Chapter Fifteen
Blood to Blood
Northern Maine
Late August 2010
Klaus waited at the edge of the tree line with his back to the house and stared unflinchingly into the darkening evergreen forest as the sounds of torture hit his ears. It was always best to let the Ripper work alone.
His phone sat dormant in his pocket, as it had for the past three weeks. He had no idea if Rebekah had told Caroline what he'd done to her friends or had kept her in the dark. From the radio silence on both ends, he assumed that out of a warped combination of her anger at Caroline for leaving and her need for her to come back, Rebekah had decided to not tell her best friend what he'd done to her friends. He hadn't reached out to his wife since he'd left Mystic Falls, telling himself he needed to give her space. But deep down, he knew he was afraid he'd confess – or worse, feel guilty – the moment he heard her voice. He'd done what he had to, and he had to stand by that.
Back in the chalet several miles away, his newly sired hybrid was keeping watch over the doppelgänger. Lockwood was extracting blood from her every day for storage. His lieutenant had been instructed to keep his distance – both to keep him away from her blood, and because there was a small possibility Elena could affect the compulsion, get inside Stefan's head.
The tortured screaming stopped. A weakened voice muttered a location and time. There was a soft thud and Stefan Salvatore was beside him in the twilight.
"Midnight tonight on the southernmost coast of Allagash Lake," he said succinctly, wiping blood off his hands with a towel. The Ripper had never been known for his tidiness and Klaus was certain there was a terrible mess inside the little blue house. But his lieutenant was nothing if not convincing: they had the meeting place. The doppelgänger was about to prove her worth.
Mystic Falls, Virginia
The wings of the Tudor-style mansion sprawled out like a giant fan; warm, inviting, mysterious. Esther Mikaelson watched through the branches as her soldiers descended upon the house, drawing out the inhabitants. Her spies had done their job, so she was able to plan it perfectly: the brothers were gone, her children were distracted by Niklaus' disappearance, and it was Pacari's, not Mariko Kurosawa's, day to guard Silas.
Her daughter's ex-husband emerged first, fangs bared and fire at his fingertips. He was a skilled fighter; talented, resourceful, nearly as powerful as his maker. A threat. He would have to be dealt with at some point, she noted. But he had made a fatal mistake: instead of remaining at Silas' side, he had abandoned his post.
Witches, vampires, and Carolinian hybrids appeared to join the fray. It seemed her children had called in their own allies. As the fighting moved across the lawn and away from the house, she made her move. She walked around to the backdoor and slipped inside. The layout was straightforward; she found the door to the cellar with ease.
She had nearly reached it when Kol appeared, blocking her way. Those searing dark eyes, so similar to Elijah's and her husband's, scrutinized her.
"My quarrel is not with you, my son."
"Not today, maybe," he drawled. "Releasing Silas would only cause more problems for you and Father."
"Silas is our enemy," she said. "I intend to drive him mad, not release him."
He rolled his eyes.
"It's true," she insisted before changing tactics. "You owe your siblings nothing, Kol."
His hands clenched and his lip curled. "I didn't need you to tell me that, Mother."
"I watched you all from the Other Side. They have abased, abused, and betrayed you. You were never meant to be the black sheep of the family – that was supposed to be Niklaus."
"Your plan worked wonderfully," Kol snapped childishly. "They would both die for Nik."
Esther inwardly smiled. "Yes. They would."
They stared at each other for a long beat.
She spoke again. "Why did you ask your brother to dagger you?"
It worked. A stony expression covered Kol's face. He moved away from the door and down the hallway.
"Go ahead, Mother. Do whatever," he called over his shoulder. "I don't bloody care."
Silas glanced up from his prone position on the cot, chuckling when he spotted his visitor.
"Let me guess: you're here to offer me an exchange for my assistance in bringing your children to heel?"
Esther raised one eyebrow. "Not quite. You broke my hybrid curse. I'm not very happy about that, Silas."
"Ah. Revenge, is it? Well, you already have my Cure and your children have me locked up. I'm defeated, broken, humiliated."
"Oh, please. Even my children are clever enough to see you're biding your time. If you really wanted to, you could break out. But you don't."
"My dungeon's grown on me."
"You think they can lead you to the Anchor."
Silas said nothing.
Esther stepped forward. "There is something about the Anchor you don't know."
"I thought you weren't here to offer an exchange."
"I'm not. I came to torture you."
"Ah, such a nurturing sensibility you have. No wonder your kids turned out so wholesome."
"The Anchor's location doesn't matter. It is far more important to know what it is."
Silas took his time standing up and strolling to the dungeon door.
"Oh?"
"It's not a what – it's a who."
He stared past her in a daze as Esther's implication hit him. "She wouldn't…"
"Really, Silas: will you never cease underestimating Qetsiyah?"
His shoulders shook with silent, hysterical laughter. Esther watched him break down with grim satisfaction. He would go catatonic, or he would search for his precious, petrified Amara – either way, he would no longer be a foil to her plans. She started to leave.
"Where are you off to in such a rush?"
When Esther turned around, even the whites of his eyes had turned black. He watched as all sentience left her expression.
"Open it," he ordered.
She unlocked the door and opened it unquestioningly. He grabbed a fistful of her jacket and pulled her towards him.
"Where is my Cure?" It came out as a hiss.
Without missing a beat, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a red capsule and placed it in his waiting palm.
"Pretty bold move bringing it here," he noted as his fingers wrapped around his property. "Cocky."
"I do not trust anyone else with it," Esther said in a monotone.
Silas smiled. "Yes. Once trust is broken, it cannot be rebuilt."
He split the capsule open like a Christmas cracker and brought it up to his mouth, sending her a mocking salute before swallowing every last drop, a shudder running through his body as the spell took hold. After a few seconds he recovered enough to take his pulse. A smile spread across his features.
Her vacant expression did not waver – not even when he took a small knife out of her own pocket to slice her palm open and pour her blood into the capsule. He muttered a spell that reknit the seal to finish the illusion that the Cure remained untouched then slid the capsule back into her pocket. He kissed her cheek.
"What happened when you got in the house?" he whispered into her ear.
"I searched everywhere but couldn't find you and assumed the witches moved you as a precaution," was her faithful reply.
"I wasn't here."
"No."
"Good. What's in your pocket?"
"The Cure for vampirism."
"Excellent. Off you go."
The Original Witch turned on her heel and marched back up the stairs.
For the first time in two millennia, Silas sucked in a necessary lungful of fresh air. He exhaled.
Oh, he was furious. Livid. Irate. Angrier than he'd ever been before. However, he had retained just enough sanity to acknowledge that Esther was right – he had always underestimated Qetsiyah. He couldn't possibly hope to reverse the spell on Amara without his full powers.
She was wrong about his ability to break out, though. Mariko and her hybrid protégé had been successfully suppressing his powers – up until now. Sweet freedom beckoned, yet he did not move. Instead he sat and thought, using his returned magic to quickly sift through all the stolen memories from the vampires, hybrids, and witches he'd encountered since waking. He had a neat trick: using keywords to find moments. It was like having Google in his brain. Using the words Travelers coven statue and anchor, he closed his eyes and concentrated. After several long minutes, he found something extremely promising that was a match for two of the keywords. He'd discovered it in Caroline d'Ebanne's mind before she'd lost her memory, though he had not had any use for it at the time.
"Why were you in Russia?"
"Maintenance."
"Ah. Politics."
"We were tracking the coven that murdered Gerard."
"And?"
"Victory."
"Good."
"We now possess their greatest artifact."
"What is it?"
"A statue."
"So, junk."
"Oh, it's not junk."
"Well?"
"The less you know about it, the better."
"Fine, Cecile. Keep your secrets. What are you going to do with it?"
"Nothing. We are its caretakers now – nothing else."
He knew where Amara was - and even better, Caroline did not. He wasn't going anywhere. All he had to do was wait, and this family would lead him to his love. He was good at waiting.
Whistling a tune he'd overheard in Bonnie Bennett's brain, he reentered his prison, telepathically closed and locked the door, and nestled back into the grimy cot with his arms folded behind his head.
He could hear Mariko enter the house and confront Esther. The Undying Witch would think she caught Esther before she found him.
His lips turned up as the two witches fought. It was music to his ears.
They would have no idea.
The Catskills, New York
"Are you sure, Damon?"
Damon rolled his eyes in annoyance. "As sure as ever, Ric."
"Forgive me if I find that less than reassuring."
"All the evidence leads here. Even if I can't bring Stefan back, I can save Elena from becoming Klaus' personal walking blood bag."
"Yeah, but how are you going to get Elena away from Klaus? I told you I should've come!"
Damon glanced to his right and smirked. "I'll be fine, Ric; you need to stay with Jenna and the kid."
"Damon," Ric began, but Damon had had enough.
"Ooh, tons of switchbacks. Better get off the phone and concentrate on driving safely. Talk to you later, buddy."
He ended the call and tossed the phone into the console.
"Why don't you want him to know I'm with you?" the blond Original drawled from beside him.
He kept his eyes on the road and grimaced.
"Because none of them trust anyone in your family right now."
"But you do."
"I don't have a choice. I have too much to lose here."
Rebekah rapped her nails on the passenger door in irritation. "Elena is fine. It's my brother I'm worried about."
Damon rolled his eyes. "Do you know how fucked up you sound right now?"
"This entire thing with Caroline has gotten out of hand; I've never seen Nik so-"
"Unhinged? Crazed? Maniacal?"
"Watch your bloody tone. I'm afraid he's going to do something reckless."
"Malibu – have you been paying attention? Do kidnapping and compulsion not qualify as 'reckless' in your book?"
She ignored this. "And we shouldn't face Mikael and Esther without Caroline."
Damon opened his mouth, but his companion's phone buzzed; she answered immediately.
"Elijah, what's wrong? Because there's always something wrong these days. She did what? But Riko prevented it? Okay. And Pacari? Yes, yes, I bloody know that. Keep me posted. We'll arrive sometime in the middle of the night. No, I won't."
Damon pushed the Mustang to its limits as the incline steepened. Maine was only a few more hours away. Rebekah ended the call.
"What happened now?"
"Nothing, really. Elijah can be overdramatic. Apparently, Esther tried to come for Silas, but Riko fought her off," she reported.
"You don't seem very concerned."
"Riko is very powerful," she said with a shrug.
A long silence filled the car. Damon accelerated.
"Why don't you like her?"
Rebekah's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"Scary Spice. The Undying Witch. Riko, Queen of the Teenage Witches."
"I never said that."
"You didn't have to."
"You are excruciatingly irritating – do you know that?"
"Of course; my brother tells me all the time."
She stared out the window moodily for a moment before answering.
"When my siblings and I sire a vampire, a special bond is formed. It is not a sire bond. Instead, we can sense the other's emotions, enough to be able to locate them, calm them. With Caroline, it was especially strong. Not only were we close friends when she died, but she died saving me. I thought of her as a sister long before she married Nik," Rebekah explained in a low voice.
Damon merged onto the freeway and glanced at his companion.
"So, what happened?"
"Mariko happened. She altered Caroline's…biology, I suppose you'd say. Caroline became an Original in her own right, or Carolinian, whatever. But the magic Riko used permanently broke our bond."
"Leaving you alone."
"Caroline didn't leave me!" Rebekah snapped. "But if we were still bonded when she met Pacari…"
"She wouldn't have turned him?" Damon assumed.
She leaned forward to fiddle with the radio dial, only pausing when Jay-Z's dulcet tones filled the car.
"…99 problems but a bitch ain't one…"
Cabin in the woods
Northern Maine
Elena Gilbert was exhausted. The teenager had spent several arduous weeks as a prisoner in the middle of nowhere while her former boyfriend and his psycho ex-best friend gallivanted through the woods hunting werewolves. She hadn't had any contact with the outside world and knew Jenna and Jeremy and everyone had to be beside themselves with worry.
She felt betrayed. Betrayed by Klaus, betrayed by Stefan, by Tyler, by Caroline, who had sworn her husband would never harm her. Had no interest in doppelgängers and hybrid armies. And here she was: the victim.
Ever since waking as a hybrid, Tyler had completely 180ed about Klaus. He defended his actions whenever she pointed out they'd been kidnapped, and he'd been turned against his will. He did everything the Original said, including poking her with a needle and filling up bags of her blood every day. If she weren't so mad, she'd almost feel sorry for him: there was definitely some sort of weird blood magic happening. What if Klaus decided to kill her? Would Tyler deliver the final blow? Or would it be Stefan? She shuddered at the thought. Her feelings towards Tyler right now were nothing in comparison to her feelings towards Stefan, who had turned full Ripper. She still loved him, but every time she thought of him, it was as if a knife was twisting in her gut.
Elena would call her prison a bougie ski cabin, but Klaus preferred the term "chalet" because he was a pretentious asshole. In the winter, she could imagine curling up beside the huge stone fireplace with a cup of cocoa after a long day of skiing. She was currently on the leather couch in front of said fireplace, but she had never felt so cold before in the August heat. Her room was upstairs, across from Tyler's. Klaus slept in the master suite downstairs. After a couple dreadful confrontations with Stefan, she had not seen him once, though she knew he slept somewhere near Klaus' room. There was no computer, landline, or Wi-Fi here. Her phone had been destroyed. She once tried to sneak into the garage and steal the Audi, but Tyler had caught her before she even got to the door.
"Hey."
Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear.
Tyler, fresh from the gym, bee-lined for the fridge. Elena observed him with slight disgust as he pulled out a gallon of milk and began chugging.
"You know, school is starting up again soon," she said causally.
He took one more giant gulp and wiped his mouth.
"Yeah," he sighed.
"So, like… Will we be back in time for that, or is this it for the rest of our lives?"
He sighed as he put the milk away. "I don't know, Elena. I'm hoping we'll be done here soon. But Klaus knows best."
Her expression filled with fury, but she knew it wasn't worth fighting him over Klaus. Klaus always won. She turned away from him and grabbed the remote.
As she watched an episode of Friends she'd seen a hundred times, she tried to calm down and think up a new escape plan. At the very least, she needed to find a way to contact Mystic Falls.
"Did I hear someone ask about school? Don't fret; I'll have you back home for senior year with time to spare. We've made a big breakthrough."
Elena wondered if Klaus' voice could get any snider. She didn't even turn around. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"Really?" Tyler the puppy dog asked.
"My Ripper here discovered their meeting place," Klaus said.
Elena froze. Before she could stop herself, she had stood and faced the kitchen.
Stefan kept his eyes trained on the floor, but Klaus was smiling at her with one hand on Stefan's shoulder.
"Stefan," she said, hating the pleading tone she heard in her voice.
It was the Ripper who looked up to stare at her coldly.
"Elena."
She repressed a shiver.
"Alright children, much to do. We're going to the southernmost tip of Allagash Lake, which is only about an hour's drive. The Ripper and I will go in tonight and Tyler, you will bring Elena in the morning along with the blood bags, but you'll stay in the car about a mile out. I want you there in case they need to drink directly from the source, but I'm quite confident the bags will be sufficient. I wouldn't want to risk your life, Elena," Klaus condescended.
She scoffed. "Yeah, sure. You've said that before."
"And haven't I taken wonderful care of you? You're well fed, with luxurious lodging, and protected by one of your childhood best friends."
"You mean kidnapped."
"Don't worry Elena, this will all be over soon."
"And what does your wife think of all this?" she asked, knowing she was poking the bear.
A brief shadow passed over the hybrid's face.
"That's what I thought. She has no idea," she declared triumphantly.
Klaus swallowed. "Caroline must concentrate on regaining her memories."
"Are you sure you want that? Do you think she'll be happy you did this to her friends?"
His eyes flashed yellow, and his veins broke out. Then Tyler spoke.
"Is Caroline okay?" he worried.
Elena feared for his life as Klaus turned towards his progeny.
"Caroline is none of your concern," he commanded.
Tyler hung his head obediently.
Klaus' phone rang, breaking the awkward silence. He glanced down at it.
"We leave in an hour," he said as he left the room.
Elena kept her gaze on Stefan. He looked as exhausted as she felt. Tyler watched the exchange uneasily as the kitchen clock ticked.
The moment broke when Stefan pulled his phone out of his back pocket. He stared at a text before punching out a response.
"Something wrong?" Tyler asked.
"News from Mystic Falls," he said in a curt tone.
"Stefan, please." Elena saw her opportunity, even it meant breaking her heart all over again. She stepped towards him. "Please try to remember who you are. Who you aren't. I love you. I love you so much and my heart is breaking right now. I know you're in pain. This isn't you."
He looked at her then shook his head slowly. "This is me, Elena. You just never knew the real me. It was an act."
Her breath hitched. "You can't mean that."
He put his phone on the counter and rubbed his eyes. "I can't give you what you want. You'd be better off moving on."
"How could I move on from the love of my life?"
"I did," the Ripper said coldly.
"Are you talking about me or Katherine?"
He smirked and tears sprang to her eyes. Tyler intervened. He grabbed Stefan's arm roughly.
"That was uncalled for, dude. Let's go take a walk."
Tyler shot Elena a sympathetic look as he dragged Stefan outside. She ignored him. But as soon as the door closed behind them, she smiled. Stefan's phone sat forgotten on the counter, still unlocked.
She swiped it, ran upstairs to her room, and turned the shower on to full blast in the en suite. Klaus was in the basement, but she could never be too careful. She sat on the toilet seat and scrolled through the contacts. Her finger hovered over the name of the person she realized she wanted to talk to most and she marveled for a brief moment at how crazy it was that he was the one she trusted absolutely now. She pressed down. It took less than two seconds.
"Stefan?"
"No."
"E-lena?"
"Please get me out of here, Damon."
"Elena." His tone rapidly shifted from disbelieving and angry to worried and relieved…and loving. She couldn't ignore the jolt of pleasure that spread through her as she heard his voice.
"Damon," she choked out. "I'm in Maine with Klaus, Tyler, and Stefan."
"I know," he sighed. "I've been searching for you since you disappeared. I'm on the way right now; I've been driving for hours. I'm so close, Elena."
"Oh, thank god," she breathed into the phone. "I can't stay on long. They want to use my blood to turn a bunch of werewolves into hybrids at dawn."
"I'll reach you before then. Where are you now?"
"Klaus's cabin in the middle of like, nowhere."
"Use Google maps and send me a screenshot of the exact location. Then erase our call and text. Now get off the phone and act normal – don't make Klaus suspicious," he hissed.
Elena held back another sob. "Thank you."
"Don't. Ever."
He hung up and she checked Google maps and sent the screenshot. She deleted all evidence before rushing back downstairs to place the phone exactly where Stefan left it, her heart flying.
Stefan expertly swerved the black Range Rover to avoid a tree and switched gears as he hit smoother ground. Next to him, Klaus stared through the window in anticipation. They were close now.
According to his recently deceased sources, the werewolves met once a month right before the full moon to spend one night discussing local supernatural news and catching up, and the following three transforming together. As many as one hundred werewolves could be there. Klaus was beside himself with glee. The plan was to meet up with trusted witches, surround the wolves, force his blood down their throats, and start snapping necks. Elena's blood was neatly arranged in small blood bags in the fridge back at the cabin. Klaus only wanted to give them each the smallest amount as to not waste his most precious resource. Everything was in place.
The Range Rover jolted to a stop.
"Two miles out," Stefan said.
"Wonderful. We'll run from here," said Klaus. "My witches will meet us shortly."
Elena banged pots and pans around the kitchen while Tyler restlessly paced in front of the fireplace. She didn't know how to cook at all, but she could make brownies. It would be good distraction.
"Do you want to watch a movie? Or should I put some music on?" Tyler asked. "Gotta admit, Elena, I can't watch any more Friends with you."
She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him, surprisingly herself with her playfulness. Talking to Damon had really lifted her spirits.
"Come help me bake, Ty. You know I need all the help I can get in here."
"And you're asking me? Have you met me?" he teased but joined her anyway.
"Should I have asked The Ripper for assistance? I want dark chocolate, not A-Positive," Elena grumbled.
Tyler laughed and opened the fridge to get the eggs. She glanced out the window.
He was out there, nearby. She knew it. She could feel him.
Klaus and Stefan waited in the treetops and watched the lakeshore as the wolves arrived.
"Ziyi has the perimeter surrounded?" the hybrid asked out of the corner of his mouth.
Stefan nodded.
The wolves greeted each other below.
"How's it going, Ted?"
"Not bad, not bad. You? The wife?"
"We're both fine. Not excited for winter. Hey, Ida!"
Damon and Rebekah ran at full speed through the old forest. Impressively, she managed to avoid all the roots and stones as she checked their location every few seconds.
"Less than a mile. Take Elena, go back to the car, and hit the gas. You know where you're going next?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Give it a about three days before returning to Mystic Falls. My brother won't bother her again."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"I'll text you when I'm sure he's calmed down and distracted by his hybrids."
"You have my undying gratitude."
"West," she said curtly and together they swung left. "Stop."
Damon almost cried out in irritation, but forced himself to remain silent, a difficult feat.
The ancient vampire closed her eyes and breathed deeply. After a long moment, she opened her eyes again.
"I can smell the house. Come on." She led him down a steep path. An extravagant ski chalet emerged from the trees. It was beautiful: a perfect getaway spot.
"Now, we attack," Rebekah said simply.
He didn't need to be told twice. He knocked on the front door to catch Tyler off guard. Then he flashed to the garage, ripped the door off, and sped to the kitchen, where Elena blinked at him in shock while wielding a wooden spoon covered in brownie batter.
"Elena," he breathed.
Her shoulders relaxed in relief as she reached for him, the spoon clattering to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed her in. He could hear Rebekah crashing through the back windows and battling Tyler.
"What the hell!"
Damon didn't care to see their fight and he had clear orders. Hugging Elena's petite figure to him, he booked it back towards his Mustang.
Tyler Lockwood was no longer just a werewolf.
"Are you a hybrid?" Rebekah barked.
The boy attempted unsuccessfully to pull out of her firm grip. "Yes," he grumbled.
"Where do your loyalties lie?"
"To Niklaus."
"And does he have her blood?"
Tyler responded by flipping the Original over and flashing towards the door. She snarled and caught his leg. He fell but brought her down with him. As they wrestled on the hardwood floors, Rebekah could feel her hair come undone. She kicked him in the gut, and he stumbled back. His eyes glowed in the fluorescents. He charged forward, but she kicked him again, this time in the chest, and he went flying into the TV, shattering it. Before he could get back up, she was upon him, twisting his neck sharply.
She straightened out and flicked her loosened hair back with a look of disgust. She hated fighting.
She glanced around. Either Nik had kept this place secret from her, or he had bought it for the sole purpose of storing the doppelgänger and finding wolves. It was quite nice. They should plan a skiing trip in the winter.
After finding her way to the lower floor and second kitchen, she pulled open the sparkling stainless steel fridge and peered inside. It was lined with nothing but rows and rows of blood bags, all carefully labeled "Elena Gilbert, PD." Nik always enjoyed his little jokes. As if being a Petrova doppelgänger was some sort of honorific.
Rebekah closed the door with a snort. She'd wait. Her brother would be home shortly.
"Pardon the interruption, love…"
Klaus slithered out of the tree and assessed the werewolves' leader. She was blunt and assertive, ideal characteristics.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
He let his eyes glow gold.
"One of you, in a way. I'm here to offer you freedom."
"Freedom? We run through the woods every full moon together and no one bothers us. What more could we want?" the leader questioned rhetorically.
He stepped further into the clearing.
"Everything. What if you weren't at the mercy of the moon? Change at will? Or not at all. What if you could live forever?"
"Never change?" someone asked in disbelief.
Klaus turned towards the crowd and extended his double fangs. Intense dislike colored the faces of all who could see.
"You are not welcome here, vampire. Do you know what our bite can do to you?" a redhead snarled.
Klaus smiled. "Your venom holds no threat to a half-werewolf vampire."
There was a dead silence before someone chuckled.
"You don't believe me. Breaking my curse was a lifelong dream."
"Curse? Are you the Original Hybrid?" the leader asked, her eyes wide.
"Ah, you've heard of me! Wonderful. I've already turned one werewolf into a hybrid, and he has been quite grateful. The pain and inconvenience of the Change, especially for a teenage boy, was just terrible for him."
The crowd began to break out into titters.
"How exactly do you make a wolf into a hybrid?" the redhead eyed him with distrust.
His eyes glowed gold again. "I'll show you."
Damon flashed to the car, placed Elena in the passenger seat, revved up, and sped down the country road. With a concerned look in her direction, he turned the heat on full blast. She finally stopped shaking about ten minutes later. He kept glancing at her.
"Did they hurt you?"
She wrapped her arms around herself and glared through the windshield.
"After kidnapping me and force-feeding my blood to Tyler? No. He made Tyler take my blood every day, though."
His grip on the steering wheel tightened. "To feed?"
She shook her head. "No. He's using it to change all those wolves tonight. Blood bags."
Damon swore and swept his eyes over her body, taking in the slight bruising on her inner elbows.
"Why was Rebekah with you?" she asked hoarsely.
"We made a deal to help each other. She wanted to find her brother, I wanted to find you."
"But…what about Stefan?"
He winced. "There's nothing we can do for him right now. Once I've gotten you back home, I'll refocus on him."
"He might be beyond our help," she murmured. Her giant brown doe eyes were filled with tears as she faced him. "I think he's really lost this time, Damon."
"Klaus used his magic woo-woo compulsion to force Stefan to turn it off, bring back the Ripper, and stop giving a shit about either of us," he argued. "It's not him."
She looked away.
He sighed. "I wasn't trying to upset you. I'm sure it was…excruciating to be near him."
Elena sniffed and granted him a small smile.
A long silence erupted. She broke it.
"How long will it take to get home?"
He bit his lip. "We're not going home. It's not safe yet."
"So…where are we going?"
"To Canada. Have you ever been to Quebec City?"
She shook her head. "What?"
"Rebekah thinks she can tame the beast, but we're giving it a few days, just in case. She'll send me a text when she gets Klaus in check."
"But…Canada?"
"Did I ever tell you I own some property in Quebec City? I have this one bar – you'll love it, Elena. All dark wood and roaring fireplaces and really amazing Southern Comfort food; that was the key, the food, because you can't find food like that anywhere else in Quebec."
He glanced over and sure enough, Elena had slumped down and fallen fast asleep. He was filled with a strange kind of peace seeing her rest.
By one in the morning, it was all over. The bodies were strewn across the lakeshore. Klaus' army would arise in a few short hours and he wanted to wash up before greeting them with the doppelgänger's blood. He walked to the edge of the lake, where five witches waited.
"They'll help you take down your parents?" the leader, Ziyi, questioned. She was an old friend. The Gu coven were an extant line of witches as ancient and legendary as the Bennett line.
He nodded. "And Silas."
"We don't like violence, but these are dire circumstances: Silas, your parents… Alert us if you need further assistance. We're heading back to New York."
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
"Where is Caroline? We'd hoped to see her."
"Des Cendres," he replied, not hiding his displeasure. "Esther…made some threats."
Understanding crossed the witch's face. "Your mother is the absolute worst."
"Zi, I couldn't agree more."
"Farewell."
The small coven faded into the woods and Klaus turned towards his lieutenant, taking care to avoid stepping on the corpses. Ninety-seven hybrids – an army, indeed.
"Ripper, keep an eye on things. The witches cast a spell that will repel humans for a day, but I'll be back at dawn with the blood."
Stefan nodded and sat on a stump, surveying the damage.
The Original Hybrid sped into the woods feeling lighter than he had in days. Everything was falling into place. He would hitch a ride back to the lake with Tyler and Elena with the cooler in his hands and get to work. The plan was to place a blood bag in each person's hand and simply wait: the smell of the doppelgänger's blood would be far too tempting. If any resisted, Stefan would intervene.
The house loomed into sight, every window lit. They were up. Good. He entered the side door and frowned at the mess in the kitchen. Then he spotted Tyler's body slumped on the couch. There had obviously been a fight, seeing as the back windows were shattered and the TV in pieces. His vision went red.
He stepped slowly towards his first hybrid. He better not be my last hybrid.
"He put up a decent fight. For a baby."
Klaus closed his eyes and turned around. His family always had the worst timing. He opened his eyes.
"Rebekah, what are you doing here?"
"Cleaning up your mess."
His sister sat atop the dining table swinging her legs back and forth.
"Don't worry; your blood bags are safe. Good hiding place – I mean honestly, Nik – the fridge?"
He ignored this, instead focusing on the fact he could hear no human heartbeat in the house. "Where is the doppelgänger, Bekah?"
"Far from here. And safe. Well, as safe as she can be with Damon Salvatore, so probably not as safe as she thinks she is."
His double fangs slipped out. "Why are you interfering?"
She slid off the table. "You promised Caroline you wouldn't hurt the girl."
Klaus scoffed. "And I told her I'd cease dreaming about a hybrid army, but sometimes you can't keep all your promises when circumstances get in the way. Caroline isn't even on this continent right now."
"No, but when she finds out what you've done, she might rethink remembering you."
"Fuck off, Bekah. Don't act all saintly. You wanted me to do this before Caroline even left."
"I don't deny it. I want Mikael and Esther dead."
"Don't we all."
"Can I assume tonight was a success?"
He glared at her. "Yes."
"I don't give a damn about Elena Gilbert, but you've gotten what you needed from her. Caroline is only so forgiving. She'll forgive you kidnapping her, turning Tyler, even stealing some blood - but even she has limits. You needed the girl for the army - fine. But no more. You can't let yourself get obsessed, Nik."
He gripped the island until the marble countertop cracked, then pulled at his dirty blond curls.
"Nik?"
His eyes went skyward. "Alright, Bekah."
Des Cendres
Southern Tibet
Sleep would evade her that night. Realizing she wasn't going to do anything but toss and turn, Caroline rolled over and found her phone. She hated being out of the loop, though acknowledged it was her own fault. Well, partly. It was mostly Esther's fault. As she stared down at her contacts, she hesitated. The only people she'd kept in contact with since leaving were Mariko, Pacari, and Elijah. She was still reeling from the news Iki had given her the previous day - she'd figured out how to undo the curse. It meant she had a decision to make. Soon. But better not call her while she was still deciding their next step. She didn't want to complicate things for Pacari – she knew Bekah was furious with her, judging by the radio silence on her end. Her other self, the one with all her memories, would probably call Niklaus. She went for the safest bet.
"Elijah's mobile." The British drawl was unexpected.
"Hello?" she said uncertainly.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Caroline d'Ebanne," Kol taunted. "Nice of you to ring."
She sat up in bed. "Why are you answering Elijah's phone? Is he alright?"
"Relax, darling. He's just putting out some fires."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"We had some trouble with Esther, but everything's fine now."
Caroline climbed out of bed and walked onto the balcony. "What happened?"
"Mother dearest broke into the boarding house and tried to kidnap Silas. Mariko fought her off. Pacari is currently trying to track her, while Elijah is in a meeting with your Auntie Liz. I think the poor dear misses you."
"And you?"
"I'm protecting Mariko, of course. In case Esther and Mikael return. Did you know the Salvatores have a rather impressive selection of bourbon?"
"Where are Bekah and Klaus?"
"Ah. That's classified information. Need-to-know, as Elijah says."
Caroline gripped the ledge of the balcony. "Kol!"
"Sorry, darling. With your delicate situation, we don't want to compromise anything."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could understand their reasoning. Besides, she had abandoned them. You can't have it both ways, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Mariko whispered in her ear. "Can you at least tell me they're safe?" she finally asked.
"Worried about your husband?"
She ignored his provocation. "Yes. My memories are a mess, but I can't help this feeling deep inside, telling me he's important. It's like…the echo of my love for him. My body, my soul never stopped loving him. My mind forgot, but the rest of me did not."
Kol was silent for a long moment. "I think I know exactly what you mean, darling."
"Ah, Kol."
He exhaled sharply. "You remember that, do you?"
"Kol-"
"I had a moment of weakness," he interrupted.
This made her pause. "What do you mean?"
He was silent.
She swallowed her pride. She knew the version of herself who possessed all her memories had forgiven him. She could honor that. "I know it can't be easy to have been woken early and thrust into all this, especially since so much time has passed for us," she tried.
"We'll be fine; I promise," he said softly before hanging up.
Caroline stared out at the mountains, reflecting on her turbulent, oft violent history with Kol Mikaelson. But so much was still missing… If she could only fill in the gaps….
She spun on her heel and made for Emmeline and Gita's quarters, knocking gently once she arrived. Emmeline opened the door.
"Can we talk?"
The Venetian gestured her inside. The headmasters' apartments were comfortable and extensive. The door to the bedroom was closed; Gita was asleep. Emmeline did not sleep much at night – she claimed it was unnatural for vampires, but Caroline knew better. She was haunted.
The blond caught a peak at the open laptop in the office as they passed. Emmeline had been looking at her descendants' Facebook pages. She continued following her progeny into the den.
It was like stepping into a room in an Indian palace. A Buddha sat watch from an alcove. Colorful silks hung on the walls. There were figurines of ivory elephants, bronze vases with intricate patterns, and gold jewelry boxes. Caroline fell onto the hot pink velvet couch and smirked at the framed portrait of her friend on the wall. It was an original Da Vinci – Emmeline had been a student and good friend of Leonardo's; he'd sketched her often.
The Venetian opened a bottle of wine and handed her sire a glass before settling into an armchair. She was not the prying type and did not push the conversation forward. She waited. Eventually, after finishing one and a half glasses of Syrah, the blond began.
"I've been letting the past define me, because I feel like that's all I know. My present is so tied up with Klaus. That's why I've been so uptight about protecting the school," she confessed. "I need to let go and move on. I need my memories. Without them, my magic is diminished, my priorities are slanted, and my relationships are…inscrutable."
"Yes," Emmeline said.
Caroline found it hard resisting rolling her eyes, but she managed. Barely. "Yes?"
"To all of it." The Siphoner Hybrid had a gift for only using words that were absolutely necessary, and nothing more.
"Alright," the blond said. "Alright."
Emmeline waited again as her sire collected her thoughts.
"Mariko's figured out how to fix me. She and Bonnie need to come here."
"What about Silas? Pacari's powerful, but this is the Immortal Witch we're talking about."
Caroline rubbed her temples. "They'll have to bring him."
"Are you sure?"
"You said yourself it was better to have him at the school."
"I did – I'm just surprised you've changed your mind."
"Yeah, me too," she admitted. "But I can't deny we can handle him much better here than in the Salvatore's basement. I have to make a sacrifice. My peace of mind for the greater good. At least Silas' motives are clear, and they have nothing to do with my students."
"I'm proud of you."
"Thanks."
They fell into a companionable silence once again. And in true Emmeline fashion, she knew something was still bothering her sire.
"What?"
"It's Kol," said Caroline.
The Venetian opened another bottle of wine.
"Elena, wake up."
But she didn't want to. She was so warm and relaxed… Was her bed always this cozy? She couldn't remember.
"Elena," the voice huffed as she snuggled deeper under the duvet, "you've been sleeping for fifteen hours straight. You're never going to be able to sleep again."
Was that Damon? She sat up with a start. Damon was sitting on the bed beside her, both his feet on the ground and a small smile on his face. He was fully dressed and smelt incredible.
"Damon? What happened?" Everything rushed back. "Oh god. We got away. Are we in Quebec?"
He nodded and gently tucked a wild strand of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered for just a second too long, but she didn't mind.
"We arrived in the middle of the night. But I know the owner - we got the penthouse," he smirked.
She looked around. Sure enough, the bedroom was swanky, the view fantastic. She gasped and shoved the coverings off her body to scramble to the window.
"Wow," she whispered as she took in the twinkling city below.
She felt him come up behind her.
"Get dressed and we'll go out and explore. It's a small town, but a good one," he said lowly.
She turned around to fund him much too close. He was staring at her in that intense way only he could. She looked away.
"Yeah, lemme go get ready," she muttered.
It didn't take her long. She was excited to be in another country; it was nice to escape her problems, however briefly.
She let her hair air dry out of impatience and threw on the sundress Damon had the hotel's stylist pick out for her – apparently, that was a thing. As she did her make-up, she realized she had butterflies in her stomach.
When she walked into the sitting room, he was waiting for her with another dark and intense look.
"I would comment on how breathtaking you look right now, but that would make you uncomfortable."
She glanced at the floor bashfully as he approached her.
"I have something for you – something that was lost."
She raised her head in confusion and her eyes widened when she saw what he was holding: the vervain necklace from Stefan.
Speechless, she raised a shaky hand and touched it as it dangled from Damon's hand. She pulled her hair up. As he stepped behind her and gently clasped it on her delicate neck, his breath grazed her ear, making her shiver uncontrollably.
"Let's go," he murmured.
Richmond, Virginia
Mikael watched his wife pace feverishly across their bedroom. She had been like this for hours, since her failed attempt to get to Silas. They were at the apartment complex they had taken over and made their headquarters. For weeks, they had been amassing their army of vampires and witches here.
"But at least we know Kol is not entirely loyal to his siblings. Too much hurt and betrayal over the centuries," Esther muttered under her breath, gazing down at the gash on her palm. She must have gotten it during her fight with Mariko Kurosawa, but for some reason, she couldn't remember the moment of injury. It only added to her agitation. "They are not as unified as they believe."
"They never were," Mikael said. "Now that we know Silas is too well-protected, will you reconsider my idea?"
"The last time we raised an ancient witch from the dead, it didn't work out so well for us," she pointed out. "Telling him Amara is the Anchor would have removed him from the playing field, but it is Finn we need. Silas is just a thorn in our side."
"And how will we steal a coffin from them if you couldn't even find Silas?" he reasoned none-too-nicely.
She glared at him.
"We need to face reality, Esther. The children are too strong. And we have Silas to thank for that. Qetsiyah wants nothing more than to see him take the Cure."
"How well do you think she will receive the two people who stole it?"
He shook his head. "She never wanted him to lay dormant for two millennia. We changed the status quo. If you raise the veil and she doesn't come through, then we know she'll want to see this play out on its own without her interference. But if you raise it and she passes through, it's because she's tired of waiting and wants to take matters into her own hands."
Esther pursed her lips and stared through the window into the pitch-black night. She could still feel the ghost of her former life in this place, where she had raised her family. Memories of telling stories to Rebekah, playing with Henrik, teaching Niklaus how to dance, watching Elijah grow into a man, and guiding Kol through spells floated through her mind. She closed her eyes. All this pain and suffering and for what? Maybe Mikael was right. Maybe it was time for someone else to fight.
"Fine. I'll raise the veil. But I'm warning you, we must be very careful when making deals with her."
He frowned. "Do you think she could help us with the children?"
"She'll ask for more than she'll give," Esther snapped. "The children are our responsibility. She doesn't care about vampirism; she only wants to see Silas miserable on the Other Side, eternally separated from Amara."
Mikael looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue.
"We will try, Mikael. At the very least, she can help us retrieve Finn."
"Then it will be worth it."
The Original Witch wasn't so sure.
Between Stefan, Rebekah, Tyler, and Klaus, ensuring the wolves all drank was quick work. As with Tyler, the sire bond was present in all of them. The Original Hybrid stood before his newly created army, smiling broadly with pride.
"Pack your bags, children. We're going to Virginia," he ordered. "I want to see all of you in Mystic Falls in three days."
He turned towards his lieutenant. "Stay with them, Ripper."
"Of course."
"Come on, Nik," Rebekah pushed.
He waved her off to admire his hybrids once more.
Finally. Finally.