I take the last step down the stairs, immediately seeing two huge vampires standing in front of the front door. Their hands tucked behind their backs as their eyes stared straight forward.
"Who are you?" I ask them. One of them nods and beings to speak, "Klaus sent us here for your protection."
I roll my eyes and turn back around and into the kitchen. I should've known Klaus would send someone to watch me since he can't. I turn around after I hear footsteps behind me. "Does that mean you have to follow every step I take?" I question them, but they don't make a move and continue to trail after me.
The front door opens and I peek through the hallway, seeing Hayley walking into the foyer with two vampires behind her as well. She turns around, "I'm just grabbing some clothes. Give me two minutes, please?"
She spots me and rushes towards me. Her eyes travel behind me to see the vampires. "You have bodyguards too?"
"Yes." I reply and Hayley crosses her arms with a sigh. "I have information from the gynecologist so unless you want to hear every word the doctor said, I suggest you leave us alone for at least 10 minutes."
I raise my eyebrows at her sudden choice of words and I am impressed. My vampire bodyguards leave the room and I give her a look. "Why do I have a feeling the gynecologist didn't call."
She wraps her hand around my arm and pulls me into the study room. Before she shuts the doors, she looks both ways out the room and then the doors are closed. Her body faces me, "That's because they didn't. I need you to help me find something for Sophie."
"Since when were we taking orders from Sophie?" I ask her as she bends down and opens up a trunk that revealed a tun of journals and papers. "If I give her what she needs then she'll be doing me a favor."
"And what does she need?" I ask and bend down as well, picking up a journal. I find that all these written books are from Elijah. I look up at her, not liking where this is going.
"She wants me to find Elijah's old lover's bones." Hayley tells me and I shake my head. "Okay... and you're sneaking around here instead of asking Elijah because?"
"Just help me find the name Celeste in any of these journals. It can really kill time." Hayley pleads, ignoring my question. "Fine. But if Elijah finds out, don't include me in it."
"I won't."
I let out a deep sigh and skim through some of his journals to find the name Celeste.
"Are you ever going to move into the compound with Klaus and I? I mean, it's kind of boring without you." Hayley breaks the silence after awhile. My eyes move up and I shake my head, "Probably not for awhile. Sorry."
"I just... I just noticed a difference in Klaus when you're not around. He's just so moody all the time. I don't know what he did to you, but know that I'm sure it's eating him alive. And when you move in, and I know you will, just know that I wasn't asking for me... I was asking for Klaus. I guess you can say he needs you."
I had no idea how to respond to that. Of course I believed Klaus would somehow react to my absence. I mean, I'm not doing well without him either.
"Well anyways, the place is really lonely without you." Hayley says and a laugh escapes from my lips. "I'll come when the time is right."
I wasn't sure how long that'll take.
"I heard Davina moved in, though? Can't be that boring." I tell her and she shrugs, a guilty look appears on her face. "Yeah, I might've made her run away."
I furrow my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"I told her that the witch Elders were dead." she tells me and I shrug as I grab another journal from the trunk. "So? Didn't the witches try and kill her? Why would she care? I thought she would be glad."
"I think it was more that Marcel didn't tell her that the one thing preventing her from being free had been eliminated."
"Oh," I say softly. "that makes sense. Are they looking for her now?" I ask and she nods. "Yeah, all of them are. It's kind of hard when there's a party out in the streets."
"She still thinks I'm some hunter who tried to kill Klaus, so do you think she'll tell me where she is?" I do care about her safety and I do want her to be found before it gets bad.
"I don't know. Didn't Marcel introduce you? She might think you're helping him and not her." Hayley tells me and I nod, understanding what she's trying to point out. "I guess you're right."
After awhile, I think I found what Hayley was looking for. The entry says, "Celeste entrances me... She is perfection... She is dead. Even as the sun rises, I see only night. But for the promise I made to her, that in death, I would bury her far from the mayhem of witches, vampires, and men..."
"Here. That's where you'll find her." I show Hayley the passage and she lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Maya."
§
The very next morning the house was completely quiet. Minus the two vampires still hovering over my back. But, they seemed to be in another room considering they haven't been following me since I woke up.
As I walk down the stairs, the house begins to shake very violently. "What the hell?" I hold onto the railing as some pictures from the wall start crashing down to the floor. And I assumed an earthquake just happened.
Not even a second later, the vampires were near me again and ushered me down the stairs. "I'm fine! Just go back to staring at the wall."
The two bodyguards walk away from me and stand in front of the front door once again. I roll my eyes, making my way to the living room to check out the weather Oddly enough, there were no signs of an earthquake and that it just appeared randomly. The feeling in my gut told me it was supernatural related.
I get up from the sofa and walk back into the foyer. "Do you guys know anything about the earthquake?" I ask either one of them. Both of them shake their heads. "No, ma'am."
Spinning back around, I enter the kitchen. Elijah and Rebekah have been staying at the new place and I have no idea what's going on over there. Only information I got was from Hayley about Davina and I'm not even sure if they found her or not.
The room starts to shake once again, except this time it seemed to be worse than the last one. More frames from the wall fall off and things from the counter tops.
"You're coming with me."
"What?" I turn at the voice that was directed to me. Klaus stands at the doorway. It's been days since I've seen him and I didn't expect to see him so soon.
"It's too dangerous for you to be here alone, Maya. I need you to come back with me so I know you are safe."
"I'm not alone. I have those vampires you ordered for them to watch me." I fold my arms across my chest. He grabs my hand and leads us out the door.
"Davina is causing those earthquakes, Maya. There's too much power she cannot control and I cannot worry about that when I constantly worry about you and your safety."
§
This is the first time I've ever entered the Mikaelson Compound and several vampires were scattered around. "Don't mind them. They're just here for protection. Follow me." Klaus says, leading me up the stairs.
The whole car ride here was completely silent. I had nothing to say. I wanted to take small steps into recovery and he's already taking me to his new house and I knew I had to come with him. There was no point in fighting him anymore.
Up the stairs, there's railing all around. Looking down them only showed the first floor. However, the upstairs only had doors to rooms after room.
He takes ahold of my hand and looks down at me, causing my breathing to be hitched. "I understand the two of us are not on good terms, but I will never leave you behind. Promise me you'll stay until we figure out the witch problem."
"I promise," I respond and a small smile forms on his lips.
"Oh, finally you're here." Rebekah interrupts the both of us, stepping in. "Davina isn't doing well, Nik. She keeps throwing up dirt."
Klaus lets go of my hand and I instantly felt empty without them. "Has Elijah come back with Sophie?" Klaus asks his sister and she shakes her head. "Not yet."
Klaus gives me one last look, "Stay here." He turns around and enters a room I'm not so familiar with. "Did he bring you all the way here?" Rebekah asks me and I nod.
"Judging by the lack of suitcases, you're still staying at the plantation?" Rebekah drowns and I nod once again, "Yeah..."
"Guess I'll be moving back in. I cannot have my favorite Gilbert twin stay alone in that house." Rebekah smiles and I return one back. "Thank you and maybe you can kick those two bodyguard vampires out."
Soon Elijah comes back with Sophie. Rebekah and I join them to discuss the current predicament. I take a seat on one of the couches and a few moments later, Klaus sits comfortably next to me.
"So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?" Elijah starts and I widen my eyes slightly. I guess Hayley told him, although he doesn't seem so happy about it.
"I can't. I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I—" Sophie is cut off when the house starts to shake violently again, like the earthquake from earlier. She looks at us alarmed, "Was that Davina?"
"Charming little habit she's developed." Klaus says besides me.
"And the earthquake I felt today?"
"Also Davina. And, she's taken to vomiting dirt." Rebekah responds and Sophie panics, "Oh. We have a huge problem. I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the Harvest now."
"Said the desperate witch, conveniently." Klaus says with a smirk on his lips. "I'm serious! That earthquake you just felt is a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us." she explains.
"Why would we believe you?" I step in and Sophie looks at me. "You've met Davina, you know her story. For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the Harvest ritual. A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth. One person was never meant to hold that much power. It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it."
She begins to tell us that Davina will cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the Harvest. First is Earth, which is currently the earthquake. Then comes wind, but every stage is more intense than the last. Next comes rain and soon fire. In order for the stages to stop, they must complete the Harvest.
§
"Elijah's completely ignoring me." Hayley tells me as she sits down on her bed. "He'll come around... I think. Just apologize to him." I reply.
"I went through his journals without his permission and made him break a promise between him and Celeste. I don't think me saying sorry will cut it."
"Yeah, but he likes you. He'll forgive you easily." I tell her and she sighs, leaning on her pillows. I stare down at the window and watch as locals pass by the compound.
"So, why are you hiding out in my room?"
I spin around and join her on the bed. "Because Marcel is here and he can't know I'm here or he'll be finding out everything." I explain. He's already stressing out about Davina and I don't want him knowing that I'm a liar who only used him for Klaus.
"He's going to find out sooner or later. I'm surprised he hasn't. Klaus can never keep his eyes off of you."
I softly roll my eyes with a small smile on my face.
Later on, I find Hayley downstairs preparing to hold a cardboard box full of canned food. I rush down the stairs and take the heavy box from her. "You shouldn't be carrying these."
I notice some tears fall down her cheeks and I frown at her sudden distress. "Is this over Elijah?" I question and she nods while trying to hide her sob. She seemed fine not that long ago...
She goes to grab the second box, but Klaus stops her and takes it from her. "What are you doing?"
"I was gonna take these to the—" Klaus cuts Hayley off shortly, "If you say, Bayou, I will find a nice comfy dungeon and throw you in it. This is not the night to be out there—"
"—For anyone. But some people don't have a choice."
"Right, then. You two follow me." Klaus orders and I walk beside him as Hayley follows behind. The cool wind breezes across my face as we take out step outside and to wherever Klaus is deciding to drop off these canned goods.
I know I wasn't alone with him but it still felt nice to peacefully share a moment of silence with him as take a short trip.
The wind starts to become more sharper as the minutes go by and it felt like it would take me with it. My arms were getting tired fast, but we soon stop in front of a church.
"Here we are," Klaus says and opens the door for the two of us. I set down the cardboard box and look around the church. A large group of people were spotted all around, sitting at their seats.
Klaus' left hand finds itself behind my lower back and guides me to the priest; Father Kieran. "We still haven't gone through all that you've already provided, Klaus."
I furrow my eyebrows a bit. He came here before? Klaus smiles and looks at Hayley, "Well, this newest bit isn't from me."
Kieran looks surprised and his eyes travel to the other brunette. "Oh? That's very kind of you...?"
"Hayley. And these people are?" she asks and Klaus steps in, "I asked Father Kieran to give them shelter. He suffers from an incessant desire to do good. But now, I need you to be useful. Marcel and Davina have disappeared. I assume from the stupefied look on your face they haven't sought refuge in your attic."
"No. Those days are gone." he responds. Klaus sighs, "Then energize your resources. I don't need to remind you how important it is they be found."
Father Kieran leaves to make some calls. Hayley is looking around in confusion at all of the people congregated inside, although I don't know why she seemed so confused.
"These people, they're werewolves... and the priest, he said that you donated the food. You're helping them?" Hayley says in disbelief.
"They're not your werewolves. They're my clan. From very far back. They've fallen upon hard times, and their plight has brought out the philanthropist in me. What can I say? Must be Elijah's influence."
"Wait, your clan? As in your biological father?" I question and he nods with a small smile tugging at the ends of his mouth. "The blood that runs in their veins runs in mine. And in our child's." he says.
Hayley, who seems overwhelmed, takes a deep breath in. "This family gets more complicated by the second."
"Listen, Hayley, word of advice when dealing with Elijah? Don't do as I do. Just apologize. He's accomplished in many things, but he is a master of forgiveness."
§
I stand closely next to Klaus. The back of my shoulder pressed against his chest as I hold the umbrella over our heads. It was pouring outside and that meant Davina's third stage had come to show.
I stand beside Rebekah, Elijah, and Hayley as they each had their own umbrellas to share. We were currently at the cemetery. However, before that we buried their mother, Esther, into New Orlean's soil so that her power remains there and they consecrate those grounds. They believe this will complete the Harvest.
Marcel runs in the rain with Davina in his arms, droplets of water runs down his face, soaking his clothing. Flames follow them in a trail that licks at Marcel's heals. Once they get to the altar, Marcel sets her down. Sophie holds the ceremonial athame over the flames before she heads towards Davina.
I could care less about Marcel seeing me so close to Klaus at this point. So much as happened today and I wasn't even sure if the Harvest would even work and I knew that some silly distraction I used on Marcel would be the least of his worries.
"Do you believe in the harvest?" Sophie asks Davina, who nods nervously, "I believe."
Sophie raises the blade and slits Davina's throat with it. I gasp in shock, not expecting to see her death so soon. Davina gasps and grabs at her throat before she falls back.
Klaus' hand clings onto mine and squeezes it lightly.
Marcel catches her and lays her down on the ground. Just then, the rain stops, and Davina's skin glows gold as the magic leaves her body and flows into the ground.
"After the Harvest comes the Reaping. Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones." Nothing happens after Sophie spoke those words. She repeats it again, and nothing happens.
Minutes passed by and she didn't wake up. She just laid dead in Marcel's arms. Sophie then falls to her knees and chokes out a sob. "No!"
Tears stream down my face once I realize that Davina won't be coming back. I turn my head and bury it in Klaus' shoulder. His arms wrap around my body in comfort.