You Are My Life

Sacrifices

~ Mallorie ~

After a few moments that felt like eons, Greta pulled Jenna off the wound. "That's enough."

"Jenna, it's gonna be okay," Mallorie said as Jenna watched Greta walk away.

With another flick of her wrist, a fire jumped to life around Jenna. There was a figure-eight symbol of fire that now separated her from Jenna. Mallorie wanted nothing more than to pull Jenna close and comfort her as she watched her retreat from the flames.

"Look at me," Mallorie pleaded. Jenna met her eyes. "It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay."

"No," Jenna whispered. Blood continued to trickle down her chin as the signature dark veins flowed up to her eyes. 

There had to be some way to get them both out of there before Klaus arrived to complete the ritual. She paced around in her circle trying to put some kind of plan together. Jenna stayed kneeling on the ground. Mallorie couldn't imagine what she was going through. In a short time, she might have a very good idea.

"How are you feeling?" Mallorie asked.

"I feel like myself...Only not." Jenna looked around. "Everything is brighter. The fire's hotter. Part of me is terrified, but there's another part of me that doesn't want to feel anything."

"Vampires can turn off the part that's human. It's the part that hurts," Mallorie said.

Even from over the flames and from a distance, Mallorie could see the tears welling in Jenna's eyes. "I'm gonna die, aren't I?"

Mallorie fought back her own tears. " No! Jenna, I'm not going to let that happen. I don't care what I have to do."

Twigs snapped in the distance and Mallorie could make out the sounds of someone groaning. Another blonde woman crashed through the trees and into the quarry. Mallorie didn't recognize her.

"Who's that?" Jenna asked.

"That must be the werewolf," Mallorie said.

The woman crumpled as Greta gently pushed her toward the ground. 

"What's happening to me?" The woman asked.

"I cast a spell on you to slow your transformation." Greta walked around her. "Your insides are trying to tear themselves free." Greta made another ring of fire around the werewolf.

Anger boiled inside Mallorie. Greta was getting too much fun out of watching them all suffer. "Greta, witches are supposed to maintain the balance in nature. It's your duty to them to keep this curse sealed."

"My duty is to Klaus." Greta grinned. "New order."

Klaus stepped out from the cover of the trees. "Glad to know I still have a dance partner." He looked around at the three women trapped in their circles. "Hello, my lovelies. Are we ready?"

Both Klaus and Greta walked toward one of the stones that rested around the fires. Klaus dug in his pocket and produced the moonstone that Mallorie had fished out of the vervain-filled well.

"I've got the moonstone. I spent five hundred years looking for this." Klaus extended it toward Greta. "I hate to part with it."

With a glance up at the sky, Greta said, "The moon has passed its apex. Remember everything we need to do?"

"I remember." Klaus smirked.

Greta dropped the moonstone into the metal bowl that was fitted into the stone. Sparks shot out before it lit with fire. The werewolf continued to groan and Mallorie eyed Jenna as Klaus walked down from the place where the bowl sat. Greta began to chant a spell as Klaus drew closer to the rings of fire.