Reverse Psychology (Book Three Zach's Daughter Series, TVD)

Chapter 13__Bringing Out the Dead

In a meadow in the middle of the woods, I walked closer to Elijah. "Elijah. My favorite Original, back from the dead. Clean up nice."

"You left something in my jacket pocket," Elijah said, pulling out the note I had left.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "'Dear Elijah, let's get together, plot the destruction of your brother. XOXO . . .'"

"Nicola," Elijah finished. "The one I met before wouldn't do something like this, let alone coming to meet me alone. She had drove a dagger into my heart, not taken one out."

I shrugged one shoulder. "A lot's changed. So, was I right to undagger you or are we gonna have a problem?"

"I'm here," Elijah said. "Let's talk."

"I'll start with an easy question," I said, tilting my head. "Any idea what kind of Klaus-killing weapon could be magically sealed in a mystery coffin?"

~

I had two shirts in one hand, a folded-over dinner party shirt and leggings for me, because I was not going to wear a dress into enemy territory.

I walked into Stefan's room when Stefan and Damon were talking..

Damon was suddenly in front of me. "And where has your severely insane self been?"

"Explain here in a sec," I replied, pushing one shirt into his chest. "Get dressed. We're going out."

"Yeah, sorry, not interested," Stefan said.

"I didn't ask," I said. Both of them gave me a surprised look before I even began. "Elijah and I have scheduled a very old-fashioned sit down with you and Klaus." Damon opened his mouth, but I overrode his voice as I pushed the other shirt into Stefan's chest. "I say go with the black. Makes you look all villiany."

"Klaus won't make a deal, Nicola," Stefan told me.

"He doesn't have to," I told him. "All we're doing is buying a little time to give our wicked witches a chance to pop the top off the coffin."

"You're in rare form today," Damon said. "I'm taking that as a sign that you're not telling us everything."

"The less either of you know, the more convincing this will be," I told them.

"So, that's your, uh, plan?" Stefan asked. "Stall Klaus?"

"If you didn't go postal on his hybrids, then maybe we'd have some options," I said.

"So you unleashed an Original to help him out?" Damon asked.

"Undaggering Elijah was smart, Damon," I told him. "Are you kidding me? After what Klaus did to him? He's in vengeance mode. It's perfect."

"There's nothing smart . . .about trusting Elijah, Nikki," Damon told me.

"He screwed us over the last time he promised to help us kill Klaus," Stefan agreed.

"Yeah, the way you've been acting, I trust him about as much as I trust you," I replied. "Nobody else could come up with a better idea, so I did."

"Better idea?" Damon repeated. "You think this is a better idea?"

I didn't get a chance to answer.

"And, well,  guess that trust thing goes both ways, doesn't it?" Stefan asked, looking from me to Damon.

"Oh, yes . . " I trailed off. "This is about Damon kissing Elena. Just remember, if it wasn't for Klaus, you would have never become such a dick and that kiss would never have happened."