ALLEGIANCE
A/N: Than you all for last chapters reviews. You guys are uber amazing and made me write this faster. Hope you enjoy this update…
Instead of dwelling in misery and self-pity, I was too occupied strategising. There was no time for me to start crying so I decided to push past the negatives and plan what I would do.
There was no way in knowing how long he had been in my hotel room, so I couldn't really be sure that he had already gotten to her and her friends. Somehow I highly doubted it because I had seen her in the town square with blondie, heading towards school. This gave me hope that I could still save them.
Thankfully I had had a shower in Damon's home so all I did was change into the tight black skinny jeans with a dark blue tank top and my leather jacket. To go with the bad ass look, I had decided on wearing black combat boots. Thankfully they gave me a slight height advantage when going against him. If I wanted Niklaus to take me seriously, I knew I couldn't show up looking like a preschool teacher.
Ignoring the small light blue plastic key card and simply grabbed my car keys and phone. Then, in a hasty manner, I ran out of the door, slamming it behind me in the process. I also walked past the elevator and ended up taking the stairs, so that I was on the ground floor within seconds.
Through all this, my mind was reeling with thoughts on what would happen and what I could expect from him.
The only down side to all this was the fact that Damon had left with Katerina, doing God knows what - so that meant he wouldn't be able to help Elena. Then again, maybe this was a good thing because it meant that he wouldn't be in the midst of this fucked up storm.
Anyway, regarding my chances of actually saving the doppelganger seemed promising. For one, I knew he wouldn't be able to kill her quickly seeing as he didn't have a witch anymore – much thanks to Katerina. He preferred to let the torture of an awaiting death to control a person's mind before he completed his work. This would work to my advantage because it meant that I still had some time. It was hope and I would continue holding on to it.
I couldn't think of any other surprises that he would pull with me.
Not bothering to open the door, I jumped into the driver's seat and didn't hesitate to switch on the engine. Without another thought, I tailed out of the parking space. The orange needle point hitting 100 mph within seconds but my foot remained on the accelerator, silently hoping that I wouldn't be stopped.
Finally I skidded to a stop outside the Mystic Falls School. After yesterday's tour, I easily remembered where it was located and hadn't needed to put up with the dreary female voice of the Sat-Nav.
Once I hopped out of the car, I raced into the building with determination thriving within me.
Suddenly, my hurried steps, slowed down to a hesitant pace as I finally came to my senses. An eerie silence overtook what was supposed to be a rowdy building. There were no cheerleaders chanting, no gossip infiltrating the halls, no chains of rumours running through, no cheers, no teachings, no teachers' reprimands...
No life.
The only sound was the small heel of my boots, clacking onto the ground as I made my way further down the hall.
As I neared the turning point of the hallway, another clacking sound accompanied mine. However, this one was louder and more defined, intimidating me to a stop. My hands balling up into hardened fists, my fear stoning my features as I prepared myself for the first of my many battles.
Finally she emerged from the corner.
"Rebekah"
"Bella"
We both spoke simultaneously and once we acknowledged each other, our defences were down and I was being held by my sister. I knew that Rebekah would be easier to send some sense.
Finally I had someone on my side
After a beat of silence, I broke free from her arms, realising that we were wasting our time and we would still have time for reunions later.
Gripping her wrist in my hand, I pulled her down the hallway with me, "Rebekah we have to stop Nik, he wants to kill them. He can't kill any more innocent people" I rushed through my explanation while hastily peeking into the windows of the empty classrooms. I didn't get very far because surprisingly, Rebekah tore her hand away from me, causing me to stop and turn to face her in question.
"Calm down Iz" she shook her head lightly, "…they're just collateral damage" she argued with a faltering smirk, still feigning nonchalance.
Please, don't take away my sister too.
Shaking my head, I took a small step away from her, my eyes narrowing in slits as I peered at her in wonder, "What is wrong with you?"
"Think about it, Iz" her use of my nickname was her manipulative way of getting me to see in her perspective. "Maybe he'll change" she tried to get through to me but I continued to shake my head at her words, "Maybe we'll get the Klaus we know once he gets his hybrids and then-" still I continued to shake my head at her feeble argument. It had been something I too had been foolish to believe but not anymore.
"Then what Rebekah?" I challenged, interrupting her by holding her hand. "He gets what he wants. He gets his hybrid family and what happens to his real family?" my pleading whisper seemed to be getting to her.
She parted her lips to reply but was interrupted with the loud thump, followed by a loud blood-curling scream, filled with terror.
Looking back at Rebekah, I was disappointed to learn that I was in this alone. Still I didn't focus onto her too much because I was already down the hall and turning the corner. I paused when I caught the large metal doors before me. Peering through the glass, I found the large gym with where Niklaus was.
Once I pushed through the doors, I froze when I looked towards the trembling doppelganger, salty tears streaming down her hot cheeks. Understanding filled my questionable thoughts when I caught Stefan – well not Stefan anymore as he was now the Ripper. Bowed into a menacing crouch, his blood-stained lips pulled back, baring a snarl to reveal the sharp fangs. Bloodlust eyes that had been focused on the limp bodies before him were now on me, "Bella?" he registered my prescense which alerted the other two in the room.
Niklaus and Elena both whipped their heads towards me. Elena was struck between confusion and apprehension and I briefly wondered, whether she was worried about me. Nik on the other hand was sneering at me with a mixture of disgust and surprise, "Nice of you to join us…" he welcomed me with a smirk.
"Y-you t-t-two know each other?" Elena stutters, glancing between us and her fright becoming more profound. I caught how she snuck a fleeting glance towards Stefan as if hoping for an explanation.
"Oh, has my little sister not introduced herself…" he smirked knowingly, ignoring my glare.
Elena finally caught on with a loud gasp, "Sister", her panic lacing her puffed breath echoed through the large space of the gym. Along with this was with the loud thumping of her heartbeat that increased her blood pressure which hallowed her hasty breaths.
Ignoring her shock, I took a stern step towards Nik, "Let her go" I demanded sternly, hoping that I could block his path from Elena which could give her and Stefan a chance to run.
"I suppose you want me to let Stefan go too" he smiled but his expression was anything but humourless.
Not daring to look away from him, I gritted through my clenched teeth, "If you would be so kind" the sarcasm wasn't as effective because I could feel the tears betray me, conveying the battle raging within me. My brother on the other hand, seemed unfazed by my obvious distress.
"Aw sister, I am disappointed" he teased me, slowly circling me, "I thought you would have brought an army or at least a friend to help you" he stopped in front of me, trying to intimidate me with the veins that played under his dark and wildly ominous glare.
Still glowering at him, I crossed my arms over my chest and jutted out my chin, "Who says I need any help against you?" my own smirk tugging up at the corner of my lips but I felt no amusement within these dire circumstances. All I felt was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I feared the doom of an impending battle.
"I did teach you everything you know…" he retorted smugly, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
It was true. During our childhood, while Michael hadn't wanted me to have anything to do with archery and sword fighting or partake in any brawls, Nik had been the one to defy him and teach me ways of self-defence. It had been him that had prepared me to protect myself, even though he promised it wouldn't come to that because he would there to protect me.
So, yes it was true that he had taught me everything I knew. However, that deemed to be the only advantage he had on me. Well that and the fact that he was a fraction stronger and faster because of the broken curse.
Slumping my shoulders, I dropped my hands, allowing them to fall by my side with my fatigue, "I don't want to fight with you" a weary tone dripped in my drawled out words.
"And I don't want to fight you" he shot back but I heard the threat behind it. What he hadn't added was the fact that he would if he had to.
Taking a step towards him, I gained the upper hand when arguing, "No, you just want to dagger me" the bitter venom after taste burnt my tongue once the words were spat out. I was satisfied with his silence because it meant that he felt some guilt over his previous cursed words.
"Nik" Rebekah's voice broke our locked gazes. I whipped my head around to my sister, walking in with the easily recognisable witchy best friend, a muscular teenage boy which I could easily smell as being werewolf. Each of them took in the scene before them, their eyes widening when they caught sight of me. Probably all wondering how I was involved and why I was the only one in the room not kissing Niklaus' feet.
Last but not least was Matt, following closely behind his friends but when they came to a stop, he finally lifted his head. His questioning blue eyes finally found mine and I was guilt-ridden with the light that no longer lit his features. "Bella…?" his tone was as grave as his dulled eyes.
I only hoped that he read the apology in my glance before I turned to my sister, "Rebekah, don't…"I shook my head at her, hoping she would read into the plea.
It felt like a blow to my chest when she pretended to have not heard me. She didn't bat an eyelash or even cast me a second glance, her stony features were facing Nik, "As requested…" she forced a smile.
"You all need to get out of here!" Elena helplessly called out but fully knowing that it wouldn't help her.
Still I was only half-listening because I continued to watch the person that was supposed to be my sister. I hoped the she would realise I was looking and turn around to face me but she didn't dare to incline her head an inch towards me. Her whole face was relaxed, features clear of any guilt, although I did catch how the corner of her eyes crinkled as she forced herself to keep her intense gaze trained on Nik.
Right…it seemed like I was on my own.
Still, this was not enough to make me bow down from this fight.
Nik, however was on top of the moon, pleased that Rebekah had chosen him, just like he had probably hoped. Gleefully, he clapped his hands together, "Right" he glanced around the room with great satisfaction, "Now, where were we?" a wide smile stretching across his face.
With one last look at my sister, I realised that I had lost her too.
A/N: Poor Bella, Rebekah chose the dark side too? Sister fight, maybe?
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