Chapter 12
Lexi Branson stepped into the small town of Mystic Falls with a playful smile. For a second, she thought about how terrible it had been that it had been over three hundred years since she last felt the sun staring into the night sky. Lexi shook her head, attempting to shake the depressing thoughts away. It was no use worrying over something she couldn't change.
Most vampires didn't view humanity as kindly as she. So perhaps the lack of daylight rings was a positive.
"Miss, are you all right?" A woman's voice called. The blonde turned to see the face of a middle-aged blonde woman in the Sherriff's uniform. The vampire smiled at the human staying where she was.
"I'm quite all right. Just stopping in town to visit an old friend," Lexi informed the Sheriff, noting where the woman kept her gun.
She couldn't wait to see her best friend again; the blonde could finally put to rest the nagging in the back of her mind that something foul was happening. The last thing she needed was to cause trouble. Not where Stefan seemed to have found a place to settle for a few years before he would be forced to move on. When Stefan's letter arrived stating that he was returning to his hometown, another attempt at human life, Lexi worried.
"Really? Whom are you visiting? It's a pretty small town. I could help locate them for you. All the youths are enjoying Halloween, but I could help you find the place. Hell, I could probably tell you where they are," The Sherriff laughed.
Lexi forced a smile on her face, "Stefan Salvatore. He just moved in with family."
Stefan's idiot brother would surely follow him as he had done for decades. A twisted brotherly love if Lexi had ever seen one. "You were the one who stopped them from mending their relationship during the fucking war," Her inner critic announced its presence. The blonde shook her head to get the thoughts out of her mind. She did it with Stefan's best interests in mind. Damon was a playboy, playing with their food source in a way that was detrimental to Stefan's well-being.
"Salvatore, huh? That will be the old boarding house." The kind Sheriff began to give her detailed directions to the old Salvatore house. Lexi nodded in all the right places, grateful when the woman finally walked off.
"Tell Zach, Sherriff Forbes said hello," The officer called out; Lexi sighed in relief. Small towns were always a gamble. On the one hand, the people were friendly and trusting, easy to take a sip of the sweet nectar she needed, and with a bit of compulsion, they would be none the wiser. On the other hand, they could be even warier of strangers than those who lived in the city. Lexi supposed it was a good thing she was female. Everyone underestimates females. It was how Stefan got himself into this existence in the first place. Then, before he could even process what was happening, he was hooked.
Despite Damon's arguments, moderation wasn't possible for an addict.
Stefan couldn't handle human blood like a Drug or Alcohol addict couldn't sip what they craved. It wasn't that Lexi opposed the two brothers mending their relationship, but Lexi was a realist. Damon had learned to thrive on the pleasure that was women and human blood, mixing them in a toxic blend that was fine for him.
Someone like Stefan, who, on top of being kind, would slip into a bottomless pit that took her years to get him out of, and every time, it would only torment him. Stefan had never been meant for the life of a vampire; he was ill-suited for the role. The man regretted being turned even in the mix of what Lexi had verified as a compulsion set by Katherine Pierce. Add that to the fact that Damon would never stop searching for his beloved Katherine, a vampire who should be left alone, in Lexi's opinion.
She'd heard plenty of rumors, and Lexi had no desire to find out if the mysterious Original Vampire lore was indeed Myth or reality. She had been alive far too long to think it was pure fiction, but the people behind the Myth? Oh, Lexi knew better than to get on their wrong side.
Hunting down Katherine as openly as the older Salvatore has been was just asking for trouble. And Damon knew his brother's issues had been the first to hide his crimes. How long until his newfound brotherly affection waned when Stefan slipped around his influence? When something reminded him of Katherine and his anger that brewed resurfaced?
Even if Stefan hadn't slipped in the presence of his brother, the knowledge that his brother still hated him over their change would quickly set the youngest brother off. Lexi was shaken out of her thoughts as she drove up to the Salvatore boarding house.
It was too bad that their original home had burned; Lexi had thought the architecture of the time was lovely. Checking her wristwatch, Lexi noted that it was rather late. She walked up the steps two at a time. Lexi knocked on the door, determined to make her best friend's birthday the best. She didn't expect a forlorn-looking Stefan and an irritated Damon to answer the door.
"Lexi?' Stefan blinked in alarm before a smile rose from his frown. She laughed as the younger vampire hugged her, lifting her as he spun her around.
"You'd think I miss your birthday, you old man!" She laughed, feeling her heels reach the ground. She pulled away to see Stefan's dark-haired brother scowling at her.
"Why hello to you too, Damon," Lexi smiled, her eyes daring him to try anything with her.
"Fuck off, Lexi. Stefan, keep her away from me," Damon snarled, looking at the blonde with distaste.
XXX
"OW! That fucking hurts!" Vicky cried out, pulling her hand away from the window, glaring at the sun from her hiding spot in the shadows. Vicky looked down at her hand, hissing at the searing pain, eyes widening when she noticed her hand had started to spark. The redhead began padding her burnt hand with an exasperated sigh.
"Do you believe us now?" The woman asked sarcastically. Vicky watched as the woman stepped away from her, strolling up to the man, who reminded Vicky way too much of the school principals' of her past. Tall, dark, stern, and with zero patience for Vicky herself.
Vicky watched her beloved brother leave from the shadows in the early hours after Halloween. The show afterward was undoubtedly entertaining, with the new family giving Damon and Stefan Salvatore an absolute rip. However, Vicky still does not understand a lot of what has happened.
She was dead. Damon had killed her, she knew. According to Sage, the redhead who had just helped her pause the fire on her hand, it was typically the Sire's responsibility to train new vampires. Not all vampires who created underlings taught them; many told them the basics from Sage's experience.
They need blood to survive, and the vein is the healthiest. However, other methods could work if they wanted to stay under control for those with control issues often caused by their personality or a mutation of the transformation. Or if the idea of drinking from the vein was too much, which is a rare reason, according to Sage.
"Finn was taken from me very early on, yet I had known what he was for longer than the amount of time we had as vampires. After I lost Finn, whenever I saw a vampire acting in a way that could cause exposure, I would intervene. Anyone I turned or taught I encouraged to do the same for vampires they came across," Sage shrugged. "Until recently, I wasn't afraid of the world knowing, but now I'm delighted for the lessons Finn taught me."
That was something Vicky could vaguely understand, and it was not that long ago that the secret of the supernatural could not so easily be exposed. Before the invention of the internet, any knowledge of vampires could easily be dismissed as a myth.
"Once again, you cannot go out into the sunlight. The sun will cause you severe pain until… How do you say it these days, Sage?" Finn asked, looking at his lover with fondness.
"I believe they say something along the lines of go up in smoke or bitch you will get lit on fire," Sage said in her distinctly almost high society tone that was a mix of disdain and exasperation towards the brunette.
Vicky glowered at the two ancient beings as she held her hand against her chest. Finn let out a sigh as he threw her a blood bag; the brunette was barely able to keep the mess off her shirt as she sucked the bag dry.
"I don't understand. If you say Damon should be teaching me, why isn't he?" Vick questioned as she wiped her mouth with her already-ruined shirt.
"She is not a protegee," Sage told her lover, glancing over at the newborn, her expression a mix of anxiousness and sadness. "Caroline did mention that Vicky's mental state had been on the decline for ages."
Vicky snarled at hearing the blonde's name, "Caroline is a stuck-up snob that had googly eyes for my brother until Little Miss Perfect started to date him. Even then, everyone could tell she had a crush on him."
Finn narrowed his eyes, "If you want your questions answered, I suggest you be careful about whom you insult in my presence."
"He's rather fond of Caroline, as I am," Sage said in warning. As for why Damon is not here, I knew him as a younger vampire and tried to help him. Only he took my teachings of enjoying the feed and crossed the line. After how poorly he was able to handle his brother's own ripper periods, trust me, you don't want him in charge."
"Ripper? Like Jack the Ripper?" Vicky asked, looking slightly ill.
"Very similar. A ripper is a vampire who cannot control their urges, often leaving mass murders unsolved. Many a serial murderer was a vampire on a rampage. Vampires have what we call a switch. A humanity switch that we can turn on or off at will. Those who can't control their urges if they have a strong connection to their humanity will spend periods with it turned off to avoid the guilt their murder spree's cause."
"Right, Stefan Salvatore is a ripper," Vicky laughed. "He follows after Elena Gilbert like a lost puppy."
Finn watched as Sage reset the curtains. Ignoring the new vampire for a moment, he thought about his early experiences as a vampire and the anxiety and fear that came with being newly turned. The Salvatores couldn't be trusted to ensure Vicky didn't go on a rampage in a town known for its vampire history. In the modern technology era, they were just asking for exposure. The worst-case scenario would be fleeing, but Niklaus settled here to stay near Caroline Forbes.
Finn knew Niklaus had not broached the topic of turning toward the young blonde. While Finn was confident of their ability to protect the blonde, their ability weaned if their father caught wind of her. She'd be a weak point in their armor. From his time with the blonde, she was hardly the type to allow herself to be coddled in a tower.
The safest path that allowed Caroline the most choice would be ensuring that vampires were safe within Mystic Falls. Not having to choose between her human life with her mother and his brother. Despite the amount of trust Caroline and Niklaus had shown in each other, Finn was unsure of Caroline's choice if the family had to run.
Then, an idea struck him. "Vicky, have you heard of a daylight ring yet?"
He knew he had her when her eyes lit up in recognition. "I think I remember Damon talking about his. Does it allow him to go out in the daylight?"
"How would you like to earn one? Can you return to your brother and that boy you mutter about Tammy?"
"Tyler," Sage corrected, grinning at her lover, approval of his change in tactic clear in her eyes.
XXX
Katherine never answered why she was on the run and needed her freedom, nor what Caroline's boyfriend had to do with it. Elena knew it was rude to stare, but she couldn't help it. It was like looking in a mirror, only the mirror was not right across from her, instead a few paces to her right, sitting across from her Aunt Jenna.
Her double was sitting there talking to her Aunt Jenna about how she met Elijah Mikaelson as if they had grown up together! Jeremy at least looked as weird out about the whole thing as she did. "I'm sorry. What part of the family did you say you belonged to again?" Elena blurted out, earning a warning look from Aunt Jenna.
Elena knew she was rude, but could Jenna not see how weird this was? How often is not born a twin but an identical living copy of themselves walking around? "Your Biological Mothers," Katherine answered, simply taking a sip of the wine that Aunt Jenna had poured.
Elena spit out her drink while Aunt Jenna hovered over her in concern. She glanced between Elena and Jeremy in concern. Elena noticed how Jenna didn't deny Katherine's response.
"Oh no. You didn't know you were adopted?" Katherine asked, shocked that they didn't know.
"My sister isn't adopted, right, Aunt Jenna?" Jeremy insisted, shaking his head. Aunt Jenna opened her mouth to answer, only to close it.
Her eyes looked pained as she looked between her niece and nephew. She looked over at their guest with a new light. Katherine sat, legs crossed at the ankles, her feet dressed in black heels. Her body was dressed to the nines, in skin-tight blue jeans, a black tank top covered by a black leather jacket. Her brown curls were loose but perfectly formed, the sole real difference between them—physically anyway.
The truth was out of the bag. Jenna could only try to do damage control, internally cursing her sister for denying the need to inform them. "They wanted to wait until you were older, but then the accident… Your Uncle… got into a lot of trouble when he was younger. When he and Isobel…." Jenna stammered.
"Isobel is a distant cousin," Katherine interrupted with a smile. "I knew she put her daughter up for adoption with the father's family. I thought for sure you would have learned by now. I'm so sorry. I know this must be a shock."
"Your parent's didn't want you to worry. You were always thiers. They never thought of you as anything but a daughter, Elena" Jenna attempted to comfort. "Your Uncle and Isobel were so young. They couldn't be parents, and my sister had been having a hard time getting pregnant. They thought it was a good solution."
"Then never told either of us," Jeremy scowled. "Did they think we couldn't handle it? Elena deserved to know!"
"You said you knew the Mikaelsons?" Elena changed the subject, glancing over at Aunt Jenna, who let out a sigh of relief. They would be having words later, but something caught Elena's ear as Katherine further explained her relationship to the new family in Mystic Falls.
Elena watched the vampire warily. The information Katherine gave about herself was confusing. It was clear that Katherine was in town on a mission. Elena questioned what she needed to gain her freedom and how it related to the Mikaeslons. Did Caroline know?
Elena forcibly shook the thought away. Caroline would never purposefully keep something huge from her. Not unless she had to. Elena was sure Caroline had been asked to keep Katherine a secret if she had known. Besides, Caroline was not the one you went to when a secret needed to be maintained.
She was more the passer of secrets rather than their keeper.
Yet Caroline had managed to keep her boyfriend a secret. She had known him a whole year and had begun dating before Elena and Bonnie knew what was happening. Elena frowned, thinking about the space between Caroline and her. When had Caroline started keeping things to herself?
"Elena?" Jenna called out in concern. The two other women looked at the teen in disquiet. At least Jenna looked at her in concern; when her double looked at her, Elena felt like the other woman was sizing her up.
"Aunt Jenna, can I be excused? I just realized we have a group project, and I forgot I was supposed to meet Caroline and Bonnie over at the Grill." Elena didn't like the smile that crossed the newcomer's face.
It was as if Katherine knew that she was lying. Deciding to focus on her guardian instead, Elena prayed her eyes looked pitiful enough; the look on Jenna's face was skeptical, but her guardian nodded reluctantly. Elena offered her a smile before saying her goodbyes, quickly grabbing her keys and running out of the house as if it were on fire. Elena didn't know where she wanted to go.
Then her eyes glanced over at her phone where the date was.
Stefan had not shown up for school today, and Elena groaned as the reason for his absence finally rang clear in her brain. It was his birthday. After the whole debacle that was Halloween, finding out Stefan and Damon's secret and what happened to Vicky, her boyfriend's… er, her friend's birthday, slipped her mind.
It explained why he wasn't at school today; for a moment, Elena thought, would this day be seen as a celebration or mourning? Far too soon for Elena's liking, she found herself in front of the Salvatore boarding house, where an unfamiliar car was parked.
Elena frowned. It was unusual for them to have guests during her time with Stefan. Maybe it was Zach's guest? Not that the sole human Salvatore seemed to be around very often. Elena's face drained of color. Would Damon hurt Zach? Elena shakily released the air in her lungs, attempting to steady herself.
She trusted Stefan, even with everything he had hidden from her. Elena made her way towards the door and knocked. Elena blinked when an unfamiliar blonde answered the door.
"You must be Elena," The unknown woman said, glancing over her as if she was judging Elena's character.
"I'm sorry, but who are you? Where is Stefan?" Elena blurted out, glancing into the house. "Damon?"
Suddenly, the two Salvatore brothers appeared before her, "Elena," Stefan let out a relieved breath. "This is Lexi. She is my oldest friend."
"His best friend," Lexi correctly proudly.
"Where is Zach?" Elena asked, glancing warily at Damon, who looked amused.
"Afraid for my dear old nephew?" The older Salvatore joked, leaning against the doorway. Elena blinked, and Damon was pressed against a wall near the front door while Lexi snarled, "Did you hurt your last living descendant, Damon?"
Elena stepped into the doorway, flabbergasted, as Stefan pressed his hands to Lexi's shoulders. "Lex, it's fine. I managed to get Zach out of town after a close call. Damon didn't appreciate the situation we were in."
Lexi gave Damon a look of disgust as the man tried to rip her hands away from his throat. "You forget I'm older and stronger than you." With that, she dropped her grip, smiling with amusement as the dark-haired man landed on the floor.
"Are you here to celebrate Stefan's birthday, Elena?" Lexi asked, successfully turning the conversation towards a more pleasant topic.
"I…uh…"Elena glanced over at Stefan, curious to see what he had managed to tell Lexi.
"We've just broken up, Lexi," Stefan murmured, glancing over at Elena sorrowfully. Elena looked down. He was too dangerous to be with; even Stefan admitted this fact.
"Really? Then why are you both looking at each other with those sickening love-struck eyes?"
Damon, who had finally regained control over his breathing, chuckled, "My brother has a thing for being a savior, and Elena can't come to grips with the fact that she loves a killer."
XXX
November 2nd
Something felt strange when Caroline woke up this morning. Yesterday, Caroline spent much of the day avoiding her childhood friends, not knowing how to discuss Halloween. She had spent the day between her Mikaelson school buddies and Matt and Tyler. Her blonde quarterback friend had been relieved when Caroline mentioned they found Vicky, and she barely had to lie about her being out of her mind.
Only she was lying about what drug she was craving.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry, Caroline." The blonde ached at the sight of one of the sweetest boys she knew apologizing for his out-of-control sister. "If she broke anything, I promise the Michelsons I will pay it off…I can get extra shifts at…."
Finally, Caroline couldn't take it anymore, "She didn't do anything. In fact, Kol has a history of running off the deep end. They made a few calls and got her into a rehab house. Matt, you don't have to worry about paying for it." She scrambled when she saw his panicked look.
"But why?" He asked.
"I asked because I love you," Caroline admitted a partial truth. "You are one of my best friends; your sister needs help. You deserve to finish high school without worrying if your sister is going to overdose, and they had the means to do it."
Matt groaned, "Caroline…."
"I know it was none of my business," Caroline said. "But there is nothing you can do for Vicky. Maybe they could help." What Caroline didn't say is that she was afraid that letting Vicky go would lead to a murder spree in which Vicky murders her beloved brother.
"She's my sister Caroline. You had no business intervening," Matt said, shaking his head. Caroline could feel the tension rising on his shoulders.
"I care about you, Matt! I know it wasn't my business that you hated accepting help, but what about Vicky? She needed help. It's not just about your pride, Matt." Caroline's blue eyes widened as she realized what had left her mouth.
Shit.
The quarterback stared at her, shaking his head, "I know you mean well, Caroline."
Caroline stared, "I do mean well. It's…. how she was found…it could have been horrible if they didn't intervene Matt."
The quarterback sighed, "I'm an ass, aren't I?"
Caroline shook her head, "Family is….complicated. You are right. It wasn't my business, but I won't apologize for seeing an opportunity to help and taking it."
Matt grinned sadly at her, "Control Freak."
"Damn straight," Caroline nudged him. "Are we okay?"
Before he could reply, the warning bell rang. The quarterback shook his head, "We are good. I know Vick's got her issues, but she's my sister, you know? I'll see you later, okay."
Caroline took a deep breath; that could have been much worse. She couldn't believe she said that to Matt. He might have needed to hear it; the blonde was just grateful that he didn't completely lose it. Vicky didn't understand how lucky she was.
So lost in thought, the blonde didn't notice she had reached her seat between Elena and Bonnie. Caroline's blue eyes met Bonnie's chocolate ones, and the Bennett witch looked startled at meeting her eye.
"Hey," Caroline whispered, taking her seat and turning her body towards the witch. She watched as Bonnie fiddled with her pencil.
"Hey."
"Are you mad at me?" Caroline asked hesitantly, recalling how she scolded Niklaus for daggering his siblings every time they had an argument. Didn't that mean she couldn't ignore her friends in fear of their reaction? Bonnie's eyes looked calm as she met Caroline's gaze.
"I'm more shocked that you managed to keep a secret for so long. Care, I still remember when you blurted out that you got your period the second you saw Elena and me," Bonnie admitted. "I talked with Grams and Care. Do you know who the Mikaelson's are?"
"You mean I'm dating the original boogeyman of the supernatural world?" Caroline replied with a slight grin. Elena looked over at them as Bonnie shook her head.
"I'm serious! Grams warned me about them. They are dangerous," Bonnie hissed.
"Are they any more dangerous to you than Stefan? Or how about Damon? You know, the one who just turned Vicky," Caroline retorted, giving Elena an apologetic look.
"Stefan doesn't drink from humans," Elena muttered.
"Damon does. Has Stefan told you why he doesn't?" Caroline questioned her friend. Bonnie internally groaned at seeing how Elena glanced over at them with guilt.
"Don't tell me," Bonnie moaned. I knew I had a bad feeling about him and Damon."
"Stefan didn't have the best…upbringing," Elena paused softly. He described it as being an alcoholic. Well, Lexi did."
"Whose Lexi?" Her friends asked simultaneously.
Before Elena could speak, their teacher had started class. Later, the brunette mouthed to her friends, who nodded before returning their attention to the front. At least, that is what Caroline tried to do. Her mind couldn't stop going over the things that Bonnie had said. What did her grams know about the originals?
Was there something they were keeping from her? Caroline wasn't an idiot. She knew they still had their secrets. It was hard to live a thousand years and not have a whole garden of secrets. Yet it didn't stop Caroline from being concerned; Nik had warned her that their reputation wasn't the greatest. The Mikaelson name was feared amongst the supernatural community.
What was Bonnie's gram's opinion of the Mikaelson's? The class passed slowly, Caroline glancing at the clock every few minutes. When it was finally over, the all-female trio walked together towards the lockers, stopping at Elena's as hers was the closest.
"Well?" Bonnie asked impatiently.
Elena sighed as she closed her locker, "Lexi is Stefan's best friend. She has been helping him with his blood problem for the past hundred years."
"So what, Stefan, is the vampire version of an alcoholic?" Caroline questioned quietly. Elena looked over at Caroline with exasperation.
"They called it being a Ripper," Elena murmured.
Caroline's face whitened as she glanced over to Bonnie. "What is it?' Elena asked.
"Nothing…it's just Nik called Stefan….Ripper. I guess he knew him back when….' Caroline dropped off as she bit her lip.
"Yeah," Elena mumbled. "Obviously, after Vicky, I broke it off… I mean, he's a vampire. I can't have that around my family, especially with how Damon acts around him."
"Good," Bonnie muttered. "I'm sorry, Elena, but I got bad vibes from him from the start. And you are telling me he is this ripper…he could hurt you."
"What about Caroline? She's practically been adopted by the Royal Vampire Family!"
Bonnie looked over at Caroline, "Grams had a lot to say about the Original Family."
XXX
Mikaelson Manor
Elijah strolled into his brother's office to find him reading one of the old family grimoires their mother had used before the events of their change. Without glancing at the calendar, Elijah knew what his brother was thinking. The last time he was as close to lifting the curse, Katerina had decided immortality was preferable to believing in Elijah. Knowing his brother would turn to his attention, Elijah quickly fixed his cufflinks, waiting for Klaus to acknowledge him.
"What is it, brother?"
Elijah settled into the couch, looking towards his brother, "Katherine has successfully introduced herself to the Gilberts. Have you considered what to tell Caroline?"
Niklaus's jaw clenched, "I don't know what you mean."
"You do realize with Katherine out in the open. The doppelganger secret will come out, and Katherine won't bother to lie about our shared past," Elijah pointed out calmly, staring down at his brother despite the heated glare slowly entering his eyes.
"This does not concern Caroline," Niklaus hissed. "It is my burden to bear."
"You say that this does not also affect some of her friends. She is rather close to the latest doppelganger," Elijah reminded Niklaus calmly, his legs remaining crossed. The elder Mikaelson leaned into the couch with ease.
"Yes," Niklaus murmured, "perhaps I should have expected her friend's identity after she described their dynamic."
"Niklaus, what do you plan to do when Caroline connects the dots between Katherine and Elena?"
"Caroline knows about my curse, Elijah."
"Just not how you plan to break it. You know, despite the personality flaws of many of the doppelgangers past, Caroline doesn't seem the type to be nonchalant over you killing someone she's known since childhood."
"What are you trying to say, brother?" Niklaus asked, tired of his brother being so discreet about his intentions.
"I have spoken with Katherine at length. She understands that our recent change in circumstances is due to Caroline. She will not go to any length to turn the blonde against you, especially as the Salvatore brothers seem to be her favorite toys," Elijah informed his brother.
Niklaus looked at his brother; he heard the hidden meaning underneath his words. "Concerned for your relationship already, brother?"
"I'm more concerned about you if your relationship flounders due to your poor habits," Elijah said.
"Caroline knows I am breaking my curse."
"Just not that her childhood friend is a part of how you will do so," Elijah said, raising a brow. Do you not see how that could be problematic?"
"How would you recommend dealing with this situation? Her so-called friends have repeatedly pushed her to the side. We do better by her, and Caroline sees that."
"She's also never left the country," Elijah murmured. "The farthest she has gone where she met you. They are all she has ever known."
Niklaus stared at his brother for several minutes, "What do you know, brother?"
"We both remember how things ended with Katerina. This time, it's not just a doppelganger you would lose if this goes south. Brother, you are different from her. Is she worth losing?" Elijah sighed, pinching his nose.
"I can't stop now, Elijah. We are this close to finally breaking this curse."
"I know," Elijah murmured. I'm not saying you can't break the curse, but keeping Caroline in the dark will cause a rift—an unnecessary one."
"How long have you kept Katherine from me?" Niklaus accused.
Elijah chortled, "I admit to having been keen on searching for her since she left England, but Niklaus, she has never let me catch her."
Klaus drew back, leaning against his chair, "I suppose you blame me for that."
Elijah smirked, "I was always the loyal brother, Niklaus. I wanted to save her, but I never planned on stopping the ritual. That is why she fled from me."
Niklaus let out a sigh, "I will tell her."
"Before she finds out about Katherine?"
"Elijah, have you forgotten how small towns work? I'm practically shaking in my boots with how quickly my Queen will have this knowledge with her mere human spies as it is."
XXX
A.N: Thank you all so much! I hope you are enjoying some of the changes.