The Devil In Me

Chapter 25

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"Caroline..." his voice held a whisper of a smile as he woke to find Caroline's fingers under his nose. She quickly dropped her hand to his cheek, feigning a caress.

"What? Can a wife not touch her husband?" she asked innocently, her blue eyes teasing him. Klaus grunted as he pulled her close, and dropped a kiss on her lips.

"Of course, it is something I greatly encourage as a matter of fact." he said in a seductive voice, dipping his mouth to kiss her neck. She allowed him for a moment, then pulled away, her hands firmly pushing him back. Knowing better than to fight her, he fell back, frustrated, with another grunt of pain as the weight came off his side.

"The doctor said -"

"Believe me, I know well what the doctor said, I am beginning to think he takes a sick, perverse pleasure in denying a man his conjugal rights." he said, throwing an arm over his eyes, his fist clenched. Caroline leant over him, biting her lip to repress her smile.

"How you must suffer -" she teased, his jaw ticked as he lowered his arm and looked into her eyes with a narrowed look.

"You have no idea" she swallowed a little at his intense look.

"We must be careful... your health..." she started and stopped as he caught her chin in his hand.

"Caroline... it is time to realise you have little chance of being rid of me. I am not going to die... Stop checking I am breathing. Stop worrying about the hole in my side. I am here to stay, my love. I might not be strong right now, but I soon will be... and then... you will be without excuses" he said, and her cheeks glowed at his smile, so sinful.

Caroline was caught in his gaze a moment more, and then pulled herself away from him, reaching out for the bell pull near the bed, intending to dress. She had realised that their fateful and horribly delayed 'wedding night' should not occur until Klaus had fully recovered his strength. She was crippled with fear over his condition, and worried constantly he was not healing quickly enough, or throughly enough. Limiting his physical exertions was the only way she could think to help, as she could imagine that he would not heed his body's protests, or even pain... if they were to take the final step in cementing their marriage at last.

He watched her with dark eyes, full of want as she moved around her room, preparing for the maid to enter.

"What are your plans for today?" he asked, clearing his throat and tearing his eyes from her finally.

"I am helping Bonnie. It has been too long since I have visited her patients with her."

"You mean you will be wandering around the most disreputable areas of London... Caroline, it is not safe, and no longer proper... your station has changed somewhat dramatically, you must accept that."

"Plenty of ladies condone charitable causes..."

"From the safety of ballrooms and drawing rooms." he muttered.

"I thought you did not care for propriety..." Caroline challenged, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I care for anything that keeps you safe." he growled, pushing himself up on the bed, glancing disdainfully down at the bandages that still swathed this mid section. She came to him, gently pulling him to his feet, as his face contorted, half frustration, half pain.

"I think I have proven to you my survival skills quite enough this past month, to not be questioned." she said lightly, and stopped as he tightened his arm around her and looked down on her, his expression suddenly anxious.

"Caroline, do not misunderstand me. You survived an ordeal most would not have -"

"We survived -"