Ardent | Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter 17

When she returned, Klaus was free.

"You smell awful," said Lucy the instant Evangeliya walked into the Mikaelson Mansion. She was now cradling a blue urn, bearing Kol's name in runic markings.

"It's not me, I assure you," said Evangeliya, popping open the backpack and letting the three heads roll out onto the polished floor.

Klaus shot to his feet from where he'd been seated on the couch, an unnaturally gleeful expression on his face when he saw Shane and Jeremy's heads. He looked less pleased to see Stefan's, but the violent glint in his eyes didn't waver much.

"I threatened to kill him a long time ago," said Evangeliya with a shrug. "He played a part in killing Kol, he helped kill Finn, and I can't remember a time where I liked him at all. Silas is also dead, by the way. I couldn't fit his head in the backpack." She eyed Elijah as he came down the stairs, stunned at the sight of the three heads. "You all know me. I follow through. I deliver. You're welcome."

She couldn't help but think of Lucien's advice about appealing to Klaus, getting on his good side, making him believe she was helping him all to gain control. From this moment on, Klaus would associate her with that same sadistic pleasure he acquired from hurting people. It'd happened once before with Matt's head being delivered to him, and she could have sworn it was happening again now.

Klaus was smirking. He was satisfied, and he was looking at her in what must have been a new light. He picked up Jeremy's head, running his tongue over his lips as if he was surprised she'd actually done it, surprised with how thorough she was.

"You've outdone yourself," he marveled.

"Yes, I have," said Evangeliya. "I shouldn't always be the one getting revenge on your brothers' behalf. But it was either I do it and we keep the peace or another much more ancient vampire comes by and causes everyone in this town problems. Not that I care about anyone else anymore but it does put my little spies at risk, and in case I ever need them... they ought to be intact."

"If I hadn't been trapped in a bloody house, I would have," said Klaus. "You and I are more alike than you might care to admit, Evangeliya."

She glared at him. "Never say that again, you still disgust me."

This only served to amuse him more. He turned Jeremy's head to face her, putting a single finger of his own over the boy's lips as a silent promise he wouldn't bring it up again.

Elijah was much less pleased. He was still staring at the three heads, perhaps disgusted with them, or with her, or both. Evangeliya found that she didn't care what he thought. How he felt about what she'd done.

She liked it. That one act of revenge would be enough to sate her violent needs for at least a century, provided no other Originals died.

She wished she could understand that she was avenging his family and the families of those who lost someone because of Kol's death. Not even Rebekah had done that. Someone had to.

So what if that someone had to be her? She wasn't just doing this for him, she was doing it for all her friends who no doubt were going to be just as traumatized by this mass dying as they were the previous time it happened.

She was doing it to put the vampire world at ease, to let them rest assured that the people who dared do such a thing would face the consequences of their action.

One boy had died for Finn. Three men had died for Kol. The same friend group, devastated twice. They'd never dare do it again. And no one in their right mind would kill another Original knowing that Evangeliya would come for them if they did. She was someone to be feared.