(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Meanwhile, deep within the shadowed woods of Forks, the forest was drenched in mist.
The moonlight pierced through the towering pines in faint silver streaks, painting the moss-covered rocks with a ghostly hue.
The four Volturi envoys sat upon a large boulder, their dark cloaks draped like liquid night over the stone.
Felix cracked his knuckles impatiently,
His deep voice breaking the silence.
"I don't understand why Aro is so concerned about this flaming monster,"
He grumbled.
"It killed two of ours, yes—but they were guards, not masters. We could have wiped out the Cullens long ago and been done with this charade."
Demetri, seated beside him, gave a low sigh, resting his chin on his hand.
Sigh~
"You think I don't agree? The Cullens' so-called vegetarian morals insult everything we stand for. But Aro insists caution. He says this creature—is very dangerous to us."
Corin, her crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark, scoffed.
"Dangerous? Please. Everything that bleeds can burn or die. If it has a soul, it can be consumed. If it has none—well, that's even easier."
Santiago, who had been silent, finally spoke, his tone thoughtful.
"You didn't hear the way those survivors described it. They said fire didn't consume it—it was the fire. One of them swore its flames burned their sins into their minds before they died. He went mad before we even calmed him down."
A faint breeze rustled through the forest, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Felix spat to the side, his frustration growing.
Spit~
"And yet Aro hides behind words like 'observe' and 'investigate.' We are the Volturi! We rule by fear, not by waiting."
Demetri looked toward the distant lights of Forks, his expression unreadable.
"Perhaps Aro fears what even he can't control. That flaming demon might not care about our laws, our bloodlines, or our power. If it truly judges sins as those witnesses claimed…"
—he paused, glancing at the others—
"then none of us are safe."
The group fell silent.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Even Felix's usual arrogance dimmed under the weight of that thought.
After a long pause, Corin hissed softly,
"Then maybe we should find it first—before it finds us."
New Orleans...
After a long stretch of road and silence broken only by the low hum of the car engine,
Jojo and the others finally rolled into New Orleans.
The night air shimmered with humidity,
The streets alive with jazz spilling from dimly lit bars and the occasional chatter of late-night wanderers.
Freya was at the wheel,
Her eyes fixed on the road as city lights reflected off the windshield.
Hope was half-asleep in the back seat,
Her head resting on Lizzie's shoulder,
While Joshi scrolled idly through her phone.
Inadu sat by the window,
Watching the glowing skyline with her usual cold, unreadable expression.
"____"
Jojo leaned back in the passenger seat, phone pressed to his ear.
Rosalie's calm, honeyed voice came through first.
"They came to Forks yesterday—the Volturi. Four of them. Carlisle handled it well, but they were asking too many questions about you."
Jojo exhaled through his nose,
Rubbing the bridge of it.
"Let me guess—they're scared because of the flaming demon rumor?"
Alice's voice chimed in next, light but wary.
"Exactly. They just can't prove we were associated with you. But they're not convinced either—they're watching."
Jojo's lips curved into a faint smirk.
Smirk~
"Let them. As long as they stay in Italy and out of my way, we won't have a problem. The moment they poke their crooked noses into my business, though…"
His tone darkened, voice dropping low like distant thunder.
"…they'll wish they burned in hell rather than cross me."
There was a short pause on the line before Rosalie spoke again,
"____"
Her tone slightly teasing but with an undertone of warning.
"You really don't scare easily, do you, Jojo?"
Jojo's grin widened.
"I've seen different kind of hells. I walk beside it every day."
Freya shot him a side glance from behind the wheel.
"You mean ride beside it."
That earned a low chuckle from Jojo.
Chuckle~
"Touché."
Alice sighed softly through the speaker.
Sigh~
"Anyway, they've left for now. But it's only a matter of time before Aro sends someone smarter—or more suicidal—to find out what really happened."
"Then we'll be waiting,"
Jojo said simply, ending the call.
He slipped the phone back into his coat pocket and looked out the window.
The neon lights of Bourbon Street flickered past—
Red, gold, and blue—
Painting his face in streaks of color.
The car turned toward the French Quarter,
Where the faint toll of a church bell echoed through the humid night.
Mikaelson mansion...
As the car rolled to a stop in front of the Mikaelson mansion in the French Quarter,
The deep hum of the engine faded.
The air smelled faintly of rain, moss, and old stone—
Typical of New Orleans after dark.
Hope was the first to step out,
Her boots clicking against the cobblestone path as she hurried toward the front steps.
She pressed the doorbell, and within seconds, the door creaked open.
RING~
Standing there was Hayley,
Her eyes widening the moment she saw her daughter.
A relieved smile spread across her face as Hope threw her arms around her.
"Mom, I'm home,"
Hope said, her voice tired but warm.
Hayley hugged her tightly,
Her chin resting briefly on her daughter's shoulder.
"Thank God you're safe, Hope."
Behind them, Jojo, Freya, Inadu, Lizzie, and Joshi followed up the steps.
Jojo gave a polite nod as Hayley glanced past Hope and recognized the group.
Nod~
"Come in,"
Hayley said, stepping aside to let them all through.
The moment they entered,
The faint hum of a protection spell tingled through the air—
Freya's handiwork from before, though she felt the threads had been strengthened since she left.
"____"
The mansion's wide hall glowed with warm, golden light.
But underneath the comfort of home was tension—
Something heavy and watchful in the air.
Hope, noticing it, turned to her mother.
"Where's Dad?"
Hayley exhaled, rubbing her palms together.
"He's in the hall—watching over the prisoner."
"Prisoner?"
Inadu asked, her brow arching slightly.
Hayley nodded.
Nod~
"A werewolf named Aponi. Alaric and Damon brought her in two nights ago. She's got ties to Malivore—and maybe to the dragger that were at the school."
At the mention of the name,
Jojo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"____"
"So it begins…"
He muttered, voice low and dangerous.
Freya crossed her arms, frowning.
Frown~
"So just as Jojo predicted they started showing up."
Hayley gave a tired nod.
Nod~
As Jojo and the others entered the hall,
The atmosphere shifted.
Heavy with tension yet strangely calm, like the moment before a storm.
In the center of the room,
Aponi sat bound in enchanted,
Spiked chains that shimmered faintly with runic energy,
Each link burning with containment magic.
Her eyes were cold and calculating,
But the exhaustion on her face betrayed that she'd been here for quite some time.
Across from her,
Lounging comfortably in a high-backed chair with a tumbler of bourbon in hand, was Klaus Mikaelson.
The firelight flickered across his face,
Throwing dancing shadows along his jawline.
"Well, look who's back,"
Klaus drawled, his sharp grin softening into genuine warmth as his gaze fell on Hope.
Rising from his seat,
He set his glass aside and opened his arms.
"My little wolf returns from her adventures."
Hope smiled and stepped into his embrace, resting her head against his chest.
For a brief moment,
The chaos earlier seemed to fade.
Klaus' expression softened completely—
No trace of the hybrid king, only a father filled with pride and relief.
Standing nearby,
Alaric Saltzman rubbed his temple,
"____"
His face contorting with a grimace.
"Yeah, that's… not something you see every day,"
He muttered under his breath.
Klaus shot him a sidelong look, lips curving with amusement.
"Oh, don't look so disturbed, Headmaster. Even devils have hearts when it comes to their daughters."
Alaric gave a sarcastic snort.
Snort~
"Right. Next, you'll tell me you knit scarves for orphans on weekends."
Meanwhile, Damon Salvatore, slouched lazily on the couch with a glass dangling from his fingers, was half-asleep.
"____"
"Mmh, wake me when the family reunion's over,"
He murmured without opening his eyes.
"Or when someone starts bleeding."
Klaus ignored him, his attention returning fully to Hope.
"You're safe—that's all that matters."
But as his eyes shifted to Jojo and the others who followed her in,
The warmth in his expression cooled.
Freya crossed her arms.
"So, this is her?"
She asked, nodding toward Aponi.
Klaus nodded, reclaiming his seat.
Nod~
"Indeed. Our elusive little wolf, who knows far more than she lets on."
Aponi smirked, her tone venomous.
Smirk~
"You're wasting your time. I told you—I don't know where Malivore is."
Jojo took slow, deliberate steps toward Aponi.
Thud. Thud.
His boots echoed faintly against the marble floor,
Each sound sharp enough to draw everyone's attention.
The flickering candlelight danced across his face—
Calm, composed, and unreadable.
Aponi lifted her head, her cold eyes locking on him.
"____"
Even bound, there was defiance in her stare—
A wildness that refused to bow.
Jojo stopped a few feet from her, folding his arms.
His voice was low, measured, but carried a weight that made the air heavy.
"Tell me something, Aponi… is Malivore holding your family hostage?"
The question struck like a blade.
For the first time, her composure faltered.
"____"
Her eyes widened for a split second—
Barely noticeable, but enough for Jojo to catch.
The chains creaked as her body tensed.
Creak~
Klaus' brow arched with interest.
Alaric leaned forward slightly,
His earlier irritation fading into curiosity.
Aponi's lips trembled before she regained her mask of calm.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Jojo's chuckle was soft but carried through the room like the rumble of distant thunder.
Chuckle~
"Oh, I know exactly what I'm talking about."
He took another step closer,
Lowering his voice so only she could hear the next words.
"He promised you freedom, didn't he? Said if you delivered Landon and the Malivore dagger, your family would be spared."
Aponi's eyes darted toward the ground.
The silence that followed was damning.
"____"
Jojo smirked faintly, tilting his head.
Smirk~
"You really thought he'd keep that promise?"
Her jaw tightened.
"He swore it. He said he—"
"—wouldn't lie to you?"
Jojo interrupted, his tone almost pitying.
"Aponi… Malivore is a lie. He doesn't keep bargains. He consumes them."
The words hit her harder than any spell could.
Klaus rose from his chair, intrigued, swirling his drink lazily.
"Go on,"
He murmured.
Jojo's eyes didn't leave Aponi.
His voice darkened, edged with quiet certainty.
"His entire purpose—his reason for existing—is to erase everything supernatural from this world. Vampires, witches, werewolves… even those born from his own curse. He doesn't make allies, Aponi. He makes meals."
The room fell silent.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Even Damon, who had been half-asleep moments ago, opened one eye.
Aponi's breathing quickened.
"You're lying…"
She whispered, shaking her head.
"He—he needs us. He needs me."
Jojo's expression softened—
Not with sympathy,
But with grim truth.
"He needed you alive to fetch him what he wants. Once that's done, he'll erase you like you never existed. That's all he knows how to do."
The chain bindings glowed faintly as Aponi's body trembled,
Her mind fracturing under the weight of realization.
Freya's eyes flicked toward Jojo, her tone quiet but impressed.
"You're breaking her down without touching her."
Jojo glanced back slightly, the faintest ghost of a smirk on his lips.
Smirk~
"Just stating the facts."
A heavy silence lingered after Jojo's words,
"____"
"____"
"____"
The air thick with tension and the faint hum of magic from Aponi's bindings.
Her head hung low, the defiance from before gone—
Replaced by a tired, broken kind of truth.
When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse, trembling,
But steady enough to echo in the quiet hall.
"I… I don't know where Malivore is,"
She said, her eyes fixed on the floor.
"I only remember… the forest. Near the Salvatore Boarding School. I heard his voice—deep, hollow, like it came from everywhere at once. He told me he would bring my family back… if I found the boy and the dagger."
Klaus frowned slightly, lowering his glass.
Even he could sense she wasn't lying.
Jojo stayed still for a few seconds, watching her closely.
His expression softened as his eyes dimly glowed, reading the faint aura of her soul.
After a long pause, he nodded.
Nod~
"She's telling the truth."
Aponi's head lifted slightly,
Confusion flickering across her face.
Jojo crouched down in front of her, his tone calm but resolute.
"I know what it's like to be trapped by something that feeds on fear and desperation. You made a deal because you thought it was your only chance. That doesn't make you a monster."
Aponi blinked, surprised by the lack of judgment in his voice.
He continued, his words carrying quiet conviction.
"If there's a way… I'll find it. I'll find a way to free your family—and anyone else trapped inside Malivore."
Her lips parted slightly, disbelief shadowing her face.
"You… you'd do that? Even after what I've done?"
Jojo stood up, turning his back to her, the firelight catching the faint trace of a smirk on his face.
Smirk~
"Everyone deserves at least one shot at redemption,"
He said, then glanced over his shoulder.
"But if you betray that again… that'll be your last."
Aponi silently nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek—
Nod~
"____"
Not of fear, but of a fragile, unfamiliar emotion: hope.
Klaus leaned back in his chair with a quiet chuckle.
Chuckle
"You really do have a flair for speeches, don't you?"
Jojo ignored him, turning to Freya and Alaric.
"Tighten the security around the school."
Alaric nodded grimly.
Nod~
"The school's already been on edge since the last disturbance."
Freya's eyes glowed faintly with magic.
"If Malivore's voice can reach people in that forest… it means he's closer than we thought."
Jojo's gaze hardened, fire briefly flickering in his eyes.
"Good. Then we'll drag him out of whatever pit he's hiding in."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
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