Bound in Blood: Order of the Hunters – Chapter X
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As I ate my breakfast the next morning, the doorbell rang. I was deep in thought and waiting in anticipation for the upcoming day I was going to have. Sighing, I disposed of the rest of my cereal and headed to the door. I was in yoga pants, a white tank top with a black sports bra, my workout sneakers, and my hair was pulled into a tight French braid. Wrapping my hand around the door handle, I prepped myself as best as I could.
Ladies and gentlemen, Klaus Mikaelson.
The Original smiled at me, his dimples showing clearly on his face. "Hello, love." He greeted me. "Lovely day, is it not?"
"Let's skip the small-talk, demone. I'm not interested in the weather," I said as I put my hands on my hips. "Any news on my father?"
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He asked, feigning a hurt expression.
"I'd soon as cut my own tongue off," I responded. "Now, answer my question."
"No," He answered, his smile growing. Apparently he found me amusing which irked me to no end. "I haven't picked up your father's scent anywhere nor have any of my hybrids. Your father seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth."
"He has not," I spat as I moved outside of the safety of my home. Honestly I didn't care, I just wanted information on my father. "I refuse to believe there is not a single trace of him."
"I asked you yesterday to allow me passage into your home so I can look for clues," Klaus pointed out. "But your pertinacity and pride wouldn't allow you to acquiesce."
"My pertinacity and pride?! My father had this home built so it would be a safe haven from your kind! No vampire – let alone a hybrid – is allowed entrance." I snapped at him.
"Are we speaking about the house or you now?" Klaus said, batting his eyelashes at me. Scoffing, I folded my arms over my chest.
"How about this? Go stand on that balcony up there and throw yourself off of it, but make sure you land on a branch that sticks straight through your heart." I said to him as I went to step back into the house. Before I was completely inside, Klaus grabbed ahold of my wrist and pulled me back out on the porch.
"Oh no, not just yet. You are coming over to my home today, remember? We are going to give one another some answers." Klaus stated, his expression and tone stern and serious.
"I know that, fool. I was just going to go set up security," I snapped at him as I yanked my hand back. "I don't want anyone breaking in while I'm gone." I went into the house and turned to close the door, but he was leaning on the doorway.
"If you refuse, I'll just burn the house down. Can't hide from me then, love." Klaus said with a threatening smile.
"Vile demone," I hissed at him with a glare before turning away. "Give me a moment then I will be out." I closed the door before I made sure every trap was set at every point of entry and different places in the hall. If someone did manage to break in again, they would be killed, so way worse than what happened with Jeremy. Just in case it was a vampire, there was traps just for them. It might not be good that someone could die if they broke in, but it was their own fault, as my father would say.
Finally I was finished with the traps and walked back out on the front porch. Klaus was standing on the stairs waiting for me. Rolling my eyes at him, I locked the door behind me. Once I turned back around, I was slightly surprised to see how close Klaus was standing to me.
"Ready?" He asked, holding his hand out to me. I scoffed and rolled my eyes again as I walked around him.
A few things had happened in the past couple of days: firstly, I kidnapped Caroline and interrogated her. She played dumb and then claimed to be the only vampire in Mystic Falls. I told her I wasn't going to let her loose in Mystic Falls and have others die all because I couldn't kill her. I was going to let my father decide what needed to be done once I found him. After speaking with her, I searched all of Mystic Falls once again and came up with nothing. Klaus had come and asked to look through my house for any clues which I blatantly refused just as I did earlier. Then I slammed the door in his face and spent time doing my training until tiring myself out.
Unfortunately, Klaus was forcing me to spend time with him today if I wanted his help with my father. So here we were, sitting in a car together as he tried to speak with me and I wasn't responding at all. This was time I – or rather we – should be spending trying to find my father. Instead I was stuck with the Original Hybrid.
We finally arrived at his huge mansion which wasn't as far away from my house as I wished it was. A part of me thought maybe Klaus had done it purposely until I remembered he had come to this town before I had.
He opened my door for me and I glared at him as I got out. "Why don't you stop doing stuff for me? I only asked your help for one thing: finding my father." I pointed out as he closed the car door behind me.
"Actually, you asked for my help with two things. Your father and Jeremy Gilbert. Speaking of the boy, he's doing great. I heard he got released from the hospital this morning... Also heard a certain person hadn't gone to see him anymore in the hospital…" Klaus taunted as he stepped closer to me.
"You are the definition of a stalker," I responded, looking at him with an unamused expression. "Never thought I'd be able to say an Original is following my every move."
"I have to keep tabs on everyone in town," Klaus said as he started to head towards his mansion. I reluctantly followed after him. "Make sure no one is acting against me or my family; you have to understand that. Your father kept tabs on everyone, didn't he?"
"That's none of your business," I responded, but to be honest I didn't even know. I knew he kept tabs on me, but I wasn't sure who he kept tabs on or if he just kept an eye on everyone. My father hadn't been very open with me on this case.
Klaus chuckled as he opened the door to his mansion and moved to the side to let me pass through the door first. I eyed him warily for a moment before walking in. Of course it was beautiful and quite fancy. I don't know what else I expected.
"What do you think?" Klaus asked me as I looked around at the grand staircase and the chandelier.
"I've seen better." I responded curtly as I turned my head up at him. I was trying to be as rude and hateful as possible because I wanted to make him become disinterested in me. The last thing I wanted was the attention of an Original.
"Of course you have," Klaus put his hand on my shoulder and I immediately smacked it off.
"Do not touch me," I growled as I looked at him with narrowed eyes. "We are not friends, we are temporary allies."
"Of course," Klaus said in a condescending tone before he walked towards a hallway. "Come along, Josephine." He called back to me. With a heavy sigh, I followed after him.
He ended up leading me to a parlor where he took a seat in the love chair and gestured for me to sit across from him. I sat on the other couch, refusing to sit where he told me to. He sighed at the hardness on my face.
"Would you like a drink?" He asked, gesturing to a table with various bottles on it. I shot him another scowl. "I had heard such nice things about you, Josephine. I heard of a girl who was quiet, yes, but not stubborn, strong, and disagreeable as you actually are. I am quite glad the girl you play around school is an act. I would have been highly disappointed."
"Does it look like I care if you're disappointed?" I responded with a sour look on my face. Why was Klaus so infuriating? I wish my father would burst in the parlor and stake him through the chest right now.
Klaus chuckled as he stood. I watched him closely as he began to pour himself a drink. "No, it does not. Tell me a little about yourself, Josephine."
I stared at him blankly for a moment. Did he really just ask that? Of all things? I couldn't handle this, not today, so I stood up. I started to head for the door but he sped in my way, a pissed off expression on his face.
"Sit. Down." He ordered.
"I don't take orders from you," I spat at him, a nasty glare on my own face. "You don't control me."
"No, but I am the only help you have for finding your father. You need me more than I need you." He lifted his arm, gesturing back to the place I had been seated in before. "Now, sit. Before I completely lose my patience."
We had a brief stare down. As much I didn't want to give in, I didn't have much choice. I needed his help and he wouldn't give it unless I complied.
"You don't even know the concept of it." I muttered as I moved past him, taking my seat from earlier. I reached behind me and smoothed my braid down. Klaus sat in his place from before with a glass in his hand and looked at me expectantly. I sighed and looked away from him. "What do you want to know exactly? I'll answer it to the best of my ability."
"How long have you been hunting?"
I exhaled and turned my head away from him. "I've been training my entire life, but I didn't start hunting until last year."
"So old? Don't they usually start you out as soon as you're able to shoot a gun?" He questioned before he took a swig of his drink.
"Depends, I suppose. I've never met anyone else my Order than my father and his brother." I responded, trying to keep it as short as possible.
"Your father has a brother?" Klaus asked with curiosity, which made me squirm uncomfortably. I didn't really like Klaus knowing more than what was necessary about me.
"Yes, I haven't seen him since we moved here though."
"Ah, well, perhaps your father decided to pay him a visit," Klaus paused as he took another sip of his drink, his eyes never straying from me as he did. "Tell me, Josephine, why did you come to this town?"
"We went sent by our Order. They had gotten a report in from someone in this town that there were vampires here. They never said there were Originals." I shot him a glare before continuing. "My uncle would have taken the case but he was occupied elsewhere."
"You have contact with your uncle? Last I heard from your mother, your father and he were estranged."
"I don't want to talk about my mother. You can ask me any other question and I will respond but nothing about her or related to her." I warned, making sure to maintain eye contact with him so he knew I was serious.
"Fair enough. So what did the Order teach you throughout your training years?"
"Basic defense skills, history, and how to kill a vampire. Once we get those down – it's expected to be done by the age of ten or eleven – we begin to delve more into the different supernatural creatures. Witches, psychics in general, werewolves, Original vampires, hybrids… Although that last one has been a recent addition which only a handful of people know about." I exhaled before I continued. "They usually start us in the field at thirteen but just for research purposes. We aren't supposed to fight until we are fifteen or sixteen. Because of who my father is… Well, I had special circumstances."
"I always wondered why they started children so young, but it's best to drill the ideas into kids at an early age isn't it?" Klaus mused.
"Are you just going to make fun of my Order or do you have actual questions?"
"Sorry," He held his hands up in defense. "I suppose my next inquiry is whether or not you have ever used your powers other than with Jeremy?"
I stared at the Original for a long moment, utterly confused by his words. "I'm not a witch, Klaus, I'm a human and I hunt vampires."
Klaus shook his head as he sat forward. "No, you aren't. Do you think your mother spent ten years of her life with me just as an entertainment?"
My gaze narrowed and I began to chastise him for bringing my mother up again when we were suddenly interrupted by a brown-haired, brown-eyed man in a suit. He stood just in the doorway, he curious gaze on me.
"Niklaus, I was not aware that you had a guest over." The man said.
"Ah yes, Elijah, I see you recognize her… This is Josephine Cacciatore, daughter of Scarlett and Mads Cacciatore." Klaus glanced in between us with a smile. "Josephine, this is my eldest brother, Elijah."
I was clenching my fists together, my shoulders tensing as I realized I was alone in a room with two Originals. I most definitely did not have the upper hand in this situation.
"A pleasure," Elijah gave a nod and I barely nodded in acknowledgment.
"Now, Josephine, where are your manners? Don't tell me you're afraid! You are a hunter are you not?"
"Damn you." I hissed at him through clenched teeth as I stood and moved to the other side of the room from him. "I answered your questions, Klaus, now it's time for you to actually find my father. I'm tired on playing these stupid games."
"Your father is missing?" Elijah questioned, his brown eyes not leaving me once. "I wasn't even aware that he was in town."
"And we were not aware of the entire Original family's residence here," I replied curtly.
Elijah stepped closer to me. "As young as you are I suspect you do not know the truce the Originals have with your Order."
I began to argue, but his words stopped me. Truce? No, I had not heard of such a thing in all the years I had studied. "What are you talking about?" I demanded, clenching my fists.
"I mean that the last time your Order attacked the Original family all but one was wiped out. We spared the coward's life and he drafted a truce, which I believe your superiors must have somewhere," Elijah stated as he walked over to where there was a tray of tea. He poured himself a cup and drank from it while I simply stared.
"It doesn't make sense," I thought aloud, my gaze moving down to the couch. "We're taught to kill a vampire and never beg for our lives. There is no way that man agreed to a truce. It would go against everything we're taught." I stood and looked at him with a defiant look. "I know my Order and I have studied everything about them since the moment I could read. I don't need your poisoning words seeping into my mind." I turned towards Klaus and folded my arms over my chest. "I've decided that you're no use to me anymore, not with finding my father anyways. Once I find my father, I'll have to inform him of the deal I made with you and we'll fulfill that. We'll report back to the Order and see whether or not they want us to run you out of the town."
Klaus looked at me with a small smirk. "Oh, love, but who said I didn't find you useful anymore?"
"I am not a plaything you can have around for your amusement. I was here because I thought you could find my father because I thought that maybe the Original Hybrid was good enough to track down one human without entering my house," I snapped at him, my thoughts reeling. Suddenly, however, looking at Klaus' smug face, I couldn't help but grow suspicious. "Have you even attempted looking for him?"
"I've sniffed around."
"Or… You took him, although it doesn't quite make sense considering the supposed truce you forged with my Order so long ago," I said with dry sarcasm as I glanced over at Elijah. I had always had a knack for telling when people were lying and had seen it work on vampires before like Caroline. Who said it wouldn't work on Klaus? "Do you know who took my father?"
"No."
It didn't take even a second for me to catch the lie. Without a moment's notice I had a stake in my hand and Klaus pushed against the wall. Elijah began to react but Klaus held his hand up towards him.
"Bugiardo," I hissed at him, calling him a liar in Italian.
"And how do you know that, little hunter?"
"Because I just do," I shoved him again and glared harshly at him. "I can tell you are."
Klaus grinned over at Elijah. "What did I tell you, brother? Told you that I had come across another one."
"Another what?" I stabbed the stake in his shoulder to get his attention. He hissed in slight pain as he pushed me away.
"Another psionic," Elijah clarified, staring at me in slight disbelief. My brow furrowed in confusion, Psionic? What the hell was that?
"I'm tired of this," I began walking towards the door. "Stay away from me, the both of you and the rest of your screwed up family if they are here."
"Wait a minute, love, we aren't quite done," Klaus sped in front of me. I lashed out to hit him but he easily caught my fist. He made a tsk sound as he shook his head. "Don't act so brash, it's too predictable."
What he didn't realize is that I had slipped my stake out of boot and used my free hand to hold it over his chest. He glanced down and saw it, his smug look suddenly gone. "And don't underestimate me. My father is all I have left and that makes me desperate. So, I expected him returned or…" I leaned back as I slipped the stake back into my boot. "Another vampire friend of yours will be toast by sundown today."
Annoyance flashed through Klaus' eyes. "Whom do you refer to?"
"Blonde, perky, senior at Mystic Falls High…" I listed off, my newfound confidence astonishing even myself. Klaus grabbed me and slammed me against the wall, however this time I didn't retaliate. I let him pin me as he growled in my face, his fangs long and eyes yellow.
"Where is she?" He hissed at me.
"Somewhere you'll never get to," I replied, looking at him with a calm expression. I did my best to conceal my disgust at him and to calm my heartbeat. I didn't want it to give away my fear.
"I don't think you should be speaking to me like that when I can easily kill you now."
"And allow Caroline to desiccate? You'll never find her, Klaus, she's concealed so not even a witch to track her," I said, remembering the charms my father had placed on that cellar when we moved in. All hunters were given some so they weren't able to be tracked by anyone wherever they went. I would've gotten a witch to do a locator spell for my father, but he had one in his watch.
"Niklaus, perhaps its best to let her go before you kill her," Elijah spoke from the side of the room. I looked over at him to see he was watching with an annoyed exhaustion. Looking back at Klaus, he reluctantly let me go, although he still continued glaring at me.
"You work for me. Release Caroline this instance," Klaus hissed.
"Not until I get my father back," I shot back as I glanced in between him and Elijah. "Once I know he's okay and you didn't hurt him nor will hurt him the rest of his life… Then I will return Caroline. I think that's a fair deal."
"No, you bring us her first!"
"You lost your right to demand!" I shouted back at him. "You kidnapped my father first and manipulated me into making a deal with you! We do this my way, by sundown, or I swear I will drive a stake through Caroline's heart myself."
With that, I turned and walked out of the door, honestly a bit nervous that I might have to kill Caroline.
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