Hedda Mikaelson

Chapter 43 - Deathly Hide and Seek

"Come on Hedda," Ansel admonishes me. "Threatening is not nice, you know that."

"Don't care," I say flatly.

He purses his lips in disapproval but there's nothing more he can say when I have no humanity or risk me attempting to bite him again.

"Why are we in here?" I ask him, wondering why the rest of my family are talking to Caroline, Stella and Liz, attempting to cover up the vampire bloodbath from the council.

"You can't see Stella at the moment," Ansel explains it to me. "It's best you stay put."

"Boring," I roll my eyes. "Let's play a game."

He looks as me, listening intently.

"It's hide and seek which is normally my favourite. But this time, I get to bite you if I find you," I say with a crazed grin on my face.

"Why don't we play it without the biting? You can have a blood bag instead when you find me as a reward," Ansel tries to steer me towards the kind path.

"No," I put my hands on my hips. "My way only."

Ansel really tries with me, he really does. But I refuse to listen.

"If you're really truly my Daddy then you have to hide and let me bite you," I compel to get rid of two birds with one stone.

If it works, I know he's my real Daddy. I'll also get to play my favourite game.

"Sweetheart don't do this," he pleads with me before trying to shout out for one of my siblings to interfere with the compulsion.

"No shouting," I compel again before instructing him to hide.

He complies easily and even although he makes it clear to me he isn't happy about it, he has no other choice.

Compulsion is the best!

"You have until I decide to come bite you," I call out, realising I can't count very high, let alone backwards.

So I sit and decide to stomp on my glasses again for good measure so I never have to wear them. My eyes are fixed and my glasses are still horrid. I don't care if I get into trouble. I don't care if 'Lijah tells me off. I can do whatever I want.

The compulsion working means Ansel really believes he's my Daddy. A bubble of guilt inside me has me second guessing myself but I shove it back down.

I want to play the game with Ansel. It will be a hunt.

"I'm coming for your blood, ready or not," I sing and skip around upstairs looking for my Daddy.

He's hiding well, choosing Kol's room in an effort to overwhelm me with memories and emotions. It nearly works.

Walking into the room, I smell Koly's scent and back away from the door quickly to keep my grief buried.

"Come out Ansel I have found you," I tell him at the door but he says no.

"You have to come in Hedda," he insists. "Isn't that the whole point of the game?"

"No you're trying to upset me," I say adamantly refusing to go in. "You picked my Koly's room to hide on purpose."

"He was your Koly, wasn't he?" Ansel picks up on the loving term I've used for my late brother. "Do you miss him? I imagine he misses you very much too, he probably cries a lot now he can't talk to you or tell you he loves you."

"Stop that," I snarl as I stand in the doorway of my beloved Koly's room, inundated with smells and happy memories.

Suddenly I have to force myself to keep my emotions down, but they are rising to the surface refusing to be ignored.