Kol Mikaelson and The Unexpected
Chapter 36
Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or its characters. I only own my OC's and my plot.
Sorry for any errors. I'll try and go back to get any I missed. THANKS so much for the wonderful reviews!
Kael Mikaelson POV:
I tried being charismatic. Keeping an approachable and welcoming exterior, as well as staying positive and cheerful. Making people feel special, remaining self-confident, those are also ways to sway them into doing what you want. No matter how much I tried to coax and sweet talk Niklaus from under the bed, he ignored me.
So the next tactic I tried was bribery. Naturally it couldn't look like I was doing anything resembling blackmail, that wouldn't end well. I'll admit some of my bribes did become dangerously transparent at times. But all of my various attempts fell flat regardless of my effort. Niklaus refused to budge. He won't tell us what happened with Mikael, why he's so upset, or anything of value.
How can I help him if he won't let me?
After hours of playing nice and trying different sly tricks, my patience wore thin. I decided "fuck it" and put on the heaviest guilt trip I could muster. Unfortunately, that upset him further. Nik was more determined than ever to stay curled beneath his bed in the suite.
Why was there enough room for him do so anyway? What hotel in the history of hotels left any sort of space between the bedframe and the floor?
He returned without the white oak in his possession. I assume that means he was victorious. Father would have killed him otherwise. Although, Nik's current state made me think perhaps something went terribly awry. I cannot know for certain one way or another with my brother behaving like an unruly babe.
If he succeeded we need to book a flight. I refuse to stand idly by, wasting time, when we have things to do. Paris is beautiful, but I do not wish to spend excesses time here needlessly.
When my temper was close to coming unhinged, I lifted the bed from the floor. Niklaus no longer had an option in the matter. A loud wail exploded out of him, making me immediately regret my decision.
He pitched such an extraordinary fit, Salvatore and I had to compel the humans on our floor, the one below, and above to be safe. Some were panicking or merely confused. Others were varying degrees of afraid and anxious because of the noises. Nik caused too much of a scene.
It scared the bloody hell out of his little friend too.
"YOU DAFT WANKER! Have you completely lost the plot?" I explode, flinging the hotel room open.
Salvatore made a derogatory sound at my turn of phrase. Without turning, my hand flies back to snap his neck. His body hit the entryway with a thud. I didn't stop moving. He should consider himself lucky I didn't tear out his heart.
"Do you HEAR ME, NIK?!" In a blink I was standing in the entryway to the bedroom in our lavish suite. My hand slams against the wall. I saw Melissa's body jolt at the sound. The hold I had on my temper was officially gone. "I should have made you compel the lot of them yourself! I'm going out for a drink. If the damn mess you made isn't SPOTLESS when I get back, I'll rip out your fangs and wear them as earrings."
Nik's tiny sidekick cut in. Her face was blotchy and tear stained. "Please! He didn't mean it! He's upset, that's all! He's sorry! Please don't be mad! You have to keep trying to help Klausy. Please! You have to! You have to! Please!"
"I don't have to do a damn thing." I growl at her. Nik surprisingly didn't snap at me for it. Melissa recoils with trembling lips. More tears brimmed in her uniquely colored eyes. Not giving a shit at this particular moment, my attention returns to the sulking hybrid. "We're leaving tomorrow. If you are not on the plane when it takes off, good riddance to you!"
Even in the heat of the moment I knew my threat was empty. I'd drag him kicking and screaming before I left him behind.
Unable to stand being in this room a second longer, I storm out. Melissa cries and hurries after me, begging all the while, but I close the door in her face when I'm in the hallway. My long legs close the distance to the elevator quickly. I hear the child's attention shift to waking up Salvatore on the ride to the ground floor.
Seeing everything bathed in twilight upon my exit only infuriated me more. It served as a reminder that an entire day was now wasted. I know his behavior can be very juvenile, but cowering under the bed and refusing to cooperate with me for hours on end was ludicrous.
If you want to know the exact number of hours Nik wasted of my eternity today, the answer is nine. NINE!
I pull my phone out of the back pocket in my gold leather pants. Dialing Kol's number only resulted in it going to voicemail. So I snarl into the speaker, "Get your arse to Paris. Be quick about it."
My twin doesn't respond well to being ordered around in such a fashion. For his own sake he better not chose today to be difficult. The phone nearly snapped under the force of my grip. Instead of throwing it, like I was tempted to, I put it back safely.
A familiar and equally addictive feeling swept over me. It started with a tingle of anticipation. Then my saliva glands go into hyper-drive. The heartbeats around me become hypnotizing. I could almost taste blood on my tongue. Feel the pulsing against my fangs. A hunger like no other seizes me. Bloodlust. The urge, the need, to kill.
I scan my surrounding for an appealing morsel to take my frustrations out on. A moment later something catches my attention. Many miles away, in a pattern I would know anywhere, someone was skirting in and out of the range my heightened senses reach.
Kol's here. Just when I need him. How does he always do that? I abandon my hunt to make a beeline for him.
"I brought you a gift." My twin grinned when I was in view, tossing a half-unconscious woman in my direction.
I caught her easily and sniffed up the column of her throat. Enjoying her scent. AB negative with a 1.7 blood alcohol level. My favorite.
"I got her drunk myself." Kol announced proudly. "Just how you like it."
"You spoil me so." Inky veins slither around my eyes as my face morphs. I smile at him through ivory fangs. He always knows how to make an entrance. "And here I didn't get you anything."
The mischievous look that crossed his face had a sinister edge. "Drink quickly. I know how you can make it up to me."
Sharp incisors slice through her neck. A hum of approval escaped me. The beating heart against my fangs is a massage. Her blood is deliciously rich in flavor. I couldn't properly describe what that particular alcohol level did. It added a piquant taste to it that you'd have to try to understand.
I let her corpse drop to the ground and kiss my fingertips. "Magnifique." (Magnificent.)
"J'essaie." (I try.) He replied with French just as flawless. After I buried her, Kol spoke a single word. "10."
"15." I counter immediately.
"15." He agreed. "We'll go to Versailles first."
After coming to a decision on where we'll meet up again, both of us took off at the same time. I knock over trees and throw anything I can at Kol to slow him down. Upon arriving in Versailles we split up and the countdown began.
This was a game we've been playing for centuries. Usually we give ourselves more time. 15 minutes isn't enough for an extensive search, to watch and study the population properly.
How can I learn what makes them all tick? Discover the strengths and weaknesses of everyone with potential in such a short time? I couldn't. I had to rush, but the challenge made it all the more fun. It meant I had to make more of a gamble.
I've been doing this for too long not to know a thing or two about people. I found a woman who captured my eye. Not the most impressive at first glance, but there was something that made me look twice. On a whim, I followed her. There was a fierceness she exhibited when her teenage daughter was being harassed. A subtle strength that exploded given the right provocation.
Sure, I could've chosen a body-builder looking bloke, but no. I like her. There's potential in this one. She is it. I lured her away to explain the situation she found herself in. Then added a touch of compulsion, to find out a little more about her as well as instill commands, and I was finished.
Kol took one look at her and scoffed in my face. "You're losing your touch."
"Like you have such a winner." I sneer at his pathetic human.
"Oh, please." He exuded arrogance. "He works out weekly at the gym. Not only does he keep fit, but he has incentive."
"Mine has more incentive than yours." I argue, throwing an arm around the woman's shoulders. She cringed in revulsion and fear as I hugged her to my chest. "A daughter. You should've seen the wild cat Mum here turned into when some pervert slapped her arse."
"That's all you've got?" Kol snickered at me like I lost my wits. "My trophy looks after his three nephews and sick grandmother. He has much more to fight for than your harlot."
The hold I had on my prize tightened. "We shall see."
Before we let our humans start, we took a look at the place we chose and decided it wasn't right. There was an abandoned building a few miles away that would do much better.
It was a complete mess, to put it nicely. Boarded windows, shabby wooden paneling, and a pealing door that was bolted with iron rods. When we came to a stop in front of it, I sat my human on her feet. Devana blanched when she laid eyes on it. Her frightened, accelerated heartrate stuttered.
The inside unnerved her just as much. There were no doors separating the rooms on the ground floor, they could be found a few feet into each. Often with large chunks torn out of them and marks creating cross hatched patterns. Surprisingly most of the furniture survived with minimal damage, only a few scratches and chips to their name.
Each room was heavily coated in dust and cobwebs.
We compelled our humans to stay put while we scoped the rest of the place out. There's one rickety staircase leading to the second floor. It appeared to be in slightly better condition than ground level. More doors were on their frames than not. However, there was still plenty of wear and tear to be seen.
Eager to get started, we appear in front of our champions. Neither one of us cared how the abruptness spooked them.
I grab Devana's arm and take her to the side. "Vous vous souvenez de ce dont nous avons parlé, oui?" (You remember what we talked about, yes?)
She was very tense with a rapid heartbeat. I can taste her fear. Just as easily as I see the hatred in her eyes. "Si je le tue avant qu'il ne me tue, vous ne blesserez pas ma fille." (If I kill him before he kills me, you will not hurt my daughter.)
"Très bien". (Very good.) I approve.
"Tu me laisseras rentrer à la maison." (You'll let me go home.) She continued.
I lied without remorse. "Oui." (Yes.)
"Jure moi." (Swear to me.) Devana gritted through her teeth boldly. "Je vais vivre avec ma fille en paix. Tu partiras et ne viendra plus jamais près de moi ou de ma famille." (I will live with my daughter in peace. You'll leave and never come anywhere near me or my family again.)
"Comme vous le souhaitez." (As you wish.) I bow at the waist slightly with a hand over my heart. She didn't seem to notice I don't actually give my word or swear anything.
Kol was finishing up his own 'peep talk' in the corner with the human called Léonce. Dark chocolate eyes locked on my cerulean blue when he turns to us.
A manic grin stretched across his lips, "Commencer." (Begin.)
In that frozen second between standoff and fighting, I see their eyes flicker from us to each other. Conveying as much apology as they can with expressions alone. Compulsion forced their hesitation to be brief. They didn't immediately lunge and start swinging. Instead, they armed themselves however they could. It was exciting, watching all the ways they used their environment as a weapon.
When things got up close and personal, fist to fist, Devana was at a disadvantage. Kol's male was taller than her and stronger. She didn't let that be her death. A few times she used cheap shots to get the upper hand again. Such as a kick to the groin or gouging at his eyes. Other times she got creative. Devana never tries to stay in close proximity to him for long. Clearly her plan is stay mobile and elusive to wear him out.
As for Kol and I, we cheered and carried on like we were humans at a football game. Shouting commands and encouragements at our respective player.
"Fotarbete! Fotarbete!" (Footwork! Footwork!) Kol would roar at Léonce, or "Faire attention, vous imbécile. Ne la laisse pas hors de votre vue!" (Pay attention, you imbecile! Don't let her out of your sight!)
The smell of blood got thicker in the air. Anticipation swelled in our chests as we followed them room to room. We were metaphorically on the edge of our seat, thoroughly enjoying the entertainment playing out before us. It was a close one, both of our humans had such a fierce determination to survive in them. At one point I was sure all was lost, but then my Devana took us all by surprise.
"Yes!" I let out a triumphant howl and did a victory dance around Kol. She won! My girl did it! I knew she was the one!
"NO!" Kol snarled, sore loser that he was, while I reveled in my success. "You moron! Utter waste of flesh! If you weren't dead I'd kill you myself!"
Devana was battered, covered in cuts and filth. She cradled her broken arm to her chest. I could see in her face she was preparing to demand to go home. Whoever wins always gets to eat both humans. So I stop rubbing my victory in Kol's face long enough to lunge at her. When she was empty I made my way to Léonce while his blood was still fresh.
"He should've won." My twin insisted. "You got lucky."
Blood dribbled down my chin when I looked up, still crouched over the corpse. I absently licked at a fang. "I have skill."
"Dumb. Luck." He hissed.
Skill. I was proud at myself for not speaking the thought out loud. It goes to show I'm more superior to him in more ways than one.
Perhaps I was still a little high off my win. You can hardly blame me. Kol owes me one and I was going to enjoy collecting. Ideas spun around in my head about what I was going to make him do. So many amazing choices.
"Go on then." Kol waved a dismissive hand, rolling his eyes upward. "Have at it."
Oh, come now. He knows I'm hardly going to make it that easy for him.
"I think I'll save it for a rainy day." I decline smugly while I get to my feet. "Not that I'm not having a marvelous time, but what are you doing here?"
"Stretching my legs." A mischievous gleam appeared in his eyes. "Her royal highness finally decided to grace us with her presence yesterday evening. After letting Melisent have her say, I told Elijah if he persisted in trying to keep me in that house I'd burn it to the ground. Naturally he agreed it was time for a break."
"This is most certainly not what he had in mind." I laughed. Erik and Elijah are going to be livid. Mel wasn't going to be too pleased either. There was a good reason we started with only one of us being in close proximity to Nik. This goes against our initial plan. "Virgil is covering for you, I assume?"
Kol smirked with a shrug of a shoulder. "There is only so long they're going to buy his bullshit. Elijah already tried to reach me once. Mark me, brother, by the time the nights out both of us will have a 100 missed calls."
I let out a snort of amusement. My elder brothers must be suspicious by his continued absence at the very least by now. They'll know exactly where Kol ran off to soon. It wouldn't take a genius to figure it out.
"Speaking of missed calls." My twin shot me a look of playful disapproval. "Why were you wanting me to be here? And after all we discussed too. I'm disappointed in you, Kael."
"I was hoping your presence would piss Nik off enough to stop being such a babe." I reply honestly.
Nik made it very clear he wanted the others to keep their distance, but he left me no other choice. I tried doing it the nice way. That didn't get me anywhere. Kol quirked an expectant brow at me to elaborate. The further I went into my tale, the more my old anger started to resurface.
"Shut the fuck up, Kol." I seethe.
His face told me there's a million ways he is internally mocking me.
"I didn't say anything." He grinned.
"You were thinking it."
"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean." Kol denied around a laugh. "I am utterly sympathetic to your plight. Truly. I don't think you've become a pathetic twat in your old age at all."
"Nine consecutive hours." Is all I say in my defense, what else was needed really?
"I could've lasted 12." He baits me.
No way am I lowering myself to his childish level. I'm more mature than he is by far, superior in every way.
"12, my ass." I spat, which in no way negated anything I thought before.
I am a very patient hunter. Jalak is proof of that. He is from Temasek, called Singapore in modern day. He is also a traitor and has been on the run from me for 250 years. Truth be told I've yet to put much effort into finding him. Letting him sweat for a while will do him good.
It pleases me to imagine how frightened he must be. Constantly looking over his shoulder, worried one day he'll see me in the shadows staring back. He must triple check every action he makes. Most of his time has to be spent thinking of ways to stay hidden, about what he can and can't do.
One day he'll relax, perhaps get a little cocky. That will be the day I strike. Just when he thinks he's won. Oh, all the things I'll do to that backstabbing rat.
With Nik however, I snapped before the day was out. The difference being he's family not prey, and certainly not a traitor. I've never had much patience when it comes to family.
According to Elijah and Mel it was something I needed to work on.
"Have you found anything out about the child?" I cut off Kol to inquire, who was rambling on about his prowess. Still adamant he could've done a better job. Nobody loves the sound of my twins' voice as much as he does.
Kol's arrogant expression fell, always a satisfying sight. "Not yet, but I have many grimoires, as you well know, there must be something in one of them. I'll find it."
Indeed he does. Kol has a habit of stealing grimoires from unique and powerful witches. They've come in handy more times than you can imagine, regardless of the fact we can no longer preform magic ourselves. We have witches in our debt if such a need should arise.
Grimoires are more than just books with spells. It is a witch's most treasured possession. Yes, they do have spells in them. All the whys, hows, and outcomes. Details on charms and talismans. But they are also personal inventories that keep track of the evolution of that witch.
Some have documentation on other creatures and types of witches; strengths, weaknesses, spells they've found that do or don't affect them. Every grimoire has a section dedicated to the witch's dreams. Most are a form of precognitive power or messages sent from other witches.
"We have to get that bracelet checked out." I tell him somberly. "It has to be cloaking something."
I wasn't stupid enough to try and take it off before having a witch look over it. No matter how badly I want to.
"But what?" Kol wonders. "Her scent? Muffling her power?"
She can't be compelled and is the only one who can get that so-called Crystal to activate. Another thing we have to find information about. No matter what Melissa's scent would have you believe, if she's an ordinary human then I'm the Easter Bunny.
"Both?" I shrug "The other-Kol gave the bracelet to her and insisted she never take it off. Suspicious, no? On top of that, why would he put so much effort into a random child? Melissa admitted herself she only just met the man a few days before meeting Nik, yet she calls him uncle. He's putting the charm on thick. If he's anything like you the reason for all the fuss is because there's something extraordinary about her."
We had more questions than answers. A pensive silence settled over us.
Kol broke it first. "On the bright side, there is a good chance Father's nothing but a pile of ash right now."
"True." A smile pulled at my lips. The thought of Father dying pleased me. If Nik succeed, I hope the piece of shit suffered. Turning didn't make him any easier to deal with. All he put us through while we were trapped in the caves still made me bristle. "We need drinks. Lots and lots of drinks. "
We went to the closest bar for a time, then a little past midnight we made our way to Pacha Club. It has eight rooms with different atmospheres and music choices. I already had a pleasant buzz and was ready to dance. There were strobe lights, high ceilings, a long lit up bar, a blaring bass that vibrated through me, and dancing bodies closely tangled together.
I weave my way into the crowd with ease, until I found a spot I fancied. Soon I had a woman pressed to my front and man to my back. Our hips were swaying, our bodies writhing and grinding on the dance floor to beat. As time went on I got drinks, flirted, and switched dance partners a few more times until I found the two I knew I'd leave with.
~~~ The next morning ~~~
Everything is disoriented when I slowly regain consciousness. My eyes open, eyelashes faintly batting against my lids when I blink rapidly. Sunlight streamed through a window, blinding me for a second. What time was it? How long was I asleep? Did I have clothes on? Where the fuck was I?
The heady scent of sex hung in the air. I arched my back with a groan. Sitting up, my long fingers run through the disheveled brunette locks that stuck up in every direction atop my head.
I lazily take in my surroundings; Clothes thrown all around the messy living room, a naked buxom woman curled in on herself for warmth to my right, and an equally bare man sprawled out to my left. Memories of last night started to emerge at the sight of them. Very delicious ones that nearly made me wake them up for another round.
The only thing that stop me was remembering something else: Losing my temper like a dimwit yesterday. I just got back in his good graces. What if that ruined the progress I made?
I blanched. Shit.
Without further ado I sped around the room, collecting my clothes and throwing them on as fast as I could. I heard Kol's unnatural heartbeat above me along with another that was suspiciously sluggish. Unlike me, he managed to find his way into a bed. The woman in it with him had marks up and down her neck from Kol drinking her blood more than once.
I thump his forehead. Kol started and squinted groggily up at me. "You took too much blood from the girl. Finish her off or heal her. Either way we have to get a move on."
He rolled onto his stomach with huff. "Piss off."
"Fine. I'll go see Nik by myself then, shall I?" That got him out of the bed and dressed in record time. Before we left Kol chose to heal the human woman on a whim, letting her swallow some of his blood and compelling her afterwards.
We were outside making our way down the street in 6 minutes flat. The sun's position in the sky let me know it was nearing 3 in the afternoon.
I couldn't help teasing Kol. "Someone's awfully eager."
"Oh, like you're not." He growled.
I ignored that. "There's actually something we need talk about before you see Nik."
Telling Kol he should stay back a minute caused a fight.
It'd be smarter to test the waters first, check on how Nik's doing. I'll go and see if he can be persuaded into letting Kol join us. Nik gave me another chance after all, and Erik was the one who staked him.
My twin said to hell with that plan initially, because he was so impatient to see Niklaus. It took a lot of arguing for him to see reason. His emotions were clouding his judgement. Kol eventually saw the logic in my words, even if he didn't like them.
I didn't want to bombard Nik with my twin anymore, not now that I could think past my own temper. He would no doubt see it as another betrayal. We did have an agreement.
My heart twisted in my chest thinking about what repercussions that might have. We can't risk it. Fat lot of good getting my brother back does if I turn him against me. Not making him an enemy was the whole reason we all vetoed Kol's "just kill the child and be done with it" idea.
Easy way to make sure Nik doesn't go anywhere, to be sure, but the hybrid thinks the world of that girl. No matter how confident Kol was we could cover it up, he'd know we had a part in it. Nik would hate us for the rest of eternity. A counterproductive maneuver if I ever saw one.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Kol was eventually persuaded to stay in Versailles while I went back to the Hotel. I heard Damon Salvatore with Melissa getting her something to eat, while Nik was alone in the room.
"I'm not under the bed anymore." My brother greeted when I walked into our suite.
I eyed him closely for any hint of hostility. "Yes, I see."
"I cleaned my mess." He continued, in the manner of a child wishing to be praised.
It baffled me. I thought he'd already be demanding an apology for my harsh words at the very least. He's temperamental, like any other Mikaelson. Memories or no.
"You did more than that." I chuckled, relaxing my wary stance somewhat. Not only did he clean his mess, but he took down the tent the table was turned into, and picked up every bit of disarray Melissa made playing.
Nik threw himself into my arms suddenly, taking me off guard. I went ridged in surprise and awkwardly returned the embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Kael." The shorter man mumbled against me.
"It's…alright?" It came out more of a question than a statement.
"I killed him… Mikael." Nik whispered as quietly as he could. "It was so scary. He burned and… and it was awful! You didn't tell me he'd burn alive like that. I tried waking you up but you wouldn't. Then my dream was just as bad! I remembered something, Kael! I knew I had to be a bad brother and my dream confirmed it. I don't want to remember anything else. It's only going to get worse, I can feel it. I don't wanna turn back into that man. I'm scared, Kael. I wonder what things I did to Kol and Elijah. They must've been bad. They hate me. I don't blame them either. I don't want to be him again. It felt gross."
"Why didn't you tell me any of this yesterday?" I questioned, not unkindly.
Mikael is dead without a shadow of a doubt. Niklaus was remembering.
"I wanted to." He confessed. "I couldn't control myself. My emotions were so strong and all over the place. It was too much." Vampiric emotions CAN be a bitch. "Please help me, Kael. I don't want to remember anything else."
His open vulnerability had more of an effect on me than it had a right to.
"Don't fear your memories." My voice came out feathery soft as I tried comforting him. "Hiding from them won't do you any good. This can be a good thing, Nik. You don't have to turn back into him if you don't want to. See this as a chance to learn from his mistakes. You have an opportunity for a fresh start."
He sniffled. "How do I learn from his mistakes?"
"Many times we can trace mistakes to recurring patterns of belief or behavior—things we do, say, and think over and over again. People are creatures of habit, Nik, no matter the species. The more you remember, the more you'll learn about who he was. You will be able to see the bad patterns he fell into, then you can make a conscious effort to change those habits."
We stood in silence while Nik thought over my words.
"I knew you'd say the perfect thing." The hybrid withdrew enough to look me in the eyes. His anxiety abated. "That's why I tried waking you up."
A grimace twisted my face. "Yesterday my words weren't nearly so tasteful at the end, were they?"
Nik averted his gaze. "I wasn't nice either."
"I won't hold it against you, if you grant me the same courtesy."
Blue eyes look up again and he beams. "Deal."
There's only so much touchy-feely I can stand. With one swift leg movement I knock his out from under him.
"Hey!" He yelped.
I give him a challenging look and grin. "What are you going to do about it?"