SWEET KISSES FROM RUSSIA
Fan Fiction – Alternate Universe
Caroline & Klaus
Elijah & Katherine
From: Lovely Vero
Disclaimer: This story is, and will always be, a fiction story, that is coming from the imagination of the author. It is not a bibliography of the author or any of the readers, neither a story that is exploring your own experience in life. It is not meant to be informative or to represent the perception or opinion of the author about the subject at hands in her own private life; it is not an encyclopedia, or a medical reference. It is only a fiction, the characters are fictional, and the story should be taken as such and not be mistaken with the private life of the readers, or any of their personal experiences. Thank you.
Previously on Sweet Kisses from Russia …
"Are you for real?" Klaus asked, shaking his head. "Do you know how difficult it was for me to even handle myself the past centuries? How I resented who and what I was? From the facts that I came from an adultery relationship and the one that I was rejected all my life by what I thought was my real father?" He added, glancing toward his mother and Mikael. "What do you think this child will think of himself after he'll or she'll learn that he or she came to this world as an experimentation?"
"He'll think that she or he is love by both of his parents; like I love both you and Anastassia." Petrov replied, truthful. "The church is already trying to find ways to eliminate all of us. We need to stand strong, Nicklaus!"
The loud cry pierced the silence, its coldness falling on their souls; while its intensity wrapped their hearts of a bad omen. They had been too focused on their own drama, to even realize the danger that was lurking near the camp.
Klaus turned his sight toward the very spot where his wife had stood not even a few minutes ago, finding it empty of her presence.
"Carolina? Carolina!" The hybrid yelled several times, from the top of his lungs, whiteness suddenly covering his face. "Where is my wife, Elijah?" He questioned, while turning on himself.
"I don't know… She was standing there, not even a minute ago?" Elijah exclaimed, pulling Katerina near his chest.
"Scattered the forest … We need to find my daughter in law, now!" Petrov lashed out the order to a few of his men.
"Oh my God!" Bonnie grabbed Kol's left forearm; a dizzy spell taking her by surprise. "I saw, I saw…" She stammered, nervously.
"What is it, Bonnie?" Kol questioned; while grabbing her by the waist.
"What did you saw?" Klaus inquired, rushing by their side.
"I don't know what it was … I just … I just saw "it" grab Carolina by the hair and throat, and elevate her in the air." Bonnie managed to articulate.
"Oh my God, Elijah; my sister has been kidnapped!" Katerina exclaimed, suddenly bursting into tears; before burying her head on his chest.
"It's ok; we'll find her, I promise!" He replied, while rocking her in his arms.
"I'm sorry..." Alexay surprised them all, by his sudden apparition, while coming out of the bushes, stumbling on his own steps, his arms wrapped around his wounded and bloody chest. "The beast … He took her!" He finally reached Petrov's position, before falling dead in his master's arms.
"Alexay? Alexay!" Petrov called, several times; before realizing the death of his friend and right arm man.
"He's here, Ludvig!" Mikael came to the single conclusion, a veil of sadness falling on his face.
"And he took Carolina!" Maria exclaimed, a right hand rose over her opened mouth; while falling into a state of shock.
"I got you, I got you!" George reached her in good time to hold her close to his chest.
"Oh….Carolina? What have I done?" Klaus whispered, a single tear rolling on his left cheek.
This is it, guys; the last two parts chapter of "Sweet Kisses from Russia". This story has been a huge part of my life for more than two years now, and it's a given that I'd get emotional toward the complete end (Paula; don't you dare make me cry!). It had its ups, and its downs, its controversy time, and yet … You have stick around with me like glue – Giving me your trust, friendship, support, in my abilities to write it the right way. And with all of you by my side, it was a ray of sunshine entering my life, each time I was starting a new chapter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to have accompanied me the past few years; it was a thrill to have known, shared, and been with all of you.
The first part of this final chapter is more centric of what will lead to Klaroline/Kalijah in the second part; so be patient ;)
Enjoy the ride, buckle up your seat-belts … I give you … The end is near (part 1), from the Sweet Kisses from Russia fiction…
Chapter 33
"The end is near …"
Part 1
Two weeks after Carolina's abduction…
"Kol! I'm talking to you, damn it!" Bonnie yelled, angrily; while strolling through the large corridors of the Vatican, at a few feet behind his own heels.
"I'm on a war mission; that doesn't mean that I'm deaf, Bonnie." He replied, under clenched teeth; while holding a sward he had picked up on a wall a few minutes ago.
"This is a suicidal mission; what if we never get out of here alive?" Bonnie tried to give weight to her argument.
"Then, we won't!" Kol replied, dryly; his sight narrowed on the large doors at the end of the corridor. "But there is still time for you to leave." He added; abruptly coming to a halt, before turning on himself to face the young witch. "Leave, you're not obligated to be here."
"I know that I'm not obligated to be here, but as of now, I "need" to be here with you, Kol; if only to revenge my own people, Carolina and my grandmother." Bonnie replied; her sight locked with his fiery gaze.
"Then, let's go!" He nodded, before unexpectedly grabbing the back of her neck to pull her toward him, bringing her lips in full contact with his.
"What is this for?" She mouthed the words on top of his parted lips; eyes kept closed, hands wrapped around his wrists.
"To give you courage." Kol replied, with an additional kiss.
"Kol, the guards?" Bonnie opened her eyes, taking a glance at the few men that were rushing toward them.
"Show time, baby!" He turned on himself, raising the sward in the air.
"In the name of the Vatican and God; lower your sward, now!" One of the guards shouted, raising his own gun in the air.
Bonnie placed herself beside Kol; both opened hands and palms raised in front of the assailants.
"Perficiendum potentiamresurgunt" She closed her eyes, reciting the powerful incantation, before throwing her power toward the guards; while Kol cut the first head off its body.
ooOoo
"Hey, you? Hit me again, would you?" Damon spat to the bartender, with an angry glance in his direction.
"Listen, buddy; I really think you had enough as it is." The bartender suggested, politely.
"You, human bartender… You really want to argue this with ne, right now?" Damon questioned, with a tick, drunk voice and an arched eyebrow.
"Human bartender, is there any other kind?" The young lard shrugged, laughter escaping his lips. "See, buddy… You're out of it now, I suggest that you either drink a strong coffee or that you leave the establishment."
"I have another suggestion: Me; pulling your heart out of your chest; what do you think of that one?" Damon jumped on a spring from his bar stool, before grabbing the poor bartender by the collar, to pull him toward his chest.
"Damon! Let him go!" The order came with a sharp voice, before the young vampire could turn to glance at his interlocutor.
"Stefan? What are you doing here?" Damon asked, suddenly disoriented.
"I'm trying to hold you back from making a huge mistake." Stefan released Damon's grip on the poor bartender' throat; before pulling his own brother at arm length.
"This isn't your business, Stefan!" Damon growled, turning to face him; with one finger pointed toward his brother's chest.
"Well, I'll make it my business then." He nodded, before turning his glance toward the employee of the bar. "You'll turn around to serve other customers and you'll forget about this exchange; am I clear?"
"I'll turn around to serve other customers, and I'll forget about this exchange." The victim nodded, agreeably; before walking toward the other side of the bar counter.
"You're a pain in the ass, you know that? Now I'll need to go somewhere else to get my refill." Damon spat to his brother's face.
"Maybe you should get sober instead, don't you think so?" Stefan arched an eyebrow, sliding his right hand on his brother's shoulder. "The way you're acting now, won't bring her back, you must know that?"
"Go play "fiancé of the year" with Rebecca and leave me alone, would you?" Damon shouted; blue veins of his vampire traits appearing around his eyes. "You think I'm not aware she's not coming back? You think?" He added, angrily; before grabbing a poor man that was passing by them to reach the exit, only to viciously entering his fangs in the victim's neck to suck him dry. His dead body lying on the floor a few minutes later. "Happy now, brother? Now leave me the fuck alone!" He threatened, while pushing the dead body's victim on the floor; before strolling toward the exit on a loud slam of the door.
ooOoo
"What the hell happened? I saw Damon storming out of the bar and I couldn't even hold him to stay with me?" Rebecca shrugged, with opened arms placed on each side of her body; while standing on the sidewalk at a few feet of distance from the bar.
"Damon happened, that's what happened!" Stefan slammed the door close; pacing back and forth in front of Rebecca. "You have no idea how it's annoying me to not being able to help my own brother, Bekah!"
"I know but, listen to me, would you? We did what we could do to help him, Stefan; but … He's on a path of destruction right now… He has lost so much!" Rebekah tried to ease the tension; holding the young vampire on his track while grabbing his left upper arm. "You need to leave him alone … He needs to come back from this, all by himself."
"You're probably right." Stefan held his rapid pace, sighing loudly, before passing a nervous hand through his tangled hair. "I'm tired of everything; we … we all went to hell and came back from it… I just want … I mean; is it too much to ask to just find peace and happiness?"
"No, no … It's not!" Rebekah cupped his face with both hands, lowering her forehead on his, while closing her eyes. "You should find peace and happiness,
"Good! I was hoping you would say that." Stefan confessed, gently pushing her at arm length; before suddenly raising her body on his left shoulder.
"What the fuck are you doing, Salvatore? Put me down this instant!" Rebecca yelled from the top of her lungs; hitting his back with both closed fists.
"Oh… Would you stop whining, Bekah?" Stefan rolled his eyes to the night sky, with a slap on her butt, while rushing to reach his jeep parked on the opposite side of the street. "I'm just listening to your suggestion to find my happiness."
"And what this has to do with you carrying me on your shoulder and toward the car like a bag of potatoes? Could you tell me that, jerk?" Rebecca asked, under clenched teeth.
"Well, with one of your bothers on a scavengers hunt to find the other one; I won't get my approval to marry you anytime soon; so I've decided to take things in my own hands." Stefan informed her, a large grin spreading on his manly lips.
"Whatever that means, enter this in this tick skull of yours: I won't marry you anytime soon, Salvatore!" Rebecca exclaimed, angrily; while reprising her hitting.
"And that is why I'm taking you to Vegas!" Stefan informed her, a small laughter escaping his lips; and this under her speechless expression. "We're getting married, baby!"
ooOoo
Damon reached the small alley of the small Italian city, where his 1976 convertible Camaro was waiting for him. He growled loudly when the tip of his right boot hit the tire; rage invading his body, sadness his heart and soul.
"Damon?" He heard the loud call of his name, before raising his head to face Vittorio.
"Vittorio?" The young vampire exclaimed, in surprise. "What the fuck are you doing here? And what do you want?"
"I think you need to follow me, Damon." Vittorio ordered, gently; while pointing his right hand toward a near parked van.
"I don't want to go with you, Vittorio… Whoosh from my sight." The vampire waved his left hand; like he would to dismiss a mosquito.
"If I tell you it's concerning "her" would you come then?" Vittorio questioned; his chin raised.
"What do you mean it's concerning "her"?" Damon stumbled on his own steps; taking a few more to reach the warlock. "Don't fuck with my brain man!"
"Come!" Vittorio proposed, impassive.
ooOoo
"Where do you think that you're going?" George placed himself in front of Maria's path, arms firmly crossed over his bulged chest; blocking and forbidding her to reach the entrance door of their Italian villa.
"Oh this is getting ridiculous! You're keeping me prisoner against my own will!" Maria replied, angrily; both closed fists placed on each side of her tensed body.
"I'm keeping you safe under the strict orders of your son; deal with it, Maria!" George replied, his head bent forward.
"So … The only thing you can do now, George, is taking orders from my son?" Maria spat back.
"And using my head from time to time to keep my woman safe!" The vampire bodyguard replied, dryly. "I almost lost you; I'm not about losing you one additional time, am I clear?"
"Crystal clear!" Maria replied, under clenched teeth.
"Good! That's what I like to hear from your sweet lips." He nodded, a shy smile spreading on his manly lips.
"I feel … I feel like I'm helpless and …. And it's driving me crazy!" Maria tried to explain; pacing back and forth on the length of the corridor leading to the front door. "My family … I mean; they are all scattered in different parts of the world; he left, and …"
"Carolina needs you, you're certainly not helpless – I can reassure you about that fact." George grabbed both of her shoulders to hold her immobile on her nervous and rapid walking path. "She needs you now more than ever." He added, before softly kissing her forehead.
"I know … The poor girl is a wreck." Maria agreed; wrapping her hands around George's wrists. "I can't already believe that he …"
"Shush! The important thing now is that you're here for her in her time of need." George reassured her, with a brush of his lips on her parted ones.
"But … I don't know if … I don't know what to do?" Maria confirmed her fears. "I don't know if I am able to do this?"
"You are … Just believe in yourself, would you?" George encouraged her.
ooOoo
At midnight, Elijah, who strolled silently in one of the dark alleys of Chicago, held his pace with an abrupt halt. He could feel the annoying presence on his trail, once more … The person who was following him since a day or two was near now, very near. He abruptly turned on himself, vamping in his or her direction; before pushing the intruder on the bricks wall, his left forearm firmly pushed on his or her throat.
"Katerina!" He exclaimed, in shock; before releasing his firm grip.
"Who do you think it was?" She replied, slyly; hands placed around her neck to rub her sensitive skin.
"Fuck woman! I could have easily killed you!" The Original swore, loudly and angrily; a finger raised underneath her nose. "I've specifically told you to stay put in Italy…And what are you doing? You go against my wishes, once more!"
"Not to burst your bubble, husband of mine; but I pretty much went against your wishes since the first day I lay my eyes on you!" Katerina spat back; chin raised in the air, in a confrontational gesture.
"Point taken." Elijah nodded, before raising his head to the full moon; a loud sigh escaping his lips.
"Did you … I mean, are you on a solid lead of his whereabouts this time?" Katerina questioned, with both closed fists placed on each side of her tensed body.
"You mean more solid than you following me around like a lost dog?" He replied, with a grin.
"I swear Elijah, if I put my hands on him after what he did to Carolina, I …" She added, angrily; tears filling her eyes. "She gave him everything; and he gave nothing in return."
"He's a troubled soul, Katerina… But he's still my brother." Elijah commented, toneless. "He… He lost a lot the past few weeks; obviously he couldn't handle it…Like he couldn't handle all the heartache he gave your sister."
"Do you seriously think it wasn't hard for the rest of us?" Katerina exclaimed, a straight finger pointed toward her chest.
"Oh baby; I know that it was. I know it too well." Elijah nodded, tears filling his own eyes; before raising his right hand to caress her cheeks, while sweeping a tear away. "Now, considering the bloody, unexplained carnage I saw in the newspapers; Chicago seemed to be his present localisation at first sight… but, he must had left already, and I guess I was, yet again, on a dead lead." He commented; under clenched teeth.
"Maria contacted me, and …" She paused, closing her eyes.
"What's happening, Katerina; talk to me?" Elijah cupped her face with both hands; before raising her sight in his.
"Carolina is at a few hours of giving birth." Katerina informed him, through her sobbing. "It's not normal, Elijah; she was pregnant not even for one month, what will happen to my sister now and to the baby? And I feel so ashamed now to not be by her side."
"Shush… I'm here." Elijah pulled his wife in the comfort of his arms; while softly caressing her hair. "May God, be with your sister and my mother in this time of need."
ooOoo
"Maria, what is happening to me? I'm having contractions… It's way too early, isn't it; after all, it's only been a month or so?" Carolina whispered through heavy breathing, and from her lying position in the large King size bed; while grabbing her mother-in-law' hands.
"Perhaps, but you're fully dilated and you seem to be full term. And, what's normal after all, my dear? I'm a vampire – You're a human female trying to give birth to a new species' baby; normal is clearly overrated, Carolina." Maria winked at the young woman; in an attempt to make her laugh and relax.
"Where's the doctor?" Carolina scattered the bedroom
"Giovane donna you need to relax now." Isabella suggested, taking a few steps to approach the bed, while carrying a basket full of clean towels in her hands.
"Just relax and let Isabella and I do the work. Ok, my sweet girl?" Maria suggested; while softly caressing Carolina short strands.
"But… But she is not a doctor; I need someone that could deliver my baby." Carolina replied, suddenly agitated.
"We can't risk calling a doctor… Isabella had delivered a lot of babies in the past, Carolina; you're truly in good hands." Maria replaced the pillow behind her daughter-in-law' back. "She's a midwife."
"Are you really?" Carolina turned her head toward the Italian maid, in hope of a confirmation.
"sì! I even delivered a puppy one day." Isabella confirmed, proudly, while pushing the sheet at the bottom of the bed; before spreading Carolina's legs open. "Now breathe – The work is starting!"
"A puppy? Well, that's reassuring!" Carolina swallowed a lump in her throat, turning her sight toward Maria.
"She's joking!" Maria let a small laughter escape her lips, with a single wink toward the Itialian maid. "Now, you'll need to push soon; I'll be with you all the way."
"Where... Where is he, Maria? Did he come back?" Carolina asked, clenching her teeth after another contraction.
The female patriarch turned her back to grab a towel, closing her eyes for a few seconds, while letting a deep and long sigh escape her parted lips.
"No; and at the moment you need to focus on delivering your baby more than anything else." Maria suggested, turnign on her heels; before soflty caressing one of Carolina's cheeks.
Back to the present time…
"You, Ludvic Petrov; do you even realize that this… All of this, is happening because of you?!" Klaus snapped, turning on himself to face his biological father, a straight finger pointed in his direction; a deep silence falling on the shoulders of the entire audience.
"Klaus, we'll find your wife; you have my solemn words. Nothing will come to hurt Carolina." Petrov promised; while rising back on his legs. "Bury Alexay." He gave the toneless order to one of the guards; before seeing his corpse being carried away for his burial.
"Your solemn words, really? Is this a fucking joke, father?" Klaus questioned, angrily; his right fist hitting his bulged chest. "My wife has been abducted by a killing machine with no conscience; you think your words has weight in the balance?"
Petrov turned his sight toward Mikael; while swallowing a lump in his throat. He realized that for the first time "ever", his son has truly called him "father", even if the circumstances were less than agreeable.
"I don't think he's talking to me." Mikael commented, with a single nod and a shy smile addressed to the Russian man.
"You think seeing Alexay die in my arms, right this second, was a cakewalk, Klaus?" Petrov argued, dryly; taking a few steps to reach the standing position of his son. "My first priority as of now is to keep all of you safe, goddammit!"
"What I think doesn't really matter, does it, Petrov?" Klaus replied, harshly; his chin raised, fiery sight narrowed on his father. "What counts for me more than anything is to find Carolina, and bring her back to safety as well. But, you know what I would gladly appreciate at the moment? If you could erase this annoying smirk of your face, and for once in your pathetic life accept to stare at your own reflection in the mirror and realize the kind of fucking asshole that you are! And coming from me, it's a certainty that I can recognize one…The apple if not falling far from the tree. "
"Nicklaus!" Maria exclaimed, in shock. "This outburst of yours is understandable, but your lack of discernment and restrain is certainly not!" He scoffed him.
"Lower your tone, Klaus!" Petrov lashed out, his bulged chest pressed over his son's. "I'm Ludvic Petrov, and no one should address himself so disrespectfully to me, even my own son!"
"Klaus, calm yourself down, this is not achieving anything." Elijah whispered near his brother's left ear; holding a firm grip on his left upper arm.
"Despite of everything that had happened since the first time I've met you; I've always thought that you were a man of honor." Katerina took a few stumbling steps toward the imposing Russian man. "But, I swear Petrov, if something, anything happens to my sister, you'll have to answer to me." She threated, under clenched teeth.
"Katerina… You know in your guts that I wouldn't lie to you; therefore, I give you my words that your sister and my grandchild will be safe and sound in no time." Petrov reaffirmed, firmly.
"And how will you achieve that miracle, Petrov?" Bonnie asked, arms crossed over her chest; while reaching the man's standing position. "I'm not even sure that my "magic" could hold him off for a second, to be honest?"
"Are all of you forgetting that Carolina is a human?" Rebekah questioned, in shock; while scattering the group. "How can she battle this … This "thing"?"
"You truly think I don't know that, sister?" Klaus shrugged, impatient.
"Carolina has a strength that I rarely saw in a human before her." Maria commented, truthfully. "She'll fight with her claws out to protect her unborn child… Your child, Nicklaus." She turned her fiery sight to her son.
"She shouldn't have been placed in this position to start with, mother." He replied, darting a cold stare at his biological father.
"This said; I'm kind of looking forward to being called: Uncle Kol. It has a nice ring to it." The youngest of the Originals grinned.
"Really?" Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"God bless this child for having you as his uncle!" Stefan exclaimed, wincing.
"Oh! Shut the fuck up, Salvatore!" Kol replied to the young vampire.
"Tell me something father: Was it only possible for Carolina to get pregnant because of her human condition; or is it possible for female vampires as well?" Anastassia, who had remained silent to this point, questioned Ludvic with an inquiring sight; arms crossed over her chest.
"What?" Damon opened his eyes with stupefaction at Petrov's frowning. "I really, really don't want to be a genitor. My little swimmers have been dead for more than a century now!"
"Just… Shut your mouth, Damon." Stefan suggested in a low whisper.
"Anastassia, Please…" Petrov shook his head, avoiding staring in his daughter's eyes.
"What? You, obviously, have found a way to make a human girl pregnant from a vampire, but you never offered me the same courtesy?" Anastassia commented, dryly.
"What? You want kids?" Damon exclaimed, in shock.
"From a hybrid, there's a big difference! And it has nothing to do with you, daughter; and everything to do with the survival of all our species." Petrov replied, while trying to keep his calm.
"Can we hold back on this stupid notion of a new species and try to find my wife instead?" Klaus suggested, angrily.
"It's not a stupid notion, Nicklaus." Petrov replied while shaking his head.
"Well at the present moment I simply give a fuck!" Klaus replied, slyly.
"We have no idea where this threat could have taking her?" George wondered out loud; while grabbing Maria's shoulders to give her strength with this difficult ordeal.
"I would say somewhere where he could trap us for sure?" Mikael commented.
"He must have taken the trail leading him to the mountains." Katerina suggested as option; her sight narrowed at the horizon. "I feel my sister is there."
"I agree; this would be the perfect opportunity for him to lure all of us inside a confined space such as a cavern, to finally trap us." Elijah commented, more.
"His intention is to lure us in a confined space, with Carolina as the perfect bait, and then to simply get rid of us, I suppose?" Rebekah added.
"It's exactly what this killing machine wants!" Kol agreed with his sister's say.
"And for this rescue mission to work, we need to keep a united front." Petrov suggested, his sight locked with his son; who soon growled and started to rush toward the trail leading to the said mountains.
"Mikael?" Maria yelled, while trying to keep up with his rapid walking pace through the forest. "Could you just hold your pace for God sake, I want to talk to you?"
"Maria, stay behind with George; it's better for your protection." Mikael suggested, dryly; while keeping his rapid pace toward the mountains.
"He's keeping an eye on the girls at the moment." She replied, while accelerating her walking steps.
"I bet that arrangement is not going too well for him?" He let a grin spread on his lips, with a small laughter escaping his throat. "For once I feel for the man!"
"Mikael! I asked you to stop!" Maria ordered, while grabbing his left upper arm to turn his body around to face her. "I remember!" She announced, unceremoniously; leaving both of them in an intense silence, sights locked for a few seconds.
"Since when… Since when did you start remembering the past?" Mikael asked, swallowing a lump in his throat; before grabbing his ex-wife right forearm to pull her in a setback position, behind a large tree.
"Couple of days ago – Give or take." The patriarch woman replied, with much truthfulness in her voice; nervously rubbing her hands together.
"I see." Mikael replied, with a single nod. "We should reprise our walk." He added, toneless; before retracing his steps toward the forest trail.
"Mikael?" Maria called his name, once more; before seeing him stop on his track. "Why? I mean … Why having me lost my memory for so many years? Wasn't it a worse punishment for me to remember my betrayal toward you?"
"It had nothing to do with you, Esther." Mikael finally responded with a shallow sigh; while turning on himself to face her. "And everything to do with me. The fact that I made you lose your memory; gave me the chance to forgive myself for losing my wife." He added, tears filling his eyes; before abruptly turning on his heels, while leaving her speechless on the spot.
A few centuries ago…
"When did it start? Did you intend to tell me one day or were you going to keep it a secret for the rest of your life?" Yngve (Mikael) asked his wife, dropping the leather belt of his tunic on the straw bed; before passing a nervous hand through his tangled hair.
He had come back from a hunting trip; after being gone from the village for a few days – And it was now more than time for him to face the music.
"I … I don't know what you're talking about?" Ingrid (Maria/Esther) stammered through the answer she gave to her husband.
"Your love-affair with Ludvic; and the bastard child you're carrying in your womb." He spat, angrily.
Ingrid froze all her movements, holding her breath in her lungs; while closing her eyes tightly. Yngve was not a stupid man, he had sensed that something has changed the past few weeks.
"Answer me, woman?" Yngve turned on himself to glance in her direction.
"Please, lower your voice the boys are sleeping, you will wake them up." She whispered, folding a cloth in her hands.
"Will you use our boys to cover your infidelity; woman?" Yngve grabbed her left upper arm; before abruptly turning her body to face him.
"This is ludicrous, Yngve… I don't even know what to answer to that?" She busted to his face; redness covering her cheeks.
"This …" He lowered his hand on the small roundness of her bully. "This child is not mine; it's his; have the decency to at least say the truth to my face; and I'll consider forgiving you and keeping your bastard in our household."
"How… I mean, how did you know that I was pregnant?" Ingrid asked, speechless.
"You sincerely think, woman, that I would not recognized the physical signs?" Yngve shook his head in disbelief. "I've been married to you long enough to realize the changes in you."
Ingrid kept her sight locked with her husband's; tears filling her eyes, remorse her heart and soul. How could she love both men at the same time for different reasons? Would that single fact make of her a whore?
"Yngve, Yngve…" Several loud calls came from outside, cutting their exchange short; omen of a prominent danger.
"What is all this commotion?" He questioned more to himself than his own wife.
"You should go and see." Ingrid suggested, pushing her husband toward the door.
"What is all this commotion?" The said called asked, once more; pushing the door of the hut open to face one of the villagers.
"Yngve! This … This monster has killed everyone on his lethal path…And then, set the fire…" The man tried to explain, out of breaths, and almost incoherently, before falling in his arms. "The village… Up the mountains… Villagers… They are all dead!" He added, pointing toward the said mountains, where a large black cloud of ashes seemed to fill the dark blackness of the sky.
"What and who are you talking about?" Yngve asked; before noticing that the man was now unconscious in his arms. "You!" He then ordered one man. "Come and bring him to his hut and family!"
"Mama… Mama…" Young Elijah come rushing out of the hut, before jumping into his mother's arms.
"What is it Elijah?" Ingrid kneeled in front of her young son; cupping his son's face with both hands.
"It's Finn, mama; he's not in the hut? He left!" The young boy informed his mother.
"What do you mean your brother is not in the hut and has left?" Yngve inquired, grabbing Elijah's left upper arm to turn the young boy to face him. "Maybe you're mistaking?"
"No! I'm not papa… He's gone!" Elijah shook his head.
"Oh my God! No, it can't be possible… Yngve… Look?" Ingrid exclaimed, while pointing toward the horizon; when and where Ludvic appeared while carrying Finn's body in his arms, for the second time in row in the time space of a few months.
"Stay here!" Yngve ordered young Elijah before rushing toward Ludvic; Ingrid running by his side.
"I'm so sorry…" The imposing werewolf man commented, while carefully lowering Finn's body on the ground. "I found him like this… I … I found him dead near the mountains." He confessed, out of breaths; with tears filling his eyes.
"No, no, no!" Ingrid kneeled by her eldest son's side; bringing his death body near her chest, tears rolling fluently on her face.
"Who did this?" Yngve lashed out; hitting Ludvic's chest with his closed fists. "Is it you?"
"Are you crazy, Yngve?" Ludvic replied, in shock. "I love your sons like they were mine! I saved Finn from drowning not even a few months ago!"
"And I guess that's why you had to knock up my wife, to have one of your own?" Yngve busted, angrily.
"What? Ingrid, what is he talking about?" Ludvic turned his sight toward a very still and very silent Ingrid.
"I don't care about both of your man prides at the moment, I just lost my eldest son." She replied, toneless, and in a low whisper; while keeping Finn's body near her heart.
"She's carrying your bastard; are you happy now?" Yngve confirmed, dryly. "I want you and your people to leave the premises tonight." He ordered.
"No!" Ludvic replied, chin raised. "It's suicidal, Yngve! I can't leave now, not when this beast is heading toward your village; let me help you my friend!"
"Mark my words wolf-man that one day I'll find a way to battle you; I'll find a way to make myself a supernatural entity too; and then… You'll be a dead man!" Yngve spat in the werewolf' face.
"Yngve!" The call cut the silence of the night like a sharpened dagger. "Let him help – if he wants to help; we need him to save our people." Ingrid ordered her husband. "Honor the death of your son, for God sake!"
"This is on your shoulders, woman!" Yngve replied, a finger pointed toward his wife; kneeling beside his son to raise the young boy's dead boy in his arms; before taking his first steps back toward the village.
"I want you gone the moment this "monster" will leave us alone." Ingrid addressed herself to Ludvic.
"Ingrid, you can't … I mean, I didn't know about the child, our child… You can't ask me to leave, now?" Ludvic stammered, through his fogged mind.
"It's not a request, it's an order, Ludvic!" She replied, toneless; before following her husband's steps toward the village.
The giant man dragged an unconscious Carolina through a path of mud, dead leaves, pieces of woods, in the middle of the forest, before reaching the mountains. He finally entered the cavern, dropping her body on one corner of their present abode; while forcefully pushing the young female human on the rock wall.
Carolina let a loud moan of pain escape her lips, slowly regaining a sense of reality and consciousness, while bringing both hands instinctively on her belly.
"What do you want? Why am I here?" She questioned, with a shallow breath; straightening her back on the hard rock.
The large imposing mix of supernatural entity and machine turned his sight toward her, a loud growl escaping his throat.
"You-are-a-mean-to-an-end." He simply responded, in a robotic voice; his tone and eyes as cold as the ice.
Carolina swallowed a lump in her throat, nausea hitting her hard. It did not take her long to put two and two together. She felt a strong rage against the Catholic Church who had decided to play God and erase all species from the world as she knew it now; but also pity, for having turned this man into this killer machine; while using him for their own selfish reason. It did not take the mind of Einstein to figure out that this monster had kidnapped her to lure The Originals inside the cavern to kill them all; and by doing so, the Catholic Church would get rid of all the lines of vampires underneath them.
"Please, I beg of you to reconsider all of this… I'm carrying a baby." She tried to reason with him; raising her long sleeves t-shirt to show her prominent belly.
The large, tall, and imposing man lowered his sight on Carolina's belly, a veil covering his sight, and a glimpse of shock and stupefaction passing, for a few seconds, over his facial traits. A bright glow started illuminating her lower body. What was going on? Carolina wondered, in shock; it seemed her baby had a power of her or his own to protect her.
"All-species-need-to-die." He recited, once more, taking a step back away from her.
The glow finally disappeared and the human machine approached his female victim; his sight narrowed on each of her movements, before grabbing a hand full of Carolina's hair to drag her with him, into a narrowed corridor of the cavern. They walked for quite a long time, before reaching a large cliff; with a small platform placed at the opposite position of the large gulf.
"Please, let me go … You're hurting me, you asshole!" Carolina yelled, out of breaths.
The monster let an additional loud growl escape his throats and lips, before raising the female victim in his arms; only to run and jump on the small platform that almost broke on his weight alone. He lowered Carolina's body on the cavern ground, before forcefully grabbing her chin to raise her sight in his.
"You-stay-here." He ordered, in his toneless robotic voice; but she had once again lost consciousness.
So, my dear uncle Lulu; what's the plan?" Kol inquired, reaching the group at the foot of the mountain.
"You mean besides trying to stay alive; son?" Mikael joked, lightly. "What? Too soon to make jokes, I suppose?" The patriarch lowered his sight under the few pairs of eyes latching daggers at him.
"His plan is to lure all of us inside to eliminate all of the Originals, and at the same time our lines of vampires underneath us." Petrov informed, toneless. "He's been programmed by the church to achieve one single goal – Killing us all!"
"What about Carolina? What will he do to my wife?" Klaus inquired, a loud sigh of impatience escaping his parted lips. "I swear if he had laid one single finger on her; I'll find a way to kill him with my bare hands!" He added, with closed fists placed on each side of his tensed body.
"I have difficulty believing that one man - or machine … Call him whatever you want …" Elijah commented, whit a pause; while pacing back and forth. "As powerful as he can be, could eliminate all of us at the same time?"
"I saw him eliminate an entire village in a matter of seconds, numerous carcasses of villagers lying on the ground, their bloody intestines out of their abdomens. It wasn't a pretty sight – And I've seen my share of massacre in my long life." Petrov commented. "And granted it was centuries ago; before the church could transform him into this beast. I don't know if you even remember the night, Elijah?" He questioned, with a single glance in direction of the Original.
"When Finn died? It was … It was him?" Elijah finally realized, his mind traveling centuries before this present date.
"Yes, it was Augustine." Petrov confirmed.
"Who was Finn?" Katerina approached her husband, slowly sliding her cold fingers into his opened right palm.
"Finn was my eldest son." Maria replied, a veil of sadness covering her eyes.
"What happened to him?" Katerina asked, concerned.
"This killing machine killed him; that is what happened." Mikael replied, angrily; before turning his back at the group.
"It was many centuries ago." Ludvic commented, still emotional. "But, even then – That man was a lethal threat to many villages."
"Can we just stop this walk into memory lane? Could we just focus at saving Carolina?" Klaus suggested, under clenched teeth.
"You're right, son; let's refocus." Petrov nodded, obedient for once. "I'll send a few of my guards inside these caverns, and when they'll find them, we'll follow inside. As for the women, you'll stay put outside with Vitto… Where the fuck is Vittorio this time?" The patriarch scattered the group.
"The hell we'll stay outside!" Anastassia exclaimed, in fury. "We are here; and we intend to stay here and help you!"
"My sister is with that monster, no way in hell will I leave her without trying to save her!" Katerina spat.
"I'm here, my king!" The warlock waved his hand in the air, suddenly reappearing in front of their sights, under the roll of eyes of Ludvic. "While all of you were playing alphas in a game of Indians and cowboys, Vittorio performed a locator spell."
"I should have thought of that myself!" Bonnie winced at her own fault.
"You were otherwise busy with all these men." Vittorio winked at the witch. "I forgive you!"
"It's so thoughtful of you." Bonnie winced.
"And…Where is Carolina?" Klaus bent his bulged chest near Vittorio's.
"Ok, sugar… Just back away for a second, would you?" Vittorio pushed a straight finger on Klaus's muscular chest. "She's located in a cavern leading to a precipice."
"Can you show my guards?" Petrov asked the warlock.
"I'll even lead the way." Vittorio proposed, with a hand gesture.
Majority of Petrov's guards were now lying in a bath of blood, their bodies mutilated by either having their hearts pulled out of their chests, or their heads cut off of their shoulders. The beast was still standing on the platform; Carolina crawled into a ball, still unconscious.
"What if she's dead?" Klaus couldn't even handle the dark emotions holding his mind captive at the present moment.
"She's just unconscious." Elijah gave comfort to his brother; his right hand placed on Klaus's left shoulder.
"Fuck! I guess we'll have to battle him ourselves!" Petrov spat, angrily; before turning his head toward Mikael.
"Wasn't it what it was leading to since the beginning?" Mikael shrugged, fatalist.
"If we'll need; we'll fight him ourselves." Damon suggested, with Stefan and George agreeing by a nod.
"What if I manage to escalate the rock wall? If Bonnie is able to free my path I could reach Carolina in no time." Kol suggested.
"I could easily create a small avalanche of rocks, to clear the path and help Kol escalate the north facade of the cavern?" Bonnie nodded, in agreement.
"Do it! Please save my sister?" Katerina begged, tears filling her eyes.
"If we scream at him to capture his attention; perhaps he'll turned his head toward us and Bonnie will be able to do her magic thing?" Anastassia proposed, with hope.
"Let's do it!" Maria nodded, her sight narrowed on the said Augustine. "I have a revenge to take on him!"
Plan "B" has fallen miserably! Bonnie had managed to free a clear path; with Kol escalating the north face of the cavern; but the beast had finally noticed his approach and started throwing small pieces of rocks at him;
"Klaus, Look at the platform!" Kol yelled, nodding toward the said spot; where the giant man was standing, at a few feet of distance of Carolina. "She's waking up."
"Carolina!" Klaus yelled, making her raise her head at the loud call.
"Klaus, is that you?" She turned on herself, scattering the penumbra in the cavern before finally seeing his dark silhouette. "I'm fine; we're fine!" She added, lowering both hands on her belly.
"Carolina… сестра (sister), we are here; we will… We will get you out of this mess!" Katerina yelled to her sister, standing at a few feet of distance from the cliff; with tears filling her eyes.
"Get back here, I want you to keep a setback position at all times, do you hear me?" Elijah ordered his wife, dryly. "I won't lose you, Katerina; I couldn't bear the thought!"
In an unexpected move; the beast grabbed Carolina by her hair; placing her at a feet of distance from the enormous abyss; while her loud cries filled the space of the cavern, in the promise of a bad omen.
"What's the game plan now, Uncle "Lulu"?" Kol yelled to Petrov.
"Carolina!" Klaus yelled; before kneeling on the ground in preparation to jump on the platform to save his wife.
"Ludvic!" Mikael yelled to the leader, who was standing on the other side of the cliff; while addressing him a single nod in direction of Augustine. "It's the only way." He added, his eyes kept on the monster.
In true fact, the only way to save Carolina was to take simultaneous jumps toward the opposite side of the cliff to unbalance their enemy, and save both the life of the young female human and the baby she was carrying – The only legacy of this new supernatural world that Ludvic has been trying to create to save their asses. Unfortunately for the both of them; this would mean jumping into their deaths, heads first into the cliff, even if their gesture would seem heroic at first glance.
"I know, Mikael, I know …" Ludvic nodded his head in agreement, a shy smile spreading on his lips. "For our children, Mikael… This is for our children." The Russian man said, humbly; tears filling his eyes.
"It was an honor to have met you, my friend." Mikael saluted, cordially. "But you're still a fucking pain in the ass, even at a few seconds of both of our deaths."
"I'll say: Right back at you, Mikaelson." Petrov replied, a small laughter escaping his lips. "Are you ready?"
"This is for our children?" Mikael repeated to reassure himself of making the right move.
"Yes, for our children, my dear friend." Ludvic replied, with yet, a single nod.
"What are they doing?" Elijah questioned, taking a step forward; his sight fixated on both of the patriarch men. "No, no, no … Kol?" He shouted, his voice echoing in the cavern's walls.
"Hey? I'm doing my fucking damn best to reach her – Give me two seconds!" Kol growled, escalating the other side of the cliff to reach the exact location where Augustine was pushing her toward the immense hole.
"Don't do it … This is simply suicidal!" Klaus shouted to both his step and real biological dads. "I'll do it!"
"Papa, no, no … Don't do it; please don't do it!" Anastassia begged her father to hold his suicidal mission to save Carolina; while Damon pulled the female vampire toward his chest, with a firm hand and arm placed around her waist.
"Klaus, it's the only way. I loved and still love your mother very much and I love you too, son; just… Please, if you need to believe in something, just believe in that." Ludvic begged the hybrid to believe his words; before turning his sight to rapidly glance at his daughter. "I love you too, sweetheart...Take care of my daughter." He added to Damon.
"Elijah … Be the man, take care of your sister and brother for me, would you; but most of all, take care of your mother." Mikael addressed his last words to the eldest, before turning his sight toward Ludvic. "Ready?"
No one really had the time to react; before both men vamped and jumped on the platform, while each managing to grab an arm of the imposing man; pushing Carolina back on the firm ground, before making the beast loose his balance in a matter of seconds; all three falling into the darkness of the precipice.
"No!" The loud and gloomy cries of both Elijah and Klaus echoed in the crater in simultaneous timing; leaving the cavern into a dreary silence a few seconds later.
"Papa… Papa…" Anastassia whispered, crawling to reach the edge of the cliff.
"No, no, no, no …" Damon tried to grab the redhead ankle to hold her immobile, but without succeeding.
What followed left them all speechless and motionless. In the time space of a few seconds, Augustine's right arm and hand came back to life from the gulf; before grabbing Anastassia's by the throat to pull her back with him in the long descent to hell.
"No, no … No; fuck no!" Damon yelled, from the top of his lungs; reaching the edge of the cliff; with Stefan close on his heels. "Anastassia, no – Don't leave me!" He yelled, from the top of his lungs.
"Damon, no … You need to step back now." Stefan suggested, while grabbing his brother's upper arms.
"What just happened?" Rebekah exclaimed, crawling, herself, toward the edge; a hand suddenly pushed on her parted lips at the horrific sight, with tears rolling down on her face.
"This can't be happening… This simply can't be happening." Maria shook her head in denial; tucked in George's arms.
"Anastassia…Baby?" Vittorio slowly advanced toward the edge himself; before lowering his sight into the pit. "Baby, you can't be gone!" He shook his head, looking at the dead body of his female friend.
"Elijah!" Katerina rushed toward her husband, jumping into the comfort of his arms; arms wrapped around his neck. "Are you ok?!"
"I'm fine, my sweet love, are you?" Elijah cupped his wife's face, searching for reinsurance.
"Yes, yes … It's awful, but … My sister is alive!" She stammered, through her sobbing.
"Hey ho… I know this sucks big time… But, I'm still hanging, literally, in here!" Kol yelled, from the top of his lungs; one hand clinching to the rock; while the other was grabbing Carolina's left forearm to forbid her to fall.
"Hang in there, I'm coming!" Klaus shouted, before vamping to jump on the platform. "Carolina, are you ok?" He grabbed Carolina's from his brother's grip; before kneeling by her side. "Are either you or the baby hurt?" He inquired, cupping her face; scrutinizing any sings of injuries.
"I'm fine, and so happy to see you." Carolina confessed, glued to his chest, with tears rolling on her cheeks.
"Oh Love!" Klaus sighed loudly; eyes closed. "I thought I had lost you for good this time around." He softly caressed her hair to calm her down, dropping a few kisses on the top of her head.
"Mikael and your father … What they did to save me were both selfless and heroic… I … I did not deserve this?" She shook her head, in shock.
"Shush… You deserve this and way more; you're so courageous, fearless, and strong." Klaus commented, with strong emotions blocking the sound of his voice in his throat. "That's why I need …"
"Shush! I'm strong because of you; you are my rock, Klaus!" She pushed a finger on his parted lips. "If I had stayed strong it's because of you; you showed me how to fight for the ones I love."
"You deserve so much more than me; so much more than all the heartache you had to endure since I entered your life, you deserve to be happy and loved the right way, Carolina." The hybrid came to the single conclusion, slowly pushing her at arm length; before softly kissing her forehead one last time.
"What do you mean? No Klaus, no …" Carolina shook her head, realizing the hiding message behind his cryptic words.
He finally rose on his legs; before turning his sight toward his brother Elijah.
"Take care of her, would you – Because, obviously, I can't." He confessed, sadly; before jumping to the opposite side of the cliff, vamping toward the exit in the time space of a few seconds.
"Nicklaus… Nicklaus… Don't you dare, you hear me?" Elijah yelled; but it was too late; the hybrid had left … And this time for good.
Well… It's me after all that we're talking about. What would be a chapter from Lovely Vero without some sort of a cliff-hanger? (Please don't kill me, or you won't have part II and the finale of this story, if you do! LOL)
Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for reading the "The end is near … Part 1 - chapter, guys!
Hugs and kisses – Until the second part and last chapter of this long saga;
Lovely Vero
Thank you for all the anonymous reviews received, guys!
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