A/N Whew! It's been a long time; I know. This story has really been kicking my ass. This chapter has the heaviest action scene thus far. It was a bear to put on paper and I'm super anxious about it. I'd really love to hear your thoughts. Thank you so much to those of you following and especially to those of you reviewing. My motivation really gets a jumpstart when I start getting anons telling me to update. I also want to thank everybody who voted for me in the 2019 KC Awards. I won for Best Smut Author and my mafia saga Heart Across the Ocean won for Best Human AU Multichap! Follow me on tumblr at Eliliyah for sneak peeks. Drabble requests also accepted. See my profile on here for details. On with the show!
Chapter Thirteen – We All Try
Giza, Egypt – 2024
"Ok, I know we're only half an hour from Cairo, but this is, like, a different planet," Caroline exclaimed happily as she and Klaus drove through the desert of Giza. "I bet it's the same as it was a bajillion years ago." The hybrid put their rented Jeep Wrangler in park when they reached the parking area and lightly slapped her on the ass, making her yelp. "Hey! What was that for?" She'd spent half the ride standing on the seat letting the sand and sun hit her face.
"You've got a great ass and I like those tiny little shorts," he replied with a shrug. "Of course, I liked them better this morning when they were folded nicely in the suitcase," he added with a grumble.
The eternal teenager fell on top of him with an airy laugh when he grabbed her ankle, pecking him on the lips. "You liked them there because I woke up naked."
A feral gleam lit his topaz eyes as he recalled their late night of drinking and debauchery, heavy emphasis on the latter. "As you should always wake up when I'm there to greet you," he teased, nipping her lower lip with his human teeth.
"And when you aren't?" she asked flirtatiously.
"Oh, Eskimo suit," he replied without missing a beat. "Covered head to toe in five layers, maybe six. Can't have you catching cold without me there to keep you warm, love. I'm thinking solely of your health, of course."
The giddy blonde giggled when he attacked her neck with kisses and nips, tickling her with his gruff stubble. "Babe, I'm immortal. The only thing that can get me sick is a werewolf bite."
"Oh," he said, alarmed as he pulled away from her V-neck. "Well, you should definitely keep me close, then. My blood is your only hope for survival!" he teased, clutching her to his chest as though she might float away without him there to hold her down.
Caroline gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck as she straddled him in the Jeep. He wound his fingers in her hair and kissed her deeply. His hand had just traveled up her shirt when they were interrupted by a rather formidable looking Egyptian woman clearing her throat in obvious disapproval of their semipublic display of affection. They looked over at her in unison, his palm still cupping her breast. The bubbly blonde gave the intruder her best Miss Mystic smile as she pushed Klaus' hand away. "Sorry! We're here on our honeymoon," she lied apologetically. The older woman narrowed her eyes at them before moving along.
A twitch curled the hybrid's upper lip when he turned his gaze on his apparent bride. "Honeymoon?" he asked, humor painting his tone.
"Well," she said awkwardly, "at least I didn't call you my partner." She laughed melodically at his murderous expression as she bounced off of him and skipped up the sandy stone path to the Great Pyramid.
He was behind her in a flash, his hand warm against the small of her back beneath the soft fabric of her fitted white t-shirt. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"Eh," she shrugged, "eternity is an awfully long time. I might forget... someday." She turned to him, amused at his annoyance, and wiggled her eyebrows. Smiling mischievously, she teased, "Catch me if you can," before flashing past the crowds. His lips curved into a feral grin as his eyes flickered hybrid. He could feel his wolf clawing just beneath the surface. He took off after her, a predator hunting his prey. It took him seconds to catch up with her, but he let her flash off before he could grab her. They both knew she could never outrun him. He had a thousand years of strength and speed on his young paramour. Still, the chase was half the fun. She was the only woman who could bring out his playful side, the one that didn't involve murder and mayhem. She was so laden down with responsibilities that it was rare she let her carefree side show, but he was only too happy to capitalize on it if she was in the mood to play.
Caroline flashed to the top of the pyramid and halted so abruptly that Klaus narrowly avoided crashing into her. Her girlish laughter filled the space between them as she offered him her hand while he glared at her from the ancient bricks. As soon as their palms met, he flashed her beneath his lean body and pinned her arms above her head. His stubble brushed her cheek as he slowly coaxed her mouth open with his tongue. She tasted like strawberries and summer and solace. It would have been easy to get lost in her atop the monument... but they had twins to save. It was with great reluctance that he pried himself off her teenage body. He pulled her up and gave her a rough kiss before they began their descent.
One of the many things Klaus loved about Caroline was her exaggerated reactions to life beyond Mystic Falls. He'd seen the remaining wonders of the world time and again across centuries. Everything she saw was new and she was in awe of every last detail. A small smile highlighted his dimples as he let her babble endlessly about things he'd known for years. It was new to her and her enthusiasm was infectious. She could read the dictionary and command his rapt attention. "Did you hear what I said?" she asked when she caught him staring at her in wonder.
"You said before I had a daughter, I was comparable to Set," he repeated rapidly, frowning. "Rather harsh, in my opinion."
A coy smile spread across her porcelain cheeks. "So, you mean to tell me that if Elijah knocked me up, you wouldn't hunt him down to the ends of the earth?" She laughed out loud as black veins spider webbed down his face and a growl emitted from the back of his throat. "Well, there's my answer," she teased when he fiercely pulled her against his chest, claiming what was rightfully his. "Let go! Breathing is still a thing!" she playfully scolded, smacking his strong arms as they circled her waist.
"Mine," he growled territorially, nipping her neck harshly with his human teeth.
"Yes, yes, I'm all yours," she confirmed with a bright smile, pulling away and taking his hand in hers as they continued their journey into the pyramid. "Besides, I said before you became a father. You never let me finish."
"Apologies, sweetheart. Do continue comparing me to ancient villains, by all means," he countered, bowing his head in her direction.
Shaking her head, Caroline paused and gently pressed her lips to his. "You aren't the villain of my story." He kissed her once more with feeling before they resumed their walk. "Now that you have Hope, you're more like Osiris. Still with a dark side and questionable judgment, but you have a soft side, too. You love your daughter-"
"And I love you," he finished for her, squeezing her hand and offering up a tender smile. "I wouldn't be who I am without you, Caroline. I don't know what would have become of me after I left my family had you not finally come to your senses." Mirth danced behind his eyes as he pulled her to him by the button of her shorts and kissed her on the mouth, his finger grazing the soft skin of her lower belly.
"Just when I thought you were being insightful," she laughed, nipping his lower lip as she pulled away. Turning back to the hall, she commented, "You know, if you're Osiris, that makes me Isis, Queen of the Gods."
"Oh, you have always been a queen," he teased as they turned a corner, venturing into the Grand Gallery. "So, if you're Isis in this analogy, and I were to perish, does that mean you'd cry the Nile?" he asked with a smirk that did nothing to hide his bashful insecurity as he eyed her sideways.
Caroline just rolled her eyes at him. He was so transparent sometimes. She often had to remind herself that love and attachment were still new concepts to the immortal hybrid a thousand years her senior. "Babe, if you died, I would cry the Amazon."
A genuine smile illuminated his handsome features as he stared at the love of his life. "Well, fortunately for your tear ducts, I happen to be unkillable."
"Save one pesky ubervamp," she reminded him with a mischievous grin.
"Eh," he shrugged, "Hope will be able to take Marcellus soon enough."
The blonde nodded her agreement. "I know she's only twelve, but she's kind of a badass. I still can't believe she froze the entire quarry just to take her friends ice skating in May," she said with a laugh. "She gets that complete disregard for the rules from you, you know. She's so Mikaelson it kills me."
Klaus' throat tightened and he had to force a smile. He had no idea what she was talking about, of course. It happened often that he had to play along and pretend he wasn't completely estranged from his entire family, his only daughter included. "Oh, I'm fairly certain her mother was also quite the juvenile delinquent," he deflected, averting his eyes to peer down the narrowing corridor. They were getting close.
Caroline's strawberry lips formed a small 'O' as she took in the sight of three pink granite monoliths. Near the top of the Grand Gallery, they formed the original door to the King's Chamber. It was long since blocked off but something about it drew Klaus' attention in a way he couldn't explain. She started babbling on again, but he tuned her out when, sure enough, he saw something strange. The hybrid squinted his eyes in the dim light of the pyramid as he focused on a small marking. He pulled out his Galaxy and used the flashlight to take a closer look. He gently placed a finger on her mouth to silence her and nodded at the granite. "Stop talking and tell me what you see," he interrupted her in a bossy tone that would have gotten anybody else lectured into next week about the importance of manners.
Rather than scold him, the forever teenager leaned forward and admonished him only with a glare. She ran her fingertips over the carving at which he'd been staring. It was only a few centimeters and would have been easy to miss if not for their enhanced vision. It was unmistakably an Egyptian heart-shaped ahnk on a pyramid, a hieroglyph of a winged woman flying overhead. "That's Professor Nebethet's tattoo."
Klaus nodded ominously. "And that of the curator," he added grimly. They exchanged a look and he subconsciously took her hand. Tucking his phone into his back pocket, he commented, "I think it's safe to say there's more to that mark than a romantic notion." She nodded her agreement and gulped as a sense of foreboding filled her gut with a heaviness that made her jaw clench. "Come on, sweetheart. The modern entrance is located at the upper end of the south wall."
Together, they made their way through the narrow passage. The younger immortal paused mid-step when her eyes fell on the large red granite sarcophagus of the late pharaoh. She let go of his hand and knelt beside the ancient artifact. She turned to her lover when she again saw the same mark. Already kneeling beside her, he reverently ran his fingertips over the carving. "This wasn't here the last time Kol and I visited." She didn't have to ask how he could be sure when his face spoke volumes. For the first time, she looked around and realized they were no longer surrounded by curious tourists.
"Ancient legends say Khufu was never buried here," she mused aloud, her voice nearly a whisper even though there was no one around to hear. "Klaus," she prodded, placing her hand gently on his muscular forearm as he stared at it as though it held the answer to their prayers. "Klaus," she repeated a bit louder, pulling him from his reverie. When he turned to her, she met his gaze to convey the gravity of her suspicions. "You did say the alleged Urn of Osiris actually was quite old, right?"
Unsure where she was going with this, the hybrid nodded. "Yes," he confirmed slowly. "It was only the markings that were fairly recent, perhaps within the last few centuries."
"And this?" she asked, nodding at the vacant sarcophagus. This time, his confirmation came in the form of a slight tightening of his jaw that would have been imperceptible to anyone but her. Since they'd first met, she'd always been able to see right through him. He both loved and hated it in equal measure. He enjoyed their silent communication, but he had mixed feelings about the utter vulnerability of her penetrating stare. He had secrets to keep, after all. "And the mark on the monolith?"
Another nod, slower this time as he caught on. "These aren't quite as old as the urn, but yes. They're not from the original sculptor."
She inhaled deeply and blew out hard on the exhale. "I think I know what was in that urn."
"Or who," he added grimly. Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. He stood and roughly pulled her up with him, his palm falling protectively to her lower back. "Do you see that small opening?" he asked, pointing at the west wall. He continued when she nodded. "It's an escape hatch. It leads to a corridor deep under the pyramid, near the entrance to the underground chambers."
"Why are you showing me that?" she whispered, voice shaking as a lump formed in her throat.
Klaus turned to face her, his hand squeezing her hip. "We're immortal," he reminded her as comfortingly as he could, "but you less so than I. Should anything happen, flash out of here as fast as you can and call my siblings. Rebekah's been here several times as well. Had quite the obsession with an adviser to the pharaoh 700 years ago or so, give or take. Start with her." When she stared at him blankly, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, he added firmly, "Tell me you understand and will do as I say."
Caroline nodded her head, her golden curls bouncing against her shoulders as she reflexively leaned into him. "Yeah, I got it. Call Rebekah." He kissed her forehead before returning his palm to the base of her spine. He stepped forward, but she pulled him back to her by the sleeve of his shirt. "What do you think is in there?" she asked, cocking her head at the yellow caution tape blocking off the entrance to the Big Void.
"Oh, I think the Urn of Nephthys undoubtedly lies ahead," he replied. "I'm just not convinced that's all we'll find." He cast his eyes to her beautiful face and frowned when he saw her worrying her lower lip. He gently pulled it from between her teeth. "We can leave, sweetheart. Say the word and I can have us back to the Jeep in seconds."
"No," she quickly countered, shaking her head vehemently back and forth. "No, I want that urn. I hope like hell it never comes to that, but if Eledain's as bad as I think she is, we're gonna need all the help we can get. You know what Jorlena said. 'When Lizzie and Josie turn 22, death will be the remains of the day.'"
Klaus squeezed her curvy flesh as he recalled their time in the Dolomites. He hadn't brought it up, but those words had fueled his research since the day they'd been spoken. "You're sure?" he asked seriously as he looked into the depths of her sapphire eyes.
"Absolutely," she answered without hesitation. "Like you said, we're immortal. Let's keep moving." Before he could try to change her mind, which she strongly suspected he was about to, she boldly marched forward. A small smile played about his lips as he rushed to catch up with her. She wasn't just beautiful but fierce and strong and full of light… and she was his. They carefully took the chipped granite steps higher and higher. The atmosphere around them seemed to change. Caroline felt a familiar sensation crawl across her skin. It was like the passage was suddenly charged with static electricity that could only mean they were in the presence of something otherworldly. It wasn't long before they passed the final sconces lighting their path. They both turned on the flashlights on their phones to light their way. She turned hers up and down as they walked, but he kept his aimed dead ahead.
When they finally reached the entrance to the hidden chamber, Klaus stopped cold and halted her with an outstretched arm. Before she could protest, he tugged her curls to tilt her head upwards. Illuminated in the small light of his Galaxy, there were hieroglyphs carved into the pink granite above. They both examined them for long moments before he broke the silence. "If we look carefully at these markings, they tell a story," he explained in the same way he'd explained the Aymaran prophecy. "The ankh was used to represent both life and death. In ancient Egypt, the concepts were one and the same, as you know. The pyramid is rather obvious given where we are. Look at the symbol above and tell me what you see."
The blonde cocked her head to the side as she stared at the winged figure flying above the pyramid. "Nephthys was frequently represented as a kite."
"Precisely," the hybrid agreed. "Unlike the other markings, these actually are ancient. It's likely this may very well be the only original carving."
"So, the curator was right," she said, voice tinged with awed wonder. "This has to be it. The Urn of Nephthys must be in there. Khufu did have it sealed away."
"There's where we disagree." Turning to her, Klaus elaborated, "I don't think the pharaoh ever intended to bring back his wife. I believe you're right about his ashes."
"Khufu wanted to come back himself," she scoffed in disgust, shaking her head. "He probably had his people hunting down that missing ingredient to their deaths." The Original slightly nodded but remained silent, encouraging her to continue. "I'm guessing that didn't sit well with followers of Nephthys, what with all she and Isis sacrificed for Osiris."
"One will live and one will die, while that one's death will bring one life," the hybrid quoted the words from the wall of the cave buried deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon.
"Whatever that ingredient is, sacrifice has to be a part of it," she added thoughtfully.
"It does seem to be a theme among wicked witches," he added darkly as he thought about his daughter. He turned away when he saw the pitying look in her crystal blue eyes. "This one," he said as he pointed at a man crouching on the ground, "means hidden. The man with his arms raised behind him means to turn away." He pointed to a carving of a dung beetle. "This one is a scarab. It stands for the recreation of life. This one is a djed," he continued, pointing at a hieroglyph of a pillar. "Also called 'The Backbone of Osiris,' it linked Osiris and Ptah, god of creation, making it a symbol for immortality." He stepped back as he took it all in, mentally putting together the pieces of the ancient puzzle.
"Ok, so we've got the Urn of Nephthys, hidden, turn away, recreation of life and immortality," she wondered aloud while she gazed at the hieroglyphs quizzically. "What's it mean?"
Klaus smiled at her impatience. "It means the ancient Egyptians were bloody brilliant," he said mysteriously.
"Care to let me in on the joke?" she asked, tapping her foot in annoyance.
A smirk slid across the hybrid's stubbled face as he gazed at her smugly. "The humans may have stumbled across this by accident after centuries of exploration, but it was only hidden to them because they're alive. Technology hasn't been able to cross the barrier because it's a magical boundary," he explained arrogantly, delighting in her continued confusion. "You can't cross the threshold unless your life has been recreated. In ancient Egypt, that meant if you were already immortal."
Caroline hmphed as understanding dawned. "So, you can't get to the damn thing unless you don't need it."
The Original smiled at her proudly and nodded his approval. "Assuring it would never be used for selfish purposes," he continued. "I said they're bloody brilliant because this was several thousand years before my mother created the immortality curse. This predates even Silas."
"Nephthys' followers set it up so only one of their gods would ever be able to awaken the urn. They may not have had vampires, but they must've had witches back then, right?" she asked enthusiastically.
"Exactly," he concurred with a smirk.
"God, that's clever," she commented, impressed. "No wonder so much of their culture has survived. That is brilliant."
"It is," he agreed. "Unfortunately for the gods, it would seem you and I meet the criteria to enter," he said happily, the atmosphere around them seeming to lighten as their mutual excitement built. "Shall we?" He grinned at her, dimples on display, as he held out his arm. She returned his smile and hooked hers around his elbow.
Together, they entered the Big Void. As soon as they crossed the barrier, sconces illuminated the massive chamber with mystical flames that danced in the air, casting the room in shadow. Klaus tightened his grip on her arm as they looked around. He held a finger to her lips as he focused on the sounds surrounding them. He closed his eyes and slowed the beating of his heart to listen carefully for anything at all. He could hear the faint thumping of human hearts far off in the distance, but that came as no surprise. They may have been hidden from the living, but they were hardly alone in the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Caroline waited patiently as her lover assessed the danger. She hadn't heard anything, but she was all too familiar with his paranoia. There was no point rushing the Original. She looked around and felt her pulse quicken when her eyes fell on a pedestal in the middle of the chamber. At the center of the intricately carved red granite structure sat the Urn of Nephthys. When Klaus was finally satisfied that they were alone, he opened his eyes to see her practically dancing in place with the widest smile he'd seen on her porcelain visage since they'd met at the airport in Cairo.
With a matching expression, he released her arm and gestured at the center of the room. "There you go, sweetheart," he cooed in his velvety accent. "Have at it."
The blonde clapped her hands together excitedly as she skipped to the pedestal. Smiling back at him as he flashed to her side in less than a second, she tentatively reached out to touch the ancient artifact. When nothing happened, she cautiously traced the intricate carvings before carefully picking it up with both hands. "Wow," she mouthed as she turned it around and around in the firelight. "It's warm," she observed as her palms slightly tingled. "This isn't a fake, Klaus," she said confidently as energy coursed through her veins. "This is the real thing. The Urn of Nephthys."
The hybrid smiled at her gently and kissed her cheek, his stubble tickling her when she turned to the side to peck him on his soft lips. "I told you I would get it for you, sweetheart."
"You?" she sassed playfully as they made their way back to the entrance. "Pretty sure I helped," the bright blonde teased, bumping her hip against his as she cradled their treasure in her arms.
Suddenly, a dark figure clouded the exit as an accented voice interrupted their moment. "Then I suppose we have both of you to thank," came the sinister tone of Professor Nebethet. The undead couple turned their heads to the intruder to find her flanked on all sides by a dozen or more men and women of varying ages and nationalities, the curator directly to her right. "Now, hand it over and we can all walk out of here."
Caroline's eyes fell to the many crossbows pointed directly at her heart and gulped. She was filled with an eerie sense of déjà vu as she though back to their confrontation with the Gemini rejects in the Dolomites. She quickly cast her gaze to Klaus and saw that his hybrid features were already prominently on display, his eyes glowing as a predatory growl emitted from the back of his throat. She clutched their precious discovery tightly to her chest as only one thought filled her mind. Here we go again.
Mystic Falls, October 17, 2032
It was the day before the blood moon and Caroline was on edge. When the lunar eclipse passed, her daughter would be cut off from her witch heritage. It made her sick thinking that it had come to this. She missed Klaus every day, but some were harder than others. He'd been with her as she traveled the world looking for answers that hadn't come. This had been his idea. A last resort to keep the twins alive. There was still time before they turned twenty-two, but each passing year made it harder to deny that one of her children would die. She thought back to their time in Egypt when they'd found the Urn of Nephthys. He'd meant it for one of the girls, but for years, she'd been trying to find a way to use it for him. Her biggest fear was that she'd have to choose between her daughter and her lover. If it came to that, she knew what she would do. What Klaus would want her to do. He'd chosen Hope. She would have to do the same for one of her girls. That was what parents did. They put their children first. If the hybrid had taught her anything, it was that family was always and forever.
They were supposed to have been always and forever, too, but they weren't. At least, not yet. She was determined to bring him back, however long it took. As much as it hurt, her priority was to get the girls through The Merge. Resurrecting Klaus would have to wait. They still had no idea what cryptic ingredient the Urn required, nor did they know how to awaken it even if they had the ash of the living. She would think more about it after the blood moon has passed.
The four young women and three young men were in town for a long weekend. With the exception of Hope, they'd be going back the morning following the ritual. They'd gone to the town square for a Founding Family's celebration. The former Miss Mystic Falls had been to enough of those events to last a lifetime. She was sitting in the living room of the Mikaelson mansion when her tumultuous thoughts were interrupted by a car screeching to a halt in the driveway.
"Have you lost your fucking mind, Caroline?!" Alaric Saltzman shouted, his ruddy features twisted by rage as he stormed through the front door.
The young mother was on her feet in an instant. Holding her hands up in surrender, she spoke calmly and slowly as she lied through her shiny white teeth. "Ric, calm down. I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Like hell," he bellowed, slamming the door behind him. "When you and Hope got closer after her parents died, I assumed it was because you felt sorry for the poor kid, but this entire time you've been trying to resurrect Klaus fucking Mikaelson."
She'd smelled it the minute he'd banged his way inside, but now that he was screaming in her face, the overwhelming stench of booze was undeniable. "How much have you had to drink tonight? You're not thirty anymore, Ric. You can't keep drinking like-"
"Oh, like what?" he replied defensively, "like I'm a fucking vampire like you?"
"Yeah, like you're a fucking vampire like me," she spat, her hands curling into fists as she fought to keep her temper in check. She was not in the mood for one of his drunken tantrums. She'd moved in with Hope after he'd gone off on her one too many times after the girls graduated. She still owned half the school, but she'd been travelling so much that the tribrid had offered to take over more and more as time went on. It was a fitting career for her as she was a blend of everyone there. Plus, her father had paid for the school to start up and Hope had continued his legacy of philanthropy.
Caroline closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath before slowly blowing it out through her nostrils. "Alaric," she began with his full name, alerting him that he was going too far, "he's dead, ok? Klaus died a long time ago and he's never coming back." She willed it not to be true, but it hurt her heart all the same to say it out loud. When she thought back on the time she had gotten with the man she loved, and looked forward at her immortality without him, the pain was almost more than she could bear. More than she should have to. Than anyone should have to, especially the child he'd left behind at fifteen. As much as that grief was a part of Caroline, it wasn't something that the father of her surrogate children got to see. Even though her daughters were adults, she didn't want them to see how lonely she was. How much her heart ached for one last look. She forced down the lump in her throat and held her head high, mentally preparing herself for battle.
Alaric stalked towards his, his eyes glassy and bloodshot. He and Damon went out drinking often. Both had trouble limiting themselves as humans, but the latter had a loving wife and two kids still at home. Alaric was the lone human in a school of supernaturals. It wasn't hard to understand why he was miserable. The young blonde tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but sometimes he went too far. She eyed his tell-tale flask suspiciously and wondered if he would even remember their conversation in the morning. It was stainless steel and covered in fine leather. Damon had gotten it for him when he turned fifty-five. Considering she still looked seventeen, it had made her feel that much better about calling off their sham of a wedding. It was a reminder that it was ok to put herself first every now and then. The girls were grown. He couldn't take them away, nor could he threaten her with them, either. They loved their father, but he'd been pushing them away for years, Lizzie more so now that she was tied to an immortal partner. He'd been rather vocal to his co-parent about his concerns that Hope was still a Mikaelson and would turn their daughter for her own selfish reasons. Caroline had vehemently defended her best friend on multiple occasions, but it wasn't a secret that he didn't approve of their relationship.
He didn't approve of Caroline anymore, either, apparently. She'd been so busy mentally preparing her argument that she didn't notice the crossbow in his hand until a wooden stake was firmly embedded in her stomach, pinning her to the wall. She ripped it out with a scream and threw it at his head, the coppery scent of her blood filling the air. "What the FUCK, Ric!" she shouted as she ripped away the weapon and slapped him hard across the face. To her disgust, the alcoholic simply laughed as a dribble of bloody saliva dripped down his chin. He pulled out his flask and took another swig of bourbon. "Oh, that's just great," she scoffed in disgust, throwing up her hands as her wound closed. "When it doubt, have another drink."
As if on cue, Alaric took a final sip before tossing his empty flask on the couch. Rounding on her, he drunkenly spat, "When it doubt, fuck another mass murderer."
"You're a pig. Get the fuck out of my house," she barked. When he didn't move, she grabbed him by the back of his leather jacket and dragged him to the doorway.
The father of the twins shrugged her off, which she let him. She could have thrown him out, but she was trying to be the bigger person. Although with the weight Alaric had put on in recent years, that was a challenge. "You mean Hope's house?" he corrected venomously. "Oh, wait, you two are pals now that you've run through all the undead sugar daddies in town. Tell me, how long were you giving it up before he did us all a favor and offed himself?"
Caroline scoffed and shook her head, repulsed by the man swaying slightly on his feet before her. She pushed the door open and pointed outside, but he didn't take the hint. He just stood there, staring blankly as he waited for an answer. "My private life is none of your business, Ric. Go home. Sleep it off. You won't even remember anything I say, anyway."
She'd meant to placate him, but her comment only seemed to enrage him further. "Know what I remember but wish I didn't?" he asked rhetorically as he fumbled around for something in his pocket. No doubt looking for his favorite flask as it lay empty in the next room. "I remember when that bastard murdered my girlfriend. Remember Jenna? Elena's aunt? I know you remember Elena since you hit her up for some blood. Oh, that's right, you only talk to people when you need them for something!"
"That's bullshit and you know it," she spat back, her hands curling into fists as she fought to refrain from pummeling him.
"Yeah? Then how is it that Damon said you hadn't talked to Elena in over a year before all this?"
"Of course, you heard it from Damon," she replied tiredly. "My number one fan." She pinched the bridge of her nose, vividly recalling the feeling of a human migraine.
"The number one vamp you spread your legs for, you mean."
"Would you just stop talking? Seriously! What the fuck happened to you?" Caroline asked, shaking her head. "You weren't always like this."
"And you weren't always a bloodsucking whore. People change, although I guess you're not a person anymore. You're a monster just like the rest of them."
"Like you were a monster?" she shot back defensively. "You've really got a lot of nerve coming up in here passing judgment on me when you're the one who killed my dad. Remember him? Because I sure as hell do. You murdered him decades ago, but he is still twice the father you'll ever be!" she shouted, her voice rising with her temper.
"That's not how you felt when that sick fuck was torturing you. God, Liz should have let him kill you," he snarled, slurring his words. "The world would be better off without anyone and everyone who remembers that hybrid monster."
That was it. She'd had enough. Caroline shoved him backwards and sent him sprawling. He crashed into a table and sent an antique lamp crashing to the floor where it shattered against the marble tile. "I'm not a scared little girl anymore. I don't give a damn what you think about my relationship with Klaus."
"Oh, so it was a relationship? Not just an undead booty call, then?" he spat as he got to his feet. He picked up a piece of the broken lamp and threw it at her, but she easily dodged it when she flashed back to the living room.
She rounded on him when he followed her. "Yeah, ok? Yeah. It was a relationship, and you wanna know how long? Seven years, Ric. Seven fucking years and you were too goddamn drunk to notice that I was actually happy." He threw a book at her, but his aim was so far off that it fell short and landed pathetically by her feet. "You were sitting here on your high horse partying it up with Damon while Klaus was out there hunting down leads to save our kids!" The next thing he threw was a vase. Again, she dodged it effortlessly. When he picked up a copy of Grapes of Wrath, she pushed him up against the shelf and growled in his face, "You should be thanking me for involving him. We wouldn't know even half of what we do about The Merge if it weren't for him doing what you were too drunk to even start!"
Caroline thought she had the upper hand against her co-parent, but she hadn't counted on whatever he'd been searching for in his pocket being anything other than more booze. She gasped when a syringe penetrated her neck. Her eyes went wide at his triumphant expression. "Guess I'm not too drunk to remember my emergency vervain." The blonde felt the poison enter her bloodstream and his smug smile swan in her clouded vision. "Never know when one of you vamps might need to be put down." She grabbed at the syringe and pulled it out, but he'd already emptied it into her neck. She swayed back and forth on her feet, falling against the desk to keep from toppling over. She felt her stomach turn when he picked up the bloody stake he'd already used to impale her once. He held the wood high over her chest as he spat, "Say goodbye, Caroline."
She closed her eyes and waited for the pain. It didn't come. Instead, she heard sweet relief in the form of Penelope Park coming to her defense. "The only one saying goodbye here is you," the brunette witch sassed with her characteristic smirk. If there was anyone who disliked Alaric more than Caroline, it was Penelope.
The vampire shook her head to clear her muddied vision and opened her eyes just in time to see Alaric crashing into the bookshelf, gasping for air, the stake falling useless at his feet. He looked between the two women and knew it was over. With a feral snarl, he turned to the blonde and vowed, "I swear to God, if you bring that bastard back, I won't stop until I send him back to whatever hell he crawls out of!" The words had barely left his mouth before he was on the ground.
Caroline looked around, surveying the damage. A few books had been knocked off the shelves. A broken lamp shattered in the night. Papers strewn about covered in magical languages. One unconscious asshole, his chest rising and falling just enough to indicate he wasn't a dead asshole. The blonde had mixed feelings about that, but emotional dissection would have to wait. She got up shakily and turned to her savior. "What did you do to him?" she asked softly.
Penelope quickly ran to her friend's side and helped her steady herself on her feet. With an arm around her shoulders, the witch helped her to the couch. She poured them both a drink before sitting down to answer. "He's not dead, if that's what you're worried about," she said before downing her shot. "I put him in a Chambre de Chasse."
The forever teenager looked to Alaric and then back to Penelope. "How- how did you do that?" she asked, rubbing her temples to clear away the vervain migraine.
The pretty brunette shrugged. "It's representational magic. I was coming to drag you to the afterparty when I heard screaming. One look at that idiot's truck had me filling a bowl with a blood bag and running to the rescue. You're welcome, by the way," she sassed her former headmistress.
"What did you use for the totem?" the educator asked, somewhat confused as she looked around at the damage done to her living room. It wasn't beyond repair and it wasn't the first time. Lizzie's temper had been hell on furniture in recent years. She'd never liked that lamp, anyway. At least redecorating would give her something to do the next day while she waited for the moon to reach its apex.
Penelope smirked and held out her hand. "Motus," she muttered. Alaric's flask flew across the room and she caught it easily. "Trying telling an alcoholic that his stash of booze represents him best," she commented without humor as she glared at the unconscious hypocrite with disdain. "Figured I'd pick the one thing he'd never guess. He's not getting out unless I let him."
Caroline downed her shot of bourbon and nodded. "Impressive."
The witch looked at her thoughtfully with her chocolate almond eyes, cocking her head to the side. "You know, just because I'm not a Bennet, or a Mikaelson, or a Parker, or a Claire doesn't mean I'm not strong."
The teenager looked at her in surprise. "No, honey, I've never thought that-"
"Oh, I know," the brunette replied, holding up her palm in a stopping gesture. "No one's ever said it. It used to piss me off when I was a kid," she continued with a dark laugh as she thought back on a younger version of herself. "Not having everybody bow down to my power. It sounds so stupid in retrospect, but I guess hindsight is 20/20. For who I am now, I'm happy to let other people deal with the supernatural drama. I mean, I love my friends, but I see what Hope has to deal with every day with Lizzie. No offense, I mean, I know she's your kid and all, but she's a pain in the ass." She paused to see if Caroline was going to yell at her. When she didn't, the witch continued. "But it sounds like you're already dealing with that, right?" she asked, an accusing edge to her tone. The vampire's eyes widened, but Penelope cut her off before she had to hear another lie. "Well, Care, since we've established that I can kick ass if I have to, I'm going to ask you this one time. What in the hell is The Merge and what does it have to do with my girlfriend?"
Hope felt her stomach turn when she looked at her phone and saw a two-word text from Caroline: "Penelope knows."
It was the morning of October the 18th and the blood moon was upon them. As a wolf, she adored the full moon. As she thought about it now, it sickened her. The sun was already half risen. In less than twelve hours, Lizzie would be rendered mortal. Human. Not a witch. Who would she be without her magic? More devastating than that question was the one that came before. The one she'd been asking since Caroline first proposed this crazy idea in the first place. Who would she be to that human after all was said and done?
Would Lizzie still love her tomorrow?
Hope didn't know. Maybe she didn't want to. Maybe it didn't matter. Whether she awoke the next morning as Lizzie's girlfriend or alone, the binding had to be done. Personal consequences be damned. She knew it and Caroline knew it. One day, they prayed Lizzie would understand.
Understand what, exactly? That they'd lied to her? Kept the truth hidden from both her and Josie? Hope didn't even want to know what the latter was feeling right now. Caroline's text had been dated several hours prior. By now, Penelope would have told her girlfriend everything. She couldn't blame her, not really. If anything, she counted herself lucky that neither brunette had barged in with the awful truth.
Luck. What a ridiculous concept. If fate was a game, the Mikaelsons had lost before they'd begun to play. Klaus was dead. Elijah, too, along with Finn and Henrik. Dahlia, Mikael, Esther. Dead. The same held true for the Parker family. Lizzie's Uncle Kai had killed the twin's biological mother's entire family before the girls were even born. Caroline had been a conveniently located incubator, nothing more. Alaric had been very clear about that in recent years. It was with a grim sense of satisfaction that Caroline's next text revealed her old teacher had been dealt with. A Chambre de Chasse. Well done, Penelope. Hope couldn't have planned it better herself... and she had tried. Alaric had been a problem for a long time. If there was any gratitude to be found on this horrible day, that was it.
And what a horrible day it was.
Lizzie had woken up in a good mood for a change. If anything, seeing her girlfriend happy made it that much harder for Hope to maintain a façade of normality on what could be their last day to just be. After the ritual, nothing would ever be the same again. There would be no more mornings of casually levitating cups of Earl Grey to her girlfriend across the massive Mikaelson kitchen as Hope watched her with that dopey smile she loved so deeply. There would be no more lazy afternoons of watching flowers bloom from nothing. There would be no more candles magically lit over dinners in the forest as the moon rose high overhead.
It was time.
Hope was a tribrid: part witch, part wolf, part vampire, all monster for what she was about to do. She'd heard Bonnie's footsteps long before she smelled the burning herbs or heard the faint chanting as the Bennet witch finally emerged in the clearing where Hope held her girlfriend as they danced beneath the stars to music heard by no one. The familiar scent of Caroline's perfume had filled her nostrils before the pounding of her best friend's heartbeat began to pulse louder and louder as magic filled the air.
The firstborn Mikaelson of her generation thought she knew what it was to suffer when she'd watched her father go to his death. As Lizzie's body contorted in agony, suffering took on a new meaning entirely. The cursed siphon was lifted from her girlfriend's arms as her magic was torn away. Breath by breath, visceral screams filled the air. Hope was not prepared for the utter misery and desperate helplessness born from watching Eledain fight for her final connection to the world. The tribrid's face twisted in horror as Lizzie's eyes burned with the ghostly green glow of a spirit who refused to stay dead. It chilled her to the bone as she remembered with haunting clarity the way her father's eyes had shone the morning before he took his own life to spare hers. She'd brought him back from the brink of madness and still Klaus had gone.
Lizzie Saltzman wasn't going fucking anywhere. Not if Hope Mikaelson could help it. Caroline fell to the ground as ancient magic reduced her to a screaming mass of pain. Lizzie faced her mother but saw only through the eyes of the enemy.
Eledain had gained control at last.
A guttural roar erupted from Hope's chest as the beast within took hold of the immortal tribrid. Half woman, half wolf, she flew to Bonnie's side in one swift leap. Back to her human form just as quickly, she took hold of the older witch's hand and shared her power to battle the purest evil the world had ever known. Beyond the madness of Dahlia, emptier than Inadu's heart, colder than death itself was the force that raged within the Gemini twin. Raw power drove the witches to their knees as Bonnie screamed out the incantation again and again, the amulet shaking and quaking midair as it slowly moved towards the monster emergent. The magical language was lost in the night when Hope howled at the moon as she fought for the woman she loved.
It wasn't enough. The almighty Bonnie Bennet wasn't strong enough to force Eledain back from whence she came. Only love can conquer death and Hope loved Caroline Forbes. With a final eruption from deep within, Hope sent a branch flying at Lizzie's outstretched palm as she tore apart her surrogate mother. It wasn't much, but it was the distraction the vampire needed to flash away from the horror unfolding beneath the blood moon.
If this was destiny, it was time to rewrite the stars. The Mikaelsons and the Forbes did not go gentle into that good night. They would rage and they would fight. They would not falter. They would not fail. They would not lose their Lizzie. Caroline returned and with her came an army of those who would always stand at their side. It was no surprise that Penelope and Josie had been lying in wait, nor was it a shock that MG, Rafael and Landon weren't far behind.
What Hope hadn't predicted was the presence of her fellow Mikaelsons. Davina and Freya emerged from the darkness and joined the witches as a united front. One look at her aunts and the youngest of them knew. Caroline. Of course, Caroline had called in the cavalry. Sometimes, Hope was so like her father. Always alone. Always on her own. It hadn't even occurred to her to call for backup. It had taken a dozen lifetimes for Klaus to finally learn that family is power. It was a lesson Caroline had tried to impart on her best friend. Apparently, it hadn't taken. At least not yet, but that was ok. They had time. They were immortal. All they had was time, but the young woman before them? Hers was running out.
Lizzie's cursed and distorted voice bellowed at the sky as a circle of magic surrounded her. The witches joined hands to lend Bonnie their strength: Josie, Penelope, Freya, Davina, Hope. Eledain was strong. They were stronger. Slowly but surely, they chanted with bated breath as the Gemini magic flowed into the amulet suspended mere inches from her twisted chest. Their feet dug into the ground as the power of their spell battled the darkness. The amulet moved closer and closer.
And then it stopped.
They all stood frozen as time itself seemed to freeze. Lizzie's nails had turned to glowing red talons as she clawed at her own beating heart. "If I can't have her, neither shall you," Eledain growled, her scream a maniacal cackle as she laughed at them all. A feral snarl erupted from the depths of Hope's soul as she wrenched her hands away from her fellow witches and dashed towards her girlfriend.
"HOPE NO!" Bonnie called out from behind clenched teeth. "We have to finish the spell! The magic has to be contained!"
It took all the strength of Caroline, Landon, MG and Rafael to restrain her as she fought to get to Lizzie. "She's killing her!" the tribrid screamed as four pairs of strong arms held her back.
"I WILL KILL YOU ALL!" Lizzie's enchanted voice howled as her eyes glowed in the clearing. As rapidly as her claws had gripped her heart, Eledain let go and turned her magic on the easier targets.
And that's when he knew.
Several things occurred to Landon Kirby all at once. This was what it meant to look evil in the eye. Real evil. Pure. Immortal. Eledain was worse than any evil any of them had ever seen. He thought he'd been prepared for this. After all, he'd known about The Merge for years. When Penelope had called him screaming, he thought he'd be able to tell them what to expect. He had been wrong. This was worse than anything he'd ever imagined. Worse than anything any of them had ever imagined.
Jorlena had been right. "From the depths of the Earth she came, and she was evil given blood and bone."
The mother of first Gemini twins had also said Inadu was a terror to rival Eledain, but what if she'd been wrong? This was magic strong enough to pass through the generations. Strong enough to allow for a mystical transfer of twin embryos to a host who was literally dead. Even The Hollow had lay dormant for over a millennium. The Gemini ancestor never had. She'd been there all along. Every year brought her closer to her resurrection. Her return was happening before their very eyes. Before his very eyes.
What Landon knew to be true above all other truths was the only one he couldn't ignore: not everyone was going to survive the night.
The magic inside Lizzie was too strong. Hope knew it, too. It wasn't rational. It was intuition. She knew there was no way to explain it, but she could feel it in her very soul that she had to get to Lizzie. If only she could reach her, everything would be ok. They shared a brief look that told him everything he needed to know. She had a plan and she needed his help. There wasn't time to share their mutual revelation with the others. What the tribrid needed was a distraction. Something had to give. Someone had to give. Someone had to let go.
So, that's what he did. He let go. Eledain used Lizzie's hands to blast Landon in the chest with a white-hot bolt of unadulterated hell. It was a pain unlike anything he'd felt before. If he screamed, he couldn't hear it because the rush of his own blood was deafening... until it wasn't. He fell to the ground in the blink of an eye that saw no more. The pain was gone. He was gone.
Beyond the terror, Hope felt a rage she'd never known. Landon was dead. He'd sacrificed himself to buy her the time she needed. When the magic landed on Caroline, the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson broke free. Eledain had taken her friend but she would not take her family. Not today. Not before she got always and forever. Landon's sacrifice would not be in vain. That was her truth. The tribrid was beyond the space between agony and despair, beyond fear and loathing, beyond the abyss of madness. She was fierce, protective, Original. Driven by primal instinct, Hope lunged forward and held fast to the bloodied talons of Lizzie Saltzman. Copper reigned down as the tribrid's palms were torn to shreds, crimson combining in a deafening boom that left the survivors speechless.
And then it was over.
As quickly as Eledain had emerged, she was gone. Lizzie collapsed on top of her girlfriend and they landed in a heap. The witches fell to their knees as they dragged in deep breaths of oxygen, the forest air filling their lungs as they fought to still their racing hearts. Hope looked down and saw that the amulet was fading fast from green to gold as the magic was finally contained. The chain around the blonde twin's neck sealed itself together with a small pop. Lizzie slowly opened her eyes and they had returned to their cerulean blue. Hope pulled her to her chest as everyone's tears began to fall.
One by one, they gathered around their fallen friend and there were no words. All magic had a price and it had been paid. The spell had been cast and there was no turning back. Landon was dead and Lizzie was human.
The binding was complete.
A/N *tentatively peeks out from behind the laptop* Well? What did you think? That last scene was a killer. *ba dum tss* This is probably my personal favorite of my current multichaps, but it's been a real bitch trying to line up the first half with the second. I'd really love some feedback on how it all came together. Your reviews are without a doubt my best motivator. Talk to you soon!