CHAPTER FIVE | THE RECKONING

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THE MINUTE EDEN WOKE UP IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, SHE SAW THE MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL. Klaus was vengeful and he was dangerous, even more so now he knew that she and Stefan had been lying to him for months. Stefan was no longer beside her, so she assumed that he had already made his way inside the school to save Elena. Eden lifted herself up to her lips and sped toward the high school, listening out for the conversations inside. One thing was for certain, she knew Klaus was inside— she could hear his sadistic tones a mile off. And, as she entered the gymnasium, all eyes averted to her.

"Oh, here she is!" Klaus beamed with satisfaction as he watched the Gilbert vampire look around at the disarray. Stefan had a dead body beside him, blood all down his face whilst Elena's eyes met her sisters. For a moment, Eden felt at peace. "The liar. You know, Eden, I don't much care for liars."

"I don't much care for psychopaths either, but there we go. We can't have everything." Eden cautiously made her way inside. She eyed up her twin, making sure she wasn't hurt, before she looked at Klaus. "Just let her go."

"You see, I thought you and I were getting along, sweet Eden. Perhaps even becoming friends, and yet you knew exactly why my Hybrid's were dying it was because your sister is still breathing air!" Klaus roared horrifically as he started toward her. "Why'd you lie, hm?"

"Because she's my sister, Klaus." Eden's only option was to attempt to appeal to Klaus' better nature. His sweet spot, so to speak— hopefully he had one. "She's my family, and I would die to protect her."

"Oh, I know you would. Fascinating, really. The love of family." Klaus chuckled softly. "Do you think she would love you if she knew how many innocent people you killed this summer? How many bodies you drained of blood just because you could?" The Hybrid stepped behind Eden and brushed the hair away from her neck, whispering in her ear. "You're like me, and you love it."

"Where is it?!" Rebekah roared as she hurried into the gymnasium and straight toward Klaus. "Where's my necklace?" 

"What are you talking about?"

"She has my necklace. Look!" Rebekah shoved a cellphone into her brother's hand. Eden noticed the phone was Caroline's and the picture was of Stefan and Elena— Elena was wearing the necklace. "Well, well. More lies."

Rebekah's eyes met Elena's. "Where is it?"

Elena felt panic run through her veins. "I don't have it anymore."

"You're lying!" Rebekah lunged forward and sank her teeth into Elena's neck. Eden was quick to try and intervene, but Klaus beat her to it. He yanked Rebekah away with ease as Elena dropped to the floor. "Make her tell me where it is, Nik!"

Klaus took a breath and then dropped down slowly in front of Elena, who was busy clutching desperately at the bite mark against her neck. "Where's the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth. Katherine stole it." 

"Katherine?" Eden echoed in confusion.

"Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch. But, since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?" Klaus strutted over to the large score board at the end of the gym. "Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I went you to feed again, Stefan. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to." Then, he and Rebekah started toward the doors. "No one leaves! Stefan, if Eden tries to intervene, I want you to snap her neck."

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Eden's gaze flickered to the scoreboard and noticed they only had six minutes left. Elena had spent the last fourteen minutes trying to convince Stefan that he could battle against Klaus' compulsion and win, but even Eden knew that was a stupid idea. 

"Yeah." Stefan scoffed at the ramblings of Elena. "Maybe it's just mind control, right? Maybe it just takes some focus, couple decades of training. No big deal."

"Hey!" Eden snapped in defence of her twin. She knew Elena's idea was stupid, but at least she was trying to offer a solution. He remained pacing as the time went by. "Don't talk to her like that."

"Stefan, you can control this. When that buzzer goes off, just drink from me."

"Wait. No. Elena, no. Now, that right there is a stupid idea." The Gilbert vampire was quick to interject. "He won't be able to stop."

"You don't get it. I can't stop, Elena!" Stefan twirled on his heel and began to raise his voice. "I'm a ripper. A ripper doesn't stop! I listen to the words that come out of your mouth and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body. And when that clock ticks down I'm going to have to feed on you. And, you wanna know what's worse? I'm not gonna be able to stop."

Elena shook her head in immediate disagreement. "I don't believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough."

"Why? Because I love you?" He scoffed again.

"No! Because you owe her enough to fucking try!" Eden roared out again just before her eyes flickered to the scoreboard again. They had mere seconds left and Eden had no idea what to do. 

Stefan began to panic. He breathlessly looked between the seconds and the love of his life. "Elena, you're gonna have to run. Eden, I— I need you to get her out of here."

"Klaus said if I run—" Elena started. Klaus said if she ran, Stefan had to kill her.

"What's the alternative? You stay and he kills you anyway?" Eden raised an eyebrow to her twin. She knew Stefan wasn't lying. She had seen him— the real him. Stefan would kill Elena in an instant. 

"She's right, Elena. Please." He dropped down to his knees. "Please. Please. Elena, there's no other way."

"There is another way, Stefan. It's for you to fight!" The buzzer went off and Stefan's gaze narrowed to Stefan. Everything in him was desperately trying to fight it, but it couldn't. "Stefan. I love you. Don't give up!"

He lunged at Elena, just as Eden grabbed her and yanked her out of the way. "Eden get her out!"

Eden grabbed sister and sped out of the gymnasium with her. All Eden could smell was the blood from Elena's bite mark on her neck, but all she could think about was protecting her sister like her life depended on it. But then, that crashed against someone. 

"Oh, dear!" Klaus' familiar voice boomed as Eden's body collided with his chest. "You're quite a naughty little minx, aren't you, Eden?"

"Did you think I'd just roll over and let him feed from my sister?" Eden snapped back. 

"Girls like you need to learn how to behave." In one swift motion, Klaus had snapped Eden's neck and let her body drop at his feet before he gripped hold of Elena.

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The second Eden regained consciousness, she woke up in such a familiar location that made her head spin— Home. She hadn't been home in months, but it felt like years. The place she grew up. But, with what she was now and what she had done, she wasn't sure if it was home anymore. Then, she noticed Klaus slowly stroll up the staircase of the porch whilst she sat upright on the swing. 

"I thought you might like to return home. To family." He finally spot out of the soft silence that enveloped them. 

"It implies I have family to return home to." Eden narrowed her eyes to him whilst her left hand gently massaged her recently snapped neck. "Where's my sister, Klaus?"

"Alive." He nodded. "Probably sporting a rather horrendous headache, but she's alive. Damon collected her, and as a result of some information that came to light, I need to leave town for a while." 

Eden wasn't sure why she felt her heart sink at the mention of Klaus leaving Mystic Falls, but it did. Fuck. "You're going?"

Klaus almost like a smile sweep across his lips, but it stopped it. "Only for a short while. I'll be back. You almost sound like you care, sweetheart."

"I don't." Eden couldn't admit she cared, because she didn't. She didn't care where Klaus was. She didn't care what he was doing. She didn't care about Klaus Mikaelson— lie. 

Klaus closed the cap between them and the space between them made Eden's head spin. He was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. His hand lifted up to her cheek as he tilted his head with a smirk. "I told you before, Eden, I don't like liars."

"I don't care about you." Eden returned with a tight-lipped smile. She tried her best to not react when his skin touched hers but, truth be told, it set her entire body on fire. "I hate you."

"Hate. Love— such a fine line." He mused, then finally took a step away as Eden exhaled. "I'll be back before you know it, sweetheart. Try not to miss me too much, hm?" Then, he disappeared into the night.

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