CHAPTER 14
Sorry about the wait, but I worked the late shift last night and just didn't have the energy to proof it one more time before posting.
Kol was whistling and grinning cheerily when he returned from his hunt. He still had a bottle of scotch in his hand, it had been fun. He had stumbled on to a college party and he fed from a couple of pretty girls co-eds. They tasted better than the other victims he had fed off lately. Recently, because of Bonnie he had been preoccupied and he had not been selecting his victims with any particular care, all he did was choose those that conveniently crossed his path. Tonight had been a refreshing change.
He decided to creep into Bonnie's room. He had tried to offer his room for her to share, but she had ignored him and marched to an empty room at the other end of the house. He wasn't surprised to find that Bonnie wasn't alone. It didn't particularly bother him, he had long suspected Bonnie would be more naturally drawn to Kai. Witches and warlocks, they tended to gravitate toward each other.
What bothered Kol was that he could smell the remnants of sex in the air. It was one of those abilities that vampires had that he felt certain Bonnie would call 'disgusting' or 'gross' and 'ew'. Perhaps even 'yuck'.
At that smell, a murderous rage came over Kol. He could feel his fangs begin to portrude and he would like nothing more than to tear Kai's throat out. However, he had given his word to Kai they would not come to blows over Bonnie. And in spite of his natural inclination, he was a man of his word.
Kol brushed it aside as difficult as it was to ignore that the warlock had gotten further with Bonnie than he had. He tried to remind himself, it was natural. Witches and warlocks were naturally drawn to each other, Bonnie's fate was intertwined with Kai. According to his seer friend, she could not see a future for either Bonnie where she did not cross paths with Kai. In some, they were enemies, but in the ones where they both lived, they were more than friends. He had known this would happen, what he had not expected was to be as enamored with the little witch as he was.
He took his off shirt and pants and climbed into bed on the other side of Bonnie. The witch did not stir she was out cold. Kai on the other hand, perhaps sensing the presence of another predator did wake up.
"Have fun?" Kai quirked an eyebrow, an evil smile on his lips. "Because we sure did."
"So I realize," he growled.
Kai chuckled.
Again, his first instinct was to snap his neck, but that would alienate Bonnie. Irritated, Kol grabbed Bonnie's waist and pulled her away from Kai and into his arms. She mumbled Kol's name and pressed her face against his chest. Even asleep she could tell them apart, she must be psychic, at least to an extent. He smirked at Kai and settled in to go to sleep.
Kai continued to smirk. Kol could sense his smugness and he could not ignore that. As much as he'd like to because it might wake Bonnie. Something he did not want because she was snuggled closely to his chest, and breathing softly.
"Try anything like that again and I'll break every single bone in your body before I tear out your tongue and cut off your fingers," Kol promised with a sinister smile.
"Oh?" Kai raised his brows.
"Yes, go behind my back with the little witch again and it'll be the last thing you do," Kol replied his smirk changing to be more amicable.
If Bonnie knew what Sheila and the Geminis had in store for her, she might actually be grateful. But once again, he was bound by his word not to reveal their secrets. If only he could have predicted how he would grow to care for the witch, he never would have done anything of the sort.
Kai chuckled.
"That's how it's going to be, huh? What happened to letting her run to whichever psycho she wants?"
Kol thought about it. That was the arrangement, what Kol had not expected however, was that Bonnie might not be able to make up her mind or the jealousy he would feel if she played around with Kai.
"I see your point," Kol replied answered with a sudden burst of inspiration. "A deal is a deal."
Kol shifted. He turned Bonnie onto her back. She murmured and a sigh escaped her lips. Hair covered her face, hanging in her eyes. Heavy eyelashes hung over her eyes and her lips were full. Even asleep she was beautiful.
Gently, he brushed her hair away from her face. She sighed.
Kol pressed his lips to hers. Bonnie moaned and gasped in surprise as she woke. Kol grinned, she was waking up. He kept kissing her, taking advantage of the parting of her lips. He could tell she was becoming more awake because she kissed him back with more fervor. She tangled her hands into his hair.
Next to them, Kai growled. Kol knew he was about to strike, and using his vampire speed and strength he shoved him off the bed. Kai landed with a thud and Kol kept kissing Bonnie.
The sound startled her and she pushed him away.
"What are you doing?" she mumbled.
Bonnie's eyes were wide, green and bright. Her cheeks were flushed and her mouth was open as she stared at him.
Kai hopped to his feet and the expression he wore was furious.
"I should kill you."
"Can't be done," Kol retorted.
"You are both morons," Bonnie mumbled. "I am going back to sleep. If you try to kill each other, do it quietly."
She rolled over and pulled the blanket more firmly over her.
"You wound me, little witch."
"Ouch, hurtful. It's like you don't care, Bunny."
"I don't," she muttered. "And I really don't care that the two of you are fighting about me."
"It's only a little kiss, nothing like what the two of you were doing behind my back," Kol growled.
Bonnie shot back up. "How did you know?" her expression was horrified.
"He's a vampire, Bunny. He can smell it."
Bonnie grimaced in disgust.
XXX
Bonnie scrunched up her face. She wasn't sure what was more disgusting the sick smile on Kai's face as he announced it or that Kol's sense of smell was so good, he could literally smell the aftermath of what they had done.
Sometimes Bonnie really hated vampires.
"I'm a little surprised, I would have expected you to at least attempt to lie," Kol answered peering at her curiously.
"Kol!" Bonnie exclaimed. "That is so not the point, right now! Both of you, get out!"
"Or we could call a truce for tonight, I guess," Kai answered with a half-hearted shrug and a grimace.
Bonnie took that to mean it was not his first choice. Kai's first choice was probably killing Kol. A thought, which sent a shiver down her spine. And she had no doubt Kol was itching to kill Kai as well.
So why didn't he?
"I suppose," Kol sighed as if it was some great sacrifice.
Bonnie shook her head. "Does any want my opinion?"
"Not particular."
"Mebbe."
"Oh my God," Bonnie groaned. "I wouldn't touch either of you with a ten foot pool, but you're both psychos, who kill any other boy I try to date."
"Are you complaining?" Kai asked peering at her, head cocked to the side.
"YES! I would like you to stop that!"
"And say we were to cease this deplorable behavior, would you allow one of these other boys to court you?" Kol questioned, hazel eyes going black and stony.
"Probably," Bonnie admitted.
"Guess you have your answer, Bunny."
"You make me sick;" Bonnie stated rolling her eyes. "I'm going back to sleep and I don't care if either of you stay or go."
She pulled the blanket back over herself and snuggled against her pillow. She felt the mattress sink on either side of her. She closed her eyes tighter, trying to ignore the way the air tingled at their proximity. She could feel their power and their warmth in the air surrounding her. It was a heady mix.
Kai laced his fingers through hers and she put her head on his shoulder. Kol on the other side of her, put his head on her chest and wrapped his arms around her body.
Bonnie sighed partly in content and partly in exasperation with the whole situation. There was something dangerously good about the two of them wanting her. They were powerful and handsome, and she was well aware they could have anyone they wanted. And they both wanted her.
It was almost too much after years of being overshadowed by Elena and Caroline. It was almost too much to believe.
Then again, with her usual luck, it would only ever be Kai and Kol that noticed her. A part of her was sure things would go back to normal soon and she would return to being a wallflower. It was a painful thought, but she knew it would be for the best. This was too complicated and just too much for her.
Wallflower, that was what she was and it was where she belonged.
These thoughts weighing heavy on her and the warmth from the boys, she fell into a restless sleep.
XXX
Bonnie woke the next morning because sunlight was pouring into the room. Kai was gone and she could hear the sounds of him roaming around the house playing music and singing. It was probably a childish attempt to wake her and Kol.
Didn't Kai ever sleep? She decided it had to be his Gemini paranoia that kept him awake and alert at all hours.
It turned out Kol was still asleep. He was no longer laying across her chest. Instead, he must have pulled her onto his chest at some point because she was sprawled out on top of him. Her face was pressed into the crook of his neck and she realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. A revelation that made her blush.
He must have sensed she was awake because his hand went to her hair, stroking it. It was a gentle caress that made her breath hitch at the unexpectedness.
"How did you sleep, little witch? It sounded as if you were having nightmares."
"I was?" Bonnie sat up and blinked at him. "I don't remember. Weird, Jo said the same thing to me the other day."
"Some people don't remember their dreams."
"Hey, where did you go last night?" she said watching him thoughtfully.
Kol had said what they had done was behind his back. At the time, she hadn't thought much of it, but now she realized he must have been out. Kai must have known that. It made sense, otherwise why would she be allowed that much uninterrupted time with Kai? Nothing else tracked.
"To feed and compel the memories from my victims."
Bonnie groaned. "Victims as in plural?"
"Yes," he watched her with a dark expression.
She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. She didn't like that a whole lot more than she liked him killing, but at least it was an improvement from him and Kai massacring a bar filled with people. She wondered if there was something she could do about it, but she didn't think Kol could be convinced to live on bloodbags alone and she already knew he would never agree to drink animal blood. A crazy half-baked plan was starting to form.
Before it could take proper root, she heard the sounds of shouts from the kitchen. In the blink of an eye Kol was gone. Bonnie hurried after him.
When she arrived in the kitchen, Kai and Kol were in the middle of a heated discussion with her Grams and Elijah.
Wonderful.
"What were you thinking, Kol?" Elijah questioned in clipped tones. "Bringing the Bennett girl here? She could die. You know as well as I how tricky fate can be."
"You gave me your word, vampire," Sheila said in a coldly angry way. Somehow, she managed to make the word vampire sound worse than any curse word Bonnie had ever heard.
"If you would allow me to explain –" Kol was effectively cut off by Sheila.
The old woman's eyes narrowed on Bonnie, who was hovering the doorway. Kai followed her gaze and flashed a smile at Bonnie.
"Took you long enough, Bonster."
"Bonnie Sheila Bennett have you completely lost all of your faculties?" Sheila raged stalking toward her.
Bonnie, who wasn't convinced this prophecy business was all that real to begin with was suddenly overcome by fury herself.
"What did you expect? You sent me away to live with strangers!"
"I did what was best for you."
"And who are you to decide that? Elena needs my help, Katherine has done something to her and –"
"AND I DO NOT GIVE A RAT'S ASS WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT SILLY GIRL SO LONG AS YOU ARE ALIVE!" Sheila thundered.
Kai raised his eyebrows in shock at Bonnie from where he was standing behind Sheila. Kol blinked and eyed Sheila with renewed interest. Even Elijah's composure was ruffled she could tell by the way he gaped at Sheila. Bonnie snorted. They probably had no idea just how unpleasant Sheila could be when crossed.
Bonnie was the only one that wasn't surprised.
"You might not care, but I do," Bonnie said making sure to keep her voice even and resist the temptation to shout back. "I can't just sit back and do nothing when her life could be in danger. And you shouldn't want me to. You raised me to be brave and protect the people I care about."
Sheila sighed. "Bonnie child, you are the most important person in the world to me and if you die, I-" she choked up and shook her head. "I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you."
"I won't die. I promise I don't have a death wish, I want to help my friend."
"Did you say Katherine had done something to her?" Elijah added peering more closely at Bonnie.
"Yeah, I think she must have taken her while in Portland," Bonnie answered.
"Or she was there the whole time, I remember thinking Elena made an expression just like Katherine at the bonfire last night," Kol said his dark eyes focused on Bonnie.
There was an intensity there that was hard to ignore, but she did her best to shake it off.
"No," Bonnie turned to look at Kai, who was now leaning against the kitchen island eating an apple. "That doesn't track unless you invited her in last night before I came downstairs?"
"I did and then I went upstairs. I am not their babysitters."
"Makes sense," Kol agreed.
"But here's a better question, how did she keep all of us witches and warlocks from sensing she was a vampire?" Kai asked.
Now that stumped Bonnie. The first time she had touched Stefan, she could tell something was wrong. If Elena was actually Katherine surrounded by witches and warlocks, at least one of them should have known something was very wrong.
"Knowing Katerina," Elijah began straightening his cuffs. "It is probable she has a witch in her corner."
"Lucy?" Sheila suggested exchanging a look with Elijah.
"Your cousin?" Kai asked.
"You know my cousin?" Bonnie goggled at him. "And I have a cousin?"
"She helped the Geminis out with a problem last year."
Sheila cast a steely look full of questions back at Kai. "Katherine does have a history with our family," she said at last.
"And why would Katherine Pierce want to harm Elena? Is it because of Stefan or Damon?" Bonnie said because she was confused.
Katherine had never shown her face in Mystic Falls before and if she did, it did not make sense to Bonnie that she would target Elena. And if she was going to do it, why come to Portland where she would be surrounded by witches and Original vampires? It didn't make sense and it hurt her head to think about it.
God, she was a crappy friend. How could she not notice her friend wasn't actually her friend? She pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate the headache that was starting to form there.
Kol glanced at Elijah.
"Bonnie hon, do you know what Niklaus needs to break his curse?" Sheila posed the question softly.
"No, because no one has bothered to tell me much of anything," Bonnie replied even if she knew it was petulant.
"Because," a voice purred in the doorway. All of them turned around to find Katherine leaning dramatically against the doorframe with a wicked smile gracing her lips. "Klaus needs a doppelganger to break his curse and I decided to give him one that isn't me."
"Katerina," Elijah breathed.
In a flash, Kol stood in front of Sheila. His posture was lazy, but there was something threatening about the move all the same.
"Hello 'Lijah," Katherine said in a breathy voice. "I've missed you."
She turned her lips down into a pout and Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"You aren't giving Elena to Klaus. Now let her go or I will kill you," Bonnie said and her voice was a low growl that shocked even her.
XXX
Kai heard Bonnie's threat, but he had to do a double-take to make sure she was actually the one threatening the vampire. He'd never seen her this angry before. Her green eyes blazed like emeralds and everything from her tone of voice to the way she stood radiated fury. Even in her blue PJ's with her hair still bushy from sleep she looked like she meant business. In response, parts of him stirred as he stared at her.
She was fucking amazing.
And he ached to claim her.
But the look Sheila gave him, reminded him this was not the time. Not for the first time, he wished he had magic so he could simply teleport them both out of here and fuck her brains out.
"Relax," Katherine rolled her eyes. "I have a better proposition."
In an expensive pair of black pumps Katherine stepped into the house. She tossed her hair over her shoulder.
"Perhaps we should all sit down," Elijah said his voice only betrayed a little exasperation.
Kai was willing to bet he was more than a little exasperated. From where he was standing the Original vampires' problems kept piling up. Kai was irritated because this was now his problem all because of Bonnie. His pursuit of her would be a lot easier if she didn't insist on things like 'caring about her friends' and 'doing the right thing'. And if there were no Original vampires hanging around. Of course, if it wasn't for the Mikaelsons, Bonnie wouldn't live with them so they were good for something at least.
"I could really use a scotch if we are going to discuss Nik this early in the day," Kol said with a dark expression.
"Make mine a double," Katherine purred and winked at Kol.
Kai raised an eyebrow at that. He didn't know what Elena was like, but this doppelganger seemed like fun.
They went into the living room and Bonnie sat down on the couch. While Sheila and Elijah made tea. Kai followed Bonnie and sat down with his arm around her. She glared at him and shoved his arm. It only made him smile and squeeze her tighter.
"My Grams is in the other room," she hissed at him under her breath. "Knock it off."
Kol poured himself and Katherine a glass of scotch. Before passing a third glass to Kai and offering one to Bonnie, who shook her head. Now her disgusted look was aimed Kol.
At least, Kai thought it was disgust. Sometimes, he got his emotions mixed up, but he knew she wasn't pleased.
Rebekah sauntered into the room. Elegantly, she sprawled into an arm chair. With a regal tilt of her head, she held her hand out and Kol flashed forward at vampire speed. He passed her a glass filled with scotch with an expression that Kai was tempted to call affectionate.
When did she get here? She must have been nearby all along. He hated vampires ability to sneak around nearly undetected.
Curious, Kai glanced at Bonnie and noticed she too was studying the siblings. That he did not like. If Bonnie noticed how the siblings shared affection between them, she would probably like them. She seemed to go for all that mushy crap.
The one thing, Kai never would understand was caring about siblings. How did Kol do that? Didn't he find them loud and overbearing? Constantly, cloying for his time and attention when all they did was take what should have been his rightfully? The only one he tolerated was Jo and even her, he didn't care about not really.
Yet looking at Kol and Rebekah, Kai could have sworn Kol actually gave a damn about his sister. Especially, when he sat down on the arm of her chair.
"You know, is it really wise to live somewhere vampires can just waltz in whenever they please?" Katherine asked slanting a sly look at Kol and Rebekah.
"Killing them usually works wonders for us," Rebekah said with a simpering smile.
Katherine laughed. "Yes, that should be your family moto. We kill anyone that even mildly vexes us."
Kai chortled, which made Bonnie elbow him in the ribs. Not hard enough it bothered him. He flashed her a smile and ruffled her hair.
"Enough, Katerina," Elijah said.
Elijah came into the room with Sheila. They poured themselves a cup of tea. Kol sat down next to Bonnie. Sheila sat down across from them. Kai noticed that she eyed his drink with disapproval. Kai briefly wondered if she would tell his father, but then Sheila seemed more like the direct type. A fact that was proven when she snatched the drink from him and replaced it easily with a cup of tea.
"I don't allow minors in my charge to drink alcohol," Sheila told him with pursed lips.
Bonnie snorted and he could have sworn it was a laugh.
"I'm not in your charge."
"You're a Gemini in Bennett territory, you're in my charge. Otherwise, I fear Joshua will be as reckless in his care of my granddaughter," her smile was tense.
Now Kai was the one chuckling. "You're not worried about Bonster in our territory are you?"
"Of course not. The Geminis are…capable."
Now that sounded like thinly veiled disapproval. Kai was used to it. Joshua gathered that reaction from most sane adults. At least, that was how Jo phrased it. Kai wasn't sure he knew what qualified as sane anymore. Not that such trivialities as sanity mattered to sociopaths.
"So are we done talking about me like I'm not here?" Bonnie grumbled crossing her arms. "Because I would really like to find Elena."
"What for?" Rebekah questioned in bored tones.
"Bekah, please the dull as dishwater doppelganger is Bonnie's friend," Kol chided with a mischievous look at his sister that was returned warmly.
"Kol please," Elijah said straightening his tie in what Kai was beginning to recognize as his version of fidgeting. "We have an alliance with the Bennetts."
"Yes," Kol ruffled Bonnie's hair.
"Hey!" she said swatting her hand at him.
"Which makes Elena our burden, ops, I meant responsibility," Kol replied.
Bonnie hit him with a light zap of magic. Kai felt the charge through the air and he had to grit his teeth to keep from grabbing her and siphoning her magic. He couldn't help himself, Bonnie's magic was potent. It made his blood sing and his bones thrum with its essence. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
"Anyway," Katherine said throwing an amused glance at Kol. "If you want the doppelganger back unharmed, I want in on your plan to kill Klaus."
Sheila was barely listening, Kai could tell. Her eyes were fixed on Bonnie and where she sat between him and Kol. She pursed her lips and Kai could tell she did not like what she saw. Kai wondered if she had pieced together more than he would like her to.
"And how do you know about our plan, Katerina?" Elijah asked.
She flipped her hair and smiled at him prettily. "I'm so glad you asked, 'Lijah. I overheard some interesting things when I posed as Elena. Bonnie and Jo they talk."
XXX
Bonnie stared at Katherine dumbfounded.
When had she talked to Jo?
Crap, they had talked about it in the kitchen when Jo had asked her why Bonnie was allowed into Gemini territory without joining the coven. It was after the bonfire and when Elena or Katherine should have been asleep.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could she forget that Katherine had been present for that?
"I traded places with Elena at the bonfire and I must say twelve hours with teenage girls? My, did I ever get all of the best gossip."
Bonnie glared at Katherine, who was posing as if she was innocent.
"Can you get on with it?" Bonnie snapped. She could feel her patience beginning to wear thin and she had half a mind to fry Katherine, but then they might never find Elena. "You want in on our plan to kill Klaus, but how do we know we can trust you?"
"Because I have wanted him dead for oh, I don't know," Katherine tilted her head to the side playfully. "Five centuries."
Kai let out on an impressed whistle that made Bonnie fix him with her scowl.
"He did try to sacrifice her to unlock is werewolf side."
"Excuse me?" Bonnie said at the same time as Kai said; "Your freak brother is a vampire and a werewolf?"
"Oh, you thought we couldn't handle a normal Original?" Rebekah scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Niklaus has always been the strongest of us, I fear what he might be capable of when he becomes both Original vampire and a werewolf," Elijah added. "Even I don't know his plans."
"Mayhem," Rebekah and Kol said in unison.
Bonnie raised eyebrows at that. "Fine, say we do trust you. How can you help?"
"Oh, Bon-Bon," Katherine said as if disappointed. "I bet 'Lijah knows how I can help."
"By being a gigantic slag as usual?" Rebekah said with a saccharine smile.
"Bekah, not now. There is no time for your childish bickering. The same goes for you, Katerina," Elijah added the last part when Katherine tossed a smug smile at Rebekah, which made her frown.
"Because everyone knows Klaus is a paranoid psycho," Katherine rolled her eyes.
"Who has cut all ties with his family," Elijah explained to Bonnie and Kai.
Sheila nodded next to him.
"And everyone knows I want him to stop hunting me."
"He's hunting you?" Sheila gave Katherine a sharp look.
"Yes, well as I'm sure you know he needs a doppelganger to break the curse that keeps his werewolf side dormant."
"He tried to use Katerina when she was human however, she outwitted everyone one of us. Turned herself into a vampire, which made her useless to Niklaus," Elijah said finishing Katherine's explanation. "Ever since then she has been on the run."
Bonnie knew Stefan and Damon probably knew a lot of this, but she doubted Elena knew any of it. Or at least nothing more than that Katherine was a past love of theirs.
"Great, so we hand her over to Klaus?" Bonnie suggested.
"Now, there's a suggestion I can get behind, Bunny."
"It does have potential, but I doubt that was what Katherine had in mind," Kol said.
"Of course not, I'm a survivor," Katherine said sweetly. "Elijah reaches out to Klaus and tells him that I want to trade Elena for my freedom."
"You think that will work?" Kai asked and there was doubt in his voice. "If Klaus is as evil as you all say then who's to say he won't just double-cross you and kidnap Elena, after he kidnaps you?"
"Assuming he is even willing to talk to Elijah?"
Bonnie was filled with misgivings.
"My brother has wanted revenge on Katerina for centuries now, he will agree to meet for this."
"And he probably will double-cross us, but what do we care if he kills Katerina?" Rebekah said as she studied her nails.
"That could compromise everything," Sheila said. "I am close to completing the dagger, I only need one last ingredient, which I am told Finn is searching for. If we strike this deal, we need to be certain we can take him down."
"We wait and draw him out," Kol said after a moment's contemplation. "We lay in wait, cloaked by the witches and attack in full force."
"We might need the Geminis on this as well. We need to make certain Niklaus is down."
"True," Kol said pensively. "In the vision, Bonnie nearly dies trying to take Nik out before failing miserably."
"That vision is rather…useful, if alarming," Sheila murmured before raising her voice. "I doubt I would fare much better on my own. I'll speak with Joshua when I return these two delinquents to Portland."
Underneath the steely-eyed stare of her Grams, Bonnie shrunk.
"In the meantime, I'll hold on to Elena as an assurance you lot won't double-cross me and throw me at Klaus's mercy."
"Or lack thereof," Kol added.
"No way," Bonnie said shaking her head.
She saw Kol was watching her with lazy curiosity and Kai had basically fallen asleep. He snored and then fake woke with a start.
"Oh my God, this is so boring, I fell asleep," Kai said. "Who cares about the doppelganger? It's not like the other doppelganger is going to kill her. She needs her."
"Unacceptable, Katerina," Elijah said. "You will return Elena home."
"And if any of Klaus's spies see her waltzing around Mystic Falls like nothing is wrong? You don't think he will actually just walking into town because Elijah said to trust us?" Katherine's expression conveyed her disgust.
"She makes a point," Sheila admitted looking as it if physically pained her.
"Grams!" Bonnie exclaimed. "Elena is my friend."
"So we've heard, little witch," Kol drawled. "I'm certain there is a compromise here that will make everyone happy."
"I don't know, Bonnie. There is a lot on the line here," Sheila said.
"Why are you so willing to risk her life?" Bonnie demanded.
Frustration from the past several weeks filled her. As if her life wasn't complicated enough, Sheila was willing to put Elena at risk. For what? Some slim shot at an Original vampire? One they didn't even want to be targeting?
And she was willing to bring creepy old Joshua into this?
All of it was enough to finally make her snap at Sheila, who had been acting crazy ever since the Originals and their stupid prophecy blew into their lives.
"Because all I care about is your safety!" Sheila hissed back in an angry voice. "Why do you do these things? Why are you so willing to risk your life for your friends? And how the hell could you leave the safety of Portland? And you two!" Sheila pointed at Kol and Kai in turn. "How could you let this happen? If you think I am angry Kai, wait until your father hears about this!"
Kai paled visibly before schooling his expression back into a smirk. Bonnie found that interesting.
"But Elena's life matters too! And I hate living in Portland, I miss my friends!"
"Your friends?" Sheila said getting to her feet in a furious rage. "Are the reason you need to stay out of Mystic Falls! And we will discuss this later!"
"Fine," Bonnie crossed her arms. "Elijah, what's your compromise?"
Sheila sat back down, but her eyes were stormy. Bonnie knew this argument was far from over.
"Elena stays in my home as does Katherine. We will set up a neutral meeting point with Klaus. He will be expecting something in Mystic Falls. Somewhere less familiar to him or even his homebase will put him at ease, we can use that to our advantage. You two," he indicated Kai and Bonnie. "Return to Portland tonight. Sheila will escort you."
"I'm returning to Portland as well, brother," Kol said flashing a secretive smile at Bonnie.
"I presumed you would be," Elijah said with an exasperated sigh.
"He'd go wherever she is," Rebekah stated with an eye roll.
Sheila's furious expression darkened even further.
"I trust everything is settled then?" Elijah asked the group as a whole.
There was a chorus of agreement, in Bonnie's case it was extremely mumbled.
XXX
An hour later and they were set to go back to Portland. Bonnie had her bag slung over her shoulder and was about to make a break for it through the window. Her room was on the first floor, climbing through it would be easy to do. After all, if she could make it out of her second story window at her dad's house, she could make it out of here.
Bonnie opened the window. She even had one leg out when someone barged in. A look over her shoulder told her it was Kai. He broke into a bright smile.
"Watcha up to, Bonster?"
Bonnie fixed him with a glare. "Very funny."
"Come on, get back inside before your Grams goes batshit."
"No, I am not going back to Portland. My life is in Mystic Falls."
He chuckled. "Don't take this the wrong way because I know you're capable, but where are you going to go? Might as well stick it out until you turn eighteen."
Bonnie raised her chin stubbornly and climbed out the window. When she landed on the ground she almost tipped over from the weight of her bag, but kept going. Kai followed her out of the window almost soundlessly.
"Bon, come on you can't outrun me. But it's cute to watch you try."
Bonnie turned around and glared at him. "What do you want?"
"I want you to stay in Portland," Kai tucked his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes.
If Bonnie hadn't know better, she might have said he looked embarrassed. But this was Kai. He was never embarrassed or ashamed. She had seen him fake the emotion, but had she ever seen him express anything other than excitement or anger? Come to think of it, the closest she had ever seen Kai come to genuine human emotion was hunger.
So she was not buying his little act.
"Why? And don't you dare bullshit me because I am so fed up with everything."
"I know, I know, you're about to be a dramatic teen runaway and all that jazz," Kai said with an amused smile. Then his happy expression slipped and Bonnie felt like she had kicked a puppy. "Because I think everything in Portland sucks too."
"You do?"
The question escaped her before she could help herself. It had never occurred to her before, but it should have. Kai's dad was an asshole. A first class one and he was seen as the black sheep of his family as well as coven.
How stupid and selfish of her not to notice. Of course, Kai hated his life there as much if not more than her.
"Really? You haven't noticed how totally psycho my father is?"
"I have," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have known."
"It's whatever. Look, my point is, Portland sucks and I have to stick it out, at least for a few more years and I get it, you want to bail. But the thing is, you're the only thing that doesn't suck about my shitty life."
Kai looked at her then and Bonnie saw a flicker of what might actually be real emotion in his eyes. It made her feel crappy and she kind of liked Kai, she didn't want to be the reason he was hurt.
"Let's both go."
"Can't do that, Bunny. My coven is all kinds of fucked up and the only chance I've got is to make it to the merge."
Kai looked away then.
Why did she get the feeling he wasn't telling her something?
"Only chance?"
"You're not in the coven. I can't tell you."
"Right, the Geminis and their weird secrecy thing."
"Come back at least for a little while longer. Please."
Bonnie hesitated. She had one foot behind her, ready to bail. The idea of returning to Portland made her a little queasy. She had made some friends there and Kai might actually be one of them, but there was something wrong in that house. It gave her a bad feeling. And her life in Mystic Falls was complicated, there was no doubt about it, but she belonged there. It was the only home she had ever known.
And now Kai was looking at her so expectantly that she didn't want to let him down, but now she didn't want to go back to Portland either.
"What's it going to be, Bonster are you staying or bailing?"
Bonnie stared back at him chewing on her bottom lip.
Thank you so much to everyone, who has stuck with this fic. We are finally getting to the chapters that haven't been published before. So what do we think of jealous Kol? Not psycho enough? Because there is definitely going to be more jealousy before this fic is over! I'm fireismyelement97 on tumblr for those who have a drabble request and who want to stay in the loop about updates.
Izzy