I sat on the island counter in the kitchen with a mug of warm blood cupped in my hands as I eagerly drank from it. Hayley was scrounging through the fridge looking for something to satisfy her sweet tooth.
"I think my favorite place to run was Mystic Falls." I rambled absently as I placed my left hand behind me and leaned against it, tapping my index finger on my right hand against the side of the mug, my nail clicking against the ceramic piece. "Striking woods. The view at the top of the waterfall was amazing. The ground wasn't too hard on my paws. Now, the Appalachian Mountains were nice too but after running for so long on rocks, your paws get a little raw. And here, it's quiet and serene but last night I mistake a dry spot for a bog. I was completely under and covered in mud before I realized my mistake. Do you have any idea how long it took for me to get that out of my fur?" Hayley laughed and smiled at me. "It's not funny, Hayley. It was awful and tasted awful and smelled awful." I sniffed myself and grimaced. "I think I can still smell it on myself." The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I felt a presence enter the kitchen. I turned my head to see Elijah leaning against the threshold of the kitchen. He was a pale blue button up shirt tucked into his dark jeans with a brown belt with a dark blue suit jacket and matching boots.
"Good morning." He greeted us.
"Hey." Hayley returned the greeting with a smile. Rebekah burst through the French doors that led to the back courtyard as Elijah began to rummage through some cupboards. "Listen. I know I'm the only one in this house that actually drinks milk, but would it kill any of you to make sure it's on the grocery list?"
"Speaking of, add bleach." Rebekah ordered as she stormed through the kitchen to the living room.
"You know, I do hope my siblings were hospitable toward you in my absence." Elijah said as Hayley pulled out a tub of ice cream and ice cream cake and set them on the counter as she looked for more sweets.
"In your absence—as you like to call it, which is a way-too-polite way of saying that your brother put a dagger in your heart—I have been attacked by French quarter vampires." Elijah set a bowl, granola cereal and spoon on the counter beside and took the ice cream carton and ice cream cake out of Hayley's hand to put them back in the freezer before taking the orange juice and milk out of the fridge and setting it next to the cereal. "I've had to live in a house with a secret dungeon full of coffins, and I was nearly murdered by witches who are convinced that my baby is Lucifer." Elijah poured the cereal into the bowl with the milk following. Hayley looked at the carton of milk and bit her bottom lip in realization. "Oh… milk. They've been… fine… your siblings are weirdly protective. I know I have you to thank for that."
"I'm just happy to see that you're in one piece. Back to the murderous witches," He handed Hayley the bow of cereal and spoon and she slowly took it from him. "I have some concerns."
"They're evil, and my life is still magically linked to Sophie Deveraux, which is not comforting."
"Yes. I think it's time we took care of that little problem." Rebekah returned to the kitchen dragging a dead girl behind her leaving a trail of blood in her wake.
"I'm all for it." She agreed. "As soon as they're unlinked, we get to leave this crap town."
"Agreed." I said as Rebekah hauled the body outside. "Who do we have to kill?"
"Probably no one." Elijah answered and I pouted at him, giving him a no fun look. "All right. Potentially everyone." He put the milk back in the fridge as Hayley took a bite of her healthy breakfast cereal.
TO
Rebekah was scrubbing the blood stain on the carpet in the living room as I left Hayley in the kitchen and walked in to see Klaus sitting on the couch reading poetry.
"Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees." Rebekah observed, scrubbing vigorously at the carpet as I walked over to the stand behind the couch where an old rustic leather-bound book was laying. "Looks like someone is worried about impending daddy hood."
"Nonsense." Klaus objected as I gingerly opened the book to look at the ancient Latin language written on crisp parchment. "Elijah is back. In his presence, all problems turn to pixie dust and float away."
"Strange, I don't recall any pixie dust from the darkness of the coffin I was recently forced to endure." Elijah's voice sounded behind me and I stepped away from the book as I turned to face him. He walked up to the book I was looking out and gently tore out a crinkled worn parchment paper.
"What are you doing with Mother's spell book?" Rebekah questioned him.
"Well, in exchange for my freedom, I promised the witch Davina that I would share a few pages from Mother's grimoire. It'll help her learn to control her magic. Thought we'd begin with a little unlinking spell."
"Wait." I smiled, holding up a finger as I pieced two and two together. "You want to use her to unlink Hayley from Sophie Deveraux?"
"Sophie brought us to this town under false pretenses. She doesn't just want us to take down Marcel and his minions. She wants to take Davina back, so she yoked her own cause to ours with magic, threats, and half-truths. Well, no more." I watched him awe as the way he presented himself and his voice was clear and crisp, brown eyes shining with determination. "As of now, our deal with Sophie Deveraux is null and void. Niklaus, Hayden, I need you to come with me. I need five minutes alone with Davina. You need to make certain that I am not interrupted." He turned to Rebekah. "You stay here and watch Hayley." Rebekah's jaw dropped as Elijah turned on his heel and strolled down the hallway. He spoke with a tone that I knew not many people would argue with. People that wasn't his family, that is. He spoke with authority and confidence, but not enough confidence where it made him sound cocky. Just the right amount of confidence for a leader.
"How did I get elected super nanny?" Rebekah whined as Klaus closed his book and stood up from the couch, tossing his book down on the cushions.
"More importantly, who put him in charge?" Klaus growled as we both hurried after Elijah before he could leave without us.
TO
After dropping off the spell to Davina, we ended up at Rousseau's after receiving an extremely concerning phone call from Rebekah saying that Hayley felt like she was being stabbed in the neck and there was blood on her neck but no cut or any kind of wound. If Hayley wasn't hurt than the person that was linked to her had to be. We were looking for Sophie to find out why the hell she was stabbed in the neck. I walked over to the kitchen to see an unconscious witch. Sabine. Elijah causally walked over her and toed her until she began to stir, and her eyes fluttered open. She groaned as she focused her vision on us.
"What happened?" Elijah questioned her, holding out a hand to help her off the floor.
"It was Agnes." Sabine moaned, rubbing the back of her head. "Her men took Sophie."
"Day one with you in charge, Brother, and already the witch linked to Hayley has been abducted by zealots." Klaus taunted his older brother with a smirk as he clasped his hands behind his lower back. Elijah ignored him.
"Where is she?" I demanded, slowly stalking around Sabine to stand behind her left shoulder.
"If I tell you where Agnes is, you'll just kill her." Sabine said, swallowing hard as I elongated my fangs and looked hungrily at Sabine's neck, listening to the sweet humming sound of the blood pumping and thumping through her jugular.
"Well, the alternative is you'll become my lunch. Isn't that obvious?"
"Look. I know she's a little cuckoo, but she's our last living elder. That might not mean a lot to you, but it means plenty to us. The elders are the only ones who can do important spells."
"Like completing the harvest ritual?" Elijah questioned her and the blood drained from Sabine's face as her flickered to Elijah.
"You know about that?"
"Oh, you'd be astounded by the things I know." Klaus walked up to Elijah's side and smirked at Sabine.
"Allow me to entertain you with today's list of priorities." Klaus said. "One, unlink your friend Sophie so she no longer controls the fate of the woman carrying my child. Two, get Hayden here some lunch because us hybrids get a little murderous when we don't eat and you're currently on her menu." I let out a low hiss and bared my fangs some more to confirm his statement. "Three, convince my brother to accept my heartfelt apologies for some recently dodgy behavior."
"How is that working out for you?" I ask Klaus.
"Not very well."
"Mm."
"Four, there is no four."
"I believe what my brother is attempting to communicate here is that neither the life of this elder nor the harvest ritual nor your coven's connection to magic are of any relevance to him whatsoever. Now talk." Elijah demanded.
TO
After getting through to Sabine and getting the information that we needed out of her, we tracked Sophie down to the middle of the cemetery chained up in one of the crypts. Sophie groaned as Elijah walked over to her and broke the chains that had her strung up with ease.
"Ah!" Sophie moaned, rubbing the blood back into her wrists. "Agnes stuck me with a needle. Ugh! Cursed objects were created a long time ago. We use them so we don't get busted by Marcel for doing magic. The one she used is called The Needle of Sorrows. It was cursed in 1860, when—"
"Jump ahead a few decades and tell us what is does, luv." Klaus demanded.
"It has one purpose—to kill a child in utero by raising her blood temperature."
"It's for a miscarriage." Elijah breathed. "So how much time do we have to fix this?"
"It'll do what it's meant to by tonight's high tide, and—believe me—it will work. I saw her use a similar object on a kid who went mad and killed a bunch of priests."
"I'd like to have a little chat with this Agnes." Klaus snarled.
"I'd like to eat this Agnes." I muttered.
"Where can I find her?"
"You won't." Sophie protested. "There are a thousand places she could hole up to wait it out."
"That's precisely why we need to unlink you from Hayley, no more danger towards her or the child." Sophie looked at us as if that were the craziest thing she ever heard of.
"No. What? If I am not linked to Hayley, I lose my leverage on you."
"Precisely." I smiled bitterly at her, crossing my arms over my chest.
"We had a deal."
"We are not on the same side, Sophie Deveraux." Elijah snapped, the tight grip that he always kept on his temper faltering slightly. "Our deal no longer stands."
TO
I raced through the front doors of the manor and vamp sped up the steps to Hayley's bedroom not bothering to wait on Elijah and Sophie. My heart pounded and clenched the Hayley losing her baby. She had grown fond of the little abomination growing inside her. I ran into her bedroom to see Rebekah sitting by her side trying to cool her temperature by dabbing a cold white rag across Hayley's sweaty forehead. Rebekah stood up from the bed as I walked into the room and ran over to Hayley's side. Rebekah looked over my shoulder at the doorway and tensed up.
"What the hell is she doing here?" Rebekah barked as Sophie entered the room.
"I'm trying to help." Sophie offered.
"Help? You're the reason we're in this bloody mess. Why aren't we unlinked with this witch already, Elijah?"
"Rebekah, let her do what she can."
"I may know a way to slow the fever down, but I'm gonna need some special herbs. I'll text you a list." Rebekah glared at her.
"Happy to play the fetch girl." She stormed out of the room as I took Hayley's hand into my own to try to soothe her.
TO
I sat next to Hayley beside the pool as she shivered and panted for breath. She was shivering as if she was cold, but her skin was radiating heat. Sophie was off to the side, crushing up herbs as Elijah took off his suit jacket. I kept the blanket tightly wrapped around her as she shivered fiercely. Blood roared in my ears as I tried to keep my blood pressure down so I could be levelheaded for Hayley, but my heart continued to beat wildly against my ribcage.
"She's burning up." I cried, worry taking over logic. "We need to do this now." Elijah walks over to the pool and climbs down into the water and holds out his arms to Hayley. I took the blanket off Hayley's shoulders as she slowly reached for Elijah and began to climb down into the water as I guided her down. "Careful." Hayley left my touch and was in Elijah's arms who gave me a reassuring look before guiding Hayley out into the deeper water.
"I don't see how a midnight swim is going to help." Rebekah protested.
"Her temperature is sky high and the water, with the help of the herbs, should cool us down." Sophie explained as she climbed into the water and waded over to Hayley and handed her the cup of herbs. "Drink this." Hayley's arm was around Elijah's neck as he wrapped his arm around her lower back to support her as she drank the herbs and handed the cup back to Sophie. "You're gonna have to get her heart rate down."
"And how do you suggest I do that?"
"Hold her. It's a natural human remedy to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure."
"This is never gonna work." Rebekah muttered as Elijah picked Hayley up and carried her further out into the water.
"Davina will break that link." Elijah reassured us as Hayley breathed heavily and panted. "We just need time."
"I don't think we have time, Elijah." I growled at him as I started to pace the border of the pool never taking my eyes off Hayley.
"Oh, I can't breathe." Hayley panted.
"Ok." Elijah soothed her. "Take long, deep breaths. Hayley, look at me. Long, deep breathes." Hayley attempted to do her best to listen to him and follow his instructions, never taking her eyes off his. "Just focus on the sound of my voice. You'll be ok. You'll be ok." Elijah gently guided Hayley to lay flat on her back in the water so that she was floating with him there to support her. She began to convulse, sending waves off water up around her as she screamed in pain. My chest was tight as I began to panic, not knowing how I could fight off this invisible enemy for my friend.
"Aah! Aah aah!" Sophie began to gasp in the water as well and I was torn between looking at Sophie and looking at Hayley. "Agh!"
"What the hell is going on?" I breathed, running my hands through my hair. Sophie panted as her body relaxed in the water.
"I just felt it lift." She panted as she pulled out one of her earrings and poked herself in the palm with the tip of it. Elijah grabbed Hayley's hand and turned it over, looking for any sign of a puncture mark in her palm. I sighed in relief as I crouched down next to the pool and dropped my head between my knees, letting out a loose breath of air.
"Come on." Elijah cooed. "Let's go." He guided Hayley to the steps where I was waiting for her to help her out of the pool.
"Elijah… as soon as your brother finds out that the link is broken, he'll kill Agnes I know you don't owe me anything, but please don't let him kill her." Elijah vamp sped out of the pool and walked over to the chair where he hung his coat on. "Elijah, she's our only access to the power we need to survive. Promise me that you'll stop him." Elijah didn't answer her as he pulled out his phone from his coat and dialed a number.
"It's me. Where are you? Don't hurt her. I'll be there shortly." He hung and turned to Sophie. "I'll make you one last promise. I won't let my brother kill Agnes." Elijah went inside to change as Sophie began to climb out of the pool, but Hayley grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"I know you were just using me to save your people, but try it again, I'll kill you."
TO
I was by Elijah's side as we walked into the rundown church of St. Anne's. Going through the main entrance we saw Klaus holding Agnes by the throat, looking as if he was debating on how to kill her.
"Leave her." Elijah's voice rang loud and clear throughout the entire church. "I gave my word." Three male witches stood up in the pews and I let out a low warning growl that had them standing still.
"You tend to give your word at the most inopportune times, brother." Klaus barked at him. "We've been doing things your way all day." Agnes was whimpering in Klaus' grasp as we slowly approached him as if he was a rabid animal. "Come on. Just one little snap and it's toodle-loo, Agnes. She deserves it."
"Niklaus, do not make another move. You have asked for my forgiveness. I will grant you that forgiveness, but do not make me break my word." Klaus glared at his brother for a moment before letting go of Agnes.
"My noble brother. How's that for personal growth, eh? Still, it is just like you to spoil my fun."
"Oh, not necessarily. Hayden, would you please?" Without being told twice, I sped at supernatural speed towards the nearest witch, grabbing his face and tilting it to the side so I could plunge my fangs into his neck. Taking a few mouthfuls, I moved to the two witches on the other side of the church and as they approached me from either side, I sent each fist into their chest cavities, making a very satisfying crunching nose as I tore through their sternums and gripped their hearts. I glared at each one, my fingers locked around the soft, vibrating muscles. Giving them each a smirk, I quickly retracted my hands, taking their hearts with. They dropped dead to the ground and I let the hearts roll out of my palms and they hit the floor with a splat. I slowly turned around to face Agnes who was looking horrified. Slowly, I raised my blood soaking fingers to my mouth and ran my tongue slowly over them, closing my eyes at the sweet bitter taste of witch blood.
"Mm." I hummed, looking at the elder. "Delicious." Elijah never moved from his spot.
"I swore you would not die by my brother's hand. I said nothing of my own." Elijah grabbed Agnes by the throat and pinned her against the altar. "No one hurts my family and lives." With a quick flick of his fingers, he snapped her neck and the cracking echoed through the church as he allowed her body to crumple to the floor. He turned and strutted back down the aisle. "No one."
TO
"Hayley?" I called throughout the house as I walked through the front door with Elijah behind me. I rolled my neck, listening to my spine snap, crackle and pop and rolling my shoulders to loosen the muscles. I was ready for a hot shower and bed. Maybe a pint or two of blood as well. Stretching my arms, I headed up the steps. "Hayley?" I still received no answer. Maybe she had gone to bed. It was pretty late, and she did have a long day. I walked down the hallway to her room to see her bed empty and untouched. My muscles tensed as my gut dropped. Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic. She wasn't in the bathroom either. I sniffed the air. Her scent was stale. "Hayley?" I sped down the steps and out to the back porch and looked out by the pool and into the woods. "Hayley?"
"What's wrong?" I spun around to see Elijah standing in the doorway watching me.
"I can't find Hayley and her scent is stale. She hasn't been here since we broke the link. Elijah, she's not here." Elijah pulled out his phone and dialed a number and I watched him carefully with wild eyes. He locked eyes with me and for a moment, a little of relief flooded over me.
"Good-bye means good-bye, Elijah." I heard Rebekah's voice on the other end of the phone.
"Is she with you?" Elijah asked her.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Hayley is gone. Where is she?" Klaus walked up behind Elijah and gazed at both of us, eyes dark with rage.
"Marcel was here." Klaus informed us.
