TW: Some violence and smut in this chapter. The violence was easier to write than the smut, smh. I pushed out the seven pages leading up to the smut in like a week, then stalled at the first kiss.
MIRIAM
Tension was thick in the air. Elijah had called earlier that afternoon and warned Miriam that Aya and the Strix might come sniffing around Roanoke. That was bad news for multiple reasons, but the main reason was the city was short on protectors. They had one Original, two hybrids, two young vampires, and three witches to protect their peaceful corner of the earth. It was a decent group, but definitely not the A team (though Miriam would never admit that aloud).
Currently she, Jenna, and Greta were walking down a street towards the elementary school to pick up Laura. It was mid-afternoon, and the heat was slowly releasing its hold on the day, though it was still in the 80s.
"I hate waiting for something bad to happen," Jenna muttered as the three women walked from their car to the crowded elementary school. Parents were all crammed in lines in their cars, and many people, including Miriam, would rather park far away and walk onto the school grounds.
"Me too," Miriam said as she checked her phone for the millionth time. No new messages. Elijah and Kol were flying home from New Orleans, and would arrive in a few hours. Klaus was traveling home from Las Vegas, of all the places, and would be back later that night. Miriam and the others would be more vulnerable until they returned.
"No one has spotted anything suspicious," Greta tried to encourage. The last two hybrids, and Janet (the mayor's wife and one of their vampires) were out running patrols. But they were all new to their supernatural status, and it would be relatively easy for more experienced creatures to sneak in over the town border.
"We'll just bunker down in Hearth Hall until the Mikaelsons all return," Miriam said. It was all they could do. They'd gather all the important people and engage all the protective spells.
"How do you do it?" Jenna asked Greta as they came to a stop just outside the school building. Other parents crowded around them, each waiting for their children. From inside the building, a bell rang. "How do you get engaged and plan a wedding during… during a war?"
Greta chuckled. "This isn't a war. But I understand your question. And the answer is that we need to take our happiness when it comes. Tomorrow could bring a fight with the Strix, and I could die. Or I could get into a car accident and die. Either way, I'd rather join my ancestors knowing that I didn't skimp out on the happiness that they gave me. So I'm going to plan this wedding, and I'm going to plan for an entire future of happiness."
Jenna sighed and leaned against Greta affectionately. "I wish I could think like that. But bad possibilities choke me, and make me scared to enjoy the good things in life."
"It's the same with me," Miriam admitted, "though I'm trying to have a more positive outlook on life."
"Miriam!" little Laura ran out of the school, her yellow backpack bouncing as she ran down the steps and into Miriam's arms. "Can we get McDonalds for dinner?"
There was a large supernatural threat hanging over their heads, and the eight-year-old was more concerned with what she was going to eat for dinner. The absurdity of it all made Miriam want to laugh and cry in equal measures.
"I'm afraid not, Laura. We've got jambalaya cooking at home. But-" she added quickly, for the little girl's face had twisted into a pout- "August is making chocolate chip cookies for dessert!"
The child's face instantly brightened. "Okay!"
"And we're going to have a lot of people in the house tonight," Miriam continued. She held out a hand for Laura to take, and began to lead their party back down the street. "The Lamberts are coming over for dinner, as well as the Mayor and her family. And your mom is coming home tonight!"
"Yay!" Laura exclaimed. "But does that mean I have to sleep in my own bed tonight?"
"Maybe," Miriam hedged. "We'll see."
Miriam had been in charge of Pilar's daughter for the last couple of days. Despite Miriam being a relatively new adult in the child's life, there was no safer place for her to stay than Hearth Hall. What a weird thought that was! The Mikaelsons' home had become a safe haven for their community.
They reached Miriam's car and began the drive home. The time in the car passed quickly, especially with Laura chattering about her day at school. People, no matter the age, had drama, and Laura's third-grade class was no exception. She told the three older women about the love triangle between 'the most handsomest' boy in class, and two of Laura's girl friends.
"I just don't get it," Laura groused after she had spewed the entire dramatic saga. "He's handsome, but I could be a better boyfriend than him. He picks his nose! And he doesn't share his crayons!"
"Never settle for a boy who won't share his crayons," Jenna said sagely.
"I don't think I'll date a boy," Laura announced. "They're not nice. Girls are much nicer. Tammy shared her apple slices with me today, and Allie let me color part of her paper. Tanner kicked me. For no reason!"
"Boys suck," Miriam agreed.
Laura frowned. "You have four boyfriends. Which is four too many. You need a girlfriend."
"I totally agree, Laura." Miriam thought back to the fight she had with Klaus the day before. He had raged at her, and hadn't listened to her. He had pushed on her most bruised area: her self-worth. All four of her mates knew that she struggled with feeling worthy, and feeling like she needed to contribute to the family's well-being. But he had pushed and challenged her. She still felt tender when she remembered the fight. She hadn't cried during the fight, but after, in Finn's comforting arms, a few tears had slipped free.
I'm doing my best, she thought fiercely to herself. Would she make mistakes? Yes. Of course she would, she was only human. But those mistakes didn't define her or her worth.
She didn't believe her own words, but she was trying to.
When they arrived back at the Hearth, Miriam could tell that the others had arrived before her group had. The Lamberts' sky blue minivan was parked in the driveway, along with Keelin's car, and the Mayor's car.
The inside of the home smelled strongly of simmering jambalaya. The Lamberts' children were running around, shrieking in delight as Jeremy, Luka, and TJ, the teenaged son of one of the hybrids, chased them. A pile of backpacks occupied the foot of the grand staircase. Suitcases and other small pieces of luggage were stacked in the foyer. The adults milled around, nervous but confident in the security of the Hearth. Finn walked by them, talking on his cell phone. He nodded at Miriam, then continued up the stairs.
Laura joined the children, and Miriam, Jenna, and Greta joined most of the adults in the kitchen.
Wanda, the mayor and one of the two remaining hybrids, was there, as well as her vampire wife Janet, August, Keelin, and Caroline. August was watching over their cooking meal, while Caroline put two large trays of cheddar biscuits into the oven.
"What's the plan for tonight?" Greta asked as she washed her hands and began helping with the meal.
"Eat dinner, then begin to set up defenses," Wanda said.
"Vampires cannot enter the house, and I have warning spells set up if witches get near," August said. "I suggest a tight patrol tonight. We don't want to spread ourselves too thin, especially with Elijah, Kol, Maddox, and Pilar coming back later tonight. We need to be fresh if they need us."
"Sounds like a plan," Miriam said.
Dinner was filled with forced cheer. No one wanted to bring up the potential danger they were in, and no one wanted to make the kids nervous. The teenagers were aware of the situation, but they were trying not to make a fuss. The little kids were blissfully unaware of the events surrounding them, and all the older people were adamant that it would stay that way.
It was still light after their early dinner. The children wanted to play in the backyard, but the adults persuaded them to stay inside with a bubble machine.
"It's weird, knowing the threat and just… waiting," Caroline admitted as she sat down next to Miriam in the veranda that resided just outside the room that Klaus claimed as a second studio. The room looked over the large expanse of land to the right side of the house, and the cabins that were nearly finished.
"Oh?"
"We never really knew who the bad guy was, or what his deal was," Caroline said. She nibbled on a still-warm chocolate chip cookie. "We were so blind."
"You, Elena, and Bonnie are young," Miriam corrected gently. "And you were always up against forces much older and experienced than you. Even Stefan and Damon were outmatched."
"I just… I feel so stupid, and little," Caroline whispered. "Being around the Mikaelsons, and August, and the Martins just reminds me of how much we didn't know. They are all so experienced, and so sure of themselves."
"I understand how you feel. I can't offer any solutions, only my company, and a shoulder to lean on," Miriam curled up to the teenager. "You are not alone. You are worthy. You are loved."
Caroline shuddered and hugged Miriam. "I don't want to feel blind or young."
"You are young- there's nothing you can do about that- but you aren't blind. You didn't stay in that toxic environment, and you're doing your best to learn from everyone around you. You can't expect much more of yourself."
"I-"
"Just try, Care, to let yourself live. You don't have to give away pieces of yourself any longer. You can be a seventeen-year-old girl without fear."
"Okay," Caroline murmured.
The two girls cuddled for a while, and ate the cookies they had brought with them.
When all the sweets were gone, Miriam straightened in her seat and stretched. It was still very sunny out- the sun wouldn't set for another couple of hours. Outside birds chirped. She spotted a squirrel run across the yard. Bees and other insects drifted lazily above the green lawn. And there, skipping into view, was -
"Holy fuck, is that Laura?!" Caroline screeched.
It was. The little girl was hula hooping with a sparkly pink hula hoop on the side lawn. She must have gotten bored of playing with the little kids and escaped into the backyard. Normally, on any other day, it would be fine. Miriam would have scolded the girl and sent her back inside, no harm done.
But today was different, for coming out of the trees was Aya Al-Rashid and two dozen vampires.
"Fuck!" Miriam jumped to her feet. "Go tell the others!"
Caroline nodded and vamped deeper into the house.
Miriam threw open the veranda doors and sprinted across the lawn. "Laura!"
"Hi! I wanted to play outside, but August said I shouldn't, so I just sneaked away," the little girl giggled as she spun her sparkly hula hoop.
"Laura, come here, now!" Miriam shouted.
Finally picking up on Miriam's frantic mood, the little girl looked around. She spotted Aya and screamed. She dropped her hula hoop and ran towards Miriam.
Aya watched everything happen with a lazy smile on her face. She could have taken Laura at any time, or she could have killed Miriam the instant she stepped out of the protection of the Hearth. But she didn't. She just kept advancing with her vampires. Aya was a cat, playing with her food.
Laura slammed into Miriam, nearly knocking them both over.
"Who is she?" Laura whimpered.
"She's someone that shouldn't be here," Miriam said tightly.
Aya stopped, only ten feet away.
"Send the child back to the house, Miss Sanchez," Aya ordered. "You and I are going to talk, and I have no patience with children and their needs."
Miriam chanced a look behind her. August, Caroline, and the two hybrids were standing just inside the doorway of the home, all looking extremely worried.
Miriam didn't bother confirming whether or not Aya was lying about letting Laura return to the house; there was no way she could protect the girl if Aya did mean her harm. Instead, she knelt down to Laura's level and said, "I'm going to stay out here and talk to our guest. You, little miss, are going to go straight to Caroline, and this time you are going to listen when us adults tell you to stay put."
"I-I don't want to leave you," Laura muttered as she glanced at Aya.
"You must, brave girl. Ms. Al-Rashid and I are going to be talking about things that will be boring to you, so it won't be any fun out here. Go inside, where it is safe, and there are cookies waiting for you."
Laura had to be prodded, but soon she ran back across the lawn and straight into Caroline's arms. Caroline picked her up easily, as if she were a toddler and not a tall eight-year-old. She shot a pained look at Miriam, then vamp-sped away with Laura, presumably to the basement, where it was safest.
"Smart move, Miss Sanchez," Aya said with a vulturine smile. "It is nice to see you again, though your wardrobe choices have not improved much. You traded pink cupcake pajamas for… a yellow cartoon bird."
Miriam's cheeks heated at the knowledge that she was facing this dangerous, fashionable, beautiful woman wearing a t-shirt with Tweety Bird on it.
"We can't all have your fashion sense," Miriam smiled blandly.
"Hmm. That is apparent," Aya swept her judgmental eyes up and down Miriam's body. "I don't understand why you continue to dress this way. You have three mates to please. You could be in silks and jewels."
Three mates, not four…
"I do have silk dresses and a lot of jewelry," Miriam said. "My mates are generous in their gifts. However, I decide what I put on my body. As a fellow woman, you should understand the need for bodily autonomy."
Aya inclined her head in agreement. "I do understand. And it is that strength of will that makes you an ideal mate for Elijah."
"And my other mates," Miriam added.
"Yes, your other mates, all of whom are not here at the moment," Aya acknowledged, a needling note in her tone.
"We all know my mates are not here, just as we both know that they are returning as quickly as they can," Miriam stated. "What I do not know is what you gain from approaching me, because my mates will kill you if you hurt me."
"Will they? Can they?" Aya challenged. "Elijah has boasted about being powerful before. He created the Strix, and called us friends and family. He said that we were powerful, and that together we would bring a new wave of intelligence to the supernatural community. But at the first sign of trouble, he abandoned us. Who's to say he won't abandon you?"
"He isn't the same man you once knew," Miriam insisted. "He isn't going through life alone anymore. He is taking advice from those around him. And though he moves with caution, I know he won't hesitate to retaliate if you hurt me."
Aya looked dubious at that.
Miriam tried another angle: "You really believe that Elijah, Klaus, and Kol- who are all working together for the first time in a century- would forgive you for hurting me, or for taking their sister? You are playing with fire, Aya."
"I'm not playing with fire, I am trying to purify Elijah using fire," Aya corrected. "I need to know if Elijah has the gumption to stand up against any and all threats that are coming to his doorstep. Mikael is still out there, and there are other rising threats that would delight in watching the Mikaelson family fall."
"What other threats?"
Aya's face hardened. "That, little human, is a conversation for those that understand politics. You are good at stalling, I give you that, but you pale in comparison to the likes of Elijah or myself."
Well, Miriam couldn't argue with that. She was a child doggy-paddling next to Olympic swimmers.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I am going to take you with me," Aya stated plainly. "If your friends do not want to die, they will stay inside, where it is safe. If they attack, they will die. My forces outnumber them. Any effort to keep me from taking you will be futile."
"You think that little of witches, hybrids, and vampires?"
"You have small numbers of each category," Aya shrugged with the confidence of a person who knew they were going to win. "Your hybrids are young, as are your vampires. Your witches are powerful- I know you have the Martin family working for you, as well as the one they call August- but they are not fast enough to catch me if I pick you up and run."
Aya reached out and placed a manicured fingernail on Miriam's forehead.
"None of your mates can stop me from touching you-"
Glass shattered and suddenly Finn was there.
He snapped Aya's neck and roared at the two dozen vampires she had brought with her. He rushed at them, and the fighting began. Growls and chanting filled the air. A vampire whipped by Miriam and something wet splattered across her body.
A limb was thrown across the yard. A head landed at Miriam's feet. The two hybrids were machines, cutting through the attacking vampires with speed and efficiency. August and Greta were chanting ancient words that snapped necks and tripped up escaping vampires. As impressive as Miriam's friends were, Finn's actions took the cake.
He was wild and fierce, the epitome of an avenging angel. He had Elijah's grace, Kol's feral nature, and Klaus's untamable spirit. He was ranting in Old Norse as he dispatched vampire after vampire: "Ég mun drepa ykkur öll fyrir að snerta hana! Þú munt deyja öskrandi og snúa aftur til guða þinna með vanvirðu! Ég mun vökva jörðina með blóði þínu og fæða konu mína hjörtu þín!"
Miriam didn't understand all of it- the part about the earth and blood didn't make any sense- but she understood the gist of it. He was angry, truly angry, for the first time in her presence.
A vampire, desperate and wild, ran towards Miriam, his hands outstretched. He barely touched her arm before Finn was there. The oldest Original vampire grabbed by the back of his neck with one hand, and held him up in the air. Finn took a savage bite out of his neck, spewing arterial blood all over Miriam. As the vampire screamed and begged for his life, Finn laughed darkly. He grabbed the vampire's jaw with his free hand and ripped his head from his body.
Finn dropped the body carelessly before racing off to join the fray.
It was over in only a couple of minutes.
Decapitated and mutilated bodies were strewn across the lawn. The few that had survived the slaughter lay still, their necks snapped. Every vampire that had walked onto the property had been neutralized. None of Miriam's friends were hurt, though all were panting due to all of the exertion.
"That," August was doubled over, gasping for breath, "was something I don't want to have to do again for a very long time."
"I have blood in my mouth," Miriam whispered, horrified.
Greta grimaced. "You've got it all down your front, as well."
She reached out to Miriam- maybe to point, maybe to brush off some of the gore- but froze when a furious snarl rippled through the air.
Finn was across the lawn, standing over the mutilated bodies of his enemies. His face was all vamped out, the black veins prominent. His arms were coated in blood, as was his mouth and jaw. Blood and gore stained his clothes. He had a heart in each of his hands. He met Greta's eyes, and stared her down as he lifted a heart to his mouth and took a savage bite out of it.
Greta took several large steps back with her hands held up. The others also shifted away from Miriam.
"You're all cowards," Miriam muttered as Finn made his way towards her.
"We have self-preservation," August argued lightly from his spot several yards away.
Finn marched across the lawn. He dropped both hearts before reaching out and cupping Miriam's head in between his large, bloody hands. His dark, wild eyes roamed her body before settling on her face. He searched her eyes, and she wasn't sure what he was looking for. Permission? Forgiveness? To see if she was okay? Miriam nodded regardless.
Finn lowered his head and kissed her. It was a bloody kiss, and almost too harsh. She could taste his desperation and his relief, and tried to convey her own gratification. He deepened the kiss and moved his hands from her face to her hips.
August cleared his throat. "We'll deal with all of this, if you guys need to… clean up."
Finn didn't need any more encouragement. In an instant Miriam found herself in his arms as he vamp-sped into the Hearth. Once he stopped, she realized that he had taken her into his room. At a normal, human pace he closed his bedroom door and walked them into his attached bathroom. It was smaller than Elijah's massive bathroom but it was cozy and welcoming. Finn preferred an aesthetic close to cottage core, which was what Miriam liked. As such, the wooden floors were a warm brown, the wainscotting was painted sage green, and the wallpaper on the upper half of the walls was a calming floral pattern. A large, white, clawfoot tub took up a good portion of the room.
Finn set Miriam down on the vanity. Once he was certain that she wasn't going to move from the spot, he plucked a few bottles off of a shelf and took them to the tub. He took his time, sniffing each of his options before deciding on a scent. Fondness rose up in Miriam as she watched her mate take great care in preparing the bath; to go from violence to caretaker within a couple of minutes was a jarring transition to watch, but both sides of the man in front of her were precious to her.
He turned on the water, and while they waited for the tub to fill up, he grabbed a large plastic bag from under the sink. He stripped off his bloody clothes and put them into the bag. Naked as the day he was born, Finn cautiously approached Miriam.
"May I?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"Yes," she whispered.
He gently tugged her ruined Tweety Bird shirt off, and unhooked her bra. He kissed her shoulder reverently. She wasn't aroused- there was still too much fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins- but the act still felt good. He spent a few moments kissing the skin he had exposed before kneeling in front of her. He tenderly took off her shoes and socks. She had to help him with removing her jean shorts and underwear, and once that task was done all of her clothing went into the plastic bag. Something close to embarrassment tried to rise up in Miriam's chest- this was the first time in years she had seen a naked man and been naked in front of anyone- but then Finn smiled at her. It was a gentle smile. He was confident in his form, and confident in his affection for her. Miriam plucked up her courage, and kept her arms at her sides, instead of covering her chest.
The tub was filled, so Finn picked her up and slowly set her down in the floral-smelling water that foamed with bubbles. The heat seeped into her bones and she let her eyes close and her head roll back until most of her hair was submerged.
She opened her eyes when Finn entered the tub.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
He picked a few bath products from the small shelf next to the tub, obviously using the action to think over her question.
"I was never one for violence," he murmured. "Kol and Niklaus reveled in it. Elijah thought it necessary for survival. Rebekah believed it to be an acceptable alternative to compulsion. Me, though… It was another reason to believe that we were damned. Today, however, it was the first thing that came to my mind when they told me you were outside alone with the Strix. I did not even think about talking to Aya. Does that mean I have become truly damned?"
"Do you believe that you are damned?" she challenged gently. "You were violent, yes, but in protection of your mate and your friends. We are all safe because of your actions."
"Their safety does soothe my soul," he admitted. "However, my actions still unnerve me. I saw her touch you, and I acted without thought."
Miriam moved closer to him and placed her hands on his arms. "Dwelling on your actions doesn't stop the fact that they happened. Please, stay here in the present with me."
Finn still looked pained.
"Finn, they came onto our land, tried to use me to get to Elijah, and they fought back when you arrived. I believe your actions were justified, truly. Your brothers will say the same thing, as will every member of this household. Please, don't slide back into a depression."
"I don't intend to," he murmured.
He reached out and grabbed her, and turned her until her back was to him. Slowly, methodically, he went through her normal hair washing routine with the same products that she used. Her heart swelled at the thought of her sweet mate keeping her hair products stocked in his bathroom, when her bedroom was next door. He had even learned how to wash her hair! When he had finished washing her, she prodded him into letting her wash him.
The act was soothing for the both of them. The constant touching helped lessen Miriam's left-over anxiety. As she washed Finn's hair, she let the knowledge that he was alive and well sink in. The fighting was over, and they were both okay.
Once they were both clean, Finn pulled Miriam onto his lap, her back to his front. He stroked her skin, and she shivered as her anxiety melted into something much more pleasant.
"May I touch you?"
"Yes," she breathed.
Fingers, strong yet nimble, explored her body. They started off slowly, cautiously. He ran his hands up and down her sides before gaining enough confidence to cup her breasts. She pushed up against his touch as he kneaded her breasts and thumbed her nipples. Miriam moaned and let her head fall back onto Finn's shoulder. He kissed her neck softly, then harder and more insistent.
One of his hands made its way down her stomach. Her breath hitched as his fingers explored past the curls that guarded the area and into her folds. Miriam gasped and turned her head to kiss him. As they kissed he slipped a finger inside her.
He felt delicious. His finger was thick, and calloused from the manual labor he had done during his human life. She broke their kiss long enough to plead, "More, Finn." He smiled against her lips and added another finger. He scissored his fingers inside her, and used his thumb to circle her clit. His other hand was still on her breast, pulling and pinching her nipple. In no time at all she was gasping and arching her back, clenching tightly around his fingers.
He removed his fingers after the aftershocks were finished. Miriam gave herself a minute to just slump against him, to catch her breath. Once she felt strong enough, she sat up and turned around, facing him.
"Your turn."
Finn looked unsure, his desire to care for her and his need for pleasure warred with each other. Miriam took the decision out of his hands by wrapping one of her hands around the hard length of him. He groaned and bucked up into her hand.
Miriam grinned. To be able to give him pleasure was a heady feeling, and it gave her confidence (she hadn't given many hand jobs). She worked him slowly, delaying the gratification that he was tumbling towards.
"Please," he groaned.
She smirked. "Maybe if you kiss me, I'll give you what you want."
Finn surged forward, capturing her lips with his. It was a wet, sloppy kiss with too much teeth and a whole lot of desperation. It. Was. Perfect. He was perfect. He wrapped an arm around her and used the other one to control her head. He kissed down her throat, nipping at her skin until he reached her breasts. He slipped a nipple into his mouth and sucked.
"Ohmygod," she moaned as her body warmed up for another orgasm.
He switched to the other nipple briefly as she continued to work him over. Words spilled from his lips as he kissed his way back to her neck. She understood bits and pieces, and that the general gist was: "you are so beautiful, keep doing that, don't stop, please, please, please".
Finn bit down on her neck when he came. He took several large gulps of her blood and slipped two of his fingers back into her. She was already on the edge, so it took very little for her to shriek out her orgasm.
The aftermath was quiet.
Finn healed her bite marks and pulled her into a hug. They stayed like that for a while- just basking in each other's presence- until the water turned tepid. Reluctantly they pulled themselves out of the tub. Miriam finished her hair routine while Finn fetched them some clothes. She soon found herself sitting in his bed, in a pair of her own panties and one of Finn's shirts and her hair wrapped up in a terry cloth towel.
Finn, now dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, grabbed a book from his book case and joined her on the bed.
"Should we be helping the others?" Miriam asked. Guilt ate at her, for while she was having fun with her mate, her friends were dealing with the dead vampires and their new prisoners.
"No. They have it handled. Elijah and Finn would return in an hour or so, and Klaus will return later tonight. All is well," he assured her. He joined her in bed and pulled her close.
Miriam made a conscious decision to relax into him. I'm not responsible for everything, she reminded herself. My friends are capable of holding down the fort for a little bit.
Finn wrapped an arm around her before he opened the book and began to read: "Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place…"
ELIJAH
It was early evening when Elijah stormed out of the car and into the Hearth. Kol, Maddox, and Pilar were at his heels, all anxious to see their loved ones. Once inside, the household greeted them.
"Mama!"
Laura jumped into her mother's arms.
"My baby!" Pilar cuddled her close. "Were you a good girl while I was gone?"
"I'd give her a B plus," Greta said as she pulled Maddox in for a hug. "She was good at getting ready for school and eating all her food, but she went outside when we really needed her to stay inside."
"There was a scary woman outside," Laura loudly whispered.
Pilar blanched.
"No one was hurt, Pilar," Greta reassured the hybrid. "Aya is in the basement, along with four of her followers that weren't taken out by us," Greta looked at the Mikaelsons. "And Miriam and Finn are upstairs, if you want to see them."
"I am going to greet our mate," Kol declared.
Elijah sighed. He wanted to see Miriam as well, but he knew he needed to talk to Aya. "I will be in the basement."
The basement was part dungeon, part wine cellar, part safe room. Each part was heaped with spells and reinforced metal; the safe room was impregnatable, the wine cellar's temperature was always consistent, and the dungeon could keep any manner of supernatural creature. At the moment, Aya and her four remaining vampires occupied two cells.
Elijah bypassed the other vampires and walked straight up to Aya's cell. The woman in question looked remarkably put-together for someone who had been dead not too long ago. She stood tall and straight, with her hands clasped behind her back. Her dark eyes were guarded.
Aya was the one to speak first. "Your mate is lovely."
"She is," Elijah agreed. "Though we both know that mentioning her so soon after you threatened her life will not endear you to me."
Aya inclined her head. "I was not going to hurt her. I just needed to use her to draw you out of hiding."
"There are better ways to contact me."
"But you would not have taken me seriously," Aya noted. "I could come to you with the knowledge that all life on earth will end in the year 2012 and you would ignore me, call me a childish liar and cast me out. This way you will listen."
"And why should I listen to a childish liar?" He challenged her. "You came to my home, threatened the safety of my mate, and now you demand my ear?"
"I demand your ear and your action," Aya said firmly. "You owe me that much."
"I owe you nothing. I pleaded with you to come with me all those centuries ago, but you were the one who stayed with Tristan."
"I stayed with the Strix, with my family! People I had fought for and bled for. People who would give their lives for mine, and vice versa. My brothers and sisters and siblings. I could not leave them for the pale imitation of love that you offered," Aya scoffed. "Your family will always come first. How could I willingly choose to be second in your life?"
Elijah clenched his jaw. He gave a point to Aya, who had successfully talked him into a corner. She was right. His family would have always come before her. Or Klaus would have killed her. Or their enemies would have killed her. Mikaelson lovers did not stay with them long.
"You stayed with Tristan," Elijah reiterated, not wanting to give up the topic just yet. "One who even now works against me. You perverted what I had created with the Strix. You chose this path, not I."
She narrowed her eyes. "Tristan saved us when you wouldn't. He gave us a home and funding. He helped with recruitment and alliances. The Strix is now a multi-chapter organization that has reached every continent. We are a force to be reckoned with, and that success is not because of you."
"So you are content to let that megalomaniac lead you?" Elijah asked sharply.
Surprisingly, Aya smirked at that. "How many denominations of Christianity are there?"
"It depends on how you define the words 'denomination' and Christian'," Elijah rolled with the change of topic, interested to see where she was leading him. "I would wager a few hundred, though Christianity is not a religious practice I have kept tabs on."
"I've seen estimations that range up to 43,000," Aya said. "The number will always be refuted, because religious definitions rarely deal in absolutes. Regardless of the number, there are numerous groups out there that declare themselves as 'Christian'. We can trace all the dividing factions back to the year 1054, when the East-West Schism divided the church into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches."
"Many of the major religions seem to splinter into factions," Elijah noted.
"It is the way of things to break down," Aya said sagely. "Religions, government systems, families… even one of the oldest organizations of vampires in the world."
Shock jolted through Elijah. "Are you saying that the Strix has splintered?"
Aya nodded.
"There are those who still hold loyalty to me?"
She reared back as if struck. "Loyalty to you?" She laughed. It was a harsh, jaded sound. "No one holds any loyalty to you, Elijah Mikaelson. My people are loyal to me and me alone."
"Not to Tristan?" Elijah taunted.
"Tristan holds the minority faction," Aya said, pride tinting her voice. "He doesn't even realize that there are two factions, that is how confident he is of his own allure. He cannot fathom anyone he deems 'lesser' as a challenge. He still believes I look at him with hero worship in my eyes."
"All the vampires that were killed were his, I take it?"
"Yes, all my people survived," she nodded at the other vampires in the opposite cell.
Elijah hummed. His mind whirled as he digested all the information he had learned. "Was it Tristan or you who took Freya?"
"Tristan believes it was his idea," Aya smirked. "My people have control of her coffin."
"Why take her? You had to know that would invoke the wrath of my entire family."
"You and your family are growing very powerful," Aya said. "Tristan and Lucien are beginning to get nervous. Lucien is even experimenting with werewolf venom; he wishes to be stronger than Klaus. Tristan continues to believe he is growing the Strix. Both men are determined to destroy your family. I am not willing to risk the lives of my people for their petty war."
"You would fight with us?"
"No," Aya said, her voice hard. "Not unless you can promise me that I will retain leadership of the Strix."
"So Freya is a political prisoner," Elijah realized.
"Yes. We will iron out our expectations of each other, then I will call my people and have them deliver Freya back to you."
The unsaid lurked in the background: Aya had been planning on using Miriam as leverage against Elijah, but had gotten lucky with Freya. Elijah and Aya both knew that Freya was the better piece of leverage, for if she had taken Miriam, Elijah would have refused to negotiate and would have slaughtered every member of the Strix. Aya wanted the upper hand in the negotiations, and she had achieved that goal by taking Freya. Elijah wanted his sister back, and he also wanted Aya's support. The Strix were formidable, and not an easy enemy to defeat.
"I want Freya returned to me, unmolested. I know you have witches in your employment; they better have not touched Freya's coffin. I want your unwavering support in the eventual war against Tristen de Martel and Lucien Castle. I want you to swear oaths of loyalty to me and to my mate," Elijah laid out his terms.
"I will retain leadership of the Strix, and if and when you defeat Tristan, I will control his faction of the Strix as well. You will stay away from my organization. I don't want your influence tainting my people. I want assurances that you will not send my people out to die as cannon fodder. If I fight, I fight as your equal, not as some lowly soldier. I will agree to your loyalty clause, if you agree to come to the aid of the Strix if we ever need it."
"I will not be at your beck and call. How about a certain number of instances in which I will help? Say maybe five times?"
"No. My people are going to risk their lives to keep your family in power. Agree to become a permanent ally of the Strix."
"Permanent… with the stipulation that if you ever break one of our agreements, the entire deal is void," Elijah haggled.
"Then the same must apply to you," Aya argued. "If you try to vie for power in my organization, or you callously use one of my vampires or witches, I have the right to cease helping you."
"Agreed. Now, there are multiple threats to my family, many of which are with witches. If we are to be allies, then you must agree to lend me the use of your witches to defeat any and all magical problems that my family faces…"
The two of them continued to argue their points for hours. Elijah would never admit it- certainly not to Klaus or to the woman herself- but he enjoyed arguing with Aya. While they haggled back and forth, he was reminded of why he was attracted to Aya in the first place. She was passionate about the people and things she loved. She was fiercely loyal and wickedly intelligent. At one time, he was sure that his heart was formed to love her. But now, watching her dark eyes light up with passion as she defended those she considered hers, he realized that they would never have worked. His family would always come first to him. Aya's duty would always come first to her. They were incompatible.
And so Elijah filled his early evening with points argued and documents signed.
Hours later Elijah found himself sitting on a couch in the living room. He had finally finished his discussion with Aya- who was still firmly locked in a cell- and was now enjoying his time with his mate. She was snuggled between him and Kol as they watched The Wizard of Oz with a couple other people. The kids were running around the house with Keelin and Finn, the teenagers were playing video games in the other room, and the rest of the adults were playing cards. Everything was relatively relaxed for the first time that day.
Of course Niklaus had to arrive just then and shatter any hope for relaxation.
The front door had burst open and slammed against the wall. The hybrid pack all rushed to the foyer, hugging and shouting greetings as they went. Finn rushed by, anger in his eyes. Knowing this was going to go badly, Elijah got up with a weary sigh.
"You absolute fool!" Finn shouted at Klaus in Old Norse. "Do you understand the danger you put our mate in? Do you understand that today could have gone very differently? Aya had Miriam in her grasp, brother!"
Niklaus looked genuinely remorseful for half a second, then his defensive walls went up.
"She is fine," he retorted. "Aya did not hurt her. There is no reason to cry over spilled milk."
"Niklaus, you were reckless," Elijah scolded. "You told no one where you were going; not Finn, who became the only Original left to guard our mate, or me and Kol. You did things as you always do: by your own judgment."
The words hung heavy in the air, but before they could penetrate Klaus's thick skull, Kol zoomed across the room and slammed Klaus into the wall. Paintings rattled, and the plaster cracked.
"I ought to scoop out your eyes so that you never set your gaze on Miriam again," Kol hissed. "You don't even deserve to breathe the same air as her!"
"Hey!"
The four of them turned to look at their adorably furious mate. She wore a teal tank top, pink pajama shorts, and canary yellow socks. Her hair was loose and still drying from her bath. Her hands were on her hips, and she was glaring.
"Not in the house, gentlemen! Take it outside."
"Of course, vorgyðja," Elijah said smoothly. He rushed over to Klaus and Kol and grabbed the back of their necks and practically threw them outside. He and Finn followed them down the steps and onto the gravel.
"See? Even she doesn't want you in the house," Kol sneered.
"Kol," Elijah scolded.
"I did what I thought was best!" Klaus defended.
"For yourself and yourself only," Finn pointed out. "You don't think about us. You only think about yourself."
"This is why I wanted to take Miriam and run," Kol said to Finn. "Nik will only ignore her and treat her like a pet."
Pain flashed across Niklaus's face before he roared and pounced on Kol.
"Children, the both of you," Elijah reprimanded as his two youngest brothers tousled in the gravel.
"Niklaus deserves it," Finn said in a low voice. "I cannot even begin to describe the panic that overcame me when I saw Miriam standing in front of Aya and two dozen vampires. I thought I was going to watch another woman I love die right in front of me."
Elijah's heart clenched painfully at the reminder of Finn's first family… and of his own. Panic tried to take hold of his mind once more, even though he knew that Miriam was safe. He looked back at the house and noted that Miriam, Caroline, and Freya's future wife, Keelin, were sitting on the steps, watching as the brothers fought. Elijah listened in on their conversation, wanting to know if Miriam was shocked about the violence in front of her or not.
"Shouldn't you do something?" Keelin asked nervously as Kol punched Klaus in the face. Klaus retaliated by landing a blow to Elijah's stomach. Kol tried to attack, but Klaus dodged. Elijah wanted to tear his hair out when Finn jumped into the fray. All of his brothers were so violent-prone.
Miriam snorted. "I'm not getting in the middle of that."
"But aren't you their mate?"
"Yes, but I don't have a death wish. They're too focused on each other, and if I run over shouting 'stop, this isn't like you' I'm going to get hurt."
Caroline snickered. "You mean you don't want to live your best Bella Swan life?"
Elijah was facing away from the women, but he knew that Miriam rolled her eyes. "Yeah, no. I'm not throwing myself in between a vampire and werewolf fight."
And it had descended into a full-on fight. Finn and Kol were attempting to vent their frustrations on Klaus, but Klaus was too strong and too fast to be pinned down. Snarls and growls filled the air. Klaus threw Kol into a tree, which crashed to the ground. Klaus charged Finn, so Elijah stepped in to help.
The next five minutes were less elegant than Elijah wanted to remember. By the end of it, his dress shirt was torn and his hair was messed up. None of his brothers looked much better. Each of them were sporting cuts, bruises, and torn clothes. But none of them had been daggered.
A win was a win.
"Talk to us the next time you want to leave our mate," Kol snapped as he dusted himself off and marched towards the house.
"You are not alone anymore," Finn said, gentler than Kol now that he had calmed down. "We are supposed to be a family, brother. You hurt us by pretending otherwise, and your actions almost hurt this family. Try to do better next time."
Finn left then, and followed Kol back into the Hearth.
"Are you going to scold me as well, Elijah?" Niklaus snarked.
"Do I need to, Niklaus?" Elijah asked. "Do I need to scold you on how horrible your idea was? Do I need to lecture you about taking half our current roster of hybrids to go do god-knows-what in Las Vegas?"
Klaus gritted his teeth, but said nothing.
Elijah sighed. "Finn was right. You are not alone anymore. Your actions affect more than just you, now. You can no longer be the sole decision maker. However, it isn't all bad. We will fight your battles with you, brother. Your enemies are our enemies. Your joy is our joy. Please, try not to repeat today."
Klaus looked away, but he hadn't said anything snarky, so Elijah took that as acceptance. The two brothers walked back to the Hearth, where Miriam was waiting. She watched them approach warily, as if she was worried one or both of them was going to do something foolish.
"Did you guys figure your shit out?" she asked cautiously.
"I believe so," Elijah said, and he kissed her cheek.
"I apologize for leaving without telling you," Klaus said, sincerity in his eyes.
Miriam frowned. "Is that the only thing you feel you have to apologize for?"
Klaus looked - briefly- ashamed. "No. But can we talk about this in private?"
The three of them looked into the Hearth, where Caroline and Keelin were not-so-subtly trying to listen in on their conversation. Elijah chuckled at Klaus's look of consternation; his brother was definitely not the type for public declarations of affection.
At Klaus's plea, Miriam's frown flickered into something hopeful. "Yeah, let's go to my room. But clean up first. There is no blood allowed in my bed."
She turned and left.
Confident that everything was going to be smoothed out, Elijah began to follow Miriam. However, before Elijah could enter the house, Klaus caught him by the shoulder.
"Brother, I know you refer to Miriam as your fiancé in public. What do you think about getting her an engagement right?"
There was something in Niklaus's expression that made Elijah instantly suspicious. Klaus was not one for commitment, especially with Miriam. Elijah knew that his brother was scared to let their mate in, and he was afraid that giving in to love would weaken him. A ring signified a willingness to let love- and weakness- into his life. Elijah didn't believe that his brother was ready to fully commit, so the suggestion of the ring was suspicious, to say the least.
But Elijah had to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He grinned at Niklaus and said, "That sounds like a splendid idea. I know a vampire who specializes in custom rings; I will call them later. But first, you need to properly apologize to Miriam."
Niklaus made a face, and Elijah laughed and wished him good luck.
He had a lot of groveling to do.
What did you guys think of Aya, the smut, and Klaus's future intentions?
Finn's battle rant translation (which is in Icelandic): I will kill you all for touching her! You will die screaming and return to your gods with dishonor! I will water the ground with your blood and feed your hearts to my wife!
So remember that chapter where Miriam has her first period in a while and people in the comments were talking about their own issues with PCOS and menstruation? Well, you all got me thinking about my own struggles, so I went to an OBGYN, and I have been diagnosed with PCOS. It's definitely mild, but I'm taking medication and trying to live a healthier lifestyle.