WARNING: This chapter contains mature themes, if non-consensual sex makes you uncomfortable please skip down to the third last paragraph before the ~O~ and start reading there.

My mind flashed in and out of reality like a flickering light bulb. Images from my past would take the place of the room I was in so quickly that there were times when I could barely figure out whether I was with the Mikaelsons or trapped in my internal hell. The method that I developed in order to make this distinction was based on the excruciating pain I felt as the werewolf venom tainted every cell in my body with its poison; it felt like liquid fire coursing through my arteries. There were times where the pain was sharp and unbearable to the point where it left me a quivering mess, and there were other times where the pain just throbbed on–it was noticeable, but bearable. When the throbbing came, that was usually when my mind started to play tricks on me. My vision suddenly went out of focus and everything the light touched gave off a bright glare that stung my eyes. They squeezed shut, as tears leaked out, and then a harsh shock of pain rolled through my body forcing it into uncontrollable convulsions as it hung from the ceiling. Every muscle in my body twitched simultaneously and I could do nothing but lean my head back and let it fall, the jugular of my throat exposed to the ceiling. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I tried to desperately suck in air, but I only gasped and spluttered like a fish might do when it was out of water.

Large ominous oil lamps slid across my vision, and then the ceiling flickered in and out of darkness a few times. Finally, my vision settled on the lamps. I was walking in a rush down a cobblestoned path; there was fear gnawing at my stomach and I knew it was because I wasn't supposed to be out so late. My guardians didn't even know that I wasn't in my room, much less off the property, and I hadn't intended to stay out so late. It had been a long time since I had an opportunity to go watch the horses over at the McAllister Ranch and I had never been one to pass up on opportunity. It was well past midnight, meaning I was going against the curfew my guardians had set for me, as well as the curfew the town had set for young women. The town was very strict about women wandering the streets without a chaperone after eight o'clock at night. I picked up the long skirts of my blue dress and trotted down the road at a faster pace and then turned the corner down a slightly darker alley. It was a split-second decision to do so; not only was it much faster than the normal path I took home, but it was also a little more dangerous because I had to pass the street where the pubs were typically spilling out onto the streets. I was always careful about passing this street as there was always someone around willing to snitch on a person who was breaking the rules.

I paused behind a wall and peeked around it at all the men scattered about the cobblestone road; there were young men about my age and there were older men like my father. Quickly, I scampered to the other side, my shadow casting a long, ominous shape over the crowd where its edges stretched out like beckoning fingers. I pressed my back against the wall on the opposite side of the street to check if anyone had taken notice, and then I continued on my way. I slid across the wall and then down the next alley, sticking close to the shadows. I came close to the other end of the alley and looked around the corner again, thinking that no one was paying attention so I darted across the road. Just as the shadows of the opposite alley began to swallow me, I felt a large, calloused hand wrap tightly around my wrist and I was tugged backwards, my feet stumbling awkwardly underneath my skirt.

"Well, lookee what I found, gentlemen!" An overly happy voice called out into the night and I glanced upwards into the face of the man whose chest I had just slammed into. He didn't look all that much older than I, but facial hair could be very deceiving.

"She's just a little one!" Another voice replied and I dragged my widened eyes over the man's shoulder to watch two of his friends emerge from the shadows.

I tugged at my arm, throwing all of my body weight away from the man who held my wrist in his hand, but he held on tighter and his other hand gripped the bicep of my other arm, "Shhh, shhh, little one," He purred and I wrinkled my nose when his breath hit my face. It smelled of hard liquor with sour undertones of what I could only imagine to be vomit. "I'm not gonna hurt you," the hand at my bicep smoothed upwards and over my shoulder and then his fingers brushed against my cheek. I jerked away violently, almost bringing the off-balanced man with me, and he growled darkly before dragging me down the alley that I had been headed for. He tossed me into the wall and I felt my bare arms scrape against the rough textures of the bricks. His hands then gripped my shoulders again as he dragged me upwards and shoved me against the wall, his body pressing against mine to pin me. I managed to get my arms between our bodies and I shoved against his chest, my hands curling into fists as I hammered against his arms, shoulders, and stomach.

"Get off of me!" I cried out in desperation, my hand slapping his face and then pushing it as far away from me as possible. His fist came up and smashed into my jaw, causing my body to slump to the side as my jaw bone throbbed uncomfortably, and then his hand curled around my chin, dragging my face back to look at him. He had a predatory look in his eyes and I grabbed at his wrists, making sure to drag my nails down the tender flesh. He hissed and shoved my head against the bricks; there was a loud crack as my skull connected and stars burst across my eyes. I whimpered and tried to escape from his hands but he pressed his pelvis against mine, his knee shoving between my legs.

From the corner of my eye I watched his friends wander into the alley and I swallowed hard at their leering faces. One of them sat on the ledge across from us and the other leaned up against the wall beside me. He gave me a sickening smile and my lips curled slightly in disgust when I saw he was missing a tooth. "She's a feisty one, isn't she?" He whispered lovingly, his hand brushing through my hair and I shut my eyes in humiliation over what was happening. I knew walking this way was going to be a horrible idea…

"What are we going to do with her?" The man whose hand was stroking my hair purred and my lip began to quiver in response.

"Whatever you do plan on doing with her, you'll just have to shut her up afterwards."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat, and stared in horror at the third man who sat on the ledge across from us. He seemed disinterested in what was going on, as if attacking some unsuspecting girl was an everyday occurrence with his friends. I was terrified, to say the least, as I wasn't completely sure what they meant by having to shut me up. Don't be a fool, Liv, I snarled internally as a bout of nausea curled upwards when I felt the first man's hands cup the tender flesh of my chest over the bosom of my dress. Did you honestly believe they would just let you go afterwards? I turned my head away from the man as his clumsy and overly moist lips found my neck; he bit and sucked greedily at my tender flesh and then he moved onto my jaw line, his rough stubble scraping against my pale skin. I thought briefly of my father, and how he used to tickle me and my sister with his day-old stubble and tears sprung to my eyes at the memory. Papa, please help me… I thought miserably and then the first man's lips were crushing mine, his hands lifting my skirts and I felt the hands of the other man roughly grabbing at the neckline of my dress and ripping it down to bare my naked flesh. Papa! I screamed in my head as I protested violently against my two assailants. In the background, their friend laughed coldly at my whimpers.

There was an unexpected surge of anger within the center of my stomach and it latched its claws deep into the walls of my internal organs. Slowly, it began to climb, dragging itself through the tight crevice that was my esophagus and rearing its ugly head when I bit down hard upon the snake-like tongue that had invaded my mouth. The first man reared back with a savage cry of pain, blood coating his mouth, and I shoved him with all my might, knocking him back a few steps. The second man reached out to grab me by the shoulder, but I twisted from his reach and kicked out blindly, connecting with what I hoped was his knee. I didn't stop to look though; I just ran as fast as I could down the alley in these goddamned shoes. I made it about ten or so feet when a fist roped into my hair and pulled me back viciously, causing a hair-rising scream to erupt from my mouth. A calloused hand clamped over my lips and then my forehead was knocked into the wall. I fell to the floor as blood poured from the freshly opened gash and, before I could gather my wits, a heavy foot sunk into my stomach. I grunted and curled into a ball while more swift kicks were delivered to my back, head, legs and stomach and it seemed like an eternity before they stopped. I was then moved abruptly onto my back and a pair of hands were pushing the skirts of my dress up to my hips. Realizing what they were trying to do, I began to buck my hips in a furious attempt to shake them off, my desperate cries cutting through the night, but the man above me was much too strong and he quickly pinned my hips down with his.

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a knife and held it to my throat and the cold blade cut into my flesh. There was a thin, sharp pain and then my voice died in my throat while the man above me grinned wickedly. "If you make another sound, I'll slit your throat," He growled lowly and I whimpered pitifully, squirming under his weight. The man dragged the knife lightly down my chest, moving at an agonizingly slow pace and, before I realized it, he was slicing my dress open down the middle and ripping it off to the side. I forgot about the knife and his threat and I struggled angrily against him. Somehow, I managed to knock the knife out of his hand and I nearly threw him off of me, but his hand came down onto my throat and he pinned me to the cobble stones again. I gasped out as I felt my windpipe being crushed and he loomed dangerously over me, his hand grappling around for the knife. As he grabbed it, I heard the chilling sound of metal on stone and I struggled hard underneath the weight of his body.

"Hold her hands," he snapped at his friend and my arms were wrenched over my head. Slowly, but determinedly, the man's hand slipped under my skirts and I felt him pull aggressively on the waistband of my undergarment while I desperately tried to keep my legs locked, but he separated them with ease.

"P-please, please d-don't do this," I pleaded desperately as the naked flesh of my breasts heaved in the moonlight. I heard him fiddle with the buttons of his trousers and I tried once again to fight him off of me, but they were just as futile as before. I couldn't stop this no matter how hard I tried and it wasn't before long that the man above me ripped away everything that a girl my age held onto the tightest. I was horrified and disgusted as I felt this brute move against me, and I couldn't do a thing to stop him from invading every personal boundary there was to invade. The humiliation lasted for what felt like hours and when he finally finished, the tears began to fall mercilessly down my cheeks; I couldn't look at anything except for the empty night sky and I think I would have smiled at how its emptiness mirrored what I felt now, but I didn't even have the strength to do so.

For the second time that night, I felt him press the knife tightly to my throat, drawing more blood and he leaned in close, his lips twisted into a sneer. "Just making sure that you won't open your mouth in the future," he hissed and then I felt the tip of the blade pierce the flesh just under the hollow of my throat and then a long pinching pain exploded all across my chest and down to my hips. I screamed out in pain and started to thrash, my muscles quivering under the stress of the blade. I could feel my heart pound, and I knew that with each heartbeat, more blood would flow. My screams turned into chokes and gurgles as I lay there in a pool of my own blood and prayed for death. I was so busy with my prayers that I hadn't noticed that, one by one, my attackers disappeared and then landed in a crumpled heap at the opposite end of the alley. My vision was starting to fade and I could swear that I was no longer attached to my body, but somehow, I was aware of gentle arms hoisting me up and then something firm and wet was pressed against my lips…

My eyes shot open and cool air exploded into my lungs. I let out a terrible, heart wrenching scream and thrashed violently from side to side. The tender flesh of my wrists was once again ripped open as the blade had done so to my torso. Firm hands held me by the waist so I couldn't damage myself any further and then a wave of white hot agony washed over me from head to toe while I moaned loudly, my teeth gritting against each other. I clenched my hands into fists and I bitterly welcomed the sensation of metal grating against my bone. It hurt, yes, but it was familiar and so it provided a sick and twisted form of comfort. Arms were wrapped around my back to support me as they pressed me closer to them; I knew it was an attempt at comfort but all I could feel was that monster's hands on my flesh. I had no strength to fight them off so I remained still, while my skin crawled at the haunting memory of my attack.

Eventually, I managed to drag my face up to stare into the face of the person holding me but, through my exhaustion, all I could comprehend were a pair of warm brown eyes. Subconsciously, I knew who it was but I couldn't quite get the acknowledgement out.

"You…saved…me," I managed to get out before losing consciousness.

~O~

After Olivia passed out, Kol left the room quietly, a burning anger settling in his heart. He glowered at the marble floor as he stalked back to the informal living room, his thoughts getting the best of him. She was getting progressively worse, and now, the sweats were starting and Kol didn't know what to do. He should just grab her and run. To hell with Niklaus and his sadistic power fantasies; to hell with his entire family. Kol gritted his teeth and stepped into the room where his other siblings were. He didn't look at any of them because he didn't want to give away how much of at a loss he really was. He knew there was absolutely no chance of Olivia's survival if he ran off with her, but he couldn't just stand back and watch as Klaus took away everything he ever cared about… again.

She is mine, he silently snarled at Klaus, Not yours!

Kol could feel the attentions of his siblings turn to him and his lip twitched because he knew that if anyone spoke he'd go off on them.

"Did she say anything?"

Kol bit his tongue to keep from snapping and he fought the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he turned away from his brother while swallowing back the bitterness he felt. He should be turning his back on his brother to save Olivia, not because he couldn't bare the sight of his monstrous sibling. "No," Kol replied sharply and made a move to go to the fireplace that was off to the side, but Klaus cut him off.

"You had better not be lying to me, little brother," Klaus hissed while placing obvious emphasis on the 'little'. It was clear to Kol that Klaus was trying to assert his dominance, but the attempt only made Kol want to laugh at his brother. Klaus was always trying to make himself appear bigger than he actually was.

"Allow me to correct myself, brother," Kol snapped back and became mildly surprised when Klaus flinched ever so slightly at the venom in his use of 'brother'. "She said nothing that would concern you." Kol then brushed past Klaus, making sure to knock into his shoulder hard enough to jostle Klaus to the side.

"But she spoke?" Rebekah gasped while getting to her feet and Elijah held a hand out to stop her from getting too excited.

Elijah took a step closer and spoke gently, "What did she say, Kol?"

Kol glanced up at his eldest brother as a lock of hair fell into his eyes and then he flashed over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of bourbon. He downed the first glass quickly and then poured a second, before putting the bottle away; through a throat that still burned with the alcohol, Kol spoke, "I know you mean well, Elijah, but mind your own business."

Klaus gave a short laugh and Kol turned around slowly to look at him. "Did she hit a nerve, Kol?" Klaus mocked and Kol quickly drank his second glass of bourbon, relishing in the burn as it cut through his anger. In a flash, Kol launched the glass at Klaus' head, barely leaving his brother time to dodge the flying object, before he had his hands wrapped around Klaus' throat. The two brothers landed on the floor with Kol on top and his fist reared back and then slammed into Klaus' face repeatedly. Klaus then flipped them over, gaining the upper hand, and he gripped the front of Kol's shirt before slamming his head and upper back onto the cold, hard, marble floor. Kol dug his feet into the soft flesh of Klaus' stomach and kicked outwards, his brother's body flipping overhead and landing across the room, the sudden contact with the wall causing one of the framed paintings to crash onto the floor. Kol jumped to his feet and into a dangerous crouch, his eyes bled over and a challenging snarl split his face causing Klaus to tear across the room. With a harsh shove, Kol smashed into the wall and Klaus wrapped a hand around his throat, and then Kol flung him to the side and pinned him against the front of the fireplace.

"I really don't care about the information you want from her," Kol snarled as he smashed his brother's head into the stones. "If you don't cure her right now, I'll take it from you and give it to her myself," Kol threatened as he began to guide Klaus' arm into the fire. The bright flames licked hungrily at Klaus' arm and the scent of burning flesh filled the room. In a fit of fury, Klaus threw his younger brother off of him and Kol went flying across the room, which gave Klaus time to straighten up and brush himself off. Kol got to his feet, and grabbed a letter opener from the drawer of one of side tables and inched closer, preparing to attack Klaus, but Elijah stepped between them.

"That's enough."

Klaus had an undeniable smug look on his face and Kol stared at Elijah with an expression tied between incredulity and fury. "You're defending him?!" Kol roared and took a menacing step forward, but Elijah did not move an inch; he wouldn't even consider the knife in his youngest brother's hands.

"Olivia has werewolf venom coursing through her veins. In any other case, we'd have more time to figure this out, as a family, but time is not on our side," Elijah reasoned, his hands coming up to ward off his brother. "Even if these torturous acts have gone far enough," Elijah growled and shot a dangerous look at Klaus.

"She has something I want and I –"

Elijah turned on Klaus with a darkness in his eyes, "She has information, we get it, Niklaus," he snapped and then lifted his arm in question, "And if she dies, what then?"

Klaus looked as if he didn't really want to think this far, but then he turned his gaze on Kol and sneered, "If she dies, it won't be my loss."

A howl of anger ripped from Kol's mouth and he advanced on Klaus again only to have Elijah wrap an arm around his chest and throw him back. "Then everything you have done to her up until now will have been in vain, and since when have you ever done something without it being a means to an end?" Elijah inquired darkly, the chill in his tone so harsh it could freeze hell.

Klaus' lip curled in disgust at the thought of losing out on the best possible lead he had had in decades and then he spat, "Then I suggest you start trying to convince your conquest to fess up; I dare say she has but a few hours left." At this moment in time, Olivia let out an ear-piercing scream that echoed throughout the mansion to drive Klaus' point home.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy Valentine's Day everyone, or to those who are applicable - HAPPY SINGLE'S AWARENESS DAY! I'm feeling a little generous today so I thought I would post a day or so early. I would just like to give a major thanks to everyone who has favorited and followed this story, and I would like to thank "The Mystery is in the Words" for your review - it truly means a lot to me.