𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄━︎━︎H. Mikaelson ✓︎

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
HELL AND BACK

SHE WANTED TO CALL HIM. She wanted to pick up the phone, dial her brother's number that she had memorized by heart, and let him know that she was okay. That she wasn't dead―︎even though she technically was. She wanted to assure him because the fear of her mother and brother leaving home in order to come out and search for her was something that made her head pound violently within her skull. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, her hands clenched in her dark hair with her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she impatiently awaited Hope's arrival.

She was so hungry, and the desire to rip out someone's throat was taking over her. The vampire could fill the veins ripple under her eyes, her fangs trying to protrude from her mouth. Her hands tightened within her hair, frustrated tears filling her eyes as she begged for Hope to hurry up. The restraint that she had was not common within the vampire community. Most woke up with a thirst to kill that was so bad they had to be sedated or feed until someone found them and then sedated him. She should know this―︎vampires was one of her favorite supernatural creatures to learn of.

When the door opened, her head snapped up and she was quick to lunge forwards, barely giving Hope enough time to toss the blood bag to her before she was ripping into, drinking the blood greedily and hungrily. Hope had offered to show her around, but Lilianna was quick to shut that idea down. She couldn't hurt any of these children here, even if she knew that they could take care of themselves. She thought it would be best if she stayed in Hope's room, not moving unless it was to consume more blood.

Hope watched the girl for a few moments, pursing her lips before she crossed her arms over her chest, her shoulders relaxing as she watched Lilianna's hunger start to die down as she sucked dry another blood bag. She eyed Lilianna for a few moments before placing a lose strand of hair behind her ear. She wanted to say something, but she didn't know exactly what it was that she was going to say. How did she start a conversation with the woman that was sent to kill her, and was instead killed herself? She sighed before speaking up.

     "Sorry for taking so long," Hope apologized. "I was trying to be subtle about it and not get any questioning looks. But, because I'm me, I'm always getting questioning looks so it was a little harder to explain why it was that I was carrying around multiple blood bags when I'm not a vampire. Well, at least, not yet." Lilianna glanced up at her, sucking the last of the blood from the blood bag. Hope carefully made her way towards the girl, sitting on the bed and look at her for a few moments before offering her a sad smile. "How are you?"

     Lilianna took a moment to compose herself, allowing the satisfaction of the thick liquid to overcome her before she turned her head to look at Hope. She shrugged. "How do you think I am? I just turned into a vampire, Hope. I drink from blood bags! So, this is not my best moment in life right now. And my brother is probably worried because I haven't called him in three days, and now I don't know whether or not to call him, and it's just stressing me out." She huffed before cocking her head slightly. "Why are you look at me like that?"

     "It's nothing." Hope shook her head. "I just. . . you've got. . . here, let me get it." She reached forwards and gently swiped her thumb along the corner of Lilianna's lips, her eyes meeting Lilianna's for a few seconds before she slowly pulled back. Lilianna glanced down at her hands as she felt a blush rush to her cheeks with Hope quickly clearing her throat. "I'm sorry that you're in such a situation. You know, you could always call him, tell him that you're okay, keep him off your back for a little while?"

     "I could," Lilianna agreed. "But, my brother knows me like the back of his hand. He knows when I'm lying. He knows when something's up. So he's going to know that when I call him, that there's something off because there's no way in hell that it's taken me this long to track you down." She shook her head, running a hand through her dark locks. "I just don't know what to do, Hope. I don't know if I should stay here. If I should leave so that I know that all of you are protected." Hope reached out for her hand.

     "Lilianna, you don't need to worry about us." Hope's voice was soft as she spoke to the new vampire. "Trust me when I say this school and the students in it have been through hell and back that's been seven times worse than you and your family. No offense of course." Lilianna attempted a smile. "Listen to me, we're going to figure this out, alright? My friends and I are going to find a way to keep you here, and to keep you and all of the other kids here safe." Another promise, Lilianna thought with a scoff.

     "You really enjoy making promises you can't keep, don't you?" Lilianna smirked slightly.

     "I can keep a promise. I'll prove it to you." She held out her pinkie and Lilianna looked at her for a moment before glancing down at her pinkie and then back towards Hope with a cocked eyebrow.

     "Really?"

     "Yes, really. Pinkie. Now."

     Lilianna looked at her for a second before rolling her eyes and holding out her pinkie. Their pinkie's interlocked and they shook once before removing their hands from one another's. Hope stood up and then held out her hand for Lilianna to grab. Lilianna looked at her for a moment before Hope offered her a small smile and nodded for her to come on. "Come on, I want to show you around." Lilianna was hesitant. "Lilianna, it'll be fine. Come on." Lilianna huffed before reaching out her hand and grabbing Hope's hand, allowing her to pull her from the bed and drag her from the bedroom.