Attached is the Victim marks. They show up when the Mark of Cain is imprinted on someone. All the victims taken by that sword, get a star on the marked. (Not my image)
The hilt of the sword vibrated as I grew near. I could feel the cold surrounding it. Nervously, I listened to make sure that no one was upstairs in the compound. I could hear NiKlaus on the phone. Kol was nearby and Elijah was. Freya was setting up a destruction spell.
Unfortunately for her, the very thing she wanted to destroy was about to disappear. Literally. I swallow anxiously, looking at myself to make sure I was invisible, and I still was.
I had taken every precaution. Turned my phone to silent. Took the tunnels to enter the compound, and haven't spoken a word. I barely breathed. Finally, I reached out, grabbing the handle. Immediately it comes to life. Humming and fitting into my palm with perfect balance.
It also turns invisible. Anything I touch will be so. I take a deep breath, then carry it downstairs. My eyes land on NiKlaus. Now only feet away. Freya had her table set up. A mix of ingredients.
"If I had a dime for every time someone I thought was dead wasn't dead." NiKlaus exclaims into the phone. I tilt my head slightly, sparing a moment to eavesdrop. "Of course Sebastian. I dare her to show up in New Orleans. If Penelope knows what's good for her, it's to choose the winning side if it comes to a fight." His angered and determined voice makes me grit my teeth. Bastian!! I internally scream at my brother.
"I thought Merida killed her." Elijah says once NiKlaus hangs up with a beep.
"She did. The problem was she had Vampire blood in her system." The younger brother says, sighing deeply.
"Who's?" Elijah asks.
"That's the question, isn't it?" NiKlaus responds, stalking towards the gates to the compound.
"Where are you going?" Kol demands, standing up.
"To find Merida." He answers simply. I groan silently. What did Bastian tell him? That I was going to sacrifice myself or something? That I was making an alliance with Vincent? Questions swarmed in my head.
"What about the sword?" Freya asks.
"The sword can wait." Kol looks at Klaus. "I'm coming with you."
Elijah shares an incredulous look with his older sister. I readjust the sword in my hand, then leave the way I came, my time limit had just been shortened.
I skip to a stop infront of Vincent, right where I left him. With the rush of air, the candles flicker out and suddenly I'm visible again. I hand the sword to him. As I do a burning sensation forms on my arm. I shake it off and turn to Vincent. "A deal's a deal." I agree. He looks at the sword with a strange look on his face. Almost fear but more like disbelief.
"Thank you." He says to me. "I won't forget this. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." The regent says. I nod, a last respectful look before taking my leave.
I pull up my right sleeve, and my eyes widen slightly, seeing the mark there. It was red, and raised from the skin. My veins around it were black beneath my pale skin. 'Forever your curse will remain' the witch had said. Until I die. Then the Mark will vanish.
I felt dizzy suddenly, and held myself upright by the gate to the cemetery. "Bloody hell." I mutter, right before my vision goes black.
---
I was fine when I woke apart from the heavy tired feeling. I could hear arguing before I flitted my eyes open.
"Destroy the sword!" An angry voice was insisting. The words seemed to echo in my head.
"It went missing. Even if we could, destroying it would kill Merida. The mark ties her life to it." Another calm voice says. I made a guess that it was Elijah from the collected words.
"Casualties." The angry male's voice was saying. Suddenly there was a loud crack heard and a menacing growl.
"I'll rip your heart out." A voice responds. A voice I could recognize. One I'd recognize anywhere. Kol. He's always been a fierce protector of me. Sometimes even more so than Klaus.
"Both of you, this isn't helping." There was Klaus.
I sit up, rubbing my eyes. As soon as they open a girl is leaning over me. "Are you okay? How do you feel? Are you still you?" She flings questions rapid fire at me, loudly and insistent. She sounded a tiny bit excited but also almost hesitant.
"Freya?" I sit up further, swinging my legs off the side of the couch and look around. "Of course I'm still me, sorry to disappoint." I mutter, running my fingers through my hair. My eyes scan the room, and I see Kol seething, glaring at Marcellus. "Casualties?" I send the vampire a 'are you kidding' look. That was well received as he quickly looks away.
"That mark on your arm-" Elijah starts off. I look at my arm.
"The Mark of Cain." I nod. "Hell on Earth." I add, Amusement written on my features.
"What's that?" Kol asks, bending down near me and tilting my chin up. I frown as he inspects my neck. "It looks like a star."
"A star?" I rub my neck, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. "That black out must've been awesome to wake up with another tattoo." I joke, earning a small smile of amusement from Kol.
"This is serious." Elijah says. It felt like a slap to the face. My face dropped.
"So is the Excalibur. And Michael's sword. 'O how thou fall from heaven-'" I begin and there's a collective sigh in the room. "Fine." I cut the joking manner.
"If Freya's right, then you'll be influenced by the darkest parts of yourself. Your impulses will be acted upon for better or worse." Elijah looks at his older sister for confirmation. "It makes you deadly. Slowly strips your humanity until there's nothing left."
"Like a hex." I guess. Recalling how Cami had said the same thing of her uncle. I felt a sudden unexpected pang of sadness for her. Elijah rubs his chin, oblivious to my thoughts.
"Worse. This won't kill you." He says.
"Okay, I fail to see how me dying would be a good thing." I respond but I'm ignored.
"Is there a way to remove it?" NiKlaus asks.
"If there was a way, I'd know." Freya interrupts. "I don't see how it's our problem." She stands up, looking at me sitting on the couch, Kol beside me. "She's not Family. She's got her own. They should help her."
The image of Penelope ripping my heart out burns itself into my mind. I stand up, looking at the rest of the vampires in the room who looked at Freya like she was an alien. "She's right." I say, surprising them all. The last thing I needed was to burden others. It's worse enough that Bastian told Niklaus that Queen Mary is out for blood-my blood.
"No! Absolutely not. Merida.." Hayley moves from her quiet position. Like a mama bear suddenly realizing her cub was in danger.
"It's okay." I nod. "I can figure this out." I heard towards the doorway and suddenly NiKlaus is there, blocking me. "If I feel the need to go and commit mass murder, I'll send a text. Move." I assure him, and the hybrid let's me pass, his face angered.
I didn't find myself going back to the apartment. Instead, I found myself walking to someone else's, stopping to get roses to bring as a gift. My shoes clap the cement as I walk, as though applauding me. I run into Cecilia on her way out of her flat. "Ah, Apologies, Merida." She says quickly. I hand her the roses.
"No worries. I was on my way to see you." I inform her, and we walk side by side down New Orleans. We stop to talk just on the edges of a group listening to a preacher. He read verses aloud, his voice loud and empowering. I admire him a moment.
"Mary was spotted reaching the east coast of Canada." Cecilia informs me of the old Queen's whereabouts. "We don't have long until she's here." I take a deep long breath.
"If something befalls me, Cecilia, I expect you all to turn to Bastian." I look at her. "The league will need a leader, and he's the only one I know who can organize an army as well as I can."
"What would befall you?" She asks, her neat hair and clothes always formal and businesslike. I don't answer, and for a long time we just watch as the preacher talks with vitality about his beliefs.
Cecilia leaves me after a while, leaving her coat with me in case it grew cold. As the night fell, the crowd disappeared. The lights in the street flicked on. The party continued. Jazz music played. People danced. Sang. Played instruments I didn't know the name of. I trail lazily down the sidewalk, and peer into Rousseau's. Mostly from curiosity than actual intent to get a drink. I had groan to know the bartenders. Alba wasn't there, and I found myself frowning.
It's not like I should care. We hadn't even exchanged numbers.
Cami, however, was there. On any other day I'd wanted to enter, to stop by for a chat. Except today I couldn't make myself do it. I glance down at my sleeved right arm, biting the inside of my cheek. "Well, if Mary wants to kill me now, it'd be most convenient for everyone else." I mutter, rolling my light eyes, and walk back, towards my apartment.
I pull Cecilia's coat around me, and enter. "Joseph!" I call for the butler, who runs to the door at his call. Breathlessly meeting me by the door before I can close it all the way.
"Yes, Milady?" He asks. I pull off my cloak, passing it to him. Though there was the voice of a young serving boy in my head, Mordred. The same obedient, polite voice.
"I'd like you to run an errand for me," I pause, turning my cold sharp look on him. The butler swallows visibly. "Calm yourself, I only wanted you to fetch some herbs from the little VooDoo store on the corner a block from here." I trail my fingers down his cheek. This only made him stiffen. I grab the back of his neck, forcing his eyes to mine. "From now on don't cower from fear. Do as your told, when your told. Obey." I let him go, and Joseph hurries out the door. Only stopping to hang my coat.
"Herbs?" Bastian asks, leaning against the far wall, waiting for my return.
"Yes." I answer, running my fingers through my crazed curls. "For a friend." Vincent. Before my older brother has a chance to ask any more questions, my little one comes from the hallway.
"Have you two seen Penelope?" He asks. I look at his wild golden hair, and his eyes, which seemed unnaturally hooded in the kitchen lighting.
"She's probably still out and about. It's not unlike her." Bastian waves it off.
"Anything I can help with?" I offer, sending Francis a look. I was also postponing when I'd have to tell them about the mark. Last thing I needed to hear jokes about was how their already disturbed sister now has to fight the darkness within. Which so far, hasn't been much more than a lack of enthusiasm for socialization.
"I'll show you." Francis says, leading to his room.
---
The poison swam in my veins. My knees collapsed beneath me and I could see the vicious and cruel vision of the Scotland's Queen face. Her sharp cheeks. Her chin, her face, the shape of an upside down teardrop. The chalice I held fell to the stone floor, the wine-the poisoned wine- spills out across the room. The color of blood. My head swam. Mary poisoned me. I watch as the massive dress leaves the room, the Queen with it.
My vision was double. Triple. Niklaus, several Niklaus's, picked me up, biting viciously into his wrist, and spilling the thick red liquid into my dry mouth. It healed. Eradicated the traces of poison. I was the Queen then. The Queen of Sicily. Several years after I married the prince. Mary had been so proud of Penelope when she was her heir, but now it would be I that took her throne. A bastard. Someone singled out by their royal family like a dog. So in a attempt to kill me, poison.
"Turn me." I whispered to Niklaus. "So I may be the Queen of Europe."
Suddenly I gasp awake. The vision-the memory- dissolving like ice would, except much, much faster. Bastian was pounding at my door. I sit up, rushing to the door, the urgency in his knocking was enough to send shivers through my body. Bastian never had pounded like this before. I pull the door open and he looked breathless. His hair disheveled. His dark eyes wide. "Bash-"
"Penelope is gone." He gasps out between his heavy breathing. My pendant suddenly glows white, bright and hot. The smell of burning flesh hits our noses as it burns my chest. Fear pulses through me.
"Gone?"
"She's been gone since yesterday. Alexander told me and..." My older brother trails off, all color drained from his face, making his few freckles stand out against his skin. Alexander? Of course. My Beta. The League's Beta. He's always been close with Bastian. I couldn't take a moment to realize he had told my brother before me the information of Penelope's whereabouts. Perhaps he knew I wouldn't get the message until morning. It wasn't morning yet.
"Where is she now?" I demand. I barely got out the words. I hadn't had time to change, to think. To do anything, before our front door is busted off it's hinges. I push out into the hallway, seeing a wildly eyed Francis there.
My eyes land on her. Not Mary. Images of my heart being torn form my body flashed behind my eyes, but I let my fangs come forth with a sudden force I didn't realize I contained. The fear of this moment came crashing down on me.
However, I stood in front of my brothers. My ice eyes meeting dark ones across the hall.
The eyes of Penelope.
Length: 2433