Aria Claire (The Originals) Book 2

Gonna Set Your Flag On Fire

(The Mikaelson Safe House-Arkansas)

Aria's POV.

As I walk over the grassy field shoe-less towards the safe house with two large hares over my shoulder and my heels in one hand, I notice Klaus's SUV is in the drive-way, Cami must be here. I then use my vamp hearing to listen that the baby is asleep upstairs, and that Klaus, Hayley, Cami and Elijah are all talking in the living area.

I walk straight into the house, and as I lean against the beam of the entrance of the living area Elijah who is at the far window, Hayley who is standing near the coffee table, Cami who is sitting on the sofa and Klaus who is sitting on the single chair all look up at me.

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought my weekly rations home." I tell them with a smile as I think getting out for the night by myself is what I really needed.

"Well, you'll need to drain their blood then burn the leftovers, you can't keep them in the house." Hayley tells me, and I roll my eyes at how dumb she thinks I am.

"I know that, but where's Rebekah? She loves to set things on fire." I ask them confused.

"We haven't found the witch's body she was placed in yet." Klaus explains to me, and I nod my head understanding.

"Well, if you find a witch powerful enough you may just be able to find the body, but if it's cloaked then you will have to search through some of my grimoir's at my apartment to find the uncloaking spell for it." I explain to Klaus.

"Well, I've just entombed our mother, so that is out of the equation." Klaus sighs in defeat before turning to Hayley "I intend to finish making the city safe for Hope. Which, to start, means dealing with the lingering problem of Finn." He tells us, which means me and Cami must stay here for even longer.

"Oh, once he figures out what you've done to your mother, he's gonna go off the deep end." Cami explains.

"That's exactly why we need to keep you out of harm's way. Hayley and I will return home and take care of my wayward brother. Elijah will remain here with you and Aria." Klaus tells Cami, and he looks over at Elijah who looks displeased as he peers out the window "He's been experiencing some side effects since his ordeal as our mother's captive. Best he stay here and convalesce." He smirks at his brother, and Elijah turns and gives Klaus an offended look as he knows what his actions have done.

"A single violent outburst at a filthy road-side café, and one never hears the end of it." Elijah sighs like every vampire has been there.

"Oh, Cami has a way with minds plagued by demons, brother. You two can bond!" Klaus laughs, and I roll my eyes as Cami looks over at Elijah awkwardly, while Elijah simply looks uncomfortable.

I then head over to the back porch before draining the Hares and putting vervain in the water bottles I pour them into.

After Hayley and Klaus leave, I change clothes and begin to sip on vervain mixed with water on the back porch swing as Elijah watches Cami begin to rake through the kitchen cupboards for booze as the baby is still asleep.

"Yahtzee! Ah-ha-ha!" I hear Cami say in victory, and I look over my shoulder through the back door to see Cami now entering the living room where Elijah stands "If there's one thing I've learned about you people, it's that there's always a bottle of booze around." She says to him, and I sip painfully on my drink

"You want one?" Cami asks Elijah, and he smiles condescendingly.

"Sounds delightful. And after that, Camille, then what? We have another, and another, perhaps another after that, another after that... Before long, I find myself opening up to you, or..." he trails off as he makes air-quotes with his fingers ""baring my damaged soul," as it were." He finishes, and Cami sits on the couch in my view and rolls her eyes as she puts a bottle of bourbon and two tumblers "It's an old trick, Camille. Not a particularly clever one." He adds.