Chapter 12: Caverns & New Associates
Whitlock Ranch TX
[Charlotte's POV]
"Okay everyone gather around. We will be dividing up into groups to experiment with Leylock energies that each individual can channel based on affinities available the day you were born. Since I am more experienced with 'Astral' energy and will be working here at the ranch with Angela and Damon so they can utilize these latent abilities.
Peter will be helping Elżbieta and Jasper with their Electrical affinity up on the ridge. I don't want any lightning strikes close to the house Peter.
Elijah and Bella will be working in the caverns today. Bella will be working on her affinity for Earth energies, since she will be shaping the pool for the conversion. Elijah will be working with Bella using his affinity for water. We decided this would be a good starting place for our new folks. We will gather back here in three hours to evaluate our experiences." I watch as everyone leaves for their assignments.
"Damon and Angela our first experiment will be doing astral projections. Since your mates will be working together in the caverns I want you to astral project there and to watch their experiment. For control I want to observe without being noticed." Angela blushes. Damon laughs, "Charlotte you are devious."
"I have to be, I married Pete."
Caverns near the Ranch TX
[Bella's POV]
Elijah followed me into some of the smaller caverns. "I am looking for a stable area to create a pool the size we will need to change Jasper, Peter and Charlotte into "regular" vampires. The last two areas have underlying faults that could drain the water if there is any seismic activity. I think this cavern is big enough and stable enough for our experiment.
"Bella how long have you been experimenting with Leyline energy?"
"I learned about it from my father's mother she showed me how to create truth stones when I was eight. I renewed my interest a few weeks ago, when Jasper invited Damon and I to visit the ranch to protect me from his former family. We discovered we all have aptitudes for Leyline energy and we decided to experiment."
"Jasper's former family members are all Cold Ones and I had an unfortunate relationship with one of his 'brothers'. I am interested in helping Jasper, Charlotte and Peter so they will no longer be subject to the Volturi, if we can change them into regular vampires."
"Damon told me that your mother was one of the most powerful witches of her day. That she was the one to turn you into Original Vampires and created your race."
"You don't see vampirism as a curse?" He asks.
"I see it as another form of evolution. Vampires are needed for population control. Humans are like lemmings, if they have no predators then they destroy their habitat. If we destroy our habitat no one will survive. Vampires are part of the circle of life now."
"That's a very Darwinian view of yours."
I shrug. "Elijah, you may want to start out creating a mini water spout for practice." I create a little dust devil. "Close your eyes and picture it in your mind, expect it to be in front of you when you open your eyes."
He closes his eyes. "Do you see it in your mind?" He nods. A little water spout appears in front of him. "Elijah, open your eyes."
He looks at the mini waterspout. "I did that?" I nod. You just learned how to use your Leylock abilities.
While Elijah is practicing making different sized water spouts, I concentrate on making the pool that Peter suggested. I imagine a circle on the ground. I place a grid over the circle in my mind. I see each stone created from the grid within the circle. I imagine the depth of the pool that I want to create and the length, width and height of each stone that will form around the circumference of the pool. I see the completed structure. I concentrate and hear the movement of stones. I open my eyes to see the completed pool structure and it's completed sitting area around the circumference.
"You just did that?" Elijah looks amazed. I nod. "You just need to fill it with fresh water and we can call the others to come and see if it's the right size for what we need."
He concentrates with his eyes closed and sighs. I glance over and the pool is filled with clear water. "Elijah you did it!" He opens his eyes and smiles.
"Bella, I want to ask you about Angela, she seems to be a good person. Why would her parents just move away and abandon her?"
"Angela is truly named. She will do anything to help the people she loves. She is honest to a fault. You can't have anyone better for a friend. Her parents are Christian extremists that have basically formed their own cult. When Angela saved her brothers from being backed over by the family car: the wind storm that tossed the family car into a tree so that it didn't run over her brothers was the work of the "Devil." Her brothers are alive due to a natural ability she has, she was born with it. Just like us. Angela will protect those she loves. I consider her to be my sister, so if you choose to pursue a relationship with her, you had better not hurt her. I will hunt you down, if you do."
He blushes slightly. "I will keep that in mind."
Whitlock Ranch TX
[Damon's POV]
It's weird; my body is sitting in the ranch living room with Angela and Charlotte. I am standing behind Bella listening to Elijah and her going over what they need to do for their part of the plan. Elijah is friendly but respectful. Bella is all business. She wants to help our friends. I see Angela watching closely to see how they are working Leyline energy. Charlotte is devious. She set up a scenario where I'm reassured that the Original isn't interested in taking Bella away from me and showing Angela how to work Leylock energy by example. I am going to have to watch out for Charlotte, she is more devious than I am.
Mikaelson Mansion: Mystic Falls, VA
[Finn's POV]
In my dream I see Sage boarding a private plane to Texas. I watch as she rubs a talisman I gave her as a betrothal promise. I want to be where she is going.
[Kol's POV]
I am still angry with Niklaus for daggering me and the rest of the family again. Before he undaggered me, I was having an amazing dream. Elijah was in Texas. He could perform magic again. It's not witch magic. Rebekah is waking up. "Bek's did you have the same dream I did?"
Sipping on a blood bag, she looks up at me and nods. Finn walks into the room with us and asks, "You had the same dream too?" I nod back at him. I whisper to them, "We need to leave before Mother wakes up." They both nod yes to leaving.
Rebekah and Finn go to their rooms to pack up some clothes and accessories that Nik provided for us, for our reunion. I go to my room to pack. Then I go into Nik's study to swipe some cash and a few of Niklaus' credit cards from his safe on our way out the door. He never changes his combination. Just because we are daggered doesn't mean we are out of the loop on what Nik does. It's part of the enchantment of the daggers; in a dream state we can see everything going on with each member of our family.
I plan to use Nik's Credit Cards to leave a false trail, by arranging passports, booking each of us in a high-class hotel in different parts of the world, buying airline tickets and arranging rental cars in each destination. That should keep any spies busy for a bit.
In reality we grab one of' Nik's SUVs and head to Texas. Rebekah is driving. Nik could track us too easily if we used any of the family jets.
Sandstone Ridge: Whitlock Ranch TX
[Peter's POV]
There are two Cold Ones spying upon the ranch from the road. I point them out to Jasper; "Maria's bunch or Volturi?"
"I'm not sure. Whoever they are they aren't friendly."
I glance at them, "want to have some fun?" She nods back at me.
I look back at Jasper, he nods. He and Elżbieta close their eyes and concentrate. I keep mine open and a storm cloud quickly rolls over the two watching from the road. Six lightning bolts hit in rapid succession right on top of the two cold ones. They never had a chance as the purple smoke rises up from the ground where they once hid watching the ranch. They won't be reporting back to their masters. I am confident that Jasper and Elżbieta have a firm grasp on their electrical ability now.
Upstate New York
[Sage's POV]
A woman named Charlotte Whitlock calls my cell. I don't take calls from people I don't know, but something tells me to take this one. "Why are you calling me?"
"I'm Charlotte Whitlock, Finn's brother Elijah is going to stay with us. Finn will be arriving at our ranch in four days. If you want to be reunited with him, just read the following text message. You are welcome to visit our ranch too." She hangs up before I can ask questions. She gives me the ranch location in the message. I call for my personal jet. I want to see Finn.
[Burned out Mansion: Mystic Falls VA]
[Esther's POV]
My children are supposed to be together. After Niklaus removed his curse they were supposed to be together as he undaggered them. Instead Elijah was undaggered leaving Niklaus, to go on a research mission before the curse breaking ceremony. Within the hour of Niklaus un-daggering his siblings, Kol disappears with Finn and Rebekah to Goddess knows where. None of my locator spells are working. The doppelganger is a vampire so her blood is useless for the spells I need to perform. My locater spells are failing to find Mikael. He is either still entombed or someone managed to stake him with Ancient White Oak. Nothing is going according to plan.
Niklaus is off making new Hybrids, I would like to how he found a way around the fail safe in the curse removal spell. New abominations were not ever supposed to be created.
Whitlock Ranch TX
[Jasper's POV]
I admit I'm intrigued by Elżbieta. She knows what she wants, she plans and works to aquire what she wants. I really like that type of woman. I can tell already, she is vastly different from Maria and Alice. In the short amount of time that I have known her, I can tell she lets other people make their own decisions about their life.
Every time Charlotte catches me looking at Elżbieta I get a wink and a nod. I guess we have the Texas version of a shadkhn in Charlotte. She just wants to see the people she loves with their partners in life.