Tyler sat on the floor with his eyes closed. He could feel the warmth of Bonnie's skin against his bare back. He was sitting between her legs while she massaged his shoulders. His day had been long and it ended in failure. At least that was how Tyler viewed the situation. Two members of his pack had been attacked by the travelers and forced to shift without the full moon's aid. The Bennett witches were at a loss for how to fix the problem because traveler magic was so foreign to them. He was grateful that Bobby and Derek were safe for now. Lucy had put them under a strong sleeping spell. They would remain locked in Bonnie's basement for now. Joanna and Lucy promised that they would start looking for a solution in the morning.
Tyler took a gulp of tequila and tried to silence his rapid thoughts. He couldn't do anything about the travelers tonight. Worrying would prevent him from resting tonight. As a hybrid, Tyler didn't exactly need eight hours of sleep like a human did. However, he wanted to crawl into bed beside his mate and hold her while she slept. Bonnie was the only person that could soothe him completely.
Even now he felt his body relax under her talented fingers. She easily loosened his tense muscles. Tyler briefly wondered who she had practiced on in the past. He couldn't help the sudden flood of jealousy as he thought of Bonnie touching anyone else like this. However, he calmed down when he felt her soft lips pressed against his neck.
Bonnie's voice was light as she playfully scolded him, "You are tensing up again. I am starting to think that I am not doing a very good job."
He chuckled tiredly. "Just thinking about you giving Jeremy a massage made me want to wring his neck."
She huffed out a soft laugh. She wouldn't admit to being turned on by Tyler's jealous streak. There was no reason to encourage that behavior. Bonnie placed light kisses on his neck and shoulders. "I have never given Jeremy a massage."
"Then who?" he asked curiously.
Tyler and Bonnie hadn't been close in years. However, he would have remembered her dating someone. He had always wondered why more guys didn't chase Bonnie. She was beautiful and fun to be around. Recently, he had learned that Bonnie felt invisible beside Elena and Caroline. It was news to Tyler because he always noticed Bonnie. However, he was beginning to realize that their connection might explain his focus on her. Even ancient magic couldn't prevent what was destined between them.
Bonnie chuckled softly. "Occasionally, I give Damon massages. He complains after our training sessions."
Tyler opened his eyes and tilted his head up so that he could look at Bonnie. He saw the mischief glittering in her eyes. He grumbled, "One of these days I am going to kill Damon in a jealous rage. I can see it now."
She giggled softly and leaned down to kiss his lips. "Have you suddenly gained the power of premonition?"
"Call it wolf's intuition," he replied with a grunt.
Bonnie's expression grew more serious. "You know that Damon and I aren't like that. I mean we've never...he's like an annoying older brother. I annoy him and he annoys me but it's all in good fun."
Tyler lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Does he pull your pigtails, too?"
She lightly slapped his shoulder and said, "No, but you used to…"
Tyler moved onto his knees and pulled Bonnie into a kiss. "Yes, I did. Because I liked you."
"Boys are stupid," Bonnie replied after the kiss.
He smirked and replied, "Yes, we are."
She poked his chest and said, "Sit down so that I can finish your massage. You are still all tense."
Tyler kissed her once more and then returned to his position between her legs. "Tell me about Klaus' visit. You mentioned that he had an interesting proposal."
Tyler hadn't been pleased to learn that Klaus showed up unannounced. Bonnie had smelled strongly of him. The young man still didn't trust the Original Hybrid. However, he realized that some sort of working relationship was necessary. Klaus and Bonnie were related and there was no denying the connection now. Tyler was grateful that she hadn't invited him into her house. Bonnie would need a safe place to retreat if Klaus decided to turn on them.
"Klaus doesn't think that he is the right person to head the supernatural council. He realizes that his involvement would be a constant source of conflict," she replied while massaging Tyler's shoulders once more.
"That is incredibly sensible and so unlike Klaus," he declared with a furrowed brow.
Bonnie nodded in agreement. "I thought the same thing but I think he was being genuine. He came here because he had a replacement in mind."
"Who?" he asked.
Tyler assumed that Klaus would suggest Elijah. However, Bonnie seemed too calm for that to be the case. Perhaps Klaus had suggested one of the older vampires he had sired. He had been making contact with them since the initial meeting at the Mikaelson Mansion. Apparently, Klaus managed to keep track of the first vampires he sired. Tyler didn't know if it was some form of sentimentality or keeping his enemies close. Vampires that were nearly as old as the Originals would be formidable opponents. While Klaus was impossible to kill, the same couldn't be said for his siblings.
"Me," she said.
Bonnie wondered what Tyler would think of the suggestion. She was still unsure of her own position. Bonnie was even a little ashamed to admit that she had preened under Klaus' praise. He wasn't the type of man to offer empty platitudes. If he said that Bonnie was worthy of the position then she would at least consider it.
Tyler was surprised that Klaus would suggest Bonnie instead of his brother. Yet he saw the wisdom in his choice.
He said, "I think that you would be an amazing leader for the council, Bon. You've managed to keep us all alive while facing off against the Originals, their crazy parents, and Silas. You are powerful, smart, and compassionate. You are a witch/werewolf hybrid and you are mated to a werewolf/vampire hybrid. The prestige of your lineage is undeniable-Bennett witch and a member of the North East Atlantic Pack."
Bonnie's cheeks flushed as she listened to Tyler praise her. She had been suspicious of Klaus' compliments but she trusted her mate to be honest.
Tyler frowned when Bonnie remained quiet. "What do you think of Klaus' suggestion?"
"I don't know. I think it is a lot of responsibility. I mean you guys trust me because we've fought together. Why would anyone else trust me?"
Tyler reluctantly moved away from Bonnie's magic fingers and sat beside her on the couch. He said, "I'm not asking about what other people would think. I want to know if this is something you would want?"
Bonnie bit her lip because it was a good question. In fact, she had thought about it non-stop since Klaus left her house. She sighed deeply. "I am surprised by how much I actually want this. I don't usually want things…"
He snorted. "You want plenty of things, Bon. I think you have just become used to not getting what you want."
Her lips quirked into a small smile because Tyler was right. Despite having magic, Bonnie was used to things not going her way. Sure she saved the lives of her friends and the townspeople of Mystic Falls frequently. However, she often suffered in the aftermath.
She confessed, "I think that is what worries me the most. Klaus seems to think that I will have no problem taking the position. I got the feeling that he was already working on the issue. He also renewed his offer to be my magic tutor. But just because I want something, doesn't mean that it is a good idea. This council is so important. It is literally a matter of life and death for the supernatural world as we know it. If I mess up a lot of people will suffer and it won't just be our little corner of the world."
Tyler considered Bonnie's argument carefully. He said, "You're right. There is a lot riding on the council's success. But I can't think of anyone that I would trust in that position more than you, Bon. I won't be the only one that feels that way. Anyway, you won't be running the council alone. You would be the president or whatever but there will be other representatives on the council. They will help advise you. The real question is what Klaus wants out of this."
Bonnie actually felt a little more settled after discussing the matter with Tyler. She leaned forward and kissed him fervently. Afterwards, she tucked a stray curl behind her ear. She said, "I asked my uncle what he wants in return for his help. He knows that he isn't well liked in the supernatural community. That fact has never really mattered until this moment. Anyway, he wants to ensure he has some influence on the council. Of course, he is going to try to force Elijah onto the council. But he wants to have an in with me, too."
"You know that I hate Klaus but he is part of our lives now-whether I like it or not. That said, he is a powerful ally to have. While no one would want Klaus to lead the council, they all know it is better to stay on his good side."
She huffed out a surprised laugh. "Be nice to me or I will turn my deranged uncle loose on you? I am sure that will go over well."
He shrugged said, "An element of fear is part of the game, Bon. You saw the way I had to handle the pack's reception of you. I am always willing to be rational and non-violent. I don't enjoying hurting members of my pack. However, if I don't maintain order I will be overtaken. The same will be true for you with the council. They will try to test you."
Bonnie frowned when Tyler mentioned her initial meeting with the pack. She still felt guilty for nearly ripping out Dakota's heart, despite being well within her rights. However, she knew that Tyler was right. Most of the people on the council would come with preconceived notions about her. They would test the boundaries to see how far she could be pushed. They would also want to know if she inherited Klaus' temperament. While Bonnie had moments of blinding anger, she was not a murderer.
"I told Klaus that I would need a few days to think about it. I think I'd like to talk it over more before agreeing," she confessed.
Tyler pressed a kiss to her temple. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Are you going to talk to Damon about it?"
She laughed softly and nodded. "He is blunt and pragmatic. Damon will tell me if he thinks this is a horrible idea. Although, he genuinely hates any level of responsibility. He will probably advise me to reject Klaus' proposal for that reason alone."
He snorted in amusement. Damon wasn't fond of taking responsibility for anything but he so often did. Tyler wasn't sure if the ornery vampire realized it or not. Perhaps Damon was just so preoccupied by survival that he ignored everything else.
Bonnie stifled a yawn.
Tyler picked up his phone and glanced at the time. It was nearly 3 AM. He groaned because he knew that Bonnie needed her rest. He stood and then grasped her hand. "Let's go."
"Where?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
He chuckled and turned out the lights as he led her out the room. "We're going to bed. It's your bedtime."
Bonnie giggled as she followed him upstairs.
Tyler looked over his shoulder and said, "We're actually going to sleep, Bon."
"But I don't want to go to sleep yet," she complained with a playful pout.
He chuckled softly as they walked into her bedroom. He closed the door and then locked it. Tyler got settled on his side of the bed. He smirked and said, "We can have shower sex in the morning. Now get over here."
Bonnie giggled and climbed into bed with him. She easily snuggled into his arms. "I want early morning sex and shower sex in the morning. We were apart all day and I didn't like it."
He nuzzled her neck and replied, "I'm sorry. I missed being with you, too. Hopefully, the Gemini Coven will help us swing the tide on this traveler problem. I get that we need the travelers but I am not really feeling the spirit of cooperation right now. I guess I should be grateful that the bastards didn't just kill Derek and Bobby because they could have."
She nodded in agreement. Bonnie had actually found that strange. The travelers had shown a willingness to kill in the past. Why did they decide to spare the werewolves?
"We will get to the bottom of this, Ty. Mr. Parker is very motivated to find the travelers that attacked his convoy tonight. No one was hurt in that attack either...just inconvenienced," she mused.
Tyler's eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. "Doesn't make any sense if Markos was behind this. He doesn't seem like the type to care about a body count."
"Well, we know that Markos' coven isn't united behind him. They've split into a few factions. Yanko, Julian, and Marie are helping us widened that divide. We just have to make sure that we aren't working at cross purposes."
"Something to worry about in the morning," he said.
Bonnie squirmed beside Tyler until he draped his heavy arm over her midsection.
He pressed a kiss below her ear and grumbled, "Go to sleep."
She rested her head on Tyler's chest and tried to convince her brain to stop thinking.
Klaus was surprised when Lucy turned up on his doorstep that morning. She gave Mari to him and dropped several bags at his feet. Lucy explained that she would be busy helping Tyler's pack. Meanwhile, Bonnie would have her hands full with the Gemini Coven. It would be up to him to look after Mari for a few hours. He was almost honored that Lucy trusted him alone with their daughter. Klaus knew that their relationship was an uneasy one. However, the other shoe dropped when a tiny black kitten sauntered into the house as if it owned the place.
The kitten's heterochromatic eyes were as striking as Elijah had claimed. Klaus was immediately transported to a thousand years in the past. It was as if he was looking at the half-sister he had once called a friend. It wasn't just the eye color that reminded him of Drusilla. The kitten stared at Klaus as if looking into his very soul. It felt as if the blasted creature knew all his secrets but refused to judge him because of it. Drusilla had grown to be a very old witch before succumbing to her advanced age. They had crossed paths many times after he was turned into a vampire. She had never shunned Klaus because of the atrocities he committed. She also refused to help him break his curse.
Klaus found himself wishing that he had known the truth about Drusilla, Christophe, and Johan after he was turned. Certainly, they had known the truth about Ayana and Ansel. However, Drusilla had known him too well to ever consider telling the truth. He would have turned his half-siblings without their permission. They would have been angry in the beginning, but they would have forgiven him eventually. Forever was a long time to stay angry at family. Elijah and Rebekah were proof of that. No matter how many times Klaus did something unforgivable...they always found a way to forgive him.
His half-siblings were not the only fragile familial bonds on his mind this afternoon. Klaus was surprised to receive a text from Bonnie early that morning. In fact, they had exchanged messages for most of the day. The girl was obviously interested in last night's proposal but it was more than that. He recognized something in Bonnie that had been present in him for a long time. He knew just how to cultivate the restlessness and loneliness in her, too. Klaus had extended an invitation to Bonnie and Tyler for later tonight. He hoped that she would enjoy the impromptu magic lesson he had planned.
He watched with sharp eyes as Mari crawled around the living room. Lucy had brought a bag filled with toys but his daughter wasn't interested in them. She was exploring the living room and getting into everything within arm's reach. Klaus was constantly telling her to stop or pulling her away from potential dangers. He thoroughly enjoyed watching how his daughter's mischievous mind worked.
Elijah was sitting across the room acting as backup. Klaus' speed was unreliable while in his human form. Elijah would be there in case he couldn't reach Mari fast enough. In the meantime, the dapper original was also reading a grimoire. He was still looking for a way to remove the hex Lucy placed on his brother.
Klaus knew that Elijah's search was pointless. He knew his mate too well. Lucy said there was no loophole in the hex and he believed her. She created the hex because she feared for Mari's safety. Klaus understood that sort of motivation. He would have left nothing to chance if the roles were reversed.
Ansel was off meeting with the Gemini Coven. His father had promised to speak with Elodie Bennett. He hoped that her ability to siphon magic could free Klaus from the hex.
Klaus wasn't optimistic about Ansel's overtures. He doubted that Elodie would agree to help him. The Bennett witches were a long way from trusting him. They had an uneasy truce for now but there was no guarantee that it would last for long.
Klaus frowned when Mari went straight for a lamp's cord. "Leave that alone, love."
Mari looked back at her father and giggled. She grabbed onto the cord and prepared to yank it.
Klaus was across the room in seconds and had her in his arms.
Mari's eyes widened in surprise and moments later she was bawling her eyes out.
Elijah said, "We should consider babyproofing the mansion if Miss Bennett is going to allow Mari to visit more often."
Klaus glared at his brother because he had no idea what babyproofing was. He really should have read those books that Rebekah bought. He tried rocking Mari side to side hoping it would settle her down but she was as stubborn and disagreeable as her parents were.
The kitten scurried from underneath the couch where she had been napping. She meowed loud enough to draw the infant's attention.
Mari turned to look at the kitten and stared for a beat. Then she giggled happily and squirmed in Klaus' arms.
The Original Hybrid shook his head in fond exasperation. Then he put Mari on the floor and watched her crawl after the kitten. He moved over to the couch and sat heavily. He despised the bloody hex but he was oddly proud of Lucy for devising something so effective.
He said, "I invited the Bennett witch over later. It might be best if you made yourself scarce, brother."
Elijah frowned because he didn't appreciate being run out of his home. However, he didn't see a way to make amends to Bonnie. It was in their best interest for Klaus to somehow get into the girl's good graces. There was a burgeoning fondness that he could build upon. However, it would all fall to pieces if Elijah was involved. Even Ansel had warned him to stay away from Bonnie. The situation left him feeling flummoxed.
He cleared his throat. "I thought to take Hayley out tonight. She's going a little stir crazy confined to the mansion. We will just depart a little earlier than expected."
Klaus didn't like the idea of Hayley out in public. However, Mystic Falls was particularly safe for the moment. The travelers had been rooted out of the sleepy town. Moreover, Bennett and Gemini witches were on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.
He frowned and asked, "How does one babyproof a house?"
Elijah chuckled as he watched his niece crawling after the kitten. The tiny ball of fur was fast enough to stay just out of the infant's grasp. "I believe there is a checklist in one of the books I purchased. I'll pick up the necessary supplies while I am out with Hayley this evening."
Klaus wouldn't admit it but he was grateful for Elijah's assistance. His brother thought of the practical things that never even crossed his mind.
Suddenly, Mari stopped crawling and Nyx stopped running away from her. Infant and kitten both directed their attention to a corner of the living room.
The Mikaelson brothers were instantly alerted by the odd behavior.
Nyx moved in front of the infant as if to protect her and hissed angrily.
Klaus stood up and grabbed Mari. He could almost sense something but it was just out of his range of perception.
Then the lights began to flicker violently and an unnerving chill seeped into the house.
Mari's tiny hand gripped her father's arm as she began to cry.
Klaus could feel the tingle of her magic under his skin. The dampening charm was unable to contain her magic in this moment of pure terror. Klaus' eyes snapped to his brother. "Get Mari and Hayley out of the house now!"
Elijah looked as if he wanted to protest. He didn't want to leave Klaus alone with a malevolent spirit. Perhaps Esther or Mikael had found another way to pierce the veil. However, even in Klaus' weakened state he stood a better chance than Mari and Hayley did. He grabbed his niece and then sped upstairs to find Hayley.
Hayley was already on her feet. She had sensed the sinister presence downstairs and was on her way to investigate.
Elijah wrapped an arm around Hayley's waist and fled the house as little more than a blur. However, he didn't stop outside. Elijah ran to the only place he knew to be safe in Mystic Falls-the Bennett home.