The Key

14

Sofya led Vincent and I to a warehouse near the Mississippi river.

"The followers are in there," She says, and then pulls the vine arm piece from her arm, handing it to me with a frown,

"There is the weapon."

I perk my ears, hearing voices of men inside. I look at Sofya,

"You can leave now, Marcel will be released after this is through."

The vampire gives me one last glare before speeding off in a blur.

Vincent cocks an eyebrow at me,

"You can be extremely scary when you need to be."

I shrug, crushing the vine piece into shards before tossing them into the river beside us since we are at the end of the row of warehouses.

"May god have mercy on my enemies, because I sure won't," I say with a deadly smirk. 

Vincent's eyes widen at the silver glow of my eyes, my fingers curl into claws.

Without another second of hesitation, I open the door to the warehouse and go inside.

A group of about twenty men are standing around what appear to be different grimoires and spell books.

"Gentlemen. Sofya says you've come to kill my family," I pronouce loudly, causing all eyes to snap towards Vincent and myself.

Vincent chants a quick spell and pins the followers of the Hollow to both walls of the warehouse.

I look around the room at this rag tag team of warlocks,

"It's a good thing one isn't judged by the competence of one's enemies. I'd be rather insulted."

Vincent ignores my ranting and starts talking to the followers. His voice was hard with anger and emotion,

"I was you, once. Thought the Hollow was gonna give me all sorts of power. And it ended up taking away everything that I've ever loved. It took away my family, took away my wife. It left me with absolutely nothing. Now, I hate vampires. I hate Klaus Mikaelson more than any of them. And I'm willing... to stand beside him and his wife against that thing that you call your master. Now, that right there should show you just how bad your master actually is."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment," I furrow my eyebrows at my accomplice before looking back at the men who've been silenced by Vicent's magic,

"Gentlemen... I ought to flay the skin from your bones. But these are uncommon times, are they not? Indeed. And they call for uncommon mercies. You and your brethren have a choice. Forsake the Hollow or die by its side. Either way is fine with me."

----

Not even twenty minutes later, I'm soaked in blood. 

Wiping my hands on my thoroughly ruined dress I let out a chuckle,

"Well, I certainly have not lost my touch."

I bend down and pick up the small draw string bag of bones that one of the followers in particular, did not let go until I quite literally broke his hands off from his body to get it.

Vincent is looking nauseous behind me near the door,

"Did you really have to slaughter them all like that?"

I nod, 

"Maybe the Hollow will fuck off when it sees it cannot beat me."

Walking past him and out into the stock yard, Vincent follows me quickly.