Red Passion

Chapter 15

Caroline keeps on looking to her left, out of the private jet's window, quietly sipping on an already half empty blood bag as she does so.

There is nothing if not a never-ending land of blue sky dotted in soft white before her eyes, and while this is the first time in her whole life that she has ever flown, she does not feel even one ounce of the somewhat expected excitement at the new experience.

Her heart is as heavy as stone beneath her ribcage, and no matter how hungry she knows that she is, she almost has to force the needed red liquid down her throat, her stomach lurching and refusing to settle as the anxiety grows and grows inside of her like poison ivy.

She does not regret her decision, does not regret being on Klaus' side this one time—she never could—because it's not even only about her feelings. It's a matter of how, after everything (after everyone) that they have already taken away from the Mikaelsons, they have no right to try to kill them all one more time.

After all, if it weren't for her, Klaus wouldn't even be in Mystic Falls anymore. He was ready to leave everything behind him, all the anger and all the hurt, so why couldn't her friends do the same?

But still, there is a part of her which wonders—what is going to happen now?

And she does not mean because nobody will probably be willing to accept her relationship with Klaus for a long time to come, but because this is an out-and-out war now, and wars always come with a few causalities–

–who is she going to permanently lose this time around?

With a tired sigh, she carefully drops the now completely drained blood bag on the empty seat next to her, lazily stretching her arms and legs in front of her for a moment.

Her eyes start to wander around almost on their own volition, even if she has already somewhat admired the luxurious inside of the Mikaelsons' private jet earlier, when her, Klaus and Katherine first boarded and the adrenaline was still running high in her system from the previous events of the day.

Of course, the spacious, fancy vehicle is nothing less than what she would have expected from someone as refined and as sophisticated as Klaus is, a man used to always get what he wants when he wants it and live in clover wherever he goes.

At the thought, a small smile finally makes its way to her lips: he definitely did not get her as soon as he would have wanted.

It took over a year of somewhat patient waiting—something that she is fairly confident the hybrid isn't too accustomed to ever do—and, even now, no matter the fact that she has fully acknowledged her feelings towards him and what they truly mean–

–eternity—the word echoes around in her mind, completely welcome–

–they have the whole Esther's threat hanging over their heads, with their blood bond strictly connected to it.

Knowing what—who—they are up against is a step forward already, but she cannot seem to decide if the fact that her and Klaus' bond has been interfered with by that very same person who is out trying to kill him and his entire family is good or bad news.

Does it make it easier to break or overcome, or does it simply make it even more dangerous? Because it just has to have a purpose, right? But what?

Is that the reason why her friends (she only calls them that out of habit, at this point; there is no trust left between them, no understanding anymore) have taken some of her blood as well, while she was unconscious earlier? Have they really come to a point where they are so easily willing to sacrifice her, too, if it means ridding themselves of the Originals?