Chapter 20: Words left out in the cold

Three weeks ago
Faro, Portugal

As the three friends stepped off the small airplane, they were immediately met with the humid Mediterranean air. Hinting the faint smells of salty waters and tropical landscapes. Despite their year-long travels, Bonnie still hadn't made it to the beach once since leaving the States. The thought hit her hard as she looked over at some of the airport employees in shorts and thin shirts, their skin darkened, and their hair lightened by the sun.

The sad lump in her gut followed her even as they got into their car, arrived at their rented apartment and began to unpack. Only interrupted when a voice spoke up just as she stored her suitcase away and waited for Enzo as he went to get them a rental car. "Something on your mind there, Bon?"

She glanced over at Damon with a pout. "Honestly? I'm trying to figure out what it will take to convince you boys to go see the ocean."

"As much as I would absolutely adore seeing Enzo drool all over the sight of you in a two-piece... I think I'd prefer to go looking for a Caetano witch instead." he teased, making her roll her eyes and throw a nearby pillow in his direction. "Hey! Be nice or I won't let you ride shotgun for the rest of the trip!"

"Don't act like having Enzo in control of the music and GPS wouldn't be more of a nightmare for you than me." she scoffed, making him grin at her for a long moment. "So... No, to the beach then?"

He chuckled as he met her pleading pout with the shake of his head. "Maybe later." he winked over at her as she turned to the sofa in the corner and slumped down with a sigh.

"Fine." she whined before tucking her legs under her and resting back against the comfortable velvet cushions. The door opened a moment later as Enzo stepped into the apartment with a pair of keys in his hand.

"Alright, you both better be prepared to worship me at my feet, for I have managed to snag the last convertible in all of Faro." he boasted, a wide smile on his face as he wrapped an arm around Bonnie's shoulders and kissed her temple softly.

"Hope you packed a swimsuit, darling. I even found some information on the nearest beaches; I'm thinking Lagos and then we follow the Amalfi coastline until we either reach the sunset or get bored with gorgeous cave-covered beaches..."

Bonnie couldn't keep the little giggle down as she watched his animated eyes while he spoke. The smile on his face bringing a flutter to her stomach as she took him in for a moment. Then she glanced back at Damon and turned a determined expression to Enzo. "Maybe tomorrow."

He groaned lowly, clearly displeased with the answer. "Very well. Tomorrow it is." he muttered in disappointment before focusing on the other vampire. "Has your friend called yet?"

"Not yet, but she will. So, you know, keep your knickers on." Damon snickered back with a smirk.

Enzo grimaced slightly before taking a seat beside the witch, his hand resting over her knee softly. Drawing a smile from her lips as she glanced back at him with warmth in her eyes. "I could try those spells Kasia showed me to get the ball rolling." she suggested then, turning to Damon with a shrug. "I don't know if they will lead anywhere, but at least it gives us something to show your friend."

"We just landed, sweetheart." Enzo sighed deeply in reply. "Surely, you can take as little as a five minute-break before diving into work?"

"I'll rest when we convince the Ortiga Coven to break the wardings for us." she quipped as she resisted the urge to lean back into his opened chest and take his advice. "You could get me some ingredients though?"

He grinned at her with a nod. "Text me the list and I'll get you whatever you need."

"Stake me now." Damon groaned to himself, letting out a hissing 'ouch' as Enzo responded with throwing a pen his way and piercing his arm.

"What, mate? Was that not to your satisfaction?" the accented vampire teased cheekily, earning a scowl from the Salvatore in return.

Before the scene between the men escalated, a ringing sound cut through the tension and made Damon hurry to answer it. "How's my favorite witch in the entire world?" he chimed with a wide grin, catching Bonnie's scoff and eyeroll with a smirk before continuing. "Ready to meet up?"


Present day
New Orleans, Louisiana

Caroline awoke in the morning with that stupid smile from last night still stuck to her face. She had washed her make up off and discarded her heels halfway into the room, but hadn't bothered to change into something different to sleep in. Which caused her sheets to linger with the scent of Klaus and made it extremely hard to leave her bed. Even her dreams had been infected with him, his smile and his eyes and those stupid dimples and that smooth voice and–

Before her mind wandered further, she chose to finally get up and start the day. Pushing the blanket away and taking her dress off before heading to the shower. The warm water was welcomed against her skin as she closed her eyes and relaxed her body, not realizing until now how much she'd needed to. She hadn't really slept during the night for more than a few hours, but she didn't feel tired. Something else was stirring inside of her and momentarily she wondered if it was some lingering effect of Klaus' blood. She hadn't fed on him quite so much before. Perhaps it was still lingering strongly within her system?

She finished testing the acoustics in the bathroom, singing some song that had gotten stuck on her mind before turning the faucet off. Her gleeful reflection made her shy away from the mirror as she wrapped herself in a tower and blow-dried her hair. Gosh... What was it with that thousand-year-old hybrid that made her feel like she was a kid all over again?

The thought both scared and intrigued her, because it had been a long time since she'd felt something like this for any man. And it was terrifying to think that the man in question was-

"Klaus!" she yelped high as she saw him sitting on her bed suddenly. As if having been summoned by her thoughts or maybe the blood was causing her to hallucinate or… "Did you break in or something?" she said under her breath as she tugged the towel tighter around her body then.

"Nonsense, love. The balcony doors were open." he shrugged, a beautiful smile on his face matching the entertained tone of his voice. But it was the darkness in his eyes that made her lose her nerve and gulp hard. His gaze traveled over her from head to toe, so slowly and warmly that it felt like a caress against her skin.

Right. Naked. Shower. Clothes... The words jumped around in her head incoherently as she tried not to stare at his own figure. He wore dark jeans and a grey Henley shirt, unbuttoned at the collar and just begging to be ripped open all the way. The little curl of his hair – a new detail about him that Caroline was quickly coming to like, a lot – hung by one of his eyebrows and called for her hands to run through his scalp...

Meeting his eyes again, she realized he had noticed her lingering stare. A smug smirk formed on his lips, framed by dimples and twinkling eyes. She groaned inwardly, cursing herself and quickly turning away to rush back into the bathroom again. Hitting the door a little too hard behind her as she hurried to get dressed.

"Was that your singing I heard earlier?" his voice rang through the room, making her blush violently as she reached for her chosen outfit with unsteady hands.

"What? No! I... How long have you been sitting here!?" she stumbled slightly and stubbed her toe against the bathroom counter, hissing deeply at the pain. It didn't linger for long, but the noise of a strangled chuckle from the other side of the door made her groan loudly. "Shut up!" she grunted then. Not at all enjoying how rattled she felt about finding him in her room all of a sudden. Seriously, when did he get here!?

She put on a green satin skirt that flowed down to just below her knees, along with a white blouse in thin chiffon. Tying the bow low beneath the v-cut and pulling at the bottom to make it puff out above the skirt slightly. She took one last look in the mirror and ran her hands through her hair before she walked out of the bathroom again.

Klaus' eyes burned at her, making her all too aware of him as she brushed past him and reached for a pair of strappy sandal heels. She sat down and crossed her legs, circling the thin white straps over her ankles and smiling to herself as she felt him continue to watch her in silence. "Are you going to tell me why you decided to invite yourself in and embarrass me like this or are you too busy gawking?" she asked smugly before hopping up on her feet again and walked through the room with long strides.

"Well, I do admit I may be somewhat partial to the gawking..." he teased back, making her narrow her eyes at him over her shoulder before reaching for her makeup and taking residence in front of the wall-mounted mirror then. "I actually came to invite you and your friend to search Lucien's penthouse together."

She locked eyes with him through her mirror, caught in the motion of applying mascara to her lashes with her lips parted. "Wait, really?" she asked, turning around and watching him then with a tilted head.

He chuckled at that, a bright smile on his face as he stood up from the bed and walked over to her. His hands clasped behind his back in his signature move as he spoke up again. "I did promise to help, did I not?" he chimed. "Or was last night perhaps nothing more than a very vivid dream?"

Rolling her eyes at his comment, she turned again and finished her light make up. Adding some eyeliner and a little highlighter with an easy hand. "I half-expected you to tell me that you had already killed Lucien, found the candle, saved Bonnie and taken Julian out all on your own before you even got here." she mused as she put on some nude lipstick.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you then." he mocked smirkingly as she studied his face in the mirror. "However, I did research the current whereabouts of Lucien, ensuring me that it would be safe to bring you with me."

She quirked an eyebrow at that, wondering shortly why and how he had come across such information. But her focus was quickly switched to a different part of his sentence. "And if you hadn't considered it 'safe'? Would you still have told me about it?" she quipped, earning a knowing grin from the hybrid then.

It made her roll her eyes as she packed the make-up away. She could practically hear his reply based on his face alone, the words ringing in her head; Of course not, Caroline. That would be far too dangerous for a baby vampire such as yourself!

"How are you feeling today, love?" he asked her, the sincere tone throwing her off slightly. She looked up again to see him catching some of her hair between his fingers. Tugging lightly at the wavy lock and studying it as if it was the most fascinating thing he had seen in all of his life.

For a moment, she didn't dare turn away. Wanting to prolong the easy feeling that had swept around them just a little further... She nearly forgot that he had actually asked her a question and was expecting a reply. "Good." she finally quipped, spinning around and giving him a soft smile before moving away and creating some space between them.

"No sudden cravings?" he pressed on, his lips forming a playful smile but his eyes viewing hints of genuine concern. "No flashes of anger? Overwhelming urges to rip out the throats of random tourists on the street?"

The words caused her to freeze up slightly, turning to him with observing eyes as she tilted her head to the side. "Why? Is that some side-effect of your blood or something?"

He walked over to her with his hands behind his back. "Not necessarily, no."

She studied him closely as he stopped just a short step before her, he seemed to be working really hard at hiding something in his tone and on his face. "You do realize I've had your blood before, right? This isn't exactly new to me." she pointed out, turning his lips in a smirk as he gazed over her darkly.

"Yes, I suppose that is true."

There was still something running around in his head, she could see it in the slight fading of his eyes as he tried to keep up a confident façade. What wasn't he saying? "Are you okay?" she asked, earning a surprised chuckle from the hybrid then.

"Are you worried about me dropping dead on the street of delayed blood loss, love?" he teased, making her want to slap his smug smile of his face. But she was just not buying whatever he was trying to convince her.

"Then, what's with the brooding?"

"Brooding?" he echoed amusedly.

"Yes, brooding. Are you upset with me or something? Do you not want me to go search Lucien's apartment with you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart. Really." he crooned then, taking another step closer to her with a kind of daring look in his eye. "What reason would I have to be upset?"

She nodded slowly at that, accepting his answer for now and choosing to return to the previous subject instead. "Enzo and I could come with you later in the afternoon. I kind of have a lead to go chase for now."

"A lead?" he echoed curiously.

"Yeah, apparently the same shop that I got the necklace for Hannah-May has something that could help us out."

"And what's that?"

"Some kind of crystal. It's supposed to open up your mind or something and make it easier for magic to reach you." she explained with a shrug as she gathered her purse and continued getting ready. "Basically, if Bonnie is trying to contact us telepathically, it will help get the message through."

"And where did you learn about this crystal?" he pressed on, making her look up at him with a guilty grimace. His face fell as he realized the answer then. Marcel.

"I was supposed to check it out yesterday but I… got distracted with other things." she explained and shied away from his scrutinizing eyes. "Anyway, I thought I would swing by and get some lunch with Enzo afterwards."

"I hope you find what you are looking for then." he said softly, a tiny smile on his lips as she subconsciously caught hers between her teeth.

She had to resist a sudden urge to ask him to go with her, knowing she should probably put some distance between them for a little while. At least until the tension from last night had cooled down and she could think clearly within his proximity again. But there was a beautiful little twinkle in his green eyes and a brilliant smile slowly spreading across his face and before she knew what she was doing–

"You know what?" she said, chuckling nervously and shaking her head in disbelief at the words that were about to come out of her mouth. "I could probably do that later. We should go see the apartment now. If you're free, I mean?

He rewarded her with a wide grin then as he nodded. "I was hoping you would say that." he admitted, causing butterflies to swirl around her stomach suddenly.

In an effort to refocus again and escape the magnetic look he directed at her, she cleared her throat and got her phone out of her purse. "I'll call Enzo and tell him to meet us at Lucien's, what's the address?" she asked, hurrying to busy herself with something – anything – and shake off the ridiculous joy she felt about her plans for the day. She was happy about making progress on the Bonnie-search. That's all.

At least that's what she told herself as they left together then.


Three weeks ago
Faro, Portugal

Damon's contact turned out to be a young woman with ocean blue eyes and caramel colored hair. Her skin was sunkissed, matching the glowing smile on her face as she saw the dark-haired pair walk up to her bench. Bonnie hadn't been surprised when the witch insisted on meeting them in public, however, the location was stunned her with awe. It was an incredible park with water fountains and food trucks spread around the square in the center. Families sat on picnic blankets under the shade of the trees and children danced around the interactive fountain sprinklers in colorful bathing suits.

The scene was so wholesome, sweet, serene… It made Bonnie's heart break a little in her chest as she wished she could be one of those relaxed and happy people, just enjoying life and the wonderful weather with wide content smiles on their tanned faces.

"Bonnie, meet Clara Duarte." Damon's voice interrupted her daydreaming as he made their introductions. "Clara, this is Bonnie Bennett."

"Pleasure to meet you." the Portuguese witch grinned, reaching her hand out to her with friendly eyes. "I've heard so much of the Bennett coven. You are quite the legacy, dear."

Feeling her cheeks flush slightly, Bonnie smiled back at her and shook her hand. "I appreciate that. I hope it means you'll feel inclined to help us, even if it is this idiot who's asking you to."

Damon rolled his eyes at her mocking tone as Clara chuckled in response. "Ah, idiota is a very appropriate name for him indeed." she chimed then, grinning over at the vampire warmly. "But he is as harmless as they come. At least as long as you are on his good graces, that is."

"Yeah, yeah…" he groaned as he glanced between the women. "We done insulting me yet?"

"You can take it." Bonnie teased, nudging his side with her arm and earning a smile from him in return before she took a seat next to Clara then. "We're so thankful that you were willing to meet with us at such short notice." she said to the fellow witch softly.

"It is no trouble." Clara assured them, patting her hand softly. "I felt responsible to help when Damon told me what you are looking for. My coven and I have somewhat of a special relationship with the Caetano's."

"So, what can you tell us?" the vampire pressed on. Standing wide-legged and arms crossed in front of them, all businesslike and serious and not at all fitting the happy image around them.

"The Ortiga Coven is very… elusive, I believe is the word." the witch explained. "There has long been rumors of their witches moving west and some even ending up here in Portugal as well as France and Spain after-" she turned silent suddenly, a darkness passing over her eyes. "After what happened. After a vela."

"We've done research on the legend, but some details were hard to translate…" Bonnie explained as she dug into her purse and pulled out her notes. "I understand the Candle of Hades was forged and cursed by the Myslikova Coven at some time in the 1500s."

"Yes." Clara nodded as she confirmed it. Then the Duarte witch straightened up in her seat, glancing around as if worried about someone overhearing their conversation. "What exactly have you managed to decipher about the legend?"

"Well…" Bonnie began as she skimmed through some papers and notepads before finding the page she was looking for. "We know Alzbeta Marousek created it to pierce through cloaking spells. Apparently, she used it together with her sister, Lana."

A nod from the blue-eyed witch urged Bonnie to continue. Clearing her throat shortly before going through the rest of her rushed scribbles. "Then something happened to Lana and Alzbeta cursed the candle to kill her coven. The amount of magic she gained from the massacre made her unstable and mad with power. So, a Caetano witch from the Ortiga Coven was forced to use it to stop her from killing anyone else. Which was when the Caetano witch infused the candle with blood-spelled wardings, making sure it couldn't be used by anyone but their own descendants again."

There were hints of amusement in Clara's eyes as Bonnie finished retelling her what they had found out over their months of searching for the candle. "Some of that is correct." she mused, earning a furrowed frown from the Bennett witch then. "However, the candle didn't always bear the same name as it does now. It was only named the Candle of Hades because of what it could do after it was cursed. But before that, it was called a Vela para a Percepção. The Candle of Perception."

"Perception?" Damon echoed, studying Bonnie with a panicked frown. "Wait, you mean like seeing things? So, it can't be used to break through spells after all?"

"It can." she confirmed. "When the candle is lit, the smoke is empowered to pierce through any veils of magic. Which is why Alzbeta Marousek used it to contact her sister."

"Why?" Bonnie pressed then. "Was she cloaked from the coven?"

"Yes." Clara said before continuing with a grim look on her face. "The legend have different stories on why, but apparently she was being kept and cloaked by enemies of the coven. Which is why they created the candle, to communicate with her despite this. But when Alzbeta used the candle for the first time, it drained her of her magic. And since Lana was on the receiving end of the spell – she absorbed her sister's powers."

"So, whoever uses the candle loses their magic?" the question left the Bennett witch's lips in a whispered breath, the thought pressing at her chest in fear of what that meant.

"Not necessarily." the other witch countered then. "It wasn't the candle that drained Alzbeta's magic, it was the spell she used on it. But in theory, you could still break any cloaking spell with the help of the candle. It is however pertinent that you find a Marousek witch to give you a proper spell which won't do the same to you."

Bonnie nodded slowly, digging through her papers then and bringing out a note from Kasia. "That, we have. However, the candle…"

"You couldn't find it?" Clara asked in confusion. "I don't understand… If you do not have the candle with you, how do you expect to find this man you are looking for?"

Damon grimaced then, smiling over at the witches with a stiff jaw. "Well…" he drawled with a sigh, scratching at the back of his neck nervously before speaking again. "We have some parts of a plan for that."


Present day
New Orleans, Louisiana

Klaus opened the wide double doors to the penthouse apartment, took a step to the side and gestured for Caroline to enter. "Go ahead, love." he chimed, the twinkle in his eyes causing the young vampire to roll hers.

She glanced over at Enzo shortly before stepping into Lucien's foyer with the hybrid close by. His gaze glued on her face as she took in the environments. It was a huge open space with large windows and an amazing view of skyscrapers as well as smaller and older houses within the Quarter. The apartment was in a dark color scheme in contrast to the bright overhead lighting in each area of the open floor plan.

First, she stepped into the living area in the center, seeing a dining area to the left along with a kitchen further away. Another living area appeared to the right of her as well as a corridor that seemed to lead to the bedrooms.

"Um… I believe we have a problem, gorgeous." Enzo muttered behind her, stopping her in her steps. With furrowed brows, she turned to observe her friend as he stood frozen on the other side of the threshold. He held his hands up and touched an invisible wall in front of him, keeping him from walking past the door. But she hadn't needed an invitation to go inside the apartment so then neither should he, right?

"Klaus, what's going on?" she said slowly as she turned to his now smirking face.

He shrugged and pouted a little, the entertainment still clear in his eyes. "It seems as though Enzo isn't part of my bloodline, love. Unfortunately for him, that means he cannot enter this flat." he explained casually, sounding very pleased with himself.

"Seriously?" she groaned at that. "Then invite him in or something!"

"What makes you think I possess the power to do that?" Klaus countered with a wide smile.

"Did you know about this?" she threw back at him accusatorily, facing him with her hands on her hips and an irritated expression on her face.

"How was I to know the lad belongs to a different line? I hardly know anything about him, let alone who his sire is." he scoffed.

"Well he is still right here." Enzo sighed behind them then. "Come on, Caroline, let's go."

Caroline jerked her head back to him at that. "What are you talking about?"

"We're leaving. Let's go call in Damon, he can be here in a few hours to assist you in the search instead." he added and turned to leave, as if that was the end of the conversation.

"I'm not going anywhere." she scoffed in disbelief as she shot him a pointed look.

Enzo turned a glare right back at her then. "I'm not leaving you trapped in an apartment with him. It isn't safe." he gritted out and gestured his hand towards Klaus. "So, let's go already. I'm not going to tell you again."

In a flash, Klaus stood before Enzo with stiff shoulders and clenched hands, blocking him from Caroline's view. "Are you certain you want to use that tone, mate?" he asked with a low voice that made the hair on her arms stand up. Picturing to herself his eyes as he spoke, certain that they were a glowing amber.

"Klaus, come on. Just invite him in. Let's get this over with." she whined, growing tired of the start of the men's pissing contest already.

"No." the response was short and clipped before Klaus turned away and walked further into the apartment.

She stared at him, gaping at his retreating form as he disappeared down the corridor. "No? What do you mean no?" she demanded, leaving Enzo with a raised palm that told him that she would handle it, before hurrying after him. "No, you can't invite him in? No, you don't want to? Klaus, you've gotta give me more than "no"!"

The hybrid spun around and stood right before her in a second, narrowed gaze and his lips pressed into a thin line as he met her eyes. "'No', as in; no, I don't trust him."

"What do you mean!? Enzo's my friend and he's here for the exact same reason that I am."

"So he would have you believe." he muttered, causing her to raise her eyebrows in a pointed glare. He met her eyes with a sigh, retreating from his testosterone-loaded stance then. "Caroline, he isn't part of my blood-line." She only nodded at him, her eyes wider and her arms crossed over her chest. Urging him to explain it further and gaining another sigh from him as he spoke up again.

"Lucien didn't spell this apartment for kicks, love. He came here with serious warnings of wars ensuing between the sire-lines. Now, I may disagree with many of his actions, but one thing that my prodigy and I both see eye-to-eye on is the fact that; the only people you can trust, are the ones who cannot afford to let you die."

She blinked slowly and studied him for a moment as the words sunk in. "Wait, what aren't you telling me, Klaus?" she asked carefully, noting the very real hints of fear in his eyes. "The only thing that can kill you is a white oak stake. And those aren't exactly easy to come by nowadays. Which makes you unkillable." she pointed out.

His eyes strayed from hers then and seemed to suddenly focus on some spot in the floorboards. "Unless there's something I'm missing here." she drawled in question. "But seeing as my life is quite literally tied to yours, I would imagine that you'd divulge such information with me. Right?"

"Right." he echoed, nodding for a moment before continuing down the hall again.

Flashing before him in a hurry, she stared him down with a serious face. "Klaus?"

He let out a long breath before directing a smile at her then. "You're right. There is no other weapon on this earth that can kill me." he assured her, but she didn't fully buy it.

"So, then invite Enzo in." she challenged, stepping closer to him in order to better read his eyes as he watched her intently. "You can't be killed. Meaning you don't have to worry about people trying to hurt you. Meaning that Enzo belonging to a different line doesn't matter to you. Right?"

A slow smile spread over his lips then, a gleam in his eyes that looked like pride as he nodded again to her. "Right." he repeated. "Come on in, Mr. St. John." he called out then in a volume that even human hearing would be able to catch.

Yet, no one appeared. Human or vampire or otherwise.

"Enzo!" Caroline called at him then, glancing over at Klaus as he kept grinning down at her just a few inches away from her face. It was all starting to unnerve her.

She paced down the hall and turned to glare at the vampire outside the door. "Are you coming or not?" she asked, looking him over to try and see what was wrong with him.

"I would if I could." he shrugged, touching the invisible barrier between them again. Pushing with his hand in an effort to break through and failing. "It appears your friend's invitation isn't enough for me to enter this home."

She blinked in surprise, glancing over at Klaus shortly before sighing in defeat. "Oh."

Before either of the men could chime in, Enzo's phone rang and was quickly brought up to his ear. "Your timing is impeccable, mate." he crooned. "We've hit a bit of a snag."

"What kind of snag?" Damon's voice rang through, making the female vampire cross her arms over her chest and lean against a wall with an exasperated sigh.

"Lucien's home appears to be somewhat more exclusive than we first thought."

"What are you talking about? I thought you would be in Baton Rouge by now?"

Enzo glanced over at Caroline with a pointed pout. "Someone had other plans." he quipped, drawing out an eyeroll from the blonde.

"I don't even know why I'm surprised." the other line said in an equally amused tone then. "Don't tell me, Care-Bear somehow found an airtight excuse to spend more time with her boyfriend."

She was quick to rip the phone from Enzo's hand then, fighting back a growl from low within her throat as she replied to the man's accusation. "I was under the impression that you wanted Klaus involved, Damon." she pointed out, turning away to try and get some privacy – despite knowing that it was impossible with two vampires in her proximity. "In fact, I remember you harassing me nearly daily to try and force me to contact the Mikaelson's… And now you have complaints?"

"Could you maybe stop trying to screw him all over town and instead actually look for a way to find Bonnie!?" Damon's hard words shocked her but enraged her even more.

"Okay, if you don't stop getting on my nerves then I will have to cash in my return ticket to Chicago a few days early." she threatened then with a hiss.

"You wouldn't do that."

"Watch me!" she growled and immediately hung up the phone, closing her eyes for a moment as she relished in the new-found silence. She had the urge to call Damon back just so she could hang up on him all over again, because damn had it been satisfying…

As she let out a long sigh and turned over to the men again, she was met with mixed facial reactions. Klaus was eyeing the floor with an amused smirk playing on his lips while Enzo glared at her with the shake of his head. "I'll go." the latter suddenly said, earning a furrowed frown from the blonde before he continued with a shrug. "It appears I cannot be of use here anyhow. I could go to Baton Rouge myself and see if the lead takes me anywhere."

"I'm not letting you go off on your own without back-up." Caroline protested.

"Don't take this the wrong way, darling." he chuckled then. "But I do actually have a better chance of staying out of trouble on my own, than I do with you accompanying me."

That turned her face sour as she closed her eyes in a sigh. She didn't like the idea of splitting up, at all. And she really didn't enjoy the thought of being left alone in New Orleans, knowing it would only prompt Klaus to become glued to her side in an attempt to keep her safe.

She turned to the hybrid in question then, realizing he had been uncharacteristically quiet for a very long time. He looked up and met her studying eyes, a playful flash passing over his face as she studied him. "I'll come with you." she said begrudgingly before tearing her eyes away from the Original.

"You should stay, gorgeous." Enzo sighed out, seeming unhappy with the decision despite it being his own. "Perhaps you will make more progress here in the meanwhile."

She walked over to him slowly with her arms crossed over her chest. "Are you sure?" she asked, her eyes drilling into his to try and read his mind.

He only nodded to her, glancing over at Klaus shortly before meeting her again. "I'll go pack and get going right away. When I arrive, I will call and let you know."

"Okay." she breathed out then.

"Caroline…" he pleaded, looking over at her alarmingly. "Just… Be careful, sweetheart."

She smiled shortly at him before squeezing his shoulder. "I'll talk to you soon." she assured him as he nodded again, seemingly convincing himself that he was doing the right thing. Then he walked over to the elevator and left with a last, long glance before disappearing out of sight.

As the elevator doors closed behind him, she turned around and met the expectant smile of the original hybrid with a determined look on her face. "Alright, let's go find that candle!"


Three weeks ago
Faro, Portugal

Clara Duarte was gaping at the vampire as he explained his plan to her, eyes wide as saucers and her jaw aiming for the floor. She had quickly rushed the friends away from the public park and showed them to her home. An apartment in the heart of the city, at the top of a three-story building from sometime in the 19th century.

She quickly closed the door behind them as they took their seats on a couch. Wearing a serious frown on her face, in contrast to the warm and relaxed one she had worn when Bonnie and Damon first met up with her. "This is far too dangerous!" Clara hissed out as she sat down in a chaise opposite them.

They both squirmed a little in their seats while Bonnie took in the bright and large home. The sun covered the wooden floors and white walls and filled the entire space with warmth and light. "We know there are some risks-" Damon began beside her but was interrupted by a disbelieving scoff.

"Risks!?" Clara echoed and shook her head. "I believe the more proper description would be 'possibly catastrophic consequences'."

"It doesn't have to be, not with your help." Damon insisted, a soft and pleading look on his face as he leaned forward and studied her close. "Clara, this is our only way of finding Julian and getting the candle back."

"You have no idea what you're getting yourselves into." she chuckled coldly, completely without humor. "Not only is your plan dangerous, but what happens if you were to actually succeed? Blood magic is nothing to take lightly, and something as old as the Candle of Hades…"

"Then help us." Bonnie urged her, turning sad eyes over at the other witch and reaching for her hands. Holding them in hers and squeezing them reassuringly. "Tell us more about the legend. Help us understand the candle better and the magic connected with these covens. Help us succeed."

Clara's pained expression passed between the witch and the vampire for a silent moment before she closed her eyes in a long sigh. "Very well. If you insist on going through with this plan, you should at least be as prepared as possible."

Bonnie leaned back then, smiling softly and nodding her head to encourage Clara to go on. She gave the Bennett witch another pained grimace before she spoke again. "After Lana absorbed her sister's magic, the coven blamed her. They thought she had done it on purpose and worried she would become too powerful in result. Which is why they chose to strip her of her magic, a punishment as well as a failsafe. To ensure that she couldn't use her extended powers against them." she explained, standing up and reaching for a book from the windowsill near her before holding it out to the other witch.

"I read up on it a little more after Damon contacted me. The legend always portrayed Alzbeta as the one who cursed the candle – but it was actually Lana herself." she continued then as Bonnie opened the journal and flipped through it carefully. Looking up at Clara as she spoke again. "She stole the candle and spelled it before she was stripped of her powers. Lana melted the candle and dipped a special blade into it, turning it into a weapon with the powers of two Myslikova witches. Sealing it with blood magic so that it could only be wielded by the Marousek's."

"She was going to use it on the coven." Bonnie chimed in as she found the passage in the journal then, reading aloud the sentence that had caught her eye. "And as the Marousek blood cursed the candle; a new weapon was forged. One that could absorb all magic in its path and turn the wielding witch more powerful than any coven or being in the entire world."

Clara smiled a little with pride as she nodded at her then. "Yes, it was supposed to bring her justice for her unfair sentencing. They wanted to rid her of her magic because she had accidentally absorbed too much of it… And so, the candle became a weapon which stole the powers of the victims fallen by her hand." she explained before continuing. "But the coven killed Lana before she could go through with it, afraid that she had become too big of a threat to them and witches everywhere else. What they didn't know then was that Lana had trusted her sister with the weapon. And when she died, Alzbeta became so consumed by grief and anger that she used the weapon to slaughter the entire coven."

Damon nodded by Bonnie's side as they reached the part of the legend that they had already familiarized themselves with by now. "And when she did, she absorbed the magic of her coven and became so powerful that she had to be stopped. Which was when the Caetano witch killed her and sealed the candle with her blood." he added.

"Yes, but did you learn how she was stopped?" Clara countered, earning furrowed looks from the two before she filled them in. "Her name was Palmira Caetano, she was the leader of the Roman Ortiga coven. They had a complicated history with the Myslikova witches, as many others had back then. The spells they used frightened those outside of the Myslikova, and the Ortiga was just one of the many covens who worried about the unpredictable and dangerous magic they practiced."

"Blood magic." Bonnie chimed in, earning a nod from her. "But I read that the Myslikova Coven was made up of witches from many different countries, they weren't all related to each other. So, how could they practice magic bound by blood?"

"Blood magic can be useful for binding certain spells and potions to a specific lineage. However, it doesn't always require for the practitioners to be family and it can be used in many different ways. It was dangerous but also very powerful, something that interested witches who sought to grow their magic. To do things they could never do within the limitations of the natural practice."

"How is this different from Expression?"

Clara frowned at Bonnie's question, seemingly disappointed and sad that she knew what it was. "They are very similar. Expression uses ritualistic sacrifice as fuel for its spells. Blood magic, however, taps into a witch's soul. The more you use it, the more it corrupts you – and the more you let it, the more powerful your magic becomes. A paradox that could tempt far more than frighten a witch desperate enough…"

She reached for the book from Bonnie then, taking it and turning the pages absentmindedly as she spoke again. "The Myslikova was actually a combination of five different covens, the name came from the ancestors who first taught them the magic. Apparently, they had been part of a very exclusive kind of wiccan sisterhood which used all sorts of different dark magic and left it in order to start their own practice. Some of the witches were Albanian, German and even Turkish, despite it being located in the present Czech Republic. I heard once that only those who had endured a deep loss could practice blood magic, and perhaps that was how they drew others into the coven. By feeding off their vulnerable spirits, using their grief against them as a way of connecting the members to each other."

"Convincing them that they could turn their pain into magic." Bonnie concluded, receiving a sad smile from Clara in confirmation.

"Since this kind of practice was one with great risks, Palmira and her coven came to an agreement together. They wanted to eradicate the community of blood magic, and considered this to be their best chance. But in order to take Alzbeta down, they had to use the very same means as her." the Duarte witch continued then. "Palmira had to corrupt her soul to gain the power she needed. And since the Ortiga had never practiced blood magic before themselves, they needed a Myslikova witch to show them."

"But weren't they all killed by Alzbeta?" Damon chimed in with confusion then.

"The practicing witches, yes. But there were others within their lineages. Elders who no longer trusted themselves to use the magic anymore, and children who hadn't yet begun to." she clarified to him. "Palmira managed to convince one of the elders to help her stop Alzbeta. Since she had now gained the power of a whole coven for herself, the only way for Alzbeta to be stopped was for Palmira to sacrifice her own coven. Using the same weapon that had been used on the Myslikovas."

That surprised Bonnie, not having read anything like it in her research. "She used the weapon too?" she echoed with the shake of a head. "Did it corrupt her like it did Alzbeta?"

"Yes." Clara confirmed grimly. "Which was why she asked the Myslikova elders, one of Alzbeta's lineage, to help break down the weapon and remake the candle into its previous form. They then sealed it with blood magic, convinced that no coven could be trusted with sole access to the candle ever again."

"Wait, they warded the candle together?" Bonnie asked then, looking over at Damon with a horrified face. "That means Kasia's spell won't be enough to activate it. The wardings can only be broken by descendants of both a Marousek and an Ortiga witch."


Present day
New Orleans, Louisiana

As they continued their search through Lucien's home, Klaus and Caroline entered a large bedroom with heavy curtains keeping all light away from the modern interior. She headed towards the windows and drew the smooth textile away and was blinded for a short second. When she turned around, she found Klaus studying her. As if having been caught red-handed, he turned away quickly and began to look through some drawers by the bed.

Even though she didn't have anything to say, silences like these were pure torture for Caroline. They always had been. And she felt the rambling building up inside her, just waiting to explode. In an attempt to keep herself in line, she chose to direct a question towards the hybrid. "So... how well do you know him?" she asked as she browsed a large bookcase by her side. "Lucien, I mean."

Casting a glance his way, she noted a tiny little smirk in response but he remained silent. Spurring on her rant even further. "I don't really see you two as friends." she thought out loud, running her fingers over the backs of some seemingly ancient and expensive books. "Although, he's kind of scary and you're you. So I guess that's one thing you two have in common. And the accent of course. Does that mean he's from the same age as you? Or was he just British when you met? Do all old vampires have accents? You, Elijah, Rebekah... I'm starting to see a pattern there, you know. Although it is kind of strange how you all speak in different variants of English, does that have to do with the amount of time you've spent in different countries or something?"

Her next sentence died in her throat with a choked noise as she turned to find him suddenly standing right beside her. His eyes studying her face as if she was some mystery he was trying to solve. "What?" she stuttered out, all too aware then of how he hadn't said a single word since entering the room. "Right, sorry. I'm rambling. I ramble. Despite all these years, that is still one thing about me that never seems to change. I guess some things just always stay the same, right?"

A breathy chuckle escaped him as he shook his head lightly, seemingly caught between feeling amused and bewildered over her rapid rambles. "Lucien was the first vampire I turned." he finally explained, giving her the impulse to do a victory dance in response. Just barely holding it back and instead grinning triumphantly at him as he spoke on.

"It was during our first years as vampires, actually. We had been running from our father for quite some time already, severed from society as we tried to make sense of our new lives... It wasn't without its adjustments, to say the least." he continued further. "While traveling through the south of France, we discovered Lucien hiding in a carriage beneath the clothes and items of the humans we'd just… well."

He pouted a little as she rolled her eyes in understanding. "Anyway... He offered to aid us, teach us of the social rules and etiquettes in order to better blend in with their community."

"Like, hiding in plain sight?" she guessed, earning a pleased smile from him.

"Precisely." he agreed. "We spent quite some time living in their village, under the roof of a rich lord and his children, amongst humans oblivious to our true nature. We acclimated easily, desperate to belong somewhere I suppose. To not run anymore."

"Is that why you turned him? You wanted to return the favor?"

"Not exactly." he shrugged with a little secretive look in his eyes. She wanted to press him for more, but he managed to interrupt her train of thought with a nod over her shoulder. "Over there, love." he chimed and reached out to the closet by her side. Opening it and pushing clothes away, revealing a hidden door in the back.

She stared as he pushed a few buttons in on a display, unlocking it with a tiny little 'beep'. "Does Lucien know you have the secret code to his own personal Narnia?" she teased.

He winked at her playfully. "Let's keep that between the two of us for now." he smirked before walking past her to open the door, gesturing for her to enter first. Caroline sighed and walked over the threshold to the small, adjoined room. As she entered, lights flickered and lit up their environments, bringing a gasp out of her.

This is it. Walls with glass lockers, filled with daggers made from various types of wood along with crossbows, rifles, guns and other weapons spread around the room. The interior was in a color scheme of white and chrome, giving the room a medical ambience. If it were not for the very deadly weapons inside, she might have thought it was an infirmary.

Her eyes landed on a counter with a cabinet underneath. She walked over to it and was about to open the doors when Klaus suddenly gripped her wrist and held her back. She turned to glare at him, only for her scolding words to get caught in her throat when she saw his serious expression. He held a finger to his ear. "Listen, Caroline."

Nodding, she focused her hearing as she studied the cupboard closely. It took some concentrating but finally she heard it. It was subtle, but it was there. A silent and rhythmic ticking sound. "Bomb?" she asked and glanced over at him.

He nodded. "Vervain-filled splinter bombs would be my guess based on the scent." She wrinkled her nose in disappointment as her new-found super-ninja-strength apparently hadn't increased her smell at all. At least not enough for her to catch the vervain that Klaus seemed able to sniff out. "Possibly some wolfsbane mixed in there as well." he added before walking away from the counter.

She studied him as he opened a few cabinets and drawers on the other side of the room. "What are you looking for?"

"Whatever Lucien's hiding in there is clearly valuable, I imagine he wouldn't want to risk it being destroyed." he explained as he focused on his search.

"Which means there's a way of deactivating the bombs inside the room." Caroline chimed in.

He looked up at her with a smile. "Exactly." he agreed and resumed looking.

She joined in, brushing her hand on the sides of the different flat surfaces in the room, looking for some buttons or a tech-panel of some sort. Remembering how the door to this room had been hidden inside his closet, she started searching the backs of shelves and cupboards until she found something. "Klaus, here." she smiled proudly to herself and glanced over at him before moving the shelf enough to the side to reveal a safe in the wall with a digital display.

It was flat, no handle or anything to grab onto in case they wanted to try and rip it out of its place. "Don't suppose you know the code to this one too?" she asked him as he came to stand next to her.

He shook his head and studied the display. "Unfortunately, not." he admitted.

She ran her hand over the cool, metallic surface around the display. "So, how do we open it?"

Klaus mimicked her and brushed his hand over the metal, reaching for the thin space between the safe and the wall. "Why don't you try your hand at that?" he suggested then with a pointed nod.

Moving to the corner he pointed at, she slipped a fingernail into the gap. She noticed some resistance from the side and pressed onto it harder. A click rewarded her as the cover popped open and revealed a textile wall inside.

Great, another test. She thought as she reached for a little glass square in the middle, she couldn't really move it but it did have a red circle made from some dried liquid on it. Glancing over her shoulder then, she noted Klaus standing closely behind her but tried not to think too much about it. "You don't happen to have any of Lucien's blood laying around, do you?" she teased and tried to ignore the affect his scent and proximity had on her.

He shook his head and smiled at her, his dimples all in their tempting glory making her shudder slightly. "Um…" she cleared her throat and turned back quickly. "Okay, well. You turned him so shouldn't your blood amount for something?"

"Perhaps." he shrugged before his face turned before her. She studied the gray veins started showing over his cheeks as he reached for one of his sharp fangs and pricked his thumb on it. Averting her eyes then, she held her breath as she suddenly realized that she hadn't fed yet today.

His arm went around her, up to the safe before them and he squeezed out a few drops of his blood down on the glass. She studied his finger with a sudden tunnel vision as her mind clouded over. Her ears rang in her head as his steady pulse mixed with her shallow breaths.

Her throat dried up and she felt her gums itch as she fought against her vampiric features. She barely even noticed that he pushed the glass back in or that he actually managed to unlock the safe. The surface slid down and opened up the interior of the safe, but Caroline's eyes were fixated on Klaus' hand. She grabbed it and held it back from exploring the contents before them. Gritting her teeth and feeling her eyes change as she studied it. She fought with herself. Her instincts wanted to take over and take his finger into her mouth, then bite his wrist and…

No, she commanded herself and took a shaky breath. The fog in her head hadn't quite lifted yet when she heard him call out to her softly. She shook her head and dropped his hand quickly as if it had burned her.

"Sorry." she whispered and cleared her throat, hoping he would drop the subject and not press on any further. She turned to the safe instead and focused her attention on the objects inside. There were some papers that looked like legal documents, a stack of credit cards and some passports.

But what caught her eye was a few rectangular boxes, it almost looked like it could be jewelry or something like that. But upon opening one, she found syringes inside instead of diamonds. Running a finger over the vials, she glanced back at Klaus with a question on her face.

"Aaah…" he sang with amusement as he studied the box in her hands. "That must be Lucien's not-so-secret cure for a werewolf bite."

Caroline stared up at him then. "Is it based on your blood or something?"

"I doubt it." he smirked. "Such fascination with my blood, love." he mocked and pulled out another of the identical boxes. "Are there really no other attributes to me that interest you?" he crooned with his eyes boring into hers.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Drop the smugness, Klaus. It isn't as attractive as you think." His smirk grew even more amused at her words before he looked down to examine the second box, confirming they all held the same contents. "I'm just wondering how scientific it is." she explained and lifted one of the syringes to study it. "I doubt he could've created a second cure without your blood."

Klaus shrugged in response as he took it from her hands and placed it back, making Caroline furrow her eyebrows. "Shouldn't we test it or something to figure out how it works?"

He glanced over at her as he closed the safe. "And how would we find such answers?" he quipped as he made sure it all looked the way they'd found it.

"Well... Don't you have some super-secret high-tech military level lab or something for this exact purpose?"

He let out an amused scoff at that. "I think you are confusing me with a Bond-villain, sweetheart." he teased and winked playfully. "Either way, why would I need to waste time on some artificial cure when I have the original one running through my veins?"

She sneered at him as he pushed the shelf back in place and turned to continue his search for a way inside the booby-trapped cabinets. "Now who's obsessing over your blood?" she snickered and glanced over at him in time to find him chuckling in response.

"So…" he drawled as she decided to keep looking herself and kneeled to check under the counter. "Is it my turn to ask you questions now?"

"Um, sure." she responded slowly, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she felt unsure of what to expect from him.

He moved some boxes around casually as he spoke again. "What kind of relationship do you and Mr. St. John have? You seem rather... close."

"Well…" she rolled her eyes to herself at his words as she brushed her hand under the cabinets. "It's kind of a long story."

"As all of your stories are." he crooned, earning a short glare from her before she turned to continue her search.

"Okay, well… He showed up, kind of out of the blue, when I'd just started out at Whitmore. And Damon kind of pushed us together, I guess he thought we'd work well together or something. Which, as it turns out, we do." she explained. "We later learned that he was part of these experiments by the Augustine group of scientists at Whitmore. Apparently, they had been doing tests on vampires for decades. Not the nicest nor the most comfortable once either..." she added, catching an understanding nod from Klaus before she continued.

"Anyway, we got into some traveler trouble a while later which Enzo helped deal with and we became friends after that. Ever since, he's kind of alternated between being on our side one minute and the next –" she stopped as she realized she probably shouldn't tell Klaus about how Enzo got her tortured by the Heretics, since he might take it as enough of a reason to take Enzo out of the equation for good.

"And… what?" Klaus asked.

She swallowed hard. "Uhm, you know Klaus… We weren't exactly friends all of the time either, you and I." she said and nodded at him.

He clenched his jaw at that as he seemed to understand what she was hiding. "He hurt you." he murmured slowly, more of a statement than a question.

"Not directly." she corrected, shaking her head and straightening up. "Things happen, you know. And I managed to get free so that's the point to all of it."

"What happened exactly?" he pressed on, suddenly standing in front of her.

She studied him for a moment before deciding to trust that she could tell him without him freaking out over it. "Oh, just the usual kidnap and torture routine, you know. And this one Heretic kind of also cursed my skin to feel like vervain to make sure no vampire could touch me. She wanted to keep me away from the man she apparently still had feelings for at the time. Same old, same old."

"Who?" he asked with such a dangerous glimpse in his eyes that it made her hesitate before answering.

"Just this… witch. Why, what does it matter?" she countered, hurrying to speak up again before receiving an answer. "Like I said, I got free and Enzo helped save my life multiple times after that."

"He has been responsible for torturing you, yet you call him a friend?"

"Yes." she replied with a nod and put her hands on her hips. "Because if I couldn't call him a friend then I very well wouldn't be able to call you one either." He flinched at that, his eyes widening with hurt and making her heart ache with regret. "I didn't mean –" she began but he cut her off.

"The mirror." he cut her off with a grim tone as his eyes pointed past her then. "It's the only place left."

She turned around and studied him as he walked towards the counter. He brushed his finger around the corners of the mirror and stopped on something. Glancing to the side, he gave her a pointed look. "You don't expect me to run and take cover or anything, right?" she snickered in disbelief, crossing her arms over her chest and digging her feet in to make her point.

He frowned a little and turned back to the mirror before pressing on some button. Caroline listened closely and heard the past ticking stop and exhaled in relief. "Thank god…" she breathed, catching his smirk in his reflection.

Klaus bent down then and opened the double-door cabinets, rummaging through inside. She walked up to him slowly. "Well?" she pressed impatiently. "What is it?"

"Lucien shouldn't have these." he mumbled lowly.

"Have what?" she asked and glanced over his shoulder to find out for herself. All she saw were some dark bags with pretty random things inside.

"This is a very rare collection of cursed objects. And it belongs to one Camille O'Connell." he told her as he looked through the contents of the bags.

"Who?"

He turned to study her face then. "Believe it or not, an old friend of mine." he chimed, a smile playing on his lips before his face turned serious again. "However, there doesn't seem to be any candles here – magical or other."

She raised her eyebrows. "Okay. So, is she friends with Lucien too? Did she leave those here? Maybe she kept the candle for herself or-"

"No, Cami can't enter this apartment." he cut her off and closed the cabinets abruptly.

Cami? How did we get from Camille O'Connell to a full-on nickname?

"Well, maybe Lucien hid the candle someplace else…" she began but saw a glimpse of worry on Klaus' face that changed her mind slowly. "You think Lucien stole these from her?" she asked and observed him as he reactivated the bombs again.

"It's possible." he responded as he brought his phone out. "I'll have to get in touch with her to find out about her involvement."

"Okay…?" she drawled out, feeling like there was something else to the story and waited for him to tell her. He probably realized it because, after dialing a number and bringing the phone to his ear, he turned a soft smile to her.

"We'll need Marcel's help with that, unfortunately." he explained. She frowned and opened her mouth to comment when Marcel's voice cut her off.

"You'll need Marcel's help with what?"

Klaus studied her closely as she pressed her lips together and crossed her arms over her chest. "With reaching our dear Ms. O'Connell." he explained.

"Cami? What do you want with her?" Marcel asked incredulously.

Oh, so Marcel knows this Cami too… Caroline noted to herself.

"I have reason to believe that someone has stolen her dark objects." Klaus said casually.

"Well, last I heard she was still in Shreveport. I can ask Davina to contact her."

"Please do." Klaus said and hung up.

Caroline raised her eyebrows at him, expecting a game plan or some further explanation. Because honestly, she felt irritatingly out of the loop right now. He only smiled at her, looking amused and gorgeous and really getting on her nerves. "What!?" she demanded.

He said nothing as he took slow steps towards her. "I find it fascinating –" he murmured and closed the distance between them. "– how you are displaying all of your thoughts in your eyes as of right now. Despite that flawless poker face which you usually wear so eloquently."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

His smile faded a little as he studied her face for a long moment. He reached his hand up and brushed his thumb over her cheekbone. "I'm sorry, Caroline." he said softly with that level of sincerity that usually came right before he gave another one of his poetic speeches.

"For what?"

"For having hurt you." he told her, his green eyes locked on her blue ones. "For having brought you pain and misery, even heartbreak at times." he shook his head and sighed. "I really am sorry."

"I believe you." she said with a short nod.

Something cold flickered in his eyes at her words. "But you don't forgive me." he guessed. She opened her mouth to try and answer, but she wasn't sure of what to say. Because as true as it was that he had done so many bad things in the past, it didn't mean that he hadn't also done some good. Just because he was dark and evil, didn't mean he wasn't also worthy of forgiveness…

And as she was about to tell him just that, his phone was suddenly up by his ear again. "Yes?" he muttered, answering a call Caroline hadn't heard come in.

"The spell worked." a female voice said, turning her eyes narrow as she gauged Klaus' reaction. "Lucien is in New Orleans and he seems to be moving."

The words made him nod shortly, a stiff muscle ticking by his jaw. "I'll be back soon." he said before hanging up. He was quick to move everything back into place around them, making sure there were no traces of them ever having been there.

She couldn't help but wonder who the person on the phone was, and why she was looking for Lucien... Was that Cami? Not to mention the weird detail that he had someone tracking Lucien's location, why hadn't he told her about that?

As he ushered her out of the apartment and into the elevator, Caroline's mind was still running on high gear. She fidgeted with her hands, checking the screen on her phone several times without really knowing what she was looking for…

"Something the matter, sweetheart?" he asked as they finally reached the lobby with a little 'ping'. His words made her nod to herself as she tried to focus her thoughts on one thing at the time. And right now, she needed to think of the next step in finding her friend – not Klaus' seemingly endless connections with women... Who was this Cami anyways!?

In a desperate attempt to respond without arousing suspicion, she said the first thing on her mind. "You're spying on Lucien." she stammered out, stopping him in his steps as they were walking out of the building then.

He raised an eyebrow at that as he took her in, nodding slowly after a moment. "Was there a question to that?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she pressed on, crossing her arms defiantly as she tried to keep her voice level and calm. "And who was that? On the phone just now?"

His face seemed to fight a grin as his eyes raked over her, glancing away with a shaking head shortly. "Would you really like to know?" he asked then, looking up at her again with the most soul-crushing pair of dimples you could ever imagine.

"Well, yeah. That's why I-" she began but was surprised to silence as he reached forward and pulled her into his chest suddenly. "Klaus, what are you-?" she started to ask but his grin cut her off again.

"I'm taking you to meet someone." he smirked on, before holding her tightly and taking off in a blur through the city.


Three weeks ago
Faro, Portugal

Rose water. Lotus flower. Mistletoe. Sea salt. Palo Santo wood.

Bonnie went over the ingredients in her mind as Damon drove them back to their apartment. The spell would be dangerous, but with the right elements it could actually work. Luckily, there was a full moon in two days, and not just any full moon either. It would be a lunar eclipse, perfect for transcending spells used for crossing barriers. And now that they had access to Clara Duarte's journals and spell books, the young witch had a good feeling about it.

Maybe, just maybe, things would actually work out right for them this time.

"Have you told Enzo yet?" Damon's voice broke her confidence as he reminded her of the problem ahead.

"Have you?" she scoffed, glancing over at him as he stared out on the road and clutched the steering wheel tight.

"Yeah right." he sneered in response. "All you have to do is bat your pretty little eyes and he would forgive you for anything. Me? He will skin me alive if I tell him what you're planning to do."

She shook her head and looked over at the old streets and pretty houses outside. Sighing as she realized how difficult it would be for Enzo to understand their point of view. "No, I haven't told him." she murmured then. "And I'm not planning to either."

The vampire flinched at that, making her turn her head to him again as she explained her reasoning further. "He isn't really supportive now that we lost our only chance at the candle, you know."

"For good reason..."

The pained honesty flashed over his face despite his nonchalant tone, she smiled softly as she watched him then. Knowing fully well how little he enjoyed their plan too. Yet here he was. Going through with it, standing by her side, for her.

"You know the drill, Damon." she reminded him carefully, catching the gulp of unease before he glanced over at her with an eye roll.

"Yeah yeah." he whined then, as if he had gone through it a million times already by now. "If you die, I promise to go find Elena and become human and live my happily ever after and grieve you in healthy ways with the love of my life."

"Will you do it?" she challenged him, wondering if he would deny his intentions or actually be honest with her.

He turned to the witch with a sad smile, his eyes shooting her a pointed look. "What do you think?" he scoffed and turned back to focus on the road again as she sighed beside him.

"Damon..." she breathed out in exasperation. "If this goes wrong, you have to honor our deal. Don't try to save me. Don't try to get me back. Just let me go and live your life…" she was ready to go on with her argument but he cut her off with a stern voice.

"Bonnie, I love you. But if you die, I will kill you. So, you better survive this plan because I'm sure as hell not going to tell Elena that she woke up like… fifty years ahead of time because of your unrelenting stubbornness."

The words made a grin tug at her lips as she leaned back in the seat with an affectionate gaze to her friend. "I love you too, Damon." she told him softly. "And you better tell Elena that as well when you see her again."

A cold frown grew on his face as he turned to her shortly while she watched their surroundings instead. "Let's just hope you'll have to wait a little while longer before you do."

Her words rang in the air for a while as a silence spread over them, turning her heart heavy in her chest as she felt like they were saying goodbye. And it killed her. Because she sure as hell wasn't going out because of some risky spell that everyone around her told her not to do… They were just going to have to succeed, it was as simple as that.


Present day
New Orleans, Louisiana

Caroline barely had the chance to catch her breath before she swiftly found herself in Klaus' home again. He dropped her to the ground softly before swiftly walking through the hallway with rushed steps. Leaving her to hurry behind him as he entered a study and roamed through drawers quickly.

"What are we doing here, Klaus?" she asked exasperatedly as she leaned against the doorframe with a furrowed look.

"I just need to grab something… It will only take a minute." he told her over his shoulder before resuming his search. She was just about to press him on it further before she was suddenly pushed up against the wall, a force squeezing at her throat tightly.

"Who are you?" a threateningly calm voice asked her from a distance.

Caroline coughed in response before a thud was heard and the force suddenly released her. She fell to the floor immediately and heaved a long breath, staring up in shock as Klaus held a woman back by her forearms.

"Haven't I taught you better than to attack our guests like this, Freya?" Klaus said with a humored tone, only making the blonde vampire even more confused.

"Freya?" she echoed as she stared at her attacker, the lights going off in her mind as she suddenly made the connection. The witch who helped Damon.

"Are you bringing the strays into the house now, Niklaus?" Freya bit out with an acid tone, completely ignoring the vampire as she slowly got up from the floor.

"Excuse you." she hissed, massaging her neck as she felt the pain of being strangled slowly turn into an offended anger instead.

"Now, now! Let's not be unpleasant." Klaus chuckled on amusedly.

Freya only scowled at that, glaring at the hybrid with a pointed look. Seemingly wanting to say something else but was interrupted when another voice chimed in suddenly. "Ah, I see Ms. Forbes decided to accompany us after all." Elijah crooned as he joined them in the hall, practically coming out of the shadows. Again.

Was that how he always made his entrances or something? Caroline thought to herself as Freya turned to meet her blue eyes.

"Forbes?" Freya echoed.

She cleared her throat and straightened out her skirt before reaching her hand out to the other blonde then. "Caroline Forbes."

"Caroline…" the witch repeated it, a grimace on her face as if she was tasting something strange for the first time. They shook hands shortly, but Caroline had a feeling she wasn't really sold on her yet.

"I admit, this was not how I imagined your introductions…" Klaus said before nodding to his sister. "Nevertheless, this is whom I wished for you to meet. Freya Mikaelson, our no longer long-lost older sister."

Caroline stood in silence, the gears visibly turning through her eyes as Klaus watched her putting it all into place. "Older sister?" she echoed, looking over at the hybrid and meeting his smirk shortly before studying the other blonde again.

"Yes, I happen to be the first-born of the Mikaelson's in fact." Freya said, a leisure shrug as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her calculating eyes still taking in the vampire before her. "Forgive me for not having been briefed on your arrival earlier, it seems Niklaus enjoys keeping such information to himself. Despite the risks it may cause regarding our family's safety."

The words made Caroline cock an eyebrow in slight amusement as she started to see the family resemblances. "I didn't mean to barge in like this." she said and gave Klaus a glance.

"Yes, well… Apparently our services are to your fullest advantage. Simply point me in a direction and I shall cast whatever spell you may require." Freya spat out bitterly, turning Caroline's eyes to her again as she blinked in surprise at her sudden hostility.

"Freya..." Klaus growled lowly, throwing a scowl over at her in warning. The siblings shared equally dark glances as Elijah cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we should retire to the courtyard and have a drink? Or two." he suggested with another polite smile at their guest.

However, it did nothing to calm her sudden nerves as she sensed the tension in the room. Looking over at Klaus' stiff shoulders with a slight frown as she tried to read his emotions. "What's going on?" she asked carefully, turning both their gazes to her at once. "Is it dangerous for me to be here or something?"

"No."

"Yes."

The unison answer made Caroline glance down at her feet then. "I see." she murmured and cleared her throat. Realizing that his sister – who apparently already hated her guts – probably would be the more honest of the two. Especially since Klaus generally only told her what he thought she wanted to hear in situations like these.

"I should go then. Thanks for your help today, Klaus. See you around. I guess." she stammered on as she turned away from them, only to stop in her tracks as the hybrid showed up to block her path.

"Caroline, please don't leave." he told her softly, his voice nearly cracking at the vulnerability in his tone. "It isn't… If Lucien is back…" he sighed as his words seemed to fail him. Looking back over at her with sad eyes, he reached for her hands and held them in his. Surprising her when the action both soothed her and made her nervous at the same time.

"Please, stay until we get some answers." he pleaded with her quietly. "Let us figure out where he is and what his intentions are for returning. If not for your own sake, then at least for my peace of mind."

She could only nod in response, worried her voice wouldn't be steady underneath his intense eyes. He smiled a little in relief before letting go of her hands and turning to his siblings. "Do you have it?" he asked and earned a nod from Freya.

"I assume it is what you were looking for." she told him as she walked closer to her brother and held out a wristwatch to him. "You know what you need to do for the spell to be as proficient as possible…"

"Yes." he nodded in response, looking over at Caroline's confused face then with a soft smile. "Let's see what my old mate is doing in New Orleans."

The young vampire followed the siblings to a kind of lounge area then. Studying them closely as Elijah took a seat in an armchair while Freya and Klaus stood on opposite sides of the square coffee table. There was a map laid out between them and Klaus placed the watch on top of it before reaching out his hands with his palms up. Freya held her palms just above his then and gave him a pointed look.

"Ready?" she asked him, making Caroline fidget as she started to worry about what they were going to do exactly.

Klaus nodded and closed his eyes, followed shortly by Freya as she did the same and began chanting. The words she uttered were unfamiliar to the blonde, and the energy that surrounded them was nothing like she'd ever felt before. This was a very powerful magic, that much she could tell. But as blood suddenly formed strange runes on the hybrid's hands, she was starting to wonder just what kind of magic the Mikaelson witch was using. And more importantly, how dangerous was it?

The blood dripped down through Klaus' fingers and hit the wristwatch on the table, covering it as Freya continued her chant. His face turned hardened and strained as he kept his eyes closed, the spell seemingly drawing power from him somehow.

"I see him." Freya whispered suddenly. "He came back several days ago."

"How did this escape our knowledge?" Elijah asked, breaking his silence with a nonchalant expression.

"He holds some kind of magic which managed to shield him from us." she explained. "However, I can't see what exactly it is."

Klaus remained silent as Freya tilted her head slightly, keeping her eyes closed but looking like she was watching it all play out in front of her. "Oh, he has been quite busy since arriving too." she spoke on. "He is… searching."

"For what?" Elijah probed.

"Aya." she concluded grimly.

The name caused both brothers to stiffen in response, informing Caroline that the person in question was a threat to them in some way. "Is she here, Freya?" Klaus asked, his face set into a stone-cold scowl.

"I can't tell… But I see that he hasn't found her yet."

The hybrid looked like he was shaking, something Caroline was sure she hadn't seen before. But she didn't know whether it was out of anger – or fear. His breathing was strained, and his hands slowly turned into a gray color. Freya stopped the spell abruptly at that, as if sensing her brother's pain, and they both dropped their hands on the map with strangled gasps when the magic left them.

Caroline held her breath as she watched Klaus' skin slowly stitch itself up again. The Mikaelson's looked up at each other over the table then as if sharing an understanding of something which the others in the room went unaware of.

"Is there something else?" Elijah pressed on, sensing the same as the young vampire beside him while they both stared over at the blondes with wide eyes.

"No." Freya finally said as Klaus straightened up his back. "We got close to him, but I had to cut the connection before he sensed us."

"How long until you can try again?" the brother asked her, making Caroline turn to him with a horrified look as Klaus still looked like he was recovering from the spell. Confirming her suspicions that Freya's magic was very powerful indeed, and clearly very draining on the hybrid's strength.

"It's getting more and more difficult every time we try." she explained while packing up the map and watch and turning away. "Especially with whatever magic he has shielding him… I don't dare repeat the spell again for a while at least."

Klaus must have sensed the discomfort that Caroline felt, because he turned to her with a soft smile. As if trying to assure her that he was okay. "I imagine you have an abundance of questions for me, love." he said as he walked over to her slowly.

"Something like that, yeah." she scoffed at him and chuckled nervously. "But I need to make a call first… I just hope he doesn't kill me when I tell him."

He raised an eyebrow at that, making her sigh as she met his eyes. "The reason that Enzo was pushing me to go to you from the beginning… It was because Damon knew this powerful witch and he knew we needed to go through you to find her." she explained and nodded to the other woman in the room then. "And I have a feeling neither of them will like how long it took for me to finally get in touch with her."