Chapter forty

Darkness. Faint crashing and roaring sounds somewhere in the distance. I searched the darkness, eyelids too weighed to peel open. Crying and howling. The blaring of car alarms. My back was cold. I could feel something cool beneath me, something not entirely smooth but it was flat, hard, and I felt elevated. Familiar voices in the background. I squeezed my eyes and they snapped open. It took a moment for my line of vision to clear and hold still. I shot up, finding myself on top of a car bonnet with every sense of mine recoiling back into sharp focus.

They were fighting wolves...fighting men. Alarmed, I pushed myself off the bonnet and touched the slippery ground. Blood. A sense of panic and alarm as I glanced down. We were under attack. A whistling sound. I ducked, narrowly avoiding the object that sailed over my head. Qetsiyah's trunk. Without a second's thought, I ran for it but the wolf man beat me. He kicked the trunk to another. "I see beauty is awake." He leered at me, and I scowled back. Winking, he grabbed the trunk and vanished.

I tried running after him, but he was already gone. The speed was unlike anything. Why was I so weak? Returning back, only to find my family all locked in a struggle with the pack. "Fire!" They were terrified of fire, and it killed them. I scoffed, almost laughing to myself. It was so easy. Incanting under my breath, a line of fire erupted and immediately wreaked chaos. I watched as my family kicked them back and retreated to a safe distance. The flames captured the writhing men and women. All of them shrieked. My gaze landed on the boy. Perhaps fifteen or sixteen. He did all he could to escape the raging flames, shuffling backwards. There was no fear in his eyes, no sounds of grief or agony. As he dragged himself back, leaving a trail of blood from his left leg. He's just a kid and he's badly wounded. The voice in my head pleaded.

"Ben! Ben!" My head snapped to the desperate voice. Noah. He came floundering out. "Don't hurt him! He's with us." Freya rushed to his side, assisting him with pulling Ben to safety. Once he was away from the clutches of the fire, Ben looked to me and braved a smile.

"I'm-I'm sorry." I stammered. The putrid stench of burnt flesh and blood invaded my nostrils.

"My dad got away!" His jaw clenched tight. The anger consumed him, and I knew he wanted to retaliate. "He took the trunk—I couldn't stop him."

I groaned. "It had everything and now he has everything he needs to wake up his leaders and I—he was too fast!"

"He doesn't have everything." Elijah announced. "I've got all of the grimoires back in my room-"

"That's not the problem Elijah! He has the daggers and, in my eyes, that's everything! I was supposed to protect them! How did this even happen?"

"I tried warning everyone, but no one got my message." Ben agonised.

"It's one thing after the other!" It came out as a screech. "I'm pretty sure the ashes we have lying around here, are not all that there was of the pack."

Ben shook his head. "There's more in Greece, it's what I've heard. Jayden is the only one left here, he's with the council right now and i need to get to him before he reaches my dad."

"Where will your dad be?"

He grimaced. "At this point, in obscurity and probably on his way to Greece. How can we stop him?"

"Wolf boy," Damon whistled. "You and I will take a trip to the council and see what we can find," he turned back to the family. "Anyone else want to join?"

Elijah dabbed at his mouth with his handkerchief. I never gave it much thought, seeing him do this multiple times, I believed he struggled with deep OCD issues. Something from his past affected him deeply. I wondered whether anyone else picked up on it. "We need to find out where the father has run off to and see if we can stop him. I'll accompany you Damon," tucking the stained cloth back in his breast pocket, he smiled at Noah. "Would you like to join? We could use your expertise."

Noah flashed them a grin.

Damon nodded then turned to me. "Make sure to update me!"

I smiled. "I will. Be safe." I wasn't entirely sure I would be safe, but I had to smile through the pain.

Waving them off, the rest of us headed inside and for some time we didn't speak. Stefan and Caroline attended to my minor wounds,  a few scratches that they plastered after cleaning it several times. Caroline faffed, making a point to everyone that the scratches could get infected, and I could fall very sick. I had to laugh. They wanted to know the outcome of visiting Qetsiyah and if there was an answer to our questions, some sort of strategy. Everyone remained in their positions.

"What did she say?" Bonnie finally asked glancing from Freya to me.

"I can create another purgatory but this time my spell would be stronger and have no loophole. The only issue is that I need an anchor. Something immortal and indestructible. Where am I going to get anything like that? She used Amara and then Bonnie you at one point became the anchor," Klaus paused his pacing and whirled around. Silently he exchanged glances with his siblings.

"What?" I pressed on.

"We may have something back in New Orleans." There was glint of mischief in his eyes. Freya seemed pleased. "Aurora?"

"Who?"

"A former ex-lover of mine and well, Freya put her under a sleeping spell, and we have not the faintest idea what to do with her unconscious body. It's just in the compound."

My eyes lit up. "That's perfect! In her state she's the perfect anchor."

"That doesn't solve the issue. What if word gets out you created a newer more improved other side and they come looking to destroy her?" Stefan pointed out.

"I'll do my due diligence. Right now, she's in a sleep state-dead pretty much and can't be awoken right? For extra measure I'll make her indestructible and on top of that, we'll seal her in the dungeons below us that will be sealed with a double spell. On her and the room she'll be in. How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect." Freya clapped, bouncing up from her seat.

"Darling, are you sure? I know you're strong, but it is a hefty spell and you'll require a lot of energy." Kol placed his hand on my arm, using his free arm to brush my cheek.

"I've got my necklace and I'll be fine." He kissed my forehead and a warmth spread like wildfire through me and straight to my soul. I peered into his brown eyes that sparkled with a hint of the devil. "I'll be okay." I repeated.

"I know you'll be." He kissed my forehead again, this time his lips lingered.

"We need her Body." Running my fingers through my hair I looked up. "Stefan, I'll need your blood too as you're a doppelgänger. There's no celestial event that I can draw upon or use so you'll have to do." Stefan nodded.

Klaus was already on the phone to Rebekah and Marcel. I listened to the conversation. They were both already in New Orleans and would be making their way back to London in a few days. Two days max was what Marcel estimated. They were bringing Aurora and her casket with them. I turned to Freya and Bonnie. "Thank you for everything. I don't know what I'd have done without you both." Smiling, they leapt into action, feet hammering the floor to pull me into a hug. All that was left to do was wait for Marcel and Rebekah to return.

•

Damon and the rest returned and not with good news. The council had successfully created two vampire hunters to wipe out all supernatural beings. The case files they had were extensive and they had information on majority of the hidden world. Lucky for us, they painlessly got rid of the vampire hunters and destroyed the remaining weaponry and the DNA of vampires and werewolves alike. There were conflicting thoughts over what was to be done. Really, at this point I wondered, whether it mattered what we thought was right or wrong according to our standards, shouldn't it just be what was right for the world as a whole or my family?

Jayden sadly lost his life. Ben vouched that he was not a good man and so whatever happened to him, he deserved it. By the looks of it, Ben's father managed a narrow escape. There was nothing to locate him or where he could go. Ben's blood was useless. I wanted to scream. A witch was clearly on his side, helping him elude us. There wasn't time to waste over that now. If he was gone then it was better for us all. Although Ben was positive his father would make contact and till then, we would wait.

Reading Qetsiyah's history on the wolf pack, I learnt a lot. With the daggers gone I couldn't even begin to think about what that meant. How many more enemies did we have lined up? I was a blistering mess of anxiety. Jameela had her crooked intentions of raising dead witches. Which ones? There could be many foes amongst them. Old and new. I couldn't leave without helping my family face them off. The tiniest frown puckered Damon's forehead then it smoothed itself. "Damon what's wrong?"

He stared into the crackling flames, battling whether he was to discuss his worry with us. With me. "Back at the council there was a file and I swear it had the name Salvatore on it. I couldn't get a closer look or have the time to grab it. Tomorrow I find out what it is they're hiding and what that file is."

"Do you think it's information on us?" Stefan leaned forward in the accent chair, fingers tapping the arm.

"Must be. If it was, then my cover would have been blown."

"Did you give your last name?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Then you better get your hands on that file before anyone else does!"

He pulled a face. "Obviously! I'm not inept."

A few hours passed and it was well way into the night. Elijah headed up to his room to get some rest, though I was certain he had any. Theo and Laura arrived not too long ago. They heard of Ethan and weren't too shaken up by his death, not the way I presumed. They lost all respect and love for him, lost any sense of loyalty after all he did. He hurt them and that was unforgivable. Caroline and Bonnie were asleep. They deserved it. Sitting around the kitchen table with me were my brothers, Kol, Klaus and Freya. I knew why Freya couldn't sleep. She was tormenting herself and spending all her time flicking through every spell book of her mother's. I was grateful she hadn't said anything to anyone. With how saturnine the atmosphere was, another bit of bad news was the last thing everyone needed.

"Where do you intend on doing the spell?" Klaus inquired.

"Highgate cemetery. My biggest guess is that all the evil witch spirits reside there and not to mention half the headstones belong to Jameela's coven. She wants the survival of her land and her coven. I'll just use that against her."

"The dead will be lingering around there." Freya mused. Anticipation and an overwhelming sense of anxiety seeped through me. Two days of waiting. We were unsure when she planned to attack but regardless, we needed to prepare ourselves. I've been questioning her motives, lately. They didn't seem to make sense. She was scattered. However, Jameela always had her reasons no matter how warped or deranged. I tried to see the bigger picture, to understand her real motive but could not find one. Then there was the small thought of Dhanika. What really happened to her? Who was Tina? Could they possibly be the same person? No, that's not possible. No. I pressed my cheeks with flat palms as though trying to force tears back inside. Dhanika. I hadn't thought of that little girl in years. Sometimes it was just too painful. She died and it was my fault. They helped me and, in the end, they were punished for it. Innocent Dhanika was punished for a crime she did not commit. Soon sleep took over and Kol caught onto my tiredness. Without protesting I let him carry me up to bed. I wondered as I drifted off, if I wasn't cursed would it have had such an effect on me?

1923

Mother's Day

The day was Mother's Day. A day where the mother is celebrated and appreciated, where she's showered with love and gifts. The little girl dashed into the kitchen from the back garden. Her cream, knee length dress covered in mud and a tiny purple flower was tucked in her plaited hair. She looked up at me with huge innocent eyes. "I have something for you...." She brought her hands forward and held up a magnificent red rose. "This is for you!"

I expressed a little gasp, hands covering my mouth. "For me?"

She nodded. "Because I love you so much." She handed me the rose, effusing.

"Thank you so much beautiful! I really love it." Taking the rose, I tucked it into the pocket of my baking apron.

"Can you read beauty and the beast please? I love it so much."

Setting down the wooden spoon into the chocolate mixture, I smiled at the little girl. "After I've finished baking this delicious cake-"

"Please pretty please-"

"Dhanika!" Jameela startled us both. So consumed with her company, I had forgotten jameela was sat at the round table. "How many times must you have the same story told over and over again? I've had enough-"

"Jameela! What's got you in such a foul mood? She's a child who has a deep love, of course she will want to hear it over and over again."

Jameela clenched her jaws tight, almost rocked back and forth but stabled herself. "I'm sorry...the witches are giving me grief and..." she couldn't finish it off, she gave her daughter one quick glance and tore off. Dhanika stared down at the ground. She didn't like it when her mother reprimanded her for things she didn't do or understand. Noticing the distress of the girl, I abandoned my task and hurried to her side.

"Hey, look at me. Don't be upset my love, your mother is very busy, and she is also very worried about bad people hurting us."

"I didn't mean to upset her," she sniffled heavily, struggling to breathe through the tears.

Wiping at her tears, I brushed away the strays of hair from Dhanika's face, "oh no you didn't upset her," holding her hands so I could give them a gentle stroke. "Do you know what day it is?"

Still trembling from her sobs, she gave a nod. "Ma-mother's da-day."

"Yes! Would you like to help me bake a cake for mummy?"

Finally settled and breathing as a normal child should, she nodded enthusiastically. "To make mummy ha-happy."

Sophia

It wasn't a dream but a real memory I withheld in my mind for so long. I woke up, a hand pressed to my chest. It hurt to see it. For the first time, I witnessed that moment from another perspective. Was that a look of scorn and spite I saw on Jameela's face? It took me some time to realise Kol had his hand on my face. Seconds later his voice travelled through my ears. "Darling who was that? Are you okay?"

Turning my face to his, I blinked furiously, the tears slipping and sliding down. "I-I....that was Jameela's daughter," I paused to catch my breath before continuing. "I haven't dreamt of her in ages...I'm okay."

Kissing the top of my head he mumbled, "as long as you're fine that's all that pretty much matters to me." I could hear his devilish smirk. Having him with me was the most soothing thing ever, he chased all my worries away.

Damon

I bolted down the stone steps, the brown, A4 sized envelope safely tucked inside my jacket. I dared not let my mind wonder to the prospect of what could have been if I never laid my eyes on the name in big, black blocked letters. It was a difficult task, almost near impossible to get my hands on it; the leader of the council hardly left his seating. It took a big distraction for him to abandon his seat and investigate the matter. Taking that as my chance, I flipped through everything until my fingers found what I was searching for. My heart thundered in my ears and for a split second I was terrified it would pop right out.

Slipping away from the council I made it outside and I was well on my way home. The council couldn't continue. I would not let them. Something had to be done but what, I wasn't certain of. The Mystic Falls council was blown up and I pondered whether the same should be of the London one? Or perhaps too many things were getting blown up and it was time for a new direction. Barging through the front doors of the Mikaelson home, to my pleasure the family were already seated and lounging around. Pulling out the envelope from the inside of my breast pocket, I slammed it down onto the table, earning a deafening silence in the room. Heads turned to me, and eyes narrowed in on the envelope.

"What's that?" Bonnie gestured with her head.

"See for yourself." I raised it for them to see. Eyes grew wide and faces turned deathly sick. "Imagine my shock when I saw her name written in big bold letters! They have everything in there about her! Every tiny detail from when she was born to what she is and who she belongs to..." I shook my head, "but that's not it, they have a lovely sized photograph of her!"

Stefan bound to his feet and snatched the papers out my hand. "Who....how?"

"I don't know but it was sealed which means, they haven't had the chance to see anything."

"What do we do about the dreaded council?" Caroline questioned, seemingly lost in thought.

"Let's get rid of the bleeding lot!" Klaus suggested with a twisted face.

"We have to think of something..." Bonnie continued on, "the less blood shed the better."

Sophia

Two days that stretched on later, they returned as promised. I stared down at the casket before me. In her state she appeared peaceful and sweet. Klaus told me not to be fooled by her appearance. She's as nasty as one can get. Getting my breathing under control, I placed my hand on hers. She was still warm to the touch, blood pumped through her body as normal. Lifting the golden Chalice, i pushed it toward Stefan. Slicing his palm, he let the blood drip down. Once done, I held the cup to my chest and began my chanting. It was working, I could feel the spell taking form. An unseen force being bound to that of a single being. Several minutes soared by and agitation swirled around me. My eyes shot open. The spell finally complete. Digging my fingers in her chest, the desiccation process began.

The room fell silent, and all attention was directed at me. I smiled waveringly. I was okay.  All that was left to do was condemn the dead witches to their eternal fate, to be trapped on the other side with no way out not even the opportunity to find peace. "I'm going to take the casket to Ranger's house. Our new home once the Renovations are complete." Klaus announced rising from his seat.

I stared at him open mouthed. "You bought out The Rangers House? Greenwich Park?" I asked, arching a brow.

"Not just the house but the entire estate and grounds." He smirked.

"For what?" Rebekah questioned uncrossing her legs. "As if this wasn't big enough for us."

"Darling sister, not to worry. You head to the cemetery, and I'll take care of sleeping not so beauty over there." He gesticulated. I rolled my eyes. She was his ex, his first love and once upon a time he did find her attractive. I watched him leave, rolling out the casket then turned back to everyone waiting for my instructions. One by one we piled out the room. In lead they followed me, power walking to the cemetery where the dead spirits roamed. I was determined and no matter what it took, I would see through it. I couldn't fall weak. All I hoped for was enough power and strength to complete what I needed to. I was terrified but I knew I had to do it.

We arrived at Highgate. The cemetery dripped with the stench of evil doings. The air thick and dense. Not an ounce of good was sensed. I glanced around me, taking in the gloomy surroundings. Headstones both cracked and new stood tall. In between the cracked ones, weeds and vines sprouted. The very ground beneath me was dead, not how I once recalled it to be. The coarse grass crunched beneath our feet as we trod on. Halfway through we came to a halt outside the Egyptian arcade. As I stood an eerie feeling washed over me. "Here is fine." I said in a small voice.

With everyone standing by, waiting, and watching It was daunting. They were too afraid of me getting wounded, ready to catch me when I fall. Their fear made me doubtful. At a slow pace I raised both hands mid-air, palms facing up and started the spell. There was a resistance. The power was there, I could feel it, feel them beneath me. Tugging at them, pulling them to the centre. I closed my eyes willing the spirit world to reveal itself. A short ripple spread out fast. Reopening my eyes, the dead became visible. Lines of witches formed, fighting my spell in a desperate attempt to overthrow me. Warily, I glanced around, taking in the sights of my family. They couldn't see that I was outnumbered.

Thrusting my right hand out I managed to break their formation of lines, weakening them momentarily. Blocking out the world, the distractions, i chanted louder and faster, channelling from the talisman. A dark-skinned witch charged at me only to go through me. Her shriek pierced the tempestuous sky. I whipped around to her timely destruction, catching sight of a powerful darkness shredding her into oblivion. Ignoring the warm trickle down my nose, fighting through it, adamant to stay focused, I moved through. My eyes wondered around until they fell on Qetsiyah gliding toward me. Upon reaching my side, she intertwined her hand with mine and I turned to face her with a smile and tears slipping down. Together hand in hand we chanted, the spell strengthening. Every now and then I glanced her way, my wavering smile growing wider.

I was no longer overwhelmed nor was I overpowered. The wind howled and spiralled around us. Shrieks and cries filled the air. The witches fled but there was no escape. They gripped onto trees, headstones, anything, and everything, clinging onto the world pleading to not be taken. Unified we continued our chanting. Wilder and aggressive. The smile on my face grew bigger and brighter as I saw them fighting. Side by side, Enzo and Valarie, kicking and dragging the duplicitous witches and throwing them into the hands of the purgatory. My mother fought them, and she fought hard. Ara. For the first time since she died, I witnessed her send the witches to their unending damnation. One by one they were ripped from where they hooked themselves, desperate for survival. One by one they vanished into nothing.

The howling of the wind stopped only to be replaced with a peaceful song like breeze. I looked down at my right hand that was left empty. Qetsiyah no longer stood beside me. Eyes wildly darted around, searching for her. She was with the others by the entrance of the gate. "No." I shook my head, tears cascading down. I raced for them, but the warm light engulfed them and I was left with their smiling faces imprinted in my heart. In my mind. "I didn't get to say goodbye." I cried softly. We succeeded. The spell was done. The other side was formed yet standing there, I felt nothing but loss.

"Darling?" I turned around to his voice. "Are you okay?" Not uttering a word, I crashed into him, wrapping my arms around him.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." I bawled into his chest. Running his hands through my hair he consoled me. We were met by the rest of our family. Pulling away from him I wiped at my face and sniffled, straightening myself. "It's done. All that's left to do is protect the casket and seal her in-fortify wherever it is Klaus took her."

"Freya and I will do it. You get some rest." Bonnie commanded. I dared not admit to them, but I was weak, and I did need the rest. Arms snaked around my waist, and I was whisked away, given no time to protest. He came to a stop outside the house.

I glared at him. "Kol! What was that for?"

"Had to get you away so they could burn down the cemetery." He smirked with a loose shrug.

"Is that really necessary?"

"It most certainly is now, let's get you inside. You look like hell." He chortled. I underestimated how depleted I was. Bone-tired. My entire body ached. Deciding for an early night I blessed everyone a goodnight and headed up to my room. Kol promised to join me later on. At first getting in bed gave me shock due to the cold sheets. A few minutes of settling in, I was warm and snug and engulfed by sleep.