"Have you lost your bloody mind?" Rage hissed through Rebekah's teeth, her scorn-filled emphasis exaggerated by her waving hands. "You talk repeatedly of how you must be kept secret, for both your sake, and yet you all but present yourself to him on the dance floor?"
Fingers traced the soft gold thread embroidered on the mask in her hands. "I thought I could handle it." Lips pursed, Juliana's voice lowered. "When I smelled him, though, it took me back." Melancholy twisted her features, a pensive sigh lowering her shoulders. "Do you know how long I had dreamed of a moment like that, Rebekah, and it then was in my hands, it was real." Amber eyes met sapphire. "I'm immortal, not immune."
"Juliana, you are my best friend and I love you as a sister. If there were a way to break the compulsion, you know I would gladly make it happen."
"I know." Sorrow flashed in her eyes. "Now where is this Sophie Deveraux? I may be dead, but graveyards still put me on edge."
"You didn't tell me you were bringing a guest, Rebekah." A young witch turned the corner inside the large cemetery, heels clicking against the walkway as her arms swung at her side. "Katie's magic is growing, we don't have a lot of time for this to work. I'm ready to start the locator spell."
With a nod and a look to Juliana behind her, Rebekah passed through the gate. "I'll need you to invite my friend in, Sophie. Don't worry, she's harmless so long as you don't piss her off."
"Not happening." Sophie's finger lifted, her dark eyes challenging Rebekah. "Not unless I know-"
"I'm the back-up plan should your spell fail." Juliana crossed her arms with a sigh, an arrogant smirk teasing her lips as she shifted her weight. "Now, do you want to interrogate me? Or do you want to trust Rebekah and invite me in so we can start?" Shrugging, she held Sophie's daggered glare. "The way I understand, your friend is sacrificing her life for this whether it works or not."
Tongue pushing against her cheek and nostrils flared, Sophie reluctantly gestured for her to enter. "Fine, come in."
Exploring the intricate curves and patterns of the metal gateway, Juliana moved forward, unhindered. The eerie quiet of the Lafayette cemetery haunted her core, the silence more boisterous than the party earlier that night. Large tombs stood over them on either side, some engraved with simple stone slabs while others bore images of angels or crosses gazing down on those walking past. The cemetery paths wound and twisted into an unsolvable maze for those who don't know its paths.
"I must concentrate." Sophie approached a small altar in the center of the cemetery. Sitting, she turned her dark stare to the immortals behind her, hand hands touching the materials in front of her. "This is a map of the city. The black powder at the base will draw a path to Davina's location."
"Davina?" A questioning brow raised, Juliana looked to Rebekah. "You didn't tell me you knew her name."
For the first time, Rebekah refused to meet her gaze, waving her off as she moved to Sophie's side. "It's of little consequence now. She's starting the spell."
Juliana watched as Sophie knelt, one hand out while the other held a chained pocket watch over the map. Her eyes closed as her lips moved in a foreign language, a breeze rising as the spell's magic filled the air. Intrigue held Juliana's attention on the map as the sand began to crawl across the parchment; the line inched further with each complete rotation of the watch.
With each word repeated, the wind intensified, the watch's wide circles tightening, the sand nearly to the center of the map. Juliana leaned closer, studying the streets, memorizing each turn as the swell of magic increased; it had been a long time since she felt power in this capacity. What was Rebekah not telling her? Was there an ulterior motive in calling her here?
Without warning, the watch fell stationary, the sand halting and wind ceasing.
"What's wrong, what are you doing?" Rebekah stepped forward while urgency laced her tone.
"Katie's magic stopped." A pause before Sophie readjusted, pushing her dark bangs from her face. "I can keep going."
Rebekah reached for the map, ripping it from Sophie and spilling the sand across the concrete. "Don't you dare! Davina will sense it and it will ruin the whole thing!"
"Relax." Juliana rolled her head, pulling her golden hair into a ponytail. "I saw the vicinity. This is why you brought me in, isn't it Rebekah?" Intense amber eyes stared the Mikaelson sister down. "Let me do my job and find your brother."
ii
The streets of New Orleans held a surprising quiet given the early midnight hour. Perhaps the vampires overindulged, or the tourists had yet to drunkenly stumble home; regardless, the calm did little to settle Juliana's nerves.
Standing beside her bike which now parked behind the vacant shop across from Rousseau's, Juliana changed into less conspicuous clothing. Her thoughts focused on the image of the map as she pulled her crimson off-shoulder shirt over her head; how close had the spell come before it ended?
Strapping her compound bow and the leather quiver to her back, a unique scent wafted through the alley. Curiosity pulled her, fingers dragging along the brick walls lining the narrow path to the street. With each step the smell grew stronger, the disappointment, sadness, intertwined so deeply Juliana's heart grew heavy; whoever this came from carried a breaking heart.
"You should have known better." A familiar voice caught her ear as she reached the edge of the alley.
"Cami?" She whispered, watching the young woman stroll along the sidewalk, her head down, lost in thought as she muttered to herself. "What is she doing here?"
Intently studying the human, Juliana nearly missed the second scent, rustic yet clearly distressed. Legs bending and body dropping low, she crouched, heart pounding with dread. Did he follow me?
Anticipation tightened her chest, wide eyes locking on the vision she desperately wanted to deny.
Still dressed in his tuxedo, Klaus pursued the young woman, his brows raised in concern while compassion flooded his tone. "Camille, wait." A gentle hand reached for her, fingers wrapping around her bare arm.
Cami's eyes fell to his soft grasp before she turned to hold his gaze. "Klaus, please don't. I know it's bro code to come smooth things over for Marcel, but I've been down this road before." Her voice lowered and cracked, brow wrinkling as she blinked away tears. "If he can turn on a dime like that, especially with his friends–"
"Someone hurt you before." The kindness laced in Klaus's words stirred a jealousy within, Juliana's lips curling in a snarl. "Someone who broke your trust."
"You could say that." She sighed, eyes dampening. "And it's not something I want to go through again."
Color drained from Juliana's face, the scent in the air shifting once more; the closer the two came, the stronger the smell of affection. Time slowed, her mind refusing to accept what her eyes witnessed: with unspoken understanding, Klaus's hand rose to wipe a tear from Cami's cheek. The silent longing shared in their movements was all too familiar and the jealousy quickly shifted to hurt and rage. Nails digging into a brick wall, Juliana's fangs sharpened, anger and betrayal fusing until they were indistinguishable.
"I'm sorry, Camille, but I am asking you to give Marcel another chance." Klaus leaned closer, their faces inches apart.
"Wow, I completely misread that." Cami chuckled, tearing her eyes from him and stepping back.
"You misread nothing, love, but unfortunately we all have our roles to play. It is simply not our time yet."
A growl slipped from Juliana's lips, her amber irises glowing gold as her eyes turned black, dark veins stretching to her cheeks. She recognized the regret in Klaus's tone, the hesitant desire. He cared about Camille, the way he used to care about her.
Shaking her head, her gaze fell to the street, eyes returning to normal. "Find Elijah. That's why you're here. You're dead to him, of course he'd move on."
Not allowing a final glance, Juliana disappeared down the street and into the night. The sand from Sophie's spell stopped a few blocks shy of the Saint Anne's church, an area said to be cursed after a seminary student slaughtered his class before ending his own life.
One benefit to working in the middle of the night was clarity. With so few people wandering the streets, Juliana saw and heard for miles; the ideal environment to track. It didn't take long for her thoughts to wander, questioning how differently things could be had she been more careful; had she not found him.
ii
The midnight breeze toyed with Juliana's hair, pulling strands from her ponytail to frame her face as she perched on the rooftop across from the abandoned church. The chimney behind her provided perfect cover; her silhouette indistinguishable as she studied the boarded windows and old police tape wrapped around the church's exterior. The smell of blood still lingered as though etched into very walls while the air lay thick with remnants of dark magic.
A single light inside drew her attention, the wooden shutters of the attic illuminated by a soft yellow glow. Golden eyes reflected the near full moon, faint sounds of movement rustling from inside. Pulling an arrow from her quiver, Juliana prepared her bow, pausing when one shutter creaked open, a young teen leaning on the sill.
"Who are you?" She all but demanded, her dark bangs framing her confident expression. "What do you want?"
A scoff slipped from the huntress, impressed by the young girl's confrontation. Either she underestimated Juliana or overestimated herself. "You must be Davina." She stood but remained in the shadows, her shining eyes the only sign of her position. "Hiding in plain sight, smart." Placing her bow over her shoulder, Juliana stepped forward, allowing the light to reveal a portion of her face. "I'm looking for a mutual friend of ours: Elijah Mikaelson? Original vampire, yay tall with dark hair and roguish charm?"
Davina's features darkened with a frown, the wind pushing her hair from her face, her unseen power churning around them. "That depends on who's asking."
A chill crawled down Juliana's spine, every hair on her body raising; an ancient magic dwelled in this young girl, strength well beyond her years. Perhaps her confidence was deserved after all.
Following Davina's glance to the empty coffin further back in the room, her desire to protect attempted to emerge. "What have you done with him?"
"I don't see how that's any of your concern." Davina retorted, her arms crossing as arrogance settled in her expression.
"Davina, it's quite all right." A familiar voice joined them, a tall man in a black suit stepping into view. "Juliana is an old friend; one who has, apparently, risen from the dead." A curious brow lifted as intrigue pulled at his grin.
"Elijah? You're unharmed?" Another step forward allowed the moonlight to fully reveal her. Elijah hadn't changed much, save for the shorter hair and tailored suit. Although unable to pinpoint it, something about his lack of surprise unsettled her. "Rebekah made it seem-"
"Yes, my sister has a knack for being dramatic as I'm sure you remember." He tilted his head, approaching the window while adjusting the cuff of his sleeve. "How is it you're alive?"
Stiffening, Juliana's mind began to slip, thoughts growing heavy and concentration proving difficult. Her vision blurred and doubled, Elijah's voice muffled and distant. "Why don't you– ask Rebekah. I– I have to go."
Nearly losing her balance, Juliana disappeared from the rooftop with supernatural speed, slowing when she reached the empty street corner a block away; a benefit of being in an area of the city rumored haunted. Body going rigid, her face fell blank as she pulled her phone from her back pocket. The light from the screen dilated her pupils, her fingers tapping various settings until a prompt appeared: please enter black box pin.
Without pause she entered a set of numbers before a text box displayed.
Confirmed sightings: Rebekah, Niklaus, Elijah. New Orleans.
Her thumb tapped the screen before a confirmation chimed her message had sent. Several moments passed when the phone vibrated, a response appearing: I'm on my way. Make sure they stay there. M.
After a moment, the box vanished, deleted displaying before the program closed and the phone returned to the home screen. Blinking rapidly, Juliana shook her head, the fog clouding her mind lifting. "What was I doing?" Her gaze wandered the screen, attempting to focus.
Tapping the phone icon, Juliana lifted the device to her ear, waiting for the other side to ring.
"Did it work? Did you find Elijah?" Rebekah's hushed voice eagerly came through.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Juliana paused before answering. "Meet me in the alley across from Rousseau's. We need to talk."
ii
Anger sank its claws into Juliana's chest as she rounded the corner, Rebekah pacing along the brick walls of the alley.
"Did you know?" Juliana growled, closing the distance between them and shoving Rebekah, her back hitting the wall with a thud.
Eyebrows pulling together, confusion and shock flickered in Rebekah's gaze. "What are you talking about?"
"Klaus and Cami." Nostrils flared, Juliana shoved the lump in her throat down, the sting of perceived betrayal dampening her eyes. Facing the bar where she witnessed the earlier display, her back turned to Rebekah. "Did you know how he felt about her when you called me here? Did you know he'd moved on?"
Rebekah's expression melted with a sigh, her touch on Juliana's shoulder shoved away. "I didn't think you'd find out."
Juliana turned, the anger seething in her eyes a veiled attempt at hiding the pain. "How long?" She inhaled, steadying her voice, fingers running over her head and through her hair. "How long has he been–"
"He's fancied her for some time." Rebekah admitted, once again reaching for her friend and denied. "I think she reminds him of you."
A stunned laugh huffed through Juliana's lips before she pushed past Rebekah. "You are unbelievable."
"Juliana, please understand, I didn't want you to get hurt. You can't be near my brother, what good would it do to tell you of the direction his eye wanders? Do you want me to remind you of what you can't have?" Voice rising, Rebekah stepped forward, Juliana stopping beside her motorcycle, watching her from the corner of her eye. "I understand what it's like! To see the man you love yearn for another, to watch him live without you. Why would I subject you to that hell?"
"You can be with Marcel!" She turned to Rebekah, fury burning in her amber glare. "You can speak to him, touch him and hold him! You act as though you are the only one forced into this immortal existence while speaking to me of a living hell–" a pause, a failed attempt to subdue the wrath awakened as the trembling words slid through clenched teeth. "You know nothing of hell. It's all a game to you, the Mikaelson family's game of chess and I've become an unwitting pawn."
"No! Juliana, don't you dare say that!" Rebekah's eyes welled, her voice growing uneven. Marching forward, a firm hand gripped Juliana's handlebar, her other aimed a finger at Juliana. "I have told you a thousand times how I wish there were a way to remove your compulsion. My brother's soul died the day he lost you and if you think I wouldn't give anything to have him back, to have you back, then you're a bloody fool!"
Tongue running over her sharpened teeth, Juliana's eyes lifted to the night sky, the sound of laughter approaching from around the corner causing her to pause. The smell of bourbon and scotch reached her well before the small group of humans rounded the corner and crossed the street toward Rousseau's. "Elijah is in the abandoned church, alive, awake, and perfectly fine." Refusing to meet Rebekah's eyes, she sat on the bike, the engine roaring to life. "Don't call me again. We are done."
"Juliana, wait." Rebekah moved to the side, desperate to look her in the eye.
There was a time when Juliana would have cared more about making amends, maybe even believed Rebekah's theatrics, but a thousand years of protecting herself made the prospect of vulnerability threatening; whether Rebekah deserved blame or not, she received it. Unwilling to hear another word, Juliana peeled away, the echo rolling through the alley like thunder. She should have known better, she always should have known better. Why didn't she die when Mikael stabbed her? What had she done that fate deemed her deserving of such a cruel existence, unable to die but unable to live.
The city lights blurred by and it wasn't long before buildings gave way to trees and dirt roads. Misty eyes glanced at the climbing speedometer: 60, 70, 75. She couldn't get away fast enough. Even if she wanted to believe Rebekah, there was no point in working it out; she was right about there being no cure for compulsion. Only the vampire who compelled the victim could rescind their commands, and there was no way he would agree to it.
Without warning, a loud horn from the turnoff beside her and screeching tires snapped Juliana back to reality. Bright headlights blindes her as pain exploded through the left side of her body. Stunned and disoriented, the realization she was airborne came only after hitting the pavement and rolling forward, the truck continuing down the road.
Groaning with agitation, Juliana blinked repeatedly, the gravel embedded in her palm loosening as she held her throbbing head. Blood dripped from her brow, her arms and legs bruised and bleeding as she turned on her stomach; this would have killed her had she been mortal. Her side burned, her body already repairing the broken ribs and road rash covering most of her figure.
Glowing eyes watched the speeding vehicle continue down the street before turning on a dirt road. Pushing herself to her feet before wiping the blood from her mouth, a disheartening smell stopped her: more blood, and not her own, but beyond that the scent of fear.
The pain radiating in her leg faded as she healed, each step toward her totaled motorcycle easier. With one quick scan of her surroundings, she pulled a black backpack from the storage space beneath the seat.
"Now, let's find out what you're running from." She muttered, crossing the street and moving behind the trees. "Worst case, you're dinner, and the world is that much safer." Sarcasm weighed heavily in her tone, licking her lips at the prospect.
With determined movements and increasing adrenaline she removed each article of clothing before placing them in the bag and putting her arms through the straps. Breathing in the forest air, her attention rose to the night sky, body relaxing; it had been some time since she shifted, but the less resistance, the faster the change. Amber eyes glowing gold against black, Juliana groaned as the familiar sound of breaking bones rang through the woods, her body twisting and contorting until a large blonde wolf stood upright.
Human form has its advantages, but nothing compared to the world viewed through a wolf's eyes. The soft dirt beneath her paws, the breeze rustling her fur, the power flowing through the earth nearly tangible. The whiff that brushed through the air moments ago now intensified, undeniable in its trail through the trees. Ears erect and forward, the distant sound of tires turning on dirt proved easy to decipher.
Bolting forward, the wind blew through Juliana's golden fur, the undeniable freedom lifting her spirit with each step. It had been too long since she ran, the sensation of freedom almost forgotten.
As she drew near to the source she tracked, other scents revealed to her delicate nose: fear and blood she knew, but it had changed. Anger held a unique aroma, and whoever this was burned with fury. Venturing closer, the ring of shattering glass reached her ears accompanied by the sounds of a struggle.
"Seriously Hayley?" A male's enraged voice halted Juliana, the outline of the truck now in view. A kidnapping? Nails dug into the earth at the thought, the potential chase brewing anticipation.
Lowering to the ground, Juliana crept forward, circling the truck from behind the trees as the silhouettes came into view.
"Tyler? What the hell, let me go!" A woman's voice responded from the covered bed of the truck, her exasperated tone making it clear these two knew each other.
"Don't struggle, Hayley." He grunted as he tightened the restraints around her wrists and ankles. "You know you can't win against a hybrid."
Hybrid? Juliana perked her ears, watching as Tyler slung Hayley over his shoulder. Well, this just got interesting.