Ουπς! Αυτή η εικόνα δεν ακολουθεί τους κανόνες περιεχομένου. Για να συνεχίσεις με την δημοσίευση, παρακαλώ αφαίρεσε την ή ανέβασε διαφορετική εικόνα.
KLAUS LETS OUT a yell as he throws his painting across the room, only just missing Elijah. "I suppose we shall have to call this your 'white period.'" Elijah picks up the painting, attempting to defuse some of the tension. The last couple of months had been tense and the silence of the empty compound was always a reminder.
"I'm missing a crucial color in my palette-- that of my enemies' blood." Klaus snaps, glaring at his brother.
"Well, I recommend a Venetian red, with a dash of rust." Elijah drawls, but his joke only causes Klaus to completely lose his temper.
"It's been months." Klaus raises his voice. "I've adhered to our plan: sit and do nothing, sell our grief. And now, my child is safely away, and another full moon is upon us-- another night of pathetic weakness as the moonlight rings steal my strength." Another bit of information that Cullen had failed to know about when casting the spell on the moon stones. Genevieve had slipped Klaus' blood into the mix, connecting him to every wolf that wore a moonlight ring. "The inertia is killing me. I need to act. I- need-- I need to spill blood."
"Well, then, you'll be pleased to know that I've located the last of the twelve rings forged with your blood." Elijah tells him.
Klaus noticeable perks up at the prospect of killing the wolves to gain his strength back. "Then, it's time."
"And none too soon." Elijah nods. "I'm concerned about Cullen."
"She looks well enough." Klaus mumbles, trying to busy himself with his art supplies. The last thing he wanted to talk about was Cullen. Months ago, when everything happened the two of them were struggling, but they were doing it together. After a while it all became too much and they both began to isolate themselves.
"She looks no better than you, brother. Now, if the two of you would treat each other as more than just... passing acquaintances--" Elijah tries only for Klaus to interrupt him.
"She doesn't need me." Klaus states. "She needs her child."
Elijah hums, knowing how much both parents wanted to see their daughter. "Sadly, like the father of her child, she prefers to fight her demons alone."
-
When Cullen enters her bedroom she doesn't expect to see Elijah. When she notices what he's doing her anger spikes, the rush of a real emotion shooting through her body. "What the hell?" Cullen calls, gaining the older mans attention. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Welcome back. What is it, the third night this week?" Elijah question, passive aggressively. "How many people did you drain of blood tonight? Ten? Twenty? Or did you hit a new record?"
Cullen scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Screw you, Elijah. I don't need a caretaker." Even at her words Elijah doesn't stop, continuing to pack of the blankets that once laid on the crib. "What are you doing, Elijah?"
"As we have discussed, our illusion needs to be flawless. Now, months have passed. It's the appropriate time." Elijah explains.
"What's next on the 'appropriate' list?" Cullen questions. "Klaus and I hold our heads up high and say we're ready to try again?"
"I understand this is difficult for you--" Elijah begins.
Cullen doesn't let him finish as she begins shouting. "What's difficult is knowing that Francesca Guerrera is still breathing after she was the one who plotted with the witches to kill my baby."
"You will have your vengeance, I promise you this." Elijah claims.
"Well, until then, this is my room." Cullen snaps, grabbing the blanket from Elijah's hands. "And I'll tell you when it's appropriate to clean it out."
-
Hours later and Cullen is called to the dining room. Hesitantly she walks in, avoiding both Klaus and Elijah's gaze as they begin talking about the plan to steal back the moonlight rings. "We're taking the twelve original rings. Now, four of them sit on the hands of the Guerrera brothers. One on Oliver, one on Francesca, three with the home security detail, and the rest scattered amongst her lackeys. Now, each ring is distinguishable by its setting-- gauche, like those that wear them."
"If they believe they can get their hands on the stake, they will come for me when I am weak. Each ring you retrieve will strengthen me, but I will still at a disadvantage." Klaus voices his worry.
"Ergo, any hope of our success depends entirely upon our working together." Elijah glances towards Cullen. "The two of you can no longer afford to retreat to separate corners."
Cullen looks towards Klaus, waiting for him to speak. She's not let down when he stands, a destructive look on his face. "This is our fight. Are you ready for battle, Cullen?"
Cullen is quiet for a moment before she responds. "Just promise me that Francesca doesn't come out of this alive."
Klaus smirks. "Her head will be delivered to you on a silver platter, little witch."
Elijah nods, turning to leave. "I'll deal with the last piece of the puzzle.
-
As the night continued Cullen stayed at the compound helping Hayley take out the wolves that Francesca sent, but she was waiting for the woman of the hour. When Elijah finally gave her the go ahead she couldn't be more thrilled. She followed Francesca's car, waiting for the right moment to appear.
Keeping an emotionless face as she stands in the middle of the road, she waits for Francesca to notice her. When the older woman finally does she slams on her brakes, the car coming to a screeching holt.
Not wasting any time Cullen walks up to the car, practically ripping Francesca out of it. With the woman on the ground Cullen gives her no time to fight back, her fangs appearing. She saviors the moment, listening to Francesca beg for mercy before she lunges, draining Francesca of her blood.
She only stops when Francesca's body turns limp, the woman obviously no longer alive. Pulling back Cullen watches as the woman drops to the floor. She takes a moment to calm her breathing before she reaches forward, removing the final moonlight ring from the woman's finger. With her work done Cullen speeds away from the scene, only stopping when she reaches the compound. She enters quietly, hoping she can rid herself of the blood before anyone sees her.
As Cullen enters her room she stops, catching a glimpse of the crib that sat empty in her daughters room. Almost as if a wave crashes over her, Cullen begins to hyperventilate, going into what she knew was a panic attack. Her loud uneven breaths must have echoed through the compound because Klaus was instantly by her side, holding onto her as she fell to the ground, the tears in her eyes clouding her vision. "Cullen, love. What's wrong?" Klaus whispers, brushing a bit of hair out of her face as she continues to struggle to breathe.
"I-I- I can't." Cullen shakes her head. "I thought that by killing Francesca I would feel better, but she's still gone. Hope's still gone."
"I know, Cullen." Klaus continues to comfort the woman.
"I was a mother." Cullen cries. "And now I'm a monster."
