𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 31

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Anna wearily watched Klaus gasp in pain from the knife embedded in his chest. Elijah stood next to her, looking conflicted with what had come from the situation with his sister.

Annalise's vamp hearing picked up on Camille who had just entered the compound. The heretic turned towards her soulmate, "She's here."

The original makes his way towards the balcony and gestures for the human to join him upstairs.

"Why did you call me? Have you found a way to help my uncle?" Cami glanced up at the vampire. "I can try, but first, I need your help." Elijah answered her.

"I don't have time for games, Elijah. The hex on him is getting worse by the day." the blonde human crossed her arms. "My brother has a mystical torture device buried in his chest, and the mother of his child is inexplicably missing. So, I can assure you, I have no time to play any games, either."

Cami's expression grew serious, "What do you need me to do?"

The human had joined Anna and Elijah in Klaus' room who was still groaning and withering in pain.

"The dagger the witch gave me is inside of him?" Cami raised a questioning brow. "Every second it lasts in there untold pain is inflicted on him." Anna pursed her lips.

Elijah removed his jacket and began to roll the sleeves of his button up shirt. Cami looked around, "Who stabbed him?"

"I did, and now I intend to remove it. You might want to take a step back."

Cami tilted her head, "Why am I here?"

"Because of all the people that could be here, you're probably the only one he wouldn't immediately slaughter." Elijah uses a scalpel to slice into him along the red scar covering his chest, before jamming his fist into the open wound to grab the blade.

"He speaks of you more than I have ever heard him speak of anyone. He fancies you." Anna's eyes held determination as she spoke to the human.

The original finally yanks out the knife from the hybrid's chest and Klaus groans loudly before yelling in pain.

"A wonderful skill that I shall be counting on very shortly. You see, Niklaus will be weak as he recovers. So, watch over him and feed him, if you would. But slowly, please, and from your wrist." Elijah quickly explained to the human as he cleaned up his arm.

"Don't you guys have bags of blood in storage?" Cami raised a brow.

Annalise slipped her hands into her pocket as she spoke up, "Your blood is laced with vervain. So, it will burn him. He'll ingest it slower."

Elijah glanced over at the blonde, "Perhaps you could use the time constructively? Persuade him not to murder his baby sister." the vampire turned towards his brother, "Niklaus, it was not my desire to bring you pain, but I will not see you hurt Rebekah." Elijah then looked over at Anna, "Now, I fear Sabine will be making a final move against us. I intend to find her and to end this."

Klaus weakly groans before croaking out, "Elijah. You will pay for this."

Elijah slightly frowned before walking out of the room with Anna shortly after him.

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Elijah and Annalise interrupt Monique Deveraux in the tomb where she was chanting a spell.

"When order is restored, your kind won't be allowed in here." The witch glared at the two.

"Oh come on, don't I get special treatment for being half witch?" Anna feigned hurt. Monique rubbed her hands together, "You're worse than a vampire. You are a true abomination."

Annalise smirked, "Tell me something I haven't heard, sweetheart."

Elijah narrowed his eyes at the witch, "Careful there. I need to find Sabine."

"She's taken someone important to us." The heretic crossed her arms over her chest. She had grown to care for the young werewolf, not to mention she was also carrying her best friends child.

"And you thought I'd help you?" the young witch scoffed before standing up to face the two, "Sabine is one of us, committed to the rise of the witches."

Elijah clenched his jaw, "The only thing Sabine is committed to is the destruction of my family."

Monique shrugged, "And that would be a bad thing why?"

"Like your mother, my mother was also a witch, a very powerful witch. In fact, because of my family, her power now flows through your veins. Now, once Sabine manipulates those around her, she will do what she has always done. She will jump into another body and disappear, leaving your witches powerless." Elijah predicted his ex lovers move.

Monique firmly shook her head, "No. She has the faith. She will see our power restored."

Anna rolled her eyes. At the end of the day, witch's only cared about themselves.

"There's a way of guaranteeing this. I'll also secure the safety of yourself and your kind." Elijah spoke to the witch as Anna pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to Monique who eyed it.

"This is from my mother's grimoire. Celeste used a similar spell to body jump. If what Sabine says is true, when she sacrifices herself, all of her power will flow back into the earth. However, if she has lied and tries to take another body, this spell will deliver her to a very different destination. Now, please tell me where Sabine is."

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After getting Monique to tell them where the witch was, the two soulmates trudged through the Bayou. Anna picked up her pace as she noticed Hayley speaking with Celeste.

"Whatever witch bitch has promised you, it's a lie." Anna quickly sputtered out as Elijah joined her side.

"It"s okay." Hayley reassured the two. "She cannot be trusted." Elijah firmly stated, the werewolf sighed, "She's the only one that can help my pack."

The original scoffed, "Do you have any idea what she has done to my family?"

"I know you want revenge, and come the next full moon, when I'm sure her cure works, she's all yours." Hayley promised the vampire but Anna narrowed her eyes, "You can't be this gullible Hayley."

"Are you suggesting that we hold her captive for an entire month? It would take an army." Elijah held a bewildered expression. Hayley stood firmly, "And I've got one." all the wolves howled in agreement.

Annalise harshly scoffed, "You think a couple of werewolves can contain a witch with enough determination and power? You've lost your bloody mind."

"Look, you two can either help me or get out of my way." Hayley told the two.

Anna grit her teeth, "I don't take threats lightly, Hayley."

Elijah eyes the mason jar and quickly speeds ripping it from the werewolves grasp and took Celeste with him.

"Elijah!" Hayley went to run but Anna raised her palm, "Immobilus."

The pregnant werewolf felt her entire body freeze on the spot. Anna watched as all the werewolves bared their teeth at her and began growling ruthlessly.

"Oh calm your tails. I haven't hurt her, just stopped her from moving. Hayley, you have to understand you cannot believe a word that left that witch's mouth." the brunette told her friend. Anna raised her palm and let go of the spell allowing Hayley to now freely move.

"Just wait."

The werewolf frowned before sitting upon a log. Anna leaned up against a tree as she noticed Elijah emerge from the woods with the jar, Hayley stood and smiled, "Thank you."

The vampire nodded, "It will work."

Hayley took the mason jar from his grasp and walked away with the wolves following behind her.

Annalise placed a comforting hand on the original's shoulder, "We'll save Nik and Rebekah."

"Or you'll end up watching them tear each other apart."

Elijah and Anna turned to see Celeste smirking at them. The vampire glared at the witch, "Well, the Celeste I knew was never so cruel. What is it that you want? What's your end game?"

The witch smiled, "Oh, this game never ends, Elijah. We're both immortal, you know."

Anna scoffed, "That seems a bit cruel, don't you think?" Celeste narrowed her eyes at the Martin heretic, "Cruel is what you are. You could have been so much more, Anna. A Martin witch gifted with immortality. You hold so much power, yet you threw away your potential when you angered the ancestors 354 years ago."

"They can rot in hell for all I care." the brunette grit out. Celeste chuckled, "You keep seeing us as the enemy, Annalise Martin. You should be grateful for the chance you were given. The world's first heretic."

Annalise gaped at the witch not believing the words that had just left her mouth, "Grateful? Grateful? I was 17 years old when I was tied up to a table and injected with vampire blood to test a fucking theory!"

Elijah's eyes widened as he glanced over at his soulmate.

"I was taken by force." Anna's voice began to waver. The heretic winced as memories from that night flooded her mind. Celeste sighed, "I've heard the story. You were caught meddling with a vampire, Annalise. Now correct me if I'm mistaken but to your coven an act like that was punishable by death, was it not?"

The heretic clenched her fists tightly, "How do you know of that?"

The witch wickedly smirked, "I know my history. You fell in love with a vampire and in the end you were caught. So as punishment you were used as the test subject, and you being a siphoner didn't help your cause."

The original watch as tears welled up in Anna's eyes, "You witch's will always be blood thirsty for power, the need to be the top species. I was a child who was in love and to you all, that was seen as a crime."

Celeste narrowed her eyes, "Should have followed the rules."

Elijah took a step forward, "Enough! Your quarrel is with me, Celeste."

The with looked over at the vampire, "Your family lies in ruins. Everything went as planned."

"My family, despite all that you have done, will heal in time." Elijah confidently stated. His ex lover chuckled, "If you had the time, maybe. But, do you really think Rebekah ran far and fast from here? I bet she didn't."

Anna blinked a couple of times before speaking up, "She's long gone."

"Is she? She's with Marcel. Now, Marcel loves Davina. Davina is dead, but she could come back under the right circumstances." Celeste ushered.

Elijah grit his teeth, "They wouldn't dare."

The witch sighed contently, "If you hadn't been so worried about your Anna or the pregnant werewolf, you might have figured it out sooner. But, you know who did have the time to think about it? Your brother. I wonder what he'll do."

Anna's lips parted in fear as Elijah vamped out and gripped the witch by her neck, "Do it." she dared him.

Elijah bit into her neck.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Elijah glanced over at Anna who was sat upon a stone as they waited for Celeste to wake up. They were currently in the cemetery.

"Anna."

Elijah heard her hum a reply and carefully spoke up, "Are you alright?"

The heretic looked down at her joined hands, "I didn't want you to find out about my past this way."

"There's nothing to be ashamed about, Anna. You were turned by force." Elijah gently spoke to her. Anna shook her head, "You don't know all of it."

"Then I will wait until you are ready to tell me."

The heretic raised her head to meet the originals gaze and saw a soft smile set on his lips.

"Thank you."

"I will always be here, Anna."

The two looked over at the witch who groaned and began to stir awake. "Now, you didn't have to bite me to get me here. I wanted front-row seats to this show." she smirked groggily.

"And what show might that be?" Anna glared down at the witch.

"The one where Elijah sees his 'Always and Forever' pact come crashing down around him. It's a myth, Elijah." Celeste looked over at her past lover. Elijah shook his head, "It is not."

Celeste grinned as she raised her palm and snapped Annalise's neck using magic. Elijah quickly moved catching the heretic's limp body.

The original glanced up at Celeste with a menacing glare. "Might I say, I'll enjoy killing you."

The witch chuckled as she walked towards the entrance and exited the cemetery, the original gently set his soulmate down against a tombstone and sped after Celeste only to be stopped by an invisible barrier that pushed him back.

Celeste amusingly laughed, "I'm afraid you're trapped. Boundary spell. The Originals can enter, but they can't leave."

Elijah's face went slack with realization.

"You wouldn't."

"I would, and I did."