Secret Bloodline

Summons

The evening after they came back from Vegas to New York, Camila, Lauren, and Dinah wait in the conference room at Malik Corp.

Camila's mind goes back to the events and shivers when she remembers how Zayn snapped Downey's neck.

"I've never seen... Zayn so murderous..." Camila says.

"Me neither. Not since almost a century," Lauren says.

Camila looks at the clock on the wall and sighs. "Zayn has been down in the lab for a while. Should I go check in on him?" Camila changes the subject.

"It's best to leave him alone when he's deep in his work," Lauren says.

"What's he doing exactly?" Dinah asks.

"Running tests on the vial to confirm if it's authentic. We're not sure what properties The First Vampire's blood has. Better to be safe," Lauren says.

"Is it okay to run tests on it?" Camila asks.

"Yeah like, will it explode or something?" Dinah asks.

"This is reality, not a movie," Lauren says.

"Your very distracted, Lauren. I know Niklaus coming back must be a hard blow but we need you on your game," Camila says.

"You have no idea," Lauren sinks in her seat. She runs a hand over her face, sighs, and sits up straight again. "Your right I need to put my complicated feelings aside," Lauren nods.

"Niklaus is that powerful, huh?" Camila frowns.

"Yes. Powerful and brilliant, and cunning, and disarmingly charming. He's the only vampire I've ever feared," Lauren says.

"Yet didn't you say you two were like... Together?" Dinah questions.

"Yes," Lauren nods slowly.

"What was that all about? If you don't mind me asking," Dinah says.

Lauren sighs as she sinks in her seat again, her eyes looking tired.

"We were in love. I was his Queen," Lauren says.

"Yikes," Dinah says.

"Did you know, then? That he was capable of doing terrible things?" Camila asks.

"Oh, yeah. I knew. We all knew," Lauren nods.

"But... Why stay with him, if you knew?" Dinah asks.

Lauren stiffens, clearly uncomfortable, taking her time to answer. "The most terrifying thing about Niklaus wasn't his capacity for evil... But rather his ability to make it so tempting. So dark and delicious that you wanted... No, needed... To take part in it," Lauren frowns.

"Lauren..." Camila frowns. She reaches over and takes Lauren's hand in hers, squeezing it softly.

The conference room flies open and Zayn walks into the room.

"The test results... They're like nothing we've ever seen before," Zayn smiles.

"What do you mean?" Camila asks.

"It means that the blood in the vial... Is the real deal," Zayn says.

"That's awesome," Dinah smiles.

Dinah's smile falls when she sees the look on Zayn's face.

"This is good, right? That we have the real thing and not a fake?" Dinah questions.

"It is..." Zayn shares a look with Lauren then speaks again, "But it also opens a lot of doors that I'd hoped to keep shut." Zayn frowns as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. "We beat
Niklaus to it which is the most important thing but to have something like this in our possession..." Zayn trails off.