"That idiot! He just had to go out and assault the Gilbert's."
"I'm sure it's not that bad."
"They're going to spike the town water supply with vervain Damon, it's that bad."
"Oh."
I sighed and told the Savlators to start stocking up on clean blood. Freya and I wouldn't be affected but the three vampires living in the boarding house would. The council meeting had gone and made me want to murder someone. Stefan's impromptu meeting with Elena had still happened except he had the delusion that she was Katherine.
'Which I should have seen coming, he was already unstable after being her plaything. I just didn't think that it would have lasted this long.'
The car pulled around into my mansion and I got out, Freya was smirking at the door.
"Told you he'd go after her."
"I never said he wouldn't. I just didn't expect him to attack her."
"Well at least he didn't hurt anyone."
"Cause Enzo dragged him away before he could. I swear it's like he's trying to get himself outed as a vampire."
"Oh relax, they'll be fine. I have good news by the way."
"You've finally tracked Klaus?"
She nodded. "I tried a few different spells but eventually I was able to pinpoint him just outside Louisiana."
"What the hell is he doing out there?"
"No clue, I've already called Finn, Kol, and Elijah. I could reach Rebekah or Marcel though I'm assuming the two of them are busy together in New Orleans."
"What did the brothers say?"
"They're surprised that Niklaus hasn't formed an army yet, or that Dahlia hasn't made a move."
"I just remembered something."
"What is it?"
"The two are probably linked, it would be the only way for Dahlia to remain awake."
"That's a good point, that would mean the both of them could be close together."
"Makes hunting the both of them much easier."
"Can we not just go to them?"
"And fight Dahlia on a field she chooses? You've already proven that magic can still affect things around me. I'd rather not fight her where she can possibly entomb me."
"Oh stop being such a baby."
"At not!" She grinned. "I'm changing the topic now. Has Elijah found your mothers body yet?"
"Not yet, wherever Niklaus hid it it's either cloaked or in a place where my magic can not reach it."
"I don't suppose there's a way we can clone Esther?"
"That would make things easier but unfortunately no magic can not do that. If I had even just the smallest amount of her ashes I could bring her back to life, but her body is yet to be found."
I thought back to the small box of ashes I had in my vault. I wondered if keeping Mikael's ashes from Freya was going to bite me in the ass in the future. Making a decision I looked at her and took her hand.
"Freya, now that you mention that I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Your father, what if you could bring him back?"
"Why? What do you mean."
"You said with ashes you could bring Esther back to life. Well…."
"What is it Seth?"
"I still have a small amount of your fathers ashes."
She pulled her hand away and stepped back.
"You have more of his ashes?"
"I kept them after we made the first dagger to kill Dahlia with, I didn't know you could bring someone back with their ashes."
"I- I need some time to think."
I nodded and she walked away. Cursing under my breath I made my way over to my study and took out my outline book. Making the appropriate changes and leaving a new note on resurrection spells I closed the book and replaced it just as Yvette walked into my study. Something was off, the woman normally had hazel eyes. But at the moment her eyes were a milky white, Yvette grinned at me and a voice not her own came from her mouth.
"I've finally found you Seth Williamson. Soon you will feel my wrath."
Yvette collapsed on the floor and I rushed over to the maid just as Freya came running.
"What was that? I felt her here!"
"Dahlia must have possessed Yvette. Can she do that?"
"Not normally, no. She must be channeling someone to have that much power."
"What else can she do with this power?"
"She can control crowds, and if she gets strong enough she can very well destroy one of us."
"That's not very comforting, let's hope your brothers find your mothers body soon."
'Well those are words I'd never thought I'd hear myself say.'
There was a crash from down the stairs, I looked at Freya.
"Go, I'll keep watch over Yvette."
I blurred down the stairs and looked at the brink laying on the floor. I focused my sense of smell and growled. Wrenching the door open I came face to face with a smiling Klaus.
"Ah Seth, why don't you step out and have a little chat with me."
"I think you're forgetting that I can tear you apart without so much as lifting a finger."
"I think you'll want to hear what I have to say, lest something happen to my dear sister."
Freya blurred next to me and glared at Klaus.
"Freya! I was wondering where you'd gone off to. I'll keep it short, I have found a doppelgänger and in a few weeks I will return to break my curse. This is just fair warning that once I do, I will have a hybrid army raze this accursed little town to the ground. Since my sister is with you I am giving you ample time to get away."
"Why this town?"
"This is the place where I was cursed by our mother dear sister. So long as it stands it will be a constant reminder of what she did to me."
"So for that you would condemn an entire town?"
"Do not act as if you are any better Seth, Dahlia has seen what you did all those years ago."
"Where is your charming old aunt Klaus? I have a dagger with her name on it."
"I'm afraid I can't let you kill her, I still have some need for her to break the curse. Till then"
Klaus disappears back into the night and I shut the door as Freya sighs.
"So he's found out about Elena."
"I don't think so, it didn't seem like he did. Maybe he found another one."
"There is usually only one."
"Unless there's a pair."
"We need to find Esther's body soon, if he comes here with a hybrid army the whole world might just come to find out about the supernatural world."
"I have a feeling Klaus will cover his tracks."
We shared a look and returned to my study, Freya called her brothers while I informed the Salvatores about Klaus potentially bringing an army to Mystic Falls. I felt a strange feeling of being watched and looked outside my window where a black flower was blooming on some vines. It felt familiar and I pointed it out to Freya who just finished her call.
"Tha- she's coming."
"Who? Dahlia?"
"Those flowers, they're black dahlias, she likes to grow them right before she attacks."
"Well it would be unwise for her to attack now, the town is on high alert."
"Seth she doesn't care, she'll magically manipulate the town into ignoring her."
"Then what are we to do?"
"We can h-"
The house began to shake, just like the time Dahlia attacked in New Orleans. I cursed and ran to the window. Dahlia was outside with a smile on her face. Her hands raised and pointed at my home. I blurred out to meet her and prepared to freeze her with my power when she flicked her hand at me. I dodged the barrage of rocks she flung at me.
Rolling I willed several rocks to shoot towards her and to my shock they went straight through her. I felt a blow connect with my jaw and I grunted in pain as I was sent flying back. I focused my power on Dahlia and attempted to crush her but again it failed. Cursing I dodged another attack just as Freya came out of the door chanting a spell.
"Really child? You think your spells will affect me?"
Dahlia waved her hand and Freya was sent flying, I caught her before she could land on a a stake that had been made when Dahlia broke a tree with her magic.
"She's stronger than before, my power isn't affecting her."
"Of course in stronger, I'm channeling all the witches in this world. Even those that have passed on, they all agree that you are a threat and should be eliminated Seth Williamson."
'That's a load of bullshit. This fucking world and it rules of magic.'
Freya tried another spell as I spoke to Dahlia. "And you think that their power is enough to stop me?"
"Oh I know it is."
Freya finished her spell and sent a shockwave of power towards Dahlia who just batted it away. She lifted her hand towards Freya and I reacted on instinct. Using my power I propelled myself forward, charging at the dark haired witch. Freya screamed something that I did not hear as my world went black.
Pain flared in my head and I sat up, I blinked a few times and cursed silently. Either I was in pitch black darkness or
I had gone blind. I chose to believe the former. I stood up and spun around as a pin prick of light drew my attention behind me. Following the speck of light the world slowly faded into existence and I cursed again. I was in the woods miles outside of Mystic Falls. Sighing I made my slow walk back to town.
<•>
Freya screamed as she watched Seth vanish in a blinding flash of light. Dahlia had disappeared as well, using her power Freya felt for her lovers presence. She sighed in relief when she found it. It was faint but it was still there. Dahlia had all but vanished, not a trace of her presence left behind. Freya looked around and began to follow where she felt Seth was at. Eventually she came to a clearing where a figure was laying in a charred circle of grass and leaves.
She ran over to the figure and to her worry it wasn't Seth. It was a woman she had never seen before. The woman stirred and slowly sat up with a groan.
"Where am I?"
There was a slight accent to the woman's voice, she wore a loose fitting blouse with red flowers embroidered onto it along with tight form fitting pants and a black corset. The woman looked around and then at Freya.
"Who the hell are you?"
The woman stood up and drew a sword that had been hanging on her hip. Freya snatched the sword away and knocked the woman out. Catching the woman she bound the stranger and sat her up against the tree. Hearing footsteps behind her she spun around just in time to see Seth walk into the clearing with a confused look on his face. She kissed him after embracing him with as much strength as she had.
"You worried me."
"I'm alright aren't I? Where's Dahlia and who's the woman you have hogtied."
"I don't know where Dahlia is, I felt her magic disappear. As for this woman, she showed up in this clearing on that charred piece of ground behind me."
"She looks familiar, did she tell you her name?"
"No, she did try to attack me with a sword though."
"That's interesting, I wonder who she is."
"Want to wake her and find out?"
"Let's move her back to the house. I wouldn't want to wake up in the woods tied up against a tree with two strangers looking at me."
"Are you sure you don't just want to add her to your harem?"
"I do not have a harem."
"Uh, yeah. You do."
"Well I- let's just get her back home."
Seth levitated the woman and we made our way back to the mansion. The fight with Dahlia had caused minor damage to the grounds and not much to the mansion itself thankfully. Seth looked at Freya as they entered the threshold, at least the woman wasn't a vampire they didn't know.
Setting the woman down on the couch Seth ran upstairs to clean himself up and Freya remained downstairs to observe the woman. Eventually the woman began to wake up and Freya readied another spell just in case she broke free of her bonds. The woman looked around in fright before she visibly calmed herself.
"What do you want bride of Dracula?"
"Dracula?"
"You are are you not? A bride of the vampire count?"
"My name is Freya, there is no Dracula… well except maybe for Seth. But don't let him here you call him that. He hates the nickname."
"Seth?"
"Yes, the man who owns this mansion."
"Where am I?"
"You're in Mystic Falls, do you know how you ended up here?"
"I- I don't remember. One moment I had the cure for something and this blur, my memories seem so hazy. What has happened here?"
"I'm trying to find that out myself, ah Seth is coming back down. I'm sure he can answer you questions."
Seth came back into the room and looked at the woman. Freya gestured towards her.
"She thinks you're Dracula."
"I am not! Ignore her, tell me. What do you remember?"
"Fighting, I remember fighting at a castle, there were vampires and fire. Some sort of beast, and I was attacked."
"And the mentions of Dracula?"
"A vampire going by that name, he owned the castle."
Seth paused and stared off into the distance, a moment later he looked at the woman all hints of humor gone.
"Your name, what's your name?"
"Anna, why do you need my name?"
"Well it's only good manners, do you happen to have a family name Anna?"
"Valerious, my name is Anna Valerious."