AUTHOR'S NOTE: So since the website was acting up when I updated yesterday- it didn't send out any alerts to your email. So before you read this chapter, make sure you go back and read the previous one :)
Come morning, once everyone is awake, none of the females have the guts to look any of the males in the eye. Every time someone blushes or quickly avoids someone's gaze, the guys chuckle amusingly when they won't talk about what happened during their drunken antics. Caroline makes it very obvious when sits the furthest away from Klaus, Erica joining her as they tend to avoid his gaze the most and Lea scowls at Allison and Elena seeing as those two have nothing to be embarrassed about. She really doesn't have anything to be embarrassed about either but every time someone catches her staring at Stiles, they make her squirm by winking or batting their eyelashes at her playfully.
As the morning melts away to mid-day, all the females sans Allison have gotten rid of the mild headaches, Allison having to rely on pills to make hers go away. Seeing as one Council member and his minions have made their presence known, no-one wants to take a chance to wander about town and risk an ambush. Deciding to stay in and relax as much as they could before a fight broke out, everyone lounged around behind Klaus' home.
Lea and Erica found metal lawn chairs, pulling them out so some of them could sit comfortably in the sunlight as others took to flinging knives and stakes at the targets that were still standing up in the yard. Caroline, Lea, Erica, Allison, and Stefan lounged around in the chairs while Damon, Isaac, Scott, Stiles, and Boyd had target practice. In the midst of their lazy day, Elena came out from the house and called out for Stiles. Turning around when his name was called, Lea couldn't help but smile at how adorable he looked when his brow was furrowed in confusion and a hand was held above his head to block the sun from his eyes. Seeing that it was Elena calling, he dropped the stake he was holding and jogged towards her. This time, it was Stefan couldn't help his grin when he noticed Lea eavesdropping on the duo. She heard Elena tell him that Jeremy was looking for him and which room her brother was in so Stiles could go see what he wanted.
When Stiles grinned and jogged into the house, Elena made herself comfortable in an empty chair next to Allison and Lea fidgeted in hers. "What's wrong with Jeremy?" She asked.
Elena looked up at the mention of her brother's name. "Nothing. Why?"
"Well he asked to see Stiles." Lea shrugged with a feeble frown. Erica and Caroline immediately picked up on the unease that started rolling off the female hybrid. "I just figured something was wrong or something had happened."
"Oh. No." Elena assured her. "He was just rearranging some of his things in the room when I passed by and asked that if I saw Stiles to let him know that he was looking for him. I guess it's just boys being boys." She shrugged.
Lea nodded, letting Elena's words attempt to soothe her but for some reason, she didn't like that Stiles was not in her eye sight. Frowning to herself, she realized that this was the first time she felt like this. Whenever Stiles was in eye sight, she felt at ease knowing he was okay but now that she couldn't see his presence, she felt unsure and almost fidgety.
"You okay?" Stefan finally asked. The unease coming from Lea was starting to make him feel uneasy as well.
"Yeah... yeah." Lea forced a grin though Stefan saw right through it. "It's just.. well.." Her gaze flickered over to Caroline, Erica, and Allison who were staring at her with worry before her gaze fell back to Stefan and Elena. "Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing."
Stefan's eyes quickly flickered to the girls that Lea had glanced at and slowly pieced it together. Whatever it was that was bothering her, it was about Stiles and the bond she shared with him that she didn't even know the full details herself, let alone anyone else. "Oh, okay." He nodded. His mind quickly tried to find a way to get the attention off of whatever was wrong with Lea, his thought immediately landing on the Council. "So," Stefan cleared his throat. "We met one Council member yesterday, what are the other two like?"
Lea cocked an eyebrow at his sudden change of subject but went along with it nonetheless. "All three are ruthless." She tells him. "If you get caught with your guard down, they'll sense it and take you out before you can even say their name." Damon, Isaac, Scott, and Boyd heard Lea talking about the Council members and decided to join the group to hear the information. "Caesar is the leader of the three. While they're basically in the same age range, the other two look up to him. He's calm and collected when the situation calls for it but disobey him and he'll do anything and everything in his power to make you submit or take you out."
"Who's the main one we have to look out for?" Damon asked, the vampire being very engrossed about learning details about those they were up against.
"All three of them." Lea answered him without missing a beat. "None of them are to be underestimated. You met Louis yesterday and while at one point he came off as playful with throwing about affectionate nicknames, he's just as deadly as Caesar. If it was just Louis after us, Caesar could have possibly kept him in check but since they all want me dead, anyone and everyone is fair game."
"And the third?" Caroline murmured. "What's he like?"
"Desmond." Lea grimaced. "Don't let his good looks fool any of you girls. Though all three are ruthless killers when need be, Desmond is just plain ruthless. If I really had to choose which is the deadliest, Desmond's the deadliest of the three because he doesn't care about anything. If he sees you as a threat, you're done for. There's no negotiating with him."
"Shouldn't we be training for the fight then?" Elena said. "If they're truly that horrible, we don't stand a chance. One day of fighting won't help us win."
"And neither will training." Lea suddenly snapped as she suddenly glared at Elena, her eyes faintly glowing. "Like I said during our first training session, the only way for you to get the drop on them is the element of surprise."
Elena curled in on herself at the intensity of Lea's glare, Erica leaning forward with worry. "You alright there-"
"I'm fine." Lea's glare turned to Erica for a tense moment before Stiles' booming laugh sounded from the back door, the glow of Lea's eyes fading away when she heard him. Her sudden anger turned to confusion and she turned back to Erica and Elena. "I- I'm sorry." She told them to which they just nodded at her.
She quickly stood from her chair, concentrating on her hearing as she picked up on Klaus' whereabouts. Stefan and Isaac called after her but she waved them off and told them she needed to speak with Nik for a moment and that she'd be right back. Everyone watched her go, confusion etched into their facial features.
When she pinpointed Klaus location in his art studio, she wasn't surprised to find Derek with him as well. For some reason, the Beacon Hills alpha found that Klaus wasn't such bad company. "Nik!" Lea skidded to a stop in the room, Klaus and Derek becoming tense when they felt her confusion and worry. "You need to tell me about this bond and tell me now!"
Derek's shoulders slumped in relief, Klaus smirking at Lea. "What happened that has you in a tizzy?"
Lea opened her mouth to answer but she never got what she wanted to ask out because Caroline suddenly blurred into the room along with Damon. "We have a problem." Damon scowled.
Derek, Lea, and Klaus then realize that Caroline is barely holding it together as unshed tears swim in her eyes. "What happened?" Klaus gritted out through clenched teeth, his mood doing a complete one-eighty at the sight of a distressed Caroline.
"M-my Mom." Caroline sniffled. "That Council got into contact with my Mom and she's freaking out. Oh god, what if they go after her now? What if they make her a target once they realize that I'm her daughter?!"
Elena, Jeremy, Stefan, and the rest of the Hale pack crowd around the door now, Lea ushering Caroline into the chair that Derek immediately offered up to the vampire. "Shh. Calm down." Lea sat Caroline down. "Tell us what happened? How did you find out about this?"
Caroline fiercely swiped beneath her eyes to wipe away any tears that had fallen and breathed in deeply to calm herself down, though it didn't do much since she was a vampire and didn't need to breath. Once calm enough, she spoke. "My mom called me. She said two vampires cornered her down at the station and demanded that she hold a mandatory town meeting away from town square when the sun goes down tonight. They told her that if she didn't want any locals slaughtered then she better make sure everyone is at that meeting."
"Tonight?" Derek frowned. "Aren't they jumping the gun a bit if they only made themselves known yesterday?"
"Element of surprise." Lea sneered though it wasn't directed at the alpha. "They knew I'd be expecting them to gather the troops so to catch me off guard, they're going into this fight as soon as they can."
"But don't we still have the element of surprise?" Scott piped up. "I mean, sure they're jumping the gun with this fight and all but they still don't that we can shift whenever we want."
Lea grinned. "Right you are, Scotty." Lea turned and gestured for everyone to enter the room. "Alright, listen up." She called out, Klaus stepping back to Lea take charge since it seemed to come natural for her to plan an attack. "These vampires are old so I want all of you to pair up." At everyone's hesitancy to pair up, Lea rolled her eyes and called out the pairs herself. "Damon, you're with Boyd, Stefan with Erica, and Caroline with Isaac." Lea paused in naming pairs as she scanned the rest of the room. "Derek, I want you with Elena since she's the youngest vampire and you're a born werewolf. I'm sure you two can have each other's back." Derek looked warily at Elena but nodded nonetheless. "Jeremy, you're with Scott and watching his back if need be. Allison with Nik and Stiles with me. Any objections?" No-one says anything as they move to their assigned partner. "Good. Gear up, ladies and gents. It's about to get bloody."
..
..
..
The remaining hours tick by slowly, the Mystic Falls gang and the Hale Pack on edge as the sun makes it descent. By the way everyone was dressed, the locals would have thought they were all part of some gang with all the black and leather jackets that were being worn. Though knives would hardly phase the vampires, it didn't stop Allison from strapping some to her thighs- Elena and Caroline doing the same. Stakes were being hidden in boots, the waistband of jeans, and inside hidden pockets within everyone's jackets. Allison was the only one fast enough to pull arrows from a black leather quiver that was strapped to her back so Stiles and Jeremy had trigger sensitive crossbows with their arrows loaded and ready to be fired.
When the day finally gave away to night, nerves were running high between Elena, Caroline, and Allison. Everyone else was ready for a fight and ready for everything to be over with. As they made their way outside, Lea gained their attention. "Don't drive directly into town square. Park a couple of blocks away and we'll walk in. I don't want to take any chances."
No-one protested Lea's latest demand and they climbed into their awaiting vehicles. Derek, Klaus, Elena, and Allison piled into one of Klaus' black SUVs while Boyd, Damon, Stefan, and Erica piled into Derek's Camaro. Scott, Jeremy, Caroline, and Isaac drove in Stiles' jeep while Lea and Stiles drove her Corvette. The drive was tense and silent, and for once, Stiles didn't even feel the need to fill the silence with random facts or stories.
Once parked, everyone slid out of their vehicles and was instantly on guard. For being a small town, the streets were usually alive with the local teens messing around or older couples walking from bar to bar. Mystic Grill was the most popular bar since it catered to all ages and served actual food but there were a few other bars that catered to only adults as well. But tonight- tonight, there was not a living soul wandering the streets or a single heart beat coming from inside any of the shops. All lights to the buildings were left on as well as the street lamps that clicked on once the sun was down but the town was pretty much bare.
"Looks like your Mom came through with that town meeting." Damon pointed out the obvious.
Everyone was spaced out, taking up the space from one side of the street to the other. Lea and Klaus led them as they scoped out the block, Stiles and Allison flanking them with their bow and crossbow poised to fire. Scott, Jeremy, Caroline, and Isaac followed a few feet behind while Damon, Boyd, Erica, and Stefan pulled up the rear of their clan. As they carefully walked further towards town square, some of them turned to walk backwards as their partners led them in the correct way so they could have their front and backs covered.
"You know, if we weren't in this life or death situation, I'd totally snap a picture of us right now." Stiles muttered, knowing full well that human and non-human could hear him within their group. "We totally look badass right now. Someone should come up with a name for us."
"Shutup, Stiles." Derek grunted.
"Warriors of the Night." Stiles muttered in awe at coming up with the name himself.
Damon snorted from the back of the group; Stefan, Elena, Jeremy, Lea, and Klaus fighting off grins in Stiles' expense.
The moment town square came in view so did the Vampire Council and their minions. Lea couldn't help the flash of her eyes or the growl that erupted from the back of her throat when she saw that they were outnumbered by a few vampires. Klaus cut her off with a warning growl of his own when he realized she was making the wolves of their group tense up.
"Niklaus Mikaelson. What a surprise." Caesar called out, his hands clasped together in front of him. Louis and Desmond flanked either side of him, fifteen vampires lined up behind them.
"Is it really?" Klaus smirked. "Your errand boy found me earlier. I was sure he ran back to his master to relay his finding."
Louis' grin dropped as he hissed at Klaus in anger. Desmond has a cold and calculating look in his eye that Lea is suddenly aware of and the vampires behind them are flashing fangs, and letting out low hisses.
"Go back where you came from, Niklaus. This is council business." Caesar calmly said.
"Council business becomes my business when you attack my family. Being my first successful hybrid, Lea is family." Klaus sneered. "I suggest you learn to respect your elders and go back where you came from, Caesar."
In the midst of his controlled anger, Caesar allowed his face to transform and gave off a warning hiss. "She is a threat to the entire vampire community and needs to be taken care of. So walk. Away."
Something is Stiles suddenly snapped, his eyes zeroing in on Caesar. "If you want Lea, you're going to have to go through all of us."
Desmond's eyes suddenly snapped to Stiles, his own vampire visage coming forth in his anger. "Speak when spoken to, human."
"His name is Stiles!" Lea snarled at him, her own hybrid visage on display now. Backing up Lea- Caroline and Elena let their faces transform, hisses of their own sounding in the tense atmosphere.
"How cute." Louis called out with a chuckle. "Do you really think you all can take us on? One Original, one hybrid, four youngster vampires, three pathetic hunters-" He paused to sniff the air. "-and five wolves with no full moon? That really is no match for all of us." He smirked at Lea. "So why don't you just offer yourself up and we'll let all your little friends run back home."
"Fuck. You."
Before anyone could comprehend that it was Stiles who spoke, an arrow flew directly at Louis' face which was caught very easily and tossed to the ground. The vampire minions hissed in outrage, Stefan and Damon answering their hisses with some of their own and the night's air was suddenly filled with spine chilling howls. When the Vampire Council and the minions stilled, Lea knew that Derek and the pack shifted.
"Oh, did I forget to mention that the wolf pack I worked with was of a different breed?" Lea feigned innocence as she smirked at Louis.
The Council's minions looked shocked for a few more seconds before getting back into battle mode and lunged. Damon and Boyd were the firsts to meet them in the middle, both immediately pulling out stakes from their hidden spots and attacking. Lea and Klaus each held their ground as they had a stare off with Council members, vampires and werewolves running out and meeting in the middle for what practically looked like a blood bath. Jeremy, Allison, and Stiles slowly moved forward, arrows flying but only some hitting their targets.
For a split second, Lea let her gaze travel to her fighting friends when she heard someone whimpering. Caroline was being held by two vampires while another had Isaac on the ground and kicking him over and over in the ribs. Lea's clenched her jaw in her anger, rushing over and wrapping her hand around the vampire's throat before plunging her hand into his chest and ripping out his heart. With a ferocious snarl, she dropped the heart and punched on of the vampire's holding Caroline to help out some.
Feeling someone slamming into her back, Lea whirled around only to come face to face with a bleeding Derek. Backing off, both of them stepped away from each other and looked out to see who needed help. Surprisingly, their group was holding their own against the Council's minions though Lea immediately noticed a vampire sneaking up on Allison.
Blurring her way over, Lea caught the sneaking vampire in a choke hold when someone shouted, "ENOUGH!"
The sudden order to stop caught everyone off guard that they immediately obeyed. When Lea looked up, she realized that it was Desmond who shouted. Desmond who was holding a struggling Stiles to his chest with his hand gripped around his throat. Desmond who didn't care that Stiles was starting to turn to red from the lack of oxygen.
Snarling in rage, Lea snapped the neck of the vampire who she held in a choke hold and pulled out a stake from boot before shoving it in his chest. "Let him go." She seethed as she stood tall and walked back to Klaus' side. The remaining minions stood guarding the Council as the Hale Pack started to approach them when they realized Stiles had been captured.
She was miffed that the Council had let the vampires do their dirty work seeing as they were all blood-free as well as Klaus. She was dying to ask what his problem was that he hadn't fought like she expected him to but her anger and fear of Stiles' safety overrode everything else.
"He can't breathe!" Lea shouted angrily. "You said it yourself earlier, he's human. He needs to breathe!"
"Ah, yes." Desmond sneered as he peered down at the now purple Stiles. "But humans who are dead don't need to breathe, do they?"
"What are you-"
SNAP!
The echo of Stiles' neck snapping shocked everyone to their core, including Klaus who watched as the teen's body fell to it's knees first before falling over. It took Lea seconds to realize that the shrill scream she was hearing was coming from her own mouth. Tears immediately fell from her eyes but the second she saw Desmond's smirking face, her inner monster took over. With a snarl directed at Desmond, Lea lunged to kill. Three vampires attempted to stop her, Lea catching one by the arm and swinging him in the direction where the Hale Pack was standing. She snapped one's neck and let him fall, swiftly turning and plunging her hand into the oncoming vampire's chest and pulling out his heart.
When she turned to face Desmond, she found him standing alone and glaring at her, Caesar and Louis dead at his feet. Turning around, she found Klaus grinning from ear to ear, his own hybrid visage on display as blood dripped from his chin. Looking around the square, she found each of the vampire minions being taken down by Derek, Scott, Boyd, Isaac, and Erica in rage of their fallen pack mate.
Desmond was alone.
"Why?" Lea was visibly shaking in rage. "Why Stiles?"
"Because he means something to you." Desmond spat. "If we couldn't get to you, we'd take what you hold near and dear."
"I'll rip your throat out." Lea snarls as she takes a step forward.
"I'd like to see you tr-", Desmond's eyes go wide as a crunch of breaking flesh sounds and his body is lifted in the air. He coughs once, blood filling his mouth before he's tossed unceremoniously to the ground to reveal his murderer's face.
"I see I missed most of the fun." Elijah sighs as tosses Desmond's heart to the ground and pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket to clean his hand of blood.
Dun. Dun. Dun. Don't hate me!