Weak
Chapter 7
A/N: Excuse all the mistakes :)
See, I've come to burn
your kingdom down.
Alaric opened to door to the Grill, stepping aside for an older woman to pass through before he entered. He wasn't looking forward to explaining to Lizzie and Josie where their mother was heading, but he planned to be incredibly vague and let Caroline explain herself later. He truly wanted Caroline to be happy, but did it have to be with Klaus? It was just a cold-hard fact that everything that family touched, they destroyed.
"Alaric, hola!"
He turned to Valeria, a waitress he'd flirted with on occasion here -much to his daughters' dismay. She was as tall as he was, more slender than curvy, with a creamy olive complexion, and a thick head of curly black hair which she contributed to her Hispanic mother. That and her Spanish accent was thick enough to slice.
Alaric smiled. "Val, hey. Good to see you. My girls are meeting me here in a few minutes, can we get a booth?"
Valeria's impeccable eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "I sat them in a booth over an hour ago." She pointed to the far side of the restaurant, but the booths were empty. "They were just here…"
If Alaric had been any other father, he would've wrote it off as they were in the bathroom or moved to another seat, but he was an ex-vampire hunter and he knew just how much Mystic Falls attracted the supernatural. The twins in the wrong hands could be disastrous. He ran to the booth and looked it over. Nothing seemed to be amiss. The sound of vibration caught his attention and he dug into the seats, searching. His fingers brushed a something hard that was crammed in the left seat.
"What is it?" asked Valeria.
"Lizzie's cell." He answered as he pulled it out and showed her. A pink case covered iPhone with the initials E.J.S. "Where they alone?" he asked. He woke it up and saw it had a missed call from Caroline just now, she must have tried to call before boarding the plane.
"No, I saw Liam sitting with them."
The name didn't ring a bell. "Liam?"
"The bus boy." Valeria explained, "¡Me saca de quicio! Something is not right about him."
Alaric stalked up to her bar, Valeria behind him. "Where's Liam?" he demanded at the bartender.
The bartender backed away. "I don't know! I haven't seen him recently."
"I saw him!" chimed in another waitress. Alaric thought her name was Maggie. "I saw him helping two girls out the back. I thought they were drunk."
"¡¿Seriamente?!" Valeria couldn't believe Maggie was that dense. "You didn't think that was suspicious?"
Alaric snapped, "Those girls are fifteen!"
"I'm sorry!" she cried, fleeing toward the back.
Valeria stepped up to Alaric. "Calm down. That's not helping your girls. We need to call the police."
Alaric inhaled through his nose slowly. "You're right. Thank you." He began walking toward the door.
Valeria followed him. "Let me help you."
"Stay here in case Liam comes back and call me." He called over his shoulder. "That's the most you can help me." And he walked out the door.
Valeria watched him go, her heart aching. No parent should have to go through that. "Hombre tonto." She murmured, and went back to calm her disgruntled customers.
"Wait!"
Alaric slammed on the breaks of his truck. Maggie came running through the Grill's parking lot toward him.
She was out of breath when she made it to him. "Here."
Alaric took the thin manila folder out of her hand through the truck window. "What's this?"
"Liam's employee file." She explained, "I stole it out of the office. It's the least I could do."
"I appreciate it." He put the truck back in drive and sped out of the parking lot. He had some phone calls to make.
Thirty minutes later, Alaric, Damon, Elena, Bonnie, Jeremy and Matt stood in the kitchen of Damon and Elena's home. Alaric had tried to call Caroline as soon as he'd made it outside the Grill, but she'd already turned her cell off for the flight to New Orleans. He left her a message saying to call him as soon as possible.
They all stood around the kitchen island, with Liam's file open. Alaric had told them what had happened at the resturant.
"Liam Deveaux." Pronounced Damon Salvatore slowly, as if etching it into memory. "My moneys on vengeful vamp." The once-vampire was aging well, considering he was technically almost 200 years old now. A few crow's feet around the same intense blue eyes and a strand or two a gray streaking through his dark hair was the only evidence that he was growing older.
Elena looked at her husband. To this day, he still gave her butterflies with that crooked smile. "He could be anything, but it's obvious he's out for revenge against you or Caroline." She replied. After two pregnancies, she had the normal wear and tear of a mother of sixteen-year-old and two five-year-old children. Damon liked to tease her that she was still as timeless as a vampire, for he would always think she was as beautiful as when he first saw her when she was sixteen.
"Anything different happen recently?" Asked Matt, the Sheriff of Mystic Falls. The stress of his daily life peppered gray through his blonde hair, but he was still a handsome bachelor.
"Klaus showed up." Answered Bonnie, stroking her swollen belly. She had aged the least, thanks to good genes and witchcraft. She'd wanted to do some good in the world with her magic, so she'd been teaching young witches at Caroline's school since it'd opened.
Her husband groaned. "I thought we got rid of the Originals for good years ago." Jeremy was the youngest in the group. They all gave him crap about being Bonnie's boy-toy husband -much to his aggravation. Bonnie usually then asked if they were calling her a cougar with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. He and Bonnie had reconnected when he'd returned to Mystic Falls ten years ago.
Bonnie swatted him." It's just the one. The Original Hybrid is trying to woo Caroline."
"Is that why she cancelled Girls Night Out on me?" Asked Elena, a little offended, but more curious. She might have been angry when she was younger about Caroline and Klaus; especially after Caroline gave her so much crap about her and Damon. Lord knows Klaus was a more horrible version of her husband, but she just wanted her best friend to find love again. Caroline deserved it, and if Klaus had truly improved, then why not? The last thing she wanted was for her favorite blonde vampire to be alone for the rest of her immortal undead life.
The witch nodded. "She's on her way to Nola as we speak."
"So, Liam knew that she was going to be gone." Stated Matt. "He's working with someone close to you."
"It was an impulsive trip." Alaric told them. "She didn't know she was going until the last minute and she didn't call Bonnie or I until she was already on her way."
The group contemplated this for a few silent minutes.
"Ric and I will go check his guys address out." Said Damon, taking the lead as always. "Bonnie-"
"I'm the sheriff here." Interrupted Matt. "You're not breaking into someone's home without me."
"No offense Sherriff Ken, but don't you think there'd be an issue with the sheriff getting caught during a B&E?"
"We have to have an insider at the police station." Agreed Jeremy. "I'll go with Ric and Damon. You stay with Elena and Bonnie while she does a locator spell."
Bonnie picked up a knife out of the kitchen drawer. "I'll need some of your blood."
"If I didn't know any better." Began Elena with a smile, "I'd say you like telling people that."
Once safely inside the car -with Freya driving, Klaus is the passenger seat and Hope and Caroline in the back- Caroline turned to the teen witch. She really did look like a miniature female version of Klaus.
"What did you see?!"
Hope grasped the blonde vampire's hand. "I was waiting for you all to land when everything went dark. Sometimes my visions are like that." She explained. "I could barely breathe, something was covering my face and my hands were tied behind my back. It hurt so much."
"How did you know it was my girls?" Caroline asked quietly.
Hope brought Caroline's hand to her face and pressed it to her cheek. "I had this single thought over and over."
Caroline was going to ask what she meant when a voice entered her mind like a lightning strike. She gritted her teeth against the pain and focused on what the voice was saying.
"This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Lizzie. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Lizzie. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Lizzie."
Caroline jerked back with a gasp, tears welling. "My baby." She whimpered. The thought of her children stolen by some stranger, afraid, and in pain consumed her mind. She felt the veins under eyes swell and the sharp points of her fangs as they lengthened in her mouth. The rage inside blistered her, only tampered by her worry for Lizzie and Josie. Find my children, murder all involved in gruesome ways.
As always, Klaus knew what she was thinking. "I will find whoever did this and make them regret ever setting their sight on your children." He promised vehemently.
Caroline nodded mutely, trying to get her emotions in control enough to change her face back to normal. She had to have a clear head right now. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes when everything was on the line.
"I can do a locator spell." Freya chimed in. "I just need something of theirs or your blood."
Caroline's lips thinned. "My blood won't work. I'm their surrogate mother. I don't have any items of theirs with me either."
"Nothing? A single hair on a hairbrush is plenty." Freya elaborated.
"My hairbrush!" Caroline flipped in her seat and tore into her luggage in the back. She held out a purple hairbrush matted with hair, finally. "I'm so glad I didn't clean it before we left." She wiped her tears and gasped the thread of hope she felt. She would find her girls.
"We need to go to the compound." Klaus told Freya. "I'll call in some reinforcements."
Freya revved the engine. "Time me, brother."
After what felt like hours with a bag over her head, it was finally ripped off. The blinding light almost made Josie want the bag back on. She sucked in a large breath as her eyes adjusted to the light.
"Get the hell away from us!" She shrieked at her captor. Her sister was sitting a chair a couple foot away, blinking against the light. It looked like they were in a warehouse.
Liam towered over them with a frown. "Keep your voice down or I'll gag you."
"Get bent, asshole." Hissed Lizzie. "I knew you were a scum bag!"
He rolled his eyes and walked behind them where the twins couldn't see him. Josie looked at her sister. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Lizzie scowled. "My head's a little foggy from being drugged, but I'm fine."
"This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Lizzie."
"It's not your fault, sis." Lizzie whispered. "Mom and Dad'll find us."
"I doubt that." Intoned Liam. He reappeared beside them with terry cloths. "I told you I'd gag you if you didn't shut up."
"Don't do dare touch me, you sicko-"
"My mom is going to eat y-"
Liam took a seat in front of them and rubbed his eyes, looking weary. "I have nothing against either of you."
Lizzie rolled her eyes and Josie glared at him with all the hate she could manage.
"I don't." He insisted, "Kidnapping children is so distasteful, but necessary in this case. You're special witches and I'm in need of a special witch. I only needed one of you but I couldn't chance leaving one of you behind to help hunt me before I finished my task." He stood and wheeled a white coffin into the dim lighting. "I will release you both if you cooperate."
"Ew ee ook upid?" Lizzie snapped with her gag in.
"No, you don't look stupid. Which is why you know I will compel you to forget all this after we're done."
Josie shared a shocked look with her sister. "ampire?!"
"I'm a little older than I look. Eight hundred and fifty two years, actually." He sighed in exasperation at the gagging sounds the girls made. "Enough, now here is what I need you do." He motioned to the coffin. "One of you with siphon the spell keeping this coffin closed and the other with siphon the sleeping spell from the woman inside." He took out their gags.
"I won't help you release whatever monster is in that coffin!" Vowed Josie.
"Me either." Agreed Lizzie defiantly.
The vampire didn't look impressed. "Which ever one of you doesn't cooperated with have to watch the other die."
The teenage witches shared a desolate look. Liam began to untie Josie first. "No funny business or I will kill you sister." He warned.
Josie stood on wobbly legs and approached to coffin. With tentative hands, she laid them on the top of the coffin and sharply inhaled as the magic hit her. She'd never felt such powerful magic before! She could even siphon whatever being laid asleep inside at the same time. Liam thought it was two different spells, when in reality, they were intertwined into one large, complex spell. A plan began to form in her mind. She would suck up all the magic and as Lizzie was being untied, she'd disable Liam and escape with her twin.
"Enough!" Barked the Liam, ripping her glowing red hands away from the coffin. He dragged her to her chair and bound her with thick rope again.
As he began to untie Lizzie, she winked at her sister. Lizzie smirked and nodded.
With a single thought, the ropes holding Josie down slowly began to unravel. Liam unfinished untying her sister at the same time that she was freed. "Tuum cor meum!" She began, holding her arm up and squeezing an imaginary object that she imagined as the vampire's heart.
Liam jerked around fell to the floor, holding his chest. Josie smirked, squeezing harder until blood bubbled from his deceitful lips. She'd make him regret ever seeing her face!
"Josie!" Called Lizzie. "Look-"
"Halt or she dies." came a breathy, threatening purr from behind her; where Lizzie was. But that was definitely not Lizzie's voice.
A red-headed woman dressed in an wrinkled, all white suit with deadly looking red stilettos, held Lizzie against herself. Josie saw the coffin was open and now empty. She had released this evil ginger! She dropped her hands in defeat.
Liam gulped in air, now that he was not longer under the witch's spell and righted himself, grabbing Josie.
The two vampires stared at each other. The woman smiled at Liam and looked at him through her lashes. "Hello, my dear Lothaire. It's been sometime."
Josie couldn't believe this, of course his real name wasn't Liam! He was an eight hundred year old vampire! What did she expect? The love and devotion shining in Liam's, or Lothaire's eyes rather, was enough to make her sick, she couldn't believe she ever liked him!
Lothaire stepped forward, bringing Josie with him. "I've missed you, Aurora."
DUN DUN DUN
Translations:
¡Me saca de quicio! - He creeps me out! (spanish)
¡¿Seriamente?! - Seriously?!
Hombre tonto - Foolish man
Tuum cor meum! - Your heart is mine! (latin)
Tiffy-wa~
