Devil ♡Elijah Mikaelson♡ [2]

Chapter 18: Devil's Secret

Hayley, Coney, and Jackson are walking down the streets of the French Quarter as Hayley pushes Hope in a stroller. The three talk to each other as they pass locals and tourists milling around the street, along with street musicians who are playing various instruments. Hope coos at Coney, who giggles and tickles the little girl.

"Well, Mrs. Marshall-Kenner, Mrs. Mikaelson, now that you've got a real local to show you around the Quarter, what would you like to see first?" Jackson a

"Oh, Mr. Kenner, I'd ask to see your old haunts, but we do have an impressionable young lady with us," Hayley says and Coney laughs. Coney tickles Hope again, and she giggles. They come upon a violinist on the sidewalk who is playing an upbeat tune, and so they stop to listen.

"Whoaaaaa!" Coney says to Hope. The violinist continues playing the tune a little longer before smiling and dramatically ending the song. Hayley smiles back at the woman and drops some money into her violin case before speaking to her. "Thanks!"As Hayley, Jackson, Coney, and Hope walk away, the violinist starts playing a much slower tune, a tune that was all too familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she heard it before. Coney pauses, looking unnerved as she looks over at the violinist, who is staring at them, and Jackson and Hayley look at Coney in concern. "That song. I know it. What is it?" Coney asks. They look back at the violinist again, who is still staring at them creepily, and Coney, alarmed, quickly turns back around and starts walking, Jackson and Hayley following her quickly. As they head down the street, Coney starts scanning their surroundings and sees a waiter writing a message onto the chalkboard outside of a restaurant that reads, 'A promise made is a debt to be paid'. Coney becomes even more alarmed, but tries her best to play it cool in case someone else is watching, though her breathing had sped up significantly. Suddenly, they're stopped by a man holding a large, long-stemmed red and black flower in his hand.

"Flowers, miss," The man says and he holds it out to Hope. "A gift for the child."

Hayley senses Coney's alarm and steps in so she doesn't have to. "Uh, no, we're alright. Thank you!" Hayley says.

"You sure?" the man asks. Hayley looks at the man suspiciously as he holds up the flower and smiles creepily, while Coney is trying her best to get her breathing back to normal. She hadn't had a panic attack in quite some time, and she didn't want to have one now. "Black dahlias are in bloom. They're quite lovely." Coney, now fully afraid, starts to walk past him, but the man grabs her tightly by the arm as both of his eyes turn pure white. Out of nowhere, Klaus appears and shoves the man against a light post as he puts him in a choke-hold. Coney's breathing speeds up to full force, and she has a full blown panic attack.

"Show yourself, witch," Klaus growls.

Suddenly, Jackson is overwhelmed by an unknown force as the flower salesman's eyes return to normal. After a moment, Jackson's eyes become pure white, indicating that he's being temporarily possessed by Dahlia. "Klaus!" Hayley yells.

Klaus turns to find Jackson standing straight in front of them, and Jackson says, "I am here. I am everywhere. And I intend to take what is mine."

Klaus scowls at him, while Hayley and Coney look terrified. "It's her," Klaus states.

Jackson groans as Dahlia leaves his body, and he looks completely confused when he sees Hayley and Klaus staring at him in shock and fear, and he asks, "Hey, what just happened?"

Klaus sighs and says simply, "Dahlia."

%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Hayley, Rebekah, Klaus, Freya, Coney, and Elijah are convening in the dining room to discuss what has just occurred. "Isn't that the point of a fortress? It does a better job of protecting you when you stay within its walls?" Klaus asks, displeased.