Hopefully this chapter will make up for all the weeks I didn't update. There is no Grace but lots of Klaus - it's the ritual scene and not much is different from the show so bare with my lacking in originality as I didn't have much to work with - it needs to happen and I didn't need to change how or where only when it happens which I have already done.

Enjoy,
Emma xxx

Niklaus looked on, before him lay the three sacrifices - the firecracker blonde werewolf, the aunt who was in transition and the doppelgänger.  Surround by blazing rings of fire they were helpless and he had all the power. 

Retrieving his prize from his pocket Klaus rotated the prized moonstone.

"I've got the moonstone!"  He muttered, turning to his witch Greta he continued on. "I spent 500 years looking for this."  Flipping the stone once more he held out his hand. "I hate to part with it."

The witch said nothing and instead turned her gaze to the sky, following her he turned his head to the heavens.

"The moon has passed its apex."  Looking back down at Greta hills s brow creased. "Remember everything you need to do?"

"I remember." Was her simple reply before she dropped the moonstone into a stone bowl filled with the flickering, dancing tendrils of flames. Sparks began to fly out in all directions as the magic set in and began to destroy the century old talisman, the witch continued to chant the spell in Latin and Klaus could feel the magical pull within his veins - he was intoxicatingly close.

Walking towards the rings of fire Klaus began to inspect his sacrifices, the head of the transitioning she wolf raised up slightly but not towards the vampire who was about the sacrifice her but instead the doppelgänger girl.

"Everything I did..." she began, it was obvious she was in emended pain - it would all be over soon Klaus mused. "I was just trying to help Tyler." 

"Are you Jules?"  The doppelgänger asked with utter disregard for the wolf's past murmuring.

"I did want him to be alone!" The wolf cried in agony.

Peering down at her Klaus took this moment of silence to intersect. "Shall we." And as of by magic the burning circle of fire that was encasing her dispersed.

Acting upon nothing but a raw, animalistic need to survive Jules' eyes began to glow yellow and her werewolf speed pushed her forward - flinging all she had towards Klaus alas no matter amount of werewolf vengeance or survival instinct would gain the upper hand over Klaus.

Reselling her into submission the vampire pinned the wolf to the ground before plunging his hand into her chest and ripping out her heart.

Taking her final breath with test stained cheeks Jules let out one last agonising growl before she slipped into the beyond.

She was dead. The ritual was under way.

With laboured breath Klaus stood and held the bloody organ in his hand for all to see, the two left in the rings of fire looked on, their own hearts in their mouths at the horror they had just laid witness too.

Greta didn't that an eyelid and the fire and simply continued to recite the Latin spell to unravel a Centaurus old curse, it was taking its toll on her but she prevailed on for fear of her neck is she didn't.

Clutching the heart Klaus empties the blood into the ceremonial bow wherein laid the remains of the moon stone. Sparks hissed and flew and the magic tool fit her root.

"Does that mean it's working?"  Klaus asked seeking clarification but he could feel the effects of the spell - he knew it was working and Greta only confirmed what he already knew.

Over in the rings of fire, the Elena watched on as Klaus conversed with his witch while her aunt looked up in despair - tears running tracks down her pale cheeks.

"The day that the lawyers called..." Jenna inhaled deeply, her heightened sense were causing her Jules violent death had her stomach churning - she knew she was next. "Called to tell me that I was going to become your guardian, you know what my first thought was?"  Elena hung her head and shook it gently. "Isn't there someone else who can do this?"  She said with a desperate buckle. 

"Jenna, there was no one else who could have gotten me and Jeremy through all of that."  Elena reasoned with her aunt.

"It's just the thought that I almost passed up taking care of you."  She said hopelessly, all mirth had left her voice, only despair remained.

"But you didn't."  Elena moved closer to the ring of fire before kneeling down so she was eye level with Jenna. "You put your entire life on hold to help us."

"Look around, Elena." Jenna said giving gesturing towards the megalomaniac Vampire and his psychotic witch. "I failed you."

"No."  Elena said, her voice raised. "You didn't. I failed you. I'm so sorry. Listen. Being a vampire, it intensifies your guilt. But it also makes you stronger and faster. You can fight back. I'm gonna get through this. I'll be okay. I need you to believe that. Promise me, when you get the chance..."
Elena moved her hand to her mouth placing
a fingers over her lips and whispering her last word of wisdom to her aunt. "Run."