(1) The Devil's Hybrid (D. Winchester)

Chapter Seventy-One

Erika sits with Bonnie and Jenna outside of the old witch house having just explained her plan, Bonnie frowns.

"You are powerful enough" Erika assures her.

"Why are you helping?" Jenna asks. "Klaus is your brother, your twin"

"Yes, and I love my brother" Erika answers. "And once upon a time, I wouldn't have cared about you living or dying. But....my humanity is tugging at my heart, love, and I have to do something"

"Do you have a vampire in mind?" Bonnie asks.

"Ah yes" Erika stands and moves to the SUV parked on the dirt road, she opens the trunk and pulls out the unconscious female vampire inside, well the human she turned into a vampire. "They'll be expecting Jenna to be in transition so I had to turn someone" she throws them in front of Bonnie. "Don't worry, I did some research, she kills puppies" Bonnie raises an eyebrow. "Okay, she doesn't actually kill puppies" Erika corrects. "But right now do you want some stranger to die or your best friend's aunt?" Bonnie looks to Jenna who looks to her.

"All right" Bonnie agrees. "Let me see the spell" Erika hands over the sheet of parchment to Bonnie who takes it. Erika crouches in front of Jenna.

"We need to keep this quiet, love" Erika tells her. "Just until this is over....so you can't tell anyone, Klaus needs to believe this, so everyone needs to believe this" Jenna nods.

"I understand.....I do, it's just"

"I know" Erika nods. "But Bonnie will look after you, right?"

"Of course" Bonnie agrees. Erika stands and moves to the unconscious transitioning vampire. She looks to Bonnie who stands and joins her. "There's something else, isn't there?" she asks.

"Another way to save Elena" Erika answers. "As long as you have access to the Gilbert Journals" Bonnie looks to Jenna and then back to Erika.

..................

It's dark. A full moon is shining in the sky. And at the Salvatore Boarding House Stefan parks his car, goes out and opens the door for Elena. She gets out of the car.

"Thanks for today" Stefan feels something. He puts himself in front of Elena and they both turn their heads. Erika is there.

"You got us all nervous" Erika states. "Klaus thought maybe you'd done something stupid. You ready, darling?"

"I'm ready" Elena starts walking toward him but Stefan stops her.

"No"

"I wouldn't," Erika tells him softly. "There's no reason for you to die, too, love" Elena turns around and looks at Stefan. He can't stop staring at Erika.

"No. Stefan, hey, hey, it's fine, it's fine. I'll go. No one needs to get hurt. There's no reason for you to get hurt" She kisses him. "I love you"

"I love you" They kiss again.

"Close your eyes. Close your eyes" He closes his eyes. She lets go of his hand. When he opens his eyes, she's gone.

...................

At Alaric's Residence: Klaus enters the apartment, he looks to Katherine as Erika walks in behind him.

"Where's Maddox? He should be back by now" she asks.

"I don't know" Katherine answers. Klaus sits down and opens the laptop. It shows a live video of Jules lying on the floor of a cellar, chained to the wall. "What are you doing? Where's Elena?"

"Rikki sent her off with Greta" Klaus answers as he watches Jules, who's transitioning. "It's almost time" The door opens. Erika, Katherine, and Klaus look at the door.