The Good Daughter

Thirty two

Elijah and Nik sat on the couches in the living room, both reading books while Rebekah scrolled on her phone.

"The prodigal daughter returns." Her eyes flicked upward at me, and then back down.

The tension in the room was enough to cut with a knife. "Who did it?"

"Afraid we don't know to what you're referring." Elijah turned the page. "I thought you were done playing family."

"I'm not in the mood." They could hear my heart racing. "What did you think would happen when you kidnapped one of my brothers and hijacked the other?"

"Adorable." Nik glanced at Elijah. "Really. I'm impressed."

"Don't encourage bad behavior." He tutted.

"I'm not acting out."

"Could have fooled me." Rebekah kicked her feet up over the arm of the chair she sat in.

"What is it going to take for you to release Stefan and Damon?"

"Stefan is otherwise occupied." Nik closed his book and set it on the side table. "You needn't worry about him."

"And the same rules still apply if you'd like Damon on his feet." Elijah never took his eyes of what he was reading. "We've allowed you to take him from his cave, but he will continue to desiccate."

"Then you'll never know where your precious doppelgänger is."

Nik glared.

"Stay your hand, Niklaus."

He ignored Elijah and I found myself pinned to the nearest wall by my throat. "Where is she?" I clawed at his wrist, my feet scrambling for purchase.

"C-compulsion not... working?" Fuck. I needed air.

"Niklaus!" Elijah was barely visible over his shoulder. "Let her go. Now."

"Nik, please!" Rebekah stood too.

Black spots began to dance across my vision. "Do it." Though I didn't know if being killed, temporary as it was, would destroy Bonnie's protective spell work.

"Niklaus." Elijah hand was on Nik's shoulder now. "She's had enough."

He let go, and I fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"What did you mean my compulsion wasn't working?" Nik crouched down beside me. "You don't stink of vervain." He analyzed me. "Ah. You've had your Bennett witch use her magic."

I rubbed at my throat. Fucking hell. That hurt. "It'll keep you out of my head." 

"You've thought of everything, I see."

My chin lifted. "I'll not tell you where Elena is."

"There are other ways of making you suffer. Stefan is but a phone call away."

"Touch him and she won't live to see the afternoon. Hard to make hybrids if her blood is useless to you." I don't know what it was about my brothers that gave me the courage to stand up to them. "All I want is Stefan and Damon's freedom, and for them not to be used against me."

His jaw clenched, that muscle in his face twitching.

"Oh and if you give me what I want and double back or try to dagger me, I have secondary plans that will kick in and you'll be out a doppelgänger with no heir to continue the line."

"Someone's been busy."

"Meticulously so. I learned from the best, after all." I was actually kind of proud of myself. "Do we have a deal?" I directed the question at Elijah.

He was the only one I could trust to keep their word.

"Intriguing that you've negotiated on your brothers' behalf but not your own freedom. Given our conversation yesterday evening, I would think that'd be your first priority." Elijah offered his hand.

I took it, allowing him to help me to my feet. "I know I'm doomed, but I refuse to see them made into pawns."

"Careful, little one." Nik stood as well. "I will find and disintegrate these plans of yours, for now, we'll entertain this... plot." He was playing it off as humoring me. "Then, once the doppelgänger is once again mine, you will feel my wrath."

Lovely.

"Idle threats." They absolutely weren't. I just wanted to see the look on his face, and it was well worth the daggering I knew to be in my future. "Leave my brothers out of it."

Nik's brow rose. "You keep getting bolder."

"Maybe I'm all grown up and you guys are only just starting to see it."

"Yes, I do think we need to reevaluate some things." Elijah brought me away from the wall. "However this stalemate will continue."

"You're really willing to risk Elena?" Fuck. Could I keep them underground that long?

"As one who's worked with Miss Gilbert, it is quite the trick to keep her from doing certain things. All we have to do is wait."

"That'll be interesting, because I've made certain moves of my own that will ensure she stays where she is until I've given the all clear." I put some much needed space between me and them. "You'll know where to find me once you've changed your mind."