Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 9

Once again, Elena seemed to want to convince them that this was wrong. "Greta, witches are supposed to maintain the balance in nature. It's your duty to them to keep this curse sealed."

Greta looked at her like she was stupid. She could care less about balance in nature. "My duty is to Klaus! The new order."

"Glad to know I still have a dance partner."

Esmeray looked up and saw Klaus had arrived. "Hello, my lovelies," he told the women in the rings. "Are we ready?"

The women, of course, didn't answer him. Klaus moved forward, retrieving the moonstone from his pocket. "I've got the moonstone," he muttered, gazing down at it. "I spent five hundred years looking for this. I hate to part with it."

He passed it to Greta, who gave it to Esmeray. "The moon has passed its apex," said the witch, looking admirably at Klaus. "Remember everything you need to do?"

"I remember," he confirmed. Esmeray took this as a signal to get started.

Taking some of the herbs, she dropped them into the bowl in front of her, then lit it on fire. She dropped the moonstone in it and began to chant, "Phasmatos Tribum, Salve Sorce Das. Phasmatos Eliximo Nominum, Etrinox Sorce Sotero Callux Oxtara."

Klaus moved toward the woman who had recently arrived. While Esmeray chanted, she wove her hand to extinguish the flames around the blonde. The woman tried to launch herself at Klaus to take him down, but with ease, he pinned her onto the ground, plunged his hand into her chest, and tore out her heart, making both Jenna and Elena let out soft screams. The werewolf gasped, tears streaming down her face, and went limp.

Klaus held the heart in his hand, coming over to Esmeray and holding the organ over the bowl, letting the blood drip onto the now destroyed moonstone. She continued to chant, and the flames flared up briefly.

"Does that mean it's working?" he asked her.

She nodded, and chanted louder, "Phasmatos Tribum, Salve Sorce Das. Phasmatos Eliximo Nominum, Etrinox Sorce Sotero Callux Oxtara."

Klaus's face twitched, as if he had felt a sudden pain. He was a third of the way unbound. He moved to the vampire. "Hello, Jenna," he said with fake politeness.

"Let her go," begged Elena. "She doesn't deserve to die!" She moved closer to the flames, which made them flare up, keeping her from getting closer to her aunt.

"Elena, don't," said Jenna softly, not wanting her to get hurt.

"No, Jenna!" she cried. "Jeremy and I still need you..."

Klaus had taken a pause from focusing on Jenna. He looked toward the top of the quarry, and Esmeray turned, able to see that a figure was standing above, looking down at them. With impressive speed, Klaus was suddenly beside the man.

"Ignore them," instructed Greta. "Continue."

Esmeray pursed her lips and obeyed. "Phasmatos Tribum, Salve Sorce Das. Phasmatos Eliximo Nominum, Etrinox Sorce Sotero Callux Oxtara."

It seemed the man— Stefan Salvatore— was trying to strike a deal which Klaus didn't like. Within a few minutes, he had brought him down almost as a witness to the rest of the ritual. "Quite the predicament," said Klaus, and in that moment, Esmeray understood that Stefan was trying to take Jenna's place. "You know, it's funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish."

Elena cast him a sad look. "Stefan..."

"It's okay," he told her gently.

"Well," said Klaus, holding up a stake and pointing it between Jenna and Stefan. "Who's it going to be, Elena?"