Lovely • Mikaelsons mate (Currently editing)

Chapter 19

"Easy, buddy. Don't want you doing anything stupid." Stefan says, smirking slightly at Damon's disheveled state. After seeing him dance with Elena he had been more than willing to give him a little time-out.

Damon pulls himself to his feet, about to lunge himself at Stefan to give him a taste of his own medicine when he changes his mind. He'd rather not die again tonight.

"Where's Elena?" Damon hisses as he stretches his back, trying to rid himself of the dull ache he was experiencing.

"Exactly where she belongs, talking with Esther." Stefan asks, looking a little apprehensive at Damon's peaceful behavior.

Damon regards his brother for a moment, wondering how these past three years of his life were more hectic than the previous 150 combined. Damon nods his head, sinking in the fact that Stefan left Elena alone with a thousand-year-old witch. "What did you get out of the girl?" Damon asks, changing the subject while straightening his bowtie.

"What? Not going to retaliate for killing you? For helping Elena?" Stefan asks, surprised at his brother's agreeable attitude.

"We got more problems going on than Elena being Elena." Damon deadpans, rolling his eyes. Sure, he was going to give Elena an earful and snap Stefan's neck later on, but not while they were still in the lion's den.

• • •

"Elijah is more suspicious than the others, so he may need more persuasion." Esther comments, letting go of Elena's hand and raising the chalice. She had successfully obtained the blood of the doppelganger, which was the last ingredient for tonight's spell. "But they must all drink at the toast in order to be linked as one."

"What do you mean 'linked as one'?" Elena asks, glancing briefly at the red liquid in the chalice.

"You said yourself Klaus can't be killed. But tonight's spell links all my children together, so that if one goes, they all go."

"What?" Elena looks shocked at Esther, not sure she heard correctly.

"I love my family, Elena, but they are an abomination. I betrayed nature when I created them. It's my duty to kill them." Esther replies, looking unremorseful at the shocked girl before her. Esther had gotten from Elena what she needed, no need for further niceties.

• • •

"Matt, meet my dear friend Luna." Rebekah and Matt walk up to Luna, who was of course being held company by two of her brothers, not much of a surprise seeing as they always seem to stick to her side like wet limpets.

Luna and Niklaus had rejoined the party. Niklaus had shown her a small part of his extensive collection of paintings, with the promise of showing her the rest after taking care of his mother.

"Matthew." Elijah greets, nodding curtly at the boy.

Niklaus only lets out a small huff, making no effort to further acknowledge Matt.

Matt approaches Luna, faltering his step when he hears a low rumbling noise coming from both Niklaus ad Elijah. He gives Rebekah an alarmed look, not sure how to proceed.

Luna rolls her eyes at the animal noises and steps towards Matt, who clearly didn't want to move any closer to the glaring men.

"Pleasure to meet you, Matt." Luna says, taking Matt's outstretched hand, shaking it, and giving him a warm smile. She hadn't particularly liked Matt in the show, but if she managed to be somewhat polite to Damon, she could manage some mandatory small talk with the quarterback.

Matt smiles back, amazed at how normal the girl appeared to be, for someone surrounded by vampires he would have expected someone a bit more intimidating or... meaner. His smile transforms into an awkward half-grimace when he glances at the glaring Originals behind Luna. Clearing his throat awkwardly he slowly takes a step back, as if backing away from an angry animal.