AN:Kol recalls his conversation with Professor Shane before he kills a vampire hunter to protect Bonnie from being haunted by the hunter's curse.

Bonnie regretfully seeks help from Klaus

Here we see how the time Bonnie and Kol have spent together has begun to rub off on each of them. She realizes he doesn't instinctively want to cause her any harm. And I just realized Abby is absent this chapter. Lame, I love her banter!

Klaus also tests Bonnie's willingness to do whatever it takes for his brother and his own sick scheme. He's so annoying.

Songs for this chapter

Release Me -by Angelina

We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands- by The Academy Is

Stay tuned for my lengthy thoughts at the end of this chapter, please!

~Professor Shane~

The Bennett's were due to walk through the door any minute now. Professor Shane sent a final message to Hayley, letting her know that their deal was off since she hadn't returned, he would give her no information about her biological parents. He sighed. Abby would likely be easier to manipulate if he positions his stance as help for Bonnie. It helped that Rudy was already on board.

A quick tapping sounded at the door. "Yeah it's open, come on in," he called.

When the door opened he expected to see a teen baby vampire and her mother, not an Original vampire. Holy shit! "You're Kol Mikaelson, a thousand-year-old Original vampire," he said in awe.

Kol smirked. "Were you expecting the Easter Bunny?"

"This is so far out," Professor Shane said as he held his hands up defensively.

Having not threatened him yet, Kol was softly confused. Not that it mattered, he was here on a strict mission, one that would surely help put him in Bonnie's good graces again. No longer would she shun him and deny him her presence or her sweet kisses that he knew drove her mad with desire. More than that, the opportunity to just be near Bonnie and bask in the glory of her and all that she was and who she was becoming.

He found it amazing that she'd gotten her bloodlust in check by feeling out her victim's aura and energy. If she detected malice, the hunt was on and she went for the slaughter. The revelry Kol would ordinarily take in feeding on the innocent now felt all too diminutive, as if he was wasting the experience by spilling Everyman's blood.

Kol attributed this sentiment to two things. The justice he felt when tearing into those unfortunate enough to believe they could wrong him and live to tell the tale. It didn't feel that way when he'd preyed on an unsuspecting individual, that used to just be fun because blood was intoxicating either way. The fact that Bonnie was an innocent girl who only tried her damnedest as the town witch to protect her shit friends and still suffered the abuse and emotional turmoil the Gilbert boy subjected her to, is what now took the joy out of feeding on the innocent and otherwise unsuspecting. The adoration he had for her wouldn't allow him to look upon another vulnerable person without remembering what his baby vamp had been through. The blood of the wicked, however, was delectable.

Bonnie could sense it, though sometimes she used compulsion to ensure what the vibrations revealed. Kol would thank her later for the idea, he thought to himself as he drilled into Professor Shane's eyes, preferring not to waste any time.

"Why are you meeting with the Bennett's? What are you planning with them?"

Professor Shane grinned and shook his head. "I can't be compelled. Little trick I picked up in my travels. I'd be careful if I were you though,"

Kol cocked his head, feigning interest. "And why is that?" So compulsion wouldn't work. That meant Kol got to use his hands, beat him senseless until he gave up the sought-after intel. Fighting was always tension relieving and there was great tension with Bonnie at the moment. Correction, going at it with a punching bag -as was the equivalent to what the professor would momentarily be, since it couldn't be considered a proper fight, being that the instructor was completely helpless against an Original- would be a great way to work out the frustration that being shunned by her brought about.

"You wanna keep your little girlfriend safe, right? Her parents need me to do that,"

"Is it not more accurate that you need her parents to ensure no harm befalls Bonnie?" Kol took slow steps towards one corner of the room.

"I told them what they need to know, just like I'm telling you," He had been planning this for a long time. If the Bennett's think he's there to help Bonnie, in exchange for Abby's assistance, it was likely they wouldn't trust Kol going after him for his own nefarious reasons. The way Professor Shane had put it to the Bennett's, he was her only hope in saving Bonnie from her vampirism. Not that he particularly cared about that cure, he just needed to get to Silas. It was possible that the cure didn't even exist, still, the hunter needed vampires to die to reveal the path to Silas. All this he relayed to Kol, confident that Kol would kill him for the threat to Bonnie, as he predicted to Abby. It was why he thought of a contingency plan.

"The hunter needs vampires to complete his mark. Do you think he's going to spare Bonnie just because we ask? No, no, no. All vampires are fair game to him. In fact, it would work better if he did kill Bonnie because then Abby would have someone to bring back when she raises Silas. Just like I do," the Professor poured himself some black coffee and sipped it slowly. "I had a family, Kol. A wife and child. And Silas is gonna give them back to me,"

"You know the legend of Silas foretells that if he walks again, it will bring about the end of times," Kol was standing near the coat rack with his hands twitching in his pockets, wondering if the Professor knew how very mad he sounded. The answer was likely no.

"I spent the last twelve years without them. I don't care, I want them back," he walked up to Kol with his own hand also in his pocket. "I suggest you-"

In a split second, Kol grabbed and broke the coat rack in two, then drove it through the madman's torso. Blood spilled from his mouth as he collapsed.

"My beloved's parents are of no use to you if you're dead," he remarked as he stepped over the body. He looked down at his coat and was delighted to see that not one drop of blood had stained it.

The kill was unusually thrilling, and Kol suspected it was because the loon had threatened his darling Bennett vampire, who'd done nothing to warrant his callous disregard for her life. His wicked ways made taking him out all the more satisfying. Bonnie was definitely onto something with her only spill the blood of evildoers.

~Rebekah's room four days later~

"I'm back because I couldn't stay away and my dad's driving me crazy with all his vampire hate. I keep having to remind him that hello, I'm a vampire. God, I never thought my parent would hate me so much," Bonnie leaned back on Rebekah's bed against the mountain of pillows. Her bed was the most comfortable bed she'd ever sat on, Bonnie didn't dare lie down lest she'd fall asleep.

She was at the Mikaelson's to hang with Rebekah since the brothers were out. She had hopes that when Kol returned home he would make an effort to speak to her and make peace since she had Abby kick him out of her Gram's house, before she found out about Shane. Bonnie felt him calling for her through the mate bond by the pain in her heart she was feeling, but it was up to Kol to make this right, for setting her up in the first place and acting without informing her.

"I doubt it's something you'll have to get used to. I'm sure he's only looking for a way to save you that doesn't involve killing you, and now that we know Shane can't be trusted, he must be conflicted," Rebekah was filing her nails, taking a far greater interest in the task over affording Bonnie her full attention.

"Ok, what has gotten into you?" Bonnie sat up, peering carefully at Rebekah. "You're barely listening, you even defended Kol and Klaus's stupid ass idea that I spy for them,"

"Untrue. I would never defend their asinine notions to control you," the blonde replied, furrowing her brows. Backing up her brothers over Bonnie didn't sound characteristic of Rebekah, she'd always covered Bonnie's back. Bonnie must be having a rough set of days. "Are you quite stressed, darling?"

"Yes, but that's not the point! You're upset with me aren't you?"

Damn, am I that transparent? Rebekah sighed. "There's no use denying it. Yes Bonnie, I have been cross with you, but me being the good friend and sister in law that I am-"

Bonnie rolled her eyes to high heaven.

"-I don't intend to add to your load of stress, ok?"

"What did I even do?"

Rebekah put her nail file away and looked at Bonnie. "You didn't trust me with your history with the Gilbert boy, and you have at least two other blondes to replace me with. Am I seen as chopped liver? Does no one around here appreciate all that I do?" She threw her hands up in exasperation. Of course Bonnie didn't see it, she had a lot to deal with because of her idiotic brothers and their incessantly squabbling. Still, it pained her to be left behind when all of Rebekah's efforts lied in being a girl's girl for Bonnie. "I've almost taken to the company of Sage and lord knows the bitch and I don't get along,"

"What do you mean two blondes, I only have-" Bonnie wondered aloud but was cut off by Bex.

"Caroline and the tall one with the long pin-straight locks and cheeky smile?"

"Oh, Lexi. First of all, please don't kill her. And second of all, it isn't like that, I'd never replace you. They're just friends, you're more like a big sister who will kick ass for me. You're badass and the realist girl I know, Bex,"

"Then why are you having a girl's day with Caroline?!"

Bonnie felt awful. Rebekah was feeling ignored and spurned. She'd been so wrapped up in her parents, tracking down Ric and Shane, avoiding Kol, she hadn't made much time for Rebekah. Not to mention checking in with Tyler when she could. Rebekah had always been sweet and honest with her, she deserved Bonnie's time as well.

"I'm sorry, we can have a girl's night. Starting now, actually, it's the perfect time," Bonnie suggested. "Also, I didn't tell anyone about Jeremy because hello, trauma,"

Rebekah, compelled to add her dramatic flair, looked positively bored and stood up. "Well, I'd be there for you, probably better company than Kol could be. And I'm sorry, darling, I just remembered I have somewhere to be now. An exclusive, members-only sort of thing," she spritzed a fragrance across her chest and wrists that likely cost more than her parent's mortgage, though the scent was delightfully aromatic.

"Why don't I join you?"

"You wouldn't want to, we're holding your precious doppelgänger, Caroline, and the Salvatore's hostage,"

That sounded like something that Bonnie should be far more concerned about, if it wasn't for the fact that Kol had used the sire bond to command she find peace with whatever fate befell her so-called companions. He had deemed them unworthy friends who deserved to die for letting Jeremy's abuse go unnoticed and unpunished. All she could do was ponder what was going on. "Why is that?"

"They know something, according to Sage. We're going to find out what, after we have a little fun with them," her face softened then. "You're welcome to stay here, while I'm gone. Girl's night tomorrow instead?"

Bonnie nodded assuringly. Maybe she'd have a nap on Rebekah's bed.

"Oh, but I do have one piece of gossip for you, the rumors have been confirmed. Your mum is sleeping with Elijah,"

And on today's episode of things I did not need or want to hear, Bonnie thought as she covered her ears. Acting as if she didn't know what Rebekah had said caused the blonde Original to laugh as she opened the door to her room. Kol was standing on the other side of it.

"I've already told her that," he asserted.

"Yes but that was mere gossip and speculation, I've delivered the facts," Baby sister was sure damn proud of herself.

Kol waved off the sentiment and looked towards his baby vampire. "Bonnie, will you join me?"

"Is that a request or a command?" Rebekah queried, giving a sneer. She had been reminding him all weekend that Finn no longer has to command Sage because their love is real.

"None of your concern is what it is, sister," Kol looked at Bonnie expectantly.

"It's ok, Rebekah," Bonnie said as she grabbed her backpack and headed towards the door. She didn't want them to quarrel, especially over her. Lord knows he and Klaus did enough of that already. She followed Kol out of the room, mourning the word tomorrow at Rebekah.

~Kol's room~

Kol informed Bonnie there was a white oak stake somewhere in town and her wretched and thankless companions were being held until they revealed where. This caused Bonnie to panic and the urge to be released became that much stronger, feeling as though she and Kol could collectively collaborate with Abby to come up with a plan as long as they all trusted each other.

Bonnie's concern over whether or not her parents would be implicated in Alaric's hunt for vampires was something she dared not bring up aloud, on the chance that Kol would command that she not make any moves. If it came down to that, there wasn't anything of their tentative relationship worth redeeming. Esther was likely trying to take Abby out with her, knowing she was about to meet her demise. If Kol could have anticipated Bonnie seeking her retribution, she was sure he would've ensured Bonnie not strike.

A little creativity was required in order to help Kol understand her perspective. As the days went on, their combined desire only grew, the sweet torment having not been acted upon due to a pesky little inhibitor known as the sire bond that was ruining Bonnie's life and their potential to be great. Since it was only getting stronger, she attempted a seductive charm on Kol, figuring she had the right to manipulate situations as much as he did. She kissed him eagerly, as he sat down on his bed, climbing into his lap. "Did you miss me?"

Kol was unusually reluctant to kiss her back. He must've known what she was up to. She kissed him more deeply and he sighed, giving into her allure.

"Bonnie, you know I can't, not yet, darling," he murmured. Her tears began to fall.

"Please just do it," she said through teary eyes as she kissed his throat, running her hand underneath his shirt. "I won't leave, is that what you're afraid of? I'll stay, I just don't want to be your zombie. I want you, Kol. I do!"

At this point she was desperate. Days had passed since finding out about the traitor Shane and Abby's ultimatum to Kol, who wouldn't comply unless Abby told him her plan regarding Bonnie. It was like being in the middle of a stand-off in the old west, and Bonnie didn't know which way to turn, only that she couldn't take much more of being captivated by Kol. Not in this way, it was neither sexy nor romantic, only demanding and overwhelming.

Bonnie slowly unzipped her hoodie, revealing a black bra underneath. "Just say the words, and I'll give you whatever you want," she pressed, softly, leaning into him.

"Not like this," he said, zipping her back up. "Abby won't give me the information I need, I can't do it until I've ensured you'll be safe,"

Safe. More like complacent! For all his impulses, he was exercising extraordinary restraint. Flustered at how her seductive technique seemed to only work on impressionable humans, Bonnie flopped back on the bed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are the fucking wors- Ooh shit!"

In an instant Kol was on her body, hoisting her legs around his waist. "Are you ready?" She shook her head silently. "As I suspected." He smirked. "You must not tempt me with your body, that will only result in a losing battle for us both," Emphasis on losing, Bonnie thought as Kol pulled back from her. She should have known not to test him. "Come, we must feed,"

Kol pushed himself off of his bed and held a hand out for her. She reluctantly took it and got up as well.

"What's wrong with blood bags?" She mumbled, falling into step behind him as he led the way out of his room.

"I want to see how you choose your victims. You still feel their energy, right?"

That gave Bonnie an idea. Her face lit up. "Come with me!" She grabbed his arm and flashed away at top speed.

~At the bar~

"You've been here before?" Kol asked as they walked into the bar.

"Oh yeah, I have a secret life of booze and biker babes no one knows about," Bonnie remarked with a cocky smirk. She walked up to the bouncer and pulled him into her compulsion. "We're twenty one, you don't need to see ID,"

Bonnie could tell Kol loved her taking charge and owning her space. She wished he loved it enough to grant her independence. Her feelings for Kol were beginning to dwindle as she began to sink into the despair that no matter how beautiful he packaged the deal that was him, she would always see it as captivity. There was no rhyme or reason to this, other than Kol had the advantage. He claimed it was for her protection, but from what? There were threats lurking everywhere and Bonnie would need to learn to deal with them on her own. Hanging with Kol was typically draped in good fun until she remembered that fact. She wasn't his companion, more like his forced captive.

She sighed. Desire when it came to Kol was hauntingly confusing. Up close and personal, she wanted nothing more than to get lost in him, almost in spite of anything he did. When he was away, she had more clarity that she should keep him at an arm's distance, and take things slow. The problem was he was always around, her inhibitions taking a swan dive when he came around. It was torment and she found herself beginning to want to get it over with, refusing him, and him refusing her was becoming too great of a burden to bear since creating the mate bond. Their bodies calling and craving for each other only aided in blurring further lines. The only thing taking her mind off of it was blood. Nothing but the blood.

"Well? What are you waiting for darling, select your victim," Kol said as he peered over the counter, searching for the barkeep.

"They'll come to me. As soon as you make yourself scarce," Bonnie issued a face indicating that she was dropping a hint he needed to heed. He frowned, not willing to comply. "Come on, no creep is going to hit on me if they see me here with a guy,"

"I'm not just any guy," he muttered.

"Meet me in the ladies room,"

Sure enough, once Kol disappeared, the daytime bar patrons developed the audacity. A man in a leather jacket, who was fit and wildly handsome though he reeked of whiskey, took a place next to her at the bar, leaning against it. She could sense his dark aura all over him, he likely had murder under his belt, the murder of someone innocent, no less. She didn't even wait for him to say anything, just compelled him to follow her as she led him to the ladies' room.

Once inside the loo, the man shoved Bonnie against the wall, pinning her hands above her head. Bonnie laughed in his face. "Oh, I don't think so,"

"You won't be laughing in a minute little girl," to her horror, the man pulled out a wooden stake.

Kol appeared behind him, squeezing his hand so hard the stake fell out of it. "Unhand the lady," he snarled, baring his fangs.

Kol yanked his other hand off Bonnie and when he had his arms pinned behind his, he instructed Bonnie to dig into his jacket in search of more weapons.

"Actually, I'm a little hungry," Instead, Bonnie dropped her fangs and hissed.

"Bonnie, no! He-"

Before he could finish that sentence, Bonnie used her nails to slash the man's throat. Blood spattered all over Bonnie's face and top. She licked the sanguine refreshment off of her lips and scowled at Kol. "He was going to kill me, Kol!" She yelled as the man choked and sputtered. Kol snapped his neck to send him across the abyss and threw him to the floor.

"He's a hunter, Bonnie! If you would have killed him, you'd be haunted by the hunter's curse," Kol ran his fingers through his hair, he appeared more stressed than Bonnie had ever witnessed. "Bloody hell. You should have obeyed me, now we'll have a fucking disaster on our hands," he paced back and forth. "Do you see now why I command you, love? It was only ever to protect you!" He sighed. "Everything I have done has been to ensure that you are safe,"

The gravity of the situation hit Bonnie at that moment. Suddenly his sanctimonious sermons regarding the sire bond as a means of protection instead of an abuse of power made sense. He toyed with her at times but aside from the mate bond, he'd never actually used the sire bond to command her to do things she considered evil or heinous. He didn't compel her, he didn't issue random commands. The mate bond kept her in close proximity and the sire bond kept her protected from her own impulses- even her own friends- was the message he'd been drilling in her head since day one. It finally made sense now. He'd only forced her hand when Klaus was pulling string. Even in that case, Kol made it so that Bonnie didn't actually have to go that route, as a means to rectify the way they'd forced the task on her. It was why he didn't want her to kill Esther at the moment she did, it's why he tried to stop her now.

She had been well informed of what happens when a vampire kills a vampire hunter. Kol would now be forced to suffer the hunter's curse. Within twelve hours, he'd start losing it, putting everyone around him at risk, especially Bonnie since he felt the strongest for her.

"Kol, I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

Kol grabbed her cheeks and pushed her up against the wall, passionately kissing her until she moaned, nearly succumbing to the urge to melt into him. He pulled away, slowly and regretfully. "You have to go, sweetheart, I won't forgive myself if I were to hurt you," he looked into her eyes, doing that fucking mind thing again. It felt as if a breath she hadn't realized she was holding was being sucked from her, it was oddly satisfying. "Bonnie, if I summon you or command you, don't come, don't do it, love, it's a trap. I won't be safe for you until another hunter is awakened. You no longer have to obey my commands, I'm releasing you. You must go, now,"

Bonnie cradled his head with a look of concern, then snapped his neck before he could say anything else. She then cracked her neck to the side. "Sorry, love. It was necessary,"

Freedom at last! She was free to keep her distance, only she had to get Kol somewhere safe, due to the intrinsic loyalty she had to him, derived of their mate bond. Beyond that she couldn't just leave him out here, he'd tear through the town, and Alaric would find him. This required subtlety and discretion. Not knowing who else to call, who could be discreet about this, she called Klaus.

He arrived immediately, though he insisted he was busy with something rather important. Surveying the scene in front of him, he exhaled a deep sigh. "Pity, you naive little witch. You should have allowed him to release you so you'll have no one to blame but your own impulses. Now he can summon you and kill you in a mad rage as he loses his mind,"

Bonnie didn't trust Klaus for one minute, though she'd hoped that since he carted his family around in coffins, he would at least keep Kol from harm, whether or not that entailed him lying daggered in a coffin for an unspecified amount of time. Her little white lie would be far-reaching, in order to keep Klaus away from her while Kol slumbered.

"Hello, loophole! Besides, what if he didn't kill me and commanded me to do awful things instead? It's called thinking outside the box, how do you not- whatever. Anyway, I don't have to obey any commands as long as this is going on. It could be years before another hunter awakens, right?"

Klaus considered that for a moment then his gaze on her turned dark. "And what are you willing to do for my help?"

Fucking Klaus! Ready to jump on the opportunity that was Bonnie. That was exactly why she didn't tell him she'd been released. The disrespect he had for her mate turned her off to a degree that the possibility of returning from was rendered nil. It didn't matter, Klaus would not touch her without her consent, she knew that much. Something she would never let him have. Finding another hunter couldn't be that hard, a visit to Shane where she'd lie to him as well would point her in the right direction. She couldn't let Kol suffer this curse that was supposed to be hers, the hunter's death was meant to be her kill.

"Oh no," Bonnie shook her head, stepping back. "You're not gonna manipulate me into bed with you,"

Klaus just shrugged. "Quite the predicament you've found yourself in," he shook his head as he turned to leave. "Wonder how you'll find your way out of it,"

"Where the hell are you going? Help me! Help Kol!" He was unbelievable! She shouldn't have to give up her body to get Klaus to help his own brother. Something was seriously wrong with Klaus if thought that was an acceptable barter.

"Help?" He turned back towards her. "And what do I get in return?"

"I am not gonna sleep with you! God, what's wrong with you? Do you hate Kol that much?"

Klaus smirked, just standing there with his hands behind his back. "Humor me, darling. Perhaps a kiss? This, for that? Or would you really prefer to burn to death with the fire of a thousand suns?"

Damn Klaus! She hated him for putting her in this situation. She should've called Abby instead. This was unjust, unacceptable, unforgivable, but it was for Kol. Internally kicking herself for even thinking to call on the hybrid, she took a step closer. "C'mere," she grumbled as she pulled his jacket towards her. "Close your eye and don't fucking look at me,"

Bonnie kept her eyes open and quickly planted a kiss on his lips, so fast she almost didn't feel it. "There," she said. "Now that I feel like a dirty whore, would you please-"

Klaus grabbed her by the back of her neck and her waist and pulled into a firmer, more aggressive kiss, where he attempted to slide his tongue inside her mouth. Bonnie pulled away and slapped him hard across the cheek. "Don't you ever try that again!"

His hybrid face took over, matching Bonnie's vampire glare before it dissipated. "I just had to know," he took a breath. "I was just testing your loyalty love, it won't happen again."

"It better not. And you don't know anything, this never happened,"

"I'll see him home. You should join your companions at the school. It might be your only chance to save one of them," he added a promise to take care of Kol, ensuring he wouldn't let his brother be vulnerable to his enemies.

Bonnie nodded. She flashed out, headed towards Mystic Falls High.

~Mystic Falls High~

"I slept with Damon because I'm in love with him," Bonnie heard Elena saying as she headed towards the library door. That made her blood boil. Having just broken up with Stefan and she was already in love with Damon the night Bonnie was made vampire. She didn't understand how Elena could fall in love with someone else when Stefan was so good to her, aside from his Ripper binge. He'd worked so hard to overcome that, and she promised to never give up on him, at the same time being sucked further into Damon's influence. She was in over her head with him. The sex had to be amazing, to sway her from her values and loyalty like that. It was likely Elena denied her feelings until Stefan broke up with her, then she'd just taken the plunge into Damon without thinking.

Comfort, Bonnie scoffed. That was her excuse to give into her desire for the demon that was Damon and it was a slap in the face to Bonnie and Stefan. Who was Elena Gilbert since Damon had implanted himself into her life? Certainly, not the childhood friend Bonnie grew up with.

"Must be nice, Elena. How does it feel to be in love knowing you're now all alone and your friends have turned their backs on you?" Bonnie asked as she walked into the room. Seated at two round tables were Elena and Stefan at one, Caroline and Rebekah at the other.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Bonnie, what are you doing, you're not a bitch,"

"Shut up and let Elena answer her," Rebekah said.

Elena looked straight at Bonnie. "It's lonely," she admitted. "Are you lonely?"

For the first time since Kol commanded her to be at peace over her friend's fate, Bonnie felt sorry for Elena. But only slightly.

"Of course she's not, she's got me," Rebekah turned to Caroline. "And you, I suppose, though you don't exactly count since you continually tow the line with this sham of a perfect teenaged girl."

"Oh, I'm not towing anything. I'm not even speaking to her,"

Elijah walked in, dragging Damon by the arm with him. "Damon, would you like to tell them, or should I?"

Stefan's eyes widened. "Damon, NO,"

"Wickery Bridge. It's the last white oak in town," he bit out, noticeably full of regret.

Bonnie's heart nearly dropped. Were there more hunters in town? Did they have this information? Would Klaus use it to kill Kol once and for all claim Bonnie for himself? It was a valid question. Before she could ask anyone anything, Rebekah was in Damon's face smirking.

"Thank you, Damon. You know, I personally think you were all descended from my sire line. You're all hopelessly romantic. And stupid as I once was," she turned away with a roll of her eyes. "Elijah? Shall we do the honors?"

"What are you gonna do?" Elena queried.

"I think," Elijah said slowly. "Elena will be our guest until these two reduce the bridge to ash,"

Rebekah and Elijah compelled the Salvatore's to burn down Wickery Bridge and bring the ash to the Original's mansion. Caroline was compelled to kill them if for some reason they found themselves unable to comply. The youngest and oldest Original accompanied them to ensure it all went over smoothly, while Bonnie was entrusted to take Elena back to the mansion.

~Back at the Mikaelson estate~

Bonnie opened the door to Kol's room. "Wait here," she mumbled to Elena before she stepped inside. She walked on over to grab her backpack that was left on his chaise lounge.

"This is Kol's room?" It was a lot more elegant than Elena figured it would be. Then again, she didn't know what to expect. Damon's room was very tidy but simplistic with modern decor. Kol's was more Art Deco in a monochromatic theme from crimson to ruby. There was an incense that was half burned on his dresser, along with a pink crystal with a cord connected to it; Elena guessed it was a salt lamp. Also on the dresser were two polarized pictures, one was a selfie that Kol took with Bonnie in his arms, another one was Bonnie caught off guard. Her hand was blocking most of the view and her face looked annoyed. Elena picked up the photos, thinking back on how it had been a long time since she'd taken any selfies with her bestie.

"Don't touch anything!" Bonnie snatched the photo from her hand and put it away inside the top drawer of Kol's dresser. "I told you to stay outside, this is a no doppelgänger zone," Elena raised a brow. "His words, not mine. Now, move," Bonnie spun Elena around and ushered her out of the door.

She led her to the guest room (Bonnie guessed it was her on in the mansion, it was the one she stayed in when she was incapacitated) and set her books up on the desk. "Sit down and keep quiet," she ordered. Bonnie sat at the desk and opened her books to begin her studies.

Elena sat on a chair in the corner, only she would not keep quiet. "Bonnie, are they all compelling you?" She whispered.

"There's no point in whispering, they can hear you from the road. And no one's home anyway," Bonnie answered without looking up.

"Please, Bonnie. This can't be us. How did we get here?"

"I don't have time for this, Elena,"

"Please just listen. I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry about Damon, I'm sorry that he's an asshole and I'm sorry that Jeremy became this- this monster- this person I didn't even recognize! I should've seen the signs, I should've done something but he didn't deserve to die! Why didn't you just tell me, I could've done something to set him straight! I could've helped!"

Bonnie blew out a breath before she looked into the yammering girl's eyes in compulsion. "And what would you have done?"

Elena blinked. "I don't know. Something!"

Unbelievable! The twit had no thoughts behind her eyes. Twit, Bonnie figured she'd been hanging around Kol too much; she was adopting his mindset and disdain for Elena. Just like him, her patience was thinning quickly and she'd heard enough of this half-ass attempt at mending what was broken between them. Bonnie did something she never thought she'd do, considering how manipulative her relationships have been. She looked into Elena's eyes and compelled her to forget the extent of their friendship. "Elena," she said softly. "Calm down. Don't make a big deal out of it. Clearly, you need to mourn your brother. But you don't need to mourn me. Let me go. I'm just an afterthought to you, a face of the past. Make peace with that. Now sit there and shut up!"

Elena nodded and sat back, now looking bored as hell. Was that mind rape? Bonnie wondered to herself. She decided if it was, it was no more than sitting there listening to Elena's sob story that she didn't believe for one second. It was mind rape to fool someone into believing you cared for them. She would have no more of it with Elena, Jeremy was done for. And she was now free from Kol.

As free as liberation could grant a mate bond, that is. She was still tethered to him, yet she didn't have to be commanded by him and it was a beautiful thing. Now she would be free to discern whether all his sweet nothings were just impassioned verbal lust or if he genuinely was enamored of her.

After an hour of studying, Bonnie realized Kol hadn't woken up from her neck snapping earlier. "Stay here," she commanded Elena.

She zipped down to the basement and found there was no Kol to be seen, only the four coffins the Originals had slumbered in for their individual societal reprieves. "Kol?" She called, thinking he should be up by now. They needed to speak before he started losing it. She looked at all the coffins and decided to open the one she knew was Kol's for clues. She didn't expect to find Kol actually in there with a fucking dagger in his chest! That wasn't the deal with Klaus! She should've known he would pull some bullshit like this.

She pulled the dagger out and slapped at his cheeks. "Kol, wake the fuck up! Come on," she flashed to the basement mini fridge and grabbed a blood bag. When she was back, she poured it in his mouth. His eyes opened and he sat up. He eyed her warily.

"What year is it?"

"It's 2010 still, it's only been a couple of hours since you've been daggered," his face fell at that and Bonnie cupped his cheeks with her hands. "What's wrong?"

"Has a new hunter been awakened?"

"I don't know where to find a new hunter," she shook her head sadly.

Kol gasped. "Professor Shane! Go now, Bonnie!"

"Kol, we need to talk! You released me. And I couldn't stand you before but I still am going to do everything in my power to lift this curse,"

Kol pulled away from her hold and climbed out of the coffin. "Stop it," he said as he started to pace.

"Stop what? I'm just trying to-"

He covered his hands over his ears. "Shut up! You were a beast! I'm nothing like you!"

A pang of panic in her chest told her that for whatever reason, the curse had already been activated. It hasn't even been twelve hours! "Kol, calm down, it's me,"

Kol finally stopped pacing and looked at her. "Bonnie?" It was rare to see him appear so frightened as he was looking into Bonnie's eyes at that moment.

"It's alright. It's me," Bonnie said. She walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around her waist.

He squeezed her in his arms. "I'm flattered you refuse to go after I've released you, but that was for a reason, darling. I don't want to hurt you. You shouldn't be here," he whispered.

"I'm here to help. In any way I can. I'm so sorry this happened to you, Kol,"

"This is your fault!" Kol hissed sharply.

Bonnie looked up and saw his veins writhing. What the fuck!

AN: Ok, we need to talk, I made this chapter shorter because I wanted to share a little background on my thought process.

I have two other stories where Bonnie and Kol are the main pair, one is where he's super sweet to her and one is where he's absolutely horrible to her no matter how good he tries to be. I originally meant for this one to be a sweeter relationship as well, sort of the balance in between those two Kol's, but the first part I came up with is a preview of Bonnie and Kai in the prison world that I have teased on my tumblr (das me — triplelmonamour ) and the road to getting there has been coming out pretty toxic not gonna lie, it just flowed that way (hence how I came up with the title and that's what I have planned for either of the three main Bonnie ships, notice I said main lol and it's where they are both toxic to each other) but upon doing some bts consulting over where the next few chapters are going and the reaction I got, it seemed like too much drama and I was like maybe I should chill.

So far I've only got a cliffhanger ending planned, that's as far as I've gotten. (Before I say this I want to issue that in no way do I condone toxic relationships or mean to glorify them, what I'm trying to convey is the dilemma of working through it despite what situations you find yourself in with your significant other, or deciding to be done with it once and for all. The age-old question of how much is too much and is it really worth it? Any further questions regarding this particular subject, please come back to this comment as I only want to address this once)

With that said! I DO want to know what you think from a reader's and writer's perspective, this is one where I am taking feedback and doing my best to listen to you and what you'd like to see from this. It's just what I have planned may not be what's expected. It has occurred to me that the expectations were Kol and Bonnie would have a much more desirably romantic relationship from the start, and so far it's not really giving sweet and romantic as much as it appeared it would. I did not mean for that to be misleading, Also please keep in mind I am renew to writing because it's been years for me, I'm feeling a lot of this out still. You can always not read it all, I'll be ok and if not I promise I'll recover

Should I dial it down a couple of notches on el toxico factor? I definitely can but that wouldn't be the story of Savage Heart. (It was almost Savage Love because of my bae Jason Derulo, that whole song is the premise and again not because toxicity should be glorified, but because of what I previously said) If so, I can rework everything after the first two chapters because I personally loved that and I'd have to update the name to whatever a much softer version of how that would feel. That'll take me some time but I'll do it because I really love how they met in this one and either way I want it to go somewhere. It can definitely go that way. I just need to think of it first maybe something along the lines of 'I got you, moonlight. You're my starlight,' or that could be it's own story and this one can still be great lol

Or should I just tell it as I have planned? No feedback means the true story of Savage Heart will see the light of day anyway. Thank you for reading this long-ass message if you did :)