Chapter 29

Kurt groggily awakens. He spots Ben sitting in a chair by the end of the bed, sleeping. He gasps and sits up frantically. Kurt looks around for a way out and stares at the front door. He looks from Ben to the door, estimating if he can make it without waking him. Quietly, Kurt slides off the bed and slowly steps over Ben's outstretched leg. He slowly backs up to the door, keeping an eye on Ben. Kurt unlocks the deadbolt on the door, looking back at Ben occasionally. He turns the lock on the door and prepares to open it.

"I wouldn't," says Ben. Kurt gasps and spins around. Ben inches towards Kurt and uses his compulsion on him. "Don't try to escape. Don't even move. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Kurt repeats.

Ben scoffs and turns around to get a bottle of blood out of the mini fridge. Kurt opens the front door and bolts out, but Anna blocks his escape. Anna grabs Kurt by his collar and pushes him back into the motel room.

"Seriously?!" yells Anna.

"I told him not to move! I did that eye thing that you taught me!" Ben yells back.

"And forgot the lesson about vervain! He dates a vampire, Ben. Duh!" Anna pushes Kurt up against a wall and opens the bathroom door.

"Who are you? What do you want?" asks Kurt.

"Does it matter?" Anna forcefully pushes Kurt into the bathroom and shuts the door. Kurt flips the light switch and calmly searches the room for another exit. Kurt looks over towards the bathtub and sees Mercedes lying in it, unconscious. Kurt rushes over to her.

"Mercedes?" He lifts Mercedes's head up. "Oh, my god!"

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Puck is in the study, reading through Emily's grimoire. Blaine enters the room with an anxious look on his face. Puck doesn't look up at him.

"Anna took Kurt," Blaine informs Puck.

"Yeah, I got that from your 600 voicemails," replies Puck in a bored tone.

Blaine strides across the room towards Puck. "Puck, all night long, every single street in town, I've been searching. What if your blood hasn't passed out of his system?"

"Well, then at least you know you'll see him again."

"Please." Blaine sits down on the sofa, next to Puck. "What do you know? You were with Anna, you must know where's she living. Just tell me where I can find her."

Puck looks up at Blaine. "Nope. You can go. Really."

"You know, all I can remember is hating you. There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you." Puck lays the grimoire down and gives his attention to Blaine. "But see, I also know you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Kristian got taken away from you because of me. And I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, Eggs Benedict."

"So please, just tell me what you know."

"Hmmm."

"It's Kurt, Puck. If you know something, tell me," pleads Blaine.

Puck stands up and Blaine mimics him, looking at him with anxiety. "I mean this sincerely." Blaine nods, anticipating his answer. "I hope Kurt dies." Puck walks past Blaine, leaving the room.

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Kurt wets a cloth in the sink and places it on Mercedes's forehead. She slowly opens her eyes. "Mercedes?"

"Kurt?"

"Oh, you're okay!"

"My head…" says Mercedes as she holds her head in her hand.

"Come here." Kurt pulls Mercedes upright.

"Oh, my god! Ben is a-!"

"Shhhh." Kurt gestures at his ear and points toward the door. "They can hear." Kurt gets up and turns on the tap. He kneels back down next to Mercedes.

"I'm so stupid!"

"No, he had all of us fooled!

"What's going on? Why are we here?

"It must have something to do with the tomb and Emily's spell book."

"Spell book?"

"Puck said it could be used to open the tomb."

"Why didn't I know about any of this?"

"I was trying to keep you out of it, hoping it would never come to this."

"Come to what?"

"They need a witch to break the spell and let the vampires out."

"No way!"

"I know."

Ben bursts through the door. Kurt grabs Mercedes's shoulders protectively. Ben turns the tap off.

"You're wasting your time. I'm not gonna help you," says Mercedes strongly.

Ben smiles devilishly and grabs Kurt. Mercedes reaches out to try to pull him back, but Ben manages to pull Kurt away from her. "That's why he's here. Motivation for you to behave. You know, you shouldn't be so desperate. You made it too easy."

Ben pushes Kurt out of the room, roughly. Mercedes gets up from the tub. Ben shuts the bathroom door. "She wants to talk to you."

Kurt stumbles into the motel room.

Anna leans against a table, looking at Kurt. "Well, well. Kurt Hummel. You really are Kristian's doppelgänger. You must have the Anderson boys reeling."

"Who are you?" asks Kurt.

"I'm Anna," she answers simply. "Your brother may have mentioned me. I mean, we're like, practically dating."

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Finn is sitting at a table at the Lima Bean, doing homework. Nearby, Artie is doing homework while Sam cleans a table and talks to Artie.

"Ten kegs? You know how much damage we could do with ten kegs? Duke's got it all hooked up," informs Artie.

"Duke's a douche," says Sam in response.

"Yeah, a douche with ten kegs. AKA, my new best friend."

Finn scoffs.

"What's your problem, Hudson?" asks Artie, hearing Finn's scoff.

"Don't have one, Abrams," replies Finn.

"Yeah, I didn't think so."

"Do you ever get bored of it?" asks Sam.

"Of what?" asks Artie.

"Yourself," replies Sam. Sam walks off and Finn laughs quietly.

Artie looks at Finn. "Keep laughing, buddy." Artie rolls over to the counter to order a drink.

Quinn enters the Lima Bean and walks over to Finn. "Hey, Finn. Where is Kurt? I've been texting him and Mercedes all day about Duke's party."

"Uh, he went somewhere with Blaine," answers Finn.

Quinn sighs. "I am so not going to be one of those girls who disappears just because she has a new boyfriend."

"Who is Duke?" asks Finn.

"Some guy that graduated a couple of years ago. And he throws a party every time he comes home from Duke."

"Wait, Duke goes to Duke?"

"His real name's Bob or something." Finn laughs quietly. "He's a total ass. But he buys the beer. You know, you should come."

"Uh, yeah, I - I don't think so," Finn rejects.

"No, seriously. Everyone goes. Even quiet loner brothers." Quinn sees Sam. "Think about it." Quinn walks up to Sam. "Hey!"

"Hey," greets Sam.

"So, I have a speech. It is fully scripted and well-rehearsed. Are you ready for it?"

"You wrote a speech?"

"Yes. It's a 'You kissed me and I don't want things to be weird' speech. It's preemptive."

Sam chuckles. "Preemptive?"

"Yeah, you know, in case you were having second thoughts or regrets, or were, like, ooged out- "

"Ooged, huh?"

"Can I just get on with the speech part?"

"Yeah, go for it."

"So, I know that you don't think that this is going to work out between us. I just want to let you know that right here and right now, I'm offering you an out. Like an escape clause."

"Why are you giving me an escape clause?"

"I don't wanna make assumptions about what it is we're doing here."

"Got it."

"So, if you would like to exercise it, just let me know."

"I'm good, but thanks."

"Okay. Good."

"Yeah."

"So, see you for Duke's tonight."

"Yeah." Sam smiles and gets back to work. Quinn laughs happily.

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Puck knocks on the front door of Grams' house and she opens it.

"Yes?" answers Grams.

"Hi there. I'm, uh, looking for Mercedes," says Puck in the nicest way he can.

"She's not here."

"Oh, well do you know when she-"

"Never," Grams answers quickly.

Puck chuckles. "You have quite an opinion for someone who doesn't know me."

"You got some nerve knocking on a Jones' witch's door and asking her for anything."

"What'd I do?"

"Spirits talk, Mr. Anderson, and so does my granddaughter. You are no friend to us. Now get off my porch."

Puck takes a step closer to Grams. "Step outside and say that," Puck threatens.

Grams stares at Puck. Suddenly, Puck groans and holds his head which feels like it's exploding. Puck starts to back and Grams steps out onto the porch. "I am not Mercedes. You don't wanna mess with me." Grams goes back into her house and slams the door shut, breathing heavily as she leans against the front door.

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Anna peers out the curtain, looking outside.

"Mercedes is not gonna open the tomb," Kurt tells Anna.

"Oh, I think she will."

"Do you really want Kristian out that bad?"

Anna looks over at him. "Trust me. No one I know wants to see that boy again. Except Puck, the lovestruck idiot."

"Then what is it? Or who is it?"

"My mother's in there." Anna walks closer towards Kurt. "Kristian couldn't help himself. He just had to toy around with both Anderson brothers. And when he got caught, so did my mother. I watched Jonathan Hummel take her away."

"I'm sorry," Kurt says sincerely.

"You really mean that, don't you?" She chuckles. "Yeah, I think we'll skip the dead mom bonding so you can start serving a purpose."

"Which is what?"

"Leverage. This belong to you?" Anna holds up Kurt's phone. Kurt tries to grab it from her, but Anna pulls it away. "Ah-ah!" Anna walks across the room, dialing a number on the phone.

The phone rings and Blaine picks up from the other end, at the Anderson House. "Kurt? Baby? Are you okay?"

"He's fine. For now. Tell me you have the grimoire and he'll stay fine," threatens Anna.

Puck enters the room, leaning against the door frame of the study in the Anderson house.

"I can get it," replies Blaine.

"Which means your brother has it. And I have the witch. So, one of you had better meet me in the very public town square in 30 minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's gonna be to work together." She hangs up.

Blaine hangs up and looks back at Puck.

"Go ahead. Grovel again. Oh, wait no…I don't care," says Puck. Puck leaves the room.

Anna knocks on the bathroom door. "I'm leaving," Anna informs Ben.

Ben opens the door to the bathroom and leads Mercedes out.

"Keep them buttoned down. Compulsion won't work. Just use violence," instructs Anna.

"Right. I got that," answers Ben.

Anna leaves. Ben pushes Mercedes onto the bed.

"Sit. Behave. So, you're the key to this. Literally. The one who opens the door. Tell me, how long have you been a witch?"

"Is there anything to drink here?" asks Kurt, trying to distract Ben.

Ben gets up and walks over to Kurt. "Are you offering? There's water on the nightstand."

Kurt picks up the glass of water and starts to take a drink.

"Hey. Can I have a sip?" asks Mercedes.

Kurt pulls the glass away from his mouth, understanding what Mercedes plans on doing. He hands over the glass. Mercedes takes it and tosses the water on Ben. Mercedes turns the water into flames. Ben yells and pats the flame down on his arm. Kurt and Mercedes get up and run to the door. Mercedes makes it to the door and opens it, ready to run out, but Ben grabs Kurt before he can make it out.

"Come back in! Shut the door!" yells Ben.

Mercedes slides back into the room. "Don't hurt him!" yells Mercedes.

"Don't make me!"

Mercedes shuts the door behind her.

"Lock it!"

Mercedes deadbolts the door.

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Anna is walking through downtown Lima. Finn sees her from the Lima Bean and runs over to her.

"Anna! Hey-uh, what happened to you last night?" asks Finn when he approaches her.

"Sorry, I had to leave. I told your brother to tell you."

"I haven't seen him."

"Well, I gotta run, so-" Anna turns to leave.

"Hey, do you wanna go to a party tonight?" asks Finn.

"Go to what?"

"Oh, the guy who's throwing it is a total douche, but it's supposed to be fun. I figured, you know, safety in numbers."

Anna chuckles. "So, you're finally ready to go out with me, are you?"

"It's been a while since I've been to a party, and I kind of want to get back out there. And not be such a - a loner. And, uh, I like you. You're fun, and you're also kind of strange and weird but, uh, I guess I like that, too. So, yeah, you should come to the party. With me. It's in the woods by that old cemetery."

"Oh. It's there, huh? That sounds cool. Uh, I'll meet you," says Anna.

"Oh. Okay! Great." Anna starts to walk away. Finn watches her. "Cool."

"Okay." Anna looks glances back at him and Finn leaves. Anna sits down on a bench, waiting and looking around.

Suddenly, Puck appears next to her, sitting on the bench. "Got a hot date or are you just plan on nabbing the entire Hummel family?" asks Puck.

"A party, right next to the old cemetery. Isn't that nice of them? Lots of warm bodies for starving vampires."

"I told you. I work alone."

"Yeah, so do I. But you're minus a witch and I'm minus a spell book. So, what do you say?"

"Blaine will come after you, you know that," Puck tells Anna bluntly. "For messing with Kurt."

"Then he won't be so happy if I kill Kurt when I don't get what I want." Anna gets up and starts to walk away.

Puck scrunches up his face and sighs. "When do you want to do this?"

Anna smiles and turns around, laughing at Puck. "God, it's like 1864 all over again. You Andersons are truly pathetic when it comes to love interests. Tonight. After sundown. Meet at the church." Anna leaves.