. She felt like she could fly. Was she high on blood?

Everything seemed clearer now, brighter. She could even touch the molecule particles in the air. She looked around and saw that she was actually sitting in a lake of blood. Empty blood bags were all around her, all torn to shreds. She looked down at herself, at her hands. Blood was everywhere. The sticky liquid was on her skin, her hands, her nails. It was dripping from her mouth and her chin. Her hair was all wet and blood had soaked it. How much blood had she drunk? She smelled blood everywhere and she realized that her fangs were still exposed.

She tried to change her face back, but she couldn't. She sobbed and her whole body shook. Why couldn't change her face back? All of the sudden she put her hands to her ears trying to block the noise. It was driving her crazy. She could practically hear everything. She could hear people breathing blocks away from her house, their heartbeats beating all together. She shot her head up. She could hear a car approaching. That unique noise that only the engine of her mother's car could produce. She could tell that it was far away, but it was coming closer.

She was covered in blood, her face wasn't changing back and she needed more blood.

Her mom couldn't see her like that. What if she hurt her?

She used her supernatural speed – and she was even faster now – and threw all the empty bags back in the freezer. She didn't have the time to clean the blood from the floor now. She sped run to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She was dripping blood all over. She tried to control her sobs and saw her face in the mirror. Her vampire features were not disappearing no matter how much she tried.

She was a bloody mess. Literally.

She took off her clothes shoving them into the basket with frantic moves. She could still hear the car approaching. She went into the tub and turned on the faucet. In moments hot water splashed all over her pale skin rinsing the blood away. The water at her feet was all red while steam filled the room. She took the wash cloth and started scrubbing her body. More blood was falling from her hair and her face, over her body and into the drain. She could hear the sound of the water running, of her own movements and of her mom's car.

She was speeding the process along while she closed her eyes and let the hot water sooth her. She was replaying the night in her mind. The dream, the wolf, the pain. The lust.

Klaus. He did this to her.

Tears filled her eyes as she could still feel the heat he forced over her body. Her knees grew week and she felt herself getting aroused again. She used the wash cloth over her body rubbing it hard against her flesh and trying to relieve herself from that persistent burning feeling. She bit her lips and drew blood. She hit the tiles in despair and cracked them. She could feel his eyes compelling her into desire again. She screamed in frustration and kept trying to scrub away the memories, the blood, her need, the torture. She felt violated, dirty and empty.

She heard her mom parking the car outside the house and turning the engine off. Her wet hair was clinging to her body, the soapy water starting to fall clearer on her curves now. She kept washing herself and praying for her face to change back.

She could hear steps, her mom getting in the house. She could hear her blood pumping into her veins. She could hear her calling her and knocking on her bedroom door. Soon she was knocking at the bathroom door.

Sunrise was coming.

She covered her body with a fluffy towel and abruptly opened the door. The heartbeat of her mom's heart calling her. When she opened the door her face was back to normal again. When she opened the door Klaus's compulsion kicked in and she acted normal again. When she opened the door a new world was awaiting her. A world where she was compelled by Klaus, were Alaric was dead and Elena was a vampire. A world she didn't want to be in.

She hated those memories and all that they meant. She hated feeling so helpless. The constant need for blood tormenting her all week. She looked at Stefan again. She wanted so much to tell him what was happening to her, but she couldn't. So if there was no way that he could help her then she would have to focus on a way that she could help him.

"Stefan look Elena is still Elena, in her vampire version, yes, but it is still her and you guys always find your way back to each other no matter what. So, no negative thoughts, she needs us now more than ever,"

"Us and Damon," he said in a bitter tone.

Caroline bit her lip. Stefan was her friend and she wasn't Damon's groupie, but she couldn't look past the fact that Elena had feelings for Damon too.

"You might not like it Stefan but Damon is part of her life too. In his all snarky Damon way he cares for her and he can help her. In the end isn't that what we want for her right now? To help her anyway we can?"

"You really are a good friend Care, Elena is lucky to have you," he said and finally she could see that the old Stefan was back. Her friend was back.

"I am your friend too you know, this can't be easy for you either and I just …" she nervously swallowed and breathed; it was futile she couldn't say what she wanted.

Klaus had made sure of that.

"…I am here for you too that's all."She just said.

"I know and…look Caroline I know I haven't been here for you lately, but I am now. You can always count on me,"

Caroline gulped. She wanted so much to ask for his help. If there was anyone that could help her with Klaus that was Stefan. He knew Klaus. They had been friends and he was with him last summer. Stefan had been the only person to go up against Klaus and live to tell the story. She had to find a way to reach him, but instead of that Klaus's compulsion kicked in and she wore her brightest smile.

"I know Stefan but you don't have to worry about me. I am fine."

Stefan looked at her for a moment and was about to say something, but then his phone rang.

Caroline could hear Damon from the other side of the line asking Stefan to meet. It was about Elena.

When Stefan closed his phone, Caroline just smiled at him.

"It is ok, go, I will come to the boarding house to see Elena later."

Stefan nodded and flashed away leaving her alone in the woods with that nasty feeling that someone was watching her. She had to get out of there and fast.

Before she could to that she found herself pinned to the hard surface of the trunk of a tree. By Klaus!

Before she even knew what she was doing she shoved him with all her strength and sent him flying at the opposite tree. She heard him chuckling before rage consumed her and she attacked him again holding him this time against the tree. He wasn't fighting back, to the contrary he seemed to enjoy this way too much.

"This is all your fault," she snarled at him while pushing him against the tree, hearing the bark cracking while splinters and leafs flew all around them.

"Could you please be kind enough to elaborate sweetheart?" he asked smirking.

Now, that was the spirit!

If it was anyone else in her place, after what he had done to her, they would be cowering in front of him.

Not her. Never her.

She charged at him with everything she had. She could never win and they both knew it, but that didn't stop her from fighting. This is what he liked about her. She was so much more than just a pretty face.

Her face changed. It was the first time she couldn't control her anger and the green color of her eyes was now surrounded by the crimson color of blood.

"You killed her!" She accused him still pressing him over the tree looking like she was ready to rip him to shreds any minute now.

He on the either hand was so mesmerized by her that he couldn't control his actions either. His hand shot up without even realizing it and his fingertips gently touched the veins under her eyes.

She froze and her face changed back to surprise. She inhaled hard, unable to move.

He had done the same thing when he was compelling her, only now he wasn't. Now she could move. Why wasn't she moving?

She took a step back releasing him and trying to shake out that terrifying emotion.

"Never touch me again," she said with venom.

Before she could even blink she was pinned at another tree unable to move. She struggled under his hold, but he was too strong. His body was pressed over hers and he was holding her hands above her head in a steely hold.

Her breathing became rugged. Everything came rushing back. The pain and the fear. The way his eyes had dilated. The way she had lost control and herself in new whirls of sensations she hadn't even dreamt could exist. He must have done something in her mind because her body was now craving more of that. She was cursing herself when a familiar warm sensation started filling her womb.

He smiled like he could tell what was happening to her and she screamed to him to let her go.

"You want answers don't you love?" He tempted her even more and waited until she stood unmoving in his hands.

She told him never to touch her again, but she was his to touch whenever he wanted. She had to come to that realization sooner or later.

When he was watching her with Stefan he wanted to tear his former friend limb by limb. Caroline was smiling at him so effortlessly and he and his stupid brother were taking advantage of her. She shouldn't be the bait or the servant to their little group.

It was pathetic.

And yet she was smiling at Stefan. It made him to want to take all his rage out on the whole world. He would bet everything he had that if she had a choice she would go to the ripper for help. She would ask his protection. To help her keep him at bay. To keep him away from her.

"Let me go," her voice was cold like her eyes but he could feel her trembling. He smiled. It wouldn't be that difficult to control the vampire inside of her. It was already happening.

He took a step back, but he gave her a stern look. So she stood still against the tree.

"No, Caroline I didn't kill your friend," he said with a gentle tone.

She looked at him in a way that was telling him that she didn't believe him.

He shrugged.

"I may have ordered her death but I assure you that personally I didn't lay a hand on her," he said in a low voice and watched fascinated at all the emotions that appeared on her beautiful face. Rage, grief, disgust.

"You should be thanking me love," he said, taking a step closer to her again.

She remained silent watching him in a way that deep down was unnerving him.

In that moment she wasn't afraid of him. The loathing in her eyes was evident and was making her even more beautiful.

"Alaric is dead," he said with a condescending tone.

Alaric had been a danger for all of them and maybe he would have thought of another way to destroy him, but he wanted him dead by any cost necessary. Not only could he kill him and his siblings, but he had also tortured Caroline. He had to die. His only regret was that his death wasn't a slow one.

"You and your beloved friends are safe; all is good in the world again," he said while caressing her hair.

In the next moment Caroline's hand was on his cheek hitting him with all the force she could muster. And as a vampire she had enhanced strength. The impact was so strong that his head turned all the way to his right side.

"I am not like you!" She said every word separately and slowly.

He didn't say a word, but smiled. Amusement danced in his eyes.

"And that is exactly why I like you," he told her sincerely. She wasn't like him nor like anyone he had ever met in his long life.

If it was any other that would have dared to do what she just did, he would have retaliated and heads would roll. But with her all he could do was admire her strength and spirit.

She tried to leave, but he blocked her way once more. He saw her clenching her jaw and balling her fists at her sides. She stubbornly looked at him defiantly.

He sighed. Eventually she would have to understand.

"Deep down you feel it too. Big tragedy, Elena turned into a vampire, her triangle with the Salvatore brothers just got eternal, such an unfortunate event." His words dripped irony as he rolled his eyes and then focused them directly to her, "but her death insured your survival," he told her acidly.

"I would never sacrifice my friends so I could live!" she yelled her frustration.

"But they have no problem putting your life on the line every time their lives are at stake don't they love?" he slowly told her with an understanding look.

She took a step back and shot him a death glare. If only looks could kill.

"Stop it!" she warned him.

He could tell that he had just hit a sensitive spot. Nightmares couldn't damage her as much as the truth that was hidden in those simple words.

He moved towards her again, but she shook her head.

"Don't," she said with a pleading tone.

"Why is it so hard to hear the truth? They sent you as bait to an Original. I could have had your head and they knew it. They just didn't care. If they did they would have protected you, where were they last week, Caroline?" He kept pushing her limits with his sweet voice.

She had been abducted by her teacher, tortured and then he had visited her that night and hurt her even more. If she were Elena she would have an army protecting her, but not Caroline. She was just collateral damage.

"Stop that! You know nothing about them, about me! Nothing!" she yelled at him, anger emanating from her body.

"I know that you are always the second choice. I know that your life is just expendable for them. This is what you want to be Caroline? A servant to Elena until your blind faith in them gets you killed?"

Caroline glared at him trying to keep her calm. He was getting to her. He was using her own insecurities against her and she knew it. That didn't stop her from hurting, though.

How many times had she stayed alone in her house, hugging herself, trying to convince herself she wasn't lonely, pretending that she wasn't the second choice for her father, her mother, and her friends? Pretending that she was as important to them as they were to her.

How many times she had drowned in her insecurities?

Now Klaus was bringing every unwanted memory back. Why was he doing this to her? Why did he have to bring all that pain back? This was not who she was anymore. She had her friends and Tyler. She even started to get along with her mom. She wasn't going to let him barge into her life and plant doubts in her head. He was Klaus; he was always manipulating, taking advantage of other people's fears.

She was stronger than his games. She just had to believe it. Those were empty words; he didn't know anything about her life. She just had to hold on to that. She took a deep breath. He wasn't the only one who could do damage using words. She could too. The only difference was that she wasn't going to use cheap tricks against him. Only the truth.

"What would you rather have me be? Your plaything?" she spat. She looked at him with pity and kept going. She knew he could kill her right there on the spot, but she didn't care. If she was going to go down she was doing it her way. "You have no idea what loyalty means. I am not expecting anything in return from them, they are my friends, I love them and I would do anything for them. But you wouldn't know any of that would you?"

She saw him flinch and she realized that all his attention was focused on her now.

"You want people to be with you, but you are not giving them a choice. Either you force them or compel them. Newsflash Klaus it doesn't work that way! This is not how you gain love and respect, only hate!" she said breathlessly, while she stood her ground.

For a moment she thought she saw his eyes changing. She thought she saw human emotion in them. She thought she saw pain. But she was wrong because at the next moment that twisted smile was on his face again. He took a step closer to her and she took a step back. Was he going to kill her now? She stopped taking steps back. He came impossibly closer and bent his head until his mouth almost touched her ear.

"Hate?" he whispered in a tone that sent shivers up her spine.

"Is that what you feel for me sweetheart?" his warm breath teased the tender skin of her neck.

He gently moved her to the tree again. The hard surface scrapping against her back.

He was looking at her, expecting an answer. She lifted her chin in a subtle challenge. Of course she hated him, now more than ever. With all her heart.

As her eyes gave him the confirmation he wanted he seemed to relax. He rested the palm of his hand on the bark of the tree just next to her head leaning towards her. His other hand rested on her hip. She should move, shove him away but she was immobilized. He seemed pleased.

"Hate, such a strong emotion don't you think?" he said softly while his fingers caressed her waist, slowly traveling north.

"The other side of love and all…" he continued, his voice so tender it was turning her heart over. His fingers feathered over the curve of her breast.

His hand finally rested at the base of her neck. She was breathing hard now.

"Hate requires passion, a connection, it means that you feel and you do feel for me don't you love?" he said smirking.

The confidence in his voice startled her more than anything else.

"In your dreams!" she said and pushed him away with all her strength once again, but this time he barely moved.

He laughed and voluntarily took some steps back.

"If you haven't noticed sweetheart I prefer yours" his voice seductive and sarcastic.

At that she stiffened and he enjoyed her reaction.

"As for what I would rather you would be," he locked his eyes with hers, "well I would rather you be mine."

The finality in his voice terrified her once again and reminded her that she was dealing with him alone in the woods. She started panicking as all the memories of the last time they were all alone came rushing back. She didn't stand a chance against him and he already held too much power. He had already compelled her once. She had to get out of there.

He saw her internal struggle and the way fear was finally settling in her eyes. Was it because of him or because of her emotions? He could tell that she felt something. For a moment she was hanging on his words. She had just proven to him that temptation could work on her. She was still fighting him though. Well would have to change that, wouldn't they?

"All good things come to those that wait and I have waited long enough for you sweetheart. It is time for you to come to me, willingly or not. Either way you will be…mine," he told her. This time being completely serious. Her running days were over.

At once her eyes became haunted, her forever-young face mirroring her fear and her disgust.

"You are despicable." She said shuddering with aversion.

"And you are magnificent," he said while his eyes scanned her whole body taking in every detail.

"Go to hell." She cursed him through her teeth, her voice echoing around the forest.

"Been there done that, for tonight I would rather go to...you." he said watching her lose all the color from her face.

His eyes darkened.

A part of him hated the vulnerability he was making her feel. Another part of him was rejoicing. She had awakened the predator in him again. She made him feel alive again. Filling all the voids in him. He was a hybrid after all. A part of him was wolf. The natural instincts of the predator were enhanced. And a wolf would do anything in order to claim his mate. A vampire would do anything in order to claim his bride.

And he was both. Part vampire, part werewolf. And all parts of him wanted her.

Even the last shreds of his humanity wanted her. He wanted to lose himself again in her dreams. To feel her thoughts, her light again.

It was time.

"Tonight Caroline," he said as he took her hand and gently brought it to his lips. He felt her shudder before she wrenched it away. Her eyes hazy for a moment as his compulsion lingered.

He left her alone in the woods enjoying the way her heart pummeled under her chest.

She couldn't help the way she felt. It was like her heart was giving out. After their encounter at the woods time was slipping away faster than it should. She was afraid and she wanted blood, but he had compelled her not to drink anything until he would come to her. Her need for blood and her fear was a deadly mixture. It made her jumpy and more neurotic than usual. Everything around her seemed ominous and scary and all she could think was what was going to happen to her tonight. All thoughts were horrific because she was certain that he could come up with a thousand ways to make her suffer.

She couldn't understand how someone could be such a cruel creature like him.

She had almost believed him in the past, when he told her that he fancied her. It was a lie. Men like him didn't like or love or care about anything but themselves. No one would subject the person of their interest to such torment.

He wanted to weaken her. It wasn't that hard for her to understand what he wanted from her. He wanted to break her and be the one to pick her pieces again. To shape her into what he wanted her to be. He didn't want her. He wanted what he thought she would be under his so-called affections. The result unfortunately was the same. He was relentless and she didn't stand a chance against an one thousand years old Original.

She tried to resist to his compulsion, but it was no use. She could feel the pull every time she was trying to think how to avoid the night that was coming. She couldn't go through that again and yet it seemed that she would. He had compelled her not to try to stop what was happening and she couldn't think of any loopholes to his commands.

She went to Elena, she went to the Grill. She spent time with Bonnie and she just wondered around town. It was useless, her mind was betraying her. Everyone could see the cheery bubbly Caroline. Nothing else. What she could see though was a whole other story.

She felt scared and dirty. It was like part of her enjoyed this game they had between them. Part of her wanted to feel the pain and the thrill. It was exhilarating. Klaus was representing danger now and a part of her wanted to experience that.

Ever since she changed into a vampire she was trying to ignore that newfound side of hers. There was always a war going on between her mind and her instincts. And it only took Klaus one night to have them grew even further apart. Everything was heightened after she became a vampire and her predatory nature was always a part of her. Now fear was becoming a terrifying monster and her need to explore the darkness inside her was turning into a thought that kept taunting her.

So she was letting herself be consumed by positive emotions. Feelings that would keep her sane. Feelings that would keep her grounded. Her mother and her friends were her safe havens.

Tyler was a part of those. They had been through so many things together and in every turn he was the person that she wanted to be with. She didn't know if it was forever, but right now it didn't matter. She loved him now, today, and it was more than enough. He made her feel normal. A girl in love with her boyfriend.

Klaus had to mess that up too. One week now and she had kept herself away from Tyler. She kept dodging his phone calls and his messages. She kept her distance.

She was always feeling like she was watched and after she personally got the first taste of what Klaus could do she feared of what he could do to Tyler. Especially now that Tyler had stood against him and broke the sire bond. How many more excuses could she use to keep Tyler away, though? She didn't want to lose him, but she didn't want him to be caught in the middle of all this either.

She knew first hand that Klaus could easily dispose anyone he considered an obstacle and in his psychotic mind she was guessing that Tyler was not on his good list. She wanted to scream in frustration. Since when had she given Klaus a free pass to control her life and her choices? Lost in her thoughts she didn't even understand how her own body had been moving without her realizing it, but now she was a few blocks away from her house. She looked at the sky. The sun had already set a few hours ago.

She was creeped out by the thought that her body was subconsciously following Klaus's commands.

Obviously she was heading back home to get herself to bed. She cringed. She tried to turn around and go the opposite direction, but it was useless. She huffed and kept dragging her feet. She was almost there when she stopped. Outside her door Tyler was waiting for her. She held her breath. She couldn't do this now.

She tried to calm herself and took a deep breath. She even managed to smile.

Once she got to her porch Tyler hugged her and she held him tight. She didn't want to let go of him. She felt so warm and safe in his hands. Tyler was the first one to break their connection and when he looked at her he had a serious expression on his face.

"Are you ok, Care?" he asked her, not trying to hide his concern.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked him, feigning nonchalance.

"I don't know, probably because you have been avoiding me for a week now?" he seemed angry now.

She looked at him and internally wished with all her heart that Klaus's spell could be broken just for a moment, but that wasn't happening. Tyler had managed to break his sire bond for her, why couldn't she do the same with Klaus's compulsion?

For the first time she felt guilt. When Tyler was sired she was so judgmental with him. She hadn't realize how hard it was to be bound to someone like that. Damon had compelled her in the past, but this was different. Klaus had left her thoughts untouched. He wanted her to fight and to feel despair every time she was realizing it was useless. His compulsion was unbreakable.

"I…", she stammered for a moment, she had to try. Any signal would be enough.

"Caroline what is going on?" his concern was back now. His warm eyes were scanning hers.

"Hey you can tell me anything what is happening?" he rubbed her arms.

This was it. If she could just find a way…

But she instantly froze. Even if she could what could Tyler do? Even if there was the slight chance that she could break the compulsion it wouldn't change the fact that Klaus was coming tonight and if she wasn't there he would retaliate.

Tyler wouldn't be able to protect her. She would just put him in danger. She needed time to think. Time to find a way out of it and that meant that for now she would have to deal with Klaus alone. She let her compelled mind take over her completely.

She took a step back and looked at Tyler sighing.

"I am so sorry, Tyler. I just, I don't know, with everything that is going on with Elena, I am feeling a little disconnected," she said, with her most earnest, sad smile.

Tyler looked at her for a moment and then he seemed to believe her.

"There was nothing we could do, Care," he said.

"I know, it's just that everything happened so fast, I didn't want to…"

"To ignore me?"

"I am sorry, I just needed time," she said biting her lip.

"Time from what Caroline? Us?" he asked her incredulously.

She looked at him feeling sick to her stomach. This couldn't be happening. Klaus be damned she couldn't lose Tyler.

"NO! Tyler no! I don't know ok? I just wanted some time to clear my thoughts and help Elena adjust."

"And you couldn't do that with me?"

"It's not like that, I…I am sorry, I didn't mean to do that,"

Tyler went closer to her and caressed her hair.

"Don't shut me out baby. I love you, you know that."

"I know," she said with a sad smile, "I love you too," her smile got brighter even though even though her eyes were filled with tears.

Tyler took her in his arms and kissed her.

She returned his kiss with all her love. For a few minutes nothing else mattered. She was safe. She forgot that she shouldn't be doing that. That Klaus probably had people monitoring her every move and kissing Tyler like that wasn't the smart thing to do. She would just enrage him even more.

The only thing was that right now she didn't care. She wrapped her hands around her boyfriend's neck and ignored the memory of the lust she had felt in Klaus's hands under his compulsion. All of this was too much for her to handle. Tyler was the man she loved. The man she wanted. She had to hold on to that and bury any twisted feeling that were crawling into her heart. She held on tighter to Tyler, but then he moved his lips and kissed her jaw, then her neck until he moved his lips to her ear.

"I have missed you Caroline, come to my place tonight," he said in a low, sexy voice.

She shut her eyes, Klaus's voice being the only thing that echoed in her ears.

Tonight Caroline…Tonight…

She took a step back. She couldn't do this.

She stood breathlessly in front of Tyler and she could feel her whole body retaliating. Time was approaching.

"Tyler I am …tired. I just want to go to bed…" she stuttered looking everywhere but him.

She could sense that his frustration was taking over him.

"Is there something you are not telling me Caroline?" he asked her confused and angry.

She looked at him and breathed heavily licking her swollen lips.

"I told you I am…"

"Tired?" he interrupted her, "yeah I got that!" he said, his anger flaring.

He shook his head and laughed humorlessly. It was obvious that he didn't understand her behavior and that she was hurting him. How could it be that only a few days ago everything was so good between them and now things were a disaster?

She was so happy when he had returned to her a few weeks ago all sire free. She knew that it was hell for him to break all his bones again and again so that he could get rid of his supernatural bond to Klaus. But he did it, for her. And now she was hurting him.

"You know what, get your rest, Caroline, don't mind me," he said looking disappointed.

He turned on his heels ready to go.

'Tyler, please…" she pled with a shaky voice.

He stood and then turned around and saw how distraught she was. He breathed in and shook his head.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he told her, "all you have to do is pick up," he said and left.

She stood there until he got in his car and drove away.

"I am sorry," she whispered. Her eyes hazy from the tears that formed in them.

She leaned on her door and kicked her foot on the wooden surface frustrated. She pressed her lips together. All she wanted to do was go after Tyler. Be with him.

Instead of that she went into her house and without turning the lights on she went with heavy steps to her room. The environment seemed so hostile to her now.

She was feeling so helpless and lost. She closed her eyes, her heart hurting. Everything was wrong. This was definitely a nightmare and she hadn't even fallen asleep yet. All she could feel now was her body moving against its will. His words were like smoke all around her.

"No matter what, at midnight you will be back at your place. You will come to your room, make your self-comfortable and you will lie at your bed waiting for me. When the clock strikes midnight you will fall into a deep sleep."

She saw the clock at her nightstand. It was almost time. She moved like she was in a trance. She took her clothes off and wore her most comfortable nightclothes. She took her make-up off and lay down on her bed, resting her head against her pillows. She took deep breaths and tried to push the terror away in vain. She stopped fidgeting only when she felt that her body was in a completely comfortable position. And now she was just waiting for him to come to her. Shudders run through her body.

She felt like she was on an alter and she was going to be sacrificed soon. And it was probably true. There was no gentleness in him and she couldn't escape him. She didn't even want to imagine what he had in store for her tonight. What she would suffer at his hands again. Her heart was beating like crazy. She felt like it was going to explode from her chest. This wait was killing her. She turned her head and focused on the clock. The shiny digits were moving along. She couldn't stop them. In 5 minutes she would be asleep.

She stared at the ceiling. She could already feel her eyelids getting heavy against her will. She knew it was pointless, but she kept trying to stay awake.

"When the clock strikes midnight you will fall into a deep sleep."

The minutes turned to seconds and in every slow second she was losing herself in darkness. She could feel her limbs turning heavy and her eyes sleepily closing. Morpheus was claiming her and she couldn't resist his seduction. Her last thought was that if she couldn't get out of this then she would sure as hell put up a fight.

Darkness consumed her.

The clock struck midnight.

On to more mild mannered subjects now...

- Well, here was the 4th chapter! I really hoped you liked it because oh boy was that hard to write!

- I want to apologize for any mistakes. My beta went through it but I was really tired when I went through it again and I just couldn't deal with this chapter anymore. It was driving me insane!

- Many thanks to all the people that reviewed, and put this story in their favorites and on alerts! I am seriously amazed!

You can also find me in Tumblr. I am using the same username that I use here (maevelin), the link is in my profile if anyone is interested.

- Tell me what you think. This chapter was really hard to write so any comments or criticism are more than welcome. Give me all you 've got guys!