Bring Me To Life
Reigning Pain in New Orleans:
Imogen had stayed the night at the Abattoir before when she had been there talking to Marcel or some of the other vampires and lost track of time, but there was something different in the atmosphere the moment she awoke there in the morning on the first day of Niklaus Mikaelson's reign.
Even when she was a teenager in high school, she had snuck out of the house after putting Davina to sleep at night and made her way to one of the massive parties that the vampire's threw once a month. There was an unspoken rule that prohibited witches of the Quarter from attending but she desperately craved the rush she experienced when sneaking into the Abattoir and dancing to the fast paced music surrounded by blood drinking creatures of the night was the perfect dose of hedonism.
The Abattoir had always been filled with the faint chatter of the vampires that called the place home and even when the party finally stopped you could still hear the echo of laughter in the silence.
That morning when she woke up in the bedroom she often occupied whenever she stayed over, all she heard was the bird chirping outside the open window and the wind softly blowing through the trees in the backyard below. There were no footsteps, there was no talking, there was no laughter and it was disconcerting to waking up to dead silence in a house filled with vampires prone to murderous benders but she stifled her uncertainty as she quickly made herself presentable in the mirror before heading downstairs.
There was no one wandering the hallways upstairs as she made her way through the compound and down the stairs to the bottom level of the building as she searched for someone so she could ask them for Klaus's whereabouts. It was making her slightly anxious to have Davina's safety hanging in the balance, waiting for the other shoe to drop down and she wanted to solidify her alliance with the winning side as soon as possible because you never knew when the next catastrophe would instigate.
Imogen was on the verge of calling out for the Original hybrid when the sound of footsteps approaching caught her attention and she turned around to face the hallway as she waited for the person to turn the corner, hoping that they knew where the King of the Quarter was hiding.
Hayley could feel the fury burning in her veins as she stormed around the corner, her anger taking precedent over watching where she was going and she abruptly bumped into someone as she stumbled backwards but the mystery person grabbed her arms to stabilise her. "Watch it!"
"You were the one walking, sweets. I was standing in one spot." Imogen's familiar voice broke through her rage tinted haze as Hayley snapped her head up in surprise and the young witch offered her a small smile as she stepped back, releasing her hold on the werewolf as she did so.
"Crap, Imogen, I'm sorry."
"It's not a problem." She assured her with a dismissive wave of her hand as she tucked a loose strand of brunette hair behind her hand with her other hand and Hayley felt some of her anger diminish as she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Is everything okay? Is the baby okay?"
"Yeah, yes, everything is fine." the werewolf said shortly as she nodded her head jerkily in answer but Imogen raised an eyebrow at her doubtfully as she crossed her arms over her chest and Hayley let out a heavy sigh, not wanting to spill her guts to a French Quarter witch she had only met twice.
Imogen pursed her lips together as she waited patiently for the other girl to give in to her desire to talk about whatever was bothering her and tilted her head to the side, not wanting to be intrusive but also curious. It was obvious that there was something on Hayley's mind, her hazel eyes were clouded over with worry and her fingers kept twitching as though she was longing to hit something. "Hayley, I'm not asking you to divulge your deep dark secrets. I just want to know if you're alright. You seem stressed and that's not good for you or the baby."
The werewolf pursed her lips together to hide the surprised expression that almost crossed her face because she wasn't used to having someone actually care about her wellbeing and it made her slightly suspicious to have some random person inquiring about her welfare, especially when the witch were so interested in the hybrid miracle baby she was carrying.
Pistanthrophobia was the fear of trusting people due to past relationships that have gone wrong and it was perfectly clear to anyone who knew them that both of those young women suffered from the disease. Betrayal always left a bitter aftertaste in the mouth of the one deceived, and it always hurt more when the person pulling the trigger was the same person you would gladly take a bullet for.
Imogen had put her trust in the French Quarter coven since she was born and while she had been dubious of them, never had they done anything horrible towards another member until the Harvest ritual where they slaughtered three girls in front of her.
Hayley had trusted her adoptive parents to care about her regardless of the situation but they had kicked her out of the house at the tender age of thirteen after she wreaked havoc in their longue the first time she transformed.
It was safe to say that trust was not something that came easily to either of the young women and building new foundations of trust was not something that they pursued enthusiastically, both more than happy to take on the world alone.
Despite her normal instinct to push everyone, Hayley found herself actually wanting to open up around the witch for some reason she couldn't name and that was why she eventually heaved a sigh as she gently grabbed the other brunette's elbow, "Klaus sent a hunting squad out to the bayou. They're going after the wolves."
"Oh, god." Imogen murmured in a stricken voice with a deep frown on her lips as they wandered down the empty hallway and tried to squash the nauseous feeling in her stomach at the thought of an entire species being eradicated.
"Exactly. They're my only family. I'm not about to let them be killed for some sick power play."
"Fair enough. You have to warn them. I'll help you get out of the compound, but then I've got a meeting and you're on your own."
"I wasn't asking for help." The werewolf protested tightly in a defensive voice as she came to a sudden stop in the middle of the hallway with a frown on her lips and Imogen paused next to her with a quirked eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I know you didn't ask. I offered." She replied pointedly with a small smirk on her lips as she let her arms fall to her sides and Hayley lifted her chin defiantly as she narrowed her eyes, ready to argue with her but there was a familiar stubborn glint in the witch's blue eyes that told her it was pointless to disagree.
Hayley nodded once in agreement as she started leading the way back down the corridor, trying to step as quietly as possible because she didn't want to alert any of the nearby vampires and Imogen followed after her as she looked around to make sure no one was around to see them attempting to sneak out.
"Going somewhere?" a familiar male voice asked mockingly from in front of them as Imogen spun her head around to see Diego standing in the middle of the hallway with a smirk plastered on his lips.
The magic running through Imogen's veins came to life as she stepped in front of the pregnant werewolf protectively and she narrowed her eyes at him as she held her hand out in front of her, ready to defend herself and Hayley against the vampire but before she could utilise her power he was flung across the hallway into the wall.
A startled gasp escaped the young witch as she snapped her head around with eyes wide in shock and saw Elijah standing in the middle of the hallway besides Diego's prone body as he fixed his dress shirt cuffs with an impassive expression.
"Elijah, you shouldn't be here. Klaus has his guys watching me." Hayley informed him in a hurried whisper as she rushed towards him with a slightly panicked glint in her eyes and Imogen looked around in case anyone was listening as she slowly approached the pair.
"I wouldn't worry about them." Elijah said nonchalantly with a straight face as he glanced behind them and they turned their heads simultaneously to follow his gaze as Rebekah kicked two vampires out into view. The blonde Original snapped both of the vampire's necks in two swift moves and then stood up straight with a sigh as she flipped her hair over her shoulder with a smirk on her lips.
"Hey, Imogen." Rebekah greeted her cheerfully with a bright grin as she sauntered down the hall towards them and the witch smiled back at her warmly as she accepted the friendly embrace the Original offered her.
Elijah couldn't help the unfamiliar constriction in his chest as he watched the brunette witch and his younger sister share a warm embrace before pulling part with sincere smiles, it made him ashamed to admit that he couldn't remember the last time that he had seen Rebekah genuinely happy. He cleared his throat gently to get the three women's attention as he stepped forward, making them all turn to face him at the same time and he looked directly at Hayley as he held a hand out for her to take. "Come, we mustn't linger. We'll get you some place safe."
"No, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. I've been deemed under protection by the almighty Klaus. It's the werewolves who need help." Hayley informed him pleadingly as she took a step closer to him with desperation saturating her every word and she looked over her shoulder at Imogen, her hazel eyes begging the witch to help her convince the Originals to help them. "He ordered a wolf hunt as some jacked-up peace offering to Marcel's crew."
"You have to help them. They will kill all of them. That's an entire clan of werewolves who have done nothing to deserve being treated like that." Imogen interjected firmly as she stepped up beside Hayley, symbolically placing herself on the werewolf's side and she looked into Elijah's oak brown eyes beseechingly with an earnest expression.
"Out in the bayou? Do we look like a bloody vampire-rescue-squad? I think you should be grateful we came to save you, Hayley!" Rebekah protested indignantly as she wandered around them to her brother's side with a frown on her lips and the werewolf bit the inside of her cheek to stop from replying with a barbed remark as she took a deep breath to calm the rage still flooding her veins.
"Listen. Rebekah. All my life, I've wanted to know who my real family was, and just as I find out that they're out there in the bayou, Klaus orders them killed. You wanna help me? Help my people. Please." She pleaded anxiously as she looked between the siblings with hope shining brightly in her hazel eyes and Imogen nodded along with her as she mouthed the word 'please' to the vampires.
"I'll give you the rest of my chocolate stash." The witch said Rebekah jokingly with a small smirk on her lips as she tilted her head to the side and Rebekah rolled her cerulean blue eyes at her but there was a smile playing on the edge of her lips as she reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Ah! Thank you."
Imogen reached over to give a quick reassuring squeeze to Hayley's hand with a slight smile as she started to walk around the group but Elijah stretched his hand out to gently grab her elbow as she walked by him and she stopped walking in shock as she looked up at him with a confused frown on her lips.
The Original looked down at her with concern shining in his oak brown eyes as he revelled in the feel of her soft skin under his touch, wanting nothing more than to pull her even closer to his body but instead he cleared his throat delicately as he took a step back from the warmth she was omitting. "You should be very careful when dealing with my brother. He has never been the most…stable of beings."
"I'll be fine." she assured him softly with a small smile on her lips as she reached out to squeeze his hand once and glanced quickly over to her shoulder at the two other women watching them intently before turning back to Elijah. "I should be the one telling you to be careful. I don't care to spend another night out in the bayou, nursing you back to health if you got bitten by another werewolf."
Rebekah smirked to herself smugly as she watched the interaction between her older brother and her newest friend, knowing that she had been right to want the two of them together and already mentally plotting ways to orchestrate the catalyst of their blossoming relationship. As she watched Imogen flash a quick smile at the group before practically sauntering down the hallway, she risked a quick glance at Elijah from the corner of her eye and her smirk only grew when she saw the entranced expression plastered on his face as his gaze followed the witch's retreating figure.
There was an awkward silence surrounding Imogen as she headed towards the same office that she had found herself in last night but she swallowed her unease and squared her shoulders with determination as she pushed open the heavy set of double doors.
"A thousand years of history isn't going to write itself." Klaus muse cheerfully from inside the room as she entered the office unnoticed and she immediately glanced over at the hybrid until her gaze landed on the blonde human sitting on the couch with a typewriter on her lap.
"Cami." Imogen stated in surprise as she froze in the middle of the room, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of her friend and they both turned their heads to look at her as she narrowed her blue eyes in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
Camille stared at her friends shocked face for a moment, trying to quell the anger she felt at being lied to by someone she trusted and pursed her lips together to stop herself from lashing out at the brunette. After everything that she had been through, all the loss, all the confusion and hurt, she thought that she could count on Imogen to tell her the truth but apparently, she was just as guilty as everyone else. She quickly diverted her gaze from the other girl's expressive blue eyes before she started screaming profanities and turned her head to glare heatedly at the hybrid standing by the fireplace with an amused smirk on his lips. "My question exactly."
Klaus looked between the two women in amusement as though his favourite television show was taking place right in front of him and scarcely noticed when Imogen turned her head to give him a questioning look, her lips downturned into a slight frown. "Oh, it's quite alright. She knows."
"That he's a vampire and you're a witch? Don't worry, he's compelled me to forget everything as soon as I leave. That way, I'm too busy agonizing over whether or not I'm losing my damn mind to realize I'm playing spy for an immortal egomaniac."
"Cami, you understand why I didn't tell you, right? I mean, we are friends." Imogen stated in a firm voice but there was undeniable uncertainty in her eyes as she shifted nervously on her feet and bit the corner of her lower lip in between her teeth.
"Are we?" Cami asked her sharply as she stood up from the couch with anger clearly written on her features and the witch narrowed her blue eyes at the blonde, trying not to feel hurt by her friend's obvious dismissal.
"I mean, to be clear, I only compelled you to give me information. Any friendship established was quite real." Klaus interjected innocently as he pointed a finger between the two women while leaning his elbow on the mantel and revelled in the uncomfortable silence that settled over the trio as the women exchanged a heavy glance. "...and for the record, the level of awkwardness we're all currently experiencing is entirely genuine."
"You think you're so clever, don't you? Compelling the poor naive bartender." Cami snapped furiously as she shook her head slightly in disgust, her eyes watering slightly but she refused to let Klaus see her cry because of his torment. She roughly grabbed her bag from the couch she had previously been sitting on while typing his memoir and pulled out a dated black and white photograph of Klaus and Marcel in formal wear. "Look what I found: real me, not your compelled therapist."
"Actually I prefer 'devoted stenographer...'" Klaus corrected her jokingly with a smirk on his lips as he took the photograph she thrust towards him and Cami let out a harsh scoff as she stepped closer to him with a hard expression on her pretty face.
"You think this is funny, messing with my mind? My sanity is not a joke!"
"No, love. I don't believe it is." He uttered softly as he dropped the photo to his side with a blank look quickly replacing the playful edge and he locked gazes with her as he watched her irises dilate, his compulsion taken affect like he desired. "You never found this. You will remember nothing of our life as vampires or Imogen's life as a witch when you leave here. I think that just about does it for the day. You may go."
"No. Wait!" Imogen said abruptly with a sense of urgency in her voice, grabbing Cami's arm as she pushed by her on the way to the door and the blonde turned her head to glare at her with a mixture of anger and confusion in her eyes. "Come here."
The witch essentially dragged the other girl over into the corner of the room to give them some semblance of privacy even though they both knew Klaus could ever word anyway.
There was a strained silence as Imogen crossed her arms over her stomach, almost as though she was shielding herself from the venomous words she assumed Cami was going to throw her way but steeled her nerves as she met her friends gaze unflinchingly. "Listen, you have to understand. We've only known each other a few months. What was I supposed to do? Trust a virtual stranger with my biggest secret and risk, not only my own safety, but my sister's and every other supernatural being in the world? I had no idea how you would react to finding out, and I couldn't compel you to forget if you reacted badly."
Cami's expression softened slightly as she listened to her friend speak earnestly and her defensive posture loosened as she sighed heavily, understanding filling her as she slowly nodded her head. "I understand. It wasn't just your secret to tell."
"Right. Thank you for understanding."
There was still an obvious tension between the pair as the blonde nodded once with a tight smile before turning on her heel and waking out of the room without another word to anyone as Imogen's shoulders slumped in defeat.
Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment as she took a deep breath before opening them with sheer determination shining in their depths and she turning around to face Klaus with a blank expression on her pretty face. "Ready for negotiations?"
"Come on, love." Klaus urged her cheerfully with a half-smile on his lips as he nodded towards the open set of double doors that lead out to the outside courtyard and she sighed slightly as she started in that direction without complaint.
The warm sunlight hit her skin as soon as she exited the building and she saw Marcel waiting at one of the tables so she made her way towards him, knowing that he would be a part of the discussion about Davina.
"Hey." she greeted him with a smile as she approached him, making him look up from his cell phone and he grinned back at her as she leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek like she had done so many times before.
"Morning, pretty girl." Marcel returned the greeting as he stood up from his seat and pulled out the chair next to his like a gentleman as she smiled gratefully at the help.
"Yes, now those pleasantries are out of the way…" Klaus snapped impatiently as he sat down in the seat across the table from Marcel and Imogen rolled her blue eyes at him silently as she took the chair next to the former king.
Marcel heaved out a sigh as he sat up straighter in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked across the table at his sire with a blank expression and ignored the bitter pit in his stomach as he remembered what he had to say, "The humans have called a meeting. They're not exactly thrilled with the new status quo."
"How unfortunate for them."
"Look, it's your show now. But you wanna know how I built what I built? Politics. A little diplomacy goes a long way, especially with the human faction."
"Duly noted." He drawled in reply with a dismissively smirk on his lips as he reached for the glass of bourbon he had brought with him outside and he glanced up at his wayward son as he tilted his head to the side in thought. "Now, in the interest of new beginnings, I feel that there are some things I should probably confess to you. But...Where to begin?"
"I find the beginning is usually the best place." Imogen remarked drily as she leaned back in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest and his smirk widened in amusement as he pointed at her before turning his attention back to Marcel.
"Thierry was never disloyal to you, I set him up in an attempt to locate my brother. He's your friend, and consequently, he can return to the compound at your discretion." Klaus informed the former king cheerfully without a hint of remorse as he clasped his hands in front of him and tilted his head to the side as he looked over at the young witch across from him to include her in the next part of his confession. "Cami's part, you just learned. And then, there's young Joshua. I've been compelling him from the beginning, although I suspect you already knew that, as he was the one who led me into your trap."
"I may have fed the kid some misinformation." Marcel remarked slyly with a blank expression but his dark brown eyes hardened sightly at the mention of Thierry and Imogen noticed his hand clench into a fist from the corner of her eye.
"And then there's Davina. She's a powerful weapon."
"Ah ha. This is what I want to open negotiations about." The witch interrupted the hybrid before he could go on as she sat up abruptly with a determined expression and Klaus quirked an eyebrow at her as he waved a hand for her to continue. "Marcel and I had an arrangement concerning Davina. And I want to know if you're willing to renew the agreement."
"Well that depends entirely on what the agreement is, love."
Imogen swallowed roughly pass the blockage in her throat as she shared a knowing look with Marcel before turning back to the hybrid with determined expression and met his light blue eyes across the table as she pressed her lips into a straight line. "We had an agreement that Davina would monitor the witches for any magical activity and do basic, harmless spells, but if he needed a defensive spell he would use me instead."
There was a short silence as Klaus stared at her contemplatively with his hand covering his mouth, making it hard for the witch to get a read on his facial expression and she braced herself for the worst case scenario as she gripped the edge of her seat until her knuckles turned white under the pressure.
Klaus tilted his head to the side thoughtfully as he pondered the witch's words carefully and looked between the silently duo on the other side of the table as he frowned at them slightly in confusion. "Why would I agree to that, sweetheart? Davina has the power of four witches. Why would I give up that kind of strength in exchange for a run-of-the-mill, commonplace witch? No offence, love."
"I'm not a run-of-the-mill, commonplace witch."
"Oh?"
Imogen bit the corner of her lower lip gently in between her teeth as she deliberated on how much to divulge and looked over at the dark skinned vampire next to her as he raised an eyebrow back at her before offering her a half-smile of encouragement. "The Claire family is one of the most prominent and powerful in the French Quarter witching community. My ancestors have been Elders of the coven for generations and now that I am the eldest living descendent I'm the most powerful witch in New Orleans. And more importantly, unlike Davina, I have and will do anything that needs to be done."
Ominous was one word to describe the silence that settled over the small group and although the sunlight cast a bright glow over them, Imogen still felt a chill go through her veins as she forced herself not to think about the past memories that haunted her subconscious.
Marcel could practically hear the traitorous thoughts going through the young witch's mind as he reached over to grasp her hand discreetly under the table and she sent him a small smile as she covered their joined hands with her free one.
"If you ask Davina to hurt someone, even someone who deserves it, she's going to hesitate. I won't. I'm more than capable of inflicting pain without my conscience getting in the way." Imogen concluded firmly as she held her chin up with resolution in her blue eyes and her face a perfect mask of tenacity as she met the hybrids eyes across the table.
"Imogen's helped me with some stuff before. She's reliable." Marcel agreed with her rather hesitantly when Klaus' face morphed into a doubtful expression and the witch pursed her lips in annoyance as she leaned back in her seat, irritated they were talking about her as though she wasn't present.
"Alright, fine. You can have your deal." Klaus stated with obvious amusement in his voice as he dropped his hand to his lap and smirked at the pair as he watched Imogen's blue eyes light up slightly. "At this point, I'd like to keep Davina close at hand. I think we should have her move in to the compound here with us."
"She can't leave the attic. I already tried to move her once." The former king argued instantly with a shake of his head as he pursed his lips in annoyance and Imogen scrunched her nose up guiltily as she looked off to the side without a word.
"Yes, about that… Turns out, both your little witches are quite the actresses. They made a deal with Elijah while he was in captivity, tricked you into letting Davina stay put in exchange for some spells from our mother's grimoire."
"What? Imogen?" Marcel asked incredulously with a bitter edge in his voice as he turned his body around to look at the witch with a raised eyebrow and she sighed heavily as she looked over at him with a completely blank expression.
"Davina wanted to talk to Elijah. I had no idea, at the start, but after we tried to move her they involved me in their plans. The Originals are the strongest beings on the planet, Marcel. It would have been stupid of me not to seek out all my options. You more than anyone know that I would do anything in my power to keep Davina protected from the witches. Elijah was a means to an end." Imogen explained calmly with an innocent shrug of her shoulders as she held her chin up defiantly to meet his dark brown eyes and he clenched his jaw in anger before slowly relaxing as he thought about the desperation he had seen her eyes the night of the Harvest, how much she needed her little sister to be safe.
"Good to know. Is that all?"
"Yes. And can you stop looking at me like I staked your dog?"
"I thought we were in this together. You're meant to trust me, Imogen."
"Marcel, I don't trust anyone!" she snapped at him pointedly with anger leaking into her voice as she narrowed her eyes at him and the wind surrounding them started blowing stronger than before as the two vampires looked around the courtyard in alarm.
Imogen closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to calm down the fury burning in her veins, her magic calmed down after the hurricane that had erupted in the pit of her stomach and the breeze abruptly came to a stop as she exhaled slowly with a composed expression on her face.
"Okay! Now that you're domestic dispute is over…" Klaus started sarcastically as he clapped his hands in front of him with a tight smile on his lips and the pair simultaneously turned their heads to glare at him in annoyance. "Can we discuss moving Davina to the compound?"
"She might be happy to get the hell out of that attic. The view isn't very good." Imogen quipped drily as she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully with her lips pursed and Marcel rolled his dark brown eyes in amusement as Klaus chuckled softly under his breath.
"If we stock the room with art supplies and records she'll probably move over here willingly." Marcel added to the conversation with a nod of his head as he looked over at the witch for support and she hummed in agreement as she offered him a small smile, knowing that she had been forgiven for her omission.
"If we head over there now we can talk to her before the meeting with the human faction. It will give her time to pack everything she wants to bring with her."
"We can buy her anything else she needs."
"I doubt she'll need much."
"Are you two always like this?" Klaus asked them abruptly in an annoyed tone of voice as he looked between them with a deep frown and Imogen turned her head to give him a tight smile as she stood up from her seat gracefully.
"When it comes to Davina, yes, we always act like this." she answered him politely with a fake smile as she tilted her head to the side and Marcel stood up next to her as he shot Klaus an exasperated look.
The witch pivoted on her heel as she started strolling towards the door without a backwards glance and Klaus shook his head in wonder at the woman's audacity as he stood up from his seat with an unimpressed look on his face.
And I know that I can't be there with you at the moment, but know that I love you. Always. Nothing could ever change that, Pixie.
Love Imogen
Davina sniffled slightly as she finished reading over another one of the letters she had received from her older sister over the last eight months that she had been in hiding and dropped the paper onto the bed she was sitting on with her legs crossed as she struggled not to let tears escape.
She didn't want to cry, she wanted to be strong like Imogen but every time she thought about the life she had left behind it made her heart clench in her chest and she wanted to curl into a ball until it didn't hurt so much. It wasn't her parents that she missed, she didn't think she'd ever miss them, but her friends and sister were a different matter altogether.
Imogen was the one who had taken care of her for as long as she could remember. When she was sick Imogen nursed her back to health, when she had nightmares Imogen sat with her until she fell back asleep, when she had a fight with Monique Imogen held her while she cried and now that she couldn't see her everyday it felt like someone had ripped part of her away. Imogen was a reminder that truth, beauty and goodness still existed in the world and that no matter what there was and always would be someone loving her through thick and thin.
Davina gritted her teeth in self-loathing as she stood up from the bed quickly, not wanting to sit around in despair when she could be doing something productive and knowing that Imogen would disapprove of her wallowing attitude if she was there. Positivity was one of the main things that Imogen encouraged in her little sister when she was growing up and something about acting like Imogen made Davina feel a little stronger in herself.
The young witch let out a sigh as she strolled over to her easel with a small frown on her lips and she bit her lower lip in between her teeth as she stared at the half painted scene on the canvas in her of her.
The sound of footsteps and muffled laughter sounded from outside the attic door as Davina's pretty face lit up in anticipation and she turned towards the door as she bounced on her toes with a grin. The wooden floor squeaked as the door swung open to reveal a brunette standing on the other side with a smile on her lips and Davina practically sprinted forward at the sight of her until she was wrapped in a tight embrace.
"Hey, Pixie." Imogen greeted her sister warmly as she tightened her arms around the smaller girl and pressed a kiss to the side of her head as she closed her eyes contently. "You know, I only saw you yesterday."
"We have eight months to make up for, Immy." Davina argued in a muffled voice as she buried her face into the crook of her sisters neck and Imogen chuckled lowly as she rested her head on top of her little sisters.
"We have a lifetime to make it up, but right now we have things to talk about."
Davina groaned out loud as she pulled back from the embrace with a scowl on her lips and she gave her sister an annoyed look as she started walking back over to her easel to continue with her painting. "I don't want to talk."
"Davina, sweetie, this is important." Imogen informed her seriously as she walked further into the room with a patient smile and the young girl rolled her blue eyes at her words as she picked up her paintbrush. "Marcel was ousted as King of the French Quarter."
"What?" she asked in shock as she spun around to look at her older sister with wide eyes and she shook her head in denial as her lips turned down in a small frown. "No! He was meant to be keeping me safe from the witches! Now what am I going to do? They'll kill me."
"Do you really think I'd let someone hurt you?" the older Claire sister asked in an offended tone of voice as she tilted her head to the side in curiosity, her forehead furrowing as she frowned deeply at her sister. "Do you really think I won't keep you safe? I haven't been through everything I've been through in the last eight months just to stop fighting now!"
Davina looked at her older sister with wide eyes, confusion shining through as she watched Imogen ran a hand through her hair and try to compose her expression into a calm smile but it faltered slightly as she trembled. "Imogen?"
"I'm fine, Pixie." She stated firmly as she shook her head with a tight smile on her lips and she exhaled slowly to calm herself down as she blocked out the memories of the past that had surfaced. "Just know that I would never let anyone hurt you. Someone let me know about the change in leadership and I set up a meeting with Klaus last night, well, technically this morning. He's going to keep you safe now."
"Klaus? We can't trust him!"
"Marcel is second-in-command. He was in on the meeting and every agreement we had was just transferred from Marcel to Klaus. Trust me, Davina, I wouldn't let anything happen to you."
"I know that." Davina assured her quickly as she nodded her head jerkily with a small frown on her lips and Imogen nodded back at her with a smile as she walked further into the room.
"Good. Listen, everything is going to be fine, I promise you." the older witch told her brightly as she came to a stop next to the side of the easel and Davina grinned up at her as she turned back to her canvas.
There was a content silence as Davina started to paint serenely while Imogen watched her with a small smile on her lips and she marvelled in how great it was to just be there with her little sister as she did something that she loved. A year ago she never would have thought the scene in her front of her would make her heart clench so badly and made a mental vow to make sure that it happened more often in the future.
"Hey, little D, pretty girl." Marcel's voice called from the doorway to the attic, making both of the witches turn around to look at him in surprise and he grinned at them as he sauntered further into the room with his attention on Imogen. "Have you told her the good news yet?"
"I was just getting to it." the older brunette replied easily with a smile as he stopped next to her and placed his crossed arms over the back of the easel as he looked over at Davina fondly.
"Great. Well, Davina, we're moving you into the compound."
"What?!" Davina asked in shock as she snapped her head up to look at him with wide blue eyes and stopped painting as her hand down to her side, her lips turning down into a frown.
"You're gonna love it at the compound. I already got the best room in the place picked out."
"I can't leave! Remember what happened last time?"
"I know about your deal with Elijah." Marcel interjected in a slightly raised voice, cutting off any more arguments from the teenage girl as he gave her a pointed look and she looked down at the ground in shame as she pursed her lips slightly.
Imogen reached out to place her hand on Davina's shoulder in support as she moved her stand next to her and Marcel looked between them as he raised both his eyebrows before continuing, "We can't be lying to each other. I'm trying to protect you."
"We know, Marcel, and we appreciate it. But if you really think about it, it wasn't really a lie." Imogen pointed out innocently with a small shrug of her shoulders as she tilted her head to the side and the vampire gave her a doubtful look as Davina nodded along her sister's words, trying to look as guiltless as possible. "It was more like an omission."
"Either way, with the witches still looking to kill Davina for the Harvest, believe me, you're safest with us." Marcel told them softly as he looked between the sisters fondly with a small smile on his lips and Imogen sent him a subtle smile as she wrapped her arms around Davina's head, leaning her head on top of the younger girls.
The door swung open from the outside of the attic and their attention was diverted to the smug looking hybrid sauntering into the room with his hands clasped behind his back. Davina immediately tensed in her sister arms as she pulled away slightly, not wanting to show weakness in front of the Original hybrid and narrowed her blue eyes at him as he wandered further into the room.
"Plus, there's excellent light in the afternoon." Klaus added to the conversation casually as though he had been a part of it from the start and looked around the dingy attic room until his gaze landed on the collection of canvases near the back wall. "I see you're an artist. Wonderful! I look forward to witnessing your many talents!"
Davina's lips curled up in a slight sneer as she bit down the urge to reply scathingly to his inquiry and she purposefully turned away from him as she looked back over at the dark skinned vampire she actually trusted, "Was this his idea?"
Klaus rolled his light blue eyes at the disgust in the young girls tone as he strolled towards with a placating expression and he cocked his head to the side as he watched Imogen pulled Davina closer to her side protectively. "Davina, please. I understand you're devoted to Marcel, but Marcel is devoted to me. I assume you'll want what's best for all of us. And of course, you won't be alone there. Your lovely sister is more than welcome to join you at the compound."
"You want me to move into the compound?" Imogen asked in shock as she narrowed her blue eyes at him in confusion and he grinned back at her without answering, strolling towards the exit at a leisurely pace.
There was something in the way he looked at her, like he knew her deepest darkest secrets, that annoyed her beyond measure and she tugged Davina closer to her side in an effort to draw comfort from her younger sisters' presence.
When they were growing up the Claire sister leaned on each other in their times of need, whether it was Imogen holding Davina's hand when she got a flu shot or Davina reading to Imogen after a night with their father's abusive fist. It was almost like having a sixth sense, knowing when the other was in need of comfort. It was always the two of them against the world and now that they were literally fighting for their lives, that bond was stronger than ever.
"We have a meeting to attend downstairs." Klaus reminded Marcel quietly as he walked past the former king and Marcel nodded once in acknowledgement as he watched the hybrid exit the attic apartment without another word.
Marcel sighed to himself regretfully as he turned his head back to the sisters and gazed at them with an earnest expression on his handsome face as he offered them a small smile, "I'll get someone to pick up your things. We'll get you settled in right. Trust me."
"I don't want any of your nightwalkers going through my underwear drawer, thank you very much. I'll move my own things later today." Imogen told him pointedly with a quirked eyebrow as she levelled him with a knowing look and he rolled his dark brown eyes at her but didn't argue because it was entirely possible that it could happen.
Davina watched sadly as the former king exited the attic with a slight smile in their direction before relaxed the tension that had stiffened her muscles when Klaus entered the room and she sighed heavily as she turned back to her painting with a sombre expression. "I don't like this. It isn't right. Klaus is the bad guy."
"We can't think in such definite terms, Pixie. The world isn't black and white, it's made up of shades of grey. No one is fully good and no one is fully evil." Her older sister said thoughtfully as she wandered over to sit on the end of the bed in the middle of the room and Davina rolled her eyes at the notion but hummed in acknowledgement as she continued to paint serenely. "Come on, honey, you have to be open minded. You're a teenage witch living in the middle of a supernatural hotbed, being hunted down by radical witches and protected by murderous vampires."
"Well, when you say it like that it sounds crazy."
"You've got to learn to embrace the crazy, Davina. If you can learn to accept your own reality, then you can conquer anything it throws at you."
Imogen threw herself down on the comfortable bed with her legs dangling over the end as she folded her hands over her stomach and stared up at the wooden roof as she hummed to herself absently. There was something soothing about the act of creating your own tune. It was the auditory version of marching to your own metaphorical drumbeat.
Davina turned her head to look at her older sister with an eyebrow raised doubtfully as she set her paintbrush down on her easel and had to smile when she saw Imogen lying on the bed, a peaceful expression on her face as her chest slowly rose and fell rhythmically. It was times like these that Davina was forced to remember that her sister was only twenty two years old and still basically a child herself.
The young witch quietly grabbed a knitted quilt from the corner of the bed and laid it over Imogen's lithe body, in a parallel of what she used to do for Davina every night at bedtime, before planting a delicate kiss on her cheek.
Rebekah scowled to herself as she looked around the abandoned werewolf encampment, wishing to be anywhere other than the bayou hunting mutts and placed her hands on her hips in contempt as she lolled her head around to where her older brother was walking up a set of stairs towards a trailer. "All these wolves really travel in style, don't they?"
Elijah ignored his younger sister's sarcastic remark as he peered into one of the vacated caravan trailers and sighed to himself when he saw it empty of person items, nothing left other than the furniture that which it came. "Empty."
"Behind on the payments, perhaps."
"So, let's proceed then." He muttered to himself as he stepped onto the metal stairs leading to the door and Rebekah rolled her cerulean eyes in exasperation as her lip curled up in disgust when a mosquito landed on her arm.
"Let's not, and tell Hayley and Imogen that we did. Then, you get to impress the girl, and I can go home. You know how hovels depress me." she drawled in near amusement as she swatted the bug away from her skin with a scowl and Elijah stopped on the top steps with his hands on either side of the doorway as his mind was flooded with images of bright blue eyes.
"I'm not trying to impress the girl." he retorted quietly with a slight smile on his lips as he ducked his head to hide his expression from his sister and buried the incessant voice in the back of his mind that urged him to give in to his desire.
"I should bloody hope you are, why else are we out here? Come on, Elijah! You've fallen for her, admit it. May do wonders for the stick that's lodged up your enduringly stoic arse if you did." Rebekah told him pointedly in a soft voice laced with enjoyment as she levelled him with a knowing look and he chuckled lowly as he walked down the few remaining steps while sharing a tender moment with his little sister.
After a thousand years together as a family, it seemed to Elijah that moments filled with such obvious love shouldn't have been the rarity they were but they always took him by surprise when they came around. Rebekah was his baby sister, he would do anything for her, but he knew that he hadn't been the best older brother in the past. Observing Imogen interact with Davina had opened his eyes towards his own mistakes and now he wanted to repair any damage his relationship with Rebekah suffered from.
The female Original bit the corner of her lower lip as an earnest expression fell over her pretty face, the childish glee diminishing from her eyes as she tilted her head to the side and fixed her brother with one of the most serious looks she had ever giving, "Although which girl, remains a mystery. Is it the gorgeous werewolf or the stunningly beautiful witch?"
The question took Elijah by surprise, making his oak brown eyes widen as he turned his head towards his little sister and any words of protest died on the tip of tongue when he saw the completely vulnerable expression on her face. She once again looked like the normal teenage girl whose body she wore. Someone enthralled in the romance and possibility, captivated by the fairy tale but afraid of getting hurt or losing a part of herself to another.
Confliction surged through his veins, the desire to bare his soul to Rebekah and seek her advice on the matter was planted in his mind but he didn't want to admit the truth to himself much less someone else.
"If I admit to you that it's complicated, would that suffice?" he asked finally in a serious tone of voice as he met her blue eyes across the clearing and then forced a small smile onto his lips as he continued in a playful manner, "Or, are you determined to torment me throughout this endeavour?"
"Can I say one more thing? Imogen and Hayley are both my friends. My only friends, if I'm being honest. I do not wish to lose them because you can't make up your mind."
"The last thing I want to do is cause you or Imogen and Hayley any hurt."
"Just don't hurt yourself in the process." Rebekah insisted so quietly that he almost didn't hear her voice and he snapped his head up to look at her with a startled expression, surprised that someone was concerned over his welfare.
The sound of footsteps rushing towards the clearing echoed around them, making the Originals turn around just in time to see the hunting party of vampires chasing a werewolf in human form out of the tree line.
Elijah gritted his teeth in annoyance, having already warned the group of vagabonds away from hunting in this particular location and shared a frustrated glance with his younger sister before using his superior sped to appear behind the leader of the horde. He tightened his grip on Diego's hair as he yanked the dark skinned vampires neck backwards and let a smirk cross his lips as he leaned down to the vampires ear, "Darling, we need to stop meeting like this. This is how rumours begin!"
The familiar scent of sweet vanilla invaded his senses, placing images of Imogen at the forefront of his mind and he frowned to himself when he realised that her fragrance was drafting from Diego. The thought of Imogen anywhere near the daywalker made an unjustified rage flood his veins but he knew that he had no right to feel so possessive of the gorgeous witch so he didn't utter a word as he released the vampire from his grasp with a rough push, "You may go."
Rebekah watched in amusement as the group of vampires stared at her older brother silently and tilted her head to the side with a small smile of anticipation on her lips.
Elijah fought back the annoyed growl that threatened to escape him as he narrowed his oak brown eyes at the hunting party and spread his arms out to his side, silently daring them to take a step forward. "Perhaps I'm not making myself clear here. This is a threat. In precisely three minutes' time, your little hunting party will become the prey. Now, based on your recent failure to subdue my baby brother Niklaus, this, despite a better than a 100-to-1 advantage. I recommend you heed my warning."
Diego glared at the two Originals with hatred as he clenched his jaw, not moving in the slightest as frustration and embarrassment flooded through his veins. He slowly started to walk backwards without taking his eyes off of the Originals and the other daywalkers followed his lead as they disappeared into the forest.
"Impressive." Rebekah remarked idly with a smirk on her lips as she turned her head towards her brother and Elijah returned the gestured as he shrugged his shoulders casually.
"Well, I thought the situation demanded something a little dramatic." He quipped lightly as he offered his sister a half-smile and she grinned back at him as she strolled closer to where he was standing.
The injured werewolf groaned out loud in pain from where he was sprawled on the ground and he blinked quickly as he scrambled to his feet while keeping a hand on his bleeding neck wound. "Who are you people?"
Elijah looked over at him, mildly surprised that he was still there, until his gaze dropped to the familiar silver ring hanging from a necklace around the werewolf's throat and he narrowed his oak brown eyes as he stepped forward threateningly, "I would say the better question is: Who are you?"
"Uh, why can't I find it anywhere?" Davina asked out loud in frustration as she threw her arms up in the air with a scowl, her patience slipping with every passing second and Imogen sighed to herself as she gracefully stood up from the bed in her little sisters' new bedroom.
The room was one of the largest in the compound, one of the garden facing room that experienced the best light in the morning. The high ceilings, crowned mouldings and cream coloured paint gave it a vintage ambiance. The only furniture was a king size bed, an old fashion wooden wardrobe and vanity table placed to the side of the room, looking like they hadn't been moved in years.
"We will find it, I promise." The older witch told her gently as she approached her sister with a small smile on her lips and then knelt down next to one of the unopened cardboard boxes that were littering the room.
Davina stood in the middle of the crowded room with her fingers tangled in her brunette hair as she slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding and closed her eyes for a moment to gather herself before looking over at her sister's back. "It was Tim's. The violin. It was Tim's."
"It's the only thing of his that you have, so you think that if you don't have it, you'll forget him completely. Am I on the mark?"
"Something like that."
"Then you're wrong." Imogen said firmly as she stood up from the searching through a box and turned around to look at her sister with a serious expression as she planted her hands on her hips. "It's hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember. Your first love is something you'll never truly. It changes you, Davina. It changes your outlook on life, on love, on yourself and you'll never be the same. A violin won't change your memories of Tim."
There was a moment of complete silence as Davina stared at her sister with tears starting to build in her eyes but she refused to let them fall and cleared her throat gently as she roughly brushed away a stray tear from her cheek.
Imogen felt her heart ache in her chest as she watched her sister turn away from her. Nothing else in the world hurt her more than seeing Davina upset or hurt and not being able to do anything to help her through the pain. Normally, Imogen had a basic idea on how to comfort her sister, on how to make her feel better, but love and heartbreak were something she had no experience in and she couldn't empathise with that pain.
At the tender age of fifteen, Imogen had attempted to be an upstanding citizen within her coven by playing by the rules and even dating one of the Elders sons in an effort to prove she was on the straight and narrow. Johnathan Porter had been practically in love with her since elementary school, but she had stayed far away from his arrogant self in fear of suffocating on his egomaniac personality. The whole 'relationship' had lasted all of two weeks before he started slapping her when he was anger and that reminded her to much of home so she punched him square in the jaw, effectively ending their liaison.
Instead of saying anything, she walked over to where Davina was standing with her back to her and pulled on her arm, turning her around so that she was encircled tightly in her arms.
Davina buried her face in the crook of her sisters' neck as she sniffled delicately and wrapped her arms around her waist comfortably, humming in contentment when Imogen soothed her hair back like she used to do.
Imogen pulled back from the embrace just enough to cup her sister's face with a soft smile on her lips and she ran her pad of her thumbs gently over her cheeks as she pressed a kiss to Davina's forehead. There was something sweet about the action that always made her eyes water, something that made her think that it was one of the utmost signs of love.
"Alright, we have a violin to find." Imogen uttered softly as she dropped her hands to her side with a small smile and Davina grinned back at her through a giggle as she nodded rapidly in agreement.
They moved to opposite sides of the room as they searched through the cardboard boxes for the missing musical instrument, Imogen humming to herself as she went and Davina periodically casting an amused glance over her shoulder at her sister's form.
Hayley stopped in the doorway to the bedroom with a small frown on her lips as she leaned her shoulder on the doorframe, watching the two witches comb through cardboards as though their lives depended on whatever they were trying to find. "What are you looking for?"
"My violin." Davina answered her shortly as she let out a small huff and lent back on her knees in defeat as she looked over at the brunette werewolf she had met earlier that day while Imogen was getting her belongings from her apartment. "It must be left in the attic."
"So, just go get it."
"She can't. It's not safe for her out there." Imogen argued absently as she continued to look through one of the cardboard boxes and Hayley's forehead furrowed in confusion as she looked between the sisters.
"Funny, I was under the impression everyone was afraid of you." she commented drily as she crossed her arms over her chest with a raised eyebrow and Imogen stood up from the ground with a sigh as she turned to face Hayley with a small smile on her lips.
"The witches are after her. And the only way they're going to get her is over my dead body."
"You mean that crazy witch, Agnes? Yeah, she tried to kill me too. Remember, Imogen? The thing is, she's dead. Elijah killed her."
Imogen sucked in a sharp breath when she heard the words, the world seemed to slow down and noises were distorted, everything changed in the space of one sentence. Her senses came rushing back to her all at once, making her stumble back a little as realisation hit her like a ton of bricks falling from the sky and she squeezed her eyes momentarily as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Everything that had happened to her in the past eight months was because of the coven Elders, because of Agnes Beaumont and now that last threat had been eliminated. She was safe and more importantly, so was Davina.
"But... Agnes was the last living Elder. If she's dead, then I'm safe. Marcel would've told us." Davina insisted firmly with scepticism written all over her face as she narrowed her eyes at the werewolf and Imogen tensed at the mention of the former king of New Orleans, anger mixing with betrayal as she curled her hands into fists at her sides.
"Maybe he didn't wanna lose his secret weapon against the witches?" Hayley suggested with a shrug of her shoulders as she pushed herself off of the doorframe and Imogen instantly stepped forward so that she was slightly in front of her younger sister as Davina's expression darkened.
"You're lying."
"Why would I lie to you?"
"Because you want something from me. Everyone does." The young witch pointed out in a harsh voice as she narrowed her blue eyes at the werewolf and she fought the urge to lash out at her with magic as she steeled her already frayed nerves.
"Do I want something from you...?" Hayley asked herself out loud as she pretended to think it over for a moment and Imogen had a feel she knew what she was going to ask about the curse placed on the werewolf pack out in the bayou. "Yeah, Davina, actually I do. Thanks to your friend Marcel, most of my family is cursed. They're stuck in their wolf form, except on a full moon. Now, I'm smart enough to know that every curse has a loophole. And, well, you're the strongest witch I've ever heard of. But I wouldn't lie to you to get what I want. I'd ask you. I guess that's the difference between Marcel and me."
"One parent to another… You really need to work on your etiquette." Imogen told her briskly as she glared at the pregnant werewolf in annoyance and she felt her sister lace her fingers through hers loosely as she met Hayley's hazel eyes across the room.
Hayley lifted her chin defiantly as she exchanged a heated stared with the witch, unwilling to admit that she may have acted out of sheer desperation when addressing the young brunette but also willing to acknowledge that maybe Imogen had a better concept on what it meant to be a parent. "Suggestion noted."
The glint of determination slowly melted from the werewolf's eyes, making Imogen relax her defensive stance in front of Davina and she quirked her lips up into a small smile to show her ease. She watched apprehensively as Hayley exited the room without another word to either of them and then Imogen exhaled sharply as she threw her head back to look at the ceiling, a combination of emotions whirling in her stomach as she pondered recent events.
Hayley was nice enough but Imogen knew she couldn't take her word on something this life-altering and so she had to find some other way to figure out if Agnes was killed by Elijah the night she tried to cause Hayley's miscarriage. If she really was gone, that meant to Davina was free, that Imogen was free, and that they didn't have to be frightened of walking outside.
Davina stared at her sister with a worried frown on her lips, concerned because Imogen hadn't said anything after Hayley had left the room and she desperately wanted her opinion on what was happening with the witches.
Soft footsteps approached the bedroom and Imogen immediately snapped her head around to the door with a serious expression on her pretty face as she stepped in front of Davina.
Both of the sisters let out breaths of relief when Josh crept around the corner, looking over his shoulder as though someone was going to rip him out of the compound at a moment's notice and Imogen couldn't help smiling softly at the newbie vampire.
"Looking for something?" Josh asked the youngest witch with a grin as he held up the violin in his hand and Davina smiled happily, her blue eyes lighting up with joy as she stared at the instrument. "I figured with you vacating, the attic would be a safe zone. Found this there."
"It was dangerous for you to come back, Josh." Imogen scolded him in the same motherly tone she used on Davina when she was being mischievously cheeky and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly with a crooked smile.
"Yeah, well... What are friends for? Or whatever." He mumbled in embarrassment as a blush crept up onto his cheeks and Davina laughed gently as she took the violin from his outstretched hand. "Hey, what did Hayley want?"
"She told us about a witch being killed. An Elder, but we don't know if she... "
"Yeah, crazy Agnes?" he interrupted her in a questioning voice as he frowned slightly and Imogen tilted her head to the side curiously as she felt anger tightening her stomach. "I heard about that, that Elijah went all berserker on her crew. I guess it was super gross, just like heads and guts... bleh!" he continued obliviously as he scrunched his face up in disgust at the description and both of the sister frowned at him in concern, making him stop taking suddenly as he looked at them. "What? You hate the witches."
"Hayley was right. Marcel is just using me." Davina whispered to herself in despair as she glanced down at the ground, tears burning in her eyes and she snapped her head up to look at her older sister pleadingly. "Imogen, I can't stay here. I'm not gonna be their puppet. You have to get me out of here!"
Imogen instantly stepped in front of her with a comforting smile on her lips, placing her hands on Davina's shoulders to keep her from moving and ducked her head slightly to meet her blue eyes with her own. "Hey, hey, Pixie, calm down. I will always keep you safe, you know that."
There was something so definite in her tone that no one could deny the truth behind her statement. There was something so steady and certain about her words that it was pointless to doubt her honesty. Every fibre of her being was programed to protect Davina, to keep Davina safe, to make sure Davina was happy.
Davina took a deep breath to calm herself down as she nodded her head in understanding and the older brunette's smile widened as she took a small step back before turning her body to include Josh in the conversation. "We're leaving, the three of us. Back a bag, only the essentials. We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes. We'll hole up somewhere tomorrow and leave New Orleans tomorrow night. You and I will be normal humans, but I met a few witches in my travels that can make Josh a daylight ring. We just have to get out of here, alright? We'll figure the rest out on the road."
Josh was surprised that the older witch had included him in their getaway plan but wasn't going to argue with her, especially when her blue eyes flashed with purpose and so he just nodded in agreement.
Imogen pressed a loving kiss to Davina temple as she held the shorter girl in her arms and then stepped back with a reassuring smile before kissing Josh on the cheek as she passed by him on her way out of the room.
Once she was out of the bedroom, out of Davina's eye line, her smile quickly faded into a worried frown and she hurried towards the guest bedroom right next to her sisters she had made her own earlier that day. It may have ended up being a blessing in disguise that Klaus had basically ordered that she move into the compound with them because now she didn't need to make a side trip to collect her essentials.
All of her belongings were still sitting in the suitcase on the large king size bed, so she quickly grabbed whatever was on top of the pile and placed them into the smaller duffel bag she had packed with her grimoire inside.
Money wasn't going to be an issue for them once they got out of New Orleans because Imogen knew that her parents had secret bank accounts in other parts of the country that the coven didn't know about, making it impossible for either the witches or the vampires to track them. They could buy whatever they needed on the road, as long as they could make it out of the city limits and out of any immediate danger.
Imogen sighed heavily to herself as she zipped up the duffel bag full of her things, her muscles were tense and her emotions were all over the place as she sat down on the edge of her bed. As much as she tried to keep him at arm's length, as much as she tried not to believe his eloquent words, to some degree she had trusted Marcel and to learn that his every word had been a lie hurt more than she was willing to admit then to herself.
"Uh, god." She muttered to herself with a shake of her head as she stood up from the end of the bed and slowly walked out onto the balcony overlooking the city skyline as she tightened her cardigan around her small frame.
The night air was cool against her bare skin as she crossed her arms on top of the iron railing and she looked out over the French Quarter, the lights glistening like fireflies on an inky black canvas sky. New Orleans had always been home to Imogen, it was what she had always known and growing up all she wanted to do was run away but no matter where she travelled it had always been home. it took her a while to realise that it wasn't New Orleans that kept calling her back, but the people that resided there waiting for her return, mainly Davina.
The atmosphere on the balcony suddenly changed, somehow got a degree warmer than before and Imogen tensed immediately because she knew without looking that she wasn't standing alone anymore.
Elijah looked at the brunette's profile in the darkened light, her beautiful face perfectly relaxed as she gazed out at the French Quarter and he couldn't help admiring the beauty in front of him as she leaned slightly over the railing. There was something about the scene that commanded that someone appreciate what was in front of them, that they take the time to memorise the lines and the colours, like an artist masterpiece waiting for admiration.
The Original noticed the witch tense cautiously when she realised that she was no longer alone and he smiled faintly as she slowly turned around to face him with steely resolve in her blue eyes, his smile widening as he watched that resolve soften at the sight of him.
"Are they…?" Imogen trailed off questioningly, nerves evident in her tone as she rocked forward on her toes slightly and she bit the corner of her lower lip in between her teeth as she thought about the injustice committed against the werewolves in the bayou.
"They're safe. All of them." Elijah assured her softly with a faint smile as he inclined his head slightly and she let a relieved breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as a smile played on the edge of her lips.
Without even knowing what she was doing, she closed the distance between them in a few short steps and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace, surprised by her own bout of confidence around the Original.
Despite his initial shock, his arms instantly enclosed around her thin waist as he kept her pressed against his body and he breathed in the familiar scent of vanilla that was so undeniably 'Imogen'. There was something comforting in her touch, something so pacifying and he welcomed the reassurance that came with the innocent circumstances.
Imogen didn't know what came over her, but she knew that Elijah was the one who had helped the werewolves on her and Hayley's behalf, that Elijah was the one who kept his word to Davina about his mother's grimoire, that Elijah was the one who finally put an end to the witch's reign of terror by killing Agnes.
"Thank you. What you did, Elijah, it means a lot." She whispered quietly as she bent her head slightly so that her lips accidently grazed the shell of his ear and he automatically shivered as her warm breath skated over his skin.
Imogen pulled back from the embrace slightly with her hand still resting on one of his shoulders, the other on his arm just above his elbow and her body still pressed up against him as she looked up into his smouldering oak brown eyes. The atmosphere surrounding them was thick with tension as they both slowly started to lean towards the other and Imogen stole a quick glance down at his lips as she subconsciously tightened her grip on his shoulder.
Elijah pulled back from the young witch abruptly as he blinked once to compose himself, his thoughts quickly coming back from the brink of unsavoury and he released her from his arms as he cleared his throat gently. "I should go."
"Mm-hmm." She hummed in acknowledgement as she ducked her head to the side to hide the blush that coupled with the disappointment on her face and she heard the faint sound of air displacing as he disappeared into the night using his supernatural speed.
Imogen inhaled sharply as she shook his head slightly, telling herself that it was better this way because she was leaving town the next day and she didn't need any distractions, she needed her sole focus to be on protecting Davina.
A knock on the front door of her apartment interrupted Cami from packing her suitcase for her move out of town and she looked over at the clock with a frown but nonetheless made her way to answer the persistent caller. It seemed weird to her that someone was coming around at midnight, but she figured that it must have been important if they were knocking on her door that late at night.
"Yeah, hang on a – Imogen, Davina?" she asked in surprise as she pulled the door open to reveal the brunette sisters on the other side of the threshold and Imogen stepped forward with a half-smile on her lips as she kept her arm around Davina's shoulders.
"Cami, we need your help. Marcel has been lying to us, and we can't trust him anymore. The vampire and the witches are both going to be after us." Imogen informed her with a desperate tone in her voice as she looked at the blonde pleadingly and Cami gaped at her for a second before spluttering out a sceptical laugh.
"I'm sorry. What did you just say?"
"Oh, that's right. You've been compelled." The brunette murmured thoughtfully as she pushed past her friend into the apartment and Davina quickly followed her as she glanced frightfully over her shoulder, paranoid that someone might be following them.
Imogen gently touched her sister's arm to gain her attention and when Davina looked over at her in question she gestured with her head in Cami's direction, silently asking the younger witch to help her.
Cami watched with a confused frown on her lips, the curious scholar in her winning out over the crept out part of her and she gulped when Davina nodded in agreement with something Imogen had communicated without words.
"It's ok. I can fix you. I'm really sorry, but this is gonna hurt." Davina told the human firmly as she looked her directly in the eyes with a hard glint and she held her hand out towards Cami as she began focusing all of her magic on finding the loose thread of compulsion in her mind.
A loud scream erupted from Cami's lips as she reached up to clutch her head, the pain radiating throughout her entire body as she collapsed onto her knees and she felt someone kneel down next to her while rubbing soothing circles on her back.
Imogen grimaced as she helplessly watched her friend cry out in agony and she tried to best to ease the pain with a soothing spell but it was no match for the power magic needed to unravel the compulsion Cami had endured.