Chapter Twenty-Five

Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or the Originals, but I do own my OCs.

Summary: Blair has been on the run for 400 years, trying to escape her past. She never stays in once place long enough, but she finds herself drawn to New Orleans and it is there that she meets the Originals. She soon finds herself drawn into their drama and ends up connecting with the Noble Original, Elijah Mikaelson. Slowburn.

ORIGINALS

Blair stormed upstairs to her room to grab her suitcase. She needed to leave New Orleans as soon as possible. Just the very thought of the Hunter arriving in the city made her chest tighten with nerves. She just hoped everything was still standing by the time he was finished. With her suitcase in hand, Blair turned around to leave the room but stopped when she saw Raphael at the doorway.

"Are you coming with me?" Blair asked, her form tensed. Her head and her were heart battered. She hadn't told many people about the Hunter but whenever she did, it always mentally and emotionally exhausted her.

Raphael frowned, "We can't just leave Hope, she needs protecting,"

Blair shook her head, "Klaus will never let anything happen to Hope. They'll be fine without us," Maybe she was overestimating Klaus and Elijah's strength to make herself feel better about leaving, but in that moment, she didn't care. She had promised to help protect the child but surely Chloe would understand the situation and also, she had protected Hope. Chloe had never said she couldn't leave after the birth which was Blair's original plan. Chloe knew she could never stay in one place so really it was a stupid promise that Blair should have never made.

Confused, Raphael stared at her for a moment, "You really are terrified of him, aren't you?" His voice was barely above a whisper as if he had realised something monumental.

"Of course, I am," Blair scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Did you only just figure that out?"

Raphael shook his head, "No… it's just… seeing you so afraid is… unsettling," There was no denying that Blair had changed from when they were children. At first, Raphael struggled with this change but he had come to see that this whole situation had changed her. The Blair that stood before him was strong, fierce and bold. But that persona seemed to have crumbled at the mention of the Hunter and he was truly seeing another side of Blair, a side he hadn't seen since they were children.

Blair's face relaxed until it was void of all emotion. "I am not afraid. I am absolutely frightened. I can't face him again, I refuse." Every time she encountered the Hunter, she always lived to regret it – barely. She had never felt fear like it before and she never wanted to feel helpless like that again.

"Maybe it might not be a bad idea for Klaus and Elijah to help," Raphael suggested. "We can even ask the pack, Jackson said that they owed you," Having the Werewolves and the Originals on their side would be such a dream team. They had already proven that they could work together when they took out the Guerrera line. The Wolves liked Blair, some even fancied her. When Jackson had made it known that Blair was an ally to them, not one of them had protested. Some had been concerned that Blair was close to the Vampires but other than that, there had been no complaints.

"No," Blair immediately said.

Raphael frowned, "Why not?"

Inhaling deeply, Blair turned to him, "When I first ran away, I ended up with a pack of Wolves in New Zealand. They were lovely and kept me safe. They considered me one of theirs and vowed that they wouldn't let the Hunter get me. But then he found me and they were all slaughtered in minutes, even the children." This was a memory that would haunt her for years to come. No one had survived the attack, everything single one of them was killed, gutted and bled. It had been the Alpha to pull her away and told her to run, that they would buy her time to leave. He had been so ready to put himself in harm's way to let her go free. This guilt had loomed over her for years, never once leaving her.

"I'm so sorry," Raphael muttered softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Blair shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Nearly everyone who gets close to me ends up dying, one way or another. I can't let that happen and that's why I need to run,"

For a moment, Raphael said nothing as he considered his next words carefully. Instead, Raphael grabbed Blair's arm and gently guided her in the direction of Hope's nursery. This nursey had been personally decorated and constructed by Klaus and shown to Hayley as a surprise when she was feeling down. It was beautiful and peaceful. Eve had moved Hope into this room to allow Hayley some time to sleep and Klaus had basically set up camp on the couch in the room, not wanting to leave Hope's side. But he was downstairs with Elijah, plotting their move against the Hunter on her behalf.

"Why are we here?" Blair whispered so as not to wake the baby.

Raphael looked at her, determination in his dark eyes, "Look at her,"

"What?" Blair questioned, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Look at Hope and tell me what you see," Raphael instructed.

Frowning, Blair stared at Raphael before rolling her eyes. She would do what he asked and then she would leave. Peering down into the crib, Blair spotted a shrivelled baby that was the opposite of cute. Nothing special at all. "I see a baby,"

"And?" Raphael prompted.

"And nothing," Blair said with a sigh, "It's a baby, what else could there be?"

Disappointed, Raphael shook his head, "Well do you know what I see?"

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway," Blair said dryly.

Ignoring her dig, Raphael looked down at Hope and smiled softly. "I see an innocent child and a miracle. I see a baby that could bring happiness to even the meanest of people. She truly suits the name, Hope."

Before Blair would protest and call him an idiot, Hope made a noise. It sounded like a weak yawn that came off high pitched. This noise made Blair look down at Hope and truly begin to look at her. She was dressed in a cotton onesie that was a little big on her, which was understandable considering Hope was born a month early. This was a child that had done no wrong, she was a blank slate and Maeve wanted to use this child. Maeve would mould Hope into a weapon, one that would be forced to make Hybrids and then used to attack the Witches. Hope was the first-ever Trybrid, no doubt something that would pique the Hunter's interest. Realising where her thoughts were straying to, she reeled herself back and glared at Raphael, who was grinning at her. "Oh, fuck you."

"Language!" Raphael scolded.

"Piss off," Blair muttered.

Rolling his eyes, Raphael smiled, "Well?"

"I hate you," Blair said before walking out of the nursery. She didn't need to risk Hope waking up and sending Hayley and Klaus mad.

Raphael followed after her with a triumphant smile on his face. He wasn't so sure he could have convinced at her first. She was still the soft-hearted Blair that he remembered, just with an extra layer of frosting around her.

Blair walked back into the living room, where Klaus and Elijah were still discussing the Hunter situation. Davina was stood at the edge, seeming to not be able to keep up with the conversation as it was happening too fast. Klaus was suggesting all the ways he could kill the Hunter and Elijah was constantly having to interrupt and get Klaus back on task. However, once Blair walked back into the room with Raphael in tow, they turned their attention to her.

"So, is Rebekah coming back?" Blair asked, getting down to business.

Elijah nodded his head, not missing Blair's change in attitude. "Yes, she will be arriving in a couple of hours,"

Blair nodded her head, "Right. Well, if we're going to do this, then we're going to do this right,"

"Glad you see it our way," Klaus smirked smugly, "Now, tell us everything you know about the Hunter. I need to get a sense of what we're dealing with."

Walking over to the couch, Blair sat down. She wanted to be comfortable when speaking about this. "The first thing you need to know is that the Hunter is a Hellhound. He has advanced senses, able to track me due to my scent. His eyesight isn't great but his sense of hearing is off the charts," She had tried many times to change her scent or completely cover it to no results. The most she could do was mask it but even then, it wasn't good enough against the Hunter. Blair changed her appearance for the Hunter's associates, people who did not possess the same skills as the Hunter but were on his side.

Elijah frowned, "I haven't seen a Hellhound in a long time," Usually, Hellhounds kept to themselves, often seen in graveyards and remote places. They weren't creatures that other people liked to be around and for good reason. They were known as omens of death, especially if their roar is heard.

"Nasty fuckers," Klaus muttered lowly. He did not have a high opinion of Hellhounds, but that was because of his Wolf side. Werewolves and Hellhounds were not on good terms as they often fought over territory.

Blair nodded her head, agreeing with Klaus' statement. "The Hunter mainly uses fire; his fire is hotter than normal."

"But your water can combat against it," Davina said, recalling that Blair's preferred element was water.

"Not if he makes it so hot that all water turns to steam," Blair said grimly. She had thought the same thing but had been proven wrong. It had been a hard lesson to learn, but one that she had never forgotten, "But that also doesn't include his other power. The Hunter can control someone's fear. If you look into his eyes, he's got you under his hold,"

Everyone in the room fell silent as they took in her words. Elijah and Klaus were particularly quiet but mainly due to shock. They had never heard of a creature that would manipulate someone's fear. Raphael had paled at her words, fully realising why Blair dreaded near this man and Davina was trembling. Doubt was swirling in the young Witch's mind. Had she pushed Blair too much? How could Davina not see why Blair was so reluctant? Why couldn't she have just left it alone?

"Do you regret wanting to help now?" Blair asked with a blank expression. She would understand if they backed out because she wouldn't blame them. She wouldn't want this Hunter on her doorstep either.

Elijah stared back at her and grinned slightly, "I have always liked a good challenge,"

Blair stared at him with wide eyes, her stomach doing flips.

Klaus leaned forward, "What are his weaknesses?" He needed to know more about this man before they could draw up a plan. He had made plans with less information but more was always better especially when dealing with an unknown entity.

Falling silent for a moment, Blair thought back to moments when the Hunter had confronted her. She had barely managed to get away from him but there was one incident that stuck in her mind. He had cornered her in a restaurant in France and she threw a knife at him as she ran away. She distinctly remembered him yelling out in pain and that's when it clicked, "Maybe silver, but I could be wrong," She had thrown a lot at him in the past and she didn't get to see where she had stabbed him with the knife. Her gut was telling her that it was silver but she was scared to be wrong on this.

"We can stock up on some silver weapons," Elijah said, grabbing his phone to text Rebekah. He was going to inform her to bring any silver weapons she could find on her way.

Klaus nodded his head in agreement before he turned to Blair once more, "Is there anything else we should know?"

Blair nodded her head, "I have mentioned that he likes to collect people. Unique creatures and ones he hasn't hunted before. I would suggest hiding your daughter," As the first-ever Trybrid, the Hunter would want her, regardless of whether she was a baby. He would just take her and raise her until it was time to slaughter her.

"Done," There was steel in Klaus' voice, one that calmed Blair's nerves slightly.

"Let's get everything ready, how long do we have?" Elijah asked, looking at the clock in the room. They had a lot of plans and a limited amount of time to do so. If everything was to go perfectly then everything needed to be in order.

"Fourteen hours, max," Blair said.

Standing up, Klaus rolled back his shoulders, gearing up for a fight, "Let's do this,"

ORIGINALS

After brainstorming for the next four hours, a plan had been set. In that time, Rebekah had arrived and she had been updated on the plan. Honestly, Blair had been surprised that Rebekah came because they weren't close but Rebekah wasn't one to miss out on any action, as Klaus and Elijah had predicted. As weird as it was, the female Original seemed sympathetic to her situation and was all for killing the Hunter without much prompting. During their planning, Rebekah had come to see her new niece as well, cooing and fawning over the baby.

It had been decided to lure the Hunter away from the city and into the Bayou instead. This was so there was no destruction to the city and to the innocent bystanders who had no idea what was about to go down. All the Wolves would be moved into the compound, where they would guard Hope. Hayley had been adamant that nothing would touch her child and Jackson had backed her up. Jackson had offered the pack's support to Blair but she shot it down, not wanting anything to happen to them like it had the New Zealand pack.

Blair watched from her balcony as Klaus and Raphael moved shipments of silver weapons into the compound. Elijah knew a weapons dealer than that more than happy to supply them with everything they needed. This was the same dealer that Klaus frequented and Blair was honestly surprised this Vampire had lasted so long when he dealt with two Originals regularly.

Everything was becoming real and it was starting to overwhelm the Fae. Blair wasn't sure what to feel at that moment because it was all muddled. She was absolutely terrified to meet the Hunter after being on the run for so long and it all felt surreal. Blair never thought she would actually confront the Hunter. Either, this was going to go really well and she would be free or she and everyone else would be dead in less than ten hours.

A knock at her door snapped Blair from her thought, "Come in,"

Elijah walked into her room, not saying anything until he stood a few feet away. "You've been very quiet," He had noticed that during everything, Blair seemed to have withdrawn from everyone, even Raphael and Davina. The only time she had spoken was if there was a question directed to her about the Hunter. He had been keeping an eye on the Fae, concerned about how reserved she had become. He was used to her fiery personality and he didn't know how to approach this side of Blair.

"I've got a lot on my mind," Blair said plainly. Her mind was in overdrive and she couldn't seem to stop. Her mind was cooking up the word case scenarios possible, where everyone ended up dead and it was all her fault.

Sensing where her mind was, Elijah felt the urge to reassure her. "The Hunter will not harm you, he will be stopped," His voice sent a shiver down Blair's spine and made her bit her lip.

Turning her head, Blair looked at him. She wanted to believe him, to let his words wash away any doubt she had but she couldn't. Blair would not allow herself to become hopeful because nothing was worse than when it was crushed. "Don't make promises you can't keep," Her voice was barely above a whisper, scared to go any louder.

Determination filled Elijah as he grabbed her hand firmly. His touch caused her eyes to widen and stand straighter, "You have my word, Blair, that the Hunter will die. He will not torment you anymore," His words were soft but his eyes were intense, heated and staring right at her, into her very being. He did not make promises lightly and if he made them, he stuck to them. This was his code of honour that he wore with pride. Elijah would make sure that the Hunter died. This was his vow and he would not break it.

Suddenly, the air around her seemed to thicken and Blair had a hard time breathing. The way he looked at her made her body heat up to the point she shouldn't help but fidget on the spot. "Elijah…"

Elijah's hold on her arm tightened ever so slightly. The way his name rolled off her tongue caused the most primal part of him to purr. He very much enjoyed how his name sounded on her lips and he wanted to hear it again. The way Blair was looking at him, as though he had just promised the world made his heart clench.

"Why are you helping?" Blair couldn't help but ask this. She knew why Klaus wouldn't let her go but Elijah's motive remained a mystery. A part of her longed for him to admit that he cared in some way but the larger part of her, the more sensible side, selfishly reminded her that it was probably because of Hope. He would want Blair here to help protect the baby and nothing more.

Elijah opened his mouth to respond but he found himself silent. He had been holding back with Blair, holding back claiming her as his own and it was because of Klaus. For years, his brother had dictated who Elijah was with, whether it was by killing them or scorning them. Elijah had always been careful of who he introduced into his family but he found himself longing for Blair. However, now was not the time to reveal his strong feelings, especially when she was dealing with such a delicate situation. He wanted Blair for a while now and he would be damned before he let his brother get in the way of his happiness again.

"I care," Elijah eventually said after a few moments of consideration.

Warmth filled her at his admission and her gaze softened. Blair was about to respond but she was cut off by an angry voice.

"That will not work!" Klaus yelled at Rebekah.

"Stop yelling at me, Nik!" Rebekah screamed back at him.

Elijah sighed deeply and shook his head, "Excuse me," Turning around, he left to go and deal with his siblings. While both Rebekah and Klaus were on better terms, they had been arguing a lot about silly things and it was starting to drive Elijah mad.

Blair watched from her balcony in amusement as Elijah lectured his siblings, effectively ending their screaming match. Worries about the Hunter were still there but not as prevalent as before. Maybe Elijah's words had made her feel better after all.

ORIGINALS

Hours seemed to flash by and before Blair knew it, night time had fallen and there were still no signs of the Hunter. It had been well over fifteen hours since Blair had called Callum and there was no indication that the Hunter was even close and this only served to put Blair further on edge than she already was. This was unusual and it was something that had never happened to Blair before. She wasn't used to waiting around for the Hunter to come and attack her, usually, she was running and trying to put more space between them.

The plan was set and they were all in their places. There were two groups, one acting as the attacking force for the Hunter and the second group was made to protect Hope. Klaus had taken his role as a protective father very seriously and so there was no way anyone was getting near his child without being slaughtered. The first group consisted of Blair, Elijah, Klaus, Rebekah, Raphael and Davina. Blair had argued for Davina to be in the second group so she would not be anywhere near the Hunter but the young Witch had been adamant she wasn't leaving the Fae's side. Davina said that she wanted to help bring down the Hunter and nothing was stopping her. Raphael had sided with Davina, saying that if anything went wrong then he would take her and run – and that was the only thing keeping Blair calm about Davina's presence there.

In the second group, there was the Crescent Wolf pack, Hayley and Genevieve. This had been a controversial decision and one that wasn't known to many. Only Blair, Davina and Hayley knew about Genevieve's assistance. Hayley needed to know as not too long ago, the resurrected Witch had been after her baby, but now Genevieve understood that wasn't going to happen and would be killed with no hesitation if she tried anything. Blair had decided to invest in Genevieve and decided to grant the Witch her protection as long as she did something for the Fae first. Genevieve was to protect Hope and everyone else in the second group, if she managed this then Blair would offer her protection from the Ancestors. Blair had told Davina – who had not been happy but she soon came around to the idea when Blair revealed she was merely using the older Witch. Additionally, Blair had no intentions of offering Genevieve the same level of protection as she had Davina but the older Witch wasn't privy to that yet.

Stood in a clearing in the Bayou, Blair waited for any signs that the Hunter was coming. She was the bait, her scent dotted around the city to bring him to the Bayou and away from all the other people. Looking up at the moon in apprehension, Blair couldn't help the sense of dread that was nearly choking her.

Impatiently, Rebekah looked down at her watch and scoffed, "Where is he?" She demanded harshly.

Elijah sighed deeply, "Be patient, Rebekah," They had been waiting in the Bayou for hours and even he would admit he was feeling slightly tense. But he knew this couldn't be rushed.

"Are we sure he is on his way?" Klaus asked arms crossed over his chest. His nerves were on the edge as he wanted to be home with his child. Every instinct in his body was screaming that he needed to be with Hope, that it was too early to be separated from her but now was not the time. He didn't want people to think he had gone soft when he became a father.

"He'll come," Blair cut in, looking up at the sky, "As soon as he gets my scent, he'll come," The desire to continue his game was very strong. The fact she had ruined it would have enraged him to the point he lusted after her capture.

Raphael nodded his head in agreement, "It won't be long now," He directed this to Rebekah, who huffed but accepted his words.

Davina looked to Blair, who was stood beside her, "How will know he's here?" At this question, everyone looked in the direction of the female Fae, all wanting to hear the answer themselves.

"You'll hear a howl. A very distant one but it will strike fear into your very soul," Blair answered back, her voice void of any emotion. Whenever she heard the howl, it usually meant she had seconds before the Hunter made his appearance. That was his calling card and it always paralysed her with fear every single time.

Raphael swallowed loudly but didn't say anything, just moved closer to Rebekah.

Klaus was about to scoff at the notion but he was suddenly cut off when a low, piercing howl echoed throughout the night. There was no mistaking this howl to a Werewolf's howl, it was deeper and much more sinister. The mere sound sent a violent shiver down Blair's spine as everyone in their group seemed to freeze where they stood.

Pure fear squeezed Blair's throat and it felt like she couldn't breathe. The Hunter was here. He had arrived in New Orleans and he was coming for her. She needed to leave, she needed to get out before he found her. If she confronted him then she and everyone else would die and it would be all her fault.

Blair was snapped out of her thoughts when a warm hand was placed on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Elijah stood behind her, steely determination in his eyes. "I meant what I said," He muttered lowly, referring to the vow he had made earlier that day.

Slowly, but surely, the fear in her heart receded as his words set in. Blair took a look around and saw that everyone was ready, their bodies tense as they awaited a fight. Each one of them had silver weapons, all concealed so they could surprise the Hunter. They were ready. Klaus had a grin of excitement on his face, visibly eager for a fight. Even Davina, who appeared shaken, also looked ready for a fight. Unconsciously, Blair felt for her own weapons and found them in place.

"He's coming," Blair whispered lowly, "We should get into position,"

No one protested and they got into position. Everyone except for Blair disappeared into the woods, Davina using a concealing spell so the Hunter wouldn't notice them. This left Blair alone in the clearing, out in the open for the Hunter to see. If Blair was alone, she would have been frightened and probably would have run away as fast as she could. But knowing that she had people in her corner gave her confidence that she never knew she possessed. Inhaling deeply, Blair calmed her racing heart and waited. She stood taller and magic crackled at her fingertips, warming up for what was to come. She was ready for a fight and she was ready to get rid of the Hunter once and for all.

However, it would seem Blair would be left waiting.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into an hour. Yet there were no signs of the Hunter showing up and coming anywhere close. There hadn't even been another howl to signal his arrival and this waiting began to chip at Blair's confidence.

Not able to hold the spell a moment longer, Davina dropped the concealment spell and sighed deeply. No longer being hidden, Klaus, Elijah and everyone else came out from the woods. "Why has he not shown up?" Klaus demanded.

Blair shook her head, "I don't understand. He should have been here by now," Taking out her burner phone, Blair called Callum's number and waited for him to answer. Luckily, he picked up after three rings.

"Blair! Are you okay?" Callum asked the moment he answered.

"Where is the Hunter?" Blair asked, ignoring his question. She didn't have time for pleasantries, she needed to know where the Hunter was. He should have already shown his face but he hadn't and this worried her.

Callum was silent on the other line, no doubt checking for her. After a few moments of silence, he answered. "He's in New Orleans, did you managed to get out in time?"

"Are you sure?" Blair asked.

"I am very positive he's in New Orleans," Callum answered confidently.

Sighing deeply, Blair hung up the phone. Callum had never been wrong before and so she had no doubt he was telling the truth. But this created more questions, like where was the Hunter and why wasn't he trying to attack her? This did not follow his usual pattern and this made her anxious.

"Can he be trusted?" Rebekah asked, referring to Blair's informant.

Blair nodded her head, "He hasn't steered me wrong before."

"The Hunter must suspect something," Elijah said, his tone cautious. This would be the only way to explain the turn of events. Obviously, the game of cat and mouse between the Hunter and Blair wasn't over just yet.

A twisted smirk appeared in Klaus' face, this was a game he intended to win.

Before Blair could say anything more, she felt pressure in her head, making her wince. Placing a hand on her head, she turned in the direction of the French Quarter, her face paler than before. This caught Elijah's attention, "What's wrong?"

"Something broken down my barrier that I placed around the compound," Blair said, a sense of dread filling her. The barrier that she made was meant to be unbreakable – no one was supposed to be able to get past it.

Terror flashed in Klaus' eyes, "We need to get back to the compound now," In a flash, he was gone, fearing for his child.

Wordlessly, Elijah wrapped his arms around Blair and Davina before running after his brother. Blair made no complaint, knowing that Vampires were much faster and they needed to get back as soon as possible. It was Davina that squeaked in surprise, not used to the sudden and unexpected speed. Rebekah grabbed Raphael by the arm and ran off, not leaving him behind either. Raphael flushed red at the contact but didn't protest.

Within minutes they all made it back to the Abattoir. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss but when Blair looked closer, a shiver went down her spine. The place was quiet – too quiet, especially when there were a pack of Wolves and a newborn baby presiding there. The group entered cautiously, with Klaus leading and Davina gasped when they entered the courtyard.

Bodies littered the courtyard and the furniture laid in ruins, broken to pieces. All of the bodies belonged to the Crescent Wolfs and there were puddles of blood everywhere. Blair honestly couldn't tell if they were all dead or unconscious. In the back, Blair spotted the body of Genevieve, her neck snapped awkwardly, and next to her, there was Hayley, who didn't appear to have a single scratch on her. Jackson's body was covering hers, and he appeared heavily injured, his leg laid in a difficult position. Near the front, Blair spotted the half-hidden body of Marcel and a few other Vampires but she couldn't tell if they were alive or not – but that wasn't important. Next, a putrid smell assaulted Blair's senses, it was reminiscent of death and burning brimstone. It was an overwhelming scent, one that nearly made her gag but she stopped herself.

"Oh my god," Davina gasped, horrified by the scene in front of her.

In an instant, Klaus was gone but he was back a moment's later, "Hope is not here," Klaus' face was pale and his form was shaking in rage. The first place he had checked was Hope's nursery but she hadn't been there. To make matters worse, he couldn't smell her scent at all in his home.

Rebekah and Raphael walked over to Hayley, checking over her, "She is alive," She announced to everyone, making Blair sigh in relief. While there, Raphael checked up on Jackson and found that he was alive too, but Genevieve was certainly dead.

"What could have done this?" Davina whispered lowly in horror.

Dread filled Blair, "The Hunter,"

"I will kill him," Klaus growled lowly.

Elijah's eyes darkened, "Agreed," No one hurt his family and got away with it. Hope was missing he wouldn't stop until his niece was found, alive and well. If the Hunter even so much as touched a hair on her head, he was dead, Blair's claim on his life be damned.

A dark chuckle sounded from behind everyone. Blair jumped at the familiar sound and she whirled around, only to see the Hunter walk into the courtyard with Hope in his arms, "Now, there is no need for threats," The Hunter said with a wide grin, his gaze solely trained on Blair.