Timeless

Chapter 22

Klaus had made it rain blood in that tiny Bulgarian village. When he had left London to find Katerina, he thought home might be the first place she went and when he discovered she wasn't there, he realized that there were some punishments much crueler than immediate death. Katerina would pay with her own life one day, her fate was sealed, but for now she had paid with the lives of her family.

He arrived back in London a few days later, the violence he had wreaked evident from the bloodstains down his shirt. Any man or woman who was foolish enough to stand in his way throughout his journey was drained dry. As he walked over the final hill, his home came into perfect view. He could see Caroline, in the window, looking out across the landscape. Was she looking for him? He had forgotten about her in the haze of blood and mangled flesh, her warmth, her light. But there she was waiting, her radiant beauty shining out, like a second sun.

Klaus quickened his pace. He wanted nothing more than to shut off his emotions and be in her arms. As he neared, Caroline had moved from the window and come to meet him in front of the door. He smiled at her, but she did not smile back.

"You're still here," he said coming to stand in front of her.

"Of course," she replied.

Her words and movements were clipped and strange.

Klaus's brow furrowed. "Are you angry with me?"

"No," she said biting her lip.

"And this is the only greeting that I get?"

She shook her head and took a step closer to him, resting her hand against his chest. Warmth flowed from her fingertips into him, but her stare left him feeling cold. She looked up at him through her lashes. Something was wrong, he could tell. He realized it was quiet. Too quiet.

"Caroline what is the matter?"

Slowly she rose up onto her toes and kissed the corner of his mouth. Just before her lips connected, he heard her whisper a single word to him, barely loud enough to be heard.

"Mikael."

Suddenly she cried out and fell to the ground. A man appeared from around the door, holding his hand out in Caroline's direction and Klaus immediately recognized him as a witch. Caroline writhed in pain on the ground and Klaus took half a step toward the witch before another man revealed himself.

"Caroline, why did you have to go and ruin the surprise," Mikael walked out and stood in front of the door. "That's enough."

The witch dropped his hand and released Caroline.

"Caroline, come here," Mikael ordered. She stood on shaky legs and walked over to Mikael, standing beside him. "She does whatever I tell her to do. Compulsion is quite amusing sometimes. Having that control over another being. It's really quite the rush." Klaus glared at his father. Mikael simply chuckled at Klaus's muted anger. "Perhaps we should talk inside. Come."

Mikael turned and walked back inside. Caroline followed, shooting Klaus a worried look. He remained stoic, nodding at her, as he followed them both inside to the great hall. Mikael took a seat at the head of the table, keeping Caroline at his side. Klaus remained standing at the opposite end.

"I had heard rumors that a fetching yellow haired girl had joined your party, and I assumed at first that it was simply our darling Rebekah, reawaken and back in your graces," Mikael said, "but when I arrived here and met Caroline I realized that this was the infamous beauty. The stories I heard about your infatuation with her, murdering wolves on her behalf, throwing away every precaution you ever took to keep yourself secure well...I knew she must be a special lady. I was simply itching to meet her."