the original heretic book 2 -ON HOLD as of 22/4/21-

vi.

the next day i decided to spend with davina and josh. he was relishing his new daylight ring still, and it was a nice distraction to avoid thinking about last night.

"josh?" davina asked him as we all sat on a bench.

"hmm?"

"now that you have a daylight ring, i think you should leave town." we both looked at her, confused, and josh laughed.

"that's a joke... right?"

"no, i'm serious."

"well yeah, you're usually more fun vina, but you've been pretty uptight lately. what's going on?" i asked, but she didn't answer, too busy looking behind us. we turned to look, but there was nothing there but some shops.

"hey, you okay?" josh asked her, and she let out a heavy sigh.

"yeah. just witch stuff." after a moment, she began talking again. "marcel came to me for a cloaking spell. he's making a move against klaus, a big one." she revealed.

"did you help him?" my eyes were slightly narrowed as i racked my brain for possibilities of what marcel could've done, but came up blank.

"yeah, i didn't want him to get killed! but if klaus finds out-"

"when klaus finds out," i interrupted, "i will make sure to clear your name. you're just trying to help a friend. i'm going to tell him that marcel has something planned, but i'll make sure you're kept out of it." i stood up, getting ready to go to the compound. "stay safe you two, yeah?" they both nodded, and i walked off, back to the compound.

"elijah?" i ask as i walk inside the compound, but he was on the phone, so i stayed quiet and listened.

"it appears our wolves have gone astray, brother." he said into the phone.

"they should've been back hours ago." hayley added.

"well, it might be a bit tricky to find them, seeing as i've located their car on the backroads. i suspect they've been taken."

"this must be marcel's plan." i realised. "nik, a witch in the french quarter looked terrified to see me today, and when i confronted her, and maybe threatened her a bit, she revealed she had done a cloaking spell for marcel in return for her family's safety." i lied through my teeth, and he laughed.

"i think you're lying, brit. no witch would aid marcel for anything, except for one. davina." i inhaled sharply.

"she had nothing to do with this, i was with her and josh all morning! she would've told me." it was a desperate last attempt to get her out of trouble.

"well, we'll see what she says. i just need a bit of... leverage before i pay her a visit. bye." the call ended, and hayley and elijah looked at me.

i just ignored them, and walked out of the compound, pulling out my phone to text the witch.

brit: d, he knows. i couldn't convince him, i'm on my way now. be careful, so is he.
davina: got it :/ thx for trying.

i decided to walk so it would be less suspicious, but when i was halfway there, she called me.

"brit, klaus bit josh!" she cried.

"what? i'm almost there, i can siphon the bite away." i told her, and hung up. speeding the rest of the way, i ran into the greenhouse, wincing when i saw josh.

"hey." he greeted weakly from the floor. "if i was into girls, i'd be very embarrassed of you seeing me like this." he joked, and i snorted quietly.

"lucky for you, this girl has magical powers, and can cure you." i wiggled my hands, and davina sat back nervously, letting me take her place on the floor next to josh. "since this is a hybrid bite and not a werewolf, it may take a bit longer. his venom spreads faster." i explained as i put my hand on the bite. josh winced as my hands began to glow red, siphoning the venom from his body.

after i was finished, i quickly left to go back to the compound before klaus got on my ass. walking back in, i saw there were significantly more people in there.

"why are they all here?" i gestured to the family of wolves.

"miss correa has procured new stones for us, seeing as marcel blew the rest into the mississippi." klaus said. "ah yes, i remember you two haven't formally met. brit, francesca correa. francesca, brit kaldottir." i shook hands with her, wrinkling my nose slightly.

"pleasure to meet you, wo- ma'am." i forced politeness.

"i bring my brothers with me for every deal we make. and if you and marcel are planning an inevitable throw down, i want to be on the side that wins." she held out a small black bag to klaus.

"and what does the human faction have to do with all this?" elijah asked, and i looked at him.

"human faction? why does she-"

"i took over after kieran died." she quickly spoke over me. "i just want to solidify our alliance with the ruling faction, the vampires." i glared at her, knowing she was full of it.

"well then, let's begin!" klaus clapped his hands, and we walked into the kitchen, where genevieve had a spell set up. "are you ready?" he asked her, and she looked up at him.

"almost, i just need one last ingredient, the blood of a werewolf who doesn't change at the full moon. my first thought was hayley, since she's pregnant-" she started explaining, but klaus cut her off.

"out of the question. use me instead." he held out his hand, and she drew a knife to his palm. before she could make a cut, klaus warned her. "if you refuse to uphold your side of the deal, the consequences for you will be apocalyptic."

"you always say the most romantic things." she said with a wavering tone, and i fake gagged.

stepping back, i waited with elijah, hayley, and klaus as she began the spell. halfway through, francesca ran in.

"my brothers have reported that marcel is on the move, on his way here. and he has an army." she informed us.

"get hayley to safety." klaus ordered elijah before running off. he turned to the wolf, who shook her head.

"someone needs to stay and watch her." she argued.

"you and brit should go help klaus. i'll watch hayley." francesca said, and i stared at her.

"if you hurt her wolf, you're dead." i promised, and walked out to the courtyard with elijah and klaus, where vampires began surrounding us. i reached up to my necklace, expanding my wand and spun it around loosely as klaus began talking.

"i thought you lot have learned your lesson? where's your ringleader, to scared to show his face?" marcel appeared at the balcony after klaus asked that, and jumped down.

"i'm gonna give you one last chance to pack your stuff and get the hell out of my town." he ordered bravely.

"you'll really allow all your men to rush to their deaths? again?" klaus replied.

"all the vampires in the french quarter are here tonight! we're not backing down." i admired the confidence in marcel's voice.

"then i'll kill them all. starting with you." klaus' eyes began to glow gold.

"then come get me." marcel sped off. klaus made brief eye contact with me and elijah, and we both smirked as he smiled, rushing after marcel. i cracked my knuckles and looked around as elijah rolled up his sleeves.

"gentlemen. shall we?"

"don't forget the ladies. have at me, sweethearts." i taunted, and the mob of vampires began to leap for us.