Two Lost Souls

Talk To Me

Did to you.

Damon Salvatore.

Tell me about.

The words are swirling around in her mind, an endless loop that barely makes sense.

Once she's recovered from the initial shock, she jerks away from him and jumps to her feet, needing to put some distance between them.

He doesn't look surprised, just watches her as she paces back and forth, trying to calm her racing heart and to ignore his eyes following her every move.

Is there anyone else in the world who can leave her speechless as easily as he can? How does he do that – making her think that this time, she's absolutely sure there's nothing she would like to hide from him, only to pull the rug from under her and ask her yet another question that might endanger someone she doesn't want to endanger?

She doesn't want to hide anything from him, but it doesn't mean she wants to have this conversation either. Not only because of what he might – make that will – do to Damon, but also because of the memories talking about it will bring to the surface.

Swallowing hard to try and control her dread, she tries for a casual shrug, still avoiding his stare.

"Damon's done a lot of things to a lot of people."

"Caroline."

The way he says her name, firm and disapproving, is enough to let her know that he won't be that easily fooled and she sighs in resignation. She suspects he already knows most of it. The mere fact that he asked this question and the way he phrased it are proof enough of that.

So, instead of denying it or trying to change the subject or begging him to leave this conversation for later, she asks, her voice low and almost shy, "How did you know?"

He doesn't answer with words, choosing to stand up and join her near the fireplace instead. Their bodies are so close together that she can feel the heat radiating off of him, which makes her look at him in a mixture of curiosity and a quickly rising desire that will scorch her more surely than the flames behind her. His right hand touches her hip softly and slides underneath her sweater, finding bare skin just above the waistband of her pants. She tenses, her breath catching in her throat as the gesture brings back memories and fantasies of his skin against hers and his skilled fingers driving her mad with pleasure. He smirks at her as if reading her mind before letting his hand travel to the small of her back. There, the tips of his index and middle fingers settle on two very specific spots a few inches apart and exert a light pressure. The smirk falls from his lips as Caroline freezes, blinking up at him in something akin to panic.

"I... I didn't know it was still..."

She trails off and Klaus' eyes darken in anger at seeing the unshed tears in her eyes and her inability to form a full sentence, but his voice is soothing when he speaks.

"It's barely visible. I only noticed it because I was paying very close attention the other night. I suspect there were more that have faded with time. This one will too, don't worry."

"Yeah, there..." The lump in her throat makes it hard to talk, but she manages to rein in her emotions enough to get it out. "There were a few others," she confirms, her hand instinctively finding the side of her neck, as if trying to erase a phantom pain. "Most of them disappeared shortly after I turned, but the... the deepest ones took a bit longer. I didn't think there were any left."

He gives her an encouraging nod, waiting for her to elaborate. When she doesn't, he brushes his lips against hers in a whisper of a caress.

"Talk to me, love."