Hope ached from the top of her head to the souls of her feet. It was different than she's ever felt before - it wasn't like the throb after phasing or even excellent sex. No, this was...electric. With every move she made, every slight twitch of her muscles, she felt an army of electric biting shocks feeding on her flesh.

It began an hour ago. When she'd woken in the back of a van, chained to the floor with massive links and locks piled in every corner of the vehicle. They were evidently not taking chances with her. The metal had also been somehow laced in what appeared to be a mixture of vervain and wolfsbane.

Unfortunately, they kept forgetting she didn't need her hands to cause damage.

However, she only managed one brain aneurysm before Dorian injected her with something. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was silver and metallic. Glittery. Only a moment after the injection, she slumped to her side. Lying lethargically on the van floor

This is where she lied now. Her skin was covered in dewy sweat, shivering uncontrollably as the electric pulses shorted out her nerves. Every bump the van crossed sent another jolt of agonizing pain up her spine to her skull. She was sure whoever was driving did it on purpose. Hope just gritted her teeth and kept her eyes closed. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of her discomfort.

"Comfortable?" His voice sounded suddenly from behind her. His - Dorian's. She hadn't heard him trade places with her last babysitter. She had been so unaware of her surroundings that she hadn't heard anything. She swallowed hard, her stomach tightening a bit. Being that helpless made her want to throw up.

She cleared the slight bile in her throat. "Are you kidding?" She spoke in a raspy voice, "Better than a day at the spa."

Dorian chuckled.

Stop breathing, she thought.

"You know," he began, "This could have gone completely different. If you hadn't...."

"Fought back?" she asked, still not turning to look at him. Not that she really could; the chains made maneuvering a bit difficult. "Sorry. It's in my nature to kick ass." She could feel him smiling.

Hope ground her teeth.

Dorian chuckled again and sighed softly. "I like you, Hope. I like your spirit. Your bristled nature. The crowd will love it too. You will be changing a lot of things for me..." he trailed off as if lost in another thought but quickly brought himself back, "Which is why I'm willing to cut you a deal."

Hope stayed silent. She was almost sure she'd never want to make a deal with him, but she'd be stupid to not at least listen to his proposal, right?

Her brows furrowed then, and she turned her head as much as possible without straining too much. "You said 'the crowd.' What's that supposed to mean?"

Dorian smirked, watching her with those hard eyes that made her want to snap her fangs at him. "If you must ask," he smirked, "You are going to be the gem in this competition. My fighting champion. They'll watch you. They'll just...eat you up" he grinned wolfishly.

Another wave of nausea made her stomach quiver. "Get to the point," she snapped, "What competition. Some kind of fight club with-"

"Supernaturals, yes," he nodded, tilting his head as he watched her.

Hope kept a placid expression. He wanted a reaction, and he wouldn't get it.

"It's very hush, hush..." he continued, dropping his voice to a whisper, "But it's growing boring. Watching the same species pitted against each other. The crowd is growing tired. They want something new. So I'm going to give it to them."

Hope gawked at him.

"You can't possibly think I'd ever actually do anything you say..." she shook her head. "The moment I have my strength-"

He put a hand up to stop her.

"Actually, darling, I guarantee you'll fight," he smirked, "It will be challenging, after all, when you're trying not to die."

Silence stretched between them.

"Ah, yes..." he carried on, "Each match...is to the death. It wasn't in the beginning, but as I said - the crowd has gotten bored." He smirked, eyes glinting. "So, yes, I think you'll fight because if you don't, you will die. I've tracked you for a very long time, Hope Mikaelson. Well before Beacon Hills. I've done my research through inside sources in New Orleans. It's taken a long time to finally get you away from that bubbled shell of a family you live with." His grin grew. "Of course, manipulating your dreams wasn't my initial plan, but the witch there seemed adamant it would get you out of your comfort zone. What, the way you talked about being tracked, it just so happened that Derek Hale, a dominating alpha lived where we sent you. That was pure coincidence, but a lovely one nonetheless- Hope?" he asked with that crooked smile, "Are you alright, sweetheart? You look rather pale."

Hope stared past him. Sweat rolled down her neck as everything he'd just said sank into place.

Everything- her instincts, everything she thought she'd been pushed to find by the universe...was a lie. All those dreams, everything she'd chalked up to her fate, were nothing more than a fabrication.

Had everything she felt for Derek been a lie too? Had they made her feel this way to keep her in one place before they could strike?

Her head spun viciously.

All this time, Hope had thought she was arranging the pawns of her life, moving strategically toward the future she wanted. But, in reality, she was the pawn, and Dorian was her master.

Hope didn't have her power. She was too weak to react, too weak to move, but a tremendous heat rose inside her, billowing out passionately.

Looking up at Dorian, she met his steel eyes with her own "I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Dorian smirked and tsked softly, "Hm, you think you're some indestructible queen. Honey, you're a princess without a crown. Which makes you nothing more than my play-piece to be used however I see fit. You'll submit soon. You'll see." he said as he picked up a black suitcase and placed it on his lap. Upon opening, a syringe and vial of the glittery silver substance she remembered from earlier became visible.

"I'm smarter than you'll ever want to admit," he chuckled as he leaned forward. He pinned her wrist to his thigh and quickly inserted the needle into an available vein.

Hope kept her gaze steady on his as he pushed down slowly on the plunger. She knew the pain would come soon after opening her eyes again, but she didn't look away until her vision blurred and went black. Even when helpless and vulnerable, there was one thing she knew.

Giving up was not an option.