Work Text:
October 7, 2019
“A cold case involving a series of dead women from the 1960s in the Richmond, Virginia area has finally been solved.” Katherine reported with an intrigued tone, her soft brown eyes sparkling with the news. Her fingers tapped against the desk, itching to know more about the breaking story that was spreading across the United States. “A series of letters between the late Dr. Niklaus Mikaleson and his wife, Caroline Mikaelson, were turned over Friday morning, detailing decades worth of murders that had been committed in the most brutal and heinous ways.”
Katerine remembered the moment the story had been handed to her. The news broke and Katherine could sense the rippling shock that would spread across the country. Not simply because of the mystery of who buried those women in the Appalachian Mountains just outside of Richmond, but just the sheer number of murders Dr. Niklaus and his wife committed.
It was prolific.
“Stay tuned as the story continues to develop.” Katherine watched as the blinking light on the camera died as they went to commercial and she let out a breath. She could hear her phone vibrate under the desk, notifications flashing with the report. Speculations would run rampant but she knew that the story would go through her first. She had not become an anchor of a major news network by being idle. No. The story was hers. “Did you get a response? Do we have an interview?”
“We did.” Logan, her producer, grinned and Katherine felt her heart leap. If they were able to get her to agree, this would be the story of a lifetime. An opportunity that Katherine would take her from an anchor to becoming the next Barbra Walters. The name Katherine Pierce would go down as one of the best journalists of all time. “The granddaughter is going to give you an interview. Two hours. Full access.”
Katherine was not even ashamed of the sound she made as she cheered.
*
My dearest Caroline,
It has been three weeks since you left me. I can still feel your lips on my skin and the sound of your laughter hanging through the night. I miss your touch, your smile and the weight of your head on my chest as you sleep. I almost regret letting you leave but there was something in the spark of your eye that I could not squash. A life, your life, so precious that it must be preserved and cultivated. Yet now I find that I cannot seem to shake you. You haunt my dreams, my every waking thought and I find my desire has shifted.
No longer do I want those girls who were false idols. No longer do I find the need to reach out and crush and destroy those around me. All I want is your touch, your smile and your devotion. I want every ounce of your loyalty and in return, I’ll give you all that I am, both the man I pretend to be and the monster whose soul you’ve touched.
I know you had to leave but we will be together soon. I saw the almost mournful look you gave me as you walked out the door. You did not want to leave no more than I wanted you to. But fear not, my love, we will be together again. It is a solemn vow I give to you.
While this may be the first letter I write to you, I know it will not be the last.
Until we meet again,
Klaus
*
August 3, 1962
She was angry the first time he saw her. Her skin flushed in the summer sun with her arms crossed across her chest. She was shaking her head, her blonde hair flowing lightly in the breeze. Her headband kept the stray hairs from falling into her eyes and even from a distance, he could see just how blue those eyes were. The fury that danced across her features and how her fingers dug into her arm as she tried not to reach out and smack the object of her anger delighted him.
She was beyond perfect.
“Caroline please. ” The boy cried, Lockwood Klaus believed his name to be. An infuriating competitor at the hospital. A boy who believed the world owed him something because he had a rich family name. Klaus loathed men like him, men who never worked for anything, never got their hands dirty or were forced to claw their way out from the pits of poverty. A man like that surely did not deserve a woman like her. “Just talk to me!”
“Talk to you? Why would I do that? The last time I attempted to talk to you, I found you between the legs of some slut. So forgive me if I am not in the talking mood.” Caroline snapped, turning around so quickly that Klaus felt the loss of her presence immediately. Lockwood moved to grab her, sending a fury to build inside Klaus but it shifted to surprise quickly enough. Caroline whipped back around, pulling her arm from his grasp and slapped him hard across the face. “Don’t touch me.”
It was that moment that Klaus knew he had to have her.
Klaus had forty-eight hours until he was due back at the hospital, a short break before he had to push forward with his residency. It would be enough time to quench his thirst and at least now he did not need to hunt; stalk yes, but not hunt. It had been nearly a year since the last one, not his longest gap nor his shortest. Klaus could feel the itch under his skin, the desire pulsing through him. This Caroline looked like all the rest and would be perfect to fulfill it.
*
October 25, 2019
Katherine was almost jealous at how tall the granddaughter was, the long legs and blonde hair was something to be envious of. It was a cruel fate that someone so beautiful would be cursed with such a story as this. The world had all eyes on her, some pitting her for her unfortunate relations while others called her the spawn of monsters. Katherine could not blame her for hiding as she had been nor the rest of her family. Reporters were camped outside her apartment while the rest of her family hid away.
“Elizabeth?” Katherine called, reaching out her hand into order to grip hers. She was impressed with the strength of her gripp. Apparently, despite the chaos that surrounded her, Elizabeth seemed to be a formidable woman. She would have to be, Katherine guessed, to survive the storm she was weathering. “I’m Katherine. I wanted to thank you for coming today. I know it must not be easy.”
“No. It's not but I don’t want to hide behind rumors and speculations.” Elizabeth replied and Katherine could not help but admire the steel that was in her voice. Her blue eyes appeared dark and tormented, but she supposed that it was only normal; a shock ripping through her as she discovered her family lineage. “And I admire your work. I figure if I’m going to tell their story then I want to tell it to someone who will do it right.”
Elizabeth gave a bitter laugh at that.
“What is it?”
“Just, that is something my grandmother would have said. If you want something done, you must do it yourself.” The upturn of Elizabeth’s lips were cold and unamused. Katherine wondered what life lessons this woman must have learned as a child. What could such monsters instill in a child that looking back, would make everything seem so wicked. “I suppose it means something entirely different now.”
“I suppose it does.” Katherine agreed, turning slightly and waved to the chairs that were set in the middle of the room. Cameras surrounded them, waiting to film the story that has captured the nation; a story that Katherine would be the first to hear. She would be lying if it was not just the prospect of her prospering career that entranced her, she was just as curious as the masses. Katherine wanted to know the truth behind the letters. “Shall we get started?”
*
My darling Klaus,
My heart swelled at your letter. Finding it in my parents' mailbox put butterflies in my stomach. For I must admit that I feared you had forgotten me. Moved on to the next girl, one who could fulfill your needs in the way I could not. But to hear that I haunt you, that you still desire me sets my heart aflame.
I miss you.
I miss how you felt inside me. How you looked at me as you moved above me, kissed me and loved me. The look in your eyes as you peered directly into my soul with emotion I could not place. It was something I have never felt before. When I look at you, I finally feel as though I have met someone who understands me. Someone who I can connect with. You and I are the same, we have a connection that I cannot break.
I’ll admit, when I read your letter there was a happiness in me that I could not express. My mother noticed, for once. Commented on it and I found that I could not lie. I told her I met someone while I was away in Richmond. She was pleased to hear that you’re a medical student, even though scolding me for ditching Elena. Apparently my friend was worried when I disappeared.
She shouldn’t have been.
For you would never hurt me.
I cannot wait to see you again,
Caroline.
*
August 4, 1962
“Are you going to kill me?” Those were Caroline’s first words she had spoken to him as the chloroform wore off. She was drowsy and her eyes heavy as she blinked herself awake. Her hair was spread across the pillow, her body heavy as she laid across the cot in his basement. Klaus turned from the table, the scalpel gently placed in the tray after a good cleaning and peered at her.
“Do you really think that low of me?” She did not answer him. At first Klaus thought it was her body being pulled back to sleep by the drug that was still in her system but was surprised when she shook her head. Caroline groaned lowly, slowly moving to sit on the cot. She swayed lightly but gained her bearing soon enough. “Sweetheart? Are you alright?”
“I’m dying. Or at least, I will be.” There was no fear in her voice and that surprised Klaus. He was used to begging; pleading for mercy that he knew he was not capable of. They all wanted to live but Caroline seemed to be fearless. Almost as though she accepted death. She raised her head and narrowed her eyes, peering at him with more curiosity than anything else. “Will you enjoy it? Killing me?”
“Yes. I will. Very much.”
“I thought so.” Caroline raised her hand to run her fingers through her hair. “Because I did.” Klaus froze, the shock weaving through him. He stood straighter, and his eyes narrowed. He took a few steps forward, one foot after the other until he was standing before her. She need not speak at first, her blue eyes staring back at him with a fierceness he had yet to see in another living soul. “I planned it out. For months I plotted. Waited for the right moment and then when he was alone, I took my time with him. Oh he screamed. It was like music.”
“What was his name?” Klaus could not help the intrigue that overcame him. The desire to know more about the confession Caroline was allowing to pass through her lips. He could not lie and say that her blue eyes and bright smile didn’t draw him in, for they always did when he met a new girl but something in her smile shifted and a darkness consumed her blue eyes. For a moment, Klaus thought it was his own reflection looking back at him. “Who was he?”
“His name was Damon Salvatore.”
“Why did you kill him?”
“Why do you want to kill me?” Caroline asked back, as she raised a challenging eyebrow at him. Klaus waited for the fury to hit, for the anger he found often consumed him to take him by storm. But it didn’t. Instead all there was more curiosity and desire to unpack what was behind those blue eyes. Instead of taunts and jeers that he was accustomed to tossing at his victims, he found he wanted to make a confession of his own.
“Because you reminded me of my mother.” That was the crux of it really, why he did what he did. It boiled down to his mother, the one who stood aside as Mikael beat him. The woman who sold her eldest daughter to men repeatedly to pay her husband’s debts. The same hands that killed her youngest son in a fit of her own rage. But Caroline’s sweet and gentle words mixed with the horrors she could inflict drove him to continuously end the lives of women who resemble her; but the more he looked at her, the less of his mother he saw. “And what of Damon? Why did you kill him?”
“Because he raped me.”
*
October 25, 2019
“We will take this as slow as you need. We’ll start with your name and go from there.” Katherine told her, putting on a soothing voice that those who knew her, could easily state just how false it was to their ears. She sat down on one of the chairs while Elizabeth took the one across from her. Katherine could sense that she was nervous, so she put on a calm smile and tilted her head. “If you need to stop at any moment, just let me know and we can take a break.”
“Alright. I just..” She paused and looked around the room, her eyes, the same eyes that Katherine knew her grandmother had, before turning to peer back at Katherine. “I’m not sure how to do this so I guess you will just have to lead me? Is this a question and answer type thing or-”
“Well, my producer sent you a list of questions that I will be asking. We will use that as a script of sorts but you tell me whatever it is you’re comfortable with. The story is yours to tell. If you need to get off track and tell me about the dog they used to have or what they would have during Sunday dinners.” The last part made Elizabeth laugh as though she had hit upon something that Katherine did not understand. “What?”
“Nothing. It is just that my grandmother loved Sunday dinners. Every week we would gather round her table and just enjoy being with family.” Elizabeth looked down at her hands again, almost as though she wished they could do some form of magic that would make everything normal again. Katherine reached across them to hold her hand, giving it a tight squeeze.
“Hey, it's okay to think of them as you remember them. You will have memories that no one can touch. While they may be tainted now and you won't ever be able to think of them the same, they were still your grandparents and you love them.” Without saying a word, Elizabeth nodded. “Do you want to get started?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Katherine leaned back and nodded towards the camera man, signaling him to record. When she saw the little green light turn on, letting her know that they were being recorded, she looked at Elizabeth and tried to keep the excitement she felt at bay. Elizabeth turned to look at the camera, a shy expression coming over her features. “Say your name for the camera.”
“My name is Elizabeth Mikaelson. I’m the granddaughter of Niklaus and Caroline Mikaelson.”
*
My dearest Caroline,
I cannot be dishonest and state that seeing your hair disheveled and dirt under your fingernails did not strike a chord with me. I felt more desire in that moment, watching the dirt be tossed back into the earth, covering his lifeless body than I had in a long time. For the first time since I can remember, I felt passion, desire and bliss in something other than the kill.
Watching you take his life was far more euphoric than any pleasure my girls had given me. If I had not been so sure that I wanted you before, that moment would have made it crystal clear. I look into your eyes and I see the same horrors in you that I see in my own reflection. I would be a fool to toss such bliss away.
I cannot wait to see you again. The distance between Richmond and Mystic Falls is not long but we each have our responsibilities. Mine focusing on my residency while you finish up guiding those young girls into becoming the next Miss Mystic. I will have to travel to see it and I promise to be on my best behavior. It would not be due for your parents to get a bad impression of me after all.
With burning desire,
Klaus.
*
August 6th, 1962
He thought she would have left. He gave her the chance. He found that he could not kill her, that the idea of taking the life of something so precious seemed so horrible. He bedded her instead. She came willingly and eagerly, feeling his touch as he craved hers. Then as he left for the hospital, a sleeping beauty in his bed, he thought he would never see her again. He left the door open and free but when he returned home twelve hours later, he found her in his shirt, on his phone with the cord wrapped around her fingers.
“I’m fine Elena. Really. I’m sorry for running off but he is just perfect.”
That really was the beginning of their love story.
When Klaus stepped into his kitchen and saw Caroline sitting there as though she had made herself at home, he could not help himself; he had to have her again. She couldn’t keep her hands off him. He placed her on the table, spread her legs and drove himself home; basking in the ecstasy of being inside her and the feeling of her teeth on his neck as she bit down on him. Klaus could not get enough of her. When they had finished, sated and recovered from their pleasure, Klaus placed the gentalist of kisses on Caroline’s forehead, almost as though he was incapable of cruelty at all.
“You had messed up my plans you know. Kidnapping me.” Caroline whispered, her arms wrapped around his shoulders as he planted small kisses up and down her neck. He grinned into her skin and chuckled. “So I had to replan and your absence gave me plenty of time to do so.” She pulled away from him and slid off the table, Klaus’s shirt falling down around her legs; her panties tossed across the kitchen floor. “Come with me.”
Klaus reached down and pulled up his pants, not caring that neither cleaned themselves or that they would have to both shower later. He just took her hand and followed her as she led him towards his basement. He had to admit that it was the first time he had been led to his own den of hell, for it was him that typically carried some unconscious women down them down the creaking stairs.
He followed her into the darkness, never dropping her hand. Even in the dim lighting he could see her bright smile and merriment echoing against the stone walls. Klaus had to admit that he enjoyed seeing her happy. Her bright eyes kept him occupied and it took a moment to realize that they were not alone. There was a small shuffle and a terrified moan. Klaus looked across the dirt flooring and found a man tied to the space heater, blood dripping down the side of his face.
“I told you I had plans.”
Klaus had to admit that he had never seen Lockwood appear so terrified.
*
October 25, 2019
“We were never allowed in the basement.” Elizabeth spoke in a soft tone as her eyes shifted around the room. Katherine could feel the nervousness rolling off her in waves, almost as though she was second guessing the decision to grant her an interview. “One time my cousin Jacob and I were playing at our grandparents and he wanted to sneak into the basement. Grandpa caught it and it was the first time I ever really saw him angry. He told us never to go down there.” Chills went down Katherine’s spine at the thought of what might have been down in that basement. “Looking back I think that is the first time I knew something was wrong.”
“And your grandmother? What did she do?”
“Cleaned. Afterwards she was cleaning the kitchen as though she was covering up a crime scene. Maybe she was.” Elizabeth shrugged, pausing before continuing. “She was kind. She smiled brightly at us and held out her hand and told me that everything would be okay and that Grandpa would forgive me.”
“Did he?” Katherine asked, listening to the scratching of her pen against her notebook as she wrote down the thoughts that would be helpful in editing later. Elizabeth shifted, unsure how to answer and while Katherine wanted to press for more, to gather the entire story immediately, she waited. A thousand more questions ran through her mind as she watched Elizabeth sort through her memories.
“Yes. Rather quickly actually. He took me for ice cream and kissed me on my forehead and apologized for losing his temper but made me promise never to go into the basement again. I didn’t question it but I promised.”
“Did you keep that promise.”
“I’m never one to break a promise.”
*
My darling Klaus,
My mother adores you. She could not stop talking about you after dinner the other night. The flowers you brought her still rest in the vase on the kitchen table. She was charmed by your manners towards me and claimed that she had never seen such affection. I am beginning to think that she likes you far more than me. If it was anyone else, I might be offended.
You even charmed my father, although I believe that has more to do with the fact that you’re in medical school than anything else. Doctors are good providers apparently. I told him that it was not your chosen profession that drew me to you but he just smiled and waved his hand. If I told him why I liked you, everything from your nighttime activities to the ones we shared in your bed, I find that he most likely would change his mind.
He never did like Tyler for far pettier reasons.
Speaking of, Mrs. Lockwood was over today. She is worried that she has not heard from Tyler in weeks. She asked if I had spoken to him and I was honest, I had not. I made it clear that I was seeing someone new. My mother told her that you actually were doing your residency at the same hospital and that sent her into a fury of questions. I told her several times that you did not know him but would ask anyway.
What should I tell her? The truth?
Should I tell her that you dug his grave while I slit his throat and mutilated him?
My my, what would my mother say then?
Until I can kiss you again,
Caroline
*
October 1st, 1962
It was still warm despite the fact that autumn was upon them. Klaus leaned against the uncomfortable chair in the middle of the Lockwood Manor. A sea of black surrounded them as a picture of Tyler hung up on the wall. Caroline leaned into his side, gripping his hand and a set of fresh tears streaming down her face; tears he knew to be nothing more than an act. It amazed him how all these people, including her parents, never saw through the Miss Mystic Falls' smile to see the beautiful monster that lay beneath her skin.
What did not surprise him, was that they never officially found his body.
A fresh set of bloody scrubs but never his body, a small seed planted by Caroline to cover their tracks and point the police in a different direction. A brilliant move that made him proud to be claimed by her. Yet, there was a part of him that did not like seeing her cry over another man; no matter how fake the tears were.
“Caroline!” Both Klaus and Caroline turned, peering at a woman in her fifties approaching them. She was dressed in all black, as they all were but there was more grieving distress to her than the rest. Given the agonizing cry she gave during the burial, Klaus could only assume that she was the mother.
“Mrs. Lockwood. How are you?” Caroline asked in a gentle tone, one that would have fooled anyone into thinking that she genuinely cared about Tyler’s loss. She reached out and gripped her hand tightly. Klaus wanted the interaction with curiosity. He was a man who surrounded himself in death but never one considered the grief that surely followed the final breath.
“I’m alright. I suppose.” She stated in a muffled tone, tears consuming her voice as she spoke. “I wanted to say thank you for everything you’ve done. You’ve gone out of your way to help despite how things ended with you and Tyler.”
“Of course! I’m always here to help.” Caroline squeezed her hand tightly, a wave of sympathy spreading through her words. There was very little about their interaction that seemed genuine to him, perhaps to those around them but not to him, to him, he knew what went on behind those beautiful blue eyes.
“I know.” Mrs. Lockwood gave a small nod, as her eyes flickered towards Klaus. There was a hint of displeasure in the lines of her face, almost as though she was insulted by his presence. To him, it made Tyler’s death that much sweeter. “And this must be the new boyfriend I’ve heard so much about.”
“Yes.” Caroline replied, her tone perking up at the thought. She looked over her shoulder and flashed Klaus with a wide smile, one that did not hold a hint of falseness as all the other ones had. “This is my Klaus.”
*
October 25, 2019
“Did your grandmother ever mention any other relationship outside of her husband? Maybe Tyler Lockwood?” Katherine asked, peering down at her notes. The cold case of the man who was nothing more than a missing person was finally closed, added to a long list of names of victims that Klaus and Caroline claimed before and after their marriage.
“Not really. I mean, there was one time that I found a photo of him and I asked about it but she didn’t really say much about him.” Elizabeth said, her brow creasing in confusion. “She had been very young and she didn’t smile as wide as she did in the photos with Granddad. When I asked her who he was, she just said an old boyfriend but that they had broken up before she and my grandfather met.”
“You never thought to inquire more? Or look into him?”
“Why would I?” Elizabeth asked, giving a small shrug. “My grandparents were happy. It was strange to think that my grandmother had been in a relationship that was not with my grandfather but I didn’t really think about it more than that.”
“She never gave a wistful look or forlorn expression on a past love?” Katherine pushed, wondering if Caroline would have thought back on Tyler as a conquest of her desires. A pleasant memory of how she killed him more so than a boyfriend. Elizabeth shook her head and Katherine sighed, disappointment of how little Elizabeth knew festered inside her. “What of Klaus?”
“I do not think I’ve ever heard him talk about a past girlfriend but he used to sometimes refer to his girls.” Suddenly the disappointment that Katherine felt disappeared and it took everything in her not to smile. “I didn’t understand what it meant. I always thought it was about my Aunt Loreli, and grandma, maybe even my great auntie Bex and I but after reading those letters, I know better.”
*
Sweetheart,
The snow has finally melted and the warmth is spreading over us all. I think it is time we take that hike we had been discussing. The winter had kept us locked away and I know the boredom had set in. If you had not moved into the house with me, I feel that it would have suffocated me completely or made me more temperamental as my sister likes to say.
Perhaps it is a long way of stating I would have missed you. It is strange, honestly. I had never really missed anyone before, not until you. The house feels more alive with you here, to hear you singing in the kitchen and the weight of your body next to mine brings me such ecstasy.
Despite being unable to quench our thirst, I know we found a way to keep ourselves occupied. Before I was able to feel you sleeping next to me, I had dreaded the long winters because I was far too dormant. Not even the long grueling hours at the hospital could tire me. I would itch to see them again, to give them more friends but the cold would have made it unwise to do so.
Summers are the ideal time for hunting.
Which is why I think we should take a warm spring day and go for a hike. I want you to meet them. I know you’ve been excited to do so and while I had always intended you to visit, my original intention had not been so temporary. I feel that it is only right that you see this part of me because only you seem to understand it.
With love,
Klaus.
*
April 21, 1963
The sun was beating down on them as they strolled hand in hand through the off beaten path of the woods. Caroline knew the woods around Mystic Falls but the Appalachian Trail was a whole new experience. The cool breeze, warm sun and trees that hung overhead made the hike feel that much more alive.
Klaus enjoyed seeing the smile on her face, the light in her eyes when they stumbled upon the field where wild flowers seemed to bloom far more beautiful than normal. It was as though the soil that made them blossom into these rich and beautiful purple flowers made the long hike worth it, at least for Caroline. For Klaus, hiking with someone living was a new experience for him.
Caroline stepped out into the field, gazing around to see what it is that she could find and if everything was as beautiful as she thought it to be. Klaus stood back, watching her circle the field, the tips of her fingers tracing over the petals of the flowers, and he could not help the pounding of his heart at the sight of her being there .
“What do you think?” He called out and Caroline turned her head, peering at him over her shoulder. The smile she wore was one that he claimed as his own. It was the smile that she wore only for him, a smile that lit up her face as Tyer bled out on their basement floor. She was beyond perfection and Klaus wondered how he ever wanted to kill her.
Now all he wanted was to give her life.
“It's beautiful.” Caroline said in a wistful tone, her eyes darting along the grass and flowers; trying to find the exact spot he left his mark. She weaved through the field, stopping every so often until she found a row of flowers that just seemed to bloom brighter. Caroline turned, a wide and intoxicating smile on her lips. “This is where they are? Right here?”
“Yes.” Klaus reached out to take her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips. He always found ways to touch her, to kiss her with abandon. He had never craved such intimacy before, never craved such loyalty and devotion from a single human in the way he did with Caroline. “This is where I bring them and I wanted to share it with you. That this could be a place we both cherish.”
“But they mean so much to you. You always come back! I could never intrude on such a thing!” Caroline told him, her eyes going soft. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “But I am honored that you wanted to bring me here. It means so much to me.”
“I want to share every part of me with you. Especially this because when I look at you I see an equal. A partner and someone who understands the darkest parts of me. I would be foolish to turn that away.” Klaus stepped back slightly and lowered himself down onto one knee, reaching into his pant pocket to pull out a ring; Caroline’s eyes grew wide at the size of it. “Will you marry me?”
Above the corpses of twelve dead women, Caroline had one answer.
“Yes. A thousand times yes.”
*
October 25, 2019
“My grandmother would always get so excited when she talked about their wedding.” Elizabeth told Katherine, with an almost affectionate tone to her voice. “She would have these photo albums that she would pull out and go into detail about the day. It meant so much to her. My aunt wore her dress for her own wedding. My sister was even considering having it altered for hers.”
“And what of your grandfather? How did he react when she would talk about their wedding?” Katherine probed, wondering if Klaus had just led this woman astray. From everything Elizabeth said, a mixture of love and heartache woven into the story of her grandparents, Caroline Mikaelson seemed nothing short of perfect. It made Katherine wonder if perhaps she had just been a normal woman, who fell in love with a dark man.
And then she remembered the letters.
“He would smile. He always seemed cold and angry with the world but not with her. Not with us. He cherished his family and made sure that she knew that she was loved.” Elizabeth leaned back and shook her head. “I once said I wanted to find a man like him. I told my dad once that he was the perfect kind of gentleman. He would bring my grandmother a boutique of purple flowers, simply because he wanted to see her smile.” Picking at her nails again, Elizabeth let out a long sigh. “Maybe my last relationship wasn’t as disappointing as I thought. I did not get flowers but he didn’t give me dead bodies either.”
“I suppose looking back it wouldn’t be.” Katherine could not imagine what it would be like to idolize a man such as Dr. Mikaelson, only to learn that he was nothing like she imagined him to be. It would make her question everything she had come to know about her life and the very roots of her family. “I’ll admit, that if I had not read the letters between your grandparents, I would almost believe that Caroline was nothing more than an innocent victim.”
“Most would think that but looking back and reading those letters I think I’ve come to realize that she was far more terrifying than my grandfather.”
*
To my soon to be husband,
It is the night before our wedding and I cannot help but imagine what the next day will bring. I always dreamed that I would one day be a blushing bride but I have to admit, I always assumed that my groom would be lacking in some form. Yet, I can honestly admit that I cannot wait to be your wife. The butterflies that are fluttering in my stomach and the excitement I feel is nothing compared to what I have felt before. No memory I hold is even close to the excitement I feel now.
Not even when I ran my knife through Damon.
I had thought that killing him, exacting my revenge and watching him bleed out would be the highlight of my life. Before him, my fantasies of what it would be like to watch someone die would be nothing more than that, a dark desire that I would never speak aloud. But after what he had done, I knew that I could not allow him to continue breathing.
So I planned everything, from how he would die to the discovery of his body.
I had assumed that it was a one off- one death to ease my thirst but I was wrong. I craved more. It wasn’t until Tyler wronged me that I decided to bring myself to that pleasure again. I went to Richmond to end things officially, after months of his pleading and my planning. I was going to use Elena as an alibi but then something happened.
You.
You whisked me away and placed me in a small cell, only to set me free. You showed me that there are more people like me and that together, we can create our own happiness. No more hiding or denying the desires that run under our skin. In matranoy, we can simply be who we were born to be.
Your loving wife to be,
Caroline
*
July 16th, 1963
“Don’t stop, please.” Caroline moaned as his tongue worked between her legs. Nipping and sucking at her clit as his fingers spread her open. Their marriage was only a few days old and Klaus found that he enjoyed bringing his wife to new heights. Hearing her scream his name in ways that were unfamiliar to him.
Screaming was something Klaus was used to, but the pleasurable tone still took months of getting used to.
When he felt her come, listening to her cry out his name, a plea issuing from her lips, Klaus began kissing her way up her body, nipping and sucking at every inch of skin he could find. She spread her legs wider for him, allowing Klaus to settle between them. He aligned himself with her entrance, pushing himself inside her until he filled her. He began thrusting, over and over, watching the pleasure and desire consume her.
“My wife.” Klaus moaned, as he leaned down to kiss her. The bed banged against the wall of their bedroom. In the days since they took their vows, they had rarely left their home. Indulging in one another and enjoying their new marital status; sex and death filling their days until reality set in again. Caroline arched, her naked breast pressing against his chest; another climax wrecked her body. With a few more sharp thrust, Klasu felt himself spill inside her, his own pleasure consuming him.
With a few gentle kisses on her brow, her light smile causing his heart to swell at the sight, he rolled off her and laid on his back. She moved to rest her head on his naked chest, and he began running his fingers through her hair. He could feel Caroline begin to nod off, sleep and exhaustion consuming her.
But Klaus found himself wide awake, adoring the sight of his new wife’s head against his chest.
“Go play. I’ll join you when I wake up.” Caroline told him, sleep thick in her voice. Klaus wanted to protest. He wanted to claim that he should stay with her and enjoy their moments of bliss, but she quickly fell asleep. Gently, Klaus slipped from their bed and reached for the pants that were tossed onto the floor, pulling them on as quietly as he could. In the kitchen he made a pot of coffee, pouring himself a cup before descending down the wooden steps to his basement.
The blonde woman in the cell was dirty with tears staining her cheeks.
“Please. Just let me go. I won’t say anything. Please!” Klaus ignored her pleas, setting his coffee down on the workbench. He had to admit that she survived far longer than the rest, having days to stew in her own terror but then, Klaus had never been so distracted before, his focus split between his new wife and the gift she found for him.
Her name is Lexi and she worked for the caterer. She is just your type that I couldn’t help but bring her home.
Caroline already was becoming such a thoughtful wife.
He supposed that is why he didn’t kill her right away, letting the days tick by instead.
Caroline was not one who would want to dig a grave on their wedding night.
*
October 25, 2019
“Have you ever heard the name Lexi Branson before?” Katherine asked, peering down at the name that was on a long list of victims that had been identified in the mass grave that had been found in Richmond. It had been before her time, her own mother had been nothing but a child when the graves were found, and it shook the very core of the United States at the time.
A serial killer having gone undetected in the middle of Virginia, never having been solved.
Until now.
“No. I had never heard of that name before.” Elizabeth shifted and took a breath. “I’m going to be honest, I haven't really looked at the names beyond the first few. I do not think that I could handle knowing. Giving them names makes it real and I just can’t….”
She trailed off and for the first time since the interview started, it appeared as though Elizabeth wanted to break down, to cry. A genuine wave of compassion filled Katherine and for a moment, this was more than a story. Lives had been ruined and taken due to the desires of two people who cared only for their own perversions.
“It is okay. Take all the time you need.” Katherine crossed her legs and leaned back into the chair, not taking her eyes off of Elizabeth. She studied her expressions, the tears flowed down them and her gaze seemed to drift off into nothing. For a moment, Katherine felt a new sense of fear come over her. She could not explain it but it almost felt as though she was in the shoes of the men and women who were murdered. It felt more real and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong.”
*
My beautiful Caroline,
One more year of my residency and it will be over. The long hours and endless nights will fade into the background and we can be together more often. No longer will you have to wonder if I will be home for dinner or if you will need to care for our guests on your own. I trust your capabilities and insights but I miss the time we spent doing such things together.
Dr. Maxwell has hinted at offering me a position at the hospital once I graduate. It is far off but he says that he believes that I have a gift with a scalpel. That I have a precision for surgery that he has not seen in years. If only he knew how gifted I could be. I joked though that it is you, my love, who is the talent in the relationship. It would be a pleasure to show him just how talented we could be, because I do believe that you would like him.
But I know it would not be best to show him, for a doctor such as himself would be noticed if he had gone missing. Now is not the time to grow sloppy, not when we have just begun to build our lives together. It has only been a few short months and I cannot help but still feel the butterflies in my stomach as I call you my wife.
Strange how time can change everything.
I’ll be home from the hospital soon.
I love you.
Klaus.
*
November 5, 1963
The air was growing colder and the leaves were still falling from the trees. Klaus pulled his wool coat around him tighter as he crossed the perfectly manicured lawn towards the small house at the end of a long dead end street. The sun had set but it was not even seven in the evening. He could see the light on in the kitchen, a smile growing on his face. He picked up his pace and pushed open the front door.
The floorboards creaked and groaned as he walked through the darkened hallway towards the kitchen. Heavenly smells wafted through the house, bringing him closer and closer to his desired destination. He pushed his coat off his shoulders and hung it on the hook that rested just inside the kitchen, taking in the sight of his wife busing herself in the kitchen. He smelled something heavenly coming from the stove.
“You’re home!” Caroline’s smile lit up at the sight of him. Klaus walked over to her and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was slow and gentle, a mere greeting after a long and grueling shift. “I was just finishing up dinner. I had planned to leave some of it in the oven for you to eat when you got home.”
“Well, I suppose I will just have to eat with you instead.”
“I suppose you will.” Caroline chuckled and leaned upward to kiss him on the lips. The kiss turned deeper than the one previously, images of the night they could share passing through her mind as they parted. “Can you grab an extra plate down and set the table?”
Klaus tossed her a dimpled grin and nodded, following her directions as Caroline placed the casserole on the table. He gripped her hand and brought it to his lips as they sat down. It was in those quiet moments, having dinner with his wife that made Klaus wonder how he had survived without her before, the loneliness that he felt coming home to an empty and dark home, with only the occasional visitor for company. His life felt whole and perfect, that doing something as simple as eating dinner with Caroline made him feel such bliss.
“ SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE.”
Then the moment was shattered. The crying and screaming from the floor below made them both go still. Annoyance prickled between them, the ruined dinner that they had not expected to share grated on them. All they wanted was a moment together, a moment they could share with each other.
“I’ll handle it.” Caroline replied in a cold tone. She stood quickly, pushing her chair backwards far more forcefully than necessary. She turned and made her way to the wooden door that led to the basement, descending into the darkness. Klaus picked at his casserole, waiting for her to return, listening as the screams only intensified.
*
October 25, 2019
They had to take a break. The cameras were turned off and Katherine’s notes tossed aside. Elizabeth began pacing the studio, taking in her surroundings while she gathered her barings. Katherine held a quick conversation with Logan, both their eyes darting towards Elizabeth as they spoke. It was almost an hour before Katherine’s impatience to get started kicked in.
Slowly she walked over to Elizabeth who was standing by a desk that was off to the side of the studio. She was peering down at copies of the love letters that had been discovered. There were hundreds of them. Decades worth of confessions and devotion written down for the whole world to see; and yet, Katherine knew that there were more of them. Letters that the police kept under lock and key, refusing to share with the public.
Katherine wondered what sort of horrors those letters contained.
“In some way, looking at these, you can see that they did love one another in their own demented way.” Elizabeth reached out and picked up one of the letters, reading over the words that had been written in her grandmother’s handwriting. “And yet they never should have had children. Or married at all.”
“If they didn’t you wouldn’t be here.” Katherine told her, trying to be gentle. Perhaps it was selfish but there was no other person alive that Katherine cared more about in that moment than Elizabeth. This one woman’s heartache and trauma was going to make her career. As long as she did not look too closely at the horrors, Katheirne could pretend that it was nothing more than a stepping stone to something greater. “Did they want children?”
“I’m not sure if I am honest. My grandfather always loved having us over and grandma doted on us.” The corners of her lips turned upward and Katherine could see a memory coming over her. “My dad would always complain that they spoiled us. That they had been strict parents but suddenly as grandparents, all the rules went out the window.”
“If it makes it any better, I think that is the case with most grandparents.”
*
To my loving husband,
I have seen life leave many eyes since we’ve become one but never before have I thought about creating it. I spent so much time avoiding and pushing away my desires until I could no longer contain it. The rage built too much and when I met you, it was like a gift. A gateway to being myself. Meeting you was such a blessing that I could not foresee. I feel that it is only fitting that I give you such a blessing in return.
Is it strange to bring life into the world when we are surrounded by death? It is a question I have pondered since I discovered my condition. How is it that two people such as us can come together and create something so wonderful?
I can already see the confusion on your face as I ask you this. Perhaps I should be more plain.
I’m pregnant.
I know children were not a topic we discussed but here I am. It should not be a surprise when neither of us can keep our hands off one another. Knowing that I am carrying your child, carrying a part of you inside me is just something I cannot help but love. While I know this will be shocking for you, I cannot wait for you to hold this child.
For you are going to be a wonderful father.
With all my love,
Caroline
*
September 3, 1964
Klaus looked down at the small infant that was laying in his arms. His son was sleeping, eyes closed and a wisp of blonde hair on the top of his head. His hands were touching, reaching out in front of him as though he wanted to grasp something. Klaus held out his finger, letting the small hand wrap around it and hold it close.
If he was honest, he had never thought he would ever be a father. Yet, when Caroline broke the news, a sense of home settled within him. Peering up at his sleeping wife, who was still lying exhausted on the hospital bed, Klaus had never been more proud of her. Even though it was not traditional to allow husbands in the delivery room, Klaus demanded to be present and since he was a doctor at the hospital, there was not too much fuss.
What should we name him? It was a question they had tossed around in the months leading up to the birth but it wasn’t until Caroline held him in her arms for the first time that the name was obvious. Peering down at the sleeping baby, Klaus could not help but agree that there was no other name that would suit him.
Henry.
Henry William Mikaelson.
Elijah would be pleased with the name, similar to the name of their late brother but not the same. It was only fitting he supposed, for Henrik was the first person Klaus saw die; a death caused at the hands of their mother. He supposed it was the moment that turned him into the creature that he had become.
Klaus leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Henry’s forehead, causing the small child to whimper. The sound sent a moment of joy through Klaus’s heart, an emotion that he did not know, prior to Caroline, that he was capable of. He would protect this child with everything he had, to ensure that no harm came to him.
He would not fail again.
“Don’t worry little one. Papa is here and I have so much to show you.”
*
October 25, 2019
“Tell me about your father? Why didn’t he come tonight?” Katherine asked gently, wondering about the other members of the Mikaelson family. Their faces had been splashed across the news but it was only Elizabeth who seemed to be front and center. Both her father and aunt had gone into hiding, along with many of her cousins.
“Because it is probably that hardest on him, compared to the rest of us.” Elizabeth stated in an honest tone. “My father and grandfather were impossibly close. When my grandmother died four years ago, my grandfather went through a depression and my father was with him almost everyday, ensuring that he was okay.”
“When you say depression, what do you mean?”
“He just didn't seem like himself. He was moody and lashed out in a terrible temper.” Katherine felt her heart nearly stop, remembering the old photograph of Dr. Mikaelson she had seen, and how his eyes seemed to peer directly through her soul. She was grateful that he was dead because he was a man that she would not want to be trapped in a room alone with. “I am shocked he lived as long as he did after she died.”
“He died a few weeks ago. Went in his sleep?” Elizabeth nodded slowly and Katherine felt that such a peaceful ending was cruel. Someone as evil as him should have died in painful agony; a death that mirrored his victims and yet fate found it fitting to give him peace. At least Caroline suffered in her death, illness eating away at her until she succumbed to it. “And that's when you found the letters? After his death?”
“Yes. My boyfriend and I were going through the attic. They were in a box. At first I thought it was sweet that they wrote to each other nearly everyday even after years of marriage.” She ran her fingers through her hair before bringing her fingernails to her lips, biting the ends of them off. “Now I’ve changed my mind on that. It's not sweet at all.”
*
Sweetheart,
I hate seeing you angry. You are such a bright light in our lives that seeing you go cold and it dimmed is not something I enjoy. I want to hear you laughing as you chase after our son. Hearing you sing in the kitchen as we dance and the coy smile you share with me as we lay in bed together.
But this past week has been agony, watching your joy fade because of one man. It is a sight that I will not stand for and vow that it shall never happen again.
Yet, watching you plan and seeing just how calculating your mind can be is beautiful; even with such dismal circumstances. The moment it all was over and seeing you get the revenge that you deserve, it almost makes me wish I knew you when you killed Damon, burying his dismembered body into the ground.
When it was all said and finished, or at least secured, the happiness that radiated from you was one that I had only ever seen on the day you married me and when you held Henry for the first time. While I will never allow such a situation to occur again, the payoff of your bliss was enough to make such a horrendous week worth it.
With all my love,
Klaus.
*
April 1, 1966
“Caroline?” Klaus called out into the darkened house, noting that he got no response back. It was late but not so late that his wife would be in bed. He shrugged his jacket off his shoulders and hung it up on hook by the door. He peered into the kitchen to find it both empty and implicitly clean. While the house was never messy, for Caroline would never allow such a thing, the spotlessness of the room only made Klaus worry.
He turned and made his way down the long hallway, only stopping to peer inside his son’s bedroom. He found the toddler fast asleep in his bed, his teddy bear tucked under his arm and his blonde curls disheveled and damp from his evening bath. He stepped inside, pressed a kiss to the top of his head and turned, leaving the dim lamp on in the corner to keep the monsters away.
He moved further down the hallway towards the bedroom he shared with Caroline. Pushing the door open, he noted that the lamp was turned on by the bed and that the light from the bathroom was on. Slipping off his shoes, Klaus walked towards the bathroom and stepped inside to see Caroline sinking deep into the claw foot tub he had installed due to her desire for one. He saw more bubbles than water as he approached. Her hair was piled on top of her head and a wine glass in one hand while the other tapped lightly against the edge of the tub.
“Sweetheart?”
“Today was a bad day.” Her voice was cold and yet he could tell that this was not the first glass of wine she had. Caroline was not a heavy drinker, for she only touched it during celebratory moments or when she was under extreme stress. The sight before him made his back tense and the worry to pringle in the back of his mind. “Stefan Salvatore showed up at the house today. The conversation did not go well.”
“Oh?”
“He says he knows that I am the one who made Damon disappear.” A fresh wave of cold anger consumed him as he lowered himself down to sit on the edge of the tub. He reached over, taking the glass of wine out of her hand and sipped it, his mind already imagining the worst of tortures he could inflict upon this faceless man. “He has no proof, I ensured that but he threatened me anyway.”
“He threatened you? With what?”
“You.” That caused Klaus to raise an eyebrow, an obvious question lingering in his eyes. “He said that he would tell you what I had done. That a man, a doctor, like you would be disgusted to have a murderer for a wife. He promised that he would see me in ruin and that he would find a way to take Henry from me. Called me an unfit mother”
“Well, it just shows how little this Stefan knows me and you. I love having a murder for a wife and you are a brilliant mother.” Bringing the glass to his lips again, Klaus finished off the wine and leaned down to kiss his wife’s lips. “I think we should show him just how misunderstood he is.” He kissed her lightly again, placing the empty glass on the side of the sink as he did. “But seeing how clean the kitchen is, I suppose you’ve already been planning.”
“He threatened to take my son. I plan on showing him no mercy.”
*
October 25, 2019
“One lesson my grandmother always taught me was how to protect myself.” Elizabeth offered as Katherine jotted her answers down on her notepad. “She would say that there were less than honorable men in the world and that she never wanted me to become the victim. I always thought it was due to the assault she had suffered in her teens but I think I misjudged that.”
“Assault? What do you mean?”
“Did you not read the letters?” Elizabeth asked and Katherine did not answer. There were hundreds and hundreds of letters, and while she read most of them, it was near impossible to remember everything that was put in them. “My grandmother was raped by an old boyfriend. Damon Salvatore. She never spoke of it but my aunt told me about it once and from what she knew, the assault was brutal. I never asked her what happened to Damon. In the letters, they reference that she killed him.”
“This was before or after they met?”
“Before. She murdered him years before she met my grandfather.” Katherine did not reply but a deep seeded nausea filled her, wondering what this woman could have been if she had not been brutalized in such a fashion. “His brother, Stefan, discovered what she had done and tried to blackmail her with the knowledge. He went missing not long after.”
“They killed him in revenge.” Elizabeth nodded, and Katherine put down the pen. She did not want to imagine what Klaus and Caroline were capable of when they were angry. Nausea rolled through her and for a moment, Katherine wondered if she had not fully prepared herself for this story.
“Oh, they did far worse. At least, that is what their letters said.” Katherine peered at her, trying desperately to remember if a Stefan or Damon had ever been mentioned but she could not recolete it. There were so many letters that she had not read and some that were locked away beyond her reach. “They kept him instead.”
*
My darling,
Our houseguest is becoming quite the nuisance. Henry was playing and nearly discovered him. He is becoming far too curious for his own good. He is too much like you in that regard. He didn’t see anything but I am finding that we can’t keep our guest for much longer. As pleasing as it has been to have him, I feel as though it is a matter of time before Henry’s curiosity leads to trouble. He is far too young for such things.
That and the baby is making me very tired, especially with being due any day now. My pregnancy with Henry was far easier in comparison and I simply cannot keep up with the house, Henry and our guest. One has to go and sadly, I believe that it is the latter that must.
I know you will understand, for you always say that Henry and I come first before anything else. We will discuss it more when Henry and I meet you for lunch. You would have found this letter by then. You have a long stretch of time off coming and it would be an ideal time to say goodbye. I’m sure he will understand and possibly even be thrilled. He has been looking rather ill lately.
I’ll see you in a few hours my love,
Think on what I said.
Caroline.
*
December 23, 1966
Klaus turned the page on the newspaper, peering at his son who was playing with his food more so than actually eating it. There was egg smeared on his face and his hands covered in grease. He gently sat the newspaper to the side and picked up the napkin that was sitting beside Henry. He began cleaning up his son, knowing that once Caroline returned from the bathroom and saw the messy sight, she would devolve into angry tears.
Even though she was only sixteen weeks pregnant, Caroline found herself in tears more often than not.
“Hey, let's get you cleaned up before mommy sees you. Hmm? We have a long drive to nana and pop pop’s and you know how mommy likes to be on time.” Klaus soothed the laughing toddler, doing his best to catch his waving hands in an attempt to get them clean. Henry chuckled louder, as though making his attempts at avoiding his father’s grasp of a new game.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Klaus noted how Caroline leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, a soft smile on her face. Her hand rested on her flat stomach, a bump only beginning to form. While her emotions were all over the place, Klaus could not help but enjoy a few of the other side effects of her pregnancy, especially her sex drive.
The moment was broken by the jerking of chains and a faint cry. Both Klaus and Caroline’s eyes snapped to the basement door, noting that Henry did not seem to notice anything wrong. With a deep sigh, Klaus laid the napkin down onto the table and stood, kissing the top of his son’s head. He reached for Caroline, and kissed her gently on the lips.
“I’ll take care of it. When you are finished getting ready, come get me. We should leave in an hour if you want to be at your parent’s house in time.” Caroline nodded and moved towards their son, picking up the napkin in order to resume cleaning Henry. With heavy footsteps, Klaus made his way down the basement stairs and walked towards the small cell that he had installed years ago. In the middle of it was a thin man, who was both dirty and shivering. “I really would not have done that, Mate. The wife is already stressed as it is. I do not want you to add to it. Not good for the baby.”
“Fuck you.”
“Now now, Mr. Salvatore, is that anyway to treat your host?”
*
October 25th, 2019
Katherine looked at the numbers on her phone, the blinking was taunting her , telling her that their time was slowly coming to an end. Peering down at her notes, she realized she had learned so much and yet so little about Klaus and Caroline. A thousand questions echoed through her head and ones she knew she did not have time to ask. Elizabeth had a flight she had to catch back to Virginia and while she had offered to go to her, she supposed it was no surprise that she wanted the break from her small town; an adventure in New York was ideal in many ways.
“It wasn’t until 1968 that the mass grave was found in a remote hiking area in Richmond. Most of the bodies, as I’m sure you know, were young women but there were few men as well buried there.” Elizabeth nodded and Katherine could see just how tense her shoulders became. She noticed that Elizabeth did not like discussing the victims, she was more than willing to talk about her grandparents and yet speaking of those they hurt was almost too much for her.
Katherine supposed it made it all too real to think about them, especially when she was the mirror image of the woman in question.
“Yes. It was.”
“There were more than two dozen bodies found in that grave. It was the largest body count known to date of a serial killer, a killer that had gone unidentified for decades. Until now.” Elizabeth remained silent, her body going cold and uncomfortable but Katherine pushed forward. “There was a theory that the killer, your grandfather, stopped killing once the grave site was discovered but in 2015 a series of murders of young women with blonde hair and blue eyes started again. Many theorized that it was a copycat killer but it wasn’t, was it?”
“I don’t know. The letters stopped when my grandmother died.”
“In 2015?”
“Yes.”
There was something prickling in the back of Katherine’s mind, an instinct that she could not place but something did not make sense to her. She peered down at her notes again before focusing on Elizabeth, wanting to push more and more in the limited time they had. She tapped her pen against her notepad, trying to decide what the final thing she wanted to dive into.
“After finding those letters and reading them, how does it change the memories you hold of your grandparents?” Elizabeth did not answer right away, but Katherine did not expect her to. It was a hard question and one that could change over time. Everything was fresh and new, the story sensationalised in the media and online.
“Everything. It changes everything.”
*
My love,
I cannot express the gratitude I hold for you as you stood by me in this dark time. With Henry growing far more curious and Loralie teething, you’ve had to deal with so much more than two growing children. You’ve had to deal with me and my growing temper. Just know that I could never hurt you nor our children. Our little family is the one thing that means more to me than those girls.
And yet they took them from me.
Their loss has affected me greatly. If it was not for you and the kids, I would have demanded them back. Demanded that they return them to me but I’m not foolish. I’ve gone this long without being caught and to emerge with such a demand would only bring harm to the whole family, something I will not stand for.
Yet, through the storm I’ve brought you, you’ve weathered it. You’ve never left my side, showing me that even in the darkest of moments, you love me anyway. I cannot begin to express how much your love and devotion means to me. It is something I will cherish until my final breath, and I am unsure how I would have survived without you.
I love you.
More than the girls.
More than anything.
With all my love and devotion,
Klaus.
*
August 17, 1968
“A shocking discovery was found deep within the Appalachian Mountains. A burial ground of over two dozen bodies was found. Stay tuned for this developing story.” Klaus scowled at the screen, tapping his fingers against his chin as he glared at the newscaster. Rage bubbled under his skin as he watched the grainy footage of police violating such a sacred place.
It was the sound of a crying baby that turned his head. Caroline was walking back and forth, bouncing their daughter in her arms, trying to calm her. Guilt filled him as he took in the scene. She had given him space, time to digest such a tragedy but their daughter knew no such patience. Klaus couldn’t blame her, teething was painful.
Klaus pushed himself out of the chair and walked over to Caroline, peering into the bright red face of their crying child. She had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as her brother but even at such a young age, Klaus could see the innocent reflecting back at him. It was the same tone of beauty he saw the day he laid eyes upon her mother. Caroline’s hair was mushed and had fallen out of her bun. Her clothes were wrinkled and face exhausted as the baby had not calmed down for hours.
“Let me take her.” Caroline gave him a curious look, a worried expression that she rarely gave him. “It's okay. Go take a bath and get ready for bed. I’ll hold her until she falls asleep.” Nodding, Caroline shifted the baby into his arms, the small cubby arms gripping onto Klaus’s white button down greedily. He leaned over to kiss Caroline on the lips, a small and gentle kiss that provided so many emotions. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Caroline whispered against his lips before pulling away. As she headed for the bathroom, she turned and looked over her shoulder, worry still written on her face.
It was not until the door of the bathroom shut tightly that Klaus looked down into the face of his daughter, one that was still red and tear stained. He leaned down and kissed the top of it, rocking her gently in his arms as he made his way back into the living room. He sat down on the chair that faced the television and began humming gently, knowing that she found the sound of his deep voice soothing. While Henry always responded best to Caroline, Klaus was the one who was able to soothe their daughter far easier.
Much to Caroline’s annoyance.
“Loralie, it is not nice to cry for mommy like that. She is tired.” Klaus tried to reason, knowing that the small child was not going to understand but the sound of his voice caused her to quiet down slightly. “I’m sorry pretty girl, I know you’re in pain and you’re doing the best you can.” Klaus ran his fingers up and down her back, hoping that the small touches would calm her. “If it helps, I’m also in pain. Not physical but I’m hurt. Something very important to me was taken away and there is no chance of getting them back.”
Loralie mumbled something illegible and the sound made Klaus smile. Peering down into her tired and exhausted face, Klaus could already see just how much she looked like her mother. It was clear that she would look similar to Caroline, drawing unwanted attention. Klaus remembered the first moment he saw Caroline, the desire he held for her that was vastly different than the one he had now.
He had wanted to add her to his collection.
He fell in love with her instead.
“There are monsters in the world, sweet one.” He pressed his lips to the crown of her head, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder; slowly drifting off to sleep. “Monsters that will try and take advantage of you and want to do you harm.” Klaus watched as her chest rose and fell, drifting in and out of consciousness until he could sense that sleep had taken her completely. “But don’t worry, I'm a much scarier monster.”
*
October 31, 2019
The flight from New York to Virginia was short. Elizabeth had stayed in the city for a few extra days, taking in the sights. While the press tracked her down easily enough, it was better than facing what was waiting for her back home. She could not ignore it forever. It was a mess she made and it was her responsibility to clean up.
If there was one thing she learned in her life, it was to always clean up your mess.
As she drove down the familiar street of Richmond, she drove further onto the outskirts, passing the hospital her grandfather had worked at for the entirety of his life and the school she had attended when she was a teenager. Everything seemed so familiar and yet different. Elizabeth just did not realize how everything would change when those letters were discovered.
She drove up the long winding lane towards her father’s cabin. The land was technically now his, having been left to him when her grandmother died, her grandfather signing over the land to him when she was still in high school. He had built the cabin around then and she knew it was a safehaven of sorts for him.
And one the press had not found yet.
She saw a light on that she knew belonged in the kitchen. She parked her car, took a deep breath and walked up the wooden steps, entering the house. It was clean, as always because her father would stand for nothing less. She walked into the kitchen, seeing her father leaning against the counter, brewing some coffee and staring out into the darkness. Henry Mikaleson looked shockingly like his father but Elizabeth knew that his personality favored his mother.
“I spoke with your aunt today. She finally was able to reach out.” Henry stated, not even bothering to look up from the window. Elizabeth remained silent, sitting down at the table. She knew that he was still angry with her, and she could not blame him. While he would never turn his back on her, he made his displeasure with those letters being uncovered known. “Loralie is in Argentina for the time being. Jacob and Sabrina were able to meet her. Josie is following behind and will be there within a few days.”
“Smart. The letters that the police didn’t realize to the public do not paint her in a good light.” Elizabeth whispered, her eyes flickering up to Henry who remained silent. She shifted uncomfortably, picking at her nails, waiting for him to say something. Anything. When her father went silent, she knew he was beyond angry; that there was a fury brewing within him that was terrifying. “Did you watch the interview?”
“I did. You did well.” She let out a small breath, noting the smirk on his lips. Perhaps he was not as angry with her as he thought. He reached for a mug and poured black coffee into it, but did not offer her any; and she knew why. Henry sat down at the table and drank from the mug slowly. “I think it is time that you finish cleaning up your mess. I want to be out of the country by morning.”
Elizabeth nodded, dread filling her as she stood from her chair. She wasn’t able to look at her father, instead she turned away and slowly headed out the cabin door. The wind had picked up, a slight howl in the air and she could not help but think that it would only help her. She crossed her arms, fighting off the chill and made her way towards the cellar that Henry and her grandfather built the year before. She opened the steel doors and pulled on the string to turn on the light.
Lower and lower she descended into the dark and murky cellar, the only sound was the howling wind and the sound of her boots hitting the stone steps. In the faint light, she could see the perfect stone walls, dirt flooring and iron bars. Rows of shelves held canned goods, camping supplies and other necessities Henry thought he would need during his time there.
Including the shackled man behind the cell door.
“Good evening Sebastian.”
Sebastian jerked slightly, his eyes widening at the sight of her. Once they would light up when he saw her but now they hold nothing but terror. She supposed that she could not blame him, given the secrets she kept. She had thought that she had found her love story, much like her grandparents had but she had been mistaken.
“Stay away from me. You bitch.”
“This really could have been avoided. You did not have to read those letters Sebastian. Or at least not turn them over to the police. You put yourself in this position. My father does not take betrayal lightly.” She walked over to a wooden trunk that was pushed up against the wall, reaching inside to pull out a machete, contemping its uses. “I told you I didn't want you helping me clean out their attic and yet you went up there anyway.” She put down the machete, picking up a small scalpel instead, a tool she knew that her grandfather had preferred. “We are leaving. Me, my father, all of us. It won’t be long before this place is found. While it would be easy enough to clean up, if they found what was buried underneath it.”
“Underneath it?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth turned and peered at him as though he had lost all sense of reason. “My grandfather had to find somewhere to put the bodies after his burial ground was uncovered. So he bought some land.” It was all logical to Elizabeth. Plans her grandmother had related to her one morning while baking cookies. Her sister Josie squealed in delight at the story while her cousins just rolled their eyes at other parts. “My father had this cabin built in order to give my grandfather space to play when my grandmother died. It was like his thirst could not be quenched. He was older of course, so my father had to help but I still remember the screams as I did my homework.”
“You’re a sadistic freak. All of you!” Sebastian cried, pulling on the chains that shackled him to the wall. “You’re nothing but crazy psychopaths! You! You’re aunt, your father, your grandparents. You are just like them.”
“Well. Who do you think I learned it from?”
ulling on the chains that shackled him to the wall. “You’re nothing but crazy psychopaths! You! You’re aunt, your father, your grandparents. You are
just
like them.”
“Well. Who do you think I learned it from?”