Tainted | Finn Mikaelson

Chapter 16

Katya woke up to Klaus and Freya doing a spell beside her.

"What the hell?" she muttered. "When did I—?"

"You've been drooling on my couch cushions for quite awhile already," said Klaus irritably. "I'll have to lecture Finn on leaving his girlfriend behind in random locations of this house."

Katya didn't even bother saying that she wasn't his girlfriend (yet). "What's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Freya, who seemed to be almost ready to perform the spell, gestured to her brother. "Klaus, show her the—"

Klaus brought out a photograph of a man Katya had never seen before. "This is Lucien Castle. My old mate is in town and Camille thinks him to be responsible for the murder that Marcel told you and Finn about."

"I think I remember that," said Katya, recalling the cut on the dead body. "Finn thought it was Lucien, too."

"My brother reckons you're in danger if he's in town. I can't imagine why Lucien would be interested in you, but Finn believes you ought to be warned, so there. Beware this man."

"Okay... what's the spell for?"

"Hayley's missing," said Klaus, and he paled a bit, as if he was afraid, but wouldn't admit to it. "Freya is about to perform a Locator Spell with Hope's blood."

Katya frowned. "But... but it's a full moon. She's always there to meet Hope. Where would she have gone?"

"We'll know soon," said Freya, before nodding to Klaus. "It's time for you to bring Hope. Just a drop of her blood will suffice."

Klaus sped away, and returned with his daughter, now awake and rubbing her eyes. He helped her down beside Freya, who used the tip of a needle to gently poke into her skin. Since none of them showed signs of expecting her to be in pain, she didn't even cry, just whined, letting more than one drop fall onto the map below before she healed, and cuddled into her father's chest.

"Vinde val tratunderes," said Freya, chanting over the map as she spread a circle of black sand around the blood. "Vinde val tratunderes..."

She continued to chant, but the sand and the blood weren't moving. She suddenly gasped, looking frightened. "I can't find her. There's nothing— it's like she doesn't exist."

"Maybe the alcohol is just affecting your magic," said Katya worriedly.

"Or she's dead," said Klaus softly.

"No!" They turned to see Jackson was back. "No," said the wolf, "no— you have to find her!"

"I will try," said Freya, starting to chant again, only to find herself in the same position as before. "It's not—"

Jackson suddenly yelled out in pain, a loud snapping sound echoing, indicating he was starting to transform back. Wordlessly, Klaus put Hope in Katya's arms and sped off, returning with a set of chains to hold Jackson down, keeping him from hurting anyone once he became a wolf.

"Freya, please!" yelled Jackson. "Please, do the spell again! I can't go a month withou— AHHH!"

Hope started to bawl, and Katya began moving toward the staircase to take her to her room, but the yelling suddenly came to a halt. "It stopped," said Jackson immediately.

Klaus seemed to think their problems were over. Taking Hope back from Katya, he carried her away to the nursery, and Katya went to sit back down, rubbing her legs as Freya awkwardly went up to Jackson. "Can I get you some water... or something?"