[ THE RISE: CHAPTER FOUR ]
Rhea and Davina were back in the attic, after their encounter with Marcel and Elijah. Rhea was sure that, when this is all over, if she never saw an attic again— it wouldn't be soon enough.
Davina continued to study Esther's grimoire and her own notes, while Rhea sat with her eyes closed, enjoying the peace.
She could literally feel Mikael's stare on her and Davina, without even opening her eyes, she said, "Stare all you want, but as long as we have this bracelet," she pointed to the item in question which resided on her wrist— one that she had a hand in making.
"We own you."
"You foolish little girl's, you imprison me here, you refuse my help, but all the while that hybrid monstrosity roams this city, free to pray on everyone you care about. Those few that remain." Both Rhea and Davina were sick of Mikael's long rants, it was repetitive and annoying.
Rhea's phone beeped, when she looked, she had a missed call and a text from Kaleb.
'Can I make it up to you over dinner?'
Rhea smiled slightly and showed Davina, who seems to understand the silent question that her friend was asking, "You should go, but I'm still chaperoning." Davina confirmed and Rhea laughed, running a hand through her hair.
She was going to dinner, with someone that wasn't Kol. It had been centuries since she had been in the company of someone other than him.
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Rhea was sat at a table at Rousseau's with Kaleb, the two were getting to know each other, under the watchful eye of Davina Claire, who was sitting at the other end of the bar with her eyes on the two.
"My family? Oh, no. They're crazy as loons. How about your family?" Rhea shifted uncomfortably.
"Never knew my father, mother was distant, pretty much forgot about me once I was old enough to make my own decisions. I depended on my brother a lot, until he passed away." Her answers were vague, but the truth, she thought it stupid to go into fine detail of why her mother never liked her.
"I'm sorry," he was referring to the comment about her brother, "Mummy issues, eh? Bet she was a control freak, right?" Rhea nodded, "Yeah, same as mine. She's the reason I stopped practicing magic for so long."
Rhea's jaw all but dropped, she leant closer to the blue eyed boy, 'You're a witch?' She questioned, Kaleb smirked at the girl.
"Don't look so surprised, love. I didn't just ask you out because you're quite possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on," he locked eyes with Rhea at that moment and for some reason, she felt like he was telling her the truth. "No, we're, uh.. Kindred souls."
Rhea face scrunched up in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"I know you're story Rhea, actually, I think everyone knows your story. Your grandmother, the witch who redesigned the spell that started vampirism and made the next generation of Monroe's immortal? That sort of thing gets around, Rhea. But you, you didn't buckle under the scrutiny every coven put on you, you said screw you to those who said you were a crime against nature, an abomination. You told them all to shove it." He paused.
"I'm a lot like you, don't really believe in rules and authority. Your courage, it should be celebrated." He never once let his eyes leave hers, it's strange how something that a lot of people found uncomfortable, made Rhea feel completely at ease.
She gave him a genuine smile, but the two were interrupted when Davina came over, "Can I borrow you for a second?" She asked Rhea, the witch in question looked over to Kaleb, who gave her the go ahead, Davina all but pulled Rhea outside.
"Marcel keeps calling," Davina showed Rhea her phone that was currently ringing.
"Answer it." The older witch told her and she bit her lip before answering the call, Rhea looked around, an eery feeling washing over her all of a sudden.
"I never said I had it." Davina told Marcel.
"The thing is, Elijah thinks you and Rhea do. Matter of fact, he's convinced."
Rhea took the phone from Davina, "Well, let Elijah think what he wants."
"Rhea?" Marcel questioned, the brunette rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Marcellus. Do you actually need us for anything other than to simply accuse us of having a weapon that we don't have in possession?" She questioned, Marcel sighed on the other end of the phone, Rhea had a way to deflect a situation with words.
"Neither of you are safe, anyone who's ever wanted to kill an Original is gonna be coming after you both."
"Let them try."
Marcel let out a frustrated sigh, "Rhea, come on! Just tell me where you are." She stayed silent, "Hey, we can talk about this! I thought we were friends."
"I'm at Rousseau's, don't bother coming. I'm leaving now. And Marcel, we were friends once upon a time, but your loyalty to Klaus puts a great strain on that friendship." Rhea's anger was evident in her voice, hanging up the phone, she looked to Davina.
"I'm sorry I dragged you away from your date, I'm gonna head back, you stay, enjoy your night." Davina told Rhea, the latter raised a brow at her.
"You sure? I can come back with you now if you wa—"
Davina cut her off, "Rhea, have fun!" She demanded. It was good to see the older witch relaxing and doing normal teenager-like things instead of constantly having her attention focused on the takedown of an original vampire.
Rhea chuckled in response, saying bye to her friend before stepping back into Rousseau's.
She had to push through a crowd of people to find Kaleb, everyone seemed to be piling out of the restaurant, confusing Rhea.
"Kaleb, what's going on?" She asked the boy when she eventually found him.
"Some fellow just announced they were closing for a private party." Kaleb was clearly annoyed their date was being cut short, which actually made Rhea feel good, though that was quickly gone as a feeling of dread and anxiety washed over her.
"We should go, right now." She told him, a group of werewolves approached them, menacing looks upon their faces.
"And what's your rush, sweetheart? Why don't you stay and party with us?" The sleazy one at the front taunted.
"Get out of our way. Now. Or I'll make sure you can never reproduce." She warned the men, but they all laughed at her. Seeing red, Rhea used her magic to bring the leader to his knees, clutching his head in pain, crying out.
The rest of the wolves started to surround the pair, the panic began to set in on both of them, "Can you do that with the rest of them or..?" Kaleb questioned.
Gulping, Rhea replied, "..Not all at once."
The werewolf rose to his feet and shoved Rhea across the room. Kaleb tried to shove him back but he too was thrown against the wall behind the bar, shattering several bottles when he made impact.
The wolves started to descend upon Rhea, she twisted the bracelet around her wrist and started to chant a spell, much to her dismay she was then grabbed by another werewolf— whom shoved her against the bar and turned her head so he could bite into her neck. Before he could however; Mikael arrived and threw him across the bar.
"Let go of her, you filthy mutts!" He shouted, Mikael started fighting the wolves, ripping their hearts out one by one. Rhea was grabbed by a rogue one, and in the struggle, she lost her bracelet.
"Fuck!" She hissed, Mikael noticed what happened and smirked.
"Well, now. What an interesting turn of events," he picked her up off of the floor and let his veins and fangs come out, "Oh how long I have waited to do this. I'm going to enjoy this, little witch."
Just as he was about to feed on Rhea, Elijah arrived, shoving Mikael off of her.
While Elijah and Mikael were fighting, Rhea was desperately looking round for her bracelet.
Her searching was limited, as she was pretty sure she sprained her ankle, bad. Marcel soon appeared, seeing her on the floor, was about to lift her up; to get her out of there when she stopped him, seeing that Mikael was going to stab Elijah with the white oak stake.
"Marcel, no! I've lost my bracelet, I need to find it, I can use it to control him!" She cried out frantically.
Marcel started to search for the bracelet and when he finally found it, he tossed it to Rhea who immediately got to work arming it.
"STOP! Go back, now." She commanded, Mikael sighed but reluctantly used his vampire speed to get out of the bar. Davina came running in the bar, seeing Rhea injured and on the floor, she rushed to her friends side to help her up.
The two men looked at the girls in horror, "I told you, it's your turn to be afraid," Rhea informed Elijah before Davina helped Rhea to limp out of Rousseau's.
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