YOUNG BLOOD
xviii. cruel in delivery

ONE THING HAD BECOME incredibly clear in the last few years since the knowledge of the supernatural world came to light. An irrefutable fact that reared its head time and time again. That terrible acts would cluster together, transpiring one after the other in harsh blows. And unfortunately when it rained, it poured.

In the two days that Erin had been held captive, the city experienced its fair share of problems. Klaus tracked down Davina, who had disappeared weeks earlier with the White Oak stake and a recently resurrected Mikael. Another member of the Original family who didn't know how to stay dead. His father managed to slip away, dragging a defenseless Cami in tow. And with help from Hayley, Marcel, and Davina, Klaus succeeded in saving her life and surviving a harrowing encounter with the very stake that could end his own.

Tragedies soon followed, ending the lives of Oliver and the revived biological father of Klaus. Each in different ways, but both as horrible as the other.

However, there were a few wins amidst the losses. Hayley's intended plan to take down Finn Mikaelson ended in victory. The vampire turned witch met his match in a group personally victimized by his hardened regime. And Marcel, he didn't take it too kindly that Kol Mikaelson surfaced, having taken a special interest in his virtually adopted daughter, Davina.

So, both wayward brothers found themselves chained within the Compound's ballroom for the entirety of the night. Erin found it hard not to smile every time she thought about it.

Evidently, New Orleans wasn't the only place where luck had turned. And by luck, Erin meant spontaneous resurrections.

Although, she couldn't have been happier about who happened to crawl their way back to the land of the living.

"You're like a freakin' cockroach. I'm beginning to think you're never gonna actually stay dead," Erin quipped into the phone pressed against her ear.

"I make being a cockroach sexy, though," Damon Salvatore retorted in the same teasing manner.

Damon's miraculous reappearance came as a shock to everyone who mourned his accidental death. They didn't expect it in the slightest. Months had been devoted to bringing him and Bonnie back, and the end result left them devastated. All of their leads went cold, their ideas were dashed, and every little crumb of information fell apart.

And just when they had practically given up, Damon materialized in his family crypt as if he never left.

Erin scoffed, but the smile on her lips betrayed her reaction to his comment. "You wish," she replied, standing before her open window as she stared down at the crowded street below. "I really am glad that you're back."

"Well, wish I could say the same, but someone let my beautiful and lovely girlfriend compel away every good memory she had of me," Damon exclaimed, irritation clear in his tone.

Erin sighed at the reminder. Elena's plan to erase her entire relationship with Damon from her mind had been a controversial decision, one she hadn't completely agreed with. Of course she understood why her sister went through with it. Elena's life shattered when Damon died. She couldn't move on. She couldn't drag herself out of the depressive state that consumed her whole. It had slowly begun to ebb away at her until nothing was left. The sister Erin knew started to disappear before her eyes.

But now, Damon was back. He was alive. Elena could've had her memories of him restored, but she chose to have them returned too late. Alaric no longer had the ability to release her from the compulsion, or any vampiric abilities for that matter, leaving them well and truly screwed.

"I'm really sorry, Damon," Erin stated, hoping to relay just how terrible she felt about the entire ordeal.

Damon made a noise and said, "oh, I got it. Everyone's sorry. You're sorry for not talking your sister out of being compelled. Ric's sorry for the actual compulsion. I'm sure if Elena could remember anything, she'd be sorry, too."

Erin frowned, turning away from her window to step across the room. "You don't understand how hard it was for her. You, at least, had hope of coming back. She didn't know there was a possibility of seeing you again. To her, to us, you were just - gone."

Damon released a sharp breath. "Guess I still am. Ric says she's happy without me, since she's erased me." He paused, and then continued in a tighter tone, "you know what? I don't want her to be happy. I want her to be miserable, just like I am."

Erin rolled her eyes, stopping in front of the long dresser that held a majority of her belongings. "No, you don't. You just want her to be happy with you," she reminded him as she set her phone down onto the wooden surface, placing the call on speaker to slip her mother's necklace over her head.

Damon huffed. "Whatever, vampire whisperer. Don't you have an Original to canoodle with or something?" he quipped in return.

Erin deadpanned, staring at her dull reflection, before she swiped the phone back up to her ear. "Deflecting doesn't make me any less right." A beat passed, most likely resulting in Damon rolling his eyes. "Just - give her some time. She'll come around."

More silence fell between them until Damon's sullen question filtered through. "How're you so sure?"

"Because I know my sister, and I know she won't just ignore the fact that an entire chapter of her life no longer exists," Erin relayed, believing wholeheartedly that Elena wouldn't simply move on. Not with the knowledge that she loved someone so deeply she had to compel the memories of them away or be crushed under their weight when she thought they died.

"You know, if you're wrong, I'll never forgive you for getting my hopes up," Damon retorted in a teasing manner.

Erin grinned, knowing an empty threat when she heard one. "You'll survive, remember? Cockroach." Damon chuckled through the call, and her chest warmed. She truly thought she'd never talk to him again.

Oh, how grateful she was to be wrong.

Once they said their goodbyes, Erin turned from her dresser to the cushioned bench at the foot of her bed. Her jean jacket laid on the pleated surface, awaiting to be snatched up to help her fight the November chill. She made a move to grab the thick fabric, before someone appeared in her open doorway.

"How miraculous. The eldest Salvatore brother is alive and well," Klaus voiced, capturing Erin's attention. "And here I thought we were the only ones plagued by resurrections. There must be something in the air."

Erin pressed her lips together and nodded. "Tell me about it." She looked toward him, eyes narrowing when she watched him close her bedroom door. "Uh, what're you doing?" she questioned.

In the past, Klaus's actions would have sent Erin into a devolution of fight or flight. A rapid string of thoughts to determine the best way to evade whatever the hybrid intended. But at that point in time, she just found it worrying.

What did he need to say that required privacy?

Klaus ignored the inquiry and strode across the room to stop mere feet away. "Esther has found Rebekah."

Erin's eyes widened as her stomach dropped. She whirled to him and rushed out, "oh, my God! Is she okay? What about Hope? Did they get away? What happened?"

Klaus held up a hand to quiet her rambling. "They're alright. Rebekah had taken her on the run."

Her brows furrowed at that. "Then why are you still here?" He should've been halfway to their location by then. If Erin were in his place, nothing would've stopped her from tearing her way to reach her child.

Klaus sighed heavily. "I must remain. We need allies to defeat my mother. Finn and Kol must be turned to our side. Without their help, there will be nowhere left for Hope to run."

Erin's confusion rose. "And what about now? Rebekah can't just hop from hotel to hotel with the baby." It was one thing for Rebekah to vanish into hiding with Hope, being cloaked under a witch's spell, but it was another entirely to actively run with a baby in tow.

Klaus nodded. "Yes, that is why you and Elijah will drive out to meet them," he stated in a matter of fact manner.

Erin blinked at his declaration. He wanted her and Elijah to go?

Before she could even think to refute his decision, Klaus continued, "there is no one else I would rather entrust with my daughter's life."

That single phrase brought a new sense of warmth to Erin's chest. Klaus trusted her. Not only that, but he trusted her with Hope. He trusted her with his child, the most important person in his life.

Erin could've stood there for a long while, wondering how they had ended up in such a strange dynamic. How just three years prior Klaus had been on the warpath, wanting everyone that she loved dead. But they didn't have the time. The oddity of their new normal would have to take a backseat to the urgency at hand.

With a soft smile, Erin met his gaze and nodded.

__________

Under the guise of secrecy, Erin and Elijah departed from New Orleans with little to no preparation for the journey ahead. Their plan, or lack thereof, held one simple step. Travel far enough away from the city and reunite with Rebekah and Hope. Further additions would've taken them longer to slip away unseen, and that was something they couldn't afford.

After some debate, they had come to an agreement about where to meet. With Rebekah several hours away in Mississippi, the closest place for them to converge was a small town in northern Louisiana. Such an obscure location Esther wouldn't think to track them there.

Elijah decided they would meet at a roadside diner, far enough away from the general populace where their presence wouldn't be noticed. It was a quaint little place that held an older charm, as if one traveled back in time upon their entrance. Few patrons were scattered about in booths and tables when they arrived, keeping to themselves and failing to give them a second look. Just what they wanted.

Once they were seated in a central booth, a waitress approached and asked if they wanted to order. To not draw suspicion, and to satisfy Erin's hunger from the drive, she requested a small meal and coffee, while Elijah settled on the latter.

As they waited for the woman to return, Erin began to grow increasingly bothered by the silence that dragged on with every passing moment. Ever since they left New Orleans, no more than a few words were spoken between them. If they were not discussing directions for where to meet Rebekah, the car would fall quiet with only the low melodies of the radio to fill the air.

In all honesty, it worried Erin. Of course their ordeal with Esther took a large toll on him. How could it not? Elijah believed for the last thousand years that his mother had been the one to kill his first love, but in reality, he was the reason her life came to an end.

And to pile it on, he fashioned a door within his mind to hide his most heinous crimes. A door Esther blew wide open. Erin would've been a fool to think Elijah wasn't affected by what happened.

Erin set her calm stare on him, watching as he looked down at the watch around his wrist. It wouldn't take long before Rebekah arrived. They had an hour at the most. Plenty of time for her to get something out of Elijah. At least, if he was willing to talk.

"Are you okay?" Erin questioned, drawing his gaze up to meet her own. "You haven't really said much since we left."

Elijah produced the smallest of smiles. "I'm alright, Erin," he replied in a reassuring tone.

Erin's brows creased, not entirely believing him. After everything he learned, he couldn't have been alright. Not in the slightest. "You know that you can talk to me, right? About anything," she relayed, hoping to convey just how much she meant every word.

Elijah's expression softened, and he gave her a light nod. "I know."

Erin wanted to urge him on. She wanted him to reveal what nagged at his mind, bringing him to near silence in her presence. But she chose to let the topic fade. She couldn't push him to open up. If Elijah desired to keep the horrors he witnessed within his own mind, then she would let him have that courtesy.

Quiet settled over them once more, allowing a loud chime to be heard. Erin reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone, finding Hayley's name on the screen. Klaus surely hadn't let it slip that they were on their way to meet Rebekah. Her obliviousness was the only thing keeping their secret excursion just that.

Erin lifted her head to find Elijah's stare aimed her way. She lifted the phone and said, "it's Hayley."

Elijah's demeanor fell into one of a serious nature.. "You can't tell her about Hope," he stressed.

Erin nodded. "I know." She shifted across the leather cushion to stand. "I'll talk to her outside. See what she wants." When Elijah's apprehension shone through, she gave him a light smile. "I won't go far. You'll be able to hear me the whole time."

The second he offered a nod in return, Erin turned on her booted heel and hurried out of the diner. She walked toward the parking lot and quickly swiped her thumb over her phone's screen, lifting the speaker to her ear to answer the call. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey. Uh, I wanna run something by you," Hayley stated, her tone unreadable.

Erin tensed at her request. Surely Klaus kept his mouth shut. She swallowed hard and asked, "yeah, sure. What is it?"

Hayley sighed heavily as she began, "okay, so - Jackson learned about this thing called the Unification Ceremony. Basically, two Alphas would do this ritual for their packs to share abilities. When Klaus's dad stayed out here, he swore that he'd seen it with his own eyes. So if it's true, that means I can give the Crescents my ability to change at will."

Erin started to relax when the subject of Hope wasn't raised, until what Hayley said fully registered. Her eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "oh, my God. That's awesome!"

If the werewolves were able to shift whenever they pleased, Esther and Finn would no longer have a hold over their lives. They wouldn't need her moonlight rings to maintain the power they now held throughout the French Quarter. They could simply thrive on their own. It was perfect.

"That's what I thought, before Jackson explained the rest," Hayley proceeded, causing Erin's joy to diminish. "The ritual is a wedding ceremony. For it to happen, I have to marry Jackson. And not just in name. It has to be real."

Erin stopped just shy of Elijah's car and blinked. "Oh."

Hayley released another long breath. "Yeah, 'oh.'"

A marriage. It sounded so simple when put into perspective. One modest wedding ceremony and every Crescent wolf would gain the ability to shift at will. A few strings of words and Esther's greatest ally would become theirs. What sane person would think twice about following through with such an easy decision?

However, the decision was anything but easy. Hayley would have to marry a man she hardly knew. Which might've been feasible, if the marriage didn't require a lifetime commitment. Anything short of their full devotion sounded like it would lead to failure of the ceremony. And if that happened, everything they hoped for would crumble.

Erin pressed her lips together, moving to lean against the trunk of Elijah's car. "What do you wanna do?" she questioned after a beat passed.

"I don't know," Hayley relayed. "This could be the only way to save my people from Esther. But if I do this, it's..."

"Kind of a forever thing?" Erin supplied for her.

Hayley let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah."

They were quiet for a moment, letting the whoosh of cars float on the cool breeze as they traveled down the nearby road. Erin's backside remained against the black paint of the overtly expensive vehicle when she conjured what to say. "Listen, Hayley - I can't tell you what to do here. Either way, it's your life, and you're the one who has to live with whatever choice you make."

Hayley just huffed into the call. "No pressure," she quipped in a lighthearted manner.

Erin chuckled lightly and replied in a similar fashion, "nope. None at all."

__________

The afternoon sun plummeted toward the horizon, darkening the rural landscape beyond the small diner as the hour grew later and later at a quick pace. Its steady descent wouldn't have drawn Erin's attention on an average day, but nothing about their current situation was average. Every few moments, she would glance down at her phone and watch the digital clock climb. And each time, the front entrance remained closed. Not a visitor in sight.

Strangely enough, the diner itself lacked the previous number of patrons who once occupied the collection of tables and booths. Erin hadn't taken notice of their absence at first, but the longer they waited for Rebekah to arrive, the more she took note of the odd emptiness. There had been half a dozen people inside when she and Elijah claimed their booth. And after she left briefly to answer a string of phone calls, they all seemed to vanish.

Although, Erin didn't worry too much about it. They had stopped in a rather small town in the middle of the week. Normal people still had jobs, and children still had school.

When a chime sounded near the front of the building, Erin whirled in her seat and paused at the sight of the one person they had waited anxiously to see.

Rebekah entered the diner, smiling when she spotted them across the open room. She strode toward them, rounding about a row of booths to reveal the baby carseat held in her hands.

Erin's heart soared. Hope.

Elijah stood first, reaching out to help his sister was the carrier onto the cleared table. With the baby settled, he turned and pulled Rebekah into a tight embrace.

As they hugged, Erin rose from her seat and peered into the darkly colored carrier. Inside, a baby around six months old rested beneath the thick straps that kept her in place during the drive. She wore a pink floral set of footie pajamas and sucked on a pacifier, staring up at Erin with the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. Little Hope Mikaelson.

The moment Elijah and Rebekah parted, the younger of the two turned and wrapped Erin in her arms. An action that took her by surprise. She and Rebekah had never been close, more frenemies than anything else, and a show of affection was certainly unexpected. But then again, she supposed their relationship changed over the months they spent together in New Orleans. Perhaps more than she ever realized.

Rebekah leaned back with her hands still on Erin's arms. "It's good to see you, Erin," she voiced, giving her a light smile.

Erin produced one of her own and replied, "you, too, Rebekah."

Once their embrace fell away, Erin's gaze drifted toward Elijah, watching him unbuckle Hope from the carseat and lift her into his arms. A warmth spread throughout her chest at the sight of him so calm, so enamored by the sight of his niece.

"Look at you," Elijah spoke softly to the small child as they sat within their chosen booth. "So big. So perfect. I can't imagine the joy of spending every day with her. It's..."

"Quite lovely," Rebekah finished for him with a sigh, keeping her stare on the little girl in question. "It feels so human."

Elijah nodded, continuing to gaze down at Hope. "Yes, some would argue the most human of experiences," he added.

Yes, some would say such a thing. But for Erin, it was quite different. She didn't believe having a child or starting a family made her a quintessential human. To bring a living, breathing person into the world was a monumental decision. One that someone shouldn't just do because they thought it was the definition of being human. It was a life-long commitment, to create someone and teach them from the instant they took their first breath.

Many flourished when given the opportunity, millions in fact, but Erin didn't think she would ever be one of them. Children were a massive responsibility, and she had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Rebekah leaned against the tabletop and released a long breath. "I know I have to give her back to Hayley when the time is right. But, she's made me realize how much I want that child of my own - that I know I can't have," she relayed in an almost wistful manner.

Erin's heart ached at her words. Rebekah deserved to have lived her life the way she wished. Everything that she ever wanted out of being human had been ripped away because her mother and father forced her to turn into a vampire. And there she was, faced with what she could've possibly had.

A minuscule part of Erin felt guilty that she possessed the means to have a child of her own but remained adamant on never doing so. She could have everything Rebekah longed for, but she just didn't desire to have that be a part of her future.

The universe had a twisted sense of humor.

"It's a lovely dream," Elijah supplied as he proceeded to rock Hope in his arms. "Unfortunately, it's one that's just beyond our reach, considering the curse of our existence."

Erin snapped her gaze up from the baby to Elijah's placid expression. Curse of their existence? In all her years of having known him, she had not once heard him speak of his vampire nature in such a way. He always held himself and his family in high esteem. They were a thousand years old and the first vampires to ever walk the earth. It wasn't like the praise came unwarranted. But even when the worst came to pass, he never spoke of being a vampire as a curse.

Forced upon them? Yes. A hindrance to their lives? Absolutely. A curse? Now that she thought about it, Erin never heard anyone call vampirism that specific word. At least, not that she remembered. The werewolves openly threw it around, but the vampires always seemed to uphold a superiority about themselves.

However, Erin did know of one person who claimed vampires were a curse on their world.

Rebekah's eyes narrowed toward her brother when she said, "seems Esther's attacking with her usual fevor." She glanced toward Erin, who wore a similar look of concern.

Elijah kept his attention on Hope as he spoke, "yes, Mother tortured me for days with memories I thought I'd buried long ago." He pressed his lips together, lifting his stare to his sister. "Then, she made an offer - to make us all mortal, again." Rebekah's eyes widened, and he continued, "You see, sister. Mother believes that by placing us in new bodies, we can then reclaim some kind of - purity. We can begin families of our own, again. And, I have to confess - this invitation, however cruel in delivery, had a certain - appeal."

Erin froze. Did Elijah just say what she thought he did? That Esther's demented plan to put him and his siblings into new bodies held an appeal? How could he ever think that? He had been opposed to the concept since she and Hayley divulged what their mother planned to do.

What did Esther show him that began to shift his firm belief?

The questions rattled through Erin's mind until her attention fell to where Elijah had reached out to grasp Rebekah's hand. Her eyes narrowed, spotting a red smudge on the white of his shirt cuff. Confusion surfaced at the sight. Elijah typically kept his clothes pristine during most times. A red stain wouldn't have been ignored. It had to be fresh, but from what?

Elijah looked down at his hand in Rebekah's and to her eyes, finding her expression wide in apprehension. "You needn't worry. We're safe," he stated.

Erin's stomach dropped when the realization dawned. The red stain, the missing patrons, Elijah's reassurance. What had he done?

Erin glanced toward Rebekah, immediately meeting her worried gaze. She had come to the same conclusion. Something happened within that diner, and it was nothing good.

Rebekah swallowed hard and stood, slipping the strap of Hope's diaper bag onto her shoulder. "Looks like this little one needs her diaper changed," she voiced with her stare on the child.

Elijah rose from the booth and wordlessly placed Hope into his sister's arms.

Erin scrambled to her feet then, gesturing toward them as she said, "I'm gonna go help her out." She didn't wait for his answer and hurried after Rebekah.

With the diner rather small and shaped in a solitary rectangle, the bathroom had only one place to exist. It sat nestled on the far side of the dining space, far too close to the kitchen's entrance for any health inspectors' liking. A long counter ran parallel with the back wall, holding various appliances and cabinets most likely filled to the brim with items staff would need. And at the end, a sink had been placed for quick washing. The lone waitress of the diner stood before it, running her hands beneath the flowing water.

If the woman's void expression hadn't sent a chill down Erin's spine, the large streak of red along the counter's surface certainly did.

Erin wanted to chalk it all up to just a spill, a mess of jam or something of those lines. But when more red splotches coated the kitchen's door, she knew it was more than a forgotten accident. She kept close to Rebekah, watching her inch toward the door to ease it open.

And once she did, Rebekah's entire body went rigid. Erin should've taken that as a warning to ignore whatever lay beyond that threshold, but her awareness didn't catch on until it was too late.

Nausea rolled through Erin's stomach at the gruesome sight. Half a dozen bodies were strewn around the room. Each one was covered in blood, either from their throat being torn open or a stray wound hidden by how they rested at odd angles. The cause of their death couldn't have even been up for debate. Erin already knew what ended their lives. Or more importantly, who.

How could Elijah do something so heniois? So senseless? He wouldn't. He couldn't. Not to innocent people whose only crime was their taste in food. Erin had never known him to do anything remotely close.

But that had also been before Esther blew open a door in his mind that contained the worst offenses he ever committed.

Erin sucked in a sharp breath, but not from the bloodbath of the kitchen. A tight grip wrapped around her arm and yanked her to the side. She stumbled over her booted heels, before she righted herself within the diner's bathroom.

The light flicked on to illuminate the small space with one solitary toilet and sink, but neither of them cared about the size at that moment.

Rebekah whipped around, twisting the sink's tap on while she carefully held Hope, before she turned back to Erin with narrowed eyes. "What in the bloody hell happened here?" she questioned lowly enough for the rushing water to drown out her voice.

Erin's own eyes were wide as she shook her head. "I - I don't know. The only time I was gone long enough for something to happen was when I was on the phone with Hayley then Elena. I was outside for like, twenty minutes," she replied in an equally low volume.

"Well, it was clearly long enough for Elijah to slaughter everyone in this place," Rebekah hissed, cradling Hope close to her chest. Her brows creased, and she held Erin's gaze. "Elijah would never do something like this. I mean, I've not known a time where he would kill when he could otherwise compel." Her expression fell. "It's the kind of act that will draw our mother's attention."

Erin's chest tightened at her revelation. Esther. Everything always came back to that wretched woman. They could never have peace as long as she was alive. Or even in death, quite frankly. She would forever have a hold over her children, those she was supposed to love and protect for the rest of their lives, not try to murder and torture until they bent to her will.

"What she did to him affected him more than she cares to let on," Erin relayed, thinking back to their imprisonment under Esther. "She opened this - door in his head. Made him remember all these horrible things he forgot in the last thousand years."

Rebekah's brows furrowed. "What things?" she questioned.

Erin only knew of one event so tragic he'd locked away, and she wasn't about to reveal such a thing without his knowledge. So, she shrugged. "I don't know, but whatever they were - they did something to him."

Rebekah remained quiet for a moment, before she took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, then we'll just have to take him out of the picture until we're safely away Esther," she declared, stepping closer to Erin. "Here. Take Hope."

Erin readily raised her arms, taking Hope's weight as Rebekah let her rest within her hold. She shifted the baby until they were both comfortable with the new arrangement, and then looked toward the Original in slight confusion. "What're you gonna do?" she asked.

Rebekah huffed, slipping the diaper bag off her shoulder and onto Erin's. "I'm going to snap my brother's neck." She didn't give any more explanation and moved to shoved the bathroom door open to leave.

Erin simply blinked. That was definitely one way to render him indisposed for a while, she guessed. Her attention soon lowered to where Hope laid in her arms, staring up at her with her bright blue eyes as she continued to suck on her pacifier. Erin smiled lightly and muttered, "I wish I could say it's not always like this, but then I'd be lying, and I think you deserve better than that."

Hope just continued to gaze up at her, before she shifted and rested against her chest. Erin's smile widened, and she bounced the little girl lightly until Rebekah returned to reveal their next hasty plan of action.

<October 10, 2022>

You guys aren't ready for what I have in store for the next few chapters. You've been warned. ;)

Don't forget to vote and comment.

- Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.