Hello, my lovely readers. Kai is coming and he's go to no good. On with the show…
Chapter 9: Resurrecting a Monster
Feeling cold fingers of fear gripping her muscles and lacing its steely grip around her heart, Caroline watched Valerie sit on the floor of the cabin. Why was she allowing this? Kai Parker had killed her daughters' biological mother, stabbing her to death on her wedding day and murdered his entire family. Kai Parker had terrorized her friends. He was the sole reason that Bonnie had nearly committed suicide after her being trapped in the 1994 Prison World. He had taken Elena from them. He did not deserve to live, ever again, for any reason.
Caroline believed in the good in people. She believed in the healing power of forgiveness. She believed in giving people second, third, fourth and fifth chances. Not as much as Elena and Stefan, but she liked to think that she was compassionate enough to care for those people who had done horrible things: people like Klaus Mikaelson. But Kai, Kai was another type of monster who did not care for anything or anyone. At least Klaus loved his family. What did Kai love? Himself? Caroline wasn't sure she believed that either.
Watching Valerie chant, Caroline could see herself speeding across the room and ripping her heat out of her chest. Stefan would be hurt, he cared for Valerie even if he stubbornly denied that he still did. And her girls cared for the Heretic. But what good would that do when Valerie unleashed the monster that was Kai?
Caroline was immersed in her thoughts when Valerie's eyes suddenly opened up. She looked directly at Caroline, her gaze blank before a slow smile formed that made Caroline feel like screaming and then vomiting. Kai. It had to be Kai behind that eerie smile that held no human emotion. Then Valerie dropped over to her side. Klaus moved to the Heretic's side, frowning as he looked down at her. Caroline felt relieved. Maybe the spell didn't work after all.
Hayley let out a cry, holding Elijah in her arms as the wolf bite moved toward his head, his face becoming grey. "Elijah, fight it! Elijah, this is not how you die!" the wolf yelled.
Hope sat at the table, watching the tableau with an alarming sense of ease, like she knew something that none of them did. And then her gaze moved to the middle of the room. A man stood there, looking at his hands. "It's good to be back," he said with a smile, stretching his body and rotating his head. "Man, death is like the worst hangover. Ever. I do not recommend it."
Her body tensed and Caroline's fists balled at her sides. She knew she could not fight Kai. But she would try if she had to. "Kai, we need your help," she said thought clenched teeth.
Kai's eyebrows quirked and he looked Caroline over before a slow smile dawned on his face. "Hey, I know you. You're the little blonde friend that I didn't get to play with," he waggled a finger at Caroline. "Well, let's make up for lost time."
"Get away from her!" Klaus snarled, shooting in front of Caroline so fast she blinked. He stood in front of her but she thought she knew what his face looked like and she could see his claws out. "You are not here for her," he growled.
Kai sighed. "Right. Of course. Sorry." Shrugging, he turned around. "This does look like a pickle and me without mayo and turkey." Letting out a laugh, Kai looked down at Elijah and then at Freya. "Man, I really wish I could help you, but you see, I'm not really interested in helping so much as… killing Bonnie Bennett. Anybody happen to know where she is?"
"You can kill the witch after you help my family," Klaus informed Kai, relaxing his position.
Caroline smacked Klaus on the arm. "There will be no killing of Bonnie, Klaus!" she yelled.
Kai's gaze flicked to them. A grin appearing. "Klaus? Like Niklaus Mikaelson? Man, I thought you were an urban legend. This is great. I am a huge fan of your work," Kai gushed. "For a long time you were my idol. I did some of my best work trying to imitate you, or trying to surpass you, whatever."
"How wonderful and as much as I would love to chat, I need you to be a dear and save my brother, Elijah, from his pesky, little wolf bite," Klaus said, moving closer to Kai who continued to grin, examining Klaus like he was Elvis or someone.
"Right. Cool. One, little wolf bite cure coming right up." Kai interlaced his fingers, cracking the knuckles and then moving over to Elijah. "Man, this guy is a wreck. You sure you're the Mikaelsons cause I heard you guys could not die from anything?"
"Less talk, more action," Hayley snapped, glaring at Kai, grabbing him by the hands and forcing them onto Elijah's chest. "Heal him before I rip your frickin' head off!"
"I like her," Kai said, winking at Hayley who looked disgusted. Closing his eyes, he started to chant in Latin. They watched as he began to absorb the wolf bite, his grin spread like some kind of goo, in Caroline's opinion, over his face, making him look more and more insidious. "And done," Kai said proudly as Elijah sat bolt upright, sucking in deep breaths and looking at all of them. "Now, back to where Bonnie is?"
"One more, please?" Klaus' hand moved in Freya's direction.
"You people just have all kinds of cool spelled people lying around. Man, I think I'm going to like it here." Kai walked over to Freya. "Hello, pretty lady, what can I do for you?" he asked, running a finger along her cheek.
"Just heal her!" Klaus growled, his lips curling back from his fangs.
Kai seemed to find Klaus amusing as he placed his hands on Freya's chest and began to chant again. "This one's powerful," he muttered, breaking from the chant just long enough to roll his head and then resume. After a few minutes, he took a step back with a satisfied grin when Freya shot forward, her wide eyes opening to take in Klaus who smirked, Elijah, who held Hayley close, and Hope who came running to her.
"Aunt Freya!" Hope yelled, throwing herself into Freya's arms. "You're here," she mumbled into Freya's top.
Elijah got to his feet with Hayley's help. "We must thank you…" he held out a hand to say he lacked information, his lips pursed slightly echoing his confused state.
"Kai Parker, at you service," Kai made a mocking bow and added a huge grin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a witch to find and to torture."
"You're not going anywhere," Caroline snarled, her fangs dropping as her eyes glowed a fiery red.
Kai still looked amused. "Oh, that's really, truly scary. Want to see scary?" he began when Hope suddenly sent him flying. "Ouch. Okay. Not cool," the power hungry heretic/leader of the Gemini coven, yelled, getting to his feet and turning his sights on the youngest Mikaelson. "Who the hell are you anyway, Baby Witch?"
"Hope Mikaelson," Hope greeted him with a glint in her eye.
"It spawns," Kai clapped his hands, looking at Klaus and letting out a laugh. "Good to know there are other abominations running around, you know, other than me, and her," he waved at Valerie who still had yet to wake up.
"Is she dead?" Caroline demanded, looking from Kai to Valerie.
"Nah. She's just taking about fifty winks," Kai shrugged. "Back to the whole quid pro quo thing. You know, I do you a solid, you do me one. That's how they say things today, right? Hey, I'm still rusty on the new language."
"You could be useful in another matter," Klaus stated, looking at Kai.
"Such as?" Kai inquired, watching them closely.
"One of my enemies has Bonnie Bennett. Perhaps if you were to help me with my problem, you might be able to talk with her," Klaus began to smirk and Caroline felt dread fill her stomach.
"Klaus, no!" Caroline protested.
Klaus gave her a long look. "Caroline, perhaps you should stay here while Freya, Kai and I take care of my Marcellus problem."
"And maybe not!" Caroline hissed back. "You owe me one, too, Klaus, or did you forget what I had to sacrifice to stay here and help you. Or what is at risk because of your plan?" she asked him, moving so that she stood an inch from his face, her eyes burning with uncontrolled fury.
Klaus' eyes glowed, too, only his glowed with lust rather than rage. She wanted to slap him but figured that would just be taken as foreplay by him. "Yes, Caroline, and we shall discuss that when we are not in mixed company." His words came out softly like he desired to comfort her when she knew he simply wanted to control her. Always the alpha male, always seeking to control everyone and everything. Not this time. Grabbing him by the back of the neck, Caroline yanked Klaus into a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, seemingly forgetting everyone else in the room for the moment until she gripped his neck and snapped it.
Inhaling, Caroline looked down at Klaus' prone body. "Okay. Freya, can you keep him here?" she asked Freya who nodded, wordlessly. "Kai, you want to see Bonnie so badly, come with me." She had no idea where Bonnie and Marcel would be exactly but she figured Kai might be able to figure it out easily enough.
"I'm coming with you. If you are going after Marcellus Gerard, this is our family's fight, not yours Miss Forbes," Elijah said, moving toward the door with Hayley trying to stop him, wrapping her arms around him and only causing him to drag her along, her boot heels scraping the wooden floor.
"Elijah, I am part of your family now," Caroline shot back. The Original vampire looked confused, turning to look at Hayley who nodded.
"She's one of us. She's proved herself ever since she arrived and then some," Hayley told Elijah before nodding at Caroline. "Call if you need backup. Elijah, get back in bed, you need to heal," she ordered her boyfriend who frowned but returned to the bed.
Caroline walked out into the night. She continued with Kai by her side. "So, where are we going?" Kai inquired, bouncing like a little kid with too much sugar in his system.
"I have no idea," Caroline replied.
"Yeah. That helps," Kai rolled his eyes. "Okay. Give me your hands. I need a little power jump," he told her.
Caroline glared at Kai. "Hell no," she snapped, moving to keep walking as the heretic grabbed her hands.
"Sorry. I was trying to be polite. Now, I'm just going to take it." Kai began to suck her magic and Caroline let out a scream of pain. "Oh, yeah. I'm good to go now and I can sense Bon Bon. Oh, yeah, baby, I'm back and we're going to dance," he grinned, shooting forward and Caroline ran after him. She hated that he was half-vampire now.
They sped toward the bridge that Caroline had driven over to arrive in New Orleans in the first place. "Okay. Let's play a little game called: Now You See Me." Before she could blink, Kai disappeared.
"Damn it!" Caroline muttered under her breath. He was supposed to use that glamour on her, too. And what if he took Bonnie without helping with Marcel?
Kai grinned like the frickin' Cheshire cat, appearing again behind her. "Come on, that's fun," he whispered into her ear. "Tag, you're it!" he cried, and Caroline found herself on the bridge facing Marcel who did not seem to see her. HE turned to Bonnie.
"If he doesn't show soon, I'm going to kill you," Marcel warned Bonnie who sneered up at him.
"I would like to see you try," Bonnie snapped, her lips pulled back.
"She looks different," Kai said, appearing next to Caroline. "I like it. Something to work with."
"Leave her alone," Caroline warned Kai who grinned back at her before speeding behind Bonnie and placing his hands around her throat.
Caroline let out a hiss, flying across the bridge. She let out a cry when Marcel's eyes widened, taking in her presence as she stopped a half foot from him. "Where is Klaus?" he demanded and then let out a cry when Kai kicked him in the shin.
"Now, that is fun. Come on, big guy, show me what you're made of?" Kai taunted Marcel. The king of New Orleans spun around and around, looking for his invisible attacker when Kai drove a first into his face, sending Marcel flying backward. "Wow. I missed fighting so much! And I never got to use my fists that much. Being a vampire is totally awesome!"
Caroline looked at Bonnie. Bonnie looked back at Caroline, her eyes wide with incomprehension. "Caroline, what is going on?" she asked.
"Bonnie…" Caroline began as Kai grabbed Marcel by the shirt collar, punching him over and over again until the other vampire's face became bloody and his breathing became ragged.
"Get off of me, you son of a bitch," Marcel shouted and then kicked Kai in the solar plexus, sending him flying back along the length of the bridge.
Kai looked back at Caroline. "Your turn," he cried, chanting and Caroline looked to Bonnie who began to look around.
Caroline did not have time to think before she took on Marcel, pounding at him and dodging his punches and kicks. Kai sat up, taking a deep breath. "I could use another boost," he said and his gaze landed on Bonnie. "Kai, no!" Caroline shouted. Thankfully, Bonnie could not hear her or she might have freaked out.
Before Caroline could dodge out of the way, Marcel's clenched fist caught her along the jaw, sending her flying over the bridge. The last thing she saw was Kai laying his hands on Bonnie's shoulders, sending her to her knees while she screamed in pain. "Bonnie!" Caroline screamed in her head. How had everything gone so terribly wrong, she wondered as she sunk to the bottom of the river, her eyes closing, her lungs filling with water?
What felt like days later someone dragged Caroline from the bottom of the river. She could feel someone's hand gently pushing her hair back from her face. "Caroline?" Klaus murmured and Caroline looked up at him. "Caroline, love, I thought Marcel had killed you," he stated, pressing desperate kisses to her forehead.
"Where's Bonnie?" Caroline asked weakly. Klaus' eyes clouded over. "Klaus, where is Bonnie?"
"She's gone, Caroline. We don't know where," Hayley stated, running a frustrated hand through her hair.
Caroline sat up on the bridge. It had been night when the battle began, now the sun shone down on them. "No. No. No!" Caroline shook her head frantically. She got to her feet, her wet clothes clinging to her body as she looked around for her friend as if Bonnie would magically appear from the thin air. "Bonnie?" Caroline howled, moving to the edge of the bridge and looking into the murky water's depths. "Bonnie!" Caroline wailed, slumping to the ground, wrapping her arms around her middle.
"Caroline," Klaus said quietly, he walked over to kneel beside her. He placed a hand on Caroline's shoulder. "Caroline, I am sorry. We came as soon as I woke…"
"Get away from me!" Caroline wailed, pushing Klaus away with both arms. "Get away," she sobbed. "This is all your fault! I should not have trusted you! All you care about is yourself and your family. And now that monster is on the loose and he's going go after Damon and then he'll find my babies! I hate you, Klaus! I hate you! I wish I had never met you!" Caroline screamed, getting to her feet, shaking all over and running from him.
Klaus chased her down the street, grabbing her from behind and holding on. "We'll find her. And if she is gone, I am truly sorry, Caroline. Had I been there, I would not have allowed that thing to lay a hand on her head because I know she is precious to you. For you, Caroline. Only for you." He pressed a hand to her head, pushing her into his chest and rocking her till she calmed.
"What if he killed her?" Caroline moaned, holding onto Klaus' arm. She felt more tears pour down her cheeks.
"We will have to find a way to bring her back. Isn't that what you lot are good at doing, bringing their witch back, time and time again?" Klaus smiled and Caroline felt herself smile back. He smoothed her hair behind her ear, pressing his lips to hers. She pulled him closer, lacing her fingers into his curls, being reminded of their time in the woods. The only time she had allowed herself to give into her feelings for him. She wanted to give in now but this did not seem like the time and certainly was not the place.
"What happened to Marcel?" Caroline asked.
Klaus' gaze clouded over. "I do not know, love. When we arrived, he, too, was gone." She could see a trace of fear and regret. His son echoed in her head. "Protect my brother" were Hope's words. Another chill filled her stomach. "We mustn't worry about Marcellus just yet. He wiggles out of the worst of straits. I once thought him dead for ninety odd years, only to find him ruling my city. I'm sure he just left to have a bourbon and tell his friends how he bested me in another row." His words were light but Caroline could see he did not believe them.
"Yeah. Should we go back to the bayou?" Caroline asked, looking to Hayley who stood at the edge of the bridge, on her phone and frowning.
"No, Caroline, we are going home to the Quarter. It is time I took my home and my city back and to show the Quarter why they made such a fool-hardy mistake three years ago." Klaus' lips twisted into the smirk that used to make Caroline wary. Now she felt excitement pour through her body. She knew she shouldn't, but all she wanted was to kick some ass, anyone's ass. Klaus got to his feet, holding out a hand to her. Caroline took the offered appendage, moving to straighten up. "Shall we?" Klaus asked and Caroline smiled as they made their way toward the city.
The Strix, among others, had no idea what was coming their way. "We shall," Caroline replied, linking arms with Klaus and feeling a smirk lighting up her own face. She could not wait to kick Aurora's ass for trying to make her into a dolly. The only thing that bothered Caroline would be the disappearance of her friend. Once they cleaned house, she would be leaving a few of Klaus' enemies alive to force whatever information they could gather out of them before handing them over to Klaus. Maybe that wasn't what Caroline of Mystic Falls would do. But that was what Caroline of New Orleans intended on doing.
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