Chapter Thirty-Three
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.
I am sorry about the delay with this chapter. I haven't been well the past couple of weeks and so I couldn't concentrate. Hope this makes up for the delay though!
Enjoy!
ORIGINALS
A few days later
Davina grunted as she aimed another punch in the direction of the Noble Original. Elijah blocked effortlessly and then stepped away when Davina aimed a kick at him. They were in one of the many rooms within the Abattoir, and this was a room that she used often when she was practicing offensive and defensive magic with Blair. However, this time, the young Witch had requested that she learn how to physically defend herself when magic wasn't enough. A lesson she had learned when she had been ambushed by Witches under Esther's rule. Elijah had been the one to volunteer and they had begun immediately. Davina found the Vampire to be a great teacher; he was patient with her, kind, and understanding when she got in her own head at times. He would push her when she needed it but also knew when she'd had enough. She was confident that under his guidance, she would be able to fight off people who came after her, but today was not her day.
After being flipped down on the training mat for the sixth time in a row, Davina let out a sigh as she got up. Elijah frowned, his brows furrowed together, "You're distracted," Usually Davina was sharp, absorbing any guidance that he would give her. Elijah found Davina to be the perfect student; diligent, determined, and stubborn. But today she seemed distracted and her mind wasn't fully in the training session.
"I am," Davina admitted, not hiding it.
Grabbing a water bottle, he handed one to the young Witch, who took it gratefully, "Is Timothy still messaging you?" Elijah was aware that Davina's ex hadn't seemed to get the message that they were over. He was more than happy to assist in getting that message across or erase Tim's memories altogether but Davina had politely declined.
"That's not the reason," Davina shook her head. She had blocked Tim's number as she was sick of it, but that wasn't what was distracting her, "It's about Kol,"
Elijah hummed in thought, that would have been his next guess. "Is there anything I can assist you with?"
For a moment, Davina considered her options. If she had any concerns about Kol, she usually asked Rebekah – as she knew her elder brother the best – or Blair who always gave her sound advice. But she knew how knowledgeable Elijah was and it never hurt getting another opinion. "The plan was to gain his trust, lure him in and kidnap him." She didn't know the next phase of the plan but she suspected it wasn't good. If the decision was up to Klaus alone then he would probably have Kol put back in the coffin again, something Davina didn't want to happen.
"Do you disagree with this plan so far?" Elijah asked, an eyebrow raised in question. Davina had done a marvellous job so far in luring Kol. Elijah had accompanied Raphael one time in watching the pair and he could easily see that Kol was enamored with the young Witch, just as she was with him. Elijah had suggested that Davina be pulled out of this job but Blair had declined, she had faith in the Witch.
Davina made a conflicted noise, "I just think this could all be handled differently,"
"Oh?" Elijah was intrigued, interested to hear her idea.
Nervously, Davina picked at the sleeve of her hoodie, "What if we managed to… bring Kol over to our side?" She had seen another side to the Original. The pain, anguish, and longing in his eyes to be free. It was the moments when Kol would truly lower his guard around her. Times when he thought she wasn't looking but actually she was.
Instead of dismissing her suggestion like she thought he would, Elijah smiled warmly, "I think your suggestion has merit, but what has brought this on?"
"Kol doesn't like his mother, that much he has expressed, and I do believe him," Davina explained quickly, not wanting him to change his mind, "I think given the chance, he would betray her if he knew he had his family around him," This was where she had seen the longing – whenever the topic of the family was mentioned. Kol truly wished to be part of a family but he would never express this out loud, especially not to anyone who he thought would twist this.
Elijah nodded his head, "I see where you are coming from." This was something he agreed with wholeheartedly. When he, Klaus, and Rebekah had made the vow, they had intended for Kol and Finn to be included, but because he hadn't been included straight away, Kol has seen this as a slight against him. As much as he tried to hide this, Kol was sensitive and sometimes liked to overplay how confident he truly was. If Kol truly knew that they would accept him back with open arms, he would reconsider his position.
"But I am worried about what happens if he finds out the truth," Davina expressed with a frown. Despite the whole situation being a mission, she had realised she had fallen for the wildest Original. Her feelings now complicated the situation and she was cursing herself for allowing this to happen in the first place.
Without her seeing, Elijah's eyes flashed in amusement. Everyone in the compound was aware that Davina had feelings for Kol – a fact Davina was not aware of. But, instead of embarrassing her, Elijah hid his expression. "He will not react well and may see it as a personal betrayal. But I have a feeling he will not be able to hold it against you," As his brother, Elijah knew that Kol dealt with betrayal in a very similar fashion to Klaus – and the outcome was never pretty. "But he may also attempt to get revenge,"
"Not that I would let that happen,"
Davina jumped when she heard Blair's voice and turned around. Her face was flushed red in getting caught talking about Kol. Elijah was not as surprised as he had sensed her approach and waited for the Fae to make her appearance known.
"Blair!" Davina called out in surprise, her voice shaky with nerves, "How much of that did you hear?"
Blair slowly smirked, "Enough to know you're smitten,"
Davina's face flushed a darker shade of red, "B-Blair!"
Elijah and Blair share an amused look with one another. Behind Blair's lively attitude was smugness and Elijah suspected that this was because she had won her bet with Raphael, an endeavour the female Fae had told him about.
Not wanting to further embarrass the young Witch, Blair moved on. "Besides, he wouldn't attempt to get revenge because I can offer him something in return,"
Elijah arched a brow, "Oh, and what would that be?"
Blair grinned, "In due time," If she had understood Kol correctly, there would be something she could offer him to make him reconsider turning against them. For now, she would keep her cards close to her chest until it was time to play them.
At her words, Davina relaxed, content in knowing that Blair had a plan. She knew that she could count on the Fae to help out but actually hearing the words reassured her and made her feel a lot better.
Staring at her for a moment, Elijah couldn't help but ponder her words. She seemed to have this ability to draw him, similarly like a Siren would to her prey, and her playfulness only seemed to entice him further. Usually, he did not like it when things were kept from him, especially any future plans regarding his family and their wellbeing, but for Blair, he could manage.
"So, how has training been?" Blair asked light-heartedly, moving on from her cryptic message. She could feel Elijah's heated gaze and knew he was curious about her plans but she ignored it, not wanting her plan to be revealed too early.
"Good," Davina said before wincing, "Well… I was a little distracted so I ended up on the mat a few times,"
Blair looked to Elijah, who shook his head, "An enemy would take advantage of her distracted state, I am teaching an important lesson," In his long life, he had seen good people slip up the slightest of margins and end up paying for that mistake with their lives. One could never be careful, especially when the opponent's intent was to maim or kill.
Nodding her head approvingly, Blair had to stop herself from smiling when she saw Davina pout.
"But I have magic so I will always be prepared," Davina said defensively.
"Not always," Blair said with a faraway look in her eyes.
"Besides, where my mother is concerned, I would not always rely on magic," Elijah sagely advised with a passive expression. His mother always had a way of twisting the situation, something he hoped wouldn't work this time around.
Blair snorted at this statement, causing Elijah to turn to face her with an arched brow.
"Do you have something to share?" Elijah asked.
"You're saying not to rely on magic but you forget that we are magic," Blair said, motioning to Davina and herself. "Magic is in our veins and it's very difficult to fight against our instincts to draw on our magic when threatened," This was one of the similarities between Witches and Fae and that was their need to use magic. For either group to ignore the pull to magic was unnatural and something Blair had never done. Davina, who was still a sapling, had pulled on her magic when she had been threatened because it had been instinctual.
Considering her words, Elijah's expression was pensive, "Take away your magic, what would be left?"
Blair opened her mouth but no answer came out. What was left if she had no magic? The very thought made her feel cold and scared. Magic was all she had ever known, her only companion when she was alone and running away from the Hunter. Magic was her comfort blanket for when she was scared. To be without her magic would be devastating and she would be vulnerable. Blair could honestly say that without it, she would more than likely be dead.
At her silence, Davina frowned, "Blair, do you know how to fight?"
"No," Blair answered honestly, "I've never needed to because I have always relied on my magic." Also, time was never her friend because she had always been on the run. She never had the time to find a teacher for herself and she never saw the point. She had focused all her attention on something she was good at, not what she was weak at. If she was being honest, if she didn't use her magic, she wouldn't know what she would be doing half the time.
Davina looked at her in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she just heard. With how the Fae carried herself, Davina would have assumed Blair knew how to fight. But when she thought back to the fight with the Hunter, Blair hadn't physically attacked back that much, she mainly relied on her magic, and even when she did, they hadn't been planned nor polished. The more Davina thought about it, the more she realised how much Blair depended on her magic. She found it odd because she hadn't seen Raphael use a lick of magic at all and this made her curious.
Sensing the young Witch's disbelief, Blair looked at her, "Out of the two of us, Raphael is the most physically strong but he has very little magic in him. On the other hand, I am not physically strong but my magic surpasses most,"
Davina made a noise of understanding.
"Well, I think this would be a perfect opportunity for you to learn," Elijah offered.
"That's a great idea!" Davina chimed in with bright eyes.
Blair blanched but she quickly schooled her expression and smiled, "I wouldn't want to disturb your lesson more than I already have," She seriously regretted coming into check on Davina and Elijah, cursing her nurturing nature. Physically fighting never interested her. It wasn't as polished as when she used her magic and she loved the buzz she got when she used it. The Alpha in the pack she met in New Zealand had offered to teach her before they were all massacred and after that, she never wanted to learn.
"I insist," Elijah said, meeting Blair's eyes unflinchingly. He could see that she was reluctant but he wanted to change that. With his mother now back, he didn't want Davina or Blair to become too dependent on magic in case his mother somehow found a way to turn the tides in her favour.
"I've had enough for the day anyway. I am meant to be meeting Josh soon," Davina said looking at the time. She had made plans with Josh to go shopping and to catch up. They hadn't seen much of each other because of everything that had been happening.
However, Blair remained dubious.
Slowly, Elijah smirked, "Don't tell me you're scared,"
Any uncertainty left the Fae as she glared at the Vampire. She wasn't scared, she just didn't want to and didn't see the point when she had magic and she was far superior to most others. She knew what he was trying to do and she did not appreciate it at all. He was attempting to goad her into accepting and from the playful glint in his eyes, he knew that she was onto him. The look was infuriating because it made her annoyed while also making her stomach flip with nerves.
A ghost of a smile appeared in Elijah's face, the fire in the Fae's eyes was something he loved and he hoped she would never lose that fire.
Coughing awkwardly, Davina stepped back, "I'm just going to head off…" She could feel the tension in the air as it seemed to shift into something, she wasn't too sure.
Once Davina was gone, Elijah motioned to the mats, "Shall we begin?"
Blair grumbled but followed him into the mat, removing her high-heeled boots so they didn't pierce it. She was dressed in a pair of tight blue jeans and a white tank top, not the greatest to fight in but it would also be accurate as to what she would be dressed like if she actually fought someone. At least she wasn't like Elijah, who was still dressed in a suit, minus his blazer and his shirt sleeves rolled up. It made his arms look delicious and Blair had to fight not to stare at them.
Stood in front of her, Elijah began the lesson, "I want you to try and hit me, without magic," He made sure to stress this last part. There would be no point if Blair used her magic against him since she'd learn nothing.
Scowling, Blair threw back her arm, like she had seen others do, and swung at the Original. Elijah caught her punch with ease and stared at her with a blank expression. "Is that it?"
This only served to infuriate her. Blair knew that she would never be able to land a punch on him but having him taunt her just made her want to punch his stupid face. Using her other arm, Blair punched out only for Elijah to catch that hand too. Swiftly, Elijah twirled her around so now her back was facing his chest. He pulled her close and his grip on her arms tightened as he pressed her arms to her sides, trapping her against his body. Blair attempted to struggle but his grip on her was too tight and she could barely move with him so close to her.
"While those punches have strength in them, they were crude and you left yourself wide open," Elijah whispered, his face barely inches away from her ear.
A shiver went down her spine when she felt his breath on her neck. "Then show me." Her own voice sounded breathless, though not due to any physical strain. Even though they were meant to be training, she was far too relaxed in his hold.
"Fighting has a rhythm, if there is music then there is a pattern. Let that rhythm beat within you." Elijah muttered slowly but purposely, not once loosening his grip on her.
"And what if I want to dance to another beat?" Blair uttered back.
Quickly, Elijah twirled Blair back so she was facing him once more. She almost missed his warmth and tried not to show this disappointment.
"Well then, I will try and match that beat," Desire flashed in his eyes for a moment before he fluidly stepped away and raised his arms once more, "Again,"
Inhaling deeply, Blair mimicked Elijah and raised her hands up. She had seen people do this when they fought one another and tried to emulate that. She had observed many fights in the past, most of them between Wolves and their packmates as they playfully fought one another. However, Blair knew that Elijah wanted her to be serious. The only other Vampire Blair had seen fight was Katherine – who was a surprisingly good fighter. Her pretty face made people doubt her and she used that to her advantage.
Charging at Elijah once more, she threw a punch at him. Elijah easily blocked this and stepped to the side. Raising her knee, Blair attempted to aim for his stomach but he grabbed the back of her thigh and pulled her closer to him, throwing her off balance. To steady herself, she grabbed onto his shoulders and manoeuvred to headbutt him. With a smirk, Elijah used his free hand and grabbed the back of her head before yanking it back and exposing her neck. Blair let out a soft noise when she felt him pull at her hair, not expecting it.
At this soft sound, Elijah paused for a moment, the noise stunning him. For a moment he thought he had crossed a line and was about to end the session. But when he looked at her face, he saw fiery determination and knew it wasn't over yet. He felt as she moved her leg, trying to unbalance him but then he was struck with inspiration. Elijah allowed himself to tip backward as if he was going to fall.
Feeling a change in direction, Blair's eyes widened as she held on tighter to Elijah as they fell to the ground. However, just as Elijah was about it hit the ground, he twisted them so now their positions were reversed so now he was on top of her. Blair stared up at Elijah, her eyes flashing purple as the urge to use magic to turn the tables was nearly irresistible. Her fall hasn't been too harsh when Elijah had spun them around but she was caged in. His arms were at either side of her head and his legs straddled her waist. His body was just inches from touching hers, but he effortlessly held himself up. He was staring down at her, his eyes alight with amusement and there was a smug smirk tugging on his lips.
"I am pretty sure this wasn't supposed to happen," Blair said, trying not to focus on how close their faces were to one another. She could feel her heart pumping in her chest and hoped that he wouldn't notice.
The smirk on his face only seemed to grow bigger, "What happened to dancing to another beat?"
Looking down, Blair noticed something. Her arms and legs were free and she could easily land a blow in a certain area but had a feeling that this was what Elijah wanted. He had left himself open on purpose – more than likely luring her into a trap that she refused to fall for it. Despite what it looked like, she wasn't trapped and could easily get out of it if she wanted to. She also suspected that if she asked for him to get off her, he would without question. But Blair wasn't too sure she wanted him to move.
"I sure hope Davina doesn't get these types of lessons," Blair arched a brow at him.
Elijah shook his head, "She is a model student,"
"And me?" Blair smirked tauntingly.
For a moment, Elijah's eyes darkened and emotions flashed through so quickly that Blair hardly caught any of them. However, one thing she could tell was that he enjoyed being in this position just as much as she did.
Instinctively, his eyes dropped to Blair's lips and he had the sudden urge to find out if they were as soft as they looked. Blair had a habit of wearing different coloured lipsticks and lip glosses every day and they tempted him.
As if drawn to one another, slowly their faces began to move towards one another, neither one able to resist the pull anymore. It was just as their lips were about to touch that the moment was shattered.
"Elijah?" Hayley said as she walked into the room, only to stop when she saw the scene in front of her. Her face fell and her jaw clenched, this was not something she wanted to see at all.
Turning his head, Elijah looked at Hayley with a blank expression. "Hayley, what a surprise," He had been so absorbed in Blair that he hadn't noticed Hayley's presence in the slightest. On the inside, he was seething in anger at being interrupted, wishing she would leave.
Blair rolled her eyes, an action Elijah didn't miss, and had to stop himself from grinning.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Hayley scowled, "We need to talk. Privately,"
With a mental sigh, he looked down at Blair, who shrugged her shoulders as a response. The moment was ruined anyway. Elijah gracefully stood up before offering Blair a hand. Purposely, the Fae took his head and allowed him to help her now, not missing as Hayley's whole form seemed to tense at the contact.
Once she was up, she looked at Elijah with mischief in her eyes, "We'll continue this later," With a smirk, Blair sauntered out of the room while grabbing her heels, passing Hayley as she did. When she passed the Wolf, she shot her a smug smirk.
Hayley glared at her, watching as she walked away.
Elijah cleared his throat, gaining Hayley's attention. "What is it you needed to speak with me about?" He began to unroll his sleeves and button them back up. The training was now over and so there was no need for such a casual appearance.
"The pack has come to a decision," Hayley started out, feeling nervous.
"And?" Elijah prompted. He and Blair had been more than generous, giving them more time to make a decision than originally agreed. As far as he knew, the pack was divided and had been for some time. He hoped they would make a decision soon as even his patience was beginning to wear thin.
"We've agreed to your terms," Hayley said.
Elijah smirked but he managed to cover this by turning his back and putting on his jacket, "And will you be leading the pack now?"
For a moment Hayley was silent, making him turn to her. "I am… kind of… but there is a catch. The pack is split evenly. To bring some peace… I have to marry Jackson and lead together with him," She looked at Elijah apprehensively, trying to gauge his emotions. She had been anxious about telling him about this because she didn't know what his reaction would be. She didn't know what she was more worried about – him reacting badly or him not reacting at all.
"Oh," Elijah said, slightly surprised by this. However, he could see the advantage in this. Hayley and Jackson would make a good couple and make the pack strong. Also, he could vaguely remember that they meant to be engaged at one point but he wasn't certain.
Hayley swallowed nervously, "It is some sort of mystical ceremony… a-and an Alpha bonding ritual."
"It's a logical decision," Elijah nodded his head.
"I don't love Jackson!" Hayley exclaimed out, hurt that he would say something like that.
Elijah paused and stared at her for a moment, not expecting this outburst, "Pardon?"
Stepping closer, Hayley looked up at him, eyes pleading. "I don't love Jackson, but I know I need to do this to unite my people," She hoped that he would object, tell her that she shouldn't marry Jackson. She was hoping that he returned her feelings and maybe they could be together. As of recently, they may not have been close, but surely, he still felt that spark between them like she did.
Mentally, Elijah sighed to himself. He could see what she wanted and he had no intentions of giving in. If it had been nearly a year ago, he may have been more inclined to indulge her or would have been hurt by this proclamation but he wasn't. He was not the slightest bit bothered by this news. "I think you should marry Jackson,"
"What?" Hurt shinned in Hayley's eyes.
"You need to unite your people for what is to come," Elijah told her, taking a step back from her. "By having the pack united, it creates more protection for your daughter," Hope would need all the protection she could get at this point, especially since his mother was back.
Hayley visibly deflated slightly. "I know,"
Satisfied, Elijah made his way out of the room, ready to continue on with his day. He had much planned for the day, like whipping the Vampires in the French Quarter into shape. A few had been unruly and needed to be dealt with. However, before he could make it out of the door, Hayley's voice stopped him.
"Do you think if I wasn't marrying Jackson, you and I could have had a chance?" Hayley asked suddenly.
Turning his head, Elijah looked at her with a blank expression, "No,"
Shock filled her expression but it soon turned to anger, "Let me guess, it's because Blair is here,"
Elijah shook his head and walked off, "I simply wish to not be the second choice, which would have inevitably happened." There was also the fact Hayley had been with Klaus and Elijah had learned his lesson. Any time he courted anyone his brother had been with, it always ended in disaster.
Hayley stared after him, still simmering in anger.
ORIGINALS
A few hours later
Kol sat in the greenhouse, watching as his mother weaved spells. She had recently taken over the body of an older woman called Lenore so now it wasn't so odd to be calling her his mother. When Esther had been possessing the body of a sixteen-year-old, it had been strange so it was a bit of relief. She and Finn were whispering with one another, no doubt sharing some secrets that Kol wasn't allowed to be a part of. He knew that his mother was cautious and didn't fully trust him – something he didn't blame her for. He didn't want to be there. If he could, he would have left, but then mother-dearest wouldn't be happy and she'd make him pay. It was moments like that he really missed Rebekah – heck he even missed Elijah and Klaus.
"Kol, has there been any progress on Davina?" Esther asked, looking up at her youngest son.
"I am still working on it," Kol flashed her a smirk, silently letting her know everything was under control. However, on the inside, he was starting to have doubts. Davina had not shown any indication that she knew where the stake was – and he couldn't check her house because she lived in the compound with his family. If they even got a whiff of him then they would be suspicious. But he didn't want to share this with his mother as he knew the reaction wouldn't be good.
Esther's smile fell for a moment before it was back in place, "I am sure this little Witch is nothing for you. But remember, if she hasn't given you any results soon then I am going to have to intervene,"
"Of course, mother," Kol replied back confidently. Inwardly, he was cursing the situation. He knew exactly what his mother was inferring to – if Davina didn't give them some answers soon the Esther was going to have her killed. He did not want this to happen, he quite liked the little Witch, found her to be quite the daring rebel.
Finn scoffed, "It shouldn't take this long to get information out of a teenager,"
"And how's your task at getting the student shrink to open up to you?" Kol challenged back, sending a dark look at his eldest brother. He knew that Camille wasn't sharing anything with Finn, no matter how much he flattered and charmed her. It seemed as though Camille was a fighter, one that Finn was struggling against.
Finn glared at him but said nothing.
"Now, now, children," Esther said with a fond smile, "All will work in our favour soon. We just need to be patient,"
Just then, Kol's phone chimed. Looking down, he saw it was a text from Davina and it made him inwardly sigh in relief, "Well, I need to be off." With a smirk, he strode off confidently. This was just what he needed – to get away from his crazy family.
Once Kol was out of sight, Finn looked to his mother, "He is far too involved with the Witch," He massively disapproved of Kol's methods, finding them crude and too wild. Kol was also spending less time with Davina and it made him suspicious.
Esther hummed in thought, "He might, but he knows that he has a job to do,"
"Davina is being protected by the Fae, do we have a plan to deal with her?" Finn asked, his face scrunched up in disgust at mentioning the Fae. Just like his mother, he loathed the creature, finding her repulsive and untrustworthy. He couldn't see how his brothers and sister were besotted with her.
Esther's expression darkened at the mention of the Fae, but she soon relaxed. "Do not worry about her, I have a plan,"
"Oh?" Finn said, intrigued.
Picking up one of the many iron weapons in front of her, Esther smirked devilishly, "She is a distraction. Once we have her out of the way, Davina will be unprotected and grief-stricken. From what you've explained, Elijah will be too and Niklaus will be angry that he has lost his advantage."
"When will she be dealt with?" Finn asked, excited at this prospect.
"Soon. Very soon," Esther replied back cryptically.
This news seemed to please Finn until his expression turned cautious, "And what about Niklaus' child? What is the plan for her?" This was the one plan his mother had yet to share but he knew why. He knew that it was very important for Hope to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Esther's expression grew grim as she put down the iron weapons. "She will need to be killed, lest we bring Dahlia to us,"
Finn nodded his head in understanding.
Just outside, Kol stood by the doorway with his eyes wide. He had stayed behind to eavesdrop because he knew that things were being kept from him and he was right. He knew that his mother hated the Fae but the very thought of Blair being dealt with made him feel uncomfortable. Although Davina hadn't said her name, she had expressed how close she was to Blair and considered her a guardian. If anything happened to Blair then it would devastate Davina and he didn't want that. Kol had not told his mother about his interaction with the Fae – and for good reason. However, it was the news about Hope that made him listen intently. Kol knew that Esther was twisted, but to plan the murder of a baby was beyond ludicrous – even for him.
As quietly as he could, Kol snuck off to meet with Davina.