Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 49

Matt immediately shot at him.

Round after round collided with Lucien but it did no damage. He simply laughed and spread his arms wide as the bullets went through, healing as quickly as they were made.

He moved forward and backhanded Matt so hard that he flew backward, being knocked unconscious. Elijah dove forward and punched him, but Lucien was a greater match for his skill now, and Finn had to dodge so as to not be hit by Lucien.

"Poor show, poor show!" Lucien mocked. "Come on, gents, you can do better, surely!"

Elijah sped to him, but Lucien kicked him back in the chest. "What do you think, Elijah? This new power— it suits me, no?"

Beatrix took her turn, trying to knock Lucien down, but he very quickly put her in a chokehold facing Elijah. "I've pondered this," he told him as she wheezed and tried clawing out of his arms. "Who to end first, Elijah, or Klaus? I had thought him. But now that I'm here, I think it should be you."

He let go of Beatrix, who coughed and tried to get air back into her lungs. Lucien lifted Elijah off the ground and was ready to bite him before Finn shot forward and smashed the old basin from earlier against Lucien's head. This made Lucien drop Elijah, but instead, he grabbed Finn and bit him hard in the neck, causing him to let out a yell of pain.

Elijah caught Finn as he fell, and Lucien made to get Elijah next, but Freya held out her wrists, managing to make a barrier that kept Lucien from getting her brothers.

"A barrier spell?" remarked Lucien. "How delicious." He ran his fingers along the invisible boundary. "I do appreciate a bit of spice being thrown into the hunt. It isn't very fun if the quarry just rolls over and offers its neck, is it?"

"I can keep this up as long as I need to," said Freya as Lucien kept going, seeing the border completely circled her and her brothers. But because of Beatrix being behind Lucien, it didn't shield her, and he seemed to realize this.

"I don't doubt it, you little minx," he told Freya as he stepped back. "Never mind. I have waited a thousand years... I can wait a tad longer. I'm gonna enjoy making this last a long time."

He came over to Beatrix and yanked her up by the throat, holding her up to his level, though that meant she only hovered about three inches off the ground. "You, my dear, have more of a choice, don't you? Join me or fall with them. I'll let you ponder on it."

He dropped her and sped away so quickly that it was as though he vanished into thin air. Beatrix let out a hoarse noise as she went toward Finn, who was wheezing and holding his throat. It was bloody and looked quite painful, and it wasn't healing.

"Let me try," said Beatrix, coming over and pressing her hands near it. She started to siphon, but let out a cry of pain as her fingers turned red, as if they were burning. "What the—?"

"We need to get him back to New Orleans, now," said Elijah, picking him up. "Text Klaus and tell him to meet us at the Compound."

She nodded and brought her phone out. "This is insane— it's like the Ancestors are blocking me from siphoning because the magic is so dark, it'll only strengthen me."

Beatrix would have much rather had a repeat of the earlier car ride instead of the anxiety-filled journey back to New Orleans. Freya was in the backseat trying to soothe Finn while Beatrix sent Klaus the details and made sure he wasn't going to skive off his duties as a brother with magical blood.

Finn was delusional by the time they arrived, carrying him to the couch. "Don't leave me in here!" he bellowed. "Don't leave me alone!"

"Hey, hey, hey," said Freya as they got his head to rest against the pillow. "You're not alone, Finn. I'm here."