Ardent | Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter 8

A day had passed.

After the way Stefan had behaved, Evangeliya decided that she was going to take matters into her own hands.

When Bonnie mentioned she'd likely be out of town soon looking for her mother (a dream had informed her she was the key to opening the coffin), she forwarded all the information she had on Abby Bennett from her search for Mikael. She had no faith that Abby would be of any use to Bonnie; she had no magic. Evangeliya figured it was better to take Lucy's warning and not open the coffin.

Without consulting anyone, she got to work negotiating with Klaus.

"Evangeliya Ivanova," said Klaus, opening the door of his mansion to find her on his doorstep. He looked her over. "You brought no weapons. You're either brave or stupid. I ought to kill you where you stand for what you've done. Aiding Elijah in his attempt to kill me, beating me, poisoning me, and then you went and woke Mikael and brought him here. No one has ever committed a greater offense."

"Your perception of offenses is pretty screwed up," said Evangeliya as steadily as she could. "You've killed people for no reason, killed people for stupid reasons. And let's not forget how you treated me, and what you did to my family. I'd recommend you didn't get ahead of yourself and hurt me... because I'm going to get you your family back."

He narrowed his eyes, stepping aside and letting her pass. She kicked the door shut behind her, walking ahead to his living room and sitting herself down. "I know where Stefan is keeping your brothers. I can bring all four coffins to you in the next hour if you promise to grant me my freedom and not kill me for what I did. You should understand that desperation to avenge one's family. You would have done the same in my position, I know you would have."

He slowly sat across from her as she continued, "All I have ever wanted was to be free from you. Somewhere in that cold heart you know what you did to me was wrong. And as of late, I've noticed you're different. Mikael would have called you pathetic for it. Not killing Stefan for what he did... healing Caroline Forbes... many would say you've gone soft, and you don't want them to think that, do you, Klaus?"

She eyed him as his jaw clenched. "No, you want people to think you're strong and fierce and someone not to be trifled with. You want them to think you always get what you want, that you control every situation. Well, something I've learned is that people who are mighty and people who are feared keep their word and pay their debts. I don't trust you but I trust your desire to get your family back, I trust your loyalty to them no matter how twisted it is, how fucked-up you are with them. Family does mean the world to you. Just as it meant to me.

"Take a moment to think, if someone had done to Rebekah what you did to me, you'd have killed them without hesitation. Why then am I in the wrong for doing everything in my power for getting back at you? I had no one to protect me from you, I had no one to avenge me. So I took matters into my own hands. I grew strong– Mikael acknowledged it, in his own way. I grew resourceful– how do you think I found him? How do you think I got Strix poisons at my disposal?"

She stood up, motioning for him to remain seated. "My terms are simple. I give you the coffins, you give me my freedom. You can be mad about what I did but you will never hurt me again. I offer, if you'd like, information. I already update many of my old friends who have helped me and done me huge favors. I can add you to the list of who gets a message sent each time I find out something important. I always know what's happening in the vampire world. If anyone ever tries to make a move against you, I'd be the first to know and I could warn you."

He eyed her closely. "And Katerina?"

"I intended for her freedom to come with your death. It would have meant mine, too. It was easy. However, because of the circumstances and the fact she betrayed me before and has been a bitch to me ever since... I won't ask for hers. You might think it low of me to not stand by her, as she is my sister. Katherine never wronged you, as much as you might believe it. Of course she ran, she didn't want to die. It's not our fault we were scared. You once told me 'at the end of the day, human life is just a means to an end.' We suffered because of you, but then, she turned on me, despite what we went through. I don't want anything to happen to her but I will not rope her into this deal, because she's lost my respect and she has become more monstrous than you. She can rot for all I care. I have no reason to risk my life asking for her freedom, too. She doesn't deserve it. My freedom, my safety, that's it."