The Original Siblings

Chapter Sixteen

Leaving Caroline, Monique, Avalee and Trinity with Hope in the main room, the rest of us, excluding Stefan and Rebekah who had yet to arrive made our way to the back room where those with enhanced hearing could already hear Esther and Elijah talking. Nik moved ahead, reaching the doors first, pulling them open.

"Ah, Mother. I've arrived just in time for another one of your deaths, and as much as I appreciate the front row sheet, I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the festivities." I did not even need to see his face to know he was smirking. My sight was set on Elijah who had stood upon seeing us, rage filling him. All directed at Nik and I.

"You're in excellent spirits." He said, a growl being heard in his voice, not even hiding his fury.

As Nik had come to a stop, we moved around him, spreading ourselves out around the room. Although it did not escape my notice that Henrik was watching Esther, his eyes taking in every inch of her. It was his first time seeing her again in a thousand years.

"Easy Elijah!" Jameson snapped when he lunged forward towards Nik who had brought up our plan with a smile on his face.

"I agree." Nik said, the hand that was out in front of him, preventing Elijah from getting any closer dropping. "I can see your red door swinging wide open, but our job's not yet done."

"So, we kill her and be done with it."

"To be clear, I do want her blood, but I want it on this blade," Nik informed him, bringing out a long silver knife I had personally gifted to him from my collection to get the job done, "which I've had bound with the soil from Dahlia's homeland, not to mention Viking ash."

As Nik explained this, he moved around so he was right behind Esther, only then coming to a stop. "Bound perfectly by Henrik you mean." I commented getting an eye roll from Nik, as Henrik's gaze finally left Esther, his face hardening before turning emotionless.

"Indeed, sister." Nik smiled. "Our Mother's demise will have to wait. You see, I need her to weaken Dahlia's defences." He leaned down, his head inches from Esther. "Bit of psychological warfare before I slaughter the both of you." He whispered threateningly in her ear although we all still heard.

"Ah, yes. You expect me to walk willing to my death." Esther nodded.

"We don't particularly care what you want." I stepped forward meeting her eyes with my own, bending to lean on the table next to her. "Haven't you figured that out yet. We don't care what you want or what happens to you." Shoving memories of my deaths over the centuries into her mind, letting her feel how I felt, she stiffened, face hardening to not lose her composure. "You're going, whether you like it or not, and I don't care, if it means I personally have to drag you there myself."

"Yes, dear Mother, you do not have a choice." Rebekah interrupted, and I pushed myself off the table, straightening up as she entered, Stefan right behind. "Then again, why should you be any different from the rest of us?" She asked glaring at Nik. "We're all dancing puppets in Nik and Ever's end of days marionette show." Her gaze switched to me. "They force every move we make."

"Someone is clearly still upset about the forced body swap." Jameson commented and I smirked at seeing Henrik's arm lash out, elbow hitting and digging into his stomach. "Alright." He grunted pushing Henrik away. "Though lets be honest," James pointed at his twin and Rebekah, "If you two and Freya had not daggered Nik, it would not have forced him and Ever to work against you, meaning those who have been hurt would not have been."

"Exactly." Nik agreed. "The both of you have fought me at every turn, leaving Ever and I no choice but to act and do what was needed." He said, voice growing louder near the end before slamming the knife down on the table. Shaking his head, he moved closer to them. "We're no stranger to disagreements on the battlefield, but we also have a very long history of doing what it takes to win the war."