12: Twisted

“Well that was pathetic,” she huffed. “I guess you have gone soft.”

“No, but this Cold One needs to remain in one piece, for now. She’s quite special, even you will want to have your hands on her if you’d know just how special she was.”

“Really now?”

“I’m not telling you,” he let out a chuckle and took another sip of his drink. “Definitely not telling you.”

Myriam narrowed her eyes on her ex and his pet for a minute. Releasing a sigh, she blew a whistle through her lips. “Bar’s closed! Everyone out!” She eyed complainers as they made their way past before looking back at the Original. “This have to do with the shit your family got themselves into this time? Who fucked up this round?”

~o.O.o~

Marcel laid on the couch, sweating and groaning in pain from the bite he received. Rebekah sighed as she ran a cool, wet cloth over his head. “I warned you that taking and keeping my brothers like you did was a bad idea. Let’s hope that she gets to Klaus and one of them is forgiving enough to part with their blood before it’s too late.”

He panted as he glared at her. “They came to me so there is nothing to forgive.”

“I don’t know about that, Marcellus.”

Rebekah turned to find her sister leaning against the doorframe, watching them. There was no emotion that would be obvious but she could see the underlying anger and hate in the dark orbs that stared back. “What do you want, Isa?”

Bella raised an eyebrow, scoffing. “I do believe that I made my demands very clear. Have you lot been injesting vervain to the point that it’s rattled your feeble brains? Because I am pretty certain I have made it clear that the only thing I want is my husband. Now, tell me where he is. I know he’s near, and that you would not let him go far. Too much of a risk.”

His hands fisted as he held in a growl while another wave of pain threatened to cripple him. Despite the suffering, he continued to refuse to give the new hybrid an answer.

Her lips curled back with a snarl. “You won’t speak. Then you will die. Enjoy the pain,” she hissed, taking off.

“I guess she’s going to search again. You have him cloaked, don’t you?” Rebekah questioned.

“Yeah…” he sighed, though it was pointless. He had no doubt that the creature was close enough to listen.

Rebekah looked back at the doorway, quiet as she listened for any movement through the building. All she could hear was the random slamming of doors for what seemed to be eternity. “I’m going to go see if maybe I can smooth things over by trying to help her since you won’t say anything about Nik’s location.”

Before he could object, she was out of the room, leaving him on his own.

She soon found Bella storming through the ground level. Hearing her, she turned to glare at Rebekah, frowning as if in debate on how to handle the sibling. “I just want to help find Nik. I didn’t agree to this arrangement. I promise you that,” Rebekah told her.

Bella glanced away and nodded. In doing that, caught sight of the doorway down to the basement area. She immediately went for it, making her way through the stairs and cavernous maze.

“I’d almost forgotten how easy it was to get lost down here,” Rebekah murmured as she followed behind.

The words fell on deaf ears as they came to an open area, lighted and seemingly empty. Bella looked around, taking a deep breath. Rage consumed her again, but being so much closer to him settled her only in the slight. Her steps forward were more cautious as she felt around. Marcel had been in league with a witch so she could not trust her eyes, however witches could not fool all the senses.

“Isa,” Rebekah called out, drawing her attention to a semi circle of chalk dust on the ground running up against the wall.

Bella immediately zipped over and reached out, only to encounter a barrier. Slamming her fists on it, she attempted to fight the power of the unseen wall. “I want to rip his head off of his shoulders,” she hissed as she paced the floor, unable to get through.

Rebekah nodded and ran off. It wasn’t long before she returned with a severely crippled Marcel in hand. “Tell us how to get this barrier down. The longer you stall, the more certain it is that you die.”

He looked over at Bella as she coldly stared back at him. Shaking his head, he reached for a piece of debris lying nearby and used it to scratch a break in the chalk line. The moment it was broken, Klaus’ body, leaning against the wall as his empty eyes looked into the room unflinching.

Bella took in the sight, blinking as every detail was absorbed. An earth shattering scream, mixed that of shattering glass filled the cavern. Rebekah pulled Marcel back, keeping them well outside of the reach of either hybrid as she stared wide eyed and terrified as her sister fell to her knees, crying, as she crawled to Klaus.

“Klaus? Baby?” Bella whispered as she pulled on his shirt and ran her hand along his face. Biting back a growl, she barely recalled the mention of what had been used on him. Ripping open his shirt, she whispered apologies as she punched her hand into his chest cavity to pull the offending piece of bone out.

Free, Klaus took a breath before he looked around, struggling to gain composure and gather his bearings. The vision of his wife filled his line of sight, causing him to blink and wonder if he was still under and this was another nightmare.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered again, leaning into him.

He silently nodded, pulling her closer, closing his eyes at the solid feel of his wife in his arms. More so, that she appeared to have managed to gain some of her humanity back. Even in his state of returning clarity, he knew it would still be a long road before she would be anywhere near healed from she went through.

Klaus felt her body shaking and he knew she had begun crying. Looking up, his grip on her tightened. He found his sister and his creation staring back at them. As his gaze crossed over Marcel, he frowned at the state of the man and knew that it had to been at the teeth of his wife. “Come, Isabella,” he coaxed. “Let’s heal Marcellus and then gather our family together again. We have some friends we need to see to.”

She buried her face further into his neck and shook her head. “I don’t want to,” she protested. “I don’t want to face anyone.”

Pulling her to face him, he treated her to a teasing smile that she’d fallen for time and again. “The longer you put it off, the harder it will be later. No one will hate you. You know this, Love. Of all the family, you should understand the most.”

Bella shifted against him until she was able to peek out and glare over at the other vampires in the cavern. “Very well, but I still don’t want to heal your friend. You can if you want.”

Her response caused Klaus and Rebekah to exchange a glance but offered little else for response. “As you wish. Come and help me up so that I can give him some blood and we can go.”

~o.O.o~

Jasper checked his watch and glared at Carlisle and Esme as they shifted on the couch. “What’s your problem? There are no humans around to pretend for.”

“Why don’t you just let us go? We’ve done nothing wrong,” Carlisle attempted to reason with him.

The empath raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “Stay where you are. Klaus has his own plans for you and until he gets back, you don’t go anywhere. Is that clear?” he said as he started for the front door as he sensed a familiar presence coming closer. “Keep an eye on them Emmett.”

“Yep,” echoed a response while Jasper went out onto the front porch.

He stared out over the distance with his arms crossed. He could not help but be filled with annoyance when his brother and sister showed up. “Took you long enough. I was beginning to wonder if you were taken down by one of the wolves or something.”

Peter waved him off as he jumped up onto the porch next to him. “Nah. I just detoured back through Texas to pick up the wife. Got a little distracted. Sue me. Besides, it gave us the opportunity to get eyes on that Lil’ Bit of a biter ya’ll are so fond of.”

“Yeah? Well, I wasn’t about to go running back to Maria. Not even for Bella,” Jasper glared.

Charlotte snorted. “No shit. And she didn’t really stay long. Just enough for her to have the bitch turn one of the chicks that went with them then took off when one of the scouting groups returned.”

Jasper frowned as he looked off towards the direction of the city in concern. “I had thought I picked up an unfamiliar scent but with so much supernatural around I wasn’t sure.”

Peter waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. They weren’t interested in any of us. They were looking on information about other factions and stumbled upon the Mikaelsons’ little ploy. It’ll work, but with some kinks.”

“Kinks?” Jasper repeated.

“Supposedly, he thinks she’ll come back, but still be as pissed off as she was when she was without her humanity, holding grudges,” Charlotte sighed.

The empath narrowed his eyes as he contemplated the girl that he never really knew. “I suppose it’s possible. Klaus did mention he knew of a way to get her humanity back, but his sister thinks that she has some lingering issues more towards the other brother.”

“Plus, you might want to get some more rooms prepared,” Peter added, a knowing smirk on his face.

“What for?”

“Because more are coming back soon. Mystic Falls was a bust and your midget wife is on her way back to her homeland,” he answered with a mischievous grin.

“Really? I thought that she was killed by now,” Jasper was surprised. He wasn’t fond of being around his wife anymore, but why did it feel good to know that Kol hadn’t killed her, yet?

Peter let out an irritated sigh. “Despite as much of an annoying twat that she is, she is useful to them. When the wolves aren’t around her, she can see any threats against them from the witches, which is why I think they are considering keeping her around. So, the one brother familiar with witches decided to make her his pet. Only I don’t think they are coming back on their own. May stir up some drama. Could be entertaining.”

“Oh goodie,” Jasper grinned. “You reckon we need to get some blood bags?”

“Probably be a good idea, Sugar,” Charlotte agreed. “But maybe give a ring to one of the siblings? It’s possible they already have that on order.”

“Oh, I’m not calling them. Peter can call them.”

He looked over at her husband who gave them a cheeky smile back and waved. His gaze shifted to the distance where they could hear a car coming closer. Music soon reached their ears and Jasper could not help but blink at the sounds he had not expected to hear. Country roads, take me home…To the place, where I belong… “What the fuck?”

Before long, the car came to a stop and the Original was out of the car in a blink. “Thank the Lord! I can’t take another bloody minute of this nightmarish music!” he complained.

“Oh get over yourself. It wasn’t that bad!” the female with him chided as she followed him. “There ain’t nothing wrong with John Denver! There is with your ears!”

The three Cold Ones remained speechless as they looked from the original vampires to the car where Alice remained behind. Jasper could feel the amusement being attempted to be reigned in.

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What the hell are you wearing?!” Peter barked out. If it was possible, his face would have been red, and tears falling down his face as he was laughing so hard.

The female turned around, the devious smirk that was usually on the Mikaelson’s face now gracing hers. “Come on out, Pet. It’s perfectly safe here. Don’t make me come over there and drag you out by your sparkly little neck… ”

Alice slowly, and quite clearly with reluctance, opened the back door and stepped out. Only then did Jasper and Charlotte get the full visual of what she was wearing. “Oh my lord, my lord,” the Cold One murmured, biting back a laugh but feeling sympathetic at the same time.

Jasper only blinked at the appearance of his wife. “Uh – what the hell did you do to her?”

“Hm?” the female vampire smiled at him. “Kol brought her in as a pet. I decided to join whatever fuckery his family got themselves into again and she is quite annoying so I decided to make her mine for awhile. Can’t have her sparkling all the way from Baltimore, now can we?”

Alice scowled as her gaze remained fixed on the ground. She was in some sort of oversized white sweater like shirt with bulky bulges in the front. The sleeves were so long, they extended beyond her feet like alien extremities. The bottom of the top half came to her knees so she was wearing thick, white leggings and black Mary Jane shoes.

“It actually happens to be right off the runway, so I don’t understand why she’s so upset. I searched so hard for suitable for her to wear,” the vampire pouted.

“Oh come off it Myriam. You have a trunk load of clothes like that just to play dress up with her,” Kol hollered from the door. “We can worry about your new pet later. I want to find my brother and see what is going on.”

“It’s still better than the mumu you had her dress in when you showed up with her on my doorstep,” she snapped back, following him into the house. Her voice faded until there was a squeal of delight. “More pets! Yay!”

~o.O.o~

Klaus finished his fourth blood bag before he finally began to feel somewhat functionable. The four had remained in relative silence as Bella focused her attentions on her husband, and he quietly observing the tension between one another.

“Alright. I am feeling a bit better now. I’m alright, Love,” he told Bella as she murmured under her breath about fetching him another blood bag. He reached for her hand before she was able to take off again. “Love. I am fine.”

Bella turned to look at him, tears of guilt and fear filling her eyes. “I need – I need to do something…”

He used his thumb to brush away the tears from under her eyes. “You need not do a thing. We are just happy to have you back to us now. When you are ready, we can talk about what happened, but first, I want to know where the rest of our family is.”

“As far as I remember, everyone is alive,” Bella shrugged, still more demure than she normally was.

“Kol texted that he’s on his way from Mystic Falls with his little pet. Said he had a surprise. Your friend Jasper is at the plantation watching the rest of those – things. As far as Elijah, well,” Rebekah sighed, shooting Marcel a glare. “He has him hidden somewhere.”

Klaus looked to Marcel with a disgruntled sigh. “He is daggered?”

Bella let herself smile a little at the question as she eyed Marcel. “I want to see him.”

Marcel attempted to stare her down before he was forced to back down. “I have him in a coffin protected by a witch. I’ll call her to let him go -”

“No. It is not to be removed,” Bella stated, surprising Klaus. Rebekah smirked as she had anticipated something towards their brother to come out after the previous events. “I want him to stay in the box and endure such a punishment he submitted himself to. I will release him when I am damn well good and ready.”

Klaus was still unnerved by his own wife’s presence and needed to speak with her over the recent events that she and the family had been through. “May we be alone?” he quietly requested of his sister and creation. The request had earned a hard glare from Bella, though she thankfully had not objected.

The moment they were alone, she turned to stare at her husband. “What is it you wish to lecture me about?”

Still slightly weakened, and more emotionally tired from the previous weeks, Klaus sat up and shook his head. “No, my love. No lecture. I just wish to know what happened. What happened that day to push you to your limits, frightened you so much, that you could not come to your family for us to face together?”

Unprepared for that question, she shifted her weight uncomfortably as her memories flashed back to the field that day and the urge to flee filled her again. Before she could run, Klaus was off the bed and had his arms around her. “No, you are not running from this. Tell me what you saw or allow me into your mind.”

Wordlessly she begged him, giving him her allowance as she closed her eyes. She felt him enter her mind, seeing everything she saw, felt, experienced.

Klaus narrowed his eyes as he felt her experience the shifter boy watching as the Cold One attempting to make a phone call out. The impatient creature muttered under his breath about his need to reach the Kings. He turned to look back at shifter, still confused about what was taking place.

“Connect me with Aro! I have information about the Mikaelson family he will want!” Edward hissed when the call finally connected again. “Cullen! Edward! He knows exactly who I am! Take a message? What? Tell him I know where there is white oak that they can take down the Mikaelsons! Have him call me back immediately.”

Klaus blinked, swallowing back his own agitation, hearing there was a new sapling that could destroy his family. No wonder it sent Bella running. They had believed it all been destroyed and he knew nothing terrified her more than their father and that blasted species of wood.

The Cullen boy looked up, sensing the presence of another, only to find the shifter. Sighing, Klaus exited his wife’s mind, knowing how the rest played out.

Pressing his forehead against Bella’s as tears fell down her cheeks, he reached up to brush them away. “Where?” he whispered.

It took a moment to find her voice as she hadn’t wished to face the topic at all. “On the reservation.”

He looked up with fury in his eyes. “We will burn the entire lot down.”

Bella shook her head, refusing him. “No. No. I’ve thought about it since – since I’ve been back. We know where it is and it is, relatively protected. The land is protected by allies. As long as we maintain that relationship, let it remain and it won’t come back somewhere we won’t know or have control over.”

“Isabella,” he warned. “One splinter comes off it…”

Her watery eyes met his. “I know. I know it can kill us, but we know where it is and only few do now, and they are friends. And if it should get out and something were to happen, Niklaus Mikaelson, I expect nothing less but your wrath to avenge us. But darling, he did let another know,” she whispered her words.

A growl let out from deep within as his eyes glowed yellow. “Who?”

“You shall get your time in, do not worry. I am certain there has not been an opportunity for communications,” she smiled. “Even in my – departure, I knew how everyone operated.”