Back to Me

The Hunt - Part I

Training with Rebekah was not what Hope expected. Every morning they set out into the woods hunting for rabbits, squirrels, and any other animal they could get their hands on. Then, they would drain their blood into bags to take back to school for the vampires. In essence, she had become the kitchen lady.

It may have been unorthodox, but it worked. Hope had to quickly learn to control her vampire powers in order to catch enough rabbits to feed all the vampires. It also proved to be a great workout as her muscles burned from the exertion. And of course, her aunt liked to make everything a competition.

And Hope hated losing.

Hence, she found herself speeding down a creek, Rebekah hot on her heels. Mere seconds before she spotted a doe meandering on the side of the creek. Deer blood was not only the best taste-wise, but it also offered enough blood to last two hunting days. Hope knew this catch would get her aunt off her back for a while. And bragging rights. But as she prepared herself to pounce on the doe, she caught a whiff in the air of expensive perfume. Auntie Bex was here.

Hope took off from her hiding spot, startling the doe into a scurry. She was faster than her aunt, Hope had come to learn soon after dying, so she took advantage of the distance between them. She pulled out a dagger from her belt, narrowing her focus to the doe growing closer by the second.

Then, the stomping behind her ceased. Hope looked over her shoulder briefly, realizing Rebekah had stopped running altogether. Before she could celebrate, an antler rammed into her side, hurling her over the shore. She crashed in the creek, water washing over her face.

Stars blurred her vision and she coughed up water. She must have broken a few ribs because breathing was exceptionally hard. She shook her head, trying to focus on her aunt. She barely caught the slash of metal against flesh, followed by wailing and gurgling of blood. Hope held a hand to her head, a poor attempt to calm the pain vibrating through her bones.

Rebekah stood victoriously over a stag, her arm bathed in a carnage of red. She looked down at her niece, noticing how her gaze struggled to focus on anything, "You rely on your eyes too much. You should've been able to hear the stag from a mile away."

Hope grunted, pulling herself up only for her knees to buckle beneath her. Wet strands of hair cling to her face, which she wipes away forcefully, "That was my hunt."

"Could have." Rebekah shrugs. She extends a hand for Hope to take, but the tribrid stands on her own accord. She lets out a huff, "You're being childish, Hope. You're better than this."

"No. I'm upset, and I have every right to be." Hope spats.

Rebekah levels a cold glare in her direction, but she's done so many times now. It doesn't hold the same effect anymore. Hope tugs on her drenched clothes, ignoring her aunt.

"Go back to school," Rebekah dismisses, her eyes briefly falling on her niece's jutting rib, "I'll take care of the stag."

Hope grimaced, undignified. She found it offensive that her aunt had the audacity to think she couldn't handle bleeding a stag. Besides, it was only fair after it flung her into oblivion. A warm trail dripped from her side, she looked down to find her clothes tainted red -- a reminder that she wasn't in any shape to argue. She took the hair tie out, her hair falling in broken waves, and made her way back to school.

There go her bragging rights.

The trek was uphill which didn't make it any easier for her. Air came in and out of her lungs in painful spasms, her rib digging into her lungs. The good news is she could already feel herself healing.

What would Josie say if she saw me right now?

The thought brought a smile to her face.

Probably that I'm an idiot and then she'd heal me.

Hope felt her face heat up at the prospect of Josie running her hands over her body. It terrified her how much she loved her touch, how much she craved her. She spent the entire night researching spells to fix the necklace while keeping its magical properties. She even charged it with extra magic in case Josie ever needed to siphon from it. Not that she was using magic now, but Hope had faith in her. Josie was a powerful witch, she just needed to believe it.

Now that her mind had wandered off to Josie, she remembered the picnic. She didn't like social gatherings, but Josie appeared excited to have her there. So Hope, like with the Commonwealth party, agreed to go. She wanted to see the witch happy and let her know that she was important to her. If going out was the way to go, then she would comply.

Breathing was easier now and her muscles didn't ache anymore. Hope could see the outline of the Old Mill -- she was close to the school. Then, her ears focused on the beating of a second heart.

Hope stilled, trying to locate where and how far the beating was. She followed it into the Old Mill, she walked inside and looked over the musty wood and gray furniture.

"I hate waiting, Mikaelson," Alyssa called from the second story. She leaned on the rail as if she didn't fear it breaking under her weight. Her scrutinizing gaze runs over Hope, "You look great, by the way. I heard wet dog is very in."

Hope rolls her eyes, she can already feel a headache brewing, "What do you want, Alyssa?"

"What we want, dear." She says, "Or have you forgotten why we're working together in the first place?"

Hope settles for glaring at Alyssa, refusing to dignify her comment with a response.

"You're lucky Josie didn't snitch to daddy" The witch continued, admiring her freshly manicured nails.

"Get to the point. I don't have time for this." Hope growls.

Alyssa turns her dark eyes to Hope like she was trying to drill through her, "The point is, today is the one and only chance you have to catch the Necromancer."

The tribrid quirks an eyebrow, concealing the way her heartbeat sped up, "How?"

"There's a full moon today and Josie's little group decided to organize a picnic. Kol and Freya Mikaelson are getting supplies for the wolves -- guess they got bored of you." Alyssa smiles like she had told a joke. Hope is convinced her goal in life is to insult her with every sentence. "Dr. Saltzman will be going to the picnic, I overheard Lizzie blabbering about it," She says, her voice deepening, "That leaves Rebekah."

Hope mulls the information over. Every person in charge of watching her will be busy, virtually clearing a window for her to leave school and hunt down the Necromancer once and for all.

What about Josie?

Hope didn't want to repeat her relationship with Landon -- a torturous cycle of choosing others over him. Her heart battled itself, conflicted over her two deepest desires: to be with Josie. And bring peace to her father.

Always and Forever...

She dug her nails in her skin. Why couldn't she do both? She recalled Alyssa's map and the area where Dr. Saltzman thought the Necromancer hid -- she could scout the place, it was in the middle of nowhere and probably a dead end. If she left now, she could make it back in time for the picnic.

She set her jaw, meeting Alyssa's cold stare, "I'll take care of her."