Bound: The Hybrid's Witch Book 2

Chapter 8

I could do little other than watch as Damon used my phone to send Nik a message asking him to meet me at the Homecoming dance. As soon as the text was sent, he turned the phone off. "Where's Stefan?"

Damon wore his familiar smirk. "Worried he'll interrupt? Don't worry. He's securely locked away downstairs. We'll let him out when this is all over."

"Interrupt what exactly, Damon?"

"Us being rid of your boyfriend once and for all."

I rolled my eyes. "And how exactly do you propose to do that?"

"I will see to that," said a voice I didn't recognize. But I recognized the man when he walked into the room. Fear, the likes of which I hadn't felt in years, pierced through me, chased quickly by fury. Mikael. Nik's 'father' and the man who was responsible for my parents' deaths.

The blood drained from my face and my gaze darted between Damon and Elena. "What have you done?"

Damon raised a hand. "Just calm down, Grimes. Once we get rid of the big bad wolf, everything will go back to normal around here. You'll see."

"You are an idiot. No wait, I'm sorry. You are a fucking idiot. What possessed you to believe that Mikael was the better of two choices?"

"Because he hasn't done anything but ask for our help. He hasn't threatened us. Or sacrificed any of us."

"If I am to understand correctly, Niklaus sacrificed you to break his curse and you only live because of a spell. So, you should understand better than any one the depths to which his selfishness goes. Yet you would still defend him?" Michael tilted his head to study me as if I was an oddity he couldn't fathom.

Rather than answering him, I laughed. "You know what I find most amusing? You and Esther are so desperate to undo Nik that you gave him the very thing he needed."

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Please enlighten me."

"Me," I answered. I gave him a moment to let that sink in before explaining. "You came to my father and asked for help tracking Niklaus. When he refused, you compelled him to kill himself and take my mother and I along for the ride. I survived, they didn't."

"I am sorry for your loss. But Niklaus poses a far greater threat than you realize. He must be stopped at all costs."

"Bullshit," I spat. "You want to kill him simply for existing. You and that witch bitch of a wife of yours."

He was on me before I could blink. His hand wrapped around my throat and lifted me into the air. My hands wrapped around his wrists as I wheezed air past his grip. "Watch your mouth, little girl. You speak of things you don't understand. Insult my wife again and it will be your final mistake."

"Hey. We kind of need her, remember?" Damon interrupted.

Mikael snarled then opened his hand. I fell to the floor in a heap and cradled my throat as I coughed. "I remember, boy. Now, bring me to Niklaus so we can end this."

***

I bit back my smile when Caroline called to say the school was flooded and the party had been moved to Tyler's house. That had Nik written all over it. He hadn't trusted the text sent from her phone and was shifting the location to somewhere that gave him control.

My suspicion was confirmed when we arrived at the Lockwood manor. I saw no sign of my hybrid or his brother, but there were too many people here for this to be simply students from Mystic Falls. I kept my mouth shut and my eyes forward, not wanting to inadvertently give anything away.

I needn't have bothered. Mikael caught on right away. Hybrids. Dozens of them mixed in with the partygoers. He grabbed the nearest one and compelled him to watch me. Mikael moved away and I quickly lost sight of him. Once I was certain he was no longer close enough to stop me, I made my move.

My powers were worthless and the hybrid was stronger than me but I just needed to create enough of a scene for Nik to find me. I stomped on the man's instep and shoved my elbow into his abdomen as I twisted away. My scream was cut off nearly before it started when a strong arm grabbed me from behind and a hand covered my mouth. "You are a poorly behaved little bitch. You and Niklaus must make a fine couple," Mikael hissed in my ear.

"Where is she?" The words were faint, but the voice unmistakable. Nik was looking for me.

"That would be our cue. Come along." He dragged me with him. There was no other word for it as I became as uncooperative as possible. We had nearly reached Nik when Mikael shoved me to the side, passing me off to two more hybrids.

"Keep her quiet," he ordered before straightening his jacket and stepping out where Nik could see him.

"Mikael." The absolute heartbreak in Nik's voice made my heart ache. "What have you done, Damon? Where is Cassie?"

"She's safe. For now," Mikael answered. "And provided you cooperate she'll stay that way."

"Give her back to me, Mikael."

"Your sentimentality will be your undoing, Niklaus. Come with me. Let's end this."

I struggled against the arms that held me and cursed Esther in my head. If I had my powers I could take Mikael down. I could save Nik and myself in the process.

Mikael made a sound of disgust. "Still a coward I see, hiding where I can not reach."

"I. Am. Not. A. Coward." Nik's voice broke and I knew he must be crying by now in both anger and grief. Oh, my heart. Why? Why was I so useless? "I command an army." His words were little more than a growl.

"An army made of beasts who are half vampire and whom you no longer control."

Mikael snapped his fingers and motioned for me to be brought to him. They hybrids dragged me forward and shoved me toward him. He grabbed me, wrapped an arm around me with his hand on my throat. Something sharp pressed into my back and I clenched my teeth together.

"Come out and face me or she dies."

Nik ignored Mikael and looked me over. "Are you all right, love?"

Mikael kept me from answering by shaking me slightly, making the blade he held at my back dig into my skin. I couldn't help the gasp that came with the sudden pain. "Why so indecisive, Niklaus? No one cares for you, boy. The only people who remain with you are the ones whose loyalty you've forced."

"I'm afraid that's not entirely true, father. He has me." Relief flowed through me. Elijah.

Mikael turned us so he could see Elijah as well as Nik. Elijah's eyes looked me over much as his brother had done. "And Cassie when you aren't holding her hostage. Hello, Cassie."

I gave him a small smile.

"Elijah, this doesn't concern you," Mikael said.

Elijah pursed his lips as he stepped closer. "No. See I let you convince me of that when we were young. I let myself believe there was nothing I could do to keep you from your cruelty. No longer."

"If you force me to go through you to kill Niklaus, I will. Do not test me."

"Niklaus!" Elijah yelled instead of responding to his father.

I didn't even time to worry for Nik before a searing hot pain flared through me. I gasped, struggling for breath against the agony. Mikael shoved me in Elijah's direction. He caught me and eased me toward the ground. "No, no, no. It's okay, Cassie. I've got you. Just hold on."

Short, desperate gasps for breath and red-hot pain is all I knew. Tears leaked from my eyes and I wondered if I was going to die for real this time. I wondered if Nik was all right and if Elijah would finally snap and kill Damon for this. Or maybe Stefan would do it for him.

Elijah bit into his wrist, and not neatly either. He forced it into my mouth and I tried to drink. I knew it would heal me if I did but trying to convince my body was another matter. I was suffocating. Attempting to drink only made it worse. Elijah screaming my name was the last thing I knew.