Uncharted Territory

Chapter 2

Caroline and Rebekah walked into their shared motel room, glancing around with distaste. Everything was tidy but there seemed to be a shabby chic theme that wasn't working in its favor. The beds were neatly made, but the comforters looked washed out, old and hideously colored in magenta and green. The wooden table just beside the doorway had glass rings engraved into it from cups lingering one two many weekson the surface. Even the air in the room smelled of mold and must. Caroline took in a deep breath, trying to force herself to make the best of it. Or at least just make it.

"So, which bed do you want?" she asked Rebekah, her tone more ironic than she'd intended.

Rebekah held her nose high enough for it to bleed and scoffed. "Neither. You think I'm going to touch a single thing in here? I can't even believe Nik is forcing us to stay here."

"Not exactly a suite at the Hilton, is it?"

Rebekah sighed. "What I would give for that..."

Caroline couldn't help but agree. As she looked around, she even noticed rat traps hiding in the corners. She grimaced, almost gagging outright. What was Klaus even thinking!?

"I'm off to find a snack," Rebekah straightened her posture. "Looked like there were dozens of donors at that food court." She smirked at Caroline's sudden discomfort. "Relax. My brother's not a complete idiot," she taunted. "There are blood bags in a cooler in the trunk." She pulled open the door, gripping the tarnished knob as she stopped in the threshold with a wicked grin. "Don't wait up."

The door slammed behind her, and Caroline felt a tremor run through her. At the mention of blood her stomach rumbled and her eyes filmed over with veins. She took a few deep breaths, forcing her mind to ease. Weird. She usually had much better control over her hungry tendencies. The rapid life change must have had more than her emotions running wild. Deciding to at least keep that part of her at bay, she thrust open the door and made for the trunk of the Mustang.

Klaus drew back from the girl's wrist, feeling the withering of her pulse. Alexandra's final sigh of contentment was whispered against Kol's lips. He rolled over onto his back with a wide complacent smile, leaving the body in Klaus' lap as he stretched his body across the bed. Though Klaus, himself, had never been too keen on the idea, Kol found a perverted satisfaction in breathing in the last of his victim's life through a kiss. He always joked there was something very fairytale-esque about it. Most princes kissed their princesses back to life. Kol took a sadistic pleasure in kissing his princesses to death.

While Kol lay basking in the sated glory of his kill, Klaus slipped out from beneath the body and stepped outside for some fresh air. He wiped the remaining blood from his lips, not expecting to find Caroline sitting on the hood of his car. It should have infuriated him that she was sitting carelessly on one of his prized possessions, probably scuffing the frosty blue shine. But oddly he dismissed the fleeting anger, briefly amazed at his own leniency. Her back was to him, palms flat behind her as she leaned back against her arms. He stayed silent in the shadows as he approached, watching her small movements - the rise and fall of her chest, the cascading of her hair against her shoulder as her head tilted. She began to pull her denim jacket closer around her when something jerked her head up. She reached to pick her cell phone up from beside her thigh and slender fingers slid across the screen. Her shoulders fell and after a moment, she shook her head and picked up a blood bag with her free hand. Using the one hand to hold it, she ripped the bag open with her teeth and sipped on it, slowly. As if that tiny oral motion wasn't arousing enough, the smell of blood in the air filled his nostrils. He was drawn, just as strongly as he was drawn to her.

A door opened beside him and a rotund middle aged man in much need of a haircut and shave shoved by, but Klaus' eyes remained on Caroline sighing into the blood bag while staring at her phone. She never paid the man any mind while his eyes flagrantly undressed her as he passed. Klaus clenched his fists, fighting the urge to snap the man's neck. No man that greasy should be laying eyes on his treasure. So why wasn't he relishing the feeling of the broken collarbone in his hands at this very moment if that was exactly what he wanted? Why was he suddenly second guessing his actions? The only answer, that he worried about her approval, angered him and he couldn't begin to fathom as to why. All of the trivial thoughts began pushing a resounding amount of pressure against his temples.