Esmeray immediately got off of Klaus's lap, and the two rushed to her side.

"What is it?" asked the werewitch, feeling her forehead for a temperature. "What do you feel?"

"I dreamt about a bad man," she said, taking Klaus's hand. "He was hurting these kids, and I think he hurt me, too. I feel... dizzy. And my head hurts."

She swayed, and Klaus caught her just as a bit of blood started to drip from her nose. "Hayley!" he called, picking her up and setting her down on the couch.

Esmeray took her hand, trying to sense specifically for a magical illness. And when she did, she tensed, squeezing Hope's hand tightly before she looked up at Klaus.

"What is it?" he asked as Hayley came running, seeing Hope was now shivering. "What is the matter with her?"

"She's got dark magic inside of her," said Esmeray slowly. "It feels... familiar, almost. But also like nothing I've ever felt before. Cold. Dark. Empty."

Freya confirmed this when she came to check on Hope as well. "Cold," she murmured. "But how did she contract this—?"

"I don't know," said Hayley worriedly, holding Hope's head on her lap. "She's never been sick, ever."

There was a rustling noise, and Hayley sat up, pulling a paper out of her pocket, reading it quickly as Elijah came into the room. "It's from Vincent Griffith. He knows what's wrong with Hope, he can cure her. But we have to go back to New Orleans."

"Then we shall go," said Elijah.

Klaus made to argue, but Esmeray held up her hand. "We know it's dangerous, but Elijah and I want to be there to support you and Hayley. Come on. Let's get going."

Hayley picked Hope up as they went out to the car, with Elijah climbing into the driver's seat. Klaus got in beside him, while Hayley and Esmeray kept Hope between them. The werewitch was doing spells to soothe her, lulling her to sleep so that she could rest on the ride there.

"Our home," muttered Klaus distastefully as they entered the Compound. "Once the pride of our family, now a flophouse."

"Indeed, the mighty have fallen," said Elijah as Hayley and Esmeray carefully set Hope on the couch in the courtyard.

"Where's Vincent?" asked Hayley nervously.

"Right here," they heard him say as he came up to them hurriedly. "Kept my word. Now the only question is whether or not you guys are gonna keep yours. As soon as I'm finished healing your kid, you got to leave the city."

"Wll, we're not gonna stay, are we?" said Klaus. "Your city has lost its charm."

"Hey," said Esmeray, raising her eyebrows at him.

Klaus relented. "Please," he said weakly. "Help her."

Vincent moved toward Hope, looking over her pale face before holding up his hands, clapping them together. "Nettoyer timoun sa a," he whispered, "Nettoyer timoun sa a..."

Esmeray watched intently, wanting to memorize it so that she could perform the same spell in case it happened again. Hope gave a gasp after about the fifth time Vincent chanted, sitting up and looking at Hayley. "Mom?"

"That's it," said Vincent as Hayley ran to embrace her daughter. "Your little girl's purified."

"Thank you," said Klaus, putting his arm around Esmeray and kissing her head, seeing that Hope did look better.

"Now, look, the only gratitude I need from any of you is seeing you leave the city," said Vincent. Behind him, Hayley pulled Hope to her feet. "Go see your daddy."

Hope started to walk to Klaus, but stopped suddenly when a thumping sounded, a dead crow falling at her feet. She stepped back as crows started to fall all around her. Hayley rushed to hold her arms, likely thinking her magic burst out and caused this. But Hope's surprised expression let them know she wasn't causing this.

"What is this?" whispered Klaus, seeing the crows had fallen in a perfect circle around Hope, though some were off to the side.

"I don't know," Vincent admitted.

"Mom?" said Hope, looking around. "Esme— can you hear that?"

"Hear what?" asked Esmeray, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It's whispers," replied the little girl. "Saying a name... over and over. 'Kre Nah Han... Kre Nah Han...'"

"Vincent," Hayley murmured. "What is that?"

The Tremé witch looked like he'd seen a ghost. "It's a nearly forgotten dialect. It's Creole. It means... 'The Hollow.' The Hollow is coming."

He rushed out, as if this had given him new information. Hayley picked Hope up, taking her to one of the rooms upstairs while Elijah and Klaus started to stuff the dead crows in a burlap sack.

"She's sick again," said Esmeray after she went to examine Hope. "The purification didn't last long. I can still sense magic in her."

"Is there anything you can do?" asked Hayley, smoothing Hope's hair back.

"I could try a few spells, but I don't know how much it will help. This thing is really powerful." She put her hand on Hope's forehead, concentrating. The little girl whimpered slightly before cuddling up to her mom, looking at least slightly more relaxed.

"Mom?" she said softly. "I want my dad."

"I'll go get him for you," said Esmeray, getting up and going back down to where the two brothers were.

"How is she?" asked Klaus immediately.

Esmeray sighed. "Relaxed, but still sick. She wants you."

Klaus looked surprised. "Well, make an excuse. I'd rather my daughter not know I've gone off to murder witches."

The werewitch crossed her arms. "I don't think you should leave to kill anyone, not whens he needs you."

"She is right," agreed Elijah. "We cannot be reckless, Niklaus. Let me see what I can do."

"I'll go talk to Marcel," offered Esmeray. "He won't hurt me after I gave him the spell for Davina. I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?"

She tiptoed to kiss Klaus, ruffling his hair before she left the house.

Esmeray found Marcel in the Tremé, having rounded up the local witches to ask them if they were involved in this Hollow business.

"Listen up, listen up," he said to the witches. Esmeray snuck into the back, standing directly behind one of the taller witches. "For five years now, we've had a truce. Stayed out of each other's business. Tended to our own. But now, your problems are becoming mine. Someone is taking children. As you know, I have one nonnegotiable rule: we do not mess with kids. Now, you've seen that graffiti. Someone here's got to know who's responsible. Right? So just give me a name. Hmm?"

"We don't owe you anything," one of the witches snapped. "You're no friend to witches."

"Okay," said Esmeray in annoyance, stepping out. "We're not children. This isn't about who's friends with who on the playground and who's taking too long on the swing. It's like Marcel said, we don't mess with kids. I don't care if he's your worst enemy. There are several little kids who are going to die if we don't do anything. So I recommend you talk if you know something. Do it for the kids, not for Marcel. If you don't talk, I'll just look into your minds, and I'll kill anyone involved with the Hollow. Either talk willingly, keep your life, and save innocent children, or die. I'm not negotiating, either."

The woman who'd spoken up gulped. "There's a girl named Lara," she admitted. "I saw her draw the same symbol on her window in blood."

"Cool. Where is she? What is she?"

"She's one of your kind. A wolf. She ran off to the Bayou."

"Thanks," said Esmeray, giving Marcel a look before beginning to head to the Bayou. She heard footsteps that let her know he was coming with her.

He drove them, and she took the time to text Klaus about what they were going to investigate. If Marcel had issues with it, he didn't say anything.

They parked the car near the edge of the Bayou. Esmeray got out, closing her eyes and sniffing, able to sense that someone was near the cabin she'd fixed up, long ago. Leading the way, the two made their way to where a young woman was on the docks, looking out onto the water.

"Probably best if you stay back," Esmeray recommended. "Can't imagine she takes too kindly to vampires."

"Last time I came across one of the Hollow's goons, the guy tried to kill me." He replied. "So... fair warning."

She nodded, and moved closer to the wolf. "Lara," she said gently. "Hi. I don't know if you—"

"I know you," said the wolf, turning to face her. "Esmeray Poldark. They still talk about you around here. You came by a little after I arrived... helping with one of our members... who wanted that surgery." She gulped. "I know why you're here. You're here because of the children. I'm sorry. I am. They're as good as dead."

"I just want to talk," said Esmeray. "I understand that you didn't mean for that to happen. And yet, you still aligned with the Hollow. I don't want to hurt you, I just want to know what happened."

Lara scoffed lightly. "You can't hurt me any more than I've already hurt myself. I didn't know this was gonna happen. I didn't know they were gonna bring children into it."

"I know. I hear you. Who's 'they?' Who are the other members?"

"Those that serve the Hollow. Followers of the blue light. I thought we were doing something good. Trying to take back our city, from him." She held up a knife, pointing it at Marcel. "From the vampires. For five years we kept quiet. Watching you lord over this city like it was yours."

"Hey," said Marcel, getting closer, "I spent the last five years keeping the peace..."

"It is not your city to rule! New Orleans belongs to all of us. And the Hollow offered us the power we needed. So long as we pledged our allegiance."

"But you didn't like what they did to the kids, right?" said Esmeray, holding her hands up as she approached her. "That's why you're here. All I need is to know who else is involved so we can save the kids. No one needs to know you were the one that helped us."

Lara laughed bitterly. "You can't help them. The Hollow wants power. The kind that only comes from sacrifice. Those kids will die so it can get stronger. And it will feed. And it will rise. And we will all bow before it. The great beast. Even you. My only mercy is I won't be here to see it." She abruptly stabbed herself in the throat, and Esmeray tore forward, only just able to absorb her memories before she died.

She stood, turning to Marcel. "They're meeting here in the Bayou to sacrifice the kids. I—" her phone chimed, and she saw that Elijah had texted her. "Well, it looks like Elijah and Vincent just found out the same thing. We're meeting a bit further South."

They walked in silence to the rendezvous point.

Esmeray tried to focus on the crunching of leaves beneath her feet instead of Marcel's breathing. She wasn't happy with him at all, but she would tolerate working with him.

Ahead, they could see Elijah, Vincent, Klaus, and Hayley were gathered. "The kids are attached to that spell," the witch was telling them. "If we save the kids, we save your little girl."

"And the sooner you all can be on your way," Marcel said loudly, announcing his presence.

Hayley huffed lightly. "Clearly, we're skipping all the hugs and hellos. Vincent?"

The witch gestured down a path. "Trail leads off this way, so, I guess we, uh, follow the breadcrumbs."

Klaus crossed his arms. "Tactless savages holding a ghost-raising rave. Best make short work of them. I say we—"

"We split up," Marcel interrupted. "Klaus, you're with me, I'm not letting you out of my sight. Anybody got a problem with that... I don't give a damn."

Rolling her eyes, Esmeray took Klaus's hand and followed after Marcel. "Are you alright, love?" the hybrid asked his girlfriend quietly.

"I'm fine," she said, glaring up at Marcel.

Klaus seemed to be doing the same. "I assume you embark upon this journey out of the kindness of your heart?"

They could practically hear Marcel rolling his eyes. "There are kids in trouble. Yours included."

"It's a bit late for you to suddenly care about my child, given you left her fatherless for five years."

"Well, speaking from experience, I figured I was doing her a favor."

Klaus gritted his teeth. "Careful. Lest your insults mar an already tentative peace."

"All right, listen," Marcel snapped. "I don't care about our peace, all right? I care about finding these missing kids and wiping out the messed up people who took them. Root out the problems, make them go away. That's what you do when you're the king."

"All I see is a petulant prince," Klaus shot back.

"Always with the insults. You never do learn."

"On the contrary, my time in your dungeon clarified my priorities. My concerns are with my child. And as for you, I can imagine no better revenge than leaving you to the endless struggle to prove yourself my better. You're welcome, by the way."

Klaus started to move ahead, and Esmeray trotted along beside him, holding his arm. "How is she?" she asked. "Who's taking care of her?"

"Freya and Keelin. It would appear your wolf friend is coming in quite in handy. And it would appear my sister fancies her."

Esmeray grinned. "Look at that, I'm the best matchmaker ever. Bonnie and Damon, Freya and Keelin..."

"Technically, you supported Hayley and Elijah before Rebekah and I did."

"See? Best matchmaker."

It was still dark when they approached a clearing in the Bayou where five acolytes waited by an altar filled with bones, specifically the skull of an alligator (or crocodile, Esmeray honestly didn't know how to tell them apart and didn't care to). They seemed to be waiting for someone, and from the other side of the clearing, they watched Detective Will Kinney walk up.

"Now that you've returned, brother," the head acolyte greeted him, "you may join us as we claim our power. Our rightful place. And lay waste to all who would deny our master. Are you prepared to prove your loyalty to the Hollow?"

Will nodded. "I know what I have to do. I'm not afraid."

"We should begin." The head acolyte held up a sword.

Klaus growled. "Enough with this circus of sadists." Ripping off a bone from a charm hanging on an overhead branch, he threw it full force at the leader, successfully killing him. The other acolytes and Will all brought out knives, but they were useless weapons against vampires.

Elijah, Klaus, Marcel, and Esmeray each attacked one of the remaining acolytes as Vincent and Hayley rushed to get the kids, who were wrapped in sheets and laid in front of the altar.

Will, seeing he was left alone, brought out a talisman, holding it up. "Vinculum mond sa, vinculum mond sa—"

"Will!" Vincent yelled as Elijah went to help them carry the kids to safety. "WIll, come on, man, it's over!"

"No, Vince," said Will, thrusting the talisman out and sending Marcel and Klaus flying back. "It's only just begun."

Esmeray, who was standing behind him, jumped onto him, knocking him down and tearing the talisman out of his hand before grabbing his head, and trying to free him of the Hollow's control.

"It's not gonna work!" Vincent said fearfully, thinking Will would throw her around the way he had done to him and Elijah earlier. "I tried that already!"

"Well," Esmeray grunted in effort, concentrating as Will yelled out in pain, "you don't know Mind Spells the way I do."

Flames erupted around them, and Esmeray saw that Will's spell was in place— a ring of fire had trapped Marcel and Klaus inside of it. However, she had indeed succeeded in freeing Will. His eyes glowed blue, and she got off of him, carrying him to safety the instant he went unconscious. She then ran back, trying to get the flames to die down, but this specific spell wasn't going to be so easy to remove.

"We got this all wrong," said Vincent as Hayley and Elijah finished laying the four children side by side, unwrapping their faces so they could breathe. "They wanted us here— to channel your power and anchor the Hollow to the living world."

"They're not dead yet, though," said Esmeray, able to sense the kids were breathing. "But they are linked, right?"

"Exactly," said Vincent. "We can't free Marcel and Klaus unless we break the spell."

Elijah frowned. "How do we stop this?"

"It's a sacrificial ritual. I can't break it unless I kill one of the kids."

"No, no!" said Hayley immediately. "There has to be another way."

"Hold on," said Esmeray. "If the only way revolves around someone dying, then I think I have an idea. Elijah can't die. What if we... switch the link?"

Elijah stared at her as if she'd said they'd be dressing him in a tutu and lighting him on fire. "Are you suggesting we take my life?"

"Temporarily," she clarified. "If I switch the link and we stake you, you'll die, but you'll come back."

Vincent nodded. "Yes, yes that should work." He offered Esmeray his hand, and the two knelt down by the children as Hayley picked up a branch. "Mare," whispered Vincent, simply channeling the werewitch. "Mare leurs. Mare leurs esprits. Mare leurs esprits! Mare leurs esprits!"

"Hayley, now!" instructed Esmeray.

The hybrid stabbed the branch into Elijah's chest, and he started to desiccate immediately, sinking down into the ground. Esmeray felt the air clear, and the fire behind them immediately vanished. She saw Marcel and Klaus get up and start walking toward them as the four children gasped, waking up.

"Klaus!" Esmeray ran to him, grabbing his face. "What do you feel?"

"I feel fine," he said, but she frowned, as if she didn't believe him.

"You're cold," she told him. She grabbed at Marcel's hand. "You're both cold. I can feel it inside of you."

Behind her, Hayley was just waking Elijah up. She turned to face them. "Get the kids back to their parents. I need to purify these two, and I need to do it here."

The others nodded, and each took one of the kids (Elijah took two) before they left, heading to where Elijah had parked his car. Esmeray gestured for Marcel and Klaus to each get onto their knees.

She put one hand on each of their heads, beginning the purification. She could feel pure chaos radiating in their minds, even if they couldn't sense it yet. A blue light seemed to emit from each, and she frowned, concentrating on purging it before she lifted her hands, and sent it out. She swayed, and Klaus caught her before she could fall.

"Love?" he said frantically. "Love, what's the matter?"

"Slight problem," she said, holding her head as whispers erupted all around her. "I got it out of you two. But I think it latched onto me."

Klaus scooped her up, holding her bridal style before speeding them back to the Compound. "Freya!" he bellowed, urging for his sister to come downstairs.

She did, and came beside Esmeray, who looked a bit dizzy. "It's not as bad as it could have been," Freya said once Klaus told her what'd happened. "It's a very minimal amount, and it couldn't get a proper hold. Esmeray, I'm going to make you something to drink, and it's going to be gross, but it will help, alright? I'll be back."

"Cool," she said, resting her head against Klaus's chest. "I can stay here... go check on your daughter..."

"I'll be back as fast as I can," he promised, setting her on the couch before speeding up to make sure that Hope was alright. He found that she was awake and happy, playing with Keelin. He made his way back downstairs, seeing Esmeray had curled up, and had a faraway look in her eyes. "Love?"

"It feels horrible," she murmured. "It's making me so sad. It's making me remember the emptiness I felt after I miscarried. The emptiness that came when you were gone."

Klaus frowned, taking her hand. "Speak to me, love. Distract yourself."

"I can't help but feel there's something familiar about this. Like... I should know what it is, but I don't. This magic is calling out to me. As if it knew me. The magic feels exactly like mine, but darker."

"What would that mean?"

Esmeray shrugged. "I don't yet know."

A/N: Happy 900 pages! I almost had Esmeray say "I think the Hollow was the first werewitch" cause I was like omg that would sound cool but then I was like wait I'm dumb, the Hollow wasn't actually a wolf, she just made the werewolf curse. She's only a witch. Rip.