Chapter 004 – Resurrection
The argument that followed was thunderous. Kol's face twisted in disbelief, his fists clenched at his sides, and his voice exploded with fury – first that they'd stopped him, then that Elijah had promised to protect her. What about him? The bitch had belittled him, snapped his neck, and instead of killing her, they left him there to be with her! Rebekah had told him everything that happened, but Kol couldn't care less. Did they really expect him to care because she had daddy issues, too? Good grief!
"Fine, I'll eat the boy then," Kol said sharply, moving to the sleeping child nearby.
Elijah appeared before him with a piercing gaze, his towering figure crackling with intense, thinly-kept anger. "I gave her my word that neither she nor the boy would be harmed. You've made me a liar once today — I will not let you do it again."
Kol couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Elijah seethe like this. Klaus – well, that was to be expected. But Elijah was always composed, even difficult to read at times. Now, however, his rage was palpable, manifesting in the furrowed lines of his brow, the tight set of his jaw, and the rigid tension in his shoulders. Kol was a master of poking his siblings beyond their limits – but even he didn't want to poke this bear.
"You've had enough," Klaus snapped, circling the other side of Kol. His nostrils flared and his voice held definitive authority. "Now sit down and hold your tongue."
Kol was fuming but knew he was out-matched. He threw is hands up, letting loose a stream of acerbic expletives as he stormed away. He knew provoking his siblings was unwise, but he also wasn't going to let this go any time soon.
"Enough," Rebekah groaned, annoyed with all the flaring testosterone. "We have another problem now. Well, two of them, actually." She was referring to Sienna and Rory. "Sienna died with vampire blood in her system," she continued. "She's going to wake up soon."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Kol bellowed. His siblings ignored him.
As if on cue, young Rory started to stir. Elijah nodded, "Rebekah, please keep the child occupied. I'll move their father's body out of sight and stay with Sienna until she wakes up. And Klaus," Elijah glanced back at Kol, glaringly. "Keep an eye on Kol – make sure he doesn't do anything… reckless."
"Why do I have to babysit the kid?" Rebekah complained, crossing her arms. It wasn't that she disliked kids – but it always seemed like she got the bullshit jobs compared to her brothers in most problematic situations.
"I'll trade you," Klaus offered, smiling flippantly. "You can watch the big baby and I'll take the little one."
Rebekah looked back at a pouting, calculating Kol and rolled her eyes. No, she didn't want that job, either. "Fine, I'll watch the kid."
*Hours Later*
Sienna jolted upright, her heart pounding in her chest like a frenzied drumbeat. Her breaths came in sharp, gasping gulps, and her hands flew to her neck, fingers frantically searching for a wound that was no longer there. Her entire being coursed with adrenaline – heart racing and body trembling, her mind replaying her dying moments and the feeling of death washing over her.
Everything was spinning. She reached down and held the ground, trying to focus on the feeling of the dirt between her fingers, the grass on her palms. It wasn't until two strong hands landed on her shoulders that she felt steady, balanced.
She followed the arms to find Elijah, watching her with worry etched in his handsome features. "Breathe slowly," he instructed her, "You're okay."
She did as she was told, inhaling deeply and releasing it slowly, once, twice, then three times. Her eyes remained locked with Elijah's, finding a reassuring anchor in the unwavering warmth of his gaze. His hands on her shoulders were a gentle weight, grounding her in the present moment and offering a sense of security that her frantic mind desperately needed. Only when her body relaxed and her mind cleared could she hear the sound of Rory's laughter behind her, feel the wind on her face, smell the oaks and evergreens surrounding them. I'm okay, she thought. I'm alive.
"Thank you," she said, smiling weakly at Elijah. "I'm okay now."
Elijah nodded and released her.
She looked around, a little caught off guard by the change in scenery. The sun was setting, turning the sky a beautiful hue of orange and pink. Near the tree line, the two demons she'd fought earlier were leaning against the trees, bickering. Behind them, several huge trees were broken and fallen, as if lightning had struck them down. To her left, near the edge of the property line, Rory was sitting in the grass, playing with his wooden toys and laughing with the blonde woman from earlier. She didn't see her father anywhere.
"Your brother is just fine – Rebekah healed him. He thinks you are resting," Elijah said, reading her mind. "We moved your father over there," he gestured to the left of his bickering siblings. "Your brother didn't see him."
Sienna nodded slowly, thankful. She hadn't even thought about how she was going to break all the news to Rory. "Thank you, but… what happened?" She rubbed her neck again as if soothing the invisible wound. "The last thing I remember…" she trailed off, recalling the sudden pain in her throat, and the chilling nothingness that quickly followed.
"You died," Elijah said, his brows knit together and jaw tight. "I'm sorry," he added, his voice grave and heavy with remorse. "I gave you my word that no harm would come to you and I – "
Sienna waved her hand dismissively, cutting him off. "Oh, I feel fine," she said, connecting the dots. "Your blood healed me, right?" It was even weirder saying it out loud.
The crease in his brow deepened. "Not exactly…"
Sienna sat straighter, sensing the weight of their conversation. "Then how did I…?" she began, "I mean, I know I died. I felt…death." She didn't know how else to explain it, but she knew she died. It was cold and dark. There was no pain, just empty silence and an awareness of her existence in it. It was terrifying and lonely.
"You died," Elijah confirmed. "But you died with vampire blood in your body, so…" he paused, looking for the right words. "You're in… transition."
Sienna blinked, processing what he'd just said. The absurdity of it all brought a bubble of laughter to her lips. "Vampire blood?" she repeated, amused. "You're vampires? I thought you were demons."
She thought of all the stories her mother had told her about vampires – their aversion to prayer, pointed ears and claws, flying around as bats, hissing at the sunlight. She knew they were supposed to be scary monsters, but they always sounded like supernaturally stunted creatures to her. Hell, even mermaids sounded scarier.
Elijah's brow quirked upward, his head tilting slightly, confused by her reaction. He'd envisioned this conversation going a million different ways, but this reaction, this scenario, hadn't made his radar.
He had to admit, though – he did enjoy her laugh. It was light and airy, bubbling from her chest with a feminine ring. And even better, her smile was big and contagious, her nose scrunching up and eyes closing as she rolled her head back to release the sound. It was as if her whole body enjoyed laughing.
"Sorry, sorry," she managed. "Please continue, Mr. Vampire." She snorted another laugh and bit her lip to stifle any more, but Elijah could tell she was on the verge of another fit.
"Uh, right then," he said and cleared his throat. "You'll need to feed on human blood to complete the transition. If you don't… you'll die. Permanently, this time."
"That's it?" she asked. She looked skeptical. "Do I have to kill, or just feed?"
"You don't need to kill."
Elijah expected her to look relieved, but instead, her brows turned downward and a frown spread across her lips. Sienna immediately glared at Kol and Klaus. "You mean you all could've just taken a drink and been on your way? All that drama earlier – "
"My sincerest apologies," Elijah said, cutting her off. "My family – "
"You have nothing to apologize for," she interrupted, still eyeing Kol and Klaus. "Those little gremlins need to learn some manners, though."
Elijah tried to suppress a smile at the gremlins comment. "I couldn't agree more."
Her eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait – does this mean you all used to be human, too?"
Elijah's expression softened, "A long time ago, yes."
"How long ago?"
"Nearly 300 years."
"Wow," she breathed, trying to imagine what a 300-year life would be like. How far they must've traveled, how many people they would've met, the things they must know… she could hardly comprehend a history so grand.
He shifted, squaring himself to face her more pointedly. He needed to get this out – she was focusing on the wrong things.
"Sienna, the life of a vampire is not… simple," he said. "You will not age while those around you grow old and die. You cannot step into the sun without protection, or you will burn to ash. You cannot enter a home uninvited, and you will not be able to bear children of your own."
Sienna nodded, processing this information. "Got it. So… I'll live forever as a nocturnal, anti-social, barren spinster," she said, mulling it over with internal reluctance. "I suppose it could be worse."
Elijah ignored her comment, concerned she wasn't taking this seriously enough.
"Everything is heightened," he continued. "You will be stronger, faster, and able to see, hear, and smell things from great distances. Your feelings will be much more profound – joy, sadness, anger, even love, will feel stronger and more intense."
That doesn't sound bad at all, she thought. A long life with the senses and emotions to enjoy it to the fullest – that sounded great, actually.
"And through all of this," he said. "You will have an unquenchable thirst for blood."
"Okay, but can you turn into a bat?" Sienna asked – the first question to pop into her mind.
Elijah blinked, once again surprised. Her expression was genuine, which only made the question stranger.
He smiled politely, suppressing a chuckle, and responded with an easy "no" before continuing. "Should you decide to complete your transition, we will teach you how to live as a vampire," he promised. "You won't be alone."
Sienna blushed, suddenly feeling vulnerable. She tried to imagine herself in his care – a little baby vampire, running around the world with this 300-year-old family. Looking at Elijah, that didn't sound bad at all. He was kind and gentle – not to mention handsome – and she felt like she could trust him. His brothers, though – she looked to Klaus and Kol, trying not to judge them unfairly. Her eyes then laid on his sister, Rebekah, who was currently straightening a homemade flower crown on Rory's head. She smiled, thinking about how nice it would be to have a girl friend. She'd always wanted one.
Finally, her eyes landed on Rory. She wondered what it would be like to watch Rory grow up and grow old, to see his children and his children's children grow. It brought a smile to her face and excitement to her heart.
"Okay," she said confidently.
"…Okay?" Elijah parroted, hesitant. "You're sure?" Somehow he looked concerned and relived at the same time.
She rested her hand on his knee, a small gesture to reassure him. "No offense, but after the day I've had, turning into a vampire seems like small potatoes."
Well, he couldn't argue with that.
"Sister!" shouted a young voice from behind – a welcome interruption to their conversation. Rory's small arms wrapped around her from behind, nuzzling his face into her curls. "You're awake!"
Sienna laughed and pulled Rory to her front. He dropped happily into her lap, "Look what Miss. Rebekah made me," he said, gesturing to the crown on his head. "She made it herself!"
Sienna grinned, admiring the perfection in the twisted stems. "It's beautiful," Sienna complimented. Rebekah moved to sit next to Elijah, and Sienna mouthed the words 'thank you' at her. Rebekah lit up at the appreciation, smiling and offering a knowing nod.
"Sister – what happened?" Rory asked, suddenly changing the subject. "Where is Mother and Father? And what happened to you – are you okay? Cause I really thought he was gonna kill you."
Sienna shifted Rory in her lap, trying to find the right words to tell him. Part of her wanted to lie – tell him that they're going to run away together and forget everything that ever happened here. But she knew Rory was wise beyond his years – he deserved the truth and he could handle it.
Rebekah and Elijah stood, politely excusing themselves to give the duo some semblance of privacy.
"Rory," Sienna began, softly. She didn't know where to start. "I…I killed Father." She paused, waiting for his reaction, waiting to see the myriad of emotions she was feeling flash across his little face. Admitting to her crime out loud somehow made it harder for her to process. Her heart ached, vividly recounting the few good memories she held from her earliest years with him before Rory was born, while her mind battled to fend away any feelings of guilt and grief with logic and reality. It was a confusing, overwhelming storm of relief and anguish.
But Rory's face remained stoic and thoughtful, his body still as it took it in. "…what about Mother?" he finally asked, his voice quiet.
Sienna felt the knife in her heart twist, her words catching in her throat. "Father killed her after they left the village," she finally admitted.
His brows shot up in surprise, then furrowed in a mixture of sadness and confusion. "But why?" he asked.
Sienna shook her head – their father had blamed it on her pregnancy, but that wasn't the truth that Rory needed to know. It was more important for him to know the real truth. "Because there was a darkness inside of him and it consumed him," Sienna explained gently. She took Rory's face in her hands, locking eyes with him intensely. "Listen to me very carefully, Rory – nothing Father ever did to us was our fault. Nothing he ever did to mom was her fault," she said. "The things he did, killing mom… it's not for us to understand his reasons. It's all just weak excuses to justify a false narrative in his own messed up mind."
Rory's eyes fell down, his brows knit together, deep in thought, considering his sister's words carefully. After an agonizingly long moment of silence, Rory leaned in and hugged Sienna tightly. "It's okay," he told her, "We're going to be okay. We still have each other."
Sienna melted into his embrace, returning the hug snugly. She couldn't stop the tears from escaping, her heart tight in her chest as she kicked herself for her break in composure. It wasn't fair that he would need to comfort her – that was her job.
"What are we going to do now?" Rory asked, pulling away from the hug. Sienna quickly wiped her tears, trying to hide her momentary lapse from him.
She took a deep breath. "Wellllll, about that…" she said, fiddling with the bottom of Rory's shirt. She didn't really know how to say it. "I'm sort of… turning into a… vampire."
Rory tilted his head, eyeing his sister with confusion. "Like… are you gonna turn into a bat?" he asked innocently.
Sienna groaned. "No, unfortunately," she said, "but I do need to drink blood."
"Oh," was all he managed. Sienna wondered how much of their mother's stories he'd heard, how much he knew, or thought he knew. "That's weird, but okay."
"Yeah, and um… well, you're the only human around here, so…" She poked his hand awkwardly. "Can I… drink some of your blood?"
Rory looked up at the Mikaelsons near the tree line, drawing all the right conclusions. He was a damn smart kid. "Um, sure," he replied, standing up from her lap. "Do I like… should I put it in a cup for you?"
Sienna shrugged, "I think so? I don't really know how this works yet, either."
"You can ask Miss. Rebekah – she's really nice," Rory offered. Sienna didn't miss the blush spread across his olive cheeks.
"I will," Sienna replied, offering a small smile. "What do you think about us leaving with them? Find a new home, somewhere else?"
Rory nodded eagerly, grinning at the idea. "Can we go to a beach? I've always wanted to see the ocean."
Sienna laughed, "I sure hope so!"