Secret Bloodline

Ambush

"Oh, well done, all of you. You came so close but not close enough," Niklaus clasps his hands together behind his back.

"He's here!" Camila says.

"N-Niklaus!" Sebastian says frightened.

"Well, we're dead," Paul frowns.

"So this is him, huh? Doesn't look like much," Shawn says.

"Don't let his appearance fool you," Lauren scowls.

Niklaus steps forward with a smug smile. "I will admit, your little coup in the 1920s was quite clever. Congratulations are in order, for your... Temporary victory," Niklaus speaks.

He lays a hand upon a broken pillar and squeezes as it breaks apart into rubble.

"But all it bought was time. Time enough for me to contemplate exactly how I would repay your actions," A dangerous scowl forms on his lips as he raises his voice, "Time spent lingering in the dark imagining how I would kill every single one of you," He adds.

"Niklaus you promised not to hurt them! When you took those memories from me you said you wouldn't touch my friends!" Camila raises her voice.

"Did I?" Niklaus raises an eyebrow. He chuckles to himself, shaking his head. "Forgive me, dear Camila. I say so many things I do not mean. It becomes difficult to remember them all," Niklaus speaks.

"You... You lied," Camila frowns.

"I did not lie when I said I loved them. But alas, so often we must hurt the ones we love," Niklaus speaks.

El Patron is the first to shake himself out of his shock as he falls to his knees and hangs his head. "Niklaus... Mi Rey... I offer my deepest apologies. The others forced me to do it. I swear," Sebastian speaks. (My King)

"You sniveling coward," Lauren says.

While El Patron cowers, Paul slowly backs away from the circle, looking frantically around.

"I gotta go... I gotta go... Gotta get the hell out of here," He stutters. Paul bolts for the door, pushing past Camila as he scrambles up and out of the temple.

"Mhmm. Predictable. I will deal with him later. In the meanwhile," Niklaus speaks.

Before the ancient vampire can advance, Lauren steps forward.

"Niklaus. Please. Reconsider what you're doing," Lauren frowns.

"My, have you not gotten more beautiful than you were?" Niklaus smiles.

He runs a hand through his hair as his blue eyes stare blankly at Lauren.

"Did you reconsider, my Queen, before you plunged that blade through my body? Before you cleaved me in two?" Niklaus raises an eyebrow.

Lauren suppresses a wince at the thought of what she did.

Camila has never seen the green-eyed girl look so heartbroken before.

"I'm sorry, my... I'm sorry. But you know it had to be done. You'd lived too long. You'd forgotten your humanity," Lauren says.

"I have had no humanity for a long, long time. You knew that well. You reveled in it," Niklaus speaks calmly then he raises his voice, "And now. Now I revel in it for the both of us," He adds.

"Niklaus, please. You don't need to do this," Zayn speaks.

"Zayn. My naive killer, clinging to hope. Still unable to see the glorious future I offer," Niklaus looks at Zayn.