Chapter 8:
Oona and Alaric came through the door and found Elena sitting on the couch flipping through an old book. "Hey, you two - Nice walk?" She said.
"Yes, it's beautiful outside. And what are you up to, Miss Elena?" Oona asked.
"Reading through one of John Gilbert's journals." Elena looked up from her reading.
Alaric slumped into the seat next to Elena and asked her, "Finding anything useful?"
"I doubt there is anything in here that Oona doesn't already know." Elena handed the journal to Alaric who started to flip through it.
"True", he said, "We have our very own Original hybrid."
Oona laughed. "I feel like a prize pony."
Damon walked in then and eyed Oona strangely. "You two have a nice stroll around the grounds?" His tone was borderline obnoxious.
Alaric gave Elena a 'what is up with him? look.'
"Yes, it was lovely. Alaric and I had a nice chat and enjoyed some quiet." She smiled serenely at Damon. "Will the rest of group be here soon?"
Elena smiled and motioned her head towards Oona. Alaric smiled back and nodded.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Damon walked toward the door and mumbled something under his breath.
Caroline walked in with Tyler and Bonnie and Jeremy followed behind. Bonnie was giving Jeremy a weird look and he was very pale. Elena got off the couch and greeted them all with hugs.
Damon came in behind them, walked over to his liquor cabinet and got another drink. His edginess was on the rise since his talk with Elena. When he turned around with his drink he noticed they were all staring at him.
"Yes, wolf bite cured. Speaking of which, why is Teen Wolf here?" he motioned his head toward Tyler.
Oona cleared her throat loudly; she was part wolf after all. Damon mumbled to himself again.
Caroline looked at Oona curiously "I thought he could help. You said something big was going on with Klaus. Where's Stefan?" Then Caroline looked at Oona "I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"
Oona had moved to get herself a drink and was standing next to Damon. He instinctively placed his hand on Oona's back. She looked up at Damon. He finished his drink and said, "Allow me to do the introductions. This is Oona. Oona this is Vampire Barbie, Teen Wolf, Judgey Witch and Baby Brother." He wasn't quite sure why he got such a kick out of irking them, but he did enjoy it immensely. A snarky smile spread over his face.
Oona just shook her head. She walked over to them and looked to Elena. "Elena, would you please introduce me to your friends?"
Elena nodded and went down the line introducing everyone by their actual names and Oona shook each of their hands, when she came to Jeremy she looked at him cautiously – something was off about him.
They all looked at her curiously. They could tell she wasn't human.
"So who is going to tell us what is going on and why we're here?" Caroline asked as she took a seat on the couch.
Oona looked at Damon. He thought it was better if it wasn't coming from him and looked at Elena. Elena nodded and stood in front of the fireplace facing all of them. Oona stood to her side as if she was protecting her right flank. Damon stood back by the liquor cabinet and Alaric joined him for a drink – he was up to speed and it was late enough in the day for his liver.
First Elena explained Stefan's deal with Klaus. Alaric looked over at Damon, whose face was hard. Damon was still feeling angry and guilty about what Stefan had done. The rest of them started asking her questions all at once. Elena put her hand up for them to stop.
"Guys, there's a lot to get through and I won't if I don't keep going." She couldn't think too much about Stefan or she'd become a puddle on the floor.
They quieted and Bonnie spoke, "How can we find Klaus? I could do a tracking spell, but Elijah was his only living blood relative and he took off with Klaus. Maybe we could go to Alaric's place and see if Klaus left anything behind."
Elena looked at Oona then. She didn't feel comfortable being the one to reveal Oona's secret. Oona nodded. She looked at the group. "I believe that is where I come in. Elijah is not the only surviving relative, I am Klaus' sister."
The four of them looked dumbfounded. Bonnie immediately jumped in, "Then how can we trust you? Elijah said he would kill Klaus and betrayed us."
Damon moved to Oona with vampire speed. His face was fierce as he looked at Bonnie. "Oona is nothing like Elijah!"
Everyone looked stunned by Damon's reaction.
Oona placed her hand on Damon's shoulder in an effort to calm him and gave him a look that said I've got this. Damon relaxed but stayed beside her.
Oona stepped forward and looked at Bonnie. "I understand your reluctance to trust me, but I can assure you I have no desire to see my family again, as Elijah did. I only want to put Klaus down."
Bonnie pressed, "Why should we believe you?"
"Because I haven't been part of that family in centuries….Perhaps I was not clear, I am Klaus' full sister, a hybrid. I have no family."
Bonnie eyes went wide. Caroline, Tyler and Jeremy just stared.
"You're a hybrid?" Bonnie exclaimed. "What about the curse?" Then Bonnie looked at Damon, "Did you know about this?"
Oona held Damon in a vice grip masked as her arm around his waist. Elena stepped forward.
"Bonnie, I get why you're suspicious, but just listen to what Oona has to say. She's risked a lot coming here to help us. "
Elena did not let on that it was Oona's blood that first helped Damon to heal. She figured the witches probably would not see that as part of Oona's oath to them. Elena looked to Damon and continued.
"Damon's right. Oona is not Elijah. If she is putting her trust in us, I think we should trust her too." Elena saw Damon starting to calm and Oona's grip on him relaxed.
Oona looked at all of them again. "Let me start by saying that while Damon and I have known each other for some time, he knew nothing of my true nature until I saw him last night. I'll tell you all that I can and will do my best to answer your questions. Please know I could never betray you." She looked at Damon when she said this.
Oona started with her family and how she found out she was a hybrid. She told them when her mother came to be her and they faked her death. She told them how the witches had not cursed her as an insurance policy in case Klaus broke the curse. She shared what she knew from tracking her family over the centuries. She took her time. They each asked questions as she made her way through the story for the third time in less than 24 hours. She felt like a broken record, but she knew it was important they trust her. She had to make up for Elijah's betrayal. The Original question and answer session went on for quite a while, but she answered their questions as thoroughly as possible. She had opened the door; she might as well walk right through with gusto.
When Oona finished she looked at Bonnie and said, "So you can rest assured that I have no desire to see my family again. We only need locate Elijah, who I am sure Klaus has disposed of by now. If he so much as lifts a finger to intervene in our effort to deal with Klaus, I give you my word that I will stake him myself."
Bonnie nodded then. Oona had won over the skeptic of the group. But Alaric jumped in then. "Find Elijah! Why would we want to find Elijah?"
Damon spoke at this point. "Because Oona, in her most annoying way of always being right, has pointed out that Elijah is the only one that would know Klaus' post-curse preparations. Trust me; I'm not giddy about the idea of finding the guy either."
No one said anything to that – mostly due to their shock of Damon admitting anyone was right about anything he didn't agree with.
Alaric looked at Oona. "What do you think Klaus is planning?"
Oona looked at him squarely. "I believe Klaus intends to build a hybrid army. Do you now understand why it is so important for us to learn all we can from Elijah?"
Alaric nodded. "But you will stake him if he so much as thinks of helping Klaus?"
Oona looked him in the eye, "I give you my word."
Oona looked out the window. The sun was about to set. She looked at the group. "I would like to recommend that we use tonight to prepare some proper defense for ourselves. Is that agreeable?"
"What do we need to do?" Elena asked.
Oona looked at Bonnie. "Do you think you would be able to put wards on the boarding house?"
Bonnie nodded. Oona walked to the corner of the room where she had left a leather bag and opened it.
"I also have the witches' grimoires. It contains all the information on how to wound a hybrid. I am the only one who can kill him, but there are ways to slow him. I suggest we go through them and prepare the necessary tools. "
She handed the books and bag to Alaric "I think you will find the necessary items in the bag. Bonnie can work with you once she completes the wards on the house."
Oona then looked at Tyler. "You need to stay here. You will be vulnerable on your own. You also need to begin ingesting a vervein-wolfsbane mixture daily."
Tyler looked at her confused. "Why would I do that?"
"Klaus will be looking for werewolves to transform into hybrids for his army. In order to make another hybrid he will need to feed you his blood and drain you. He cannot do that if you have vervein and wolfsbane in your bloodstream." She handed Tyler a small vile with a clear liquid inside. "Drink this. I know it will be unpleasant, but it is necessary."
Tyler nodded and took the vile. He opened and swallowed it. He gagged and doubled over after he swallowed it. Caroline came to his side as his knees buckled. Oona kneeled next to him and took his hand. "It's dreadful, but it will keep you safe."
Tyler nodded at her. He still looked dazed. "I appreciate you looking out for me, but I can't quite thank you just yet." He smiled weakly.
"If it makes you feel better, I've drank it every day for centuries and you will build up a tolerance for it...in time." Oona said.
Damon looked at her leaning over Tyler and took in what she said. Oona smiled.
"It can weaken me, unless I have a tolerance. Don't worry it will take Klaus decades. That's what it took me."
"Can I take him somewhere to lie down?" Caroline asked.
Damon motioned upstairs. "Last room at the end of the hall on the left."
Alaric and Jeremy finished getting what they needed and went into the kitchen to begin working on making more of the mixture. Damon brought them tranquilizer darts for them to fill.
Oona found Bonnie and handed her a grimoire. It was opened to a marked page. "Read this spell and try it on me." Oona said.
Elena looked at Oona. "Are you sure that is a good idea? We really cannot afford for you to be weakened."
Damon walked back into the room and heard what they were discussing. "What are you doing?"
"We need to know if this will work."
Bonnie looked at Oona cautiously. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, we'll do it once. Just to see."
Bonnie looked at the book and memorized the spell. She put the book down and her hands out. "Ego te repellit naturae animal redargutiones!"
Oona flew across the room and into the wall. She crumpled on the floor. Damon moved at vampire speed to her. She was conscious, but barely. "I guess it works."
Damon pulled her to him. "What is wrong with you? That's it. No more testing hybrid harming spells you crazy woman."
Elena and Bonnie came to her side. "Oh my God, are you okay? You asked me to, I'm so sorry." Bonnie said.
"I should have asked how strong a witch you were before we did that." Oona said teasingly to ease her concern. "That should make you feel better - you can send me flying if you think I've crossed you." She slowly pulled herself up to her feet.
Damon held on to her as she rose. "Damon, I'm fine. I think I just need a seat." He picked her up and placed her on the couch.
Bonnie looked at Damon – she'd never seen him like this before. She looked Elena who just smiled and nodded.
Damon hovered over Oona as she sat on the couch. "Damon, I'm fine. Now will you please leave Bonnie and me to go through the grimoire. There are few more things I must show her." He opened his mouth to protest, but Oona placed her finger over it and finished, "I promise there will be no more demonstrations."
"Damon, why don't you and I check on Tyler and Caroline?" Elena said
"Are you sure you are alright?" Damon said as Elena nudged him out of the room.
"Yes, I'm fine." Oona said "Now scoot!"
Elena and Damon headed upstairs. "You weren't serious, were you? I'll play nice with Teen Wolf while we're all fighting the big bad Klaus, but I'm not going to check on him and Caroline."
He walked into his room and Elena followed him. "Do you see what I mean now?" She asked.
Damon looked at Elena like she had two heads. "What are you talking about?"
"The way you are with Oona. I've never seen you act that way with anyone."
Damon narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Elena…"
She cut him off. "Damon, I am not going to let you do this. You know you have feelings for her."
"And what kind of feelings would they be?" Damon was being petulant.
Elena put her hand on her hips and looked at him. "Are we really going to do this?"
Damon sighed and sat on his bed. "Look Elena, it doesn't matter. Oona doesn't feel that way about me."
"I don't know Damon. She risked a lot coming here to save you. And I get the feeling it's not the first time."
"But, that doesn't mean … what you're implying it means." He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Yeah, I'm sure she'd risk her life and a secret she's kept for centuries for any random person. Come on Damon. Don't you see the way she looks at you?"
Damon looked at Elena disbelieving. Was Elena right?
Elena looked at him and said softly, "I'll give you some time to yourself. I'll make sure everyone is set up with a place to sleep."
Damon stared blankly as Elena left his room.
