The Enchantress² | N + E Mikaelson

Chapter 40 - Deceit, Confrontations, and Magical Showdowns

With Henrik wrapped to my chest and one arm still holding him under to support him, I walk into the gym in search for Cami. 

As soon as I step inside the gym, I hear the sound of huffing and smacking of fists aganist a punching bag, echoes through the empty gym. I scan the gym when I spot Cami at the back, dressed in workout gear, punching and kicking a punching bag furiously as Vincent is trying his best to hold the bag still against her new vampire strength.

My heels clink against the floor of the gym as I walk towards the two of them which seems to inform them that they aren't alone any longer as they stop what they doing and look over at me.

"Vincent when I sent her to you for training, I meant training against magic attacks. Cami has enough and probably more qualified people to teach this." I inform Vincent as I stop in front of them.

Vincent smiles at me, "She needed to blow off some steam." Vincent says, wiping sweat off his forehead and I roll my eyes at his answer.

My gaze move over to Cami and I give her a polite smile as I greet her, "Cami."

"What are you doing here, Phoebe? We had a deal." Cami reminds me as she drops her arms, her eyes still locked on the punching bag in front of her.

"I remember, you would undergo whatever training that I wish as long I wasn't involved in it personally. But something has come up that involves you, so, unless you want me to handle that situation myself, you need to come with me." I state firmly, my tone making it clear that I won't take no for an answer.

Cami sighs heavily and nods, "Fine. Just let me just grab my things then we can go grab coffee. Your treat obviously."

I give her a sarcastic smile, "Obviously."

As Cami walks away, Henrik starts to fuss against me and I start to bounce him softly as Vincent looks at him over my shoulder.

"Such a shame that he looks like a Mikaelson already." Vincent comments and I roll my eyes with a smile firmly on my face.

"I happen to think that Mikaelsons are quite a good looking bunch." I reply as I look down at Henrik's tiny face.

Vincent chuckles, "I suppose you're right. You have to admit that you do have soft spot for them."

I turn to look at Vincent, "You do too."

Vincent chuckles again as he shakes his head, "You and your children are the only one from that clan that I have any fondness for, Phoebe."

I smile at him gratefully, knowing that it's not easy for anyone to feel that way towards anyone associated with the Mikaelsons.

Cami returns to me and I give Vincent another smile, bidding him goodbye before I led Cami to my car and put Henrik in his carseat.

As I drive towards the quarter, Cami looks at Henrik through the mirror before breaking the silence we had created around us.

"Where are the twins today?" She questions, looking at me.

I smile slightly but keep my eyes on the road as I answer, "Rebekah asked to take them for the day, give me some time alone with Henrik."

Cami nods, "How are they doing?"

I let out a small laugh, "As mischievous as ever."

"Well, they are Mikaelsons after all." Cami comments with a slight smile which makes me grin.

We climb into out the car and I put Henrik in stroller as we opt to walk the streets instead of driving. We stand in front of Rousseau's, I scout the area for Strixs or Marcel as I recommend, "Let's sit inside."

Cami raises a brow as she opens the door, "Hiding from someone?"

"Marcel wants something from me that I am not sure I can give him." I tell her, cryptically but she doesn't ask anymore questions on the matter as she claims the closet empty table, ordering herself some alcohol  before  looking back at me as she waits for me to talk.

I sigh out as I pull the broken pendant from my pocket and place in front of her before settling in my chair as I spare a look at Henrik.

Cami picks up the necklace with the broken stone and examines it closely. "What is it?" She asks, her curious eyes flickering up to mine.

"If a witch is powerful enough, they can channel their magic into an object that becomes imbued with that power. The objects can be used as a source of power or to trap powerful beings within." I explain, watching as Cami's eyes widen in realization.

"You put Finn in this." She concludes as she lifts the pendent again, looking it over.

"He was in there." I say which makes her pause and her gaze shifts from the pendant to me, "Was?"

"These powerful objects do have a weakness against the magic that created it. In this case, mine. When I went against Dahlia, I cracked it and then when I can birth to Henrick," I glance down at my son before looking back at her, "I hemorrhaged magic and created a magical event of types which broke the pendant all together."

"What happened to Finn then?"

I take a deep breath, bracing myself before answering Cami's question.

"He is no longer in the pendant. I don't know if he used the magic I released to escape or if his spirit died when the pendant broke." I say, watching Cami who is shocked into silence but I could see the wheels turning in her head.

Cami leans forward and looks me in my eyes as she asks, "Which one do you believe happened?"

I hesitate before answering, "I want to believe that he escaped, that he's out there somewhere, but I can't be sure. It's been too long since he was trapped in there."

Cami nods thoughtfully before handing the pendant back to me, "So what now? What are you going to do now that Finn is possibly out there?"

Henrik starts to cry and I pick him up, settling him back in the wrap as I grab a bottle of already pumped milk.

"I need to find him," I say firmly, "If he is roaming freely, I need to know what he plans to do."

As I feed Henrik, Cami narrows her eyes as she asks, "And if he doesn't wish to cause you or anyone else harm? Than what?" I pause to consider her question before answering.

"Then he is free to do as he pleases. All I wish is that my family is safe and happy. As much as I might not think it, Finn is part of that family so if he wishes to go off and live, as long as the others aren't harmed, I will wish him well." I tell her, honestly and I can see her eyes searching mine for a hint of deception but she wouldn't find any.

Cami nods before taking a sip of her drink, "Okay, I'll help you find him."

I give her a gratefully smile before looking down at Henrik as he suckles against the teat of the bottle.

Marcel walks into his jazz club to find Elijah playing a tune on the piano with a glass of brandy sitting next to him. Marcel pauses as listens to Elijah's playing for a moment, it reminding him of when he was little and being raised by the Mikaelsons.

Marcel soons has a bitter taste in his mouth as he also remembers that it is the Mikaelson that stand in the way of the only person who can bring Davina back.

He takes a deep breath to steady his emotions before approaching Elijah.

"Nice playing," Marcel comments as he takes a seat across from Elijah.

Elijah nods in acknowledgment, taking a sip of his brandy as he does so.

"What brings you here tonight?" Marcel asks Elijah

Elijah stops playing before answering, "I need to make absolutely certain that not a splinter of that white oak remains. Get your best men on it."

"And I need a meeting with your wife," Marcel replies, his voice hardening.

Elijah's expression immediately turns guarded, "What for?"

"I need her help in bringing Davina back," Marcel answers truthfully.

Elijah's eyes narrow, "Yes, the witch who wanted to break Niklaus' sireline so she could kill him. Magic like that comes with risk and at a cost, Phoebe will do it if and when she feels like it. She won't be swayed by any of us."

Marcel leans forward, "I understand that, but I need her help. I don't know who else to turn to."

Elijah considers Marcel's request before taking another sip of his brandy, "Very well. I will speak to her on your behalf, but I cannot guarantee anything."

Marcel nods in gratitude, "I, well we, have another problem. My best men... Fukuda, Bailey... M.I.A., as of three hours ago. And I get the impression that ordering the Strix to do anything other than find their missing men would be, uh, very bad for my health."

Elijah seems concerned by this news and nods to indicate that he understands Marcel's current position as a possibility to the missing Strixs run through his mind, "It's very bad for everyone's health. Do you have any leads?"

"Mmm, the city's full of people who want the Strix out. Phoebe included." Marcel answers.

Elijah sets down his glass, his eyes meeting Marcel's, "Phoebe currently has two mini Klaus', and a newborn baby taking her attention. I promise you that it is not her who had taken them. Find the real culprit before the Strixs burn this city into the ground." Elijah tells Marcel as he stands, grabbing his coat.

As Elijah passes Marcel, Marcel asks Elijah with his drink in his hand, "You can't be that blinded by her, can you?"

Elijah stops in his steps and turns to face Marcel, his expression turning cold, "What to mean?"

Marcel gets to his feet and faces Elijah, "We both know that Phoebe doesn't have to be there to kill someone. She just has to give an order and her minions will follow through with it. I knew she has a history of manipulating people but she is damn good if you and Klaus are blind to the truth of about the woman you married." Marcel's voice is steady but firm.

Elijah's jaw tightens, "You're treading on dangerous ground, Marcel."

Marcel sets his glass down and stands his ground, "I'm just saying, you ever wonder how she always seems to know things that she shouldn't? How she always seems to be one step ahead of those who go against you and your family? As if she has ears into private conversations that no one else does. I mean do you even know where she is right now?"

Elijah's eyes narrow, "I trust my wife, Marcel. And I suggest you do the same. Now, find those men before the Strix takes matters into their own hands."

Elijah vamps out, angry and confused, leaving Marcel there to deal with the matter himself.

I hold Henrik close to me as I hum softly to him, getting him to sleep while Cami drinks her fourth drink and asks her hundredth and one question about how I plan to figure out what happened with to Finn.

I smile at Cami, trying to focus on her words, but my mind is distracted by other matters. A man walks into the restaurant and my attention is pulled from both Cami and Henrik as I watch him. 

Something about him sets my senses on edge. 

He looks around the room, his eyes scans the room before finally settling on me for a moment. I tense, my grip on Henrik tightening. He looks away and sits down at a far table from us and I put Henrik back in his wrap that keeps him close to me, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that is creeping up on me.

Cami notices my distraction and follows my gaze to the man, "Do you know him?"

I shake my head, "No, I've never seen him before. But something about him feels off. I can't quite put my finger on it." I tell her as I spare a glance before giving Cami my full attention.

"The answer to your questions are I don't know. My locator spells aren't working and I am pretty much drawing a blank with everything else. There is one other way I can think of, which is where your help comes in."

Cami leans forward, intrigued, "What do you need me to do?"

"I have a....friend, of sorts, who is waiting out in the Bayou. He has an item that can help us in our search. I need you to go to Hayley's house and get it from him." I explain to her but she looks at me confused.

"Why do you need me to fetch it? Why not get it yourself?" Cami questions and I sigh out before looking down at Henrik.

"Because I promised Elijah that I wouldn't take Henrik into any dangerous situations. And I have a feeling that this friend of mine is not exactly the safest person to be around at the moment," I reply, my voice low and serious.

Cami nods in understanding before finishing her drink, "Alright, I'll go get it."

Cami stands and leaves Rousseau's with a small smile. I pack the bottle into the baby bag when the guy from earlier takes Cami seat and I look at him confused.

"Can I help you?" I ask him with raised brows.

He grabs my face, forcing me to look into his eyes as he says, "Yeah, You can shut up and not move until I say otherwise."

My eyes narrow at him before I laugh at him, "Thanks but I think I am going to pass." I say before I grab the hand he has on my face and break it in multiple places. 

 Vincent comes storming into Rousseau's looking around which is when I notice all the still others are completely still and motionless.

The man grabs his hand and fixes the break before standing to his feet as his eyes scan over me with a glare before he turns his attention to Vincent.

"You must be Vincent Griffith. Regent of New Orleans." He says to him.

"And you must be the psycho who compelled somebody to die in my arms. See, that sort of thing ain't gonna fly in my city. I'm really gonna enjoy killing you." Vincent threatens and I look between the two men confused and stunned.

"I don't mean to interrupt this but... Who the hell are you and what the hell is happening here?" I ask and the stranger turns his glare on me.

Neither man answers instead Vincent raises his hand to cast a spell as three men rush to their feet and hold knives to the necks of many of the bar customers.

"I knew you'd be difficult. That's why I compelled these men to murder their fellow patrons. You can see how this could become a bloodbath, yes?"

I sigh out and stand as well as I contemplate how trouble always seems to find me. I gentle put sleeping Henrik in his stroller before vamping over and shoving the guy into the wall, using all my vampire strength.

"You see Vincent cares if these patron live or die. Me? Not so much. I was just trying to have a simple day with my son but you just had to go threaten my friend here." I tut to him, "My husband is going to be upset. Because of you, I broke my promise to him and now our son is in a dangerous situation."

He goes to speak but I shake my head and put my hand over his mouth. When I remove my hand, his mouth is no longer there and I smile happily at him as I release him.

"Here's the rules to the game, you answer my questions or I take another sense. Do you know what happens you take away a person's every sense?" I ask as I tilt my head with a sadistic grin on my face.

"Phoebe what of them?" Vincent asks gesturing to the other customers around us.

"Right." I mumble out before turning my gaze back to the man, "I will give you a moment to think of your answer while I clean up your mess. In the meantime, don't move."

"Watch him, would you." I say to Vincent as I move past him and to the others around us.

A few moments later and every patreon compelled to leave and forget this along with the bartender and all other staff, Rousseau's is empty with only me, Vincent, our captive and Henrik.

I pull up a chair just in front of his with Henrik sitting next to me before I lean forward and give his mouth back to him.

"Let's start with something easy, who are you?" I ask him.

"Gaspar Cortez" He spits out at me and I think over his name, it sounding familiar to me.

"Cortez." I test out in my mouth before shaking it off, knowing it will come to me.

I look to Vincent, "Do you know this guy?"

"No, I've never seen him before in my life." Vincent replies.

I hum as I look at Cortez before glancing back at Vincent, "He came at you, you ask your questions first."

Vincent nods and steps forward, a wicked smile on his face as he approaches Cortez.

I don't really listen to Vincent as I peek into the stroller and see Henrik peering at me with his beautiful eyes. I smile gently at him as I pick him up and hold close, making small faces at him as I tuck him gently against my chest in the wrap and he settles as he listens to my heartbeat.

I listen back in as Vincent asks, "One last question, What is that you wanted me to find?"

Cortez doesn't answer though, his eyes staring at me. I don't even have to leave me chair as I send enough volts of electricity through him to kill a large animal.

I watch him spasm but he doesn't answer which forces me to my feet as I lean over him, forcing him to look into my eyes as I compel, "What did you want Vincent to find?"

He struggles against the compulsion but inevitable fails to beat it as he answers, "White Oak."

I hum in response as I pace in front of him before pauing and facing him.

"And what do you know of the White Oak? Why do you want it?" I question him.

Cortez fights against the compulsion and I roll my eyes before pressing my thumb against the middle of his forehead as I inflict a spell upon him.

"Answer my questions." I command him.

He fights against the compulsion but the spell I am doing weakens his mind and doesn't allow him to resist against the compulsion.

"The sireline is broken. With the White Oak we can kill him." Cortez answers and I take a step back, a hand on Henrik's back as I mutter to myself, "You think the sireline is broken."

I spin around and look at him again, "Him who? Who were you going to kill with it?"

"Niklaus' sired are coming for him." Cortez answers and I step back as I mutter, "Niklaus..."

I look at Cortez and see him pull out his phone and I vamp forward but I am too late. By the time my hand is around his heart he had already said into the phone, "Stronger and instantaneous."

I growl out in frustration at his actions but he gives me a bloody smile, "I will die happy, knowing that those coming will seal Niklaus' fate with death."

And with that Cortez fate is sealed as my magic, controlled by my rage at the thought of those coming for Klaus and our family, flows out of me and into him where it burns him up from the inside out. I watch the light fade from his eyes as I pull his heart and crush it in my hand. 

I take a step back and look up at Vincent as I calmly inform him, "Send someone to clean this up. Leave nothing behind."

Vincent says nothing and makes no action to move, instead he stares at me at my chest. I look down, confused, only to see the wrap that is holding Henrik to me covered in blood along with most of my neck and shirt.

"Shit." I mutter.

Kol and Freya stand next to each other by the table in the courtyard that has a map covered in a mixture of the ashes of the letters that Klaus had collected as trophies and his blood while Klaus stands on the other side and watches it all.

The blood starts to break apart into eleven small beads, which scatter across the map but it only showed one bead in New Orleans.

"Behold your greatest hits, Klaus. All over the world. But only one is here. Which means the legion of enemies you were worried about is an army of one." Freya tells Klaus as she gestures to the map.

The three of them watch as the bead flattens before splitting away from itself and joining the other blood beads.

"It seems someone took care of your little problem for you." Kol teases but Klaus doesn't react.

Klaus stares at the map before he lifts his eyes up to meet his siblings as he asks, "Where is Phoebe?"

Elijah walks down the sidewalk in front of the warehouses that sit on the water, heading to the last warehouse that is the one closest to the water. 

After Marcel had found the Stix members dead, Elijah knew where to look but he just hoped that his feeling about this whole thing was wrong because it meant that Marcel had been right about become blind to the things that are right in front of him.

Elijah reaches the door of the warehouse and goes to open it when he stops and stares at it. He finds himself unable to open the doors as he can Phoebe's voice in his head telling him to leave and drop the matter but he can't. Elijah grits his teeth as he fights against the force stopping him and pulls open the doors.

 As soon as he steps foot inside the warehouse, he feels the force that was stopping him disappears which makes him believe that this warehouse is spelled to deter people from coming in here. Elijah looks around the warehouse and sees thousands upon thousands of crates, they were stacked in bunches that were all being sent to different places around the world.

"What in the hell is she doing?" Elijah mutters to himself as he looks over the crates. 

Elijah gets a feeling that something was off about the crates and decides to investigate further as he walks over to the first pile of crates and grabs the lid ready to pull it open. Before Elijah can open them, he hears a sound that stops him in his tracks. 

It was a sound of whimpering, like someone was in pain.

Elijah follows the sound to a corner of the warehouse, where he finds a vampire, another Strix, chained up with slash marks covering his body looking as if the wounds had been infected with werewolf venom while there is dried blood around his nose, ears and eyes.

The vampire looks up at Elijah with pleading eyes, begging for help as he weakly whispers, "Please, end it."

Elijah doesn't say a word or move, he just looks over the vampire as he tries to comprehend what was happening.

"Please, just kill me before they come back." The vampire begs.

Elijah's heart sinks as he wonders what could have happened that he would be begging for Elijah to just end his life instead of freeing him.

Elijah takes a deep breath and approaches the vampire, examining the slash marks on his body. He can tell that the wounds aren't fresh and that the vampire has been suffering for a while. He kneels down next to the vampire and inspects the wounds on his body. 

They were severe, and it was clear that the vampire had been tortured for a long time. 

Elijah couldn't believe that Phoebe could be capable of doing something like this, but the evidence was right in front of him.

"Who did this to you?" Elijah asks the vampire, his voice soft yet firm.

The vampire's eyes widen as he shakes his head at Elijah, "I can't....I can't tell you."

Elijah stands as he tries to comprehend what he had walk into when he hears the doors to the warehouse opening and voices nearing him.

"Please." The vampire begs Elijah quietly but there was no time.

Instead Elijah vamps into the shadows, standing and watching from a spot that gave a clear view of the chained vampire.

As Elijah hides in the shadows, he watches as two figures walk into the warehouse.

Damon and Stefan stand in front of the chained vampire, Damon taunting him while Stefan looked ready to kill him but neither made a move to harm their prisoner so Elijah stayed where he is and watched.

Damon stops speaking and both Salvatore brothers' gaze shift to something behind the crate in front of them. Shaun walks out of the shadows with a devious look on his face as he holds a blade in his hand.

The blade in his hand is familiar to Elijah as it is one of Phoebe's, one of her favourites, which makes Elijah wonder how this stranger got his hands on it.

"I wonder why she never introduced us sooner?" Damon asks him as his smile morphs to a similar one to the one sitting on Shaun's face.

Shaun shrugs at Damon as he answers plainly, "She didn't see a need for us to be work together until this matter."

Shaun had heard many stories about Phoebe's other brothers from Phoebe, Kelsey and even from Ezra, who didn't particularly like him, which made him unenthusiastic to meet and actually be friendly with them but Phoebe need him to deal with this matter and he wasn't one to disappoint her.

Stefan steps forward, his eyes locked on the chained vampire, "What are you waiting for? Do it already."

Shaun rolls his eyes before he turns his gaze to their hostage vampire and grins before drives the werewolf venom laced blade into his heart. The venom would kill him in minutes with no way of stopping it but those minutes would be the most painful moment of this vampires life.

"What is this place?" Damon asks as he looks around at all the crates.

"A hub of sorts," Shaun answers as he wipes the blade clean on the vampire's shirt. "Phoebe uses it to store and transport her...things."

Stefan glosses over Shaun's words as he looks down at the list in his hands, "We have two more to go."

Damon rolls his eyes at Stefan's behaviour, "You are taking all the fun out of this."

Shaun's head snaps as Stefan goes to answer but he stops him as Elijah emerges from the shadows. Shaun grabs the stone that lays around his neck and says a spell at Elijah with his arm raised but nothing happens, instead, Elijah's skin lights up purple as if he is just absorbing the magic that Shaun is using.

Shaun can't believe what he is seeing. 

He had never seen anyone absorb magic like that before. It was like Elijah was a black hole, sucking in everything around him. Shaun's eyes widen in surprise as he takes a step back, his grip on the stone tightening. 

"What kind of magic is this?" he mutters under his breath.

Elijah steps forward, his skin returning to its normal hue. "I suggest you put that stone away before someone gets hurt," he says, his voice smooth as honey. "My wife's magic doesn't work on me anymore."

"Elijah Mikaelson." Shaun mutters as he slips the stone under his shirt again.

"What are you doing here, Elijah?" Damon asks and Elijah raises his eyebrows at him, "I could ask you the same thing. Seeing as how you are meant to be in Mystic Falls waking Elena."

Damon smirks at Elijah's question, "We're here to take care of some revenge on the behalf of Phoebe and our family. But I'm sure you already knew that."

Elijah's expression remains neutral as he turns his gaze to Shaun, "And what is your role in this little endeavor?"

"I am Phoebe's ally," Shaun says, his eyes still fixed on Elijah. "I'm here to help her in any way I can."

"And yet, I have never heard of you." Elijah responds with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"I prefer to keep a low profile," Shaun says coolly, not wanting to reveal too much about himself to Elijah. 

He had heard the stories of the Mikaelsons, the most powerful vampire family in the world. Not matter what Phoebe says about them, he knew he had to tread carefully around them.

Elijah takes a step towards him, "An how exactly do you know Phoebe?"

Shaun swallows as he has two oppositions here, both a variations on the truth. 

Shaun decides on the one with the least follow up questions, "I am her brother. Well technically half brother. We have the same father."

Elijah narrows his eyes at him, "Phoebe's brother from her father's side is dead, she killed him. She told me that herself."

"Yes, she did," Shaun said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "That brother was actually my twin. I am a siphon witch which meant that when it was found out, I was banished from the coven and my home."

Elijah looks down at the dead vampire as he accepts Shaun's answer, "Whatever mission that your sister has put you on, ends right now. The Strix will see this as an act of war and will come after not only you but your sister and my family as well."

Damon chuckles while Shaun wears an amused expression and Stefan looked upset.

"These people were involved in the kidnapping of Phoebe and killing of our mother. If you think for one moment that Phoebe will just leave it be after she watched our mother's heart being ripped from her body then you are sorely mistaken." Stefan says to Elijah, his tone laced with anger.

Elijah's expression remains unchanged as he stares at Stefan, "I understand your anger, Stefan. But revenge will only lead to more bloodshed. Let us handle this in a civilized manner."

Shaun steps forward, his eyes blazing with determination, "I agree with Stefan. Phoebe is not someone who will sit idly by and let those who wronged her go unpunished. Rather it be us doing the killing than Phoebe herself."

"I will speak to Phoebe on this matter but until you hear from either of us, this killing stops before people find out the truth behind them and come for all of you." Elijah states, his tone telling them all that what he said was final.

"Well, Elijah Mikaelson, I don't take orders from you. So unless Phoebe tells me otherwise, I am going to continue." Shaun presses his lips together in defiance as he stares down Elijah.

Damon smirks, "I like this one, he's got spunk."

Stefan shakes his head, "This is not a game, Shaun. The Strix are not to be messed with."

Shaun stands his ground, "I never said it was a game. But I won't let my sister suffer in silence while those responsible for her pain go unpunished. I know the risks, but I am willing to face them."

"She has been our sister shit ton longer than she has yours, so, you don't need to tell us about her suffering." Stefan bites back with a scowl.

Elijah raises a hand, silencing them all, "Enough. This discussion is over for now."

Elijah slips his phone out his pocket and calls Phoebe as Shaun, Damon and Stefan watch him.

It rings for a moment before Phoebe answers the call, "What coincidence, I was just thinking about you," Phoebe says, a hint of amusement in her voice, belying the fury that Elijah knows is brewing beneath the surface.

"Phoebe, there is a matter that needs to be addressed. I believe you know what I am talking about." Elijah's voice is calm and measured.

There is a long pause on the other end of the phone as everything that Phoebe has kept from Elijah runs through her head.

"And what matter would that be?" Phoebe asks carefully, her tone laced with suspicion and wariness.

"The matter of the killings. You cannot continue to take justice into your own hands, Phoebe. It puts all of us at risk." Elijah's voice is firm and commanding.

Phoebe chuckles darkly, "Is that what these murders are being referred to now? Justice? That's rich, Elijah. You have no idea what justice truly means."

"I understand that you are hurting, Phoebe. But this is not the way to handle it. Please, let us help you," Elijah pleads with her, his voice softening.

There's a moment of silence before Phoebe responds, her voice shaking with emotion, "I can't stand by and do nothing, Elijah. Not after what they did to me. Not after what they did to our family."

Elijah sighs out, understanding Phoebe's pain and her need for vengeance, "These killings have to be called off, Phoebe. Please."

Phoebe lets out a defeated sigh, "Fine. Give the phone to Shaun."

Elijah holds the phone out to Shaun and he takes it before putting it to his ear slowly, "Hello?"

Phoebe speaks and Shaun listens, humming in response every now and than before he pulls the phone away from his ear and hands it back to Elijah.

"You have it, Mr Mikaelson. No more Strix killing." Shaun tells Elijah as Elijah takes his phone back from him.

"Good." Elijah comments before looking over at Damon and Stefan, "You two need to go back to Mystic Falls."

Damon and Stefan both raise their eyebrows in surprise, unsure of what Elijah is implying. "Why? What's going on?" Damon asks, his tone suspicious.

"One Salvatore is a handful enough, I don't need you two running around this city as well." Elijah tells them which makes Damon grin widely.

"Technically, Phoebe is a Mikaelson now and fully your problem" Damon tells Elijah as he pats him one the back while walking away, laughing to himself.

Elijah rolls his eyes as Damon walks away, but he knows that he has a point. Phoebe is now a Mikaelson and it's up to them to keep her in check. He turns to Stefan, who is still standing there, looking confused. "Stefan, can I trust that you will keep Damon in check if you plan to stay in town any longer?"

Stefan nods, a serious expression on his face, "Of course, Elijah. I'll make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."

Elijah nods in response before turning to leave, he is almost at the door when Stefan vamps in pace with him.

"Can I speak with you about one other thing?" Stefan asks and Elijah stops walking, looking at Stefan with raised brows, waiting for him to speak.

"It has take me a long time but I finally realized that you and your brother know my sister more than I probably ever will. I have made peace with that but I need help on another matter," Stefan produces the yellow leather bound journal of Phoebe's, "Kelsey told me to find this book and read it if I wanted to know more about my sister and the question mark time in her life. But what I read will haunt me for as long as I live. I need your help, Elijah."

Elijah takes the journal from Stefan and flips through the pages, his expression turning grim as he reads. "I see," he says finally as he shuts the journal suddenly.

Elijah hadn't read it all but he got the basics of it and Stefan could see the discomfort written on his features.

"I know it might seem as if we are invading her privacy but I am starting to figure out that unless pushed Phoebe will never speak about the things that have happened to her. And the witch cave and what's in here-"Stefan taps the journal, "-it's something that she needs to confront. And you and Klaus are the only people who can do that without her cutting you off from her life."

Elijah nods slowly, his eyes fixed on the journal in his hand. "I understand, Stefan. And I agree that Phoebe needs to confront her past. But this is not something we can force her to do. Klaus tried that once and it almost killed her."

Stefan's face falls at the memory of Klaus's attempt to force Phoebe to confront her past.

"Maybe you are right"  Stefan mutters as he looks down at the journal and sighing before looking back up at Elijah and giving him a nod than vamps away to find Damon.

Kol and Freya stand over the map watching, the blood starts heading towards New Orleans as Rebekah, Elijah and Klaus join them in the courtyard and look over the map as the blood begins to move faster.

"This may only be a fraction of our potential enemies." Elijah sighs out before looking up from the map and at his siblings, "But why come now? They must know that by killing Niklaus that they would die as well."

Kol snorts at Elijah as Freya answers him, "Phoebe actually gave us the answer to that. She ran into our adversary that was already in town and he let on that they believe that Davina was able to complete her spell before Phoebe killed him. They think the sireline is broken."

"We don't know all their motivations. Half of these people could want to put the bullet in your heart! End the sire war with the pull of a trigger." Klaus exaclaims upset at the implication that all those who are coming here are only to kill him.

"I have an army devoted to keeping me alive. The only people that care to protect you are standing in this very room." Elijah reminds Klaus as he gives him a serious look while Kol has an internal fight knowing that is the furthest thing from the truth.

There was no way that Phoebe would allow for anyone to come for either of them and with the new information he has, Kol knows that Phoebe has an army of her own but he wonders why she is hiding all this from them. 

He could feel the weight of her secrets, heavy on his mind.

"You're going to run?" Freya asks with a voice of disbelief which brings Kol back into the conversation.

Klaus chuckles, "There was a time when the name Klaus Mikaelson was little more than a rumor. A shadowy figure who cast fear into the very bones of any who heard whisper of him. I don't run, sister. I disappear. And tonight, the three of you are going to make that possible."

"You honestly want me to believe that you are just going to run? To leave us? To leave them?" Kol asks as he gestures to Phoebe who lays asleep on the couch behind them with Hope and Faith asleep on her chest while Henrik is also asleep in his stroller which Phoebe's hand is gripping onto.

They all watch them for a moment before Phoebe's hand tightens around the stroller and her face pulls into one of anguish which makes Elijah takes a step forward, ready to take his son and wake Phoebe if her nightmare continued. 

They all watched as Faith's hand glows red as she holds onto Phoebe, taking her magic as Hope grips onto Phoebe tighter as well, her little face a perfect copy of her mother's in that moment.

"Kol is right. Phoebe won't leave any of her children, especially not Henrik. Not after everything that happened with Hope and Faith. And she won't take Henrik from Elijah either." Rebekah informs them.

Klaus looks at each of his siblings, contemplating their words. He knew they were right, but he also knew that staying here would only bring more danger to their doorstep. He turns his gaze back to Phoebe, studying her sleeping form for a moment before nodding his head in silent agreement.

"You're right. Phoebe won't leave then I will just have to leave without her," he declares.

Kol shakes his head in disbelief, "You're abandoning us? Your family? Your children?"

"I'm not abandoning anyone. I'm ensuring their safety," Klaus replies firmly.

Rebekah steps forward, her voice softening, "Klaus, you don't have to do this alone. We can help you. You don't have to disappear completely."

Klaus smiles at his sister, "I know, Rebekah. And you will be, by getting rid of the problems that come for me and making sure that Phoebe and my daughters are safe."

Elijah, who had been quiet until now, finally speaks up, "But where will you go?"

"Not sure yet. But I won't stop driving 'til I am absolutely certain that I am safe."

Freya nods her head, "Okay let's do this." Freya says as she spare a glance towards the map.

Klaus hugs Elijah goodbye and gives Freya a kiss on the cheek before gesturing toward Elijah with his head, "Keep him in line, would you, sister?"

Freya nods, and Klaus walks down the stairs and into the courtyard with his bag in hand as Hope and Faith go running to him, wrapping themselves around his leg.

Klaus smiles down at his daughters, his heart aching at the thought of leaving them behind. He kneels down to their level and pulls them into a tight embrace, breathing in their sweet scent as tears threaten to spill from his eyes.

"Daddy has to go away for a little while, my princesses," he tells them, his voice choked with emotion. "But I promise, I'll be back soon. And when I come back, we'll have a grand adventure together, just the three of us."

Hope and Faith nod, their wide eyes filled with confusion and sadness. Klaus places a gentle kiss on their foreheads before standing up and turning to face Phoebe who has a slight frown on her face.

"Phoebe," Klaus begins, taking a step closer to her. "I want you to know that I'm doing this to keep you and our daughters safe."

Phoebe sighs out and moves closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest. "I know, Klaus. But that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye."

Klaus holds her tightly, his heart breaking at the thought of leaving the love of his life behind. Phoebe reaches up and pulls him into a kiss, pouring all of her love and affection into it. Klaus reciprocates, his hands running through her hair as they deepen the kiss, trying to imprint every sensation into his memory.

As they pull away, Klaus gazes into her eyes, "I'll be back before you know it. And when I do, I promise to make it up to you in every way possible."

Phoebe nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'll hold you to that."

Klaus leaves the compound as Phoebe picks up the twins to stop them from running after him as Elijah, who is holding Henrik, and Freya watch them with a slight sad smile.

Klaus climbs into his car, throwing his bag into the back seat when the passenger door to the car opens and Ezra climbs in.

Klaus turns to him, surprised by Ezra's sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

Ezra lets out a low laugh as he answers, "You didn't honestly believe that Phoebe would let go away alone, did you?"

"I don't need company. Get out of my car before I makes you."

Ezra shakes his head as he buckles his seatbelt around him while he answers, "No offense man but Phoebe scares me a whole lot more than you do."

Klaus rolls his eyes, grumbling under his breath before he looks up and locks eyes with Phoebe who is watching him with concern while holding their daughters. He gives her a nod, a small smile playing on his lips before he turns on the ignition and drives off with Ezra by his side

Kol and Kelsey walk through the Quarter together when someone bumps into Kelsey with a force that causes her to stumble. Kol immediately steps in front of her, his eyes darkening with anger at the man as he walks away from them, not looking back.

Kol looks at Kelsey but she doesn't react like Kol expected, there was no anger on her face instead annoyance as she stares down at a paper in her hands. 

Kol brows scrunch together in confusion before he asks, "What's wrong?"

Kelsey lets out a sigh as she answers, "We are being followed."

Kol looks around at this news, scouring the area for anyone suspicious but comes up empty so he looks back at Kelsey with a raised brow, "Why do you think we are being followed?" Kol asks.

Kelsey rolls her eyes as she stuffs her paper into her pocket, "You already know how. Ezra told me that he told you everything." Kelsey answers as she grabs Kol's arm and pulls him to start walking again.

Kol wraps his arm around Kelsey before vamping into one of the abandoned side roads, pulling her with him.

"So that guy who bumped into you is some from your weird secret group?"

Kelsey nods, "Yes, one of them, but he's not the only one. There are more. They've been following all of us for quite some time now."

Kol looks around with a growl escaping his lips, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't know until a week ago. Phoebe set it up, she wanted to make sure that we were all safe." Kelsey responds as she leans into Kol's embrace, feeling safer with him by her side.

Two girls stumble down the alley, their neck filled with beads as they giggle between themselves. Kelsey watches them and she is hit by an intense hunger which makes her vampire eyes show. Kol looks after the girls before back at Kelsey as he smirks at her.

"Shall we?" Kol asks as he gestures towards them which makes Kelsey grin before she pulls herself from him and vamps after the girls.Kelsey grabs one of the girls and Kol grabs the other.

Both of them compel them to be quiet before they bite into the girls necks, drinking their blood.

Kol and Kelsey drink deeply from the girls, savoring the taste of their sweet blood. Kelsey's eyes roll back in her head as she drinks deeply, relishing in the feeling of power that comes with it. Kol's own eyes darken as he drinks, his grip on the girl's neck tightening until she goes limp in his arms.

Once they've had their fill, they both drop the lifeless bodies to the ground, satisfied and full.

Kelsey wipes her mouth and smirks at Kol when a familiar voice intrudes on them, "There was never any hope for you, brother."

Kol turns his head backwards and gapes in horror when he sees Finn, in his original body, standing before him.

"Finn Mikaelson." Kelsey says with a slight smirk, "Phoebe is looking for you."

Finn chuckles, his eyes glinting with a smug look, "Is she now?"

Kol steps forward and blocks Kelsey from Finn's view, his eyes blazing with anger. "What do you want, Finn?" he growls.

Finn tilts his head to the side, studying Kol with a smirk on his face. "Oh, just passing through, brother. Am hoping for some help from our sister in fact."

Kol's eyes move from Finn to something behind him but before Finn can look behind him, his neck is snapped and his body drops to the floor.

"I had that handled, Shaun" Kelsey says with a hint of annoyance.

"I am sure you did but I just gave some woman a object for Phoebe to find this man," Shaun kicks Finn lightly, " So when I saw him, I thought why not take him out and save Phoebe the trouble."

Kol scowls at Shaun as he takes a step towards Kelsey, not liking how he was looking at her. Kol doesn't care who this man may think he is or he was related to, he didn't like him and he didn't trust him.

"We should get him back to the compound, to Phoebe, before he wakes." Kol mutters as he slings his brother over his shoulder.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that. My magic might not be as strong as Phoebe's but I have few tricks of my own." Shaun says which makes Kol's scowl deepen.

"A problem with this plan." Kelsey says aloud which brings both the men's attention to her, "Phoebe isn't at home. She and Elijah are going after some lead about those who that are trying to kill Klaus." Kelsey points out, reminding Kol.

A jazz band music drifts through the bar as Elijah plays on the piano while I sit at bar watching him with a smile with a drink in my hand. Elijah has his two Strix bodyguards while I have none as they refuse to work with me, not that I mind as it's easier to do things when not being constantly watched.

Elijah lifts his eyes from the piano and meets mine as as they do, they soften as a slight sadness and frustration graces his features, in a way that no other would notice unless you had spent hours studying Elijah, which makes my own smile falter.

A well dressed man sits down next to me, pulling out his phone to make a call and as soon as he begins to speak I know this is the man that we are looking for.

"I've waited long enough for my shot at Klaus Mikaelson. If anyone's gonna take him down, it's gonna be me." The man says which makes my smile disappear altogether as I stare into my glass before glance back at Elijah who is still watching the man.

My anger getting the best of me, I flick my wrist and the man's drink spills off the bar and all over his pants, causing him to jump up in surprise.

He huffs before leaving the club as a waitress walks towards Elijah's bodyguards but as she trips, she misses and instead of spilling her drinks on them, she and the drinks land on the floor in front of them. But it is still enough of a distraction for Elijah to get away from tweedle dee and tweedle dum.

Once they notice Elijah gone, they move to go after him while I turn back to the bar with my drink in hand but before they make it out the door I lift my hand and close my hand into a fist.

As they meet the sun, their bodies start to burn making them scramble back into the club as I had disabled their daylight rings. The both look at each and at their rings confused as I my phone buzzes with a message which makes me release the spell in order to fish it out of my pocket.

I read the message and let out a sigh before finishing off my drink. Cami slips into the seat next to me before placing a vial in front of me, a black sticky liquid sloshes inside it. 

"What's this?" I ask, eyeing the vile with suspicion.

"It's what you asked for," Cami replies, a hint of hesitation in her voice.

I nod as I pocket it before turning to her, "Turns out we won't be needing it." I tell her as I get to my feet and she follows me out of the club.

I walk into the compound with Cami trailing behind me, only to be meet by a group of Strix members standing between Lucien and Freya as Lucien tries to sweet talk Freya.

"The question isn't what I want-- it's whom. See, I've known the Mikaelsons for one thousand years. But you, Freya, are a new variable, and I can't help but find myself intrigued." Lucien say to her as he present to her a bouquet of colorful flowers which makes me roll my eyes as I scoff and walk past him and the Strix, who all tense up when they see me.

"First thing, you haven't known the Mikaelsons for one thousand years. You knew them for a couple years, a thousand years ago. Get it right. And they have changed in that time. Secondly, trying to sweet talk Freya with flowers is just embarrassing." I say, as I walk up to them, Cami following close behind me.

"No one changes that much, especially not Klaus Mikaelson," Lucien retorts, a smug smile on his face.

"Oh, well in that case, let me introduce you to a little thing called growth and evolution. Maybe you should try it sometime," I reply with a smirk as I step closer to him, the Strix members tensing up even more.

Lucien's expression turns sour as he glares at me which makes me smile smugly, "Now if you will excuse us, me, Freya and Cami have an less annoying problem to deal with," I say, grabbing Freya's hand and pulling her away from Lucien and the Strix members.

As we walk through the compound, Freya turns to me with a curious expression, "What was that all about?" she asks.

"That was just Lucien being his usual pompous self," I reply with a shrug. "He's trying to get under our skin, but he's not going to succeed."

Freya nods in understanding, but I can see a hint of worry in her eyes. "Do you really think he's a threat?" she asks, her voice laced with concern.

I stop in my tracks and turn to face her, placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Freya, Lucien Castle is always a threat even when he seems as if he is helping. The only thing Lucien cares about is power. Power and revenge."

Freya's eyes widen as I speak, and I can see the realization dawning on her face.

"Come on, there is someone waiting on us who will probably cheer the both of you up." I say as continue walking, head for Klaus' art studio.

I push the door open and march in to find Finn tied to a chair, passed out as Kol and Kelsey watch him and Shaun stands in the corner of the room, sipping one a drink.

I sigh as Freya and Cami gasp seeing Finn in such a state. 

"What happened here?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Kol got a little carried away with his revenge plan," Shaun chuckles, taking another sip of his drink.

I shake my head at him before turning back to Finn. "Kol, untie him. We're not barbarians," I say firmly, gesturing towards Finn with a stern gaze.

Kol grumbles but does as he's told, untying Finn and stepping away from him with a smug expression on his face.

Shaun walks up to me and says to me quietly, "Kol has it out for his brother."

"And for good reason. Watching the man you love die hurts and because of Finn, Kelsey watched Kol die twice." I inform him and he hums.

"Anyway I could persuade you to stay in town for awhile longer. Klaus gone, enemies are flooding the city and I would feel better if I knew someone else was watching over the twins." I ask him quietly.

Shaun takes a long swig of his drink and looks at me thoughtfully. "Whatever you want, you got it. I may not be a Mikaelson or a Salvatore but I am still loyal and willing to help in anyway I can. I owe you for saving my life." he says with a small smile.

I nod in gratitude while Shaun's smile turns to a grin, "You know a top up from your magic would make me a hell of lot more stronger."

I roll my eyes before lifting my hand and he takes it with a triphumy grin, siphoning my some of my magic. I feel a jolt of energy leave my body and enter Shaun's, and I can see the power surging through him. He laughs, his eyes glowing with magic as he revels in the feeling.

"I love your magic." Shaun says with a grin as he looks at his hand as the purple dies from his veins.

I let out a sigh of relief as he finishes siphoning, feeling a bit drained but knowing that it's worth it to have someone stronger to help protect the twins.

"Thank you," I say, giving him a small smile.

Shaun nods, his eyes shining with the power he's just absorbed.

Elijah and Rebekah, who is holding Henrik, join us in the room which makes Shaun slink back and disappear out the room without anyone noticing. I move and take Henrik from Rebekah before moving towards the others and sitting down on the couch before lifting Shaun's sleeping spell.

Finn wakes up with a gasp as I grab a blanket from off the couch and drape it over me, getting ready to feed Henrik while Kol, Finn, Rebekah and Freya bicker.

As I begin to nurse Henrik, I can feel the tension in the room. 

The Mikaelsons were always a family prone to conflict, but with Klaus gone, it seemed like they were at each other's throats more than ever. The constant fighting and danger that surrounds us all is starting to take its toll. 

I close my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to ground myself and regain my strength.

Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder which makes me open my eyes to see Elijah looking down at me with concern but I give him a smile in return.

"You had another?" Finn says to me while makes me snap my glaze to him.

"I did." I answer while Finn watches the wrapped up Henrik.

"You had another. Where are Klaus' other offspring?" Finn says as if coming to an conclusion.

"Hope and Faith are with Hayley. It's a full moon this weekend and they spend everyone with the pack." I explain slowly with narrowed eyes.

"But Henrik isn't Klaus', he is Elijah's" I correct Finn.

Finn looks surprised by the information but the look quickly shifts into a softened one of sadness as he mutter, "His name is Henrik?"

I nod my head, noticing the sudden change in Finn's demeanor. He looks like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I can't help but wonder what's going through his mind.

"Yes. Me and Elijah decided to name him after your brother, in his memory" I say softly, hoping to ease the tension in the room. 

But instead of easing the tension, my words seem to make it worse.

Kol stands up abruptly, his eyes blazing with anger. "What is it that you want, Finn?"

"You doubt my intentions, Kol. So by all means, let's discuss our family quarrels. I believe we're long overdue." Finn answers, his voice steady and calm despite Kol's obvious agitation

Kol scoffs. "You always were the righteous one, weren't you? Always so quick to judge and condemn."

"I'm not here to judge, brother. But I can't help but notice the tension in this room. And I think it's time we address it before it tears this family apart."

Elijah's phone rings and he grabs it before stepping aside to answer it while mine buzzes next to me lightly. I read the message for Josh before rolling my eyes and forwarding it to Kelsey, making sure to keep her informed on the movements of the vampires under her control. 

Josh came to me earlier in the day claiming that white oak was being auctioned off but with a roll of my eyes, I told him to handle it as I already knew the truth about the white oak.

"The only things that tore this family apart is you, our parents and Niklaus," Kol retorts bitterly. "You were always so quick to turn your back on us, to side with our parents and condemn Niklaus for his actions. You were never there for us when we needed you most."

Finn's expression sours as he listens to Kol's words. "I did what I thought was best for our family," he says, his voice laced with regret.

Kol scoffs again. "You mean you did what you wanted to do. You always were mother's favourite. The golden child, the sacrificial lamb."

Finn's eyes flash with anger at Kol's words. "That's not true. I did what I had to do to protect our family."

"Protect our family?" Kol sneers. "You killed me! I am your family and you killed me for deciding that fighting against our family wasn't something I wanted anymore!"

"You deserved what you got." Finn sneers which seems to tip Kol over the edge as he vamps across the room at Finn but Freya gets to her feet and stands between them, trying to stop them from attacking each other. 

I sigh out, having had enough of this bickering but don't move as I turn my attention to Henrik instead. I see Kelsey vamp from the corner of my eyes and when I look back up, Kelsey is holding Freya and Cami far from Kol and Finn as those two take a swing at each other.

Each get a few good hits in on each other before Elijah rejoins us and Rebekah sits down next to me, ignoring her brothers as her full attention is on Henrik as I pull him off my boob.

Soon after that Lucien vamps into the room, pulling Kol off Finn and pinning him against the wall instead. I hand Henrik to Rebekah before vamping across the room but Kelsey beats me to it, grabbing Lucien and pulling him off Kol while Cami vamps from her spot to Finn to help him up, her concern evident on her face.

I watch as the scene unfolds before me, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration at my family's antics. They never could handle their emotions without resorting to violence. 

Although I  can't say that I am any better.

Finn reassures Cami while Kol pulls Kelsey into his arms, forcing her to let go of Lucien.

"Behave yourselves, all of you! Particularly considering we'll be confined here together for the foreseeable future."

"What does that mean?" Kol questions.

"You see, Niklaus isn't the only one who's inspired revenge fantasies. Right now, we are all at risk. I recommend we dispense with the posturing and get down to some good, old-fashioned family bonding."

Kol sighs out in frustration as I get a flicker of an image of Josh flashing across my mind, him being beaten harshly. 

I lock eyes with Kelsey and she seems to pick up my distress and slips out the room before anyone can notice.

Sofya turns and walks away as her vampires start to beat Josh viciously. They all seem to be enjoying it, their faces twisted in sadistic pleasure as they take turns landing blows on his body.

Suddenly two by two the vampires are picked off of Josh until there is only two left. When the last two remaining notice there fellow vampires gone, they stop their assault in search of them but it's too late.

Josh spits a mouthful of blood onto the white carpet before looking up at them with a bloody smile.

"Oh, don't you guys know bullies never win?" Josh says.

Kelsey appears in front of the two of them, wiping the blood from their now dead friends from her face.

"You know better than to mess with those who have wear a mark such as his. My friends." she growls, her eyes glowing with an inner fire as she recognize one of the vampires standing in front of her..

The two vampires snarl and lunge at her,but Kelsey is too quick for them. She sidesteps their attack and lands a swift blow to each of their heads, knocking them out cold.

Breathing heavily, Kelsey wipes the blood from her knuckles and turns to Josh, who is lying on the ground.

"Get up, Josh. You should have contacted me before walking into this trap." Kelsey says with a shake of her head as she offers him a hand.

Josh takes her hand and pulls himself up, wincing in pain as he stands.

"I didn't know they were going to jump me like this. I was just trying to get some information for Marcel, I thought I was safe." Josh explains as Kelsey helps him to his feet.

Kelsey shakes her head. "No one is safe in this world, Josh. You know that. it's why you joined us, why you and your boyfriend got the mark in the first place."

Josh nods, wincing again as he touches his side where one of the vampires had kicked him. "I know, it's just...I didn't expect it to be like this. I thought we could handle it."

"Yeah well I don't need Aiden bothering Ezra when he is busy, so run things through me from now on. Doesn't matter now though. Where is the one in charge of these buffoons?" Kelsey says as she scans the area.

Josh swallows before nodding in the direction that Sofya disappeared in. Kelsey nods as Vincent and Marcel enter the room, looking at all the bodies confused. Kelsey steps over the two unconscious vampires and leans down to rip their hearts out before heading the direction that Josh gestured too.

Marcel walks over to Josh and checks him over as he asks," How did Kelsey know you were in trouble?"

Josh says nothing as rings his hand up and rubs his right shoulder, where his black bird mark sits.

Marcel nods knowingly as he helps Josh to his feet. "The marks have a way of communicating with each other. They're a powerful tool that Phoebe posses to keep us safe. Or at least that is what I have been told." Josh explains to Marcel.

"And what is the cost of getting the mark? Huh? I mean from everything you have told me, it seems to good to be true." Marcel questions as they make their way towards Kelsey.

"The cost is different for everyone. For me, it was a deal with Phoebe. After she brought Aiden back to life, she offered us both a deal. I carry on doing what I have been doing, informing her of things that have been happening and Aiden watch over the twins when they are with the pack while making sure that Ezra is informed of everything in the pack and we would be set for life, need for nothing. Or we go on our way and we break communications, be on our own. The choice was easy, is easy. So, we agreed and she gave us the mark. Sometimes it's easy things like that but other times.... Kelsey introduced me to another when I first got the mark, she had to give up everything close to her then endured weeks of trials and tests before she was deemed worthy of receiving the mark but to be fair she reached out to Phoebe to join in the first place. It all depends on the situation that you find yourself in."

Marcel nods before looking over to where Kelsey had disappeared in, wondering what Kelsey's price was.

Kelsey yanks open the door of the car, wrapping Sofya's hair in hand as she drags her from the car and chucking her at her feet.

Sofya stares up at Kelsey, fear and confusion evident in her eyes. Kelsey towers over her, her expression cold and calculating. "You made a big mistake coming after someone under my protection," Kelsey says, her voice low and dangerous. "I don't like it when people mess with my people."

Sofya tries to scramble to her feet, but Kelsey vamps over and grabs her by the hair, pulling her back down. "You're not going anywhere," she hisses. "Phoebe wants you questioned and dealt with."

Sofya struggles against Kelsey's grip, but even though she had a few hundred years on Kelsey, she can't break free of her hold.

Marcel watches in horror as Kelsey mercilessly drags Sofya across the concrete pavement and throws her against the wall. The wall breaks and bricks fall while a crack sounds out as Sofya's skull cracks.

He steps forward, ready to intervene, but Josh places a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"I don't get paid enough to die." She says as Kelsey release her hold on Sofya.

"The person who pays you got a name?" Marcel questions her as he vamps next to Kelsey.

Sofya gives him a look that says, 'Seriously?'.

"You don't understand. If I give you his name, I'm as good as dead. And, now that you've gotten in his way... So are you."

Kelsey chuckles darkly at Sofya threat as she squats down in front of her. "Oh, darling. You don't know who you're messing with," Kelsey says, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "We're not afraid of anyone."

Marcel watches as Kelsey takes Sofya by the chin, forcing her to look into her eyes. "You'll answer Marcel's questions or I phone my boss and I can promise that mine is a whole lot worse than yours."

Sofya's eyes widen with fear as she knows that Kelsey is not bluffing.

As I close the door slightly with a sleeping Henrik inside, Kol comes storming past me and in the direction of my study, with furrowed brows, I follow after him. I find him in my study, huffing in frustration as he rummages through my my magical objects.

I gently close the door behind me and lean against it as Kol stops all movements but keeps his back turned to me.

"Something- wrong Kol?" I asked him softly.

Kol turns around to face me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain.

"He cursed me to die, Phoebe. Slowly. I died in front of her again! And it is Finn's fault!" Kol pauses as he takes some breathes while I stand there, saying nothing but listening intently.

"And now they want to just let him and Cami hop bodies to run off to have his happily ever after. How is that fair?! How is that their decision to make?!"

I walk over to Kol and place a comforting hand on his shoulder with a serious expression, "What do you want to do then? You name it I will make it happen, Kol. I am with you."

Kol glances up at me, his eyes burning with determination.

"I want to make Finn suffer like I have. I want to give him the same agony that I feel every time I close my eyes and see the look that Kelsey wore as she held me while I died, for a second time, in her arms."

Kol pause and locks eyes with me, they filled with hate and rage but that all masks the sorrow behind it. 

"And I want to stop him from switching bodies. Keep him trapped in the body that he hates so much." he says through gritted teeth.

I nod in agreement, understanding the pain Kol is going through. "Consider it done."

Kol sits in the upstairs living room with a drink in hand as he stares into the fire in front of him when Elijah strolls into the room and stops, staring at his brother with suspicion. Elijah walks around the couch and lean against the fireplace, his eyes taking in every detail of the expression that Kol is currently wearing.

"Whatever it is you're planning...? Don't." Elijah says in a warning tone.

Kol hums in return before pulling his eyes from the fire to meet Elijah's.

"Whatever do you mean, brother?"

Elijah narrows his eyes at Kol, "I mean exactly what I said. I can see the look on your face and I know that look all too well. It often precedes one of your more... impulsive decisions."

Kol snorts before taking a sip of his drink, "You make me sound so predictable, Elijah."

Elijah raises an eyebrow, "You are."

Kol chuckles before setting his drink down and standing up to face Elijah.

"I assure you, brother, my plan is far from impulsive. It's well thought out and calculated," Kol says with a hint of mischief in his voice.

Elijah remains skeptical, "And what is this plan of yours?"

Kol leans in closer to Elijah, a mischievous glint in his eye, "Your wife."

Phoebe stands in the shadows of the courtyard and watches Cami and Finn as they sit and talk, laughing every now and then. Phoebe pulls out her phone and sends off a text to Cami.

Cami's phone buzzes in her pocket and she takes it out with a smile. She reads the text from Phoebe and her smile drops, a scowl taking its place before she excuses herself from Finn and vamps upstairs, leaving Finn alone. 

Phoebe steps out of the shadows and Finn freezes in his actions before slowly lifting his head to see her.

"Phoebe," he says, surprise evident in his voice.

Phoebe step forward, a sly smile on her lips, "Hello, Finn."

"What are you doing here?" he asks, his voice laced with suspicion.

"In my own home?" Phoebe smirks, "I believe I have every right to be here."

Finn stands up from his seat, looking at Phoebe with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"Why are you hiding in the shadows then?" he says, crossing his arms over his chest.

Phoebe shrugs nonchalantly, "I came for you."

Phoebe vamps forward and grabs Finn, using her magic to transport both of them to her study.

Phoebe releases Finn and he staggers backwards, only to find himself in a rune circle etched into the floor. He looks up at Phoebe with a mix of confusion and fear.

"What the hell is going on?" Finn demands, trying to break free from the circle.

 Phoebe stands outside the circle, watching him with a smirk.

"Isn't obvious?" Phoebe says, her eyes never leaving Finn. "I hear you have been plotting. Wanting to steal the body of another witch."

Phoebe raise her hand and Finn drops to his knees as he screams in agony from the spell.

As Finn writhes in pain, Phoebe steps closer, her eyes glowing with power. "Don't pretend like you didn't know this was coming," she says. "You hurt Kol and came after my daughters. You had to know that I wouldn't let you run around unchecked forever."

Finn tries to speak, but the pain is too much. Phoebe leans down, her face close to his. "I could kill you now," she whispers. "But I won't, it's not what he wants. Kol want you to suffer for what you've done."

Finn grits his teeth, trying to fight the pain that courses through his body. Phoebe surveys him with a cold expression before raising her hand again, causing Finn to cry out in agony once more.

Phoebe shakes her head before taking a step back and starts chanting out a spell. The shirt on the right side of his chest charres as the sound of sizzling echoes through the courtyard.

Finn continues to scream as Phoebe continues to etch a brand onto his flesh. She smiles once she finishes the spell as Finn tries to break free from the circle.

"That will hurt for a while," she says, her voice almost sing-song.

Finn stops his struggling and lays on the floor as he pants, trying to recover when he looks down to see the brand.

"What have you done to me?" Finn pants out as his gazes move to Phoebe who stands outside of the circle, watching him.

Phoebe gives him a wicked smirk as she kneels down next to him and tells him, "Get comfy, Finn. I just locked you in the body you hate so much. You are stuck with it for a very, very long time."

Finn gasps at his words, unable to process the information. "You can't do that," he manages to say, but he knows that she can.

"Watch me," she says, her voice filled with danger. 

She stands up but as she does, her finger wipes the chalk away which breaks the seal of spell that is holding Finn within the circle. Finn vamps forward at her and pins her against the wall in a chokehold with a look of enragement which makes Phoebe laugh out.

Finn's hold on Phoebe isn't for long as he is ripped off of her and slammed against the wall be Elijah, who had arrived just in time to stop the fight.

"Finn, what the hell is going on?" Elijah asks, his eyes flickering between Finn and Phoebe.

Phoebe stands up and brushes herself off before turning to face Elijah. "I was just teaching Finn a lesson," she says, her voice smooth and unwavering.

"What have you done?" Elijah asks, his voice booming with anger.

"He deserves it," Phoebe says, her tone defiant.

"We do not take matters into our own hands, Phoebe," Elijah replies, his eyes flickering with rage.

Finn struggles against Elijah's hold, but Elijah slams him against the wall again, the rage turning to Finn, "I don't care what she did, you don't lay a hand on her unless you want me to tear you apart. Brother or not."

Finn glares at Phoebe, who is standing there with a look of pure satisfaction on her face before he whirls towards her, "I hate you," he snarls at her.

"I don't really care," she says tilting her head to the side.

Elijah throws Finn to the other side of the room to put space between him and Phoebe as Freya and Lucien as well as  Cami join them. Cami vamps over and helps Finn to his face with worry written all over face as Freya looks between Phoebe, Kol and Finn confused as she tries to figure out what was happening. While Lucien eyes stay on Phoebe as her magic flitters around her hands, her magic staying right on the surface.

Elijah takes a step towards Phoebe, "Tell me that you didn't," he says as he notices the brand on Finn's chest.

"I agreed with Kol, Finn needed to punished. So, I have trapped him in the very body that he hates so much." Phoebe snarls.

"You think that I really care about anything that you have to say? I'd rather die than be stuck in this body. I'll do whatever I can to get out of it," Finn says, his blue eyes narrowed and his lips curled up into a snarl.

"Seeing as I have the only white oak, I don't see that happening." Phoebe says with a wide grin but Elijah pales slightly at her words.

Elijah pulls something out of his pocket and holds it out for everyone to see. In his fingers it looks like a wooden bullet, the same that Aurora had made which makes Phoebe look at him confused.

"Marcel has paid us a visit. The last remaining white oak in the world or at least I thought so." Elijah says, locking eyes with Phoebe but she just shrug in return.

Lucien frowns and watches Elijah intently while Finn watches the bullet, wondering what his brother is going to do with it.

Phoebe rolls her eyes before flexing her fingers which send the bullet flying from Elijah's hand and into hers.

"NO!" Finn yells as Phoebe says, "Incendia."

The bullet is engulfed in flames but she keeps holding it as she addresses those in the courtyard, " This wasn't white oak. It was a bullet Aurora made from the fake knight statue which means it was made from plain wood. It couldn't kill any Original."

With that said Phoebe storms upstairs to go check in on Henrik and put some distance between her and the Mikaelsons.

I walk through the cemetery as witches litter it, staring at me as I pass but say and do nothing. Freya is watching Henrik while the others are doing whatever the hell they are doing which gave me a moment to myself to do this. 

I stop in front of a tomb with Davina's name engraved on it and I let out a tiny sigh as I run my fingers across it. I close my eyes and a whisper leaves me lips which is carried by the wind away from me as I feel the energy shift around me. 

When I open my eyes again, Davina stands next to me with tears stream down her face along side blood. I say nothing and make no movement to face her fully as I listen her plead to me while my hand rests on the stone.

"Phoebe...help me. Help me come back." She cries and I hear the desperation in her voice as she begins to sob. "The ancestors are so angry with me, for failing, for going against them at times. They are after me."

"I am angry with you too, Davina." I whisper out at her as I rest my head against the stone.

I lift my hand and finally look at her, sadness and anger bubbling in my eyes as I do, "I thought you were my friend, Davina. After everything I did for you, after I warned you not to go against my family, you still worked with the Strix to cause harm to my family! How can I know that if I bring you back that you won't just continue to try kill them?"

"No...no I won't." She says with a shaky voice.

With sorrow filled eyes, I lean over and place my other hand on the side of her head as my magic connected with her spirit.

"I need the truth, Davina." I say to her and I feel the magical connection take place.

"Would you come after my family if I brought you back?" I ask her and watch as she struggles to answer, as she fights against my magic, not wanting to give the truthful answer.

"My stance would not change. Them Mikaelsons deserve to be punished, they deserve to die." She whimpers out as more blood and tears stream out of her.

"Damn it." I mutter to myself as I take my hands off of her and I take a step back from her.

"I always thought that you were different from those before you in your coven but your behaviour is exactly the same. You get stuck in the past, hung up on all the bad things that people have done in the past that it doesn't even occur to you that they might have changed from who they use to be. Your ancestors are so tied up in their own ideals and hatred that they forget that they are not without innocent blood on their hands as well." I pause as I look to her, "Do you think that I deserve to be punished as well? I mean I have just as much blood on my hands as Klaus or Elijah, probably more."

"No...no you don't..." She says as she looks to me.

"Because your ancestors did, I am sure they still do. It's why they order the witches lock me in that cave. Their need to punish me is the reason that when I close my eyes I can hear my own screams along with the constant whispers of every bad thing that has happened to me." I pause as I look around the cemetery, at all the witches graves as I see the familiar names around me.

"Yeah, maybe I did somethings that wasn't exactly right but I didn't deserve what happened to me. I am always in that cave, trapped with my own demons because of it. But you Davina, you had a chance to break free from the cycle of hatred and violence that your coven has been stuck in for centuries. You had a chance to make a difference, to change things for the better. But you chose to cling onto the past and let it consume you to the point where you couldn't see the good in anyone anymore."

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling a sense of exhaustion wash over me. The last few days had been nothing but draining.

"You tried to kill my family. My friends. And if you won't change, I can't let you back. I won't bring you back, Davina. I'm sorry, but you've left me with no other choice." I say, I feel a tear run down my face.

"What, Phoebe?! Wait, You can't-" Davina starts to try stop me but she is cutoff as I remove my hand from her tombstone, breaking the connection.

I stare at her name for a moment longer before I lean forward and place a kiss against it. 

"I am so sorry."I mumble out before I turn away from her, leaving her to her fate. 

It's a difficult decision to make, but it's one that needs to be done to protect the family I have made for myself.

As I walk out the cemetery, my phone buzz which makes me stop walking as I pull out my phone. I see Kelsey's name and I wipe the tears away before I answer the phone.

"What's up, Kelsey?"

I walk into Marcel's old apartment across the river and I huff out as I remember how much I hated this damn place.

"Can we get on with this so I can leave this death trap." I call out when I see Josh, Vincent, Marcel and Kelsey all crowd around someone. 

They all turn and look at me with a mix of relief and worry on their faces before they move out the way to reveal a woman that I haven't seen before. She is tied down on a chair with vervain soaked ropes with a bucket full of vervain and water under her seat to keep her weakened.

"Is this she? The one who seems immune to magic and won't speak?" I question as I step forward towards her. 

The woman's eyes dart up to me, and I can see a flicker of fear in them. I relax my eyes and look on her aura to tell her age and exactly what is protecting her against Vincent's magic. She is older than me by quite a bit, close to Delilah's age rather. I hum to myself as I walk past the others and straight to her as my eyes dance over her, taking in everything.

As I got closer to her, I could feel the waves of magic emanating from her body, but it was different from the kind of magic I was used to. It was almost as old as she is and it made me wonder about her history.

I put my hand on her forehead, and I could feel the resistance as I pushed into her mind. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered before, but I knew what I was doing and I would get the answers I needed.

"Who are you?" I asked her, my voice low and commanding, but not unkind.

She didn't respond, but I didn't need her to. Her aura spoke volumes about her story. I could see that she had been through a lot, perhaps even more than I had. 

The scars on her soul were deep and jagged, but she carried herself with a sense of dignity and pride that was rare to find.

"I'm impressed but you have information I need, so, your protection needs to go." I tell her before grabbing both of her hands and sending my magic through her body, breaking through the powerful barrier that was protecting her. 

The woman gasped in pain, but I didn't relent until the barrier was completely destroyed.

"Now tell me, who are you?" I repeated my question, more intense than before.

The woman looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and anger as her mind forces her to answer, "Sofya Voronova."

I smile at her as I take a step back, "My compulsion seems to be working. I think my magic beat whatever protection she had."

As I step back, I look at Sofya with renewed interest.

"Who do you work for?" I ask her, as the answer to that question is my only real interest in all this.

Sofya struggles as she tries to fight my compulsion, but she eventually gives in and answers, "I work for the highest bidder."

I raise an eyebrow at her response. "That's not a particularly satisfying answer, Sofya," I say, my voice low and menacing. "Who is the highest bidder in this case?"

Sofya hesitates for a moment before answering, "Kingmaker Land Development Inc."

"Lucien." I growl out before spinning on my heels and storm towards the door but not before exchanging a look with Kelsey, telling her to deal with the current matter as I dealt with the other.

I could feel the anger boiling inside me as I made my way outside. Too built up to go after Lucien, I stopped moving as I could feel the magic coursing through my veins, ready to be unleashed at any moment. I needed to calm down before I did something I would regret.I look around before screaming out, trying to ease my emotions and get rid of pent-up magic.

The sound echoed through the empty alleyway, bouncing off the brick walls and back to my ears. But it wasn't enough to quell the rage that consumed me. I needed something more physical. Something to release my energy.

Without thinking, I raised my hand and aimed it at a nearby dumpster. The air around me crack led with energy as I unleashed a powerful blast of magic, sending the dumpster flying across the alleyway and crashing into the opposite wall.

The sound of metal screeching against brick filled the air as I throw the dumpster around the alley. The need to destroy things taking over my mind so much so that when someone approaches me, without thinking, I spin around and drop the dumpster while slamming them against the brick wall instead.

When the fog over my mind settles and I see it's Marcel that I am holding tightly against the wall, I feel a pang of guilt and release my grip on him. He stumbles back, looking startled and afraid.

"What the hell, P?" he exclaims, rubbing his neck where my magic had been holding him.

"I'm sorry, Marcel," I say with a frown.

Marcel shakes it off, "It's fine. I actually have been trying to get in contact with you. We need to talk."

I sigh softly, knowing exactly what he wanted to discuss.

Davina Claire.

Freya smiles down at Henrik as he sleeps peacefully in her arms. She brushes a strand of hair away from his forehead and leans in to press a gentle kiss to his temple. She couldn't help but feel overwhelming joy at the sight of her nephew finally finding peace after all the chaos they had been through. 

However, her moment of tranquility was interrupted by a sudden wave of unease. Freya turns round, holding Henrik close with one hand as she gets ready to attack whoever that had invaded their moment, only for Vincent to walk out of the shadows and make his presence known.

Freya breathes a sigh of relief when she realizes it's only Vincent, not knowing his allegiance has shifted.

"Vincent." Freya says before becoming unsettled by the look of guilt on his face.

She narrows her eyes at him and pulls Henrik closer to her chest, protectively shielding him from any potential danger.

"What's wrong?" she demands, her voice low and dangerous.

Vincent hesitates before speaking, his voice heavy with regret. "I'm sorry, Freya." Vincent sighs out before raising his right hand and makes a fist, using his magic to knock her unconscious without a word.

Freya falls to the fall with Henrik still in her arms but Vincent catches him before he hits the floor along side of Freya. Vincent looks down at Henrik, who is now awaking and looking at him with an upset face while Sofya's men pick up Freya's body. 

When one of them approaches Vincent to take the baby, Vincent hesitates to give him over as he knows that it is wrong to hand over an innocent baby.

Phoebe is his friend and this is her son as much as he is Elijah's. Vincent's heart pounds in his chest as he holds Henrik close, refusing to give him up but the ancestors fight against him until they force his hand. 

With a heavy heart, he gives Henrik over to the man and watches as they leave with Freya's unconscious body in tow.

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Davina will stay dead for now but I am pretty sure that I will bring her back.

Finn isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Or at least that's my plan so far.

Lucien has taken Henrik.....That's going to end well.....

I feel like I need to start adding this to the end of chapters but time lapse could be days, hours, weeks, months. And sometimes the changing of pov could also have a time lapse.

Thoughts? Questions?

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment!