Cemetery

The cemetery in Charlotte was vast. It covered rolling hills that seemed to go forever. All of them covered in gravestones big and small, old and new. The area seemed to be well maintained; the grass freshly mowed, flowers and bushes seemed to be trimmed and arranged neatly, the trees cut back that they didn't hang too low, and the graves appeared to be clean. It seemed a beautiful and peaceful place to be laid to rest.

Alex walked in between the graves following Katherine. They had passed three mausoleum's, all which Katherine had claimed to be the wrong ones. She refused to disclose what families tomb they should be looking for, but Alex was starting to believe she didn't really know.

"Okay enough!" It was Stefan who spoke up. "Katherine, which one? I'm getting sick of all this."

Katherine frowned. "If I tell you, what is to stop blondie one and two over there from frying me?"

"Nothing is stopping me from frying you now," said Alex.

"Katherine, just tell us the name, and you can go," said Stefan.

James glared at Stefan, but he didn't speak. Alex knew what he was thinking. There was no part of the plan where Katherine simply got to walk away.

Katherine looked at all of them but didn't speak.

Alex was over it. "Enough of this." She lifted up her hand and pointed it in Katherine's direction. She clenched her fingers closed into a fist and yanked backwards. Katherine was pulled downwards onto the ground, and she gasped out in pain. "James, see if you can find the name for us."

James nodded. "My pleasure." He walked over and stood behind Katherine, placed his hands on either side of her hand and started chanting.

"What is he doing?" asked Stefan.

"Searching her memories," said Alex.

"Katherine has strong mental walls, he won't get through."

Alex squeezed her fist harder, and Katherine stiffened and cried out. "I broke her walls to let him in, now if you don't mind, I'm concentrating."

They waited for only a few moments before James stopped chanting and stepped back. Alex let Katherine go, and she slouched to the ground panting. "What the fuck!" she yelled.

Alex rolled her eyes and twisted her wrist. Katherine's head flew to the left and snapped her neck. As she dropped to the ground, Alex sighed and said, "Much better. What did she know?"

James said, "She doesn't know which tomb he's in. All she knew was that it was this cemetery."

Stefan huffed and threw his arms in the air. "That's just great. There are hundred's of tombs."

Alex sighed. "I could probably track him."

James frowned. "How? The witch who bound him was said to put protection spells around him so no magic could locate him."

"Yes, but what if I don't try and track Mikael in particular. What if I try to locate magic instead?"

James looked impressed. "Clever."

"You can do that?" asked Stefan.

"In theory," said Alex. "Magic is all connected. I can use my magic to reach out for someone else's, why not one of their spells."

"No harm in trying," said James.

Alex took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She took a moment to clear her mind and called out to her magic. She could feel her ancestors reaching out, they knew what Alex wanted and would help her. Allowing the magic to flow, Alex lifted her hand out and said, "Magica, magica, liceat videre. Magica, magica, liceat videre." Opening her eyes, a white ball of light formed in her hand and hovered there.

"Wow," said Stefan.

The ball floated before it moved towards James and hovered around him. "Yes, he does have magic but not what I'm looking for," said Alex. The ball of light seemed to almost understand her and floated away from James and past Stefan's shoulder. "Come on, follow it."

"What about Katherine?" asked Stefan.

"Bring her," said James. "She has one last thing we need."

Stefan nodded and picked up Katherine, throwing her over his shoulder.

The ball of light led them through the cemetery to a mausoleum that was surrounded by a group of large trees. The area itself was overgrown; full of weeds and tall grasses. Alex could feel the strength of the spell as they could closer. She could feel how the magic was trying to turn her away, tell her that she didn't need to or want to walk this way. Clever, was all she could think. The witch had not only put protection spells to protect the tomb from anyone locating it, but a diversion spell to push away any mortals that got to close, the wouldn't even realise or notice this place was even still here.

"Why is this so overgrown?" asked Stefan.

"The witch put a diversion spell around it," explained James. "Any mortals who got too close would without reason for thought simply turn around and walk away."

The ball grew even brighter as it reached the doors before it disappeared. "I think we found it," said Alex. She placed her hand on the doors and felt the charge flowing through them. The witch who did this put so much energy into all of this that it felt like it's own living force.

Alex pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The room was dark and filthy. Dust covered every inch, as did spider webs and weeds that had climbed in through cracks on the floor and the tiny window.

Stefan and James followed her in. James stepped up to the concrete coffin in the centre of the tomb and tried to shift the lid. "It's sealed shut. Not by magic, though," he said.

"Here, let me," said Stefan. He put Katherine on the floor and stepped up. He lifted the lid and pushed it across and onto the other side.

In the coffin sat a desiccated vampire. Bound in chains that vibrated with magic. The vampire's eyes snapped open and stared right at Alex.

"Hello, Mikael," she said.

The vampire blinked but didn't speak.

"Don't worry, I have something to make you feel better." Alex looked over at Katherine, she was still lying dead. "James, if you could please help me." The two of them picked up Katherine and moved her over to Mikael.

"What are you doing?" asked Stefan.

"Mikael doesn't feed on human blood," said Alex.

"He is the vampire who hunts vampires, and he only drinks vampire blood," finished James. He held her up as Alex held her wrist over Mikael's mouth.

"This should help pep you up." Alex pulled a pocket knife from her jacket and slid it across Katherine's arm. The blood dripped out onto Mikael's lips and he let out a loud gasp. Alex wanted to smile and jump for glee. She dropped Katherine's wrist onto Mikael's mouth and allowed him to feed, taking what he needed.

"Okay, enough." Stefan stepped forward and pulled Katherine away from James and Mikael.

"I thought you hated her," said James.

Stefan didn't respond. He simply turned and placed Katherine gently in the corner.

"Did you just come here to feed me a snack or is there a reason you disturbed me?" asked Mikael.

Alex leant forward and said, "We require your assistance."

"And how can I assist you when I am still bound by magic?" he asked.

"If you agree to help me, then I will let you out," said Alex.

"Agreed. What do two witches and a vampire want with me?"

"I need you to kill your son, Niklaus."

Mikael smiled. "I've been trying for the past thousand years. He's a bit of a slippery buggar."

"He knows where the Petrova doppelganger is and is on his way to Mystic Falls as we speak. I will help you trap him and kill him, and in return, I'll help you put down your other children as well," said Alex.

Mikael nodded. "We have a deal. But one question?"

"Yes?" asked Alex.

"Why so interested in the doppelganger?"

"She's my sister."

"Well then, let's go hunting shall we?"

Alex placed her hand on the chains binding Mikael.

"Wait!" said Stefan.

"What?" asked James. "He agreed to help us."

"He is the vampire who hunts vampires. You both may be mortal but I am a vampire. What is to stop him from killing me or my brother, or Caroline after he kills Klaus?" he asked.

Alex shrugged. "Nothing." She looked back at the chains and said, "Release." The chains grip released and Mikael sat up and broke them.

He looked at Alex and said, "Thank you, my dear."