Klaus's birthday reminded her of any other fancy party that she had ever attended in her life. There was an abundance of alcohol, followed by an extravagant dinner, and then dancing. Well maybe the dancing was a little unusual, but apparently it's what people did for fun in this day and age. Elijah invited Caroline to sit with him at dinner, introducing her to some of the vampires that were in attendance. She found that she was actually enjoying herself. It was much better than the midnight feast. Way less sinister. Everyone was having a good time.
Her eyes kept flicking over to Klaus. She couldn't help it. He seemed completely engrossed in Katerina. He whispered in her ear and found any excuse to touch her while she simpered and laughed at everything he said. Caroline couldn't help feeling completely flattened. It was like her human life all over again, when she was insecure and always envious of Elena. Elena who got all the boys and all the friends and all the attention no matter how hard Caroline tried. Here was another woman, with Elena's face, getting the attention once again.
Caroline shook her head, taking a large gulp of wine, and scolding herself. She shouldn't be envious of her. Shallow, insecure Caroline was a thing of the past. And really why was she jealous in the first place? There was absolutely no reason to be jealous.
"Jealous of whom?" Elijah inquired next to her.
She let out a small hiccup. Had she said that out loud?
"Nothing," she replied shaking her head innocently. But Elijah had already followed her eye line to where Klaus and Katerina were seated.
"I suppose I should have mentioned this before," Elijah said, "I know that you and my brother have grown...close."
"That's not true." She said quickly. Was there nothing that escaped Elijah's attention?
Elijah leaned in close, whispering in Caroline's ear, though no one else was paying any attention to their conversation. "It was always the plan for Klaus to court the doppelganger, so that we could bring her into our home and keep her close."
Caroline's eyes flicked in their direction again and then quickly away. Klaus was looking at her, a deep frown on his face. What could possibly be his problem?
"So Klaus is going to seduce her and then sacrifice her?" Caroline snorted.
Elijah laughed. "Something like that."
Caroline rolled her eyes. In the words of Damon Salvatore, what a dick.
Just then one of the servants came in and announced that it was time for the dance to begin. Everyone made their way out to the courtyards. Elijah, ever the gentleman, helped Caroline from her chair and escorted her out to the courtyard.
The clear night sky sparkled overhead as torches casted a brilliant orange glow around the yard. A band of musicians sat in the corner, awaiting the lord and ladies to take their places. Caroline's arm was looped through Elijah's. She could feel Klaus somewhere behind her, with Katerina, and forced herself not to look back.
"Elijah wait," she said jerking him back.
He cocked his head at her. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know these dances," Caroline said, "my—where I come from—we have a different way of dancing."
Elijah gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry. It's easy to follow. And with vampire reflexes, you'll be fine."
Elijah led her out to the dance floor, standing across from her, and she held her breath nervously as she waited for the music to start. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Klaus across from Katerina. Soon, the music began and Caroline reacted, copying the movements of the girls next to her. She slowly stepped in as Elijah held out his hands. They touched briefly and then spun around, before parting again and bowing. This happened twice. Ok, Caroline thought, I can do this. This is easy.
The dance consisted of the same patterns repeated over and over, speeding up as the pace of the music increased. As the dance became faster, laughter and smiles broke out over the crowd. Caroline skipped and twirled around Elijah, in perfect pace with everyone around her. Just when she thought the dance couldn't get any faster, the music ended and everyone bowed and clapped.
"Fantastic job my lady," Elijah said to her. Caroline beamed, giving him a small curtsey.
Someone tapped lightly on her shoulder and Caroline turned to see one of the vampires Elijah had introduced her to at dinner. He was tall and blonde and muscular, with soft green eyes and a deep voice. "My lady Caroline. My I have the honor of the next dance?"
She threw an uncertain look over her shoulder at Elijah, who nodded encouragingly. She shrugged and placed her hand in his as they prepared for the next dance.
Three dances later, Caroline found herself in her own group of suitors for the evening. Much to her surprise, the male vampires in the room kept asking her to dance, while others sought her out for conversation in between. Like any other group of boys, some were sweet and kind while others were cocky as all hell.
"Well I believe lady Caroline had promised me the next dance," one of the cocky ones said to her. Caroline laughed at the look on his face. The man reminded her of Damon. Maybe he was a distant ancestor?
"Actually I believe Lady Caroline has promised me the next dance."
Caroline froze as she heard Klaus's voice behind her. She turned around slowly; giving him the coldest stare she could muster, his cocky grin putting all that effort to shame. "It is my birthday after all."
She heard the men behind her acquiesce to his demand. Cowards, she thought. Klaus extended his hand toward her and she slowly took it, letting her grip fall limp in his. She kept her eyes toward the floor, only flicking up to his ever so often. She absolutely refused to meet his gaze for more than a second. There was no way he would think that she was enjoying this at all.
The music started again. The strings and flutes sounded low and sad. It was and odd change, considering the lively music that had been playing before, but not entirely inappropriate considering how she was feeling at the moment. The dance began and the couples stepped toward one another, coming close but not touching. Klaus's eyes stayed locked on her face. They parted and swept back to opposite sides, bowing, and then coming together again. The dance reminded her of the dance she had learned during Miss Mystic Falls. It was slow and elegant and ever so sensual. Each time they came together, so close to touching, but never quite getting there.
"So, who's babysitting the doppelganger currently, if you're with me," Caroline remarked snidely.
"Elijah took the liberty of dancing this one with her," Klaus replied as they stepped around, their palms held up to each other. Caroline's gaze went to Elijah and Katerina. Elijah had a curiously easy smile on his face, and Katerina shyly batted her eyelashes at him. It was quite the change from the way she interacted with Klaus.
"Why do you look so miserable love? Sad that I pulled you away from you admirers?"
Caroline looked away from him and over his shoulder. "I'm surprised you noticed. You've been so busy with other things tonight."
"Is that jealousy I hear?" Klaus countered.
"You wish," she spat.
Klaus stopped dancing then. He grabbed Caroline's chin and forced her gaze on him until her eyes finally locked with his. His look was like the fire of a thousand suns, all of them burning right through her. She bit her lip unconsciously, hating the way his molten eyes were making her stomach do flips.
"Let me go," she squirmed, but he held her firmly.
"I notice everything you do Caroline. Whether I want to or not," he said, his voice deep and dark.
He dropped his hand from her chin and she took that moment to turn away from him, to make her escape. But his hand reached out and pulled her back.
"You can't just walk out of the dance," Klaus said through gritted teeth.
"Watch me," she growled right back, a bit too loud. She tore her arm from his grasp, and flashed away before he could stop her again, not caring what humans saw her go at vampire speed.
Unfortunately, she couldn't go far. Only back up to her tower, which was thankfully far enough away to not hear the celebration still going on below. She rushed into her room and slammed the door behind her, the sound resonating off the stone. She felt suffocated again. Her mind was racing. She couldn't figure anything out. All she wanted was home and Elena or Bonnie or her mom and for all of this to be over. But at the same time, she knew she would never be able to look at him the same way, if she went back. Knowing everything she knew about him, there was no going back.
The door swung open and Klaus stood on the other side. Caroline whipped around, shouting at him.
"Go away!" He stepped in and slammed the door shut again. "I said go away!" She repeated.
He strode toward her, his eyes fierce as ever, and took her face into his hands. Then he crushed his lips to hers. They were hot and demanding. Caroline squirmed in his vice like grip, but Klaus was unrelenting. He pulled away from her, growling loudly.
"I don't want this now. I don't need this now!" He said. His words didn't make any sense to her. He kissed her again. Softer this time, and she let him. She let his tongue slip past her lips and invade her mouth, making her feel even more suffocated than she had before, but at the same time utterly relieved.
He still kept the same grip on her face as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. He pulled away again, feathering her lips with gentle kisses.
"I just can't, I can't," Klaus said. He wasn't making any sense. She didn't know to feel scared or relieved at what he was trying or failing to say. "I thought you were dead. I held you and you were dying in my arms and I couldn't take it. There was nothing I could do. It was like when Henrik—"
Caroline still didn't understand what he was saying, but she could feel his body trembling against hers as they held each other in the middle of her room. His tongue shot out and wet his lips, as his hands angled her head back and forth. She was a rag doll under his inspection.
"I haven't lost anyone I've cared about in almost four centuries."
Caroline's eyes flicked across his face. She couldn't take it anymore. "Klaus what are you saying?"
He opened his mouth and shut it again. Once. Twice. As Caroline's dead heart pounded in her chest. Then he kissed her again roughly, squeezing her face between his hands.
Klaus released her face and spun her around. His hands went to the laces at her back, expertly separating them, loosening the bodice of her dress. Caroline shivered in anticipation as she felt the dress come undone and slid down her body, the smooth material pooling around her feet. Naked, she spun back around to face him, and watched his eyes rake over hotly. All the sadness and angst that had been there before had been replaced by pure lust.
She reached up and opened his velvet jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and onto the floor. Klaus stepped into her, walking her backwards to the bed as she continued to undress him. She untucked his white shirt, removing it from him. He raised his arms letting her take it off him, his eyes still on her face. She fumbled a bit with his trousers, unfamiliar with the clothing of the time period, but managed to unlace them. Klaus kicked off his boots as Caroline unlaced his pants and pushed them down, freeing his erection.
They came to a stop next to the bed, naked, standing just a breath apart. Klaus looked down at her, his fingers twisting in the ends of her hair.
"You're hair is longer," he observed.
"Gretchen used magic on it."
Klaus ran his fingers through her scalp and down her long tresses. Her head fell back, staring up at his face.
"I like it," he said with a smirk, bending down to kiss her again.
They fell back on the bed together. Caroline scooted back and Klaus followed her, trailing hot kisses down her chest and over her breasts. Her nipples hardened in response. He nipped at her breasts with his human teeth, sending tiny thrills through her body. Caroline could feel the desire throbbing between her legs.
"I want you." His voice was husky and thick.
"Take me," she replied breathlessly, her knees rising off the bed as she spread her legs.
Klaus braced his hands beside her head and lifted himself up, holding himself over her. Her hands went to his face, the intensity of his stare making her come undone right there. Her eyes stayed locked on his as he slowly slid inside of her. His thickness filled her up and a heady moan escaped her throat. He stilled for a moment, before pulling out and then slid inside her again. She arched back as her body welcomed him in. All of him. Every devilish bit. She wanted it all and she didn't care what her friends would think or anyone else for the matter. No one else was here. It was just the two of them.
He pressed into her, rocking his hips against hers, creating a delicious friction between them. His kisses were in time with his thrusts, the bed swaying slightly with their movements. Caroline dug her fingers into his back, reveling in the feel of his body on hers.
His pace began to increase and Caroline could feel the quickening in her stomach. All of her nerves tightened more and more as she arched further into him, urging him on, bringing her closer and closer. Then she felt the explosion of orgasm over her body, pulsing through her veins, as he continued to ride her out, milking it out of her. She panted his name as the waves continued to roll over her.
Klaus followed her, growling his climax into her neck and collapsing on top of her. He wrapped his arms around her body and rolled them over, bringing her to lie atop his chest. Their bodies were coated in a fine sheen of sweat. Caroline closed her eyes and felt the heavy rise and fall of his chest, as Klaus traced lazy patterns across her back.
"Happy birthday Klaus," she whispered into his chest.
"Thank you Caroline."