CHAPTER 23
Bonnie was pressed back against the bathroom wall. Kai had her pinned there, his hands stroked lazy patterns along her arms. With each touch a dose of magic was infused underneath her skin. His forehead rested against hers. Since his first kiss, he hadn't tried anything more.
Instead, she could feel his breath. Their lips were only a hairsbreadth away. So close his breath fanned her face and it was as if they were breathing into each other. But Bonnie knew she couldn't stay paralyzed here for long. If she wasn't back soon, Kol would grow suspicious and come looking for her. As for the rest, Kai was still an evil ass and she still hated him.
"Bonster, you know I protected you that day," Kai whispered. When he spoke, his chest vibrated and she felt the rumble pass through him and into her.
Yup, they were definitely standing way too close.
She groaned and shoved against his shoulders. Kai stumbled backward, he caught himself by landing on one foot and then did this funny little jump to right himself. The move had been sort of predatory and she found it annoying that he so easily brushed aside her attacks.
Maybe if she threw in a little magic next time, he wouldn't be so quick to recover.
"You protected me? How? When you were selling me out to your psycho dad or when you stabbed me in the back by siphoning me? Oh wait, I know, it was when you handed me over to Joshua completely helpless because YOU TOOK ALL OF MY MAGIC!" the volume at which she screamed the last part at caught even Bonnie by surprise. With it, came a rush of power that threw Kai into the wall.
Kai hit the tiled wall with a sickening 'thwack' sound. He slid down and landed on the floor. He wiped his face with his hand and when he looked up at her, she saw pure fury in his eyes.
"You think I wanted that?" Kai snarled and got to his feet. He squared his shoulders and stalked toward her, but this time, she refused to back away. She raised her chin and prepared to face off with him. "Weren't you listening, Bonnie? My survival was on the line and if dear old dad had known how cozy you were getting with both me and Kol? Oh hoho," Kai laughed and it was gloomy.
"What's so funny?"
"He would have killed you," Kai said flatly. There was no emotion or drama in his voice now. He wasn't trying to scare her or manipulate her. He didn't believe there was anything to gain from that.
No, for once, Kai Parker was telling her the cold hard truth.
"Why didn't you just warn me?" Bonnie snapped.
In spite of his so-called chivalry there had to be other ways to protect her. Ones that didn't involve sacrificing her to satiate Joshua Parker's bloodlust.
"Because dummy, you ran off to Mystic Falls and then you complicate shit by snuggling up to Kol. AFTER WHAT WE DID!"
Now, it was Bonnie's turn to be shocked. She took a step back and shook her head. She knew her expression revealed the bewilderment and hurt she felt. And for the first time, she thought maybe Kai was experiencing a modicum of it at least too.
"But - but you -"
"Said I was fine with it?" Kai said and his eyes flashed dangerously. "Bunny, I was playing the long game. Dad offered you to me and a shot at merging early. Which as you know, I knew was bullshit, but I figured playing along would buy me some time. With that I planned to usurp him as coven leader and have you. But here's the thing? You ever wonder why Kol and Rebekah showed up when they did?"
Bonnie remained silent. It was a question, she had asked herself rarely after that night. Mostly because it hadn't really mattered to her. What had mattered was that Kol and Rebekah came to her rescue. But if she had to guess? She would have assumed Jo contacted them. After all, Jo had tried to rescue Bonnie from Joshua even if her attempts had been crappy.
Whereas Kai on the other hand...
Bonnie could still recall the pain as Kai had siphoned her magic. It felt as if every nerve in her body was on fire, like her blood had been replaced by lava as he drained her. And he'd never not once during the whole thing looked like he had second thoughts or even doubts.
What she was thinking must have shown on her face because Kai smirked.
"That's right, Bunny. I texted Kol," Kai said with mockery as he put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Bonnie felt floored. Kol had promised her no more secrets or lies. Yet he was keeping this from her?
"Oh my God," she said feeling stunned. "I need to talk to Kol."
Bonnie tried to get past Kai to the door, but he kept moving to block her. She would go right, he would go right. And so on and until she could have strangled him.
"Where do you think you're going, Bunny?" Kai asked with a heated gaze and a playful smile.
If it had been anyone else that expression might have been loving or warm or even kind, but on Kai? It was equal parts seductive and predatory.
"I am leaving," she growled.
She could feel the last of her patience begin to slip away and along with it her magic was rearing its head. Sparks shot out of her fingertips. He wolf-whistled and chuckled.
"Easy there."
"Shut up! I need to talk to Kol now get out my way before I make you."
"No," Kai said moving toward her. His blue eyes had that dangerous glint again. "Weren't you listening earlier? You swear a blood oath and then you can sort out your problems with your vampire boyfriend."
"Fuck you."
Bonnie tried to shove past him only to find herself shoved back up against the wall. She stopped breathing altogether and stared up at Kai with wide, frightened eyes.
He's a sociopath and you're mouthing off? A small, frantic part of her brain screamed at her.
"Listen, Bonster and listen good because I'm only going to say this once," Bonnie didn't dare breathe. If Kai wanted to, he could easily siphon her and leave her for dead. "I like you. A lot and I want to get with you so swear the damn oath then you can go fuck your vampire boyfriend for all I care until I deliver on my end of the bargain."
Bonnie shook her head. "You know, if you actually cared about someone other than yourself, you wouldn't ask me to do this."
"Oh?" Kai chortled. "Boy, oh, boy am I ever excited to hear the reasoning behind this."
"It's coercion," Bonnie said simply. "You do this and you are essentially forcing me into it. With absolutely no free will or chance of changing things. The old deal? You actually stand a shot at winning me back assuming you get a new personality I might like you again! But now, I'll slowly grow to hate you more and more for forcing my hand. For distrusting me so much you bully me into swearing a blood oath."
"Oh, and before you would have what?"
"Probably still grown to hate you. But it might have been different if you'd made an effort. But now you're screwed. I'll hate you forever and you? You'll get to pleasure of living every single day of the rest of your life knowing you only got me through blackmail and coercion."
Kai grit his teeth together and she knew that meant she had gotten to him.
The wall came apart in a deafening explosion. Debris went everywhere along with large chunks of the wall. Kai grabbed her, diving for cover. His body was on hers and he put his arms up to cover his head.
A second too late, Bonnie realized he was using his body to protect her. Kai didn't have any magic in his system. Acting quickly, she threw up a shield. The golden protective sphere materialized around her and Kai.
The debris fell uselessly on it and bounced away. But a second later, it was no longer needed. Bonnie stopped her casting and pushed Kai off her. They got to their feet and when he grabbed her arm, pulling her to his side, she didn't protest. After all, he had just used himself as a human shield to protect her.
Carefully, they crept toward the bar. Bonnie heard raised voices and spells being thrown back and forth, but she couldn't figure out what was going on until they drew closer.
Black John was early.
He was standing in the center of the bar. He had Cassie in his grip. She was raised high above the others and he was using his magic to suffocate her. Nick hovered on the outskirts looking at once frightened and furious.
And just as useless.
Bonnie understood. Black John had chosen the perfect hostage. Neither the witches or the vampires would risk hurting Cassie – she was friends with everyone. Well, the Originals might, but Kol and Rebekah would be restrained by the fact that Bonnie was friends with Cassie.
Kai yanked Bonnie behind him and shook his head. He gave her a hard look.
"Don't be brave or stupid, okay, Bunny? I know that's kind of your thing, but just don't for tonight, alright?"
Bonnie glowered and had no intentions of listening to him. "Shut up, Kai."
Kai reached for her and she shook off his hands.
"What do you want?" Bonnie asked stepping forward.
As she moved she readied her magic. If Black John wanted a fight, she would give him one. But first she had to make sure Cassie was alright.
Black John turned to her and she knew the instant she had his full attention. How could she do anything else when his dark eyes chilled her to the bone whenever they met?
"Where's the vampire, little girl"? Black John crooned with a sinister smile on his lips.
"I don't know, but put Cassie down."
"What will you do? Kill me?" he laughed.
A shiver ran down Bonnie's spine. Kai reached for her, but again she ignored him.
"Yes. MOTUS!"
Bonnie, who had been silently communicating with Nick using just her eyes for the past several seconds struck. All she could do was hope, he had understood.
Black John went soaring through the air. He hit the wall and it cracked. Nick had done his part and Cassie still hung in the air where Black John had held her, thanks to Nick's quick spellcasting. Nick lowered her to the ground and ran to her, grabbed her hand and pulled her away from there.
Using his magic, Black John propelled himself forward until he was levitating once more at the center of the room.
"Not bad, little girl," Black Jon said with a chuckle. "But can you actually defeat me? Now is your chance as I promised Joshua I would let you live. For now."
Bonnie raised her fists and the room shook.
"Go ahead, do your worst," she snarled.
Even over the chaos of the walls and roof coming down, Bonnie could hear Black John's mocking laugh.
"Oh, I will take you to him as promised, what fun we shall have."
Black John waved his hand lazily and her spell was cut off. The effect was painful like having a limb severed. He waved his hand again and flames burst up all over the room.
Heat scorched her face and she fell backward. Kai grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back just in the nick of time. A column of fire burst up exactly where she had been standing.
"I thought he wasn't going to kill me," Bonnie said looking up at Kai in amazement.
"Guess he is as psycho as my old man."
A blur ran through the room and Bonnie's heart almost stopped when she realized it was Kol. He ran past her to Black John, knocking into him like a linebacker. Black John went sailing through the air and people gasped.
"Where is your father?" Bonnie demanded. "He was the target."
"Not to state the obvious or anything here, but I'm thinking the old man smelled a trap."
"Crap."
"Crap is right," Kai said with a humorless laugh.
Black John was back on his feet. He raised his hands and soon Rebekah and Kol were on their knees. They covered their ears with their hands, Bonnie had no idea what kind of aneurism Black John was giving them, but it had to be a powerful one to incapacitate them.
"Vatos!" she screamed.
Things exploded all around Black John, but it was as if the warlock didn't even notice. Instead, he turned that cold gaze on Bonnie and winked.
He waved his hand. The Originals were still under his spell, but now the rest of them were as screwed as they were. The building shook and rattled, but unlike during Bonnie's earthquake the ground was cracking underneath everyone's feet.
Bonnie looked down and saw the floor was covered in cracks. It looked like a spider's web. She gasped and almost fell. Kai caught her arm and held her up right. He was hanging onto the bar for support.
"RUN!" he shouted. "EVERYONE FUCKING RUN!"
Rebekah was trying to crawl away as the floor opened up underneath her. Kol was on his feet, but he was moving slowly. He was going for Rebekah.
Kai grabbed a bottle of liquor. He quickly rolled up a rag. Bonnie seeing he was about to do something that might just save all their asses decided to help. She threw a motus at Black John. Her spell was weaker this time, but it knocked him off his feet.
"MOTUS!" she screamed again.
Black John stumbled back and landed on his side. Another quick look at Kai told her he was done. The rag was shoved into the liquor bottle like a wick. Another look at Kol and Rebekah showed they were at the outskirts of the bar now. Her spells had weakened Black John's attack on them.
Kai lit the rag with a lighter from his pocket. He threw the bottle and it landed with a crash right at Black John's feet. It wouldn't kill him, but maybe it would slow him down.
A split second later, it burst in an explosion. Flames erupted everywhere and Black John screamed as he was set on fire.
Kai grabbed Bonnie's hand and dragged her out of the chaos.
"RUN!"
"I AM!" Bonnie shouted back.
Even in the middle of a crisis, Kai had to piss her off by doing things like stating the obvious.
Behind them it sounded like all hell broke loose and Bonnie didn't need to look over her shoulder to know Black John was definitely not dead. She just hoped everyone else was alright.
Bonnie ran trying to keep up with Kai for dear life and by the time they made it to the parking lot, she was gasping for breath. Kai pulled her down into a crouch behind one of the big SVU's.
"We need to get the hell out of here, ASAP," Kai said breathing hard.
His blue eyes normally so focused, darted around looking for signs that there was anyone else nearby.
"Yeah, tell me something I don't know," Bonnie muttered. Then louder she said; "I'm not leaving Kol."
"Listen to me, Bunny," Kai said insistently, he clutched her hand tighter and his eyes were more serious than she had ever seen them before. "Your boyfriend is an unkillable Original vampire -"
"But Black John came here to kill -"
"Yeah," Kai pulled something out of his back pocket and after a second, she realized it was the white oak stake. "But here's the thing, he thought he would have this on him."
"Where did you get that?"
"I swiped it from him," Kai said with a cheery smile. "So the vampires will be alright and Black John isn't going to kill the New Englanders."
"How do -"
"He wants them as his coven."
"But Lucy -"
"Escaped with Celestia."
Bonnie wanted to believe him. It was tempting. If she did, she could plausibly justify running away because she knew Kol would be getting the hell out of dodge along with Rebekah any second now. Especially, when he knew she was safe.
Yes, running away was tempting because it led to safety. But it was cowardly and she wasn't going to leave anyone behind. Even if that 'anyone' turned out to be just unkillable Original vampires.
Bonnie shook her head. "I'm not leaving."
"I was afraid you'd say that. I really didn't want to have to do this -" Bonnie tried to tug her hand out of his grip, but he wouldn't let go. "I really am sorry about this, Bunny."
In an instant, her veins were on fire and she bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. All in an attempt to keep from screaming.
Kai let go. The relief was physical and she collapsed. Kai caught her, he drew her into his arms then the world spun. She recognized that tug low in her navel and she knew he was teleporting her away.
Within seconds, her new location manifested. In a way, she wasn't surprised, she should have known. Where else would he take her?
"Your treehouse," she said with a sigh. "We need to go back."
Why hadn't she learned how to teleport over long distances? Right, because that was one thing Kol couldn't teach her. He'd never learned because there hadn't been much use for teleportation back in his tiny old timey village. Which she supposed made a crazy sort of sense. After all, why bother to learn how to teleport when there was only so much village to teleport around? Mentally, she added that to the long list of spells she needed to learn.
"Hate to burst your bubble, Bunny – but..." Kai drew the words out as he smirked. "That's not happening."
"Fine, I'll get there myself."
Bonnie started toward the hatch. Kai caught her by the waist for about the hundredth time tonight. He picked her up and put her back down several feet away from the exit.
"Would you relax for like two seconds? I mean, sheesh."
Bonnie crossed her arms and eyed him darkly. "No."
"Like I said, sheesh. All of these feelings must be exhausting," he wiped his brow dramatically and exhaled in an exaggerated way. "And why go running to play the hero when we can use magic to assess the situation?"
"What did you have in mind?"
Bonnie didn't trust Kai, not by a long shot. He had saved her again tonight, but there was no doubt in her mind that was a completely selfish act. But none of that changed the fact that she was in the middle of nowhere with no vehicle. If Kai really did know a spell that would let them see what was going on then it was her best option. She could always come to the rescue once she knew the score.
Kai led her to a mirror that was lying haphazardly on the floor. He picked it up and put it down on the desk. He chanted in Latin as he waved his hand over the surface.
"Revelare. Visum est et mihi. Revelare. Revelare. Latet. Revelare."
Bonnie didn't catch all of that. Her Latin was still a work in progress, but she understood revelare. It meant reveal. And the phrase latet, it meant hidden secrets.
To her amazement, the surface of the mirror shimmered. It glowed and rippled like a wave. In the next instant, it was smooth once more, but this time, she could see the bar. The place was torn apart, but Black John was standing in the wreckage alone. That was a relief because it meant everyone had somehow managed to escape.
Black John roared at the top of his lungs. Bonnie and Kai both jumped. Kai snickered and smirked.
"Well that was an unexpected reaction."
"Shut up, Kai."
"See, Bunny? Everyone is fine so you can knock it off with the hostile attitude already."
"I'm not hostile," Bonnie crossed her arms and glowered at him. "I just don't like or trust you. And it's totally your own fault."
"Blah blah," Kai said using his hand to demonstrate how much she talked by opening and closing the fingers like a talking mouth. "Like we have already established I'm evil. It's old news, can we please get on with things?"
"Like what?"
"Fixing your injuries, duh."
"No, I don't think we should stay here."
Black John teleported away. Kai shut down the mirror with a lazy flick of his hand.
"Why not?" Kai asked his brow furrowed together. "We've already seen that everyone got out of there."
"Because Black John just teleported away, he could pop up here at any second."
"Any second? Please," Kai scoffed. "What kind of B-list warlock do you take me for?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm an A-lister, babe."
"Don't call me, babe."
Kai completely ignored her. "This place is soaked in so much protective magic I'd be shocked if Balck John could even find it. There's no way, he's getting in."
"Fine."
Bonnie took out her phone and called Kol. The whole time it rang, Kai bounced in front of her. He even sidled up really close and pressed his ear against the phone. Bonnie turned away and ignored him when he followed her.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kol answered.
"Bonnie my sweet, where are you?" he sounded worried.
"I'm with Kai. He got us out of there," she muttered.
"Yes, I did," Kai said bouncing with glee. "Put me on speaker, Bonster."
Bonnie shook her head and shoved his shoulder. It didn't do any good. He didn't as much as budge, but he did laugh.
Dick.
"Are you alright?" Bonnie asked once again turning her back on Kai.
She might as well not have bothered because he popped up in front of her again a second later. It was like playing 'whack-a-mole' with the world's most annoying guy.
"I'm fine."
"Rebekah and Lucy?"
"Teleported out. I ran for it once I was certain you were gone, but I didn't see where you went."
"I'm stealthy like that," Kai snickered.
He had heard Kol easily because his ear was once again pressed right up against her phone.
"I have to go. I need to murder, Kai."
Bonnie hung up before Kol could protest.
"What did I do now, Bunny?"
Bonnie growled and seriously thought about choking Kai. It wasn't like he didn't have it coming. He could be all kinds of annoying.
"You snoop and you have absolutely no respect for personal boundaries."
"Now see? That's just not true."
"Oh, isn't it?" Bonnie put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows. "Because here's the thing, you couldn't back up two steps up to let me talk to Kol. And it's so not even the first time you have invaded my privacy when I'm trying to make a call."
"Well you know," he shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I'm whacky that way."
"Oh my God. Can we go already?"
"Nope," he shook his head. "We really do need to clean your wounds."
Bonnie touched the cut on her head and winced. It felt like a hundred needles pricked her skin in just that spot.
"It's just a little injury."
"That we are going to fix. Now have a seat."
Kai stretched his arms out and gestured for her to have a seat. Bonnie sat down on the edge of the bed. She had to admit, Kai's treehouse was impressive. It had two levels with a bed on each one and she briefly wondered if him and Jo had sleepovers here. There was also a TV and a fridge as well as a stovetop. Of course, Kai would have food in his hidey-hole.
Bonnie glowered at Kai. It was easier than admitting she was grateful. Gratitude was way too close to trust. And she had been down that road with Kai before. It didn't end well and she wasn't about to go there again.
Kai kneeled in front of her. He put his hand over her forehead. She winced when he touched her cut and he let go, at least a little.
"This will only take a sec," he said in a softer voice than she had thought him capable of.
What was happening right now?
"Healing spell?"
Much to Bonnie's embarrassment her voice was breathy.
"Healing spell," Kai murmured.
He closed his eyes and she felt a tingling where her cut knit itself back together. The tingling spread to the rest of her body as she was filled to the brim with magic and warmth. It was almost like when Kai gave her some of her magic back only better.
Bonnie's eyes closed and a quiet moan escaped her lips.
"Bonnie," Kai said in a rough voice. "You haven't thanked me for saving you."
She put her hands on his chest and pushed, creating some space between them and her eyes flashed dangerously.
"Who says I needed rescuing?"
"Guess that's true. You're a tough girl," Kai said with a chuckle.
His hand roamed from her forehead to the nape of her neck. His fingers tangled into her hair and he turned her lips up to his. He closed the distance between their mouths.
Bonnie was tempted so tempted to give in to his kiss. Because she saw him differently. This was not the first time he had saved her ass and gotten nothing out of it. She hadn't even sworn the blood oath.
Of course, maybe that was it. Kai kept saving her life because he saw her as a prize to be won. And you couldn't win a prize if it was dead. Thinking about it like that made it easier than imagining Kai might actually have some semblance of feelings for her.
Bonnie gave him a good zap with her magic. He jerked as if he had been electrocuted.
"What the hell, Bonster?"
She shrugged and smirked. It was one of his smiles, she wondered if he noticed.
"I warned you not to try to kiss me again. We have a deal, but that doesn't mean I like you. And you need to get home before your dad decides you're a total traitor and straight up kills you."
"Good point," Kai winked and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Bonnie cursed out loud. Kai might have saved her ass again, but one thing hadn't changed, he was still the most frustrating guy she had ever met.
XXX
Bonnie arrived back at Kol and Rebekah's apartment an hour later. It had taken her a while to get down and then a while longer to keep walking. She had thought about calling Kol for a ride, but she needed the time to think.
When she walked through the door, Kol appeared in front of her. His expression was concerned and he reached for her.
"Where have you been?"
Scratch that, he was worried and jealous.
"Kai teleported us out, I told you and he had to get home before his dad realized he has betrayed him."
"And he couldn't be bothered to take you home first?"
Bonnie shrugged. "I'm fine so what does it matter?"
"I suppose it doesn't. Though it does prove chivalry is dead."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. It wasn't exactly a surprise that Kai was less than the perfect gentleman.
Next thing she knew, she was in his embrace. Kol slanted his mouth to hers and she stood up on her tip toes to meet him halfway. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. They broke apart and their foreheads touched.
"So that was wild, huh?"
"Very much so," he agreed in a murmur. His fingers stroked his cheek. "Everything went completely pear-shaped."
"If you mean wrong then yeah."
"Yes, that's precisely what I mean."
Kol chuckled and his breath fanned her face. It sent a shiver down her spine.
"This is such a mess," Bonnie groaned and took a step back.
It was a mess in more than one way. She had almost kissed Kai – twice. Just to complicate matters. The truth was as much as she cared about Kol at the end of the day, she was disappointed about the way things had gone down with Kai. She still cared about him otherwise why else would she have agreed to Kai's deal? She was lying to herself if she told herself she couldn't have talked him into another deal.
Bonnie took a step back. She knew it was time to tell Kol even though he would go crazy.
"Uhm so -" she grimaced and then the whole story came out in a rush. She took a deep breath and looked at Kol apprehensively. "So?"
"So?" he snarled. "That's it? So? You make a deal with Kai one, which involves you going back to him and all you have to say is 'so'?"
Bonnie shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself. "I mean I'm sure there is a way out of it."
Kol's eyes were dark and unreadable. "Assuming you want it."
"Of course, I do."
The truth was, Bonnie didn't know. She didn't want it as long as Kai was a sociopath because he would never feel anything. At least not anything real, no matter what he pretended.
But if Kai had actual feelings and empathy?
That might change the whole game and Bonnie was scared to even contemplate that as an option.
"Hm," Kol said and he was still watching her with those dark eyes. And she still couldn't tell what he was thinking, but she didn't think he was pleased. "Why do I have the feeling this is what you have been waiting for?"
"Because you're paranoid?"
Kol huffed. "I am not."
"I get it. I've had a thing with Kai and now there is this -" she gestured unable to quite put it into words.
"You mean the two of you fulfilling the pact Sheila and Joshua made? The same one you were furious with me for keeping from you? Now you have willingly signed up?"
"I wouldn't say signed up. It was a whole big thing where it was the only deal he was willing to make."
"Come now, little witch. You must confess you know he is willing to take something else if it means power for him. You wanted this deal. At least some part of you must have."
Maybe that was true. But Bonnie balked at the idea of saying it aloud. It would make her stupid and weak as well as all those other things she didn't want to be. Because what else would you call a girl that fell for her sociopath ex-boyfriend?
"I wanted to take down Joshua and Black John to save all of my friends."
Kol looked taken aback, but his expression soon closed down and he was back to staring at her with black impassive eyes.
"Bonnie my sweet," Kol said softly. "What do you say we call that tomorrow's problem?"
"What?"
Of all the things she had expected to hear this wasn't anywhere on the list.
"You heard me."
Her brow knit together and she studied him. He looked sincere. He looked like someone, who was willing to let it go. He even looked like she could just run into his arms and everything would be forgotten. Which was exactly what she wanted, but why then did it make her feel so crappy?
"Why?"
"I've lived a long time, little witch. The one thing I have learned in a thousand years is even the best laid plans go to hell. What do you say, we simply handle one crisis at a time?"
Bonnie grinned. "I would like that."
And she would. Even if it felt like postponing trouble by putting aside Kai. He was going to become an issue sooner or later, but she supposed there was no use in fighting about it now. Not when she didn't know what to do about it or even what she wanted.
Not really.
So when Kol wrapped his arms around her, she hugged him close. Letting him and his familiar scent wash over her.
XXX
Kai was amazed no one seemed to have noticed he was gone when he returned home. He sauntered down from his room like nothing had happened and when he got to the kitchen, he saw it was true. As far as his dad and family was concerned nothing had happened.
"Another nap?" Joshua grumbled.
"No," Kai said with a look of disgust. "I was doing my homework."
"You don't do your homework, Malachai," Joshua grunted and flipped the page of his paper.
Kai was suddenly assaulted by the urge to shove the newspaper down Joshua's throat. He shoved it down deep enough he would choke. And if he choked for long enough, he would die. Now there was a satisfactory image. Joshua fixed him with a sharp look and Kai wondered if some of his thoughts didn't show on his face.
"I felt like it," Kai said with a shrug. "I was bored."
Joshua's eyes narrowed. "Why do I have the feeling you are lying?"
"Because I'm the abomination and you hate me?"
Joshua sighed now. Just one of the many ways he showed Kai what a failure he was.
"I do what I do to make you stronger because it will make the coven stronger."
"Uh-huh," Kai said fixing Joshua with a steely eyed stare.
He saw no signs that Joshua was being insincere. However, he knew that rage and disgust was just beneath the surface, masked with years of experience. And he knew Joshua had no intentions of letting Kai take the reigns.
Kai had to damp down on a smile when he imagined Joshua's reaction to him forcibly taking the coven.
"It's a pity you're an abomination and a monster. If you'd been more like your sister you might make an excellent leader. Instead, I am forced to pass the coven down to a powerful psychopath."
Kai grit his teeth together and forced a smile. "I get it, Pops."
Kai went to his room before he could make a mistake. Like picking up the nearest knife and offing his old man. As fun as that sounded it would just be an elaborate suicide that would take down the rest of the coven with him. And Kai was too smart to blow everything when he was so close to having everything he ever wanted.
Kai flopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Normally, Joshua couldn't get under his skin. Hadn't been able to in years, but right now, he was seeing red. His anger burned white hot inside of him and he was afraid of what he might do if he didn't have a release.
But that wasn't an option.
It hit him then, Kai had never developed an immunity to Joshua's taunts and cruel remarks. It had been Bonnie's influence. He'd never talked to her about it, but this connection he had with her, it had made him feel less alone.
For perhaps the first time ever.
Kai took out his phone.
XXX
Bonnie was lying next to Kol in bed. His arm was over her stomach and he lay flat on his back next to her. He was even snoring, which meant he was exhausted because normally Kol didn't snore. She played with his hair absent-mindedly.
"I love you," she whispered and smiled. "But I don't see a happy ending here."
This was so much easier to say when he was asleep. Mostly because it was less final. And it was true. She loved Kol, but she didn't see a happy ending with him. He could never again be a warlock and she didn't want to turn. Unless Kol thought he was going to turn her one day, they were both fooling themselves.
Kol groaned and rolled over onto his side. She brushed a few stray hairs away from his face.
Bonnie's screen lit up and she was surprised to see a text from Kai. Her first instinct was that something was wrong, but when she read it, she was alarmed in another way. Kai obviously just wanted to talk and that was a different kind of frightening.
Are you awake?
Bonnie debated with herself at length whether or not she should answer. Finally, with a guilty look at Kol, she did.
Yes, what's going on?
Nothing, I was just thinking of you.
Well don't.
Bonnie fired off her last text, feeling herself starting to get annoyed with Kai. She didn't have the energy to deal with more of his crap after the day she'd had. Shouldn't he be too exhausted as well?
Apparently not because his answer came as fast as his first few messages.
Too bad, I am. You can't control my thoughts although I bet you'd like to. Wouldn't you, Bunny?
Now Bonnie grit her teeth. Kai really was trying to drive her crazy, wasn't he?
I would rather die from cholera than go anywhere near your twisted mind. Now either tell me what's really going on or let me sleep.
Feisty. Bonnie could practically hear the laughter and the flirtation in that one word. If you have to know, it's my dad. I just really hate him.
What did he do? Are you alright?
I'm fine. He just majorly sucks, you know?
I do know. Wanna curse him?
I love the way your mind works, lol. So twisted, but in the most unexpected way. Know any good curses, Bonster?
Bonnie laughed at that. Then she typed up a reply.
Isn't that your area of expertise?
Yeah, but I need something non-lethal.
Will research. Goodnight, Kai.
Thx. Goodnight, Bunny.
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! The bonkai is slowly winding back up again, but it might take a little while. Also who buys Kol's whole "i am totally cool with this act"? Because boy oh boy, do I have plans for that.
Izzy
Guest: Thank you so much, I'm blushing. Hopefully the wait wasn't too long.
Guest: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Sorry, but this won't be a kai x bonnie x kol fic, but it will be bonkai eventually.