FROSTBITE • mikaelson mate

chapter twenty four: the sacrifice

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
the sacrifice

I awoke to a sharp pain on my cheek. I gasped, my eyes opening just in time to see a man raise his hand and slap me once more. I audibly whimpered, ducking my head in an attempt to cower away from him. I expected more pain, braced myself for it, but it never came.

"Oh good, you're awake." The man mused and I looked up at him, my body trembling, "Not so feisty now, are you?"

I didn't respond as I furiously tugged at the rope tying my hands behind my back. I was getting major déjà vu but this time I was sitting on the ground instead of a chair. I took in my surroundings. It was dark, so dark that I could only just identify the man in front of me. Damon Salvatore.

"W-what do you w-want from me?" I stammered, hating how helpless I felt.

"Katherine told me about you when I slipped her some vervain." Damon explained, "Said you're involved somehow with the Originals."

"W-what?" I asked, fear overtaking logic. I didn't understand much of what Damon was saying.

He let out an exasperated sigh, "You're not very smart, are you? For someone who seems to have ensnared the Originals, I thought you'd be more intelligent. I guess all you had to do was spread your legs for them."

I flinched at his words, shuffling backwards until my back hit a stone wall. In the back of my mind I registered that I must be in a cellar of some sort.

"P-p-please let me go!" I begged him, tears staining my cheeks, "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"Don't worry, I will let you go." Damon cooed insincerely as he bent down and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, "I'll let you go as soon as your evil boyfriend lets Elena go."

"I have nothing to do with this." I whispered, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"You're collateral damage, Sweetheart." Damon said as he stood once more, "Unfortunately for you, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to prevent Elena being sacrificed in some creepy ritual."

"I'm so sorry, Damon." I said, my body trembling, "Elena doesn't deserve this. I wish I could stop it from happening."

"Well, lucky for me, you can." He said, "I have other plans in place but if all else fails, let's hope for both our sakes that Klaus values your life over breaking the curse."

Damon left the cellar, pulling an old cage-like door behind him and locking it with a chain. I waited until long after he left before I sprung into action. With adrenaline and a desperate need to get to safely, I got up and ran to the door as fast as I could with rope binding my hands behind my back.

My eyes frantically scanned the metal door until they landed on a particularly rusted part of it. The rust had caused parts of the metal to fall away and cause a sharp point. Trying to keep my breathing steady, I turned around and began to rub the rope against it.

I didn't know if it was working or not but I continued for what felt like hours until finally the rope broke. Hope rippled through me as I looked down at my unbound hands for a moment before focusing my attention on the door. I had no idea how to get through it. I repeatedly pushed at it in vain but nothing happened.

I paced the cellar, my mind reeling. There was only one option that I could think of and it was risky. When my vision began to blur in the beginning of a panic attack, I knew I had to do it.

I screamed.

I screamed until my voice was hoarse and I collapsed on the ground as the panic attack overtook me. I don't know how long the panic enveloped me, causing my world to go dark. It could have been one minute or one hour but when I finally stood up on clumsy feet, the door was open.

I didn't think twice before I ran out of the cellar, up a set of rickety stairs and into a forest. I looked around for any sign of the person who let me out but the forest was empty. I needed to get out of here and find my mates, so I did what I do best, I ran.

***

Hours had passed and I still couldn't seem to escape this damn forest. I had long ago ceased my running, my body too exhausted to keep up the pace. Collapsing against a tree, my eyelids fluttered closed. I was so exhausted and all I wanted was to be safe. I would have cried if I had any tears left.

I felt something soft against my leg and my eyes flew open to see a wolf in front of me. I knew I should be scared but I was too tired to give a damn. The wolf nuzzled against me, whining as it saw my injuries and began to lick at them. I heard a twig snap and my gaze snapped up to see Elijah and Henrik. The wolf immediately began growling at them.

"Don't worry, they won't hurt me." I found myself weakly telling the wolf as I ran a hand down its back.

Elijah held his hands in the air as the wolf continued to growl, "We are not going to hurt her, Klaus. We want to help her."

"Klaus." I whispered with realisation. The wolf turned to look at me and I attempted to smile but I was in pain and felt like I couldn't no longer move a muscle. "You're beautiful."

I seem to have distracted Klaus long enough for Elijah to appear at my side using his vampire speed whilst Henrik waited, a look of helplessness on his face.

"What are you doing here? What happened?" Elijah asked me urgently as he scanned my body.

"Damon happened." I said groggily, my eyes falling shut.

"Bloody Salvatore's" I heard Henrik curse.

"Drink." I heard Elijah tell me as I felt liquid on my tongue. Too weak to argue, I did as he said, noting that it tasted sublime.

I felt something lift me into their arms and I nuzzled into their chest, finally feeling safe enough to let my guard down. But as I drifted off, one thought continued to plague my mind.

How on earth did that door open?

A/N: Hello everyone, sorry for not updating sooner but this chapter was an absolutely bitch to write. Hopefully I'll now be able to update more frequently.

Does anyone have any theories? 👀

Originally published: March 23rd 2024