Hidden | Elijah Mikaelson |

2.8 Ceremonies

Cami sped down the dark roads as fast as the car would allow towards New Orleans. We had been driving for about four hours, trying to put as much distance between us and the house in Arkansas as we could. Cami left her phone behind at the house and mine was still dead, giving us no way to contact Elijah or Klaus or anyone for that matter. Hope was crying in the backseat, making Cami and I even more anxious. For the first time since I had been turned, I was actually afraid of what would happen.

My eyes locked on some lights in the distance and I pointed at it, "It looks like there's something up ahead. Maybe there's a phone there we can use."

Cami nodded and pulled into what looked like a garage. I sighed in relief at the sight of a payphone by one of the buildings and Cami grabbed Hope as we got out the car. Thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone was here. I followed Cami to the booth and watched as the coins she had hastily grabbed fell out her hands and clattered to the ground. "Damn it! I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she realized her choice of words and held Hope closer to her. "You're being so brave. The least I can do is—"

A noise in the shadows interrupted her sentence and we both glanced at each other uneasily. "Cami, take Hope and go get in the car," I told her quietly and stepped close to them. If it was Finn, there was no way I was going to let him hurt Cami or Hope without putting up a fight.

Cami tightened her grip on Hope and rushed to the car. I focused my hearing and looked around me to find the source of the noise. I felt movement beside me and rushed towards it, tackling Finn to the ground. I climbed on top of him and pinned him down with my forearm as I bared my fangs at him, ready to tear him apart.

Instead of Finn, I was met with Elijah's dirty face as he smiled up at me. "Hello to you, too," he mused.

I quickly climbed off of him and pulled him up with me as I threw my arms around him. "Oh, thank God you're here," I sighed in relief.

"What the hell happened back there?" Cami demanded as she jumped out the car. I was a little irritated that she hadn't left yet, but I knew she was just worried about me so I couldn't hold it against her for something I probably would've done, too.

"That's a discussion for the car, let's move," he told her and ushered us towards the SUV. He jumped behind the wheel as Cami got into the backseat with Hope and continued our on way to New Orleans. The sun would be up soon, which was crazy considering we had been driving all night. The things we'd do to get away from crazy people I suppose...

"How did you figure out where we were?" Cami asked him.

"I figured you three were on your way back to the city. I just ran until I found you guys," he answered and stole a glance at me with a smile.

"What happened with Finn?" I questioned. It was obvious Elijah was in the explosion given the current state of his clothes right now. They were tattered, torn, and covered in ash, as well as his normally tanned and smooth skin. He looked so out of the ordinary. He was always so neat.

"Thankfully, you guys weren't at the house when he showed up. In one of our various fights, he threw me into the wall and exposed one of the gas lines. From there I just took my daylight ring off, which caused me to burst into flames and make the house explode," he answered nonchalantly. I can't believe he just talks about setting himself on fire so casually. I'm starting to think this wasn't his first time doing this.

"I'm glad you're okay," I told him and put my hand over his that was resting on the console.

Elijah called Klaus to tell him we were all fine and on the way to New Orleans. Both Hope and Cami fell asleep on our quiet ride back, and the sun was beginning to rise as the city limits sign came into view. It was another twenty minutes before we made it to the compound, and the three of us plus Hope walked inside the house and upstairs so we could get cleaned up. There were tons of people I didn't recognize here, all decorating the compound and moving around furniture.