A/N: Thank-you so much to everyone who has followed, favored, and reviewed this story. It's good to be back :)
"Holy water?"
"A complete lie."
"Garlic?"
"Does not even cause an itch."
"Mirrors?"
"Incredibly useful. Elijah spends hours every morning contemplating his dashing face in the mirror."
Elijah does not look impressed by Klaus's response while a snort escapes Bonnie. For the past half hour since they hit the road, Bonnie has been asking them questions. Turns out she did get in a car with them. A sleek black Mercedes to be exact.
Elijah is driving while classical music is playing in the background.
Klaus is his copilot while Bonnie is in the backseat.
She is still apprehensive about this whole witch thing and she doesn't fully trust them. So far, they have been in their best behavior (except for the whole killing people thing when they met) but still, Bonnie knows better than to let her guard down.
She thinks back on all the vampire lore she knows. Most of her knowledge comes from movies. "Does a stake through the heart actually kill a vampire?"
"Planning to murder us in our sleep, love?"
Love, Bonnie likes it when Klaus calls her love. "Only if you betray me," she is quick to retort.
Klaus laughs. He is clearly enjoying their back and forth. "Yes, a stake through the heart, fire, and decapitation can kill a normal vampire." He pauses dramatically. "There are other things that can weaken but not kill."
"Such as?"
"Vervain."
Bonnie's brows furrow. "What is that?"
"Vervain it's a potent herb, it burns vampires and also protects humans from our compulsion."
"The mind control thingy Elijah tried to do to me," Bonnie points out while remembering the way Elijah stared into her eyes and ordered her to forget what she saw.
"Exactly."
"Can you make people do whatever you want?"
"Yes. But if a human has ingested vervain or holds it somewhere in or on the body they will be protected from our compulsion."
"Is that why you couldn't control my mind?" Bonnie looks towards Elijah. "I have that vervin thin-"
"It's vervain," Elijah corrects her. "But no, you don't have it. You don't actually need it either as witches cannot be compelled."
"Good to know." Bonnie is starting to like this witch thing. And now she also knows they can't mess with her mind, that is very good. "Are there a lot of vampires out there?"
"Depends on the city," Klaus continues to respond her inquires. If he minds her endless questions, he does not show it. He fidgets in his seat though. He doesn't like being still or maybe he doesn't like Elijah driving. "Some places are completely free of supernatural creatures; others are a beacon for them."
They drive in silence for a few more minutes before another worry plagues Bonnie's mind. "Where are we heading exactly?" She got in the car without even asking where they were going. How crazy is that? "And what are you guys doing in Pennsylvania? Those men-" she shudders thinking of the dead bodies.
Klaus stays silent this time.
"We had some business to attend to," Elijah does not elaborate any further. "As for where we are heading, our hotel is not far from here. We will spend the night there before moving to a safe house where you will be able to learn how to control your magic." He glances at Klaus.
Bonnie does not like the idea of going to a hotel with them. Relax, they are going to help you with your magic. But what if they're not? What if this is a ruse?
"We'll need a witch to help train you eventually," Klaus concedes.
"I thought you would teach me everything," Bonnie can't help but yawn. Don't fall asleep. Pay attention. She pinches her arm hoping it will keep her awake as she's starting to feel drowsy. She is not going to fall asleep. She will not allow herself to be so vulnerable with them.
"We plan to teach you many things, little witch." Klaus looks over his shoulder, lips curving, and eyes sparkling with mischief as he contemplates her flush face. There is something in the way he says it and the knowing look he shares with Elijah-Bonnie feels like she is missing something. The one thing she does not miss is the intensity in his gaze. Bonnie feels like he can peel away all her secrets at once.
"There are certain things that can only be taught by another witch," Klaus continues while focusing on the road once more. He is now drumming his fingers playfully on his knee.
"Are witches hard to find?" Bonnie remembers the stunned looks on their faces when they learned her name.
"Competent and trustworthy witches, yes." Elijah catches her eye through the rearview mirror.
Bonnie yawns again. She has been fed, and this car is so comfy. She blinks a few times forcing herself to stay awake. They made a deal. She accepted to come with them so they can teach her magic and in turn she will do a spell for Klaus. She was nervous when she first got inside the car and even though that nervousness has now passed, she does not want to fall asleep. Bad things can happen when you fall asleep and let your guard down. There is a part of her that feels like Klaus and Elijah wouldn't hurt her but they have also killed people.
The thought has her straightening up.
She is not even sure how this whole training thing is going to work; she must be careful. They could be lying to her.
It's two of them versus one of her and they are vampires to boot, supposedly. There is a tiny part of her that still wonders if they're crazy. But it makes so much sense. It's definitely better than her mobster theory. She wonders if the bodies have been picked up by now and who takes care of cleaning up those messes. Vampires must have minions. If Klaus and Elijah are as powerful as they claim they must have people doing their dirty work for them. What exactly were they doing in those woods though? Why kill those men?
"Who were the men in the woods?" Bonnie has always been a curious person.
"Nothing to be concerned about love."
Bonnie turns to Elijah, hoping he will take pity on her and answer her question, he doesn't. They're hiding something. If only she could read minds. She decides to switch tactics and fish for more information. "What if somebody saw what you did and tells the police and they come for us-" she is a witness to murder and could potentially be an accomplice. Frankly, the two of them could get her in lots of trouble. "I don't want to go to jail."
Klaus chuckles at her antics.
"That spot was specifically chosen for it's anonymity." Elijah is not distressed at the thought of anyone finding out what they did. "You were the only one in that area apart from us and the wolves."
"Wolves!" Bonnie exclaims. Liar! She did not see any wolves.
"The men were werewolves, love."
"No freaking way! Aren't werewolves supposed to be super strong?" From what she witnessed, those men didn't even put up a fight.
"Yes." Klaus quite agrees with her outburst. "They were a rather pathetic bunch."
"They were useful," Elijah intervenes.
Klaus gives him a look.
"They provided valuable information," Elijah is quick to remind him.
Klaus is unconvinced. He is going to say something more but a quick glance at Bonnie has him changing his mind.
"Why did you kill them?" Bonnie asks softly. "Did they piss you off or something? Is the whole vampire-werewolf rivalry true?" She either saw it in a movie or read it somewhere that vampires and werewolves are supposed to be mortal enemies. Wait, couldn't Dracula turn into a wolf? She could be getting it mixed up though. Oh Shit! Is Dracula real? It's at the tip of her tongue to ask.
"They failed to acquire something very important for me," Klaus interrupts her thoughts. "Then they tried to get smart about it." His mood has darkened considerably. "They got what they deserved." He clenches his fist.
Yup, he is pissed. Bonnie does not want to poke that bear so she wisely chooses to drop the subject. She doesn't want to make them angry. She saw how easily Klaus snapped muscled guy's neck after all and if he was a wolf and could not defend himself well, what chances does her five-foot two figure can have?
Magic
Bonnie stares at her hands. Klaus and Elijah killed those men with their bare hands. You also have blood on your hands. She shivers. She does not want to think about that.
Silence descends over them.
Bonnie stares out of the window. It's so dark outside, she can hardly see anything. She lets out another yawn. She feels so sleepy.
Bonnie does not mean to fall asleep but she's so tired.
It's been a long fucking day.
She feels super comfortable too which helps to lower her guard. There is a part of her that feels that it's okay to close her eyes.
Without meaning or wanting to, Bonnie's heads slumps to the side, and she falls into a deep slumber.
There is someone in her room.
She can hear the creak of the door.
She can hear his footsteps.
He is getting closer and closer.
Her heart jumps to her throat.
"No, don't-"
"Be quiet!" An angry voice hisses so close to her that she can smell his repugnant breath. A large hand is suddenly clamping over her mouth, covering her nose too.
Bonnie panics.
Fear.
So much fear.
Her entire body is light up with it.
NO!
That strange power inside her body is suddenly unleashed.
A horrendous scream follows.
~X~
Bonnie wakes up with a loud gasp. She gets up and is out of the bed immediately-adrenaline pumping her veins. She goes towards the door on instinct. The need to escape consuming her every thought. Her heart is pounding loudly, and she's covered in a cold sweat.
It was just a dream.
He is gone.
She lets out a shaky breath.
I'm safe.
He can't hurt me.
Never again.
The relief she feels is so sweet. She is unsure how long she stands there, gathering her thoughts, and taking deep calming breaths. Once her heart is no longer threatening to burst out of her chest, she manages to contemplate the room she's in. It's huge! There is a queen size bed directly across a small sitting area with a freaking fireplace. On the opposite wall there is a dresser and right across is a door that she assumes leads to a bathroom.
Her old brown backpack is on the floor next to the bed.
She also spots three shopping bags.
Bonnie feels confused.
The strange encounter from the night before comes to the surface of her mind.
Vampires and witches.
Klaus and Elijah.
Magic.
She is still in her dirty jeans, sneakers, and long flannel shirt. The white top underneath has seen better days, Bonnie thinks as she checks her appearance. She immediately berates herself for falling asleep in the car. It was stupid to let her guard down like that.
What if they had wanted to drink her blood or worse?
Bonnie shivers, thinking of all the horrible things that could have happened. She's certainly been asleep for a couple of hours as sunlight streams through the window right above the dresser.
There is a soft knock on the door.
Bonnie opens it without thinking and finds herself face to face with Elijah. He is wearing another suit, a black one this time. "I trust you had a pleasant sleep?"
Bonnie nods and clears her throat. She hopes she did not scream while she was dreaming.
"We took the liberty of getting some clothes for you," he glances at the shopping bags by the bed. "I hope they're to your liking."
"Thanks," Bonnie is unsure. "You didn't have to-"
"You are under our protection, Miss Bennett." Elijah's cadence and demeanor makes him seem like such an authoritative figure. This is a man who commands attention with a single look. There is wisdom in his gaze too. "Anything you need, we shall provide, food, clothes, shelter." She can't quite place his accent though. Klaus sounds British but Elijah sounds like he has lived all over the world. "Whatever you need, shall be yours."
"I don't know how to feel about that," she actually feels overwhelmed. Her life has changed in a matter of hours and here is this man, this vampire telling her he and his brother will protect her and provide for her.
"You are not used to people taking care of you," Elijah notes.
"No," Bonnie admits. She had to fend for herself since she was little. Few people have shown her kindness.
There is a deep understanding in Elijah's eyes. "I don't give my word lightly, Miss Bennett. But when I do, I keep it, no matter what." He stares right into her eyes as he speaks. "You have my word that my brother and I will protect you, always. You have nothing to fear from us. We will not hurt you."
"I will hold you on to that." They made a deal and Bonnie hopes they are not playing her for a fool. She wants to believe in his word.
"Breakfast will be here shortly." He gives her a slight nod and a courteous- "Miss Bennett," before retreating down the hall.
"Elijah!" Bonnie calls after him.
The ever-elegant vampire turns back to stare at her over his shoulder.
"Bonnie," she tells him. She has no need for such formalities between them. "You can call me, Bonnie." As wonderful as it is that he is so polite, Bonnie would rather have them be on first name basis. She wants them to be on equal terms.
"Very well, Bonnie."
She quite likes the sound of her name on his lips and the soft smile he gives her before departing. Bonnie watches him go and shuts the door; leaning her back against it. He never once barged inside the room, he could have but he didn't. He respected her and gave her a sense of privacy and control. He behaved like a gentleman.
Bonnie hopes that Elijah is exactly what he claims, a man of his word. She hopes this is not just an act to give her a false sense of security.
Nearly an hour later, Bonnie makes her way out of the room and into the hallway which opens to a magnificent living room and dining area with wall to ceiling windows that show the vibrant city skyline as backdrop.
Elijah stands by the window. "Just keep observing for now," he instructs over the phone. "We want her alive. Find out what she's planning."
Bonnie hesitates.
Almost as if he senses her presence, Elijah ends the call and turns to face her. "Breakfast is ready," he points to the table which is overflowing with all kinds of food.
Bonnie does not take her eyes away from him. "You can stand in the sunlight."
Elijah arches a curious brow.
"Can all vampires walk in the sunlight?" She had not given it much thought the night before but now, seeing him by the window, bathed in the mid-day light she realizes that the sun does not bother him at all. "Aren't you supposed to burn?"
"Ah," his lips curve in amusement. "Yes, we can burn with the sun. However, we have special rings that allows us to walk in the sunlight," he unconsciously traces the ring on his left middle finger.
Bonnie's eyes are drawn to it. "Magical rings, then." They must be.
"Indeed."
"I'm glad you don't sparkle."
Elijah does not get her joke.
Bonnie decides to approach the table, her mouth watering at the sight of all that food. She has never seen so much food before. Her stomach rumbles. There are eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, croissants, waffles too, and potatoes, as well as coffee, orange juice, and other smaller pastries. "Are you trying to feed an army?" She's going to have a little bit of everything, she decides.
"We didn't know what you preferred, so we ordered all the items on the breakfast menu," Elijah pulls a chair for her.
"Thank-you," Bonnie feels her cheeks heat at the gesture. Elijah's manners are impeccable. "And thank-you for the clothes too." She changed into jeans and a white tank top under a comfy grey cardigan after spending an obscene amount of time in the shower. She can't remember the last time she took a hot shower. The clothes and the shoes fit her perfectly. She is not going to ask how they knew her size and prefers to think it was just a lucky guess.
"I'm glad they were to your liking."
Elijah takes a seat across from her just as Klaus strolls into the room. He is dressed in dark jeans and a grey henley, the necklaces around his neck peek though. Bonnie bites her lip. Why are they both so damn good looking? It's not fair. Klaus's cherry lips curl as he takes her clean face and new clothes. "Finally awake, I see." He sits at the head of the table and leans back-like a king upon a throne.
Bonnie suddenly wonders if he is the oldest of the brothers or simply the leader. She can't really tell their ages. She doesn't even know how long they have been vampires. Elijah did mention that they were the oldest so they must be ancient. She has so many questions still.
"Don't simply stare at the food, love. You got to eat," Klaus encourages her. "We have a big day ahead of us."
Bonnie doesn't need to be told twice. She piles her plate with food and digs in with gusto.
"Anything useful?" Klaus turns to Elijah a rather chilly look on his face.
Elijah does not react at all. He drinks his coffee rather patiently before finally providing an answer. "She's on the move again, clearly planning something."
Klaus's mood turns sour. "That cunt-"
"Niklaus," Elijah chides.
Bonnie gives him a look. Klaus is quick to anger and judging by the exasperated look on Elijah's face, he is no stranger to his curses. "I ordered them to observe her for now. I want to know what she's planning before we make our move."
Bonnie is not sure who this person they are observing is, so she keeps eating.
Klaus opens his mouth, Elijah gives Bonnie a pointed look and whatever retort Klaus has at the tip of his tongue disappears.
Bonnie pretends not to notice the exchange.
"The safe house is ready," Klaus changes the subject. "We will be able to move in tomorrow." He glances at Bonnie then. "We'll start your magic lessons right after breakfast." He does not want to waste any time.
Right
Magic
Bonnie's stomach turns. She does not feel ready for her lessons. "So soon?"
"The sooner the better."
See, it's one thing to do magic when you're not thinking about it; doing it when there is an expectation of success hanging over your shoulders, well, Bonnie has her doubts. "What if I'm not very good at it?"
"Nonsense, you're a Bennett." Klaus dismisses her concerns with a wave of his hand. "You'll be exceptional, I have no doubt."
Bonnie flushes at the compliment. Klaus has high hopes for her, because she is a Bennett. He seems to think she will do magic easily. Bonnie wishes she could be half as confident as him. "You spoke before about my lineage." She pours syrup over her pancakes and remembers their conversation from the night before. "You mentioned about our families being connected."
"Yes, there is a lot of history between our families."
"Haven't you met other Bennett witches that might help you with this spell you need?" she suddenly wonders about the possibility of meeting other Bennett witches. Could she have some distant family? "Or any other powerful witch for that matter?"
"If only they were so easy to find," a dark look flashes across Klaus's face.
"It's a very complex spell," Elijah does not elaborate on the why or how of the complexity of the spell. "One that only an extremely powerful witch can perform."
"And you want me to do it?" Bonnie gives them an incredulous look. "You are putting a lot of faith in me."
"I'm sure you will rise to the occasion." Klaus is smiling again, that excitement from the night before is back too. "You are the only one that can do it. You are a Bennett witch."
"Look, I get it, being a Bennett is important or whatever but-"
"Bonnie," Elijah brings her attention back to him. "Up until last night, my brother and I were under the assumption that the Bennett bloodline had ceased to exist."
That is unexpected. No wonder they were shocked when they heard her name. "Really?"
"You may very well be the last of your line," Elijah tilts his head to the side, contemplating her face. "We need you."
"Truth be told, we have been searching for a Bennett witch for a while now," Klaus admits. "We made a promise-" he clamps his mouth shut and turns to Elijah. They once again have a conversation with their eyes.
Are they reading each other's minds? She forgot to ask if that is one of their powers. She wishes she could read their minds and find out what they are keeping from her. Because they are holding something back, she knows it.
"You said that you have no parents, or family," Elijah regards her in that quiet way of his.
Bonnie shifts uncomfortably in her seat. She reaches for her mug of coffee to distract herself, for Klaus is now scrutinizing her too. Being the center of attention is not something she likes and having those enigmatic gazes of them on her skin makes her tingle. And no, she doesn't think it has to do with her magic then.
"May I ask what happened to your parents?" the question is asked in the gentlest of tones. Elijah-always so perceptive knows this is not going to be an easy subject to discuss.
Klaus remains silent, watching and waiting for her to tell them her story.
"I don't know," Bonnie whispers. Her hand clenches around the mug of coffee. "I was two or three when I was put in foster care. My mother was a single mom, they said that she didn't even know my dad's name. My file didn't have much information. I think she's dead."
"There was no family that could take you after her death?" Klaus asks curiously.
Bonnie shakes her head. "They couldn't find anyone. I think I read in my file that my mom was an only child but I'm not sure." It's been ages since she looked at that binder with her life story.
"And you weren't adopted either, once you were in the system?"
"Nobody ever wanted me," Bonnie replies in a steady voice. It used to hurt, not anymore. She made peace with her lot in life. "Two of my foster families wanted to at first…when I was little but…they changed their minds…no one knows why." She takes a sip of her coffee. She does not like talking about herself. She does not like sharing her past but knows she has to give them something. "I aged out back in February," she tells them. "When I turned eighteen, my foster mom kicked me out." Bonnie had been kicked out two weeks before her eighteen birthday but they don't need to know that. Nor do they need to know the reason why. Just like them, she also has her secrets.
"What have you been doing for the past three months?" Elijah questions.
"Traveling," Bonnie shrugs. "Trying to find a nice and cheaper place to settle. I had some money saved up." Until she ran out and had to continue her journey on foot. She thinks about the blisters she got from walking. They are gone. Her feet are good as new. Just like her hand. Her magic must have healed her somehow. It wouldn't be the first time; Bonnie has healed without explanation before. "I just kept going." It's hard to explain. There had been some nice places she had come across, a few people that even offered her jobs but she had not stayed, the urge to continue traveling kept her from settling anywhere. Until now.
"What was your mother's name?" Elijah inquires. "Do you know?"
Bonnie swallows the lump in her throat. "Abby Bennett." She remembers the name from her file.
"Do you know anything else about her? Where she lived or worked-"
"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She pushes her empty plate away and stands up. "How about we start those magic lessons, if I'm really a witch, I need to start learning the hang of this, so let's do this."
The sooner she starts learning, the better.
Bonnie sits on the soft rug in the living room. The coffee table in front of her is made of dark wood.
Elijah plucked a red rose from a crystal vase in the corner of the room and removed the beautiful red petals so he could spread them over the surface of the table.
Klaus sits in the arm chair on Bonnie's left side; watching her.
Bonnie feels nervous under his gaze.
This is their first magic lesson and Bonnie does not know what to expect.
"Now," Elijah regards her carefully. "You showed an impressive display of telekinesis when you flung my brother away from you."
"Telekinesis," Bonnie murmurs.
"The ability to move things with your mind," Klaus supplies.
"I know what it means," Bonnie snaps. She is not stupid. She chews on her bottom lip wondering if she pissed him off but Klaus looks entertained. She's nervous. She doesn't want to mess this up.
"This should be an easy lesson for you then." There is a challenge in his gaze.
Bonnie hopes she can impress him. She really wants to impress him. She wants to impress them both.
"There is no need to be nervous." Elijah nods towards the petals. "You can do this."
The look he is giving her is full of confidence and Bonnie feels touched. She doesn't want to disappoint him or Klaus. The things she has done before have been in panic or in self-defense. And what if they have it all wrong and she is just a charlatan? Bonnie takes a deep breath. Well, there is only one way to find out for sure. "What do you need me to do?"
"Concentrate on the petals and lift them up in the air." Elijah makes it sound so easy.
Bonnie takes a deep breath and stares at the red petals spread out on the table. She stares and stares and waits for something to happen. Come on, move.
Nothing happens.
She tries again.
Nothing.
"Concentrate," Elijah's voice is soft.
Bonnie keeps her eyes on the petals, squinting hard.
"Feel your magic, Bonnie."
"Maybe you made a mistake."
"Don't be ridiculous." Klaus comes to sit on rug next to her. "Don't think about the how, or the why." He leans closer to her.
Bonnie trembles as she feels his breath along her ear.
"You're thinking too much."
A slight shiver runs down her spine. "Easy for you to say." It shouldn't be possible to make things move without touching them and how the hell can she concentrate when he is sitting so close to her?
"Magic can be instinctual," Klaus continues, lips almost brushing her ear. Bonnie tries not to think about that and focuses on his words instead. "When you attacked me, you were thinking of escaping and your magic must have reacted to it. I bet there have been other times when the same has happened."
Bonnie does not want to think about those other times.
"Close your eyes," Elijah suggests. "Try to recall what you felt when you met us, that feeling before you were able to break free from Niklaus."
Bonnie closes her eyes and thinks back to that sizzling sensation. Can she only do it when she's afraid? Like a protective power or something, or is she capable of summoning that strange power at will. Klaus and Elijah seem to think so.
"You must want it," Klaus murmurs against her ear. "And mean it."
I want it, Bonnie tells herself. Please, let this be real. This is the coolest thing that has ever happened to her. Terrifying yes, but the thought of being a powerful witch, of wielding power so that no one ever hurts her again, it's electrifying. As reluctant as she feels, there is a deeper, ambitious part that wants to succeed.
Bonnie is not sure how long she sits there with her eyes closed, doing her best to concentrate. "This is stupid," she mutters after a while. She's ready to give up.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, love."
"Open your eyes, Bonnie."
Bonnie opens her eyes slowly; a surprised sound escaping her lips upon seeing all the rose petals floating in midair. She did it. She really did make them float. "Oh my God!" She squeals and the petals begin swirling with her excitement. Bonnie laughs and the petals float higher. "This is amazing!"
Klaus's eyes are glinting with triumph.
Elijah looks proud.
"It's true," Bonnie beams. She feels so happy. "I am a witch."
Magic is real
She is a witch.
She has absolute proof that this is not a fluke. She has magic.
In that moment, Bonnie feels like she can conquer the world and judging by the looks Klaus and Elijah are giving her, they believe it too.