Darkest Temptations

by Katrina-H-Creates

18PLUS Heavy Sexual Content. Caroline, Elena and April make a daring choice. They invite Klaus to participate in a pural marriage spell, hoping to escape their old lives. The spell creates a barrier, isolating them from friends and everything familiar. But freedom comes with unexpected consequences. As they settle into their new life, jealousy soon takes root.

47. Chapter 47

GUYS IT'S FINALLY HERE! 🎉✨

THE CHAPTER YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, READY TO ANSWER THOSE PRESSING QUESTIONS WITH A WHOLE LOT OF ROMANCE AND BACKSTORIES. 😍💌 I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE COMMENTS LIKE A HAWK, AND NONE OF YOU GUESSED WHAT'S COMING! 😱 SO GET READY FOR SOME EPIC DISCUSSIONS AFTER THIS CHAPTER, WHICH WAS SUCH AN AMAZING JOURNEY FOR ME TO WRITE. ️📚

I'M REALLY HOPING THIS CHAPTER BRINGS YOU ALL BACK TO COMMENTING BECAUSE I'M BEYOND EXCITED TO GET THE NEXT CHAPTER STARTED ALREADY! 🚀 YOU ALL KNOW I RUN ON YOUR FEEDBACK, AND HONESTLY, EVEN IF I JUST GOT A FEW VIEWS EACH DAY, I'D STILL BE HERE. LOL. 😄 YOUR INSIGHTS ARE EVERYTHING! 💬💖

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH MY STORY SO FAR. 🙌 THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TEAMS OUT THERE, AND I THINK KLAUS/ELENA ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST! SURPRISINGLY, KLAUS/VICKIE MIGHT BE THE SECOND FAVOURITE! 😍 BUT JUST WAIT, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO COME FROM THE OTHER RELATIONSHIPS... PLENTY MORE! 🔥💫

CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! LET'S DO THIS! 📣🎉

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Darkest Temptations

Chapter Forty Seven: Loyalty & Division

Stefan Salvatore

I found myself without my journal, having left home with nothing but the clothes on my back, believing it was an act of love. I was mistaken. On the day of the memorial, events unfolded that challenged our resolve and dedication to safeguarding this town and the core of our existence. I had believed nothing could push my patience further than the hunter's arrival, but that was merely a small prelude to the beginning of my nightmares. After everything that happened at the church, I'd wanted to give Elena the distance she needed; after almost losing control of her hunger, I'd driven her home and assured her of my love, trying not to take it to heart when she tensed at my touch. My efforts to hold her hand were trying, and when I attempted to kiss her goodbye at the front door, she had broken away before I was able. I understood that she was struggling; I'd gone through it myself, and I remembered the horror of those first few days, the skin like sandpaper, the ringing in your ears, the thirst for blood, and the desire to rip apart anything and anyone who dared to stand in your way of it. I didn't want her to endure the heartache that I had; I wanted her to keep a hold of her humanity and not lose her most cherished morals. She'd told me to leave her alone so she could work through it herself, and I respected that, even though I knew deep down that this wasn't her true desire. But I had been happy to give her the night to herself following this morning's events.

After I'd dropped her at her house, I knew I couldn't just return to my place; I had to go back to the church and help clean up the mess left behind. When I got back, Tyler was with the paramedics; his mom had approached me with Tyler's plan to compel them to take him a few blocks from the church and to drop him off somewhere out of sight; there would be no stay at the hospital, no incident report, and she would work alongside the sheriff's department to ensure today's events were swept under the rug as were all things supernatural. After watching the ambulance drive off and escorting Carol back to her car so she wasn't inundated with questions by curious onlookers, I went inside to see what I could do to help. I'd expected to find Caroline inside the church behind locked doors scrubbing away at Tyler's blood on the altar, but she wasn't there. Normally when something like this happened that required our attention, Caroline was always at the helm, ready to do whatever was necessary, even if that meant scrubbing up blood. I should have suspected something was going on already, but I hadn't; I'd chalked it all down to everyone needing their space and poor communication on all our parts.

Liz had come into the church; she explained Caroline needed her help with her car. I'd offered to go in her place, but Liz assured me it would only take her a half hour before she would return. She'd provided me with the keys to the church, which allowed me to lock up behind her. She had given instruction to her deputies that the crime scene was to be left untouched and that everyone was to be escorted off the church grounds. This allowed me the opportunity to clean up the hunter's crime. I'd collected what I could find from the supply closet in the way of cleaning products, and I'd scrubbed the floor of the altar and the area from the balcony in which the hunter had attacked April Young. From what I'd been told, it seemed the hunter had used her like a pawn; she was an innocent victim who he had preyed upon like an animal.

An hour later, and Sheriff Forbes still hadn't returned, so I'd left, gotten into my car, and driven myself home without thinking anymore of it. When I pulled up outside my house, I checked my phone, hoping that I would find a text from Elena about wanting to see me now that she'd had time to rest after this morning. But there were no texts or missed calls from anyone. When I went into my house, I remember the first thing I smelt, the bourbon, the undeniable sour scent of Damon's favorite drink lingering in the air like a heavy mist. I'd called out to him, but there was no reply. I'd heard a creak from upstairs, so I followed the sounds up to his room, where I found him lying on his bed, eyes closed, a half-empty bottle perched at his side like a lover. The idea of cleaning him up and putting him to bed was just too depressing for words; I'd had a long day, and I needed blood.

I'd gone down the hall, I'd showered and changed my clothes, not my normal routine before going hunting, but I couldn't exactly run through the woods in a suit. In case Damon were to wake up, however, I couldn't leave without a word. I left him a note stuck onto his shirt like a child taking home a note from their teacher. It explained that I wasn't about to clean up his mess, that I was going out, and that he shouldn't expect me back anytime soon. After today I didn't just need blood; I needed space. I needed to run and clear my head before I had to face another day of uncertainty. Normally I'd run through the forest last, take to the surface streets first, cross through the town center, then up into the mountains, but it was already late, and I didn't want to be caught on the sheriff's department radar for the town curfew.

Choosing instead to remain in the forest, I took off running from the boarding house, keeping a steady pace as I went further into the forest, up past the grounds surrounding the tomb, then back into the forest and further off the beaten path. It wasn't until I started to venture closer to the oldest church in the town that I began to slow down and catch my breath. I never wore headphones while I ran; often, I was hungry and had to keep my senses on alert so I could hear the sounds of the forest animals and which direction I had to go in. But what caught my attention tonight was the sound of tires; I'd paused and closed my eyes, focusing on the sound in the distance, which was immediately followed by the cutting of an engine and footsteps. No one ever came down this way; there were no roads beyond the car park beside the old church, so I immediately took to the trees above without hesitation. With one effortless leap, I was up in the air and situated on the thickest tree branch that would hold my weight.

I'd pressed my back to the trunk and brought my hood up around my face to disguise me; when the footsteps drew closer, I held my hand over my mouth to silence my own breaths. I looked down to the ground when the footsteps were so close I could hear the rustling of the leaves beneath their feet. I didn't know what I had been expecting, the hunter or another new creature in the town. But I had not been expecting Klaus; he entered into the forest carrying what appeared to be a cast iron pot. He hadn't sensed my presence; if he had, he would have wasted no time taking me down. The sound of the surrounding trees rustling together was masking whatever sound I made, allowing me to watch him continue. He'd placed the pot down before he began to pour things into it that he had brought with him, something from inside his pocket I couldn't see, before he finally sprinkled a handful of leaves from the ground into the pot. Then he produced a match and set it alight before standing back; the flames were huge, and they only grew bigger. Klaus just stood there watching it burn; whatever was inside was burning like paper.

That's when the nightmare truly began.

The sound of another car approaching in the distance caught my attention; then, it was coming from the same direction he had. But just as quickly as my attention had shifted in the direction of the noise, so started another right below me. My lips parted at the sight of Vickie Donovan, alive and well and now suddenly standing beside Klaus, like she had appeared out of thin air. I thought she was a ghost at first, that he had performed some sort of ritual that included speaking to someone, anyone at all, from the other side for some answers. We'd barely survived his last campaign against us; his family, his entire way of life, was a constant threat to everyone around him. Klaus, however, wasn't at all surprised by her sudden presence; you'd think they were old acquaintances or maybe even lovers from the way she looked at him. But I knew that wasn't possible; Vickie Donovan had died long before Klaus returned to Mystic Falls, years before, so they should have never crossed paths.

The sound of approaching footsteps captured the attention of both Klaus and Vickie before one word could pass between them; I felt my heart stop at the sight of Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and April approaching the pair. I didn't know what to do; I didn't know how to even move as I watched them converse with each other. Elena could barely be in the same room as Klaus most of the time, and yet, she was here with him, talking with him and even smiling at him every chance she could, it seemed. I racked my brain for any and all possible answers as Klaus approached the burning pot and the others stepped away from him to form a circle of their own. There were no reasons for them to be with him; there was no chance he would help us with the hunter, yet they seemed to be preparing for something I feared was indeed a spell. A spell they hadn't told us about, Bonnie had to have constructed this, which meant she had spoken with Klaus and come up with some way of protecting all of us that involved the help of Elena, Caroline, and, for some reason, April Young too. It had to have been because April had some link to the hunter, perhaps through touch or the fact that he had spilled her blood.

From above, I'd watched Caroline leave the others and approach Klaus, extending out her hand for his, before all too quickly Elena was doing the same thing, her eyes fixed on his like there was no one else around. He'd reached out his hand for hers, and she had taken it willingly and without the slightest hesitation. One by one the others followed, next April, followed by Vickie and then finally Bonnie. Once they had formed a circle around the fire, they began a chant. I was ready to spring down and get Elena out of there before further damage could be done, but the flames within the pot grew taller, to the point where they almost reached the tops of the forest tree line. It took all my willpower not to groan from the heat coming from the fast-growing flames as they changed color and shape almost as if they were becoming stronger by whatever they were chanting together.

I'd thought Elena wanted us to share everything moving forward, and yet she had been working behind my back with Klaus. He was responsible for killing Jenna; he had made her part of his sacrifice, all in his relentless crusade for power. Why would she put her faith in him to help solve this hunter problem? Whatever the hunter did, we would deal with it together. I thought she'd felt the same way, but I was wrong. When the spell ended, whatever it was they had done extinguished the flames, leaving the ground of the forest in darkness, shielding me once again. I'd listened to them, not believing what I heard at first, putting it together like some sort of jigsaw puzzle that took a piece of my heart with each new piece. They'd all broken apart, gone their separate ways, and left the forest within just mere minutes of finishing the spell. Why hadn't the girls reacted to Vickie being alive? Why were they all so calm, almost like statues?

I didn't know what else to do that night, so I had done the right thing and followed Elena home. She didn't know I was there; she was a new vampire with keen senses, but I had once been the ripper, and I knew how to stalk without being sensed. She walked home from the forest with a slight speed to her step. She didn't check her phone; she just walked without a care, like her mind wasn't her own almost. I'd thought at first that she had been compelled; Klaus was capable of such things. It would explain why she had been acting so strange, why she wanted to be alone so much recently; the only question remained: to what extent had he used his compulsion on her? Was it only on the day she became a vampire that he compelled her? Or had it been more recent? The possible ideas of what he might have made her do for him had veins circling my eyes. Klaus was capable of anything and everything; the idea that he might be using Elena for her body, it took everything in me not to shoot across town and rip his heart out of his chest.

He'd always felt something for Elena; she'd never believe that, but it was true. I'd sensed it from the night of the sacrifice; since he came to take her from me, I'd known, and I just didn't want to admit the truth. It wasn't because of her resemblance to Katherine; she'd held no meaning to Klaus; it was rather Elena's innocence, her kind heart, and her inability to stand aside in the face of evil that captured his attention. She didn't like the way he was around her, the way his smirk would shift to a smile when she dared to question him, the way his eyes would gaze over her body like she was a piece from his art collection. She never saw it; she'd never believe that despite everything, he was attracted to her with the same capacity that I held for her. It seemed he had taken matters into his own hands in his pursuit of her; he'd gone from ordering her around to taking away her choices completely.

When Elena got home that night, I had remained outside on the porch, watching through the window as I witnessed her compelling Jeremy. Instructing him that everything was going to be alright, that he was going to pack a bag of everything he'd planned to take with him when he finally moved out of the house, compelling him to believe he had graduated from high school already with honors and that he was moving to New York that night where he was going to get himself a good job with decent enough hours that would allow him to go to art school, which was also completely paid for. Jeremy had followed her directions, and I had stayed in the shadows of their backyard, looking up at both their bedroom windows, watching their shadows dancing on the ceiling as they both moved around their separate rooms at equal speed. Jeremy took off just an hour later, carrying as much luggage as he could carry, with Elena waving him off like he was just heading off to school and not to the other side of the country.

I'd watched Elena through the windows, knowing the risk but knowing I needed to know more. Inside I'd watched her running around the house picking up picture frames and ornaments that had belonged to her mother. She was leaving, and I needed answers so I could stop it from happening. Klaus may have compelled Elena, but I doubted he had compelled Caroline; we all knew how he felt about her, and if they were going off to find ways of destroying the hunter together, then I wanted Caroline to admit it to my face so I could stop it from happening before it started. If they needed answers, then I would seek them out; they didn't have to go off with him of all people. We'd faced worse things than the hunter; we'd faced Klaus, and he was the worst there was.

So I'd left Elena's house and ran across town to Caroline's place; it had been so cold that night, I can still remember even now, days later. I'd barely reached the corner of her street when I saw Caroline; she was walking towards an old car parked outside her house, carrying blankets and a few pillows. I slipped behind the trunk of a parked car and stayed out of sight as I continued to watch her; she went back and forth carrying more blankets, even hot water bottles. The fear that gripped my heart couldn't be put into words. I knew in that moment that whatever it was they'd come up with together was happening tonight; they were going to leave town and possibly with Klaus in order to find answers about the hunter. I remember checking my phone once again, hoping or fearing what I would find waiting for me; I remember worrying that Klaus would go as far as to tell Elena not to contact any of us the night he planned to leave with them. There were no missed texts or calls leading me to do what I had to next. I quickly turned my phone onto silent mode to stop it from ringing and catching attention. I then waited for Caroline to return to the house once more, and when she did, I made my way up the street and towards the car outside her house. It was an older model car, a station wagon. I opened up the backseat, noticing the scent of bleach within along with the neatly arranged blankets and pillows. I quickly tucked my phone beneath the passenger seat out of sight before I closed the door behind me and proceeded up the street and out of sight.

I had to be able to track them, and by the way Caroline was stepping up this car, it suggested they were going to be on the road together for more than a couple of miles. I remember thinking at the time how I might still be able to fix everything now that I had a way of tracking them if they did move. But it wasn't until I got to the grill that it all finally hit me: I'd pocketed the phone of a bartender on shift who wouldn't miss it and had used it to set up the tracker I had in my own phone, a tracker Damon had insisted upon after the tomb vampires had jumped me in the woods. I'd gotten outside and into the alleyway before everything became cripplingly clear. I leaned my forehead against the brickwork of the building opposite the Grill, my eyes closed as I recalled watching Elena before, running around picking up her mother's ornaments; Klaus wouldn't have known their significance.

That's when it all became clear—Elena wasn't compelled; Elena was choosing to go with them.

I slid down the wall until I finally made contact with the ground. She didn't want to stay here with me; she didn't trust that I could protect her. She was choosing to leave town, and I should have realized this the second I'd witnessed her compelling Jeremy. She hadn't compelled him to stay in touch with her; she'd told him to leave that night, that everything was okay, with no mention of when or if he'd be coming back. Did that also mean that she didn't know when she'd be back? Was she so scared by the arrival of this hunter that she didn't feel safe in Mystic Falls anymore? How could she believe, even for a split second, that I would never let anything happen to her? She'd already endured so much, becoming an orphan, facing the truth about vampires, surviving attacks, and even now becoming a vampire herself against her will. She was a survivor; that's what made her who she was. That's the girl I fell in love with, the girl I saved from Wickery Bridge.

She might have lost faith in herself, but I refused to lose faith in her; no matter what she had done tonight, I knew her, and I knew she would regret it if she packed up her life here. Elena needed people around her; she couldn't make it on her own, and that wasn't a flaw in her character; there was strength in needing others. If she left town now, I knew she wouldn't be able to come back; she would hate herself forever even if she figured out a way to stop the hunter. If she crossed that town barrier, then she would force herself to stay away. I knew she would tell herself that we would never forgive her for leaving, that the thought of us hating her would destroy her, and that she might not even have the right to come home. I needed to do something, and I knew that, so I did what I had to do in order to protect her.

I'd gone back to Caroline's street, hidden myself behind a garden shed of her neighbors; the lawn and hedges were all overgrown, and it was easy to remain out of sight from a distance while keeping able to see her house clearly. It was just before two when I'd seen Caroline's lights shut off; from one room to the next, the house went into darkness. I remember how hard it was fighting off the cold; I kept thinking how Damon might wake up from his drunken stupor and begin looking for me, leading me to worry if I'd slid the phone well enough under the seat so the light from the screen wouldn't grab any attention. Within minutes of the lights shutting off, I'd watched Caroline step out from her house, leading me to tuck myself down further out of sight. I'd watched her carry luggage out onto her front porch as she stared off into something in the distance, soon finding that something was indeed April Young and Vickie Donovan, both together and both heading straight towards her house armed with even more luggage than Caroline herself had been carrying.

"Elena," I remember mouthing her name as Elena arrived in the street, then it had to have been arranged that way.

Elena had brought her own luggage and was loading up the trailer hitched to the back of the old car just as eagerly as Caroline was. Within just minutes later they were joined by Bonnie, who of course had her own luggage. I couldn't believe the sight before me, of all of them dressed up in black, almost as if they were shadows of who they were when they woke up that morning, each of them wanting so desperately to escape this new threat. They'd loaded up the trailer together, crammed what they could into it before filling up the trunk of the car and even the floor of the backseat, therefore shielding my phone from being on display too, to my collective relief.

Tears had pricked at my eyes as I watched them get into the car together, Caroline into the driver's seat with Elena in the passenger seat with such speed you'd think they'd planned it that way or had done it before. I held my breath as the car started, watching how while Caroline was keeping an eye as she pulled out of the space, April Young was keeping a close eye on the street, her eyes scanning her surroundings as if she were a lookout. I'd managed to keep myself still, though everything in my nature screamed out for me to do something to prevent her from leaving, but I couldn't do that; I needed to know what had happened to make her believe she had no choice but to leave, and then I could help repair that. When they pulled around the corner and disappeared out of sight, I'd pulled myself to my feet once again and ran across to Caroline's house, running to the backyard and hoping the fence would break inside. The second I had the lock broken, I pushed the door open with no alarm there to greet me; the wave of bleach that hit me, however, was stronger than any alarm.

I remember holding my hand over my mouth; I could barely breathe for the fumes. There was nothing out of place, nothing to suggest she'd skipped town; if anything, the house looked immaculate, but the bleach was worrying, beyond worrying; it terrified me that what I had witnessed that night was on another level. Inside her hallway, I ran up to the small bowl of keys by her front door and was able to find her car keys without difficulty. I'd used the front door to let myself out, not caring that I'd left it unlocked. I didn't have time to care about such things; I had to stay focused on the here and now. As I'd run over to Caroline's car parked just across the street, it had occurred to me that Liz's car was also gone, which made me worry that something had been in the works all day long, considering Liz had told me that she planned to return to the church later that day but never did.

When I climbed into Caroline's car, I wasted little time, quickly tracking my phone using the phone I had stolen from the Grill. My phone now with them wouldn't omit any sound to suggest it was being tracked. It wasn't a Find My Phone general app but rather one I paid for each month, which paid off in the long run. Soon enough my signal was picked up, and Elena now became a small dot on the screen that I could follow, which I quickly did for about thirty seconds. I stopped the car and stared at the screen. I knew if I followed her right then that even with the headlights turned off they would see me behind them. It was the middle of the night; there was no road, and I needed to talk to Elena alone away from them. If I had followed her as closely as I would have wanted, they would have seen me coming in a heartbeat, and April Young had already proven to me that they were paying close attention to their surroundings.

I'd waited ten minutes before I started Caroline's car once more; my eyes hadn't left the screen. I'd watched their entire route; they'd kept their speed limit under control, suggesting they were well aware of the town's curfew and were taking any and all precautions to prevent them from being noticed or, worse, pulled over. I'd kept the headlights off and began to pull off onto the street with my heart thundering in my chest. I didn't know where they were going, why Vickie was alive, why April Young of all people was with them, or if they were meeting with Klaus somewhere out there, but they had all come together and left together, and that knowledge alone had me gripping the steering wheel like a lifejacket. I'd used the phone mount to keep the screen in view as I drove, but it wasn't easy; the phone was an Android, and Caroline's setup was for her iPhone, causing the phone to repeatedly slip out from the holder.

I'd followed them for only two miles when I took a road they didn't, so we weren't on the longest stretch of road leading out of town; this, however, almost got me in close proximity to the sheriff's department conducting their night patrols. I remember pulling off the road and cutting the engine to stay out of sight and wait it out. I didn't think everyone in the department was on vervain, but I couldn't take the risk of them pulling me over or, worse, anyone seeing me driving the sheriff's daughter's car on the outskirts of town in the middle of the night. It was the longest twenty minutes of my life, and it also put them miles ahead of me to the point where I was almost worried I might not catch up to them by the time they got to wherever it was they were heading. When I finally did get back on the road, it was starting to get lighter, which meant no matter what, I had to keep an even further distance as I followed them.

I continued to go after them, keeping my distance while monitoring the screen for any changes in their speed. I'd made it just shy of a hundred miles outside of town when I had to pull in and fill up for gas, keeping the phone in my hand the whole time, not losing Elena for even a mere second. In the car, I thought I might just lose my mind; my eyes had burned with tiredness. When I wasn't staring at the road ahead, I was staring at that dot and trying to stop myself from losing my mind with the unknown.

When they were on the outskirts of Wyoming, they finally came off the highway and into the city. I thought perhaps it was them once again pulling in for gas, but instead the car had come to a complete stop at a hotel. I'd parked Caroline's car across the street next to a tier garage out of sight. I'd watched all of them getting out of the car they'd taken out of town, watched how they drew back the tarp covering the trailer they'd hitched, watched them go through their luggage and retrieve fresh clothes before heading into the hotel. I'd started up the car once more and driven into the same car park; I'd scanned the surrounding cars, finding no signs of any car that would suggest Klaus was inside the hotel waiting for them. Klaus never travelled in anything but the best. I'd travelled with him and knew this first hand. And there wasn't a car in the parking lot Klaus would be caught dead in.

Taking the only opportunity I'd had up until now, I pulled the car over next to the station wagon, and to my relief, the backdoor to the car was unlocked, giving me the opportunity to retrieve my phone. While keeping an eye on the hotel and my surroundings, I quickly pulled back the drape covering their luggage beneath and retrieved one of their handbags; when I unzipped it, I found a memorial program inside along with a notepad with notes on listing Pastor Young's qualities and his devotion to his community. It had to have belonged to April. I carefully slid my phone into the inner pocket of the bag out of sight where she wouldn't easily find it. I couldn't risk them finding it in the car; I didn't know when they'd ditch the car, and I didn't know how they'd made it this far driving the thing; it had to have been fifty years old. I didn't know why April was here, whether or not it was through being compelled or not, but I knew Elena; she wouldn't leave her. April was a human; she was vulnerable, and the hunter had already used her for his own gain. Elena would protect this girl at all costs, which meant I needed to keep track of her.

I made it back across to Caroline's car, almost sinking over the steering wheel with exhaustion. I'd driven almost a thousand miles at that point with no idea as to where they were going. If they were only stopping to change now, it could mean they were only halfway there. I believed Klaus might have told them to take a long route to wherever they needed to go, thus ensuring they were less likely to be tracked given the distance travelled. If Klaus was smart, he would have advised them not to fly; he knew we'd use the sheriff's department and whatever levels of law enforcement we had to in order to find them. Ten minutes later, and there was still no sign of them. Even with the sound of the tire garage just off to my right, I remember my eyes feeling heavier than they'd felt in years, not since I was still human.

That's when I made the biggest mistake; that's when I fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning at dawn, I'd rattled the steering wheel so hard that I triggered the airbag. The phone I had stolen, the battery was dead, and since Caroline's car chargers were all designed for iPhones, I had to go to the hotel across the road and compel my way into getting it recharged.

My heart stopped when I saw that the dot I'd been following, my beacon of hope, my Elena light, was not even in the same state as me anymore.

But rather in Hawaii.

I looked at that screen and felt certain all hope was gone. I'd failed her; I was the one person she could count on for anything in this world, and I'd failed her. She was thousands of miles away from me now; an entire ocean was between us, and yet I couldn't imagine giving up now. Everything that should have been occurring to me at that point still hadn't; I wasn't fixated on her motives but rather the end result if I failed to find her. I didn't think about what was happening at home, what Damon might be thinking, or what the others were fearing; I just had to do what I had to do, and that was saving Elena at all costs, even if that meant from herself.

There was no way to track her in the air; the following day, for almost fourteen hours, I'd had to sit and wait as I crossed the ocean. My biggest fear being that I'd get there only to find out she was already gone somewhere else. Since I hadn't the time to get any information from the airport before I boarded the flight I'd compelled one of the flight crew to get me the information I could about her with the information I had being limited to her name and the fact that she must have flown out the day or hours before. The flight attendant had come back with nothing beyond Elena's flight details a few minor details including her seat information, her phone number which wasn't the one I had for her and no additional information about future flights, she was staying in Hawaii. I'd called the number the second I could but she never answered. She had no connections to anyone here; she had to be here with the others trying to find answers on the hunter. That was at least my thinking at the time. When I finally touched down and was able to get a connection back, I was able to track her again, track her all the way to a five-star resort just a few hours drive from the airport. That was when I was most worried that Klaus was still involved in whatever it was she and the others were doing, seeing the hotel it was his type of caliber; he wouldn't stay in anything less than spectacular. I knew I couldn't just walk into the hotel; even if I compelled the hotel staff there and gave them a picture of Elena, I couldn't risk crossing paths with Klaus; it was just too risky.

Instead of doing what I wanted, I did what I needed to do; I booked myself into the neighboring hotel, not five-star but close enough that I would be close enough to her. That was the day everything changed, the day I arrived in Hawaii; that was the day before my heart was destroyed. I'd compelled and tipped one of the hotel clerks into running some errands for me that day; I couldn't risk going into any of the places around town and crossing paths with them. He procured all the essentials I needed: fresh shirts, trousers, a hat, sunglasses, a burner phone, binoculars, a camera equipped with the largest lens available, and a laptop. Carefully adjusting my binoculars, I peered into the neighboring hotel. The glass panes of the windows and the open balconies offered glimpses into the hotel rooms. The well-lit areas of the rooms revealed an array of details. I could see the soft glow of bedside lamps casting warm hues across the plush bedding. The light from the ceiling fixtures illuminated the elegant decor, making it easy to discern the patterns on the curtains and the artwork adorning the walls. If Klaus was in Hawaii, then he was with them in that hotel I had told myself. I hadn't even had a second to shower, let alone do anything else at that point, so when I first saw what I did, I thought perhaps I'd finally hit the wall of no return.

Within an hour my suspicions turned to certain reality; I held my breath as I watched from the twentieth floor, armed with the camera, as Klaus stepped out from the hotel to take a phone call. He wasn't wearing his typical heavy black coat, instead a white v-neck t-shirt and jeans. He was talking on the phone but was quickly joined by Caroline, who went straight into his arms, causing me to step forward to the sight and zoom in to get a better look; it was them; there was no denying it. He slid his sunglasses up from his face to kiss her not once but twice before he held the phone away from him to kiss her again, which she eagerly returned. I stared down at the images of Tyler and what he would do in response to this betrayal burned in my mind. But nothing, nothing could have possibly prepared me for what happened next and almost as quickly. I watched April Young step out from the hotel heading straight towards them as they continued to embrace; Caroline was talking with Klaus as he slowly spun her around under his arm, and then as April stepped up to him, my jaw dropped as I watched Klaus lean down and kiss April despite him holding Caroline in his arms at the time. I couldn't believe what I was seeing; it made no sense at all.

"You unimaginable bastard." I'd whispered at the sight.

All those hours on the road and then in the air, I had sworn to myself that I would do anything possible to bring Elena back to me and back to her senses. I was going to get it down at all costs, and that's what I knew must be done after witnessing what I did. I never thought he'd compel Caroline into being his pet, but clearly even Klaus Mikaelson can have his patience tested one too many times. He'd compelled Caroline into being with him; clearly, Elena wouldn't know anything about this; she would never have taken his help if she thought him capable of doing this to her best friend. He must have brought April Young as a food source to him; the two would have never crossed paths; she'd been overseas from what I remember Elena telling me about her. So he'd gone as far as to go to this level, hooking up with his food source right in front of the one girl I thought Klaus Mikaelson might actually love.

Anything and everything had to be done to bring Elena back; that's what I decided upon seeing that kiss. But I couldn't just get her to slip away; I had to weaken Klaus long enough for him to be away from her and give me the chance to save her.

I didn't want to call Damon; he would have just come rushing in and ruined everything I had done so far to keep my distance. I needed to do this on my own; I wasn't helpless. There were a few things throughout the years that I had kept in mind should I ever require them. I began working on them that first night; instead of getting the sleep I so desperately needed, I did the work that was needed even more. I'd taken a risk; I'd gone over to Klaus's hotel in the dead of night and compelled one of the front desk staff into providing me with his room detail information, but to my horror I discovered he wasn't listed on one room name but rather five. One of the rooms being with Elena. That's what kept me going that first night, knowing that every single move I made afterwards, however risky, was for her safety.

I'd gotten the names of the housekeeping staff designated to the floors they were all staying on. I didn't need to get into their rooms; I just needed a way in to irritate Klaus. He'd told me about his father, how he had always smelled like wood and animal blood when they were still humans, but how when he had begun hunting Klaus and his siblings, he had worn this citric oil and had bathed in it. Apparently he wanted to torture Klaus with the smell, so whenever he smelt it, he would tap into the beast within him on a primal level, to the point where he himself might not even be aware of it. There was no one Klaus hated more than his father, and I knew if this smell was lingering upon the towels and linens going in and out of each of the girls' hotel rooms, then it wouldn't be long before it was on their skin and in their hair, therefore distracting Klaus and subconsciously reminding him of his father. He had no idea that morning when he woke up that by that afternoon he'd be breathing it in, and that was only the first stage of my plans for him. I just had to keep going while that smell began to claw away at him like an animal hungry for prey.

Klaus had been around blood, fighting in battles, but he was still part vampire, and the hunger within him was still very much present. I'd never imagined I would go so far as to do what I did that first night, but I had to do it; I just had to do it. I'd gone to the nearest hospital, compelled my way into their blood storage, but I had no interest in their blood bag storage; that wasn't all that they kept down there. Stored away for harvesting, for research, and for possible cures to future diseases was cord blood. You could be the oldest, most self-righteous vampire alive, but cord blood—nothing could compare to that smell. I'd found out about this just months before I met Lexie and changed my life. I'd heard that grave robbers, they took everything they could for black magic, even going into the smallest of coffins. Back in 1864, with all of the plagues and death, you could imagine just how many stillborns there were and how easily it was for new vampires to lose control when cord blood was circling.

There was no scent to it, which was crazy considering blood smelled like rust at the best of times, but I believe something so pure, something that should be only for good, could not have a scent, no weaknesses, only its cause, to bring good over evil. It took everything within me that night to take that blood from its cold storage, to rob a hospital of something with the ability to save people's lives. But I'd done it for someone who deserved to be saved after enduring in a few short years what a lot of people bear over a lifetime. The oil would irritate Klaus, but this lingering in the air, this being slipped into his drinks here and there, it would make him a little weak at first while his body adjusted to it. But from the second it was in his system, it would make his skin feel like it was on fire. I wouldn't let him hurt anyone, but there was no question that once ingested, this blood would make Klaus hungry, very hungry, angry, irritated, almost to the point where he'd feel like a new vampire again. Sooner or later he wouldn't be able to be near Elena, Caroline, or the others, and soon enough he wouldn't be able to stand being around anyone, period.

This was how I was going to get Elena back, I had told myself.

I'd watched from a distance, the lens glancing over the hotel windows of the room I knew that he occupied now. I'd seen him in a room Caroline was staying in; I'd seen Bonnie in one of the other rooms and Vickie too. But it was Elena who I was tracking and who would always be my focus.

It wasn't until a few days later that I finally began to get some results. I'd been watching through the lens when I saw a seemingly faint Klaus stumbling his way into one of the hotel rooms, a hotel room I feared belonged to Elena. He collapsed down onto the bed and was soon followed by Bonnie. I'd watched them, watched her wipe his brow and give him comfort like he was a small child enduring a horrific fever in which he needed her constant presence. She'd spent the entire day by his side, sitting right on the edge of the bed, staring at him, waiting for him to need something and then doing it for him as he lay still for almost twelve hours straight. She didn't eat; she didn't drink; she barely even left the room unless she had to get something to ease him further. I'd shook my head at the sight of him finally coming around; they'd talked, she'd even nodded about something he had told her; the two couldn't agree on the weather, much less anything else. Why had she stayed with him? Just one of many things I'd asked myself.

When Bonnie left the room that night—that's when it happened. That's when I'd seen them together.

Bonnie left Klaus that night in bed, seemingly better, it would seem, as she hadn't found it within her to leave him until then. Within just mere minutes of her leaving, I'd watched the door to the hotel room open once again, only this time Elena stepped inside. I'd edged closer at the sight; I'd not seen them in the same room until then. I remember thinking that might be the second I go in. But now I know it wouldn't have made the slightest difference if I had. The damage was already done; I just didn't know it yet.

Elena had entered the bedroom and smiled as she approached his side, sitting on the same spot Bonnie had occupied on the bed for hours. I remember how badly my hands were trembling trying to keep that camera steady so I could see what was happening in that room but it was almost impossible for me given how close she was to him. Then it happened; I watched as Elena pulled her top off over her head, revealing a white lace bra with black detail on the straps. I'd felt my heart beat quicken; I remember the thumping of it in my ears as I watched her strip off her clothes for him. I'd almost run to her right then and there, fearing he had compelled her into being with him. But instead of anything I feared would come next, Elena, now naked, got under the covers with him and held onto him instead; there was no kissing, no sex. They just went straight to sleep.

I didn't move all night; I was still standing in that same spot the next morning when the two of them woke up together. I'd watched a naked Elena get up from the bed and head into what I assumed was the bathroom, given that Klaus followed her inside and they both came out minutes later drenched.

That was the day my heart stopped beating.

I'd watched Klaus returning to the bedroom holding a naked woman as he kissed her; she'd been holding his face in her hands as he held onto her hips, guiding her back towards the bed.

I didn't move all night; I was still standing in that same spot the next morning when the two of them woke up together. I'd watched a naked Elena get up from the bed and head into what I assumed was the bathroom, given that Klaus followed her inside and they both came out minutes later drenched.

That was the day my heart stopped beating.

I'd watched Klaus returning to the bedroom holding a naked woman as he kissed her; she'd been holding his face in her hands as he held onto her hips, guiding her back towards the bed.

I saw her lie down, and the bed shifted as he climbed on top of her.

My eyes were glued to the scene, my breathing shallow and erratic. I couldn't tear myself away, no matter how much it hurt. This was the moment I had feared the most, the moment I had tried to convince myself was just a figment of my own insecurity. But it was real, happening in stark daylight, and there was no denying it anymore.

Elena's legs parted willingly for him, and she guided his head down between her thighs. The sight of him eagerly lapping at her sex was like a dagger twisting in my gut. Her hips rocked slightly as he worked his seeming magic, and the way her fingers danced through his hair, pulling him closer, spoke volumes of her pleasure. It was a symphony of desire that I felt excluded from, and the pain was unbearable. I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of it, yet I couldn't look away.

Her breath grew ragged, and she began to moan from what I could see but not hear, her hands now gripping the bed sheets tightly. I could see her body tense up, and then she released with a shudder. Her legs trembled in the aftermath, and she lay there for a moment, panting heavily. I felt a mix of anger, betrayal, and jealousy. How could she let someone else do this to her? How could she enjoy it so much? Klaus had murdered her Aunt Jenna, and yet she was panting for his touch like he was a knight in shining armor.

After a moment of rest, she propped herself up on her elbows, watching him with hooded eyes, a smug smile playing on her lips. He leaned over to the nightstand, and my heart skipped a beat when he pulled out a condom. Why the hell would a hybrid need a condom? It was a strange sight, one that didn't quite make sense, but I was too lost in the moment to consider the implications.

He rolled it on with a practiced ease that only added to my agony, and then, with a look of pure dominance, he positioned himself between her legs. That's when I saw it, what lay between his legs; the son of a bitch had to be fourteen inches, if not longer, thick as a soda can and curved like a scimitar; it was a monstrosity. The sight of him sliding into her, her eyes rolling back in ecstasy, was like watching a nightmare unfold in slow motion. He pushed in deep, and she arched her back, a silent scream escaping her lips. Her nails dug into the bed, leaving half-moons in the sheets as she took him fully.

She matched his rhythm, hips rising to meet his, her legs wrapped around him, urging him deeper, and she threw her head back, mouth open in a silent cry of pleasure. The way she responded to him was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was raw, it was primal, and it was everything I wanted to give her but couldn't. He proceeded to roll her onto her side after just a few thrusts, keeping himself up on her knees, but Elena's body curved beneath him at an angle that suited him perfectly. I couldn't continue to watch this happening; I'd left the hotel room and begun to make my way towards their hotel.

I couldn't allow this to happen, for Klaus to have sex with Elena and not know if this was something she desired or something she'd been compelled into. I'd watched Klaus closely; I'd seen how around April Young, she was his food source. I could tell by the way he was all over her every chance he got; she must have had a blood type that appealed to him. I knew where April was; I knew how to find her; I knew I had to do everything I could to protect Elena, and so I'd done it.

Yesterday I'd gone to April Young's hotel room door, and despite her initial reaction to scream out at the sight of me, I'd been able to silence her screams with my hand in time before ripping the vervain bracelet I'd been surprised to find on her off. Vervain wouldn't hurt Klaus, but the fact that she'd been wearing it had caught me off guard and raised more than a few questions. I'd compelled her; I'd hated myself for it. Every second I was doing it, I could feel I was losing a part of myself in the process. But I'd compelled her; I told her to take Bonnie down to the gym right that second and to get herself hurt badly, so badly that she would ask Bonnie to find Klaus. I could have had Elena's room called or even pulled the fire alarm, but I needed to know this would result in Klaus being away from Elena. I needed to get her away from him because I had to get her out now; this was going to be my last chance; I could feel it.

I'd been in the hotel lobby when twenty minutes later Klaus had stepped off the elevator and rushed out the front doors, knocking past everyone who stood in his way.

I hadn't wasted a second, not a second, in going straight up to Elena's floor to get her. When I'd stepped off the elevator, I'd heard Vickie's voice followed by Elena's. What I'd heard sent me straight back into the elevator out of sight.

Vickie referring to Elena as wife number two, Vickie referring to yesterday as Elena's 'day,' Elena's reaction to Vickie telling her how Klaus had fingered her, and then finally them referring to this trip as their honeymoon. Images of the spell they had performed that night engulfed my mind; Vickie referred to Elena as wife number two, and Elena was the second girl to take Klaus's hand that night after Caroline, Klaus openly kissing Caroline and then April.

I hadn't confronted Elena. I'd returned to my hotel and drawn the curtains. I couldn't look at her anymore. I needed help. I needed someone to help me before I went to a dark place where there would be no turning back. But I couldn't call Damon; I couldn't imagine what he'd do if he knew. Damon was my brother, but even I couldn't tell the extent of his obsession with Elena. He would have done anything if it meant bringing her home, just like I thought I would before coming here.

I'd watched her having sex with Klaus, and by the sounds of it, sex she had wanted because it was sex with her husband.

I picked up the phone and I called the one person I knew who would be as determined to bring Klaus Mikaelson down.

I called Tyler.

---

Bonnie Mikaelson

Sitting on the bathroom floor of my hotel room, I couldn't help but smile—a small, genuine smile that felt like a rare gift amidst the chaos of recent events. My back was resting comfortably against the side of the tub, while the cool tiles beneath me were both comforting and startling against my skin. It was as if the floor itself was anchoring me to reality, a gentle reminder that amidst the whirlwind that had been my life recently,. My mind, as if determined to keep me awake, was occupied with a myriad of thoughts about Klaus and the fever he had experienced yesterday. Being a hybrid, Klaus was not supposed to be affected by illness; it was something that simply shouldn't happen. Yet, there he was, battling a fever, a sight that was both alarming and confusing. It wasn't just his physical state that troubled me but also his behavior. I found myself reflecting on how he had been almost gentle in Utah, a stark contrast to his recent demeanor in Hawaii. In Utah, there had been a softness to him, a vulnerability that he rarely showed. It was as if the vast, open landscapes of the state had encouraged a momentary vulnerability in him. But now, in Hawaii, something had shifted. The islands' paradise had turned into a stage for his intensity, and I couldn't quite put my finger on why.

The floor around me was a testament to my restless mind—a sea of hotel stationery strewn with notes and scribbles, all attempts to make sense of Klaus's unpredictable behavior. Despite all my efforts online, scouring forums, and reading through pages of information, I hadn't found any answers. It was incredibly frustrating. Each dead end only added to the puzzle, making it all the more intricate and vexing. Klaus's shift in behavior puzzled me to no end. One moment he seemed almost okay, a glimpse of the Klaus I knew; the next, he reverted to being intense and unpredictable, like a storm that couldn't decide whether to rage or dissipate. Just then, a knock at my hotel room door broke my train of thought, pulling me back from the tangled web of my mind to the present moment. I checked the time on my phone—it was past nine in the morning. I hadn't realized how much time had slipped by as I sat there, lost in my musings. Rising to my feet, I hoped it was one of the girls with an update on April.

I crossed the room, the coolness of the tiles giving way to the plush carpet beneath my feet as I approached the door. The moment I unlocked the door, I was greeted by the sight of Klaus standing on the other side. He was leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe, his posture relaxed yet slightly tilted. It was as if he had been waiting there for a while, but with a sense of calm rather than impatience. His appearance was striking, dressed in a fresh white shirt that contrasted beautifully with his slightly damp hair, suggesting he had just come from a shower or perhaps a sudden downpour. The air around him seemed to carry a hint of freshness, a crispness that was both invigorating and comforting.

In his large hand, he held the most incredible bouquet of flowers I had ever seen. My eyes couldn't help but dart between him and the breathtaking arrangement he presented, wondering if it was real or some figment of my imagination. The bouquet was composed of stunning white roses, each bloom seemingly more perfect than the last. The petals were immaculate, each one a testament to nature's and hard work, as if they had been painted by an unseen hand. There had to have been fifty roses, if not more, each contributing to the grandeur of the bouquet. The flowers were wrapped in a beautiful sheer tissue, a delicate white that complemented the purity of the roses themselves. The tissue was so fine it was almost transparent, allowing the full glory of the roses to shine through. It was tied with an ivory satin ribbon, the smooth material catching the light in a subtle yet captivating way. The ribbon ended in a bow that was both elegant and precise, adding a touch of sophistication to the already exquisite presentation. As I stood there, momentarily speechless, I couldn't help but feel a warmth spreading through me. The sight of Klaus with such an extraordinary bouquet in hand stirred something within me, a mixture of surprise and delight.

"Hi?" I greeted him, my head slightly tilted, trying to suppress the smile tugging at my lips. I couldn't help but give him a look that screamed, "Seriously?" as he handed over the bouquet with an air of arrogance proven by the way he flashed his dimples at me. He seemed pleased with himself, his eyes shining with a hint of mischief.

"For you." He said as I slowly clasped the bouquet with both hands, surprised by their weight, my fingers grazing the soft tissue paper.

I looked down at them. "You didn't have to," I replied, feeling the tips of my ears turning red as I spoke. Still shocked by the unexpected gesture, I met his gaze before I asked, "Is April alright?"

"She's fine," he answered, his voice a low rumble in the early morning air. "She wanted me to thank you for taking care of her," he paused, his eyes lingering on mine, "and I wanted to thank you for being there when I wasn't."

I looked down at the flowers once more. "But the doctors said—"

"I want to apologize to you."

I looked up at him, taken aback by his words to the point where the second his eyes met mine, I found I had to look away. I knew me, and if I said something now, it wouldn't be helpful; it would just stop when I wanted to hear what I thought I deserved to hear at least.

"My behavior, what I said to you," Klaus paused the second I looked up at him again. "No one deserves to hear that," he paused once again, almost as if he wanted to say something else but stopped himself. "And there's no excuse for it."

Why did he pause just now? Why did he stop himself? Was he going to say something so generalized as to blame it on something like jet lag? The point was he hadn't; Klaus Mikaelson had taken responsibility for something he had said, and he was close to pulling off the mother of all apologies, if only he'd finished it. But he hadn't.

"Thank you," I said as I smiled at him, the sincerity in his voice making me feel both happy and a little relieved. "I didn't expect—"

"I know you didn't, but you should." He said, "You should have expectations, because you deserve the same effort in return that you give to others."

The corner of his mouth curled into a dimpled smile, his eyes holding mine as he continued to speak. "And I am sorry that instead of being given what you deserved, you were met with my behavior, which was far from acceptable."

His apology was genuine, and as much as I wanted to let it go, something told me that things weren't completely resolved. He seemed fine right now; he was fresh out of the shower or bath, he wasn't agitated or in any way irritated, he was gentle again, so what could cause someone to go from good to bad to cold to cold so freaking fast? I knew my friends; if Klaus had kept them on eggshells like he had with me, they wouldn't have still been here. He was different in Utah; something was different here, almost as if it were triggering the hybrid within him to creep to the surface of his threshold.

I couldn't bring myself to ease the tension; he'd insulted me, he'd belittled me, he'd made me feel so small that I had literally crawled into a ball in my bed.

I looked down at the flowers, trying not to smile at them.

"Tell me, Bonnie, and tell me now," he said, and I met his gaze. "Why did you agree to this?"

I scoffed, "It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"Not to me."

I sighed. "You're the original hybrid; you tell me what my story is."

Klaus tilted his head slightly as he took in my response, his eyes holding mine as I spoke.

"Probably the same reason we all fled: one life for another."

I shrugged. "No other choice?"

Klaus shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine as he did, pausing only then to say, "Because we knew we deserved better."

I held his gaze.

Klaus stepped back, then "You don't believe that yet," he said. "But soon," he added softly.

I watched him leave, not finding it within me to close the door even as I watched him disappear out of sight and onto the elevator.

---

Elena Mikaelson

I unlocked my bedroom door to find Klaus standing on the other side that morning. I smiled at him as he immediately leaned forward, kissing my lips gently. His eyes meeting mine when he pulled away from me as he said, "Good morning, wife."

I blushed and smiled, "Good morning, husband," I whispered as I bit my lower lip, looking up at him. "I was just thinking about you in the shower."

"Oh?" he questioned, his eyebrows raised with curiosity. "And what exactly were you thinking?"

I giggled and grabbed his hand, leading him inside and closing the door behind us. "I'll show you."

I leaned in to kiss him, but Klaus caught my wrists. "I can't, darling," he paused, looking down at the white towel around me. "As much as I would love to unwrap you right now and bend you over the bed, I can't keep doing this."

I knew immediately what he was referring to, though it pained me that he could say no to me, and yet yesterday he and Vickie had apparently done something on my day. But that just made me a complete hypocrite, that I did things to others and days that weren't mine and yet expected Klaus's attention fully on my days. But Vickie shouldn't have told me what they did; I couldn't get it out of my head how quickly the two of them had moved things along in their relationship. I'd been tossing and turning all night, worrying that something might have happened between them while we were all gone, and the truth was even if it did, I had no right to be angry about it. I'd left. I'd gone to New York without a word, and if Klaus slept with Vickie during that time, then he slept with Vickie. The idea hurt me, and I knew why; I knew I felt something for him. I just hoped he wasn't falling in love with her while I was falling in love with him.

"I know," I agreed with him. "It's not far to the others; I just—"

"I know."

I edged closer to him. "It's just it's our honeymoon, and I—I—" I trailed off, looking down at my feet. "I miss you."

"Elena," Klaus said, bringing his hand up to my face as he turned it up so I would look at him. "I'm in love with you."

I let out a soft breath, unable to speak as tears welled up in my eyes, causing him to hold my face in his hands. "That's what brought me to New York that night; I just don't know what to do about it."

I brought my hands over his. "You're in love with me?"

He nodded before his lips came crashing down on mine. He pressed me up against the wall as I moaned into his mouth, his hands staying over the towel despite me wanting them to go beneath it. The kiss was soft, delicate, and passionate, like every kiss we'd ever shared, only this one felt different.

"I love you too." I whispered when he pulled away.

Klaus kissed my forehead, his lips brushing my hairline. "We can't ever let it happen again."

I nodded. "I know; I just can't help it." I confessed, "I don't want to feel this way, but I can't control it; I just wish I knew how to make it stop."

He kissed my forehead once more. "The risks we take, they could destroy everything, the family, our future."

I wrapped my hands around his wrists. "When we get back to Utah, when we're settled again, things have to change, but not for the family, for you, for me, for us."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"I'm saying that I think we should be honest about what we want out of life, and when we want to be alone, I want us to be alone; I want everything else to disappear on those nights that are mine."

"No more secrets?"

I looked up at him. "No more secrets, no more hiding." I promised him.

Klaus had kept our relationship hidden from the others for so long because I asked him to. But after everything we'd all been through, I wasn't going to waste another second when we returned home to our lives together. I wouldn't sleep with Klaus again on a night that wasn't mine, but on the days that were mine, I wasn't going to hide the reality that I was his wife. I was attracted to my husband, and if I was kissing him and someone walked into the room, I planned to keep it that way.

"Everything is going to begin in Utah," he promised me. "It's going to be better than you ever dreamed."

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I know it will," I said before I rested my hands on his shoulders. "You've got to go, though; it's Caroline's day."

"I know," he sighed. "It's hard leaving you like this."

I giggled. "Well, maybe I can help with that."

"Don't tease me." He said bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing it before leaving.

I didn't care if Klaus wanted Vickie. I already knew he wanted Caroline and April. I could deal with her because that's how I chose to live. If she thought it was something that could hurt me, she was wrong.

I was proud to be Klaus Mikaelson's second wife, and when it was my night with him, I would prove to him just how we belonged together.

---

Tyler Lockwood

I stood in Stefan's hotel room by the window, staring through the window across to the neighboring hotel as I watched Klaus taking off Caroline's top before he kissed her and began to caress her breasts. My blood boiled, but I knew I had to watch. I had to believe what Stefan had told me, which meant I wasn't going to move until I saw it for myself. Klaus lowered her down onto the bed as he removed her pants before pulling his t-shirt over his head. Caroline sat upright in the bed and reached out, tracing her hand over his crotch as he ran his fingers through her hair. I couldn't hear them from this distance, but she was saying something to him that made him nod in response before she began to unbuckle his belt and undo the button on his jeans. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to take him apart piece by piece for what he'd done to us. Caroline kissed his chest as she pulled his pants down and began to kneel down in front of him. As she looked up at him, Klaus closed his eyes and threw his head back as she put him in her mouth. My heart sank at the sight, the way she just put it into her mouth like it was a daily occurrence. But it was the look on her face, that playful, excited look; she was enjoying it. She didn't just suck him; her eyes were open, and she had both hands working his member at once, stroking him in rhythm with her mouth, like a porn star. The kind of thing that she had never done with me.

The anger was consuming me now; I felt like my vision was going red, and I could feel the power of the werewolf within me trying to break free. It was taking everything in me to stay in control, but I knew that if I let it out now, I would ruin everything. I had to stay calm. I had to watch. I had to get evidence. So, I took a deep breath, and I started recording them, zooming in as much as I could to get a clear shot of their faces. The sound of the camera was a quiet click, but in that moment, it sounded like a gunshot in my ear. I watched as they switched positions, her straddling him now, her body moving up and down as he held onto her hips. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was in so much pain, but I had to keep watching. This was the only way to get the truth out in the open, no matter how much it hurt. Then, I saw him push her down onto the bed, spreading her legs wide open before he leaned down and began to kiss her thighs. I felt a mix of anger and disgust as I watched him kiss and lick his way closer to her center. It was like watching a horror movie, except I couldn't look away. And when he finally reached her most intimate part and began to perform oral sex on her, something in me clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would break from the impact.

Her hands shot up to the back of his head, and she gripped his hair tightly, pulling him closer to her. Despite not being able to hear them, the raw passion in her eyes and the way her body arched off the bed told the story loud and clear. Every moan and whimper from her was a silent scream in my ears, a symphony of betrayal that echoed in the quiet hotel room. The sight of her enjoying this, her face contorted in pleasure, was a dagger twisting in my heart. Klaus's head bobbed back and forth, his tongue working fervently between her legs, and the way she reacted, the way she threw her head back and gripped the sheets, made it clear he knew exactly how to push her buttons. The rhythmic motion of his head was mesmerizing and sickening all at once, a dance of deceit and desire that I was forced to witness from the sidelines. I could feel the rage building inside me, a volcanic pressure that threatened to erupt.

Her body bucked and writhed as he pleasured her. It was nothing like the times we had been intimate. With me, it was gentle, almost shy. She had always said she didn't like it when I went down on her, that it was too intense for her, too much. Yet here she was, begging for more, her legs trembling as he feasted on her like a starving man at a banquet. The contrast was stark, like night and day. The realization hit me like a truck, and I had to steady myself against the wall to keep from falling over. How many times had she lied to me? How many of her "likes" and "dislikes" were just that—lies to keep me from knowing the real her? Her legs, once so soft and inviting, now dangled in the air like a puppet's, controlled by the strings of his touch. The sight of her, my girlfriend, my everything, being taken like this by him, my enemy, was more than I could bear. Klaus paused his ministrations and reached for the nightstand, pulling out a foil packet. A condom. The irony wasn't lost on me. He was a hybrid, a creature incapable of producing offspring. Why the charade? The rage grew in me, a beast in a cage, pounding against the bars of my control. It was a slap in the face, a declaration of his dominance. As he slid the condom on, with a cold, methodical precision to his movements, I could see the muscles in his arms tense and flex. He was in his element, the predator about to claim his prize. And there was Caroline, my sweet, innocent Caroline, on all fours, eager for his touch. She was a picture of wanton lust, her back arched, her ass in the air.

I zoomed in with the camera, the digital lens capturing every detail. The way her skin glistened with sweat, the way her eyes rolled back in pleasure, the way she bit her bottom lip in anticipation. I watched him kneel behind her, his hand reaching around to caress her breast. The sight was a knife to my gut, twisting deeper with every frame I recorded. It was a silent film of treachery playing out in high definition; it was my evidence of her disgrace. Klaus leaned back, his abs rippling as he started to enter her. Her legs trembled; she was a whore for him, and he was the master conductor orchestrating her pleasure. As he pushed himself into her, my hand tightened around the camera, the plastic creaking in protest. My eyes burned with the need to look away, but I couldn't. This was the truth, and as much as it hurt, I had to see it. The sight of him taking her from behind was a visual manifesto of their deceit. The way he held her hips, the way she pushed back into him, it was as if they had been doing this for years. He moved her onto her back and placed her legs over his broad shoulders. The new angle gave me a clear view of her face, contorted in pleasure, eyes squeezed shut as if she were trying to block out the world. I watched Klaus bend down to lick her once before he slid back into her, and I couldn't help but think of the taste of her, the way she felt when she was with me. She would never belong to him.

Her nails dug into his back as he pushed deeper, his powerful thrusts making the bed rock against the wall. She was lost in the moment, utterly consumed by him, and I felt a pang of jealousy so sharp it was like becoming a hybrid all over again. Her breathy cries grew louder, her chest rising and falling with each thrust. Klaus's face was a mask of pure lust, his eyes never leaving hers as he claimed her in the most intimate way possible. He leaned down, whispering something into her ear, and she threw her head back in ecstasy. He continued to fuck her missionary style for a few minutes, each stroke deliberate and deep, his hands planted firmly beside her hips.

He lifted her off the bed as if she weighed nothing at all. His biceps bulged as he pinned her against the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist like a vice. The sudden change in position took her by surprise, and she gasped, her eyes flying open to meet his. In that moment, I could see the fire in his eyes, the power he felt as he dominated her body, and it made me want to rip him apart with my bare hands right in front of her so she could see the blood. Her nails dug into his shoulders as he pumped into her with increasing speed. The sight was almost too much to handle, but I had to keep filming. The video was the only way to prove to her what she was doing, what she had become. Klaus's face contorted in pleasure, his eyes squeezed shut as if savoring every moment. He was getting closer, I could tell. His thrusts grew quicker, more erratic. The veins in his neck bulged, and his breath came in harsh pants. I clenched my fists so tightly my knuckles turned white, willing myself not to jump through the window and tear him away from her. But no, I had to wait. I had to get this on camera.

His hips jerked, and I knew he was almost there. Any second now, he'd be coming inside her, marking her as his. The thought made bile rise in my throat. Klaus's face was a study in pleasure, his teeth gritted, eyes squeezed shut as if to hold back the inevitable climax. His grip on her tightened, his muscles bulging and flexing with every powerful thrust. The moment came, his body stiffening, and I knew without a doubt that he was coming. The camera caught the way his neck arched back, the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, and the way his muscles rippled as he reached his climax. But there was no sound, no grunt of satisfaction, no moan of pleasure from his lips to accompany the visual. Klaus smirked down at a panting Caroline before he slid out of her and began to peel off the condom; the sight of it, seeing how much he enjoyed her, made my stomach churn. The camera was still zoomed in; the condom was filled with his useless jizz. At least Caroline had some class left; even she drew the line at being fucked raw.

When I heard the door to the hotel room open and close, I turned off the recording and quickly pocketed the SD card that I had slipped inside. Stefan hadn't been using this camera for recording, merely as a tool to keep tabs on Elena and keep her safe. He had no idea that I planned to use every weapon I could to bring Caroline to her senses, even if that meant showing her her own sex tape, which was now in my possession.

---

Caroline Mikaelson

Klaus and I stepped out from the SUV he had booked through the hotel, and he took my hand in his as we began down the sidewalk hand in hand. We'd spent my morning in bed, and now we were heading out to spend some money and enjoy each other. We hadn't walked ten feet from the car when Klaus spun me around and kissed me in the middle of the street, which I returned after sliding my sunglasses up onto my head as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled away to kiss down my jaw; I closed my eyes and let him as he kissed back up to my lips, where his tongue grazed my lower lip.

We were on our honeymoon; there was no one from Sandy around to see us, and we were going to be like any other newlyweds.

I giggled at the feel of his tongue caressing my lips before I pulled away. "Not here," I whispered. "Come on," I took his hand in mine and led him down the sidewalk and down the street.

We'd gone into a few boutiques, then a jewelry store. Klaus had bought himself a few watches, and he'd bought me a set of earrings that were a little pricey, but I couldn't say no to them. When we went into Gucci, he had gone his way, and I went mine. I'd forced myself not to look at the price tags but instead focus on what I wanted. I'd tried on several dresses and a pair of heels or two before I finally began to get serious about what I wanted for myself. I'd bought a few belts, two sets of high heels, and a really cute dress. After I'd done shopping for myself, I'd snuck into the changing area and into Klaus's dressing room. He'd been wearing a lot of Gucci when I entered but had quickly removed it when the time I locked the door behind me.

After some shopping we went to eat lunch at a corner cafe choosing to sit outside in the sunshine under beautiful white umbrella that stretched over the table.

"Are you happy?" Klaus asked.

I smiled at him. "Very."

"You deserve it," he told me before we clinked our glasses. "My love."

"Your love," I echoed before we both drank from our glasses. "Thank you for buying me so much."

He smirked, "I like to spoil my wife."

"Really, which one?" I joked.

"Don't make me take you back to the hotel."

I laughed as I looked up at him. "You've got plans then?"

"Many."

I bit my lower lip as I leaned forward on the table. "Maybe I'll come back with you."

Klaus leaned forward across the table and pressed his lips to mine for a moment before he pulled away. "I love you."

I felt a thrill run through me at his words, "I love you too." I told him before settling into the back of the chair.

I smiled over at him. "I'm so glad we got out, just the two of us," I said before he reached out and took my hand in his. "Is that selfish? Are you judging your first wife?"

"No."

"Not even a little?" I teased.

He shook his head. "No, I want this."

I smiled before taking a sip of water. "I'm really glad that April is okay. I know I didn't come to the hospital, but—"

"She's fine, she's—" Klaus paused as his phone began to ring, and then, forcing his hand to leave mine as he retrieved it from his pocket, he looked over at me. "Would you mind?"

"No," I shook my head as I picked up my menu. "Go ahead."

Klaus swiped the screen and brought the phone to his ear as I turned my attention to the menu in my hands. "Hi, yeah... hi," he said.

I looked over the top of my menu and saw the smile curving on his lips, how his body twisted to turn away from me.

My guess is it was Elena on the phone.

I took a deep breath and closed the menu, placing it on the table as I reached for my glass of water and took a sip from it.

"I'm going now," Klaus said into the phone. "Right now, I'll see you soon." He hung up the phone and placed it back in his pocket before turning back to face me.

"Vickie?" I asked.

"...Elena."

I nodded and looked down at the menu before pushing it away. "What are you hungry for?"

"I'm not very hungry."

"Really? I thought you would have worked up an appetite after this morning." I commented.

He merely shrugged.

"Are you okay though?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I stared at him. "Okay." I nodded before I waved the waitress over.

What was going on with him?

---

Klaus Mikaelson

When we returned to the hotel, Caroline decided to rest for just a few minutes, or so she thought. Those few minutes soon stretched into an hour as she lay there wrapped in the comfort of the room. Meanwhile, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the idea of stepping outside for some fresh air. There was something about the atmosphere indoors that felt unsettling, even though I couldn't quite put my finger on why. It wasn't just the stuffiness of the room or the faint smell of the carpet cleaner that lingered in the hallway; it was something else entirely.

Every evening, without fail, I would either open the windows wide to let in cool breezes or stand quietly on the balcony, gazing out at the world. It was as if the very air inside the hotel room carried a weight that pressed down on me, and only outside did I find some relief. The only exception to this restlessness was when I spent time in April's suite. Her room exuded a sense of ease that was lacking elsewhere.

April had a particular way of keeping her space, one that was charmingly chaotic. She preferred not to have housekeeping enter her domain, insisting that they leave her be, despite the growing number of towels and linens left unchanged since our arrival. Yet, amidst the clutter, she found happiness. Her genuine contentment was infectious, and being in her suite felt like stepping into a world where everything was perfectly imperfect. It was a place where the disarray felt comforting, and I could momentarily forget the unease that followed me elsewhere.

Tonight we had dinner plans; Elena, April, Vickie, and Bonnie were going to be joining us. I'd fallen asleep on the balcony outside and finally felt like I could breathe again when I woke back up. Caroline had been inside getting dressed and was almost dressed when I headed back inside. I'd showered and changed into one of my new suits. She looked stunning. She was wearing a beautiful dark blue dress that had a bit of tulle underneath.

I walked over to her and ran my fingers along the fabric. "It's beautiful."

"I thought so too," she smiled before she picked up her clutch off the bed. "Ready?"

I took her hand in mine and kissed her knuckles. "Yes."

We were the first to arrive at the restaurant downstairs, and I pulled out Caroline's chair for her before taking my seat beside her.

"I'm so excited about this meal," she told me as she opened her menu. "It's going to be great; you are going to eat right?"

"I will eat." I promised as I looked over the menu.

Maybe the shower and new clothes had worked a miracle; the headache I'd had since we arrived was easing somewhat.

---

April Mikaelson

I groaned, standing between Vickie and Elena, who were dolled up to the heavens with their bling dresses, jewelry, and perfume. When I was asked if I wanted to go to dinner, I figured it was a simple family dinner, so while they were in the elevator dressed for the Oscars, I was wearing one of Klaus's t-shirts and a pair of jeans I'm pretty sure smelt like pizza I had the other night.

"You look fine," Elena said.

"I look like I just got out of the hospital." I said, pointing to my bandage like it was a hair accessory.

Vickie rolled her eyes. "So? I didn't think we were dressing up anyway."

"Sureeee," I said. "I'm sure you hated putting on that lip gloss and those, are those the Chanel peep toes?" I asked before sighing, "Ohh, they're so pretty. Do you think Klaus would get me a pair?"

Vickie smirked. "Probably."

"Probably?" Elena repeated.

Vickie nodded. "Probably; he always does whatever I want."

"...Whatever," Elena said.

My eyes began to widen; I was literally about to be caught in the middle of the two of them going toe to toe.

"He likes to buy me things; maybe I'll ask him for a new car, something fast." Vickie shrugged.

"Or maybe you could have a little bit of class and just not take advantage of him," Elena snapped. "But what do I know, right?"

Vickie scoffed, "What do you know? That's a good one. You know absolutely nothing."

"Guys—"

"I know more than you do about him." Elena retorted.

"Oh yeah? Like what? I'm pretty sure I got to know him pretty well while you were off in New York."

"Guys—" I tried to cut in.

The elevators binged and opened up onto the lobby, revealing an awaiting Klaus. I sighed at the sight of him; was he wearing a new suit? He's wearing something new, and I smelled like bad takeout.

"Problem?" Klaus asked sternly, his eyes on Elena and Vickie.

Elena shook her head. "No, no problem."

I stepped out of the elevator and immediately went to his side while his attention remained fixed upon them.

"I'm not dealing with you both tonight." He hissed.

They both looked down at the ground in shame as they exited the elevator.

I looked up and watched him squeeze his eyes tightly like he had a headache. When he opened them, he looked down at me, the lines beneath his eyes easing as he looked up at my bandage.

"Three dogs and a parrot walk into a bar." I said, causing him to laugh.

"What's the punch line?" He asked.

I shook my head. "It doesn't end well for the bartender," I joked before he took my hand in his. "Let's go eat."

We were seated at a table on the veranda. Caroline and Bonnie were already seated and looking so beautiful I almost pouted at the sight.

"I don't even think I brushed my teeth before we left." I groaned.

"You smell great." Klaus whispered into my ear as he pulled back my chair.

"That's because you don't mind pizza." I retorted.

I sank into my seat. I was seated beside Klaus, and Caroline was to his right. I loved round tables better; they made me feel included instead of left out.

The waiter came around to pour us all water while we began to look over the menus.

"Do you remember the name of that chicken thingy I had when we were on vacation?" I asked Caroline.

"Chicken piccata." She answered.

"That's it!" I exclaimed, "That's what I want!"

"You mean that thing that gave you heartburn?" Elena asked.

"That's what I meant; that's what I want to avoid." I said.

Klaus kissed my temple, making me smile. "Score one for the idiot."

He smirked at my comment.

As they began to talk amongst themselves, I picked up my bag from the back of my chair and began to rummage through it; I had to have a piece of gum in here somewhere.

"What are you looking for?" Klaus asked.

"Gum." I answered, still searching my bag.

"Sweetheart—"

"It's gum, not bread." I said as I continued in my search.

The moment I felt the solid, unfamiliar object nestled within the inner pocket of my bag, my heartbeat quickened. I shifted the bag onto my lap, my fingers trembling as I fumbled with the zipper. When it finally gave way, the sight that greeted me sent my thoughts spiraling into chaos. A phone lay hidden there, one I had never seen before. With a tentative touch, I brought the screen to life, and there she was—Elena, her face illuminating the darkness of the device. A notification popped up, warning me that the battery was critically low, only ten percent remaining.

I could feel my pulse racing as I swiped through the notifications, each one more incriminating than the last. My heart felt like it might leap out of my chest as I accessed the phone's wallet, and there it was, unmistakably, the name Stefan Salvatore. The realization struck me with the force of a thousand storms. How could this be? How had his phone found its way into my possession?

Across the table, Elena was engrossed in conversation with Bonnie, completely oblivious to my discovery. I glanced toward Klaus, who was equally absorbed in his chat with Caroline. My attention snapped back to the phone—a lifeline and a threat wrapped into one. The messages and missed calls painted a picture of worry and confusion, all centered around Stefan's whereabouts. It was impossible. He was supposed to be back in Mystic Falls, safe with everyone else. But if he wasn't there, where on earth could he be?

The cold realization seeped into my bones, deeper than any chill I'd experienced before, more piercing than the grief of losing my father. My world shrank until all I could perceive was the sound of my own breath, echoing in my ears like a relentless tide. Immobilized, my thoughts locked onto the phone, the key to a mystery that was unraveling far too quickly.

I wrestled with my rising panic, knowing I needed to act swiftly. If Stefan's phone was here, then he had to be nearby. That meant our secrets were no longer safe. He knew about us, and worse, he had found us. The fact that he had managed to slip his phone into my bag without detection was the most unsettling realization of all. It meant he'd been close, watching, waiting. The implications were terrifying, and every second was precious. I had to figure out my next move, and fast.

I couldn't afford to make a mistake right now; this was a question of our safety, and I had to think rationally and consider all possible outcomes. He could be watching us right now; that was being irrational; that was indeed very possible, so I zipped up my bag and tucked it over the back of my chair before reaching out and picking up my glass. I just had to keep it together, keep it together, and get a signal or something to Klaus and the others. I thought about using my phone and typing out a message, but there was no way to know if our phones were safe. Six people looking at their phones instead of each other at a table wouldn't be uncommon these days, but given that we hadn't done it yet already, I thought it better to keep engaged with conversation instead and remain invested. I forced myself to keep my eyes on the others to not allow my eyes to scan our surroundings and look for his face in the crowds.

When I saw the waiter returning, I studied him closely; he was using a tablet to take our orders, but there was a pen in his pocket I could use.

I felt Klaus's hand on my knee; I looked at him as he began to rub my skin.

"What is it?" I asked.

"What would you like, Madam?" The waiter asked, and I looked around the table to find everyone looking my way.

"Actually," I waved the waiter over, "I have some questions about this chicken dish."

I looked over the top of my menu, and everyone else returned to their conversation.

"Madam?" The waiter asked, arriving at my side.

"Yeah, this chicken dish," I pointed to what was hopefully something chicken on the menu. "Does it come with a sauce?"

"Yes, madam," The waiter replied, "Would you like me to add that to your order?"

"No, I was hoping it came with two sauces." I paused and looked at the pen in the pocket of his vest. "Can I borrow that?"

The waiter looked confused for a moment but handed me his pen.

"Thanks," I took the pen. "Yeah, can I have ketchup with my chicken?"

"Madam, uh, well, you see, the chef is uh—"

"Are you out of ketchup?"

He smiled. "I don't think I've been asked that in almost five years."

I returned his smile. "Yeah, I'm one of those customers. Don't worry, cause…" I tilted my head towards Klaus. "He's a good tipper."

The waiter nodded. "I'll go check on the ketchup."

"You're welcome!" I called as he walked away.

I faced back around to the table, spinning the pen in my hand softly, before I looked over at Caroline. "So what did you do today?"

She smiled. "We went shopping; Klaus bought me a few things."

"You did?" I asked, turning to face him, "That's so sweet," I smiled at him. "I want things too."

"Like ketchup," Klaus said before taking a sip of his water.

"You knew who you married," I told him.

I had waited long enough, every tick of the clock echoing loudly in my mind as if counting down the seconds to an inevitable confrontation. My heart raced beneath my calm exterior. If I had acted differently upon rifling through my bag, Stefan might have sensed something amiss, assuming he was lurking nearby in the shadows, watching my every move. I had rehearsed this moment over and over in my mind, each scenario playing out like a silent film. I interacted with the waiter, shared a light-hearted laugh, and presented an image of serene composure, though every fiber of my being was on high alert.

Words were a luxury I couldn't afford. Stefan's vampiric senses meant he could eavesdrop effortlessly, even from a significant distance. I had to tread carefully, choosing my actions with the precision of a surgeon. My elbow, seemingly innocuous, became my clandestine ally as I painstakingly maneuvered the napkin closer, inch by painstaking inch, until it was within reach. This was no ordinary napkin; it would be my lifeline, my silent plea for help. Klaus had to know, and he had to know now.

Dinner was not an option for delay. Klaus would be at Caroline's room tonight, a place I dared not go, not with the uncertainty of Stefan's whereabouts. For all I knew, he could be on the same floor, lurking in the shadows, his presence a constant threat. The urgency of the situation pressed down upon me like a weight, urging swift action.

With a steady hand, I pressed the pen to the napkin, scrawling the message with deliberate pressure to ensure its legibility. I fought against the tremor threatening my hand, masking my anxiety with laughter and casual banter. The napkin, now bearing my desperate warning, was discreetly tucked beneath my arm, positioned so Klaus would catch sight of it when the moment was right.

I turned to Klaus, hoping my silent plea would reach him. His smile was a beacon of reassurance, a signal that he was ready, aware, and prepared to act. "Are you smiling?" I asked, my voice light and playful, masking the undercurrent of urgency.

"Indeed I am," he replied, his expression unwavering.

"I really love it when you smile," I continued, lowering my gaze to guide his eyes downward, a silent instruction. "I love when you just smile."

I implored silently, my heart pounding as I shifted slightly, revealing the first part of the message: DO NOT REACT. Klaus, perceptive as ever, glanced down, his smile never faltering as he acknowledged my warning with a subtle nod, a silent promise of understanding.

Relief washed over me, but the mission was not yet complete. I resumed my conversation with the others, my demeanor unchanged as I subtly moved my elbow again, exposing the remaining words: STEFAN SALVATORE—DANGER!—NOW. The message was clear, the clock was ticking, and our next move would be crucial.

Klaus met my gaze, and I leaned in and kissed him once, not knowing what else to do but needing his touch.

Knowing we were trapped.

---

Hey, fam! 😱✨ Did you just see what went down?! Tyler filmed Klaus having sex with Caroline! 🎥💥 Stefan's been following them this entire time! ️ ️🌲 Klaus confessed his love to Elena! 💘🔥 Bonnie finally got that apology she deserved! 🙌💖 And can we talk about April for a sec? The sweetest, most unsuspecting hero just saved the day! 🌟💪 So many twists and turns, I can hardly keep up! 🎢 Can't wait to see what happens next! Let's chat in the comments! 👇💬