Chapter Twenty-Three
Four Hundred and Eighty-Four
Auxor Castle
Southern France
September 2010
The woman standing in the corner of the room holding fistfuls of her own hair was not Elena.
Bonnie knew this. She knew Amara was an entirely separate person from her best friend. She understood this was the virtual mother of all Petrova doppelgängers. She was an ancient immortal who had pissed off the wrong witch - and stolen her friend's man. She was the Anchor.
But, good God, she is Elena! And Katherine.
Bonnie found it hard to even look at the vacant-eyed woman. Caroline and Mariko, who flanked her, exchanged a glance before stepping forward in perfect synchronization. Amara's gaze remained fixed on a point in the ceiling. She was muttering the same word over and over again under her breath. Bonnie knew it from her training.
"Télos télos télos télos télos."
End end end end end.
Once coming through the portal, the group had been met on the grounds of the medieval castle by the Morganne coven. The coven leader was a middle-aged woman named Cecile who wasted no time leading the trio to Amara's chamber, explaining along the way that the Anchor had gone through several phases since awakening. First, she had been in shock. This followed by fearful confusion, which was quickly replaced with hysteria mixed with anger. Eventually, she wore herself out and settled into her current state: apathy.
Every once in while, her eyes would widen or her breathing would hasten. If Cecile's suspicions were correct, these were her reactions to supernatural deaths. She was beyond pain.
Caroline glanced back at Bonnie.
"You don't have to stay if she makes you uncomfortable," she said in kind voice. "I know it has to be weird for you."
Bonnie hesitated. It was tempting. How could she watch as they forcibly took Amara's blood, hear her cry in Elena's voice?
Because she is not Elena, a voice in the back of her head said firmly. And you need to learn this magic.
With a deep exhale, Bonnie shook her head. "I'm staying."
Mariko moved closer to Amara.
"May I take some of your blood to undo a spell?" she asked in Greek. Caroline translated for Bonnie, but the young witch found she could get the gist.
Amara did not move. Or blink. She barely even breathed.
"Télos télos télos télos télos."
"I am not going to desiccate you," Mariko continued deliberately. "I just need a little bit."
The Undying Witch pulled out a knife, monitoring Amara for any reaction. There was none. She looked to Caroline for help. The hybrid stepped towards them and took Amara's arm.
"It will only hurt for a moment," she whispered.
Amara surprised them all by grabbing the knife out of Mariko's hand and slashing her own wrist. Her wide brown eyes turned to Bonnie. There were no tears of pain in them. Her stare was no longer vacant, though. It was accusatory.
"Qetsiyah." Her unused voice was even raspier than Elena and Katherine's. It shook with the force of her emotions.
Bonnie's hands flew to her mouth in horror.
Caroline and Mariko caught the blood in a vial. Once it was full, they backed away from Amara as if she were a wild animal. Which she was.
Mariko pulled out a paper with the names of the Original siblings on it while Caroline found Elijah's text containing his mother's linking spell. They sat on the floor with the vial and began chanting.
Bonnie's eyes remained locked on Amara's. The immortal's fierce gaze had transformed from accusation to wrath to guilt. Then she giggled. Like witnessing a train wreck, Bonnie watched transfixed as she brought her fist up to her mouth and opened it to reveal the strands of hair she'd torn out of her own scalp. As if she were making a wish on a dead dandelion, she blew on the hair. Her posture deflated as the long strands fell to the hardwood. She collapsed on the floor with her eyes closed.
The witch tore her gaze away. Caroline was pouring the blood over the parchment as Mariko's chanting intensified. The words were a mix of Norwegian, Greek, and Latin. Once the vial was empty and the interconnected branches of the family tree glistened in dark red, Caroline pulled a lapis lazuli out of her pocket and laid in over the bloodied paper. Mariko's hand hovered over the rock. Their voices crescendoed; Bonnie kept picking up the words for breaking and separate and undo. She joined the chanting.
The lapis lazuli cracked before shattering into fine powder. A great gust of wind swept across the chamber. They all ceased chanting.
Then: the droplets of Amara's blood raised off the parchment and flew out in every direction. Bonnie winced as a large glob smacked into her cheek. She wiped at it in disgust and noticed to her annoyance that the witches who had been much closer were both spotless. Figures.
"That is a powerful substance on your face," Mariko mocked. "Take it as a sign of good luck."
"You did this on purpose," hissed Bonnie.
"No," Caroline said, failing to hide her grin. "But you must feel good knowing you've cheered her up."
It was true - Amara was shaking with mirth on the floor, her eyes on Bonnie.
"Before I go sanitize myself - for days - did it work?"
Caroline stared at the paper with grim satisfaction. The branches that had linked the names of her family had faded away.
"It worked."
"Our family is safe," Mariko added, and Bonnie was struck by the implication of her words: they really were her family. Riko d'Ebanne had chosen her own path and her own kin.
The thought lingered in Bonnie's mind as Caroline led her to her room. It lingered as she entered the steaming shower and rubbed off immortal juice. It morphed into a new thought as she leaned against the tile wall, staring down at the water rushing around her feet.
So can I.
Somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean
Kol sank down in his seat and tried not to fidget as the flying machine passed through huge fluffy clouds outlined in rose gold by the setting sun. It was his first time on an airplane, and though he could acknowledge the convenience, he found the entire concept vaguely terrifying. At least he could take small comfort in the person piloting Klaus' private jet - Pacari was in the cockpit.
His brother sat across the aisle calling virtually every witch, vampire, and hybrid in his contact list. Damon, Elena, and the hybrids were napping and watching movies in the back of the plane, where he'd just come from after distracting himself for the first couple of hours of the flight by interrogating Elena about Bonnie and playing a few rounds of Spit with Damon.
Now that he'd confessed to stepping aside to let Esther visit Silas and inadvertently handing their enemy the Cure, Kol wanted to clear all the air between himself and Nik. It only seemed right, what with Caroline regaining her memories.
So, Kol did what he'd always excelled at: opened his mouth and put his foot in it.
"You know I never slept with your wife, right?"
Klaus blinked once before lowering his phone and calmly folding his hands over his lap.
"My, my, Kol, I always knew you had a death wish, but this is something else," he drawled, turning to give his younger brother a mild look.
Kol was not fooled; he could see the rage simmering just below the surface. He leaned back in his chair. "I prefer the term 'impulsive'. Reckless, certainly. But death wish? I don't think so."
"And the reason you felt the need to bring that up...?"
Kol smirked. "We can't get into a fight on a metal machine flying thousands of feet in the air without destroying it and imperiling the lives of everyone on board. Or, more importantly, delaying your reunion with Caroline."
Klaus tried to summon every ounce of patience he possessed.
"Caroline and I worked through this quite a while ago, Kol," he said flatly.
"Oh, excellent. I was hoping my confessions that day didn't upset your marriage," Kol continued in a snide voice.
Klaus smacked his hands down on the armrests. "Kol!"
"Alright, fine. I'll admit they weren't so much confessions as they were-"
"Lies?" Klaus hissed, his eyes glinting dangerously yellow.
"Misdirection?" his brother offered.
"I get it - you loved her, and she chose me. Were you just being a sore loser?"
"I wanted to hurt you both for destroying my life."
"You can consider your mission accomplished. You nearly destroyed our marriage."
"Really?" asked Kol, but he didn't feel triumphant. An unwelcome, uncomfortable feeling was settling over him.
Klaus' nostrils flared. "Really. But you can't take all the credit. We both made mistakes."
"I'm glad you two figured things out, Nik."
"Are you?"
Kol swallowed down the guilt rising in his throat and attempted levity. "Yes. I realize now that Caroline and I would never have worked."
Klaus closed his eyes. "Don't sell yourself short, brother. I think you two would have made a wonderful couple."
"Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"Not at all. Oh, I'm sorry - let me finish my thought. You two would have made a wonderful couple if she weren't the love of my life and if you so much as think about her in a non-platonic way ever again, I will make you watch as I enjoy a feast of your traitorous innards."
"Ah, much better."
Hours later, they were in the entrance hall of Auxor Castle. Kol gazed around in awe at the familiar surroundings as bittersweet memories returned forcefully. Beside him, Elena and Damon stared up at the thirty-foot vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows.
Pacari did not notice the architecture, for he'd spotted Rebekah waiting for him at the top of the grand staircase. With a whoosh, she was in his arms.
Klaus' eyes darted around the hall, tension oozing from his skin.
"Niklaus," Caroline whispered from behind him.
He whipped around. She was framed in the doorway of the keep, the lush grounds behind her and the sun in the distance. Her gaze scorched through him - her knowing gaze. Seconds later, they were holding each other.
"How could I have forgotten you, Nik?" she cried.
"You didn't," he whispered, running his hands down her back soothingly. "Your body certainly never failed to respond to my touch."
She let out a watery laugh and tugged him out of the hall.
Mariko raised an eyebrow at Kol. "Hullo, Kol. I see the entire farm tagged along?" she asked drily, gesturing to Damon and Elena.
"While Nik wanted her here in case all his hybrids up and croak, I pointed out - more importantly I might add - that if your plan to use Amara's blood to reverse the linking spell did not work, we should bring a back-up," he told her with a grin. "Doppelgängers are always useful in a pinch, never know when you might need one."
She grinned back. "Too true. I applaud your forethought, but we've already reversed it."
"Blimey, you two are impressive."
Her eyes slid to left, where Bonnie was descending the grand staircase. "We had an eager assistant, too. She'll be at our level within ten years."
Bonnie shrieked: "Elena!"
As the best friends ran to each other, Mariko saw Kol's expression soften.
"She shouldn't be here; it's dangerous," he said quietly.
"Bennett Witches are always useful in a pinch," she retorted.
He rolled his eyes. "Oh, do shut up, Iki. How did Amara feel about you taking some of her blood?"
"Amara doesn't really feel anything...about anything."
"Gone mad, has she?"
"Nearly. Odd as it sounds, Bonnie's presence brought about the first hint of sanity she's displayed since waking."
"Well, her line is descended from Qetsiyah."
"Oh - Amara knew that right away."
"Impressive."
"The coven is keeping her under constant supervision in a locked room upstairs. She would be suicidal - if she could be."
"Now that's what I call ironic."
They started walking towards the great hall, passing silk tapestries and suits of armor and objets d'art from centuries past.
Kol was seeing the castle as it was and as it had been. They were currently standing close to the spot where he'd met Caroline for the very first time when she was still human.
"Strange for you?"
"You have no idea."
A tiny shock went off in his brain. It hurt like hell, but he knew it was far from her worst. "OW! What the bleeding eff was that for?!" he cried.
"Your little stunt with Esther and Silas."
"Oh."
"Fair?"
"Fair."
To his surprise, she wrapped an arm around his torso. It was nice.
When Klaus and Caroline finally stopped running, they were in the catacombs far below the castle. Klaus had let her lead the way, seeing as this was her childhood home, after all. They paused outside a dimly lit dungeon he recognized as the one that had held him hostage in the 12th century, when he had still been suffering from the Hunter's Curse. He quirked an eyebrow up at his wife as she let go of him and backed against the bars of the cell.
"Has amnesia made you even kinkier, love? Not that I'm complaining…" He grinned wickedly.
She huffed out a laugh. "No one can hear us down here."
The grin slid off his face as he took her in. She was grasping the cell bars behind her as if hanging on for dear life. Her face was flushed, and her breast was heaving up and down. His newly awakened werewolf senses could smell the pheromones rolling off of her in waves. He closed his eyes and breathed her in deeply. Excitement, joy, anxiety, lust… When he reopened them, he could tell by the dilation of her pupils that his eyes were glowing yellow. He stalked towards her.
"The wolf calls for you, Caroline," he crooned.
Her heated gaze roved over him slowly as he approached. "I know."
"I lost my mind when you ran away from me. Do you know what that did to me?" he growled, placing his hands on either side of her, caging her in.
"It wasn't me – not really. I, too, was lost without you," she murmured. "All I wanted to do at the school was piece together our past."
"And now?" he demanded leaning impossibly closer to her.
"And now?" she repeated dazedly, running the tip of her nose along his exposed chest.
He backed away enough to take her chin in his hand and raise it gently. "Do you remember absolutely everything?"
Her eyes shone. "Everything, Niklaus," she affirmed before a hungry look crossed her face. "I have a question of my own, my love."
He frowned down at her. "What is that?"
"Now that you're a true hybrid, do you taste the same?" she asked quietly as her fangs lowered and her signature silvery-black veins webbed across her porcelain skin.
His body's response was instantaneous. His cock throbbed as his double fangs popped out. He opened his mouth to tell her to take a bite and find out, but she was not waiting for an invitation. She grabbed him and flipped them around with her impressive strength, slamming him into the bars she had been leaning against a second before. She tore his shirt off viciously, enthusiastically. The ruined material dropped to the floor silently. She wrapped one hand around his neck while the other snuck under the waistband of his jeans and palmed his hardening length. He groaned at her welcome and expert touch.
Then her teeth were sinking into him. His cock twitched in her hand from the dual sensations. His own hands ran down her back and grabbed her ass as she drank deeply.
"Caroline," he growled, his head falling back into the bars.
When she came up for air, her eyes were pitch black. A dark droplet of his blood trickled out of her mouth as she smiled at him. Her hand came away from his neck and slid to his jeans, unbuckling and unzipping until his throbbing erection was released. She licked the tip experimentally before taking him fully in her mouth. His body stiffened with pleasure as she sucked. But… But his wolf needed to be satisfied. He had waited nearly all summer.
He pushed her off gently, took her hands, and helped her to her feet, staring into her blue eyes.
"Caroline, I love you," he whispered, running his hand through her luxurious hair. "I need to take you."
She said nothing. There was the smallest, quietest moment of anticipation.
Then he grabbed her blouse and ripped it cleanly in two. Her shorts quickly followed. Bare before him, her body responded to his roving, hungry gaze as he checked to make sure her perfect curves were the same as he had last seen them. Her nipples hardened and a deep blush erupted over her creamy skin. They had been together for literal centuries, but this all felt so new. It was exciting. Thrilling. He pushed his jeans all the way off without breaking eye contact with her. The last thing he remembered clearly was the sound of the belt buckle hitting the cold stone floor before he had swept her up in his arms, hoisted her legs around his waist, and slammed her against the cell, entering her with one swift thrust. Her loud moans echoed down the dark tunnels as she clenched around him.
He slammed into her, with all his past experience and restraint abandoning him completely. He felt like a teenager. It was all from the transformation, of course. His wolf called for his mate. He fought for control – he knew pounding into her would not exactly show her he was a very effective lover, so he forced himself to slow his thrusts until he was grounding into her slowly and deeply.
"Nik…" she moaned, her eyes rolling back as her orgasm rocked through her. His own release followed shortly, his body shaking from the force of it.
She slid down to the floor as the last of his thrusts abated, trying to catch her breath. But he was not satisfied. He could feel himself thickening once more as he caught sight of her crawling across the dungeon floor, making for her ruined clothes. His hand shot out and grasped her ankle. He tugged her back, wrapping his hands around her hips and entering her again. This time, he did not move purposefully or gently. He thrust into her wildly, smacking her ass. She rocked back into him, whimpering as her wet folds met him thrust for thrust.
He pulled her into his chest, still thrusting, to bit down into her neck. Her sweet blood set him off again.
That night, Pacari was undressing in his bedroom when he heard the door open.
"Why aren't you in my room? Our room?" Rebekah demanded.
He froze. "I wasn't entirely sure…"
She flashed across the room and stood right in front of him.
"This is it for me. You're it for me," she vowed.
He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. "It's only ever been you."
"Ari," she murmured.
He placed a gentle finger over her bottom lip. "My one, it's been far too long."
He slid his thumb over her lip, staring at her hungrily. Her tongue flicked out and licked him suggestively. As he ran a hand through her hair, she stroked his toned chest, down his stomach, and reached his waistline. She played with the dark hair leading downwards and toyed with his zipper. He sucked in a breath. She leaned forward and kissed his lips. Suddenly, his pants were gone, and he was bare before her. She took a step back and trailed her eyes over his taut body with a heated expression. He stepped towards her, but she shook her head coyly. He watched as she deliberately unzipped her dress and shimmied out of it, his body responding to her flesh quite obviously.
She pointed to the bed and he obeyed immediately, lying down on the black sheets. She crawled between his legs, grasped his throbbing member, and lowered her face until her lips were wrapped around him. As she sucked and licked him, his back arched off the bed and beads of sweat dripped down his face.
"Bekah," he gasped out as she worked.
She glanced up at him, her mouth covering him completely. He nearly erupted. A second later, she was on top of him, lowering her body onto his. They thrust into each other wildly, their bodies covered in sweat, their faces wet from tears. It had been centuries since they had been together; neither of them was going to last very long. Pacari snaked a hand down and stroked her nub, staring into her eyes.
"Ari!" she screamed, her body tensing up and then seizing all over. As her insides squeezed him, he exploded into her.
Mariko and Emmeline entered the dungeons the following morning to find Silas pacing his cell like a caged tiger.
"Where is Amara?" he snarled.
"Near," Mariko assured him as she set down a case and opened it. "You've waited this long, Silas, what's a couple more days?"
His eyes blackened.
Emmeline grabbed his arm to temporarily weaken him. He fought against the siphoning, but she was too strong. She held his other arm for Mariko, who sat beside him and pulled a needle out of the case.
"I'm still stronger than you," he muttered. "Ow!"
She smiled grimly as his blood filled the syringe. Once it was full, she put it back in the case and started pulling out materials for a blood donation.
"More?" he huffed out.
"I needed that for a special gift. Now starts the real fun."
She stuck an IV into his forearm. The amount of vampires who could take the Cure depended upon how much blood they took; Mariko had met plenty in her long life who would gladly relinquish immortality.
"You're not as amusing as your girlfriend," he noted with a glance at Emmeline.
Emmeline didn't smile. "I know."
Silas furrowed his eyebrows and mouthed "Wow" to Mariko. They stared at each other for a long moment. Mariko felt the slight pang in her brain that she had been waiting for; she used his spell against him and mentally ricocheted it back at him. He winced.
"Did you really think you could liquidize my insides? Me?" she asked rhetorically.
He shrugged. "Had to give it a try."
As the first drops of blood hit the bag, he winced again. Mariko gave him an unimpressed look.
"Are you kidding me?" she mocked.
But then his wince grew; he let out a low moan. Another second later, he was hissing and grabbing his head. Emmeline glanced at Mariko warily.
"Are you doing this?" she asked.
Mariko shook her head. "I thought you might be."
"No."
His moans turned into full-out screams of agony and his body began seizing violently. The IV slipped out of his arm as he fell to the floor.
Qetsiyah pulled her fingers away from Stefan's head as the doppelgänger collapsed to the forest floor, blood pouring out of every orifice. Jeremy rushed over to the vampire.
"He's fine," Qetsiyah drawled lazily. "I could have done a lot worse."
Jeremy glanced up at her in disgust before turning back to Stefan.
"Stefan? Stefan, wake up!" he insisted.
"He needs rest, Hunter," she said, her annoyance evident.
Connor approached. "What next?"
She smirked at him before shutting her eyes and concentrating on the supernatural minds within the castle. She sifted through eight minds – witches, vampires, hybrids – before settling on the daughter of the coven leader. From her position in the young French witch's brain, she observed a large medieval study. A blond was pacing in front of a long table covered with maps and papers; Qetsiyah assumed this was Caroline, the special hybrid she had heard so much about. All around her were the Originals and Morganne coven, as well as the Bennett witch and others - including Amara's doppelgänger. Interesting. She waited.
"Esther and Mikael have yet to arrive, but when they do, there's no way they can penetrate the protective spells on the boundary lines," Caroline was saying.
"Does Silas know Amara is the Anchor?" It was one of Esther's sons.
She fixed him with a steely glare. "What do you think, Kol? Since you're the one who virtually handed him the Cure."
Kol opened his mouth to retort, but a hybrid covered in tattoos punched him in the arm.
"Yes, he knows," said the Bennett Witch. "Mariko thinks he found out by piecing together different memories from our minds."
Yes. It was a trick she'd taught him.
The Original Hybrid ran a hand through his hair. "What's his plan? Feed Amara his blood so they can perform a double-suicide?"
"Or he cures her and they live happily ever after," said Esther's daughter.
The leader of the Morganne coven - Cecile - shook her head. "For the past two thousand years, Amara has been frozen in a box as every single supernatural creature who dies passes through her, forcing her to experience the pain of their demise. I don't think she's dreaming about retiring to a beach bungalow with Silas. I've entered what's left of her mind: she craves death."
"But if Amara dies, what happens to the Other Side?" the doppelgänger asked.
Kol shook his head emphatically. "Unknown. This is why everyone always said Silas' rising predated the end of the world. He's gotta go."
"I agree."
Kol turned to look at Caroline in surprise, but she did not look at him.
"You do?"
"Yes. We'll kill him, then figure out what to do with Amara," Caroline said with a frown.
"Fine. What about Esther and Mikael?" Klaus asked the room.
Kol shrugged. "We prepare, they arrive, we fight them. They die. Simple."
Caroline exchanged a glance with Rebekah. It was never that simple.
As the conversation died down with them deciding to let Riko d'Ebanne take more of Silas' blood before killing him, Qetsiyah dug deeper into the witch's mind until an image crossed in front of her: the way through the labyrinthine catacombs beneath the castle. The meeting over, the group began leaving the room and she forced the young witch to make her way towards the dungeons.
When Verenice came to, she was lying on the forest floor.
"What…? How did I get here?" she mumbled drowsily.
A dark-haired witch in a maxi dress peered down at Verenice while grasping what appeared to be a bag of blood.
"You've been very useful so far, little one. Now I need one last favor," she said smugly.
Vernice shook her head in confusion; her brain felt fuzzy. "Did you force me here? Are - are you Qetsiyah?"
The witch smiled widely with malice. "Right on both counts. I can't have your friends going ahead and killing my ex-fiancé before I have my final revenge. I need to see him kill her, knowing they will never be joined in the afterlife. I've waited a long time."
Verenice glanced around the forest on edge. The sun was setting - Qetsiyah had been possessing her for most of the day. "What do you want from me?"
"You've already done so much!" Qetsiyah teased, showing the young woman the blood bag. "Have no fear, I'll send you away without a scratch in just a few moments. As long as your friends comply with my wishes."
Mariko left Emmeline and a Morganne witch in the dungeons with Silas and headed upstairs to search for the family. She found them in the expansive chef's kitchen on the first floor. Rebekah was in the walk-in pantry muttering into her phone angrily. Elijah and Caroline were chopping up vegetables at the island and swapping recipes. Kol and Pacari were going down a list of hybrids and making notes about each one, while Klaus was sitting opposite them at the table with his feet up and his sketchbook in his lap. His eyes kept wandering over to his wife. Mariko hated to break their peace, but she needed to tell them what Qetsiyah had done to Silas.
"Qetsiyah and the Five are here," she announced once she was in the middle of the kitchen.
"How do you know?" Elijah asked.
"Because she fried his brain to stunt his powers," Mariko explained. "She doesn't want him to escape."
"Her plan is to wait it out," Caroline said as she aggressively chopped an onion.
"Wait what out?" Pacari wondered.
"Wait for our parents to arrive, fight us, weaken us, and distract us, so she and her hunters can slip in and steal Amara and Silas," Klaus summed up, tapping his pencil against the sketchbook.
Mariko nodded.
Before they could say anything else, Damon Salvatore burst into the kitchen holding his cellphone.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I have Qetsiyah on the line, asking to speak to you," he told Mariko.
She narrowed her eyes. "Funny. We were just discussing her."
"She's threatening to kill my brother," he said flatly, handing her the phone.
Mariko exchanged a wary look with Caroline before taking it.
"What do you want?" she growled into the receiver.
"Is that any way to greet your superior? You should be saying 'Oh, dearest Qetsiyah, ancient witch of lore, how may I be of assistance to you?'"
Mariko bit her tongue. "Are you for real?"
"Well, actually Mariko, you can be of assistance, thank you so much for asking!" Qetsiyah mocked. "Verenice d'Ebanne is the daughter of the coven leader, yes? Do you think the Morganne coven will follow you into battle if you allow her to die?"
Mariko's heart sank. Beside her, Caroline's hands clenched into fists.
"What did you do?" Mariko hissed into the phone.
"I used a teeny bit of mind control to persuade her to steal a bag of Silas' Cure-ridden blood and bring it to me."
"You already blocked his magic so he can't run - what do you need his blood for?
"I've used it to link him to Stefan Salvatore. If you kill Silas, you kill his doppelgänger. And if you don't care enough about Stefan's well-being, I'll be keeping Verenice with me until you agree to my terms."
Caroline tried to take the phone away from the witch, but Mariko made a halting motion with her hand and mouthed, "Let me," before turning away to argue with Qetsiyah.
"You crave Silas' death. He's taken the Cure, just like you always wanted! What does it matter to you whether or not he dies in front of you? We want the same thing here!"
"I do not need to explain myself to you, Mariko Kurosawa."
"You may address me as 'Undying Witch,' thanks."
Caroline snatched the phone away from her friend and leaned into the mouthpiece. "We agree to your terms, Qetsiyah," she said hurriedly. "We won't kill Silas. After we defeat Mikael and Esther, we will discuss our terms."
"That is excellent news! I'm glad someone is thinking clearly in that dour castle, because otherwise, I might have had to threaten to give Silas' blood to Esther."
"We will not renege on our deal," Caroline gritted out. "Send Verenice back!"
"She'll be home shortly; there's no need to fret. On a parting note, I wanted to remind you of the absolute devastation you will cause if you let Amara die. It could lead to the destruction of the Other Side, and that is not something anyone wants to see, dead or alive."
"Why? Worried about your reputation if it crumbles?" Caroline retorted. "The world did just fine before you created a purgatory for supernatural beings."
"Did it?" Qetsiyah asked sharply. "How do you know?"
Without waiting for a response, the witch continued. "I've suppressed Silas' powers for about nine days. That gives you plenty of time to deal with Mikael and Esther."
She hung up.
"That's just fucking great!" Caroline roared, hurling the phone across the kitchen.
"Hey!" Damon exclaimed; she ignored him. He sent her a withering glare before retrieving his phone and exiting the room.
Everyone was in various stages of outrage. Caroline massaged her temples.
"There's nothing left to say. This just means we'll have to keep Silas protected during the battle. We'll renegotiate with Qetsiyah after the battle," she announced tiredly.
"We can't do that!" Kol protested at the same time that Klaus yelled, "That means wasting soldiers on him when we could have just killed him!"
"We're not letting Stefan and Verenice die!" Caroline snapped at them.
"And what will our losses be now that we have to protect Silas?" Kol demanded.
"We couldn't allow them die when we can do something about it," said Pacari.
"But she took an entire bag of Silas' blood. What happens if she decides to give it to Esther, as she threatened?" Rebekah argued.
"She doesn't owe Esther anything. Besides, after she uses the blood to link Silas and Stefan, it can't be reused for different magic. One spell per dosage," Mariko told her.
"Normally, I'd agree with you, except she has an entire bag of his blood!" Klaus lashed out. "Not a puny vial!"
"If Esther relinks all of you, Mariko and I will know," Caroline said firmly.
"Caroline is right. There is nothing else we can do about it now; what's done is done," Elijah interrupted.
"If we don't have to deal with Qetsiyah and Silas for at least a week, and Esther cannot get past the protection spells, perhaps we should take advantage of this time and consider it a blessing," Kol said after a beat.
"And do what? Take more time to prepare?" asked Elijah.
"No, we've done all we can at this point. We'll keep training the hybrids, but really, I was thinking about a celebration," Kol told him, grinning at Pacari, who furrowed his brows in bemusement.
"Celebration?" repeated Elijah.
"Why not?" Caroline said suddenly. "Why shouldn't we celebrate? Make the most of our time while we are all still together; worst case scenario in mind. Then, on our own terms, we lower the wards and allow Esther and Mikael in. We need to finish this war, here and now."
Kol glanced at her and they shared a smile.
"Believe me, I don't bloody like you either, but this is what you have been waiting for, so when I tell you to get to France, you get your ass to France, bitch," Rebekah hissed out before ending the call and stuffing her phone into her back pocket. She exited the pantry only to freeze when she saw their stricken faces, picking up on the charged mood.
"What did I miss?" she asked as she leant against Pacari's side. He ran his nose along her collarbone in silent greeting.
Kol smirked at the couple. "Nothing much. Oh, hey! Wasn't it only a few days ago you two lovebirds decided to remarry?"
"Yes," Rebekah confirmed slowly. "What of it?"
"What are you waiting for? How 'bout you kids wed this week?" Kol suggested.
Pacari blinked. Rebekah laughed. "Yeah, right."
"If this is to be the end of days, then we may as well go out with a bang," Kol insisted. "When was the last time we were all together for a giant party?"
"With you there? Top of the 15th century, Caroline and Niklaus' wedding," Elijah provided. Kol hid his wince.
Mariko smiled. "I think it's a great idea."
The couple in question shared an amused but meaningful look.
"What do you think, Care? Would you like to plan our second wedding?" Rebekah asked, already knowing her friend's answer.
Caroline's smile was the widest in the room. "I thought you'd never ask."
It took longer than Esther would have liked to travel to France, but their entourage had grown exponentially in the past few weeks. It took a lot of organization to get the army to France. When they finally reached the boundary line of Ebanne territory, Mikael sneered down at the castle that had been his prison for decades. Esther held up her hands and chanted under her breath, testing it.
Finn glanced at his mother. "Should I try to go through?"
A few seconds later, she lowered her hands grimly. "No. They have a massive collection of warding curses and protective spells over the entire territory. It's got to be even stronger around the castle grounds."
"How long will it take to bring them down?" Mikael asked arrogantly.
Esther scowled. "It's not so simple; there have to be hundreds of witches in there. And this is their ancestral home; the spirits are on their side."
"What are you suggesting, then?" Finn asked.
"We surround them, make sure no one can get in or out. They can't stay holed up forever."
"I don't like waiting," Mikael snarled. He ran towards the invisible boundary line.
A moment later, he was blown back hundreds of feet before crashing into a distant pine tree. Finn watched his father impassively before turning back to his mother.
"You were saying?"
The following few days were a furious scramble to plan an event that took normal society months to plan. Most tried to stay out of Caroline's way as she torpedoed around the castle and grounds. She had to rove the protected, but limited countryside for musicians, a waitstaff, seamstress, baker, and florist, then compel all of them. She opened a single portal to let Gita through - Gita was raised by Rebekah, she couldn't miss her wedding. Whenever she wasn't consumed by the wedding, she was meeting with the coven to plan their defense and offense. True to her word Qetsiyah had released Verenice, who saw her traumatic experience as reason to hone her craft. Kol and Niklaus continued the hybrids' combat training. Pacari, Mariko, and the coven worked with all the allies that had come to aid them, strengthening the wards and exchanging spells and curses. Mariko and Emmeline continued to extract Silas' blood when not strategizing with everyone. The battle would be on their terms and thoroughly planned out.
Every day Esther and Mikael were amassing more soldiers, tightening their perimeter around all of Ebanne. With Damon training with Klaus and Kol, and Bonnie occupied with the rest of the witches, Elena assisted with the wedding planning, but it was Elijah, surprisingly, who had become his sister-in-law's right-hand. He was making threatening phone calls, manicuring the vast landscape, enlisting hybrids to help build a pavilion on the riverbank, and working on his speech – Bekah had asked him to officiate. When Caroline wondered aloud why he was so eager to help, he said: "Because Rebekah deserves it."
Two days before the big day, Niklaus decided to give Pacari and Rebekah a break from Caroline and her uncompromising neurosis. The trio were in the middle of going over seating charts when he strolled into the dining room, cradled his wife to his chest, flashed out of the castle, and didn't stop running until he reached a clearing.
"Nik!" she screamed.
He gently placed her on the ground and fixed her with a defiant look. "I thought you'd like to relieve some of the tension in your shoulders."
"I have so many things I need to get done! A wedding does not plan itself!" she argued, gesturing towards the castle.
He grabbed her hands and kissed them. "Well, you've been hounding the happy couple all week; I thought they deserved a break."
There was a brief silence. "Did you just say hounding?" Caroline pulled her hands out of his.
"Calling it as I see it, love. Why? Did I upset you?"
"Are you trying to get me going?"
"Oh, I'm trying to get you something. What are you going to do about it?" he challenged.
"You could have just asked me to come upstairs if you wanted privacy," she huffed.
"As if you would have come," he scoffed. "You do look lovely in moonlight, love. Have I ever told you that?"
She took a flirtatious step away from him. "You might need to jog my memory."
He grinned. "It would be my pleasure."
The air in the clearing stilled as the electricity between them exploded with tension. Without another thought, they were both stripping. His wife hadn't even gotten to her lingerie before he grabbed her and flashed them to a tree. He ripped off her bra and panties and hoisted her up against the trunk. Her arms locked around his neck and she leaned her head back with her eyes closed as he entered her. His thrusts were chafing her bare back against the bark, but she didn't care. In fact, she enjoyed it; it reminded her that this was real. As his thrusts grew deeper and harder, she opened her eyes and showed him how much she loved him.
"Caroline," he murmured. "Mine."
His fangs descended and he bit down into her ivory skin.
"Yours," she agreed throatily, her own fangs dropping down into his neck.
They threw a party the night before the wedding, a sort-of rehearsal dinner. Caroline insisted upon cocktail attire. Where she found all she needed to pull everything off was anyone's guess, but none of them questioned her. A band played an eclectic mix of pop, folk rock, classical, and traditional Andean music, which the supernatural partygoers danced to in the vast ballroom. Lilies and roses filled every corner while long tapered candles added an ethereal effect to the dark wood and stone architecture of the medieval castle.
Caroline was giving Rebekah and Pacari notes on the dress rehearsal when Niklaus came up behind her.
"Nice necklace," he murmured, his lips grazing her ear lobe.
She suppressed a shudder and turned slightly as he handed her a martini. Elijah and Kol joined them.
Rebekah gestured to the magnificent sapphire necklace adorning Caroline's throat. "Did you give her that, Nik?"
Niklaus raised his eyebrows and turned to his wife with a pointed look.
"Er, not quite. It was a wedding gift from Eleanor," Caroline explained vaguely.
"Eleanor of Aquitaine?" Elijah asked with an amused glance between them.
"Yes."
"A wedding gift for your marriage to...what was his name?" Rebekah asked.
"Andre Fortinbeau," Klaus said promptly.
"A lucky charm, then?" Pacari chuckled.
Caroline flushed. "It matches my dress!"
"I forgot Nik wasn't your first husband," Kol muttered.
"Poor Andre. Her first act as a vampire was to kill him," said Rebekah with a grin.
Her sister-in-law winced. "Yeah... Not my finest moment. He wasn't that bad a husband, honestly. Boring, yes. Deserving of death? Probably not. But I wasn't exactly in a stable headspace at that time, and wanted to rid myself of him. I hadn't thought through the whole, 'Til death do us part' bit."
"Do you think you're related to the queen through your relation to Eleanor?" Elijah asked curiously. "The Windsors are direct descendants of her children with Henry II."
Pacari rolled his eyes at Elijah's expertise on the British royal lineage.
Caroline tilted her head to the side as she considered it. "Well, she was my first cousin once removed; her children were my second cousins..."
There was a silence. Niklaus was the first to crack. When Caroline saw his grin, she let out a loud laugh, which set off Rebekah into a round of hysterical cackles. Elijah, Pacari, and Kol were soon roaring, making the people around them glance at the Original family.
"What a bloody time we've had," Rebekah choked out through giggles, tears of laughter running her mascara.
On the other side of the ballroom, Bonnie Bennett was gazing through the windows at the sunset when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Gita!" Bonnie exclaimed, surprised to see the Indian vampire again so soon. "I thought you had to stay and protect the school," she said as she hugged her.
Gita smiled at the teenager's exuberance. "I'm only here tonight and tomorrow. I couldn't very well miss my mother's wedding."
Bonnie pulled away with a confused look. "Mother?"
"Rebekah raised me," Gita explained. "I was only ten years old when Kol attacked the original school, the teachers scattered, and the Mikaelsons became responsible for my upbringing. Rebekah took on the bulk of the child-rearing."
"My humblest apologies, Gita," a voice cut in. "As always."
The two women turned; Kol had joined them. Gita placed a hand on his shoulder. They had not seen each other since that dreadful day in Japan. A look passed between them that could not be interpreted by Bonnie. After a long moment, Gita pressed her forehead into his. Kol's tense features softened.
"I'll find you later, Bonnie," the vampire said with a smile, before walking away to rejoin Emmeline. Kol turned his gaze to Bonnie.
"I'm glad you're here," he confessed, handing her a glass of wine.
"I'm here because my boyfriend was kidnapped," she pointed out as she accepted the glass.
"Ah, yes, dearest Jeremy. But if you really missed him that much, wouldn't you have left Des Cendres after you and Iki reversed the spell on Caroline?" he said slyly.
She gave him a sour look and took a swig of wine.
He smiled. "Anyway, he's in no danger from the Five; the Hunters consider him their brethren. Now, when it comes to fighting Silas, I can't give you any assurances."
"Thanks," she said drily. "You've made me feel much better."
He held up his own wine glass and toasted her. "Is he even still your boyfriend? Elena was quite vague on the flight over."
"You questioned my best friend about my relationship with her brother?" she demanded, aghast.
He held up his hands in surrender. "It was a long flight - you don't even want to know what Nik I discussed. You're evading my question."
"I'll do whatever it takes to save Jeremy," she vowed.
A small smile played on his lips as he watched her. "I love your loyalty, Bonnie. I haven't experienced much of it in my long life."
"From my understanding, you have yourself to blame for that," she retorted, tossing back the last of the wine.
He flinched. "Whoops?"
She rolled her eyes.
"So, reading between the lines... You aren't with baby Gilbert anymore?"
"It's...complicated," she said lamely.
"Will you be my date to the wedding?" he asked without a hint of humor.
She took her time placing the empty glass down on a high-top table before turning back towards him. "You're serious?"
"I'm deadly serious, Bonnie Bennett."
She looked him over and tried not to smile. "I can't be your date."
"Can't? Or won't?" he asked with a knowing grin.
She bit her lip.
"And another witch leaves me hanging," he sighed.
"But I can promise you a dance."
"I'll take it; I'm an excellent dancer."
"If you answer one question for me," she clarified sternly.
"Well, well. She's learned a trick or two in her time away. What would you like to know, darling?"
"The friendship you lost long ago - was it with Caroline?"
His eyes widened. "How-?"
"It's kinda obvious, if you think about it."
"And you've been thinking about it? About me?"
"Perhaps." She broke eye contact and watched her two best friends dance across the room. "You could take notes from Damon and me."
"What you two have - it's so easy, simple. Caroline and I were always complicated."
"I think you've overcomplicated it."
"I can't disagree with you there."
"Good. Mull it over."
"Scout's honor."
She grinned. "Who'd you pick that up from?"
"Nik."
"Ah."
"So, have I earned my dance?"
"One dance."
He pressed a kiss against the back of her hand. "Then I must make the most of it."
On the dance floor, Elena was swaying against Damon, but his eyes were focused on something over her shoulder. She glanced up at him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I just hope Bon-Bon knows what she's doing," he muttered.
"Kol?"
He nodded.
"He wouldn't stop bothering me about her on the flight over; it's kinda cute."
He raised his eyebrows. "Shouldn't you be on your brother's side?"
Elena considered that. "I love my brother, but Bonnie's too good for him."
Damon whistled. "Ouch."
"I know how that sounds, but he keeps repeating this pattern of cheating on his current girlfriend with his dead girlfriend. He has plenty of time to grow up and find someone." She lapsed into silence for a few minutes, allowing him to spin her around a couple times. "Do you think Stefan's okay?"
"I have a feeling Qetsiyah will not be able to hurt him," he said wisely.
"What do you mean?"
"He has the face of the man she broke all the rules for. She turned the world upside down for Silas. Two thousand years later and she's still not over him; she won't kill his shadow-self. Impossible."
A sad look crossed over the doppelgänger's face. "You're still not over Katherine."
He stopped dancing and pulled away to look her in the eye. "What makes you say that?" he asked sharply.
"The way you just described Qetsiyah's devotion to Silas."
He shook his head emphatically. "I stopped loving Katherine a long time ago."
Elena smiled and made to start dancing again, but he caught her arms.
"What does it matter to you, anyway?" he questioned. "What do you care whether or not I still love Katherine? Shouldn't you be more concerned with your boyfriend's feelings for her?"
She frowned. "Stefan made it pretty clear the night he was taken that he is not interested in fixing our relationship."
"Right," Damon said slowly. "But that doesn't answer my first two questions."
She bit her lip. "Can we take a raincheck on that conversation until this is all over and Stefan is safe?"
He looked like he wanted to argue, his piercing gaze roving over her face. Finally, he nodded.
"As you wish, Elena."
Encircling a high-top a few paces away, Caroline, Niklaus, Pacari, Rebekah, and Elijah placed their bets on the fates of two couples.
Caroline had forgotten how breathtaking her homeland was in autumn. They had decided to hold the wedding outside at the edge of the field surrounding the castle. The vows were to be exchanged under a wooden arch overlaid with ivy and roses, right beside the forest. The leaves were starting to turn amber, rust, bronze, and shocking scarlet and the weather was perfect; a soft, warm breeze blew across the dying foliage as the processional started. A single cellist serenaded the guests as the bride appeared at the end of the petal-covered aisle.
Rebekah wore an empire-waisted gown with lace overlay and long sleeves. It was soft, flowing, and bohemian and its impressive train rustled gently over the lawn. Her hair was left down, plaited into a loose braid and entwined with flowers, pearl clips, and diamond-encrusted combs. The gold bangle that had once belonged to her beloved's mother adorned her wrist. Pacari stunned in a burgundy suit jacket trimmed in black and black pants, all in velvet. He was looking at his bride as if she were the first flower in spring after a particularly harsh winter.
As maid of honor, Caroline wore a shimmering pale pink dress with a subtle slit up the side; Kol, in a black tux, stood next to Pacari as his best man. Elijah swelled with pride as his baby sister walked towards the arch, escorted by Niklaus, who had to blink rapidly to hide his tears of joy. When they reached the arch, he kissed Rebekah's cheek gently and placed her hand in Pacari's with a warning glance at the Inca hybrid.
Elijah began speaking. "Welcome, all of you. It's true we do not know what tomorrow looks like. But today, we honor two inspiring people, who never stopped believing in the possibilities of the future. Today, we come together to remind ourselves of the deep bonds we have forged between us. Some of those bonds go back centuries, while some of them are just a few weeks old. All of these bonds are equally important; they have helped us appreciate the love we have for Rebekah and Pacari, and the love they have for each other. This couple has long been devoted to one another, however hidden that devotion was, and now we can all finally celebrate this love as a family."
Pacari stared at Rebekah in awe and whispered, "Last time we did this, it was you and I on a cliff in the middle of nowhere sans witnesses. Are you sure about this?"
With an intense expression, she said: "I've been sure about you for 484 years."
From her stance beside the arch, Caroline's eyes wandered over the guests. She saw Elena and Damon clasp hands as if on instinct. Bonnie was attempting to avoid looking at Kol in his dapper tuxedo and failing spectacularly. Gita was leaning against Emmeline with a soft smile as she watched her mother figure wed. Tyler's gaze kept flicking over Caroline, so she continued appraising the crowd. The Morganne witches were trying to engross themselves in the ceremony, but they were clearly on edge, their eyes darting around the field as if the apocalypse would descend at any moment. The students from Des Cendres were clearly living out their fantasies as they watched the wedding without a single jaded look. All their allies were there, including associates of Mariko's, Nik's hybrids and witches, and various friends the extended family had made over the centuries: Kol's Hungarian progeny Mary, the nearly thousand-old Maria, witches from across the globe Pacari had befriended, and even some of the vampires Kol had turned when he was running Versailles. Mariko was sitting in the front row, her amethyst eyes overflowing with rare tears. Niklaus had taken a seat beside her.
And he was staring straight at Caroline. With a jolt, she realized this was the exact spot where they had first met. She let her freshly unearthed memories take her back in time to 1139.
Caroline barely heard Elijah, for Niklaus had looked away from the sky, at her, and his gaze on hers felt like fire scorching her face, her chest, her entire being down to her soul. Her breath hitched and he stopped growling. They stared at each other. He looked so hurt and confused and miserable, but most of all, agonized. He was a man in his own personal hell. Elijah pulled her away, and she stumbled a little, reluctant to stop looking at that terrible gaze.
His gaze now was not agonized, but it was equally passionate. As for herself, she knew her eyes were filled with the same wonder they held all those centuries ago. The past summer had proven he would always remind her of what was important, no matter what. And she would always push him to be a better man, with or without memories. They had passed some sort of existential test.
Elijah was wrapping things up. "We remember the ancient laws of Pacari's homeland: ama sua, ama llulla, ama quella. I considered this wisdom as I thought about the social contract that is marriage. Ama sua, do not steal; appreciate your spouse's time, affection, and sacrifices. Ama llulla, do not lie; honesty is crucial to any relationship. Ama quella, do not be lazy. This is particularly relevant in a marriage, because marriage requires effort and work."
Niklaus raised an eyebrow at his wife, making her blush.
Rebekah and Pacari were not the type of people who desired to proclaim their undying love with their own vows; Elijah led them through the traditional words. By the time they got to their 'I dos,' both of them were tearing up.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Elijah declared with a wide smile.
When she finally pulled away from Niklaus' intoxicating gaze to look back at the couple, Caroline caught Kol's eye over the groom's shoulder as the newlyweds kissed. They had reached an unspoken truce in the past week, but they both knew they needed to have a long conversation in the near future. He gave her a small smile, which she returned.
They partied that night in a pavilion on the riverbank, under the stars. All the trees surrounding the pavilion had been wrapped in twinkle lights and there were gondolas floating lazily in the water for anyone seeking a more private moment. A nine-piece band played lively music and the waitstaff kept the partiers' plates and glasses full. Blood-infused wine was being poured with white gloves and complete discretion. This was not Caroline's first rodeo.
Despite what Bonnie had told him, the witch spent hours dancing with Kol. As he twirled her enthusiastically on the dance floor, Bonnie almost crashed into her blond friend, who was dancing with her husband.
"How did you do this in one week?" she asked with a laugh. "With nothing but what was in the protected territory?"
Caroline smirked. "I'm very resourceful."
Klaus rolled his eyes. "I think I'd sum it up to compulsion and ah, experience."
"Are you calling me old?" she demanded.
He dipped her low and put his mouth very close to her ear. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Bonnie blushed at their newly rediscovered affection and turned back towards Kol, but this didn't help her much. His dark gaze was devouring her.
"You, Bonnie Bennett, are a joy in yellow," he said huskily.
Her blush deepened and she let go of his hand. "I should go, um. Check on Elena."
He smirked at her. "She's in one of those cozy boats debating whether or not to make-out with Damon."
Bonnie's jaw dropped. "She is not!"
"I'm pretty good at reading people, little witch," he teased with a wink.
She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling.
He held his hand out to her again. "What are you, scared?"
Her eyes widened. After another moment's hesitation, she took it.
Across the dance floor, Pacari was entertaining Elijah with a story about his time in Jacobean England. His wife was a few feet away discussing European supernatural politics with some of the Morganne witches when a musical voice whispered in her ear: "Could I have a moment?"
Rebekah was somewhat surprised, but she excused herself from the conversation and followed Mariko out of the pavilion and a little way into the trees. The witch was in a dramatic, backless number, the wine-colored silk so dark it appeared black to the casual observer.
"What is it, Riko? Why do you look so serious?"
"I know ever since I transformed Caroline, you haven't been my biggest fan," the witch started. "The past few weeks haven't helped."
Rebekah opened her mouth to protest, but Mariko cut her off.
"Don't deny it, please. You know it's true."
The bride closed her mouth slowly before swallowing. "I'm sorry for my hostility towards you; I was wrong to blame you for the distance between Caroline and myself, then and now," she apologized.
"I get it, Bekah. Please, don't worry about it; I've certainly played my part in all this drama. I'm loyal to Caroline and Nik to a fault."
Rebekah nodded slowly, wondering where the witch was going with this.
"I wanted to make up for that. I know the only thing you've desired longer than being reunited with Pacari has been becoming human again. So, I thought you'd appreciate this," Mariko explained. She held out a fist and unfurled her fingers to reveal a glass vial filled with blood.
Rebekah gaped at it. "Is that…?"
"It's Silas'," Mariko confirmed.
Rebekah took the vial from her with careful fingers; her new rings clinked against the glass.
"It's enough for two," Mariko explained pointedly.
"Do you think…?" Rebekah wondered.
Mariko smiled at her. "I think he'll want what you want," she said gently before frowning. "But don't do anything stupid, like take it before the battle. We need you to fight – both of you. And you should probably prepare the family."
Rebekah gazed across the clearing. Pacari was gesturing wildly as he reached the climax of his story; she was fairly certain it was the one about The Globe burning to the ground. Elijah had been joined by Caroline, Niklaus, Kol, and Bonnie to listen in.
"Yes, I'll wait... You're right. They'll need time."
A/N: Some well-deserved fluff to counter all the angst (before the shit hits the fan). If you'd like a visual for Rebekah's dress, it is essentially Kelly Clarkson's wedding gown, but with a longer train and without draping sleeves. Only eight chapters left! Stay safe. Thank you for reading. ~ L
07/25/20 P.S. I am constantly editing this beast. I realized I had shorted Caroline and Klaus of an epic reunion... So I added one in. Hope you enjoy the three shameless smut scenes left behind.