BLOOD WITHIN ✔︎

05 | One of the Protectors

Kol caught her just in time. "What the hell happened?" Kol growled.

"She just . . . she just . . ." Rebekah stammered.

"Complete sentences Bekah. I can't understand you." Kol checked Talia's body temp. "She's burning up. What happened Bekah?"

Rebekah narrowed her eyes. If she saw what she just thought she saw then this was going to be epic. "Get in the car. I'll tell you when we reach Nik. You also need to call Elijah." Rebekah slid into the driver's seat and waited for Kol. Kol slid into the back seat with Talia. As soon as the door shut, Rebekah sped off at high speeds.

"Whoa. What is going on Rebekah? What happened?" Kol said as he was thrown around the back seat.

"We need to get there quickly." Rebekah muttered. "Call Elijah." She barked.

Kol looked at his sister and saw her focused look. Whatever this was it must be important. Kol rapidly punched in Elijah's number in his phone. The phone rang three times then went to voicemail. "Elijah, something major is going on here in Mystic Falls. We need you here." Kol hung up the phone. "Voicemail. Bekah, slow down!" Kol yelled as Rebekah turned the wheel sharply into their driveway.

"How is she?" Rebekah asked Kol, their eyes locking in the rearview mirror.

Kol checked on Talia again. "She is still breathing."

"Good." Rebekah poured on the speed and screeched to a halt in front of their house.

"Are you mad Bekah?" Kol asked, annoyed as he lurched forward in the car.

Rebekah stared between Talia and Kol with a hard look. "Maybe." She said absently. "Get her in the house."

Kol looked down at Talia in concern but pushed it aside and picked up the unconscious girl and followed Rebekah into the house.

Kol laid Talia on a couch as Rebekah yelled for Klaus. "Nik! Come here. There is something you should know."

Niklaus sped downstairs to see what was going on. He noticed Talia on the couch with Kol hovering over her. Rebekah looked worried but also excited. "What happened?"

"Do you remember that witch right after you lost the Hunter's Curse? The one that said-" Rebekah started.

"Yes. Yes, I remember. What has that got to do with this?" Klaus said, impatiently.

"It is her." Rebekah stated, simply.

"Her?" Klaus asked, skeptically. He looked the girl over. Skinny, tall, not much muscle definition. "How can she be it?"

"I am standing right here." Kol yelled in frustration. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

"Talia placed us under her protection. The doppelganger tried to attack her. From what I saw, Talia had her arm twisted behind her back and was saying how Elijah, Nik, Kol and I and our mates were hers to protect. She said that they already killed Finn and Sage and that if we so much as get a paper cut from her or from anyone else that she was going to hunt down Elena and cut her heart out with a nail file soaked in vervain. By this point Talia had picked up Elena by the neck and threw her across the parking lot. I saw Elena take off in the other direction. Talia spotted me and then collapsed. Kol caught her and then you know the rest. But Nik, her eyes, they were glowing the bright white light." Rebekah told her tale.

Niklaus reevaulated the girl.

Kol growled softly at his brother's assessing look. "What the hell is going on?"

"And Kol seems attached to her." Rebekah offered. "You didn't see them last night. They were all shared looks and silent conversation."

Kol growled angrily. "Tell me what is going on right now or so help me I will go out and start killing people."

"She is one of the protectors." Niklaus stated. "Long ago Rebekah and I ran into a witch who could sense people's futures. She told us that a girl would come to us with knowledge greater than anyone else. She would be the First Protector. She would bring us our mates and help us. The witch said she pitied anyone who crosses her. She said she would be powerful with four species combined. 'The First Protector will be mated to the one who needs saving the most'."

"What happened to the witch?" Kol asked curious. If her line continued maybe they could get more answers. "And which one of us is that? 'The one who needs saving the most'."

Rebekah and Niklaus shared looks. They turned as one and stared pointedly at Kol.

Kol glowered. "I don't need saving the most." He said.

"You almost died yesterday. I think you do need her." Rebekah pointed out.

Kol was about to retort when Niklaus spoke. "Tell me, brother, have you had any of her blood?"

Kol froze. His vampiric features threatened to show. "Don't Nik."

Klaus smirked. "I take it you have. Let me guess, it was the best blood you have ever had. It was so mouthwatering that you can't control your reactions to it. I think I might want a taste for myself." Klaus teasingly let his hybrid features show.

Kol's vampire features were already showing. "Leave her alone! She is mine!"

Klaus got himself under control. "Look at that. See, you are already drawn to her. It will only be a matter of time."

Kol closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. His face returned to normal. "No. I refuse." Kol sped out of the room. The front door opened and closed with force.

Rebekah crouched down next to Talia. "When will she wake up?"

"In a few hours I imagine. She is unconscious because she is just now coming into her four species. I think she is going to be part witch, part vampire, part werewolf and part human. Those are the only four species I can think of." Klaus said.

"Our mates. The witch said she will bring us our mates. Talia said earlier that Finn and Sage were mates, who are ours?" Rebekah asked.

Klaus got a distant look on his face. "I don't know little sister. I don't know."

Rebekah reached out and stroked the feverish girl's forehead. "Nik, she's burning up."

"I don't know what to do." Klaus thought for a moment. "Did you call Elijah?"

"Kol did. He got his voicemail." Rebekah answered.

Niklaus stared at her. "You had our baby brother who likes to play pranks call our older sibling?"

Rebekah glared at him. "Kol knew how serious this was. Don't take it out on him."

Niklaus rolled his eyes. "I am going to call Elijah. Maybe he will pick up for me." Niklaus walked out of the room

Talia shivered and started mumbling. Rebekah leaned closer to hear. "Bexs, Lijah, Nik, Kol, must protect. No, Finn. I'm sorry. Sage, sorry. So sorry. Care? Kat? Must protect."

Rebekah picked up the ginger and carried her up to the spare room that Talia was staying in. Well, now she guessed it was officially Talia's room. Rebekah placed Talia on her bed.

Rebekah pulled a chair next to the bed and waited. After an hour Rebekah got bored. She left the room really quick to grab her nail kit. After two hours, Niklaus entered the room and silently leaned against the wall. After three hours Kol came wandering in. He refused to look at either of his siblings and sat down on the bed next to Talia. At four hours, Talia started screaming.