𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 44

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

The newly turned heretic thrashed in the chains as she shouted in irritation. She could smell the blood of every witch in the same area as her, she had only been given a medicine portion of blood, but Anna wanted more.

The young brunette shifted in her place as a witch entered her cell to place a plate of human food. Annalise noticed the girl keep her distance, yet she recognized her as one of the witch's who dragged her into this loft to be turned.

An uncontained anger rushed through Anna, the heretic's eyes turned blood red as her veins protruded on her under eyes. She hissed as her fangs bared themselves.

She was furious, and because of it, she wanted blood shed.

The heretic moved quickly as she kicked out her leg, causing the witch to fall to the floor. Annalise smiled as she gripped the body and happily fed on it, not stopping until she heard the witch's final heartbeat.

Anna threw her head back as a rush of strength flowed through her. She grinned up at the ceiling as she wrapped her hands around the chains and pulled with her new super human strength.

Annalise stood from the concrete ground and rolled her shoulders back as she dropped the chains that once bound her.

The heretic stepped out from the cell and inhaled the scent in the air. So much blood to go around for the creature.

Harlow Martin had unleashed a demon upon the Martin coven. One that would not stop, until they were all dead.

Annalise jolted awake as she breathed heavily, she groaned in pain as she thrashed against the chains.

The Martin heir shifted her gaze over towards her beloved soulmate who was unconscious. She pursed her lips as she eased the pain in her neck.

She had to get him out of here.

Yet, to her surprise, Klaus sped inside the Lycée. Anna's eyes widened as relief washed over her. The hybrid made his way over to the heretic and inspected her.

"You've been bitten."

"No shit. Get these blasted chains off of me so that I may regain enough strength to rip your mother's fucking head off."

Esther strutted inside the crypt, "I am only trying to free you from the fate your father sealed for you."

"I've had enough of memories to last me the rest of my cursed life." Anna grit through her teeth as Klaus rips the poppet that had the spell cast on the chains.

The hybrid yanked the shackles, finally freeing the heretic from her held position. Anna fell to her knees due to the fact that she was incredibly weakened.

Klaus went over to his brother and did the same for him, the vampire collapsed onto the floor. "Wake up, brother." the hybrid tapped the original's shoulder.

Esther shook her head, "He won't wake. Not yet. Which gives you and I one last chance to discuss my offer."

"Would you shut up?" Anna glanced at the witch, "Do you ever stop talking?"

Esther kept her gaze set on her son as Klaus clenched his jaw in fury, "You promised me Anna and Elijah's safe return. Or, was that a lie, just like that ghoulish atrocity outside claiming to be my father, back from the dead?"

Anna snapped her attention over towards the hybrid as shock took over her expression.

"Your father's return is real. I pulled him from the Other Side before it collapsed, left him in the Bayou to join the wolves. And, I used the execution of one of his own to draw him here, where I knew he'd find you." Esther explained to the Mikaelson male.

Klaus grit his teeth as his anger began to flare up once again, "To what end? Besides my torment?"

Esther sighed, "I brought him here to be the father you never had. To teach you to be the man you always longed to be. Once you are remade as a werewolf, you can join him."

Anna began to siphon the magic from her werewolf bite and let out a soft sigh as she regained her vision.

Klaus' face morphed into a harsh scowl, "His return changes nothing." The hybrid positioned himself so that he was standing protectively before Anna, shielding her and Elijah from his mother.

Anna crawled over to her soulmate and placed a gentle hand on his cheek as she watched his soft breath's exhale from his lips.

Esther pursed her lips at her sons response, "It changes everything. It is my gift to you, Niklaus. This offer is your last chance at salvation. Reject me now, and you will live out your endless days unloved and alone. Do not refuse me out of some ancient spite-"

Klaus' loud voice interrupted her, "Not spite. Hatred. A pure and perfect hatred that's greater now than the day I first took your life!"

The original witch knitted her brows together in frustration, "Why, after all I've done to explain to you, why must you persist-"

The hybrid lost it. Klaus grabbed his mother by the neck and roughly slammed her against the wall, "You came for my child. My daughter! Your own blood."

Esther gasped as she struggled for air, "You... don't... understand."

Klaus' demeanor turned deadly, "My. Child."

"Niklaus, I had to." the witch grounded out before lifting up two fingers, causing Klaus to attain a nosebleed. The hybrid gripped her throat even tighter making her whimper in pain.

"You declared war when you came after my family. And, for that, I will make you suffer as only I can." he sadistically smirked as he finished, "After all, I am my mother's son."

Klaus threw the witch onto the floor and gripped Elijah's arm, throwing it over his neck as Anna wobbly stood yet gave the hybrid a firm nod.

The two sped out of the cemetery with an unconscious vampire in their arms.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Annalise and Klaus gently laid Elijah on his bed and the hybrid watched him in concern before glancing over at the heretic.

"Are you alright?"

Anna pursed her lips, "No."

Klaus' eyes widened, it was the first he had ever heard the heretic answer that way. Usually she either avoided the question or replied with a yes. That response left him dreadfully worried.

"What did my mother do to you two?"

Anna sucked in a sharp breath, "Best not to speak of it."

The door burst open and a panting Francis sighed in relief as he saw Anna. The witch moved quickly as he gripped the brunette and wrapped his arms around her, "Bloody hell, I was worried."

Anna patted his back before stepping out from his grasp, "I'm here." the heretic winced as she remembered seeing Francis' dead body.

She harshly turned away from him and watched Elijah, "We need to keep an eye on him. I'm afraid Esther made it worse for him than for me."

Klaus frowned as gazed at the heretic, "If you need to speak with someone, I am here."

Anna's expression faltered, she wouldn't take up the offer. Right at that moment, the only person she wanted to speak to was Elijah. She knew he saw her kill that witch gruesomely.

Yet, he still consoled her. Whispered caring words to ease her mind.

He was the one person who could calm her.

Anna snapped out of her daze and glanced at the hybrid, "No need. Thank you, though." she attempted to muster up a smile but failed.

The heretic walked past the two males and made her way towards her own room. She'd had enough for the week.

The brunette plopped onto the edge of her bed and sighed, she closed her eyes as she remembered all the memories that she had relived.

There was a soft knock on the door and Anna straightened up knowing it was Francis. "Come in."

The male witch slowly opened the door and closed it behind himself. Francis' gaze saddened as he watched the woman he loved.

"I don't mean to intrude-"

"It's alright, Francis."

The witch shuffled his feet and took a place beside the heretic on the bed. "I'm sorry I couldn't find you."

Annalise shook her head, "Don't apologize for something that wasn't your fault."

"I tried performing a locator spell like Hayley told me to but I failed horribly." Francis scratched the back of his neck. "You are still new to magic. Don't go too hard on yourself."

Francis glanced up to gaze into Anna's sea green eyes, "I was so worried something had happened to you."

The heretic mustered up an awkward smile, "Well, nothing did so."

"You still haven't gotten any better at lying." Francis raised a brow at her. Annalise felt her smile falter, "I had to go down memory lanes I would have preferred to have kept locked away."

The witch's face went slack with realization. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled the brunette towards him, Anna laid her head on his shoulder as he sighed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop it."

"Don't apologize."

Anna mentally frowned, she remembered how warm and fuzzy she felt whenever the male had held her. She had loved being in his arms, it was her safe place. Francis knew this.

But she didn't feel warm. She didn't feel the safety she did when Elijah held her. With Elijah, it was as if nothing else mattered. In Francis' arms, all she felt was cold. All she wanted was Elijah.

It struck her, she had never thought her feelings for Francis would change so drastically.

Annalise frowned knowing her soulmate was unconscious in another room, and that the only way to wake him up was with the herbs Esther had used to take him out.

She felt guilty, she knew Francis was attempting to comfort her, to make her feel secure, but she didn't feel any of that. Francis still loved her just as deeply as he did all those years ago, and here she was wishing she was in another's arms. Here she was wishing Francis was Elijah instead.

Francis squeezed the girls arm as he stood from his place, "I'll let you get some rest." the witch send her a loving smile and walked out the room.

Anna slumped back, did she still love Francis the way he loved her?

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Annalise was in the kitchen stirring up some morning coffee for herself when she suddenly heard a familiar gasp echo in her ears.

The heretic dropped her cup and sped upstairs into Elijah's room to see the vampire awake and sitting upright.

Anna let out a breathless laugh, she wasted no time in throwing her arms around the original and burying her face in his neck.

Elijah looked taken back by her sudden action but was quick to wrap his arms around her. Anna relished in the small sparks that erupted at their touch.

Klaus watched the two with a smile set on his face.

Elijah instinctively placed a chaste kiss onto the heretic's crown. Unbeknownst to Annalise, Francis stood in the doorway watching the two.

The witch felt his chest tightened seeing Anna's mood drastically better from merely seeing the other vampire.

He tore his gaze away from the two soulmates and walked out, unable to watch the scene.

Klaus cleared his throat to make it known that he was also in the room, "I'm still here."

Anna pulled away from Elijah and chuckled nervously before standing up to stand beside the bed. Elijah frowned at the loss of her warmth.

Klaus was unable to keep his smile and looked as if he was about to say something.

Elijah knitted his brows together, "What is it?"

The hybrid glanced over his brother and best friend. Two of the people he trusted most on this vile planet.

"I spent the day with my father. My real father." Klaus carefully spoke out. Anna's lips parted as she remembered what the hybrid had told Esther in the crypt.

Elijah's eyes widened in shock as his younger brother continued, "Esther brought him back from the dead, believing he could convince me to renounce vampirism." Klaus sucked in a breath, "The thought of what I could be, had I been raised by him. Had I been nurtured. This was his."

The hybrid handed his older brother the notebook so he and Anna could inspect it. The vampire opened it up as the heretic glanced over his shoulder to see a sketch of a younger Niklaus inside.

"He knew about Hope."

Elijah immediately shut the journal and rose to his feet, surprise taking over his features.

Klaus' lower lip began to tremble, "I wanted to trust him more than anything in the world. I- I wanted to, but..." Anna frowns as she moved to lay a comforting hand on her friends shoulder that seemed to help him.

"I couldn't be sure. And, I would never forgive myself if something happened to her because of my selfish desire for a father. So, I killed him. Without hesitation. I killed him." the hybrid's voice wavered with emotions. Anna lips parted as she glanced at Elijah who seemed to be thinking of something to say.

"You killed him for Hope."

Klaus swallowed down a sob as Anna spoke up, "And whatever innocence remains, we must protect at any cost."

The hybrid began to cry as he couldn't take the pressure of his emotions any longer. Annalise pulled her best friend to her and Klaus hugged the girl as he let himself be vulnerable in her arms.

Klaus knew no matter what, Anna would never judge him, never think of him as weak for showing emotions, and that she would happily lend him a shoulder to cry on.

He treasured Annalise for that very reason.

Elijah gave his soulmate a grateful smile, he was happy Niklaus had a friend he could rely on. Annalise was someone the two brothers cherished, each in their own way of course.

Niklaus cared for the female as another sister, and Elijah, well they were soulmates. So, to him, she was his better half.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Annalise walked down into the courtyard to see Finn and another male standing there with the enchanted shackles binding their wrists.

Elijah and Klaus appeared before their other two brothers, Anna's lips parted as she realized the other witch was none other than the youngest Mikaelson brother, Kol.

Francis sat a table in the corner of the first floor as he read through the grimoire Annalise had lent to him.

Kol looked at his older brothers with an incredulous expression, "Kidnapping? That's a rather unpleasant way to begin a family reunion!"

Klaus grinned wickedly, "Well, wait until you see how we end it."