Sire Bond (The Vision)

Chapter Ten

The Trap

It was the following evening when Marcel stopped in at the compound to give Elijah an update. "No sign of DuMartel or his witch yet, Sire. But I have Sophie Devareux and her witches on the case too."

"Good thinking," Elijah stated. "They might have a way to find one of their own easier than we could. How are the Strix behaving?"

"They're cooperating. I've paired each of them up with my guys so we can keep an eye on them."

"Good idea there too," Elijah complimented him. Marcel smiled at his king. "Thank you Sire."

They were interrupted by Elijah's cell phone ringing, as well as by his wife entering the compound. Elijah looked at her with raised eyebrows while answering the phone without looking at the call screen. "Yes?"

"Brother it is I, Kol."

"Brother."

"I am on my way to your home from the airport. I just landed."

"Landed? In New Orleans?" Elijah was stunned.

"Yes, I want to be there to help. I found out something very concerning. DuMartel's witch flew to America around the same time he did."

"We assumed as much," Elijah told him. "When you get here I'll fill you in on everything we've discovered." He hung up the call and then gave his wife his full attention. "What are you doing here?"

Hayley looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I live here...as your wife remember?"

Elijah ignored her sarcasm. "I thought we agreed you and Hope would go to the Bayou?"

"No, we agreed that I would take Hope to the Bayou and that Jackson would keep her there and keep her safe. My place is by your side."

"Apparently everyone feels that way," Elijah told her, realizing it was futile to argue. "Kol will be here soon."

"Your brother from Europe? Well it will be nice to meet him despite the circumstances," Hayley commented.

"I'm going to head back out," Marcel interjected. Elijah nodded his head in agreement.

Thirty minutes later

When Kol arrived at the Mikaelson compound he found the courtyard empty, except for the king's manservant Trevor who greeted him with a bow. "My Lord Kol."

"Where is my brother?" Kol asked, not bothering to greet the underling in return.

"He had to go out."

"Out? Out where? There's a lunatic with a powerful witch out there wanting to harm him, where did he go?" Kol asked with alarm.

"Well My Lord, he received a phone call..."

Thirty minutes earlier

Hayley had gone upstairs leaving Elijah and Trevor in the courtyard. Elijah's phone rang and he retrieved it from his suit coat pocket. He looked at the call screen and did not recognize the number. Normally he would have handed the phone to his servant to deal with the telemarketer or stranger, but due to the current situation he answered the call.

"Yes?"

"Elijah, this is Jackson. Hayley asked me to take Hope..."

Elijah interrupted, his concern level at its peak. "Yes, out to the Bayou; What's wrong?"

"I didn't want to call and alarm her," Jackson told him in a strained voice.

"Jackson, is Hope all right?"

"She is for now, but I need you to get here right away. I've gotten threatening calls."

"I'm on my way," Elijah told him hanging up on the call. He looked at Trevor and was about to command him to not tell Hayley where he'd gone. Then he thought better of it and grabbed his servant by the face. He stared into Trevor's eyes and compelled him, "Do not tell Hayley about that phone call or where I've gone." Trevor had no choice but to reply, "Yes Sire."

Thirty minutes later

"Well My Lord, he received a phone call from Jackson and then ran out."

"Who the bloody hell is 'Jackson'?" Kol angrily inquired, wondering how his brother could be so reckless.

"One of my subjects," a female voice answered his question from the balcony above.

Kol looked up. "Ah, my beautiful sister-in-law I presume?"

Hayley sped down to stand in front of him. "I'm Hayley, and you're Kol right?"

Kol nodded his head. "Let's save the extended greetings for later, shall we? Why would one of your subjects call our king?"

Hayley immediately started to panic and looked at Trevor. "Jackson called Elijah? And then he left, didn't he?"

Trevor stared blankly at her and did not respond. "Answer your queen, you ingrate!" Kol ordered.

Trevor's mouth opened but no words came out. "He's been compelled," Hayley concluded. "Which means Jackson called Elijah because he didn't want to worry me. Which means it's about Hope!"

"Where would Elijah have gone?" Kol asked.

"I know exactly where," Hayley replied. "Come with me. Trevor, you stay here."

Elijah Mikaelson stood alone in a clearing in the woods. The evening air filled with a symphony of frogs and he listened intently for the sound of approaching footsteps. Eventually he heard them, looked into the darkness, and stated, "I'm here, what are these threats you spoke of?"

There was no reply, only a clicking sound. An arrow hit Elijah in the chest. He stood there calmly for a moment and then pulled the arrow out, patiently waiting for the other party in the woods to show himself. A moment later Tristan DuMartel did just that, walking towards his king holding a cross bow in his hand.

"It didn't work," he lamented, despondent. "Why didn't it work?"

"You're not the only one with witch friends," Elijah reminded him.

"A protection spell," Tristan surmised.

"That's right. Did you really think I'd be so stupid as to come out here alone without one?"

Tristan shook his head. "Not really. I think you are a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"You do realize you are about to die, don't you?" Elijah stated, although he had no intention of killing Tristan at that moment.

"Probably, but my witch does have Jackson and Hope under her control."

Elijah contradicted him, "She did."

Tristan started shaking, but from rage not his illness. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, my witch and her coven located your witch and retrieved Hope and Jackson right before I came out here. Your witch is now in our hands." Elijah started walking towards Tristan. "I could have tolerated your annoying obsession with me forever if you didn't make the colossal mistake of coming here and going after my family. I could even have understood you wanting to put me to sleep to alleviate your suffering, not that I would have allowed you do so. But I warned you not to involve my family and you did it anyway. And I said you live and die by my will, and now you will be punished Tristan DuMartel."

Tristan stood trembling, watching with tear-filled eyes as his king came closer. He knew his end was at hand but also knew his mission would be complete. His suffering would finally stop.