descent | 𝐊𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐒 [HIATUS]

𝟎𝟓

Rory clenches her jaw as Katherine trails a hand over her chest, walking around her. Katherine reminds Rory of a vulture circling its prey, her prying brown eyes digging into the flesh of Rory's face.

"You're not real," Rory whispers.

"Am I not?" Katherine's voice takes a mocking tone as her lips brush Rory's ear. "Does this feel fake to you, Rory?" Katherine inquires, her hand wrapping around Rory's upper arm. No. "How about this?"

Katherine's free hand pierces through Rory's back, jamming itself through Rory's ribcage to grab onto her heart. Katherine releases Rory's forearm to cover her mouth, silencing any screams that Rory ached to let out as she feels Katherine's fingers tighten around her. Blood spews from between her lips as Katherine twists the vital organ in her hand, as if mocking Rory.

"You know as much as I do that nobody really dies in your life," Katherine whispers. "Remember Frederick? You killed his wife to punish him...only for her to come back as a vampire," Rory's eyes skew shut at Katherine's words. "And then you killed her. Again. And then you killed Frederick."

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new orleans, three years ago.

Rory's heels click against the marble floors of the Davilla estate, Jasper trailing behind her in silence. There's a grimness that settles over the two of them as she opens a familiar door at the end of the hallway, pushing it inwards. It reveals a long way of stairs, as well as the pungent smell of blood filling her nostrils. Rory clenches her jaw as she feels the veins begin to grow under her skin, but slowly breathes inwards in an attempt to calm herself.

Her fists curl at her sides, her fingernails digging into her palm. A few drops of blood bubble to the surface of her skin as the veins subside under her skin, Rory starting to walk down the staircase. Jasper closes the door behind her, ensuring that nobody else follows after them.

Rory rounds the corner, and her eyes come in contact with a brown-haired, green-eyed male. Frederick Wilson. 680 years old, a loyal member of the Strix, and a devoted member to Rory's cause. Well, at least he used to be.

Frederick's shoulders are being held against the chair by two other vampires—each 800 years old respectively—to keep him from escaping. A gash is open on Frederick's cheek, not healing due to the amount of vervain being slowly injected into his veins.

Rory takes a seat across from him, Jasper crossing his arms over his chest as the two of them regard Frederick.

"You know why you're here, don't you?" Rory inquires.

One of the vampires reach forward to rip the duct tape off his mouth, Frederick's lips twisting into a scowl.

"I couldn't disobey Marcel."

Rory's lips twitch. "You've been disobeying Marcel for about...two and a half years now, give or take," Rory shrugs. "What makes this time different?"

"The difference is that he threatened my wife. And I'm going to be honest, Rory—you're nice, and I like being your friend, but my life ain't worth it just because you want to save some slut half-breed," Frederick sneers. "If I didn't put a stake through Hayley Marshall's heart, Marcel would have both mine and Annalise's."

"Marcel threatened your wife?" Rory questions curiously. Frederick nods, pressing his lips together. "Well, I have your wife."

Frederick's eyes widen as Jasper pushes away from his space stood next to Rory, stalking towards the other end of the room. He pulls off a sheet from the floor, revealing Annalise Wilson, half-conscious. She's been chloroformed and only now is regaining her consciousness. Jasper grabs her by the wrists, dragging her towards Rory and dropping her by Rory's feet.