Lexi wakes with a start, her breathing uneven. She sits straight up in bed, sweat beading her forehead. Her eyes flash red before they subside back to their normal blue.
She pants as her eyes roam the room.
She remembers nothing but darkness. Everything else is blurry and disorienting. She remembers some voices, a bloody heart, and Tristan's angry and scared expression.
The room itself calms her a little bit. The door is slightly open, letting Lexi feel like she has more air available to her. The window is open and the wind blows in.
That's when she notices the man.
He stands by the window, playing with the white drapes. He turns to her with a smirk on his lips. His hair is as black as her dreams. His eyes as dark as death. He stands with a certain confidence that lacks form. It's as if every calculated decision is just a second away from exploding.
But the thing is, she knows that face. She knows that scent. She knows those eyes.
"You're dead," she breathes, tapping Derek's shoulder.
"He won't wake up." The man shrugs, pushing off the wall and walking towards them.
"Don't come any closer!" Lexi growls.
He ignores her.
"Now, Alexis," He shakes his head. "You can't control me. I'm as old as you."
"And a psychotic freak who feeds off pain," Lexi snaps.
He clicks his tongue, going to the foot of the bed. Derek shifts in his sleep and Lexi kicks him.
"I already told you," He jumps onto the bed, squatting in front of Lexi. "He won't wake up."
"What is this?" Lexi demands, her heart beat speeding up.
"Alexis, this is what most people call a dream."
"What the hell do you mean?" Lexi scoots back.
He stares at her for a moment before crawling forward. Her head hits the wall behind her and her eyes begin to dart around for an escape with Derek. The man just traces the side of her face, his eyes following his finger.
"I'm inside your head."
Lexi's entire body goes numb. There is no way he could be in her head, he was dead. Wasn't he?
"That was a bold move at the Nemeton," He smirks, his finger finding the bottom of her chin, picking it up slightly to expose her neck. "It didn't work if you're wondering."
"I have your power," Lexi growls.
"And me."
The first thing that sets Derek off was the tossing and turning. He turns around to face Lexi, whose hand promptly slaps his face. He lets out a grunt, moving her hand away and closing his eyes.
The whimpering comes next. Derek cracks his eyes open to see Lexi subconsciously turn her head to him. He sits up on his elbows instantly, holding her head in his hands. "Lex, wake up," he whispers, knowing that she is just having a nightmare. "Lexi?"
She wakes with a loud scream, her chest rising and falling erratically. Derek wraps his arms around her within the first second of her scream, quieting her down with soft words whispered in her ear.
Derek starts to rock back and forth, trying to soothe her. She starts to mumble jumbled up words, but only for a second. "He's still here," is among the words she tries to get out.
"It's ok, Tristan is gone," Derek whispers as Cora bursts into the room, her claws ready. She relaxes when she sees Derek rocking Lexi back and forth, a sad expression crossing her elegant features. "It's ok. I'll protect you," Derek kisses her forehead.
What neither sibling notices is the smirk that dawns on Lexi's lips.
—|—|—|—
"You called?" Lexi walks into the study alone to meet with her brothers. She wears leggings and an oversized tee shirt, most likely one of Derek's. Over her outfit is a long, black coat to cover everything. She practically rips it off, throwing it onto a nearby chair.
"I met with Aya today," Elijah tells her. "And she had a witch show me a vision."
"Of?" Lexi prompts.
"What she said is more important: 'An unending darkness lies before you. A lone figure. A pale horse. A flame what will burn you all.'" Elijah's pale face makes Lexi frown. "I thought the pale horse might be something biblical or even tied to one of the equestrian constellations. There's Pegasus, perhaps even Equuleus."
A small smile comes to Lexi's lips but it is quickly tucked away. "Neither of those sounds like a weapon, unless they plan to bore us to death," she says, rolling her eyes.
Elijah stares at her, more color leaving his face. Never, ever had he heard his little sister be anything less than enthralled by the stars. Even as a child, she would sneak out to watch the lights in the sky, wishing to be among them.
"You know," Klaus plops down on the couch, his expression angry. "It would be nice if, just once, the witches bloody well said what they mean."
"We never do that— it ruins the fun." Lexi chuckles.
"Camille has just turned, Niklaus," Elijah says gently, knowing that his anger does not all come from his frustrations with the weapon but from his inability to control Cami as a vampire. "Leave her be."
"You think I should abandon her, then?" Klaus scoffs.
"She's already served as a pawn in Aurora's games. Her distance would be a mercy." Lexi tells him. "Especially with this new weapon."
Elijah sighs, glancing between his younger siblings. "I need both of you. A storm is coming."
Klaus nods. Lexi just stands. "Just call me when you find the weapon, will you?"
Down stairs, Cami walks away from Hayley after completely blowing up. Being a vampire really does make everything harder. She bumps into Lexi, both blondes heading out. "Oh great," Cami mutters.
"How is being a vampire?" Lexi asks, foregoing a greeting.
"I'm different."
"Good, maybe you can help me." Lexi sticks her arm out, stopping Cami instantly. That is when Cami notices the tone in her eyes. The danger and lust for chaos make Cami take a step away in fear.
"Aw, darling, no need to be scared of me," Lexi coos softly. "I need you to get me something, something that will help both of us to keep away from my brother."
"And what would that be?" Cami asks in a small voice.
"The one weapon that can kill him."
—|—|—|—
The witch Ariane is kneeling in front of a pool of herbs and flowers. She picks her head up, sensing a dark presence behind her. "You found it." She sighs happily.
Lexi stands in the doorway, her eyes narrowed. "Which means you've come to kill me. We both know I have no more answers to give you, and you cannot allow me to live with what I've seen..." Ariane trails off, a distant look in her eyes.
Lexi begins to walk up to the witch, taking in her surroundings. The dark abbey has stone pillars all around. The darkness hides every corner and wall. The only thing visible to the naked eye is the large pool in the center with an alter to the side. "They don't know yet-- what you are, fox."
Lexi's lips quirk up in a smirk. "They don't know that their little sister is trapped within your mind. They don't know how you've helped their enemy.
"But I know. You can't risk what I know falling into their hands. Not yet." Ariane sounds tearful. "But they have their suspicions."
Lexi stops right behind the witch, her eyes darkening. "Tristan de Martel gave them an inkling. He tried to save himself with his information, but they did not believe him. But today...today you made a mistake, fox." Ariana turns to the side, where Lexi now stands, claws extended. "You called the stars boring."
As quick as lightning, Lexi's hand is thrust into Ariane's chest, gripping her heart. The witch gasps, a smile coming to her now bloody lips. "I am released."
With a tug, the heart falls to the ground as Ariane's body drops into the pool before her. Lexi's eyes scan the body before she glances at the door.
Lexi knew exactly when Elijah had appeared to kill Ariane, the witch who helped him find the weapon. His scent of humility and danger invaded her senses when Ariane spoke of the stars, the one thing Alexis Mikaelson had always loved.
She holds her head up high, uttering one sentence that shakes him to his core. "She knew too much."
—|—|—|—
"I'm guessing you might be a little bit mad right now..." Cami trails off, a smirk on her lips. Who knew being bad could be so fun? She holds a wooden knight in her hand, one made of white oak. "But trust me, you have nothing to worry about." She glances next to her as champagne is brought out. "I just want back what's mine, starting with my dark objects, and I figured I needed to get your attention. So, do I have it?"
"In point of fact, you do." Klaus grounds out over the phone. He knows what Cami did. How she figured out where the last of the white oak remained and stole it out from under their noses. What he doesn't know is how she was able to pull it off.
"Good." Cami smiles. "We'll be in touch."
She hangs up the phone, pocketing it. She moves her blonde hair away from her eyes as she turns to Lexi, holding out a glass of champagne. "To masterminds." Lexi cheers, raising her glass after handing one to Cami.
"To masterminds."
So..... Scheeming... Hope you enjoyed!