AN: Klaus tests Bonnie's abilities to defend herself, inciting Kol's wrath
A visit from Katherine somehow leads the MF gang to blame Kol for the destruction left in her wake and Abby and Kol formulate a plan to sneak up on Esther.
Amidst all the chaos, Bonnie and Kol attempt a proper date.
***Trigger warning for rape/aftermath content.
And graphic fighting sequences
Songs for this chapter:
Headstrong -by Trapt
I'm so sick -by Flyleaf
~ In the kitchen with Abby ~
"How many vampires have you sired?" Abby asked as she waved her hands around over the blood.
"Two," Kol answered.
"And how many vampires did they sire?"
"Faith sired multiple vampires over two hundred years, Bonnie has not created a bloodline,"
"You were in my house last night,"
"I was."
"Why was Bonnie crying?"
Confusion marred his features. "Bonnie shed no tears,"
There was nothing to cry about, he and Bonnie had an absolutely amazing time last night.
"She was crying loud when you were here," Abby insisted.
"No, she wasn't. She was-"
Moaning. Bonnie wasn't crying, she was moaning, courtesy of Kol's skillful tongue and nimble fingers. That was what Abby overheard. Inside, Kol was laughing at how awkward that was, if he had realized Abby was home, he would've taken extra care to keep Bonnie quiet.
It finally dawned on Abby that what she heard wasn't crying. As the realization came over her face, Kol braced himself, he knew what was coming. "Abby," he tried with a nervous smile, holding a palm up. "Don't do-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Abby hit him with thee most excruciating aneurysm he'd felt in all of his years. Kol thought his head would truly explode.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" She thundered with her demon voice. He stumbled out of the door in agony and she followed him, strengthening the aneurysm. When Kol hollered, she slammed the door shut.
He heard her sink down against the door and she started sobbing uncontrollably. Initially having the mind to rush back in there and take a chunk out of her neck before enlisting Elijah to heal her, a pang in his chest stopped him. Her mournful wails caused a twinge of guilt. What the hell is this?! First Bonnie's soft protests halted him from giving the Gilbert boy the most rightly warranted death he deserved, now he was surely wrongly accused of bedding Bonnie and suffering for it. And he wasn't making Abby pay for it. You're going bloody soft!
The thought angered him all over again and he treaded towards the door again when he heard Abby on the phone with Elijah.
"They are doing it! He said he wouldn't take advantage of her,"
"You are certain of this?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't seem entirely characteristic of Kol," Elijah speculated. "as he's known to gloat over women fawning over him. He craves the attention of female companionship throwing themselves at him, not forcing it on them. But if what you're saying is true,"
"It is true, Elijah!"
"then the sire bond must be removed at once. Kol's fixation is causing quite the disturbance, this will interfere with our quest. Abigail, rest assured, this forceful behavior will not be tolerated and it will not go unpunished." Elijah told her gently. "I'm coming to see you at once,"
Internally, Kol was fuming. He was not forcing intimacy on her, that was Jeremy Gilbert! He'd only kissed her a handful of times since he'd met her, claiming her as a mate was for her own protection against Nik, and last night was the most they'd gotten up to after he'd informed her of his plans for a proper courtship. Though her vampire urges got the best of him, he'd maintained his resolve in holding off on consummating his relationship. Where was the credit for that?!
~Last year~
Her whole body hurt so much she could barely move. Bonnie could hardly believe what she'd just experienced, just hours after breaking up with Jeremy. "Why?" She whispered when he laid back down next to her.
"Because you're not leaving me. I made a mistake, I should've been there for you, instead of wasting my time with Anna," he replied so gently, it was a huge contrast from the rough way he'd just handled her.
"You said you loved her,"
"Bonnie, I made a mistake. I saw you with that jock and I just… The thought of another guy touching you is killing me. And I love you,"
He caressed her face and she turned away. She couldn't look at him right now.
The next day, Bonnie was late to school but she met with Elena at lunch. "Bonnie, how'd it go with Jeremy last night?" The doppelgänger asked. "He said you talked and everything is ok?"
"I'm tired, Elena. It was a long night. I just don't wanna think about it right now," Bonnie said under her sunglasses.
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're giving him another chance. I know he fucked up, but you're the only girl that's kept his head on straight. I can't take anymore of him spiraling again, I can barely hold myself together. Sometimes I wish I could shut it all off,"
Bonnie frowned. "Elena, that's terrible. Your brother needs you to be strong for him," because he's clearly weaker than anyone knows, she added silently. "If you keep letting Damon get in your head…"
"He has you, and I have Stefan. I think we'll be ok," Elena smiled at her before she left the table. "Damon's just there, but he's not going away. It's not the biggest deal,"
Bonnie spent the rest of lunch in the restroom and avoided Jeremy for the rest of the day, unfortunately, he was waiting for her when she got home. Cursing fate since her dad was never home, she felt she had no choice than to follow Jeremy upstairs where he would coerce her into performing lewd acts with him. This was how their relationship went on for the next year, and no one knew.
~ Present day ~
The memories of Bonnie's Kol had witnessed from her replayed inside his mind as he zipped his way back to the mansion, speeding over to the main room. He searched above the mantle, but the daggers weren't there. He suddenly became privy to Bonnie's scent. Bonnie was here? She was supposed to be in class.
"She's not here," Rebekah said from behind him. He flipped around to find her standing in the doorway, with her hands behind her back. "In fact, you just missed her. But you didn't miss last night, did you?"
Kol smirked. "The gossip around here travels faster than the speed of light, does it not, sister?"
Rebekah let out a small laugh before she scowled and flung a blade at his chest, with her vampire strength. He sped out of the way, but she advanced on him, stabbing him through the back. "It certainly does," she sneered. As he grew weaker, he summoned Bonnie with the utmost urgency but Rebekah withdrew the dagger and shoved it in his chest. His eyelids closing blocked out the world.
~Out in the woods~
"Using women for sex and information? And you wonder why no one likes you," Bonnie taunted as Klaus dragged her through the woods.
"Am I detecting jealousy? Surely Kol's advances aren't up to par if you trouble yourself over my affairs."
"Advances? Oh please, we're in no rush."
"You're fooling yourself if you think there's no rush," Klaus mumbled. "This is Kol we're speaking of. The fool has no patience,"
"He did last night," Bonnie said thoughtfully.
Klaus raised both brows.
Bonnie then stuck her tongue out. "Which is none of your business, by the way. And I don't care what you do, I just think it's sad that any woman would fall for that when it comes to survival,"
Klaus scoffed and stopped, peering down at Bonnie. "Are you saying you wouldn't opt for survival if you found yourself in the same situation?"
A bitter smile spread across her face as she looked up at him. "When it comes to you, I'd rather burn to death slowly with the heat rays of a thousand fiery suns."
Klaus grunted and kept walking, jerking her forward. Suddenly a wave came over her and she felt a tugging sensation in her guts. Kol was summoning her, demanding she go to him. Her body instinctively knew where to go, except Klaus was pulling her in the opposite direction. Bonnie collapsed in pain.
"Oh no, you don't! Get up," he hissed.
"Wrong way," Bonnie groaned, turning towards the direction she was being pulled. Klaus flashed in front of her, leaned down to hoist her up. "LET ME GO!" She bellowed, shoving him off. "He needs me,"
As suddenly as the sensation came upon her, it was gone in another instant. "What fuck, Kol?!"
"You were being summoned and it was urgent?" Klaus said.
"Duh,"
"And now you aren't,"
"Gold star for you," Bonnie mumbled.
"Onward, then. Up you go," he yanked her up. "And keep your voice down,"
"Where are we going?"
"To test your survival skills," he snapped as they came into a clearing where six tents were erected around an extinguished campfire where the faint heat of embers dying out wafted smoke tendrils in the air. Bonnie could smell the hybrids lurking nearby. "The time has come for you to prove yourself a true warrior. You must fight for your life. Only the strong survive,"
Oh, no. Klaus shoved Bonnie into the clearing, and she fell near the campfire.
~ On the battlefield ~
"Traitors! Show yourselves. I can smell all twelve of you! If anyone shows their hide, your loved ones are under compulsion to kill themselves on my command! Come out NOW!" Klaus thundered. With much anger and reluctance in the air, the hybrids came out of their wooded shields. Thankfully, Tyler wasn't among the group. Klaus smiled that evil cherry-lipped smile that indicated he had murder on the brain.
"Now," he said slowly. "You will all die for your part in betraying me, going against my will," protests rang out from each hybrid. "I AM YOUR ALPHA! YOU DEFIED ME!" Enraged, he pointed to the lot as well as his chest.
The complaints died. "But," he pointed at Bonnie. "The hybrid who kills the baby vampire will be given an opportunity to complete one last task for me, before I set you free,"
Bonnie gasped as all eyes turned death glares on her. Oh God, why did Kol have to stop summoning her? She wouldn't be about to meet what was sure to be a permanent death, thanks to Klaus. Bonnie was used to fighting with magic, not physical strength. If she somehow survived this, she was going to- well, she didn't know what the hell she would do to spite Klaus, the only thing that seemed to affect him was the fact that she was tethered to Kol and not him. Maybe she would finally have sex with Kol on Klaus's bed. Fuck Klaus and his bed! "Klaus! You fucking piece of sh-"
"Attack!" Klaus ordered.
Bonnie ducked as the hybrids simultaneously flew at her. She did the only thing she could think of being cornered into a circle. She dropped to the ground and spun a kick in a sphere, tripping four of the hybrids who'd gotten the closest, making sure to kick them all as hard as she could in the face as she shot up and was subsequently grabbed from behind. Trying to remember all the random self-defense infomercials that would air on TV late at night, and the defense tactics she'd seen on Miss Congeniality, she thrust herself forward, flipping her opponent over her. Damn, that was five hybrids down already!
Feeling a rush of adrenaline for not being dead within the first thirty seconds of her first supernatural fistfight, she turned to the side and punched a hybrid in the nose who wasn't quite paying attention. She stumbled back and it felt so satisfying because the hybrid sort of resembled Katherine Pierce, who was in the top three hall of fame of vampires Bonnie couldn't stand (the other two being Klaus and Damon). Since she looked like Katherine, it also felt like a punch to Elena which was also satisfying since Elena had proven to be such a shit friend.
She looked up, expecting to catch a glimpse of Klaus gloating. Instead, he was mid-battle too, with both hands inside the chest of a male hybrid, and the other was female. He yanked their hearts out, which nearly made Bonnie queasy, but the near doppelganger was rushing at Bonnie again. She plunged her hand into her chest, extracting her heart as she'd observed Klaus do. One of the fallen's comrades screamed and rushed at the baby vampire, taking her by surprise, so she threw the heart in his face.
Klaus zoomed over and with a wave of his hand, he swiped his head clear off. There were three hybrids still alive, and Klaus took on two of them, while Bonnie went hand to hand with the last one. This hybrid in particular wasn't going for a quick takedown, he wanted to brawl, which Bonnie quickly realized as he threw punches she dodged. He also threw some roundhouse kicks at her, too fast for her to properly dodge. She was kicked to the floor and in an instant, the hybrid was on her, sinking his teeth into her neck.
"AHHHH!" Bonnie cried out in agony.
"This is for Diana," the hybrid hissed in a shaky breath. Feeling the weight of his rage, Bonnie figured Diana must have been his girlfriend. She imagined this was the sort of rage Kol would feel if someone killed her. She wasn't technically his girlfriend, not that she considered herself so, aside from being his eternal mate. She'd likely never had a chance for a proper courtship with him, now that her immortal existence was being cut short by a vengeful hybrid. Pride would not permit her to call out to Klaus for help, even as Diana's lover wrapped his hands around her head, preparing to forcefully decapitate her.
In that moment, Bonnie wondered what her mother was doing at the moment, probably hexing Kol for aggravating her. She hexed him often when he was around due to his disrespectful mouth. They had an odd sort of partnership, but it worked for them because he never retaliated violently, though those thoughts likely crossed his mind. He never acted on it, he only chose to further aggravate her with suggestive taunts about Bonnie. Bonnie wondered if he'd be that way with Sheila. How she missed her Grams, she thought as she closed her eyes one last time.
"Enough," Klaus said. "You've got her. The venom will kill her in a most excruciatingly, agonizing death,"
"Klaus, I've been meaning to tell you, you ain't shit," Bonnie muttered, heaving her chest. The venom was spreading and her breathing became slightly labored. Diana's man took a big fucking chunk out of her neck, the bite would likely kill her sooner than later if he didn't have her head.
Ignoring Bonnie, Klaus addressed his last hybrid. "Diana would have wanted her suffering, mate. Release her and I'll give you my last request. Then you are free to go,"
Bonnie fell to the floor as the hybrid released her from his grip. Klaus used compulsion, looking deep into his eyes. "Take off your daylight ring," that signature smirk pulled the corners of his lips up. "And burn,"
Diana's hunny complied, and he screamed as he burned.
"And as I promised, you've been freed," Klaus laughed.
Then he leaned down and lifted Bonnie into his arms. She was unconscious now but she had the most serene look on her face, aside from the blood spatters. It was unfortunate that Kol had to barge in, threatening him late last night, wearing Bonnie's scent like a bloody trophy he was waving in his face. Now, it was up to Kol if he wanted to save Bonnie and his tentative relationship with her. If he refused to let Klaus heal her, he'd still make the attempt, although Bonnie's body would reject it due to the sire bond. Kol would relent as long as he wished to end her suffering. Klaus longed to see the look on baby brother's face as Bonnie drank from him. His insecurities would no doubt grow, manifesting in such a way that would only drive her further away.
~ Awakening ~
Kol felt the life rush back into him and he immediately sat up, not recognizing his surroundings. Then he realized he was on a couch in the guest room Bonnie inhabited when she'd first become vampire. Rebekah was sitting on the bed before Bonnie with red, puffy eyes.
"For what it's worth, I didn't anticipate this would happen. For my part in this, I apologize. Nik just wanted to teach you a lesson," Rebekah said through mournful eyes as she looked upon Bonnie.
"No Jer. Stop! Let me go!" She whimpered in her sleep before releasing a soft moan.
"She's been doing that for hours. He's hurt her terribly, hasn't he?" Rebekah asked softly.
Kol zipped over and to his horror, he witnessed Bonnie lying on the bed, bloodied and battered, and there was a nasty bite mark in her neck. "How did this happen?"
"Nik took her into battle against his escaped hybrids,"
A rage like no other swelled through Kol's being. "Nik did this?!"
He flashed to the bedroom door and threw it open, to find Niklaus, Elijah, and Abby on the other side. Elijah flashed forward and grabbed Kol as he lunged for Nik. Abby's fist went up, helping incapacitate him with an immobilization spell.
"Kol, you will control yourself," Elijah demanded, in his calm, but altogether stern manner.
"She's DYING!"
"She won't die, but she doesn't have much time. It's up to you, Kol. If you care about my daughter at all, please! " Abby begged. The look in her eyes made his guts turn over. He knew it was because only Nik's blood could heal her. It was what Nik wanted. He was selfish, always wanting any and every ounce of happiness his siblings had for himself.
"Right, you want your blood coursing through her," Kol huffed, turning with great disdain towards Nik. "Apparently, mine isn't quite fit is it? Nothing I do is ever fit enough for you. She is mine, I wanted her, I made her for my own! In all my years, I've never loved, never took it upon myself to claim anyone as my mate. I've finally chosen her and you- you continually choose to meddle in our affairs. Why, Nik?" He threw his hands up. "Why must you loathe your baby brother so strongly? You really desire to diverge me from my mate?"
"A sire bond and forcing a bite on her is not how you choose a mate!" Klaus raised his voice, apparently at the end of his patience as well. "At this point, she's your captive and I will make sure you remember that each and every day. Every moment you spend with her, every kiss and touch that occurs between you. It's all a falsehood until she welcomes it."
Kol looked over at Bonnie, the look on his face visibly distressed. "You lot have your 'always and forever' with each other. I have Bonnie. I just want her near,"
"Isn't that what the Gilbert boy wanted?"
Good Lord, the last thing Kol needed was further topics to incite the murderous rage he had building inside. "You want to heal her? Do it. But you will never drink from her, never get a taste of what I have. Understand she is mine, Nik. Heal her," he felt the reigns of Abby's spell unravel.
"Kol,"
"JUST DO IT!" Kol covered his ears and sank down to the floor, covering his ears. He absolutely couldn't watch for the simple fact that drinking vampire blood tended to be erotic, especially right from the vein. It tormented him so that this was even happening. Nik was trying to form a blood bond with her. As long as he didn't consume Bonnie's blood, she'd be safe from his prey, but that he even had the audacity enraged Kol. And yet, it was the only way to keep his girl safe.
He heard the sounds of Bonnie drinking his brother's blood and he pressed his hands against his ears, squeezing his eyes shut.
"She's safe now. She needs to rest," Kol heard Elijah say.
Kol looked up into his brother's clear blue eyes, with shining brown eyes. "I hope you know I hate you. Always and forever. And I will not endure you much longer,"
"My blood is in her now," Klaus replied, so tauntingly.
Elijah then ushered Rebekah and Klaus out of the room.
Abby kneeled down next to Kol. "You love her?"
"Mumsie, now is not the time or place," he warned.
"Shut up and listen. Klaus isn't going to get away with his bullshit. But he has a point. Is Bonnie your girlfriend or your vampire progeny? Because she can't be both, and she's helpless to refuse you. If you keep this up, eventually she's going to see you the same way she sees Jeremy. Another guy shoving her around. And you know what we do to guys like that?"
Kol sighed. "Humiliation, impotence, death,"
Abby hummed in satisfaction. "I know you care for her, you're a lovesick sap. It's kinda gross but- anyway, my point was I know you care and I'm sure Bonnie does too. But if you don't start acting like it, you will lose her, eternal mate or not. Deep down you know that. So get it together,"
"I thought you were cross with me,"
"I am, I think you guys should slow down. But apparently you are. I thought you were never going to give Bonnie up,"
"I'm not," he assured her. "And I'll have you know I'm not the depraved monster you lot make me out to be."
"Then release her! Fucking simple, then you'll know if she wants to be with you. Don't be that guy. God, 's wrong with you," Abby scoffed and stood up, making her way over to Bonnie.
"Kol," Bonnie murmured.
"Aye! That's your cue," Abby turned on her heel and exited the room, slowly closing the door behind her.
Kol went to Bonnie, slipping into the bed. She reeked of Nik's blood and other hybrid stenches, but underneath that, her own aroma that he had come to memorize still lingered. Although he wanted to give her his blood and fuck her into oblivion so she'd never forget who her true mate was, in that moment, there wasn't anything he could do but focus in on her particular scent that was the home he'd found in her.
She snuggled closer to him and exhaled deeply. "Don't hurt me… don't let him…"
He shushed and soothed her as he wrapped his arms around her. Bonnie didn't understand she was his darling and he'd never let anyone hurt his little darling again, not without paying the ultimate price.
He heard Klaus screaming and figured Abby was dealing with him for putting Bonnie in such danger in the first place, which greatly satisfied him.
"My sweet Bonnie, you are safe now," he whispered. He held her tight as they each drifted off into a vivid sleep.
~ Kol's dream ~
The sex was phenomenal. With their fingers interlocked, pressed against her bed -which was warm and moist for some reason- Kol knew Bonnie was fully satisfied by the way she writhed and screamed underneath him. He kissed her deeply and she whimpered against his mouth, only her whimpers turned into full-on sobs.
"Bonnie, what is it?" Kol pulled back to see that the sheets were red with blood, coming from where their bodies were joined. Gasping, he jumped back, noting that the bed had somehow become a pool of blood, which was welling up while Bonnie sank into it.
"HELP ME!" she cried before she was submerged by the blood.
"Bonnie!" He plunged his hands into the crimson pool but Bonnie had disappeared. He searched frantically with his hands when the door to her room burst open. Abby and Nik regarded him with cold, furious glares.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" The hybrid bellowed. Bonnie's hands suddenly shot up out of the blood, which had turned so dark it now looked black, and dragged him down under.
Kol couldn't breathe until he woke with a gasp.
~ Bonnie's dream ~
"You must fight for your life. Only the strong survive," Klaus's voice was heard saying as the hybrids slowly advanced on her.
"They are stronger than you. They are faster than you. You must use the element of surprise, but do not make the mistake of underestimating them," This time it was Kol's voice in her ear. "The blood of a warrior flows through you, love,"
Adrenaline was pumping from the thrill of the danger she found herself in, once again. She had taken on hybrids before and she would take them all out again. Just like Violet Song Jat Shariff in Ultraviolet. Bonnie was the ultimate warrior and she had so much to fight for. This time she went for the hybrid who'd try to decapitate her over his precious Diana. Finding she mysteriously had nunchucks and somehow knew how to use them -she figured it was because she was the ultimate warrior- she swung them around, attacking him with her weapon. The nunchucks wrapped around his neck, and Bonnie squeezed, placing a boot to his chest and kicking as his head popped off.
His blood spattered across Bonnie's face, giving her another rush as Diana -she supposed- wailed and rushed at her. She was taken out simply enough with a heart extraction, and her comrade tried to catch Bonnie off guard but she flipped him over, pulling off his daylight ring.
"Come at me if you must, but you'll all die!" Now she wielded two swords, crouching down, leaning on a bent knee to one side, wielding one sword above her head, one in front of her. She caught Kol's eye, who smiled proudly. Suddenly his face changed to one of shock and he fell forward, dead, bursting into flames. He had been struck with a white oak stake.
"KOL, NOOOO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, dropping her swords.
"Now, you must be stronger than ever. You must prove yourself a true warrior in the greatest fight of your life," Klaus said from behind her. In a flash, he confiscated her weapons and sank his teeth into her neck.
Bonnie woke with a start. She sat up to find Kol sitting next to her, staring at the wall, deep in contemplation. Only when she reached over and touched his cheek did he snap out of it.
"Kol," her hand slid past his cheek and circled around his neck as she pressed herself against him, straddling his lap. She found a strange comfort in him, likely because he was her vampire sire, and vowed to always protect her.
"Bonnie," he whispered as he held her. "I won't ever forgive Nik for putting you at risk. Come away with me, love. Let us leave this place, we can leave this mockery of a family my brother fools himself with,"
"No, we can't," Bonnie looked up into his eyes. "I dreamed of you dying, Kol. My dreams have always meant something. We have to deal with whatever Esther has planned first, and then when I graduate, we can go wherever,"
Bonnie planned on blowing this town after graduation anyway, but how could she when Esther was plotting to take them all out?
"You're willing to go with me? Even though we've not had a proper date yet?" He searched her face, perplexed.
"I can't lose you, it'll hurt too much if it's anything like what I dreamed," she explained before she buried her face in his chest. One thing she couldn't take that she declined to mention since Kol was passionately hating Klaus was that she didn't want to be at the mercy of Klaus Mikaelson if Kol perished. She understood all too well, Klaus hadn't intended to kill her. It was a test of strength for both her and Kol. If Bonnie hadn't fought Klaus would think her weak and in need of protection; if Kol hadn't let Klaus heal her he would have no doubt daggered him and he'd made it clear he'd take Bonnie as his own once Kol was out of the way.
Why, she couldn't understand, she thought he was smitten with Caroline, although she would not test his advances.
~ The next day at school~
"Perfect, I left my fucking cellphone at home," Or was it Kol's place? Bonnie wondered as she closed her locker and was startled to see Stefan standing behind it.
"You've put me in a hard place, Bonnie," he said, mashing his lips together.
" You put me in a hard place! You're the one who rescued them instead of letting them have what we all know they deserve. Elena would've been fine, her doppelgänger blood is too valuable to waste," she said with a sneer.
Stefan gently took her elbow and led her to an empty classroom, before he closed the door. "I didn't rescue anyone, Lexi and I were trying to figure out what the hell happened. And I get the whole Damon thing, trust me, I do. We try to kill each other periodically, it's our thing. And Jeremy, even when I was with Elena, I swear I would've killed him if I had known for sure, Bonnie,"
Bonnie looked down at her feet.
"But Elena? Bonnie, she's been your best friend your whole life. Are you really gonna shun her forever?"
Bonnie scoffed. "What do you want us to be like you and Damon? Stab each other in the back, make it hurt just enough so that we don't ever forget, then somehow, because we're 'sisters' we just forgive each other? That's you all, Stefan. Not me."
"That's kinda what vampires do, when they're bound to cross paths again. It's the same with the Originals… honestly, tell me I'm wrong. Klaus daggers each of them until he's ready to make amends and they're forced to forgive or at least play nice so they stay out of the coffins."
Stefan likely had a point. Kol now claimed to absolutely hate Klaus but he'd told her of things Klaus had done in the past that had incited his loathing. And any time Kol would retaliate, he would be daggered, further inspiring Kol's disdain for his brother. The irony is that they had been on the brink of mending their sibling quarrels at the time of the ball, when Kol was days out of his latest slumber in his coffin. Then he met Bonnie.
"You know what, you vampires are all sooo… detached. From your humanity. That's what's wrong with you. Caroline's not, and neither am I. So, I can't relate. If I'm done with someone, that's because that chapter of my life is over. I won't go back and forth. I don't know what's gotten into you, but didn't Elena just break your heart a few weeks ago? I don't have time for this,"
Stefan leaned in closer. "Except for the Mikaelson's apparently, people do change. And they should. In five hundred years, I'm gonna ask you how you feel, about this moment. If it's the same, then you'll have spent way too much time with the Originals and you'll probably have killed most of your enemies. That's not you, Bonnie and you know it."
His eyes washed over her as he stepped around her. Bonnie blew her bangs up with an upwards gust of her breath. When her hair settled it tickled her eye and she wiped it, forgetting she'd put on light eye makeup that day. She groaned as she made her way to the girl's room.
Once she fixed her makeup, she washed her hands, alone until a presence appeared behind her.
Bonnie turned around to look at the very face she was positively over, the likes of which pouted and crooned.
"Oh Bonnie B, won't you come kiss and make up with me? I'll just die if I'm not the center of everyone's world, it's not enough having Stefan and Damon wrapped around my slutty, indecisive fingers," she pressed her hands against her chest dramatically, before she asked, "Speaking of which, guess who's tongue I just had down my throat?"
"What do you want Katherine?" Bonnie folded her arms across her chest. "I'm going to be late for class,"
"I thought we could start over, shoot the shit. Be friends, " she emphasized with a sneer. "Now that you're free of your doppelgänger problem," Katherine said, circling her. She was smoothing her hair, which had been flat ironed pin straight to imitate Elena. She was dressed the same as Elena, which was where the similarities ended. Katherine had a cocky sneer, whereas Elena donned a perpetual look of awe and confusion.
"Apparently not if you're in my face,"
"There's no need to be nasty, it's just us girls here. I heard you were quite the defender of well- yourself. You held your own against half of Klaus's hybrids. I can admire that survival spirit. But I have a message for you."
Katherine stopped directly in front of her. "Your mother is to stop trying to use black magic against Esther, it's interfering with her plans to destroy her wicked, irredeemable children."
"I'll make sure she gets the message. Bye now," Bonnie said with a jeering wave.
The doppelgänger just stood there with a cheeky smile.
"What?!" Bonnie demanded after a moment.
"Oh, nothing. Just that she's going to kill Ric Saltzman if the magic attacks don't stop. Today. Right now, in fact," Katherine looked at the watch on her wrist. "Ooh, you're definitely gonna be late. So is Ric to his next birthday," Katherine began to laugh.
Bonnie gasped and attempted to flash out of the restroom, only Katherine grabbed her from behind. Bonnie bent down and flipped her over, throwing Katherine to the floor. In an instant, she was on her feet and Bonnie braced herself for a fight.
She beckoned with her fingers for Katherine to come at her, but the doppelgänger pulled a silver star out of her breast pocket and flung it at her chest with her superior vampire speed.
The pain shocked Bonnie, who collapsed on her knees. "Little girl, I'm five centuries older than you. You're wasting your time, thinking you'd get the drop on me. I was only supposed to distract you, but I have a better idea,"
Katherine strode over and knelt down to cradle Bonnie in her arms and stood up. "Have a nice flight," the doppelbitch said before she threw her out of the bathroom window, which was conveniently wide and delicate enough for a whole teenager to go crashing through. Bonnie landed with a loud thud on the floor outside, looking up at Katherine, who waggled her fingers before she flashed away.
She groaned as she rolled and got to her knees. As she pulled herself up, she saw Stefan standing before her.
"Do I even wanna know what happened?"
"Katherine," Bonnie gestured with her hand towards the window she'd come tumbling out of. "They're gonna kill Ric!"
Stefan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Katherine is back?"
"Stefan, Ric! Now!" Together they sped back into the building.
~ The Mikaelson mansion ~
"What's wrong with your house?" Kol muttered as Abby tailed him out of the back sliding door of the mansion.
"Oh, I don't live there and I don't think Bonnie's father would appreciate your little visits. Plus, I like it here."
"You enjoy Elijah's company I'm sure,"
"Mind your business, Kol,"
Abby unrolled a map of Mystic Falls across a table put in the garden. "Now, yesterday after I kicked your oversteppin' ass out, my spell worked. I tested it with Bonnie's blood first, and then yours but I found out where Esther is hiding out. The problem is she keeps moving around, jumping between three different hideouts every other day," she pointed to spots she'd marked on the map. "These locations all culminate in all three points of the expression triangle. An expression triangle requires three equilaterally spaced out landmarks of great sacrifice, most notably violent bloodshed. The hybrid massacre Bon was in is one point of the expression triangle. Please tell me that your millennium aged ass knows what that means,"
"It means a hunter will soon be in town," Kol said with deep insufflation. It was just lovely, besides his treacherous mother and eldest brother, now there would be a vampire hunter to further complicate things. He didn't want Bonnie or himself suffering the hunter's curse, yet he had the mind to manipulate Nik into triggering it, he deserved to suffer for what he'd done to Bonnie.
"Bingo! You know the legend of Silas? According to my dreams and research, the mastermind behind creating this triangle is Esther. She wants the cure. But if we get to it first-"
"We need to kill the hunters, and any potentials," Kol said quickly and decisively.
"No, we need to stalk a hunter for the map to the cure! Sacrifices are going to have to be made, Kol! We need to get that cure," Abby insisted. She looked determined, yet she wouldn't say why. There was no need to say why; she clearly wanted the cure for Bonnie.
There was no way in hell Kol was going to let this cure come between him and Bonnie. And then there was the legend of Silas. An unfaithful lover doomed to live out his eternity as an immortal without his illegitimate love, buried alive with the cure chained to him. Unearthing the cure would mean waking Silas and all the legends predicted that waking Silas would bring about the end of times. Being immortal himself, the end of times didn't sound like the ideal way to spend his summer and he surely wouldn't be able to spend eternity with Bonnie if the world came to an abrupt end.
He had a quick moment to weigh his options. Kill the hunters or kill anyone who tries to find the cure. Abby was the only one who knew of the cure, although his siblings would know the hunt for the cure was active again once there was a hunter in town. Killing Abby and making it appear like an accident was not a viable option because again, once the vampire hunters emerge, the hunt for the cure would be common knowledge among Mystic Falls supernatural community. Of course, Bonnie would be cross with him as well, if he got the drop on dear old Mumsie.
Suddenly, another idea came over Kol.
"Why don't we start with my mother," he suggested. "Eliminate her, then we'll have ample time to figure the rest out. There are only three locations, four Originals. You and I can go to one of her hideouts, Nik and Elijah can try the others. Rebekah in between, one of us is bound to come across her."
"Ok. And then we'll worry about the cure," Abby agreed.
"We go at nightfall. My mother will use the daylight as an advantage over us,"
"Right. Ok, why don't I go call Elijah, if I can link you all, it'll serve as a protective measure."
Kol frowned. "The last time we were linked, it was so that if one of us was harmed, the injury would befall us all,"
"I've tweaked the spell as a protector, this time. Consider it like a shield if Esther tries to harm any of you, it'll backfire but since you'll all be linked, that'll make the shield stronger. If you wanna take out your mother, this is probably the only way, Kol,"
"Very well, summon Elijah and the rest of them," Kol said with a wave of his hand. The quicker Abby gave him an invincibility shield, the quicker he could get to the plan he just came up with, and nothing would stop him.
Whatever was brewing between Abby and Elijah was none of his business although Kol meant to encourage it as long as it kept them largely out of his own business with Bonnie.
After Abby linked all of them, Kol decided to test the shield on Nik, by ripping his heart out. Klaus was instantly healed, with a smirk. "Have you worked out all your rage yet?" The Original Hybrid asked.
"Not by far," Kol replied. "But I've got a witch to see, I'll come back and try again later," Kol said as he zipped away.
~ History class ~
Bonnie and Stefan rushed into Alaric's history class, which was empty, apparently he had dismissed his session. He was sitting at his desk, facing the window.
"Alaric," Bonnie called out. The fact that he didn't turn around produced a heavy feeling of dread. She looked at Stefan who motioned for her to remain quiet.
Stefan then turned the chair around. Ric was dead, eyes closed and there was a gash across his neck.
"Oh my God," Bonnie put a hand over her mouth as Stefan pulled her to his chest, shielding her eyes.
"Katherine did this?" He asked.
"She said Esther was going to kill him if my mom didn't stop trying to use magic against her," Bonnie sobbed. "I guess she was planning on doing it anyway. But why? She's supposed to rid the world of the evil she created, not create more evil!"
"I don't know, but there's gotta be a reason,"
A thump was heard in the distance as Stefan turned the chair to face away from Bonnie. "I better call Damon and Elena. I know you don't-"
"I'll let her know,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, you just worry about Damon. He's not gonna like not having a drinking buddy anymore. And I have to see her for my next class anyway," Bonnie assured him with a nod.
Bonnie left the classroom and headed to her next class to wait outside the classroom door. She leaned against the wall, her head was spinning and she was still disheveled from her trip out of the bathroom window. Everything was overwhelming. Ric dead, Katherine doing some shady business with Esther, the blood of Klaus still coursing through her system, giving her strange and possibly prophetic dreams, furthering her relationship with Kol was complicated enough with the sire bond and she'd squandered her chance for a duel. Not to mention the secret life of Jeremy Gilbert was practically public knowledge now and she felt a deep shame.
But Kol promised he'd take her out tonight with zero pressure. Which was a vast ocean more than she could say for Jeremy. The pressure was always on, just being in his presence. She shuddered at the memories.
She couldn't understand why she'd never done anything about Jeremy before but maybe it was the way Elena had reacted. She still wanted to protect her brother, in spite of the monster he was. Maybe that's what she had feared all along. He'd still be glorified and protected and Bonnie would lose her boyfriend and her best friend. Although that is exactly the way things turned out, it was no big loss now, that she saw Elena for who she was. Finding out Ric was dead, undoubtedly due to her doppelgänger status and vampire affiliation, Elena would probably find someone else to blame for it, even though it all centered around her. Bonnie meant to confront her about it. Ric was dead, Jenna was dead, people closest to Elena were being hurt simply because she was involved with vampires and she seemed to think she could go on leading a normal life and as long as she was protected, everyone else would be too.
If only that were the case, Bonnie thought bitterly. Her own death came about for her attempts to protect her best friend. Elena's loved ones were the leverage anyone would use against her and somehow she ended up being the only one safe. Bonnie scoffed.
A hall monitor strolling down the hall noticed Bonnie, with her ripped and bloodied clothes. "What the hell happened to you? And where's your hall pass?"
Bonnie glowered and sucked him into her compulsion. "Keep walking, you didn't see me in the hall,"
The teen boy accepted that and kept walking. A moment later, the bell rang and students began to pile out into the halls.
Elena came walking down the hall, with her long brown hair swinging at her sides. As beautiful as her hair was, it was a shame she never did much with it. The girl honestly had one hairstyle. Down, pin-straight, no volume, no life. Such a damn shame.
Elena kept her eyes forward and only slightly glanced at her as she passed Bonnie. "Elena," Bonnie called. The brunette looked surprised, unsure if Bonnie was actually addressing her.
She slowly walked over. "You wanted to see me?" Then she looked down and her worn and tattered outfit that peers were giving her looks for. "Bonnie, what happened?"
"I just thought you should know, Katherine was here earlier," Bonnie said coolly, as the hope on Elena's face was too strong, she didn't want Elena to think this changed anything between them.
"Katherine? What did she-"
"Elena! Oh my God, Elena!" A fellow senior ironically named Alana, came running up to Elena, hysterical and in tears. "It's Jeremy! You have to come!" She tugged on Elena's arm before she ran off.
Elena's eyes popped in alarm, and she started after Alana with one final glance at Bonnie, her panicked look turning pained when she realized Bonnie wasn't going to follow. She turned and hurried after Alana.
Whatever was going on with Jeremy wasn't important at the moment. Bonnie decided she was done with school for the day and left the building, through the back entrance since whatever was going on with Jeremy had everyone filing out the front door.
Bonnie went to her car and leaned back against her seat. The only thing she could think of to look forward to was that she had an actual date with Kol that night. No pressure, no zombies, no near-death experiences in hybrid battles. Just her and Kol doing something hopefully romantic.
She pulled up to the Mikaelson mansion, right in the parking space before the front doors. As she opened her car door, Kol came out of the double doors. He flashed over to her side.
"What's happened?" He asked, taking her chin between his fingers.
"Any chance we can go on that date now?" Bonnie asked with a small pout as she looked up into his eyes.
"Of course, darling. But first, might I suggest a shopping trip?"
~ Out shopping ~
A shopping trip apparently meant an expensive new wardrobe, a full-on private spa treatment, and trip to the beauty salon for whatever kind of hair she wanted. Bonnie chose to add natural honey highlights and lowlights, which Kol loved, as he said it gave her a more seductive look.
Kol accompanied her to the steam room at the spa resort, they were both wrapped in only towels, and surprisingly, respectfully, Kol relaxed on one end while she rested at the other. It was here where he told tales of his upbringing, and asked her questions about her life. He appeared inquisitive about who Bonnie Bennett was before she was a vampire, before she was a witch. He was interested in getting to know the girl that she was before all of this happened.
"I think I was lonely, a lot of the time. I mean, I spent so much time with my Grams because Abby was gone and my dad works a lot. My friends were all I had. Grams of course, and I love her dearly but she'd be hitting that bottle, going on about demons and whatnot. She had so many superstitions, I didn't get it back then,"
Kol smiled. "Do you have any?"
"Superstitions? I suppose I've always had one. I've never wanted to invite anyone inside my house, I've always just held the door open for them, because Grams always said not to invite evil into your home,"
"That is oddly specific," Kol said with a chuckle.
"Right? She was talking about horror films and certain people I guess but that always stuck with me. I do love cats though, especially black ones. Might be the witch in me. What about you? Any ladders you avoid, or salt you throw over your shoulder?"
"No, no ladders, no salt. Although one irrational fear I've always seemed to harbor, I can't recall when I'd picked it up but the notion that if one sweeps a broom across your toes, somehow it will bring about the reality that you'll never marry."
Curiosity furrowed her brows. "Is that because you want to marry someday?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
Bonnie blushed. "I suppose so,"
"You said you were always lonely. Are you lonely now?"
She avoided his gaze. "It's complicated," she murmured.
Kol checked his watch. "I believe our hour is up," he said as he slowly stood.
The next stop was the salon where Bonnie got her highlights done. Styled in soft waves that tumbled down her back, Kol marveled at the beauty of her altered appearance. In his car, he took her hand and kissed it. "Still so breathtakingly beautiful,"
Bonnie had refused to discuss anything that happened recently, as per the terms of their date that she stipulated. She should've guessed pretending nothing happened would only add to the drama of that day, hell even the week. When they returned to the mansion, to prepare to finally go out, there was a gathering that included Elena, Caroline, and the Salvatore's. Internally, she sighed. Alaric was dead and Elena was no doubt here to blame any of the Mikaelson's, though it was Katherine's doing.
Abby had a somber look on her face as Bonnie walked up to the entourage. Elena in tears as usual, but so was Caroline, she appeared awfully disturbed.
"What are you all doing in my home?" Kol snapped as he tailed Bonnie.
Elijah began. "Kol, Miss Gilbert seems to-"
Elena flew at Kol in a rage, only Damon caught her before she could reach him. "Chill out, Rambo,"
"You killed him, didn't you!"
Bonnie couldn't believe her audacity. She had specifically told her that Katherine was in the building and here Elena was blaming Kol! "Elena, I told you that Katherine was around this morning! She was there to make sure Ric took his own life. Stefan saw her too, didn't you?"
"I already told her that," Stefan said.
Elena glowered at Kol. "You killed my brother,"
Kol returned her glare. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?!"
Elena shook her head. "You did, you did, he's lying, Damon! He's a liar," she collapsed in his arms. "He said he would, he killed him!"
"Jeremy and Ric are dead?" Bonnie asked.
"Apparently so," Rebekah said as Caroline nodded.
Bonnie looked between all the Mikaelson's before she turned on Kol. "You did this?"
"The boy has not suffered enough for me to grant him death," Kol replied.
"Good point, Kol. So the question is who killed Jeremy Gilbert?" Klaus said.
Caroline blinked. "What? Why do you want Jeremy to suffer? What the hell is going on?"
"How do I know it wasn't you?" Kol asked, glaring at Klaus.
"My reason is the same as yours, brother. Of course, it could have been the Bennett witch,"
Teary-eyed Elena looked at Abby.
"Your brother deserved worse," Abby said with cold hard eyes.
Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena gasped. "Abby, you didn't…" Bonnie said, clutching Kol's arm.
AN: You'll never guess who did it lol
I was distraught over the weekend finding out Anne Rice passed away. My emotions are all over the place. And in the next chapter because expression. And then I made a comment on Kat Graham's IG and she liked it and I was all happy the next day but I'm in the middle of reading through Interview with the Vampire for the first time and I'm just like… I honestly still can't believe it.
I had another storyline on queue for the whole Jeremy thing but I changed my mind with the way this weekend went. I decided this fic needs more chaos, starting with his death. Hopefully it'll be as colorful as I intend! If you haven't seen Interview with the Vampire or Queen of the Damned, I highly recommend. RIP to Anne Rice and again RIP to Aaliyah, she made an alluring and powerful Queen Akasha.
If you like True Blood, I'll be posting a TB fic this week. That one will be SUPER colorful as well 😊