Poison & Wine ~ Chapter XXIII
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Chills ran down my spine as I walked down the dark hall. I had a bad feeling about tonight, something wasn't right. But, Caroline forced me to come. It was Senior Prank night and everyone wanted to have a night to pretend that our lives aren't screwed up with everything that was going on. Elena's boyfriend drama and my slowly returning depression that my stupid new therapist had given me pills for. Yep, over the past few days back to Mystic Falls, I was breaking.
As I drew closer to the classroom where I was supposed to meet up with everyone, I could hear a ranting Caroline already. I saw Matt in the doorway, and slowly snuck up behind him as I heard Caroline talking about how long it took them to set up the current prank.
I jumped on Matt's back. "Boo!" I said as I latched my arms around his neck. He jumped and I swear he almost elbowed me in the face. Everyone laughed at his reaction, though I had scared them as well. "Matt, if I'm doing this, then so are you." I said before letting go and walking around him. He had obviously been working out, he was in his gym clothes and, well, by his scent it was obvious. I was actually still in my workout clothes from my training with Alaric earlier.
"I'm kinda surprised any of you are doing this." He admitted, clearly now freaked out by me scaring him. He made sure his back was no longer facing the door.
"Caroline's making us," Bonnie explained to him.
"We're about to be seniors," Caroline said, frustrated. "These are the memories that will stick with us forever, and if we don't…"
"And if we don't create these memories now, then what's the point of it all?" Elena said, slightly mocking, from her spot on a desk.
Caroline sighed. "Go ahead and make fun! I don't care,"
"You're all lame. And I've got ten more classrooms to prank." Tyler said as he grabbed his bag and left. Elena begun to leave, too.
"Hey!" Bonnie said. "Where are you going?"
"To superglue Alaric's desk shut," Elena said as she turned back towards her two friends. "I'm making memories."
She smiled and Caroline smiled back at her. As Elena walked away, Caroline called after her, "I love you!"
I looked over at Caroline. "I'm going to the gym to hang myself."
"That's not funny," Caroline said, her happiness before now gone.
"It's a joke," I said with a sigh. "I've been out of that phase for a year now, and it's still too soon?" I shook my head. "Dana needs help in there, so that's where I'm going. See you guys later." I headed toward the gym and walked by Tyler on my way there. I waved to him before continuing. I got to the gym and Dana instantly put me to work on filling up the cups with water.
My mind was somewhere else as I was on my knees, just thinking about Elijah, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was yanked to my feet and turned around to come face-to-face with Klaus.
"Klaus," I managed after several moments of staring into his blue eyes. "I feel like you're stalking me now." I looked over to see Elena, her hands shaking in fear. Looking back at Klaus, I could see anger in his eyes.
"You lied to me, Andy," He said, squeezing my shoulder tightly. "It seems to be that your sister is still alive."
"I didn't lie, love," I shook his hand off, and walked past him. As I did, I bumped my shoulder into his own. "I just didn't mention it, which, if I remember it correctly, you only mentioned killing the doppelgänger once when you were breaking down about your hybrids not working. But, you didn't ask me if she was alive. Even if you had, I would've lied to you then." I grabbed Elena's hands. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"N-No, I'm fine." She said, obviously shaken up.
I hugged her tightly. "He's not going to hurt you, he knows better."
Klaus laughed from behind me. "Did you not learn a thing from your time with me, love?"
I rolled my eyes as I turned towards him. He had sat halfway up on the bleachers, so I moved towards him and stopped at the bottom of the bleachers. "I guess not. Oh, but I did find out you hold up to your promises."
He smiled. "You are referring to Dr. Holmes."
"Yeah, I am," I folded my arms. "I don't like her, she's too pushy. I want my old doctor back."
"Sorry, she's… occupied with other things,"
"You killed her," I shook my head. "Do you even have a conscious, you blubbering idiot?!"
"Pardon me?"
"We've had this conversation over and over again, I'm not doing it again," I held up my hand to him and looked to see Dana and Chad in here, with Dana holding up her foot. "What is she doing?"
"If she puts her foot down, Chad beats her to death," Elena said in a low voice.
I face-palmed myself and sat on the bleacher. "Guess you shouldn't be surprised, should you?" I said in a mutter to myself.
We all remained quiet for a few minutes before Klaus spoke to Dana. "Keep it up," He said, causing me to look up at the other two humans. I felt bad for them, they were collateral damage in this stupid war between us and Klaus.
"Where's Stefan? What did you do to him?" Elena demanded, unable to hold in the question any longer.
"Stefan's on a time out."
I laughed dryly, shaking my head. I looked over to Elena. "Klaus has no tolerance for those who disappoint him. Stefan wouldn't tell him that you were alive, he lied to him just as I did. Guess your sidekick doesn't have that much loyalty, huh?"
The doors opened and I stood, immediately seeing Bonnie and Matt walk in. "Bonnie, get out of here!" Elena shouted at them. Bonnie and Matt continued to the middle of the room, however.
"Ah, I was wondering when you would be here. Now we can get started," Klaus suddenly was beside of Elena and looked over at Dana. "Ah, Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight," Klaus said and Dana instantly collapsed to the ground. Klaus looked over to Bonnie. "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?"
Bonnie didn't seem the least bit frightened of him. "That's right. If you want to blame someone, blame me."
"Oh, there's no need for blame, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects," He briefly glanced at me. "And since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix."
Right then, the blonde, Rebekah, I think, was what Klaus had called her. She was the one that I had seen daggered in Chicago, and she came in holding onto Tyler.
"Get off of me!" Tyler said to her.
"Hush now," She hissed to him.
"I'd like you all to meet my sister, Rebekah," He looked over at all of us. "Word of warning… she can be quiet mean."
"Don't be an ass," She shot at him as she threw Tyler into his arms before her eyes found mine. She had a mix of emotions play through her eyes before she looked again to her brother.
"Leave him alone!" Elena gasped as she backed to Matt's side.
"I'm going to make this simple…" Klaus said. "Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually, you can ask Andy over there," Klaus said before biting his wrist and forcing Tyler to drink his blood. What was he doing? "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake… you better hurry." The next thing I knew, Klaus snapped Tyler's neck.
"No!" I screamed out, running and kneeling at Tyler's body. My body was shaking violently. "No, Ty, wake up! No!" I looked up and saw Klaus smiling smugly, and my blood boiled. I got up and shoved him. I pulled out a hidden stake in my jacket sleeve that Alaric had given me and stabbed him in the gut. I was thrown down to the ground instantly, but that didn't stop me from screaming at him. "You know it'll kill him, Klaus! How could you?!" I grabbed my head, it was aching very badly as it was reeling. Tyler was going to die now. There was no way Bonnie could find a way to fix his hybrids.
"He killed him," I heard Matt say from my side a few minutes later.
"No," I said, looking up at him gravely. I had calmed down, but I felt like crying. "Ty's not dead…Klaus's blood will turn him into a vampire."
"And if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition," Klaus said from behind me. "Go on, then. Go fetch your grimoires and enchantments and whatnot. I'll hold onto Elena and Andy... For safe-keeping." He caught Elena's arm and looked at her. Elena made a sign to Bonnie and she left with Matt. Rebekah looked at Elena.
"So this is the latest doppelgänger," She said. "The original one was much prettier," She looked over at me. "Same for that one. She kinda looks like a boy with that wardrobe."
"You shouldn't describe yourself like that, Rebekah, you're kinda pretty," I said back to her.
"Why you little—"
"Enough, Rebekah," Klaus stopped her from advancing towards me. "Take the wolf boy elsewhere, would you?"
Rebekah glared at me as she took Tyler and left with his lifeless body. Klaus looked at Elena. "Just ignore her. Petty little thing."
"I hoped she'd be more like Elijah instead of you," I muttered, folding my arms. Elena went over to Dana and begun comforting her. Klaus held a hand out to me. "I'm not taking your hand."
"Stop being like that; it's only cute when I'm not irritated," He said as he grabbed my arm and yanked me up.
"Ow!" I hissed, shoving him back a little. "You do realize I'm not going to stay in here, right?"
"Oh, you will."
"And how can you be so sure?"
"Your sister's in here. You don't trust me to leave her alone with me so you will stay,"
I scoffed, turning away from him and then smirking back over at him as I thought back to the vervain coated stake. "How's your stomach?"
Before he could respond, the gym doors had opened. "Stefan…" Elena said, and sure enough there was Stefan, walking through the gym towards Klaus.
"Klaus," He said, stopping a good twenty feet in front of Klaus.
"Come to save your damsel, mate?" Klaus asked him.
"I came to ask for your forgiveness. And pledge my loyalty," Stefan said and I snorted at that. Was Stefan drunk? He could get away from Klaus now if he wanted! He was just going to go right back to him?
"Well, you broke that pledge once already," Klaus reminded him.
"Elena means nothing to me anymore," Stefan said as detached as he could, but you could easily see through the facade. "And whatever you ask of me... I will do."
"Fair enough," Klaus said, satisfied. "Let's drink on it. Kill them. What are you waiting for? Kill them." Klaus was testing him.
"No! Stefan, don't. He's not going to hurt me. He already said—" Elena begun, but was cut off by Klaus hitting her so hard that she fell on the floor. I moved to hit Klaus, but Stefan rushed over to him first, his fangs out. Klaus grabbed him by the throat.
"She means nothing to you? Your lies just keep piling up," Klaus said, now angry.
"Let her and Andy go! I'll do whatever you want, you have my word!"
"Your word doesn't mean much. I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this…" At hearing Klaus say those words, I knew he was going to compel him. "Stop fighting."
"Don't do this, don't do this," Stefan pleaded.
"I didn't want to. All I wanted was your allegiance. Now I'm going to have to take it," Klaus's grip tightened on Stefan.
"Don't… Don't…"
Klaus went onto compel him, ignoring his pleas. "You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide; you will simply just obey."
"No. Stefan!" Elena cried out.
"Now kill them. Ripper," Klaus smirked. I wanted to punch him so badly at that moment, but my attention was directed back to Stefan. He vamped out, rushed over to Dana and killed her by drinking her blood. I went over and, with difficulty, held Elena in my arms. After he was finished with Dana, Stefan moved onto Chad.
"It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot," Klaus said to us.
"No," Elena was obviously close to tears at seeing Stefan like this. "You did this to him."
"I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table," Klaus said and I snorted.
"Have I ever said what a huge idiot and creep you are?" I asked, looking up at him. "And also, you just forced him to do that – to 'dance on the table.' You don't force your comrade's allegiance. That is not true loyalty."
The doors slammed open, causing Elena and I to jump. Rebekah entered and instantly rushed toward Elena. "Where is it?! Where's my necklace?" She demanded.
"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked, walking over to us.
"She has my necklace. Look," Rebekah handed the phone to her brother.
"Well, well. More lies," Klaus looked up at me.
"Where… is it?" Rebekah asked, seething.
"I don't have it anymore."
"You're lying!" She vamped out and bit Elena before I could react.
"Hey!"I yanked her back so she grabbed me and slung me halfway across the room. My head hit something hard, and everything went black.
"Tomorrow you will be a married woman," He murmured into my ear. "A married woman to my brother."
"Nik, you know I love you," I murmured back, my eyes closed as I savored his embrace. It would be our last one forever. "But you must understand why I chose Elijah. I waited for you to notice me for a very long time, and that time didn't come until I was already in love with Elijah."
"Anastasia, please," His voice broke, and he moved his forehead to mine. "Don't marry Elijah. Run away with me."
"No," I shook my head, stepping back from him. "No, Niklaus. I made my choice, and I cannot change my mind. Elijah and I are meant for one another. He's—He's who I see myself with. I want to be with him. Not you."
Anger distorted his face. "When he breaks your heart, don't expect me to be around to comfort you."
"That's why I chose him. Elijah said if you were to ever break my heart, he would be there for me." I felt tears falling as I turned and walked away from him.
Slowly, I came back to the world, and I heard a conversation immediately right near me.
"…Leaving me alone for all time."
"Is that what this is about? Your obsession with hybrids. You just don't want to be alone?"
I opened my eyes and looked over to see Rebekah and Klaus. I was laying in the back of a truck in front of the hospital. What was I doing here? How'd I even get here?
"What I want is to take my girl, take my hybrid the hell out of this one pony town," Klaus said. "You know, why don't you, uh, why don't you get the truck? I'll get Elena and Andy."
She left and I sat up instantly. "Sleeping Beauty awakens," Klaus said upon seeing me awake.
"I feel woozy," My hands were shaking and my vision was blurry. That wasn't good.
"Love, why don't you go back to sleep? I'll make sure everything's okay," He said.
"N-no, m-my head," I touched it.
"I gave you my blood, sweetheart. Just go back to sleep."
"The b-blood doesn't w-work…" I whispered, letting him lay me down on my back.
"Shh, just sleep. Everything's going to be fine, I promise."
Evidently I had impaired judgement because I stayed in that spot, but didn't fall to sleep immediately, and heard Damon's voice.
"Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party," Klaus said.
"Where is she?" Damon asked. He had come for me?
"Elena? Or Andy? Which one would you find first?" Klaus apparently saw the choice clear on Damon's face, because he then said, "Elena. Ah, she's making a donation to a greater cause." There was a pause. "I'm afraid I can't let you interfere, mate."
"You'll have to kill me then."
I zoned out after that and dozed right off. I woke up again, not sure how much time had passed, but I was being carried. When I looked up to see who was carrying me, I only saw blue eyes before passing out again.
When I woke up once again, I was in an unfamiliar room. There was only a bed in here along with two windows – one on each side of the bed – and a door. Having no idea where I was, I went over to the small window.
And almost had a heart attack.
I was on a plane. The ground was a long distance away, and I instantly got nauseous. I stumbled back to the bed, and pondered where I was as I stared up at the ceiling.
What was the last thing I remember? Senior Prank Night. Elena. Elena having a mental breakdown because the way Stefan was acting. Stefan. Stefan killing Dana and Chad. Klaus. Klaus hitting Elena. Rebekah. Rebekah slinging me. I touched the back of my head to feel stitches and cringed at the feel of them.
Klaus telling me to go back to sleep and I followed his instructions like an idiot. How my judgement was impaired that badly I had no clue. Did Klaus kidnap me again? Slowly I made my way to the door, stumbling quite a bit, but I made it there.
I opened the door to see the back of someone's head. The person had light curls, and slowly turned around to face me.
"Good morning, love."
"No, no, no," I shook my head rapidly. "This cannot be happening, not again. You didn't."
"Oh, I did," Klaus smirked at me from his seat, his dimples showing and his eyes full of amusement. "And this time, I do not intend to let you leave."
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The End of Chapter XXIII