Free of family

40

Bonnie and Arkyn spent a little longer at the ball, laughing and talking, occasionally bumping into someone either of them recognised. Eventually Esther came out of her room.
"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one." A waiter stopped by Arkyn and Bonnie, and they each took a glass. "I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"
"Cheers." Arkyn clinked his glass with Bonnie's.
"Cheers." She repeated after them and they drank their champagne. Bonnie caught Elena's glance, and frowned. "Excuse me for a second, will you?"
"Sure." He nodded and watched her head over to Elena and pull her up the stairs.

Bonnie dragged her friend to a bathroom and opened the water taps.
"Spill." She said.
"Spill what?"
"Elena we've known each other since we were kids. I can see past your poker face. What did Esther want?"
"Nothing."
"Elena, I don't trust her. Tell me what she wanted. Tell me it's got nothing to do with Ark."
"I promise you, it wasn't about Ark." Bonnie searched Elena's face for a sign that she was lying. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure." Bonnie looked worried. "Nothing to do with Ark?"
"She loves her children. She loves Arkyn. Everything she's ever done has been to protect all of them. Hence the vampire spell."
"Okay." Bonnie nodded and Elena closed the taps.
"Come on, let's go back down." Elena said and led her friend back to the party.

As soon as Bonnie had disappeared from view with Elena, however, Alexis had approached Arkyn.
"Hey, sweetheart." He grinned.
"I think I'm just gonna go home now." She shrugged.
"Sure, we'll just get Bonnie and go."
"I want to walk. Alone."
"Lex, it's dark, and the streets are empty. I don't think going for a walk alone is safe."
"I don't care. I'm a witch. I know how to protect myself."
"I know you do, sweetheart. But the last time you decided to walk home from a party, you got kidnapped. Remember?"
"Fine, I'll find someone."
"You just don't want to be near her." He realised.
"I'm sorry. I know you love her, and I can try to be okay with her but only if I don't have to see her."
"Let's go find Kol." He compromised. "We'll see if he can take you home."
"Sure. That's okay." Arkyn and Alexis looked around the room until they noticed he was nowhere to be found. Arkyn focused his hearing to pinpoint his brother.
"Oh, god." He said. "Stay here." He walked out of the room, speeding outside. He saw Damon Salvatore punching his brother and reaching for his neck. He sped in between, pushing away the younger vampire.
"Thanks, little brother." Kol smirked, standing up, ready to charge at Damon. Arkyn stopped him.
"Go upstairs and clean up." He said and Kol rolled his eyes. "I mean it." Kol glared at Damon before charging off. "You're lucky to leave here with your life. I suggest you leave now, before I change my mind." Damon shook his head, scoffing, and they noticed they'd attracted a crowd.
"Are you crazy?" Stefan glared at his brother.
"Maybe." Damon shrugged, looking at Elena who stood beside Bonnie. "Far be it for me to cause a problem." He looked back at Ark, who glared at him and he walked away. Arkyn saw Alexis staring and she disappeared back into the party. He walked back into the house to find her but Bonnie grabbed his hand stopping him. The rest of his family and Elena had walked ahead.
"What happened?" Bonnie asked.
"Is it a party without any drama?" Arkyn asked and she scowled.
"The truth."
"I don't know the whole truth. All I know is Damon tried to hurt my brother."
"Would you really kill him?"
"Do you really need to ask?" She studied him for a little while before shaking her head.
"No."
"I need to talk to Kol."
"I'll meet you in the ballroom." She said, and kissed his cheek, before walking away. He tried to catch a glance of Alexis, but he couldn't, so he headed towards the stairs. Alexis stood on a step.
"Looking for me?"
"Yeah." He walked over. "Are you okay?"
"I'm not a child, Ark. I know you're trying to just shield any and all kinds of violence, but it's okay. Besides, I didn't even see much."
"Okay." He said.
"Now lets go find your brother." Arkyn nodded but stopped as he smelled something. He sniffed the air. "What are you doing? Last I knew you were a vampire, not a dog."
"Sage. I can smell sage."
"Where from?"
"Upstairs. Burnt sage. The kind your mom used to use for a privacy spell."
"So, your mom's up to no good. What a shock! Probably plotting with Bonnie."
"One, Bonnie hasn't even formally met her yet. And two, it was Elena up here. Talking to her."
"Elena who showed up with two Salvatore bodyguards?"
"Yeah."
"Elena, who had to send her brother away because Klaus threatened his life?"
"Yeah."
"Elena, who wants Klaus dead more than anything?"
"Yeah."
"Elena, who-"
"You know very well which Elena. Stop with the 'Elena, who...'s."
"Fine."
"Come on, this is Kol." Arkyn said, knocking on a door.
"Come in." Kol called. "The two of you are entertaining."
"What happened tonight, Kol? What happened to no violence?"
"It was Rebekah's idea." He shrugged.
"And yet you were the one fighting the Salvatore."
"She wanted to kill her date."
"Matt?"
"Yeah. She asked for my help, I agreed."
"Aren't you the best big brother?" Alexis remarked.
"Exactly. But then she changed her mind-"
"But you couldn't let go, could you?" Kol shrugged, smirking. "So Damon, on whatever self destructive path he found himself on now, decided to step in and kicked your ass, almost snapping your neck."
"I wouldn't say kicked my ass. It was more- he caught me by surprise."
"You're not plotting any more murders tonight, are you?" Alexis asked.
"Nope, my night seems to be free right now."
"Great. You can take me home."
"Take you home why?"
"Ark thinks I might get kidnapped if I walk home alone, and I don't feel like third wheeling with him and Bonnie."
"Kidnapped by who?"
"Well, the last time Alexis was walking home alone, she was kidnapped. I just don't think it's very safe for her to be walking alone in the dark."
"One, I wasn't alone. I was with Elena."
"Either way, at least with Kol, you have a psychotic original vampire who will kill anyone who might try anything."
"That's a good thing?" Alexis asked.
"It means you'll be safe. And he won't kill anyone in the ten minute walk home."
"I won't?"
"You're already on Esther's bad side, Kol. If you kill anyone, she'll kill you."