𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞.
chapter three, your secrets and lies!

      THE ORIGINAL HYBRID RELEASED his hold on the younger vampire who instantly put a few feet between them. Zakiyah Reed was staring at Klaus Mikaelson who raised both his hands in mock defense as he took a few steps back.

  "Easy love," there was tenderness in his tone that surprised the vampire. "I'm not here to kill you if that's what you're thinking."

   "Hmm, so reassuring," Zakiyah sassed with an evil grin that matched the darkness engulfing her eyes. Klaus gulped thickly. "Tell me, Niklaus, would you rather me start running now to begin the death race? I know you like it when your enemies play cat and mouse."

Just like you did Katerina. Oh the irony... or is it karma for what I did to you?

  "'Kiyah, please you aren't my enemy," he hated when she said his first name. He could sense the wedge between them— his doing that he wished to desperately undo. "Don't call me that, you lost that right."

"I understand. Zakiyah, I'm sorry," Klaus apologized softly.

   He looked down at the floor, eyes widening as they glistened with unshed tears. He opened his mouth to speak, but instantly closed it at the sound of her laugh. A melody once alluring, now twisted and unnerving.

  "'You're sorry'? That's your fucking apology?" She laughed again, throwing her hands up in the air. She looked at him and scowled at the glossy blue that met her dry brown. "And you have the nerve to be crying? You're crying after you threatened to kill me the way in which I did Katerina? The worst part is you knew how much it tore me to pieces that I actually went through with our revenge plan."

"Zakiyah—"

    "No!" She sped in front of him and shoved him. He stumbled back in shock. She glared at him, pointing her finger at him. "I'm talking now so you can shut your bloody mouth up and listen to me since we have so much to 'catch up on'."

  Klaus obliged, not wanting to cause any more damage than he already had.

   "You broke me that night, don't you get that? I literally died and came back to an empty home," Zakiyah shoved him harder again. He let her, his heart weighing heavy with guilt. "Don't you understand?"

She raised her foot and kicked his chest. He stumbled, almost losing his footing. He regained his footing, a low growl rumbling from his chest out of instinct.

"Your greatest fear is what you did to me and you have the audacity to cry! Cry for what? You gave me a shitty apology for what you did! I thought family was forever but it wasn't because you abandoned me! You disowned me!"

"Zakiyah, please!" Klaus stuttered, extending his arms out as he held back tears of remorse. "I'm so sorry."

"You told me I wasn't family! That I'm nothing to everyone." She shoved him again and swung her leg out. He tripped over her leg and fell on his back. She instantly straddled him and shoved her hand in his chest. He gasped, eyes bulging. "You did this to me! You looked me in the eyes as you held my life in your hands and broke me."

She took her arm out of his chest and clenched his bloody shirt between her fingers. She raised him so that they were at eye level.

  "Don't you get it, Nik?" He reached up to brush away the salted rivers streaming down her cheeks. She let him go and got off of him.

She sat beside him and looked at him with hollow eyes that once contained warmth when she saw him.

  "You finally let me die," Zakiyah sniffled, rubbing away the tears. "Now I'm here, with all this love in my heart for you that is undeserved while I try to salvage the shattered pieces of my humanity."

   "Come here, love," against her better judgment, the girl fell into the arms of the wolf. The damned lamb to the slaughter. The Reed vampire started sobbing, missing the arms of her best friend that once protected her from the world. A world that he demolished. "I've got you."

Bulgaria, 1492...

     The English vampire groaned in pleasure at the crimson flowing in her mouth. She savagely tore through the neck of Mrs. Petrova, the ribbons of flesh ripping apart. She pulled her head back just as the head of Katerina's mother rolled off her shoulders and onto the ground with a heavy thud.

  The Original vampire stared at Zakiyah, a proud grin stretching across his lips. Klaus surveyed the bedroom soaked in scarlet with dismembered body limbs from the Petrova family. The newborn vampire was ruthless with her thirst for blood.

   "It's delightful. I need more," she slurred, blood dripping from her bloody mouth. Her crimson lips were poised in an innocent grin that was hauntingly beautiful despite the stark contrast. She was drunk with euphoria from the blood. It came to Klaus' realization that Zakiyah was a ripper. "Nik I..."

She shook her head, coming back to reality from her high. Regret made her scream in horror. "Oh my—great heavens what have I done?"

     The realization sunk in, ripping apart the morals of the Reed girl. The newborn vampire looked around, her thirst for revenge and hunger subsiding drastically. She looked down at her hands that were stained with blood. Zakiyah shook her head tears welling up in her eyes at the damage she caused.

  "What have I done?" Zakiyah started sobbing. She was just so angry and hungry... "No! No Nik! No! How could I have done this?"

She tried attaching Mrs. Petrova's head back yo her body to no avail. She let out a sob at what she had done.

   "'Kiyah, sweetheart it is okay," Klaus instantly felt responsible for her regret. Had he damned her to Hell that she thought Katerina had done? He rushed to her side as she fell to her knees in tears. "No! No! No! It is not okay! I— mum did not raise thy to be this way! What have I done? I am an abomination to God! I am the devil's creation! I deserve to be hung for my atrocities! Nik make this stop, please make it stop!"

"Come here, love," Klaus cooed. She fell into his chest, his arms wrapping around her as a protective shield. "I've got thy."

     The vampire cried in the Original's arms as she clung onto him for dear life. She couldn't go back to her mother she was too ashamed. What could she do to her? She didn't know where Katerina ran off too. She had no one left.

  She was trembling, letting out horrified screams of what she had done. She was shaking her head as she cried, "No! No, no, no, what have I done? I am so sorry Katerina. I am so sorry. Just let me die. Please Nik I cannot bear this!

     Her voice was getting caught between each gasp of air she took to breathe in between her hiccuping sobs.

   "I am alone! Oh god what have I done? I shan't feel this anymore! Put me out of my misery!" Klaus rocked them back and forth, and kissed the crown of her head. "Thou are not alone as long as thy lives. There will be release at my word. Take a deep breath and let go. You shall feel better I promise."

"You promise?" Her voice was too small for the question to be heard, yet the Original caught every word. Klaus started crying, his heart breaking for her. Her emotions were too big for her small body and it was tearing her to pieces. She couldn't face this as a newborn vampire who didn't know the misfortune of being a ripper. So he told her to do what he thought was best.

Turn off her humanity and make her stronger than ever to face her demons when it's her time.

"I promise, Zakiyah. Just let go to release the pain."

New Orleans, present timing...

    The Original held onto the vampire who slowly calmed down in his arms. He rested his head on top of hers, listening to her rhythmic heartbeat. Zakiyah took a deep breath, her voice just above a whisper.

"I turned it on after I killed her," Zakiyah admitted with a sniffle. "I managed to convince her that I was to be trusted because of my love for her when I felt nothing for her in those moments. When I killed her, I left her body."

Zakiyah touched the necklace that rested on her chest. It felt heavy yet the weight of guilt was comforting given their tragic ending. Zakiyah deserved to carry her burden.

"Yet, as I walked away it switched. And when it did, I ran straight back to her and cradled her dead body. I mourned her and apologized profusely. How sick is that? Oh the irony!"

"She was to die soon, love. If it wasn't going to be you it was going to be me," Klaus sighed, hating his aid in creating Zakiyah's downfall. "I'm sorry for what I said. What I did. Truth be told, I love you Zakiyah, and I don't want to lose you. I regretted what I said and when I went back I seen you were gone."

Klaus took a deep breath, finding his courage to open up. "I made a mess of things, I know I did. There's no excuse for my cruelty towards you when as you've said, you've been nothing but supportive. Please allow me the opportunity to prove to you that I care. That you'll always be enough. That you'll always matter."

Klaus placed his fingers under her chin and gently raised her head to meet his eyes. His eyes pooled with tears at the sight of hers that were broken beyond repair. Or so she thought..

"You are family. I love you, I always will Zakiyah," Klaus gently kissed her forehead. "Please don't leave. I can't bear anymore years without you by my side. I'm going to do everything in my power to make you feel loved because you are. You've always been apart of this family and nothing can change that. Always is forever, I promise you."

Zakiyah turned around and tackled the Hybrid in a bear hug. He grunted in surprise as the two fell back. They both laughed, holding onto one another tightly. Zakiyah buried her face in the Hybrid's bloodied shirt. He rested his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"Now that's an apology." Zakiyah praised. She drew back from the Original and stared down at him. She was sitting in his lap, both her legs on either side of him. She pressed her hand on his chest for support. He was staring up at her in awe, his lips pulled into a wide grin. "So you forgive me?"

"Not yet," Zakiyah smirked, earning a groan from the blond. She got up, extending her hand to him. "You're going to have to earn back my trust. Starting with that drink you promised."

   "Bloody hell." Klaus rolled his eyes but accepted her aid. "At least let me go back home to change my shirt."

"Hmm," Zakiyah smiled at the sight, a devilish gleam twinkling in her eyes of ebony. "I suppose we could take a detour."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

HAYLEY MARSHALL WAS SITTING ON the bench in an empty park. Her brother, Alexander, stood behind her, watching the scene on edge. Night had fallen, with specs of stars scattered across the night sky. Hayley took a deep breath as she dropped the poison in her cup.

"Come on Hayley." She whispered to herself.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Alex asked once more, his senses on high alert. He was assessing her carefully, noticing how her body was trembling with hesitation. "We can always go back."

"It's one upset stomach and all this stupid drama is ancient history." She looked back at him and nodded. "Rebekah's right. We need to get out of here and this will be the only way."

"Okay, Hayls. You got this, I'm right here." He encouraged with a smile. He rubbed her back as she lifted the cup toward her face. She closed her eyes briefly, internally battling her inner thoughts. She opened her eyes and lowered the cup. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just... I can't," she sighed, shame branching in her veins that chilled her body. Alexander nodded in understanding. "That's okay. Let's just go back—"

Alexander's voice fell silent at the sound of a branch snapping near by. Hayley stood up, looking around. Alex jumped in front of Hayley at the sight of the vampire. Hayley gasped in surprise just as her brother cracked both sides of his neck.

"Dumb move, coming into the Quarter. You're coming with me, wolf." The vampire hissed. Alexander rolled his eyes that were glowing a vibrant gold. He smiled, showing his fangs. "Or I could kill you right now restoring the balance of nature."

"That's it, you're dead!" Hayley grabbed her brother's arm moving him to her right. They stood side by side in all their glory. Hayley stepped forward. "I have had it up to here with vampires telling my brother and I what to do."

The younger Marshall threw the cup's contents into the vampire's face who roared in pain. Alexander rushed forward and shoved his clawed hand into the vampires chest, ripping out his heart. He smirked, victoriously.

"Uh, Alex? We've got a problem." Alexander turned around to see that two more vampires had emerged from the shadows, thirsty for bloodshed. They were in front of Hayley with their lips drawn back exposing their fangs. Alex groaned in annoyance. "You've got to be shitting me."

Suddenly, Rebekah showed up and snapped the neck of one vampire. She yanked the heart out of the second vampire's back who fell to the ground with a lifeless thud.

"Now, that is no way to treat a pregnant lady," Rebekah shook her head and threw the heart on the ground. Hayley gaped at her, still in shock while Alex nodded at her in appreciation. "I do hate bad manners."

 
    In the courtyard of the Mikaelson mansion, Klaus Mikaelson was throwing the last body onto the small pile he created. He was beyond pissed at the mess the two wolves and his sister had created.

   "This is why I told you never to leave the house. Werewolves are banned in the Quarter. I had a plan, and your little nighttime stroll put it all in peril!" Klaus berated. Rebekah made a move to end the last living vampire in the pile, but Klaus yelled at her stopping her in her tracks. "Leave him!

"You've done enough, don't you think? Leaving a trail of bodies like a road map to my door?" Zakiyah was watching from her position in boredom. She was standing beside the werewolf siblings, watching the scene unravel.

"If I hadn't overheard this lot bragging about werewolf heads, everyone here would be screwed."

  "Talk your shit Beks," Zakiyah encouraged with a smile of approval. Rebekah turned to her best friend and grinned in appreciation. Klaus glared at his best friend, but the raise of her eyebrow made him look away with a huff. Hayley smiled and Alexander chuckled at the small vampire.

    She turned to the siblings and winked at them. They both blushed, taken aback by her flirtatious nature. It made the curiosity in Alex increase. He subconsciously took a step closer toward the English vampire who was unfazed by his close proximity. She welcomed it.

"And don't give me that crap about having a plan. You've had all the time in the world to execute a plan, and no one's seen you do a damn thing! Elijah made a deal to protect your child so that it could save you from your selfish, rotten self. But you obviously don't give a damn about the child or Elijah, because what have you done to honor it?"

"I have done everything. Let me spell it out for you, shall I? From the day I arrived, Marcel hasn't trusted me. From Day One, he's had his vampires ingest toxic vervain which, as you know, little sister, protects them from my mind control."

Klaus went to grab the vampire that was still alive from the pile.

"And this one – I'm gonna drain him of vervain, compel him to believe his mates found religion and moved to Utah so that he can explain to Marcel why he lost three more vampires tonight."

The Original dragged the vampire like a rag doll as he made his way into the home. He passed by Zakiyah, sparing her a small smile that instantly dissipated when he met Alexander's eyes. The werewolf was giving the Original a death glare when he saw the exchange.

Klaus ignored him and went inside. Zakiyah noticed the tension between the two and quirked her brow in question at the hunter. He ignored her, yet her arm brushing against his lit his tatted arms with goosebumps. Zakiyah smirked, and walked past him to go inside after Klaus. Rebekah and the Marshall siblings followed after the two best friends.

"Does anyone have any more questions?"

"I do actually—" Zakiyah started only to be cut off by Klaus. She pouted, yet remained silent. "No? Good, because I have a question. Hayley, Alexander, what were you both doing in the bloody French Quarter in the first place?"

Neither sibling answered, enraging the already pissed off hybrid.

"Answer me!" He demanded with vexation. Rebekah and Zakiyah were quick to their defense. "Leave them be!"

Klaus jerked his head back in surprise at Zakiyah's voice. She gave him a stern look that made him gulp. Having enough, Alexander spoke.

"You're acting as if you give a damn when your actions have proved otherwise." Alex spat, crossing his arms over his chest. "Let's just drop it and we promise you that we won't go back to the Quarter."

"No," Hayley shook her head and stepped forward. Zakiyah could feel the heat of her fury. "You wanna know what I was doing? I was buying poison, so I could put your little baby out of its misery."

  Zakiyah pursed her lips, nodding at Hayley with wide eyes in surprise. She didn't expect that answer but she knew the consequences could be lethal. In an instant, Klaus used his vampire speed to pin her against the door. His hand was wrapped around her neck, raising her to his eye level as she choked and sputtered for air.

  "Nik!" Rebekah screamed in horror. Zakiyah watched as Alexander shot forward and went to rip Klaus off of his sister just as Rebekah had. "NIK!"

    Zakiyah was frozen in place, waiting for the right time to strike. Rebekah pushed him off of Hayley and grabbed him by his shoulders.  Hayley coughed, massaging her throat as she stared up at him with fear. Alexander was kneeling by her side, checking in on her.

"Keep your hands off her! She is pregnant, for God's sake! All of this bluster about not wanting the child, and then the second she tells you she's ready to get rid of it? It's okay to care. It's okay to want something. That's all Elijah was trying to do, all he's ever wanted for you. All we've ever wanted."

  Rebekah gestured between her and Zakiyah who was staring at the Original Hybrid with distaste. He went to the stairs and sat down. Rebekah sat down beside him. He was beginning to calm down, but it was short lived. Without warning, Klaus screamed in agony. He clutched his shoulder where a dagger was lodged.

   Zakiyah gasped in surprise just as Rebekah turned to see Alexander holding another knife in his hand. Zakiyah Reed was a blur in front of the Mikaelson siblings. Rebekah made a move toward the hunter, but Zakiyah placed a gentle hand on Rebekah's chest preventing her from stepping forward.

  "Don't." She warned.

   But Klaus was not one to be bested by an enemy. He ignored her warning and rushed toward the hunter who stabbed the Original in the stomach. Alexander didn't hesitate to punch Klaus in the face. Blood sprayed from the Original's lips.

Growling, the hybrid yanked the dagger out of his abdomen and used both weapons to stab Alexander in his intestines.

    Blood pooled from Alexander's mouth who was holding onto the Original's shoulder for dear life. He didn't look afraid— rather uncomfortable from the pain and irritated that he lost the upper hand. "I never liked you, yet I spared your life for the sake of your sister," Klaus twisted both daggers with a wild gleam in his eyes. Alexander gritted his teeth, "But now, I'm going to kill you slowly."

Zakiyah let out a small scream and clutched her stomach. Blood sprayed from her lips. Rebekah gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Hayley let out a scream, her eyes welling with tears that fell.

"Klaus please stop! It's not his fault it was mine!" Hayley sobbed trying to rush toward the two, but both girls held her back. Zakiyah held one arm and Rebekah held the other. "Don't kill him, I'm begging you he's all I have left!"

Zakiyah wheezed when she felt her intestines rip and shred internally. She turned her head to the side, throwing up blood. Zakiyah fell to her knees just as Alexander's knees buckled. He turned his head to face his sister. He gave her a bloody smile that didn't reach the pain in his eyes. He slowly turned to see Zakiyah and his smile fell.

She was struggling to catch her breath. Her once white shirt was now stained in scarlet. She held her abdomen that was bleeding profusely letting go of Hayley as Rebekah took over.

"Nik stop!" Rebekah begged as she held Hayley back. Hayley didn't care about Zakiyah or Rebekah. She was trying to escape the vampire's hold but failed miserably. "You're hurting Zakiyah too!"

Klaus instantly stopped, his head snapping in the direction of his best friend. Alexander used it to his advantage and tore one of the knives from his abs and stabbed Klaus in the throat. The Original gasped in surprise, choking on the blood that was spraying from his wound.

"NIK!" Rebekah screamed and let go of her hold on Hayley. Rebekah ran toward her brother just as Hayley ran to Alex. Alexander groaned in pain, yet was crawling his way toward Zakiyah.

Zakiyah felt her wounds slowly piece themselves together at a weak attempt to heal. She looked up to see the werewolf hunter slowly dragging his body toward her while his sister tried to pick him up. He swatted her help away, his eyes fixated on Zakiyah. The Reed vampire used her speed to appear before him.

"Please save him," Hayley begged. "I can't lose him."

Zakiyah nodded and brought her wrist to her mouth. A sickening crunch echoed in the air. Alexander scrunched his nose in disgust when he saw her blood run down her forearm.

"Gross." He wheezed.

He started coughing more blood, his strength diminished. Zakiyah ignored him and wrapped her fingers around the handle of the dagger and pulled. Alexander hissed in pain. With a roll of her eyes, Zakiyah placed her index and middle finger under Alex's chin to raise his head up.

"Drink up," she shoved her wrist in his mouth allowing the blood to slither down his throat. To both of their surprise, Alexander latched onto her skin and began sucking the blood that spilled from her closed wound.

Zakiyah gasped at the euphoria from him sucking her blood. The blood was too good to Alexander whose wolf was howling with joy. They could feel their bodies regenerating their strength that seemed intertwined with one another.

It took Zakiyah by surprise at the rush of power pulsing in her veins that Alexander could feel too. It was addicting. She was addicting.

Who is he? She thought. She was scared of their connection that was more than just internal... it was physical. She pulled her arm away from him, rubbing the smooth skin that was clean of blood. She stared at him with a look he couldn't decipher. He licked his lips and cleared his throat, embarrassed.

"What the hell was that?" He asked her. She ignored his question and looked him straight in the eyes. He gulped at the intensity of her gaze that lured him in. "Who the hell are you, Alexander Marshall?"