Tainted | Finn Mikaelson

Chapter 18

Katya woke up to a Thanksgiving meal.

"What the fuck—?" she was laid on Lucien's couch, wearing clothes that definitely didn't belong to her, with a plate of ham and salad waiting off to the side.

"Katya, you're awake," said Cami, rushing over to her. She, too, was wearing something different— a dress Katya had never even seen before.

"What is this?" she asked shakily as Cami helped her sit up. "Why are we wearing...?"

"The only clothes Lucien had available were the ones that belonged to that Alexis lady they told us about," muttered Cami, checking that Katya wasn't bleeding anywhere. "He says the vervain is out of your system. He might let you go."

"No, he can't do that!" said Katya. "If he does, he'll make me forget you're here, he'll make me forget everything! I have to warn Finn—"

"Can't let you do that, love," said Lucien as he entered the room, making Katya flinch. "Ooh, don't you two look lovely."

Katya's mouth felt dry, and Cami cast her a sad look. "Who the hell put these clothes on me?" she asked softly.

"I did, of course," said Lucien. "Camille refused to let me near you, and I thought, how rude, you're guests in my house. So, I knocked her out and dressed you both. Isn't that fun? It's as if we're playing house and you're the dolls."

"Klaus and Finn are going to kill you when they find out," said Katya.

"Oh, but they won't be finding out, will they?" said Lucien. "You see, they're a little preoccupied about something. Their darling sister Rebekah went missing yesterday. Apparently, she had a meeting with a witch who claimed to be able to revert Finn and Kol's bodies to that of their witch state, prior to being turned. She never came home."

"Did you kidnap her, too?" accused Katya.

"I'd be a fool to kidnap Rebekah. Now, why do you two look so glum?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Cami, trying to keep Lucien from getting any closer to Katya. "You tortured Katya, gave Detective Kinney a compulsion lobotomy, and you're holding us against our will. You're also using up all our minutes on our phones, you forced us to wear your dead witch's hand-me-downs and you're feeding us the smallest possible portions of food. Are we supposed to be thanking you for that?"

Lucien was unbothered. "Well, just think of all those poor people who are starving in... well, somewhere." He gestured to the plate in front of Katya. "I'd join you, but I've been called to dine with the Mikaelsons."

"Are they going to serve your head on a platter?" said Cami sarcastically.

Lucien smirked. "Doubtful. Niklaus and I are allies, now that the evil Tristan is in town." He held up their phones. "Um, let me ask— are you more likely to tell Vincent that you're drowning in a tub of bourbon or awash in a sea of chardonnay?"

"Go to hell," said Cami coldly.

Lucien shrugged. "Bourbon it is! There we go— and Katya's feeling a bit better, but still too ill to return home. 'Don't worry, Finn, I'm eating a lot of garlic, I'll be fine in no time.'"

Katya glared at him. "Finn isn't stupid enough to believe all this, Lucien. I've seen the guy almost every day for over a year already. I hardly text him, I call him."

"Oh, I covered that base, I said your throat is quite sore. Let his imagination roam wild, eh?" He winked, and Katya turned red.

"You can't trick our friends into thinking we're fine," said Cami. "Someone's gonna notice that we're gone, and when they do, they'll track us here."