WHAT ABOUT US

"Your girlfriend is wearing a cardigan to a black tie event."

"Don't call her that."

"What should I call her?"

"Cami is my… accessory," he smiled wolfishly.

"Misogynistic much," she scoffed.

"Misanthropic," he corrected.

She rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself.

"Your boyfriend is still suspicious of us; still listening in."

Klaus spun them around and she followed his gaze to where Stefan sat, looking solidly down at his plate.

"Can you blame him? You're not to be trusted."

He smirked and they shared a long look before she ducked, hiding her smile.

"I'm surprised he let you dance with me, then," he continued and she glared. "He should know he has nothing to worry about, though," he said, and she darted another look at Stefan who was definitely listening in, frowning. "I'm very happy with my accessory. She's good to me."

She could just barely repress the need to glare at him, grinding her teeth to stop herself. Stefan could look over at any moment.

Keeping her gaze trained over his shoulder as they continued to dance, she used her forefinger to tap him thrice.

Fifteen minutes.

He tapped twice, his counter: ten minutes.

She hid a smile as all the emotions swirling in her stomach settled down – the frustration, annoyance and jealousy taking a back seat to excitement.

"I should go dance with my date," he said as the song wound down.

She met his eyes for the quickest second then, making sure to keep her breathing even, stepped out of his arms to go back to Stefan.

Caroline tapped her foot impatiently.

Technically he still had another minute to show up. but she didn't want to have to wait any longer. The past nine minutes had already been a struggle.

To distract herself she brought up the memory of the first time Stefan had asked her if everything was ok. They hadn't had sex since they'd been here.

Flustered, she'd said that it was just awkward, in Klaus' house and all. Which was when he'd finally become open to the idea of a hotel, yet another topic she'd had to fend off.

When, really, there was one very specific reason sex with Stefan had become off the table.

For however long this goes on, he doesn't touch you.

Caroline swallowed as she looked around nervously. She was waiting for him outside the grand hall, where anyone could walk by.

And, of course, she felt guilty.

That memory brought with it the one of the earth-shattering sex they'd had right after that. She'd screamed and cursed and held on tight to him. His tumbler had crashed to the floor and the smell of scotch had pervaded the air as she orgasmed so hard she literally saw stars.

And he'd been right, she hadn't left the next day.

No, she'd stayed. Stayed through the dinner parties and more plays and rubbing shoulders, all on Stefan's arm while Klaus shot her lustful looks. And during every dinner party, every play, no matter what it was, they would sneak out and find a dark corner or room, whatever was closest.

It had come to the point where she'd stopped pretending Klaus was the only initiator. She wanted it just as much. And, worse, it had come to the point where his term had become moot.

She didn't want Stefan.

Not even when he caught her by surprise. He'd woken her in the middle of the night once, pressing into her from behind, and she'd been ashamed to find herself bone dry. Stefan, frustrated and hurt, had gone out for a walk. She'd gone to Klaus' room.

He'd had her dripping in seconds, coming in minutes.

She cracked her knuckles, ready to leave just to punish him for being late, when suddenly she felt someone behind her.

Instantly he pulled her in to him, wrapping his arms around her waist as he buried his face in her hair.

"You're late."

"One minute," he pointed out. "Cami had some story about a relative that just continued to drag on."

She smiled at the annoyance in his tone but pretended to be mad anyway.

"So you left me waiting, for her?"

He pushed closer in to her. "I'll make it up to you."

Her eyes shut, her breaths shallowing.

"Can you?" she managed to tease.

"It's been five weeks, love, I think you're more than aware what I'm capable of."

Her stomach turned over on itself at the words. She needed him inside her.

"We can't do this here," she breathed.

He hesitated then nodded before grabbing up her hand and pulling her along. He pushed open the door to the grand hall and dragged her inside.

Immediately she pulled him into a kiss and he moaned before speeding them up against a wall.

He pressed close to her and she whimpered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull him even closer.

He kissed her hard then put his lips to her jaw and down to her ear.

"Oh god, Klaus."

That whole getting him out of her system thing? Yeah, it hadn't worked. Like, at all.

Was she worried?

Only every second of every day.

"I'm glad you wore this dress."

She smiled as his hands roamed over her body, over the blood red silk that stuck to her body in all the right places.

He'd asked her to wear it for him and she had, knowing he'd be staring at her all night.

"I think you're gonna be gladder about what I didn't wear," she breathed out smugly.

He seemed surprised. Darting his hand into the high slit, he groaned when he slipped his hand onto her underwear-less hip.

"Fuck, Caroline."

"Regret making me wait?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm regretting letting you get dressed and go anywhere at all tonight." He moved his hand to cup her and she let out a large breath. "I wish I'd come to your room right after your shower and done this," he said, inserting a finger into her slick folds.

"Oh, oh my god," she whispered.

He caressed her then added another finger, continuing: "For so long that we both forgot we had anywhere to go," he finished before drawing his thumb over her clit in a steady rhythm that made her whimper wildly.

Her fingers dug into his scalp as she bit down on her lip. If she screamed in here everyone else in the house would definitely hear it.

Right then he kissed her and she accepted it gladly, tangling her tongue with his as his fingers sped up inside her. She started to fall away, on the edge of an orgasm, when Klaus stopped.

Her eyes popped open as he drew back.

"Did you hear that?"

She nodded, half delirious and half because she hadn't heard anything. Still, it was better to err on the side of caution.

"I think they're coming this way," he said.

Frantically, she looked around. There was the stage and she guessed the back of it but Klaus saw somewhere else and immediately whooshed them away.

He closed the balcony doors behind them and she noted the cold wind on her skin before joining him at peering in through the glass door.

There were a bunch of people entering the grand hall, seemingly looking around.

"What are they doing?" she growled, annoyed. She'd just been robbed of a freaking orgasm.

"I have no idea," he said with a rush of a breath, clearly similarly acutely irked. "But they're not being invited back."

"Perfect," she rolled her eyes, stepping away from the door and towards the ledge. "They're stealing our time."

So as not to attract attention, they'd decided never to disappear when they'd last been seen together and never to stay away longer than twenty minutes.

"They needn't," he said suggestively, coming up behind her.

She snorted. "Yeah, right. There aren't curtains on those doors, Klaus. I'm not exactly gonna give complete strangers a show. May as well have stayed inside, then."

"Well," he began, going to stand beside her, "it's better than giving people you know a show."

He was smiling slyly when she looked at him and she only rolled her eyes before moving her glance back to the view, feeling the sharp air hit her face and blow her hair around. If she were human she would be shivering right now but instead the rough wind seemed to be knocking sense into her.

"What are we doing, Klaus?"

He thought about it for a minute.

"Whatever we want."

She scoffed. "That sounds awful."

"Perhaps. And, yet…"

She drew in long deep breaths, trying to refresh her thoughts with the icy air.

"Which means we're awful."

He shrugged. "I don't mind."

"What about them?" she accused, meeting his eyes again. "Don't you care about them?"

"What about us?" he countered, his jaw set.

She stepped back in surprise.

"What about us? There is no us."

His eyes burned dangerously. "It's funny, it certainly seems as if there is at least twice every day."

She glared, not knowing what to say.

He was right, of course. She just couldn't admit it.

The feelings they'd shared last night had said more than enough.

So she scoffed instead, going on the offense.

"God, I can't believe I'm the one trying to keep things casual right now."

"And I can't believe I'm the one who has to do the explaining of feelings."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that this whole time you've conveniently been ignoring that you don't even remotely want to be with Stefan anymore – if you ever did."

"That's not true!"

"How many times has he suggested you two leave New Orleans?"

"Klaus – "

"HOW MANY TIMES?"

She stared back at him defiantly but he didn't let up and she looked away, letting out a shaky breath.

"Too many."

She felt him move closer but didn't look up.

"And what is it you say to him when he does?"

"I say I love it here," she replied softly, ashamed.

"And is that the truth? Do you love it?" he pressed. "Or love me?"

Her head jerked up.

"Oh my god, you're such an obnoxious asshole!" she scoffed. "And by the way, last time I checked, I'm not the only one in a relationship."

"When last did you check?"

Her mouth shut audibly and she stared at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I wasn't being facetious earlier. If there ever was anything between me and Cami, there isn't anymore."

She shook her head, trying to refute this knowledge, and began stepping away but Klaus grabbed her back, holding her right up against him. Tenderly, he moved some hair out of her face.

"The copy seems even more watered down when compared to the real thing."

He held her eyes and she was about to protest when he kissed her.

She found herself kissing him back, wrapping her arms around him to draw him closer.

Then she forced herself to pull back.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Suddenly so many things made sense. His confusion when she asked if he was alone in his room. His annoyance at showing her vulnerability last night.

Klaus sized her up for a long moment before sighing and replying reluctantly.

"I was scared," he admitted.

She frowned, bewildered. "Of what?"

"That your jealousy was what fuelled this. Or that it might force you to make a decision I knew you weren't ready for."

Knowing immediately what he meant, she pulled away from him, turning to look out at the view again.

She didn't know what to do with all the thoughts churning around inside her mind right now. It was better to shift her focus.

From here there was an impressive view of the Quarter. Down below people, humans, and vampires alike were flowing in and out of various bars and parties.

"Look at them," he said, coming to stand beside her again. "They don't have what we do. Nobody does. They'd perish for just a drop of it. Don't throw it away, Caroline."

She wanted to protest in some way but instead she felt her eyes dropping closed as he put a warm finger to her upper thigh, dragging it higher as he moved in close so his mouth was up against her ear.

His finger skipped up onto her arm, leaving a trail of fire behind as he moved higher up to her neck.

"Don't go back to him."

Her eyes snapped open.

"You can't ask me that."

"No, I can," he countered. "I just haven't. But I am, now."

"I thought you said you didn't want to force me to make a decision?" she said bitterly.

"When you weren't ready," he emphasised, his hot breath swirling in her ear in a way that made her entire body tighten. "But if you aren't ready by now then you'll never be."

His hand skipped back down to her leg, past her dress' slit, then walked itself to the inside of her thigh.

"Fortunately, it's very simple: me, or Stefan."

Her eyes shut again as his finger casually caressed her slick slit.

"That's not simple at all," she breathed.

He smirked into her ear, moving to stand behind her.

"It certainly feels that way."

She'd never told him about her total lack of desire for Stefan. But god, somehow he still knew, she was sure of it.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Her breath dropped at the sound of his zipper being undone.

"Because I need you to be mine," he said simply, before laying a deceptively innocent kiss on her shoulder.

Instinctively her hands shot out to the railing right as he rammed into her from behind, and she couldn't contain the scream as her back arched.

"Sweetheart, I love it when you scream for me," he whispered into her ear.

She cursed before turning her head and crashing her lips to his.

They kissed as hard and rough as he was inside her and she whimpered against his lips as she clasped the curls in the nape of his neck.

"Oh, Klaus," she moaned. "Klaus, please, more."

He pulled out then pushed back in and her head dropped back onto his shoulder.

Cavalierly he roped his arm around her chest and moved right past the flimsy material of the dress to cup her breast.

She loved the way he touched her as if she was already all his.

"Sweetheart, you're so perfect," he moaned.

He twisted and pinched her nipple, taking delight in her little moans and how tight and wet she was around him. With his free hand he tugged at her clit, smirking at her whimpers, knowing how close she was.

"Don't go back to him," he repeated, quickening his thrusts.

God, she was so close she could practically taste it.

"Choose me, love," he whispered intently.

Her eyes fluttered open, maybe in response to her orgasm beginning to crash over her, and to her surprise she saw several pairs of eyes down below on her.

And, maybe it was the orgasm, but she found that she didn't care.

She didn't feel shy, guilty, or ashamed. She felt powerful.

Klaus was right. They had something she couldn't describe or even really understand. What she felt for him overcame even her deepest morals and everything she'd ever known. She wasn't going to throw it away. What was hindering her wasn't Klaus. What was hindering her was lying to all three of them about what she wanted. And that was Klaus.

So instead of freezing up or saying anything, she shot one last glance at the crowd then closed her eyes.

They were alone, as always. Dozens of people staring at them but they were alone.

Blissfully she rode out her orgasm before taking a breath and shifting. Klaus allowed her and she turned around, meeting his eyes.

"Yes." Carefully she lifted herself until she was sitting atop the railing. "Klaus, I want you."

His eyes burned and she could see disbelief in the set of his jaw but she pulled him closer and kissed him deeply, wrapping him up in her body before taking him inside her again.

He moaned into the kiss and she tightened her grip around his waist as he sped his thrusts. Her walls clasped him tightly and Klaus cursed against her lips as she milked him.

With a sly little smile she leaned in to his ear.

"You're mine," she whispered hotly.

He nodded and she grinned before taking his earlobe into her mouth and nibbling on it.

Almost immediately he hit his climax, exploding inside her with a breathy moan before pulling out and continuing to spill all over her thighs.

She moaned in haphazard surprise, liking the way it felt, before she bravely took him in her hand, needing to feel him.

He met her eyes, seeming slightly bewildered, and she smiled lazily.

"You didn't need to mark me, you know. I already said I chose you."

He grinned. "Just in case you considered changing your mind."

She laughed before leaning forward to kiss him and their lips met tenderly as he snaked his arms around her to keep her secure on the ledge.

Pulling away from the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Still. I can't exactly go tell Stefan covered in your come."

"I would like to see his face, actually," he teased and she glared before they both laughed.

Contentedly she settled her face in his neck, drawing lazy patterns on his back as she breathed him in.

"God, I love the way you feel inside me," she thought aloud. "I love the way you hold me and the things you say to me – I love everything about sex with you."

He dragged a hand through her hair.

"I love you."

Shocked, she drew back, but her heart melted as soon as she met his eyes.

And, damn, she knew why.

She loved him too.

She tried to duck and hide it, but it was too late, he'd seen it in her eyes and grinned.

Almost immediately it turned sly, though.

"You know, seeing as you can't go to Stefan like this, I suggest we go and find you a shower…"

She shook her head but was unable to hide a smile.

"Fine. Maybe we could even record it and release the footage to the Quarter – you know, just in case there was something anyone didn't see just now."

He laughed all the way to the bathroom.