Title: the blood of Eve

Pairing: Caroline/Eric; One-sided Caroline/Bill; Pam/Tara

Rating: M

Warnings: Language, violence, and sexual situations

Author's note: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been busy with exams all weeks. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't be afraid to leave a review. I appreciate constructive criticism and love hearing your thoughts on the story.

Holy water cannot help you now

See I've had to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

Seven Devils, Florence and the Machine

III

They'd been on the road for hours, days, years (it had only been one day). …time seemed to have lost all meaning to the woman as her eyes were trained out the passenger side window of the van that had become her temporary home, on the road, during the day There was idleness about being on the road—this sense that she was running away from something. And she truly was…running away from the man who wanted her heart, wanted to bathe in her blood. She shivered at the memory, reflexively bringing tugging the cardigan Sookie had lent her tighter around her frame.

"Are you cold?" Sookie's voice reminded her that she was not completely alone. What was it her mother always told her? Blonds have to stick together, she thought, a small smile playing at her lips at the memory.

Caroline shook her head, offering the woman a reassuring smile. Sookie simply nodded before returning her attention to the road ahead of her, lips moving to the soft music playing over the radio. It was some song Caroline was not quite familiar with, but it was nice.

She peeked over her shoulder, checking on the stack of coffins configured in the wide back of the van. Her eyes flickered to the one Eric had climbed into only hours ago.

He was different from any vampire she had ever met. Older than Lexi—if the light emanating off of him was any indication. And there was something about his eyes, they way he looked at her, that send tingles throughout her body making almost too hard to concentrate on answering his questions. Or at least the ones she could answer.

She couldn't help but watch him. The way he was with Pam—his only Progeny, and Nora—his sister, though the way she stared at him with such…lust…indicated otherwise.

There was a sudden sensation of jealousy that she couldn't seem to account for. It wasn't as if she was in a relationship with the blond man. A few days ago they hadn't even known each other. It didn't make sense—well at least not to her. She shouldn't be feeling this way.

Caroline quickly shifted in her seat, gaze snapping down to her lap where she was fiddling her fingers. She'd been doing that a lot…since Elena—she closed her eyes, pressing her forehead into the cool glass of the passenger side window.

A minute later, or maybe an hour, someone shook her awake. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, taking in the unexpected figure hovering over her frame in the open doorway. It was Tara—the dark-skinned woman that reminded her a bit of Bonnie's grams Shelia. It was the seriousness etched on her face that truly did it for her. But at that moment, the woman simply wore a look of indifference with a hit of slight annoyance.

"Thank you." Caroline murmured gently, climbing out of the seat, planting her feet firmly on the asphalt ground. It was then that she noticed two things. The first, they were standing in the middle of a parking lot. The second, the sun had gone down and there was not a star in the sky.

"Don't mention it." Tara responded, with a bit of bite behind her words. The blond ignored it, raising her arms over her head and stretching out her back (it had been a long car ride).

"Where's Sookie?" Caroline inquired, looking about them and noting the lack of the southern belle.

"Getting us a room for the night," The woman informed her, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the hood of the van, scowl firmly in place. "Just so you know, I don't trust you."

Caroline did her best to brush off the jab at her dependability. It wasn't like she hadn't heard this shit before. Hell, she'd probably been the biggest bitch back in high school.

She suddenly had that undeniable feeling of cold run down to her toes, evoking a shiver.

The blond jumped slightly as arms encompassed her and an unexpected heavy feeling graced her shoulders. Her eyes flew down as pale hands slowly pulled away from her, leaving behind the only evidence they had been there. A worn black, leather jacket. She peeked over her shoulder, blue orbs looking on those of Eric as he took a step back, face scrunched up in a way that was not befitting to his handsome face.

"Oh…you don't have—" He raised a finger, effectively silencing her.

There was an unreadable expression on his face as he stared over her shoulder, gaze fixed on Tara.

"Go help your maker, Tara," The man said with an air of authority. Tara's frown deepened and with a roll of the eyes she disappeared.

Eric's intense stare drifted over her for a moment as silence settled between them. It was hard to imagine this man ever being human—the fluidity of his movements, his commanding presence. Her fingers played with the zipper of his jacket, eyes staring back into his.

A pensive expression crossed countenance for a moment before it disappeared. Of the few emotions he had shown, that was by far the most interesting. He looked at her as if he'd been trying to figure something out. Then it was if he was reminded of something (she didn't quite know what) and any indication of interest quickly vanished.

"Get inside." He ordered, reaching an arm out, and directing her toward the two story complex only a few yards away, a bright red neon OPEN sign flashing in the window designated as the main lobby. She internally groaned. God, how she hated seedy motels.

:}{}{}{}{:

Caroline paced the floor of the room, feeling like a caged animal for the first time in her life. She did her best to ignore the pair of eyes following her movements; ignored the fact that Sookie had been allowed to leave to go pick them up food, while she'd been forced to stay behind. Nora had been ordered to go with the woman, protection against any unseen foe that might have been following them, waiting to catch them with their pants down. Tara and Pam had disappeared within the first hour, claiming they were going to check out the area for any signs of hostiles. Truthfully, from the energy radiating between the two, Caroline assumed their true intent was to simply screw each other's brains out.

"Are you going to do this all night?" Eric spoke up from where he sat. She paused, mid step, turning to face the man who'd raised such a ridiculous question. She raised a perfectly arched brow at him, resting a hand on her hip as she took in his laid-back demeanor. This was possibly the first time she'd seen the man at ease.

"Are you going to be a dick all night?" The blond said snippily in response. Usually she was much kinder than this…but the man was just so…aggravating. It was frustrating—being unsure if she wanted to throttle him or push him up against a wall and have her way with him.

A soft hue of red graced her cheeks at the mere thought of it. Now she was the one being ridiculous.

His answer was silence. But, she was growing used to his type—tall, dark, and silent. Caroline returned to her pacing, eyes darting around the room, doing her best to look at something, anything, other than him. She bit her bottom lip, tapping her fingers absentmindedly against her bare legs with every step she took.

Maybe it was time to call Bonnie and get the hell out of there; get back to Mystic Falls where people knew her, cared about her…loved her. Caroline blinked, once, twice…

A familiar sensation of cold enveloped her. She'd been wondering when she'd see him again. She closed her eyes, willing whatever horror she was befallen to witness would simply go away. A hush filled the room, darkness encompassing the space within her mind. A single digit—too familiar a touch—ran along the nape of her neck, trailing down her spine slowly. She cringed at the touch as the man spoke.

"No one loves you," He growled into her ear, resting a hand on the curve of her hip and pulling her into him. "You are disposable…useless. Your only purpose is to die."

Caroline flinched at the implications of his words. He was determined to kill her. Why? She didn't know. Maybe she would never know. And that frightened her more than anything.

"I'm going to rip your heart right out of your chest, and when I do, I'm going to devour it." His words were enough to put anyone on edge and she felt the hairs at the nape of her neck stand up in fright. It was the conviction in his voice.

She fought against his hold; he had surprising strength over her for an apparition.

"Let me go!" Caroline exclaimed, closing her eyes as she continued to fight against him. "Please! Just let me go."

"Calm down, min älskling." Her eyes snapped open at the habitual voice. Eric. He had an arm secured around her waist, seemingly keeping her upright while his free hand smoothed down her blond locks, in an attempt to soothe her.

Her heart pounded erratically in her ears and she went slack in his arms, back pressing into the impressively hard chest of the man. His hush words served to calm her—words she didn't understand as they were in some foreign language.

"Breathe…breathe…" He cooed softly in to her ear as he held her body against him. Caroline closed her eyes, doing as he instructed. After a few deep breaths she found herself calming down a bit from the fright of her latest apparition. She didn't know what had come over her. The man had hardly stirred such a reaction from her…but this time…the things he said…the way in which he said it…"Breathe, min älskling."

Caroline exhaled deeply, turning slowly in his hold until they were chest to chest. She stared up at him, noting the mixture of emotions that she could not quite identify. The way he was looking at her—the slight haze behind his electric blue orbs was enough to effectively silence her.

Her breath hitched faintly as his head dipped down, until their faces where only inches apart.

The blond's gaze flickered to his lips for a moment, set in a thin line, following his swift movements. He lowered his nose along the line of her neck, nostrils flaring as they took in her scent.

"Eric?" She questioned as he fisted her hips. The man remained silent, so she tried again. "Eric!"

His eyes snapped up, locking on her. He stilled for a moment, surprised by what he caught himself doing. Without another word he pushed away from her, turning his back to her and returning to his perch.

She couldn't ignore the flash of confusion that crossed his face for a second before it quickly disappeared, replace with his habitual expression of indifference. Caroline sighed, plopping down on one of the queen sized beds on the other side of the room, hoping to keep some distance between them for the time being.

When Sookie returned half an hour later, Nora at her heels, they were greeted with an awkward tension they accredited to Eric technically kidnapping the blond woman and her seemingly hating his guts. Sookie handed Caroline the greasy hamburger and curly fries she'd requested before attending to her own food. They ate in silence, tension in the air, as Eric refused to allow his gaze to wander in the hostage's direction, once.

:}{}{}{}{:

The unmistakable aroma of death hit her nose the instant they entered the small Louisiana bar (as they had never left the state). It was apparently a vampire bar. Pam mentioned it wasn't as successful as the one she owned back up in Shreveport. The blood, red sign read Hel as they crossed the threshold of the establishment and Caroline didn't miss the sudden shift in Eric's behavior. He placed a hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him as they crossed the black, marble floor of the room, Sookie and Nora trailing behind them.

Her eyes danced across the eerie looking patrons—all dressed in black, leather, eyes lined with coal, disgruntled looks on their faces. They didn't get very far before they were suddenly greeted by an unfamiliar woman. Her blond tresses were tied up into a high bun and she wore a white paint suit that was surprisingly well fitted to her athletic frame.

"Now, if it isn't Eric Northman" The woman said with an air of familiarity in her tone that incited a bit of…jealousy…within Caroline. For reasons, she was not quite sure of. Caroline watched as the gorgeous blond approached the man in question, "What brings you all the way down to our modest establishment?"

Our?

"I'm here to speak with your brother." Eric informed her, skipping the formalities. The blond raised a brow at him, lips puckering in a sly grin as she nodded in understanding.

"No, Eric, you know you have to be more specific than that. Who is it you're after? Kol? Elijah? Not poor Finn. You're a couple months too late for him. He met the true death, along with that redheaded skank he was so fond of."

"I'm here to see Nik, Rebekah" He informed, the way he said the blond's name indicating no glimmer of fondness. He was strictly business. The woman—Rebekah's mouth twitched and she looked past him, eyes drifting over Sookie before sliding over to Caroline. The mountain of a man moved, obstructing Rebekah's vision of the other blond, expression revealing no indication behind his motives.

Rebekah tilted her head before speaking up. "Come with me."

She turned on the heel of her expensive looking red pumps, sauntering across the room and opening a white, leather door. Eric peered over his shoulder, giving Nora a silent nod. His eyes fell to Caroline for a moment, but before she could say anything he was following after the she-devil.

"I hate that bitch." Nora breathed out as the two blond's turned to her. There was a gleam in her eye that was reminiscent of a malicious brunette sighed, nodding her head towards the bar for them to follow her.

Caroline trailed after Nora obediently—sure that if she didn't Eric would give her hell, Sookie at her heels. The woman manning the bar was a dark haired pixie, offering a friendly enough expression as they approached.

"What can I get you?" She inquired as the trio claimed a few empty stools for themselves.

"Any Tru Blood left?" Nora inquired hopefully, though she was fairly certain of what the answer would be. Russell and Simone had made sure there would be a…significant depletion of synthetic blood for the mainstreamers to depend on. And when hunger struck and they could no longer control their craving for blood, well…the streets would be running with it. The brunette shook her head, eyes flickering to where Sookie and Caroline sat.

"Anything for you?" She asked with a roll of the tongue. Sookie shook her head. The woman's eyes drifted over Caroline, tilting her head, pensive expression etching its way onto her face. "Hey, do I know you…from somewhere?"

The blond shook her head. She was fairly certain she'd never seen this woman in her life. "I—I don't think so."

Her gaze dropped down to her hands, hoping the woman would take the hint that she did not wish to continue this conversation. She was beginning to get that familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach—a red flag that something was off.

The pixieish brunette nodded slowly, leaving them to themselves to attend to another customer—a busty redhead in a tight leather leotard. Caroline mentally rolled her eyes at the image that would forever be ingrained in her head.

"That was weird," Sookie spoke up once the bartender was out of earshot. Caroline nodded her head in agreement, sliding a look down the countertop to where the pixie stood chatting up an apparent local. "Anyway, Nora…how do Eric and Rebekah know each other?"

Nora raised a brow at the question—one Caroline was happy had been voiced. The change in topic was enough to get her mind off the case of mistaken identity. "Isn't it obvious? They used to fuck. Mostly to piss off her brother Niklaus—well half-brother."

The blond was certain that if it she'd assented to a drink she'd have been choking it up by now at the reveal. Eric and the she-devil? She cast her eyes in the direction they'd disappeared in, an unfamiliar ache in her chest...god, what was wrong with her?

:}{}{}{}{:

He followed swaying hips and the determined clicks of expensive pumps. Rebekah—she hadn't changed a bit. She was still the same cold hearted, desperate for attention, bitch he'd left behind years ago. What they'd had…it wasn't love—or at least the picture that had been painted of it over the centuries of blissful happiness and devotion. No. What they had, was more of a…business arrangement, if anything and the only bond they shared was over their mutual origins. Rebekah and her brothers had been living in a Viking village, in the Americas (before they had been discovered) when they'd greeted the future of immortality.

When he'd first met the woman he'd been intrigued by the passion behind her eyes—but he quickly came to realized that passion was simply bloodlust.

She was vain…and untrustworthy. But she was perfect for one-upping her brother in their little game of chess.

Rebekah pushed through a back door, slinking in and announcing their presence.

"Brother dear, you have a guest."

"Not now Bekah." The thickly accented voice rang out through the room. He had his back to them, phone at his ear in mid-conversation.

"Oh I think you're going to want to hear this," There was an idle promise in her words. She knew he simply couldn't resist. He turned in his seat, surprise evident as it graced his countenance.

"I'll call you back," Niklaus mumbled into the receiver before quickly hanging up. He returned his attention to the tall, blond man standing in the middle of his office—arrival unexpected.

"Nik."

"Eric." Niklaus breathed out in surprise, standing to his feet. There was uncertainty behind his eyes as he stared back at the man. They'd shared a long…complicated history. One that he'd hoped would be left in the past/

"I've come to collect on that favor you owe me."

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