Tyler finished brushing his teeth and then examined his pearly whites closely. He would be meeting with Bonnie's judgmental relatives soon. He did not want to remind them of his vampirism by arriving with blood stained teeth. Tyler knew that charming the witches would be nearly impossible, but he also did not want to antagonize them. Bonnie wanted to become better acquainted with her family despite their insistence on blaming her for breaking the curse. Once he was satisfied that there was no evidence of his last feed he turned his attention Bonnie. Tyler's eyes flashed involuntarily as he suddenly felt ravenous again.

He walked up behind Bonnie while she put on makeup. He was wearing a red towel around his waist and a lecherous smile on his handsome face. He rested his large hands on her hips and nuzzled the scar left by his bite mark. His smile grew wider when he felt her tremble in response to his touch. Tyler tightened his grip on Bonnie's hips and ground his manhood against her. He growled against his mate's skin when her body moved in time with his. Tyler moved his lips to her ear. He murmured, "I want to bend you over right here and now."

Bonnie placed her mascara on the counter and allowed her eyes to drift closed. They had already used all the hot water by devouring each other twice in the shower. Yet Bonnie still felt needy in a way that she could not explain. Perhaps this was merely the price to be paid for restraining their passion for the last few days. She took a deep breath and turned around to meet Tyler's gaze. Bonnie leaned up and brushed her soft lips against his. She whispered, "You know that we don't have time for another round. My great aunts will be back soon."

Tyler knew that she was right but he was not ready to give in just yet. He picked Bonnie up and set her on the counter without knocking over anything. He loosened the belt on her robe and slid it from her shoulders. Tyler looked the part of the 'Big Bad Wolf' as he leered at her body. He moved his lips to Bonnie's clavicle and started working on a hickey. Meanwhile, his hands slid over her soft skin as the gentle smell of lavender filled his nostrils. He tried to cajole her, "I can be quick. Five minutes tops..."

Bonnie giggled softly, "You're lying."

Tyler chuckled deeply. He bargained, "Twenty minutes…"

She loosened his towel until it fell to the floor. "Twenty minutes still wouldn't be enough time for what I have in mind."

His eyes darkened at her sultry tone of voice. He stepped closer so that he was between Bonnie's spread legs. He asked, "What exactly do you have in mind, Bon?"

Bonnie's eyes turned amber as she wrapped her legs around Tyler with an impish grin. The sinful reply died on her lips when she heard someone approaching the bathroom door.

Lucy knocked and said, "Bonnie?"

Tyler growled angrily.

Bonnie lightly slapped his shoulder. She called out, "Is everything okay, Lucy?"

"My mom just called me. They need all of us over at the cemetery immediately. The veil is so weak that it might collapse at any moment. We need to conduct a ritual that will feed some of our own energy into the veil to strengthen it. Then we will need people to guard it to prevent the travelers from drawing power from it again," Lucy explained.

Tyler reluctantly pulled away from Bonnie. He said, "We'll be out soon."

Lucy said, "Sorry to interrupt. I'll be downstairs. The three of us will ride over there together."

Bonnie groaned and hopped off the counter. "We are all as good as dead if the travelers drop the veil before we are ready."

Tyler kissed the top of her head. "We'll stop them, Bon."

"I hope that we can but I am worried. Feeding our own power into the veil will weaken us. It will make us easier targets for the travelers," she complained.

"What about asking Elijah or Rebekah for help?" he asked.

Bonnie latched onto his train of thought. "That actually isn't a bad idea. Aunt Elodie stopped Rebekah from kidnapping Damon by siphoning power from her. I need to run the idea by her. She may not want the Originals to know what she can do."

He understood the desire to keep the Originals in the dark. They were not to be trusted and should only have pertinent information on a need-to-know basis. He had worked hard to keep his pack a secret but it was no longer possible. The pack would meet later tonight at Bonnie's house. Ruby, Gabe, and Clay were already on the way to Mystic Falls. Tyler wanted to talk to the pack elders prior to the larger meeting.

Bonnie abandoned her makeup and walked into the bedroom. She dressed as fast as she could in jeans and a tank top. Then she sent a group text to Scooby Doo Gang. They had all returned to the boarding house after Lucy and Bonnie conducted the ritual to protect them from possession. The witches would need people watching their backs while they were fortifying the veil. The ritual would leave them vulnerable to attack from the travelers.

The hybrid followed his mate's lead and dressed as well.

Bonnie sat on the side of her bed and sent a separate text to Elodie about using one of the Originals as a battery. Afterwards, she pulled on her shoes and grabbed her great-grandmother's grimoire.

The couple walked downstairs while holding hands. The the last of Bonnie's cousins were headed out the door. Everyone was understandably on edge about the state of the veil.

Bonnie could not help but to feel guilty. She should have done more to secure the veil once she learned of the travelers' plans. Unfortunately, it was another glaring hole in her education. Bonnie was immensely powerful but her lack of a teacher meant that she was not at her full potential. There was a tiny voice in the back of her head that reminded her of Klaus' offer.

Bonnie said, "I feel like a bad hostess. We're using my house as the base operations and I don't have food or anything really."

Tyler rested a hand on her hip. He offered, "I don't mind driving out to the superstore with you later."

The place was 30 miles away in a larger town. Being open 24/7 made up for its lack of proximity to Mystic Falls.

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

He nodded. "I have selfish reasons. I will be staying here, too."

Bonnie giggled softly and elbowed him playfully. She pulled her phone from her pocket when it began to vibrate.

Elodie: Which Original sibling did you have in mind?

Bonnie: I would choose Rebekah. Elijah is the better fighter. It would be better if he was at full strength.

Elodie: Do you think that she would agree?

Bonnie: We would put it to Elijah and Klaus. They are good at convincing Rebekah to do what they want. Most of the time.

Elodie: You and Lucy should go make the request. Everyone else will gather at the cemetery to protect the veil.

Bonnie: Okay. I will let you know minute we have an answer.

Bonnie walked into the living room. She pulled Lucy to the side and said, "We have to go see Klaus and Elijah. We need their help."

The older witch frowned deeply. "Really? Because I basically told Elijah to kiss my ass earlier."

Tyler's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "I am sorry that I missed that."

Bonnie passed Lucy her phone so that she could read the text conversation.

Lucy's warm brown eyes scanned the screen and her shoulders slumped. "This should be fun. I'll be ready to leave soon. I need to get Mari."

Bonnie asked, "Couldn't we get someone to watch her?"

"Maybe but taking Mari to Mikaelson Mansion will probably convince them to go along with this plan," Lucy confessed.

Bonnie frowned deeply. She asked, "Are you sure about this, Lucy?"

"Yes. I was going to let Klaus meet Mari. Now the meeting serves a dual purpose. We need to take my car since it has Mari's car seat. It will only take me a couple minutes to get ready…"

Tyler nodded, "We'll meet you outside, Lucy."

Bonnie took a set of keys from her pocket. "So that you can lock the door on your way out."

"Okay." She left the room to collect her daughter.

Bonnie and Tyler went outside. They waited by Lucy's car. Tyler put two fingers under Bonnie's chin to make her meet his gaze. "Are you okay?"

"Sure…"

He frowned because he knew better. Their bond was pulsing with a variety of feelings from Bonnie's side. "Do you want to try that again?"

Bonnie placed her hands on Tyler's shoulders and then leaned up to kiss him. "I am just frustrated with myself and the spirits. But it isn't anything that we need to talk about right now."

"Okay," he relented.

Lucy walked out of the house with Mari in her arms and a diaper bag over her shoulder. She locked the door and then met Bonnie and Tyler at the curb. She unlocked the car and put Mari into her car seat.

Bonnie climbed into the passenger seat. She was practically vibrating with nervous energy.

Meanwhile, Tyler slid into the back beside Mari's car seat much to the baby's excitement. She kicked her legs in excitement and babbled at him.

Tyler chuckled and replied, "Really?"

Mari squealed and babbled louder.

Once Mari was buckled in safely, Lucy climbed into the car and drove to the Mikaelson Mansion.

Tyler asked, "Do we have a plan? Should we have a plan?"

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders and looked at Lucy. "I was thinking that we would just be straightforward. If we don't fortify the veil, Klaus' crazy parents are going to cross into our world. My guess is the two of them working together will be able to kill him this time."

Lucy huffed out a laugh. "It is brutally honest but we don't really have time for sugarcoating or hand holding. Nik is old enough to take his medicine."

Tyler leaned forward in his seat. "If all else fails you can always use the bond to your advantage."

The older woman frowned. She would not feel comfortable manipulating Klaus in that way. She already felt guilty about the hex she put on him. She muttered, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Bonnie understood her cousin's reluctance. She would feel the same way about Tyler. Abusing the bond felt like a major betrayal. Nevertheless, she understood her mate's point of view. The Originals had broke all manner of promises, deals, and pacts to achieve a favorable outcome for their family. The Bennett witches would need to adopt that brand of ruthlessness if they intended to survive.

Lucy drove up to the Mansion and parked in front of the stone walkway. She quickly turned off the engine and climbed out of the car.

Cary's pack were patrolling the property. However, they did not make an attempt to stop the small group as they entered the mansion.

Lucy rested Mari on her hip as they walked into the foyer. She called out, "Niklaus?"

Elijah walked into the foyer first. He assumed that Lucy was there to provide the update she promised. However, his steps faltered when he saw the infant in her arms. He did not truly believe that Lucy would bring the child into their home. However, it seemed that his brother's faith in the Bennett witch was not misplaced.

He cleared his throat and went to meet the group. He smiled at his niece.

Rebekah entered the foyer and her eyes lit up when she saw Mari. "Oh, she is gorgeous, Elijah."

Lucy eyed the siblings warily. "Where is Nik?"

Niklaus slowly made his way down the stairs. His eyes lit up when he saw Mari. The pictures Lucy had shared paled in comparison. "I am here."

Tyler had the good sense not to gawk at his sire's condition. This was his first time seeing Lucy's handiwork in person. He considered this another reminder that pissing off Bennett witches could be dangerous for one's health.

Elijah knew that his brother would not be able to continue standing for long. The hex took a great toll on his body. "Perhaps we should move this gathering into the living room."

Lucy did not know if having an audience was a good idea. At the same time, she wanted Bonnie and Tyler in the room just in case Elijah or Rebekah tried anything. She did not think either Original would try to harm her child. However, she would not rule out a kidnapping attempt.

Everyone moved into the living room for Mari's long overdue introduction to the other side of her family.

Klaus sat down on the couch heavily. He did not need Lucy to tell him that this child belonged to him. The reaction from his wolf was all the confirmation he needed.

Lucy sat beside him on the couch with Mari on her lap. "I would like to introduce you to Mari Emilia Bennett."

"Bennett," Elijah repeated with a deep frown.

He did not know why he had expected anything else. Lucy had gone to great lengths to hide her daughter from Niklaus. However, he could not deny being disappointed that his niece did not share their last name. In time, perhaps Niklaus could convince Lucy to change Mari's name.

Bonnie asked, "What else would she be?"

Tyler rested a hand on Bonnie's hip to keep her calm.

Rebekah replied, "Well, she should be a Mikaelson. It is traditional for a child to bear his or her father's last name."

"Then you have not paid very much attention to our family tree. We all have the last name Bennett. My mother was married to my father and she did not give me his last name. It is a matter of pride and legacy," she replied sternly.

Elijah moved beside his sister to keep her from replying. He knew how sharp her tongue could be.

Niklaus, Lucy, and Mari seemed oblivious to the argument happening a few feet away from them. Klaus was in awe of his daughter. Meanwhile, Mari seemed to be studying him from the safety of her mother's lap. He was amused by the serious expression on the infant's face. Her little eyebrows were drawn together in concentration. Niklaus leaned forward and studied her just as intently.

Lucy bit her lip and tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. Mari might have had a darker complexion than Klaus did but she had so many of his facial features.

Mari's little blue eyes zeroed in on the necklaces hanging around Klaus' neck. She reached out and grabbed the necklaces with both hands. Mari promptly tried to put them into her mouth.

Klaus chuckled quietly and said, "You wouldn't want to put those in your mouth, love. They aren't very clean."

Mari squawked angrily when Klaus pulled the necklaces from her little hands. Undaunted by his gentle rebuke, she reached for the necklaces again. This time she pulled harder and stuffed a pendant into her mouth before either parent could stop her. She sucked on the metal before spitting it out just as fast.

Lucy chuckled quietly as she pulled a pacifier from the diaper bag. She handed it to the baby and said, "I told you that Mari had your temperament."

Mari popped the pacifier into her mouth. She crawled onto Klaus' lap and grabbed at his necklaces again. Now she was just content to make the metal clank together.

Klaus was too happy to argue which parent was responsible for Mari's temperament. He put a protective arm around Mari so that she would not tumble from his lap.

Bonnie's phone vibrated. She checked her new text message with a small frown. She whispered, "Lucy…"

Lucy bit her lip. She felt bad for springing this on Klaus now.

Klaus met Lucy's eyes and frowned. "What is it?"

"I brought Mari here to visit as promised. But I am also here because we need your help. The travelers have weakened the veil to the point that it could fail at any point. My family plans to feed energy back into the veil to strengthen it, but it will leave us weakened. We still have a summoning spell to cast that will be incredibly taxing, too. We have a siphoner witch among us, she could pull energy from Elijah or Rebekah to help supplement our power," Lucy explained.

Shock was evident on the Original Hybrid's face. He could not believe that the Bennett witches were attempting a summoning spell. It was a spell from the Old World that required a great deal of power. Summoning a being possessing magic was even more taxing. He had witnessed less powerful witches die from the strain of such a spell. The Bennett bloodline was the most powerful bloodline he had come across in his long life. However, even they would be incapable of strengthening the veil and casting the summoning spell without paying a great cost.

He glanced at his older brother. After meeting his daughter for the first time, Klaus had even more reason to keep Mikael and Esther on the Other Side. He had no doubt that they would murder Mari and the baby still in Hayley's belly.

Elijah nodded. "I would be happy to offer my assistance."

Lucy visibly relaxed. "Everyone is gathering at the cemetery. It is the easiest place to access the veil."

Tyler did not want to leave Bonnie there but his place was at the cemetery. He needed to protect her family while they were at their most vulnerable. He said, "I am going with you. I can point you to Elodie. She is the one capable of siphoning."

Rebekah eyed Tyler suspiciously. She did not trust him or the Bennett witches. Rebekah felt certain that she had crossed paths with this siphoner at the boarding house. The encounter was brief but left her weakened for a short time. She did not want to imagine how much energy the witch could siphon from her brother with more time. "I will accompany you, Elijah."

Lucy tossed Tyler her car keys. "Don't wreck it."

He smirked. "I can't make any promises."

Lucy shook her head with a small smile. "Go. They won't wait much longer. I am sure you realize how stubborn my kin can be."

Tyler nodded. He kissed Bonnie and promised, "I will be back soon."

"Be careful," she whispered.