Disclaimer: I do not own the vampire diaries or any of characters/quotes associated with it. Also, I am sorry that the chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I figured you'd like something after a month of waiting. Hopefully the next will come sooner!
dance on our graves
"So they dug your grave
and the masquerade
will come calling out
at the mess you made."
.
.
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"So, where'd Little Gilbert go?"
Kol's curiosity was endless and so naturally, the first thing he'd noticed when walking into the Salvatore Boarding House was the absence of Elena Gilbert's too-intense little brother. Everyone else from their little gang was there: Damon Salvatore, Elena, that perky blonde vampire Caroline, the snarky blonde vampire Lexi, some strange human boy that had yet to be named and a dark haired girl whose back was to him, and of course, the Bennett witches. Finn stood unobtrusively in the corner, straight backed and blank faced as usual, hands behind his back.
As he stepped farther into the room, it was clear that Kol had entered upon an argument.
Elena was standing to next to Damon and together, they looked determined and undefeatable to the average person. However, Kol saw the cracks as Elena explained her brother's whereabouts defensively. "He's somewhere safe in case this blows up in our faces." Her tone indicated that she thought that was a highly likely possibility.
Kol's lips curled into a grin. "So you had your boy toy compel him away, did you?"
While Elena spluttered and Damon glowered at him, Kol swung his gaze around towards the Mummy Bennett and her darling spitfire daughter, Bonnie. They were working quietly together in their own little bubble of magic and Kol was entranced. When he was a child, he'd been uninterested in his mother's and Finn's intense magic lessons, but as he'd grown older, Kol had found himself engrossed in it. The study was boring at first, but later he found that it was perhaps the only thing he'd ever applied himself to.
The argument started up behind him again, and so Kol diverted his attention between it and the witches.
"I can't believe you brought her," The one called Caroline snapped accusingly.
"She's on our side, Care," The unknown male replied back calmly, "and she knows things that could help us."
"Like what?" Damon sneered, "Nothing Lexi or I couldn't tell you, I'm sure. Besides that, Anna is a bitch and a sneak."
"It's not that we don't like her – you," Elena was speaking quickly, her eyes wavering between her friend and his girl, "And your relationship is – whatever." She waved her hands, to Kol's amusement, attempting to encompass the two humans' relationship. "It's just that Faye is the one that brought her –you back, so we can't really trust her yet. I'm sorry, Matt. Anna."
Kol prowled towards them, his curiosity sparked. "What has happened now, kids?"
Damon shot him a cocky look. "Nothing we can't handle. So scoot on back to Big Brother, now."
"It's really none of your business anyway," Caroline snapped.
"Clearly is does if it has the possibility of affecting our plan. And I'm not taking any chances of this plan being affected," Kol interjected smoothly and then ducked around Damon to get a look at the dark headed girl and her blonde bodyguard. "Kol Mikaelson," He introduced winningly.
"Charmed," Anna muttered distastefully. Kol's eyes swept the vampire; she was a little taller than Stephanie, and she had tumbling black hair that fell over her shoulders. She was pale – like most vampires – and her makeup she'd applied was dark; she had on heavy eyeliner and mascara. She was in a dark jacket (like most of the people it Mystic Falls, it seemed) and was wearing high boots and dark jeans. Kol was reminded of a term Rebekah had once muttered around him: Goth.
"What's the problem with . . . Anna was it?" Kol stopped his inspection to leer at the girl.
"Faye Chamberlain brought her back from the dead a bit ago, so you'll have to forgive us if we're not entirely sure of her allegiance," Damon said sourly, "She could be a spy."
"We have no problem with the fact you're dating her," Elena hurried to explain to the blonde fellow again, "But we just don't want to trust her with the plan yet."
"I'm not spying for Faye," Anna rolled her eyes and Kol got the impression that she had stated this multiple times. Which, yes, would become irritating; Kol thought this lot was just a bunch of bumbling idiots who didn't know what the hell they were doing half of the time.
"Why doesn't one of you compel her and find out if she's lying?" Kol rolled his eyes at the glaringly obvious simplicity.
"I drink vervain," Anna deadpanned, "How dumb do you think I am? This is Mystic Falls."
"Pretty dumb if you're still living here, sweetheart," Kol smirked.
"Hey!" The blonde jock shouted, one of his hands curling protectively around the vampire's tiny waist. The thought of him keeping her out of danger was laughable to Kol, and he felt a smirk settling on his lips.
"I'm sorry, what was your name again? I can't talk to someone and continue to call them 'dumb jock' in my head," Kol waved a hand like the issue of names was a mere pesky inconvenience; which, to Kol, undoubtedly were most of the time. After all, who needed to know their food's names?
"It's Jockstrap," Damon corrected mildly and Elena smacked him almost absentmindedly.
Finn, the adult he was, finally decided to intervene before there was any actual bloodshed. Spoilsport.
"We need to pick up the pace and cease the incessant and useless squabbling," Finn's brows were furrowed deep into his forehead, which was a clear sign of his anger that was simmering just below the surface. "I do not care that this 'Anna' is here, as long as someone keeps an eye on her so that she doesn't report back to my brother if she is indeed a spy. As soon as the Ms. Bennett and Miss Bennett finish cementing their temporary magical link, they'll put the first enchantments onto the coffin. Then we will commence the plan."
Finn turned to Kol. "Brother. Did you bring your casket?"
Kol waved a hand dismissively, even as his lips pulled up into a delighted smile. "It's in the back of the pick-up truck I took, ready for Niklaus' hybrid bum to lay in for the next seventy years at least."
"More than that," Finn muttered to himself and then nodded efficiently.
"We're ready," Bonnie's voice rang out across the living room, drawing the rest of the group's attention to the witches once again. "We can start the spells."
"Good," Finn said grimly, "Kol, bring the coffin inside. I'll leave to gather Niklaus." His eyes swept the rest of the huddle. "Make yourselves scarce until I need extra strength to subdue my brother. Keep an eye on Miss Anna."
Kol clapped his hands, excitement building up within him. Revenge was sweet, but also usually a dish best served cold. However, he wasn't willing to wait for much longer, so cool would have to do.
The paintbrush in Klaus' hand was like an old friend; it was familiar and his. It also knew where to go and what to paint with just a little direction – like most of Klaus' old "friends". The face that it was creating was also familiar; to Klaus and to this particular paintbrush.
He kept his gaze and attention riveted to the canvas in front of him as the painting began to take shape and come to life beneath his fingertips. His subject was standing in front of the balcony's open door; the wind was wafting a cool breeze inside that blew back the silk curtains and his subject's long brown hair.
She had on hardly a stitch of clothing, wearing only her under things, and Klaus noticed her suppressing a shiver at the cool air. He could feel goose bumps rising on his arms and legs, having even less covering him than his lover. The paintbrush continued to stroke across the canvas and Klaus remembered his own dexterous fingers gliding across her shoulders the night before. His eyes almost slid closed.
"I have a question."
He kept his eyes open, but Klaus didn't look up from the painting. He hummed.
"Why do you want to stay in Mystic Falls?" He could imagine her calculating eyes and her puckered rosy lips as she thought out his motivations. Another breeze floated in, carrying with it the smells of the neighboring forest.
"The reason I told Damon; I was here first," Klaus said slyly with a wink and picked up another brush to add a different color. It – the brush – was delicate and therefore needed a gentler touch.
"You were diverting him," Stephanie said drily, and then her voice turned shrewd again. "It's quite a turnaround from not even three days ago when you were plotting to leave town with Rebekah and I. Maybe even having Tyler as a tag along."
At that, Klaus looked up, surprised. "Oh?" Really, he shouldn't be startled by Stephanie's astuteness; she was rather clever and devious. Most people missed that, but not Klaus. Not usually, anyway.
She hummed and twisted.
"Don't move," Klaus warned her sharply and she slowly moved back into place, teasing.
"You think very loudly and you wear your emotions on your sleeve when you think you're safe, which isn't often," Stephanie elaborated, "in addition to the fact that you were plotting all of this right after we'd just had sex and exchanged blood; I could still feel the lingering touches and thoughts of your mind."
To that, Klaus had nothing to say, so he refused to say anything. He went back to his painting and tried to force his self to concentrate.
"You can't have changed your mind so quickly," Stephanie said idly, seemingly to herself; she was fishing but Klaus wouldn't fall for it.
"Maybe I did," Klaus snapped and worked a little faster, the brush strokes sharp and angrier.
"Or maybe you decided that for some reason, you needed more hybrids," Steph deadpanned. "So, of course, you need Elena's blood, and therein lay the need to stay close or at least close enough that you can have easy access to her for as long as you think you need."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Klaus said flatly.
"The only thing I don't understand is your motivation," Stephanie continued as if Klaus hadn't even spoken, her brows arched sharply, "Why? You have everything you've ever wanted; Mikael is gone and your family is with you."
"You forgot something, love," Klaus muttered. "I've got you for forever now."
"How romantic," Stephanie deadpanned, "But that doesn't-"
"Niklaus." Both Klaus and Steph turned their heads to the door of Klaus' room and saw Finn standing, silhouetted in the doorway. Klaus couldn't help but thank his brother's timing as it kept him from having to explain further. However, Klaus took in Finn's impassive features in the face of their near nudity, and thought maybe it might have been better if he'd knocked first. "I have a need to speak with you." Finn's eyes cut to Stephanie pointedly. "Alone."
"Steph can step out for a bit," Klaus offered and stood. He smirked as Finn's eyes averted.
"No," Finn said a little sharply, "I need to speak with you alone. Meet me in front of the house, and dear God, put some clothes on before you do it." He turned on his heel and shut the door soundly behind his self, letting it click loudly.
Stephanie and Klaus' exchanged glances with arched brows. "Better do as he says; Finn sounded like he meant business," Steph said, amused.
Klaus waved a hand and rolled his eyes. "Something of the utmost importance, I'm sure." He the leered, "Don't get dressed; I'll be back." They stepped towards each other, hands finding familiar spots on hips and necks, and they shared a passionate, lingering kiss. "I'll be back," Klaus repeated.
"I know." Her smirk dropped. "And we'll continue this discussion then."
Klaus only rolled his eyes as he darted away.
.
.
.
Finn and Klaus ran a good distance away from the house, far enough that Klaus began to recognize some of the landscape close to the Salvatore's Boarding House. They deftly maneuvered between the large, leafy trees, and over the thick underbrush. Klaus slowed to a stop, forcing Finn to pause with him.
"I think this is a sufficient distance," Klaus waved a hand lazily about him. His eyes settled on his older brother and he crossed his arms, intensely suspicious. "So. What is it that was so important you had to drag me away from my art?"
Finn's eyes were unexpressive, as were the rest of his features. His body language didn't reveal anything either, except for an extra dose of stiffness, maybe. Interesting. "I needed to ask you a question."
"What's with all of the questions today?" Klaus smirked but his curiosity was piqued and he tapped his dexterous fingers along his elbow.
"I would like to know what reasoning went behind the decision to incarcerate me into a wooden tomb for nearly nine centuries." Finn was utterly serious, which was normal, but there was something furtive in his eyes. Something . . . distrustful.
Klaus prowled around him like a caged animal. "That's it? You pried me away to ask me that?" He scoffed.
"Niklaus," Finn's voice was low and there was a clear warning in it. "Please." Klaus paused at that, unconsciously stiffening, even as his brows climbed higher in surprise at the pleading tone.
Klaus thought back to their childhood in Mystic Falls, long before it was actually named that, and recalled being the middle child left out of everything, recalled having impossible brothers to live up to; Elijah, the oldest and most clever; and Finn, second oldest and the clear favorite of both of his parents. The special one, the one gifted with strong magic. He remembered the abuse from Mikael and Elijah's attempts to stop it; remembered Esther only turning away. He remembered Finn turning away, keeping blind and deaf to Klaus' pain filled screams. Even with all of his magical training at their mother's heel, Finn had stood by . . . and done nothing.
Klaus' smile was shark like, with all pointed teeth. "I was bored and angry at Father, and you were an easy target. A reachable outlet for my heightened emotions, that's all. I used you to release the horrible tedium that my vampire life was at that point. And you fulfilled your purpose."
Finn's eyes shuttered for half a second as he looked away. When he turned back, they were full of steel. "I thank you for enlightening me, Niklaus."
"You're welcome." Klaus was done humoring his brother, "Now, if you'll excuse me . . ."
"I don't think you should be excused," A voice behind him snapped and suddenly there were hands on his neck, squeezing. Klaus knew it to be Kol in an instant.
"What is this?" Klaus roared and ripped his younger brother off of his shoulders, throwing him onto his back in the dirt. Klaus strode over to his younger brother and roughly stood a heavy booted foot in the center of Kol's chest.
"Revenge is a bitch," Kol snapped and Klaus pressed him into the dirt.
He leant down to hiss obscenities at him when Klaus suddenly felt . . . very tired. Lethargic. His vision doubled and then blurred at the edges, making him stumble backwards and release Kol.
"What . . . are . . . you . . . doing . . . to me?" Every word was an obstacle that took all of his energy. Klaus sank to his knees, panting. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see Lexi Branson driving a pickup truck with a large wooden coffin in the bed. The trees swirled around him and all of the forest chatter seemed to heighten exponentially, making his hears ring.
"Putting you down like the dog you are," Bonnie Bennett snapped as she stepped out of the trees, arms raised in front of her body. Another black woman was at her side, deep in concentration as she helped perform the spell holding him down. They stood shoulder to shoulder, a united front against Klaus while Finn and Kol just stood there, watching.
"Let me . . . go!" Klaus intended to scream, but his demand spilled from his lips like a desperate whimper.
"Not happening, dick," Damon Salvatore breathed into Klaus' ear, "Not when I'm this close to getting back my sister and my town from your control." When had he arrived? Damon Salvatore was pest and a nuisance that Klaus wanted to be rid of for the rest of eternity. Klaus snarled, but Damon's booted foot came down and shoved the Hybrid onto his chest in the dirt. Ironic, considering Klaus' move not five minutes ago towards his own brother. Klaus spat out a mouthful of grime.
"I have to . . . release the . . . compulsion . . . myself," Klaus huffed, turning laughing eyes onto the Salvatore.
"Finn can do it," Damon denied venomously, "Like Elijah released Jeremy from your compulsion a year ago. Not so high and might now, are you?"
"I'm . . . so much stronger . . . now," Klaus gritted through clenched teeth, pain from the Bennett witches hitting him, "I'm the Hybrid. And anyway . . . do you really . . . think I put . . . much effort into . . . Jeremy Gilbert's . . . compulsion?"
Damon's face was impassive, but his normally icy blue eyes were blazing with fierce anger and malice.
Klaus laughed in his face. "You'll . . . never get her back . . . if I'm six feet under."
"I'll have to take my chances," Damon spat and then Klaus became disoriented as Finn and Kol picked him up by the arms, dragging him backwards through the soil to the pickup truck several feet away. His long legs left trails in the ground, his body trailing dead weight.
"Have fun in hell," Lexi snapped as he was shoved into the soft bedding of what he recognized as Kol's previous resting place. The Bennett witches came forwards, arms raised and their murmuring turning into chanting. Real panic began to fill Klaus for the first time since his ordeal had started; he could sense the magic in the air, the powerful spirits gathering their power to put down the big bad of the world.
"You can't kill me! I'm the Hybrid! Me! I'm the Hybrid!" Klaus roared as his strength started to come back, flooding his limbs, "You can't stop me!" Finn's face slid into view and Klaus snarled, "Why this betrayal, brother?! I released you!"
Finn's eyes narrowed. "'I was bored and you were a convenient outlet.'" And then the lid of the coffin slid shut, locking out all clean air and light; Klaus felt the very moment that it was sealed by magic; all sound and light was shut off, like a switch. And he was alone.
Klaus
Was
Alone.
He felt the coffin being jarred and then he was free falling –
Landing at the bottom of a hole with a loud and shuddering plunk!
"No," Klaus breathed, "No! NO! I'm the Hybrid! You can't kill me!" He screamed himself hoarse, using his fists to bang on the lid of his coffin until his hands were bloody.
But no one heard him.
Sometimes, in the depths of Stephanie's mind, she felt her old self banging on the walls, ratting in her cage, screaming and burning to free herself from Klaus' compulsion and this parody of Stephanie's self, the Ripper. But the Ripper would stifle these feelings, pushing them back until they were only whispers instead of shouts. In the moments where Stephanie felt her humanity rushing towards the surface, a voice that sounded like Nik halted it, and her humanity would crawl back until it was just another memory.
Stephanie turned from the window, eager to leave the introspection behind. She heard Elijah moving about downstairs and Rebekah and Faye in the blonde's room. Klaus was still gone, along with Finn, and Stephanie had no idea, nor the desire, to keep track of Kol's whereabouts.
Stephanie wandered away from the window, advancing towards the canvas sitting in the center of the room with Klaus' brushes and paint lying still in the tray and on the ground respectively. She eyed the piece of art critically, but found little that she disliked. In fact, Stephanie often admired his work, and if her humanity was on, she knew she might enjoy it even more. Her thoughts danced around the recent painting Klaus had bestowed on her and she shied away from the memory; her thoughts would oft zoom in on the portion of the painting that she showed her weak, bowed in sorrow as her humanity rushed back in. It was an unpleasant reminder of what was waiting for her when or if she ever found herself with her humanity and emotions and guilt again.
Stephanie heard Kol open and shut the front door, and then flash up the stairs to his bedroom. That door shut loudly, and then the sounds of rapid packing caught her attention. Curious, Stephanie slipped on a pair of jeans and a red blouse, leaving her and Klaus' bedroom to see what the commotion was all about.
She opened the heavy wooden door and leaned against the doorjamb, eyes raking critically over the backpack and the hastily thrown clothes around it and the large four poster bed. Kol was flying around the room, whistling a jaunty tune under his breath.
"What's the hurry?" Stephanie drawled and her voice seemed loud in the quiet of the mansion.
Kol didn't flinch and didn't even pause as he shot her a quick grin. "Leaving for a couple of days."
"Hot date?"
Kol smirked. "Nope. But I'm sure you'll be glad of my absence when you hear the news." His voice was infuriatingly evasive.
Stephanie's curiosity was burning within her. "What happened now? Don't tell me Elena got herself killed and now Klaus is on another rampage." The old Stephanie rattled against her cage with her own mind at the mere thought of Elena's death, while the Ripper hushed her.
Kol's smirk only grew. "The irony of your statement there is bringing tears to my eyes. Ta for now, Stephanie." He deftly kissed her hand and then shot out of the mansion like the hounds of hell were after him. Steph stared after him, mystified. Rebekah stepped out into the hall a moment later, looking aggravated.
"What was that racket? Kol needs to stop making so much noise; he's not the only one who lives here," She snapped shrilly. Her blonde hair was long and flowing down her back, and her lips were pursed angrily.
Stephanie shrugged. "He says he's gone out for a few days. Probably to slaughter the next town over." Her throat burned at the mere thought of blood.
Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I hope he says gone, then. He's such a pain in the arse." The blonde Original's face cleared a moment later. "Would you like to go shopping with me and Faye later?"
The idea of being confined in a store with so many humans and yet too busy toting around Rebekah's bags to actually get a meal was not alluring. "No thanks."
Rebekah pouted. "We don't spend much time together anymore. Please?"
"How about we go hunting instead?" Stephanie offered hopefully. Klaus was always her first choice of a hunting partner, but he was still out with Finn, unfortunately.
"We could go to Atlanta . . ." Rebekah was clearly drawn to the idea, Stephanie could tell from the way her blue eyes lit up. "Find some clubs . . . and then we could go shopping." She nodded her head decidedly. "Yes, that's a lovely idea, Stephanie." She smiled and then flounced back to her room and Faye, probably to get her to agree to come as well. Stephanie frowned, irritated to be roped into a shopping trip after all.
Well, after a couple of stores to appease Rebekah and to find a new jacket, Steph would have to slip away and then find Nik for some real fun.
The front door opened and closed again, and this time it was Finn slipping through. Stephanie went down the stairs to confirm, but frowned when she saw Klaus not present. Finn strode towards her with purpose in his stride and his face was clear of little emotion except for a single spark of . . . something in his eyes. Relief? Excitement? Finn was a difficult person to read at the best of times.
"Finn? Where's Klaus?" Stephanie asked shortly, brows arched. She didn't really care for Finn; he was a bit of stick in the mud and therefore a reminder of Steph before . . . before. Finn's strides didn't lessen and when he reached her, his hand shot out and clamped down on her neck, shoving her back against the wooden paneled wall. Hard. Her ears rang and her skull throbbed.
Stephanie choked, "What are you doing?" Her hands scrabbled for purchase on Finn's strong arms, but he was an immobile statue.
"Fulfilling my end of the bargain with your friends," Finn said flatly.
"What? What bargain?" Stephanie hissed and she raked her finger nails along Finn's hands, but besides a sharp twitch, he didn't react.
"Bonnie Bennett helped me carry out a plan to remove Klaus from our lives for a time, hopefully many years, and therefore I promised I would attempt to break my brother's hold on you," Finn stated matter of fact.
"No! What did you do to Klaus?" She snarled, even as the locked down part of her mind screamed in relief. "What did you do to Nik?"
"Finn? What is this?" Rebekah. Stephanie tried to move her head to look, but Finn's hold on her was bruising and unbreakable. "Finn!"
"Stephanie Salvatore," Finn took no notice of his sister, "I hereby override -"
Finn was suddenly and violently ripped off of Steph, and the smaller vampire fell to the floor with a thud. Her hands rose to caress her pale neck and Steph's green eyes darted up to watch Rebekah snarling at Finn, and Elijah joining them a moment later.
"So this is why Kol left? He was involved in this too?" Rebekah demanded sharply.
"Where is our brother, Finn?" Elijah asked calmly.
Finn's dark eyes regarded Stephanie and then went back to his siblings. "Do think to tell Damon I apologize for being unable to carry out my end of the bargain." He flashed away, leaving only dust in his wake.
"The hell was that?" Stephanie croaked and she massaged her throat. She stood a moment later, moving to stand by Rebekah and Elijah. She heard a creaking on the stairs, and they were joined shortly by Faye Chamberlain.
"I heard the commotion," She drawled. "Trouble, then?"
"This is upsetting," Elijah muttered, almost to himself. He looked to Faye, "You are our most trusted witch acquaintance, Miss Chamberlain. If you wouldn't mind, it would be kind if you could try a locating spell on Niklaus?"
"Of course she will," Rebekah snapped and then looked towards the amused witch with chagrin. "Well, won't you?"
Stephanie waited with a bated breath.
"Let me get my magic wand and broomstick and we'll see what I can do," Faye finally said drily.
Kol took his backpack of clothes and found his way over to the little witch's house. She and her mother were there in the living room together, the curtains drawn open and the light on; all of this gave the Original the perfect view of his favorite Bennett.
She was grinning, her white teeth a startling contrast from her dark, mocha skin. She was happier, Kol could see, with her mother around. Her magic flourished with the presence of another witch, which attracted Kol even more. Just the thought of being around that magical pull all the time twisted sharply in Kol's gut.
The witch's eyes darted away from her mother and met the Original vampire's for a few seconds. The curtains were closed by a spell a moment later, concealing the Bennett family once more. Kol smirked, hiked his backpack up further onto his shoulder, and went back to the Boarding House and his temporary teammates.
On his way over though, he ran into Finn.
"Where are you off to, brother?" Kol asked extravagantly, spreading his arms wide in the dark street. Finn stood a few paces away from him, face grim.
"I am leaving to find Sage," Finn said and Kol saw a rare smile, but it quickly faded, "Elijah and Rebekah are quite cross, and I imagine that eventually they will dig up Klaus."
"Then why did you go through all the trouble?" Kol wanted to know. True, he'd desired revenge, but well, Klaus was a powerful hybrid (whether Kol wanted to admit it or not). And Klaus was a vindictive bastard and would eventually come calling for vengeance.
Finn looked at him dead in the eyes. "Even if Niklaus spends a week in that coffin, he will have at least suffered a fraction of what I – we – endured. And that, my brother, makes it worth all the trouble."
Kol was impressed despite himself and let it show on his face. "I didn't know you had the potential to be so vicious."
Finn tilted his head a fraction of an inch. "You would not, would you?" Kol puzzled over that for a moment, but then Finn continued, "Tell Damon Salvatore that I was unable to fulfill my part of our deal; Stephanie remains under Niklaus' compulsion and still resides with my family. Tell him I wish him the best of luck. Family is everything, after all," He said ironically and then inclined his head. Finn whisked away, leaving Kol standing in the street by himself.
Kol puckered his lips and then leisurely made his way over to the Salvatore Boarding House. When he got there, found that Matt and Anna were gone already, the little Gilbert was still missing, and the vampire hunter, Alaric Saltzman, was nowhere to be seen. The remaining ones were the love birds: Damon and Elena, and the two blondes: Caroline and Lexi.
"We have to do something for your birthday tomorrow," Elena was saying to Caroline quietly, apparently trying to be chipper. "Hopefully Stephanie will be able to join us."
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen," Kol drawled and then grinned when the room's occupants jumped, startled.
Damon stood and rolled his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means Finn failed and then bailed," Kol shrugged and then took a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a tumbler. The room burst into raucous noise and Damon snarled at either Kol taking his alcohol or Kol giving them bad news. In Kol's short acquaintance of the other vampire, he'd come to learn that either was equally likely. "Yeah, I mean he tried," Kol explained, enjoying the show the MF crew was putting on, "but Bex and Elijah got the better of him, I imagine. And Rebekah's girlfriend is hanging around . . . and you know how Faye is. He's lucky he got out of town at all, really. Went to go find his girlfriend. I wonder if she's moved on in the last nine centuries."
Lexi jabbed a finger into Kol's chest. "If your brother's on the run, why aren't you? You were a part of the plan too."
"Well, yes," Kol allowed, "but Finn was the mastermind, though come to think of it, they won't consider that distinction." When the group didn't budge, he arched his brows and continued, "And I actually would rather hang around and watch the show, really; which isn't to say that they'll want me around, so I think I'll be staying around here for a bit until they cool off."
Damon and Elena protested loudly, and Caroline glowered.
"Well, you can just break Stephanie's compulsion instead," Lexi told him coolly.
"Can't."
"Why the hell not?" Caroline demanded angrily, taking a step forwards.
Kol arched his brows incredulously, "You think I can get pass Elijah and Rebekah and their pet witch? That's laughable. I think your friend is doomed to a forever with Klaus." He took a swig of his whiskey.
"You're hanging around anyway, you might as well just keep an eye out for an opportunity," Elena suggested, grasping desperately at straws. "Snatch and compel."
Damon glared at that, but didn't dispute. "Well?"
Kol pretended to think about it. "Well . . ." A cursory glance told him that they were not impressed. "Since I am staying anyway," Kol smirked, "I suppose I can make an attempt to break the compulsion when your friend is unattended." The group still appeared wary, but they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
This is going to be fun, Kol thought. Without his permission, his thoughts drifted back to Bonnie Bennett and Expression and his fingertips tingled. Yes, with him at the Boarding House, he'd probably see more of her and her magic.
He grinned at the prospect.
Stephanie ravaged the next town over, draining her victims with a particular brand of savagery that she hadn't used in months. No man or woman she drank from that evening was left intact; all were decapitated in a fit of rage and Stephanie barely paused long enough between each kill to gather their names. Rebekah was with her for part of the time, just as mean and vicious, if much cleaner about her kills; there was not a drop of blood on the blonde Original. They were like two avenging angels as they prowled the streets, snapping necks of men who so much as leered at them.
Elijah was in Mystic Falls with Faye as she used a tracking spell to find where their very own Scooby Gang had put Klaus out of commission, and they'd been at it all night and were surely still working now, well into the morning.
Blood slid down Stephanie's throat and her fangs gnashed and tore through the muscular man's neck, severing his head from the rest of his body. When his blood was completely depleted, Steph dropped him. Her own bloody hands came up to her own throat, where she gently touched the place where she'd had a ring of bruises from Finn's rough treatment.
"What's the matter?" Rebekah slurred as she came into the alleyway, blonde hair askew but otherwise unsoiled. She was drunk on blood and alcohol, but somehow managed to stay upright.
"Nothing at all," Stephanie sniffed and looked distastefully at the body at her feet. Rebekah stumbled and messed around with her bag she'd brought with her, and then tossed Stephanie a lighter.
"Get rid of the bodies, please," Rebekah slurred, and Steph arched a brow, but didn't question her friend. She lit the man on fire and together with Rebekah, walked away from the carnage and placed an anonymous tip to the police station that there was a fire in the street from unknown causes.
Stephanie's phone rang and using vampire speed, she answered. "Did you find him?"
"Yes," Elijah's professional tones soothed, "Can you be here before I leave?"
"Give us the coordinates and we'll meet you there," Stephanie negotiated firmly and Elijah acquiesced. "Thanks." She slipped the phone into her pocket and she and Rebekah immediately took off back to Mystic Falls.
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"Well?"
They met Elijah and Faye in an empty meadow that was ringed with trees. There was nothing there but recently unearthed dirt, which even on its own was suspicious, never mind the circumstances.
Faye pointed downwards and to the small hill of dirt. "They buried him alive. I'm sensing some strong magic keeping him contained, so while I'm sure you'll be able to dig him up, I won't be able to open the container that they put him."
"Why not?" Stephanie demanded harshly, "You're one of the strongest witches we know."
Faye only shrugged. "Bonnie Bennett found a way. Either she joined a coven recently or a blood relative – a mother or father, maybe grandparent – showed up in just the nick of time. I can't do anything right now."
"What do you need to open the casket?" Elijah asked, his eyes meeting Faye's pointedly. "Assuming they did use a casket; it would be the kind irony that Finn appreciates if it were. You may use anything at my own disposal to help release Klaus."
"The only that's going to be strong enough to break this is if I get my own mother to help perform this spell," Faye said wryly and Steph's fists clenched, "or I call down my entire coven to help release him. Neither of which is a likely outcome for very different reasons."
"Bonnie's not a part of a coven," Stephanie explained when Elijah and Rebekah looked at her, "and her father is business man. Her mother's been absent, so it was probably her who helped Bonnie."
"That explains how she did it, but not how we're going to do it," Rebekah snapped and turned flashing eyes back to Faye, "Can you try to make your coven comply? If not, we'll have to search for another coven of witches to try the spell."
"You'll have even less luck with anyone else," Faye replied, unconcerned, "so I'll call my cousin and see what I can do."
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tbc
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