𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐈𝐗 — the missing sister
━━━━━━━
𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 of the new mysterious killer who seemed to be imitating an old and powerful witch didn't seem to bother all too many of the vampires; the compound was still settled in relative peace considering almost all of the daywalkers didn't want to get involved and simply settled for sitting on their asses whilst they let Klaus deal with the issue at hand.
Ophelia and Elijah, however, had been trying to get ahold of Rebekah for the better part of ten minutes; neither of them had seen her since they had parted ways earlier that day. Elijah let out a sigh as he pulled his phone away from his ear, unable to get through to Rebekah, and Ophelia pulled her own mobile out thinking that perhaps the blonde was still in a huff with her brother.
The line beeped once, twice, three times and eventually went to voicemail, so with a sigh Ophelia disconnected the call and turned to Elijah, "I can't get ahold of her."
"I'm worried that she had something to do with this. She's very displeased with Niklaus, perhaps even conspiring with others." Elijah muttered, of course he didn't want to believe that his sister would participate in something so ominous, but the thought was there, it seemed as if she'd do anything in her vendetta against Klaus.
Ophelia slowly turned, her eyes catching sight of Thierry and it was almost as if a lightbulb lit up inside her head. When Rebekah had found herself, Marcel and Davina at the docks Ophelia had wondered how exactly it was that Rebekah managed to find them... Thierry owned the place. That, along with the information Rebekah had released earlier about how she was the one to coax Klaus into releasing Thierry... Well, it was quite obvious that the two were in cahoots.
A sickly-sweet smile appeared on her lipstick covered lips, the pale pink gloss shining in a beam of sunlight as she made her way towards the man, slamming her hands on the table he was sat at whilst Elijah trailed behind her.
Thierry jumped, his eyes darting to Ophelia's, not liking the way she was looking through him. Ophelia however, tilted her head, "So, T, I was just thinking... how on earth did Rebekah find us at the docks hm? That's your place... and why on earth would she persuade Nik to let you out of the garden?"
"I don't know what you're — "
" — Oh, I think you do." With a quick and sharp movement, Ophelia grabbed Thierry's hand and siphoned some magic from him, ignoring the way he squirmed in pain beneath her touch, as she pulled away, her smile dropped, "Tell us what you know... or perhaps the next time I siphon you I won't stop until your veins are grey."
Thierry visibly paled; he knew that Ophelia's threats were something to fear. He glanced to Elijah who stood with a rather smug look on his face as he watched the siphon do her thing, so, with a small sigh, Thierry spoke, "She asked me to keep an eye out on witch stuff. I found something, and when I showed her, we were jumped by some guy. He desiccated her with his touch."
"And like a coward, you left her." Elijah hissed, his eyes darkening.
"What was I supposed to do, fight some warlock that took out an Original?"
Ophelia's arms flew outwards as she looked at the moronic vampire, "You tell someone Thierry! You and all those vampires are complete idiots..." with a deep sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Where was this?"
"The docks, warehouse 57. I was just doing what she asked. You cannot tell Klaus about this."
Ophelia hummed thoughtfully before flicking her wrist to the side with a small mutter beneath her breath that made the vampire fly through the air and slam into a wall, debris and dust falling from impact as Thierry groaned.
Ophelia moved closer, her hand still outstretched as she held him in place, ignoring the mutterings from the other vampires, "If we find Rebekah harmed — " she slowly closed her hand into a fist and Thierry slumped to the ground as pain erupted in his body, " — Klaus will be the least of your worries. Do you understand me?"
"I understand." Thierry gritted out, his skin turning red as Ophelia continued to let the man writhe in pain before she finally flicked her hand and snapped the vampire's neck.
Elijah had remained silent throughout Ophelia's endeavour to garner information from the little vampire that now rested as still as a board on the ground, neck turned at an unnatural angle. Once again, the display of her abilities stunned Elijah; watching as she grew angry and used her magic all for his sister, even if they had a disagreement earlier in the day. It was admirable to him.
The suited original let out a small chuckle as he approached Ophelia, an arm held out for her to grasp, "Your abilities and temper... it's no wonder why you don't fear us."
"You have pointy teeth and I have glowing hands, what's to fear?" Ophelia hummed as she wrapped her arm in his as he led the pair of them out of the courtyard, stepping over Thierry as they went.
⋆⋆⋆
The air was still, even with the small rolling waves that spat salt into the air surrounding the docks. It was still and silent as the unlikely pair stepped ever closer to where Thierry had abandoned the original sister, leaving her at the hands of whatever evil being was parading around New Orleans
Elijah was the first to step inside the building, closely followed by Ophelia; both of their eyes widening at the sight before them. Barrels and crates lined the walls, but in the centre, there were multiple signs and sigils made with salt and candles, splatters of blood seeping into the symbols.
The one that caught their attention was the one with a body lying in the centre. A flock of blond hair sprawled out and fanning around her head; Rebekah. There was a snake lying at her feet, sliced through the centre with its blood dotted across the symbols and over Rebekah as she lay still with grey veins covering her skin. She had been desiccated.
Elijah rushed forward, his sister's name spewing from his lips in worry, and just as Ophelia opened her mouth to stop him, the original slammed into an invisible barrier. Ophelia sighed as she walked forward, placing her hand against the barrier as she felt the magic buzzing around her, "It's a boundary spell. Somebody's channelling her..."
"...And because she's an original she cannot die, she's an endless source of power." Elijah realized as he watched Ophelia make her way around the circle of salt that surrounded the blonde vampire. "Can you siphon the barrier?"
Ophelia tilted her head, both hands coming to rest against the barrier keeping them from retrieving Rebekah. The magic that flowed through the invisible barrier felt... thick? It was like a solid wall. "I can, might take a while..." Her words faded, prompting Elijah to speak up.
"What is it?"
"This spell... it's like a recipe. We need to spoil the balance of the ingredients — add a more potent one, a binding agent."
"Such as?"
Ophelia pulled back from the circle, her heels clicking against the floor as she made her way to rejoin Elijah's side. Her nimble hand reached to her jean jacket and rolled the sleeve halfway up her forearm, "Witches blood. Whilst the witches might try and say I'm not one of them... and whilst I might do the same, I'm still a part of one of the strongest family of witches."
Elijah, despite the situation at hand, chuckled. "Ever the saviour of my family."
As Ophelia held up her arm, Elijah's fingers wrapped around her wrist with the utmost care, his fingers delicately tracing a deep blue vein that stood prominently on her skin. "Are you certain?" he whispered.
"What's a little blood?"
"Your ability to be so nonchalant astounds me."
Ophelia rolled her eyes, a small smirk adorning her glossed lips as she forced her wrist closer to the man's mouth, "Hurry up."
It was strange to him that the woman before him was so open to having him sink his fangs into her skin, and yet there she was, thrusting her arm into his face and ready to save his sister. Slowly and gingerly, he allowed his teeth to elongate and it was the first time Ophelia had seen them, the first time she had seen Elijah look like his true self.
He wasn't one to flash his fangs and show of his vampiric features, he was clean and styled, just as he wished to be perceived. He always kept the monster hidden, his sensible clothes and expensive suits a cage, a leash that kept the monster inside. But of course, he couldn't always keep it away, there were times when it needed to breathe and needed to escape.
His sharp teeth grazed her skin as the pair stared into one another's eyes; something such as a man drawing blood shouldn't have felt so intimate and yet there they were, skin tingling and anticipation brewing.
Elijah had tasted her blood, a single drop back in Davina's attic and though he'd never say it aloud; he yearned for more. The sweet blood almost sang like a siren, drawing him in and for the first time in a long time, he actually feared that he'd be unable to stop. Though the moment those thoughts clouded his mind, he remembered the angry and icy tone Ophelia could speak with, the way she could simply flick her hand and send somebody to the ground. His impulses were nothing she herself couldn't control... though the thought of her ever having to disgusted him.
With a final breath, the pearly white fangs sunk into Ophelia's wrist. The pain wasn't quite what she had expected, it was just a dull sting and very much bearable. Ophelia chalked the fact that she could barely feel her skin being split down to the fact that she had been through much worse and still had some of the scars to prove it.
The seconds Elijah's fangs punctured her skin, blood coated his tongue. The euphoric metallic and sweet crimson liquid drowning his senses, though Ophelia seemed completely unperturbed as she lightly pulled her wrist away from the man and held it above the circle of salt, eyes watching carefully as small droplets of scarlet settled into the salt.
The moment red collided with white, the salt began to fizzle and fade away, after just a beat, the blood was gone, along with the salt; a small opening left behind for them to pass through.
"It worked," Elijah whispered as he quickly stepped towards his sister and gathered her into his arms, his eyes falling back to Ophelia who shook off the final droplets of blood that had flowed from the small punctures. "You did it."
"I told you, witches are nasty little things, I should know." she nodded her head towards the limp and grey blonde that hung in his arms, "Now let's get her out of here."
⋆⋆⋆
"Bring her to my room, I'm sure she'll want answers when she wakes up." Ophelia spoke as she held the door to the compound open for Elijah who nodded his head in thanks whilst readjusting his hold on his still desiccated sister. The suited original sped his way through the abattoir and up the stairs, immediately making his way to the siphons room as she took her time in trudging behind.
She slipped her heels from her feet and padded over the cool ground, the stairs creaking as she made her way to her bedroom.
Rebekah was still, laying on top of Ophelia's covers and both the siphon and the upright original could see the grey slowly fading from her body; it wouldn't be too long until Rebekah was up and ready to punish Thierry. The thought made Ophelia stifle a short laugh, the man had already dealt with a pissed siphon.
Elijah stood from his seated position next to Rebekah, his movements as graceful as ever as he spun to face Ophelia, his hands in his suit pockets. "She'll wake soon, are you certain you wish to be by her side when she wakes, my sister has quite the temper."
"I'm well aware." Ophelia smiled, her fingers dancing across the keys of her piano as she leaned against it, "But despite our small spat earlier, your sister happens to be one of my very short list of friends, and I happen to care for her."
"I know. She returns the sentiment; she speaks of you fondly."
"Ah." Ophelia hummed, her lips twitching as she placed herself onto the stool in front of the piano, one leg cross over the other as she leaned back, her back brushing the keys, "You talk about me?"
"Often, yes." He cleared his throat, "Rebekah sees you as an ally, a trusted friend. You stand by us, though I'm not entirely certain why."
"I have nobody else." Ophelia shrugged, "Your company isn't all bad, despite the tea that's probably sitting in my lungs and the dried and crusted blood on my wrist, I enjoyed myself today."
Elijah grimaced just slightly as Ophelia stood to shed her jacket, the two puncture wounds standing out on her skin, even though the sea of red lines that stained her arms. Ophelia being Ophelia however, simply grinned at the two small punctures; she couldn't feel any pain coming from them and as she looked up to Elijah she shrugged, "I have a lot of scars, but none like this."
"I can heal you — "
" — No need." At his guilty look, she rolled her eyes, "What? You think a couple of punctures from your little fangs are gonna hurt me?" her sentence ended with a teasing scoff.
"I beg your pardon, 'little fangs'?"
"Well, they aren't exactly anything to cower at."
"Is that so?"
Ophelia hummed, unable to bury the curving of her lips as a laugh bubbled on her tongue. She simply scanned her nails as Elijah chuckled at her nonchalance to the danger that surrounded her. With a small twitch of his lips, Elijah entertained her, "Well, I do suppose that without the added features, the 'fangs' aren't as intimidating."
"And by other features you mean the whole veins under the eyes and red sclera's? I suppose that takes you from a four to a solid seven."
"You're fearless, aren't you?" Elijah shook his head in amusement as the woman grinned.
"Fearless? I like that. Most say 'reckless'."
"Both. You are most certainly fearless and reckless."
"Well," Ophelia sighed as she stood, tossing her jacket towards her bathroom so that she could work on removing the blood stains later. The siphon made her way towards her vanity, nimble fingers plucking a wipe from the packet before she carefully swiped away the crusted crimson on her arm, careful of the wounds as she did. "Thank you for earlier."
"You're most welcome, thank you for accompanying me. I do apologize that it was interrupted; perhaps we could reschedule for another time to make up?" Elijah knew what he was asking, this wasn't him asking for a 'reschedule' of a friendly outing, he was asking for a date. Something he had tried to stop himself from doing and yet, he couldn't resist.
Ophelia smiled as the pair of them moved closer to the open door of her room, her eyes soft as she looked up at the taller man, his oak-brown eyes boring into her own as she nodded, "Of course. As long as you promise to never say the phrase 'on a bender' ever again."
A genuine chuckle fell from Elijah's lips, his teeth showing alongside his hearty smile before cleared his throat, "You have my word."
"Then I look forward to it."
"Wonderful," he spoke softly, an open vulnerability on display to the siphon. They were both still for a moment, their direct eye contact being held longer than necessary before Elijah finally dropped his gaze, leaning forward to brush a soft kiss against her warm cheek, "Goodnight, Ophelia."
Ophelia watched as he took his leave, her words caught in her throat at the gesture. Ophelia had never reacted in such a way; freezing like a deer in the headlights, that just wasn't her. She was strong and would run her mouth if needed... or even if it wasn't needed. She never froze in conflict or battle, but those were things that she was well acquainted with. Softness, kindness and even the smallest acts of intimacy were foreign to the siphon.
The held breath forced its way out of her parted lips as a heavy sigh, her brows knitted together as if figuring out a complex equation. A kiss on the cheek could bring the siphon to a standstill; not a vampire, a witch, a werewolf or even fangs piercing her flesh could deter the woman, but of course, the second the noble original pressed his lips to her skin she became a statue.
Her head snapped around, her body following as a hefty gasp from behind threatened to suck in the entire room. Rebekah, skin back to a flushed pink rather than a rotting grey, sat upright with a scowl on her face, "I'm going to kill him."
Ophelia smiled to herself as the blonde hopped to her feet, "Tell him I say hi, and that I don't apologize for the broken neck."
"You broke Thierry's neck?" Rebekah questioned, her voice full of amusement as she paused in her mission.
"Well, he abandoned you and left you to be channelled by some witch that nobody cares for, I'd say a snapped neck was a perfectly suitable punishment."
Rebekah's laugh chimed through the room, a fond grin on her face as she shook her head and pointed a finger towards the siphon, "This is why you're my best friend."
"Yeah, yeah. Go give him hell."
━━━━━━━
07/04/2021
i am once again asking y'all to stop with the 'update' comments. if i see them, i delete them, i no longer reply to them, and quite frankly they make me want to update less; especially when i receive them from people who haven't voted, commented or supported this story in any way at all.
for those of you who support this story with your comments and votes, and for those of you who patiently wait for when i'm ready to update, i love you.