Hello everyone,
So here's this chapter, with a spent writer finally done writing and editing it. It's a beast-nearly 11 thousand words, making it the longest for this story to date, right? I can't remember anymore; I'm too tired. *Yawns*
If there are any mistakes, I'm sorry. There probably are even though I've been through the document about three times.
fYou guys might hate me for the end of this chapter, but just trust me, okay? :) This is where the action speeds up a little, things are heating up and getting serious now. I hope you all enjoy as much as I am, and are excited as I am, too.
By the way, I finally got all the chapters planned out with their songs and everything-45 and one epilogue, making it 46 all together!
My hands are killing me.
Links to pictures are on my profile...
This once again has not yet gone through Chandrakanta for a polish but I added nearly 2000 words in the editing process today.
Enjoy this and I'll see you below...
Chapter 7 ~ Fly
The next week flew by and things were strange in the mansion the Mikaelsons and Bella were calling home on a temporary basis. Bella and Klaus were recovering from the drama over the kiss, but an almost unnoticeable distance had formed between the two.
"Niklaus," Elijah said one morning as he broached the subject over a breakfast the two were sharing. Bella was asleep in bed, and Klaus had left her to sleep undisturbed—odd in itself, really, as a week before he would have waited for her to awaken before leaving the room or even getting dressed for the day.
The blond hybrid in question sighed and looked away, his jaw locking as he guessed from his older brother's tone what he might be about to ask. It was a subject he wasn't very interested in and the glare he sent the brunet's way gave that impression.
Nevertheless, Elijah had never been one to back down from his younger brother, and as such did not heed his warning. He fiddled with the tablecloth atop the table they were sitting at, eyes following his movements though he glanced up once when he was speaking. "I have noticed that Bella and yourself have maintained a distance since what happened… I was merely going to ask why that might be. I had thought that the two of you were getting along better, that Bella had in some way explained her reaction?"
"She did," Niklaus replied in that tone of his, the haughty, above-the-topic-of-conversation one he so often used with others. It was often in matters such as these that he used it, when he was so emotionally invested he felt the need to remove himself from the situation. Elijah knew it well from the centuries of dealing with a vampire Niklaue trying to remove his curse. "And yet the distance has indeed maintained, Elijah. I thought you were above pointing out the obvious." He rose an eyebrow, cocking his head just slightly, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.
Elijah allowed his own smirk to take over-two could play at this game, and they had played it for centuries-and settled back into his chair, hands gesturing in an almost surrender. "All right, Niklaus. There is no need for that. All I was going to say was that you should approach her. There is no harm in trying. You have opened up so much to her, I worry about you and this distance. It cannot be good for either of you, nor the connection you share or indeed the one she shares with Edward Cullen."
Klaus snarled, eyes flashing, and nostrils flaring as he glared at his brother with even more heat. "I never said that I was maintaining a physical distance from my mate, brother. In fact, dare I say it, I have almost never let her out of my sight. I know how vulnerable she is to that bastard's whims and I would never allow harm to befall her on my watch."
Elijah did not even flinch as he replied steadily, "I never said that either, brother." He sat forward in his chair, a touch of concern alighting his features. "If you wish to talk, Niklaus, I am here for you." His voice had lowered, his tone matching the concern his brother could see in his eyes.
The sigh Klaus released was heavy as he looked toward the door beyond which Bella lay sleeping. "I can feel the struggle inside her," he began, his voice quieter now and his brow furrowed even as his jaw still clenched in tandem with his fist on his thigh. "Almost as if it were my own, I can feel the connection between us… she is close to giving in."
"That is good, brother," Elijah said with a small smile.
His brother unblinkingly turned his gaze back upon the older. His entire countenance grew darker, the pain of thoughts Elijah knew not of which were haunting him clear in Niklaus's eyes. "Is it?" he asked in monotone, and Elijah's brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to reply, sitting forward once again in his chair when the door slammed open and both looked to whom caused the disruption.
"Kol," Klaus said in greeting. He almost rolled his eyes; of course his brother had to make such a theatric entrance. Kol had been on cloud bloody nine the past week, the best mood any of them had ever seen him in and indeed for so long. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" he continued, his voice still haughty and Elijah had a feeling they'd all be seeing quite a bit of that today. He sighed to himself, the sound muted.
It seemed their youngest brother's good mood had survived another night as the brother in question swaggered to a chair, in high spirits with a large grin on his face as he sat down and looked between the two older of his siblings. Behind them, Rebekah had appeared at the door, a raised eyebrow at Kol's countenance signaling to the seated that Kol had something to share and Rebekah knew not what it was.
"It's a fine morning," Kol replied, "not a cloud in the sky, not a hallucination in sight. Now when I think of killing something, I am not overwhelmed by guilt at Jeremy Gilbert's death. I must say it's good to be back."
All three of the other Mikaelsons shared alarmed looks, Rebekah appearing in the seat across from Kol. They watched as their brother ate, now back to his normal self, all the while grinning from ear to ear. The dark mischief in his eyes told them that he had plans for later that day, but they hadn't it in them to worry about those, especially with his earlier words ringing in their ears.
"What do you mean, Kol?" Rebekah asked, biting the bullet and beating her other brothers to the punch. If his hallucinations, hell, if all his symptoms were gone then that could mean just one thing… but it was, to be sure, quite impossible and far too soon for that to be so, surely.
Kol chuckled. "I mean, dear sister, I have not had one hallucination in two days and I am itching to kill something. It's fantastic." He took a bite of his toast, and watched his siblings with amusement as they regarded him, brows furrowed with worry. "It seems finding my mate's location has done well for me. The curse is lifted."
Klaus and Elijah shared a look before Elijah turned to their youngest brother. "Kol, finding your mate has not caused this. It would have lessened the symptoms, not erased them entirely. There has to be something else… it's impossible for another hunter to have awakened already; it's barely been a month."
"Indeed it is," Klaus contributed with a raised eyebrow, "unless one is already needed."
Rebekah's brow furrowed. "But why would they be? Silas has been defeated, has he not?" She looked to Kol for an answer, and he nodded, now much quieter as the solemnity of the situation hit him and he thought for a moment.
"Could it possibly have something to do with us?" he asked after the four of them had been sitting in silent contemplation for a few minutes.
"Can't say," Klaus said, almost in a trance as his mind raced. If a threat was so dire that a hunter had already been found so soon after Jeremy's death to replace him, then he was quite certain it had to be because of them. But then again, perhaps the Cullens had been smarter than they had thought-they could have woken a hunter in an attempt to eliminate the Mikaelsons and get to Bella. Both possibilities greatly troubled him, and either way, this meant that protection would need to be heightened… he couldn't risk anything now, even more so now, with Bella.
His thoughts were panicked for a split second before his eyes flew to the chest of drawers across the room in remembrance. His siblings had noticed his inner struggle and watched as he whooshed to the drawers in question and pulled open the bottom draw. They heard the sounds of Klaus moving things about and then watched as he lifted the bottom board. Seconds later, his hand reappeared and the draw was closed as he walked back over to the table, his eyes now studying an item their seeking eyes could not find purchase on.
He sat at the table, his hand curling into a fist around the object as he looked to each of his siblings and brought that same hand onto the table. There, he unclenched it, and the clang of metal hit their ears as their eyes fell to the Gilbert ring and understanding lit all three Mikaelsons eyes.
"You'll give it to her," Kol stated, his gaze moving from the ring on the table to his brother. "What of the risks involved?"
Klaus shook his head, and explained what Kol had missed from one of their first meetings after he'd left the room. "Elijah has informed me of his suspicion that the shield protecting Bella from the gifted Cullens' tricks should help protect her mind from the side effects. I'm inclined to agree with him. That shield of hers is strong." An admiring smile graced his features as he looked down at the ring sitting on the table; the one thing that could protect her best in his stead. No matter what happened to her, it would keep her alive-or being her back-if it remained on her finger.
Kol and Rebekah looked at one another as one brother continued with his thought pattern while the other sipped his tea and finished his breakfast. With things the way they seemed to be turning and this new foreboding sign of threat, the two of them were determined that they'd help Bella and they knew Klaus would most likely be unable to aid her in developing skills of self-defense, incapable of teaching her in the way she needed. That was their job, they decided, sharing a nod before turning back to their own breakfast.
The Mikaelsons finished the food on their plates in silence, though Klaus had lost his appetite in lieu of thinking about just what had to occur now. When Elijah got up from the table to leave, he spoke to the three of them. "We are going to increase protection here, starting with the wards." He looked to Kol, knowing his relationship with the witches was strongest. "I want the most powerful witch in the quarter working on those wards this afternoon—no vampire or cold one should be able to enter these grounds without us being notified as well in advance as possible."
Kol nodded and stood, whooshing out of the room and indeed the house as fast as possible, heading to the part of the quarter he knew witches were bleeding from. He would need to work his best Mikaelson charm on the new generation of witches but it was worth it.
Klaus turned to the two remaining, in particular at first to Elijah. "Go after Kol, make sure he doesn't do anything rash. I'd rather you send him straight home afterwards. Also, I know that you have plans in town today; I want you to be vigilant. Keep your eyes open for anyone following you, Elijah, and tell me immediately but do not alert them to the fact that you know. I want you to garner as much information as you can without giving away too much of your own. Just to be on the safe side, after today, there are to be no more visits into town if it can be helped."
Elijah nodded, grabbing his phone from the table and leaving though at a much slower pace than his youngest alive brother. It was once he was out of the house that Klaus at last turned to Rebekah, who was already waiting and watching for him to speak. "I want you to be with Bella as much as you can; you'll be with her when I am otherwise occupied. She is not to be left alone for even a second, understood?"
"Yes, brother," she replied with a small smile. She stood from the table, walking to the door before turning. "Do I begin surveillance now?"
Klaus rolled his eyes. Rebekah could be so bloody insolent. "No, not yet."
She nodded and left Klaus sitting there at the table, his thoughts now turning inward. His fingers curled around the ring, twirling it on the table and then catching it over and over.
The sound of rustling from the door into the bedroom broke him out of his thoughts some thirty minutes later and Klaus looked up, caught the ring, and pocketed it, a soft smile curving his lips as he saw Bella's sleepy form appear at the door. "Hello, love."
She hummed and came closer, sitting in the chair Kol had used before. She curled up on it, resting back against the chair as her thin arm reached forward to pile her plate with a small collection of fruit. She never ate much now in the mornings once Klaus had informed her he wouldn't be forcing her to eat if she didn't wish to. He'd realized her need for that when she'd been piling her plate and then looking toward Klaus before she would eat, only doing so once he had smiled or nodded to her.
As if Niklaus needed another reason to want to see Edward Cullen burn to ash.
Klaus watched Bella as she ate and waited for her to finish before he chose to speak. She had just finished and was about to get up and leave the room, perhaps find Bekah—any time apart the past week since their friendship had begun was scarce and Bella found herself truly enjoying the female Original's company.
"Bella," Klaus called softly, his hand once again a fist on the table, the other on his lap as he cocked his head and gazed at her.
She turned around and looked at him, swallowing as nerves rose in her chest and, unconsciously, her teeth ensnared her bottom lip. Klaus smiled and gestured for the chair she just occupied. "Please sit, love," he asked of her.
She hesitated for a moment before wordlessly moving to do as requested. She curled up in it much like before, an unsettled furrow in her brow as she rested her hands on her knees and eyed her mate. "Is something wrong?" she asked, voice so soft he wouldn't have heard without his enhanced hearing.
He smiled a right smile. "Not quite. It seems that my brother's curse has lifted."
Bella's featured colored with relief and she smiled wide. "That's great!" she enthused, tone sweet. "He must be so happy, all of you must be."
"We would be," Nik replied, "if it weren't for the fact that it has come far too early. My brother assumed it was his mate who cleared him of his ailment however this is incorrect. The only thing that could fully release him from the curse's influence is the awakening of the next hunter."
Bella was confused, Klaus could tell, and so he continued, leaning forward. "The curse traditionally is designed to drive the vampire who killed the hunter to death. It deters the race from killing them. Once affected, the curse drives you with guilt and hallucinations of your past victims, including the hunter themselves, to death. Only the strongest can overcome it. The only way the impact is lessened is by the vampire's mate, and the strength of such is determined by the stage of the connection. Kol's curse was lessened by the pull to his mate, which slowed it, but then his mate's presence was needed. Finding her would have helped some, but the curse would not have been lifted; the only cure is a new hunter but they are rare. It isn't possible that another could be awakened so soon after the Gilbert boy's death unless he was greatly needed but the Brotherhood of the Five, as they call themselves, biggest priority is Silas, who was defeated even though they were originally created to kill vampires and hybrids. Therefore it is clear that there is more danger coming and my siblings and I are sure that we are the reason. Kill an Original and you kill their entire line."
Bella was quiet for several minutes as she processed the information. After a while, she spoke. "Why did Kol kill this Gilbert guy and who is Silas?"
Klaus looked down at the table, clenching his hand around the ring as the memories flashed behind his eyelids every time he blinked. Seeing his youngest brother's scorched body had hurt more than he could describe. Added to that, the impression he's left on Kol; that he was going to kill him. The guilt had wracked through him worse than any hunters curse could or had-and he'd experienced that himself.
"Silas was a powerful being from two thousand years ago," he began, voice low as he stared down at the table. "He was the first immortal, and had betrayed his witch, Qetsiyah, in lieu of the first Petrova doppelgänger, Amara, who was his mate and Qetsiyah's handmaiden. When this came to the witch's attention, she made Silas believe she had killed Amara. Silas tried to attack her but she used her magic to entomb him on a remote island for the next two thousand. She buried him and gave him the choice-take the cure she had created to his immortality, or rot as an immortal forever. To spite her, he chose the latter.
"Soon Qetsiyah became unsatisfied, especially when she realized that if he took the cure, he would be able to pass peacefully. So she created a special purgatory known as the Other Side for all supernatural creatures, binding it to Amara, needing something eternal who could never die so it would never fail. That way, he would never be reunited with his mate, instead having to spend eternity with her.
"Eventually, she died and joined the other side, forced to watch not only as Silas refused to take the cure but also the consequence of their immortality-nature created doppelgänger's who resembled them. They would find one another and fall in love for the next two thousand years. Two doppelgänger's survive today, both vampires-Elena Gilbert, Jeremy's sister, and Stefan Salvatore. But they are not mates; Elena is bound to Stefan's brother and as yet Stefan has not found his mate.
"Silas was supposed to be the most powerful witch of all time, and all witches knew of him; some worshipped, some feared. News got out that some were trying to wake him for the cure and my brother made it his mission to stop this as Silas wanted to destroy the Other Side to be reunited with his presumed-dead mate, Amara. This would bring hell on earth as all the dead supernatural creatures would be brought back to life. Kol meant well, and we all wanted the same thing, but he can be bloody insensible, so impulsive, and he was at his worst because he was scared. He came back to Mystic Falls and was shortly thereafter killed by Jeremy and his sister, the last Petrova doppelgänger, Elena."
Bella's eyes widened and remorse filled her eyes. Nik looked away again, hating the pity even if it was from her. "Dead? But—"
Klaus smiled bitterly. "Yes, quite dead. I was forced to stay in a room with his decrepit corpse for days. When it was over, Elijah took his ashes back to the manor to prepare to resurrect him. My siblings both vowed revenge but I stopped them; the days had calmed me enough to think, even with his body so close driving me insane. I told them that Kol would be the only one to seek retribution on the two for taking his life after we'd brought him back using the Bennett witch, Bonnie. The Bennetts are an incredibly powerful line of witches and one of the oldest, Qetsiyah being the first known of the line. It was only Bonnie who would be able to help us. She was reluctant at first, but…" He trailed off, a wicked smirk curling his lips as he looked down, nostrils flared and Bella knew that if he looked up into her eyes, they'd be dark and dangerous. She knew he would do anything for his siblings and thus she didn't quite want to know how he got the reluctant witch to agree.
"So you… you brought Kol back?" Bella prompted in a hushed voice. She wanted to reach for Klaus, to comfort him somehow, but she didn't know how best to do it. She knew he was the type to turn away from pity—as he'd see it—and possibly react harshly. She just didn't know, and that saddened her.
Klaus cleared his throat and looked up. "Indeed," he smirked, "suffice to say, he was quite shocked. My brother thought I hated him, that in some way we all did, and that we all only saw him as a nuisance. I cannot blame him; in a thousand years, I have daggered him the most though intermittently… only ever to protect him, sometimes from himself but most of the time from Mikael. Kol is theatric and his bloodlust rivals and, in some ways, bests my own. He drew too much attention and Mikael would find us. So when he was getting out of control, I would dagger him to keep him, and to keep all of us, safe. So that none of them would leave me, and I suppose in part because I feared betrayal, having experienced it so badly by my family's hand in the past." Klaus looked away, remembering with sadness how founded that fear had been one hundred years ago. He brightened, however, at the reminder that those days were behind them. Their relationship was building once more. "My hope was that we'd escape Mikael long enough for me to break the curse Mother and he had placed on me one thousand years ago when my true parentage had first been discovered. If I broke the curse, I would be able to deal with him and protect this family."
Bella watched her mate sadly, again longing to comfort him but knowing how. She bit her lip before blurting out in as soft a tone as possible, "I am sure they know that, Klaus."
He looked up at her, eyes glistening and jaw clenched, a frown marring his forehead. Bella's arms ached when he spoke, his voice gruff. "They are starting to understand, but no. They always thought it was just because of betrayal or resentment for one thing or another. Perhaps it was in part, but I knew it was my responsibility to protect this family. In this form, as a hybrid, I cannot be killed—they can. And besides, it was me that Mikael wanted. Not them. I was to blame for it all."
Bella shook her head. "Bullshit," she said, voice inflamed with passion and causing her mate's eyes to widen. "They wouldn't have abandoned you, Klaus; you're their brother. Ergo, Mikael would have had no choice but to kill them or otherwise, there would be no need to protect them."
"He would have used them to get to me," he muttered, eyes dark.
"Because they are important to you and because they were helping you," she said, insistent and leaning forward. She touched her hand with the tips of her fingers, grasping down on it when he tried to slip it away. She forced him to look in her eyes. "They know, Klaus, and they feel the same way. If you want to improve your relationship with Kol, then show him that you trust him. Actions speak louder than words, right? Allow him to run his own errands instead of sending Elijah after him." She raised an eyebrow and Klaus chuckled. She ignored it. "If something happens, he knows how to get ahold of you for help."
The grin fell from his face, and he shook his head. "I was too late and he died last time, Bella. I cannot lose my brother again."
"Bekah tells me he's being more careful," she said, "he's learned from his mistakes. He's maturing—he may never stop being more reckless, but he's better, right? And if you don't let him go in that way, your relationship won't get better—you want trust, you gain it by giving an example. I don't think after all the backstabbing your family has endured that you know the meaning of the word or have much experience with it. Just try it-forget about all the regrets of the past, of why you can't and just try. You'll be surprised by the results."
Klaus looked at his mature, insightful mate for moments longer before he gently took his hand from hers. She sighed as he pulled back and leaned away in his chair. "We are getting off course," he said, reaching for his pocket and clenching two items in his fist. "This was not what I wanted to speak to you about. I was telling you what happened so that you knew why I had to give you this."
Bella watched as her mate pulled his hand up onto the table and her eyes fell on a rock—at closer inspection, a wolf carved from blue stone. It was resting in his outstretched and open palm for Bella to look at before Klaus reached for her wrist. She held it out and Klaus looped the leather band around it, tying it securely. She turned her arm over as he retreated to gaze once more at the wolf. "It's beautiful," she murmured, sending him a smile and glance before her eyes were drawn back. "But I don't understand the correlation."
Klaus smiled, pleased that she liked the gift. He cleared his throat and leaned forward, his elbows on the table and palms meeting. "It's for protection. A wolf carved from a blue stone called lapis lazuli—the vampire stone we use for daylight rings so we don't burn. You'll notice a fair few of the kind have them. They are spelled by witches and protect the wearer."
"But I'm not a vampire?" she asked, looking at him again. She left out the 'yet' that her tone implied, and both of them bit back a smile.
"Indeed. However, at this stage it is more a symbol of claim and an object to ward off any who may harm you. A wolf carved in the vampire stone; it's a giveaway who your mate is and many know of my reputation and that of my family's. They'd have to be imbeciles to threaten or hurt you." He grinned wolfishly, though it turned darker when he continued, more into a smirk as his eyes glinted. His tone, as well, was darkened. "And if that doesn't deter them, in the event that something happens and I am not there to help you, I want you to wear this at all times," he told her, holding up a ring which he promptly placed in the palm of her hand. "Elijah took it from Jeremy Gilbert. If you were to die, it would bring you back as long as you were wearing it." He almost neglected telling her of the side effects, knowing she may not wish to wear it if she did know of them, but he did not want to seem at all comparable with Edward. So after a moment's hesitation, he continued. "There are some side effects-the ring can make the prolonged wearer become crazy and even experience black outs after which you'll not remember any of your actions-however we believe that the shield that protected your mind from the Cullen gifts will work to aid you in this instance as well."
Bella looked at the ring for a moment then back at Klaus. She was pleased that he did tell her the risks even though she knew he didn't want to in case she didn't wear it. However, unlike the Cullens, she trusted him and thus she smiled and slipped the ring onto her left thumb, the opposite hand to the one on which she had the wolf pendant.
"Thank you," she whispered and they shared another smile. He nodded after a moment. "Will this work against the Cullens?"
"It works against any supernatural creature," he confirmed. "Though I don't think you'll have much trouble with the Cullens for a while, love. Before we left Mystic Falls, my siblings compelled the town; they know nothing of our existence even if that mind reader should access their thoughts, and this have no idea where we were going. We told no one. In addition, we also placed quite a few false leads to intercept and distract the dear coven in the thoughts of random people—I am sure they will overlook it the first time and then come back after some time and that is when they'll uncover that information." It was just Caroline, Stefan, and Damon who had not been compelled at that stage, as they had been out of town or in the case of the Salvatore brothers, quite busy with a grieving Elena, Klaus imagined. He smirked at the thought.
Bella looked down and swallowed, quite blown away at the thought of what his siblings had done for her so soon after finding her. "Thank you," she whispered, unable to think of what else there was to say.
Klaus nodded again, then stood and came closer. He kissed her cheek, taking in the blush of her skin and the skip of her heart as he did so. His smile broadened and he walked to the door. "If you wish to find me once you're dressed, love, I'll be painting."
Bella sat in her chair, breathing just a little harder and quicker, her heart thudding in her chest and her cheek tingling from his kiss. She grabbed her water, blinking out of her trance, and downed it in one before taking a deep breath.
God, how does Nik do that? she thought to herself, calling him by the name she only used in her thoughts as she got up on shaky legs to go the bedroom to shower and change.
~TPOL~
Kol looked up as Elijah entered the room and sighed, irritation building as he looked back to the witches and growled, stepping toward them. The angry glint in his eyes had the witches stepping back and one raised her hands, ready to send an aneurysm his way.
He was undeterred as he muttered darkly, "What do you mean you won't help us?"
The oldest glanced at the newcomer—she recognized him as the oldest surviving Mikaelson and thanked the spirits. He'd be able to rein in his brother. She spoke. "We mean that we can't; the ruler of this city has forbidden the use of magic in the quarter and has the most powerful of us under his heavy guard. She knows when we use magic and she tells him. We are punished for it."
Elijah stepped forward, eyes narrowed in contemplation and suspicion. "Why would she betray fellow witches to a vampire?" Witches hated the species, as an abomination of nature, the thing they held so dear.
The witches shared looks, and this time it was a pretty dark-skinned witch who spoke, her tone cut with hatred as she glared at the elder. "Because she was supposed to be the fourth witch sacrificed in the Harvest Ritual. But the vampire came and saved her. Now unless she is returned to us, the souls of the other three are trapped and they'll stay dead."
Kol smirked. "That's a lie, darling. The elder has no intention of bringing any of them back. The girl was smart to get help."
"She didn't get help," the witch spat, his earlier words not registering, "I did but Marcel showed up too late and now the three other girls are—" It was then that the words he'd said caught up to her, and with wide eyes, she turned to the elder. The other witches followed suit, and soon there was a shouting match right in the center of the room.
Kol and Elijah shared a look, their eyebrows raised. Marcellus? Klaus's progeny? "I'm sure Nik will be delighted to hear about that," Kol murmured and Elijah grit his teeth. He turned to the witches and shouted for them to quiet, speaking once they did. "Why don't we strike a deal then? You help us and we will help you; the most powerful witch in this room will strengthen the wards this afternoon and in return you all will be granted protection from Marcellus and his witch."
"You don't understand," another witch said, looking between the two of them. "When we use magic we get killed. We can't risk that!"
Kol sighed hard, a hint of a growl coming through. His patience was starting to wear thin. He'd had enough of this. "I'm a Mikaelson, darling; nothing will deter me from getting what I want, nor will it for any of my siblings. If you want to be able to practice magic, you will help us; if not, I will kill every last one of you right here and now." Kol's hands clenched at his sides and he snarled, his entire countenance growing dark as he stepped forward, violence at the forefront of his mind.
"Kol," Elijah called softly in warning and the younger grit his teeth, breathing in and forcing a smile—one that sent shivers down every single witch's back—as he turned to face his brother.
"Nik wants—"
"Niklaus wants the most powerful witch available to strengthen the wards. He cannot do that if you slay every single one of them." His eyebrow was raised and head cocked before he tuned to them. "We will first have one complete the job. If it is not done as asked, the deal is void, and you can deal with them as you see fit." He turned to his brother. "Yes?"
Kol growled a low, "fine," and turned to the witches. "Do we have a deal?" he ground out.
"Fine," the older witch agreed and his eyes were dragged to her. "I will be there in the afternoon. I will bring the items needed."
Kol nodded then spun on his heel to leave. He continued to ignore the brother shadowing him until the man in question spoke.
"You know he does it with good intention," Elijah said, voice cool as he stopped just as Kol did.
Kol spun to face his brother, anger far clearer now as he growled. "The reason he sent me was because he knows I have a good rapport with witches, better than any of you lot. I would not jeopardize that. I'd prefer it if he didn't send you to babysit me while I perform my duties, Elijah."
"It's a habit," Elijah supplied, now in front of the fellow brunet. He bit back the words he longed to say about Kol's violent manner—that wasn't going to change and thus it was redundant to bring it up. His brother was already quite angry enough as it was. "Kol, he doesn't do this because he does not trust you—it's for your protection. A thousand years we have run from Mikael; he has not broken out of the mold that has created. Please calm yourself and see reason."
Kol glared up at him but Elijah remained unfazed, still gripping his shoulder until his youngest brother's jaw relaxed and the tension left his body. The glare slipped from his face and he even smirked mischievously. "What are you up to, Elijah? You're not headed back so soon, I take it?"
"Indeed not," Elijah confirmed with a nod. His hands slipped into his trouser pockets. "I have some errands to run in town. I shouldn't be long."
Kol nodded. "I'll be back at the house, then. Nik isn't going to be pleased, so I better get this over with. Plus, it's about time I get to know our new sister, don't you think?" He smirked and then blurred away from Elijah, who sighed and shook his head, raising his eyebrow as he continued down the street for some time. He kept an ear out and eyes peeled, noting quickly the presence of a vampire not quite out of range due east. He fired off a text to Niklaus and the reception of correspondence was prompt:
Walk around town for a bit and try to lose them before going about your tasks.
He continued along the road as told, pretending he was on a simple stroll through the town as he took in the sights. It was once he heard the presence leave that he took out his phone, a smile on his face as he dialed the number. He put it to his ear, the grin growing as she answered.
"Elijah?" she breathed, and he could hear the smile in her tone just as well as she heard his a moment later.
"Beloved," he sighed. He felt his being calm for the first time since last they spoke, the pain in his chest disappearing. "It is good to hear your voice."
"And yours; I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten me," she replied, dryly.
He chuckled, looking down the road as he crossed it. "I could never," he purred and she giggled. The sound warmed him and he closed his eyes, letting the contentment bathe him for a moment. God, how he missed her. "There is so much to tell you," he said, his voice quiet and yet happy at the same time.
"Oh?" was the reply he received. "Am I going to be happy or upset?" Her tone was warning and he chuckled.
"I should hope you'd be happy to know that our separation will not last much longer," he informed her in a matter-of-fact tone, a smirk on his lips as he heard her breath stutter.
"Elijah," she breathed with passion and it set him alight.
"He has found her, beloved. The wait is over. It should not be too much longer before we can move forward and you can come to me—to stay, this time. No more secrets." His voice was rough and his eyes wet as he delivered the news in a low, rasping voice.
Her eyes welled at the information and she struggled with breath for a moment, a whimper escaping as she closed her eyes. She sniffled and then rubbed at the tears to push them away, emotion clawing at her throat. "You better be serious—"
"I am. One hundred present," he said powerfully. He looked around and sighed. He had spent long enough away from the house and knew he'd best get back before Niklaus sent a search party. He sighed. "I have to go. I will speak with you soon, beloved. I love you."
She sighed as well. The one thing she hated was that there was never enough time. "I love you, Elijah. Call me sooner rather than later, okay?"
He smiled, though the look was a touch sad now. "I will, my mate. I will."
She smiled and hummed at the sound of him calling her that, the possessive twinge in his voice. She loved it, being claimed, no matter how much she might say otherwise. And he knew it, too. "Good. Soon, Elijah."
"Soon," he echoed. "I can feel it," he said after a moment and he smiled when she replied quickly.
"So can I; always."
Then the line went dead. With a sigh, Elijah looked around and was efficient in performing his tasks before continuing back to the house. He was unknowing of the eyes that had watched him from a far enough away distance to be undetected.
Those same eyes haunted him back to the house, and it was once he was inside did the being turn and leave for his own dwelling. It was there that his phone rang and he answered, listening for the European accent on the other line. "Well?"
He swallowed. "I know where they are and yeah, I heard one of Klaus's brothers talking on the phone to some girl—" he left out the detail of her being his mate "—and he told her that Klaus had found his mate. I'm assuming it's this Bella girl you're interested in…?"
"You assume correctly," the European replied haughtily. "But not another word. Your next task is an ambush, tonight. Distract the Mikaelsons and I will come for the girl."
"Fine," he answered gruffly.
"Good… now if that is all?"
He grit his teeth, feeling his visage change. "I want to talk to her. Put her on the phone, now."
"You are in no position to be making threats—"
"Please," he spat, running his hand over his bare head. "Just let me talk to my mate, Demetri, so I know she's okay." His hand curled into a fist and he raised it to his chest, pressing it hard against the skin over his heart. He wanted to thrust his hand in and clench said organ in his fist just to relieve himself from some of the pain but he didn't when he heard a sigh and then, after a long moment of silence, her voice.
"Marcel?" she gasped, clutching the phone.
The vampire's eyes closed and he breathed in hard, pain disappearing. "Camille," he whispered, falling into the chair under his feet. "God, baby, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'll be fine," she replied, correcting herself as she knew he'd be upset when he came for her later to find her quite un-fine.
He winced. "I'll see you soon, okay? I love you."
"I love you, Marcel. Please be careful."
There was another moment of silence before the European's voice was back, his tone smug. Marcel wished he could rip the cold one's heart out of his chest, rip him to shreds and then burn the pieces. A damn pest, their kind was. "Is that all now?"
"Yes," he hissed and the phone cut dead. He growled and threw his phone into the wall, then gathered up his boys to let them know about the suicide mission he was sending them all on. He hoped that he would be able to find and reason with Klaus before he was killed. He had Camille waiting for him and that vicious bastard could have done god knows what to her.
He didn't want to go against the man who had raised him… but he would.
For her.
~TPOL~
Bella sighed as she lay back on the couch, thoroughly involved in the book in her hands. It was a newer book, crime fiction instead of the damn Jane Austen books Edward had tried to get her to read. She had once loved Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, but after Edward she found herself moving further and further away from classics.
She was alone in the house. Nik had just stepped outside with the witch to work on the wards, as she'd been informed when he left the painting room—it was the first time they had spent time in there together since the kissing debacle and it was nice. Things were different as they tried to grow accustomed to this new normal of theirs, but just now did Bella feel as though things were going back to the way they had been pre-kiss. She liked it.
Rebekah had gone missing; she hadn't seen her all day, in fact. She had wondered at this as it was the first time since they'd been here—though then again, it was also the first time Elijah and Kol had been able to leave the house. They'd still been practicing the same caution, at least until circumstances proved too dire for them to adhere any longer.
"I see your still avoiding my brother," she heard at her ear, Kol's breath cascading over her neck and cheek.
Bella jumped and turned quickly, slamming the book shut as she looked up at the cheeky Mikaelson. "Kol? I thought—I thought it would be—"
He smirked and blurred to the armchair across from her, plopping himself down into it. "Elijah? Bekah?" He chuckled. "Well, not so long ago and you would have been right. But things have changed." He grinned at her, the look almost wicked on him. She was coming to understand that this was just part of his character. "It seems I am the last to get to know my new sister and I thought it best to change that. Now." He sat forward and rubbed his hands together.
Bella rolled her eyes. "So you mean you were bored and 'needed entertainment?'" she asked, her eyes twinkling with mirth as she repeated his words from two years ago—Bekah had told her all about their time in Mystic Falls before meeting her. Then she turned serious. "And by the way, I'm not avoiding your brother. As a matter of fact, I spent the entire day with him. It was quite pleasant until he started throwing things about because he was pissed at you." She sent a pointed look at him.
Kol rolled his eyes but ignored the jab. "And yet you two are still walking around one another on egg shells. It was funny to watch the first few days; now it's boring," he informed her.
It was her turn to roll her eyes, and she was sarcastic when she spoke, eyebrow quirked. "And you're here to remedy that?"
His response was not one she had been expecting and it threw her for a loop when Kol leaned forward, the smirk falling off his face and the mirth in his eyes dimming. "I came to knock some sense into you."
Bella blinked. "Are you always so—"
"Handsome? Yes, darling, I assure you I am," he interrupted her without blinking, eyes once again twinkling as he cocked his head from one side to another, a smirk on his face. He leaned forward and stage-whispered, "though don't go telling Nik you think that. He'll get jealous."
She huffed, laughing as she threw the book down the table between them before sitting straight once more. "I was going to say 'are you always so chop and change?'—"
"He is," Rebekah answered her, and Bella turned to see the blonde at the door, grinning at the two of them as she came to sit down beside Bella on the loveseat. "You'll soon find that's all just a part of my dear brother's… charm." She side-glanced the man then back at Bella, her grin growing. "But I agree. It's been too much, this past week, watching the two of you. It's time we do something about it because apparently neither you nor my idiot brother will no matter how much you bloody want one another."
Bella blushed, looking down as she wrung her hands. She wet her lips and then looked between the two of them. "Out with it then," she said as firm as she could and the two Mikaelsons grinned.
"As you wish, darling," Kol supplied. He again glanced at his sister before looking back at Bella. "We can tell you want to be with Nik. So why not just go for it? I can tell you now that he won't refuse."
Bella sighed. "I'm not—"
Rebekah scoffed. "If you try to tell me that you're 'not ready' I will scream, Bella. That's bloody ridiculous. You and Klaus are both ready you're just too scared to bite the bullet without an extra… push. Which the two of us are more than happy to supply just to stop the pathetic, annoying glances the two of you send one another when you think no one is looking."
Bella's blush deepened and she sighed. "How do I know it's not just the bond?"
"Does it really matter?" Kol asked. "You can never know whether or not it's the bond. But my brother loves you, Bella, and you're both idiots to pass that sort of love up."
"Think of the bond as a security blanket," Bekah piped up and Bella turned to look at her. "That love between you will never lessen; if anything, it'll get stronger as the time passes. The mating connection was supposed to find us our one true mate, the perfect other half that would complement and further us in every aspect of our life. To make this life truly worth living, to make it meaningful." Bella almost missed the wistful, far away glaze that took over the blonde Original's eyes for but a moment before it was gone and she was grinning down at the human in front of her once more.
Bella heard their words but there was still a swarm of doubt inside her. "But—"
Rebekah was getting frustrated and it showed in her voice. "Bella, you are giving my brother the one thing he has never actually had from a woman; love—you are giving him love, even if he's too blind to see it. All you need to do is talk to him and show him to get him to see it. Then you'll see just how strongly he feels for you. You said you wanted more than what Edward could over you. There is more. As long as you have another breath left in your lungs and your heart finds its next beat, there's always more. And that more is with my brother, so go get it—go get him, Bella, and stop being so blood afraid! Take your own advice and just try," she urged her, raising an eyebrow as she referenced Nik and Bella's talk from this morning.
Kol just nodded in agreement when Bella looked to him. "You've heard the old adage, where there's a will, there's a way? Utter bullshit; where there is a will, it happens—even if you have to work to get there. And trust me, if this connection I am just beginning to understand and feel is anything like what you and Nik have, then it's worth it. It's worth everything." Bekah nodded along with his words, her thoughts in agreement even as she had to hide just how much she knew what he was saying to be true.
"But Edward… there's too much pain there. I don't know that I can do it all again, give myself to someone like this—so completely. It scares me. What if I'm not enough? I'm just some weak… and Nik's…" She was so consumed in her worries she didn't notice her slip, but the two siblings in the room did and they grinned at one another.
Kol got her attention by calling her name. "Bella, trust me. When I was human, I had magic—more than any of this lot had hopes of tapping into—and I loved it. The rush, the power, the feel of it running through your veins, the connection I felt. But when I turned, I lost that. I wanted to give up, but I knew that I couldn't. So I channeled the pain of losing that connection into something else. One thousand years later and here I am," he grinned and his next words made both girls roll their eyes, "more attractive than ever and a cheater of death itself." He turned serious again. "So take it from me when I say that you're not weak. The weak are broken and they give up. The strong break, give up, and then drag themselves up and build themselves back up piece by piece. Like I have done, like Nik has done, like you have done. Just as every single member of this family has had to do in the past millennium."
Bella sighed, quiet for a moment as she thought. "Let's not talk about this anymore," she said, shaking her head. "I don't want to think about all this." She grinned at them. "What's next?"
The two Mikaelsons grinned at one another, Bekah whooshing out of the room and reappearing a few moments later with a cup in hand. "Kol and I have taken it upon ourselves to train you in self-defense. Our brother would be completely unable to do so since he's so in love with you and wouldn't want to do what it takes to get you ready to at least have a chance against our kind." She glanced down meaningfully at the new jewelry she adorned. "Though I see his efforts aren't totally useless."
Bella smiled. "A carving of a wolf in lapis lazuli stone; he said any wolf or vampire would have to be an absolute idiot if that didn't deter them. And if it didn't, then I have the Gilbert Ring to protect me from death at a supernatural creature's hand."
"Quite right," Kol said with a nod. "Our brother has quite the infamous reputation, in fact the whole family does. A lot of the older vampires respect us and most of the supernatural world as a whole fear our mere name." His grin was wolfish and Bella giggled before turning to Rebekah.
"So you guys are teaching me—what?" she asked.
Bekah rolled her eyes. "First, we'd like you to take this—it's called vervain. It's an herb that'll ward off any vampire of our kind though it has burning properties that will affect a cold one as well. It won't affect you in any way and as Klaus's mate, it won't affect him either."
"Okay," Bella replied, taking the cup from the Original's hand and downing the vervain-infused water. "How often do I have to have that?"
"A cup or two a day, just in case," Kol supplied. "You never know how old the vampire may be. The older they are, the more resistant."
Bella nodded at the information. "Now what?"
Kol smirked, hopping up off the chair. Rebekah rolled her eyes but got up as well, gesturing for Bella to do the same. "Now, we go outside and play with some bats. I think we'll start you off with wooden, although those are very handy; smash them across a vampire's face and you have a weapon that turns into a stake. Jab it in their heart and they'll burst into flames."
Bella giggled and shook her head at Kol's exuberance, sending Bekah glances as the wily fox pulled her out of the room, his sister following after them to supervise. After Kol worked with her on the bats, Rebekah would help with hand-to-hand combat. "Best you not break the girl, Kol; I doubt Nik will take too kindly to that and you're already in hot water with him."
Kol growled and glares at his sister. "It's not my fault the witches couldn't deliver on his demands. Don't shoot the bloody messenger, especially since Elijah didn't approve of my preferred methods and wouldn't let me get the answers out of them—Nik's fault, by the way."
Bekah rolled her eyes. "Of course, Kol, it is Nik's fault that your 'preferred method' would have wiped the quarter of its witches. How could I forget?" she asked her brother, tone dry as she shared a look with Bella that sent the girl into a fit of giggles. Kol sighed hard, biting back another growl, but followed the two out into the backyard anyway.
It was time to have some fun and rid himself of some of his aggression.
~TPOL~
Later that night, well spent from hours' worth of training, Bella found herself in front of the piano again. She was trying to build up the courage to confront Klaus because she knew that Kol and Rebekah were right and that all she needed to do was bite the bullet and tell him how she felt. But there was just one thing she had to do first, and so she pulled out of her head the first song she had ever written about Edward; it was right when things were turning bad and she was starting to see the side of Edward she had never known existed.
This was a form of goodbye so she could move on with Klaus, letting go the last of the confusion and pain as best she could before starting anew.
Never mind the fact that by now everyone had returned and could hear her.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let the music pour from her heart, her fingers dancing over the keys and in her mind she could hear her imagined accompaniment. She didn't know that four Mikaelsons were at the door watching, listening to the song of falling in love with someone only for them to change completely the moment you did so and having to overcome that betrayal.
By the time she was finished and she finally opened her eyes, tears were coursing down her cheeks and the room was deserted but for her. She wiped the tears away with shaking fingers and stood from the piano. She let her fingers rest on the piano as she whispered, "Goodbye, Edward," and then she walked out of the room.
Klaus was on the balcony yet again when she found him, his thoughts on the song his mate had just allowed them all to be witness to. He knew that she was aware of their presence in the house and wondered if they were all meant to hear that—her goodbye to Edward as she, to quote the song, set fire to their relationship.
Some part of him picked up on the possibility that it was a message to him—a warning just before Bella came to him. She was ready, done fighting it any longer. His body thrummed with the information, his wolf and his vampire gleaming. Their mate was ready, she was coming for them. She wanted them. She… she loved them?
"Lilies," he heard her say behind him and, startled out of his thoughts, he turned to her.
"What's that, love?"
She smiled, the action nervous and followed by a nervous bite to her lip. His fingers twitched at his side; he wanted to pull her lip away from her teeth, but he kept his distance. Bella noted this and came forward, slow enough to give him time to stop her if this was something he wasn't ready for. But he was; his heart ached with each step she took toward him, his body thrumming and his soul clenched tight. His wolf was howling, his vampire growling; both crying out for him to draw her into his arms and lay his mark on her neck for the world to see.
How bloody frustrating it was that he couldn't.
"My favorite flower," she said, now standing in front of him, once more breaking him out of the intense struggle festering inside of him. "It's lilies."
There was silence and then—
"Nik, I—" She took another step forward, mouth open to speak again, when they were both literally pushed back into the house. Klaus growled and looked out the window, unclear for a moment as to what was happening before he understood and his eyes widened. The wards were closing in; someone was coming.
"Niklaus!" he heard from below at the same time a knock sounded at their door and he flitted to the door to open it. Rebekah was standing there already waiting, and Klaus spared just a second-long glance toward his mate, a look that gave all away as she returned him with the same before he was out the door and downstairs.
Bella turned to Rebekah. "What now?"
Rebekah was a blur at the windows, closing the patio doors and locking them, shutting the curtains. She turned back to Bella as the sound of a couple dozen vampires approaching the house reached her ears. "I have no idea, but I need to keep you safe." At that, she was whooshed over to the adjoined bathroom, and the door was shut in her face.
She sat down on the toilet, head in her hands as she tried to breathe. It was obvious that someone was attacking, but she had no idea who or why—Klaus had said they'd be safe from the Cullens and with all this hunter business, maybe it wasn't about that?—but it was enough for them to be worried. Was it just because of her? She didn't know.
Suddenly the sound of the bedroom door being smashed in jolted her, and she jumped, a whimper clawing at her throat. She hated feeling so damn powerless as the family she had just found fought for her. She could hear it all over the house. She heard the sound of a European voice and then Rebekah's and she crept forward to the door, watching the next several minutes of fighting until a sight reached her eyes that she was sure she'd never forget. A dagger was pulled from the man's cloak and thrust into Rebekah's chest, who screamed as she turned grey, clutching the man so she didn't fall as streaks of a darker version of the same grey formed all over her body before she slumped to the ground.
The next minute, the bathroom door was ripped open and she was in cold arms, her only thought of Nik and their family.
In a split second, everything had changed.
I told you you'd probably hate me for the end of this chapter. But on the bright side, next chapter you finally get some Hybrid Klaus! Yay! And a lot more other awesome stuff you guys have been dying for!
Please review and let me know what you think of this chapter. I wasn't sure in the beginning but now I'm so in love with it. There was just so much-the Klaus/Elijah talk, the revelation that Kol's curse has ended, the tokens Klaus gave Bella-LINKS TO THE WOLF PENDANT ARE ON MY PROFILE AND POSTED IN MY FACEBOOK GROUP-and then there was the talk with the witches, Elijah talking to his mate (you weren't expecting that, were you? Any guesses on who that was?), and then there was Marcel and Camille trouble, Demetri from the Volturi coming into that... then some bonding between Kol and Bella and Rebekah... then the song as Bella said goodbye to Edward... then she nearly confessed only for there to be some trouble with Demetri and Marcel!
Yeah. This is my favourite chapter yet, even though I say that about every chapter. What do you think, guys? :D Please let me know in the form of a review!
Thanks and see you next Monday for some Hybrid action and even more surprises in store! ;)
ncbexie25