Does This Darkness Have A Name?
Chapter 25: The Originals
Beta: PrincessOfSilence
Disclaimer: I own nothing of The Vampire Diaries, only Cassandra and my story.
Damon turned over in his sleep and let out an audible groan; he'd forgotten to close the curtains last night and now he was paying for it because the sun was shining brightly in his eyes. Growling low in his chest, he turned back over and splayed his body on the bed. He cracked his eyes open to see Cassandra gone and he sighed deeply. He rose from the bed to see the sheets torn and mingled with blood spatters. Looking down at his own body, he saw dried blood along his skin.
Last night had been a dark one. They gave each other bites and bruises as they pounded ferociously against one another. It was rough, vicious, and wild. Cassandra would scream and howl like a banshee, but not all of them were from pleasure. She'd pour each ounce of negative emotions into some of those screams and she was wailing in agony for most of the night. He hated seeing her so out of control and reckless. As he made his way to the shower, he only hoped that today would be a better day and that she'd start healing.
Stefan and Elena sat quietly on the couch with one another in a calm embrace. When she awoke in the basement, she'd turned her emotions back on and Stefan was there to help her throughout it all. It came back to her like how waves crash upon the shore, all of the horrid things she'd done and for a split second she was close to giving up, but Stefan coached her to get through it. He gently stroked through her hair and he could practically feel Elena smiling. Oh, how he missed that smile of hers.
When Stefan had gone up to his room, he heard Damon and Cassandra's argument. Every word and sob made his heart ache. Originally, he was angry with both of them for wanting the cure for themselves, but after hearing what Silas had done and how broken Cassandra was, he didn't judge them anymore for wanting it. Sure, he still wanted the cure for Elena, but only if she'd choose to take it. Cassandra's wails and sobs hurt him the most. This was a woman who always held her composure when things were bad and she was always strong, but last night he witnessed an entirely different person.
The slamming of the front door made them both turn to see Cassandra walk in and throw her bag on the couch. She totally disregarded both Stefan and Elena as she made herself a drink. The two vampires frowned; Stefan had filled Elena in on what happened and they truly felt sorry for her. None of them knew who should speak first. Should they just let her go about her business? Or should they try to help her heal?
"No use trying to walk on egg shells around me," Cassandra muttered and ultimately forgot her glass and just resulted in drinking from the bottle. "Just try to keep my fake pregnancy under wraps because I don't intend on being the laughing stock of this town."
Stefan swallowed and squeezed Elena's shoulder reassuringly. "Cassandra, we're sorry about what happened."
The wounded hybrid waved them off. "Please, you couldn't care less about what happens to me. You hated Damon and me for wanting the cure, so don't even try to redeem yourself."
"He's just trying to help you," Elena piped up and Cassandra trained her eyes on the little vampire.
"Oh, the queen bitch has abdicated her throne." She beamed sarcastically and Elena recoiled. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking that spot because I have nothing better to do."
"Don't be like this, Cassandra," Stefan pleaded.
"Be like what? An emotionless bitch who doesn't care about anything? I'm already halfway there and I suggest that everyone stays out of my way." She glared.
"This isn't the way to live. Think about what you're doing to yourself." He said.
"Don't tell me how to live, Stefan, when you're the one who told Elena to shut it off." The hybrid growled. "You're no better than I am."
"Cassandra," Damon had come down the stairs, a towel slung low around his waist and she smirked at him.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite Salvatore." She stalked over to him and traced the beads of water that dripped down his body with her eyes. "I was actually thinking about taking a shower. Maybe you'll join me?" The hybrid then climbed the stairs and Damon exchanged a weary glance with his brother, shaking his head. The raven haired vampire left before the other two vampires offered any kind of information and proceeded to get dressed in his room. As he was looking through his drawers, he felt Cassandra's form pressing against his back.
"I love it when you're fresh out of the shower," she purred and ran her tongue along the arch of his neck, collecting little droplets of water along the way. In seconds, she whipped him around and pinned him against his set of drawers. "It just makes you all the more delectable." Her hands played with the towel, fingers sneaking below the fuzzy fabric. Damon then flashed her across the room, restraining her against the wall. She eyed him playfully and craned her head up for their lips to meet, but her husband pulled back, a teasing smirk upon his lips. He dipped his head and clamped down on her neck without his fangs, but it still made her tremble against him. She let out a husky moan and gripped his shoulders tightly but he secured them to her sides. He chuckled against her skin, hearing her whine out and he released his teeth from her neck to nibble at her earlobe.
"Do you want it?" He asked and she nodded, wriggling against him. She hated, yet loved when he teased her and she knew that he took great pleasure in seeing her writhe and beg for more. "Well, until you turn it back on, you're not getting it." Cassandra's eyes snapped open and looked to her husband who was pulling a pair of jeans up his legs.
"It's not nice to tease." She growled.
"I mean it, Cassandra." Damon stated firmly.
"But my emotions aren't off."
"They're halfway off and unless you turn them back on, I'm cutting you off." He said simply.
Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest. "You think going without sex will make me turn it back on?"
"Maybe, but I did see lust in your eyes. You know, one of those human emotions." He replied and brushed past her to open up the little drawer on her bedside table. Producing her favorite pink toy, he wiggled it in front of her. "Better get used to using this."
The hybrid snatched her vibrator from him, a menacing glare in her eyes. "You better watch this doesn't find its way up your ass in the middle of the night."
"Sorry, babe. I'm kinky, but I'm not that kinky." Damon smirked and left the room, but not without hearing Cassandra shouting obscenities at him. She threw the toy on her bed and plopped down on the now clean sheets. Her eyes closed for barely a moment until she heard a buzzing noise right near her.
"Cute toy," Katherine gleamed as she examined it. "Looks like you two will be spending a lot of time together." She shut it off and tossed it aside.
"Ugh, Katherine." She groaned.
"The one and only. So, when's the 'Welcome Home' party? The vampire sat beside Cassandra.
"Never because you're not wanted." She sat up against the headboard. "Besides, shouldn't you be halfway to Guam right about now? Klaus is still plotting your demise. Now that's a party."
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore, because Klaus is gone." Katherine grinned haughtily and Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean he's gone?"
Katherine crossed her legs at the ankles, lounging on the bed. "Let's just say that werewolf girl, Hayley, turned out to be just the thing we needed to get Klaus out of our lives for good."
"Can you not be aloof about it and just get to the point?" She asked.
"I'd love to, but I have my freedom to enjoy. Ciao." Katherine then disappeared in a flash, leaving Cassandra alone with her toy.
New Orleans
Night had fallen upon the city and Jane-Anne let herself become calm and serene, soaking in the silence around her. The moon hung high up in the sky, surrounded by little pockets of stars and the witch began to light candles that were placed on a wooden surface atop a tombstone. The time was right for the spell she needed to cast and she gave one last look over her shoulder to make sure that there were no lurkers nearby. Witches were not allowed to practice magic, that was the law of the land and Marcel was sure to enforce it whenever a witch was caught practicing. Jane-Anne scowled at the thought of that horrid man. Marcel had been the so-called "king" of New Orleans for as long as she could remember. The entire city was crawling with vampires and Marcel had managed to run out the werewolves during his rule. Witches were scarce and they all lived in fear of the vampire king, but Jane-Anne had to put a stop to all of that even though she was at risk for getting caught. Her sister, Sophie, begged her not to perform the spell, but Jane-Anne's mind was already set.
She took a container of salt and poured it in a pattern that she'd seen in her spell book multiple times after the past few days. Her dark hair billowed around her as the winds picked up. She lightly hummed and closed her eyes, focusing on the spell she had practiced. Jane-Anne knew that Hayley had entered the bayou and had finished the spell when another image entered her mind. She saw a woman with long dark curls and warm inviting brown eyes. Whispers on the air invaded her ears, speaking words that were only to be heard by the witch who was frantically trying to sort them out. Perhaps this woman was here in New Orleans, but the witches seemed to shake their heads at her. They showed her distorted images, and let her listen to garbled voices, but it didn't help Jane-Anne. As she focused harder on drawing more energy from the witches to help solve this mystery, she hardly noticed that vampires were drawing closer. The candles around her flickered and the witch opened her dark eyes hearing the spirits warn her of the intruders. Before the vampires grabbed her, she sent the images and messages to Sophie, knowing that she wouldn't live to tell her in person.
Mystic Falls
"New Orleans? What the hell is Klaus doing there?" Rebekah questioned.
Elijah looked back at his sister. "Evidently there are witches conspiring against him. So, knowing our brother, this was a mission to silence and slaughter."
"Who tipped him off?" Giuliana asked.
"Darling Katerina." The blonde spat. "Of course she manages to squeeze right by."
"Enough, Rebekah," Elijah grunted.
"I'm supposed to feel sorry for her? I don't think so, Elijah. She's a nasty wench that manages to stomp on the heart of every man she comes across. You, being a prime example." She spoke and Elijah didn't reply. Giuliana frowned, remembering back to the night when she mentioned the woman the left Elijah was a fool. Perhaps it was Katherine and perhaps this was a fresh wound.
"You've said your peace, sister." The Original said once he caught Giuliana's frown.
"Well, the French Quarter witches are not a lot to be trifled with. You don't suppose they've found a way to kill him once and for all, do you?" The blonde smiled before taking a sip of her drink.
Elijah was none too pleased with her response. "Rebekah, in the name of our family, you might try to dial down your glee."
"What family?" She scoffed. "We're three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline. I, for one, hope they've found a way to make that traitorous bastard rot."
"Nothing like a little sibling love to brighten your day." Giuliana chimed in with a scowl.
"What is she still doing here?" Rebekah nodded to her.
"Well, 'she' is standing right her. Maybe you should ask her yourself." The brunette deadpanned.
"Giuliana is seeking refuge here until Silas backs off." Elijah defended. "Since she is of the hunter bloodline, Silas is finding it much too amusing to toy with her."
"Besides, it's not like I'm bothering you," Giuliana added.
"Fine," Rebekah shrugged and watched as Elijah gathered himself to leave the room. "Where are you going?"
"To find out who's making a move against our brother. And then I'll either stop them or I'll help them." Elijah fixed his suit jacket and tilted his head. "Depending on my mood." His sister rolled her blue eyes and stalked off, muttering something about how she didn't care if Klaus lived or died while Giuliana darted after the Original brother.
"I'm coming with you," she told him.
"You are to stay here with my sister. Right now, she's the only one who can protect you." He clearly was not in the mood to negotiate with her.
"And what about when Rebekah goes to school? Silas can come in this house and pretend that he's anyone he wants." She fought.
"You can go to school with her." The Original said.
Giuliana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I already don't like spending time with Rebekah, so what makes you think I'd want to go to school with her?"
"Giuliana-"
"Elijah, please. I don't want to live in Mystic Falls if I have to live in fear." She frowned.
Elijah's eyes met hers and he could see the fear in them. Giuliana would normally never show when she was afraid and that worried Elijah. It was never his intention to put her in danger or to make her feel like she was living in fear, but Mystic Falls had turned completely upside down. She gave him the tiniest smile in hopes that it would sway him into letting her go to New Orleans with him. They both looked upon each other for some time before Elijah spoke again.
"How quickly can you pack?" A wide smile spread across Giuliana's lips and she hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, thank you!" She beamed and his arms slowly embraced her back. He hadn't been so close to a woman since...since Katherine. Giuliana felt different than Katherine. Stronger, yet more womanly. Her limbs were lined with a hard muscled armor, yet her body was wrapped in bountiful curves. Giuliana pulled back, a smile still on her lips before darting out of the foyer and to her house to pack for her trip.
She'd never been to New Orleans before.
New Orleans
The French Quarter was alive with throng of vampires crawling along the streets. They were hardly subtle and showcased their supernatural abilities without fear of persecution. Elijah had never seen such a display of lechery and hedonism, especially in the modern day and in public. They certainly were a rowdy bunch and they made sure to show it. As Giuliana and Elijah walked along the streets, he made sure to slip a protective arm around the woman's waist. He felt uneasy around these arrogant young vampires and he wanted them to know that Giuliana was not to be trifled with or else they would have to answer to him.
She felt his arm slip around her waist and she smiled at that. "I can take care of myself, Elijah."
"I'll be hearing none of that," he told her as they passed a group of vampires who were whistling at her. "As long as you are here with me, you'll be under my protection."
"Thank you," Giuliana had always taken care of herself, so it seemed almost unusual to have someone be so interested in taking care of her for a change. "You spoke with Sophie?"
Elijah nodded, however his jaw clenched tightly. "You will find out what we spoke about very shortly." To Giuliana's dismay, Elijah and Sophie spoke alone because the young witch was hesitant about who to trust.
"Did Cassandra ever meet her?" She asked him.
"I'm not quite sure. Why?"
"Because when we saved her from those two vampires, she called me Cassandra." Giuliana replied and the Original shrugged. "She wouldn't tell me anything."
"Maybe they know each other," he said simply and stopped in front of a building abruptly. Klaus's voice was coming from the rooftop and he peered up to see him talking with another man. The pair on the ground waited in silence until the other man left and Elijah held Giuliana tightly around her hips.
"Not afraid of heights, are you?" He quirked a smirk and flashed them up before Giuliana could answer. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder but she was already up on the balcony on the other side of the adjoining room.
"Are you alright?" He asked when she didn't release her tight hold on him.
Giuliana pulled back quickly, not wanting to look weak and tucked a long wave behind her ear. "Yes."
The pair then moved from the balcony and through the room to meet with Klaus. They were standing right behind him the Original hybrid didn't even turn to acknowledge them even though he heard them loud and clear.
"Evening, Elijah." He greeted while keeping his eyes fixated on the streets below him.
Elijah stepped forward to stand near his brother. "Niklaus."
Klaus turned to face him. "What an entirely unwelcome surprise."
"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome." His brother quipped. "Come with me."
"I'm not going anywhere. Not till I find out who's conspiring against me." He growled.
"Then you should come with us." Giuliana said and the hybrid narrowed his blue eyes at her. "We just found that out for you."
"Is that so?" He hissed.
"Yes, Niklaus. So I suggest that you come with us if you want answers."
Giuliana pushed open the tall iron gates to the Lafayette Cemetery and let the two Originals in before closing the gates behind them. The three of them walked along the cobblestone path till they reached a mausoleum and Giuliana shivered. She had been asleep in one for a couple hundred years and she was hoping to never step into one ever again.
"What are we doing here?" Klaus asked impatiently.
Elijah climbed up the steps and pulled the door open. "You wanna know what the witches have in store for you? Follow me." They entered the mausoleum to see Sophie standing inside.
"Sophie Deveraux. What is this?" Klaus asked.
"He's all yours. Proceed." Elijah told the witch.
Sophie looked to Klaus. "You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him, and you're gonna help me."
Klaus smirked to himself, amused that this little witch was thinking that he'd just help her take down Marcel. "This is why you brought me here?"
"Hear her out." Giuliana muttered.
"I don't need to hear her out." He hissed at her. "I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time." The creaking of the mausoleum door opening made Giuliana turn and raise her eyebrows to see Hayley being ushered in with a few more witches. Klaus was clueless as to why she was here too and looked to his brother
"Elijah, what madness is this?"
Hayley gulped loudly. "Klaus. You need to listen to them."
Klaus's lips quirked into a smirk as he laughed at the three ring circus that he was a witness to. "You're all out of your minds if you think some liquor-fueled, one-night stand, no offense, sweetheart, means a thing to me." He jabbed a finger at Hayley and she recoiled at that and so did Giuliana. This was the first time hearing that Klaus and Hayley slept together.
"Marcel may be able to keep up from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new." Sophie said. "For example, I have a special gift...of sensing when a girl is pregnant."
Any traces of amusement left Klaus's face and even Giuliana cast a glance to Elijah who remained quiet.
"What?" Klaus eyed Hayley.
"I know it's impossible..." The wolf trailed off.
"What are you saying?" He asked them.
"Niklaus," Elijah called. "The girl is carrying your child." Giuliana's stomach dropped and her green eyes went wide with surprise. Klaus's entire demeanor changed as well. His confident posture and smug attitude faltered as he stared at Sophie.
"No. It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate." He shook his head.
"But werewolves can." The witch said. "Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes." Giuliana was only catching some of Sophie's words; she was too stunned and speechless to even listen. She...she felt something for Klaus and she thought that he felt something too, yet he slept with Hayley. She knew that she shouldn't care, but she did. Hayley was now pregnant with Klaus's child and she didn't even want to look at him.
The Original hybrid scowled before turning on the wolf and shouting at her. "You've been with someone else, admit it!"
"Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?" Hayley snarled back.
"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us." Sophie's explanation made them look between one another. "If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress."
Hayley shifted nervously. "Wait, what?"
Elijah stepped forward now, not wanting this to end in violence. "Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself."
Sophie shook her head. "No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules."
Klaus flashed to stand before the witch. "How dare you command me...threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies." He shouted and turned to leave but Elijah stopped him.
"Niklaus. Listen." The entire mausoleum went silent and Klaus turned towards Hayley who had placed a hand over her stomach. Giuliana couldn't hear it, but the Original brothers heard a rapidly beating heartbeat coming from the young wolf. Klaus's eye met Hayley's in complete wonderment and he then looked to Giuliana who averted his gaze. Gathering himself, he clenched his fists and turned to Elijah.
"Kill her and the baby. What do I care?" He growled and pushed past the group and rushed out of the mausoleum.
Mystic Falls
"Well, well, well," Rebekah tsked. "Look what the wind blew in."
Cassandra rolled her eyes and tapped her heel against the hardwood floor. "You'd think after being around for a while you'd have a better array of insults."
"What are you doing here?" The blonde asked. "Come to rub it in my face that I didn't get the cure?"
"It wasn't my original intention, but now that you mentioned it," Cassandra grinned and crossed her arms over her chest. "There's no use pouting about it because none of us who wanted it got it."
"But I wanted it," she growled. "I wanted a human life more than anything."
"Whatever," she clicked her teeth. "Well, this little pow wow we're having is nice and all, but I'm here to speak to Elijah."
"He's not here. He's in New Orleans."
Cassandra wrinkled her nose. "Never pictured Elijah throwing beads before."
"Some witch is trying to kill Klaus." She replied.
"Again?" The hybrid scoffed. "Let's hope they get it done this time and find a way to do it without killing me...then again, I couldn't give a damn."
"What's got you all pessimistic?" She asked and Cassandra didn't answer her. The blonde continued to eye her curiously. "You turned it off, didn't you?" The brunette smirked widely, biting her bottom lip. "Why?"
"Well, not completely. I still have a little smidgen of emotion left in me." She said.
"You could have fooled me." Rebekah shrugged, but something clicked in her head. She remembered Damon and Elena talking about how emotionless and volatile Cassandra was during the nineteen seventies. Now, she was just teetering on the edge and one little push would do the trick. Luckily for Rebekah, she had that one little push, but to Cassandra, it would be a ruthless shove off the edge of a cliff.
"Do you know why else Elijah went to New Orleans?"
"Nope, but please, the suspense is killing me," she droned sarcastically.
"You remember that werewolf girl Hayley, right?" Rebekah raised an eyebrow.
"Never met her, but I heard that she was a tramp." Cassandra deadpanned.
"Well, she pregnant." She said and the hybrid simply shrugged.
"That doesn't surprise me. Wolves don't know how to keep their legs clos-"
"With Klaus's child." Rebekah interrupted with a vicious smirk. Cassandra's mind suddenly went blank as she stared back at the Original sister. A child? Hayley was carrying Klaus's child?!
The hybrid let out a string of laughs, shaking her head. "No way. That's impossible."
"Oh, it's possible, Cassandra. I know that I could never imagine Nik as a father, but-"
"You're lying." She growled angrily and the blonde took phone out of her pocket.
"I can call Elijah. After all, he's the one that told me." Without even waiting for Cassandra to reply, she was holding the phone to her ear, listening to it ring.
"Rebekah?" Elijah promptly answered on the second ring. "Is everything alright?" Worry was laced in his tone in the fear that Silas was pestering his little sister. Rebekah didn't even get the chance to answer since Cassandra ripped the phone from her hand.
"Elijah, please tell me it's not true." She begged into the receiver.
"Cassandra? What are you talking about?" He asked.
"You know very well what I'm talking about," Cassandra couldn't even form the word "baby". It left a bad taste in her mouth. She feared that if she did utter that very word that it would all be true. Rebekah smirked on as she watched her nemesis break down. "Tell me it's a lie, Elijah!"
The entire room remained silent, even Elijah was speechless for what seemed like hours. He knew that she wanted a baby more than anything and he had guessed that Rebekah had done this intentionally to spite Cassandra. After clearing his throat, Elijah gave her a very grave answer.
"Hayley is carrying Klaus's child."
It hit her like an atomic bomb, corroding her brain till it was nothing but a pile of dust. Klaus...was going to be...a father? The wind was nearly knocked out of her and tears burned her eyes, threatening to fall. Her breathing was labored, coming out in shallow pants as she let the phone drop from her ear even though she could hear Elijah calling her name. She flashed to Rebekah, holding onto her neck tightly.
"I should kill you," Cassandra hissed dangerously.
"You can't," Rebekah rasped gleefully. "Klaus took the white oak stake with him to New Orleans."
Cassandra clenched her teeth and tightened her grip even more. Normally, Rebekah would be able to fight her off, but Cassandra's rage was so great it was affecting her strength. "I guess I'll have to improvise." With a rough snap, she dislocated Rebekah's spine and tossed her limp body to the floor. Cassandra looked upon the still Original with empty eyes, the tears that had escaped were now drying and her anger subsided. Everything about her was suddenly different, but the most profound were how her eyes were no longer filled with life. They were cold and dull, all traces of old self were gone. She was a shell of the woman she once was. Cassandra felt wonderfully numb as a malicious smirk painted her lips and she stepped over Rebekah's body. Hunger tugged at her veins and she was feeling the need to rip open a few throats.
New Orleans
An hour or so later, Giuliana and Hayley were silently stewing in the home Elijah had rented for himself and the ex-hunter to stay in. The two women hadn't said a word to one another after the whole pregnancy bomb exploded. Sick of just sitting around, Giuliana proceeded to unpack her things in an effort to keep her mind off of thinking about Klaus. They hadn't seen one another since the meeting in the mausoleum and she was worried that he just stalked off. She knew that she shouldn't be angry at Klaus for sleeping with Hayley, after all they were not in a relationship by any stretch of the imagination, but it hurt her.
"Remind me why I get dragged into these things again?" Giuliana huffed as she threw her suitcase onto the bed.
"Beats me," Hayley shrugged and picked at her cuticles.
"I figured that I'd be enjoying the sights, not babysitting a werewolf baby mama." She grumbled and sifted through her things, eager to get clothes on hangers and into the closet. Hayley didn't respond to the insult, she was too nervous to fight back. These past few days had been absolute hell for her. She'd gone to New Orleans in the hopes of finding some sort of paper trail that would lead to her parents, but that mission was thwarted by a bunch of witches kidnapping her and holding her up in a bayou. As if that wasn't enough, she was now pregnant with Klaus's freaky werewolf baby. Hayley stood and made her way over to where Giuliana was methodically hanging her clothes.
"Look, I know we have our issues. You don't like me," the werewolf stated.
Giuliana scoffed. "Clearly."
"But we're both stuck in this together and..." Hayley's voice trailed off as she looked down to her stomach. She placed a hand over it and met Giuliana's eyes. "I'm scared."
The ex-hunter's eyes softened a little and she sighed deeply. She stopped her work and faced the wolf, giving her a little smile. "I know that you're scared, but we're all going to protect you and help you through this, okay?" The werewolf nodded, her nerves calming a little.
"Thank you."
"I guess we should stock up on chew toys for when the baby comes..." Hayley scowled and Giuliana held up her hands. "Last dog joke, I swear. Unless you piss me off, then its fair game." She laughed and Hayley did too. Perhaps these two would learn to get along. Hayley stayed a little longer to help her unpack and they just enjoyed having a civil conversation with one another.
"So, you and Klaus?" Hayley questioned with a smirk.
Giuliana shook her head, continuing with her work. "What about it?"
"Well, I know that he likes you and I did catch you two practically having sex in that chair." She wrinkled her nose.
"Thanks for reminding me," the ex-hunter deadpanned.
"That night when he...called me to come over, he was drunk as a skunk and said that you rejected him." She said.
"He killed my brother." The woman frowned. "I had to stop myself from falling for his hollow charm."
"It was pretty pathetic actually," Hayley sighed. "Never seen a man wallow in self pity and I'm sure you're hurt that I'm pregnant with this miracle baby."
"Look, uhm, I'm really tired, so I'm just going to finish this tomorrow." Giuliana jumped on the tail end of Hayley's words. She was quickly becoming overwhelmed and her mind kept going back to Klaus.
Hayley's gaze met the floor and she nodded. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for everything." Giuliana simply nodded as she rushed around her room just to tidy it up a bit before heading to bed. Once the wolf was gone, Giuliana snatched up a mug from the end table and launched it at the wall, but the sound of glass breaking never came to her.
"You never had good aim," Klaus tsked as he gently placed the glass down and Giuliana shifted her weight on her feet.
"Still want to kill off your own child? Or did Elijah convince you not to?" She asked snidely.
"All of this...it's all a mistake." He said.
"Like the part when you slept with Hayley." The brunette growled and he rushed to tower over her.
"Why should you care?" He asked her and she looked away from him. Klaus took her chin in his hands, directing her gaze to meet his.
"I shouldn't, but I do." She replied quietly as his thumb ran back and forth over her jaw line.
"I know you shouldn't care, but tell me why you do." He wasn't compelling her, but his deep, soothing tone was making her slowly unravel before him. Her lips opened and closed, trying to form some kind of sound, but she was speechless.
Klaus stepped closer, so their bodies were touching and his face moved closer to hers. He stared intimately into her deep green pools before gazing upon her soft lips. He could see them trembling slightly and the hand on her chin moved to cup the back of her neck.
"Klaus," she whimpered.
"Tell me why." His breath was hot against her lips.
"Just please leave." Giuliana tried to move away from him, but he then shoved her against the wall, trapping her. She looked up at him fearfully, if this was any other situation, she would have fought back but Klaus just had this hold over her.
"Niklaus." The woman looked past Klaus's shoulder to see Elijah standing tall in the doorframe. "I believe she asked you to leave." His tone was firm and not negotiable as his oak brown eyes pierced through his brother's back. The hybrid peered down at the woman and slowly loosened his grip on her. He leaned down, his eye were level with hers.
"This isn't over, Giuliana." He promised and turned on his heel, roughly shoving past his brother's shoulder without so much as giving him a second glance. Giuliana let out a shaky breath as Elijah met her with worry written all over his face.
"I'm fine," she held her hand up, stopping his words before he could even form them. Giuliana side stepped him, but Elijah took hold of her hand.
"I apologize for my brother's behavior." He said sincerely. "As you can imagine he is on edge."
"And so am I." Giuliana took her hand back and rushed around her room, grabbing a pair of pajamas.
"What do you mean?" Elijah asked curiously.
"Your brother put his charms on me, but I denied him, so he went to Hayley." She replied hastily. "I shouldn't be mad..."
"Giuliana," he appeared in front of her.
"I just want to be alone, Elijah." She took a few steps back from him. "Please, just let me be." The Original frowned deeply, pocketing his hands. He didn't mean to make her uncomfortable, but clearly his intentions were rubbing her the wrong way. He saw the way that she and Klaus interacted with one another back then and even now. They shared some special connection even though the two of them were too stubborn to admit it. Very slowly, he nodded and let her pass.
"As you wish," he uttered and she darted past him, her green eyes glued to the floor.
Mystic Falls
Matt Donavan huffed as he wiped down the surface of the bar with a damp rag. The Grill had been busy all day and he couldn't wait to head home and put his feet up. The crowds had slowly dwindled and only a few customers were around and gathering their things to leave for the night. Matt tossed the rag aside and picked up the trash can from behind the bar. It was his last duty before he had to leave, so he was sure to make it quick. He pushed open the door to the alley just off the side of the Grill and he nearly jumped out of his skin.
There he saw Cassandra feeding on a young man, quite messily actually. He had bite marks on any visible piece of skin and blood was flowing freely to puddle on the floor. Just by the dumpster, there was a pile of dead bodies, each one drained of blood. The blue eyed quarterback quickly retreated back into the bar, Cassandra was too engrossed in her meal to have seen him, and he took out his phone.
"What do you want, Donovan?" Damon grumbled.
"Your wife is draining bodies in the alleyway behind the Grill."
Damon was silent for a few moments, but Matt could hear him getting angry. "Son of a-" The vampire let out a string of curse words before composing himself again. "Just whatever you do, don't let her see you. She shut her emotions halfway off."
"You mean, like what Elena did?" He asked.
"You've broken your dumb jock stereotype, but yes, kind of like what Elena did." Damon told him. "She's really unstable, Matt, so just lay low. And, please, don't do anything stupid." Damon then hung up and Matt looked around to see that everyone in the Grill had gone and he was all alone. He tried to keep himself calm, but he couldn't exactly do that knowing that Cassandra was just outside the Grill. His pulse was ringing in his ears and he took an empty bottle from the garbage, cracking it over the side of the bar to make it into a jagged point. If Cassandra was to come after him, he'd at least have a weapon to fight with. He gripped the neck of the bottle and whipped around hearing a creak in the floorboards. The palms of his hands grew sweaty and adrenaline was making his entire body tremble. He gulped nervously, unsure for how much longer his human body could be under this much stress. A finger tickled the back of his neck and he turned around only to see that he was jabbing at nothing, but turned back around to see Cassandra standing there.
She looked absolutely gruesome, like something out of a horror movie. Blood stained her clothes and was matted to her hands and the tips of her hair. It ran down her lips and over her chin, glistening in the dim lighting of the Grill. Her eyes were very dark, almost black as she smirked at him with fangs fully bared.
"Well, are you going to just stand there?" She hissed and Matt stepped back from her. "Or are you going to offer me a drink?"
"Stay away from me." He waved the broken bottle at her and she barely moved, unfazed by the jagged glass.
"I guess I'll have to make my own drink then." Wisps of amber mingled with the darker parts of her eyes and she lunged for his neck. The quarterback recoiled but the hybrid was stopped in her tracks by a stake going through her back. She stumbled forward, reaching around to grasp at it and saw Damon standing there with a stake gun.
"Going after football players? That's a little low even for you." He cocked the gun, aiming at her should she move again.
Smirking, she retracted the stake from her back and twiddled it between her bloody hands. "Come to check in on me?"
"Actually, I'm here to ask you why there are bodies outside the Grill." He said.
"I was hungry," she purred, licking her lips. "And I still want more." Cassandra spun around feeling Matt sneak up behind her and bit into his neck. He tried to attack her, but her sense of hearing was just too good for him. She didn't even get the chance to really enjoy her meal since she felt a needle being stuck in her back and the fatal concoction of vervain and wolfsbane enter her veins. Her limbs weakened and she fell back into Damon's arms as she fought consciousness. Matt held his neck to stop the bleeding and Damon situated his wife in his grip.
"I told you not to do anything stupid," the vampire scolded.
"Hey, man, she attacked me first." Matt argued and looked down at Cassandra whose eyes had fallen closed. "What the hell happened to her?"
Damon frowned, swallowing his pride. "She only had her emotions shut off halfway, but now they are completely off."
"Did something trigger it?" He asked.
"I'll have to find that out when she gets up." Damon replied and jerked his head to some blood on the floor. "Clean this mess up. I'm going to take her home."
New Orleans
Sleep hadn't come easily for Giuliana, so she snuck out of the house and headed down to a bar that was nestled on the streets in the Quarter. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of Klaus and the baby and she couldn't make them stop. They nagged her like a child vying for attention from their parents and she was now sporting a splitting headache. She was nursing a glass of red wine when she heard some men talking.
"I don't like it, Marcel. I don't like it at all." She didn't dare turn her head; she didn't want her cover to be blown. Elijah and Sophie had warned her to stay away from Marcel until the time was right, but this situation had come to her as a complete surprise. She lifted her glass to her lips, sipping quietly ad she kept listening.
"He healed him." A smooth voice said and she could have only guess that belonged to the King of the Quarter himself, Marcel. "What's done is done."
"But he broke one of your rules and you're letting him walk free!" The man argued heatedly and Giuliana sneakily peeked over her shoulder to get a closer look.
"My hands are tied, Diego." The darker skinned man replied. "But Klaus healed the guy and he is my sire. He taught me everything I know. I can't turn my back on him." He must have felt someone's eyes on him and his gaze met Giuliana's. The woman immediately turned back around and cursed herself for her inability to listen to orders. She heard Marcel whisper something to his crony and she pushed her nerves down, suffocating them as to not alarm the vampire or make him suspicious of her presence. She took a few more sips and she noticed that someone slipped onto the stool next to her.
"Hi there," she glanced at Marcel who was smiling charmingly at her. "I've never seen you around here before. You new?"
"Visiting." Giuliana said, swirling her glass around.
"Well, a woman like you shouldn't be at a bar so late at night." Marcel purred. "There are dangerous people out there."
"Don't I know it?" She smirked.
"I'm Marcel." He held out his hand and she eyed it cautiously.
"I'm not telling you my name," she shook her head. "After all, there are dangerous people out there." It was a dig at him, but Giuliana would hardly let herself become Marcel's little toy.
Marcel's smirk grew even wider, clearly amused that this little thing had such a sharp tongue and was even daring to try and challenge him. He could sniff out the fact that she was a human from across the bar and he always enjoyed new meat.
"Maybe I am dangerous, but how would you know?" He asked and she pursed her lips.
"I guess I wouldn't, but I call them like I see them." Giuliana leaned in close to Marcel, sizing him up. "And a little red flag is going off in my head when I see you, so I guess you are dangerous."
The vampire was ready to retort, when Diego had come back, eagerly waiting for Marcel to end his conversation. The dark skinned man nodded to his friend and hopped off his stool, casting a look to Giuliana again. "I'll be seeing you around?"
Giuliana smirked again, shrugging her shoulders coyly. "Maybe you will, maybe you won't." Marcel and Diego left without another word and the two vampires continued their chatter.
"So much for dessert," Marcel grunted.
"C'mon, her? You managed to let a morsel like her get away?" Diego quipped.
"She's a firecracker that one, but don't worry, my friend, no one ever said that it was over." The vampire grinned and they left the bar.
Giuliana finally relaxed back in her chair hearing them leave and let out a shaky breath. She figured that it wouldn't be a smart move to tell Elijah that she met with Marcel. Reaching inside her purse to take out some money, the bartender picked up her empty glass.
"Good to know that there are women who don't give it up to the first guy they see," the blonde girl chuckled as she wiped down where Giuliana's glass had been.
The brunette looked questioningly up at her, clearly taken off guard by her comment. "I'm sorry?"
"That guy, Marcel. He tried to pick me up earlier too." She explained with a scowl. "I guess when one girl doesn't fall for his charms, he moves to the next one."
"I know too many men like that." Giuliana sighed deeply, her mind immediately going back to Klaus. She didn't bend to him, so he moved onto the next girl.
"Me too. I'm Camille, by the way." She gave her a warm, friendly smile. "Cami for short."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Giuliana." Reaching into her bag, she placed a twenty dollar bill on the bar. "Thanks for the talk and I'll see you around."
"No problem. Anytime." Cami took the money and tucked it into the pocket of her apron. "Get home safe, okay?"
"I will." She grabbed her purse and left the bar, making sure to look over her shoulder twice to make sure that she wasn't being followed, but she was unaware that she was being watched.
Mystic Falls
"Rise and shine." Cassandra groaned out at the cheery voice that was much louder and closer to her than she'd have liked it to be. It was followed by the sounds of a lock sliding to the side and a door being pushed open to which Cassandra cracked open her eyes. Her entire body was achy and cold, maybe the reason for that was that she was sleeping on the floor in a cell. As she struggled to sit up, she saw Stefan crouching in front of her.
"Have a nice nap?" He asked with a smirk and she scowled at him. "You don't look so good."
"I'm hungry," Cassandra then looked down at her wrists to see trails of dried blood and the skin had healed over. "What..."
"I decided to bleed you out because you were fighting the toxin Damon gave you." Stefan replied. "I had to find some way to keep you down." Cassandra was ready to give him an insult when he produced a blood bag from behind his back. Her eyes were focused on the blood encased in plastic and she yanked it from his hands. Stefan didn't try to stop her, instead he just watched her rip open the top of the bag with her fangs and start drinking. The hybrid moaned out in pleasure, feeling her strength come back to her when-
Vervain.
Cassandra spit up the burning liquid, retching to get up what she had swallowed while Stefan chuckled to himself. "You sneaky son of a-"
"Good, keep going with that. How does that make you feel? Hurt because I'd betray you? Angry because I'd cause you pain? Or scared, because you know it's gonna get a lot worse?" Angrily, she threw the blood pack at him, but it missed him just barely and splattered against the wall. "I'm gonna go with angry."
"You've never seen me without emotions, Stef." She grinned evilly. "You're in for a real treat."
"Oh, I'm sure I am." He said. "But as much as I'd love to see you without a scrap of humanity, my brother won't allow you to keep going on like this." Pulling every ounce of strength that she had left in her, Cassandra flashed to the open door, but stopped in her tracks; Damon was blocking the doorway. She looked back over her shoulder at Stefan to see that he was now standing and both brothers were preventing her from leaving the cell.
"I suggest that you get comfy, Cass." Damon ordered gruffly and she peered up at him.
"You boys wanna play games? Go ahead. Let's see who breaks first. Me...or you." She threatened and Damon walked further into the cell. He gripped the handle on the heavy door and pulled it closed with a loud slam, locking all three of them in the cell.
**It seems like the tables are turning in a very interesting way. Cassandra will be very different now with her emotions off and Damon and the gang will struggle to get her back to normal again. Please, please, please review! I want this story to pass "You and I" which is now at 500 and its still going!**
ADORATIO: Thank you for reviewing! Yes, my heart broke for Damon and Cassandra too :( It hurts me to have them hurting, but perhaps something happy might happen for them.
Silently Tearful: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though Cassandra turned off her emotions. It was only a matter of time before Cassandra shut it off and now it will be a struggle for her to turn them back on.
vikki . dillard: Thank you for posting your review! I agree, that was some hot-hybrid "almost sex" LOL! I don't really get what you mean by: "i hope that she comes out of it before damon dies!"? Gaahh! Please specify, girl!
Daisy96: Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, this chapter was cruel, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it! I want Damon and Cassandra to get what they want in the end too! As far as an Originals based fanfiction, I am planning on moving Giuliana over to the Originals show. I also have some ideas for a separate Klaus/OC story that would follow the Originals storyline. I'll have to see about the both of them when the show air again.
Whitttyyy76: Thank you for reviewing! I know, it was even sader for me to write :'( I want this baby to happen for Damon and Cassandra, but Silas is just too cruel to let it happen. Well, after reading this chapter, you know that she did, in fact, shut off her emotions and I'd be interested to hear your predictions about the next chapter.
Tvdlover87654: Thanks for reviewing, girl! The pregnancy was too good to be true, but Silas is just a sneaky little bastard who likes to play with people's minds. The ending was really sad for me to write and even read, but there are no promises that Silas won't mess with her head anymore. The flashbacks between Klaus/Giuliana and Elijah/Giuliana were so much fun to write and I hope that I can whip up some more! Hehe, well, Klaus slept with Hayley in a moment of weakness, but it was amusing to have him kick her out of bed.
Guest: Thank you for reviewing! Yes, yes, yes :( Cassandra did shut off her emotions and I know that it will kill Damon, but it will be interesting to see what lengths he will go to in order to get her back to normal.
grapejuice101: Thanks, girl! Here is your update :D
Guest: Thank you for posting a review! I'm glad that you enjoyed this chapter even though it left you heartbroken in the end :( It is hard for me to make Damon and Cassandra struggle, but hopefully she'll get herself back soon.
Somebody Who Cares: Thanks for reviewing! It was nice to see Cassandra get what she wanted, but it was heartbreaking to have it taken away from her :( Hopefully these two will get what they want in the end. As for the sex tape, I'd watch it ;)
xoxobianca13: Thank you, thank you :D I am really excited to close this chapter on the show, but I'm even more excited to see what Season 5 has in store for me! Damon/Cassandra and Klaus/Giuliana are pretty awesome couples and I'm happy that people are enjoying their chemistry! I'm hoping to update my other stories with the summer coming up, so keep a look out for them!
CharmedGirl92: Thank you so much for reviewing :D Yes, poor Cassandra :( I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll talk to you soon!
Lycan Lover 411: Thanks for reviewing! I liked writing that flashback too! It was cute and sexy at the same time! Well, I can see Damon wearing a pair of grey sweatpants with the draw string hanging and the waistband slug low around his hips...*wipes drool* I like to use my imagination ;) Well, I'm glad that I was able to make you cry even though it was hard to make Cassandra and Damon break down in the way that they did. Silas is a little cheeky bastard and I'm kind of anxious to see what his other plans will be. I really enjoy writing flashback and the one with Elijah and Giuliana I had written for a long time and I was looking for a place to put it in and I finally found it! YAY! Unfortunately, Cassandra did turn it off and it will be a struggle for Damon to make her turn it back on.
spankbabygirl88: Thank you so much for your review! I wish that season 4 was really like this too! Now, only if Julie Plec would read this story...LOL! Damon and Cassandra are pretty awesome and I really wish that they were in the show.
Guest: Here's your update! Thanks for reviewing!
TruffleWomenz: Weeellll, it looked like she did turn it off :( It'll be hard for Damon to make Cassandra turn it back on, but I hope you'll enjoy it! Thank you for reviewing!