𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘

Chapter Eleven

"You've been gone for a while, brother, I assume you discovered something of use," Klaus taunted. Elijah had been gone since the day Bonnie had arrived saying she was pregnant, while he and Rebekah had been out approaching Marcel directly and trying to poke at his weaknesses.

"Some of us like to move behind the scenes, Niklaus," Elijah retorted in his usual calm voice. Centuries with Klaus had taught him not to be drawn in his occasionally infantile antics. Klaus, on the other hand, remained at Bonnie's side while they, Rebekah, and Damon awaited his news. "It makes it easier when you're trying not to let anyone know what you're up to."

"It's much less fun," Rebekah chimed in with a smirk, "So what's this family meeting plus a witch and a vampire about, dear brother?"

Elijah put his hands in his pockets. "Initially, I went to the witches to learn more about Marcel and what power he had over them. All I could learn was that he took something very valuable to the coven and refused to return it. On my walk back through the city, I was contacted by a young witch named Katie, who promised to provide me with further information that the coven refused to provide. That's when some of Marcel's vampires ambushed me. They staked me and knocked me out."

Rebekah's worry was visible on her face, while Klaus sought to conceal his. He'd been so focused on protecting Bonnie that he hadn't even considered the possibility that something was wrong when Elijah didn't return for a few days.

Elijah continued, "When I awoke, I was in the abandoned church in the attic with a young girl of about 16. She's a witch named Davina. She had cast a spell that locked me in the attic and easily fended me off when I tried to...let's say 'persuade' her to let me go. I've never felt a witch's power so powerful before in all my life.

She said Marcel saved her from the New Orleans coven and she would figure out how to destroy the originals for him. However the more time I spent with her watching her interact with Marcel when he would drop things off, the more I saw how trapped she truly was and how Marcel was using her. She apparently has the ability to sense when one of the witches is using magic."

"That's impossible." Bonnie had read a plethora of grimoires and was well-versed in witchcraft. She'd never heard of a witch being able to feel other witches, at least not in the manner Davina was claiming.

"It's quite possible, Ms. Bennet. Have you ever heard of a witch harvest?"

"Sure I have. 4 young witches in a coven sacrifice themselves and their magic in order to give the coven more power. Supposedly when the ritual is done, the 4 sacrifices will be brought back to life. It's an old pagan ritual, a wife's tale."

"Turns out it's not just an old scary story. In order to reclaim the quarter from Marcel, the witches performed this ritual in secret, intending to kill 4 teenage witches for ultimate power from their ancestors. They only ended up killing 3 before Marcel intevened taking Davina and hiding her from the other witches. Most shockingly, the power from the 3 witches killed went to Davina instead of being expelled from the 4th sacrifice to the coven."

"Get to the point, brother." Klaus wrinkled his eyes, growing irritated with the length of this back tale.

"It means that Davina holds the power of a witch x3." Bonnie's eyes widened in surprise. "She's even more powerful than the original. She could take out the entire city with a snap of her finger if she wanted to."

"This doesn't sound like it's very helpful for us, Elijah."

Elijah smiled slyly at his brother. "You haven't let me finish, brother. I struck a deal with Davina hence why I'm no longer trapped in the attic of a church. She figures out how to break Sophie Ann's bond to Bonnie and I release her from being trapped and used by Marcel."

Bonnie shakes her head. "That's going to be impossible. You can only reverse a binding spell with the blood of the witch who cast it. And maybe I'm wrong but Sophie Ann doesn't look like she's giving up her blood anytime soon."

"Most witches couldn't do it. But with Davina's power, she could figure out a loophole."

Klaus mockingly clapped his hands. His brother had attempted to address a problem by inventing a new one. "Good job, Elijah. You've solved everything yourself. Now...how to plan to fend off Marcel when his little witch toy disappears from his possession? Give him a lollipop?"

Elijah arched an eyebrow, unfazed by his brother's interrogation. "As I recall, you and Rebekah were the ones tasked to deal with Marcel, were you not?"

"And that's going about as well as your bloody plan." Rebekah sat down on the arm of a chair. "We're playing nice with Marcel but he's on a power trip. The minute something steps out of place, he becomes a problem."

Klaus sighed and rolled his eyes. "More of an annoyance really."

Damon stepped into the center from the corner, his arms raised, bringing everyone to a halt. He wasn't sitting here to listen to siblings squabble. He'd be able to do it at home with Stefan. "None of this matters. As long as that teenage witch breaks Bonnie's bond with Sophie Ann, we're leaving back to Mystic Falls. You ancient relics can deal with the rest."

Damon received a death glare from Klaus. Even the thought of Bonnie being taken away from him created fury in him. "Go back to Mystic Falls if you'd like. Bonnie and the baby stay here."

"So she and the kid can get killed by one of your many enemies? I don't think so, wolfie."

In seconds, Klaus had Damon trapped against the wall by his neck. A picture was violently knocked from the wall, yet it was quickly forgotten. Klaus's eyes flashed a brilliant gold, and a growl erupted from deep within his throat. "Take her and I'll stake you through the heart so fast you won't even notice until your spirit crosses the threshold."

Under Klaus's grip, Damon could feel his windpipe being squeezed. He struggled, but it was futile. Nonetheless, he refused to back down. "You don't own her. Just because you magically knocked up a one night stand means nothing!"

Klaus' hold on Damon's neck intensified. Bonnie stepped in, going up to Klaus and grabbed his arm. "Let him go! Now!"

"He should learn to keep his mouth shut!"

"Now, Klaus!"

Klaus muttered beneath his breath, but his eyes returned to their original blue color. He dropped Damon, his rage dissipating as a result of Bonnie's touch. His curiosity regarding this reaction was overshadowed by his displeasure.

Damon massaged his injured throat, which he could immediately feel starting to mend. Bonnie let go of Klaus to check on Damon, despite the fact that she knew he was alright. Klaus was a little envious of her compassion for Damon, but he bit his tongue.

Bonnie rose to her feet, scowling angrily at Klaus and Damon. How dare they argue about their choice for her. "Neither one of you gets to decide what I do after this mess is over! Only I do and either one of you dumbasses has a problem with it, you can stick it!" She stomped out the front door and slammed it shut behind her.

Rebekah grinned, her blond hair tossed to one side. "I'm starting to like her."

Bonnie sat outdoors, massaging her temples to relax. She was sick of having her decisions made for her. Klaus. Damon. Sophie Ann.

Everyone continued making decisions for her, whether it was for her own protection or revenge. She despised it. She was able to make her own decisions for herself and her child. Her inner voice told her that not sleeping with Klaus would have been a wise option.

She shook her head in an attempt to drown it out. She was well aware of this. When she had slept with Klaus, she had realized it was a horrible decision. And whatever had transpired in the nursery had been a terrible decision as well. But she couldn't help but feel something for him.

"God, I'm so messed up," she whispered to herself.

She was in the midst of her self-depreciation when she heard rustling from the trees. She looked around but saw nothing and assumed it was simply the wind. Perhaps she was overtired and needed to sleep. She brushed her hair out of her face and returned to the mansion's steps. She was struck over the head before she could take the first step. The last thing she noticed before blacking out was the shape of a familiar face.