"That was something." Caroline shook her head as she laughed while they walked to their hotel room.

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her. "You seem quite cheerful, love. But you weren't enjoying yourself as much there." He reminded as he opened the door and let her in.

Caroline spoke as she kept laughing softly. "At first, I thought it was going to be all throat ripping and shoving people to the walls but," she took a deep breath, "it was highly entertaining watching you courteously threaten them into becoming your loyal army."

"They just needed a bit of persuasion to realize their higher calling."

Caroline started to laugh even more.

Klaus watched her in amazement. "You are drunk."

"No," Caroline shook her head. "I'm not." She sat on the nearest bed and ran her hand through her hair.

"I'm just not going to spend my time arguing anymore. I decided to take the zen approach."

"The zen approach." Klaus repeated.

"I mean... what's the use right?" She smiled as she got comfortable and started to pull at her boots.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. "If you say so."

He had more important things to think about right now. Altough he was stunned when Caroline hadn't even argued about staying in the same room. And now she just laid down on the bed and ignored him as if this was casual for them. He remembered how they fed together just a few hours ago. She hated him then. But now she looked like she was either in denial or she was playing him.

He tried to think about his new pact and how his plan was working but instead his thoughts drifted to her. He found himself distracted by the image of her just sprawled on the bed, her hair spread out in soft curls around her face.

"I'll be out for a while." He said finally.

"You're leaving?" Caroline sat up, looking at him with surprise.

"If that's okay?" Klaus asked, wanting to sound sarcastic but it came out sincere.

Caroline stared at him for a few seconds before she nodded. "Yeah, why not."

She won't run away, he told himself. She already knew how it would cost her to do anything that would displease him.

As Caroline sat in the hotel room her head spinned. Yeah, so she was a bit tipsy. She laughed at how everything seemed different to her now that she wanted to view them so.

Funny, this was funny.

She hated him. She was stuck with him. Even when he walked out. And it didn't worry her.

Maybe that was the worst part.

She feared this thing that was happening between them, it was like they were slowly building a bond that felt... too much like dependence, it felt safe.

It was a haunting feeling, empowering even.

She shook her head. She would try to run away a few hours ago but now, after she cautiously watched him speak to the wolves and try so desperately to build a connection with them -although with Klaus, it had seemed like he was confident of the outcome- she felt like with him, resisting only meant delaying what was certain.

By now she knew that the more she struggled and fought, the more she tried to get away the closer she'd end up.

She replayed everything that happened in the bar. How Klaus made sure she stayed put as he glanced at her thoughout his "conversation" with the three wolves. The men were bigger than him, but their fear was almost concrete. She could smell their blood running hot in their veins. Something about the way Klaus had their full attention as he looked into her eyes was making her feel warmer. She heard his voice in the crowd, it was demanding, scary, powerful.

It was also vulnerable.

She hated the thought of that for some reason. She didn't like feeling sympathy for him.

But what did it matter? Even if she liked him, would it change anything? As long as he wanted her close, he'd have her. All it would change was that it would make getting though it easier. And soon enough he'd get bored. He'd have to get bored.

Normally, her reaction to the "We'll stay in the same room," would be a snarky "O rly?" but she'd just nodded at him as if it was no big deal.

Then she'd felt Klaus stare at her for five more seconds but she had no desire to argue. He wouldn't force himself on her, she knew that. So it couldn't be harder than spending all their time together in a car for a week.

At least she'd sleep on a bed tonight.

Klaus stood in the hall, his eyes following the people walking around.

He was irritated by her indifference. During the whole time he spent talking to the pack leader he'd watched her expression, she looked on pins and needles, as if she expected him to kill them right there. What did she think he was, an animal?

Well...

He shook his head, remembering the reason why he'd left the room.

Not this again, he told himself. I will make a whole pack of hybrids tomorrow. I should be celebrating that.

He took a turn to the bar but stopped himself and walked back to the room.

Caroline took her blouse off, she had blood on it which seemed to colour her white bra pink as well. She sighed as she started to take it off but she was started with the door opening and Klaus looking at her like a deer in the headlights.

"Don't let me stop you," he finally said.

"Ha ha," Caroline covered herself with her clean shirt. "Do you mind?"

Klaus smiled.

"I'm serious." Caroline said through her teeth.

Klaus rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Okay now?" he said with a sarcastic voice.

"Yes, thank you." Caroline slowly changed her bra and put on the shirt.

"I'm a gentleman after all." Klaus muttered and she looked up to see him watching her.

"You're a pig." Caroline wanted to throw something at him.

"Hurtful," he shook his head as he sat down on the chair next to the window.

"I'll have to get another room if you do that again," Caroline warned.

Klaus pursed his lips.

"Fair enough," he said. "Although, I am curious about why you didn't fight with me on that one."

"I didn't see the point." Caroline smiled like she wanted to murder him.

Klaus chuckled.

"At least you're learning," he smiled back.

Caroline let herself fall back on the bed, she didn't want to see his face.

Klaus walked up to her.

"Why can't you just leave me alone for a moment?" Caroline muttered.

Klaus stopped by the bed. He slowly sat down next to her.

Caroline held her breath, it wouldn't kill her but it sure as hell made her dizzy for some reason.

"Isn't it a bit early to sleep?" asked Klaus.

"Not for me. Had a long week." Caroline answered.

Klaus caressed her hair, gently putting it behind her ear, he leaned down and whispered. "Do you want to have some fun?"

Caroline turned to glare at him. "No, thanks."

Klaus slowly ran his fingers on her arm, playfully touching her as if he was leaving kisses with his fingertips.

"Stop that," Caroline sat up.

Their faces, in Caroline's opinion at least, were unnecessarily close now.

Klaus watched her lips as she tried not to shiver.

"We could go dancing," he said with a playful smile. His eyes had that glimmering look again.

Caroline swallowed, hoping he wouldn't notice. But of course, this was Klaus.

He took that as an encouragement, not that he needed any. And he brought the back of his hand to her throat, his touch was cold, like silk on her skin. She gasped. His eyes grew darker.

"No!" Caroline said looking into his eyes. "I don't want that. Stop it."

Klaus' expression grew solemn. Suddenly his face looked cruel, too cruel for her to understand his next move. He abruptly got up from the bed and stood a few feet away from her, she didn't see his face. Then he turned to her and she couldn't make sense of the way he looked at her.

"Then I'll have to find someone else," he said. "And you'll help me."

Caroline felt anger and resentment at his words. She wouldn't let him play with her so he'd find another victim, someone who'd pay for her resistence with their life. She wanted tell him how pathetic that was but she knew the price would be even graver in that case.

She nodded decidedly, "Of course," she said, challenging him by not showing fear or disgust. "You're the boss."

There was a knot that formed in her throat after those words.

One that surprisingly gave her more courage than the moment before.

The one thing she'd learned from Klaus was that pushing back didn't always mean fighting. Not when it wasn't the smart thing to do.

When Klaus saw the restrained fire in her eyes he ignored the disappointment of not being able to touch it. He ignored how he hated to see her hatred so visible, so alive. He ignored how much he wanted her to just...

He finally nodded. "Come on then. We have a night of fun waiting for us."

And he was going to enjoy it immensely.