XXIV - 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔱𝔢𝔮𝔲𝔦𝔩𝔞 𝔪𝔲𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔯

(edited)

"I KEEP GETTING THESE MONSTER HEADACHES," Lilura groaned and held her head.

"Take a Tylenol, love," Klaus replied, looking behind him to parallel park.

"I did. It's not going away," The Siren mumbled but then clapped her hands cheerily. "At least we're on our way to kill the traitor!"

"How exactly does your witchiness work, Judas?" Klaus asked suddenly. He huffed when the engine turned off. "A gift from my mother?"

The young man looked up, "Yeah. Passed on. Apparently, since I'm not a full blooded vampire, I can also be a witch."

"So what are you?" Klaus continued. "A vampire, a witch, and a siren?"

Judas nodded.

"A Tribird," Lilura said. "Damn."

"I've been asking Bonnie for help," Judas examined his black jacket. "So, that's how we'll take Uncle Finn down, I guess."

"Come now, don't be selfish," Klaus reprimanded. "I'll be the one to rid my brother of this earth."

———— Δ ————

Finn Mikaelson sipped a piping hot cup of Earl Grey tea and basked in the sun rays in front of New York's very own Soloed, the popular new coffee shop on 34th street.

Lilura, on the other side of the road, walked dutifully on the crossing path and intercepted the man before he could get up and carry on with his day.

She pulled back the chair and smiled. "Hello, Finn."

He knew exactly who it was without looking up from his drink.

"Hello, Lilura. Fancy seeing you here."

It was quite bleak, the way he said his words, but that was how Lilura knew he was nervous.

She kept her pretty smile. "Well, I just got off the plane and needed a good cup of tea. What should we order?"

Finn stood up and smiled tightly. "Goodbye, Lilura."

Then, quick as lightning, the young woman stood up too. "Perhaps you did not hear me, Finn," She said, rather too sweet. "Come sit down. Let's enjoy a drink together, shall we?"

Finn groaned as he realized the subtle use of her siren charm. He remembered too late that he could have plugged his ears and avoided her eyes, but doing that to Lilura Mikaelson was as plausible as not tipping. He rarely could do it, and when he could, it hurt his heart.

"I see," He managed, frantically trying to break Lilura's alluring green stare. It was like being trapped in honey. His eyes remained glued to her mesmerizing ones, and he felt himself slowly slipping..and slipping..and perhaps a drink with the lovely siren would not be so terribly bad...

"Hello, brother. I never took you for a pansy, but I should have known," Klaus remarked, coming to a stop beside the Siren and taking a seat for himself.

And just like that, Finn pulled himself out of Lilura's mind games. The sight of his murderous brother was like dousing himself in brutally cold water. He turned to Klaus, "Hello Niklaus. I have nothing to say to you."

"Well, I'm not here to chat. I will ask you one time though, where's our mother?"

Finn crossed his arms and smirked smugly, like a little kid who had received more presents than his siblings and reveled in this fact: invariably the favorite, always the golden child.

"Gone to find another way to end our abominable lives. And when she does, I will sacrifice myself all over again."

"Well, how fortunate that I found you, I require your assistance," Klaus grinned.

"I have no wish to help you. Only to see you dead."

"Ouch," Lilura hissed.

"Right, well, that's the thing; you see you won't be able to see me dead, because if I die, then you die. So, wish unfulfilled, I'm afraid."

"Oh, bother someone else with your hollowed charms, Niklaus." Finn sneered, pointing to Lilura. "How about her? At least she can tolerate it."

"Why? Why not bother my big brother? I need you to accompany me back to Mystic Falls, I have a witch there who can help undo Esther's spell that linked us together."

Finn pocketed his hand and began walking swiftly, long legs desperate to create distance between himself and the other Mikaelsons. "I have no wish to be unlinked."

"Again with the wishes !" Lilura chuckled.

"Let me rephrase, you will come back with me or I will put you back in that coffin in which you rotted for 900 years," Klaus continued, not breaking the smile he had.

"What happens to one, happens to all. You may not feel the effects of the dagger, but you'd lose your precious Rebekah."

The Original Hybrid shrugged, "Wouldn't be the first time."

Klaus let Finn walk away before nodding once.

Judas Mikaelson cracked his fingers as Finn skirted the corner into an alley.

From the shadows, he spoke. "Let's not make this any worse than it has to be, Uncle."

"You're siding with him? Judas, he stored me in a box and left you to fend for yourself."

"At least he's not trying to make us extinct," Judas growled.

Finn turned around but was blocked by Klaus. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?" He asked in abject disbelief.

"I forgot he had a death wish," Lilura groaned.

"Fine, pathetic, but fine. The thing is, I'm not gonna let you take the rest of us down with you," Klaus took hold of Finn and threw him against the wall.

The other Original crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"How much have you been lifting?" Judas queried in soft amazement, prodding Finn and checking his heartbeat.

Klaus thought for a second and quickly faced Lilura.

"How much do you weigh, love?"

"Enough," She answered, but when he pouted, Lilura rolled her eyes. "50 kilograms."

"That much," Klaus answered Judas, smirking as his son slowly crumpled his face in disgust.

———— Δ ————

Hours later, under the roof of the Mikaelson Manor, Lilura, Klaus, and Judas met an agitated Rebekah.

"Gather your witch. Let's get his blood and get on with it," Rebekah insisted, dragging her brother by the collar.

"You can't force me to help you," Finn spat.

"Oh, I most likely could, but why force when she can persuade?" Klaus said, pointing to the Siren.

Lilura giggled diabolically. "I mean, who needs compulsion when I'm around?"

Finn's expression fell as Lilura gestured with her finger to the staircase behind him.  "But alas, you have grown quite used to my siren charm. I suppose a new order must be enacted."

Sage, the red-headed vampire, entered the room swiftly. "Hello, Finn."

He gasped, "Sage!"

"Well what do you know, true love prevails," Rebekah murmured, crossing her arms while watching their reunion with sly cat-like eyes.

"It does occasionally have its uses," Klaus nodded.

"Easier than torturing him," Judas agreed amicably. "Less blood and effort. I wonder whose work ethic I inherited?"

Lilura frowned when three pairs of eyes landed on her. "I am not lazy, just smart with what I choose to do."

"Still lazy, sister," Rebekah chuckled. She poked Klaus' shoulder. "I have something to do. What do you need from me for this spell?"

"Just your blood and your blessing. Where are you going?"

"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore. Ask Sage what he did to me. Then you'll understand why retribution is in order."

———— Δ ————

"Where are you?"

It was later in the evening and Judas had left the Mikaelson Mansion. He winced as the sharp voice on the other end attacked his earbuds.

"Hi, Elena."

"You disappeared without so much as a word!"

He exhaled and rolled his eyes. "You sound like my mothe—"

He halted in his tracks and quickly hid behind a tree because Elena was three yards away in the town square, pacing.

"You know what? Even Lilura doesn't hound me as much."

"I thought she wasn't good enough to be your mother."

Judas sucked in a breath, "Wow."

"Point is, you can't leave a girl stranded in the middle of a heart-to -heart."

"We were talking about cheese!" Judas said. "And about Bonnie — who, by the way — still hasn't called me to schedule another class."

"If you didn't have your head up Lilura and Klaus' asses, then you'd know Bonnie is going through a rough time."

"I do know that. I intend to brighten up her day with my Mikaelson charm."

"That charm can go die for all I care." There was some shuffling on her end. "Judas? Do me a favor and stay indoors today."

The young man bristled as he saw Elena and Caroline watching Finn and Sage, "Why?"

"Just listen to me this once."

When Judas saw the white oak stake, he paled.

"Right."

———— Δ ————

"Just a heads up, mate," Lilura said as Klaus entered the hallways. "There is some ambiguous moaning coming from that door. I'd advise you to wait outside if you want to keep your wits."

Klaus smiled slyly. "I'm quite competitive, love. Care to moan just a bit louder than whoever's in there?"

Lilura groaned, "Piss off."

He opened the door and stuck his head inside.

"Hahaha," He snickered like a little boy. "You'll want to see this love."

She got up. "What could possibly be—"

Damon and Rebekah's heads snapped towards the couple and Lilura let out a chuckle herself.

"Oooh," Lilura said. "Kinky."

"Well, look what you've caught. Trying to bleed him of vervain, don't you think it would be easier to hang him upside down?" Klaus remarked playfully.

"I'm perfectly capable of inflicting pain, thank you very much," The blonde Original sniffed.

"Well, excuse me, it's not like I have any expertise in the matter," Klaus rolled his eyes.

"You know, why don't you just leave me be and go and manage your witch?"

"Witch?" The enchantress inquired, flashing Klaus a reprimanding look. "What have you got up your sleeve, Mr. Mikaelson?"

Klaus led her into another room where Bonnie Bennet, surprisingly, was doing a spell.

"Tick tock. I should hear chanting by now."

"I'm still studying the unlinking spell. It's not that easy, especially under duress," She snapped.

"You've been warned. If you're looking for a way to send for help, I will kill anyone who comes to your rescue," Klaus stated morbidly.

"Don't be so harsh on her," Lilura said gently. She touched Bonnie's shoulder. "Do you need anything?"

"No," She whispered. "This is the spell. I just don't know if I'm strong enough."

"Then you should have a little more faith in yourself, Bonnie," Klaus moved closer to the witch. "Your energy helped my mother link us. Honestly, I think someone isn't trying very hard."

She did not say anything.

"Very well," Klaus sighed.

He quickly fished for his phone and procured it in the blink of an eye. He dialed a number before grinning sardonicly at Bonnie.

"Kol. How's the weather up there in Mile High City? And how's our friend? May I see him?"

He flipped over the phone to show both Bonnie and Lilura Jeremy.

"There's Jeremy, playing fetch with his new puppy. Oh, isn't that just the most adorable thing you've ever seen?"

He pulled the phone away. "Thank you Kol, we'll be in touch." He rolled his eyes at whatever Kol said. "Yes, I'll tell her."

"Kol says hi," Klaus whispered to the siren. To Bonnie, he grinned widely. "So, Bonnie, how bout that spell?"

———— Δ ————

"What was that?" Bonnie hissed as a wail echoed in the Mikaelson Manor.

Lilura leaned out the door and spotted Rebekah and Damon in a bit of a dispute.

"Just Damon being a sissy," She said.

"I wouldn't let it bother you, love," said Klaus.

"Well, it does bother me. You bother me. You use people to get what you want, it's not right. And you," Bonnie said, locking gazes with Lilura. "I thought you're smarter than this."

"You're being emotional, Bonnie. I understand that things have been rough for you. You know, with your mother leaving. Again. It's very sad. I can help you find her, if you want. I have people who can find people who can bring her back to you. Or, if you choose I can just bring parts of her back," He smirked. "Isn't it obvious that I'm just gonna continue to hurt the people you love until you do the spell? Now, I know it's in the grimoire and I know it requires the blood of my siblings, so here we are."

Klaus grabbed a case and opened it with a flourish. Inside were four bottles filled with blood and one empty one.

"Ladies first," Klaus murmured, gesturing to Lilura's palm.

"I hope I don't bleed out before she unlinks us all," The siren hissed, closing her eyes in slight disturbance as the blade slit across her skin.

Her blood dripped down steadily in the bottle.

"Lilura. Elijah. Rebekah. Kol. Finn," Klaus said. He then quickly bit into his skin, red dripping down his arms.

"Where do you want this?" He asked.

———— Δ ————

"Shït, shït, shït," Judas whispered. He quickly hid his face as Sage brushed past him to the bar. Judas had followed his Uncle and his girl into the Mystic Grill, not trusting the people of Mystic Falls after seeing Elena with the white oak stake.

"You've never had tequila before?" She asked, blinking wide eyes at Finn.

"Mm-mm."

"I'm truly awed by the evolution of mankind."

Sage laughed as Judas slowly crept away. He sat down nonchalantly at another table, far enough to not be seen, but close enough to jump in if anything went wrong.

And considering the presence of Stefan Salvatore's no-good face on the other side of the Grill, Judas knew crap was about to hit the fan.

"Hey Sage," greeted a man.

"Hey Troy."

Finn eyed the man,  "You know him?"

The Red headed chuckled at his jealousy, "I turned him."

"You turned him? Why?"

She scoffed, "Because I'm in enemy territory. When your brother and sister called, I thought I might need a little back up. You can't trust anyone here."

Judas leaned over.

"Two more tequilas?"

A blond human that Judas recognized as Matt Donavan came around, "Yeah, cool, I'll let your waitress know."

Judas growled under his breath as Stefan got ready for whatever it is he was trying to achieve.

He speed-dialed Lilura, "Hi."

"What's up, my dude?"

"Is it done?" Judas whispered, referring to the unlinking spell. He was taking precautions, even though he was sure Stefan couldn't hear him over the noise of the Mystic Grill.

"You hear that Bonnie? Let's get this show on the road."

———— Δ ————

Lilura pocketed her phone.

Bonnie started chanting under her breath, all the while pouring their blood onto the family tree.

"Judas has an eye on Stefan," Lilura said.

"Smart boy," Klaus hummed.

———— Δ ————

The waitress placed two tequila shots on Finn and Sage's table.

"Finally," Sage sighed. "To living life to the fullest."

Finn raised his shot glass. "To living life."

Judas couldn't help but think something was wrong, but throughout the entire night, Stefan had done nothing. Now, the vampire was nowhere in sight, but the bad feeling was still churning in his stomach.

"Hey," He called, walking over to Sage and Finn. "Maybe don't —"

They threw back their drinks, and almost immediately, spat it back out.

"What the hell?" Sage hissed.

The other vampire wiped his eyes, "Vervain."

"Over there!" Judas suddenly exclaimed as he glimpsed blond hair.

The couple quickly got up and followed Judas' lead.

Outside the Grill with the night air nipping at his nose, Judas was completely and utterly unprepared for the clash of pain that erupted on the right side of his face.

"What the fu—" He mumbled disorientedly.

Stefan stepped out the shadows and discarded a cylindrical grey shape to the side.

Judas squinted in bewilderment.

The bastard hit him with a trash can!

The Salvatore yanked the white oak stake from his pockets and advanced, but Sage deflected any attempt at stabbing Finn with her age-old strength.

It clattered to the ground.

"Finn, the stake!" She screamed.

Finn ran down the steps, hands shaking from pure adrenaline.

Though he never did make it.

Instantly, he was propelled backward by Elena and Matt, who had burst out the back door.

It had been quick.

Too quick.

But then Finn Mikaleson was gaping at the white oak stake in his heart.

"No!" came Sage's wail.

"Finn..." Judas croaked, frozen at the sight of his Uncle on the floor.

To be fair, he had never been close to the man — hell he had never traded a conversation with him — but the sight of someone who had lived for so long dying sent a pang of pain to his chest and the thought that all things must come to an end.

His body caught on fire. Sage jumped backwards, but still kept a hand on his face, stroking it lovingly.

Judas winced as the flames seared her ivory hand black.

🌟 ty for 180k!