AN: Due to fanfiction's policy, I will be re-editing my stories accordingly for them to stay on this site. I am planning on posting the lemons on tumblr, or on my Archive of Our Own account. My username is the same as on here.
AN2: Please take the poll on my profile :)
AN3: Thanks so much to everyone for all of the amazing reviews, messages, alerts and favorites.
Beta: HarleyQuinn88
Disclaimer: I own nothing of TVD's, only Cassandra and my story.
Cassandra hummed as she busied herself in the kitchen of the Salvatore mansion. She threw open the door to the fridge, looking around for some ingredients. This morning, they'd head over to Ric's apartment to break down the Wickery Bridge sign to make it into stakes. She figured that she would make lunch for Ric since he'd been on house arrest. It was that motherly, nurturing side of her that would make an appearance every so often. She had to take care of her human friends no matter how old they were.
She pulled out some white bread, lettuce, cold cults, mayonnaise and a bunch of other things before closing the door with her behind since her hands were full. She set everything on the counter and started to make her sandwich when she heard Damon making his way downstairs. She smirked to herself, pleased with her work from last night. Damon normally liked to sleep, but he was sleeping like a rock when she got out of bed this morning. She gave him a night he would never forget.
"You're up early." He remarked with a yawn as he shuffled into the kitchen. Cassandra handed him his freshly brewed coffee with a sweet kiss.
"Good morning." She smiled and went back to making Ric's lunch. "Did you sleep well?"
"More than well." Damon smirked. "What's going on here?" The vampire asked as he watched her pop two pieces of toast in the toaster.
"Making lunch for Ric." She replied.
"Oh, for our favorite psycho killer?" Damon chuckled and he unwrapped some cold cults, taking a slice of roast beef and stuffing it in his mouth.
"Yes, just because he's on house arrest doesn't mean he can't eat like a king." Cassandra smirked, hearing the toaster pop. She took the bread out and slathered some mayo on it. She piled the sandwhich high and she placed the top piece of bread on it before wrapping it up.
"Ooh, this looks yummy." Damon reached for the tasty snack when Cassandra smacked his hand away.
"Ah, ah, ah." She tisked.
"I was talking about the cook." He smirked and pulled her close.
"Well, in that case. Kiss the cook." Cassandra wound her arms around his shoulders.
"My pleasure." He scooped her up and placed her on the counter, being mindful of the food. She crossed her ankles around his waist and combed her fingers through his dark hair. He kissed down her neck, licking around her collarbone. "Where did you learn that little trick with your tongue?" He wiggled his eyebrows.
"Mr. Grey taught me." She giggled as he bit the junction where her shoulder and neck met. "Maybe he can teach you a few tricks."
"I didn't hear you complaining last night." Damon purred. His cell phone buzzed obnoxiously in his pocket and he groaned, fishing it from his jeans and answering it. "A little busy right now, Stefan."
"Will you two stop screwing each other on every surface of the boarding house and get over here? We need the sign in order to get started." Stefan barked and the couple bellyached.
"Stefan…" Damon pouted and Cassandra chuckled, putting a finger over his lips.
"We're on our way, Stefan. I was just fixing Alaric some lunch." Cassandra defended and hung up Damon's phone. The blue eyed vampire looked questioningly at her, but she pulled him closer, her lips taking little nips at his earlobe.
"But I thought we were…" He trailed off, but his protests were muffled as Cassandra pressed her lips firmly on his.
"Alaric gets to have his lunch, so I wanna have mine." She smirked before moving her lips to press little kisses on his neck. Her tongue traced little designs over Damon's skin and his eyes rolled into the back of his sockets. Her sharp fangs ran down the column of his neck and settled on his pulse point. She suckled the spot, hearing Damon purr softly.
"What about breakfast?" He asked dreamily. Cassandra was the only woman who could make him a complete pile of goo.
"Then we better get started. We have a lot of catching up to do." She cooed and let her eyes darken and her fangs break through her gums. She seductively ran her tongue over the sharp points, winking at Damon before pulling him close and swiftly burying her fangs in his neck.
"Oh, hey, Elena!" Cassandra greeted as she opened up the door to Ric's apartment.
"Hey, how's Alaric?" The doppelganger asked worriedly.
"He's indecent, but fine." She replied and Damon appeared behind Cassandra in the doorway. "Isn't Alaric fine, babe?"
"Oh yeah, he slept like a baby, woke up 'Alaric' and there are no headlines about dead council members." Damon quipped. "What did you bring me?" He snatched the brown paper bag from Elena, opened it up and took a big whiff. "Ooh, chocolate muffins. You know the way to a psycho killer's heart is through his stomach." Elena huffed, moving to take the bag back from him, but Cassandra took it and repeated the same movements as Damon.
"Ooh yummy. One for Alaric and we can split one, babe." She said and Elena handed her the coffee. "You're a goddess. Thanks, Elena."
"Just give it to him and tell him I miss him, okay?" Elena said and Cassandra nodded.
"With pleasure." Damon rolled his eyes and started shutting the door.
"Please?"
"Have a great day!"
"Damon–"
"Thanks for coming by!" The door promptly slammed in Elena's face and Damon chuckled as he heard her let out an exasperated sigh. The couple walked further into the apartment, "Walking down the stairs," Damon perked his ears up to catalog each one of Elena's movement before they all got working again. "Opening front door, and…"
"Hit it!" Cassandra smirked and Alaric started up the buzz saw. He cut through the 'Wickery Bridge' sign. Damon sat with a stake and pocket knife in his hands as he sharpened the point of the weapon. Cassandra decided to make herself useful, so she took up a piece of wood and a spare knife lying around. She recalled the night when she tried to stab Klaus with the white oak stake and it backfired, literally. Cassandra wrinkled her nose and started to whittle the stake.
Stefan was looking through a bunch of stakes that were finished, pressing on the points, testing their sharpness. He handed a duller looking one back to Damon, "This needs to have a sharper point." He spoke.
"Got it." Damon nodded, taking the stake and running the knife along the point.
"We finally have our own stakes to kill an Original. I'm not gonna miss because you can't whittle." The vampire barked.
"I said, 'got it.' Stop micromanaging." Damon grumbled.
"Seriously, Stefan. Get that stake out of your ass." Cassandra chimed in.
"Looks like you guys have got this under control. I'm gonna call the Sheriff." Alaric spoke as he put on his jacket. All three supernatural's looked at him with wide eyes. "I wanna turn myself in."
"No you don't." Damon rolled his eyes.
"I have a homicidal alter ego. Unlike some people in this room, I would like to take responsibility for the people I've killed." The hunter explained heatedly.
"If you wanted to turn yourself in, you wouldn't be saying it out loud. Just saying." Damon quipped.
"Hey, listen, out of all people, you cannot psychoanalyze me." Alaric argued with the vampire. "I killed Caroline's father, I nearly killed Meredith. Everything's changed." Ric said and all of them could pick up the sadness that laced his voice when he brought up Meredith.
"Ric, Bonnie's herbs are working, so we know that you're in good hands." Cassandra spoke up.
"Exactly! You're not turning yourself in." Stefan grumbled. "We have Originals to kill."
"His morals get very questionable when he has revenge on the brain." Damon nodded to Stefan.
"Klaus needs to die. We finally have the chance to kill him, so you're not turning yourself in." The younger Salvatore said finally. Damon handed his stake to Cassandra to whittle and he took Ric's ring from his pocket.
"Here's your ring, Ric. Put it on." Damon handed it to him, but Ric shied away from it.
"That ring is the reason I've killed people." Alaric said darkly.
"It's also the reason you're alive. You're going vampire hunting, Ric. Wear it." He said and the hunter hesitantly took the ring in his fingers before sliding it on. Damon went back to his seat and Cassandra handed him back his stake. "When did you learn how to whittle?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm a fast learner." She shrugged simply, going back to her own stake.
The trio walked briskly through the woods, the cool, crisp air surrounding them along with a conversation between Matt, Caroline, and Elena.
"So, what are we doing here?" Matt asked as Damon, Stefan, and Cassandra walked into the clearing.
"We found some more white oak." Cassandra said with a smile.
"Long story, wait for the movie." Damon smirked.
"Hang on. White oak?" Elena looked between Damon and Cassandra and they nodded. "You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?"
"Nope." Stefan shrugged and produced a duffle bag from behind him. He tossed it on the ground and the three sets of eyes widened at the white oak stakes that were in the bag. "We all have a weapon."
"How did you get your hands on some white oak?" Matt asked.
"I borrowed some from Ric." Cassandra inclined.
"By borrowed, she means swiped it and didn't tell him." Damon smirked.
"Oh, please, you were singing my praises when I showed you." The hybrid winked. "So, let's get started."
"Scenario number one," Damon pulled Elena to have her stand separate from the group. "You get to play Klaus."
"Rebekah is our target, so we distract her and catch her off guard. To do that we need to keep Klaus separate and occupied." Stefan explained before looking over at Cassandra. "Cassandra."
"Oh, come on! Why do I have to be Klaus bait?" She grumbled.
"Because he's obsessed with you." Damon growled. He wasn't happy with the idea of having his fiancé bait Klaus, but it was something that had to be done. He fought Stefan tooth and nail on the issue, but the younger Salvatore wasn't backing down. "But for right now we need you to play Rebekah." He said and positioned her next to Matt.
"Ugh, I think I'd rather be Klaus bait." She scoffed and Damon winked at her.
"We use the quarterback to distract her. Just keep her talking." Damon spoke to the footballer.
"How?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Act interested. She's lonely, desperate." Damon rolled his eyes.
"Clearly," Cassandra huffed and the blue eyed vampire chuckled.
"Beefcake holds bombshell. I come up from behind her, grab her arms like this," He moved behind Cassandra, grabbed both arms and pulled them back roughly.
"Ow!" Cassandra groaned and Stefan came up with a stake in hand, pretending to stake Rebekah.
"Gives me time for one shot." He said and Damon let go of Cassandra. She gave him a glare for manhandling her.
"Don't pout. I don't hear you complaining when I'm rough with you at home." He smirked and she nudged him.
"Alright, you two can be rough when you get home." Stefan rolled his eyes while Elena and Caroline giggled. "So, we all have one stake, we keep it hidden and we look out for any opportunity we have."
"No last minute attacks of pity for any of them." Damon looked straight at Elena and she shuffled her feet.
"Don't worry about me. Not after what happened to Bonnie's mom." She replied.
"Barbie?" Damon raised an eyebrow at Caroline.
"Oh, I'm ready. Anything that will free Tyler from his sire bond to Klaus." Caroline replied.
"Busboy?" Cassandra nudged Matt's shoulder.
"Do I have a choice?" He shrugged jokingly.
"Good boy." Cassandra winked.
"We have twelve stakes, twelve shots at killing one Original. We can do this." Stefan said.
"Yes sir," The hybrid saluted.
"Alright, let's try another scenario. Elena, grab a crossbow." Stefan handed her a bulky crossbow and she took it with hesitant hands. "Matt, you play Klaus."
Rebekah and Klaus watched on as Finn and Sage embraced one another. So far, their plan was working to get Finn to hand over some of his blood for the unlinking spell.
"What do you know, true love prevails." Rebekah scoffed.
"It occasionally does have its uses." Klaus shrugged as he texted back Kol. He was watching over Jeremy in Denver and requested that Klaus call him when he is needed. "I suppose it's easier than torturing him."
"I have something to do. What do you need from me for this spell?" She asked.
"Just your blood and your blessing." Klaus smiled. "Where are you going?"
"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore and his little strumpet of a fiancé." She growled. "Ask Sage what they did to me. Then you'll understand why retribution is in order."
"I don't understand why you bother with them." Klaus shook his head. "They're inseparable."
"Why? Just because I'm trying to do something that you want to do." Rebekah spoke hauntingly and Klaus looked back at her. "I know you love her, Nik and she loves you too. She's just too stupid to admit it."
"Enough with this, Rebekah." He growled.
"Fine, then get your witch and get out. I'll need the living room." She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.
"And where would you like me to go?" The hybrid raised an eyebrow.
"How about the old witch house?" Rebekah suggested and Klaus seemed to go for that idea. "That way Bonnie will be in her element." She added and her brother nodded.
"Fine. I just need your blood and his before I get our little witchy friend." He smirked.
After making their donations, Sage and Finn left, along with Klaus, leaving Rebekah home along in the mansion. She marched to the living room and started moving some furniture out of the way. She shoved the long leather couches against the wall, along with the armchairs and coffee table. The blonde Original needed all the space she could get for the kind of plan she was mapping out in that deranged mind of hers. The living room was mainly clear, a big open space in the center of the room. Rebekah surveyed her space and smirked evilly, she had thought about taking revenge on Damon, solely because he was a baby vampire who needed to be put in his place. However her neck twitched and she was reminded of that thorn in her side who gave it to her. Cassandra would be perfect to play with; Rebekah would have a grand old time breaking her down. The blonde would be able to kill two birds with one stone. She'd be getting back at Damon and at the same time, she could make Klaus seem like the hero if he was to come and rescue her from the clutches of his crooked sister. Rebekah knew that Cassandra loved her brother, it was plainly written all over her face. She'd get her to admit it somehow. The Original grabbed her coat and a knife from the kitchen, this could get messy.
Back at the boarding house, Damon hid his white oak stake amongst the firewood in the fireplace in his room. Cassandra handed him extra wooden logs to mask the stake while Alaric just sat there brooding.
"I mean, did you learn nothing from the moonstone in the soap dish?" The hunter grumbled and the couple rolled their eyes.
"Why? Where'd you put yours, Mr. Vampire Hunter?" Cassandra asked with a smirk.
"Where did you put yours?" He raised an eyebrow.
The trio suddenly heard a loud crash come from the first floor. They looked between each other, no one else was home. Elena, Matt, Stefan and Caroline were all in town.
"What the hell was that?" Alaric asked warily and the couple listened for any other sounds. Cassandra heard a vase breaking downstairs and she immediately darted down the stairs. Her brown eyes flicked from one end of the room to the other. She saw the broken shards of glass littering the floor, but there was no evidence of who did it. Cassandra stepped carefully and quietly down the stairs till she was on the landing when a loud thud made her whip around. She saw a groaning Ric on the next landing of stairs up from her.
"Ric!" She ran over to him to see that he was fighting consciousness with a gaping gash on his forehead. She then ran up the stairs back to the bedroom to see Damon crumpled on the floor. Cassandra kneeled down, smacking his cheeks and let out a breath of relief to see that his neck was snapped and that he was alright. She heard the creaking of the floorboards behind her and knew that the intruder was closing in on her.
"Hello, Cassandra." Rebekah purred and the hybrid turned to lunge at her, but the Original quickly struck her with a sharp knife in the stomach. Cassandra cried out in pain feeling Rebekah twist and jab the knife further into her body. Rebekah then roughly snapped Cassandra's neck and she fell to the floor in a heap. The Original took her weapon back from Cassandra's stomach before gripping her and tossing her over her shoulder. Rebekah smirked sinisterly as she surveyed her work and sauntered out of the boarding house.
"Listen to me, Elena; do not do anything, okay?" Stefan demanded over the phone as he walked through the front door of the boarding house. He had gotten a call from her saying that Sage and Finn were in the town square. "Sage is very old and very strong. You don't stand a chance against her."
"Then get Damon and Cassandra and get down here." She hushed as quietly as she could. "I texted the both of them but they don't answer." Stefan walked through the boarding house but stopped when he saw some things that were out of place. A couple of vases were smashed to bits and some paintings that normally hung on the walls were completely destroyed. He jogged up the steps only to be met with Alaric who was waking up from his temporary coma.
"What the hell happened to you?" Stefan asked warily.
"Rebekah happened." Ric groaned.
"Stefan, what's wrong?" Elena's voice blared through the speaker as Stefan went up to Damon's room. He saw him just sitting up, massaging a kink in his neck.
"Ouch," He jerked his head to the right and the bones cracked back into their place.
"You alright?" Stefan asked.
"Yeah, I…where's Cassandra?" Damon looked around his room.
"Rebekah has her." Stefan spoke and Damon's stomach lurched.
Rebekah clamped a bear trap on Cassandra's wrist and she groaned out as the metal sliced into her skin. She had a rude awakening when she found out that Rebekah had hung her from her wrists with some thick chains that were attached to the ceiling.
"I found them in the shed." Rebekah said referring to the traps. "What kind of monster would trap a poor, defenseless animal?" She pouted as she moved to a cabinet to grab a knife from a countertop.
"We were actually trying to hunt a blonde bimbo." Cassandra snapped, pulling at the chains.
"Damon pretended to be interested in me and you snapped my neck so you and your trampy friend, Sage, could steal my thoughts. Ever since then I felt this incessant need to one up you." Rebekah circled the hybrid. She was truly pleased with herself, but the fun was just getting started. "So, I've decided to bleed the vervain from your system." She finished and danced the tip of the knife over Cassandra's collarbone. The hybrid tensed visibly before feeling Rebekah dig the knife and drag it across the top of her breast. Cassandra hissed through her teeth as the blood dripped down her skin, staining her shirt.
"This is Calvin Klein, you bitch." She growled.
"Aww, don't worry. I'm sure Damon will buy you a new one." Rebekah smirked.
"You wanna compel me to be your little plaything? A little desperate, don't you think?" Cassandra quipped.
"Don't flatter yourself. Actually, I'd rather compel you to stake Damon." She purred and the hybrid snarled low in her throat. "But, since hybrids heal, bleeding you may take a while. We should probably stick to the major arteries." The Original made another gash at her neck, slicing her carotid artery. Cassandra bit her lip, trying desperately not to show that she was in pain, she wouldn't dare give Rebekah that kind of satisfaction.
"Does your brother know that you've taken it upon yourself to string me up and threaten to kill the blood source for him to make a hybrid bloodline?" Cassandra groaned and Rebekah stopped her torture. "If you kill Elena, he'll never forgive you."
"I think he'd be more upset if I was to kill you." Rebekah smirked. "Nik has quite the temper, but you already knew that." She lifted the knife to start once again, but the ringing of Cassandra's cell phone stopped her. Rebekah pouted before reaching into Cassandra's jean pocket and fishing it out. "Hmm, it's your knight in shining armor." She sang as she dangled the phone in front of Cassandra's face. The hybrid growled and Rebekah answered the call. "Hello lover."
"Where is she?" Damon sneered.
"I haven't the slightest idea who you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb with me, Rebekah!" The vampire growled.
Damon angrily paced back and forth in his room with the phone attached to his ear. He was fuming that Rebekah had broken into the house and kidnapped Cassandra.
"I will rip you limb from limb." He threatened heatedly.
"We're just having some fun, Damon. Some girl time." Rebekah giggled. "Isn't that right, Cassie?" Damon felt his blood boil at the use of Cassandra's nickname rolling so easily off Rebekah's tongue.
"Let her go. If you have to settle something, then settle it with me." Damon growled, but his heart dropped into his stomach when he heard Cassandra's pained gasp in the background.
"C'mon sweetheart, smile, or else I'll carve one on your face." The Original crooned and Damon clenched his fist at his sides.
"What do you want, Rebekah?" He snarled.
"Revenge, Damon. It's as simple as that." She sang.
"I'm coming for her, and when I do–" Damon's threats were halted at the sound of a shrill scream through the earpiece. "Cass! Cassandra!" He yelled into the phone. No answer was given except for little whimpers.
"If you come here, I'll rip her heart from her chest." Rebekah hissed. "It's best you stay where you are. For her sake." She hung up the phone and Damon heard the line go dead. He curled his hand around his phone, the little talking box nearly crumbled in his crushing in his grip. He'd have Rebekah's head mounted on his wall; he'd make sure of it.
Cassandra heard a loud drumming enter her hyper sensitive ears and lifted her hooded gaze to try and find the source. Things were blurred, she was seeing doubles of things around the manor and the tiniest sounds were distorted. She had lost so much blood and her body just wasn't healing. Rebekah really did a number on her. Long gashes adorned her torso; her shirt was cut and stained with blood, and thought her wrists were nearly severed from the traps that were holding them. At one point, she couldn't scream anymore, it hurt too much. Her body ached, the vervain made her skin burn and she was just about bled out. She thought of Damon, he sounded so hurt, hopefully he'd come to save her. Cassandra caught sight of a shadow walking towards her; she couldn't bring herself to focus on whom or what was in the room with her. She let her head hang limply; her entire body was sore and exhausted from the Original's torture. Warm hands gently cupped her cheeks, lifting her head and she could make out a set of blue eyes in front of her.
"Damon…" Her voice was horse and cracked as her vocal chords tried to make sounds. "Get out of here before Rebekah finds you."
"I'd like to see her try to do something." A confident English accent hit her ears and she forced her eyes to focus on Klaus who was trying to get her down from the contraption. One hand held her around her waist, while the other reached up to release her bloodied hand from the trap. The blood made her hand slippery and as soon as the smallest space was created for her hand to slip out, it did. Cassandra's knees buckled but she wasn't mindful of the other trap securing her other hand. The metal cut the skin, more blood poured out of the wound and she let out a cry of despair. Klaus held her body from falling any lower in an effort to stop the pulling on her injured hand. "Shh, it's alright, love." He cooed softly and she whimpered, fresh tears running down her cheeks. Klaus quickly freed her other hand and cradled her limp body to him. She was cut from the inside out; deep, long, jagged gashes decorated her body. One looked worse than the next. Klaus growled in anger that his sister could have been so careless. He took one of Cassandra's arms and slung it around his shoulders while the other circled her waist before hoisting her up. She was weak and wobbling on her feet, but Klaus still held her up.
"I can walk on my own." Cassandra proclaimed weakly as she was lead through the twisting and turning hallways of the mansion.
"No, you can't." Klaus shook his head at her stubbornness and tried to get her to move faster, but she was barely coherent.
"I'm…I'm fine." She mumbled.
"Now's not the time to be stubborn." He chided. "We need to get you some blood."
"Mmhmm," She moaned. "Just do me a favor..." She trailed off.
"Yes?"
"Catch me." By the time the last syllable left her lips, Cassandra's knees had already buckled. Klaus quickly caught her, placing a hand underneath her head to stop it from hitting the floor. He lowered them to their knees and propped her up as best as he could.
"You need to drink, sweetheart." He pleaded with her but she shook her head.
"No, I won't be able to stop..." She breathed, trying to ignore the sound of his blood rushing through his veins.
"That doesn't matter. I want to heal you." He urged and pressed his wrist up to her mouth again but she turned her head away.
"Why? Why heal me?" Cassandra murmured.
"Because I love you."
It was as simple as that. He loved her with every fiber in his being.
Cassandra stared back at him, her eyes were wide with trepidation. Her eyes darted from his sky blue eyes, down to his lips and continued to do so. Klaus pulled his sleeve up on his arm, exposing his wrist and bit into it. The sweet smell of his blood invaded her sense, and she was drawn closer to him. Her eyes darkened and her fangs elongated thinking of how delicious he would taste.
"No…I can't…" She whispered, turning her head.
"Drink, love. Please, I need you to drink." Klaus begged and cupped her cheek, pressing his wrist against her lips. Cassandra sighed as soon as the thick, warm liquid touched her lips and she opened her mouth slightly. Klaus felt her sharp fangs slide over his skin and Cassandra looked back into his blue eyes before letting the veins spread beneath the skin of her eyes. She opened her mouth against his wrist and bit down. He moaned softly at the eroticism of being bitten by another hybrid, especially her, and he felt her take slow, deep pulls from his veins. She felt her strength slowly returning and she soon unlatched her fangs from his wrist.
They both stared deeply into each other's eyes; the feelings between them were just too much to hold back. He wanted her to know that she would be the only one for him. She knew that she felt something for him, now it was apparent as she leaned in closer. Her forehead rested against his, her body was too weak to pull away from him. Their lips were mere inches away from one another, their breaths playing over their cheeks. Cassandra was drawn in even closer, her eyes fluttered closed and she felt Klaus's lips brush hers just as darkness engulfed them.
Cassandra groaned out, her body waking up from the dream that plagued her thoughts. She opened her eyes slowly and let a pained moan pass her lips. She was still hanging from the bear traps in the Mikaelson mansion. The cuts and gaping holes in her skin were still present; however her body took on numbness as a defense mechanism to eliminate the pain.
"It's not fun when someone messes with your thoughts, is it?" Rebekah's perky voice made her head throb more than it already was.
The hanging hybrid growled, "Stay out of my head!"
"Just returning the favor." Rebekah shrugged. "You know, it's very easy to get into your head. Once you let your guard down, it's as easy as one, two, three."
"Kinda like how easy it was to get into your head." Cassandra smirked and the Original frowned.
"Did you like your little dream?" She taunted. "I'll bet Nik would have loved it."
"Shut it, you blonde bitch!" Cassandra grumbled.
"Oh, stop trying to play innocent. I know you love my brother."
"No, I don't!" She snarled. "He took everything from me!"
"But you still find a place in your heart that sees the good in him." Rebekah argued and gripped Cassandra's throat tightly. The hybrid gasped for breath as Rebekah squeezed tighter.
"What are you gonna do? Compel me to love him?" Cassandra choked and Rebekah hummed amusedly, seeming to consider the idea.
"I don't have to compel you to feel for him if you already do." She sneered and the hybrid nearly felt the wind get knocked out of her when Rebekah suddenly stabbed the knife into her side, twisting it and jabbing it in all sorts of strange angles. "The faster you admit it, the better it will be for you to break it off with Damon." She giggled.
"Never!" The hybrid hissed.
"I guess we'll have to do this the hard way then." Rebekah shrugged before removing the knife and plunging it into a piece of unharmed skin, as if there were any left.
"Stefan, we have to get Cassandra back!" Damon growled at his younger brother.
"What are we supposed to do?" Stefan argued as quietly as possible. He was waiting at a table in the Grill for Matt to come back with Sage and Finn's tequila-vervain shots.
"I'm not gonna let Rebekah torture my fiancé! If it was Elena, you'd be in there saving her ass!" The elder Salvatore ran a nervous hand through his hair. He had been pacing like a caged animal ever since Rebekah hung up on him.
"Damon, as soon as Finn is gone, we'll get Cassandra back." Stefan grumbled just as Matt placed the two shots down on the table.
"Oh, yeah? And what are we going in there with, brute force?" Damon quipped. "Rebekah will want something in return for releasing Cassandra."
"Gotta go, Damon. I'll be home soon." Stefan promptly hung up the phone on his brother. Damon threw his phone across the room and growled viciously. He wasn't going to wait any longer, he had waited long enough. The vampire picked up his coat and marched for the front door, but a presence caught the corner of his eye. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned slowly. His ice cold gaze landed on none other than Esther, the Original witch.
"Hello, Damon." She greeted calmly.
"What are you doing here?" He sneered.
"Just paying a little visit." The Original witch smirked.
"You know, Klaus killed you once. I could always do it again." Damon wiggled his eyebrows but a searing pain in his head nearly made him double over. He held his head, fisting his hair and Esther still continued her torture.
"Damon, I've been around for over a thousand years. It's best not to test what I am capable of doing." She said darkly and finally stopped Damon's pain.
"Alright, you've made your point." He gritted, straightening himself up. "It's bad enough you broke into my house, the least you could do is tell me why you're here."
"I've come to give you a bit of incentive." She replied simply.
"Oh, yeah?" The vampire prodded.
"I hear that Rebekah has your fiancé." Esther spoke firmly and Damon tensed. "I know you want to get her back."
"More than anything." Damon pressed.
"Are you sure she wants to come back?" The witch suggested and Damon shook his head.
"What kind of question is that?"
"Cassandra has feelings for my son. You know this, Damon. Don't act like it surprises you." She said with a little chuckle and Damon lunged for her, but he was quickly paralyzed by another one of her spells. "That's the thing with you, Damon." She tisked and with a flick of the wrist, the vampire was up against the wall, pinned there. "You let your emotions get to you and you just act."
"Well, when you make accusations about my fiancé!" Damon kicked and wriggled, but he still remained stuck to the wall.
"I don't have to make accusations when I know what I see." Esther spoke calmly. "The spell cast on the two of them brought their feelings to the surface."
"What spell?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"I cast a spell on them to help them see their feelings for one another. That's why she kissed Klaus the night of the ball." She answered and Damon felt like jumping for joy. It was a spell! Her kiss wasn't real! That's why she couldn't explain it!
"I knew she wouldn't kiss your dog of a son!" He smirked.
"Well, not at first. She needed a little push, but now her feelings are starting to evolve. Hasn't she told you about the dreams?" Esther inquired.
"The dreams?" Damon then remembered what Sage had said last night. He meant to ask Cassandra about the dreams, but he just felt his anger kick up even more at the suspicion that Esther was causing these spells. "You crazy witch bitch!" He growled.
"You can't be angry with her if she chooses Niklaus over you."
"What?" He hushed.
"I'd rather show you, Damon." Esther said and placed her hands on Damon's head.
The vampire opened his eyes and surveyed a dark bedroom with the sunlight streaming through the curtains. He spied a womanly figure lying in bed, Cassandra. She was sleeping soundly, the bed sheets were tangled sloppily around her nude form and her curls were sprawled out on the pillow. Damon loved to watch her sleep; she always looked so peaceful and serene with not a care in the world. He reached out to touch her, but someone else's hand brushed some of the hair off her neck. Damon's eyes widened in horror seeing Klaus pulling Cassandra back to rest against his chest. The female hybrid moaned in her sleep and Klaus pressed a little kiss to her neck as she opened her eyes.
"Good morning." She mumbled, still sleepy.
"It is." He agreed and turned her to face him. She caressed his cheeks, her fingertips stroking his skin and Damon felt the urge to vomit.
"No," Damon whimpered and tried to touch Cassandra again, but it was like he was a ghost in their world. "You don't love him! You love me!"
"She loves the both of you." Esther spoke and the vampire turned to face her. "She cares about Niklaus, more than you imagine. He came into her life at a time when she needed someone. She lost her family, her humanity, and her freedom all in one fell swoop. She needed someone to lean on and you weren't there, but he was." Damon's heart broke at Esther's words along with the image of Cassandra smiling in Klaus's arms. The way he held her close and kissed her softly…No! That was supposed to be Damon holding her!
"Don't touch her!" Damon snarled at him, but Klaus ran his thumb over her jaw before kissing her lips.
"They can't hear you Damon." Esther sighed and stood beside him. "This is just a glimpse of the future if Klaus should win this war. Cassandra will choose Klaus and she will leave Mystic Falls with him. She will remember nothing of her time here; she will forget everyone and leave them all behind."
"You're lying!" The vampire hissed and Esther shook her head.
"Even you will disappear from her memories. She'll be happy with Klaus and they will live out their lives together."
"She doesn't love him." He growled
"It looks to me like she does." Esther smirked and Damon's eyes were once again brought back to the scantily clad couple in the bed. Klaus was kissing and nipping at her neck now and Cassandra leaned her head back, sighing softly at the feel of his fangs skimming across her skin. Damon felt his heart skip a beat when Cassandra's eyes met his, but she was looking right through him. She let out a pleasured moan as Klaus chomped down into her neck and Damon fought the urge to scream.
The vampire jolted from the wall, crumpling to the floor in a heap. His head was spinning from the visions his brain was just bombarded with and he was still trying to process them. He looked up and Esther was gone, it was like she wasn't even in the house in the first place. His mind was racing wildly as he got to his feet. No, Cassandra didn't love Klaus, she couldn't love Klaus! Damon's phone rang from a corner of the room and he answered the call without even looking at who was calling.
"What happened to you? I've been calling you for the past five minutes?" Stefan barked.
"Uh, sorry, I was…caught up." Damon replied hesitantly.
"Get the stakes and pack them up. We're making a trade."
Klaus returned home after sending Bonnie on her way. He was walking on sunshine. The young witch had performed the spell to unlink his siblings; all was right in the world once again. He stepped through the house, but the smell of blood entered his nostrils. He followed his nose warily and he was led to the living room where he saw a very bloody and unconscious Cassandra, hanging from the ceiling. He stalked over to her and pulled at the chains, trying to free her and she groaned.
"What happened to you?" He asked, assessing her condition.
"Your psychotic sister. That's what happened." She rasped. "Ow…I think…I think some of my organs fell out. Wi…will you check the tarp on the floor for me?"
"She's got quite the temper, my sister." Klaus smirked.
"Just get me down from here!" She grumbled. "I think my entire body has lost circulation."
"Even in your worst state, you're a demanding little thing." Klaus mused to himself as he reached up to the trap that was holding her right hand. She growled at the pain and Klaus slipped an arm around her waist, just like in her dream. He worked at the trap and he was as gentle as ever. His hands started to loosen the trap and her hand slipped out. She fell against him and he held her up as to not cause strain on her other hand. Cassandra breathed roughly at the soreness in her hand, but the way Klaus held her…it felt so familiar and warm.
"I knew you'd come for me." She whispered softly and Klaus raised a hand to cup her cheek. His thumb ran just underneath her bottom lip and she sighed. He opened his mouth to reply, but a stab in his back turned it into a strangled cry.
"Sorry to ruin a nice moment." Rebekah smirked, digging the knife into her brother's back. Klaus turned on her, snarling wildly as he pulled the blade from his back. In the shuffle, he let Cassandra drop from his grip but Rebekah quickly snapped the trap back on the hybrid's hand again. Cassandra let out a howl, her fresh wounds being dug into again and Klaus felt his heart sink at her cries. "Nik, she's my plaything, not yours." She pouted, but it quickly twisted into a sly smile. "Although, she looked pretty comfortable in your arms."
"Klaus! We're here!" Stefan's voice echoed off the walls and the two brothers sauntered into the living room. Both of their faces dropped seeing Cassandra in such a condition. Damon's blood boiled, but he kept his cool.
"Oh good, the heroes. What do you want?" Klaus smirked and Damon dropped the duffle bag filled with stakes at the hybrids feet.
"We're here to make a deal." Stefan challenged.
"Stefan…no, don't." Cassandra fought her drooping eyelids.
"Eight stakes made of white oak. The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn." Damon chimed in and Klaus cast a glaring look at Rebekah.
"It's not possible." The blonde shook her head in disbelief.
"Actually it's not." Stefan smirked. "Finn is dead."
"You killed my brother?" She growled.
"Cassandra in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you." Damon spoke. He and his brother came up with a plan to only give Klaus eight stakes, but keep three hidden back at the house. That way, they could still have a shot at killing the Originals. "And I'm not negotiating." He growled and Klaus smirked at him.
"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" The hybrid asked the brothers.
"Because there aren't." Damon snapped. Klaus looked over to Cassandra who was fighting to keep herself awake and he knew he could use her for something.
"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus stepped cautiously over the puddles of her blood on the tarp to gently cup her cheek. Cassandra used every effort in her body to pull away from him, but she was just too weak. She knew that Damon and Stefan were lying about the number of stakes; Klaus compelling her would just prove this point.
"C'mon, sweetheart." He cooed.
"No…" She whimpered. If Klaus compelled her about the stakes then she would be blowing their cover.
"Oh, yes. Don't be shy." Klaus snickered, angling her head to look at him. His eyes immediately started to dilate and Cassandra was done for. "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?" His compulsion was too strong; the vervain had bled out of her body hours ago. Cassandra hung her head, trying to fight the compulsion but it was impossible.
"Eleven." She breathed.
"Eleven. So, not eight then." Klaus growled.
"You really shouldn't have lied." Rebekah tisked.
"I'll get you the other three." Stefan promised.
"Yeah, that'd be nice. Or since you lied, maybe I'll compel our little friend here to chew out her own tongue." Klaus smirked and Damon rushed at him, gripping him by his collar.
"I will stake you myself if you touch her." His voice was low and threatening.
"I really think you should be thanking me, Damon. For not taking what I want, when I want it." Klaus laughed and tossed Damon to Rebekah who held him back in her crushing grip. Stefan took a stake from his jacket and aimed it at Klaus's chest, but the hybrid was much too fast for the young vampire. "Step down, or all three of you die." Klaus warned and Stefan hesitantly dropped the stake. "There, now you only have to get me the other two." He smirked and stalked back to Cassandra.
"Please…it hurts." She whimpered and Klaus shushed her softly.
"I know. I'll help you, love." He cooed and released both traps from her wrists. Her body was limp against his and Klaus held her tightly to him, using his body as an anchor to keep her standing. Damon went blind with rage at the way Klaus was touching her. That rabid dog had no right to touch her in the way he was touching her. The blue eyed vampire broke free of Rebekah's grip and shoved Klaus away from Cassandra. She hit the ground with a loud bang; she purposely tucked her hands underneath her since she knew they couldn't catch her fall.
"Don't touch her!" Damon snarled while glaring at the hybrid. Klaus gave Damon an incredulous look. How dare he not take care of his broken lover? Damon's anger subsided when Cassandra's little sniffles and whimpers reached his ears. His eyes darted between Cassandra and Klaus; he was so red with rage that he just went for Klaus. Even Rebekah and Stefan were tense watching everything unfold. The vampire immediately scooped up Cassandra in his arms, cradling her to him and stroking her hair, trying to quiet her cries. She carefully looped her arms around his neck, resting her bloody, useless hands against Damon's shoulders. Her watery stare met Klaus's and she hugged Damon tightly.
"Thank you." She mouthed to Klaus and he gave her a simple nod. Rebekah rolled her eyes at the whole ordeal, picking up the duffle bag and shoving past Stefan. Klaus followed her, stopping right in front of the young vampire, clearly sizing him up.
"Bring us the stakes. All of them. Or I will wage a war against everyone you love. I hope I'm being clear." He sneered and left Damon, Stefan, and Cassandra to soak in his threat.
If they knew one thing about Klaus, he never made empty threats.
Ten blood bags later, Cassandra was rummaging through Damon's room, looking for her stake. She couldn't believe that now she had to give up her stake after having a plan to get rid of the Originals. Her body had healed, but she was still sore and achy. She had taken a shower to get the blood off her skin and out of her hair; however her mind was anything but cleared.
"Hey," Damon greeted as he walked into the room with his and Cassandra's stakes. "I found yours."
"Thanks." She smiled. She hadn't told anyone where her stake was, but now each of them had to give up their own. "It was either in the kitchen or the bedroom. I knew that it was in a room I'm good in." She chuckled and Damon smirked at her. "You haven't said much since we've been home."
"I'll be a ball of sunshine once we get all three stakes back." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You scared me tonight. You wouldn't have survived if you went up against Klaus on your own, you know that, right?" She spoke softly.
"More like you scared me." Damon twirled the stake in his hands. The two were sitting in an uncomfortable silence. They had things that they wanted to say to one another, but neither one could find it within themselves to start first.
"Damon, what happened to you tonight?" She finally asked.
"I didn't want him touching you." Damon suddenly snapped and Cassandra shied back from his temper.
"He was just trying to help." Cassandra defended. "He had nothing to do with what Rebekah did to me."
"Don't you dare try to defend him!" He growled possessively.
"What is the matter with you?" She had never seen him this angry.
"Why haven't you told me about those dreams? The ones with you and him." He sneered and Cassandra tensed visibly.
"Damon, they're not important." She mumbled.
"If they're not important, then share them." He said snidely.
"It's nothing." Cassandra shook her head.
"Tell me!" He snapped.
"I'm having sex with him!" She blurted and Damon's brain ran out of any sort of reply. "Is that what you wanted to hear?" He didn't have an answer for her. He just let it sink in. "They mean nothing Damon, that's why I never said anything."
"Were you ashamed that you loved him?" He asked and Cassandra nearly exploded.
"What? Damon, I don't love him!" She denied.
"Cassandra, just admit it. Admit it to me. You owe me that much." Cassandra's mind was reeling. What had come over Damon that he was asking her to admit her love for Klaus? "I just need to hear you say it."
"What are you talking about?" Cassandra hushed.
"I'm talking about the fact that you're in love with Klaus." He spoke and Cassandra ran her hands through her hair. "I can see it, Cassandra. The way you look at him, the way you are with him. I've seen it."
"It's not true, Damon. I love you. I've never stopped loving you." She said and Damon rose to meet her. He cupped her cheeks, seeing that his emotional outburst was shaking her.
"I know that. I know." He kissed her forehead. "I love you. I will always love you. I just want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you don't feel something for him." He spoke and Cassandra now found herself at a crossroad. On the one hand, she loved Damon with all her heart and would do anything for him. On the other hand, there was Klaus. He was tender with her, and they had a passionate love for each other that had been pushed aside. She took a breath, a huge lump formed in her throat and she was actually struggling with what she was going to say.
"I…I don't know what I feel for him." She whispered softly, each word practically ripped them both to shreds. It hurt. It pained them to hear it, but now it was out in the open and it had to be dealt with. It was the most honest answer that she could give him, but it also pushed them even further apart.
Damon nodded; his eyes were wet with tears and stained with sadness. He didn't know what to say to her remark. Deep down, he always felt that there was a little shred of her that cared for Klaus but that little shred was now staring him in the face. He dropped his hands from her face and Cassandra immediately missed his touch.
"I'm sorry, Damon…I'm so sorry." She whimpered as she fell to her knees and let her tears fall down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook with each breath she took and a little sob escaped her lips but it fell on deaf ears since Damon had left the room in a flash.
Lay it on me! Hope you all enjoyed this and please leave a review :)