Bound: The Hybrid's Witch Book 2

Chapter 15

My gaze ran over the people gathered below until it fell on Elijah. His brow twitched up as he made his way to the bottom of the stairs to meet me. I gave him a small smile. "Hello, Elijah."

"Hello, Cassie." He placed a hand on my elbow and steered me through the crowd. Leaning toward me, he lowered the volume of his voice. "What did my mother want with you and your lovely cousin?"

I glanced up at him with wide eyes. "Nothing, really. She merely wished to apologize for all the trouble there's been and to get to know us better. After all we'll all be family soon. She was quite lovely."

Elijah blinked several times but said nothing. I couldn't help the smirk that came with the knowledge I'd rendered him speechless. A waiter passed with a tray of champagne and Elijah handed one to me before grabbing one for himself. I lifted the glass to my lips but didn't drink. "I wouldn't if I were you," I said with a smile.

He hummed in agreement as he led me away from the crowd and toward Nik's study. The hybrid himself was inside, pacing the floor. He looked up when we entered and closed the distance between us in three long strides. He pulled me to him. "What the devil is going on, Cassie?"

I held up a finger to tell him to hold on. After shutting and locking the door, I made way to his desk and pulled a bundle of sage from his bottom drawer. I lit it and placed it in the spelled dish I kept on his desk. "Your mother intends to kill you."

"Of course, she does. She wants to retaliate for me ripping her heart out." Nik's tone was bitter but resigned, as if he'd been expecting this news all along.

I shook my head and headed to his bar cart to pour us all a drink that I was certain had none of my blood in it. "You misunderstand. She means to kill all of you."

"You can't be serious." That came from Elijah.

I carried two glasses of scotch to them, giving Nik his first before handing Elijah the other and taking the flute from him. I held it up. "If I were you two, I wouldn't be eating or drinking anything you haven't had complete control over for the near future. Champagne included."

"So, she intends to poison us?" Nik frowned.

"She took blood from Elena and myself. She intends to bind you all together then kill Finn. When he dies, so will the rest of you." By this time, I had retrieved my own glass and took a large sip of the rich liquid. I enjoyed the burn as it went down then sat on the couch. Nik sat beside me and Elijah took the nearby chair.

Elijah's brow furrowed. "She told you this?"

"I convinced her that Nik had compelled my love and compliance. Not that it took much, she obviously already believed it. She believes that the lot of you are a curse upon the Earth and she needs to restore balance," I explained.

"And she expects Finn to just go along with this?" Nik asked.

I nodded. "He was there through the whole conversation. She had him compel me when we were finished so I would have no memory of it. He's in agreement with it."

Nik laid a hand against the side of my face and looked into my eyes. "Finn attempted to compel you?" His voice was little more than a growl.

"Yes, because that's the important part of what I've said right now." Stupid hybrid.

"Well, I think it's bloody important." He hopped to his feet and started pacing again.

"She's right, Niklaus. What we need to focus on now is protecting ourselves and stopping mother."

A knock came at the door. Nik frowned then opened it to answer as no one would hear him shout with the sage burning. Seeing it was Kol, he grabbed his brother by the arm and tugged him into the office before slamming the door shut and locking it once more. Kol stumbled slightly and ran his hands over his jacket. "Take it easy, would you?"