1 day earlier.
Elijah had spent the entire night watching over Elena whilst she slept, he gently woke her at 9pm and got her coffee and breakfast ready whilst she showered; she joined him in the kitchen not long after and sat down at the table beside him. After Klaus left yesterday, they had a good talk for a while, watched some mindless television and she went up to bed, they both had a quick read of a book each before she fell asleep.
It was generally a normal evening, what she hadn't expected was a call from unknown number; her phone was vibrating against the table but she didn't want to answer, she just looked to Elijah and shrugged her shoulders, "should I?"
"Do you often receive calls from someone you don't know?" He questioned, his curiosity growing.
"No, never, only this family has this number, I bought it with Rebekah when we moved here," it still rang as they continued to speak, "I didn't even give this number to Jeremy."
"The incessant buzzing is going to give me a migraine, answer it," he reluctantly spoke, his attention fully on the phone.
She picked it up and took the call, placing the speaker to her ear, "hello?"
"It's Marcel, why haven't you been answering my calls?" He sounded annoyed but Elena could only breath a sigh of relief when she heard his voice, the alternatives she had conjured up in her mind where worse.
"Sorry, had a bit of a strange night, what's going on?" She stood up from the table and walked out into the back garden, closing the door behind her in attempt to stop Elijah from hearing the call.
"Davina's missing, I'm going out of my mind, she done a spell or ritual or something last night and she just vanished," Marcel explained, the panic in his voice rising.
"What?" She exclaimed, full of shock, "I'm coming over, be there in 15."
She hung up the phone and raced inside, she went straight through the hallway and to the coat rack, grabbing her jacket and bag from the hooks; she as she was slipping into them, Elijah appeared next to her, "where are you going?"
"To the compound, Davina is missing," she was in a frantic state of panic, she was starting to feel like it was her fault for getting them involved in the first place, "I have to go help Marcel find her."
"I'm coming," he stated, before opening the front door for her, "after you."
She nodded her head and exited the plantation, she went straight for her car and jumped into the drivers seat, Elijah taking his place next to her in the passenger seat.
-w-
Elena drove so quickly, that they arrived 10 minutes later, she parked up the car and they both headed inside; Marcel was surrounded by his day walkers in the courtyard, there was a map of the quarter on the table and some of the items and ingredients she used in the ritual beside it.
"Elena," he spoke in relief, racing towards her, "do you know anything about where she could be?"
"I don't but we will find her, Marcel, even if I have to spend the entire day on foot scouring this city," she reassured, her concern growing by the minute.
Elijah and stepped away from the pair and walked towards the items on the table, there was one in particular that drew his attention; he picked up a chalice, one that had peculiar markings engraved around the centre of the cup, it had black and red jewels etched into it and it appeared to be made of brass, it looked very old, "where did you get this?"
"Davina used it in the ritual she performed before she disappeared, is it important?" Marcel asked, his attention on Elijah.
"I remember this from my human days, it belonged to my mother, how did it find it's way to New Orleans?" The question was mostly rhetorical, his eyes where glued to the chalice, he glanced over the cup several times, spinning it slowly in his hands.
"I'm not sure, Davina sent a few of my guys to find it, she said it was buried in an old tomb somewhere under the bayou, she cast a spell to locate it and sent them on there way, I didn't think anything of it," Marcel explained, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, you wouldn't," Elijah quipped, something about this chalice was making him worry and Elena could see it.
"Elijah," Elena spoke, walking towards the original vampire, "what is it?"
"Do you see these runes?" He pointed towards the small marks engraved on the side, "they say 'The Order'."
"This belongs to them.." she trailed off, her mind racing with the possibilities, "Davina must know about them, the ritual she performed-"
"She had attempted to locate them or harm them, they have sensed this and kidnapped her before she could do the same to them, anyone who knows about there presence in New Orleans will be taken, they have a plan and they won't let anyone stand in there way," Elijah's voice turned solemn, he had no idea what to do about this information, "keep all of these items safe, Marcellus, do not let them out if your sight."
"What's going on, Elijah? Who has taken Davina?"
"I can't tell you anymore, I give you my word I will find Davina and return her home but for now, just do as I say and stay in the compound, keep these items safe and do not keep looking for her, you'll end up dead," he stated, practically ordering Marcel, he didn't like being told what to do but he knew he had too, this was too big, even for him, "Elena, let's go."
"Where are we going?" She asked, walking beside him as they exited the compound.
"I'm taking you home," he unlocked the car and slid into the drivers seat.
"It's too late for that, I want to help find Davina," she spoke as she climbed into the car beside him, "I may not be a vampire or have much strength but I know I'm important to them, I can tell by the way you're all acting around me, this crazy need to protect me is coming from somewhere."
"Elena, please, just let me take you home, I won't be able to find Davina and protect you at the same time," he was growing tired of arguing with her, she was too stubborn.
"Fine but this is the last time, Elijah, I'm not going to spend the rest of my life sidelined and stuck in the mansion, just to be avoided and alone," she buckled her seatbelt and sat back in the chair, her eyes averting to the window beside her.
"I am sorry about this, Elena, I hate causing you so much pain," his voice was soft and filled with emotion, "but I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you, especially because of me."
-w-
The remainder of the car ride had been mostly quiet, Elena was still quite upset at being taken home, especially when people she cared about where in danger; even if she where to leave and help them, she wouldn't even know where to look, she had no information other than there name.
Several hours had passed and she still hadn't heard from Elijah, no-one had called her, she hadn't even seen Kol and Rebekah in days; she couldn't take it anymore, the mindless wandering around the mansion, the constant worry about the family and the feeling of being so useless, she had to go, at least to the compound to see if Marcel had any updates.
She sent Elijah a message saying she had left and she was going to see Marcel, only so he wouldn't worry if he came home and couldn't find her, he would be furious. She grabbed her things once again and left the mansion, headed straight for her car.
When Elena arrived at the compound, there where vampires bustling about everywhere; it was coming into the evening time so it was getting darker and she assumed Marcel had them on high alert, she walked inside and saw him pacing up and down, cell phone in hand and the map and ritual items still place.
"Hey, Marcel, what's going on?" Elena asked, glancing around the room and taking in her surroundings, "having a party or something?"
"Still no word from Davina, my guys have been searching all day, I sent a few into the bayou and they haven't made it back, I'm assuming it was the wolves," he sat down at the table and placed his head in his hands, "I promised I'd look after her and there's just nothing else I can do."
"I promise, she'll be fine," she sat down beside him, placing her hand on his back for comfort, "she's the toughest girl I know, she can make it through anything and we're not going to give up."
"I don't know where else to look."
Elena pondered for a long moment, scouring her mind for any ideas, most of them where stupid but she had one plan, it may not work but it's something, "are they any witches left in the quarter?"
"Maybe a few, why?" Marcel questioned, lifting his head from his hands and turning his attention to her.
"Find one, she may be able to use these items to find Davina," she picked up the chalice, a small smile curling up on her lips.
"Go," Marcel spoke to a group of his day walkers; they where extremely loyal, they simply nodded there heads and left.
-w-
They waited a couple of hours but it felt like longer, the night time had fell and the compound was full of vampires, Elena had spoke to several of the newly transitioned and actually enjoyed herself in Marcel's company, he had relaxed a bit knowing they had a plan and it was only a matter of time before they found Davina.
"Marcel," one of the vampires called out as they entered the compound, "found you a witch."
"It's about time," he muttered under his breath, approaching the group of day walkers; there was a woman stood in the centre of the circle, her hands bound so she couldn't perform magic, "wow, Sabine, you survived the massacre a few weeks ago, I'm impressed."
"I warned them not to join Esther, I saw it coming," her voice was filled with sadness and guilt, she was one of the very few remaining witches left in the quarter; some had the better judgement not to join Esther when she tried to kill her children, she was one of them, "what do you want, Marcel?"
"A simple locator spell," he smirked slightly, holding his arm up and gesturing towards the table filled with ritual items and the map; she held her hands up towards Marcel and he snapped the rope that bound them, she walked towards the table and picked a few things up one at a time.
"I can sense a strong power coming from a couple of these items, who are you trying to find?" She questioned, fascinating by these items.
"Davina," he answered, his eyes flickering between the witch and Elena, "I'm hoping were we find her is where we find the dead man that took her too, these items should lead you straight to them."
"If I do this, I want your word I'll be left alone, I'm tired of living with one eye over my shoulder."
"You have my word, just find her," Marcel promised, watching as she began to prepare the spell; she lay a few items around the map, along with a brush Davina owned, she placed a few candles and began to chant.
The further into the spell she got, the more intense it became; her eyes where closed and the candles had lit, all the vampires in the room had there eyes on her, some where concerned she would attack and others where nervous, the witches had never been too friendly to vampires.
Sparks began to fly from the candle but Sabine was starting to struggle, she was chanting louder, forcing the answer from her spell, she winced quietly and placed her hand on her head, the spell was clearly hurting her; Elena wasn't comfortable watching her struggle but she knew it was important. Sparks from the candle flame where starting to hit the map, all in roughly the same area and the spell was done, the candles blew out and there was a singed hole in the map.
"There she is," Sabine spoke with laboured breathing, "whoever has her, didn't want to be found so easily."
"Thank you," Elena walked over to her, taking her hands, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine, nothing a neat scotch won't fix," she smiled slightly towards Elena, "strong spell but those relics are filled with dark magic, be careful with them."
"Thank you, Sabine, I'll keep my word, no-one in the quarter will harm you," Marcel declared, ensuring every vampire in the room heard, "if they do, there will be severe consequences."
"Come on, I'll walk you out," Elena offered, standing beside Sabine, "are you driving home?"
"I don't live too far, I'll walk but thank you," she spoke as the two of them walked out of the compound, Elena stayed with her for a few minutes down the street, ensuring she was safe.
It was a quiet night, most of the locals had avoided being out in public for the past few weeks until the supernatural activity died down a bit and the vampires where all at the compound, she assumed Sabine would be safe.
"Are you good from here? I really have to help find Davina," Elena smiled, "I can get one of Marcels guys to walk you back?"
"That won't be necessary, I'm only a few minutes away, thank you for making sure I'm alright, you have a kind heart," she placed her hand on Elena's arm but what the doppelgänger hadn't expected was a loud gasp escaping from Sabine's lips, her eyes went wide and she stared right through Elena, as if she wasn't there.
"Sabine?" Elena spoke nervously, "are you alright?"
She blinked her eyes and she returned to reality but with panic etched into her face, "we have to leave, now!"
Elena's heart began to race slightly at her words, she suddenly became scared and on edge, "What? Wh-"
Just before she could finish her sentence, Sabine's neck was twisted and snapped right in front of her eyes, Elena threw her hand to her mouth to stop the screams from emitting as her body fell limp to the floor, only a shocked gasp could be heard from her; she spun on her heel, searching for anything or anyone that could have done this but there was nothing.
Just as she was about to turn around and head back to compound, a hooded figure appeared behind her and wrapped one arm around her neck, she screamed as she attempted to fight back, anything to free herself but he was strong, before she even had the chance to scream again, he pressed a rag to her mouth; Elena started feeling disoriented, her body felt weak and she could barely stand on her legs, her vision blurred and she fell unconscious.