Until My Last Breaтн ※ A Niklaus Mikaelson Love Story ※ #2

Prodigal Sun

"Mother?"

"There you are after all these centuries, my Bella." The brunette haired witch marveled. It was quite impossible to not notice the uncanny resemblance of the two witches, who now stood before each other. One in awe, the other unreadable.

The Dark Witch shook her head, turning away from the one she called Mother, there was no way that she was still alive. Still existing beyond the bounds of her nightmares, and farce dramatizations of the flashbacks, she was forced to relive almost everyday... Right?

"You're not real- you... You're just a- a figment of my subconscious." Annabelle crocked, tightly grasping her head between her fingertips. Dahlia smiled at the sight of her daughter's reaction. She expected nothing less, as she made her way closer to the disheveled woman, she still saw as her little girl. Her little Annabella.

"I can assure you, my child I am as real as it gets... Tell me, have you been dreaming of me? Seeing flashes of your dear mother? Maybe even struggling to keep that darkness inside that you hide so diligently?" The witch taunted, slowly circling her way around Anna.

The discombobulated witch spun around on her heel and eyed her mother. "What is it you want from me mother?" She seethed, her porcelain white teeth grinding against one another.

"Join me. Let us finish what we started."

"Not a chance!" She all but yelled at her mother before turning around and making her way towards the exit. "What is it you're afraid of Anna?" A voice sounded from the door, causing the witch to stop in her tracks. That voice.

She knew that voice. A man stepped out of the shadows of the doorway, allowing the darkened light of the room to illuminate his facial features. The brunette of his hair shimmering in the dimness of the light.

"Impossible. . ." Annabelle's hushed voice exclaimed as the man slowly made his way closer to her. "Now Anna, you and I both know that nothing is impossible." He voices.

"... How are you here?" Anna questioned him shakingly. His eyes that had not left her own averted to the woman standing behind her. Annabelle followed his gaze, her eyes landing on her mother.

She smiled maliciously eyeing her daughter. "What have you done?" Anna questioned accusingly as she made her way towards her mother. "What needed to be done."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"He was of value to you. Therefore, he is of value to me." She stepped to her daughter meeting her face to face. "As for what I want... I have a debt to collect. Two, in fact."

"Debt? And what might that be mother?" Anna retorted irritably. "Esther Mikaelson. We made a very specific deal when you were only a child. A deal that even in her untimely demise still stands today!" There was a beat in the room as Annabelle's nose flared in hatred.

Esther and her mother were the best of friends as children. They both practiced magic, but Dahlia was always stronger- smarter, this Annabelle knew. So it came to no surprise when she found out that at some point Esther did come to her in a time of need.

"Yes, this is something I have been aware of for quite some time mother. When have you ever done anything for another out of the kindness of your own heart?" She growled at her. "Why do you think it is that I fled from you all those years ago? You had your perfect daughter! You didn't need me. And I sure as hell never needed you!"

Dahlia ignored the hurtful remarks from her daughter and decided to try and stay on her reason for coming.

"You know why I am here, Anna. You remember the deal as well as I do." The witch sped in front of her mother looking her directly in her eyes with pure hatred and rage. "Touch them and I WILL end you!" She threatened, though Dahlia seemed unaffected by this.

"You know you can not keep them away from me-"

"You want my children, you have to go through me mother! And if I have to die in order to protect them, then so be it, but I'll make damn sure of it you go down with me!" With those words Annabelle again tried to make her exit with a the fire inside of her pounding at the precipice.

"I promise not to touch them. . ."

Anna's footsteps came to an abrupt stop at her mother's words. "What?" She questioned turning to face her from a far. "On one condition." Annabelle scoffed rolling her eyes. "Of course, there's always a condition. . . What is it you want?"

Dahlia stepped forward a bit now standing next to Anna's old friend. The awkwardness between the two "friends" was very much apparent in the atmosphere.

"Join me." Dahlia repeated her offer breaking the silence in the room like a stone Axe. The two witch's eyes connected looking upon each other again for what felt like eternity. "Not. A. Chance." Anna answers standing by her words.

Dahlia scoffed softly looking down briefly with a sly smile as she slowly made her way towards Anna. Her head ascended looking up, as their matching orbs connected Dahlia analyzed Anna's face, skimming over every one of her daughter's features. A hesitant hand came up touching Anna's cheek, she flinched slightly in hatred but held her ground as Dahlia again went in to softly caress her cheek.

She sighed deeply before getting face to face with her daughter, but not in a threatening manner and spoke just loud enough for her to hear. "Think about my offer. . . It won't be open forever. You'll know where to find me when the time comes." And with those words she gracefully made her way out of the room.

There was a beat of pure silence before Annabelle turned around to make an exit, before stopping realizing that he was still there.

"Mat?" She voiced gently, his name rolling off the buds of her tongue like silk. He looked at her from afar expressionless. She was afraid- worried of what he would say. Anna never expected to see him ever again. Not after what happened in the forest over a thousand years ago. She partly regretted saying those hurtful things to him, but on the other hand... It saved him from an unforgiving death.

Suddenly there was a different scent that engulfed within Anna, suffocating her insides. She hasn't noticed that Matharen was now standing directly in front of her, analyzing her every movement.

"Mat I-" her low voice was abruptly cut off as Matharen connected his lips to her own. She went into a state of shock at first before willingly melting into the kiss, and wrapping her arms around him, as he brought her in closer.

"I have waited an eternity, to find you." The hushness of his voice brushed against her moist lips. "What happened Mat? How are you here?" She questioned looking into his eyes.

"That is a story for another hour. . . right now you have a decision to make."

Matharen was right. . .