Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 22

"This is your fucking backup plan?"

Hilda came down, arms crossed, glaring as Francesca Correa walked into the room with five men behind her.

"You can't seriously mean her!" snapped Hayley. "She's a gangster!"

Klaus was indifferent. "I see her more as a means of procuring rare items at short notice." He faced Francesca. "Greetings, Ms. Correa! I see you've brought company."

Francesca gestured toward the men behind her. "These are my brothers. I always include them in delicate business matters." She turned to face her siblings. "Fellas, meet Mr. Mikaelson."

The men nodded, and Klaus smiled slyly. "Please, call me Klaus. All my friends do."

"I don't know if I'd call us friends," said Francesca. She reached into one the briefcase one of her brothers was holding and pulled out a small black drawstring bag. "But, if you and Marcel are planning on having a little throw-down, I'd prefer my family to be on the same side as the inevitable victor."

The hybrid raised his eyebrows. "Then, you have what I asked for?"

She held out the bag to him. "Not enough for an army at such short notice, but it's a start."

Elijah made a face. "Strange, I wasn't aware that she was familiar with our plan."

Francesca faced him with beady eyes. "My price for doing business is full disclosure. Your brother complied."

Hilda moved forward. "Let me ask you this, Frannie," she said, which made the woman in front of her twitch as if the nickname made her angry. "What the hell does the Human Faction stand to gain from this? Why would you even think to help us?"

"I only want us to solidify out allegiance to the ruling class," said Francesca, glaring back at her. "It's good for business."

Klaus looked inside of the bag and examined the kyanite stones. "If only everyone shared your capacity for reason."

"Sadly, they don't," replied Francesca. "Marcel is being especially vindictive. I'm worried he might come after me, or my family, just for meeting with you." She drew a deep breath. "It might be in our best interests if we combine our efforts."

Klaus was satisfied with this. "So be it! The more bodies we have to defend the compound, the better. Let's get started, shall we?" He handed the bag of stones to Hilda. "Follow me, sister, Genevieve is awaiting us."

Hilda shot Francesca a suspicious look before following after her brother to the room Genevieve was in, examining the spell from Esther's grimoire. "I trust you're ready?" asked the hybrid.

Genevieve sighed. "The last ingredient is personal. As the spell is designed to control transformation, I need the blood of a werewolf who doesn't turn on a full moon. My first thought was Hayley, because of the pregnancy—"

"Out of the question," said Klaus. "I'd just as soon limit the mother of my unborn child to the side-effects of your witchery. I am half-wolf, I control my form— use my blood."

Genevieve raised a knife to cut into his hand as he stretched it out for her, but before she could, he used his other arm to grab her roughly. "If you fail to hold up your end of the deal, the consequences for you will be apocalyptic. And as you may have already guessed, my sister will be supervising you."

Genevieve was obviously nervous at this. "You say the most romantic things," she said weakly before cutting into his palm. Hilda poured the stones onto the circle of salt and herbs that'd been made and let the blood drip over them.