Timeless

Chapter 5

Klaus could feel the weight of the dagger in his boot as he stalked back to the house. Inside he was fuming. This Caroline situation kept getting more and more serious. The blonde vampire was clearly more dangerous than she seemed. But at the same time, she was more valuable than he first thought. It was absurd to believe that she was actually from the future, but Klaus had been alive long enough to see his fair share of unbelievable things. Not to mention that the prospect of her being from the future was much better than any alternative. She seemed to know secrets about him that no one else knew outside of his family.

He saw Elijah standing by the door, waiting for him as he returned. Elijah gave him a questioning look, but said nothing. Klaus didn't care to rehash any of the new facts about Caroline to his brother. He knew even the always moral Elijah would recommend one solution. Kill her. He didn't want to see the judgment in his older brother's eyes at his failure to do so. No one could be more disappointed with him than himself at this moment. He brushed past his brother and immediately headed in the direction of his rooms.

"Brother, you forget our guests," Elijah called after him. Klaus stopped in his tracks, groaning out loud. He had no more patience for any more of these insipid vampire noblemen that night.

"Take care of them yourself," he said over his shoulder and heading off to hide away. He took refuge in the wine cellar, sitting himself down in an old wooden chair and drowning himself in a few bottles that barely took the edge off. He was on his second bottle when Elijah joined him.

"Everyone is gone, you can stop hiding now," Elijah teased, walking around to face him.

"I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm brother," Klaus replied, taking a long drink from a dark green bottle.

"You never are," Elijah said, uncorking his own bottle and pulling up another chair to sit in front of his brother. "I'm guessing that it is Caroline who is vexing you."

Klaus glared at Elijah and the elder brother realized he had hit the mark.

"I still cannot understand why you haven't killed her," Elijah remarked.

"It's unusual Elijah, for you to be so eager for me to take a life," Klaus said.

"When it comes to protecting our family—"

"I know," Klaus said, not needing a lecture.

Elijah took another drink, exhaling slowly, letting the taste of the wine consume his senses. "But when do you ever listen to me."

Klaus laughed a slapped Elijah on the leg, clinking their bottles together. He had to chuckle because it was true. Elijah may have been the eldest, but it had never mattered. Klaus was the stronger of the two, his werewolf gene, even in its dormant state, gave him the advantage. Elijah returned his laughter. Just then, one of the servants burst into the cellar interrupting the jovial atmosphere. He was sweating and short of breath, shaking as he spoke.

"Well," Klaus said, "what is it?"

"Fire," the boy replied, "in the north tower."

Klaus and Elijah looked at one another, their faces dropping.

"To the crypt," Klaus said, Elijah nodded and flashed away.

Klaus then immediately ran at vampire speed up to his rooms. When he got there, every thing was engulfed in flames.

Caroline's skin felt hot. Her eyes snapped open. She was in a dungeon, strapped to some kind of metal chair, her arms and legs locked down at the wrist. She struggled against the restraints. From behind she heard a sick sort of laughter and saw the werewolves, circle around her. Mason Lockwood's friends that had kidnapped her before. They each took turns shooting her and burning her with vervain. She screamed with each assault until she passed out again.