𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ 𝐖ᴀs 𝐎ɴ 𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐕ᴇʀɢᴇ 𝐎ғ 𝐅ᴀɪɴᴛɪɴɢ.
"What do you mean he's taken her!?"
"He took her as a measure of precaution," replied Elijah to Alaric after taking a breather. He pulled a small piece of paper out of his blazer pocket and handed it to him. "He needs to make sure I will be by his side and not against him."
The uncle read the paper's content aloud;
The little angel shall remain in one piece, only if you make the right decision and stand by my side while I'm finally riding off this curse.
Always and Forever
Niklaus.
"HE'S DEAD!" Cried Alaric and ripped the paper into pieces. "The bastard is dead! He's dying tonight!"
"Ric, relax-" Jenna made an attempt to calm him down but in vain...
"How can you even ask me, that!?" He screamed. "Alexandra is like my daughter and now he has her! Who knows what he'll do to her, no matter what he says!?"
"Niklaus could be everything but he would never act against his own word," stated Elijah and fixed his cufflinks. "And he has his own reasons for wanting Alexandra there with him."
His mind went directly to Alexandra's words, this evening...
"So, she's safe?" Murmured Caroline, in concern.
The Original nodded his head when Tyler spoke up, "So, what do we do?"
"We stick to the plan," shared Elena with everyone and looked at Elijah. "We let Klaus think that you're with him on this one and make sure our friend stays alive."
"Thank God Damon's not here," sighed the dirty-blond Salvatore. "He wouldn't have reacted calmly if he found out about this."
"The last thing I care about now, is Damon's reaction," said Alaric, gaining everyone's attention. "He's lucky that he had a good idea by going to rescue Mason and Victoria, otherwise I would be beating him to death for what he did to my niece."
"How did he find Mason and Victoria?" Spoke the Lockwood heir, angrily. "They were protected in your family's lake house, what the hell were they doing here?"
"He must've gotten them here, someway," guessed Elena. "You still haven't heard of your Mum?"
The werewolf shook his head and made to call his mother once again, going outside for privacy.
Elena followed him.
"Bonnie's still in the Old Witch House with Jeremy?" Queried Stefan and looked at his girlfriend.
"And Sheila too," added the Forbes lady with a nod. "They need to prepare for the spell."
"How is the ritual going to proceed?" Asked Jenna, in utter concern.
Elijah had no time to respond as Tyler barged into the living room, looking exactly like the Original when he came to tell them about Alexandra's abduction.
"What happened to you?" The hunter raised a question upon seeing the tears on the werewolf's face.
"It was Klaus," he said with a rather saddened voice. "He just took Elena."
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
"Where's Maddox?" Asked Klaus when he entered the apartment. "He should be back by now."
"I don't know," retorted Katherine, her eyes falling again on Alexandra's unconscious silhouette.
The Original followed her gaze and walked towards the Nephilim, kneeling next to her and tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Why she hasn't awoken yet?"
"I don't know," reiterated the doppelgänger and noticed the small velvet box in his hand. "What is that?"
The half-werewolf smirked. "Well, it's certainly not for you, Katerina."
Out of nowhere, Alexandra's forehead made contact with the immortal male's nose and sent him against the chair behind him.
Klaus instead of fighting back, just laughed as he snapped his nose back. "You got a temper, love. I knew I liked you for a reason."
"Where am I?" She queried, not opening her eyes yet.
"Your Uncle's apartment," answered Katherine, making her presence known to the angelic beauty.
The half-mundane opened her eyes and turned her head in the vampire's direction. "Ugh, you're still alive?"
The Original kneeled down to her level, having the blood under his nose wiped off. "I thought that I would enjoy my revenge plentifully if I watched you receiving yours by tormenting her." The Bloodwood heir met his gaze as the Petrova female took heed of her heartbeat increasing in dread.
"Although, you did try to ruin my ritual with that fake Moonstone..." Continued Klaus and the half-Cretan's eyes widened when he brought the real Moonstone in front of her. When she looked down, she perceived that the stone was missing from her pocket. "I got you a second gift apart from Katerina's enslavement."
"A gift?" Her slightly hoarse voice asked. "Why?"
He opened the small velvet box and revealed a... ʀɪɴɢ.
It was when he placed it on her finger that she realized she was wearing cuffs. "I don't trust Elijah had any idea of your Name Day."
She was surprised that he even knew about her Name Day.
"You know what a Name Day is?"
"I did my research," he stood up and sat on the nearby chair. "In Greece, you have quite the religious traditions, huh? You were named after Saint Alexandra of Rome, correct?" She bowed her head in agreement and amusement. "Well, her name is known to be celebrated on April 21st, which was exactly seven days ago. So... Happy Name Day, love, even a week later."
He smiled, satisfied as he observed her stunned expression and opened his laptop after connecting his phone to it, seeing a live video of Jules lying on the floor of his cellar and chained to the wall.
"What time is it?" Enquired Alexandra, noticing it was dark outside before remembering the full moon. "Where's Elena!?"
"I sent her off with one of my witches, Greta," he replied without looking at her as he was more interested in the live video.
The Nephilim didn't get to ask about their whereabouts when the painful grunts of a woman were heard from the laptop and she rose to her knees, narrowing her eyes at the screen.
"It's almost time," smiled the Original as Alexandra gasped in recognition.
"My God... Is that... Jules?"
"Oh, you know her?" Questioned Klaus and crossed his arms, impressed.
"Yeah, she attempted to kill me after ordering her wolf mates to attack Tyler and Elena," uttered the Shadowhunter, not abandoning her stare toward the blonde werewolf. Deep down, she hated seeing her suffer like that...
"Then, I guess it was Fate that led me to choose those people for the sacrifices," said the thousand-year-old immortal. "So far, dear Jules is the second person on my list that has endeavoured to end your life."
"The second?" Breathed the heavenly creature. "Who's the first one?"
"It's a surprise," winked Klaus with a smirk before it disappeared as he and Katherine perceived someone outside the door.
The half-werewolf grabbed Alexandra with one hand and Katherine with the other and sped them to the bedroom, motioning for Katherine to keep Alexandra silent.
The front door opened and a figure sped in front of Klaus.
Damon.
"I wasn't aware you'd been invited in," Klaus told the younger vampire.
"I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual," said the raven-haired male, blankly.
"Didn't we already have this conversation?" Voiced the oldest vampire in the room, indifferently.
"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch."
Klaus tensed. "Excuse me?"
"And you can kill me for it," offered Damon. "I don't care. It was all... me."
The Original's supernatural hearing, detected Alexandra's muffled sounds from the bedroom and then Katherine whispering, ever so lowly, "Will you stop the struggling? Damon's a dead man, whether we like it or not."
"I've heard about you," beamed Klaus, smugly. "The crazy, impulsive vampire... in love with the Shadowhunter of the group." His smile got wider when he noticed Damon clench his jaw. He turned around and went towards the laptop. "I knew one of you all would try to stop me. I just had to guess who."
He turned the volume on and Jules' screams reached their ears. "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs." He closed the laptop and disconnected his phone. "Need a closer look?"
He tossed the device to the male across him and he caught it easily, glancing down at the female in agony.
"Jules."
Klaus drew closer to him. "When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse..." He leaned over to his ear, "You learn a thing or two." He now stood in front of him. "First rule... always have a backup. Backup werewolf, backup witch..."
"Backup vampire," finished Damon, starting to believe that it was actually over.
"I've got that covered, too," toned Klaus and after a moment, the younger immortal felt his heart stop beating as realization dawned on him.
"No..." He shook his head in denial. "Tell me you're not gonna use her." The Original smirked. "Tell me you're not gonna use Alexandra as your backup vampire!"
"Well, you're not going to be alive to find out."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴏᴍᴇ 𝐓ɪᴍᴇ 𝐋ᴀᴛᴇʀ...
The Petrova heir acquired a blood bag before kneeling beside Damon and pressing it between his lips.
"Hey, Damon," she patted his cheek. "Hey!" She repeated her action. "Damon!"
He woke up with a groan. "What the hell happened?"
"He's gone," she muttered. "He went to do the ritual- I'm sorry, I had to. He would have known that I was on vervain if I didn't do it."
"Ahh, do what?" His eyes widened when he recalled his last words with Klaus. "No... No. Don't tell me he-"
"I had to do it," breathed Katherine, fearfully. "He needed another vampire."
He sped on top of her and grabbed her neck, squeezing very tightly.
"WHERE IS SHE!?"
___________________________________________
𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐖ᴏᴏᴅs.
"Where are we going?" Inquired Elena from Greta as they walked in the forest, the dark making it almost impossible for them to see.
"This way," responded the witch.
"You're Luka's sister, aren't you? I heard about you. He and your Father are looking for you."
"Not anymore," said the dark-skinned female, blankly. "My Father found me before I came here. He was wasting his time. At least now, he knows I won't be returning to him and Luka."
The doppelgänger tripped on a rock and almost fell on the ground, forgetting what she was about to tell her. "God, I can't see anything."
Greta waved her hand and fires were lit all around them, making the human gasp in surprise.
Elena veered around and saw someone lying on the ground and tilted her head, trying to understand who it was.
Her blood turned to ice when she recognized the person.
"John?!"
She rushed over to him and kneeled down, checking for a pulse. "John! John!"
She couldn't find a pulse but didn't immediately worry, remembering that he had his ring on. But when she raised his hand to confirm it... she found it gone, and dread possessed her being. "Oh, my God! No. No, John! No!" She turned to look at Greta, who was already looking at her with a satisfied grin. "He killed him? Why? I did everything that he asked."
John gasped awake.
"He's not dead," smirked the Martin witch and drew the teenager's attention. "He's in transition."
"Why?" Demanded Elena, in a trembling voice. "Why him?"
"You don't know?" Greta asked the doppelgänger, only to receive a brow-knitted expression. "Klaus wanted Alexandra for a very long time. You can't imagine how angry he got when he learned that your Daddy dearest when he wished to kill Damon Salvatore through Elijah, Alexandra would sooner or later end up dead herself due to the Soulmate Bond they share." She pointed at the Gilbert male. "And John... knew that."
The daughter slowly turned to face her father, feeling utterly shocked and betrayed.
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
The bedroom door was kicked open and Damon was utterly relieved that Alexandra was seated on the bed and alive.
Even chained up to the bed and with her mouth covered with a cloth, she was alive.
"Hotness," he breathed and rushed in her direction, pulling the cloth out of her mouth and tearing the chains off her hands and legs. "You're okay."
"Damon," gasped Alexandra, tears blurring her vision. "I thought he killed you! I thought Klaus killed you!"
"Well, he didn't," he muttered and tucked her loose hair behind her ear. "I'm so glad you're okay. I thought he was gonna use you in the ritual."
The Nephilim shook her head. "He wouldn't. I don't know why, but... he wouldn't. Hell, he didn't even use Katherine. He has a plan, he always has. Otherwise, why pretend to be someone else for so long so he can be close to me?"
The Salvatore heir shook his head. "I don't know Hotness. Once a dick, always a dick I say. Look at me; every day I become worse."
"Don't say that, Damon," she told him softly and caressed his cheek. The instant her palm cupped his cheek, her blood froze, a deadly sensation running down her spine. "What happened to you? Why do you reek of death?"
He chuckled to hide his insecurity.
"I'm a vampire, I have to reek of death."
His smile disappeared when he received the pointed glare she sent him and then evaded her questioning expression, only for his eyes to automatically move to his arm, recalling his conversation with Katherine before he snapped her neck in hot anger.
Alexandra followed his stare and her heart stopped the moment she moved his sleeve upwards, revealing a dreadful wound.
"Damon, what is this?" Her quavering voice was barely above a whisper.
The raven-haired immortal locked eyes with her, both pairs now glistening. "It's a werewolf bite."
The Nephilim's breath hitched in terror as she covered her mouth with her hand, to prevent any upcoming sounds.
No...
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
Elena sat beside her father, watching him clutching at his head, in pain.
"Do you remember what happened?" She asked him.
"You called me," breathed John. "You were so scared, I freaked. I should have realized that it wasn't you. Damnit, this was the second time that blood-sucking bitch tricked me!"
"What happened after Katherine called you?" Continued the teenager.
"I-I had just arrived in town," stuttered the vampire hunter. "The minute she hung up the phone, someone came from behind me - a vampire - and gave me his blood. Then... nothing." He looked at his daughter. "It was Klaus, wasn't it?" Elena nodded and pursed her lips before John groaned. "Where are we?"
"We're at the quarry," answered the brunette. "He brought us here."
"And now? What?"
"We're gonna get you out of here."
"I don't think so, Elena," he shook his head. "Klaus wanted to break this curse for over a thousand years, I bet he has it all planned. Look at me, I'm certainly the backup vampire. I don't see Victoria Winters or Caroline Forbes anywhere..."
"I bet you're hungry."
They turned to see Greta approaching them.
Elena detected a rock nearby and perceived instantly the witch's intention. She rushed to take it, only for Greta to send her flying backwards with her magic.
The Gilbert female hit the ground, painfully but stood up nevertheless, right when the Martin witch created a circle of fire around Elena, preventing her from escaping.
"Don't bother trying to get through," she gained the doppelgänger's attention. "I spelt the circle. You're trapped. No matter what you do."
"Greta..." Implored Elena. "Please, just- just let him go."
Greta sliced her wrist open with the same rock and blood began dripping from the wound. Only the scent of it aroused John's hunger.
"Klaus chose him."
"No!"
The witch moved her bloody wrist towards the Gilbert male. "Drink it."
"I rather die!" Hissed the father, trying to not look at the metallic liquid spilling onto the ground.
"You'll die anyway," smirked the Martin heir and raised her other hand to freeze John in his spot, rendering him unable to move. She then pressed her wrist between his lips and forced him to drink as she pulled his hair backwards.
"Let him go," protested Elena. "Hey!"
John continued to struggle with Greta's magic but drank the blood anyway.
"No! NOO!" Screamed his daughter, with tears in her brown eyes.
Her hunter closed his eyes as the blood went down his throat and after a few moments, Greta pulled her wrist away from his mouth and he fell to the ground, no longer under her magic.
"That's enough."
She stood up and moved away.
"John..." Spoke the seventeen-year-old girl. "John, are you okay?"
The witch flicked her wrist and another circle of fire surrounded the obnoxious Gilbert.
He retreated from the flames in fear yet his expression was unreadable.
"Look at me," mumbled Elena. "Hey, John, look at me."
The vampire hunter did face her now and she saw the blood on his lips and chin.
"It's gonna be okay," her voice wavered. "It's gonna be okay."
"I spent my entire life despising and hunting down vampires, Elena," initiated John. "And I just turned into one. I failed as a vampire hunter and I failed terribly in being your Father. Nothing is going to be okay after that." Dark veins of hunger crept towards his eyes. "Nothing."
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
"Hey, hey, don't cry."
Damon wiped her tears with his thumbs.
"I may have wanted to kill you over a hundred times since the day I met you, but I don't want you to actually die," she cried, softly.
He went to embrace her but his vampire hearing detected Katherine waking up. "Hold up a minute." He told Alexandra and vamp-sped towards the living room, snapping Katherine's neck once again before returning to the Shadowhunter.
He sat beside her and smiled. "Now, no one is going to interrupt us."
The brunette chuckled and more tears escaped from her eyes.
"Hey, hey, stop crying," muttered Damon. "Even if you're a gorgeous crying beauty." She didn't respond but leaned into him, laying her head on his chest. "I'm sorry, Alexandra. Feeding you my blood was selfish."
She sniffled. "You did it to ensure I would come back if Klaus did something. I can't be mad at you for trying to keep me safe... even if I don't wish to become a vampire under such circumstances."
"I'm sorry, Hotness," his ice-blue eyes glistened. "I just... couldn't bear the thought of losing you."
"You weren't going to lose me, you imbecile," she told him, truthfully and locked eyes with him. "Klaus needed me for a reason, otherwise he wouldn't make sure I remained safe since the day he met me."
"It doesn't really matter, now," he glanced down and trailed his fingers through her hair. "I'm not going to be alive to see what happens."
She fisted his shirt and shut her eyes, causing more tears to come out. "Don't say that, Damon. We're going to find a cure."
"You already know the answer to that, Hotness," he looked ahead and rested his chin on her head. "I'm dying."
"Stop."
He didn't stop.
Alexandra was trying to neglect every pessimistic word that came out of his mouth but couldn't.
Out of nowhere, the Nephilim grasped Damon's face and brought him to her, locking their lips.
The Salvatore firstborn literally felt his entire being shiver at the contact.
He couldn't believe this was happening.
She tasted divine...
Not wasting any more time, he grasped her nape and returned the kiss, wishing to devour every single nanosecond of it.
Yes, this was worth dying for...
___________________________________________
𝐎ʟᴅ 𝐖ɪᴛᴄʜ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
Caroline and Tyler met Elijah, Stefan, Jenna and Alaric when they reached the house.
"So," Caroline announced their arrival. "How does the curse work?"
"The sacrifice is completed in stages as the full moon sets," explained Elijah. "First the werewolf is killed, then the vampire... finally the doppelgänger. Once Elena dies, the curse will be broken. Klaus will become hybrid."
"So, when do we attack?" Queried Alaric.
"Elena's death will activate his dormant werewolf side," replied the Original. "He'll be vulnerable during the transformation. That's when Mrs. Bennett and Bonnie come in."
"And you're sure they will survive this?" Spoke Stefan.
"If they can deliver him to the brink of death, I'll finish the job myself."
"And what of my niece?" The hunter gained the suited vampire's attention.
"I assure you, Alaric," he uttered the next words very... truthfully. "that no harm will come to Alexandra under my watch. I believe you're well aware of that."
Stefan's phone interrupted their conversation and he answered it, "Damon."
"You're not going to like what I'm about to say."
"Cut to the chase," said the younger Salvatore. "Is the sacrifice happening or not?"
"It's happening," sighed his brother from the other end. "I tried to stop it, but it got... complicated. I couldn't rescue Hotness either. Katherine said that since she had my blood in her system, Klaus had his witches to prevent anything dead from walking outside the apartment. I don't know how the hell he got that work, I mean she's not even dead."
"We're sticking with the original plan, then," muttered Stefan, in determination. "We're meeting Bonnie and Sheila right now."
"There's more Stefan."
"What?"
"He got Katherine to lure Alexandra out of the house so he could get to her and then Katherine called someone else."
"What do you mean? Who?"
"He's got John Gilbert," he revealed, causing Stefan's eyes to widen in shock. "He's going to use him as the vampire in the ritual since I rescued Victoria."
The dirty-blond male shook his head. "Oh, my God."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
"How are you feeling?" Elena asked her father while pacing back and forth inside her circle.
"Like..." He trailed off. "My hateful, pathetic self, only... worse."
"No, John," she kneeled down and faced him, sympathetically. "Don't say that. You're neither hateful nor pathetic."
He preferred to neglect his daughter's statement. "So, I guess this is what happens when you meddle with Shadowhunters. The Angels want me dead for wanting your friend dead."
"John, I can't say that I don't feel awful for what you wanted to do," confessed the doppelgänger, her voice slightly hoarse. "But I'm not going to let you die for it. Jeremy needs us both, we're not leaving him!"
"How?" Exclaimed John, in despair. "I'm gonna die Elena, and I couldn't save you from your Fate either!"
Elena lowered her voice so Greta wouldn't hear her, "I have Alexa's blood in me and she's ensured me that it would bring me back, and I've also drank Elijah's elixir." Her eyes showed nothing but honesty. "I'm not letting you die, John. Everything's gonna be fine."
The father frowned upon hearing that and made to enquire about it, but the sounds of twigs snapping and a woman's screams drew his and his daughter's attention.
"Who's that?"
"That must be the werewolf," mused the brunette as she watched Greta bringing Jules along with her.
The witch pushed the poor werewolf down to the ground.
"What's happening to me?" Groaned the blonde as she clutched at her stomach in agony.
"I cast a spell to slow down your transformation," retorted the Martin heir, kneeling beside Jules. "Your insides are trying to tear themselves free."
She stood up and walked away before flicking her wrist and creating another circle of fire, now around the werewolf.
"Greta, witches are supposed to maintain the balance in nature," Elena made an effort to convince her. "It's your duty to them to keep this curse sealed."
"My duty is to Klaus!" Expressed the servant of nature, angrily. "The new order."
"Glad to know I still have a dance partner."
Klaus appeared out of nowhere and smiled at Greta before glancing down at Jules, Elena and lastly, John.
"Hello, my lovelies..." He turned to the vampire hunter. "and gentleman. Are we ready?"
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
Katherine awoke and found Damon gone and Alexandra drinking some of her uncle's Bourbon, her teary expression impossible to not be noticed.
"Uh... I'm the one who kept having her neck snapped and you're the one crying?" Groaned Katherine.
"Shut your mouth, Katerina, or I will shut it myself," threatened the Nephilim, hoarsely and shifted her eyes in the vampire's direction. "Do not make me recall all the reasons for my hatred towards you."
"Look," said the immortal female and sat on the other side of the counter. "I know you want me dead for almost killing you back then but I want you to believe me on this; I do care about Damon and I don't want him to die."
Alexandra hummed indifferently. "Did you care about him when you practically told John how to kill him through Elijah? And by Elijah's death, you signed my death penalty as well."
"John gave me a choice, Alexandra," admitted the undead brunette. "I had to choose who was going to die, Stefan or Damon? I chose Damon. You might find this hard to believe, but I love Stefan. I will always choose Stefan."
"How generous of you," the heavenly creature's voice was barely heard. "Tonight everyone might die - including Stefan - and the only person who gets to live is you. So, sorry to disappoint, but your love for Stefan doesn't mean anything right now."
Katherine pretended that the Shadowhunter's words didn't affect her in the slightest. "You get to live too."
"You don't know that," mumbled Alexandra and took another sip of Alaric's Bourbon, but immediately grimaced in discomfort. "God, I'm never going to like Bourbon."
"Then, stop drinking it," said the Pierce woman and put her elbows on the counter. "As for what you said earlier, I do know. Klaus wouldn't let anything or anyone harm you, including himself."
"What makes you say that?" Demanded the Bloodwood heir, in a combination of anger and grief.
"You really haven't figured it out yet, have you?" The immortal brunette narrowed her eyes.
"Figure out what, Katherine?" Groaned the half-Cretan, growing more and more tired of the woman across her.
"Let me ask you this; since the day you met him," murmured Katherine, trying to make her understand. "have you ever noticed the way he looks at you?"
Alexandra furrowed her brows. "No. How is he looking at me?"
The Petrova heir sighed and pursed her lips.
"The exact same way as Damon."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
"I've got the Moonstone," muttered Klaus and pulled the stone out of his jacket pocket before handing it to Greta. "I spent five hundred years looking for this. I hate to part with it."
The chocolate-skinned female glanced up at the sky. "The moon has passed its apex." She returned her gaze to the half-werewolf. "Remember everything you need to do?"
"I remember."
The Martin lady released the Moonstone from her grasp and let it fall into a bowl before numerous sparks appeared from it as the stone was destroyed.
Greta began chanting the right spell and Klaus moved towards the circles of fire.
Jules looked up at Elena, still suffering from the witch's spell that forbade her from turning.
"Everything I did-" Her voice was cut off as another wave of pain spread throughout her body. "I was just trying to help Mason."
"Are you Jules?" Asked Elena, feeling sorry for the woman in front of her.
"I didn't want him to be tricked by a vampire slut!" She said, in undeniable pain.
The Original looked down at her. "Shall we?"
His lips twitched upwards and the fire circle around the female werewolf dispersed.
Suddenly, she didn't feel any pain; her eyes turned yellow and she saw Klaus standing a few feet away from her. Wolf-speeding towards him, the thousand-year-old immortal easily pinned her to the ground and thrust his hand into her chest - Elena and John watched with wide eyes.
Klaus caressed Jules' cheek as a tear streamed down her skin before he ripped her heart out, earning a loud gasp from her before she took a last breath and died with her eyes closed.
Elijah's younger brother stood on top of Jules' body with her heart in his grasp, breathing heavily.
___________________________________________
𝐎ʟᴅ 𝐖ɪᴛᴄʜ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
"Why did he take John!?"
"A punishment for meddling," replied Elijah to Bonnie's question.
"Klaus was going to use Mason and Victoria," noted Stefan with a saddened voice, his goodbye to Caroline still lingering in his mind. "Damon rescued them."
"Then we need to go," worded Bonnie, worryingly. "Now. Before John's been sacrificed. I can kill Klaus."
"Not happening, young lady."
They turned to see Sheila by the doorstep.
"Grams..."
"I said no, Bonnie," the older Bennett witch drew closer to them. "Klaus is a thousand-year-old powerful vampire and werewolf. I'm not letting you go out there on your own. It is not an option."
The young witch sighed, in defeat. "Then we have to hurry! John might not be my best person, but he doesn't deserve to die! He's Elena's Father!"
"He won't die," toned the Salvatore descendant and drew their attention.
"What are you talking about?" Frowned Sheila.
"We're going to offer another vampire," Stefan pursed his lips. "One that he'll want more." The two witches narrowed their eyes at him, a faint idea penetrating their minds. "Me."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
Greta didn't stop chanting the spell and Klaus proceeded with the next part of the ritual by holding Jules' heart above the bowl and squeezing it, letting the blood spill into it.
"Does that mean it's working?" He inquired from the witch, noticing the changes in the bowl.
The woman smiled. "It's working."
___________________________________________
𝐎ʟᴅ 𝐖ɪᴛᴄʜ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
"Bonnie did the Locator Spell," Elijah informed Stefan. "They're at Steven's Quarry."
"I'll head over there first and you'll follow with Bonnie when it's time," instructed the younger vampire.
"Just as the moon hits its final phase," acknowledged the Original. "She's to stay hidden until then. He cannot know that she's alive."
The Salvatore heir agreed with a nod and started to leave, but Elijah made him halt.
"You're very honourable."
Stefan veered around and walked towards him again.
"Are you?" This urged the older immortal to turn and face him. "Because this whole plan is, um, it's contingent upon your honour, Elijah."
"I won't fail you," assured the suited male.
"Klaus is your brother," stated the Salvatore descendant. "I know I've... wanted to kill my brother a thousand times. I've... never been able to."
"Well, Klaus was not my only brother," worded Elijah. "I had siblings, parents, I had a family. Over the centuries, Klaus hunted them down one by one and he took them from me. He scattered them across the seas where their bodies could not be found."
Realization dawned on the dirty-blond vampire. "You want revenge."
"Sometimes there's honour in revenge, Stefan," the Original's lips curved upwards. "I won't fail you."
"Please, end this," pleaded Stefan and started to walk away again, only for Elijah to cease his movements once again.
"Stefan..." He made him turn around. "You might find this impossible to believe... but I care about her, deeply. I wouldn't do anything that would cause her any harm."
"Alexa?" Asked the Salvatore male, in certainty and the Original turned his head askance with a nod. "I hope so... because if you do fail tonight, Alexandra will be the first one who will receive your brother's revenge."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
"Well, if it isn't my doppelgänger's biological Father," smirked Klaus as he approached John's circle of fire. "I'm not going to say that I'm pleased to meet you 'cause you will be hearing a lie."
The two Gilberts rose from the ground.
"Let him go," hastened out Elena. "I understand that I have to die, but he doesn't-"
The flames around her flared up as she walked closer to them and she flinched in fear.
"Careful, love," told her, Klaus. "As for him dying, I believe you're well aware that he was trying to get your friend killed through my brother, aren't you?"
"Elena, don't," spoke John and shook his head. "Don't."
"No, John!" Yelled the doppelgänger. "We can't leave Jeremy without a family!" She turned to the Original, pleading him with her eyes and voice. "I followed your rules; I did everything that you asked- I didn't run! Please."
The half-vampire sensed another presence around but didn't turn directly. "Well, well. I don't recall you being on the guest list." He looked up at the top and his sea-blue eyes fell upon a knowing figure.
John and Elena followed his gaze and the latter gasped in shock.
"I'm here to talk," stated Stefan, trying to ignore his former girlfriend's reaction.
Klaus looked at John.
"Very well, then," he vamp-sped atop the cliff and strode calmly towards the younger immortal. "What can I do for you, Mr. Salvatore?"
___________________________________________
𝐎ʟᴅ 𝐖ɪᴛᴄʜ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
"Can I ask you something?"
Alaric spoke after a long awkward silence.
"Of course," said Elijah and faced his soulmate's uncle.
The Saltzman male lowered his voice, "How did you know that my niece... was your soulmate?"
The Original half-smiled as he recalled his and Alexandra's first official encounter.
"In the thousand years I walk this Earth, I've only met carriers of my Soulmate Bond with her. The feeling was way more different when I met her... The atmosphere was different, the time seemed like it had frozen, our temperature was increased and our hearts would beat faster and faster. We knew that something was linking us, even if had never actually laid eyes upon each other. As the time passed, the more our emotions grew stronger. I cannot say it is love just yet, but... it's certainly something powerful and... loving."
Alaric was amazed by the vampire's use of words and the fact that he didn't hesitate to express himself to him.
The Nephilim didn't know much about the Soulmate Bond but he was seeing it taking action in front of his eyes.
If Alexandra was meant to be mated with an Original vampire, then what he should be expecting from Nathaniel and Gabriel?
They heard Damon, Tyler and the two Bennetts exiting the building, without looking at them.
"It's time," stated Elijah and started following after them along with Alaric.
"How are we going to attack?" Questioned the wolf.
"I got the weapons in the car," retorted the Saltzman male.
"Mrs. Bennett and Bonnie are the only weapons we need," mumbled the Original and walked out.
Alaric and Tyler went to follow but an invisible barrier ceased their exit.
"Bonnie!" Exclaimed Alexandra's uncle. "What is this?"
"I can't put anyone else at risk," answered Bonnie, sadly.
"You kidding!?" Bellowed Tyler. "My girlfriend is out there!"
"I can't stay here while my niece is in Klaus' hands!" Continued Alaric, his veins boiling in anger.
"We will not let anything happen to her," declared Sheila to the hunter before turning to the werewolf. "As for Elena, she will be with you and alive tomorrow at the very same time."
"I'm sorry," apologized her granddaughter and followed after her grandmother.
"No!" Yelled the young boy. "BONNIE, NO!"
"You can't do this!" Protested the vampire hunter and turned at the raven-haired Salvatore. "Damon?"
"Sorry, buddy. She's right."
They all took their leave while a heartbroken Caroline along with Jenna and an unconscious Jeremy stayed behind and looked at the History Teacher and the werewolf hit the invisible barrier.
Caroline was devastated by Stefan's decision and hoped with all of her heart that after they dealt with Klaus, Alexandra would have an angelic way to bring the poor vampire back to life.
Jeremy and Jenna were rather upset about Elena but when the news about John hit them, they didn't know how to react.
And, let's not talk about Tyler and Alaric's condition...
"No! You can't do this. Bonnie! BONNIE!" Cried the Shadowhunter while the Lockwood heir started breaking everything inside the building in furiousness.
The Saltzman male angrily hit the doorframe and Jenna was by his side immediately.
"Ric, hey, don't worry. She'll be safe."
"How do you know?" He asked with tears in his eyes.
Jenna kissed him softly on the lips.
"I do."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ's 𝐐ᴜᴀʀʀʏ.
"I have to do something," mumbled Elena, holding back her tears. "This can't happen. None of it."
She gulped when she spotted Klaus and Stefan approaching.
"Quite the predicament," commented the Original. "You know, it's funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish."
The doppelgänger took a few steps closer. "Stefan..."
Stefan pursed his mouth and smiled sadly at her. "It's okay."
"Well," the half-werewolf raised a stake and pointed between the two vampires. "Who's it going to be, Elena?"
"No."
"Oh, don't worry... There's actually no choice."
The thousand-year-old immortal sped behind the Salvatore heir and stabbed him in the back, causing him to grunt in pain and fall to his knees.
"No!" Exclaimed Elena, in utter concern. "Stefan! No!"
Klaus removed the stake from Stefan's back but left a piece inside, enough to torment him.
"I have other plans for your ex-boyfriend," he told the teenage girl. "I want him alive. But for now..."
He snapped the Salvatore male's neck and let him fall down, disgracefully.
"That's enough!"
Elijah appeared from the shadows and an immediate smile of satisfaction graced his brother's lips while Elena sighed in relief; their plan seemed to be working.
"Elijah... you're here," Klaus walked closer to him, the smile not abandoning his lips. "Thank you, brother."
"If you wished my presence here, Niklaus, you only had to ask," said Elijah, blankly. "You didn't have to risk Alexandra's life."
"Oh, well, I had to make sure you would be here, by my side," the younger Original replied. "And if Miss Bloodwood can grant me that certainty, then... so be it." He addressed the witch without looking at her. "Whenever you're ready, Greta."
"No," Elena started to cry when the circle around John began to disperse.
Klaus glanced at John. "Your turn."
"No, John, no!" Yelled the daughter and flinched back once the flames of her circle flared up.
"It's alright, Elena," smiled the obnoxious Gilbert, who only obnoxious wasn't now. "A parent must die before their children. Not the other way around."
"No, no," she breathed, more tears escaping from her eyes. She turned to the Original. "Klaus, please, don't!" The immortal smirked and Elena knew what that meant... "NOO!"
"I love y-"
But it was too late...
Klaus had already driven the stake through John's heart and the newly-turned vampire released a painful gasp before his body started to turn grey, eyes drifting towards his daughter before they closed for good, saying the only thing he hadn't the chance to finish saying; I love you.
"NOO!!!!" The doppelgänger sank to her knees, her heart aching in grief.
The noble Original looked elsewhere as Elena's whimpers pierced his supernatural hearing.
His brother let the hunter's body drop to the ground and walked towards Greta, repeating his previous action as the witch continued chanting the new part of the spell.
Stefan awoke, the pain of the wood in his back making its presence known to him. He made an effort to reach it but couldn't.
He met his ex-girlfriend's gaze, finding her crying silently, her eyes swollen red. Elena shifted her eyes elsewhere and he followed with his own until they fell upon John's dead body with the stake in his chest.
"No," he whispered ever so lowly.
Greta poured John's blood into the ceremonial bowl when the Salvatore descendant whispered to Elena, "I'm so sorry."
The Gilbert girl shushed him by placing her finger on her lips.
Are they going to kill him? She mouthed at him.
Yes, Stefan mouthed back.
Elena cast a hateful glare at Klaus as he approached her.
"It's time."
The last circle dispersed as well and the half-vampire extended his hand to the brunette, which she did not accept.
She rose to her feet and walked past him as she headed towards the altar, sending a last gaze to her father's body before meeting Elijah's saddened eyes.
I'm sorry, he mouthed at her and she nodded softly, thanking him with her eyes.
Klaus looked at him as well as he followed after the doppelgänger.
Stefan was still on the ground, grunting in discomfort and anger while watching their enemy taking Elena's face in his hand, making her look at him.
"Thank you, Elena."
"Go to hell... literally."
The younger vampire endeavoured to make a move but couldn't, too weak to do anything with that stake in his back.
The noble Original watched with narrowed eyes as Elena glanced ahead, emotionlessly and his brother intruded his fangs into her neck, beginning to drink her blood hungrily.
Stefan's gaze showed nothing but helplessness. He felt guilty for not being able to aid his friend, who he loved dearly.
Klaus embraced the doppelgänger tighter to him and more veins appeared underneath his closed eyes. The poor girl's eyes started to flutter before her eyes rolled back as death consumed her being until there was nothing left to take.
She was dead.
The suited Original closed his eyes at the scene unfold while the notorious one dropped Elena's body without a care, blood dripping from his lips and chin and the fire inside the bowl put out.
The Salvatore heir stared at his friend's lifeless silhouette, forlornly and prayed that Alexa's blood or Elijah's elixir would work and bring her back to life.
Klaus exhaled loudly, feeling the curse being removed from him.
He started walking down the stone steps.
"I can feel it," he murmured. "It's happening."
He glanced up at the full moon and suddenly his bones began cracking, his transformation starting - his werewolf and vampire features appearing simultaneously.
"Yes, yes!"
Out of nowhere, an invisible force threw him far away from the altar, thunders and flashes of lightning following the action. The flames inside the ceremonial bowl reignited and startled Greta, who watched with wide eyes.
The Martin witch perceived the two Bennett witches coming down the hillside, chanting their own spell, "Phasmatos Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras. Phasmatos Tribum, Niha Sue Exilum, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Levam, Mina Sue Te, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Phasmatos Veras. Fes Matos Tribum, Mas Pro Tes Unum. Victas Ex Melam, Phasmatos Vanem. Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te."
Upon seeing her master screaming in agony, Greta was about to act against the Bennetts, only for Damon to appear behind her and snap her neck in the process, his vampire hearing detecting the muffled screams of Luka and his father's attempts to calm him down from the shadows.
Choosing to ignore the Martins, the Salvatore firstborn found Elena's body and picked it up, knowing that it would be Alexandra's wish to do so.
"No!" Cried Klaus, eyeing Bonnie. "You were dead!"
The two Bennetts continued chanting as Klaus' body contorted into utterly painful positions, his screams growing louder and louder.
"ELIJAH!!!"
They heard him yell after his brother for help as Damon carried Elena's body near his brother's fallen figure. Stefan gently gripped her arm. "Elena."
The older brother of Stefan's ripped the piece of wood out of the dirty-blond's back, which caused him to grunt in pain once more.
Elijah walked at a low pace towards his own brother, noticing Damon leaving with Elena's body in his arms while Stefan remained to see him kill Klaus.
"Elijah!" Relief flashed in his pained expression. "Help me!"
The suited male's lips curved upwards.
"Oh, I shall."
Stefan was up and moved behind Sheila and Bonnie, awaiting the time to come.
Elijah hardly thrust his arm into his brother's chest and took a grip of his heart.
"In the name of our family, Niklaus..." He twisted Klaus' heart and clenched his teeth.
"YOU'LL KILL ALEXANDRA!"
Dread possessed Elijah's heart as the words emerged from the newly-turned hybrid's mouth. "What?"
"I had Greta link her life to- to mine," stammered Klaus, painfully. "If I die, so will she. Only... she will come back as a- a creature she never wished to become."
"Elijah!" Cried Stefan but Elijah wasn't paying any attention, hot anger filling his veins. "Don't listen to him. It's a trick!"
"You're lying," he hissed lowly and tagged a bit the younger Original's heart. "YOU ARE LYING!!!"
"He's not," Jonas made an appearance from the shadows with his son behind him, carrying Greta's body. "My daughter made sure I learned what she had done in case she..." He trailed off and the tears on his skin shone against the firelight. "Alexandra will die and return as a vampire if you kill Klaus."
Veins appeared underneath Elijah's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner!?"
"Did you bother checking your phone!?"
"Elijah..." Klaus gained his brother's attention. "I didn't bury them at sea."
His gaze softened, his grasp on the hybrid's heart no longer tight. "What?"
"Our siblings... their bodies are safe. I can take you to them. I give you my word... brother."
The noble Original didn't know how to proceed.
He didn't know if he should believe Klaus about their siblings' whereabouts, especially when he held the death's door open for him.
And then it was Alexandra...
"Elijah..." He glanced up and met Sheila's sincere gaze. "You know what you have to do."
Save her, his mind immediately screamed.
Elijah looked down at his brother's half-dying expression before facing the two teenagers.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, in utter sincerity.
"Don't be," muttered Bonnie, softly before sending a hateful glare at Klaus.
"Just make sure our friend's alive," Stefan addressed Alexandra. "If not, we'll find a way to kill you both." He waved his finger between the two Originals.
The oldest immortal didn't make any attempt to threaten back - not that he couldn't. He just nodded and flew off with his brother, who would turn into a werewolf at any minute.
___________________________________________
𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐍ᴇxᴛ 𝐌ᴏʀɴɪɴɢ
𝐎ʟᴅ 𝐖ɪᴛᴄʜ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
Caroline had fallen asleep in Tyler's embrace while Jenna caressed her nephew's hair soothingly while looking at her boyfriend who had fallen asleep on the desk.
A door was heard opening from upstairs and Tyler patted Caroline's arm, waking her up.
"They're here!" He whisper-yelled and stood up, running up the stairs with Jeremy and their blonde friend behind while Jenna went to wake Alaric.
Upstairs, Damon had just brought Elena's body into the parlour. He placed her down on a sofa when the two boys and the girl entered.
"Elena!" Tyler ran to her and kneeled beside her, caressing her hair.
"How is she?" Asked Jeremy, coming to kneel beside his sister as well.
"I don't know yet," the vampire stood up with a sigh.
"What about Stefan?" Caroline spoke for the first time in hours.
"He's alive," the brother smiled at her, causing her to grin in relief.
The Gilbert boy turned his head in Damon's direction. "And John?"
The Salvatore firstborn shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jeremy."
"What about Alexa?" Queried Caroline, facing the immortal as well.
The raven-haired male gulped, his ice-blue eyes glistening. "Klaus had her linked to him and Elijah almost killed him by pulling his heart out- I... I don't know if she survived..."
The three teenagers felt their eyes widen in shock, tears blurring their vision.
"So, she could be-?" The Forbes lady's words were desisted the moment Alaric appeared in the room with Jenna in his tail.
"What happened?" He breathed, utterly worried. "Where's Alexa?"
The four shared a look, which concerned the hunter more.
"Damon?" Spoke Alaric, a bit louder. "What happened to my niece?"
"I'm sorry, Ric," whispered the vampire after a moment of consideration.
Jenna clapped her hand over her mouth, immediate tears starting to swim in her eyes.
Pain captured the uncle's heart. "NO, NO!" He rushed to Damon and grabbed him by his collar, harshly. "You said you would keep her safe! Elijah said he would keep her safe!"
"We couldn't do anything, Ric!" Damon hastened out a reply. "Klaus had her linked to him, Elijah couldn't kill him after that. He would kill her too! We don't know if she survived- I'm... I'm so, so sorry."
Before the Saltzman male could say anything, Elena gasped awake.
It worked...
"Elena!" Relief took over everyone's beings.
"What happened?" Asked the doppelgänger.
"How do you feel?" Enquired her boyfriend.
"I feel fine," she breathed, hastily.
Alaric ran outside, not able to share everyone's relief and happiness for the only thing that he felt right now, was nothingness.
Not knowing if his niece was alive or not, was killing him from the inside.
What if she survived and she's suffering now?
What if she didn't?
Pulling his phone out, he found his older nephew's number and pressed the device to his ear, more enraged than ever...
___________________________________________
𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐍ᴇxᴛ 𝐌ᴏʀɴɪɴɢ
𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐖ᴏᴏᴅs.
Klaus awoke naked in the woods.
He glanced up at the sun and a smile was shaped on his lips.
He took a look at his surroundings and out of nowhere, some clothes were thrown in his direction.
"You've been busy."
Elijah's voice reached his ears and he smiled again.
"That was amazing," confessed the newly-turned hybrid, recalling his adventure after the ritual. "How long has it been?"
"Almost two days," responded the older Original as the younger started to put his clothes on. "Full moon came and went, you remained a wolf."
"I can change at will, then," he looked at his brother, proudly. "It's good to know. I remember... every single kill."
"Yes, I've been cleaning up your little mess along the way."
"Just like old times, brother."
"You've had your fun," Elijah handed him a pair of ankle boots. "I believe we have a bargain."
"That's right," murmured Klaus, mockingly. "Now, what was it again? Oh, yeah, wait, I remember. That's it. You wish to be reunited with our family."
"And Alexandra," drawled the noble male. "You gave me your word, Niklaus."
"What kind of brother would break his bond? Even though you did try to kill me."
"I could have," he held out his jacket for him to get his arms in. "But I didn't."
"Because your beloved Alexandra's life would end as well," the dirty-blond Original raised his eyebrows. "Never mind, now. Relax, Elijah. All is forgiven."
"Where are they?"
For Alexandra's whereabouts, he had thought of her uncle's apartment, but it would lead nowhere, considering he needed the invitation from Alaric himself... and he wouldn't be so kind after what he'd learned yesterday.
"You need to lighten up," Klaus patted his chest, playfully. "I'll bring you to them soon enough. But first... let's go see if your soulmate has finally made the right decision and ended Katerina's life, painfully."
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
Katherine was seated on the bed, looking angry.
She was still stuck in the apartment, which meant only one thing; Klaus wasn't dead.
Weirdly enough, she had no idea about Klaus' link to Alexandra, only for the Blood Spell that prevented her from walking out of the apartment.
Seeing her in such a state two nights ago had scared even her. She couldn't understand why the Shadowhunter started to scream, gasp for air and hold her chest, which was bleeding uncomfortably.
Katherine had fed her her blood after that, knowing that whoever came for her and saw her half-dead, then she would be the one who died first.
The door was heard being opened and Stefan entered. "Hello, Katherine."
"Two days, I've been waiting," she angrily stood up from her spot. "I'm supposed to be free of Klaus' compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead! "
"He tricked you like he tricked the rest of us," he took a look around. "Where's Alexa?"
"Resting," replied the Petrova heir, indifferently. "What do you mean he tricked us?"
"Doesn't really matter," told her, Stefan. "Tell me, where's Alexa!?"
"I'm here, Stefan."
He whirled around and found her standing by the door, clothes besmeared in blood and a tired expression on her face.
"Hey, are you okay?" He sped to her and brought her into his arms.
"I'm fine," she embraced him back, glad that he was alright - Katherine watched the embrace with clenched teeth.
"We were all freaked when he told Elijah what he'd done to you," he pulled back and gave her his saddest look. "Alexa, I'm so sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Stefan," she beamed reassuringly at him. "Is everything okay?"
He knew she was referring to Elena. "Yes, everything is fine. But to be honest... that's not the reason I'm here."
"Will somebody tell me what's happening here?!" Katherine crossed her arms, angrily.
Alexandra sent her a deadly glare. "Shut your mouth and we might." She turned to Stefan. "Has anything happened to Damon?"
"No, but he's getting worse," retorted the male with a sad sigh. "If he doesn't get a cure in time, then he's... dead."
"Why, is there a cure for that kind of bite?"
"Not sure yet. We contacted Emily Bennett through Bonnie, and she heard the witches say a name."
"A name?" Frowned the half-Cretan. "What name?"
The Salvatore heir looked at her, fearfully. "Klaus."
"Oh, my God," gasped the Bloodwood lady and after a second, Klaus and Elijah entered the apartment.
The Original was surprised to see him here.
"You just keep popping up, don't you?" He walked into the apartment with Elijah behind him.
Alexandra's gaze was focused on Klaus while Elijah's remained on Stefan.
"I need your help..." The youngest vampire drew closer. "For my brother."
Before the hybrid could utter anything, chocolate-brown eyes locked with umber-coloured ones and alleviation captured their souls.
"Alexandra," breathed Elijah and vamp-sped to her, bringing her immediately into his embrace. "I was so worried about you."
The heavenly creature smiled in his chest. "So was I."
"Well, whatever it is, it's gonna have to wait a tick," the second Original had to ruin their moment. "You see, I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention."
He walked past Stefan, and the latter gazed at the suited immortal.
"You understand why I did what I did," he pointed at the brunette with his eyes. "I couldn't let her die."
"Alexandra is family to us," stated the Salvatore male, causing the Nephilim to grin. "We're grateful to you for saving her life."
Elijah let his lips curve upwards. "You understand how important family is, Stefan, otherwise you wouldn't be here. My brother gave me his word that he would also reunite me with my own."
The half-mundane glanced up at him, a smile adorning her expression.
But it wasn't meant to hold...
"And so I shall."
Alexandra jumped upon hearing Klaus from behind them and moved away from Elijah as he repeated her move.
Her soulmate's scream of pain made her realize that his bastard of a brother, was now daggering him and the confirmation came when the same piercing agony penetrated her own heart.
"NO!!!" The Nephilim put her hand above her chest as the pain was becoming more unbearable by the moment, her eyes locking with Elijah's.
"Katerina," muttered the hybrid as he watched his brother losing consciousness, his eyes never letting Alexandra as Katherine sped and injected the same potion into the poor girl just when her chest started to bleed now due to the dagger inside Elijah's heart and not due to her link with Klaus.
"Sorry, not sorry," whispered the Pierce woman in the Bloodwood heir's ear as she fell limp in the vampire's embrace.
"No, Alexa!" Yelled Stefan, only for Klaus to push him against a wall.
Katherine let the Nephilim fall to the ground, unconscious yet safe from any injury. Checking under her shirt, she found no wound.
"Now... what am I gonna do with you?"
The Original stabbed Stefan in the stomach, causing the vampire to groan in pain and fall forward, only for Klaus to hold him.
"Do you feel that?" He whispered to him. "It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead."
Katherine felt horrible watching the man she loved getting harmed by the man she most hated and feared. "He's just trying to help his brother."
Klaus turned to her, still holding the Salvatore descendant. "Katerina, did I not say to place Alexandra's body onto the bed!?"
"The witches said you had a cure," moaned Stefan as Katherine fearfully did as told. "Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want."
The thousand-year-old immortal pulled the stake out of the younger one, who fell to the floor, in utter discomfort.
He stepped towards the counter and placed the weapon there before serving himself a glass of blood.
"Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless."
___________________________________________
𝐒ᴀʟᴠᴀᴛᴏʀᴇ 𝐁ᴏᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
Damon was still in the dungeon where Stefan had locked him up this morning.
The hallucinations were tormenting him in any way possible, but at least they had all one subject.
Her...
He imagined his human self in 1864 walking in his family residence when he came upon her room.
The door was half-opened and she was looking herself in the mirror, wearing... a wedding dress.
Was it the wedding dress she was about to wear to their wedding...?
She was more beautiful than ever...
She perceived him staring at her and she immediately hid behind the giant mirror. "Damon! You weren't supposed to see me in this!"
He loved it when she was embarrassed witg him.
"I was going to see you in it, in two weeks from now, anyway, what is the difference?" He chuckled and entered the room, heading in her direction.
Alexandra's eyes widened. "It's bad luck, silly! The groom must not see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding! Step outside, hurry!"
"No, I don't think I will," he grabbed her arm and twirled her into his embrace, taking her face in his hands as he joined their lips.
She made to resist but after a while, she gave into the pleasure he was giving her.
Pulling away from her soft lips, Damon dove into the umber colour of her eyes. "Since the day you almost hit me with that arrow... there is no such thing as bad luck, Alexandra."
The beauty bit her lip. "Mrs. Salvatore for you."
The male grinned. "Mrs. Salvatore, it is."
He brought her mouth to his once again, the image of her wedding dress fainting away rapidly.
A sharp pain in his arm brought him out of his daze and Damon looked down at his werewolf bite.
He didn't have much time...
___________________________________________
𝐀ʟᴀʀɪᴄ's 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.
Stefan remained on the floor, clutching at his wound.
Klaus crouched down to his level, the glass of blood still in his grasp.
"I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent," he drawled the last words. "1917, he went into Monterrey and wiped out an entire migrant village... a true Ripper. Sound familiar?"
The Salvatore descendant knew that he was speaking of him. "I haven't been that way in a very long time."
"Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with," stated the Original before standing up. "That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town." When Stefan stood up, Klaus held his hand out to Katherine. "Katerina, come here."
The woman did as told and accepted his hand, only for Klaus' new nature to appear and he bit her hand.
Katherine exclaimed when she realized what he was doing to her. "Aah! Aah! No. No... No. No. No."
She shook her head, in denial, not able to comprehend that she was actually going to die.
Klaus bit into his own wrist and forced the female to drink his blood. After a moment, Katherine's bite was healed - the two former lovers watched shocked.
"You want your cure?" Stefan's eyes snapped to the hybrid's. "There it is."
"Your blood is the cure."
"Gotta love Mother Nature," he uttered and put his hand on Stefan's shoulder, leading him away. "Now... Let's talk, you and I."
___________________________________________
𝐇ᴏᴜʀs 𝐋ᴀᴛᴇʀ
𝐒ᴀʟᴠᴀᴛᴏʀᴇ 𝐁ᴏᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ 𝐇ᴏᴜsᴇ.
Damon lay on his bed, Mason's bite killing him faster and faster.
"You two need to get out of here," he groaned, painfully after looking at Elena and Caroline, who sat beside him. "I could hurt you."
"We're not going anywhere," said Caroline, deterministically.
"We're not leaving you, Damon," continued Elena. "Forget it."
He glanced at the blonde. "You tell Stefan I'm sorry. For everything. Okay?"
The younger vampire nodded with tears in her eyes. "Okay."
"You too. I'm sorry for trying to kill you."
She nodded again and squeezed his hand.
He turned to the Gilbert girl. "And you Elena... you should know that I'm also sorry. Done so many things to hurt you."
"It's okay, Damon, I forgive you," she used a towel to wipe his forehead. "Everything you've done was to protect Alexa. And by protecting her, you protected us."
Damon smiled, weakly, bringing Alexandra once again into his mind. "You wanna know something?"
Elena looked at Caroline. "What?"
"She kissed me..." Breathed the Salvatore firstborn, happily. "If only she knew how strong my love for her got after that."
The Forbes heir sniffled. "She knows it, Damon."
The older immortal detected someone standing by the door but he couldn't tell who it was. His eyes widened when he recognized the woman. "Girls... I think I'm hallucinating again."
"Why?" Asked Elena, worryingly. "What are you seeing?"
"I'm seeing a five-hundred-year-old vampire standing behind you."
The girls' heads snapped in the direction Damon was looking and jumped when they saw who it was.
"Rose!?"
They both exclaimed, in utter shock.
Rosemarie entered the bedroom and grinned. "Hey..."
"What are you doing here?" Wondered Caroline.
"Before I went to visit my homeland with Trevor, Alexandra had asked me to keep an eye if something seemed off to me. We agreed that if I couldn't find her and she hadn't found a single way to contact me, then she was definitely in trouble; her or her friends. Apparently..." She eyed the Salvatore male. "I was right to worry."
Elena beamed, sadly. "She always puts our safety first."
"That she does," agreed Rose and went to sit beside Damon. "Now, what happened to you?"
The raven-haired creature of the night coughed heavily. "W-werewolf bite."
The female vampire's eyes narrowed at the news. "What!? Damon... I-I'm so sorry."
"Don't be... I've made my peace with it," he tiredly confessed. "But.. thanks for coming."
"Well, it's me you should be thanking."
Everyone turned to see Katherine leaning on the doorframe, a small bottle in her hand.
Damon rolled his eyes.
She was the last person he wanted to see right now. "Oh, great. You're free."
"Yep," smirked the older doppelgänger. "Finally." She righted her posture when her eyes fell upon Rosemarie. "Rose... you're here."
"Katerina," the other female tried not to stake her right there and then.
"Katherine, it's really not a good time..." Caroline made an effort to make her leave.
"What are you doing here!?" Rose couldn't hold herself. "You're obviously not wanted."
Katherine held up the bottle and showed it to them. "Well, this little bottle might change your mind."
"What is that?" Moaned Damon.
The Petrova heir walked towards him. "Your salvation." She turned to Elena. "And I thought you were dead."
"I was."
Katherine sat beside Stefan's brother and chuckled in surprise as she poured some of the blood that was inside the bottle into the poor man's mouth.
"Alexandra and her tricks, huh?" She received no answer and decided not to say anything else about that matter. She then cupped Damon's cheek. "I owed you one." She stood up and met the blonde's blue eyes.
"Where's Stefan?" She inquired from her boyfriend's ex.
"He's paying for this," she tossed her the bottle. "He gave himself over to Klaus. I wouldn't expect him anytime soon."
"What do you mean, 'he gave himself over'?" Added Elena.
"He just sacrificed everything to save his brother," said Katherine. "And somehow... your little angel friend did too. She saved yours..." She pointed at her descendant. "and Stefan's life."
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𝐑ᴀɴᴅᴏᴍ 𝐖ᴀʀᴇʜᴏᴜsᴇ.
Elijah's body was in a coffin, grey veins covering his entire complexion - Klaus stood above him.
"I suppose, brother... you've been reunited with our family," he closed the coffin and looked at Alexandra, who was lying in another coffin next to Elijah's. "And you, my dear..." He caressed her face. "have officially entered it."
He closed her own too and looked at his two men. "Put them with the others. We're leaving town tonight."
The compelled humans proceeded with their task and Stefan's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and read a newly arrived message from Caroline.
From: Caroline.
Damon's okay. Where R U?
"So..." Began Klaus. "Did Katerina make it in time?"
"You won't be seeing her again, you know," toned the vampire, putting his phone away.
"Because she's on vervain?" Questioned the hybrid, pointedly, causing Stefan to freeze for a moment. "I've been around a long time, Stefan. I rarely get played for a fool. Besides, she won't get far. You'll help me see to that."
The Salvatore male walked up to him.
"What is it you really want from me? And Alexa? Why put her in a coffin, like you did with your siblings? What do you want with her?"
"All will be explained in time," mumbled Klaus, careful with his words. "Once we leave this tragic little town... and I make sure I can trust you completely."
Stefan didn't show a sign that his words affected him, the multiple blood bags the thousand-year-old male forced him to drink turned out to be rather helpful. "Then, are we done here? Can we go?"
"Not quite," said Klaus, the corner of his lips curving upwards. "You see, I have a gift for you." He turned and motioned for a girl to come to him. "Come here, sweetheart. Don't be afraid."
A young girl appeared from behind a crate and the Original glanced at the younger creature of the night.
"See, I wanna make sure you honour our deal..." He pushed the girl's hair away from her neck. "That you'll be of use to me."
His eyes turned yellow and veins appeared beneath them. He bit the girl's neck and started drinking her blood, making the mundane express painful cries. "I could have compelled her to behave, but a real Ripper enjoys the hunt."
He let her go and she immediately went to run away, screaming in fear, only for Stefan to vamp-speed in front of her. His eyes turned red and his vampire face appeared before he sank his fangs into her neck as well, draining the poor girl's blood to the point of her death.
Klaus was rather satisfied while observing Stefan's Ripper mode taking action.
"Now, we can go."
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𝐈ɴ-𝐁ᴇᴛwᴇᴇɴ.
Elijah strode the very well-known paths of the forest at a low pace, his heart aching from betrayal once again.
His blind devotion to Klaus had led him once again to the false decision, and that cost him his soulmate...
What was he going to do without her, especially now that he had her and lost her?
What had Klaus done to her...?
He halted his steps and glanced up after a very long time, his glistening eyes mirroring the sunset ahead.
His in-between was his family home, in Mystic Falls, where everything began.
The Soulmate Bond's creation, his and his siblings' transformation into vampires and Klaus' transformation into a werewolf.
He looked down at his Viking attire, recalling how his human adolescent self used to be before his transformation into a vampire, because, after that, he kept seeing a vampire in his human Viking body every time Klaus wished him daggered.
"Why did I listen to him?" His trembling voice echoed along with the sound of the river against the rocks. "Why do I always allow him to play me like that?"
He expected no response, but he received one...
"Because you always believe that the time for his redemption has finally come."
Elijah's head snapped behind him, trying to locate the source of his favourite voice.
I'm being delusional, he told himself and closed his eyes tightly.
Alexandra couldn't be in his in-between, only in his mind.
Who knew for how long Klaus would keep him daggered?
When was he going to see his soulmate again...?
He felt something fall onto his head and he frowned when he saw what it was.
A strawberry?
At this time of the year?
Another one landed on his head.
He started to believe that Klaus had someone torture him in the in-between as well.
"Who's there!?" He demanded, angrily. "Reveal yourself!"
"I would, but unfortunately I cannot make an impressive entry from up here!"
He whirled around and raised his head.
His eyes were about to explode from their sockets when they fell upon Alexandra's smiley silhouette lying on a huge branch of a tree.
She was wearing a dress from his time. Her hair was braided into a long French braid that rested on her left shoulder and her face held no trace of makeup.
"No, it cannot be," he mumbled, in denial. "It's not possible."
The female shrugged her shoulders. "Well, this might convince you of the opposite."
Not expecting her move, Elijah's heartbeat increased in fear the instant he saw her jumping off of the tree.
Thankfully, he made sure she landed in his arms.
"Have I convinced you?" She whispered as he tightened his grip on her, attempting to convince himself that she was actually there with him.
"I'm not certain yet," he admitted, softly. "Niklaus wished for me to suffer for siding against him. Why would he arrange something so... amazing for me after that?"
The Nephilim smiled and let her feet touch the ground. "I don't know what happened, but this certainly wasn't your brother's doing. Like you said; he wished to torment you... and me in that matter. I think that Sheila and Bonnie must have intervened here..."
"Perhaps..." His lips turned into a grin without his permission.
"Now, that I've convinced you of my presence here," she bit her lip. "what?"
"Well, this is the in-between," explained the Original and took her face in his hands. "My in-between. This is where I go every time I get daggered. And since you ended up here, with me... I say I show to you where I was raised."
The Bloodwood heir's eyes widened. "This is Mystic Falls!?"
Elijah laughed at her reaction.
"Indeed," he got lost in her wandering eyes. "Now, how about I show you my family home since we don't know for how long we're going to be here? There's a lot of what I'd like to show you."
The half-Cretan grinned happily. "I think this is an excellent idea. Especially with a spicy addition." Her soulmate furrowed his brows in question and she elaborated, "How about we plan how to receive our vengeance from your brother while we're here?"
The vampire's eyes shone in mirth.
"I say, I rather enjoy how your mind works," he smirked and within a flash, he had picked Alexandra up - bridal style - causing her to gasp in surprise.
"And I say we start, now."
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A/N: And here it is; the end of Season Two!!!!
My biggest chapter yet!
I truly adore this Season and enjoyed every damn minute of writing it.
Now, onto to Season Three!
Can't wait to read your thoughts (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)
Toodles!!!!
ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ ♡ ♡ ♡