Elijah threw a pair of clothes to the ground where Klaus was, "You've been busy."
Klaus pushed himself up from the ground, "That was amazing." He grabbed the pants and started putting them on, "How long has it been?"
"Almost two days," Elijah answered. "Full moon came and went, you remained a wolf," he squinted his eyes.
Klaus smiled, "I can change at will, then." He looked towards Elijah, "That's good to know." He continued, "I remember every single kill."
"Yes, I've been cleaning up your little mess along the way," The original vampire said quickly. He walked past Klaus, handing him shoes on the way. "You can come out now," he said, facing the woods.
Klaus turned to face the same woods as Elijah and bent down to put the shoes on. After a few moments of silence, a white wolf emerged from the trees. The wolf didn't step any closer once it was in sight.
"You failed to tell me that you were also a wolf." Elijah raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly.
"She's a hybrid as well." Klaus stated. He stood up straight after his shoes were tied on. Still, shirtless, he stepped towards the wolf. "I would like to know how you're a hybrid when I only just released my curse two days ago."
"I assumed you knew her, Niklaus. She was persistent, even for a vampire without humanity, that I don't kill you." Elijah added, "She's also a witch."
"How is that possible?" Klaus said in a deeper tone with question. "You cannot be both vampire and witch. And you most certainly can't be all three supernatural beings."
The wolf only glanced at them. Hope decided to keep her wolf form up. She had decided to follow her father as a wolf because she never got the chance to roam the woods with him. Now she kept up the form simply to avoid having to speak with him.
"Hope is it?" Klaus recalled her name, then he demanded, "Turn back so that we can actually talk."
The wolf shook her head, but Klaus' mind remained unchanged. She turned her head to look back then walked back into the woods. In just a few minutes she came out, in the same clothing she wore at the night of the ritual.
Klaus was now in his shirt from that night. Elijah roughly dusted off the dirt from the shoulder jacket Klaus had then brought it to the hybrid's shoulders for him to slide into. "Now tell me," Klaus looked at his arms as he finished dusting the sleeves, "Why did you help us? Or why are you unlike anyone other witch I've know and just plainly willing to help me live? That's if you are part witch as my brother says."
"She's part witch, Niklaus. She waved her hand and my dear friends neck was whipped to the side." Elijah moved his hand swiftly as a gesture.
"I am sorry about that," Hope finally spoke. "I assume you can figure why I am."
"So I was right. Niklaus was the key to your humanity." Elijah walked over to Hope. "Why?" The original shook his head with squinted eyes.
"In my thousand years of life, not even my siblings would be so instant as you were. I mean we have our vows, but many times was it argued upon," Klaus joined in, shaking his head at the end.
"Perhaps a little less daggering would change that, Niklaus," Elijah pointed to his side for Klaus to see as he spoke. "How about I ask something a little less—fragile" Elijah shifted his main focus back to Hope. "Since your humanity his clearly on now, who is this Lizzie that you wanted dead? Do you still wish her dead?"
"She was my friend—is my friend. Maybe. I don't even know," Hope shrugged and shook her head. "If it wasn't obvious, Lizzie sent me here. I thought it was some ridiculous way to get my humanity back. So—," Hope raised her eyebrows, "I wanted her dead."
Klaus broke the silence that followed between his brother and Hope, "How about that 'fragile' question, then?" He walked up to Hope and stood to the right of Elijah. "Why'd you save me? I mean, I've never seen you before in my life. And it's been a long life. Why would you care to save my life?"
Hope stayed silent, then Klaus suddenly vamped to her. He put his hand on her shoulder and raised his eyebrows, "You've supposedly been a wolf for two days, right? Which means the vervain in your system is out." He said quieter. Klaus looked Hope in the eyes, his pupils getting smaller, "Why did you help save my life?"
Hope was ready to say she couldn't be compelled, as she was very vocal about it before, but then she thought about the real situation she was in. Lizzie could have very well found the gods, meaning Kronos. This could very well be the past, and as of this time, she doesn't exist. And no vampire outside of her family can resist compulsion. "I saw no reason for you to die for wanting to be a wolf again." It was a half truth and the only thing she could think of responding with. Other than him being her dad and saving her multiple times, of course.
"So much for not being on vervain at all," Klaus chuckled. "I'll further interrogate your little interesting situation, but for now," Klaus backed up from Hope and looked towards Elijah, "I mustn't break my brotherly bond. Even though, you did try to kill me."
Elijah tilted his head slightly down to look at Klaus, "I could have. But I didn't."
"Now no one can. Not even you." He leaned closer to Elijah and said quietly, "Relax, Elijah. All is forgiven." Klaus' words took Hope back to the night he and Elijah died. As it turns out, the only person who could kill him was himself.
"Where are they?" Elijah demanded the location of his siblings.
Klaus patted his brother's arm, "You need to lighten up. I'll bring you to them soon enough." He walked back up to Hope and compelled, "You'll be coming with us. Do exactly as I say." Klaus brought his hand up and pointed just before he looked away, "And don't bother taking anymore vervain."
Hope was willing to go with them, compelled or not. It is quite shocking that her father and uncle think that she's actually being compelled.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Stefan pushed the door into Alaric's apartment open. He peered his head in to look around before walking in. He stepped passed the threshold and closed the door. He titled his head quickly, "Hello, Katherine."
The annoyed vampire stood up from where the bed, "Two days I've been waiting." She dropped her arms to her sides and swayed them, "I'm supposed to be free from Klaus' compulsion by now, he's supposed to be dead."
"We ran into—complications," the Salvatore took a few steps towards Katherine.
"Complications?" She exaggerated and pushed her head up with raised eyebrows to Stefan.
Stefan slid his hands into his jacket pockets. He looked down into Katherine's eyes, "Doesn't really matter, I just need to find him." Stefan raised his eyebrows and said quickly, "Do you have any idea where he might be?"
Kathrine ignored Stefan's question and vamped him over to the other side of a wall, out of the doorways view into the room. "Shhh," she brought her finger to her mouth. The door clanked as someone walked in. "Klaus. You're back."
Stefan turned his head, then Kathrine pulled him away from the wall with her, "Look who decided to visit." The Pethrova smiled. Klaus, Elijah, and Hope all walked in.
The hybrid smiled at Stefan, "You just keep popping up don't you?"
"I need your help," Stefan bobbed his head. "For my brother." The vampires walked towards Klaus.
"Well whatever it is, it's going to have to wait a tick." Klaus rose his arm towards Elijah standing behind him, "You see, I have an obligation to my brother." Klaus began walking past Stefan, "It requires my immediate attention."
"You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here," Elijah walked over to Stefan. "My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."
"And so I shall," Klaus appeared behind Elijah and as soon as his brother turned to his voice, Klaus stuck a dagger in his chest. Elijah groaned in agony, and grabbed Klaus's arm with one hand and the back of Klaus's head with the other.
"Why the hell did you do that?!" Hope vamped down to Elijah, but Klaus threw her against the wall. Pinned down by her own father.
Klaus squinted his eyes and compelled, "You will leave that dagger in his chest," he pointed to Elijah's body laying on the ground.
Hope had always known about her dad's ways of daggering his siblings, but it most certainly felt different to see it than read or hear about it. This is how things went. Clearly things are forgiven in the future, so Hope decided to keep up the act and leave Elijah.
Klaus removed his arm from Hope's shoulder that pinned her to the wall. He then turned his focus to the Salvatore and pinned him to the wall across the room. He said quietly with bold eyes, "Now, what am I gonna do with you?"
The original quickly vamped over to the table and grabbed a knife. Stefan was now in the center of the room, and Klaus went back and stuck the knife in his stomach. It inched up, and up, and closer to the vampire's heart. Stefan groaned.
Klaus leaned towards Stefan's ear, "Do you feel that? It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement—and you're dead." The hybrid's voice got quieter.
Katherine, being unlike herself, spoke up for Stefan, "He's just trying to help his brother."
Stefan grabbed Klaus's shoulder and pushed himself to a more upright position, "The witches said you had a cure." He looked up into Klaus's eyes and pleaded, "Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want."
Klaus pulled out the knife and walked over to the island in the kitchen. He set the knife down, then grabbed an already open blood bag and poured the blood in a glass, "Trouble is, I don't know if you'd be any good to me. The way you are now." He brought the cup to his face, "You are just—shy of useness." The hyrbid drank the blood.
He walked over to Stefan sitting on the floor. Klaus leaned down, supporting himself with his feet beneath his legs. "I heard about this one vampire. Crazy book." He moved his head along with his words, "Always on and off the wagon—for decades. And when he was off, he was magnificent." Klaus stood up, "1917. He went into Monterey and wiped out an entire migrant village. True— Rippah."
Stefan looked to the floor. Klaus smiled, "Sound familiar?" He drank more blood from his glass.
"I haven't been that way in a very long time," Stefan raised his eyebrows and looked at Klaus.
"Well that's the vampire I can make a deal with." Klaus stepped away from the wall he leaned on, "That—is the kind of talent that I can use, when I leave this town." Stefan stood up and looked at Klaus.
"Katerina, come here," Klaus gestured for Katherine with his hand while keeping his eyes on Stefan. Kathrine gave the hybrid her hand, and Klaus bit her wrist.
"No...no... no-no," Kathrine shook her head and pulled her hand back from Klaus. She pulled her sleeve further down her arms to view the hideous bite that wouldn't heal.
Klaus bit his own wrist then forced Kathrine to drink from it. The vampire's eyes widened as she looked back down at her wrist. The wound was healing. "You want your cure?" Klaus said to the ripper, "There it is."
Stefan looked at Klaus as the hybrid wiped blood from his mouth. "Your blood is the cure," he said in a quiet and strained voice.
Klaus raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Gotta love Mother Nature." He walked up to Stefan and put his arm on the vampire's shoulder. "Now," Klaus looked Stefan in the eyes and walked them over to the island and moved his arm behind Stefan's back, "Let's talk, you and I."
Hope had her arms crossed and stood close to Elijah's daggered body as she listened to her dad talk to Stefan. Katherine inched her way towards her and snarked, "So you went from trying to kill Klaus to now working for him?"
"I'm not working for him," Hope rolled her eyes. She's simply here because of her father.
Katherine nodded, "Right," the brunette exaggerated. "You're compelled now. Just like me." She bit her lip. Kathrine put her hand on her waste, "Tell me this. When you went to kill Klaus in the teacher's body, what happened? What stopped you?"
"That's none of your business, Katerina Petrova," Hope used the 500 year old vampire's actual name, hoping to remove her other curiosities.
"You're different. Little less careless, that's for sure. At least since you saw Klaus," Kathrine ignored Hope's attempt to distract her. "How do you know Klaus?"
"I'm a vampire," the tribrid raised her eyebrows. "What vampire doesn't?"
"Fine," Kathrine said, causing relief for Hope. "What about Elijah? You seemed rather upset when Klaus daggered him. Why?"
"You're quite the nosey vampire. I don't need to tell you anything," Hope shook her head side to side.
"Simply like to know my enemies. And friends," The vampire smirked until Klaus called for her.
Whilst them two spoke, Klaus and Stefan made a deal.
Klaus was only willing to make the deal if Stefan indulged in his vampire traits, so he forced the ripper to drink many full blood bags. And for the deal, if Stefan does as Klaus says, he saves Damon. All of which could be avoided by Hope healing the other Salvatore...
Klaus, again, handed Stefan more blood. The vampire was out of control and ripped the bag from Klaus to drink it. "That's the spirit," Klaus whispered to Stefan, then stood up from the floor that they had made themselves to during their talk. "Sweetheart," Klaus looked at Katherine and walked over to her after grabbing a tiny bottle of his blood from the island. He put his hand around the doppelgänger's throat and compelled, "Take this over to Damon, and come right back."
"You want me to leave?" Katherine asked in a monotone voice, hiding the win she was about to have and feel once she left the apartment. Stefan looked up and spoke against it, but Klaus ignored him.
"Yes," the hybrid lowered his head to her eye level. "And if I were you," Klaus handed her the bottle, and she vamped out the door, leaving it wide open. He finished with a smirk, "I'd hurry." He sat down.
Stefan crawled and looked up at Klaus, "She'll never take it to him." The hybrid widened his hands and raised his eyebrows. He knew very well that Katerina was on vervain, likely was given to her by one of the Salvatore's while he was otherwise occupied.
"Whilst we wait for the news on your brother's life," Klaus began, looking at Stefan, then he vamped in front of Hope, "Why don't you tell me more about you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Katerina did have a point when she asked why you were concerned about my brother," the hybrid brought his hand, his pointer finger stood up. "So why don't you tell me?" Klaus looked her in the eyes and rose his eyebrows.
Stefan pushed himself up and groaned. After all the blood, he can still only think about more blood, but he attempted to distract himself. "Or who this Lizzie is and why you thought Alaric knew her?" He took advantage out of Klaus compelling her to get answers.
Hope looked behind Klaus and at Stefan. She said quickly, "Okay, I don't have to tell you anything."
"No, love. You most certainly don't have to tell him a thing," Klaus said. Hope turned her head in a sense of gratitude until Klaus added, "But you do have to tell me. Might as well settle his curiosities."
"She was a friend—or something. She tried to get my humanity back when it was off, and Dr. Saltzman knew her," Hope nodded and said with annoyance. All she said was true, but she was still very vague.
"But how did he know her?" Stefan walked closer. "And while we are on the topic, why do you call him, 'Dr?' He's only a teacher."
Hope stayed silent until Klaus raised his eyebrows and his pupil's shrunk. He was trying to compel her. "It's just how I've known him," the tribrid shrugged and lifted her arms from her sides then dropped them back.
Hope paused so Klaus urged, "Answer the first question, Love."
Hope sighed. She then looked at Klaus and gave in, "Perhaps I'll tell you. But not Stefan." If she's to tell her dad anymore, it's to be without Stefan around.
"I'm afraid this question of Stefan's in particular isn't one of my own. Only me knowing it isn't exactly necessary," Klaus shook his head and smiled. He looked into Hope's eyes, "You don't have a choice."
Hope ignored being 'compelled' this time. She rose her arm, and Stefan's neck turned to the side in an instant. Klaus turned his head as the Salvatore fell to the ground, then back at Hope when she put her arm down and spoke, "For starters, I do have a choice."
"You faked being compelled? Why?" Klaus asked in confusion. If she wasn't ever compelled she could have easily gone her own way. Most would run at any chance they get. Though it usually means impending death or running for forever.
"I have my reasons. And I'll tell you," Hope stated, but Klaus could tell in her voice that there was a catch. The tribrid looked down at Elijah, "But you have to undagger Elijah."
Klaus shook his head and laughter slipped through his mouth. He put his hand to his mouth, "Of course. Because if I wake my brother, then he and I will be at each others throats." He recomposed himself, "I don't need to be dealing with that."
"Yeah and I agree that he deserves to be daggered," Hope looked at Klaus and the hybrid raised his eyebrow in curiosity. Why would she believe that? Hope added, "But if I'm gonna tell you who I am, I am going to tell you both."
Klaus suddenly was right next to Hope with his hand on her neck. She could feel his breathing on her face as he threatened and leaned closer to her ear, "I have other ways to get answers out of you. Compulsion is a mere parlor trick compared to what I have in store for you."
"And I have tricks to," Hope said. Klaus' threats to her shocked her, then again he has no idea who she is. Besides, the benefit of the doubt is given since not a few weeks ago she herself threatened her family as well. The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. Klaus backed up and looked as his hands in shock. He was desiccating.
"What the hell are you doing to me?!" He lifted his head and looked back at Hope with wide eyes.
"Us." Hope corrected. She was desiccating as well. "Since you don't want to undagger Elijah, we're going to go to him. And, unfortunately, we have to be in the same state as him to do so." Klaus looked at her in surprise until he fell to the ground completely desiccated. Hope fell at the same time and was laying beside Elijah.
•*•*•*•*•
Pages: 13
Words: 3350
Written: 02/06/23
Published: 02/18/23