The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 17: It's Getting Hot In Here

I was still in my bed, lying in a pool of my own sweat as Rebekah and Hayley took cold cloths to my head to try and keep my temperature down.

"Stop fussing, will you?" Rebekah told me. "Elijah will be here any second now."

"I feel like...like I've been put in an oven." I groaned in an aching pain.

"Hey!" Rebekah snapped. "Just because you're carrying a baby doesn't mean you get to act like one! I'm sure my niece is heling you up as we speak."

I nodded, determined to stay strong when Elijah ran in. I managed to break into a smile and beamed at him only to frown when I noticed who he had brought with him.

"Get that stupid witch as far away from me as possible!" I spat out.

"I'm trying to help." She said with a sigh.

"Help?" I snapped as I feebly sat up. "This is your fault!"

"Why aren't we unlinked with this witch already, Elijah?" Rebekah asked him.

"Iliana, lay back down." Elijah said as he held my shoulders in his hands. "Let her do what she can."

I was still glaring at the two of them and Elijah sighed, before using a finger to tilt my chin so that I couldn't avoid his gaze.

"Iliana, trust me. Please."

At his request, I reluctantly nodded and allowed him to lay me back down on my bed. He smiled and moved my matted hair out of my face before turning to Sophie.

"I think I know a way to slow the fever down." Sophie told us. "But I'll need some special herbs. I'll text you the list, Rebekah."

Elijah nodded encouragingly but Rebekah didn't seem as pleased. I could tell she was about to protest but then she caught a glance at me and her face softened for a moment, before becoming rigid once again.

"Happy to play the fetch girl."

~Klaus POV~

"Hello Agnes." Klaus said with a grimace as he sped to Father's Kieran side, surprising the Elder witch in the church. He had finally cornered the witch that had not only hexed the priest's nephew, but who had also made an attempt on his daughter's life. And Klaus would take great pleasure in exacting his revenge.

"You made a deal with him?" She asked the priest in horror.

"After what you did to Sean, I'd make a deal with the devil himself." Kieran snapped as he passed the Needle of Sorrows to the Original vampire.

"The entire witch community will turn against you if you turn against me." She warned with a triumphant smirk.

"I don't give a damn about your bloody witch politics and rituals and whatever else you people do." Klaus growled as he stalked up to her. "But you will show me how to undo the effects of your little trinket's curse. If you don't, I promise to show you things that are far worse than death."

"Dark objects don't have an off switch." She replied in a cloud of smugness. "It's only a matter of time before your Satan spawn will die."

~Iliana POV~

They had sat me beside the pool, Rebekah and Hayley resting cold towels all over me whilst Sophie and Elijah arranged the herbs. Elijah glanced back at me and held a hand to my forehead, pulling away with a look of concern.

"She's burning up!" Elijah yelled at Sophie. "We must do this now!"

"Get her in the water!" Sophie ordered.

Elijah nodded and jumped into the pool, before helping me in after him. Sophie mixed up the herbs in a cup before following us into the water and I mentally murdered her in my head.

"I don't see how a midnight swim is supposed to help." Rebekah told her.

"Her temperature is sky-high. The water, with the help of the herbs, should cool us down." Sophie explained as she handed me the herbal concoction. I downed it, barely paying attention to the taste. "Elijah, you're gonna have to get her heartrate down."

"How do I do that?" He asked.

"Hold her." She answered. "It's a natural remedy to slow down the heart rate and reduce blood pressure."

"This will never work." Hayley said sceptically but nonetheless, Elijah held me bridal-style in his arms.

I clung to Elijah tightly as I desperately tried to gasp for breaths as every inch of my body burned. My own body had turned against me and little by little I was losing hope. Elijah could tell because he whispered in my ear a comforting reassurance.

"You and your little girl will be fine." He promised. "Davina will break the link, we just need time."

I wanted to believe him more than anything, but I couldn't. I began to hyperventilate as my breaths became fewer and more painful to take as my throat burned with an excruciating blaze.

"I can't breathe!" I spluttered.

"Okay, long deep breaths, long deep breaths. Iliana, look at me. Look at me!" I tilted my head towards him as I fought for my life, my eyes locked on his as he began to whisper. "Just focus on the sound of my voice. You'll be okay, you'll be okay."

It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than he was me.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as the pain surged to a new height, thrashing about in Elijah's hold as I could tell that I wasn't going to make it—but then the pain began to dim. The link was breaking I could feel it slip away, until it was finally no longer there.

"I just felt it lift."

Rebekah and Hayley let out breaths of relief whilst Elijah looked back at me, completely stunned. I managed to stand up on my own, but Elijah held onto me, worried that I was still weakened. The links still needed to be tested, so Sophie took off her earing and use it to poke her palm. I looked at mine and let out a relieved laugh as I saw there was no injury. Elijah took my hand and the two of us stared at each other, with an intensity that said everything that needed to be said. Left to me, I might've remained like that, but Elijah was still Elijah.

He noticed the watching eyes of Hayley and Rebekah and quickly let go of me before going to help me out of the pool.

"Come on, let's go." He told me.

"Elijah...once Klaus knows the link is broken, he'll kill Agnes." Sophie told him meekly. "I know you don't owe me anything, but I am begging you, don't let him kill her. She is our only access to the power we need to survive. Promise me you'll stop him."

Elijah didn't answer but instead pulled out his phone and called his younger brother. "It's me, where are you? ...Don't hurt her. I'll be there shortly." He hung up the phone before turning to Sophie. "I'll make you one last promise—I won't let my brother kill Agnes."

Sophie nodded gratefully as Elijah dashed out of the compound. She headed out after me, but with my strength regained, I grabbed Sophie and pushed her against the steps her neck being crushed in between my fist.

"You used me, but you did it to save your people, so I'll let it slide—this time." I threatened before leaning into whisper menacingly in her ear. "But try it again, and I will kill you."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Please vote, comment and follow if you did! Love you as always! X