Fangs and Swords Book Three: The Blood of the Supernatural

Chapter One: Living Ghosts

Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, TO, or HOO

Chapter One: Living Ghosts

Rebecca Camille Gerard-Mikaelson hadn't spent much time in Europe, but she never imagined it would be like this.

She had a bit of a reputation in her family- she was the rebel, the one who got Eliza wasted on Thanksgiving and Josh high at Christmas. She was the only one Marcella had told about when she cheated with Branson because she knew Bex wouldn't judge her. She was the first one to turn, the only one who drank blood live (it just tasted better that way), and the de-facto leader of the New Orleans vampire clan- after her father, naturally. Her mother had taught her how to be a lady while bending the world to her will, and her father had taught her how to lead and that if you wanted to break the rules, you had to learn them first. 

Her parents were very proud.

So of course, she had been pissed when she found out her cousins were on this great adventure without her- and why hadn't she been important enough to be captured by giants? She totally would have been able to escape. 

At least she was redeeming herself now. They were hiking up a scraggly cliff on a rocky island called Ithaca, which was apparently important mythologically or whatever. Her, Annabeth, and Piper had been disguised as serving girls, while Branson and Jason were old men. At least Branson had his vampire strength to help him climb the hill- Jason looked like he was struggling.

The plan was simple- there was apparently a gathering of ghosts and vampires on top of the hill who were working for Gaia. They needed to figure out where Gaia's army was going to gather so they could best get there without dying. 

As they neared the top, they split up and began mingling with the ghosts and vampires. Bex saw a few faces she recognized from some of her parent's old photos: deadly vampire siblings, Tristan and Aurora; the Heretics, a race of witch-vampires who were siphons like Marcella; and even some old lackeys of her uncle Klaus and her father. 

One of the vampires stepped in front of her. Unlike the others he was wearing a suit and well-polished shoes. Lucien Castle. "Hello love," he said in a glossy British accent. "A bite, if you please."

Bex tensed. If she offed Lucien her wrist, he would immediately taste that she wasn't human. She locked eyes with Annabeth, silently pleading for her to come over.

"I can offer you a much better treat," Annabeth said, stepping between them with her 'dumb blonde' smile. 

Lucien lifted her wrist, holding Annabeth's eyes as he bit into her flesh. To her credit, Annabeth didn't even flinch, holding his gaze and remaining smiling the whole time.

"Well," Lucien said, wiping his mouth. He glanced at Annabeth curiously, then fixed his gaze on Bex once more. "You look familiar, love. Do I know you?" 

Before she could think of a lie, there was a sudden whooshing sound. They turned to see Jason and Branson, now freed from their glamours. Jason was facing a ghostly woman who looked so much like him she must have been his mother. In front of Branson was a face Bex recognized- Lily Salvatore.

"My grandson," she was saying. "my sweet child," she reached out to touch his cheek, but Branson grabbed her arm. All of the ghosts reached for their swords. The vampires bared their fangs. 

Bex began rushing forwards, but before she could she felt a strong hand grab her arm, whipping her around. It was Lucien. "Now, will you taste like demigod like your friend, or are you something else?" he asked.

Bex narrowed her eyes. He was trying to compel her, but she was part Original. Two could play at this game. "Let me go," she said, channeling as much compulsion as she could. 

Lucien released her. "How?" he asked.

"My mother is Rebekah Mikaelson," Bex said. "My father is Marcel Gerard."

Lucien laughed. "I should have guessed," he said. "In that case, there is someone here to see you."

He stepped aside, revealing another well-dressed vampire with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. "Hello, niece," he said in a posh accent.

"Uncle Finn?" Bex asked. 

"Yes," Finn said. He stepped towards her.

"Why are you helping Gaea?" Bex asked. "You always hated vampires."

"And yet with Gaia we have an opportunity to be more than monsters," Finn said. "She has promised to restore our humanity to us."

"At the cost of the entire world?" Bex shook her head. "I can't help you."

And then everything went to hell.

Finn lunged towards her and Bex quickly spun away as the ghosts and vampire began attacking. Celestial bronze and Imperial gold took them down just as well as a stake, but they were much faster and stronger than any of them due to their more potent age. Bex knew there was no way she could beat Finn- unless she played dirty.

She began throwing chairs and tables at him, whatever she could reach. It barely slowed them down, and soon he had her by the throat.

Finn began to squeeze. "Give Mikael my regards," he said.

"Sage... is... alive," Bex choked out.

Finn's grip loosened. "What?" he said. 

Bex reached down, snapping the leg of a chair and slamming it into his chest. "Did you know that white oak is one of the most prevalent trees here?" she said. "Old enough to kill you... again. And since the other side is long gone, and the Doors of Death are closed..." she twisted the stake, and Finn began to disintegrate. "have fun in Tartarus."

They made quick work of the ghosts and vampires until there was a sudden scream. It was Piper, standing over Jason's bleeding body.

The ghosts began to disappear, and they made their way over, killing any stragglers. Branson was trying to feed Jason vampire blood, but he kept spitting it up.

"Why isn't this working?" he asked, frustrated.

"Some demigods can take it," Annabeth said. "Others have a negative reaction due to their godly blood. Jason's Jupiter genes must be too strong."

"We can't just let him bleed out," Bex said.

The next hour was a blur; summoning Hera, getting Jason down to the ship, and setting their coordinates. Bex couldn't even think about the fact that she had killed her own uncle.

One stop down, she thought. Only a bajillion more stops to go.