BLOOD WITHIN ✔︎

46 | preparing to depart

"I'm fine." Talia's voice cracked. She cleared her throat. "I'm fine." She said strongly.

Kol nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist. He placed his head against hers and his chin on her shoulder. They stood like that for a few minutes.

"I have more to pack." Kol said after a while. "Since you are planning to kill Elena we are getting everything that is important from this place. I have quite a few artifacts to pack."

Talia sighed. "I have to make plans with Elijah and then I have to get dressed in a comfortable fighting outfit. Elena was trained by a vampire hunter in various fighting styles. She's not just going to lay down and let me bite her. A fight is most likely inevitable."

Kol smirked. "I get dibs on holding back Baby Gilbert."

"He's all yours." Talia patted his hands on her waist.

Kol threaded their fingers together. "How are you really doing?"

"I am hurting. I had no idea she saw me like that. I just did what anyone would do for their younger sibling." Talia leaned back into Kol's chest.

"See, that's where you are wrong. Some people would never get custody of their siblings at eighteen. Most would want to live their life." Kol pointed out.

"Matty was all I had. I had to look out for her. I had to. No one else would." Talia closed her eyes. She rested her head on his shoulder.

Unknown to Kol and Talia, Rebekah went out to talk to them but saw their position. She had to take a photo. She snapped a quick picture with her phone.

"Hey, I hate to break up your moment but Elijah told me to tell you that the meeting is in an hour at the Salvatore house." Rebekah turned to leave after relaying her message.

"Wait! Bekah?" Talia called. She untangled herself from Kol and ran to catch Rebekah's wrist. "Thank you."

Rebekah nodded and entered the house.

Talia turned to Kol. "I have to go. I have to get ready."

Kol frowned. "Do you think you can beat her?"

Talia thought for a moment. "Beat her? No. But all I have to do is bite her. I think I can manage that."

"You also might have to bite Damon." Kol warned. "He won't sit back and let you kill Elena."

Talia smirked. "It would be my genuine pleasure."

A female groan was heard a from the house. "Seriously Talia! Quoting the Avengers! You are a nerd!" Jordan's voice came from upstairs.

"I love you too punk!" Talia yelled back.

Kol smiled and shook his head. "Things sure are different since you showed up."

Talia smiled happily at him. "You wouldn't have me any other way."

Forty five minutes later, Talia was arguing with Matty.

"I can help." Matty insisted.

"No." Talia said firmly. "We need someone here with Jordan. The movers will be here soon and we need someone to direct them."

"Talia! You are so unfair! I can fight too." Matty stomped her foot and crossed her arms.

"Matty? Please. You are only fifteen. You still need to grow. You are not immortal yet. Please. I can't fight, knowing you'll be there. I need you safe. Stay here. Please." Talia begged. "The Salvatores know how to fight werewolves. The second I bite Elena, Damon is going to be all over me and whoever else I care about there. I know Kol can handle himself. In fact, I know all the Originals can handle themselves. Heck, on a regular basis I beat up Nik and Elijah. Just stay here."

Matty huffed and flipped a piece of blonde hair over her shoulder. "Yeah. Fine. Whatever. I'll stay. But you have to let me grow into my own person as well. You have to let me make mistakes sometimes. How else am I gonna learn?"

The two sisters hugged.

"Be safe. Please." Matty pleaded. "I can't lose you twice."

"Cross my heart." Talia kissed Matty's temple. "Be good and get everything."

Talia left with the Original Family with one last wave to Jordan and Matty.

Fifteen minutes they arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House.

As soon as Talia was out the door a brown blur ran forward at her. "You!" Elena seethed. "I thought this was a meeting between the Originals and us. You weren't supposed to bring your pet."

Kol made to go after her but Talia placed her hand on his arm.

"No small chat? No greeting? Kids these days. Just shameful." Talia taunted. Fibbing with how old she was. "Isn't is just so sad how people today go about things, Nik?" Talia purposely used her nickname for him to show how close to the family she was.

Elena's eyes went wide at Talia's use of the name. "No. There was only five of them. You can't possibly be-"

Talia sped forward and grabbed Elena's arm. She twisted it behind her back. "Can't possibly be what, Darling?" Talia stole Kol's term and saw him smirk out of the corner of her eye. "I can't possibly be the true mate of one of the Originals? Can't possibly be involved with one of them?" Talia grabbed Elena's hair and twisted it around her fist. "Can't possibly be the mate of the very one you and your brat of a brother tried to kill the other night? Go on. I want to hear you say it." Talia yanked hard on Elena's hair, forcing her to bare her neck for her. Talia's inner wolf howled at seeing the one who almost killed her mate show submission to her. "Listen up little bitch. You messed with the wrong girl. Kol is mine. No one gets to kill him but me."

Elena kicked her foot back and knocked Talia off balance. Talia still had a death grip on Elena's hair so when she fell, she yanked out a handful of her brown locks.

Elena screamed in pain. "You Bitch!"

Talia stood up quickly. She threw Elena's hair to the ground. "Let's go little girl. Only one of us is leaving here alive."

Talia took up her fighting stance. Elena did the same. Elena lashed out with her elbow towards Talia's side. Talia caught it but missed Elena's follow up of her knee to her abdomen. Talia huffed out a breath. Talia crunched Elena's elbow until it snapped. The bones in her lower humerus and upper radius and ulna shattering.

Elena howled in pain.