A Way Out

Chapter 19

As he watched the last werewolf gulp down Katherine’s blood and complete their transition into hybrids, Klaus silently released a sigh of relief. It had taken the better part of the night to deal with the entire pack. Some of the werewolves hadn’t awoken at all; Klaus had his theories about that but most of them had so he wasn’t concerned. One of the werewolves had elected not to drink the blood and die, which Elijah convinced Klaus to let her do. However, when other werewolves appeared to want to follow her example, Klaus snapped her neck and poured the blood down the others’ throats. He was not about to lose any more potential soldiers than he had to. He was just about to address the motley crew when Elijah pulled him aside.

“You have your hybrids. Now what are you going to do with them?” Elijah asked.

“They are my hybrids, brother, so…whatever I please, really,” Klaus replied glibly.

“Niklaus, I am serious.”

“They will be the means through which I take back New Orleans. Hybrids are stronger than vampires and their bite kills any day of the month, not just on a full moon. They are the perfect warriors-“

“Do they know this?”

“They don’t have to. A little thing called a sire bond means that they will do whatever I tell them,” Klaus said, smiling.

“Didn’t your previous set of hybrids break their bond and rebel against you?”

Klaus’ happy expression faded. He opened his mouth to reply and then closed it, taking a little more time to think about what to say. Elijah just looked at him and waited.

“Between you, Rebekah and Marcel, I have been made to understand that I do not inspire loyalty and that I never will. Loyalty is the only thing that would keep them obedient, I know. So, originally, I had planned for…someone else…to mediate for me, someone whose loyalty to me was absolute, to whom they would answer. If they were loyal to h…that person, and that person was loyal to me…needless to say, that plan has been deferred.”

Elijah almost felt pity for his brother. For a person who had kept so much from him and played so many games with him, Klaus had come to depend very much on Ms. Forbes. He also placed a great deal of trust in her, if he wanted her to have control of his hybrids.

Klaus continued, “As it is, I need to iron some things out before I mobilise them so they can stay here for now. I’ll explain to them what happened and what they are and tell them to stay here and act like nothing’s happened. Then we go back to the house. I know you’re dying to check on the mother of my child.” Ignoring Klaus’ sarcasm, Elijah said nothing as his brother made his way to address his new hybrids, turning instead to walk back towards the car.

As they sun crept over the skyline, Stefan lay Caroline on the bed in his hotel room. Katherine was passed out on the couch. After all the toothpick holes healed, he thought it was best to get her back to civilisation…and away from Klaus. As he pulled his arms from underneath her, he felt her fingers at his palm, reaching for him. He looked at her.

“Stay with me…please…Stefan…” she whispered.

“You need to sleep. You’re not back to 100% yet,”he replied.

“Please…don’t leave…”

Hearing the need in her voice, Stefan would have felt bad leaving her. He gently climbed into the bed next to her, trying not to touch or jostle her in case she was still sore. She felt him next to her and turned into him, resting her head in the crook of his arm. As soon as she assumed that position, Stefan felt Caroline relax, like she only now felt comfortable and secure enough. He softly stroked her hair.