OVERTHROWN QUEEN • N. MIKAELSON [2]

Chapter 11

My morning tea was interrupted by call from the devil himself.

"Connor escaped." Was the first thing he said.

I sighed having my words about this town was just proven right. "He chopped off one of my hybrid's head. Leaving his headless body for me to clean up the mess."

Why would he take the head? Of course.

"He wants to take the venom. Werewolf venom." I said in realization. "I saw it yesterday in his distillation setup."

"Which means – "

"He'll be back." I finished him.

"I'll call Stefan."

• • •

Somewhere in Italy, Niklaus wandered around an excavation dig site as he chatted on the phone with Stefan. After one of his hybrids reported the escape of the hunter and he got the answers from Machae, he immediately alerted the Salvatore of the situation. There were many people helping to dig up the sword, presumably all compelled by Niklaus.

"I'd blame my numbing incompetence, but pointing fingers isn't going to help me, you're going to help me." Niklaus said.

While Stefan in his room internally groaned as he received a call from the hybrid just after he finished writing his entry in his diary.

"Well, he could be anywhere now." He stated.

"Think, Stefan. He took the hybrid's head which means he wants werewolf toxin." Niklaus explained what Machae helped him realize.

"Which means he plans to stay in Mystic Falls to kill vampires." Stefan nodded his head.

"Which is a pity, as I'm half the world away digging up a dead hunter, you'll have no access to my blood and therefore, the antidote. Nevertheless, his tattoo is our only map to the cure, so your task is quite simple; find him, catch him, and above all, keep him alive. He's no good to us dead. Machae should be with you any minute now."

As if on que, the Machae sped beside him just arriving. Stefan casted a glance at the female vampire for a moment before returning to his phone.

"Damon's been looking everywhere for him, if they cross paths...." Stefan trailed.

"You'll need to keep Damon in check." Niklaus said sternly.

"Be a lot easier if I could just tell him the truth." Stefan answered.

"Absolutely not." Machae said at the same time Niklaus asked "You trust Damon with the cure?"

"I imagine he prefers Elena the way she is." Niklaus continued.

"Nice try, Klaus. But I trust Damon a hell of a lot more than I trust you." Stefan ignored Machae.

"And I trust no one. Which is why my sister is lying daggered in a box. The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words, tell one soul and I will throw the hunter's sword in the Mediterranean and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?" Stefan said nothing and hung up his phone.

• • •

Stefan and I discussed our plan before heading off to Lockwood's mansion to meet the others, a.k.a the scooby gang. The very thing that I avoided from the beginning finally happened.

"So, we each take a different entrance; hit them at the same time." I heard Damon's voice as Stefan and I walked in the room. Elena got up and walked over to him.

"Stefan!" she cried.

"Where the hell have you been?" Damon asked. Stefan reached his arm out towards Elena. She embraced him and he embraced her back. I rolled my eyes at the two.