Author's Note: So, seeing as there is no way that anyone is still reading this. I send a gentle apology into the void, hoping well wishes and love for what once was and could have been. Holidays are here, lovelies. I hope you are all having a great time. Another year has passed and I am one year older. I don't know who needs to hear this, but I love you and hope nothing but wonderful things for you. May your days be happy and fulfilling in whatever capacity that you enjoy! With all the love this season, I hope you all enjoy!
"So..." Caroline says to the dark-skinned girl the following morning after the nurse that kept insisting that Tiki stay in her hospital room and remain in bed finally goes home for the day, and she sneaks back into Caroline's room, "Do you think all those animal attacks were actually Damon and Stefan?"
Tiki nods, lowering herself back onto the bed next to Caroline. "I mean, I would imagine so. Didn't they show up around the same time?"
Caroline squints her eyes, looking around the room at the generic furniture copy and pasted throughout the entirety of the hospital, no doubt. If she recalls the initial story about the two graduates from Mystic Falls High School, Darren Malloy and Brooke Fenton, was around the time that Stefan first came to school. Then again, it could have just been a coincidence because school started right afterward, and he had just moved in, but Caroline isn't so sure about that. It hadn't occurred to her until yesterday that the two instances might have been connected to one another.
"I... I think so." Caroline chews on her lower lip, apprehensively. "I just... I don't really know."
Tiki nods with a little shrug. "I would guess that it's probably him and Damon that are attacking people." She looks down at the covers for a long moment before rephrasing, softly, "I mean killing. Killing people."
Caroline looks down at the covers too, pressing her lips together tightly. "Yeah... that." A thought occurs to Caroline and she hesitantly says, "Damon, definitely, but I'm not so sure about Stefan. I mean... I don't know."
Tiki frowns at her, no doubt annoyed that she was defending one of her abusers - even if his act, and her own, are peripherally connected - but nods for her to continue with a slowly prompted, "Yeah? Are you thinking about the night he tried to actually do something to stop his asshole brother Demon?"
"Damon," Caroline corrects, then frowns at herself. Why should she care enough to correct her friend?
Tiki slow blinks, casting a long look at the blonde through long, dark lashes. "I know what I said." She shakes her head slowly. "This asshole is a demon as far as I'm concerned. Damon the demon."
Caroline can't exactly argue that, even if she wanted to. She sucks in a slow, deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity before letting it all out in a loud whoosh, glancing back over at her friend. "Yeah, I am. I'm not about to hop on the Stefan-is-a-good-man bandwagon, but I'm not sure I'm fully convinced that he's the one hurting people. Damon, definitely. But if he was, why was he trying to help Mr. Tanner and I, that night? It doesn't make any sense."
Tiki looks reluctant to agree, but sighs anyway. "Fine. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in that department, but that's all. He might not be going around killing people, but that doesn't make him any better for sitting around and letting it happen. He knows what his hoe-ass brother is. He knows that the people dying are because of Damon. He might not be ripping people's throats out like Damon Salvatore, but he sure as hell isn't saving anybody out here either."
Caroline couldn't argue that one.
They sit for a long time in silence, lost to their thoughts. Even after everything that they talked about last night and the reassurances that Caroline got from Tiki that they were in this together and that she wasn't alone anymore, the terror coiled in her gut will only loosen so much. What is she going to do if Tiki decides that this entire story is as terrifying and horrible as Caroline thinks it is and leaves her? Reports her to the police or an insane asylum?
What if Tiki leaves her?
No. No, Caroline can't think about that right now. She can't put much more energy into thinking that she's going to be alone lest she just lose her mind. No, she has to start looking past it. Tiki is stronger than Caroline ever was. Tiki won't leave her. Tiki said so, herself. They were in this together. Caroline has to stop being so worried about that. No matter how hard it is. Tiki isn't like E- well, she's different. She's the type of person to hold steadfast against even the toughest of odds.
Caroline's seen it hundreds of times during Cheer competitions. Monumentally poor in comparison to life and death, but the feeling remains the same. After watching an absolutely splendid routine from the opposition, Tiki would just perk a perfect eyebrow, scrunch up her face and grumble, "They think that is going to beat us? Yeah, okay."
Never wavering. Never backing down. And if the other squad did win? Tiki would shrug and say, "Guess others have to win sometimes to make it fair." And move on without giving it a second thought. Caroline might never be as strong or stubborn as Tiki - and maybe a bit delusional - but she sure hopes to one day try. And maybe that makes Caroline a bit delusional. Who knows?
"So..." Caroline says again, breaking the silence once more. Once Tiki's dark eyes raise to her lighter ones, she asks, "What do you think we should do now?"
Tiki chews on her lower lip, looking around the room for a long moment, carefully considering Caroline's question. She rubs at her forehead, reaching up to tentatively touch the crisp white bandages wrapped around her neck before shivering at the memory the action provokes and drops her hand down onto her lap. "I don't know if I'm honest. For now, we should do our best to steer clear of them and anything weird and vampire-like. Just until we know more about what's going on both with them and even with you." She lets out a deep breath. "Just to be safe."
"True," Caroline admits softly, relieved to no longer be alone in this. "And we have that other vampire to worry about. I don't know who that was, but this place is literally becoming a vampire magnet all of a sudden. I don't remember frequent 'animal attacks' when we were kids." She puts air quotes around 'animal attacks' for good measure.
Tiki raises her eyebrows, looking down at the thin blanket while nodding. "True that."
"Do you think there's a reason for that?" Caroline asks.
Tiki shrugs. "I have no idea. If I had to guess, then I would say that it's not for no reason. It's either one of two things, as far as I know. Either this has always been a common occurrence and we are just now old enough to see it all for what it is, or even really remember it as such. Or, something dramatic has happened. Something that has altered Mystic Falls in such a way that these vampires can't ignore the siren's call. They come because they are compelled to."
Caroline flinches at the word but shakes her head at the quizzical look that her friend sends her.
Tiki raises an eyebrow. "No, don't give me that. What? What did you think about?"
"Nothing," Caroline says quickly, then flinches again at the sharp look her friend sends her. "Compel," she admits, the word tasting like ash in her mouth. "It's the strange mind control power that Damon used on me. And, Stefan, I guess."
Now Tiki flinches, face twisting into a grimace. "Shit. I'm sorry. I already forgot that."
"Don't worry," Caroline mumbles, rubbing at her forehead. She sighs, leaning back into the pathetic excuse for a pillow, and sinks down.
The two sit in silence for a few minutes lost in their thoughts. Caroline is trying to imagine how all of this is supposed to change everything for her. Or if it even would. But she brushed that thought away quickly because it was wrong. Of course, things changed. Caroline never had anyone who just knew the truth. Or, at least, believed her when she told them. Now she has Tiki. Tiki knows the truth and now Caroline has someone there who will be there. Someone who will finally be able to hear her when she tells them about what's going on.
And it feels like barriers that Caroline didn't know separated her from Tiki came crashing down around them at the realization.
"Okay," Tiki says, pulling Caroline's blue eyes up to her brown ones. "I have been thinking for a few hours, trying to think of a way to bring this up. Ask what I want to, but I don't know how to other than to just ask, you ready?"
Caroline's eyebrows quirk up toward her hairline. "I am definitely ready."
"What are we going to do about the next full moon? I mean, I know we got time, but like... you know?" She offers a little shrug but leans in close, ready to come up with a game plan.
"Oh," Caroline says, surprised. "I, uh, don't know. I don't usually have a complicated plan or anything. I either go into the woods around here or my dad's house when I go out there to visit him and get home by morning before anyone realizes what happened."
Tiki's dark eyes widen as she leans closer, fascinated. "What happens? You know, while you're a wolf? Do you, like, remember anything?"
Caroline shakes her head, scrunching her lips to the side before saying, "No. I can sometimes have flashes of things. Sights, sounds, smells, but nothing else. It's mostly a complete black out."
Tiki frowns. "I don't like the idea of you just being out there without anyone to look out for you."
Caroline feels a small smile tug at the corner of her lips at that. "I think I'll be fine. I look like a big dog, and I've stayed in the woods and never too far from home when I wake up. Sometimes I don't even leave where I transform."
Tiki doesn't look at all assuaged by that, no doubt thinking about when Caroline transformed and passed out in the video she recorded. How she shook out her fur, swayed a bit, and collapsed onto the concrete outside her school and didn't move again until she shifted back and woke up. Well, Tiki doesn't fully know every miniscule detail about everything, but pretty much.
Caroline still isn't sure what to think about Katherine, Kol, and Elijah. She's been fluctuating back and forth between wanting desperately to trust them, and terrified that she'll get burned badly from that. Soon, she'll tell Tiki. Soon. Once she has some idea of what to think herself.
"I guess," Caroline says slowly, "the plan is to go to my dad's again this month to keep hiding it from Damon and Stefan until we know more."
Tiki looks like she wants to argue but doesn't have anything to say, so her shoulders slump and she turns her eyes to the ceiling. "Fine. I guess it is better to make sure no one who might be able to know something about what's going on with you and want to hurt you for it should probably remain in the dark for as long as possible. Who knows what - if anything - there is going on between the vampires and werewolves?"
"What do you mean?" Caroline asks.
Tiki turns her attention back to Caroline. "I mean, all more recent media has the two in conflict with one another. They are like all sworn enemies. To death goes the victor, you know? So, until we find some way to better understand if such a thing is based on reality or not, vampire's knowing that you're a werewolf is probably a horrible idea, especially if you don't know how to control your power."
Caroline can't help but hopelessly ask, "Do you think such a thing is possible? I am unable to fight the change and I can't remember anything while I'm a wolf. What if it's impossible to control?"
Tiki shakes her head. "No way. There has to be something that can be done. We just have to figure it out, that's all."
Caroline looses a breath, the tightness in her chest uncoiling just a little bit more. "Yeah. Okay."
Tiki chews on her lower lip, dark eyes casting a faraway stare as something occurs to Caroline. Damon and Stefan, and even that strange unknown vampire that attacked them aren't the only vampires she needs to be careful of. Katherine and the Mikaelson brothers too. Because if they are just being her friends without realizing what she is, she could accidently destroy whatever chance of salvaging this before it begins.
Caroline needs to better understand the connection between vampires and werewolves before revealing to the wrong people something that might just get her killed.
After the whole, crazy date auction at the Grill a week and a half later, Caroline desperately needed to get out of Mystic Falls.
Once both Caroline and Tiki were let out of the hospital, Caroline went under lockdown for a few days. Liz doting on her hand and food. She tried to get a description of the man that attacked them, but Caroline honestly didn't see a whole lot. She gave a basic description and anything that she could remember but it was dark, and she doesn't really remember anything identifying. Caroline has yet to see the man again, so maybe he got spooked by Stefan and fled Mystic Falls, she's not sure.
And when Caroline was allowed to resume school the following week, Tiki was still out with her Granddad. Her mom came home later that day while they were in the hospital, from her work trip, earlier than expected. Tiki has been filling her in on how "over-bearing" and "commanding" her mother is. Caroline has only ever met Tiki's mom, Allison, a few times over the years. She works a lot, goes on a lot of business trips to support her father and daughter, so she's not often around. But Tiki texts her all the time and they have nightly phone calls.
Tiki and Allison have always had an... interesting relationship. They are definitely mother and daughter, but the way that they talk to one another, sometimes Caroline can imagine them being sisters instead. She's sat next to Tiki in a full-blown argument with her mom saying things that Caroline knows would get her smacked ten ways to Tuesday if she ever said any of that to Liz, despite the turbulent relationship that they are now on the mend for. But Tiki also tells her mom basically everything and Caroline has started to wonder how she is ever going to keep Caroline's secret from her mom.
Admittedly, Caroline feels bad for the strain that this will no doubt put on their relationship. Is it selfish that Caroline is too thankful for having Tiki in the know now that she's willing to accept the guilt that comes with the fissure, she'll form between them. Okay, now that she's thinking about it...
Back to the auction, though. Caroline got roped into helping out by Carol Lockwood. Well, when she was trying to do everything that she could to stay busy she does remember working with Carol to get this set up, so it wasn't really a blindside for her to be helping out. But Caroline felt trapped in the Grill with Damon. He was there being pawed at by thirty moms of Mystic Falls and Caroline felt sickened. She couldn't leave though, with Liz there keeping an eye on her.
Caroline saw Elena and Bonnie both there too. Elena offered her a little wave and Bonnie tried to come over to talk to her, but Caroline got pulled away by Carol before the other girl could so much as open her mouth to speak. Caroline felt bad about basically walking away from Bonnie, especially since she was trying to say something, but Carol kept ushering her to follow after.
Caroline offered a small smile in apology before she headed off.
Without having Tiki there to help make her feel better, multiple missed attempts by Bonnie to talk to her, having to watch thirsty Mystic Falls moms and girlfriends bidding on the men like hunks of meat, and having to dodge Damon all night, Matt's mom being back in town and living up to the stories the blonde has always heard from the boys around school, Caroline is ready to leave Mystic Falls. Thankfully the full moon was coming up and with the attack, Liz was willing to let her go to "decompress".
Well, once she was almost half-way to the city her dad lived in a few days later, she gets a call from her dad. Guess who got a last-minute opportunity for work and forgot that he wasn't going to be home? Yep, so Caroline turned her car around, resolute in having to be in Mystic Falls for this full moon. She tried hard to ignore the disappointment burrowing in her chest. She's not sure when this business trip came up, but she hopes it was before she asked him if she could come visit and he had just forgotten about it. Not that he chose to do that instead of being with her for that week. Whatever small time he did spend with her while she was there, that is.
Caroline stares out the windshield of her car, barely able to see anything because of the heavy rain. She shouldn't have turned back. Now it's dark and raining so bad that she can't see. And to make matters worse...
She's lost.
Caroline already has shoddy handling on directions as it is, but add rain and darkness? Now she's hopelessly lost. And the last thing she wants to do is sleep outside in her car tonight or wait until the rain subsides. But seeing as there isn't an apparent end in sight and it's well past eleven at this point, Caroline has little hope that either option is going to be her best bet. Problem is that Caroline's phone has no signal and Liz is waiting for her to call to let her know that she's home.
So... risk getting wet to find signal to let her mom know not to worry about her? Or let her mom panic all night and beg for forgiveness later?
"Shit," Caroline mutters, her consciousness probing hard at the back of her head. She can't just let Liz freak out by not knowing where she is. Now if Liz wants to come looking for her and help her get home... well, Caroline won't be mad about that. Other than that, Caroline's resigned to the fact that she's probably going to be sleeping in her car tonight if this rain doesn't let up soon.
Okay, call Liz, and get that situated.
So, Caroline braves walking through the rain, trying to get her phone to pick up a signal, honestly feeling foolish. It's dark. The rain is pelting her back, neck, face and arms like small ice cubes in the cold January air, and she can hear what sounds like heavy running water. And here she is, walking around like an idiot trying to get signal to her phone. Honestly, Caroline is going to trip over a tree branch or slip on a pile of leaves or a slick rock and break her freaking neck at this rate. This is so stupid.
No sooner had the thought flittered across her mind did her leg go sliding out from under her. Next thing she knew, Caroline was sliding down a steep hill covered in leaves toward a body of running water. Caroline grappled with everything she could to prevent her from hitting the water and risk being swept away. She can barely hear her screams of terror over the water that her right leg is half in.
Caroline's heart is pounding hard in her chest as she twists around to see the massive river in her mind's eye really wasn't more than about eight feet across and probably not deep enough to submerge her head, but still it scared the shit out of her and Caroline quickly scrambled away, trying desperately to climb back up out the way she came and back to her car, limbs trembling with adrenaline and the chill of the night.
In her mad scramble away from the water and scale up the side of the hill, Caroline's hand wrapped around something weirdly flesh-feeling and ice cold. It's then, despite how desperate she had been squinting into the darkness not five minutes earlier, that her eyes finally focus enough to turn a thick, pale branch into what is clearly a human arm sticking out of the mud.
Caroline screams in terror, her voice bouncing off the trees and into the darkness around her.
"Holy shit, girl," Tiki says, her perfect eyebrows pulled together tightly, gripping Caroline's hand on the table in the Grill. Despite it being a comfortable temperature within the building, Tiki's hand feels ice-cold compared to Caroline's flushed skin. "I swear, you have the shittiest luck of anyone in the entire world."
"Thanks," Caroline mumbles, shivering at the flash of memory. She runs her free hand up and down her pant leg, the ice-cold feeling of the skin of the arm still in the palm of her hand. "I just... I can't believe it." She's been having nightmares nonstop. Well, for a long time now. But this is just another new thing to add to the list of things that her mind likes to throw at her when she's at her most vulnerable.
Caroline dips her chin toward her chest, feeling pity and sadness swelling as Tiki whispers, "So... it really was her? Vicki?" Tiki flinches at the look Caroline sends her. "Shit, right. So... do you think it was Damon and Stefan?"
"Honestly," Caroline whispers, "I have no idea."
Tiki releases her hand and leans back in her side of the booth they are in. "I'm sorry, girl. I hate that you had to be the one to see that."
"I'm glad that Vicki was found," Caroline mumbles, "I just wished that she had been at least alive. That way she could have been brought home. I feel so bad for Matt. He was devastated. I've... got stuff to do tonight," Caroline emphasizes with a look that makes the brunette across from her nod in careful understanding, "or I would have gone over to his house to apologize. But I also don't want to make him feel smothered. I don't know. I'll give him some time. I don't even think he would want to see me."
Tiki doesn't respond for a long moment, considering before offering, softly, "As horrible as it is... maybe it's better to at least know? Better than living with the wonder if she will just walk in one day or not."
"I don't know," Caroline admits. "But I wouldn't dare ask him. Not now, probably not ever."
Tiki nods, slouching in her side of the booth across from Caroline. "I don't blame you. I'm just... sorry it happened, and sorry that you were the one that found it. Her. Found... Vicki." She grimaces, shaking her head slowly. "God, this is so weird. Someone is dead and I just can't seem to keep my foot out of my mouth."
"Death makes people weird," Caroline offers.
Tiki grunts, sinking into her seat even more. "So..." She glances around the relatively busy Grill, before lowering her voice until Caroline was more reading her lips than hearing her ask, "Tonight is the night? You're going to go out into the woods and... well, you know?"
Caroline nods. "Yeah." Then, she adds, quickly, "Alone. Like I said, I don't know how I will react to other people around. It's best until we have a better understanding that I be alone. I don't want to, like, rip your throat out or anything. Better to be safe than sorry."
Caroline feels the cold fingers of death against her palm. She shakes her entire body, curling her hand into a fist. A flash of Vicki, face paler than what should be nature, skin starting to decay around her mouth and eyes. Caroline shoves the image away.
Tiki sighs, not appearing to have noticed while running a hand down her face. "I get it. I mean, I know that you are making sense, but I still feel bad about leaving you alone out there. I just..." She hesitates for a moment before looking at Caroline with a frown. "I keep hearing you crying and begging for your mom. I can't unhear it. I feel so bad that you were out there alone. Scared. Confused. I hate it. I don't want you to feel like that."
Caroline's heart swells as she reaches for her friend's hand resting on the table, giving it a hard, appreciative squeeze. "I love you. Don't for a second ever forget that. But I am starting to get used to it. Those first few times were really hard, but it's not as bad anymore." Not necessarily a lie. It was getting easier to go through the transformation but that doesn't make it any more enjoyable than it was the first time. Caroline still gets overwhelmed and vomits more times than not.
Tiki squeezes her hand back but doesn't appear at all assuaged. "It's going to have to be okay for now, isn't it?"
Caroline offers a little smile. "Yeah. But thank you so much for worrying about me. I do love you."
Tiki grins back. "You better. I am your best fucking friend. Sorry, I don't make the rules."
Caroline laughs. "Even when you don't make the rules, you still make the rules."
Tiki throws her head back in a laugh. "Damn right!"
They sit in silence for a few moments, just smiling at one another as Caroline feels that the time for her to leave is fast approaching. She's got that itch under her skin that accompanies the near apex of the moon and she knows that the shift will soon be upon her. She lets out a long, drawn-out breath before Tiki glances up at her, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Please tell me you saw Mrs. Lockwood's notice? About Miss Mystic Falls?" Tiki asks, quirking an eyebrow.
Caroline stares at Tiki blankly, mind cycling back in time to see if she has any idea about that. "I... don't know. I mean, I ended up going through the application process because mom was worried I was going to regret it seeing as I wanted to do it for so long before, well, everything that has happened this year," she waves her hand dismissively, "but I have been so preoccupied that I haven't heard anything." A thought occurs to her, and Caroline feels a pit form in her stomach. "Oh god, is it soon?"
"Next month. I think the notice said the seventh. You are going to have to make sure the committee has your application and be sure to find yourself an escort before then. And ensure he knows how to dance."
Caroline groans. "Seriously? I completely forgot about the escort." She rubs at her face, feeling stress pull at her shoulders. "Okay, no, it's fine. I'll think of someone." Caroline drops her hands onto her lap, staring at her best friend. "I still can't believe you didn't sign up with me."
Tiki's eyebrows shoot toward her hairline. "Are you joking? I love you, Care, but that shit is rigged as hell. It's going to one of the Founding Families of Mystic Falls. No one else really stands a chance. Anyone else who is part of it is in a vain attempt to pretend like the whole thing isn't unbiased. No thank you, I would much rather go to support you and pray you'll share your shiny tiara when you win."
Caroline laughs, shaking her head. "Oh yeah. There can be nothing less for my biggest fan and bestest friend."
Tiki grins back. "You're damn right."
Had this been a year ago, Caroline would be frothing at the mouth at the idea, hell bent on practically killing herself to ensure that she really did win as a way to assuage some of her insecurities, but now she's just trying to grab hold of the shreds of normalcy that she can scrounge together. That and just another thing to try and forget the spiral of horrible circumstances around her is too tempting a morsel to ignore.
Ghastly, pale flesh. Too cold, too stiff.
Caroline shives, wrapping her arms around herself. The ants under her skin not helping with the haunting feeling. She shoves down the image and feel of Vicki's cold hand against her palm as far down as she can, before scooting out of her seat.
"Okay, I'm heading out. You too?" Caroline asks as Tiki slides out of her own to hug Caroline.
"Nah, I'm going to stay a bit longer and then head home. Mom's swinging by in a bit and I'll head back with her."
"Be careful," Caroline says, squeezing her best friend tightly. "Text me when you get home so I know you made it back safe."
Tiki gives her a look as they both pull back and she lowers down into her side of the booth. "Girl, I doubt you are going to be checking your phone with what you're doing."
Caroline laughs, rolling her eyes. "I will when I get home. Just let me know."
Tiki nods. "Will do. Have a good night, babe." Her eyes flash with worry once more and she chews on her lower lip to stop her from speaking out against it again and Caroline is grateful. She wouldn't want to feel pressured into saying yes and something happen to Tiki. Caroline would honestly never forgive herself.
"Night," Caroline says, grabbing her purse and heading through the crowded Grill toward the door.
"Night!" Tiki calls out, reaching for her phone that she had left at the corner of the table when Caroline had come to sit with her earlier.
As she was reaching the clear walkway leading her to the door, someone catches her attention. She turns her head as she's walking to see Elijah sitting by himself, head bowed with a frown on his lips as he was looking at something on his phone. Caroline hasn't spent a lot of time with the older Mikaelson brother, but she did like him. He is very knightly, in her opinion. Even though it makes Katherine roll her eyes, Caroline finds it very endearing. There are most definitely worse things out there than a man that fancies himself more chivalrous.
Caroline can't recall a time she's really seen him sit around alone. He seems out of place in his nice three-piece suit that has got to be wildly overpriced for a place like Mystic Fall's residential Grill, but also seems to be completely at ease. Caroline hesitates for a split second before deciding that the crawling beneath her skin isn't enough for her to worry about just yet. She has time.
She heads over to his table stopping right in front of it, an empty glass is the only thing on it. "Hi, Elijah." Barely able to hear herself over the din of the room.
Elijah looks up at her, surprise flickering in his dark eyes. "Ms. Forbes," he greets politely, turning to glance out the window at his back, looking out over the darkened night beyond for something. He turns to look her up and down, face falling impassive but polite. "Would you like a seat?" He stands and with a sweeping gesture offers the seat next to him, hand sliding his phone into his pants pocket.
"Oh no," Caroline says, shaking her head. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to stop by and say hello. Last I heard from Kol you left Mystic Falls because your dog was having health problems?"
Elijah's face morphs into confusion. "Pardon?"
Caroline's eyebrow quirks as she wraps her arms around herself, the tingling intensifying, slowly, but surely. Elijah watches the motion but doesn't comment. "Kol said your dog needed to get neutered. Nick, right?"
Elijah blinks slowly. "My dog? Nick?" Then understanding dawns on his expression. "Ah, I see. Yes. Wayward and rambunctious. But manageable, I assure you."
Caroline smiles at that. "Good, I guess," Caroline says, not sure she understands why he phrased it like that. "What kind of dog is he?"
"A mutt," Elijah replies smoothly, the corner of his lips curving up slightly as if it was a joke. But a moment later, his features smooth out and he offers her a level look. "Are you feeling well, Ms. Forbes? You seem a bit flushed."
"I'm okay," Caroline hears the lie roll off her tongue. She feels a warning flash of heat wash over her skin and the ants beneath go crazy, making her shiver. "But I should go. I wanted to stop by and say hi and make sure your dog is okay because you left so suddenly."
"I assure you, he is well," Elijah says, dark eyes still studying her closely as he slowly lowers himself back into his seat. "You have a good night, Ms. Forbes. Please take good care of yourself."
Caroline offers a faint smile, relieved that despite her revelation of him being a vampire hasn't changed her view of him. Elijah doesn't scare her like Damon does. Maybe she's biased based on her history with both men but it's got to mean something that she was able to speak to Elijah, while knowing what he was without feeling overwhelmed with terror. That's progress, right?
"Thank you, Elijah," Caroline hears herself say barely loud enough to be heard in the loud room, but Elijah nods, vampire hearing probably allowing him to hear her despite the noise. "Have a good night."
"You as well," he says easily, dark eyes locked onto her as she quickly makes her way to the door. Caroline bows her head, feeling another wave of heat wash over her and then her skin crawls, making her tense in worry. Maybe she waited too long. Shit, she's so stupid!
The door opens in front of her, and Caroline nearly knocks over the first guy that steps into her path but in side-stepping him, she barrels right into the one behind him. Caroline feels her nose smash into his collarbone, instantly locking up her sinuses and making her gasp in pain. Her body hitting his should have pushed him back, even if only a little, but he offered no give. It was like walking into a brick wall.
Eyes watering and nose burning, Caroline feels her arms lock onto his forearm as he moves to steady her. Her mind immediately registering that even though she feels like she's burning alive, he doesn't feel that much different. Not like Tiki, who felt ice-cold compared to her because of the up-coming transformation. Her body feels like it's on fire, but so does his.
"I'm sorry!" Caroline gasps, eyes blurring a bit. "Shoot, I'm so stupid! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Caroline glances up into bright blue eyes as a flash of heat washes over her, burning hot enough to hurt and her skin rolls with the sensation. Her bones feel like they are creaking inside of her, as if bowing and bending ever so slightly and she knows that the beginnings of her shift aren't far off now. Then, in the darkness of the pupils of the man in front of her, Caroline can see a flash of bright gold fill her eyes as her shift creeps onto her.
Caroline rips herself away from the man, ducking her head. "I'm sorry for running into you," she gasps, turning to the door and racing out, into the darkness beyond, pausing at her car at the end of the parking lot to frisbee her purse and phone inside safely before making her way to the forest, feeling the call of the full moon like a kiss of heat in the otherwise cold night, washing across her skin.