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CHAPTER 26: CULTURAL AMNESIA

❝ there is no peace in revenge. ❞

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ENOLA WAS SO CIRCULAR; she lived the same slow cycles of joy and misery over and over, never learning. Every lesson in the universe had to be taught a billion times and it just never stuck. Maybe it was good that she forgot every lesson, every good and bad memory, every triumph and failure, all of it dying with each generation. Perhaps this cultural amnesia spared her life. Perhaps if she remembered everything, her hope would finally die.

"Finally you pick up your phone. I have been trying to get a hold of you for days." Cami huffed. "Way to leave a girl hanging."

"I know. I should have called you back. I didn't want to worry you." Davina confessed. "I just—things are complicated."

"Yeah, well, word on the streets—and by streets I mean Josh—is that you have gone totally MIA." Cami expressed. "Seriously. Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'll be back soon. I promise." Davina said. "And thanks for calling. It's good to hear your voice."

Hidden amongst the crowd with a small shred of hope that had yet to be distinguished were Enola and Klaus. They were admittedly eavesdropping on the phone conversation a few feet away. She had been struggling with vampirism and he was more than willing to help. She was a little confused when he dragged her out onto the busy streets of New Orleans to stalk Cami. Though it all made perfect sense when Davina called. After it was revealed that the harvest girl quite literally had Mikael the destroyer on a leash, she had been in hiding.

"What do you hear?" Klaus inquired, earning a deep grimace from Enola at the loud noises surrounding. "Concentrate."

"I am trying," Enola groaned.

"Not hard enough," Klaus tsked.

Enola groaned in frustration. She closed her eyes and shut off the rest of her senses before completely focusing on Cami and Davina. Her ears twitched as she picked up a plethora of sounds just from this one phone call.

"Cicadas," Enola blurted. "I heard cicadas."

"And?" Klaus pushed.

"And terns," Enola finished, opening her eyes.

"Well done," Klaus smiled softly. "However, the church bells were the giveaway."

"Church bells?" Enola echoed.

"The Claire family owns a nice little cabin in Terrebonne Parish. It has been abandoned for years." Klaus grinned. "A brief glimpse of the map shows it's just a mile from the loveliest little chapel."

"So," Enola began. "What's the plan?"

"Well, the way I see it—if Davina wants to use Mikael to kill me, we just have two options." Klaus grinned. "One, reason with her. Two, well, I don't think you would like two very much."

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Enola loved Klaus dearly. But even she could admit that his theatrics were tiresome. A break was just what she needed and the roadside bar just up ahead was bound to give her just that. So she found a little table off to the side and sat with a glass of scotch in her hand.

"Wait in the car, you said. I will be right back, you said." Klaus mocked, approaching Enola with a deep scowl. "Did I not sufficiently explain the urgency of this endeavor?"

"You did," Enola nodded. "I just don't care."

"You know my father and what he is capable of," Klaus said. "How could you not care?"

"Because this is your revenge fantasy. Not mine." Enola huffed. "Just relax—maybe order something to drink while you're at it."

"Is that your plan?" Klaus frowned. "Ply me with alcohol, then prattle on until I'm convinced to leave Davina and Mikael alone to plot my death?"

"My plan is to listen," Enola corrected. "Come on, Nik. You don't actually need me. You never did. So why don't we skip the theatrics and talk about why I'm really here? Friend, family, fiancé. Call it whatever you want. I know why I'm here. To give you the one thing you've never had. Someone to hear your side."

Enola waved the bartender over for a refill before giving Klaus a look of warning. She waited patiently for him to take a rather reluctant seat across from her as the bartender sauntered over with the bottle of scotch and another glass. When everything was in order and they both had their respective beverages, they finally faced one another.

"And for the record," Klaus began, taking a sip of the scotch. "I will always need you."

"That is adorable," Enola teased. "So you wanna kill your dad. Again."

"Mikael is in possession of the missing white oak stake," Klaus reminded. "He needs to die."

"And how exactly do you plan on killing him?" Enola inquired.

"Not kill," Klaus smirked, pulling a familiar blade made of bone out into the open. "Torture."

"Oh, goody. Papa Tunde's mystical dagger of ludicrous torment." Enola clapped sarcastically.

"My parents have dedicated their lives to making me weak and afraid. I have killed them once already." Klaus hummed. "You know I can do it again."

Klaus downed the rest of the scotch before standing. He turned to storm out of this fine establishment and right out on the battlefield. He was unable to get far with his lovely fiancé grabbing a hold of him and dragging him back with sheer force.

"I get it. The hurt your parents have inflicted on you for a thousand years—I understand what you're fighting against." Enola sighed. "But the real question is, what are you fighting for?" Her eyes flickered around the room. "Ask me to dance."

"You want to dance?" Klaus quirked a brow.

"No," Enola shrugged. "But I am trying to make a point." She held an impatient hand out. "There is more to life than the pain your parents made you feel—a cold beer, a slow song, a good lover. There are good things. And you need to see that too." She pulled him out onto the dance floor. "There is no peace in revenge. I learned that after Francesca."

Klaus pulled Enola in for a soft kiss as they slowly swayed along to the music. It was warm—and then it went cold. She slowly opened her eyes to find him gone. With the car keys.

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Enola stormed through the unfamiliar woods in the middle of the night. She had been walking for what felt like days when it had only been hours. She continued in the direction where she thought the cabin was located as her phone began to buzz in her back pocket. She was surprised she still had service all the way out here as she answered the call from her best friend.

"Tell me your day is going better than mine," Enola pleaded.

"Can't say it is," Hayley sighed. "Where are you?"

"I don't exactly know," Enola awkwardly confessed. "Why?"

"Marcel and I were getting the vampires and werewolves together for a rescue mission," Hayley informed. "I was wondering if you would be interested in joining?"

"As fun as that sounds, I have a rescue mission of my own to conduct." Enola said. "I'll call you back."

Enola ended the call as soon as the cabin came into view. Her eyes squinted through the dark as she neared a familiar form up ahead. Her eyes narrowed in fury as she used her enhanced speed to tackle him to the ground, earning a startled yelp in return.

"I am going to murder you," Enola snarled, grabbing Klaus by the collar of the shirt.

"Davina is fine!" Klaus swore. "She will wake up with a spectacular headache. But given her intentions for me, she should count herself lucky."

"You ditched me," Enola glared, slamming a fist into Klaus' face. "I had to ask, like, twenty people for directions before vamp-speeding here. I ran into nine trees on the way."

"Well, your perseverance is duly noted." Klaus choked out.

"I am so mad at you, I can hardly speak!" Enola huffed. "But I am here and it is to tell you—not to bargain with you and not to shame you, but to tell you—under no circumstances will you hurt that girl. Do you understand me?"

"You have my word," Klaus promised, holding his hands up in defense.

Enola nodded before pulling Klaus up. She didn't hesitate to crash her lips to his. She was furious with him, but she was also glad he was okay. She knew taking on his father was no easy task. Speaking of his father, Mikael laid unconscious on the ground a few feet away.

"What happened?" Enola questioned hesitantly.

"He is alive. And in complete and utter agony." Klaus confessed, having used Papa Tunde's mystical dagger of ludicrous torment. "I decided to take your advice and keep him that way. I want him to hurt the way he made me hurt."

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Enola and Klaus were unable to enter the cabin without an invitation. They used the power of teamwork to load Mikael into the trunk before making their way back over to the cabin. They peered inside to find Kaleb helping an unconscious Davina into a better seating position. He glanced up at them with a familiar mischievous glint in his eye that boiled their blood.

"Oh, hello, darling." Kaleb teased. "Back to huff and pull and blow the house down?"

"You know it's funny how often a person's sharp tongue can end up cutting their own throat," Klaus glared evilly.

"Nik," Enola warned. "He is just a kid. Leave him alone."

"She is right you know," Kaleb went on. "You might want to try a bit of lavender under your pillow. Does wonders for stuck up pillocks with anger issues."

"Stop talking," Enola deadpanned.

"I promised not to kill Davina," Klaus claimed, waving the white oak stake around like a newly acquired toy. "I said nothing of this insolent sod."

Enola shot Kaleb an annoyed look before dragging Klaus a few feet away. Enola didn't know why Kaleb seemed so familiar, but she could tell Klaus felt it too. He antagonized the original hybrid like it was nothing, like he had done it before.

"You had the opportunity to kill your father with this thing and you didn't," Enola reminded, motioning to the white oak stake. "You're not going to kill a kid with it."

"Fine," Klaus huffed reluctantly.

"Hand it over," Enola held a hand out. Klaus huffed in annoyance but handed it over anyway. "Thank you."

"Just go get the car started," Klaus sighed. "Let us take Davina to the hospital."

"So now you want to help Davina?" Enola quirked a teasing brow.

"Don't get me wrong, I would much rather spend my night tangled in the sheets with you." Klaus smirked. "But we both know you won't leave without making sure everyone is okay."

"I love you," Enola grinned.

"I know," Klaus waved off. "Now go start the car."

Enola gave Klaus a mock salute before skipping over to the vehicle. She opened the door before taking a much needed seat behind the wheel. She placed the white oak stake in the cup holder before moving to start the car. She paused when she felt someone's warm breath hit the back of her neck. She froze, eyes slowly trailing up to the mirror to find Mikael staring back.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

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AUTHORS NOTE.
sorry. this chapter is more on the shorter side. but there was not much content. i hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless. thank you so much for reading. until next time, my loves!!!