Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 26

Beatrix woke up to silence.

It was an odd thing, considering the conflict that'd been happening not long before. She felt sore as she tried to move her limbs. She had to blink a few times to adjust to the light. Groaning, she sat up, her vision still hazy.

Gia's dead, charred body lay just where it had been before. Not far from where she lay, were the unconscious Elijah and Cami.

"Oh, shit," said Beatrix, speeding toward the blonde first. Her neck had blood seeping out of it, and she was pale and limp. The Heretic bit into her wrist quickly and coaxed the blood into Cami's mouth. "Come on... come on... dammit, what the hell happened to you?"

She leaned down to observe the wound, ignoring the hungry feeling it created in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't going to succumb to it. There was no way she'd ever let herself hurt Cami.

It was a bite. Someone had definitely fed on her, and Beatrix feared it had been Klaus's doing. She continued to urge her blood into her, taking her sleeve and cleaning her up as she started to heal. "Cami... Cami please wake up..."

There was a gasp, and her eyes shot open. Beatrix moved back as she looked around wildly, still registering the situation. "Beatrix," Cami breathed in surprise. "Beatrix— Elijah— he's got that blade in him."

"What blade?" she said, following Cami as she rushed to Elijah's side.

"Papa Tunde's blade— I don't know if you know who that is," said Cami quickly. "But it— it's inside him—"

Beatrix knew exactly what she was talking about. She placed her hand over where Elijah's shirt had been torn, and drew a deep breath before plunging her hand into his chest. He gave a loud, hoarse gasp, his eyes remaining closed, as she closed her hand around the blade and yanked it out. He wheezed and sat up, now alert, struggling to catch his breath.

"Elijah!" said Cami, holding him upright. "Elijah— listen to my voice— I'm right here."

Beatrix put her hand on his chest and began to siphon, sucking out the residue of the magic that surrounded the blade. Elijah grunted in pain, but soon was able to draw a deep breath, blinking wildly as he was alleviated.

"You both have to listen to me," said Cami urgently. "He got in my head, he spoke to me. This— all of this— it's a trick!"

"Are— are you talking about Klaus?" Beatrix cried.

"You've lost your mind," Elijah told the blonde without hesitation. "He's lost his mind..."

"No— no— he needed her to trust him, so he can do what he needs to do!" Cami insisted, her eyes wide. "He had to make it look convincing!"

Elijah was clearly not having it. "What? To— to what possible end?

Cami drew a deep breath. "He told me her secret. I know how we can kill Dahlia."

Beatrix and Elijah went silent, and shared a look.

How could this be? How was this only an act? Klaus had compelled Marcel to restrain Rebekah somehow. He'd compelled him to rip Beatrix's heart out if she fought. He had Gia kill herself right before Elijah's eyes. He'd fed on Cami, who was innocent.

Neither of them spoke. Elijah got up, and brushed himself off, and seemed to be deep in thought. He looked devastated as his glimpse carried toward where Gia's body was. He went into another room and returned with a sheet, laying it gently over her. He stared at the floor for an instant, before glancing up at Cami, and seeing she had healed completely after Beatrix gave her some blood.