Kat gasped as her eyes open. Nothing would ever get rid of the ache in her neck. That she was sure of. Slowly, she sat up, her senses overrun by the smell of blood.
"Awake?"
Kat tensed at the familiar voice, glancing over her shoulder to see a familiar face sitting on the edge of Klaus's desk.
"Katarina," Kat greeted.
"I prefer Katherine."
Kat gave her a grim smile.
"As do I. It's a farther cry from Katalina."
"And you don't like associating yourself with me," Katherine mused.
She crossed her arms.
"Your friend seems to be willing to associate with me," she gloated.
"Friend?"
Kat's eyes widened. Jay!
"If you hurt or compelled her," Kat began, rising to her feet.
"Nothing of the sort," Katherine cut in. "No, I'm working with her."
"Why?" Kat demanded.
"To make sure Klaus doesn't get the cure," Katherine replied. "And to make sure Silas rises."
"Silas?" Kat repeated.
"Silas was the first vampire in the world."
Kat turned to find Jay in the doorway, a backpack slung casually over her shoulder.
"I thought that honor belonged to the Originals. Hence the name," Kat retorted.
Jay smirked.
"No, the Originals came to be around the tenth century. Silas has been entombed for about 2,000 years."
"Okay, but what's all this about the cure? And making Silas rise? Why can't Klaus have the cure?" Kat inquired.
She narrowed her eyes.
"And why are you carrying a backpack?"
"It's yours."
"What?" Kat asked.
"Katherine insists you go with her to retrieve the cure."
Kat glanced back at Katherine.
"Why me?" she demanded.
Katherine grinned.
"Family outing?" she joked.
Kat couldn't help that her face contorted in disgust. Katherine just sighed.
"Fine. Your little friend would just slow me down in her current state."
"Current state?" Kat questioned, looking back at Jay.
Jay pulled up her sleeve, revealing a burn.
"Vervain. I'm healing a bit slower than usual and it hurts to move."
"Then I should stay here! You're vulnerable!" Kat objected.
"I'll be fine," Jay insisted. "One hunt and I'll be healed. I just didn't want to leave you unconscious with her."
Kat was grateful that Jay's common sense hadn't fully abandoned her.
"Alright, fine, I'll go. I will help you find this Silas and then I never want to see you again," Kat informed Katherine.
Katherine grinned slyly.
"Perfect."
Jay crept slowly after the boy. He kept glancing back, almost like he could sense her. His dark brown eyes scanned the sidewalk but Jay carefully hid behind trees and the occasional mailbox.
"Too easy," Jay mumbled.
Tyler, she guessed that was his name, turned away, heading up the porch stairs and into the white house. Jay glanced around. Convinced the coast was clear, she sprinted to the side of the house. She grabbed the edge of one of the windows, pulling herself up. Looking in, she could see Tyler and the blonde girl. They were looking over a laptop and spread out pictures that were on a coffee table. From the angle she was at, she could also see a very bored Klaus as he paced like a caged lion, annoyance rolling off him in waves. Jay released the sill, dropping into a crouch and pulling out her phone, shooting a quick text to Kat.
Kat ignored her vibrating phone. It was probably just Jay and she really didn't want to speak to her. Not after Jay had passed her off to Katherine.
"Try to tread carefully. Don't want them to be alert to our presence," Katherine said.
Kat threw a wary glare at Katherine but held her tongue. After all, Katherine was the one stomping around, literally stepping on every leaf possible. Kat had trained herself in stealth. Her survival instincts pretty much came natural to her.
"They're more likely to hear you than me," Kat snapped back.
She continued forward, aware of every little booby trap that lay on the ground at her feet.
"This island is not uninhabited is it?" she asked.
"Of course not," Katherine replied. "What gave you the idea that it was?"
Kat didn't answer. She just kept walking, relying on instinct to guide her as she immersed herself in her thoughts. Her mind went back to the day that Jay had informed her that she'd seen Katherine at school. It was impossible for it to be Katherine. By that logic, there was a doppelganger. Another one. Kat wanted to let out a frustrated growl but withheld it. She should have kept better track of the human side of her paternal line rather than wasting both her and Jay's time hunting down Katherine.
"The amount of traps grows further on. I think we're close," she informed Katherine.
"Perfect," Katherine remarked, sick glee in her voice. "Let's go in."