Lizzie's breath hitched in her throat, as she felt a mix of emotions. Before words could even escape her lips, she rushed towards the newly turned heretic and threw her arms around her.

Maze seemed a little surprised by this, and placed her hands around Lizzie to return the hug, though there was no emotion in her expression.

Lizzie stepped away, as she took in the appearance of her sister. She didn't look like the sweet siphon she'd said goodbye to over two years ago.

"You look well." Maze said, looking at her sister. The Saltzman didn't know what to say in response.

"You turned?" Lizzie blurted, as Mazikeen nodded. "I sure did. A few weeks ago, actually." She responded, twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger.

Seeing the heretic consumed by darkness, Lizzie decided now wasn't the best time to tell her that Landon had been killed, and by Hope.

"How did you turn?" Lizzie asked, with a nervous tone. "That's a story I'd prefer to have over a drink. How about it?" The Parker asked, as Lizzie seemed surprised. "Maze, we're 17."

"I'm 18, actually. Which means I'm legal somewhere in the world." The heretic shrugged, "Also, I have the power of compulsion to help us." Maze smiled smugly, as Lizzie returned it. "Okay, let's go."

❤︎︎

The blonde Saltzman-Parker duo found themselves in New Orleans. Currently, Maze was leading Lizzie to Rousseau's bar, a place she had remembered Hope mention. Also, Josie had gone there once to talk to Hope's Aunt, Freya.

"Azazel will meet us here." Mazikeen spoke, as they approached the door to the bar. "Azazel's here?" Lizzie asked, with surprise. Mazikeen just nodded in response.

The girls entered the bar, and walked up to the counter. "Two of your finest whiskey." Mazikeen spoke, as the bartender looked to her. "May I see some ID?" He asked politely.

Mazikeen leant over the counter, placing her elbows down as she leant her head in the palm of her hands. It was then, she compelled the bartender, "No, you may not." She spoke sternly.

The bartender took a step back in surprise, "Two whiskeys coming up." He declared, though Maze paused as she heard the door to the bar open. Without turning to see it was her brother she said, "Make that three."

Azazel approached the bar, surprised to see Lizzie there with his sister. "Lizzie— hi." The boy smiled, catching Lizzie's attention. "Hey Azazel." The Saltzman replied, with a half smile.

"Alright. Let's sit." Mazikeen announced, once receiving three glasses of whiskey on ice. "Well... that's one way to begin the morning." Azazel confessed, looking at the three glasses.

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere." Maze smirked, before the trio left the bar and sat in a booth. They drank in silence for a moment, before Mazikeen asked, "So, little sister, you'd like to know how I turned?" She asked, as Lizzie nodded. "I'm certainly curious."

Maze and Azazel continued to train, outside their home. Mazikeen blocked her brother's punches before sweeping his leg, causing him to fall.

Azazel laughed, as he landed on his ass. Mazikeen laughed too, before she offered him a hand up. "Thanks, Maze." Azzie said, as Maze gave her brother a weak smile, though truthfully she was about to burst into tears.

Slipping away from their training area, Mazikeen rushed inside to speak to Grace. When she entered their home, she found the blonde doing some cooking.

"Hey, Mum." Maze spoke, catching the older Parker's attention. Grace turned around, noticing her daughter looking teary eyed.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Grace asked, before she approached her daughter. "I can't do this Mum... I know Dad wants Azzie and I to train constantly for the merge but... I don't want to do it." The siphon witch cried.

"We train every single day and I'm significantly stronger than Azzie... If I'm going to be the one left alive after this, I want no part in it." Maze demanded, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I don't want this either." Grace admitted, her eyes filled with tears. "I finally have my family, and the thought of one of you dying in the merge breaks me... but it's what your father wants." Grace spoke, her voice trembling.

"I love Kai, and he saved me from a dark part of my life. As much as I love you two, I feel like I owe my husband a great debt... so I have to respect his wishes." The older Parker said, as Maze shook her head. "No, there has to be another way."

As silence fell upon them, Maze had an idea. "Mum.. I need you to do something for me." She spoke, her voice a bit shaky. "What is it, dear?" Grace asked. Maze exhaled shaking, "I need you to give me some of your blood."

"Mazikeen, no—"

"Mum, please. This will be the only way to survive the merge... It's the only way to keep our family together." Maze explained, as Grace inhaled sharply, and went to back away.

"I won't tell Dad, I promise. If anything, think of it as... life insurance incase I get in a messy situation and I die." Mazikeen rambled on, but Grace didn't comment. The idea of her daughter turning into a heretic made her ill, especially when it came to balancing that with being a user of dark magic.

Grace had only just managed to help Mazikeen to keep her dark magic under control... if she was a vampire, it would make it so much more difficult.

"Mum, I am begging you." Maze pleaded, looking as though she was going to burst into tears. Grace looked into her daughters eyes, as she could see grief and heartbreak. She just wanted her family.

"Okay." Grace finally answered, feeling disgusted in herself for this choice, but in the end she wanted the same thing.

Her family to remain complete.

"So you turned with Grace's blood in your system?" Lizzie asked, as Mazikeen nodded wordlessly before she took a sip of her drink.

"I thought Grace was supposed to help you learn to control the darkness." Lizzie then spoke, as Azazel looked away guiltily.

"She did." Maze replied, "But as soon as I became a vampire my magic became out of control... so I just let it all in."

Lizzie looked from Maze to Azazel, noticing how guilty the boy looked. It was obvious that he blamed himself for Mazikeen's current state, as she turned into a vampire to avoid the merge.

"Is Chasity still on our list of problems?" Lizzie then asked, as Mazikeen shook her head. "Nope. Not anymore."

Mazikeen woke up, as she inhaled sharply. As she looked at the roof, she felt her head spinning. She could hear every little sound throughout her home... she felt a clash of emotions as they were all heightened, but also an uneasy feeling as the dark magic she possessed was suddenly uncontrollable

But most of all, she felt hungry.

The transitioning vampire got to her feet, feeling a strong craving for blood. As soon as she had even thought about hunger, she suddenly stopped thinking about anything else. All she wanted was to feed.

The Parker took no time in approaching the barn, where Chasity was forced to stay. Upon throwing the doors open, the Smith jolted in a fright, as she looked to the blonde.

"What the hell—" Chasity blurted, seeing Mazikeen's fangs. "You have got to be fucking joking!" She yelled.

"What do you mean?" Maze asked, looking at the redhead confusedly. "I have been training you two psycho twins for months for this stupid merge, all for you to turn into a vampire." Chasity grumbled in annoyance. "What a waste of my time!"

Mazikeen just laughed, before she approached the Smith. "Oh please, this wasn't my plan. I guess plans change... including my plan for you." The Parker said, looking at Chasity as she could hear her pulse. She had a hint of evil in her eyes.

"No. This wasn't what we talked about— you can't seriously kill me!" Chasity said in a panic, as she was weaponless and couldn't hold off the girl. "Hm. I can actually. After all, it's what you did to Jade and every other innocent werewolf in her pack."

Before Chasity could say anything else, Mazikeen lurched forward and grabbed hold of the woman, planning to feed.

The Parker got her first taste of blood, and didn't stop until Chasity Smith was dead.

After ordering a round of beer, Azazel and Lizzie felt like they'd had enough to drink, though Mazikeen was insistent that they continue.

"Well, that's enough about me." Mazikeen spoke, placing her empty beer glass on the table. "What brings you down this neck of the woods?" She asked, glancing up at Lizzie.

Lizzie looked at her cousin, a little reluctant to answer. Finally, she said "I'm looking for Hope."

"Hope? As in the old flame?" Azazel asked, looking to Mazikeen. The Parker nodded, "That's a name I haven't heard in a while..." She stated, "Why are you searching for Hope?"

"She's a fully activated tribrid and she put Dad in a coma. I'm... I'm gonna kill her, Maze." Lizzie stammered, though Mazikeen smirked slightly.

"Are you smiling?" Lizzie scoffed, as Maze shrugged. "I'm sorry little sister, but I can't say that I'm even slightly saddened that Alaric is in a coma. Not after everything he did to me." The heretic insisted, as Lizzie's face faltered.

"He could die, Maze." The Saltzman said, as Maze frowned. "Alaric made me wish I was dead, Lizzie. I have no sympathy." The Parker spoke nonchalantly.

Lizzie looked at Mazikeen in surprise. Of course, she understood why Maze hated Alaric... but not caring if he died seemed harsh to her.

That wasn't the only reason that Maze was smiling smugly... she also didn't think Lizzie could kill Hope.

Azazel awkwardly looked between the pair, feeling the tension. "So, what's the plan Lizzie?" He asked. "How are we finding Hope?"

Lizzie let out a sigh, trying to put everything Mazikeen had just said to the back of her head. "I'm so glad that you asked, Azazel."

❤︎︎

Molly sat in the chair next to Alaric's hospital bed, as she was half asleep. The vampire had been visiting as much as she could, though she had stepped up as acting headmaster at the Salvatore school since Alaric was put in a coma, which made her very busy.

Everything was a mess, the Hale knew that much. She wished things could go back to how they were, years ago when her daughter was still alive and sharing her lovable smile.

Molly hadn't felt truly happy, since she'd lost Jade. She'd put on a smile as a bandaid for all of the hurt, to show a brace face in front of Jesse, but everything had been so fucking hard.

Not only had she lost Jade, she lost Maze too... and she blamed Alaric for it.

Molly had once truly loved Alaric, but seeing him push away the girl he was supposed to raise as his daughter, disgusted her. She hated to admit it, but she found herself pulling away from him as he treated Maze like a monster.

Truth be told, Alaric hadn't even been a good father to Lizzie or Josie, and they were his biological daughters. He'd honestly been a better father to Elena and Jeremy than the twins.

Molly had hope that Alaric would bounce back from his coma, and rewrite all of his wrongs. Apologise to all three of the daughters he was supposed to raise, and make things right. It wouldn't erase everything he'd done, but it could be a chance to start over.

The brunette shifted in her seat, as she thought about Jesse. The werewolf had been miserable ever since Landon had died, and she'd been doing everything she could to be there for him.

Jesse was depressed and potentially suicidal... Molly had been searching everywhere to find the perfect therapist for the boy, and one who could communicate with sign language.

Of course, Molly was a qualified therapist but she was also Jesse's mother, so it wasn't the best idea for her to fill that role.

As the woman was stuck in her own thoughts, Alaric suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, before the monitor beside the bed began to flatline.

Instantly, the vampire's eyes shot open, and she rushed to his bedside. "Alaric!!" She cried out, as she began to do chest compressions, to get his heart beating again.

Nurses and doctors rushed into the room, ushering the Hale aside as they took over and performed CPR on the man. Another nurse rushed in with a defibrillator.

Molly felt her face pale, and she looked at her life long best friend who was potentially dying. She looked down at her wrist, debating feeding him her blood.

She wanted to scream at the nurses and doctors to move aside so she could give the Saltzman her vampire blood... but as she thought about it, she could still hear his words from their past echoing in her head.

"Promise me, that you'll never feed me your blood if I'm in a situation where I could die. I never want to be a vampire again."

"Alaric—"

"Please Molly, promise me."

"Okay, I promise."

Tears filled Molly's eyes, as she watched the staff continue to try and get Alaric's heart beating again. She felt a violent pounding in her head as the weight of their promise was heavy of her heart.

The nurses all suddenly stepped away, as it had been several minutes, and Alaric was still flatlining. After what felt like forever, a nurse finally said, "Time of death, 21:45."