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A/N: I won't lie. I'm not so confident with this chapter but I've gone over it as many times as I could so it is what it is. I promised myself I'd pumped out another chapter for this before The Companion but maybe I should have waited. Oh well. I promise the next chapter will be longer.
All mistakes are mine, no beta. Enjoy!
Klaus strolled leisurely through the private park taking in the sight of the large oak trees that shadowed the walking path. There was a small bridge over a pond where little fish swam carelessly, unaware of the events that occurred above them. To the numerous mortals who came there it was nothing but a beautiful park to enjoy. But to the supernaturals who called the city home, it was neutral ground where witches, werewolves and vampires could meet without fear of encroaching on the other's territory. A fitting choice for his meeting.
The moon was bright and full in the sky, its power beckoning to the Alpha hybrid. He could feel it calling to his wolf but he was in control. An owl hoots in the distance, dropping on a branch to watch them. He can hear the other small animals scamper away to safety in the trees. They know a predator is near.
A beautiful statuesque woman appeared in a long white coat at the other end of the bridge. She stopped about three paces away giving a healthy amount of space between them.
Klaus smiled, casually shoving both hands into his pockets. She hadn't changed much, "Contrary to popular belief I don't go around biting people so you can come a bit closer, love."
"For all you know the distance is for your benefit Niklaus," She answered in a business-like tone.
"First vague notes and now a frosty greeting. What a way to speak to your old friend Cordelia. I can only imagine how your enemies must fare," He tutted. It seemed fate was smiling upon him that day. It must have been the universe's most well-timed coincidence that right when his brother suggested they consider contacting Cordelia, she sent a note asking him to meet her at the park.
The Supreme witch pressed her lips together in a thin line, "With you Niklaus it's very hard to know where one stands."
Klaus gasped in faux shock, "After all I've done for you I still get nothing but doubts. It's very hard to be a good friend with all this opposition." He let his fangs peek. She didn't even shiver. She was very used to his brand of intimidation.
"You killed my father and brother," Cordelia stated matter-of-factly.
"I'm still yet to receive a thank you for that," He piped up.
She rolled her eyes losing some of the stiffness she'd adopted, "I told you I wanted to do it myself but you had to rush in and show off as usual Niklaus." Not to mention slaughter them in the most brutal ways possible causing an unnecessary mess no one wanted to clean up.
"You would have hesitated or worse wracked yourself to death with guilt no matter how much those bastards deserved it. I did you a favor, once again I receive no thanks," He threw his hands up in annoyance.
"I'm sure your anger at them for hiding the moonstone played no part," Cordelia added dryly.
The hybrid smirked, "What can I say. Two birds, one stone."
"Thank you," She mumbled incoherently. If it weren't for this enhanced hearing he might not have caught it.
"I heard about Amelia," His tone was now softer. "For what it's worth she was a great woman and an equally great witch."
"Thank you," Cordelia repeated her throat feeling clogged. She pushed past the memory of her grief "She always liked you."
"Is that why you cloaked yourself for the past few years?" Klaus inquired. He didn't show it but he had felt a great disappointment when Cordelia left him. While they bickered like siblings constantly she was one of the few outside of his family he considered a friend. A bitter feeling overcame him at the thought that she didn't see him the same way.
"I left because I had other aspirations apart from being one of your witches Niklaus," Cordelia confessed. "At the end of the day that's why I would have been. A glorified minion."
"You were never my minion Cordelia," He raised his voice remembering the rage he felt. "I gave you access to things your shit family denied from you. I did and still do the same for all the witches with me. I considered you a friend. It was just never enough from you." They had met when Cordelia ran away from her family in Sonora, Mexico to the neighbouring Sinaloa. Her father was the head of their coven, the Naturaleza coven. He was forcing her to marry a witch from another coven she wanted no part of, so she ran away in the dead of night. It was during her travels that she met Niklaus. The Original was travelling through South America because he heard a rumour that it's where the moonstone was. He then welcomed her promising freedom and agency if she joined him.
"You're right. It wasn't enough because you are only egalitarian to anyone who has the last name Mikealson and you know it," She countered. "The only reason you let Marcel have free reign over this city is because you have a much bigger piece otherwise you'd be tumbling over it with him. As if you would willingly see me as some sort of co-ruler. Amelia made me realize that I could want more for myself." Her voice softened. "When she died, I promised to look after her child and the rest of her line. In my duties as Supreme I got so caught up and I failed her."
Klaus bent his head choosing not to witness her vulnerability.
Cordelia cleared her throat, "But now I'm paying for it and I intend to follow through to the end. That's why I called you here."
"What does your duty to the Bennett clan have to do with me?" He asked suspiciously.
"The spirits talk Klaus and apparently they say you are intertwined with one," She spoke steadily watching his expression. It remained neutral.
He folded his hands across his chest, "And how am I?"
"I'm unsure yet. But I need you to keep that in mind in case you do come across her. She is not your enemy," Cordelia emphasized.
"Well I generally don't make enemies of witches unless they really decide to piss me off," He dismissed. "But due to the peculiarity of this situation, give me a reason why I should believe you and honor this request of yours. I hold no loyalty to the spirits who have considered me a threat from the moment of my conception till now so what they think is very rarely in my best interest. So tell me, why should I not rip out the throat of this Bennett witch the moment I lay eyes on her?" The threat was palpable in the air. Both beings stood rigidly watching the other without flinching.
Cordelia clenched her fist, "Because Niklaus Mikealson, in the year 1915 I risked my life, betrayed my coven and clan to help you break your curse and become a hybrid. I found that moonstone and gave it to you when I didn't need to. I endured the hatred of other witches because of my association with you. I once considered you a friend. You talk about rewarding loyalty well I have been the most loyal to you. Everything that you are now is because of everything that I did. Your memory is sharp enough to remember that."
Klaus narrowed his eyes feeling anger at the insinuation that she made about him. But it was true to a point and he knew it. Cordelia was the witch who helped him unbind his werewolf nature thus leading to him becoming the most feared being in the supernatural world. She was right that he wouldn't have shared his power with her, at least not in the manner she wanted. Someone as ambitious as her wouldn't have been content with merely being his head witch.
He understood that. As much as it grated him to lose her, he did.
"Alright. If I happen to come across your Bennett witch all is well," He reluctantly agreed. "What is her name?"
"Bonnie," Cordelia smiled unconsciously at the reveal. A familiar buzz went through his ears. He knew the name. Not really but somehow he did. Like a feeling of déjà vu that couldn't be explained. The answer to a question he didn't remember asking. Klaus held the urge to frown. There was other business that needed attending.
"But I need something from you also."
"Just like old times," She stated with a bittersweet smile.
"Don't be a bitch with me Delia. If you recall I can be a bigger one," Klaus rolled his eyes. She stifled a laugh. "Good on you to recognise that. Always in competition with Rebekah."
"Not much when she's winning," He quipped. Their banter was so easy and familiar. It reminded her of old times when things were lighter between them as it could have possibly been.
"Marcel has a ward. She'd been hexed," Klaus' tone had taken a grave form. "If we cannot remove it soon then the darkness will overtake her soul. No witch so far has been able to remove it."
Cordelia folded her hands behind her, "What sort of hex is it?"
He hesitated, "It's tied to her birth. The mother made a deal with a necromancer." Her eyes widened. That was not good. Magic like that was a live wire in a pool with too many side effects to count.
"I don't know what you expect me to do," She sounded uncertain.
"You've got experience with this," Klaus reminded her. "It's getting stronger and I fear she does not have much time left."
"I gambled once and it paid off. That does not count as experience," Cordelia corrected. Very few witches had mastered necromancy and it always came with a price. The laws of life and death meant the spirits kept a very tight leash on it. Earth magic had no such control issues but was firmly restricted to the realm of the living. It couldn't penetrate beyond that. Only someone who could tap into both sources could successfully practice. Even then it took a tremendous amount of power and control. The sort of control a witches' body couldn't handle completely.
"But that was before you were even Supreme. Now you would be even more capable," He insisted.
Cordelia eyed him warily. This girl must have been special enough for him to these lengths for her. It was the sort of effort he would only make for family. Still she was unsure of whether or not it would work. There was also the matter of the price to pay.
"How exactly did he find this girl?"
The hybrid pressed his lips together, "The details are inconsequential for now."
The supreme witch clasped her hands together taking a step forward, "Niklaus if you want my help you must trust me. I can only work with whatever information I'm given." She knew that his instincts were to keep all the cards close to his chest dispensing only what he thought was needed but she hoped that he would summon the ability to open up to her once again. Even if he didn't think she deserved it.
Klaus pondered for a moment then took a reluctant step forward himself, "If you betray me in any way with this then I will rip your throat out with my teeth. Supreme or not."
"I wouldn't expect any less," Cordelia responded dryly. Her fingers sparked red with magic exposing her much she was capable of making him smirk. Good old Delia. "Now tell me."
"Marcel found her a few years ago about to be sacrificed by siphoners. The French Quarter elders didn't see the need to intervene as her birth was deemed a violation of ancestors' rules. He killed the siphoners but not before she was hexed," He expounded.
Amelia's earlier words replayed. Cordelia frowned, "I think I know this girl."
"Do you?" Klaus questioned, interested in how she knew of Demi.
"I spoke with Amelia and she told me that there was a girl who is very powerful but the ancestors want her dead for a reason," She explained.
"You believe that is why they didn't interfere," He said.
Cordelia shook her head, "It still doesn't make sense. Siphoners are practically shunned by all the covens. Even if the death of this child was sanctioned, the elders still won't allow it to be done by a siphoner. Especially not when they were so obviously trying to take her magic."
"She's not a witch from all we've learned," Klaus leaned against the railing. The moon shone directly over his face giving him an ethereal sort of glow. His aura grew brighter and heavier. The full moon was nearly at its peak. Cordelia couldn't help but shiver. It had been a while since she saw him like this. Where his power was so evident. "However if the elders knew that already why would they let some siphoners do their ritual and reap such power for themselves?"
"Unless…." A chill ran down her spine. "They wanted it to happen that way. They wanted to take her power for themselves. If the ancestors gave them to go ahead then that was the real reason they wanted her dead! They were working with the siphoners, letting them do their dirty work. It still doesn't explain the hex."
"This opens another can of worms," Klaus commented. "I'm not sure about you but I think it might be time to pay a visit to the elders of the French Quarter coven." His eyes flashed gold with warning.
"You can't exactly walk up to them Niklaus," She warned hoping to put away any impulsive notions of his. "If we do this we will need to plan carefully."
He scoffed, "Who exactly do you take me for love? Now does this mean you plan on helping me with the child?" Cordelia took a deep breath. She wanted to help this little girl whoever she was. But she was scared that she would be unable to knowing what it would take. However the urge to work once again with the Original Hybrid sent a wave of excitement she had not felt since she was that scared eighteen year old witch being offered the world. Even if she didn't want to admit it, Cordelia had missed him.
"Yes," Years of iron-clad self-control helped to hide the relief that went through him. "But I have conditions."
"You wouldn't be you if you didn't love."
Doing a spell without instruction was a risky thing. Her book of shadows was nearly full with all the spells that she'd mastered and memorized but there were those she'd yet to do. Anything could go wrong. But the desperation Bonnie felt was unlike anything she'd ever experienced previously.
After coming back from Veronique's she showered and paced around her room until she heard Cordelia's car speed away. Bernard lived on the floor above hers and retired earlier than she did. Around midnight, she pulled out her chalk and the bowl full with a potion she'd concocted earlier from sweet-smelling cloves and saffron powder.
The spell to find her the man in her dreams was not an easy one. She didn't know who he was to begin or what she really wanted from him. The cards had said one thing but divination was not always as specific as she'd liked. All she knew was that there were difficult choices to make, a soul-bond to form and a darkness hidden in someone she might or might not know. In the end she decided to combine two spells together; a location spell and a spell to find your heart's desire.
Bonnie had never combined spells without the direct supervision of Cordelia. Now here she was readying herself to perform a complex one. It was risky and her mind constantly replayed every wrong turn it could take. But with risk came reward as Cordelia taught her.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes willing the magic to her fingertips. The familiar rush like warm droplets of water gathering under her fingers was intoxicating. She began chanting the words she memorized louder and louder until the wind rustled outside her window. The current in the room rose signalling the rise of powerful magic.
"Bring me to the one I seek. Let me see him," Bonnie's voice didn't feel like her own anymore. Instead it was deep and rough taking an almost disembodied quality. The candles all lit in sync and blue green smoke rose from the potion, going higher and higher. Her arms were stretched out wide beside her as she knelt in the middle of the circle. The vision of golden eyes came once again but the fog surrounded them cleared and she began to see a face.
The spell was working.
She breathed in relief then suddenly the smoke disappeared completely. Without any time to express puzzlement, Bonnie gasped seeing a white light cover her slowly from head to toe. Fear gripped her as she was unable to tell what was happening. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. The light consumed her completely, vanishing and taking away everything in its path.
She was no longer in her room.
After his meeting with Cordelia, Klaus delayed his return to the compound and took a detour to the Bayou. He knew of the wolves that resided there, another pack he was not so intimately familiar with. Marcel had dealings with their Alpha as they came to a tentative truce. The wolves didn't attack the vampires and in return they helped them clean their messes during the full moon.
There were times during the full moon Klaus could go without shifting. One of the perks that came with being a hybrid. His wolf moved by instinct but he could control those instincts and tailor them into what he desired. But tonight the itch was far too great to ignore.
He removed his clothes and folded them at the bottom of a tree. He stretched feeling his bones crack and joints ache with need as he slowly descended on both knees. His eyes burned a bright gold. The smooth pale skin was soon covered with midnight black fur, bloody claws elongated from his fingernails and hind legs began to take shape. He released a growl that echoed through the entire Bayou. The wolves in the area could feel it and even though he was not their Alpha, they responded.
One of the things that Klaus greatly appreciated once he embraced his wolf was how much closer to nature he felt.
Vampires were dead and as a result their connection to the earth was non-existent. It was like being trapped in a large plastic bag; able to see everything around you but unable to make contact. He might not have inherited talent for the craft from his mother but he still felt a connection during his human years. It was one of the reasons he felt so close to Ayanna. In his wolf form, the connection was restored albeit in a different manner.
The light of the moon shone at its peak and he pounced past the trees deeper into the woods. Something was calling out to him, beckoning him to come closer. The same familiarity enveloped him again.
She's here, it whispered.
The white light disappeared and Bonnie found herself in the middle of the Bayou.
"Hello?" She called out, standing up from the ground. "Fuck me!" she cursed frustrated at her situation.
The spell had shown her the face of the man then transported her here. Her bare feet stung with broken twigs and stones digging into it. She yelped trying to move to a clearer spot. From behind her came a growl that caused her to turn in fear.
A brown wolf appeared from behind the trees stalking her slowly. Bonnie walked backwards ignoring the pain each time she stepped on something. She said a quick protection spell but the wolf with a quickness immediately growled jumping forward to pounce on her. In her trepidation, Bonnie crouched down anticipating the agony that would come when she was torn apart.
But it never came.
Instead the wolf that attacked her was taken down by another larger black wolf. The powerful growl it let out vibrated through her entire body leaving her discombobulated for a moment. Its jaws were humongous tearing out the throat of the brown wolf like it was paper causing it to whimper in pain before dropping down lifelessly onto the ground.
Her heart pounded in her chest. The black wolf faced her, not moving only watching. Its eyes were bright and gold. She gasped.
"It's you," Bonnie said eyes wide. There was no mistake; those eyes had been burned into her subconscious. This was him. A wolf.
The wolf howled then transformed. The ghastly sound of bones breaking and rearranging into place echoed through the Bayou until a tall, pale blonde man stood in front of her completely bare. His eyes latched onto her with laser-like focus. Without breaking his gaze, he treaded closer to her in slow deliberate steps.
The glow of black and grey that enveloped him told her that he was old. And dangerous. Yet she could feel no fear. She trembled but it was with anticipation for a moment she didn't even know she'd been waiting for. He stood tall in front of her. Her breaths came out in harsh pants. Her legs felt weak all of a sudden. She staggered.
"Green eyes," He spoke in reverent realization. "You are the one I've been looking for." His accent was British but his voice was low and husky. It seemed he had also been searching for her.
"You were in my dreams," Bonnie whispered, swallowing hard. Her eyes suddenly felt heavy and her legs were winning the war against gravity. It was then her body gave up its fight and she collapsed forward vaguely aware of the strong arms that caught her before she could reach the ground. Before everything went completely dark she was able to hear one last thing even if she wouldn't remember it as her consciousness swirled into nothingness.
"My mate."
