𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 ━━ KLAUS MIKAELSON

98

"EMERY?"

The witch looked at the person who called her name, her brows raised on confusion. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jane," the woman extended her hand to her once she approached the bar. "Jane-Anne Devereux."

Emery hesitantly shook her hand. "Am I supposed to know who you are?"

"I'm Sophie's sister," Jane muttered. "You know, the one who texted you."

"Right," Emery nodded, looking around. New Orleans was one of the places Klaus called his true home. It was his city. Being there for the first time without him by her side felt wrong. But she knew he would've never let her come here alone. "She said to meet her here. Where is she?"

"Something came up," Jane said, sounding apologetic but Emery could sense that something was not quite right. "She had to leave. But she told me to tell you to meet her at this location." She handed Emery a map, the name of the place circled in a red marker.

Emery stared at the map then scoffed. "Are you kidding?" She tilted her head to the side at Jane-Anne. "I just came all the way from Mystic Falls, and now you expect me to go to some sort of forest? Right. Everything about this is screaming some sort of stupid trap." She pushed the map aside and took a step closer to the other witch. "You better hope, for your own sake, that it's not the case."

"It's not," Jane-Anne quickly said. She couldn't ignore how fast her heart was beating. The Grant Witch standing in front of her could be intimidating when she wanted to be. It suddenly made sense to her why Klaus chose her. She couldn't help but wonder; what if in their attempt to seek Klaus's help in destroying an enemy, they unknowingly just brought another upon their heads? "Listen, we just want your help. We have nothing against you, I promise."

"Fine," Emery grabbed the map. "I won't meet her there though. I'm too paranoid. She can see me in this bar itself."

"No," Jane-Anne protested. "You don't understand. It's not safe. What she has to tell you is too important. There are eyes and ears everywhere. You have to go somewhere secluded. . ." she pointed to the forest. "This is the best place for that. Trust me."

"Ears and eyes everywhere, you say?" Emery repeated, her eyes flickering around the place. "What exactly is going on in this town? Aren't you a witch? You can use magic to prevent anyone from hearing your conversation."

"No," Jane-Anne sighed, giving a show shake of her head. "Witches aren't allowed to use magic in New Orleans. It's Marcel's Rules. He'll know somehow."

"And who the hell is Marcel?"

"Look, Sophie will tell you everything." The Devereux Witch promised. "Just go see her, please."

"Mhm," Emery hummed, contemplating before she gave in. What's the worst that could happen? She folded the map, tucked it in the pocket of her jeans. "If she tries something, I will kill all of you."

"You can't use magic in this town," Jane-Anne felt the need to remind her.

"I don't give a shit about this Marcel character or his rules," was the last thing Emery said to her before she walked out of the bar.

Jane-Anne had to admit that she was scared for her but at the same time, she admired her defiance. She stared at the strand of Emery's hair she had just plucked, between her fingers. It was time to see whether her sister was right.

⎯⎯ ✧˖*°☽࿐

EMERY FELT THE DRY leaves crunch beneath her boots as she walked in the forest. She knew she was walking straight into a trap. She wasn't stupid. But she was ready to deal with it. They couldn't do anything to her since they weren't allowed to use magic.

A sharp pain in her head made her halt her movement. Then she heard a loud ringing in her ears making her wince. She closed her eyes for a second, easily getting rid of the pain. She loved being so powerful now that her curse was broken. She felt as if she could take over the world.

The sound of footsteps reached her ears and she looked around to find several people walking towards her, surrounding her in a circle. She let out a fake chuckle. "That was so predictable."

"You need to come with us." One of them spoke. "Why isn't she losing consciousness?"

"Listen, I don't have time for this." Emery darted her eyes from witch to witch. "State your business and let's be done with it." Then she felt that sharp pain again. She groaned, holding to her head. "I'm going to kill whoever the hell's doing that."

"Emery," one of the witches spoke, "please, you have to come with us. I'm Sophie."

"What the fuck do you want from me, you piece of—" she cut herself off, taking a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. She felt as if she was about to burst. "I came here because you asked me to. You said you wanted to talk. So fucking talk instead of keeping up with this failed kidnapping attempt."

"We aren't trying to kidnap you," Sophie reassured. "We just need you for something."

"For what?"

"Just come with us."

"No," Emery scoffed. She wondered if those witches thought she was mentally unstable. "Are you being serious, right now? You want me to come with you willingly after this shit show? Hell no. I'm getting out of here."

"No!" Sophie exclaimed making her frown. Emery was confused. She could not understand what was going on. "Please, just. . . don't go." The desperation in Sophie's voice was as clear as the day. "Look, I have something to tell you."

"I know that," the Grant Witch was starting to lose her temper. She didn't know it was possible for her to be this pissed off at a stranger. "That's why I came all the way here. But looks like you wanted to. . . kidnap me like some freak."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Sophie sighed. "It would've been easier that way. But apparently, we can't do that. So. .
." She cleared her throat. "I'll just tell you then you can decide whether you want to come with us or not."

"Alright," Emery crossed her arms, ignoring the chills that ran down her spine. "Talk."

"I—" Sophie was being hesitant. She took a deep breath and finally blurted out the words. "I think you might be pregnant."

Emery's jaw went slack. She blinked at the witch, then let out a laugh. "You're insane." She managed to say between the breaths she was attempting to take. It all sounded funny to her. "Listen, the only person I've been sleeping with is technically dead, okay? His. . . fuel thingy is—" she subconsciously started moving her hands in all sorts of directions in the air as she was explaining, "— it doesn't work."

One of the witches snorted at her words. Then apologized. Sophie looked at the ground, scratched the side of her face, embarrassed and in disbelief to what she had just heard. Emery clicked her tongue after a moment of silence when she realised how she worded it. She wasn't able to think properly after what she had just been told.

"I'm sorry," Emery mumbled, clearing her throat. "What I mean to say is; vampires can't procreate."

"Vampires can't," Sophie regained her posture. "But werewolf can."