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AN: I made changes to characters, events, and hinted at timeline changes. If there is something unclear let me know.
Precautions Once Hated and a Rescue
“Hello, Love. How did your sleuthing go?” Nik, expecting my call, picks up immediately. As always, his voice gets a secret smile from me. His tone is casual but not happy as always when I am not putting myself in danger ‘needlessly.’
“Nothing Sherlock Holmes couldn’t handle. We got the information we needed and an invitation inside easily enough. Now that we can get in, phase two is tomorrow. I am sneaking in with Elena while everyone is at lunch at noon.”
“I am glad you at least have someone with you even if I prefer it were of my inner circle, if not myself.”
“I will be careful, and you will know the minute I am back safe in my dorm.” Sensing his irritation at his less-than-active roll, I change the subject. “Are the passwords truly necessary Nik?”
“Since you insist on investigating secret organizations, and staying near the people you continually get kidnapped for, then yes, it is entirely necessary. Certain safety precautions keep me from worrying myself into more drastic measures you would like less.” There is a clear ominous edge to his tone that emphasizes his words. His care warms me as effectively as it guilts me into more caution.
“When you put it like that, I love safety passwords.” I smile in victory as amusement starts to overpower the worry in his voice.
“Then you’ll be happy to mention craving beignets tomorrow at three. Any later or a missing password and I will be onboard a flight.” He declares matter of fact.
“They ran out before you got there again?” I tease.
“I go there every morning. You would think I could convince them to save me one in reserve by now.” He complains childishly, making me laugh. While internally basking in the, for him, incredible level of trust he shows just letting me see this human side of him.
“When I join you, I’ll see what I can do about getting that set up.” I promise, happy at our playful interaction.
“If anyone can convince those stuffed shirts, it’s my queen.” The pride in his voice warms my cheeks with a blush only he is capable of getting anymore.
“Speaking of, how is the progress on making New Orleans safe for your queen?” I ask only somewhat masking my excitement.
“The witches still delude themselves that I believe their lie. I haven’t figured out what it is they want in enough detail to act yet.”
“I still say I could be of use with the witches.” I protest once again.
“I do not underestimate you, but you are not as indestructible as me and I am not willing to risk you. No matter how much I know you can help, I won’t budge until you have more training to defend yourself.”
I huff in exasperation even as I understand his point. I need someone more capable to train me than Stephan before I can expect him to trust my preparedness. “I did talk to Bonnie; she found some things subtly without mentioning me. You need to find your mother's body in the New Orleans cemetery and burn it, moving the ashes far from New Orleans. She is influencing the ancestors there for her own cataclysmic ends. Without her, things should resolve themselves.”
“Of course. My mother cannot just stay dead she has to cause chaos. Thank you love, you have my back from wherever you are. I will handle it and have you by my side shortly.” The resentment for his mother fades to tender longing as he realizes how close we are to being together again.
“I can’t wait. I’ve got to go or I’ll be late to class. I’ll talk to you tomorrow at three if not sooner.”
“Be careful, Love.”
“Always, you too.”
*********************
I woke up to an, unfortunately, familiar sight. Once again, in a cage. This one built into the wall, sturdy enough to give a feeling that this group is more experienced with torture and kidnapping than I’ve seen before. Sitting up to get a better look at my surroundings I notice an adjoining cell. Its occupant must have heard my moving because a man's voice fills the silence just then, “Welcome to Augustine. How did you get so unlucky as to join me?”
With a humorless chuckle I respond. “There were mysterious deaths and suspicious professors; I got caught investigating.” I keep the details short hoping anyone watching will think I’m the only vampire to find. “I’m Caroline by the way. You are?”
“Enzo St. John at your service. You seem all too familiar with being caged, darling.” He says with a suggestive tone.
“One I am not your anything, much less darling. Two I resent the implication you dirty pig. Three to answer your question I tend to be the one captured for leverage. Four, I have not been failed yet; someone will come for me.” She spits with the same venom she regularly uses on Damon.
In a bored but still mocking tone he replies in the same suit. “One, I am British, it’s a form of address not a come on. Two, I have been in this cell for sixty-seven years, you’ll forgive me if I take the rare opportunity to flirt with a gorgeous woman. Three I would love to know how a gorgeous thing like you got relegated to leverage. Four, I repeat, sixty-seven years. Unless your friend is the supernatural Sam Langford, you are not getting out of here. Clearly, you’re a baby vamp if you're going to college with friends. If you think your friends will try something Augustine isn’t prepared for with any chance of success, you are delusional.”
Maybe it’s the lack of history. Maybe it’s the shared accent with a certain hybrid phone buddy of mine. Either way, Enzo’s reply has a playful lilt to it that calms my ire instead of infuriating me like Damon does.
“That’s fair enough. Sorry I jumped on you. But for the record I know people much older than me.” I replied, now mollified, confidence easily enters my tone.
“Forgiven. I can't imagine it’s hard to find someone older than yourself.”
“Well, what would you call old then?”
“I would set the old benchmark at 500 personally.”
“I know someone who can beat that and will definitely miss my phone call.”
The responding vengeful laugh echos against the stone. “I can’t wait to see Augustine try to handle that.” Caroline smiles at him in dark agreement. After all, she’s not the saint her friends want to see her as. No matter how hard she tried to be for a time. “Though now I can't decide whether your nickname should be Spitfire or Gorgeous.” The friendly tone has me letting my guard down a bit more as I laugh in response. “Oh, with that laugh, it’s definitely Gorgeous.”
“Considering our soon to be rescuer, you might wanna go spitfire instead.” I respond with amusement and anticipation. I briefly wonder if he’ll follow advice or purposefully stir the pot before changing the subject. “Who is Sam Langford?” I ask, curiosity evident.
“He was the most formidable fighter in his day. They called him the ‘Boston Terror.’ No circumstance was too big for him to win a fight. Outmatched by weight or experience, and in his later years even blind enough to only see shadows in one eye, he would win. He won it all; long, middle, and short distance. He was a heavy hitter no matter what division they put him in. When he was fighting blind in the 20s the heavyweight champions’ manager didn’t want them to fight because Langford was too tough.” His enthusiasm rang through the years since he’d seen it.
“That’s incredible. You must have spent a lot of time watching fights; clearly you have a passion for it.”
“Of course, not only great entertainment back then, but an excellent way to get a bite without much risk.”
“Makes sense. Someone goes home a little dizzy or bruised and no one asks any questions.”
“Also, you can find someone that won’t be missed.” I can’t help but glare at that idea but let it go for the moment.
Before we can find another topic a white coated doctor with a clipboard comes in. “It’s time to introduce our new subject to what we do here.” He announces as he fiddles with the lock.
Enzo pipes up then. “What I'm not enough for you anymore? Leave the girl alone.”
“No, I think it's time to add to our data with another subject. It's been too long since we've had two.”
“So female vampires don't get the same respect as women of your own kind? Where do you draw the line?”
“The demons don't get respect, no matter their gender. She's coming with me." He then forcefully pulls me out of the cell to a backroom complete with medical tools, machines, and a metal table with restraints. I fight back and surprise him with the level of resistance I'm capable of with vervain in my system, if his raised eyebrows are any indication. Nevertheless, he's able to restrain me to the table and start a recording.
“Subject 2108 remains capable of some resistance despite a syringe full of vervain in her system. Reason undetermined.” This ominous beginning proves to be minor compared to what follows. I never imagined knives doing the things he makes them do. I thought I had experienced torture but it’s nothing compared to this. Despite this I refuse to break. I surprise myself with my dark laughter. At his confused response I tell him the joke.
“You have no idea you’ve just signed your life away.”
“No one will find us; and we have dealt with wanna be saviors before. Believe me when I say you will be stuck with us for a long time.”
With my most vicious glare I challenge right back. “We’ll see who is right in the end.” Completely unconcerned he continues his torture.
When I’m returned to my cell, grotesquely deformed from the experiments, I can’t hold back the question any longer. “What time is it?” I croak out.
The doctor looks at me curiously, seeming to debate answering. Decision made; with a subconscious shrug he replies. “Five o’clock.”
With glee laced menacingly with pain my voice sends visible shivers down the doctor's spine. “You have less than a half hour left to live.”
Visibly bolstering himself, he attempts nonchalance in his response. “I doubt you could take down anything. No one is coming.” With the slam of the cage door, he stalks back to what seems to be his office, presumably, to take notes on my torture. I feel a malicious smirk creep over my face as I picture what will happen to this man once Nik gets here. When the door closes on the target of bloodthirsty plans I turn to see understanding on Enzo’s face.
“You set up check ins.” He voices his discovery with anticipation. My answer is clear in the deceptively disarming smile twisting my lips.
“Smart girl.” He practically purrs in joy. With that, we are both lost in our own merciless daydreams until the sound of ripping bodies and wet thumps reach our enhanced ears from upstairs. Screams soon join the deadly chorus but are quickly silenced. Two minutes later there is a blood soaked hybrid standing at the door, hybrid features and snarl in place. Then he sees me. His eyes lock onto my injuries as his expression, impossibly, darkens further. He is tearing the door off my cage while an incensed growl rips from his chest.
“Enzo too please.” I request before he can reach me. When he hesitates, I decide to add incentive. “He tried to get the freak to take him instead.” That’s all it takes for him to quickly repeat the process before returning to me. Rage coming from a protective instinct always burns brighter in my warrior than for any other reason. Despite the unmatched fury, his hand is gentle as he cups my face. At the touch my body sags with relief, a feeling of safety overtaking me. I let myself sink into him for a moment before telling him what he needs to know. “Our torturer is in the office behind you.”
He looks torn for the briefest moment before, decision made, he yells, “Kol!” Immediately a blood soaked Kol enters with his equally blood soaked bat. “There’s one for our dungeons in the office there.” He jerks his head to indicate the right door. The malevolent smile he gets in response is pure Kol before he struts to the back room exuding powerful confidence.
Nik arranges me between his legs before pulling up his sleeve and offering me his wrist. “Drink love, it will help you heal faster.” Without argument I bite down, a moan escaping me at his taste. His lips fall into a familiar smirk against my hair at the sound. By the time he’s satisfied, Kol is walking out with the doctor thrown like a flour sack over his shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here darling.” Nik, silently agreeing, picks me up bridal style.
As we’re leaving Enzo adds more information. “You should burn this place and make sure there aren't any records in other buildings. Otherwise, they’ll pick up where they left off.” It doesn’t take long for there to be agreement.
“Kol, why don’t you go look through the records and see what you can find. I’ll get Caroline settled and check in with you.” Unusually and telling of the seriousness, Kol agrees easily with just a nod before leaving. Nik tucks me closer to his chest before I feel air whip by us as he rushes me to a house I didn’t know they had. He wastes no time setting me on the couch and getting me a blood bag. When he returns, he slides under me, propping my head on his lap.
The look in his eyes holds the kind of devotion I never thought someone would have for me. He tucks my hair behind my ear. “Thank you, for coming for me.” So much more than appreciation finds its way into my tone. This man has never let me down. He might be everyone else's monster, but he'll only ever be my love. Now that I’ve seen behind the front he and his family put on, and gotten to know them, I will always be on their side. I could never go back to not knowing these messy and beautiful people.
“I will always come for you.” My breath catches at the openness on his face that is so rare for him. The relief overpowers the lingering anger in his expression. More overwhelming than either is the all-consuming, devoted, love I never imagined would be aimed at me. “Rest love, you’re safe. You must be exhausted.” I nod with a soft smile before cuddling deeper into him. Falling asleep faster than I thought possible, safe in his arms.