V - 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡𝔶 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔦𝔰𝔢

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"I WISH I HAD TWO BROTHERS WHO WERE WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR MANSION IN ORDER TO WIN MY AFFECTIONS."

Lilura Anthemoessa chuckled heartily to herself as she stabbed a bowl of egg salad.

Elena and Bonnie giggled, the latter flashing Lilura a knowing look. "If the spirits are right, and they almost always are, then you did have two brothers fighting for your hand."

Lilura scoffed in recollection, "Klaus and Elijah? That was child's play."

"Please sign here and here," The lawyer pointed, compelled by Damon to turn a blind eye by the supernatural talk.

Taking the pen, Elena smirked, "Admit it, Lilura. You just miss the attention."

Lilura shrugged indifferently, not bothering to deny the statement. "Mama didn't raise no liar."

She flounced over to the girls and peered over their shoulders, now munching on an apple. "So this place is properly yours?"

"For now. As sole owner, I'm the only one who can invite certain type of people in here, if you know what I mean," Elena said.

"So... no strippers?" Lilura teased, jumping away when the doe eyed brunette aimed the pen at her head. She didn't carry out throwing it. Instead, she signed another spot on the document that the lawyer had pointed at.

"Your own personal safe house," Bonnie mused.

"That's the idea."

The teenage witch chuckled, "Wouldn't want to clean it."

After the events of the wolfish ambush, as Lilura fondly dubbed the incident, Mystic Fall's supernaturally aware habitants were more courteous.

In other words, they trusted the enchantress. At least, to a certain degree. Apparently saving Saint Stefan and Barbie Vamp from an untimely death really upped her reputation.

"Thank you, Mr. Henry," Elena escorted the lawyer out the door.

Smack dab in front of Lilura and Elena were the Salvatore brothers standing like the twins from the Shining.

They took identical steps to get into their house, but the invisible force stopped them at the doorstep.

With a big grin on her face, Elena giggled, "I'm sorry. I completely forgot."

Lilura rolled her eyes in sync with Damon, causing the raven haired Salvatore to send her a well practiced wink.

"Stefan. Would you like to come inside my house?"

"I would love to. Thank you."

When Elena went on her tip toes and peered over Damon's head, the vampire whined, "What are we, twelve?"

"You sound like one," Lilura muttered darkly.

"If I let you in, do you promise to obey the owner of this house?" Elena crossed her arms.

"No."

"Seriously, Damon. My way. You promised. I call the shots. No lies, no secret agendas. Remember?"

"Yes, Elena. Sure."

"Then please, come in."

Stephan stifled his laughter by hiding his face behind Lilura's shoulder. The siren herself was struggling to contain her joy, purely because Damon's expression said it all.

"Shut up," Damon demanded the two giggling immortals.

"Yes, Elena. Ok, Elena. Anything you need Elena," Lilura repeated in a low voice. "That's what you two sound like every bloody minute you grovel for her."

Stefan sobered up when Elena and Bonnie came back again. "Don't do anything stupid," He told the Siren and his brother, both of whom were waving at the teenagers like parents sending their children off to school.

"Oh, don't worry Stefan," Damon purred, throwing a flirtatious look Lilura's way. "Mommy and Daddy will keep themselves very occupied."

----- Δ -----

"YES!"

"Nononononono!" Damon whined, throwing down his piece.

"I woooooon!" Lilura sang, waving around the massive stack of money in his face.

Damon said nothing but stuck up a stiff middle finger. When Lilura stuck her tongue out, the vampire gasped and flipped the board game.

"Who knew you sucked at Monopoly," Lilura snickered, picking up a stray house piece on the floor.

"You cheated," He pouted.

"When did I ever?"

Suddenly the Salvatore Boarding House's door slammed open, and the highschoolers were back.

"How was calculas?" Lilura uttered as greeting.

"We have a problem," Elena groaned, plopping herself on the couch. "Ow!" She cried as a little green house piece fell onto the floor.

"Oops," Damon deadpanned. "Forgot that one."

"It's Klaus, he made his move today."

That declaration set Damon into protective not-so-boyfriendish mode.

"What?"

"He compelled a student and sent us a message," The doppelganger's eyes flew to Lilura. "Klaus asked you to save him a dance tonight."

The enchantress froze.

"So we go to the decade dance, we find him," Damon said, also settling down to a more comfortable position.

"Really? How are we going to do that? We don't even know what he looks like," Stefan grumbled, crossing his arms.

Damon held up a finger, "But we have someone who does."

All eyes fell on Lilura Anthemoessa, the person who arguably knew Niklaus Mikaelson the best.

Her blue eyes glistened under the fluorescents, "I can't."

"You..." Damon trailed off, grasping on thin air, "can't?"

"Lilura this is important," Elena said gently, placing her hand on top of the Siren's in comfort.

"You don't understand," Lilura said. "I can't. I swore an oath..."

"Jesus, Lily! He could be anywhere at any time. He compelled somebody at Elena's school. She's in danger!" Damon snapped, taking ahold of Lilura's arm tightly.

He was shaking her now, and with the building emotion in his expression that slowly started to tick her off, Lilura yelled, "Did you think for one second in that thick head of yours that I could be in danger too?"

Silence.

"Klaus Mikaelson holds grudges," Lilura explained, detaching her arm from Damon's grip. "And, more importantly, I swore an oath. I made a promise, Salvatore," Lilura hissed, eyes flashing thunderstorm grey.

Damon's sneer caught her off guard, "So that's it, huh? A promise to your estranged husband and you're the enemy."

Lilura felt a growl build in the back of her throat, "I'm not your enemy, Damon."

A knock on the Salvatore Boarding House shattered the tense bubble surrounding Lilura and Damon and startled the couple who had watched the back and forth like a tennis match.

Damon sent Lilura a look which roughly translated to it's not over. Alaric Saltzman waltzed into the house, a new pep to his steps.

"There you are," Damon smiled with gritted teeth.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all," Lilura smiled weakly, walking up to Alaric. "How's it going Saltz?"

"Splendid, Li."

The siren halted in her tracks, "What did you just call me?"

Alaric frowned, confused. Damon clapped him on the back and stole his attention for the time being. "Hey, I need you to put me and grumpy over there down as chaperones at the dance tonight. Klaus made his first move."

"Okay, so we find him and then what, hmm? What's our plan of attack?" Elena inquired.

"Me. I'm the plan. He has no idea how much power I can channel. If you can find him, I can kill him," Bonnie pipped up from the staircase, startling Lilura out of her seat.

"Godamn it, Bonnie." The siren mumbled under her breath.

Alaric sighed and scratched his neck, "That's not going to be that easy. I mean, he is the biggest, baddest vampire around." He then sat down on the chair Lilura was perched on, laying his head on her arm.

"Alaric has a point. I mean, what if he -"

Damon's rapid advancement to Bonnie was thrown out the window.

Literally.

Well, close to it anyway.

"Ok, I was impressed," Stefan chuckled as Damon rolled onto his back, catching his breath.

"It doesn't matter if he's an Original. I can take down anyone who comes at me. I can kill him, Elena." The brown fire that sparked in Bonnie Bennett's eyes roared, "I know I can."

Lilura cocked her head to the side, observing the young witch and how she stood. Her gaze traveled to Elena Gilbert and something clicked in her mind.

"You have spirit, Bennett," Lilura called. With a knowing look, the Siren continued, "Don't waste it."

---- Δ ----

"Thanks for being here, everybody. We have a special shout-out tonight." The girl at the podium shouted happily to a few claps.

Though the spotlight wasn't really on Dana.

At that moment, Lilura Anthemoessa waltzed in ready to kill. Her dress was long and not quite 60s, but no one dared remark on that. She was decked out in all red, and Klaus clamped his fingers shut as the familiar feeling of grabbing Lilura and whisking her away intensified in his chest.

"This is for Lilura. From Klaus," Dana announced.

Lilura couldn't look more unimpressed, "That was lame."

"Cheap shot. He's just trying to bait us," Damon agreed.

Elena scanned the crowd, frowning when it was only teens and teachers. "I know everyone here."

"Maybe he's not here. Just wants us to believe that he is," Stefan argued sensibly.

"It's a party, people. Blend in. Let him come to us," Damon rolled his eyes, offering an arm to Lilura.

"Good idea," Bonnie commented, dragging a reluctant Jeremy Gilbert behind her.

"SALTZ!" Lilura bellowed, scaring a few freshman out of her way.

Alaric's head jerked at the sound of his name and smiled.

"Remember the last time we got piss drunk at a party?"

"How could I forget?" The history teacher replied. Then, as if flicking a switch, Alaric snapped into serious-dad mode. "Special dedication, huh? This guy's a little twisted."

"I'm not impressed," Damon shrugged.

"No?"

"Nahhh," Lilura scrunched her face.

Damon's piecing blue gaze landed on a particular doppelganger and Lilura sighed playfully, "Leaving me for the clone again, Salvatore?"

He grinned and kissed the Siren's raven hair, "You know I love you."

Damon turned around to pat Alaric's shoulder, "Let me know if you see anything out of whack."

And so there were two.

"This town has a history of repeating itself, doesn't it?" Alaric mused quietly, sipping the punch gingerly.

Lilura furrowed her eyebrows, "What's wrong? Get that kiddy drink out of here. You didn't forget to bring the vodka, did you Saltz?"

He laughed, "Would you hate me if I did?"

Lilura groaned theatrically and winked to say it was all good. "That was the only thing keeping me from going home."

"What about me, your best friend?"

She giggled, "You and the vodka come as a package deal."

Alaric stared at Lilura for an extended period of time, just marveling at her beauty, her loveliness, and her spirit.

"Do I have something on my face?" Lilura asked, once she had calmed down from the laughing fit.

Alaric paused, "No. Not at all."

The way he stared at her frightened Lilura more than it should've. It wasn't something she was used to, and yet it seemed like she knew those eyes that managed to bore into her soul.

"I'm sorry," The siren managed to say, feeling a dizziness overcome her. "Excuse me."

"Wait!" Alaric called, frankly unsure what to make of Lilura's swift mood swing.

But the siren was already gone and with it she took his heart.

In the bathroom, Lilura groaned as she sat on the floor.

"Do you swear, Lilura Anthemoessa?"

The enchantress inhaled deeply before letting the memory replay in her head.

"I'm not bloody swearing to anything, you awful awful witch!"

They were in front of the Mikaelson Mansion, on the steps were Nik had swept Lilura off her feet and into the party declaring her his goddess.

The witch with long blonde hair smiled cruelly. "No?" She mused.

Lilura felt herself shake her head.

"Stubborn. My son knows how to pick them," She shook her head, as if pitying the Siren. "You could have been brilliant, my daughter."

"You could have destroyed all of them." Next to the mad witch, Elijah, Rebekah, Kol and Klaus appeared. "Instead you have nurtured them."

Lilura glared defiantly, "I won't kill. I'm not a weapon made for war."

The witch laughed coldly, "Oh, but you are! You've always been a weapon, Lilura Anthemoessa. You were hand made to kill these sinners."

Almost lovingly she sighed, "My children."

Lilura felt the blood drain from her face.

"No," She insisted.

"I am the Original Witch. I know everything," The witch smirked, eyes lighting with a smug fire.

"Including the youngest Mikaleson you carry."

Lilura felt herself fall to the floor, unintentionally or not, she could tell no more. The steps of the Miakaelson Mansion burned around her. The smoke clogged her throat and watered those ocean eyes.

"Swear Siren, or I will stick my knives into your stomach and make you."

Lilura seldom cried, but this time she could feel her tears in waves. Esther descended upon her, "Swear it!"

And with a heavy heart, Lilura closed her eyes, sealing her fate.

"Lilura?" Bonnie shook the Siren.

"What?" She croaked, opening her eyes to see the concerned witch crouching to her level.

Slowly, Lilura's bearings returned. She snapped to attention, "Was it true when you told Jeremy you had a 50-50 shot of surviving?"

The brunette laughed dryly and shook her head. "He was upset. I didn't want him to worry."

Lilura got back on her feet and splashed water on her makeup less face. "So you lay it out on the line for Elena, no matter what."

"No matter what."

The siren dried her hands and then spun around to face Bonnie.

"You're not pleased," Bonnie stated.

"Of course I'm not Bennett," She replied. "I don't want you to die."

Bonnie looked taken aback.

"Like I said. Your spirit and your power makes you much worthier than a knight who guards her Queen."

Lilura shivered as she realized she sounded exactly like Esther Mikaelson. "You're meant for greater things, Bonnie Bennett."

"Thank you," The witch said with a sweet smile, "but this is my choice."

And then timidly : "Please don't tell Elena."

Lilura smiled gently, "Your secret's safe with me, but I mean...With all that power, is there no way to increase your odds?"

---- Δ ----

"How could you not tell me?" Elena yelled at the retreating figures of Bonnie and Lilura.

"Oh bloody hell," The Siren hissed, turning around and plastering a fake smile on her symmetrical face. "Fancy a late night stroll with us, darling?"

"'Cause I knew how'd you react," Bonnie answered firmly, ignoring the Siren's sarcasm.

"No. No way, it's not an option."

"It's our only option," Bonnie said.

"Then we'll find another way, okay? Bonnie, you're not dying to save my life."

"She's not going to die!" Lilura groaned. "She's brilliant. She won't die."

Elena rounded on the immortal, "Are you that stupid?"

Lilura gasped in outrage.

"I have the power to save you! If I don't use it and something happens, that would kill me more," Bonnie cried.

"I can't let you."

"Just answer one question...if the situation was reversed, would you do it for me?"

Bingo.

"So you know why I have to."

"No," Elena repeated. "No!"

"Elena!" Alaric panted as he rounded the corner to the girls.

"Saltz?" Lilura questioned.

"He has Jeremy."

And then they were sprinting, Lilura in her ridiculous heels and surprisingly keeping up.

"Okay, so where are you taking us?" Elena's lips twitched into a frown.

"Just a little further..." Alaric suggested.

"Wait...Something's not right," Elena whispered.

Lilura gwuaffed, "Yeah, no shi-"

"Where's Jeremy?" Bonnie echoed, brown eyes flashing.

Alaric stopped walking, hands on his hips and laughing hysterically. "I just had to get away from that dance. The sixties, ugh. Not my decade."

Lilura's thoughts raced through her head. She narrowed her eyes at Alaric's mysterious confident stride and his erratic but bright eyes. He waved his hands with his words and then suddenly, everything made sense.

"I mean, whose call was that, anyway? I much prefer the twenties. The style, the parties, the jazz," His hunter's gaze landed on Lilura, "The women."

"Alaric. Are you on vervain?" Elena asked quietly, fearing for the worst.

"Now why would you ask me that question, Elena?" He chuckled.

"He's being compelled," Elena said.

"No," Lilura's honey voice wavered. "That's not Alaric."

The other girls frowned.

"Oh, you were always quiet clever," Alaric grinned widely, stroking Lilura's face.

"And you're still very dramatic," The raven haired enchantress couldn't help but quip.

"Where have you been all this time, my love?" A flash of concealed anger ricochet through Klaus' body. "You died in 1482. You drowned and left me."

Lilura's blue-green eyes sparkled in mischief, "Darling, I had an empire to run."

"You lot haven't figured it out yet?" Klaus in Alaric's form turned to Elena and Bonnie.

"Klaus!" Elena whispered, petrification dripping from every letter.

"Surprise!" He grinned.

When the doppelganger looked like she was going to faint, Klaus smiled broadly, "Just relax, Elena. I'm not here to hurt you. You're not on my hit list tonight."

His eyes snapped to Bonnie, "But you are."

The original started towards Bonnie with the practiced feet of a predator.

The witch threw him against the walls with no mercy, determination in her stance.

"Now, did I mention that I knew a witch? You're gonna have to hit me a lot harder than that."

Klaus was smacked roughly into a display case, but still he continued to laugh. "By all means...Fire away!"

He got up, that familiar resilience and will to outlive god getting the last word hitting Lilura like an arrow to the heart.

"If you kill this body, I'll just get a new one. Maybe Jeremy."

Lilura tugged Elena's wrist, "Let's go Gilbert."

Elena idiotically waited for Bonnie's affirmation, "Go. Run! Run!"

Elena led the Siren through a maze of lockers and classrooms. They stopped in the Gymnasium and caught their breathes.

"So... much...cardio," Lilura gaped like a fish out of water.

"Bonnie, I can't believe she would do that!" Elena exclaimed in disbelief and furiousity.

"You have the greatest friends, Elena. They'd do anything for you, and vice versa," Lilura's comforting statement wavered at the end.

Lilura had been alone for a long time. The Mikaelsons were her first real family, and it saddened the enchantress to know she would most likely never see them all together again.

Elena smiled softly, "I'm your friend too, Lilura. I know underneath all that sarcastic bravado is a girl who dreams of being apart of something."

Lilura coughed and scrunched her face in disgust, "Too sappy."

"I love my friends." Elena's eyes sparkled like sunlight on water, clear and innocent, before suddenly turning serious, "Which is why I have to do this."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," The Gilbert squeaked.

And then all was black.

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