Daring Spell (The Originals/Book One)

The Battle of New Orleans

I was on the phone with Marcel, walking through the halls of the coven house. "So the plan's going down tonight?"

"Yeah. Believe me, A, you're not gonna have to kill anybody. They're gonna run, and they're gonna take the baby with them." 

"You do know that a lot of you are gonna die, right?"

"I know. But this is it. This is the end of the reign on pain of the Originals and the witches. The Originals are gonna be gone, the witches are not gonna kill that baby." 

"Thank you, Marcel." I heard a noise from inside the greenhouse. "I gotta go."

I hung up, walking into the greenhouse suspiciously.

Davina was kneeling next to her friend Josh.

"Josh?" I asked.

Josh gasped, having a bite mark on his neck. "I'm sorry."

I knelt next to them, worried. "What happened?" 

Klaus appeared out of nowhere. "Joshua went and got himself a werewolf bite. Well, a hybrid bite, technically, but it will kill him just the same."

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded.

"Well, I blame your protege Davina," Klaus told me. "After all my overtures of friendship, she has once again sided with Marcel, forcing me to do horrible things to someone she cares about." Davina glared at him. Klaus knelt in front of her. "I'm not without mercy, Davina. I can cure him. But, you two have to cooperate, and tell me where to find Marcel."

"Why?" I asked. "So you can kill him, too?" 

"Marcel chose his path," Klaus told us. "Seems unfair that Josh should have to suffer for it."

Davina sighed. "I don't know where he is."

Klaus looked at me. "Do you?" 

I remained silent.

Klaus stood, walking away.

"Auria," Josh told me weakly. "Please."

"He's at a warehouse at the docks," I told him. "Thierry's place."

"You see?" Klaus asked. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" 

Klaus walked away.

"What about Josh?" Davina asked.

Klaus stopped. "He'll live another 24 hours or so. I may need the two of you, and Joshua serves as wonderful leverage. The next time I ask a question, answer quicker."

Klaus rushed away.

I looked at Davina and Josh hopelessly.

~

Josh was lying on the greenhouse table. 

Davina and I stood on either side of him.

I held a glass of water to his lips. "Josh? Please, drink this."

I helped lift his head so I could give him some water.

Josh gagged, coughing. "Oh, man."

"Just hang on, okay?" I asked, setting the glass and walking away toward the door.

"Auria!" Davina said to stop me, near tears. I turned to look at her. "Where are you going?"

"To go get some help," I answered, walking out.

~

I ran into the abattoir to see dozens, hundreds of vampires dead in the courtyard. "Oh, my God." I looked toward Diego and Marcel, both of them weak, bloody and beaten. "Marcel!" I ran up to him. "I've been trying to find someone, anyone."

"What are you doing here?" Marcel asked. "You get caught, they're gonna--"

"I don't care," I told him. "Josh's bit. I need help."

"You gotta get outta here," Marcel told me. "Not just because of the witches. My guys have also been bitten by wolves. They'll get sick, and then blood-crazy."

I saw the wolf bite on Marcel's neck. "We need to find Klaus, his blood can heal you."

Elijah ran into the room with rage. "Marcel! Where is she?!" He threw a chair in anger. I stepped between Elijah and Marcel. "Where's Hayley?"

"He doesn't have her," I told him. "Please! I know you don't trust him, but you know I wouldn't lie. He doesn't have her."

"Someone does," Elijah told me, walking past me to Marcel, going to attack.

I held my hand toward him, using magic to make him stop, giving him an anersym. "I told you, he doesn't have her."

Elijah groaned in pain. "I--believe you." I stopped the spell. Elijah breathed heavily, looking up. "Where is my brother?"

"I left him in the street," Marcel told us. "He was gonna kill me. And then, he got jacked up by some witch's spell."

I was beyond anger. "Genevieve."

She was still gonna kill the baby.

We had to stop her.