A Different Breed ▻ Legacies [1]

7

Once exiting Alaric's car, the group of five made their way through the woods, in search of Landon Kirby, "I don't know why he's still out here, he has a whole days lead on us. He could be anywhere." Hope explained to the group.

"Maybe because he doesn't have a reason to run," Rafael retorted and both Hope and Valerie couldn't help but scoff.

"You know, Rafael, that would be perfectly believable if the dude, you know, didn't run away in the first place," Valerie commented.

Rafael was about to argue with the two girls when Ophelia shushed all three of them, placing a finger on her lips, "You hear that?" Ophelia asked the group, causing Hope, Rafael, and Valerie to turn to look at her.

"Hear what?" Valerie frowned in concern.

"Someone's here. And it isn't Landon." She informed them before using her vampire speed to run after the person, the four others following close behind, trying their best to keep up with the female vampire.

After passing one of the many trees in the forest, Ophelia found a dark-skinned girl with long, curly black hair sitting behind a tree. Her clothes were ragged and partially burnt. She looked terrified at Ophelia as she stood up from the ground.

Ophelia placed her hands up in surrender, "It's okay. I mean you no harm," She assured the female as she walked forward, only to have her step back, "Were you on that bus?" She asked as Hope, Alaric, Rafael, and Valerie finally caught up to her, "Can you tell us all what happened?"

"Does she even speak English?" Valerie commented.

"Surely doesn't seem like it," Alaric muttered under his breath.

"Is she a survivor?" Hope asked the group concerned.

"It definitely smells like it." Rafael replied, his eyes wide, looking somewhat fearful toward the woman, "She reeks of smoke."

"I think she's in shock," Alaric told them, keeping his eyes locked on the woman, "Look, Ophelia and I need to get her to the police so she can get some medical attention. Why don't the three of you go ahead? Don't engage. We don't know how dangerous Landon is."

"He's not dangerous," Rafael began to argue, "He--"

Before Rafael could finish arguing in protest, Ophelia spoke up, "He said, don't engage," She told him sternly before turning to Hope and Valerie, "That goes for you two, alright? Don't engage."

"Fine, fine, we won't engage," Valerie rolled her eyes before grabbing Rafael by the arm, pulling him with her and Hope away from the two adults, "Come on."

After they walked away, Ophelia and Alaric turned back to the unknown woman, "We need to get you some help so come on. Follow us." Alaric instructed, holding out his hand.

The female grabbed his wrist before following along with him and Ophelia.

_______

As they walked through the woods, Rafael made sure to keep up with Hope and Valerie, who were walking at a fast pace, "What exactly happened on that bus?" Rafael asked the two girls concerned.

"No one exactly knows," Hope sighed, "It says that someone incinerated it from the inside."

"Look, whatever he did, I know there's a good explanation," He told them in a reassuring tone, "He's the most loyal friend I've ever had. He was there for me on the worst day of my life. After my girlfriend died, he's the only thing that kept me going. You gotta know what that feels like."

Hope and Valerie shared a glance, knowing they both knew what that felt like, "So let me get that knife for you two and then we can all hear him out, okay?" Rafael pleaded.

"I appreciate the passion," Hope commented as she walked ahead of Rafael and Valerie, "But maybe you should exert some of it into making new friends."

"So I can be as popular and well liked as you?" Rafael retorted with an attitude, causing Hope to stop walking before she turned to face him, "Yeah, I've been at this school two days and I've already heard all about Hope Mikaelson and her sunny disposition. I'll get you guys the stupid not stupid knife and the answers you want. I promise."

Valerie scoffed, "And why should we believe you, huh?" She asked him with an attitude.

Rafael looked down at her, "Because I don't lie." He replied and Hope began to laugh at him.

"Everybody lies." Hope smiled sarcastically.

Knowing the fight between the two would last forever if she didn't stop it, Valerie spoke up, pointing to the root cellar about a hundred feet away from them, "He's in the root cellar." She informed him.

"We'll give you three minutes to do it your way," Hope added in.

"Wait, the headmaster and Valerie's mom said not to engage." Rafael frowned in confusion.

"Two minutes fifty-nine, two minutes fifty-eight--" Hope began to count down and Rafael was quick to start running toward the root cellar.

Once he was out of sight, Valerie turned to Hope with her arms crossed over her chest, "We're not giving him three minutes, are we?" She asked her friend, who shook her head.

"Nope," Hope answered with a smile on her face. She grabbed Valerie by the hand before leading her toward the root cellar.

When they got to the root cellar, the first thing Hope and Valerie heard was Rafael say that it wasn't him who burnt up the people in the bus, "Then who was it, huh?" Hope asked Landon with an attitude as she and Valerie walked down the stairs and into the cellar.

"Wait, you said three minutes--" Rafael began to tell Hope, but before she could finish, Valerie cut him off.

"Like Hope said, people lie. Some more than others," Valerie told him before turning to Hope while pointing to Landon, "Do it."

"Corporis impetu." Hope said out, extending out her arm.

Landon went flying across the room until he was pinned against the wall. Rafael protectively stood in front of him, which didn't help at all, "Where's the knife?" Hope asked angrily.

"I don't have it. I must have lost it when I ran." Landon answered quickly.

Rafael turned to look at Valerie, giving her pleading eyes. She sighed, shaking her head, telling him she couldn't help.

"After you burnt the bus?" Hope questioned angrily.

"That wasn't me! I swear, I barely got out alive."

"Hope, come on," Rafael pleaded, "Valerie, please. Get her to stop."

"Last chance," Valerie pushed past Hope, grabbing ahold of Landon's neck as she pinned him to the wall, allowing Hope to stop using her magic, "If it wasn't you who burnt the people on the bus, who the hell was it then?"

"Val--" Rafael began to plead, but Landon cut him off.

"There was this girl," Landon choked out and both Hope and Valerie shared a confused look.

"What girl?" Valerie asked him.