Chapter Nine
They got to the border of the town and Godric looked at Elena. "You tried to leave a few times."
There was something about the way he spoke to her that she felt a chill over her skin. Even though he looked no more than maybe eighteen years old. His face was innocent, but his eyes were something else. She swallowed hard.
"Let's go." He spoke and they all walked over the boundary but Elena. She stood there with worry in her eyes. "We will meet you there. Do not engage with anyone." He looked at Pam and Damon. They left quickly. Their bodies like a blur in the night. "You need not worry, Elena. You can cross now."
"Why did you leave me here with him?" Her voice above a whisper.
"Because you need each other."
"He is going to kill me. One day he will." She stepped over the boundary as she held her breath. No pain coursed through her body. No blood coming from her orifices. She let out a shaky breath.
"Eric is complicated. He always has been, but I assure you that he will not harm you."
"He killed my ancestors. All of them." She couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes.
"And yet when he saw you, he didn't." He walked closer to her. "He could have. There was no one there to stop him but he didn't." He held his hand out to her and she looked at it. She swallowed hard again and then took it. Seconds later it was like she was flying through time. She saw the world around her unraveling. Cities disappearing. Life as she knew it was gone and then it was as if she was watching a movie.
There was the sound of a child's laughter and she realized that she was in a field full of flowers. A small blonde-haired boy ran past her giggling.
"I'm going to get you." The sound of a man's voice came up behind her and the child laughed louder. Elena's eyes got wide when she saw Eric picking up the child and spinning him around. He looked carefree and happy.
"Eric he just ate. You're going to make him sick." A blonde woman walked over. She had a huge pregnant belly. They were all dressed in heavily tattered clothes like something out of an old Viking movie. Her long hair was twisted and braided as was his.
"Are you going to get sick my prince?" Eric continued to swing him around as the child laughed even louder.
"Higher papa. Higher."
Elena's eyes got wide at the realization. Eric had been a husband and a father.
Time wiped in front of her and then she was inside a small hut. It was dark outside. Eric was making love gently to his wife as their son slept across the room.
"I love you, Eric."
"I love you, Elli."
Night fell upon them, and Elena watched as they slept but something sinister crept outside of their hut. She watched as a shadow formed outside of it and she gasped when she watched a huge wolf step inside. It was bigger than anything she had ever seen. Fear raced through her as she watched helplessly. The wolf sauntered over to the small boy sleeping. It first sniffed and then nudged him as the small boy's blue eyes opened in horror. The screams that came next made Elena cry out as she shut her eyes and covered her ears. A gust of wind whirled her in the air as she cried out and then she was falling. There were gunshots in the distance, and she could smell smoke. She saw him on the ground. She gasped at the scene before her. Eric laying there bloodied and defeated. His breaths came in shallow as he began to die and then Godric was there, leaning over him.
"Are you, death?"
"I am."
"You're just a boy."
"I am older than you can imagine."
"Just take me and make it swift. My life is over."
"But it doesn't have to be." Godric brushed a long strand of Eric's hair out of his eyes. "You fought bravely against those beasts."
"My family is dead. I didn't fight hard enough." The pain in his words brought Elena to tears once more.
"Let me take away your suffering. Be with me and together we can be unstoppable."
Elena felt the ground below her swirling again. She was gasping for air. Her feet hit the pavement hard, and she lurched forward as Godric steadied her. She looked up and before she could say anything she lost the contents of her stomach onto the ground.
"Yikes. I forgot how fragile you humans are." Damon walked over to her as Pam rolled her eyes.
"I don't know why we had to bring her along. She is a liability." She huffed with annoyance.
Elena couldn't even muster a comeback as she groaned. Images still passing through her mind.
"We aren't alone. Stay close." Godric went on alert as their fangs all descended.
"I wouldn't try anything stupid old man." Marcel walked out of the shadows but he wasn't alone. He had two witches next to him. One was a very young girl who looked maybe sixteen years old. "Elijah is expecting you."
Godric's fangs receded as did Pam's and Damon's.
"We do not wish to you fight you," Godric spoke calmly.
"Speak for yourself! Where is Eric!" Pam snarled defiantly.
"It would be unwise for you to anger me," Marcel said with a dangerous tone and then Pam was grabbing at her head and screaming as she dropped to her knees. Elena gasped and backed up. "Ah, the human. I've heard about you." Marcel walked closer to her as Pam continued screaming.
"You can stop now. Pam won't do anything." Godric looked between them.
"We don't want trouble, ok." Damon put his hands up and Marcel glanced at the witches. Pam began to gasp as she stayed on her knees. Her screaming stopped but she had blood coming out of her ears and eyes.
"You look so much like her." Marcel got in front of Elena, and she swallowed hard. He reached out and touched a black strand of her hair.
"Please don't hurt me." She pleaded.
"I wouldn't dream of it." He smiled but there was something dark behind it. He looked at them all. "Well, shall we?" He began to walk towards the witches. They followed behind him.
"This seems like a really bad idea," Damon said quietly to Godric.
"They are scared. That is all." Godric seemed unphased as they all began to head to a very large estate.
Eric tried to break the chains, but it was futile. They were just bound too tight.
"It's useless. We're stuck here." Klaus panted heavily. "He is going to kill us."
"No, he's not. We're going to get out of here." Eric groaned deep.
"And then you will kill me."
"You are my son."
"I betrayed you. I deserve to die."
The sound of voices made them both look at the door and then Elijah walked back in, but he wasn't alone. Godric was with him.
"Look who I found wandering around." He shoved Godric forward and Eric growled deep.
"It's ok. He didn't hurt me."
"Spare me the compassionate act Godric. No one is buying it!" Elijah snapped at him.
"Just let them go. Whatever they did, it's not worth this."
"Fuck you!" Elijah shoved him again and this time he fell forward on his knees. Eric hissed as he tried to fight against the chains and his skin sizzled.
"Don't fucking touch him!" Eric seethed.
"It's fine. He is just scared, that's all."
"Shut the fuck up!" Elijah yelled and then he looked at the door. "Bring them in."
Klaus was half out of it from blood loss. He didn't even react as Damon, Pam and Elena walked in. Eric on the other hand growled deep.
"Why did you bring them here!" He yelled as Godric looked up at him.
"I was quite pleased to hear that you all made the trip." Elijah grinned and then he walked over to Elena. "I heard you are causing quite the disturbance." He brushed a piece of her long hair behind her ear, and she shuddered. He had a crazed look in his eye.
"Don't you fucking touch her," Eric warned.
"Why is everyone so goddamn affected by her!" Elijah grabbed her in a surprising move as he roughly tilted her neck. She gasped. His fangs descended. "Chain them up on the wall." He yelled to the men who joined them.
"If you touch a hair on her head." Eric continued.
"You'll what?" He laughed. "You're pathetic. You and your son." He leaned his mouth to her neck.
"Please. Don't" Elena pleaded.
"What do you want, Elijah? Just name your price." Eric gritted his teeth.
"I want to live in peace with my family but we both know that won't happen. Your son made sure of that." Elijah snapped bitterly.
Damon didn't fight as he got chained to the wall and then Pam was next. She was staring at Eric the entire time with fear in her eyes.
"Just kill her and be over with it. I am tired of hearing her name." Hayley walked into the room and rubbed her hugely pregnant belly. Everyone stared at her. Elena couldn't understand why the others had wide curious eyes. They definitely knew something she didn't.
"It doesn't have to be this way." Godric began to stand up, but he was quickly surrounded by Elijah's men.
"But it does. The only way I can leave in peace is if you are all gone. I will not lose my family." Elijah yanked Elena's neck harder, and she cried out.
"Take me instead. Kill me." Eric called out and they all looked at him with surprise, including Elena.
"Sacrificing yourself for a human?" Elijah laughed. "As tempting as that offer is, I think I will just kill you all and be on my way." He opened his mouth wide and bit onto Elena's neck as she screamed in pain.
Seconds later Godric was snapping the necks of both the men and grabbing onto Hayley as she gasped. Elijah pulled his fangs roughly from Elena as blood dripped from his mouth.
"Let her go." Godric warned as he held Hayley in front of him and gripped onto her belly as she winced.
"Just do it. Just kill her!" Eric yelled to him as Elijah dropped a bleeding and gasping Elena onto the ground.
"Don't hurt her, please." Elijah's tone changed and was filled with fear.
"KILL HER!" Eric yelled again.
Godric ignored him as he looked at Elijah. "This child is of wolf and vampire."
"Please. I'm sorry, ok. Please don't hurt them." Elijah begged.
"This world has seen enough bloodshed. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?"
"Yes. We will."
"She is carrying an abomination!" Eric yelled. "Kill her and that demon of a child!"
"ENOUGH!" Godric yelled at Eric. "This world is changing, and it is about time. I have been around for two thousand years and for once I want to see us all live together in harmony." He let go of Hayley and Elijah rushed over to her. He looked her over and then he was lifting her and rushing out of there with vamp speed.
"You let them go?!" Eric shook his head.
"We don't need to fight." Godric moved around the room so fast as all the chains fell to the floor. He looked at Pam and Damon. "Go home." They left without a word as the wind kicked up behind them.
Elena groaned on the groan as Eric rushed over to her. She was losing blood fast. He bit into his wrist and shoved it against her mouth.
"We could have stopped them. Do you know what you did?" Eric looked at Godric who was feeding his blood to Klaus.
"It is done now. We can only move forward." Godric spoke calmly as Klaus drank from him.
"This will start a war," Eric warned.
"Only if you allow it." Godric pulled his arm from Klaus as he began to heal rapidly. "Take her home with you. She needs rest." Godric left in a blur as Eric looked down at Elena. Her neck wound began to heal and then she was passing out. He picked her up and looked at Klaus.
"You tell Stefan that if he comes near her, I will kill him."
Elena felt like she was floating on a cloud. Every nerve ending was on fire but in the most delicious way. The sound of waves crashing made her eyes open and she saw the ocean. The smell of the saltwater filled her nostrils, and goosebumps came over her skin. She turned and saw Eric walking over. He was shirtless and wearing only a pair of jeans. His feet bare.
"Am I dead?"
"No."
"You saved me."
"You're no good to me dead." He looked out to the water.
"You could have let me die, again." She looked out to the waves. "Why are we here?"
"It's your dream."
"You were going to sacrifice yourself for me."
He looked at her and rolled his eyes. "You think too much." He turned from her.
"Are you really here?" She touched his arm lightly.
"This is all in your head. You know that."
"Your blood does this every time."
"What can I say? I am irresistible." He smirked as he tried to walk away but she held onto his arm. He stopped and looked at her once more. She closed in the distance.
"Kiss me." She was breathless as he moved in closer and then a sound filled her head. It was voices, they were loud. Her eyes opened as she gasped. She saw the tv on and she sat up in bed.
"Woah now, relax. You lost a lot of blood." Damon walked over to her bedside, and she blinked in confusion.
"Where am I?" She looked around the room as her eyes tried to adjust. Memories flooded her mind.
"You're back at your place. I've been sitting by making sure you are ok."
"Where's Eric?" She tried to stand, and she nearly fell. She felt high, like the one time she smoked pot in high school with Jeremy.
"Ok, you need to sit before you fall down." Damon held onto her arms to steady her.
"How did I get here?"
"Eric brought you. I guess he isn't such an asshole after all." Damon smirked.
"I need to see him." She tried to walk and nearly fell.
"You're not going anywhere. You need to rest. You have a ton of old Viking blood running through your system. It's a lot for a human."
"He saved me."
"Yeah, I mean who knew he had it in him." Damon ran a hand through his hair. He helped her to sit back down as she took a few deep breaths. "Let me get you some water. Don't move." Damon left the room, and she grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She texted eric.
We need to talk.
Damon came back in the room with a glass in his hand. He handed it to her as she put her phone down.
She took a small sip. "How long have I been out?"
"A few days."
"What? Days?" She gasped in shock.
"Thousand-year-old vamp blood will do that to you." He shrugged. "I bet you are starving."
"I'm not hungry."
"You've been passed out in a slumber for days. You are going to eat whether you like it or not."
"What happened back there? Who was that guy?"
"That was Elijah and trust me it's a long story."
"I only remember bits and pieces."
"It's probably for the best but on another note, my brother is across the country."
"Stefan. Is he still?" Her words trailed.
"A bloodthirsty lunatic, yes but at least he is far enough away at the moment."
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be going after him and saving him from himself?"
"I'm where I need to be. So how about pizza?"
"Is Eric making you stay here and watch me?"
"No one is making me do anything, but I am going to order some pizza."
She sighed heavily. She wanted to see Eric. She wanted to talk to him about what happened. Her mind was so fuzzy, but her thoughts were consumed with him.
"Pepperoni, ok?" Damon snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, that's fine."
Meanwhile, Eric sat in his office. His mind racing. The world was about to be introduced to the first-ever hybrid and he couldn't even comprehend what destruction that would bring. The vampires hadn't even come out of the shadows yet and now they had a bigger problem on their hands. He had alerted the vampire authority of what had transpired, and they were looking into it.
Godric was avoiding him, and he was avoiding Klaus. It was a vicious cycle. He looked at his phone and the text message from Elena. He had felt the second that she woke up. He couldn't see her yet, not with his blood coursing through her veins. He was already having a hell of a time digesting what had happened. The thought of her death had done something to him, and it scared the shit out of him.
A knock on his door made him flip his phone over.
"Come in."
Pam walked in with a smile on her face and two blondes on either side of her. "I brought you dinner and dessert."
"Not now Pam. I'm busy." He looked back at his desk.
"Surely you can find time for Tanya and Tami." She smirked.
He looked up harshly. "I said not now."
"Ok fine. More for me. Come on ladies." She huffed and left the room.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Images of Elena raced through his head. He could feel her pulling at him through her mind. Beckoning him.
"Fuck." He said under his breath and then he flipped on his stereo and blasted music, anything to drown out her thoughts.