𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 46

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"You're marrying the hairy alpha?"

Hayley playfully rolled her eyes at the way she addressed Jackson. "Yeah, this weird ritual used to bond powers of the two alpha's."

Anna pursed her lips as she leaned back in her seat. Klaus let out a chuckle as he kept his eyes on the road.

Hayley leaned up between Annalise and Klaus before sighing, "How much longer?"

"We'll get there when we get there. Patience, love." the heretic answered before gazing out the window.

Klaus smiled as the safe house came into view. Hayley began to unbuckle her seat belt and just as the hybrid pulled into the driveway, Hayley was jumping out the car and rushing towards Rebekah and Elijah who held baby Hope.

Annalise smiled in awe of the young child, she had grown so much.

The heretic got out the car and slowly approached the trio. Rebekah let out a squeal as she saw the brunette. Anna's eyes widened as the blonde tackled her in a choking tight hug.

The Martin girl groaned as the vampire held her. "Bekah, you're going to pulverize my ribs." she croaked out.

The blonde pulled back and beamed at the heretic who gave her a warm smile, "I missed you too."

Rebekah sighed in relief, "It's official, life is incredibly boring without you at my side."

Anna let out a heartfelt chuckle and squeezed her friend's hand, "You have no idea."

The heretic glanced over the blonde's shoulder and gazed at Elijah who was already watching her. Rebekah turned and a knowing smirk spread onto her lips, "Still haven't sealed the deal?"

Anna's eyes widened, "What?"

"You two are incredibly stubborn." Rebekah shook her head in amusement.

The heretic turned her attention over towards the parents who were smiling brightly with their daughter in their arms.

She smiled at the scene.

Elijah approached his sister's and soulmates side, "How's the witch in training?"

There was no denying Elijah was bitter towards Francis. He could tell he was an important person to Anna, and the thought of her getting together with him once again. It hurt him.

Anna looked taken back by the his harsh attitude, it wasn't often Elijah spoke so hostile towards the heretic.

Rebekah felt like the monkey in the middle as she watched the two.

"Quite alright. He's a quick learner, but suppose that has to do the fact that he used to watch me practice when we were younger."

Rebekah knitted her brows in confusion, "Who are you talking about?"

"Francis."

The blonde's eyes widened, "The male you were in love with?"

Elijah glanced over at his sister, "How do you know of him?"

The female original pursed her lips as she thought, "It was awhile back, I think the 1920s? Anna turned down every person who tried to court her so naturally I asked her why and she told me she couldn't get herself to move on from her first love."

Anna mentally groaned as she watched Elijah straighten up.

"I suppose she was still in love with him, but-" the blonde turned to face the heretic, "I thought he was dead."

Elijah grit his teeth, "Mother brought him back as a gift for Annalise."

The brunette frowned at his use of her full name. Rebekah's lip parted in realization, that's why the atmosphere felt so dreadfully tense.

The Martin heir cleared her throat, "She brought him back as a witch so I've been helping him learn magic and control."

"Quite eagerly might I add." Elijah stared at Anna who raised a brow, "I'm trying to help him."

"Seems a little more than that."

"I beg your pardon?"

Rebekah cringed as she watched the two go back and forth, she wanted to extract herself from this position. Immediately.

"Let's set up a bonfire!"

Anna and Elijah clamped their mouths shut as their arguing died down before glancing at the blonde who was grinning nervously.

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"Curse on the first-born? What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Rebekah knitted her brows together as she chucked another log into the pit where they were creating the bonfire.

Klaus pursed his lips, "Well, according to Finn, our sister Freya didn't die of plague. She was taken as payment by our aunt Dahlia, who then cursed all Mikaelson first-borns for eternity."

"Is any of this true?" Hayley's voice spoke laced with worry. Anna hummed in curiosity as she glanced over at her soulmate who began to speak.

"It is if we are to believe Finn, who learned it from the bastion of truth, our mother."

Rebekah huffed, "Well, no wonder Finn hates us. He lost the sister he adored, and instead got a judgy pack of siblings who found him unbearably dull."

"Great. So, is there any chance of us running into your loony aunt Dahlia any time soon?" Hayley raised a brow in question.

"The fable's over a thousand years old. Dahlia is long dead." Elijah shook his head making Anna scoff, "When has anyone stayed dead?"

Klaus crossed his arms over his chest, "No one's going to hurt Hope, because no one's going to find her." he glanced over at his youngest sister and sighed, "There's enough wood, Rebekah. You'll burn down the whole bloody state of Arkansas."

Rebekah rubbed her hands together excitingly before returning to join the others, "Well, we're just missing a key ingredient!"

Klaus shook his head, entirely against what the blonde was about to suggest, "No, we're not."

Rebekah frowned, "Yes, we are, Nik." she turned towards her older brother, "Back me up, Elijah!"

The original vampire let out a laugh making Anna's dead heart warm up.

"I suspect Niklaus would rather choke on the ashes." Elijah held an amused gaze making Annalise tilt her head curiously, "What are talking about?"

Rebekah smiled, "Well, before we light it, we write down our wishes for each other to burn for luck. It was Kol's favorite part when we were kids."

Klaus groaned, "It's further evidence as to why we should ignore it."

Anna's eyes shot up in delight as Hayley spoke up, "Hope's first bonfire season. I like it! We're doing it."

Klaus turned to gaze at the heretic to back him up but she smiled smugly, "I'm in."

The hybrid flared his arms up in defeat making Rebekah laugh.

Annalise took a seat on a chair that sat on the porch as a memory flashed through her mind.

"Annalise, please do not do this."

The heretic laughed darkly as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, "I didn't choose this upon myself, but at the same time. I don't want to stop."

The witch cowered away in fear but gulped down a sob as her back hit the wall, "Please."

Anna's hands twitched in anticipation, "I'll make it quick."

An ear piercing scream rippled through the air.

The Martin girl gasped as she reopened her eyes and sharply inhaled. Rebekah joined her friend on the porch and frowned seeing her distressed expression.

"Everything all right?"

The heretic merely nodded. The blonde vampire frowned knowing that was far from the truth, "What did mother do to you and Elijah?"

Anna glanced down at her joined hands, "All she did was give me a reminder of who I was."

"Anna..."

The brunette cleared her throat before lightening up her mood, "I'm not sure what to write for a wish or even who to write it for."

Rebekah pursed her lips, Anna always did that. Mask her pain to avoid speaking on it. She always acted as if she was fine for others sake, when in reality, she was far from it.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something." the blonde sent her friend a warm smile.

Anna gazed ahead at Klaus and Hayley who stood by the bonfire with little Hope in their arms as Elijah approached the parents.

Rebekah sighed before going inside to acquire and object.

Annalise watched the trio and the blonde who rushed to meet the others. "Hey! Look what I found!" she held up a polaroid camera.

The heretic watched the males groan and Klaus looked displeased as he placed his hands on his waist, "Oh, bloody hell."

"Anna, get over here." Hayley smiled at the heretic who chuckled nervously, "I'm alright-"

"Nope, if I'm forced into this then so are you." Klaus huffed and looked at his friend expectantly. The brunette rolled her eyes before reluctantly walking across the front lawn to join them.

Rebekah turned towards her hybrid brother, "Hey, Nik, do you think you can cram us all into a selfie?"

Elijah snickered, "Oh, Niklaus is a virtuoso at cramming his siblings into confined spaces."

Klaus did not look humored, "Well, I'm just glad I traveled hundreds of miles to visit my mentally ill brother, only to have him insult me to my face."

Anna rolled her eyes at his dramatics as Rebekah began to herd the group together, "Oh, come on, just take the picture!"

Niklaus let out a sigh as he grabbed the camera and held it up as Rebekah pressed Anna into Elijah's side. The heretic mentally scowled knowing exactly what she was doing.

Elijah couldn't stop himself as a gentle hand moved to lay on the small part of her back as they all crammed together.

Anna immediately relaxed at the simple touch.

Klaus clicked the button and they all watched the photo develop. Rebekah moved to grab it from her brother and smiled, "Aw, see? I wish that it could always be like this."

"If wishes were horses..." Elijah started before Klaus finished, "Beggars would ride."

Rebekah looks at the photo happily and Anna couldn't stop the smile that spread onto her lips.

"You realize we'll have to burn it. You want me to make a wish for the family, Rebekah? I wish it didn't have to be like this. But, it does." the hybrid took the photograph and handed it to Hayley.

"We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands."

Hayley stares at the photo longingly before hesitantly throwing it into the fire.

Rebekah pursed her lips, "No! This isn't right. We deserve this. We've earned this."

Anna frowned as the group looked displeased with their current situation.

The blonde straightened up before speaking, "I won't let it slip away. I know what to do to stop Esther."

Elijah visibly tensed, "Rebekah, no-" but his sister cut him off, "I'm going to take her deal. And, when I do, I'm taking her down with me."

Anna looked at her friend in worry as she gulped anxiously.

This couldn't end well.

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"It'll work. She will be distracted during the spell. She'll be vulnerable." Rebekah explained to her two brothers and heretic that were listening intently.

"No. If we kill her, she body-jumps." Anna shook her head.

Rebekah huffed, "Then stop her from jumping!"

Anna gaped at her friend as Klaus spoke up, "If I knew how to bloody stop her from jumping, don't you think I would have happily murdered her ages ago?"

Rebekah glanced at Anna, "Well, ages ago, you didn't have a Harvest girl or a Mikaelson witch. Anna here too. Kol knows all of her tricks."

Elijah scoffed, "Now, you're both insane."

Rebekah frowned, "Hardly, Elijah. It was your idea! You're the one who said she needed a win, and if we get this right, then she'll have one."

The older Mikaelson male looked visibly stressed, "And if we get it wrong, you're no longer in your own body."

Rebekah raised a brow, "Would that be the worst thing? You were ready to do it yourself."

Anna looked over at her soulmate with wide eyes, "What?"

Elijah pursed his lips, "It was a foolish moment, and one that you sagely dissuaded me from."

Annalise crossed her arms over her chest as the female vampire spoke up, "Hopefully, we'll get lucky and stop the spell before I jump."

"And, if we're not, you'll get what you always wanted." Klaus watch his sister's expression falter. "I mean, that's what you're saying, isn't it? You're willing to lose."

Rebekah sighed, "I'm willing to risk losing, yes."

"We need to find someone for her to jump into." Annalise spoke up causing Klaus to nod in agreement with her, "Someone anonymous. Someone who could disappear with Hope." the hybrid added.

Elijah gazed at his sister, "Rebekah, we've been together for centuries. If you were human-"

"When I'm old and wrinkly, you can dump me back into my old body. Nik already has a coffin he can store me in." Rebekah rolled her eyes.

Elijah pursed his lips, "But to trust Kol?"

Anna hummed in agreement. She liked the male and didn't mind his company but that didn't exactly cross him off as the trust worthy type.

"It's not about trust, Elijah. It's about finding the proper leverage." Rebekah told the older Mikaelson. Klaus nodded, "She's right. Kol will do what's best for Kol."

"We'd just have to meet his price then." Anna glanced around as Klaus pulled his phone out to make a call.

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Annalise gazed out the window as Rebekah and Klaus pulled out the driveway. They were on their way back to New Orleans and the hybrid insisted on her staying with Hope and Hayley.

Anna pulled her coat tighter around herself as Elijah entered the room.

"I've set up the guest bedroom, make yourself at home." the vampire turned to leave but Anna suddenly called out to him.

"Wait."

Elijah turned to meet his soulmates gaze before quirking up a brow in question.

"I don't like this. Whatever this tense sensation is between us is I want to fix it. Have I done something wrong?" The heretic carefully questioned.

The vampire pursed his lips, she hadn't done anything wrong. He was more upset with himself really.

"No, you haven't."

Anna frowned, "So then?"

"I'm just having difficulties with myself. I apologize for causing it to worry you."

Annalise took a step towards the original, "Don't let your mother get to you 'Lijah. That's precisely what she wants."

Elijah gaze softened at hearing her use the nickname she had bestowed upon himself. "It's a bit of a challenge."

The Martin heretic pursed her lips as she raised her hands to rest on the nape of his neck, Elijah sighed contently at the comfort her touch brought.

She gazed up into his oak-brown eyes, "You're not a monster. No matter what you think, you are anything but that."

Elijah's lower lip trembled in fear, "How can you still look at me with that adoring gaze knowing what I've done?"

Annalise leaned up to press a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth, she pulled back and smiled charmingly. "You can't let your past define you. You've changed, I know you have. Yes, you acted that way back then but that doesn't mean it's what you are now in this moment. We all evolve with time. We just have to learn to live with the consequences of our actions."

Elijah's lower lip trembled as he struggled to contain his tears threatening to spill. The original buried his face into the crook of her neck and breathed heavily.

The brunette threaded her hands into his hair as she held him. The vampire gripped her tightly to his body.

There was no denying it anymore, he was falling madly in love with her.

Elijah pulled back to search her eyes, Anna licked her lips and the original caught sight of the movement.

He cupped her cheek before slamming their lips together. Anna was caught off guard with the urgency he was kissing her with.

Elijah couldn't get enough of the woman in his arms. He wasn't sure he ever would.

Anna closed her eyes as she kissed him back with the same intensity. The vampire slipped a hand into her jacket and began to slip it off, the heretic pulled her arms back allowing him to discard of the coat.

She was quick to wrap her arms around his neck as the vampire gripped her waist. He pushed her up and she caught the hint, she wrapped her legs around his waist, her lips never leaving his as she did so.

Anna shivered in delight as Elijah slipped his hands under her shirt to rest on her bare back. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and the female happily obliged with what he was pleading for.

Elijah groaned in pleasure at the intimacy of the kiss. It had been too long since he had gotten a taste of her lips.

Annalise placed a hand on his solid chest while the other threaded itself into his hair. The male began to run his hand up her back until he felt the clasp of her bra.

She clutched him tighter as her body was screaming in anticipation.

Elijah smiled against her lips at her eagerness.

Yet, a phone went off.

Anna's eyes snapped open as she reluctantly pulled away from his lips. Elijah muttered a curse before glancing at Anna's phone that rested on the coffee table.

He clicked his tongue seeing Francis' name pop up.

The vampire set the girl back down on the floor and Anna scratched her neck bashfully.

"I suppose he needs to speak with you." the original grumbled in irritation as Anna looked at him apologetically.

The heretic answered the call and put him on speaker, "Francis."

"Anna, I was just calling to wonder how it was going for you. It took me awhile to get the hang of this cellphone item so I apologize I hadn't called sooner."

Elijah scoffed as he crossed his arms in annoyance.

Anna cleared her throat, "No worries, everything's alright here. Take care over there."

"If you need to talk about the nightmares, I'm here love."

Elijah looked at Anna with a brow raised.

The heretic chuckled nervously, "Thank you, I really am okay though. I'm going to get some rest now."

"Of course, goodnight."

Anna hung up the call and hesitantly gazed up at Elijah who was waiting for an explanation.

"Nightmares?"

The brunette pursed her lips, "It's... nothing really. Don't worry over it."

"But it's alright for him to worry over it?" Elijah raised a brow.

"Why are you being so hostile towards Francis?" Anna gaped at the vampire who scoffed, "Are you genuinely asking me that?"

"Yes! Why else would I even bring it up?"

Elijah shook his head, "Goodnight Annalise." the vampire then turned before strutting out of the room.

Anna watched him disappear from her line of sight and frowned before plopping herself onto the couch.

What the rutting hell was happening?