Months ago
Bonnie's heart nearly jumps out of her chest as his hand moves down her side and comes to rest on her hip. He's standing behind her, his front pressed to her back, his hot breath tickling her ear. She feels almost dizzy from his close proximity. She can feel the strong currents of magic floating out of his body, little electric shocks that call out to her. While some witches can camouflage their power to the point where they can pretend to be normal humans, she doubts that Nik could ever do it, he's far too powerful.
But it's not his power that is making you dizzy or has your heart pounding so hard is it?
"You are not concentrating," Nik mutters in exasperation.
"How can I concentrate when you are distracting me?" Bonnie murmurs as she pushes her back against his front, Nik growls in warning, hands resting on her hips in order to prevent her from teasing him further. She giggles, enjoying the warmth radiating from his body and spreading towards her, like a flame. She can't help it. Since that night a few months ago, all she can do is think about him, think about his mouth, and his hands, and the wonderful and wicked things he makes her feel.
"Stop it," Nik hisses whens she wiggles in his arms again, but he playfully places a kiss on her pulse point. He loves kissing her there.
Bonnie moans and closes her eyes, her body coming alive by the simple gesture. When Nik moves his hand under her dress, she nearly combusts from the heat that burns her blood. His fingers lightly trace her inner thigh before reaching the soft material of her underwear. Bonnie moans at the feel on his fingers touching her there. His mouth finds her neck, placing another tender kiss on her flesh. "Nik…" Bonnie moans again. Don't stop. Don't ever stop touching me.
"Let's try again," Nik suggests and pulls his hand away from her.
Bonnie glares at him over her shoulder. "Don't tease me."
Nik chuckles before a serious look crosses his features. "Do you want to get your familiar or not?" he asks.
Bonnie sighs. As much as she would love nothing more than lose herself in him, she didn't come here for a secret tryst. She desperately wants to succeed. She will only have one chance and is determined not to fail.
"Go on," Nik urges.
Bonnie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, extending her right hand, and murmuring the incantation she has memorized. She has been practicing this spell for weeks, preparing for the final test, for the chance all students will have come Friday.
She makes the motions with her hand, at first nothing happens but slowly little sparks of magic begin forming out her fingertips. Little charges of electricity that begin to link themselves together, drawn like two magnets to each other. Bonnie shivers as she feels the power floating out of her. Controlling said power and ensuring it doesn't blow up her surroundings is always the hardest part. She nearly burned her bedroom the last time she attempted doing this and the time before that, she blew up one of the trees in her backyard. I can do this, Bonnie thinks as she concentrates harder. I won't lose control this time. She puts to good use all the tips Nik has given her in the past couple of hours and forces her body to relax. Don't fight it, Nik told her. Just let it out.
Bonnie does exactly that.
The sparks of magic float around her hand, growing stronger with each of her movements.
Bonnie opens her eyes just in time to see the golden sparks of her power form a tight ball which grows bigger and bigger. Bonnie stares at it in awe. "I did it," she beams, feeling triumphant because this time she didn't blow anything up. Her happiness fuels the sparks and tight ball of magic begins to grow rapidly, expanding like a balloon until it reaches the size of a soccer ball. Bonnie gasps.
"Slow down," Nik immediately places his hand over hers, using his magic to contain the ball of light floating in front of Bonnie's outstretched hand. He gently helps retreat the growing power, making it smaller until it's the size of an apple. He doesn't dare to push more, knowing that she could unintentionally fight him and make things worse.
Bonnie feels a hot tingle spread from her fingertips to her arms and legs. She shivers with delight. "This is my magic?" She asks breathless.
"Your magic, your power, your essence," Nik replies with a soft smile. She is pure light. So different from the dark currents of his own magic. If Bonnie is the sun, her power a wonderful, warm light then Nik is the moon, his power dark and cold. Two sides of a sphere, two opposites that should not exist in harmony and yet, here they are, touching each other without problem.
"Nik, is that your magic?" Bonnie asks as she sees a dark cloud surrounding her ball of light.
"Yes." Nik guides her movements, ensuring to keep the small little ball of magic in check while at the same time, ensuring their powers don't mix together. He is using his magic to guide hers but also keeping it at a distance. All it will take is a small distraction and the two of them could blow up the entire city with their combined powers. Bonnie alone, can bring down the building and its surroundings to the ground with the punch of power she has floating in her hand.
"This is amazing," Bonnie whispers in awe.
"Remember that this is a simulation of the actual spell," Nik tells her. "In order to create your familiar, your magic will mix with your blood and order ingredients, which will bring a greater risk for disaster."
Bonnie nods. She has memorized all the steps, she knows exactly what she has to do on Friday afternoon when she marches into the council's secret room and performs the spell. What would the council say if they knew you are seeking help?
Nik frowns when he sees the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"I feel like I'm cheating," Bonnie whispers.
"You think you are the only one seeking help?"
Bonnie shrugs.
"All witch parents dream that their children will be powerful enough to create a familiar, they are all scrambling to help your classmates achieve that goal. I can promise you that."
"None of them are the hybrid king."
"You really think your classmates' parents are not going to do everything in their power to help their kids?" Nik asks, arching an eyebrow.
"Grams never helped Emily and she definitely never offered to help me," Bonnie counters.
"Your grandmother is far too honorable for that," he mutters with a slight edge to his voice. "But I bet the rest of your classmates are seeking help." He gives her a knowing look.
Bonnie nods. "Stefan mentioned that Damon is tutoring him. Davina is taking special lessons with her grandmother and Katherine has bribed everyone in her clan for tips."
"See, there is nothing to feel bad about." Nik lets go of her hand. "In the end, it doesn't matter how much help you or they receive. This," Nik points to her little ball of light which is still floating above her palm. "It's nothing sweetheart." He stares at it, lost in thought. "Any witch can summon her magic at any given time." He looks up, blue eyes boring into hers. "When this connects with your blood and you do the incantation, that's the real test."
Bonnie feels nervous flutters invade her stomach. The closer the day of her test comes, the more nervous she feels. She only has one chance to do this, one chance to prove herself. "What if I mess it up?" she feels terrified, this is what she wants the most in the world, and if she fails, it will devastate her. "I always wanted a familiar and if I don't get one…"
"You won't fail, love." Nik's confidence in her abilities helps to ease some of her nerves. "Believe in yourself, Bonnie. Believe in your talent, and above all, trust in your magic." He hooks an arm around her waist and pulls her back against his front. "Trust me, you are meant to have a familiar."
"You really think so?"
"I know so," he whispers against her lips.
Bonnie smiles and closes her hand over the small white ball of magic, the power disappears as quickly as it had come. She turns around, so that they are face to face, and hooks her arms around his neck, fingers playing with his hair. Her heart as usual is pounding hard and her body is melting into his. In the past few months, their relationship has changed dramatically, and now that they are both seemly on the same page, she feels elated. She's on a cloud.
Don't get your hopes up, remember your deal.
It's just sex, nothing more.
Bonnie pushes the doubts away. She is not going to think about that. "What kind of animal do you think I will get?"
"Only your heart knows the answer to that."
"Qetsiyah had a dragon."
Nik laughs and holds her waist possessively. "I don't think the skies of this city are ready for a dragon." The image is quite tempting though. Just thinking of the heart attack the council members would have if she were to have a dragon as a familiar has him mentally cackling. "You might end up with some type of bird, like your grandmother."
"I prefer a wolf," Bonnie murmurs, getting on her tip toes, and staring into his eyes. There is a strange emotion reflected there but it's gone before she can try and make sense of it.
"Who knows, you might just get your wish."
Bonnie grins and grabs his face with both of her hands, kissing him. Nik responds eagerly. She told herself she wasn't coming here for this, she needed to practice her spell, and get some tips from him. Never mind the fact that she chose to wear a short dress despite the chilly weather, and that she spent as much time in the bathroom getting ready as when Lucy goes on a date. To impress him, to provoke him.
Nik growls against her mouth and pulls her body tighter against his chest, easily picking her up in his arms. Bonnie instinctively wraps her legs around his waist. In a flash, he has her against the wall, hands cupping her breasts through the soft material of her flowery print dress, ripping the buttons apart with eager hands. Bonnie's hands are already on his jeans, pulling them desperately down his legs. She wonders if this feeling will ever go away, if this need she feels for him will ever be sated. In the back of her mind, there are a thousand different reasons why this is wrong, why they shouldn't be doing this, but they are conveniently forgotten when he rips her cotton panties apart and touches her with his fingers. Bonnie moans against his mouth.
She's wet and ready and he doesn't hesitate.
Bonnie cries out when he pushes inside her and buries himself to the hilt in one single hard thrust. I'm doomed, she thinks as the air leaves her lungs and her heart nearly rips out of her chest. She pants and grips his shoulders for support as Nik fucks her against the wall.
Nik kisses her neck, sucking hard on her pulse point before trailing hot kisses down her chest, teeth nipping on the soft swell of her breasts. Bonnie arches against him, floating in a sea of pleasure and pain as her backs hits the wall repeatedly with the force of his thrusts. He's hitting that spot that make her see stars behind her eyelids. "Yes…" she moans. Almost there. She can feel it, she's so close.
Days later, she stills wants him.
Weeks later, she still wants him.
Months later, she wants him even more.
It is a never-ending cycle of passion.
A lust that knows no end.
A fire that burns brighter each day and that culminates with the creation of their bond nearly a year later as they come together inside Ayana's cottage.
The council's headquarters, present time.
Tick…tock…tick…tock…tick tock…
Damon closes his eyes, doing his best to block the infernal sound. He hates waiting. He has never been a patient man and now that his brother's life is on the line, it's even worst. Why? Why did it have to be his baby brother?
His magic flares, thinking of those horrible creatures turning his brother into one of their own. His encounter with Stefan in the Bayou left him shaken. He can't believe his brother was turned into a bloodthirsty monster with yellowish skin. Stefan who has always been the nicer of the two, the good brother, the kind brother, the favorite son. He doesn't deserve this.
Tick…tock…tick tock…
Damon groans and opens his eyes. Pacing like a lunatic didn't help, sitting down is not helping either. I need to blow off some steam, he thinks. He hates feeling this useless. He needs to do something, punch someone, or unleash some of his magic so that all the tension rolling over his body can find an outlet.
The waiting room is quiet. No one is in the mood to talk.
His mother seats like a statue, hands on her lap, and eyes lost on the wall. She hasn't said a single word to him. Down the hall, Katherine and Liv sit next to each other. Liv has cried rivers of tears while Katherine sits like a queen on a throne, giving Damon's mother a run for her money. The Traveler girl holds her composure, her face blank, her eyes hard. The only sign of her distress is the ways he curls her hands on the seam of her sweater, her knuckles are white.
Damon sits across from all three women, a silent figure dressed in black, his familiar perched on his left shoulder. Silas occasionally nibbles his ear, offering reassurance. A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips as he recalls Stefan's excitement when he saw the small, black creature in Damon's hands. Stefan had been thrilled that his big brother succeeded in creating a familiar. While other witches had been envious of Damon and some even thought he didn't deserve it, Stefan had been happy for him. It had even been his idea to name him Silas, after their family's most powerful and famous ancestor. As Damon reaches up to pet Silla's black wings, he nearly chokes on the guilt he feels. Stefan is his brother, his best friend, and he can't imagine a world without him in it.
"How much longer is this going to take?" Katherine mutters, glancing at the heavy green door at the end of the hallway. It's been hours since the healer went inside with the special potion and they have yet to hear any news.
Lily Salvatore glances at Katherine but refrains from talking to her. In the hours they all have been waiting, Lily has never addressed his son's girlfriend. She is content to pretend Katherine doesn't exist.
"Do you think it worked?" Katherine turns to Damon, a rather hopeful look on her face.
Damon shrugs. He doesn't want to get his hopes up. The last potion the healers tried didn't work, this one could very well be another failure. And then what? He thinks bitterly. We wait for a couple more hours for another potion to fail? His stomach gives a violent lurch. How much more of this can we take?
Liv suppress a sniffle and shares a look of pain with Katherine. "Jo is a brilliant doctor," she murmurs. "She won't stop until she has found a cure." She pulls another tissue from her purse and blows her nose. Unlike the two other women in the room, Liv can't hold back her tears. Damon feels bad for the girl. Where the hell is her dad and her other brothers? Don't they care about Luke?
"Too bad Emily had to go home," Katherine glares at Damon then, focusing all her anger and frustration on him. Bonnie and Lucy are still missing and it's all your fault. That's the reason Emily left, that's the reason the council members are panicking, and why countless of witches stroll in and out of the council as they frantically search the city for the two missing girls.
Damon looks away from Katherine's accusing eyes. He doesn't need to be reminded that it's his fault Bonnie and Lucy are missing. He has purposely been avoiding thinking about them, about his stupid plan to go to the Bayou.
But it worked didn't it? You found Stefan.
At what cost though?
"You should be out there, looking for them."
"You think I don't want to?" Damon snaps angrily. Just because she's screwing Stefan doesn't mean she has the right to talk to him that way. She has no fucking clue what he's feeling and should just keep her mouth shut.
"They're missing because of you!"
"I would gladly be out there if I could." But his father had forbidden him from doing so, and the fear he has of his father is more powerful than the guilt he feels. Giuseppe is out there with Alaric and countless others as they search the entire city.
"But you are not."
"Shut up." Damon stands up, doing his best to contain his power. He wants to lash out but he forces his magic back, attacking Katherine in a fit of rage is not going to solve anything. With one last angry look at Katherine, he storms out of the waiting room. Silas follows him out.
"Damon!" His mother calls out. "Your father ordered you to stay here."
Her words fall on deaf ears as Damon exits the room without looking back.
Lily fumes silently.
Liv glances worriedly at Katherine who continues to sit calmly in her chair, as if nothing has happened.
None says a word after that.
All they can do is wait.
French Quarter
"I have to go," Freya murmurs and gets off the bed.
Vincent doesn't say anything. He sits up and leans his back against the headboard. He's naked, saved for the black satin sheet pooling at his waist. He watches her quietly, his dark eyes following her pale flesh as she moves around his room in search of her clothes. "You never stay the night," he doesn't mean for his voice to sound accusing but it does. The few stolen moments they have together are not enough.
Freya arches an eyebrow and stares at him over her shoulder. She doesn't say anything, simply resumes dressing as if he hadn't spoken at all. "You know I can't." She bents down and picks up her jeans from the floor.
Vincent sighs. He knows it all too well. Her family, the council, his coven. There are many things that stand in their way. From the moment he first took her to bed, he knew things between them would not be easy. It was foolish of him to believe they could have something more than stolen moments here and there.
"Have you heard anything from the queen's granddaughters?" Freya sits on the edge of his bed and puts her boots on.
"Nothing," Vincent responds. "The search parties are still looking but so far, there have been no clues as to their whereabouts." The entire community is in shambles after the creatures' attack and the Bennett girls' disappearance. At least all the people infected by the virus had been located and taken to the council's dungeons. One less problem to deal with.
"Do you think certain council members had something to do with their disappearance?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if certain members were involved," Vincent replies with honesty. A trouble look passes over his face as he thinks about the council. "I thought it was a great honor you know, when I became the elder of my coven and was offered a seat on the queen's council. Apart from the throne, it is the highest achievement for a witch but I quickly learned to regret it."
"I never wanted a seat on that stupid council," Freya admits with disdain. "But my brothers insisted." For the good of the family, for the good of their plans, and yet, no matter how much she has tried, the other witches have never fully accepted her. She is a witch but she is a Mikaelson first. "I am a powerful witch but none of that matters. In the eyes of the witch community, I will always be the hybrid king's sister." And they will never trust her because of it.
"You have made a few friends."
Freya's lips twitch. "I have." His friendship in particular has been a fascinating revelation. She contemplates his shaved black hair, the handsome aristocratic features of his face, the dark eyes that always pierce her soul, the well-groomed beard, and those full lips that have worshiped every inch of her skin. She feels the heat coiling inside her at the memory of that delightful mouth of his between her legs a few hours before. Their couplings are always intense, just thinking about it makes her want to strip naked and straddle him so they can continue this dangerous dance.
Freya has had her fair share of lovers but Vincent is the first to satisfy her mind and her body equally. It was his intellect that first brought them together after all. Unlike the other members of the council, he never brags or foolishly displays his powers to intimidate others. Vincent is different. He's quiet, thoughtful, and far more perceptive than people think. He knows how to play the game and can hold his own even against her sharp tongue and immense power. He doesn't judge her for who her family is, he doesn't hold it against her like most of the other witches, and more importantly, he values her in ways no one else has before. Sometimes it scares her, the intensity of her feelings and the need she feels for him. What had started as a simple game in which she tried to win the favor or a powerful council member to their cause has become so much more.
"I spoke with Madame LaRue," Vincent's voice brings Freya out of her thoughts.
"Your old mentor," she says with mild curiosity. She knows he wants to bring Josephine into their plans but she has forbidden it. Josephine is old school and one of the queen's closest friends, she would never fully commit to their cause.
"We had a curious conversation about the creatures," Vincent continues. "About old witch tales told as bedtime stories."
"And?"
"Did you know that it has been rumored for quite a long-time mind you, that the council has used vampires for their own gain? Some claim it was to study them, others to use as killing machines in the council's name, and many more claim that some members went even as far as to drink vampire blood in order to enhance their powers."
"I have heard some tales." Ever since the vampires and the witches began to coexist in the city, there have been all kinds of wild rumors and speculations about both species. Freya knows better than to believe all she has heard.
"There is no proof of course and the council will never accept it," Vincent continues. "But your brother brought up the possibility that the creatures were created by magic and it made me wonder about the whispers I've heard in regards to the sins committed during the long war and even before that, during the troubled times."
Freya mulls over his words. "The witches wanted to fight fire with fire," she recalls the stories she has heard about the war. "According to some of the tales, the witches created creatures that resembled vampires to help them fight the vampire king and his army but, in the end, the creatures turned against them."
"Or so the story goes," Vincent gives her an intense look. "If anyone knows their veracity, is you?" his eyes search her face as he waits for an answer.
"I did not fight during the war," Freya murmurs. "Niklaus defeated the vampire king and his army but he never made mention of fighting creatures that resembled vampires. If those tales were true, if the council had made those creatures, he would have told me so." She gives him a curious look. "Do you believe such tales?"
Vincent shrugs. "I find them rather interesting and considering the current situation, I can't help but wonder just how intertwined these creatures are with the council and its dark past." Because there is no doubt in his mind that the council has committed plenty of sins.
"Are you saying the creatures causing all this havoc are under the council's command?" It's something she and her siblings have considered obviously but hearing it from Vincent's lips makes the possibility stronger.
"The most likely suspect is your brother but he and you swore that your family has nothing to do with this."
"And I stand by it," Freya says as she stands up. "We did not create those monsters, we do not control them either."
"Someone must."
And the more likely suspects after her family are the self-righteous members of the council. But which member? Freya wonders. With the exception of a select few, most members of the council wanted the crown and wouldn't hesitate to use whatever weapon they had in their arsenal to obtain it. The list of possible suspects was really long. "Any suggestions?"
"Far too many to name," Vincent responds with a slight sadness. His disappointment with the council, his anger at their corruption, and his desire to change things for the better is what prompted him to get close to Freya, but what began as a tentative alliance soon became so much more.
"Do you think there might be some records somewhere, hidden inside the council's headquarters?"
"I doubt the council keeps track of their evil deeds."
"Probably not, but if they used magic to create creatures similar to vampires then the spells must have been written down for future generations to use," Freya says. "Someone could have them, or they could be somewhere in the archives."
"You want to look through the council's archives?"
"I can't," Freya replies. "Not without raising suspicion." She takes a seat next to him, clasping his hand in hers. "You know how much Damian, Bastiana, and Joshua hate me. If they had gotten their way, I would have never been part of the council. The moment I go down to the archives, they will know, and so will the queen and her pet."
"You want me to do it," Vincent murmurs before she can say the words out loud. He's enjoying the feel of her warm fingers on his skin. He's practically purring with satisfaction. It reminds him of the time Freya met his panther for the first time. He had purred as she gently scratched beneath his chin. His fearsome familiar had melted at her touched just like his master was doing now. She had tamed them both.
Freya leans in and touches his face with her free hand. "No one will ever suspect you." Her eyes drift to his lips. She wants to kiss him badly but she's trying to abstain from it. She has to get going and can't afford a distraction.
"I'll see what I can find," Vincent promises, closing the gap between them.
Freya smiles as their lips touch. She intents to give him a quick peck on his lips but Vincent has other ideas, he grabs the back of her neck with one hand, and deepens the kiss. Freya moans and parts her lips to his tongue.
You have things to do, remember?
Whatever she is supposed to do is thrown out of the window when Vincent pulls her body closer, and pushes her back down on the bed. His mouth hungrily devours hers.
Freya sighs contently and wraps her arms around his neck. When she is with him, she can easily forget all her responsibilities. Vincent is a drug Freya does not wish to quit. Ever.
Mikaelson Mansion
"The council's dogs are all over the city, searching for the missing Bennett girls," Marcel informs Elijah as the two lean down and study the map of New Orleans spread over the table. "Algiers, the French Quarter, the Garden District, you name it. Our guys patrolled the areas they could but found nothing. There is not a single trace of them."
"What about the creatures?" Elijah asks quietly.
"Nothing," Marcel responds. "It's like the earth swallowed them. We didn't find a single one."
"They must have a lair, somewhere in the city."
Marcel nods. "The good news is that the virus seems to have been contained, for now at least."
"Yes, I heard." The council managed to capture the nurse that Stefan bit and the five people she infected with her bites. All of the witches consumed by the strange virus are now safely locked in the council's dungeons as the healers work day and night to cure them fully. Elijah can only hope that whatever healing potion they come up with can reverse the effects of the virus.
"What do you think happen to the queen's granddaughters?"
Elijah doesn't reply at first, he continues to stare at the map, fingertips tracing the are depicting the Bayou. "I can only assume some terrible fate befell them while in the Bayou."
"You think the wolves would risk another war with the witches?"
"It's a possibility," Elijah looks up into his eyes. "The wolves have been silent for far too long." With the council plotting against the queen, and the vampires dominating half of the city, it's only a matter of time before the wolves make their presence known and demand a piece of the cake. "The wolf king is a recluse but by all accounts, a prideful man, he might have taken them for revenge, or to extort the queen."
"Can you find out?" Marcel asks curiously.
"I can't waltz into the Bayou and demand and interview with the wolf king, can I?"
"They'll probably try to make you dinner if you do."
Elijah turns away from Marcel and makes his way towards the window. There is one person who could walk into the Bayou without problem, one person whom the wolves would have no choice but to listen to, but as it happens, his brother is nowhere to be found. Are you searching for your lover, Niklaus? Elijah wonders as he contemplates the gardens. Do you know she's missing?
Aline's delicate face flashes through his mind. No, not Aline, her name is Bonnie. Elijah hates the worry he feels. This works to your advantage, you should be happy about the missing Bennett girls. But he's not. He remembers the feather weight of Bonnie's body in his arms as he carried her to the hospital after the creatures' attack. She was so tiny and vulnerable then. It made him feel protective of her. And then there was the fury inside Lucy Bennett as she glared at him while they waited for news of Bonnie's well-being. His lips twitch with the memory of the feisty witch. Both girls made an impression on him, they had both captivated him in different ways.
And now they're missing.
Are they hurt?
Would he ever see them again?
His mind tells Elijah that he and his family should use this to their advantage, the city is in chaos, the queen is at her weakest, and the future is uncertain. This is the perfect moment to take over.
So, why is he worried instead of planning to take over?
Why does he feel compelled to search for the Bennett women?
Don't make the same mistake again, Elijah. He had lost his head over a Bennett witch once, he could not afford to do it again.
Bennett mansion
Emily follows her grandmother with worried eyes. They spent the better part of the night trying out all kinds of locator spells but nothing worked. Lucy and Bonnie are nowhere to be found. Emily doesn't know what to do. She has always been the responsible one, the one who always has everything figured out, the one the others can rely on, but today, she feels useless. She has no idea how to find her cousins or how to help their grandmother cope. Grams is barely holding on to her sanity and Emily is on the verge too.
"Grams, you need to stop." Emily gives her a disapproving look upon seeing the bottle of whiskey Sheila has conjured. Grams has been drinking too much. Emily doesn't like it when she drinks, it clouds her judgement and at moments like this, she needs a cool head on her shoulders. "Please," she begs.
"There is no sign of them, anywhere," Sheila mutters as she summons a silver goblet from one of the shelves and pours the whiskey inside.
Emily frowns. She's pretty sure that goblet is only supposed to be used for ceremonial purposes. If her memory serves her right, it was created by one of their ancestors' centuries before. and it's one of the most valuable objects they possess. "Don't-" she attempt to take the goblet away from her grandmother but the queen is faster. Sheila drinks all the whiskey in one go and proceed to refill the ancient goblet once more. Emily sighs, defeated.
"All the spells I've tried have failed," Sheila mutters more to herself. "Every single locator spell has failed…" she places the bottle of whiskey in the long table in front of the double windows. "There is no trace of them…nothing…" she turns to Emily. "You said you sensed Lucy."
"I'm not sure what I felt," Emily replies softly. "I was taking a break and I dozed off and I could have sworn I heard her voice calling my name…asking for help…" she looks down at the floor, a lump forming in her throat. She feels like an absolute failure. "I tried to locate her but I got nothing." She wants to scream, she wants to unleash a wave of her power and destroy something but she needs to keep it together.
"I get nothing from Bonnie," Sheila says, her voice breaking. It is no secret Bonnie is the apple of her eyes, and the thought of losing her, makes her want to pull her hair out and jump from the highest building. "I can't feel her." She chokes back a sob.
"You don't think they are together?"
"I'm not sure." Sheila drinks from the goblet before continuing. "I sensed Lucy too. I heard her calling for help, she's close, I know she is." She could feel it in her bones. "I just can't find the exact location…" She begins pacing around the room once more. "She's not cloaked, if she were, I would know it and I would be able to break the spell, and find her but something is blocking me, hiding her from my magic."
Who could be powerful enough to block the queen of the witches? Emily wonders. The past few days have been rough to say the least, it has been one thing after another, and now her cousins are missing and she doesn't have a clue what to do or how to help them. What is going to happen if we can't find them?
"I haven't seen that damn wolf either," Sheila mumbles.
Hope swells inside Emily's chest at the mention of Bonnie's familiar. "If shadow is with Bonnie, he will keep her safe." As wary as she feels of Bonnie's wolf, she knows how fierce he is and as a familiar the bond between them is unique. Familiars are supposed to obey and protect the witches who created them. For Bonnie's sake, Emily hopes Shadow will live up to that legacy. Shadow must fight for her the same way Bonnie fought to keep him.
Sheila's hand shake as she drinks the rest of her whiskey.
"Grams, perhaps you should go upstairs and get some rest."
"How do you expect me to rest with all this worry cursing through my veins?" Sheila snaps angrily. "I have never felt more useless in my life," she mumbles under her breath.
Emily gives her a sympathetic look and opens her mouth to try and offer some words of comfort when a strange noise reaches her ears. "What was that?"
Sheila is far too busy refilling her goblet to pay any attention. "What was what?"
"I thought I heard something," Emily makes her way towards the windows, the sun is setting. Another night, another long night without any news of her cousins. She knows there are people out there looking for them, she knows that the brave soldiers under the queen's command won't rest until they find her granddaughters but the long wait is killing her. I should be out there searching for them, Emily thinks. She turns to look at her Grams once more. But I can't leave her alone. If it weren't for the fact that she fears for her grandmother's state of mind, Emily would be out there in the Bayou, searching for Lucy and Bonnie. Are they even out there still? Emily doubts it. What happen? Where are you?
"I haven't heard anything from Alaric or the other search parties," Sheila mutters. "I want to call Giuseppe but I don't want to impose on him."
Emily does her best to hide her scowl. Her grandmother's dependency on Giuseppe is something none of her granddaughters like. "Maybe Damon-"
"This is all his fault!" Sheila shouts.
Emily shivers as she feels her grandmother's magic angrily sizzling around the room.
"He's the reason Lucy and Bonnie are missing, if he weren't Giuseppe's boy…" She takes another big gulp of her whiskey. "And to think I considered him for Bonnie."
"What?" Emily snaps. Surely she heard wrong.
"Giuseppe suggested it and I was going to agree to it, but after this-"
"Bonnie is not in love with Damon!"
Sheila frowns. "They have known each other since they were children, they are friends, they like each other."
"Yes, but to consider him as her…husband…" the word leaves a bad taste in Emily's mouth, she can barely spit it out. The thought of Damon and Bonnie marrying sets her blood on fire.
"Friendship is a good foundation for a marriage," Sheila mutters.
"Grams-"
"I'm not discussing this right now. After the stunt that boy pulled, he should consider himself lucky that I don't throw him in the dungeons…putting Bonnie's and Lucy's life at risk…taking them to the Bayou…"
Emily is about to speak when she hears that strange hissing noise again. "There it is again."
"What?"
"That noise!" Emily snaps.
"What noise? I don't hear anything."
Before Emily can reply, there is a loud scream.
"What in the world…" Sheila begins. The only other person in the house is their maid. For a split second she thinks Bonnie is back with her wolf and that's why the maid screamed. She's always been afraid of Bonnie's wolf. But the thought is short lived, Sheila's eyes go wide as she feels the barrier protecting the house come down. "The barrier," she whispers and looks fearfully at Emily.
The lights inside the Bennett mansion go out.
It's the only warning they get before the creature attacks.
The Bayou
"Wake up."
The sharp sting on her left cheek snaps Lucy back into consciousness. "What…" she winces at the blinding light on her face. With a whimper she turns her face away and tries to cover her face with her hand, but she can't. What the…? her hands are tied behind her back. Lucy groans and attempts to break free from the rope holding her wrists together. It's useless. She feels confused. Where am I? for a split second she thinks she's dreaming, one of those vivid dreams of hers that are difficult to shake off. But no, this isn't a dream, she's on a chair, hands and legs tightly bound. Why? Little snippets come back then…the bayou, the room without windows, the call to her cousins for help. Lucy's eyes snap open. Sending that desperate message for help to her Grams and cousins took a toll on her, she passed out in the dark room. And now I'm here, she realizes. But where is here exactly?
A room without windows or furniture as far as she can tell and two men standing in front of her, watching her with matching smirks on their faces. They are both tall, long faced, big noses, and dark haired. They must be brothers, she thinks vaguely.
Is this the same room I was in before? Lucy wonders as she contemplates them worriedly. She's doing her best not to show it but she feels the tendrils of fear slithering down her back. Or was I moved? How long have I been out? Better yet, how long have I been captive? She has many questions floating in her confused mind but she holds back her tongue. She doesn't know who they are or what they want but she does know what they are.
Werewolves.
Lucy swallows painfully, her instincts are in a frenzy. She's never really been in the presence of werewolves before. The three-supernatural species living in New Orleans are not supposed to interact, the rules say so. Since the war, since the treaty that divided the city, the witches have continued to live their lives just as they did before and while the vampires now walk among them, the wolves keep to themselves. They live in the Bayou, secluded from the rest of the world. For years they have been content to stay there, hardly interacting with the other ruling powers. Sometimes it's easy to forget they exit. But now, that she's in the presence of two of them, Lucy remembers all the tales she has heard growing up, the vicious, bloodthirsty wolves who can tear someone apart with ease. Vampires can walk freely through the city as long as they stick to the rules and respect the neighborhoods that are strictly for witches but wolves…Lucy doesn't think she's ever seen a wolf walking down the French Quarter.
"The princess is awake," one of the men says as he surveys her face.
"She's a pretty one, isn't she?" his companion notes with a strange glint in his grey eyes.
Lucy glares at both of them.
"How much do you think you are worth, princess?"
Lucy does not respond, she watches them warily and concentrates on using her magic to free her hands from the rope.
"I don't think she likes us much."
You think? Lucy wants to snap but bites her tongue. She has to be smart about this. She needs to find a way to escape. Come on, she urges her magic. Break Free. She can feel the currents of her power slithering out of her and attacking the ropes but nothing happens. Why isn't it working? Something is not right.
"You really think she's worth it?"
"Heck yeah. We'll earn gold with this bitch."
Lucy growls, her magic angrily sizzling against the ropes. "Who the hell are you? What do you want with me?"
"So, she does have a tongue."
"I was starting to think you were mute, princess."
"Got to hell." Lucy keeps trying to break free but nothing is happening. What in the world is stopping her magic from working?
One of the men moves closer, leaning down so that they can be at eye level. "You are going to be the main attraction," he whispers as he touches her cheek.
Lucy flinches back at the contact, feeling surprised by how warm his hand is.
The man laughs. "We hit the jackpot, bro."
"Fuck yeah," the other man agrees. He gives Lucy a curious look. "Hey, Christian. I think this bitch is trying to escape."
"Keep trying princess, it won't work." Christian leans even closer to Lucy's face, his nose almost bumping hers.
Lucy immediately turns her face away, feeling the heat radiating off his body. Does he have a fever? She wonders. His body is burning.
"Those chains are meant to restrain wicked bitches like you," Christian hisses in her ear.
Lucy shudders. The chains are blocking her magic? Her blood turns to ice at the revelation. No, that can't be. Werewolves shouldn't have those kinds of weapons against her kind. A wave of dread invades her then.
"You know what to do," Christian orders as he pulls away from Lucy.
Lucy feels relief but it's short lived. The other man moved to stand behind her without her even realizing it. By the time she feels that same heat from him on her back, it's too late. There is a sting on the side of her neck. Lucy gasps before her eyes roll back and her body slumps forward.
Christian smirks and contemplates his prey for a couple of seconds before looking at his brother. "This will keep her unconscious for hours."
"I can't wait to see her in the pit," his brother can hardly contain his excitement at the thought.
"Like I said," Christian murmurs. "She's going to be the main attraction." He glances at Lucy once more. "This little gift will earn us the favor of the wolf king."
A/N: Sorry for the lack of Klonnie in this chapter but I wanted to show what everyone else is up to while Bonnie and Klaus are at the cottage. They'll be back in New Orleans next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.