Feeling Nik struggling beside me, I woke up from my own pleasant dream to discover that he was having a nightmare. I hushed him gently, reaching back with my hand in order to grasp his as he started awake and gasped for air, as if he had been drowning in his sleep. Ever since the bombing at the bayou, Nik had taken to sleeping either near or with me and the baby out of fear for what might happen to us, and since then, he had been having nightmares. "Hey, it's okay. We're here. See? Baby is still here." I fixed his hand over my stomach where the little one wriggled, feeling the pressure of her father's hand as Nik recovered from his nightmare.
"I'm sorry for waking you."
"It's okay." Our quiet whispers filled the dark shadows of my room as I turned over so that I could look towards him, eyes gradually adjusting to the dark so that I could see more and more of him, like the dark veil gradually being lifted. "Same nightmare?" His silence was all the response I needed, so I started to stroke his hair and wriggled in closer so that he could be reassured by my presence, that I was still here and that his nightmares were only that. Nightmares. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. The last thing I wish to discuss is my father haunting me whilst I sleep." Understanding why he wouldn't, I instead snuggled closer and went back to sleep whilst holding his hand over his chest, his other arm curled under me with my head against his shoulder. I wasn't sure if he went back to sleep at all, but at the very least he had company and when I woke up again, I found him playing with my hair. Part of me wanted to make a comment on his tastes, whether he preferred blondes or redheads considering his rather keen interest in past and present lovers, but decided against it. Things had ended between him and Genevieve the night of the Feast of Blessings, and I couldn't say I was sorry that I would no longer be seeing her walking around in her lacy underwear. "Sleep well, love?"
"Hm. You're comfy to sleep against. Don't ever pack on more muscle, it makes for a terrible pillow." Times like this we were almost like a couple, however once the sun was up and the day began, all sense of kinship and closeness would vanish as Nik would focus his mind on other things and I would have to wait all the way until the evening before I could have him back like this again. To him it was strictly platonic and out of care for the little one, but for me I received a feeling of affection that I would not get otherwise, so I decided to enjoy it while it lasted. I wanted nothing more than to laze around in bed all day, however today was the day of Father Kieran's funeral, so I eventually forced myself to get up and take a shower.
I put on the black dress I had chosen for the day, made myself presentable then went at the designated time with Nik and Elijah to the procession and then the wake afterwards, where I paid my respects to the priest then gave my condolences to Cami. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help him, Cami."
"You did all you could, and your amulets helped him a little towards the end. They gave him a little of his mind back, and they stopped him from being in pain. That's more than what anyone else was able to do." She said to me, already several drinks in and oddly cheerful. I guess this sort of situation defines the concept of drowning your sorrows, and I couldn't blame her. Leaving her to her drinks, I even managed to talk to Marcel for a little bit, catching his eye as I mingled. Nik had lifted his banishment for twenty four hours so that he could mourn Kieran and be there for Cami, which I thought was a hugely benevolent step for Nik. "Hey there, you're looking very…"
"Pregnant. The word you're looking for is pregnant." I told him as he trailed off, having tried to search for a polite way to describe just how heavy I looked. "It's good to see you again Marcel, though you haven't exactly been staying out of trouble. That stunt at the Feast of Blessings? I almost hurled my guts out from the smell of blood so I did not appreciate that." Smiling in his effortlessly charming way, Marcel apologised if I had been made uncomfortable, but held his ground saying that he needed to make a statement and make his voice heard, but all I saw was a petty rivalry between people who all wanted the same thing. Power and control. I liked Marcel well enough, but he was a great deal too much like Nik, no matter how much he may deny it, and that wasn't entirely a good thing.
We left on good terms, and I did not remain at the wake long since the mixture of booze, sweat and too many people made me feel ill, so instead I decided to head outside for some fresh air. I wanted to check in on Davina, so I made sure to call her and talk. She thanked me for all of the gifts I'd packed for her, before she then mentioned a séance that frightened the life out of her when a man had appeared and grabbed her before all the windows had shattered. "Davina, don't mess around with that kind of magic. Restless spirits will look for any means necessary to get back to the world of the living, you should only do that kind of magic with an experienced witch around, or me. Just be careful, okay? Were you hurt?"
"No I'm fine. Just a little freaked out."
"Okay then, so long as you're alright then I guess no harm done. Just make sure not to try and contact the dead again. It's a dangerous risk, and vengeful sprits may lash out at you and try take over your body if their will is strong enough. How about next time I see you, I teach you a safer summoning ritual with protective circles? The spirits can't leave the boundary, but you can still talk to them. Alright?" Agreeing that this was a better idea, I left Davina to carry on with whatever she was doing, though I was now worried for her. The funeral was scheduled for later, so I decided that I would head home to rest for a bit first, though Nik was quick to call to demand where I was. "I'm home at the compound, Nik, perfectly safe. I was just tired and there were too many people around."
The answer satisfied him, and soon enough he and Elijah were also back, entering the courtyard where I was sat comfortably in one of the loungers with a cold glass of water for me to sip at and my feet put up to relax. "As it transpires, I am not the only one who has been dreaming of my sadistic and vengeful father." Nik announced and I immediately sat up with curiosity.
"Oh?"
"Yes, I too have been seeing our father in my dreams. We suspect that someone may be conjuring these visions to torment us." Elijah spoke as I frowned, both of them coming to join me.
"Impossible. I have wards put up around the place that prevents magic from being used here from the outside. No witch could break through those barriers to make you both have nightmares, I would know about it." I told them with concern as I then began to feel a daunting feeling. "Hold on a moment." Getting up, I moved to one of the flowerpots and grew some herbs which I rolled into an incense stick between my palms then set it alight in order to begin wafting it through the air. The thick scent of burning herbs filled my nostrils and I inhaled deeply, going into a light trance where I sought out my ancestors, only to be slammed with a backlash of screams and the feeling of a shaking boundary which was rapidly unravelling. I only had a few moments, but after pushing through I was able to reach the connection I shared with my ancestors, who were safe in their own after life. I was barefoot and wearing a plain white shift dress which flowed openly over my still pregnant stomach, so with a hand fixed over the bump, I walked towards the alter where three of my closer ancestors were waiting for me.
Their faces were covered and the dense fog which surrounded us made it difficult to see, but I felt no fear in their presence, for they were as warm and comforting as the rays of a summer sun upon my face, for I knew them in my soul, and they would never harm me. I asked them what was going on, communicating with them for the first time in a long while, ever since I had contacted them in order to beg that they take away my gift of foresight, as the visions had become all too much and far too nightmarish to handle. They greeted me like a long lost child, their voices filled with love as the spoke in unison and warned me that the Other Side, the place where the supernatural souls departed to after death, was beginning to unravel.
Their words came without the movement of mouths, like voices that whispered directly into my head and before I could ask them for further clarification, I felt the powerful tug of magic pulling me back from communicating with my ancestors and with a jolt, I violently jerked my body and sucked in a deep gasp of air as I dropped the sage stick and convulsed. This was a wholly new experience and something I had not expected to happen, both Nik and Elijah rushing to my side as my eyes rolled wildly until my body settled and whatever possession had overtaken me vanished. It took me a moment, but then my magic settled and I realised with a sense of horror that a dead spirit had tried to attach itself to my body.
All the while I was contemplating what this meant, Nik had been almost bellowing in my face to get me to snap back to my senses, and all at once I heard his voice slam against my ears. "OPHELIA!"
"Alright, alright, I'm back, I'm better now." Flinching against the jarring sound, I pushed against his shoulder so that his face wasn't so close to mine. "I'm sorry, it was just a simple communion with my ancestors but we were interrupted by a malevolent spirit trying to take root in my body." None of my words offered either Nik or Elijah any comfort and both demanded to know what I meant, so I explained to them about the Other Side, a kind of purgatory for supernatural souls, and that it was falling apart which meant that spirits were desperately trying to escape being sucked into oblivion, and one of them had tried to take over my body. "But it's fine, my wards and spells kept it from happening. They can't possess me no matter how hard they try, it's impossible, and the same protection extends to the little one so they can't take her either. We're both fine."
"I'd hardly call almost being taken over by some kind of desperate spirit whilst having a chat with your dead ancestors as fine. Was it perhaps one of them?" Nik demanded, looking like he would very much like to kill or maim something.
"Impossible. It goes against our creed to possess someone else without consent, and also, they're not exactly spirits. After death, a druid becomes part of the earth, their power returns to where it was born and lives on through nature. Not like the others. They can't be brought back to life after they spirit is delivered back into the earth. It's impossible. My death, once I do die, will be final. Just like any other druid." This did not comfort Nik either who stormed off in order to make a call to someone, so I looked imploringly to Elijah for help who thankfully, had processed all of this information a lot better. We spent a few minutes discussing the repercussions of the destruction of the Other Side, and just as we were surmising whether or not we should be worried about it, it was then that Genevieve appeared, striding into the courtyard, drawing all eyes towards her.
"I asked around. It's not just your father. The purgatory where supernatural souls are trapped is disintegrating." She announced like it was a huge revelation, however Elijah merely responded with nonchalance.
"Yes we are aware." Her face fell in an instant, frowning in confusion before then looking at me whereby I smirked. I guess I got an answer before she did. I couldn't help but feel incredibly smug.
"She's right…more or less. It's actually imploding. I made a call to a rather reluctant Bennett witch in Mystic Falls who said the same thing. The dead are being torn away into nothingness and, they're not interested in going quietly." Bonnie knew about the Other Side? What the hell was going on in Mystic Falls? I knew I should have checked in on them more regularly, Mattie doesn't really tell me much of what's going on and I don't talk to anyone else. I'd left a few helpful tips on what was going to happen until I'd decided to shut off my foresight powers, but I'd left enough information to get them through at least these past few months according to what I'd seen before. Don't tell me even with my hints they'd all messed up astronomically.
"So, you're saying that our father, faced with permanent extinction, has decided to spend his remaining tormenting us? How delightful."
"Well, on the plus side, we'll soon be rid of his abhorrent soul forever, and what a good riddance that will be!" Nik said with no hint of remorse or sadness which I couldn't blame him for. Michael could rot in hell for all I cared after what he'd done to all of his children.
"So, am I in the clear, Elijah? Or is there a new conspiracy you two would like to threaten me over?" Genevieve questioned with sarcasm, to which Elijah merely responded with disinterest.
"Nothing springs to mind at this precise moment." I was rather glad to see that Genevieve was no longer receiving a warm welcome from Nik, who brushed aside her attempts at flirtation and a booty call with passiveness which clearly irritated her. Perhaps it was petty, but then I didn't care, because at the end of the day no matter how many women these guys went through, I had a feeling that I would always mean something to them. I mean, Elijah treated me like a sister and Nik? Well Nik treats me with the most amount of respect and affection he's bound to show anyone who's not actually blood related, so I consider myself rather honoured on that count.
Seeing as the funeral procession was soon to begin, we didn't delay too long in getting ourselves moving, and none of us were overly concerned about the imploding of the Other Side. I felt cold and shivery, so I wrapped myself up in a warm coat before leaving and made sure to walk with Nik and Elijah as Hayley came to join us, walking within the procession at a slow, trudging pace. Feeling an itch in my chest, I started to cough, feeling a little sick as if I was coming down with something and Nik was quick to notice. His arm came around my waist to pull me a little closer, murmuring into my ear to ask if I was alright. "Fine…I'm fine. Just really ready to have this pregnancy over with. No offence you guys, but I don't know how much more of this I can take."
"None taken." Completely sympathetic to my condition, Hayley looped her arms through mine and rubbed my arm to try and warm me up as Elijah told her how nice she looked, which made her grow rosy and smile slightly at his words. Her eyes then caught sight of the new leader of the human faction, a woman by the name of Francesca Correa who seemed to run the casinos in the city. "Do you think I was the target of those bombings or Lia?"
"Of course you were the target." Nik answered her bluntly and without hesitation. "Were I to wage a war on the wolves, you'd be my first kill. I would string you up, for all your worshippers to see." Each of us all glared at him for his lack of tact.
"Perhaps they were after me, not Hayley." I reasoned, but Nik disagreed.
"Not whilst you carry my child. If anything were to happen to you, then not only would they have a war against the vampires, but Hayley would have the wolves up in arms in a heartbeat. There is no strategic value for anyone to go after you, sweet Ophelia." As comforting as that was, it didn't exactly put my mind at rest considering that Hayley was indeed the target of the attack and it was pure luck that she wasn't hurt at all.
"I believe that was my brother's way of telling you he'd like you to return home with us." Elijah clarified for his brother as he addressed Hayley before then turning to his brother and lowering his voice. "Perhaps try a different approach, Niklaus, with fewer references to murder?" Ignoring his brother's advice, Nik looked over my head at Hayley as the both of them had me by either arm, and I suddenly felt very small and caught in a crossfire between two very stubborn and strong willed people. Perhaps I should have walked next to Elijah instead.
"As much as I would hate to throw you over my shoulder, and drag you kicking and screaming to the compound, we both know I will for the sake of my child, and seeing as I do not want for her to grow up without her mother, I would rather you simply see sense and come back where we can better protect you."
"One bad dream, and suddenly, you want to be a responsible daddy?" Hayley meant it as a joke, however Nik took his response very seriously as he leaned further over me in order to lower his voice to a dark murmur at Hayley.
"Let me put this into perspective. My father lived to torment me. It is not my intention to become him. This cycle of misery ends with my child." Although the sentiment was nice, Hayley did not appreciate being seen as a mere bystander in her own daughter's life according to Nik's view of things and pointedly drew away from him, and therefore, me.
"You forgot one thing in your little attempt to plead your case. She's not your child. She's ours." With that she stormed away with that fiery attitude of hers which I thought was totally killer and I grinned after her before then looking at Nik.
"She's got you there, you know." Rolling his eyes, Nik responded by merely tightening his grip on me as if to make sure that I didn't disappear from him but I too felt that his possessiveness was getting a bit too much so I pulled his hand off me and told him that I was going to walk on my own for a little while, wanting some space and time to myself so I left him to Elijah's dry witticisms about his attempt to tame two women who were as headstrong as they came. I walked ahead of them, the crowds soon cutting me off from their view but I liked to think that Nik trusted me enough to keep the little one safe that he didn't need to be hovering over my shoulder twenty four seven. He gave me the solitude I wanted, however I now felt even worse than before.
Something was wrong, and my magic started to flare up against whatever it was that trying to affect me, causing hacking and painful coughs as I had to stop against a lamppost in order to try and recover myself only to discover blood in the palm of my hand. Now I freaked. I tried to call out for Nik but I was coughing again, unable to call to him for help as magic began to bombard me from all directions, and after a while I realised that I was being affected because I was sharing blood with the baby, who was not only a witch, but a vampire and a werewolf, all of which were affected by magic. My druidism did very little to help protect us here. Already I was trying to find the source of the magic, grasping hold of the post and reinforcing the spells around the baby to protect her, but that only weakened the protection around me and so the magic, unable to affect the target, began to attack me instead. Someone grasped hold of my arm and I caught sight of a flash of red hair before I collapsed and, with another spurt of blood from my mouth, blacked out completely.