Gods & Monsters ✧ Elijah Mikaelson

XL ✧ I Love You, Goodbye

Chapter Fourty

Briefly, Avarice remembered an old spell she had once learned. It was one that had been engrained her mind, but that she had forgotten. It was a spell that would allow one reaper to give their power to another, and other reaper would be able to stay in the human world for a longer amount of time. Her mind flashed to Elijah, and then she decided that that moment was not the time to contemplate. She had priorities.

Avarice had gone through the portal before Ajal or Robert could stop her. She had forced two injection needles to materialize in her hand, and she called out to tell them to look after the Mikaelson's while she was gone.

She didn't even bother knocking on Hayley's door, and instead burst into the house and bolted upstairs. Hayley obviously knew it was her, since she called after her.

"Avarice!" she said in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Avarice didn't reply, and instead went into the attic. She shut the door and then went over to the two coffins she needed.

She jabbed the needle into her wrist, clenching her teeth ever so slightly. The needle was large, but she had been too desperate to be meticulous. Avarice pulled out a full syringe of her own blood, then leaned down to look at Kol.

The bite was just as bad as it had been every other time she had seen it. Dark and infected, it was horrifying.

She pushed the needle into the spot just above the bite on his neck, then pushed the blood into Kol's system.

She waited a few moments, and it was a long time before she saw any change. Then the bite began to lighten, then it turned white, then it was covered with a thin layer of skin, and then it was gone entirely.

Avarice almost wanted to cry. Not just because she had finally found the cures to save the people that she cared about, but also because it meant that she may never see them again.

She turned over to Elijah, and took his arm into her hand. She took the other needle and withdrew more blood from her own arm, then transferred it into his. As with Kol, his bite healed within minutes.

Avarice stood to her feet, taking one deep breath before putting her hands out.

It was time to wake up the Mikaelson's.

*

Avarice came back through the portal, and was met with Klaus, Kol, Freya, and Rebekah.

"Robert told us to stay here, but Elijah wouldn't come in with us," Klaus said with wide eyes and a thoroughly concerned look. "He refus-"

He cut himself off when he saw Avarice's tear-filled eyes. All of them were confused, and Rebekah looked like she was about to ask what was wrong, when Avarice suddenly reached out and took Klaus' wrist.

"It's time for you to go back," she said, keeping her voice as cold and emotionless as she could. Even so, it shook, and she knew that they were aware of how hard it was for her.

With one single burst of darkness sweeping around them, the Mikaelson's were gone. At least, all but one.

Robert came running into the study, panting and with sweat covering his body. He didn't have any blood on him, but it looked like he had gotten into a fight. His right cheekbone was bruised and so were his knuckles.

"We're trying to keep them back, but it's harder than we thought," he wheezed.

"Them?"

"The reapers. They're here, and they want in."

"Where is Elijah?!"

"With Ajal. I tried to get him to-"

"I know," she replied, then left the room.

She knew that they were at the front entrance, just from the sounds coming from near the outside of the castle. She saw Elijah leaning with his back against the doors, trying to hold them tightly as the reapers attempted to break in. Since Avarice had the wards up, the reapers could not use their magic to force their way into the castle. But once they were inside, they were home free. They could do anything they wanted.

Right as the hinges broke, Avarice got to Elijah, pulled him to her, and kissed him. Her power surged, and when she pulled away, they were in the cave.

His eyes were wide with desperation, and she knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"Do not worry, your family is all right. They're safe now."

"Where are they?" he asked, but from the look in his eyes, she suspected that he already knew the answer.

She just gave him a soft smile as her eyes filled with even more tears than before. These ones spilled over, and his hands were quickly on her cheeks as he wiped them away.

"You must leave now, Elijah. It's time."

It was clear that he was conflicted. He wanted to go to his family, but he did not want her to leave.

Even so, it was clear to her that his family meant the world to him. She would never consider herself above them. He would always protect them, and that was the way it was supposed to be. After all... Always and Forever was not something that they could just back away from.

Being near her was dangerous, and they both knew it. The only difference was that Avarice had accepted it. Elijah had not.

"No," he growled. "No. Not now. Not so soon."

"You must. Your niece needs you," she assured him. "She needs her uncle."

"And I need you," he argued.

She gave him the softest of smiles, and more tears fell.

"I love you, Elijah Mikaelson. I always will," she whispered.

She kissed him with fervour, knowing it would be the last time she ever did. He refused to respond for a moment, as if he refused to believe that this was the final time, but then he decided to savour it.

Before he could pull away, she used her power, and heat swept around both of them. She felt his touch fade, and when she opened her eyes, he was gone.

She let a few more tears fall, but then those tears were replaced with rage.

She had killed before. And that night, she would do it again.

This time, she would not regret it.