"meet me where the sky touches the sea. wait for me where the world begins."
07 | TEMPTATION
June, 1865
Kol Mikaelson was, yet again, lost on what to do. And, yet again, it had something to do with a certain blue-eyed Charlotte Salvatore.
Her name made him think back to their last meeting—the night of the gala. He remembered their dancing, both in the ballroom and in the garden. He remembered the way she had let him touch her, despite the clear reservations that she still held toward him; he also remembered the way she had pulled away, as if his touch burned her. The look of fear on her face was ingrained in his memory, and he felt strangely hurt by her rejection.
He remembered following her to the French Quarter; he remembered watching as she drank a man dry, and to be completely honest, he didn't mind the way she looked when she did so.
She had such an innocent face, round and yet sharp in all the right places. Her eyes were like the deep blue of the ocean, and yet they reminded him more of the sky than anything. When she had drank from the man, the blue in her eyes receded and turned red, and although Kol had never found beauty in the vampiric features, he couldn't help but see that she looked breathtaking with such bloodlust in her face. He noticed freckles on her nose when they had been dancing, and they reminded him of the stars in the night sky. Her words were both guarded and vulnerable, and he felt himself wanting to know more and more until she consumed him completely.
He groaned, leaning forward on his bed and running his hands through his unruly hair. He was shirtless, a woman's dead body in bed next to him. He had been prepared to bed her before he drained every drop of blood from her veins, but the thoughts of Charlotte Salvatore had deterred him from doing so. Anytime he looked at the blonde woman—or any woman for that matter—he would only see her, and out of frustration, he had ripped her neck open mercilessly.
The act didn't relive any of his stress or annoyance.
Once again, Charlotte hadn't been seen since their last meeting at the gala. It wasn't for lack of looking either, for Kol had been searching the Quarter up and down for a wisp of dark hair followed by deep eyes. He kept an ear out for any whispers of her in the city. He commanded those under the Mikaelson reign to help him in his search. Despite his attempts though, there was nothing to indicate that she had ever been there in the first place. She was like a ghost, an apparition that only appeared once he was desperate and aching for one more glance in her eyes.
It was frustrating to say the least, and Kol had been hoping that a womanly distraction would get her out of his mind—but to no use. He continued to think about her even as the body next to him grew cold with death.
"Something bothering you, brother?" A voice asked from the bedroom doorway, and Kol glanced up to send a glare to his older brother.
"Leave me be, Nik," he sighed, surprising the other man. Kol stood up, slipping a white, loose shirt over his head to cover his skin. When he looked back at his brother, he noticed Klaus's eyes fixated on him, an amused expression slowly crossing over his face.
The half-brother crossed his arms wryly, tilting his head to the side. "That girl sure does have an affect on you," he commented, shrugging his shoulders. "I only wish I had the pleasure of meeting her at the gala before you scared her away."
Kol glared. "I didn't scare her away," he said with a deep sigh, annoyed already by his brother's implications. "And in all honesty, brother, I can't say I'm unhappy she didn't meet your acquaintance."
Klaus smirked, looking past his brother at the body that laid lifelessly in the bed. The older of the two raised an eyebrow at the sight. "Well you're certainly unhappy about something," he noticed, his eyes going back to meet his brother's. "Am I correct to assume it has something to do with the girl?"
Kol rolled his eyes. "Stop," he said simply, and he was shocked to find that Klaus actually listened to him.
The older brother walked into the room with an air of power and confidence. "No matter," he said, clasping his hands together behind his back. "I have something I need you to do while we attend poor Emil's funeral."
Kol raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms across his chest. "What is it?" He questioned, cutting his brother off before he could respond. "And if it has anything to do with the wolves, count me out."
"Actually, I think it's more of a vampire problem," Klaus began, intriguing Kol and causing him to sit on a nearby chair in order to listen better. "There's been locals going missing, and the governor asked me himself to look into it while he mourns his son."
Kol rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure the governor knows who the real perpetrator is concerning Emil's death."
Klaus's smile was wolffish, all teeth. "Well, we can't give away all our secrets, can we?" He asked before his expression turned serious again. Kol noticed his dark attire and assumed he would be heading to the governor's house soon. "Can I trust you to take care of this?"
Kol thought about it for a moment before deciding he would look into it. He didn't have much else to do anyway, and plus, it would give him extra ground to cover on his search for a certain blue-eyed beauty. "Sure, why not?" He finally answered with a smirk, and his brother gave him a warning look—one full of all the threats he usually spewed out—before leaving the room.
Kol got dressed quickly, ordering one of the servants to take care of the dead blonde's body. Dressed in dark trousers and the white shirt he had thrown on, he decided he didn't need to look all that fancy for such a job. He asked what information Nik had already gathered from the missing persons, but his brother didn't have much. Nonetheless, Kol quickly got to work, starting in the French Quarter.
He never would've anticipated what he found.
<<>>
Charlotte Salvatore had gone off the deep end.
Well, not exactly. She still had her emotions, so that was a plus, but she didn't particularly like reminiscing on her human days, especially on her death and what had caused it. The only way she knew how to deal with these emotions—being as heightened as they were—was bloodlust. After she had drained that man when she left the gala, her bloodlust had seemed to grow tenfold. She began killing more, scouting out her victims for a few days before she eventually struck.
She wasn't a complete monster though; most of her murders had been rude, abusive, or nasty men. She had looked for the ones who hit their wives and daughters, or the ones that inappropriately grabbed girls in ways that they didn't want. She filtered out the ones that snapped and growled and had a temper that couldn't be controlled. She looked for the irredeemables, knowing that she would have to put them in their place.
And what is their place? Well, in simple terms, she decided they would better serve a purpose six feet underground than they ever could being alive.
Currently, she was in a home that stunk of sex and alcohol. Women with scantily clad outfits walked in and out of the rooms of the hallway. Charlotte watched them idly, paying closer attention to the men that followed them.
She laid in her own room, the door cracked ajar and three dead bodies lying at her feet. She had already compelled the workers to pay her no mind, and she made sure the customers didn't bother her either. No, she wasn't there to cause a fuss, but she didn't want to be interrupted either.
Two more men remained alive and well in her room. They were shirtless, and their pants hung low around their hips. Charlotte, sitting daintily on the bed, motioned one closer to her with her index finger. There was soft music playing in the room by an expert violinist that she had also compelled, interrupted every so often by the throes of passion taking place in the other rooms.
She ordered the man to play louder.
When one of the shirtless men—Theodore, she recalled his name being—finally approached her on the bed, she smirked widely. He looked dazed, his face flushed and the redness spread down to his neck. He was handsome, with curling dark hair and olive tan skin; his other counterpart, David, was just as handsome, with white-blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. Both men had all their attention on her.
She grabbed Theodore's hand gently, seductively, hearing as his heart raced in his chest. "My lady..." He trailed off as she came up behind him on the bed, running her hands over his chest. Her lips hovered over the artery between his neck and right shoulder, and she felt him shiver against her. Smirking at the position she held, she whispered sweetly into his ear.
"Don't scream," she commanded slowly, pronouncing every letter in the words as if they were music to be played. Quickly, she lodged her canines into his neck, feeding viciously on him. She heard him whimper as she felt his sweet blood cascade down her throat. She almost felt pity for him before remembering that she had brought him here after seeing him whip a black girl. While Charlotte wasn't unused to the stigma surrounding people of color, she didn't particularly like it either, and the way that he had smirked so savagely told her all she needed to know about him.
Suddenly gaining traction, she bit harsher into his neck, twisting her mouth to the side and hearing a satisfying crunch as his neck broke. His pulse stopped, and she let his body fall from her grasp over the bed, blood staining her mouth.
She noticed the other man, David, had a terrified expression on his face, and her smirk returned. "Don't worry," she said sweetly, standing from the bed as he tried to walk backwards and away from her. "I didn't forget about you."
Suddenly, she was on him, pressing him against the wall as she fed from his veins. He struggled against her, but it was no use; Charlotte already had a grip on him, and just as quickly as she was on him, she felt his hands drop lifelessly, and he was dead just as his friend was.
She let him fall to the ground, breathing deeply as the blood coursed through her body. She hadn't drank blood like this in a long time—since before she found out about her brothers' deaths—and in all honesty, she missed it. This feeling of power and death had never ceased to amaze her, and she couldn't help but feel almost high on it.
"Well well, what have we here?"
Charlotte's eyes flashed at the familiar voice, and she was taken aback at seeing Kol Mikaelson there, leaning against the doorframe of the room and looking amused by her actions. Her eyes narrowed, unsure why he was here and how, exactly, he had found her. She wasn't ashamed to say that she had been avoiding him since the gala, and she frowned to herself when she realized that she had been found out. Perhaps she hadn't been as discreet as she previously thought.
"Kol," Charlotte greeted evenly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her surprise. "What brings you to this part of town?"
She moved toward the bed and his eyes followed her; she couldn't help but smirk at the lust in his eyes. She wasn't exactly dressed in the most modest way, wearing a lace nightgown that barely fell over her backside. The clothing was covered with blood, and you could see the shape of her body through the red stains, enticing those near her. Her dark hair fell down in natural waves, the ends of her long locks barely touching her lower back. When his gaze returned to meet hers, her eyes were filled with a mischief that hadn't been there before.
He looked down at the dead bodies surrounding her, barely paying attention to the man playing a violin in the corner of the room. "It seems I've solved the case of the missing people," he mused absentmindedly, and her eyes narrowed as he looked up at her in curiosity. "What about you, darling? Surely such a lovely lady as yourself wouldn't concern herself with this place."
She shrugged, her smirk remaining ever-present during their conversation. "I like visiting new places," she told him as an answer. She stood up then, noticing the way his eyes trailed her body. Moving closer to him, she could see his shoulders tense, and her smirk widened. They were close now, so close that if she leaned even the tiniest bit forward, their lips would meet. She laid a single hand on his chest, raising an eyebrow in interest. "Care to join me?"
His smirk returned, but he reached up to grasp her hand, removing it from his chest. She pouted, her eyes narrowing, but the unhappy look didn't stay on her face long. "Darling, as much as I'd love to," he began, letting their connected hands hover between them. "My brother isn't particularly happy with the disappearances happening in his city."
She looked at him in bemusement. "Well then, the solution is simple," she explained, hearing the violinist continue his music from behind her. "Why don't we take a little day trip outside of New Orleans?"
Then, his face contorted into a wicked smile, and she copied his expression. The violinist played quickly, and Charlotte rolled her eyes in annoyance at the sound, suddenly feeling irritable.
She flashed behind the musician and quickly snapped his neck. When the body fell, she saw Kol again, and his eyes sparkled at her actions, clearly appreciating all that she was doing. She tilted her head to the side, smiling.
He approached her stealthily, and she held her ground, watching as he made precise movements toward her. When they were a foot away from each other, he outstretched his hand. Surprisingly, she allowed him to touch her face, feeling as his thumb swiped against her lower lip. Her breath hitched, and he definitely noticed it as he placed his thumb in his mouth, licking the blood there.
"You're certainly an anomaly, Charlotte Salvatore," he told her, and she almost shivered at the way he said her name, as if it were a prayer. He looked her over, smirking slightly. "You'd better change before we leave."
"Why?" She asked, daring him. His eyes narrowed at her question, which only made her want to push him further. "Surely you've seen a woman in a nightgown before?"
"I wouldn't exactly call this a gown," he rebuked, but his voice sounded strained, and she followed the line of his gaze to her body, seeing him staring at her chest. She had him right where she wanted him, and despite not being pre-aware of his arrival here, she had expertly wrapped him around her finger. If she wasn't so hungry for blood, she would've entertained the idea of letting him touch her more.
She shrugged, moving past him but letting her hand drag across his chest, over his shoulder, before leaving him all together. She almost thought she heard him growl. "Well then, I suppose it's a good thing you don't tell me what to do."
And then she was gone. Kol smirked at the space she had left before going after her. He hadn't been expecting such a turn of events, but he enjoyed the change of pace. Perhaps she would even tell him of her strange behavior at the gala.
Baby steps, he reminded himself, the world turning into a blur as he followed her out of town.
<<>>
Kol Mikaelson was a predator, through and through. He enjoyed the chase, the hunt, the ways that his victims always screamed for help before he ended their lives. He reveled in the fear and chaos that he caused, almost feeling lightheaded at the power that raced through his veins. He enjoyed being the monster that people painted him out to be.
It was this lightheaded feeling of power that he was feeling now, watching Charlotte rip into yet another man's neck, licking up any drop of blood that threatened to sneak past her lips. She was a clean killer, he realized—though, there was a certain ferocity in her movements that gave him the feeling that she knew how to make a mess if she wanted to. The blood staining her white nightgown was proof of that. She was a predator as well, like him, and just like him, she seemed to enjoy the fear in their eyes.
He watched her from his lounging in a chair, seeing as she let the man drop and join the ten or so bodies that she had already drained. After the man left her grasp, she danced on the tips of her toes between the bodies, and he noticed for the first time that she was barefoot. She looked ethereal in the moonlight, with blood staining her face and clothes. Even in the dark though, her eyes were as blue as ever. She looked like a fairy—but not the nice kind; instead, she looked like the type of fairy to trick you into a deal that couldn't be broken. She looked like the type of fairy that would smile a bloody smile as the world burned around her.
He tilted his head as she brushed her hair behind her ear. His own meal had been discarded, having killed her quickly just to enjoy the image of Charlotte like this; she looked every bit the vampire she was, and he smirked when he saw that she was enjoying herself in the moment. She didn't seem to notice him there still, and he took this moment graciously, studying her closely.
The dress she wore was tight in all the right places, accentuating her body. The red that stained it had seeped into the cloth, and he saw blood streaked against the skin of her collarbone. Again, she manifested herself almost like a fairy, light on her feet and yet dangerous nonetheless.
"Are you going to sit there and watch all night or are you going to help me?" She spoke up, shaking him out of his stupor. She held a writhing boy against her chest—he couldn't have been older than twenty—and she smiled that wicked smile that Kol was growing to enjoy.
He smirked, standing up smoothly and approaching them both. The boy's eyes had widened in fear—a fear that excited Kol to no end. He grabbed the boy's thrashing wrist quickly, and Charlotte's eyes sparkled.
He brought the boy's wrist up to his mouth and bit into it viciously, seeing Charlotte out of the corner of his eye bite into his neck. With the both of them feeding on him, the boy was killed almost too quickly, and they released him at the same time. The space that he had occupied was empty now, and they breathed in each other's bodies at the proximity.
Kol decided to be daring. He stepped over the boy and toward her so that they were almost touching, and he watched as her chest rose and fell rapidly. He smirked, tilting his head as he looked down at her. He brought a hand up, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, but then he frowned.
"Why did you leave before?" He asked her, and with how close they stood, he noticed it instantly when she tensed. She made a move to back away from his reach, but he grabbed onto her arms, making her look back up at him. "Darling, it's only a question."
She paused, debating his words. He cursed her for being able to keep any emotions from her face, and he wondered what she could be thinking about. His eyes flickered over her features, and he saw the moment when her lips curved up into her usual smirk.
"Take a walk with me," she told him, stepping out of his reach and extending a hand toward him. He gave her a skeptical look, but after a moment, he placed his hand in hers and allowed her to lead him away from the bodies they had just drained. The irony of her words was not lost on him—he remembered saying the exact same thing to her at the gala.
They walked through the woods, having barely gone outside the New Orleans border when they stumbled upon the group of humans settling in an encampment. The woods were busy with the sounds of insects and animals, but Kol enjoyed the white noise. It offered a solace to the tense game being played between the two vampires. He followed after Charlotte, unsure of where she was leading him, but nonetheless, he remained silent.
Finally, she stopped, letting his hand drop from hers. He almost felt empty at the loss of connection, but he waved the thoughts away. He looked around and noticed that they stood before a lake, the water almost too still to be real.
He watched her curiously as she stepped toward the water's edge, unafraid of the cold. "Why are we here?" He found himself asking, and she looked over her shoulder toward him, raising an eyebrow.
"You said earlier that you wished me to change," she reminded him quickly, and he watched as she raised one of her hands, twirling her index finger in a circle. "If you would, please?"
He was confused at first, but when she reached for the hem of her bloody nightgown, he realized what she wanted, and he turned quickly. He very well could've been his usual, cocky self and refuse to give her privacy, but he found himself complying with her wishes without a second thought. The fact that he listened to her so quickly made him stiffen, unfamiliar with the control one person could have on him. Unbeknownst to him, Charlotte smiled genuinely, pulling the clothing from her body before entering the cold waters, feeling as the waves lapped at her skin.
Once she was fully in the water, she spoke again. "You are charming, yes," she began, hearing as he turned toward her. "But you are a man, and men have a problem with holding onto something as precious as a woman."
He stared at the skin of her bare back, trying his best not to let the lust he felt infiltrate his thoughts. Instead, he simply tilted his head to the side in confusion. "I don't understand," he found himself saying, and she chuckled lowly.
"Men never do," she said absentmindedly, and he walked closer to the edge of the water, seeing as her fingers danced over the surface. It was dark out, so he couldn't see anything below her shoulders, even if he wanted to. "I suppose that's what makes you men."
"So you're afraid," he deduced, but she sent him a harsh glare at the words, her blue eyes like deadly daggers.
"I'm afraid of nothing," she told him, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly as if they were talking about the weather. "I left before because you reminded me of someone I once knew, someone I found joy in killing."
He paused, letting her words sink in. His eyes narrowed, and he found himself stepping forward again, watching with delight as her eyes lit up in surprise. He took off his shoes quickly, moving into the cold waters and almost hissing at the temperature. He moved slowly, predatorily, in her direction, and she watched him in curiosity. His pants and shirt were getting soaked, but he didn't pay it any mind.
He only stood a few centimeters away now, and if he reached out, he would have her naked body in his grasp. He didn't look down, despite his longing to, and remained staring into her startling blue eyes. She seemed to appreciate his chivalry.
"I don't know who you speak of, but know this," he started, garnering her full attention. A smirk grew on his lips. "I am not like most men."
"That's what they all seem to say, isn't it?" She mused bitterly, and he frowned, growing frustrated at the words.
"Come on darling," he said smoothly, tilting his head. "Take a chance. I promise I'll make it worth your while."
She watched him closely, and he made sure to show that he was being sincere. He had never met anyone like Charlotte Salvatore, and she boggled his mind to no end. He wanted her, that much was obvious, but it was more than that; she was held together so recklessly with sunsets and stars, and Kol could see the hurricane bristling inside of her, waiting to be let out. She was callous, just as he was, but he had an inclination that she had been holding back on him. He didn't want it to be locked away, wishing to see her stars and sunsets up close and personal. He wanted to breathe her in until he was intoxicated on her, making his head spin deliciously.
Finally—after what felt like years—she spoke again. "You are wild, Kol Mikaelson," she whispered, and his smirk returned to his face.
"And you are just the same," he reminded her.
They stood like that, under the light of the moon, through the night. Just two lost souls, finding sanctuary in the destruction that the other was capable of causing.
Kol Mikaelson regretted nothing as he watched her smile.
<<>>
okay everybody, there's the next chapter!
this was more or less a filler chapter, but it was important for charlotte and kol's relationship nonetheless. i know it's been a couple chapters that have been in the past, but i want to develop their relationship more before jumping into the future and into the tvd storyline. you need a good foundation if you're gonna build a house that lasts, after all.
of course, i'd love to hear your thoughts on this update and what you guys thought of it. are you enjoying it still? is it getting boring in any way? are they entertaining to read about? let me know if you can!
thank you all for reading and i hope you liked it!
-kay <3