A/N: Sorry for taking to long to get this to you all...I got distracted :P
~Anna-Margaret
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Part XXI

Aibie and Elijah arrived at the small house where Klaus had come to wait for her. Elijah watched her careful as she fisted the red material flowing around her legs, before she straightened her back and walked determinedly into the little cottage. Her hands shook as her eyes finally caught sight of the man who had given her life again…and then cost her so much in return.

"You're really here," murmured Klaus.

His movements were so fast Elijah could barely track as the elder vampire rose from his chair by the fire to stand before Aibie. He reached a hand up to caress her cheek, but as he made contact the front and back doors flew open. Elijah smirked at the newcomers, nodding in acknowledgement of their timely arrival.

"You did this?" questioned Klaus; his eyes flickered to his subordinate before they roamed over the gathered Originals.

"You're weak Klaus. The search for a way to break the curse has led to your downfall."

"Weak, huh?" chuckled Klaus.

Without a spoken word Klaus and Aibie turned so that they were back to back. From inside his jacket Klaus drew a short dagger. The blade was completely clear and the hilt had gold lettering carved into it. Aibie, in turn, undid the fine gold chain that had sat belted across her hips. As one, they moved into a fighting stance and waited, watching their opponents.

The moment one of the Originals made a move towards the pair, Klaus struck. The blade entered the man's chest right to the hilt. As Klaus twisted the dagger inside the vampire's cavity he let out an agonising scream. Smoke rose from the wound and the smell of burning flesh filled the small home. Klaus removed the dagger and moved to his next victim, not even waiting to watch as the first fell to his knees and gasped a final breath before his body dried from the inside out. The others became much more cautious and tried to rush Klaus, to no avail. He was faster than them and it took a very short period of time before his targets lay dead.

Klaus turned to see the rest of the vampires were also dead. Some had had their hearts ripped clean from their chests, others had been beheaded. Blood dripped down the walls of the room they stood in, but Klaus' attention was focused on Aibie who stood drenched in blood, her foot placed upon Elijah's chest and her golden whip wrapped tight around his throat.

"You shouldn't struggle so," she smiled down at her captive. "As you can feel, the more you struggle the tighter the chain becomes. You saw how quick it was at wrapping around those ones' necks and ripping their heads from their bodies. This way is much slower and agonising. You feel the vervain poisoning your system? This chain was smelted with fresh vervain and I bless it before every use. I warned you what would come of crossing me."

Klaus didn't even blink as Elijah's head was finally forcibly removed from his neck. He smiled broadly at his beautiful creature, dressed in the sinful peplos she had worn so many centuries before. Blood of her enemies dripped down the material, streaking the bare flesh on the sides of her abdomen. Lines of blood also painted her glowing face. She was a wonder to behold.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and then she was gone from his line of vision.

He felt the cold metal caress his skin before he realised she was behind him. He whirled to face her, but the chain had already wound itself around his throat and was constricting. The question of why burned through his entire body as surely as the vervain pumping into him.

"Why?" he managed to choke out, before he could no longer stand and found himself on his knees before her.

"She punished me for letting you go free. All those men under my charge, she handed them over to some of her starved children to feast upon and forced me to watch. Then she made a pact with Hades and chained my brother's spirit to me. She stole him from his peace in the Elysian Fields. The only way he can be returned is for me to right the wrong I once did," cried Aibie, her tears mixing with the blood beginning to dry on her cheeks.

"You said our love meant more to you than anything," spat Klaus, glaring at her before he sliced her leg, abdomen and then pierced her heart with the dagger he remained grasping.

Aibie gasped in pain and the whip tightened until Klaus' neck tore open and his bones snapped. Aibie fell to the ground, the Originals' blood pooled around her. Short, shallow breaths escaped her as her eyesight became blurring and small dark spots appeared, blotting out everything and anything.

"I love you," she whispered before her eyes shut against the pain and her body went limp.

A/N: Just one more part to go!
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