|40.| NOT AFRAID
THE GROUP MEET UP WITH PROFESSOR SHANE so that he can take them to find Silas and the cure. Damon insisted that his sister would stay behind to keep Klaus busy and make sure nothing bad happens knowing that something just may happen. The group travel all the way to an island off the Nova Scotia mainland, taking Shane's word that they will find the cure there.
Going to the Gilbert house, Cora drives to the house Klaus is trapped inside with Jason in hopes of convincing the Original to let him live. The girl walks into the house knowing no one will greet her and she looks over at the living room, seeing Klaus staring at Kol's burnt corpse. He feels their presence and turns around to see them stand a bit of ways.
"Ah, isn't it my favorite hybrid and Salvatore," Klaus teasingly smiles at the two and Cora rolls her eyes.
"Came to check up on you, thought you would need a friend or two," Cora walks closer to the barrier and Klaus hums.
"Well, all I see is a friend and a backstabbing comrade of mine," Klaus glances at Jason and looks at Cora. "Did you think I would be happy with him being here?"
"No, but I'm here to try and convince you to let him go," Cora looks at him and Klaus chuckles, not responding until Tyler walks inside.
"Morning, sunshine," Tyler looks at Klaus then sees the Salvatore glaring at him. "Cora."
"Tyler," Cora looks up with her jaw clenched. Jason looks at them confused while Klaus chuckles at the tension.
"You look pathetic," Tyler looks back at Klaus, enjoying his taunting since there's a barrier between them.
"Only until Bonnie's spell locking me in here wears off. Then I'll look different. Angrier, perhaps," Klaus folds his hands behind his back. "Or I won't look like anything because I'll have gouged your eyeballs from their sockets."
"My friends will be back with the cure by then. So, I could shove it down your throat and make you mortal," Tyler threatens and Cora rolls her eyes at his sudden confidence.
"I'm an Original. What makes you think my entire vampire bloodline won't be cured along with me? I.e., you," Klaus says with a straight face, only showing annoyance.
"You know what I think? I think that's impossible. I think the moment you stop being a vampire, our whole blood connection to you is broken, and your sire-line ceases to exist," Tyler explains. "So, whatever happens to you, happens only to you, which means I can kill your ass and no one else has to die. Although I am still debating just how to do it."
Klaus speeds towards Tyler which makes Jason take a step forward. Cora holds her arm out for him to stop, seeing that Klaus actually can't get anywhere close to him at all because of the barrier.
"I recommend drowning. There's nothing quite like the feeling of someone fighting for something as basic as human breath. And let me tell you, your mother was a fighter," Klaus says hastily.
Tyler glares at him at the mere mention of his mother and Klaus seems pleased as he stumped him. Cora gives the hybrid a disappointing look and shakes her head, walking into a different room. The Original watches as she walks away and sighs, regretting the thing he had said.
"You just like pushing people away, huh?" Jason asks and follow Cora into the different room. Klaus clenches his jaw, watching him stay close by her and Tyler shakes his head.
"Guess who's taking your spot."
-
Cora looks at a few picture frames that sat on top of shelves and she grabs one of them where Elena and Jeremy looked young and happy. She slightly smiles, having a memory of when she and Stefan would always play outside with no care if they got dirty. Damon would always scold them for getting dirt all over their clothes and would have to clean them up himself so their father wouldn't get mad. Cora sighs at the thought of her father and sets the picture down, wanting to complete end the memory that nearly turned into a bad one.
Jason and Tyler have drinks for themselves as they taunt Klaus with everything that got. Walking inside from the back door is Caroline who sees the boys enjoying themselves.
"You're still here? What are you doing?" Caroline looks at her boyfriend.
"Gloating," Tyler says as he refills his drink and Jason's.
Klaus emerges from the room he is trapped in walks as far as he can within the confines of the spell. Cora hears Klaus greeting Caroline and she stands up, walking to where everyone else is at.
"Come home. Don't stoop to his level," Caroline begs her boyfriend.
"He destroyed my life. I plan on being present for every second of his misery until I can kill him myself," Tyler explains his reason why he has not left yet.
"Fine. You can gloat and multitask. This place is a disaster. Starting with a horrific burnt corpse," Caroline looks at Kol's corpse.
Cora grabs a sheet before she could and holds it up for her to see. The blonde vampire smiles at the Salvatore and helps her place the sheet over the corpse. Klaus watches them with a slightly tortured expression.
"Tyler's mother is dead. So is my brother. We're even," Klaus looks at Caroline. "Call Bonnie. Get her to let me out of here."
"I will never, ever, help you," Caroline makes herself clear but Klaus continues.
"How quickly you forget the part where I saved Tyler from the misery of being a werewolf. Or the night your mother invited me into her home to save the life of her precious daughter," Klaus points out the good things he has done.
"How delusional are you? You killed his mother. And let's not forget that we're standing in a house where Elena's aunt Jenna used to live," Caroline slowly walks towards Klaus. "Or did you think that your charm would make us forget how you killed her, too? You know what? No. I am not going to engage in this. You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you."
Unexpectedly, Klaus speeds towards the lamp, picking it up and impales Caroline with it.
"No!" Both Tyler and Cora shouted.
Klaus swings the blonde vampire over to his side of the barrier and bites her neck. He pulls away and Caroline falls onto the floor with a bite on her neck. Cora stands there with her mouth covered while the other two hybrids stare at Caroline on the floor.
"Now, that was definitely worth the calories."
Tyler speeds towards the barrier, holding his arms out for Caroline as she stumbles her way towards her boyfriend. Cora rushes to the other living room, clearing the couch for Tyler to set her down on. The girl starts panicking and shedding tears as they all know the bite is fatal.
"Hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me. I can fix this," Tyler holds her as she doesn't stop.
"How? The only thing that can heal me is his blood!" Caroline holds her head. "Oh my god"
"I know. I'll fix it," Tyler places his hand on her knee and Caroline nods.
He stands up and Cora takes his place, holding the girl close and wanting to tear up for her friend. Klaus stands up from where he sat and slightly smirks at his hybrid.
"She'll die if you don't heal her," Jason points at Caroline.
"Okay," Klaus has and bites into his wrist, extending his arms with palms up. "Beg me to save her life."
"Nik," Cora looks at him pleadingly and Klaus tries his best to ignore her, wanting mainly Tyler to plead.
"Is this what you want? To remind me that I'm powerless against you? Fine. You win. I'm nothing," Tyler extends his arms outwards. "Now save her. Please."
"I'm sorry, mate. I didn't quite catch that," Klaus looks at him.
"Please," Tyler says again but Klaus shakes his head.
"Please..," Klaus trails off, wanting to hear him say it.
"Please save her life," Tyler begs.
"See, now I think you're just telling me what I want to hear. I mean, you did call me pathetic earlier," Klaus points out. "And wouldn't it be more pathetic of me to help now, knowing that hours ago, you announced your plan to kill me in a manner in which you're debating because you want it to have a certain amount of flair? I'm just asking."
"I'll be your slave again," Tyler says and Caroline freezes when he does. Cora looks up at Klaus, hoping he gives in to helping her friend. "I'll do whatever you want. Just help her."
"No."
Cora feels Caroline loosen her grip around her arms and she stares at the floor, realizing that she may just die. Tyler looks at him defeated since he couldn't do anything to convince Klaus to save his girlfriend's life.
"Get me out of here. I can't even look at him," Caroline says numbly.
Tyler picks her up, carrying her out of the living room. The Salvatore slowly sits where Caroline sat, angry that she believed the man that stood before her would be empathetic and save her. She was wrong during that moment, but deep down she knows she can convince him.
Jason walks over to her, whispering to come with him and she looks at Klaus sadly. The hybrid slightly frowns at her sad look and she breaks their eye contact, walking out of the living room. Caroline laid in Elena's bed and Tyler sat near her as she cries.
"It's getting worse. I'm sorry," Caroline manages to get out as she cries.
"No. It's my fault. I'm sorry," Tyler shakes his head.
"No. You didn't do any of this," Caroline weakly shakes her head.
"I unsired the hybrids and turned them on Klaus. I should've just left it alone," Tyler sighs at the thought of his mistake. Cora stands at the door listening to them while Jason rubbed her back.
"You freed them, Tyler. People put their faith in you because you're a leader," Caroline says softly and Cora lifts her head, knowing she needs to help her. "Don't forget that."
Cora walks inside of the room and Tyler turns around with a sad look. She softly pats his shoulder and looks at Caroline, holding her free hand.
"I'm going to help you, Care. You just need to trust in me," Cora looks at her. The blonde vampire looks around her eyes for a moment before she nods her head.
Tyler carries Caroline downstairs to the living room, following Cora's little idea she has in mind. He lays her on the floor and Klaus turns around to see her there.
"You want to be in control, Klaus? Here. Now you get to be in control of her life. If you want her to die, fine. But then you can sit here and watch her die yourself," Tyler says and Caroline glances back a bit, seeing Jason standing by the door and Cora leaning against the wall.
Tyler walks towards the front door, leaving with Jason and Cora closes her eyes as they close the door. Caroline twitches a bit as she feels the pain and Klaus approaches her.
"Nothing personal, love. If I cure you, that means victory for him. Don't worry. It won't be long now," Klaus states as he sits on the coffee table.
Cora walks over and makes her appearance, catching Klaus off guard. He stands up from the coffee table and Cora crosses her arms, slightly frightened of this plan of hers.
"I thought you would have left already, love. You'd think you would fear me after what I did to your friend," Klaus says, deep down hoping that isn't true. Cora uncrosses her arms and steps where the barrier is, catching him by surprise.
"I'm not afraid of you, Nik," Cora looks up at him.
Klaus watches her as she picks Caroline up and lay her on the sofa so that she is comfortable. He leans against the wall as Cora sits next to Caroline, rubbing her thumb over her hand soothingly and listening to her rapid breathing.
"If you don't feed me your blood, I'll die," Caroline says weakly.
"Then you'll die, and Tyler will have learned his lesson the hard way," Klaus doesn't look at the girls. Cora bites her lip and stands up.
"How could you do this to him? To his mom? To Caroline? To me?" Cora says, catching him glancing at her but then looking straight ahead.
"I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom," Klaus shrugs it off but Cora shakes her head.
"I don't believe you."
"Fine. Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil, and I can't help myself," Klaus states and Cora slowly walks towards him.
"And I don't believe that," Cora replies and Klaus looks down. "It's because you were hurt. Which means that there is a part of you that is human."
Klaus sits up from leaning against the wall and walks towards Cora, standing a couple feet away from her.
"How could you possibly believe that?" Klaus asks.
"Because I've seen it. At times, I caught myself wishing that I could forget all the awful things you've done whenever I look at you," Cora takes step closer and Klaus swallows a lump in his throat.
"But you can't? Can you?"
"Nik, I know you're in love with me. As much as I try to find some way to deny that you have no kind of feelings for me, I can finally see it," Cora states and places a hand on his arm. "And anybody capable of love is capable of being saved."
Klaus glances down at her hand, not wanting her to let go at all and would much rather pull her by the waist close to his body. From the couch, Caroline's breathing catches and Cora turns around, rushing to her side. The hybrid watches as Caroline's breathing is labored then starting fade. He notices the worried look on Cora's face and he lets out a sigh, walking towards the girls.
The Original bites into his wrist and lifts Caroline into a sitting position. Cora looks at him, relieved that he is healing her. He takes a seat behind her and places his hand close to Caroline's mouth, letting her drink as much needed. Cora feels the blonde slightly grip her hand more and she smiles, looking at Klaus and mouthing a thank you. Klaus returns the small smile and looks down, feeling vulnerable as he was easily read by the woman he is in love with.
Author's Note
So, this book is coming closer to the end :// BUT, I have plans of starting a sequel of this Cora Salvatore series :))) I've planned this out for awhile now, but I thought you guys should know! Hope you guys have enjoyed this book so far