Chapter 4: Of Promises and Risk

Mystic Falls, a thousand years ago

Kol stirred at the sound of Nik's voice, calling for Rebekah in panic. He was about to curse him when he remembered what happened. Their father had literally stabbed them in the heart.

"Talia," he called out instinctively; his voice hoarse. His eyes opened and were met with Talia's terrified ones. "Talia?" he asked. He noticed her hands were trembling and he reached for her sister. His head felt heavy, like after a night of festivities.

"Mother changed us," she said, her voice small like a child.

"Changed us into what?" Nik asked from across the room, terrified. Their siblings were waking up.

"Monsters," Finn said and they all turned to their eldest brother. He looked solemn, more than usual.

"Talia," Kol said, turning her attention back to him. "Listen to me, it will be okay."

"Kol, it's gone," she said. "It's gone."

"What's gone?" Nik asked, seeing the twins' faces paled.

"Our magic," Kol breathed, staring at his hands in disbelief. They all turned their head towards the sound of the footsteps, loud and heavy; their father.

"Good, you've awakened," he said, appearing with two girls, Mera and Ingrid who were looking dazed.

"You killed us!" Rebekah exclaimed, her voice mixed with confusion and fear. Mikael ignored her as he pulled out a dagger and sliced both of the girls' wrists. And the most delicious scent filled the Mikaelsons' nose and they felt their mouth watered. Kol was the first to lunge at the source but Talia quickly stopped him, gripping on her twin's wrist as if her life depended on it.

"No," she told her twin before glaring at her father. "No," she repeated.

"Talia," her father's voice low as it came as a warning. He threw the girls at the corner and Elijah was the first to grab Ingrid's wrist and latched his mouth on it, drinking her blood. The siblings watched in horror before Nik followed suit.

"Talia," Mikael was now in front of her and she shook her head defiantly.

"This isn't what mother promised," she said.

"And yet this is what will happen," Mikael said roughly, grabbing her hand. Talia protested, struggling as she tried to yank her hand off her father's unnatural strong grip. She glanced at her little sister lapping on the blood of the girl, she felt like she was losing it. The scent of the blood was overwhelming but she didn't want any of this.

"Stop it," Kol said, pushing her father away from his twin, stepping in front of her to protect her, as he always does.

"You will drink the girl's blood and you will turn. This is an order!" Mikael said angrily.

"Kol," Talia called his name softly, and he looked at her. Her brown eyes were looking at him pleadingly. She reached out her hand to him and she knew what he felt. Only hunger and craving.

"Kol," she whispered again as he looked at her in torture. Torn between following her and from lunging to drink the blood. When he didn't move, Talia decided that was it. She turned her heels and ran away from the house. Kol's first instinct was to ignore her and joined his siblings, completing the transition. But that's what this animalistic instinct of his wanted. He called his father who had been frozen, only staring at the door, where Talia's shadow last seen.

"I'll bring her home, father," Kol said. Mikael took a deep breath and nodded.

"Go," was all he said.

I was greeted with the Salvatore brothers bickering and throwing punches as I walked into the Boarding House. This reminded me very much of Elijah and Nik's feud over Tatia's heart.

"That vampire chick, she really is Klaus's sister?" I heard Damon asked, changing the topic from the newest doppelganger.

"She's Klaus's sister," Stefan replied, his tone calmed. "What do you have against her?"

"Other than the fact that she is an Original?" Damon asked.

"Is that a problem?" I interrupted and Damon froze for a second.

"You're Klaus's sister?" he asked again and Stefan rolled his eyes, getting up from the sofa. He poured himself a drink as he watched his brother trying to comprehend Talia's status.

"Don't I give the same psychotic aura as Nik?" I asked, the corner of my lips curled into a playful smile. Even with the little joke, the dark haired Salvatore brother remained wary.

"How can we trust you?" Damon asked.

"We can trust her," Stefan said, handing me a drink.

"Why? Because she fucked you good?" Damon asked and I had to look away to hide my chortles.

"Well my brother kissed my ex-girlfriend, I think I'm allowed to sleep with someone else," Stefan snapped.

"Aren't you done yet?" Damon asked and they looked like they were going to go at it again. I rolled my eyes, taking the role of the peacemaker for the two brothers.

"You texted me of an urgent matter. Your bickering is not on the list," I said to Stefan and suddenly his demeanour changed. He looked at Damon almost in glee, crossing his arms.

"Tell her what you did," he said to Damon, unable to suppress his grin.

"Why? So she can kill me?" Damon asked and his brother just smiled.

"What?" I asked and Damon looked at Stefan warningly.

"Klaus has the coffins now, including Kol's," Stefan said gently and I took a deep breath at the news.

"We do have the locked one. And it looked like Klaus wanted that one more," Damon said. His tone suggested that he thought I'd be pleased with him. What happened next was too fast for the two brothers to comprehend. Damon flew against the wall with a harsh kick at his stomach and I vamp sped to pick up their mahogany coffee table, effectively throwing it at him before he could dodge it.

"I do not care about the bloody sealed coffin!" I said to the injured Damon, as I picked up the leg stand that had broken over. "I only care for one, and that is my twin's coffin which is now in the possession of Nik." I lifted Damon's chin with the table leg and he gulped as he looked at me. His blue eyes darted to his brother who had only watched the encounter.

"Because of you," I finished, and was about to impale him when he pulled out a dagger. Upon seeing the silver dagger, I slammed his hand with the table leg, breaking his bone and sending the dagger flying away from him. I picked him up by his collar, fuming with anger. "Did Nik give you that to dagger me?" I hissed. I glanced at Stefan who held up his hand, looking just as surprised as I did.

"That's-Elijah…" Damon choked out and I released him with a thud.

"You undaggered Elijah?" I asked him softly. Damon scrambled to his feet, finding balance and space from me.

"Yes, I-"

"You undaggered Elijah?" I yelled about to lunge for another attack when Stefan came and stopped me.

"You did what?" he asked his brother in disbelief.

"It seemed like a smart move at that time. Klaus betrayed Elijah, he will want revenge-"

"And you think he would form an alliance with you? Against Nik?" I asked, trying to remain calm. I laughed at the thought of Elijah betraying Nik. "The only thing you did was giving Klaus a powerful ally."

"We have you don't we?" Damon asked unsurely and I laughed. It's amazing how he has met Elijah and Nik and was still breathing because he had only annoyed every single nerve in my body. I grabbed Damon's neck in a second, tightening my grip and crushing his windpipe, sending him to his knees.

"You do not have me, you filthy, wimp of a vampire," I hissed. "I have you as my bloody lapdog to do whatever I say." He let out a grunt and I scoffed. "Scratch that. I do not need you so give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip your inside out and fed it to you?" When he didn't answer, I plunged my hand into his stomach, simply grabbing whatever it is that I could, causing him to double over in pain.

"Stef-"

"Sorry brother, couldn't think of one," Stefan replied casually, sipping on his drink, making me chuckled.

"Stefan darling," I called. "Tell me, do I want to spare him?" I asked. Perhaps it was the first time I saw Damon's eyes up close. It is a pretty shade of blue, especially when it is filled with terror.

"Whatever you wish, Talia," Stefan replied and I found myself forming a smile. I released Damon and walked away to pour myself another drink. He coughed hard as he propped himself up, eyes still cautious as he watched me.

"Let me tell you one secret," I said, sipping the scotch and sighed. "Among us Mikaelsons, you do not have to fear Elijah, Nik or even my father. It's me; I'm your worst nightmare and love, you haven't even met my other half," I said before finishing the drink. "Goodnight darling," I said, throwing one last smirk at the terrified Damon Salvatore.

"We can't turn Kol," Talia said softly. "It will change us."

"Nothing can change us. We will still have each other," Kol said, sitting next to her.

"It didn't work like it's supposed to," she said. "I can see it in father."

"I know," Kol admitted. "But we don't have another choice."

"Other than death," she finished. She looked at her twin and sighed. "I don't know what's worse."

"I do," he said, finding his hand reaching to her face. "Life without you. That's so much worse than this fate mother's placed upon us." Talia's brown eyes saddened, as she held Kol's hand.

"I'm afraid of what it'll do to us," she said, finding herself leaning to her twin. "Swear to me that you will never leave me," she pleaded, her forehead rested against his.

"Talia Mikaeldottir; my heart and soul, I swear to the Mighty Odin that I shall never leave you."

"And even death shall not separate us," Talia said, before gently pressing her lips against his.

I heard a knock on the door and rolled my eyes as I smell a whiff of Stefan's perfume.

"Come in," I said lazily. He opened the door and closed it, before leaning against it. "What? I thought you wanted to punch Damon for kissing your girlfriend?" I asked and he laughed.

"I was going to thank you for beating his ass," he said and I smiled a little.

"Come," I said, patting the bed next to me and Stefan lazily plopped down, before letting out a sigh.

"Being a villain is tiresome huh?" I asked and Stefan narrowed his eyes at me. "You can pretend all you want, who am I to judge," I said and he rolled over.

"Must be nice, to not have anyone to please. You can just be yourself," he said. I noticed how something is bothering him, and I couldn't guess what it was.

"Who are you trying to please, Stefan? A girl not worthy of your time?" I asked him, brushing his hair to the side and he looked up at me, almost like a child in admiration.

"Why don't you just leave this town? All I see is a selfish girl too afraid to lose both men."

"I can see that too actually, but…I don't know," he admitted before sighing.

"I remember you during your ripper era. So carefree and unburdened."

"Yeah, I can't go killing a whole town these days. Might gotten viral or something," he joked. I laughed a little.

"Damon will see Elijah tomorrow."

"Is your brother asking my permission?" I asked and he chuckled.

"What do you think?"

"Knowing Elijah, he will ask for a parlay. And trust me, you two will gain nothing."

"Unless we manage to open the sealed coffin," he said. I looked at him, torn.

"Stefan," I sighed. "There's a reason I don't want the coffin opened. We don't know what will happen."

"What do you mean?" he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"That weapon you called, it might go your way or it might blow up in your face," I said.

"I'm willing to risk everything, Talia. Klaus destroyed my life," he said with such certainty that I smiled.

"Then perhaps it's time I follow your footsteps," I told him, stroking his cheek gently. "Tomorrow, we'll risk everything."

"I promised you, Talia. It will be okay," Kol said as he stroked her cheek gently. Talia nodded slowly and with that, she followed her twin brother into their home. Everything was quiet as they walked into the backdoor.

"Father," Kol greeted Mikael who was sitting at the dining table.

"You've returned," he said curtly, standing up.

"I'm sorry," Talia said to her father, her head bowed.

"Hmm." Mikael touched her shoulder gently, a sign that her apology was accepted, before leaving the Mikaelson twins by themselves. They noticed Mera was sitting still and they approached her. She didn't seem to mind at all as Kol pulled out her wrist and create a cut on it. The sweet, mouthwatering scent filled the air once again and Talia took a sharp intake of breath.

Gently, she brought Mera's bleeding wrist to her mouth as Kol sliced her other wrist. He nodded at her, and they drank the blood together, intimately.

She felt her fate sealed as she felt the blood flowed down her throat. She could feel the Nature's anger towards them. And yet, she continued drinking, knowing her soulmate will be right by her side, forever.