I had a very long weekend with time to write, so you get a second chapter after only two weeks 'lol

Enjoy! Tell me how you like it.

As always thanks to Senema for her quick beta and her time.

Chapter 21

Rebekah eyed Elijah furtively, she worried about him. Despite his calm reaction to the new information, she knew that this attempt on his life had affected him deeply, even if it didn't seem to surprise him.

Oddly enough, Marcel's plans for Elijah hurt her more than learning that Marcel was cheating on her with another woman. Now that she could finally ask Elijah, she wanted to know who it was.

"Elijah, with whom is Marcel cheating on me?" Rebekah asked softly.

Elijah turned to her in surprise before looking annoyed at Freya and Charlotte. At first, he looked angry then only sad. "It's Sofya Voronova."

Rebekah's eyes sparkled furious. "That little bitch."

"Wait a minute!" Now Klaus, who looked more than angry, intervened. "Marcel cheated on Rebekah with the woman who murdered you?"

"Well, the Hollow killed me but I doubt Sofya feels much remorse over it." Elijah shrugged dispassionately.

Klaus's eyes were yellow, his face completely vamped out. "I'm gonna kill that bitch."

"Not if I get to her first", Rebekah said coldly. Inwardly, she was amused at how similarly she and Klaus reacted to this revelation.

Elijah frowned thoughtfully. "Daniel, can you ask Gwendolyne to find out if the following vampire is in town too?" He described Sofya. "I don't believe that Marcel and Vincent could pull this off alone. Their appearance is far too conspicuous; they need someone to do the legwork for them. Someone who is more low-key and who would do anything for Marcel, even if it isn't particularly smart."

Daniel nodded. "I will call her." He pulled out his phone and took a few steps to the side.

"And Niklaus, Rebekah has first right to take revenge on Sofya, so back off." Elijah looked sternly at his brother.

"Fine by me, but surely Rebekah won't mind if I make a few suggestions, do you?" Klaus looked at Rebekah pleadingly.

Rebekah chuckled. It felt good to see Klaus so angry on her behalf. "Do you really think I need any suggestions or help with this?"

"Not really", Klaus admitted. "But I can watch, right?"

"Of course you can", Rebekah replied with amusement. Knowing Klaus, he would never be satisfied with just watching anyway.

Daniel came back. "A vampire with this appearance introduced herself to Gwennie about two weeks ago, but gave her name as Lisa Smith." He grinned slightly. "She isn't very imaginative, is she? She pretended that she just moved to Los Angeles and wanted to join our community.

Gwennie told me that she had a weird feeling about her from the start and that's why she kept an eye on her. The other vampires noticed this of course and when Sofya tried to socialize, nobody wanted much to do with her. Additionally, she asked many questions that, in retrospect and with what I know today, seem very suspicious."

"She's been trying to figure out what's going on in Los Angeles and wanted to find out if other vampires would side with Marcel and to use these vampires to spy on Gwennie", Rebekah speculated grimly. "She wanted her weak points to replace her as ruler of the vampires of Los Angeles."

"Exactly", Daniel confirmed just as grimly. "Gwennie is not amused, by the way."

"I can understand that", Elijah murmured. "Daniel, please convey my regrets to Gwendolyne that our enemies have caused so much trouble for her in her town."

"I'll tell her, Elijah", Daniel promised.

"Thanks. Let's go, I would like to know how I would have spent my last days", Elijah said nonchalantly.

Rebekah flinched. Hearing it so clearly from Elijah what Marcel and Vincent's plans were for their eldest brother hit quite differently.

After a long drive in different vehicles, everyone met in front of the warehouse.

"Let me first check if a trap is triggered when we try to enter", Freya suggested quietly.

Elijah and Klaus, who had positioned themselves between the warehouse and the others, stepped aside and let Freya pass.

After a few minutes, Freya relaxed. "We can enter. If there are traps, then not at the entrance." She looked at everyone seriously. "Don't touch anything or go into another room without Davina or me checking everything."

Everyone nodded. Freya didn't have to tell anyone why she issued the warning. Witches loved to set insidious traps and when they hit bystanders, they never cared.

Rebekah watched in amusement as Klaus and Elijah briefly argued over who would go through the door first. In the end, Klaus secured himself the first place.

Everyone followed them and entered a large open space. At the other end of the room were two locked doors. An iron staircase led to the top and everyone could see that there was a laboratory upstairs.

"Can you hear something?" Freya asked her vampire siblings.

"No", Rebekah replied. "No heartbeats."

Elijah looked around uneasily. "Nevertheless, remain vigilant. How do you plan to proceed, Freya?"

"Davina, go upstairs and check everything out", Freya suggested calmly. Davina nodded and headed for the stairs. Of course, Kol followed her immediately and Klaus and Lucifer joined the couple too. "I'm checking out the rooms back there."

Rebekah and Elijah followed their eldest sister.

Freya paused and checked the first door, then went through it. "You can come in, it is some kind of office", she reported after a few seconds. "There are no magic traps."

Rebekah, Daniel and Charlotte entered the room with two big windows while Elijah leaned against the doorframe. A desk and chair were the only furnishings. There were many loose sheets of paper laying on the desk.

"Someone should go through the papers", Elijah said thoughtfully. "It could explain their plans."

Rebekah picked up a pack and flipped through it. "It's gibberish to me but it's clearly been written by a witch. I would even go so far as to say that it is Vincent's handwriting. Kol or you will have to read this."

A second later Kol was standing next to Elijah. "I think I heard my name."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, as this was so typically Kol. And he had to be bored to react so fast, so the laboratory upstairs didn't contain interesting things.

Elijah chuckled. "Why do you only ever hear your name when it's about something that interests you and never when I want to talk to you?"

"Because you always scold me or give me a lecture", Kol replied smirking.

Elijah returned his grin and stepped aside so Kol could enter the office. He took the pack from Rebekah and began to read. After a few seconds, he frowned.

"Everything is mixed up; first I have to put the sheets in the right order." Kol sat down in the chair and began to take stock.

"Let me know when you know more", Elijah said calmly.

Kol just nodded absently.

"Then let's see the next room", Freya suggested, grinning slightly.

Rebekah knew Kol would be in another world for a while until he figured out the purpose of the papers. And he would find out! Kol was far superior to either Freya or Davina when it came to theoretical magic.

When Freya stood in front of the second locked door, she frowned. "On the other hand, I can definitely feel magic behind this door."

Rebekah watched as Freya carefully opened the door and entered the room. This time it was a room with no windows and Freya created a little light that shone from her palm. Even Rebekah, with her superior vision, could only make out vague outlines from her position. Freya moved slowly through the room but she remained suspiciously silent.

"Freya, are you okay?" Rebekah finally asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes, I'm fine." However, Rebekah felt that Freya's voice sounded rather shaken. She looked alarmed at Elijah, who looked just as troubled.

"I'm coming in now", Elijah said.

"No, absolutely not. No vampires are allowed in this room", Freya shouted loud enough to echo in the great hall.

Elijah immediately stopped and held out his arm to hold Rebekah back as well. "Are you in danger, Freya?"

"No, nothing in here can harm me", came Freya's immediate answer.

Rebekah heard by her heartbeat that she was telling the truth and felt a little reassured. "Should I get Davina?"

"Yes, please. I need her opinion on this." Freya sounded composed again.

Rebekah raced up the stairs. "Davina, Freya needs you", she said urgently.

Davina stared at her in surprise at first, then she nodded and headed down the stairs, followed closely by everyone else.

Rebekah saw that Elijah was now standing in the doorway again but he didn't move a toe over the threshold. Freya must have given him permission to do this. Rebekah knew how seriously Elijah always took Freya's advice when it came to magic.

Meanwhile everyone had gathered in front of the second door, only Kol was still in the office next door.

Klaus stood behind Elijah and looked over his shoulder. "I can't see anything. Isn't there a light switch in the office, Freya?"

"I didn't check." Freya's voice sounded annoyed. "Give Davina and me a few minutes to disarm the trap, then you can all come in. Now do me a favour and shut up, Klaus."

Rebekah chuckled at Klaus's indignant expression. Also, she was firmly convinced that Freya didn't want Klaus to see too much of the room for the moment. She wondered what had upset Freya so much.

Davina took a deep breath, cast the same light spell as Freya and entered the room. A few moments later they all heard Davina's voice.

"Oh my God." And everyone present could hear the horror in her voice.

"Shut the door, Davina!" Freya ordered tense. "We can only disable the trap when it's closed. Elijah, keep our siblings under control, we must not be disturbed under any circumstances."

"I'm gonna do my best", Elijah replied.

Davina closed the door behind her and Elijah stood in front of the door, arms crossed. His concentration was mostly on Klaus, who gave Rebekah the impression that he wanted to kick down the door and demand instantaneous answers. She put a hand on his arm.

"If Freya says we can't enter the room, then she has a reason for it", she said quietly.

Klaus sighed softly. "I know, but I hate waiting."

"It's hard for me too, brother", Elijah said understandingly. "But I trust Freya. We give her the time she needs and after that she will explain everything to us."

Rebekah felt the tension in Klaus ease. It always surprised her how a few words from Elijah were enough to calm down her hot-tempered brother and bring him to his senses.

Rebekah sighed. However, she also had to admit that she shared this trait of acting without thinking with Klaus and Kol. And like Klaus, she hated waiting. But like Klaus too, she would also listen to Elijah and give Freya the time she needed.

xxxxx

Davina entered the room and the first thing that caught her eye was the summoning circle painted on the floor. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she deciphered a few of the symbols despite the dim light and the involuntary exclamation escaped her. Dazed, she followed Freya's request and closed the door behind her.

"Next to the door is a light switch, you can flip it on now", came Freya's calm voice.

Davina reached out and did just that. The light went on and the first thing Davina looked at was Freya. She was startled when she saw Freya's face and eyes. Her face was deathly pale and the wrath in her eyes was beyond any scale she had ever seen from Freya. It must have taken a lot for Freya to keep her heartbeat and her voice so calm that her vampire siblings didn't notice.

Davina decided to give Freya time to gather herself and took a closer look at the summoning circle. She hadn't seen magic this dark and corrupt since the summoning of the Hollow.

Vincent, she recognised his handiwork, had designed the circle to slowly drain someone of their magic and make them suffer in the process. Somebody had bolted short chains to the ground in the middle of the circle and they ended in handcuffs and shackles. They were so short that whoever wore them couldn't move even a little, they had to remain curled up. Coupled with the magic that would work on Elijah, the pain would be excruciating.

Davina stepped carefully into the circle and lifted the chains up. She immediately felt the magic that lay on them. It would suppress the strength of any vampire, even that of an Original.

"We can talk, I put a silencing charm on this room", Freya said in a croaky voice. There were tears in her eyes.

Davina also noticed the runes on the walls. Now she knew why Freya didn't want a vampire in the room. Even if the other Originals had found Elijah in time, they couldn't have saved him. Once they had entered this room, they would have been as helpless as him, they even would have increased the magic of the summoning circle.

"What is Vincent thinking?" Davina asked, shaken.

"I have no idea. I only know one thing, I will enjoy killing him." Freya's voice was hard and as unyielding as steel.

"You'll have to stand in a long line when your siblings see this", Davina said softly. "Do you think Marcel knows what this summoning circle really is for?"

"I don't think so but he knows that whatever spell Vincent had pretended to create will end with Elijah's death." Freya looked at the summoning circle. "With the magic this circle gathers, Vincent can perform spells that would otherwise never be possible. It might burn his brain out but this circle will ensure that the spell will be completed."

"But we still don't know what the spell is supposed to do", Davina said quietly.

"Kol will find out." Freya went to one of the runes on the wall.

Davina knew, with it they could render the other runes ineffective and dissolve them. "I don't think it's just about the vampires in Los Angeles."

"No, we're talking about the vampire population of the entire world", Freya agreed grimly. "Vincent has always hated vampires but I never thought he'd go this far."

"I won't let him murder Kol and the others." Davina was pale and went to Freya. They each placed one hand on the sign and began dissolving the spell together. After a few minutes, all the runes had disappeared from the walls.

"We can let my siblings in now." Freya looked at Davina. "I fear their reactions." Her gaze wandered to the chains. "Especially from Klaus. When he realizes what Marcel and Vincent were planning to do to Elijah, he'll freak out."

"And I can't even blame him", Davina said softly.

Freya removed the silencing charm, went to the door and opened it. "You can come in now."

Davina wasn't surprised when it was Klaus who came in first. But this time she didn't focus on him, but on Elijah, who came in next. He stopped short when he saw the summoning circle and the chains, his face expressionless. Then he went to the circle and looked at it for a long time.

Everyone but Kol was in the room now and stood around the circle. And where Davina had expected violent reactions, the other Originals remained silent. Judging by the look on Freya's face, she was as spooked as Davina at her siblings' non-reaction.

Lucifer, Maze and Charlotte had crouched down and put their hands on the circle. Davina watched as Maze and Lucifer's faces changed and took on their true appearance. She knew now that this indicated strong emotions. But as scary as the faces were, they paled in comparison to the fury on Charlotte's face.

Davina had to admit, she was curious what these three felt from the circle but she didn't dare to ask. Better to wait and let someone else ask the questions, she knew that Charlotte didn't particularly like her.

Davina cleared her throat. "Do you see what that summoning circle does, Elijah?"

Elijah looked at her before answering in a toneless voice. "Yes I know it. It would have made my suffering and death at the Hollow's hands seem like a walk in the park."

Davina stole a glance at Klaus, whose face was a mask with only his eyes burning with hate. When her eyes then wandered to Rebekah, she had to swallow. The shock on her face and the tears in her eyes were as eloquent as the hatred in Klaus's eyes.

Freya next explained about the runes that had been on the walls and their purpose.

"So I would have completely helplessly watched my brother die a second time if we had found him", Klaus said calmly.

Davina shuddered. This non-reaction from the others was becoming increasingly eerie and she knew it wasn't a good sign.

Kol came in now too, his face grim. When he saw the summoning circle, he cursed loudly and vulgarly.

"Language, Kol", Elijah said mildly. "What did you find out?"

Kol looked at his brother and went to him; the pain in his eyes broke Davina's heart. "They would have murdered you in the most brutal and cruel manner possible and then would have used your power to kill all vampires."

Elijah put his hand on Kol's neck and pulled him towards himself until their foreheads touched. "I know, Kol."

Kol took a deep breath and relaxed under Elijah's hand. He closed his eyes before explaining quietly, what he had found out. "Marcel's blood is the first ingredient of this spell, the poison, which will kill all vampires. The second is Elijah's magic, the power, which will fuel the spell." He swallowed hard. "Once the circle has drained all of Elijah's magic, Vincent will cut Elijah's throat and his blood will be the third ingredient, it will link Nik, Rebekah and me together.

After casting the spell all vampires would have died within a few hours, including us, Elijah's blood would have made sure of that." Kol shook his head in bewilderment. "We had always assumed it was Eva, his wife, who originally devised the spell to summon the Hollow but I'm not so sure now. I've seen black magic before, but from what I've read in these papers..." Kol's voice cracked.

Davina went to her husband and hugged him. "I'm sorry."

Elijah's other arm wrapped around her. "It's not your fault."

"I don't know about you, but I want to see Vincent and Marcel bleed." It was surprisingly Rebekah, who finally spoke her mind. Her voice was so calm and ice-cold that Davina shuddered.

"Yes, now we just have to find them both", Klaus agreed. He looked at Davina. "I would understand if you'd rather stay out of this because this time I won't have mercy on Marcel."

Davina shook her head defensively. "No, I can't, not after what I saw here. You are not a witch; you cannot understand how black this magic is and how corrupt and vile someone must be to design this summoning circle. It is my duty as a witch to stop and punish whoever is responsible for this."

Charlotte smiled approvingly at her and Davina blushed.

"Davina is right." Freya was now on Elijah's other side. "This cannot go on without consequences." A smile crossed her lips. "And finding them shouldn't be a problem anymore. Vincent put so much of himself into the circle that I can find him anywhere in the world."

"And what about Marcel?" Rebekah asked harshly.

Elijah snorted scornfully. "Marcel is so convinced of his superiority and invulnerability that he won't hide. He's always been way too cocky."

"And this time he will pay for it." Freya's voice was just as cold and unyielding as Rebekah's.

Davina shuddered again. She had never seen the Originals so cold and dangerous. What had Vincent and Marcel been thinking? What reason had they had for triggering all of this?