The girl led Niklaus and I to the kitchen where we found another lady. Nik made them invite Stefan in and quickly got the information he needed. Then he pulled me from the house leaving Stefan to kill the two women.
Once we were back in the car he turned to me and demanded, "What is with you today?"
I sighed, "I had a dream last night, it brought up a lot of memories I had buried."
"What memories?"
I looked out the window instead of at Uncle Nik. "Memories about my first marriage."
"When was this?" I could hear the tension in his voice. I let out a small smile, knowing that he was feeling over protective of me.
"Hmmm, Not long after I turned 26 my uncle forced me to get married, so it would have been sometime in 1796."
"Good memories or bad?"
"Both I suppose, though most of the good memories are tainted by bad ones."
"What happened?"
Without even really realizing what Niklaus had just done I opened up to him. "The first night I slept with my husband his son ran away from home. His nanny told him I hated him. I'd been there about 5 years at this point."
"How old was he?"
"About 8, he was missing for weeks before we had any news on him. Turns out my mother found him."
"How did you find that out?"
I laughed derisively, "We had fired the nanny once we found out what she had done, but I couldn't just leave it there. I had a couple friends pick her up and I took her to my mother."
"Why her?"
I turned to look at Niklaus. "She was always looking for new people to turn so that they could serve in her army. She'd keep them for a year if they survived then she would kill them. She's the same Maria that won all the battles in the Southern Vampire Wars."
Niklaus stared at me, deep shock written across his face. I merely nodded at him, confirming my words as truth, but before I could say anything else Stefan dropped into the back seat of the car drenched in blood. Niklaus schooled his face to be neutral and turned to start the car, sending me one last glance telling me that our conversation wasn't over.
Niklaus drove us to a bar called Southern Comfort in Troy, Tennessee. After Stefan donned a clean shirt on, we walked in just as the bar tender greeted a man by name.
"What's up Ray?" Our ears perked up, Ray was the name of the man we were looking for.
"Hey Red, get me a beer." The man called Ray ordered a beer from the bar tender.
Niklaus walked up to Ray and asked him, "Ray? Ray Sutton?"
"Who wants to know?" Ray asked coldly.
A feral grin crossed Uncle Nik's face, "I've been looking everywhere for you. We started in Florida, Pensacola. I met a young chap there who you used to work with before you moved to Memphis, now he directed me to two lovely young women. And they led me here, to you."
Ray started getting nervous, "I think I'll be going." He tried to slip past Niklaus but Uncle Nik stepped in his way.
"Not so fast mate. You only just got here, now your type are very hard to come by." Ray ignored him and tried to slip out by me. I blocked him with a smirk. He then tried to walk another way but bumped into Stefan.
"I wouldn't do that," Stefan growled at Ray pushing him back into the counter.
"Vampires!" Ray gasped out.
Niklaus laughed, "You're swifty swift Ray! Yes! My friend here is a vampire." He gestured to Stefan. "He compelled everybody in the bar so don't look to them for any help." He then gestured to me, simplifying what I am for Ray, for there was no need to tell him everything. "She's a witch. I however, I'm something else, a different kind of monster. I've got some vampire, I've got some wolf."
Ray looked at Uncle Nik in shock, "You what?"
Niklaus addressed Ray as if he was a child, "A hybrid Ray, I'm both. You see I want to create more of me. Now you being the first werewolf that I've come across in many a moon, pun intended Ray! I need you to direct me to your pack. So, where can I find them Ray?"
Ray glared at Niklaus, "You can't compel me - it won't work."
Stefan started scratching his head, Niklaus looked at him and Stefan nodded. I sighed as I leaned against the counter, knowing where the situation was heading.
I turned to the bartender, "I'd like a whiskey."
Before he could get it for me Stefan turned to him and compelled him, "Can you bring out the darts please?"
I glared at Stefan, "Seriously? You couldn't have waited until after I had my drink?"
Stefan ignored me compelling the bartender again when he handed Stefan the darts. "Don't ever get her a whiskey or any kind of alcoholic beverage."
"Stefan!" I shrieked, "Some brother-in-law you are!"
"Ex-brother-in-law," He replied smugly.
"Klaus!" I whined.
"Sit down Estelle and be quiet!" Uncle Nik ordered pushing me towards a chair.
I sat down in a huff, "It's not fair!" I mumbled under my breath.
Niklaus reached over and gave my shoulder a warning squeeze, telling me that he wasn't in the mood to be disobeyed. I sighed again but nodded showing him I'd cooperate, He then nodded at Stefan to continue.
Stefan turned to Ray, "Tell you what Ray, We're gonna play a little drinking game, something I like to call truth or wolfsbane."
He pulled out a pouch of wolfsbane, poured it into his hand, crushing it with his fingers. Uncle Nik grinned, "Oh, this is gonna be fun Ray."
I groaned quietly and laid down my head on the table. A couple hours later I was still sitting at the same table with Niklaus as we watched Stefan play with Ray. Stefan had chained Ray to a wall and was throwing darts dipped in wolfsbane at him.
"Ray, you can end this right now. Just tell me where your pack gathers for the full moon," Stefan told Ray as he stirred a cup of water and wolfsbane with a dart.
"I can't," Ray moaned.
Stefan nodded safely, "I know, I know. You live by code and all that, but see he's not gonna let me stop until you tell me. And I do whatever he says so, that's the way it goes around here."
With everyone in the bar compelled to ignore us I was a bit startled when a woman approached Uncle Nik. "Hello mister Klaus. I have some more information for you."
I cocked my head, wondering what she had to say. Stefan apparently also wanted to know as he stopped what he was doing and walked over. Uncle Nik ignored us and merely nodded for her to continue as he leaned forward as he listened to what the woman had to say.
"You told me to tell you if I saw anything. I saw the guys spotted Damon at the farm house." She said smoothly.
I frowned sitting up straighter, Damon on our heels meant nothing but trouble and I wasn't sure I could keep him safe. Interfering with Niklaus' plans wasn't going to end well for him.
Niklaus cut eyes at me as he said, "Well, thank you Claudine. You'll just tell your friends to keep up the good work."
Claudine nodded and walked away not paying Stefan or i any attention. I looked at Niklaus raising an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Uncle Nik pushed his chair back and made to stand up.
Stefan placed his hands on the table and leaned towards Uncle Nik, "My brother still on our trail?"
Klaus answered lazily leaning back in his chair, "He's getting closer, I'm gonna have to deal with that."
Stefan grabbed Niklaus' arm, "No, no, no! Let me handle it."
Niklaus raised an eyebrow, letting his chair hit the ground, "Why should I let you leave?"
"Cause, you'll know I'll come back." I watched carefully wondering what Uncle Nik was going to do or say.
"Do I?" Uncle Nik asked casually.
Stefan nodded safely, "You saved my brother's life; I'm at your service."
Niklaus smirked, as he pointed to Ray, "Ah, you sound so tedious and indentured. Aren't you even having the least bit of fun?"
Stefan ignored the comment and said, "And I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us anymore."
As he walked away I muttered, "Yeah, like that will happen."
Uncle Nik looked at me curiously, "You don't think Stefan will get through to his brother?"
I shook my head, "Nope."
Niklaus shrugged before turning to the bar tender and ordering a whiskey and bourbon. Once he had the drinks in hand he handed me the whiskey.
"Got any ideas to make Ray tell us what we want to know?" He asked me after I thanked him for the whiskey.
I smirked at him, "Well it just so happens I do."
I reached into the small purse I carried that had An extendable charm on it. I pulled out a small vial and held it up. Uncle Nik recognized it right away and smirked back at me.
"You are a gem, love." He breathed out.
I smirked at him, "I know."
"Full of confidence aren't we?" Uncle Nik said with a wink as he took the vial from my hands.
"Of course!" I replied cheekily.
He turned to Ray, "Do you know what this is?" Ray didn't answer and Niklaus smirked. "I don't expect that you do. This is a potion, a very special potion. It's illegal in Europe, but not so in the USA, though it is rarely used."
Ray eyes Niklaus warily, pain from Stefan's torture evident in his eyes. He looked flat out exhausted and still he refused to rat out on his friends. I was slightly impressed by that, most people were easy to threaten information out of.
"This is verataserum, just three drop of this and you'll be sharing your darkest secrets." Niklaus informed him.
Ray's eyes widened in fear as Uncle Nik approached him with the vial or verataserum. At vampire speed Uncle Nik administered the required three drops and waited a minute or two did it to take effect. Then he asked Ray one more time the exact same question that had been asked of him all day long.
"Where can we find the wolf pack?"
With that one question Ray started to spill his guts and by the time Stefan had returned we had all the information we needed. Niklaus then fed Ray his blood and then snapped his neck. He made Stefan carry Ray as we went to find his pack.
