persephone's orchard : k.m.

impulse - chapter 22 part 1

A plan that resided on blood was often the most unstable. While Astrid and Klaus were conversing on recent events, Freya had decided that the eldest Mikaelson brother was their best chance. With the slow acting poison still residing in her bloodstream, the witches hands were shaking as she cut the ginger root in front of her, Finn wasn't happy.

'The pain you endure for these monsters you call family...'

'Finn--'

The spirit of Finn Mikaelson placed a hand on his sister's shoulder, genuinely concerned for her safety, 'It isn't worth it, sister.'

'It is. It has to be.'

Bar Room.

'The ingredients are complicated.'

Elijah stood in front of the table next to Astrid who was strewn out on a dark oak chair with her legs apart, one arm slumped over the side as her head leant back. Klaus stood against a pillar as they discussed the situation.

'I don't need the recipe. I know exactly where I can find the antidote.'

Klaus's words provoked Astrid to lazily lift her head up, 'You failed to tell me this 20 minutes ago.'

'If the Strix have been using this poison for centuries, then Lucien has a cure, I guarantee it. Probably keeps it tucked away next to his cure for werewolf bites. I'm sure he won't mind if we break in and borrow it.'

Astrid's mind was somewhere else, residing with Camille. At the end of the day, she did trust Nik - he earned it. The situation with Hayley Marshall was completely residing on the fact that Klaus believed that anything he and Astrid had burned down with the fire.

But then again he never came back to check.

She didn't want to murder Cami, but she could. That's what was ticking the hybrid's mind over, one snap of her neck and all this tension between the two would be over but she knew the fallout.

And she didn't want to upset him.

'Astrid?' Elijah frowned as she shook out of her daze and she looked up at the suited brother, 'At your service.' Her smile was an attempt to cloud the brothers judgement and it worked on him.

But not on Klaus.

Elijah smirked before walking out and Klaus rose an eyebrow, 'Right. What was that about?'

'Nothing, love.' Astrid stood up and smiled, sauntering over to him, 'Why do you ask?'

'I know that look, Astrid.'

'Good, then you'll know to be careful huh?' Her smirk sent a shiver down his spine as she stood in front of him, arms crossed and head low. 'What are you planning?' He asked her with a particular breathlessness, finding the act intoxicating. His wife could switch her emotions off easily.

'Well right now.. glorious murder.'

A fire had ignited. Klaus's mind was racing, he couldn't decide who his wife meant - it genuinely scared him. He truly felt nothing for Camille but he knew she felt differently; he could see it. Nik knew better then to admit it to Astrid, but Cami felt something for the hybrid.

The brunette Queen wasn't breaking, her eyes burned into him as she read her husband. She wanted to murder the blonde, she knew he knew that. He was itching to switch the dynamic, a sudden tension rose in the room as his face switched to one of dominance.

'Did I ever tell you how impulsive you are?'

Astrid let out an amused dry chuckle as she rose her head slightly, 'You have a tendency of reminding me.' Walking away from him, she rubbed her neck slightly as she went to the bar.

He couldn't help but wish that was his hand.

His nostrils flared in frustration as she picked up a Sambuca bottle and he vamped towards her, pushing her back against the oak table. She laughed in his face and that infuriated the man more, 'You're doing this on purpose.'

'Maybe I am. Maybe I just want to see how angry you get over your little human plaything.'

'Stop this charade.' He commanded and she laughed once more, undoing the bottle cap, 'Then again, maybe I'm talking about our old friend at the penthouse.' Her eyes met his once more and she grinned, 'And because of your current actions, you'll never know who.'

'You're playing a game.'

'Mmm I am, love.' She tilted her head back and swigged an insane amount from the bottle, sticking her tongue out as the fiery substance ran down her throat and Nik was still pressed against her. Astrid looked back at him with fireworks in her eyes.

'And this time.. I might not let you win.'

She put the bottle down and took her husbands face, tracing his jaw and grabbing the back of his neck before her vampiric hearing interrupted the moment.

'Rebekah, I have been busting my ass trying to fight this prophecy, at the expense of my own family.'

Astrid frowned, turning away from Klaus's lips at the sound of Hayley's voice.

'Haha! You mean that fake husband you've been parading around in front of Elijah? Do you know the agony it causes him? Perhaps you like it, knowing you still have the power to break his heart.'

'Goddamn it, Bekah.' She cursed as her sister in law's voice rang through her ears and she pulled away from Klaus. The hybrids facial expressions matched each other's as they eyed the door in anticipation, rushing out when they heard a crash.

Rebekah's mark had begun to take affect as big black eyes stared into her green ones. Elijah jumped in between the women as Astrid realised her sister in law had jumped on Hayley.

'Rebekah, look at me! Rebekah! Control yourself.' Elijah grabbed her by the shoulders and the blonde's eyes turned normal momentarily.

'Elijah don't trust it!' Astrid shouted as Rebekah smiled, 'Dear brother... I have control.'

'Good.' Elijah didn't listen to his sister in law, letting the vampire go only for her to spin round and jump for Hayley with a maniacal laugh and her blackened eyes returned. Klaus vamped over and grabbed his sister's wrist, 'Not her!'

'Not her either!' Nik tried to move quickly enough as she lunged at Astrid but Elijah held her back. 'Aah! Dear, sweet Astrid. You're so afraid that you'll ruin her when you already have.' She growled and the hybrid's face hardened. Hayley looked between the two women in concern.

'She's not precious, Nik. She's tainted like the rest of us!' Rebekah's eyes drifted from Nik to Astrid as she grinned.

'She's the worst of us all.'