𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙔 𝙁𝙄𝙑𝙀
ミ★ ( reign of wolves, act two ) ★彡

Elijah, Rhea and Hayley stood in Josephine LaRue's living room the next morning. It had been an eventful night to say the least; with Freya being the least of Klaus' concerns considering the witch inside Rebekah's body had taken over and tried to go after Hope. Rhea refused to say 'I told you so' to Klaus in regards to agreeing to let Freya help Rebekah, but she really wanted to... it just didn't feel like the right time.

Josephine then joined them in the living room, and Elijah stood to his feet to greet her, "Madame LaRue."

"Mr. Mikaelson." She greeted back and Elijah gently kissed her on each cheek in greeting before she settled down in an armchair to talk with them, "Have you come to impress me once more with young Rhea's beautiful talents?" She then noticed Hayley, nervous in the doorway and looked back at them, "What, pray tell, does this one do?"

"This one is family, Madame." Elijah smiled and Hayley smiled tightly at Josephine, and stayed silent, "But, we've come to ask for a favor."

Josephine looked at him curiously, "It seems as if Eva Sinclair has resumed control of her body, leaving Rebekah trapped and powerless. She went after our niece last night; she would've succeeded if Hayley hadn't caught her and scared her off just before she could." Rhea explained, "We know you gave us twenty-four hours to fix this, but we need this extended to find her again and expel her from her body."

"I'm sorry... but, if Eva is back in control of her body then you need to let the witches put that body down." Josephine advised and they all looked horrified at the idea of killing Rebekah, "Eva will use up your sister, just like she did the others."

Hayley grew concerned from her words and asked, "The others?" She brought up.

Josephine looked down at her hands in shame, "The first of the kids went missing two years ago. Vincent and Eva met when they were sixteen years old, and they clicked instantly. Eva was a wild beauty practicing a wild magic. But, she and Vincent were so happy, we let them be."

Elijah sighed in realisation, "And then the children began to disappear."

"First, was a little girl named Amelie Dupree from Algiers. Then, Lou-Anne Hughes from the 9th, Nicholas Alseis from the Tremé... all young kids, all witch prodigies, vanished into thin air. Vincent put together a posse of men from each of the covens, but the killer cloaked the kids so quickly, the locator spells were useless. But, because of Vincent's tenacity, she was caught. He was able to do a locator spell on one of the kids right after he got taken, and he got nothing at first. And then an image of a car, and then a face... it was Eva. The love of his life." Rhea felt sympathetic. She couldn't imagine how he felt finding out it was the love of his life commuting such heinous crimes and she wouldn't know what she would do in his position if it was Elijah doing the same, "Vincent caught her and confronted her after that. She pleaded with him to let her continue as she only needed three more children to complete her ritual."

Rhea's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she asked, "Why three?"

"To complete the Rite of Nines." Josephine answered.

"What the hell is that?" Rhea asked.

"Eva thought if she sacrificed a witch from each of the nine covens, it would create a new witch order in New Orleans. She would have been more powerful than any elder or any Harvest girl." Josephine explained, "She used children because their magic is untapped. It's pure. And, they're a lot easier to subdue."

The air grew thick with concern by this news as they all grew to understand Eva's motivation to go after Hope, "That's why she went after my baby."

"She would have killed your daughter, channeled her powers, as she did with those other poor children." Josephine pointed out and Rhea could see how sick Hayley felt from the thought of it—not to mention how sick Rebekah might feel with the idea of hurting her own blood, "Vincent never found those children. They died—unconsecrated, unable to be with our ancestors. Used as a source for Eva's magic. We agree she must be stopped—no more of our youth will die." She stood to her feet, "That is why I will not extend your twenty-four hours." They each look horrified and stunned by her decision, even more so when she added, "Eva Sinclair now has a bounty on her head."

"What!?" Rhea snapped angrily.

"You would condemn my sister to her death?" Elijah questioned in outrage.

"I dislike the term 'collateral damage', but there it is. If one or two must fall to take Eva down for good? So be it." Josephine responded.

Elijah glared at Josephine furiously, "I assure you, Madame LaRue, we will defend your witches with a fearsome vengeance." He tried to change her mind.

"You have a wonderful way with words. Really. Your cadence is pleasant. Normally, I could listen to it all day long, but I grow tired of this. My mind remains unchanged." Josephine insisted.

"Are you serious?" Rhea questioned, "Even after we tell you we have a plan to get rid of Eva and that we just need more time, you still won't change your mind?"

Josephine nodded, and Hayley grew angry and stared at Josephine incredulously, "You've got to be kidding me." Josephine looks at the hybrid, mildly offended by her outburst. Hayley gestured toward Rhea, "She puts on a talent show—" She gestured to Elijah, "—he has every vampire in the Quarter kissing your ass, and your final answer is 'Screw you'?"

Elijah grew panicked at the two angry hybrids and stood to his feet to try and mediate the situation before they mauled the witch to death, "We came here to honor the alliance between us. If this is something you wish to rescind, so be it."

Elijah turned to leave, and Hayley and Rhea are about to follow him when Josephine, who was also angry now, stopped them, "Don't you dare walk into my house and threaten me! I am not the one that needs you, Elijah Mikaelson—it is you who needs us. Or, you will soon enough." Josephine turned to find Hayley standing right behind her, and she roughly grasped Hayley's wrists as she suddenly has some kind of premonition about her, "There's a storm coming, child. Your darkest demons ride upon it." She whispered to her and Hayley looked alarmed; "I do not know its name, but when I peer into your future, there is a blackness that should terrify you."

     Hayley only gulped nervously as Josephine continued to stare at her, giving Rhea the initiative to remove Josephine's hand off of Hayley and lead her out the door.

    Hayley, Marcel, Elijah and Rhea were back at the compound and Hayley had Hope in her arms, gently bouncing her on her hip as she paced around anxiously after what they were just told—that not only is there an impending doom coming for Hayley, but Eva had taken Davina with the help of an old friend, "Great! Eva is in the wind, although now she has a sidekick."

     "The charming Vincent Griffith." Elijah muttered.

     "We should've just killed him with Finn." Rhea muttered also and Marcel just sent her a look for her suggestion, "What? We're all thinking it."

     The Gerard vampire then sighed, "It gets worse—if Eva has Davina, then she has eight of the witches she needs to finish the ritual." Elijah looked at him in horror, "She just needs one more."

     "If she comes after Hope, Rebekah or no Rebekah, I will put her down for good." Hayley said with determination as she continued to pace.

     "Fortify this house. When they do come—kill him, capture her." Elijah decided.

     "Capture?" Hayley asked incredulously.

     "We're not killing Rebekah." Rhea shook her head and Hayley looked slightly embarrassed and guilty for her reaction, but remained silent as she squeezed Hope protectively.

     "Now, gather what wolves you have. With Vincent by her side, she will strike with considerable force." Elijah told Hayley and the hybrid nodded in understanding.

     It had been about an hour and Hayley was pacing around the courtyard, where Elijah and Rhea were standing around waiting for Vincent and Eva to come and attack.

     "Still no sign of her. What the hell is Eva waiting for?" Hayley asked out loud, her demeanour dripping with anxiety as she anticipated an attack on her daughter.

     Suddenly, Marcel returned to the compound and joined them in the courtyard, "She didn't wait. She took Josephine LaRue not half an hour ago." He informed them.

     "Of course." Rhea scoffed, "If she goes after children because they're easy to subdue; why wouldn't she go after an old woman who has the same chance as them against her?"

     "If Eva doesn't need Hope, then where would she go?" Hayley asked Marcel.

      "The same place she kept all the other captives. Where she took Davina." Marcel answered.

     "Yes, a place that no one has been able to find for two years." Rhea stressed, worried for her friend's safety.

     Marcel's phone then rang, and when he saw it was Vincent, he scowled and reluctantly answered it, "When I find you, I am going to rip your head from your neck." He told him.

     "You may want to hold off on that decapitation—I found them all." Vincent said back to him, "Davina's alive." Rhea let out a sigh of relief and Marcel was stunned by the revelation, "Sorry, I had to make it look convincing! If you were in on the plan, Eva would have known."

     "Yeah, blasting me through a couple glass doors really sold it." Marcel said breathlessly, "Alright, round of applause. Now what?"

     It took a couple of seconds for Vincent to respond, as if he was checking something out, and when he did; he sighed, "Now, we got a problem. These kids, they're all linked to her. If she dies, they all die."

     "So, we'll find a witch to unlink them." Marcel suggested almost instantly, having a rough idea of how some witchcraft usually goes.

     Vincent considered the suggestion for a moment, "Gonna need somebody with some serious power." He responded and Marcel sighed as he looked over at Elijah, who was sharing a knowing glance with Rhea; the couple having the same idea he was, and he hung up the phone.

     "I'll call Freya." Was all Elijah said.

     When Freya answered Elijah's call, she had informed him that she was in the tomb with Esther and Klaus, and they immediately left the compound to go find her. When they arrived, Freya was looking over at the spell Esther had written down for her, her hands were in chains and she looked concerned as Klaus and Esther stared back at her.

     "I can't do this." Freya stated anxiously, "This spell requires an enormous amount of power."

     "Which you have." Esther pointed out with certainty.

     Freya looked to her mother with harsh eyes, "And that power needs to be anchored, or I'll be lost inside Eva's mind along with Rebekah. Unlike your magic, mine isn't anchored to any one place—because of you, I have no home."

     "Perhaps." Esther responds as she turned to Klaus, "But, there is no other spell."

     Klaus looked torn, and still doesn't seem to want to trust either of them—which, considering everyone's past, was fair. Suddenly, Freya got an idea, and she stared at Klaus, "You." She said and walked toward him, "I can use you as my anchor. I'll channel your power while I breach Eva's mind."

     Esther eyed Freya suspiciously, "And there it is. The price. If she channels you, she will have access to your mind, past and present. She will know everything about you."

     "Oh, shut up, Esther." Rhea groaned with a scowl on her face.

     Klaus considered the two conflicting statements as he paced around, "All of my strategies and all of my secrets laid bare to give to Dahlia." He turned to face Freya, "You must think I'm a fool."

     "Unless it's not a trick." Elijah suggested as he stared at Freya determinedly, "I'll be the anchor."

     "Brother, I think not." Klaus refused incredulously.

     Rhea looked at Elijah and grabbed onto her hand before turning to Freya, "We'll be the anchor." She decided and Klaus' head snapped to her, "Channel our bond. It's strong and it's pure magic—it should give you more than you need to do the spell."

     Freya looked shocked at the gesture and Klaus seemed to grow more sporadic, "Absolutely not. I will not allow both of you to go into this blindly. What if this goes wrong?"

      Elijah looked at his brother with annoyance, "Brother, whatever this is, nothing must prevent us from saving our sister. I will not lose Rebekah."

     Klaus threw up his hands dramatically, "Oh yes, by all means, let's give Dahlia's whelp access to all the information she needs to destroy us!"

     Freya, who was becoming increasingly infuriated by Klaus' continued paranoia, gripped the chain that linked her shackles.

     Elijah, looking exasperated, pointed at Esther, "And since when do we heed the words of this serpent?"

     "ENOUGH!" Freya snapped furiously and she suddenly yanked her arms away from her body, easily breaking through the magic-proof shackles and allowing her access to her magic again. She held up her hand and twisted her wrist, which snapped Klaus' neck and caused him to fall unconscious to the floor. Elijah and Rhea looked at Freya, stunned and confused. Freya turned to Klaus' unconscious body, "For an upgraded model, you're not very sharp." She muttered before walking over to Elijah and Rhea, "Let's go."

     Elijah and Rhea, who seemed to be unnerved, gave Esther a look before they followed her out of the tomb.

Freya, Elijah, Rhea and Marcel arrived to Eva's hideout for the children she had captured where they can met with Vincent to finish preparing for their plan. Marcel was carrying Eva in his arms as they walked toward the magic circle which looked exactly like the triangle Esther drew for Freya; it was made of salt and herbs she had set up in the middle of the warehouse and at each point there was a lit white candle.

"Lay her inside the salt, and lie on either side of her. Each of you take her hand." She ordered them before she turned to Elijah and Rhea, "I will act as a bridge into her mind, but I'm trusting you two to anchor me. Are you sure you still want to do this?"

Rhea and Elijah looked to each other and she sent him a nod to say that she was still wanting to go through with it, and he then looked back at his older sister, "We're sure. Do what you need to do."

Marcel laid Eva down on the floor in the middle of the triangle, and then he and Vincent looked up at Freya for further instructions, "Rebekah is buried deep. Eva will not give her up without a fight."

"Then she gets a fight." Marcel decided.

"Be careful. You're entering Eva's mind. If she kills you in there, you will be lost." Freya warned and Marcel grew worried, "And, if you kill her before you free Rebekah, then Rebekah will be gone forever. Once you have Rebekah, then—and only then—can Eva be dealt with."

Vincent took in a deep breath, "We got it." He assured them; but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself rather than everyone else.

Vincent and Marcel then each laid down on either side of Eva inside the triangle and held her hands. Freya knelt beside Vincent, "You'll need a weapon." She tells him.

She pulled Eva's knife out of her boot and held it out to Vincent, who looked at her in confusion, "How am I supposed to take that with me?" He asked.

Freya clutched the knife and began to chant a spell. She stopped chanting and looked at Vincent, grimacing slightly, "This... is going to hurt." She then stabbed Vincent in the arm with the knife. He screamed out in pain, but then fell unconscious, as does Marcel. Once they were asleep, Freya stood and walked toward Elijah and Rhea, who held out their hands out toward her. She took them, and they each gripped onto the other's elbows. When Freya nodded at them, they nodded in return, indicating that they were ready to begin.

Freya then began to shout the incantation to the spell. She chanted loudly and as she chanted, she was so overwhelmed by the power of the spell that her back arches as her head is thrown back, and Elijah has to hold onto her with much of his strength to keep her from falling.

Freya was practically bent over backwards and Elijah struggled to keep his hold on her while she continued to chant the spell.

As Elijah grips onto Freya's arms as tightly as he can, Marcel's closed eyes begin to twitch, and suddenly, blood started to drip from them.

Rhea reached out to help Elijah hold onto Freya as she could see how he was struggling to hold onto her when he was yelling out in frustration at the top of his voice while she continued to chant the spell.

Vincent's body started to shake and Freya didn't stop, continuing to yell the spell out. She looked up at Elijah and Rhea and looked scared, "I'm losing them!" Elijah and Rhea continued to hold onto her for dear life, when suddenly Klaus appeared and grabbed Freya's arm in one hand and Elijah's hand in the other, so all four linked are in a circle to anchor Freya better.

Freya looks at him in shock, "We're not finished, you and I. But, for right now? Save my sister." Klaus says to her. Freya nodded at him and began to shout the incantation again.

Marcel and Vincent then woke up with a gasp and the force of the spell as it broke pushed Freya, Klaus, Rhea and Elijah away from each other, which seemed to relieve the exhausted Freya.

Marcel immediately sat up and looked over at Eva's body, which is still laying unconscious on the floor. He and Vincent both look up at Freya, Klaus, Rhea and Elijah, who all seem worried, "Did it work?" Klaus asked anxiously.

Suddenly, Marcel heard a small, familiar-sounding female voice in the next room, and sped to the source of the sound.

Davina had just woken up on the floor, and was extremely confused, "Where am I?" She asked herself, seeing as she on the floor of an abandoned warehouse.

After a moment, Josephine and the other children started to wake up as well, all of whom look equally confused to find themselves there. Marcel shouted to the others in relief, "They're okay!"

He rushed over to Davina and knelt down so he can give her a big hug, "Marcel!" She cried out in relief also.

In the other room, Vincent was tending to his arm wound as Elijah walks over to Rebekah's body. Klaus looked devastated, and turned to Freya, who looked equally upset, "Why isn't she waking?" He asked her.

Freya shook her head desperately, as though to prove she had no intention of anything bad happening to Rebekah. Suddenly, Rebekah woke up with a gasp and sat straight up, and the other five look at her warily, unsure at whom they're looking at.

After a moment, Rebekah sighed in relief and smiled at the sight of her family, "Bloody hell!" She breathed heavily.