I won't lie, I struggled with this chapter. The dialogue between Lia and Damon had me all kinds of tied up. I wanted so many things to happen but Damon just doesn't trust, you know? He's stuck between a rock and a hard place; hating that lia is stronger than him but knowing that lia is stronger than him lolol. Anyway, as always, I think of Ashley Serana when Lia sings – in this case, 'Perfect Day (Beatrix Potter)' came to mind. She's just, ugh, I could easily fall asleep to her for the rest of my life and never have another nightmare.
I do have to say this: WARNING: GRAPHIC SCENES There may be a little bit of torture up in this chapter.
Who else is excited for the tomb to be open?! I know I am! Enzo can finally let go of his jitters! He's passed them on to me!
Ugh, I essentially have this whole story planned out, but there are so many things I don't want to miss and obviously the more I write, the more I have to remember what I've already included. I should have mapped this out better; like, actually written down a plan rather than leaving the poor thing to swirl around in the chaos that is my mindscape.
Happy reading people!
Chapter 16"It's worse than we originally feared."
Luka Martin looked up as his dad barged into the living room. He stood from his chair, putting the grimoire he'd been reading aside as he cautiously approached the pacing doctor.
"What did you find?"
Jonas growled, scrubbing a hand over his face before turning to look at his son. "She's been poached by a vampire."
"It kidnapped her?" Luka was appalled. "Can we kill it?"
"Unfortunately, it will not be that simple," Jonas declared solemnly. "The vampire in question is Niklaus Mikaelson. An Original."
Luka absently dropped onto the coffee table as he looked at his dad, horror etched on his features.
"How did Greta get caught up with that monster?" Luka's voice was just above a whisper.
"I don't know, but I have sent messages out with all of my contacts. There has been no sight or sound of the Original Hunter in two decades so I can only turn to the only other being strong enough to help us deal with Klaus."
"Who?"
"Elijah Mikaelson, the beast's 'noble' brother," Jonas confessed grimly. "Pray that he is willing to make us a deal."
*TVDM*
"Bonnie, hey."
Bonnie startled, lost in thoughts about how the meeting would go this afternoon, and turned to smile at Elena. Or, at least tried to.
"Elena, how are you?"
"I'm… OK, I think," Elena swallowed around the lump in her throat, hating that she had to lie to her friend. "I let myself get in too deep, too fast and I should have listened when you said to take it slow."
"Oh, hey, Elena, don't beat yourself up about it," Bonnie was shocked at the amount of self-hate and pity that seemed to be rolling off the girl. "You're a teenager, we both are. We're gonna run after pretty boys and make some bad decisions. It's not the end of the world. You tried, it didn't work, now we get to move on."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Elena smiled tightly, her mind immediately going to the other Salvatore and the permanent invitation he'd brazenly waved in her face. Yeah, Elena wouldn't be able to move on any time soon, not while the Salvatore's were still in town and had free reign in her house.
Shaking her head, Elena glanced down at her green-eyed friend. "How are you? Everything still steady sailing with your Grams? Still bonding over family history?"
"Yeah," Bonnie laughed slightly. "The women in our family sure do have some stories to tell," and spells to teach, but Bonnie wasn't ready to let that slip yet. It was one thing to mention that her Grams thought they were witches, another entirely to say she was practicing witchcraft.
"That's great…" Elena trailed off as she caught sight of Stefan. They locked eyes, staring deep into each other's souls for what seemed like forever but was only until Bonnie grabbed Elena's attention again.
"Yeah, it's fun, anyway. You want to do something this weekend? Forget about witchy grandmas and boys and maybe have a picnic by the Falls?"
"That sounds amazing," Elena sighed. "A nice afternoon tea with some muffins and hot cocoa and a view of the sunset."
Bonnie hummed. "I should bring my camera. I always say I'm going to, but I've yet to actually take a nice photo of the Falls. That time of day would look awesome."
"It's a plan, then," Elena nodded decisively. "Saturday afternoon. I'll meet you at the Falls?"
"I'll bring the hot cocoa. You're in charge of muffins," Bonnie grinned cheekily. "Try not to poison us."
"Hey!" Elena laughed as they finally walked into their classroom.
Bonnie's smile immediately died at the sight of Lia staring at her, a slight smirk on her face as she fiddled with the amulet that still hung around her neck. Her nerves came back full force.
Lia was barely containing her grin. She so loved keeping the little witch on her toes, watching her skitter along like a panicky rabbit. Her heart was racing. She needed to be made of sterner stuff, like her Care was, if she was going to survive the big bad world of Supes.
"You look like you're attempting world domination and succeeding," Caroline sighed, resting her cheek on her hand. "Why must you torment my friends? As far as I'm aware, they haven't done anything to you."
"I'm not jealous," Lia frowned. "You can have all the friends you want."
Caroline tried to scoff but her giggle got in the way. "I never said you were jealous, O Ancient One."
Lia opened her mouth only to snap it shut as she realised that, yes, she had outed herself. She puffed out a breath through her cheeks. "Ok, fine, ugh, I don't like your friends and I actively go out of my way to dislike them. Is that what you want to hear? I know their flaws as well as I know my scales but I'm ignoring all of their positive traits because I don't want to like them."
Caroline blinked, raising an eyebrow at the super pout that decorated Lia's face. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the mermaid's hand, squeezing it tightly.
"You're my best friend. I will never let you go. I've already made that mistake and I refuse to play an encore. Besides," Caroline inspected the rings on her other hand with a nonchalance that couldn't hide her excitement. "My newly-acquired strength won't let anyone; especially not Bonnie or Elena, pry me away," Caroline's cocky smirk made Lia giggle, squeezing the hand back just as tightly. "I would appreciate it if you tried to get along with them. I don't like there being such a big divide between you guys. I hate that we can't all hang out together."
Lia released a slow breath, her fringe fluttering against the airflow. "I'll try, for you. Operation Be Nicer will have to wait until after my Bennett witch meeting, though."
Caroline's answering smile was the sun itself.
*TVDM*
Damon twirled his bourbon around the glass, keeping an ear out for the women he was to be meeting. He didn't bother to look up as a caramel thick shake was placed in front of him.
"You're a peach."
It took everything in him not to flinch.
"Seriously, how are you so silent?" he all but demanded, frustrated that he'd not heard a thing. "That's not normal."
"Uh," Lia raised an unimpressed eyebrow as she stirred her drink with her straw. "Pot, kettle, anyone?"
Damon rolled his eyes with a small growl as he downed his drink, quickly ordering another one before the pair headed over to an empty, out of the way booth. He sat down next to her; no way in hell he'd put himself next to a witch.
"You know exactly what I mean," Damon dropped his elbows on the table, one hand on his drink and the other holding his face as he turned to face Lia. "Even vampires can't affect the sound of the wind they disturb when they speed away. You have nothing."
Lia scoffed. "That's because vampires have no control over the elements."
Damon balked slightly at the information even as the pair turned toward the entering witches. Nothing could hide the smell of the magic that clung to them.
"What are you here for, vampire?" Sheila snarled, glaring their way as she held Bonnie behind her.
"Don't let your panties get twisted on my account," Damon relaxed arrogantly against the chair, throwing his arm across the back of Lia's side. "I'm the original deal-maker. I'm pretty sure that means I have every right to be here."
Sheila scowled as she finally let Bonnie go, sliding in after the younger Bennett and never taking her eyes off the dangerous duo across from her.
"We want that talisman," the elderly witch demanded, her gaze flicking to the pendant and back. "We are not leaving here without it."
Lia placed a hand on Damon's leg, shocking him into halting his angry tirade.
"You know, that's really disrespectful of you, Sheila Bennett," Lia stated calmly, though her eyes had started to glow ominously. "Your ancestor made a deal. Damon has held up his end of the bargain by making sure Emily's family line persevered. The proof is in the fact that you're alive, and you want to steal his payment?" Lia cocked her head to the side, examining the woman as if she were in a petri dish. "How do you plan on making sure you leave here with this amulet? Surely you didn't think your measly power would be able to take it by force?"
Sheila glared harshly at Damon who immediately felt the bursting blood vessels in his brain. He groaned softly as he bent over his drink, gripping his head tightly. "Do you think your brother will fold just as easily?"
Damon's pain instantly stopped just as Sheila Bennett's started shrieking.
Panicked, Damon looked around to see that no one was paying them any kind of attention, still conversing, laughing, ordering, eating and not looking their way at all. He looked over at the younger Bennett, listening to her beg Lia to stop with tears in her eyes that soon started spilling onto and over her cheeks.
And then he looked at the older Bennett.
Her face screamed pain while her eyes begged mercy. Damon could hear a symphony of breaking and mending bones, watched as parts of her arms and joints of her fingers twisted and bent in ways they weren't meant to, correcting themselves near-instantly just to break all over again. He could smell blood but he couldn't see it; the inflicted wounds either healing too fast or the bleeding internal. Watched as an eyeball burst and teeth fell out before her face was completely healed. It was like watching 'Augustine's Greatest Hits' in instant replay. All throughout the assault, however, Sheila's heartbeat remained strong and steady.
It wouldn't do for the message to kill its receiver.
It ended as abruptly as it started. Sheila's body was trembling from the onslaught of agony it had just underwent, her granddaughter just as shaky from fear. Damon kept his face remarkably blank for the sheer disbelief that radiated through his being.
Holy shit.
Lia sat, beautiful as ever, her hand still on his thigh as if grounding him. She wore the sweetest of smiles even as her glowing emeralds condemned the old Bennett for daring to mention her brother.
"I don't respond well to threats, Ms Bennett. I hope you won't try again."
Sheila couldn't even look at the woman, scared out of her wits. She knew it would be risky, but she hadn't expected the woman to wield magic.
Things were so much more dangerous now.
Bonnie wished to be somewhere else. She wished that her grandmother hadn't changed her mind about the talisman; that she'd waited until they got it back after Lia was done with it. This was scary and she didn't like it and she just watched her Grams lose an eye and regrow it and she wanted to go home!
"Now that we're all on the same page," Lia removed her hand from Damon, grabbing her shake and taking a sip. "If you try to take the talisman before it has served its purpose, Damon will no longer be obligated to protect Emily's family and, therefore, you will find yourselves dead as soon as you let your guard down. I would be cautious, if I were you," Lia forced the witches heads up telekinetically, ensuring their eyes met to relay her seriousness before turning her attention back to her shake while keeping an invisible hold on the Bennett's. "You were a hairsbreadth away from making a very powerful enemy today. I, Kaliope Sirena Athánatos, will remain neutral in all things Bennett – for now. If you try anything like that again, you will find yourselves at my mercy." Lia pushed her drink away so she could lean across the table, her features turning sharper, her eyes piercing. "Trust me when I say; when it comes to those I love, I have none to give."
Finally being released from the oppressing hold, Bonnie sucked in a gasp and frantically nodded her agreement, her trembling limbs working overtime to help her Grams out of the booth and practically carry her out of the Grill. Lia smiled as she pulled her drink closer, humming in satisfaction.
"I'm so glad I asked you for a thick shake. It would be warm by now if it was a simple milkshake."
"You're kind of terrifying, you know that?" Lia just smiled as Damon downed the rest of his bourbon before calling a waiter for another one. Or, tried to. He rolled his eyes as he stood, heading to the bar to order another round. When he'd returned, Lia had just sent a server away with her order, smirking at the unimpressed vampire who dropped into the seat across from her.
"You want to tell me what you are, yet?" Damon's head lolled to the side as he observed his little mystery.
"Bored, mostly," Lia sighed. "I'm also sad. I miss Slater, I want to hang with Loren but he's tied up in the council business since someone stole the compass," there was no escaping the pointed look.
"Wait," Damon leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "You have an in on the council?"
Lia scoffed, briefly thanking the server who'd returned with her slice of Malteser cheesecake. "Of course. I may be new to this game, but I'm not a dolt. I make it my business to know where I am, who I'm surrounded by and what the dangers are. My people are extremely efficient," Lia admitted smugly.
It was Damon's turn to scoff. "What; a brother that's obviously not yours biologically, and two angsty teens? Your crack team is full of humans!"
"Uh, first of all, rude," Lia frowned as she flicked his forehead. His eyes watered as he desperately pressed his palm against the pain, breathing through gritted teeth. "Secondly; my Loren is already on the council, Care Bear is the sheriff's daughter and the most socially active person in this town, Slater is my very own Ravenclaw Research Powerhouse and Mimi is a Gilbert with nifty little journals I've already read," her eyes gleamed mischievously and her smile held too many teeth. "Sorry, not sorry about foiling your backup plan BTW. Emily was quite the inventor."
Damon took a calming breath in through his nose and downed his bourbon when that didn't work. He forced a chuckle as he watched Little Snow slurp up the rest of her shake after polishing off her cake.
"You know, you have to be the most attractive eyesore I've ever met. Why are you so determined to insert yourself into my agenda?" Damon leaned forward, a suggestive smirk dancing across his face. "Coming to me when you found the talisman? Finding the witchy cookbook? Coming to my defence against the Bennett's? Admit it; you're in my corner. You like me."
Lia laughed. "Ripping my fingernails off sounds for fun sounds more likely than me having any positive feelings toward you. I have my own reasons for making sure this succeeds."
Damon's eye twitched as the stunning creature bounced out of her chair.
"I'm growing on you."
"No, you're trying to latch on but you just keep slipping off," Lia's small grin faded as she faced Damon fully, eyes serious. "You're too much of a contradiction to keep as a friend, Damon. You obviously have loyalty; you prove your loyalty to your Sire by being here, but what happened with Enzo? Where was your loyalty then?" Lia asked seriously.
Damon wanted to tell her to go to hell but his throat was too dry. His vision started to blur around the edges and bleed red while his lungs fought to take in air. Distantly, he heard a glass break.
A beautiful melody started to play, so beautiful that Damon unconsciously calmed down so that he could hear over the sounds of his ragged breathing.
He slowly became aware of his surroundings. The other diners were once again ignoring their table. His glass was in pieces on the table, some shards coated in blood. Lia was lying under him in the booth, his hands were around her throat and squeezing, yet she easily sang her soothing song, her hands carding through his hair as she looked him in the eye. He watched his hands release the girl, leaving no mark on the flawless skin bar the smear of blood from his own hand. He slowly climbed off her, dropping into the seat and just staring at his blood-stained, trembling palm like it was a new species of bacteria. Lia easily lifted herself into a sitting position, unnecessarily smoothing down her perfect hair before waving her hand, instantly making the blood on her neck and his hand disappear. Damon blinked in dispassionate surprise, his gaze finding his other hand at the feel of Lia holding it between her own.
"You're free, Damon Salvatore."
Damon's hackles raised immediately.
"You're a shrink, aren't you?" Damon rolled his eyes as he reached for his drink, only to cluck his tongue at the sight of the broken glass. "Not a vampire or a witch or whatever; no, you're a Super Psychologist, thinking you can ride in on a sunset and save the night, one emotional vampire at a time."
"You caught me," Lia deadpanned. "The jig is up. Whatever shall I do now that my cover is blown?"
"Leave the talisman and hightail it out of town," Damon replied immediately.
"And here I thought you wanted to grow on me," Lia snarked.
"I've changed my mind. You need a warning label. 'Caution: Will attempt to crack you open and bare your soul. Proceed at your own peril.'"
Lia huffed, frustratedly tugging at the ends of her hair. "You can't keep repressing, Damon," Lia vanished from the bench. The vampire instantly turned, his tense shoulders relaxing minutely as he found her standing at the end of the table. "Someday, very soon, something is going to catch up with you and you'll need to be strong. You can't brush the hurt aside forever; that's weakness. You need to accept it and move on from it."
"Oh, I do, do I? I don't know, it's been working out for me so far," Damon stood, tossing a few extra dollars on the table for the broken glass. "I think what I really need is to grab Katherine and put as much distance between us and you as possible." Damon booped her nose for added effect.
Lia scoffed. "Oh, please, running from me isn't going conquer your demons."
"No, but it will keep them nice and buried," Damon rolled his eyes, throwing an arm over her shoulder as they exited the building. "If you were human, Little Snow, I would have eaten you by now."
Lia sighed as she came to a stop, looking at Damon who had turned to face her. "Sort yourself out, Damon. It's gonna be a rough week ahead for you and you can't afford to lose it like that again. Not in a town with an anti-vamp council. I won't be around to hide you all the time, you know."
Lia vanished and Damon was left wondering what kind of bullshit, ominous, riddle-like warning that was while desperately trying to ignore the chill that ran down his spine.
*TVDM*
"Will you be OK?" Bonnie asked for what seemed like the millionth time since they'd returned home. The sun had set and the moon was high but both women were too wired to sleep, though Sheila's body was exhausted.
"I'll be fine, child," the woman murmured, drinking deeply from her glass once more. "I made a mistake. She sent a message. I won't die; she made sure of that."
"It was so scary," Bonnie whispered, her eyes clenching shut as she tried to will away the images that played over and over. "The ways your body bent…"
"I'm fine, Bonnie."
The pair descended into silence once more.
It wasn't until the clock chimed 10 that Bonnie spoke again.
"I don't think I like this world, Grams."
"It's not always so dark, child. You need to learn what you can to protect yourself, but you don't ever involve yourself with vampires or her, do you understand me, Bonnie?"
Bonnie looked her grandmother in the eyes, seeing the raw fear and the grim seriousness as plain as day.
"OK," Bonnie gave a shaky nod. "Ok, I'll keep learning. Not for anyone else but myself."
Grams smiled, her pride in her granddaughter clear as day.
"Now, this old woman needs her sleep. Have a normal day tomorrow, relax, have fun. Forget about what happened today."
"Kind of asking the impossible, Grams," Bonnie rolled her eyes as she also stood from her chair, turning to give Sheila a gentle hug. "But, I'm planning on going to the Falls tomorrow afternoon with Elena to have a picnic."
"Good, good," Grams gave her one last squeeze before shuffling slowly for her bedroom, but not before grabbing a bottle of Makers Mark.
Bonnie didn't even blink at the sight of the nightly beverage this time.
*TVDM*
"Atlas Coffee, you say?"
Greta nodded as she watched the powerful being inspect one of the crystals she'd traded for the daylight rings those few months ago. It was the best find she'd ever made, and probably ever would. She'd been running from her father for months, constantly having to battle his tracking spells while staying as many steps ahead of him as she could. Jonas Martin had already sunk his talons into her brother. She'd, regretfully, had to leave him behind. She wanted freedom. She didn't want to be weighed down by the chained that the doctor had tried to bind her with. Magic was supposed to be free, not restrained.
"A half hour drive from Charlottesville, Virginia," Greta smirked as she cocked her hip and crossed her arms. "They resist everything. Tracking spells don't work, offensive spells don't work, nothing sticks."
"Fascinating," Klaus muttered as he raised an eyebrow at his warlock. "Thoughts?"
Maddox held the other gem in his hand, inspecting it with an expression other than complete apathy before looking at the Original. "Atlas Coffee is only 20 minutes outside of Mystic Falls," was all the stoic man offered before going back to the grimoirespread in front of him to try find any mention of the curious crystal.
"Ah, home sweet home, ay?" Klaus sighed, cocking his head as he looked out the window of their penthouse apartment situated in New York, his fingertips still twirling the gem between them. "I haven't been back there in years."
"It lies on a very potent ley line," Greta stated as she circled the couch, coming to stand at Klaus' side. "If something was responsible for its creation, we might have some luck finding it there. Worst case, the girl might be from there."
"Yes, this girl," Klaus clenched the crystal in his fist, looking down at his newly-recruited witch. "What do you think of her?"
"I don't know," Greta admitted. "I didn't get a reading from her. She's inhuman, though. She has to be with eyes like those," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else in the room.
"I'm looking forward to finding out what she knows," Klaus grinned, showing too many teeth to be pleasant. "Greta, get our affairs in order. We'll leave for Richmond on Tuesday. Maddox, make sure my siblings are ready for transit."
The two magic practitioners nodded, Greta immediately snatching the crystal from the warlock before whipping out her phone while Maddox, as stone-faced as ever, grabbed his jacket and left for the warehouse the Original family was currently housed in.
Klaus held up the teardrop once more, admiring it in a way that mortal eyes simply couldn't. He wanted to transfer the image to canvas, but feared that even he would not do it justice.
He smirked slightly as he slipped the precious jewel into his pocket, planning on making a necklace out of it. It would be tested to the extreme in his care, he was sure.
*TVDM*
"Oh, yeah. This is just what the doctor ordered."
Bonnie and Elena were stretched out on their picnic blanket, enjoying the last rays of warmth after finishing their food and drink.
"It's nice; I feel like I'm putting the world on pause. Like I can do everything in my own time here. I don't have to think about Stefan, I don't have to remember my parents are gone, I don't have to worry about Jeremy or feel guilty that Jenna is trying so hard and I've been pushing her away. I feel like I have time to sort through everything out here."
"It's the lack of technology," Bonnie nodded sagely. "The internet makes everything seem like it has to happen now because we get impatient if a web page takes more than a second to load."
Elena laughed. "Modern technology has ruined us all, huh?"
"Oh, yeah," Bonnie nodded emphatically. "No one was rushing around when they had to look through text books, were they? That was a leisurely read. Now? We need directions to that pizza place now because we're seconds away from cracking the cancer cure!"
The girls giggled before they sighed, closing their eyes and just listening to the rush of water.
"Pizza sounds good," Elena groaned, rolling onto her side just in time to watch the sun sink below the horizon. "I wonder what Jenna has planned for dinner."
"I might have to get Dad in on that action," Bonnie laughed, hoisting herself up.
"He's back?" Elena asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Bonnie sighed. "He wasn't expecting to be back until tomorrow but he caught an earlier flight.
"That will be nice," Elena offered, knowing how close the father and daughter weren't.
Bonnie only smiled as they folded the blanket, Elena tucking it into the basket she'd brought along that had held the muffins while Bonnie threw the thermo and 2 plastic cups in her plastic bag. The girls shared a few more words before going to their respective cars.
Elena sighed happily as she threw her basket in the backseat. She closed the door and paused, hearing movement behind her. Concerned, she looked over her shoulder, prepared to call out and see if Bonnie was alright.
Her voice caught in her throat.
A man stood just in the tree line. He was covered, head-to-toe, by the black trainers, track pants and hoodie he wore.
Elena spun back to her door, reefing it open and slamming it shut, locking it immediately. Her whole body felt like jelly, adrenaline spiking through her as she tried to make her fingers cooperate long enough to get the damn key in the ignition.
Elena sobbed a breath of relief, throwing the car in reverse and switching her lights on. She faced the front as she put it in drive and screamed.
He was right in front of her.
Tears streaking across her cheeks, Elena slammed the accelerator on, dodging the man that just stood there and heading straight home. Her eyes kept darting from mirror to mirror, making sure she'd left him behind. She breathed deeply, pushing past the tightness in her chest, forcing herself to calm down before she reached her street.
Shaken but no longer hysterical, Elena made it home in a record 10 minutes. She flew out of the car, not caring for the picnic basket, opening the thankfully unlocked door and slamming it shut behind her. She leaned against it heavily, swallowing around the lump in her throat as her heartrate slowed to a steady thump.
"Elena?"
"Yeah, just me, Aunt Jenna!" she called, running a hand through her hair and pasting on a smile. She turned around to lock the door when, through the door's glass, she saw the man not 3 feet away.
Flinching violently and desperately trying not to scream and attract the other inhabitants of the house, Elena stumbled up the stairs and into her bedroom, running for the window and making sure it was locked before slamming the curtains closed. Her unseeing eyes darted around the room, pupils blown, as she raced through pointless ideas on what to do.
Her hands trembled as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.
There really was only one option.
The phone rang twice before he picked up.
"Elena."
"Stefan," she sniffled wetly, her next words falling with her sob. "I need you."