Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 89

Hayley shook her head quickly. "It's nothing."

"Let me guess," said a voice behind them. "It's about Elijah."

The two women turned to see Rebekah entering the room. Hayley made a strained face. "Things between us are... complicated."

"Well," said the blonde, "that's a word often used to describe my brother. But his feelings for you are quite simple. He adores you, Hayley."

The brunette shifted in her seat. "I know that. And I know the sacrifices he's made for me, for this family."

"He's saved us all at various times," reasoned Rebekah. "He helped Esmeray out of her slumber and helped her meet the love of her life."

Hayley was clearly not fixated on this. "I saw things in his mind," she whispered. "Not just memories. I saw... his impulse, his natural instincts, and... I think maybe that's who he really is at his core."

The blonde frowned. "And that scared you? You're afraid that Hope will see that side of him?"

"I worry that she'll see that I'm... okay with it. What am I teaching her if I allow her to grow up in a place where we... trap our enemies in dungeons and retaliate against threats by killing whole neighborhoods? I... I don't want her learning to become that."

Rebekah put her hand on Hayley's shoulder. "You have taught her well, Hayley. I apologize for the part I've played in making this home... so unnatural for her. As soon as we ensure that this monstrosity is past us... it will be better, I swear it."

Esmeray's phone chimed, and she paused, holding it up for the two women to see as her face paled. On the screen, Klaus's message read 'Hollow still out there.'

"Hope," whispered Hayley suddenly, putting her hand on her forehead. "That's what was bothering me. She was acting strange earlier. Oddly dismissive. She's not like that."

"I'll go check on her," Rebekah offered.

"I'll get Freya," said Esmeray. "Maybe she can do a reading on the energy in Hope's room?"

"I took something from her room," Hayley told her. "Bring her to the upstairs library, please?"

The hybrid nodded, and went toward Freya's room. Before she could knock, the door opened, and she could see Keelin in the background fixing her hair as Freya, who was grinning and out of breath, made to go into the hallway.

"Esmeray!" she said brightly as the wolf smirked over at her. "What a nice surprise."

"You two had fun," she said, winking as she motioned for Freya to follow her. She put a finger over her lips, motioning for Freya to be quiet. When they passed close to Hope's room, Esmeray heard a very obvious snapping sound, and the hybrid grasped Freya's arm, speeding them to where Hayley was before anyone could detect they were there.

"I think she just snapped Rebekah's neck," announced Esmeray as Hayley brought out a hairbrush.

Freya furrowed her brows. "What is this all about?"

Hayley wrung her hands together. "I've been thinking all morning about what happened last night. The Hollow had me. She could've killed me, but she didn't. She just took my blood and left. Why?"

"Well, blood can be used for a number of reasons. Locator spells, healing spells, linking s..."

"Linking spell. She didn't link herself to me. I took this hairbrush from Hope's room. Do a reading on this. Tell me what kind of energy you feel."

Within seconds, their worst fear was confirmed. "It's the Hollow's magic," said Freya. "And the snapping sound... she took Rebekah down."

"I'm confused," said Esmeray. "Wasn't Labonair blood her weakness?"