Chapter 5
Jane giggled as Klaus nuzzled behind her ear.
"Klaus..."
He grinned and rolled her onto her back, cupping her cheek softly. He ran his thumb across her cheek, a contemplative expression on his face.
"What's wrong?" She asked quietly, raising her hand up to cover his and keep it against her face. "Klaus, what is it?"
"Nothing, sweetheart. I was just thinking."
She frowned and he smoothed the creases from between her eyes.
"About last night?"
He inhaled quickly, eyes flashing at the remembrance of last night events. Jane bit her lip.
"Why did they do that? I thought they were supposed to protect me."
He frowned and brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles lightly, eyes on the window that had been broken weeks ago. "I will find that out, love."
Her sigh made him look down at her.
She met his eyes. "Did Sophie know?"
He growled, tucking her closer to him. "I don't know, but I will find that out as well."
Jane ran a hand up his bare chest and he looked down as she leaned up to press a kiss over his heart.
"Love." He muttered as she pressed more kisses up his neck. With a possessive groan, he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her softly before burying a hand in her hair and holding her to him. He kissed her greedily, nipping and sucking at her plush mouth until he moved onto her neck, leaving her lips parted and swollen from his kisses. He inhaled her scent, growling when she parted her thighs in want and the floral, arousing scent grew.
It had been a while and she was long overdue for a thorough worship. He moved to hover over her, his hands ghosting up her sides, sliding the satin nightie up her body and then tossing it off to the side, baring her body to him. He admired her heaving breasts, the little belly that was starting to round, and her eyes that were full of love and lust for him and him alone.
He cupped her breasts and she moaned, her fingers gripping the sheets as he squeezed lightly.
"Niklaus..."
Grinning like the cat that caught the canary, he dipped his head down and took a nipple into his warm mouth. She sighed and arched her back, encouraging him to suckle harder. He did so, teasing her other nipple with his thumb making her squirm underneath him. He switched breasts and she moaned, hands moving to run up and down his back.
Pulling away from her well loved breasts, he pressed more lingering kisses to her chest before moving lower, nuzzling her belly and then going lower.
He growled when she let out a whimper as his fingers skimmed along her panties, taking in that they were soaked with arousal. He bent and pressed a kiss to her center and she bucked beneath him.
"Please." She whispered and he ripped the fabric away, baring her to him. Wasting no time, buried his face between her glistening thighs. "Oh, Niklaus..." She gripped at his hair with one hand as he lapped at her slowly, the other she bit to stifle her cries of pleasure. He slid his fingers into her, pumping and crooking them just right to make her shriek and writhe beneath him.
"Come for me, my love." He said lowly, eyes focused on her. She tossed her head back with a moan as he gave a hard suck to her pleasure button. Her body slowly unwound from her intense sensation and she blinked hazily at the ceiling.
"Klaus."
"Yes, love?" He moved back up her body, licking his lips of her essence. "Something you want?"
"You." She whispered and pushed him on his back, moving to straddle him. His eyes darkened as she reached down and wrapped her hand around his length stroking him firmly.
His eyes rolled back in his head. "Fuck, love." He grunted and took her hips as she guided him into her. Sinking down, she engulfed him and he groaned at the feeling.
Still holding her hips, he gentled his grip on her as she began to ride him slowly, moving up and down his cock.
She smiled down at him, eyes sparkling with love for him. He felt warm all over at her expression and he cupped her cheek with one hand. "I've missed you."
"And I you, my love." She leaned down to kiss him, giggling when her little round belly prevented her from going down to far. He chuckled as well and leaned his head up to meet her halfway.
She started to get tired and he moved his hands back to her hips to take over for her. He began a steady pace, but she wiggled.
"Faster."
He hesitated.
"I don't want to hurt you, sweetheart."
"You won't." She shook her head. "Please, Klaus."
He nodded, still looking concerned as he started to thrust a bit rougher. She sighed with pleasure, her head tilting back and that was all it took for him to believe she was okay with it. One of her hands traveled down to pleasure herself, tipping herself faster to the edge.
She reached down with the other hand and tangled her fingers with his. He lifted their hands and leaned his head up to kiss her knuckles.
"Come with me, Jane." He commanded, his thrusts steady and fast. "Give yourself to me." She moaned loudly at the ceiling, squeezing around him and he grunted, emptying inside her.
He pumped into her a few more times before sliding her slowly off him and laying her down next to him on the bed.
Brushing her hair out of her eyes, he leaned his head against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I love you." She said and he smiled, stroking her cheek.
"And I love you more than you know."
Jane pulled him down to her for another kiss. His hand ghosted up her thigh and she giggled.
"You're incorrigible."
He smirked down at her. "Only for you, my beautiful queen."
Her flushed and swatted at him, making him chuckle.
Klaus paced angrily. Impatiently waiting for Sophie Deveraux to come into the kitchen. He was furious that someone had dared to try to harm Jane and then come to find out that it was the witches that had planned it all. Sophie's so called promise to protect her was obviously a lie.
The thin paper in the breast of his coat pocket felt heavy all of the sudden. His baby's first picture set his teeth on edge with apprehension at the thought of losing her. Of losing Jane.
He found the picture in his hand before he could really think about it and his thumb glided over the black and white blob affectionally.
The floor creaked and in seconds the photo was out of sight, tucked away next to his heart as the kitchen door swung open.
Sophie didn't notice him until it was too late.
"Did you leave the radio on last night, Bex?" Kol asked, handing Jane the bottle of warm syrup that she couldn't quite reach. "I could have sworn I heard singing."
"No," His sister replied. "But I heard it too. Jane?"
The girl shook her head, pouring the golden maple syrup onto her pancakes. "No, it wasn't me."
"Strange. Must have been the neighbors." Rebekah looked at Jane's plate and asked teasingly: "Hungry this morning?"
The girl flushed a deep red. She had been rather loud. "Just a little. I'm sorry." The blonde Original rolled her eyes.
Kol just winked at her and slid the strawberries over to her.
"I slept better than ever last night. No nightmares." She said to change the subject.
Dorian sat down across from her. "That's great."
An older woman came in and refilled Jane's orange juice.
"Um, thank you..." She said in confusion and the woman smiled at her before going around the table. Kol bit into her wrist and let blood drip into his cup. Jane watched in confused horror. He released her after a few more seconds and she stepped back, wrist still bleeding.
"Um..." She looked at Dorian who caught her expression.
He shrugged at her. "Klaus hired them."
"Them?" She repeated and Kol heard her tone.
"Yes, they're the servants. You know, cooking, cleaning-"
Jane frowned. "Feeding."
"Well that's a given, lovey. We're vampires."
"But-"
Rebekah sighed. "Jane, it's fine. They'll be well compensated for it. I'm not going to clean this house, and neither should you. One reason is you're pregnant and I don't want you messing with cleaning materials. I know you don't approve, but we will restrain ourselves, right brother?" She shot a look at Kol who rolled his eyes in agreement. "There. See? No harm done. Believe me, Jane. It'll be much easier on you."
There was a whoosh of air and Jane screamed as someone was plopped down in the chair next to her. It was Sophie.
The witch blinked at them, shocked as well before glaring over her shoulder.
"What the hell was that for?!"
Klaus was glaring at her from the doorway.
"We had a deal!" He snarled at her. "You protect Jane and our unborn child, and I dismantle Marcel's army. And whilst I've been busy fulfilling my part of the bargain, you allowed Jane to be attacked and chased into the bayou by a gaggle of lunatic witches."
Sophie's mouth flew open and she gasped, whirling her head around to face Jane.
"What?"
"So we need to talk," He hissed before Jane could reply. "Now."
Jane cleared her throat. "After we offer her breakfast." Klaus rolled his eyes but nodded. "Can we talk? Privately?" He tilted his head in curiosity and nodded again. He led the way to his study.
"What is it?"
"You hired people to clean?" She blurted as soon as the door shut.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes."
"Because of Rebekah?" She was confused and he couldn't help but smile at that. She had always done things for herself and he didn't want her to have to do them any longer.
"Partly and also I do agree that you shouldn't be wholly responsible for cleaning up someone else's mess."
Jane frowned. "I can still move around. I'm not bedridden."
He shook his head and cupped her face. "That's not the point, sweetheart. It's not going to hurt them. I don't want you to get overwhelmed."
"Well..." She found she couldn't argue. She did get tired after cleaning one room. "Does he have to feed from them at the table?"
"If it bothers you, he can do it elsewhere."
"That's not the only thing that bothers me." She said and he sighed.
Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead. "I promised you better and I meant it."
"I didn't think that including having maids." She muttered against his chest and he grinned.
"Of course, it does, my love. No more washing clothes or dishes. It'll be done for you."
"I'm not sure I like that."
He pressed his face to her head again to hide a smile. "You'll get used to it. It's the finer living I promised you." He tilted his head. "I was thinking of hiring a nanny."
Jane stiffened. "No. Haven't you ever seen that movie "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle?" Our child will not be raised by some mad woman!"
Klaus tried not to laugh at her horrified expression. "All right, love. It's just a thought." He soothed. "Though I would never allow mad people to be around our child. Besides my nutty siblings."
She sighed and buried her face into his chest. "What are you going to do with Sophie?"
"Get answers. I'll be civil enough." He growled.
Jane didn't quite believe him.
Jane leaned against Klaus on the couch, his arm around her and hand resting on her stomach. Rebekah sat on the other side of her, while Kol took a chair next to Sophie who was looking from one face to the next. Dorian remained standing, resting his hands on the back of the couch. After Sophie had declined Jane's offer of breakfast, they had moved on to the sitting room.
"What kind of prophesy is there about my child and why the bloody hell wasn't I told about it?" Klaus demanded not long after Sophie had settled in the armchair. "Your friend Sabine told Jane it was nothing and then went and told the others about it. Hence the lunatics attacking her." His arm around her tightened and Jane stroked his forearm soothingly, moving closer into his side.
Sophie frowned. "I didn't know about it! I'm linked to Jane! If she dies, I die. I didn't know, I swear!"
Jane bit her lip. "Why did she lie? Did you know about the prophesy? Do you know what she said?"
The witch looked at her. "Honestly, I didn't take much stalk in it. Sabine's visions have been known to wonky. They are open to interpretation."
Dorian gripped the back of the couch, glaring at the witch. "Well someone listened and interpreted it! That old witch Agnus believed it. And apparently Laurent knows about it too because he's the one who told Jane."
"Who are they? The one's she told?" Rebekah demanded.
"They are a faction of extremists." The witch answered.
Klaus snorted. "And how, may I ask, was this particular vision interpreted? Something about destruction?"
Sophie nodded. "Something like that. Pretty much that your baby will bring death to all witches."
"That's my girl." He smiled and stroked Jane's stomach.
She rolled her eyes before frowning at Sophie. "Could-could that be true?"
She shrugged. "I wouldn't think so, but then again both of your lineages hold a lot of power. Werewolf, elemental, vampire, witch, seer. I mean your kid could be very powerful." Jane chewed her lip. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Jane."
"Sophie," Rebekah spoke, drawing her attention. "I promised Elijah that I would protect Jane whilst he was busy winning Davina's loyalty. Tell me, just how extreme is this faction?"
Sophie blinked. "He's talking to Davina?"
"As we speak, I'd imagine."
"I'm guessing she'll have plenty to say about that crowd."
Klaus waved a hand. "Do tell." He said and leaned back against the cushions, giving his siblings a "This ought to be good" look. Jane sighed, leaning further against him and he stroked her stomach soothingly.
"I wasn't always an advocate for the witches." She began and told about her upbringing and how she went away at 21 to live her own life. Then she came back and found out about the Harvest.
Kol leaned forward, intrigued. "What is a Harvest?"
"It's a ritual our coven does every three centuries so that the bond to our ancestral magic is restored. We appease our ancestors, they keep our ancestral magic flowing."
"And why haven't I heard of this?" Klaus demanded.
"Because the Harvest always seemed like a myth, a story passed down through generations."
"Like me." Jane whispered and she nodded.
"Yes, like the existence of the elemental. Some people take it literally. Some people don't." She described the ritual and how her niece Monique got mixed up in it along with Davina. Four of the girls in their community would be chosen for the Harvest. That it was an honor for them to do it. "I thought it was a myth."
"Was it?" Jane asked. Before Sophie could answer, Klaus' phone rang in his pocket behind her head, startling her.
Chuckling, he reached into the inner pocket and pulled out his phone.
Jane read the screen and frowned. He smiled at her and answered.
"Marcel, bit early in the day for you, isn't it?" Jane was close enough to hear his response.
"I know. I make this look easy, but I still have an empire to run."
Jane snorted and Klaus shushed her.
"Rather you than me. All that responsibility seems like such a bore."
"Well this might spice things up. I just heard about a bunch of dead witches out in the bayou. The kind of damage a werewolf might do, only there was no full moon."
Jane stiffened. Dorian did as well.
"I have an informant out there that I need to meet, and I would love for you to go with me."
"Dead witches in the bayou." Klaus said, loudly.
Sophie's eyes widened.
"Sounds like less than a problem and more like a cause for celebration." Jane elbowed him in the ribs, and he grinned at her.
"Well, something killed them and may still be out there. And since your blood is the only cure for a werewolf bite, I would love it if you accompany me."
"Well, why not? I haven't been to the bayou in ages. I'm on my way."
"Peace out, brother."
Sophie jumped up when he had pocketed his phone. "You can't go out there now. I need to gather the witches' remains and consecrate them. If I don't get to them by sundown, we lose the link to their magic."
"Those witches tried to kill Jane." Klaus snarled, getting up from the couch in a rush. Jane toppled into Rebekah from his movement and they both scowled at him. "You think I care? I prefer for Marcel's informant not to find anything that would lead him back to us, to Jane and our baby." He pointed at the witch. "Stay put and save the rest of your story till I return." Klaus moved back to the couch and kissed Jane's temple. "I'll be back shortly, love."
He went out of the room and Jane scrambled up from the couch to catch him.
"Klaus!" She called and he turned in the foyer. She took his arm. "Don't hurt it." He opened his mouth, but she continued. "The werewolf. And don't let Marcel."
"No promises, sweetheart. Marcel's on a mission."
"That wolf saved my life." She said earnestly. "And our baby's. Please."
He searched her face for a long moment and sighed. He may be part werewolf because of his parentage, but Klaus had never hidden his distrust of the species. Hence his desire for Hybrids. Hybrids were loyal and they were just like he was. Part of both. Jane, who had never really had dealings with werewolves, didn't understand his hesitance. While he was grateful that Dorian's family took a liking to Jane and had taken care of her, he was still wary of them. They had never made contact with her before and Jane's own parents had never spoken to her about them. It made him suspicious.
"I'll try." He said at last and stroked her cheek before smirking. "Stay out of trouble." He added and zipped out the door. Jane scowled and shut the door after him.
Jane found Sophie packing a backpack.
"Sophie."
The witch looked up and stared at her for a moment. "What are you doing here?" She asked before looking around for Klaus. Dorian sighed.
"Are you going out there? I want to go." The girl declared.
Sophie snorted at her and shook her head. "Hell no. I've already been assaulted by Klaus this morning, don't need a repeat."
"See?" Dorian stated from behind Jane. "She said no. So, let's go before Klaus finds out we left the house. He'll throttle me."
Jane ignored him and blocked Sophie from leaving. "That werewolf that saved me last night? I think its one of Dorian's cousin's."
"It might not have been." The Hybrid said with a roll of his eyes, but she wasn't listening. "I said "I think"."
Sophie shrugged. "So?"
Jane frowned. "Well, you probably already know I'm part werewolf. I'm that way because Dorian's aunt was a surrogate for my mother. She carried me for nine months."
"Oh, so then you are part of her pack I'm guessing? Because of that."
Dorian nodded. "Yes. She's a Crescent wolf like me."
Jane looked pleadingly at Sophie who sighed. "Look, I'm a big advocate for family, but you can't go out there. Klaus will lock us both us away."
"The werewolves don't like witches. They cursed them. Dorian was lucky to get away, but Marcel killed his parents. I'm not exactly a big fan of witches myself. That wolf protected me so I'm your best bet for not being attacked by it. I'm not asking, I'm telling you. I'm going."
"Don't be foolish." Rebekah snapped and they turned around. "It's not safe for either of you out in the bayou. Especially since Niklaus and Marcel are both heading there. Jane, honestly, wasn't last night a good judgment of why you shouldn't be out?"
"I'm going." Jane said firmly. "I want to learn more about the werewolves."
"What the bloody hell for?"
She scowled. "Because, Bekah, they are my family too."
The vampire sighed. "Jane, could you please for once-"
"I just learned that I have a werewolf gene." The girl interrupted, planting her hands firmly on her hips. "Besides, Dorian told me of their conditions. It's not right what Marcel did. I want to help them. I'm going to help them."
"You're not going to give this up, are you?"
The girl's face answered her enough.
"Oh, fine. But you explain it all to Niklaus. He won't be chewing off my head."
Rebekah huffed and made a face as her shoe sank into some mud.
"Disgusting..." She muttered under her breath and watched Jane scowl at Dorian for taking her backpack.
Klaus voice spoke in her ear as he answered his phone.
"What's the matter, Rebekah? You cross that I'm out with your ex?"
She wrinkled her nose in revulsion as a loud, horrible sound emitted from the phone. "What is all that dreadful hillbilly ruckus in the background?"
"According to the dreadful signage, it's Big Augie's Bayou Bar."
"Well, order up a few rounds of moonshine stay clear of the witches for a few. The witch is on a burial mission, your beloved is soul-searching in the muck,"
Jane turned and scowled at her. "And I'm keeping my promise to Elijah because she obviously needs extra watching. Your Hybrid is here as well, so she's perfectly safe. So, stall please."
"Mmhm. Don't let her out of your sight."
Rebekah hung up.
"How did Marcel get Davina?" Jane asked Sophie.
The witch stepped over a fallen branch and said: "Eight months ago, before Marcel banned magic, we were kind of...seeing one another. In secret of course, the witches would have freaked to figure out that I was sleeping with the enemy. Anyway, I didn't immediately go to Marcel for help when I found out about the Harvest. I went to see Kieran O'Connell, the local priest. He's the leader of the human faction. Or was...Guess he still is."
Jane blinked at that news but didn't interrupt.
"The witches were angry that he wasn't going to help them. That he refused to back them up against Marcel and that he had tried to forbid them. to distract him, one of the elders cursed a kid to massacre people in the church."
Jane stopped walking. "Cursed?"
"Yes." Sophie turned around, "I know what you're thinking, Jane, but you have to understand... What they did to Rob was wrong, but Rodney was the cursed one, okay? He may have been riding around in your uncle, but Rodney was the one my sister cursed."
Jane frowned lightly. "Rob could have died with that cursed witch in him."
Sophie didn't say anything else.
"What do you mean, when you said you had to die?" Elijah asked, tuning the violin that Davina's friend had left behind the church last night. Though Klaus hadn't hurt him, at least not really, she was still concerned that the vampire would go after him again if she kept refusing his offer.
Davina turned to him. "That's what the Harvest was. They said they'd put us four girls in a state of, like, peaceful limbo. As part of the offering, and then later at the reaping, we'd awaken and be reborn. I never got as far as the limbo part, which means the Harvest isn't complete. That's why the witches are so freaked out. The Reaping is just around the corner. And if they don't finish before then, it's over. All I have to do is wait it out."
"And then what?"
"They're punished and I'm free."
"Of Marcel?"
"Of magic." She corrected. "All our magic will drain away. I'll be normal."
"is that what you want, to be normal?"
"I just don't want to be what I am." She looked away for a moment. "What is she? Jane? I could sense something else about her."
He hesitated a moment, but thought it would be better if she knew. "Jane is an elemental."
Davina gaped at him. "An elemental? They're real?"
He chuckled. "Yes, she's very real."
"Wow...No longer she was scared of me at first. She must hate witches."
"They're not her favorite people, no." He shook his head. "But I'm sure she liked you. You're close to her age and have the same problem with the Quarter witches."
"Jane spoke of you." Davina murmured. "She misses you."
Elijah smiled. "Yes, I know." He frowned then. "How did you know she was a seer? I'm assuming you're the one who told Marcel?"
"I could feel it. the different magic. I thought it was odd that I could feel that much for just a seer, but now I understand. It's her elemental side I could feel so strongly. I only guessed at that. The seer part. I told Marcel because I was worried for him."
Davina bit her lip. "She's the elemental that was prophesized." She looked at him. "They'll kill her."
"I beg your pardon?" He frowned.
"Jane's blood is full of magic. That's why witches have been seeking her for hundreds of years. And there are some who wish to sacrifice her and gain power. A few drops of her blood can make the difference in a big spell. Try to imagine the amount of power they could harness will all of it. They will use every last drop of her blood to give themselves power and it will last them at least ten decades."
Elijah narrowed his eyes.
"So, we're both in a bit of a bind." She said quietly. "For them to complete the Harvest I have to die. And if they grow too impatient..."
"They'll take her blood."
Davina nodded. "And if they use both, the amount of power will be bigger than ever. That's why that other coven wants her too. They don't live as we do. We use ancestral magic, they don't. They could easily use Jane to gain power over us."
Dorian took Jane's elbow to keep her from falling as she tripped over a rock.
"Why don't you sit down for a second, okay?" He was concerned she was pushing herself too far.
"No, I'm fine." The girl protested.
"Tell us the rest about the Harvest." Rebekah called to Sophie.
The witch swatted at a bug. "Klaus said to wait."
"Yeah, well he also said stay out of the bayou and here we are, amongst the crawly, buzzy creatures." The Original snapped before making a face at the bugs around her.
Jane felt Dorian tense and he stopped walking.
"We're here."
The group examined the scene before them. Dead witches with severed heads and limbs lay scattered all over the ground.
Jane stepped closer to a tree, looking at the deep claw marks in the wood. Her fingers touched it.
"Definitely a wolf." Dorian muttered as he tracked pawprints with his eyes. The trail led away from the witches.
Rebekah frowned. "A cousin then?"
The Hybrid shrugged. "Possibly. I mean I'm not sure."
Jane turned from the tree. "Where do they-" She stopped talking with a gasp, staring ahead. A man stepped out of the trees. No one moved.
His eyes shifted from one to the other before landing on Rebekah.
"What the hell? An Original?" He muttered and took off.
"Uh-oh." Jane murmured.
"Let me understand this." Klaus snapped into the phone and stalked outside of the bar. "Against all logic, you and Jane went to the bayou, where you ran into a man you think might be Marcel's informant and then you lost him."
"Yes, and now that we've established that I am a failure as a sister, and a friend, and an Original, then you probably should know that he's on his way to rat me out to Marcel...And that he saw Jane."
Klaus growled.
"Skinny guy. Looks like he's seen a ghost?"
"I'll handle it." He muttered. "But I'll need a distraction."
"I'm on my way."
"Tell Jane to go home. Now." Klaus frowned. "It's nonnegotiable."
"You tell her that. She's out here on a mission for the rescue wolf. She won't leave and you know how stubborn she is."
Klaus rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. "Fine. But this will be her last trip to the bayou." He hung up before she could reply.
Jane moved closer to Sophie as Dorian put her backpack in the car.
"All of this happened because of a vision about my baby." She said quietly. "And you don't think it's true?"
The witch sighed and threw her things into her trunk. "Look, I love Sabine, but she's the witch equivalent of a drama queen. I've learned to take little stock in whatever she says or sees." She sighed again, glancing at Jane. "Kind of wish she kept her mouth shut about this one."
"The Harvest Ritual. You said you didn't believe in it. Were you right?"
Dorian turned toward them.
"No. I saw it with my own eyes. It was working. It was real." Sophie murmured.
Dorian shifted.
"So...how can you be sure that Sabine's vision...isn't real?" Jane asked nervously, putting a hand on her belly.
Sophie stared at her a minute and then turned away. That was answer enough and Jane bit at her lip.
Dorian took her arm. "Come on. Let's get you home. It's getting late."
"Wait. I want to see. Take me to where they were. Where you know they live."
He shook his head. "No. It's late and you don't need to see that."
She narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed.
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Hurry up. Klaus is gonna be pissed if I don't get you home."
Jane frowned at the state of the shack. It was where Dorian had lived for a while before coming to find Jane.
"They live like this? You did?" She asked quietly, touching the porch railing.
Dorian nodded, his face grim. "Yes."
Jane turned to him. "This is...awful, but you all survived like this. You could have left, but you stayed." She looked back at the cabin. "I want to help them. What can I do? What do they need?" She picked at a frayed blanket on the simple cot.
"You don't have to do anything. Honest." He said sincerely. "I don't live here anymore. And the others do for themselves."
"Is there really a way for me to break their curse?"
"I-I don't know."
Sophie stomped over to them. "Can we go now?"
Jane sighed at her.
"I don't care if I have to confine you to the house! No more trips to the bayou." Rebekah said firmly pouring herself a glass of wine. "That didn't get us anything, but more trouble." She glanced at the girl. "Please explain why you felt the need to traipse through the woods."
Jane frowned. "I told you, Bekah. That wolf saved me."
"As heroic as it was, it's still a wolf."
"I want to help them. They need it."
The Original sat down next to her. "This is important to you, isn't it?"
Jane nodded and the other blonde sighed. "Nik's not a big fan, you know."
"I know and I don't want to push him but he's part werewolf too. He's got to have more family too."
Rebekah shifted. "True enough. But we've never had luck with werewolves, Jane. So, whatever you're planning. Wait it out for a while. At least until this witch thing is over with."
She nodded quietly. "I feel like I'm connected to them somehow. I want to find out more about them."
Rebekah hugged her. "I love how compassionate you are, sweets. How you want to help others. I don't want to discourage you from doing what you think is right, but nothing good ever came from helping the wolves in my opinion. And Klaus won't be happy about it no matter the circumstances."
Jane looked away. "I feel like they're my family too. They've suffered because of Marcel. I just want to help."
"I know, sweets. I know." Rebekah took her hand. "I don't know what else to say, love. Just don't push the issue right now."
"Okay..."
The door opened and Klaus came in, leaving the door open behind him.
"Nik, it's about time-" Rebekah trailed off as someone else came in. "Elijah!"
The blonde ran over to embrace her brother. Jane came to stand in the doorway, stifling a yawn of exhaustion.
"I've missed you, brother." He hugged her back and then Jane tossed her arms around his neck.
"I'm so glad your home." She whispered and Elijah wrapped his arms around her gently.
"As am I."
He smiled softly. "So I am expecting a niece?"
Jane nodded and Elijah's smile widened.
Kol came sauntering in. "What the bloody hell are you lot doing standing around with the door open? Waiting for a lunatic to walk in?"
"One just did." Klaus muttered.
Jane erupted into giggles and Kol rolled his eyes before seeing Elijah.
"Welcome home, big brother."
The elder Mikaelson just smiled again and Jane hugged him tighter.
Jane walked over to the pool peering in and saw the dark-haired woman swimming around.
She was gliding smoothly through the water, hardly causing a ripple and she stopped and turned toward Jane who sat near the edge of the pool.
"Hello." She said, tilting her head. "Shouldn't you be asleep, little one?"
"I am asleep." Jane answered.
"You should be careful. You're dream walking."
The girl ignored the warning and dipped her feet in the water. It was warm.
"Come." The woman beckoned and Jane moved closer to the water. The woman kept her from falling and helped her in.
"You need to relax. Feel the water around you." The woman helped Jane lay back in the water until she was flat on her back, floating. "Now close your eyes."
Jane's eyes slid closed.
Almost instantly, her mind was flooded with images. People screaming and running through the streets of New Orleans. Marcel and Klaus yelling at each other. Elijah talking to Diego angrily. Crows surrounding a park. A bright blue, cloudless sky and the feeling of floating on air. More images passed through her mind and then someone was calling her name.
"Jane! Jane, wake up!"
Her eyes flew open and she found herself cradled tight against someone's chest. She was confused. Was this part of the dream? She looked up at the person holding her. It was Klaus. He was shouting something to someone nearby, but she couldn't hear him. Her mind was in a fog and she felt dizzy.
"Klaus?"
His eyes were on hers instantly and she could see how scared he looked. She grew more confused.
"She's awake. Love, can you hear me?" He asked, his voice sounded much clearer now and she nodded. She felt tired and her eyes fluttered shut.
When she opened them again, she was in the living room wrapped in a thick blanket, Klaus was pacing nearby.
A tired looking Sophie was next to Elijah waving her hands in Jane's direction.
"I don't know." She was saying. "It could be a number of things, but I don't think she knew what she was doing." She looked at Klaus. "What did she say to you? In the pool?"
"Just my name. But she sounded confused." He answered.
"There. Probably she was sleepwalking. Nothing else."
Rebekah scowled. "Well, humor us damn it. Is this normal human pregnancy behavior or something else? She could have drowned in it!" Her voice was so close that it took a moment for Jane to realize that her head was in the Original's lap.
Sophie shook her head. "I mean sleepwalking happens to people sometimes, but I don't think that's what it was. Did you see her nose? It was bleeding. That had to be magic going on right there."
"Now the witches are trying to drown her?" Dorian asked.
"No, we can't do that. Well, I mean we could but then I'd do it too. I've been with Jane all day. There's no way."
Jane reached up to touch her nose, pulling her fingers away to see no blood.
Rebekah looked down. "Oh, she's awake. How are you feeling, sweets?" She brushed hair out of Jane's face.
"Why was my nose bleeding?" The girl asked.
"I don't know, darling. What were you doing in the pool? I thought you went to bed."
"I thought I was dreaming it." Jane murmured slowly. "Did I really get in the pool?"
Klaus knelt closer to her. "Yes, my love. You were...convulsing."
"Like having a seizure or something?" She bit her lip and touched her belly. "Is the baby okay?"
He took her hand and squeezed reassuringly. "She's fine, love. We were worried about you."
Jane rubbed at her suddenly throbbing forehead. "I kept seeing these images over and over. Someone was talking to me."
Elijah, Kol, and Rebekah exchanged looks.
"It's over now, sweetheart." Klaus murmured, stroking her cheek, though he looked troubled.
Sophie sighed. "Well, she and I both feel fine. I'm going back to bed."
"Wait." Jane said and Rebekah helped her sit up. "I need paper and a pen." Kol handed them to her curiously. She flipped over the notepad and started drawing something quickly. "Have you seen this before? It's important."
Sophie shook her head. "No."
Elijah held out his hand. "May I?" The witch handed it to him. His eyes scanned it over and he frowned lightly.
"I'm sorry for worrying you all." Jane muttered and Klaus hugged her to him.
"It's all right, my love. It's all right."
Klaus put Jane back to bed, kissing her head and she was asleep within seconds. Smilingly softy, he shut the door and the smile faded.
He found his siblings in the study.
Elijah looked at him when he closed the door behind him.
"Did you see it? What she drew?"
"No."
Kol handed it to him and he looked it over.
"Mother's opal necklace. I recognize it even after all this time." Rebekah said.
"Why in the bloody hell would she dream about that?" Kol asked, frowning.
The elder Mikaelson shook his head. "I'm not sure." He glanced at Klaus who was staring unseeingly at the drawing. "Niklaus? What is it?"
Klaus lowered the drawing, eyes narrowing, already withdrawing from them. "Nothing." He said simply and handed the drawing back.
Elijah was sure that he, like his siblings, had seen the apprehension and the awareness of something he already knew. He couldn't deny it. They had seen it. But with a sinking feeling, he knew that his brother would never tell them. The look in Klaus' eyes was clear and truthfully Elijah had not yet forgiven him for daggering him.
"If there is something we should know-" He began, but his sentence fell flat.
"And if there is?" His brother challenged.
Elijah frowned. "Then you should inform us."
He chuckled humorlessly. "You've been home less than two hours and already you give commands." Klaus said angrily. "I said it's nothing. Leave it."
He stomped off, leaving the siblings to stare after him.
Rebekah huffed. "Arrogant ass."
"Sister, please. It must be something he's not willing to discuss with us right now." Elijah murmured, concerned for what he had seen in his brother's eyes.
"You always protect him, always on his side!" She ranted, hands in the air dramatically. "It never changes!" She zipped off as well.
Kol snorted and lounged on the couch. "Welcome home, Elijah."
The elder Mikaelson merely sighed.
Welcome home indeed.
Jane was awake when he came in the room.
"You should be sleeping." He said.
She shook her head. "Something's wrong."
He paused in pulling his shirt off. "The baby?" He looked her over, ready to move if she confirmed it.
"No...The visions or whatever they were. It's scary."
Relieved it had nothing to do with their child, he climbed into bed.
"Dreams, love. That's all they are. Dreams." He said soothingly and tugged her close to him. "Please try to sleep, sweetheart. I've got you." She sighed and rested her head under his chin.
He laid awake long after she had finally fallen into a deep sleep. The drawing still bothering him. It had been of his mother's opal necklace, the same necklace responsible for gruesome problems centuries ago. A problem that had connections to Jane's other dream. The one about the dead bodies with no hearts. Was she predicting another episode? He hoped not.
He had considered telling his siblings but kept it to himself. There was no reason to concern them...yet. And right now there was a tension between him and Elijah he couldn't ignore. He wasn't about to show his concern at this latest clue towards Jane's visions. To show weakness right then. No, he'd keep it to himself. He only trusted himself to keep Jane safe. His siblings were flighty and unreliable. Dorian was...well he didn't fully trust him either.
No, Jane was safer with him. She would be completely safe once he was King of New Orleans. No one could harm her then. Content with this, he leaned his head against his sleeping mate's and closed his eyes.
Thierry sipped the blood gratefully and Desmond smiled.
"When?"
"Soon. I guarantee that Marcel will free you once Klaus is in power. It'll come soon." The witch told him.
The vampire nodded. "And...then?"
"Yes, my friend. Then you'll get what you've wanted. All your hurt goes away and your love will return to you."
Thierry didn't want to betray Marcel, but it was his fault for letting Klaus stay for not seeing what the Original was doing right under his nose. He had tried to warn him, and it fell on deaf ears. Laurent was offering him what he wanted most. His friendship with Marcel was going to have to be put on hold for now.
He would get revenge on Klaus and get Katie back. That was all that mattered.
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